Must have palettes

Hello gorgeous gals,

I decided to write a new post all about my fav ‘must have’ makeup palettes. I havent wrote a blog post in a while & loads of people have been telling me they miss them, I miss writing them too it’s just hard to find the time when I’m so busy! Anyways I have a bit of free time so decided to sit down with the laptop & type away. I have found so many amazing new products & if you follow me on snapchat (iamthealicat is my name) you’ll have seen a few I shared. I’m gonna do another blog post in the next few days all about those as I’m on my holidays from work so have loads of free time!

I have loads of palettes in my kit & I have a bit of an obsession with them. I think you can never have enough palettes and they are so much handier rather than carrying loads of singular products espesh if your going on hols. Aswell, with eyeshadow palettes you can do so many different eye looks with just one palette. I’ll go through all my favs now!

Morphe 35o Palette

Holy God! The Morphe palettes are all to die for. They are so creamy, pigmented and super blendable. I was on the hunt for the 35o palette for months and months because it literally sells out within a few hours. Morphe is an American brand so the palette is only stocked on Cult Beauty & Beauty Bay for us here in Ireland. When they restock they just fly out. I got Beauty Bay to send me an email for when it was restocked in December & I bought 2! The palette is actually huge too, you get 35 shades in one palette!! It’s a mix between matte & shimmers. The colours are greys, browns, warm oranges & wine colours ( right up my street!). I love this palette cause you can just achieve so many different looks with it. It was so cheap too only 27.80 euro on BeautyBay.com. I defo recommend getting any of their palettes as they are literally a dream!

Blank Canvas Master Series Palette One

The Blank Canvas Master Series palette is a palette that I use on every client. It’s a palette that has 12 neutral shades – 11 velvety matte shades from a vanilla shade to a dark brown shade and 1 shimmery champagne highlighting shade. All of the colours are so pigmented and really easy to blend. I love it because I always wear a brown shade on my eye no matter what look I do and this palette contains literally everything from a light brown, an orange brown to a deep dark brown. Defo gonna be repurchasing when my one runs out. It also comes with a fab double ended brush, a blending brush & a flat brush on the other end. Only 34.99 euro on Blank Canvas website.

Urban Decay ‘Naked Flushed’ Palettes

The flushed palettes from Urban Decay are the dream. It’s a smallish palette that contains a blush, a highlighter and a bronzer. They are so handy for just having the three altogether and for throwing in your bag. You can use individually or as a trio. The powders in these are so silky and intensely pigmented. They are so convenient. The texture is so light and weightless on your skin. They are available in 7 different shades, my favs are ‘Naked’, ‘Going Native’, ‘Nooner’ and ‘Sesso’. The highlighter and bronzer in ‘Sesso’ is unreal!! 31 euro, such good value and worth every cent!

 

Too Faced ‘Sweet Peach’ Palette

I love all of Too Faced products because they are all so luxurious & amazing. I recently got the Sweet Peach palette as I had heard so many people raving about it and all of the colours were right up my street. The palette includes 18 shades of peachy pinks, corals, bronzes & pops of purples. All of the colours are so versatile & none of them are similar. You can create endless amounts of different eye looks with it. The pigments in the shadows are unreal & they all smell delish!! I love wearing the shimmery highlighting shades on my cheek bones too, so they arent only meant for the eyes. This palette will take you from day to-night! 47 euro in Debenhams.

Makeup Revolution Radiance Lights Palette

I picked this lil palette up in a chemist a couple of months ago. The Makeup Revolution stand caught my eye and I went straight for the highlighters because I’m obsessed with every kind. But I just swatched them on my hand and they were so creamy and pigmented so I just had to buy it. I brought it home and tried it on my face and all three shades are divine! The three shades are ‘breathe’ (golden colour), ‘exhale’ (silvery champagne colour) and ‘glow’ (rose gold colour). All such wearable shades for all skin types. I defo recommend this palette because it’s so handy to have when you want a serious glow and it was only 12 euro.

Pippa Palette from Blank Canvas

Pippa O’Connor is one of my fav bloggers. She is one of the few that I watch every single day because she is so genuine and she just has a great sense of fashion & beauty. Pippa brought out this little all in one palette for the face and eyes and people went crazy for it! I didn’t own one the first time I used it but I actually was amazed at how good it was. The palette contains 6 eyeshadows, 1 blush, 1 highlighter & 1 bronzer. The palette is suitable for a beginner or a pro. It’s a palette that can be used every single day and is so handy for throwing in your bag. The bronzer, blush and highlighter are all equally amazing because they suit everyone! They are so easy to blend and are super pigmented. The 6 shadows go from nudes, to browns to black. So easy to use and can be used for a natural everyday look to a darker night-time smokey eye look! 10/10 for the palette & I think everyone should own one. Such good value too, 34.99 euro on Blank Canvas. Go Pippa!

Huda Beauty Rose Gold Edition

THE DREAM!! This is what I live for! This palette by Huda Beauty is literally out of this world. It contains 18 shadows – matte, satin and foil effect textures. It’s just so luxurious. The shadows are so highly pigmented and you get such a great range of colours. You get 7 foil effect texture shadows and they are soooo beautiful. The palette just speaks for itself really! Defo put this on your ‘wish list’. Colours are nudes, browns, wines, rose golds, gold and pinks. 56 euro but sooo worth it! Available on Cult Beauty. The pictures below might cause you to fall in love.

Urban Decay Nocturnal Palette

This lil palette came out last week and its a must have for everyone. Its limited edition and is so handy for throwing in your handbag. Its small but contains literally all you need. 12 shades from matte to shimmer. You can create a range of totally different looks with this one small palette. It has a nude, two gorg champagne pink shimmers, golden shimmer, browns, peaches, burgundy, purples, greens, navy and black. My personal favs are ‘Baby’ and ‘Midnight Cowboy Rides Again’ (both champagne pinks) , ‘Riff’ gorg orangey brown, ‘Delete’ dark brown and ‘Blackout’ the darkest black shadow you will ever find! Everyone knows how amazing Urban Decay shadows are I don’t even need to explain! You also get a little double ended brush too. So good for neutral looks to smokey looks to looks with a pop of colour. Such good value too, only 31 euro.

Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment Palette

Another beaut from Urban Decay. The Electic Palette contains 10 of the brightest shades you will ever lay eyes on. They range from ultra smooth mattes to highly dimensions shimmers. Each shade delivers insane colour payout because all of the shadows are made from pure pigments which give them a velvet texture, rich colour, serious staying power and blendability. The colours are so strong you literally only need the tiniest bit on your brush. I always slightly dip my brush in the shadow, dab it on my hand and then apply on the eye just because they are so strong. ‘Jilted’ and ‘Urban’ are my favs! If you love colour this palette is a must and if you want to try to introduce more colour into your eye looks then this is a must have! 45 euro.

 

Thats all of my must have palettes that I genuinely love. I think there’s one for everyone in there no matter what you like. And I do always love dupe products but for palettes you just cant beat the real deal! And personally I think a palette is a little investment & they are well worth it. I hope you all enjoyed reading my lil post and if you have any questions you can ask me on Facebook or Instagram (@Makeupbyalidarcy) and be sure to follow me on my Snapchat (@iamthealicat) for some tutorials and snaps of new and old products of mine that I love. I’ll have another post for you all later on in the week too! Thanks for the time you all take to read my posts too!

All my love,

Ali X

 

 

 

 

 

Must have skin care products

Hey huns!

Decided to do a new post about my fav skin care bits. It’s so important to look after your skin on daily basis. For me, and I’m sure a lot of people feel the same, if my skin isn’t clear or looking healthy I feel in bits. Whether I put makeup over it or not a spot is a spot and it’s still going to be there, it’s just going to be concealed a bit. I always want to feel good with and without makeup. Remember fab makeup starts with fab skin!

When I was younger I never realised the importance of taking care of my skin and how easily you can damage it. I love boiling hot showers and used to blast the shower head on my face which unforch lead me to have huge open pores across my cheeks. To this day those pores are still as large as ever and I’m conscious about them. I also used to never take my makeup off going asleep – The worst thing I could do! If only someone told me now what I know now! Rage… By the way if you use wipes you need to STOP!!

I’m sure you all know the usual cleanse,tone and moisturise routine. What ever you do you should have some sort of routine anyways. I have tried tonnes and tonnes of skin care products as I used to suffer with acne and to be honest I found more shite ones than good ones. I’m always changing my products but these days I try to use products that have natural ingredients rather than a heap of chemicals. A lot of products have striped my skin because they contained harsh chemicals. Dont believe everything you read on the front of a product. My new tip is to always read the ingredients on your skin care. Look out for natural ingredients or ingredients you know (glycollic acid) and if your insure of any just google them. I’m going to just go through products and tips that I personally love and know worked on me or a client but just a warning not everything is going to suit everybodys skin it’s all trial and error.

Coconut Oil

If you havent got coconut oil in your house you must be living under a rock..I’m obsessed with it because it’s a multi-use product ( cooking oil, skin care, hair care and massage oil). I use coconut oil to take my makeup off for loads of reasons. It literally takes every bit off my makeup off including stubborn liner. I just grab some coconut oil on my cotton pad (it will be hard) and apply all around my face and it will melt as soon as it touches your skin. I then clean off any excess oil with a clean cotton pad or rinse with warm water. It easily seeps into your pores and moistuirises it deeply. Coconut oil contains loads of vitamin E, anti-ageing properties and lauric acid which is an anti bacterial agent. It’s good for acne, psoriasis and eczema. I find a lot of makeup removers sting my skin especially around my eye area as the skin is so thin, coconut oil never strips my skin or stings it because its natural and contains loads of goodness. It also makes my eyebrows grow so quick and really helps my eyelashes too. Your skin will also feel like a baby’s arse-It’s a win, win! I just use one for Super Value and its called Cocowel 7.99 euro.

Dark Angels from Lush

For those of you who read my previous post on my ‘Best Beauty Buys of 2016’ you would have read about this. Dark Angels is a face and body cleanser. Its contains charcoal which pulls the dirt from your skin. Its mud based which gives it a deep clean and prevents breakouts and contains avocado oil which is full of vitamins and leaves your skin soft and hydrated. The texture is tough in the pot so you just grab a little bit in your hand and add a little bit of water into your palms and it forms a paste and you just whack it all over your face, massage it and then wash it off.( Warning it is a little bit messy!) I use it twice a day, everyday and it never strips my skin because it’s all natural ingredients. 9.95 euro for the small pot in Lush (I’m on my second pot). Lush has amazing face masks and cleanser for all skin types in store and they all smell unreal!

Nip + Fab Glycolic fix night pads

These exfoliation pads are amazing if your skin is congested. You get 50 pre-soaked pads which contain glycolic acid(aids natural skin exfoliation), salicylic acid( helps clogged congested skin) and lactic acid (gently weakens the bonds holding dead skin cells together). These plus pads provide your skin with results of an at home acid peel. Use two/three times a week at night after cleansing and your pores will appear more refined and your complexion will appear brighter. Was 20 euro in Boots now 10.50 euro!

Rose Water from Bio Fresh

I picked up one of these last year when I was having a facial in Bio Fresh in Swords. Rose Water is sooo good for your skin. It can be used to treat acne and skin irritation. It’s really hydrating on your skin, and balances skin PH level. I use this as a toner on my skin and its so refreshing and smells unbelievable. 100% natural and only 9.50 euro.

Soap and Glory Peaches & Clean deep cleansing milk

I love soap and glory products just because they do exactly what they say. I got this cleanser in a set as a gift and I have repurchased over and over again. It’s a gorg cleansing milk that literally melts away your makeup. It smells diiiiivine!! It has a special clogged pore formula and leaves your skin so soft and glowy. Its a huge bottle and comes with a pump which I love. Just use a few pumps on your cotton pad and cleanse away and then I always rinse my face after. Its only 6.50 euro in Boots and will last you ages.

Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment

I had been dying to try the Glam Glow masks for the longest time but didn’t want to fork out on one as they are pricey. I recently tried a couple of samples and I fell in love with this one. It can be used as an all over mask or as a spot treatment. It’s a really deep pore cleaning mask that literally brings all of the badness out of your skin. I loved it because it didnt sting or burn my skin so you can use it as many time as you want. This mask is best for oily or acne prone skin or if you want to give your skin a really intense clean. I’m defo forking out 48 euro for the full jar now! Available in Debenhams.

No.7 Total Renewal Exfoliator

You should always exfoliate your skin especially if you have dry skin as it gets rid of any dead skin cells. Your makeup wont go on smoothly if you don’t exfoliate. This no.7 one is unreal, it’s a micro dermabrasion exfoliator that smooths, refines and renews your skin. You will see instant radiance after you use it. Great for fine lines, dark areas and blemish prone skin. Only use once-twice max a week as it is very rich so no need to over do it! 15 euro in Boots.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Cleanser

This is more of a gel wash cleanser used after taking off your makeup to leave your skin squeeky clean. I love it- its a deep cleansing and purifying formula for clear and radiant skin, smells gorg too! It contains 2% Glycolic Acid (which is great for clearer skin) to gently exfoliate and retexture. It also contains apple amino acid(to cleanse and purify) and olive oil (to hydrate and smooth). Dont get this in your eyes tho, and make sure to always rinse off a few times because if facial washes arent washed off completely it can give you some spots.. 6 euro in Boots now was 10.99 euro.

 

Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil from The Body Shop

I love oil cleansers because they take your makeup off sooo much easier. This cleanser is the silkiest softest thing ever. I literally grab a bit in my palm and rub all over my face, eyes until everything feels like it’s moved and then I rinse. Your gonna look like a mess before you wash it off but your face will feel sparkling new and as soft as a baby’s arse. I love it because its super quick and effective.17.50 euro from the Body Shop but is defo worth it in my opinion.

 

Soap & Glory No Clogs Allowed Self Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask

That’s a mouthful! This mask blows my mind – amazing for clogged pores. Perfect for weekly use on blackhead prone areas or more often as a detox mask. You apply all over and then wet your hands and massage onto your face until the paste turns from yellow to blue and you feel it heating up. It will heat up by itself as it uses heat to un clog stubborn pores, soften your skin and prevent breakouts. Rub it off after 5 minutes with a wet face cloth. Defo works wonders! 15.99 euro in Boots.

L’Oreal Clay Detox Mask

If you read my ‘Best Beauty Buys of 2016’ you would have seen me talking about this mask. There is three different types in the range, I have only used the detox one. I wasn’t expecting it to be so good. I have gone through about 3 jars since I first bought it last year. It contains charcoal too which draws out dirt from your skin( I’m all about that life!!) I use it about 2 times a week and my skin feels squeaky clean and fresh after I use it. It’s one of those masks that when you put it on you can actually feel it working. Defo recommend this! Great dupe for the Glam Glow one I mentioned above. After talking about it on my last post so many of you have bought it and loved it so if you havent bought it DO! And if you try the other ones let me know your thoughts. On special for 8 euro in Boots now.

Burt’s Bees Sensitive Eye Cream

Everyone needs to be using an eye cream from the age of 25 and up. That’s where you age first so you should always keep the area hydrated and firm to prevent this. My eyes are so sensitive ( the skin around your eyes is the thinnest on your body) so I use this Burts Bees one as it’s for sensitive eyes. You should only use the tiniest amount of eye cream anyways. This one prevents puffiness too which I always have. Its natural and fragrance free too. Was 21 euro in Boots now 14 euro.

Sudocrem

Everybody has Sudocrem lying around their house somewhere. This little jar of brilliance is great for spots. Im sure everyone has gone to bed with a sudo face before, I do nearly every night ( my poor bae )! It dries out spots over night so your skin is a lot calmer. The trick is to just apply the smallest bit on where you actually need it otherwise it can create more spots. You defo need to try if you havent before- you’ll look great going to bed!

Quick Fix Spray from Urban Decay

This was only released last week, but Im obsessed. basically it’s a hydrating, soothing priming and complexion spray that reduced the appearance of pores, brightens and smoothes skin and hydrates it. It contains coconut water so it smells DELISH, like holidays!! Use in the morning before applying your makeup and in the evening before your moisturises or anytime throughout the day for freshening up ( it won’t move your makeup). 30 euro.

That’s all my fav skin care products at the min,  ( hope you like ) , I always try new cleansers and stuff so I’ll let you know if I find anything more that works really well. The products above are all ones that work well on my skin and have really done what the say on the packaging. I try to keep my skin care as natural as I can as so many products these days contain so many chemicals so I’m always on the look out for paraben free, and natural ingredients. Let me know what you think and if you have any questions or try any of the products you can get me on Instagram and Facebook ( @makeupbyalidarcy ).

All my love,

Ali X

 

 

 

 

Must have drugstore products

Hey girlos,

Hope your all having a good week! Thanks for all of the love on my last post. I appreciate all of your support and feedback! I was having a think this week and I want to do something new so I’m thinking about starting YouTube to make videos and actually show you how I use all of these products and how I apply my makeup but I’m not sure…bit nervous because I’m crap at technology and I hate the sound of my own voice it makes me cringe haha! What do you all think? Let me know if you would be interested in watching my videos!

If your like me, January is the worst month as I’m always a broke bitch ( roll on payday!). So whats more appropriate than some good products that won’t break the bank. I know everybody loves a good find that’s cheap and cheerful and that actually works so here’s my must have drugstore bits!

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

I started using this powder when I was about 15 and I still love it. I always need some powder on my face. I use shade warm beige and its a gorg colour. The powder itself is so creamy and not cakey at all. You can literally layer it on as much as you want (it’s so lightweight) and it doesn’t go rotten which a lot of powders do. This powder doesnt contain oils, parabens, talc or any fragrances so it wont clog your pores – fab!! After applying this powder your complexion is much more flawless. 5.99 euro in Boots or any chemist.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

This foundation is brilliant. If you like a dewy healthy looking finish this foundation is a dream! Its full of vitamins hence the name and literally gives your skin a boost of radiance. The foundation literally glides onto your skin so easily and gives you a medium coverage but its builable to a full coverage. Covers imperfections easily and gives you a gorg radiance for about 16 hours. Great for dry skin as its hydrating! 13.99 euro in Boots.

