Shine On

Hey everybody,
I have very kindly been nominated for the Shine On Award by the very lovely Clare over at The Beauty Chest, so once you're finished reading this post, why not head on over to her blog and have a look see! :)

So there are a few little rules which I'm going to mention right now to get them out of the way coz then we can get on to the fun stuff!

• First of all, you must display this 'Shine On Award' logo within the blog post.

• You must acknowledge the person who nominated you and add a link to their blog (Hi Clare thank you!!!) :) 
• Leave 7 random facts about yourself. 
• Nominate 15 bloggers that you support and think deserve the award and link their blog in your post
• And finally... Contact said bloggers and let them know they've been nominated!! :)

So lets get on to the random and juicy facts shall we??

Fact 1: I love the colour green and all variations of it. So much so that its stretched to my wardrobe, if you had a peak in there you'd find mint green Converse, a turquoise green dress, and many other items full of greenness! 

Fact 2: When I was younger, maybe about 4 or 5, I had a pet rabbit, For some reason though I decided to take him out of his cage and I ended up pulling his ears (no idea why), which resulted in him hopping away never to be found again. :(

Fact 3: I'm super close to my family. We've been through a lot over the years, with me losing two brothers, and a third brother having to visit the UK for 3 months to have a bone marrow transplant. It was tough being away from my parents and him for so long, but I stayed with an aunt who is like my second mother now, and because of all this we're super close and I'm so glad for it. 

Fact 4: I hate my teeth. My mother thinks I'm crazy and says they're fine, but they have gaps in them and I think they're an awful colour. I've decided that if the time comes for me to get married the first thing to be sorted out before the wedding will be my teeth. 

Fact 5: My favourite snack is Salt and Vinegar rice cakes with peanut butter spread on top, with a banana sliced on top. I know it sounds manky, but trust me it's actually really tasty! There's just something about the sweetness and the saltiness that work really well together! Try it! ;)

Fact 6: I worry about things too much. I've been known to freak out at my boyfriend if he doesn't reply to a text on a night out because I think he's passed out in a ditch somewhere. Its ridiculous because I can lie awake at night for hours worrying about things that may or may not even happen! I'm trying to relax a bit and change my ways in baby steps though, so fingers crossed!

Fact 7: This time next month I'm heading to America for the first time. I'm so so excited about it as I'm going to New York! I'm looking forward to doing all the touristy things like the Statue Of Liberty and Ground Zero etc, but I'm also so excited about hitting the shops and going mad buying make up in Sephora and everywhere and anywhere else I find along the way! Eeek!!

So they are my random facts... I hope you found some of them interesting.. And if not, well sorry I'm so boring!! ;) hehehehe....

So onto my nominations:
 1 :Makeup by Candlelight
 2: Twofaced
 3: beautyangel
 4:BlushfulBeauty
 5:My Stepping Stone
 6: Dolly Dowsie
 7:The Blusher Diaries
 8: Make Up by Lauren Marie
 9: Girl With The Skew Earring
 10: Love-Joice


So I tried very hard to tag 15 blogs, but most of the ones I wanted to tag had been tagged already.. However I managed to get to 10, so I didn't do too badly!

Thanks for reading guys, and if you have been nominated link your post in the comments so I can read yours! I love little insights into peoples life! :)

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Lazy Girls Guide to taking off Make-Up

As much as I love make-up and putting it on, there's no better feeling than taking it off after a long day or night. But what do you do when you arrive home late after a night out, or you're so tired after a long day at work that you'd love nothing more than jumping straight into bed as you are?
Well you'll be glad to know that happens to most of us women. The effort of having to cleanse tone and moisturise seems huge at night, so if for some reason you decided to give it a miss, I'm showing you 3 super quick ways to at least remove your make up before you hit the hay.

Soap and Glory Off Your Face Wipes: Ok, I know face wipes are bad for your skin and dry it out and this that and the other, but even if you just use them when you come in at 3am after a night on the tiles they won't do too much damage. These particular ones from Soap and Glory claim to have 3 in 1 properties, in that they cleanse, tone and smooth the skin. They also claim to minimise pores, and soften skin... All I know is they remove my make up and that's really all anyone wants from face wipes isn't it? If you're familiar with the Peaches and Clean cleanser and like the smell then you'll love these as its the exact same fruity yet minty smell! Its 6.00 for a pack, and they are just handy to have for make up removing emergencies! (If there's such a thing).

Garnier Micellar Solution: Ok so I only got this last week, but it doesn't have to be this particular one, it can be any micellar solution! They are possibly the quickest way of removing your make up! A couple of drops on a cotton pad and a quick wipe of the face and you're done! It removes any make up, even the most stubborn mascara, which is great as it cuts out needing to use a separate eye make up remover. If you're not familiar with micellar solutions at this stage, they are a clear substance which almost looks like water, which contain 'micelles' which act in a way similar to magnets, which then draw out the make up and other impurities from the skin. Again I wouldn't use it as a replacement to proper cleansing and toning, I'd use it as an extra  step in the process, but if you're feeling lazy at least if you use this you can feel slightly less guilty going to bed! ;) Its 6.29 from most pharmacies!

L'Oreal Miracle Cleansing Oil Face and Eyes: I left this until last because its the one that requires the most effort, but even at that its minimal. All you do is take 2/3 drops of the oil, rub it on to your face until it turns to a white slightly milky texture, and then rinse off with warm water. It literally removes every ounce of make up from my face! I had thought it didn't really suit my skin first, because after a couple of uses I had a couple of break outs, but I think it was coincidence because after giving it a break for a while and coming back to it again, its grand! Its 10.79 which is slightly more expensive than the others, but you use so little of it at a time that it will last ages!

So that's it ladies, that's what I do when I'm falling into bed but need to take my make up off!
What about you ladies? Do you use anything like this or do you mind going to bed with your make up on?
Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Wet N Wild Mega Last Lipsticks

Happy Paddy's weekend everybody! I hope you are all well and happy and enjoying whatever you're up to! I'm back today with a review of another product from Wet N Wild, and this time its their Mega Last Lipsticks!

