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Catrice Glamour Doll Volume Waterproof Mascara

Ok, you’re going to have to forgive me, because it’s time for another mascara rave 🙂

This is the Catrice Glamour Doll Volume Waterproof Mascara, and I am in love! I saw the lovely Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup talking about this a while ago. I kinda feel like I have similar mascara needs to her. She always goes for a waterproof formula as do I, she wants the curl to last and wants some length…so do I, we’re practically lash sisters right?

Obviously when I saw her talk about it, the Catrice Glamour Doll Volume Waterproof Mascara went on my to buy list. And as we know here in Ireland Catrice is readily available in pharmacies and Penneys around these parts and it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg, so even a better reason to give it a try. To be fair myself and Catrice have been getting on like a house on fire of late and I am thoroughly enjoying the brand.

I think the easiest way to review a mascara is to just show you in action. I have blabbed on about my lashes being pretty lame many times so I won’t bore you with the details, but my lashes need a bit of oomph and curl to look semi decent. Mascara would definitely be one of my desert island products.

Here they are with no product on them at all.

Here they are curled with an eyelash curlers, I have straight lashes and no mascara really gives me the full curl I want so this is a necessary step in my routine. It just gives them an extra lift, which I don’t have naturally.

Here, I have added a few coats of the Catrice Glamour Doll to one of my eyes.

You can see it makes a pretty significant difference to my lashes right?

The Glamour Doll Volume Waterproof mascara has a small plastic wand, with small spikes tips to it, I think it makes for really easy application, and you can get right into the root of the lashes with it. I layer it too and it doesn’t become overly clumpy and leave you with spider lashes either.

So here’s the mascara added to both eyes top and bottom.

I’m even happy to add a slick of the Glamour Eyes to my bottom lashes, and it lasts quite well. Usually I can be a bit of a mascara ponce and tend to stick to a tubing mascara on my bottom lashes, but the wand on this one isn’t too large so it applies pretty easy to the lower lashes and has yet to smudge on me either.

If you struggle with a curl lasting in your lashes like me and you want some extra length, with a bit of added volume too, I really recommend giving the Catrice Glamour Doll Volume Waterproof Mascara a go.

And the best part, it will set you back €4.99, not bad right?

October 18, 2015/13 Comments/by Gem

Archives, Bargain Buying, Makeup

Budget Undereye Concealing with Flormar & Catrice

I gave first impressions on both of these products that were new to me together over on Snapchat (I’m ‘Beautynook’ over there) a couple of weeks ago and I’ve used them that way everyday since.

They are the Flormar Perfect Coverage Concealer and the Catrice Liquid Camouflage High Coverage Concealer. Both of these concealers were under a fiver individually. I bought them both respectively to try but realised I really like using them together, so that’s why they are getting a joint review.

Now I know you’re thinking Gemma, why are using two products to conceal your lovely under circles? That’s a great question thanks for asking 🙂 Let me show you.

When using the two of these for concealing I use the Flormar Perfect Coverage first.

I picked up the shade 01 Fair Ivory and it works well for my Mac NC20 skintone.

I like the applicator on this product too. It has like a paddle shaped doe-foot applicator, that works really easily under the eyes.

My under eyes without any concealer on (I do have foundation on though) looks a bit like this.

You can see I definitely have some blue tones under there as well some pigmentation.

I use the Flormar Perfect Coverage first because it has a salmon tone to it.

And then I blend it in using whatever synthetic brush I have to hand.

It’s really lightweight and easy to blend.

You can see the finished result here, it does it jobs well and conceals, without caking or looking too obvious.

Then, I pull out the Catrice Liquid Camouflage High Coverage Concealer.

I got this in the shade 010 Porcelain, it is a pretty light shade, this is good for under the eyes as you want to highlight that area just a touch.

I pop a layer (or two) of this over top. It has a lightweight formula that blends easily into the skin, but still manages to do it’s job of concealing and brightening really well.

You can see this has more of a skin coloured tone to it. And I do the same, just blend it down in a triangle motion and then up across the tops of my cheeks with a synthetic brush.

