Anastasia Queen of Brows

Recently (while in New York) I purchased some bits from Anastasia Beverly Hills, I haven't been happy with my 'brow game' for a while now and knew that if Anastasia couldn't sort them then I was a lost cause. Long story short, I'm a new woman. And if I ever met Anastasia (I'd die on the spot) I would give her a big wet one cause she has given my eyebrows a new lease of life. Since I have bought these products I have been using them on a daily basis, and I really can't see me changing up my brow routine anytime soon.

Brow Powder Duo

Having red hair makes finding brow products with a red undertone can be a pain to say the least, so thankfully Anastasia Beverly Hills has a brow colour to suit absolutely everyone; The shade I got was 'caramel', I adore how this has the two colours, on 'no makeup' makeup days I opt for the lighter shade, for night time I generally use the darker, though mostly I mix the two. The colour has an ashy undertone, and is still red, which I like, very buildable too. This can be bought on Beauty Bay for €21.10, which isn't cheap. Do you need this? Probably not, unless you find it difficult to find a brow colour on the high street that suits you i.e very blonde, or a redhead. But I will definitely be repurchasing this.

Dipbrow Pomade

This was definitely the product I was most excited to try. And it lived up to every expectation. Stop what you're doing, and go and get this right now. I've used this everyday for the last 6 weeks and as you can see, I've barely made a dent in it, so this will last me ages! A little goes a very long way with this, it lasts all day, and stays on through the horrible damp weather we have here at the moment, sounds like an absolute dream? Because it is. Also available on Beauty Bay for €18,60. Honestly, if this was twice the price it would still be worth it. Using the dipbrow makes getting a precise, sharp brow so much easier.

No. 14 Brush

So on my voyage of brow discovery, I discovered the secret of having your brows 'on point' it's a spoolie.This makes all, I mean all the difference.After each step brush 'em through and it makes them look less overdone, less drag, unless of course that's the look you want in which case you do you.

 On the other side is an angled brush, which generally is the best shape brush to use when filling in your brows, it just makes the whole process easier. Beauty Bay doesn't stock this brush but they have a slight variation of it for €17.40 you don't need this brush but I definitely would pick up a spoolie

Clear Brow Gel

I've always used Essence brow gel, and always found that it made no difference to the staying power of my brows. After hearing fantastically good things about the clear brow gel I bit the bullet and bought it, available on Beauty Bay at €20 it's steep enough for a brow gel. But lads, this is the hero product of all the goodies So it doesn't smell great, quite strong, chemical scent; which doesn't bother me personally. You may as well have brushed superglue through your eyebrows, they will stay exactly the same for 12,15 hours no bother. If you had to get one brow product I would get this

Hope this helped any of you who are feeling that your eyebrows need some major TLC. They've definitely upped my brow game.
Happy Monday everyone!
-Laoise, Just The McGinning xx

NYC Day 5 + 6

Only a short post as the last two days were the least eventful, we just soaked up as much of the city as we could before we left.

Day 5

We bought a 'Sun and Stars' ticket for the Top of the Rockerfeller Centre observation deck, this allows you to visit the observation deck twice in one day, therefore visitors can see it by day and night. The Top of the Rock is a lot cheaper than the Empire State Building, though I don't know what the view is like from there, the view we had was beautiful. Seeing all of the landmarks associated with New York all around you, Central Park, The Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. Absolutely breathtaking it was,

That night we visited the wonderful Serendipity 3 NYC, This was one of the places in New York that I was most excited to visit. Serendipity is a restaurant, known for their desserts and famously associated with Jackie O, Beyonce, The Kardashians, and pretty much anybody who is anybody. I of course had to get their world renowned Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. Apparently, back in the day Jackie O loved this so much that she continuously begged the chefs for the secret recipe, and after refusing her she paid for them to come to the White House and make her one! And to be fair, if I had that much money I'd be flying them out to Cork too. It's almost been a month post Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, and I think about it daily. Not exaggerating. Would 10/10 recommend. Apart from their delicious desserts Serendipity 3 has some really endearing decor, and a really good vibe. 

not my picture,taken from theodysseyonline

Day 6

Our final day was just spent trying to organise ourselves, saying our farewells to such an overwhelming, energetic city. And of course, trying to plan when we could go back.

