Review // Lush Ultrabland

Walking into Lush can be a bit overwhelming because there are so many things and sometimes its hard to know where to start. The last time I went into Lush, I knew I wanted a new cleanser but didn't know which one to go for. As usual the staff in Lush were really helpful and a girl told me about Ultrabland and convinced me to buy it. It claims that it is the Lush founder's #1 desert island product, so I was really excited to try it out and had high expectations.

The Lush website says 'This cleanser removes all traces of dirt and makeup, without stripping away  your skins natural defenses.' and I have to agree with that. It has a really weird creamy/oily consistency that it very unique for a cleanser, but it's probably this that helps remove makeup so well (even mascara!).

When you wash this off some of the product stays on your face almost like a serum. I thought this was great because you're basically getting two products in one and it's a lot more efficient and cheaper than using two or three different products.

What interested me about this product is that on the tub it recommends to use the product and nothing else for a whole month to fix problem skin and bring your skin back to its natural balance. I was really intrigued so I gave it a go. Honestly, I found it really difficult not to use anything else especially when I had a spot that I knew wouldn't budge without some spot cream, or when my skin was really oily and couldn't use some toner. It didn't work for me, but I feel like it would work wonders for someone who has dehydrated skin or extremely sensitive skin.

If you have dry/normal skin I highly recommend this as it's so moisturizing and isn't stripping on your skin at all. Unfortunately it doesn't work well with my oily/combination skin and I think it's causing me to breakout. If you have a similar skin type to me I would stay away from this and maybe use 9 to 5 or Angels on Bare Skin instead as they are great for normal/oily skin.

There's not much point in me giving you a run down on the ingredients/properties when the Lush website probably do a much better job at it.

xo, Orlagh

Tanya Burr Galaxy Eye Palette // Review

Tanya Burr cosmetics launched well over a year ago, and I can't believe i'm only picking up something now. I knew I wanted something from the collection but I wasn't sure what to buy - until I saw Tanya using the palette in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hI3zhz12i4. I usually never wear cool tones but there was something about the colours in this palette that I thought were so pretty.

There are other palettes in the collection which are all priced at £6 which I think is incredible for 4 decent quality eyeshadows; perfect for anyone starting out in makeup! They are well pigmented and last all day. Their blendability isn't the most amazing i've ever seen for such a well priced product I really don't mind it. You can create lots of different looks with this palette and it can easily be taken from day to night by adding a little bit of the last eyeshadow to make it more smokey.

Snowflake // a frosty white shade

Moonlight // a shimmery pewter/silver

Stormy Sky // a matte, cool toned brown/purple

Starry Night // Black with gold glitter

Here is what they look like on:

Hope you enjoyed this post, if you have any favourites from Tanya Burr cosmetics let me know in the comments!

xo, Orlagh

THE ALL-ROUNDER // BY TERRY OMBRE BLACKSTAR

When I first saw these eyeshadow sticks in a Tanya Burr video, I was obsessed. I was all set out to buy one - that was until I saw the price. Some people would think spending £29 on a crayon for your eyes is a bit insane; and so did I to be completely honest. I still really wanted one, so I decided to save up and buy it. At first I was thinking, am I really wise spending this much money on this? But as soon as I used it I knew it was worth the hefty price.

It really is an amazing product. It has amazing pigmentation and is easy to blend, but once it's set, it seriously does not budge. They have a range of 12 colours from bronzes to purples and they're all beautiful and really wearable. They work great as a base for eyeshadows but I often just end up wearing it on its own. The thing I love most about this product is that it is so easy to use, and great if you're in a rush. You can apply it straight from the tube and use a fluffy brush to blend out the edges and you're done! The colour I have is 13 Brown Perfection (below) and it can be used in so many different ways.

 I thought I would share some of my favourite ways to use this product. The first brush is great for packing it on the lid for a smokey eye. If I want something that isn't as harsh as black eyeliner I love using this angled brush to use it as eyeliner (really nice for blue eyes!) For everyday, using this fluffy brush to blend it in the crease looks really nice and keeps it looking polished.

I know these are probably out of a lot of people's budgets, so I found some great dupes that are a lot cheaper:

http://www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-London-Scandaleyes-Shadow-Stick_1306557/

http://www.boots.com/en/SEVENTEEN-Eye-Eye-Crayon_1427550/

http://www.nyxcosmetics.co.uk/best-sellers?product_id=62

Thanks for reading! 

xo, Orlagh

REVIEW: CLEAN AND CLEAR MORNING ENERGY FACE WASH

Hi! 