By all means you can just use the Flormar Perfect Coverage on it’s own or even the Catrice Liquid Camouflage and be good to go. Separately they conceal well and do not crease under my eyes, as well as not settling into any fine lines or making any dry patches more apparent. I think alot of the cheaper brands struggle with concealer, so to have found two really good ones at the same time is a revelation!

I like using both these products together because, the Flormar works great for the pigmentation and darkness and then the Catrice really brightens the under eye area. Together they make me look more awake…and alive :p

It’s really love at first swipe for me with these 🙂 You can buy the Flormar Perfect Coverage from SimplyFoxy here or in any stockists around the country. The Catrice Liquid Camouflage is online here from Sam McCauley’s or again you can pick it up from stands nationwide including Penneys.

xxx

October 10, 2015/6 Comments/by Gem

Catrice Shine Appeal Fluid Lipstick ‘Better Make A Mauve’

I have been going a bit liquid lipstick crazy the past few months. I have never been fully on board with the lipgloss phenomenon. I don’t really do shiny lips without a purpose. Liquid lipsticks fill the colourful shiny void for me and nowadays they come shiny but not sticky which makes a glossy lipped life so much easier 🙂

This post will be dedicated to a new liquid lippie on the block. The Catrice Shine Appeal Fluid Lipstick in the colour 070 ‘Better Make A Mauve’.

She’s a pretty one right?

I have literally been wearing this non stop since I got sent it. It’s so easy to wear. Even though it’s very much the lip colour of the moment (the world is having a 90’s mauve moment), it’s a really easy to wear version of it. You can slather it on your lips without much to do, so it’s a great handbag companion.

‘Better Make A Mauve’ is of course of a dusky mauve colour, it’s pigmented with some shimmer running through it, although the shimmer isn’t hugely noticeable when the product is applied. I am personally happy with that.

It glides on really easily, has a sweet faint scent, lasts really well on the lips and one of the main things for me, is not sticky or uncomfortable to wear!

I rock it on it’s own most of the time, but when I want to dial up the 90’s intensity a little, I’ll add the NYX ‘Mauve’ lipliner underneath.

It’s a very similar colour just in matte form.

Together they are a match made in mauve heaven :p

The Catrice Shine Appeal Fluid Lipsticks are part of Catrice’s Autumn/Winter collection and have been set for release in the last week of August, which is pretty much now. So we should see them filtering into Penneys and pharmacies nationwide in the coming days. I cannot wait to see what else is in the collection 🙂

xxx

August 25, 2015/by Gem

Hair

Simon & Tom Moroccan Treatment

The Simon & Tom Moroccan Hair Treatment contains Argan Oil from you guessed it Morocco 🙂

It deems itself to be a non greasy formula that instantly absorbs delivering concentrated shine. I can agree with that I think. I have been using this oil for a long time now and I would compare it very much to the well known Moroccan Oil that we all know and love. Simon & Tom market the serum for all hair types. I have long quite thick hair, but an oily scalp and it works well for me.

You just apply a small amount into your hand and massage it through damp hair.

One pump is enough for me. I tend to concentrate it on the ends of my hair. It helps with frizz and fly aways and makes your hair feel softer and smoother.

I sometimes use even half a pump after using the hair drier or straighteners just on the ends to make my hair less frizzled from using the heat.

It smells nice too which is always a bonus.

Overall, I really like the Simon & Tom Moroccan Treatment. The 100ml bottle will last you for ages too as you need such a small amount which is great.

You can pick is up here and it is on special at the minute for €24.90.

xxx

April 28, 2015/by Gem

Skincare

La Roche Posay Serozinc Review

La Roche Posay Serozinc has finally hit Irish shores! Thank the lord! I have been waiting very patiently to get my mitts on this stuff. When I saw McCabes pharmacy say they had stock in their store in Swords, I trekked out and got it no questions asked 🙂 I’m a southsider!!! 🙂

Serozinc is a zinc sulphate solution for oily, blemish prone skin. Its also suitable for acne prone skin too. You use it just like you would a toner. Spray it onto your skin after you cleanse, leave it to soak in and you can pat any excess off, then moisturise as normal. These are the directions La Roche Posay give you.

