Face of the day...

I dunno about you guys but I love seeing what products everyone else is using on a daily basis, not only because I find it really interesting, but also because if there's anything I don't have it more often than not makes me want to pick it up!
So here is what was on my face today!

For my primer I'm currently using this 'my base' illuminating primer from essence. It was only cheap, and I've gathered quite a collection of primers unknown to myself, so at the minute I'm just trying to use this one up, but its not bad for the small amount of pennies I paid for it!
For my foundation, I'm still absolutely loving this 'Stay Matte' mousse foundation from Rimmel. The finish it gives is flawless, and it just makes me look like I have absolutely perfect skin! (Which, for the record, I don't).
For blush, I've been leaning towards my Sleek blushes for the most part, if you haven't tried any then seriously, you are missing out! They are dirt cheap, and the pigmentation is fantastic! The colour I'm using at the minute (top left) is Rose Gold, which has been compared to Nars 'Orgasm', I don't have it so I can't honestly say, but I'm loving Rose Gold as its the perfect shade for any season, and the little subtle gold flecks in it make it a beautiful highlighter also!
For eyes, I'm still using my NYX hd eyeshadow primer, which makes my eye make up last forever! For eyeshadow I'm using my MAC duo, and the colours in it are 'dazzle me' and 'mulch' which are just great everyday neutral colours. I got these as a present, so I don't tend to use them too often, I tend to see them as my 'good' make up... Weird I know!
The mascara I'm using was also a gift, and its MAC Opulash. I'm not a big mascara fanatic, to me they all seem to do the one job, but again this was a gift, and I don't want to have to throw it out  without getting a good bit of use out of it!
And finally, for concealer, I'm still using my trusty Maybelline 'Fit Me' for any blemishes and also their 'The Eraser' for under my eyes.

So that's it!
Anything here any of you  have used or would like to try??
Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Essence Lipsticks

I am a sucker for budget products. Give me a large quantity of budget friendly items instead of one higher end product and I'm happy out. Especially when it turns out that the products in question are actually good!
And that's the case with these newly released lipsticks from Essence. I'm not 100 percent certain if they are an altogether newly released product, or if they are just a reformulated product from before, but either way these lipsticks are fantastic from such a pocket friendly brand!

I picked up the lipsticks in 3 shades: Cotton Candy, which is a nice bright pink, Natural Beauty which is a pinkish nude, and my favourite of the bunch, Wear Berry as its perfect for the autumnal season!

Everything about these lipsticks is just lovely, the packaging, the colours, and even the actual design of the lipstick, how cute is that little e design on the lipsticks itself! For people that don't like scented beauty products, you'll be glad to hear that there's no scent, which I don't really like as I'd much prefer if there was some sort of smell off them. 

I had planned on swatching these on my lips, but there really dry at the moment so I didn't think anyone would really want to see that! From top to bottom the swatches are: Wear Berry, Natural Beauty, and Cotton Candy. 

If there is anyone out there thinking about trying them I would say give them a go! They are soft and creamy on the lips, and although they don't last too long on the lips, it isn't really a big deal, considering that they cost a mere 2.85! There was plenty more colours in these also, including some bright reds, so I may just have to back and get more! 

These are available nationwide from selected pharmacies, and selected Penney's stores, (I'd advise trying Penneys because they seemed to have a better selection).

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx

October Wishlist.

So one day I was sitting down trying to figure out what kind of posts would work best on this blog, and this wishlist idea was one of the first that popped into my head. I've seen it done on other blogs and it does seem to work well,  so I decided I'd try it myself! I know some of you will look and say that's not much of a wishlist considering all the products are pocket friendly... But I have so much already its taking all the restraint I have not to get them all! 

So onto the things I'm lusting after! 

Sleek Vintage Romance Collection:I can't lie, I love Sleek Cosmetics. If you haven't tried there eyeshadow palettes, or there blushes, then seriously, what rock are you under??? The pigmentation is great, and the prices are extra great! They are an English brand, but are available online here from Cloud10Beauty, or BeautyEmporium, but in my opinion Cloud10Beauty have a better selection. This 'Vintage Romance' collection looks absolutely beautiful... Especially the blush! Its really going to take all my self restraint not to give in and buy it. Or else my mother taking control of my laser card. One or the other. 

Soap And Glory The Yule Monty Collection: I know its way too early for this I know, but as soon as I saw it in the Boots catalogue I knew it would be mine! Its jam packed with some of Soap And Glory's most loved products, some of which I'm  yet to try including the Sugar Crush body wash, and The Scrub of Your Life exfoliator. Now all I need to do is wait for Christmas to get here!

Sleek Blush Trio in Pink Sprint: You may see a pattern emerging here with the Sleek products, but get a look at the colour of the pinks in here! Packed full of pigment and easily worn in any season it's well work the 10 euro (ish) price tag. 

 Rimmel Colour Rush Lip Balm: I have tried one of these already and all I can say is... Can I have some more, please? Considering its described as a lip balm, I was convinced these were just going to leave me with a sheer wash of colour, which is why I got the brightest red in the bunch, as I was starting off easy and working my way up to a much deeper red. But its so pigmented that idea went out the window! I'm looking forward to trying more of the more neutral of the bunch, but not for a while as I really need to get some use out of all the lip products I have already! 

