Beauty - Review of Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Colour Deep Treatment

Hi everyone, and welcome back to my blog! I hope you had a great week, and hope you have a great weekend too. For those of you who live in Ireland, I hope you have a great bank holiday weekend! (I'm actually so jealous by the way - could do with having a good sleep in on Monday!).

I hope you also enjoyed my last blogpost - on some creative, last minute simple ideas for Halloween. I got some good feedback on the post and I'm happy you found it inspiring and hopefully you won't be lost for ideas come next weekend! If you haven't checked it out, you can HERE.

It's been a while since I did a blogpost on some hair care product, so that's what I'm going to talk about today! Aussie are obviously an Australian-produced haircare brand. They have an extensive range of deep conditioners, shampoos, conditioners, hairspray, heat defence products just to name a few, all using extracts of some native and wild Australian fruits.

I think it would be an understatement to say that I have a severe love for the brand. If you'll know their products, you'll know that they smell absolutely divine to say the least and they really do the job as well, but the only downside is that they are rather expensive, although I have used some of their full sized products before, and really like their leave in conditioners, shampoos and their conditioners. The Aussie product I constantly repurchase however is their Miracle Recharge Luscious Long Lightweight conditioning spray, and a review of that product plus an in-depth view of my hair care routine as well as how I did my dip-dye myself, is HERE.

Luckily for anyone like myself that's watching every penny they pay out, they have some of their full sized products in little 20ml sachets for a very reasonable pound or two so you can try it out and see do you like it enough to commit to buying it in a full sized container.

I brought over a small sachet of their 3 Minute Miracle Colour Deep Treatment in my suitcase from Ireland a few weeks ago. I paid €1.50 for this small sachet in a local pharmacy.

 

I only have my hair coloured on the ends where it's bleached with the ombre, but I don't know is it from the stress of readjusting to life in a different country, or what I'm eating or my eating pattern (which is sporadic at best), or just an unhealthy addiction to the hair straightener, but the top sections of my hair have been feeling so dry and damaged recently. There's been a lot of frizz so most mornings heading into uni I look like I have been electrocuted (which wasn't really a great look to be fair...).

So as I had put this in a drawer, I decided to use it.

This comes in a small sachet like I said and you can easily open it using your fingers without the need to cut the top off. It smells beautiful. It contains Australian wild peach, whose kernels were used by the Aborigines as a form of hair conditioning oil, and you can really get the smell of peach off it! This new formula contains aloe vera also.

So after I washed with my regular shampoo (which is Head and Shoulders Classic Clean -  nothing else seems to get rid of product build up and dandruff quite as good!), before applying this in handfuls all over my hair. The packet instructions said to only leave on 1-3 minutes, depending what condition your hair is in, but I wrapped my hair in a warm towel and left it in for a half an hour, then washed it out using lukewarm water (not too hot, not too cold). I then left my hair to airdry naturally (not my intention, but my sister and mum Skyped me then and it wasn't exactly polite to blast the hairdryer, but I'm sure my hair thanked them for their impromptu call!).

My hair wasn't still completely dry when the Skype ended, so I still needed to use the hairdryer to dry some of my hair. I couldn't get over how soft my hair felt! I straightened my hair then using my hair straightener and thought it was absolutely amazing, so soft and although it didn't take away the frizz completely, it certainty made a noticeable difference.

Would I repurchase this? Definitely!

Hope you enjoyed this post ! x 

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Beauty - Garnier Ultimate Blends Shampoo Review

I apologise for my lack of blogposts the last few weeks, but I'm now back with a review of this Garnier Ultimate Blends shampoo.

So I randomly picked up this shampoo in the supermarket a few weeks ago. Apart from their skincare products, for some reason I have never really used Garnier's shampoos but I try new products out all the time because of the blog so I said sure why not to this shampoo. My hair has been dull and dry recently because I use heat on it a lot.

First thing's first - very cute packaging. It claims to be "the marvellous transformer". It contains argan oil and camelia oil. I've already mentioned argan oil in a previous blogpost on my hair care routine HERE, so please check that out.

Camelia oil is a Japanese oil and is a rich source of Palmistic and Omega 6 linoleic fatty acids. Despite it's bad reputation, some fats are very essential to human health.
For those of you that don't have a nutrition background like I do - palmistic fatty acid is the most common fatty acid, and like many other fatty acids, is an effective emollient. In basic terms for hair care, these are usually oils that form films on the surface of hair, where they often act as anti-humectants or sealers. They are lubricants and provide increased slip (decreased drag), between adjacent hair strands, which in the simplest of terms - makes detangling much easier! They also reduce tangling in general by smoothing and flattening the cuticle surface, which also adds shine and gloss to the hair.
I've sure many of you have read up on the benefits of Omega fatty acids, or at least have heard of them. Omega 6 is classed as an essential fatty acid. and as your body is unable to make them, must be obtained from food. In terms of hair though, it has a similar role to palmistic oil in the way that it acts as an emoillient, but it also has a necessary role of it's own - moisturising the scalp and supporting hair health, which in turn leads to more optimal health growth.

I'm sure many of you have watched Japanese Geisha films and wondered how they get their hair so glossy - camelia oil is the most probable reason! The benefit of the oil in haircare has been long documented - because it contains the two fatty acids I've mentioned above!

