Soap and Glory Moon Beam Dupe?

My sister recently gave me a bag full of cosmetics she didn't want. (It was amazing!) One of the items that jumped out at me was Soap and Glory 'Glow Lotion'. I had never heard of this product so was straight away very intrigued. This is a 'drop dead gorgeous highlighting and hydrating fragranced shimmer lotion which can be applied to highlight your best assets. An all over body moisturiser that doubles as a perfume.' 

Catrice Limited Edition 'Nymphelia'

The new limited edition pictures for Catrice have been released! The new line 'Nymphelia' will hit Irish shores around February or March. I'm LOVING the look of it! I have not been this excited about a Catrice limited edition for ages. The one that is in shops at the moment is a bit snooze This range however is very eye catching and I'm already lusting after many items. Catrice describe this range as: 

'Soft and feminine yet strong and sensual – this is the perfect description for the world of nymphs. A mysterious world that hovers between nature and mysticism – a world shaped by goddesses and embodied by natural forces. This is reflected in the colour scheme of the Limited Edition “Nymphelia” by CATRICE. Warm red, orange and brown shades from the forest combined with green and nude tones bring the spring season to life in February and March 2012. The result: a natural yet modern and sensual make-up collection inspired by the international catwalks. The ideal make-up for delicate but strong ladies. Nymphelia – mystical and mythical.'

Eyes wise this limited edition is very strong. The mascara 'Lashes to Kill Mascara' is a black green which is quite unusual. This is designed to create 'amazing eyes'. The False lashes are very dramatic. For €4.49 they are cheap enough to experiment with dramatic eyes! The Smokey Eye set includes four eyeshadows for €4.99. I won't be bothered to buy this as I have a million eyeshadows! It's a good price however, if you don't have much eyeshadow and want to try a smokey look. Despite not needing anymore eyeshadow I'm lusting over the 'Intensif Eye Wet and Dry Shadow'. They are €4.29 each and can be used as the name suggests both wet and dry. The colours have a beautiful marble effect. There are three colours intertwined to create a gorgeous finish. I also love the names of the shadows 020 Charly’s Chocolate Factory and 040 Have You Seen Alice?. Names like this and the appearance of the shadows make them appear a lot more expensive than their bargain €4.29 price!

'Unbeleaf'able Blush' is a gorgeous marbled blush. It has three shades in intertwined red, orange and nude It's designed to give a natural fresh look. 

For lips there is three Lip colour creams. I think they are more cream than gloss similar I would say to the Collection 2000 Cream Puffs. 

Finally there is the nail polishes. They look quite plain compared to the rest of this edition. Although I adore the name of the light pink shade 'Salmon & Garfunkel' I think this is brilliant!

So what do you think? Will you be buying anything from this limited edition?

Larry xx

January Favourites!

With January coming to an end it means it's time for my monthly favourites! Here is what I have been loving in January! 

MUA Professional Heaven and Earth Palette - I have been using this palette all month to fill in my eyebrows. I recently dyed my hair dark brown so I use one of the browns in this palette to match my eyebrows to my hair. (They looked a bit odd if I don't!) I also use this to create a natural look for work.

Essence 'Nail art Express Dry Drops' - I LOVE this product! I use it without fail every time I paint my nails. It dries my nails super fast so I don't have to have the annoying waiting around for them to dry. (It doesn't work as good on glitter nail polish though) 

Sleek Rose Gold - I bought this blush on beautyemporium.ie just before Christmas. There was a 20% off sale on along with free shipping so I got this gorgeous blush for €5.40! I had been lusting after it for ages so I was delighted when I finally got my hands on it. I have been using it all month. It gives a gorgeous glow. Many bloggers also compare it to Nars blushers. 

Revlon ColourStay in 110 Ivory - I can't express just how much I love this foundation!  It's the perfect shade for my snow white skin. It also has brilliant staying power. My holy grail foundation, I will go crazy if this is ever discontinued. (Smaller Boots might not have 110 Ivory which is annoying. There is a cosmetics shop in George's Street arcade sells it for €10 BARGAIN)

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula- The cold weather meant that my hands were feeling quite dry this month. I have been using this hand cream to try and sort my hands out!  I Love this product! It smells so good you could almost eat it! It left my hands really soft and smooth.  It's also a bargain at €1.99

So that's what products I have been loving this month! :)

Larry xx

Catrice Iron Mermaiden

Catrice have a clearance sale on at the moment. There are many products 50% off including the gorgeous nail polish 'Iron Mermaiden'. This is a gorgeous shimmery colour, It's purple with a green metallic sheen. It changes colour depending on the light. Sometimes it's grey, then purple and even green!

