Homemade facemasks....

If your like me..broke and a bit grey looking, this might help put a glow to your skin but without costing alot...xx

Preparation
Start by cleansing your skin, then apply your homemade face mask, leave on for up to ten minutes, rinse-off with warm water, gently pat skin dry and apply usual moisturiser.

Face Mask For Dry Skin :
Avocados boast super-moisturising properties from vitamin E, essential fatty acids omega-9 and omega-6 (which aid skin and tissue growth and keep skin supple), and chlorophyll (the nutritious green stuff in plants), which helps regenerate our skin cells. It's also easily absorbed, which makes it ideal for dry skin.

Method: Mash-up a ripe avocado; add a teaspoon of runny honey (which is super-hydrating too), blend the ingredients and apply to face.

Face Mask For Combination Skin :
Bananas contain highly-moisturising agents which make the skin flexible, pliable and super soft when applied topically. But they are also non-oily so they're good for combination skins.Peaches remove any excess sebum (oil) by softening the sebum, so it can leave the follicles with ease, and without stripping skin. Honey is excellent for skin that's prone to breakouts, as it reduces redness of pimples and dries them-up, thanks to its concentration of sugar solution, which withdraws moisture from pimples." Add some ground almonds, to polish the skin and remove dead surface cells - two tablespoons should do it.

Method: Start by blending two bananas, two tablespoons of honey and two stoned and peeled peaches together. Add the ground almonds, mix-up and blend again. Finally add a small handful of rolled porridge oats, to bind mixture together. Apply to face.

Face Mask For Oily Skin :
If your skin is blemish-prone, experiment with a plum and yoghurt mask. Plums contain vitamins A and C (known as anti-oxidants), which fight-off free radical activity; strengthen skin's elasticity and general appearance. Both these vitamins are often used in anti-acne and oil-control style skin care products. Plain yoghurt is an excellent skin hydrator, packed with lactic acid which aids sloughing of dead skin cells and increases cellular turnover."

Method: Poach four fresh plums, strain really well and leave to cool. Mash-up and blend with one or two tablespoons of plain yoghurt, a teaspoon of sweet almond oil (which contains anti-microbial properties to help prevent spread of the bacteria responsible for acne) and some cornflower to thicken and bind mixture (make to suit) and apply to face. Warning ladies, this one gets a bit messy!

Face Mask For Sensitive Skin:
Plain old butter is an excellent source of vitamin A, so grab the (unsalted) butter from the fridge and leave it out for a few hours until it warms up to room temperature. Vitamin A helps to rejuvenate skin, improve its texture and stimulate blood supplies to deeper collagen fibres within the skin. It's also good for fine lines and wrinkles. The oatmeal will calm your skin and yoghurt makes for a soothing mask.

Method: Start by softening a tablespoon of butter; add a small handful of rolled porridge oats and a tablespoon of soothing natural yoghurt. Blend together until fairly smooth. Apply to face.

Laters...xx

Halloween stuff...Make your own blood!!!!

Fake Blood ---- What's a Halloween costume party without blood for special effects? Fake blood is available in novelty and party supply stores but making it yourself is fun and you'll see more realistic results.

•Red food dye
•62g gelatine
•57ml water
•62g glycerine
Mix the ingredients in the saucepan and gently heat until the ingredients have dissolved. Then add some red food dye. You can add some black food dye to make a the blood darker. You can also experiment with other dyes like brown.

Store it in a flask or an air tight container and pop it in the microwave to soften it up, just be careful it doesn’t get too hot.

Jigsaw Fashion Show...

Here's some make ups I did in the Jigsaw Fashion Show in Galway....

Photography - Martina Regan -Galway....

