Eye Bases

I wear eyeshadow pretty much everyday, even if its just a wash of colour across the lid. Even if I don't wear eyeshadow, I will always put on an eyeshadow base. Eyeshadow bases help even out the eyelid, make eyeshadows appear more vibrant, make eyeshadow last much longer and prevent eyeshadow creasing. I already have a post (link here) on the eye primer that I use, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, so I don't dwell on it now as the main focus of the post is the eyeshadow bases I use with the primer. 

I have three eyeshadow bases which I use on a regular basis, two Benefit Creasless Cream Shadows and a MAC Paintpot. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows are available in a number of shades, although they appear to be mainly shimmery from what I have seen, and retail for around €16 (link here). MAC Paintpots are incredibly popular in the beauty industry. They have a number of shades available with a good mix of matte and shimmer and cost around €19 (link here). I have heard that paintpots can have a tenancy to dry out and storing them upside down can help with that. I have reaching for Painterly the most recently as it is a simple matte nude colour that suits any eyeshadow combination.

Do you have any eyeshadow base recommendations?

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MAC Mocha Blush

Mocha was the first MAC blush I bought. I went in planning to try shades such as Well Dressed and Melba, however, I was completely distracted by Mocha and it's dusty plum-pink colour. I didn't leave empty-handed. 

Mocha is described by MAC as a soft plum-pink, which I regard as being fairly accurate. I think it is such a pretty shade on paler skintones. Given its plum undertones, I do tend to keep this for colder months. Mocha is a matte shade, which I think suits the subtle nature of the blush. 

Mocha comes in the standard MAC blush packaging. While there is nothing particularly fancy about it, it is functional and compact, making it ideal for travel. MAC blushes cost €21.50 and are available from MAC counters or online (here or here). 

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Face Primers

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Protective Base,
 Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

I am a pretty big fan of primers and rarely skip them in my daily routine. I have something of a 'primer wardrobe', choosing various ones depending on my particular skin needs that day. Today I thought I would talk about my three most used primers. 

First up is the Clinique Redness Solution Daily Protective Base. I won't dwell on this one too much as I already have a post up about it (post here). I have quite a lot of facial redness and tend to apply this pretty much everyday to try and combat the redness. The fact that it has SPF 15 is an added bonus. The Redness Solutions Daily Protective Base is available here.

Next is the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer. While I just have the standard, original primer, there are several variations of this primer, including oil-free and radiance boosting versions. This has a silky texture and makes foundation application smooth and flawless. At the moment, I am using the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation and really like the combination. You only need a tiny amount of this primer so one bottle will last a good while. The Foundation Primer is available here.

Finally, I have the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm which is often raved about in the beauty world. I don't use this as often as the other two mentioned above, however, I turn to this when I feel my face needs to be brightened up. It gives the skin a beautiful healthy glow, which is particularly nice in winter when skin tends to be a bit drier, I have also heard positive things about this being used on more mature skins. Beauty Flash Balm is available here.

Do you have any favourite primers?

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Nars Miss Liberty Highlighter

I have previously talked about Nars Albatross highlighter (post here) and today I thought share another Nars highlighter, Miss Liberty. Described as a soft, shimmering peach, it is pretty different from Albatross. The base is quite peachy with some silver shimmer which has quite a subtle, pretty result. I think its quite a universal colour that anyone would enjoy wearing. 

Miss Liberty comes in the standard Nars rubberised packaging and as you can see from the photos, my one has become quite grubby looking over time. Miss Liberty costs about €29 and you can pick one up from Nars counters or House of Fraser online (link here). 

Do you have any highlighter favourites? If so, I'd love to hear about them. 

