Mastering Your Makeup

So these subscription boxes... I dunno ladies I feel more stressed about waiting to see what is in them and wondering am I signed up to the right one than using what I get in them...

Apologies that's a little abrupt but every few weeks on the blog's facebook newsfeed it's inundated with posts from fellow bloggers who have signed up to subscription boxes and it's a case of was it good enough or not for our standards?!

Well today I am here to talk about the May Powder Pocket box! I signed up when the company had given a great discount of 20% off subscription so I thought... why not! They had very kindly sent me a box having met some of the staff at the Beauty Show in March and I was really pleased with that box so I thought yeah ok let's give this a go :)

First off Powder Pocket have nailed their packaging!! So cute, they had the theme of 'sweet treats' and the colours and wrapping are every present givers dream. I am a big fan of gift bags, ribbons, packaging so because it was presented so well I was already delighted!



Next was onto the info book, again this is a booklet which contains loads of info about the products you are receiving in your box but in the May box booklet there is a little surprise for me.... I am in the booklet!!!! Yep my head and twitter handle was part of their 'Tweet Like Candy' section of the booklet and I was delighted!My tweet was about the first box I had received and I was thrilled to see myself featured (I have no shame, total vain head right here, poser central!)



So back to business of what was contained in the box... It's like Christmas morning when you've asked Santa for a surprise and there's just this wrapped something in front of you and the excitement almost makes you not want to open it haha!! In the May box we received:



Nimue- Exfoliating Enzyme
So this exfoliant is a non abrasive gel base for youth looking skin. It is non-irritating so I am really hopeful it will do wonders for my skin. This was a sample size in our box and retails at €49.99 for a 60ml bottle.

Hollywood Eye Magic- Eye Magic Serum
We got a tiny tube of this product in our box, but you use so little that this sample will actually last you. This is made in Canada and can reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, reduce eye bags and diminishes the look of dark circles. Doesn't this just sound amazing? So very excited for this!! The full size price of this product is €75 for a 15ml bottle which will give you  approx 300 applications.

Kinvara Skincare- Absolute Cleansing Oil
As we all know, I have become obsessed with my skin so another product which claims to help my skin is right up my street. Again for a sample size, you will get loads out of this product as you only need to use one pump onto damp skin. This oil is said to gobble up makeup and even mascara so I am delighted with this!! It is suitable for all skin types including sensitive. The full size of this product is €19.95 for 100ml.

Great Lengths- Daily Moisture Shampoo
I was really excited to get this product. Anyone that follows the blog will know that recently I have attempted to go blonde, it was a disaster and now my hair has had to loose 3 inches, it's dry and making me very unhappy. Don't worry I'm leaving it like this I am just waiting until next week so get my chocolate brown head back and I shall be happy. I have used all of this shampoo and although I didn't see any major results, it smells lovely and I would presume with extended use, it will have a really positive effect on your hair.
The full size RRP for this product in 250ml is €17.99

Ciate- Mini Nail Polish
I love my new little nail varnish. I have been getting Gelish nails on my fingers for the last year so it's rare I ever wear 'normal' nail varnish, but my toes love some colour. I also had my college exams where I had to take off my nail polish so I tested out my little Ciate polish and it's really nice. I love how summery the colour is, right up my street!
The full size RRP for this product is €10.95

*Ooh and a lovely little packet of LoveHeart Sweets*

All in all with this box, I loved the packaging, I was over the moon to see myself featured but I wasn't hugely overjoyed with the box. I think these boxes will target certain people each month, as a beauty box and I a makeup lover, I can't have it my way all the time (however much I'd love makeup each time) I like how this box contained skin, hair and nails products but I really hope now that I have signed up the next box will contain more makeup products!

As this post is going out so late I should have the June box really soon so keep your eyes peeled!

From June 2014 any post or product marked with a * will indicate that they have been free/gifted to me as a PR sample for consideration of review. I will only accept samples that I feel fit the theme of my content. Once received a review will be written promptly up to a month after, depending on the product/sample. All reviews and and opinions written are 100% my own. 

If you are a PR company and would like to work with me please email me at emmajosephinesheehan@gmail.com



All photos/everything on this site are copyright of myself, Emma Sheehan unless otherwise stated on my post. Please don't use any photos or content without first contacting and asking permission emmajosephinesheehan@gmail.com

So you have decided to hit one of the hottest festivals this summer and with this beautiful weather arriving in Ireland, do you need help thinking how to manage that mug of yours all over the weekend?

