Filomena Kaguako, Author at Enhance What's Yours - Page 15 of 28Enhance What's Yours

Posted on August 17, 2015

Review: W7 Cosmetics Ebony Range

If you follow me on Instagram, then you would know that I was recently sent a full range of makeup products from a brand called w7 cosmetics. Some of you may have come across w7 products in your local chemist, as they are widely known for having Naked palette dupes – gotta love a good duplicate!

W7 cosmetics has been in Ireland for the past three years. In such a short space of time, the budget-friendly brand is in over 400 stores nationwide and has over one hundred individual makeup products for eyes, lips, skin and more.

The products I’m going to be reviewing today are from their new Ebony range, which hasn’t officially been launched in Ireland. However, it is available to buy online from Amazon or Ebay.

Without further ado, let’s see what w7 cosmetics has for us dark skinned gals!

SHAPE & DEFINE €6.50

These palettes are available in three different shades; light , medium and deep. Each palette comes with a compact mirror, and a short guide on how you can achieve that Kim K look:

Apply the sculpting powder to your cheeks. Then apply the highlighting powder above and below the cheekbones for a defined contoured look

Light Shade

As much as I love the highlighter, as you can see, this contour shade isn’t right for me at all. It is far too light, and since highlighting and contouring is about creating shadows, the light palette would just defeat the purpose of it for me. I think this shade would suit somebody who has a fairer skin tone than myself.

Medium Shade

The medium shade on the other hand, works a lot better with my skin tone. Out of the three, this was definitely my favourite. It gives my face just the definition it needs. With a few brush strokes, it doesn’t give a hugely obvious highlight and contour, making it perfect for day time wear.

Deep Shade

Although the deeper shade looks ridiculously dark, I think it works really for nights out. Since it is quite pigmented, you don’t need to go to heavy with it at all. With the right techniques, this shade can give you that sculpted and defined look without looking like a drag!

BLUSH PERFECTION €3.95

These blushes are available in four different shades. Sand Dune, Pink Sands and Sea Shell have a matte finish, while Red Dawn has a bit of a shimmer in it.

Sand Dune

This shade is definitely too light for my skin tone, it has a bit of a coral hue to it. It would suit someone who has a fairer skin tone than me and wants to create that natural ‘no make up’ look.

Pink Sands

This shade has a pinkier hue. It is one of my favourites for day time makeup because it gives you a natural flush. With this shade, I can have people thinking ‘I woke up like this.’:)

Sea Shell

I quite liked this shade and I found that the colour and texture really works well with the shape and define palette. It is slightly darker than the other two, but doesn’t make your face look too heavy. It is very much suited for night wear.

Red Dawn

This ones for our sparkling divas. I don’t usually like shimmering blushers, but I was surprised by this one. It works well on the days I don’t have a highlight, but I still want to brighten up my face.

Overall, I was impressed by these w7 products as they were super easy to apply and they set really well on the face. I was very surprised by the quality of them and think they’re an absolute steal! It’s also worth mentioning that the packaging does not give the price away s it doesn’t look cheap at all. You would never guess by looking at them that they’re so affordable!

Here, I used the Shape & Define medium palette with Sea Shell blush and the tiniest bit of Red Dawn:

Other products in this range:

Trio Concealer €3.95
Lipsticks €3.95
Cream to powder foundation €4.95

Hope you enjoyed my write up, keep an eye on the blog for more reviews of other products from this range 🙂

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Review: Green Angel Skincare
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Posted on August 13, 2015

How to get back to healthy eating after a holiday

fitness/ Health

Lisbon, Portugal

Let’s face it, when it comes to holidays, many of our healthy eating habits go way out the window: alcohol consumption increases, lazy days out in the sun become a norm and the technique behind leg raises become a long and distant memory.

I for one know all too well about this – especially on the alcohol side of things! After having spent a week in Portugal, I think this article and all the practices that come with it are very much needed! If you follow me on Snap Chat (@FilomenaKaguako), then you would know exactly what I’m talking about.

