thoughts Archives - Irish Beauty Blog Beautynook

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

My makeup prayers were answered a couple of weeks ago when a very generous blogging friend posted me some makeup. I was having a miserable few weeks, so she literally couldn’t have picked a better time so be so lovely. And then to top off her generosity, this was in the envelope! The Tarte Shape Tape Concealer!!

I have wanted to try the Tarte Shape Tape for so long. It seems to be the go to concealer for every makeup lover across the globe at the minute. The shade I have is Fair, which works really well for me. It’s really light, so for my skin tone (NC20 in Mac), it works really well under my eyes.

I’ll start with what I don’t like about it, because it won’t take long 🙂 First off Tarte is hard to get hold of here in Ireland, that’s a con for sure. You can buy it but we are overcharged and that just pisses me off! You only get 10mls of product in the tube, which isn’t alot at all! And then finally the applicator is ginormous.

Now to be fair this doesn’t bother me too much. I don’t really sculpt with concealer, I just blob it on so I don’t need major control over the applicator. I know some people have issues with it creasing on them under the eyes. Personally, I have not found this to be an issue for me as of yet. I generally just apply one layer of it, buff it in and set with powder.

Now onto what I love about Tarte Shape Tape. The formula is super pigmented. A little goes a really long way with it. And best of all it blends like a dream. It takes no effort at all to blend it in with a brush or sponge and conceals so bloody well. I can really understand the hype. I don’t find it overly drying on the skin although it does set quite quickly. You can’t feel it laying on the skin either, which can be the case sometimes for more hard hitting concealers.

It reminds me alot of one of my very favourites the Clarins Instant Concealer. I reviewed this yonks ago now here. You need less Shape Tape to cover up any darkness though, and I find it more brightening too. It also comes in so many more colour choices. It works well as an all over concealer too, not just for under the eyes which is great. I don’t suffer with a huge amount of darkness, but I do have some discolouration and it really evens that out and makes me look more awake.

The downside of liking the Tarte Shape Tape? To get another one I will have to bribe friends who are going stateside to pick me one up, or fork out £28 (plus shipping) from QVC here. Although it does come with a sponge!

Have you tried it before?

xxx

August 21, 2017/by Gem

Bargain Buying, Makeup

Maybelline The Colossal Big Shot Mascara

Ok, I don’t throw this statement around lightly, but the new Maybelline The Colossal Big Shot Mascara is a bloom’in good mascara!!

If you are a regular around this parts you will know I am a waterproof mascara junkie! I have super straight lashes. I rarely find a non waterproof formula that holds a curl for me. Now, I am definitely not a brand snob. One of my faves is a Catrice one I talk about here.

The Maybelline The Colossal Big Shot Mascara arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago and I will be honest, I wasn’t expecting to like it. I used it for the first time going to the gym. Yep, I sometimes wear mascara to the gym, I have to walk to it and I like to look somewhat awake while doing it ha. From the first application, I was super impressed!

The wand is quite large and does hold alot of product. It doesn’t apply as clumpy as you would assume though. One layer will give you some length and a decent amount of volume. It does build up really nicely, without too much clumping. And I find it doesn’t flake majorly or anything throughout the day.

It also holds a curl really nicely. This is the part that sells it for me! It gives length, volume and curl! Music to my very picky mascara ears 🙂

I will say I don’t tend to use it on my bottom lashes. I am that girl who has a designated bottom lash mascara. I use Mac Extended Play (review here).

Overall though, it’s a really great mascara. If you’re not super oily and clumsy like me, it might work as a bottom lash mascara for you aswell!

You can find the Maybelline The Colossal Big Shot Mascara mascara in store from Boots now or online here. It will set you back €11.99.

Have you tried it?

xxx

June 25, 2017/1 Comment/by Gem

Makeup

Kat Von D Lock It Concealer & Brightening Powder

I’ve been talking alot about Kat Von D of late, Since they’ve parked their bums in Debenhams, I want to try everything! I did a post on the Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette here too if you are interested. This post is all about the under eyes though. I am giving my thoughts on the Kat Von D Lock It Concealer and the Brightening Powder.

I picked up both products together a few weeks ago and have been using the pretty much consistently since.

