Oooo I do love trying out a new make up brand! I was vey, vey excited a few months back when I heard that Illamasqua was launching in BT2. Illamasqua is make up that’s definitely not for the faint hearted! It’s for girls [and brave boys!] who love a bit of drama, something a bit risque, something quite unique and who demand bloody good quality in their make up! Now, I mentioned drama and Illamasqua is all about the dramatic. Once you go onto the website, you’ll be under no illusion that this is more than ‘mere’ make up for the masses, it’s ‘Showtime Make Up’. Taking inspiration from the ‘dark and illicit club scene of the 1920′s.. and members of the alternative scene for whom self expression was paramount.. it also combines a rich heritage in make up for Film & TV’.
What I do love is that each range makes a fierce statement, for instance ‘Bite – for lips that are intense and arresting.. lips that speak volumes’; ‘Scratch – for nails that say you are in control’; ‘Pierce – for eyes that reveal the inner person.. expressive yet mysterious’. And the website is just stunning and there is so much info on it! Everything from the full range of products and accessories to a blog section, latest news, loads of video tutorials and how to’s and even the biogs of the Art Team are interesting.
But what’s the make up actually like?! Well, colourful is one way to describe it. Deliciously inviting is another! All lined up on a solid black counter, their twinkly, shimmery hues just begging to be picked up and slathered on… but I digress. My first purchase of Illamasqua was a lipstick and a lip gloss. The lipstick is ‘Underworld’, a fabulously rich, jewel colour with a slight bluey tint – I get many compliments on this lipstick, which lasts and lasts by the way and it really makes a statement. I also bought ‘Indulge’ part of the ‘Intense Lipgloss’ range which while creamy is shiny, there’s a bit of texture to it so you can wear it on its own. There’s also a range of more sheer lipglosses but you will get more colour in the ‘Intense’ range.
More recently, I purchased from the latest range, Dystopia. the 4-colour palette in purple is right up my street! The white base has a hint of glitter and shimmer, as does the black shading eyeshadow. The purples are matt and very much stand alone colours if you’re more into block colours on your eyes, which I am but as you would expect, work great together as well. Again, the staying power is great, you won’t get any budging of this stuff until you, eh, actually remember to take it off!
I also bought ‘Explode’, an unusual sheer lipgloss that is a bright pinky colour on its own but it’s designed to add depth over any lipstick or gloss, which it duly does – a dab in the centre of your lips will add a new dimension to any colour!
Priced in the MAC range, with the palette above costing €35 and lipsticks and lip glosses under €20, Illamasqua is available at BT2 on Grafton St and for online purchasing here.
This took me back. Remember when you were a teenager and started wearing deodourant? You had to slip it into the trolly in the supermarket when in Dunnes or Quinnsworth when your Dad had decided to do the weekly shop. And then there was always ‘posh’ cans of Impulse on the supermarket shelf beside the deodourant; Impulse being a body spray that technically you didn’t need but someone in your class always used it and was the same wan that was allowed use her Mom’s very grown up perfume as well, as opposed to the one bottle of Anais Anais you got from a very progressive Aunt at Christmas that you’d been ‘saving’ to use until you were allowed go to the local disco.
A copy of the latest 
Girlies, I’m all about finding things I like and sticking with them – well, if they ain’t broke and all that… So I would have to say that the majority of my make up is MAC and when it comes to foundation, I’ve been a MAC select fluid girl for years. I tried other brands but gave up looking when I found this, I thought I’d found my HG foundation [Holy Grail]. Then earlier this year I started to look around, call it a seven year make up itch. Every so often I was convinced I could see a slight tide line below my chin – the horror! – I’m so pale I’ve always struggled with matching colour, and maybe the odd patchy bit on my face after a while. So when the 
But now that I have my lovely Dior 5 colours design in ‘navy’, I can honestly say that I heart each colour in it! The white base does what it says on the tin, then the centre colour and the navy in the top left for shading are what would be my staples. The centre colour is more purple than appears in the pic and as you’d expect, the staying power is great, just blend, blend, blend! The iridescent purple, top right is actually very sparkly! Nice for a little night time highlightling on the brow and in a first for Dior, the darkest colour, bottom right is actually a cream liner, not powder. You get those fiddly little sponges in the compact, ditch those for brushes that work but if you don’t have a good liner, there’s a flat brush included that does actually do the job, just don’t poke your eye out using it! And finally, wear this with an even bigger smile on your face if you can cleverly manage to purchase in Sterling where it’ll set you back £37 as opposed to €55.
I wear glasses because, darn it, I’m short sighted, I need them! I was 9 when my teacher in school noticed I kept leaning over to read whatever the girl beside me was writing down from the blackboard – I’m guessing that I was also leaning over for a bit of a chat, but sure that’d hardly surprise you!
One person that got more than his fair share off the school bullies is Gok Wan – poor Gok was an overweight, speccy 4 eyes! Now as we all know, Gok has come out of his cocoon to become one of the most stylish and dare I say witty fashion bods around. Good old Gok – it’s been documented how unhappy he was with his weight and how he struggled to fit in – but he’s definitely come full circle and is easily in a position to stick two fingers up to the bullies as he sashays from place to place helping girlies with their wardrobe woes.
Well, one simple, easy to find product is the Boots own brand ‘Sun, Swim & Gym Hydra Spray’. Shake up the 2 layered liquid and spray! I tip my head over to get all the underneath hair as well – lash it on! The UV filter will protect your hair against environmental, salt and chlorine damage. And it’s on offer at the moment, as are all products in this range, 2 for €6 which isn’t bad at all. Good for when you’re on holiers. Note to self, I’ve used the shampoo and conditioner from this range but I felt my hair wasn’t hydrated afterwards and still a bit crunchy or coarse when dry.
*Sigh* Then as I was scrolling back up the page I noticed that there was a review that included some info about ‘The New Elixir’ from 
I have been dragging myself around lately! Absolutely draaagggging myself around. Waking up tired, standing in the shower thinking of how nice it will be in 15 hours time when I can go back to bed, getting to work and having that ‘only 8 hours to go’ thought, losing interest in any TV as I wonder what time I should go to bed at without arousing suspicion. I’m always ‘reading a good book’ and am known for reading into the wee hours no matter what, so that excuse has long been worn out.
I know. The headline says it all. My hair has been a little bit ‘meh’ of late and I felt something had to be done about it. Now! I haven’t completely abandoned my beloved Aveda.. we’re just on a little break. My hair tends to be even more dry once the weather heats up [although it's never anywhere near tropical in temperate old Ireland, as we're all aware] but it’s a combination of warmth, humidity and the never ending battle against over processing that had my locks in a bit of a tizzy.
My bordering on obsession with REN Skincare continues. I was looking for something to Spring clean my dull and winter damaged pallor, a start afresh type product if you like. I use face masks to hydrate and clean my skin when I think of it, maybe once every ten days or so but I was looking for something that would really have a ‘wow effect’, something that would zing my skin back to life – and I found it!
Bad hair days are the pits. Worse than that! They are just awful and nothing will so instantly put anyone [ok, ok, your average, style conscious girl!] in a bad mood as quickly as looking in the mirror first thing and realising that It’s A Bad Hair Day. I’d been having a bad fortnight and it really wasn’t pretty.