Before using this shampoo in the shower, I washed my hair with Johnsons' Baby Shampoo to clarify my hair and get rid of any build up of hair care products. You don't have to use Johnsons', that's just the shampoo I use as it's gentle to my hair and works just as well as the more expensive clarifying shampoos. This shampoo smells absolutely fabulous, which I love while washing my hair in the shower. I used a generous enough amount, and it made a great lather on my hair. When I rinsed my hair it immediately felt glossy.

When my hair was dried, it honestly did feel so smooth and silky. The first time I used it I was going out for the night, so after straightening my hair it stayed silky and smooth for the whole night. Amazing!

I will say though that two days after it does make your hair appear super greasy, so I really would only use this for going out, and I stick to my regular, trusted regime of clarifying first with Johnsons' Baby shampoo and washing my hair then with Head & Shoulders shampoo.

Better still, it doesn't contain parabens, which are harmful chemicals often in shampoos, linked to cancer.

Definitely does live up to it's claims of being the "marvellous transformer"!

It costs €4.19 in Boots.

Beauty - Natural Eyes with a Bright Lip: Collaboration No.1

So to make my blog a bit more exciting and to support other bloggers, I've decided to start doing collaborations with other bloggers on Instagram. There will be one each week for the next few weeks. If you haven't followed me on Instagram HERE  what are you waiting for?! This is my first collaboration with a lovely beauty blogger called @tangram_. Her Instagram is HERE , you definitely should follow her, she's beautiful on the inside as well as the outside and so talented too!

For our collaboration we decided on a really summery day time look  - consisting of natural, low key-eyes (with some glitter - sure why not!) and a super eye-catching bright lip - inspired by the beautiful YouTuber Kathleen Lights. If you don't know who she is, you should definitely check her out! I follow her on Instagram and am subscribed to her videos on YouTube, what I really like most about her is she uses mostly affordable products and her videos are super simple to follow too, and I am already planning on having another make-up look inspired by her uo soon on my blog! A link to her channel is HERE and her Instagram is HERE.

Anyways this look is so nice - neutral, simple eyes teamed with a bright pink lip. It's definitely too subtle for me to wear to a night-time event. Just to say, this look is not for the beach, it's not that natural! It's if you were going to - let's say - a  summer day-time event.

Most of the products I've used, I've used before in other blog posts. The amount of make-up I have at the moment is far too much, and many of the products I have bought have never been opened, so I need to use them before I buy more things.

So first off, I washed my face using Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel foaming wash, (€4.79). My skin is super duper dry at the moment, so I moisturised my face using my Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light moisturiser (€5) in three thin layers. I've done a review on these two products HERE as part of my skincare routine.

I used the green in my concealer palette (€5 from aliexpress.com) to hide the redness around my nose and on my cheeks. As this is a very natural look, I used Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour foundation (€9.99) using my Penneys beauty blender (€1.50). I've done a review on this foundation HERE, and while it isn't a make-up product that lasts all day for someone like me who has combination skin, it is very good for a day time look for a few hours. I used Kubiss concealer in No.2 Medium (€2, local chemist) where needed and set that and the foundation with Catrice All Matt Plus shine-control powder in 010 Transparent (€3.49, Penneys).

I created a very subtle smoky eye using the three shades on the left of the Catrice Absolute Nude eyeshadow palette (review of this product is HERE), €5.49. I applied the lightest colour on my browbone and inner corner of my eyes, the medium shade on my eyelid and the darkest eyeshadow shade on the outer edge and blended them together. To brighten up the look even more, I patted some of Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow in the shade Under Treasure (€4.49), from my inner eye to nearly half way over the eye.

As this is a summery day time look, I skipped false eyelashes and went straight for mascara. The one I decided to use was NYC Big Bold Volume by the Lash Mascara (€3.49). My natural eyelashes are tiny and short, so that's why it hasn't come up as impressive as I would have liked.

For eyebrows, I filled them in using Penneys PS Beauty browkit (€2); I've reviewed this product (along with a  few other Penneys own brand make-up products) HERE.

As for the rest of my face, it's very natural again, and as it's a summery look, I used a little of Catrice Sun Glow Shimmering Bronzing Powder (€4.49) and a teeny tiny bit of Catrice Defining Blush in Sunrose Avenue (€4.49 - review HERE). I highlighted my skin using Catrice Prime and Fine highlighting powder. (€4).

The lips are really the standout star attraction of this look. I love how everything else is very natural and the lips are just BAM! You could choose any lip colour you want, even a nude lip would look really nice with this look. In the inspired look she's wearing lipstick but I think a lipgloss is more fun for summer, so I wore the unbelievable New York Color Expert Last Lip Lacquer in Fidi Fuchsia. I love everything about this product - the beautiful shade, the way it doesn't taste yukky on my lips, and the fact it stays on for yonks! Oh and it only set me back €3.70 too!

My hummingbird top is from Penneys - from a few years ago though - in case anyone's wondering.

Fashion & Beauty - Flowers & Metallics OOTD

This quilted flowery dress is from Penneys a few years ago. It was actually in the reduced sales items rack, I forget the cost of it off the top of my head but I think it was only €5. It is originally a shift dress and is a size 12. As it looked baggy on me when I first tried it on, I put a belt around my waist, you can get a belt just like it in Penneys for as little as €2.

The tights are basic ones from Penneys, they're €3.

