Physicians Formula: Mineral Wear & Happy Booster

Hi everyone, sorry for the little break I took this week was doing lots of behind the scenes work for lots of exciting things coming up soon.

Today I have a review of the Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Powder and Happy Booster Blush. 

Physicians Formula are a well established brand that are relatively new to Ireland everything is under €20 and the products are amazing quality. 

First I will start with the Mineral Powder, this is a compact powder with a really cool packaging design the powder is on top and can then be lifted up to reveal a mirror and small brush. 

The first day that I wore this was at a wedding and every time it left my bag it was snatched away by other ladies really intrigued by what it was and all the ladies at my table had a little trial of it too! So this is a definite tick for the packaging being desirable and eye catching.
As for the powder I am a huge fan of Mineral foundations and powders. I have combination dry skin so do need a little powder for my t-zone but anything other than mineral dries It all out badly.
This is hands down the best Mineral powder that I have used it was so light when applied but worked for keeping away the oil and added an extra bit of coverage that you get with a mineral powder. I have worn this over a lot of different foundations while testing but the most impressive was wearing it over Estee Lauder Double Wear. I fully expected it to cake on my skin immediately because DW is already drying I tend not to be able to wear any powder with it but this worked like a dream.
It managed to make the DW even more flawless.
I have also worn this alone a few days in the trial and although it isnt marketed as a mineral foundation with a little concealer applied first It does a pretty good job at creating a light daytime base.
This mineral powder gets a massive thumbs up from me and although I got this as a PR sample I will definitely be purchasing another. This retails at €17.90 a bargain for such a quality powder.

The next product that I have is the Happy Booster Blush.
This is another really eye catching product, the packaging is really similar to the mineral powder with the mirror and brush underneath the blush.
The blush is designed with lovely hearts on the product and it has the scent of Violet to make you happy and It really does give you a little boost when you smell it.
The brush that comes with it is surprisingly soft as It looks really stiff. It is perfect for application on the go but I did prefer one of my bigger brushes for applying at home.
The colour of this blush is sort of a mix of highlighter, soft pink and bronzer and even though it sounds like there is a lot going on It all blends together really well and gives a lovely natural flush look.
This is a gorgeous blush that would be at home in anyones make up bag. The happy booster blush retails at €15.90

I now have a physicians formula wishlist that consists of almost every product they make! Anything I have tried from them has been such good quality and has gone over and above my expectations for the price. Physicians Formula are available in Pharmacies Nationwide.
Have you tried any Physicians Formula or do you have a favorite. Let me know in the comments. 

Beautiful Irish Brands: Fuschia Make-Up

Today's Beautiful Irish Brands has the spotlight on Gillian Moore and her company Fuschia Make-Up.

Gillian established Fuschia in 2004 when she saw a niche in the market for a make-up outlet outside of Dublin.Gillian had always been really interested in make-up and wanted to create a brand that would help women look and feel better about themselves, this ethos is reflected in the choice of name, Fuschia was chosen by Gillian as she felt with all of the different species and colours of the fuschia flower along with the fact that its so pretty reflected the women she was aiming to create the brand for.Gillian initially began by working with small factories that would fulfil low order quantities for her followed by the opening of her store in Drogheda which unfortunately opened just as the recession hit.
 This was probably the worst possible time to begin a business. The original model was to have a store in every major shopping centre in Ireland but Gillian has told me that her business model needed to change several times in order to keep going in the economic conditions that faced her. Fuschia make up began selling their make up to beauty salons throughout Ireland and the UK. They are now available in salons in every county in Ireland.
 Not only did Gillian keep going through the recession but she has grown her company from just herself to employing 20 people. She has won and been nominated for numerous awards including Best new Business, Best Small Business, Best Sales & Marketing, Best Customer Service and Gillian has been a finalist for Business Woman of the Year.
Fuschia Make-up is rapidly expanding and really is one to watch, they opened a new store in Swords in 2013 and began supplying Pharmacies nationwide including Cara Pharmacy and Sam McCauleys among others. They now have their own warehouse in Drogheda where they package and fill the majority of their line.  Watch this space as Fuschia will be launching a very exciting new phase in 2015 in the form of an 'export model'!