Now that talking about what we did in New York is over, it's time to start discussing what I got over there. A lot of reviews coming your way soon!

-Laoise, Just The McGinning  xx

NYC Day 3 and 4

In my previous NYC post I neglected to mention the fact that it all goes rapidly downhill after day 2, I became a bad blogger and didn't photograph everything that I did, ate, etc.

Day 3

 We went to the well known Jersey Gardens outlet mall, approximately 35 minutes away on a bus. Lads, this place was massive. You could spend 8 hours there and not even blink, I picked up a few bits in Victoria Secret (major bargains there, bras for a tenner) Forever 21, Abercrombie and that was it really, clothing wise I didn't go mad, make up wise... that's another blog post all together. Jersey Gardens is worth it if you want damage, especially with things like Nike, Levi, Sketchers,and definitely Victoria Secret.
This was a Saturday and was also the day the Global Citizen concert was on in Central Park! We didn't have tickets but Queen Bee was playing and Ed Sheeran (Coldplay and Pearl Jam too, a long with a bucketload of famous people there) so I was dying to go to worship my queen, of course. We walked through Central Park that evening being able to hear faint Ed Sheeran in the background and screaming fans, I quickly learned that people in New York are in good shape, everyone was running, walking, cycling, rollerblading and they all are very tanned and very beautiful and it was nothing like you'd see in Ireland. Eventually we came to a gate and it was as close as we got to the concert, but you could here everything. As the night went on the atmosphere kept rising until Beyoncé came on stage. And then it exploded. Us peasants who were at the distance were dancing singing, we had our own concert. Luckily some guy had the live stream on his phone, so naturally the picture was this : myself and some other girl pinning his phone against the fence , approximately 15 people crowded around one phone, one woman holding 4 chihuahuas in her arms, in the freezing cold for an hour and a half listening to Beyoncé. And having the time of our lives.
New York, I found, is just that kind of place, where these bizarre, funny situations happen and it's just an everyday thing because it's New York and anything goes. Beyoncé killed it by the way, you can watch the entire performance on YouTube and let me tell you, it's a good'n. Can we deal with her and Ed Sheeran doing Drunk In Love?

Day. 4

After lusting over bagels for the first few days we eventually went to 'Pick a Bagel' the place was absolutely packed on that Sunday morning with a queue going right up to the door, we waited on hoping that it would be worth it, and it 110% was. They had every kind of bagel and you could get pretty much whatever you wanted on it. I opted for a 'Veggie Lover' bagel which had portobello mushroom, avocado, tomato, I was stuffed for the afternoon, it was so delicious,

The bagels were our fuel, we hurried off to outside The Plaza hotel where our 'Sex and The City Tour' began. The tour, in a word? Naff. Our guide was brilliant, she was gorgeous, witty and sassy everything you'd want her to be. The tour however, was disappointing you're brought to places in the show that aren't even that prominent, you're taken into a sex shop and you stop to do shopping. The tour stops near the famous 'Magnolia Bakery' but it doesn't actually visit, the three of us went anyways for the novelty of it, of course, Honestly you could do a better tour yourself if you just did a small bit of research.  

Despite looking miserable enough, I'm having the time of my life here, I swear. How they walk around wearing heels in Sex and The City and Gossip Girl is totally beyond me, you need a pair of Nikes for the kind of walking you'd be doing. 

That night we went to see Les Miserables on Broadway. Sacre bleu. Those actors are insanely talented, 12 people on stage and it sounds like 1200. I've been completely in love with Les Mis since the Tom Hooper adaption came out a few years ago, and seeing it on stage just catapulted my love even further. I laughed, cried, and had goose bumps for the entire thing. Absolutely breathtaking 

Final installment will be up before the week is out

Happy Monday!

Laoise, Just The McGinning x

NYC Day 1 and 2

So I deserve a massive slap on the wrist for having not posted in an entire month! I know, I know. Just started college (for make-up, of course) so that is very fun but very busy. I was also busy during the month of September with one little trip across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City.

First time in New York, first time in America, I ventured off with my mum and aunt for 6 days for the holiday of a lifetime. I fell in love, the sounds the people, the food, the STYLE. Not the smells, definitely not the smells, but New York is my kinda fast paced place.

