It honestly scares me how often I find myself writing my monthly favourites posts - it doesn't feel like a month has passed before I'm writing another one!

July was a fairly busy month for me, which explains why my posts weren't as consistent as they usually are, but all is back to normal now. Although I've bought quite a lot of new makeup recently, this favourites post consists mainly of old favourites that are making an appearance again, but you'll get to see all the new goodies I've been trying out in reviews all throughout August!

Elf Clarifying Pressed Powder in Rosy Beige

This powder is so old, I don't even know if Elf still sell them! I'm currently trying to sort through my makeup collection and use up older products, so that's why I began using this again. It reminds me so much of my beloved MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural - it's absolutely brilliant. It has a decent amount of coverage, as there were times on holiday where I applied a little bit of concealer and then just popped this over it to even out my skin tone and it worked really well. For such an inexpensive powder, it's excellent. It keeps your skin looking matte and fresh all day long and it doesn't transfer at all either. I've always loved Elf powders so I'd definitely recommend checking them out if you're on the hunt for a new face powder!






Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer
I know, I'm incredibly late to the party when it comes to this concealer! About two months ago I finally gave into the hype and bought this concealer, although I wasn't overly impressed by the matching foundation. I think the Wake Me Up concealer is an incredible dupe for MAC's Pro Longwear, and it's less than half the price! It just gives such a brightened effect under the eyes and the coverage is brilliant for blemishes too. It's become an everyday staple for me!
It's only €6.99, and my local Rimmel stands have an offer now where if you spend €12 on Rimmel products, you get a free Maxi Bronzer. So get yourself this and one (or all...) of the new Kate Moss nude lipsticks and you have yourself a fantastic deal!





Physician's Formula Glow Booster Bronzer

I reviewed this bronzer last year when I got sent a few items from Physician's Formula's range to try, and I knew it would be my go-to product once the summer came along. I used this on holidays and now that I'm home, it's giving me that extra bit of a glow that I'm craving here in Ireland! The Glow Booster Bronzer is divided into four sections, one for each season. It contains four different bronzer colours, depending on the time of year and the colour of your skin. It's an excellent idea, one I'm surprised more brands haven't jumped on board with. This bronzer is perfect for adding that sun-kissed sheen to your face, regardless of the time of year. It also comes with a little brush that reminds me of a baby NARS Ita brush!






Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Styling Gel 

As you all know, I'm a huge fan of the Benefit Gimme Brow gel, so when Rimmel released their version of it, I was intrigued to see how it performed in comparison. Initially I was put off by the size of the wand - it's about five times the size of the Benefit one! However I fell in love with this product after one use. It's the perfect dupe for Gimme Brow - it mimics the appearance of brow hairs and gives you the Cara Delevingne that we all want! On days where I'm going to work or I just can't be bothered with my eyebrows, I slick this over my brows and they're good to go. And, it's only €3.99!



Kiko Precision Liquid Eyeliner

Recently I made the decision to ditch gel eyeliner for a while and delve into the world of liquids again. Risky, I know, but I wanted to finally conquer the art of applying liquid eyeliner. I picked this up in Portugal in June and I absolutely love it. As you can see, the brush is tiny and precise, and it bends with you as you move it so it allows a really precise application. It's also incredibly black and dries to a matte finish. It's completely budge-free, but it's not hard to take off once I use my Bioderma Micellar Water.



Kiko Precision Lip Pencil in 300

The only reason I bought this is because I read on Michelle Keegan's makeup artist's Instagram that this was the lip pencil that Michelle used on her wedding day! If it's good enough for Michelle, it's good enough for me! 300 is the perfect true brown nude shade, that's more on the pale side than I would usually go for. It's a great addition to my makeup collection for when I'm doing a more dramatic eye look and I want something simple on the lips. It was only €1.70 too, so there's really no cause for complaint here!



Bath and Body Works Country Chic Body Lotion

How cute is this little travel sized body lotion! Obviously after coming home from holidays my skin felt really dry and dehydrated, so I started using this Country Chic lotion from Bath and Body Works and it's absolutely brilliant. It really hydrates your skin and has the most gorgeous sweet, summery scent to it. The size of it is also great for throwing in your bag or even taking abroad with you. I seriously wish Bath and Body Works would broaden their horizons and come to Europe!










