Relaunch of Flormar in Ireland!

A professional make-up brand at highstreet prices - sounds way too good to be true, right?

And yet, it's a reality! Flormar is an Italian make-up brand that used to be for sale in Ireland and which is now being relaunched into the Irish market. Prices range from €2.95 to €12.95 so it's some seriously affordable quality.

By the end of September, it will be stocked in pharmacies all over the country and there will be a dedicated standalone store established at a location in Dublin which has yet to be decided. So, basically, it's going to be rather widely available all around Ireland.

At the launch, we were given a demonstration of the products by MUA, Leonard Daly, showcasing some of his favourites. He notes the bronzer, baked blushes (a dupe for a very popular, more expensive professional brand), BB cream and lipsticks as standout stars from the brand.

We were also given some things to take away and try out so I'll report back on anything I dig later. If you're interested in any particular product and want to know more, comment below and I'll be sure to mention it!





























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Inglot

On Wednesday evening, Inglot hosted an event for bloggers in their South Anne Street store. They were not only giving us a lesson on contouring with their products but also tempting us with discounts and new launches and showcasing their new make-up cases - three lines that offers sturdy, beautiful cases for both the professional and the make-up enthusiast who would like to store and transport their make-up more securely.

The leather pieces from the Safari collection are particularly gorgeous and remind me of vintage suitcases though the Diamond range with it's hard, metallic plastic exteriors are probably better suited to being dragged around our rainy little island. While the Classic range is probably the sleekest and most professional-looking.

I had been in the shop a few times before but having it to ourselves gave me the time to peruse at my leisure. And, boy, was I impressed! Talk about colour selection! The girls in the shop are super-lovely and helpful and knowledgeable about the products. And, best of all, they're cruelty free and their polishes are four-free.

The price-range is fairly reasonable too, considering the quality of the product. A quality which I found to be particularly evidenced in their blushes. They remind me a little of Nars blushes but with a wider range of shades and I couldn't help myself but grab a gorgeous neon peach (shade 125) that blends into the most natural, prettiest hue on the skin.

I actually managed to find a few things that had been on my wishlist on the night, including a grey nail polish (shade 364) - which I've been after for a while. That it was just the right shade (not too dark, not too light) and four-free made it seem like kismet - so, of course, I couldn't leave it behind! I was also gifted a gorgeous iridescent shade (319) which reminds me of Chanel's Peridot from a few seasons back.

And I got a shadow (26) in the subtle gold shade I was looking for after spying a similar colour on Lily James in the new Cinderella movie. Other gifts included a blue mascara and shimmery face powder that I never would have chosen for myself but am actually rather enamoured with.

You could really wile away hours in the store - or have a browse online. Currently, there's ten percent off all online purchases so get on over there if you're interested.

I'm probably going to do a full brand overview as I have for Isadora and Lush so keep an eye out for that. Or, at least a review of some of the items. But, so far, colour me (lots and lots of shades of) impressed.

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Buffy

The very first post I ever put up was about style in Buffy. I had just gotten into blogs and was rewatching BtVS and didn't get why I couldn't find any decent discussion of how stylish the show was. Since then, I've interviewed the costume designer for the show (!) and talked here and there about how the styling influenced my own sense of style.

Thinking about these things today, about progress, about how funny life can be and what an amazing journey this little project of passion has been, I thought I'd go back to my origins a little bit. I'm gonna go back to putting the nerd in fashion every so often and show you how to style contemporary looks modelled on the inspiration provided by icons of pop culture. I'm going to talk about the things I once wished someone else would approach. And, maybe, I'll get to squee with you guys over shared loves of amazing shows and people.

As the show ran for seven seasons, we watched Buffy's sense of style evolve majorly. She went from being a carefree teen to a well-dressed outcast, to a young woman who knew what is was like to sacrifice the person she loved most, to a college student, to someone who lost a parent, to a primary care-giver, to someone back from the dead, to a person dealing with self-loathing, to leader of an army. She grew so much over the course of the show and this was always visually echoed in what she wore.

The three looks I've put together mostly reflect her style later on in the show (mostly season six and seven) but definitely reference her Valley-girl origins. Especially the first look, entitled Patrolling? This is an homage to all the totally situation and terrain inappropriate clothing that Buffy used to wear early on - super-short skirts and heeled boots while hunting demons through cemeteries and sewers, in particular. As someone who once went on a hike in heeled boots (I know), she's kinda a girl after my own heart here. The palette and aesthetic, however, are very much of her style as an older woman. To begin with, she was very much "more is more, is more" with styling the epitome of the nineties; clashing prints, crazy accessories and plenty of flesh-baring. Later, her style became more restrained with less bright pops of colour and more subdued tones. Everything here is very neutral and simple but with some sexy twists. And totally inappropriate for patrolling but who cares? Besides, if you accessorise with a mythological weapon, you'll be fine.

