Beauty bag

Makeup & Skincare

Return of the Beauty Bag

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Return of the Beauty Bag

Permanent Products 

It’s time to head back to my Beauty Bag and before I show you all the new products I’ve collected the past few months I thought it would be a good opportunity to show you my permanent products. For all you Beauty Bag ‘old timers’ you won’t be surprised by any of these and for all you newbies you’ve plenty to catch up on!

Just to mix things up a little and because I love a good chat I’ve decided to talk you through my beauty bag rather than type so you will now be able to hear my endless chat over on YouTube. Thanks to everyone who got in touch asking for the beauty bag to return and of course you know what’s coming next: Don’t forget to subscribe!

xo

November’s Beauty Bag

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November’s Beauty Bag

I’m sorry to report it’s a rather empty looking beauty bag this month. Not much in it but it’s not all bad. I spent most of the month drooling over potential wish-list items, pretending I own all of them!

Let’s start with something I actually own; this tiny little beautiful bottle of lip oil heaven. It took me a while to get my hands on the Lancôme Juicy Shaker but not for want of trying. Every time I sampled these gorgeous lip oils I changed my mind about which shade I wanted and walked away empty-handed. Pretty indecisive, I know! However, I finally made a decision and went for the delicious Vanilla Pop and yes, it is actually delicious. If you have never used a lip oil before and you’re not sure what to expect, all I can say is it is nothing like a lip gloss. It is light and moisturising. No tacky, sticky feeling, just pure bliss for your lips. As an avid lipstick wearer I would say the staying power of the oil is not great but everything else about it is so good it doesn’t matter. I think it’s clear I love this product. If you were thinking about trying it I have seen a Christmas gift set of three which is great value for money.

November's Beauty Bag

Next is another lip product and not a newbie but one that has been pushed to the front of the stack; again. I have spoken about Nuxe’s Rêve de Miel and how wonderful it is and not just for lips. It’s back again and I especially like it in the colder weather when my lips feel a little dryer. I love applying it before bed and waking up with the softest, most lush lips! It goes with me everywhere so definitely deserves another mention.

November's Beauty Bag

Last in the beauty bag this month is Sally Hansen’s Hard As Nails Hard As Wraps which I got in a goody bag from a Littlewoods Ireland press preview earlier in the year, It’s not something I would buy for myself as I usually just spend my money on nail polish but I am glad I was able to try it. It claims the ‘Breakthrough patented gel that protects & strengthens fragile, soft or damaged nails’  and I think I have to agree. I use this as a base coat and have noticed the effects when wearing it. I have no idea if there are any long lasting effects but I like it all the same and would definitely purchase it myself.

November's Beauty Bag

Just for fun take a peak at a few things I’m lusting over. First look at the amazing Nars Give In Take eye and cheek palette as part of the Sarah Moon collection. I have seen some of this collection in person but this is just something else entirely!


Then there is Bobbi Brown’s City Collection and trust me this is just one of many wish-list products from Bobbi Brown!

Pretty in the Paris Palette from the City Collection 📷 @lodoesmakeup

A post shared by Bobbi Brown Cosmetics (@bobbibrown) on


There are so many amazing products out this time of year. Some sold out before they hit the shelves but it’s nice to look anyway. You never know – Santa might be reading this as I type!

xo

October’s Beauty Bag

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October’s Beauty Bag 

October's Beauty Bag

My beauty bag this month is rather sad. Full of new products that have been absolutely, well, disappointing. I don’t like to waste too much time on the negatives but I was so disappointed that I wasted my money. I don’t want you to do the same so for that alone it’s worth telling you about them so you can avoid them!

Let’s get the worst out-of-the-way. This lipstick from the Penneys PS range in the shade It’s a date is absolute rubbish. There is no other way to describe it. I knew this colour was going to be a risk but from the colour on the packaging I thought it was going to be a purple berry colour, possibly a softer version of some darker shades out there. I was very very wrong. This colour can only be described as a purple-black which is not good. It feels disgusting on and looks disgusting on. I very rarely throw makeup out but this went straight in the bin.

October's Beauty Bag

It can only get better – yes? Well sort of. The next item I bought on the back of my love for another Penneys lipstick, the PS red matte lipstick crayon. You know how much I love the red version so I thought I would try out a different shade, this time a light almost nude pink. For anyone starting out with lipstick or for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money, this is for you. For me, it is not matte enough and has nowhere near the staying power as the red. This one is staying but I don’t have a huge amount of love for it.

