28 Aug 2014

Rings & Things Haul| feat. Pandora & River Island


Hi, I'm Grace and I'm addicted to buying rings.

This addiction seems to show it's little head right around the time when I'm about to get my acrylic nails did... and low and behold, I'll be getting them done next week (don't worry, I'll fill ya'll in on that when the time comes!). Something about stacking oodles of rings when I've got my claws on makes me so excited, so in preparation for next week I had a little bit of a ring spree!

Firstly I hit my favourite - River Island.
This place is DA BOMMMB if you're looking for inexpensive midi/knuckle/thumb rings... and when I say inexpensive I mean it. You can pick up those bad boys for €2-€4. It's like they're trying to fuel my addiction!! I picked these 3 gems up for €4 each and I've been rocking them every day since!





and then I somehow wandered into Pandora...
I'll admit it, I haven't worn something from Pandora in a long time but I came across their ring collection and it's everything! I've actually had my eye on this beaut for awhile now but never actually got my ass into the shop to purchase it. Luckily I had my lovely other half with me and he picked it up for me as an early anniversary present of sorts - thanks B!

The design is purrrfect and I love that the band is so thin - it doesn't feel as if your wearing something clunky but it sure makes a statement! I lahhhve!



Are you a ring gal or do you like to free the phalanges? (Lol, I'm channeling Phoebe from Friends)
Let me know in the comments!

XO, G.



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26 Aug 2014

All About Ombre | Makeup Look


Olaaaa!!

I'm not even gonna lie, I'm kinda glad that the weather is getting more Autumny - why? Because I can wear all the dark lip colours! Haha.. I've been wanting to rock an ombre lip for awhile but with the weather still being quite warm I wasn't feelin' it - until today! It rained and rained and was cloudy - that's dark lip weather for me! :P

Anyway, enough about the weather affecting my lipstick choices - take a closer look at this weeks makeup look!



I decided to go with a more neutral / muted eye as the lips were quite vampy anyhoo. It's much more prominent in person, but I've also added some gold shadow to the inner corners of my eye to open them up - it's a nice change from your usual whites/silvers.

The lip... oh the lip! I transferred my love of the ombre look from my hair onto my lips using a dark liner with a red lip. I could have made the difference in shades a little more obvious by using black but decided to go with something a little more wearable! I also think this lipstick might have some form of plumping ingredient as my lips were starting to tingle when I applied it - let's hope that was intended. Haha. If it wasn't I won't complain - I've now got plumper lips! 



And that's about it you guys!

If you'd like to recreate this look, here's a list of the products I used:

BASE
Foundation: Inglot YSM (49)
Concealer: Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer (5)
Setting Powder: Bobbi Brown Loose Powder (Pale Yellow)
Contour: MAC 'Uninterrupted'
Highlight: MAC 'Soft & Gentle'

EYES
Base: MAC 'Soft Ochre' & UD 'WOS' from Naked Basics Palette
Crease: Inglot 327 & UD 'Crave' from Naked Basics Palette
Blend with: Inglot 357 & 341
Brow Bone: 351
Inner Corner: Inglot 405

LIPS
Liner: MAC 'Current'
Lipstick: The Balm 'Mia Moore'

How do you feel about ombre lips?
Let me know in the comments!

XO, G.



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25 Aug 2014

10 Beauty Hacks That Will Change Your Life


Let's face it, we all love a good hack in life whether it's beauty related or not - anything that's gonna make something faster or easier is always good in my books. Haha. I swear, I'm not as lazy as I sound.

Today I thought I'd throw together a few beauty hacks (I say hacks because it makes them sound important. Haha) that I've learned over the years that may be of some use to you all!

1 - Mascara - It's one of my favourite makeup products but I can't help but somehow plaster my skin in the stuff when I'm applying it - but fear not!! If you've had an accident with the mascara, no need to get out the baby wipes and start wiping away half of your makeup with it. Wait for the mascara to completely dry, then grab a q-tip and swipe it away. It'll flake off so easily and make it look like you know what you're doing with a mascara wand. Haha.

