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Beauty Stocking Fillers

I did this a couple of years ago in a different format. It went down pretty well. So I thought I would do it again. This year we’re definitely dialling it back for Christmas. Well as much as we can, I love buying presents. So whether you’re on a budget, want to pick up a token gift, or even something for yourself. Here is my list of beauty stocking fillers for 2018.

I picked from websites that are easy for us to order from in Ireland and that generally have decent discounts and sales on product too. I know everyone has different budgets as well, so I tried to cater to all, and to the skincare and makeup lovers in your life.

I’ll go in shop order to make things hopefully a little cohesive. Let’s start with beauty stocking fillers from Cloud 10 Beauty.

First up is this Best Of Bright Travel Kit from Pixi Beauty for €23.

I am such a fan of the brand, and this is a really lovely affordable introduction into their skincare.

Cloud 10 Beauty have some awesome Stila gift sets too.

I thought this Shimmering Heights one for €31.95 would make a lovely beauty stocking filler. It’s three of their Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eyeshadows.

Lastly from Cloud 10 we have this Alpha H Petite Holiday Collection for €25.

Minis of some essentials, including their Liquid Gold, which I have yet to try so I have my eye on this in particular 🙂

Ok, over to Look Fantastic now.

This Caudalie Hand Cream Trio would make a great beauty stocking filler in my very humble beauty obsessed opinion. It will set you back €11.45.

I don’t think you can go wrong with hand cream as a gift idea.

Another super affordable suggestion is this Garnier Hydrating Sheet Mask Selection for €14.95.

Five Moisture Bomb Sheet masks for different concerns.

Beauty Bay is next on my beauty stocking filler hit list.

This Holiday Facial Spray Trio from Mario Badescu is €14!

Facial Sprays are a nice treat within your skincare routine, and it’s a great way to sample all three versions the brand have on offer.

If someone in your life is a fan of sleep sprays the This Works Sleep Tight bauble is awesome and is only €15.

You get two teeny pillow sprays and a stress check roller ball.

I got carried away on Cult Beauty, I must admit, so bare with me 🙂

This Peter Thomas Roth Meet You Mask Set looks awesome and it’s only £20.50. Sorry Cult Beauty don’t covert to euro, this is good for our exchange rate though!

I’ve never tried this brand and have always wanted too. It’s not the most affordable so I thought this would be a great way to dip a toe or two in and give it a go.

Nest up is one of my personal faves. This is the Becca Cosmetics Golden Trio and it costs £35.

It’s mini versions of Champagne Pop, Opal and Moonstone highlighters.

I’m fairly obsessed with this 🙂

This Sweet Indulgence Set from Beauty Blender would have us sorted for makeup sponges for all of 2019. It costs £52.

It contains 4 Beauty Blenders and 4 solid cleansers to keep them clean.

I got the original Zoeva Plaisir Box a couple of years back from John and I bloody love it. This is a mini eyeshadow palette version and it retails for £31 so thought it was good beauty stocking filler material.

It contains three small but mighty eyeshadow palettes, and the display box is gorge too.

Last stop on this journey is Debenhams.

I actually nearly pulled the trigger on this Urban Decay Starfire Heavy Metal Trio in store yesterday. The only thing that stopped me is that it contains the infamous Midnight Cowboy liner and I already own it.

These retail for 20 quid a piece. To buy them as a set is €46.

Last but not least on this beauty journey, let me introduce the Kat Von D Limited Edition Best Of Nudes Mini Studded Lipstick Set.

This is currently on sale for €32.01 which I thought was a great deal for 6 mini lippies. It would make any nude lipstick lover happy.

And there you have my beauty stocking fillers for this year. No pressure, just sharing my research 🙂

xxx

December 5, 2018/by Gem

Real Techniques Brushes – Most Used

I have spoken a lot about Real Techniques Brushes (and their sponges too).

But, with all their new releases at the moment, which on a side note, I need everything! I thought I would bring it back to some of their basics, and the Real Techniques brushes I reach for on a daily basis.

