Major spoiler alert. Most of this video is slightly out of focus! Why may you ask? Because stupid Gemma (i.e me) focused the camera and then proceeded to sit in the wrong position like a dope! I debated on whether or not to scrap it. But I am mostly chatting about the confidence boosting beauty products in my life and just applying them as I go. Being able to see my potato head clearly really isn’t necessary in the grand scheme of things. Sure the beginning and end is in focus, you can see me in all of my glory there 🙂
I did a video a while ago here about products that make make me happy. Things that have a meaning to them whether they be connected with memories or people. I thought this was a good continuation on from that. We all have certain confidence boosting products in our beauty drawers right? Things that put a spring our step, that we know look good on us?
I thought I would chat about mine. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that makeup necessarily equates to happiness. I am not that narrow minded, This is just me talking lightheartedly about certain products that I keep in my life because I know they work for me 🙂
The eyeshadow shade ‘half-baked from Urban Decay.
A good eyelash curlers.
Eyeliner in my waterline. I used the Inglot AMC Eyeliner Gel in 96 (you can see it swatched here).
Mac Cosmetics Springsheen blush. On the Brown Thomas website here.
theBalm Mary-Lou-Manizer highlighting powder. The tone of this just works for me. I have an old review of it here.
Mac ‘Girl About Town’ Amplified Lipstick. You can get it from Brown Thomas here. I just realised I have two Mac products listed! Not on purpose, promise 🙂
Setting Spray. I am loving the L’Oréal Infallible Fixing Mist. (full review here).
My confidence boosting fragrance is Viktor & Rolf ‘Flowerbomb’. An oldie but a goodie. You can get it from Debenhams here.
Instant Tan! The ones I mention are the Vita Liberata Body Blur and the Bellamianta Skin Perfecting Instant Tan.
Then finally, my last confidence boosting beauty product is nail polish, or at least just having my nails did :). I chat about the Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Nail Polishes. I honestly love these!!
And that concludes my ramblings. So tell me, do you have any particular confidence boosting beauty products in your stash? You can watch the video directly over on my YouTube channel here.
I think neutral eyeshadows rock everyone’s boat. Whether you’re a hardcore makeup lover or someone who just likes to do the bare minimum, we all have at least one (if not more) neutral palette in our makeup stash. Here are 5 eyeshadow palettes picked ripe from my stash. All neutral, all packing a punch and all really affordable.
Budget beauty brands have really stepped up their eyeshadow palettes game of late and thankfully so many of them are doing a good job of it. If you don’t have the money or frankly just don’t want to fork out the money on Mac and the likes, you don’t have to. And you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out on anything either.
First up in one of my very favourites the Sleek Au Natural Palette. This palette will get you through any nude emergency matte or shimmery 🙂 I actually did a look with this not too long ago here, if you fancy seeing it in action on the eyes. Sleek iDivine palettes will set you back 10-11 euro depending on where you buy.
Next up is the Collection Eyes Uncovered Nude Palette. This is a great little find. The packaging is cardboard but surprisingly sturdy. It contains 6 neutral shades going from a light shimmery vanilla shade to a dark charcoal brown. It will set you back €5.49.
My third neutral eyeshadow palette pick is an oldie but a goodie. The Wet n Wild trio in ‘Walking On Eggshells’. This is a bit of a cult buy. It contains 3 perfect neutral shadow shades. It will cost you €4.49.
A Flormar nude choice is next, their eyeshadow palette in Nude Dudes specifically. All the shadows in this palette are matte, and it costs €9.95. SimplyFoxy sell Flormar online here
The last one I think is the most budget friendly of them all considering how many shadows you get for €4.99. My last nude choice from my stash is the Essence All About Nudes Eyeshadow Palette.I think the name of the palette really speaks for itself, right? 🙂
There you have it. Five budget friendly, but also practical and decent neutral eyeshadow palettes. These are all in my makeup stash and all of them get used day to day.
Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading 🙂
Smoky eye looks don’t have to be difficult. If you have patience and are willing to blend, you can do it! You don’t have to be a professional makeup artist to create it, I’m definitely not. It also doesn’t have to be black, it can literally be any colour you want it to be.
What I would normally use to create a simple smoky eye is:
A cream shadow
A powder eyeshadow in the same or a similar colour.
An eyeliner (something waterproof).
A brush to pack colour on and a couple of blending brushes to..blend 🙂
A warm shadow (or a bronzer even) for the crease.
I use a taupe shade in the crease too, but that’s optional
A highlight shade for the brow bone and inner corner.
