Guest Post | Half Moon Nail Tutorial

Hi everyone, I’m Megan from Blondes Love Cupcakes and I am delighted to be returning the favour and writing a guest post for Stephanie :) A few weeks ago she wrote a post on how to make a delicious DIY hair mask, so I am writing about what I love best - nails. I hope you guys like my design, and be sure to check out my blog for more nail art and DIY tutorials :)

Half moon designs are all the rage lately with celebs like Lauren Conrad, Dita Von Teese & Beyoncé all sporting the chic design. So here is a super simple tutorial to show you how to replicate it at home! :)

1. Paint two layers of a neutral base coat untill you have full even coverage (I used Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Lychee).
2. Once your nails are fully dry, paint on half moons with a super thin paintbrush following where your cuticles would naturally occur. I never use stickers as guides because I hate when they pull up the base coat...but you can if you want! (I used Rimmel Pro No.393 Desire for this).
3. Then draw a thin gold line around your maroon half moon to make it extra chic! (I used NYC New York Minute Full Metal Jacket).
4. Once everything is fully dry, use a topcoat to seal it all and add shine.
5. Show off your glamorous nails to your friends and prepare to be admired! :)

If you like this tutorial please follow me on bloglovin’ / twitter / instagram for more nail art designs Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this gorgeous nail tutorial make sure to check out Megan's blog here for more great posts!

My Skincare Saviours (#TheSOProject)

Hello my lovely readers! Agh I need to apologise for my recent absence. I've been without wifi for the past ten days, therefore being unable to post here on the old blog. Anyway, without further-ado I'll get into the post which is all about skin care.

First off, I am taking part in the Starting Off Project run by Stephanie over on Steph's Inside Voice. She came up with the lovely idea to do weekly posts based around different topics to help out newbies to the beauty world, or just those interested in some new products and tips! If you want to here a more detailed description of #TheSOProject then click over here.

I have oily-combination sensitive skin. I suffer from breakouts but I'm lucky enough to not suffer from severe acne. My skin has been like this from about the age of thirteen I would say. It was worst around the age of 15 and has now settled down a bit but I still have breakouts. I've tried so many products, so here are the best ones in my opinion!

One word, Dermalogica. Dermalogica is a great brand and is renowned for its amazing skincare. It is on the higher-end of the market but when it comes to skin care, quality products are 100% worth it. In this case, it's an investment. If you're a young teenager I'd definitely recommend their 'Clean Start' (available here) range. It is designed especially for teenage skin and includes every product you could need for your skin whether it be spot treatment or moisturiser.

If you're on the look for something for all ages, my number one favourite product from the Dermalogica range is definitely their Dermal Clay Cleanser. This product has transformed my skin. It's gentle, purifying and can also be doubled up as a face mask. Check out the brilliant Dermalogica website here where you can face-map your skin to find out the best products for your skin type.

Skincare tips + tricks

• Always, always, always take off your makeup. It's an old-age trick but an important one. Also, do it properly and get that gunk off your face. I recommend Bioderma for a thorough removal.
• Drink water! Believe it or not, it works. Clearing your body from toxins is the best way to get clear, radiant skin.
• Moisturise! Keeping your skin moisturised is so important as otherwise your skin will produce excess oils, clogging pores and causing breakouts. If you have naturally oily skin (like me), use an oil-free moisturiser.
• Sudocrem. It's an amazing multi-purpose product and works great for getting rid of spots. It's also cheap as chips which is all the better.
• Do not pick at your skin. Picking and over-squeezing spots and blackheads is the fast-track to scarring, which nobody wants.
• Get into a good skincare regime. Yes it takes time and yes it's a bit of hassle but I can guarantee you won't regret it. A good skincare regime will stand to you for your entire life. Your future self will thank you for it!

They're my product recommendations and a few tips to get you on your way. If you have any tips or if you're also involved in #theSOProject, please let me know in the comments!

OohLaLa Magazine Launch & Blog Awards Event

There's a new Irish fashion magazine on the market and it comes in the form of 'OohLaLa'. This new magazine is run by Fiona Masterson with the help of Ramona Nicholas, who you may know from Dragon's Den. I, along with many other bloggers, attended their launch and blog awards event on Tuesday the 13th of August. I thought it would be fun to share my thoughts and photos from the event!