So if you happen to be on the same boat as myself and are in desperate need of a post-holiday detox, or if you just want to get back to healthy eating after falling off track, then here are some tips that may help:

1. Get straight back into it

Don´t leave it for too long before you get back to healthy eating. It might not seem like it now, but the longer you wait, the harder it will be. Make a plan to start no later than three days after you arrive because the last thing you want is for your holiday indulgences to develop into bad habits.

2. Meal Plan

As you probably know at this stage, meal planning is so important. Without planning ahead, making unhealthy food choices becomes very very easy. Make a list of all the things you need to get to recharge your body. Think green, think protein, think water. Steer clear of junk food!

3. Water, water, water

Whether it’s lemon water, cucumber water, coconut water or just plain H20, your body needs to rehydrate after all those days you spent relaxing in the sun. Drinking your eight glasses a day will give your body a reboost of energy. It’ll also clear your mind and improve your mood meaning you will spend less days sulking about being back – speaking from experience here!

4. Go alcohol-free

Yes, I am deadly serious. If you’re a drinker, then one can only assume that a lot of drinking rules were broken while you were abroad. Cold beers, fresh bubbly and cocktails were probably on the daily menu. Going alcohol free for a few weeks will do your body some good, as well as that it, it will help your bank account!

5. It’s all about shut eye

Sometimes, we don’t realise how tired we are until we actually get back to our sweet beds. So be sure to give yourself a good amount of shut eye the days following your arrival. Not only will your body thank you for it, but it will also take the sting out of getting back into the routine of waking up early for work.

6. Socialise wisely

When making plans to meet with friends, try to make arrangements to meet up during the day. I always find that making evening plans can result in eating out (or in other words, overindulging), followed by a few drinks in a bar. I think this is less likely to happen when you meet up during that day.

Those are my top tips for now and I hope you find these suggestions useful and even decide to put one or two things into practice! I’m slowly getting back on track myself, as I spent a lovely evening in the gym yesterday and felt so much better this morning! Remember, it’s okay to fall of track, so long as you get back up. It’ all about moving onwards and upwards! 🙂

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Posted on July 31, 2015

No-bake protein balls

recipes

I’m sure many of you have come across my infamous protein bar recipe. And if you’ve tried making them at home, then you would know that they are highly addictive. Whenever I make my protein bars, they barely last four days in the house, never mind a week! My father loves them, the boys love them and even my three year old niece – we all know that kids never lie!

So to switch things up a bit, I’ve decided to start making protein balls as well. To be quite honest, these require much less effort. Once you have your ingredients, all you need is a spoon, a mixing bowl and your talented little hands to turn them into edible, bite-sized balls!

Ingredients:

100g quick oats
2 tbsp protein powder
3 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp ground almond

Method:

1. Put the oats in a clean bowl and then add in the other ingredients (make sure the coconut oil is melted)

2. Mix it all up until the oats are evenly coated and there are no lumps of PB or honey.

3. Use your hands to roll the mixture into bite-sized balls and place on a plate or tray.

4. Put in fridge for about an hour, remove when firm.

5. Enjoy as an afternoon pick me up or snack throughout the day!

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Posted on July 26, 2015

Sure Voga with Juliet Murrell

fitness

Yesterday morning, was no ordinary Saturday morning. Myself and Lorna Duffy a.k.a Fashion Boss, got into our gym gear, tied up our sweet little ponytails and brought our yoga mats over to Merrion Square, for a high-intensity workout called VOGA.

In case the name didn’t give it away, VOGA is a combination of Vogueing and yoga, which is inspired by the 90s dance scene. It uses unique yoga movements, dance (which I like to call my cardio) and of course, fashion to give you a workout which tones and stretches the body. VOGA founder, Juliet Mullet was onsite to show us how it’s done.

She started us off with a pre-workout before getting into the hardcore VOGA movements. Once we got into it, we held ourselves in specific moves which turned into a routine of different poses: stand up tall, right arm forward, do the unicorn, and repeat. Switching from one pose to another nearly felt like we were striking poses for a photo shoot –that’s the whole Vogueing aspect of VOGA.