I had heard so much about the lipsticks from various bloggers, so I had actually been planning on picking some up when I got to the States, (4 weeks to go woohoo) but when Wet N Wild arrived here I breathed a sigh of relief. Now I could buy myself some of these famous lipsticks, while at the same time freeing up some room in my suitcase for lots more make up! Win Win! :)
So before I tell you what I think, I'll tell you what the brand themselves say about their product.

'This 4 hour, long-wearing lip colour, leaves a semi-matte, creme finish in one stroke. Glides on easily with rich velvety colour that doesn't cake, feather or bleed.'

While I do like these a lot, I don't agree with the blurb completely. I find application to be slightly difficult as the lipstick actually pulls at the lips when putting it on. So glides on? Me don't think so! However once its on its a completely different story altogether! The product itself is so comfortable when its on! Its so creamy in my opinion it doesn't feel like a lipstick! I often find myself mushing my lips together like I would if I had a lip balm on, because I honestly can't believe that its so comfortable to wear! Another great thing about these is that they last ages after being applied. I've eaten and drank while wearing these lipsticks, and although they do transfer a little bit, you're not left with all your lipstick on the side of a glass and none on your lips! I find they last maybe 4 to 5 hours on me without being topped up, but even if it didn't I wouldn't mind, because I don't have an issue with reapplying lip products throughout the day. I do notice that after wearing the lipstick for some time, my lips do eventually feel a little bit dry, but nothing that a dab of lip balm won't sort out.
Although they aren't a completely matte finish, they do cling to dry patches (I found out the hard way, so do make sure your lips are prepped before use.

                                 L-R: Rose Bud, Red Velvet, Just Peachy, Smokin Hot Pink, Mauve Outta Here


I have five of these in total and the colours I have are:

• Red Velvet which is a bright almost coral red. Its a beautiful shade and although its one I don't go to every day, I know its one I'll reach for in the Summertime quite a lot as it'll be gorgeous with a tan, be it fake or real. ;)
• Just Peachy This is a shade I just picked up recently, but it's fast becoming my favourite colour altogether! Its a lovely peach shade, which I didn't think would suit me too much, but its so nice on!  Its what I thought Rimmel's Apocalips in the shade Luna was going to be, but so much more at the same time. Since I bought this its the only lip product I've worn every day since, I just love it so much! 
• Rose-Bud I picked this up prior to Just Peachy, because I thought this would be more suitable for my skin tone as it was slightly darker. This looks like a dark peach kind of nude shade in the bullet (great descriptions I know), but when its on my lips it nearly looks more brown. I'm not saying I don't like it, because it is a very weareable shade, its just not my favourite of the bunch. 
• Mauve Outta here is a really wearable mauve pink shade. Its a great every day shade, and is something I just throw on if  I'm feeling lazy but want to wear something on my lips! As they say in the beauty blogging world its a 'your lips but better shade' ;)
• Smoking Hot Pink is last, but by no means least. I left it until last because I haven't actually worn this yet, but what I can tell you is its a bright blue toned pink which I think will be a nice alternative to the dark winter shades for nights out! 

So they are all I have for now, but I have to say there's a couple other shades catching my eye, Sugar Plum Fairy being one of them (its meant to be dupe for MAC'S Rebel). These are great lipsticks for the price, which is ridiculous at only 2.99! However, you get what you pay for in the line of packaging. Packaging never usually bothers me with products unless its impractical in some way, which in this instance it is. The lipstick itself doesn't twist down all the way, so every time you take the lid on and off the product, it nicks the lipstick leaving big marks in the product which is a bit of a pain. Besides that though, I'm seriously in love with these. It just shows that you don't have to pay big money for a good quality product, and with so many shades to choose from (26 in total on Wet N Wild's website, not sure if they all made it over here), you will more than likely find a couple of MAC dupes. 

Have you lovely ladies tried these? If so, what's your favourite?

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx

Spring has Sprung!

Finally, the sun has made its appearance and its beginning to feel a lot like Spring. Although next week there could potentially be snow, rain and any other god nasty weather, but for now I'm making the most of the bright yellow ball in the sky. In celebration of said bright yellow ball, I've decided to shake up my make up bag a bit, and add in some products that I feel reflect the change in the weather.
So here's what I've chosen!

Coral shades more or less scream Springtime to me, so I've added in my Sleek Blush Trio In Lace because its just so pretty. It has 3 differing shades or coral shades in it, with the middle shade including some glitter which means it doubles up as a highlighter! As with all other Sleek blushes, they are super pigmented so a little goes a long way.  I picked mine up from Cloud 10 Beauty for 10 or 11 euro, which is great value!

As you've learned from previous posts, I have a soft spot for blush, lots and lots of blush... So I couldn't not add in this beaut also from Sleek, Pixie Pink.  Its a real Barbie pink colour, and in the pan it looks petrifying,  but when applied to the cheeks it just gives a really natural colour to the skin. Something similar to being out for a nice brisk walk in my opinion. Again, super pigmented, so you only need to tap the brush ever so slightly into the product to get enough for both cheeks! This only costs around 5 euro again from Cloud 10 Beauty.

Back in my late teens I developed an obsession with coloured liquid eyeliner, No 7 ones in particular. However they did get pushed to the side as I got more 'mature' (I lie, I'm still 12 inside). But now that the sun is shining, I feel like giving them another go, so I've rediscovered this beautiful teal green one from Rimmel, so I'll be using this to add a pop of colour to my usual every day eyelook, (neutrals, neutrals, oh and more neutrals). I can't remember when I got this, so can't remember the price, but its Rimmel so its not going to be expensive, I'd say around 5 or 6 euro.

MUA are one of my favourite brands by far, I can't get enough of their eyeshadow palettes, and this Glitter Ball palette is one my mother very kindly got me last year but I never used. Its all glittery shades, but its made up of a variety of different colours, from pinks to nudes (yay), greens and purples. Its just really nice bright and colourful palette for something a bit different and I can't wait to get some good use out of it. It was also cheap as chips at 4 pounds, so less than 5 euro!

