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August Favourites 2018

Guess what’s back, back again? You got that right, it’s favourites time 🙂 This time we’re delving into my August favourites for 2018. Can you believe we’ve gotten this far? As I’m writing this, the sun is belting in on me, so it’s not time to complain about the weather….yet!

My August favourites, are a pretty mixed, but logical bag, I think. I cover everything from body care, skincare, haircare, makeup, with even a hint of fashion.

I ramble a lot as always, so I apologise in advance. But sure if you’ve been around these parts before, you know I don’t really think things out. I just go with the flow and hope for the best. Literally how I live my life everyday 🙂

I’ll list everything in the order that I talk about them, and link what I can. But please do click on the video.

Obvs can’t link this t-shirt, but as you can see from my face. I. Am. Obsessed!

My other fashion fave is my new Nike Air Force 1s bought from the kids department from JD Sports.

Dove Nourishing Care Shower Oil. It’s still on special in Boots.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel.

Cien Dry Shampoo is from Aldi.

My last two August Favourites are makeup related.

I can’t find a link as of yet for the Essence Prime + Studio Mattifying + Pore Minimizing Primer with black clay. That is definitely a mouthful. This Autumn\Winter Collection was meant to be in store from the end of August though.

My last favourite I have a whole blogpost and video on here. This is just one of the shades that I’ve been particularly gravitating towards from the new theBalm Balk Jour Creamy Lip Stains.

And that is it for my August Favourites! Let me know what you think, and as always thanks for tuning in 🙂

Gemma

xxx

CONTAINS PR SAMPLES*

September 5, 2018/by Gem

Makeup, Youtube Video

Kat Von D Lock It Foundation Review

I thought I would chance doing a review in video form. I don’t do these very often just because I am more comfortable writing my thoughts than saying them out loud a lot of the time. It’s hard sometimes to show the coverage and finish of product in pictures though. So, here are my musings on the Kat Von D Lock It Foundation in all of their rambling glory 🙂

I’ve already done a post on the Lock It concealer here if you’re interested in my thoughts on that too.

I bought the concealer and brightening powder (and the Shade & Light Palette), when the counter first opened here in Dublin. I was lucky enough to meet up with the PR here a while back and they kindly sent me home with the Kat Von D Lock It foundation. They colour matched me to the shade 46 Cool. I wanted a cooler tone to counteract the redness in my skin. The shades come in warm and neutral tones too.

As I say in the video, this foundation does oxidise and darken a little. I probably could have done with a shade lighter. However coming into the warmer months, I should just get away with it.

Overall, I am a big fan of this foundation, if you are looking for full coverage with a demi matte finish on the skin. I think the longevity is really good too without it being too drying either. Click on the video above or here to see it in action properly.

You can buy the Kat Von D Lock It Foundation in store from bigger Debenhams stores or online here. Have you tried it yet? Or any of the other Kat Von D products on offer here? I need to get my hands on some of the new brow products pronto 🙂

xxx

*PR SAMPLE**

May 20, 2018/by Gem

Makeup

Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer

I have been using the Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer since just after Christmas on and off. It’s definitely been a hot minute. I’ve put off writing about it for ages, just because it took me this long to formulate a logical opinion on it.

I bought this along with the Bomb Baby Mini Lip And Face Set. I really like the gloss, I can understand the hype. Although I will say loads of brands have jumped on the pretty sparkly non sticky gloss band wagon now. So there’s many a lovely gloss out there to choose from now.

The Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer is said to be ‘A shine-stopping, pore-diffusing primer that smooths the way for better foundation application and longer wear with an instant retouch effect’. This description is basically what confuses me. Hear me out 🙂

This is obviously a description that would hook me with my skin being on the oiler side and having pores like craters in my t zone. I’ll start with the pros of this primer. The packaging is so lovely and the matte glass bottle feels so fancy in your hands. The pump is really easy to control. It has a really delicate , sweet scent. The formula is really light, blends really nicely and applies nearly like an extra layer of skincare. It dries down and leaves your skin feeling really soft.

Ok, this is where I get confused. For me, it doesn’t really control oil. I generally use it in conjunction with another more hardy primer like Benefit Porefessional. I apply the the Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer all over and the other primer in my t zone where I know it just won’t cut the mustard. Just because I like how it feels and, well I have it and spent a decent amount of money on it. It also doesn’t do anything for my enlarged pores either, so that were Porefessional comes too.

If they had of marketed this primer towards drier skin types, I could completely concur with the consistency and how it feels. But saying it’s a pore diffusing, shine stopping primer doesn’t really make any sense to me.

