FOTD¦ Simple Bronzed Eye

I recently uploaded a picture on my Instagram (make sure to follow me- @SarahWhelehan) of the makeup I was wearing/my FOTD (Face of the Day). It is quite a simple makeup look- ideal for everyday. I seem to always go back to wearing this eye look in particular lately. It's great for those mornings when you're in a rush and it looks really pretty too!

Here's how to create this look:

Face:

• I started off with my Elave moisturiser and after about 10 minutes I applied my GOSH Velvet Touch Primer. I apply my primer using my fingers.
• Next up was my foundation. Recently I've been trying out NARS Sheer Glow (my shade is 'Deauville') and I've been loving it! I've got so many compliments on it! I apply my foundation using my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. 
• After I've applied my foundation I apply some concealer/eye brightener under my eye area. I'm currently using the Illuminating Touch Pen from Collection (formally Collection 2000) Shade 2 Natural.

Eyebrows:

• My first step in my eyebrow routine is to have them tinted, waxed and shaped. Recently I've gone to the Benefit Brow Bar to get my eyebrows done and I enjoyed my experience there and I'm really happy with the final result. Check out your local Benefit counter for their Brow Bar, or if you're in Dublin City Centre, check out their store on South William Street (right beside Grafton Street). So cute!
• When doing my makeup myself I start off by applying some clear brow gel to my brows to try and keep stray hairs in place! I'm using the Clear Brow Gel from Collection.
• I then go in with an angled eye brush and apply some matte brown eyeshadow to my brows to define and shape them a little more.

Eyes:

• First up is to apply some eyeshadow primer. I'm still using my much loved Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. I like to blend this across my eyelid using my fingertips.
• For this particular Bronzed Eye look, I have been using one product and believe it or not, it is not an eyeshadow! To create this look I've been using my current bronzer- MAC 'Give Me Sun' all over my eyelid, blended with my MAC 217 eyeshadow brush. It adds a nice bit of warmth to your eyes and a bronzed eye is suitable for any eye colour. It just proves that our products we have in our makeup bag are not strictly to be used on one area. As in a bronzer isn't just to be used as a bronzer on your face. You can use it as an eyeshadow! And I use an eyeshadow to fill in my eyebrows! Don't be afraid to use your products in different ways! Experiment!!
• I then applied a small bit of a light shimmery colour as a highlight under my browbone and above my eyeshadow.
• I then applied some liquid eyeliner. I do love this one- Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Liner (001 Black) and I applied a thin natural line, along my lash line. 
• Before applying my mascara I applied some eyeliner to my waterline and tightline, just for that extra bit of definition.
• Before applying my mascara, I curled my eyelashed using my eyelash curler from No7 and followed up with my current mascara from YSL, and it's the Babydoll Mascara* in Black.

Bronzer/Highlighter/Blusher:

• To finish off my makeup I like to apply some bronzer. Again I use my MAC 'Give Me Sun' to contour my cheekbones and for a bronzed glow, all over my face, using my Real Techniques Blush Brush.
• I then applied a small bit of blusher to my cheeks. At the minute I'm using a blusher from E.L.F in the shade Pink Passion. Again I like to use my Real Techniques Blush Brush to apply this.
• Finally to finish off I like to apply some of my MAC 'Hush' highlighter to the tops of my cheeks and down my nose.

It's as simple as that! I use a mixture of drugstore and high-end products and it is pretty easy to re-create. I really love this MAC Bronzer and I recommend it but if you can't get hold of it, try using your current bronzer!

Tweet me a picture if you recreate this look and let me know how you get on!

Sarah

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My Skincare Bag!

I always love looking inside people's skincare bags to see what skincare products they have or what they have been enjoying using. I always end up buying something that I see in these kind of posts, where people share exactly what skincare products they are using! So I decided I wanted to share what's in my Skincare Bag at the minute and exactly what I'm using during this transitional period of Winter-Spring!

Cleanser

On days where I have makeup on I have been using only ONE product. That one product I'm sure most of you will have heard about at this stage due to the hype about it online! But I've been using it for a few months now and have to say that I love it! Enter: Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish-Hot Cloth Cleanser. I've already purchased my second bottle of it! I've been using this 100ml pump bottle for about 3 months now and I'll be starting on my new one soon. It is suited to my sensitive skin and I love the smell of it also (it's quite like a menthol scent with eucalyptus). I massage about 2 pumps onto my face and eyes and it dissolves all my makeup so quickly (including eye makeup). In case you're wondering, I use their Muslin Cloths to remove the cleanser.

