If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll probably know that I am the definition of an eyeshadow addict. I really can't get enough, so new eyeshadow launches make me excited beyond words.

When a bag of brand new Paese Cosmetics eyeshadows landed at my door step, it felt like Christmas had come early! 

Paese have launched three amazing eyeshadow collections - Kashmir, Opal and Diamond. For a day or night time make-up look, each collection boasts a wide variety if colours, finishes and textures. The pigmentation is absolutely incredible, as are the prices. I am absolutely loving these eyeshadows, they are the only ones I've been using since I received them! Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Paese Kashmir Matte Mono Eyeshadow, €4.99

In my opinion, a good matte brown eyeshadow is an absolute essential in a girl's make-up collection. They have a multitude of uses - from acting as a transition colour to blending out darker shadows, or even just to add a wash of colour across the lids, you really shouldn't be without a good one! This is 671 and it is my new staple brown eyeshadow! The colour intensity of these matte shadows in nothing short of impeccable, as is the formula. They are so soft and buttery, and blend like a dream. I have been loving this shadow all over the lid and blended into the crease, then a little bit of NARS Night Porter eyeshadow on the centre of the lid for a perfect Autumnal eye look. These shadows can also be used dry or wet, but I personally prefer the look of them dry. The use of silk proteins in the formula prevents fallout so you have no worries when applying these products. I found this particularly interesting as I have never come across an eyeshadow that has actually been formulated to stop fallout.

Here is a swatch of 671 with no base underneath. How amazing is it?! This is definitely my favourite 'basic' shadow in my collection and I would highly recommend checking it out if you're in need of a new matte brown. I would say it's an excellent dupe for Espresso eyeshadow by MAC, but I personally prefer the formula of this one! And even better, the matte collection has 24 shades to choose from!





Paese Kashmir Matte Trio Eyeshadow, €5.50

The Kashmir collection also has matte trio eyeshadows, and this one features some bright and bold purple shades. I love how they all compliment each other and give you the perfect, bold purple smoky eye in one handy screw-on tub. I think this little trio is the perfect alternative to your conventional brown or smoky eye on a night-out. The colours are so intensely pigmented, yet they're effortless to work with. With paler shades like the pink and purple featured here, they usually tend to be chalky and lack pigmentation. Not in this trio!
The shadows are just beautiful and I think this combination of colours is something that a lot of people probably wouldn't put together, nor would they even own. I just love these colours together so much! I like to pair this smoky eye look with MAC X Kelly Osbourne's Dodgy Girl lipstick, which is a matte lilac purple like the purple here. It looks gorgeous together!

My camera really doesn't do the shades justice - but you can still see how stunning they are! This trio is 682. The range has 6 trios to choose from.












Paese Opal Shimmering Trio Eyeshadows, €6.99

How beautiful are these?! As you can imagine, I have a small army of neutral trios but this is by far the most beautiful one I own! I love the colours so much, I've been wearing them non-stop since I got them. These shadows are paraben free and are formulated to prevent fallout, like the matte shadows. These trios were designed with busy girls in mind, so each trio is created to be worn on its own - no need for adding extra shades from other palettes. This is my current go-to day time eye look as the colours are so striking yet so simple and quick to apply. A little goes a long way with these shadows too - one dip of your brush is enough to do it all! I mentioned it earlier on, but I just love the packaging of these little guys - it's so convenient yet still looks chic and expensive.

These shadows are called 'Golden Brown' and the number is 240. This collection has 15 Shimmering Colour Trios to choose from, but I would 100% recommend checking out Golden Brown for your new go-to eye look!

Paese Diamond Eyeshadow, €3.99

Say hello to your new smoky eye kit! These eyeshadows contain 50% natural pearl that creates a glistening, metallic finish. They are also made from natural pigments that make it perfect for sensitive eyes. You can use these shadows dry or wet - the colour pay off is much softer and smokier when applied dry, but applied wet gives the most incredible, bright, pearly, metallic sheen to the eyes. I absolutely love the middle silver shade - it looks incredible when applied wet!
Similar to the Opal Trio above, these shadows are perfect for throwing in your bag and doing on the way home from work, college, etc. as you have all the shades you'll need condensed into one tiny handbag-friendly tub. I would definitely recommend this for a dramatic night-out look if you love traditional smoky eyes.