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Nars Lipgloss

Admittedly I am not a huge lipgloss person, I don't often bother wearing them. However, on the occasion that I do, my favourite lipglosses are from Nars. The biggest plus about these glosses is that they aren't sticky. I tend to wear my hair down a lot and absolutely hate getting my hair stuck in lip gloss, which isn't a problem with these. They have a really pretty colour range and the three I have are  called Turkish Delight, Orgasm and Ophelia. I also quite like the packaging of the lipglosses which is just really simple and sleek. The glosses come with a doe foot wand applicator, which I prefer over brush applicators. My main issue with these glosses is the smell. They have quite a potent, plastic smell, which I really dislike. However, if you can get past the smell, they are a really good range of lipglosses. I bought mine from ASOS (link here) and they cost around €24. 

Turkish Delight, Orgasm, Ophelia

Turkish Delight

First up is the shade Turkish Delight, which is described as a pink sherbet. I had heard some good reviews about this shade and decided to try it out. It's quite a milky, light pink which is noticeable on the lips. I have quite pale skin so I like light pinks on my lips on occasion, though I would recommend swatching the shade in person if you have a darker skintone to ensure it suits. 

Orgasm

Next is the infamous Nars shade Orgasm, which is also available in other products (Orgasm blush reviewed here). Orgasm is described as peachy pink with shimmer, which I think is pretty accurate. The golden shimmer is noticeable on the lips, though I don't particularly mind this. I think this is a great pick for summer as it would look great with a tan. 

Ophelia

Lastly, I have Ophelia, which is described as a strawberry nectar. I will admit I was drawn in part to this shade because of the name as I was studying Shakespeare's Hamlet at the time. Out of the shades I have Ophelia is probably my favourite as it's a pretty natural colour. It is a little bit sheerer than the other two shades as you can from the photo of the swatches above. 

Have you tried any Nars lipglosses or do you have any lipgloss recommendations? 

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Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

After owning the Urban Decay Naked palette and lusting for the Naked 2 for some time, I decided to take the plunge and buy the Naked 2 palette. While the original Naked palette featured plenty of warm-toned neutral shades, the Naked 2 is much more on the cooler side, featuring some really pretty taupe, silver and purple shades. I haven't had this that long but already I can tell I am going to get so much wear out of these shades. The mix of light and dark, shimmer and matte make it such a versatile palette, add to that the sturdy, sleek packaging makes it perfect for travel. I definitely prefer the packaging of this palette over the original palette. It looks far sleeker, doesn't get as dirty and I feel like its more sturdy. You also get a nice big mirror and a double-ended eyeshadow brush, again both handy additions for travel. 

I'm drawn to the shade selection of the Naked 2 more than the original. They are good quality shadows and if you are careful, fallout is minimal. Vivanna does makeup provides a good run through of the individual shades if you want to find out more (post here). My personal favourites include YDK, Suspect and Chopper, though all of them will see their fair share of wear. Swatches of all the shades are provided below. 

The Naked 2 palette costs around €42, which considered you get 12 full-sized eyeshadow and a brush is pretty good value. I bought mine from House of Fraser (link here) and it is available at any Urban Decay counter. If you are just getting into makeup or a complete fanatic, I think this palette appeals to everyone and definitely recommend it. 

If you like to see any looks with this palette or a similar review of the original Naked palette, let me know in the comments below. Have you tried the Naked 2 palette? I would love to know your thoughts below.

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Eye Liner Alternatives

My everyday makeup tends to be done in a hurry, which means gel or liquid eyeliner is simply  too time consuming. However, I don't have the thickest pair of lashes and I find I need to had some sort of definition to my lashline, which is where this post comes in.  

I thought I would do a quick post about my favourite eyeshadows for adding some definition to the lashline. What I love about using a dark eyeshadow rather than conventional eye liner is that is super quick and fussfree. As the colour isn't as opaque as eye liner, you don't have to worry about being neat. If you make a mistake, you can easily blend the shadow out. 

Moving on to the actual eyeshadows I particularly like to use, I'll start with a simple matte black. My one is Carbon from MAC and I bought mine in the pot form to make it easy for travel. Obviously you don't need a black eyeshadow from MAC, any will do and I think it's such a capsule eyeshadow shade. Next is Brun, also from MAC, which is described as a muted blackish-brown. It's a little bit more subtle than Carbon, which makes it a nice choice if I'm not wearing a lot of eye makeup but still want to define my lashline. Finally, we have the NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Cordura. I like to use the dark brown shade on the right-hand side of the palette for liner. It looks lighter in the pan than it applies and I find it is somewhere between Brun and Carbon. It has a little bit of shimmer in it as well which I think adds a nice effect. 

