Review + Swatches | Ciaté Caviar Manicure Luxe

Ciaté are the people I consider to be the original "Caviar" nail people. Not the most well put together sentence, but you see what I mean! My lovely mum bought this kit for me, which is a luxe twist on the original caviar manicure. This kit is in the shade "gleam" which is a gorgeous, slightly rose, gold colour.

The kit comes with a nail polish, beads, a how-to booklet and a small gold funnel that helps you return any unused beads back into the container. Ciaté most definitely succeed in adding a very luxurious feel to this kit. The bottles are glass and are very sturdy. I love the packaging, the bottle are so pretty they could even be used as decoration in my opinion.

The quality of the nail polish is lovely. It applies like liquid gold and has gorgeous, smooth consistency.  Two coats of this polish is all you need for a flawless opaque look. The beads are also easy to apply as you can just pour them over the nail and carefully press them on. Apply some topcoat for longer wear time.

 Overall this is a great product and would make a lovely gift for anyone. The beads can be a bit of a hassle as they gradually fall off but it's a nice look for a special occasion. This is by no means a necessity product, but if you're looking for a little piece of luxury, this is great!

Ciaté caviar manicure luxe €21.92 from ASOS

Christmas Gift Guide 2013 | For Her

Christmas is on its way and you know what that means- Christmas shopping time! In spirit with the festive season. This is the first in my "Christmas Gift Guide 2013" series for this year. I plan on doing a few more different gift guides this year so you can find the perfect gift for anyone!

Hopefully this list will help you decide what to get for the women in your life- or help you decide what to ask for this Christmas for yourself!

1. Bunny Ring Holder - €10.78 from ASOS

The perfect simple and adorable (not to mention affordable!) gift for any jewellery lover in your life.

7. Sloane Stationery - from €15.54

This is the perfect gift for every busy woman (or man)! I love their stationery as they have the cutest little messages on the front of them. Slogans such as "My Big Ideas" and this one which reads "Emails to write, Phone calls to have" make these a really unique gift.

2. Soap and Glory Clean Getaway - €14 from Boots

Soap and Glory kits are great as everyone likes them! Their pretty packaging makes this kit a must have which features four mini versions of some of their bestsellers.

3. Neon nail Art Gift Set - €17 from River Island

This a really fun kit for any nail-lover or teenager you know that is into beauty!

4. Headphone Hat - £18 from Topshop 

For the not so girly-girl this hat is perfect. It looks like your average beanie but actually has built in headphone- expect to get some cool points!

5. Ugg Slippers - €125 from Schuh

These are definitely on the pricier side but you are guaranteed whoever gets these will love them! I have a pair myself and they feel like walking on clouds. Plus they'll last forever.

6. Benefit Groovy kind-a-Love Kit - €39.50 from Debenhams

Benefit always do the most amazing makeup kits. This one is great value as it contains loads of amazing mini makeup products.

7. Sloane Stationery - from €15.54 

This is the perfect gift for every busy woman (or man)! I love their stationery as they have the cutest little messages on the front of them. Slogans such as "My Big Ideas" and this one which reads "Emails to write, Phone calls to have" make these a really unique gift.

8. Personalised Phone Case - €31.40 from Not on the high street 

This website does the most amazing, personalised and unique gifts. This is the place to go to shop for the person who has everything. These gifts are more personal and show you've put a bit more thought into it. I love this phone case as it lists all the things the person likes- perfect for a best friend!

What would be your favourite gift to receive?

Stay tuned for more instalments of this series in the coming weeks!

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. 

Current Wishlist #2!

I'm in one of those "blogging" moods. If you're a blogger, you'll know what I mean. Sometimes I go through phases where I'm not in the mood to blog but right now, I really am for some reason. I've decided to do a wishlist post (checkout my first wishlist post here), as I always love reading these sorts of posts. Maybe it'll give you a few ideas on how to blow your money (I know you're super grateful to me right now..not!)

