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top irish beauty blogMay 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.

Dermalogica Pre Cleanse Balmirish beauty blog

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.

Dermalogica Pre Cleanse Balm

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.irish beauty bloggerThink 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.beauty blog ireland

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 🙂beauty blogger ireland

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*******

 

 

I thought rather than just tell you about the Garnier Micellar Oil Infused Cleansing Water, I would make a video showing in action.

 

Garnier Micellar Oil Infused Cleansing Water

This is the first time I’ve ever taken my makeup off in video form so it felt a little strange, not going to lie 🙂

Garnier Micellar Oil Infused Cleansing Water

Garnier say of their new Micellar Water on the Boots website: ‘Is Garnier Micellar Oil-Infused Cleansing Water Right For Me? Yes, if you are looking for an efficient, yet gentle cleanser that removes all make-up (even waterproof), impurities and dirt and leaves skin feeling nourished. Suitable even for dry, sensitive skin. Why Is It Different? Micellar Oil-Infused Cleansing Water is an easy way to remove even waterproof make-up, and cleanse and nourish the feel of skin, in 1 step without rinsing. How Does It Work? For the 1st time Garnier Micellar technology is formulated with oils. The micelles (cleansing agents) capture impurities like a magnet & lift away dirt from the skin, whilst the oils instantly dissolve all types of make-up. The Results:Perfectly cleansed, nourished feeling skin without rubbing or rinsing.’

In this video I show you the Garnier Micellar Oil Infused Cleansing Water in action on a full face of makeup including waterproof mascara and gel eyeliner. As well as giving you my two cents on it. I’ll give you a hint though….

irish beauty blog beautynook

I think this picture give you my true feelings, right? 🙂

The Garnier Micellar Oil Infused Cleansing Water is always on special it seems. I’ve seen it in Penneys, Dunnes and even Tesco discounted and it currently €5.53 on Boots online here. The normal price for a 400ml bottle is usually €8.29.

As always you can watch by clicking on the video above or you can head straight over to watch it on my Youtube channel here.

Have you used the Garnier Micellar Oil Infused Cleansing Water? Are you a fan? I would love to know your thoughts 🙂

Thanks for watching.

xxx

 

I am always on the lookout for brilliant budget beauty buys. (yes I love that all of the words begin with b, not gonna lie :)) Rather than do monthly faves, I think I might do posts like this so often for budget and non budget beauty. Let me know what you think?

First up in my budget beauty list is:

My very beloved Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude FoundationI won’t bore you with the details. I waffle about this foundation all the time and have a full review here. This stuff just does it for me. I love the finish, the longevity, it wears really well on my oily skin and the coverage. It will set you back €9.99 in Boots so at a smidgen under a tenner, not a bad price point at all.

Next up on budget friendly rambles are these Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadows.

budget beauty catriceI think Catrice have nine colours to choose from in the Liquid Metal range. I have three of them and they get alot of use from me.

090 Nougat it right

irish beauty blogger

070 Gold leaf me

irish makeup and beauty blog

100 What do you see?

irish beauty bloggerThese little pots are really pigmented, go on without any fuss and when dampened pack even more punch. I love shadows like this because you can create a really cool eye look without any effort. Not sure of the exact price on the Liquid Metal Shadows but I know they cost less than 4 euro a piece.

Another Catrice fave in my budget beauty stash is their Liquid Camouflage concealer.

catrice liquid camouflageirish beauty blogI go into more detail and demo this here. It’s such a fab purse friendly full coverage concealer that works well under the eyes and around the face. A must have in your makeup drawer in my opinion, and with it being €3.99, I don’t feel guilty saying that 🙂

These Penneys lashes need no introduction, they have taken on a life of their own in the beauty world it seems.

penneys lashesThey are so handy to have around when you are looking to add a little something more to a look. They would be described as individual lashes, unlike other individual lashes they have three clusters on one band, which for me takes way less faffing about.

penneys individual lashesYou can add just one of these to your outer lashes and be good to go. And the best part it? They cost €1.50! You wouldn’t even get a coffee for that nowadays (in Dublin at least) and you get glue included for that price too. Score!

The Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof mascara is a rediscovery for me.

budget beauty mascarairish beauty blogI got it a while back and loved it, even gave it a full review here. Then, I started having a thing with the Catrice Glam & Doll mascara (full review here) and I forgot about it for a while. I pulled it out the other week more to see if it was time to bin it or not and gave it one last whirl. I swear it’s an even better mascara now after drying out in the drawer for a couple of months! Might buy another one and just leave it in the dark for a while 🙂 I picked this up in Boots for €11.99. Not the cheapest mascara in the world, but still a decent price I reckon, and they’re always doing offers on it.

