Mastering Your Makeup: Review

Foundation Review- Armani Luminous Silk

09:55:00
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Dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon- Heaven in a tub!

Hello Lovelies,

Let's take a look at what I've been using lately from Dermalogica to help me drift off for a good night's sleep and wake up feeling fresh.

We all know ladies the 'science' bit isn't my style so here is the info i received with the press release for this product and then we'll take a look at my thoughts.

"There’s a serious stigma about sleep. In today’s increasingly interconnected, 24/7 world we view it as a period of idleness or lost productivity, and we try to get by on as little as possible. Most of us don’t realise that the hours we spend asleep are actually among our most productive: when it comes to your skin care routine, sleep is a crucial component for the skin’s recovery from the assaults of the day. Just a few nights of missed sleep can lead to dull skin and fine lines, and chronic sleep deprivation leads to dark circles and early aging.

While our ‘always on’ attitude means we won’t be getting more sleep any time soon – NEW Sound Sleep Cocoon™ is a revitalising treatment gel-cream that works with the skin’s natural overnight repair and recovery process to optimise the skin benefits of the sleep we do get, delivering glowing skin by morning. Because skin is best able to absorb active ingredients at night, Sound Sleep Cocoon™ is formulated with motion-activated essential oils to soothe senses with aromatherapy and promote deep, restful sleep for healthier-looking skin.

Ingredient features and benefits:
Sound Sleep Cocoon delivers advanced ingredients that work with and optimise the skin’s natural active overnight repair & recovery process.

Encapsulated essential oil with motion-activated technology encapsulated, motion-activated French Lavender oil, along with calming Sandalwood and Patchouli, soothe the senses with aromatherapy to help promote deep, restful sleep for healthier-looking skin
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract (Persian Silk Tree) reduces signs of skin fatigue and restores vitality
Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract (Fruits of Wu-Zhu in traditional Chinese medicine) provides visibly radiant skin by morning and promotes a more refined skin texture.
Kakadu Plum Extract, rich in antioxidant Vitamin C, is clinically shown to improve and brighten skin tone.
Tamarindus Indicia (Tamarind Seed Extract) is a polysaccharide that cushions skin, creating a nourishing cocoon of comfort for softer, more hydrated skin.

How to use: Smooth over face and neck as the last step in your night-time regimen, allowing the gel-cream to melt into skin overnight. Ideally it was suggested to put this on around 9pm, potter around the house and leave it sink into your skin before you hop into bed.

How much: Sound Sleep Cocoon, 50ml is €86.50

Dermalogica understands that everyone’s skin is unique as they are. That’s why it’s the number one choice of skin care professionals worldwide. Our products combine scientific innovation with powerful natural ingredients so that everyone can experience healthy glowing skin, for life."

It sounds ridiculously expensive and with really high hopes for itself so the big question is, does it live up to all it claims? Well.... ladies it's an investment I think I will have to make once this tub is over! I honestly mean that. The price tag has me fearing using it, so there is no wasting going on in my house. One pump will do your whole face and they say you should get around 90 pumps from the tub which means each night you're spending less than €1 on your face (if you're easy on the product!)

Once you pump it onto your fingers, I don't like to play with it at all, I dot it around my face and then gently, very gently blend it onto my face. The scent from the lavender is beautiful when you're applying the product. Your face feels so fresh and so fragrant it really does make me want to jump into bed. The scent for me tells me it's bedtime, so as I said above, I like to let it sink in while I'm sitting up in bed checking my phone, watching a show or reading a book. I don't like to think my pillow is getting any benefits from this product.

Motion-activated technology... what is this you ask? Well.... when you eventually drift off into dream land and move on your pillow, the little essential oils continue to burst on your skin giving you more and more benefits as your skin regenerates while you sleep.

I again am being completely honest here when I say, from using this product the last few weeks, you wake up feeling like you have super fresh skin. I am not a fan of heavy night creams, I'm always worried that I'm adding oil to my pillow, sleeping on that and causing congestion on my skin. With the sound sleep cocoon, my skin is looking refreshed in the mornings.