Incase your wondering, any of the Sleek items can be bought online at Cloud10Beauty HERE

So that's what I'm lusting after at the moment. 

Is there anything you guys really really want?

Thanks for reading, 

Alisha xxx

Saturday night sessions!

It may be a surprise to hear that for a 25 year old woman, I'm not overly pushed on going out on Saturday nights, especially considering my obsession with make up and beauty related products. Occasionally I do venture out, and I do spend great time and effort into how I look. But for the most part, Saturday night to me is the one night I can utterly relax, and so I look forward to coming home and putting my feet up watching the TV in my pyjamas. But not after a nice relaxing shower and a few pampering treats! Every girl loves to me pampered and feel good don't they? So today I thought I'd share with you all the products I'm using at the minute for my Saturday night 'spa sessions'. (For those of you wondering, I do wash more than once a week, but Saturday is just different).
So for those of you wondering, here are some of my current favourites:

So I think I should make a confession.... I may or may not be slightly obsessed with Soap And Glory. and why wouldn't I be, their products smell soooooo good! But that's another days work. :) I also have to say that a majority of the Soap And Glory that I do own I've gotten in Boots at Christmas time as their 'Star Gift'. If you don't know what that is, its when Boots pick a certain gift set and knock it down by at least half price! Soap And Glory is always the last one, and it always flies off the shelves, so I always make sure to stock up!

So in my current routine I'm using:

Pulp Friction Body Scrub: First of all I don't understand why it says its a 'foamy fruity scrub' because I don't find it foams, at all! But that doesn't mean its not a nice product because it really is. It contains lots of fresh invigorating ingredients like fig powder, peppermint oil, and then some that I've never heard of before like 'frozen yuzu' and 'jungle pomelo essence'. It smells really good and its different from the most commonly known Soap And Glory scent. Its a very rough scrub, so if your not into that and prefer a less abrasive exfoliator this won't be one for you. Its 11.25 in Boots or online HERE and is currently on 3 for 2 also!

Clean on Me Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel: This is my current go to shower gel,  and for some reason every time I use it it makes me feel really posh and makes me think I'm going out somewhere, when in reality I'm planking my ass on the couch watching god knows what! This is THE smell Soap And Glory are known for, and I don't think its possible not to like it! The shower gel itself is thick and luxurious and has a built in body lotion, so if your someone that's on the go or just too lazy to moisturise after a shower this is perfect because it saves you having to! Its priced at 7.65 for 500mls in Boots or online HERE.

Smoothie Star Body Milk: Is it really really wrong to want to eat your body lotion? Because that's what happens to me when I use this! With an ingredients list containing almonds, oats, honey and brown sugar its understandable! It killed me to put this away for the summer because to me its too heavy to use in the summer, but as soon as September came this bad boy was out straight away! Its a body milk, so its not too heavy on the skin, and it doesn't sink into the skin straight away which I kind of like because then the scent lingers on your pyjamas or clothes and I find it comforting in some sort of odd way! This is 14.00 for 500mls, again in Boots or on there online store HERE

I've really started to get into face masks at the moment, and so Saturday night is a night I really enjoy getting all my make up off and popping on a mask and letting it do its job. My current picks depending on how my skin is at that given time are:

Quick Fix Facials Mega Moisture Gel Mask: I tend to have dry skin, especially in the colder months, so I decided I'd try this moisture mask. There being raved about all over the Internet, but any that I've heard about have been crazy expensive, and these ones are only 5.75 in Boots! The gel formula is a new concept to me, as a lot of the masks I've used have always been clay or something similar, but this one is a thinner more runny consistency, and so it doesn't look  or feel as heavy on the skin. I'm loving the effect its having on my skin because my skin isn't as dry as it could be for this time of year, and it feels plump and hydrated! 

Quick Fix Facials Anti-Blemish Mud Mask:  I'm sure your wondering why I got this when I've just said I'm a dry skinned creature. Well like most ladies, I tend to get random breakouts, especially on my chin, and when one spot appears, another 2 or 3 also appear! So I bought this with the sole purpose of using it as a spot treatment. I use it the same as I use the moisture mask, but just restrict it to my chin whenever I'm suffering with those pesky breakouts! The only thing I don't like about it is the smell. It does its job great, but the smell is very antiseptic if that makes sense! 

This is one I've had for quite a while, and its one of the most expensive purchases I've ever made. Its a balm by a french skincare brand 'Decleor' and they are ridiculously expensive, which is why I don't use it every day! A lot of balms lately tend to be cleansing balms, but this particular one is for dry skin, so its used like a moisturiser. So on nights that I'm doing a mask I use this to give my skin a bit of extra moisture, and in the morning its nice and soft. It smells lovely because its 100 percent natural and is made up of angelica, chamomile and geranium. I've found it online at  QVC HERE but at 31.50 POUNDS which is about 37 EURO (before postage) for 15mls it is a bit on the expensive side.

So that's my pampering routine. Obviously everyone is different so what works for me may not work for someone else. But if we were all the same it would be kinda boring wouldn't it??

