YSL Volupté Tint-in-Balm

YSL Beauty released their latest lip innovation, the Volupté Tint-in-Balm earlier this month. They come in 12 shades, ranging from nude, coral and pink all the way to deep berry. The lip shaped core offers a sheer tint of colour and the surrounding bullet is a balm that gives the lips nourishing care. Every time you reapply, your lips are hydrated even more and the tint of colour intensifies. 

I was given a sample of shade number 12, Try Me Berry which is a raspberry pink colour with a lighter pink core. When I first opened it I was struck by the packaging which let's be honest is incredibly pretty. This is my first YSL lipstick (although I suppose technically it's a lip balm). I wrote about some shades from the Vernis à Lèvres Vinyl Cream collection last year which are gorgeous. I think YSL really excel at innovative lip products and I love that they have so many different kinds of lip products. 

If I'm completely honest, lip balm type products don't really excite me. I find them all very much the same, especially the tinted ones. I like strong, bright, pigmented lip products so tinted balms just don't do it for me. That being said, one way to get a girl excited about a lip balm is to give it this glorious packaging and already being a fan of YSL lip products I was interested to see how this was going to differ from your standard drugstore tinted lip balm. 

The first thing I noticed when I applied it is the gorgeous mango scent, so if you're not a fan of fruity scents, straight off this won't be for you. I love it and it makes it so much more addictive to reapply. It feels soft, smooth and buttery on my lips but not thick. That's something I like about a balm in bullet form is it's obviously going to be more hygienic but also I don't end up putting too much on (which I always end up doing from a pot) and having to keep rubbing my lips together until it sinks in a bit. 

You can see in the photos that it gives a light shine and a hint of colour. This was just one application but I do find the colour intensifies the more you apply it, which you definitely will because like I said it's so addictive to reapply. I wear this a lot in work because it's so quick and easy to apply and doesn't even require a mirror. I find that some lipsticks can feel drying on my lips throughout the day and when you work somewhere with air conditioning it can effect your skin and lips. I love how nourished my lips feel after a day of wearing this. 

There are plenty of lip balms that will nourish your lips like my favourite NUXE Rêve de miel, but I've never come across any with packaging as gorgeous as this. They are definitely more of a lip colour that a balm to hydrate your lips, I don't think anyone is going apply this before bed at night. The colours are all sheer enough that you can't really go wrong when choosing a shade. If you like fuss free lip products that you can apply on the go without worrying about getting on your teeth or feathering or if you suffer from dry lips and like them to feel hydrated all day, this is definitely a product for you.

They are priced at €33, it's YSL so you know it's not going to be cheap but I think they would make a lovely gift because you don't have to worry about the shade selection too much. Would I repurchase this once I run out? Yes I would, mostly because I don't actually have too many products like this (or any actually) I'm an absolute sucker for the packaging, I love the lips shaped core too, I think that's such a nice touch. If I'm going to be wearing a lip balm all day I do like it to have a bit of colour and I like how this colour builds up throughout the day. Also it's just such a pleasure to apply, after I put some on I keep pouting my lips to smell the mango scent (I know I'm not the only one!)

You can find them at Brown Thomas, Arnotts, Debenhams and any other YSL Beauty stockist. 

What do you think? Have you tried this or any other YSL lip products?

Emma x

Nude And Neutral Lipsticks

I've been wanting to write a series of posts about the different colour families of lipsticks I have in my collection for a long time now. Sinead from The Beautiful Truth wrote about Nude Lipstick for Every Budget recently and it got me looking at my collection of nudes. I didn't realise how many I actually had, I'm obviously a red girl through and through but I think in my quest to find the perfect nude for fair skin I've ended up trying so many of them that I thought it would be a good idea to share them with you in the hopes it might help someone find their perfect shade of nude lipstick. 

I've written about several of these lipsticks before in more detail, Estée Lauder Crystal Baby, Rimmel 03 and 08, Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk, Rosie for Autograph Lady Rose and No7 Spiced Latte. I don't want to repeat myself too much so you can read those posts if you're interested in knowing more detail. I'm aware I look like a narcissistic egomaniac with the amount of photos of me in this post but I wanted to give the best overview I could and compare the shades side by side both on my lips and with the context of my entire face because I think you always need to see what a lipstick looks like with all of your face in mind. 