I’ve split it into face brushes and eye brushes. Just a coincidence that there’s three of each 🙂

First up is one of the first Real Techniques brushes I ever bought. Although this is a newer version of it. John broke my old one when he attempted to do my makeup. You can check out the lolz in that video here. This is their Blush Brush.

Although I definitely do not use it for blush. I love that the fab Pixiwoo ladies always say their brushes do not need to be used for their namesake. Use them for what they work for.

I use the Blush Brush for bronzer. I love the tapered shape for doing some light bronzer contouring too. It’s €14.99 from the Boots website here.

My next choice is their Setting Brush. It’s again tapered and like all of their brushes synthetic.

I don’t specifically use it for it’s named purpose either. This, for me works great for setting my lids with powder rather than my face.

I also use it for highlighter too. It’s €9.50 from Cloud 10 Beauty here

My last face brush choice is the one I probably use the most. It’s the Cheek Brush. I use this to pack on setting powder. It’s domed and moderately dense, so I find it great for applying powder quite liberally. As well doing a good job of getting in around the nose and the brows.

Because I have oilier skin. I tend to go in hard with the powder and then use buckets of setting spray to make me look less like a powdery mess 🙂 This was part of the Nic’s Picks limited edition collection, so you can’t buy it individually unfortunately.

Onto my eye brush choices. These all have purple handles, and are all part of kits which is super annoying, I’m sorry. But they have such similar brushes still available and you can still find the kits in chemists and stores.

Feel Unique have the Starter Kit here, which contains the Deluxe Crease Brush.

I bloody love this brush for under eye concealer. But I generally use it on lazy days when I just want to put a wash of colour across my lids. There’s no faffing needed, it does the job in a couple of swipes.

I do use my other choices for their actual purposes 🙂 I love the Base Shadow Brush for building up colour on the lid.

It’s quite small and tapers at the tip so works great for blending and application. You can kind of blend with it as you go.

I love using it for applying loose pigments and glitter aswell. It works well with powders, creams and mixing mediums too.

My last choice is the Essential Crease Brush.

This is just super dainty and great for precise crease work. The bristles aren’t too tightly packed so it still gives you scope to blend colour as you go.

I love using this for blowing out colour on the lower lash line too.

And there you have my most used Real Techniques Brushes! I am a huge fan overall of the brand. They have brushes to cater to most budgets and needs. They are all synthetic and cruelty free. And for me, generally wash really well too. Have you a favourite?

xxx

September 6, 2017/by Gem

Bargain Buying, Makeup

L’Oréal Infallible Total Cover Foundation

It is no secret that I am a big fan of L’Oréal base products. Their Infallible 24HR Matte has become one of my holy grail products. I have a review of it here. As has the Fixing Mist. (Review here). When I saw the Infallible Total Cover Foundation being released, I needed to try it.

There has been alot of hype around the Infallible Total Cover Foundation. It claims to be full coverage, matte, long lasting be easy to blend and have a weightless feel!

When it was released in America first. Bloggers and vloggers feedback on it seemed very varied. Actually most people didn’t seem to like it. But, like the makeup addict that I am, I needed to experience it for myself 🙂

I am 11 Vanilla in the 24 HR Matte, so I picked up the shade 10 Porcelain in the Infallible Total Cover.

They are pretty similar shades, so it is a good match for me. It has a thick consistency, but it is deemed full coverage so that is completely OK, I think. You can see the product through the packaging and it seems to separate when it is left to settle.

I have seen claims online that it is meant to conceal tattoos. On the packaging however, it says it covers redness, marks and dark spots, I did put this to the test on my Snapchat, when I picked up the foundation first. I layered it up over the tattoo on my wrist three times. It did make the tattoo less noticeable, but you could definitely still see it through the product.

On my skin, the coverage is good. I find the formula a little harder to work, but you do get there with it and it does blend out. I personally prefer to use a brush over a damp sponge to apply it.