2 - If you find that bobby pins have zero grip in your hair and slide out constantly, spray them with a lil' bitta hairspray. It'll make them more tacky. Those babies won't be going anywhere soon!

3 - Another hairspray trick! If you're heading out for the night in a new pair of heels and you can find yourself slipping all over the place before you've even left the house, spray some hairspray on the soles of your shoes! I'm clumsy as hell, so I'll still manage to fall over somehow, but at least it won't be due to my slippery shoes! Haha.

4 - I'm sure lots of people know this little trick already but anyhoos. To stop yourself from having one of those awkward moments when you're caught with lipstick all over your teeth, after you've applied your lipstick, stick a finger in your mouth, close your lips over your finger and drag it out - you'll find the stuff that may have got all over your teeth will now be on your finger - problem solved!

5 - To achieve the perfect manicure, apply a few thin layers of nail polish rather than one big old thick one. Trust me, it'll dry quicker, look better and save you going back trying to fix what you just done!

6 - Don't just apply perfume randomly - spray it to the areas where it'll be most likely to last the longest aka. behind the ears, at the base of the throat, your wrists & elbows. You'll be smelling faboosh all day long gurl!

7 - Don't waste makeup products that come in tubes! When you think it's coming near it's end, cut the tube open, scoop out what's left and put in an empty jar - theres probably more there than you'd think!

8 - Don't throw away your favourite mascara brushes. Clean them and use them with other mascaras who's formulas you love but who's brushes you don't!

9 - Having problems with your hair being frizzy when you go to dry it? Other than using de-frizzing sprays and the likes, if you dry your hair with a t-shirt rather than a towel you'll create less friction and voila, less frizz!

10 - To create a more flawless (you gotta say it like Beyonce) base, make sure to dab your setting powder over your liquid foundation rather than sweep it - sweeping will just remove the work you've already done by wiping away half of your foundation!

What are your favourite beauty hacks?
Let me know in the comments, I could always use some more!

XO, G.




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22 Aug 2014

Face Full Of Fuschia | Brand Focus


Heyuuhh Love-bugs!

I'm just gonna be honest and start off this post by saying that literally the day before these little bad boys from Fuschia landed at my doorstep, I had read a bit of a negative review of the brand. Naturally enough, when I rummaged through the box to test the products out yesterday I didn't have very high expectations... but let's see how I got on, shall we?


First of all, I tried to use as many of the products as physically possible in the one makeup look so that you could get a lil' look see at them. I haven't photographed the Primer or Highlighter as they're only little samples but I'm definitely happy with them. The face primer is as good as Baby Skin from Maybelline and the highlighter actually reminds me a little of Benefit's 'High Beam' - always a good sign. But let's get on to the rest...

LIPS



'Vamp' Lipstick - €13.50
Vamp is... just that.. vampy! Haha. It's a gorgeous burgundy shade that I can't wait to start wearing now that we're transitioning into Autumn - it's gonna be very purdy! The finish is somewhat like MAC's Lustre finish - it's got a fab sheen but weirdly enough feels a little stiff when you're applying it (almost like a matte lipstick would). It does seem to melt into the lips and get softer as it wears. I'd recommend you pop this in your handbag for touch-ups as it does wear away if you're eating, like many lipsticks do - you might expect a bit more from this though considering it's pricing is on par with MAC (€13.50). But I can't fault it other than that. It's a fab shade - I got tonnes of compliments on this today too!



'Eggplant' Lip Pencil - €12.96
Now this... this I LOVE! I've got a bit of an obsession with lip pencils that's starting to show it's evil little face. Haha. So I've basically been picking up lip pencils left, right and centre. What I like about this - other than the gorgeous colour is the fact that it's so soft. It applies like an absolute dream - I even had to show my Moma! Haha. I would easily use this on it's own with a bit of gloss and be happy bunny! The lasting power is also on point - it was still there when the lipstick wasn't.

Two for you Fuschia!


