Best of Skin Care 2016

Eye Make-Up Remover

This eye make-up remover is one of the few that removes my eye make-up without me having to rub vigorously at my lids. I just shake the bottle to mix & saturate two cotton pads, leave on my eyes for a few seconds & wipe away. At €3 from most pharmacies its easy to find, lasts for ages & doesn't break the bank.

Make-Up Remover

This make-up remover is micellar water mixed with oil & it removes every scrap of make-up off my face. I soak one of the large cotton pads & sweep across my face. This bottle has lasted me for months. It says that it is for dry/normal (my skin would be quite dry) but it doesn't leave any residue on the skin, so might work for all skin types. €6 from most pharmacies, but I actually picked mine up from Penneys/Primark.

Facial Cleanser

After I've removed my make-up with the micellar water I usually deep cleanse with Simple's Kind to Skin Moisturising Facial Wash. I don't have particularly sensitive skin, but I do find that alot of other foaming cleansers dry my skin out too much & leave it feeling uncomfortably tight. This removes any traces of make-up which I may have left behind without the uncomfortable feeling. I got mine from Tesco when the whole Simple range was half price.

Toner

Pixi's Glow Tonic is my absolute Holy Grail skincare product. My skin's texture has improved so much since using this product. The Glow Tonic is an exfoliating toner, so it removes dead skin cells to reveal the brighter skin underneath. As it contains 5% Glycolic Acid you will have to slowly build up to using this neat on the skin. I started using it on damp cotton rounds for the first week or so. I use this every evening now & it makes my dull, dry skin so much brighter & the next morning my make-up goes on smoother. £18 on Cult Beauty.

Facial Exfoliator

I received The Dr. Brandt Pore Dermabrasion in a Birchbox, so it was only a sample size, but it has been the best exfoliator I used in 2016. It has tiny granules which slough away the dead skin cells leaving incredibly smooth skin underneath. A tiny bit goes a long way, so as I only use it around once a week a small tube lasts for ages. £43 from Birchbox.

Lip Scrub

The smell of this lip scrub is delicious (safe to eat as well!) The granules are course enough to make a difference & it leaves behind a slightly oily residue which moisturises the lips. £5.50 from Lush.

Serum

This has more of a lotion consistency than a typical serum. It doesn't give me enough hydration by itself, but this gives my skin an extra boost of moisture underneath my normal moisturiser. Great also as a primer before foundation. I've gone through multiple tubes of this & I will keep repurchasing.€3.50 from Penneys/Primark.

Eye Cream

I use two different eye creams, one for the morning & a different one for the evening. My morning one is Caudalie's "Premier Cru- The Eye Cream", this has a nice light consistency but still moisturises & smooths under the eyes. It also doesn't have any adverse effects with any make-up applied over it. Benefits "It's Potent" eye cream is a bit richer so I apply it in the evening after I've removed my make-up. Since using this cream I've noticed a huge difference in the texture of my under eyes & also the appearance of some of the fine lines. Caudalie Premier Cru as part of a kit from Cult Beauty. Benefits It's Potent €26 from Sam McAuleys.

Facial Moisturiser

I have yet to find my perfect moisturiser, but this one from Simple has been the best so far. Its easy to layer with other products & doesn't leave a residue on the skin or clog the pores. I mainly use this as a night cream, but works well under make-up too (if you have dry skin). €5 from pharmacies.

Facial Spray

This is without a doubt the best facial spray I've tried. It contains Argan Oil & is great underneath my moisturiser for an extra boost or for spraying over make-up when my foundation looks dry or cakey. I love it so much... but it breaks me out... I get small little red bumps on my forehead when I use this, easy to cover up with make-up & usually disappear after using a detoxing face mask. But it does mean that I don't use it every day. Its such a good product that I'm going to persevere using it & hopefully my skin will adjust to it as I'm not usually prone to breakouts. £18 Cult Beauty. 

Best of Beauty 2016

The I discovered so many new products in 2016, so it was hard to narrow it down to just one product per category. These products were not necessarily released in 2016, but they are the products which I discovered or used most during the year. 

Primer

I have included two primers as I generally use an illuminating one & a pore-filling one. The Catrice Prime & Fine Beautify Primer paired with Benefit's The Porefessional has been my favourite combination. As I have dry skin I don't use either to prolong my foundation, more to even out my complexion & smooth the texture.

Concealer 

Too Faced's Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer has been a game changer for me in 2016. It has a large doe foot applicator, which distributes just enough product, doesn't crease & lasts all day under my eyes. Love. Definitely better than any of the cheaper concealers I tried over the last year.