Look at that shimmer!! *insert heart-eyed Emojis here*  This is number 712. I'm a total magpie when it comes to eyeshadows so these are definitely up my street. If the black and silvers are a little too harsh for you, there are 10 trios to choose from so you're spoilt for choice! There are also 12 Diamond single eyeshadows, so rejoice, my fellow eyeshadow lovers!

Paese have covered all angles of eye make-up goodness with this collection, as to go with your new fabulous eyeshadows they have developed an eyeshadow base to go with the new shadows.

Paese Eyeshadow Base, €9.99

 How cute is this?! It's a tiny 5ml - which is ideal for travelling - but a little bit of this goes a long way! This isn't tinted at all, it applies clear and slightly sticky.
It creates the perfect canvas for your eyeshadows, and really helps to intensify your look even more, as well as keeping the shadows looking perfect all day/night. I love trying different eyeshadow bases but I find they can be quite hit and miss on my super oily eyelids, but this is a definite hit! I absolutely love it and it is the perfect canvas for my shadows.



I am in love with this new collection from Paese! The prices are great, the eyeshadows are absolutely stunning and will definitely be my go-to colours for the autumn/winter.
You can buy them online at http://www.paese.ie/products/eyes/eye_shadows.

Let me know what you think of the shadows and what your favourite colours are!
Zara :-) x

Best Of The Brand: Beauty UK!

Today's instalment of Best Of The Brand features Beauty UK. Beauty UK were actually one of the first brands I ever tried when I first got into make-up, so you can imagine how excited I was when Beauty UK sent me out some of their new products to try! The Best Of The Brand series on my blog is definitely my most popular, so make sure to let me know what brands you'd like to see featured next. Now onto the best of Beauty UK:

5. Beauty UK Prime FX Foundation Primer, £3.99
I absolutely love trying primers, as I think they're so important for keeping your make-up flawless all day. The Prime FX primer claims to be silky-smooth and reduce oiliness.
The texture of the primer reminds me a lot of the Benefit Porefessional - it's very velvety, and feels so soft on your skin. It provides a perfect base to apply foundation over, and it really does enhance the longevity of your foundation. The thing that drew me to this primer was the claim of an oil-reducing formula, as someone with incredibly oily skin I need all the oil reducing I can get! It definitely stays true to that promise, as I never find myself touching up my foundation when wearing this primer underneath. I'm so in love with this primer, as it's so inexpensive and the quality is actually better than some high-end primers I've tried!The packaging also looks very sleek and expensive, and it's a handy 20ml bottle that fits nice and snug into any little make-up bag or clutch.
 Definitely recommend checking this out.

4. Beauty UK Glacier Gloss, £2.99
This is my go-to lipgloss! I have the shade 'I Like To Mauve It, Mauve It', which is more of a blush pink than a mauve in my opinion. I love how pigmented it is - it's sheer enough to wear a lipstick under it, but it's opaque enough to wear it on its own, so it's all about how you prefer to wear it. I personally love to wear it with Miner's Cosmetics Strawberry Tin'O'Tint underneath. The longevity of this gloss is fantastic - it wears for about five hours before needing to be touched up, even if you've eaten it stays put! It smells so lovely too - it has a nice light toffee scent. The packaging reminds me of the Tanya Burr lipglosses - it's sleek and the perfect size to throw in your handbag, or even in your pocket.

Top - I Like To Mauve It, Mauve It Gloss. Bottom - Popsicle Pink

3. Beauty UK Baked Blusher Box, £3.99

I actually prefer baked blushes as I love the natural looking flush they give to the skin. This stunning blush is called Popsicle Pink, and it's a beautiful pale, frosty pink with lots of shimmer in it. I think it's ideal for paler skinned girls like myself, as the pigmentation is just perfect.
I love the packaging of it too - the box reminds me slightly of the Benefit boxed blushes (just without the crazy price-tag!) and the handy little mirror inside is ideal for on-the-go touch-ups.
I also love the domed product, as it just makes it easier to put your brush in as well, and you usually tend to get more product when the powder is domed. The colour is very similar to Dainty by MAC, which is my all-time favourite blush. This is my favourite blush of the moment - I couldn't recommend it more! If the colour isn't
your type, I would recommend trying some of the darker shades as there are four to choose from.








