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I’ve had the Benefit Porefessional License To Blot for a long time now.

benefit cosmetics ireland

 

It’s something I actually pick up quite a lot and just forgot to ever talk about it. It an unusual little product.

Its looks a bit like a pritt stick for your face ๐Ÿ™‚ When it comes to comes to marketing and packaging the Benefit team are some of the best in the business, they really are and the Benefit Porefessional License To Blot is a really innovative little product.

irish beauty blog

According to Benefit: ‘This instant oil-blotting stick with tiny invisible blotting spheres mattifies shine for up to six hours after application. The specially designed triangular tip targets shiny zones: the sides of your nose, forehead and chin. Oil has finally met its matte!

The Benefit Porefessional License To Blot is pretty much designed to throw into your handbag for blotting on the go. It comes in a retractable tube and the product itself is in a triangular shape so it can get around the contours of your face.

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The product itself has like a balm texture to it, it’s colourless, so would work on any skin tone. It does have a scent to it, but it’s really very slight.

So does it work?

It definitely blots off any excess oil you might have creeping through your foundation. It also softens the look of any pores that might come through aswell. You should really use a light hand with it and pat it onto the skin as Benefit encourage you to, as it can leave a silicone like film over the top of your makeup. It doesn’t however promote caking like adding powder might do. The fact that you’re applying the product from the tube can get a little grubby as you’re left with makeup marks on it after use, so you have to be sure to clean as you go. I can’t say that it keeps the skin matte for six extra hours, not on my skin anyways, but I would say at least half that time for sure.

I sometimes use the Benefit Porefessional License To Blot in a way it’s not intended too also. Because it works for minimising the look of pores and it is good for blotting, I’ll use it in conjunction with whatever primer I have on the go in my real problem areas on my T-zone before applying foundation (and even sometimes after foundation, if my skin is really acting up).

top irish beauty blog

Overall I really like the Benefit Porefessional License To Blot. It has its flaws but overall does what its supposed to do and may I add at โ‚ฌ21.50, it’s cheaper that the primer, but kind of does the same job ๐Ÿ™‚ You can pick it up from Debenhams here

xxx

 

 

Essence Cosmetics have hit the nail on the head with their launches for this Spring/Summer.

essence cosmetics irelandThey have touched on so many of the makeup trends happening at the minute, and done their own spin on them. And as we know, with Essence Cosmetics, that means for a fraction of the price.

This blog post is just showing you what Essence Cosmetics has to offer for Spring and Summer of this year. I didn’t swatch any of the products which I would normally do and you’ll see why at the end ๐Ÿ™‚

First up we have The Velvets eyeshadows, Silky Touch Blush and the Blush Ball.

irish beauty blogirish beauty bloggerThese all come in an array of different shades.

irish beauty websiteirish makeup and beauty blogThe shades I have here are:

irish makeup and beauty bloggertop irish beauty blogThe Velvets eyeshadows cost โ‚ฌ2.50

Velvet Touch Blush (not sure)

Blush Ball โ‚ฌ3.80

Next up is some new concealing products.

top irish beauty bloggerWe have the All I Need Concealer Palette and the Soft Touch Mousse Concealer.

top irish beauty websiteThe palette costs โ‚ฌ4.40

The concealer โ‚ฌ3.80.

The Superfine Eyeliner Waterproof Pen.

irish beauty blog siteirish beauty blogger siteThis will set you back โ‚ฌ3.50.

Some new lip products.

irishbeautyblogThe Glossy Kiss Lip Balms are โ‚ฌ1.30

The Prettifying Lip Oils are โ‚ฌ2.50.

I am in love with the Glossy Stick and the Velvet Stick Matt Lip Colour.

top irish beauty blogirish beauty blogger youtubeThese are available in 5 colours a piece and retail for โ‚ฌ2.50. This Velvet Stick Matt one in particular took my fancy. It’s in the shade Plum Perfect. I used it in my affordable Get Ready With Me Video here only last week ๐Ÿ™‚

Essence have lots of new nail goodies for Spring/Summer 2016 including some nail care products.

top irish beauty bloggersThese range from โ‚ฌ2.30-โ‚ฌ2.50.

And some new colours and finishes of their I Love Trends nail colours.

The Jellys and Metals cost โ‚ฌ2.30

irish beauty youtuberThere are some new colours in the Gel Nail Polish line. I believe these cost under โ‚ฌ2.

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There’s a Forbidden Volume Mascara and a Forbidden Volume Top Coat (which I am loving, may I add).

The mascara is priced at โ‚ฌ3.80

The top cost is โ‚ฌ3.50

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Essence Cosmetics have also added in some 2 in 1 eyeshadow and liner pencils to this collection. They come in a total of 6 shades both shimmery and matte.

makep and beauty websitemakeup and beauty blogThese will set you back 3.50.