We stayed in Row NYC which is at the heart of the city, 1 minute out the door and you're in Times Square. You're definitely in the more 'touristy' quarter of the city around here, which when it was myself and my mum's first time there that's kind of what we wanted.

Day 1 was moderately boring, just getting our bearings, we ate lunch in Dos Caminos and I had the best guac of MY LIFE. After that we just soaked up the atmosphere, went into the shops on Times Square, Inglot, Forever 21, Disney. You know yourself. The three of us opted for an early night as we were so exhausted (New York is 5 hours behind Ireland) so headed back to the hotel where I sampled some of the food in our hotel restaurant a place called Woolys which sells 'shaved snow'.  Mine was melon flavored and boy, was it strong. The snow was texture wise probably the strangest thing I've had, like a slushee, sorbet, ice cream hybrid. It just dissolves in your mouth straight away, I'd really recommend it.

Dos Caminos guacamole

Shaved Snow

Day 2 got very interesting very quickly. That morning we saw Joseph Gordon Levitt being interviewed on Times Square, as 500 Days of Summer is one of my favourite movies you can imagine that I was only delighted to see his handsome little face in the flesh.  For breakfast we went to Dominique Ansel's Kitchen, I got a blueberry with brioche and it was so delicious, Dominique Ansel's is known well for their cronuts, so naturally we forgot to get one.

Blueberry Brioche

L-R: Pear Yoghurt with Hot Granola and grapefruit juice, Blueberry Brioche and iced coffee, prosciutto and Boursin croissant  

 We went on a walking tour of Downtown New York, for me this was one of the highlights of the trip, our tour guide was called Jimmy, a real New Yorker, or as he described himself as a 'knickerbocker' which is apparently someone from New York who constantly brags about how 'New York' they are. We were brought all around the different areas Greenwich Village, SoHo, NoHo (which I didn't even know existed), Chinatown (not vegetarian friendly :( really couldn't cope ) , Little Italy.   Meanwhile Jimmy was telling us stories about all the history, the people who lived there, showed us the cafe where Bob Dylan wrote 'Blowing in The Wind' all this fascinating information being thrown at you for three and a half hours was definitely heavy going but it's well worth it.

that right there, is the dream. 

On Jimmy's recommendation after the tour we ate in Forlini's, a gorgeous, authentic Italian restaurant. I mean old guys with gelled back hair in pinstripe suits, I expected guns to be pulled out any second, it was basically The Soprano's. The pasta here was exquisite and really light, so we weren't too full. Again I would really recommend this, our waiter was a hoot and a half too.

Ravioli at Forlini's

We ended the day at the World Trade Centre and 9/11 Memorial, there was an eerie silence present the entire time, a mutual sense of respect. The memorial with the two large pools with the names of all the victims is really quite something, each pool is the size of one of the towers so you really see how truly giant they were. After we went to the museum, the museum I found to be more upsetting than beneficial, they have fire engines that were damaged and pieces of metal which is pretty cool. And then you see things, personal things that remind you that the 3,000 that died that day, they all had family, had people they loved and who loved them, had aspirations and futures that were stolen from them. On display you can see goodbye letters, emergency service uniforms, and what was the most upsetting of all, a Peter Rabbit toy that a little girl had with her on one of those flights. The remains of the victims are stored in the museum behind a wall which reads 'No Day Shall Erase You From The Memory of Time' which I just think is so powerful.  I'd definitely recommend visiting the site of 9/11 to pay respect, but the museum, I think is too much

I'm just going to leave it there, days 3 and 4 will be up at the weekend
Love,
Laoise, Just The McGinning

Elegant Touch Stiletto Nails Review

Morning everyone! Hope your weekend is going beautifully thus far, much to everyone's dismay Summer is over. Everyone is back to school, college, or else just about to start. But at least we're in the midst of Debs season so Instagram is boomin', my debs was last week and I'll be doing a post all about it during the week, regarding make up, hair and of course dress related information.
In order to save myself money I opted for doing my own nails, I had worn the Elegant Touch Totally Bare Stiletto Nails before and have found they look just as good as if you had gotten them done professionally! You can get this 48 pack in Boots for only €6.49 and at the moment they have a buy one get one half price deal, where would you be going?

not my picture

I didn't photograph the application process but it's pretty self explanatory, in the pack along with the nails you get a nail file and the glue. I filed my nails first, put a drop of glue on both the false nail and my own nail, apply the nail and press down for about 30 seconds. Takes about 5 minutes, easy peasy. The nails being 'totally bare' is the best part about this product for me, as you have the freedom to choose whatever colour you want.

