It’s a grey overcast day in Belfast, not cold… not hot… just a kinda meh temperature. The hardest kind to dress appropriately for.

I settled on a bandeau playsuit with a cardy over the top which meant that when I got too warm I could just whip it off and pop it in my bag. I had to do exactly that for the duration of my shopping in town. Cardigan FAIL.

Playsuit – Zara

Cardigan – Tesco

Flats – Primark

Bag – Mulberry

Vivienne Westwood Necklace and DIY Disc

Links Of London Charm Bracelet and mixed silver bangles from Miss Selfridge

Eye make-up was a simple lilac wash of shadow using NARS Night Rider, blended out with a smidgen of MAC Stars n Rockets. Lilac Liner from Gosh and L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara. Lilac tones bring out the green in my eyes like no other colour <3

Shopping was very uneventful. 3 hours later I was home with 1 bottle of brush cleanser. That’s the way it goes sometimes. At least my purse is smiling.

xo

After a week thats consisted of cleaning up TOO MUCH boke & lots of broken sleep, I was literally chomping at the bit to get out.

So my drinking buddy friend Karen and I headed into Belfast last night, hitting The Spaniard and White’s Tavern. It was such a mild October night (or perhaps that was all the alcohol) that everyone was sitting outside and there was even a BBQ on the go!

Good times

Face of the Night

Products Used

Face

L’Oreal Studio Secrets Primer
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation & Concealer in Desert Beige
ELF Shimmer Bronzer
NARS Laguna
NARS Outlaw Blush

Eyes
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
MAC Paint Pot in Blackground
MAC Retro-Speck (all over lid) Still not “overly” struck on this
MAC Black Tied (outer 1/3)
MAC Silver Ring (to blend out crease)
MAC White Frost (highlight)
Too Faced Gold/Black Glitter Liner (this actually stings my skin :S)
L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara <3

Lips
No7 Nude Liner
MAC Angel Lipstick
Chanel Lipgloss

Crack a smile love!

Outfit of the Night

I am beyond delighted to say that the last time I wore this dress was just over  3 years ago. It’s a UK size 12 and I couldn’t even get it pulled down over my thighs this time 2 months ago. Believe me, I tried!!

I haven’t been worrying about my weight or dieting. I’m just eating well and running, and it’s paying dividends in regards to my shape, tone and general health. I feel great

Dress – George @ Asda
Shoes – New Look (pic doesn’t do them justice, these are glittertastic!)
Bag – Miss Selfridge

I think I might do a Youtube tutorial for the make-up…. and maybe a little shoe haul video too…..

xox

Friday nights Tweetup was a massive success, everyone was truly lovely and looked amazing! If you fancy a nosey check out some of the pictures on my facebook here

Outfit of the Night

Black Vest (under lace top) – Primark

Black Lace Top – ASOS

Bodycon Skirt – Topshop

Jewellery – Primark Bangles/ Peacocks Necklace

Nails – OPI for Sephora Metro Chic

Shoes – Barratts!!

I am totally and utterly in love with these shoes, I’m such a pointy stiletto gal, I only wear round as it’s in fashion. With pointed courts I instantly feel like my legs are elongated and look sexy rather than cute

I also tried the new Scholl Party Feet Ultra Slim Gel Cushions out, and had zero “ball burn” …… Happy Days!

For eye make-up I went with purples, a nod to the shoes, and also to make the most of the green in my eyes.

Base – MAC Paint Pot in Blackground

Main lid colour – Stars ‘N’ Rockets

Crease – Dark Purple from Coastal Scents 88 palette

Outer V – Beauty Marked

Liner – Collection 2000 in Shake it up!

Mascara – L’Oreal Voluminous

xoxo

The weather doesn’t seem to know what to do in Northern Ireland this week!

We’ve had a few dark and dreary afternoons and in an effort to give myself a lift this morning I decided to break out a bit of colour.

I used MAC Bright Future on the inner half and MAC Vibrant Grape on the outer, both of which are from the current Style Warriors collection . They both look a bit scary in the pan but as you can see, applied direct to the lid and minus any kind of base they are actually a lot more muted and wearable. Vibrant Grape looks almost pinky purple and Bright Future more gold than yellow.

L-R; Vibrant Grape, Bright Future

That was pretty much it barr a thick coat of L’Oreal Voluminous to the lashes, which is apparently being re-promoted due to demand!! Fabulous news if that is indeed true as I adore this mascara.

I kept the colour purely to the lid, after all it is just an ordinary Thursday and I’ve been doing things like the school run and shopping. If I take it up into the socket it all starts to look a bit more “night club”……

Really simple, quick and easy to do but I think fun, bright and effective. Instant eye & mood lift

xoxox

I’m meant to be rushing out the door to Granny’s as I type this, however I knew you’d all appreciate an Easter Sunday Face of the day

The liquid liner featured in the pics is the GOSH Extreme Art in 10.

This is the first time I have applied this product and the jury is out, love the effect, odd formulation though. It is quite gloopy and I found I got a lot of transfer onto my actual eyelashes. Think I’ll need to mess about with this and perhaps load less on the brush….. early days tho!

Eyeshadow is basically all MAC, Woodwinked & All That Glitters on the lid, with Contrast smoked into the outer crease and a touch of Mulch. Mascara… need you ask? L’Oreal Voluminous

As you can see the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment is phenomenal………..

Just kidding

Credit for the locks goes to my 22″ Synthetic Jessica Simpson HairDo <3
Totally coveting the human hair version though however its super pricey at around £250 in the UK.
The pic below is how it looks from the back, I think it looks great for the money! I paid £30 for this one.

Gotta dash, I’ve a Creme Egg waiting on me
Have a great day folks xoxoxo

So I was running about trying to cram all manner of errands into the half hour before collecting my youngest from nursery. I have a WHOLE morning to do these things, but it would be far too sensible to do them all then, no, its much more exciting to run about Bloomfield Shopping Centre like Anneka Rice on speed.

In my haste I lifted what I thought was L’Oreals Black Super Liner…… it was only when I got home I noticed it was in fact this…

L’Oreal Super Liner in Black Crystals

I love the original Carbon Gloss Super Liner they do & the regular black, so I was very excited by this unexpected find. Still the same excellent soft felt nib and quick drying formula, but this time with a subtle sparkle, and I mean subtle.

So for everyone who thinks they might be either a bit old for the full on glitter liners or simply a bit shy about that look this is a fab alternative. There are no visible glitter chunks/ particles. What this actually does is leave a black metallic finish that glitters softly under direct light. You could literally wear this to the office though, its that understated.

The swatch below was taken in natural light

The swatch below was taken without flash but in direct natural sunlight.

I think its a gorgeous effect and will suit a multitude of people.

xoxo

I think I whined about it at the time, but 2 weeks ago my husband had to go to San Francisco on business, its a hard life eh?!

Luckily this meant I could arm him with a little list of drugstore goodies I wanted to try that we don’t have here (yet). He did me proud, he even deviated from the list (normally very dangerous) and picked me out a few little extras <3

Obviously I’ve had everything for 2 whole weeks now and have tried most things several times, here’s a run down of what I got and my initial thoughts on them

L’Oreal HIP Kohl Eyeliner in Navy & Gold

Navy? & Gold

The poor mans version of the Guerlain Loose Kohl, I find them both messy and hard to control. The navy looks black no matter how I apply it. The gold is much nicer however its not comfortable to wear on the waterline as its quite grainy. I’d give these a miss.

L’Oreal HIP Eyeshadow Duos in Riotous, Showy & Sculpted

From top; Riotous, Showy, Sculpted

Both Riotous and Showy look fab in the pan, sadly the pay off of the crease colours is piss poor. I lifted and pressed the product quite heavily above to do the swatches, you can clearly see the result. I’ll wear the lime green and the sky blue, the other two aren’t worth the effort.

However Sculpted is a good duo, it looks very rusty red in the swatch above, in real life its more pinky purple and a great MAC Cranberry dupe. I’ve been wearing this in conjunction with MAC Twinks and it works well. The packaging is very cute with the underside of each pan harbouring a hidden mirror and applicator, not cute enough to warrant any future purchases though!

Covergirl Trio in Café au lait

I actually wanted Shimmering Sands which I heard was a lovely neutral trio, my hubby couldn’t find that in any Walgreens but was told this is similar. I <3 this. I actually had low expectations of this trio, after all Covergirl is all a bit 80′s to me. The consistency of the shadows is just gorgeous, creamy and they blend effortlessly. I want to try more of these for sure, so if anyone has any recommendations I want to know!

L’Oreal Voluminous Naturale Mascara

Being the Original Voluminous lover that I am I was exciting to try this more natural version. Colour, Blackest Black. I’ve nothing special to say about this mascara, to me its simply L’Oreal Telescopic’s wand in a Voluminous bottle. It seperates my lashes well but I wouldn’t reach for it over others.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara

This has actually just been launched in the UK, I’ve been using it almost daily since I received it and I really like it. It seperates well, lengthens quite noticeably and doesn’t flake. The wand is odd, looks a bit mishapen and spikey but it seems to coat each lash evenly and I really like the Very Black shade.

As a little extra I was presented with an official white Apple Hoody, my transformation to Apple Fangirl is complete

Channeling my inner Kylie

I have a drawer for all the mascara I test and use, it’s not a big drawer and every so often I like to be ruthless and bin the majority to make room for the new bigger and better mascaras that are emerging (too few & far between lately!).

The other more obvious and less frugal reason for binning what looks like perfectly good product is the use by date. This is important for every cosmetic product but it is particularly so for mascara, they are a breeding ground like no other for bacteria, and these bacteria can cause very very nasty infections within the eyes. I don’t need to tell anyone how precious your sight is!
The manufacturers are obliged to give you a guideline in regards to how long the product will last once opened, you’re looking for a pot with a little open lid as pictured below on Rimmel’s Sexy Curves Mascara. The number inside the pot is the number of months the product is good for after opening.

Rimmel’s time period is extremely optimistic IMO, most mascaras tend to read good for 6 months, a few 3. The rule for my own mascara is generally 3-4 months, by which stage if I love it its finished anyway or if its not I don’t like it enough to keep it.

In regards to mascara I have to use on other people, I keep that for 1 month and then dispose of regardless of what amount is left. I always use disposable wands which are cheap to buy but avoid double dipping and product contamination. Even if you’re not a pro make-up artist, but like to practice looks on friends & family you should get yourself some wands and get into the habit. Your bessie mate won’t thank you for conjunctivitis :S

So what did I throw out today then?

• MAC Plush Lash – Messy wand, too much like hard work for me
• Enormous Lash – Completely done, won’t be re-purchasing, vaseline is giving the same effects
• L’Oreal Double Extension Waterproof – horrible formula, dried up within a few weeks
• NARS Mascara Black Orchid – Yawn, boring boring boring and horrid smell
• Bourjois Volume & Glamour – Nasty over-powering paint type smell which made eyes water
• Bourjois Liner Effect – what a crock of sh*t, review here
• No7 Lash 360˚- Colour more dark grey than black, formulation dry, never going to get used up

So what have you binned recenty? Or are you one of these people that has drawers of things they don’t use but are convinced they might need some day? xox

As my twitter friends are aware, @cimota and I attended the Ulster Tatler Style Awards sponsored by Magners Light last night.

We had a brilliant time, I just love getting dressed up and putting on my face for a real swanky occassion. For those of you who have kids you will know what a treat getting out for a bit of adult conversation is!
We were accompanied by another married couple @theronster & @karenquinn. When Quinner is about you’re pretty much guaranteed a fun night.

@theronster @cimota @karenquinn

The event itself took place in Café Vaudeville in Belfast which I just love. The whole place is very Moulin Rouge inspired, huge chandeliers, decadent mirrors, heavy dark red brocade soft furnishings. The hotties kindly supplying us all with free Magners Light were done up in a burlesque fashion, tight corsets with opulent feather bustles and Marie Antoinette curls. Their make-up was courtesy of Paddy McGurgan who works out of Michael Quinn hairdressing, striking snow queen esque eyes and high shimmer skin (a few pics below). There was a real saintly sinners feel to it.

The lovely Zara

I wore an orange dress from Ted Baker with a button back (love little details like that), shoes by Faith and my beloved fur from Previously Loved in Holywood.

In regards to make-up I wore Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Desert Beige & the DW Concealer, MAC So Ceylon MSF, MAC Burning Ambition e/s, L’Oreal Liner, Max Factor 2000 Calories Mascara, NARS Blush in Outlaw (loves it) and Bobbi Brown Nude Lip Gloss. I did tan myself up slightly with a thin layer of St Tropez Lotion the day before, just to take the vampiric look off me

Very smiley here, Magners has taken effect!!

Much thanks to Wendi Kane & Alan Beattie whom we were guests of, most stylish couple in our eyes!!
xox

Yes, thats right folks, another mascara…. wouldn’t be like me eh?!!

Boots No7 Lash 360˚ RRP £11.26

The driving force behind this purchase was actually panacea81, she was using it on YouTube a while back and I homed in on the unusual looking wand. It is quite pricey but I used the No7 £5 off voucher. I got it just before Christmas, but times must be tough, as they are STILL running the £5 off promo.

Marketing material for this mascara promises “Up to 7 x more volume with No7′s breakthrough new lash 360 mascara”. I bought it in Black, the only other colour available is Brown/ Black.

This is a GOOD mascara, not great but good. There is no doubt in my mind that this macara gives a lengthening effect, as you can see from the pic its really very impressive in that department, however it is marketed as a volumising mascara? I don’t feel it adds volume at all. It does however curl the lashes quite effectively. I don’t use eyelash curlers, simply because my eyelashes are already poor and I want to avoid any damage to what I do have.

Left Eye: Lash 360˚, Right Eye: No Mascara

The brush is really a very good design, get it right into the base and wiggle it through back and forth, coverage would be good IF the actual mascara formula was just slightly wetter. Unfortunately it isn’t. This is a real bug bear with me in regards to mascara. Either they are too dry and coating the lashes is an arduous task, or they are too wet and you get transfer onto the skin if you look up etc.

My other problem is the colour, Black, not Blackest Black, not Carbon Black, just plain ole Black. I’m sorry but for those people that say Black is Black, thats rubbish. I’ve been spoilt with rich kohl pigmented mascaras lately. They give a dense glam black finish. This is simpy a dull black, when swatched on my hand beside L’Oreal Voluminous it looks positively grey.

In summary, this is a well designed mascara wand that doesn’t quite have the formula to compliment it. IMO it certainly doesn’t warrant the price tag, there are much better mascaras out there that curl and lengthen for a fraction of the cost ie: Rimmel London’s Sexy Curves.

Hope this is helpful if you have been considering this mascara xox

FOTD

Todays look was classic and glamourous wihout being OTT. Neutral eyes with a strong lip.

It’s a common misconception that you must always wear eyeliner or smoke it out in order to play up your eyes, a simple neutral eye with good shading and black mascara will not only open up your eyes but also make you look fresh and youthful.
Lets face it we can all be doing with a bit of that

Its’s easy to achieve and to apply, however it does require a pigmented lip so lip gloss alone may not be enough…..don’t fear the lippy!!!
I’d also suggest spending a little longer than you may normally applying your foundation, for this look you want your skin to be as flawless as possible, make sure everything is well buffed into the skin and go back in with concealer over any problem areas (such as dark circles under the eyes). Use a transluscent powder to set all your good work

This is also a fab and fuss free way to go from a day in the office to a night out with the girls. By simply applying winged liquid liner and some scarlet red lipstick you’ll morph into a pin-up girl!

Products Used

Face

• MUFE Make-Up Forever HD Foundation Shade 117 (will review this in depth soon)
• Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer (under eyes “after” foundation)
• MAC MSF So Ceylon (cheekbones)
• NARS Blush Outlaw (apples)

Eyes

• UDPP (base)
• NYX Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil Milk (over lid up to crease, any pale eye crayon will, Miss Sporty do some nice ones or Barry M)
• MAC Vanilla (crease up to brow, again any cream highlight eye shadow colour will do)
• MAC All That Glitters (apply a good amount all over the main lid)
• MAC Soft Brown (buff it lightly into the crease and outer corner, should be very subtle with no harsh lines)
• NYX Pigment Nude (inner third of lid & under lower lashes, use any sparkly pigment that is a light cream/gold, Barry M do lots, again Miss Sporty has some for £1.99 each and they are more than up to the job)
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Carbon Black

Lips

• NYX Round Lipstick in Topaz
]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2009/01/20/all-that-glitters/feed/ 0 http://dressjunkie.com/2009/01/16/sunshine-on-a-rainy-day/ http://dressjunkie.com/2009/01/16/sunshine-on-a-rainy-day/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:31:11 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=936

How could anyone not be feeling blue with the constant turd weather in the UK at the moment?

It feel like the sun hasn’t shone in forever, so I decided to bring a bit back using some funky yellow glitter & eye shadow.

I really like the result, has a rock chick edge to it. I’m a big fan of using bright colours on the lid, especially if you don’t take it into the crease. It makes it a bit cheeky and fun, when you have your eyes open you can barely see the colour, then glance down and BAM! it hits you. The Yellow is actually a MAC glitter and its amazing in real life, however I couldn’t quite capture the brilliance on my camera.

Its just for fun today but I would wear it if I was going out clubbing, sadly I was just doing a shop and the school run, decided it might be a bit much for the reserved folk in Ballyholme



My Posh Pout





Products Used

Face

• No 17 Colour Correcting Cream
• Revlon Color Stay Foundation 180 Sand Beige
• Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer (under eyes)
• MAC MSF So Ceylon (buffed over the entire face & heavily on cheekbones)

Eyes

• UDPP (base)
• Yellow Eye Shadow from Coastal Scents Original 88 Palette
• MAC Glitter Brilliants Crystalled Yellow
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Carbon Black
• Eyelure False Lashes Glamour

Lips

• Stila Lip Gloss Cinnamon (Coleen Rooney wore this on her wedding day… random fact x)
]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2009/01/16/sunshine-on-a-rainy-day/feed/ 6 http://dressjunkie.com/2009/01/07/mineral-make-up/ http://dressjunkie.com/2009/01/07/mineral-make-up/#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:32:35 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=823

Ok, lets talk mineral make-up, more specifically mineral foundation.

I LOVE the idea of it, light weight but with good coverage, easy to apply, better for your skin. Who wouldn’t?

Every time Bare Escentuals have a showcase on QVC I’m there, glued, staring at the screen in wonder at the transformations. It looks so easy, weightless, flawless.

So when the Body Shop joined the mineral bandwagon a few months back I finally purchased. At the time, they didn’t offer a mineral concealer in the range, not sure if this is still the case, so in the demo I have used L’Oreal Correcteur Mineral in 20. The Body Shop’s Nature’s Minerals Foundation SPF25 in 03 and their Minerals Cheek Colour in 01 Pink Quartz (a raspberry colour).

Now, brace yourself, below is a picture of me completely make-up free. I was in two minds about posting it, lets face it, we’re all pretty insecure when it comes to our slap free faces, but I thought it would be helpful to see that we really do ALL look a bit shite without SOME make-up

Enlarge at your peril!!



Is it a ghost?.... boo!

My problem is mostly in skin tone rather than any actual skin condition. I am pale but not in that beautiful English rose way, more a transluscent, partially jaundiced way lol. In the way where people say “You look a bit peaky, have you not been well love?”. When in fact I’ve never felt better. My natural self looks ill!

My undereye and lids are discoloured, as is my nose, they take the most concealing. I also have quite a few broken veins and pigmentation from sun bed use. Although saying that I fully realise I am not doing badly for almost 30 *cries at thought*, thats probably mostly genetics, my mum has quite good skin. The only acne I really get is hormonal and clears with little bother.

Now, getting back to the mineral foundation, I used L’Oreal Concealer first, brushing it into my under eyes, nose and chin area.

I then used the Body Shop’s large kabuki to apply the foundation is a circular buffing motion. It is buildable and so I coated my face twice. Finally I took the mineral blush and buffed it into the apples of my cheeks (a light hand is needed as its v pigmented).



End result, minus eye make-up, mascara & lip products

The result is very subtle, and herein lies my major problem with mineral make-up. Its too subtle for me really. You can clearly still see my under eye circles. It has evened my skin tone out but the coverage is just too thin to cover problem areas.

The blush is really very nice, gives a beautiful flush. However it is very “sparkly” and not really for every day use IMO.

It is also a messy application. With liquid foundation I squeeze a bit onto the back of my hand and use a brush to apply. Close the lid, wash my hands, job done.

With this, the sieve type layer in the pot that distributes product, just lets too much away. You have to transfer some into the lid and work it into the kabuki, tapping off the excess. Its impossible not to have spillage, and no matter how much you tap off you still end up with a cloud of fall out when you go to apply to the face.

Mineral Foundation also hates moisturiser, for obvious caking reasons. However I for one like to moisturise/ prime directly before applying my face. It just makes everything feel nicer. When I apply this my skin feels a bit tight.

Don’t get me wrong, I will use it, perfect for applying on a day when I’m just doing the school run or the weekly shop, but for events I will be always be a liquid foundation girl. The coverage is far far superior.

Let me know about your experiences with Mineral Foundation please, perhaps its just the Body Shop’s version that doesn’t perform fantastically? xox

]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2009/01/07/mineral-make-up/feed/ 5 http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/24/smokey-purple/ http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/24/smokey-purple/#comments Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:31:38 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=737

Am so stupidly excited today about Christmas!!

