My Ultimate American Beauty Wish List!

Hey there gals,

Today, I will be sharing with you my ultimate American beauty wish list! I'm travelling to America in June for a few weeks, so I've already started my list of beauty bits that I want to pick up while there... I'll be popping into Sephora, Ulta, Macy's and the Cosmetic Company store while there. I'm also planning a cheeky trip to Bath and Body Works (it's Zoella I can thank for that pitstop!), and maybe Target to pick up a few cheaper 'drug-store' items from the likes of Elf, etc. that we don't have in Ireland! The more beauty blogs I read, the more my list grows... I hope you'll like my list, and get a few ideas for yourself, if there's anything that you think that I've missed then comment below!

Anastasia Beverley Hills. 

OHMYGOD, Anastasia Beverley Hills is my savior. And I can't wait to hit Sephora/Ulta and pick up everything. After watching tutorial after tutorial of some of my favourite beauty bloggers using the ABH contour palette, it is safe to say that the need is strong for this beauty item. I'll be picking this up in the shade 'light to medium' for 40 dollars and already have a few requests from friends to pick it up for them too! I can't wait to get my hands on this contouring cult favourite and give it a go! Which of course, will have a review to follow. It's so beautiful, it actually makes me want to cry.

While, I already have the ABH dipbrow pomade in 'dark brown' another one might mysteriously slip into my basket as a back-up, and at only 18 USD, why wouldn't it? These pomades are for every gal who has ever dreamed of beautiful brows. While, I'm at it, I guess a little brow wiz (21USD) wouldn't hurt... Would it?! 

Lastly, I will be picking up some of the ABH liquid lipsticks. But in particular I'm lusting over 'Milkshake'. BE STILL MY BEATING HEART. I've seen this on some of my favourite bloggers, in particular Samantha Ravndahl (founder of Batalash Beauty) and Chloe Boucher. Have you ever seen a lipstick so beautiful, that it stopped you in your tracks? THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WITH MILKSHAKE. I literally need it in my life. And hopefully, in June I will! 'Baby Pink' has also recently caught my attention. I'm led to believe that 'milkshake' is a Macy's exclusive and is 20 USD. BARGAIN. While it may look unspectacular in the tube, it is beautiful - trust me. 

Becca. 

IT'S SO PRETTY - I'M GOING TO DIE! This is basically my reaction to everything that Becca Cosmetics offers. Did I mention that it's my name?! It's like it was meant to be - a match made in heaven <3 While, I feel that I could easily fill my suitcase with just Becca cosmetics alone. I will be strong, and try to stick to my list, which (at the moment) features the Becca shimmering skin perfector for 41 USD, and the and shimmer skin perfector:pressed for 38 USD. I am officially a highligher junkie. If you follow my blog regularly, you will come to realise that I'm actually part magpie. These two products are literally made to go together, and I can't wait to tell you guys all about them!

Hourglass. 

One of the main reasons, I won't fill my suitcase with just Becca cosmetics, is that then there would be no room for anything from Hourglass, which would actually be a travesty. And at this stage, everyone and their mother has heard about the beautiful ambient lighting powders. It actually would bring a tear to your eye, it's that magnificent. I have my little eye on the limited edition ambient light blush palette for 58USD, which features the two best selling ambient light powders: Luminous Flush and Mood Exposure, as well as a shade that is exclusive to this palette: Incandescent Electra.

Laura Geller. 

Laura Geller, is another beauty brand that has recently caught my eye. In particular, the Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator, which is like a hyprid product, as it feels like a cream, but applies like a powder. This illuminator, can be swept all over the face for that 'as if lit from within glow' - LOVE. This is 26USD.

Finally, I've been after a nice 'everyday' eyeshadow palette, and this one from Laura Geller caught my eye. It features 12 baked eyeshadows which range from warm to cool, and it's ironically called 'the wearables' which is exactly what I'm after! And at 42USD for 12 shades ain't half bad. I really like all the colours, except for the two dodgy blue shades, but I can forgive that. 

I am also in the market for some new makeup brushes... But slightly overwhelmed with the selection. Is there any brand that you guys would recommend? :) As always, thanks for reading this post on Beauty and the Blog. Stay tuned for a New Look haul post, where I picked up a few bits for summer, and a product review on the So Su Nail Varnishes by Suzanne Jackson, and the Smashbox contouring sticks.

Love,
Becca.
xxx

My Top Beauty Buys for Under 8 Euro!

Hey there gals,

Today, I'm going to be sharing with you my Top Beauty Buys for Under 8 Euro! Yes, you read that right eight euro. Sometimes it can seem like the beauty world is saturated with images and reviews of products that cost 28,945,753 euro, but they don't have to! (I'm looking at you Creme de la Mer) (side note: this actually retails at 880 euro for 250ml, rather than 28 million - but same diff in my books!). Some of my favourite products in my make-up kit are ones that didn't cost me a fortune, and are just as good as the ones that did! This post is especially for anyone building a starter kit, or for those who just want to spend their hard earned on a few budget buys rather than splurge on one item <3 So, if you want to know what my favourite budget beauty buys are, then read on...