Seventeen Define & Conquer Contour Kit

I always repurchase this little powder contour set, I have gone through about 10 of them. Contains two powders. One being a matte bronzer which is a gorg shade and blends out so easily. And the other a lighter powder which I love to apply under my eyes to set my concealer as it’s like a banana powder and is great for illuminating the area. Super creamy and blendable and a fab bronzing shade. Comes in fair or medium, I use medium. Only 5.99 euro in boots at the min!

NYX Pore Filler

I always use a primer as it creates a web between your skin and foundation and also helps your foundation stay in place a lot longer. This amazing little primer is like Benefits ‘porefessional’. Contains vitamin E, to smooth and enhance you skin and is oil free and talc free. Silicone based so it literally fills in your lines and pores to give you a smoother base before you apply your foundation. 15.50 euro in Boots and lasts ages!

Seventeen Instant Glow Shimmer Brick

This product is one of those multi use products. It’s a shimmer brick with such nice bronzy tones. It’s actually a dupe for the Dior shimmer brick. Theres 4 shades. I love to use them to highlight my face if I wanna be super bronzey or I love them all as eyeshadow, the darker bronzey tones in my crease blended out and then the lightest on my tear duct to make my eyes pop. Comes in two shades, I use the Gold Bronze one. 5.99 euro in Boots, defo a must have!

 

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

These lip creams are a dream. They are neither a lip gloss or a lipstick but a lip cream that glides onto your lips so smoothly and dry matte. Every gal needs one in their makeup bag. I love these as they come in so many colours and unlike most liquid lipsticks they are hydrating so they don’t dry out your lips. 7.75 euro in Boots. I love shades Cairo and Abu Dhabi.

  

Maybelline Gel Liner

This gel liner does not budge. It’s a gel liner so it also comes with a brush and its so creamy and easy to use. It’s also great black intensity so it never dries greyish or anything. I always get watery eyes and I find it hard to keep my liner perfect but this stays in tact despite my runny eyes! Great dupe for the Bobbi Brown gel liner. I love using it in my waterline too because it never falls down or gives me panda eyes. Defo invest in this if you need a new liner. 11.99 euro in Boots.

Maybelline Eraser Concealer

I talked about this in one of my previous posts, and I know a lot of you went and bought it so you’ll know just how good it is. For those who havent read my previous post, you need to pick one of these up. Everybody all over the world is going mad for this concealer. It is a dupe for Prolongwear concealer from MAC (which is my go to). It covers absolutely everything and is sooo creamy. I use shade light mostly or nude if I have tan on. It’s sold out in a lot of places I know but they also stock it in Penneys now. Defo pick one of these babies up , 11.99 euro.

 

L’Oreal Paris Lumi Magique Primer

This is an unreal primer to give your face a luminous and glowy finish. Its fab if you have any dullness and just want to brighten your complexion. Its like strobe cream from MAC. You can apply all over to give an all over glowy, dewy finish or just apply to cheekbones, forehead, nose and chin to really highlight those high points. This is a great one for dry skin as it’s really hydrating. 14.99 euro but lasts ages.

L’Oreal True Match Foundation

This foundation is amazing on. Its super creamy so it’s so easy to blend onto your skin, you don’t need to do much work for it too look fleeky. It’s really comfortable to wear as it covers a tonne but is also really really lightweight. It just makes your skin look at its best and it has great lasting power. I used to wear this when I was in work at 6am and I was half asleep lashing it on, really natural but covers loads! Suits nearly every skin type 14.99 euro in Boots.

Rimmel by Kate Nude Collection

If you love a nude lip like moi, you need to pick one of these up. Rimmel lipsticks are always v.good but these nudes are the perfect shades. Last ages and really hydrating on the lips. Comes in 5 shades, I love shade 43 and shade 45. 7.49 euro.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Multiplying Mascara

I’m a bit picky when it comes to my mascara just because it’s hard to get a good one. I hate when they are too wet if you get me and I hate when you can’t get a good coating on your whole lash if that makes sense. Basically I’m a hard woman to please when it comes to mascara. My eyes water with a lot of mascaras even high-end branded ones. This mascara is my fav at the min. It has a curved wand which I love and it literally coats every lash so well. It gives my lashes loads of volume and it never leaves a lash behind. Also never clumps which is a huge factor. LOVE!! 11.99 euro.

Well huns I hope you all enjoyed that little read, that’s just a few of my favs as there is so much. I love sleek makeup too and some other products that are drugstore that I have already talked about in previous blog posts (Maybelline Fit Me Foundation) so you can check them out too. Let me know what you think about this post and about the YouTube idea too. And any questions you can get me on Instagram or Facebook (@makeupbyalidarcy)

All my love,

Ali X

My fav Urban Decay bits

Hey gals!

Hope you all had a good week. Welcome back to my basic lil blog. Thanks SO much for all the love and response on my last post ( Best beauty buys of 2016 ). Loads of you have been sending me pics of the L’Oreal face mask and the Maybelline concealer I was going on about, keep them coming cause I love that! But yea I hope your all loving it as much as I do and if you try anything else do let me know and what you think.

As some of you may already know, I started working as a Makeup Artist for Urban Decay last month. So I’m going to do a post on my fav bits from Urban Decay. Now I already used a few things from Urban Decay but working there has made me fall in love with their products even more. I have found out so much about their stuff and discovered little gems I would have never looked at. Working with and using their products on clients on a daily basis has literally given me such an experience with them-good and bad. I’ll give my honest opinions and only suggest things which I genuinely feel are worth buying. Now some things I find do not suit me but are FAB on other people with different skin or features than me. So I hope there’s something for every gal on my list!

