Ireland - Part 2

Day 3 was spent mostly recovering from the sea sickness of day 2, so apart from a nice dinner and a quick wander around a pretty town called Kinsale, there isn't much to report. Day 4 however was one of my favourites, we went to The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary which was the half way point on our drive from Cork back up towards Dublin. 

The site has a vast amount of history and is breathtakingly beautiful, far too much to try and explain in this blogpost! If you go to one heritage site while you're in Ireland, make sure it's this one! 

After a bit more driving we reached our next destination, The Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Lougahaire, near Dublin. The building was beautiful, both inside and out and the food was fantastic. The rooms weren't as spacious or luxurious as I was hoping but I guess that's what you get being nearer the city. 

Day 5 was spent wandering around Dublin on a self guided tour, we followed the one in Rick Steve's book and it was fantastic. We also went on a live music pub crawl in the evening which was probably the highlight of the entire trip!

Our final day was spent leisurely wandering around Dalkey, taking in more beautiful views and enjoying some lunch al fresco.

I throughly enjoyed the trip which was full of great food, history, natural beauty and of course good company! I'd definitely recommend a trip to anyone, particularly from London as it's just a short 55 minute flight away! 

Ireland - Part 1

I went on holiday to Ireland a few weeks ago and was blown away by how beautiful everything was so I thought I'd share a few of the pictures (taken by my lovely friend Maggie) here on the blog. We arrived at Dublin airport, rented a car and started driving south. 

When we got to a beautiful little town called Midleton in County Cork we stopped off at the Jameson & Son Whiskey Distillery for a tour and lunch.

We then drove a bit further, to Cork and checked into The Maryborough Hotel, which was absolutely stunning. The grounds were beautiful, the rooms were luxurious and the food was delicious. They have a great spa too, we managed to sneak in a couple of hours of relaxation into our packed schedule! 

We woke bright and early the next day and headed to the seaside town of Baltimore.

Hopped onto a boat, 

 and were blown away by the stunning scenery. 

We also spotted some dolphins and seals!

But unfortunately couldn't fully enjoy the experience as the sea was very choppy that day and we got extremely sea sick! By the time the boat trip finished I was glad to have my legs back on dry land! 

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Skinted or Minted?

Mango - Double-Breasted Wool-Blend Coat 

Stella McCartney Gordon Wool-Blend Felt Coat

The leaves are starting to yellow and the weather is definitely getting colder so naturally my thoughts are starting to turn towards winter coats. I like to add a new one to my wardrobe every few years, something that will last that amount of time both in terms or wear and looking current. England being England, I'll probably be wearing it almost everyday from September to April so it needs to go with everything. I've been searching high and low for something classic, black, minimal and not too fitted, so I can wear a cosy jumper underneath if need be. These ones fit the bill exactly. The Mango number has already been ordered online and is on it's way to me as we speak! 

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Kiko City Filter SPF 50 Primer

Protecting my skin from the sun is something I'm very particular about, it minimises the risk of skin cancer, helps delay skin ageing and stops dark spots from appearing and getting worse. My usual two problems with sunscreen are colour and texture. They often leave an unflattering white cast and have thick formulas which sit on the skin and look greasy. Not this one.

The Kiko City Filter Sunscreen SPF 50 Primer is technically a primer but I use it as a sunscreen. I can't really comment on whether or not it increases longevity of makeup as, to be honest, I've never really paid attention to that as my makeup generally lasts well anyway. What I love about it is the fact that it's really lightweight and sinks into the skin so easily, it hardly even needs to be blended in. As well as that it doesn't leave even the slightest white cast on the skin so it's a great option if you just want to wear this and go makeup free! 

I've been so pleased with all the Kiko products I've tried so far, there hasn't been a single one that I've been disappointed with so I'll definitely be looking to try a few more things from their range! Any recommendations?

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Empties #9

It's empties time again! Where I talk through the products I've used up, what I thought of them and whether or not I'll be repurchasing them. It's been two months since my last post of this kind so I've gathered rather a lot! 

Sanctuary Spa Mande Lular Body Souffle

A light to medium formula body butter which has a nice spa like scent to it. I do really like it but there are other similar products that I like a lot more, like The Body Shop body butters. Repurchase? Maybe

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel

Oh how I loved using this shower gel, it smelt like fresh lemonade and really made me feel awake first thing in the morning. I wish it wasn't limited edition! Repurchase? Yes, if they ever bring it back!

Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume 

This is such a cult product but if I'm honest I really dislike it, I just hate how it feels thick, gritty and dirty in my hair! I think there are much better dry shampoos on the market and I'll be sticking to those in future! Repurchase? No

Soap & Glory Hand Food

This is probably my favourite hand cream ever, it's very moisturising, sinks in quickly without leaving any oily residue and isn't too expensive. I bought three of these when they were on offer and I've managed to get to the end of them all at once! Full review here. Repurchase? Definitely

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil

This oil is very good for soothing and moisturising very dry skin, I like to slather it on when I get out of the bath. It sinks in well and leaves my skin feeling so soft the next day. I've also been using it on a post surgery scar in the hope that it will help with the heeling progress! Repurchase? Yes

Botanics Ionic Clay Mask

This one's a really great clay mask on a budget. It tackles congested skin and spotty areas helping to bring it back to normality. I used it 2-3 times a week and was really pleased with the results. Repurchase? Yes, but not straight away, there are a few others I want to try!