Bridal Tips....xxx

So you've got the guy, the dress, the flowers and chosen a hairstyle, but what about your make-up? Here are a few tips that will ensure you look picture perfect when walking down the isle to say 'I-do'!
Beauty Regime before the big day•To get that glowing, fresh-faced look, there are a few things to consider a few weeks prior to your wedding day. A skin and nail care plan should be started about 6 weeks before the wedding. Talk to your beautician about having regular facials and manicures.

•Don't get too much sun before your wedding. Sunburns and peeling skin shouldn't sabotage your wedding day. Consider a spray tan , a 100% natural way to achieve a tan

Trial•When you have chosen a make-up artist, organise a trial around 1-2 months before the wedding.

•It is a good idea to have your bridesmaids with you to give their input and also advise what kind of look they want themselves.

•Have pictures from magazines to show the make-up artist various looks that appeal to you.

•Mention if you have any skin problems or allergies etc or if there are any particular ways you wear your make-up.

•If you are having a day-time wedding it is ideal to organise the trial during the day as this will give you a better idea as to how the make-up will look


Your Face•You should give your foundation staying powder by using a gel foundation primer(I love the Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer).
•Foundations with yellow undertones work best with flash photography.
•Keep away from shimmer highlighters as this look will not show up well in photos and give a reflective shine.
•Use a light dusting of translucent powder to prevent any unwanted shine.

•Ask your make-up artist to use a bronzing powder to warm your skin tone and give a natural glow. Place on areas where the sun would naturally hit e.g. Forehead, cheeks and bridge of nose.

•Blush- Make sure that you do not forget to wear blush on your special day as flash photography can leave you looking washed out.If you have oily skin then the powder blush is the perfect choice for you, but if you have dry skin then you should try a cream blush to achieve that dewy natural glow.

•Your Eyes•The eye-area should be soft and natural with no heavy, dark lines.
•Keep away from up to the minute eye shadows and make-up trends as you will regret it when you look at your photos in years to come!
•Use a brow pencil slightly darker than your hair colour and avoid heavy, dark shadows.

•Your Lips•Use a lip-liner the same colour as your lipstick and avoid a noticeable or dark lip line.

•It is more flattering to define one area i.e. If you want dark, defined eyes, go for a lighter lip shade and if you want dark/bright lips go for natural, light eyes.


•Timing•Ask your make-up artist to arrive as early as possible and allow plenty of time to get the job done. The last thing you want is to be rushed on your wedding day.


•Touch Up Tips•Ask your mum or one of your bridesmaids to carry a powder compact, tissues and lipstick for touch ups during the day.



Recommendations:

Dress : Contact Linda at Poppy Bridal....091 632829

Hair : Bridget Haren ...www.bridgetharenhair.com

Make up : meeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Facials and Tan : The Beautique CALL 065 6864020

Nails : Distinctive Nails by Karrieann Mc Donnell
contact : 0862639454

Invitations : Lorraine Meaney Invitations...invitesbylorraine@eircom.net

Cake : Carries Cakes....carriescakes@live.ie

Urban Decay Naked Palette......Fab!!!!

I finally got my hands on The Urban Decay Naked Palette. I love, love, love this palette. I'd gotten really stuck on buying only MAC shadows..hitting 50 now (don't tell hubbie..lol)but this palette has everything you would need in one gorgeous velvet box. It has 12 beautiful neutral colors in a gorgeous brown velvet mirrored box, a double ended eyeliner pencil, you get a double-ended 24/7 liner pencil with Zero (black) on one end and Whiskey (dark reddish brown) on the other end. These are such gorgeous soft pencils. (They are normally 17 or 18 euro each, and you get this for free with the palette) You also get a cute bottle of their famous Primer Potion. For those who don’t know, the Primer Potion is what you use before putting on eyeshadow. It makes sure your eyeshadow stays put and makes the eyeshadow colour more vibrant.

