Minimal Eyeshadows Ideal For Everyday Wear

Minimal Eyeshadows Ideal For Everyday Wear...

 

I love experimenting with my makeup by using glittery pigments and creating purple smokey eye looks, but for my everyday makeup, I tend to opt for a minimal look that's quick and effortless to apply. Eyeshadow has the power to perk me up and make me look more awake and fresher than I actually feel. There are a couple of minimal eyeshadows and one swipe wonders in my collection that provide beautiful results as well as being quick and easy to apply...

A delightful duo that I love sporting on a regular basis is the Nars eyeshadow duo in 'St-Paul-De-Vence'. The little compact contains a warm matte brown shade that works well in the crease as well as a pinky rose gold shade that complements the minimalistic look. The combination is perfect for everyday wear as it looks natural and subtle. It looks amazing paired with fresh glowy skin and a burgundy lip in the winter, and in the Spring/Summer months, I'll be wearing the look with bronzed skin and a peachy lip. Magnifique!

When I'm feeling super lazy then I'll reach for a one-swipe wonder and one of my all-time favourites is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'on and on bronze'.  This is a cream eyeshadow so it's effortless to apply as all you need to do is pack it on and blend it out using your ring finger. This makes it ideal for early mornings or for those who are just starting out with makeup. 
 

Matte eyeshadows are ideal for everyday wear and recently I've been loving the all-matte palette that everyone has been raving about for the past few months: Urban Decay Ultimate Basics Palette. These days I love wearing the shade 'Extra bitter' in my crease with a bit of whatever highlighter I'm using that day on the lid and in the inner corner. It's a simple but effective look! I also love wearing the shade 'Instinct' as a transition shade and pairing it with the By Terry Ombre Blackstar in 'Frozen Quartz'. Similarly to the Maybelline eyeshadow, this is a cream eyeshadow except it's in stick form, so it's just as easy to blend but it's less messy than using eyeshadow in a pot. 

Another eyeshadow stick that I'm infatuated with is the Catrice Stylo Eyeshadow Pen in 'Copper & Paste'. The formula and lasting power are good but it does drag the skin a little when applying it. But it's the unique shade of copper that has me returning to it time and time again. The copper shadow looks amazing paired with Mac's 'Antiqued' eyeshadow and the two colours blend seamlessly together creating a warm look that's perfect for daytime wear. You could also easily build up both colours for a more intense look that would be appropriate for an event or night out you have coming up. 

Speaking of Mac eyeshadows, I also use 'Cork' paired with 'Woodwinked' quite regularly. The shades work well together to form a soft shimmery look that opens up the eyes, disguising the fact that I stayed up until all hours reading *Oops*   

It's no secret that I love the Pippa palette and the six matte neutral eyeshadows in the palette are perfect to curate a wearable everyday look. It contains three brown shades from a soft brown to a richer warm brown, to a dark chocolate brown shade alongside a deep black shade, a white and a nude shade. It has the perfect selection of shades to achieve a minimal everyday look and the shades are a great foundation for any statement look also. 

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What are your favourite everyday eyeshadows?

Love,

Cliona xx

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Copper & Rose Gold Essentials

| Copper & Rose Gold Essentials! | 

Copper and rose gold have taken the world by a storm and I must admit that I've well and truly jumped on this bandwagon. I was aware that I owned quite a few rose gold and copper pieces but it wasn't until I laid them all out for this flatlay that I truly realised how much I owned *Oops* So let's delve into my rose gold and copper stash today....

Homeware |
Copper homeware has the ability to transform the look of an entire room as it provides a warm, feminine touch. The copper centrepiece of my room is the white cushion with the copper decals printed on it above. I bought this in Penneys/Primark a few months ago so I doubt they have it in stock anymore but I found this copper & white cushion on Etsy which is just as beautiful. 

Another focal point of my bedroom is my vanity table so injecting a bit of copper to the piece is an important aspect of my decor. The copper fairy lights from Penneys inject a bit of colour and texture to the vanity. To do this I applied one of those sticky back hooks to the back of the mirror and draped the wire of the lights on the hook. It's a really simple trick that I've not seen anywhere online and I have my Mam to thank for the genius idea! 

My Bath & Body Works 'Autumn' candle that has a copper lid and my copper tumblers also live on my vanity table. I always get asked where the little tumblers are from on Instagram and they're from a small shop called Article in Dublin, but there's loads of similar ones on Etsy like this set for example. 

I also have a small round copper tray from Dunnes Stores with little hearts cut into it. At the moment I have this sitting on my windowsill with a Yankee Candle in it but I'm thinking of jigging this setup around a bit. It would be ideal for holding perfumes too! 