 

Naked Ultimate Basics Palette

Pretty sure every gal has at least one style of the Naked palettes in their makeup drawer. I had the original Naked 1 and Naked 2. I used to use them a lot and I have neglected them lately for some reason. I didn’t discover Naked Ultimate Basics until I got the job. Well…….. I had to own one. 12 matte shades that are completely different to all of the naked palettes. I love it because each shade is so wearable for everybody compared to the other palettes where I was only using a couple of shades. I find with other matte shadows they can give you an uneven application or can be hard to blend. Nah no, not with these shadows. Super velvety, creamy, so bendable and amazing pigment. You get your nudes,taupes, light brown,mauves, reddish browns, burnt orange, warm browns, smokey grey & warm black – great variety of colours so you can do loads of different wearable eye looks. 47 euro and you get a blending brush and the packaging is diiiivine!

             

All Nighter Foundation

My friend ( Hi Jane!) was raving about this to me a few months ago and it looked so fab. Its a full coverage foundation, no SPF (so no flashback in photos), matte finish, and oil free foundation. Right up my street! Since trying it myself and on other people I love it. BUT that’s only because I have oily skin. It gives such a flawless finish which is unreal. If someone has super dry skin stay away from this foundation! I have seen it cling to people’s dry patches and it looks rot. So unforch if you’re a dry skined gal avoid this one. Oily and combination gals should defo try it if you’re looking for a good coverage foundation, it’s a brill night time one. When it comes out of the bottle it can look quite pale but it oxidises on your skin when applied so it does warm up quite a bit so beware!(Look at the pic below cause I can be brutal at explaining!) For tan the best shades are 4.0 or 5.0 just depending how dark you wear your tan. For me I love it because it suits my skin so well. 34 euro and the bottle is gorg! (  I’m a sucker for nice packaging)

 

B6 Spray

Now I had never heard of this in my life before. Basically its a soothing complexion spray. It primes and balances your complexion, reduces pores ( thank you!), absorbs oil,reduces fine lines and evens out your skin tone. So for example if you have redness in your complexion spray this on and it takes down all that redness before you even apply your makeup. It has so many vitamins and antioxidants so it’s actually sooo good for your skin. You can spray it on before you apply your makeup and it will also act as a primer and give you a complexion of a goddess with zero fine lines. You can spray it on during the day to hydrate your skin and it will not change or budge your makeup that’s already on your skin, or at night before your moisturizer to give you a vit-hit. It contains vitamin b6 & vitamin E. So suitable for every one and it really does work! 3o euro for the full size or 14 euro for the travel size.

Eyeshadow Primer Potions

Because you have all been learning from my blog posts( hmmm), you should know you always need an eye primer. These ones from UD are vvvvvv.good. I had previously tried the original one as a sample and I loved it- super lightweight and your shadow literally does not budge ( 24 hour crease free-the dream!). I have since tried the other 3 shades and they are soo good. The original is suitable for all skin types as it dries invisible. The nude matte finish of Eden (my top fav) gives a full coverage while hiding all redness and is also so v.fab when worn alone as it gives you a gorg nudey eye. Minor Sin, a champagne shimmer, is a sheerer finish and it also gorg worn alone. The Anti Ageing primer is the last one and is the exact same as the original except with extra ingredients to prevent ageing. I love them all but Eden is my fav cause you can just lash a bit on alone if your running late and youll still look supa sexy. All 21 euro ( anti ageing is 23 euro).

Naked Skin Concealer

This concealer is unbelievable. Its well-known and gets glowing reviews. Its weightless yet conceals everything! It’s like a second skin and gives full coverage so easily so you only need a small bit. It blends so easily and NEVER sits into fine lines which is soo important cause most concealers do. Defo recommend you all pick one up cause it genuinely is amazing. Remember to go 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation shade with your concealer. Such a good product and it sells so so well because everyone loves it. 22 euro.

Setting Sprays

Im always going on about The All Nighter setting spray from UD because it literally is one of the best. I have recently tried the other two setting sprays Chill and Deslick. Basically they are all as good as each other. All nighter is amazing for normal skin and for every other skin type too. Chill is especially designed for dry skin as it is a cooling and hydrating setting spray. Deslick is amazzing for oily gals as its is designed to keep that rotten shiney oiliness at bay. It gives you an oil free matte t-zone for so many hours. It controls the temperature of your makeup so your skin stays smooth and never shiney. All Nighter is oil free too so you’re not getting any extra oil don’t worry. Each spray never changes or moves your makeup and keep it fresh and in place for 16 hours. 30 for full size, 12 for travel.

Perversion Mascara & Eye pencil

I got the perversion mascara as a present before and loved it! Its unreal. Its triple the blackness than any other mascara. SUPER creamy so it literally glides onto your lashes. Not too wet so it’s not gonna get all over your lids. Gives them an amazing length. NEVER gets brittle or clumby so you can apply layer after layer even when it dries. Contains hairdensyl which actual stimulates hair growth, vitamin E, and honey. The wand is also a perfect size and shape which is a huge factor for me personally. Love it! 22 euro. The perversion eye pencil is INSANE. UD eye pencils are so good anyways cause they are creamier than any other pencil so they literally glide on. The perversion pencil is triple the blackness aswell so it is perfect for the waterline and I like to crush it on my hand and use it with an angled brush as my liner for my lid to create my wing. It’s that creamy its like a gel honestly I couldn’t believe it. 19 euro.

Vice Lipsticks

You all know im a lipstick fanatic, so I always love a good lippy. These lippys are vvv.good I must say. They come in matte, comfort matte, cream, sheer, and metalized finishes. They are super creamy and hydrating even the mattes. The pigment load in Vice Lipstick is insane! Just one swipe provides an unbelievable laydown of color. And every shade applies smoothly (without dragging or skipping). that’s what I’m all about! Contains loadsss of vitamins and oils and literally lasts so well on your lips they do not budge. Some of my favs are Stark Naked, 714, Tilt, Hitch Hike, Unicorn and Criminal.

So theres a few of my new and old fav bits from Urban Decay. This is an honest post and my own opinions on each product. Urban Decay is animal cruelty free and Vegan which I did not know before. At this day and age in my opinion every brand should be which unfortunately there are very few. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you all enjoyed it. definitely give some products a go they are all AMAZING! Let me know if you have any questions or freedback to give me. You can also find me on Instagram (@makeupbyalidarcy) and pop into me in Urban Decay and I can show you all the products and try a few on you too! Hope you all enjoyed. PS, Im a little bit tipsy now because I was drinking Prosecco writing this sorry!!

