17. Fave Brow Products

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In my opinion a look looks unfinished if your brows aren’t filled in. Now I don’t mean looking like you have them Sharpied on or having them filled out so thick and harsh they look like a 2 year old got at you with one of his chunky Crayola crayons. The trick is to fill them in with soft feathery strokes so it looks like you’re adding hairs.

I’ve used both pencils and powders and have to say I much prefer the powders for that more natural look. My favourite brow kit at the moment is the Sleek MakeUp Brow Kit in Light. It also comes in Medium and Dark. You get a little tweezers, an angled brush and a rounded flat brush (haven’t yet used this brush).
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Application:

I use a disposable mascara wand to brush my brows into shape, then take the angled brush with a small bit of product and fill in until I’ve reached the desired effect. For day time I just use the powder on its own but for nights out when my makeup would be that bit heavier I use the pigmented wax. I’m not sure how much it retails at as I was gifted it for Christmas. It’s available from Boots, online and a lot of pharmacies now seem to be introducing the range.

Will try get some swatches and before and after pics up when I’m putting on my makeup just to show how lovely it really is in case you need convincing.

Toodles,

MissGlitzyPixie

xxx

Disclaimer: Images are not my own. They are sourced from sleekmakeup.com

16. Fave False Lashes

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Ok so I have varying levels of favourites but my most favoritest favourite is the Salon System range. I love every style of these from the subtle natural ones to in your face dramatic ones. I’m not sure how available these are to the public though. I usually bulk buy from salon supply places. They vary in price depending on style but think the strip lashes are about €5 ex VAT and the individual lashes are about €9 so if you are lucky enough to have a friend in the beauty trade get them to source them for you if you can’t get your hands on them. The band on these are so thin you would forget you are wearing false lashes altogether. The lash hairs are also lovely and natural to the touch. I usually use this range on brides as I trust them to last and not cause irritation like the cheaper ones can. Last thing you need in wedding pics is big red teary eyes.
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These guys below are the Eylure brand and are widely accessible. I usually get these from Boots if I run out of the Salon System ones and haven’t time to wait. They are a good bit pricier which is why I only buy them if stuck but they are a nice lash. I can’t fault them.000122569

Another of my favourites are these Georgia Salpa ones. I bought a gazillion packs of these from a clearance bin in a chemist for €2 each or something like that (maybe they were €4) when I was doing my makeup courses (we went through soooo many). They look fab on. All the ones I got were dramatic so not too sure if there was a more natural looking one. Definitely a lash for a night on the town or a super glam event. I’m not sure if you can still buy these as I haven’t seen them anywhere since. If anyone knows where still stocks them please let me know in the comments.0005e7bc-440

The 1000 hour ones are also a trusty range of lashes. They have many styles and are another that I love to use on brides as the strip is nice and thin and easily blended into the lash line. These are about €4.99 and are carried by most good pharmacies.
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The Kiss ones below are stocked in most pharmacies and used to be stocked in Penneys (not sure if they still are). These guys are cheap and cheerful and I especially love their packs of individual lashes as three different lengths come in the pack so you can create a natural or more dramatic look. Whatever you fancy. 
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The lashes below are stocked in Penneys (think they have changed the crappy packaging since to black packs). They are not great quality but are great for photo shoots and the like where they won’t be worn for long. I find the strips pretty stiff so harder to take the shape of the eye. Anytime I’ve worn them out they irritate me as the strip is constantly rubbing against the inner corner of my eye, even though I don’t apply it close to the edge. They just have that plasticy feel to them
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My top tips for applying false lashes:

1. You know that little bottle of glue that comes in your lovely new box of false lashes…bin it. Invest in Duo Glue. It comes in clear and black and is the best glue that I have come across. I also use it to stick gems and things to my face at Halloween instead of spirit gum as it is so much easier removed. Even on the lashes it is a breeze to remove with a good Waterproof Make Up Remover.

2. Wrap your lashes around a pencil to bend them out and make them easier to apply and take shape of your eye, a lot of lashes are stiff when you get them and may end up sticking into the inner corner of your eye and irritating the crap out of it because they may be too straight. Who wants big red watery eye?! Plus all your hard work on your eye makeup will be ruined.

