Review: Kiss iEnvy Individual lashes

Up until a few months ago I had an obsession with false lashes. No dress was complete without a big set of lashes. Eventually I just got sick of:

1. Taking ages to get them on, 
2. Getting the glue on my eye make up and having to start over,
3. Leaving them on over night and feeling like my eyelids had been glued shut. 
4. Looking back over photos and seeing that one had fallen down on my cheek to look like a random piece of facial hair! 
5. Pulling my natural eyelashes out trying to reach the remnants of glue. 

Basically I decided to give them up! Layers of mascara was easier than dealing with the cons they had to offer...until I found these!

They are simply amazing! 

• They were incredible inexpensive at €3.50 from Penneys.
• They were very easy to apply, much easier than strip lashes.
• They blend very well with the natural lashes.
• They come in different lengths which makes them look real!
• The glue was clear, in comparison to the white gloopy glue that normally comes with strip lashes.
• They feel as though I'm not wearing anything on my eyes.

The list goes on! It says on the packet that they last for up to 4 weeks. It will be interesting to see how long they last if I'm removing make-up and showering etc. I'll update this post and tell you all how long they last. 

It's safe to say that I'm well and truly back on the false lashes bandwagon but I doubt I'll ever go back to strip lashes after these! I will most definitely be repurchasing...in bulk!

Application:

1. I started off by removing all of my make-up.
2. Got a square piece of tinfoil and a pair of tweezers at the ready. 
3. I opened the packet and removed the lashes and the glue.
4. Placed a small blob of the clear glue onto the piece of tin foil.
5. I then took the tweezer and began to remove them from the packet.
6. I picked up one of the eyelashes and dipped the knotted end in the glue.
7. I placed the eyelash onto my lash line, as close to the eyelid as I could get. 
8. I repeated on both eyes.
9. I finished with a thin coat of mascara.

I used the longer eyelashes on the outer edge and the smaller ones as I moved into the inner part of the eye. I only applied lashes to the outer half of the eye to maintain a natural look and I didn't apply any to the bottom lash lin

Before

Before

Before: Close-up

       

Application

  

                    Application

After

                              

    

  

Glowing Goddess: Tips and tricks for perfect summer skin

Exams are over and Summer is finally here! Whether you’re jetting off on a J1 or staying home for some summer madness (Volvo Ocean Race, Galway Arts Festival and the Picnic to name but a few), here’s a few tips & tricks to achieve and maintain that natural summer glow.

courtesy: flickr - kimsdinner

1. Glow from within

Don’t worry I’m not about to get all “Gillian McKeith” but in order to achieve glowing skin you need to start with your diet. Vitamins A,
C, B and E and minerals Iron and Zinc are fuel for our skin. They help with dryness, discolouration, breakouts and preventing wrinkles. Be sure to eat a balanced diet full of vegetables, fruit, dairy, cereals and meat. If you struggle with your 5-a-day, try supplements such as skin, hair and nails formula, found in health food stores and chemists.

2. Protect yourself!

Sun cream, I cannot stress this enough! Before you book your spot on the sunbed or whip out the tanning oil, just google Patricia Krentcil. Ok, perhaps a little extreme but you see my point! Whether you’re a bronzed beauty or like myself you prefer the “pale and interesting” look, sunscreen is always important. You need protection from the obvious big C, as well as brown spots and wrinkles. I opt for the Boots Soltan range in factor 30 or above, it’s inexpensive, non-greasy, smells lovely and doubles as an insect repellent. Soltan face is light and hydrating and perfect for under your make-up. Remember that it doesn’t have to be scorching hot for your skin to get damaged, I follow Dita Von Teese’s example and choose to wear sunscreen all year round. If you are sun worshipper, and love a nice tan then just fake it, a real one isn’t worth the effects it will have in years to come.

3. Less is more!

So you’ve eaten your banana and put on your sunscreen. Now for the summer perfect make-up. The key to summer make-up is being minimal, less is definitely more. You want to make your skin look as though you have no make-up on at all.

• Step One: To achieve that summer glow, begin with an illuminating moisturiser, I absolutely love Soap & Glory Glow Job. It contains microbeads that burst when you rub it into the skin leaving your skin looking glowing and sun-kissed. You can buy this in Boots and it’s pretty inexpensive compared to most illuminating moisturisers.

• Step Two: Then it’s onto the base. If your skin in good condition and you’re looking for a product with very sheer coverage then I’d opt for a BB cream. A bit of an “all-in-one” kind of product, BB cream is a combination of primer, moisturiser and foundation. My favourite BB cream of the moment is Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector. It comes in 3 shades, light, medium and dark. The coverage is very sheer with a very dewy finish. It’s smooth and light on the skin and smells gorgeous. If you prefer a little more coverage I would suggest mixing your foundation with some moisturiser or BB cream. There are hundreds of sheer and dewy foundations out there but my all time favourite is definitely Bourjois Healthy Mix serum. It has light yet buildable coverage, have a dewy finish, smells amazing and feels as though you’re not wearing foundation at all. It’s available in Boots and it’s €15. Apply your BB cream or foundation and add some concealer to the blemishes.