So they are my favourites for the month of July - what are yours?

Zara :-)x

Rimmel Lasting Finish High Coverage Concealer Review!

Rimmel is by far my favourite drugstore brand at the moment - their launches have really set a high standard for the more inexpensive brands out there. I recently reviewed their newest foundation launch, the Lasting Finish Nude Foundation, and today I have the newest offering from the Lasting Finish range - the Lasting Finish High Coverage Concealer. I mentioned this in my recent favourites blog post but I love it so much I want to give it its own detailed review!

This is the first cream concealer I've ever seen at a Rimmel stand, and now that I think of it, it's actually quite rare to see cream concealers at the drugstore. Personally, I'm a fan of liquid concealers so I'm delighted that this cream concealer impressed me, as I've been left fairly disappointed by the other ones I've tried.

As you'd expect, it has a very creamy texture and it blends seamlessly into the skin. The coverage is most definitely very high coverage, which is great as my skin really needs that extra love at the minute! Although it's a high coverage concealer, it doesn't cake or gather around spots, it blends in incredibly naturally.

My only drawback with this concealer is the lack of shades - I use the shade Ivory 20 and it's quite pale, but there are only three shades on offer in total, this being the middle one. Perhaps Rimmel are only testing the waters with a few shades and will expand the range soon.

I personally only use mine on blemishes, as I thought it would be too thick to use under the eyes, but I've watched numerous tutorials using it under the eyes and it looks beautiful. Thankfully I don't suffer with dark circles so I've only really felt the need to use it on blemishes, and it works wonderfully.

If you can find a shade to match you, I couldn't recommend this concealer enough, especially at €6.99! Rimmel are definitely coming up trumps in terms of base releases at the drugstore recently. I have another Rimmel concealer review coming in a few weeks time as I can't get enough of their products recently - I'll be inundating you with Rimmel reviews!

Have you tried the Lasting Finish High Coverage concealer?

Zara :-)x

Simple Kind To Skin Smoothing Facial Scrub Review!

I'm a big fan of facial scrubs, particularly the Lush ones, but I recently realised that it's been quite some time since I tried a new scrub.

I was in Boots a few weeks ago and picked up this Simple scrub on a whim - I hadn't read any reviews of it before I love Simple skincare, so I decided to give it a go.

I absolutely love it! It has no colour or fragrance to it, and it has tiny little granules of rice that exfoliate and brighten the skin.

The bottle recommends to use it once a week if you have normal/dry skin, or twice a week if you have oily skin. I find that the morning after you use it, it'll bring any blemishes or impurities to the surface, and you'll have quite a lot of little white-heads, but they go after a day or two and your skin is left feeling soft and smooth. A little goes a long way with this product too - you only need a pea-sized amount to cover your whole face.

The scrub has two vitamins in it - Vitamin E to moisturise and improve the skin's condition, and Pro-Vitamin B5, which actively restores, softens and smooths the skin.

I'd highly recommend giving this facial scrub a go if you're on the hunt for a new budget exfoliator. It's €4.79 from Boots, which is a steal as it's made such a difference to the appearance of my skin.

What's your favourite facial scrub?

Zara :-)x

Sephora Haul!

Last week I got back from my holidays in Portugal, and luckily for me, on our last day we made a trip to a Sephora that was about twenty minutes away from our villa. There was a huge sale on in it, but I was incredibly well behaved and only picked up a few items!

It was a fairly small Sephora, and it only had a couple of stands, many of which we have here in Ireland, so my purchases are all Sephora brand. I personally love the Sephora brand makeup, so I love to stock up on it when I get unleashed in the store.

One of the main things that caught my eye in the sale were these jumbo eye pencils. I've heard so many rave reviews about them, so when they were only €3, I had to pick up these beauties! I'll do a full in-depth review of them once I have a chance to properly play with them, but I've absolutely loved them the two times I've worn them out.