'Party Girl' & 'Love Affair' Lip Laquer (Full Size - €16.50)
Another one of my favourites from the bunch. These are so freekin' pigmented you guys! They also feel so buttery and yummy on your lips. They're really similar to Rimmel Apocolips but a lot less sticky - which is great! No hair stuck in the lipstick prollems! There really isn't much more I can say. I like 'em & I'll definitely be usin' 'em!

EYES


Brow Wax Kit - €15.50
I've gotta say, I was a little bit sceptical in using this stuff at first because it's so similar to my Browzings kit from Benefit and ya'll know that shizz is ma baby! But I must admit defeat - this was really great. It's nice and compact, includes a powder and a wax.. and a mirror (the bottom flips up) and it tamed the beasts that are my brows at the minute (they need sorting out badly). I think I'll be turning to this little thang soon as my Browzings kit is nearing it's end!


'Make-Your-Own' Five Pan Palette - €40
Again.. another one I was slightly sceptical about but only because of my love of Inglot at the minute. For a five pan palette I'm pretty sure Inglot & Fuschia come in at the same price... if not, they're very close. I wasn't expecting the shadows to be too pigmented... they are. Gotta give them credit where it's due. I actually really like this as a little neutrals palette! The wine colour is fab - nice little addition!

So what's the final verdict?...
Overall, I think my low expectations were kinda turned on their head. Apart from a few little mishaps with the lasting power of the lipstick, the quality and pigmentation of everything else seemed really nice. I'll definitely be reaching for the lip lacquers and the lip pencil again super soon. If I was to pick out something small - I could see people having some issues with the pricing of a few of the items - but you tell  me? What do you think? 

Fuschia have two stand alone stores in Drogheda & Swords and can be found in countless beauticians around the country - they're definitely worth checking out!

Have you tried anything from Fuschia?

XO, G.



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21 Aug 2014

CAUTION! - 15 Things You Should Know Before You Start Blogging


Well 'caution' is a very strong word... Haha.
If you're starting a blog you'll become aware of these things verrrry quickly. If you're already a blogger, you'll be all too familiar with what I'm about to say. Haha.

Social Media?... Not so social. Ignoring the boy when he comes over so that you can promote your blog on Twittahh / refresh your Instagram feed over and over again - yeah, that's frowned upon.

Those iPhone photos you thought were amazing... not so much. (Filters aren't always your friend).

There are endless shades of 'nude' lipsticks... you need them all.

Not allowing anybody to eat before you take countless photos of everybody's meal doesn't go down too well.

On a similar note... people will stare at you when you're at said meal bending over backwards to get the perfect angle for said photos.

Selfies = a full blown photoshoot.

Everything you own will slowly turn into a blog post.

You'll run around every room in the house until you find the perfect lighting for your pictures.

You'll find motivation to write blog posts at the most inappropriate times - e.g. When you gotsta get yo' butt outta bed early but it's 2 am and you're feelin' more creative than ever.

It is impossible to take less than 30 photos for a FOTD - at least 28 of them will be useless, stupid face.

You will never not hashtag a picture or tweet in your life again... EVARR!

You will start to watch YouTube more than you watch television.

'Woodwinked', 'Soft & Gentle', 'Spice' - you should know what these are.

Blogging will take up a lot more of your time than you first thought.

There are specific poses to strike when taking photos of your makeup for a blog post - SMIZE!

This phrase will be used a lot - 'I wish I had [insert fashion bloggers name here]'s wardrobe!!!'.


XO, G.




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20 Aug 2014

Budget Buy | Maybelline 'The Falsies' Mascara


Hola Amigos!

Today I'm comin' at-cha with a bit of a budget buy because, lets face it, who doesn't love a good bargain! I'm one of those gals who fly's through mascaras like nobodies business - gimme a mascara and you betcha I'll try it out. They're just one of those things that I think you can never try too many of! Some of the most inexpensive mascaras are some of the best!

I'm a huge advocate of Benefit's 'They're Real' Mascara, it definitely ranks high in my top 3 but this new little discovery may just give it a bit of a run for it's money - I'm talkin' 'bout Maybelline's 'The Falsies'!


