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Lash Application With Kiss Wink Lashes

Lash application is one of those things that just comes to you after practice, I think. I was crap at it when I first gave it a go, but I’ve done it so much over the years now that I don’t even think about it.

If you’re new to the lash game, something like this kit from Kiss is a really handy place to start.

Kiss do all different styles of lash in these Haute Couture lash kits. This is the wink style, which give more volume and length to the centre and outer lashes.

They all come with a handy lash application tool and some Aloe Vera Adhesive, which is meant to be more gentle so good if you have sensitive eyes.

When I use lashes for the first time, I like to bend the band on them a little. So, to do this I just twist the seam of the lash between my fingers and then basically form it around my finger.

Doing this makes the band (especially a thicker bank) a more of a rounder shape, so it will fit to your eye better and make lash application easier.

Then, I grab my lash glue.

This Kiss one is actually really handy because if has a little applicator on it, so you can easily apply it to the lash. The key to application is only apply a thin layer of glue to the band of the lash, then give it 20 or so seconds to become tacky. If the glue isn’t tacky, the lash will slide around your eyelid and things just start to get messy.

The more you apply lashes, the more you’ll know what tool is best to use for you for applying the lash onto your natural lashes. For me, I’m more comfortable placing it down first with my hand.

Drop the lash into the centre of your eye as much as you can. It means you have a couple of second to adjust if the lash isn’t where it should be.

Then, I grab my tool or tweezers, and tuck in the edges 🙂

You can use it to squeeze the fake lash into your real lashes aswell, so you don’t have any gaps showing and they are as close to your natural lash line as you can possibly get them.

The Kiss Wink lashes don’t go right into the inner corner of my eyes. I personally like this because it means if there is any lifting throughout the day or night, I won’t be getting poked in the eye ball. We’ve all experienced that right? It bloody hurts! A good tip is to actually measure your false lash to your eye before you apply it and trim any excess.

The Wink lashes don’t have an invisible band though, so to make them look more flush with my lash line, I use a liquid liner to just continue the line across my lash line.

So there’s one eye finished. Definitely makes a difference, right?

Then I just recreate what I did on the other eye as best I can. Don’t give yourself a hard time if the falsies aren’t completely symmetrical, your eyes aren’t completely symmetrical!

I finish off by adding another slick of mascara to my top lashes, to just make sure falsies and naturals are all married together and looking the best they can.

Lashes like these Kiss ones can be used more than once if you’re careful taking them off, so get your monies worth ladies. You can remove any excess glue with a tweezers and put them back into their handy little case.

There you have it, my top tips for lash application. Hope they helped 🙂

The Kiss Haute Couture Lash Sets are available from Dunnes and some selected pharmacies and they cost €21.99.

xxx

October 30, 2015/1 Comment/by Gem

Skincare, Tanning

Tanning with The Tan & Glove Your Body

I was lucky enough to the head of the launch of the newest Irish tan on the market a while ago. Simply named The Tan, It was created by the beauty powerhouse duo The Jenns who own the very gorgeous Vanity Rooms in Stepaside.

Let me start by saying…I bloody love this tan! I am down to the bare bones of this bottle of their Super Hydrating Liquid Gel Tan already.

Tanning if I’m honest is such a faff I don’t enjoy the process at all. The scrubbing, the application…the drying oh the drying. Standing on a towel naked with your arms and legs akimbo in the middle of your bedroom for 40 minutes waiting for tan to dry is one of the most annoying things to do in the world right?

Well I can honestly say you won’t have that problem with The Tan, it dries so quickly, I was astonished, five minutes and I was able to put clothes on without any transfer or sticky residue, hurrah!

So onto application.

My skin started out before showering with some left over tan on from the week before.

Here’s my lovely freckly Irish arm skin in all it’s glory 🙂

Before Using The Scrub Your Body Exfoliating Mitt

I used the Scrub Your Body Exfoliating Mitt from Glove Your Body, with the Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash which I reviewed here. I am loving this combo at the minute when I really want to scrub my skin. The mitt is is gritty but doesn’t pull the skin, and the body wash is lovely and foaming so together they do a great job of getting rid of all the dead skin cells and the remainder or tan or product you may have on your skin without stripping it completely. The Scrub Your Body will cost you €9.99 here

It’s not the most photogenic product in your beauty arsenal, but it does its job very well 🙂

After Using the Scrub Your Body Exfoliating Mitt

So next step is applying The Tan. I have been using the Glove Your Body Tanning Mitt to apply my tan for the last few weeks and I have to say I am really enjoying it.

