Mio Boob Tube +

The sad fact of life is that none of us girls are get any younger but luckily every day in labs all over the world there are products being created out there helping us to banish any signs of aging.

There are copious amount of products out there to firm and smooth our skin. The beauty industry isn’t just helping you rid yourself of wrinkles on your face but the rest of your body too.

A month or so ago Khloe Kardashian had an interview with Into The Gloss Magazinewhere she revealed the secret to her firm décolletage was Mama Mio Pregnancy Boob Tube. I’ve seen a lot of rumours online saying that Khloe has had a boob job so if the rumours aren’t true and she’s just been using this cream then I knew I needed to try this stuff out.

When I got the opportunity to test out the Mio Boob Tube + I was all for it, especially if it gets me one step closer to becoming a Kardashian.

While it might not be the Mama Mio Pregnancy Boob Tube that Khloe uses it pretty much does the same job. Use it daily on your neck and chest and your skin will start to feel and look firmer within days.

It took me about a week to notice any difference and while it was only a small difference you still notice it working. Now I’m still in my 20’s, small chested and kid free so gravity is still on my side, I can’t say if your older, larger or have had a rake of kids that it will do anything for you, so do bear that in mind.

It’s a thick feeling cream that soaks into the skin and dries really quickly so it’s easy to throw on in the mornings before I get dressed. I always think thicker creams worker better than thinner, stickier ones. The only problem I have with the cream is that it doesn’t have the best fragrance but if it keeps me looking younger than I can overlook the smell.

What makes this stuff work is the Omega 3, 6 and 9, CQ10, as well as my favourite skin care ingredient Hyaluronic Acid. If you’re looking for skin care that will make you look younger make sure it has Hyaluronic Acid in the top list of ingredients, this is the stuff that will smooth and plump out your wrinkles. 

It’s also a little pricey at €37 but your body will be thanking you in years to come when you’re picking up this bottle instead of your surgeon picking up his scalpel to make you look like Pam Anderson.

Now usually I take before and after picture or picture with the product on but there’s absolutely no way in hell that I’ll be getting the girls out so you’re just going to have to trust me when I say that the Mio Boob Tube + does what it says on the bottle.

You can pick up the Mio Boob Tube + in Arnotts, Clerys and Debenhams as well as well-known pharmacies.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo

MAC Wash and Dry Collection

Wash and Dry is the latest collection to come from MAC. Released 2 weeks ago it is one of the most colourful collections I’ve seen from them in a while.

I bought the highlighter and one of the lipsticks on the Brown Thomas website the day it came out. I hadn’t tested any of it but I read all the reviews on the Temptalia website so I had an idea which pieces would be better than the others.

The packaging is what really sold me; it’s so colourful and bright that I knew it would be a great addition to my makeup collection.

I love highlighters and with it being summer I really want to look bright and fresh so highlighters are the way to go. The Freshen Up highlighter comes with a gold coating but with one swipe it’s gone. After the gold is gone I can’t find much in the way of a highlighter, if anything it’s a glorified blush, as blushes go though it’s absolutely gorgeous. It comes off peachy which is such a break from my mauve and pinks that I usually wear.

I bought the lipstick in Tumble Dry, it’s light peach lustre. This is my first lustre lipstick from MAC, I usually go for the Amplified, Satin or the Matte finish. I have to say I don’t love this lipstick, I think it’s too light for my lips. I love nude lipstick but I think this is too sheer and my lips are so naturally red that it doesn’t come off as good as it should on paler lips. I’ll have to play around with it more maybe use it over a nude lip pencil but at the moment I’m slightly regretting this purchase.

Being completely honest if I tested the products in person I probably wouldn’t have made a purchase or maybe I would have only purchased the highlighter. The pieces I did buy are limited edition in the collection which made me choose them over the repackaged pieces.

If you’re thinking of picking up any pieces from the Wash and Dry collection I’d be quick, it’s already out 2 weeks so all the good stuff might be gone.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo

My Most Used Shadow Palettes

If there is one thing a girl loves it’s eyeshadow. I can swoon over shades sometimes, literally scream with pure joy when I swatch a new shade on the back of my hand, it might sound OTT to some but I know some of you can relate.

I have so many palettes in my collection that I even have some that I haven’t even used yet, but I do have some in my collection that I get constant use out of.

I’ve picked 5 palettes out of my collection that I use on a regular basis to show you all.

First up is my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. I go through phases of using this one but the pink tones can really change up a smoky eye. Most of my palettes and single shadows are brown or grey toned so it’s nice to mix it up a little. You can do so many looks with this palette from a light girly pink day time look to a dark purple smoky eye. These shadows have great staying power, really pigmented and have hardly any fall out on application, which are all thumbs up for me. I got this palette as a Christmas present but you can get it for €46 in Debenhams, do shop around though because I’m sure I’ve seen it cheaper. If you don’t want to spend that kind of money on a palette Makeup Revolution and Crown Brush do really good dupes for a fraction of the price.