But onto the shoes. Oh my God! I would have never thought myself to be a shoe-girl but I'm absolutely IN LOVE with these shoes. I got them in Penneys (obviously!), for only €7! They were reduced from €16. I love them as they have a strap on them. I really struggle to walk in heels without a strap on them, so these are perfect, and while they are high, I don't feel they are that high. I mean, I am still heads and shoulders above most people while wearing them, but not crazy tall wearing them!

The black hat is from aliexpress.com, and I've worn it in many other blogposts, I love it. It was €6.

I actually did my make-up before sorting an outfit, and was randomly trying out some new products. I was trying out Boots Seventeen Skin WOW! 3 way Highlighter on my skin (review is to come on that product!), and then ended up trying out a look by a talented YouTuber called Shaaanxo, in which she wore gold eyes (I used Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow palette, €5.49), and this purple lipstick. I know a lot of people wouldn't be keen on wearing this lip colour, but I actually really like it and felt like it went with this look so much. Both the purple lipliner and lipstick are both Primark (Penneys in Ireland) brand actually. The lipliner was only €1.50 and the lipstick was €2. They are both all kinds of amazing.

The other bits of make-up I used was Primark Beauty liquid foundation (€3) - another unbelievably good quality product for the price (see my review HERE); Boots Seventeen Define and Conquer Contour Kit (I've also reviewed this product - see HERE!), W7 Absolute Lashes mascara (supposed to be a dupe for Benefit They're Real! Lashes, blogpost on this is to come!), Essence Liquid Ink Eyeliner, and Primark Beauty browkit (review HERE).

My hair, if anyone noticed, was just freshly dyed the day night before I done this blogpost. It's really light blonde now, and I love it. There's often special offers on this ombré dye so definitely check it out! I've done a review on my personal hair care routine and how I got the ombré look HERE.

Fashion & Beauty - Clashing Prints Outfit of The Day

Clashing prints are a very big trend at the moment. I find they are more wearable however if both prints are in the same colour palette, such as black and white like I have done here.

The black and white dress is AX Paris, but like the navy version of this polka-dot dress that I wore in this blog post HERE, and like the navy version, I also got it in a charity shop in Dublin for €5!

The coat belonged to my sister, she didn't like the print on it anymore, so she gave it to me! It is by Jane Norman, and was quite expensive at the time. It is five years old and still excellent quality.

The brown ankle boots are Penneys, I've mentioned them in previous blog posts. I bought them just before Christmas for €15.

The tights are basic black ones from Penneys, they cost €3.

The black hat is from Chinese wholesale website aliexpress.com, I've also mentioned it in previous blog posts. It cost €6.

Make-up wise, it's very similar to what I have done before. The foundation I used was Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour foundation, and I've reviewed it on the blog before, see HERE. I applied that using my Penneys beauty blender (€1.50). It gives a very natural result.
The liquid eyeliner I used was Essence Liquid Ink Eyeliner (€2.89, Penneys).
The red lipstick is Seventeen Stay Pout lipstick. (€5.69, Boots).
The rest of the make-up routine I have already mentioned before in many other of my blog post.

For hair, I washed and conditioned it before applying V05 Heat Defence Spray (€5, Boots) and blowdried it straight, then straightened it again using my GHD straightener.

P.S. Apologies for my Michael Buble calendar photobombing in the background ;-)

Beauty & Fashion - Easter Sunday Outfit Of the Day

This outfit I had actually worn Easter Sunday, but never got round to finishing writing a blog post about it it up thanks to other stuff getting in the way!

The orange top is Penneys. I bought it a week before Easter. I was looking through the reduced items rack (always on the hunt for a bargain!) and at first, I didn't think it looked that great - the pattern is usually not something I'd pick out as I usually go for soft, more muted colours. But I figured it would be nice with blue or white jeans and it was reduced from €9 to €3 so I took a chance and bought it.

I have the jeans for about five years now. I bought them in my local town, and I remember they were quite expensive at the time (about €70). But they were a great investment! I wore them a lot throughout my years at college and they go with a lot of outfits. The only thing is, they're insanely skin tight skinny and it's such an effort to get them on, I have to literally jump around my bedroom (girls, you know the way it is!). I really felt like they went with this top and balanced it out though.

The black heels are Penneys. I bought them for my college graduation. They were about €15 but they're the most uncomfortable pair of shoes I have ever worn! I think they suit this look though as they are quite basic and don't distract from the outfit.

The hat is from Aliexpress.com, I've worn it in previous blog posts, it cost €6.

Make-up wise, I was going for quite a dewy, glowing look. So after cleansing my face with my Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel foaming wash, I applied Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration primer before applying Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation using my Primark beauty blender. This foundation is very nice for achieving a natural look. I applied Kubiss London concealer as needed and set them both using Catrice All Matt Plus shine control powder. I used Catrice Prime and Fine eyeshadow base on my eyelids before creating a subtle smoky eye using the Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow palette and the eyeliner I used was NYC Liquid Eyeliner before adding loads of NYC Big Bold Volume by the Lash Mascara. I filled in my eyebrows using Penneys P.S Love Beauty eyebrow kit. I added Catrice Defining Blush to the apples of my cheeks and moisturised my lips using Nivea lipbalm before applying Catrice Infinite Shine lipgloss.

As for my hair, I washed it that morning and applied Vo5 Heat Protect spray before blowdrying it straight.

Again, this post is featuring my dog Sam again, but he was a bit camera shy this time!

