Blogtober #7 | Disappointing Sally Hansen products

I'm really sorry guys, this post is totally cheating, it's after midnight, it's officially the 8th. But I figure that's no reason to give up, you'll just have to get two posts today! So I'll keep it short and sweet, here are a couple of products I've recently gotten from the Sally Hansen range that I'm really not happy with.

I felt the gel cuticle remover did nothing, at all. The Nail Polish strips came off in under an hour and the No Chip Top Coat lead to the nail varnish underneath becoming separated, leaving the appearance of cracks.

It's very disappointing as I really love the airbrush legs, their nail varnish remover and I even have a few nail varnishes which I like, but these three products did not reach the standards I've come to expect from Sally Hansen. So hopefully I'll save you all a few euro by not wasting your money on this products. Avoid at all costs!


Have you tried of any of these products from Sally Hansen?
What products have you found disappointing lately?

Blogtober #6 | In the Spotlight: Breaking Bad

Welcome to Blogtober Day 6! This post is just a short one, allowing me a moment to take a step back and reflect on Breaking Bad (don't worry, there are no spoilers here). A week after the finale, I finally feel ready to talk about it! What an amazing 5 seasons it has been. I am so sad it is over forever, but at the same time I love that the writers knew it was coming to an end and they could go out on a high. Rather than getting lost in the drama like so many long standing television shows.

Photo courtesy of AMC

This show is what television should always be about. It made you laugh, it made you cry, but most of all it had you on the edge of your seat. There was never a dull moment, it was cluttered with a laugh track or rife with cliches. It was quality writing, excellent acting and expertly produced.

At times it certainly isn't for the faint of heart and it can get quite gritty, but I really would recommend this to anyone and everyone. A lot of the elements of it aren't necessarily what I would normally like in a television series, but it all just worked so well together. I have known people of all kinds of tastes who love it. It really was epic. On par with major movie productions. This show was quality television at its finest.

The story lines are all so engaging. While I will admit I found season one rather slow, it got progressively better as the seasons progressed (even though it is often the opposite for most other shows). But I would definitely stick with it. By the same token I wouldn't skip over the first season, it's incredibly important for character building and watching all characters and story lines evolve and develop.

I don't know how I'm going to fill my Monday evenings now that it is gone, but I hope we're not left waiting too long until another such masterpiece is created.

I found this great clip on YouTube, Breaking Bad as a sitcom.....

Of course unless you're a fan of the show, that clip might be a little lost on you! But I thought it was pretty funny!


Were you a fan of Breaking Bad?
Or fed up of listening to everyone else obsessing over it?

Blogtober #5 | Travel Log: Prague

For something different for Day 5 of #Blogtober, I thought I would highlight one of my favourite cities that I have ever visited... Prague! Below I have chronicled my trip in photographs. It is such a pretty place and everything is so reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend this city to everyone (although for anyone who struggles with getting around, beware there is quite a lot of hills). Once you get into the city, you don't even really need to use public transport, most of the main attractions are within walking distance. Which of course is great if you have a limited amount of time or are only on a city break!

Everything is so quaint and the architecture is beautiful, so without too much more rambling, here are some pictures from my time there...

The stalls around the place sold some great quirky items...

And if you're a fan of beer, there are definitely some interesting ones to try in the Czech Republic...

Have you ever visited Prague?
What is your favourite city for a weekend break?

Blogtober #4 | What's in my bag?

For this post I thought I would share what I keep in my every day handbag. For when I'm heading to work or out shopping, etc. I used to always carry around really big handbags, but in more recent years I've returned to the smaller bag. I've learned I wasn't using half the stuff I was lugging around anyway.

I found this mini satchel in New Look for a very reasonable price (under €20) and it has served me well. I have it 6 months at least and I've had no issues to date. Now more importantly onto the contents, as the bag itself is quite small, I've gotten my handbag essentials down to the minimum.

Starting from the bottom working to the top we have:
- Samsung Galaxy SII (yes I am badly in need of an upgrade)
- Keys
- Brushes, which are all Real Techniques (Blush, Buffer & Contour brushers)
- Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum (#51)
- Collection Concealer (#2)
- Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick (#24)
- MAC Lustre Lipstick (Lustering)
- NARS Palette (The Happening)
- Silver Make Up Bag (part of a gift, so unsure where it came from)
- Calvin Klein Purse (which I picked up while holidaying in Orlando)


I hope you enjoyed having a nose at what's in my purse.
What are some of your handbag essentials?

Blogtober #3 | Review: Maybelline Cream Gel Eye Shadow

On to day 3 of #Blogtober already, this post is a review of Maybelline's Colour Tattoo 24hr Creme Gel Eyeshadows.

On and on Bronze, Pink Gold, Permanent Taupe

Immortal Charcoal, Timeless Black

There are some brighter shades available in this range, however I chose the most neutral, wearable colours available. Spoiler alert: these shadows are amazing! I would recommend them to anyone and everyone. They rival MAC's paint pots or Make Up For Ever's Aqua Shadows. They go on quite wet, you can buff them in with a fluffy brush (I recommend a MAC 217 brush) and hey presto they dry quite fast. You are then set for the day as they don't budge.

The best part is you can wear them as your eye shadow or you can wear them as a base for any of your other shadows. I especially think you can really buff the On and on Bronze or Pink Gold in and they are the perfect base for any colour shadow on top.

You can pick these up in any Drugstore/Pharmacy, they retail at approximately €7.50 each. Which is an absolute bargain when you consider how much the MAC/Make Up For Ever equivalent go for.

Have you tried any of these Colour Tattoo Eye Shadows from Maybelline?
What are your favourite cream eye shadows?

Blogtober #2 | Seasonal Wear: Scarves

Here is blog post #2 from this month's #blogtober challenge. Make sure to follow me on Facebook & Twitter so you can keep up with all my new posts!

One of my favourite things about Autumn is you can officially go back to wearing scarves every day. I don't have a huge scarf collection, but below I have included my current favourites. None of them are particularly expensive, they are from high street stores such as Vero Moda, Dunnes Stores, Bershka, Asos and the likes.

As you will see I have mostly neutral colours as not only are scarves practical, but they're great for adding a little something to a look. So with the more neutral colours, I find they go with more outfits. Consequently I have chosen to exclude any any of my black scarves, since I feel we can all do black with very little encouragement. In the Autumn/Winter I know we are all drawn to wearing darker colours, so scarves are a great way to bring a little brightness back into your look.

 

These three are my practical woolen scarves that offer proper warmth, especially the first one. It's so thick and long, it needs to be essentially snowing for me to wrap this one tightly around my neck. I love the scrunchy nature of the second one, it sits nicely around the neck. Finally the last one is to add a splash of colour to my look!

  

These two are somewhere in the realm of practical, but I feel they really complete any outfit in your Autumn collection. The essentially go with everything, the colours are basic, but their classics. These are the types of scarves that are a staple to any Autumn wardrobe.

 

These last scarves are definitely more the case of fashion of function. They will of course keep the wind off your neck, but their purpose is more as an accessory than warmth. I treat this style of scarf like more of a necklace. The type of scarf you leave on even when you get indoors. I hope this has inspired some of you for your Autumn/Winter looks.


What are some of your favourite types of scarves?
What is your absolute Autumn wardrobe staple?

Blogtober #1 | September Favourites

This is the first official post in Blogtober! I aim to do a blog each day for the whole month, so stay tuned!

I can't believe September is over already, Autumn is really upon us and we're seeing the last of the sunshine! This month I have not been wearing quite as much make up. I have been trying to give my skin a bit of a break. So with that, lets get straight into this month's favourites!

There has been one lipstick that has barely left my side and that's the Bourjois Shine Edition (shade #24). Not only is it in my favourite colour, the pigmentation is beautiful and it feels so moisturising on the lips, which is perfect for this time of year. It comes out a little darker on the lips than is shown here, but it eliminates the need for a gloss.

Another handbag essential this month has been yet another Bourjois product, their Healthy Mix Serum foundation (shade 51). I mentioned this in a blog about a light summer foundation. It is a low coverage and excellent for everyday wear (especially when you have dry skin like me). It only takes some bronzer, blush and lipstick to instantly turn a day look into night. It gives you that you-at-your-best look without looking too much like you are wearing foundation.

Another favourite this month has been a nail varnish. During the week I like to wear nail varnish, while making it seem like I'm not wearing any (due to working in an office, I can't wander around in all the bright colours I love). As a result I have been loving this shade (threadbare) from Topshop. It's neutral enough not to draw any attention, but I still get to wear polish midweek!

I have recently acquired yet another Real Techniques brush, this is their Blush brush. I just love the shape, size and feel of this brush. I can't see me going back to any other brush I've previously used for blusher. Real Techniques have converted me (yet again)!

So what have you been loving for the month of September?