Make Up Must Haves! #BOBBlogChallenge

Hello Dolls! Week 3 of the Best Of Beauty Challenge, WHERE does the time go??!  Hosted by the lovely Samantha from All The Buzz blog >>> HERE <<< Remember to check out #BOBBlogChallenge on twitter, all the beauty bloggers are posting their fav products and top tips… they know what they're talking about I tell ya… 

So… Week 3 is…  *drum roll*  'Makeup Must haves' the essentials that you need to get your face on! Here's mine… 

First up a decent mirror! Mine is from TK Maxx and it was €10… is got 3 'zooms' on it… with the 'extreme close up' magnify bit so you can really scare yourself with the wrinkles… but its ace for when you want to do a perfect wing tip with liquid eyeliner and your hands are a bit shaky! A must… 

Tip… my other cheapy mirror is on my bedroom window.. cause THAT's the light you need to check before you exit the building! THAT's the light people are going to see you in…  Many times I've been all set to go and peeped into this and had to 'fix' things! 

New cult product Garnier Perfect Blur .. this stuff rocks… no matter how rough you feel this will give you a 'glow' and makes the reflection in the mirror about a little easier to deal with.. pop it on over your moisturiser and 10 years younger… well maybe 5 but take what you can eh!? €16 in Boots… 

I know the 'blending brush' police will be out to get me but I love … LOVE… blending sponges… They just work fro me… I've tried brushes and I look like I've had a dodgy streaky tan! Unblended foundation is my pet peeve … I've been know to tut loudly at those jawlines that are tango orange beside a porcelain white neck… this won't happen if you use these properly… plus you've got the mirror remember! blend blend blend… then you can leave the house! The ones on the left I'm currently using are from 'Ur' make up… so far so good… find them >>> HERE <<< easy to use.. fast to clean… and blend like a dream… The others were a find in TK Maxx for €4! 

Know what else you need… a good concealer… there's loads to choose from out there but my fav at the moment is 'Soap 'n' glory Kick Ass Concealer'… it's compact so will fit into the handbag easily… there's two tones of concealer in so you can match your skin perfectly AND its got a translucent 'sealing' powder to set it… the little mirror inside it ace too… no need for a compact mirror if you have this with you… two birds etc…  Get it in Boots for €13 comes in Light and Medium… 

The right color foundation… go get yourself matched!!! KNOW if you're warm or cool skinned… it can make all the difference to how you look… make up is suppose to make you look good.. not plastered or of different ethic origin! nothing worse than seeing a very pretty girl with make up caked on with a different color neck! I'm a bit ranty today aren't I! I'm cool skinned and L'Oreal True Match in C5 is the nearest colour to my skin tone… Like everyone I need to go a little lighter in winter and I mostly a tinted moisturizer in Summer cause I've got quite sallow skin but for those days when I need full make up… having the right color is a must… and this one is the business! Estee Lauder counters do a great skin matching test for those wanting to experiment with tones… their 'Double wear' foundation is excellent benchmark…  

I thought my 'spotty skin' was done once i hit my 20s… my 30s?!? sheesh… how wrong was I!?!?  For those sneaky little zits… here's a concealer with healing properties…  'Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer' comes in 4 shades… it contains Salicylic acid to dry 'em out and states it's a 'management for acne' … Instead of covering a blemish with concealer and making it worse, we've all been there… this will heal as it goes… you only need to put a small amount on the reddest part, one click is the perfect amount… those clever Neutrogena people… then do your foundation… its a great little concealer with healing goodness! Available here for €19… I got mine in New York for $11 so be nice to the American cousins! 

For when it's ALL over… Rimmel Gentle Eye Make Up Remover… this stuff will get rid of EVERYTHING on your peepers… it doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy nor does it sting your eyes… great if you have sensitive eyes or wear contacts… PLUS it's great value, my local pharmacy sells it for €4.30 … I wear black eyeliner A LOT… and nothing has come close to this for removing all the 'debris' from the bags under me eyes! 