                                                           Products Used:

Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Foaming Wash, €4.79.
Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer, €6.49, Penneys.
Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation in 100 Ivory, €9.99, Penneys.
Kubiss London Concealer in No.2 Medium, €2, local chemist. 
Catrice All Matt Plus Shine Control Powder in 010 Transparent, €3.49, Penneys.
Catrice Prime and Fine Eyeshadow Base, €4.20, Penneys.
Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette, €5.49, Penneys.
NYC (New York Color) Liquid Eyeliner, €2.40, Penneys.
NYC Big Bold Volume by the Lash Mascara, €3.49, Penneys.
PS Love.... Beauty by Primark Beauty blender, €2.
PS Love.... Beauty by Primark eyebrow kit, €1.50.
Catrice Defining Blush in 080 Sunrose Avenue, €4.49, Penneys.
Nivea Essential Care lipbalm, €2.09, Penneys.
Catrice Infinite Shine Lipgloss, €3.49, Penneys.

Beauty - My Dipdye and Haircare Routine!

I've got a few compliments about my hair and a few requests to do a hair-care blog post so I figured to blend the both together!

So obviously, as you can see, my hair is dip-dyed at the moment. It may come as a surprise to tell you I did it myself! I was really bored of my natural black hair colour and needed a change, and as it was coming up to my birthday in September I decided to go for it. I have had bad experiences with dye at a hairdresser before (didn't last too long considering the amount of money I spent) and hadn't really the funds to get it done so I decided to do it myself. So I bought a box of L'Oréal  Wild Ombrés Préférence brush on dip-dye in Ombré No.1  from a local chemist for €7 and tried it out. There's three different kinds of this dip dye, each formulated differently for different coloured hair. I got No.1 because my natural hair (as you can see from my roots) is extremely black. No.2 would be for someone with light brown hair and No.3 is for someone with dark blonde hair. Because my hair was so dark, just two weeks after the initial application the dye turned slightly ashy coloured. By the time it came to my graduation in October the dye had well and truly caused my hair to go really ashy coloured. I re-done it again just before Christmas. It stayed good for about another 5 weeks, and looked really well. But I wanted a really platinum edge to the ends, and as my hair was already dark blonde at that stage, I said I'd give the No.3 a go.

If you're considering doing something like this to your own hair, I'd really recommend these DIY dye kits by L'Oréal. The kit comes with all the ingredients needed to dye your hair and also comes with a conditioning shampoo that makes your hair unbelievably soft and smooth after appplication. The brush that comes with it to essentially brush on the dye onto your hair is created by experts to make the job of DIY dip-dye a doddle. I will warn you though that this dye is really really strong so try not to go near your eye area or you will know about it! But like I've mentioned, it has taken me from September until April to get to that shade I have in the photos of me above, so please try to be patient if your hair is as naturally as dark as mine - you will get there eventually!

I haven't got my hair re-done in eight weeks. I bought a box of dye two weeks ago but haven't felt like it really needs to be re-done again at the moment, I kind of like the undone 'growing-out' feel to it.

Because the bleach really damages my hair, I'm conscious of keeping it in shape as best I can, so every 6 weeks, whether I dye it or not, it's to the hairdresser to get the split ends cut off. I have a severe addiction to using my GHD straightener which obviously ain't hair-friendly, but I've tried to limit myself to using it only on nights out and trying to embrace my natural curly hair a bit more. It's easier said than done though, as I like the sleek look that comes with straightened hair.



I'm more observant of caring for my hair way more now than I ever did when I had darker hair.

I make sure I use a conditioner frequently. I use a leave-in conditioner to save me the hassle.
Even though I obviously don't have long hair (wish I did!), I use Aussie Miracle Recharge Luscious Long lightweight conditioning spray (€4.49 in Boots) all through my hair. It smells so nice (like all Aussie haircare products do!), and as it's lightweight, won't make my hair super greasy. If I leave it to dry naturally, I'm left with these beautiful natural waves. I usually do end up straightening it the next morning though - the addition to the GHD is super super strong!



If I'm rushing and need to blowdry and straighten it straight away, I use a heat protectant. The one I've been using for the past three years is VO5 Heat Protect Styling Spray. It smells absolutely gorgeous and the price is right (€5 in Boots), so I've just kept re-buying it! It not only protects your hair against further styling damage up to 230 degrees but it also contains a heat activated complex which makes styling easier - your straightener will just glide through it - great when you're in a hurry!




If I'm going to straighten my hair before a night out, I like to use something that will give it some shine as with the ombré I find that my hair often lacks shine. YouTubers and hair-care experts on Instagram often rave about their love of Argan oil, so I had to try it out. Argan oil is a plant oil produced from the kernels of the Argan tree which is native to Morocco. I got a small 30ml Intensive Hydrating Treatment. It's a leave-in treatment, so you don't have to wash it out.  It smells so nice. Obviously, because it's an oil, within a few days, or if you use too much of it on the day/night of using, it will make most hair types look horrifically greasy so try to just use only one tiny pea size amount and just concentrate it on the ends of your hair. (Your scalp usually makes enough oil naturally). I find it works best for me when I apply it to damp hair, let it naturally dry about half-way, and then blow dry it. It does leave your hair with lots of shine and feeling super soft. You can get this Argan oil intensive hydrating treatment in pretty much every chemist nowadays or in Penneys - they're so widely available and they only cost €2-3 - bargain! Argan oil extract is also so widely available and comes in masks and shampoos and conditioners, most at reasonable prices too, so you can find something that suits you.