2. Beauty UK Eye Prime FX Eyeshadow Primer, £3.99
My favourite primer is constantly changing, as I try so many. The last few months I have been loving the Urban Decay Primer Potion, but it's quite pricey. However it is rare to find an amazing, long-lasting primer on the market that won't break the bank.
Everything about Eye Primer FX is identical to the Primer Potion, except the price! This product is amazing, it's a tinted formula that provides a neutral base for your eyeshadows. It's much more convenient than the Urban Decay Primer Potion in my opinion, as it comes with a doe-foot applicator which means that there is no wasted product, as opposed to the squeezy Primer Potion tube. It keeps my eyeshadow looking vibrant from morning to night, so I would definitely recommend checking this little guy out if you're on the market for a new primer!

1. Beauty UK Posh Palette, £5.99

This is quite possibly the most stunning eyeshadow palette I own! (This is quite a statement coming from a girl with about 40 eyeshadow palettes!) Unfortunately the camera does not do this palette justice, so I will definitely be showing you an eye look using it soon! Beauty UK have four eyeshadow palettes to choose from, this is the Masquerade one. I think it's the perfect palette for the Autumn/Winter time as the colours are so rich and deep. It's an incredibly versatile palette that you can transition from day to night so easily. My favourite shades are the glittery champagne-pink colour on the top left, and the burgundy, which is second on the bottom.
I really can't fault this product at all - the pigmentation is absolutely incredible, the packaging is both compact and sturdy, and the price is crazily cheap for the quality. Here are some swatches, and keep your eyes peeled for my eyes of the day with this palette very soon!

So they are my top 5 products from Beauty UK! You can find Beauty UK online at http://www.beautyukcosmetics.com/ or on Twitter @BeautyUKTweets.
What are your favourite products from Beauty UK?
Zara :-) x

My Top High-End Mascaras!

Generally speaking, I don't tend to buy many high-end mascaras. The main reason I don't is because I think that drugstore brands such as Rimmel and Maybelline do such a good job of releasing amazing mascaras that I never feel the need to splash out on high-end ones. Having said that, I have a few high-end favourites that I've gotten as gifts or just as little treats for myself. I'm going to show you my top picks today, so maybe this will come in handy if you're thinking of treating yourself!

YSL Faux Cils Mascara, €31

Like with all YSL products, the packaging of this mascara is absolutely stunning! I love the all-gold tube with the YSL logo just at the opening of the mascara. (Random side note - it actually smells like rose petals!)
My favourite types of mascaras are the long, thin wands that separate your lashes, like this one.  The design of the wand allows you to fan out your lashes without making them look spidery. I would say this mascara is more for length than volume - it does give a nice volumized look to your lashes without looking clumpy though! For me, it gives more of a false lash effect more than anything else. The formula of it is incredible - it holds a curl if you like to curl your lashes before mascara, and it doesn't smudge throughout the day. I absolutely love YSL mascaras as they have such a fantastic formula. If you can't get your hands on this one, I would totally recommend trying the Babydoll Mascara - no words! I love it!

Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara, €32.50

It was my mum who introduced me to this mascara - she had a tube of it and I tried it once and fell in love with it! I kept stealing hers so she treated me to my own! (Thanks mum!) This is Dior's newest mascara launch, I believe it came out around Spring time this year. I really love the wand on this mascara - it's soft and supple and coats all your lashes to give incredible volume. The spiky tip of the brush is super handy for getting all those pesky tiny lashes on the inner corners of your eyes too! It gives a gorgeous doe-eyed effect to your lashes - it really opens up your eyes. It's the most smudge-proof mascara I've ever tried - it really doesn't go anywhere! Having said that, it's still easy to remove. The cool thing about Dior Addict It-Lash is that it comes in a multitude of colours including pink, blue and purple! I stayed with the traditional black one but it's a nice option to have if you're a fan of coloured lashes!

MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara, €18.50
I got this mascara for my birthday last year, which is why it has the gorgeous rose gold RiRi Hearts MAC packaging! The mascara itself is not limited edition thankfully - the normal packaging is blue. I fell in love with this mascara instantly - it has a lovely small brush which makes coating both your top and bottom lashes a breeze. It separates and thickens my lashes without making them spidery or clumpy. It doesn't flake throughout the day, and it holds a curl really well. Even better news, it's much cheaper than the other mascaras featured in this post! I couldn't recommend this mascara enough, I think it's great for natural make-up days as it gives long, full lashes without looking too false. I also adore the rose gold packaging from the Rihanna collection!