Foundation 

Foundation has been one of the hardest categories, not because I had too many to choose from but because I didn't have enough to choose from... I didn't come across a foundation that I was 100% happy with during the year. My skin has changed a lot in the last few years, going from oily/combination to dry/dehydrated. The one that I have worn the most has been Inglot HD Perfect Cover-up Foundation. It's been the best so far, giving me the coverage that I want with the best shade match (73 or 74 depending on how tanned I am) I still find that it can cling to some patches of dehydration & emphasise some fine lines. The search continues...

Highlighter

The Balm's Mary-Louminizer has been my most used highlighter in the last year, it gives a high impact shine with no glitter chunks. Perfect for cheekbones, brow bone & inner corner of the eyes. There is nothing bad to say about this highlighter, I've no doubt that I will continue to use it in 2017 (although I suspect my new Becca highlighters will also feature strongly...)

Eyebrows

I didn't experiment with too many eyebrow products in 2016 because the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade is the best there is. I've heard of a few people complaining that theirs dried out fairly fast, but I've had two pots for over a year & there's no sign of either beginning to dry out, a pot will last forever (almost). I use the Anastasia 12 Eyebrow brush with the pomade & it's the perfect combination.

Eyeliner

I've always been a black liquid eyeliner girl, but in a whim ordered the teal gel eyeliner from Colourpop. This has completely changed up my eye looks, adding a pop of colour to otherwise neutral looks. The teal is a softer look than the black, so a great option for day time. The gel has a very creamy consistency that glides onto the eyes  then dries to a matte finish  which does not budge (I have to use an oil-based remover to take it off). I use an Inglot 31T brush to apply, which allows me to do a thick or thin wing depending on my mood. Just make sure to clean the brush after each use as the eyeliner can tend to really dry into the bristles. Not bad for $5.

Bronzer/Contour

I've lumped these two categories together as I've been using the same product for both. Benefit's Hoola Bronzer is the perfect contour shade for my skin tone & blends so easily. I got a mini size well over a year ago & I still haven't hit pan. I usually hate the little brushes that come with blushers/bronzers, but this one is just the perfect size for contouring. I don't actually bronze my skin too often as I think it can look too muddy on my fair skin, but if I need to, just a light dusting of Hoola works perfect as it can be buffed in to the skin. The deluxe size is €12 & full size is €35.

Eye shadow Pallet

The break-out product for me in 2016 was definitely this pallet. I had seen it around for while & was recommending it to people based on the reviews that I had watched/read. I did have the Pippa Pallet from Blank Canvas which I loved, the texture of the shadows was amazing but I generally only use it for travelling. I recently received The Master Series Pallet as a gift from a very generous friend and I have used it almost every day since. The shadows are so buttery, they blend seamlessly while still maintaining their colour integrity. 

The brush that comes with it is the same as one which is sold separately, so it is great quality & blends the colours out perfectly. Its not like a cheap version that comes with some pallets (Like some Urban Decay ones). €35 from Blank Canvas.

Blusher 

Before 2016 I tended to wear the same colour blusher with every make-up look that I did. Always a medium rosy pink as that was the colour that best suited my complexion (blue eyes, fair skin & dark hair), but I also used to just use a wash of a cool toned taupe on my eyelids, so when I started experimenting with warmer colours on the eyes I needed a few warmer toned blushes (Orange eyeshadow & pink blusher is NOT a good look on me). I decided that a blush palette would probably be the best & most cost effective option. I came across this Make-Up Revolution palette in a pharmacy near where I work. I am not usually a fan of Make-up Revolution products, I find that the eyeshadows turn messy on the eye & blend into one colour. But when I saw that this was only €8  I decided to give it a go. I wasn't disappointed, their blushers perform much better than their eye shadows on me. The is a mixture of nudes, pinks, corals & oranges which means that there is a blusher to match pretty much any look. The colour pay-off is good for all pans except  for the highlighter/blush- topper shades on the right hand side of the palette, these didn't really show up on my skin, but as I already have highlighters that I love, this isn't an issue for me & I still have six usable shades in the palette.

Pressed Powder

I only received this baby at the end of November (My parents picked it up in Sephora in the States for me) This. Changed. My. Life. No exaggeration. This is one of my favourite products that I discovered in 2016. It's described as a finishing powder, meaning that it won't actually set your make-up, its used as the last step to add an almost airbrushed look to the skin. This works perfectly for me as I have dry skin & don't need to set my make-up. This powder gives a lovely sheen to the skin & can also be used as a highlight if you build it up enough. It stops my skin looking dehydrated & blurs fine lines. I actually use all three colours together most of the time to give dimension to the face. I use a big, soft powder brush to gently sweep across my face after I have finished the rest of my make-up.