Givenchy Voluptuous Nude, Charlotte Tilbury Penelope Pink, MAC Crème Cup, Charlotte Tilbury Bitch Perfect, Rimmel 03, Rimmel 45, Clinique Nude Pop, Estée Lauder Crystal Baby (same below)

You can see from the swatches exactly how each shade compares to the others. Voluptuous Nude is by far the palest yellow based shade, whereas Crème Cup is it's blue based equivalent. They are probably my two least worn out of the lot because I do find they can wash me out unless I have done a specific makeup look and used certain colours. The packaging of Voluptuous Nude is gorgeous and the formula is on the more sheer side so I tend to wear this over some kind of lip balm to make it a bit more wearable. I'd definitely be interested in trying another shade from the Givenchy Rouge Interdit range because I love the formula of this. Crème Cup is probably the least flattering, but pared with winged liner and the right shade of blush it can actually look quite nice. It's just not as easy to wear as the others and I'd imagine if you have darker skin than me it could really wash you out.  

Clockwise from top left: Voluptuous Nude, Penelope Pink, Crème Cup and Bitch Perfect (same below)

I was given a gift of three miniature lipsticks from Charlotte Tilbury a few years ago and two of those lipsticks were Bitch Perfect and Penelope Pink. As you can see I ended up buying the full size of Bitch Perfect. I love both shades but I just felt Bitch Perfect was a more flattering shade on me. Penelope Pink (which I don't find is all that pink) is probably more of a conventional nude. Again, paired with the right makeup look it can be gorgeous. You can see Penelope Pink in action again here and Bitch Perfect here. 

Clockwise from top left: Rimmel 03, 45, Nude Pop, Crystal Baby (same below)

I'm a big fan of the Rimmel Lasting Finish lipsticks, I have three of their nudes in my collection and they're all flattering, long lasting shades. You can see 03 is more yellow toned and 45 is more cool toned. Nude Pop and Crystal Baby are very similar as you can see above. I actually got this mini version of Nude Pop free with a magazine and along with Crystal Baby which I've had for years, it's one of my favourite nude lipsticks. The formula of both is similar in that it's not fully opaque but has just enough colour payoff. I would say these two would be the most flattering for most skin tones.  

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk, Rimmel 08, Rosie for Autograph Lady Rose, No7 Spiced Latte (same below)

I decided to separate the nudes and what I'd call the "my lips but better" shades. These are all probably a lot easier to wear and might serve as nudes for those with darker skin tones than me. Pillow Talk is the most recent addition to my nude collection and you can read a very in depth review here. As you can see it's probably a shade lighter than Rimmel 08 and Lady Rose which are both very similar to each other. These shades are all quite rosy whereas Spiced Latte is again more yellow based. 

Clockwise from top left: Pillow Talk, Rimmel 08, Lady Rose, Spiced Latte

As you can see I have a lot of similar shades, I definitely don't need all of these but some were gifts and some were press samples. I'd say my favourites are Charlotte Tilbury Bitch Perfect and Pillow Talk, Rimmel 03 and 08, Nude Pop, Crystal Baby and Spiced Latte. Those are just the shades I feel look best on my skin tone and have the best formulas for their price. 

It is difficult to find the right shade of nude, but don't be afraid to have a sales assistant try some shades on you if you're in the likes of Brown Thomas, Debenhams or Arnotts. It's not as easy as that with the more budget friendly brands because I wouldn't be putting those samples near my lips but even watching it on your skin can give you an indication of whether it will suit you. 

It also depends on the look your going for, whether you want something completely nude, or more of a neutral or whether you prefer warm or cool tones. I feel like after a lot of trial and error I really know what suits me now, not that I'm going to need to buy another nude lipstick for a while!

What do you think of these shades? What are your favourite nude shades? Are any of your favourites here?

Emma x

*No7 Spiced Latte was a press sample

YSL Top Secrets

I've mentioned YSL Top Secrets Instant Moisture Glow a few times here before and how much I love it. I was sent it a while ago and now that it's almost completely finished and I so desperately want to repurchase it I thought I'd give it a full review because it's such an amazing product. 

When I first received it, I wasn't sure if it was a moisturiser or a primer and according to YSL it's actually both. It's described as a moisturiser and blurring radiance enhancer that can be used in three different ways- alone, before foundation or on top of foundation.

Used alone as a moisturiser, it intensely hydrates and improves the skin's texture. When used as a primer it blurs imperfections and gives a great canvas for applying makeup, prolonging wear time and glow. It can also be used throughout the day as a top up to instantly plump the skin and make it appear more radiant. 

The formula contains a hydractive complex for supercharged hydration, a neo-skin powder the helps to smooth and even the skin and a backlight complex that gives a super luminous finish. The gel texture breaks into micro-sized water droplets upon application and leave the skin instantly and durably hydrated.