Thanks for reading guys, 

Alisha xxx

Berry nice!

Every Autumn/Winter there is one trend that will never ever date.... Dark lips! I think there's a berry shade out there to suit everyone, no matter what the skin type or hair colour.  Its only recently I've become a bit more adventurous with my lip colour, so this season I'm going to try my best to stay away from nudes and relatively neutral colours.
In my lip collection, which seems to be growing quite rapidly, I found four different products which to me are perfect for the changing weather, and if your someone that's not fond of lipsticks, then the best bit is there's not a lipstick to be seen! So lets get cracking!

Oops, should have zoomed in a bit closer and got the lid and the light bulb out of the picture! Sorry folks! So from left to right we have: Maybelline 10 Hour Superstay Tint Gloss in Lasting Pink, MUA's Power Pout in Crazy In Love, NYC's Smooch Proof 16 Hour Lip Stain in Berry Long Time, and finally, the infamous Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie.

Maybelline 10 Hour Superstay Tint Gloss in Lasting Pink: I think this has to be my favourite product out of the 4 pictured. As the name says its a tint gloss, which means that on first application it has a glossy finish, but throughout the day, the gloss wears off, and leaves a stain. Its really easy to apply because of the doefoot applicator, and when it is applied to the lips its really cooling! The name is Lasting Pink, but its definitely not pink. Its not as dark as the other colours pictured here, so if your someone that wants to try a berry colour but don't want to try something too dark, this is the perfect place to start! Its available in Boots for 11.49, or on there online shop HERE.

MUA Power Pout in Crazy In Love: These came out earlier this year, and after hearing everybody and their mother raving about the Revlon Just Kissable Balm Stains, I decided to try these, considering they are only a fraction of the price at just 3 pounds! It says on the MUA website that this is a lip treatment, that 'relieves dry cracked lips and provides immediate moisturisation'. I don't think so! Don't get me wrong because I really really like these, but they do dry my lips out a lot when I wear them, so I don't think they do a lot to moisturise the lips! Other than that, the colour payoff from these is brilliant, and after the glossiness has worn off, there is still a slight stain of colour, there not the longest lasting, but for 3 pounds, I don't really mind having to reapply every few hours. You can pick these up in Superdrug for those of you that have access to one, or you can buy them online from MUA HERE

NYC Smooch Proof 16 Hour Lip Stain in Berry Long Time: If your like me and were unsure of the whole dark lips trend, then this is probably the most bargainous way to try it out! NYC are well known for being a brilliant budget beauty brand, who more often than not hit the nail on the head when it comes to trends, and are dirt cheap without compromising on quality. This lip stain in Berry Long Time, is one of the darker berry shades, and as its a stain its more matte rather than glossy. However, the staying power is amazing, and I've worn it on nights out and its lasted throughout the night, even after a few drinks! The price was in around the 2 euro mark aswell, so for that you can't really go wrong!

Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie: These lip products are some of the most raved about products on blogs and on YouTube. The hype surrounding them after they were released in America was unreal, and eventually they made there way to Ireland and the UK! These do look like a lipstick, but as you can see by the name, they are actually a really really pigmented lip butter, which to me has similar effects to a balm, just with a really good colour pay off. I have 3 of these, and 2 of them are darker colours, and they seem to be more pigmented than the lighter colours. They are so soft and silky on the lips, and only for the colour, you wouldn't actually know that your wearing anything on your lips! They come in an array of colours, but the price is the only thing that would put me off. There normally 11.20, but at the moment on the Boots Website they are currently on offer at 8.20 which is amazing! I'm assuming they will be this price in store aswell, and there's also a 3 for 2 on at the minute aswell, so even better for us beauty junkies!

 Swatches from left to right are: Maybelline Superstay Tint Gloss, MUA Power Pout, NYC Lipstain, and Revlon Lip Butter.

So what do you guys think? Is there any of these you'd like  to try yourselves or have you your own Berry shades that you love?

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Whats in my make up bag!

So for any of you that don't know or aren't on Instagram, Cloud10Beauty are doing a 'beauty photo challenge for the month of October, and I've been dying to do one for ages so I decided I'd give it a lash! The reason I decided to do this post is because one of the challenges is a 'what's in your make up bag' post, so I figured I'd go one step further and do a blog post on it aswell! I have a large quantity of make up, which at the moment is stored in my wardrobe in various different vanity bags and cases, so this make up bag is the one I keep the products I use every day in, and I try to switch it up every so often.

So first of all, the actual make up bag itself is one I got when my parents were on holidays, and it came free with a fragrance purchase from Roger and Gallet. I've only started using it recently, but its a good size, and I can fit a good amount into it, a lot more than what I have in it at the moment! 

