Are Men The Real Expert?

I'm not going to lie... I'm not the best when it comes to my skincare, but I'm trying to get better! Especially since I have noticed that after having Harley, the texture and condition of my skin has changed dramatically.
Before becoming a mum I had little to no problems with breakouts, however now I find I get a lot more spots and a lot more texture to my skin specifically targeting my forehead, and it drives me INSANE!!

So I wanted to introduce something to my skincare that was quick, easy and also affordable.  I had every intention of heading out to go to the shops and have a look at all my options so I popped into the shower and I noticed one of Bertos facial washes, so I gave it a go and I AM IN LOVE! The source of my love? The L'Oréal Men's Expert Black Charcoal Wash Multi Action Purifier (and we thought women were bad for naming products).  I used a pea sized amount to a wet face to create a refreshing frothy lather. I left the lather on my face for around a minute and then simply washed it off. Simple.
The charcoal acts like a magnet to pull out any impurities from your skin while the menthol scent gives you that freshness to kick start your day. I'm usually not a fan of menthol but this is devine!
When I washed the product from my face, my skin was squeaky clean, I mean SQUEAKY clean!

I know this is technically a men's product and people will think I'm crazy but I swear, I have seen a huge difference in my skin after using this face wash every second day for the guts of the past year. I don't get half as many spots, barely any blackheads and my texture issue on my forehead has definitely decreased. Not disappeared but definitely decreased. I love it so much that I have repurchased twice now and a bottle will last me around 4-5 months because you only need such a small amount for your whole face. Also at around €8 you really can't go wrong. You can buy this product here

However, please don't try this for the first time if you are planning a night out or a special occasion in the next few days. This product is designed to pull any underlying spots or blackheads to the surface of your skin so be prepared! I know that nobody wants spots but this does mean that it's working. You want the first couple of times you use it to get rid of all that gunk in your skin and then to be using it to maintain this clear complexion.

You'll thank me later! Let me know if you try it!

Jen x

Festival Fun

I love festival makeup. You can be as creative or as natural as your heart desires. It really is a free-for-all and anything goes, so have fun with it!

This image has been going viral on social media this week. The stunning Brookelle McKenzie (@bybrookelle) absolutely stayed her festival creation, not to mention her Instagram feed of perfection.

So I thought I would try and re-create my own version of this look. 

I may have had to scrub this all off to go take the dog for a walk. I think the neighbours would have given me a few side eyes with this one. 

Loving Layouts

When it comes to technology, I just have to look at something for it to break. I have always hated the look of my blog and have spent countless hours trying to re-do the layout. These house were completely wasted as I simply didn't have a clue what I was doing. 

I found Kotryna Bass Design online as she was used by another blogger that I follow and I decided to purchase one of her templates. There are lots of beautiful layouts to choose from at a really affordable price for both Blogger and Wordpress. You receive the template immediately after payment and it comes with instructions on how to install it yourself. If your anything like me though and you find computer stuff like reading japanese symbols, then she also offers a free installation service which is completed within 24 hours.

I couldn't reccommend Kotryna enough. She was very helpful and she was happy to answer any of my questions. I couldn't be happier with my new layout.

A Little Lace Number

Has anyone else been lusting over the new lace appliqué lingerie trend?  I'm in love! Some of the most intricate lace lingerie with a beautiful feminine touch but some of them come with a hefty price tag that I simply can't afford. I couldn't believe it when I found this little gem in Penneys. The best part? It is only €8! 

Coachella Dreaming

  

       

Not all of us are going to be lucky enough to go to the world famous Coachella festival in the US but at least we can dream. The teepees, the ferris wheel, never mind the beautiful people. It looks like the festival to be at. 

So while I'm stuck here in rainy Ireland, I thought I could at least try and look the part. 

       

With this kind of look, I wanted to keep the complexion soft and dewy. I mixed in a pea sized amount of MAC Strobe cream in with my moisturiser before applying my base. I applied my foundation with a damp Real Techniques beauty blender sponge so the foundation can be absorbed by the skin rather than just sitting on top. This gives a more natural effect yet you can still achieve a full coverage if this is what you like. 

                                   

A small bit of powder highlight on the top of my cheekbones using MAC Soft & Gentle and a mix of Pink Swoon and Peaches Blush also from MAC on the apples of the cheeks. You don't need to use two blushes, mixing the two just got me the colour I wanted to achieve, but any peachy toned colour will be fine.

       

I wanted to keep the eyes simple. If you were at a festival the last thing you need at night in a tent is to remove gel eyeliner, that's just asking for morning panda eyes. 

I used Makeup Geek Creme Puff Matte eyeshadow as a base all over the eye with a big fluffy brush. Using Deep Skin from the same brand, I applied this to the socket of the eye with an Inglot 6SS blending brush. With a Sigma E25 brush, I applied Caramelised to the outer corner of the lid and winged it out slightly. I filled in my brows using MAC Dirty Blond Gel Creme and a 31T angled brush from Inglot.

                                     

Add a coating of Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara to the lashes, any mascara will do but don't apply too much as your false eyelashes won't sit right if there is too much mascara. 

I applied the short individual lashes from the Primark range all along the lash line with one or two of the longer length on the ends. I personally don't apply mascara to false lashes as I think they can clump together very easily and look really unnatural but to each their own. 

        

I used Inglot 57 lip liner to line the lips and fill them in. I then used Kiko lip liner in 309 in the centre of the lip to add brightness giving the illusion of a fuller lip. This changes the tone of colour to a more plum colour.

I have used two lip liners here to achieve this and to give the appearance of fuller lips. This is not necessary, if you just want to use the one colour that is fine.