I am always childishly hyper (hubby would say annoying) in the run up. It has got ten times worse since having my own kids, as I just feed off their innocent hope and wonder towards all things “Santa”!!

It totally hasn’t helped that @cimota presented me with this “surprise” package yesterday. I have absolutely no idea what it contains but can’t WAIT to find out!!!

So in an effort to keep calm I’ve turned to my make-up for a half hour

This is a smokey purple look, almost charcoal looking, but as you can see in the third picture under certain light you see the pretty purple haze. Its very sultry and would be gorgeous for wearing to a Christmas Eve party or even New Years Eve. I have taken the sparkle up an extra notch using body glitter over the lid but you could leave that step out for a more subtle shimmer.

Click on pictures to enlarge



What did I use?

Face

• Revlon Color Stay Foundation 180 Sand Beige
• Barbara Daly @ Tesco Concealer Medium
• M&S Autograph Dark Circle Concealer under eyes
• MAC MSF So Ceylon (highlight)
• Paula Dorf Cheek Color Ballet

Eyes

• UDPP (base)
• NYX Jumbo Shadow Pencil 606 Baby Blue (main lid)
• Coastal Scents Neutral Palette Soft Pink (2nd row, 3rd from left) (brow bone)
• NARS Night Rider (main lid)
• NARS Barbuda (crease & under lower lash line)
• Coastal Scents Neutral Palette Purple Black (top row, far right) (smoked into crease)
• Barry M Loose Body Glitter 8 (applied with mixing medium all over main lid)
• Max Factor Master Piece Glide & Define Liquid Liner (top lash line)
• MAC Powerpoint Pencil Engraved (water line)
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Carbon Black

Lips

• Chanel Gloss 108
]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/24/smokey-purple/feed/ 2 http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/23/minted/ http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/23/minted/#comments Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:20:25 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=715

This is a follow on look from the “Winter Blues” of last week.
Not everyone will be able to carry off the cold blue, especially those of you that actually have beautiful blue eyes to show off, therefore this is a similar look but with mint green as the focus.

You could add a lovely soft green or silver eyeliner to the upper lash line to glam it up more if you were going to a party. I would also use a white kohl pencil on the water line to keep it looking very snow queen but fresh (couldn’t put my hand on mine!!).



Face

• Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
• MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW20 (using this up, stupidly believed the MA in MAC when she said this was the shade and finish for me, doh!)
• MAC Select Cover-up NW25
• Benefit High Beam
• Coastal Scents Blush Palette (2nd row, 1st pan)

Eyes

• UDPP (base)
• Revlon Illuminance Palette Green Cream Shadow (over lid and into crease as base for pigments)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust 65 Green Iridescent (brow bone area as highlight)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust 83 Green Silver (main lid, crease & under lower lashes)
• Jemma Kidd Crushed Jewel Gel Eyeliner 01 Diamond (top lash line & inside of eye)
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Carbon Black

Lips

• NYX Round Lipstick Thalia
• Maybelline Elixir Gloss Cosmic Pink
]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/23/minted/feed/ 0 http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/18/beat-the-blues/ http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/18/beat-the-blues/#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:42:13 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=698

Its a rainy, dark, dismal day in Northern Ireland

So in an effort to cheer myself up I created this icy blue look.

Excuse the reddish tinged brows in the close-up, I thought I would try a different eyeshadow as a filler, and lets just say it doesn’t quite work



So what did I use……?

Face

• Revlon Color Stay Foundation in 180 Sand Beige
• Barbara Daly @ Tesco Concealer in Medium
• MAC MSF in So Ceylon
• Coastal Scents Blush Palette (second row, 2 from left)

Eyes

• UDPP (base)
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in 606 Baby Blue (main lid & under lower lashes)
• NYX Shadow in White (crease to brow)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust in 20 (outer two thirds of lid and crease)
• No 17 Eye Dazzle in Star Crossed (inner third of lid and under lower lashes)
• Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Electric (top lash line)
• Jemma Kidd Crushed Jewel Gel Liner in Diamond (over Electric)
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black

Lips

• Gosh Lipstick in 134 Darling
• NYX Lip Gloss in 104 Sweet Heart
]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/18/beat-the-blues/feed/ 2 http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/14/junction-one/ http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/14/junction-one/#comments Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:54:17 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=610

Today the family and I took a trip out to Junction One in Antrim which is an Outlet Shopping Centre. I managed to pick up a few bargain Christmas presents and bits and pieces so was feeling very pleased with myself, firmly sticking two fingers up to the Credit Crunch.