1. NYX Lip Butter Glosses for 6.49. 

These lip butter glosses from NYX are super smooth and silky, and the best part? They're not sticky! Can I get a Hallelujah from all my long-haired ladies? We've all felt the pain of wearing gloss, and then walking outside only to get a mouth full of hair, but no more thanks to NYX <3 Wear alone for a medium coverage or on top of you're favourite lipstick. They're quite long lasting as glosses go, and quite pigmented too! Also another thumbs up from me that they're not shimmery or gliterry like many glosses are predisposed to being, and they're super moisterising. What more could a gal wish for? They're mostly a range of nudes and pinks that'll suit any and all skintones. My favourites are Creme Brulée and Tiramisu, which are pictured below! The only downside to these, is that once you buy one - you want them all!

2. NYX Lip-liners for 4.99.

My second budget beauty buy is another product from NYX, and this time it's their lipliners! These lipliners are the bees knees of all lipliners. The Holy Grail if you will... These are likened in quality to the MAC lip-liners but at a fraction of the cost.  These go on easily, as they're quite buttery, and stop you're lipstick/lipgloss from bleeding. My favourite ones are 'Mauve' and 'Pale Pink'. 'Mauve' is featured in the pictures below, and it's an amazing dupe for Kylie Jenner's go-to lip liner 'Whirl' from MAC, which thanks to Kylie Jenner is now sold out in every MAC makeup counter that I've tried... However, once I got my hands on 'Mauve', which is also hard to track down, I was more than happy, and so was my purse! 

3. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge for  7.99. 

Oh, a silly shaped sponge I hear you say... Alas, no my little friend, it is much more than a silly shaped sponge. This sponge will become you, and your faces best friend. I kid you not. This will give you the pixel perfect flawless base that you've always dreamed of. This sponge is quite similar to the Beauty Blender, but again much cheaper! It offers you 3 distinct surfaces that give you 3 ways to apply liquid foundation or concealer.

• The rounded sides of this multi-functional sponge allow you to blend large areas of the faces with a repeated 'dabbing' motion. 
• The precision tip is great for covering blemishes and imperfections.
• The flat edge is perfect for those hard to reach areas such as under the eye or around the nose. 
• Not only that, I use this to blend out the hard lines of my cream contouring, again using a quick and repeated 'dabbing motion'. 

Use this handy little sponge with your favourite foundation, and I promise you'll never look back! Streaky, patchy foundation be gone! 

4. NYC Big n Bold Volume Mascara for 3.49. 

I have probably tried every drugstore mascara known to mankind, all with varying degrees of success/disappointment, and this one from NYC is hands down my favourite. This is great for separating your lashes, without clumping as well as giving 12x more volume and length (not so sure about that assertion, but it definitely works)! With the oversized wand, and quite a wet formulation, two coats is plenty to leave you ready to face the day! The only downside to this mascara is that it does dry out quite quickly, but then again at 3.49 - beggars can't really be choosers? Did I mention that apparently Demi Lovato is a fan? That makes it more than good enough for me!

5. Duo Eyelash Glue for 5.99.

My next two beauty buys for under 8 euro, may seem boring, but are nonetheless essential for any budding beauty enthusiast! This lash glue is the one used on MAC makeup counters across the country, where if you decide to pick it up will set you back 15 euro. I urge you to hop, skip and/or jump to your nearest Boots, where you can pick it up for 5.99.

Save yourself that morto moment when unknown to yourself your 'eyelashes' suddenly spring from your lash line on a night out, leaving you a far cry from the 'sexy Bambi' look you were going for when you left the house a mere 15 minutes previous. This really makes applying your falsies so much easier and quicker, it really is the business!

6. Penney's/Primark's P.s. Love This: Brush Cleaner for a mere 2.50. 

We all hate spending money on essentials nearly as much as we hate actually having to clean our makeup brushes. We all know about the bacteria that builds up on our brushes as well as the grime and dust, but really when it comes down to clean our brushes, we're less than willing/able. So, what if there was a product that made this dreary chore a bit easier? Well then, just call me/Penney's your fairy godmother, because your wishes have been answered! Some people have even gone as far as saying that this is just as good as the MAC brush cleaner, but again for a fraction of the price! Seeing as the main ingredients in both are water and alcohol, this seems like a fair enough call to make. This isn't really suitable for a deep clean, but perfect for in-between spot cleans! Simply spray this directly onto your brushes, and then wipe the brush off a paper towel, and TADA you're good to go! You can thank me later <3

And there you have it ladies, some of my top beauty buys for under 8 euro. If you'd like to see more budget beauty posts like this one, then comment below and let me know! :) I was also thinking about doing a favourite dupe post, what you get think? Anyways, as always thanks for taking the time to read my post <3

Love,
Becca
xxx

Zoella Beauty Haul & Review!