Dior Diorshow New Look Mascara, €34

How cute is this teeny brush?! I personally love small mascara wands as I feel like they're much better for coating your top and bottom lashes. This mascara is great for multiplying your lashes and giving you really volumized, full lashes. It gives nice length but I use this more so for fuller looking lashes. The formula is quite wet so I find it works great for layering different mascaras if you want to.
It's a great day time mascara because, like the MAC one, it gives a nice defined look to the lashes without being too over the top or false-looking.


Estee Lauder Turbolash Mascara, €39

This is hands-down the coolest make-up product I have ever tried! It's a mascara with a built in eyelash curler, which means that once you open it, it begins to spin! As you can imagine, this made it very difficult to photograph, so I had to Blu-Tac it down! It's the world's first ever turbo mascara with a vibrating brush. It helps you create the ideal lash length with maximum length, volume and curl. It vibrates very gently, allowing the bristles to softly coat and separate the lashes with gel formula. This is probably my favourite mascara ever, purely because it makes applying mascara so much fun. It gives you complete control over your lashes - you can have long and dramatic or volumized yet subtle - the choice is yours! It's definitely on the pricer side but I think it would make a great gift if you have a birthday coming up!

Stila Major Lash Mascara, €18

This mascara has a unique consistency - it's almost gel-like. It's not too dry, but it's not wet either. It gives beautiful, glossy-black dramatic lashes with two coats. If you prefer the natural look, one coat will suffice for you. I love the thin wand, it really grabs onto your lashes so you can get the most out of the product. Like the Diorshow, you can layer it with other mascaras, which I think is a good thing for those who like really thick, full lashes. It's a good price for what you get too, in my opinion. If you live in Ireland you may have some difficulty locating a Stila counter, as where I live they are few and far between! Your best bet is to purchase it online - I like to buy Stila products from beautybay.com.

So there you have it - my top luxury mascara picks!
Let me know if you have tried any of these or if there are any others you'd recommend.
Zara :-) x

My Current Favourite Make-Up Brand: W7!

W7 is a brand I've always heard bloggers rave about, but none of my local pharmacies stock it. I was over the moon when W7 sent me a package of goodies to play around with! Today I'm going to share my thoughts on all the items I was sent - get your wishlists at the ready, because I am in love with this brand!

W7 Skin Fresh Foundation, £6.95

This has become my new holy grail foundation! I was given the shade Fawn Beige, which is a little too dark for me so I just mix it with some white concealer from my concealer palette. It gives flawless coverage while still feeling weightless on your skin. The formula is one of the best that I have ever tried from a drugstore brand - it's scent free and gives a beautiful dewy finish. It has fantastic staying power too - it lasted 6 hours on my skin without going shiny! This is probably my favourite item I was sent, I absolutely love everything about this foundation! I love that it covers everything yet still stays true to the name by keeping your skin looking fresh and natural. I will be posting my new go-to make-up routine sometime next week so you can see the foundation in action.

W7 Skin Fresh Concealer, £4.95

Obviously this little guy was designed to go hand-in-hand with the foundation - and I love it equally as much! It's quite a light concealer, but it provides the perfect coverage underneath the eyes and on blemishes. It does brighten your under-eye area, but it's not too dewy so it's appropriate to wear on blemishes too. I would say it's comparable to the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (my all time fave!), just not as heavy. I have this in the shade Fair, which is an absolutely perfect match for my skin.
Packaging-wise, I tend to prefer concealers with a wand applicator as it doesn't waste as much product, but this squeezy tube is really great for reducing waste as it only squirts out a teeny amount at a time! I really can't fault this concealer - it ticks every box in terms of quality, coverage and price.

W7 Bronzing Make-Up Base, £4.95

How identical does this look to the Chanel Bronze Universal?! I absolutely love the packaging - it's simple and sleek, it looks beautiful perched on your make-up desk! I was very excited to try this bronzing base out, as the Bourjois Bronzing Primer is one of my favourite products. I'm going to do a comparison post on them both soon so keep an eye out!
This gel formula is designed to give you a bronzed complexion that will mix with your foundation to bronze your face up, or it can be worn alone. I think products like these are fantastic for girls who like to fake tan as it eliminates the messiness of buying several different foundations for when you're darker or lighter. I use the Bronzing Make-Up Base as a cream contour and I love it! It gives such a natural sculpt to the face and really enhances your cheekbones.
One thing I also really like about W7 as a brand, their products are scent-free so they cater for girls with more sensitive skin too.