I've found it's better to paint the nails after they have been applied, I tried it once to paint them before and it really didn't go well. I opted to paint them a nude shade from OPI (one of my favourite nail polish brands) 

OPI  'My Very First Knockwurst'

I absolutely adore having these claws on, I have very small, child-like hands and these nails, in the words of Shania Twain 'make me feel like a woman'. Now, down to the nitty gritty.

Can you even do anything with them on?

For the first 24 hours, not a chance, initially trying to adjust to them is tricky and the most basic tasks are pretty difficult. Expect to make a lot of typos. But after a day or so you begin to get used to them and apart from things like putting on very tight jeans, opening/closing buttons, accidently scratching your eyeball, and not being able to use a keyboard, they're fine.

How long do they last?

I think that really varies from person to person, I work part time in retail so from the shelf stacking and constant use of my hands my nails get a fair battering. I find on about day 8 the bottom of the nail begins to lift and if you have long hair, it will continuously get caught under it, and it will really hurt. In all honesty on about day 9 or 10 the lifting has worsened and they begin to annoy me too much so I usually remove them at this stage. I'd imagine if you're a person of leisure these could last around two weeks on you, however us retail folk are blessed to get the 10 days.

Doing make up with them on?

 For me, this was the most difficult thing about having these nails on. I'm very hands on (literally) when it comes to doing make up and these nails make it very difficult, especially around the under eye area. I love using my fingers to blend on both myself and others and these nails make that really tough. For that reason, I'll probably only wear these when I'm on holidays or for special occasions. Especially now that I'll be starting make up college soon (eeep!) 

I'll miss you nails, we had a fun time!

First Impressions: Stargazer White Foundation (as a highlight)

For so long I have been looking for a cream matte highlight that would work on my NW10 skin, I've tried using concealer and it's still too dark, disaster right? For so long I had been wanting to try the Illamasqua White Foundation as a highlight but being on a tight student budget, I thought I'd hold off. However, on a whim I went into Moonshine in Paul St Shopping Centre in Cork during the week and saw that they were selling Stargazer products, and more importantly a Stargazer white foundation for €8. If Paul St. is too out of the way for you they also have their own website 

I'm not too found of the packaging, especially that spatula-like applicator it's pretty cumbersome, I didn't bother even trying to attempt to use that to apply it because I'd still be there applying it right now, looking inside the bottle the product looks pretty thick and almost congealed so I'd recommend giving it a good shake first. I applied the product using a Real Techniques flat foundation brush and blended using a Real Techniques sponge. 

                   

So when I was blending it the product was incredibly tacky and just difficult to work with, this is very likely because I was running around trying to find the best lighting, and then trying to take a good picture (blogger problems amirite? )So by the time I was blending it out the product had set, or else it's like that straight off the bat, who knows?
By the time it was blended out, I didn't feel especially highlighted, I just felt a little bit more like    Snow White (which is never a bad thing) Next time I'll try blend this out with my fingers, it might    give me a better coverage of the highlight.

                                   

As you can see from the shot above, it doesn't really look as though I've highlighted at all, maybe a little but I like my highlight to be seen from space, and if a white foundation doesn't do that for me... than nothing will. I found that the blending actually picked up some of my foundation and gave the skin a strange patchy, cakey texture. It doesn't look too bad in the picture below but I definitely could see it in the mirror

After I applied the rest of my make up I definitely thought that it looked different to how it would have if I didn't use the foundation, however I definitely didn't feel as 'highlighted' as I would have liked. 

In conclusion, I'm unsure I want to like this product, and maybe I will after I play around with it more, but as a first impression, I really don't know, perhaps I'm just too pale and that the NW10 Club will never stop our search for a perfect matte highlighter, maybe it's the brand itself and I should just have bitten the bullet and bought the Illamasqua foundation. If I find a way to make this product work in a way that I'm as highlighted as Kim K dipped in glitter, then I might do a 'revisited' post on this. Until then I'll keep experimenting.