The playlist for this 90’s inspired workout, was as you would imagine, extremely upbeat. With the classics like ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ and Madonna’s ‘Get into the Groove,’ the whole thing was really fun and lively.

After a long sweaty hour, we got to help ourselves with the water which was prepared for us. Thankfully, we each got to take home a bottle of Sure spray deodorant – very much needed!

In the end, she got us all to strike our favourite Voga pose for the group photo.Some of my favourites were the ninja, the warrior and the unicorn – I felt quite empowered in the mist of it all! But since it is near impossible to see me in the group pic without squinting, here is a close up of one of the ultimate VOGA pose, don’t I just look so elegant? 🙂

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Posted on July 22, 2015

The New Voyage Collection from The Body Shop

product review

If you’re a fan of The Body Shop, then you will be very happy to hear that their New Voyage collection will be on the shelves and ready to make their way to your comforting homes, by the end of this week – let the countdown begin!

With best-selling products like Shea Body Butter and Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder, one can only assume that whatever they have lined up for us will be up to the same standards, if not better. But for those of you who are The Body Shop virgins, let me give you the gist of what to expect of the updated New Voyage collection.

Some of the top international perfumers, have created the most sensual fragrances using authentic, traditional ingredients from around the globe. Of the five fragrances in this range, I was very lucky to have the Italian Summer Fig – the highlight of this collection – sent to me for testing and review.

This Eau de Toilette comes in a half-globe shaped glass bottle, boxed up in a sophisticated monochrome print which is eye-catching, unique and inspired by Tuscan fabric. While the packaging did a great job in luring me in, I was very skeptical about the scent, seeing it was developed from figs – not my go to fruit at all! But much to my surprise, infused figs make for a very rare and special kind of fragrance.

The captivating aroma of the Italian Summer Fig is a harmony of femininity and sensuality. It has a delicate floral scent with a hint of green forest. While figs are the centre of the fragrance, it does have a milky touch to it also.

I was really taken aback by this eau de toilette as I genuinely didn’t expect the fragrance to be so appealing to my senses. It is light and not overpowering at all, a few spritz should give you just what you need to make it through a summer’s day – not that we get many in Ireland!

So if you like a sweet, feminine scent with a milky touch, then the Italian Summer Fig is definitely something worth trying!

Other scents in the Voyage range:

Indian Night Jasmine (warm and floral)

Japanese Cherry Blossom (fruity and floral)

Atlas Mountain Rose (spicy and floral)

Fijan Water Lotus (marine and floral)

What I found particularly interesting about this Voyage range is the fact that each box incorporates a traditional design from its region of origin. I think this adds a personal touch to it, and makes if that extra bit more special! Additionally, each fragrance is available as a set of bath and body products too – always a bonus when you’re looking for a longer-lasting scent 🙂

All fragrances are priced at €29.95 and will be available to buy from The Body Shop by the end of the week!

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Posted on July 16, 2015

Discover Flormar with Leonard Daly

Events

Yesterday evening saw a group of makeup-worshipping bloggers, gathered together in the downstairs lounge of the prestigious Residence Members Club for the Flormar preview event.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Flormar, it is a professional Italian makeup brand which initially launched as a nail polish collection. With unbelievable success in the nail market (1,000 different colours are available today), the brand decided to develop their range into a full makeup line.

From primer to foundation to lipsticks and more, Flormar now have high quality and budget friendly makeup products ranging from €2.95 to €12.95.

To kick things off, Paul Mooney from The Cosmetic Outlet gave us a quick introductory talk on the Flormar brand. Next up, Dublin makeup artist Leonard Daly gave us a very informative makeup demonstration using the Flormar products, while showing off his incredible talent (photograph of Leonard taken by Nirina Plunkett of Killer-Fashion).

