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disappointing makeup productsI have been in a bit of a creative rut this week. I asked on Instagram stories what kind of content you like. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to message me and fill my head with awesome ideas. I appreciate it so much. A big shout out to my lovely friend Sinéad aka The Beautiful Truth for giving me the Disappointing Makeup Products idea.disappointing makeup products

I generally talk about products I really disliked on social media. When I review products I try to be as logical as possible. I like to give the pros and the cons. I rarely dedicate a post to things I have and just generally don’t get on with. But it’s fun to change things up 🙂 Now this won’t be scathing. Everything is up for interpretation and just because I dislike something doesn’t mean everyone does. This is just my opinion.

First up of my six disappointing makeup products, is the Kiko Smart Cult Eyeshadow Palette in Matte Revolution. I did a post swatching this when I first got it here.irish beauty blog

I bought this in Brussels after seen it plastered all over social media. The colours looked so cool and generally I am a big fan of Kiko.irish beauty blogger

This just doesn’t do it for me though. On first swatch some of the colours are grand, but trying to blend them on the eyes is way too much of a chore. They blend away to nothing. Yes, I can make it work if I need to, but this palette has just ended up lying in a drawer not being used. It wasn’t expensive, but still, it was definitely a waste of my money.

My second choice is controversial. So many people would declare this their holy grail. This is the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer.

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For me, this foundation is too thick. I don’t like the doe-foot applicator, and I just find it hard to blend.beauty blogger ireland

I don’t mind a thicker foundation, but I would put this in the same category as Esteè Lauder Double Wear. Although I do say in my review it isn’t as thick, but it nearly is 🙂 It’s just too much for me. At least Double Wear stands the test of time on my oily skin, this only does an ok job. I find it grand, but I haven’t reached for it much at all since buying it.

Third up, is the LA Girl Pro Primer Eyeshadow Primer.

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This just doesn’t keep my eyeshadow in check. I have relatively oily lids so I am generally a good judge of eyeshadow primer. This is in the shade Nude. I think it’s more yellow toned, so unless I am covering it completely on the lids, the tone will poke through a bit.beauty blog

It just doesn’t cut the mustard. I like that it’s in stick form, it’s easy to use and super affordable, but not for me 🙁

The Zoeva Strobe Gel was completely bought on a whim because the jelly like texture intrigued me.top irish beauty blog

I have the shade Halo.

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If you like a more subtle highlight, this might work for you. For me, it just looks like nothing on my skin, especially when applied with a brush. Applying it with your fingers is tricky though, as the formula just doesn’t allow itself to be picked up with your fingertips too well. I tried to incorporate it into my makeup and to make it work, but I just end up reaching for something else. It’s a cool concept, but gets a thumbs down from me.

top beauty blog ireland
top beauty blogger ireland

My next two disappointing makeup products will again, be controversial.

I only have a travel size of the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. I got it within a PR pack.

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Waterproof mascara is more my jam, most of the time. But I do try lots of non waterproof formulas and do review the ones that meet my extremely high mascara standards 🙂top irish beauty site

So many people adore this mascara. I don’t! I deem it grand. It coats the lashes, helps a little with volume and on me, flakes like a bitch. If a mascara flakes after a long ass, productive day, I can live with that. But this does it a couple of hours into wear on me. For that reason, it’s made the list 🙂

Ok, my last disappointing makeup product is the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talkirish makeup blog

Now hear me out because this is definitely a more personal disappointment. I am just not wowed by it. The texture is a bit drying, especially for the price. It’s also super super similar to my lip colour, so it tends to look more brown on me than pink.top beauty blogtop beauty blogger

I have the lipstick too . (I have a blogpost about it here). You can see both of them swatched in that. I reach for the lipstick way more, although I am not a huge fan of the fragrance, but I can get over that. I have the lip liner literally years, and it’s still very much in tact as you can see. Give me Rimmel’s Eastend Snob liner over it any day!

 

Do any of my disappointing makeup choices shock you? Are some of your holy grails in here? This is what I love about makeup, one person’s trash can be another person’s treasure 🙂

xxx

top beauty blogI have been using the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer on and off for a few months now. It’s high time I tell you my thoughts on it 🙂

Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer

Off the bat I will say if you are looking for a light, breathable foundation, stop reading now. The Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer is not for you I’m afraid. If you like a more high coverage foundation, or perhaps you need something for a special occasion, then keep reading.

Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer

First up, I have to say I am not particularly a fan of the packaging of the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer. I like the glass bottle, yes. But, it comes with a doe foot applicator attached to the lid. (Like the Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation I talked about here). I am just not really a fan. I don’t tend to complain when there’s one on concealer but I like to decant my foundation onto my hand myself and apply.

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My relationship with it is a bit mixed. It’s quite thick, (not as thick as the Estée Lauder Double Wear for example though). You can have it at medium or full on coverage.

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I have the shade Alabaster. It goes on a little darker than my skin tone initially, but does blend in and match quite well after a few minutes. It has a more emollient texture, which for me, with more oily skin can be quite problematic as it can be hard to blend. If you have drier skin, the texture might work in your favour though. As you can probably see from the swatch here, it does gather in fine lines, so you do have to be careful and make sure to blend really well. I would definitely recommend using a primer before application as it will help with the settling. Once you work it into the skin it though, I don’t find it too heavy or uncomfortable.

top irish beauty blog
beauty blog
top irish beauty blogger
beauty blogger

If you have redness, slight rosacea or acne scarring, it will cover well and you can build it up on the areas you want more coverage. I don’t tend to bring it up to the eye area too much though, as it does settle. But if you don’t have that problem, it will work well for under eye concealing. The emollient texture means it’s not too drying. The staying power is decent too. I do always use primer and powder with it.