We all know the key to any great festival look, is to look as clean and fresh even when you've had no sleep or a decent meal in hours, so how do you achieve this using a hand held mirror and limited products?

Here is my guide to makeup festival style.....

So first things first.... Foundation! If this heatwave happens which we all hope it will, you want to keep a soft dewy look on your face, no need for the cement mixer look while wandering around a field, not only will it wear off pretty badly and you'll look all patchy, but it's very hard to maintain it more than a few hours so for me, I would choose:


I like these foundations, because they will last and give you a lovely dewy finish. You will have a flawless complexion, you can also get away with using a beauty blender sponge for the weekend so it saves the hassle of bringing loads of brushes!

I would also strongly recommend wearing SPF every day on your face. A fantastic product I recently reviewed was the Glo Minerals SPF tint, it contains SPF 30 which we should all wear every day, while giving a lovely colour and if you want it a little stronger, you can add a mineral foundation over it which is great for the hot weather because it's breathable and healthy for the skin. I top up my tint with my Bare Minerals foundation powder or you can use the Glo Minerals pressed base which has a fantastic range of colours.

Due to the time of year and this good weather, it's also essential to pack lightly with the makeup so here are my follow on essentials from foundation....

Setting Powder- to keep the summer shine at bay. Lash it into the handbag and using a small 'clean as it can be' sponge, dab your face throughout the day to keep shine away and keep your makeup set.


Shimmer Brick- this will work as both your highlighter and bronzer to keep you sunkissed. This can be brushed all over the face of if you fancy attempting to contour like Kim K in a field, I love the Sleek contour palette.



White Eyeliner- this is amazing for opening the eyes, reviving anyone who hasn't had a full nights sleep so invest in a little light into your life. This may seem alien to many of you but with the weather set to stay over the weekend, you may be suffering from hay fever so avoiding the panda eye look. A black cat eye will look amazing but as I said bear in mind, the longevity of your makeup and what products you have for cleaning in the evenings, adding a blue or orange liner can also really enhance a look and this could be your chance to try something new as shadows can be very difficult to work with, cramped in a tent with a small mirror and limited brushes!




Waterproof Mascara- Keep it topped up and just in case it rains (which we hope not) it wont look like you're in a dodgy horror film.

Lipstick- I am not a huge fan of lipgloss so pick a nice peach or coral toned lip to finish your look and top up as you need to for all the selfies and Snapchats. Also if there is anything to jazz up a festival look, get bold with your lippy and add a matte red, hot pink or purple!


Festivals are tough work for us ladies so be smart and keep it easy for yourself. Adding higlighter to the top of the cheekbones, really freshens up the face. Spritz your finished look with mineral water sprays such as these, they help to revive the skin, again sticking with keeping you feeling fresh and looking your best! A must have for any outdoor weekend and great that they start at only €4 for this small bottle.

As we all know makeup is about personal style and if you are willing to pack lots of products and brushes, more power to you, for those ladies wanting the quick and easy approach to festival fabulousness, think bronzed, fresh and bright!!



Have a fantastic time and if you have any questions on products please feel free to contact me at @emmajcsheehan and on Facebook HERE

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek so exciting!!

Sitting at home last night, minding my own business with a cup of tea and a crunchie and I get a congrats mail from a fab blogger Sinead to tell me I am shortlisted for the reader's choice awards in the Aussie Blog Awards.

My blog is only 7 months old and this for me is a fantastic achievment, I am truly so happy to even be within a shot of this award so I would love if you could take a min to click the link below and vote...

"Emma Sheehan Blog"

http://www.her.ie/style/aussie-blog-awards-shortlist-announced-and-the-nominees-are/ 

to win this award!! I really hope to attend the event and I am so pleased to see so many of the other amazing bloggers I have met since starting to write are also nominated.

Hey All,

So I have been writing weekly for I think the last 12 weeks about my time spent in Waverley Academy. For me personally it has been amazing, I feel taking part in the ITEC Makeup Course has been my best decision yet for the blog and for myself and I'm sad to say we are coming to the end of the line soon :(

Last week in class it was time to finish our case study booklets. So for ITEC, you need to have a display book with 5 makeup looks in it along with the relevant information sheet. I created a day look, an evening look, a bridal look, a special occasion look and then another evening look.

The paperwork for case studies is not that difficult, you need to follow the ITEC procedure on creating looks and they can all be fairly similar. I found that once you got one right you just added the other elements of the looks to the sheets. It can be time consuming but nothing is as time consuming as doing the looks.

