Braun Silk-épil 9

Hair removal is something that I rarely read about on blogs despite the fact that for most women (and a lot of men) it's part of our weekly, sometimes daily routine. Over the 14 or so years that I've been removing unwanted hair I've tried almost everything. I think a lot of younger girls tend to follow the footsteps of their mothers and sisters and my mam was always a waxing kind of woman so naturally that was my first foray into hair removal. I remember going into the salon with no clue as to what I was getting myself into. My first experience with waxing resulted in me going out the next day to buy a razor and shave gel.

I was shocked that women paid other women money to inflict them with so much pain. I didn't think it was worth it and so began my relationship with shaving. It was a novelty at first, feeling like a grown up shaving my legs and under my arms but that feeling soon wore off when I got annoying stubbly regrowth and had to invest in body scrubs and pay an extortionate amount of money for razors. The added joy of having sensitive skin that would get red and itch after shaving didn't enamour me with the process in any way. It meant I couldn't shave my legs more than once a week, twice at a push, because it would really irritate my skin.

When laser hair removal came onto the beauty scene a few years ago it seemed like the answer to my prayers, an expensive answer at that and to be honest although I have seriously considered booking a consultation, I never really had the extra money lying around so I put it on the long finger and kept shaving. I gave waxing another chance before holidays in recent years and yet again I decided it wasn't for me. In theory I love the idea of waxing because you get a lot longer out of it than shaving and it doesn't seem to irritate my skin at all, however waiting 4-6 weeks between appointments is difficult and I always end up shaving in between because the regrowth gets to me.

All options exhausted or so it seemed until my mam bought an epilator last year. She had similar struggles with hair removal over the years and decided to give epilating a go. My sister in turn bought one after trying out my mam's one. I borrowed her's to test it out before we went on holiday to France in August.

I bought the Braun Silk Épil 9 which after much research seems to be the best on the market, it's also the one my sister has so I knew I liked it. I was quite apprehensive at first after being warned my both my mam and sister that it is very painful the first time you use it. I think they both have much higher pain thresholds than me so this made me very nervous. They did also say that it gets less painful each time you use it so I just had to get through the first time and I knew it'd be okay after that.

I braced myself by having a bath first, blaring some tunes that I could sing along with to distract myself and drank a couple of glasses of wine. I can't tell you if it all made a difference but I feel like it did. I'm not going to sugar coat anything, it hurts like hell. The pain, if you can imagine it, is almost exactly like someone plucking all of the hairs out of your legs at the same time. I got through the first leg, just about, and the battery died which I was extremely grateful for because I don't think I could have made it through both legs in one night. The next evening with a freshly charged battery I soldiered on and managed to finish the second leg.

I have to be honest there was a point when I didn't think I could take the pain anymore and yet again questioned why on earth women do this to themselves, I thought, there's not a chance in hell men would inflict this much pain on themselves voluntarily. Looking back on it now I'm so glad I persevered because it really does get less painful each time. Obviously the first time epilating is the worst because it's all of the hair at once whereas after that it's just a case of maintaining it which isn't pain free but completely bearable. I have yet to brave my armpits which my sister has warned me is excruciating the first time you do it.

I thought I would do a quick list of the pros and cons of epilating using the Braun Silk Épil 9 for anyone who wants the main features.

PROS

- One time purchase (hopefully, unless it breaks!)
- Cost effective (no need for razors or shave gel or paying for a wax every month so it works out less expensive in the long run)
-  It's longer lasting than shaving so you don't need to do it every day
-  It's convenient (because you don't need water or shave gel in can be done any time or anywhere)
- Travel friendly (It means less liquid for your carry on on if you're traveling by plane)
- Cordless (comes with a charger but once it's charged you can use it in your bathroom or wherever you like)
- Can be used wet or dry, it's waterproof so you can use it in the bath or shower which helps with the pain
-Charges in one hour and can be used for up to 40 minutes
- Good option for anyone with sensitive skin as it means you won't get razor burn or a reaction to wax
- Hair grows back more sparse
- It comes with a trimmer cap and shave head so you have three products in one. It also has a tiny light to help guide you in lower light