 

 

And that’s all the products I have to show you. There’s is other products in the new range like a new eyeshadow base, different liquid liners, eyebrow gel, a contouring palette, fixing powder even a fixing spray. And from what I can see, nothing will cost you more than a fiver!

Onto the fun part. The reason I didn’t swatch the products here is because I wanted too give some away to you.

If you fancy winning these Essence goodies.

essence cosmetics irelandComment below. Let me know what kind of blog posts or Youtube videos are you favourite to read or watch. Also, make sure to be following me on any social media platforms you have.

Good luck ๐Ÿ™‚

xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been wanting to try one of theBalm Meet Matte Hughes for bloody ages now. Cloud10beauty had an awesome discount code out a couple of weeks ago (which they often have) and so I took this as a sign to pick one up ๐Ÿ™‚

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This is theBalm Meet Matte Hughes Longlasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade Charming.

irish beauty blogger

I am a big lover of the mauve lip colour trend, so Charming fits in perfectly with this.

It was pretty much love at first wear for me with it. I love a matte lip, the colour pay off is amazing and the Meet Matte Hughes have a minty chocolate smell to them….yummy.

irish makeup and beauty blog

As you would expect from the name, theBalm Meet Matte Hughes are super long wearing. I wore Charming to a christening a couple of weeks ago. I applied it in the morning before hand. Had a cheeky sausage roll breakfast in the car (classy I know), got through the church and then some coffee and treats afterwards and I still had Charming on my lips on the way home.

theBalm Meet Matte Hughes Charming

They apply really opaquely so there’s no faffing about. You can get full on colour with one layer. I personally apply a layer, let it dry and then apply another one.

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makeup and beauty blogger

Now I will say, after eating and drinking there is definitely some colour wear, especially on the inside of the lips. The product can tend to ball up slightly, but I wouldn’t let that put you off at all, the colour is still there and it hasn’t transferred all over your face as you’ve been stuffing it so that’s pretty good I think. I can also attest to it being kiss proof. No I am not getting romantic, I just spent a good hour one night with it on kissing the back of my hand and nothing came off… ๐Ÿ™‚

With all liquid lipsticks, when applying, make sure your lips are in tip top condition. I’ll usually exfoliate before hand and then while I am doing my makeup, slather them in something like Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. I have a full review of this here if you’re interested ๐Ÿ™‚ Then, dab off whatever is left over on the lips before application. This just ensures you’ll get the most out of your lip colour.

Overall, I am a huge fan of theBalm Meet Matte Hughes. And the colour Charming is a really beautiful shade. I now have a few more colours on my lust list that I need to get a hold of.

You can pick up theBalm Meet Matte Hughes from Cloud10beauty here for 16.50 euro. And I know Marks and Spencers, Meaghers Pharmacy and Foody’s pharmacy stock the brand here in Ireland, to name a few.

xxx

 

 

 

I have a full blown cold, like most of the people in Ireland at the minute, right? Lovely start to the year ๐Ÿ™‚ Life goes on though and we have to suffer through. This is my go toย  simple makeup for when I’m feeling a little under the weather. Let me blow my nose one last time and we’ll begin…

I have oily skin so I wouldn’t be adding radiance to my face on a regular basis, but when I am under the weather my skin does tend to dry up a little more so I can weirdly take advantage.

botanics radiance balmI added a good amount of the Botanics Radiance Balm onto cleansed skin (I have a full review of this stuff here, we all need it in our lives).

For some lip hydration I applied some of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, literally can’t be without this. I apply it every night before bed, and when I have a cold it goes under my nose too helping with the extra dryness.

eight hour creamirishbeautyblog

I still have to prime, so I did and then it’s foundation time, thank god! I used a damp Beauty Blender to apply a thin layer to my skin.

beauty blenderirish beauty bloggerI think the sponge feels more kinder to your skin when you’re feeling a little rough.

I used it for concealer too.

irish makeup blogirish makeup bloggerI applied some waterproof concealer around my nose, just a light layer, it’s going to diminish pretty quickly with all the nose blowing, but if you set it with powder you’ll get a little time out of it ๐Ÿ™‚

For the actual makeup look, I think the softer the better.