Just a little disclaimer. I picked the worst days to take these pics. I wasn’t going anywhere and I woke up with really sore eyes. So, I just added primer, foundation and powder. None of the other bells and whistles 🙂

Here is my skin before application. It’s been somewhat behaving itself of late:

Here is one layer of the foundation applied:

My skin after about two hours:

Then, after three hours of wear:

The formula is matte and sets quite quickly too. I don’t find it great if you have larger pores that you want to fill in. If you have dry patches too, it will cling. You also have to work the product quite hard into the skin, so that movement disrupts any dry patches aswell.

The longevity of this foundation is what really lets it down, in my humble opinion. I am fine with the application and with the coverage. But, it seems to break down really quickly on my skin. I have a super oily t zone. But, I use an oil free moisturiser, a good primer and then set everything with powder and setting spray. With the Infallible 24 HR Matte, I can get four hours before shine is a problem, sometimes even longer. With the Total Cover within an hour, the oil starts to break through. I can feel it on my skin too, it’s definitely not weightless like they suggest on the packaging. And on me, it gathers in pores and fine lines, which is not a good look either.

I think it’s safe to say the L’Oréal Infallible Total Cover Foundation just isn’t for me. It doesn’t perform or last how I want it too. Give me the Infallible 24HR Matte over it any day 🙂 You can find it instore or online here from Boots. It’s priced at €10.99 and comes in seven shades.

Have you tried it?

xxx

March 1, 2017/3 Comments/by Gem

Makeup

theBalm Put A Lid On It Eyelid Primer

Through the years of wearing makeup and then becoming a bit of a makeup fiend, I’ve realised just how beneficial eyeshadow primer really is. I haven’t strayed very far from the cult classic Urban Decay Primer Potion. I’ve bought a lot of their palettes. And with alot of the palettes you get a sample of the primer potion. It works well for me so I never really felt the need to try something else. However, I received a few pretty decent samples of theBalm Put A Lid On It Eyelid Primer in a goody bag a while back and I must say, tentatively… I think I prefer it 🙂

I’ve been using theBalm Put A Lid On It for a good 3 months now, so I think I’ve given it a fair trial.

I have two 3.7 ml sample sizes and I am still on the first on! When it comes to eyeshadow primer, like your face primer, less it more. You only need a very small layer of it under your eye makeup to do its magic. I sometimes use it under my eyes too to help my concealer sit a bit better too!

theBalm Put A Lid On It comes out of the tube in a skin colour, but when you blend it across your eye lid, it is pretty much undetectable.

It has a really light texture and smooths over any imperfections you might have. It dries down really quickly too and makes it very easy to apply creams or powders over top.

Of course, the main job of a eyeshadow primer is to make your eye makeup last and theBalm Put A Lid On It does a really good job at that. I have oily lids so I think I am a pretty good judge because without a primer, within a couple of hours I get creasing on my eye lids.

If you are looking for a primer that makes you shadows more vibrant, this probably isn’t for you. There are others on the market for that. But, if you are looking for one that smooths out your eyelids, is not sticky or tacky and makes your shadows last for the whole day, I wholeheartedly recommend this. As much as I like the Urban Decay Primer Potion, it can be a bit drying on the lids, whereas theBalm Put A Lid On It is a bit more fluid in texture and is easier to blend.

A 11.8 ml tube of theBalm Put A Lid On It will set you back €20 from Cloud 10 Beauty here.

Do you use eye shadow primer?

xxx

August 15, 2016/3 Comments/by Gem

Makeup

theBalm Meet Matte Nude

theBalm Meet Matte Nude Palette caused alot of hype when it was first released. As far as I know this is the first palette in the Meet Matte collection, the second was Meet Matte Trimony which is a selection of mattes more on the burgundy side . I picked this palette up from the Makeup Forever Store here in Dublin. They had both palettes but I ended up going for Mr Nude…… 🙂

theBalm say ‘You’ve met Matt(e), now it’s time to Meet Matt(e) Nude…nude eyeshadows that is. Because size matt(e)rs, there are nine larger Matt(e)s showing their true colors in nude hues. As a matt(e)r of fact, this palette is versatile enough to wear day and night, as liners and as all-over colors…the whole 9 yards! With so many guys to choose from, you’re sure to find your perfect shade, no matt(e)r what!’

