Environ Hydrating Oil Capsules

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Over the last year and a half I have really upped my skincare game. I've always been quite vigilant with my skincare, the 'cleanse, tone, moisture' routine was drummed into me at the age of 13 or 14. Although at times my skin doesn't reflect my efforts (*sigh* acne struggles) I've almost reached my mid twenties and I'm still suffering from breakouts. I honestly thought be the time I reached my twenties that spots would be long gone but alas that's not the case. I did have a good run where I was blemish free for a few years, I might get the odd spot now and then but nothing major, nothing to fret about. Over the last couple of years though I've basically gone back to square one. I've developed a more in depth skincare regime on top of going for regular facials in a bid to get a handle on it. One product that I tried for the first time recently was a facial oil and that's what I'm here to chat to you about today!

At the end of October I was sent out a lovely little package from Environ and their 'Hydrating Oil Capsules' were one of the products inside. I've heard lots of fantastic things about the brand, I'm currently using their eye gel and I'm very impressed with that so I had high hopes for the capsules. 

Environ's Hydrating Oil Capsules include ingredients such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C which are known for there antioxidant properties. The capsules are suitable for all skin types but will be beneficial particularly to those out there with dry or dehydrated skin due to the formulation of the product.

The capsules look like little skittles and you just crack off the top to release the oil. I had looked the capsules up online prior to using them and I was little unsure about them due to the fact that a jar containing 30 capsules is priced at €59.95. I thought this was quite expensive because it looked like there was a small amount of product per capsule but when I actually opened a capsule for myself I realised that wasn't the case, thankfully! I was quite surprised with the amount of product inside. I could do my face, neck and I still had a little oil leftover so I used this on my hands as I tend to suffer from dry, cracked skin there as well.

I had never used a facial oil before so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect in terms of results but I do know though that I figured there would be an oily/greasy residue on my skin but I was wrong. The oil absorbed quite quickly which I was delighted about because then I could carry on with the rest of my skincare routine knowing that I wouldn't be just sliding the oil around my skin when applying the next steps.

I had been using the capsules once a week for the first two weeks as my skin is very sensitive and I wanted to see how it would react to the product. There's no fragrance to the oil so that was a big plus for me and I was thrilled to see that after a couple of uses it seemed to be working well with my skin. Now that it's a bit colder here my skin is more dry than usual so I decided to use the capsules more frequently. I've started using them twice a week now instead and my skin is noticeably softer and any flaky patches that were on my skin have cleared up. 

The key ingredient is Vitamin A which hydrates the skin but apparently it's also a good ingredient on the anti-aging front too, bonus! I can tell you that it's definitely a hydrating product and works effectively and efficiently to treat the skin but due to the price tag I think it's one that I'm going to save for when my skin really needs some TLC. I know now that if I'm suffering from really dry/flaky skin that I just have to put my hand on this product and it'll sort it out.

Environ is available from selected beauty salons and skincare therapists nationwide plus selected Harvey Nichols stores. For more information head over to www.iiaa.eu :)

Chat soon,

Eimear x

Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm Review

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

I'm no stranger to Elemis my Mam was a massive fan and I'm not going to lie, I was partial to robbing a pump or two of her Elemis lotions and potions every now and then (sorry Mam). This however was the first "makeup item" that I had gotten the chance to try out from the brand. Last October I attended a Debenhams beauty event with some other lovely Irish Bloggers/YouTubers and this was one of the products that was in the goodie bag. Up until then I had never used or even heard of a flash balm before. I had a fair idea of what the product was used for but I had a little peek at the directions anyway. 

According to Elemis this is a multi-use product. 

"Directions: Use as a light daily moisturiser. Can also be used as a radiance booster, or makeup primer over your regular moisturiser."

I definitely find that the product illuminates the skin but I don't find it overly moisturising. Personally I wouldn't use it in place of a moisturiser more so in combination with one as also suggested.

I like to wear this as an illuminating primer. Majority of the time I sport a very matte base, I like the option of then adding in the glow where I see fit. Sometimes though I like a change. I apply the balm to my skin, add my foundation and then I apply a very light dusting of powder over the top to set everything in place. It doesn't give a very dewy appearance to skin it lives up to its name and gives a slight radiance which I love.

The balm has a strong scent to it which I adore. I'm terrible at describing scents but the balm contains ingredients such as bitter orange, neroli, bergamot and lemon. The fact that the product is quite heavily scented is something to be weary of if you have sensitive skin. Despite having very sensitive skin myself, I haven't had a problem with this product or any from the Elemis range to date *touches wood*. In terms of consistency the product is thick, quite gel like but this doesn't affect how the product applies. The balm blends into the skin with ease, it's not very heavy and doesn't make the skin look or feel greasy. I find it leaves a slightly tacky feel to the skin which is why I love to use this product as a primer. I find it really grabs hold to the products which follow after, foundation, concealer, etc.