All my love,

Ali X

My must have makeup brushes

Hey gals,

I hope you all enjoyed reading my last post which was all about concealers! This blog is going to be about the makeup brushes which I swear by. I have a mixture of different brands so Ill talk about them all and I can leave links aslo if anybody wants to splash the cash on some new brushes! Happy reading!

If you love makeup as much as I do then I’m sure your obsession with makeup brushes is as strong as mine. Having good quality brushes makeup makes your application 184239 times better! Purchasing good makeup brushes is such a fab investment because gurl you are gonna look flawless!You don’t need 100’s of makeup brushes to achieve a flawless look. And you definitely don’t need to break the bank.

Foundation Brushes

It took me a few  years to find my holy grail foundation brushes, one that doesn’t soak up and eat all of my foundation but gives me that seamless finish..

• Blank Canvas F20 – I cannot live without this brush. It’s a flat, dense, short haired brush. This is like a magic wand and it cuts your application time in half and you also use a lot less foundation because it doesn’t eat it up. It gives you a HD finish by stippling or buffing your foundation onto your skin. You can now get different coloured handles for this brush and its only 14.99 euro on Blank Canvas. UNREAL! 
• Real Techniques Expert Face Brush is also a must have for me and I love using it on my clients as it gives such a flawless finish. This brush is quite small and dense but its really good for buffing foundation right into every part of your face. It also never sheds any hair, 14.99 euro in Boots.                                                                         
• Sigma F80 is another absolute must have. Again it’s a flat kabuki brush that buffs foundation onto the skin so quickly. You will always achieve a perfect finish with this brush. The only downside is it does take a good bit longer to clean this brush but it’s worth it! Never sheds hairs. 21.95 euro on Cloud.10.
• MAC 188 Small Duo Fibre Brush is another one of my favs for a natural foundation application. It’s a great one for everyday use and if you just want a light/medium coverage. You will have streak-free foundation. 35 euro in BT. 

Concealer Brushes 

A good concealer brush is essential especially for applying under your eyes.

• No.7 Concealer Brush has been a holy grail brush of mine for a few years now and mine is still in perfect condition. Its a small, flat brush and is perfect for applying under my eyes as its such a good size. I have quite sensitive eyes and this brush is super soft so it never makes my eyes water. 11 euro in Boots.
• Zoeva 142 Concealer Buffer is amazing for buffing out your concealer and blending it into your foundation. I’m obsessed with Zoeva brushes they are such good quality and so affordable. Use a circular motion to give you an amazing finish! Super soft too and only 10.50 euro on Zoeva. I always use this brush on my clients.  
• Morphe MB10 Concealer Brush is very like the No.7 one as its the same flat shape. I only recently purchased this and it’s so good as I love the shape as its quite pointed which is so good for getting right up under the eye. Only 3.80 euro on Beauty Bay, stop the lights..!!                                                              
• Real Techniques Miracle Sponge is a must have for me. I refuse to do my makeup without it. I apply my concealer with my brush and for extra fleekage I then blend with my sponge using patting motions. This is so quick and literally blends it so perfectly so you’ll have crease free concealer! Defo purchase this. 7.99 euro in Boots. 

Powder Brushes 

For powdering I love a big, fluffy brush which is quick but also doesn’t miss a spot.

• Real Techniques Powder Brush is my must have powder brush. It rarely sheds hairs which a lot of powder brushes do. Its so soft and super fluffy but applies powders so well and give you a smooth HD look. 18.99 euro in Boots. 
• Crown Brush C107 Jumbo Powder Dome is also amazing and gives you a flawless pwder finish and is sooo soft on your face! 13.89 euro. 

Blusher,Highlighting & Contouring Brushes

• Blank Canvas F15 Small Tapered Brush is the only brush I will use to apply blusher. It is such a good shape. It’s quite small so it just applies the right amount of blusher. The tapered tip makes the application so precise. This is a multi- purpose brush so can be used for contouring and highlighting too but I personally just use it for blusher. 14.99 euro.                                       
• Zoeva 128 Cream Cheek is the contour brush I use and it is perfect!!It’s my top favourite! The angled shape fits the cheekbones perfect so you can achieve that flawless contour. It blends my powder contour shade perfectly so I don’t end up with those harsh lines. 15.50 euro on Zoeva.  
• Bobbi Brown Eye Blender Brush is the brush I mainly use to apply my highlighter. I do not use this brush for my eyes funny enough. I just love how fluffy it is and it just applies my highlighter so nice and evenly. I genuinely cant live without this brush as I’m a hightlighter freakkk! Its 34.50 euro in BT, very pricey but I have this brush for about 6 years now and it’s still perfect. Well worth the money in my opinion. 
• Blank Canvas F05 Fan Brush is also a brill fan brush to apply your highlighter. This applies your highlighter so nice and evenly. I use my Bobbi Brown and then use this after because you can never have enough layers of highlighter on! 10.99 euro. 

Eyeliner & Brow Brushes

• MAC 263 Angled Brush is a MUST have for a sweat free eyeliner application. Your eyeliner prob isn’t working out well for you cause your brush isn’t great. I swear by this brush as it does a lot of the work for you. If you want a fleeky winged liner then get this asap! 22 euro in BT, pricey but 100% worth it I promise. 
• Zoeva 317 Wing Liner is what I SWEAR BY for my brows. I don’t like to use it for my eyeliner, just my brows. Its more angular than normal which I love and it’s super soft so it adapts to your brow hair. Love this brush so much ! 9.50 euro on Zoeva. 

Eye Shadow Brushes 

I have tonnes of eye brushes and I could write and write about these but I have narrowed it down for you all, you really only need a few.

• Zoeva 227 Soft Definer is the perfect blending brush. Its super soft, and the size is perfect for the overall blending brush. This gives you a super soft finish, especially if you have small eyes like me. It’s a must have of mine. 10.50 euro. 
• Morphe E36 Detail Crease is amazing for defining your crease and then you can blend it out. Its super small so it gets right in there. 5.80 euro 
• Morphe B80 Pointed Crease Brush is another must have of mine. I use this everyday no matter what look I do. Its so fluffy and the sixe is just perfect- not too big or small. 5.80 euro.                                                                         
• Blank Canvas E24 Flat Shader is another one of my favs as it is perfect for patting on or packing eyeshadow onto your lid. Its so quick and simple. Just layer a shadow all over your eye and then blend it out using a transition shade. 7.99 euro. 

So I have only listed 4 shadow brushes as I have so many and a lot of them are the same but these are the best of the best. You can achieve numerous eye looks with just 4 brushes. If you do want me to go into more detail with blending brushes or eyeshadow brushes just ask me and I can!

Brush Hygiene

 It’s so important to look after your brushes because number 1 they will last you years if they are taken care of and number 2 your skin will be affected if you don’t clean them. You should only wash your brushes with either baby shampoo or fairy liquid. I usually use Johnsons Baby Shampoo as its so gentle but cleans them so quick and I love the smell. You should at wash your brushes at least once a week to prevent bacteria and product building up. Just wash in warm water not hot as it will cause the glue to melt. Leave to dry over night with the brush head off the edge of a window sill or a counter top. ( see image below) Don’t leave flat down or it is just lying in its own dampness and won’t dry correctly.

Heres the links for the websites for every brush brand I mentioned :

• http://www.blankcanvascosmetics.com/
• http://www.boots.ie/en/Real-Techniques/
• http://www.brownthomas.com/
• http://www.beautybay.com/_/N-/?Ntk=All&Ntt=morphe&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial
• https://www.zoevacosmetics.com/
• http://www.crownbrush.ie/

 

I hope you all enjoyed that and I would defo reccomend investing in a few as it will really change your makeup application for the better. Let me know what you all think and if you have any questions do ask me! I love all of these brushes as they are such good quality and affordable too. You can follow me on here too or on Instagram (@makeupbyalidarcy) Thanks for reading!

All my love,

Ali X

Makeup do’s & dont’s

Hey huns,

Im back again! From the feedback I got you seemed to enjoy my last post so I’m back to give you my ‘do’s & dont’s’ – I could keep writing and writing with this as I have a longgg list! I’ll keep it short (ish) and sweet and give you the main ones in my opinion.

So everyone is different and makeup is an art as such so nothing is actually wrong, but I’m here to give you my advice on how to have a flawless face that lasts all day / all night! Hopefully you all enjoy and pick up a few tips you didn’t know before.

1. Use a primer 

I would always recommend using some sort of primer before applying your makeup. By using a primer your creating a smooth base for the rest of your makeup. Primer is a web between your skin and your foundation which also keeps your makeup in place for 6 hours longer! Use a silicone based primer for dry skin and an oil free primer for oily skin. I have 3 favs- Bobbi Brown vitamin enriched face base mosturiser and primer (oil free) 52.50 euro, Strobe cream by MAC 10 euro for the travel size (dry skin) & NYX Pore Filler 15.50 (oil free).

 

 

2. ” What you can’t see you can’t fix”

This little saying is sooo true! I always recommend getting a magnifying mirror to check or apply your makeup. Depending on your eyesight any mirror of 4X magnification or greater will do the trick! I have been using an illuminated one from boots for a few years now and I can’t do my makeup without it – it’s life changing! Its double sided and has with a dimmer switch. You can see your skin so clear and its key for getting a flawless face, especially now that the mornings are dark! No.7 Illuminated Makeup Mirror – its on special at the min from 69.00 euro to 28.00 euro!

3. Crease free concealer

There is nothing worse than your under eye concealer creasing and sitting into your fine lines. To prevent creasing its all about your skin prep and finding the right concealer. For prepping your skin you should use a lightweight serum or eye cream only (keep your rich eye creams for night time use). You want the area to be hydrated not greasy. ( Benefit ‘Firm it up’ eye serum – 42.00 euro ). Tip – a little goes a long way! And then for concealer I would recommend Pro Long wear concealer from MAC which I talked about in my last post and that’s priced at 23.50 euro. Remember to always set your concealer with some powder.

 

4. Don’t use your hand as a tester

When your at a makeup counter or in a pharmacy trying to find your foundation colour we are all guilty of using a bit of the tester on your hand to see if its the right colour. Then when you get home and go to use it on your face its not as close of a match as you thought..ooops! That’s because you should never match foundation to the skin on your hand, always match it to your neck. The skin on your hand is not the exact same as your neck and you want your foundation to blend into your neck so make sure to test it there!

5. Dark lipsticks are not for thin lips

If you have thinner lips and do not want to bring attention to them then don’t opt for a dark-hued lipstick. Dark colours make already-small lips recede.  Brighter, richer colors are a much better alternative to accentuate lips. Go for a bright red or pink or else keep it simple with a nice nude.

6. Eye shadow shades

Eyes are the window to the soul so make them eyes dreamy! Using a shadow that is complementary to your eye colour will make your eyes pop! So I have broken it down by eye colour down below.

Brown eyes: Use browns, copper, navy, gold, cobalt blue, deep purple, and green to make your eyes stand out.

Blue eyes: rust, purple, orange, light pink, gold and bronze look best on you.

Green eyes: taupe, gray, purple, silver, sage, and brown are your colours.

Hazel eyes:  browns, gold, green, bronze, and purple will make your hazel eyes pop.

7. Let it dry! 

I dont think there is one girl out there who hasnt got mascara on there eye lid or under their eye by mistake. There is nothing worse when your makeup is perfect and then this happens.. Everyone tends to grab a cotton bud or a wipe and go at it straight away. No no no! I have come to save your life, if you just let it dry completely it will just scrape off so easily and your makeup will still be perfect, tah dah! Tip: Don’t pump your mascara wand in and out to get more product, this causes air to go inside and dry it out, and will fill it with bacteria. Swirl it around inside the tube to get more product.