Our amazing goodie bag including: So... Frangrance Spray; LA SPray Tan voucher; €20 Penneys Voucher; Cocoa Brown Tan; OohLaLa magazine; Jimmy Choo perfume sample & Essence nail polish

A cute tote available from Penneys

The event took place in 37 Dawson Street in Dublin. It's a bar and restaurant for those of you unfamiliar with the venue. It was a perfect central location, very modern with super cool decor. The actual party took place in a back room area, with a private bar and upstairs. The only downside was that so many people showed up that it was quite crowded and difficult to see people and meet other bloggers. As we walked in we were greeted with goodie bags and with a choice of a cocktail or a glass of prosecco. There was music being played all the time by the amazing DJ Her, I personally loved her music taste. There was even a nail bar being run by Tropical Popical!

Everyone mingled for a while and then there was the fashion show which showcased Penneys A/W Collection. I've never been a huge Penneys fan but they are really upping their game and I was really impressed by their new collection. I would definitely recommend checking them out for your winter coat this year as they had some amazing ones; leather, fur, plaid- you name it! Prices for coats range from around €31-€40. Another huge trend was mixed fabrics. Leather and plaid, sheer with sequins, denim and so much more. Definitely a trend to watch!
My favourite items from the collection are the embellished jumper (2nd line, 3rd picture) and a pair of black and gold ankle boots. I'll definitely be checking these out next time I hit the store.

After the fashion show, the blog awards commenced! They awarded five separate prizes. First up was Best Vlogger which was won by Leanne Woodfull over on Thunder & Threads. Best Fashion Blogger was Nuala from 'Penny & Polaroids' , Best Newcomer was Nessa from 'Lifes Lust Haves' and Best Beauty Blogger was Yavanna from 'Makeup Monster'. The overall winner, Blogger of the Year, was again Leanne from Thunder & Threads! She won a fantastic trip to London Fashion Week, a years column with OohLaLa and lots of other goodies!

Overall, it was a great night and a huge success. I'd like to thank all those at OohLaLa for organising the event and inviting me! I think this magazine is going to be a huge success and I'd definitely recommend going out and buying it! It's available now in most newsagents/supermarkets for €2.95. 

NOTD | Sephora by OPI 'Havana Dreams'

Another day, another nail polish. Today's shade comes from the wonderful world of Sephora. 'Havana Dreams' is an exclusive from the Sephora by OPI range.

Sephora describes 'Havana Dreams' as a sheer pale sky blue. I don't deem this completely accurate as I see it more as a pale Tiffany Blue as there is definitely a hint of green in this shade. For some reason 'sea-foam' springs to mind here. Anyway, enough with my rambling, you can decide what colour this is for yourself!

I didn't have great expectations for the quality of the actual polish as often side ranges of OPI aren't as good quality as the main line (take Nicole by OPI for example) but I was pleasantly surprised. The shade was very opaque and only took two coats to reach full opacity. Definitely a winner in my books!

I'd definitely recommend this shade as it's perfect for the end of Summer time and really accentuates a tan! If you're lucky enough to live near a Sephora, nab it up quickly as the Sephora by OPI range is currently less than half price- all the more reason to buy it!

Sephora by OPI - Currently on sale for $4.50 (usually $9.50) here (USA)
If you live in the UK/Ireland have a look on eBay for the range- link

Have you tried any Sephora by OPI shades?

My Guide To: Comfy Clothing

I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that I love comfy clothes. I often succumb to my tiredness in the mornings by throwing on a pair of leggings rather than attempting to put more effort in with a pair of jeans. On other days, when I get home from a long day of wearing jeans (or anything else I deem uncomfortable) I immediately change into one of my beloved pairs of lounging bottoms (aka tracksuit pants). Here is my guide to comfy clothing. 

All clothes from Wildfox

One of my all-time favourite brands in general is 'Wildfox'. I have talked about Wildfox in previous posts (I dedicated an entire post to the brand here). They are the ultimate Californian brand. Comfy clothes galore. If you ever see the brand in store, I urge you to just feel the clothes. I guarantee you, you will never have felt softer material in your life. My personal fave are their baggy beach jumpers. The epitome of comfort. Oh, and they're cute too- bonus! Only downside is that their stuff is pretty pricey, this is what I'd call designer comfort.

Now, onto the people who invented lounge-wear. From the people of Victoria's Secret, Pink. Pink is a brand entirely dedicated to comfy clothes and underwear. These are the people who brought us Yoga Pants. Regardless of that, they have a vast array of lounging wear and some very cute workout gear too. Again, the clothes are quite expensive but more reasonable than Wildfox.

They're my favourite brands for comfy clothing. The best part about these brands? It's completely acceptable to wear them outside the house! The perfect items if you're not feeling 100%, doing exams, studying or just running a few errands.