Happy Friday , 

Laoise, Just The McGinning xo

Why Your 290 Could Be Better Than Their 625

So it's the night before the Leaving Cert results come out, feelings of panic and dread are pretty strong within me right now as they probably are with the other 56,000 who sat their exams this year. My only thoughts are about passing maths or not, I had been 'strongly advised' to drop to a lower level and refused, so the fear of failing is one that might be realised at 9am tomorrow morning.

I've never been 'the academic one', I read a lot as a child so most of the content from the Junior Cycle was material that 'I just knew' so I got by very easily with no study and quickly doing my homework the morning of (with the exception of maths)

Senior Cycle was a different story, suddenly I didn't know what the teacher meant when they said 'Subjonctif' or 'Vision and Viewpoint' I definitely didn't know a word of what my maths teacher ever said. It got to the point that teachers didn't even bother to ask me for my homework cause it was seldom completed. Most people would take this as an opportunity to work incredibly hard, which I tried, I'd do a week here and there of being a diligent student. But for the most part in 5th year I was just lazy. 6th year came and I was doing as much as I could, and I started getting the worst results I had ever got. At this point every time I sat down even to do a basic homework exercise I panicked, school was the same. Of course, I wasn't the only person who was stressed, we all were. But being stressed and getting good marks and working too much is a lot different than being stressed, failing and having your entire body shake every time you looked at a book. Things turned around and I started doing better in school, not good by most people's standards, but good for me, and I was so happy.
I found myself over the moon with a C3 in Geography when others looked at their B2 papers in disgust. I cried with joy after I got a C1 in German in the pre, despite the fact it was still one of the lowest in the class.

My point is, you might have studied for three hours every night, you may have put your social life, friendships, jobs, everything on hold for the Leaving Cert and you might be get all Ds, and for you that's an amazing achievement. Meanwhile, the girl sitting behind you still has a job, plays two sports, is out every weekend and gets straight B1s and complains about not getting As. Just because tomorrow you get 250 points or 300 points that does not mean you didn't work hard, or that you didn't try, Some people work harder to get 350 points than others work to get 625 points, and that is forgotten all over the nation. The smart ones are the ones you can rote learn and regurgitate information, that fella with the big smile on his face on the cover of The Independent with 9 As, yeah he sure worked hard for it, but where's the person who got all Cs who's just as happy and who worked just as hard?

The most important thing is that you're happy. So if you get 7 D3s in Ordinary Level and you're happy, you go. If you get all As and you're happy that's great too. Exams are relative, so please just because someone gets 'low' marks that doesn't automatically mean they did badly, because for them they could be the best results they've ever gotten

Good luck everyone!!!
Laoise, Just The McGinning xx

W7 Catwalk Face Shaper Review

I'm thinking of starting a series of reviewing products and specifically looking at them on my milk bottle, NW10 skin. Lots of bloggers look at products being 'pale skin friendly' but they're still a bit darker than me. I'm trying to think of a clever name for this series 'Milk Maids' 'NW10 Club' the 'Porcelain Party' ? I'm not sure, feel free to make suggestions though!
So, to kick this off I'm doing a review of W7's 'Catwalk Face Shaper' Apparently, this is a good dupe for Tom Ford's Shade and Illuminate, I haven't used that product as I'm not actually made of money. However, if you live that luxurious lifestyle, you do you. You go Glen Coco!

What is it? 

Pretty much just your run of the mill cream contour and highlight palette that comes with a brush, but cheaper. Around €8 I believe. 

 What's the highlighter shade like?
In a word? Woeful. Perhaps this would work on someone with a darker complexion, but this highlight does absolutely nothing for me. When foundation is over it it becomes very patchy and just sits on the skin. I live for a strong highlight, so this may work for you if you like a reeeaally subtle highlight. But honestly guys, I wouldn't waste your time with the highlight part of this product. Note on the swatch picture below, you can barely see the highlight shade. And I swear I swatched it, though it's hard to believe

How about the contour?
To be honest, this is more like a cream bronzer than a contour colour. I adore how a warm toned contour looks on people with darker colouring, however I prefer a cool toned contour colour on myself. This can get very mucky very quickly, and I really do spend a long time blending it out. I always use my NYX blush in Taupe over this and I think the two really compliment one another, though on its own I don't really like this product.

