OOTD & FOTD - NYC and Chanel

T-shirt: Urban Outfitters - €19.00

Jeans: Topshop - €60.00

Shoes: Irregular Choice - €135.00

Face:

• Urban Decay Surreal Skin creamy concealer (dream)
• Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting foundation (2 sand)
• Revlon HD Photo Ready powder (light/medium)
• Bobbi Brown bronzing powder (golden light)
• MAC creme blush (posey)

Eyes:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Chanel eyeshadow quad (pictured above)
• Clinique High Impact mascara

Lips:

• Urban Decay lipstick (midnight cowboy)

OOTD & FOTD - Skulls and Glitter

T-shirt: Urban Outfitters - €12.00

Skirt: Topshop - €24.00

Socks: River Island - €6.00

Shoes: Urban Outfitters - €6.00

Ring: Topshop - €2.50

Face:

• Clinique Even Better Foundation (mixture of 01 alabaster & 07 vanilla)
• Benefit Erase Paste (fair)
• Revlon HD Photo Ready powder (light/medium)
• Bobbi Brown bronzing powder (golden light)
• MAC powder blush (breath of plum)

Eyes:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Urban Decay eyeshadow (virgin, maui wowie, cobra)
• Maybelline Cat Eyes mascara

Lips:

• Revlon Colorburst lipstick (plum)

Haircolours Throughout the Years and Beyond: Pink & Turquoise

I had this haircolour combination for a few months after I let the bright purple colour fade a good bit. I decided to try out a dip-dyed style for a change, using one of my favourite brands of hair dye once again!

What I used: La Riché Directions
Shades: Rose Red & Turquoise 

The result:

These colours both have relatively good staying power, requiring re-dying every few weeks or so. I used them over light brown/faded purple hair and despite the purple residue underneath, the pink and turquoise managed to turn out very vibrant! I would definitely recommend these shades along with this brand. 

I hope this post is helpful to some of you :)

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

Cobra

This snakeskin inspired look is more on the dramatic side. I incorporated a beautiful green-gold colour I recently obtained from my haven, Urban Decay, along with a winged shape, the smallest hint of glitter, some heavy contouring, and a glossy nude lip to not overpower the eyes.

Product list after photos!

Products Used:

Face:

• Clinique Even Better Foundation
• Benefit Erase Paste
• Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder (golden light)
• MAC Powder Blush (breath of plum)
• Benefit High Beam

Eyes:

• Urban Decay Eyeshadow (cobra, twice baked, mushroom, midnight cowboy rides again, virgin)
• Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencil (zero, oil slick)
• Maybelline Cat Eyes Mascara

Lips:

• Urban Decay Lipstick (midnight cowboy)

Hope you all enjoy!

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

Neutrality

What I used:

• Urban Decay Eyeshadow (Half Baked, Twice Baked, Cobra, Virgin)
• Maybelline Cat Eyes Mascara
• Urban Decay Eyeliner (Rockstar)

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

Purple/Blue Cat Eye

What I used: 

• Urban Decay Eyeshadow (Asphyxia, Flash, Uzi, Radium)
• Topshop Liquid Liner (Black)
• Maybelline Cat Eyes Mascara
• Urban Decay Eyeliner (Deviant, Zero)

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

Haircolours Throughout the Years and Beyond: Dark Purple to Bright Purple!

Here it is! Part deux of my haircolour series. During the Summer of 2011 I decided I wanted my hair to be brighter and more vibrant, and to do so I was going to need to bleach it before dying.
Bleach kits can generally be found in any drugstore, but bare in mind that bleaching your hair is inevitably going to damage it, so I would advise using a deep conditioning treatment after the process has been completed. As for the dye, I did a lot of research on which type would be the least damaging to my hair and give me the effect that I was aspiring. In the end I chose a red-based semi-permanent purple colour.

What I used: La Riché Directions
Shade: Plum

The result:

Being totally honest, this dye was not the best I have ever used. The colour itself was very vibrant to begin with, but it faded quite quickly and not very nicely, turning patchy with streaks of bleach showing through within about two weeks! Therefore a lot of re-dying was required to maintain it. I haven't used this particular shade since, and I probably wouldn't recommend it, however Directions by La Riché have a wide selection of semi permanent dyes (as well as bleach kits/other haircare products) in every colour you could imagine. Some work better than others, and evidently this one did not live up to my expectations!

