Kudos To Khloe!

Hey everyone!

I was inspired to start a series on my blog after seeing a quote on Pinterest (I am honestly a Pinterest addict! 😁

It’s so true! Instead of spreading negativity and putting each other down, we should be empowering each other and that’s what I intend on doing here each week! ☺️

So...it's WCW (Woman Crush Wednesday). It’s been around for awhile on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook so I decided to start something similar here on the blog! It will feature my style icons, my fitness inspirations, my favourite Youtube creators, bloggers etc.

So, let’s get down to business! Picking my WCW this week wasn’t hard at all. After seeing her cover of Complex magazine, it was undoubtedly going to be the beautiful Khloe Kardashian One word...WOW!

It must have been a huge deal for her to say yes to do such a photo shoot. Being in the spotlight, she is constantly being scrutisinised on her appearance, what she says and everything in between! I commend her for stepping out of her comfort zone and doing this photo shoot!

She also needs to be applauded for posting the untouched version of the photo too! She looks absolutely incredible in the untouched version. In fact, there’s not a huge difference between the two photos! So, Kudos to you, Khloe!

Khloe is my fitness inspiration! She always has been and she’s even more of an inspiration to me after this photo shoot! She is a straight talking, hard working,  beautiful girl and I cannot praise her enough for stepping out of her comfort zone and saying to the world, and the people who constantly put her down and scrutinise her, that ‘this is me’. Love her or hate her, you have to agree that that’s a seriously difficult thing to do, in a society that, if you don’t have a certain body shape or if you don’t look a certain way, then you’re not deemed as beautiful. Way to go Khloe! You look amazing! ☺️

Who is your WCW?

Linda, x

***Photo credit to www.instagram.com/khloekardashian

Romance Isn't Dead!

Hey everyone!

So, as you may or may not know, I am a very big fan of the very amazing Ed Sheeran. I have been for many years now. He is just....WOW! 😍 He played two nights in Croke Park in Dublin this weekend. Needless to say, I was SO disappointed that I wasn't able to get tickets for either of the gigs. Of course with not being there, I had to search Youtube for every video possible! I have seen SO many amazing videos from both nights and I am extremely jealous of each and every one of the 160,000 people that he played to over the weekend! 😅

If Ed playing Croker for two nights wasn't amazing enough, he had the amazing Kodaline (who I am also a massive fan of) join him on stage both nights. The first night they sang my favourite song of all time, All I Want. That song means so much to me. It's so beautifully written. The lads from Kodaline are so talented! I didn't think that song could get any better but Ed adds something so special to it! You can have a listen to it here.

On the second night, Ed invited the Kodaline lads back onstage along with Irish musician Glen Hansard with him to sing a couple of Irish songs. BUT if that wasn't amazing enough, something beautiful happened. Jay Boland from Kodaline proposed to his girlfriend Etaoin Corr on stage! It's seriously one of the most beautiful and romantic things I've ever seen! Who says romance is dead, eh?! :)

Men of Ireland take note! :)

I just couldn't let something like this pass by without mentioning it! It's just so beautiful! It's so refreshing to see something so positive get so much media attention! ☺️ Congratulations Jay and Etaoin! I'm wishing you a lifetime of happiness together! ❤️

What made you smile this weekend? :)

Linda, x

***Picture credit to www.independant.ie

Monday Mani: Caviar Darling!

Hey everyone!

 I hope you're all well!

So... like loads of other people, I lusted after a lot of Ciaté products. So, when I went into a local TX Maxx store, I was so excited to find some of their products!

I picked up a limited edition "Caviar Manicure" set for a very impressive €9.99. In this set you get a paint pot and a bottle of their caviar pearl too.

Let me just say, I love this set! This particular set will be a recurring feature for me during the summer! They're the perfect colours for summer.

I am super impressed with this and one of the main reasons for this is, it's so easy to use which is very important for me because I am rubbish at anything nail related!

So in this set I got the paint pot in "holiday blues" and the caviar pearls in "cotton candy" along with a funnel for putting the excess pearls back into the bottle when you've finished the manicure.

Here's a step by step guide on how to do a caviar manicure:

1. Apply a base coat.
2. Apply the paint pot to the nails and let it dry completely.
3. Next, sit the tray that the products come in, underneath your hand to catch any excess pearls and then apply another coat of the paint pot and then sprinkle the caviar pearls over whilst the nail polish is still wet.
4. Secure the pearls by pressing down on them and VOILA! 

Using the funnel that comes in the set, pour the excess pearls back into the bottle and you're done! Obviously, if you want, you can apply a top coat over this.

This is super simple and so pretty on the nails. I think this may be the start of a love affair between Ciaté and I! :)

What nail proucts are you loving at the moment?
Chat to you soon!

Love, Linda x

January 2015 Favourites!

Hey everybody.

I actually can't believe just how fast this past month has flown! It's been an amazing month for me so far. I'm now a super proud aunt to the most beauitful little girl I've ever seen! :) This is shaping up to be a pretty good year!