There is a whole array of products in the Kat Von D Lock it line, ranging from face primer, to setting spray.

I’ll start out talking about the Lock It Concealer.

Off the bat, I love the packaging, specifically the doe foot applicator. It has a tear drop shape, so it works really nicely around the eye contours. I also love that it comes in an abundance of shade ranges, and they differentiate by tone too! So, you can get warm, neutral and cool.

I went with L5 Neutral, which is a really good match for me:

It has quite a thick consistency on the skin, but blends like a dream. It covers really nicely and brightens up the under eye area too. On me, it has yet to crease, flake or settle in any fine lines once I set it. I usually go in with a light (ish) layer, blend it in and then apply another dot to the darkest area of my under eyes.

Overall, I am a big fan of the Kat Von D Lock It Concealer. It gives me very similar vibes to the Clarins Instant Light which I am a huge fan of too! It costs €26 from Debenhams in store or online here.

Next up we have the Kat Von D Lock It Brightening Powder.

I bought this specifically to use over the concealer. I am sure if you wanted just a little brightens under the eyes without using a concealer, this could work too.

It comes in three shades, I picked up the lightest one ‘Petal’. It is a really finely milled loose powder with a peachy undertone.

With it being a loose powder and in a smaller container, it can get messy to use, I won’t lie. Saying that, it does a really lovely job at setting my concealer and really does help smooth out under the eyes, as well as adding extra brightness.

It feels like velvet on the skin and a little goes a really long way. It doesn’t leave your under eyes feeling tight or dry when you apply it. Again, this is another Kat Von D purchase I am glad I made. The Brightening Powder costs €24.50. You can buy from Debenhams in store or online here.

Now, I just need to get my hands on the Kat Von D Lock It primer, foundation and setting spray and I’ll be good to go :). Have you tried anything from the range?

xxx

April 26, 2017/1 Comment/by Gem

Makeup

Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette

I already gave my first impressions of the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette here not too long ago, along with some other bits from the brand.

I finally got to go into the counter in Debenhams on Henry Street and check out everything in the flesh. How cool is it we have counters in Ireland now though? So exciting 🙂

After using the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette consistently for the past couple of weeks, I feel I can give a decent enough opinion on it. I also wanted to swatch all of the shades so you can see them in action on the skin.

The packaging is pretty robust cardboard adorned with hand drawn calligraphy depicting the palette name done by the lovely Kat herself. It has a generous sized mirror in the lid too which is always handy. Although if you look at the American site here, you’ll see they have redone the packaging and the shades are now housed in a plastic palette.

The palette is described as: ‘Inspired by an artist’s palette and loaded with twelve matte shades that capture the true hues of shadow and light, this ‘Shade and Light’ eye contour palette is arranged by undertone for neutral, warm and cool shades. Use deeper contour shades to add natural shadow and depth to the face, then accentuate best angles with the brighter highlight shades. These silky, buildable powders blend effortlessly into the skin with a formula so incredibly fine, it’s like brushing on powdered silk.’

So we get 12 shades in this palette. All matte and they are a mix of neutral,cool and warm shades.

They are arranged in their tone families, each one has a base, contour, define and highlight shade. Of course you can mix them whatever way you see fit though! I’ll swatch them in their tone groupings (from left to right) just to give you an idea of what they look like together:

For me, the shadows are rich in pigment, soft and really easy to apply and blend. I do find you get some kickback when you dip your brush into the pan. But, that doesn’t take away from the quality, it is just something to be weary of. There is a good range of shades to suit everyone too! You can go from a really simple makeup look to a full on smoky eye with one palette. Matte colours aren’t always the easiest to get right, I find, but Kat Von D have done a stellar job. The shade range covers a multitude too! I’ll be honest and say I find the colour selection very similar to the Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette which I have a blogpost on here. The Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette did come before it though 🙂

The Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette is available from Debenhams in store or online here. It’s priced at €46. It’s nice to note, the Kat Von D brand is 100% cruelty free!

Have you picked up anything yet? Do you have your eye on anything?

xxx

April 21, 2017/by Gem

Lifestyle

Why I blog…

Blogging in Ireland is under extreme scrutiny at the moment. I’ve seen a lot of talk online about it disappearing or becoming obsolete. I have also seen so many negative views on it. I can of course only give you my opinion and my thoughts on blogging.