CONS

- Very painful at first
- Expensive if you're on a budget (depending on what option you go for, mine cost roughly €110. However you can get other models for around €40)
- Can't be used while being charged (however it charges very quickly)
- There is no cap to cover the head which can be an inconvenience when travelling, the travel bag it comes with is poor quality, I would have expected more for the money you're paying
- Like waxing it's difficult to get a completely smooth finish as your hairs grow at different rates
- Not all models are cordless and waterproof
- Like with waxing you might suffer from ingrown hairs so having a good exfoliator like Tend Skin or the Waxperts Wonder Pads is a must

I got my Braun Silk Épil 9 from Amazon as I found it was the best price. I got the one with the bonus facial epilator which I haven't properly tried yet but the reviews I've read seem to to be very positive, it's around €50 by itself so it's deinfitely worth it if you think you'll use it as it won't cost you any more money. You can also get them from Boots, Argos and Littlewoods which are considerably more expensive or Target and Ulta if you're in the US. With the current Pound to Euro exchange rate it's definitely worth it buying from Amazon, you save about €50 compared other retailers.

I wanted to write about my experience with epilating because I couldn't find that many reviews or articles about it when I was doing my research and I thought this might be helpful to anyone thinking about investing in an epilator. It's not exactly an inexpensive purchase and it's hard to test it out beforehand unless you know someone who has one so I think it's important to have as much information as possible before investing in a beauty tool like this one. I have to be honest I don't know if I would have bought one outright if I hadn't tried my sister's one and heard her and my mam rave about their ones.

I'm so happy that I invested in an epilator, it's one of those "how did I not do this sooner?" products. I actually enjoy epilating my legs whereas I used to dread having to shave. I hope that I've covered everything in this blog but if you happen to have any specific questions please leave a comment or email me privately.

Emma x

Winter Wardrobe Wishlist

It's feeling a lot more like Winter every day and the only good thing about the shorter days and colder weather is Winter style. I've been doing a lot of online window shopping lately to counteract my sadness that Winter is just beginning and I wanted to share some of my favourite pieces with you.

Winter Wishlist by olgreeneyes featuring pullover sweaters

I saw this pink H&M Knitted Turtleneck Jumper (€69.99) on a couple of different people on Instagram and I was immediately obsessed. Nothing about this is typically me, it's oversized which is generally unflattering me and it's bright pink, a colour I think I've only worn once as an adult. This is definitely a love or hate it jumper, I haven't seen it in person and tried it on yet so it could be hideous on me but a girl can dream.

I saw these New Look Black Patent Flared Heel Ankle Boots (€39.99) a couple of months ago instore and they didn't have my size and haven't had it since and I think that makes me want them even more. They don't have my size online either so I'm thinking I might have to give up on this one. I love the shape of these, the slightly pointed round toe is a bit more flattering and the heel isn't too high either.

I've seen Jenn Im (one of my favourite Youtubers) wearing these Jenny Bird Edie Hoops a few times now and I adore them. I had a big hair change last week getting about 6 or 7 inches off the length of my hair so I really want to start wearing big earrings again since you'll be able to see them better without all my curly hair in the way. They also come in silver and rose gold and in a bigger version too.

The other item of jewellery that I'm crazy about is the Stella & Dot Signature Bespoke Pre-layered Necklace. This necklace was recently added to Stella & Dot's growing Bespoke collection and it's right up my street. It's three in one so you can wear both layers either separately or together and both can be engraved making this a great gift idea.

& Other Stories is opening it's first Irish store on Grafton Street before the end of the year (I hope!) and having already been a fan I've been perusing their online store a lot recently knowing that I'll get to see everything in person soon. Their bags are some of my favourite on the "high street" and this Galaxy Print Leather Box Bag jumped out at me when I saw it on the site a few weeks ago. There are plain versions too but I love the idea of a statement printed bag paired with a colourful coat to brighten up the dull, dark Winter months.

I actually bought this Lace Midi Skirt from Zara this week. It's the kind of skirt I can wear dressed up over Christmas and New Year or dressed down with a jumper and ankle boots. Lastly, I've been looking for the perfect leopard print coat for the past few years to no avail. I haven't seen this Faux Fur Coat from H&M in person yet but I'm hoping this might be the answer to my leopard print prayers.

So that's my Winter wardrobe wishlist, what's on yours?

Emma x

Magnetic Attraction

Let me begin this review by saying that the new Giorgio Armani Lip Magnets are on a different level to any lip product I've ever tried. The Lip Magnets have been inspired by two iconic Giorgio Armani products: Maestro Fusion Makeup and Lip Maestro velvet lipcolour.  