Next up is my MAC palette, my friends sister works for MAC and was over in their Pro Store in London so I gave her an idea of the colours I wanted and this is what I got. I use the browns and the reds mostly on a daily basis as well as the Shroom as a highlight and the black shadow Carbon for when I’m adding a bit of smoke to a look. The other colours I use for going out looks. I’ve had this palette for a good 2-3 years now and I haven’t really made too much of a dent in it even though I use it nearly every week. The colours are so pigmented that I don’t need to dig my brushes in like I would with other shadows. I need to make up another palette soon though as there are loads of other shades that I want to get my hands on.

My YSL Couture Variation Eye Palette Nude palette was a total splurge but when I swatched the colours on my hand I was in pigmentation heaven and knew I had to have it. The palette costs €58. When I got it I knew I couldn’t just let it sit in my drawer so I’ve made sure I use it regularly and have used it for work on many occasions. Even though it’s on the pricier side I don’t mind throwing it into my bad. It’s so petite and handbag friendly that I can pop it into my makeup bag without it taking up any space at all. There are some great matte and shimmer shades in this palette and what I really loved about it was the brush that came with it. I never use the brushes that come with palettes but they put just as much effort into the brush as they did with the shadows.

Onto more affordable palettes now and this one is finally on shelves in Boots. The Maybelline The Nudes palette is a really great affordable palette that you all need to go get your hands on. I bought mine last September in the states for $9.99, with the exchange rate at the time I think it worked out at 6 or 7 euro. It’s slightly pricier in Boots at €14.99 but I really think it’s worth it. The palette comes with 12 shadows and the ability to give a brown, bronze or black smoky eye. There are so many looks you can do with this palette. The colours are really good, some you have to work a little more than others but the staying power of them is excellent. I love this as an on the go palette, there has been more than a handful of times that I have just thrown this into my bag to do my makeup on the go.

Finally we have the Sleek I-Divine palettes. I have a few of these but I get most use out of the Au Natural palette. I brought this on holidays last September as I didn’t want to bring one of my more expensive palettes in case they got damaged or lost so I went with a cheaper option and was really surprised at how good it was. It has a great mix of mattes and metallics so I could get a lot of different looks out of it. You can get a bit of fall out with this palette so I usually do my eyes first with this one and then apply my foundation. The mattes can take some blending but the metallic colours are the reason I really love this palette, especially the bronze colour (hence the big dent in it). I think these used to be under €10.00 but Boots are selling them for €10.49.

What do you guys think of my favourites? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo

Summer Accessories with H&M

I am ready for summer with my new H&M purchases that I picked up the other day.

I needed some accessories to go with my outfit for the Irish Beauty Blog Awards so on a panicked hunt a few hours before I had to get ready for the awards I ran into H&M and found the most perfect clutch and ring.

There was a vibrant lime colour in my dress and thought these would suit my outfit really well.

The clutch comes in gold and powder blue as well and costs €9.99. If you’re heading on your holidays this would be the perfect bag to have on your night out.

The ring just screams summer and the tropics. The sizes are weird though so they might not fit everyone. They’re only available in xs/s or m/l, I’ve teeny tiny fingers so I went for the smaller fit as the other size didn’t fit any off my fingers. The ring will set you back €6.99 so it won’t break the bank.

If you’re thinking off brightening up your summer wardrobe head to H&M they have some gorge outfits and accessories.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo 

Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Polish

When it comes to gel effect polishes I have a very high standard for what it takes for me to really love the product.

1)      If you’re going to sell me a gel polish it has to be as good as a Shellac or Vinylux.

2)      Has to last at least 5-7 days without chipping

3)      Stay glossy for the time being on my nails

4)      Can’t take long to dry – that goes for all polishes with me though

I bought a load of Vinylux polishes when I was at the Irish Beauty show a few months ago and they have set a really high bar for what I think of other polishes. I have however found it hard to source some, I know you can buy them online but I’m trying to cut back on my online spending.

This is a good thing though as I found a new love in the polish world that I think could possible trump my Vinylux ones.

The Colour Stay Gel Envy polishes from Revlon are possibly the best drugstore polishes I have ever tried. They tick all the boxes for me in what I look for in a gel polish.

They last all week, the shine never dulls, they are highly pigmented and when it does chip it’s usually by the end of the week and they are so tiny that unless my hands are right in your face you won’t notice them.

The price point is very similar to the Vinylux polishes. They retail for €9.29 in Boots and have an amazing colour range with 30 colours to choose from plus a top coat.

You will need to buy the top coat when getting the polish, its key that you do as this is what keeps your nails in tip top chip free condition and makes your nails super shiny.

The colours are highly pigmented, at least the ones I’ve tried so far have been. You could get away with one coat but I still pop two on. With two layers of colour and one top coat you would think it would take forever to dry but it is quite quick a drying formula so you can be back to business in no time at all.

