Sleek Brow Perfector

Found this in Boots when I had a voucher and wanted to use it try out some new makeup. I have heard and seen so much about Sleek makeup but haven't used or bought anything before. I have used brow pencils and powders with a wax before but not this type of brow product. I tint my eyebrows as they are naturally lighter then my hair so I bought the dark brown shade 042. 

It's like a mascara with the same type of wand. When I used it it went on well and was able to keep the shape I like. It was different from anything I've ever used before and felt a bit hard when it dried but that doesn't bother me at all. The shade was a good match for my brows a bit darker but I like that kind of look. They also stayed in place and didn't rub off over the day or the night when I've worn it. It comes off well with my normal cleanser without having to scrub at it. I used the smaller end of the want to apply it to the ends of eyebrow and the thicker part for the inner parts. 

This is what it was like on.

Going to Canada

Well 2016 is finally here and it's not long now until I'm off to Canada for a couple of years. The last two weeks have flown by and now I'm sorting out all the last bits like my insurance, ordering currency which I collect on Wednesday and sorting out which clothes I'm taking while having a clear out of what I'm not. I doubt I'll still wear them when I come back so I'm sorting out what to keep, what to take and what to give to the charity shop. I leave on Friday morning and arrive on Friday afternoon. This time I'm going back in time in a way as they are behind us which will be sort of the same as Australia except for behind not forward.

I had thought about going before but wanted to give Australia a go first then in February I looked back into it and in March decided to stay put and applied for the visa back in April when they opened and after 2 stages with filling out lots of forms and a two month wait I finally got my Point of entry letter at the end of June. So that was it I had one year to activate it. I hadn't made up my mind when I was going until later in the the year and in November I broke the news to my family and start making plans. It worked out a lot cheaper for me to book a return flight then a one way so I booked it and will change the date later.

Over the last weekend I had some leaving drinks with some family and family friends in the local pub and turned out to be a great night with the pub organising food for our group which was a lovely thing to do. My sister did my eye makeup for the night and it was amazing. I usually go with a very light and subtle eye but that's mainly because I'm a bit crap at it but since she was doing I told her to do what she wanted.

My suitcase is ready to be packed but can't really start that yet I have to much organising to do yet and some washing. I was trying to figure out whether to go with a backpack or a suitcase, I'm taking a suitcase because it easer to pack but a backpack is easier for travelling around.

I'm going to visit some family when I first get there, a lot I've never met before which is very exciting and I can't wait. Other then that my plan is to stay in the city at a backpackers hostel for a bit while looking for a job and a place to live. For the first couple of weeks though I want to be a proper tourist and see as much as I can. I love wandering around big cities finding things to see and do.

Charcoal nose pore strips and eye gel patches

Charcoal Nose Pore Strips

I've used other nose pore strips before but these looked a little different than the other ones. This is probably because of the charcoal which makes them black. They work the same though with the same type directions which are wetting your nose and applying the strip, leave it for 10-15 minutes then gently peel it off. The results for me where good and removed a lot from the sides of my nose. They do leave a black mark around the outside of where the strip was but it comes off easily with water. I didn't see any difference in these charcoal strips then with the normal ones I've used before. I thought maybe they would draw more out or something but the result although good were the same as I usually get with other strips. They were only €1.50 so for that price I recommend giving them a go as they do work and there is 6 in the box so works out as only 25 cents per strip. I bought these in Mr. Price as well as the eye gel patches which were also €1.50

                                                   Eye gel patches

Was so hard to take a photo of them on they are so slippy!! 

These are something I've been dying to try for ages. They seem to be everywhere lately but that doesn't always mean they're good or they work. I've seen some online that are really expensive but sound exactly like these ones so I got these to try. They look and sound great but when I opened them the feel of them almost put me off, but I kept going and tried them anyway. Basically you put them on under your eyes on clean skin, leave them for a while and remove them. These ones are anti-aging and hydrating. It's the hydrating part I'm after, my eyes are so dry and puffy lately from the winter weather kicking in. The night I used them I was really tired and my eyes were so sore. I found these really cooling and strangely comfortable. I don't know what I was expecting they just seemed really strange at first until I put them on my face. My eyes were definitely less puffy after using these and they still looked like that the next morning. They suggest using them often which would be handy for tired eyes.

Chocolate biscuit cake tutorial

Filmed this ages ago but have only gotten around to editing it now. I don't have any editing software on my chromebook and can't download any so  used wevideo which I didn't find that great actually. Think I'll be finding myself something else next time. Anyway here it is the easiest cake you will ever make.