Now, onto the good stuff! :)

First up are my make up brushes, which as you can see is made up mainly of Real Techniques brushes! I'm in love with the blush brush, its so so soft, and applies just the right amount of product! The rest of the brushes are all eye brushes, and the long black handled one is a Kiko one I picked up last week, and the short silver handled one is a Sigma travel sized blending brush, and the other two are just ones I picked up cheap! But they do the job so I cant complain! :)

And onto the face!For my days off work, or when its really hot, (which isn't a whole lot in this lovely country), I opt for a BB cream. At the moment I'm using this one from Catrice, alongside the Maybelline Dream Fresh one, and if I'm honest I prefer this one! There's more coverage without it being too heavy, where as with  the Maybelline one, it doesn't cover up any redness or blemishes or anything which is disappointing for the price of it! And this Catrice one is only 6 euro! 

My go to foundation since the autumn crept in is  this Stay Matte foundation from Rimmel, and I love it! Its a mouse foundation, so the teeniest bit will do your whole face, and the coverage is amazing!

I always use a primer before applying my make up, and I've just recently finished a Smashbox one which I adored, but I won't pay 30ish euro just for a primer, to me its mental. So I'm trying to use what I have for now, and this My Base illuminating primer from Essence does the job of keeping my make up on all day, and is dirt cheap! 

For powder I use this much raved about Stay Matte powder from Rimmel. I don't use it when I'm wearing the Stay Matte foundation because that would be much too cakey for me, but I'm using more sheer products I'd always use this to mattify my face!

I'm currently using 2 concealers, the Maybelline Fit me for any blemishes or redness, and the Eraser Under Eye concealer also by Maybelline. Apologies for the grubbiness of the packaging, but both of these are on the go a while now! 

For eyes I have these 2 gel eyeliners by Catrice in both brown and black. I used to use these every single day but during the summer I just went with shadow and mascara, so now that the winter is back in I'm going to try and get a bit more use out of them, because they are actually really good! 

I've two mascaras on the go aswell at the minute, the Rimmel Scandalise, and a random one from NYC which I cant tell you the name of because the writing rubbed off! Both of these are coming near the end of there life, so I'm just trying to get a bit more use out of them before then! 

Also in here is my must have NYX eyeshadow primer. This stuff is amazing! It makes my eyeshadow last from for the full working day and a bit more, which is great! 

I currently only have 2 blushes in my bag, 'Flushed' from Sleek and I think this cream  MUA one is called Dolly, or something of the sort! Both of them have amazing pigment and are perfect colours for the transition into autumn/winter.

These are two of the most recent additions to my lipstick/gloss collection, a lipstick by Essence and this lip gloss from W7. Neither have been used yet, so I will have to test them out fairly soon! 

Lastly I just have a few random bits! An eye cream from Nivea, a tin of good old Vaseline, (aloe vera if you don't mind), and a tin of deodorant! 

So there you have it ladies, that's what's in my make up bag... For the moment!! 

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx

New budget beauty finds!

Cara Pharmacy recently opened its doors the the public in Galway, so when I was in there last Sunday I had to go in for a look, being the curious person that I am! I had a good mooch around, and came across this section that had a range of products from a brand called W7 Cosmetics. I'd heard of it from other beauty bloggers across the pond, but I presumed it was a British brand that I wouldn't be able to get my hands on! So when I saw it on front of me it was only natural that I'd pick up a few bits, considering the price point of the products!

So the bits I picked up were: 

Creme de la Creme cream blusher, which was only 2.00!

Super Pout Plumping Lip Gloss which again was only 2.00! 

Prime Magic Primer, which I'm hoping will be a much cheaper alternative to my Smashbox Photoready Primer which I used up recently! Price was 4.00! 

And then I picked up this nail polish remover which I think was about 1.99, here's hoping its as good as the Bourjois one! 

I havent tried any of these out yet but I'm looking forward to it! Either they'll be really good, or really terrible! But either way, for the price I wont complain! 

Thanks for reading, 

Alisha xxx

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoos

I love love love reading other blogs, and watching various beauty 'guru's on YouTube, but perhaps the only downside to this past time of mine is I'm frequently left with a serious case of blogger envy. What's this you might ask? Well its when any of these bloggers/vloggers write and talk about various products that I would give my left arm to have. So more often than not, when this happens, usually in the case of drugstore items, I just run out to my nearest Boots and pick up said items! (I always kick myself afterwards due to the fact I need NONE of these things, but I usually justify it by saying I don't smoke, I don't drink or go out very much, and we all have our vices right?
This is what happened with what I'm talking about in today's post, the Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo's. I think it was Orla from Makeupovermind that I first saw talking about these, so I decided I'd give them a go myself! Now I originally only planned on picking up 2 or 3 shades, but then I just kept picking them up whenever I saw a new colour I hadn't tried! Oops! For those of you that don't know what these are or haven't heard of them, they are a cream eyeshadow packed full of colour that literally last for ages once you apply them. Its like they turn to concrete on your eyelids!

Turns out I had another one hidden in another make up bag, that I forgot to put into this picture So altogether I have 8! 

My most used ones pictured below along with swatches are from left to right: On and On Bronze, Pink Gold, and Permanent Taupe. These 3 are the most neutral out of the lot that I own, and I find them so handy for using as a base for other eyeshadow if I'm going out at night, or else if I'm on a day off from work and I just don't want to put a whole lot of effort into my makeup! They can be built up for a stronger colour, or else sheered out for a more natural look. On and On Bronze and Pink Gold are metallic shades, where the Permanent Taupe is more matte, and because of this its slightly harder to work with, but if you work fast when applying it, there should be no problem!

