5 Favourite Nail Polishes Picks for Spring/Summer.

As a disclaimer: I don't really believe that you can only wear a certain colour (clothes, nail polish, lipstick, blush) at a certain time of year. I personally am more inclined to wear a dark burgundy lip in November and a bright pink in June. I encourage everyone to wear whatever they want in whatever season it is but I do like these sort of posts because the colour palettes are normally very 'season appropriate'. However, for Spring and Summer, I typically favour pastels, neons and brights. These colours always recycle themselves in make-up and fashion every S/S season so nothing I'm saying is really that groundbreaking. That being said, I hope you enjoy my top 5 nail polish picks for Spring and Summer 2014. If you tend to shy away from brighter shades on your nails, try painting your toes with a bright blue or coral!

P.S. I often post pictures of my nails/nail designs on Instagram (@drnktxtrmeo_) and have to give massive credit to my wonderful nail tech Rachel at 'Elegant Nails' for her talent and skills (and patience when I can't decide on a colour!)

Since moving to Galway and finding the brand readily available in Boots and Cara pharmacies, Essie has become one of my favourite nail polishes. They're not the cheapest, but they're definitely not the most expensive and I've found the texture and formula of all Essie nail polishes I've tried to be really great! Go Ginza is a gorgeous pastel shade, somewhere between a pink and lavender. The problem I typically run into with pastels is that they're watery and sheer, taking 4 coats to get a good opaque coat. I don't have this issue with Go Ginza which is very refreshing for such a pale pastel shade!

Essie Go Ginza

Barry M Nail Paints are easily my favourite lower-end polishes. They come in a HUGE range of shades and finishes for next to nothing (they're normally on special offer in Boots, too). Mint Green is just that - a mint green. Green isn't something I wear too often but done in a pastel form I think it looks very flattering on the nails. I loved this shade when I had very short nails and think it looks great with or without a tan. Barry M and Essence both do a very good range of pastels (pinks, purples, greens, blues, yellows, peach).

Barry M Mint Green

Meet Me At Sunset is a briiiight shade, there's no way around it. It's just shy of 'neon' so if the whole acid green nails isn't your thing but you still wanted something bright, this is the shade for you! Meet Me At Sunset is hard for me to describe, it's not quite a red, not quite orange.. or coral.. or tomato - it's all of those in one. This shade looks particularly lovely against a tan and is very summer appropriate! This is also super opaque and only takes 2 coats to achieve a bright manicure.

Essie Meet Me At Sunset

Models Own is another brand that do some fantastic shades in all different sorts of finishes and textures. You can buy these polishes in Boots but my friend from France sent me over a couple of beautiful Models Own polishes for Christmas last year and this happened to be among the bunch. This colour is stunning and the picture doesn't really do it justice. It's a peachy orange with golden yellow shimmer and a golden orange duochrome throughout. It reflects the light beautifully in the bottle and on the nail! It's quite sheer, so you'll need a couple of coats. Alternatively, you could layer it over an orange or another bright to give it a really cool shimmer effect (this is my favourite way of using this polish!) Tropical Sun is great for those who aren't too keen on the whole neon/bright trend because it's a more subtle way of adding colour!

Models Own Tropical Sun

Another present from my froggy friend; Kiko nail polish. We searched Paris high and low for the Kiko store but we couldn't find it anywhere. So, I was so happy to see this in my birthday present parcel. I've heard a lot of things about the brand and know they can be found throughout Europe in France, Spain and Italy (maybe Germany too?). So, if you happen to be on holidays and see a Kiko shop, I'd absolutely suggest you have a look! The formula of this polish is brilliant, it's a smooth cream, dries quickly and only needs 1 coat. I love all shades of blue and turquoise for Spring and Summer so I had to include one in this post!

Kiko #8

 Some Spring/Summer nail ideas from my Instagram @DrnkTxtRmeo_ :)

Thank you for reading! Let me know if you have any suggestions/requests/recommendations - tweet me @drnktxtrmeo_ or email: longhairandlashes@gmail.com

April Favourites!

Make-up items I've been using/loving this month. Some new ones and some oldies (but goodies!). I love 'favourites' posts because they give you a general overview of the products someone has been using that month. Seeing a mix of products introduces me to new stuff and also reminds me of older products I have, loved and need to start using again! Anyway, this month was pretty unexciting in terms of eyeshadow, nothing too colourful. Looking back on these pictures, I definitely wore a lot more pink tones, especially on my cheeks and lips. This only ever really happens in Spring and Summer so I guess it's finally here! This is solely a make-up favourites but I will definitely be including hair, nails and other beauty items in the future. I'll also be doing plenty of hair and nail related posts/reviews very soon so if that's something you're interested in then keep an eye out :)

April Favourites

First up is the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser. I don't know about instantly erasing all my pores until I look photoshopped for days but, this is a really nice siliconey and velvety primer for the price. It is definitely lightweight, non greasy and makes my make-up go on a better, making it look a lot nicer. And because I'm a sucker for packaging, I think it's pretty cute!

Maybelline Baby Skin

Unfortunately, it seems that this month was the month of liking all of my limited edition products (sorry!). MAC Minieralize Skinfinish in Perfect Topping is such a beautiful highlighting powder. MSF's are one of my favourite products from MAC, especially in terms of their limited edition collections and because they're so unique looking and beautiful on the skin, they're definitely worth picking up if you can get your hands on them. Perfect Topping is a rose-beige base with some very subtle purple/lavender veining. The sheen it gives on top of the cheekbones is beautiful - nothing too glittery or chunky looking. If this is ever rereleased in future collections, absolutely get your hands on this gem!

MAC MSF - Perfect Topping (Limited Edition)

It was only a matter of time before this blush featured somewhere on this blog! Nars Orgasm is probably one of the most talked about blushes on earth - and with good reason! I know many other brands have done an 'Orgasm-esque' blush but they're really never the same... Nars blushes are fantastic and this colour is beautiful on pretty much every skintone. I hate to be that person but it really is a 'peachy/pinky' blush with gold shimmer. This colour really brightens up the face, goes great with most eye looks and is a great every-day blush to have if you're not wearing much else on your face. Unlike a lot of people, this wasn't the first blush from Nars I ever bought - it took me about a year to eventually buy it. I didn't see the hype for ages until I had used it 3-4 times. Now, I can't imagine my life without it (dramatic, but frighteningly true... ish).

Nars Orgasm

This blush came out with the Archie's Girls collection from MAC about a year ago but Nars Desire is pretty similar. Prom Princess is a beautiful hot pink with purple undertones, shot through with a very subtle silver shimmer. This is easily one of the most pigmented blushes I own so I like to apply it with a small stippling brush for a more subtle wash of pink on the cheeks. Throughout this month I've just been really enjoying a bright pink cheek with a matching lip!

MAC Prom Princess (Limited Edition)

Catrice has quickly become one of my favourite drugstore/lower-end/pharmacy brand - it's so good! I've seen a few people online talk about their Liquid Metal Eyeshadow and decided to give them a go. I picked up Gold n' Roses, a very pale pink shade with lots of gold shimmer/glitter. They come in a few different shades, more neutral and then some bright blues and mauve purples but this was the most unique to me. The texture is wonderful and really reminds me of the MAC In Extra Dimension range. I love to pat this on top of a matte neutral lid, in the inner corners, or used wet on the lid for more of a 'pink' effect.

Catrice Gold n' Roses

I picked the I <3 Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara up not really expecting much from it but it is such a great pharmacy find! The brush is quite fat and plastic, with short spiked bristles along the edge and tip (the tip is some-what similar to Benefit's They're Real!). The interesting thing about the brush is that there are some flat panels inbetween the bristles which have tonnes of product. These panels coat the lashes with mascara and then I like to turn the wand with the bristles to my lashes and wiggle the product through. This gives a very dense, black and volumised lash. I've heard a lot of people say that it's a respectable dupe for the MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash. My friend is a huge advocate of that mascara and while I haven't personally tried it, I have compared the wands and they look very similar so I'm assuming they do a similar job!

Essence I <3 Extreme

Magenta lipliner is such a great pencil to have if you wear a lot of pinks/purples. It can definitely transform a lipstick and I love to wear it with the likes of Violetta, Girl About Town and Up The Amp.

I've been really favouring a nude or brown pencil on the waterline this month because I've been doing very basic, neutral looks and want something a little less harsh than black (patricularly if I don't have any winged eyeliner on) The Rimmel Scandaleyes Nude Eyeliner is a great fleshtone colour that really opens up the eye, making you seem more awake and doe-eyed (It's a lot less harsh than a stark white). The texture of these pencils is really nice, creamy but has very good lasting power.
Hot Chocolate is just a very basic, warm toned brown that looks very flattering on the waterline, or smudged on the upper and lower lashline. The staying power of the pencil is pretty good, especially for the price!

MAC Magenta, Rimmel Nude 005, Essence Hot Chocolate

Ah, possibly my favourite part of any favourites post... lipstick! As I said already, this month was a very pink toned one. A bold lipstick with some mascara and eyeliner can really make it look like you've put in a lot of effort to your look when you haven't at all.
Catfight is a hot pink with a very red undertone. The formula of the Urban Decay lipsticks are unlike any other and I think I might do a whole blog post with swatches and more in-depth thoughts on them. Catfight is creamy and super super opaque... and look at that packaging! (Urban Decay marketing and packaging: 1, Grace's bank account, 0)
Daddy's Little Girl also came out with the Archie's Girls collection. It's a bright pink-violet. The purple undertone of this lipstick really flatter the Prom Princess blush. It has a satin finish but goes on very smooth and creamy. Unfortunately I found it really hard to give a dupe for this from my lipstick stash that wasn't also limited edition. WHY DOES MAC DO THIS TO ME?!
Finally, something cheap and cheerful to end this post with. I remember the exact moment when I found out that Wet n Wild had come to Ireland: I complimented my friend on her lipstick and asked her what it was. She replied casually "oh some really cheap one by eh.. wet n wild I think?" After the initial shock of finding out that it was bought in Ireland and not stateside, I raided every Dunnes Stores high and low, far and wide.. (Okay, so I went to one in Galway and one in Dublin but we'll go with it for dramatic effect) Anyway, enough of that pointless anecdote.. Think Pink is a gorgeous pale pink with very subtle peach undertones. While it is bright, it's not overbearing and I regularly wear this on a day-to-day basis! The formula of these lipsticks is insaaaaane, especially for the price! There's no shimmer, it's definitely a cream formula that almost dries to a semi-matte/satin finish and is very long lasting!

Urban Decay Catfight, MAC Daddy's Little Girl (Limited Edition), Wet n Wild Think Pink

Catfight, Daddy's Little Girl, Think Pink

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FOTD - High Voltage/Get Electric.

Another Instagram FOTD I uploaded about a month ago! So I saw that Urban Decay had put up face charts for their new Electric Palette (eeeeek!). I wanted to recreate the 'High Voltage' look but with my own twist because lime green/purple is one of my favourite bright colour combinations. I think that I might recreate a few more of the looks from their website when I finally get my hands on the palette! This is definitely a dramatic look - it has colour, winged liner, a graphic shape on the inner corner and top and bottom lashes.. the only thing missing is glitter! It's not for everyone, but I hope you enjoy :)

Check out the Urban Decay Get Electric looks here: http://www.urbandecay.com/electric-pressed-pigment-palette/landingpage-electricpalette.html#prolooks_top

                                                                        Products Used:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion (original)
• Mac Pro Chromaline - Pure White (used as a base and for my eyeliner on the waterline/inner corner)
• Inglot shadows #318, #375, #477 mixed with a teeny tiny bit of #59
• Urban Decay eyeshadows - Psychedelic Sister, Strange, Blackheart (Naked3), Blackout (Naked2)
• Urban Decay liquid liner - Perversion
• Top and bottom lashes are by Eyelure but I'm not sure what number(s) saaaarray!
• Urban Decay lipstick - Native

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Review: Lush Cosmetics Ocean Salt.

Ocean Salt was one of the first ever products I tried from Lush (almost 5 years ago). I hadn't repurchased it in years simply because I'd branched out and tried other exfoliators. I decided to repurchase it a few months ago and now I remember why I fell in love with this product in the first place! I won't get too into the brand itself, but it's good to know that they're a cruelty free company who use natural ingredients and safe synthetics. I think when most people think of Lush, they think of bath bombs but their skincare range is particularly excellent! (about 90% of my skincase is from the brand)

Ocean Salt is a thick consistency, with chunks of salt to exfoliate. I use this 2-3 times a week in the shower on damp skin. It's marketed as both a facial and body exfoliate but I really only use it on my face. Some of the main ingredients are grapefruit infusion (cleanses and tones), sea salt (exfoliates layers of dead skin to reveal softer, newer skin), organic lime extracted in vodka (refreshes, rejuvenates and brightens) and avocado butter (nourishes and hydrates the skin). Ocean Salt is definitely zingy and invigorating (probably due to the citrus ingredients) and a little goes a long way when using it on the face.

My oily, non-sensitive skin loves this product but it's not something I'd recommend for sensitive skin. In my opinion, the sea salt and vodka would be too harsh and may even 'sting' the skin slightly. In saying that, everyone is different and those with dry skin may really love it so it's definitely worth going into Lush and politely asking for a sample before forking out the money for a tub of this stuff. The smell is something I really love about this product: it's like an exotic smelling cocktail. Another thing to note about Ocean Salt is that it comes in 2 different sizes (in 100% recycled plastic pots... bring back 5 and get a free fresh face mask!) so you can always try the smaller one (£7.25 for 120g) before committing to the 250g (at £13.25), especially if you're intending it on only using it for the face. 

Overall, I like the packaging, I like the product, I like the smell and I love what it does for my skin! Although it is pricey, when used on the face, this product will last a long time and is a great exfoliator for oily, acne prone skin. This is definitely be a product I repurchase when I (eventually) run out! Unfortunately, I am unaware of € prices of ocean salt as I purchased it in the closet store to me (Newry). This product can be bought online at https://www.lush.co.uk/products/cleansers/ocean-salt or alternatively in Belfast, Newry, Dublin (Grafton St. and Henry St.) and Cork. 

I think/hope I covered everything but if anyone has any further questions then please ask. Thank you for reading! :) Follow me on Instagram: http://instagram.com/drnktxtrmeo_

Face of the Day (FOTD)

About a month ago I posted this FOTD on Instagram (@drnktxtrmeo_) and thought it would be a good idea to list the products used on here. This look is a very deep purple on the inner and outer corners with a rose-gold accent on the centre of the lid. Not a shape I typically go for and the lack of winged liner would normally make me have heart failure but it's always fun to try different things - after all, it's only make-up... nothin' permanent! ;)

                                                                 
                                                                  Products Used:
Cheeks:

• Mac Prism and Harmony blushes (contour)
• Nars Orgasm blush
• Mac Lightscapade (highlight)

Eyes:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion (original)
• Urban Decay Shadow Pencil - Delinquent (base)
• Inglot shadows #325, #375
• Mac Shadowy Lady, Carbon
• Urban Decay Strange, Nooner, Trick (Naked3)
• Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner - Zero
• Benefit They're Real mascara
• Ardell natural demi-wispies 

Lips:

• Mac Creme Cup (cremesheen)

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Top 10 Make-Up Products for Summer.

I thought I'd ease myself into the whole blogging business by doing a post on my top 10 make-up products for Summer! Actually, I say ease myself in but it was embarrassingly difficult to choose only 10 products! This is a fairly general post, I tried to cover as much face,cheeks, eyes and lips in the one post. However, if you'd like to see a more specific one on top 5 eyeshadows/lipsticks/blushes for summer then of course let me know! Anyway, these are tried and tested, well used and well loved products that see me through any time of the year, but especially summertime. Many of these products are sweat proof, long wearing, easy to apply and fun to wear in summer (Girl About Town, I'm lookin' at you)

Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you've tried any of these products and any other summer/heat proof make-up recommendations