I've been hunting the beauty world for a good foundation recently. I'm pretty fussy and I want something that won't irritate my skin but will give me nice, natural-looking coverage. My friend recommended the Naked Skin Foundation (1. €34) from Urban Decay. I've read some great reviews and I think this will find a way of getting into my stash. I just want to try it in-store first before purchasing. The next thing on my want list is a bit random, I will admit. I want a Fatboy beanbag (2. €199). Now you're probably thinking "Why, Steph? What use could a beanbag have to you?". And you may be right but I just find beanbags so much more comfy than chairs and couches. Plus these ones come in a variety of colours, which is always a bonus in the eyes!

Now, if you've been reading my blog for a while, you may know that I'm what you might call a belieber. Yes I love Justin Bieber. Judge me if you please. Even if you're not a fan of his music (you should checkout Believe Acoustic though- it's impressive) you may fancy his perfumes. The new release to his line of (now three) perfumes is "The Key"* (3. $49.50 for 1.7oz). His first two, "Someday" and "Girlfriend" are a lot girlier, housed in pink and purple bottles. "The Key" however, promises to bring something new and more grown-up to the table. If the packaging is anything to go by, this is gonna be a sexy, sleek scent.
*Not yet available in Ireland.

I'm a bit lazy when it comes to hair-does. When I do put some effort into my hair, I often like the big waves look- à la the Kardashian clan. I have yet to achieve this look and I'm hoping the Babyliss waving wand could do the trick (4. €42). The last item I've been lusting after, is a dress. More so a particular brand of dresses. The Jones and Jones dresses are the epitome of pretty. They are girly, flattering and oh so cute. If you're heading to some sort of relatively formal event, I'd definitely recommend taking a peep at their website. Also check your local Topshop, as they stock the brand there too. I love this particular denim dress (5. €81.90) with the lace detail. A perfect, more casual option for Summer.

They're my wishlist items, what are yours?

Monthly Favourites: June 2013!

Another month, another monthly favourites post! For Summer, I like to keep things light and fresh, and these products have been helping me do just that. 

As much as I love the sun, it can be dangerous sometimes. I've been loving MAC's tendertones this month as they contain SPF to protect your lips from the suns harmful rays but also add a bit of shimmer to the lips, and you know me, I can never say no to shimmer. Unfortunately these are limited edition and are no longer available but there are plenty other lip products that can do a similar job. Another great lip product is Revlon Lip Butter in 'Cotton Candy' (€11.18) . These are supremely raved about products, as they're butter smooth and add just the right amount of colour. This shade is a light pink that goes with anything.

As I like to keep my base makeup light, the key is to have glowy skin. The best product to achieve this is "High Beam" from Benefit. It's a iridescent highlighter and gives the most gorgeous sheen to the skin. I like to apply to my cheekbones and just beneath the brow for best results. Another great product from Benefit is their "Go Tropi Coral" lip & cheek kit (€35). It comes with a couple of products that help get the perfect look for Summer. 

My final two favourites this month are a slight step away from makeup. The first is the gel-look topcoat from essence. This bargain item makes your nails super shiny and gives them the gel-nail look without the price tag or the hassle! Finally, I have been loving Bioderma this month. Again, this is a raved about product in the beauty world. Unfortunately, it's pretty difficult to track down (unless you live in France). I was lucky enough to pick this up in Paris a few months ago and have been loving it ever since!

What products have you been loving this month?

Mini Primark Haul!

I've been seeing lots of Primark hauls around lately and thought I needed to make a trip to the land of bargains myself. Primark is actually called Penneys here in Ireland, just incase you get a bit confused! 

Most of my shopping recently is Summer oriented. I'm off to France for 3 weeks from the 1st of June and then I head to Florida straight after that so I'm doing my Summer shopping now and getting all those essentials, but I'm also trying to save aaaagh! Anyway, on with what I bought. 