It was at this point that I realised I was missing one, and so my pictures look a bit funny with 3 colours in one, and 5 in the other! But never the less we'll continue! ;) 

The rest of them are ones that I've collected during the summer and haven't got a whole lot of use from yet as you can see that most of them are fairly dark colours bar the gold one. From left to right we have: Light In Purple, Metallic Pomegranate, Everlasting Navy, 24k Gold, and Everlasting Navy. 

I thought the Everlasting Navy would be great for a change from a black smokey eye for a night out, but I'm not great at eye looks so I'll definitely have to practice a fair bit! The Metallic Pomegranate is such a beautiful shade, I kept going into Boots, swatching it on my hand and walking out, and then sighing with regret later that I hadn't bought it! I have a couple of Sleek eyeshadow palettes that have gorgeous burgundy shades in them, so this will be the perfect base for looks with these colours, and they'll last all day! The 24k Gold is a very yellow gold, but its perfect under more neutral colours, or even by itself its really nice, and its also a gorgeous inner corner highlight! Light In Purple is a funny colour, in that it says its purple, but to me its really a blue with a purple shimmer, but it depends which kind of light you look at it in!

 In the US, Maybelline have recently brought out colour pigments in the 24 hour line aswell, so I'm super excited for them to come to Ireland, because if there anything like the cream shadows they will be amazing! These are priced at 7.49 from Boots, but there is still a buy one get one half price offer in there at the moment and online, so its  the perfect chance to try some if you haven't before! 

Thanks for reading, 

Alisha xxx

Summer to Winter Make Up changes

First off apologies for being missing from my blog for the last week, I was away sunning myself in Spain! If you read my last post on Kiko, you'll be pleased to hear I picked up the majority of what was on my wishlist, and I also came across a shop very similar to The Body Shop, so I picked up a couple of perfumes! That was the extent of my beauty shopping really! I was very restrained if I do say so myself!
On to this weeks post though for now! I know we experienced a bit of a 'heatwave' this week, but usually come September, there is a fairly obvious change in the weather, and most people don't realise your make-up routine has to change aswell, along with your wardrobe! My skin seems to get a lot dryer in the winter, so I make sure to drink lots of water and use plenty of moisturisers and hydrating face masks to keep it somewhat hydrated. But on the really fun part, the make up!!
First off, foundation. For the Summer I loved my Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation, and loved the radiant glow it gave, without making me look like I had a ridiculously oily face! For the winter I'm going to be rocking more of a matte look, and the foundation I shall be using is the new Rimmel Stay Matte offering. I've tried this and its lovely! Its not heavy on the skin, which I thought it would be considering its a thick mousse textured foundation. And I don't need powder with it which gives me an extra minute or two in the morning when I'm getting ready for work! It retails for about 7 or 8 euro, and it will last ages because you only need a tiny amount to do the whole face!

Next up is blusher. I'm a huge blush fan and I think its the one make up item that I keep buying it and buying it even though I don't need it! But I cant help it! For the summer I was loving bright pinks and corals, and especially cream blush, but for the colder months I picked up this newbie to my collection from Kiko! Its one of there Soft Touch Blushes, and it comes in an amount of colours, like everything else they do, and as soon as I saw it I knew it would be the perfect winter colour! I think it was 8.99 or in and around that, so not too bad at all! I could have spent all day in the store, they had so much to choose from and all at great prices too! 

On to eyes next, and I tend to stick with neutrals for both day and night time looks, as there just easier to work with I find, but with the change in the weather I'm going to try and step out of my comfort zone and try some deeper colours. I'm starting off nice and easy with these new colours from Maybelline in there 24 hour Colour Tattoo's, Everlasting Nave and Metallic Pomegranate. As you can see from the picture they haven't been used yet, as I haven't been sure how to make these work for me, but I'm going to give them a go over the weekend, so hopefully with a bit of practice I'll figure it out! 

And lastly onto the lips! Again, I've gathered a massive amount of lip products, with the same few getting usage on a daily or weekly basis. Because of this I'm trying to 'shop my stash' rather than running out buying more colours for the season, and the first one I thought would be perfect is this lip butter from Revlon is 'Rasberry Pie'. Its a gorgeous berry shade, that isn't too dark, and because its a lip butter rather than a lipstick, its easier to work with! The colour is still very buildable if your someone who doesn't do subtle! ;) I think this was around 10 or 11 euro, but they tend to be on 3 for 2 or buy one get one half price in Boots, so it may be worth a look! ;)

So what changes will you lovely folks make to your make up bags for the winter?

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xx

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My holiday make up!

So I may have mentioned once or twice that I'm heading away to Spain on Monday for a couple of days! (I'm excited, can you tell?) For the first time EVER, I'm trying to be sensible with what I bring, and so have thought long and hard, (for possibly 5 minutes), about what I'll bring. So these babies are the ones that  have made the final cut!