All you need fot this is a few ingredients and the most you will do is melt then and mix them. Here is what you need 200g chocolate (50%), 50g unsalted butter, 1 can condensed milk, 175g rich tea biscuits.

I make this a little different somethings adding a spoonful of honey and mix the biscuits up by using different kinds with different flavours you could also add marshmallows too if you would like. 

Skin Truth Equalising Mud Mask

I was at the hair and beauty suppliers recently and had a browse around the skin care products. As you may know I'm absolutely obsessed with face masks. I'm pretty sure it had to do with not being able to use them until the last few years that I'm making up for lost time. This mask is for oily /combination skin which is me. There was a few but in the end I thought this would suit me a little better. It cost about €10 when using their trade card, I don't actually have one of those cards as I'm not a hairdresser or beauty therapist but was with someone else that day who does have a card so they could get it for me. 

The mask itself smells really nice which is probably down to the orange blossom and ginger and reminds me of a cleanser that my sister used when she was in college and would practice facials on me  The Tub is pretty big at 225ml and I hardly made a dent on it when I used it. The mask says it is "enriched with dead sea mud to purify complexion by removing impurity's and excess oil whilst extracts of Orange blossom and Ginger promote balance and revitalise skin tone" which all sounds great to me, basically anything that says it will remove impurity's or revitalise skin tone I'm sold on. 

The directions are the usual apply after cleansing, leave for 10 -15 minutes, remove with water and sponge and your done. All sounds great and easy and nothing that takes much effort. I like products like that it usually means I'm more likely to keep up the routine of using it because it can easily be put on while watching the soaps and washed off during the ad break. I'm bad for remembering how long I've had masks on for so I usually do it during soaps so I remember when the ads come on to wash it off. I can't be the only one who does this surely there's someone else that times thing by tv programs lol. 

Anyway back to the mask. I used it as directed and washed it off also as it said to and the results where pretty good. I don't usually blog about products that I don't like because I couldn't be bothered putting the effort into it if I din't like it. For days after using this mask my face felt super soft as if the dry patches had disappeared and the oily parts of my face felt the same as the rest of my face. It was like my skin was all one type and not mix and match of oily and dry like it usually is. My make up has went on so well for those few days and stayed on too no cracking and sliding even when I didn't use a primer. It did make my skin a little clearer but not all the dramatically noticeable but I didn't really are about that when my skin felt so soft and smooth and just healthy looking if that makes sense. 

If anyone has oily or combination skin like I have and is looking for a good mask I would recommend giving this one a go. It can be bought with out a trade card also but for a few more euros. I think it might have been about €15 and I got it in Salon Services. I didn't really know much of this brand before but that's probably because it's a profession brand but they have a huge range of products I didn't know about. After I used the mask I goggled the brand to see what else they did I might even try one of their cleansers. 

Celtic Candles

I had to write a review of this candle because it is the nicest smell I have ever been near and even the packaging is gorgeous. My sister bought it for me as a little present because I love candles and anything with champaign lol. She bought it at the RDS at the beauty show last month. The candle is hand poured and organic wax too. The scent is pink grapefruit and champagne and even though I've had it lighting a good few hours it's hardly made a dent on it. It has 25 hours burning which for a little candle is fantastic as I go through other ones really quickly. 

It also turns out the the company that makes these right up the road from here in the same town and yet I'd never bought one before. I had a little look and they have loads of other scents. The house smells gorgeous with this candle lighting I'm so happy my sister bought me this even if it has started a new obsession.

Latest Bakes

I have been baking a bit over the last few weeks with Halloween it's always fun to make festive treats. I ended baking so many cupcakes but they all found good homes in the end. These ones are vanilla cupcakes uncoloured some of the others where multicoloured sponge and vanilla butter cream.

I love these cupcake boxes. My sister got loads of them a while ago and gave me some for these. I made about 10 boxes of these cupcakes.

These are the toppers that I made for the cupcakes I was only making a few at the beginning but just kept coming up with new ideas so here is the result.

This week I was also making a birthday cake. I made a cake for them a few months ago and they wanted more or less the same but smaller. It's so much chocolate in this cake I wish I could have eaten some myself. It's chocolate sponge with chocolate fudge filling and also chocolate fudge on the outside with chocolate butter cream piped around the top and bottom of the cake. The inside was full of smarties so when it was cut open they would all fall out. I couldn't find a cake board for this cake so had to get one a little bit bigger then but then  had no box to fit it in. I figured it all out in the end but these little things drive me crazy, the baking and decorating I love though. 