MAC 266 Brush

I thought I would also mention my brush of choice for applying the eyeshadow as liner, the MAC 266. I also use this for gel eye liner when I have more time on my hands and have heard good things about using this for brows. The 266 is a small angled brush with natural bristles and I find it does a really good job, making eyeshadow placement quick and easy. 

Carbon and Brun are available to purchase here, Cordura here and the 266 brush here.

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L'Occitane Delightful Almond Set

L'Occitance Delightful Almond Set €35

After hearing good reviews about the L'Occitance Almond Shower Oil, I was desperate to try it. L'Occitane isn't the cheapest brand but one that I had wanted to try more stuff from for a while. Based in Provence in southern France, L'Occitane has beautiful packaging and I love the simplicity of the products. When I discovered the Delightful Almond Set I thought it was a good way of trying out some of the things from the Almond line. The set comes with a 500ml bottle of the Almond Shower Oil, a 30ml tube of the Almond Smooth Hands hand cream and two Delicious Almond Soaps. I will keep you posted on how I get on with the products.

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil

Almond Smooth Hands Hand Cream

L'Occitance Delicious Almond Soap  

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MAC Well Dressed Blush

 MAC blushes are some of the best in the beauty world and today I thought I would share my most worn shade, Well Dressed. Well Dressed is described my MAC as an "immaculate pink". It is light blue-based pink that is quite sheer when applied, though it is buildable. It comes in a satin finish and while it looks like there is some slight shimmer in pan, it is pretty much matte on the cheeks. I think this a lovely colour if you have a light skintone and don't like a dramatic blush. A medium skintone might be able to wear this shade, however, it would need to worked with a bit more.

Swatched heavily

Well Dressed comes in the typical MAC blush packaging. While it is pretty simple, I happen to really like the packaging as it is quite compact and doesn't have any unnecessary bulk, making the blushes a good pick for travel. MAC blushes retail for €21.50 and are available from MAC counters or online (link here).

Have you tried Well Dressed or do you any other favourite MAC blush favourites?

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Nars Orgasm Blush

The Nars blush in Orgasm is somewhat of a cult beauty product in the beauty world. I would say it is probably the most raved about blush on the market and it's status was definitely a contributing factor when I bought it. Orgasm comes in the standard Nars blush packaging and will set you back around €29. I bought mine from Asos.com (link here). Nars also sell the shade Orgasm in a lipgloss, illuminator and multiple.

Orgasm is probably Nars's most famous shade, in part because of the controversial name. In terms of colour, Orgasm is described as a peachy pink with shimmer. As you can see from the photos, there is quite a lot of gold shimmer running through the product. However, as it is quite finely milled, there are no issues with fallout and you don't end up big chunky bits of glitter across your cheek. The shimmer just helps to give your face a bit more of a glow. Part of Orgasm's cult status is due to universal nature of the shade. I have pale skin and enjoy wearing it and think it would look beautiful on more medium skintones as well. I think Orgasm is a lovely choice for summer months as it compliments a tan beautifully. 

While I do like Orgasm, I find myself reaching for the Nars blush in Deep Throat (previously blogged about here) more.

Have you tried any Nars blushes?

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Nail of the Day: OPI Jade is the New Black

Today's NOTD features Jade is the New Black from OPI. Jade is the New Black is a beautiful dark green shade, that looks stunning on the nails. Green is a bit of an unexpected colour on the nails, which I love. As it isn't too bright, however, it prevents the shade from being too in-your-face and it can still be fairly subtle on the nail. The Pantone colour of the year is Emerald making Jade is the New Black a nice option for on trend nails. The shade was part of the Hong Kong collection released several years ago, however, you can still find it online on sites such as Beautybay for €13 (link here). In terms of finish, Jade is the New Black is a glossy creme which is opaque with 2 coats. OPI polishes come with a wide brush, which makes painting the nails quick and easy. OPI nail polishes also tend to wear relatively well on the nails as well. 

