I'VE MOVED!!

hi guys! just a very quick post to let you all know ive moved to wordpress! You can find me here https://tblushingblonde.wordpress.com

Catherine x

My Eyebrow Tattoo Experience - The Top Up

Happy Friday everyone :)

So today I'm filling you all in with my Tattooed Eyebrows. As you may know I got my eyebrows tattooed on back in October, you can check out my full experience here, and then go on to check out my update after they had healed here. So today I'm telling you about my top up. With an cosmetic makeup procedure a top is required usually 4 weeks after the first session to fix anything or darken anything. On Wednesday I had my top up with Olena, at her Luxury Permanent Makeup room in Dublin, check out her Facebook page here. Once in the room Olena asked how I was getting on with them, so I explained that I felt they needed to be slightly darker but overall I was thrilled with them. She took some photos of the healed tattoos and then began making a few marks on my face to adjust the brows slightly, once that was done it was time to choose a colour. So this time we went for No.3 with a few drops of No.4 to darken it slightly. 

As I explained the whole procedure in the first blog post I'll just do a brief run through, so after setting me up with a hair net she began cutting into the skin, it doesn't hurt that much just kinda pinchy and only takes a few minutes. Once done she numbed both brows and gave them a few minutes to fully numb. Then she went in with the pigment, she went back and forth to both brows twice and then gave the colour a few seconds to settle so she could tell if I needed more, she went back in with more pigment on both brows until she was happy, then left them again for a few minutes. During this time she threaded my brows which was nice to get done and tidyed up. She checked on my brows again and added slightly more pigment to my left brow and then I was done. To finish off Olena took some more photos and cleaned up my face for me while also giving with some cream for my brows, cotton buds and pads to clean them while I was out shopping, which was super kind. You can see my brow transformation from the photos and I honestly can't get over them, Olena is a wizard at what she does and her attention to detail is incredible, you would clearly know she's very passionate about her work. The cost of the top up once done 4 weeks after the initial procedure is €100.

 I honestly can't say enough good things about the work and magic this lady performs, if you're considering cosmetic makeup definitely check her out! Hope you enjoyed this little insight to the eyebrow tattooing, as always if you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them. Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend. 

Catherine X 

Thursday Tips - Create Matte Lips Without Using A Matte Lipstick

 So it's that time of the week again for me to share my Thursday Tips with you. Today I'm talking about Matte Lips, as it's one of the hottest beauty trends around and one that doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Matte lips are my favourite simply because they last so long and there is usually little to no transfer plus all girls know the struggle of long hair and glossy lips on a windy day!

There are so many brands of makeup that offer matte lip products, however I find most of them very uncomfortable on my lips, now bare in mind my lips are constantly feeling dry and flaky no matter what I use. So I decided to try something to achieve my own matte lip products, and it works wonders for me and feels much more comfortable than most matte lip products I've tried. 

So I start off by lining my lips with any lip liner I have and then filling in my lips with liner, once done I took whatever lipstick I have, at the moment my fav is the Catrice lipstick in nude-tastic, and use that all over my lips. Once done and I'm happy with the shape and even-ness of my lips I go in with a small brush and the Essence Translucent Setting Powder and lightly set my lips until I'm happy there not sticky anymore. This works so well for me, and it lasts super long! Plus it means I only need to purchase one lipstick and I get two different looks. Super handy, and perfect for anyone who finds other matte lip products drying and uncomfortable. 

I hope my little tip is useful for those of you who'd love to rock a matte lip but struggle to find the right products. Let me know if you found this helpful and indeed if you've any other tips of your own! 

Thanks for reading, 

Catherine X 

How I Became A Nail Technician

Hello everyone! So today I'm sharing how I became a Nail Technician with you all, especially for those of you thinking of a similar career. I've always been a typical girl, loving makeup, fashion, tan and of course nails. After FINALLY leaving my job as a waitress after four long years I really wanted to try something I loved and felt passionate about. Makeup artistry was something that came back to mind time and time again but let's face it those courses are hella expensive so I wanted to start off with something less expensive. I googled nail courses but wanted to find something close to where I lived, that's when I stumbled across Leah O'Neill on facebook, check her out here .She's a Nail Technician based in Navan Co Meath and trains on behalf of Young Nails. 

