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Five Budget Beauty Faves Currently

I haven’t spoke about some current budget beauty faves as a collective in a while. If you read my blog alot, you know I am big fan of budget makeup, as well as high end. I like to mix it up 🙂

I have five budget friendly beauty favourites here, that I have been reaching for alot when I am putting a face on!

First up is a dual ended brush from Blank Canvas. This particular combo is just brilliant for day to day eyeshadow application.

On one end is the E25, a rounded blending brush. The other end is the E26. I would compare this to the Mac 217, so it’s a flatter blending brush.

It is so handy to have both brushes to work back and forth with in one. I picked this up at the beauty show last year. It is on the Blank Canvas website here for €11.99.

My second pick is the L.O.V Heartful Healthy Glow Blush in ‘Seductive Flamingo’.

This is a fairly new brand to Ireland. I got this in a press pack a while ago with some other products. It has been the one out of them all that stuck around in my everyday makeup drawer. The packaging feels really nice and it is a super pretty peachy pink shade with a golden shimmer running through it. It is soft and blendable too.

L.O.V are made by Cosnova which also manufacture Essence and Catrice. They don’t have an Irish website as of yet. You can find out more about the brand and it’s retailers on their Facebook page here. The blush costs €7.95.

My third pick is something I only did a post about last week, so I won’t harp on about it too much. It’s the Catrice Liquid Gel Cushion Eye Liner.

I just wanted to add it in in case someone reading this didn’t get to read that post, as I really think it’s worth checking out. It is a black liquid liner in cushion form and I am really enjoying being about to use my own brush with a liquid liner.

I am not the best with applying liner, so anything I find that makes it a bit easier, I will shout about 🙂 The full review of this is here.

The Colourpop Scultping Stix in ‘Dove’ has very much become my everyday contouring product.

The grey toned brown is literally the perfect colour for my skin tone.

It twists up so you don’t have to pare it. It is also really narrow, so you can just draw a line and blend! It also blends really well too. It costs $5 from the website here, so really affordable. Colourpop do ship to Ireland, but it is quite expensive. I usually wait until they have a deal on and keep my order under the 25 dollars tax threshold, so the tax man doesn’t take any more money off me.

My last budget beauty favourite of the moment is the Rimmel lasting Finish Concealer.

I bought this because Rimmel were doing a 2 for €7 deal in Boots and I was in a hurry to choose another product. I wasn’t really expecting anything from it.

It is quite a thick concealer, so although it says you can, I don’t use it under my eyes. I love it for everything else though! It covers blemishes, redness and fills in pores really well too. The formula blends nicely into the skin and it lasts great on me, once powdered.

I do not change up my face concealer products very often, so as dramatic as it sounds this is a bit of a find for me. I have been using the Mac Full Coverage Foundation as concealer for literally years now. It’s been my holy grail. The Rimmel Lasting Finish is definitely giving it a run for it’s money though. And at €7.99 is more than a third cheaper! It’s on the Boots website here.

There you have five budget beauty faves that have been making it onto my face over the past couple of months. Have you been using any budget friendly products that you would recommend?

xxx

*****SOME PRODUCTS MENTIONED ARE PRESS SAMPLES*****

February 27, 2017/by Gem

Festive Makeup Get Ready With Me

I know it’s a tad early, but Christmas is only a few weeks away now. I am a big fan of Santy season, I’ll take any excuse to talk about it here on Beautynook 🙂 I haven’t done a Get Ready With Me style video in a while so, I thought I would start the season off with a Festive Makeup GRWM 🙂

I reckon I can call it festive makeup because I added some Christmas music over it and used a bit of sparkle.

I did speed the video up, but I edited very little of it out, so this is my makeup pretty much from start to finish, just 4 times as fast. I was going out that night so I did apply a fair bit of slap, but sure we’re all makeup lovers here, right? 🙂

Some of the main products I used were:

Dermalogica Hydra Blur Primer.
L’Oreal Infallible 24 HR Matte (full review here). Mixed with the L’Oreal True Match Foundation.
Nyx Micro Brow Pencil (full review here).
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer with the Too Faced Born This Way one over top.
theBalm Put A Lid On It Eyeshadow Primer (review here).
WetnWild Dual Ended Contour Stick (Video on this here).
Too Faced Merry Macaron Palette.
Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette (Post on this here).
Fairydrops Scandal Queen Waterproof Mascara (Review here).
Hourglass Mood Exposure Blush. (You can see it swatched here).
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer (Review here).
L’Oreal Infallible Fixing Mist. (Review here).

