2014 Beauty Goals

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The other day I posted my goals for 2014, I decided to write a quick list of my beauty resolutions, I am obsessed with beauty and clothes and makeup as is every #bblogger and some times you need to set yourself a few guidelines.

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1. Mascaras, I can only open one every three months, even if I buy or receive ones within the same three months I must not open it till the one I am using dries up or the three months is up. The only exception to this rule is when a mascara is so awful and gives you eyelashes to give Spidermans webs a run for his money you may dispose of it in the bin and open a new one.

   

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2.  What looks good on other people/bloggers, may not look good on you, try things on and stop shopping with your eyes. Remember you are a midget with really short legs and mini skirts are maxi skirts on you.
3. Find a moisturiser that works for you and stop going back to your "old reliable" it does not work for you and is no longer reliable.
4. Learn to use liquid eyeliner, gel liner is not the be all and end all.
   
5. Review your brushes you have over 200 of them let people how good or bad they are.

   

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6. Bigger brows are better, no matter what crazy thoughts come into your head! Remember how long it took to grow them back!
7. Bring a makeup bag everywhere, you never know where you end up or what might happen. If you forget your foundation again, a little improvisation with concealer, powder and moisturiser works wonders. 
8. Dare say you may forget it all always carry a spare eyebrow pencil because you can go anywhere with no makeup but not with no eyebrows.
9. Find a good shampoo and conditioner buy a stockpile of them because remember what happened to Avon Argan Oil Shampoo, actually in general remember what happened to all of Avon!
10. You must use who a whole eye shadow this year and not the one you use on your brows and not any black eye shadows either.

Hope you like my beauty goals of 2014!

Penneys Exfoliating Foot Mask

I have never been a big fan of feet, like who is? Well a part from foot fetish people but lets not go there!  I work on my feet there is no sitting down in my profession and no matter how good my shoes are or if I have socks on I will always end up with wet feet. I am constantly walking in puddles the glass washer is leaking sinks are over flowing, you would be surprised I had to teach a few lads in my job how to fix a u-bend before in work.

With my feet constantly been "attacked" it's no wonder the skin can get hard and they just turn nasty  and I would not even take my socks off for nobody not even if Tom Hardy was asking me to.

So I had heard about these Foot Mask from Penneys from Twitter, bloggers had been chatting about them for months some absolutely loving them, some loathing them aka Dani from Glamournazi.com. The disgust some people have for them is nothing to do with the mask itself which is very easy and pleasant to use it's what happens 5 days later...

Before I get into the "changes" that happen to your feet I will just give you a quick low down of the process/application, because it's all very easy. 

1. You cut open the open top of packet be careful as you do not want to cut the socks.

2. You take out the folded socks as seen above and unfold them and cut along the scissor line

3. Place the socks on your feet for 1 hour - 90 minutes

4. Sit back blog/watch the soaps / file your nails etc...

5. Take socks off, wash feet and throw socks in the bin.

Easy Peasy! 

The fun part/ or gruesome how ever you view it, these masks do not work straight away, they can up to five days till you start seeing the results and then another 4 days to complete the process. I eagerly waited checking my feet everyday to see any hint of changes even at the fourth day I was like these do not work at all my feet are still same ugly hooves they always was. Then while I slept that night and woke the next morning the "Process" had begun.

"The Process"

I would love to vividly go into this pictures and all but I would like people to come back an read my blog so I will keep it short and straight to the point. Your skin just starts peeling off your feet like a snake sheds it skin, or you get sun-burnt and start peeling, except its much thicker as your sole of your feet are much thicker. It can take anywhere up to four days for your whole two feet to fully peel. Honestly I would say if you have a boyfriends I would definatly not let them near your feet during the process. It just it's not the prettiest. 

The Result

You are left with silky smooth feet that happily let Robin Thicke sing into as he did in The Blurred Lines video.

These retail at €4.50 in Penneys/Primark stores, they may not be easily available because they always sell out but I found mine in the Artane Penneys.

Updated skincare routine!

For my New Year's resolution I vowed to take better care of my skin, to remove my makeup every night and to follow all the basic steps i.e cleanse tone moisturise. I have been doing pretty well theres been a few lazy not so sober nights where the routine has gone down the swaney but 99.9% of the time I have been really good. I found by taking care of my skin, I stated to notice more what goes on with my skin and how it reacts to certain products and how makeup sits on it. With noticing all these things I realised the products I was using were not performing aswell as they used to and I need to change completely. I started to do alot of research online on different skin care brands and peoples reviews of them, when it stuck me I had no clue what skin type I was. I knew some days I was oily and some days dry but I was really oily or dry, I knew I was combination but on what side of the combination was I?

Brands are bringing out more and more skincare ranges now with more products added for more skin types then there actually is and more products then we actually need that skincare has now become this confusing mess that women now buy because of advertising rather then what their skin actually needs.