I also have a bit of good news with the baking. Not only do I have a half table at a Christmas fair at the end of this month but I also have a full table at an event next week too. Next week's event has a theme so I will be busy this week trying out some ideas which will be so fun. This will be my first stall for cupcakes and I'm very excited about it. I had applied for a table at this event before but they already had a cupcake table and after a mix up had to refund me my money but then yesterday I got a call offering it to me if I was still interested as the original cupcake person pulled out. They even offered me the table for no fee for the little notice and the previous mix up. I'm so delighted and can't wait now.

Skin Care Haul ... Sort of.

This haul is a little different then a normal skincare haul because it's only the ingredients for products. As I have mentioned before I have problem skin and have reactions to lots of skin products, because of this I'm very picky about what I use these days and never use anything until I have patch tested it first. I learned the hard way one too many times. I've started to notice what goes into things and what they do and then wondered how I would make my own products so that I would know what's in them and would have less chemicals and more natural ingredients. I had no idea where I would even buy any of it but after some research I found a website that delivered to here so gave it a go and ordered a few bits. 

I bought unrefined Shea butter (450g), Cacoa butter (300g), Jojoba oil (100ml) and Lavender oil (10ml). I love lavender oil I used to add it to some of the moisturisers and body washes that had no scent on them when my skin was really bad to give them less of a these have been recommended by the dermatologist feel. Altogether it cost about €40 and that included shipping too. I plan on making some body butters and I also want to use some coconut oil as well. I'm working on a recipe or two and can't wait to try making some and seeing how it might improve my skin since it's a perfect time of the year to have a good cream as the weather is getting colder and that usually means flare up for me. 

Once I have sorted the recipe and tried it all out I will do a post about it and share it. 

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Dublin Fashion Festival

Over this last weekend I attended an event for the Dublin Fashion Festival at the Royal Hibernian Way. I won two tickets to a chosen event in the festival from naked juice twitter page. My sister Clodagh was really excited when she heard and asked if she could come with me so of course I said yes. It was a great night and we had such a laugh. 

It took me forever to find something to wear since I've decided I don't like anything I own and so went shopping of course. This is what I ended up wearing. 

 

My top I already owned, my boots were from Penney's (Primark) €19, jacket from Tesco €37.50 and I love it so much and my jeans where also from Tesco for €23 and I picked up the short pair by mistake so they look fine with boots but if I wear them with flat shoes my poor ankles might freeze. This is what my sister (left) wore and all came from eBay. She has a great way for finding clothes online and the patients to wait on it all to be shipped. 

Before the show started we hopped on the train then went for a hot chocolate and a browse around the shops which mainly consisted of the Disney shop on Grafton street. We then went for cocktails in the Grafton lounge which where gorgeous and the bar staff are so nice. I haven't been there before but would definitely go again. 

It started to rain just as the show was suppose to be starting so everyone working at it had to run around and try reorganise the runway so it wasn't soaking and was covered. Once it was ready it stopped raining which is typical. Bulmers where there to supply us with lovely cold drinks I had the strawberry and lime which was so sweet and fruity and went down nicely. 

The whole thing went really well and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. My photography skills are not great so my sister took loads for me. These are just some of the outfits of the night. 

  
 

Pippa palette for Blank Canvas Cosmetics

I was waiting to get this palette for ages. When I went to get it there was none left so I had to wait for more to go on sale. I did get one eventually and I was like a kid at Christmas opening it. I bought it from cloud10beauty and they had 15% off when I went to get it. I love when that happens. The palette is limited edition and made by Pippa O'Conner and Blank Canvas cosmetics. I always love Pippas make up and I love her style so I couldn't wait to get my hand on this and try it out. 

The packaging as you can see is gorgeous, girly and pink. The mirror on the inside is a great size as well. The palette has six eye shadows, a highlighter, blusher and contour. I want to start by talking about my favourite of all these and its the highlighter! When I first opened it I couldn't help but swatch it on my hand and the pigment is so nice and a little sparkly, even putting it on feels nice. Where I apply highlighter is usually my driest area and highlighter sometimes just looks powdery there but this just made my cheekbones look so good. It's a perfect in between highlighter by not being to much or too little, it's just the right amount. This from a person that up until a few years ago didn't see why anyone wore highlighter oh how that's changed!

The contour suits me well and as it doesn't have that orange colour that can sometimes be in contours and it's matte. The blush is a nice subtle pink which I find very girly and good for the paler toned girls. The eye shadows are just fantastic and I especially love all the names of these, they obviously had thought put into them and my favourite is the shade called TOBY which I have on today blended in the crease. I also love LILY and DODO too and they all go so well together. My sister has also used it and went for the same colours as I did when I first used it and she loves it too but she may buy her own haha.

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