It's all well and good using big words like "hyperactive complex" (I have no idea what it actually means), but the most important question is do I feel like it delivers on what it claims it will do for your skin? I can unequivocally say yes. I find this product an absolute joy to use. I have normal/ combination skin which I know I've said before but I think it's always helpful to note the kind of skin a person has in relation to any skincare review. My t-zone can become oily throughout the day, I have normal sized pores and I can suffer with dehydration and dryness too. One of the biggest things I struggle with when wearing foundation is finding a product that controls the oil in my skin but leaves the other areas of my face hydrated so that my foundation doesn't cling to dry patches.

This is where the Instant Moisture Glow really helps my skin. I can apply it only where I need to or all over my face if my skin is a bit more dehydrated. When I'm wearing long lasting foundations like Double Wear Light, I always use this as a primer to give my skin optimum hydration before applying the foundation. I find that it provides such a great base for any foundation and keeps my skin looking hydrated throughout the day which in turn makes the foundation last longer and look so much better.  

It comes in a handy plastic tube making it hygienic and travel friendly, two things that are huge positives for me. It has a light scent which I quite like, nothing offensive and it doesn't linger on the skin for long. It has a smooth, light gel texture and you can almost feel it turn into water when it comes into contact with your skin. It ranges from €40- €42 depending on where you buy it so it's definitely a high end product, but if like me you need extra hydration, this is a great option. It's available at any YSL counter or online at Boots, Debenhams, Arnotts and Sephora.

The Top Secrets Lip Perfector is a similar products but just for the lips. It has the same plastic tube packaging with a plastic angled applicator and a similar light scent. It can be used alone or as a lip primer before applying other lip products. The aim of this product is to condition and comfort the lips while also helping colour payoff and longevity and a smooth application of lipstick and other lip products.

I tend to apply this before my foundation so that it has the time to condition my lips while I'm doing the rest of my makeup. You don't need a lot of product to feel like it's working so it's lasted me a long time. I've been using it every day since I was given it at a press event back in September and it's still going strong. At €34, you would really want to love this and that's the problem, I really do, however I don't know if I would repurchase it straight away because I love the MAC Prep and Prime Lip Base and the Urban Decay Ultimate Ozone Multipurpose Primer Pencil which do a similar job but are less expensive. I don't have particularly dry lips so I just make sure to exfoliate my lips and apply a good lip balm every night like the NUXE Rêve de Miel and then use one of the aforementioned products before my lipstick. However if you like a more sheer lip look or have particularly dry lips, the YSL Lip Perfector would be a much better option to condition and prime your lips because it takes longer to dry down and it feels more emollient.

It's available at Brown Thomas, Arnotts, Boots and Debenhams.

I wanted to quickly mention another product from the Top Secrets range, the Expert Makeup Remover. This is a Bi-Phase makeup remover similar to that of Lancôme, Clarins etc. I love to wear waterproof and long lasting makeup products so I usually have some kind of bi-phase makeup remover on hand along with my Bioderma Micellar Water just in case I need it. I've always used the Garnier one because it was so inexpensive and I used to so through it so quickly I didn't see the point in spending lots of money on one of the more expensive ones on the market. 

I was so annoyed when I first tried this because I really didn't want to like it as much as I did. It costs €29, which is 6 times more expensive than the Garnier one. However it's definitely the best bi-phase makeup remover I've tried. There was no need to rub my eyes too much like I usually have to with any of the other ones I've used in the past. The makeup comes off so easily, especially waterproof mascara, which would be great for anyone with sensitive eyes. It's such a pleasure to use. The only down side to this is the price. If I was using a waterproof mascara all the time I'd go through a bottle of this so quickly. However if you only used waterproof products once a week or so, you'd be able to ration this out a bit better. As much as I loved it, my budget only allows for the Garnier one at the moment. If I was spending almost €30, I'd much rather repurchase the Instant Moisture Glow because I really feel like it makes such a big difference to how my foundation looks and once it's gone, I most definitely will be repurchasing it.

Again, the Expert Makeup Remover is available from Brown Thomas, Debenhams, Arnotts and Boots. 

Have you tried any of these products? What primers and makeup removers do you use?

Emma x

*This post contains press samples but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. 

Eternal Optimist

Anyone who has been reading my blog for a while will know I'm partial to an Essie nail polish (I just counted and I have 21 Essie polishes). It's definitely my favourite nail brand and I've tried a lot of them. When I first saw one of their newer shades Eternal Optimist on Alix from I Covet Thee, I had to have it. It's described as "a spiced tea rose with a dash of cream" which I'd say is pretty spot on. 