This is amazing value. You can create so many looks with this palette and I really think it would last you years. I have to say that this is my favorite eyeshadow palette from Urban Decay — everything about it is just right. There aren’t any colors in here that I dislike, I love them all. Its an amazing neutral palette with a great mix of shimmery, glittery and matte shadows. I haven't looked at a MAC eyeshadow since I bought this baby. Its only 36.00euro. I bought it in Debenhams and it would be a fab present for any woman, for your Mum, your sister, daughter or friend for christmas.

I'll be living in a caravan on the side of the road if I buy anymore make-up...lol.

Laters girls...xx

Cheap and Cheerful...Dunnes Stores...xx

Hi everyone, this is just a quick post about 2 products I got yesterday in good old Dunnes Stores. Its from the brand essence(in the toiletry aisle). I'd heard a few people say they got stuff here but always thought they would be crap. I left my little tornado danny boy with the in-laws and in between buying a million nappies and sudocream I went and had a good browse. I picked up 2 things, the first being a nude lip liner pencil for only 1.49euro.



The shade I bought was in the shade 01 - soft rose. I love it. It's the perfect nude colour and the consistency is great, lovely and smooth and doesn't look dry on the lips.






The gloss I bought was in the shade 07 -Big Night Out. This was only 2.49euro. I love this colour. The shade is perfect for everyday wear. Also if you are wearing a smokey eye at night this colour would be gorgeous with it.

I have spent a small fortune on MAC and all the top brands for gloss and liners and I would 100% recommend these 2 for everyone to have in their make-up bags. Best 4 euro spent in a long time........xxx
Laters....xxxx

Product of the week....xx

Benefit - Smokin' Eyes....sexy eye and brow makeover kit .....

The Benefit Smokin' Eyes Palette has everything you need to create your own smokin' eyes... including a mini cute tweezers and a complete makeup lesson. It's fool proof!

The Benefit Smokin' Eyes Palette contains:
* eye bright 0.90 g
* pink highlight shadow 1.10 g
* pewter base shadow 1.10 g
* deep charcoal shadow 0.90 g
* smokin' liner 0.39 g
* brow zings wax (shade: light) 1.00 g
* fluff shadow/hard angle brush
* complete beauty lesson

This is a fantastic smokey eye palette, you have everything you need all at the tips of your fingers - ready for use. The shadows are smooth, blend beautifully and are nice to work with. The colours are very flattering on most people and really last. The mini tweezers are adorable and the little how-to-do leaflet is so handy. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a smokey eye. It's a gorgeous palette that you can throw into your makeup bag, and it will take you from day to night...xxxx

Quick Tip :

Vaseline is a great, cheap eye makeup remover. It promotes hair growth also, so is a great conditioner for your eyelashes and eyebrows. It's also great for fixing chapped, scaly lips. Slather on a bunch of Vaseline, then use a toothbrush to massage lips. Wipe the excess off on a tissue. Your lips will be smooth and soft.

Quick Tip...xx

Lipstick Lip-Trick
You can use your lip liner as a lip stick color . just line your lips as usual and shade them in with the same liner of your choice. Then you can use a clear lipgloss or a sparkle lipgloss over it to give it a shine. Works for me , especially when i cant find the shade that i want to find :)

Smile for the camera...xx

Doesn't he look like butter wouldn't melt..this is just before he ran off with my MAC palette!!!!!

Eye Liner Pencil colours to suit your eyes…xx

A lot of people don’t realise the effect you can get by lining the waterline of the eye(either the upper and lower waterline, or both). This is called tight lining, where you would run the liner along the inner rim of the upper and lower lashes. It’s a horrible feeling the first few times, but you get used to it. I always line the upper waterline in either black or dark brown.The really darkens the upper lash line and makes the lashes look thicker. I then would line the lower waterline in a different colour as I find this really finishes off an eyeshadow look and can make the colour of your eyes pop. For each eye colour (blue, green, brown, grey) there are liner colours that will bring out the colour and make your eyes look stunning.

If you have BLUE eyes:

The best liner colour that will compliment your blue eyes are Warm Browns and Taupe or good old black.