Look number two is along the lines of what Buffy wore out partying with her friends in later seasons when she wasn't sneaking around with Spike or dealing with serious mental health problems. Leather is present as it was in the first look and this is a fabric choice pervasive in Buffy's wardrobe throughout the show. If you wanna dress like her, invest in leather! The top has a low enough v-neck but is oversized and in a more neutral tone and does that thing that older Buffy was so good at, balancing sex appeal with taker elements so that nothing was over-done or overly obvious. Ankle boots finish the look as the Buffster was all about a good boot.

The final look is a little like a blend of season four and seven. In both season Buffy spent plenty of time on campus, for college and then as a school counsellor at Sunnydale High. It's a little lighter, breezier, referencing her brief stint as a relatively easy-going (for her) college student and then her need to be more appoachable. As always, there are interesting details to the outfit, the multitude of colours in the jeans, the attachment to the neckline of the top, but the whole is restrained overall. Buffy was always stylish and current but never had to try too hard and very much wore the clothes rather than the other way around. Besides, she would have pretty much looked great in a burlap sack, right?

Let me know what you think of these looks! Any other BtVS fanatics out there?

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Brand Overview: IsaDora

In a new series, I'm going to start reviewing brands as a whole, taking several products from them and giving you a better idea of what to expect and where their strengths and weaknesses lie. Today I'm talking IsaDora, a Swedish drugstore beauty brand. The price-range is the higher end of drugstore products but the quality is impressive, the packaging is neat and unfussy and the brand as a whole has a grown-up feel to it. The formulations are targeted towards sensitive skin and an extra bonus is that they don't test on animals - always a good thing!

On a personal note, some of the first make-up I ever used was from IsaDora. I still use a neutral eyeshadow quad my mother bought for me before a disco or a party or something when I was fifteen! That I'm reaching for it after all these years has to say something (not to mention how little I actually wear make-up).

Basically, I had enough of a range of their products to do a whole face (almost) exclusively with items from the brand. I did forget about eyebrows so I used the eyeliner really, really lightly to fill in the gaps in my brows just a little.

I was perhaps most impressed with their Moisturizing Lip Gloss. I normally never wear gloss as I cannot bear the consistency but this applies and dries almost matte, leaving a shine to the lip but not slickness. The shade I got was 21 Red Carpet which is a gorgeous classic true red. I also liked that it felt nice on the lips, like that Jojoba oil was actually doing something and leaving my lips feeling moisturised rather than stripped and tired. On several occasions now, it's been the first product I've reached for - even over my Coco Rouge Shine.

Admittedly, this blush scared me a little at first. It looks normal enough above but in person it looks like a dark, old-fashioned peachy-purple shade. However, the colour (22 Frosty Bordeaux) applies rather sheer with just a nice, pretty pink glow and a touch of sparkle. The applicator brush in the pack is okay but probably could have just been left out in favour of more of the product. I can't say I can rave about this item as much but that's more to do with my lacking in knowledge on blush. Again, however, it is currently the first blush I reach for so that has to say something.

Similarly with the Perfect Shade Eyeliner (in 01 Soft Black), it's not that I have an issue with the product per se but I tend to use felt eyeliners and am now bad at using pencils. However, this is nice and soft on the eyes which is really important to me. It doesn't drag and, while it can be blended, it doesn't smudge the second you go anywhere near it if you want a cleaner line. It's also a lovely rich black shade.

The BB Cream (in 01 Fair) is another stand-out product for me. The packaging reminds me of Asian beauty brands (which can only be a good thing). But the best thing about it is that it's BB cream coverage. I find that many BB creams have very high coverage, closer to foundations, and I'm just not into that. It's why I'm not choosing a foundation in the first place. I just want a light layer to pat on my skin. This one applies really smoothly, doesn't catch on dry patches overly and was really true to shade for me.

I already was a fan of their shadows but this little trio (in the shade 84 Forest) made me squeal with joy when I saw it. I'm a neutrals gal (I know, I know - so obvious and expected) true and true so the two outer shades (a sandy copper and a metallic chocolatey brown) are pretty normal ones for me but the middle shade is reminiscent of a gorgeous green Chanel had in a quad a few seasons back. Except it's richer and with slightly better colour pay-off. Admittedly, you have to work the brown a bit to get the same richness on the lid that the shadow makes you expect but it's well worth it. These shades are stunning.