For added wedding prep and extra hydration, I have also been adding a few drops of my skin hydrating booster some nights into the Sound sleep especially if days have been hot or long on my face. I'm on the fence if I am sleeping better due to the product but I am certain that it makes for getting into bed a much more pampered experience.

Would a price tag of a product turn you off? Are the claims from this something you'd believe... let me know!!

22:23:00
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Catrice Cosmetics: Bridal Makeup Look By Me

Beauty

18:40:00
39 Comments

Elaine's Beauty- Dermalogica BioSurface Peel no.3

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Hello Lovelies,

Back again with another peel post for you all today! Unfortunately due to be unwell and time running away with me, I wasn't able to complete my three peels with Elaine in the optimum time usually between peels (7-10 days) but nevertheless I couldn't wait to get back to Elaine for my third Dermalogica BioSurface Facial Peel.

If you are unaware of what this is, I went through all the details in my first ever peel post HERE & then I checked in after my second peel so see how the results were this time HERE.

Did anyone else notice just how dry and dehydrated our skin became during the snow? I refuse to blame poor Storm Emma, it seems that poor girl gets the blame for everything!!

Anyway, I had booked in with Elaine on the Friday but due to the severe weather we postponed our appointment until last Monday. I knew myself that my skin was possibly in the worst condition it had been in, in a long time. Elaine could see where I was talking about when I pointed to my nose and cheek area. They were so dry, almost flaking in parts and then I also had more redness than usual. This could be down to a number of factors Elaine explained but I was certainly happy to see the back of them.

As with all of my peels, I filled out my consultation card, Elaine talked me through the whole process making sure I numbered how any sensation I was feeling. I was monitored extremely closely especially now that my skin seemed to be in a different condition to other peel occasions. Thankfully, the sensation was minimal so I was able to get through all the layers of the peel. The cooling off part of the peel is my favourite, this is what I call the bubble mask as your face feels a bit like a bowl of rice crispies popping away to itself as it cools and calms the skin.

I could instantly see results from the peel, you have this wonderful glow about your face, like it's been cleaned to within an inch of it's life but you haven't had to hurt yourself to get that way. Also as part of your BioSurface Facial Peel in Elaine's Beauty, you get a three day take home kit. These items are the only skincare items you are allowed to use for the first three days after your peel.

As my peel was booked into the evening slot, I didn't have to do anything to my face going to bed that night. When I woke up in the morning, I took out my kit and used the products in the correct order. If you are worried about the sounds of this after care, with your kit there is an order of how they are used on the back of the box, Elaine will also give you an aftercare sheet so you don't even have to worry about remembering everything yourself.

I have mentioned this point so many times in my blog posts on the peels but they are not anywhere near as scary as they sound, honestly! A peel goes beyond a pamper session, it's for the client who wants to see a real change in their skin. It's for the client who needs more than a facial to make their skin work for them. Again I do feel this is am important point to make, it's also for the client willing to look after their skin. The aftercare is so important so as not to damage your skin so you need to bear that in mind for the following three days. I wouldn't suggest a peel the day before a big night out if you catch my drift!

I am now booked into Elaine's Beauty for four facials before my big day. There are new facials just released since January from Dermalogica called the Pro Skin 60. I'm really excited to start these, again to boost my skin and have it in the best possibly condition for the big day.

I will of course write a full blog post on the new type of facial and also check in on my full Dermalogica face routine I have in place at the moment. I am using solely all Dermalogica products between now and the wedding on my face and following the steps Elaine gave me on how and when to use them. I will talk through in full in the blogpost.

If you have any questions on the BioSurface Facial Peel from Dermalogica, feel free to get in touch with me and if I don't know the answer I shall ask my Dermalogica Exprt, Elaine!

14:26:00
7 Comments

Zinc Hair & Beauty- My Hair Journey!