Throughout the evening, we were spoiled with glasses of bubbly, canapés as well as desserts. And as if that wasn’t enough, we were each gifted with a Flormar goodie bag containing some of their products. Mine had an illuminating primer, revolution lipstick, long wearing lipgloss, bronzing powder and of course, a Flormar nail polish!

A big thank you to Rachel Dalton Communications, Paul of The Cosmetic Outlet, Leonard Daly and the staff at Residence Members Club! Keep an eye out for upcoming reviews on Flormar products 🙂

Stockists: Flormar are available to buy online, in The Cosmetic Outlet store and in selected pharmacies across Ireland.

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Posted on July 14, 2015

8 ways to motivate yourself to exercise

fitness/ Health

Finding the motivation to get up and get moving doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Thankfully, I am a morning person who also happens to like Mondays. I know, I know, I sound like the devil right now! But I promise you, Mondays and early mornings really aren’t that bad!

However, being a morning person doesn’t necessarily mean that I get into my gym gear every single day at 6am on the dot. I too go through phases where I find it impossible to put on my sports bra never mind the rest of my fitness gear! Every now and again, my motivation to workout goes out the window and I really need to push myself to get exercising.

If you’re anything like me (and by me, I mean human), then you probably know what it feels like to lose motivation to workout. So today, I’m going to share with you some of the ways I like to stay on top of my fitness game. Hopefully one or two of these things will help you find the budding gym enthusiast lurking inside you!

#1 Buy new workout clothes……. and put them on

You know how excited you get about wearing new shoes or using new makeup products? Believe it or not, you can get equally excited about wearing new gym clothes (provided that you actually like them!). Buying new gym clothes will make you want to wear them and wearing them will get you into the right frame of mind to workout. According to researchers, the act of putting on workout gear alone motivates people to start exercising.I think this calls for a trip to Lifestyle Sports!

#2 Set a goal and track your success

Setting fitness goals is the best way to track your success and to see how far you’ve come – or if you’ve made any movements at all! Forget the scale for the meantime, and instead, take pictures of your body on a week-to-week basis to track your progress. As I mentioned in 7 reasons your ‘diet’ isn’t working, sometimes a scale isn’t the best indicator for how well you’re doing since it doesn’t differentiate between fat weight and muscle weight.

#3 Follow Instagram Fitness Gurus

I can’t even begin to count how many inspiring fitness gurus there are on Instagram. I don’t know about you, but I for one know exactly how it feels to go from “I’m not in the humour for this” to “damn, I better up my squatting game” after going through my Instagram news feed. Sometimes it only takes one account to make me want to hit the gym! And since we are on the topic of Instagram perving, I might as well ‘fess up and tell you that Jen Selter is enough motivation for me!

#4 Set up a rewards system

Knowing that you will treat yourself after having a positive fitness week is always a good way to keep yourself motivated. That little light at the end of the tunnel won’t seem so little once you get to it! So give yourself a lye in a marathon of your favourite TV series as treat! There are many ways you can reward yourself for reaching your goals, and while this may mean a sweet treat, it doesn’t always have to be that!

#5 Find a gym buddy

Some people can be very self conscious about going for a run alone, or going to the gym without any company. That’s why having a gym partner can much such a difference when it comes to staying motivated. This person can be your voice of reason when you feel like giving up, and also a bit of healthy competition for you!

#6 Make a plan and stick to it

If your desire to exercise depends on whether or not you’re in the mood for it, then you won’t be seeing any results any time soon! Sorry to break it to you, but you will never be in the mood to exercise four days a week and you will never WANT to choose snacking on almonds instead of a packet of crisps. Make a diet and exercise plan and stick to it. Don’t rely on your mood to get things done otherwise you will be waiting for a long time.

#7 Make it fun

Running isn’t the most exciting form of exercise out there. But if you’re body is in good working order, then you don’t have to restrict yourself to just that. You could go swimming, take up zumba, or even pilates! There are so many fun ways to exercise. I recently bought a step to do step aerobics so that will keep me going for a good while until I get bored of it!

