Hey! Welcome back to Sense Of Beauty! I have just arrived home from a lovely week away in England. I spent the week with my Dad, my sister Róisín, my brother Cailean and my Uncle Richard (he's my dad's best friend).
Throughout the week, we tried to cover as much as possible. We went shopping in Lakeside Shopping Centre, went to Legoland, travelled to Great Yarmouth & London. I tried to vlog our trip as much as possible and I have divided the footage into 2 vlogs. Today's blogpost will include part 1. Part 1 includes us travelling, shopping in Lakeside Shopping Centre and our first day in Legoland.
If you would like to watch Part 1 of our England Vlogs, make sure to keep scrolling as it's at the end of the blogpost.
I have included some of our pictures that were taken throughout our trip too.
Check out the vlog below!
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If you enjoyed the vlog, give the video a thumbs up and leave a comment! :)
Thanks so much for checking out today's blogpost and vlog!
Hello Lovelies! Welcome back to Sense Of Beauty! It has been quite some time since my last blogpost, I experienced writer's block but hopefully I have a better spell of creativity now. Today's blogpost is going to be my 'May Beauty Favourites'.
May has been a month where I have discovered some favourites and have reached for them unconsciously every day. To hear about my favourites from foundation to even deodorant - make sure to keep reading! ;)
1. Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear
Finding your perfect foundation is just as difficult as finding your perfect bra. There is so many things to consider when choosing the foundation that you want. What finish do you want your foundation to be? Matte or dewy? What kind of coverage do you want? Light or Medium-Full? How much do you want to spend? Do you want to keep it under 10 euro or would you like to treat yourself to a more luxurious foundation? All these questions need to be considered when looking for your perfect foundation. Recently, Lancome re-launched their infamous 'Teint Idole Ultra 24Hr' as the 'Teint Idole Ultra Wear'. If you are looking for a foundation with medium-full coverage, breathable consistency and a long-wearing finish, this is going to be your security blanket in the world of foundations. One of my biggest struggles when finding a new foundation is definitely the range of shades on offer. Being a red-head with extremely pale skin, finding a foundation that is pale enough is challenging. When re-launching their foundation, Lancome released 40 shades!! Yes, you read that right, 40 SHADES! I am not going to lie, it took me about 4-5 days before I found my correct shade. I tried a different shade every morning and finally found the perfect shade. The shade that I wear currently to match my skin tone is 008. This has been my go-to foundation for over the past month, it doesn't dry out my skin, it doesn't feel heavy and it is super long-lasting. This is your ideal foundation for a long day at work or for going out. I can not recommend this foundation enough!!
2. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
Clarins Beauty Flash Balm has been a notorious beauty product in the world of beauty. Recently, it has been particularly popular with bridal makeup. The function for the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is to tighten and brighten. It has a slight peach tone to it which really compliments your natural skintone. This is an amazing primer for under your makeup. Who doesn't love a product that is multi-functional? You can use this product as a face mask too! The Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is recommended for occasional use as a primer, I have been bold and have used it everyday as my primer before my makeup. It leaves a tacky consistency when you blend it in with your fingers, this is perfect for grabbing your foundation and locking it in place. For anyone who might suffer with dry skin, this is lovely at giving you a hydrated base.
3. Sleek Solstice Palette
Who doesn't love looking like a glazed donut? ;) The Sleek Solstice Palette recently took the beauty world by storm, it holds 3 powder highlighters and 1 cream highlighter. Going with my theme of natural-dewy makeup, I have been loving this product. I like to mix all three powder shades and apply them to my cheekbones, nose and cupid's bow. NASA can see your highlight from Space when you apply this ;) For anyone who hasn't tried this, I urge you to. It is an incredible highlighter at an exceptional price! You need to add this to your shopping list!
4. Lancome Hypnose Mascara
Lancome can do no wrong when it comes to mascaras! I have tried most of the Lancome mascaras and they are definitely one of my favourite lines within the brand. If anyone has read any of my previous posts, you would be familiar with my obsession of the Lancome Grandiose Extreme. During the month of May, I lost it and I was devastated.... I am still mourning the loss. I received a Lancome Hypnose mascara for Christmas but left it unopened until I needed it. After losing the Grandiose Extreme, I opened this mascara and re-discovered my love for it. It gives incredible volume and length. If you are looking for the all-rounder in the world of mascara, this is your bad boy! The brush itself is extremely easy to use and the formula doesn't clump or smudge. I am so glad I fell in love with this again!