First of all, I apologize for the lack of blog posts recently, I hate making excuses but I have my GCSE's next month so studying for them is my top priority at the minute. Don't worry though, I'll be posting loads in the summer!

My old face wash ran out (Nspa melting gel cleanser), so I thought I would pick up something a little different. I liked the look of this Clean & Clear face wash because it seemed that it would be very energizing and help wake me up a bit in the morning.

Clean&Clear always get it spot on with their packaging, as it is very colourful and eye-catching, which I personally really like. (who wants all boring colourless bottles?) 

The bottle is what drew me in at the start, as I just bought it randomly and had never heard anyone talk about it. This is really strange for me because usually I will do some serious research on reviews for a product before I buy it.

What it says on their website:

'This unique gel cleanser with Vitamin C and Ginseng wakes you up with a fresh citrus scent while soft BURSTING BEADS® burst with energy and vitamins, leaving your skin feeling clean, energized and ready to face the day.'

I do agree with what they say to a certain extent. It definitely makes your skin feel clean, and it feels nice and refreshing in the morning. What I would say is that I expected it to be a lot more energizing than what it is, but it is still a really good face wash and it makes your skin feel fresh.

It has a gel-like consistency, which I quite like for face washes. Since I have oily/combination skin, I used to think that foaming cleansers would be the best choice, but they actually really dry out my skin, so gel cleansers are great for combination skin. 

I was quite surprised when it didn't go foamy, and it was quite hard to form a lather. I don't mind this however, as it still made my face really clean.

As you can see in the picture, it has orange beads through the cleanser, which apprently 'burst with energy and vitamins'. Personally, I think things like this are just a gimmick and don't really make a difference, but maybe it does - i'm not a skincare professional!

Overall, I really like this face wash, and I would highly recommend it to anyone with oily to combination skin types. You can't really go wrong as it is only £3.49, and I do think it is amazing for the price.

xo, Orlagh

2014 BEAUTY FAVOURTIES

This time last year, I probably didn't even have half of the amount of makeup products I have now. From having older sisters, I've always been interested in makeup and beauty, but over the past year I have definitely came to love makeup a lot more and experiment with makeup looks that I would have never tried before. Now, I see makeup as my main hobby, and a way to express yourself. I have collected quite a lot of it over the past year (with my own money!). I love how you can completely transform how you look, and how it can make you feel so much more confident. 

There are so many products that I love, so I found it really difficult to choose my favourites. I have chosen my favourite thing from each type of makeup (mascara, foundation, etc.) 

Face:

Favourite foundation 

Loreal True Match in Rose Ivory

Nars Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc

I couldn't choose between these two foundations so I had to show you both! I had always heard lots about the two of them so I decided to buy both this year and i'm really glad I did.
The Loreal foundation is good if you're on a budget, and it's just as nice as a high end foundation! It's the first foundation I've ever owned that matched my skin colour perfectly, and it lasts really well. It's not dewy but not matte either, so it looks really natural.
If you want to spend a little more, the Nars foundation is gorgeous. It gives a dewy finish, without making you look shiny, and it photographs really well! Its just an overal great foundation. 
They both have a medium/high coverage, and they cover things like acne scars and redness. If you have quite a lot of spots, you may need concealer, but they can both be built up to a high coverage.


Favourite concealer

Collection Lasting Perfection

This concealer is amazing for the price (only £4.19), and I would never even think of using any other one. It has really good coverage and doesn't look cakey. It is definitely worth all the hype it gets.


Favourite powder

Collection Sheer Loose Powder

This powder is also the same brand as the concealer. I had this in my drawer for ages and sort of forgot about until I finished my Rimmel Stay Matte powder and needed something else to use, and I actually like it better than the Rimmel powder now! The powder is really fine so it dosen't give your face that horrible powdery look, and it's great for setting concealer.


Favourite blush

Mac Mineralise Blush in Dainty

I could talk about this blush for ages, I absolutely love it. It's baby pink with tiny flecks of glitter, so it's really nice on pale skin and makes you look really healthy and glowy! I wear it so much because it goes with almost every eye look.