On other days where I want a morning cleanse in the shower or an evening cleanse when I've had no makeup on during the day, I'll use my Clarins Daily Engergizer Cleansing Gel. It's a really great cleanser to use in the shower as it is nice and light and slightly foams up while gently cleansing your skin. The smell of this again I love- it's zingy and zesty! 

Exfoliator

I'm still using the same facial exfoliator (review here) by Avène and that is their Gentle Purifying Scrub*. I like to use this after I cleanse my face, once or twice a week. I have a review done on my blog so check it out here.

On to exfoliating my lips! I like to either use my LUSH Bubblegum lip scrub (smells devine!) or if you don't have that, a simple soft toothbrush will do the job. I actually enjoy exfoliating my lips as you are left with really soft, smooth lips, which makes applying your favourite lipstick or lipgloss so much easier!

Facial Water Spray

After I cleanse my face or cleanse and exfoliate, I then like to spray some thermal water on my face and neck (be sure to bring your cleanser, exfoliator, thermal water spray and moisturiser down your neck!), just to refresh my skin after cleansing it. The one I'm currently using is by Evian and it's their Facial Spray.

Face Serum/Mask

The next step in my skincare routine is to apply some hydrating serum. Especially with the chillier weather we've been having, I've been looking for a serum that will keep my skin hydrated during Winter and Spring. I have been using Caudalie's Vinosource S.O.S Serum and have purchased a full size bottle of it after I discovered it a couple of years back in a Glossybox. This serum is great as it is lightweight and soaks into your skin within a minute. Literally! (Again I love the smell of this product!) One pump is all you need for your face and neck but I'm near the end of my bottle so I'll have to buy another one! Do you know of any hydrating serums? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter- @SarahWhelehan. 

After the Caudalie serum soaks in, every two-three days I'll apply my Avène Soothing Moisture Mask* which I love! This moisture mask does exactly what it says and provides a moisture boost to the skin, so I apply it every two-three days to give my skin that bit more moisture. I have a review here on my blog so if you want to find out more, check it out!

Eyelashes

This is probably not something everyone features in their skincare bag or their skincare routine but I have been using L'Oreal's Renewal Lash Serum on my eyelashes for a while now and it is part of my skincare routine. I apply it to my eyelashes (top and bottom) after I cleanse my face. Honestly, I bought this product about a year ago and am using it every day for about 9 months now but I'm not too sure if I can see a difference. Some days I think that my eyelashes are long and that it is working and then other days I don't see a difference! So I'm not sure, but I will continue to use it and see how I get on. Have you ever used this product? Do you find it any good?

Moisturiser

Depending on whether it is daytime or nighttime, I use one of the following moisturisers. For daytime I am still using my Elave Daily Skin Defence SPF45 moisturiser (review here) during Winter. I firmly believe it is so important to use SPF on your skin on a daily basis. Those harmful sun-rays do come through the clouds you know?! So this is my day moisturiser.

For nighttime I like to apply Elemis FreshSkin Dreamy Sleep* moisturiser. This is a new product to feature in my skincare routine but it is one that will stay! Elemis is such an amazing brand and a really great brand. Their skincare is a real treat and is luxurious and the price tag isn't too bad for what you get either. This product has a really interesting texture, slightly thicker than your usual moisturiser, nearly like a moose. But I love to apply this product to my skin right before bed and fall asleep to the beautiful smell of lavender and chamomile. You will wake up to really soft skin! This product is particularly targeted to people in their 20's-30's and provides great hydration also! The smell of this product is quite strong but you will get used to it-it's quite aromatic and spa-like! Overall, this is a great nighttime moisturiser and a real treat for your skin. You can buy it online here from FeelUnique or in your nearest Elemis stockist.

Eye Cream

I like to apply a small bit of eye cream to my eye area after I moisturise my face. At the moment I'm either using Avène's Soothing Eye Contour Cream* or CHANEL's Sublimage La Crème Yeux, both of which are great eye creams. If you're looking for a dupe for the CHANEL Sublimage eye cream, then check out Avène's Soothing Eye Contour Cream! 

Lips

The final step in my skincare routine is to apply some moisturiser to my lips. At the moment, in my Skincare Bag are 3 lips balms/protectants. I like to have these 3 to hand. For a light bit of moisturise I'll apply Figs & Rouge 100% Organic Balm in Cherry & Vanilla. If I'm then looking for a more intense lip balm to really help my lips I love to either use Elizabeth Arden's classic Eight Hour Cream or KORRES Lip Butter in Guava. Both the Eight Hour Cream or the KORRES lip butter are great for putting on just before you hop into bed, and work through the night!