I firstly headed to the swimwear section of the store, as Penneys always carry tons of swimsuits, all well priced. I don't know about you, but I find it very difficult to justify purchasing super expensive swimsuits (which most seem to be!). This bright floral two-piece caught my eye and at just €5 for both the top and the bottoms, I knew I had to have it. I then went to the accessories, to take a look at their bags on offer. As I'll be doing lots of activities in France (it's an exchange type of trip) I need a bag I can carry a lot in. I went for this denim acid-wash backpack (€10) because it's cute, a perfect size and will go with any outfit.

Of course, I couldn't leave the store without checking out some of their makeup. Penneys carries the best range of essence makeup I've ever seen, their nail range in particular is amazing! I decided to try out this nail art stampy set (€3.50) because it looked interesting and, as you probably know, I do have a love for nail art! Unfortunately, after trying the set out, it doesn't really work. Maybe it's just me doing something wrong, but the designs didn't come out on my nails. I wouldn't recommend it. 

I would, however, recommend the XXL Shine gel-look topcoat. A friend recommended this to me and, as I did need a new topcoat, I decided to pick it up. It adds a gorgeous shine to the nails and does have a gel-look effect. I will say that it can cause nail polish to peel, if you tend to try and pick polish off. Otherwise, it prevents chipping and is overall a great topcoat. I can't remember the exact price but it's somewhere around the €2 mark.

The last item I picked up is the HASK Argan oil hair treatment. I have seen this floating around the web, with pretty good reviews. I'm always looking for products to add shine and prevent split ends so I thought I'd give it a go. Also, at €2.50, it's a much more affordable alternative to the likes of Moroccan Oil. I haven't really had a proper go with this product yet but look out for a review of this soon.

I hope you enjoyed seeing a few bits I picked up in Primark/Penneys. I only bought these items a few days ago so they should all still be available in-store! 

Have you bought any bargains in Primark recently?

Would You Rather? Beauty Edition

If you're a YouTube fanatic like me, you'll have heard of the "Would You Rather" beauty tag. It's been going around for quite a while now but I've recently seen it creep back up into the blogosphere. I love tags, so I thought I'd give it a go.

Image: weheartit and edited by me

1. Would you rather lose all your mascaras, eye liners, lipsticks and lip glosses or all your palettes and eye shadows?

I would definitely rather lose all my palettes and eye shadows. As much as I love my Naked palettes and experimenting with eye shadow, I don't wear it all that much. However, I don't think I could live without my mascaras and lip products!

2. Would you rather chop off all your hair or never be able to cut it again?

I love my long hair but I don't think I could last never cutting it again- I mean imagine all those split ends? I'd have to chop it all off and maybe wear hair extensions, or go for a daring Miley Cyrus look? Not quite sure I could pull that one off though.

3. Would you rather have a coral cheek or a pink cheek?

Coral is one of my favourite colours for cheeks and lips, especially for Summer time so I think I'd have to go with that. Also I couldn't leave behind my beloved TropiCoral kit from Benefit now could I?

4. If you had €1000 to spend, would you rather buy makeup or clothes?

100% I would spend it on clothes. As much as I love makeup, I'm always looking at new clothing pieces. Clothing lasts a much longer than makeup products too, so it would make a lot more sense to spend it on clothes. Ah, if only.

5. Would you rather apply lipstick as eyeliner, or eyeliner as lipstick?

I would much rather apply eyeliner as lipstick. Pink eye isn't really a look I'm going for, so I wouldn't even like to imagine what applying lipstick as eyeliner would be like. Eyeliner also comes in a much broader range of shades, so I'm sure I could find something that wouldn't look too bad on the lips- a nice plum maybe?

6. Would you rather only shop at MAC or Sephora?

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of having a Sephora near me, and by near me I mean there is not one in my country! However, if I did, I would definitely choose to shop there. MAC is a great makeup brand but it's quite pricey and I would much rather have the choice of many brands than of only one.