I suffer with my skin. It goes into hormonal breakout every month and I already have oily skin to begin with. I find alot of products you can get for oily blemish prone skin can be great but really dry your skin out at the same time, which means you have to be careful with using them. I don’t find this with the Serozinc at all. I’ve been using it twice a day since I bought it and it has never dried my skin out. It has however calmed my spots and brought down their inflammation. I feel it has also helped with the texture of my skin. I have really seen a difference in the amount of comedones I suffer with i.e. whiteheads and blackheads…another lovely aspect of oily skin. I personally use it after I use the Pixi Glow Tonic in the evening which is an exfoliating toner, I adore this stuff too. I think the Serozinc adds a little moisture to my skin after using the more abrasive toner and they work really well together.

The spray itself applies really easily, it has a nice steady flow that you can control when you spray, it doesn’t scare you in the morning when you apply it…that has happened me with some similarly packaged products :p

In conclusion, I love the La Roche Posay Serozinc. It’s not going to save you from breakouts completely, but it will make them alot easier to handle. La Roche Posay really make fantastic skin care products. And the good news too is Serozinc will only set you back a tenner here in Ireland! It’s so worth it!!

Have you tried it? What do you use with it? I would love to know?

xxx

April 27, 2015/9 Comments/by Gem

Lifestyle

Being Yourself…Flaws And All

I am turning 30 soon and it has scared the pants off me for a long time thinking about it. I’m a thinker. I overthink, over analyse and worry that’s who I am, it’s only great :).

As I reach closer to the time of the next decade of my life I have spent alot of time (you guessed it) thinking about my life at this point and my goals. I am not where I thought I would be, not in the slightest. I always did well in school without having to try too hard and so I suppose I just assumed life would be somewhat easy when I grew up and became an adult. Things didn’t really turn out like that. I’ve spent many years trying to find a career and something I could be proud of. I have a relationship that I am proud of, he has been the one constant in my life (for a long time), that has kept me going. Life has some crazy turns both good and bad.

I am a smart arse, I sometimes talk before I think, I make alot of mistakes, I have more of a male sense of humour ( I am the only girl of 3). When I am shy or nervous I use humour to cover it up or I just close up completely and try to hide.

I am by no means perfect. And I am critical of that all of the time. I don’t have a perfect figure, perfect hair,perfect skin, I would deem myself average in alot of categories both physically and in my capabilities.

I enjoy my own company, but I don’t like to do things out of my comfort zone on my own, I find it hard to make plans and stick to them, I can be lazy, I can be selfish, I have a temper, I am brutal at small talk the list is endless and it’s not one I am proud of 🙂

The reason I sat down to babble though is because I have realised that just because I am not the definition of perfect doesn’t mean I don’t matter, doesn’t mean my opinion or feelings are not important. We are all important, we are also important to someone. We have people who loves us for who we are warts and all. We should embrace this and feel free in this environment instead of trying to make the people who don’t matter like us. I have spent big chunks of my life doing that. Not everyone will like you in life, we have to come to terms with it. I know it’s hard, believe me and I am not writing this because I have the antidote, I just wanted to write it to say you are not alone.

We can all feel alone at times even when we are surrounded by people. I know I can forget to live in the moment because I am so worried about what is going to happen in the future. Sometimes I have to be snapped out of it and told to cop onto myself…he does that alot 🙂

My goals for my 30’s is to take more chances, see more things, love the people who love me more, spend time with them, but most of all love and be proud of myself…flaws and all, because I matter!

I know this blog is for makeup and beauty products and I love these things because they make us feel better about ourselves, more confident, but it doesn’t define us. We define us! Don’t let anyone let you feel inferior. You are amazing! You won’t always believe it but you are 🙂

xxx

March 25, 2015/3 Comments/by Gem

Posts

Ok, you’re going to have to forgive me, because it’s time for another mascara rave 🙂

I gave first impressions on both of these products that were new to me together over on Snapchat (I’m ‘Beautynook’ over there) a couple of weeks ago and I’ve used them that way everyday since.

This post will be dedicated to a new liquid lippie on the block. The Catrice Shine Appeal Fluid Lipstick in the colour 070 ‘Better Make A Mauve’.