I have been loving this Essence No Makeup Look Nail Polish in Powdery Nude so much of late.

beauty blog irelandIf you just be couldn’t be bothered doing your nails, but want them to look decent, this is such a great little find. I put a base coat on, add two layers of this and I’m done.

essence nail polishIt dries really quickly and has a cool powdery finish to it so adding a top coat would take away from that. And it lasts really well on the nails. I can get around four days out of it before it starts to move, that’s not bad at all. I picked this up in Penneys and it cost me less than €3.

I have an oldie but a goodie next. The Sleek Face Form Contouring And Blush Palette.

sleek contour irelandI brought this to Oslo with me and it’s made me fall in love with it all over again. This is the light version of the palette and you get a contour shade, a highlighter and a blush, all for €9.99.

beauty blogger irelandNot a bad deal whatsoever. Sleek is such a great brand! The shades double up as eyeshadows as well which is great for travelling.

This Flormar Bronzing Powder is huge and this is one of the reasons what I love it. It will last you a life time.

flormar ireland

It’s also a really nice soft bronzer though. It has a really faint glitter running through it, but it doesn’t translate too much when on the skin.

makeup and beauty blog irelandirish beauty blogThe fact it’s so big means you can use a huge brush to apply it so it’s quick, easy and great for bronzing up the body too. A firm budget beauty fave in my collection. You can actually buy Flormar online here from Simplyfoxy. It will set you back €9.99.

My last favourite of the minute is Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover.

botanics irelandI am a waterproof mascara junkie, and this does a fab job of removing every scrap of it without irritating or dragging my eyes. It’s an oil in water solution, so you just have to give it a good shake before you use it to ensure the liquid is fully mixed. I apply it with a couple of cotton rounds, leave them on each eye for a couple of seconds and then wipe. It even remove Inglot Gel liner and doesn’t leave you with panda eyes the next morning. That’s impressive! At full price this will set you back €5.99 from Boots, it’s always on special though so just keep a look out. I am a huge fan of the Botanics range, they do some brilliant skincare and haircare products, that are really reasonably priced.

There you have it, a run through of some of my budget beauty favourites of the moment. What’s your favourite purse friendly product? I’d love to know 🙂

xxx

 

I’m off on a little breakaway for the Christmas period 🙂 Obviously being a beauty junkie, the products I bring, are quite important to me. This post is going to cover all of the skincare with the added daily bits and pieces I will use. Basically everything other than makeup, I will cover all that in another post soon 🙂

 

First up the skincare and body essentials.

Deodorant:

irish beauty blog

I prefer a cream deodorant. And I think cream and roll ons travel more safely too.

Toothpaste and toothbrush:

beverly hills toothpaste

I have a mini of one of my favourite toothpastes, the Beverly Hills Perfect White, that is actually black because it contains charcoal. I bloody loves this toothpaste and I have a matching toothbrush because I’m fancy that comes with a head cover on it which is so handy.

Bodywash:

the body shop

I have a mini Wild Argan Oil Shower Gel from The Body Shop. God I love minis, don’t you?

I’m bringing three body creams…extremely excessive I know, but they all have different uses.

I have a mini Atoderm moisturiser from Bioderma. I got this in a Bioderma Christmas skincare set that I reviewed here not too long ago. I’ll keep this for using anywhere that gets really dry.

bioderma

I’m going to bring one of the Nivea In Shower Body Moisturisers with me too, for everyday use.

nivea

This is the new one, that’s apparently for ‘firming’. It has little menthol massage beads in it though, so I think it will be good for the hotter weather. (we’re going to Lanzarote, so hoping it will be warmer than Ireland :).

The third moisturiser is a gradual daily bronzer from The Tan.

The Tan

I do not get a sun tan, I’m freckly and pale, so this will come in handy to keep me looking somewhat alive. I really like this one, it dries quickly and doesn’t make you stink too much.

As I am a paley, I am going to bring an instant tan too.

cocoa brownMy favourite at the minute which I have a review and demo of here is the shimmer version of Cocoa Brown’s new Instant Tan Bronzing Gel.

It’s such a handy tan and is water resistant. This will get alot of use.

I bought some fancy disposable razors because it’s Christmas and they were half off in Boots 😉

irish beauty blog

Boring and a pain but necessary if the pins are going to be on display.