Regarding hair-masks, I have reviewed the one I use most frequently in a previous blog post (The Lovea Nature Mask), but I like to try out others an odd time. One other hair mask I have a strong love for is the Macadamia Oil Extract hair mask. This stuff smells absolutely gorgeous! It has been specially formulated to improve texture and manageability. It's enriched with keratin which is actually the very substance your hair (and nails!) is made up of. Macadamia nut oil is the oil from a nut that originated and is still found in rain forests in southeastern and northeastern Australia as well as other places like Hawaii. Macadamia nut oil is non greasy so it's easily absorbed into the hair shaft. The oil mimics the sebum, which is naturally produced oil on the scalp which protect it from damage. After shampooing, I towel dry my hair and apply a generous amount of this from root to tip, particularly concentrating on the ends of my hair. The instructions say leave in for 7-10 minutes but I leave it in for an hour to reap maximum benefits, then wash it out. It makes my hair feel super soft and the gorgeous smell stays in my hair until I wash it again. It cost €2.

I realise that some people do prefer a natural alternative, without any chemicals on both their hair and skin, so I will be doing a blogpost in a few weeks reviewing some natural haircare and skin care alternatives, using ingredients from your kitchen cupboard!

Beauty & Fashion - Easter Sunday Look of the Night

I went for a night out on Easter Sunday night (5th April) and posted a picture of the outfit I was wearing on Instagram (https://instagram.com/kissandmakeupnow_blog/).

It got me a lot of compliments and likes, and as I really liked the whole look myself  (I thought it was really fun, bright and really nice for the spring), decided to a blogpost about it!

I was in Liverpool seven weeks ago and had a look around the Primark (the UK's version of Penneys) while I was there.  It is hugeeeee (3 stories), and I noticed that many of the clothes, shoes and accessories they have there just aren't available in Ireland (boo!). Of course, being the bargain hunter I am, I went straight for the sales rack and this luminous yellow skirt jumped out at me (was hard not to miss it infairness!). It was reduced from £6 to £3 so I couldn't leave it after me! I really like it. The length and the fit are really great.

The black crop top is Missguided. I prefer to shop locally, to support the local shops and to try on before I buy, but I couldn't find any nice crop tops around town so I had to resort to buying this online. It cost €7 and delivery to Ireland to arrive in 48 hours was €4. I've had my issues with Missguided in the past - they have dresses and other clothes that look absolutely amazing online but when you receive them, you often find that they are made of really cheap material. This top was kind of the same, but like I said, I don't buy from them that much.

The black high heels are Penneys, they cost €15 and I bought them for my college graduation last year. I don't really wear them that often, as to be honest they are probably the most awkward-to-wear shoes I have ever worn in my life! But I felt like they really went with this outfit as they are plain enough and don't distract from the skirt, which is obviously a statement piece.

My make up was quite similar to what I have done before. I cleansed my face with Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel foaming wash before applying Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer to my face and Nivea Essential care lip-balm to my lips before working on my eyes first. I used the Catrice Absolute Nude eyeshadow palette to create a subtle smoky eye before applying Penneys Beauty Sultry false eyelashes. I applied NYC Liquid Eyeliner to hide the eyelash band. I applied Max Factor Skin Luminiser foundation to my face and Kubiss concealer to hide any blemishes or dark circles before setting both using Catrice All Matt Plus powder. I applied Catrice Defining Blush to the apples of my cheeks.

For lips, I lined my lips using Catrice Long Lasting Lip Pencil before applying Boots Seventeen Stay Pout lipstick in Red. I really like using this lipstick. I bought it a few months back but never really used it, but I've recently started to like it again as it's quite matte and stays on all night. And the price is good too (see below!).

As for my hair: I had washed it that morning and used VO5 Heat Defence Spray on it before blowdrying it straight. I straightened it using my GHD before I went out that night but felt it was nicer pinned up, which I randomly did.






                                                                 Products Used:


Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Foaming Wash, €4.79. 
Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer, €6.49, Penneys.
Nivea Essential Care Lipbalm, €2.09, Penneys.
Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette, €5.49, Penneys.
Penneys Beauty False Eyelashes in 'Sultry', €1.50.
NYC Liquid Eyeliner, €2.40, Penneys.
Max Factor Skin Luminiser Foundation in Ivory, €15.99, Boots.
Kubiss Concealer, €2, local chemist. 
Catrice All Matt Plus Powder in '010 Transparent', €3.49, Penneys.
Catrice Defining Blush in '080 Sunrose Avenue', €4.49, Penneys.
Catrice Long lasting Lip Pencil in '050 Red Light District', €2.20, Penneys.
Boots Seventeen Stay Pout Lipstick, €5.69, Boots.




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Fashion & Beauty - Spring time Outfit Of The Day

About two weeks ago, there was two days of sunny days in Ireland, and I decided to take advantage of it and do outfits on both of them days, one being the navy polka dot dress with red lips that was my last blogpost and the other being this cute springtime look!

The outfit is all Penneys. The floral dress is so so nice. I got it when I first started college in autumn 2011, so I cannot for the life of me remember the cost of it at the time, I think it was around €15 though. The black leather jacket is my absolute favourite item ever. I think every girl should have one of them - they go with absolutely every outfit I own and I wear it way too much - days and nights out. I bought this one in Penneys in Sligo last year and have got so many compliments about it and me and my sisters have had many an argument over it! It has really nice gold buttons on it which I think are a nice touch. I can't remember the exact price of it, I think it was around €25 though. The tights were basic ones from Penneys, they're about €3. The brown ankle boots were €15 and I bought them in Penneys just before Christmas.

