Autumn Must haves/trends/wishlist 2015

So it is already Autumn, though it is not much of a surprise here in Ireland with the crazy weather we have been having lately, especially in the west :( 

I have recently been browsing the web, magazines and all websites possible to see what we can expect to come our way in the beauty and fashion industry, I have to say I am very excited! :D

So far in cosmetics I  am seeing plenty of what are called '90's lips', basically berry coloured lips, bronze eyeshadows rather than gold and silver, naturally flushed cheeks and an easy dramatic eye with plenty of crazy liner.

In terms of fashion, it's all about tassels, fringes, bold prints, burgundy, tan suede, denim and plenty of monochrome. It's looking like we're staying in a step back to the 60's and 70's, with a futuristic twist. The pastels have been taken away for the sale racks and burnt oranges, coppers and burgundy are creeping in. I love this time of year :D 

According to Primark, the transition to Autumn will see inspiration from 'the exotic souks of Morocco - bright tiles prints and intricate linework - while elements of traditional 70s paisley also come into play, especially when it comes to blouses and cut-out shoulder smock dresses. Despite many pieces within the collection looking minimalist and clean-cut, texture and print can still be achieved through layering with tribal printed capes and subtly fringed kimonos.'

Primark Autumn 2015

I cannot wait! 

Below are some examples of Boohoo's new collection, hello boho vibes! 

For makeup trends I have located some gorgeous new products coming soon to a shop near you! I am very excited about these :) 

First off is the maybelline color sensational creamy mattes lipstick. I am so excited to try some out, they come in 8 shades from nude to scarlet. Have to give these a try!

The Maybelline Master concealer. I have always loved Maybellines concealers and cover sticks and I hope this will be no different! 

Maybelline's Fit me Range. I wasn't able to just narrow down to one, but after the revamping of the excellent fit me range I just had to include them all! I have tried their balance stick and powder and was so upset when I ran out. With new formulas especially for dry and oily skin, they really are catering for all. There is even a questionnaire online of how to find the best fit. Get me to boots!

Next up is Catrice.

I just need a moment to appreciate these...How pretty does all of this look? And the great thing is...you could buy all of these and not be bankrupt! Just look at the rich purples and nudes. I especially cannot wait to try the foundation and deluxe eye palette. Catrice are really bang on trend this Autumn. Wait until I review some of these!

Of course I have to review this. The Urban decay long awaited naked Smoky Palette. Personally I haven't bought this yet, but I am going to as soon as I can. God bless  my sister for giving me a voucher for my birthday :D I think the colours are very similar to those in previous palettes, despite the different names. Still, I love the look of it, the gorgeous various shades in metallic and matte, Can't wait to try some gorgeous looks with this. 

In Homecare I have to say Penneys always win for me, but I like to browse Argos too :) Autumn winter is cosy season, cups of tea by the stove, slipper socks, fuzzy blankets. But it's also time for students to go back to school and college, Penneys are taking care of that :)

All items in both pictures range from 2€ to about 12€...where would you be going? :D 

Here are some of my favourites from the new homecare range :D I am so excited! Rose gold is a big trend this Autumn, perfect for a girly room. 

I hope you all enjoy my recommendations :D If you try any of the products let me know! 

Hopefully I will have some reviews soon <3

Thank you for reading!

Sandy.S

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Maybelline mini haul :)

Hey guys! 

So recently I was in Boots and decided to take advantage of the great offers in there :) Particularly the 2 for 3 offer in Maybelline :)

I picked up the new Lash sensational Mascara, Flawless Nude dream foundation in Ivory and Instant Age Rewind concealer in Light.

I was really impatient to try these out as I have heard so many different reviews, especially on the foundation. 

The first thing I tried (literally leaving town, in the car :P) was the Lash Sensational Mascara and I love it! It created such a beautiful, natural curl to my lashes and made them appear instantly longer. I was asked was I wearing false lashes at one stage! I would highly recommend this :) 

Secondly I tried the Foundation and unfortunately I wasn't massively impressed. It comes with a small stick applicator in a beautiful shaped bottle. The colour is a bit too dark for me, and it has very poor coverage. I had to mix with another foundation (Revlon Colorstay) just to get a nice coverage. For someone who has a lot of freckles, especially around this time of year, it felt like it was barely there even when I applied loads! It was also very drying :/ However I am going to try it with some different primers and moisturisers to see if I can change my opinion :) 

Last but not least the age rewind concealer :) I actually really like this. It is very light but manages to cover any dark circles, veins or redness. It is very subtle but good. I also love the applicator, a really soft sponge that glides and blends on the skin.

