The stuff I don't like TAG

This tag has been going around YouTube but I thought I'd write a post about it, I think it helps people get to know a person a bit better if they know what pisses them off! So here are a few things that rattle my cage...
1. People invading my personal space. If you are talking to me, please don't get all up in my face. I hate it when someone needs their head to be practically touching yours during a conversation, it just makes me feel awkward and cringey. If u see me moving back whilst you talk to me, YOU ARE TOO CLOSE, back it up a bit!!! Lol!
2. People who try to make you feel inferior to them. This is self-explanatory.
3. Very thick over drawn eyebrows or very thin over plucked eyebrows. Find the happy medium :)
4. Claw-like false nails, with dirt underneath *shivers* yuck yuck yuck.
5. Leggings as trousers when the leggings are see through. You offend my eyes. Wear another pair.
6. People who are incapable of talking about anything other than themselves, and who will always find a way to bring the conversation back to them, I just can't be arsed and I will scream.
7. Judgemental people. Nobody has the right to judge anyone unless you know the full story and set of circumstances behind every situation. Unless maybe you are an actual judge :-/
8. Those people who are always right. But I think I might be one of them lol!
9. Spiders. I have mentioned this before. Their very existence offends me. It's a fucking liberty.
10. People who don't like Irish people. Hehe!
11. People who never get drunk but instead just watch and store all the info to try and embarrass you in your hungover state the day after.
12. People who need to know the price of everything you buy or have ever bought.
I could go on and on but I think if I do I'll sound like a bitch and I promise I'm not in. In real life I'm very laid back and easygoing, and there's very few people I don't or can't get along with, this is just a light hearted list of stuff that is an irritation. Do you agree or disagree with anything I've written? I tag anyone reading to write their post and leave me a comment so I can check it out.
Thanks for reading, Love Steph xoxox

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner "Ultraviolet"

I do love a bit of gel eyeliner. I'm no good with liquid, my hand isn't steady enough but I find gel a bit easier because of the thicker consistency. My favourite is the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner which I have in both black and brown and they can be found in Boots and Superdrug for around about £7 or £8. Sooo when I saw this new colour which is at the minute exclusive to Superdrug, I got excited!
It's a lovely purple colour, still dark enough so it isn't madly noticeable but a perfect colour for Christmas. This stays put all day, even in the waterline, comes with a decent brush and in my opinion is really good value for money. The only thing I would say is that the formula of the purple seems to be a bit dryer and trickier to work with than the brown and black, but if I can manage it then anyone can. Try it out!
Thanks for reading, Love Steph

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation

I have a confession to make: I am a bit of a foundation whore. I know what one works for me yet I continue to be lured in by adverts and blogger/you tuber recommendations. The latest one to tempt me was Maybelline Fit Me foundation, mainly because of Tanya Burr (Pixi2woo on YouTube or her blog is tanyaburr.co.uk)

The thing I liked most about this was the fact that you can choose a foundation to match either a pink(cool) undertoned skin or a yellow(warm) undertoned skin. However this presented a problem: what undertone is my skin!? I've never been matched up at a makeup counter before and not having any formal makeup training I was a bit stumped but I read a few blogposts etc on how to determine this and long story short chose shade 125 shown above. I really wanted to like this foundation, especially since its less pricey than many others at £7.99 in Boots and Superdrug. It applied well but once on, it just sat on top of my skin. All day. Allllllll day. Even though I powdered to set, it stayed tacky to the touch, patches disappeared off of my face and to be honest I just looked a shiny mess, so I hope you will forgive the fact I haven't shown a pic with this on. I just don't get what the fuss is about, quite frankly in my opinion it's not worth the hype! My oily skin could be a major factor here with Fit Me just NOT fitting me. Maybe it works really well for dry skin. I don't know. What are your experiences with this product?

Thanks for reading, Love Steph xxxxx

Christmas Jumpers!!

Is it just me who never knows what to wear on Christmas Day?! When I was growing up it was tradition to stay in our jammies all day long and be cosy and comfy. When I met my boy 10 years ago his family always put their glad rags on and went a-visiting and so since then I always am faced with a bit of a dilemma. I want to be comfortable and have room for all the turkey etc etc to get in my belly, but also look decent enough in case there's a knock on the door. I think I have found the solution to this year.....cue Primarks Christmas jumpers!!!