This is the shade Dark Brown Matte, and I've been using this on my waterline in place of my Sephora Chocolate eye pencil, as it's running low. They give the exact same effect so I'm glad to have a replacement now!

This is Taupe, and it's definitely my favourite of the three I bought! It's the perfect shimmery, almost champagne colour that looks beautiful as a wash of colour over the lids. One night I wore this, I built it up and smoked it out with some shades from the Naked Basics 2 palette and I loved the look of it. This will certainly be a staple in my makeup bag!








The final shade I bought is Gold, which is pretty much identical to every other gold eyeshadow stick I own, but I couldn't resist - I can never have enough golds in my collection! I've yet to use this one, but I will be doing a full post on them soon so I'll be able to report back on it then.

Also in the sale, I bought this lip plumping gloss. It's called the Volume Booster Gloss Serum, and this is the shade 06 Lovely Romance, which is a sheer pink. It smells like watermelon, as does my lip plumper from The Balm, so I may do a comparison post on them to see which is the better product. I've used this a few times now and so far I really like it. It's definitely not for those wanting big Kylie Jenner-esque lips, but if you've got small lips like me and would just like a little bit more of a plump effect, it's ideal. Again, this was €3.

I got this adorable little EOS inspired lip balm called the Kiss Me balm. I actually bought this for my little sister, as she loves the EOS lip balms. It smells really sweet, so it's probably more focused at younger girls. How adorable is the packaging though?! They also had tinted balms, and they were €5 each.

All of the nail polishes were €1, but to my surprise, I only bought one! I got this gorgeous shade called Urban Grey, which is more suited to the winter but I just loved the shade too much to leave it behind! It has a matte finish, and it's so dark it could easily stand as a black polish. I haven't used it yet but I will be sure to report back once I do!

Finally, I bought some of these adorable shower gel pods. I normally stock up on these when I go to Sephora as they're so handy for travelling and they smell incredible. I got Cotton Flower and Peony, I've had Peony before and I absolutely love it. I'm looking forward to trying Cotton Flower, as many people have recommended the scent to me! These were only 85 cent each, so I'd highly recommend checking them out next time you're at Sephora.





So there is my Sephora haul from Portugal! It's much more humble than my huge New York Sephora Haul, but I still thought I would share it. Stay tuned for another haul during the week, featuring the few purchases I made in Kiko Makeup!

Have you tried any of these products?

Zara :-) x

Ultimate Dupe For Soar By MAC: Kiko 712 Smart Lip Pencil

Without a doubt, this has been the year of the Kylie Jenner lips. When it was revealed that her lip pencils of choice are Soar and Whirl by MAC, these became the most sought-after lip products on the market. Even now, it's incredibly difficult to get your hands on either one of the pencils.

Soar is my personal favourite lip pencil, and so today I'm delighted to share a dupe for it that I picked up in Portugal last week. It's by Kiko, a brand that I have raved about multiple times here on the blog.

This is their Smart Lip Pencil in the shade 712. The only difference I see between the two colours is that 712 is more pinky, whereas Soar is more on the brown side. In the picture below, Soar is on the right and 712 is on the left. It's not a major colour difference, however if you had the Kiko pencil you could easily match it with a brown lipstick to achieve the same effect that Soar would give.

In terms of quality, I honestly see no difference in them. They both glide on the lips smoothly and last all day. They're incredibly creamy and aren't overly drying on the lips.

To me, the only true difference between these pencils is the price. Soar will set you back €16.50, whereas I bought 712 in Kiko for €1.70 (don't worry, I picked up a couple of them at that price!). The only slight disadvantage is that Kiko is not available at all in Ireland, but I believe there's a Kiko store in London. You can also buy off their website:  http://www.kikocosmetics.com/.

If you can get your hands on 712 Smart Pencil, I'd highly recommend it - anything to save a few pennies!

Zara :-)x

My Five Minute Summer Makeup Routine!

Last week I got back from my holiday to Portugal with my friends, and as you're reading this I'm currently on a second holiday with my family! As I have limited time to get ready when I'm on holiday, I've devised a quick, 5-minute makeup routine that is easy and long-wearing.