First up is the product that needs no introduction really. If you're a Mac fan then I'm sure you have this in your stash somewhere. Studio Fix Powder is a powder foundation that gives a relatively full and flawless coverage (particularly for a powder). As a disclaimer; I am a total cake face...Usually, I like a medium to full coverage on a daily basis so a BB/CC/ZZ cream or a tinted moisturizer is a rarity in my make-up bag. Honestly, I rarely wear anything other than a bit of concealer if I'm going anywhere during the day in summer (all or nothin' yano?) but, when I do want more coverage - Studio Fix Powder gives me just that. This stuff is SO easy to apply with a kabuki style/densely packed brush... it essentially gives a full coverage in about 5 seconds. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Easy to apply, long lasting, great for oily skin and won't slip and slide around your face when the sun comes out.

Mac Studio Fix Powder 

Although I have oily skin, I love cream cheek products in the summer time. While they don't always have the longest wear time, they're easy to apply, natural looking and can be set with a complimentary powder for extra staying power. Cream highlights look beautiful on any skin type (particularly dry). Mac Strobe Cream is technically marketed as an illuminating moisturizer but because of my oily skin and the gorgeous sheen it gives, I prefer to use this strategically on top of my cheeks as a subtle highlight.  This is just a little mini sample I received with a Mac order a while ago, but a little goes a long way when using this as a highlight! The texture is thin, smooth and liquidy so it won't cake up around cream or powder foundations. Mix some Strobe Cream in with your regular foundation for a lightweight, dewy tinted moisturizer.

Mac Strobe Cream

Next is the shameless 'Chanel bronze universel/soleil tan de Chanel' dupe. I don't actually use this as a 'primer' but more-so as a cream bronzer in the summertime. Bourjois Bronzing Primer has a really light, mousse-y formula that blends very easily on top of powder (in fact, I often use this on top of setting powder as a base for my contour and it works perfectly!). Although the colour may look a bit intimidating in the pot, its quite sheer and blendable so it would work on even fair Irish skinned milk bottles (such as myself). The number one selling point? It smells like chocolate... that.is.all.

Bourjois Bronzing Primer 

SUCH a pretty colour for spring/summer. The picture doesn't even do it justice but Cactus Flower is a bright poppy red/pink shot through with gold shimmer. It pulls almost a pink/coral on my skin tone which screams summertime to me. Pricey, but beautiful. It's not a secret that Nars do excellent blushes - both powder and cream. I apply this with a small stipple brush or clean fingers and it is such a beautiful blush. Sad fact: I read online somewhere that this was one of the blushes used on Zooey Deschanel during 500 days of summer and bought it a week later. Sad but true. (Cue the 'Shut up and take my money' meme)

Nars Cactus Flower

Something cheap and cheerful to balance out the Nars entry - Maybelline Colour Tattoos. Similar to Mac Paint Pots, these bad boys caused a miniature explosion on beauty blogs when they first came out. I LOVE these - definitely one of my favourite 'drugstore' buys. Pink Gold (featured below) is probably my most used Colour Tattoo (on and on bronze is a close second and very summer time appropriate!). I use these as both a cream eyeshadow and a base underneath other shadows. The former makes for a really quick and easy summertime eye look if you can't be bothered with a million brushes and eyeshadows. I have worn these in France in the middle of July and they have not creased, they're amazing! They come in so many colours, both neutrals and brights and with Maybelline usually on a 3 for 2 offer, it's a great opportunity to give them a try!

Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo

Colourful eyeliner is such a fun way to add a (for lack of a better word) 'pop' of colour to a simple or neutral eye look... especially on the waterline or lower lashline! I'm a huge fan of the Urban Decay 24/7 glide on range; they stay put on the waterline and once they set they don't move! Urban Decay has an insaaaane colour range when it comes to their eyeliners so they're worth checking out. Their shadow pencils are also super easy to use and can be quickly swept across the lid for an even bolder look. They also make amazing eyeshadow bases!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (Covet)/Shadow Pencil (Clash)

Ah, the Naked Basics palette. Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few years then I'm almost positive you've heard about the 'Naked' phenomenon from Urban Decay. I could write a whole blog post dedicated to this product but all I'll really say is; get it. It took me so long to buy it... I thought I didn't need it... I absolutely did. Above all, this palette is SO useful for travel. It's all I ever bring with me when I'm between Galway and Dundalk and it's the only eyeshadow palette I'll be bringing with me on my holidays this year. It's so teeny tiny, has good basic colours (5/6 are matte) and a mirror. Perfect for travel and I don't have to think about my eyeshadow look when using it. (p.s. Venus is a beeeeeautiful cheek highlight when you're in a pinch!)