I recently went along to two Dermalogica partnership days one here in Wexford and one at the IDI(International Dermal Institute) in Rathmines in Dublin. It really opened my mind to stop following what everyone else is raving about and reviewing and to use what my skin actually needs. On my second partnership day I received a complementary skin mapping and analysis and found out my skin was really dehydrated also that I was right I did have combination skin but only slightly and most my face is of normal skin type. F.Y.I Dry skin is a skin type that your born with. Dehydrated skin is a skin condition that can be fixed.

I picked up a few products to fit in with some products I already had.

Special Cleansing gel you only need a pea size amount that yo mix with either hot or cold water to wash your face, I repeat this step first cleanse to remove my makeup and second cleanse to clean my skin. I do this every morning and every night.

 I already had this product and I was tempted to buy Demalogica Micoexfoliant but I hate wasting perfectly good products. I use this every morning to exfoliate my face. This has really Small beads that soften when moisturized so its not harsh on the skin.

 This toner is my new best friend, how I lived without it I will never know. Its a mist not a spray two pumps and your face is toned, the smell is devine and it also can be used over makeup. If you powdered too much or your face is starting to feel a bit tight mist it on and your fabulous again!

Moisturizer, it aimed for combination skin, like mine only contains a small amount of oil not too much, again a little goes along way with this. I use this morning and night.

I got this free with my toner, bu I was on the look out for a new masque as my other masque were aimed at more oilier skin types and were drying out my skin. I use this once a week.

Protect, Protect, Protect. As you all know I am very protective over my ghostly pale skin and the last thing I want is to grow old too fast. I apply this over my moisturizer and under my foundation also down my neck and onto my chest area. I know I am going over to Portugal now and I am going to tan no matter what I do I can not avoid the sun, but I will be tanning the right way and the protective way.

I am only including this because I am using it, nothing to rave about it.I bought it to see if it would remove my Inglot gel liner (which is bomb proof) and it did not live up to the job. As I a going to Portugal I am hoping to pick up the cult product Bioderma so just using this till it ruins out.

Look how Dehydrated I am!

April Empties and A Big Change!

I've seen a few empties posts around lately especially on Essie Button and I've really enjoyed them. Also Ive decided not to do a Aprils Favorites because frankly nothing has extremely stood out this month, but I have actually finished quite a few products the last month.

 Firstly Davines Cleanser which I received in a glossybox, at first I hated this multi-functional product! It did not do much for my hair and would not have even lasted a week if I had of used it on my body. but then I start using it as a cleanser, now not the way they state on the box but with good old two cotton pads routine.  Never has my skin felt so clean after a cleanser! I just love it and would defiantly repurchase, but I changed my skin care routine as of yesterday and I am trying all new products out so will update you all during the week! 

 Next Simple Cleanser, I've used it for a long time but alas it no longer does its job and I literally just used it as to not waste space on my shelves. A few weeks ago when I organised my beauty shelf I did have six bottles of these two were nearly empty so I used them up. I gave one to a friend who was actually using body lotion on her face as a moisturiser and the rest I am keeping for my kit because this sits really well under makeup.

 Toner also finished up this month, nothing to really say about it just its a toner it does its job, but now another toner has stolen my heart and I will no longer be repurchasing!:(

 Wipes, Wipes Wipes! Simple wipes and Soap and Glory wipes, I did say in January I use these to take off makeup when I am lazy but I take it all back I never use them now. They are the worst thing you could possibly do to your skin. I basically used these to clean the packaging on my makeup palettes. No point in wasting!

 I have loved this hand cream forever and it will always be my favorite. This is just limited edition packaging but it usually comes in Avon's normal white and blue packaging and always on offer for €1.25 and last for so long. Already repurchased and have two bottles waiting to go!

 Hair care stuff. Finished off the la riche directions in lilac put some in shampoo and used the rest for dying my hair, I still feel it washes out to quick, sitting here tying with blonde hair, so it defiantly washes out too quick! And a bottle of my purple shampoo as I said in the haircare video I use it every second shower so two to three times a week and it lasted for about two and half months so pretty good for a small bottle. Already repurchased!

 This all go used for dying my hair in one go! My hair just did not work out last week and I had to redye it more purple so I used the whole bottle in two applications. So I can not comment weather it was any good, but remember that amazing smell? It does not stay in your hair after you use it :( thumbs down on this Avon! Will not be repurchasing!

 I love Batiste, I have confessed my love for this a million times over but by god this batiste was horrible! I bought it for the packaging, and I stupidly never smelled it and bought a big bottle. Oh how I gagged every time I sprayed it! The dry shampoo worked fine, just the smell was unbearable, and I was praying for the day it would run out! Will not be repurchasing but I have bought the batiste xxl volume one!

The Big Change!