3. Don’t just assume they will fit. I remember when I very first wore lashes I just assumes you just stuck them on and that was that. Major mistake…they looked awful. Always hold them up to your eye and measure before going near any glue. Trim away as much as needed at the outer corners and keep remeasuring until you get the strip just the right length for you.

4. Don’t be a silly goose and apply the glue to your lash line…apply to the strip of the lash with a cotton bud to avoid any unnecessary mess.

5. Right, glue is on, allow it to dry a little, maybe thirty seconds or so (until the glue is tacky). I find it way easier if I have a mirror flat on the table in front of me. Its just easier to see what I’m doing. I can put on other peoples lashes a whole lot quicker, I suppose because your using two eyes to look lol. Wiggle them gently in to place. I usually start at the centre of the eye and then work my way both ways from there. I use the blunt end of a tweezers or a cotton bud to make sure its pushed in as close as possible to the lash line so its nice and secure.

6. Once your lashes are applied allow them to dry fully before going near them with lash curlers or mascara. I usually do my false lashes before my lips, that way I can work on those while I’m waiting on the lashes to dry.

7. A tip I like to use sometimes when I want to change up my look is to cut a lash in half making sure they are a symmetrical design. Then apply half a lash on the outer corner of each eye. Placing the longer lashes on the outside really opens the eyes. I’ve also used half lashes on bottom lash lines for a doll like look at Halloween.

Anyone have any lashes they think are the bees knees that aren’t on my list?

Toodles,

MissGlitzyPixie

xx

Disclaimer: None of the photos included in this post are my own. I just found them on the interweb

15. Fave Cleanser

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At the moment my go to cleanser is La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser

I had been spoilt in college with endless supplies of Dermalogica products and couldn’t bring myself to go back to using cheap and cheerful Simple. I thought Simple was right for my skin before doing beauty college and using high end products. I found out you really DO get what you pay for.

After college however I found Dermalogica was just too out of my price range so searched for a more affordable skin care range that would keep my skin in tip top shape. That’s when I was introduced to La Roche-Posay. It was on 3 for 2 in Boots so I could get a Cleanser, Toner and Moisturiser to set me down the right path.

With my dry, intolerant and sensitive skin the lovely lady in Boots recommended the Toleriane Cleanser and Moisturiser.

I find it ideal for both removing makeup and cleansing the skin. I always double cleanse to really get the benefits of it. I moisten cotton pads applying a little amount of product then leave to sit on the eyes for a few minutes to loosen my eye makeup. I then gently wipe. I then massage it around my lips to remove lip products. I apply some product to my hands and add a little water, massagint the product gently into my face, really working it in, then clean away with wet cotton pads. I repeat this until the pads come away clean.

It contains glycerol which is a humectant (it attracts water to the skin) meaning it .gently cleanses and removes impurities while moisturising the skin.

My skin tends to react badly to a lot of skincare ranges, I break out and go red and blotchy but not with this.

It’s a pretty reasonable price too at around the €14 mark. Would highly recommend this cleanser.

Fairy Doors

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Soooo…fairy doors are a big craze here in Ireland at the mo. I think its a lovely idea. When you pop a door up in your house a fairy moves in and your child can write letters to the fairies, draw pictures, leave them gifts etc and the fairies can respond. You name your fairy and you must sign a set of rules to abide by.

Anyways…as lovely as these store bought fairy doors are they are very expensive and lack that personal touch. So, I resorted to making a few of my own. I already shared one of my pieces in an earlier post. Here are a few more xx
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13. Fave brush cleaner

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The only product I use to clean dirt and grime from my brushes is Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. It is mild enough not to destroy the hairs in your brushes but tough enough to remove any makeup build up.

Image sourced from Google

Image sourced from Google

I squirt some shampoo out onto my hand and gently swirl the bristles in a circular motion in the shampoo to loosen any dirt. I rinse under running water until it runs clear and leave them out flat to dry. Once dry, I spritz them with an anti bacterial spray or surgical spirits.

It works for me so its what I use. Anyone got any better tips and tricks to make the struggle of brush cleaning easier? If so, I’d love to hear it.

MissGlitzyPixie

xoxo