Cosing It

Out with the All Saints phenomenon and in with Cos

I don't like H&M much. The clutter of the shops gets me in a tizzy and rooting to find that all important gem of a purchase never really appeals to me. In this way, and with most other shops, I buy everything online. And so, I was really surprised to find out that my new love Cos was owned by The H&M Group. 

There is a huge jump in the quality of the materials, and not much of a price difference; and while its possible to find some great items in H&M, Cos is one of those shops that has me perving on every piece. Minimalist, reasonably priced and great quality has it ticking all the boxes, forcing me to constantly come back for more. The store launched its Summer sale this week and, naturally I had to pick up a few things...


What do you think? Have you ever been tempted by the Cos range?
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Vodka Nails

As an avid vodka hater, I was surprised to find some in one of the kitchen cabinets. It made me want to try 'newspaper nails' which I saw a while ago on a website (can't think which it was), had done once and then completely forgotten about. And so I got to it, filling my room with the smell of vodka at ten o'clock on a Friday morning.

Its really very simple, with the only things you need  being vodka, a few newspaper cuttings, a coloured nail polish and a clear top coat. First off, you need to paint your nails a colour of your choice; I chose purple but actually think it works better with a lighter shade - I used cream earlier in the week; and filled the vodka lid with some of it (lets face it, its not going to be consumed anytime soon). Dip your dry nails in the vodka, take a small cut out of newspaper and press down for thirty seconds without moving it. Peel off gently and what you are left with is 'newspaper nails'.

A top coat is essential for keeping the print in place, I forgot earlier in the week and this resulted in the print wiping off within a few minutes. While they're not to everyone's taste, they add a nice little touch as a change from the usual nail routine. Vodka nails are all the rage in my house this week, if only I drank the stuff!

Would you try vodka newspaper nails, or would you prefer to drink it instead?!

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The Everyday Blush

I'd completely forgotten about using blush recently. As far as exciting make up products go, its not really on the priority list, and as someone with 'highly pigmented' (read: red) cheeks, I tend to skip it altogether for fear of accentuating the rosiness. Only a few days ago I was rummaging through my storage, throwing away products I didn't want and putting others aside for friends and family when I came across my blusher collection. While its not substantial, it consists of multiple peach shades, the odd pink and a few lots of shimmer thrown in.

But recently, I have found myself reaching for my favourite cream and powder blushes - both of which I tend to use together. The first is Make Up For Ever's HD Blush in #14, a gorgeous bright peach/coral shade that blends beautifully into the skin to create a subtle sheen. The smallest amount is needed, and blended in with fingers adds to the 'natural' effect. On top of it with a small blush brush I add MAC Melba. You've all heard of it before, I've gone through about four of these - it is the perfect natural peach blush that adds colour without resulting in something clown like. The main reason my love for this lives on is its matte consistency. I've used so many shimmery blushes before and the results are always a bit scary. And so, my love for Melba lives on, and the layering of the two products is really beautiful!

Do you layer blusher or do you give it a miss?

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The Hair Issue

Redken 10 Volume Mousse Spray*, Tangle Teeser, Hask Argan Oil, Frizz-Ease Intensive Masque, Batiste Blonde Dry Shampoo

I've been quite the good girl when it comes to buying make-up products for the last few months, but I have fallen down slightly in buying other things. Haircare is one of these. For someone who cared little about the shampoo and conditioner I used a few months ago, it has now become one of my little obsessions. I've got a few requests to talk about my hair routine, and while I think I'll leave that to a future Youtube video, I thought I'd talk about some of those products I've been loving lately.

The Penneys/Primark Argan Oil has been quite the little marvel and has ailed my fear of oil products in the hair. I usually apply this to wet hair after every wash and then to the ends in between washes. I leaves my hair looking super shiny and feels so soft, and at €2.50, its a bit of a no-brainer! I've spoken about the Redken 10 Volume Mousse Spray before, its perfect for creating volume without making your hair sticky, but beware that only the smallest amount is needed unless 'greaseball' is something you aim to achieve. Every week I whack a decent amount of the Frizz-Ease Intensive Masque and leave it on for about five minutes before washing it out - it leaves the hair incredibly silky and because you're not using it regularly the pot lasts ages!

Now, I've never been the biggest fan of Batiste's Dry Shampoo, its grey hue doesn't look goon on anyone. But I saw a bottle of the 'blonde' version and decided to give it a go. While I don't use it a lot, its great for making my hair last an extra day and also helps mask any roots! But probably the best hair product I've found recently has been the Tangle Teeser. After seeing so many sponsored reviews over the last few months, I labelled it as a bit of a gimmick; but when my hair became impossible to brush while wet I decided to bite my tongue and make a cheeky purchase. It is AMAZING. Not only does it get rid of all the knots when my hair is wet but it leaves my hair sleek without removing volume! I love it and don't think I could go back to trying to hack the knots out of my hair with a normal brush!

What are your go-to hair products? I'm looking for a few high-end suggestions, so if you can think of any great products leave them in the comments! 

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The Opening Line

Of all the makeup I have stashed in my storage drawers, I managed to neglect buying two of the most important items that create effortless chic in less than a minute. That overly dramatic statement aside, it emphasises my love for all things 'eye-opening' and as such have rejected all manner of black, brown or navy eyeliner in favour of something a bit more 'polished'.

Enter flesh colour pencil and eyelash curlers. Yes, believe it or not, I didn't own either of these products until quite recently. For the longest time a flesh-toned eyeliner had been on my list of must-buys but I found it impossible to find a decent one that didn't scream 'white tippex'. After a few weeks of harassing counter girls, I opted for Illamasqua Vow which adds the perfect amount natural brightness without looking too fake.

But its probably the Shu Uemura eyelash curlers that have proven to be one of the best buys of the year. Marked at £20/€24.50 at the counters, I considered buying a cheap version in Boots but am so glad I didn't. I'd heard people raving that these were the best curlers as they were a more natural shape than those cheaper versions. And while the metal device doesn't really differ in design, its the cushion pads that come with them that make all the difference. The pads that come with the more expensive lash curlers are curved, providing a more natural, overall curl to the lash; while their cheaper counterparts are straight leaving us with clumpy, awkwardly shaped lashes that fall throughout the day. Simples.

What do you think of the 'open-eye' look?

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PS: I'm still making videos and just uploaded a new one this evening here!

The Two-Week Manicure

I'm a nail biter. I can't help it. Its something I've done for as long as I can remember and no amount of 'Stop and Grow', nail strengtheners or falsies will kill the habit. 

However, for the longest time I have been trying to grow more 'elegant' nails, ones I won't hide in jean pockets or refuse to paint for fear of them drawing attention. Has this been an easy road? Heck no, look at those little stubs above! But I am determined this time. And so I moved onto the last resort.

After my two week manicure* at Carter Beauty last week I found the cure to my nail conundrum - I will manicure my way to happiness! As you can see, I opted for the Essie Mint Candy Apple-esque colour to adorn my nails for the next two weeks which is called Mon River from the Perfect Match range, but with so many colours to choose from I'll definitely be flashing some summery nails over the next while. Yes, I know it weakens the nails like never before (one month on, two weeks shellac free is the answer I think). Yes, its expensive at €30 a pop. Yes, it means the added effort of soaking my nails for ten minutes to remove the stuff while the polish burns away the cuts that remain from previous nail biting. But for once, I am enthusiastic that this is the way to keep my nails polished and in check.

Plus with all the great deals on salon addict it would be crazy not to!

Have you tried the two-week manicure, what was your experience like?

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*one time free treatment