What are your favourite lounging-around brands?

Wildfox available here from ASOS
Pink by Victoria's Secret available here

Review + Swatches | Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in 'Glisten'

There's always those products that are extremely raved about. Whether it be drugstore or high-end, the beauty world just loves to hype up products. These products always leave me with the question 'Are they really worth the hype?'. Well I fell into the trap of hyped products and bought myself just that, in the form of an Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush from Tarte in the shade 'Glisten'. 

The blush is very prettily packaged, in a sleek pink compact with the Tarte logo embossed on the front. The colour of the compact coincides with the colour of the blush. There is also a decent-sized mirror when you open up the compact - handy for on-the-go application. I decided to go for the shade 'glisten' because it has been compared to the likes of Nars 'Orgasm', which is a shade I've always wanted to try. It's a gorgeous peachy pink with a slight shimmer which gives a rose-gold finish.

The product is quite pigmented, so only needs a light hand when applying. It gives the most gorgeous glow to your cheeks. I've never been a huge fan of blush, but this product has converted me! It is the perfect blush in my opinion. I would imagine it being suited best to light-medium skin tones, but could be used more as a highlight for deeper complexions. Please don't judge the blush entirely from the swatch alone- as it really doesn't do the shade justice. Hopefully you can see the rose gold sheen I was talking about. I'm not entirely sure this lives up to its claim of lasting for 12-hours, but it does have good lasting power. I would say it lasts well for the day, about 8 hours before fading. Then again I have oily skin and nothing seems to last very long for me as others claim it does live up to its 12 hour claim.

Another unique selling point for this blush is its origins. It is infused with natural clay from the banks of the Amazon River and was naturally baked by the sun. It benefits all skin types as it is infused with nutrients. It claims to minimise oil whilst also nourishes and hydrates the skin. This is an all-natural blush free from parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, phthalates, GMOs and Triclosan. All the better!

If you're on the hunt for a new blusher, I would definitely recommend this product. This shade may not be the shade for you, so not to worry as there are a total of 16 blushers in the range. Unfortunately, it's not the easiest product to hunt down in anywhere other than the USA but with a bit of luck you may be able to hunt it down on eBay. I picked mine up in Sephora when I was recently on holiday in Florida.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush- $26 Sephora

How To | Natural Face Masks

Summer is here, and it has been for a while now. With Summer (hopefully) comes a bit of sunshine. We all know the rule when it comes to sunshine- you gotta protect your skin! SPF, UVA and UBA all become apart of our daily vocabulary in the Summer months. Today I'm sharing a lovely face mask all the way from experts at Skana spa of the New York resort, Turning Stone. The mask promises to help keep your Summer glow, the natural way. 

Ingredients

1/4 cup freshly squeezed tomato juice with pulp

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 cup mashed avocado

Method

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mash into a creamy mask. The texture can be thickened with the addition of a little corn starch (to reduce itching or irritation), or honey (extra purifying, healing, and moisturizing).

Apply mask to clean, damp skin. Using a warm water rinse before application will soften and open pores, allowing key nutrients to penetrate for a more dazzling effect. 

Leave mask on for 35-40 minutes. It's normal to feel a cooling sensation with some pleasant tingling. In some cases, you may experience mild stinging as the natural fruit acids work to clarify pores and dissolve dead skin. Rinse with warm water to remove mask and then splash with cool water to close and tighten pores.

The safe, natural ingredients in this mask do more than make you feel good. The tomato and lime juices are brimming with natural enzymes and fruit acids that have been prized for centuries. They dissolve dead skin cells and remove excess sebum, resulting in gorgeously clear, detoxified skin. With repeated use, dark spots lighten and blemishes disappear. Meanwhile, the lycopene in the tomato juice goes to work reversing sun damage. Lycopene is an antioxidant superstar, used in expensive cosmetics for its potent anti-aging benefits. Finally, avocado is loaded with essential fatty acids, essential ingredients in any radiance regimen. After long days in the sun, the natural, non-comedogenic oils of the avocado work to counteract dehydration, fortifying skin cells for improved elasticity and a noticeable increase in luminosity. 

Say goodbye to dullness, and hello to gorgeous skin every time you use the Garden Glow Summer Mask!

This information was provided by Michelle from the Skana Spa in New York. Just thought I'd share it with you all if you ever feel like a little pamper session! Go on, you deserve it! 

*Not a sponsored post, just thought it'd be nice to share!