I got the black hat from the same Chinese wholesale website I bought the concealer palette from called aliexpress.com. It cost €6. Everything on that website is so cheap and they sell everything from dresses to jewellery to shoes. For most items, it the shipping is free too. Bear in mind that it does take a whole five weeks to arrive to Ireland, so if you want something in a hurry - don't buy off this website! I love this hat so much, I got it two weeks ago and have worn it every time I leave the house since!

As for the bangles, three of the bracelets are Alex and Ani - I got the lotus one, the pawprint one (cos I love animals so much), and a sapphire one because that's my birthstone (September). The Alex and Ani bangles range around the €20-25 mark, I think they're really cute to collect. Two of the bracelets are cheap imitations from Penneys, they're a gold heart design and a pearl - I think they were around €3 for the two of them - and the other bangle is the Penneys ISPCC (Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children) Anti-Bullying Shield Bangle that I bought earlier in the month. All proceeds go to the ISPCC charity and it was only €2.50 so definitely worth buying!

For the hair, I didn't do anything drastic - straightened it last night after washing and conditioning it, was about to re-straighten it for this look but it looked nice and wavy as it was so this is essentially bed hair! 

Moving onto makeup - it's very similar to the routine I've done before in other blog posts. I cleansed my skin with Boots Tea Tree and Witch hazel foaming wash. I primed my skin using Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration primer. As I was going for quite a natural look, I applied Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour foundation (I reviewed this product in a previous post) using my Penneys Beauty blender. I used to always apply foundation using my fingers, but since discovering this beauty blender about two weeks ago I am that hooked I will never go back to using my fingers to apply my makeup! It gives a really airbrushed, natural finish, and is small to hold as well, making application even easier. I used Kubiss Light Reflecting Concealer under my eyes and on any blemishes and blended that in using the beauty blender. I set the foundation and concealer using Kubiss powder. I contoured my cheekbones using Benefit Hoola and also added that to my forehead and side of my face too (in the picture without flash you would never think I had bronzer on, but I have!). The blusher I used was Catrice Defining Blush but I just applied a tiny amount of this for a very natural look. I added a tiny amount of Catrice Highlighting Powder on my cheeks as well as well as my eyebrows. I created a smoky eye look using Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow using the two colours from the right and the shimmery champagne eyeshadow to highlight the inner corner of my eye. I mess up liquid eyeliner quite a bit, so to give me a light guide on where to apply and make the line super thin, I use Catrice Calligraph Ultra slim Eyeliner pen first before going over it with NYC Liquid Eyeliner. I added lots of Benefit They're Real! mascara to my top and bottom eyelashes. I filled in my brows using Penneys Beauty browkit and highlighted my eyebrows using the Catrice highlighting powder again. I used Nivea essential care lipbalm over my lips and because the dress was quite girly I decided to go for a dark pink lipstick on my lips. The colour I used was Catrice Ultimate Colour in 140 'Pinker-bell'. It's quite drying so that's why the step I mentioned previously with the lipbalm is essential!

I am still on the hunt for a cheaper alternative to both Benefit Hoola and Benefit They're Real!.

The dog in the photo is my pet Sam. I was trying to get a photo in the garden, but Sam is just mad for cuddles and kept jumping in the photos so I decided to embrace it and give him his moment in the spotlight!

Products Used

Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Foaming Wash, €4.79, Boots.

Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer, €6.49, Penneys.

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation in 100 Ivory, €9.99, Penneys.

Kubiss Light Reflecting Concealer in No.2 'Medium', €2, local chemist (I got 3 items for €4 that day though)

Primark Beauty Blender, €1.50, Penneys.

Kubiss London powder in No.2 'Candle', €2, local chemist.

Benefit Hoola, €34, Boots.

Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting Powder, €4, Penneys.

Catrice Defining Blush in 080 'Sunrose Avenue', €4.49, Penneys.

Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette, €5.49, Penneys.

Catrice Calligraph Ultra Slim Eyeliner Pen, €3.49, Penneys.

NYC Liquid Eyeliner, €2.40, Penneys.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara, €26, Boots.

Primark Beauty Browkit, €1.50, Penneys.

Nivea Essential Care Lipbalm, €2.09, Penneys.

Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick in 140 'Pinker-bell', €4.49, Penneys.

Fashion & Beauty - Spring time girly outfit

So as the sun was shining for two days in a row (very rare in Ireland!), I took the opportunity to do an outfit look in the sunshine - never know when we might see Mr Sun again!

The navy polka dot dress is AX Paris. I'm not sure what was the original cost as I actually bought it in a charity shop two years ago in Dublin for €5! The nude heels are Penneys and I bought them last year. I don't wear them that often as I find they make me look much taller, and as I am already 5ft 10 in height I don't need help in that department!

As for my hair, I washed it that morning and used a tiny bit of Argan oil hair treatment at the ends where it was dry before blowdrying it straight and then used my GHD. I personally prefer messy hair though, so I curled it randomly in big sections using my Remington curler wand. I will be doing a blog post soon on hair care.