October's Beauty Bag

Next up is a range I was so excited about seeing in person and what a range it is. h&m beauty has a huge selection of shades and products and at such great prices. The first item I got my hands on is a soft kohl pencil in the shade black-purple. I have a sentimental attachment to kohl pencils. I can’t tell you how many black MAC pencils I went through when I was younger. But unlike my younger days, black kohl pencils are too harsh for me now (they probably were then too) so I usually opt for a brown shade and thought this colour would be a nice addition. Insert another sad face here. This product is not for me. The colour is lovely but the staying power is not great. I find it difficult to get a good colour pay off when applying it and once it’s on it doesn’t stick around long. Unlike the ridiculously bad lipstick, it won’t get thrown in the bin but I wouldn’t be buying another one.

October's Beauty Bag

Time to get to the good bits. First is another h&m product, this time an eyeshadow in the shade act your beige. Before I talk about the product itself I know gold seems to be everywhere these day but I think the gold and white package is lovely and sleek. On to the eyeshadow. It was perfect for what I wanted, close enough to my skin tone to look natural but enough shimmer to add a little pick me up. I find neutral shades are harder to test properly but so far so good. Easy to apply, easy to blend and it lasts well (I always use a primer). There is a little fall down when applying it but that shouldn’t put you off. For only €5.99 I will be going back for a darker shade to give it a really good test.

October's Beauty Bag

Time to finish with the best product this month. I was thrilled to see this works in transit camera close-up in November’s In Style magazine. I am always drawn to this works products but have never taken the plunge mostly due to the hefty price tag. I was delighted to sample this product and even more delighted with what I found. The product itself claims to be a three-in-one mask, moisturiser and primer and I would agree on two out of the three. I don’t really get a mask feel out of it but I would definitely say it’s a moisturiser and primer. It feels light on the skin but not so light that you think you are rubbing your money away. I did notice my makeup looked, better at the end of the day, not perfect but better than days I hadn’t used it. However, there is a downside but one that may only bother me. I hate lavender. Detest it actually and this smells of it. As much as I detest lavender, I have persisted as I only get the smell for a few seconds when apply it. Just shows you how much I like this product given my strong feelings on lavender! I would definitely purchase this and look at investing in other this works products.

October's Beauty Bag

xo

September’s Beauty Buys

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September’s Beauty Bag

This month has been a fun one beauty wise mostly because there’s a few gifts inside and who doesn’t love presents?!

A dear friend of mine returned from her holidays in the USA and presented me with that all too familiar black and white striped bag. I knew I was going to like whatever was inside and I wasn’t disappointed. Finally I have my hands on the original Beauty Blender. I know I am slow to the game with this one but I’m here eventually. I had no idea how to use it so I did a bit of research. What I found was rather interesting. I found some very positive information and then I found some frightening information about germs and bugs! At this point I  literally closed the lid of my laptop and washed my makeup brushes. But let’s pretend I know nothing about bugs in Beauty Blenders, I have positive things to say about this little wonder sponge. The application is easy, although I feel it takes me a little longer than using my fingers or a brush to apply foundation but the finish is just amazing! I hate to use words such as ‘flawless’ but that is what I feel the finish is; flawless. It is definitely worth my time both in the application and in taking care of it. Thank you Mrs Fox for knowing me so well!

September's Beauty Bag

Next is another gift from a special friend who spoils me often. This time she treated me to this amazing North America Hemp Co. Shine Spray. You know by now I don’t like too much fuss when it comes to my hair and there are only a few hair products I will give my time to and this is one of them. When I remember, I like to use an oil in my hair (despite my hair being on the oily side) because of the fact that I blow dry it everyday. This oil is definitely a keeper. The smell is beyond words and it does a great job at protecting my hair from the heat. It has all sorts of other benefits like being gluten, sulphate and paraben free and it’s vegan. A great product all round. Again, thank you Mrs M for always looking out for me, and my hair!

September's Beauty Bag

The next item in this month’s beauty bag is one I bought mainly because of the packaging rather than the product. If you haven’t come across Lidl’s range of beauty products, you are missing out.  Cien Nail Polish Remover comes in a plastic, non-spill push-pump bottle that I’m absolutely in love with. Not to take away from my much loved Boujois Magic Nail Polish Remover, the Cien Nail Polish Remover for the bottle alone is definitely staying in my beauty bag. The actual nail polish remover is pretty good too.