Is it NW10 friendly?
Not really, I use it cause I can't (yet) afford the cream contours that I really want and because I have played around with this enough to make it work for me. I think this would be good for someone with sallow skin, however if you're part of the NW10 Club this isn't ideal. I won't be repurchasing this product, but for under a tenner I'm really not complaining too much. In a word, it's 'grand'

All the best
Laoise, Just The McGinning xo

The Secret Behind 'Strobing'

If you've been on social media or seen a magazine cover in the last month or so, odds are you've heard about 'strobing'. The hottest, 'new' trend for Summer 2015

Work by Natasha Denona

So what even is 'strobing'?
Strobing is drawing attention to the high points of your face (think cheekbones, bridge of your nose, brow bone, cupids bow) and giving yourself an all 'round glowy,dewy, youthful appearance. Us oily skin folks can get away with it too by mattifying the other areas of the face, (jaw, forehead, cheeks, and chin)

Must I contour and strobe to get the full effect?
Nope. 'Strobing' means that the areas where the sun would hit are super dewy and glowy and highlighted, even by mattifying the other areas of the face this will give you a natural contour. 'Strobing' is all about looking natural and youthful, so no contouring, no heavy eye make-up (eeek) .

Hang on a second... this whole strobing thing sounds kinda familiar
It does doesn't it? Maybe because it's HIGHLIGHTING. Yes everyone this is the big secret. Strobing is nothing new. The makeup industry does this every so often, they pick a new name for something that everyone's been doing for years and years. By doing this they suck people in to buy extra products they do not need by claiming they're the 'ultimate strobing device'. They simply take advantage of the people who are less au fait with makeup causing them to freak out, go and buy all these products. If you ask me it's just a money making scheme. By Christmas you'll probably be able to purchase strobing kits (probably) I've already seen make up artists advertise 'strobing classes'. It's bad form.

Rant aside, what do I think of this trend?
Personally, I'm not a super dewy kinda person. I like to be totally matte, but I love a super strong highlight. Highlighting is my favourite part of my skin makeup. On other people I think this is truly stunning and really nice for Summer, though I'm kinda wondering if we'll ever see the sun again here in Ireland. But despite my disapproval of the term 'strobing' I think the look itself is gorgeous. Above there's an example of work by Natasha Denona who's an incredibly talented artist and 'strobes' beautifully. You can check out more of her work here

What do I use to strobe (i.e highlight) ?

• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in fair. (this colour isn't light enough for me to use as a highlight but I tend to go for it anyway #palegirlproblems). Retails in Boots for €5.79
• Benefit High Beam. Retails in Boots for €27.50 
• Mac Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle (my all time favourite highlight) retails in Brown Thomas for €30.00
• Benefit Porefessional Agent Zero shine (to mattify the non highlighted areas) Retails in Boots for €33.50

So that concludes my thoughts on 'strobing'. I realise I didn't go very in depth into how exactly to highlight/strobe. But let me know if ye would like a step by step 'how to' and I'll do that for you! 

Until next week, 

Laoise, Just The McGinning

Is Sleek on Fleek?

Since Sleek MakeUp is a relatively new brand to the Republic of Ireland, many of us have yet to try the once Superdrug exclusive UK brand. I do not claim to have an especially large range of Sleek products, nor do I claim to be an expert on the brand I am just offering my humble opinion on what they has to offer. So the question I'm posing today is, 'Is Sleek on Fleek?' (I'm really sorry, it rhymed and I couldn't resist)

Eyes

L-R: 'Oh So Special' , 'Ultra Matte V1' , 'Storm'

From their i-Divine range I own the Storm, Oh So Special, and Ultra Matte V1 (I used to own the Au Natural palette but that met its end when I dropped it... :( ).  Retailing at €10.49 from Boots these palettes are most definitely a bargain!! 

What's Good About It?

• Sleek provide their consumers with an excellent colour range, not only across their collection of palettes but within each individual i-Divine palette. They can be used to create day or night looks and generally are very versatile. 
• The price point, a Naked Palette is about €45, you could by 4 of these for that price and to be honest, the quality is almost on a par.
• Most shadows are well pigmented and blend easily. 
• The mirrors in ALL Sleek products are phenomenal, I usually keep a palette in my handbag purely for the mirror cause they're so good

What's Not So Good?