The last thing I took out of my ever expanding lip product collection was this Revlon Lip Butter in Sorbet. Its a real beauty, a nice vibrant pink, perfect for Spring/Summer evenings. I was so eager to try this in fact that I took it out today. I was less than impressed to discover the bullet of the lipstick come clean out of the packaging however. And the reason for this is I'm assuming is because the bullet didn't actually fit into the packaging properly. It was actually the opposite way to what it was meant to be! So it kept banging of the plastic and lumps were being knocked off it all sides aswell.... However I do love the colour, so I think I will repurchase it nearer to the Summer. For the time being I may use one of my other bright colour lip butters instead.

So ladies and gents... For now this is what I shall be using to brighten up my face while the weather is nice!
I'm sure I've plenty more I can add at later dates so I shall keep ye all posted!
Is there anything here you've tried?
What do you use to jazz up your make up bag for Spring?

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Catrice Nail Polish in 'Karl Says Tres Chic'

Don't get me wrong, every girl needs a few bright nail polishes in her collection, but she also equally needs more toned down wearable shades for every day. I've tried a variety of nude shades and they just don't work for me at all. Nudes just make me look like a mannequin in a shop window, so if I want a nice neutral nail that's not going to offend anybody at an interview or something like that, I go for in a soft or light pink.
The colour I'm talking about today is neither soft, nor light but it works and is a colour that's not going to draw too much attention or looks of disgust. Its Catrice's nail polish in 'Karl Says Tres Chic' which was part of the 'Ultimate Nudes Collection' so I'm not 100 percent sure if its still available on stands, and if its not, well its a travesty I tell thee! ( I've just checked the Catrice site, it has been re released, whoop!)

Now the name itself to me is something special, as I picked this up one day at a stand after going back with something that was broken and the polish just caught my eye and I grabbed it. I only noticed the name after I got out of the shop, and Karl was actually my brothers name who unfortunately passed away when he was 13, so to me this is a message from above! :)
Anyway the polish itself is a beautiful creamy neutral pink, it just goes with anything. I have found the formula of Catrice Nail Polishes to be fairly decent, and this is no exception. One coat of the polish gives fairly opaque coverage, but I generally tend to apply 2 coats anyway just to make it last a bit longer.
The brush is also a thick enough brush that makes it easy to disperse product over the nail in just one swipe without making a mess, which I somehow always manage to do!
Catrice polishes are cheap as chips at around the 4 euro mark, and come in a great selection of colours, and they also have a great choice of glitter polishes which are perfect as top coats, or else to use as an accent nail.

Have you tried any Catrice Polishes?
What do you think?
Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Penney's/Primark Picks!

So more or less since Christmas, I am being very sensible and trying not to shop needlessly, because I'm going away in a few weeks time and want to save as much as possible for that. I could easily go in to Penney's and spend 80 or 90 euro in one go, but I've been doing well lately and haven't bought anything in there really in weeks! Until now that is. I've been so good that I decided I could go in and pick up just a few bits to brighten up my wardrobe for when Spring eventually realises that its late getting here and the sun comes out!

First up I bought socks. Lots of socks. I don't know why I bought so many really because its not like anyone  is going to see them except me. I just couldn't resist the quirky colours and animals! I think my favourites though are the ones on the right, which are so so handy for wearing with pumps and open shoes in the summer. I hate wearing shoes without socks, and I won't wear popsocks (smelly feet central), so these are perfect as they are cotton like normal socks, so they don't make your feet sweat too much.

Its not  a trip to Penney's without a look in the accessories section. They have so many pretty things in there, including some beautiful sequined bags, but I restrained myself and just picked up this trio of bracelets. I love the colours, and the different designs all within the one bracelet! It came in plenty of other colours but this was my favourite.

Can anyone go into Penney's without checking out the make up? Just me? I spotted these eyeshadow palettes on the Essence stand and I couldn't decide between the two of them, so I got both. The first one has some really pretty pastel colours, which will make some really nice eye looks when the weather picks up, and the second one has more neutral colours in it. The colours seem to have a pink tone to them, reminding me of the Naked 3 palette, so I figured I'd give it a go. They were only 4.89 euro each, and there was other colours in them aswell, so well worth a look I think!
I spotted  these Catrice 8 Hour Lip Polishes online a few weeks back and HAD to have them. The idea seems similar to the YSL Glossy stains, the colour of a lipstick, with the shine of a gloss and a staining effect after the glossiness wears off, topped off with the promise of 8 hours wear time! I picked up two shades, Mission Pinkpossible, which is a really bright blue toned pink, and Strawberry's Secret, which to me is a nice light coral colour. I'll  be putting these through their paces in the next few weeks and doing a review, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

To finish I picked up some shoes. I love when the weather gets a bit warmer to get rid of my boots and heavier shoes and go for something light and girly, so when I saw these I had to pick up a couple of colours. They're so light and they're not completely flat so they'll be nice and comfy, and they'll go with lots of different bits and pieces, especially jeans and nice tops!
To match the coral shoes I then picked up this jumper to match. I know they look slightly different colours here, but I promise they are a lot closer in real life! Also, this jumper is a huge fit, I've ended up taking it in a size 6, and its still very big!

Have you ladies done any shopping lately?
If so what have you bought?
Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Sephora Wishlist

So last week Twitter was set alight with the news that Sephora now delivers to the UK. This is good news for all us Irish ladies aswell because thanks to the fantastic service that is Parcel Motel, we can also shop till we drop. Apparently there is a flat rate of 10 pounds for delivery for orders over 75 pounds, so if there was a couple of friends that also wanted a few bits then you could always go together and deliver would work out cheap as chips. Sephora have said that there won't be any customs charges, but I don't know is that for them. But still, we can shop in Sephora now! Woohoo!
Anyway, this news didn't really make any difference to me, because in 6 weeks time I shall be in New York, so I can actually go into a Sephora, and touch and see and swatch to my hearts content!
I have been eyeing up the website frequently to see what bits I'm going to get, and these are the products I've narrowed it down to. However all of these may not be possible as Sephora is more on the high end side, but we'll see. ;)

First of all is the Naked 3 palette. I've been thinking about this for ages now, but am yet to give in to the hype. There's something about the pink tones that are just calling out to me!