So the first and probably most important thing I packed was my suncream!This is Boots own 'Soltan' brand, and its factor 50, which I need because of my red hair and pale skin, and some after sun!
Then in my little clear bag, I have some miniature shower gel and body lotion from 'The Sanctuary', which are only 75mls, so are perfect for bringing for a few days, some shampoo and conditioner which I decanted into some clear bottles, and some face cleanser and a razor. I will also bring some moisturiser aswell,  I just don't want to pack it away until I've used it after I take off my make up!
Which then leads me on to the real good stuff, and the bits I love to see when people do these kinds of posts, the make up! I had already decided that base wise I was packing light, because I don't want a heavy base, and it wouldn't last on me anyway in the heat! So here's what I opted for!

I decided to go for my Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream, as really there's no point bringing anything heavier, as I don't like heavy bases on my skin when its hot and sticky! I haven't actually used this yet, but I've heard its great! Then for blush I opted for my MUA cream blush in the shade Dolly. This blush is a lovely natural colour which gives a nice glow to the cheeks, and is very neutral so can be worn with a lot of different looks. I'm also bringing the new Stay Blushed cheek tint from Rimmel. This is a blush but obviously in a tint form, so I figured this would be nice for holidays as its nice and cooling and I wouldn't have to worry about it melting off! For concealer, I've chosen my Maybelline Fit Me concealer in the shade 15, and this is perfect for blemishes and the under eye area, and I also could have sworn I put my Maybelline The Eraser under eye concealer in this picture too, but it seems to have vanished, or else I'm losing my marbles!

Ah, now I see where it went.. My apologies! I put it in with my eye make up! So for my eyes I've decided to go with a neutral enough look, as I've decided to go with bright lips for the night time instead. So I've brought this little palette by French Connection that I got at Christmas. It has a range of colours from dark to light, so if I did want to do a more dramatic eye look I can. I'll more than likely bring my NYX eyelid primer aswell to make sure the shadows last the night.
For mascara I've opted for this Scandalise one from Rimmel. I'm not a big mascara lover, I do
 wear it every day, but to me a mascara is a mascara, so they all tend to do the same thing!

And then on to the lips! The first thing I knew I had to bring was a lip balm because more than likely my lips will dry out in the sun, so I've chosen this one from NYC. And I've also opted for 3 lipsticks, which are all in various shades of pink! The first one is 101 from the Kate Moss collection for Rimmel, which is matte, so I'll definitely need the lip balm with that one. The next one is one of the Maybelline Colour Sensational lipsticks in Fuchsia Flash (I think), and then lastly is this one again from the Kate Moss collection for Rimmel in 20, which I'd been mad to get!! I havent used it yet so I cant wait to see what its like!
So I hope you found it somewhat interesting or helpful,

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Kiko Wishlist

So I'm off on my holidays next week and I cannot wait! I'm heading to Torravieja which is just outside Alicante in Spain and there is apparently a mahoosive shopping centre not too far away from where we're staying! So me being me, of course I had to do a bit of research! The shopping centre is called 'La Zenia Boulevard', and is home to one of best friends Primark!! So of course I will be stopping off there for a look, in fairness it would be really rude not to, wouldn't it?
But the shop that excites me most is Kiko! Turns out there is a Kiko store in the shopping centre too, so I've been looking online to see what might catch my eye when I get there, because otherwise I'll get too excited and buy loads more than I probably should!
If your not familiar with Kiko, it's an Italian professional cosmetics brand which offers amazing quality products for really reasonable prices!

So first on my list is some of there loose pigments. Mac do probably the most well known pigments in the beauty world, but these ones from Kiko only cost 5.90! (euro) I'm loving the look of the neutral colours, which are number 1 Nude Beige, 10 Light Taupe, and finally 18 White Gold!

I am a complete and utter blush fanatic, at one stage I had 11 blushes in my everyday make up bag! Which is a bit extreme really considering there's only 7 days in the week, and I tend to wear the same one every day anyway!  Lately I've been really getting into cream blushes and this Velvet Blush Stick looks lovely! There's a shade called 'Verve Peony' that looks like it'll be a really nice colour for Winter, a slightly dark pink! Its 7.90 so its not a bad price either! 

Everyone seems to rant and rave about MAC's 'Fix Plus Spray' for keeping there make up in place and for freshening it up during the day. I'm yet to try that, but this Make Up Fixer looks like a nice alternative at an even nicer price! Its 7.90 and its got rave reviews on there website, so fingers crossed! 

There Smart Lipsticks look absolutely amazeballs! At 3.90 they're a fantastic price, but I have a serious problem in that there's so many different colours that I'm going to have a serious task trying to choose which colour to go for! I'm looking a nice plum shade for autumn/winter, so I think I'll have to just try them out in the store! 

I've had a quick look at the make up brushes also, and the prices are really good! I havent really seen anything that's jumped out at me in the line of brushes though, but I may check out the eye brushes when I get there! 

So that's really a round up of what I'm hoping to pick up when I get there, but to be honest I'll probably come out with twice as much! That is if my boyfriend will have enough patience to let me go in after I've raided Primark! ;)

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx

New Irish Beauty Subscription service!