Every girl should have a pair of these… Shu Uemura eye lash curlers… I've also invested in the sneaky little ones for the eye lashes at the outer edge of your eyes… you can get them in silver or gold and if you never wear any make up they will open up your baby blues in 10 seconds! I got mine In Brown Thomas, they have a full Shu Uemura stand there, for €25 and the mini ones for those strays at the edge of your eyes were €15 but they're for life! 

So… these are my 'must haves' … laydeez who blogged about Aussie hair masks last week? They're on sale this week in Dunnes for €4! Someones been eavesdropping eh!

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BARGAIN!

Ok before the grammar cops weigh in… I spell yoghurt with a 'h' and I'm not ashamed! So Onken Yogurts are todays find! These are 'only bleedin' lovely' as they say in my neck of the woods! This week they are €1 for 450g tub in Dunnes so a bargain to boot… The best 'Best Before' date I could find was the 18th of March.. yes I'm the person rooting round the back of the yoghurts for the ones that'll last longest… I have no shame it appears! 

If you're a yoghurt fan you'll love these… the mango one is sooooo yummy! But the 'Fat Free Natural Yogurt' is probably the hero here if, like me, you use yoghurt in smoothies and curries alike… Add a little cinnamon, honey or sweetener to a meringue and you've got a fab dessert, spoon some into your butternut squash soup and it'll make it that little bit creamier… a couple of tablespoons will change your curry! and for €1.00 a tub you can't go wrong! 

The tub is 450g, they state a serving is 150g (so 3 servings per pot) which is a lot if, like me, you just spoon some over fruit or porridge, so I've given the breakdown for the whole tub as well… write it off your points for the week… 

Fat Free Strawberry 450g - 9 PP, 150g - 3 PP, 100g - 2 pp 

Fat Free Blueberry & Elderberry 450g - 9 PP, 150g - 3 PP, 100g - 2 PP 

Mango, Papaya & Passionfruit 450g - 12 PP, 150g - 4 PP, 100g - 3 PP 

Peach Wholegrain 450g - 13 PP, 150g - 4 PP, 100g - 3 PP 

Fat Free Raspberry & Honey 450g - 9 PP, 150g - 3 PP, 100g - 2 PP 

Fat Free Vanilla 450g - 8 PP, 150g - 3 PP, 100g - 2 PP 

Natural Set 450g - 8 PP, 150g - 3 PP, 100g - 2 PP 

Fat Free Natural Yoghurt 450g - 4 PP, 150g - 1 PP, 100g - 1 PP 

PS: Thinking of doing another challenge.. anyone interested?! 

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Monday…. Motivation…

Ever just feel like you're wishing your life away… I wish I was a size 'x'… I wish I could fit into those jeans… I wish I didn't feel so insecure when I'm out… I wish I didn't always forces on the negative stuff…. today we stop wishing and start doing! How many times have you heard or read 'If you had told me I could have lost this weight a year ago I would have laughed at you!' yet successful people believed… believed in themselves… and believed they could… and then did it! Stop wishing for things that you can actually do! Today is the day to start doing… set a plan 'a month from now…'  set a goal 'I will be down 4lbs  …. whatever your goal is, make it realistic… write it down and promise yourself to do it! 

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Brunch Club #1….

So another addition to the blog... this will occupy the Sunday spot along with recipes! And YAY to the feed back from the Prawn Satay… Told you it was nice… and faster than the chinese to cook! 

So.. welcome to Brunch Club! This is a Sunday gig I do with my gal pals… life's so busy that often its the only time we get to catch up with the gossip and see what's been going on and we've tried some fab places in Dublin town so I thought I'd share! Once we hear somewhere new on the grape vine … we're there… and we're a pretty tough crowd to please… we have our regular haunts too… so if you need a bit of yum on a Sunday or you're a bit hungover… tangent… still drink free since new year, I'll be in a heap when I get my paws on my first G&T!!! … something might pop up here that will satisfy!

First up my nearest college haunt!

Noshington Cafe 

Noshington is cool… and not in that 'oh gawd it's gonna be full of hipsters' kinda way…  its bright and breezy and in no way pretentious … and the smell once you walk in the door is the first thing to get you… it's just wholesome… first thing you clap your eyes on is the cake counter… before you've even got a seat you just know you'll be buying a bun on the way out…  and by 'a bun' I mean the best carrot cake around… I hounded them for the secret… pineapple juice! Got forth and bake my little ones!!! Check out their bread too…

I suspect the BEST homemade lemonade in Dublin! No really! 