5. NYX Tame & Frame Brow Pomade
This product has been a favourite of mine for almost 2 years! I was using the Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil recently and when I went back to using this, I swore an oath to never betray the product again. I think the product is available in 4 or 5 shades, I use the shade 02 Chocolate. It gives incredible definition and gives you amazing brows! ANOTHER BONUS? It is under 8 euro to buy!! Grab one if you see it in stock because they sell out as soon as they arrive in store!
6. NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray
Ok, I acknowledge that I am a total hypocrite. Earlier, I spoke about wanting a 'dewy finish' to my makeup using a dewy primer and highlighter. During the Winter and Spring, I found my skin had become oily in my T-Zone. It was extremely weird as I had never experienced oily skin, I always had dry-dehydrated skin. To combat this, I opted for the matte setting spray by NYX. This spray is also available with a dewy finish if you found your skin was very dry or dehydrated. I usually spray this on my face when I am working a long shift, I have an event in work or I have a special occasion. Another affordable makeup product which is incredible! An amazing weapon in everyone's makeup collection. Another use for this incredible product? When applying an eyeshadow with a sheen/glitter, spray your eyeshadow brush with this. It will 'wet' the eyeshadow, which will result in an eyeshadow with higher pigmentation.
7. Lancome Genefique Sheet Mask
Another product that has made it's way around the beauty community. The entire Lancome Genefique range is incredible. This product in particular had to make it into my May favourites. It's a sheet mask but the texture of the mask is skin-like. It fits perfectly to your face and it contains the infamous Advanved Genefique serum. The first time I tried this mask, I left it on for an hour, the recommendations on the box are to leave it on for 20 minutes. The second time I tried this product, I left it on over-night and slept with it. My skin felt so plump and radiant after using it. My mum was extremely intrigued by this product and bought herself a box too, which I would like to add, she will NOT share with me!! :'( If anyone has an upcoming special occasion or their skin is lacking life, I would highly recommend giving this magic potion a try! I have also heard from a little birdy that this product may be getting discontinued so if you come across stock of this, make sure to grab it while you can!
8. Lancome Visionnaire SPF 20 Moisturing Cream
Using an SPF everyday is such an important thing to remember especially if you are as pale as a bottle of bainne like myself. About 2 months ago, I started an at-home facial peel which contained Glycolic and Salicylic Acid. When trying any facial peel, it is strongly advised to use an SPF in conjunction with it. The Visionnaire moisturising cream has given me my required SPF while offering my skin other benefits. The Visionnaire cream is described as a 'Skin Corrector'; it helps with the texture of your skin, corrects pores while also offering anti-aging properties to target fine lines. Working on a beauty counter, I am consciously aware of my skin and trying to keep it looking as youthful as possible. I started using an eye cream about 6 months ago and decided to finally bite the bullet and start using some anti-aging products on my face. I like to describe this cream as the 'magic potion', it corrects skin texture, pores and fine lines. Everything you need in one pot!
9. Mitchum Advanced Control Roll-On Deodorant
I know, an extremely random favourite but I need to praise this product. I picked this up in work before I went to Paris with my mum. I amn't a frequent traveller so I wasn't sure if you could travel with aerosols so I opted for a roll-on which is under 100ml. I only apply this deodorant first thing after a shower. This is the unscented version which leaves me feeling clean and fresh. It stops you from perspiring, which of course is the function of a deodorant (my mum is going to enjoy that little private joke!). It's only a couple of euros too!
10. Lancome La Nuit Tresor
I am saving the best for last! Another Lancome favourite but I couldn't help myself with this one! La Nuit Tresor is Lancome's most recent fragrance launch and I have fallen head over heels with it. It is an Eau De Parfum which gets top marks in my books instantly as I much prefer a Perfume over an Eau De Toilette. It's top notes are Vanilla, Raspberry and Black Rose, a match made in fragrance heaven. I literally wear it everyday and I could retire if I got a euro for everytime I received a compliment on this fragrance. The bottle of the fragrance is breathtaking, another plus in my eyes! Who doesn't love a beautiful bottle of fragrance on their dressing table? ;) If you are ever walking post a Lancome counter, please give this a try, you might be pleasantly surprised ;)
We have finally reached the end of my May Favourites. I really hope you enjoyed reading about some of my most recent favourites.
Hello Lovelies! We are a week into March now so what better time to write about all my February Favourites! February has been an amazing month. I travelled to Paris with my mum and celebrated my 22nd birthday in Disneyland Paris. In today's blogpost, I am including my beauty and lifestyle favourites. To find out what my favourites are, make sure to keep reading! :) Also, make sure to grab a cuppa, it's quite a long one! :P
Beauty Favourites
From the end of January and throughout the month of February, my goal was to clear my skin. Thankfully, I have never had seriously bad skin with spots. With stress or my time of the month, my skin can have small break outs. The texture of my skin isn't the greatest either and I really want to perfect this so my makeup looks smooth. The Clarisonic is an amazing investment in anyones skincare routine. I was very kindly gifted this by Santa at Christmas and I absolutely love this. It takes 1 minute to cleanse your entire face using this device, 20 seconds on your forehead, 20 seconds on the middle of your face (nose & chin) and 10 seconds on each cheek. It cleanses 6x better than a manual cleanse. It gets the dirt that is deep in your pores and seriously helps clearing your skin. You can use any foaming cleanser with the Clarisonic, I like to use the Lancome Gel Eclat. When I use this, I feel my makeup sits better and my skin has been clearer.
With the process of aging and life in general, your skin can become dull and tired. I love using this combo of the Lancome Advanced Genefique Yeux Pearl and the Lancome Advanced Genefique Serum. The Eye Pearl has been an amazing addition to my skincare routine. The applicator itself is super refreshing. The product itself has anti-aging benefits but also brightening benefits. If you are someone who has a concern of dark undereyes, you really do need to give this product a go. I like to apply this product under my eye but also on my brow bone. The Advanced Genefitque Serum has been a favourite of mine since I started working in Cara almost 2 years ago! It brightens my face, making me look brighter and fresh. The serum has amazing anti-aging properties too. Both products are serums, it requires you to apply a moisturiser afterwards.
One of my besties, Lauren ;) told me she used Bio-Oil every night as part of her skincare night routine and I was super intrigued. I was aware of using Bio-Oil to correct and prevent stretch marks but I was never aware of it's other benefits. Bio-Oil contains a patented PurCellin Oil which allows the Bio-Oil to be absorbed into the skin within seconds. It contains vitamins A & E which are your age fighters. It works amazing at hydrating my skin, evening my skin tone and clearing acne scars that I have on my cheek and chin. I like to apply Bio-Oil in circular motions after I have cleansed and while my skin is still damp. Bio-Oil absorbs WAY better when you apply to damp skin and not dry skin.
Carmex has been a favourite of mine for years now. I honestly don't use another lip balm ever. Carmex does an amazing job at healing those chapped lips. As we all know, Ireland's weather is notorious for being cold and yuck. Cold weather can make your lips sore and dry so this is your magical remedy to cure that.
My preferences with my makeup has been changing over the past couple of months. I used to love a full coverage base with a matte finish but lately I have been obsessed with having dewy natural looking skin. Don't get me wrong, I still love my Clarins Everlasting Foundation for special occasions but for day-to-day, I have been enjoying giving my skin a break from heavy makeup. I think this is all down to my current goal of clearing my skin, I don't want to apply too much product that will block my skin and not allow it to breath. To give me that dewy base, I have been loving the Seventeen WOW! Skin Primer. I picked this one up in Boots a few months ago and have been reaching for it daily without fail. It gives the ultimate dewy finish to your skin but also helps your makeup last longer. When you blend it into your face, the consistency becomes tacky which will help your makeup adhere and last longer. You can use this product 3 ways; 1- as your primer, 2-add to your foundation and 3-apply to your cheekbones after your foundation has been applied.
The NYX Tame & Frame is an INCREDIBLE drugstore/pharmacy product. I highly recommend purchasing one of these if you see it because they are one of their best sellers. I picked this product up about a year and a half ago, and believe it or not, it is still going strong! I am coming to the end of it now so I will need to pick up a new one but I absolutely love this product. Brow Pomades have become a popular product in the beauty industry. It allows you to create a precise and defined brow with very little effort and this product is no excuse. I use the shade 02 Auburn which is the perfect shade for all my ginger ladies.
My. Life. Has. Been. Made. This highlighter by Makeup Revolution is my favourite highlight I have ever tried. It gives an amazing highlight which definitely channels my inner mermaid. I have two of these, I can honestly never have enough. It's long wearing and works wonderful when you're wearing a tan. It comes in two shades; a golden shade and a pink one. My favourite is definitely the golden shade. It works wonders as a cheekbone highlight but also a browbone and inner corner highlight.
Matte & Bold Colour = Match made in heaven. One can never have enough bold lipsticks especially ones that are matte. I only wear matte lipsticks, they are longer wearing and their colour pay off is insane. MAC'S Ruby Woo is an incredible lipstick and one for everyone's collection. The smell of MAC lipticks are amazing too. Bold lipsticks are amazing worn with a simple makeup look or with a dramatic makeup look. Honestly the choice is endless with Ruby Woo.
Something a little odd to be adding to my beauty favourites but I need to include this. I have been using this toothpaste for about a year now and it is incredible. It has had an incredible broadcast on social media over the past year and it deserves it. I have gone through 3 tubes of this and I can notice the difference when I don't use this. It is incredible at whitening your teeth and removing stains. I pick mine up in Cara for only a few euros but I know some places sell it for up to ten euros!!
Lifestyle Favourites
I used to love going to the gym but I started becoming very unmotivated and unsure of what I was supposed to do. I was finding a hard time at finding my balance between losing weight and gaining muscle. I wasn't used to the new muscle I was building and honestly, going to the gym can be quite intimidating by yourself. I started Jump & Fit about 6 months ago when I was looking for the motivation to get back into fitness. Since then, I have never looked back. The classes are amazing and I absolutely love them. I have never sweated so much in my life haha.
We have a new addition to the Alexander household; Thumper. He is an adorable little bunny who has stolen my heart. He's such a cutie. Expect to see plenty of pictures of Thumper on here and over on my snapchat.
Another strange favourite, but my latest piercing has become a recent favourite. I recently got my septum pierced. I had first wanted to get my tongue pierced but I was told that I couldn't get it pierced due to veins in my tongue. I opted to get my septum pierced with a banana bar. After it was healed I returned to the piercers and got the banana bar changed into a black ring. I can still push the ring up and hide the piercing from the world haha.
Before I went to Paris, I decided to make a splurge and purchase the Canon 700D. I was told that it wasn't going to arrive until after I came back from Paris so I got a great surprise when it arrived the day before we left. I took this camera with me to Paris and it took amazing pictures and videos. It also has a flip out screen which will allow me to see myself when I film videos for my youtube. I shot my entire Paris vlog with this camera.
If you would like to see my footage from Paris with this camera, check out the video below! :)
Another odd one to the list but I have been loving Peppermint tea. I have 3-5 cups of this a day and I absolutely love it. Some benefits of Peppermint tea include; relieves stomach pains, aid digestion, boost your immune system, relieve stress and nausea. I don't drink regular tea anymore, just this.
Finally, that is the end of today's blogpost. I hope you enjoyed it and if you have any skincare favourites that you think I should try, please let me know.
If you would like to check out my previous makeup tutorial, check out the video below! :)
If you have enjoyed any of my previous videos, make sure to subscribe to my channel!
Also, make sure to add me on snapchat @senseofbeauty95! :)
Hello Lovelies! Welcome back to Sense Of Beauty! Todays blogpost will include all my favourites from the prestigious brand - LANCOME!
Just before we start todays blogpost, I want to mention my social media handles! Make sure to add me on the following apps! :)
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Now onto the blogpost! :)
1. Fragrance - La Vie Est Belle Eau De Parfum
Currently holding #1 in Europe, this is one of my ultimate fragrances. The perfume itself contains notes of Iris, Patchouli and Gourmand - the perfect equation. It's extremely long wearing and sits beautifully on the skin. Not only is this my favourite scent, my mum has become addicted too. Looking for a fragrance for a special lady in your life? This fragrance will be the winner.
2. Fragrance - La Vie Est Belle Eau De Toilette Florale
Another exquisite scent! This fragrance and LVEB EDP are very close to my heart. This fragrance is more day-time appropriate. It's softer as it is an Eau De Toilette. It is sweeter too, which in my opinion, a fragrance can never be too sweet! This fragrance contains notes of Iris, Osmanthus and Gourmand.
3. Skincare - Clarisonic & Gel Eclat
The ULTIMATE skincare duo! I was kindly gifted a Clarisonic off Santa for Christmas and I have not stopped using it. The Clarisonic cleanses your skin 6x more than a manual cleanse. It is bloody brilliant! All it takes is 1 minute in the morning, and 1 minute in the evening just before bed. To cleanse, I enjoy using the Lancome Gel Eclat Foaming Cleanser. You place a pea sized amount on the Clarisonic and it creates the perfect lather to cleanse your skin.
4. Skincare - Bi-Facil
One of the best eye makeup removers on the market! I never appreciated a good quality eye makeup remover, until I tried this! It's brilliant at removing your eye makeup, especially waterproof BUT, if you are a lover of liquid lipstick, this will remove even the most difficult liquid lipsticks too! It does contain oil so it wouldn't be recommended to use with Individual/Mink lashes. It does leave a slightly greasy residue, but I usually use this first and then go over with Micellar water.
5. Skincare - Genefique Serum
The Genefique skincare range in Lancome is one of my favourites. This range in particular holds two amazing serums; an eye serum and a face serum. The eye serum (Genefique Yeux) is applied with a 'roller ball' applicator. It's super cooling, place this in the fridge before you apply it and it works wonders. The eye serum will brighten, tighten and firm your under eyes. The face serum (Advanced Genefique) is my absolute favourite product from Lancome ever!! It is a youth activating serum that will brighten your skin, restore smoothness and of course, contains anti-aging benefits!
6. Skincare - Energie De Vie
Some of the newer additions to the Lancome Skincare family! The Energie De Vie range is amazing for feeding your skin with it's needed nutrients to add life back. The Energie De Vie Liquid Moisturiser is very refreshing and aborbs very quickly. It has a semi matte finish which means you can use this as your face primer too! The EDV Night Mask is bloody brilliant! You can apply a thin layer like your night cream or apply a thicker layer as a wonderful treatment for 20 mins and then remove with a warm flannel. I prefer to apply a generous layer onto my skin as a night cream and sleep with it on.
7. Makeup - LA Base HydraGlow
The perfect primer for anyone that has normal to dry skin. This primer instantly hydrates your skin while adding a beautiful glow. It helps your makeup last longer and helps it apply more smoothly, what more could you want from a primer?
8. Makeup - Effacernes Longue Tenue
This concealer is the BOMB! It's coverage is amazing, it blends beautifully with your base makeup and it is super long wearing. You can use it as a concealer to conceal dark circles or blemishes, you can use it to highlight your face and you can use it as an eyeshadow base. I usually use the shade 01 or 015.
9. Makeup - Sourcils Defencils
This eyebrow product contains the eyebrow pencil on one end and an eyebrow brush on the opposite end, perfect for travelling and super convenient! The eyebrow pencil itself is quite thin which gives you the opportunity to create super precise eyebrows. It's very easy to apply and is very long wearing. I like to use the shade 02 Auburn.
10. Makeup - Ombre Hypnose Stylo
The perfect eyeshadow base for any look. The Ombre Hypnose Stylo is available in a large selection of colours - perfect for every skintone, preference and eye colour. It does turn waterproof after one minute so you must work fast when applying this product. I love the shade 04 Brun Captivant.
11. Makeup - Grandiose Liquid Eyeliner
The ultimate liquid eyeliner! I like to use this liquid eyeliner on myself but I always use this liquid eyeliner when doing other peoples makeup. The applicator itself can be twisted into 3 different positions which helps you apply the eyeliner easily. It dries super fast too so you don't have the risk of it transferring to your lid.
12. Makeup - Grandiose Extreme Mascara
The newest addition to the Lancome mascara famiy. The Grandiose Extreme gives you bold, dramatic lashes with only a few brushes through your lashes. I will warn, the consistency of the mascara when you first apply can be too wet, I usually just brush it off the edge. I absolutely love this mascara.
13. Makeup - Volume A Porter Mascara
In my eyes, Lancome can do no wrong with their mascaras. They offer the ultimate mascaras for every customer. For anyone who prefers a more natural lash, this mascara is for you. Its design is quite similar to Benefits They're Real. It has a smaller applicator which works perfect for anyone with smaller eye or shorter lashes.
14. Makeup - L'Absolu Rouge Matte 397 Berry Noir
Looking for a rich berry lipstick that is long wearing? This is for you! The application of this lipstick is lovely, it doesn't apply patchy. The consistency is perfect - the matte is not drying. The colour payoff is brilliant too!
And that my lovelies, is the end of todays blogpost! I really hope you enjoyed reading about my Lancome favourites! If you have any favourites that I haven't mentioned, make sure to let me know so I can give them a go!
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