I like minimal makeup in the sun as I don't want to be worrying about it sliding off my face or just feeling too heavy in hot weather, so these are the products that are light-weight and budge-proof for those hot days.

Base:

• Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer: This is relatively new to me - I only bought it a few weeks ago after seeing every blogger on the planet raving about it! I can definitely be added to that list of bloggers who are obsessed with this concealer. I think it's a great dupe for MAC's Pro Longwear as it's got excellent coverage, blends seamlessly and doesn't crease at all. On holiday I use this as a foundation as I love how light it feels while still giving me great coverage. I simply apply it wherever I need to, then use my Beauty Blender to blend it in. 
• ELF Clarifying Pressed Powder: After applying concealer, I set my face with this powder, and as it gives a little bit of coverage, it ties my base together as it blends the concealer into my skin so I have an overall even coverage. I've had this powder for years, but I only recently brought it out again to bring on holidays as it's so compact. It keeps my skin looking fresh and matte all day long, even in hot night clubs everything stays put! 
• MAC Melba Blush: This is a variable in my routine, however Melba has been my blush of choice recently as I think it compliments my tanned complexion beautifully. It's a matte finish, and it really lifts my cheeks and adds a flush of colour to my skin. When I'm not using this, I normally opt for either NARS Orgasm or MAC Dainty.

Eyes:

• Sephora Taupe Jumbo Liner: I picked this up in Portugal and I'm absolutely obsessed with it - it's the most beautiful taupe-champagne colour that's perfect for an effortless wash of colour over the lids. It's waterproof and has 12 hour wear, so it's ideal for warm weather. There's also no need for a brush as it's a cream shadow - a quick blend with your fingers is all you need.
• Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara: This is my all-time favourite mascara that I rave about on an almost weekly basis on the blog, so I'll keep this short and sweet! I love the length and volume that this mascara gives, and although it isn't waterproof, it stays put all day.
• Rimmel Brow This Way Styling Gel: A dupe for Benefit's Gimme Brow, I love combing this through my brows for an effortless yet defined brow.

Lips:

• Maybelline Dr Rescue Baby Lips: I always bring a tinted lip balm away with me as opposed to lipsticks because they're just easier to maintain and they nourish my lips at the same time. I've been really enjoying this Dr Rescue from Maybelline for a natural wash of berry across the lips.
• Sephora Volume Serum Lip Gloss: This is great for adding a bit of volume to your lips if you have non-existent lips like me! I like to keep my looks simple on holiday so a slick of gloss is perfect for adding a little bit more to a look. 

Docteur Renaud Grapefruit Slimming Concentrate Cream Gel Review!

I'm always up to try new beauty innovations, and this was one that particularly caught my eye. I've never before heard of a slimming moisturiser, so I was eager to give it a go!

If you're unfamiliar with Docteur Renaud, they are a renowned French brand that specialise in natural cosmetology, focusing on the benefits of plants for the skin. This slimming concentrate aims to firm up the skin and make it look more sculpted. You just massage it into the skin, like a normal moisturiser, both morning and night. The ingredients also work to reduce water retention.

In terms of results, I really love this product. My skin definitely appeared to be more refined and felt much smoother. The great thing about this product is that it works as both your moisturiser and a slimming gel, so it minimises the work and ensures that you follow the regime of using it daily. The cream is very lightweight and absorbs into the skin instantly.

It definitely takes a while to see results, which is to be expected. It takes about four weeks to notice results, but it's certainly worth the wait!

The cream smells absolutely incredible - it's obviously grapefruit scented, but it's not too overpowering and the smell doesn't sit or linger on the skin for very long. It is packed with ingredients that will do wonders for your skin, including Macadamia Oil and Sweet Almond Oils.

I couldn't recommend this product enough. As summer is finally here, this is an absolute essential product as it really helps give you that extra boost of confidence you need. It's £28 and available here.

Will you be trying out the Grapefruit Slimming Concentrate Gel?

Zara :-)x