The packaging as with all theBalm products is adorable. It’s sturdy enough cardboard with a magnetic closing.

You get a really decent sized mirror too.

There’s nine eyeshadows in the palette totally 25.5 grams of product.

In my opinion, the shades are a good mix of warm-ish and cool-ish tones, so the palette is quite versatile.

Onto the swatching, the bit we all come to see 🙂

So there you have it. theBalm Meet Matte Nude in all it’s glory. Overall, I think it’s a really nice palette. Some of the shades are a little more powdery than others, making them a bit harder to work with, bit I think I will get alot of use out of it overall.

As I said, I bought it in the Makeup Forever store in Clarendon street here in Dublin, but if you are looking to buy online, you can find it here from Cloud10beauty. It will set you back €44. theBalm is much cheaper in America unfortunately, it seems to be marked up here in Europe quite alot 🙁

Does theBalm Meet Matte Nude take your fancy?

xxx

June 29, 2016/by Gem

Makeup

theBalm Meet Matte Hughes Committed

I have already harped on about the other theBalm Meet Matte Hughes shade in my collection Charming here. I was browsing theBalm section in Foody’s Pharmacy and saw that they had the shade Committed and the rest is history 🙂

I love this shade so much, I felt like it needed it’s very own blogpost #obssessed or wha’? 🙂

I think Committed is like Charming’s nude best friend. Like all of theBalm Meet Matte Hughes Liquid Lipsticks. Committed has a minty, but still sweet smelling (without being too overpowering), they have a creamy formula when first applied, are opaque and dry down to a matte finish on the lips. Although they are matte, they’re not super unconfortable to wear, although as I said in my previous post, it always helps to have your lips in tip top condition to get the most out of a matte liquid lipstick. theBalm Meet Matte Hughes are super long wearing and do little to no transferring unless of course you break into the greasy foods, it will start to separate.

Committed is the perfect pinky nude shade. I am a girl who likes a bit of pink in her nude, no that is not an innuendo, get your mind out of the gutter 🙂

Really paled out lips just don’t suit me though so I’ll always opt for one with a bit of pink to it, I think it warms up a lighter complexion more.

You can see it here swatched on my lips.

Here it is swatched beside Charming, just in case you want to see the difference between the two. Charming (on the right) is definitely more mauve.

Committed is one of those really easy shades that will work with any makeup look no matter how simple or bold you might go. You can even just dab a little onto the lips and add a balm or some lipgloss under it or over top for a long wearing, but glossy version.

You can pick up the theBalm Meet Matte Hughes of course from Foody’s Pharmacy, but you can also get them online from Cloud10beauty here for €16.50. Now, the question is….which one do I pick up next?

xxx

May 20, 2016/by Gem

Posts

I’ll go in shop order to make things hopefully a little cohesive. Let’s start with beauty stocking fillers from Cloud 10 Beauty.

Ok, over to Look Fantastic now.

Beauty Bay is next on my beauty stocking filler hit list.

I got carried away on Cult Beauty, I must admit, so bare with me 🙂

Last stop on this journey is Debenhams.

And there you have my beauty stocking fillers for this year. No pressure, just sharing my research 🙂

xxx

I have spoken a lot about Real Techniques Brushes (and their sponges too).

I’ve split it into face brushes and eye brushes. Just a coincidence that there’s three of each 🙂

And there you have my most used Real Techniques Brushes! I am a huge fan overall of the brand. They have brushes to cater to most budgets and needs. They are all synthetic and cruelty free. And for me, generally wash really well too. Have you a favourite?

It is no secret that I am a big fan of L’Oréal base products. Their Infallible 24HR Matte has become one of my holy grail products. I have a review of it here. As has the Fixing Mist. (Review here). When I saw the Infallible Total Cover Foundation being released, I needed to try it.

I’ve been using theBalm Put A Lid On It for a good 3 months now, so I think I’ve given it a fair trial.

I have already harped on about the other theBalm Meet Matte Hughes shade in my collection Charming here. I was browsing theBalm section in Foody’s Pharmacy and saw that they had the shade Committed and the rest is history 🙂