Eternal Optimist is pretty much the on trend dusky pink colour of the past couple of seasons. It's light enough to be worn as a neutral all year round but it's a particularly pretty shade for this time of year. The warmer tones make it a more grown up pink shade compared to the likes of Fiji by Essie which is a more true baby pink. I've been wearing it almost non-stop since I got it before Christmas. 

I haven't been buying nail polish all that much recently, in fact I think this could be the only nail polish I've bought in the past year. I tend to go for Essie because they're one of the most long lasting and easy to apply nail polishes on the market and I always love their new shades.

What shade is currently on your nails? Do you have a favourite nail brand?

Emma x

What I've Been Loving Recently

I used to write about things other than style and beauty a lot more on the blog years ago and I wanted to try to get back into sharing some of my other interests because over the past almost seven years this has always been a space where I wrote about the things I love and that includes so much more than just style and makeup. That's not to dismiss writing about those things, because I absolutely adore it, any of my fellow fashion and beauty bloggers know that it's not the seemingly frivolous endeavour that some people can label it as being. It takes so much effort and time, money, patience, many different skills, creativity and above all passion.

There has been a lot of controversy about blogging and in turn Youtubers, content creators and "influencers" in the past year or so but particularly the past couple of weeks here in Ireland. I don't want to get into the details too much but I did want to share my thoughts as blogging is something that has been a huge part of my life for almost seven years now. I have met (or interacted with on social media) some of the most amazing, inspiring, passionate and creative people through blogging. The simple fact of the matter is that yes, there will always be people who are looking to make a quick euro and are perhaps disingenuous with their followers, but all you have to do is unfollow them, don't watch their videos or snapchat or read their blog. Why on earth would anyone spend their precious time on someone who they don't like or can't relate to? I make it my business to only follow people whose content I enjoy.

I have a full time job and blogging is a hobby for me as it is with most of the other women I follow. I chose to spend the free time I have writing about the things that I love. It doesn't interest me to write about things I don't like and that's a personal decision that every other blogger is entitled to make for themselves. I barely have enough time to write about everything I like let alone the things I don't like. I know a lot of my fellow bloggers feel the same way and if someone sees that as being fake well then so be it. I'm always open and honest about the products that I write about and I wouldn't feel comfortable mentioning something I haven't properly tried myself. I'm planning on writing a post with suggestions of bloggers who I love and believe are passionate and genuine, so if you're looking for some new people to follow, watch this space. That's all I really wanted to say, so let's get on with it or this post is going to need two parts!

I watch a LOT of television and movies and I loved sharing some of my favourite films here over the years with the series I did with stills from my favourite films. I wrote about Lost in Translation, Wizard of Oz, Rear Window, Gattaca and Labyrinth and I loved creating those posts even though they took a lot of time, it was fun to revisit some of my favourite films and share my thoughts on them with you all.

I thought I would try a monthly series in which I share some of the things I've been loving recently that aren't necessarily beauty or fashion related. I've really been enjoying Olivia's Sunday Duvet Reading series and I wanted to do something similar wherein I write about some of the things I've been watching, reading and listening to over the past while as I'm always on the lookout for suggestions myself, I hope that some of you will find this helpful. 

Let's begin with movies. I've been to the cinema few times over the past month and I've seen three amazing films. Firstly was a much anticipated film for myself and my sister and I'm sure anyone who grew up on nineties Disney films, Beauty and the Beast. I had high hopes for it, mostly because they used the original music and songs from the Disney film and I love all of the actors involved. Nothing will ever live up to the animated version for me, I have such vivid memories of watching it, I know the entire film by heart, there was just no way this live action version could come close. However I'm happy to say I really enjoyed it. I thought the casting was spot on. Nobody could outdo Angela Lansbury as Mrs Potts but Emma Thompson is the next best thing. I love that they gave more of a back story, the only thing that I didn't like is the extra songs. I didn't hate them but I felt that they didn't really add anything to the film. The original songs are so iconic that the new additions were a bit lost. The most surprising thing was how funny it was, I wasn't expecting that at all but casting Josh Gad as LaFou was perfect, he was such amazing comic relief. In short, if you didn't like the animated Beauty and the Beast you probably won't like this.

Another film I saw recently that I was so excited to for was Get Out. I hadn't read too much about the plot because I wanted to be surprised (I actually hate trailers nowadays because they tend to give so much of the film away). All I really knew was that it's written and directed by Jordan Peele who I'm a huge fan of (and his wife Chelsea Peretti is one of the funniest people ever) so I was looking forward to his directorial debut. I don't want to write too much because if you haven't heard much about it, I'd try to keep it that way, the less you know the better. All I'll say is that it was incredibly original, hilarious, tense and unnerving.

The most recent film I've seen in the cinema was Free Fire, directed by Ben Wheatley who I've been a fan of for years, so I was very excited to see his latest film. If you've seen any of his other films like Kill List, A Field in England or High-Rise you'll know he is such an original filmmaker. His films aren't exactly mainstream, but I'd say Free Fire is the most commercial that I've seen yet. The cast is perfectly assembled with Cillian Murphy, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley and Michael Smiley to name a few. It's a mixture of violence and dark humour along the lines of Reservoir Dogs. My boyfriend and I didn't stop laughing the whole way through. I can't recommend this highly enough!

I've been watching my usual TV shows like Walking Dead, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Girls (I've been loving this last season), The Mindy Project and Catastrophe (another amazing original comedy that's just finished its third season and gets better and better, the writing and performances are unbelievable). If you're looking for an excellent television drama, I loved Big Little Lies. It's a mini series on HBO based on a novel that has a cast full of some of my favourite actors including Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Adam Scott, Zoe Kravitz and Alexander Skarsgård. It's set in Monterey, California and the characters are all intertwined in eachother's lives with lots of secrets as you can imagine from the title. It's just such a high quality piece of television and the soundtrack is stellar too. It's not much of an investment at only seven episodes but the characters are so well developed it will leave you wanting more. It made me remember what incredible actresses Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are, Shailene Woodley was amazing too!

One thing I want to do more is listen to podcasts. I used listen to them a lot more often and I loved it. I'm sure most of you have heard of, if not listened to Serial or This American Life, the producers of which have a new podcast called S Town. I finished S Town in two days, I just couldn't stop listening to it. Again, I don't want to give to much away but it begins with a man from a small town in Alabama writing to one of the producers asking him to investigate a murder he believes happened in his town, what follows is the most incredible story that will have you listening to the episodes back to back to find out what happens next.

Finally I have some music suggestions all of which are albums that some of my favourite bands have released recently. The Shins released their fifth album Heartworms a couple of months ago and I've been loving it. I was completely obsessed with them after first hearing them back in 2004. I've only seem them play live once and I'm hoping they're going to play here during their Summer tour. I say they, it's mostly James Mercer as all the other original members of the band are no longer playing in the band. This album, much like the other two is definitely a bit of a grower for me. My favourite song so far is Fantasy Island.

Next up is the highly anticipated third album from Father John Misty, Pure Comedy. This took a few listens to 100% fall in love. I'd honestly listen to him sing the phone book but I'm really excited that he's done something very different compared to his first to albums and I feel like with every listen I'm getting so much more from it. The standout song for me is A Bigger Paper Bag which I am obsessed with.

The new album from Real Estate, In Mind, is the first without founding guitarist Matt Mondanile who has since gone on to form Ducktails (who I also love). Admittedly I haven't listened to this as much as the other two albums I've mentioned above but I've been loving this so far none the less.
Similarly to the Shins, the change in lineup has had an influence on the band's sound. The standout song for me so far is Two Arrows.

I hope you enjoyed my suggestions, please let me know if there's any films/music/TV you think I'd enjoy based on what I've shared here and let me know if you've seen or listened to any of the above and what you think.

I hope you're all having a lovely Easter Sunday!

Emma x

Brows Brows Brows

I've been asked about my eyebrows quite a bit and considering they're one of my favourite features,  surprisingly I've never dedicated an entire blog post to them. I thought it could be helpful for me to talk about what products I use and what I do to maintain them. With MicroBlading and "Instagram brows", there are so many brow trends and techniques and more brow products than ever on the market. It's hard to know where to begin.

First though, I should tell you about my brow history (I'm sure you'll be riveted) but I do think it's interesting to know the evolution of a person's brows, because let's be honest, most of my peers grew up in the nineties and experienced one of the darkest eras for eyebrows.

I can't remember exactly what age I was, but at some stage of my teenage years I began plucking my eyebrows and I like most nineties girls, I didn't know when to stop. I completely over plucked them to the point that there was the thinest line left on my face. My mother went through me for a shortcut as she'd say and if I remember correctly I stupidly kept up the plucking for a while until I eventually just left them alone and let them grow back fully. I'm very lucky that they actually did grow back because I know a lot of people who did the same thing as me and weren't as lucky.