Lastly, we have the Mineral Compact Powder in 21 Light Opal. It's a pretty basic compact powder and ticks all the boxes. It's not messy, it has a workable applicator included and a handy mirror inside - which is a surprise because it looks like a clear plastic lid with the applicator visible through it at first glance. For me, personally, it offers slightly too heavy coverage but it still feels nice on the skin.

Packaging: 8/10

Prettiness of Shades: 9/10

Application: 8/10

Durability: 7/10

Value for Money: 8/10

Cruelty Free

Good for sensitive skin

Have you guys tried anything by the brand? What did you think?

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OMG Nail Strips.

I was approached to review some nail strips from OMG Nail Strips a few weeks ago. At first, I was somewhat put off by the name and type of product. I've tried nail strips before and had it consistently result in disaster. They're just usually so difficult to apply that I get angry and give up. But the moment I saw the selection of patterns OMG had going on, I changed my mind and decided to give nail strips one more chance. And, boy, am I glad I did!

First of all, the instructions on the back of the pack are both concise and, yet, the clearest I've seen on a pack of nail strips. Using them was far easier as well - they cut to size readily enough and you get fourteen strips so you have a little wiggle room for error. I also found the sizes themselves suited my nails quite well. This, I'm aware, is more of a fortuitous coincidence but a bonus all the same. Removing the strip from the cardboard it was stuck to was a little difficult at times but the whole process was so uncomplicated overall that this bothered me very little. Basically, if someone with the dexterity of a jellyfish (like me) can do something nail related without becoming frustrated or enraged, someone's doing something right.

So, application was easy and the finished product was surprisingly great considering I had done it myself. I've had people stopping me for days to look at them and compliment them - which is always nice. They've also held up really well whereas my painted accent fingers aren't looking too hot anymore so the longevity is a bonus.

The only real downside is that if you don't apply them neatly at the cuticle, the ends flap, catching on hairs when you push your hair back or wash it. This, however, is due to my own lack of skill in application. For a more well-versed person or someone with the patience and will to do regular maintenance, I could see there being no problem with this. For me, this is a nice thing to do every once in a while or for an occasion but anything fancy with nails is too finicky for me on a daily basis.

Overall, I was super-impressed with the product. I hadn't held out much hope that I would even be able to use it but when I found I could, and relatively easily, and that the result looked so cute...well, colour me delighted!

There's a large range to choose from and packs start at $7.99 each or, currently 5 for $25 or 10 for $45 with free shipping internationally. And that's a pretty damn good deal.

UPDATE: I'm running a giveaway with OMG and they're going to send out a pack of your choice (provided it's in stock) to two lucky winners. Hit the link for how to enter and browse the patterns here. This is open internationally until Sunday the 14th of December. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(This product has obviously been sent for me to review but all opinions expressed are entirely my own)

Jessica Nails Peeling Nails Treatment Kit

For three months at the beginning of this year I was a vegetarian. One of the main reasons that that didn't continue any longer was because of my nails. I could immediately see that they had deteriorated terribly, which was shocking to me as they've always been strong and healthy. They were peeling and the visible toll on my body worried me. I kind of realised I'm not yet responsible enough to ensure I'm getting all the minerals and vitamins my body needs sans meat. Since then, their condition was made worse by my part-time jobs over the summer - stock-taking in dusty backrooms and then working in a kitchen.

It quietly worried me over the months as it wasn't improving.

When I got the chance to review Jessica Nails Peeling Nails Treatment Kit, I jumped at it. And, to be honest, I did expect it to work. I love Jessica Nails as a brand; season after season they have the best colours, any manicures from them have been perfect and the treatments I've used before for moisturising have worked to a tee.

I use it once a week and have done so for about a month now. I can honestly say I find my nails to be stronger and in a better condition.

It's a three part system which also allows for the application of colour but leaves the nails looking neat and pretty without any additions. First you apply two coats of the Fusion which fuses layers of nail together and strengthens and conditions. At this point you can add two layers of colour, if you wish. Then you apply a coat of Brilliance to speed up drying and add a gloss - this is to be repeated every three days top it up. The last step is to massage Phenomen Oil into the cuticles to nourish them and promote growth and keep nails supple.

This sounds complicated and time-consuming but I guarantee it isn't if I'm doing it on the reg. It's very easy to use and really doesn't take that long to do. In fact, it's a pretty therapeutic process.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone facing peeling nails. But the one thing I would mention is that sometimes sloppy application causes the edges of the topcoat to lift from the nail after a day or two making them look messy. Which is a pain but a rather minimal detraction from an otherwise awesome product.

