The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream

I usually refrain from posting about skin care a lot, because it is something that seriously is different for everyone. My cleanser might break you out, your moisturiser might make my skin go flaky. But for someone with the same kind of skin as me (combination but mainly dry) this could work wonders for you. It claims to be for all skin types, so it might even work for sensitive/oily people.

 Pretty standard pink plastic tub, won't look awful on your dresser!

I used to just throw on an extra bit of moisturiser at night, even though I knew my skin was dry. It was just less hassle. But my skin suffered so I thought I'd give it a bit of a helping hand. I'd heard fabulous things about The Body Shop's Vitamin E range, which included a night cream. So away I skipped to pick it up.

Can I say that it's thick but feels light on your skin? Am I contradicting myself? Well I'm saying it.

I'm not lying when I say I could feel the effects the next morning. My skin just felt smoother & more hydrated. Now sadly I'm not faced by the same amazement every morning, but that's just because the effects are lasting. If I do forget to bring it with me for a few days, etc, my skin doesn't regress to its shoddy state, but after starting to re-use it, I can tell that it was needed.

It's not extremely thick, but I do always use thick moisturisers. It feels quite light for a night cream, & non greasy for sure. I may have used it once or twice in the morning when I didn't need to do my make up straight away.. If you're in the market for a new night cream, & could do with some nourishment, it's definitely a contender. You get 50ml for about €16, which isn't the worst!

Do you use an extra night cream?

Chloe x

I'm also counting my exams down by my blog posts. When this publishes, I will have one exam done, & will probably still be awake studying for today's. No-body said college would be like this.

Sunday Samples #3

I am currently typing up multiple posts to be scheduled on my cousin's laptop to find out that it doesn't even have a hashtag. At least I have nice hair.

Mainly because this week's sample is a hair sample! Bet ya didn't see that one coming. L'Oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil was sent as a sample by Cara Pharmacy with my Dainty Doll products. I'm a fiend for trying to tame my hair, especially the ends which have seen more splits than -insert any celebrity here-. I've lost my tube of Hask Argan Oil from Penneys (serious love for it) so was more than willing to let Loreal ravish my locks. (That may be the weirdest sentence I've ever written.)

 It's actually easy to open which is something I overlook, but yay!

The packaging of the samples in one of those little foil sachets, which isn't too bad because it's an oil, so it's not extremely difficult to squeeze out. Particularly as you don't need a whole lot. The normal packaging is a heavy glass bottle, which doesn't look too shabby. Like any other oil/serums, you can use it on dry hair that's a bit frizzy, or wet hair before styling. I tend to use stuff like this on dry hair, particularly the morning after sleeping on it. 

Top two are before, bottom two are after. 

& yes, bottom right is with flash, just coz it looked nice.

Aaaaaaaaaaand I like it. I believe I have tried this last summer, when I had straightened my hair but it was still 'fluffy'. A bit of this on the ends & it returned to its sleek glory. This time, I used it on my natural hair after sleeping on it (a bit wavy, a bit curly, & one side is a bit straight too. Don't ask.) My hair doesn't normally look like this, because usually when I sleep on it when it's tied in a bun, I keep it up, or style it properly. But the oil made it less kinky (the hair type of kinky. Not the bondage type) & also made me think of how fab-u-lous my hair will be after styling. Whenever I decide to do that again. 

So, I'm thinking about buying this to have at home, & keeping my Penneys oils in college. This oil costs around €14.99 but it's one of those things you'll probably find on offer in Tesco/Boots/Superdrug/somewhere else, because I have also seen it for €8.99 & currently for €7.19 here. It's available for coloured hair, or just the regular one, & you get 100ml for your money. It also contains silicones.

Have you tried this, or do you prefer another hair oil? 
Chloe x

5 Things #3

I'm not in a very cheerful mood this week - My laptop broke yesterday (taking all my notes, for exams next week, with it) so I'm hoping this post might make me smile a bit!

5 Songs

1. Spice Girls - Stop
2. Backstreet Boys - Everybody
3. 5ive - Keep On Movin'
4. Steps - Tragedy
5. S Club 7 - Bring It All Back

Yes, I very much had a 'cheesy 90's pop' week.. Who isn't cheered up by their favourite childhood music?