• Step three: For nice glowing cheeks, opt for a cream blush. Maxfactor do a great one in a range of different colours to suit different skin tones. A cream blush will maintain the dewy finish whilst adding some colour and freshness to the face. (Remember less is more!)

• Step Four: Use a highlighter on the tops of the cheek bones, the bridge of the nose and the top of your upper lip, this will catch the light and create that glow. I love Benefits High Beam or Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream.

• Step Five: Dab some powder to set the concealer. Keep the powder to a minimum to maintain the dewy finish.

• Step Six: Curl the eyelashes, add some mascara to your top lashes and finish with a dab of lip balm.

How To: Ombré hair

Out of sheer boredom I convinced my housemate to let me ombré her hair. I used Jerome Russell highlighting kit for brown hair in Boots chemist.

Step 1. 

I mixed the product as shown on the packet.

Step 2.

Eve decided what section of her hair she wanted dyed and I literally slapped it on that section.

Step 2.

Depending on how blonde you want the result, your supposed to leave it between 20 and 60 mins. Eve wanted a dirty blonde so I left it for 30 mins. The result was surprisingly a little lighter than we expected so if your dying hair that hasn't been dyed before I'd leave it for a little less than it says to.

Step 3.

We washed it out and used the conditioner that came with the dye. I blow-dried the hair and styled it into tousled curls to add some texture. (In my opinion Ombré hair looks so much better on wavy hair) 

And voila, the results are shown above. If you want the ombré to be a different colour then just buy some crazy colour in salon services and slap it over the bleached section. Very on-trend :)

Em x

Hangover Cures (Trust me, I've tried everything)

I'm not in any way condoning drinking, it's a personal preference that I enjoy an occasional alcoholic beverage! Nonetheless here's a few tips to get rid of that "I think I may be dying" feeling. 

1. Dioralyte

Yeah thats right, Dioralyte. I discovered this little gem at Oxegen music festival thanks to my mother. It's used to replace lost water and salts due to diarrhoea. Hangovers are caused by dehydration so it makes sense taking something to replace water and salt would help with that. You can buy Dioralyte in any chemist. I take it as soon as I wake up the morning after the night before. It's simply fantasic!

2. Food

The next step is food. It might be difficult to keep food down but it will make you feel a whole lot better if you do. I prefer carby foods with a little protein, like wedges and cheese or a filled roll. Steer clear of yoghurt or anything like that because you don't want it to curdle in your stomach. Bananas are also good as they are high in potassium, vitamin B6 and B12, which are all depleted by alcohol.

3. Sleep

Sleep, all day if you can. I keep water by the bed and sip it when I wake. I love to open the window as well. The cool breeze helps. What ever you do, keep the curtains closed. Sun light is a killer when your hungover. Your body repairs itself when your asleep so do yourself a favour and let it. 

4. Moderation

Saving the best till last. Moderation is probably the only tip I can give that will guarantee no hangover. Just when you think like you've not had enough, you probably have. Remember not to mix drinks and try to drink a beverage thats clear. Clear beverages with water based mixers are your best bet. Try Gin and Tonic or my personal favourite, vodka and slim. 

Favourite blog of the week!

http://wwwdreamonaisw.blogspot.com/


Aisling's blog, well worth a read. This girl is seriously talented! x

Cold sores: Prevention is better than cure!

Up until a few months ago I was getting cold sores every 2 weeks, once one was gone, another would appear soon after! I went to the chemist and left each time with a tube of Zovirex! Sick and tired of trying to get rid of them, I went in search of a prevention rather than a cure! I went into Boots and asked a student chemist for her help. She was kind enough to introduce me to Lysine. I was told that cold sores come from the herpes simplex virus (Don't worry it's a different strain to gential kind!), that it stays dormant in the system and never actually goes away. However taking the amino acid Lysine, can help reduce the number of times you get cold sores. The herpes simplex virus requires Lysine to form the cold sore. By taking a supplement you are over-supplying the virus and thus, rendering it unable to form the cold sore. So I began taking the Lysine once a day with a meal and I went for 3 months without getting a cold sore...until I stopped  taking it! Surprise surprise, I got a cold sore! Bottom line is that once you get a cold sore, you can't really stop getting them BUT by taking Lysine as part of your daily supplements you can drastically reduce how many you get. Lysine can be bought in any food store or chemist. Well worth a shot if you're sick of the sight of them.

Em x

Review: Liz Earle Skin Repair Light moisturiser

I want to say I love it, trust me I do! I love Liz Earle, I couldn't live without Cleanse and Polish but honestly, this product is shit. Yup, you read correctly, shit! It dried out my cheeks and did nothing for my oily patches, it gave my skin a strange texture and didn't serve as a good base for make-up. It was quite expensive and I honestly don't believe it's value for money. This is one Liz Earle product I won't be re-purchasing. However this product may suit other people brilliantly, for me it just didn't work. Sorry Liz, I'll have to pass on this one.