Overall, I think it’s nice and it doesn’t put me off the brand at all, this was just a kind of a miss because it doesn’t do what it says on the tin.

The Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer is available from Harvey Nichols in store and online here now.

Have you tried anything from the Fenty range yet? I’d love to know your thoughts.

xxx

May 2, 2018/by Gem

Skincare

Dermalogica Pre Cleanse Balm

May I start out by saying myself and the Dermalogica brand don’t always get along. When I trained as a beauty therapist many moons ago, I was taught that it was the be all and end all of skincare brands. Then, as a beauty blogger, I’ve been very lucky to test a lot of their products along the way. The products generally just didn’t seem to do much for my skin. I never got break outs or anything like that, but I never really spoke too much about them, because I didn’t have a lot to say. Up until the release of the their new Dermalogica Pre Cleanse Balm.

I actually featured the Dermalogica Pre Cleanse Balm in my favourites here last month.

I was sent it when it was first released and have used it every night religiously since. It comes in a standard Dermalogica tube and then you get silicone cleansing mitt with it as well. The mitt is supposed to help gently exfoliate. I can’t say it does that. But, it does make application less messy and helps work the balm into the skin.

There is already a Pre Cleanse on the market that comes in a pump and has more of a cleanser consistency. This new version is a balm to oil consistency and for me, is a much nicer way to cleanse. It works in the same way though. You apply a small amount to dry skin and massage it in with the mitt. As you work it in it turns into an oil and that’s why a little goes such a long way. You use it as your first cleanse. For me it dissolves waterproof mascara, lipstick the works and you can see it melt them away. It doesn’t irritate my eyes either. Add water to emulsify it further, then rinse it away and use your normal cleanser for your second cleanse. My skin does be squeaky clean, but not tight or overly dry.Think of the same as washing your hair twice (like your hairstylist does). You clean once to get off the heavy grime and oil off, then go in again to make sure everything is gone.

I mentioned this in my favourites too, but having a cleanser that goes on dry skin initially, makes me so much more inclined to reach for it over eye makeup remover or micellar water. I sound so lazy I know, but it’s just the initial thoughts of having to go in and rinse your face in the evening seems so daunting. Once you have cleanser on though you have no choice 🙂

According to Dermalogica it is “Powered by Apricot Kernel Oil and a Natural Biolipid Complex”. They say it’s best for dryer skin types with the original version more suited to oilier skin like mine. But I much prefer this version. It’s much easier to control.

Overall, I am a big fan of the Dermalogica Pre Cleanse Balm. Coming in at over 50 quid in most places for 90mls of product is fairly steep, but a little goes a long way with it. You can find it online here if you fancy checking it out.

xxx

********PR SAMPLE*******

December 20, 2017/by Gem

Hair

Soap & Glory The Rushower Dry Shampoo

Myself and dry shampoo have a really close relationship, yep you read that right. I panic if I don’t have one stashed in a drawer ready for use. I have oily skin, which means I have oily roots. Generally, the second day after washing my gruaig, I will need a spritz. I am always a bit reluctant to talk about hair stuff too in-depth. I am not great with hair. I know how to wash, dry and use a hair straighteners or a curling wand on it. That is the extent of my hair abilities. But I guess when it comes to hair care, I know what I like and what works for me, so I am allowed dabble in it, right? 🙂 I picked up the new Soap & Glory The Rushower Dry Shampoo for one reason. Purely because it had the familiar scent the brand are known for.

They call it their Signature Pink scent which consists of Rose and Bergamot. I am a big fan of it. I love the kitsch packaging too.

I have to admit I am not majorly fussy when it comes to dry shampoo. I just want one that smells good, sprays evenly and doesn’t leave my hair feeling like I was rolling around in the sand all day. Ok, maybe I am a little bit fussy… I can say that the Soap & Glory The Rushower Dry Shampoo ticks all of them boxes for me.

It smells really good (in my opinion). It sprays really finely on the hair, so it doesn’t make your fingers or hairbrush sticky as you disperse it through the roots. It does a great job at mopping up any unwanted oiliness in the roots of the hair and gives it a bit of a lift at the same time. It also doesn’t leave a white cast on your hair, once you don’t spray it too close and give everything a good rub in!

One downside of the Soap & Glory The Rushower Dry Shampoo. It only comes in a 200ml can. And you can go through it mighty quickly! The mist is fine, so you do tend to go a bit nuts using it.

Overall though, I am a fan! I will definitely repurchase. The Soap & Glory The Rushower Dry Shampoo is available in store and online here from Boots now for €3.89.

Have you tried it?

xxx

August 2, 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.