I got to a stage where I allowed myself to give them a bit of a shape again. I didn't want to do much, so since then I've just been doing a little bit of maintenance because I like the look of more full eyebrows and I think it suits my face. I've never once had someone else thread or wax or pluck my brows, I've always done them myself. I've had so many people ask me if I've had HD Brows done and to be honest I don't really know what that is (I just looked it up as I was writing this). However I do have a HD Brows tweezers which I got in a Glossybox years ago (so maybe that counts?) and is the best tweezers I've ever tried.

So onto how I do my eyebrows. I never used to do much to them at all, I just used clear brow gel and then one day around the time I started this blog, I started to fill them in using a now discontinued matte brown Benefit eyeshadow. I used that for about two years until it ran out and at the point I was heartbroken because I couldn't replace it and had been using it for so long I had no idea what to use next.

Billion Dollar Brows Brow Powder in Taupe

I've since dabbled in almost every type of brow product out there. Powders, pencils, waxes, crayons, felt tip pens, gels, everything! Having tried so much I definitely have my favourites that I know work best for me. I tend to prefer powders, tinted gels/mascaras and smaller crayons. All of which you can see pictured. These are the types of products I find take the least amount of time and give me varied results depending on the look I'm going for. I do love the supermodel, natural brow look and I've been trying to go lighter on my brows recently.

Billion Dollar Brows Universal Brow Pencil

I tend to use a powder when I'm going for a more full, nighttime look. The one I've been using for the past year or so is the Billion Dollar Brows Brow Powder in Taupe which you can also get in a set with the Brow Brush called 60 Seconds to Beautiful Brows. Their Universal Brow Pencil is also amazing, it's a bit thicker than the Soap and Glory Archery so it was great for when I wanted to do my brows really quickly.

Soap and Glory Archery in Hot Chocolate

The crayon is what I use daily as it's quick and easy and not too much when I'm wearing minimal makeup. My favourite and most repurchased brow product ever is Soap and Glory Archery 2-in-1 Brow Filling Pencil and Brush. I've used both the shades Hot Chocolate which is darker and Brownie Points which is lighter and slightly warmer toned. I find the small crayon great for getting more precision when you want it but also for just filling in the areas where you need it without it being too much.

Lancôme Sourcils Styler in Châtain

Finally I love a good tinted brow gel. My favourites are the Bourjois Brow Design which I can't seem to find anywhere anymore but gave a really good colour pay off and the Lancôme Sourcils Styler which I've mentioned numerous times on the blog already and is definitely the best brow mascara I've ever tried. During the Summer or when I'm on holiday I tend to favour a brow mascara. It's the quickest and easiest way to do my brows, it still gives them shape, hold and a hint of colour with minimal effort which is exactly what you want in hot weather.

Bourjois Brow Design in Brun

I'm fully aware how fortunate I am that my eyebrows grew back and I'm sure there are some people reading this who weren't as lucky and have to put a lot more effort into doing their brows everyday. The only advice I can really give is if you haven't ever plucked your eyebrows, don't do it! Go to a professional who can shape your brows to suit your face. If you do have thinner brows, there are so many amazing options out there nowadays. I've seen some amazing results from MicroBlading and emBrowdery and if you're not quite there yet, there are so many brow products available that can help you achieve the look you want. 

Were you a fellow victim of the nineties brow? What are your favourite brow products?

Emma x


*Press samples include, Billion Dollar Brows products, Lancôme Sourcils Styler and Bourjois Brow Design. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.

Face Of The Day- Pink In The Afternoon

It's been a while since I've written one of these Face of the Day posts and yet they're some of my favourite to do because I love writing about lots of different products in the one post, giving an overview of some of my current favourites and anything that isn't working for me. 

I've been wearing very minimal makeup recently, barely any liner or eyeshadow mainly focusing on brows, blush, lashes and lips. Entirely influenced by wanting extra time in bed in the morning and by the ever inspiring Katie Jane Hughes who I've been following for a while now and if you are into makeup in any way, you should definitely check out her Instagram and Youtube channel. 

In my mission to try to 'shop my stash' and wear more from my makeup collection, I took out an old favourite, Revlon Pink in the Afternoon lipstick and created a very simple, minimal sixties inspired look to go with it. 

The reason I decided on a sixties look is because Pink in the Afternoon is reportedly the lipstick Audrey Hepburn wears in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's. After much online research there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer as to whether it actually is the lipstick from this scene where Holly Golightly utters the famous line "A girl can't read that sort of thing without her lipstick" in the back of the cab at the end of the film. There is a lot of evidence that it is the lipstick, the packaging for one is very similar to images I found of Revlon lipstick packaging from the 1960s which at the time was all gold. A few years before she made Breakfast at Tiffany's, Hepburn starred in a film called 'Love in the Afternoon', she was also in at least one Revlon ad that I found. There was also a vintage Revlon lipstick ad I found with a model dressed as Holly Golightly. I don't know if anyone knows for sure or if it just started as a good guess that became "fact". If anyone has any definite proof please let me know. It was fun to research all the same!

I began by using the No7 Skin Illuminator all over my face as a primer to add a glow to my skin before foundation. I love this stuff, it's great to blend onto the high points of the face as a subtle highlighter or for a more natural glow. It's not too obvious which is perfect for the days when you want the more "lit from within" look. It also works amazingly as a primer for any foundation, but maybe steer clear using it all over the face if you have oily skin. For foundation I used No7 Stay Perfect which I hadn't used in a long time and I had forgotten what an excellent foundation it is. If you love No7 Stay Perfect Superlight like me, but you need/like a bit more coverage, this is a good alternative as it blends just as easily and lasts all day. 

After foundation I always do my brows, this time I used another favourite, Soap and Glory Archery Brow Filling Pencil and Brush in the shade Brownie Points which if I'm not mistaken is the middle shade of the three available and a little lighter in colour than my usual shade but I like a lighter brow coming into Spring and Summer. I lightly filled in my brows only where needed and set them with my beloved Lancôme Sourcils Styler. 

I wanted to create a big winged liner as I haven't worn liner in ages, I used the Rodial Smokey Eye Pen first and blended it out, then the YSL Couture Eye Marker which is an interesting concept as it's a felt marker but the tip of it is cut at an angle meaning you can create thin or thicker lines depending on what angle you hold it at. I have to say it took me a few times to get used it, I didn't find using it as easy as I thought I would at first. Once I got the hang of it though, it was actually easy enough to create a wing quite quickly and it dries matte which I love. However I find with both this and the Rodial pencil, after just a few hours of wear my liner is smudged around my eyes and the wing starts to disappear which I hate and is the reason I tend to go for long lasting or waterproof liner and mascara to ensure that it doesn't happen. Both products are fine for just creating a thin line along the lashes but they just don't last on me if I wing them out. I don't even have particularly oily eyelids either. If YSL made a waterproof version of this it would be much better, but at €29 I expect excellent staying power. 

To finish off the eyes I used Lancôme Hypnôse mascara which was a Christmas gift (I'd never tried it before) and needs to be replaced but is an unbelievable mascara that gives everything I love, length, volume, definition and is buildable. It's not waterproof but I've had absolutely no issues with smudging or flaking. 

I put on a little bit of Catrice Liquid Camouflage under my eyes and on a lovely hormonal spot on my  chin. This is a great budget concealer, the shade range is excellent and it's waterproof so it's amazing on blemishes if you tend to get oily throughout the day. 

I delved into my makeup collection once again and brought out another old favourite, MAC Well Dressed blush. It's a pretty cool toned pink very similar to Benefit Dandelion both of which are perfect shades for fair skin ladies like myself. 

I added a slight touch of theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer on my cheeks just for a little extra glow. 

Revlon Pink in the Afternoon; Bellápierre Cosmetics Cat Walk; Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk

I finished the look with the lipstick that started it all, Pink in the Afternoon. I was obsessed with Revlon lipsticks back in the day and they're still some of my all time favourites. You really can't go wrong with a good Revlon lipstick after all these years. As you can see from the photo above I found some shades that are similar to Pink in the Afternoon, but both are a lot more expensive. 

You can see from the photos of the liner the how it looks with my eyes closed and looking forward. The shape looks a bit strange when my eyes are closed but when I look ahead you can see the wing is perfect for my eye shape.

I really hope you enjoyed this post and my little paragraph on makeup history.

Have you tried this lipstick?

Emma x

*Press samples include the No7 Skin Illuminator and the YSL Couture Eye Marker. All opinions expressed are my own and are completely honest.

Estée Lauder Modern Muse Nuit

It's been a long time since I've written about a perfume. It's something I find the majority of bloggers tend to stay away from because scent is such a personal thing and there's no way someone is going to buy a perfume just from reading about it whereas I might do with other beauty and skincare products. You really have to experience a perfume yourself, even if you think you might like something I always think you need to try a perfume for a while before deciding whether it's for you or not as a scent can change and develop as you continue to wear it throughout the day. 

My latest perfume purchase is Estée Lauder Modern Muse Nuit, the latest addition to the Modern Muse family and is was one that is relatively new, both to me and to the market having just launched last year.  Kendall Jenner was the face of the campaign which markets the perfume as a nighttime scent for what Kendall herself describes as a strong, stylish and feminine woman.

I first tried this at an Estée Lauder counter around Christmas time and my mam and sister tried it and loved it too. I'm a long time lover of Estée Lauder scents, Sensuous Nude is probably my all time favourite perfume so any time they release a new scent I'm always interested in trying it. You know you love a perfume when you spritz it on yourself at every opportunity. I've actually gone into Boots just to have a quick spray of this because I loved it so much. So when my boyfriend was going through the Duty Free in the airport last month I asked him if he'd pick me up a bottle and he kindly obliged. 

Let's begin with the bottle which is a gorgeous mixture of gold with deep blue/purple/green liquid inside a clear bottle topped off with a pretty bow that matches the packaging of the other incarnations of Modern Muse. The Estee Lauder site describes it as an Oriental Floral scent with notes of rum accord, jasmine absolute, sandalwood, musk and amber. I had a browse around on some perfume specific websites and there seems to be a consensus that their are top notes of mandarin and blackcurrant/cassis, middle notes of jasmine, chamomile and heliotrope and base notes of sandalwood, patchouli, amber, musk, Madagascan vanilla and tonka bean.

I haven't a clue what a heliotrope is (ok so I just looked it up and it's a purple flower), but I can definitely get the mandarin, sandalwood and patchouli when I spritz it first, then it develops to reveal the musk, jasmine and vanilla. That's just my personal take on it. I know scent can be different depending on the skin in comes in contact with which is why it's always good try try it yourself because it can smell completely different on someone else.

 Yes, this is marketed as a nighttime fragrance, but I wear it during the day because if I like a perfume I'll break all the rules and wear it whenever I want! Having said that it is quite a sophisticated, sexy and powdery scent that would be an ideal perfume for an evening out (or in, winky face).

If I hadn't tried it myself, I probably wouldn't have been inclined by reading it's description as I'm not usually a fan of anything too rich, however the notes all work together to make such a complex and beautiful scent that has quickly become one of my favourites. I'm completely obsessed.

Modern Muse Nuit is priced between €65- €126 depending on the size and is available from Debenhams, Boots, Arnotts and Brown Thomas.

Have your tried this or any of the other Estée Lauder perfumes? What's your current favourite scent?

Emma x

Wishing I Could Fly To Fantasy Island

It's been a while since my last style post and I'm completely blaming the Irish weather. Every time I had a free day to do it, the weather was rainy, windy or horribly cold. Which is why I wanted my first outfit post of Spring to be a colourful one.

I bought these earrings in H&M last week and I immediately pictured myself wearing them with clashing bright pink. You may remember I have the white ones too which I wore in this post last Summer. This is the fourth time I've styled tassel earrings in outfit photos over the past year (seen in this post and this one) all of which happen to be from H&M. I just love how much of a statement they make, I can see myself wearing these with dresses in the Summer too like I did with my white ones when I was in France last year. 

Coat- Dunnes Savida (the red version is still available in stores but there are some similar styles here and here)
Shirt- Penneys/ Primark (similar here)
Jeans- Next (similar here)
Boots- ASOS (similar here and here)
Sunglasses- ASOS (similar here)
Earrings- H&M (black version, similar here)
Bag- Penneys/ Primark (similar here)
Lipstick- Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Rose Lancôme

The clashing colours trend, particularly with pink and red is one of my favourites this year and I was excited to try it myself. Between the earrings, coat and lipstick there is a lot going on here which I love, but it meant I wanted to keep the rest of my outfit very pared back with a white shirt and jeans. These sunglasses are my favourite purchase of last Summer, if they were still available on ASOS I'd probably have bought a back up pair. I saw them on Erica from The Edited last year and ordered them straight away. My friend saw them on me and bought them too. I just think they're so unusual with the colourblock acetate frames and such a flattering shape on my face. I have my eye on these amazing colourblock ones from & Other Stories for this Summer.

I've featured the bag and boots here already, I love finding new ways to wear the items in my wardrobe. For me, it's not possible to wear completely new outfits all the time. The average person doesn't have the means to keep up with that kind of lifestyle either and it promotes fast fashion which I'm trying to steer away from (new H&M earrings aside). I've been cutting down my wardrobe significantly over the past few months, donating A LOT to charity and it doesn't mean the I have less to wear. I love seeing the creative outfits of people who have a capsule wardrobe, I'm not quite there yet but I'd love to have something along those lines myself.

I'm so happy Spring is finally here and the sun is out again! At the moment I'm gearing up for my trip to New York which is is just over three weeks time. If you have any suggestions of things to do or places to eat please let me know, I still have so much planning to do!

I hope you're all having a lovely Sunday and enjoying the nice weather.

Emma x