Most exciting of all was All Wellan Good which houses branded cosmetics, skin care and perfumes with up to 70% off the RRP.

Make-up wise they have a good selection of L’Oreal, Hard Candy, Revlon, Two Faced, Benefit, W7 and most excitingly of all for me NYX. For those that don’t know (where have you been?) NYX is an American brand found mainly in drugstores, price wise it would be in the same bracket as NYC or Miss Sporty.

Basically very cheap, however NYX has something of a following simply because what you get for your money in terms of eye shadow pigmentation, lipsticks and lip gloss is really rather good. And of course because its something that is hard to get your hands on in the UK , that in itself instantly makes it more desirable.

So if you haven’t yet had a chance to visit, below are a few pics to whet your appetite. I’m off to bed now, but will update tomorrow with my NYX haul



]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2008/12/14/junction-one/feed/ 0 http://dressjunkie.com/2008/11/29/a-must-buy/ http://dressjunkie.com/2008/11/29/a-must-buy/#comments Sat, 29 Nov 2008 21:49:42 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=439

I love to line my eyes, regardless of whether I am wearing neutral shadow or something more daring. I think it gives instant va va voom and wouldn’t be without it. Saying that though, I am not a natural when it comes to the perfect straight line. I have got a lot better over the years but it still takes a very steady hand and deep concentration! This new liquid liner product is foolproof.
Meet L’Oreal’s Super Liner Carbon Gloss



I think the thing that makes the application of this liner so easy peasy is that it is literally like using a very thin, precise felt tip pen. It is also flexible unlike some of the other felt liners and it is the first time I have truly got liner right into my lash line first go. Therefore I end up with a beautiful thin line instead of the inevitable thicker line when you have had to retrace over your first to fill gaps or even out any little accidents

If you love liner, you need this product!!

It has been a hands down success for me and is a design triumph, and at £6.99 its a bargain to boot xox

]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2008/11/29/a-must-buy/feed/ 0 http://dressjunkie.com/2008/11/20/rose-gold/ http://dressjunkie.com/2008/11/20/rose-gold/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:38:00 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=265

This is a nice look if you like your safe browns but fancy trying something a bit more daring. I have used 3 different shadows on the lid & crease, sable which is a beautiful shimmer brown with undertones of plum and bronze, cranberry and a soft matt brown. The first picture shows the colour under flash, the one under that is taken without flash, you can see the rose tone better.

Its very dull here today though and hard to get great lighting. Its good to bear in mind though that when you wear eyeshadow, blush, lipgloss etc, depending on what lighting you are under you will get a different effect. That is why I am quite fond of a veluxe pearl or lustre finish, you get a number of different tones and effects from one shadow dependent on surroundings. If you do like these finishes though remember to always balance it out with matt eyeshadow somewhere in the mix



The secret to this is Blend Blend & Blend especially if you are fair skinned like myself. These colours will work effortlessly on medium to dark skin types but for us pale and interestings you will need to keep a lighter hand to avoid looking like you just have sore eyes!! Pinky bronze is hard to wear but so worth getting right as it makes brown/ green eyes pop beautifully.



I used a black kohl eyeliner pencil and completely lined my eyes, upper & lower including the water line. Flick/ tick is optional but instantly sexes the look up. Finish with 2 coats of black mascara.

If I was wearing this out for an occassion I would definitely make sure I have a fake tan done and bronze up my cheekbones with some MSF, but you get the idea. Have fun with your eye make-up, experiment

(if you can’t pose on your own blog, where can you, eh?!!)



Eyes

• MAC Paint Pot in Painterly (eye base)
• MAC Eyeshadow in Sable (main eyelid)
• MAC Eyeshadow in Cranberry (crease & outer corner)
• MAC Eyeshadow in Soft Brown (crease and lid to blend harsh lines)
• Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero (upper lashline, lower & water line)
• L’Oreal Double Extension Mascara Carbon Black

Face

• Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Sand Beige
• Barbara Daly @ Tesco Concealer in Medium
• NARS Blush in Deep Throat

Lips

• Benefit Color Plump in Love Ya
• Bobbi Brown Lipgloss in Nude
]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2008/11/20/rose-gold/feed/ 0 http://dressjunkie.com/2008/11/19/ten-products-i-cant-live-without/ http://dressjunkie.com/2008/11/19/ten-products-i-cant-live-without/#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:18:45 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=247

xexfx from Twitter gave me this idea, although I think she managed to break it down the 5 products. Unfortunately I’m just not that restrained

These are 10 products I would choose above all others if I was forced to. I have literally hundreds of pieces of make-up, creams and potions in my kit but I could happily live with just these 10.