Hey there my lovelies, 

Today, I'm going to be sharing with you a little Zoella haul that I did last week in Primark/Penneys in Cork and I'll give you my first impressions of Zoella Beauty! Unless you've been hiding under a rock you'll have heard about Zoella, a vlogger and general internet superstar, but for those of you who don't know, Zoe Sugg aka. Zoella is the dogs b*llocks - she's just amazing. She was the first blogger that I ever followed, and 6 years later I'm still doing so, and religiously! She is one of the biggest beauty bloggers in the world, and has been featured extensively in both magazines and on television. Last year, she even published a book, Girl Online, and even though this was a source of controversy, it's still an amazing accomplishment, AND a pretty darn good read! 

But anyway to draw a halt to my fan girling, you can tell that I'm a huge fan of Zoella, and as a result I had high expectations for her beauty range, so if you're interested in seeing if it lived up to my expectations, and if you should throw your own hard-earned euros at it, then read on.... 

So, first of all I picked up the 'Fizz Bar', 'Soak Opera' and 'Creamy Madly Dreamy', they also had the body mist, but I didn't pick it up - even though I may make a trip back in to pick it up! Unfortunately, Penney's didn't have the make-up bags or the candle, which coincidentally were the products that I actually wanted. Typical. But, the makeup bags can be bought on FeelUnique.com if you're interested in picking them up. The makeup bags are 11.12 on the website. My favourite is definitely the one with the guinea pigs, it's so super cute <3

So moving on to what I actually did pick up... Firstly, I'm going to talk about 'Soak Opera'. The packaging of this bath soak and shower cream is adorable, I love the pink/coral and the gold lace detailing on the bottle, and it definitely entices you to pick it up seeing as it's the packaging that you see first. Even if the range wasn't nice, it'd still look pretty in your bathroom! While 6euro for what is essentially a shower cream or bubble bath may seem expensive, you actually get quite a bang for your buck seeing as this is 490ml, and a little goes a long way. 

The same fragrance runs throughout the range and I think it's lovely - very sweet and fruity, but not overpowering in any way.  It contains notes of strawberry, violet, jasmine, vanilla and gardenia which is light and a perfect pick me up fragrance. Perfect for when you're trying to unwind in the bath after a long day at work/school/college. While I love fruity/floral scents myself the scent is definitely quite young though, so I'm not sure how it would appeal to an older demographic or those who prefer a woody/spicy scent... Since scent is so personal, make sure to give them a whiff in store before purchasing! 

This is also enriched with Vitamin E, aloe and shea butter to help soften the skin. I used this in the bath as bubble bath, and in the shower as a cream, and found it did leave my skin feeling soft afterwards, however the scent doesn't linger on the skin as much as say Soap and Glory's shower creams do, which was a tad disappointing! But, you do get a gorgeously scented bath/shower, so it's amazing while it lasts! 

The next item I picked up was the 'Creamy Madly Dreamy' body lotion, which was also 6 euro but again it's quite a large bottle, at 160ml, so it is good enough value! I love the handwritten element of the packaging too, it give it a bit more of a personal touch. I also like the names of the products, it kind of reminds me of the clever names that the Balm Cosmetics products have, which I liked. Another aspect that I am definitely happy about is that these products are cruelty free <3

Like 'Soak Opera', this is enriched with shea butter, vitamin E and aloe helping to leave your skin soft. The scent of this lasts a decent enough length of time, and as it's quite a rich, creamy texture it takes a bit longer than usual to absorb, but this is to be expected as it is rich. I personally like rich body lotions, as my skin tends to be quite dry due to the amount of fake tan I wear, so I liked this. And also liked that I could smell the scent for most of the day after applying it after a shower in the morning! But as this is quite scented, those with sensitive skin should probably do a patch test before lathering it all over your body..

The last product that I picked up was the 'Fizz Bar', which is apparently Zoella's favourite item in the range. Again priced at 6euro, which is a affordable price for 8 fizzy squares, as you are advised to use 2 per bath. The packaging for this product is in line with the other products that I've already talked about, with the coral and gold packaging, and cute little polka dots. This product is packaged like a chocolate bar, which I thought was quite sweet, and you can break off the white chunky squares quite easily, which are branded with a handwritten 'Z' for Zoella.

So, there you have it - my review of the Zoella beauty products! Thanks for reading this post <3 I think my favourite product is either the fizz bar or the body lotion. What's your favourite? Comment below and let me know! Keep an eye out for next blog post coming up on Beauty and the Blog. 