Favourite bronzer

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

There is so much hype around this bronzer, and i've always wanted to try it so when I got this set and saw that it was inside, I was really excited to try it. I also have a review of this on my blog already so here it is : http://orlaghmarie.blogspot.com/2014/09/benefit-bronze-of-champions-review.html


Favourite highlighter

Topshop Highlighter

This is my first makeup product I ever bought from Topshop, but after using this I will definitely go out and try some other things from their makeup range! This highlighter is so pretty and makes your skin look gorgeous and glowy, without looking too obvious. It also photographs really nicely


Eyes:

 Favourite mascara

Maybelline The Falsies in Black Drama

I cannot say enough good things about this mascara, it's amazing! I bought it after watching Tanya Burr say how good it was, and she was definitely right! It does everything you'd want a mascara to do; lengthens, separates, and thickens! It's amazing for the price and I would highly recommend it.


Favourite Eyebrow Product

Benefit Browzings in Light

This brow palette is really good if you're not exactly a pro at filling in your brows, as the brushes make it a lot easier. It comes with a waxy side, which I like to use to draw out the shape I want, and also a powder side which I use to fill them in. It is really handy to take if you are on the go/travelling because it also has tweezers. I love it because it's really hard to get the right shade because of my hair colour, but this is perfect!


Favourite palette

Mua Undressed Palette

I'm not going to say much about this palette because I already have a blog post on it, so here it is : http://orlaghmarie.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/mua-undressed-palette-3-looks.html , but it basically has every colour you'd ever need.


Favourite eye primer

Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Champagne

I only got this earlier in the month, but I am so obsessed with it already. As soon as I swatched it in the shop I fell in love with it. I had never even heard about it until Ingrid Nilsen (MissGlamourazzi on Youtube) showed it in a video, and I thought it was gorgeous. It's a gold/champagne colour and it's so shimmery. It's gorgeous on it's own but it works really well as a primer under eyeshadow.


Favourite eye product

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Brown Perfection

This is a little pricey, but it is so worth it. It's so easy to use because it's in a stick form, and I use it for so many different things. You can use it as an all over eyeshadow, on your waterline and its great to use as eyeliner too. It's a really easy way of making a smokey eye.


Lips:

Lipstick

Mac Lipstick in Hot Gossip

I love this lipstick sooo much. I had a few MAC lipsticks already, but they were all very bold and I wanted an everyday one, so I thought this one was perfect. It's a 'your lips but better colour' so it's really versatile and I love wearing it if my eyes are more dramatic because it is quite natural.


I hope you enjoyed this post and that you all have a happy New Year!
xo, Orlagh

My social medias:

Instagram - @_orlaghmccloskey 

Twitter - @_orlaghmarie

Bloglovin - bloglovin.com/blog/13215749

3 LOOKS: ONE PALETTE

After reading reviews about this palette - and there are a lot, I finally decided to buy it and give it a go, to see if it deserves all the hype it gets.

(L-R: Puff, Rose Ash, Fawn, Gild, Hazel, Lion, Bronze Ore, Burnished Brown, Tawny, Henna, Fuel, Coal Grey.)

This is so often compared to the Naked Palette, and I do see why. All the colours are basically the same as the colours in the Naked Palette, even in the same order and everything! Some of the shadows in this MUA palette aren't quite as pigmented as the shadows in the Naked Palette, but how could you complain when it's only £4?! If you on a budget, it's £33 cheaper than the Naked Palette, it's a no-brainer which one to choose. Here's some swatches:

(Without flash)

(With flash)

For only £4 they are great quality, and if I want a little bit more pigment, i'll just spray my brush with Mac Fix+ spray! This palette is so versatile as it has shimmery and matte shadows, so you can create  loads of different looks for whatever you prefer. Here are a few looks you can with the eyeshadows:

1) Bronze/Gold

Step 1: Apply lion all over the eye, and also in the inner corner.

Step 2: Apply bronze ore on the outer half of the eye and all round the lower lashline.

Step 3: Using a small, tapered brush, apply burnished brown on the outer 'v' and on the outer part of the lower lashline.

Step 4: using an angled brush, put henna on the upper lash line and blend it out to make it smokey.

Step 5: Use hazel in the crease to blend everything together, and finally tightline with a black/brown eyeliner (personal preference) and apply mascara.

(Tip - this look is best for blue eyes!)

2) Pretty & Polished

Step 1: Apply Puff in the inner corner and all over the eyelid.

Step 2: Lightly dust Rose Ash over the eyelid, on top on the other eyeshadow

Step 3: Using a fluffy crease brush, apply Fawn in the crease in wind-wiper motions with a light hand so the eyeshadow looks natural, but still gives definition.

Step 4: Finally, draw a thin line with your eyeliner very close to the lashline, making a small flick at the end. Then apply mascara!

(Tip - this is a great look for school/work as it is easy, quick, natural and makes you look more awake and put together!)