When I was creating all my looks, I was so conscious to have them as good as possible, I am still quite slow at makeup but I figure in time this will help me to ensure that all my client receive a high standard of care and detail taken on them.

We are handing in the display books this week and I am pretty happy with the overall presentation of them. We have having our last class this thursday so hoping to pick up a few extra tips and tricks from Tanya before we leave!

Here are some snaps of my case studies....





If you have any question on Waverley please mail me at emmajosephinesheehan@gmail.com or check out the Waverley site itself the link is HERE

• Hi All!

• 
  
• So a couple of weeks ago I had been in contact with Aisling who works over in Carmel's Skin and Body Clinic in Lucan. We had met at the From Matte to Metallic Workshop and got chatting about a review of a facial for the salon, of course I was very excited, my skin is something I've never been overly proud of but I have to say, I've been feeling a lot wrose about it lately, I think with a mix of stress, poor diet decisions and general hormones, my skin is not in great shape at all! As a blogger I also wondered, is it down to trying out too many products on my skin? I don't know if any other bloggers experience this so I'd love to hear from you if you do find this?!
• 
  
• So for now I would just like to acknowledge, most of the info contained in what we did in the salon has come from Aisling herself, it was all very science based for me and I think I was in a little shock at the time, I needed her help to tell me all we had dont.
• 
  
• I had a microdermabrasion!! As I said earlier this is nothing like I have had done before, Aisling hasn't seen my skin in a while and I had told her, I had been having some irregular breakouts so a 'pamer' facial may not be the best thing for me at the minute. After seeing my skin she agreed that we would start with a microderabrasion which is fantastic for resurfacing ur skin, helps smooth out fine line n wrinkles and is also fantastic for picking up complexions of dull lifeless skin. This is also brilliant for improving and smoothing any scars on skin and great for lifting pigmentation on skin, stimulating the colour under our skin. This didn't hurt really at all but it's almost like a tiny tube like a hoover which literally sucks all the 'badness' out of your skin. It can be a little uncomfortable when it goes over an imperfection, but nothing you cannot handle and nothing more painful than actually having the spots themselves. My skin felt so clean after this and I did also have quite deep lines on my forehead which also appeared clearer just after one application.
• 
  
• 
  
• Next Aisling applied oxygenating cream on my skin after which isn't normally part of a microdermabrasion but at Carmel's they custom all facial to clients needs and as my skin had fresh breakouts, that cream is antibacterial so it helps kill n dry out impurities on skin & also helps calm down redness after my first treatment.
• 
  
• At Carmel's they would recommend a client to get two treatments close togethger about 10 to 12 days after first one as skin is renewing itself and then every 4 to 6 weeks depending on clients skin. Carmel's provide medical grade facials in the salon.
• 
  
• The salon opens from 9 to 9 Monday to Friday and Saturday 9 to 6.
• 
  
• The cost of a dermabrasion start from €75 up, they will also have specials coming up as the salon is getting new Cathio machine, which is the machine Aisling used for the oxygenating cream.
• 
  
• Carmel's also have specials some Friday's with 10% off facials.

Hi All,


I am a lover of a bargain, I mean these days who isn't... life is just getting so expensive between bills and new taxes and just wanting to believe I have all the money in the world to buy whatever I want but... I dont!!!

We have seen in recent blogging/makeup circles a focus on the more purse friendly brands, we have seen brands like Catrice sky rocket from moving into Penney's, we see Essence the same and now with the american giant Wet & Wild invading our lives we're probably still spending as much but getting more for our money so I am certainly not complaining!!

I had heard a little about the brand W7 so was thrilled to be sent some products for review by not one but two companies!!




The brand W7 has actually been around for 10 years now, but it has recently undergone a total overhaul and now is possibly one of the fastest growing budget makeup brands in the UK & Ireland. W7 has over 100 individual products and have a range of colours and accessories. Most of the products I was sent are available in a number of shades and all of them retail under €5...now that's great news for us makeup lovers!!

I am going to breakdown the review into the relevant categories such as face, eyes and lips and will have a little look at each product I was sent and had a chance to try. From my research, the W7 range is available in pharmacies nationwide such as the Mulligans group in Waterford, and online at Cara Pharmacy https://www.carapharmacy.com/cat/w7 and https://www.carapharmacy.com/cat/w7_new 

As you can see from the above pictures there is a huge amount of products to get through so I have been working hard to use and test them all but you can appreciate it can take time to work through this many and come up with a full conclusion on how they work/ last. I have created looks with them in college as well as myself so I have used them on different skin types. 