Mascara

The only reason I picked up this Soap & Glory "Thick & Fast" mascara was because I was away for the weekend & forgot my make-up bag. It was the first one I saw in Boots at around €12 (I think it was also on a Buy One Get One Half Price offer). I wasn't really expecting too much from it as I only needed it to fill the hole until I got my Benefit Roller Lash back, but this product has absolutely become my Holy Grail Mascara. It gives incredible length, thick volume & blacker than black lashes with no fall out or smudging throughout the day. Often times I haven't even bothered with false lashes on nights out when I use this.

Eyeliner

I don't really wear much pencil eyeliner anymore, mainly just when heading out at night. I prefer to use shadow under the eyes as it gives a much softer look & doesn't melt or migrate after a few hours. However, this Sephora Contour Eye Pencil is perfect for the waterline as its waterproof & doesn't smudge into the lower lash line.

Lip Combo

Colourpop's Ultra Satin Lips liquid lipstick is hands down my favourite formula. I started off wearing the Ultra Mattes, but when I discovered the Ultra Satin I was instantly converted. Its similat to the Ultra Mattes, but it doesn't completely dry down & isn't as drying on the lips. My absolute favourite shade is "Echo Park", a pinky nude colour perfect for everyday. I have been pairing it with Colourpop's Lip Pencil in Skimpy. The only annoying thing about Colourpop products is that the holographic logo rubs off as soon as you put it in a make-up bag. Ultra Satin Lip €6, Lip Pencil €5.

Setting Spray

While technically not a setting spray, Mac's Fix+ is an absolute must have in any make-up collection. Its uses are endless. My favourite use for Fix+ is to spray it on my brushes before applying pigments/glitter shadows, it helps the colour "stick" to the lid & intensifies the colour. Another use is to spray over the face at the end of make-up application to take down any powdery look & fuse the layers together. 30ml for €10.

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What I Got For Christmas 2016

I was absolutely spoilt this Christmas, so I have just included my make-up items that I received. These are a mixture of gifts received from my parents, fiancé & sister. Most of the items are from Cult Beauty, Sephora or Brown Thomas.

Reviews & swatches to follow in separate review posts!

•  Luminizing Moisture Tint by Jouer Cosmetics 
•  Finishing Creme by Ouai Haircare
•  Hair Oil by Ouai Haircare
•  Skin Pencil - Blur by Nudestix
•  Glow Mist by Pixi
•  Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone by Becca
•  Pro Firm Blending Crease Brush (M441) by Morphe Brushes
•  Mac Loose Pigment in Tan
•  Tarlette in Bloom Palette by Tarte Cosmetics 
•  Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop by Becca x Jaclyn Hill
•  Shade & Light Eye Palette by Kat Von D Beauty

Sephora Favourites: Extravagant Eyes

I was lucky enough to receive one of these Sephora Favourites Boxes recently. I love these boxes as they are they perfect way to sample a number of products without committing to full size versions (although in this box there were quite a few full products!). It also works out so much cheaper as well if you tend to find that you don't always use up full sized products before they expire. The box costs $42/€39. You can't order direct from Sephora.com here in Ireland, but they do send to the U.K so set up a Parcel Motel account to get it delivered here.

This box contains eight products, five of which are full size & the remaining three are deluxe size. The general colour "theme" of this box appears to be burgundy/gold, which is huge this season. I love these colours & have been wearing similar tones since the summer. If you don't like burgundy tones this box may not be for you...

These products are also great for travelling due to the size, but also because of the formula of some of the products you don't need a whole bunch of brushes.

This Nars Dual Intensity Eye Shadow in the shade Himalia is a gorgeous bronze/gold shimmer shadow with incredible pigmentation.

I love using this colour as a lid colour for smokey brown burgundy eye or by itself for a natural shimmery look. Beautiful shine off it, with no chunks of glitter.

This Milk Make Up Eye Pigment in the shade Silent Disco can be a bit tricky to use. A little of this product goes a LONG way.

This pigment has a slight pink glitter going through it so I tend to use it on the lid rather than the crease. The best way that I found to apply it is to put a tiny, tiny bit on the back of my hand and use a fluffy synthetic brush to apply over an eye shadow primer. This lasts all day & does not crease or budge.

The Marc Jacobs O! Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara in Blacquer is a good all round mascara, not the best in the whole world, but still a good day to day mascara.

The Sephora Collection Eye Contour Crayon in Black Lace is the perfect eyeliner for the water line, nice & creamy so it doesn't drag the skin & lasts for hours.

Similar to the Milk Pigment,with this Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer a little bit goes a long way! This primer has a slightly silicone-like feel to it & blended nicely across the eye lid.

Apparently the Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy has been sold out all over the states (I've spotted it in Debenhams over here though). This is great used in conjunction with black liquid liner & was just made for the Christmas Party season.

This Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Shadow Stick in Plum shade is SUPER pigmented & does not budge, I had to use an oil based Eye make-up remover to take it off.

I found this the hardest product to apply, just because once you apply it to an area it's not moving! I used it as a crease colour as there is no shimmer, but had to spend ages blending it out. The final result was worth it, you just have to work for it! 

These Huda Beauty Lashes in "Samantha" are pretty dramatic! I haven't had an occasion to wear them yet, but soon...

I've heard great reviews about the Huda Beauty Lashes & they retail for around $20 so these are definitely luxury & hopefully I'll get a good few uses out of them.

The Best of Liquid Lipsticks Part 1: Kylie Cosmetics

A few weeks ago Kylie Cosmetics had a free shipping offer, so I decided to try one of her Liquid Lipstick Sets. The colour I chose was "Dirty Peach" as I thought it would be a good autumnal neutral & didn't look like any of the other liquid lipsticks I owned (I have a lot).

The Lip Kits are $29 & international shipping is usually $14.95. With the free shipping I paid €26 for the lipstick & lip pencil. Irish customs are applicable for international orders over €22, but luckily this time mine wasn't chosen.

I found that the best way to apply this lipstick is to exfoliate the lips, apply a lip balm & let in sink in for a few minutes, then wipe off any residue left on lips.

Next, apply the lip liner all over the lips & top with lipstick. The formula of the lipstick is fairly runny & doesn't dry too quickly, giving you time to work with it.

The Lip Liner appears very similar to MAC's Prolong wear lip liners & applies very similar too. It's nice & soft so it doesn't drag the skin.

There has been a lot of talk about the similarities between Kylie Cosmetics & Colourpop Cosmetics. While it's fairly common knowledge that the two are made in the same factory, some believe that Kylie Cosmetics is simply Colourpop repackaged. While there is certainly some similarities between presentation & packaging type the formulas do feel different & the Bottle of Kylie Lipstick is heavier & much better quality than Colourpop.

One issue I had with the lipstick is that it wouldn't apply to the inner rim of my lips, this does happen with a lot of liquid lipsticks, but was even more pronounced with this one.

I loved the colour & the formula but this was not a long lasting lipstick on me (I tried with & without primer) after two cups of coffee this had all but disappeared. Touch-ups are definitely needed throughout the day.

PS... Pro Range

Primark has had a beauty/make-up range called "PS... Beauty" but they have recently launched a premium range called "PS... Pro" which promises high quality, professional products at a value price.

I decided to try some of the products out after hearing great reviews from the likes of Celebrity Make-Up Artist Wayne Goss.

My local Primark is very small, so the selection of the PS... Pro products wasn't great, that & a lot of the products had been opened & used. But I managed to pick up a few unopened bits & pieces to try.

The first product I picked up was the Longwear Mineralized Foundation, which comes in a frosted glass bottle and a pump applicator. There was only two shades available,the very lightest & the very darkest. I settled on the very lightest, which turns out is a shade too light for me but can be warmed up with a bit of bronzer. This foundation was €6, and was amazing! It has SPF 15 & Vitamins A & B. The initial smell wasn't great but this soon wore off. This foundation is medium to high coverage that's buildable & can be applied using either a brush or a beauty blender, I used a beauty blender to sheer the coverage out slightly as on my skin it's VERY high coverage.

This foundation is much better than more pricier ones, covered all blemishes & lasted 10+ hours on my skin. As my skin is very dry I didn't powder & it dried down to a comfortable satin finish. If you have oily skin you may want to powder though. I will definitely e purchasing this foundation again

This was my first time using a lip scrub, it has a subtle vanilla fragarance & smells good enough to eat. As I have long nails I wasn't able to apply with my fingers, instead I used a cotton bud & then massaged into lips. 

At first the texture was very grainy but as I rubbed it in the graininess disappeared leaving a Vaseline like substance behind so I had little hopes for much exfoliation. But when I rinsed it all off I was left with incredibly smooth lips with no flakiness, at €3.50 this is a product I would definitely purchase again as I wear matte liquid lipsticks most days & need a smooth base.

The PS... Pro lip primer is also €3.50, but it's not as good as the other products. It does not go on smoothly for me & leaves a white cast on the lips. It's almost painful to apply as it drags on the lips depositing very little product. I much prefer the Colourpop primer as it glides on smoothly & is about the same price.

For me the stand-out product is the foundation, it feels more like a luxury product than a budget one. But I would give the Lip Primer a miss, there are better performing primers around within the same price range.