If you love long wear nail polishes as much as I do then give the Revlon Colour Stay Gel Envy polishes a go. Anyone of my friends and family that I have recommended the polish to have loved it, so get out there and get some. Oh and Boots have a 3for2 offer on at the moment so no excuses.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo 

L’Oréal 24hr Infallible Matte foundation and primer

In one of my recent Boots sprees I picked up the L’Oréal 24hr Infallible Matte foundation and primer. To say I have fallen in love is an understatement; the only time I haven’t worn it was when I was having makeup free days or when I was sick with the chicken pox.

Let’s start with the primer, it’s a silicone based primer, a real rival for the Smashbox primer and half the price. I haven’t used the primer with any other foundations but paired with this L’Oréal 24hr Infallible Matte foundation it makes the foundation last all day. Combined with the foundation it also diminishes pores which I have a big problem with.

On application the primer has a gel consistency that you will find with most silicone based primers but when worked into the skin it goes slightly liquid. It dries super-fast and helps the foundation glide on to your skin. It doesn’t leave the skin feeling sticky or with a greasy film that you can get with some silicone type primers, your skin will just feel super soft.

As a foundation it ticks all the boxes for me. I’m pretty oily so I’m always drawn to anything matte. There are only 6 colours in the range, so if your skin tone is in any way dark than unfortunately the foundation doesn’t cater for you but if you’re a typical pale Irish girl like me or anywhere up to olive toned skin than you will definitely find the perfect shade for yourself. I chose 11 Vanilla, it’s somewhere between NW15 and NW20 from MAC and on the pinkish side of the spectrum.

I haven’t tried it on my face for 24hrs but on a normal day my makeup will be on from 7am to 11pm and it’s pretty much perfect by the time I come to take it off. No foundation will ever stop me from getting an oily t-zone but I feel like I only need to powder my nose once during the day, maybe twice if I’m going out after work.

I’m just over a horrible bout of chicken pox which has left my skin with a lot of red marks and scars, it was only in the last week or so that I realised how full coverage the foundation is. The picture below I’m wearing the L’Oréal foundation as well as MAC select cover up concealer. I’ve been feeling pretty insecure about how my skin looks at the moment so the combination has made me feel normal again.

As my skin my skin has had a tough time of it recently it has become drier so on my drier days I spritz a bit of MAC Fix+ onto my face and it takes the dryness away.  I also find it best to apply with my Beauty Blender, I’ve tried it with my other brushes but found using a damp beauty blender gets the right coverage that I need.

As affordable foundations and primers go the L’Oréal Infallible Matte range wins hands down, it rivals a lot of high end equivalents and for half the price. At the moment it is on a 3for2 offer in Boots for €12.29. If you love matte foundations and are on the oilier side of life then you need to get your hands on it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo

Met Gala 2015

I love the Met Gala Ball it never fails to disappoint in the fashion stakes. This year’s theme was Chinese White Tie which stumped a lot of attendees on the red carpet.

A lot of people played it safe but there is always the odd few that go the extra mile.

 

The person I was most looking forward to was Kim Kardashian, she had a gorgeous Roberto Cavalli gown that showed off her skin, accentuated her curves (not that hard though) and was inspired by a previous Met Gala gown worn by Cher many years ago. She wasn’t the only one to show off some skin, Beyonce and JLO had similar gowns but in the battle of skin I definitely think Mrs. Kardashian West won. JLO is usually so on point for me but her makeup just ruined the whole look for me and all I want to know from Beyonce is who made your shoes and when will Penneys be doing copies.

 

Rihanna is always out there and if it was any other red carpet her dress, in my opinion, would have been panned. Artistically it is a masterpiece; the dress by Guo Pei was made by one person and took two years to make, but the overall thought when I see it is “Big Bird”.

 

If you didn’t know yesterday (4^th of May) was Star Wars day, I have a feeling that Anne Hathaway is a big fan or looking for a part in the new movies because she looked more Jedi than Chinese, I’m not really impressed by this Ralph Lauren number at all.

 

Mary Kate and Ashley usually look spot on but on the Met Gala red carpet they looked like they took inspiration from Morticia Adams rather than Chinese fashion. A bit too gothy for me.

Katy Perry wearing Moschino was just a fashion nightmare. I really can’t find anything positive to say about this dress. This was a major miss for me. Madonna wore a similar dress by the same designer which was much nicer, and a big improvement from her outfit last year.

I actually really liked Miley Cyrus’s dress, designed by Alexander Wang; this got the thumbs up from me. Unfortunately her hair and makeup didn’t complete the look for me.

Finally Kate Hudson, Chrissy Teigan and Jennifer Lawrence all got on my best dressed lists. These girls are always on point; whoever their stylists are they deserve all the money they get because they really know what they’re doing.

What do you guys think? Is there anyone I missed out that should have been noted for either best or worst dressed? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo