Real Techniques Stippling Brush.

Everyone and their mother is either talking about these brushes or has them so I won't bore you. I wanted this brush purely because of the hype. Everywhere you go online within the beauty community somebody somewhere is raving on about one of the many brushes available and I wanted in on this. I'll be honest, to me a make up brush is simply a brush. Just something I use to apply a little bit of this and that to my face. I've never really been bothered about branded brushes but then I got my hands on this. Granted I've only used it twice but I just love how well it applies my foundation. It's far better than the Elf one i've been using and really helps me create a flawless complexion. My foundation really blends in well using this. I don't think my foundation has ever looked as perfect as it does right now. I'm not an expert on make up brushes, I don't use a lot of them. But I really do like this one and it's definitely worth the price you pay for it. If you're in Ireland and have a hard time finding this anywhere outside Dublin like I did you can buy it here on Cloud10Beauty for 13.50€ + 3.00€ shipping. I'm looking to get the blush one next and maybe the core collection but we'll see.
Have any of you guys tried this brush or any of the others? Leave a comment below.

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So I went shopping.....

Was in Dublin yesterday to go see Derren Browns show 'Svengali' and all I can say is if he ever has a show near you, buy tickets. You will not be disappointed. I don't think I've ever been so engrossed in a show than I have 'Svengali'. I've watched his shows on tv for the last 2 or 3 years now and it really was an experience being in the crowd.

I went to Topshop and picked up two lipsticks, 'Brighton Rock' and 'Nevada'. I was going to get another but the prices in euro for Topshop are just getting a little ridiculous. 79€ for a simple skater dress you can get in Primark for 11€? I think not. I also picked up one of their blushes in 'Neon Rose'. It's such a pretty colour. Can't wait to try it out.

My level of excitement when I went into Boots and saw the Revlon Lip Butters was a little embarrassing. I had to stop my self from buying them all. I've been eyeing up 'Tutti Frutti' since they were released and I think I'm in love. Its such a gorgeous shade of orange....I'm a sucker for orange. I went for 'Sweet Tart' too. Boots have a 3 for 2 deal going on right now so I picked up these and a real techniques brush. I'll have a post on that soonish.

Popped into Primark/Penneys for a quick look *cough* 2 hours *cough* in the hopes of finding this shirt. But it was no where to be found ): They have some really nice summer clothes in there right now. Completely typical that the sun has now disappeared. I fell in love with the aztec triangle earrings the second I saw them.

Hope you're all enjoying the weather.

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Urban Decay Lipsticks.

As a reader of many blogs I have come across barely any that have blogged about Urban Decay Lipsticks. Which is surprising as they have some really lovely vibrant colours and at 15€ they're not that expensive. I picked up the three of these a few months ago when I saw they were wrongly priced as 5€ each at a pharmacy I was in. Absolute bargain! Especially as when I went back a few day later to pick up some more the prices had gone back up.

I like the packaging. Its purple and has a typical urban Decay vibe from it. I do think the little swords on the ends are a cute detailing but they're a little bit of a nuisance when you're trying to store the lipsticks as you have to stand them up on the side where you can't see the shade sticker. They are slightly bulkier than say a Topshop or MAC lipstick but nothing too drastic.

My favourite of the three is 'Jilted' which is a vibrant magenta purple with blue undertones and a a hint of shimmer. I think its such a nice pop of colour for Spring/Summer. I'm wearing it in my FOTD from a few days ago. Really gives a simple look that extra bit of fun. 

'Revolution' and 'Tease' are the other shades I picked up. 'Revolution' is what I would describe to be a berry red. Its slightly more to the pink side than any of my other red lipsticks which I like because it feels more like a girly red. 'Tease' is a lovely pink colour which comes off slightly more nude than the lipstick looks.

I like these lipsticks. The pigmentation is great and they have a nice creamy soft matte finish. 

My only negatives would be they don't last very long. You would need to top up after 3-4hours and the smell. Maybe its just me, I'm not sure but they have this odd smell that I can't exactly put my finger on but I'm not too fond of it.

Have you tried any bright lipsticks lately?

Comment below with your recommendations.

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Glossybox March 2012.

Ohh a glossybox post how original....saying that, this is my first and last Glossybox. I won't deny it, I was intrigued by 'The Harrods Edition'. When you think Harrods you automatically think richness and luxury and thats what I thought I'd be getting with this box but it wasn't. I didn't really think the products were that 'luxurious' and I know they're sample sizes but I didn't think they would be as tiny as they turned out to be. I got the box this morning (hence why this post is a little late) after tweeting and emailing Glossybox a few times to see where my box was. Long story short they had a printing error with a couple boxes and luck be had it mine was one of those. They apologized for the inconvenience and sent out a replacement.

I'm most excited to try out the Ojan hair serum. I've had my eye on something similar and glad I can save myself a couple euro by trying this out. 

In my box I received the Clarins Extra Firming body cream, fendi perfume, burberry lipstick in shade 4, Ojon Damage Reverse for hair and some skin care samples from 'The Hollywood Collection'. 

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The Body Shop - Shea Body Butter.

If I was stranded on a desert island and could have one skincare item with me it would be this. If only for the gorgeous scent alone. I can't put my finger on exactly what the scent is? But it's a lovely strong scent that lingers nicely on your skin, a little musky maybe.? I've used this non stop since I got it free a few months ago in a magazine. I don't have exceptionally dry skin except for maybe on my knees but I do find this to be very moisturising. The dryness on my knees has really improved which is amazing as I've tried so many different types of moisturiser on them. You don't need to apply a lot of this to your skin as it really does spread quite generously. The butter itself is quite heavy and can take a little while to dry in but I apply this at night so it's never really bothered me that much. I do think this is a little on the pricey side which is a pity because my tub is nearly empty and I really want to get another one. Although saying that maybe the prices have changed since I last checked. If any of you know the price for this in euro could you comment below maybe? Thanks (:

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MUA Lipstick Shade 4.

I picked up this lipstick a couple of weeks ago when I was up North shopping as it was only 1£ and I really liked the shade. I really wanted to try out some of the MUA products after seeing countless bloggers rave on about them but much to my disappointment the superdrug I went to had nothing I had my eye on. The lipstick itself isn't very pigmented. So if you're looking for a pink that screams 'look at me' this isn't for you. It leaves a lovely pink glow on your lips thats perfect if you're going for a more natural look. Its a creamy finish rather than matte. Much like that of a lipgloss. I didn't think I'd like this as I love my matte lipsticks but I really find myself reaching for this a lot more than some of my other lipsticks. As its more glossy it nourishes my lips and doesn't dry them out. Which is what we all want right? I was also surprised to find that when you twist the plastic piece off the bottom, they include a tiny little lip balm in the same colour as the lipstick. Have any of you tried any of these lipsticks?

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17 Miracle Matte Foundation.

I'm currently in a 'love/hate' relationship with this foundation. I just cannot decide if I like it on my skin and I think the main reason for that is the shade I picked up. In my boots 'fair' was the lightest they had and when I swatched it, it looked great. It's just when I apply it to my face I get a slightly orange finish. I've tried to fix this by mixing it with a tiny drop of lighter foundation. I just wish my Boots had the other lighter shades when I was buying it. The coverage is amazing though. I have a tendency to get major breakouts on my chin and forehead that I'll usually dab a lot of concealer onto but with this I barely need any, maybe its cause it's a slighter darker shade than I'd normally use but I like it. Being a matte finish you won't get a dewy complexion with this which is fine by my because I'm not bothered either way. I will say this though, that unless you really moisturise before putting this on it will cling to any dry patches on your skin making them look way more obvious than they normally would. At first I really hated this, If you follow me on twitter you'll probably have seen me tweet how disappointed I was with, but after wearing it a couple more times it really grew on me. I got it on offer for around 7€ a couple weeks ago and because of the handy little pump I don't use anymore than I need too. So there's no wasted product. I also think the packaging is really cute and girly. Definitely grabs your attention on the stand.

Have any of you tried this?

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The Ps Guide To Tweeting Your Way To More Blog Traffic.....

'The Ultimate Guide to Tweeting Your Way To More Blog Traffic'

is a nifty little guide that I found out about through Cityscape Bliss's blog here and I thought I

would share it with you guys so you could learn a few things from it like I have. 

I was intrigued by the guide as I'm a huge tweeter and I like to use it to get my blog out there. Especially Sunday nights with the '#bbloggers' chat.  But this guide showed me how to promote my blog more effectively. It gives amazing tips on how to use #hashtags to your advantage and where to go to find out how to use twitter lists. I did and now have a way greater understanding of lists than I did before. They confused me so I just never bothered with them. I loved the idea behind the guide but also that it was really fun to read and just the right amount of witty. The design is really cute too and the tips are short and straight to the point. There's 6 guides that will be available every week. 

Twitter is the first guide which you can download here 100% free.

Have any of you read this? If so what did you think of it?

I'm excited for the next one.

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FOTD.

Foundation - 17 Miracle Matte in Fair. Lipstick - Urban Decay Jilted. Eyeshadow - Naked Palette. Bronzer - Benefit Hoola.

Eyeliner - Topshop. Blush - Natural Collection Pink Cloud. Mascara - S&G Thick & Fast.

Shirt - New Look. Necklace - Primark.

Happy belated St. Patricks day. Didn't do anything for it other than going out last night. Our towns parade is usually a bunch of lorries driving around with advertisements for local businesses. It's lame. I'd of rather stayed home last night wrapped up in bed watching 'Charmed' whilst drinking tea and eating my way through an entire pack of custard creams.....which is so not what happened 20mins before going out.....*cough**cough*. I hope you all had a lovely day anyway. (: It's mothers day today, so after being woken by my little brother at the crack of dawn (okay 10 am) it was off downstairs to grab our presents and bring mum some breakfast in bed. Trying to convince her to let me get a new wardrobe from Ikea. Its not going so well. Tomorrows a bank holiday here so we'll be off to the carboot sale tomorrow morning for a bit of rummaging. Hope you're all well..

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Natural Collection - Pink Cloud Blush.

'Pink Cloud' is a lovely light pink blush from Natural Collection. I adore the blush's from Natural Collection. They're very inexpensive with simple packaging and the one's I have tried all have a nice matte finish. I like how this isn't a shimmery blush but just a really nice dainty pink. It's very cute and gives me a nice natural look. No clown cheeks here. It isn't very pigmented but just enough to give you a nice sweep of colour. At 3€ you can't really go wrong. The little pot in this has fallen out, which I was a little surprised about as my 'Peach Melba' hasn't budged in the slightest. But its nothing a bit of glue won't fix.
Have any of you tried this, what did you think?

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Boots buys...

Note to self : take photos during the day as artificial light sucks.
Was in Boots yesterday after I picked up the last bits for my Mums 'Mothers Day' present and picked up these few things. The 'Night Treatment Gel' smells soo good, I'm in love. I bought this because my skin is a b*tch right now. I've had a reaction to the moisturiser I've been using and needed something to help fight the spots that have accumulated all over my cheeks. I NEVER get spots there so I'm slightly devastated, (dramatic much?). I used it last night and so far so good, I think one night isn't enough to tell if a product works, so I'll get back to you about this... I also had a No7 voucher that was out of date but chanced it anyway and ended up getting the No7 wipes for 2€. I've never used them before but I've read great things about them...oh the wonders of beauty blogs, I need to buy everything I read about *cough* Bioderma *cough*..... I never spend too much time in Boots and when I found these cotton bud pads I was so excited. I can't touch proper cotton buds. They hurt my teeth urgh like nails on a chalkboard. But they feel nothing like regular cotton buds, it's brilliant....
I recently reached 200 followers and I'd like to thank you guys so much for following my blog. God knows there's so many better bloggers out there, so thank you (':

Follow Me on HelloCotton/Twitter.

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Sucker for pastel colours.

1/2.
I live for pastel colours. Seriously. Summer is my least favourtie month (winter rules)! But I'm that little bit more excited because I can wear pastels all day everyday for the next few months.
I'm loving minty greens the most.
They're just a breath of fresh air really.
Can't wait to go shopping and grab skinny jeans and shirts in every colour.
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Review : L'oréal Red Passion Lipstick.

I am a sucker for anything Cheryl Cole puts her name on, lipgloss, hairspray, hair dye, mascara and now lipstick. I put this down to being a huge Girls Aloud fan for the last 10 years. So when I saw she was releasing 'the perfect red lipstick' I knew I was going to buy it regardless of if I loved the shade or not...oh the power of celebrity endorsements. Besides, even if I didn't like it, £1 of every sale goes towards her charity which is great. I'm not too fond of the packaging, I think they could have tried a little bit harder to put Cheryl's name on it  with something other than tackly little stickers. The lipstick is a vibrant red which has little speckles of glitter which I just love. I would describe it as quite a creamy lipstick that lasts a good few hours. Personally I think it's a little too creamy? But I think maybe thats because I like a good matte red. I've been putting a bit of translucent powder on top to give it that 'matte effect'. I love the shade of this and the little specks of glitter. This is probably one of the best red lipstick's I have tried. I would love it a whole lot more if it was a matte formula but nothing I can't solve myself. I would definitely recommend you buy this lipstick.....even if you're not a sucker for Chezza like I am...

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Project Kony 2012 - Spread The Word!

This is a little different to what I usually post.

But if you have a heart you'll watch this and spread the word on all your sites like I have.

It's 29:59mins of your life, but a lifetime for those who live in fear of Kony.

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Who and what is 'Project Kony 2012'?

KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.
Pledge your support at http://bit.ly/konydonate and continue to share this story. 

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Sign the pledge here and lets help the other 99% of the world learn about the war criminal

JOSEPH KONY!

Review : Soap and glory Hand Food.

This hand cream is my absolute favourite. Everything from the packaging to the scent just does it for me. I have the 50ml tube that I got in a 'Soap and Glory' gift set three Christmases ago and as you can tell, it really lasts. Mine is almost empty and I'll definitely be repurchasing when it runs out. The scent is a lovely musky girly one with a hint of jasmine which is quite like that of the Miss Dior Cherie perfume. Its not too strong but you can really catch a sniff of it through out the day. The hand cream itself has a really nice consistency and blends into your skin super easily. Like it says on the tube it is a 'non-greasy hand cream' which i couldn't agree with more. After you've blended it into your skin it dries really swiftly leaving nothing but a nice scent off your hands. I use this a lot through the winter and after washing dishes and I find it leaves my hands feeling super soft and hydrated.
Have any of you tried this?

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Week In Photos 006.

(1. Yankee Candle Love. 2. Bought Glamour cause Jen Lawrence was on the cover. 3. Sweets.)

(4. Litaaas. Knock offs but sure same thing. 5. Coffee at the Rugby Club.) 

(6. Brothers & Sisters S1 arrived in the post.)

FOTD.

Foundation - 17 Miracle Matte in Fair. Lipstick - Topshop Infrared.

Mascara - S&G Thick & Fast. Bronzer - Benefit Hoola.

Shirt - Primark.

I never post photos of myself on ma blog. So I figured a goofy FOTD would suffice. I met up with all my friends today. I rarely get to see them cause they're in college (Uni for you UK peeps) and I am not. August cannot come fast enough. So I can find out if I got what I wanted. Some of you may remember that I was in college till November but hated it sooo much that I left and reapplied. Fingers crossed ay? We just mooched around drinking coffee in the rugby club, frappes in Esquires and grabbing an apple pie in Mc Donalds. Going to relax with a Lush bath and my 'Brothers and Sisters' boxset. Super excited to try out 'Phoenix rising' it smells so good.
20 days till 'The Hunger Games' guys.....not that I'm counting...

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A 'Lovestruck' February.

Words cannot describe how much I adore this perfume. I got it for Christmas and it's been my 'go to' perfume since. I actually don't think I used any other perfume during February. Before I even smelt this perfume I knew I had to have it, the bottle alone! It's just the perfect amount of  girly for me. The flower lid is amazing. The other reason I wanted it? Leighton Meester was the face of the campaign. I'm sure you're all aware of the fabulous Vera Wang dress she wears *dies thinking about it*..... it just embodied 'girly girl' for me. The scent when you first spray it is a beautiful florally smell but through out the day it develops into a slightly more musky vanilla scent with a hint of spice. I love the scent, it's subtle enough for day time but at the same time its a great going out scent cause its not too in your face. Trust me when I say you'll have people constantly asking what you're wearing.

At 40€ for the above 50ml bottle it's not too bad. But if you're looking to try a cheaper alternative with practically twice the amount of perfume, I'd say go out and buy yourself 'Just Me' by Paris Hilton. The scent are exactly the same. When I first smelt 'Lovestruck' I was driven crazy trying to find out what it smelt like, I went through all my perfumes knowing I had one like it and it was the Paris Hilton one. 'Just Me' was 15€-25€. I can't remember the exact price sorry and although the bottle isn't as amazing as the Vera Wang, I still think its pretty cute.

Have any of you tried this? What did you think?

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