Makeup | 
The most iconic brand in terms of packaging is without a doubt, Charlotte Tilbury. Each of her products is housed in beautiful rose gold and brown packaging, making the brand instantly recognisable. I have both of her foundations which each have an understated bottle paired with a rose gold lid, giving both products a classic elegant look. I usually reach for the Light Wonder foundation when I want a light base that's quick and effortless to apply. The Magic foundation {review} is my most used option as the medium-full coverage finish is perfect for covering my imperfections and blemish scarring. 

I love using highlighting concealer pens for underneath my eyes and one of my all time favourites is the L'oreal Lumi Magique concealer. This is a life-saver for early mornings as it adds radiance and the pink undertones counteract the colour of dark circles which tend to be more prominent on early mornings. 

I have three rose gold lipsticks in my collection: Charlotte Tilbury 'Kidman's Kiss' {review}, Kiko Gossamer Emotion Creamy Lipstick in '102' {review} and Rosie For Autograph Lipstick in 'Silk Rose'. The CT offering is a light peachy pink shade and the creamy matte formula is comfortable to wear. The Rosie For Autograph option is a dark nude whilst the Kiko lipstick is a muted nude pink with a sweet vanilla scent that could rival that of Mac. 

As for palettes, I own three rose gold ones: Charlotte Tilbury The Dolce Vita Palette, Rosie For Autograph eyeshadow palette in 'Copper Gold Rush'  and the latest addition to my collection, the Urban Decay Ultimate Basics Palette. The CT palette and the Rosie palette are both quads containing four warm-toned hues with a mix of matte and shimmer shades. They both contain a light shade, a dark shade as well as a statement shadow that adds a pop of colour to the look, so you have everything you could possibly need to create a nice look in one small compact palette. The UD offering is an all matte palette that has a variety of different shades from light browns, to burgundy to burnt orange so it's perfect for creating both natural daytime looks as well as statement evening looks.

Shop My Rose Gold Makeup Favourites:

Lifestyle |

I couldn't own all of that rose gold packaged makeup without owning some rose gold brushes to apply it with *insert winking emoji* Zoeva are famous for their rose golden luxury set and it's easy to see why! The quality of the brushes is incredible; They feel very soft and they work well. There isn't a brush in the set that I don't use and of course, they look picturesque on my vanity table too! 

If you want an affordable option of rose gold brushes then Penneys has you covered. I adore the double-ended powder brush as the bigger side allows me to powder my whole face whilst the smaller side is great for precise application around the under eye area. They have a wide range of brushes from eyeshadow brushes to a brow brush to face brushes. They work just as well as expensive brushes but the only downside is the handle becomes loose after a few months use but it's still usable so that's the most important thing. 

Another Penneys gem is their marble & rose gold notebook. They have a lot of marble and rose gold stationary available at the moment but this was my favourite thing out of the range as it looks classic and minimal compared to the other options. 

Spotify is a daily essential of mine and to listen to my favourite playlists I always use my rose gold headphones from H&M. They're a fraction of the price of the Frends headphones, the sound is good quality and they're comfortable to wear. What more could you ask for!

I don't know about you but I couldn't go a day without my phone and so when I realised that the iPhone 6 came in a rose-gold/ pink shade I couldn't resist getting it. My phone needed to be upgraded as it wasn't working properly so I was delighted to get this beautiful phone! It's much prettier than my ugly black one that I had previously, haha! I've had it for a year now and I'm still completely in love with it *insert love heart eye emoji*

Jewellery & Sunglasses |
When I was fifteen my family and I went to NYC for New Year's Eve. I wasn't really into makeup back then but I'd wanted to buy something from Tiffany's ever since I saw Breakfast at Tiffany's, so the majority of my spending money for the trip was saved for my Tiffany's purchase. Rose gold wasn't really a 'thing' back then but for some reason, I lusted after a dainty rose gold necklace, and when I spotted this rose gold heart necklace in Tiffany's I knew it was meant to be. I love that it says "return to Tiffany & Co New York" as it's my little token of hope to return to New York someday. 

Another jewellery favourite is my Pandora rose gold bow ring that my sister got me for my 18th birthday. This is my most worn piece of jewellery as it compliments almost everything in my wardrobe. My favourite colour combination to pair it with is pink and grey as the dainty feminine ring complements the look. 

I own two pairs of rose gold sunglasses but my favourite of the two is this Ray-ban clubmaster style pair from New Look. I got them a few years ago now so they don't have them in stock anymore, unfortunately, but there are loads of gorgeous rose gold sunglasses available on the high street as well as high-end brands. I love this style of sunglasses as it flatters my face shape the most.

Shop My Jewellery Favourites:

What are your copper/rose gold favourites?