Makeup wise, it's very similar to what I have done before. I cleansed my skin with Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel foaming wash before priming my skin with Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration primer. I used the green concealer in my palette to hide any redness on my skin. I applied Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour foundation (I've already done a review of this foundation on my blog) using my Penneys Beauty blender. I used to always apply foundation using my fingers, but since trying out this beauty blender two weeks ago for the purposes of the blog, I am hooked and will never return to using my fingers to apply foundation! The beauty blender gives a much more airbrushed, natural effect. I applied Kubiss light reflecting concealer under my eyes to hide dark circles, and set the foundation and concealer using my Kubiss powder. I contoured my cheekbones very slightly using Benefit Hoola bronzer and applied only a slight amount of Catrice defining blush to the apples of my cheeks. I used Catrice Calligraph Ultra Slim Eyeliner pen to draw an eye line and went back over the line with NYC Liquid Eyeliner. If you have problems like me with applying eyeliner, I would advise you to get an eyeliner felt tip pen, it leaves less of a mess on your face than if you mess up liquid eyeliner! This Catrice one has a very fine applicator for a precise slim eye line, and isn't too expensive, so worth checking out. I applied Benefit They're Real! mascara to my eyelashes and filled in my eyebrows using Penneys Beauty browkit. I highlighted my cheekbones and my eyebrow bone using my Catrice highlighting powder. I applied some Nivea Essential Care lipbalm to my lips and then applied MAC Russian Red lipstick to my lips for a very retro effect. I really like this lipstick, it has a blue-ish tone to it so if you're scared of wearing red lipstick as you think it looks too 'out there', I'd really recommend this one. It's matte, so quite drying, so the step I mentioned previously with the lipbalm is essential. But once on, it stays on all night and is smooch-proof too. As with all expensive products, I am looking for a less expensive alternative to this as well as alternatives to the Benefit bronzer and mascara.

I know I often wear fake tan but I felt like this look is much nicer with the pale Irish skin (red lipstick looks more striking with pale skin as well I feel). And I definitely like to embrace my porcelain skintone (even though it often irritates me from the viewpoint of finding a foundation to match!).

Product Details

Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Foaming Wash, €4.79.

Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer, €6.49.

Concealer palette, €10, Chinese wholesale website

Primark Beauty Blender, €1.50, Penneys.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour Nude Foundation in '100 Ivory', €9.99, Penneys.

Kubiss Light Reflecting Concealer in 'No.2 Medium', €2, local chemist.

Kubiss Powder in 'No.2 Candle', €2, local chemist.

Benefit Hoola, €34, Boots.

Catrice Defining Blush in '080 Sunrose Avenue', €4.49, Penneys.

Catrice Calligraph Ultra Slim Eyeliner Pen, €3.49, Penneys.

NYC Liquid Eyeliner, €2.40, Penneys.

Benefit They're Real! mascara, €26, Boots.

Primark Beauty Browkit, €1.50, Penneys.

Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting powder, €4, Penneys.

Nivea Essential Care Lipbalm, €2.09, Penneys.

MAC Matte Lipstick in 'Russian Red', £15.50 (around €21), maccosmetics.co.uk.

Beauty & Fashion - Valentines' Night Look

Decided to do a blog post about some of the outfits combined with makeup looks I have worn the past year.

One of my favourite looks on myself over the past year has been my Valentines' night outfit - I love wearing red lipstick so much. Better still - besides from the dress - every product used costs €10 or less - bargain! :)

The dress - if anyone is wondering - is from Swamp. I remember seeing it when it was in store first, but when I saw the price tag - €65 - it became less appealing! Just by chance I happened to be in the shop when they were having their after Christmas sales and I snapped it up for €20! Best.Bargain.Ever! I love this dress as it has a very classic neckline  and it also has a nice knee-length to it. It also has a tie belt so you can adjust it around the waist, to draw attention to your waist. I had worn it out New Year's Eve but decided to wear it Valentines' Night as it seemed appropriate to wear red that weekend!

Like most girls, when I go on a night out I like to wear a little bit (I emphasise the little bit!) of fake tan. I use Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff Body Scrub in the shower to exfoliate tough areas of skin like the hands, feet, elbows and knees, to avoid that manky orange tell-tale sign. I love this exfoliator as it smells really nice and is super effective too. I did this the night before I was going out, and moisturised my skin using the Supreme Cream Body Butter by Dirty works - it contains shea butter and sweet almond oil and as well as making even the roughest of skin super soft, it smells pretty good too, as well as being  super affordable! I forget what was the price of this was when I bought it six months ago, and after all my research,  I have been only able to find it online from a retailer in the UK (www.mysupermarket.co.uk), that sells it for a very purse-friendly £4 (€5.55). I applied a light layer of Cocoa Brown Day & Night Tan Mousse then. I like this tan as it doesn't have the horrible biscuit-tin smell that most have. I haven't used it too much though, so I'm going to do a blog post in the future reviewing both Tough Stuff and Day & Night tan in full.

