My Make-up Essentials!

So as my Second Last Post in My Essentials Posts - My Make - Up Essentials is now Coming Your Way!

This post is all about what I consider a make - up essential and what I always have to have in my Make - up bag, just incase!

I thought it would be best if I organised this by where I apply the product. This means it should be easier to read and less messy. So lets get started!

Facial Products;

The first product I ever apply to my face is my Primer. A Primer is super essential to me. It keeps my make - up looking nicer for longer, it helps it sit nicer and it improves on my very uneven skin tone. With the exception of the days where I use my BB Creme I always have a Primer on my face. I really do recommend these types of Products to anyone with an uneven skin tone, or redness as it can really help with improving that. 

The next facial product I'd be applying would be my Foundation. This is usually very high on my list of things to repurchase as I go through it quite quickly. A good foundation can really set off a great make - up look, where as a bad one can ruin what could be an amazing look. My biggest tip for picking a foundation is testing it on both your wrist and your jaw line; this way means you'll know for sure if you like the feel of it (from the wrist test) and it's the right shade (from your jaw line) if either feel bad, its not the foundation for you.

After this, Powders come into play. I use some form of powder every time I apply make - up. I have three types currently at my disposal, one to lighten make - up that's too dark, one to set it and one to highlight my skin tone. Sometimes I'll only use one at a time, or I will use two or all three. I choose powders mostly by brand, but also by how light they are. I always choose powders a shade lighter than my foundation, to make my skin look brighter, and to attempt to counteract my redness. My top tip for choosing a powder is;- try to find a shade similar to your foundation, in the foundation section, they apply the powder you are considering over it, this way you'll have a better idea of what affect it will have.

My last facial essential is BB Cream. I adore BB creams and will sometimes use it in place of a primer. I'll use this more if I'm going for a very natural look, just to care more for my skin, and add a slight amount of pigment. My only issue with them is, how hard it is for me to get my exact shade. I'm quite pale, and most fair shades look darker on me than they should, but if I use the correct powder over the top, you wouldn't know (This is why I advise using the powder tip) If you use foundation a lot, I would advise maybe using a BB Cream once a week as a treat to your face. This way you can still have all your make up on, but it will be helping your facial skin as well. 

Eye Products;

My first eye product that I always use without fail is Mascara. I always wear mascara on my eye lashes as I love the effect it gives my eyes. My eyes are my favourite facial feature so I love adding a voluminous mascara to really make them pop. I've been using the same product to achieve this for a while, but as its beginning to run out, I'm looking into purchasing a new one to give the same affect, or better.  

My second favourite would definitely be Eye Liner. From my early teens I've loved eye liner, but only within the last couple of years have I actually learnt that less is more with eye liner! It really should be used to line your eyes, not cover them completely! Since learning this, I've been trying to experiment more with different colours of liner and different styles. Usually if I'm heading out I'll use a basic lining technique or flicks to empathise my eye make - up. I don't wear this product every day, but when I do, I try to make it look as good as I can.

Lastly is Eye Shadow. I only recently got properly into wearing eye shadow again and I'm currently awaiting the delivery of my new eye shadow palette. Once it comes I'm hoping to experiment more with colours and shading to create different eye looks. I'd like to be able to use this to enhance my eyes even more and maybe make it more of a day to day thing

Next is Lip Products;

The first product I tend to apply to my lips if I'm doing a lip look, is always Lip Liner. I love using this as a base for lip colours and to add definition to my lips. I like to think it helps the colour stay that little bit longer and stops it from straying too far from my lips. If you have thin lips and you want to make them look slightly bigger, I would definitely advise trying a lip liner, then a lip plumper to increase them in size slightly.

The next step would be the obvious one of Lip Stick. Every time I do lipstick I seem to always do a very neutral colour or a red colour, there is no in-between! I am planning to expand the colours I have to try out others and see how they suit my skin tone, but for now I'm happy having lovely red lips. Also if I'm using a non - matte lipstick I'll tend to dust some translucent powder over it to give it a more matte affect. 