The Lip Magnets are described as a second-skin matte colour because their finish is four times thinner than that of your average liquid lipstick. Armani are proud to have created the first inverted emulsion in a lipstick. Water, pigment and fine oils are combined, the water gradually evaporates from the lips so that the oil and pigment fuse to give a highly concentrated lip colour that is long lasting, hydrating and comfortable on the lips. In other words, this is a very technologically advanced lip colour. 

I attended a press preview of some of the new Winter launches for Armani and when I first saw these I thought they were nail polishes. The packaging is actually inspired by fragrance vials, it's sleek and durable and I love that Armani uses red instead of the usual black or gold. The calligraphic applicator is another innovation, I was surprised at how the shape allows for such definition. International Face Designer for Armani Laura D'Ambrosio went through the products with us and she explained that the shape of the applicator negates the need to use a separate lip liner as you can achieve such precision with the diamond shaped wand. You can overdraw your lips and not worry about feathering so those liner lovers needn't worry.

I love that I can layer the product and it doesn't build up and crack, instead it dries down to a satin matte finish. I probably have about three layers in the photos below and it looks perfect. The scent is inoffensive so if you're sensitive to scented beauty products I can't see that being an issue. They are supposed to last up to 8 hours and I found that they really do last well even with eating and drinking it stayed in place. The great thing is that because the formula is so thin you can continue to reapply if there is a need to throughout the day. 

I was given the shade 403 Vibrato which is a deep brick red and the perfect Autumnal shade. It's not too dark so I think it would suit a variety of skin tones. It looks beautiful with a minimal face of make up but I really loved it how I wore it in these photos, pared with the shade Garnet from my LORAC PRO eyeshadow palette. I'm very excited to wear this lots throughout Autumn and Winter. I just need to decide which shade I want to get next.

There are 18 shades available in reds, pinks, plums, corals and nudes. They retail for €29 which I think is very reasonable considering the likes of Charlotte Tilbury and NARS are €30 and this lasted a lot longer than some of my Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks which usually require a lip liner to get the equivalent lasting time.

They are available from Brown Thomas instore and online. If you're in the market for a new lip colour I highly recommend taking a look at these in person. As a lipstick fanatic I can honestly say these are some of the best lip products I have ever tried in my life.

Have you tried anything from Giorgio Armani Beauty? What's your current favourite lip product.

Emma x

Underneath The Power Lines Seeking Shade

I don't tend to buy into many trends as I find it's not very cost effective and I prefer to invest in pieces I know will last from season to season. However the metallic pleated skirt trend that's been around for the past few seasons is one I knew straight away I wanted to try out. I'm a big fan of skirts in general and although pleats can be unflattering, I wanted to try it myself so I got this very inexpensive one from Zara a few weeks ago. 

I wanted to dress the skirt down and I love how these skirts look with oversized knitwear so I thought this burgundy jumper from H&M would be perfect with the gunmetal colour of the skirt. The weather is starting to get cold so I brought my Archive by Alexa trench coat out again and I've been wearing it non stop for the past couple of weeks. I'm already excited for the new Archive by Alexa collection that's launching in early November.

Coat- Marks and Spencer (similar here, here and here)
Jumper- H&M
Skirt- Zara
Bag- Zara (similar here and here)
Boots- ASOS (similar here, here and here)
Socks- Topshop (similar here)
Sunglasses- ASOS (similar here, here and here)
Necklace- Stella & Dot
Lipstick- Armani Lip Magnet in Vibrato 403

Patent shoes are another trend I've been loving, I got these ASOS boots last year and I'm so glad I did because I wear them so much in the colder weather when I need to look a bit dressier. I'm on the lookout for another pair with a higher heel, I have my eye on these ones from New Look.

My Bespoke Stella and Dot necklace has barely come off my neck too, every time I wear it someone compliments it. I'm looking forward to getting another piece from their Bespoke collection and perhaps some Christmas presents too as I think they make gorgeous gifts.

I'm wearing one of the new Armani Lip Magnets on my lips and I'm crazy about the shade and formula. I attended a masterclass by one of the Armani makeup artists a couple of weeks ago and I've been trying out a few of their new products. So keep an eye out for lots of exciting beauty reviews in the coming weeks.

What trends have you bought into for Autumn? What's on your Winter wishlist?

Emma x