For the makeup look, I thought that the red lipstick would suit the look and kind of tie it in together. With that in mind, I decided to keep the rest of my makeup super simple and matte. So after cleansing my face with my Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Foaming Face Wash to get rid of any dirt or oil that might have built up on my face throughout the day (I will be doing a blogpost about affordable skin care products soon), I primed my skin using my trusty Simple Kind to Skin Hydraing Light Moisturiser.  For my makeup base, I decided to mix two foundations together - apart from the godsend gem Max Factor Skin Luminizer foundation I have recently used - I really struggle to find a foundation that is light enough to match my Casper the ghost-esque skintone. I had been using Catrice All Matt Plus which is a great foundation for a while, but I made the mistake of buying it in a shade slightly too dark for my skin tone (Nude Beige) so when I bought Catrice Nude Illusion in a slightly lighter shade (Rose Vanilla) I stopped using All Matt Plus, but I have noticed that Nude Illusion tends to wipe off within a really short space of time and as I wanted my make up to be matte and stay put all night, I needed some input from All Matt Plus as well. I found these both together did the job pretty well! Of course, I was just using what I had handy at the time, but you can obviously just use a mattifying, long-lasting foundation in a shade that suits your skin tone. I set my foundation using Kubiss London powder. For blusher, I used Catrice Defining Blush. I filled in my eyebrows using Penneys PS Beauty Browkit. For eyes, I used Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette and the three shades on the left side to create a subtle smoky eye. I applied the second shade from the left all over my eye right up to my browbone. I then added the third shade from the left in the eye crease and created an outer V at the outer eye corner. I then blended these both together. I then used the champagne toned colour (the first on the left) on the inner corner of the eye to highlight and brighten the look up. For added drama, I added a pair of false eyelashes from Penneys. They were a bit long for my small eyes so I had to cut a little off at the ends. To hide the band, I applied some NYC Liquid Eyeliner over the top, and added lots of NYC Big Bold Volume By the Lash Mascara to blend the false eyelashes in with my real ones. I used Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting powder over the cheeks, on my chin and on my browbone. For red lipstick, I used a favourite of mine - Catrice Ultimate Shine Lipstick in 130 'Ketch-me-up'.  It's super glossy, easy to apply, an affordable price and makes my teeth look really white, and I use it every week if I can (hence the mess of the label on my photo
below!). Plus how eye-catching is that pretty silver packaging? Definitely makes this lipstick easy to find in my makeup bag in between the black packaging of the Mac and Rimmel ones! The only thing I dislike about this lipstick is that it fades away within two hours so if you're going for a night out, make sure you stick it in your handbag so you can touch it up as the night goes on. so the colour stays super glossy like it does from first application.

Product Details

Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff 3-in-1 Body Scrub, €7.99, Penneys.

Cocoa Brown Day & Night Tan Mousse, €9.99, Penneys.

Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Foaming Face Wash, €4.79, Boots.

Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser, €4.99, Boots.

Catrice All Matt Plus Shine Control Makeup in 'Nude Beige', €6.99, Penneys.

Catrice Nude Illusion Makeup in 'Rose Vanilla', €8.49, Penneys.

Kubiss London powder in No.2 'Candle', €2, local chemist.

PS Beauty Browkit, €1.50, Penneys.

NYC Liquid Eyeliner, €2.40, Penneys. 

Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette, €5.49, Penneys.

Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting Powder, €4, Penneys.

Catrice Defining Blush in 080 'Sunrose Avenue', €4.49, Penneys.

NYC Big Bold Volume by the Lash Mascara, €3.49, Penneys.

PS Beauty False Eyelashes in 'Sultry', €1.50, Penneys.

Catrice Ultimate Shine Lipstick in 130 'Ketch-me-up', €5.49, Penneys.

Beauty - Review Of Lovea Nature Hair Mask

So my hair has been feeling so dry lately. I have been bleaching the ends of my hair blonde since September and that, combined with my addiction to using the GHD everyday, has played havoc on my hair. I knew I needed to try out a hair mask, so that's what I did!
The Lovea Nature Hair Mask stood out to me in Penneys - mostly because of it's cheap price - at €1.90 sure where would ya go wrong! - but it also contains shea butter specially formulated for dry hair.
So after showering and shampooing my hair, I took the plunge and decided to try it out. Firstly, you need a scissors handy - unlike alot of other hair and skin care masks I've used, you just can't open this one with just your fingers (or maybe I have really weak girly fingers?). The formula is a bright yellow colour, almost off putting until you smell the stuff. Absolutely gorgeous! So I began putting it on my hair, and with two handful I realised I had most of my hair covered, but there was more left. So that was definitely a drawback to this mask. Because there was no way I could use it another day. The formula was quite thick and a little sticky, so make sure you have a towel on to wipe your hands after you finish applying it to your hair. The instructions on the pack advised to leave on the mask for only 5 minutes, but because my hair is really lifeless and extremely dry I left it on for a whole hour and a half, then I washed it out with warm water and also rinsed it with ice cold water to give it a glossy shine as well.
I let my hair dry naturally. My thoughts on this are really positive! My hair is super soft, and even though looking at the pictures it's obvious my hair needs a good trim at the ends, I really like it. And the smell is so beautiful. Definitely worth picking up as it definitely packs a punch for only €1.90!  As you can see from the packaging, another plus of this product is that it contains ingredients that are of 95% natural origins so no nasty chemicals will be getting in your gruaig ! (Btw, 'scuse the extremely ugly no make up selfie of me, and the au natural hair! It was all in the aid of research to show you exactly what my hair looked like after applying the mask).

EDIT: A query from an American follower on my Instagram (kissandmakeupnow_blog) led me to researching where else this product is available for purchase, and lo and behold, I found it online at www.mypure.co.uk, in a 300ml tub, which means you can use a bit and save some for the next day, which I complained I couldn't do with this small sachet. Stick Lovea Burkina Shea Moisturising Hair Mask in the search bar and it should come up. It costs  €9.90 for the tub, and delivery to Ireland costs €6.84.