Mascara and or lashes.
Patience 🙂
There will probably be alot of fallout when you pack dark colours onto the lid, so I suggest doing your foundation or at least your concealer after you finish the eyes.
I did throw on a bit of foundation, did my brows, primed my lids and set them with powder beforehand.
I first grabbed one on the Maybelline Color Tattos in ‘Timeless Black’. I forgot how much I love these!
I applied a good amount of this all over my lid with a synthetic brush.
When the colour was opaque on the lid, I cleaned off the brush and blended out the edges.
Having the primer and powder underneath makes it easier to do this step.
With a flat brush, I packed this onto the color tattoo on my lid, tapping the excess of my brush as I go.
It’s looking scary I know, don’t click off yet 🙂
On a blending brush, I took some of this taupe shade, again from the Fuschia Pro Collection.
I blended this into the crease of my eye, bringing the black into it to help soften the edges.
To add a bit of warmth on a clean brush, I took some of the matte contour shade from the Seventeen Define & Conquer Contour Palette ( I have a full review of this here).
I applied this over the taupe shade in the crease of my eyes with a tapered blending brush.
With all the blending (you need to do alot of it), the intensity of the black shadow may be lost. Don’t be afraid to apply more to the lid…and yes blend it into the crease colours.
I think smoky eyes are all about layering and light continuous blending. Just take your time.
To help the blending process even more, I took a bone matte shade (again from the Fushcia pro collection).
And used this on the brow bone.
Things are still looking really messy, but don’t give up! You can see the difference between the blended and the unblended eye below.
Ok time to bring this smoky eye together now 🙂
Time some liner on the top lash line.
This is Perversion from Urban Decay.
It just adds extra darkness to the lash line and if you’re adding lashes hides the band. Again, you can see the difference between the eyes below 🙂
To clean up the fall out just use a wipe or come micellar water.
I apply concealer (and usually foundation) at this time, and then onto the lower lash line.
I used some of the dark grey from the Essence All About Greys palette and applied a good amount under my eyes.
Lashes time! These are some of my very faves from Amazing Shine and now they’re available in Mr Price, score!
Completely optional, but I always tight-line my upper and lower water line.
Too add more light to the dark eye look, a little bit of shimmer in the inner corner never hurt anyone either 🙂
And there you have it a non makeup professional smoky eye, of course with rest of the face makeup applied. Especially bronzer for us pale girls, a dark smoky eye can really wash us out 🙂
Thanks so much for reading (and reaching the end) 🙂
I know so many wonderful bloggers have done their version of beauty favourites already so apologies if you’ve been inundated. I think it’s a really great idea though and I haven’t done monthly faves this year, so I thought I would do a yearly round of my beauty favourites 2015!
First up is an easy one. I know the Urban Decay Gwen Palette came out late in the year, but it has become one of my most reached for eyeshadow palettes.
I am completely head over heels for it. There is neutrals galore, transitional shades, fun sparkly shades and even a couple of cray cray shades to keep things interesting. Gwen, I bow down to you and can’t wait to see the new releases you and Urban Decay have up your sleeves for 2016 🙂 Full swatches of the palette can be seen here and I even did a makeup look with it here if you fancy a nose.
Next up is the very coveted Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop.
No joke I have used this pretty much everyday since I got it. When I first got my grubby little mitts on this in mid 2015 it was only available in America. Now the lovely people of Spacenk are stocking it here, so everyone can bask in the Champagne Glow. Another one of my 2015 finds was the brush I use to apply the Pop 🙂
This awesome F28 brush from Blank Canvas Cosmetics. The lovely Ashling from Total Makeup Addict introduced me to this beauty and I will forever be in her debt for it. It’s the perfect cheek bone highlighting tool.
My favourite setting powder of 2015 would have to be the Chanel Vitalumiere Powder Foundation.
I have pretty much used this exclusively for the past year.
I have a whole review if here. It’s a foundation so there is coverage with it, which I personally like. You can build it up or thin it out depending on application or what brush you use so it’s really versatile. Pricey but versatile 🙂
My next beauty faves are a little more pocket friendly.
Again I have a review of these here, but they are two of the All About palettes from Essence. Essence have a few different colour choices in these really handy eyeshadow palettes and they cost less than a fiver, bargain! Oh and they’re damn pigmented too!
2015 was definitely the year of budget friendly favourite for me. Another one is the Catrice Glamour Doll Waterproof mascara.
For the latter half of the year this is the only mascara I was (and still am now) using. And what do you know, I have a full review of it here 🙂
My favourite under eye concealer duo have been the Catrice Liquid Camouflage and the Flormar Perfect Coverage.
Cheap as chips and together for me are a dynamic duo. You can see them in action here.
My favourite blush of the year has to be the Max Factor Creme Blush in ‘Seductive Pink’.
This is just the easiest blush colour to wear. It goes with everything. I love the formula of these too. They blend so nicely. You can see it swatched here if you fancy a nose 🙂
My lip liner find of 2015 probably has to be Whirl by Mac.
This lip liner got a life of it’s own in 2015. It’s a great all round colour though that you can use on it’s own, under nudes and even under darker and brighter shades of lippie. It’s great for evening out the lip line too. I have it swatched here if you want a closer look.
The Only Lipsticks from Rimmel are another makeup find of 2015 that I am very happy with.
They came at the end of the year I know, but I’ve been obsessed with them so I had to include them. These two lighter shades have been the ones I grab for most but I own six of them and I wear all the shades alot. I love the finish, the pigmentation and the price point. (yep, I have them all swatched here 🙂
I have two facial skin care faves for 2015 that I wanted to add in aswell.
Serozinc from La Roche Posay.
I think I’ve gone through about 4 of these so far and I will repurchase! There’s a full review of it here, but I use Serozinc as a toner, to freshen up my makeup and as a finishing spray when I am finished my makeup. It’s a great all rounder.
My last fave is from the Oils Of Life range from The Body Shop.
This is their Intensely Revitalising Gel Cream. I use this as a night cream. I have oily skin, so heavy creams can sometimes clog my pores. This stuff feels so light on my skin and soaks in really quickly but still leaves behind nice soft hydrated skin. May I add it smells incredible too!
That’s my Beauty Favourites for 2015 done and dusted. Seriously, where did that year go?
Should I do below the neck beauty favourites too, as in more body orientated stuff ha. Let me know.
I have been talking alot about affordable makeup of late and I am LOVING it! It’s so great budget friendly brands are stepping up to the plate and bringing out products that we we are excited to use and talk about all the time!
This blogpost is going to be all about two of the three palettes Essence brought out not too long ago.
The first one is the Essence ‘All About Greys’ palette.
I picked this up the same day I got the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette. It obviously doesn’t have as many shade choices but I just thought the colouring was similar so it could be a cheaper alternative.
So as you can see, there is eight shades in total. They are all cool toned and they all lend themselves to a dark and grey smoky eye just like the Naked Smoky.
They are all shimmery shades, except for the white on the top far left and the black on the top far right, so I do think if you are doing a look with this palette you do need some sort of matte transitional shade to help you along your way, even if you just use your bronzer. The shadows themselves are pigmented, they are soft to the touch, and they do blend, although it will take you a while to do it. Here they are swatched below:
Top Line
Bottom Line
So what about the Essence ‘All About Nudes’ version of the palette?
These shades are much warmer, and I think personally it’s generally a more wearable palette.
There’s more mattes within the eight shadows in this one, so you’re less likely to need another palette to help you along if you are creating a look with it.
Here they are swatched below:
Top Line
Overall, I think these palettes are pretty awesome for their €4.99 price tag. I will say if your lids are in any way oily, you’ll need a primer no doubt about it. I think the shadows do need to be worked with more than maybe some other ones on the market. Some of the shades (particularly the shimmers) actually go on so much nicer and vibrant with your finger or a damp brush, but I think this tip helps with alot of shadows we may own so I don’t hold that against Essence too much. There is fall out, so be weary of that too when applying.
I mix and match these palettes with others I have in my collection, but they do get used and I do reach for them.
There is another palette in this ‘All About’ range that is more bronzed and that looks really nice too, if you prefer a more bronzey look. After playing with these two, I would be more than happy to fork out a fiver for that one too!
As always thanks for reading and I hoped this helped if you were undecided 🙂
https://i2.wp.com/beautynook.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Essence-All-About-Greys-and-All-About-Nudes-Eyeshadow-Palette-1.jpg?fit=1600%2C1008&ssl=110081600Gemhttps://beautynook.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Logo.pngGem2015-09-07 20:01:152016-08-30 13:15:46Essence All About Greys, All About Nudes Palettes
I could probably make a list like this at least once a year. I know Mac lippies are a bit expensive and other more afforable brands do brilliant alternatives that I have and love, but Mac lipsticks were the first ‘higher end’ makeup I ever owned. I love going into Mac full stop, but coming home with a sleek black bullet full of colour just gets me so excited and less face it they do great lipsticks. You can pick them up in Brown Thomas or in some BT2 and they are priced at 19.50 euro.