So in terms of my favourites this month, some of the products featuring in my January Favourites are Christmas presents that I am in love with! So, let's get down to business.

First up is something that I had to try after watching Dale from MonsterMakeupxx first impression of this product. It's the P.S. Love This Makeup Brush Cleanser. It's as cheap as chips and does a top job of cleaning my makeup brushes in between their dreaded weekly bath! I'll definitely be repurchasing this!

So, we've all been there. It's Christmas. You're broke from buying presents for everyone and you've just run out of your favourite moisturiser. You're on a budget but you'd love to find a half decent product to keep you going until you can afford your auld favourite again. Well, this is my scenario down to a tee. So, off I went to my local Lidl having a wee nose around the place when I found this little gem. It's the Cien Intensive Anti-Wrinkle with Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E & UV Filter Moisturiser. My dry skin loves this product. It has been a bit of a saviour these past couple of months for me and has been a staple in my everyday skincare routine this month.

So last year, I remember a lot of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Nicole Scherzinger raving about this next product. As usual, I tend to wait for the hype to die down and eventually try the product! Ha Ha! It's the EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm in Strawberry Sorbet. I like this and I've used it everyday in January but honestly, it's a nice lip product but it's not amazing. Judging by the hype that surrounded this, I was expecting miracles but it's just a nice lip balm with nice packaging with a couple of celebrity admirers. It's kept my lips moisturised during the winter months and for that, it deserves a mention here!

Next up is my favourite eye primer ever! It's the Urban Decay Primer Potion. I've tried and tested many eye primers over the years but this is the one that I always come back to. It's a staple in my makeup bag. When I'm running low on this and I'm on a budget, I love that for only €11, I can pick up the travel size one and it lasts such a long time! It deserves the cult status that surrounds it!

One makeup product that I couldn't live without is concealer. I have tried and tested many 'drugstore' concealers over the years but this is my favourite. It's something that I have used constantly over the past few months and I'll definitely be repurchasing when I get to Boots next week! It's the Seventeen Stay Time Up To 18 Hours Full Cover Flawless Finish Concealer. I have dark circles underneath my eyes. They aren't very prominent but I do like a full coverage concealer to covering them up and this does an amazing job at cover them up! I'm going to do a review of this product soon. I have a feeling this will be a recurring feature in my monthly favourites! :)

NYX Cosmetics is a brand that I fell in love with a couple of years ago after buying some of their products from Makeup Geek's website. Now, NYX are stocked in Ireland and they're very much becoming a cult brand this side of the pond too! After seeing many of my fellow Irish beauty bloggers raving about this product, I couldn't get to my local pharmacy quick enough to pick up this product. It's the NYX Powder Blush in Taupe and it is the perfect contour shade for me. It's perfect for a daytime or a nighttime look. The quality is amazing and the best part of all is, it's inexpensive. At €7.99, you get 4 grams of product. Very impressive! I have a feeling NYX Cosmetics are going to be a massive part of my makeup collection!

So before Christmas, I was ashamedly, a Sleek Makeup virgin. Well that is no longer! With the help of my best friend, I burst my Sleek Makeup cherry! She bought me the Sleek i-Divine palette in Storm. I have used the lighter colours for daytime and used the darker, more sultry colours for nighttime looks. It's such a versatile palette with a broad range of colours. They are super pigmented and very buttery. They blend beautifully and have amazing pay off! With such amazing quality at such an inexpensive price, I'm looking forward to adding more Sleek Makeup to my makeup collection!

And last up is a makeup brush that I have been lusting after for a very long time but never got around to purchasing. So my brother, with a few hints from moi, got me this for Christmas. It's the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. HOW DID I COPE WITHOUT THIS BRUSH IN MY LIFE?! Ha Ha! I'm a massive fan of the very amazing Pixiwoo ladies. I was lucky enough to meet them during the summer in Dublin during their Real Techniques Roadshow tour. Here's a picture of my best friend and I meeting Sam and Nic! :) 

It's safe to say, this brush definitely lived up to my very high expectations. These girls can do no wrong in my eyes. I can't wait to get my mitts on some of the brushes from the girls Bold Metal collection!

Phew! So, that's it! Thank you if you stuck with me through this super long post!

January has definitely been an interesting and exciting month for me. In terms of beauty, I've been enjoying trying out new brands. I've found a few brands that will definitely have a permanent place in my makeup collection and will undoubtedly make an appearnace in upcoming 'favourites' blogposts!

I hope February is as kind to me as January was. I hope January was good for you too! :)

Love, Linda x

November Favourites!

Hey everybody!

Can you believe that it's almost CHRISTMAS?! I'm so excited for it! It's my favourite time of the year!

So, November was a mixed month for me! The highlight of my month was seeing my oldest brother getting married. :) It was a beautiful day for my family. We all had such an amazing day!

The low of the month for me was a family friend passing away aged just 22 years old. It was such a shock to the close knit community that I live in. His passing definitely put things into perspective. Life is short to be anything other than happy. Live each day to the fullest.