Glove Your Body is another Irish owned company which is fantastic. The Mitt itself is quite big as you can see. Inside, it has little elasticated rings to hold all your fingers in place…I know pretty nifty right? It means your fingers can still grip but you have the handiness of a flat surface on the outside on the mitt itself. The Glove Your Body is really soft and can be used on both sides without any products getting through and ruining your hands. It is also really durable, you can just pop it in the washing machine and it comes out like new! It will set you back €19.99 but it will last you a really long time so I for one think it’s worth the investment.

I am not a professional tanner, I just dive in and hope for the best 🙂

So, I apply some of The Tan Super Hydrating Liquid Tan Gel onto my glove.

I find the Glove Your Body doesn’t soak up any of the product so you can do a little a time. I start from the bottom of my body up in small circular motions personally but whatever works for you is a ok 🙂

The Tan gel is tinted so it’s really easy to see which I love, as I am forever missing spots! After application, your skin will already have a hint of colour which is handy if you have somewhere to be straight away. The Tan is a gel formula so it doesn’t slip and slide when you apply it, it soaks in really quickly and you are left with soft non sticky skin.

After Applying The Tan

As you can see my pasty freckly arm already has a bit of colour, and that’s before development.

I tend to leave my tan on to develop overnight but you of course do whatever works for you skin.

The next day, my skin looks a bit like this.

The Tan The Next Day Before Showering

The Tan develops into a night golden tan with no streaks. I’ve applied The Tan now on my skin probably about six times, and it didn’t streak any of those times. When applying it has a nice watermelon scent. It does smell slightly when developing, but honestly I have never ever used a tan that doesn’t yet!

The Tan After Showering

After showering I am left with a nice golden colour much more pleasing to my eyes anyway then the pasty red toned skin after scrubbing 🙂 Some people were blessed with lovely porcelain white skin…I was not 🙁

The Tan Super Hydrating Liquid Gel Tan has lovely ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Shea Butter and Sunflower Seed Oil. The Jenns say this mix helps your tan fade evenly. I think it really does. I don’t find it goes patchy at all, if you stop using it and exfoliate it just disappears.

Overall, I am loving The Tan products. I use their Gradual Daily moisturiser too when I want to prolong my tan and like the Hydrating Liquid Gel it soaks in super quick and leaves you skin feeling soft.

If you don’t like to tan yourself, The Vanity Rooms also offer professional spray tan using their products, so you don’t need to miss out 🙂 Well done Jenns, you are a force to be reckoned with. The Hydrating Liquid Gel will cost you €19.99 and the Gradual Daily Bronzer is €14.99

Also, Glove Your Body is such a handy tanning tool as is the Scrub Your Body Exfoliating mitt, I am completely converted..

Take it from a tanning novice, these products combined do the job and do it well 🙂

xxx

July 20, 2015/2 Comments/by Gem

Skincare

Pixi Glow Tonic Review

As you can see from the amount left in the bottle I have been using the Pixi Glow Tonic for a long time now. It has reached cult status and I can understand why.

Glow Tonic is an exfoliating toner. So as well as toning your skin and prepping it for moisturiser, it will gently remove dead skin cells, which in turn will help keep your skin smoother. It contains ingredients like Witch Hazel and glycolic acid (5%) to help with exfoliating along with aloe vera to help sooth the skin so it’s not too harsh. Just be sure to use SPF if you use the Glow Tonic in your morning routine as glycolic can sensitise your skin to sunlight, we should be wearing it anyway 🙂

You use Glow Tonic as you would any other toner. Wet a cotton pad with it and apply to your skin. I use it down my neck and on my chest too. You can use it both day and night after cleansing whatever you choose or whatever works best for your skin.

I feel like the Pixi Glow Tonic does pretty much what it says it does for me. It helps keep any dry patches at bay, it helps keep my pores as clear as they can be rather than me using harsh scrubs or exfoliants in my cleansing routine. My skin doesn’t feel tight after using it, it does feel softer though.

Since picking up the La Roche Posay Serozinc, which I reviewed here I love using both this and the Pixi Glow Tonic together.

I feel the Pixi Glow Tonic clears my skin of any impurities or as many as it can do and then the Serozinc keeps them at bay and helps keep the oil away for longer. Neither contain alcohol which is good in my book.

Overall, I really love this Pixi Glow Tonic. I was never really a toner user before, I would try one for a bit and then just get bored or found it wasn’t enhancing my skincare in any way. As someone with oily skin I find the Pixi Glow Tonic fits perfectly into my skincare routine and it actually helping rather than just being a step I am being told to do. Its targeted towards all skin types though. It has a strong scent so be wary of that if you have a sensitive nose.

I get my Pixi Glow Tonic from Mise Beauty They are based in Dundalk which is a bit of a trek for me from Dublin, but it’s instant gratification and they sell so many other cool products too, it’s always worth it 🙂

xxx

May 19, 2015/5 Comments/by Gem