It's not a cheap product by any means but definitely worth every cent. It's available from Debenhams and will set you back €54.60 for a 50ml tube. It broke my heart to see the price tag but it is a product I will part with my cash for, it's fantastic and I'd highly recommend!

If you're interested in checking out the balm you can do so by clicking here.

I hope you enjoyed the review and i'll see you all again soon, I'm really enjoying  getting back into the swing of things!

Ciao for now :)

Eimear x

theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes Liquid Lipsticks 'Chivalrous', 'Devoted', and 'Committed' | Swatches and Review

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

It's not often that I get requests for reviews on the blog but recently I was asked by a lovely lady called Sharon if I could review some more of the Meet Matt(e) Hughes Liquid Lipsticks from theBalm. A couple of months ago I reviewed one of the shades that I bought, 'Adoring' and if you want to check out that post you can do so by clicking here. Since then theBalm has sent me out three other shades from the collection to try out so that's what I'm bringing to you today!

In the last review I talked about the packaging, the lasting power, the scent of the product, etc all in depth. When I tested out the three other shades that I was sent out I noticed that the formula was pretty consistent throughout the range. For that reason I won't be going into as much detail in this post because I feel it would be a repeat of my other review. I will be outlining the slight differences I've spotted and other additional information that I may have left out in my original post. 

Chivalrous - Bubble Gum Pink

Devoted - Classic Vibrant Red

Committed - Medium Peachy Brown Toned Nude

One thing I forgot to mention in my review of the shade 'Adoring' was that when you take the applicator out of the tube it doesn't look squeaky clean like in the picture below.

Three out of the four liquid lipsticks applicators looked like this and I didn't think it was a big deal. There was a minor amount of product on the applicator after it was removed from the tube.

However, the shade 'Devoted' had a serious amount of product on the applicator. The stick was filled with product and I had to remove some of the lipstick so that I could apply the product evenly to my lips using the doe foot applicator. With this particular shade it was just extremely messy and I found myself wasting a lot of product each time I wanted to wear this colour. I don't know if it is down to the tube being over filled with product or what the issue is but it slightly put me off picking up this shade, which is a pity because it's a gorgeous colour.

Swatches L-R

(Chivalrous, Devoted, and Committed)

Chivalrous

Devoted

Committed

As I mentioned above the formula is quite consistent throughout the various different shades. As a whole I didn't find these liquid lipsticks to be drying, they were quite comfortable to wear on the lips. The only shade that was slightly drying was the pink shade 'Chivalrous'. Wear time wise each of the shades wore well up until the 4-5 hour mark and it was around then that I felt the need to reapply. The shade 'Devoted' bled a little out of the corners of my lips after a couple of hours, a problem which I didn't have with any other shade so that is worth noting.

I'm very happy once again with the quality of these products and I will repurchase once these run out. The only colour I probably wouldn't buy is 'Devoted' just because of the issue with the build up of product on the applicator, and then the wastage, the bleeding etc. Other than that though I'm pleased with the colours that I have tried from the range:)

theBalm can be purchased from Debenhams online or in store and their products can also be found on Cloud10Beauty.com.

Until next time,

Eimear x

Stila Stay All Day Vinyl Lip Gloss 'Merlot Vinyl' | Swatches and Review

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Another day another lip product review..my favourite! Recently I was shopping in TK Maxx (how predictable am I?) and I spotted this stunning lip shade from Stila. I was under the impression this was a liquid lipstick up until I tried it despite the box saying otherwise. I think the excitement just got the better of me. I mean seeing a Stila product in TK Maxx in one of your favourite colours and for only €6 (RRP €24), who wouldn't be excited about that? I snapped the product up as quickly as I could and made a beeline for the checkout.

I will admit I was feeling a little deflated when I realised it was a gloss and not in fact a liquid lipstick. I'm not the biggest fan of lip glosses the texture and lasting power just doesn't really appeal to me, despite this I figured I wouldn't knock it just yet. In a way I'm glad I didn't!

I purchased the lip gloss in the shade 'Merlot Vinyl' which is a lovely berry wine colour. Being that it is a gloss I was surprised to see such a bold colour pay off in just a couple of swipes. The doe foot applicator makes applying the product easy enough to do but I find in general it's not the easiest product to apply evenly to the lips. Perhaps it's because it is one of the darker shades, I'm not sure but I found that I had to take great care when applying so that I didn't end up with a streaky finish to my lips.