Love,

Cliona xx

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Beautiful Instagram Accounts To Follow In 2017

| Beautiful Instagram Accounts To Follow In 2017! |

My Nars Lip Pencil Collection

| My Nars Lip Pencil Collection! | 

It's no secret that Nars is one of my favourite brands of all time. I not only adore the sleek minimal packaging that oozes luxury, but I also love the quality of each of their products. Every product I own from the brand provides breathtaking results that make it worth the splurge. Although I love many of their products from their foundations to concealers to eyeshadows, it's their lip pencils that stand out in my collection. They're one of the best lipstick formulas that I've discovered so it would be rude not to share the shades I have in my collection with you......

There are three different formulas available: 1) Velvet Matte, 2) Velvet Gloss, 3) Satin

I have the velvet matte and the satin formulas which I both love! The velvet matte formula is my favourite as it feels lightweight and comfortable on the lips which sometimes is an issue with matte formulas. It's also quite creamy so it isn't drying in the slightest, perfect for Winter wear! The satin formula is much smoother and creamier so they tend to glide on more easily. When my lips are as dry as the Sahara desert I tend to opt for this formula as they're quite nourishing. The colour payoff is excellent from both formulas and they're both long lasting.

The shape of the pencils is also noteworthy because it's ideal for beginners and someone who isn't comfortable with makeup application. If you want to experiment with a bright lipstick or perhaps a red then the shape of these will allow you to apply the bold colour easily and without making a mess. It's also perfect for precise application making over-lining the lips an easy task.

My Collection:

Matte: 

- Sex Machine: Pink Mauve 

- Bettina: Natural Nude

- Cruella: Classic Red

- Iberico: Bright Orange

Satin:

- Yu: Fuschia Pink

- Descanso: Peachy Nude

- Torres Del Paine: Light Peachy Coral

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Have you tried Nars lip pencils?

What's your favourite lipstick of all time?

Love,

Cliona xx

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Books I Read In 2016 & My 2017 TBR List

The Best Beauty Launches Of 2016

| The Best Beauty Launches Of 2016! | 

2016 saw a lot of great makeup releases and as a makeup enthusiast, I just couldn't help myself from picking up a few of the swoon-worthy products that were rolling onto shelves. 

Foundation | There weren't too many foundation releases that enthralled me last year but one that got my attention was the Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint. Similarly to Sheer Glow, the name is a deceptive representation of the coverage it provides. The term 'skin tint' lead me to believe that it provides a sheer to light coverage but in fact, it has medium coverage. It feels lightweight and the finish is a beautiful soft matte finish that looks very natural - almost like I'm not wearing any base product despite it covering everything that needs to be covered. I'd highly recommend this if your skin isn't looking too fresh after the festive season as this will provide good coverage whilst allowing your skin to breath. 

Face Palettes | I'm sure most of you know by now how much I love the Hourglass Surreal Light palette {review}. There's five light reflecting and radiant boosting powders housed inside the palette so my complexion always looks incredibly healthy when I reach for this. It was the best launch of 2016 in my opinion and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of their new blush palette on Valentine's Day - Swoon! 

A recent addition to my collection was the SoSu Highlighter Kit and I was completely blown away by it! Inside the palette, you'll find three pressed highlighting powders alongside three baked highlighters.The pigmentation of each of the powders are out of this world and dare I say it better than Becca Champagne Pop {review}! Keep your eyes peeled for a full review soon....

Eyeshadow Palettes | I'm weak when it comes to eyeshadow palettes *insert laughing emoji* and the first 2016 release that turned me into the love-heart eye emoji was the Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland palette. Sadly, it's discontinued now so I try not to talk about it too much on my blog as I find it so frustrating when you can't get a product - Anyone else? Quite a few of the shades are very bold and not something I reach for often, but it's the peach, orange, pink and burgundy shades that I love in the palette. It also has a good selection of browns and neutrals so it's very wearable.

The second new release that had me lusting after it was the Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette. Now that I own it I see what all the hype was about! It has some beautiful neutral shades in it alongside an array of unique burgundy and pink shades. It's basically Autumn/Winter in a palette!

I awoke on Christmas morning to find the Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette waiting under the Christmas tree for me. Again, this is 100% worth the hype! It's an all matte palette but surprisingly it's not boring. I always thought I'd need at least one shimmer eyeshadow to make my eye makeup look interesting but this palette has proved me wrong. You can create a subtle everyday look with a wash of one of the brown shades or you can create an interesting rich smokey look using the burgundy shade or the burnt orange shade. 

Lips | I love Mac lipsticks and as I was perusing their lipstick counter one day, I stumbled upon some new releases that were seriously underrated! I got 'Aim For Gorgeous' {review} which is a stunning bright fuschia shade as well as 'Spoiled Fabulous' which is a sheer frosted gold. The fuschia option would be perfect for brightening up a dreary January day and the gold is perfect for a bit of golden shimmer layered on top of a red or berry lipstick - something fun for an occasion or a night out!

