Mastering Your Makeup: October 2015

Shiseido 'Ever Bloom' launch- Harvey Nichs Dundrum

Hi Ladies...

Have you ever been to any in store events before? Have you heard of the brand Shiseido?

In store events are so much fun! I have been to a few at this stage not to mention hosting three of my own for Ziaja skincare so I know the pressure people can feel but also the buzz you get when an event goes well for all involved.

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from VIP magazine, not an exclusive blogger event but a customer event. I have been to one or two of these hosted by VIP Magazine and have loved them so I was thrilled to see they were now linking in with Shiseido and hosting a customer event in Harvey Nichols Dundrum. Super close to work and home I rsvp’d immediately and invited my friend as my plus one.

I arrived just about on time to the event and we were greeted with a drink and some sweets from Raffaello. Oh my god they were amazing, trying to only have one was so hard as they were so tasty. We only had to wait a little time for the event to start as traffic was very heavy and then we were introduced to the new fragrance ‘Ever Bloom’ from Shiseido. It smells lovely.

I am not a huge perfume fan but I really liked this scent. I don’t know a lot about perfume but the scent from this new Shiseido perfume was beautiful. I guess I’m the type of girl that gets perfume as a present and is just lucky enough to always like it. I do love a long lasting scent, I regularly forget to bring perfume with me in my handbag but it’s something I am certainly going to work on from now on.

As well as information on Shiseido as a brand and the new perfume we were then treated to a fabulous makeup demo from Danielle Mahon. Danielle is a brilliant makeup artist and one I have followed since I started blogging. She showcased a day and night look on her model using all Shiseido products. I was really interested in the foundation and the concealer so it’s deffo something I am going to go back and ask to try out.

I have one Shiseido lipstick to my name at the minute isn’t that just disgraceful? But to be fair there are so many brands out there it’s not possible for me to own a lot from every brand. That’s what makes these VIP Magazine customer events so great, if you are selected as one of the first 50 people to attend on the night then you get a goodie bag and last night’s was just excellent.

Myself and Clodagh were spoiled just have a look at what we got….

We each received a sample of the new perfume Ever Bloom which is very handbag friendly, we also got the most magical Christmassy Red lipstick, an eye shadow cream pot and a skincare sample. Of course as the event was run in conjunction with Raffaello we were treated to a packet of these also.
The event was wonderful, it really opened my eyes to the brand Shiseido and has added to my makeup wish list I think their foundation is something that could really work with my skin (but I do say that about everything!)

Keep your eyes out for the next VIP Magazine customer event. Have a great day ladies :)

12:14:00
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Bioderma Sebium Products (Acne-Prone Skin)

Hello Lovelies,

When your skin is at you, not much will cheer you up. It can be hard to feel at your best if your face brings you down. I am a total lover of the power of makeup but the needing to wear it just to go out is not something anyone should have to experience, unfortunately for many girls this is just how things are. I would happily leave my house with no makeup on, it doesn’t phase me to nip to the shop, go to work even on a quiet office day but I would never feel confident enough to be makeup free and see my friends in town or things like that.

As a teen I got spots, mostly hormonal spot around my chin area, I was lucky in some senses as by all standards they weren’t that bad. Now as an adult and in the last two years (funnily enough since starting the blog) I have been getting some terrible spots and had a really hard time with my skin.

I have been trying and testing a lot of products over the last two years and I did discover since joining slimming world and tackling my poor diet, just how much influence food had on my skin. I am really working hard to battle the face demons and little by little things are getting better.

When I do have a flare up, I have been turning to these two products which I was kindly sent to help keep it at bay. I must say, I don’t have an affiliation with this brand, I was lucky to be sent these after expressing an interest and discussing my current skin concerns as they were at the time and was sent these two Bioderma products to help with the spots.

Here’s what I received and a little blurb on them…

Sébium Purifying Cleansing Foaming Gel 200ml RRP €12.00 (FREE Sébium Foaming Gel 100ml worth RRP €6.00 with every purchase of Sébium Global – September & October)

Sébium Foaming Gel gently cleanses and purifies the skin without drying it. It limits sebum secretion and thoroughly purifies the epidermis. Its ultra-gentle soap-free formula respects the cutaneous balance. The patented natural D.A.F.* complex raises the skin’s tolerance threshold.

Sébium Global 30ml RRP €16.50

Thanks to its patented, synergistic complex of Bakuchiol + Fluidactiv, Sébium Global is a truly universal treatment for problem skin. It is the first skincare product to target the biological cause of acne: changing lipid levels. Combining this synergistic complex with soothing and antibacterial agents, the cream recreates sebum similar to that of healthy skin, targeting the imperfections of mixed acne and breaking the cycle of blackheads and pimples.

They sound a bit scary but in truth both of these products felt extremely gentle on my skin. I am always worried that by trying to treat one issue, for instance spots in this case, I am then taking away another element from my skin like hydration or I am being too rough on parts of my face that don't suffer as badly. As I said earlier, these two products have been really good to use when I have had a flare up, usually around the time of the month or most noticeably if I have been out drinking alcohol and eaten bad food, my face erupts. It's amazing how much our diet can affect how our skin looks, it's been the biggest lesson I've learned in the last six months.

Bioderma is now widely available in Ireland. It is a French brand and it is world renowned for it's micellar water. I believe Bioderma were the first to bring out this product which we now know has now taken over the beauty world.

While these products may seem a little expensive to some you, I can tell you safely you only need the smallest amount of product at a time, it will last you ages and I suppose maybe it's as I get older, maybe it's as I pay more attention to myself that I start to think...isn't my skin worth that little bit extra...without a good base, no makeup can work properly on the skin so between changing my diet and really upping my skincare routine, I am finally starting to see some results.

14:36:00
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Ziaja Series- The Argan Oil Range spreading the #ZiajaLove

Hi Everyone,

I'm Emma and I am one of Ziaja Skincare Ireland's Brand Ambassadors. I am a genuine fan of this Polish brand and over the coming weeks I am going to talk you through some of my favourite Ziaja products and also some of their products my friends and family love also. As a brand ambassador, I have had the opportunity to try out some of the Ziaja ranges but as a true fan, I regularly buy my own products, sourcing them from the number of stockists they have throughout Ireland. If there is any product in this post you would like to try and cannot find it in a local stockist, you can purchase all of Ziaja Skincare's Irish products on www.originalbeauty.ie Ziaja has been celebrating their 25th birthday this year and we have so far visited three Irish stockists to showcase their many ranges and to introduce more people to the affordable brand. The quality of the Ziaja products are excellent and the value just leaves you more change to buy more of their products so it's a win win for any skin lover.

Next up on my Ziaja series is a timely post and this comes as Ziaja are showcasing their Argan Range. I have already posted on their press release so I will just include a small snippet of the information about the products and then my opinion on them.

Ziaja Natural Argan Oil Face Cream 75ml (rrp€6.99)

A light and ultra absorbent face cream that instantly improves skin tone as well as hydrating, smoothing and protecting the skin. The Argan oil base strengthens the skin barrier, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and combats DNA damaging free radicals, repairing skin cells to reveal a fresher complexion. Suitable for all skin types.

Thankfully I was able to test out this face cream as I can be quite fussy as to what goes on my face these days. One of the things I like to see in a product is a hydrating factor and this cream feels quite light on the skin once absorbed and as with the whole Argan range, there isn’t a strong scent which I don’t like on my face in creams.

Ziaja Protective Argan Oil Body Butter 200ml (rrp€7.99)

Protective body butter with natural argan oil for very dry, irritated skin. This creamy body butter absorbs easily, helping to condition, soften and smooth the skin. The nutrient-rich extracts assist with hydrating and protecting dry, sensitive skin whilst improving firmness and vitality. Leaves skin delicately scented. It is easy to apply and it absorbs quickly. Suitable for use all over the body but great for dry knees, ankles and elbows.

Now this!!! I love this product, every morning after I shower I use this on my legs. I find sometimes the skin on my legs just that little harder to soften and feel nice, I guess it has a lot to do with being a pale girl with dark hair growth, I feel I am always attacking my legs with a razor so it’s hard for them to really feel loved I feel. This butter feels wonderful on the skin as do all the Ziaja body butters so I guess it’s more of a scent love for me. I have been using Cocoa Butter products for so long, this makes for a lighter scent.

Ziaja Soothing Argan Oil Hand Cream 100ml (rrp€3.99)

A super daily use hand cream that’s small enough to tuck into handbags so you know that soft, moisturised hands are always within reach. The argan oil formula sinks right into dry and rough skin to sooth redness and protect over exposed skin. Strengthen the hydro-lipid skin barrier, leaving hands hydrated and feeling supple and soft.

Any of the hand creams from Ziaja are a handbag essential so I can safely say I will use this daily once my coconut hand product runs out as in my new office where there is serious cold, keeps my hands feeling less like sandpaper and more lady like haha!

The Argan Range is a lovely addition to my collection of Ziaja treats, it’s a hard one, to write about a whole range and not feel like I am repeating myself so please forgive me if it sounds a little repetitive. One think that I really like about Ziaja is that they have ranges, so for me when I began to use Ziaja I was all about the Coconut range, then I moved onto the Cocoa Butter range and of course for my face I have used the Manuka range. I have used so many Ziaja products, this series could last forever but I will try my best to keep all the information useful and give you some insight into each of the products so if you have any questions please feel free to get in touch or if you would like me to find a stockist for you again just let me know. Always happy to spread the #ZiajaLove

10:49:00
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Elaine's Beauty- My Disney Nail Series

14:41:00
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New! Artistry Hydra-V Range... tackling my dehydrated skin.

Hello Everyone,

My skin hasn’t been the best of late so when an opportunity arose to go and view an information session on a hydrating range from brand Artistry, I thought to myself….why now?!

All my concerns over the past few years in relation to my skin have been about spots, I never stopped and thought if my skin was looking slightly dull or breaking out because it didn’t have enough moisture in it. Every spot product I use, I would use all over, I would lash it onto my skin without a moments worry and then I wondered why my skin was looking so dry/dehydrated at points.

Now just so we are super clear….I am not in any way shape or form a skincare expert, I have a serious love for the brand Ziaja we all know that, there’s not a day in the week where I don’t have a body lotion, body butter or hand cream from the brand on my skin but that would be the only brand I have a little knowledge on. I do understand that there is a big difference between dry and dehydrated skin so please if you are worried that you are using the wrong products on your skin, speak with an expert in a salon or a pharmacy, I cannot tell you what’s right for you.

Artistry is a brand I have reviewed before but this was with cosmetics, I actually wasn’t aware that Artistry even had skincare as it’s not a brand I know too much about. I was really interested to see what this new hydra-v range is all about and would it be something I’d consider using.

The event was extremely informative, almost too much as there were many attendees super familiar with the brand who I believe to be distributors or even stockists so once the presentation was over I felt it was ok to leave. I went home with two products and a couple of samples from the new hydra-v range. So let’s take a look at the range and my thoughts on the products…

Artistry Hydra-V range:

“A simplified, easy-to-use 3-step system that has been specially composed to treat oily or combination skin types. It contains products – ARTISTY HYDRA-V Vital Skin Serum Concentrate, ARTISTRY HYDRA-V Refreshing Gel and ARTISTRY HYDRA-V Refreshing Eye Gel Cream – that work together to effectively hydrate skin while managing oily areas and preventing excess shine.”

So the two full size products I have been using now for the last three weeks are the:

Vital Skin Serum Concentrate: €63.70

“Suitable for all skin types (including sensitive), ARTISTRY HYDRA-V Vital Skin Serum Concentrate is a powerful serum that helps refreshes, replenishes and revitalises skin. Based on a proprietary combination of rare, pristine ingredients that help increase hydration levels in skin and a replenishing blend of vitamins and minerals, ARTISTRY Vital Skin Serum Concentrate delivers instant and enduring benefits.”

Refreshing Gel: €40.75
(for oily-to-combination skin)

“ARTISTRY HYDRA-V Refreshing Gel is a clean, lightweight gel that delivers instant skin hydration and a refreshing, cooling sensation. The result is skin that looks and feels smooth, naturally matte and refreshed all day long. Capable of absorbing excess oil, Refreshing Gel is ideal for oily or combination skin but can also be used with sensitive skin.”

As I have been using both of these products together, I cannot make a judgement on them as individually working on my skin but I can tell you about the results and thoughts I’ve been having on the range itself. So first up is the serum. I cleanse my face and then tone it with Glo Therapeutics products at the moment and then I put the serum on. It’s very light in texture and once on the skin, it feels like it pulls the skin together. I don’t know if that’s the right way to describe it but it’s a real fresh feeling and the scent isn’t overpowering at all. I let that sink into my skin before I put on the moisturiser. Usually I will potter around and make tea to really like it sink in and not mix it up with the next product.

The moisturiser is again very light, a good scent and leaves my skin feeling super fresh, almost wet as opposed to greasy, oily or sticky. I again leave this to apply and some days I have found I don’t feel the need to wear a primer but I think better most days and protect my skin again.

I am very lucky that the moisturiser I was given is suitable for oily skin so it’s helping to keep the oil at bay during the day. My overall thoughts of these products are I really like them. Now I have to say it would take a serious change in my skin for me to pay €100 for two face products. I am enjoying using them, my skin feels much better but as yet I am not seeing a huge difference. I think to be fair to the products I am only using them three weeks, I will continue to use them fully until they are gone and I have also relooked at my diet and increased with my water intake each day so I really am trying to get rid of these dehydration lines on my forehead which I hate so much!

The packaging is lovely and fresh, I quite like that the serum is in a beautiful glass bottle as it looks quite luxurious but for right now I will say yes, Artistry Hydra-V is a beautiful range, yes it is making my skin feel wonderful on a daily basis and yes I am starting to see signs of it tackling my skin issues so it’s a fairly committed thumbs up from me. It’s always interesting as the weather changes that you see it reflected on your skin. We really need to prepare for the winter and although a lot of people would associate dehydration with summer it’s clear that my skin needs water all the time.

16:25:00
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The Wet Brush Pro- My thoughts...Get One!!!

14:28:00
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Flormar Cosmetics Ireland- Take a look at what's now available!

Hello Everyone,

I hope your weekend is awesome I have possibly having one of the best days of my life today as I am in London going to the Rugby World Cup with J to see Ireland take on Italy. It just shows how far my prep is coming on that I planned ahead, wrote my blog posts during the week and have them all scheduled to go..woohoo go me!!

So what's in store for you today on Mastering Your Makeup? Well today we are gonna look at a handful of products I have been trialing for Flormar. Flormar is a brand which has just relaunched in Ireland. Some of you will remember it being housed in store in A-Wear before they all closed and now thanks to Paul from The Cosmetic Outlet in Dublin, we can now access Flormar in a huge range of pharmacies throughout Ireland. Everywhere I turn I am seeing huge stands of Flormar in chemists between Dublin and Waterford and it's so good to see them because I can say, the products are great and the general feeling amongst the beauty bloggers and makeup lovers everywhere is it's great value and super quality, so let's take a look at what I've been using.

Matifying Foundation- This foundation from Flormar is Oil Free, Skin Firmness and Moisturising. The shade I have been reviewing is Soft Beige. I love a good foundation and usually where there’s the word matifying I’m even happier because I have to be a shiny disco ball head. This foundation wears really well on my skin, I always try to use a primer and set my face with powder and I have worn this foundation a few days to work and I really like it. The Soft Beige is quite a pale colour so I have been using a bit of bronzer to warm up my face but it is certainly a foundation I would buy in a darker shade and try wear it on a night out. I didn’t feel the foundation slid off during the day or didn’t make my face too dry either which unfortunately can happen when you matte your face with too many products.

So next up in my Flormar makeup collection are three beauties and yes I am loving each and every one of these lipsticks. I own two different types the Long Wearing Lipstick in L13 Perfect Red & L14 Breathtaking Apricot and then this bad boy Revolution Perfect Lipstick in R04 Deep Pink (I mean come on look at that colour) I love bright lipsticks and I really like all three of my shades. It’s always really nice to get sent different shades to try as sometimes you have get sent very similar shades and it can be hard to road test them all and really get a feel for how they wear during the day when they are all so similar. Of course the apricot shade in the long wearing is every day handbag friendly. I am not a red lippy kinda girl in my job, I don’t think it would be super suitable but I have worn both my Perfect Red and my Deep Pink on nights out and loved them. The staying power is good with both. I did top both us as the nights I wore them I was out for food as well as a few drinks. I am a lover of a lip liner so thankfully I have a red liner from Flormar also in the shade 232 which is actually a waterproof liner so this made my red stay in place much better. I was actually gifted the red liner with the apricot lipstick on Sunday at the Cocoa Brown Passion Persistence Pink event and this was to great an ombre lip. I had a beautiful wine shade on my lips that day but on Sunday evening I gave the ombre lip a bash. It will of course take a few goes to get right but the combo was beautiful together.

Spider Lash Volume Mascara- Ah mascara, where would we be without it? Well I’d be all shadow and no lashes that’s for sure, my babies need all the help they can get! So this Spider Lash Volume has been put to the test and the results are in…Yep it gets a thumbs up from me. I am a little fussy when it comes to the wands that I like on mascaras but thankfully this one is all good on my lashes. I don’t know what my issue is, I think sometimes I hold the wands funny because so many mascaras lead to a disaster with me and it’s always such a pain if I have actually bothered to spend time doing my eye makeup for the mascara to ruin it…How many other ladies have stabbed themselves in the eye with the wand? Just me ;)

Please excuse the moody head but here I'm wearing terracotta & this is midnight blue

Last but very not least I have two Flormar Eyeshadows in the shades Terracotta and Midnight Blue. I am LOVING my terracotta shadow, it is side by side with my Urban Decay Riff in the makeup bag at the min, it is absolutely being worn at least three times a week. It’s a beautiful shade and it really makes my blue eyes pop outta my head. Again as always I find when I have tan on and can wear a darker foundation, my eyes look super blue and the terracotta shade is just perfect. It’s super easy to apply, not a lot of fallout at all and can be washed over the whole eye for a super easy but perfect bright eye look. The midnight blue is not my favourite colour I won’t lie. I have tried to incorporate it into a grey with black smokey look but at the moment that’s not working too well for me so we shall wait and see how that works out. Orange, peach, red and cranberry are my favourite eye shades on my own eyes.

I really hope you enjoyed this post and I would 100% recommend you check out a Flormar stand near you asap, they have a huge range of products including nail polishes which I have already reviewed HERE. Let me know if you feel there's anything I need to try next!

14:06:00
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EnvyOrganica- Insight hair products for dry hair

12:09:00
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W7 Cosmetics New Products for me

Hello everyone,

So you will all have seen the new W7 cosmetics products I received a week or so ago. As with all makeup I like to give it a little time and wearing before I will make a call on it. For anyone who hasn’t tried W7 Cosmetics it’s a super cheap brand which has a massive range of products available and will cater to every makeup lover’s needs.

What I’ve noticed from w7 in recent months is that they bring out very similar products to the high end, high priced products on the market. I say similar because I think the word ‘dupe’ implies it performs the same just because something looks like it’s more expensive counterpart but that’s not always the case. I do think you need to be careful in assuming because something looks the same that it will work the same, but in saying that I will be writing out the W7 products as they are and there is one in this bad ass bunch which I am happy to call a dupe in my opinion.

Let’s get start with that shall we? So the W7 Banana Dreams Loose Powder is a very happy favourite of mine which I have put to the test against my Ben NYE Powder. I wore the two powders in the one day, one on each eye and I was really happy with the result of the W7 powder. It’s a much cheaper alternative and Ben NYE can be extremely difficult to source so this is by far my favourite product in this little bundle of loveliness I was sent. The RRP on this is €5.95....Bargain!!

Next up is a product I was interested to test out as it has been getting rave reviews from other bloggers, it’s the Argan Eyes Mascara. While I can agree the pigment is fab the wand is not my favourite kind of brand to use. I found for me personally, it was a little difficult to use on my lashes. I am not sure is this because how I was holding the wand or it is because I am just used to a more sparse application wand but I kept hitting the wand off my eye lid or after applying it perfectly, it would then tip off my bottom lashes and I’d end up with the awful panda eye look. I certainly got better with more practice but I think for the quick lash and go this mascara isn’t my favourite. I actually used a disposable spoolie with the mascara at the weekend on myself and loved it so it’s a tough one for me. I would certainly repurchase the mascara but use a spoolie for applying it as it lasts on the lashes, it’s not tough or sticky and it’s a super black colour. The RRP on this is €4.95

Pearl Eyes Eyeshadow Pencil is up next and a jumbo eye pencil is not something I always think to use. With this shade called Park Lane, it has made a really good base for my eye makeup. I have used this a number of times over my base and before I put shadow on to intensify the colour and it's really nice. It's not something I'd reach for all the time but I am deffo happy to have it in my kit. The RRP on this is €2.95 and is available in 9 shades in total.

We’ll move onto the final two products I received and they were lip products; Tinted Kiss Nourishing Lip Oil in English Rose & Viva La Berry Lipstick in the shade Blackberry. I’m a big lip fan, I’m not really a lipstick snob but my passion is buying new MAC lipsticks, I wear them a lot at the weekends or to events and things like that but for the most part of the week I am a cheap and cheerful girl. One thing I am not a huge fan of is lip gloss/oil and it’s for the simple fact my hair is guaranteed to get stuck on my lips when I wear any type of gloss so I tend to only give it a go when my hair is up. The shade English rose however is beautiful, really soft and girly, it’s been in my handbag and on the less windy hair up days I have been more than happy to wear this colour over a nude lipliner or a very light lipstick. Sometimes I'll wear it on it's own and it really does soften the lips. I think if you like lipgloss you are going to love this product. The lipstick however is a beaut!! Deffo my kinda autumn colour, it wears well and sure you need to top it up after eating but I never hold that against a lipstick, I quite like to reapply my lippy, I feel it really freshens up the face so this deffo gets a thumbs up from me. The RRP on the tinted kiss is €4.95 and comes in 4 shades, the Viva la berry lipstick is €3.95...I mean wow and is available in 6 shades!!

W7 is becoming more widely available throughout Ireland but if you have any questions on products or stockists then please do get in touch and I will get the answer for you.