September's Beauty Bag

September's Beauty Bag

Last up this month is not a newbie, in fact it’s a regular in my beauty bag. Hawiian Tropic Tanning Oil feels like a guilty pleasure but one I love and generally use all year round. It did take a back seat to Nuxe Sun SPF 30 Tanning Oil this summer but with winter just around the corner, the golden oil and delicious summer smell of Hawiian Tropic is going to help me stay in my happy place, even if I’m freezing.

September's Beauty Bag

You may remember last month I spoke about Lancôme’s Juicy Shaker. I’m sad to report that it is still on my wishlist. Rather a busy month indeed but don’t worry, I have actually penciled in a day of shopping in my diary so this lip gem will be mine!  I’ll keep you posted.

xo

August’s Beauty Buy

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August’s Beauty Bag

August's Beauty Bag

There weren’t too many new additions to the beauty bag this month but the ones that were added were really interesting. Let me show you.

First up is a product I bought in Paris and another to add to my La Roche-Posay collection. The Autohelios Cream-Gel Moisterising Self-Tanner is one I’ve had my eye on for a while and I’m so glad I took the plunge and bought it. I’m all for easy these days so I was looking for something that required no effort other than me slapping it on and voilá! Beautiful, even, sun-kissed skin. I went straight into this product with no preparations. No scrubbing, exfoliating and whatever else you a supposed to do before applying a tanning product. I slapped it on, as evenly as possible and off I went. Avid tan-users are probably having a meltdown at this point but really I hate all the fuss. Makeup and skincare products are supposed to be enjoyable and easy, not hard work! Ok so back to my haphazard application. Instantly I liked how well it absorbed into my skin. It says it’s a cream-gel and that is exactly what it feels like. There is a slight smell to it but nothing that resembles a fake tan product. My legs felt moisturised and I definitely saw the benefits the next day. My legs had a nice caramel sheen to them that was so close to my own skin colour when it has had some sun I thought my life was going to be changed forever. I’ve used it now for the past month, I’d say two or three times a week and I’ve got the application down pat. For me, less is more. If you lather the entire contents of the tube in one go and expect an even application you will be sadly disappointed. A small amount goes a long way and for me, using it every second or third day is the best way to keep the colour even. A winner all round!

August's Beauty Bag

Next is another purchase from Paris. I found myself in Kiko and like a kid in a lolly shop I wanted everything! After all my poking and swatching I walked away with only one product. Another Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow. I bought one of these in the shade 37, burgundy when I was in Lisbon last year and here I am again in Paris buying the gorgeous shade 07, Golden Beige. It really is a beautiful colour and if you suffer from oily eyelids, this product is going to be your best friend. I have tried it both with a primer and without and both ways the staying power is incredible! I actually find it difficult to remove when I have used a primer so no complaints from me. There is no messing around with this product and it’s the reason I bought it. I apply it straight from the stick across my entire eyelid, apply a bit of mascara and that’s me done.

August's Beauty Bag

While my folks were in town I took advantage of having extra guinea pigs in the house to try some products. Thankfully my ma was up for it so I whipped out Spa Standards seaweed and hyaluronic acid Repairing Face Mask. I bought this months ago and it wasn’t for me. It was almost too moisturising and I really didn’t like how it felt on my face. I prefer a mask that I apply directly to my skin rather than one of those ghost-like masks. Ma has a different skin type to me so it was the perfect opportunity to see what she thought. Overall her reports were positive. She found it hydrating and liked that she could massage the excess serum into her skin after she had removed the mask. She did say that although her skin felt smooth and hydrated, she did not notice a difference in appearance. It’s not one that I will buy again so if you have tried other face masks that you like let me know.

August's Beauty Bag

August's Beauty Bag

The next two have not technically been added to my beauty bag (yet) but they have been put on my wish list. Chanel’s Le Rouge Collection N°1 has so many lovely bits that I want them all but the sensible part of my brain says a definite no to that. If you haven’t seen it you should check it out and help me decide which product I should treat myself to. Naturally I am leaning towards a lipstick but I guess there is no surprise there. Take a look at Lucia Pica talk about red. Absolutely beautiful just like the collection.

The other thing I have my eye on and something I pick up and put down more times than I am willing to admit is Lancôme’s Juicy Shaker. I have never tried a lip oil before and expected it to be like a lip gloss but just by swatching it on my hand I knew immediately that it wasn’t. I was in duty-free at the time coming home from Paris and you know what it’s like at the end of a holiday, you think you have spent enough money and ask yourself do I really need more makeup? Again the sensible part of my brain answered no but I haven’t stopped thinking about it since so as I write this I’ve decided to go buy one. I will let you know in September’s beauty bag how it goes. Until then you can see my girl crush Lisa Eldridge in action.

xo

July’s Beauty Bag

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July’s Beauty Bag

I’ve tried to resist adding too much to the beauty bag this month. My holidays are almost in sight and I plan on making a few purchases while I’m away so I’ve tried to resist the urge to shop but my list of holiday skincare and makeup goodies to buy gets longer and longer.

Of course a month couldn’t go by without some newbies to show you, even if I’m trying to be good! Take a look at these two TopShop newbies. Besides nail polish, I haven’t tried TopShop makeup before and as both were on sale for only €4, now was the time to try.

July's Beauty Bag

The matte lipstick in the shade watermelon is probably very similar to shades I already have but it looked the perfect mix of red and pink. Ideal on those days when I can’t decide if I want to wear red or pink lipstick. I love a good matte lipstick but for me, this is not one of them. Don’t get me wrong it is a good lipstick but I prefer mine to be more matte. It’s a little too shiny and creamy for my liking but not one that I would totally disregard. If you are frightened of matte lipsticks or find them too drying, this is for you.

July's Beauty Bag

The TopShop cream eyeshadow also caught my eye because of the beautiful light candy cane pink hue. If I ever wear pink eyeshadow it is often a matte, dusty pink so I thought this would be a nice change. Unfortunately this looks better in the pot than on my eyes but again it’s not a product I would toss aside. I often use it as my base and blend the outer corners of my eyelids with the dusty matte pink I’m used to. Add a truck load of mascara and that is me, good to go.

July's Beauty Bag

Another product added to the household beauty bag this month was Riemann P20 Once a Day Sun Protection sunscreen. The few days of sun we had some weeks back made me stock up on sunscreen as if I was facing twelve months solid of 40 degree heat. I wear sunscreen daily so it won’t go to waste. I’m a huge fan of La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50+ Ultra Light sunscreen and it is the only one I’m prepared to lather on my face. However, yes you probably saw it coming;  after trying the P20, I prefer it for my body. The consistency of it is the real winner. It feels more like an oil so easy to apply and it absorbs very well on my skin. I feel slightly disloyal to my trusted La Roche-Posay sunscreen. Like I’m trying to convince you I don’t love one child more than the other! While I love both equally, I love them for different reasons and regardless of what it says on the tin, I reapply both throughout the day, everyday!

I am so looking forward to holidays and not just because of the shopping! Can you guess where I’m going?

xo

June’s Beauty Buys

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June’s Beauty Bag

Makeup

There are only two makeup products this month. One is just ok and the other I have been dying to shout about from the roof tops so I’ll get straight to it.

Let’s get the just ok one out of the way. The latest addition to my nail polish collection is L’Oréal’s Colour Riche Le Vernis A L’Huile in the shade rose ballet. Initially the colour caught my eye, a beautiful dusty pink and the packaging well, that kind of helped too! I’ve only worn it once so far and possibly didn’t give it a fair go. I had no top coat on and unfortunately it didn’t last very long. Another thing I didn’t like about it and someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I think these polishes are subtly scented. This is not for me at all especially as I found it to be a rose scent which I find disgusting. Thankfully the scent didn’t last very long but overall I’m not a fan.

June's beauty bag

Right let me get to the good stuff. I have found my new holy grail foundation and it ticks all of my boxes when it comes to foundation. At the start of the month a dear friend kindly notified me that there was a sale on in one of the local department stores and with that I hurried down to get my hands on a few samples. I got four different foundations samples and boy did it pay off. The winner; YSL Fusion Ink Foundation. The colour range is outstanding and I found what I think is my perfect colour match. It lasts really well on my skin and although I am a little oily at the end of the day, it’s not enough for me to want to cover my face with a paper bag. Whether it is the colour match or the magic properties of this foundation, I feel like this is how I would want my natural skin to look on a really good day. The product description really sums it up,

’24 hours of soft-matte perfection and comfort. Our exclusive fine-as-ink formula perfects the skin yet wears weightlessly all day. Never cakey or heavy. Feel the difference of all day perfection and freedom.’

The consistency is nothing I’m used to. It is more on the watery side and I thought it would slip and slide on the skin when applying it but not at all. It blends well and I apply it with my fingers and finish it off with a stippling brush just to make sure everything is blended well. Another positive; a little goes a long way. I got this pot of gold at the start of the month and besides the odd day of testing the other samples, I have used it every day and only now am I coming to the end of this little bottle of magic. I haven’t even opened the full size bottle I bought.