Not gonna lie, I've heard people rave about this stuff for ages but just didn't buy into the hype at the time... I should have. Haha. This stuff claims to build volume without clumping - and that it does gals... that it does! It also holds the curl in your lashes for a really great length of time throughout the day!

I actually bought the waterproof formula without noticing and although it's a sucker to try and get off (I have to use my They're Real Remover from Benefit which is starting to sting my eyeballs. Haha) you'll be sure that it won't flake or transfer onto your eyelid throughout the day - winning!



I'm not really picky when it comes to mascara wands but this one kinda freaked me out a little at first - I don't think I'd ever tried out a curved wand like this before. Turns out I loved it! It's fab for fanning out your lashes and getting right into the root to get the most volume possible! It almost feels a bit like an eyelash curler!

So at €11.99 I don't think you can do much wrong! I really enjoyed the stuff! ... and remember, Boots are always doing 3 for 2 deals so you could be lucky and come away with this baby for even less!

Have any of you tried Maybellines 'The Falsies'?
Let me know in the comments!

XO, G.




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19 Aug 2014

Airport Haul


Yessss... I know I know, it hasn't been that long since my last one of these lil' babies but oh wellllll - the airport calls for shopping. Funny enough, I wasn't the one travelling this time again (soon... soon) but I sent my moms off with a little shopping list filled with goodies to take home for me!

Again, I'd totally advise you do this with anyone you know going on their holliers - discounts are always good! With this post, I just want to give you all a lil' sneak peak of what I picked up because I'm sure they'll pop their little heads up in some way, shape or form in the next week or so - you know, in makeup looks and the likes! :)

So here's what made it's way back to me from sunny Palma, Mallorca!


Coco Mademoiselle | Chanel
My favourite scent for A/W - yes, I'm getting prepared already, it's my favourite time of the year! This little bottle is also purrrfect for travelling - I mean look at the size of that little thing!



Le Vernis Nail Colour in 'Atmosphere' | Chanel
I've always loved Chanel's nail varnish formula, it's super long lasting (especially when you give it a lil' helping hand from Deborah Lippmann's 'Hard Rock' top coat - get it and thank me later!) and isn't thick or goopey. This iridescent shade is straight up gorgeous! Can't wait to get it on my fingers!




'Feline' Eye Pencil & 'Currant' Lip Pencil | MAC
These two have been on my radar for forever. Feline is a gorgeous jet black kohl liner - used it this morning, fab! Currant is all types of stunning. It goes great with any type of plum lipstick but if you're feelin' a bit frisky line your lips with this baby when you're using a red lipstick - instant glam!



'Blankety' Lipstick | MAC
I was trying so hard to wait out until I had a few more empties so I could Back To MAC this lipstick and get it for free but I couldn't wait... and I'm glad I didn't. This has to be up there with 'Patisserie' in my favourite lip colours. One of those that you can literally use every day - it's a good beige/cream shade with pinky undertones. Best of all, it applies like buttah (that's butter. haha).

See anything ya like?
Let me know in the comments below!

XO, G.




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15 Aug 2014

6 Makeup Brushes I Couldn't Live Without | Feat. MAC & Blank Canvas


CHEERS TO THE FREEKIN' WEEKEND LOVE-BUGS!

I get asked a lot about what makeup brushes I use to achieve the looks I post up on the blog, so I thought I'd do a quick round up of the ones that I literally use, without fail, erryday. My brush collection in general is made up of a mixture of MAC & Blank Canvas brushes - so you don't have to search a billion and one places if you wanna pick these up yourself! Both brands also cover each end of the cost spectrum - Blank Canvas being on the lower end (they're still amazing quality and would give MAC a run for their money).

You've probably heard it a thousand times but I totally believe if you want a flawless finish you do need good tools and I'm in no way saying that they need to be expensive but they at least need to be clean. Haha.

Foundation / Powder Brushes



I do alternate between foundation brushes but as of recent I've been reaching for my Blank Canvas F14 Brush (the one on the left). I'm not even sure if this one's made for foundation application but I tend to use my brushes for whatever I want, sometimes you get the best use out a brush when you use it in the 'wrong' way. Haha. It's super soft, as are all of their brushes and I find it buffs foundation into your skin really well! My favourite foundation brush so far!