Next up is the Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion Lip Ink: I've heard great things about Sephora's own brand products and this Lip Ink looks really interesting. From the description it seems to be similar to the YSL Glossy Stains, but for a lot less money! Also, how cute is the test tube like packaging?

It wouldn't be a trip to the States without picking up an Amazonian Clay Blush from Tarte. Every beauty blogger across the globe has raved about these, and apparently the shade Exposed is great as a contour colour for fair skin. I'm akin to Casper the Friendly Ghost, and I can't contour to save my life, so this could be just what I need to get myself in gear to practice it a bit more.

Another really hyped up product is the famous Beauty Blender. Ok so this in reality is just a really expensive make up sponge, but after trying  and loving the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, and another copy of the BB that I picked up in TK Maxx, I just have to try this and see is it really worth it.

I've been wanting to try a full coverage foundation for ages, but haven't been able to find anything decent in the drug store, but the Kat Von D Lock It Foundation is meant to have exceptional coverage, and as its not available here I may be tempted to pick it up on my holiers! Its also a bit less expensive than some of the other more high end offerings, so that means more money to spend!

And last but by no means least is the Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush.  Apparently Sephora brushes are phenomenal, but browsing the site I didn't really see any that I liked. However, this brush from Tarte looks extremely sturdy with its bamboo handle, and it just looks like it would buff in foundation to perfection!

There was lots more I could really have added to this post, but I dread even seeing what these bits have added up to! But by the time I get around to going to New York I may have won the Lotto so I may be able to afford all these! ;)

Have any of you ordered from the Sephora site yet?
Have you been in Sephora?

Thanks for reading!
Alisha xxx

February Favourites...

Hey everyone, happy March! Ok so I'm a couple of days late but I'm a bit stuffed up with a cold and had been feeling just meh. But now I'm back with a months full of favourites!


First up I've been really getting back into my  Undress Me Too eyeshadow palette from MUA. Its a pretty identical dupe for the Naked 2 palette from Urban Decay from what I've read online and I've rediscovered it this month. Its made up of a range of different neutral colour eyeshadows ranging from mattes to shimmers and its perfect for creating either a natural every day look or else a smokey night time look. And its a steal at just under 5 euro!

Sleek is one of my favourite brands and I especially love the blushes. This month I'm loving the shade Rose Gold. Again its hailed as a really good dupe for Nars Orgasm, but I can't compare because I don't own it, but I love Sleek's offering. Its a beautiful pink coral shade with gold shimmer throughout it, and it transfers on to the face really nicely, as it gives the colour of blush, but the shimmer leaves a really nice highlight. I shall definitely be wearing this throughout the summer when I get a bit of a tan. (When I say tan I mean red. Up to my elbows')

I recently ran out of my beloved Healthy Mix, and rather than going straight out and buying a new bottle, I decided I'd be good and raid my foundation drawer. (Don't judge me). The first one I tried was another Rimmel one which I can't think of the name of, but after a few uses I ran out of that one! Aaaagh!! But anyway, I then reached for my Wake Me Up Foundation instead, and its all I've reached for the last few weeks. I find its a really light coverage but I've had a really bad break out the last  few days, and I found it was easily enough built up to cover it. It just makes me look awake and healthy, and makes me look like I've lovely glowy skin, when its in fact the opposite at the moment.

My lips have been ridiculously dry this month and its taken ages to get them somewhat back to normal, then I go and get a headcold and I'm right back to where I started! But because of this I haven't been able to wear lipstick which has been killing me! However I have been wearing gloss without too much hassle, and I've really loved this Catrice Infinite Shine Lipgloss in Pink Up Your Life. Its a lovely pink with gold shimmer through, its very like the Rose Gold Blush, except in lipgloss form. I don't know why I left it to the side for so long, because its a super creamy gloss, and there's no stickiness at all, not like other glosses I've tried. It doesn't last too long, but I have no problem reapplying it a few times a day anyway!

There's one fragrance I haven't been able to get enough in February either, and its Caroline Heherra  L'Eau, which is one I picked up in Lanzarote a couple of years back. This is my second bottle of the stuff, and after using up the first bottle I had bought, I couldn't wait to get back to Spain to pick up another bottle as it couldn't be got here. I'm rubbish at describing scents, but if you could put Spring and Summer in a bottle then this would be it. Its just so fresh and it gives me an instant lift as soon as I put it on. It contains notes of Lemon and Orange Tree Flowers, Jasmine, and Apple Tree Flowers, but deeper  notes like Sandalwood also, so its while its sweet, it still has enough deeper notes to keep it from being sickly.

So that's it for this month! Not a whole lot of products really, but honestly they are the ones I have reached for without giving a second thought this month.

What have you all been loving?
I'd love to know. :)

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Fiver Friday

And here we are again, the end of another week! Woohoo! And I'm back with another inexpensive product that you should all go out and buy... Today its MUA's Undress Your Skin Highlighter.  If you're not aware of the brand, they are an English company, that sell some amazing make up products for next to nothing! I've tried a lot of products from the company, and the only thing I haven't liked was a concealer, mainly because the shade was wrong, but everything else I've loved, including this little beauty. Its a champagne coloured highlighter that MUA say 'transforms your complexion with luminous shimmer', which I would agree with completely.
 I mostly just use it on the high points of my face, and it gives me a gorgeous natural highlight, without looking like a discoball. The presentation of this is lovely aswell, its actually very similar to the MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish to look at!

My only little bugbear is the plastic packaging. While I'm not usually fussed on packaging, I believe you get what you pay for, this white plastic casing isn't very good or sturdy. Mine actually broke after a couple of weeks, and while the highlighter itself is still in one piece, I'd be afraid to bring the product anywhere with me for fear it would end up all over the bottom of my handbag.