So onto the face products I have tried:

Face

W7 HD Foundation: I like this foundation, it's cheap as chips but will actually last longer than some other more expensive foundations I have tried. For my own skin type which is normal with an oily t-zone, I think it works well. I always have to top my foundation off with a powder to seal in that oil but this was quite good. I also used it on a model in college one evening and it applied to her skin lovely.


Catwalk Complexion (Powder Compact): This is a great little compact powder. I like the colour I have and I love how it sits on the W7 HD foundation. My only flaw with this product is I don't like the little sponge it comes with so do bring your own or if like me you prefer a brush then deffo use that. Another thing I do like about this product is the little mirror it comes with under the powder itself, this is so handy for when you are out and about.


Bronzer: This matte bronzer has been ideal for contouring, I really like it, again it is quite dark but as stated above many of the products in the W7 range come in different colours, so I use this bronzer when I have tan on to contour my face. I like how the powder glides onto the skin (remember people less is more) and as the makeup lasts so too does your bronzer, I wasn't left with any yucky marks on my face so this is deffo one I'd recommend. 


Blush (The Cheek of It): Look at this pink! And yes it goes on just as pink... I have used this (lightly) for some of my day looks, I like a flushes look and this pink can be a little heavy so please be careful when applying it. I also think you should try use it as an eyeshadow, the texture is perfect so multi-task so why not give it a lash!


Blush (Honey Queen): I really like this little square of beauty! To me it does appear to be similar to a Benefit blush but hey for under €5 I'd give it a go, I really like this product and wear it regularly since receiving it. I prefer it on my more tanned skin (bottled of course) but I find it give the cheeks a lovely colour and just like your Benefit blusher, it comes with it's own little brush and what's not to love about that!!



Puff Perfection: Setting powders and oily skin can be difficult. I have that normal to oily complexion with my T-zone driving me mental most days, I like to monitor shine all I can. There is loads of product in this pot, I found the colour suited well to my skin and as always, when you apply a powder to your face, try and use a downward motion with your brush so the powder doesn't sit on the little hairs on the fair and make you look blotchy. I keep this in my handbag with a small brush to top up my face during the day.


Bronzing Pearls: Bronzing pearls are always a handy thing to have in your makeup bag, they're the sort of addition to a face that can really help with the summer feeling. I created a W7 look at home a few weeks back and because I didn't have tan on I didn't feel the need for a lashing of a matte bronzer, I used the pearls lightly across my entire face and neck and I just got this lovely glow to my skin. I liked how they were suited to my skin even though I am a total white chick so again this is a product I would recommend for the summer.


Blush/Highlight: Duo: I loved this!! Possibly one of my favourite products I received from W7, a beautiful duo of a cream shimmer highlighter and a rose gold blush... I was in heaven. This is by far one of my 'go to' products so deffo invest in this one ladies!!


Super Tint (tinted moisturiser): I am not really a fan of tinted moisturisers ladies, I haven't been blessed with the best skin so I do find it hard to use this and feel I have enough coverage. I think it you are having a lazy day and just want a quick fix to the skin then this tinted product is as good as any for that look. If you want coverage, a tinted moisturizer won't do it for you I'm afraid!


Catwalk Concealer: The shade I received was similar to the darker foundation I wear going out to unfortunately I haven't been able to test out this concealers highlighting effect which is what most of us use our liquid concealers for lately but I have to say... I really liked the coverage over my blemishes and even wearing it under my eyes, wasn't too heavy and the staying power was also quite good.


Eyes:

Get Real Lashes: I am a false lash lover and this are so fluttery for the cost of them, absolutely worth it. I cannot comment on glue because I only ever use DUO glue on my lashes, it's safe and medically made so your eyes are not in danger. This applies to any lash glue and not just w7 but for me it is only ever DUO glue.


Mascara (Eyelust): I  love the wand on this mascara, actually both mascaras are great from the W7 range, I like how black the pigment is in the mascara and how easy it is to apply to the lashes, you don't end up with clumpy lashes as you can with some cheaper mascaras but to be fair to eyelust, it's really good to create volume in your lashes.



Eyeshadow Palette: This is a fantastic palette to have in my kit, the rain of colours is brilliant and I have really enjoyed trying them out. The pigment is OK, I do need to build it up but once it's there is stays put and lasts the day without needing to be topped up. I think this is a great palette to have for your summer collection.