Another lip product I use more if I'm going for a natural look is lip balm. I tend to mostly use a Vaseline lip balm as I like how well they work, and they do have the red tinted one. I use these if my lips are feeling too dry for lip stick, and I feel they would benefit more from a balm. My main lip balm advise is to apply a decently thick layer onto your lips before bed time, as you will wake up with super soft lips, ready to face the day, and any make - up look.

Lastly, Brushes and Sponges;

I have a varied selection of brushes and sponges, but to not bore you with extreme detail here is a basic picture of the ones I currently have;

All of these have there own uses, and product, that I use them with. I try not to mix the products and brushes too much, so I don't have smudges of the wrong colour in places. I've ordered a new set of brushes, so I'll have more choice, and once it comes I'll update my brush collection for you guys, in the least boring way I can think of. 

If you've read all this, thank you! I hope you've enjoyed it and if you have any questions, leave me a comment and I'll get back to you! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

Until Next Time!

Bronagh x

My Nail Care Essentials and Favs

Next in My essentials List is all my Nail Care Essentials and Favs! 

All these items are on my must have lists whenever it comes to my nails and at home manicures and pedicures! 

First off, is a clear base coat. 

This is pretty much essential for any nail art. This prevents the colour staining your nails (stained nails are not pretty) Plus they can also be used as a top coat to seal in the colours after! These are all usually very cheap to buy depending on brand, they also are available at all beauty outlets! Buying a cheap clear coat polish isn't a bad idea, as it will run out faster than everything else.

Next is a selection of coloured polishes!

This is another obvious one. You can't paint your nails or do a manicure without some coloured polishes. These can be bought anywhere from the likes of Poundland to Professional Beauty Outlets. Like the clear polishes these also all range in price with the cheapest being near to £1 but more expensive polishes hitting into the £10 - £20 range.  Having a few colours to choose from can make doing designs or patterns even more fun, so make sure to have a nice selection of your favourite colours!

Another Essential Nail item is a buffing set!

Buffing your nails before applying a polish can extend the life of your manicure! This also increases the blood flow to your nail, which can help with growth. I use mine about once a month, to maintain healthy nails. These can be very cheap if you go to a drug store, and they last for a good while. I've had mine over a year and it only now really needs to be replaced. I believe my set cost me around £7 for both items in Sallys, however you can buy a four in one (the white and grey file) in Drug stores for around half that price.

The Next Essential nail item is a nail file

Nearly every female owns a nail file, or five! These can be used to shape nails, remove rag nails and keep your nails looking amazing. These can be bought nearly everywhere, and can be as cheap as a pound! They also range from the larger sizes (pictured) to small, purse sized ones. You can also get a metal file or a material one! Personally I love material ones with little designs on them!

Another Essential, that just happens to be my favourite - GLITTER!

 I adore glitter, and doing glitter focus nails! I just think it can spice up a whole nail look! I own a few glitter polishes at the moment, but plan to stock up soon so I have even more options when I want to add some sparkle to a look. Adding an accent nail to a look can really add some character. The only downside to glitter nails is attempting to remove it. However if you soak the nail in some nail polish remover before hand, it will help a little bit!

Now for my Essential Nail Art Tools!

There are three tools that everyone who loves nail art should own; a dotting tool, a line brush and a fan brush. Each of these has its own uses and each can be really helpful in creating a beautiful nail look. I use my line brush the most often for creating "Firework Nails". I have used my dotting tool a couple of times to create poka-dots and I only recently got my fan brush, and I can't wait to use it to create a beautiful two tone nail!

Another Nail Care Essential is Nail Scissors!

Everyone owns a pair of these, even if its nail clippers! These are essential for keeping your nails at a length that suits you and your life style, or even for coping with broken nails. Keeping your nails all at the same length will make your overall nail look, look much better and neater than if they all varied badly. Nail scissors are very easy to come across and are available in most drug stores and beauty outlets. A good pair can last a long time, so don't be afraid to spend a lot on these.