5 To Look At

1.  This cat shifting a hoover. I don't know, it makes me laugh.
2.  I have gone through this process a lot. But I PROMISEthis summer will be different. Or not.
3.  I think talking about rape culture is important - This article is a good read.
4.  I know, it's mean to laugh at other people's misfortune, but tough luck.
5.  I feel bad for finishing on a sad note. I like Jenna Marbles but her Draw My Life video is one of my favourites. But it made me cry.

5 Reasons I Smiled

1. The postman arrived with my lovely new camera yesterday!
2. Tonight, I'll be back rowing for the first time since last Autumn. I need to relieve some stress!
3. I got to meet lots of lovely beauty bloggers for the first time last Saturday at a Cocoa Brown lunch, & meet the lady behind my favourite tan - Marissa Carter
4. I had a really nice night out with one of my friends, even if it did reduce my cabability to study the next day..
5. As usual, my sisters brighten up my week - One of them came 5th in the All Irelands last week, & when I asked my youngest sistser to wake me this morning so I could study, she woke me up with breakfast in bed!

PS - If anyone has any suggestions on a nice, not extremely expensive laptop, please let me know - Guess who needs to start saving!

Dainty Doll Powder Blush in 004 You Are My Sunshine

So, another addition to my make up collection thanks to Cara Pharmacy's recent sale of Dainty Doll products. I bought 3 powder blushers for the costly sum of €1.49, one of which was You Are My Sunshine. It's been called a good dupe for NARS Orgasm, but I've never tried Orgasm so bought this purely on the prettiness!

 Simple packaging but functional

Like the lipsticks, Dainty Doll powder blushers are in simple black packaging. It does pick up marks very easily, but I love that the compact is so slim (it fits easily into my make up bag), it has a mirror, & it clicks shut so I'm not worried about it breaking in my bag.

It can be applied sheerly, to reduce shimmer!

You Are My Sunshine is a peachy-pink blusher, with gold shimmer. It's definitely a 'warm' blusher, which is perfect for adding colour to your cheeks & will still look gorgeous with a tan. The golden shimmer is quite apparent though - It's not overly glittery, but it is pretty illuminating. I love that, but if you're after more of a matte look, you might want to avoid.

Obligatory 'here is me smiling & wearing product' picture.

It applies really nicely & is easy to blend (which does tone down the shimmer). Lasting power isn't bad - After about 8 hours I still had some colour on my face, but it obviously wasn't as fresh as when applied. I really like You Are My Sunshine, & happily wear it during the day, & on a night out. I'm not really too into blushers, so I'm never enthusiastic about spending a lot on one, but I'm tempted to pick up a back-up seeing as it's so good for the price!

It is now once again available on Fragrance Direct for £1.99 if you like what you see.

Do you prefer cheap or high-end blushers?

Chloe x

Life via Pictures #6

Cadbury Oreo bar AND neon polish - I badly need to organise my beauty stuff! - Getting the 'healthy option' in Captain America's

My friend destroyed my Khroma shadows :( - My sisters doing a fun-run with Winnie The Pooh - My Dainty Doll products arrived

Got a chocolate brownie after the healthy lunch - Dyed my hair red with my sister - Did I mention that I saw Ellie Goulding?

Got my hair did by my sister, it involved lots of 'pretty things' - My first Nandos! - Stripped my hair about a month after dying it

I'm a teensy bit absent at the moment, because my camera passed away. Wah. A new one has been dispatched but a mix of work/study/exams/life might mean updates are slow!

And last picture - Very Lovely Stuff is now on Facebook!

Sunday Samples #2 Benefit Stay Don't Stray

Time for another sample, & my decision on whether or not I'd bother with the full-size! I seem to have amassed a lot of Benefit mini products, from their kits, & one of these products is their eye primer - Stay Don't Stray.

 The packaging is a mini of the full size.

I've never been too bothered about eye primers because I only remember it after I already have my eyeshadow started.. But I do have oily eyelids & I have to keep my eyes shut for a good minute after doing eyeliner, or it'll smudge & transfer. (That's a lie. This only happens on my left eye. Owner of uneven eyes, right here.)

My lovely uneven eyelids, covered in a layer of Stay Don't Stray.

So seeing as I don't have that much experience, I also don't have very high standards. But boo-hoo, Stay Don't Stray didn't even fully live up to them. It was a nice nude colour & the eyeshadow did apply evenly, looking more pigmented than usual. But throughout the day, my eyeliner transferred a bit & ended up creasing on my eyelids. It was less noticeable than without a primer, but not amaaaaaazing.

My eyes looked grand at first glance

But on closer inspection, eyeshadow has worn off & eyeliner has creased in the little laughter lines on my lids..

So: I probably won't rebuy it. I'll use this one, especially for nights out, to help with application & pigmentation but I don't think it'll last all day so not really a daily thing. It does make me want to try new primers!

A full-size tube is €28.50 for 10ml, & my mini one is 2.5ml.

What eye primer do you use?
Chloe x


Very Lovely Stuff now has a Facebook page. Just in case you want to give it a quick like :)

5 Things #2

5 Songs

1. Calvin Harris ft Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love 
2. Little Mix - Change Your Life
3. Kurt Hugo Schneider - Payphone/Call Me Maybe 
4. Bastille - Locked Out Of Heaven
5. Original Rudeboys - Bringing Me Down

Okay, I'm still on an Ellie Goulding buzz but I will limit myself to one song per post. Promise.

5 To Look At

1. I loved Sweet Valley & now, I love Kitty Catastrophe's Sweet Valley Revisited series. & I kinda want to re-read them.
2. I don't usually watch Britain's Got Talent but I was too lazy to move from in front of the fire last weekend, & I ended up wiping away a tear at Attraction's Shadow Dancing.
3. I'm doing this to my nails. Seriously. It's SO NICE.
4. We're all guilty of putting ourselves down. Cólleen's blog & the accompanying video from Dove are a real kick up the ass to stop that!
5. I hate Glee. But Pitch Perfect is NOT Glee. It's absolutely an amazing non-cringey musical film & I have serious envy of Rebel Wilson & Anna Kendrick.

5 Reasons I Smiled

1. The sun came out! It went away after a day but whatever.
2. Malteser bars now exist.
3. I made an order on Missguided & am really excited to get it! (I'm typing this up early so prob have it now!)
4. My 11 year old sister spent the evening reading through my blog & is helping me with this post!
5. I'm back in Dublin, with a study plan (boo) but also a few nice meetings with friends, etc scheduled!

Dainty Doll Lipstick in It's My Party

I'm sure we all saw the recent craze for Dainty Doll products; The brand created by Nicola Roberts popped up on Fragrance Direct heavily discounted & soon after, Irish website Cara Pharmacy were selling the products even cheaper - €1.29 for a lipstick? I'm not complaining.

Packaging is simple but nice

Especially for something of this quality. I tend to shy away from reddish lips because I'm a scaredy cat but I haven't even tried the other two lipsticks from the brand because I'm really loving this bright coral. It's almost a neon shade but at the same time, I find it wearable - Probably because it is just seriously moisturising. A bit of nibbling on my lips has left them in a serious state but it still went on smoothly, minus any mishaps.

Bare (very chewed, dry) lips - Two coats of lipstick

Yes, it left lovely marks on my lunch-time wrap, but the colour remained for a few hours. I'm going to stay it's standard wear time - It won't withstand anything heavy but doesn't drip off either.

My one gripe with all the Dainty Doll products would be the lack of name on the packaging. It's nice & simple, but printing 'It's My Party' instead of just '03' would be a massive help! It wouldn't stop me from repurchasing though.

This was the best fake smile I could come up with. It is slightly pinker in person.

I was going to apologise for my hair but this is after I straightened it. I have no power over it..

Cara & Fragrance Direct seem to be out of stock, but keep an eye out for its reappearance. Alternatively, Ebay is always an option.

Did you pick up any of the Dainty Doll products?

Chloe x

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

So, Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer is one of THOSE products - hyped up beyond belief, with a major emphasis on price. Yes, it is relatively cheap, but I don't care how cheap something is, if it doesn't perform. With that, let's take a look.

Packaging is quite cheap

Packaging is standard, a tube with a screw-on lid & doe-foot applicator. I always apply with my finger, to avoid getting bacteria on the little sponge. You can see the writing wears off easily - This tube is quite new,, but one trip in my bag, & it's destroyed.

It's available in 4 shades, & I have 01 Fair. Well done to Collection, because this is actually a light shade. So much so, that I can use this on my skin & undereyes. But here's the truth - I don't think this is amazing. It is good, & I will buy it again. But more because it's handy to throw in my bag for touch ups, than because it's a Holy Grail product.

No concealer - Applied under left eye - Both eyes

Due to exams, I'm currently rocking major dark circles under my eyes. They are covered up quite well, but this took THREE LAYERS of concealer. In fairness, it still doesn't look cakey, but throw that much of anything under your eyes & it will start to settle into little lines by the end of the day.

It's difficult to see, but my spots were quite red & have been covered up

Like I said, I use it for blemishes too. Because it's a creamy formulation, it blends well over spots & isn't drying. I always use it over foundation & tend to set it with powder so it will last, but if I'm out for a while, there's never any hassle re-applying it.

To sum up, I will use it & buy it again, but I do have better products. Despite saying that I use my good products daily, I tend to keep my amazing concealers for when I'm going to be scrutinised by a camera! (I promise to show you these products soon.)

Also, while Lasting Perfection still only comes in at around €6.35, it does seem to just get more expensive every time I'm at their stand. It used to be under €5, which is a bit of a jump.

Does it annoy you when brands increase the prices of popular products? What's your favourite concealer?

Chloe x

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation in BR 20

I used to be one of those people who, when I found a lovely foundation, would save it purely for special occasions. I have no idea what I used to do daily but these days, I am much more willing to break out any product during the day! I think it might have been YSL's  Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation that convinced me that I should use all my nicer products more often.

I'm sure everyone has heard of the foundation YSL developed to match their Touche Éclat, but if not: It's available in 22 shades, with different tones for the different colours, to match undertones. It's also developed without talc & other ingredients to prevent it from settling in fine lines & give a luminous finish.

 The packaging is beautiful too - Glass & gold.

Does it live up to the hype? Well I definitely think so! I would say that it's a very buildable foundation, so it can be applied sheerly, then the addition of another layer gives more coverage, without any cakiness. It is quite a 'glowy' base but doesn't make me look oily. I do always use powder though!

The shade matching can be a bit hit & miss. The first two times I was matched up, the MUA's suggested I go for BR 30. Seeing as I had presumed I'd just be the lightest shade, I was not a fan of that! But Beige Rose 20 is lovely on me, & corresponds with my pink undertones. The YSL counters are quite nice about giving shade samples though!

You can see my skintone has evened out & redness & spots have been covered.

The one drawback is lasting power. I have applied it on its own, & it only lasted about 5 hours. It also completely faded on my spots! With primer, powder & concealer though, it does last me the day. However if I want to stay out longer, it can handle an extra layer which is handy.

No make up, & just foundation.

I apply it sheerly over my face, then apply extra to my cheeks & my chin (where breakouts appear)

Application seems to work well with a flat foundation brush. At first, I used my Real Technique's Expert Face Brush, which required a pump & a half, but I've swapped to my NIMA duo-fibre - amazingly, I can use one pump for two layers on my face! That, is what you call a miracle.

As I said, the YSL counters can give you a 7 day sample, if you're interested in trying it out. It's the standard 30ml, & costs about €38.

Do you keep your 'nice' products for special events or use them daily?

Chloe x

P.S. Can you BELIEVE that I took these photos at 8PM? Praise the joys of longer evenings & having a sunny back garden.

Sunday Samples!

So, a new series of posts. Sunday Samples pretty much involves me trying out a sample size product, reviewing it & deciding whether I'd buy the full size!

First up, Clinique High Impact Mascara. I got a 1.99g sample size of this in Glamour magazine (costs €3.01). A full size is 8g & is €19.50 in Debenhams. So if you love this, it's cheaper to buy a few samples if they're in a magazine!

Standard packaging & bristle brush

The sample packaging is just a mini size of the full-size, & it's just a dark green, sparkly tube with silver writing. The writing has started to wear off a little bit, but it doesn't bother me!

Bare lashes - One coat - Two coats

Clinique say that this mascara is to add volume to lashes & it definitely succeeds! There's not much improvement in length, but it gives an instant bit of volume without clumps! It also lasts all day and while it's not waterproof, it doesn't run easily. One thing I find it works well for is blending eyelashes with your fake eyelashes, if you use them.

No mascara compared to two coats

Would I buy it again? Not anytime soon, because I have so many mascaras to get through, but I will definitely consider it. Especially for going out, I've used High Impact with a lengthening mascara on the tips & I love the effect!

Have you tried High Impact?

Chloe x

5 Things #1

Hello!

I used to do a series on my blog every few weeks about what I'd been up to, etc. I've decided to revive it, just to share a bit more about what I like!

5 Songs

1. The Vaccines - Post Break Up Sex
2. Ellie Goulding - Explosions
3. Imagine Dragons - On Top Of The World
4. Trinitones - Teenage Dirtbag
5. Bastille - Pompeii

(There's a bit of a theme here, these were all played at Trinity Ball - A week later & I can't stop listening!)

5 To Look At

1. Viva Adonis' post on how to take better photos for your blog is incredibly helpful, clear & definitely worth a look!
2. Perks of Being A Wallflower - One of my favourite books & the film is almost as good.
3. Donna's post on Not Just Inside is amazingly inspiring & shows her to be a brilliant mum. Plus her daughter Lilly is adorable!
4. I'm not going to lie - I'm waiting 'til I start studying too hard. So far I've just been reading blogs.. & writing this post.
5. However one of my best friends keeps sending me motivational videos to make me start. This is my favourite. (Definitely want to look at the full film!)

5 Reasons I Smiled

1. This letter from an unemployed man to donate to the fund for JT McNamara is so, so kind.
2. Handing in my last assignment!
3. Looking at new hair colours, like this, this & this.
4. Don't judge me, but I've been procrastinating by watching Geordie Shore. Their slang is hilarious & I WILL make people use 'flanter' (flirty banter)
5. Chloe from Nurse Fancy Pants tweeted a link to the Emergency Compliment. Genius idea for a pick me up.

Tags!

I love blog tags - Its always a way to get to know bloggers better & to share some love!
Recently, I was nominated by Aoife for the Very Inspiring Blog Award & Eimear Katie for the Liebster Award. So, let's get to it!

Share 7 facts about yourself & nominate 7 fellow bloggers.

1. I love wedges! I find them so easy to walk in, & even cheap ones are much more comfortable than expensive heels.
2. I have a serious fear of the sun. I love when it's starting to get warm & sunny, but it's not uncomfortable, & with SPF, you have no fear of getting burnt.
3. I live in skirts & black tights - My black leather skater skirt is worn at least twice a week. I need more skirts!
4. I'm considering getting my tongue pierced & my first tattoo on my hips/ribs.
5. I want an iPhone really badly. For the camera quality, the apps, & just because. (Or any decent smartphone with a good camera - Please do suggest one!)
6. I'm most conscious about my stomach - the reason for wearing skirts so much!
7. 90s pop is my favourite. Like, I am ALL about the cheese.

Share 11 things about yourself,  answer 11 questions, choose 11 other bloggers with less than 200 gfc followers & give them 11 questions.

After the 7 facts above, I'm cheating & doing an extra 4! There are very few facts I can think about at ten to one on a Saturday morning.

1. In McDonalds (usually 4AM after a night out), I buy chicken nuggets & a burger instead of chips.. Even though I don't cook meat myself!
2. I have to make my bed every morning. Even when I'm late.. I make my bed.
3. I always forget to charge my phone, and my phone will stay on.. But won't let me get/send any texts, etc so I don't realise it has a low battery!
4. I sleep on my tummy, or else I get cramps & have a sore back!

Eimear Katie's Questions

1. Who is your style icon?

Mmm I don't really have a style 'icon' - I prefer looking around fashion blogs or taking inspiration from girls I see around!

2. What is your favourite part of your make-up routine?

Probably doing my eye make up, just to see what different colours look like together. Plus, my gel eyeliner & mascara ALWAYS make me look better!

3. If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

Pasta. I practically already live on it..

4. How do you imagine your life to be in 20 years?

No idea! Hopefully a nice house/apartment, a good job (I'm thinking something to do with child protection/ justice), my close friends & not too many wrinkles..

5. If you had to live on another planet, which one would you choose?

Mars. That's where the men are from, right?

6. What advice would you give to your teenage self?

I am still a teenager (for 41 days!) but to my younger self - Always remember your friends, don't worry about your looks so much, & keep focusing on school!

7. Do you wear socks in bed, or does it drive you crazy?

It's not something I ever notice! I do sometimes, but usually wake up with them off.

8. What is your biggest pet peeve?

People trying to get on the Luas/ Dart before I actually get off. It's really rude!

9. Do you have any insecurities, if so what are they?

My stomach (I've put on quite a bit of weight, but that's the only place I notice) & my teeth.

10. Name something beauty related you're terrible at.

Maybe my eyebrows. I am trying to learn how to define them nicely... & putting on my own lashes, I can do everyone else's though!

11. What is your favourite high street shop?

Topshop. They always have good sales, a decent student discount & gorgeous clothes!

My questions

1. What's your favourite make up brand?
2. What always makes you smile?
3. What do you spend the most money on? (Aside from essentials!)
4. Where would you love to travel to?
5. Do you prefer books or films?
6. What trend do you not get?
7. What's your favourite quote?
8. What was the last nice thing you did?
9. Would you rather be invisible or be able to read minds?
10. What do you do to cheer yourself up after a bad day?
11. What 5 words describe you?

Once again, I am cheating slightly - I'm leaving nominations open, so whoever would like to do either tag, should! Do leave me a comment if you do either.

Chloe x

Trinity Ball 2013

Another month, another college ball.. 

Last Friday was my university ball, which is the largest private party in Europe. It's basically a variety of music acts playing all over campus & is an amazing experience. 

The line up this year

I admit, I was so caught up in the excitement that I forgot to take proper photos of my dress & make up - Please forgive me! But hey, I decided to post about it anyway. Mainly because it was fab-u-lous.

Oh me, oh my, what a wonderfully attractive photo.

My dress was from Asos & was €47.27, or £36. (I always buy in GBP, because it works out a lot cheaper!) I picked up shoes in New Look for €39.99 which I basically wore for a few photos, then swapped into my neon pink Converse. My necklace was Topshop & that was pretty much it!

Face

Benefit The Porefessional

MUFE HD Foundation in 118

MUFE Lift Concealer in 03

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in 002

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Light

Benefit Coralista Blush

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Lancome Highlighter in Moonlight Rose

Eyes

Benefit Stay Don't Stray

MUA Glitterball Palette - Pink

Urban Decay Naked Palette - Virgin, Gunmetal, Creep

Loreal Super Liner Gel

Eyelure False Lashes

Benefit Bad Gal Mascara

Collection Eyebrow Definer in Blonde

Lips

It's awful to say but.. I forgot to apply anything! I used my lipbalm, was trying to decide on a lipstick, & got distracted. I did apply MAC Up The Amp before actually heading into the event though.

Overall, it was a brilliant night. Freezing, but so worth it! Ellie Goulding was amazing live, as were The Vaccines & Imagine Dragons. Definitely check them out if you haven't already! 

Have you seen any live music recently?

Chloe x

MAC Up The Amp

Hi lovelies!

So, last week, I thought I was BRILLIANT. I went to Boots & left with just the deodorant I went in for. I walked out with my head held high. Straight into Brown Thomas, where I just wanted to see Up The Amp in person. Just a swatch on my hand convinced me that I had to have it, and €18 later, I can now wear purple lipstick while living off pasta & water 'til I get paid on Thursday.

Standard MAC packaging

Is it worth it? Well, the colour is gorgeous. Maybe I'm just a weirdo with a penchant for strange colours, but it's such a nice alternative to normal pink/nude/red lips. It's not an 'obvious' purple - There are pink tones so it's incredibly wearable. It's also nicely pigmented & goes on like a dream. The amplified cremesheen finish means it's not drying, & it's not actually that dramatic. It can be built up, used over lip liner, or covered with a lipgloss to make it ore intense but I quite like two coats of it, on its own.

Bare lips - Up The Amp

Its one downfall is lasting power. While not horrific by any means, it does fade quite quickly, depending on what you're doing. With eating, drinking, etc, you might get two hours wear time. Otherwise, going about as normal, around three hours seems to be the norm.

See, it's really not a very scary colour!

What do you think of Up The Amp? Any other lipsticks I should try out?

Chloe x

Not So Very Lovely Stuff #2

Okay, so I do write a beauty blog, but occasionally I want to write about something that's a bit more important than choosing the right foundation shade. (Though the right foundation is still important!) For want of a better phrase, I'm going to call it rape culture. You know, the thought that if you act a certain way, it's okay for you to be raped. Seeing it written there in black & white, it sounds absurd, right? But it is actually a thing. Last week, I tweeted this picture.

Just have a look. Let it sink in. 54% of guys & 42% of girls (minimum, it could have been different people answering yes to every question) think that there is a time when it's perfectly okay to be subjected to rape & not say anything. Am I the only one thinking that's crazy?

But, it really saddens me to say this, it honestly does not shock me. Recently, an Irish website posted a picture of 3 girls on a night out, in which one was effectively wearing knickers as pants, accompanied by the question "Would you let girls dressed like this into a nightclub?" The post had to be deleted because of comments such as these -

Both from women. 

Let's get one thing straight - NO WOMAN WANTS TO BE RAPED. If she wants sex, it's consensual. If she doesn't, it's rape. Which is a crime, just in case you thought it was justified because you're in a relationship or you've slept together before. Quite frankly, I don't care if you've just booked the penthouse in the Shelbourne - If I don't want you in my pants, you're not getting in them. Understand?

But people can be incredibly insensitive. I recently complained to a male friend about another guy calling me a slut. His reply? "Well, you do kind of invite it by talking about sex." Well, this isn't the 18th century. I will talk about what I like, and that does not mean people can call me degrading names. Next up, I'll get "Well, you did invite him to rape you by having sex with other people." No, I didn't. He did not get the invite to my bed, and if he shows up uninvited, he is not getting in. 

I think education is a big thing here. Unfortunately, there will always be scumbags who force a girl into sex. But there should never, ever be a woman who doesn't think she can say no, or who's afraid to report it because 'I was drunk', 'We'd already stripped off & I didn't think I could say no' or 'I was afraid people would call me a slut'. That is the thing that upsets me. 42% of girls thought that a guy getting excited meant they had to have sex? Seeing as the above picture is a high school survey, let's clarify - Teenage boys are like puppies. They get excited at the slightest attention, but that does not mean you have to play with them.

TCD this year ran the "Don't Be That Guy" campaign. Which WAS a good campaign. But I still think girls need to know - You can say no. It's like contraception - If you want sex, don't rely on the guy to have it. If you don't want sex, don't rely on him to know that. Tell him. (There is also the issue of a guy genuinely not realising that the girl wasn't into it, then beig accused of rape. I won't delve into that here.) I refuse to believe that anyone in this day & age has not seen Mean Girls, so let's recap - "You have all got to stop calling each other sluts & whores! It just makes it okay for guys to call you sluts & whores." Similarly, don't ever think someone should be raped. Because it is never okay.

To sum up:

No, it is not okay to force someone into having sex with you.

Yes, you can stop him, at any stage.

This turned into a bit of a rant & probably isn't very comprehensible, but it's something that has been in my mind since a guy forced his hand up my skirt one night when I was out. He was shocked when I pushed him away & repeatedly said "NO, get away from me." Honestly, I hate thinking "If I had been drunk, or didn't say no, he could have done anything." 

Please do engage with me about this post, & share your opinions.

Chloe x

Models Own Ice Neon Pink Punch

Well hello there lovely ladies, look at me with posts four days in a row! You won't hear from me now for a month, no doubt. But onto today's offering; A colour from Models Own's new(ish) Ice Neon collection. I picked up three & first up is Pink Punch.

Let's get this straight - IT IS NOT PINK. It's more of a neon coral. Or something like that. It looks orange, but next to pink polishes, it does start to show some pink. Either way, it definitely packs a punch! I am a huge lover of matte/ creme polishes & this is my type of finish.

Models Own tell you that the bottles are frosted glass so you can pop them in the fridge to keep them bright. Honestly, I'm not sure if this is just a gimmick, plus my housemates might think I'm a freak. As a result, I'm trying to figure out the best hiding place in my fridge... I'll keep you posted.

Wear time is decent, it got a bit scraggly on my tips after 2 days but look at the state of my nails. It probably could have been prevented with a top coat but then I'd lose the lovely creme finish - Nail polish problems!

I can't wait to show you Pukka Purple & Bubblegum and I'm tempted to pick up Toxic Apple & Luis Lemon, despite already having them both in a regular polish. I know, I need to stop hoarding. The polishes are around €7 but quite otfen on 3-for-two, etc in Boots.

What do you think? Another gimmick or something you'd buy?
Chloe x

Tresemme Split Remedy Leave In Treatment

Let's face it, years of dying my hair hasn't been too kind to it. While my hair is actually in pretty decent condition, I cannot get rid of split ends - I'm the girl who sits there breaking her hair off. I can't really remember why I picked this up though, I think hair care was on 3 for 2 so I decided to try something new!

Honestly, I wasn't too impressed at first. Despite applying two pumps to the ends of my damp hair every time I washed it, I could still see damaged ends. Tresemme claim that it will protect your hair from breakage, frizz & dryness but I wasn't feeling it.

But.. One weekend, I didn't bother with it when I went home. Sweet Lord, my hair felt drier than something that's incredibly dry. Honestly, it just looked like a tangled, damaged mess. While on one hand, this clearly shows that the treatment wasn't working long-term, it also meant that it was actually doing something for my hair.

So basically, it's not going to smooth your split ends into a glossy mane. But it is decent at controlling your mess of a head and smoothing the ends temporarily. I probably won't repurchase this straight away, because I like trying out new products but I do want to pick up the accompanying Masque, to see how they work together. In fairness, it has lasted over three months with use every second day, for the low sum of €7.39, so it works out nicely.

Have you tried any products that didn't seem great, until you stopped using it?
Chloe x

Khroma Beauty Khloe's Kardazzle Face Palette (Eyeshadows)

No, you're not imagining that I already did a post on this palette - You can check out the palette, & the face products here. But now, let's move onto eyeshadows.

I own the Naked palette, a variety of MUA palettes & far too many single neutral shadows to count.. But of course there's always room for extra neutral shadows in my collection! Especially when the palette contains 4 mattes shadows & 4 shimmers.

 You can see that the matte & shimmer shades have a light shade, two mid-tones & a darker shade.

The colours are pretty & basically, all you want in a palette this size. Also, it's the perfect size to pop in your bag for touch ups! But how did the shadows actually fare?

Without flash.

With flash.

I won't lie, I was a little bit disappointed. Even though we all need some matte shadows, I am a shimmery girl. So the lack of pigmentation in these mattes just re-affirmed my love for shimmers. The palest two mattes don't show up very well, though they do work as base colours, with a primer. The third shade applies better, but the darkest one is actually much better than the others - It's brilliant in the crease! The shimmers are all lovely. The palest one can be a little patchy, but it's brilliant as a highlight. The next three are perfect, especially that yellow gold, second from left. 

The shadows are nice & soft, so can be picked up easily but.. Beware. My friend borrowed mine, dug her finger into one, & crushed it. I'm awfully sad.. But don't let that put you off.

I don't think this'll be replacing my Urban Decay palettes, but it's perfect to bring in my bag, & I brought it home in my travel bag this weekend because honestly, blush, bronzer, highlighter AND eight shadows in this little thing? It's amazing.

What do you think of the shadows? 

Chloe x

April Wishlist

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

1. Mascara may just be my favourite beauty product every. I have teeny eyes so if Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara could open them up more? I'll have that, thanks.
2. I got a tablet for Christmas, & it's just in a soft foam case. I kind of want one that can just flip open handily, & while the orange would match my purse.. Purple looks so pretty!
3. These Etude House polishes seem to be popping up all over the place & they're gorgeous! They look like ice cream, but they're a cheaper alternative to Illamasqua's Speckled polishes.
4. I love skirts, and while I originally wanted the black version, cream would be more spring/summer appropriate (If it ever arrives.) Plus it's on sale.
5. Sigh. I just want a new phone. My phone is actually on its last legs, but a new one would be a big investment. If someone wants to buy me an iPhone though...
6. Don't even ask. I'm currently babysitting, it's ten past two in the morning, I have to get up in about 4 hours for work, I'm starving & I really want some chili con carne. This is going to be eaten A LOT.

Is there anything taking your fancy? Let me know!

Chloe x

Currently listening to: Passenger - Let Her Go