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For me, I found I like this foundation mixed with something else. So I will add it to another foundation to bump up the coverage. I don’t like the finish on my skin by itself. That’s obviously just personal preference though. If you are looking for something with high coverage and you don’t mind having to work with it a bit, the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer could be for you.
You can find it online here, or in store from Brown Thomas, Arnotts and even Boots. Have you tried it?
xxx

Zara Duty Free Random Haul

This has been a bit of a funny week for me. If you follow me on Snapchat, you’ll probably already know. And, I touch on it a bit in the video aswell. Last week was lovely, we spent it in Spain (Almuñecar to be exact), for our lovely friend Ella’s birthday. I had bought some stuff in duty free on the way back and the plan was just to give you a nose on Snapchat. But something pretty shitty happened this week and my brain hasn’t really let me get back to normality…yet. It will though 🙂 So, I thought I would combine a few bits that I have bought in town, some Zara bits and the duty free products and show them in a haul.

Zara Duty Free Random Haul

Hauls are fun to film, and hopefully fun for you to watch aswell. This was a good compromise for me. It meant I could just sit in front of the camera and ramble about the goodies I have picked up, and it gives me blog content too. I actually ordered some of the Zara things while I was still in Spain, online. I thought they would be a nice little treat to come home too 🙂 Then, we had prolonged our holidays for a little bit longer by spending the day after we came back, in town, doing some shopping.

I only did a haul here before I went away. So if you want to see more shopping you can watch that too!

What I can link I will, in case anything takes your fancy:

Zara online purchases.

  • Pom Pom Sweatshirt. Link here.
  • Two Tone Sweatshirt. Link here.
  • Mini velvet embroidered backpack. Link here.

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Duty Free purchases. I bought these in Malaga airport, but they pretty much cost the same as they do here:

  • Esteè Lauder Doublewear Nude Foundation. Link here.
  • Lancôme Matte Shaker Liquid Lipstick in the shade…Link here.
  • L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil. Link here.

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Clinique Beyond Perfecting 2 in 1 Foundation. I wanted to get this in the airport but they were out of stock of my shade Alabaster. So I treated myself to it in store from Arnotts. They have it online here.

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And yes I bought a third foundation for good measure. The new Rimmel Lasting Perfection Breathable foundation. I picked this in from Boots here. The brand was on buy one get one half off, so I got their Insta Fix & Matte Powder because my lovely friend Sue (itscherrysure) raves about it.

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The rest of the things are from Penneys so I can’t link them, but they are in store now. To watch the video in full, click on it above or head to my YouTube channel directly here.

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Thank you so much to everyone for your lovely messages on Snapchat and for taking the time out to talk to me. I really appreciate it.

Gemma.

xxx

Benefit They're Real Full Color

So last night, I was very lucky to attend the launch of Benefit Cosmetics new release into the makeup world…They’re Real…In Full Colour. Benefit are releasing their best selling mascara and the push up liner that coincides with They’re Real in more colours!

There is already the duo you love in black, but in July things are going to get a bit more colourful! Us bloggers were lucky enough to bring the whole collection home with us. Thanks so much Benefit for their generosity. I thought I would photograph straight away them all to give you a sneak peak 🙂

David LaChapelle did the visuals for the campaign. There is no post production on the images which is pretty amazing, in his words, “This isn’t illustration or digital. It’s live,it’s real”.

First up we have the They’re Real Mascaras.

They're Real MascaraThere is three in the collection now. They retail for €26.

The black one where this all originated from of course.

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We have a brown one for those who just want subtle definition.

brown they're real

beauty blog reviewAnd then a blue one, I think this will be lovely paired over a black mascara.

blue they're real benefit

beauty nook they're realThen we’re on to the liners…my favourite part 🙂

benefit they're real push up liner

There is five colours to choose from now again available in July. They are waterproof gel liners and retail for €25

Of course there is the original They’re Real Push Up Liner in black.

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benefit they're real liner black

Then we have a brown one.

push liner brown

benefit liner brown

There is a blue one.

benefit they're real liner blue

blue gel eye liner

A green one.

green benefit they're real liner

benefit push up liner greenAnd finally there is a purple one.

benefit push liner purple

purple eye liner benefit

Here are all of the They’re Real Push Up Liners swatched on my hand.

Benefit They're Real Push Liners Swatched

They are all very wearable colours as you can see. I especially love the green and the purple ones. They are all matte and very pigmented. I have never used any of these before so I am excited to try them out. I am in love with the Benefit Roller Lash which I reviewed here not too long ago, so if these are anything like that I will be happy.

Benefit were also kind enough to add in something extra to our goodie bags.

Benefit the Porefessional License to blot

porefessional license to blotYou know if you read Beauty Nook regularly I am an oily skinned so and so this The Porefessional License To Blot excites me greatly. I love the primer already so I am sure I probably will! It is a blotting stick! You can use it under or over your makeup to help blot any excess oil…this could be a dream product for me :).

So there you have it. The new They’re Real…In Full Colour line-up in all its colourful glory. Let me know if anything tickles your fancy.

xxx