Overall, not my most favourite foundation, but good concealer and mascara :) Maybelline get 2/3 for me this time around!!

Thanks for reading :)

Sandy.S

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Must have Brush Set!

Hey guys!! 

Sorry it has been an age and a half <3 :(

However I am going to be doing a lot more blogs soon on recent favourites and just general items I keep going back for :)

So, this time round, I am going to be discussing my all time favourite brush set.

No it's not real techniques, crown or any other. But a simple twelve piece set from a pharmacy found in the West and North west of Ireland called Cara pharmacies. Now I have wanted this brush set since it came out and for some reason never picked it up! Until one day, there was a massive sale in the shop and it was down in price so I had no choice! My arms literally grabbed it before my brain had a chance to think!

They come in a beautiful pink or black storage case, which is placed inside another beautiful black box, with the details of all inside. 

I tried it out the moment I went home and fell in love! My personal favourites being the C02 Stippler Brush and CO8 Large Powder Brush! I just feel that my Makeup looks smoother and less flaky!

It comes with 12 beautiful pink/black handled brushes, ranging from a flat foundation brush to a Pointed Kabuki Eyeshadow and Blender Brush :) They cost just 29.50 which means it is about 2-3€ per brush! Nothing :) 

Highly Highly recommend ordering online or buying in the pharmacy if you are in any of the areas :) I bought mine in Galway :)
If you want to buy it online or even have a look you can get it here:
Cara Pharmacy Professional Brush set

Happy Brushing <3 <3 <3!!! :D

Until Next time :) 

Sandy.S

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I love Spring Things! Tag 2015 :)

Hey everyone!! So I am back with a fun and simple tag for Spring :) I said I would finally do it as the weather has gotten less cold and we saw some sun today so here goes!! 

Name your top 10 spring makeup items ❀

1. Nyx Wicked Dreams Palette

2.Seventeen Pink Power lipstick

3.Nyx HD Concealer

4.Bourjois Volume max Mascara

5.Soap & Glory Smoulder and kohl eyeliner pen

6.Manhattan Cream Compact makeup 

7.Manhattan Soft Compact Powder

8.Isa Dora Bronzing powder

9.Urban Decay Primer Potion

10.Catrice Liquid Liner

Name your top 5 spring blushes ❀

1. MeMeMe Blush me in Coral

2. Nyx Powder Blush in Dusty Rose

3. Catrice Defining blush in Apropos Apricot

4. Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Lovely Pink

5.Bourjois Round pot blush in Rose Èclat 

What do you look forward to about Spring?❀

The (hopefully) warmer weather, the change in fashion, closer to Summer and of course my Birthday in April :) 

What are some fashion and beauty trends you are going to rock?❀

I am loving the crazy prints in Primark atm, and the shoes, also love the pastel colours :)  For beauty I am loving the natural look :) 

Have you a favourite Spring inspired clothing item?❀

Yes! I have a beautiful dress from Primark that is black and white with flowers on it :) It's perfect for Spring! 

Favorite spring accessories?❀

Scarves, bracelets, statement jewellery, all in bright pastel of course! :) 

Favorite spring scents?❀

Viva la Juicy by Juicy couture or any of the DKNY scents :) 

What is your favourite Spring Flower?❀

The daffodil or daisy :) 

Are you planning anything for this Spring?❀

Not that I am aware of but it is my birthday in April, I will be a big 22 year old (Yay)...(Not!) :D 

Ok guys so that is it!! Feel free to do it yourself as I tag everyone and anyone :) 

Happy Spring <3 !! 

Sandy.S❀

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Recent Favourites

Hey everyone! So I am back with some recent beauty favourites of mine that I just felt I had to share with everyone! 

So first off we have possibly one of the best cleansers I have ever used and I am sure you have heard of it; the Garner Micellar Cleansing Water.