June's beauty bag

This is the most expensive foundation I’ve used at around €40 but on sale I was lucky enough to buy it for €33. For such a standout product, I’m happy to hand over my cash.

xo

June’s Beauty buys

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June’s Beauty Bag

Skincare update

June's Beauty Bag

I’m going to get straight into it as this month the beauty bag is overflowing. Not too many makeup products to show you but loads of skincare and for one very good reason: My skin has been misbehaving of late so it was time to rethink things. I’ll warn you – this is a long one!

One of the problems over the past month or so is that I haven’t been washing my face properly (or at all) so I ditched the micealler water and decided if I’m going to wash my face I was going to do it properly, every step of the way. It will come as no surprise that I am a huge La Roche-Posay fan, especially the Effaclar range which works extremely well with my skin so I thought I would try La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Purifying Cleansing Gel. After only two weeks of using it, I’m singing its praises. I can feel its benefits instantly when I wash my face with it and when I wake up in the morning I am no longer scared to look in the mirror as my skin is smooth, calm and not like a grease ball at all! I also repurchased the Effaclar Duo + in the same range and I’m kicking myself as to why I didn’t repurchase it sooner. Actually I know why: I had bought the Toleriane Fluid instead and thought I should use it before buying even more products. I use this now in the morning as my moisturiser as it doesn’t do enough for me overnight when I want my skin to reap the rewards of everything I layer on my face!

June's Beauty Bag

The other product I have tried now for I’d say two months solid is Indeed Lab Vitamin C24. I was going to repurchase The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Booster which I really like but after reading the ingredients I thought it was time to hit the real stuff. When I read reviews on the Indeed Lab Vitamin C24 there were a few off-putting things. The main one was the smell! Some people said they could smell meat or a metallic smell and they weren’t wrong! For me it smells very metallic and it’s not nice at all! It is too much for me to use morning and night so I use it in the evening and I’ve gotten used to the smell. Also it is so important to wear a high SPF with this which I do every day. There are so many claims to this, but one has stuck out for me. I can visibly notice my skin is smoother, plumper (even though I hate that term) and it has really made a difference on fine lines, I’m guessing due to the plumpness! This is going to stay in the beauty bag and with not even half the tube gone, I’d say I won’t have to think about repurchasing for a while yet.

June's Beauty Bag

The other trusted favourite that is back in the beauty bag is Vichy’s Aqualia Thermal Serum. I’ve spoken about this loads of times so won’t bore you again because I still think it’s fantastic! I did try a few other Vichy products from the Idealia range that came with the purchase of the serum and unfortunately they were all too rich for my skin. I’d imagine if you had drier, less sensitive skin you would love them.

June's Beauty Bag

June's Beauty Bag

I know some people think this is probably all unnecessary but I don’t. I know how I feel when my skin is not at it’s best so the investment in these products and the time I take to look after my skin is important to me.

I’m going to leave you there and come back to show you some makeup goodies that made it to this month’s beauty bag. Until then, stay beautiful!

xo

 

 

May’s Beauty Buys

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May’s Beauty Bag

 

This month has really been a mixed bag but there are two standout products that within a month of using them I know they are staying permanently in my beauty bag!

Let’s get going with the good ones. First up is a lip crayon; with only one day of wearing it, I declared it my new red! I picked this up from Penneys and it has a price tag of €2.50! It is a fantastic colour, easy to apply (I’m rather fond of any makeup product that’s in crayon form), it is comfortable and not drying on the lips and lasts a hell of a long time! To give you an idea of just how long, I applied it first thing in the morning, ate my lunch, had a coffee or two, re-applied it, ate some more and that night I had to take it off with makeup remover. I’m so impressed with it, I’m going back to buy more in every shade it comes in!

May's Beauty Bag

There was another newbie in the lipstick department this month but in comparison, I feel it was a disaster! I couldn’t wait to try Rimmel’s The Only 1 lipstick. I was so looking forward to it because of the colour but from the very first slide across my lips I knew it wasn’t for me. It felt too creamy and seemed to slip and messy! I felt I couldn’t get a good shape with it and the more I tried to fix it, the more I made a mess. I didn’t like how it looked throughout the day and although the colour was lovely, I won’t be wearing it again.

May's Beauty Bag

I decided to take a chance on this next product. It actually took me a few attempts to get my hands on it but I got there in the end. L’Oréal’s Tecni Art Volume Lift Spray Mousse was a delightful surprise. At first, I didn’t read the tin properly and applied it like a regular mousse and let’s just say I wasn’t impressed. On further inspection (helps if you read the label) I worked out how to use this mousse and it is blooming fabulous! I have worked out the precise amount I need to give my roots a lift without my hair feeling full of product. I finally understand what people mean when they say they want more volume in their hair. This product is so amazing that when I went to get my hair cut, my hairdresser actually commented on how great my hair was looking!

lovetomtom hair mousse

Last for this month is Nuxe Sun SPF 30 Tanning Oil. Oh this scent! I can’t quite put my finger on what it reminds me of, but the scent of the Huile Prodigieuse range is heavenly comfort. I’ve used the dry oil before and loved it and this is no different. It feels luxurious on, protects my skin and did I mention the smell?!

Suncare

xo

 

I got married!!

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I got married!!

Wedding beauty bag

In case you hadn’t heard, I GOT MARRIED! With the destination and my outfit sorted there is one last thing to show you. Actually two things, my wedding beauty bag and the day of course!

Once I had the outfit sorted I knew exactly what makeup I wanted for the day. I decided I was going to do my makeup myself and as a bit of a treat, or research as I liked to call it, I got my makeup done at Charlotte Tilbury in Brown Thomas. It was the perfect way to try the makeup with my outfit at home and then attempt to recreate it myself in New York. 

Makeup my Lorcan

I was lucky enough to get a fabulous makeup artist, Lorcan on the day and if you have ever had your makeup done at a beauty counter you know it can be a bit risky. Thankfully I had my eye on the prize and in this case, Lorcan was definitely the prize. I explained the style and colour of my outfit and the look I wanted to go with it. I also told Lorcan that I would be doing my own makeup and he was really great in explaining each step thoroughly. I wanted to keep my makeup as simple as possible in the sense that I didn’t want to take away from my outfit. At the same time, I wanted my makeup to look natural yet striking. Asking for too much perhaps?! Nope. A smokey eye was what I was after and with Lorcan’s work as my guide, it was the perfect look.

Getting ready
Getting ready

I didn’t think it was a great idea to try any brand new skincare or makeup products right before the big day so I kept my skincare routine and foundation the same. I hadn’t taken into account air travel and a change in climate so my skin was not at it’s best but I didn’t care; I was in New York getting married! There were a few exceptions to my no new products rule. When Lorcan did my face, he used Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette and I was so surprised that I loved it! Now, I struggle with blush so contouring is a no go for me but I imagine it was the combination of the product and it being applied correctly that I finally understood the benefit of contouring. My beautiful friend SB gave me the Filmstar Bronze and Glow as a wedding gift and it was one of the best things I got! After using it now for a good few months I do feel more comfortable with it and use it less for contouring and more for a swish of warmth on my face and even for eyeshadow so I’m getting great use out of it.

Final touches

Photograph by Alex Feld

Another newish product (I’ve used similar products in other brands) was Charlotte Tilbury’s Eyes to Mesmerise in the shade Mona Lisa This was the base of my eye makeup and it was so luscious and perfect for lasting the whole day. I added a brown and taupe eyeshadow from my Stila Eyes are the Window palette to blend and soften the look, brown Barry M kohl pencil and a load of No 7 Extravagant mascara and that was my soft smokey eye completed. For lips, I kept it very simple and had the fabulous Hepburn Honey lipstick with High Society lipgloss on top. I’m not one for lipgloss but it really made the look.

Waiting our turn

Photograph by Alex Feld

Another thing that filled up my wedding beauty bag was my trusted TanOrganics Self Tanning Oil. So busy were we having fun that I actually only got to tan myself the night before. Not ideal, but I put the tiniest amount on just to even my skin tone rather than tan and that was good enough. Nail polish was the only other thing that caused me a bit of stress and it was a similar situation to my shoe dilemma. I feel most comfortable in dark colours and that’s exactly what I wore, Essie’s Bobbing for baubles which is a beautiful navy blue.

And that ladies and gents is what filled my wedding beauty bag. It was actually a really enjoyable part of the day. I took my time doing my makeup and I enjoyed every stroke! Even more so, I enjoyed that Mr B and I got ready together, although as you can imagine there wasn’t too much involved in Mr B getting ready. The thing that stood out the most was the moment when my face was done, my outfit on and I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, this is exactly how I wanted to look.

Waiting

Photograph by Alex Feld

All that was left now was to get married!

xo