So there you have it, what's in my Skincare Bag and what I'm using in my Skincare Routine! Can't you tell I love nice smelling skincare products?! 

I hope you found this blogpost useful! Let me know what you like to use and if you'd like an in-depth review on any of the above products! That's no problem!

Sarah

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Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan by Marissa Carter

When I first heard about Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan* over 10 months ago now, I had no idea how successful it was going to become! This tan is widely recognised all over the world at this stage, and rightly so! Here is how I got on using Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan.

Preparation-
(The Day before applying Cocoa Brown Tan)

In order to prep your skin for this tan (or any tan for that matter) it is always best of exfoliate your skin prior to applying the tan. I exfoliate my entire body using Pulp Friction by Soap&Glory (my current body scrub) while in the shower the day before, focusing on my knees and elbows so I don't get a build up of tan on these areas. I also shave the day before applying the tan to try and ensure I get as smooth an application as I possible. After the shower I moisturise using a body lotion (avoid using the Palmers Cocoa Butter body lotion at this time as it takes a good 24-36 hours to fully sink into your skin). I do love Palmers Cocoa Butter body moisturiser, but not for the day before applying tan!

(The Day of application)

At this stage, your skin should be all ready to apply your tan. Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan develops in as little as 1 hour and the colour is visible when you apply it so you can see where you have/haven't put the tan. After you have applied the tan to your skin (using a mitt is best-check out their tan mitts here) you can leave the tan on for 1 hour for a natural, light colour, 2 hours for a warmer toned colour or 3 hours for a deep rich 'cocoa brown' colour! (Just to note, no matter how long you leave it on after the 3 hours, it won't develop further).

Personally I feel that 2-2 1/2 hours is right for me for a night out. But if I wanted just a light natural glow, then I would leave it on for about 1-1 1/2 hours. After this you hop into the shower and have a quick shower and wash off the excess. I like to grab some shower gel and gently rub my skin and wash off the excess. I really do recommend having this shower as the colour is not the same if you don't wash off the excess (I think it can be a little too dark if you don't wash it off). (TOP TIP- Don't wash your hair at the same time as you wash off the excess tan because when you rinse your hair the increased flow in water will remove the majority of the tan. Keep the flow of water pretty light!)

Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan does contain an ingredient that gives your skin moisture and makes the application of the tan on a mitt very easy. It literally glides on your skin. You don't need to apply moisturiser to your skin until day 3 of wearing the tan. It is recommended that you use an oil free moisturiser if you plan on applying more of this tan, on day 3 for example. But when you want to remove the tan, do use a body scrub and a body oil to help remove the tan.

Personally for me, I wouldn't leave my tan on for more than 2 days. I would rather remove the tan and apply a fresh layer on a clean base. For this reason, I use this tan slightly different to most. I prefer to remove the tan (or any tan for that matter) a day or two after applying it. This can be time consuming, as I find Cocoa Brown quite stubborn to remove. It does take a few steps I find to remove the tan. I have tried using different body scrubs, but for me it takes a good day or two before any remaining tan is gone. But if you enjoy wearing long-lasting fake tan and don't see it as a chore to remove the tan and you'd moisturise to help keep the tan looking it's best, then this product is for you! Cocoa Brown have also brought out a new body scrub to help remove old stubborn tan and prepare skin for a new layer of tan, so I plan on checking it out to see if it helps me! You can buy it here.

Along with a speedy, easy application process I'm sure you will notice how good this product smells. Cocoa Brown does not smell biscuity/nutty as with some instant tans. It smells so good! (The smell is 'Tahitian Gardenia' if you were wondering!) I also love the colour range of this tan.

Left- No tan. Centre- after 2 hours. Right- after 3 hours.

As you can see on the left here is my arm without any tan on, the middle picture is after showering it off after 2 hours and the right, after 3 hours. I find my skin has a radiant healthy glow when I wear Cocoa Brown. Cocoa Brown is also very affordable (RRP €7.99) and it can ideally be used as part of your daily routine. Cocoa Brown tan also drys pretty quickly after applying (1-3mins) so you can get dressed while you are waiting for the shower.

Here is a picture of my tan fading evenly, on day 2 just before I showered and washed it off. Another bonus!

Cocoa Brown Tan is available from Feel Unique (free worldwide delivery), pharmacies across Ireland, Boots (Ireland & UK), Superdrug (UK), Tesco (Ireland), Primark (UK) and Penneys (Ireland) and retails at approx. €7.99 which is very affordable and well worth trying out!

Let me know if you try Cocoa Brown's 1 Hour Tan and if you have any tanning tips, share them in the comments below!

Sarah

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