As always my beautiful Irish Brands post would not be complete without showing you some of their beautiful offerings. Gillian has kindly sent me a bit of a Fuschia Make-up haul to show to you today. I have had a huge amount of fun over the last while testing all of these babies out! I was going to show you just a few of my favourites but I really liked them all so although the post is a lot longer than normal I felt It was justified as Its jam packed with lots of pretty girly things to make up for the length.

I will introduce you to each product but I wont have the space here for pictures so here is a link to my instagram (follow me!) for pictures of each product swatches ect! 

First up is the Mineral Make-Up Try me Kit. The Kit includes 3g Mineral Foundation 3g Rice Powder 1g of blush and a Kabuki Brush. I absolutely love Mineral foundation It really agrees with my mostly dry skin. I normally use Mineral foundation over regular foundation instead of powder to give a really flawless finish. I have absolutely adored using this kit. The fuschia mineral foundation is so much lighter than the ones I am used to using but gives the same coverage. The shade bare is the perfect shade for me( Im normally a mac nc20-25 estee lauder tawny, just for reference). I had never used a Mineral blush before and this one in shade glow was a really nice bronze colour. The addition of a (really good)Kabuki brush is a lovely touch any kits Ive gotten like this in the past the Kabuki brush has fallen apart at first touch, this one is lovely and soft blends good and I have not had any shedding yet. This is a brilliant kit for anyone who wants to introduce themselves to Mineral Make-up.

Ive also gotten a Mineral Eye Dust in shade EggPlant, Perfect for adding a bit of colour to a Smoky eye. This eye dust was really easy to work with and had a lot less messy fall out than I expected from an eye dust. 

Next is the Brushes Jumbo Buffer & Flawless Finish Foundation. 
The Jumbo Buffer and me have fallen in love! This is such a dream of a brush to use Its chunky handle combined with the full soft hairs are so luxurious. It has basically the same top as the Kabuki brush from the mineral kit but with the ease of a long handle so I have been using this for buffing in my mineral make up.
The Flawless Finish Foundation brush is exactly the type of stipple brush that I always use for applying my foundation and this one hasn't been a let down perfect for liquid foundation and no shedding.
The Sweet Cheeks Kit is a fab little gift set containing a sample primer, Moisture foundation, mascara, lip lacquer and 2 powder blushes. This reminds me of Benefit gift sets only way better value with this one coming in at €25. Keep your eyes peeled for this one in my Christmas Gift Guide coming later this month!
Next up I've got a bronzer and powder blush. Ive been using these two together to (try) do some contouring! The bronzer is in shade cocoa bronze and is just the right shade for contouring my cheek bones. The blusher is shade #7 Its a gorgeous pinky/peach with some shimmer, a really lovely girly blush. Its light enough that it can be used as a highlighter but can be layered a little to give a more defined blush look.
I also got a Liquid Blush which is named Ruthie Rose Blush. Its colour definitely reminds me of benetint but it is a thicker consistency lovely for a flushed look without lashings of blush!

Finally Ive got two lip lacquer's Party Girl and Love affair. Party girl is a really wearable Barbie Pink colour I adore it and It reminds me of Urban Decay Anarchy Lipstick. Love Affair is a mauve colour which will be so nice for Autumn. The colour payoff on these Lacquer's is amazing and they last for hours, seriously impressed with these.
Last but definitely not least are the lipsticks in shade Wine Divine and Posy.Wine Divine is a lovely berry shade and although I liked the colour in the tube It didn't wear the same way I'm pretty sure this was down to the fact that I hadn't gotten the lip liner to match. Posy however really impressed me It is the perfect nude shade just stunning and has been added as a make-up bag staple.

