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I’m always amazed at the difference when I see my before and after makeup shots. It’s not that I hate myself without makeup, I’ve somewhat come to terms with my lot. It will just never not be cool, the things you can achieve with makeup 🙂 I was going out for my brother’s birthday on Saturday. (If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen). I turned the camera on and created this easy as always, gold smokey eye look.

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I’ll try to list the most important products I used for this. Usually I take a photograph of them all for reference. But I was just kind of in the moment for this, so I didn’t take it too seriously, hope you don’t mind.

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I spent the entirety of the video listening to my time capsule on Spotify. It’s mainly 90’s and 00’s hip hop and R n’ B That’s why there’s music over most of it 🙂 All I knew is, I wanted to create a gold smokey eye with a bit of glitter. I think I achieved that.

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I used all Makeup Geek eyeshadows. They were just what I gravitated towards on the day. Tikki Hut and Gold Digger were the main components and I used the Penney PS Glitter Eyeshadow over top.

Revolution Conceal & Define foundation with Tarte Shape Tape were the more full coverage liquid base of choice.

gold smokey eye makeup tutorial

Blush was theBalm Balm Beach with the Pixi Glow-y Glossamar Duo in Subtle Sunrise. Two of my very faves. Lips are Mac Soar Lip Liner with Syrup lippie over top.

 

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My brows never really go to plan when I film. I think it’s because day to day I stand at the mirror doing my makeup. When I film I sit down 🙂 But sure they were grand, just nothing to write home about.

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And that is pretty much it for my gold smokey eye look and an obnoxious amount of pictures of myself ha. Click the video above or here to see the whole thing in action. And let me know what you think.

Gemma

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BPerfect Sub Zero Highlight CollectionSo this is definitely more of a show and tell than a review, just as a disclosure. I received the new BPerfect Sub Zero Highlight Collection in collaboration with MMMMitchell last week in PR and I wanted to show it off a bit 🙂

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I have the other BPerfect collaboration palettes in my possession too, but I feel like I got my hands on them too late to dedicate a full post.  You can check out the Carnival Palette here in action though if you’re curious.top irish beauty blog

Right, I have to completely come clean. Although I love Instagram and watch a lot of YouTube in my spare time, MMMMitchell was not on my radar. I’m more of an Instagram granny I think, and my makeup style is more wearable and everyday. He is the typical Instagram makeup king!beauty blog irelandbeauty blogger ireland

And he is known for his glow hence this BPerfect Sub Zero Highlight Collection collaboration.

This is a seven shade highlighting palette. With six pressed powder highlighters and one that they call a ‘topper’ that you’re meant to be able to use over all six shades to help them pop.top beauty blog ireland

From left to right we have:

  • MMMM A Pearly white shimmer.
  • Made It  A Champagne shimmer.
  • Lifestyle  A  Golden shimmer.
  • OTT  A Bronzed gold topper.
  • In Blankets A  Soft beige shimmer.
  • Baebly A Rose gold shimmer.
  • Bodi-Odi-Odi  A Bronze shimmer.

Like their other two collaborative palettes the BPerfect Sub Zero Highlight Collection is super pigmented and the powder are soft and easy to blend. Ok, there’s my mini review 🙂top irish beauty bloggerBPerfect Sub Zero Highlight Collection

Are all shades going to work for everybody? I don’t really think so, but that’s what you get with a highlighting palette. However I will say, the shades that might not work as highlighter for your skin tone will make for lovely eyeshadows. That’s how I’ve been trying out the darker shades. On me, I feel like the shade ‘Baebly’ works best as a highlighter with ‘Made It’ a close second.

The BPerfect Sub Zero Highlight Collection Palette is available from stockists now and retails for €37. Have you tried it yet? Do you have your eye on it? Let me know.

