Hi guys,

Welcome to this month’s instalment of my empties. I have 13 empties for this month, so have a read and enjoy. For any repeats, I will keep it short.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Moisture Essence

I got this in an Advent Calendar, I hope that I used this correctly as I used this as a serum on my face and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found that it was super hydrating on my face. I think Elemis manufactures beautiful products and I always feel like I have been to a spa for a facial. I would buy this again

Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream

I got this in my Advent Calendar last year and I did enjoy using this but for my and my skintype, I think this would be better to use in the winter months when it is colder so I would purchase again but not until the winter time.

Ren Skincare Global Protection Cream

I got this mini in my Advent Calendar last year. This was a lovely day-time moisturiser. I found my skin was hydrated when using. This also protects your face from pollution which is a bonus. This is one I would purchase. 

Omorovicza Rejuvinating Night Cream

I also got this in my Advent Calendar last year. I loved this night cream. I used this every night and again, another moisturiser that made my skin feel so soft and hydrated. Another one I would purchase.

CeraVe Blemish Control Cream

I got this mini/sample with a delivery of makeup but I can’t remember where I got it but anyways, I love this. I use this for 2 nights in a row and boom, my spot is gone. If it is a bad spot, you might need to do 3 nights but I think this is great. I got another one so yes I will buy again.

Drunk Elephant O-Bloos Rosi Drops

I love this Blush, this is my second or third one of these. It is a pinkly/peach colour which gives your cheeks a nice flush of colour or you can also build this to give a more pigmented look. I use this over my powder blush and it just gives yhe most beautiful finish to my blush without being too strong. I have the full size so safe to say I would definitely purchase again.

Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

I love this powder. This was my holy grail for such a long time. I used the shade translucent and it doesn’t add colour to your makeup or make it cakey. I still love this and I will purchase again but for now, we know my favourite powder for now.

Huda Beauty Easy Bake Powder in Pound Cake

I will keep this short as this is a repeat purchase. From the minute I tried this I loved it. This sets the face but doesn’t leave it looking dry, dehydrated or cakey looking. It actually gives an airbrush effect to the skin. Always a repurchase.

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

This is my go to blush. My sister brought this blush for me back in 2014 along with a couple of other colours as they were listed as dupes for Nars blushes. This was a dupe for Nars Orgasm and this was my OG. I instantly fell in love with this and have used it ever since and repurchased so many times. I already opened my new one so I think you know the answer to it.

Catrice Plumping Lip Liner in I Like To Mauve It

Oops I did it again, I bought another and used it up as I really like the colour. It is super pigmented and lasts all day and for the bargain price of €4.00. You cannot go wrong.

Essence 8hr Matte Comfort Lipliner in 03 Soft Beige

How many times have I spoken about this lipliner. Costs about €2.80 and is super pigmented, lasts all day and always a repurchase.

Kevin Murphy Maxi.Wash

I got this from my fabulous friend for Christmas and used this once every 2 weeks as a detox shampoo to remove product build up as I use dry shampoo. I found this fantastic for my hair. It did remove all build up without drying out my hair. Definitely one I will purchase.

Thanks again for reading guys, hope you enjoyed it and see you next time.

Kat x

Hi everyone.

I am finally back with another review. I have a new laptop so hope to write again soon and more frequently. Watch this space…

So as you guys know, I have already written about Estee Lauder, Illamasqua and The Ordinary foundations. These are some of my go-to most frequently used foundations. But now I am going to write about LA Girl Pro.Matte HD High-Definition Longwear Matte Foundation. I had heard some great reviews of this foundation. So I picked up a bottle at the Irish Beauty Show in April to try for myself. The first colour I picked up at the show was Sand. Even though it was slightly too dark for me, I absolutely loved it from the moment that I tried it.

I have oily/combination skin and this is a matte foundation that is also full coverage but it doesn’t dry flat or make your face look cakey (even on my cheeks which are drier than my t-zone). It gives a beautiful finish to the skin. I have been complimented on my foundation since wearing it and been told that my face looks dewy and smooth. I know people who have oily skin (a previous me included) don’t like the look of dewy skin but for a while now, I have been loving a dewy look without looking like an oil slick. And this foundation has given that to me. As always I apply my foundation with a sponge as I find that I get the maximum coverage.

I currently have 3 colours in this foundation, Bisque (which is similar to Estee Lauder Double Wear in Desert Beige), Medium Beige (which is similar to MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC37) and Sand (which is slightly darker than my trusted Estee Lauder Double Wear in Tawny). For me, these colours are perfect for little tan, tanned a little bit more than tanned. The foundation comes in 15 shades from light to dark and for yellow and pink toned skins, so there is bound to be a colour that works for everyone.

There’s 30ml in the foundation bottle and retails on Cloud 10 Beauty (www.cloud10beauty.com) for €10.95. Cloud 10 is doing free delivery to Ireland on all makeup at present! You can also purchase it on Beauty Bay (www.beautybay.com) for €11.25 and delivery to Ireland is free when you spend over €25.00. And no I am not trying to get you to spend more money (smiley face).

I can safely say that I love the foundation and I will definitely continue to wear and recommend it. I have been using it for over 3 months and for the price, it is definitely worth it.

If you try it, I would love to know your thoughts so please let me know. You can contact me through here, my Facebook or Instagram.

That is all for now folks, til next time.

Kat xxx

I have a confession to make … I love powder. So I thought that a post on my go-to powders was a must write for my blog.

For me, powder is extremely important, as my skin is quite oily. I hate having a face that looks greasy or that look of makeup sliding off my face. I used to be so paranoid about looking shiny (by shiny I mean greasy and not dewy!) that I used to layer about 5 different powders over my foundation. I was like a walking powder puff!!

Over the years, I’ve tried so many powders … you name it and I have probably tried it, but I’ve finally found the one. Okay, ones; I couldn’t go from 5 to just 1!

In this blog post, I’ll write about the two powders that I use that work for me.

BEN NYE POWDER
I had heard so many good things about the Ben Nye powder range and I eventually got around to buying some powders last year.

Oh my, I was blown away. This powder really keeps the shine away. It is finely milled so doesn’t sit on skin resulting in that powdery look; rather it leaves the skin looking like skin.

I use Banana powder to set under my eyes to brighten them (note I always wear fake tan). I generally use Neutral Set (colourless) powder to set the rest of my face. If my tan is quite faded, I sometimes use Cameo (paleish colour) instead of Neutral Set.

I order these powders from www.sunaura.ie. These powders are really good value …. Neutral Set powder is €19.67 for 42g and Cameo/Banana powder is €30.25 for 26g. Prices shown exclude VAT. Delivery is charged based on weight, but roughly works out around €2.85.

MAC BLOT POWDER
I discovered this powder years ago and couldn’t be without it in my makeup bag.

This powder was designed to eliminate shine and it does just that. It is super finely milled and I apply it mainly on my t-zone where I am most oily. Plus regardless of how many layers I apply, it doesn’t look dirty or caked. This powder is a handbag essential!

Blot Powder has a slight colour (that is, it is not translucent), but it runs quite light. I wear shade Medium-Dark.

This powder is €26.50 and available from any Brown Thomas or selected BT2 stores. If you’re lucky to be heading on holidays any time soon pick it up in The Loop, as it’s cheaper.

To show you how good these powders work, the photo on the left was taken 7 years ago and I’m probably wearing 5 layers of powder. Shiny! The pic on the right was taken this year … after about 12 hours wearing that makeup!

If I am heading out, I generally apply my face for the day in the morning. For my nighttime look, I do not reapply my base. Instead, I powder my t-zone and slap on the eye makeup.

Hope you guys enjoyed. Until next time … x

My obsession with glitter continues. As promised, I’ve done a little blog post on how to apply glitter to make your eyes sparkle. Hope you enjoy x

Step 1: I do the rest of my makeup first. This includes a black winged line if I’m applying a glitter line. I’m loving Kat von D’s Tattoo liner as it’s so easy to use.

Step 2: Pour a small amount of glitter and glitter glue onto a mixing palette. The glitter glue I always use is Lit Cosmetics Liquid Glitter Base.

Step 3: Using a makeup brush, mix small amounts of glitter and glitter glue on the palette and pack onto eyelid using a patting motion. I normally use the Makeup Forever/Face2 0 brush which is available from the Makeup Forever store in town. I think it costs around €10 (I have it a long time). The Blank Canvas E39 also works very well. It costs around €6.95 and can be purchased from www.cloud10beauty.com (free delivery over €15.00) orwww.blankcanvascosmetics.com (delivery is €1.99).

Step 4: For any precision work, the Urban Decay glitter liner which I talked about in my last blog post is fab. I’ve used it here to finish off the tail of the wing.

Step 5: Apply lashings of mascara and some falsies and you’re ready for anything.

Hope you enjoyed this blog post. ‘Til next time x

Hi everyone

As much as I love a matte eye, I have to say I really love adding some glitter to my eyeballs … whether all over the lid, as eye liner or just on the inner corner … I love it all!! At the moment, I have four brands of glitters that I tend to reach for (two loose and two glitter liners), which I’ll talk about more below.

GLITTER LINERS
Urban Decay Heavy Metal: This was my first introduction to glitter and I have to say that I would recommend this to anyone trying glitter for the first time. This liner has an extremely thin brush, which gives you great control over the application process, especially if you’re doing a glitter line. This glitter liner comes in 6 colours and is available to buy in-store in Debenhams for €19.00.

Collection 2000 Glam Crystals: I came across this brand when searching for a liner similar to Urban Decay’s limited edition black glitter. This product is quite comparable to the Urban Decay glitter liner, but the brush is slightly thicker. However, these glitter liners are a fraction of the price at €3.99. They come in 10 colours and are available to buy from either Boots or Superdrug.

LOOSE GLITTERS
Lit Cosmetics: I discovered this glitter from Mia Smith (Instagram: makeupbymia). This was the first brand of loose glitter that I tried. These glitters are really beautiful and finely milled. I purchase mine from www.beautybay.com (free delivery over €18) orshop.fabulousmakeup.co.uk. They are currently on sale on BeautyBay so now is a good time to check them out.  They can be purchased in size 2 and size 3. If this is your first time trying loose glitter there’s plenty in size 2 to get you started.

Certifeye: I first saw these glitters on Champagne Whisper’s Instagram page (champagnewhisper). It was love at first sparkle and I knew I had to try them straight away. These glitters are also finely milled and they come in a full range of beautiful colours. I have to mention the packaging, as they come in the cutest bottles so they’ll look great on your makeup table. The bottles come in mini and full size versions with prices ranging from €6.00 to €10.00. (Delivery is €5.)

I’ll do a separate post on how to apply loose glitter so keep an eye out for that.

Until next time…

Kat x

Hi everyone.

So I am writing my first ever blog post and I thought that the first thing I should write about is foundation. My most asked question is probably … what foundation do you wear?

I will start with my skin type. I have oily combination skin – my t-zone is extremely oily and I have issues with breakouts. (Just as an aside, it’s important to note that skin care is an important step in ensuring that foundation goes onto skin properly AND stays in place.  I will write about my skincare routine in a separate post.) I also have lots of freckles!

When applying foundation, I like a flawless and full coverage finish. I generally go between two foundations, which I will discuss in more detail below.

In terms of applying my foundation,  I apply it with a normal latex sponge using a patting technique. For me this gives the most coverage. The sponge may soak up a little extra product compared to a brush, but I personally prefer the finish a sponge gives. However, I use a Beauty Blender when applying foundation on others. This also gives a lovely finish and soaks up a little less product.

THE FIRST FOUNDATION: I was introduced to Estee Lauder Double Wear at the age of 20 by my sisters when they bought it for me as a Christmas present. I loved this foundation from the first moment I tried it. It had everything that I could wish for in a foundation … good full coverage, longevity and it dries to a matte finish. I have tried many other foundations over the years, but I always return to this foundation as I can always count on it to never let me down.

My shade is Tawny (I wear fake tan every day). I normally buy this product from Boots or Brown Thomas so as to obtain store points (both run customer loyalty schemes), which I save up and spend at a later date. It is about €38.00, but worth every penny in my view.

THE SECOND FOUNDATION: I already owned a couple of Illamasqua products but it seems that everywhere I turned people were talking about the Skin Base foundation, especiallyJamie Genevieve,  one of my favourite makeup artists and You-Tubers. (If you haven’t already, check her out on Instagram and You Tube.)

I attended Jamie Genevieve’s makeup masterclass in London last year and Jamie kindly allowed me to try out some products in her kit, one if which was Skin Base. I loved it instantly!

The very next day, I popped into the Illamasqua store and got matched up to Shade 10. This foundation is quite comparable to Estee Lauder Double Wear … it gives the same full coverage, but with a slightly more dewy finish. It also feels lighter on the skin … so all the coverage of Double Wear without the heavy feeling.  I find that I am reaching more and more for this foundation, especially at weekends.

Irish readers can order this on debenhams.ie and it is about €30.50 with free in-store delivery. Unfortunately, Illamasqua is not stocked in Irish stores so colour matching can be a little tricky. However, if you can get matched, I definitely recommend that you try this foundation.

Hope you enjoyed my first blog post. I’ll be back soon.

Kat x