I hope this post was helpful! Feedback is always appreciated :)

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

My Daily Skincare Routine! (For Oily/Blemish-Prone Skin)

My week-long hiatus is over, so I've decided to make this post to inform you all of my daily skincare routine! I've always been a firm believer in the cleanse, tone, moisturise method for keeping skin clear, healthy and fresh looking. So here are the products I use to maintain that appearance to my skin:

Cleanser I use: Soap & Glory 3-in-1 Daily-Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash

Cleansers are used to remove any excess dirt/oil/impurities from your pores to help keep your skin clean. This is one of the best face washes/cleansers I have ever used, hands down! My good friend Niamh tried it out a few months ago and didn't like it as it didn't agree with her skin, so she very generously gave it to me to try out! Since then, my skin has been so much clearer and feels so much healthier, making it look better with makeup and without (which is always nice!). It says to apply a "grape-sized" amount into your hands, and massage it into your skin with warm water before rinsing it off. This really is the perfect amount to use as it forms a lovely soft lather while at the same time, not being too drying. It also has tiny pink beads inside to gently exfoliate your skin, it never fails to make my face feel as good as new (especially after a night out!). I'm sure this wash would be best suited to oily skin types for daily use. If your skin is more dry however, I would recommend using it about 2-3 times a week to help keep your skin looking and feeling great!

Toner I use: Lush Tea Tree Toner Water

Toners are used to restore the pH balance to your skin, remove and excess cleanser/oil and to shrink the pores. This toner water from Lush is designed for oily, problematic or blemish-prone skin (perfect for me!). It contains tea tree oil which has antibacterial, antiseptic, and antimicrobal properties, which basically means that it helps to heal the skin of any redness, discolouration or blemishes that could appear. I'm a big fan of the way this toner is applied. It comes in a spray bottle which you spritz onto your skin and pat it gently to help it sink in. This method of application is very refreshing, especially in the summertime when the hot weather makes you feel anything but refreshed and clean! 

Moisturiser I use: Lush Enzymion

Disregard any myths you have have ever heard about oily skin not needing moisturiser because it "has enough oil/moisture already!" This is not true. Oily skin requires moisturiser just as much as dry skin does, to prevent the skin from over-compensating for the removal of all that oil/dirt during the cleansing and toning process. The pores of oily skin would become more and more clogged up if moisturiser was not used, which is why there are ones made specifically for every skin type. So to sum it all up, using moisturiser on oily skin balances everything out and keeps it looking at its best.

This cream is packed full of fresh ingredients such as lemon juice, aloe vera gel, cocoa butter and organic pressed avocado. It gives a matte finish to the skin as a result and has a gorgeous, fruity scent! It reduces shine, brightens, and replenishes nourishment which is exactly what the skin requires. Due to it keeping over-production of oil at bay, it gives makeup a better staying power allowing it to glide on easily and appear much fresher and more natural. I would recommend this product to anyone suffering from any of the skin issues I have mentioned in this post, it really is amazing and lives upto exactly what it states!

I hope this informative post has helped anyone! Feedback is always appreciated :)

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

Announcement!

Due to me being back at school this week, my posts have been severely lacking as you can tell. But I have good news! My wonderful friend Finn (take a peek at his blog, his artwork is phenominal!) is going to come over this weekend so we can have a little photoshoot of some outfits I've been practically living in for the past month or two! His camera takes very high quality photos so expect better quality posts as a result, such as OOTDs, makeup tutorials and the like. So I will recommence posting properly again this weekend!

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

Haircolours Throughout the Years and Beyond: Natural to Dark Purple

As you can see from my icon photo, I'm not exactly a run-of-the-mill type of person when it comes to my hair. I've had many different colour changes throughout the past year or two so I decided to start this series to inform you of what dyes/products I've used and give you all my feedback on them.

My natural haircolour is a medium to dark, chocolate brown. I had it cut into a short bob with a full fringe well over a year ago as pictured below.

(It's me! Mariooo!)

This haircut kickstarted my feelings of wanting to start dyeing my hair! As cheesy as it sounds, I was going through a very difficult time in my life at that point, and more than anything I just wanted a change. So I dyed my hair (how cliché, right?).

What I used: Schwartzkopf Live Colour XXL

Shade I used: Cyber Purple (46)

The result:

I liked this hair colour on me, however it was not nearly bright enough for my liking. This was due to the fact that I did not pre-lighten my hair beforehand, therefore I was inevitably going to achieve a darker shade. The dye itself is very easy to apply, it is a permanent colour that comes with plastic gloves and an instructions leaflet. As my hair was quite short I only needed to use one bottle, but if your hair is any longer than shoulder length I would advise maybe buying two boxes (better safe than sorry!). The consistency is very liquidy and spreads easily, allowing each strand of hair to be evenly coated.