So I wanted to compile my top 5 for you. I thought 5 was a manageable number and I could get a good range of colours and finishes into the list, in case you are a Mac newbie or you are just looking for a new one to add to your collection 🙂 I will disclaim and say I am not really a nude lip gal. I have a couple of more nude options in my Mac collection like ‘Lovelorn’ and ‘Myth’ but they don’t really get a whole load of love. I wanted to be honest with my picks, so if you only wear nude lippies…I’m sorry 🙁
First up, I have probably the most wearable out of my 5 picks.
This is ‘Plumful’. This is a lustre finish lipstick. You can see from the bullet this is well loved by me.
It is a modest berry colour, that I think would suit a multitude of people. It has a lovely sheen to it with it being a lustre, so gloss does not have to be added if you like a glossy finish. It goes with any kind of makeup look and is so easy to wear, you can slap this on on the way out the door and you don’t need to worry about it. It last reasonably well too and will leave a hint of a stain behind when it starts to wear.
Next up I have Plumful’s more intense cousin 🙂
This is Rebel and this is a Satin finish lipstick.
I have blabbed about Rebel a good bit since I have added it to my collection. It’s a medium to dark berry toned shade depending on how intensely you apply it and is cool toned. With it being a Satin finish, it is not completely matte, it has a subtle shine to it which makes it comfortable to wear. I love Rebel for a dramatic night out with minimal makeup, it really makes a statement. If you like a dark lip Rebel is a good option to have in my opinion, I get alot of wear out of it. Again, it lasts really well and is easy to touch up throughout the night or day as the Satin formula doesn’t cling too much to the lips.
‘Girl About Town’ is one of my favourite lipsticks ever ever ever.
Growing up, I had crap teeth, so in my teens and early 20’s I didn’t experiment with lipstick alot because I didn’t want to bring attention to them. A few years ago I got Invisalign (best thing I ever did). After a few months my teeth were straight and my lipsticks stash started to grow and grow. Girl About Town was one of the first intense colours I ever bought and will always hold a special place in my heart.
It is an Amplified finish.
This means it packs a bold punch, a little goes a long way. It is a fuschia pink with blue undertones, hello whiter teeth! Although it is nearly a matte formula when on, it’s a creamy lipstick and glides onto the lips really well. I love this shade, it makes you look brighter whatever your skin tone. If you don’t have it, swatch it the next time you are in Mac, it is really worth the look.
The last two on this Mac lipstick journey are matte formula lipsticks.
First up is ‘Lady Danger’.
Lady Danger is one of the coolest lipsticks I own ever, full stop!
It is bold, it is rich, it is orangey red and it has warm undertones, so not for the faint hearted. I think it is alot more orange than red, but I suppose it depends on who is wearing it that determines that. On me (Mac NC20) it is more orange. Lady Danger lasts a really long time on the lips. Although it’s matte its not the most drying lipstick I have ever used, it doesn’t cling too badly if your lips are not in tip top condition. Not for everyone I know, but I just love it 🙂
My last choice is a no brainer. Mac do red lipsticks and they do them well, so one had to creep it’s way into my top 5.
This is their Retro-Matte lipstick in ‘Riri Woo’.
This is the red that they collaborated with Rihanna on, but ‘Ruby Woo’ from the permanent collection is pretty much the same when applied, the packaging just pulled me in on this one.
Riri Woo is the perfect cool toned matte red lipstick. It is pigmented beyond belief but it is one of the most drying lipsicks you will ever use. You need to be prepared for that. It lasts for ages too and will stain the lips as it wears but if your lips begin to dry or flake you will feel it and notice it and it won’t be pretty, so you do have to keep an eye on your lips throughout the day or night. It is best applied with a lip brush for precise application as it can drag the lips a bit.
I sound a bit negative saying all of that, but it is so worth it for the lip colour you get in return, just prepare in advance for it!
There you have it. My top 5 Mac lipsticks. I am always in the market for more favourites, so be sure to tell me yours.
https://i0.wp.com/beautynook.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Beautynoom-Top-5-Mac-Lipsticks-25-1.jpg?fit=1600%2C1069&ssl=110691600Gemhttps://beautynook.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Logo.pngGem2015-03-24 15:13:552016-01-25 19:22:32My Top 5 Mac Lipsticks