3) Navy smokey eye

Step 1: using a fluffy brush and a light hand, apply fawn in the crease as a transition colour.

Step 2: With a flat eyeshadow brush, pat the colour fuel on the inner and outer corner of the eye, leaving the middle without any.

Step 3: Apply coal grey in the middle part of the eye, and also apply to the lower lash line.

Step 4: Blend all the colours together so there are no harsh lines.

Step 5: Highlight the brow bone and inner corner with puff, and place over the coal grey to lighten it a little.

Step 6: Apply your favourite eyeliner and apply lots of mascara to give your eyelashes lots of volume.

(Tip - if you have wide-set eyes, this will suit you best!)

Thanks so much for reading!

xo, Orlagh

My social medias:

Instagram - @_orlaghmccloskey 

Twitter - @_orlaghmarie

Bloglovin - bloglovin.com/blog/13215749

REVIEW: BENEFIT THE BRONZE OF CHAMPIONS

So if you haven't already guessed by the title, this blog post is going to be a review about this Benefit set called 'The Bronze of Champions'

First of all; I love the name. What I love about Benefit is that they always have great names for their products, and never take themselves too seriously. I purchased this set when I was flying back to boring old Belfast after being to Tenerife (would do anything to go back!). As soon as I saw it in the little magazine I knew that it would be a good set as it described everything that comes in it, and because it was duty free, I bought it for only £16 (bargain!). It is originally priced at £26.50, and I still think it is definitely worth the money.

I absolutely love the packaging of it, and it was probably why it caught my eye. The packaging is gold and shiny, to tie in the whole 'bronzed' theme. It includes a  mirror which is really handy if you take it travelling, and the tips and tricks are great for beginners.

The set includes 5 things:

1) Creaseless cream shadow bikini-tini cream eyeshadow

I really like this cream eye shadow. It's super shimmery, so it's great for making you look more awake! It blends really well, and its also a great base for under eye shadows. It has really good lasting power, but the only down side to this shadow is that it has a very slippery texture, so sometimes it's hard to apply it without it blending away completely, It works a lot better to pat this product onto your lids rather than rub it in.

2) Longwear powder shadow thanks a latte powder eyeshadow
I love this eyeshadow! It's a gorgeous bronzey-gold colour, and when paired with the cream shadow underneath it creates such a nice simple eye look. You can make a smokey eye look by applying the shadow all over the lid and lower lashline, or to keep it natural you can apply it on the outer half of the lid and crease. This colour is perfect for blue eyes; (i'm sure it would look gorge on all eye colours) but if you are looking for an eyeshadow that will make your eyes look really blue, this is perfect.

3) Hoola bronzing powder 

So many people rave about how good this bronzer is, and I do think it is a really good bronzer. At first glance, I thought it might be a bit to dark for my extremely pale skin (the perks of being ginger), but it is a perfect universal colour. A little goes such a long way with this bronzer, it is amazingly pigmented and it blends really well. It's really good for contouring as it is matte, and I also like to use it in the crease sometimes. This  is definitely worth the hype!

4) Watt’s up! soft focus highlighter for face
This highlighter is a champagne/gold colour, and it has a lovely slightly shimmery finish, without being to in your face. It has really good lasting powder and it looks so natural and glowy when it's on. The only downside to this product is that I find it's hard to blend sometimes. As it came in the set, it is a mini size, and sometimes it's hard to apply as I'm scared the stick might break! This isn't a big deal however, I just put some on the back of my hand first and then apply it.

5) Ultra plush lip gloss hoola lip gloss
This lip gloss is.. OK. I wouldn't be rushing out to get it again, as I could probably get a nicer one for less than half the price. It's a nice lipgloss but it isn't anything amazing - I don't think it is worth paying the money for.

6) They're real! beyond mascara

Sometimes it can be hard to find a mascara that does everything you want, but this mascara has anything you could ever ask for. It lengthens, voluminises, thickens - and stays on for ages! This is another benefit product that is extremely popular, and I can see why. I had previously tried this mascara so when I seen that it was included in the set, I got really excited. Personally, I am obsessed with it, but if you hate the feeling of slightly clumpy lashes, this one may not be for you.

Overall, I love this set - the good definitely ways out the bad. I would more than likely repurchase this, as it has everything you need to create your face. All you would have to do is apply your base, use this set and you're good to go! It's great to bring travelling as it has everything you need in one little box. I would definitely recommend it.

Thanks for reading! xo Orlagh

My social medias:

Instagram - @_orlaghmccloskey

Twitter - @_orlaghmarie