So with that being said, let's get down to business!

My favourites this month are a bit of a mixed bag!

First up is Schwarzkopf Got2B Glued Blasting Freeze Spray. This is my favourite hair spray ever! This is gooood stuff! I bought this after Nikki Tutorials recommended it in one of her videos recently! LOVE!

Next up is a cheap as chips dupe! It's Suddenly Madame Glamour perfumme. You can get it in Lidl for €3.99 and I'm not joking when I say this is a dupe for Chanel Mademoiselle. This stuff lasts all day. I love Chanel Mademoiselle but I can't afford to get a new bottle so this is definitely a great alternative!

I love my 'drugstore' foundations and I think that there are so many amazing ones out there. You don't necessarily need to spend a shed load of money on expensive ones when you can get the same benefits from a less expensive one from the 'drugstore'! With that being said, my favourite foundation this month is from L'Oréal and it's the True Match foundation. I always stray away and try other foundations but ultimately, I always come back to this!

So, on a recent shopping trip to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, I accidently picked up Urban Decay Naked Skin BB Cream instead of their primer. I am so impressed by this! I use it as a primer and so far it's been amazing! I've a review to come soon!

Next up is my trusty Urban Decay Primer Potion. This is my favourite eyeshadow primer. Enough said really!

My favourite nail product of the month is Catrice Quick Dry and Shine Top Coat. I don't tend to spend a lot of money on nail products and this is definitely great quality at a low price! In general, Catrice is one of my favourite makeup brands. They do some amazing products, so if you haven't checked their products out yet, and they're available to you, I definitely recommend you give their products a try! :)

And lastly is something a little different. It's Cosmetic buds from Penneys Love This beauty brand. They're double ended, obviously. One end is a q tip and the other side is flat. Both are perfect for makeup application and clean up. It's available for €1. Bargain!

So, that's my favourites for this month! I am super excited for Christmas!

What makeup products are on your Christmas wishlist?

Linda, x

One Million Dubliners - A Captivating Documentary

Hey everybody,

I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything but I felt compelled to share with you, a documentary that I watched recently.

After reading a lot of tweets from people raving about this I had to watch it for myself to see what it was really about.

If you want to watch the trailer, click here.

One Million Dubliners is a documentary directed by Aoife Kelleher. One of the opening lines in the documentary is "there are 1.5 million people buried in Glasnevin cemetary and the population of the whole of Dublin is 1.2 million. There are more people buried in Glasnevin than there are walking around Dublin." That to me is just an amazing statistic.

So, One Million Dubliners is centred around Glasnevin cemetery in Dublin, where we meet the historian and tour guide, Shane Mac Thomáis. It's apparent from the beginning that he is charismatic and interesting and very passionate about his job. From the beginning of the film, I was enthralled by his stories. Not only do we meet Shane who gives us a little background into the historical figures who are buried at Glasnevin cemetery but he gives us some insight into his affiliation with the cemetery too. We also hear the stories of people who have loved ones bureid at the cemetery too. It's such a poignant and moving film.

If there's one thing you do this month, I'd recommend that you watch this beautiful and moving film. It's available from the RTÉ player here. I believe it's available on the RTÉ player for a couple more weeks but if you can't get access to the RTÉ player, it's also available on DVD from this Friday, November 28th.

It's not something that I usually share here but it really moved me and I just had to share.

Linda, x


The video is from www.youtube.com/undergroundfilmspro
The picture is from www.undergroundfilms.ie

July Favourites

Hey there!

I know I sound like a Granny when I say this but, can you believe how fast this year is going? I can't believe it's August already!

So, let's get to my favourites for this month! :)

The first thing I've been loving not just this month but for quite awhile now is Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. It costs €6.49 and lasts such a long time! My sensitive skin hasn't had any problems with this so far and it doesn't leave a weird film on your face like some cleansing lotions tend to.

As we've been relatively lucky with the sunshine here in Ireland this summer, my Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip Moisturiser has been keeping my skin beautifully moisturised and prolonging my tan. I absolutely LOVE the smell of this! Whether you're trying to prolong your fake tan or your natural tan, this is the perfect moisturiser to do just that!

Next is something that I've just recently came across and so far I'm really liking this too. It's the Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo. It took awhile for me to get used to the smell of this but it is a great dry shampoo. It's definitely something that I will be re-purchasing.

A foundation that I've been loving a lot lately is the Catrice All Matt Plus Shine Control Make Up. I am planning to do a review on this but for the warmer weather, this is the foundation that I found myself reaching for the most this month!

And lastly is a concealer which I have heard alot about but everytime I went to buy it, my shade was sold out. By chance a few weeks ago, I found one in my shade and couldn't wait to get it. It's the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. I understand the hype surrounding this too! It is hands down, the best drugstore concealer I've used to date.

So, there you have it, short and sweet! :)
I'm trying to keep my favourite products each month at 5 just to keep the waffling to a minimum! :)

What have your favourite products been this month? Have you any recommendations for me?

Linda, x