After a lot of things getting in the way of starting the course I finally did. The first day of the 3 day gel course, we were presented with our lamp and starter set for gel nails, it was really fun getting to grips with all the products and starting to apply gel nails. For the first 2 classes we concentrated on smile lines, which is a French manicure basically. I had to complete a certain amount of gel applications during the week and time myself on each section of application. I'm not gonna lie it was hard at times and a pain in the arse as it took so long. The price of this course was €550 which I thought was reasonable for how thorough Leah was and helpful. 

When booking the gel nail course we also got the ManiQ color course free, which I think normally costs €199. This basically shows you how to apply gel polish to fingers and toes. Once I had completed this day course I returned to Leah a few weeks later for her Nail Art course, this was €50 and she just went through the most popular designs with me and how to use different nail art brushes. I definitely enjoyed the nail art end of nails the best, it's super fun putting creative designs onto nails and people loving it! 

So my plans for 2017 is to do the Acrylic conversion course, which will teach me how to use the acrylic products and I believe acrylic nails are a bit more popular than gels. Been a Nail Technician is definitely fun and I love getting to show my creative side with the nail art, any of the girls from Young Nails that I've encountered are all so lovely, down to earth and helpful! 

I hope you enjoyed this insight into how I became a Nail Technician, of course if there's anything you'd like to know that I haven't answered drop me a comment. 

Thanks for reading X 

Catherine 

Thursday Tips - Tanning Hands & Feet

Happy Thursday to you all! Today I'm sharing another beauty tip, this time it's a tanning tip and one I hope will help you out when it comes to tanning the harder areas to get right - the hands and feet! There is nothing worst than extremely badly tanned hands and feet as it gives away a self tan job a mile off! But yano we've all been there.

So what I've be doing for years and find it always gives me the nicest tanned hands and feet is using an old foundation brush for the job. I find it applies the product so much more evenly and of course working with a smaller tool means you can be more precise in the application. So I make a claw hand shape and put a small amount of tan onto my mitt and dap my brush in it and tap off the excess product onto a clean area of the mitt, once that's done I start to apply the tan with the brush in circular movements starting from the wrist and gradually moving closer to my knuckles then I'll give each finger a coat. Sometimes I might even go back in with a second light layer depending on how dark my overall body is. Once both hands are done I will carefully wash the palms of my hands and my fingers with a dap of fairy liquid and water to ensure no tan transferred onto these areas! No one wants orange palms now!! My feet are done the same way, blending the tan from my ankle into my foot for a natural gradient. 

To make sure my hands remained tanned for as long as my body I'll pat my hands dry after washing them instead of rubbing as of course the rubbing action will lift the tan off the hands much quicker. If you're finding that your hands aren't staying tanned long enough compared to your body, top them up using a tinted moisturiser for a natural effect. Also another little trick is to apply a clear coat of nail varnish to the nails as tan can stain the natural nail yellow especially if you're a regular fake tanner.

So those are my tips for tanning the give away areas of our bodies! If you found this post helpful please drop me a comment and follow my blog! And if you've any little tips and tricks of your own please do share as I'd love to try out new techniques. 

Thanks to reading X

Catherine 

Christmas Gift Ideas For Her

Hi guys!

 

So with Christmas slowly creeping up on us all the pressure of what to get everyone can be quite stressful. So I've put together a post with some gift ideas for the lady in your life this festive season which are sure to please whoever that special someone is and of course ease that financial burden on you! Enjoy!!

• A Tanning Gift Set

If the lady in your life is a fan of tanning then there is two sets I would think she'll love. First up is the bBold Tempations Gift Set, this contains there newest product the Smart Mousse, which I'm a huge fan off, and also a prep & maintaining body cream, to keep that tan perfect for the whole festive season. You can purchase this set for €20.00 from Looks Good here.

The set that she'd also love is the Bellamianta Christmas Gift Set. This set can be purchased with either the lotion or mousse formula tan and it also comes with a tanning mitt and tinted tanning gel. It can be purchased for €24.95 online at Inish Pharmacy here.

• Pandora Charm

These charms are so pretty and can really say a lot to that special someone. Pandora normally launch a Christmas collect every year so keep your eye out. If you do fancy a wee look through there stuff you can do so here. 

• Inglot Christmas Gift Sets

If your girl is all about makeup *which she probably is or why else would you be here* then these two Christmas Gift Sets from Inglot are right up her street. There priced at €60.00 each.One gift box is called 'All That Glitters' which is for the magpies out there, the other gift set is the 'Blackout' which contains there blackest eyeliner along with other products to achieve your desired dark eyes. You can shop these gift sets from Inglot here.