Do you have any favourite green nail polishes?

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MAC Painterly Paintpot

I have already posted about my favourite eye primer (here) and today I thought I would talk about the MAC Paintpot in Painterly. I typically pair a cream eyeshadow with an eye primer before appling eyeshadow to enhance staying power and make the colours more vibrant. I wear an eye base most days I wear makeup, whether to under eyeshadows or on it's own, to even out the eyelid. I bought Painterly Paintpot mainly because of the huge hype behind it in the beauty community. 

Swatched heavily and not blended 

Painterly is a nude, pinky-beige colour with no shimmer in it. While it looks far darker than my skin tone in the photo, once blended out the colour isn't that noticeable on my skin. Because it does match my skin colour, it means I can pair any colour eyeshadow with it and I can wear it on its own without any worries. In terms of staying power, paired with Too Faced Shadow Insurance, it will last most of the day and prevent my eyeshadow from creasing. On especially long days, I do have some issues with creasing, though I have particular trouble with creasing. 

MAC Paintpots retail for €19 and are available from MAC counters. If you live in Ireland, you can also buy Paintpots online from House of Fraser (link here) 

Have you tried any Paintpots?

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Charles Worthington Intense Rescue Melting Balm

Hair treatments are an essential part of trying to keep your hair in tip-top condition. I have dry hair, which is regularly subject to heated stylers, meaning I like to pay particular attention to its condition to ensure that it doesn't turn into straw. This is where the Intense Rescue Melting Balm by Charles Worthington steps in.

The Intense Rescue Melting Balm is a pre-shampoo treatment, that you leave on for about 20 minutes. As the name would suggest, it has a solid oil formula which melts with the heat from your hands. You simply scoop out a little bit, melt it between your fingers and then apply it to your hair, concentrating it on the ends. Once you have left it in your hair the recommended time, simply wash it out with shampoo and follow up with conditioner.

I really like this product. My hair feels lovely after I use it. My main issue is that I seem to take forever when applying it. As the balm has to melt in your hands, I find you have to use a little bit at a time. I have quite a lot of hair meaning this can be a fairly time consuming process, especially when compared to traditional hair masks which take seconds to slap on in the shower. Maybe I'm not using the best method to apply it or something like that. Saying that I don't find this to be that major of an issue. I tend to wash my hair in the evening anyway and just watch some telly while applying it.

It's not the cheapest hair treatment on the market. I can't remember what the price was in euro but it seems to be about £16.99. I bought mine from Boots when it has just come out so it was on an introductory offer. I think it's a really nice treatment and it makes a nice change from the traditional hair masks that are applied like conditioner.

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Nails of the Day: Essie Bahama Mama

Today's NOTD post features yet another Essie polish, Bahama Mama. I had seen quite a few blog posts about this shade last autumn and decided to pick it up when I found it in Boots. It's such a beautiful colour for this time of year. I would describe it as a raspberry colour, as it has both red and purple tones in it. I don't think the photos truly capture how nice this colour is. I also think shades in the dark red/purple family look so polished on the nails and this fails into this category. It doesn't have the glossiest finish though a good topcoat would help that. Overall, if you like dark nails I would definitely recommend taking a look at Bahama Mama. As I already mentioned, I picked mine up from the diffusion line in Boots for €12.99. It is also available online from Beautybay (link here) where it is slightly cheaper. 

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Video: Feel Unique Sales Haul

A few of the things mentioned

Feel Unique is one of my favourite places to windowshop and once they had their Christmas sale, it didn't see right not order a few things. I love watching haul videos so I thought I would film a haul video of the things I picked up. I had been eying up most of the items for a while so needless to say I'm excited to try them out. Look out for some of these featuring in future blog posts and videos.

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