7. Would you rather only use one eye shadow or one lip colour for the rest of your life?

This one is a little tricky but I think I'd go for one eye shadow. This is because I am much more into lip colours than eye colours, and I don't wear eye shadow very often anyway. I'd probably choose a neutral colour with a bit of sparkle, to go with everything.

8. Would you rather wear Winter clothes in Summer or Summer clothes in Winter?

If I lived in a place that actually got hot Summers, I would choose the latter. However, because I live in Ireland where it rarely gets any way warm, I would have to say wear Winter clothes in Summer mostly because I often have to. I do much prefer wearing Summer clothes though.

9. Would you rather have dark nails or bright nails all year round?

I'd have to go with bright nails. They're more fun and happy looking!

10. Would you rather give up your favourite lip product or your favourite eye product?

My favourite eye product because I have a lot more favourite lip products than eye products. Simple as.

11. Would you rather only be able to wear your hair in a ponytail or a messy bun?

Ponytail. Simply because I mostly wear my hair in a ponytail anyway. Also it can be styled lots of different ways- low, mid, high, straight, sleek, curly, wavy etc..

12. Would you rather never be able to paint your nails again or never use lipgloss?

This is a tough one. As much as I love lipgloss, I'd have to say I'd rather never use it again. I love nail polish and nail art way too much! I can still wear lip balm and lip stick so I'm sure I'd survive!

13. Would you rather shave your eyebrows and have none at all or sharpie them in everyday?

I think it's pretty obvious that I'd prefer to sharpie them in everyday. Obviously, neither option is a good look but I'd rather have some sort of eyebrows than none at all.

14. Would you rather live without makeup or nail polish?

As I've previously stated, I love nail polish. However, I love makeup a little more and makeup is much more of a necessity than nail polish.

Let me know what you'd choose in the comments, or let me know if you've done this tag yourself! 

This or That Beauty Tag!

Hey Beauties,

Today I thought I'd just do a fun post. I love tags and this tag really caught my eye. 

Makeup

1. blush or bronzer
Bronzer because it is more natural and flattering.
 
2. lip gloss or lipstick
Lip gloss. Lip gloss the first beauty product I ever tried and wore so it has a special place in my heart! 

3. eye liner or mascara

Mascara. It is a staple product and does wonders for your entire face.

4. foundation or concealer

Concealer. One of my favourite beauty products.

5. neutral or color eye shadow

Neutral.

6. pressed or loose eye shadows

Pressed. Less hassle.

7. brushes or sponges

Brushes!

Nails

8. OPI or china glaze

OPI

9. Long or short
Medium length. I can't have mine too long because I play piano. I do love the look of long nails though.

10. Acrylic or natural
Normal. I love the look of acrylics though, if they're done well.

11. Brights or darks
Depends on my mood and season.

12. Flower or no flower
No flower? Weird question.

Body

13. perfume or body splash
Perfume! I have a collection.

14. lotion or body butter
Don't have a preference really.

15. body wash or soap
Body wash.

16. lush or other bath companyLush.

Fashion

17. jeans or sweat pants
Jeans for everyday. Sweat pants for comfort.

18. long sleeve of short
Short but long for winter.

19. dresses or skirts
Depends on the occasion.

20. stripes or plaid
Stripes.

21. flip flops or sandals
Gladiator Sandals.

22. scarves or hats
Scarves.

23. studs or dangly earrings
Studs for everyday but dangly for occasions.

24. necklaces or bracelets
Bracelets for definite.

25. heels or flats
I love heels but I wear flats 99% of the time.

26. cowboy boots or riding boots
Combat boots.

27. jacket or hoodie
Where I live you need both!

28. forever 21 or charlotte russe
Forever 21

29. abercombie or Hollister
Depends. I change my mind a lot.

30. saks 5th or nordstromI don't have either in Ireland!

Hair

31. curly or straight
Curly

32. bun or ponytail

Ponytail

33. bobby pins or butterfly clips
Bobby pinks!