#8 Surround yourself with motivation

Whether this means covering your room with post-it notes filled with inspiring words, or watching endless videos of Ted Talks on YouTube (things I know not of….), is completely irrelevant. So long as you surround yourself with things, people and words that will keep you motivated, that is all that matters. When it comes to fitness, your mind usually gives up well before your body does, so it’s all about getting yourself to the mental state that will keep you going.

And if the motivational quotes don’t work, the reward system is pointless and you just can’t seem to be getting on with your fitness partner,then just do it for the “holy f***, you got hot!”

Have a good evening all 🙂

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Posted on July 10, 2015

Review: Green Angel Skincare

product review/ Skincare

I know I haven’t done a beauty product review in a while – since I got on the healthy lifestyle bandwagon I’ve been finding it hard to get off! So to kick things off, I’ve decided to share my thoughts on a brand which I have been using every day (without fail) over the past couple of weeks: Green Angel.

If the name rings a bell, then it’s probably because the brand has already been featured on Enhance What’s Yours. Back in February, Green Angel sponsored one of my giveaways and one of you lucky readers got to win a gift set from this luxury range.

Since there was just one winner, only one of you got to experience this brand first-hand – even before me! But shortly afterwards, I was sent a few products to try and review, and here are my thoughts…… *drum roll*

Green Angel Seaweed Facial Toner 100ml €14.95

I’m going to start off with the product I first started using. As you can tell from the above images, I couldn’t wait to start using the facial toner. Being an avid toner lover means I always know what to look for. I like a toner that isn’t overly drying (tick), keeps the skin looking nice and fresh (double tick) and doesn’t have an overpowering smell (triple tick). So as you can see, the Green Angel Seaweed Facial Toner certainly ticked all the boxes for me!

Active Ingredients: Linden Flower, Sage Leaf, Lettuce Leaf and Cucumber Extract, Irish Seaweed Extracts (Bladder Wrack, Toothed Wrack, Carrageen, Knotted Wrack), Sea Lavender Extract, Allantoin

Green Angel Seaweed Body Lotion with Neroli and Chamomile 200ml €14.95

Next up, is the body lotion. I use this as a hand cream and go absolutely nowhere without it! When I bring it into work, the girls always compliment me on how good I smell – it really is heaven in a bottle! The seaweed body lotion also has therapeutic properties which help conquer skin problems, and added vitamin E which encourages younger looking skin.

Active Ingredients: Sweet Almond Kernel Oil, Thyme, Chamomile, Lavender, Comfrey and Ginseng Extracts, Glycerine, Irish Seaweed Extracts (Bladder Wrack, Toothed Wrack, Carrageen, Knotted Wrack) Sea Lavender Extract, Glycerine

Seaweed Bath & Shower Gel with Lavender and Mandarin 200ml €14.95

The bath and shower gel is perfect for the times you just need to relax and pamper yourself. I wouldn’t use this product on a regular basis, as I like to keep it as a treat and use it when I want to indulge myself with a tranquilising bath. This shower gel is suitable for all skin types,leaving the skin with a natural scent which comes from the mandarin and lavender oils.

Active Ingredients: Bladderwrack Extract, Carragheen Extract, Glycerin, Glyceryl Oleate, Knotted Wrack Extract, Lavender Flower Oil, Mandarin Oil, Neroli (Bitter orange) flower oil, Sea Lavender Extract, Thyme Extract, Toothed Wrack Extract.

Green Angel Seaweed Hair Conditioning Serum with Lavender & Neroli 200ml €14.95

Last, but not least is the unique conditioning serum. It is a lightweight formula which helps with detangling the hair. I use it on my niece and found that her hair was incredibly soft after only one use. It is said to reduce surface friction, which in turn helps prevent follicle damage. Not that this should come as a surprise to you, but like the others, it smells incredible!

Active Ingredients: Aqua, Bladderwrack Extract, Carragheen Extract, Glycerin, Knotted Wrack Extract, Mandarin Oil, Neroli (Bitter orange) flower oil, Sea Lavender Extract, Thyme Extract, Toothed Wrack Extract.