Once applied the lips feel sticky and this sensation doesn't really wear off throughout the day. There was always a slight tackiness to the lips even after the majority of the gloss had worn away.

To me this is more of a glossy liquid lipstick than just a regular old lip gloss. The product is so highly pigmented and is unlike any other lip glosses that I have tried before. One thing I really enjoyed about this product was the fact that despite it being a long lasting lip product it wasn't drying at all, I feel that's down to the glossy element! Below I've added a few pictures showing you how the product wears throughout the day but for a lip gloss it wears extremely well. Once that glossy shine wears off the lips are left looking as if just a lip stain was applied. Either way I actually liked how it looked at the beginning of the day as well as how it looked by the end of the day!

Just applied - 12pm

After 4 hours wear

After 6 hours wear 

By around the 4 hour mark all the gloss had worn off the lips and I was left with a berry coloured stain. I actually thought the product looked good after the gloss had worn off after eating and drinking. The only thing I would have done to touch up was blended in those edges so that I didn't have a noticeable line of product around the lips. It looks similar to if I used a lip liner and didn't fill the lips in. I wore no lip liner underneath the gloss the lined appearance around the lips is just due to how the product fades! If I had of blended the edges with a lip brush then I would have been good to go, it would have looked like I was just wearing a lip stain. At the 6 hour mark, again I still thought the lip product looked good. That line around my lips had faded significantly but I would have blended the edges of the top lip so that there was a nice even pop of colour.

Strangely enough I prefer how the product looks after 6 hours of wear compared to when it has been freshly applied. Now I wear this gloss as a stain instead. I just apply the gloss to my lips as normal, I blot away the shine and then I'm ready to go!

I don't think its a bad product it's just not really my cup of tea. I like it for the stain it leaves behind after the gloss has worn away not for the glossy shine it gives to the lips when it's first applied. For that reason I won't be purchasing more from the range, however I will look into picking up some of their liquid lipsticks. I've heard fantastic things :)

Until next time,

Eimear x

YSL Touche Éclat Slogan Edition Radiant Touch Pen | Review, Swatches, and Tutorial

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

The other day I tweeted asking would anyone be interested in a tutorial using the YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch Pen. The reason being was that after trying it out for the first time myself recently, I came to the conclusion that it's probably one of the most misused products on the market. After getting fantastic feedback in relation to the tutorial I decided to create a detailed demo showing how the product should be used in order for it to be beneficial.

The pen in my possession is one of the limited edition slogan pens that launched here in Ireland on March 27th. There are three slogans to choose from:

• All Lights On Me
• I Am Not a Morning Person
• No Need To Sleep

The only difference between this pen and the original pen, aside from the packaging is that the slogan edition pens are available in only two shades where as there are twelve to choose from in the original line.

The product comes in click pen form and as a result is very easy to apply. 

( I Am Not a Morning Person Shade 2 )

To put it simply the YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch Pen is a highlighter not a concealer. This product will not hide dark circles or cover up spots. The aim of the Touche Éclat Pen is to draw light to the face, therefore if placed over dark circles or spots it will in fact emphasis them not conceal them.

This is a really nice product for highlighting, the formula is quite lightweight and it gives a nice radiant glow to the skin. In saying that though I do feel it has been overhyped in the beauty community and a bit overpriced at €35 for the original pen. The slogan edition pens are priced at €45 and I don't think it's worth shelling out an extra tenner just for the packaging alone, even though pretty packaging is my weakness!

For a full demo on how to use the Radiant Touch Pen just click on the play button below! I hope you enjoy the tutorial and find it helpful, I tried to jam pack as much information into the video as I possibly could while trying to keep it under the 5 minute mark haha!

If you are interested in checking out the YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch Pens, they are available from Debenhams and can be viewed here.

Chat soon,

Eimear x

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette | Review, Swatches and Tutorials

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Today I'm reviewing an eyeshadow palette that I have not been able to put down since the start of this year. I knew after the first couple of times I used it that it was love but I was holding off reviewing the palette until I had uploaded a couple of tutorials using it first. That way you would be able to really get a feel for how the palette performs! The Two Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette is not new to the market I think it launched in 2013 but if you don't have it already and are a fan of neutrals it is well worth checking out!

There are 16 shadows included in the palette and all are made with real cocoa powder hence the sweet smell of chocolate that wafts from the shadows...yum! Not only do the shadows smell good apparently they also have anti ageing properties due to the fact that cocoa powder is jam packed full of antioxidants. I don't know about that claim now but check back in with me in about ten years and i'll update you on that one haha!