The price you ask? 3.66 euro! Its available in Superdrug for all you ladies in the capital, but if you're like me living in the sticks, you can order it online HERE. However I've just checked and its out of stock. (Now do you see how good it is?) But if you really want it keep an eye on the site because it generally doesn't be out of stock for too long. MUA also do offers and discounts fairly frequently, so who knows, you may end up picking up another couple of bits too!

Thanks for reading guys,
Alisha xxx


Pictures taken from MUA and Brown Thomas Websites respectively.

How much is your face worth?

Sometimes the urge takes me to just sit down and empty everything out of my make up bag so I can see what I'm using frequently and what can be put back in my drawer until such a time I'm going to use them. This week in particular I emptied everything out and then thought to myself about the cost of all the make up I have. Like most other make up junkies, I have gathered quite a lot, and although some of it has been given to me as presents and what not, I would imagine it all still adds up to a fairly large amount. So today I thought I'd do something a bit different and discover how much the make up I actually use on a daily basis adds up to, therefore telling me 'how much my face is worth', well for today at least!
I could be cheating a bit by not putting in my moisturisers etc, but that's for another day!

Let's get cracking!
First up is the face products:
Primer: Benefit The Porefessional: 34.00
Foundation: Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Compact Foundation: 9.45 (A present)
Concealer: Catrice Camouflage Concealer: 3.49
Blush: Sleek Rose Gold: 5.49
 Total: 52.43 (ouch)

Eyes:  
Base:Maybelline Colour Tattoo On and On Bronze: 10.49
Eyeshadow: MUA Undressed Palette: 4.87
Mascara : Mac Opulash: 18.00 (This was part of a giftset at Christmas) 
Total: 33.36

Lips: Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub: £5.50 (so around 6.69 euro)
Lip Gloss: Catrice Infinite Shine Lip Gloss: (Not sure of exact price, around 4 euro)
Lip Balm: Lush Honey Trap: £5.75 (part of Christmas gift set,) around 6.98 euro
Total: 17.67

Total altogether: 103.46

Wow. I honestly didn't think it would come to that, and OK its not as high as it could be in comparison to others say that use more high end products, its still a lot of money to be putting on your face, that instead say you could be putting towards a holiday or a new car or something like that. But that's the joys of make up I guess! And what harm, sure we could be doing worse! ;)


What about you?
Have you tried this before? How did yours compare to mine?
Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Time for Change

Hey Ladies, I hope you're all keeping well and had a great weekend. This post is something a little bit different for me, but there is so many different thoughts floating around my head at the minute that I had try to put them down somewhere. So why not on my tiny tiny Internet place?
For the last while now, I've noticed a change in myself. I'm not the happy go lucky person I used to be, and on occasion my boyfriend has also said it to me. This in itself would be worrying if I hadn't lost one of the most important people in my life last August, my amazing grandfather. I saw him and my grandmother every day because they only lived around the corner, and I'm so grateful because thanks to being so near to them, I have some fantastic memories that noone can ever take from me. Death has hit my family hard having lost 2 brothers, and 2 cousins on the same side, and I was a lot younger at the time, so it has taken until now for me to fully understand the devastation loosing someone special can have on a person. Dealing with his loss is difficult enough, but without going into too much detail on here, my circumstances in life with regard to work have changed. I'm not working at the minute, and the job I was previously in was part time, its still hard to adjust from getting up to go to work to getting up and not knowing what I'm going to do with my day. At the start it was like a holiday, but now its been a few weeks its changed. I've started to get very fed up and at times I've ended up in tears feeling very low and down in the dumps. Its hard, so many of my friends have fantastic jobs, my brother is studying for a great career in Physiotherapy, and at times I find myself looking at them and thinking 'what's wrong with me', or 'why can't I be like that'. And before you say it, no I'm not jealous, my brother has come through a lot and worked his backside off to get to where he is, and I'm so proud of him for it, and likewise my friends are the same, so I suppose sometimes I just feel a little left behind or lost. Which I think is my problem right there. Comparing myself to everyone else. I am me, and only me can be me! I need to stop comparing myself to each and every other person out there and realise I can't and won't ever be like them, because I'm Alisha, and I've to lead the path that's right for me. I've realised its time to change my 'Negative Nelly' attitude. Instead of looking at the things I don't have, its time to look at what I do have. I've a fantastic family, who I love to pieces, I've a loving and supportive boyfriend, great friends, and a roof over my head. There's so many people out there who would only love to be right now, and here I am complaining about things I don't need to. Instead I'm going to have a more positive attitude to life. If I'm not happy, its only me who can change it. And it starts today! I've signed up for a Distance Learning course, I've this little space on the interweb which I'm going to put my heart and soul into while I have the time, and I'm going to figure out who I really am, and what I want from my life. (That sounds awful corny doesn't it)
But to end, a positive quote!

Thanks for reading everybody,
Alisha xxx

Nails of the Week

After having my nails a dull and rather boring grey colour for a night out last week, I decided I wanted to go for something bright and a bit more cheery seen as its Spring, (seeing today's weather though we could all be forgiven for thinking otherwise). I went for a look in my nail polish drawer to see what stood out and I fancied something with a bit of glitter. And then I found a white Rimmel polish at the back of the drawer that hadn't even been opened, so I decided to give both a go together and see how they fared out.

 The white polish I used was one of Rimmel's Lasting Finish Polishes in London Cloud. I know white nail polish isn't the most opaque of colours, but it took me 3  coats to get something that looked half decent. The effort! The glitter polish is the same formula but its in the shade Disco Ball. I don't think this is actually meant as a top coat, but it would take a lot of work  and a few coats to get it up to a decent coverage. I decided just to go with one coat, which resulted in fairly sparce glitter on the nail, which I was OK with. However it took me an age to get the lid off the glitter polish, and resulted in big nail marks in the polish on my nails  on my left hand... Some day I will get to do my nails without ruining them in 5 minutes! I was pleased with how they turned out, but 3 coats is a hell of a lot of work, and ain't nobody got time for that! I was also less than impressed when they had chipped by the afternoon the following day!! :( Next time I shall remember to use a top coat!