The brunch crowd on a Sunday range from the hungover types, you know holding their heads, drinking pitchers of home made lemonade straight from the jug... to mams and dads with the little people tearing around out the back in the garden, its totally child friendly… The former ordering the 'Breakfast Sandwich' which is basically the 'works' between two slices of granary batch, to die for! The latter mixing it up with the mini & full 'Nosh' covering all the bases…  there's seats inside and out, both front and back so queueing isn't a problem… Max wait is about 10 mins at the busiest of times…  

All their menus are on their site… but check out the specials board… the lady on the table beside me had the Thai Chicken Salad and I was kicking myself… next time! I also spotted the burger,carnivores… you're all sorted! 

I went for the 'Melt' which is honey roast ham with Swiss and cheddar cheese & tomato toastie but half the plate was filled with a beautifully dressed salad and few homemade fries to sweeten me up! Everything is sourced locally and all the 'goodies' are baked fresh daily! My meal cost me 12PP for breakfast and lunch… worth every single one!

For the coffee snobs… you can relax… its REALLY good coffee and decent mug of it… Skinnies - they'll make your latte with low fat milk… they don't stock sweetener though so bring your own…  

This place has got a great atmosphere, not too noisy and the background music is quietly there without you needing to shout at each other… free parking on the main street on a Sunday… the wait staff are so polite and nothing is too much trouble… there's no pressure on you to leave so you don't feel rushed… which is a BIG thing for me! I hate being intimidated when I'm nursing a hangover or just need another 10 mins to see who's dating who now?! 

I just had to show it… my dining companion had the carrot cake… honestly… I stole a good mouthful and it tasted just as amazing as i remembered the first time I shared it! I'd be afraid to ProPoint it!

Check them out here … >>>  http://noshington.ie  <<<

4 out of 5 from me… a regular spot on the list… oh and if you see someone pasted against the fridge drooling over the carrot cake… that'll be me! 

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Valentines day...

So its all about the love today… now instead of hovering down chocolates or downing a bottle of wine… treat yourself to something for Valentines Day that's just for you! It's a massively commercial holiday which to be honest I don't subscribe to… but if someone wants to buy me something… then its ProPoint free only! A new lippy, nail polish, even a stack of new magazines are all so much better than using Valentines day as another excuse to misbehave!! 

So my valentines treats are… 

a home Valentines Day mani, before this lovely polish gets filed into the Christmas box… It really is 'THAT' kinda red... one last chance to wear "Knees Up' by Butter London for Valentines day! Signature Nail in French Creme by Wet 'n' Wild 

Mac Pro Longwear Lipglass in Driven by Love, not recommended for windy days if you've got long hair or you'll be wearing most of it on your face! Its a great color and VERY shiny! Kissy Kissy!

For a few fabulous Valentines ProPointed desserts… Check out The Skinny Kitchen >>> HERE <<< this site is my go-to for ProPointed recipes! I cannot WAIT for her new cookbook! WARNING: you will be hungry once you've read these! You've been warned!  

Happy Valentines Day everyone xxx

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Best of Beauty… Hair Heros!

Hello Dolls! Week 2 of the Best Of Beauty Challenge hosted by the lovely Samantha from All The Buzz blog >>> HERE <<<  Don't forget to check out #BOBBlogChallenge on twitter, some ace bloggers are posting their favs… even if its just for a nosey and see if products are worth the bother or the money! These people tell it straight! 

So… Week 2 is…  *drum roll*  'Hair Heroes'

ITS THE HUMIDITY!

Now I am a brunette… I was blonde once for 24 hours and we're never going to mention that again! EVER! I've done red… and even pulled of a rather successful plum color not so long ago… My hair looks thick but its actually very fine, there's just loads of it! I especially love my hair on holidays… the sea salt and humidity suits it… not in a Monica from friends kinda way… and although I don't have a surfer chick booty… I've got the hair down!! However, once I'm back in grey old Ireland trying to pull that off takes a lot of product… my hair is the type that is gorgeous in the hairdressers but once I step outside the door its flat as a pancake!