Sun protection will be really important too.

p20 sun protection

It will be hopefully in the 20’s in Spain, so I’m going to bring P20 SPF in Factor 30. This is water resistant for up to 10 hours and it soaks in well so it doesn’t add to the clammy feeling…I really hate feeling clammy 🙂

For face SPF I’m bringing the Bioderma BB Cream.

irish beauty blogger

I’ve never used this before so I am hoping it doesn’t melt off my face. It contains SPF 30 and is anti redness so will hopefully camouflage my red cheeks if I over heat.

To wash my face, I am bringing the Ultra Brightening Cleanser from Neostrata.

Neostrata

I’ve only used this a couple of times, but so far I like it, and I thought bringing it with me would let me give it a try properly.

I have a mini eye makeup remover from Thalgo.

thalgo

This is an oily solution which is my favourite for eye makeup remover. I always use waterproof mascara so it’s a necessity.

For pre cleanser, I’m bringing a mini of the holy grail Bioderma Micellar Water.

bioderma micellar water

Perfect travel companion 🙂

I have no night time eye cream to bring I’ll have to buy one in the airport but for daily use, The Body Shop Drops of Youth eye gel is coming.

irish beauty blog beautynook

I’ve been using this for a while now and really like it.

To tone I have a mini of one of my faves the Neostrata Oily Skin Solution.

neostrata oily skin solution

If you suffer with spots and have oily skin like me, this is such a brilliant product.

Again, because I’m high maintenance I am bring another toner. This will double as a facial mist and makeup setting spray too though. This is the La Roche Posay Serozinc.

la roche posay serozinc

I have a full review of this bad boy here if you want a more indepth description of it. It has become a skincare staple for me.

For night cream, I am bringing this cute mini Oils Of Life Facial Oil from The Body Shop.

the body shop oil of life

 

Skincare is covered I think (I hope).

There’s much less going on in my haircare regime.

I’m trying out the L’Oreal Pro Fiber Revive shampoo and conditioner.

irish blog

I have a mini Moroccan Oil.

irish blog beautynook

This stuff is great for nourishing the hair and great for dry ends so comes in very handy in the hotter weather.

For the evening to jazz up my hair a bit, I’m bringing my favourite texturising spray from Charles Worthington.

irish makeup and beauty blog

If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the Oribe cult spray, give this a go. It’s great for root lift if you’re like me and you don’t like back combing your hair.

A bit of hairspray is a must for me.

irish beauty blog beautynook

I have a mini (so many minis I know) of this L’Oreal soft hairspray. My frizzy bits will thank me 🙂

And by golly I think that’s it! Too much? Probably. I was a scout for my whole childhood though and our motto was always be prepared 🙂

xxx

 

So as all of us beauty lovers know, Bioderma recently made their way onto Irish shores. Bioderma were really the pioneers of micellar water, and also do lots of other lovely skincare products.

For Christmas, they’ve released a pouch containing 4 products.

irish beauty blog

I happened to see this while I was scrolling through twitter (I’m @beautynookie over there, shameless plug :). Then I saw the lovely Jen from Matte To Metallic chatting about getting one over on Snapchat. She had gotten it in McCabes Pharmacy in the Pavillion in Swords, so I high tailed it over to the Northside and grabbed me one too 🙂

bioderma christmas pouch

If you have been wanting to try the Bioderma range (or you know someone who has), this is really a great buy.

In the Christmas Pouch you get:

A 15m of their Atoderm Crème.

bioderma atoderm creme

This is a fragrance free and paraben free moisturiser for dry to very dry skin.

You get a 100ml of the Bioderma Atoderm Gentle Shower Gel.

bioderma shower gel

This is a soap free gel for sensitive skin. So really great for any of us.

 

There’s also a full 40ml of the Anti Redness BB Cream.

bioderma anti redness bb cream

This on it’s own costs €16. It’s made for Sensitive Skin that’s prone to Rosacea. I’ve yet to use this yet, so I hope it works on my oily skin and the anti redness would be great for any blemishes. It also contains SPF 30 which is brilliant.

This is in the shade Light. When you first apply it, it looks really dark on the skin, but it blends in really well.

irish makeup and beauty blogbeauty blogirish beauty blog beautynook

 

The last product in the pouch is of course the Bioderma cult classic.

bioderma micellar water

You get a 100ml of their Micellar Water. This is hypo allergenic, so great for sensitive skin. I love using Micellar Water on cotton pads to remove the bulk of my makeup before full on cleansing. This means you are doing a double cleanse and are sure to be squeaky clean 🙂  Cannot wait to give this a go. Everyone has such good things to say about it.