Divine Cream Blush and Bronzing Make-Up Base

W7 Creme De La Creme Cream Blush, £3.95

As a rule I don't tend to gravitate towards cream blushes - I just find them messy and sometimes too sticky to work with. However I knew the moment I swatched this blush that we would be friends. It's not sticky or tacky, it's blendable with the perfect amount of pigmentation. I love the doll pink colour, as it gives a beautiful natural flush of colour to your cheeks. This Creme De La Creme blush is in the shade Divine, and you can see it swatched above. What I like about this product is that it doesn't stain your cheeks. Sometimes with cream blushes I find that once you dot it in one area of the face, it stains there and leaves you with crazy looking patches for blush. Not a good look!
The lasting power of this is great for a cream blush, it doesn't go oily or patchy after a while, it lasts all day. It has become my new go-to blush for natural looks!

W7 Soufflé Whip Up Your Lashes Mascara, £4.95

Firstly, I love the name of this mascara - I think it's so fun!
The Soufflé mascara has a larger wand than normal, which aims to volumize and curl your lashes. I know a lot of people have a love/hate relationship with large mascara wands like this, but I personally think they're great! My only drawback with them is that they make coating your lower lashes that little bit more difficult, but I didn't have that issue with this mascara! Despite having a big wand, it's really easy to coat your bottom lashes.
This mascara gives the perfect amount of length and volume and gives the false lash effect that I love. I love the formula of it too - it's not waterproof but it doesn't smudge or transfer throughout the day. Massive thumbs up from me!

W7 Yummy Eyes Eyeshadow & Perfect Eyes Single Eyeshadow, £3.95

Drugstore eyeshadows are difficult to get right - pigmentation is often quite hit-and-miss, as is shade range and overall quality. These eyeshadows are some of the best (if not the best) eyeshadows I've tried from the drugstore! The Perfect Eyes is definitely better than the Yummy Eyes, but glittery champagne eyeshadows tend to be more glitter and sparkle than pigmentation at the best of times. This eyeshadow on the left is from the Perfect Eyes collection and is called Platinum. It's a beautiful sparkly silver that applies flawlessly, even without a primer. It's incredibly pigmented, but I love it because there's absolutely no fall out. I love that it's a true silver colour - I've always found my make-up collection has been lacking a good true silver shade. The silvers I own are either to grey or simply lack pigmentation.
The swatch below doesn't even do it justice - I'll definitely be posting a Make-Up Of The Day featuring this eyeshadow!

The second eyeshadow I received is a baked one from their Yummy Eyes collection - this is a beautiful pinky champagne colour, called Cafe Latte. It isn't as pigmented as Platinum, but as I said, it's difficult to get a balance with colours like this. It's much nicer used wet - it gives that metallic finish that is very popular for this Autumn/Winter. I love to use this shade in the inner corners of my eyes, or I also think it looks stunning if you do a warm, matte eye look then just place it on the centre of the lid. Again, I will feature this in a post on its own as I have to do a close-up eye look to do the colour justice!
Overall, I am very impressed by these shadows, particularly as they are so inexpensive. I also think the colour range is fantastic - usually drugstore eyeshadow collections can lack in good colour selection. (Yes, this is me enabling you to go buy one...or twelve)

W7 Super Duo Eyeliner, £4.95

The idea behind this eyeliner is quite nifty - it has a unique wand that allows you to create a multitude of different eyeliner shapes. The applicator is relatively stiff, but there is a little bit of movement from it. The tip of the applicator has a sort-of ball shape to it that allows you to create a thick or thin line by just maneuvering your hand. I was a little bit unsure of this product when I first opened it, as I'm sure by this stage you've realised that I'm a true gel liner girl! This Super Duo liner pleasantly surprised me - it's super easy to apply, and is a true deep black! The only reservation I tend to have about gel eyeliners is that they're usually a grey-ish black, whereas using this has given me a deep black liner that looks much more flattering with darker looks. The wear of this product is incredible - once applied, it does not budge at all! This has definitely become my go-to liquid liner, and I don't see that changing any time soon!