Nope, this is not a joke, we are actually wearing these!! A cosy jumper and a pair of leggings and voila! I look Christmassy but will also be comfortable. Now, I know these aren't for everyone but my tongue is firmly in my cheek here. I have a sense of humour and don't take myself too seriously and I think the kids will absolutely love it. These jumpers can all be found at Primark, £12 for the adult sizes and £7-£9 for the kiddies sizes. I know it's only November but I'm getting excited for Christmas :-D

What will you be wearing? Thanks for reading, Love Steph xxx

My 1st FOTD

Products used, in the order I used them:

Revlon Colourstay Foundation (combination/oily skin) in Natural Beige

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer in Medium

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent

MUA Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde

                                 MUA Clear Mascara through brows to keep them in place
                                                     MUA Bronzed Perfection to contour
                                                Natural Collection Blusher in Peach Melba
                                                           MUA Eyeshadow Primer
                                   Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze as a base
                      Suspect and Snakebite eye shadows from the Urban Decay Naked2 Pallette
                                                    Loreal Carbon Gloss Liquid Liner Black
                           Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara AND Bourjois Clubbing Mascara
                 MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle for cheek and brow bone highlight
                                       MUA Intense Lip Gloss in Sealed With A Kiss

Hope you like it! Thanks for reading, Love Steph xxx

Bargain Alert! Eyeshadow Singles from LOOK Beauty

I was browsing in Superdrug last week(as I do far too often), and came across the LOOK Beauty stand. I had never really paid any attention to it before but I read a few blogposts featuring their products for their Breast Cancer Awareness campaign and thought they looked nice! I didn't know what the quality of the products would be like so erred on the side of caution and in the end up I just bought one eyeshadow. At the moment these are half price at £2. Bargain!

The shade I bought is "khaki", I do love green on blue eyes but this is a darker more wearable green which I think anyone could get away with. Swatched on my hand with no primer:

I can't believe how good this eyeshadow is. Really well pigmented, soft and creamy and blends well. It's massive as well so will last forever, and the colour comes out exactly as it looks. I will definitely be going back to get more of these and try out some other products too. Has anyone else tried these, or do you have any recommendations from LOOK Beauty?
Thanks for reading,
Love Steph xxx

The Perfect Autumn/Fall Lip

As a rule, I'm a neutral/nude lip kinda girl but this year I couldn't help but notice the deep wine coloured lip trend which is everywhere as we transition into autumn. At first it scared me, and I think a lot of people feel the same about wearing such a bold statement lip, but I decided to embrace it and went on the hunt to find something which would be on trend but also suitable for a low maintenance (read lazy) girl like me! I went to boots and superdrug to see what I could find... Enter Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. I have read much about these beauties and actually picked up a couple of the nudey pinky colours when they were first released. But what I found was this....

This shade is 005 Crush and it is a deep berry colour, exactly what I was looking for. I swatched it below to show that it can be applied sheerly but also built up quite a bit

 

This product is perfect for someone like me who doesn't always have time to check and reapply a deep lip colour during the day because its essentially a stain as the name suggests. On application there is a minty scent which I love, but this quickly disappears and youare left with what feels like a balm on your lips. Whilst the balm does wear off in a couple of hours, the colour does not and this is why I love it so much! I put it on in the morning and wear it through lunch and dinner and numerous coffees and it just does not budge. The tip is tapered and this means application is easy and precise, foolproof almost, which is a good thing when applying bold colours. The colour is very buildable so be careful if you reapply each time after the balm wears off because it will get deeper. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains can be found in Boots and Superdrug and are priced at just under £8, which I consider to be a bargain because you get so much product but it lasts so well, I can't see how you would get through a full one even if you wore it every day. The colours range through pinks to red to orange to nude to berry and are definitely worth checking out and investing.

Has anyone else tried these and if so what are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading,

Love, Steph xxx

Model Co Fibre Lash : A Review

After a month of testing and playing with this product I'm finally ready to review it! This is essentially a two step mascara system which promises to give a false lash effect, it can be found at Boots and retails for around £35, although I picked mine up at Olympia beauty show for a massive discounted price of £10.

Firstly, I have to say I love the packaging. Inside the box is a velvety tray housing the wax mascara and the lash fibres in the smaller tube. The tubes feel heavy, not flimsy or cheap and I quite like the shiny silver exterior. The instructions state that you first apply a coat of mascara, then a coat of the lash fibres and then a final coat of mascara. The first coat needs to be wet when u apply the fibres so that they stick to it, then you need to let this dry before applying the final coat of mascara.

The above pic shows what the two steps look like and below are the two mid-application

Those are some dodgy pics aren't they?? Lol I am by no means a photography buff!!

This last picture shows the end result

If you are thinking that this sounds like a lot of faffing about for some lashes which aren't THAT much better than I can achieve with a regular mascara then...you would be right. I think that this takes three times as long to apply so that's fine if you have the time, but on those days when you're in a rush this isn't for you. I DO like the results and I will use it, however I think the retail price of £35 is actually ridiculous. I don't mind paying £10 but I would never repurchase it at the retail price.

The effects last all day on me, it doesn't smudge or move around and it is easy to take off. I think people who don't like to wear false lashes or can't get the hang of them will love this product.

