Skincare Repurchases

I rarely write about skincare because let's be honest it's just not as fun as writing about make-up. However, skincare is something I'm very passionate about and I spend a lot of time researching skincare ingredients and reading reviews before I invest in a product.

Being a blogger I'm lucky that I get sent products for review consideration and therefore I'm trying new things all the time. If I finish a product and immediately want to repurchase it, I know I'm onto a winner. I thought I would share with you some of the products that I have loved and repurchased time and time again.

*Disclaimer- These products work on my particular skin type which is normal/combination and can be sensitive. As with all skincare products, do your research before you buy. What works for me, may not necessarily work for you. Also this is a very long post.

Let's start with my most repurchased skincare product ever, Garner Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make-up Remover. I have bought countless bottles of this over the past four or five years and every single time I decide to try something else or this is out of stock I am so disappointed because nothing else compares. It's a bi-phase liquid that contains waterlily extract and pro-vitamin B5 and no alcohol or perfume making it great for anyone with sensitive skin. I use this every night in combination with my favourite cotton pads the Boots Cotton Wool Double Faced Oval Pads to remove all of my make up before using a cleanser.

The reason I love this so much is that I use a lot of long lasting make up products as well as waterproof mascara most days and this makes it so much easier to completely remove my make up without having to rub my face too much and aggravate my skin which can be sensitive at times especially my eye area. It makes it so quick and easy to take off my make up and it means I can wear waterproof mascara without having to worry about using a separate product to remove it in the evening. If you haven't tried this yet I strongly recommend giving it a go, for €3.99 you can't go wrong.

Next up is Estée Lauder Perfectly Clean Multi-Action Foam Cleanser/Purifying Mask, which I use after I remove my make up and again in the morning. I was introduced to this by my mam who used to use the old formula version of this cleanser and said that she really liked it on her sensitive and dry skin so I thought I would try it out myself. I loved it straight away and have repurchased it numerous times. It has a creamy consistency that lathers into a rich foam once you apply water. A little goes a long way so a tube of this will last me for months unlike a lot of other cleansers I've tried. I like that it's a 2 in 1 product too, I tend to use it as a mask a couple of times a week.

It's suitable for all skin types but aimed at Normal/Combination skin which is my skin type and I feel like it works really well on my skin leaving it feeling clean, fresh, calm and hydrated. I've actually been using this with my Clarisonic Mia 2 every other night and I've found they make a great combination. It's priced at €26.50 which I find quite reasonable considering you get 150mls and it lasts for such a long time.

I've just purchased my second bottle of Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner and I found that it works really well for my skin type. I had read so many mixed reviews on this and it seems to be very much a love it or hate it product. A lot of people seemed to have reactions to it both with sensitive or normal/combination skin. That being said I love it and I found that it has hugely helped clear up the whiteheads I kept getting around my chin area. I use it 2 or 3 times a week after cleansing, it tingles slightly upon application but that doesn't bother me. I found that a bottle of this (236ml) lasts a long time and priced at €23.50 it's quite good value.

The next product is one that I always have on my skincare shelf. La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I. is a targeted breakout corrector. This comes in a small 15ml tube and the idea is that you put a tiny amount onto any individual breakouts you have and it reduces the appearance of them and prevents an residual marks. As soon as I feel a spot coming on I use this (on clean skin) and 9 times out of 10 the spot will be significantly reduced if not totally gone the following day. It contains Niacinamide which helps with any discolouration or red marks and Salicylic Acid, a beta hydroxy acid that can penetrate the pores and reduce blemishes from within without irritating the skin. This is a great product for those with sensitive skin who suffer from the odd breakout, depending on how good my skin is, a tube of this lasts me a long time. At only €13.99 this is such an amazing affordable product.

Finally, it's a product that's fairly new to me, Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum. Like most people I have dehydrated skin and I have found that this serum has been hugely effective in adding some much needed hydration to my skin. It contains Hyaluronic Acid (which helps the skin retain moisture) and is ideal for sensitive skin in need of intensive hydration. I apply this daily after cleansing, sometimes I just use this and sometimes I add moisturiser dependent on whether I feel I need it. I love the fresh scent, how it sinks into my skin so quickly and how it makes my skin feel. It's the kind of product that I didn't think I needed but after I finished my first bottle I didn't repurchase for a while and when I finally did I immediately noticed a difference from when I wasn't using it which to me is the sign of a product worth repurchasing. It's €22.49 which I feel is a great price for what this product does for my skin.


Have you tried any of these products? What are your most repurchased skincare products?

Emma x

No7 Matchmade Campaign

If you follow me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook you may already be aware of my involvement in the new No7 Matchmade campaign. I wanted to share everything here but I thought it would be better to wait until the campaign was launched so that I could give you the full story and show you my final campaign image.

On November 1st of last year I saw a post on the Boots Ireland Facebook page looking for someone to be the face of a new national campaign. In a moment of utter madness I decided to go for it so I emailed a photo of myself and a little explanation as to why to wanted to be involved (I included the photo below as I thought you might like to see what photo I went for). To be honest I regretted it straight away and I thought to myself "what the hell was I thinking!" but I honestly didn't expect anything to come of it.




The following week while I was in Paris, I got an email with a questionnaire attached asking for a little more detail about myself so I filled it out and sent it off thinking that was it.

Shortly after I returned from Paris I got a phone call from the No7 Casting Director asking if I would take part in a casting via Skype as they were based in London and wouldn't be able to see me in person. I agreed to do the Skype casting (a totally foreign concept to me, I didn't even really know what a casting was!). Monika called me and we had a lovely chat. She just wanted to know a little bit more about me and see me "in person". At this point I still didn't know the details of the campaign and once again I expected for that to be the end of it.