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Pixi Glow-y Gossamer Duo Subtle Sunrise

I’ve used a few Pixi products in the past. I always have a stash of the Glow Tonic in my skincare drawer. I met with their UK PR last year and got to try even more skincare and some of the makeup. Their makeup was fairly new to me. I remember swatching some of in Boots in London a few years back and liking how it performed, but the packaging never really drew me in. Something that always stuck in my head after meeting with them though is my friend Sinéad aka The Beautiful Truth, who has at the meeting too saying, they are such an under rated makeup brand and after trying it for myself I completely agree. I have a post here about their Liquid Fairy Lights too if you want to check it out. Right now, I want to talk about, dare I say it, one of the best highlighters I have ever tried. The Pixi Glow-y Gossamer Duo Subtle Sunrise.Pixi Glow-y Gossamer Duo Subtle Sunrise

There is two shade ranges in the Pixi Glow-y Gossamer Duo (s).  You can see both choices on their website here. Delicate Dew seems to be a little darker toned. I want to specifically talk about Subtle Sunrise.top irish beauty blog

I went for a dinner with the brand a few weeks ago, I know lucky me! And I got this duo in my goody back. I know, lucky me again. There is of course two colours within the compact. One is more of a champagne glow, and the other is a peachy rose gold.top irish beauty bloggerbeauty blog irelandbeauty blogger ireland

The formula is just bloody gorgeous. It’s soft and creamy and oh so pigmented but in a glow-y way, hence the name 🙂 Both shades 100% create a glow to the skin without being sparkly or glitter. It’s just full on shine. I am a particular fan or the champagne side. If they created this on it’s own, I don’t think I would ever be without it. Here it is in action on the skin in video form. Make sure it’s in HD to see the full effect 🙂

I know I sound like I am gushing. Usually I come at a review as pragmatically as possible. I write about pros and cons, and then sum everything up. Honestly, I cannot say anything bad about the Pixi Glow-y Gossamer Duo Subtle Sunrise. Other than I wish they came as single pans, both shades serve a purpose and are beautiful though! The glow and the longevity of the glow is awesome!irish beauty blogirish beauty blogger

We get some Pixi stock here in Ireland in Marks and Spencer. Do yourself a favour and go in if you can to swatch. You can buy the Pixi Glow-y Gossamer duo in Subtle Sunrise from Look Fantastic for €23.45 here. Can you tell I’m enamoured? 🙂

xxx

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I love skincare, but I’m always a bit hesitant to talk about it too in depth. Just because I think it’s such a personal, specific thing. I do review products, but generally it’s because I really really love them or I really really hate them 🙂 I’m definitely no expert either, so that comes into play too. But, I figured I would just go through another updated daytime skincare routine. It’s less committal and just shows you what I am using right now and why.

My daytime skincare routine is quite basic. I like to keep it pretty simple. I have oily skin overall, but the older I get the more dehydration I get too. The two ailments are conflicting completely, luckily nowadays there’s products out there that will help with both skin concerns at the same time.irish beauty blog

I am obviously chatting about what I use and why I use it in video form. You can watch above or click here to go directly to my YouTube channel here.Daytime Skincare Routine

Blogging and having to research products and of course being sent product to trial has for sure helped me on my skincare journey. I have to learn what works for me and why so I can talk about and hopefully point readers in the right skincare direction. What I am using right now is my summer daytime skincare routine, things would vary a bit in the colder weather.

For toner I am using the Pixi Rose Tonic.

It’s gentle, minimises redness and also helps balance the skin’s PH balance.

Eye cream is the Exuviance Age Reverse Eye Contour.

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This is a brand I wouldn’t have gotten to try if I didn’t blog, but I really enjoy this eye cream. Exuviance is created by the people at Neostrata. They say it reduces puffiness and smoothes wrinkles. I like it because it’s a thin formula that absorbs quickly, but still leaves my under eyes hydrated and smooth. A lot of eye creams can be too rich for me, this one does the job perfectly.

For moisturiser, I use the Vichy Minéral 89 Serum.top irish beauty blogger

It’s created with mineral water and hyaluronic acid. A lot of people would use just as a serum as it’s more a gel formula. For me it works brilliantly as a daytime moisturiser. It plumps my skin and skins in really quickly without leaving a residue that might interfere with makeup application.

As it is Summer, I am using a hefty SPF. This one is new to me, but it’s literally been love at first application. This is the Eucerin SPF 50+ Oil Control. Yep oil control.beauty blog ireland

This is the first Summer I think that I’ve been confident enough to use a stand alone SPF on my face. Usually the formula is oily and would have me a shiny mess within the hour. Not this though, and it actually feels really nice going on too. I apply this in the morning and then I’ll use a spray something like the Ambre Solaire Sensitive Mist over my makeup if I’m outdoors throughout the day.