I haven’t included eyeshadow as although I love to wear it and play with it, I think mascara is all that is truly necessary to open up your eyes and make you feel gorgeous!

1. Laura Mercier’s Foundation Primer (all skin types), I discovered this when I was looking for a primer to keep my wedding make-up in check all day. I bought this and Smashbox’s Photo Finish, and although I like the latter it isn’t a patch on Laura Mercier. I use this every day, much like a moisturiser before adding my face. It has the lightest cleanest fragrance, and makes the skin feel incredibley smooth without the waxy, greasy finish I get from Smashbox. I use the all skin types version but it is available in oil free should your skin require that. Its pricey but totally worth it and lasts about 2 months per 50ml tube.
RRP £27.00

2. MAC’s Select Cover-Up in NW20. I know that everyone has a different preference to how they apply concealer, I apply mine prior to my foundation, as I feel just slides off if I try and blend it over it. I think everyone should do whatever works best for them though. Consistency is great, creamy and fantastic coverage, especially on spots, without being drying or overly thick. Lasts for absolutely ages too.
RRP £11.00

3. Revlon Colorstay Make-up with SoftFlex SPF 15 Normal/ Dry Skin, this is a recent discovery. It was recommended a number of times by You Tubers and I decided to see what the fuss was about. I love it! I have and still use (hate waste) various MAC foundations, but to be honest I have never been overly impressed with them. I have found them to be quite drying and patchy as the day goes on. I also feel that there is no one particular shade that completely suits my skin tone.
This make-up is superior to MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid IMO. It gives silky even coverage, that is buildable, without caking or feeling mask like. Comes in 2 finishes, depending on if you skin is oily or dry and it also doesn’t come off on everything you touch. Bonus! I wear shade Sand Beige 180.
RRP £11.99 (NB Boots have 3 for 2 on all Revlon cosmetics at the moment)



4. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish MSF in So Ceylon. I can’t begin to describe how much I love love love this product. It brightens and highlights giving the most amazing glow and polish on my cheekbones.

This is it swatched on my hand prior to buffing. The colour is metallic and bronzed without too much glitter. Using a MAC’s dinky 181 brush you buff it into the skin to acquire the finish you want. Go heavy or light, its up to you!

This particular colour is limited edition now and is sporting the triangle of death beside it online so I will definitely buy another and store it.
RRP £16.50

5. NARS Blush in Deep Throat, I adore these blushes. The colour variety, the finish, the pan sizes. I particularly love Deep Throat because it is a beautiful peach with shimmer that doesn’t try too hard. It gives a healthy flush, perfect for attaining that natural make-up look on days off from being a glamour puss
Other colours of note in the range for me are Sin, Torrid, and Outlaw.
RRP £18.50

6. MAC Brow Set in Mink, this was a limited edition colour within the Emmanuel Ungaro collection I believe but its the formula which I love and there are still comparable colours in the range. I normally use it over pencil, but if I had to use just one item it would be the Brow Set. It holds and tames my brows into place, once this stuff is on, I find they don’t budge all day/ night. But not in that cakey, rock hard way some brow gels can give.
RRP £10.00

7. L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black, its just the best mascara ever. I try others regularly, but I always come back to this one. It makes my lashes thicker, longer and more seperated looking without any clumping. And I always used to think black is black, right? wrong! this truly is dark dark black, really makes my eyes pop. I think the wand and formulation work together to make this unbeatable IMO. Bargain that it is pretty inexpensive too
RRP £6.99

8. Nivea Caregloss & Shine, in the Winter my lips get so dry. I can’t possibly wear lipstick all the time or gloss. This is a saviour, repairing my lips while still letting me pout with glossiness
Some chemists are doing 3 different flavours in a little gift set for £3.19 which is a total bargain considering one costs me just shy of that!
RRP £2.69

9. Flower by Kenzo Eau De Parfum, this is my signature scent. I wear others now and again, normally at night, but this is my daytime staple perfume. Its a love affair that I know will last forever.

Whats number 10? My MacBook Air *strokes it, hugs it, cries with pride* nuff said

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