Towards the end of November I got a phone call one evening and to my absolute shock I was told that I got the job and would be going over to London in December for the photoshoot. My first reaction was, "Oh no. What have I gotten myself in for? Can I actually do this?". Then I thought about it some more and I figured that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that even though I was terrified, not just of taking part in a proper photoshoot but also flying over to London by myself for the first time, I knew I would regret it if I didn't do it.

I was then told a little more about the campaign, No7 were relaunching their Matchmade service and I would be one of seven "real" women (as in, not professional models) taking part in a national (UK and Ireland) campaign to promote the service.

I flew over to London (my first solo flight) on the evening of December 16th as there was an early call time for the photo shoot the following morning. I was the first to complete me shoot because they wanted me to be finished early to be on time for my flight home.

The first thing we did was some pre-shoot filming where I was asked to run around a huge studio filled with all of the different shades of foundation on big cardboard stands and choose which one I thought was my shade. The one which I thought was the palest shade ended up being 4 shades darker than what I thought. After that I had my make up done (this was also my first time having my make up done by someone else). My nails were painted in the shade Moonlit Shadow (which I actually bought in the airport on the way home) and my hair was left quite natural, only using the curling iron a little bit.

I was then fitted for the top I would wear for the photoshoot. As it was just a mid shot, the styling team only had tops and I actually didn't have any bottom half with me as I was wearing a dress so I ended up wearing my pyjama bottoms during the shoot which was quite funny and probably helped to loosen me up a bit. We ended up going for a pale pink top as it worked best with my skin tone and against the background in the test shots.

My photographer was Frederike Helwig, an incredibly talented photographer who has shot for Elle US and UK, L'Officiel, Muse, Harpers Bazaar and Bergdorf Goodman and has shot some of my favourite actors and musicians including Jason Schwartzman, Rebecca Hall, Matt Smith, The Stokes, Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard and Bryan Ferry. It was such an honour to be shot by her, she was a dream to work with. As I had never modelled before Frederike was very conscious of helping me come out of my shell and to relax and have fun and to get the most natural looking shot to suit the campaign. By the end of the shoot I was dancing around and screaming, it was so much fun!

After the shoot we did a little more filming and an interview which you can see a snippet of in this video. In the past month I've also been doing some press to promote the campaign in Ireland including a feature on the Boots Ireland site in which I review my seven favourite No7 products which you can read here.

This was the fist time I saw the leaflet in my local Boots with my photo on the front of it




I did a day of filming for Evoke.ie, you can see the video here




I also did a quick photoshoot for an Advertorial that is featured in this month's U Magazine

Like I said in my initial email, I was already a big fan of No7 products as you will know if you've been reading my blog for a while, so to be involved with a brand that I love is such an honour and something I am so proud to be a part of. I'm so thankful for such an incredible opportunity that I feel has really helped me to grow and learn more about myself. I want to thank all of the lovely people I met though out the journey including the other beautiful models who I met on the day and especially Catherine, Sarah, Maria and Jane.

Emma x

PS. Irish website Shemazing.net also did a video about the campaign which you can here.

PPS. Do go and avail of the match made service! I really did love it!

Winter Boots Wishlist

I was recently invited to take a look at UK shoe website Brantano. The site has a huge selection of 'Shoes for all the family' as well as bags and accessories. They stock a wide selection of brands too including Nike, Adidas, Clarks, Sketchers and Rocket Dog as well as Brantano's own brand of shoes and accessories.

As the weather is starting to cool down I thought I would show you my favourite Winter Boots from the site to give you some inspiration for any upcoming shoe shopping trips you may have planned.

1. Clarks Moonlit Cool Ankle Boot- £70

These are my idea of  "cowboy" boots, I love the sandy shade and that they already have that lived in look of  well loved or vintage boots. The small heel means that these should be very comfortable as are most Clarks boots. They would be perfect for everyday casual wear.


2. Clarks Katelina Bay Shoe Boot- £60

These black suede heeled shoe boots are great for a smart casual look during the colder months. They give you height but with comfort and will go with anything. I'm definitely going to get myself a pair like these as I always choose comfort first and Clarks heels are always the most comfortable. The medium heel and slight platform are perfect for tall ladies like myself.


3. Emilio Luca X Red Saloon Ankle Boot- £34

These boots are almost a black version of the first pair, with a bit of a western look to them. The heel is a little taller for anyone who likes an extra bit of height on their casual shoes. I can imagine these looking really nice with a floral print dress layered up for the cold weather.


4. Emilio Luca X Chelski Buckle Ankle Boot- £38

These Emilio Luca boots are a heeled Chelsea boot with a twist in that they have a buckle detail on the side which adds something a little different to a trend that's been around for a while now. I can see these being a great day to night boot, the heel is small enough that they could be worn for walking around during the day or for heading to a gig or out for drinks in the evening. The Emilio Luca range has some great price points too.


5. Clarks Orinoco Club Ankle Boot- £50

Lastly, these Clarks boots have been a recurring style the past couple of Winters. These would be so great for frosty days as they rise a little higher up on the leg than an ankle boot so you could add some thick socks for extra warmth and comfort and they have a textured sole which is an absolute essential for icy weather. The tan colour means they would go with everything and I have actually tried these on myself and they are like walking on a cloud. Not a bad price for such a high quality boots either.


Do any of these styles appeal to you? Have you bought your Winter boots yet?

Emma x