This is without a doubt the best I've ever used and I know I am probably very far behind in only saying this now, but I'm glad I caved it and bought it. At only 4€ for almost half a litre where would you be going wrong?

Nyx Wicked dreams eyeshadow palette

So this palette has 24 shadows, both matte and metallic ranging from beige colours to black and metallic browns, blues, greens and pinks. It only cost me 13€ on sale in a local pharmacy and I had to pick it up! The colours are so pigmented and perfect for daytime or nighttime looks. 

 

Catrice eye liner in Black on track

I love this guy and have kept going back to it time and time again. It was only 3-4€ and lasts so long! Without a doubt it is one of the best I have ever used. Iit comes with a thin brush applicator which I find is more flexible than a felt tip and easier to do that perfect winged line. 

Catrice Made to Stay Highlighter pen in EYE NEED!

I picked this up randomly and am so glad that I did! It is a beautiful white gold pen that you place on the inner corner of your eye to brighten up the area, it can also be used as a base for a white or similar white gold or gold colour on your eyes. One little dab of this and your eyes brighten immediately! 

Rimmel Hide The Blush concealer

I bought this impulsively as I wanted to try it out when doing my contouring and I was very happy with it, I bought it in 001 Ivory and it is yellow based, perfect for my rosy red cheeks. Because it is a stick it is easily applicable and stays throughout the day. 

Nyx Concealer wand in Cw01 Porceleine

I am crazy about this concealer! It is more liquid based than anything else and comes with a wand applicator but is so creamy and light and covers any blemishes instantly! Again I would highly recommend this for contouring as it is easily blendable and brightens the skin. 

Nyx Round Lipstick in Chic Red

I love Nyx lipsticks because they are some of the most long lasting and moistening lipsticks ever used. I use this with a nyx lip liner in Plum and it creates a great base to keep it there, through eating, drinking, kissing ;) whatever it may be. Chic red is a beautiful fuchsia red colour and perfect for those of you not wanting to go too dramatic with a vibrant red, this is more of a fuchsia colour. 

Nyx Jumbo lip pencil in 727 Vanilla Ice

This colour is not one I would usually go for and when buying it I actually thought it was a jumbo eye pencil! But it is a beautiful metallic coffee colour and really moisturises and brightens up the lips. 

Urban Decay Eye Eyeshadow Priming Potion in Sin

This is without a doubt my favourite base for doing a dramatic eye Makeup. It is the exact same as the Urban Decay eye shadow Sin, so if you like that eyeshadow I would advise puttig this on before it and it really brightens the eyes! 

Ok so guys, that is everything on my recent favourites :) I also recently bought the Ultimate Blends Shampoo in Honey Treasures for dry brittle hair and I cannot wait to try them! I love anything honey based :P !!

I will be back soon with some more tips and tricks :) !! 

Thank you as ever for reading!! 

Sandy.S

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Valentines Gift Ideas

Hey everyone!!

So with Valentine's day looming, I'm sure there is a lot of you out there with your head in your hands thinking 'crap' or some other choice words :P

I have a head like a sieve at the best of times, but I do always remember the commercial celebrations, like valentine's day :P just ask my fiance he'll tell you ;) I remember a number of years ago cursing the day that is Valentine's day. because I was convinced I would end up alone or in a convent, so I always said if I ever had someone to celebrate Valentine's with, I would go all out :)

I know many hate that day and think it's stupid, but the romantic in me will always think otherwise :)

So for those of you who have absolutely no notion what to get for your significant other I will suggest a few homemade items to help you...and p.s if none of these help, Lidl/Aldi/Tesco etc do some fairly cute little bits leading up to the day :)

You could just use one of these funny cards? :P

90% of ideas are cooking based, so if you're not great in the kitchen don't read the following :P
If you're partner has a sweet tooth then I would definitely suggest the following:

A sweetheart cake.
Ok so you have seen that really pretty cake you think they'll love in the bakery window, you check the price and you don't like what you see...but you love the cake.
Make your own! And quite simply too :) Have a look in a recipe book at whatever type of cake you like...(Chocolate is probably the best) and decide on an icing (preferably pink). The tricky part is how do you get the shape without having to buy a special shaped tray :)

Use one circular baking tin and a square one, make two cakes. When both are baked, cut the circular one in half  and turn the square one around until it resembles a diamond shape. Place both halves of the round cake on top until it resembles a heart and cover in your icing, sparkles, strawberries etc :) Simples!