 

What are you all sporting on your nails at the moment?

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx

Fiver Friday

Every so often a product comes along that really makes me wonder how I lived without it before, because it makes life so much easier! I'm a nail polish fiend, in fact I don't even know how many I have, and truth be told I'm afraid to count. For ages I'd been looking for a good nail polish remover, that didn't break the bank but actually did the job it was supposed to.
Well finally I found it. And before you say it, yes I know how familiar it is to another well known product! ;)

Its Primarks (Penneys to us Irish Ladies), instant nail polish remover. The idea is the same as the one that's known and loved by many beauty bloggers across the globe, but this works just as well! The idea is simple. The pot contains a sponge soaked in nail polish remover with a hole in the middle. You put your finger into the pot, twist it around a couple of times, take out your finger and even the toughest nail polish is gone completely! Its so simple! But its only 2 EURO! Yes you read that right, I can't believe how well it works for something so inexpensive.
 I have tried one of these before from a discount shop, and there was barely any remover on the sponge, and it just scraped my nails and it was crap. But you can tell once you put your finger in that there is plenty of product in there.
For a price like this, you can even pick up a nail polish or two to go with it! :)

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

How I Conceal and Correct

It would be great if we could all wake up each morning looking absolutely perfect, but for most of us this is not the case. I don't know about everyone else, but in the last couple of years the pores on my nose seem to have got significantly larger, and there seems to be a lot more redness on and around my nose than there used to be. So much so that no matter what primer or foundation I use it still seems to shine through. I'm used to light to medium coverage bases, and my skin is generally quite clear, so I'm not willing to switch to a fuller coverage base just to cover up a bit of redness in one particular area. If it was all over my face, or I had a lot of blemishes, then it may be something I'd consider. For now, I've figured out what works for me at the moment, so until it stops to work I'm going to stick to it like glue.
The two main area's I always conceal and correct no matter what are my nose and under my eyes.

Nose: I've mentioned the problem I have with my nose already so I won't dwell on it again, but I'll just explain what I do to fix it. If you're familiar with the Colour Wheel, you'll know that red is a primary colour, and green is its complementary colour because its across from it on the wheel. So if you put green on top of red, it will cancel it out altogether. So if you have problems with redness on your skin, if you use a green tone concealer on these red areas, they will eliminate the redness. The one I currently use is the green shade from the Catrice 'All Round Concealer' palette. This palette is so handy as it contains a green, pink (to counteract dark circles,) and 3 beige shades to suit differing skin tones. Its really inexpensive aswell which is always a bonus! I apply the concealer to my nose with my finger, and then blend it in with my Real Techniques Flat Foundation brush as its a middling size so it blends in the product quite nicely. The product itself is also really creamy so its easy to work with. And voila, redness is gone!

                                                    Maybelline's The Eraser (mine is disgusting and empty)
Under Eyes: The reason I conceal my under area is for the same reason as most others, dark circles! For most people, the area under there eyes will be of a purple/blue hue. If you look to the Colour Wheel to see the complimentary colour this, you'll see its yellow. Henceforth, a good colour to disguise the bags under the eyes is yellow. The area under the eye can be more difficult to find a concealer for because if you choose something to thick, it'll end up cakey and sitting in the lines around the eye. A more liquid concealer is perfect for this job as it blends in easier. I know a lot of people use Mac's Pro Long Wear Concealer for under the eyes, and I am hoping to pick it up when I go away, but for now I'm using two others. (At least I was until it one of those ran out).Those two are the Maybelline The Eraser, and Wet n Wilds Cover All Concealer.  Unfortunately I've ran out of the Maybelline one, and its 11 euro here, and something like 8.99 dollars, so naturally enough I'm going to stock up when I get over there instead of buying it here. ;) In fairness though it is a pretty good product. It comes with a little sponge applicator on the top, which some people don't like but I wasn't bothered about either way. Its a nice light liquid product, so it blends like a dream, it counteracts the darkness under my eyes, and brightens the area up all at the same time.

Until I get to New York though I'm going to use the Wet n Wild Cover All Concealer, which I picked up partly out of curiosity, it was only 2.99 or so, so it wasn't going to break the bank if it wasn't good. However though I was really impressed. Its another liquid product, but its a little bit thicker in consistency than the Maybelline one, but not so thick that it cakes and creases. In fact it blends really easily, and it actually offers more coverage than The Eraser. After using my concealer of choice I then set it with a powder, the one I'm currently using is the Rimmel Stay Matte.

Lastly, for the odd time I do get a whopper of a spot, I don't tend to wear a lot of make up as it just makes it more noticeable in my opinion. If I'm going somewhere though and can't go Au natural, the concealer of choice is Catrice's Camouflage Cream which is comparable from what I hear to the  Bobbi Brown corrector, accept this stuff is only just over 5 euro if my memory serves me correct. Its amazing, like its industrial strength stuff! It covers anything, and I mean anything! I've previously had scars on my hands from being pure clumsy but after dabbing a bit of this on it you wouldn't know they were even there! It is a very thick concealer though, so it wouldn't be suitable for the likes of under your eyes, but I find it works a dream for spot concealing, and just literally applying the tiniest amount on the pesky buggers!

Sorry this post was so long winded everyone, I didn't realise I used that many concealers on my mug!
Do you use as many as this? If so, which ones?

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Catrice Creme Fresh S/S 2014

Catrice is one of my absolute favourite make up brands of all time, and it's not hard to understand why. Great quality products at great prices! At any given stage there is a few Catrice bits in my every day make up bag.
Another thing Catrice are great at is releasing frequent limited edition collections, with there being a new one every couple of months or so.
This newest Spring collection is one that actually has me quite excited I must admit!
Beautiful washes of pastel with a hint of 60's style to it.