34. hair spray or gel
Sprayyy

35. long or short
Long hair don't care!

36. light or dark
Dark

37. side sweep bangs or full bangs
Full

38. up or down
Down but I wear mine up most days for convenience.

Random

39. Rain or shine
Shine shine shine!

40. Summer or winter
Summer I mean is that even a question/

41. Fall or spring
Not crazy about either. Probably Fall. 

42. Chocolate or vanilla 

Vanilla

43. East coast or West coast

West Coast represent!

I hope you enjoyed this tag! If you want to do this tag then I tag all of you. Leave a link to your post below or just write it in the comments below!

NOTD: Pretty Bow Nail Art Tutorial

Hello Lovelies,

If you read a recent post of mine, about my obsession with nail art (check it out here), then you know that I've been trying out some new designs and artistic creations (ahem) on my nails! Recently, I did some bow nail art and thought I'd share it with you all.

1. I started by painting every second nail in Essie's Mint Candy Apple. It is a cult shade here in the beauty world, and I love it! The picture really doesn't do it justice. It's a fabulous mint green that looks especially great with a tan. 

2. I then painted every other nail in Essie's Bikini So Teeny. Another great bright pastel shade in a blue-purple tone. It is also packed with extremely subtle iridescent glitter. 

3. After they were dry, I went on to the tricky part, the bows! I took a very thin nail art brush and drew tiny white bows near the tip of every nail. I used MAC Vestral White polish.

4. After allowing the bows to dry, I outlined them in black with the same nail art brush. I used Essie's Licorice shade. 

I hope you enjoyed this NOTD and mini tutorial. For a more in depth tutorial, check out the WAH book of nail art. 

P.S Don't forget to enter my MAC Giveaway! Check it out here.

Beauty Trends: Spring 2012!

Spring is here! Well according to the calendar anywhoo cause by the look of the weather where I live, you really would never know.

Anyway, onto the beauty trends. Here are the top six most popular beauty trends seen on the runway. Some are a little crazy but most are manageably pulled off.

1. Statement Lips:

This is one of the easier ones. Pop on a bright red, orange, purple, blue or even gray and you're set.
Runways: Prabal Gurung, Erdem and Mugler.
Try: Rouge Dior Lipstick in "Pink Caprice" ; Chanel Rouge Allure in "Passion"; Makeup Forever's "Satin Fuschia" ; MAC in "Lady Danger" ; "Infrared" and "Rio Rio" by Topshop


2. Winged Liner:
Whether the full Cleopatra liner of just a more simple, less dramatic look, liquid and gel liners are the way forward this season!
Runways: Fendi, Dolce&Gabbana and Kanye West
Try: Bobbie Brown Gel Liner in "Black Ink" ; MAC Blacktrack fluid liner ; L'oreal Super Liner

3. Wet Hair.

All over the runways we saw the "wet hair" look which is exactly what the title says. The aim is apparently a beachy vibe but is much more saturated than the typical saltwater beach waves. Do be warned you may just look like someone who ran out the door before blow drying rather than a beauty queen.
Runways: Victoria Beckham, Alexander Wang
Try: a shower; recommended not to use gel but try mousse

4. Bright Hair
From pinks to blues to reds. Colourful hair was all over the runway. This one is a little daring. Try some semi permanent or wash out dye first. Or even some bright extensions!
Runways: Mulberry, Gucci
Try: Never dyed my hair so not much assistance! Do comment though.

5. Au Natural
This season is quite muted makeup. Neutral eyes, lips, cheeks. All a bronzy dewy look.
Runways: Diane Von Furstenberg, Alexander McQueen
Try: NAKED Palette, A bit of highlighter and nude lipstick

6. Full Brows
Put down those tweezers and embrace your brows! It's all about unkept bushier brows (within reason that is). Think more masculine, less permanently surprised arches.
Runways: Christopher Kane, Wes Gordon
Try: Not plucking

Disclaimer: Images from Google Images. I do not own any images published.