 

I am going to sunny Lanzarote for Christmas this year, so I bought this to bring with me.

The Bioderma Christmas Pouch will cost you €17.50, and is a great way to try some of the products without committing fully.

Have you tried any Bioderma? Let me know what you would recommend?

xxx

 

Gem's January Faves 2015

January has been and gone, we are officially into 2015, where is the time going? The end of a month means monthly favourites in my world, and so I am here to divulge some of the things I have been loving and using throughout the month of January 2015.

I firstly have something I have already prattled on about here so I’ll keep it short.

Rimmel Nude Foundation

You can read the full review if you want my full opinions on Rimmel’s Lasting Finish Nude Foundation, and to see it on the skin. This has been the only foundation I have pretty much used in the month of January though. It is cheap,has good medium coverage, long lasting…and I like it! That pretty much sums it up 🙂

Up next I have one of my Christmas presents.

Black Leather Accurist Watch

Accurist Rose Gold and Black Leather

My Accurist rose gold and black leather watch. I have been wearing this nearly every day since I got it. I think it’s very classic but understated and seems to go with everything. It’s also light and comfortable. It is actually a man’s watch, but I like bigger watches so this appeals to me. I want one of these in every colour 🙂

I am a big believer in washing your face thoroughly before bed with a cleanser or a face wash whatever you use. I wear waterproof mascara and liner alot and these can be a pain and a bit messy to take off with a cloth or you hands so I like to use an oil based makeup remover just on my eyes to make washing my face then a little easier.

Botanics All Bright Eye Makeup Remover

This Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover was on sale in Boots. I think it was less than €3, so picked it up to try. It does a really great job. I don’t even look when I am doing it. I just soak two cotton pads in it and gently rub my eyes with. It does the job really great. It’s also meant to condition your lashes which is a plus. If you are looking for an affordable paraben free range, give the Botanics in Boots a look.  I really like the face wash from this range too, I really recommend them.

I think I mentioned this in a favourites post gone by, but I am throwing it again because I have not been able to get enough of it this month.

Yonka Invigorating Dry Skin Toner

This is the Yonka Invigorating Dry Skin Toner, which is an aerosol toner. Do you like the Caudalie Beauty Elixir? Well then you’ll love this. It smells sooooo nice and earthy and it is really calming and hydrating on the skin. It contains lovely things like Lavender and Thyme (hence the smell) .It’s pricey but I need to buy a full sized bottle of it!

I have a couple of duo items up next.

Penneys Mittens Soap & Glory Whipped Clean

The first is the Soap & Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter and then these funny little exfoliating mittens that I randomly picked up in good oul Penney’s. These two together for me are a match made in heaven. The wash is really emollient and moisturising on the skin and feels really luxurious. I’ve found using this with the exfoliating mittens really nice, as although I am getting rid of any dead skin cells with the abrasive gloves, the wash keeps the skin feeling nourished and looked after. The Whipped Cream smells of almonds which I am not a fan of, but I suck it up 🙂

My next duo are for the lips.

Rimmel Lip Liner Eastend Snob Charlotte Tilbury Bitch Perfect

This is Rimmel’s lip liner in Eastend Snob and on of the Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick Charms in Bitch Perfect. How pretty and tiny are these lipsticks? We both got the little trio of lippies for Christmas. Mine is mashed a bit, sorry. I did that after a few alcoholic beverages and didn’t twist the bullet back down properly.

I am not really a nude lip person very often. But just something about this duo made me feel comfortable. Perhaps because it’s more of a pinky nude, so I don’t feel completely washed out. I’m pale enough as it is 🙂 Eastend Snob is a great liner to have if you are looking to slightly over draw your lips or you just want to even out your lip line.

East End Snob Bitch Perfect

My last favourite for this month is the Fuchsia Pro Collection Palette.

Fuschia The Pro CollectionFuschia The Pro Collection

I have been reaching for this so much of late. It’s great that an Irish brand are doing these pans that you can put into a zpalette and customise the colours to suit yourself. I had never really used the Fuchsia brand until we were kindly gifted these at a blogger Christmas Party. This one was prefilled, I did not choose the colours, but the colours in it are lovely. There is something for everything and everyone from cool tones to warm, neutrals to brights and shimmery to matte. The colour pay off is really nice and they blend well too. They also come in an array of colours and finishes. I will be investing in more for sure.

There you have it. January summed up in beauty products. That’s what we are here for, right?

Thanks for reading my ramble.

Gemma

xxx