So in no particular order… Dolls' Hair Heroes… 

At the moment I'm using the 'Aussie' hair care range… Nothing to do with the motherland I swear… it's just everything in this range smells amazing… and I purchase everything on its smell… even lippy! I mix things up with the 'Mane 'n' Tail' range and Herbal Essence 'Bee Strong' range for shampoo and conditioners, just to stop product build up but at the moment its all about the Aussie …  

Having been a naughty girl on my holidays last year I actually burnt my hair, I know I KNOW! For two days I didn't put any conditioner through it or wear a hat… I can hear you tutting… but The Miracle Moist Shampoo has rectified that over the last few months! They use this as the base for lots of products in the range! It's got macadamia nut oil in it so it's SO yummy… Retails at €5.39

The most expensive of the bunch is the Aussie Volume Conditioner at €7.69 but still worth it in my book… plus if you're going to use a treatment after your shampoo you can skip the conditioner so it'll last a bit lot longer… 

I swim a lot so my hair needs a lot of TLC and the ends can get very dry from the chlorine … the 'Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Frizz Remedy Deep Treatment' (there's a mouthful!) is amazing!!! It retails at €6.39 in Boots but again think of the 3 for 2 promos… This effectively stops all the 'why did I bother even blow drying my hair?!?!' drama… Frizzy be gone! 

Swimming takes all the good oils out of my hair so even after I've conditioned my hair in the shower, I'll always add a leave in conditioner on swim days! My latest fav is from Mane 'n' Tail… best thing about this product… it doesn't weigh your hair down! Some leave in conditioners can leave your hair looking flatter than when you started… how many times have you stared in the mirror after all the foofing and plumping and it's still as flat as a pancake! What's THAT about?! This will strengthen your hair and keep it looking healthy… €13.95 online at https://www.manentail.ie but keep your eyes peeled in your local pharmacy I got mine for €9 in the January sales! Love a bargain I do... 

For the Rapunzels amongst us… L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil is for you… just before you leave the house to party the night away… rub a small drop between your palms and run it through the ends of your hair. You can put it on before and during your hair routine but this way works best for me… you will shimmer and shine, BE-YOU-TIFUL! Lasts for ages and smells yum too! €10.80 will get you a bottle that will last best part of the year! ooooh shiny! 

Remember the surfer chick hair I was talking about… I searched ALL the stores in the land… tried EVERY product… no really, I did… to try to get my holiday hair without going to the airport and I found two of em! RESULT! First up... L'oreal Studio Matt & Messy Shine-Free Salt spray… Yes I know 'SHINE-FREE' but its a different look without a brand new haircut… spritz it on after you take out your rollers for the 'sexy-I-just-got-out-of-bed-after-a-bit-of-nookie' hair, or just a few sprays on the great unwashed… no judging … and you're all disheveled in a sassy way for under a fiver! This one is def my favorite… but… 

VO5 'Give me Texture' Dry Texturising Spray does the job too! Only in a more 'hairspray' kinda way if that makes sense… but if you want smoking hair for €4.59… it does what it says on the tin! Now to fit into a wet suit… 

OK… you can all wax lyrical about Baptiste Dry shampoo and yes there is a can in my bathroom (the cherry one! see what I mean about smells!) and a travel one in my handbag… and maybe one in the car too BUT the bestest DRY shampoo out there is the SuperDrug own brand… not sure how this fairs for the blondes out there, but the Chocolate Brownie is AWESOME for us brunettes… loads of volume, not powdery, smells lush, gives a great shine and cheap as chips… they don't have a travel size yet but that's purely down to me not harassing them enough!!! I'm on it! If there isn't a SuperDrug near you… stock up when you get to one… only leave the Tallaght store alone… S'mine! 

So there you go… some products I use on my coiffure! When you see a shiny brunette swishing past ya… it could well be me! Check for the surf board… Although in this weather I applaud ANYONE who can manage to keep there 'DO' in check! Windswept how are ya!?! 

Hope you're enjoying the beauty posts… I'm having fun doing them… Sparkly Jelly recipe this week!  

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