The packaging is shaped like a chocolate bar and not only is it fun but it's very sturdy too. After I filmed my first tutorial using this palette my subscribers brought to my attention that I in fact had the new version of the Chocolate Bar palette. Initially the names of the eyeshadows were listed on a plastic overlay opposed to printed on the palette itself, which is the case with the one in my possession. I actually wasn't aware that there had been a slight change to the packaging but I'm delighted there was. A plastic overlay is a bit inconvenient and I'd most likely have lost it within a week!

There is a nice array of colours and textures in this palette including neutrals, some pops of colour, mattes and shimmers! I'm a big fan of the quality of the eyeshadows in general. They are buttery, very easy to work with and last well on the eyes. I thought the pink and purple eyeshadows were random colours to add to the mix being that the rest of the shades gel really well together. The palette could have done without the pink shade 'Strawberry Bon Bon' and to be completely honest I wouldn't miss 'Candied Violet' either. These were the only eyeshadows in the palette that I felt were duds, they just simply lacked pigmentation. I had to swipe my finger in the pink shade numerous times in order for it to show up on my skin whereas the purple shade looked fantastic in a swatch but the colour payoff didn't transfer onto the eyes. Aside from those two eyeshadows in my eyes the palette is perfect. The pigmentation of the rest of the eyeshadows is phenomenal! 

Two shadows in the palette are larger than the rest which I also thought was a little bit peculiar, but I've found them to be multi purpose products so I won't complain! Along with using 'White Chocolate' and 'Champagne Truffle' on the eyes, I find they work well on the face also. I like to use Champagne Truffle along the cheekbones to add a glow to the skin and because I'm very pale I can get away with using White Chocolate as a matte highlight too.

Swatches

L - R

(Gilded Ganache, White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Black Forest Truffle, Triple Fudge)

L - R 

(Salted Caramel, Marzipan, Semi-Sweet, Strawberry Bon Bon, Candied Violet, Amaretto)

L - R

(Hazelnut, Crème Brulee, Haute Chocolate, Cherry Cordial, Champagne Truffle)

Tutorials

The first look I created using the palette was this gorgeous golden brown smokey eye. To see how I achieved the look just click on the play button below!

The final look I created was a burgundy smokey eye..my weakness! Again, if you would like to see how I achieved that look just click on the play button below.

The Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette retails for €47 and despite the two dud eyeshadows in the palette I still think it is well worth the money. I haven't put it down since I purchased it! Too Faced products are available from Debenhams and if you are interested in picking up the palette you can do so here.

Until next time!
Eimear x

Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick 'Ballet' Swatches and Review

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Ever since I tried out one of theBalm Meet Matte Hughes Liquid Lipsticks I've fallen in love with the idea of liquid lipsticks and I have been itching to try out some from other brands ever since! Recently when I was browsing through the beauty section in TK Maxx (how unlike me) I spotted this Hourglass product. I literally couldn't believe my eyes, I had never seen anything like this in there before. Tk Maxx is my all time favourite place for beauty bargains and this was one I just couldn't resist. €9 I paid for this particular liquid lipstick I kid you not. Even though I wasn't hugely pushed on the colour sure I couldn't leave it there for that price! Any excuse haha!

First of all I was actually surprised by how small the product actually was, particularly for the RRP. The packaging is really cute though, the liquid lipstick comes in this gorgeous metallic bronze tube and it's nice and slim so very suitable for popping in your hand bag for top ups when you're on the go. There is a doe foot applicator inside the tube and this one is unlike any other I've used before. It is extremely flimsy therefore it bends when you are applying the product to your lips making it very hard to apply an even layer of the liquid lipstick. I'm not sure if this is just a problem with my particular one or if the applicators are of poor quality in general. To apply the lipstick I need to transfer the product from the applicator onto a lip brush and then apply it that way instead.

The only shade on the shelf was 'Ballet' which is a dusty pink colour. Not a colour I would often wear but it is a nice colour to wear especially the Spring/Summer months.

Freshly swatched it looks like it is a liquid lipstick that has a semi matte finish to it but after about 30 seconds the product sets completely matte.

After applying one coat of the liquid lipstick I noticed it didn't apply too evenly you definitely need two coats to build it up the colour and to give a nice even coverage to the lips. With two coats of the product I was very happy with the opacity and the wear time? Phenomenal. It didn't really transfer onto cups when I was drinking or onto food when I was eating which is usually the way with any lipstick that I apply. I didn't use a lipliner and I had no issues with bleeding thankfully, as that is a big pet peeve of mine. Hourglass claim that this lipstick has a 14 hour wear time, but I'm not sure about that now. I didn't wear the lipstick for 14 hours but I did sport the colour for 8. Around the 8 to 9 hour mark the product started to crumble and flake on the inner parts of my top and bottom lip. That was when I felt I needed to reapply!