If you’ve used Green Angel products before, then I would love to know how you got on! If not, then you should have a browse on their website for the products mentioned or any other fabulous ones you will surely come across! If you get the chance, give their page a like, they’re 100% Irish (this is always a good selling point!)

Hope you enjoy the rest of your day 🙂

Award winning range of luxury Irish skincare products based on the fusion of Irish seaweed and natural essential oils

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Win!!! A Valentine’s Day Gift Set & More!!!
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And the winner is...... Orla Murphy! Congrats, please check your FB mail :) With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, myself and Irish beauty brand Green Angel, have decided to join forces for a Val’s Day giveaway. Whether you have plans to exchange pressies with a special someone or not,…
Tags: seaweed, shower, lotion, bath, mandarin, gel, lavender, chamomile, neroli, green

Posted on July 8, 2015

Cajun sweet potato fries

food/ recipes

I wouldn’t be the biggest sweet potato fan out there. For a very long time, the thought of sweet potato muffins or sweet potato pancakes made me want to gag. But now that I’ve made a lot of changes to my diet, a lot of sacrifices have been made too.

If I want to have my body sculpted for my trip to Portugal in a few weeks, then I have to make wiser food choices. I need to take a step back from starchy foods and find healthier alternatives. Enter, sweet potatoes, an excellent substitute to white potatoes minus the added calories.

There are so many different ways to make sweet potatoes: you can grill them, steam them, add them to soups. It’s up to you really. But I find that making crispy fries out of them really makes them more bearable to eat- for me, anyways. When sweet potatoes are flavoured the right way and baked to crispy perfection, I can have them again and again!

So without further ado, here’s how I make my crispy sweet potato fries.

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cleaned
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 ½ tsp powdered paprika
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
1 ½ tspn dried thyme
¼ cajun powder
¼ tspn black pepper
1 ½ tsp powdered garlic
½ tsp salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C

2. After scrubbing and cleaning the two sweet potatoes, cut them up unto thin fries and set aside in a large bowl.

3. Put the coconut oil in a small bowl and heat in the microwave until completed melted.

4. Once melted, add all the herbs and spices to the oil and give it a good mix.

5. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes, making sure that all the fries are evenly coated. Toss the bowl around or use your hands if you must!

6. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 35 minutes, while turning regularly. Remove from oven once the edges are dark brown and crisp.

7. Serve plain, with your favourite dip, or with a tomato instead of tomato sauce! Lol, enjoy 🙂

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Sesame and honey bars
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I have a terrible habit of eating on the go. For some strange reason, I feel like time passes quicker when I'm chewing! So unless I have some sort of healthy snack prepared with me when out and about, I just end up at a corner shop buying something that makes…
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When it comes to granola, I’ve always thought that making it at home was far better than consuming the store-bought stuff (like most things, I suppose). Ready-made granola tends to be packed with sugar, unhealthy fats/oils and unnecessary ingredients. Homemade granola allows you to have full control of what you put in…
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Today was a very productive day: I made my very own Nutella.That's right, I made a thick and gooey hazelnut spread with a touch of cocoa that tastes very much like the much-loved 'breakfast' spread, Nutella itself. Now I know it doesn't look like the most appetising chocolate spread out…

Posted on July 7, 2015

Get ready for the Galway races with Debenhams and The Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa

Events

Hi everyone,

As you well know, Ireland’s most popular racing festival is held in Galway every summer. So to prepare for this special occasion, a small group of bloggers were invited to get pampered and spoiled at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Galway.

Organised by the PR Guru of Debenhams herself, the exclusive Get Ready for the Galway Races event saw a day of spa treatments, a makeup demo by Urban Decay, a talk with personal shopper, Margaret Dolan, and of course, some afternoon tea!

Upon arrival, myself and the beautiful Mei Ling of Darling Buds of Mei grabbed a bite at the Atrium Bar & Lounge. After a two hour journey, some serious carbs were in order – calories don’t count when preparing for the biggest highlight of the Irish racing calendar (well, that’s what I like to tell myself anyways!)