How exciting is this! For the first time ever there will be an Irish Beauty Box subscription service! Unless you've been living under a rock, or just don't like beauty, (if so then why are you here??) you'll have heard of the numerous beauty box services, the most popular one being Glossybox. These services involve signing up and paying a monthly fee, and in return you get a box full of beautylicious goodies sent to your front door! With Glossybox it tends to be higher end brands, and it varies between full size and samples, but in every box there is always at least one full size! There isn't a whole lot of information available yet on the Irish service, bar the name, which is Chic Treat Club.
https://www.facebook.com/ChicTreatClub?directed_target_id=0 This is the link to there Facebook page so head on over there to give them a like and be kept up to date with the info about what brands will be included, and when the service will be available! Or alternatively head over to there website and leave your email address to be one of the first to know! http://chictreatclub.com/
I am so excited as I've never subscribed to any of these before, and considering its Irish, I for one will be jumping at the service! Hopefully there will be some interesting and hard to get brands included!

Thanks for reading,

Alisha

My 5 favourite perfumes

One thing I love almost as much as make up is perfume. I have to say I tend to be a bit of a perfume hoarder. I buy them after one sniff in the shop, and more often than not that's it. They sit there collecting dust because my favourite ones are obviously the ones I reach for on a daily basis. I'm a real girly girl when it comes to scents, and I tend to choose sweeter scents over anything more musky or floral. So, on to the chosen ones!

So from left to right: CK 'IN2U', Roger and Gallet 'Fleur de Figuier', Kate Moss 'Kate', 'L'Imperatrice' by D&G, and L'Occitane's 'Mulberry and Mure'.
All these perfumes smell absolutely divine and I honestly don't think if you asked me to pick just one that I would be able! There all very sweet scents, but they all smell totally different!

So first up is a perfume from Calvin Klein 'IN2U'. Am I the only one who finds the name really weird? I'm useless at describing perfumes so I had to take to the Internet to find the notes etc, to make it look I know something about what I'm talking about.
So the top notes in this are 'Pink grapefruit fizz (fizz in a perfume, how cool is that!!), Sicilian bergamot, and  red currant leaves.
The middle notes are sugar orchid and white cactus.
And the dry notes are Neon amber, vanilla soufflé, and red cedar.
I'm actually wearing this perfume while I'm writing this, and now that I've seen the notes that are in it I can relate to most of them. There's a definite kick to it, which I assume is the 'pink grapefruit fizz', but at the same time its nice and fresh, which again I would assume is the Bergamot. The vanilla is also fairly obvious too, but not in a sickly way. I love love love this perfume, and its great for both daytime and nighttime also. I'm happy to wear this all day to work, but if I was going on a night out and didn't want a heavy perfume this would be the first one I'd reach for. Price wise for this size bottle, (150mls,) it tends to be about 60 euro I think, but I was in Dublin and picked this up in a pharmacy which I think was Mccabes for 30! Bargainous! 

The next on my list of smellies I love is this scent by Roger and Gallet. Fleur de Figuier.This was much raved about in the 'blogosphere' when it came out first, and when I finally got to smell it for myself I understood why! From the name, I thought it was going to just smell like Figs. If the truth be told I don't even know what Figs smell like, but I just had an opinion that it was going to be too strong for me! Its a gorgeous scent, with the  notes consisting of Mandarin, Caraway seeds, Fig leaves, Grapefruit, Cedar, and Fig Milk and Pulp. This is a sweet scent, but not overly sweet as it has the grapefruit and mandarin in it to give it a bit of a citrusy kick. This is perfect for morning time showers, especially if like me, you love your bed and have difficulty getting up in the morning! Its just a nice fresh scent. My only downfall with this perfume is it doesn't last too long, but I purchased the body lotion to give it a bit more longevity and it does the job! This perfume was 39.95 for a 100ml bottle, and the body lotion was 14.95 if I recall correctly, and I got a free bag when I bought them. Roger and Gallet is a brand that's found in selected pharmacies across the country.

This one was given to me by a family friend to try when it first came out and I loved it, but then it disappeared of my radar for a while, but its firmly back in its place now! Kate Moss has brought out a few more fragrances since this one, but I have to say this is definitely my favourite. This is more on the musky side rather than sweet, but its still not too heavy and that's why I like it.Some of the notes in this are forget-me-not, pink peppercorns, orange blossom, and then more floral notes like magnolia, peony and rose petals. It also contains notes of sandalwood and musk, which is obvious when worn. Its on Boots website for 23.95 for 30mls. I'm sure they do larger sizes, and its available nationwide in most other local pharmacies aswell.