I hope you have loved reading Gillian & Fuschia Make-Up's story. Don't forget to check out all of the pictures on my Instagram page. Have you tried Fuschia Make-Up or spotted anything here you want to give a try to, Let me know in the comments x

Budget Face in Products 5 - the final one!!!

Hi Everyone not only is it Friday again whoop! Its also the last in my series Budget Face In Products-Boo!! But I will be doing a roundup later this week of my favourite products from the series so keep a watch for it.
I have really enjoyed doing this series and am already planning another Face in Products series with a little twist!
Usually everything comes in under €20 but today I have cheated and the final price is €20.76 but I hope you enjoy reading and Id love for you to leave a comment post at the end.

Starting with base today I have gone for a brand I havent used since I was a teenager Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation. I have used this in the shade soft beige, I would say its a light-medium coverage a little more on the medium side. It claims to be anti-fatigue with a radiant glow. when you pump it out (just over 2 pumps for my face) it has a really strong gold shimmer running through and looks more like a highlighter but once on my face I didnt notice the shimmer. I definitely knew I was wearing makeup but the look stayed really dewy which I love, the only slight issue I had was it settle into my forehead wrinkles a little but I think a primer under would stop that. All in all I like it and It will definitely remain in my makeup bag. This retails for €10.99.

For my cheeks I have used MakeUp Revolution Cream Blush in shade Peach Cream. I am a huge fan of this blush Im completely in love with the colour and think that it is what angels cheeks would look like. Im also a fan of a cream blush and this one has really nice colour that is very easy to blend too. This blush is an absolute steal at just €1.80!! A budget must have.

Next up is my eyes I have used Wet nWild Mega Protein Mascara partly because I wanted to give it a second try and partly because I needed to use my cheapest mascara to make sure I didnt blow my budget! Its OK for €2.99 It is what It is It blackens lashes and thats about It. On the plus side I had no nasty reaction like I have gotten from some mascaras even high end ones.

For my eyebrows I have used Eyes Lips Face Eyebrow Kit. This is also a favorite of mine that I have been using now for at least a year. It consists of a wax and a powder. For this look I have applied the wax first followed by the powder. This retails for €4.98.

Hope you have all enjoyed todays post and dont forget to watch out for my favorites from the series coming soon.
As always here are my selfies.

Makeup facts about me!

I've seen this post on a few blogs recently and thought it was a really fun way to let my blog readers know a little more about me.

What foundation do you use? 

Estée Lauder Double Wear is my go to foundation. 

What concealer? 

Right now I'm using and loving make up revolutions concealer palette. 

What do you think of fake lashes? 

Love them! I always wear them for special occasions. 

What brand of mascara do you use? 

Benefit They're Real! 

Sephora or Mac? 

No sephora here so I'll go mac. 

What makeup tools do you use? 

Brushes ( is that the right way to answer that?) 

Do you use primer for eyes? 

Sometimes. 

Primer for face? 

Sometimes. 

Favourite eyeshadow? 

Urban Decay Naked 1. 

Pencil or liquid eyeliner? 

Liquid. 

Favourite Lipstick? 

Mac creme sheen in speed dial.

Favourite Lipgloss? 

Clinique long last gloss in kissy fit. A lovely shiny girly pink! 

Favourite Blush? 

Hands down NARS Orgasm perfect blush for me! Strong colour with shimmer. 

Do you like drugstore make up? 

Yes! 

Consider taking makeup classes? 

Yes, I'd love to! 

Are you clumsy applying makeup? 

I'm not clumsy but I stick to what I know I'd love to be more adventurous. 

Colourful or Neutral? 

Both it depends on my mood I could be wearing brown one day and neon orange the next! 

Choose one makeup item? 

Mascara!!!!!

Best makeup line? 

For me this has been the toughest I love so many products from so many different lines that I'm cheating because I actually couldn't choose just one! 

I hope you guys enjoyed getting to know my makeup choices a little better! 