I filled in my eyebrows.

soap & glory archery brow pencilI used a skin colour eyeshadow primer to conceal any redness on my lids.

irish beauty blogTo brighten up the eyes I applied a light gold cream shadow stick all over the eyelid.

irish makeup and beauty blogirish makeup blogOver the top I applied a similar coloured shimmery shadow.

irish makeup bloggerTo add a little definition, I added a matte taupe shadow lightly into my crease.

sick day makeup lookbeauty blog irelandI applied a a light shimmery shade to the brow bone.

irish blogLastly, I added a really small amount of the taupe shade on the lower lash line too.

irish bloggerI needed a touch more concealer under the eyes then…those bags ain’t Chanel ๐Ÿ™‚

beauty blog ireland

To brighten up the eyes more I applied some skin coloured eye liner to the waterline. This is a great step to tackle any redness and make you look more awake.

easy makeup look

Curl the bejesus out of your eyelashes. I know it’s simple makeup, but I never neglect the lashes.

simple makeup lookThen, lots of mascara on the top lashes. I opt out of mascara on the bottom ones because lots of watery eye shenanigans happen and of course the compulsory sneezing…it’s not worth it even the waterproof kind.

Makeup For A Sick Day (23)

Bronzer is a nice addition, to warm up the complexion a smidgen. There’ll be no contouring today though ๐Ÿ™‚

fresh makeupmakeup tutorialI added some peachy blush rather than pink, as I already have enough pinky flush going on.

mac springsheen blushsimple makeup lookI applied some light setting powder all over the face, nothing to heavy. There’ll be alot of face touching throughout the day, no point caking it on. You can always re apply.

irish beauty bloggerI couldn’t resist a little highlighter, but it’s not necessary whatsoever. A little in the inner corner of the eye always helps I think though ๐Ÿ™‚

the balm maryloumanizeririshbbloggerinner corner highlightTo finish off this simple makeup look I just applied some glossy balm to the lips.

catrice lip smoother

And we’re done!

gemma beautynookI didn’t go into depth with the products I used, because I think they’re all stuff you already have lying around or that you use everyday. This is definitely not a glam face of makeup, it’s more of a I want to look human and survive the day makeup!

If you’ve been hit with the January plague like myself, feel better soon ๐Ÿ™‚

xxx

 

 

I’ve gathered some beauty bits to do a little give-away here on Beautynook just to say thanks for all the support. I really love blogging, and for people to actually go out of their way to read my thoughts on here is pretty amazing to me ๐Ÿ™‚

 

As you can see, I have some lovely goodies from L’Occitane,Nima Brush,Catrice,Flormar,Nimue,Mine Tan, Jessup and from Penneys.

irish makeup and beauty bloggerirish beauty blog

To be in with a chance of winning, you just need to do the following:

  1. Be sure to be following me on social media Facebook Twitter Instagram You can even catch me on Snapchat too (@beautynook)
  2. Write whatever you want in the comments below, just so I know you have entered, keep it clean ๐Ÿ™‚
  3. Finally, just share this post on whatever social media you want, to spread the word.

As most of my followers are Ireland based, I’m only going to open to it to Ireland this time.

Good luck to you all and thanks again!

Gemma

xxx

 

I have put off writing about Mary-Lou Manizer, even though I have her in my possession a long time now. I felt like she was well represented in the blogging community. Everyone was writing about her and rightly so! She deserves to be talked about in loving tones ๐Ÿ™‚

This is why now I am choosing to add my little blogpost to the pile.

Mary-Lou Manizer the BalmMary-Lou Manizer has reached cult status, and most makeup lovers own and love her (yes I am calling her a her ๐Ÿ™‚ Just in case you haven’t come across her though I felt like it was my duty as a blogger to share her with you.

 

Mary-Lou Manizer by the Balm is of course a powder highlighter.

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It is buttery, it is smooth and it is beautiful!

beautynook beauty blog

It is a light champagne colour, so it’s great for paleys like myself. Although it looks sparkly in the pan, it translates onto the skin as a shine rather than glitter, so don’t let that deter you.

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beauty blog

Here it is blended into the skin

Depending on how you apply it, you can get a subtle glow from it or you can go all out and shine so much, the aliens in space can see you ๐Ÿ™‚

mary-lou manizer swatch

irish beauty blog review mary-lou manizerIt is also the perfect inner corner highlight to finish off an eye look, to make your eyes pop. AND it is lovely used all over the lid aswell (multifunctional don’t ya know ๐Ÿ™‚ )

irish beauty blog review the balmAnd it works great over the upper lip to create the illusion of a bigger one. I love this trick as my lips are definitely not symmetrical.

irish beauty blog beautynook review mary-lou manizer the balmI have oily skin and tend to create my own glow as the day wears on, so I powder pretty heavily. I hate my skin to look flat and powdery though. A wash of Mary-Lou sorts that right out for me and helps gives my face a bit of life and dimension. It lasts really well on my skin too, which is such a bonus, as I feel alot of highlighters I have tried through the years tend to just soak into after a couple of hours and disappear.

If you are a makeup fan, you need Mary-Lou Manizer by the Balm in your life, I think the product speaks for itself, right?

Cloud10 Beauty stock the Balm. You can get Mary-Lou Manizer here and it will set you back โ‚ฌ20.50

xxx