Last but not least I always apply a lip balm before I do my makeup. What one it is does vary, but as the weather is so darn nice I’m using one with a high SPF at the minute. I am really liking the Shiseido UV Lip Color Splash with SPF 30.beauty blogger ireland

The tinted ones are nice too, but I use the clear one on most days. It’s not sticky and lip colour applies nicely over top of it.

And there you have my current daytime skincare routine. Have you tried any of the products?

xxx

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Esteè Lauder Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder GelèeDid I need the Esteè Lauder Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelèe in my life? Hell to the no. This was a complete lust product. You might remember I did a post here a while back about my beauty shopping lust list. This was on it along with a few gorge other things.irish beauty blog

Every Summer,  the Esteè Lauder Bronze Goddess collection is released again. Usually reimagined somewhat, but still familiar if you’ve been keeping an eye on it throughout the years.

Esteè Lauder Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelèe

I’ve always lusted after the Illuminating Powder Gelée. The packaging alone had me hooked visually. I’ve tried to get my hands on it a few times, but it sells out super quickly. So I’ve been actually checking up on it regularly this year. Yes I am a makeup addict through and through ha. The release coincided with my 33rd birthday this year, so I was able to ask John to get it for me as a bday treat. Score!estee lauder bronze goddess

Off the bat the Esteè Lauder Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelèe for 2018, visually is just gorgeous. For €49, it would kind of want to be. It’s not as weighty as I anticipated, it is a plastic compact, but I can live with that.irish beauty blogger

I feel like this year’s representation is definitely more golden and glittery than other years. The pigment and shine pay off are really lovely though. The sparkle is just something to note. In case you’re curious the shade name is 01 Heat Wave. There is only one to choose from.

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You can see there is a lighter shade within the darker more bronzed highlight shade. It nearly looks like a pretty sunburst within the pan.

esteé Lauder Bronze Goddess Ireland

Esteé Lauder call this an ‘all over bronzer’. I can’t get on board with that at all. I bought it knowing it’s a highlight and it definitely is a highlighter!

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Unfortunately probably a highlighter that’s too dark for pale ol’ me. But by god, I will make it work 🙂

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I am so glad to have gotten my hands on the Esteè Lauder Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelèe for this year. It’s not the most practical purchase, but it will be something that I will hang on to forever as it’s limited edition.irish beauty sitetop beauty blogger irelandtop irish beauty site

I bought mine from Debenhams here, although it is out of stock as I write this post. Have you picked up any of them over the years? What’s your thoughts?

xxx

Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter

I have been waiting with baited breath for the Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter to launch here. I was just perusing the shelves in Boots (as you do), and happened across one of them! I haven’t seen any media or press releases about them as of yet, but we can now get our makeup loving mitts on them!

Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter

Only catch is there seems to be only one of the shade available of the Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter. And then there’s one shade of the Master Holographic Prismatic one. Now that could have just been the Boots I was in, (Jervis Street). However, they don’t seem to be on the Boots website yet either.

Anyways, I picked up the two shades that were there. Damn 3 for 2 drew me in big time. I got their setting spray to try as well. I don’t have them that long, but I thought I could at least show you what they were like in action, just in case you’ve been chomping at the bit ever since seeing Desi & Katy rocking them!

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The Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter is in the shade Molten Gold.

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Off the bat, I can say this is the nicest formula of the two. The shade is probably a couple of shades too dark for me. It remind me a lot of Becca’s Champagne Pop. I love Champagne Pop, but I am just too damn pale to pull it off most of the time.

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Molten Gold is super soft and really easy to blend. It’s a really great, more affordable highlighter.

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It is actually available online from Feel Unique here on sale. I paid €11.99 for it in Boots.

Just like the Chrome’s, there is other shades of the Holographic Prismatic formulas, we just don’t seem to be getting them here.

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These have a more gritty formula. This shade 50 Opal is obviously lighter in colour, but it has little holographic glitters running through it.

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Here they are side by side for comparison:

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For me, Opal performed much better when applied to the skin with a brush. The holographic glitters give a duo chrome sheen, although the glitter is very visible on the skin . That is definitely something to note.

irish beauty blog BeautynookMaybelline Master Chrome Highlightermaybelline highlighter

This, like Molten Gold, was €11.99 from Boots but again Feel Unique currently have it on sale if it wets your whistle 🙂

I really hope we get more shades of the Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter on this side of the world. They are a really lovely more affordable highlighter. The Holographic ones definitely won’t be for everyone. What do you think?

xxx