W7 Just Brows Waterproof Pen, £4.95

I'm definitely a creature of habit when it comes to my eyebrow routine - when I eventually found my holy grail brow products, it made me uninterested in any other eyebrow releases. I was both excited and nervous to try this little guy as I've never used a brow pencil/marker before. The marker has an angled tip, which allows you to delicately draw in fine hairs but also makes it easy to achieve the Cara Delevingne look if that's what you prefer.
My natural eyebrows are fairly full, just slightly sparce at the front, so I normally find a brow powder makes them look the most natural. When I tried this out for the first time - I fell in love! I absolutely love how natural it looks for a pen, and it really helps shape your eyebrows in a defined yet natural way.
Even better, it it one of those pens that is catered for all needs as you can use it a little more heavy handed and get a much more dramatic, bold brow if you want. It's also waterproof, which cuts out the worry of losing your brows throughout the day!

My Verdict: W7 Make-Up is hands-down the best budget brand I have tried. I can't fault them on absolutely anything. All of these products have become staples in my make-up routine and are genuinely of great quality.
If you're Irish, you can find w7 make-up here: https://www.carapharmacy.com/cat/w7_new
Their official website is: http://www.w7cosmetics.co.uk/ and you can find a list of stockists there.
Be sure to follow them @W7MakeUp for all the latest news!

 What do you think of w7 Make-Up? Let me know your favourite products!
Zara :-) x

New In: Playboy Make-Up And Possible MAC Lipstick Dupes!

When I first heard that Playboy were launching a beauty range, I was a little bit sceptical about trying it as I wasn't sure what to expect from it. When a lovely representative from Playboy offered to send me some products to try out, I was super excited to see how the products worked.
I was sent two lipsticks and a mascara and I love them!

When I opened the products, I loved the way they were packaged - they come in sleek matte black packaging that looks much more expensive than it is. I like the simplicity of the lipsticks - no garish neon colours, just a simple pink Playboy logo.
The mascara is packaged differently though, it has a bright pink tube with the black Playboy logo - I love the look of it on my desk when I'm doing my make-up!
So let's take a look at everything in more detail:

Playboy Perfect Kiss Intense Lipsticks in Bubblegum Pink and Playboy Red, £3.95
The gorgeous bubblegum pink shade is my favourite of the two shades - it's highly pigmented, smooth on your lips and isn't drying. I would say it's a satin finish. It has a beautiful creamy texture that glides across your lips and doesn't sit into any cracks.
When I first looked at it, I instantly thought it resembled Snob by MAC - I swatched them side by side, and as you can see, Snob is a little darker but I would still say they are quite similar.
Playboy Red has the same formula. It's a stunning red with a blue undertone which is quite similar to Russian Red by MAC. I love this red lipstick, it's such an easy colour to pull off and the quality of it is fantastic. Here are the Playboy lipsticks swatched alongside their MAC dupes - they're a little different but I still think they are close enough! The quality of the MAC and Playboy lipsticks is identical so I would recommend snapping up a few Playboy lipsticks and saving your pennies! The smell of these lipsticks is also gorgeous, they're difficult to describe - it's like a sweet, lemony smell I think! I'd highly recommend picking up some lipsticks from Playboy, there are 11 to choose from and they are absolutely beautiful - thumbs up from me!

Playboy Playful Lashes Volumizing Mascara

Can we just take a moment to discuss how fun this packaging is?! It feels much more expensive than it is as it's rubber packaging, similar to the NARS packaging, actually.
Like most beauty addicts, I test and trial so many mascaras that I have a very high standard when it comes to new ones. I'm quite fussy with my lashes too - I like volume, but not too much. I like lots of length and a little volume!
Despite being marketed as a volumizing mascara, I'm really impressed with how much this lengthens your eyelashes without clumping or giving your spider lashes. It gives the right amount of volume and length. If I were to compare it to a more well known mascara, I would say it's quite similar to the Chanel Volume De Chanel mascara, only at a fraction of the price.
The only tiny issue I had with this mascara was that it did smudge slightly under my eyes throughout the day, but it doesn't put me off as it's nothing a little wipe won't fix!
I would totally recommend checking it out if you're on the lookout for a new mascara.

I'm incredibly impressed with Playboy Make-Up, and I will definitely be picking up a few more pieces to add to my collection! The bronzers look fantastic, so I will keep you updated on that once I get around to purchasing it!
You can find more information on Playboy Make-Up on their Twitter and Facebook pages, where they also host giveaways so you can get your hands on some fabulous goodies!
You can also purchase your Playboy Make-Up from Direct Cosmetics.

What do you think of Playboy Make-Up? Let me know!
Zara :-) x

Contouring 101: My Favourite Contouring Palette by Beauties Factory UK!