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17:38:00
13 Comments

Madison Makeup Launches in Ireland- Review

Beauty

Hello Lovelies,

Today on the blog we are taking a look at a new brand to my life, Madison Makeup. Unfortunately due to work I missed the official launch of this new brand in what looked like an out of this world event in Dublin's City Hall at the end of last year. But after Christmas I was sent two of the new products from the range to try out and review for you all.

About Madison Makeup:

Madison Makeup has been created and developed by Irish beauty industry veteran Paul

Mooney, and is his latest in a long line of innovative products. Paul’s vision is to create

obtainable luxury, while still providing uncompromised quality and Madison Makeup is

leading this vision. Madison Makeup has been created with the Millennial Irish girl in mind; its trend driven colours allow you to replicate the most current makeup looks. (press release email)

Berry Bold Eyeshadow & Hightlighter Palette- €19.95

This is an essential eyeshadow & highlighter collection with 14 shades in light , neutral & berry tones.

Highly pigmented formula for complete build-able coverage

Finely milled formula for the most seamless blend

Shades range from pink champagne to rich berry with a mix of neutral browns & 4 highly pigmented highlighters that open up an unlimited amount of makeup looks to choose from to suit every type of style. (madisonmakeup.ie)

This palette is really pretty. I also have to say that the size of the palette is very good. It's certainly big enough for the pans to work out at a brilliant cost of only €2 per eye shadow or the four highlighters at only €5 each if they were to be in a palette separately. The tones in the berry bold palette are exactly the type of colours I like to work with. Oranges and Burgundy's are my go to shade for my blue eyes especially when I have tan on, I love to make my blue eyes pop as much as possible. I also think that the shades can be used as a stand alone colour for a quick day look. I like to use the shade burnt when I want this look and sometimes I take it slightly browner with neutral. My absolute favourite shade from the palette though has to be berry itself I just love it!

The highlighters in this palette are not for the faint hearted, or I advise you to use them sparingly. The glow is unreal. I've been using them alone or sweeping my brush across them all. I find when I have tan on, they look even better on my skin. Although, doesn't that apply to every aspect of my life? Always better with a bit of tan on!! Daisy is my favourite highlighter shade from the palette and the one I used the most, it's not the lightest but I love the gold hue it leaves on my skin. I think if you are sallow skinned then fifi would be absolutely stunning on!

Contour; Contour Highlight & Blush Palette- €19.95

A kit to expertly sculpt and define your features with these highly bendable – 6 cream sculpting shades, 1 cream radiance highlighter & 1 powder coral blush
Each of the 6 contour colours can be inter mixed and custom blended to create a tailor made shade to expertly sculpt your features !! (madisonmakeup.ie)

Before we go any further, this is a disclaimer, I am not really into cream contouring. I have to be honest, I just panic when it comes to adding cream contour to my face. I always worry that I look really muddy and then if I do make a mistake, I'm trying to add more foundation ending up feeling like I've a weeks worth of product on my one night face!

That being said, I do think this palette would make a brilliant gift for someone who is into cream contouring or for yourself if you're growing in your cream contouring confidence. The blush shade takes my breath away the beautiful rose gold shade is stunning and I am OK with using the cream highlighter, again be light handed, it is creamy but you always want to be careful about the placement of a cream highlighter.

In the description of the contour palette on the Madison Makeup website, it's says that you can blend the shade to custom colour your contour shade... I will admit I tried this but it didn't work too well on me. I clearly thought my foundation was darker on my skin but I made the contour too dark so started again. Little by little I could see myself starting to add some of the cream contours for a night time look but at the moment, I like to use them more as a concealer. Carving out my brows using Contour 1 or sometimes adding a little of 4 as a concealer, it's deffo something if you're into cream contouring you'd love.

I hope you found this post helpful in deciding if you'd like to try out Madison makeup products. Being tailor made to the young women in Ireland, I think this brand will do very well. I think the price point is smart and this is reflected also in the packaging, it's young and funky and totally appeals to the young makeup lovers of Ireland.