Why don't you take the quiz and share your answers it's all very fun! 

Budget Face In Products Part 1

Welcome to my brand new blogpost series! I really enjoyed doing my face in products series and I knew I wanted to do something similar again so I began brainstorming and came up with a budget version. I have planned for this series start to coincide with my 1 month blogiversarie! And I plan on posting a new post from this series every Friday for the next 5 weeks. Every face of the series will come in complete at under €20 (or very close to it!) and in most cases much much less.

The majority of the products I'm using for this are really new to me and so I am trying to push myself to experiment with the make up in ways I wouldn't normally. Some of the products have been kindly sent to me by the brands, my opinion on these products are my own and I will place a * beside these products. 

For my first installment I have created a daytime casual make up look using only 4 products and all coming in at the budget price of €15.44.

First up was my base Wet n Wild Cover All Foundation. In the interest in keeping the final look as budget friendly as possible I haven't used any concealer or powder to set this. This foundation claims to be medium to high coverage and I'd go more toward the medium, it took a lot of product to cover my face two squeezes to be exact. The consistency is good a little on the watery side though. It was easy enough to apply this look was done with a stipple brush but I later tried it with a sponge and that was way better. I used shade light/medium and I'm a mac nc 20-25 just for reference.  This foundation comes in at €4.99 and for that price it's ok for a daytime base. 

The second product I used was Make up revolution blush. This was in shade  treat, it's a deep coral/pink colour and at €1.20 it's perfect for adding a pop of colour. 

Next up is * W7 soufflé mascara in Blackest black. As those of you who read my blog will know I'm very fussy when it comes to mascara as it's not just any mascara that will make my lashes well look like lashes! 

This mascara has a really big thick brush that reminds me of the brush from Benefit BadGal. 

The BadGal is silver, soufflé is blue. You can see here just how similar they are.

 It goes on easy feels light and leaves lashes really nicely defined. It's light enough to do up to 3 coats which leaves lashes really full and defined. In my opinion this is a definite dupe for Benefit BadGal mascara and a steal at only €6.25. 

Finally I pushed myself a little for this I used Makeup Revolution focus & fix eyebrow kit. I used this on my brows but this kit has 3 different shades for brows so I also used this kit for today's eye make up. I used the lightest and darkest shades for my eye look and the middle on my brows. The lasting time wasn't amazing on my eyes but it may last longer with primer. At €3.00 it is perfect for a multi-tasking handbag essential. 

As always find my before ( it was very very early) and after selfie . 

I hope you loved this post and are as excited about the new series as I am. 

As always find me on twitter @clareken86 

And Instagram : sparkleblossombeauty

Face in Products 5 THE FINAL!!

Welcome to my final face in products post for this series!
I have really enjoyed doing these 5 posts I've learned how to apply some completely new to me products and have added some permanently to my makeup bag!

First up for the last post I decided to mix in some of my series favorites with some new products.

I'll start with concealer, Make up Revolution Concealer Palette, this is my favourite from the series by far. Its got so many different shades that you can cover up but also do a little contouring and highlighting with it. It is also a massive bargain. Its especially great for me in summer because I don't like to wear a heavy base so I can conceal and then use a light base :)

For my base I used EyesLipsFace Mineral Foundation, Ive really liked using this It was a great first experience of Mineral foundation. As the series went on I got more used to using this and more confident with it. Its perfect foundation for sunny summer days.

On my cheeks I used EyesLipsFace Blush & Contour. This was my first time to use both together and the colours really do compliment each other, shade I used was St.Lucia. I used the bronzer to contour cheekbones and the blush on apples of my cheeks for a flush of colour.

Today's eye make up used Urban Decay Naked2, I tried to do a little bit more of a dramatic eye without going overboard as It was still a daytime look. The Naked palettes are my go to for eyeshadow and Id very happily never use anything else forever, I can create such different looks from them :)

I used EyesLipsFace Liquid Eyeliner, to add some drama to my eye look. Its a great budget liner but can be a little hard to apply you need a very steady hand!