Naked Nudes (Eyeshadow): Who doesn't love a good nude palette and this little compact baby is exactly what every little handbag needs. I loved using this for my day looks, I like the pigment in the shadows and they blended very easily.



Purple Haze (Eyeshadow): As with the above comments, you may need to be a little braver to take on the purple shadows but I am definitely one for trying the mad colours so this palette will be put to good use by me1!



Prime Magic (Eye Primer): Eye shadow primers have become so popular in the last couple of years, that if you don't want to go spending a fortune on one then this is the one for you. I always try to use an eye primer as they really do enhance your eye makeup. The texture of this one is lovely and if like me you don't like using the little wand it comes with, blend in the primer with your finger onto the eye lid and make your shadows appear much stronger and last longer. 


Chunk Eyes (Shadow pen): This bronze pen shadow I have been using like a base colour to then add more bronze and brown tones to. I like to apply it after my eye primer and then get working with stronger colours. A shadow pen is handy again for that quick and easy day look if you just want a touch of colour then you can lash on the pen and blend with your finger although ladies you know you should use brushes!!


Aye Aye Captain (Liquid Eyeliner): I am not good with liquid eyeliners... me and these pens just don't go so I just want to say I don't think it is anything to do with the W7 product, it is deffo me! I can safely say the black pigment is very strong, it is easy to apply but I'm afraid liquid eyeliner just does not do it for my ability. I have been practicing though and getting better all the time so as a budget beauty product, the black is really good and does not fade at all!


Just Brows (Brow Pen): I think this might be the one product I was not happy with, for all the world, it appears to be a marker for your brows and this just makes no sense to me. I would really love to hear from someone how best to use this but for me it was just too dark and I couldn't put the right shape onto my brow so this is the only one I cannot say run out and buy now.


Brow Twister (Brow Pen): This product is quite cool I must say... It's a brow pencil and although I have gotten so used to my little tiny HD Brow brush and shadow this was a really quick and easy way to fill in my brows, have them still looking well but natural and not my usual 'going out brow' look that happens by accident in daytime!


Mascara (Lashtastic): The wand on this mascara is totally different to that of Eyelust, this is a smaller rubber brush but still gives lovely length and separation. I have found recently when doing my lashes, I will reach for this mascara for my bottom lashes mostly as I feel it gives a much cleaner finish seeing as I don't have such a wonderful steady hand!



Lips: 




Chunky Lips (Lip Pens): I liked the chunky pens, They apply easily and give a soft colour which is not overly glossy. The stain in the pens is light so you will need to re-apply if you plan to wear the colour all day. These are a good pen to throw into your handbag for day makeup but the darker colour is perfect for a night out!

Lip Paint (Lip Gloss): Wow now this is a gloss, I found it easier to apply this product with a small lip brush as the shine is superb. I would advise anyone with hair like mine that go astray without much wind, then tie your hair up as mine got caught in the gloss a few times. I like how it's not overly sticking while on your lips and the colour is amazing.

Full Colour (Lipstick): A very good rival to the new Wet N Wild lipsticks which have come out recently, I loved the stain from this lipstick. It wasn't drying at all on my lips and I felt for a budget brand lipstick, it's a really nice go to lipstick for day wear.

So there you have it! A huge run down of the many W7 products I have been lucky enough to try. Sometimes as I said before with budget makeup you can think really?? Any good?? but I am impressed with W7 I think it is a perfect range for the teenagers starting out, college ladies who cannot afford the higher end products but still wanna look fab and to be honest anyone who doesn't want to have to invest hundreds on a new face of makeup... try W7!!!

Not every product will suit you skin, but better to pay under €5 for something and learn that lesson than paying out loads more... lucky enough for me I have two sisters (twins) who will be more than happy to take off my hands anything I personally felt didn't suit my face. I don't ever want to diss a product but I will be honest in my review of them.

I created a bridal look using all W7 in college and it looked just as flawless, I have worn my full face of W7 makeup and been happy out. I am crap at using liquid eyeliners and tinted moisturiser is not for me but if these do suit you, or you are just so multi-talented to use liquid liner (mail me and tell me how) get yourself some new W7 makeup.

Here is a picture of the products I used and the day look I created... Bear in mind what I've already said about the liquid eyeliner, this picture is proof it is me that's shocking and not the liner, oh and don't mind my hair either!!







Thanks again for reading through this post and as always if you have any questions or comments let me know at emmajosephinesheehan@gmail.com


Don't forget to check out W7 Cosmetics on;

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/W7makeup
Twitter: @cosmetics_w7