If you want something cuter I will suggest a Heart Sweetheart pie :)
For this you might have to be very creative, but it is a really cute idea and perfect for Valentines ideas :)
You will need :

Ingredients 
3 – 4 cups of strawberries (cut into chunks) 
Frozen pie crust ( pastry)
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
1/2 cup water 
3 tablespoon cornstarch 
1 egg yolk 
sugar to decorate

In a bowl, pour sugar over the strawberries. In a saucepan, bring the water, cornstarch, and strawberries to a boil over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut out hearts from the pastry using a small heart shaped cookie cutter. Place pastry shell in desired oven dish.
Leave the strawberry filling cool down and when finally cooled pour into the pie shell.
Brush one side of your cutout hearts with an eggwash formula and place them on top of the pie in a neat circular row,
Brush the entire pie with the egg wash and dust with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes then reduce the oven to 375 degrees and bake for another 20 – 25 minutes until the filling bubbles. 
Crust should be golden brown when ready.

If you would rather make lots of smaller versions of the above pie, then follow the same recipe with the strawberries, just cut out sizeable heart shapes in the pastry. Place one heart on top of another and fill with the strawberry mix and cook for the same time ;) Simples!

Chocolate covered hearts.
So if you just want something simple and delicious, I would suggest these.  All you need are some cocktail sticks, strawberries, melted chocolate and whatever else you feel like decorating them with, icing sugar, edible glitter, etc. Go mad :) Simply melt some chocolate, any kind, bournville, dairy milk, galaxy, aero, or even simple cooking chocolate! Cut some strawberries in half, place them flat down and beside their other half to shape a heart. Place a cocktail stick through them so they don't separate and pour chocolate over them, decorate with whatever you wish and leave them in the fridge. Voila! If you feel like messing or having a laugh I suggest chocolate covered bananas instead ;) for the messers out there :P

 

There literally are so many ideas just add pink icing or chocolate or strawberries to anything and it's a valentines present :)

Another similar idea is cookie hearts :) make any type of cookie he or she like, in a heart shape using a heart cutout. Cover in sprinkles, chocolate or pink icing and you're done :)

So if you hate the idea of food and want some practical cutesie presents I have plenty of ideas for you :)

So remember that last time you went on holidays and bought the obligatory deck of playing cards? Well it can make the most romantic Valentines gift for your partner :) I know you might love a lot of things about them, more than 52? If so, write them down, one thing on each card, for a unique present to your partner. It might be unusual but that's part of the charm :) Plus it's guaranteed to make them smile :)

Homemade scratch cards. (I personally love this!)
So if you want something really cute, Ii will suggest these and they are actually really simple!
So I would suggest you write something cute on a piece of card, be it a scratch card to get a certain gift like breakfast in bed, a bath, dinner, something adult :P (especially after fifty shades is out :P) So write what ever you like on this piece of card, decorate it and then is the creative part. Get a small blob of acrylic paint, any colour and mix with some fairy liquid. Water down if necessary. Paint the mixture over your answers to be scratched off and leave to dry in a spot with sunlight for 2-3 hours. After this you should have a scratchable surface :)

If you're looking for something specific for her and homemade? Try this simple and easy recipe

 and it is guaranteed to make her smile :) A rose petal coconut sugar scrub!
Sso after all of these new diets came out coconut oil has become a best seller on the market and is used in EVERYTHING!! Especially in health and beauty! So I came across this and thought omg perfect gift for her. So all you need is 1/2 cup coconut oil , 1/2 cup rose petals, 20 drops of rose water oil or almond oil and 1 cup granulated sugar. Mix all of the above together using a hand held blender, add more or less of the almond/rose oil depending on the smell you want and spoon into a jar of your choosing (an old jam or relish jar washed out is good as any!). Decorate however you wish :)

Looking for something specific for him?
Simple! I know it might sound so obvious, but men literally love getting things from women, who know exactly what they like (outside the bedroom this is!;p ). So the ideal gift is to literally fill a box full of the stuff they like, beer, bacon, pizza, fifa, beer, die hard...etc! Men aren't as complicated as us women, we like romantic cheesy stuff but men are happy with practical and simple things they like! Sso find out what food he likes, beer, dvds, music etc and just put it all in a box, I guarantee he will be delighted!
To be honest most of the homemade gifts I found for men were not for a picnic in the park :P but if that's what you're looking for or know he likes, I advise you to go see Fifty Shades and get some ideas ;) ;)

Happy Valentines gift making peeps ;) I'll be doing some makeup looks for the ladies as well so feel free to have a look at them also!!