Has anyone tried it and if so what are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading, Love Steph xxx

My MAC Wishlist

Most of my makeup collection consists of products bought from the chemist/drugstore/high street, whatever you like to call it. I do like a bargain and I don't think you have to spend a lot of money on makeup all the time to get great quality. However, once in a while it is nice to treat yourself to something a bit more high end, more of a luxury product and for me, when I want to do this I find myself accidentally stumbling (ahem) into MAC. Ahhh MAC I do love you so!
So, I thought I'd share my wishlist for products from MAC, the items I stare at and lust after...
I keep a list of these in my phone so I don't forget... And maybe so the other half might come across it  and surprise me :))

EYESHADOW
Mulch
Humid
Contrast
Cranberry
Mythology
Sketch
Patina
Tempting

PRESSED PIGMENT
Light Touch

LIPSTICKS
Angel
Cremecup
Ruby woo

LIPGLOSS
Revealing

MINERALISE SKIN FINISH
Champagne
Soft and gentle

What is on your MAC wishlist?
Thanks for reading,
Love, Steph x

Royal and Langnickel Pink Essentials Brush Set

When I went to Olympia Beauty (see previous post for more on this) I was so excited to see this brand had a stand there. I have heard a little bit about Royal and Langnickel but its not featured on blogs and YouTube as much as some other brands so I decided to review the brush set I bought on the day. Royal and Langnickel are an American company set up in the 1940's. They originally manufactured paint brushes before moving into the cosmetic brush industry.

This is the 13pc Pink Essentials synthetic filament brush set, pictured above. I bought this on the day at a discount for £20 but I believe it retails for around £35. The website where this and all other brush sets can be found is www.royalbrush.com

First of all I need to address the colour. Yes, I'm 27 but anything pink will draw me in! Some people may think these look a bit cheap or tacky but I think they're very cute and look so different to all my black handled brushes. Never judge a book by its cover! I also love the compact pink case which folds to be about the size of my purse, so easy to carry.

Included in this set are a powder brush, blush brush, sponge applicator, large eye shader, finishing fan, medium eye shader, smudger, lash spoolie, angled brow brush, detailed liner, brow/lash comb, concealer brush and finally the foundation brush.

The reason I bought the brushes aside from the girly pink colour, was the bristles-they are sooo soft. They are also synthetic which means they can be used with both powder and cream products. They feel very light to hold and the length of the handle is neither too long nor too short. I won't go through every single brush as that might be a bit tedious so what I will mention are the key likes and dislikes in the kit.

All of the eye brushes in the kit are perfectly functional and they get the job done, but for me it would have been nice to see a fluffier brush for eyeshadow blending. I also don't really see the need for a spoolie AND the brow/lash comb but that's just personal choice. The powder brush is lovely, so soft and brilliant for setting your foundation without depositing too much product. I love the concealer brush too, it didn't leave any streaks, and whilst flat foundation brushes are not my favourite (my real techniques buffing brush has spoilt me) this one is good and again deposits product well without soaking too much up. I do like the blush brush but found that I had to reapply the colour a couple of times to get the colour payoff. The fan brush...hmm...does anyone really use these? I'll happily admit they confuse me and if anyone would like to enlighten me as to a use for it, apart from tickling my kiddies, go ahead and let me know!!

I've washed the brushes a few times now and haven't found any problems with shedding, they dry quickly and are easy to reshape. All in all I think this brush set is not thee most fantastic but for the price the quality is brilliant. I don't think you can ever have enough brushes and these are a welcome addition to my collection..they would be brilliant for a starter in makeup or if you are just looking to build up your makeup collection. Royal and Langnickel are a company worth checking out. They manufacture brushes at all price points and they have three ranges which are pricier than this with ascending levels of quality obviously, so this isn't even near to their most premium range. I was also lucky enough to get a sneak peek at their new set they have coming out which is top of the range and called Revolution (pronounced our-evolution) and it is INSANE. I cannot wait to get my hands on it because I was just wowed. Seriously excited for it. Go, check them out!!

