NOTD: Jess - Swan Lake

Dealz opened in my town a few months ago and it's been the best thing to happen to us in a very long time! Besides the cheap stationary, junk food and household products, they sell makeup.
I hit up the Rimmel section straight away but I overlooked the little pots of Jess nail polishes along the queue to the checkout.
Thankfully, my mom picked one up for me and I'm so glad she did.

The first thing that strikes me about this polish is how similar it is to my beloved Barry M Blueberry.

This polish takes two coats to get full opacity. It dries quickly and stays on until you decide to take it off. Seriously, I've gone a full week with this on my nails and not a single chip. It applies streak free and has a nice shiny finish.

The brush is small and thin, similar to Barry M actually. I really like it as it isn't too big for my nails like some brushes.

Lets address the elephant in the room, I cut my nails and they are TINY. They're just too weak to keep at the length I like so I decided to cut them down, take care of them and try to grow them back out with the hopes that they'll be stronger.

To help with that, I used Nail HQ All in One with Argan Oil* as a basecoat.

I'm hoping this will work it's magic and make my nails stronger and less likely to snap when hit with a strong gust of wind. It applies clear despite it looking green in the bottle. I'll continue to use this and get back with my thoughts on it.

Let me know if you've tried any of the Jess nail polishes or if there's any other bargain beauty bits I'm overlooking! 

Thanks for reading! :) ♥

*This product was sent to me for review but all opinions are and always will be, my own

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Empties and Would I Repurchase?

Over the past few months, I've been collecting all my used up products to put together for a post. I don't have that many to talk about because I do take a while to get through products but I think it's time I got rid of these!

L'Oreal True Match Foundation in W3

When I first got this, I absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, the more I used it, the less I liked it. I feel like it all congealed on my cheeks and wore off my chin so easily. I felt very caked by this when I used it over the past couple of weeks so I don't think I'll be picking it up again.

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot

I've talked about this a lot in previous posts but I seriously love it. It's mattifying  but doesn't cake up or add any colour. No other powders I've used can compare to it. I've already repurchased this and plan on getting another when that runs out!

Barry M - Clear Basecoat, Topcoat and Nail Hardener

This is a staple in my nail collection. It's a brilliant base and topcoat and really helps to prolong the wear of your nail polish. I will be repurchasing this as I do so every couple of months.

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara

This is my all time favourite mascara which you'll know if you're a regular around here. I have already repurchased this and probably will be again soon unless pigs fly.

Urban Decay All Nighter Spray

This setting spray is a lifesaver. I have a full post here if you'd like to read it but I will certainly be repurchasing this.

Benefit Gimme Brow

I absolutely love this tiny mascara for doing my eyebrows but I don't think I'll be repurchasing it too quickly as it's €19. I just purchased Maybelline's Brow Drama and so far, I'm really liking it. It might take the place of this. I'll report back on that soon though.

That's all my empties, let me know if you've tried any of the products I just mentioned and what you thought of them. Are there any things in this post you would never repurchase?

Thanks for reading! :) ♥

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NOTD - Barry M Gelly - Cardamom

You all knew I couldn't go two weeks in a row without using a Barry M polish.
Today's post is a Gelly which I haven't used in a while so I guess it's a little different than usual... ahem.

Cardamom is a lovely forest green that's slightly muted. It's part of the 2014 Autumn collection which contains a lovely grey, brown, rust, mustard and red. Unfortunately, my skin is so yellow/green, the shades I like the look of clash horribly on me. Thankfully, this looks lovely on.
Can I just point out, green is my least favourite colour in the world so the fact that I actually like this really says something for the shade.

Barry M Gellies usually last at least four days without a topcoat.

I didn't put a topcoat on for these pictures so you could see how much of a high shine it has.

It needs two thin coats for full opacity but one heavy layer will do if you're in a rush. I just find it doesn't dry very well if you just glob it on. 

I love this polish because it steps away from the burgundies and purples we've been wearing all winter but it's not quite the mint green we'll reach for in Spring. It's a lovely transition colour while still being dark and wintry.

Let me know what you think of this polish or if you have it and how you like it.

Thanks for reading! :) ♥

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NYX Butter Glosses

I need to start off by saying I don't do lipgloss. I'm much more of a matte lip/slightly cream finish girl.

I had heard so many great things about the NYX Butter Glosses that when NYX came to Ireland, I knew I had to try them. 

The reviews weren't wrong, these are a game changer in the lipgloss world.

I currently have four Butter Glosses (two courtesy of Danielle) and I love all of them.

Every gloss sits comfortably on the lips, it almost feels like they sink in and you don't notice them anymore. 

They all smell very sweet but not sickly, I can't stand sickly sweet smells on lip products but these don't bother me.

I couldn't take pictures of them on my lips as they're in a total state from being sick for the past two weeks with the sinus infection that just won't quit but I did swatch them on my hand.

Vanilla Cream Pie

This is a light pink, perfect for everyday wear kind of shade. 

Creme Brulee

This is a more nude shade than Vanilla Cream Pie but it's still slightly pinky. It's very flattering if you're wearing bold eye makeup.

Devil's Food Cake

This is my favourite of the four. It's a dark berry purple that can be sheered out or built up. It's perfect if you don't want the commitment of a bold lipstick.

Red Velvet 

This is a bright red shade and can be built up or sheered out like Devil's Food Cake. It actually looks a lot lighter on me than I expected but it's still gorgeous. 