Anything I missed and you are curious about, just ask 🙂 As always, you can watch the video above by just clicking on it. Or head over to my YouTube channel here to watch my festive makeup get ready with me video there.

As always thanks for taking the time to click. I personally love watching these types of videos as well as making them myself.

Happy Christmas….countdown 🙂

xxx

November 25, 2016/by Gem

Makeup

Real Techniques Miracle Sculpting Sponge

I am a big Pixiwoo fan as well as being a Real Techiniques fan. If you didn’t know Real Techniques stems from sisters Sam and Nic Chapman. They are both professional makeup artist, youtubers, authors and creators of Real Techniques.

I have alot of Real Techniques brushes in my collection and am a big fan of their Miracle Complexion sponge. This year they have expanded their makeup sponge range. I want to talk about one of them in this post, the Miracle Sculpting Sponge.

I bought the Miracle Sculpting Sponge after seeing Sharon Farrell talking about it and using it on her Youtube channel (which I will link here). You should totally check her out 🙂

It’s a funny looking sponge I know. I think it’s shaped a bit like a pointy snowman myself 🙂

It is described as having six surfaces, so you can use it to apply and blend contour, highlight as well as foundation, concealer and powder. They can say you can use it wet or dry too. I, so far have only used it wet. Here is the comparison in size between wet and dry.

In Gemma terms. I love this sponge. It is really soft and squidgy and it’s latex free. When wet, it expands so it covers more surface area. It also doesn’t soak up all your products and blends liquids in super easy. The shape does take a minute to get used too in your hand. I use it for applying foundation, concealer, cream contour and bronzer. But, I also really love using it for applying my setting powder. I am going through a bit of under eye baking faze and this sponge really works a treat for it because you you can get right in under the eyes using the small, flat pointed end.

I do like that it has a different sized em…ends. I use the big flat end for foundation then the more rounded end on the opposite side for cream concealer. But, when it comes to deep cleaning it can cause a bit of a problem. Mine was ruined by scrubbing it too hard and the skinnier neck part of it split. I didn’t have it very long when it happened which is annoying, so it’s just something to note. Don’t be too heavy handed with it. Although saying that, I am still using it damaged and it is working grand for me.

Overall, I am a big fan of the Real Techniques Miracle Sculpting Sponge.

For me, it wins over the Miracle Complexion Sponge, not because of the shape but because it’s softer and feels nicer (dare I say more bouncier) on the skin :).

You can buy them from Boots in store or online here and Cloud10Beauty here. They retail for between €7 and €8 depending on where you buy.

xxx

October 19, 2016/by Gem

Makeup

Soap & Glory Archery 2 in 1 Brow

I am a big fan of the Soap & Glory Archery Brow Filling Pencil & Brush. I’ve bought a few over the years. I ran out of my current one and went into Boots to stock up. For some reason I’ve never done a post on it, but you can see it on the Boots website here if you’re interested 🙂 Instead of going with my old reliable I picked up it’s chunkier friend, the Soap & Glory Archery 2 in 1 Brow, which is a sculpting crayon and setting gel.

I think Boots only stock two shades of this, in Ireland anyways, which is not ideal! You can get it in Blonde Ambition and the darker one which I have here Brown & Out.

The pencil itself is flat with an angled edge, it nearly has a triangle shape to in when you look at it head on.

It’s a hard waxy pencil, which I personally like in an eyebrow pencil,as you have more control over the product and are less likely to over do it. It’s a pigmented pencil and applies easily onto the skin. On first glance, the colour looks like a good neutral shade, however it does apply a little warm. I’m fine with that personally as my brows (and hair) have a got a bit of red warmth.

The pencil is quite thick though and as you use it, it does wear down and mine has crumbled a couple of times, although I feel like this happens with most retractable pencils, so I don’t really hold that against the product. You just have to be careful about the amount you twist up when you’re using it.

My brow with no product

Because the pencil is on the thicker side, it is hard to get a defined line with it. If you are someone who is not too blessed in the eyebrow hair department, I don’t think the Soap & Glory Archery 2 in 1 Brow would necessarily be for you. I am kind of in between, I do have brows but they don’t grow naturally on point, so I can get away with using it somewhat, I do have to be careful though! I generally add a bit of brow powder over any pencil I might use, just to help the setting process and fill in any gaps I might miss. I have used the pencil and setting gel on their own a few times though and they lasted quite well!