There is something for everyone in this collection. It is made up of:

• Creamy Powder Eyeshadow's
• Graduation Blush
• Lip Balms
• Ultimate Nail Lacquer
• Hair, Lash and Brow Colour!

I have to say the Hair Lash and Brow Colour is probably the most interesting thing, its just something that Catrice haven't done before. However I think it will appeal to a lot of people as hair chalks and adding bright colours to the hair is something that has become very popular over the last few months or so.

I'm a bit of a blush hoarder so I think I may have to pick that up, and possibly one or two of the nail polishes.

This collection will be available from January to March 2014 in pharmacies and Penneys.

Anythin here that you all would like to try? 

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx

Make Up shopping in Penneys!

I have been known on an occasion or two to drop a fair few euro in Penney's on any given day. Since Christmas though I'm very proud of myself as I've been very restrained! I'm trying very hard to save my money for New York as I want to be able to buy a few bits knowing how hard I saved for it.
On a trip in to Penney's recently I wandered over to the make up section which is my usual haunt and I  was super excited to see a new line of make up from Penney's themselves! The brand is called 'PS Love' and comes in super cute black and gold packaging. It looks a lot more expensive than it actually is! They had a fair few bits ranging from nail polish to eye liner to lipgloss, there's so much selection! I also saw on a video somewhere on YouTube that there is also 2 eyeshadow palettes available in England, but I didn't see them in the store when I was in. They were something crazy like 2.50 in pounds, and they looked so pretty! I really want to try them so I shall be keeping my eyes peeled!

In the end I decided to try a lipstick from the PS Love range, and a couple of bits from the standard make up that Penney's seem to have all the time.
The packaging is rather impressive, and its easy to see what the shade is because the packaging contains the colour on the bottom! There's no fancy names or anything, but I don't really mind that.
I picked up a light pink shade, which looks really natural with one coat, but it can be built up to a more pastel kind of look. I tried it last night, and after applying a heavy dose of lipbalm to my poor chapped lips, its actually really comfortable on! Obviously it doesn't last too long, but at 2 euro, would you really complain about that?

I then picked up another lipstick and a lipstain from the normal range. The packaging of either of these isn't great, but again at 2 euro each I wouldn't be put out. The colour of the lipstick is a slightly metallic purple, and its a sheerer lipstick than the previous one, but it can be built up to your desired coverage.
The lipstain is a beautiful coral colour, and I can't wait to try this out, as tried a lipstain before from NYC which I loved!

In the picture above from left to right we have the PS Love lipstick, then the standard Penney's lipstick and the lipstain. The stain is a completely different colour to the packaging! So not impressed with that.. :(


Have you tried any of them?
Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Dandelion Blush Review

If I had to pick my favourite make up product of all time it would be without a doubt blusher. I just love how a simple sweep of a certain colour over the apples of the cheeks can change a look completely and instantly make you look more alert and fresh faced. In fact I love blush so much that I have an insane amount of it in my make up collection. I am yet to hit pan or anywhere near it on any blush I own, in fact, I don't think I ever will I have that many of them.
So even with the insane amount I have, there's only one that I have been reaching for on a daily basis over the last few months, and it is Benefit's Dandelion Blush. I was in Dublin before Christmas and decided to treat myself to a 'Box O' Powder' from the quirky high end brand, and one of the girls with me was raving about Coralista, so I was originally going for that. However, after telling this to the make up artist, he gave me a disapproving look, and said 'not for you love, you're far too pale' and recommended Dandelion instead.
Me being one to do what I'm told, brought it back to good old Galway with me..... But what did I think? Let's find out!

As you can see from the picture, it comes in the same cute packaging like a lot of Benefit's products. Its in a light green box, with a picture of a cute little dandelion on the front. (Anyone else used to pick these and pretend they were fairies and blow all the seeds away in the wind?) It contains 7 grammes of product, which from what I'm aware is in line with most of the other Box O Powder products.

All the Benefit boxed products also come with a little brush like this one in the picture. I honestly can't tell you what it's like because I never use any other brush bar my trusty Real Techniques Blush brush! But still, its a nice touch. I was actually watching Katie Dee on Youtube, and she actually recommended using these little brushes for contouring. So that's an idea!
Benefit describe it as a 'brightening face powder that takes you're complexion from dull to radiant with buildable colour and just a hint of shimmer'.
Its a really natural but pretty pink colour, which does have a slight shimmer in it, but nothing too crazy, it just makes you look like you have a natural glow, which is always good!
A little does go a long way with this though, you really don't need too much of it to get effective colour payoff. If you did use too much of this I think you're cheeks would end up looking more on the sweaty side of things as opposed to glowy!

It was really hard to actually try and get a good picture of this on the cheeks, but I think you can see the slight pink colour, and the hint of shimmer in there too. Before I bought this I wouldn't wear highlighter on a daily basis, but this does the work of one anyway, so if you're someone who does like to use highlighter everyday, this is a time saver as it takes that extra step out of your routine and gives you an extra few minutes in the leaba, which I don't think anyone would refuse!
Over all I have to say I am really impressed with this little box of loveliness. I held off buying one of Benefit's blushes for so long, mainly because they are pricey, but I have a feeling this will last for ages so I don't have to worry about running out of it any time soon!
Dandelion is available from Benefit Counters priced at 34 euro.

What do you guys think of Benefit?
Have you tried any of the products?
Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Fiver Friday #2

With the day that's in it, I think today's Fiver Friday post is very appropriate for those of you who may be planning on puckering up to someone special. And even if you're not, well I think you just go and treat yourself! :)

Today I want to tell you about Essence's Longlasting lipsticks. Essence is a brand that I tend to look over a lot, and when I'm in my local Penney's I tend to look at the Catrice stand rather then the Essence stand. This may have something to do with lots of teenage girls having the stand surrounded, and then swatching all the lip products on themselves and putting them back and wandering off without buying anything. This gets on my nerves and I'm sure I'm not the only it happens to, or am I?