Thanks for reading,
Love, Steph xxx

How much do we have in common?/50 things about me

My lovely blogging friend made a YouTube video with this title and invited people to post a response to see how much they have in common, so here are 50 random facts about me,
1. I HATE spiders
2. My favourite colour is blue, but I also love green, being Irish and all
3. I tweet mainly when I am a wee bit tipsy at the weekend
4. I don't live near my family
5. I'm obsessive about cleaning-my house, myself, my kids...my initials should be OCD
6. My daddy is in heaven
7. I have three children
8. I love trashy tv- Geordie Shore, TOWIE, Big Brother all keep me entertained
9. I read the last Harry Potter book in 7 hours (yep,weird)
10. I started, but dropped out of two uni degrees
11. I can speak French
12. My favourite film is Grease
13. I secretly believe in leprechauns...
14. ...and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow :)
15. I try to be a glass half full kinda girl
16. I'm obsessed with printing and framing pictures straight after they've been taken
17. I don't believe in ghosts
18. I have to cuddle something at night, even if its just the pillow
19. I'd rather be too cold than too warm
20. I'm obsessed with makeup
21. I don't like my hair
22. People in positions of authority make me nervous
23. I absolutely hate judgmental people
24. I've never been stung by a bee/wasp. Mainly cuz I run screaming when I see one.
25. My favourite singer/artist is probably Rihanna.
26. I cannot dance but I think I can when I'm drunk hehe
27. I'm addicted to Diet Coke
28. I hardly ever wear a coat. I'm Irish. It's cold in Ireland and we're hardcore!!
29. I love love love shoes. Your size never changes no matter what weight you are and they're pretty
30. I'm super shy until I get to know you
31. I have blue eyes
32. I like to freeze my grapes (try it,yum yum)
33. I could watch Shrek 2 over and over and over
34. I'm in dire need of a night out
35. I've been with my partner for 10 years this month. He needs to marry me soon!!
36. I play with my hair when I'm tired
37. I can't sit still for too long
38. I used to make my sister eat daisies when we were younger...
39. ..and I in turn ate grass to make her eat the daisies
40. I only have one sister and would have loved an older brother
41. I loved school but wish I had been a bit more confident
42. I can't eat in bed. I wasn't allowed when I was younger and it just feels wrong!
43. I'm not very good at using computers, can you tell?!?
44. I do a "spider check" of my room every night before I go to bed
45. If you piss my friends off you will piss me off
46. I've never had a physical fight
47. Pyjamas are my favourite clothes and I think everyone should wear them all of the time
48. I would never go to Australia. Because of the spiders. I'm serious!
49. I'm terrified of flying.
50. I would love for you, yes YOU, to follow my blog :))

Thank you so much for reading.
Love, Steph xxx

Olympia Beauty Tradeshow 2012

On Monday past (24th Sept) I went to the Olympia beauty tradeshow in London AND IT WAS GIRLY HEAVEN!! I've never been to anything like this before but as I intend to study makeup and my friend makes beauty videos on YouTube (bellabeaubeauty if you are wondering) we thought it would be fun.
We arrived at 11am and were completely overwhelmed with the amount of people there (some were famous eek) and also all the lovely makeup and products and services offered. We walked around the stands, which all offered amazing discounts on anything from false lashes to makeup to brushes to teeth whitening to fake tan. It was so nice to meet many brand ambassadors, especially familiar faces like Gary Cockerill who is Katie Prices makeup artist. If only I had been brave enough to say hello (shyness IS a disease people!)
After having bought a few lovely things from Nyx, Royal and Langnickel, Ardell and Models Co we headed up to the "press cloud", were given goody bags and I had my nails done by the genius Andrew from Filthy Gorgeous. We met some of the people from the brands mentioned above and hopefully I will have some exciting news and posts coming up after having chatted to them. We also watched the Makeup Artist of the Year awards being handed out by Lizzie Cundy which was so exciting, and caught a demo by Muse London which is the makeup school i hope to attend. Nicci Jackson is an incredible makeup artist and her editorial look on the model was stunning.
As you can tell, I gotta lotta stuff! Reviews and my thoughts on these will be coming up once I get the chance to use them all.

I had a fantastic day at Olympia and would recommend anyone who is interested in going to get there next year.


Thanks for reading
Love, Steph xxx


                                     

                                      

Just a quick hello :)

So.. my main reason for creating this blog is to give myself somewhere to unleash my passion for makeup, and to talk (or write,really) about it without seeing someone roll their eyes when I start talking about the latest new product that I want to get, or the new collection that's being released etc. This eye rolling stuff happens a lot because I don't care who I'm talking to about it, be it my long-suffering partner or my 17 month old baby. Yep, I do that. Please someone tell me I'm not alone?!?

As I'm new to all this blogging malarkey I would ask that anyone reading bears with me whilst I figure it all out..links,pictures etc are all a jumble in my mind at the minute but with the aid of my computer whizz friend I'm sure ill get there eventually(hi Steph) ;)

Just a bit about myself to finish- my name is Steph, I'm 27 years young, I have three gorgeous children and I PROMISE I have other interests outside of makeup. I go to Slimming World, I like the gym, love to read and I watch a lot of YouTube videos(makeup tutorials of course). I am Irish(no jokes please) and very proud to be :))

My next post will most likely be a bit about the Olympia Beauty show, which I went to in London yesterday, and the lovely products I got from there, and the people I met.

Thanks for reading if you've managed to make it to the end!

Love, Steph xxx