The lipstick is very comfortable to wear and I didn't find it dried my lips out more than they already were. When you press your lips together they will feel ever so slightly tacky, not sticky though which I was delighted about.

It is a pretty price to pay for such a small product. I found the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks on the UK Space NK website for £23 a pop. There are 9 other shades in the collection and in saying that I have already got my eye on another 2 in the range, Empress and Icon. The temptation is strong ladies and gents!

Until next time,

Eimear x

Wet n Wild Megalast Lipstick Swatches and Review

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Wet n Wild is one of those brands that I go back to time and time again. Budget beauty products are my favourite and Wet n Wild are a brand that stock just that. They have a fantastic selection of products in their range and all items are priced between €1.99 and €6.49. Out of their entire collection of products the lipsticks are by far my favourite and at €2.99 a pop, you really can't go wrong!

Wet n Wild recently sent me out some products to try out, some of which were the Megalast lipsticks. I was sent out four shades from the range and I actually happened to have those four particular shades in my collection already along with another one that I had purchased recently.

Usually, when I purchase a product I won't use it until it has been photographed for the blog encase I decide I want to review it. At the time I bought my lipsticks I was stuck in a bit of a rut with the blog and I wasn't reviewing items. Sometimes I can get away with using a lipstick a couple of times and then photographing it, particularly if the bullet is shaped like the Megalast ones because the usage isn't noticeable. However, there was no salvaging the Wet n Wild lipsticks in my collection. They looked God awful and i'll explain why in a moment!

  

L - R

(Red Velvet, Vamp it Up, Mauve Outta Here, Spiked with Rum, Cherry Bomb)

As I have said these lipsticks are very cheap and the packaging reflects that. I don't mind how the packaging looks what bothers me is the way the lipsticks are stored. These lipsticks don't wind down fully into the tube like pretty much all other lipsticks I have tried. I can't think of any other brand that has released a lipstick packaged in this way. The reason my lipsticks are not presentable is because they are quite badly chipped. I've hit the lid off the side of the lipsticks numerous times while trying to put the lid on which is quite annoying. Due to the fact that the lipstick will always be sticking out of the tube you need to carefully place the lid back on without touching the bullet. I feel like I'm playing a game of operation each time I want to put away a lipstick haha! Also, the inner lid of the lipstick dirties easily because you can't wind the lipstick down fully but honestly for the quality and the price of the product I can get over the blip that is the packaging.

L - R

(Spiked with Rum, Vamp it Up, Red Velvet, Mauve Outta Here, Cherry Bomb)

Red Velvet

Vamp it Up

Mauve Outta Here

Spiked with Rum

Cherry Bomb

The Megalast lipsticks are marketed as a matte lipstick and because of this I expected the products to be quite drying on the lips. My lips are dry all year round so I always expected the lipstick to emphasise my dry patches but that wasn't the case. The only time I found my dry spots noticeable was when wearing one of the lighter shades 'Mauve Outta Here' but at that it wasn't anything major. 

When I first tried out a lipstick from the range I was surprised by the consistency. All of the lipsticks that I have tried are creamy in texture, some more than others but none are completely matte. I would say the Megalast lipsticks leave more of a semi matte finish to the lips. The five lip colours that I have tried so far are very comfortable to wear and they don't dry my lips out further throughout the day. 

In terms of longevity each of the lipsticks lasted well pretty much up until the 5 hour mark and then I felt I needed to top up the colour. I trialled the lipsticks without lipliner to see how well they lasted on their own but I prefer applying a lip liner and having that as a base for the lipsticks first. I find they last even longer that way and the shade 'Vamp it Up' actually applies nicer over a base. On it's own 'Vamp it Up' can be hard to apply evenly, it can be a small bit patchy but with a lip liner underneath it, it looks phenomenal.

The only shade in the range that I wasn't keen on was 'Mauve Outta Here' purely because its completely out of my comfort zone and it's not a colour I would reach for.

To summarise:

Pro's

• Affordable (only €2.99)
• Widely Available
• Fantastic Range of Shades
• Long Lasting
• Highly Pigmented
• Not Drying on the Lips

Con's

• Poorly Packaged

I would highly recommend checking out the Megalast range if you haven't already. If there are any shades that you have tried that you think I might like let me know :)

Until next time!

Eimear x