Catrice describe their nail polishes as  'A wow-effect is guaranteed: ultimate intensity, ultimate shine and ultimate coverage – now new 14 times over! With just one stroke of the special professional brush, your nails will become this season’s ultimate high fashion accessory - to go with every outfit and every mood..'

Mini Boots Haul

Last week I received a No7 voucher. My local Boots No7 counter is not the best so I went to the Boots in Stephen's Green. This has a much better selection. Every time I get the €7.50 voucher I always forget about the No7 make up brushes! I have read great things about the No7 concealer brush online. Luckily this time I remembered to get it! :)

    

Boots describe this brush as 'No7 concealer brush is ideal for concealing small blemishes, broken capillaries and concentrated areas of pigmentations. No7 concealer brush is a must-have beauty essential for any make-up collection.' The brush costs €9.91 but with the €7.50 voucher it's a bargain at €2.41! It seems a bit bigger than the typical concealer brush (This wouldn't bother me however). It feels very soft and  it's a nice size so it's easy to hold.

While I was in this branch I had a quick look at the jewellery. (My local boots is only small so it doesn't do any!) I have never bought any jewellery from Boots before but they had a sale on with jewellery from €1.50 so it caught my attention! I had been looking for nice broaches to brighten up my work clothes for awhile now. I found these two lovely broaches for only €1.50 each! (They were originally €8.50 each) They will add a bit of character to my work clothes!  

Larry xx

Marble Nails Fail :(

Marble nails is something I wanted to try for ages. I had read a few posts on it and it seemed easy enough. (Let me stress the word SEEMED!!) There did not seem to be much to it. Paint your nails, then add a few drops of polish to water, give it a swirl, pop the nail in and voilà lovely nail art nails! Oh I was so naive! Just look at the mess I ended up with ....

It started of ok. I painted my nails the base colour, a light pink Nails Inc shade.

Next I got the water ready... I dropped in the nail polish as I was supposed to, and then made a pattern with a cocktail stick.

Now here is where the disaster happened. If you are doing marble nails you MUST tape around your nail! (You can also use Vaseline but I'm not sure how well this works) As I was too lazy to tape my fingers I ended up with a total MESS! It took ages to take off my hands with nail polish remover. As I was scrubbing my hand clean, the nail polish on my clean hand also began to come off. DISASTER. I had to start all over again this time taping my nails. The result this time was much better. The nail polish not on the nail was just on the tape. There was still some around the edges though...

Overall it was a total fail. It took me ages just to get the images above. It was such a mess that I ended up taking it off straight away. I don't think I would be bothered to try it again. Lesson of the day however TAPE YOUR NAILS! Don't be an eejit like me :(

Larry xx

H&M Spring 2012

Since I am trying not to spend any money I have been 'window shopping' on the Internet. It is safer this way as I am less likely to buy something. I prefer to buy in a shop and get the product there and then, rather than waiting ages for the postman to bring it to me! My 'window shopping' has not been a total success. I now have a huge wish list and it's very depressing. One of the shops I have been looking 'in' is H&M. I worked in H&M for five years during my student days. I find that it is sometimes very hard to find anything in H&M shops. I could only really find anything in the store I worked in. There are some lovely pieces but you really have to look for them. There are some lovely pieces in the Spring collection. I just hope they are not hidden and impossible to find in the shops. Here is my wish list from H&M.

Starting with accessories as it was my department for many years. (I will always have a fondness for H&M accessories!) My favourite piece has to be the cosmetics bag. I love the colour and design. I will definitely be buying this despite my spending ban! The cosmetics bags usually have different sections inside them which are handy. I hope this is the same! The fruit earrings and the big orange statement earrings are perfect for summer.

How pretty are these clothes!? I really wan't the blazer for work. I have something similar in black that I got in Penneys / Primark about a year ago. It's one of my favourite work blazers. This pink blazer would be perfect addition to my work ware wardrobe! I love the bright colours of the dresses they just look like spring! I really adore the orange dress. It also comes with a belt which is very handy! 

So what do you think? Will you be buying any of these items?