Rosie For Autograph | When I first heard that one RHW was extending her range with M&S and bringing out a makeup line, I squealed with excitement. My jaw nearly dropped to the floor when I saw that the whole collection was made of rose gold packaging {blog post} - It was obviously made for me! I have an eyeshadow palette and a lipstick from the collection, and as the French would say j'adore! I'm having a thing for eyeshadow sticks at the moment and I have my eye on he Rosie For Autograph eyeshadow stick.

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What were your favourite beauty launches of 2016?

Love,

Cliona xx

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Beauty Brands I Want To Try More From In 2017

| Beauty Brands I Want To Try More From In 2017! | 

A new year is a time to broaden one's horizons and as a self-confessed beauty addict, I'll no doubt be expanding my makeup collection in some way or another. If you read my 2017 goals blog post yesterday then you'll know that I'm making it my mission to cut back on makeup buying and investing in skincare a little more, but of course, I still have a few bits on my wish list *wink wink* I'm always headed to the Mac, Nars and Charlotte Tilbury counters as they're my top three brands but this year I'd like to try some products from brands that I like but haven't tried many products from. 

1. Becca Cosmetics:
I fell in love with the Becca Champagne Pop highlighter {review} last year and I've been lusting after a few more products from the brand ever since. All of the products are quite pricey but I'm sure the quality is just as luxurious as Champagne Pop. Their luminous blushes in 'Camellia' and 'Blushed Copper' look amazing as well as the Champagne Splits. I get so much wear out of the highlighter I have and I know I'd get tonnes of wear out of the blushers and champagne splits so I might make a sneaky purchase sometime in the year *insert monkey with his hands over his eyes emoji*

2. Makeup Geek:
MUG eyeshadows are famous in the blogging world and I can easily see why. Good pigmentation? Check! Easy to blend? Check! Good staying power? Definitely! They're one of the best eyeshadow formulas I've come across so I think I "need" to own more than three. I also have one of the foiled shadows which has an intense metallic finish - I definitely need to own more than one of these! 

3. Anastasia Beverley Hills:

This brand is notoriously hard to get ahold of in the UK and Ireland. Beauty websites such as Cult Beauty and Beauty Bay do stock the brand but they don't have all of their products. However a couple of weeks ago ABH launched a UK version of their website so now they ship to the UK, Germany and France but at the moment they don't ship to Ireland unfortunately.They've said they will be adding more locations to their shipping list soon so cross your fingers and toes that Ireland makes the cut. I fell in love with their Modern Renaissance eyeshadow palette but I'm currently coveting the Dipbrow Pomade as well as the Brow Wiz - I'm sure my brows would be on fleek - as the cool kids say - if I managed to get my hands on these! 

4. Zoeva:

I have an eyeshadow palette as well as one of the brush sets from this brand and the quality of both are amazing. The brand is very reasonably priced too so they won't break the bank! The eyeshadow palettes are only €22 and the one I have - the Cocoa Blend palette - is still on par with brands like Too Faced and Urban Decay. I'd love to try a couple more of their eyeshadow palettes this year!

5. By Terry:
By Terry was a brand that I only discovered through blogs and after seeing several people recommend the Ombre Blackstar eyeshadow sticks I knew I needed one in my life. My Mam kindly bought me one for Christmas and I'm loving it! It's quick and effortless to apply, doesn't tug the skin at all and lasts all day without any fading or creasing. I'm very impressed with this product and I'm dying to try more from the brand even though each of their products has a whopping price tag! I now have my eye on their Densiliss concealer as I've heard amazing things about it, but I'm thinking long and hard about it because it is a lot of money.

6. The Balm:

This brand came onto my radar a couple of years ago and I finally decided to try The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer last year. This deserves the hype it gets in my opinion as it's a breath-taking highlighter that provides a soft radiant glow. I've heard good things about the Nude Dude eyeshadow palette so hopefully, I'll get around to trying it.

7. Hourglass:
My first HG product was the new Surreal Light palette they released for Christmas and I instantly fell in love with the unique light reflecting powders. This palette enabled me to try a powder, bronzer, highlighter and blusher from the brand so I was able to try a variety of powders to see if the quality of each were good. I was impressed with all five powders so now I'd love to try a few more of the famous Ambient Lighting powders. The blush and setting powder were the standouts for me in the palette so their Ambient Lighting Blush in 'Mood Exposure' is on the top of my wish list alongside the Ambient Lighting palette - Swoon!

What brands do you want to try more from in 2017?

And what beauty products are on your wishlist for the new year?

Love,

Cliona xx

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