A Pedicure Essential Everyone Needs is a Toe Divider

As silly as it sounds, a toe divider can be so helpful when painting your toe nails. It not only separates your toes to prevent them smudging against each other, but it makes it that little bit easier to paint your toes! These are very comfortable to wear and you can walk while wearing them, so you don't have to sit and wait for your nails to dry. 

The Most Essential Part of any Nail Kit - The Polish Remover!

This should be in every nail kit! Nail polish remover is essential when it comes to doing your nails! Not only do you use it when you want to change your nails style, but to fix any mistakes you make along the way! An Acetone free remover is always best as its less aggressive toward your nails and skin. This can also be bought extremely cheap, as discount stores tend to sell it, so it doesn't have to break the bank, price wise.



I hope you enjoyed this post about nail care and the essential things to have in your nail kit! If you want to know more about the products or brands I prefare, leave me a comment and I'll get back to you!
Until next time!
Bronagh x

FIRST IMPRESSION FRIDAY - GARNIER THE MARVELLOUS TRANSFORMER

So Today is my first ever First Impressions Friday! For this wonderful occasion I choose to use a free sample I got with Cosmopolitan Magazine earlier in the week - Garnier's Ultimate Blends Shampoo The Marvellous Transformer.

I've never Used this Shampoo before (obviously) so I thought this would be the best way to test it out! 

I done no research at all into the product, and just thought I'd use it instead of my normal shampoo; so this morning I finally got to use it.

The first thing I really noticed about this product was how nice it smells. Its a very subtle scent that was just really nice. The Shampoo is a clear liquid, and it doesn't take too much of this product to create quite a good lather; a little really did go a long way!

I usually shampoo my hair twice, as its a habit I aquired a few years back, and thankfully there was enough in this packet to do this. After the second Shampoo I wasn't noticing a lot of extra softness, but this is very normal for me. I tend to really scrub my hair to make sure all the dirt is removed, and my hair is definitely clean. 

After this, I opened the conditioner. It has the same scent as the shampoo, but its more of an orangey colour (think of a light peachy tone with added orange and you won't be too far off) Its also a lot creamier, which most conditioners are. I had enough to properly cover my hair, so I knew I'd get the correct result. 

I left the conditioner on for the rest of my shower, like I always do, and rinsed it at the end. Once I rinsed this product, my hair did feel very soft; which was great. Once I got out of the shower I towel dried my hair (another thing I do out of habit) and it did feel much softer than it normally does. Once I dried it, it was still lovely and soft, and had minimal frizz. I then went on to straighten it to go with my outfit (which I'm posting later!) 

I then went about my day as I had planned. I remember in the add for this product, they claimed even the weather wouldn't ruin your hair, so I wasn't too bothered when I got rained on! I just went about my day, and left my hair alone all day. When I arrived home I decided

 to check my hair after a long day and it was still frizz free and sitting quite well. This came as a shock as usually if I get my hair wet during the day, it becomes extremely frizzy and goes completely out of place. I know it isn't sitting perfectly, but compared to what it could be, it is sitting extremely well!

After this experience I am planning to purchase the full product when my current shampoo runs out. I could fine no faults with this product and do quite like it. I would fully recommend this product to nearly anyone! I'm nearly sure this product is available anywhere that sells Shampoo and is around £7 for both the shampoo and conditioner; which isn't much when you don't need much to get a really good lather!

I hope you've enjoyed reading my First Impression Friday blog, and if you have any suggestions for future products, let me know! See you later!

Bronagh x

My Facial and Skin Care Essentials

Today's blog post is all about my facial and skin care essentials!

These are items that I use or a daily (or every other day) basis. In my eyes I need them just to get through a day

First of is my facial wash. You all must be sick of hearing about The Superdrug Pink Grapefruit and Tea Tree facial wash now, but it is literally my favourite one. It keeps my skin  clear and ready for make-up applications. I have noticed a huge improvement in my skin since I began using it. If you haven't already I highly recommend popping into a Superdrug near you and buying this little beauty! I've been using it once a day for about two weeks and I'm not even half way down it yet. 