Anyway I did get a look at the stand one day and I got to pick up a couple to try, and I was really impressed.
I'm not going to go in to too much detail because I already have a post on these little beauties HERE, but these are some really good lipsticks! Easy to apply, creamy, and really pigmented, and they come in a great selection. The packaging is also quite nice, a slightly matte black finish, with the colour of the lipstick itself around the centre of the tube.
These lipsticks are an out and out bargain at only 2.85 each! So for just a little bit more than a fiver you'll have two new shiny lipsticks! If you decide to try them out, I'd recomend the colours 'Cotton Candy' and 'Wear Berries'.

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

If I were a rich girl.....

Hi, I'm Alisha, and I'm a cheapskate.... (If you've ever watched Extreme Cheapskates, don't worry, I'm not THAT bad). Don't get me wrong, I like to spend money, I like to spend it quite a lot actually, but I don't tend to spend a lot of money on more expensive things. I like cheap and cheerful, and I can't really justify spending high amounts of money for things that can be picked up for a lot less in less expensive places, and I'm afraid this goes for make up too. I just don't spend money on higher end more expensive make up products, when there's such amazing things to be found in the 'drugstore' these days. However, everybody is different, and I'm not judging anybody who does prefer  to splash their cash on high end make up, each to their own. This is just how I roll! Now that being said, I do own some high end make up, but I can count it on one hand!
The whole purpose of this post is to show you all what I would buy, if I by some stroke of luck win the lotto, or if I perhaps marry a rich man!!

Yves Saint Laurent is one of the most luxurious high end brands around. With its elegant packaging its not hard to see why. I mean just look at it! How pretty is this lipstick! However, no matter how pretty is, I just wouldn't pay 32.50 for it at this moment in time. I know it sounds tight, but I find it  hard to pay anything over 10 euro for a lipstick, especially when I've found such great ones for 3 and 4 euro! If I had the means though I would have all colours in the ROUGE VOLUPTE SHINE lipstick, even just to have them sitting pretty on my dressing table!

I love nail polish, at present there is a drawer next to my bed that won't close properly because there is copious bottles of polish sticking out of it, calling out to me to be used! However, there is no high end nail colours in there, so a Tom Ford polish wouldn't be out of place in there! However, at 32.50 for a single polish, I think it'll be sitting pretty in my Brown Thomas online basket for a while longer. :(

Just recently I've really gotten into my skincare, and have really loved trying different bits and pieces to see what suits my skin. I suppose I've finally realised that prevention is better than cure, and now is the time to start looking after my skin. Creme De La Mer is the cream of the crop when it comes to skincare (pardon the pun there), but at 1600 euro for a 500ml tub?? I'll stick with my No 7 moisturiser for now thank you very much! However if I was a lady who had lots to spend, well I'd be very happy to purchase this!

Jo Malone are probably most well known for their huge range of fragrances and candles. I hear very little of the bath and body range, but this Lime Basil and Mandarin Body Creme sounds so luxurious, and its no wonder at 62.50! If money was no object, I'd probably have the body wash and the matching perfume too! Feck it, I'd probably get the candle too just for the heck of it! :)

And lastly, this post wouldn't be complete without a designer handbag, and the one I'd run out straight away and buy for myself if I won the EuroMillions would be this Michael Kors Medium Sutton Tote in this gorgeous bright blue saffiano leather. It would just be the perfect bag to brighten up any plain outfit, and it would fit everything you'd need to carry around with you on a daily basis. However at 328 Dollars, I think I'll wait until someone picks up on a hint or two and maybe buys it for me?? Or else I'll keep an eye out when I go to America for some good sales! :)

What would you guys buy if you had an endless stream of money?

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

Make Up Monday!

Back to Monday again... Sigh... Wouldn't it be great if there was an extra day at the weekend to get ready for the week ahead? Ah well, a girl can dream I guess. I have to admit this week I was a bit lazy with regards to make up. I wasn't doing a lot so I didn't really bother with a heavy base, but yet I didn't want to leave the house sans make up altogether. That would just be crazy, and I really didn't want to scare all my neighbours. The saviour product I used this week though was Catrice's BB Allround Foundation Multi Benefit Make Up. Ok so quite a long winded name, but basically its Catrice's version of a BB cream! I picked this up on a whim after Laura Cunningham raved about it one morning on Ireland AM. Laura Cunningham really knows her stuff when it comes to beauty products, so I figured if its good enough for her its good enough for little old me! Its a 6 in 1 product which Catrice claim offers Balancing, Correcting, Protecting, Illuminating, Covering, and Moisturising properties.
That's a lot of claims for just one product!

Some of them I don't know would I agree with altogether, such as the balancing property and the moisturising one. I do find it does a very good job of correcting and covering, as it does even out the colour of my skin and does a good job of visibly reducing redness, a lot of which I have on and around my nose. I'm also very impressed with the protection offered in this product, as its Factor 30! Which in itself is amazing as a lot of face products I've seen seem to offer at the most a Factor 15. This product also contains light reflecting pigments which give a more radiant glow to the skin. (At times I use a bit too much and so end up looking shiny, so just beware of that and use a tiny amount.)
Coverage wise, obviously as its a BB cream its a rather light coverage, but that's what  I like about it. Some days I just don't want the hassle of priming my skin and then applying foundation and then powder. This is just so quick and easy, especially for day's your not doing much and are just hanging around the house, but yet want to feel somewhat put together.
Its so handy to use, literally just this, a tiny bit of blush, and mascara and I'm good to go!
There is only 3/4 shades in this, so that is probably the only downside of this, I'm using the lightest shade and it is very yellow, and my skin has more pink undertones, but with a lot of blending in I manage to make it work.
I have a feeling that Catrice are actually to discontinue this, but don't worry if they have because they always reintroduce something very similar within a few weeks, which is partly why I love Catrice, they're always reintroducing new products for me to try! It is very reasonably priced too at 6.99, which is great if you want to try the BB craze!
Catrice can be found at selected pharmacies and Penney's stores nationwide.

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx