Mastering Your Makeup: November 2017

Eyedeal Lashes- First time, First Impressions!

Hello Lovelies!

Today I want to show you my lovely new lashes. I visited Eyedeal lashes in Clondalkin last week on the recommendation of three of the lovely ladies I work with who are all clients already.

She is one seriously busy bee with only a few appointments left this side of Christmas so if you want to get in touch with her be sure to do it ASAP! I contacted through her Facebook Page Eyedeal Lashes which you can find HERE.

Eyedeal Lashes works from her home which on a cold & wet winters night was the perfect setting to hop up on the bed and get my lashes applied. She had me all cosy while she was working. There was a music channel on in the background which I loved because sometimes it can be really difficult A) to stay awake while someone is working on my lashes and B) to pass the time as we all know getting your lashes applied takes well over an hour! Now don't get me wrong if I drift off I am more than happy, and it's quite easily done too, you are lying wrapped up all cosy on a comfy bed with your eye closed for over an hour, wouldn't be long about drifting off! The only reason I didn't fall asleep last week was I had to pee... how embarrassing!I swear I'm such a glamorous blogger!!

Here's a massive MASSIVE tip for anyone who hasn't gotten lashes before and a major rule I broke last Thursday... I showed up with bloody mascara on!! Who does that?! Getting ready for work I completely forgot what I was doing after work so I completely forgot not to put on mascara. Of course there was remover at the ready for me but it did mean there was a slight chance there would be residue left on my lashes so the new ones may not stick as well. Totally my own fault so ladies don't forget that!

But we are now a week on since getting my lashes done and apart from one little fecker on the inner corner of my right eye (the eye that is always really sensitive) I'm not losing many at all. I spread my appointments 3 weeks apart so I'm hoping to still have a good few on by the time I return. For this look I went with 12's as far as I know and they're really full looking all across my lashes. I decided to see how I feel this time and maybe next time I will try the Russians or I can try longer lashes if I want. I think given that it'll be Christmas week, I will get slightly longer lashes and have them flutter out at the end. I love that look on lashes.

I cannot feel them on my eyes this time around. Sometimes I get super sensitive about having lashes on. These lashes that used are applied so well to my own lashes they're like feathers, no irritation at all. As I have had lashes before I know how to take care of them but for anyone reading this who hasn't had lashes then please be careful with them. The more you look after your lashes, the longer they will last for you. Do not use oil based products on them, try to keep them as dry as possible. I tend to use a face cloth to clean my face while I have lashes on. I am also very careful when showering not to soak my face, I try as best I can to keep it out of the water. I also use a little spoolie to brush them out so they are kept separate and I especially brush them first thing in the morning as I tend to stick the side of my face into my pillow when I sleep.

False lashes should not be an inconvenience if they are applied right. Eyedeal Lashes focuses all of her work on crafting beautiful lashes for people so you are in total safe hands. I am delighted to have become a client of Eyedeal Lashes and I'm looking forward to trying out different lashes over the coming months. I think Christmas is such a lovely time to get your lashes done. I think it's good to give your own lashes a little break and plan for your next event. As the world and it's Momma knows at this stage, I am getting married next August so there will be plenty of events in between where I will want my lashes styled to the max for.

Eyedeal Lashes can be found on Facebook at Eyedeal Lashes HERE Her base as I said previously is in her home in Clondalkin and her pricing ranges from €35 for a full set and €30 for refills, absolute bargain for her skill level she's brilliant! You have to feel comfortable when you are having someone so close to your face and I am really thrilled with my results. Looking forward to heading back on the 14th of Dec again!

19:26:00
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Dermalogica Bio Surface Peel- My First Experience of a Peel!

Dermalogica

Hello Lovelies,

Today on the blog I am back with another post about my absolute favourite skincare brand Dermalogica and my no.1 skin expert Elaine Cahill from Elaine's Beauty in Cabinteely, Dublin. I was given the opportunity from the company to go for my first ever Bio Surface Peel with Elaine which is so cool as peels are part of our wedding skin prep plan for 2018.

I actually now in hindsight have absolutely no idea what I was nervous of, going for a peel. I think I was nervous as I hadn't prepared myself with enough information before going for the peel so my first bit of advice is to read up on any treatment you are going for before you go. I imagined lots of harsh chemical type products and coming out with a red face like when you've stayed in the bath too long! I think I've watched too many horror stories on the internet of people doing at home peels and not getting great results. I'm always so conscious of my own ability when it comes to my skin so I like to leave things to the professionals when I feel out of my comfort zone.

Very lucky for any client of Elaine's you can access a whole host of information on her website which will completely put your mind at ease. I have taken the liberty of copying some of the most relevant information you may like to know before going for the peel and then I will give you my thoughts on my appointment last week. All credit to Elaine and her website HERE

Details of a Bio Surface Peel from Dermalogica

Timing of the appointment: 35-55mins - Depends on skin's response

Cost of the Appointment:

Single Peel - €85

Course of 3 - €220

Course of 6 - €440

After Care: Each client will receive a FREE skin care kit with products to use exclusively for 72 hours post treatment after every BioSurface Peel.

Benefits of the Bio Surface Peel:

1. Decrease surface roughness

2. Treat breakouts

3. Reduce fine lines

4. Stimulate cell turnover & collagen production

5. Brighten the skin

6. Minimise the appearance of pigmentation

7. Reduce signs of photoaging, skin aging and breakouts

The Treatment

How to get the most form your BioSurface Peel treament

Many clients will need some regular facials or Microzone facials prior to receiving a peel to ensure the skin can tolerate a high activity peel and minimize adverse effects such as hyperpigmentation. Not all clients will require priming, but some form of priming is ideal. Such as hydrating skin that is showing signs of dehydration or exfoliation to remove build up. If you Prime, you will recover faster than someone who does not have a good home care routine.

The better the health of the skin the less likely it will experience sensitisation or adverse reactions to a peel. Dehydrated or cracked skin allows for more penetration of chemical peeling agents causing stinging, burning or hot spots.

How does the BioSurface Peel work?

Salicylic Acid, a potent beta hydroxy acid, helps dissolve & remove excess surface oils & skin cells. Powerful plant enzymes unlink skin cells & help digest skin protein to facilliate penetration of active ingredients.

Highly active skin smoothing acids penetrate the skin pushing exfoliation to the limit.

Skin Smoothing botanicals rapidly calm irritation and reduce redness while kick starting the reparative process.

Why is it applied in layers?

This will increase the depth of peeling as applying layers on top of one another will faciliate absorption of previous layers.

Where the Peel is applied?

The peel is applied to face. Since there are fewer sebaceous (oil) glands on the body it can take the body longer to recover from a chemical peel, therefore, the neck and chest are avoided on the first couple of treatments, until skin reaction is noted.

How often do I get a BioSurface Peel?

Aging/Pigmentation 1-2 weeks apart

Sensitive Skin 3-4 weeks apart

Acne/Congestion 1-2 weeks apart

Post Treatment Care

Client's skin sensitivity, condition, concern, and recovery time will impact how frequently the treatment is preformed. Ideally a series of treatments are preformed over a 3-12 week period followed by maintenance treatments twice a year.

Immediately after your treatment your skin may appear red & flushed. As your skin goes through the renewal process. It is normal to experience dryness, redness, and tightness as well as some flaking within the week. Pigmentation may appear more pronounced as it rises to the skin's surface. These side effects will subside quickly with proper post treatment care, starting with your BioSurface Peel After Care Kit. Ask Elaine, Dermalogica Skin Expert, for a skin care prescribtion to help ensure lasting results.

A Patch Test must be carried out prior to treatment, to evaluate skin response.

Every client MUST complete a consent form before EVERY peel treatment. Clients will also receive an aftercare sheet to take home after every peel.

Take care if colouring hair or brows within 3-4 days of the peel treatment as the tint may stain the skin more easily.

So there you have it a wealth of information from Elaine's website. Onto my own experience, anyone following the blog will know that recently I started to get facials with Elaine, I have had two facials in the last 3 months, I'm on a good skincare regime and myself and Elaine have both started to notice some improvements in the areas I like to change before the wedding. I also had a patch test carried out for the peel to ensure my skin was suitable.

When Elaine began the peel she explained to me that this is not a pampering treatment. She is right. There is no heat involved in a peel because you skin can generate it's own heat as the layers of the peel are added to the face. Still with Dermalogica products there is a lovely scent, some more fruity scents in the products used so it's very pleasant. The feel of the layers is slightly gritty and not gel like, like I had imagined. You are talked to throughout your whole peel. This is vital to ensure that you as the client are comfortable.

Elaine would check in with me every minute or so to see how my face was feeling. In my case, I had noticed a small breakout on my chin starting in the days leading up to the peel. Elaine explained to me that this may well have an affect on the peel or more likely I would feel the peel most on that area. Due to Elaine's vigilance we decided not to add the third layer of the peel to my chin as I was feeling a little sensitive.

Now when I say that the sensation is not that of pain at all, it's more like a slight tingle or the feeling you have an itch you want to scratch. Elaine checked in using a number scale to see if I was feeling it more or less tingly as the peel went on.

The nicest part of the peel is the 'bubble mask' applied at the end. Of course it's not really called a bubble mask, it's actually the Skin Smoothing Botanicals but it feels like little bubble popping on your face and the relief that gave on my chin was lovely. I could have sat with that on my face for ages & that's exactly what I did. Elaine leaves the final product on for as long as the client needs it. It is left on until you can no longer feel a thing, that you have scaled your skin right back to a zero.

Although the peel is not a pamper session, it is still very comfortable and very enjoyable. I am more than happy to continue with my peels and I will be blogging about my two follow up peels to see how much my skin can improve with the right treatments.

Here is a picture of my skin before the first peel and after....

Before...

After...

I was really happy with how my skin felt immediately after the peel. It felt extremely clean and very soft. I was well informed from Elaine how to take care of my skin in the following 72 hours so ensure it was kept safe. The little kit I took home is especially for a Bio Surface Peel. It contained all the elements I would need to ensure that my skin would recover and maximise the results.

Here is a pic of what's contained in the skin kit. It's so great that you get this as part of your peel package when booked in with Elaine's Beauty...

Using a set list of products is not difficult for me at all, I don't mind following a routine as I'm invested in trying to improve my skin so much. If you are someone who struggles with a routine, it is so important to really look after your skin after having a peel. I was back on my regular products bu Sunday so I had my peel last Wednesday evening, I then used the pack for Thurs, Fri & Saturday fully.

So are there any downsides to this peel? The only one I have is that on Thurs,Fri & Sat I found it much harder to take off my makeup! I am obsessed with the Precleanse Oil from Dermalogica, legit every evening that it lashed onto my face to help break down my makeup before I use my UltraCalming Cleanser (luckily this was in the pack so I had my own bottle and can keep my sample size for travelling) For the three days following on from the peel I was double cleansing using warm (no hot) water and my face cloth to try and remove my makeup properly.

Now that I am 6 days post peel, I have two small spots which I am leaving alone, they were to be expected as we knew the peel would draw out the breakout on my chin. But the positives are unreal...my makeup is going onto my skin so much easier. I am loving how smooth and soft it feels and I really can't wait to get my next one to see even more results!

I am booked into Elaine for next two peels on Monday the 4th of December & Monday the 18th of Dec so be sure to keep an eye on the blog for more updates and of course more before and after pictures.

If you would like to get in touch with Elaine from Elaine's Beauty or with Dermalogica for any more information I have left all of their social media accounts below.

Elaines Beauty: Dermalogica:

Website: www.elainesbeauty.ie Website: www.dermalogica.ie

Facebook: ElainesBeauty Facebook: dermalogicaukofficial

Twitter: @ElainesBeauty_ Twitter: @DermalogicaUK

Instagram: @elaines_beauty Instagram: @dermalogicauk

Snapchat: @elainesbeauty Snapchat: @dermalogicauk

19:14:00
7 Comments

Fenty Beauty Foundation- Time to hear my thoughts!

Beauty

Hello Lovelies,

This is the one post I think people have been dying to hear about. I purchased my shade 240 in Harvey Nichols in Dundrum a good few weeks back at this stage. I have worn the foundation about 6 times now so I wanted to write how I feel about this foundation currently.

Firstly as always on mastering Your Makeup let's take a look at what the brand themselves say. This is all taken from the Fenty Beauty Website which you can get HERE

A soft matte, longwear foundation with buildable, medium to full coverage, in a boundary-breaking range of 40 shades.

Finally — the ultimate photo filter in foundation form. Born in 40 boundary-breaking shades, Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation gives skin an instantly smooth, pore-diffused, shine-free finish that easily builds to medium to full coverage. The oil-free formula is made with climate-adaptive technology that's resistant to sweat and humidity, and won't clog pores so that wherever you are, it's going to work on your skin. Best of all, this longwearing, light-as-air texture is undetectable on skin — so you always look like you.

How’d we do it?
Obsessive research to create the perfect range of shades for all Exclusive insights from the world’s top makeup artists Extensively tested for real life, on real women
We figured out that it takes the right balance of tone and texture to make foundation work on every skin type. We obsessed over custom pigment levels to capture your truest tones with a soft matte finish that’s just right—not too matte and not too shiny. The result? A comfortable longwear formula that lets skin look like skin. Made for all women to love.

Shade-Finding Tips:
Always shake before use to activate. Pro Filt’r’s rich pigments need a moment to dry down to their truest color, so when you're testing shades, remember to let the formula dry completely to find your perfect match. Deciding between two shades? Try the lighter shade.

Fenty Beauty is 100% cruelty free.

Ok so onto my own thoughts on this latest cult product... The price point is good, It's €33 for a 32ml bottle so it's average size and pricing, to be fair, the extra 2ml if it'll come out of the glass bottle is a little bonus! The texture is runny (but I like that) you dab it onto your face, get working with your brush and it applies so well. The coverage again I like, four pumps is well enough to give you full coverage around your whole face, clearly less if you've a smaller face than mine so please judge that for yourself.

Now the powder bit... the girls in Harvey Nichs were telling me this foundation was designed for oily people in mind and that way you don't need to use powder over it. I have road tested this foundation using powder and not using powder and I can 100% confirm that with my oily complexion, you have got to powder it!

The day I decided to really test this was the Sunday of the Beauty Show working on the Blank Canvas Cosmetics stand in the RDS. The heat was unreal and after a couple of hours I was wrecked looking, like actually glowing it was terrible! I am not sweat resistant at all as the brand claims the foundation will adapt, it was really bad. I was really embarrassed so had to run to the bathroom to lash on the powder, thank goodness I brought it with me. I then wore the foundation with powder to a family party and it last much much better. We partied into the small hours of the morning and it was much better, I really liked it that night so if I'm ever wearing this foundation, I will always powder it.

Here I am partying away with the family and not overly shiny, the foundation was on about 4 hours at this stage and the room was very warm.

I think a brand claiming something of course doesn't guarantee that it will work the same way for you, our complexions are completely unique so just bear that in mind. I wouldn't write off the foundation just because it has to be powdered, I am so used to powdering my skin all the time that this is nothing new to me at all. The fact that the 240 shade is so nice on my skin is what keeps me coming back to it time and time again when I am going out on the weekends and want to wear my nice foundation. I'm not sure if I would actually go and buy it again but it will certainly get used until the last drop is gone!

I'd love to know other girls views on this who are oily like me to see if they find they need to powder it so if you've used it let me know. I found the girls on the Fenty Beauty counter in Harvey Nichols in Dundrum really helpful and I wasn't waiting too long to be skin matched either so swing by if you have the chance and at least then you can be sure the shade is right for you!