We then made our way to Spirit One Spa, where we were ushered to the changing rooms and got ready for the 25 minute neck and body massage which awaited us – it was absolute heaven!

Following the deep tissue massage, was a quick tour of the Spa. We met with the other fabulous bloggers and got to explore the different steam rooms and cooling areas before we headed up to the pool area and got into the hot tub.

To further spoil us, we were welcomed back with some bubbly and brought over to the space which was sectioned off for afternoon tea and the guest speakers.

A makeup artist from Urban Decay did a makeup tutorial on a model for us, where she used some drool-worthy Urban Decay products. I don’t think there was a single product I didn’t want to take home with me – okay, maybe I wouldn’t get any use from the shade of foundation she used, but all the other products were to die for!

Personal shopper, Mags shared some invaluable tips on dressing for your body shape and size – some of which were very new to me. So if you’re ever in Galway and you need an honest opinion on your wardrobe choices, I would definitely recommend popping into her for some advice.

Last, but not least, we got to try out the Turf Tester, which is a handy little tool to let you know whether your heels will sink or swim on turf! Looks to me like Mary O Donnell here is an exceptional swimmer!

All in all, the day was an absolute success, and I want to thank Debenhams for organising it, the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa for their amazing customer service and the guest speakers for teaching me a thing or two about style and makeup. I really appreciate it! But before I leave you to it, how generous were Debenhams with our goodie bags? Cannot wait to try these products! Enjoy your day 🙂

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The Gloss Magazine teams up with Links of London
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Yesterday evening, I attended an exclusive Links of London shopping event which took place on 25 - 26 South Anne Street, Dublin. In association with THE GLOSS, it was an opportunity to meet fashion blogger Rebecca O’Byrne who was recently featured in the much-loved magazine herself. She spoke to style…
Wet n Wild Summer Launch Party
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Posted on June 30, 2015

Top tips for dealing with summer acne

Acne/ Skincare/ Tips

My final post for Acne Awareness Month will be about dealing with summer breakouts. As you well know, our bodies produce more oil and perspiration tends to increase during the summer. This can lead to acne breakouts, which is why it is important to take extra care of your skin during hot temperatures.

Here are some top tips for dealing with summer breakouts:

Avoid using heavy moisturisers as they are better suited during the winter months.
Look for moisturisers that are non-comedogenic as they are less likely to break you out.
Cleanse before you go to bed as this will get rid of any oil or dirt your skin accumulated over the course of the day.
Use an oil-free sunscreen with an SPF of at least 20 before leaving the house. If you can, use a mattifying sunscreen as it will makes your skin look less shiny.
Tone your face after cleansing. Apple cider vinegar mixed with rose water make for a great natural skin toner.
Use blotting paper to clean up any excess oils. A lot of them have a mattifying film to prevent more oil from appearing in your face.
Try to wear cotton clothing, as it allows your skin to breathe, which can reduce body acne.
Drink plenty of water. If you get bored of drinking regular water, add a few slices of cucumber some and mint leaves to give it some flavour.
Change your pillow case at least twice a week. Especially if you tend to have a lot of products on your hair while you sleep. These oils can go on your pillow case and transfer to your face.

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5 common acne myths busted
10000
June is Acne Awareness Month. So for every week of this month, I’m going to do an acne-related post that will hopefully raise awareness of this skin problem. If you know me personally, then you would know that I grew up with acne. It’s not something I like to talk…
12 things you shouldn’t say to someone with acne
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I know we’ve come to the end of the week, but because I am a firm believer of making everyday count, I’m going to carry on with my blog post for week two of Acne Awareness Month - I’m a rebel like that! So for my second acne -related post,…
Celebrities who suffered from acne
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My third article for Acne Awareness Month will be about celebrities who suffered from acne. Why? Because when most people think of celebrities, they think of perfect beings with multiple bank accounts, who spend millions on their daily appearance and never have to worry about having a bad day. But…
7 natural skin toners
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If your beauty regime consists of cleansing, exfoliating, toning, moisturising and the occasional face mask, then you’ve probably already noticed that things can get a bit heavy on your pocket – particularly around this time of year. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a huge amount of cash to find a…
Tags: skin, water, face, vinegar, toner, apple, cider, rose, mint, natural
Let's talk about skin, hair and nails
36
Growing up with acne-prone skin has turned me into a bit of a skincare junkie: from beauty tools to beauty products, I pretty much like to get my paws on everything and anything that will give my complexion even the slightest glow! So when I read reviews on how Perfectil…
Tags: skin, hair, will, day, twitter, instagram, facebook, products