I hope this helps anyone looking for hair inspiration! Feedback is much appreciated :)

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

Review: Urban Decay Mariposa Palette (Photos & Swatches Included!)

This palette was a limited edition Sephora exclusive, but it is still available on their website! I myself was lucky enough to receive this as a gift from my aunt recently after she spotted it in an airline shopping catalogue!
It is packaged in a tin box with a hinged lid, so it would be perfect for traveling. It comes with ten highly pigmented eyeshadows, ranging from neutrals to brights, and a travel-size synthetic hair eyeshadow brush.

Shades: (L-R) Top Row: Rockstar, Gunmetal, Skimp, Infamous, Wreckage

Bottom Row: Haight, Money, Mushroom, Spotlight, Limelight

(L-R) Wreckage, Infamous, Skimp, Gunmetal, Rockstar

(L-R) Haight, Money, Mushroom, Spotlight, Limelight

I apologise for the terrible quality webcam photos, I am in desperate need of a new camera charger/connector so as soon as I remember to get one, better quality photos will be on the way! :) 

Product photos curtesy of Temptalia. 

I will be uploading looks/tutorials from this palette in the future so stayed tuned!

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥

My Makeup Kit: Face Products!

I'm making this post to show you all what I use on a daily basis for my face makeup. There will be another post about what products I use for eye makeup such as what palettes I own etc! Let's get started! :)

Foundation: Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation SPF 15 
Shade: Sand (2)

Like many people, I've changed my foundation many a time throughout my life so far. I've tried out lots of different brands ranging from drugstore to high end, and I must say, this has to be one of my favourites I've ever used! I went to my local Bobbi Brown counter at the department store and got my shade matched perfectly to my skin by one of the workers there about 4 months ago and haven't stopped using it since! It's got a liquid consistency with a pump, which I love (for hygiene reasons)! It sits really nicely on the skin, with a mattifying texture that doesn't slip around on my oily skin during the day. It also has SPF 15 which would be a bonus for people living in sunnier climates than Ireland :) all in all this is a fantastic foundation and I would recommend it to anyone!

Concealer: Benefit Erase Paste

Shade: Fair

I've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with this concealer for a long time.. Mainly because of it's consistency. It is quite thick and pasty (hence the name), but the coverage is very good! In my opinion it is better for covering up dark circles under the eyes and hyperpigmentation (redness around the nose etc) rather than for concealing the occasional blemish as it will make them appear dry and flaky. Although in saying that, it conceals the redness on my nose/chin area better than any concealer I have ever tried!

Powder: Urban Decay Razor Sharp Ultra Definition Finishing Powder

Shade: Translucent

This product is one of my favourites in my entire makeup kit! It does everything a translucent powder should, and not one word of a lie, I've owned one of these for almost 2 years now and I have literally just ran out of it, so it is very long lasting. It has a built-in powder puff so there's no need for a brush, and all you need to do it twist it open and closed so no product gets wasted! The texture is very lightweight and needs barely any touch ups throughout the day.

Bronzer/Contour Powder: Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder

Shade: Golden Light 

Having such pale skin, as I do, provokes fears of achieving that orange/streaky look when using bronzer for contouring the cheekbones/jawline/nose etc. This product provokes no such fear! Bobbi Brown in particular have an extensive range of shades to compliment every skin tone so anyone and everyone can find their perfect match! This bronzer has a matte finish and goes on flawlessly to help the face achieve a more chiseled appearance.

Blush: MAC Powder Blush & MAC Cremeblend Blush

Shades: Breath of Plum & Posey

(Breath of Plum)

(Posey)

These are the only blushes I own, and I alternate between the two depending on what eyeshadow look I am trying to achieve. I am a fan of the cremeblend blush, Posey, more so than the powder because I think it gives a more natural looking finish, therefore it would be better for daytime. Whereas I use the plummy coloured powder blush for either evening time or a more dramatic daytime look. The consistencies of both are long lasting, the colour is buildable and they both have a matte finish. All in all these are both extremely good products, and MAC has a huge range of colours and textures to choose from!

I hope this post was helpful to all of you! I will be doing a lot more reviews in the future and feedback, positive or negative, is much appreciated :)

Much loves - Emmasaurr ♥