• Instyler MAX

This is a hair tool that can curl and add flicks or waves to the hair easily which is a god send to any girl and even the guys who are waiting on them to finish their hair. This one retails for €129.99 in Boots online or in store and can be purchased here.

• Vouchers

Vouchers are an ideal gift for everyone. I love getting them and then forgetting about them been in a shop weeks later see something I want and remembering oh yeah I've a voucher. A voucher from a makeup store such as Inglot, MAC, Makeup Forever or Urban Decay or a clothes shop, such as, River Island, New Look, Penneys etc. Maybe even get her a voucher for her favourite Hair Salon or with her Nail Technician.

• Fragrance 

You can't go wrong with some perfume at Christmas. Sam McCauleys have an amazing range of fragrances for him and for her, so you could even go for his and her perfumes. Shop there affordable range of perfumes here.

• A Watch

I've seen some gorgeous watches that any girl would love from The Watch Shop.They have everything even Michael Kors. Watches are a timeless accessory that she'll have for years to come. Shop these watches here.

• Personalised Gifts

 

A personalised gift is always a good idea as they require thought and effort. Why not put together a calendar with your favourite couple pictures from the last year or even get a canvas or photo printed out of the two of you. Check out Photobox here for ideas or visit your local pharmacy as most of them offer some form of photography.

So those are some of the Christmas Gift Ideas for the lady in your life! I hope it helped bring some ideas to mind. Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy your weekend. 

Catherine X 

Thursday Tips - How To Make Your Foundation Last All Day

Hi everyone! So I've decided to add a little segment to my blog called Thursday Tips, which I will give whatever beauty tips I think you might like and that would help you out. I'm starting off today with my tips for making your foundation last the whole day. 

• First off, always leave some time after applying your moisturiser before adding any other product. Applying foundation on top of moisturiser straight away means the product will just sit on top of the moisturiser and will slide off your face. Allowing a few minutes for your moisturiser to sink in means that your foundation will be able to grip the skin better and last longer throughout the day.
• Always prime! I know some people don't see the point in using primer before foundation but I honestly swear by it. Priming the skin with a suitable primer helps the foundation to stick better to the skin and last so much longer. It also helps the foundation look more flawless on the skin so definitely find one suited to your needs, like if you suffer with open pores and fine lines find a pore filling primer, or if you have uneven skin tone find a tone correcting primer, if you need extra hydration in the skin use a hydrating primer and if you struggle with oily skin find an oil control primer. 
• Apply your foundation in light layers. Going in with a tonne of foundation at once is never a good idea, your base will look cakey and more than likely slip off your face in no time. Instead apply thin layers of foundation and build up coverage slowly. 
• Use a foundation suited to your skin type. Naturally enough if you've got oily skin and use a dewy finish foundation it'll be gone by lunch time, trust me been there and looked like a disco ball. If you've oily skin look for matte or demi matte finish foundations. If you've very dry skin then look for natural or dewy finish foundation as matte finish foundations will crumble and go patchy on dry skin. 
• Always set your face with powder. Even a light dusting of powder will help lock in your foundation and stop it transferring and fading. 
• Use a setting spray. I never thought setting sprays made a difference until I started using one, particularly the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, it's honestly incredible. Setting sprays help to set your products in place but are also amazing for bringing your makeup back to life. If you use a lot of powder products, such as a powder to set your face, bake under your eyes, contour, blush and highlight then you'll know at times your face can look very powdery and feel tight and uncomfortable, well that's why you need to use a setting spray it gets rid of that powder look and locks your makeup in place for longer. 
• Don't touch your face. I know it's hard we all do it, whether it's a flirt with the hot guy that works in the coffee shop or your nervous reaction but touching your face after spending hours at your face only transfers your makeup and makes it fade much quicker! So next time your flirting just twist your hair, ha! 
• When using hairspray always cover your face or do your hair before. When hairspray gets onto foundation it can make it crumble and shiny looking and we don't want that.

So those are my tips for making your foundation last longer. If you've any other tips you'd like to share please leave them in the comments section. Hope you enjoyed this post, also if you'd be so kind as to follow my blog it'd mean so much! Enjoy the rest of your evening. 

Catherine X