Posted on June 24, 2015

Celebrities who suffered from acne

Acne/ Skincare

My third article for Acne Awareness Month will be about celebrities who suffered from acne. Why? Because when most people think of celebrities, they think of perfect beings with multiple bank accounts, who spend millions on their daily appearance and never have to worry about having a bad day. But in case you haven’t noticed, celebrities are human too. This means, they are subjected to human problems and insecurities just like anybody else.

Here is a list of 10 celebrities who battled with acne:

1. Keira Knightly

Keira Knightly is known for many things, but having acne isn’t one of them. This classical beauty once opened up to Australian Vogue about her struggles with acne and how subconscious it can make her feel.

2. Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson has had skin issues for many years. She even resorted to using Accutane for a while. Now, Jessica endorses an acne fighting skin care line called Proactiv.

3. Rihanna

This may surprise some of you, but Queen Riri gets her fair share of breakouts. She often gets them around her cheek area. However, her occasional run-ins with spots doesn’t take away from the fact that she is a stunner.

4. Megan Fox

Not only does Megan suffer from acne, but she suffers from enlarged pores and scars. This beauty swears by natural products and healthy eating to help keep her skin clear.

5. Katy Perry

Katy suffered from acne from a very young age and is now a spokesperson for Proactiv and uses their products religiously.

6. Brad Pitt

This hunk of a man has been left with deep acne scars after battling with the skin issue during his teen years.

7. Alicia Keys

Singer/songwriter, Alicia Keys struggled with acne for years after first stepping onto the scene. She is mostly clear now, but during her pregnancies she had a lot of hormonal breakouts.

8. Adam Levine

Just because he was voted the sexiest man alive by People Magazine, it doesn’t mean he has no flaws. Adam was a sufferer throughout his teen years and is now an avid user of the Proactiv skin care line.

9. Kate Moss

Yes, models get acne too! Although Kate’s acne wasn’t severe, she still suffered from skin problems. Her dermatologist performed hydrating microdermabrasion on her skin to help keep it clear and plump.

10. Victoria Beckham

Back in the day, Victoria’s breakouts were so bad that some even called her the ‘Spotty Spice.’ Today, she uses a three-step cleansing, exfoliating and nourishing to help maintain her clear skin.

See, not everything is perfect in the celebrity world. Anyone can have a skin problem, celebrity or not. We are all humans and nobody is perfect – not even Brad Pitt! 🙂

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12 things you shouldn’t say to someone with acne
10000
I know we’ve come to the end of the week, but because I am a firm believer of making everyday count, I’m going to carry on with my blog post for week two of Acne Awareness Month - I’m a rebel like that! So for my second acne -related post,…
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10000
June is Acne Awareness Month. So for every week of this month, I’m going to do an acne-related post that will hopefully raise awareness of this skin problem. If you know me personally, then you would know that I grew up with acne. It’s not something I like to talk…
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10000
Your skin is a very good indicator of what’s going on inside your body. Usually, when someone has breakouts on repeated areas, it could be a sign that something more is happening internally. While genes have a huge impact on whether or not someone is or will be prone to…
Skincare glossary: what do these popular beauty terms really mean?
46
We're often told to go for products with certain ingredients. If you dry skin, you're told to go for a moisturiser with an emollient and if you're at the other end of the spectrum and have oily skin, then a cleanser with salicylic acid is your winning ticket. But what…
Tags: skin, help

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