Next is facial masks. I tend to try and use different ones every so often to see what effect it has on my skin. But no matter what ones I try nSpa's replenishing moisture mask will always be in my top three. Its beautiful baby pink colouring and light fragrance make it such an amazing treat. The container recommends using it up to two times a week, now I can't say I have ever used it that many times in a week, but if you did, your skin would be so much softer and smoother. I last used this about a week ago along side my Tea Tree Facial Wash from Superdrug and it left my skin clean and clear and so so soft! I'm nearly sure I purchased this in Asda and it was around £7. I would really recommend this to anyone with dry skin as it helps so so much with restoring softness,

The next product in my list of essentials is moisturiser! With a good moisturiser anything is possible! They should be a part of everyone's beauty routines! Currently I'm using Avon's Skin So Soft Winter Soft Moisturiser. I adore this moisturiser in the winter time. It leaves your skin so amazingly soft and it absorbs so quickly, that its perfect for just after a bath or shower. I use this mostly on my hands as they dry out so quickly when its cold, but I also use a tiny amount on my face from time to time. As this is an Avon product its only available though Avon, and as it is a winter product, its only available in the November/December catalogues. I think its usually between £5 - 10 but it lasts such a long time that its worth the price!

Another item on this list is a face cloth. This really is the most obvious item on this list, as it can be incredibly useful for removing facial masks and facial washes. I consider this essential because without it, I'd be removing everything by hand or with cotton balls, which can leave little bits of cotton everywhere. Mine is insanely basic and I bought it in Asda for around £4. These last as long as you look after them. Because I have oily, spot prone skin, every week or so I pop this into the washing machine for a good clean. This way I know all the dirt and oil from my face isn't on the cloth and won't be back on my face.

 

Next essential is Exfoliating Gloves (they take a lovely Picture, don't they?). Mine are a lovely Pink set I got in Sally's Salon Services for £4, with my trade card discount. I use these once or twice a week to buff away dead skin cells and dirt from my skin. I use these along with my exfoliator (which will be mentioned further down this post) for the best results.



Next are two items that are almost the same, but are also very different, my Body Wash and Body Exfoliator. In this I am talking about my two current favourites, Lushes Snow Fairy Body Wash and The Body Shop's Moringa Body Scrub. I completely adore both of these products, and would fully recommend them. Snow Fairy has such a delightful scent that I wish I could just sit and smell it everyday! Also a little of this product goes a very long way so you really don't need to use too much of it each time. I got this in Lush just before Christmas for around £7, sadly its out of season now, but it will be back again around Christmas. I got my Moringa Body scrub as a Christmas Present and I completely adore it. I use this along side my exfoliating gloves for the best results. I am unsure of the price of this product, but I'm sure it would be listed on The Body Shops Website.





Next is my Luffa or round, puffy bath sponge as I normally call it. I got this as part of a set at Christmas and it is slightly scented like lavender, which I completely adore. I use this to apply Snow fairy to my skin in the shower. I'm pretty sure all of you will use one of these or some form of them, but if you don't I highly recommend buying one. They're reasonably cheap and available in almost all drug stores or supermarkets in the bath and shower section.



The second Last item on this list is my Foot Pumice. I have had this for about a year, and it quite clearly needs replacing; which I plan to do during this weekend. I love this item as it helps remove all dry and dead skin from my feet, and the brush side is good for removing general dirt on my feet or below my toe nails. I'm quite unsure of the price of one of these as I got it so long ago, but it shouldn't be anything above £10. I also believe they are available in most, if not all, drug stores and super markets under the Bathing Products Isle.

My finial Facial and Skin Care essential is my make -up remover wipes. I use these at the end of everyday, even if I haven't worn any make-up to remove any oil or dirt from my face. These ones are Garnier Simply Essentials wipes and I bought them in Boots for £3.25. I'm currently planning to re-buy these soon as they are running out, but I may look into a few other brands aimed more at reducing the oil build up I have. 


Thank you for reading my blog today, I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any questions regarding any of these products, or ones you feel I should try, leave me a comment and let me know!