• These shadows have a lot of fall out, and for a good colour payoff on the lid a base/primer is most definitely required.
• The shadows aren't all consistent, one may be incredibly pigmented the next, just a very sheer wash of colour, I especially find this in the Ultra Matte V1 palette. 

Cheeks

Top Left: Precious Metals Highlighting Palette. Bottom Left : 'Life's A Peach' blush, Right: 'Fair' Face Form palette

As well as their eyeshadow palettes 'Sleek' are renowned for their cheek products. 

Precious Metals Highlighting Palette: This will set you back €13.49 from Boots , I'm in a love/hate relationship with this product. Each highlighter swatches beautifully but however when put over your foundation it turns into a very strange texture, it does not blend easily. The dark, bronzey colour on the bottom is a strange mix between powder and cream, and I can't find a way to make this product work for me, despite how absolutely gorgeous the colours are. If anyone has this, and it works for them please do let me know how you're using it! (Tweet me at @laoiselaoise ) 

Blush in 'Life's a Peach' : I have nothing negative to say about this blush and Sleek's blush formula, incredibly pigmented, long lasting and come in a variety of colours. Apparently Sleek have some excellent dupes for the Nars blushes. I really plan on buying more as I just love this so much, you can pick these up in Boots for €5.99

Face Form Palette in 'Fair': Do I like this palette? Yeah, But do I love it? Nah. Personally I don't like the colour of the contour shade, I prefer an ashier contour and this is just a bit too bronze for me, I really like the highlighter, it has a gorgeous amount of payoff and the right amount of sparkle, the blush isn't really a colour I myself would wear, however there is nothing wrong with the quality. Again, like everything else you can get this in Boots for €13.49. 

So, all in all I can safely say that Sleek would be one of my favourite 'on a budget' make up brands. There are many more products from them I wish to try and will definitely be buying from them in the future. 

To answer my initial question, Is Sleek on Fleek? Very much so. 

If anyone wants a more in depth review of any of these products, do let me know and I will be more than happy to do so!

My next post will be on: The Secret Behind Strobing

Until then, 

Laoise, x

The Power of Makeup

Ah yes, the stereotypical half face with make up and half face without. Usually when someone uploads these pictures, or before and after pictures they are inundated with comments such as 'you look way prettier with no make up!' or 'you know, guys prefer girls who don't wear make up' or my personal favourite 'it's really deceiving wearing make up, you're essentially lying to us' Please, just stop.

I wear make up, tough, it's not to impress boys, and it's not because I can't bear anyone to see my face without it. It's because I want my wings sharp enough to kill, I want them brows fleek and I want my contour on point, is there anything wrong with that?.. I didn't think so.

Every morning, for as long as I can remember, I have observed my mum do her make up, at the age of 12 she bought me my first Mac Studio Fix Powder Compact and from pretty much that moment on I was hooked. Of course, I don't tend to watch her putting on her make up anymore as I am too busy doing my own, and it's safe to say that doing it is the highlight of my day. I could happily blend the day away, and spend over an hour trying to get a wing right. On other days there is pure blinded panic when something smudges or when I sneeze straight after mascara, but that's all the fun of it (so I'm told)

The concept of makeup being deceptive toward men is truly laughable to me, I would have major concerns for anyone who truly believed my eyelids were gold, or that my lips were dark purple. I don't spend hundreds and hundreds of euro on makeup to impress a man who probably couldn't tell the difference between Ruby Woo and Russian Red (there are men who can, but generally speaking no) Going by that logic, why do lesbians wear make up or asexuals? Or even women in relationships?

Apart from the obvious physical differences, the difference I feel within myself before and after applying make up is astounding, it's the difference between strutting down Patrick St. feeling like I'm Beyoncé or with my head down, hurried hoping I don't run into anyone. I don't feel like myself, or even look like myself if I don't have winged eyeliner on. And that's okay.

Moral of the story is that I apply make up for me, and for that reason only, and I feel no shame in it, it's not because I'm shallow or chasing after boys, it's because it makes me feel good about myself, and everyone deserves to be able to love themselves.

My next post will be an overview on Sleek Cosmetic's Products,
Until then,
Laoise