Overall, I'm very impressed with these little guys.

If you want to try wearing lipgloss but you really aren't feeling the sticky mess situation, you should give these a try.

They're around €7 so they aren't really cheap as far as lipgloss goes but I do plan on buying some more.

Let me know if you've tried these and if you're a fan. Do you love or hate lipgloss?

Thanks for reading! :) ♥

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W7 Absolute Lashes Mascara

I've mentioned this mascara a few times now but I thought it was time for it to have it's own post.

Straight away, you can see the packaging is the exact same as Benefit They're Real Mascara. The brush is the exact same style and the formula is very similar too. I actually prefer the formula of this mascara as it doesn't start out as wet as They're Real and therefore, doesn't dry out as drastically.
I already said this in my 2014 Favourites but I don't really like the Benefit mascara.
I do love this W7 one though.

The brush is plastic which I usually don't like as I find them a bit rough on the eye but I've gotten used to it at this point so it's not an issue for me at all.

The brush has a rounded end with tiny bristles which is perfect for getting your outer and bottom lashes.

I have quite good lashes so I like to use a mascara that will show that but also add a little something so they look slightly fake. I know that's not everyone's cup of tea but I really like that look. 

However, I don't want to have to apply three or four layers to get it. Thankfully, I can achieve that look very quickly and with only a couple of coats of this mascara.

apologies for the inner camera pic 

This mascara doesn't flake off or smudge. I've never had it run under my eyes and I'm a constant eye streamer!

If you're looking for a budget mascara that can give you all the benefits (SEE WHAT I DID THERE?!) of a high end one, I suggest giving this a try! For around €9, it isn't as cheap as Essence or Catrice but it's a heck of a lot cheaper than They're Real!

Have you ever tried this? Are you a fan of They're Real Mascara? Let me know!

Thanks for reading :) ♥

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NOTD: Rimmel Salon Pro - Yestergrey

Today's nail polish pick is a strange one for me.
I don't usually wear grey nail polish but Yestergrey is such a strange shade. It looks grey but brown and green, depending on the lighting.

The Salon Pro polishes have Lycra in the formula so they're meant to last up to 10 days. In my experience, they last about two days without chipping (without a topcoat).
I put some Barry M clear polish under and over this and it seems to have helped prolong the wear time to 4 days.

The brush is quite wide and dense. My finger nails are very small so they do get a little lost under the brush but that's not a big deal as I'm well used to it by now! 

I got this in Dealz so it was only €1.49. I wouldn't spend the full price of nearly €7 on these just because I know they don't actually last 10 days but I'd happily buy more at €1.49! 

Have you tried any of the Salon Pro polishes? 

Thanks for reading! :) ♥

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Disappointing Products

I think I'm becoming fussy in my old age. I've been finding myself increasingly underwhelmed and straight up disappointed by so many products lately. What better way to moan about them than through a post! 

Herbal Essences Nearly Naked Dry Shampoo:

I got this in Boots when I was in Dublin because I'd forgotten to bring my shampoo and conditioner with me and there was no way I was using the hotel "conditioning shampoo". It was on sale for €1.99 so I decided to get it. All I can say is I'm thankful I was only on second day hair because if it had been truly greasy, I would have had to go wash this gunk out. It made my hair sticky and it looked and felt so greasy! If I had of just left it the way it was, it would have looked fine. This did the opposite of what dry shampoo should. I think it would make an okay texturising spray but I will NEVER be using this again.

Wet n Wild Cover All Concealer Palette:

I got this when Wet n Wild first launched in Ireland. I really like the Catrice All Round concealer palette and this looked very similar so I wanted to give it a try. 

The formula of the pink and green correctors is very creamy but a little too creamy. It creases and cakes and looks a mess. The concealer is the wrong shade for any human I've ever encountered. It literally looks like a cream contour shade in real life. I love the idea of including a highlighter but it's gritty and just doesn't blend in well. Overall, this was a waste of money but it did come in handy for Halloween makeup.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+:

I really didn't get on with this at all. I have mainly dry skin so to even cover my face I had to squeeze out half the tube! It's also meant to help clear up your skin... It broke me out. After a couple of days of not using it, my skin calmed down completely. You guys know how much I adore the Effaclar Gel Face Wash so you can imagine my disappointment when this didn't work for me. 

Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette:

I got this before they released the new range of shades but after my experience with it, I wouldn't even be bothered trying the others. The bronzer is bright orange, it looks awful against my skintone. The blush is quite pretty in the pan but on my face is another story. The highlighter is okay but I'd much rather reach for a different one. I looked like a creepy China doll when I used all three of these together even after using a light hand and blending them all at the end. 

Ziaja SenSitiVe Micellar Water:

I recently mentioned the Ziaja SenSitiVe moisturisers in my 2014 Favourites so I am quite a fan of the range. I got the Micellar Water free with the day cream which  means I didn't actually waste my money on it. I find it isn't strong enough to get through the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer or a long wearing lipstick. As for eye makeup, AVOID! It stings like nothing I've ever experienced before. I makes my eye area red and irritated and it burns so much that I've actually ended up on the bathroom floor, squeezing my eyes until the pain passed and I could see again. The only reason the bottle is almost empty is that I've been using it to get the bulk of my face makeup off before cleansing. I probably won't finish it though and I sure won't be repurchasing it! 

I'll stop giving out now! Have any of you tried any of these products? What did you make of them?

Let me know what products have seriously let you down recently!

Thanks for reading! :) ♥

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