8.  Waterproof mascara 

Waterproof mascara is a life saver when your on holidays or for when you don’t want your mascara running down your face. But….wearing it everyday is so bad. If you wear waterproof mascara every single day it will dry out your lashes and make them brittle, which will cause your lashes to shorten or break off. Use normal mascara day to day and your waterproof one for holidays or times when you really need it.

9. Using the right eyebrow shade 

Filling in your brows will make a huge difference in your face shape because it frames your eyes and can pull a whole look together. So, finding the right shade is so important or you’ll either look unnatural or washed out. Most people assume your brow filler should be darker, wrong! Use a shade that matches or is slightly lighter than your brow colour, this will give you full-looking, naturally defined brows without the severe, heavy contrast. Pale blonde eyebrows are the only exception here-use a shade or two darker to prevent brows looking washed out or non-existent.

10. Set it! 

Any product that helps your makeup last longer, is something you should know about–and make room for in your makeup bag! I always set my makeup with a setting spray when I’m finished applying it ( think of it as a top coat). If you want your makeup to last then set it with a setting spray and it literally wont budge! Most sprays are suitable for all skin types but if you have dry skin don’t use one that contains alcohol as it will dry your skin out. Hold it at arms length before you spray and let it dry naturally, don’t rub it in. I love Fix+ by MAC (10.00 euro for travel size or 22.00 euro for 100ml) and Urban Decay All Nighter ( 10.80 euro for travel size or 27.00 for 118ml).

 

That’s all for now, I hope you all enjoyed reading this post and hopefully you picked up a few tips! Let me know what you think, leave a comment or you can find me on my Instagram (@makeupbyalidarcy ) or Facebook ( Makeup by Ali Darcy ). You can also follow me on here! Hopefully I didn’t make any grammar or spelling mistakes like my last one, opps! Thanks for reading!

All ma love,

Ali X

 

 

 

 

My Makeup MUST haves

Hello gals!

Welcome to my first blog post. This is all completely new for me & I haven’t really got a clue what I am doing, just winging it! Soooo…. I thought to set this little blog up to just share my knowledge and info on makeup and beauty ( bare with me until i get to grips with this ). So lets get started anyways, Im going to do my ‘Makeup must haves’ as my first post and if anybody has any questions feel free to ask me. It took me a good while to narrow it down to my MUST haves as I have so many, but believe me these 10 are the best of the best!

1. Pro Longwear Concealer by MAC 

This is literally my holy grail product that I cannot live without. I have tried concealer after concealer and I always come back to this, it covers every imperfection and also doesn’t crease under the eye. I have NC20 and NC15. I wear NC15 if I really want to highlight under the eye. Remember to always set your concealer with powder or it will slide off! Waterproof and leaves a matte finish ( 23.50 euro )

2. Studio Fix Fluid by MAC & Maybelline Fit Me  

I cannot live without this foundation, I wouldn’t have the best skin so this gives me that perfect coverage and finish (cake face) ! This is an oil free foundation which is what I need as I have oily skin, its so important to wear a foundation that suits your skin type. I wear both NC25 and NC30 depending on my tan. ( 32.00 euro ).  If you dont want to splash out on this then I also use the perfect dupe that costs a lot less-Maybelline Fit Me! This is also amazing and only costs 8.99 euro in Boots, bargain!

3. Catrice Glow highlighter 

This stuff is every girls glowy dream!! It is soooo pigmented and literally gives you the most amazing glow and its only 5.50 euro. Im obsessed! I have so many highlighters in my kit as I love a good glow and I have to say this is unrealll! Every hun needs this in their lives.

4. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Abu Dhabi

This is one of many of my must have ‘nudes’. Its such a nice colour and sooo comfortable to wear. Although its matte its not drying on the lips, which most are, its actually mosturising. Its that kind of browny undertone nude and is only 7.75 in Boots.

5. Aqua Brow by Makeup Forever 

I have been using this for a few years now and it never lets me down, it actually lasts so so long aswell! Its waterproof and literally gives you the best brows, especially when they are sparse like mine! I use light brown and it costs 20 euro in Makeup Forever on Clarendon Street.

6. Rimmel London Match Perfection Silky Loose Powder

So if you want your makeup to last then you NEED to set it with powder even if you think you dont need it. This translucent powder is ahhhmazing, its lightweight, blendable and gives you such a flawless finish. 8.99 euro in Boots.

7. Real Techniques Miracle Sponge 

I have tried so many different types of makeup sponges and none of them have worked for me except this one. I cant do my makeup without this, I use the flat end to blend my concealer under my eyes and then I ‘bake’ under my eyes with powder using the precision tip, so its a 2 in 1 for me! I use the flat end damp or dry, both work! 7.99 in Boots.

8. Painterly Paint Pot my MAC 

I love this so much!! I wouldn’t be able to leave the house without putting this on. If you have oily lids like me and your shadow doesn’t last then you need this in your life. Basically its an eye shadow primer. It goes on creamy but dries so quick. Its so lightweight and you only need the tiniest bit. If you want you eye shadow to last and look seamless then go and buy this! Its 19.50 but has literally lasted me about 2 years and its still not empty!

9. Penneys Lip Liner in shade 09

This lip liner is the perfect dupe for MAC’s famous ‘whirl’, I have both and there is very little difference. The penneys lip liners are unbelievably pigmented and creamy. Its only 1.50 euro, so if you dont already have one pick one up and you’ll be so amazed and hooked!

10. Mineralize Skin finish in Medium Deep by MAC 

And last but not least…. my holy grail contour powder. Its so creamy and blendable and doesn’t get cakey as a find a lot of contour powders tend to do. Its also the perfect shade for me, not orangey or not grey. It instantly warms up my face. Remember do NOT use this as a bronzer all over the face, apply to your cheek bones and temples only to give your face some dimension. You also get soo much product so it will last you months!  (31.50 euro)

Thats my top 10 ‘must haves’ so I hope you enjoyed reading it and try some of the products I recommended as they really are all unreal! Let me know if you enjoyed this post and if you have any questions do ask me, you can also get me on Instagram (@makeupbyalidarcy) and Facebook ( Makeup by Ali Darcy).

All ma love baby gals

X