The kit can be purchased online and in retailers and spas or salons carrying Jessica products and costs €20.

Do you have any magic solutions to major nail problems?

*This item has been sent to me to review but all opinions are my own and have not been swayed by a third party*

MONDSS dieu!

When I got an email asking if I wanted to try a new product for protecting your clothes from your pits, my immediate response was to giggle and say, "What...?" My brother, however, was quick to stop me and tell me to read it again.

Launched by the lovely Jane McTernan of my own Co. Kildare, MONDSS is an Irish-run and owned company which I always want to support. And it's actually a really good concept for a product, I was just a little thrown by it at first.

MONDSS Underarm Wear is pitched as a natural, discreet and secure solution to perspiration and, really, it does all the things it purports to do...which is rare. The product comes in pairs of adhesive patches to be stuck underneath the arm as a breathable barrier between skin and clothes. It prevents stains and goes towards diminishing odours.

So, it works, I felt daisy fresh at the end of a long day. But, my initial real concern was comfort. I looked at the patches and thought I'd be aware of them all day and that removing them would be an utter nightmare. Luckily, I was wrong on both counts. After a few moments of wearing them, I had forgotten that they were there and by the end of the day, they came off easily without pain. The only downside for me had to be this ease with which they came off, I lost one in my shirt when I took it off and couldn't find where it had gone. I was slightly paranoid it dropped somewhere public. So be aware that they might become loose after being worn for a lengthy period of time.

I highly recommend this product if you're wearing a delicate item, something super special or something white or prone to staining. A ten pack costs €9.99 and if you order three at the moment, you can use the code BUY3FREEPP to get free shipping.

Interested in trying MONDSS? Good idea or no? 

*This item has been sent to me to review but all opinions are my own and have not been swayed by a third party*

Viviscal

My hair is pretty important to me. It sounds silly but it kind of represents being an adult and making my own decisions in life because, as a child, my hair was kept shorter for practicality. It's also never been thick enough to grow out before. 

And now it's the longest it's ever been. That I could get it to this length and keep it healthy is due to Viviscal. I've been using the serum for almost six months and I've taken the supplements and added a little of the shampoo and conditioner in with my regular shampoo and conditioner for three.

The difference in my hair is obvious. It's still somewhat fine but it's thicker, stronger and healthier. Hairdressers compliment its health and comment on it being lovely - this is a unique experience for me, let me tell you. Growing up, hairdressers quietly cut my hair without comment and marvelled at length about how thick and luxurious my sister's was. 

I've previously posted on now having the hair I always wanted and the various ways I maintain it and products I use but this post is exclusively about the use of Viviscal. Other than argan oil, it's the only thing I use regularly to keep my hair healthy. So, I can attribute most of the good condition of my hair to it.

The serum and shampoo and conditioner were fine to use, just became part of my regular routines. But the supplements were less fun. Again, it wasn't a big deal but they had an unpleasant taste to them. I'm also bad at remembering to take pills but the other products could just be left out in the shower or with my skincare so they wouldn't be forgotten. Small complaints for an overall fantastic result.

I can also report that I haven't noticed excess growth of body hair which some reviewers have written about as a side-effect of using Viviscal. This is especially apparent to me, as I even tried to apply the serum to my brows to encourage growth in my patchy areas (charming)...but no such luck.

The serum costs €29.95 and is available online and in pharmacies around the country and the starter kit with serum, supplements and shampoo and conditioner for one month costs €89.80 and is currently on offer on their site for €59.95. The tubes of serum are said to last one month but I've found last much longer. This is probably different from person to person. 

My final statement on the matter? Viviscal has worked for me and, hey, might work for you too.

Interested?

French Cosmetics Christmas Event

So, last night I managed to catch the end of the French Cosmetics Christmas event in which they launched/previewed the gift sets that will be available this year. Have to say, coming out of the cold and tired from work to a room with fairy lights, sweeties, cocktails and a bit of Bublé was...needed.

And the products themselves! Hallowe'en hasn't even passed but Christmas is starting to steal its thunder already for me! I'm so excited. There was such lovely stuff and I can't wait to put them into my gift guides this year.

French Cosmetics is a distributor established in 1996 that represent brands such as Jessica Nails, Steamcream, Billion Dollar Brows and Bronz Express. And they've really outdone themselves for the festive season this year. There's really something for everyone and across a wide range of budgets - which is awesome.

Keep an eye out for more info on individual pieces in the future...and remember, it's only 61 days until Christmas!

Feeling a wee bit jollier already? I know I am.