For powder, I use my MAC 150 fluffy powder brush erryday! Again, it's super soft (especially just after it's been washed, like a baby's bottom!) and gives your base a really nice finish.

Eyeshadow




Uh huh, I do realise that these look like pretty much the same brush but you guyssss they're so different! Haha.

First is my Blank Canvas E42 small tapered blending brush. Good lord you don't know how much I love this brush. It's the purrrfect size for getting into your crease and giving your shadow a little more depth and also works really nicely under the eye (no it's not one of those brushes that will stab you in the eyeball! Haha). Such a gorgeous little brush.

Then you've got my MAC 224 brush. This is a slightly bigger version of the Blank Canvas E42. It's a less tapered brush, so it's really great to use as your 'clean blender' to make everything look seamless. I do also use this in the crease.


Blank Canvas' E27 is a very new favourite. I only got my hands on it last week but I'm already in love. I've used it both on myself and on clients for makeup and it's quickly become a staple! This petite detailer is great for creating soft cut creases, for darkening the outer corner of the eye and for getting right up close to the lower lash line!

Brows



Last but not least, my MAC 263. I've literally been using this brush since I was 16 / 17 to fill in my brows and NOTHING else. Because it's so tiny, it gives your brows great definition. I really would be lost without this brush - no joking, it's happened before and I had no idea what to do. Haha.

I'm constantly on the lookout for new makeup brushes, so if there are any brands I should try out let me know in the comments!!

XO, G.




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14 Aug 2014

Throwback Thursday | Tumblr Trends


Welcome to my first ever Throwback Thursday here on the blawwggg!

Last week I found myself flicking through old pictures on my laptop when all of a sudden I came across some outfit snaps and my Tumblr days all came flooding back (Oh lawwwddd!). I'm not sure that I ever told anyone I knew about my Tumblr account, apart from the very few that were on Tumblr - I'm talkin' 3 people max - but it turns out that I was clearly attempting to start a blog long before 'grace'd' ever materialised and I didn't even realise it.

Let me throw ya'll back a good 2 years ago when I was slap bang in the middle of my University degree. I had finally shed my stress pounds from my Leaving Cert study days (I eat when I'm anxious... and most other times too :P) and started to get a little more confidant in the way I wanted to dress. A mixture of my new figure and my obsession with blogs and YouTube all culminated in me starting my first ever 'blog'. It wasn't named anything fancy and I couldn't figure out how to design snazzy templates - I just posted OOTD's, so it's probably the most basic thing you've ever seen in your life.

I decided it'd be funny / embarrassing / great for your enjoyment to throw up a few snaps of what used to be my 'blog'. Get yourself ready for some terribly bad photography (selfie central) and some OOTD's - you don't get them much around here (I promise I'll start again soon). :P

Look 1:
A lovely Summery look with a fabulously pawed mirror. Haha.



Look 2:
Clearly I was loving those blue jeans and that fab statement necklace (*cough* still love it *cough*)...


Oooohh.. even included a little hair shot in this one! It's sad, but I can totally remember I copied this from a tutorial that Juicystar07 put up on her YouTube Channel! Haha.



Look 3:
Oh hey Flashy McFlasherson - couldn't have taken the flash off for that one Grace? Nope? K.



Look 4:
Before you ask, yes, I wore heels almost erryday. Oh well, werk what your Mama gave ya!



This ring from Juicy Couture is still one of my faves!


Look 5:
Not even gonna lie, I really like this outfit... the background however. Typical dorm room. Haha.




Look 6:
Again, another look I actually like! Haha. Clearly my style was improving as time went on! Holla! :P



And that's about all the throwbacks of terribly bad photography I can handle for today! Haha.

I do hope you enjoyed having a little LOL with me though - and if you do want to check out my Tumblr, it's actually still live so pop on over if you wish! http://gracedenny.tumblr.com

XO, G.



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