Blogging first and foremost is a place to write about something, anything. It’s a safe haven for people to write down their thoughts. Of course it has taken on a life of it’s own over the past few years. It has become a form of media, a place where people can go to be informed on things, places and even people. It is also now a business with rules and regulations that need to be obeyed like any other.

‘noun: blog; plural noun: blogs

a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.’

I use it as a creative space to talk about what I love, beauty. This is something else that is ridiculed a lot. Beauty blogging is seen as vacant, not important. I don’t tear apart your hobby and your outlet, why do it to mine just because you don’t get it or think it isn’t important? I see talk of it being over saturated and that there’s too many people doing it. I think there is room for everyone, the internet is a big place 🙂 We may talk about the same things, but what is special about your blog, is you. Your take on things, your words, your thoughts.

I know there are negative sides to the blogging industry. But that happens with any industry, you can’t tar everyone who blogs with the same brush.

I also think the word ‘blogger’ is used in the wrong context a lot. To me, a blogger is someone who has and maintains a blog with their content on it. Social media is an extension of that. I have grown to love using and interacting on social media too through blogging.

I began blogging just to blog. Of course nowadays I am lucky to receive product for consideration as well use Beautynook as an excuse to buy way too much aswell 🙂 I know this is a big talking point at the minute. If you follow me, you know I am more then happy to declare if something was given to me. I am also more than happy to share my real opinions on things good, bad or indifferent. Or sometimes no opinion at all if I have nothing to say about something. If I ever collaborate with brands I love, I will shout it from the rooftops. I think it’s something to be proud of! I put a lot of work into Beautynook. Into sampling products, researching them, photographing, writing posts and keeping up with social media. I enjoy every minute it, but it is work and it is time consuming. I am also learning and growing from it constantly, which I think is really important.

I am not perfect by any means. My writing isn’t perfect. My pictures definitely aren’t. My makeup skills are far from it. I don’t claim to be an expert. I am human. But, I have so much passion for the beauty industry. I find it so inspiring. That’s why I choose to write and learn about it. I have also been so lucky to meet awesome like minded people while doing it and have had some awesome opportunities. I feel so very lucky that people interact and take the time to read what I write and also value my opinions. It is literally the best feeling in the world! There is definitely mixed opinions out there on whether it is OK to blog for a living or make money out of it! I think people make money from their hobbies all of the time, why should it be any different? It is the dream to make a career doing something you love.

Blogging is a choice, anyone can do it, all you have to do is be inspired and start typing! If you have a passion and you want to write about it, just do it. It’s fun… I promise 🙂

Thank you for everything!

Gemma

xxx

January 17, 2017/1 Comment/by Gem

Makeup, Youtube Video

Blank Canvas Master Series Palette One

The Blank Canvas Master Series Palette One was not on my radar really, I must admit. I just never really felt the need to buy it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have lots of Blank Canvas brushes in my collection so it’s nothing about the brand, the need just never really hit me. I have seen so many people talking about how lovely it is since it’s release though and when I saw they were having a sale, I bit the bullet and took one for the blog 🙂

So, just to change things up format style, I thought I would give you my first impressions on the Blank Canvas Master Series Palette One. You still get to see swatches in this post, but I also have an accompanying video showing you the palette in action here.

It comes with 12 eyeshadow shades. One shimmer and the rest are matte. I would describe the shadows overall as a warm. You also get a really nice dual ended brush with it. It has the E40, a flat brush and the E41 a soft domed blending brush. Both are really soft and are the only brushes I use in the video (other than an eyeliner brush).

You can of course see how they apply on the eyelids in the video, but I did do swatches as well so you can see them up close:

I have a few stills of them in action on the lids aswell:

I am overall super impressed with the Blank Canvas Master Series Palette One. The shades are soft blendable and easy to work with. I got it on sale unfortunately, but Blank Canvas have discount codes up all the time if you like what you see. You can get it directly from their website here for €34.99. May I add their shipping is really good too. My order came within two days which is very impressive!

What do you think? Do you already own it?

xxx

January 13, 2017/by Gem

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