L'Imperatrice by D&G as you can see is very well loved! Its one I've picked up repeatedly on holidays because is so much cheaper in Lanzarote, but I don't know what I'll do when this one runs out! To me this is my 'grown up' perfume. Its a real womanly scent, but again, its not strong, which as you can see from this post is a reoccurring theme with my taste in perfume! It contains notes of rhubarb, red currants and muskier notes of sandalwood and grapefruit wood. The one thing I dislike about this is its so expensive! Its 67 euro for a 100ml bottle, and I know compared to Chanel perfumes its not too bad, but I just wouldn't pay that much money for a perfume for myself.Maybe I'll have to drop some hints to people for Christmas! ;)

OK I have to admit I didn't purchase this one myself either. What I did do is drop copious hints to my boyfriend in the weeks leading up to my birthday in the hope he'd pick up on them. And, it worked! This is an offering from L'Occitane, and it is divine! This perfume is part of the recent 'Grasse' collection, which was named after the city of Grasse in Provence.When reading about it on line, I thought it was going to be a real floral scent, judging by the Magnolia in the name, but its not! The top notes are bergamot and blackberry, which is the main scent I get from this, and the middle notes are magnolia and rose, but I cant really smell either. To me its just a real fruity, fresh smell! This is another one that lasts all day, and I've gotten so many compliments on it! I got this in a set with a shower gel and a body milk, so if you really want to make the scent last its great to be able to use the 3 together. I tend to keep the shower gel and body milk for special occasions, because they are so expensive, so I tend to use them as a real treat. The set was in and around 70 euro for the lot, which isn't too bad. If you have any interest in L'occitane's other products, try the Verbena range, its beautiful! Although if you don't like lemon or really zingy smells, then it may not be for you!
So that's my round up of my favourite perfume's! I do have lots more, but these are the ones I really do reach for on a regular basis!

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx

Catrice Ultimate Shine Lipsticks

Everyone and there cousins dog knows that MAC lipsticks are THE lipsticks in the beauty world. Except me. Because, (hides face behind hands in shame,) I don't actually own one. Yup, I said it! I don't own a MAC lipstick! I own very little MAC make up as a matter of fact, but as I've said before, I have serious issues with parting with nearly 20 euro for a lipstick when I could find something as good in the drugstore for much less money. Or maybe I just have a problem with parting with money full stop, who knows! But I am known for disappearing in Penney's and if I do, you will find me in the same place each and every time, the make up section! Sometimes I buy something, sometimes I don't, but still i can't help myself looking anyway! I have a tendency to lean more towards lip glosses, or crayons or stains, as for some reason I have this belief that lipsticks are too heavy on my lips and so go for something a bit lighter. So on one occasion when I was in Penney's, I decided to pick up a lipstick from the Catrice stand to give it a go, and I am glad I did! So much so I went back for more!

I really need to figure out how to work this camera properly and the flash and what not, but as you can see, the lipsticks come in a black packaging with a slight sheen, with the Catrice name on the front. I don't know are they trying to emulate the MAC bullets, but either way, they're still pretty enough to leave on your bedside locker if you are someone that likes to display your make up!

The 3 I own are: 250 Matte about Pink, 240 Hey Nude, and number 210 Pinkadilly Circus. First off, how cool are the names! I especially love Hey Nude, because any time I go to wear it I automatically start to sing 'na,na,na,nananana, Hey Nude!' (I know, I'm getting weirder and weirder as this post goes on). The 3 of these are all from the Ultimate Shine collection. I know there are a couple of other collections including a new Gel lipstick collection, but I haven't tried any of those yet!

First up is Matte about Pink, I know this one and Pinkadilly Circus look very similar in the bullet colour wise, but there actually not. Matte about Pink is as the name suggests Matte, but its not very Pink either, its more of a coral colour. I'm not a big fan of matte lipsticks, but I love the colour of this one, and also picked up a lip liner to match, but I don't think I'll be wearing a whole lot of this one for autumn/winter, but either way its a nice lipstick and its not too drying on the lips like some matte offerings are!

Next up is Hey Nude! I've never been one for nude lipsticks either, mainly because I don't want to look like a mannequin from a shop window, because that's not a good look for anyone! But decided to give this one a shot. Its a very subtle lipstick, and it just offers a very sheer wash of colour to the lips, which is perfect  for me as it just makes my lips look a lot healthier than normal.

And last up is my favourite out of the lot, Pinkadilly Circus. I have to apologise for this looking so beat up, but I havent even used it that much! I actually bought it after swatching a tester at the stand, and grabbed a new one, and assumed it wouldn't have been opened. Well, as you can see, I was  wrong! I don't understand why people don't just use the testers, that's what they're there for after all! But anyway! This one looks brighter in the bullet than it is in real life. It is more of a berry coloured pink, so its perfect for the transition into the colder months if you fancy sprucing up your make up bag!
All of these lipsticks are super creamy and comfy on the lips, but I would suggest using a lip balm with Matte about Pink, as with most other matte lipsticks it is slightly drying. But the formula of these is amazing, and the price is amazing, 5.49 each! Like you could have 4 of these for the price of one MAC one! I know MAC have a huge selection of colours, and obviously seen as this is a drugstore brand there wont be as much choice, but there is 16 colours to choose from, which is massive for a drugstore brand!

Not the greatest swatches in the world, but just to give you an idea of what there like! From left to right, Matte about Pink, Hey Nude, and Pinkadilly Circus, (why this colour wont show up properly is beyond me). So there you go folks, just a little review on my new favourite lipsticks! 

I have a  feeling I'll have to go back for more, just for research purposes of course! ;)

Catrice can be found in some pharmacies across the country, and some Penney's stores. 

Happy weekend people, and thanks for reading! 

Alisha xxx