Love,
Becca.
xxx

#Ballin'. What I Wore: Psychology Ball.

Hey there lovelies,

Today, I'll be sharing another little OOTN/OOTD that I wore this week to my fourth year ball within the Psychology Department. Seeing as it was just my department, it was an intimate enough event, and I'd been looking forward to it for ages! It was great to be able to celebrate with my friends after such a stressful final year <3 So, if you're interested in what I wore - both clothes and makeup wise than stay tuned...

So, firstly in terms of tan I used the Cocoa Brown in 'Dark', which is definitely a firm favourite of mine (and my purse!). For my makeup, I went for a 'soft' or 'romantic' kind of look that I thought would match my dress.

Product List: 
MAC Strobe Cream
MAC Prolongwear Foundation in NC37
MAC Prolongwear Concealer in NW20
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in 'Dark Brown'
Anastasia Beverley Hills Clear Brow Gel
HD Brows brows palette in 'Vamp'
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in 'Medium Deep'
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in 'Soft and Gentle'
MAC Mineralize Blush in 'Warm Soul'
MAC lipliner in 'Boldly Bare'
MAC 'Myth' lipstick
MAC Prolongwear Eyeshadow in 'Uninterrupted'
MAC Eyeshadow in 'Folie'
Too Faced 'Better than Sex' Mascara
Urban Decay 'All Nighter' setting spray
MAC eyelashes in '48'.
MAC 'Myth' lipstick
MAC 'Boldly Bare' lipliner

The dress I wore was from Topshop, albeit three years ago, so unfortunately I don't think that it's available anymore... On the top there's white lace, and then a black band, with lovely champagne pink chiffon floor length skirt! I paired this with my trusty Riverisland earrings, and some black wedges from Office that I picked up last December, and I was ready for the ball! 

So, thanks what I wore for my final year ball you guys <3 Hope you enjoyed it, and got a few ideas for yourself.. Have a nice week! <3 Stay tuned for a mini skincare haul, and I finally got round to reviewing the Smashbox contour sticks! 

Love, 

Becca. 

xxx

Mini MAC Haul!

Hey there gals, 

Today, I will be sharing a little MAC haul with you (one of my favourite hauls to do/and read!), and a little make-up look that I did as a result of these little beauties! So, if you want to see the few bits I picked up, and a make-up look that I did with them, then read on... 

So, firstly I picked up these eyelashes in '48' , they're really nice and kind of 'flirty' looking, just giving that right amount of 'oomph' and a nice bit of volume to your lashes, but they're a bit pricey at 13.50 of your hard earned! So, I wouldn't go splashing out on these unless you're going to something particularly special, otherwise I'd stick the my Eylure 107's or even the Kiss 'Diva 02' eyelashes! 

Next, I picked up a MAC Prolongwear Eye Shadow in 'Uninterrupted' which in the pan is probably the most unremarkable eyeshadow ever, that actually verges on being ugly (*gasp*), but on the eyes THIS IS AMAZING! It's a matte yellow-brown, but this literally makes blue eyes pop like no other eyeshadow I've ever used before, and I am now in love and delighted to have this in my arsenal <3 This certainly isn't cheap either, at 22.50, but I do think it'd be perfect for someone making a starter kit or just looking to invest in a highly pigmented and complimentary brown, that is beautiful on all eyecolours, but really makes those baby blues pop! 

The next item I picked up was another eyeshadow, this time it was 'folie' which is a dark brown with red undertones by MAC. I really do like this shade on, and it's definitely very blendable, the only negative about this eyeshadow is that it isn't really suitable for someone who's just starting off with makeup or building a starter kit, as this isn't a stand-alone shade, instead you would have to wear it in the crease or under the eye alongside a nice brown, gold or if you're feeling particularly outrageous - purple (I think I need to get out more...).

Now, all these lovely eyeshadows, and nothing to apply them with... Which brought me onto my next two purchases, the MAC eyeshadow brushes in '217' and '224'. The '217' is arguably one of the most popular brushes by MAC, and definitely is heavy duty and muti-use! It's perfect for shading or blending matte or creamy products. This brush has fine, densely packed fibers that are arranged in an oval shape - perfect for picking up colour, and popping it into your crease! The '224' is a blending brush too that has soft fibers which taper to form a medium size dome shape - allowing you to have more control when applying your eyeshadow! This brush can also be used to apply highlighter, which if you read my blog is something that I'm definitely happy about! The '217' set me back 25 quid, and the '224' was 32.50 (ouch!).

And there you have it, folks! Hope ye enjoyed this post, and as always I'm so thankful ye took the time to read it <3 I'm trying to build my brush collection, so please comment if you think that there's any that I NEED to have in my kit! Take care my lovelies <3

Love,
Becca.
xxx