Contouring has become my latest beauty obsession - I love being able to completely transform my look and give myself some badly needed cheekbones!! After some trial and error tests with powder and cream products, I've come to the conclusion that I much prefer the look of cream contouring.
I'm so excited to share my new contour palette with you all - meet the Camouflage Concealer Palette from Beauties Factory UK!
I was kindly sent this about two weeks ago now, and I am in love. The palette consists of 10 shades, ranging from white to dark, ensuring that there is something to match everyone.
My initial hesitation about concealer palettes is the amount of shades you get - how many shades of concealer do you really use from these palettes? With the Camouflage Concealer Palette, I've found myself using pretty much every single shade for a variety of things - you'd be surprised how handy the white one is! I've been using it a lot lately as my foundation shades are a little bit all over the place at the moment,
The main thing I use the palette for is the famous Kim Kardashian style contouring method. I use the second and third shade of the top row to highlight my face and the darkest shade at the bottom to contour, then use my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge to blend it out. I find using a damp sponge gives a much more natural finish than blending it out with a brush, and when using this palette on a day-to-day basis I prefer the look of a more natural contour.
The consistency of the concealers is beautiful - they're creamy and blend into the skin flawlessly. The staying power is also fantastic - I wore the concealers for about 7/8 hours and they stayed put all day without touch-ups!
Most of you will know the pain of putting concealer over blemishes or dark circles to discover that it has come off after just a few hours. Not anymore! 

Packaging wise, the palette reminds me of the old MAC palettes, which I love. It's easy to keep clean and is sturdy without being bulky.
I'd highly recommend the Camouflage Concealer Palette by Beauties Factory UK, and at £14.95 you really can't go wrong. You can find the palettes here, and you'll also find lots of other fantastic palettes at great prices.
What's your favourite contouring palette/product? Let me know!
Zara :-) x

Beaute Louboutin: Rouge Louboutin Nail Polish!

I'm not one to get overly excited when brands release new products, but when Christian Louboutin announced the launch of his nail polish range in the summer, I literally squealed with delight!
Upon the release of the nail polish range, Mr Louboutin said, ''The red sole was born from red nail polish. I am giving back to beauty what the shoes took from the nails many years ago.'' In light of this, the first nail polish to debut from the collection was Rouge Louboutin - a rich red that perfectly matches the sole of his famous heels.
I eagerly awaited Beauté Louboutin to reach Irish shores, and it launched in Brown Thomas about three weeks ago.
I arrived home from school last Monday to be presented with a little black bag from my dad - needless to say, I nearly collapsed on the spot! 
The nail polish is absolutely beautiful - the handle of it is 8 inches high, based on a shoe Louboutin created for an exhibition. The bottle has a stunning ombré effect, going from red to black. The Beauté Louboutin range now boasts 31 colours, but they are presented differently to this one - the handles are silver and the bottles don't have an ombré effect.
To be honest, I would say this nail polish is more of a collector's item than anything else - at €45, it's not your average everyday purchase!





The formula of the nail polish is absolutely flawless - it is thick and creamy, and it glides onto the nails with one opaque coat. Practicality wise, I was concerned as to how the polish would apply with an 8 inch handle.... surprisingly easy!
Louboutin himself has likened the handle to that of a calligraphy pen, and it genuinely is one of the easiest nail polishes to apply. I hold the handle right at the end, and it gives excellent control. The brush is a perfect size - two strokes covers the nail evenly.

I'm still testing the longevity of it, so I will give you an update soon, but so far so good!
The colour is also a perfect match for the soles, as you can see from the pictures.
The shoes featured in the pictures are my babies - my Christian Louboutin Bianca heels. My parents got them for me for Christmas two years ago and I still can't believe they're mine!

It is difficult to say whether the price you pay for Rouge Louboutin is justified - at €45 a bottle, it is the most expensive designer nail polish on the market at the moment.
As I said earlier on, I would call this a collector's item and I certainly won't be buying all my nail polishes from the Beauté Louboutin range! I definitely think it would make a fantastic gift for a girl who wants a little bit of Christian Louboutin in her life, particularly in the iconic red Rouge Louboutin shade.

Personally, I absolutely adore my nail polish - I can't stop looking at my nails since I applied it!
In Ireland, Beauté Louboutin is available from Brown Thomas.

What do you think? Will you be treating yourself to a bottle of Louboutin nail polish?
Zara :-)x