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

I was always stuck between the "I don't want to wear a lot of make-up... but I also want my brows to look done... but if I do my brows then it looks weird without a full face of make-up and ahhhh never mind I'll just go full drag today in 70 million degree heat" dilemma. That was until I discovered Tinted Brow Gel and now my summer face routine is about 10 minutes shorter. I basically use this when I want to give my brows a more polished look but don't want to fuss with pencils, powders or gel products. Very subtle effect but I always like knowing that my brows are somewhat 'done', even when I don't have a lot of time!

Catrice Eyebrow Filler

Ideally, I would fill this with bright lipsticks that I would typically wear in the summer but maybe that's for another blog post. In any case, I do think that a brightly coloured lipstick (a coral, a red, a pink) is a great thing to have in your summer make-up bag. It adds colour to the face, can make you look like you've put in a lot more effort than you actually have aaaand can even be used as a cream blush (multitasking at it's best!) Girl About Town is one I reach for a lot in the summertime. It's a raspberry, almost fuschia pink that flatters SO many skin tones. The amplified finish means it's very opaque and comfortable to wear.

Mac Girl About Town (Amplified)

FOTD using Girl About Town 

If you want something a little bit sheerer, less fuss but still comfortable to wear then look no further than the Revlon Lip Butters. The beauty blogging community when crazy for these when they first launched. They're a lipstick/lip balm hybrid. The pigmentation of a sheerer lipstick (think lustre by Mac) with the moisture and comfort of a lip balm. They glide on the lips and are very comfortable to wear. Although some of the shades are softer, sheerer colours, they are still very pigmented for a 'lip balm' style product (especially 'Lollipop' which isn't pictured here but is a beautiful hot pink with blue shimmer.. very summer time appropriate!) These come in an array of shades (my suggestions for summertime include Creme Brulee, Tutti Fruiti, Lollipop, Sweet Tart, Wild Watermelon and Juicy Papaya) and can usually be found on a 3 for 2 offer in Boots.

Revlon Lip Butter - Creme Brulee/Sweet Tart

Girl About Town, Creme Brulee, Sweet Tart

If you made it to the end of this post, then you go Glen Coco! Thank you for reading :)
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Insert Clever Introduction Title Here.

Hello!
I'm Grace, an 18 year old Bachelor of Arts student in NUI Galway, Ireland. I've been toying with the idea of blogging for a while now... It only took a few years and the push from my college friends for me to actually do it! As I'm sure you can tell from the URL, this blog is going to be mostly focusing around make-up, hair and beauty (with maybe some other stuff thrown into the mix). Above all, make-up has been a huge hobby of mine since as long as I can really remember. It's something I'm very passionate about and 3 years ago I was fortunate enough to do work experience at an Urban Decay cosmetics counter. This definitely fueled my love for make-up and I learned so many great things about products, techniques, tips and tricks. I've been obsessed (too strong of a word? probably not) with make-up/beauty blogs and YouTube channels for years. I've learned a few things from both blogs and make-up retail experience so I thought it would make sense to share some of these tricks or ideas with anyone who wants to read about them! I'm a massive fan of product reviews and 'favourites' posts; I find them so helpful when discovering new and interesting products. I hope to have this blog full of reviews of products from all different price ranges. I'd also like to include some make-up how-to's, hair and nail related posts... basically, all things girly! I'm sure this introduction was horribly long and awkward but if you stick with me, I'll hopefully improve (... no pressure, like). Here's hoping it might help me out with my essay writing anyway! If anyone has any recommendations, feedback or requests then that would be brilliant. Thanks for readin', yo.

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