For my brows I used MakeUp Revolution Brow Kit. Its a great kit for the price, it has everything for a quick brow look and would make a great travel kit as it includes a mini tweezers too.

Finally for mascara I tested a new one here Clinique high impact mascara, its easy to apply and gave my lashes length good for a day look but didn't give me the fullness i usually look for in a mascara.

My lipstick in this look is seventeen stay pout in shade its a kiss off.
I've been really loving bold lipstick lately it completely changes a whole look and takes a natural look to dramatic :)

here are my selfies, this series has me wanting to never leave my bedroom without makeup, but all in the name of blogging!
I really hope you enjoyed this face in products series, I have really enjoyed testing and writing it.
I am working on a similar series so would love to hear your thoughts on this one.

you can find me on twitter @clareken86
Instagram: sparkleblossombeauty

Face in Products Part 3......

For face of the day part 3 I kept my make-up very simple.
I again went with the ELF mineral foundation and I'm finally confident enough to write its review.
As mentioned in my previous posts I wasn't entirely sure that I was applying this right and so didn't want to do the product an injustice by reviewing too early.
This is my first experience with mineral foundation and I must say that I really like it.
It masks what I want it to but looks very natural and my skin wasn't dried out by it, which can be the case for me with some others. Its definitely a foundation that I would use for daytime or maybe a casual dinner.
I initially applied it using a Kabuki brush but this didn't work for me so I switched to a complexion brush and I way preferred how It looked with this. I will definitely keep using this for my daytime looks.

Underneath my foundation I first used  Benefit IT stick as my concealer. I use this to cover up under my eyes and any blemishes I have which today were on my chin! I love this when I'm in a hurry as It is like a pencil I can draw on very quickly and effectively.

For my eyebrows I used Collection eyebrow definer this is a crayon type pencil easy to glide on to fill in brows quickly. Can you tell I was in a hurry today :)

On my cheeks I used So Susan Blush I don't have It to hand while I'm writing so I cant remember the shade but If you want to ask do :) Its a nice subtle shade perfect for the look I was going for here. went on easy and stayed put all day, very happy with this and will be using It a lot more.

Finally for my lips I used Clinique long last gloss wear. I also haven't got to hand the shade, sorry I'm doing the writing while I'm away from home. I really liked the colour and It was really nice and glossy without being sticky perfect for any type of look.

Hope you enjoyed part 3!!
sorry about the lack of info on shades I will edit to include them when I am home but you can send me a comment or contact on twitter @clareken86 if you want me to get back to you!

I'm also on instagram now........find me at sparkleblossombeauty

Haul from Make Up Revolution

I placed my first order with www.makeuprevolutionstore.com last week and spent all of this week waiting excitedly and praying for the postman to bring it to me quickly.
I got my package yesterday and eeekkkk was I so excited I couldn't wait to get testing.

My haul included Concealer Palette in light, kajal, cream blush, blush, eyebrow kit, bronzer and 2lipsticks.
First of all I'm very impressed with all the packaging the concealer especially screams high-end and the kajal has a really cool design that I thought was really fun.
Now to investigate each product a little closer ......

First up is Cover & Conceal the concealer palette. I bought this in light and there is a really good variety of shades. There is also the bonus of having a really good sized mirror for application.
I'm 28 so have a lot of use for concealer as my face is not as fresh as it once was boo!! I have pretty dark bags under my eyes, red patches and despite my age still get breakouts on my chin.
I messed around to get the shades right and then applied my make up at 8am, It is now 5:30 and after a hectic day I still look fresh faced woohoo! so It definitely has staying power. The coverage is as good as any concealer I have ever used texture is beautifully creamy not stiff and hard like a lot of these palettes can be. I also tried out (bear in mind I'm a normal person not a make-up artist!) some contouring on my cheeks and It really did work. I'm sure someone who actually knows how to contour properly would be able to do even more amazing things with this palette. This is a definite thumbs up from me.