Until next time <3
Sandy.S
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Smokey eyes :) How to:

Hi Everyone :) I'm really sorry about my delay in writing posts but I am back now and promise to be better with writing these :) 

So I have been trying out some looks with the eyeshadow palettes I have and I have decided to show you all how I create my smokey eye look as I have gotten so many compliments on them recently :)

It is quite tricky, but one little genius tip I will share with you is this...

Yes, sellotape! 

If I ever found it tricky to do a smokey eye before I would just use sellotape! Fortunately over time I have gotten used to doing them and can do without it now, but this is what I used at the beginning :) All you have to do is this, apply some sort of base over your eye, be it a paint pot, coloured primer or concealer to hid the veins and redness (if you have it), then get a piece of sellotape about 4 or 5 cm long, and place it just under where you either want your eyeshadow to stop, or eyeliner to go. If you are using it for eyeliner place it under the eye and join it up so that it is as if you were continuing on from your water line. You can even use it on your cheeks for contour! But I find it the best for doing smokey eyes, even just until you get used to doing them yourself. I also advise doing it before you apply your foundation as any fall off can be easily wiped off and foundation applied. 

So after I apply my sellotape I apply my eyeshadows. You can choose any colour/colours you like, depending on what you would like to go for. Usually I will use 3 or 4, sometimes 2 if it's only a simple look :) Normally I go for browns, golds and pinks, even black if very dramatic :) 

I start by applying the brightest colour to the inner corner of my eye and tear duct, usually a white or cream as it will reflect the light and make my eyes appear brighter :) I will use this colour again for under my brows. 

Next I will usually get a metallic or shiny based colour to apply on the middle of the eye or 2/3 part :) The reason for this is, the middle part of the eye is the part where the eyeball moves the most and catches the light,  therefore placing a glitter based shadow on that part of the eye will catch the light and give your eyes a more appealing look. I will pat this colour down, rather than brushing it as patting it down will leave more product on that part. 

On the third part of the eye and the crease I will place a darker colour, usually a dark matte colour, void of any glitter, a brown, black or even a dark purple or pink. I will then blend the three colours together using a thicker blending brush. You may notice the outer corner has lightened a bit, if so go back in with the dark colour and blend into the crease with either a small blending brush, or crease brush. 

I will then get the colour I used for the inner tear duct and place that under my brows and blend it into the eyeshadow over the crease so there are no thick lines of shadow, everything looks more natural and professional. 

 After this I go in with my liquid liner(you can use a pen or gel, whichever you prefer) and line the top of the eyes, the lashes to get rid of any shadow on them, and then the waterline just over the sticky tape. You can have it any length or any thickness you prefer (that's what she said :P ).

I will then line the water line with some black liner, if you have small eyes then avoid this or perhaps use white instead to make your eyes appear bigger. I then apply the darker shadow used under the lower lashes and either join that to the liner or just leave it under the lashes, depending on the look. Sometimes I like to use a sort of ombre effect under the eyes, of the shadows I have used previously. Again, that is completely up to you, it just helps to dramatize the look. 

If you wish to apply the lashes, first use an eyelash curler, one coat of mascara and then stick them on. I use my eylure adhesive glue, place it on them and leave it to dry for a couple of seconds, then apply the lashes (You have to do this as it will make the lash glue tacky, and therefore stickier and easier to apply) Once you have applied them how you want them, line over them once more with liner and apply some extra coats of mascara to make them blend into your lashes. 

After this apply your foundation, etc and get ready for your day out/work/coffee date/night out :)

I will include some pictures of looks I like to do and I hope this helped :) 

                                         

  

 

For any products I use, I usually leave a list of products under my Makeup Looks on my facebook page :) 

Thanks for reading and happy blending!! :D

Sandy.S

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