Earlier today I announced on twitter I had big news! Unfortunaly Sarah aka Adoreabubbles got it wrong but I taught I would share her tweet because I nearly choked on my coffee when I read it!!

Next Sunday, the 6th of April I am leaving dreary old Ireland behind for 6 months! My Nanny, the legend may I add, got me a job in Portugal while she was on holiday there. I have not announced this sooner purely for the fact I ONLY FOUND OUT YESTERDAY!

 Its official, flight is booked! I am 22 now and I did leave Ireland when I was 19 but I just got stuck in England and never made it further so when this opportunity came up snatched it right up. I have no ties, no boys, no babas and I have a profession that I can travel with. This week will probably be super stressful, I have Itec exams, I have blogger meet ups , I have to sort out all my businessey side of things as well as pack and get summer clothes, so please bear with me with lacks of blogs this week.

Do not think I am leaving you behind though once I am settled blogs will be up as regular as usual even if I have to sacrifice my sleep. This blog is my baby and I cherish it with all my heart and appreciate all the support and readers and comments I get. I could never leave it behind ever! I do not know if videos will be happening, which I am gutted about but I will know more when I am over there a least you will still have one half of me.

I have started to write lists for packing and I just wanted to show you the difference between my cosmetics list and clothes list! You can see which I love more!

Cosmetics

Clothes

Adios Amigos!

(I think that's  Portuguese!)

A Resolution I Can Keep!

New year resolutions we all make them , we all give up on them too! I have spent many a year vowing to get fit in January or go on a detox or save more money. By day two I am pigging out on the left over roses tin and spending all my money in the sales! So I decided this year to make a resolution about something I already do but can be a bit lazy about.

My skin care regime, I do really try to look after my skin as best I can as I feel having good skin makes you feel better because I know if I wake up in the morning with a blemish I am already annoyed over my face before I even put makeup on and that dampens your mood for the rest of the day. The problem I have though is laziness , by the time I am going to bed I am wrecked from a long day of work or if I am on a rare night out the skincare regime goes out the window by the time I hit my bed. So my plan is not to change anything just to continue what I am doing just make sure I do it every night and morning even when I am feeling lazy.

So my regime:
Morning: I first wash my face with Soap and Glory's Face Soap and Clarity 3 in 1 Daily Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash. This a great foaming facial wash that has tiny exfoliating beads . It is a non drying formula, so it's good for dry skin and combination.
I follow this up by using Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser. This contains Vit B5 that softens and smooths the skin while Vit E moisturises to improve skin conditions. It also contains Glycerin and Borage Seed Oil. Light moisturisers are great for the day as they dry easily and do not leave a residue on the skin which can change the way foundations go on. I leave this to dry while I brush my teeth and by the time I am finished it has absorbed into my skin and I am ready to apply my makeup.

Morning Regime

Night-time:
I begin by taking off my makeup with Simple Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion. I apply a small amount on a cleansing pad and spread it on another pad and use the two on my face removing all my makeup apart from my eyes.
I then apply Simple Kind To Skin Eye Makeup Remover to cleansing pad and remove my eye makeup. Mascara and eyeliner can be very hard to remove so it's good to have an eye makeup remover so you do not wake up with panda eyes!
I move onto Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner, this helps to even out skin tone as well as closing pores that have been open from cleansing.
I finally finish with the Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser. I have combination skin which has its dry days and oily days so I prefer to use a light moisturiser all the time as heavy moisturiser can trigger my oiliness to increase. But if you have dry skin defiantly use a heavy moisturiser on the night like Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser.

Night-time Regime 

Skincare does not just stop with the face your body is also included. Before I get dressed I use Soap and Glory's The Righteous Butter with Shea butter and aloe vera. This is an all over body moisturiser for dry skin. It leaves you with velvet feeling skin. I also use Soap and Glory's Heel Genius Foot Cream and Hand Food which help keep my hands and feet smooth and stop them from drying out. Which happens a lot from been on my feet all day and using hand sanitizer.

Body Regime

There are a few other products that I use though out the week. I use Soap and Glory's Pulp Fiction Body Scrub. Exfoliation should be part of every one's regime. Normal skin or oily should exfoliate once a week and dry skin twice a week. No more exfoliation is need and over exfoliation can damage skin as after you remove the dead skin layer your then removing new skin.

When I need to remove makeup during the day if I am applying more for the evening. I remove my makeup with Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes apart from on my eyes ,never use wipes on eyes your skin is very sensitive here and wipes can be very harsh on them.

Once a week I also use Avon's Clearskin Blackhead Clearing Deep Treatment Mask. I suffer from blackheads around my nose and chin so I find using a mask once a week help keeps these to a minimum.

Weekly Regime

So this is my resolution to follow my skincare regime to a T weather I am tired or just lazy. So girls do not make crazy resolutions this year if you doubt you can keep them. Change something small or improve something you already do!

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