Larry xx

MUA Professional Glitter Ball Palette

I Love MUA's Professional range. They are so cheap but amazing quality. I recently added the MUA palette 'Glitter Ball' to my collection. 

MUA describe this palette as 'Highly-pigmented shimmer colours, ranging from green to purple, allowing you to create endless looks fit for day or night. Each of the 12 shades can be applied alone for a dramatic effect or mixed to create a personalised look.'

Close up of the eye shadows. (It may look a bit odd as it's two photos combined)

The shades are more glittery than my other MUA palettes but saying that they are not overly glittery. Strange since the name of the palette is 'Glitter Ball'. This would not bother me too much as they are quite shimmery so they are still pretty. There are also no big annoying chunks of glitter! 

The palette is very pigmented considering the price £4! Some shades are not as pigmented as others but they are still very usable. My favourite shades of the palette are the four dark colours on the bottom row. (especially the gold colour) I like this palette as it has a mix of both neutral and brighter colours. This is perfect if you are travelling as you can have a variety of looks from the one palette. If you are looking for more choice for day time looks I would recommend the 'Heaven and Earth' palette.

For £4 you can't go wrong. It's a shame the MUA professional range is not available in Ireland a I would stock up on some more palettes!

Larry xx

The Winner Is...

Thanks to all those who entered my Collection 2000 competition! :)

Here is what the lucky winner won!

So the winner is .....

Well done to the lucky winner! Keep an eye out on my blog as I will do another giveway soon! :)

Larry xx

Primark Spring 2012 Accessories

Primark's Spring 2012 Collection is still continuing to impress me. I already posted on Primark's new clothes collection. (Click Here!) I'm also very excited to get my hands on their new spring accessories. There are so many items I would love! Here are my top picks when it comes to the new accessories.

Bags

My favourite bag from the new collection has to be the bright yellow one! I love the colour, the style and also the little charm attached to it. The pinky/ orange bag I'm eyeing up for work. It will be perfect as I need a bag big enough to carry folders/A4 pads and the million other things I seem to accumulate over a weeks work. The little blue and white clutch I would like for nights out. The red apple bag reminds me of something H&M would have in their Divided range. I would not wear it myself but I know that I would have loved it a few years ago. (I just couldn't pull it off any more!)

Earrings 

Primark is one of my favourite place to get earrings. They are so cheap that you can buy lots of pairs and still have money to spare. I love big statement earrings, they can really change an outfit within seconds. I really like the look of the white and gold earrings above. I have dark brown hair so the white will really stand out against the brown when I wear them. The chandelier earrings in the middle are perfect for a night out if you want to look a bit glam. The beaded earrings on the left I can see myself wearing them during the day. They will be perfect for summer.

Shoes

When it comes to shoes, I'm usually more a lover of flats. I just find flats more comfortable and easier to walk in. At 5'4 however, I'm a bit vertically challenged. I wan't to try and wear heels more often to give myself a bit of height. I'm eyeing up the wedges above. They look comfortable but more importantly will give me a few more inches! I love the colour of the light blue wedges on the far left. I'm still going to live in flats most of the time though! The blue and red shoes above will definitely be added to my list. They look water proof which is great. In Ireland it rains ALL year round. I had many summer shoes ruined by the unpredictable weather we have here. 

What do you think of these accessories? 

Larry xx

MNY Nail Polish

On my way home from work the other day I just 'happened' to find myself in Boots. Since it has opened in my town it has been a disaster for my wallet... The other day however, I found a great bargain that I just had to buy! This bargain was so good I not only bought one, I bought four! However, since each item was only €1 I think my spending ban won't mind too much.... Here is what I got my hands on.

MNY Cosmetics nail varnishes!

MNY Cosmetics are a younger sister of Maybelline. They are very bright and funky. MNY describe themselves as 'Colour! Be beautiful, be daring, be imaginative! These color inspired looks will teach every daring fashionista to reinvent herself with a full spectrum of never ending color possibilities.' As the nail polishes are so bright and colourful I have had my eye on these nail polishes for awhile now. They usually retail at about €5 so I just never got around to buying one. Although, when I seen them in my local Boots for €1 I jumped on the stand and bought four. The bottles only have numbers, they do not have a name as such. All the nail polishes have a pearl aspect to them.

461 - Copper

657- Aqua Blue / Bright Blue

665- Midnight Blue

753- Lime Green / Electric Green

I love the colours of these nail polishes! I wish that Maybelline would release the rest of the range such as the blushers and eyeshadows in Ireland. Have you tried anything from the MNY range??

Larry xx

Extracts Fairtrade Mango Body Butter and Body Wash

I told myself I wouldn't buy any body wash or body butter until all my Soap and Glory had been used up. Hmmm this did not last long. I was in Boots and I noticed that all the Christmas sets were 75% off!! I of coarse had to have a look. I found this Boots Extracts Fairtrade Mango Body Butter and Body Wash set reduced to €2!! (originally €8) Great bargain as it works €1 per item! :)

I had wanted to try Extracts Fairtrade Body Butter for ages. I wanted to see how it compares to The Body Sop body butters. I love the Body Shops body butters but they are just too expensive. This Boots Extracts Fairtrade Body Butter is described as 'Extracts mango body wash gently cleanses, conditions and moisturises, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth.' It is also a Fairtrade product which is always a bonus!

The first thing I noticed about this body butter is the smell. I love it! It smells so delicious! The scent also stays on the skin for a really like time. The product feels really creamy and moisturising on the skin. It sinks into the skin quickly so your not left feeling greasy. I only wish that I had a bigger tub! (The one I got is only 50ml) 

Also in this set is a Extracts Fairtrade Mango Body Wash. This is also a Fairtrade product. Like the body butter this product also smells amazing. It also lathers well so you don't have to use too much. 

I'm really impressed with both the body butter and the shower gel. I would buy both again. The Body butter is just as creamy as the Body Shop butters and smells just as good.

Larry xx

Sales Haul

I have been trying my best not to buy anything in the sales (as I'm trying to save money.) Unfortunately, I didn't succeed in my shopping ban, I only bought a few things though and didn't go too crazy! 

Leopard Print Faux Fur Scarf - I picked this up in Dunnes Stores for €3.00 (reduced from €5) I forgot to bring a scarf one day so I was freezing! I bought this to warm me up! I wanted to get a faux fur scarf for ages, so I'm quite pleased with this.

Top Shop Earrings- I love these earrings! I think they are so pretty! They have a bit of a Downton Abbey look to them. They were a bargain at €4.50 (reduced from €12.50)

Penneys / Primark Necklace - This flower necklace was only €1 (reduced from €3) I'm always breaking necklaces so picked this up to add to my 'work wear' necklaces.

Revlon Nail Builders 'Grow 10' - My nails have been in bits lately so I have been looking for something to give them some TLC. I picked this up in the cosmetics shop in Georges Street Arcade for only €3. Hopefully help my poor nails.

James Corden 'May I have your Attention Please' Autobiography - I'm a huge 'Gavin and Stacey' fan so I wanted to buy James Cordon's book. I looked before Christmas and it cost €18.50!! I however, found it while browsing in a charity shop for €1! Yes €1! It was brand new and looked like it had never been read. (I'd say it was an unwanted Christmas present!) I'm about half way through and really liking it.

So that's my sale haul. Not bad for €12.50! :)

Larry xx

Benefit High Beam Dupe

I fell in love with Benefit's High Beam when it came free with an issue of Glamour Magazine. It's the most beautiful highlighter I have ever tried. It makes such a difference to my face. I have even been told I look like I'm glowing when I'm wearing it. I'm nearly finished this little bottle and had been dreading spending €26.50 on a new bottle!  Luckily I don't think I have to do that. I have found a dupe! 

While in Superdrug in Omni Park I noticed a make up brand called 'Me Me Me'. This amazing brand has so many Benefit Dupes you won't believe it. It has dupes for many of Benefit's blushers, Moon Beam, High Beam, Posietint and Benetint. (I will definitely be returning to buy more!) 

The light is not great in this photo but in real life it is pearly pink

This fantastic dupe is called 'Beat the Blues Moon Beam'. This lovely little bottle was only €6.25 (So your saving yourself over TWENTY euro compared to Benefit's version!) 

Me Me Me on the left, Benefit on the right

When swatched Benefit's High Beam looks more pearly pink however, once they are blended there is NO difference at all!! Amazing! :) Like High Beam, the Me Me Me version also comes in a bottle with a brush (a bit like a nail polish) 

I only wish Superdrug had a shop in the city centre. I'm lucky enough that my boyfriend lives near Omni Park so I can go to that store the odd time. I would love a store in the city centre though! 

What do you think of this dupe? Will you be buying it? 

Larry xx