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+

I won't go into this one too much as I did a whole post on my skin's progress after using this up, you can see that here. Suffice to say it's been my favourite skincare find of the year! It takes down spots in record time, keeps blackheads and clogged pores at bay and helps to reduce post blemish scarring! Repurchase? Definitely.

Caudalie Grape Water

I love a good hydrating toner/ facial mist and this is one I've repurchased multiple times. It's definitely not as much of a treat as their Beauty Elixir but it does rehydrate skin and is especially great for very sensitive skin helping to calm it down and feel less sore. Repurchase? Yes

The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream

I love this moisturiser, it's another product I've bought time and time again. It's really basic, no-fuss option that doesn't have any wacky claims. It just moisturises your face really well. Sometimes that's all you need! Repurchase? Yes

Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm

I was very excited to try this lip balm when I first bought it for two reasons, firstly it was supposed to be rose scented and secondly it was supposed to be tinted a flattering soft pink shade. Unfortunately it disappointed on both counts as the scent was pretty much non existent and there was no pigmentation what so ever! Repurchase? No

Revlon ColourStay Concealer 

This is the only high street/drugstore concealer I've ever tried and I really liked it. It had a light to medium coverage that was very buildable and looked so natural on the skin. Great for everyday and worked well on blemishes as well as under the eyes. Repurchase? Yes 

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REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner

I've been using the REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner for about a month and a half now and as I mentioned in my August Favourites, I love it. Of all the exfoliating toners I've tried (so far) this is my favourite. It's gentle enough to use everyday, I use it in the evenings, but it's still strong enough to actually make a noticeable difference. 

It contains a combination of exfoliating acids which break down and remove surface dead skin cells and increase cell turnover. This means any pigmentation or uneven skin tone fades quicker than it otherwise would. In the relatively short time I've been using it I've definitely noticed an improvement in dark spots and skin tone, plus I've still got just over half the bottle left! 

I've been using Indeed Labs Pepta-Bright for the last few weeks which has helped too, I think the combination of the two are working really well for my skin. I also think this toner would work well for all skin types (apart from maybe super sensitive skin), rather than just for combination to oily skin. It doesn't strip the skin or leave it feeling tight and contains lavender so it smells lovely and relaxing and is a pleasure to use. Definitely a product I'd recommend!

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Kiko 3 in 1 Nail Care

This spot is usually reserved for my 'NOTD' post here on the blog but today I thought I'd make an exception and talk about another nail product I've been loving. Partly because I think it's great and deserves a chance in the spotlight and partly because I'm currently giving my nails a break!

It's the Kiko Nail Care 3 in 1 Shine which is a nail strengthener, base coat and top coat all in one. Surprisingly, it works as both a base and a top coat very well, I can't really comment on the strengthening aspects as my nails are quite strong naturally. As a base coat it grips colour well and prevents polishes from staining nails and as a top coat is leaves colour with a super glossy finish. It dries pretty quickly too and definitely increases the wear time of my manicure. I would even go as far as to say I prefer it to the Nails Inc Top Coat, a cult product which is more than double the price! 

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Mini Beauty Haul

I bought a few new products recently so as usual I thought I'd share my thoughts on them so far with you! 

Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask

I love a good face mask and seeing as I ran out of all of mine at once I thought I'd go for this one which seems like a great all rounder. It contains papaya extract to brighten and exfoliate, white clay to draw out impurities and unclog pores and manuka honey and beeswax to nourish and moisturise the skin. I'll definitely be doing a full blown review on this once I've used it a few more times.

Indeed Labs Pepta-bright

I've read so many rave reviews of this product, it's supposed to be great at fading acne scars and pigmentation and generally making the skin look brighter and more even toned.  It was on a £10 off offer at boots so I though now was a better time than ever to give it a try. I've been using it a few weeks so far and can definitely see an improvement, again I'll do a full review once I've been using it a bit longer. 

MAC Lipstick in Syrup

I recently found myself in the airport on my way home with some leftover holiday money, so naturally I headed straight for the MAC counter! I was on the lookout for a 'my lips but better' shade that I could throw on with any look without the need for a mirror. This shade fits the bill exactly inspite of it being a bit more cool toned than I'd usually go for.  

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

I've been coveting this concealer ever since it came out last year but being somewhat of a concealer hoarder I decided to restrain myself, until now that is! I recently finished up another concealer so allowed myself to replace it with this one. One in, one out and all! I haven't given it a proper try yet but from what I can remember of having tried it on counter it's soon to become a firm favourite!

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