If you have GREEN eyes:
Liners that will compliment you are: Red-Browns, Taupes and Purples. Purples especially are perfect as they really bring out the green in your eyes!

If you have BROWN eyes:
Liners that will compliment you are: Rich Brown, Charcoal, Taupe and Purple.

If you have GREY eyes:
Liners that will compliment you are: Charcoal and Deep Brown

Hope this helps...xx

Day Look....xx

Hi all,

Just a quick blog of today's makeup.

Foundation - Yves Saint Laurent Tient Resist - NO. 4
Concealer - MAC Studio Finish Concealer - NW25
Powder - MAC Mineralise Skin Finish
Blush - MAC Style
Contour - MAC Harmony
Highlight - MAC Pearl
Lips - MAC Hug Me Lipstick





Here's a pic of my eye make up today....


I've used All that Glitters by MAC all over the lid. I then blended Sketch by MAC in the outer crease in a v shape and blended into the All that Glitters. I used an angeled brush and ran black shadow along the upper and lower lashes(Carbon by MAC). I then blended this out with an eyeshadow brush. I ran Teddy Eye Pencil by MAC on the lower waterline. These colours really compliment each other and are perfect for a day look or bridal look.



Not that i got to show off my makeup..I spent the day wiping buggers..watching 20 episodes of peppa pig while danny boy proceeded to try and drive his momma cracked!!!


Talk to ye soon...xxx

Whiter teeth!!

Have you ever noticed how your teeth can appear whiter when you wear certain lipstick shades. The ideal rule is to wear the shades that best compliment your skintone. But rules are made to be broken. Right? Whether your feeling adventurous or going for a total makeover, there are certain lipstick shades that will give you an instant whiter smile.

First, you should choose a dark color lipshade with a blue undertone. Rose, reds, burgandy, and plum shades works well. Be careful when choosing a shade. An orange or a color with an orange undertone can make your teeth appear dull and yellow.

Tip:

Blue colour(eyeshadow or eye pencil) immediately makes the whites of your eyes brighter......xxx

My Top 5 MAC Brushes...x

A few people have asked me to recommend some good MAC brushes, that would be great for a beginner. It’s quiet daunting to go in to Brown Thomas, not having a clue and these gorgeous perfectly made up girls are handing you these tiny brushes that cost nearly 40-50 euro each. If you going to invest in these you should really choose the ones that really will work for you. These are very good quality brushes, that generally most beauticians and make up artists would have in their kit.

:No1. MAC 217

If you were only ever to buy one MAC brush, I would recommend this brush. It's a makeup bag essential. It's brilliant for putting on a wash of colour, or for just blending.

:No. 2 MAC 266

This is a small angled brush, that is brilliant for applying eyeliner, or alternatively for doing brows. I have very thin brows, and this brush is my lifesaver.

:No. 3 MAC 224

This a tapered blending brush. I use this to lightly blend out shadow. What I really love to use this brush as, is as a concealer brush. It really buffs the product into the skin, and is brilliant for under the eye area.

:No. 4 MAC 190

This brush is best suited to applying liquid foundations. It leaves no "ugly streak" marks that I've found you get from cheaper foundation brushes and the synthetic fibres ensure that no product is absorbed by the bristles. Overall it gives a beautiful coverage and an even application.

:No. 5 MAC 168

I love this brush, it is incredibly soft and angled for contour(under cheekbone and jawbone) and also for the application of blush.The bristles are super soft and densely packed. It applies and blends products perfectly and effortlessly and never sheds.

........ Things about MAC brushes....xx
:Regular full-size MAC brushes are hand-made.
:Special edition brushes made by MAC that come in those cute lil travel cases are machine made.
:MAC uses a sequence of 1, 2 and 3 to name their brushes. Face brushes begin with #1, eye brushes with #2, and lip brushes #3.

Hope this helps...xxx