Next up is the Kajal. Now I have to admit I bought this because I was intrigued by its looks rather than any real intention to use day to day. So when It arrived I was pleased to find It was cooler than I originally thought! It kind of looks like a mix of a lipstick and a crayon fun eh! So when It came to testing It stayed just as good as It looked, the colour transfer was instant very easy to apply and I created a lovely smudged eye line with it which would look fab as part of a smokey eye.

This is the Focus & Fix EYEBROW SHAPING KIT.
I find It hard to get a brow powder in the right shade for my blond brows but the top right colour is perfect for me. This brow kit has all the basics with the addition of a little tweezers for strays. The price is great and its a definite contender to become a staple.

Next up I tested powder Blush in Treat. Its a coral/peachy colour and the packaging is tidy and functional. The colour is a lot stronger than It appears to be so Id advise to use sparingly and build the colour. That makes it my type of blush as I love strong blush and hate when I buy one that has a very light colour. I'd definitely repurchase and try other shades too.

I also got 2 lipsticks one for me and one for an upcoming giveaway Ill be running. The one for me is lipstick in shade dare. This has a slight candy lipstick scent to It when you open It which made me a little unsure. Once I did apply I found this was the most beautiful shade of red and made me feel like a classic Hollywood movie star! The colour was strong and vibrant and It was easy enough to put on though it did drag my lips a little. While It was on my lips felt dry as If the lipstick was sucking all the moisture from them. Considering the cost and how amazing my lips looked I overlooked the dry feeling, which btw was just that once it was off they felt fine again so it did not in fact suck the moisture from my lips!!

Finally my absolute favourite from the haul, the holy grail if you will, Cream Blush in Peach Cream.
Wowzer forget anti-ageing creams this is (in my opinion of course!) youth in a pot. This colour, the texture....... there are no words, but I am a blogger so there are always words! This is the colour I imagine a cherubs cheeks to be, when I put it on my face just glowed and looked so radiant. I honestly think It erased about 5 years off me! The texture is slightly stiff I'd like it to be a little creamier to send It over the edge of perfection.It lasts pretty much all day 8-5:30 and It goes on easily with both fingers and a duo fibre stipple brush, although I preferred the colour my fingers gave. This has made it into my permanent make-up bag and will be making it in to my cart in multiple numbers and a few other shades in my next make up revolution order because there will certainly be a next order. Thank you make-up revolution!

Handbag Beauty

I was cleaning out my handbag earlier and I decided to do a quick post about its contents, I always think these kind of posts are the most honest for a blogger as its an insight into the products you actually use day to day.

First up sun cream its a Nivea one that i picked up on a recent trip to Portugal, not much to say it does its job and no nasty qualities.
I have Garnier BB cream in light a lot of people don't like this but i love it, its what i wear everyday to take the naked look off my skin.
I have NARS blush in orgasm love love this, its probably a little bit too shimmery to be in my handbag day to day but hasn't stopped me yet!
benefit they're real mascara I swear by this as i have short straight eyelashes and was never able to find mascara to make them look even vaguely normal before this little gem came along.
ELF studio brow kit has a wax and a powder, i use the powder daily but have only used the wax a handful of times. also have ELF mineral booster powder for when i get a little shiny!
Anatomicals headache relief balm, this is a fab little product you rub a little on your temples to as it says relieve your headache.
MAC cremesheen glass this was the lipgloss that i wore at my wedding in march a gift from my make-up artist who also happens to be my bestie :)
and last but definitely not least the Sanctuary comforting night butter, i have a more detailed post coming up on this so ill just say this is my most favorite body lotion ever and its so much more than that its like a warm cosy blanket in a jar makes me feel so relaxed and safe ( if that makes sense) from the moment i open the jar its a sense of pure luxury.

leave me a comment to let me know whats in your handbag.