You sacrifice the spooley end like on the Brow Filling Pencil & Brush, for a setting gel.

It is a clear setting gel and does a really great job at getting your brows into formation (bit of a nod to Beyonce there 🙂 ), without making them hard or crispy…nobody likes a crispy eyebrow!

Overall, I like the Soap & Glory Archery 2 in 1 Brow. I have to admit though I like the Brow Filling Pencil & Brush more. You just have more control with it! If you have fabulous bushy brows and just want to fill in the gaps and clean them up a bit, the 2 in 1 brow works really well. I, personally just need a bit more definition in my life 🙂

The Soap & Glory Archert 2 in 1 Brow is available from Boots in store and online here and it will set you back €13.50.

xxx

May 18, 2016/by Gem

Makeup, Youtube Video

Spring Makeup Get Ready With Me

So many of you told me you love watching Get Ready With Me style videos. I love watching them too (not my own though if I’m being honest ha) So here’s a Spring Makeup one, where I am basically applying a face of makeup that I would wear for a Spring day/early evening. Myself and himself were off for some Friday eats this day so I thought it would be a appropriate because I was actually doing my makeup to go somewhere, not just for the sake of filming 🙂

This is more of a talk through style video, which I still haven’t completely mastered, words still elude me 🙂 But I thought I would give it a whirl and sure don’t they say practice makes perfect, right?

I used a mixture of more affordable and more high end makeup which is a true representation of my normal makeup routine. I like to mix it up 🙂

So the products I used (including skincare) are:

La Roche Posay Serozince- Full review here

Vichy Normaderm Beautifying Anti Blemish Care Moisturiser- Full review here

thisworks Light Time Open Eyes Eye Cream

Essence Prettifying Lip Oil

Maybelline Baby Skin Primer

Image Skincare I Conceal Flawless Foundation

Soap & Glory Archery Brow Pencil

HD Brows Kit

Billion Dollar Brows Brow Gel

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Essence 2 in 1 Shadow & Liner Pencil in 06 She’s Got The Mauve

Lorac Pro Palette

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon

Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner in Rich Brown

YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Waterproof Mascara- Full review here

Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer- Full review here

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Mac Full Coverage Foundation (as concealer)

Nars Laguna Bronzer

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in medium- Full review here

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (all three 🙂 )

Ben Nye Cameo Powder- Full review here

theBalm MaryLou-Manizer- Full review here

Rimmel Exaggerate in Addiction

L’Oreal Infallible Fixing Mist- Full Review here

So there you have it all the products I used in my Spring Makeup Get Ready With Me. I would love to know what you think and be sure to tell me your favourite types of beauty videos to watch.

Thanks for watching (and reading :))

Gemma

xxx

April 27, 2016/by Gem

Makeup, Youtube Video

Urban Decay Naked 2 Makeup Look

I already have makeup looks with all the Urban Decay Naked palettes here on Beautynook.You can check out Naked 1 look here, Naked 2 here, Naked 3 here and Naked Smoky here. I did a look with the Naked 2 the other day and put a couple of selfies up on my Facebook page and some of you seem to like it and asked me to film a tutorial, thank you by the way 🙂

So, I did it, well attempted to anyways 🙂 I am really new to this Youtube thing, but I gave it my best go and managed to recreate this really easy Urban Decay Naked 2 makeup look. I am not a makeup artist so I am going to call them makeup looks rather than tutorials, hope you don’t mind.

If you like this video, it would make my day if you went over to my youtube channel and subscribed. I am going to try my best to be consistent with it.

Thanks, as always for stopping by.

Let me know what you think.

Gemma

xxx

March 7, 2016/by Gem

Posts

I haven’t spoke about some current budget beauty faves as a collective in a while. If you read my blog alot, you know I am big fan of budget makeup, as well as high end. I like to mix it up 🙂

I have five budget friendly beauty favourites here, that I have been reaching for alot when I am putting a face on!

I am a big Pixiwoo fan as well as being a Real Techiniques fan. If you didn’t know Real Techniques stems from sisters Sam and Nic Chapman. They are both professional makeup artist, youtubers, authors and creators of Real Techniques.

It is described as having six surfaces, so you can use it to apply and blend contour, highlight as well as foundation, concealer and powder. They can say you can use it wet or dry too. I, so far have only used it wet. Here is the comparison in size between wet and dry.