Thursday, 6 March 2014

Who Run The World?!

(Source: missmillmag.com)
Recently I have been thinking more and more about my future, and a huge part of this is what will I be doing in the future? As most people know I graduated in November with a 2.1 in Retail and Service Management. Last year was honestly the hardest year within my time in education, and I have to thank my wonderful family, fantastic friends and work colleagues (especially  Richie) for supporting me through this time. I personally feel that I am extremely hard-working and have always (well most of the time) tried my hardest in both college and work. Time-management has always been such a huge thing for me, trying to juggle friends, family, work and college is really tough. So girls, trust me if I can do it, you can too! It's going to be hard but keep at it, and make sure you take breaks, plenty and plenty of tea and chocolate breaks.

So with this, I still have no real clue where I want to be in 10 years time (maybe a W.A.G?). When I was younger, there was always this idea in my mind that men earn money, and women stay at home watching the kids, cooking the dinner, cleaning the house (and trust me, I know that this is a job in itself). This whole idea came from the fact that my mam was a stay at home wife, she was always there for me and I was really lucky in that sense. She did however end up going back to work, but I had always considered my dads wage, our main source of income (I now know that this is not true). As a kid I had the most ridiculous career aspirations; I wanted to be a hairdresser, a dancer, a singer, a cashier (retail has stuck with me somewhat), a waitress and at one point all I wanted to be was a cleaner. Now I'm not saying that these aren't real careers, they are, but I never once considered being something more.

Men ruled the world basically, and girls were basically baby makers. Obviously now my opinions have changed. And the main reason for this, is the increasing amount of women within business. This has been such an inspiration for me, as it has made me realise that I can be more. That I can have dreams and achieve them. 

Within the past few years there have been a few women that have made me realise this. One is obviously the amazing Marissa Carter. To come from a salon based in Blackrock, to creating a product which has become a household name. This week Marissa was at the Oscars, yes the OSCARS, giving celebrities a sun-kissed glow. Like I'm sorry but what?! Marissa was of course mentioned in The Irish Independents most inspirational women list for 2013. In just over a year the brand has released four products with another three being launched later in the year. Marissa, Sarah, Ashling and Stephaniehave made this happen through hard-work and determination. Four women. Not a man in sight. Basically what I'm saying is... Who rule the world? GIRLS! This is not a mans world.
I hope that things have changed for young girls now, and that they don't just want to marry someone when there older. And I really hope that teenagers can now see how far women can go, and have bigger dreams and aspirations. 

So, I know that this post is completely out of the ordinary for me, but I really feel that is important to acknowledge people that have made an impact on your life. What do you think? Do girls rule the world? Or is it still a mans world? (Buts lets be honest it would be nothing, without a woman or a girl....oh the cheese).

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

The Vintage Cosmetics Company Tweezers

About two weeks ago I bit the bullet and ordered my first Glossy Box. I've heard such mixed reviews that I decided I had to try it myself. One of the products that came in my Glossy Box was a tweezers from The Vintage Cosmetic Company. Now I'm not going to lie, I've never ever bought a tweezers myself, I usually just rob mams till she buys a new one for herself (sorry mam)! So I've never had a brand spanking new tweezers. I used this for the first time last Friday and my god they're sharp. I was actually shocked. 
It has a slanted edge for thicker hairs that are easy to get, which is smooth to run along your brow bone. When you flip it the opposite way there's a pointed tip, which is fantastic for those fine hairs that can be a nightmare to pluck. 
These tweezers also came in a protective pouch which means it will be well protected if it gets thrown around your make up bag. 
Now onto the best part?! The design! It's so girly and cute. The perfect pattern for your typical girl. Much better than the usual silver steel appearance. 
I don't know if these tweezers were so good because they're brand spanking new, but I definitely thought my brows looked a lot better than usual, due to the sharpness of the product. 
The Vintage Cosmetic Company tweezers are available in most Boots stores for €10.50 and they're also available online
Have you tried any products from the vintage cosmetics company? What did you think?
Dawn 

Monday, 10 February 2014

Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Polish range

As a nail polish hoarder I tend to purchase loads of different polishes and after a day forget that I own them. However, Rimmels Salon Pro are hard to forget to be honest. I'm a bit late to posting about these, but I've been meaning to write a post since last August! Better late than never right?!
My best friend, Niamh, first introduced me to these as she gave me two for my birthday last year. The shades she gave me are really summer shades, but I've worn them throughout Autumn and Winter.... YOLO right?! No but in all seriousness I love bright shades as much as I love dark shades, and these two shades have come out of my nail polish box more than once during these cold months. I recently picked up another shade which I originally thought was black, and was quite disappointed when I lashed it on my nails. It's a dark blue, not black. After a day or two the shade started growing on me, and I realised it was my own fault for not reading the name on the bottle.
So back to the nail polishes. BEST NAIL POLISH EVER! Ok so that may seem like a bit much, but seriously they've won me over. Not only are they super cheap (about €5 each), but they're also fast drying and they last much longer than any other polish (working with cash means by nails are destroyed by the end of the day). Another great thing about these is the brush, it's a lot wider than any other polish meaning you don't have to do multiple layers to paint one nail. Saying that you do need multiple layers to get the opacity you may want.
So, would I buy these again?! Hell yes! Simple as. My one issue is that I can't find a black anywhere, which really does disappoint me!

Have you tried Rimmels Salon Pro nail polishes?! What do you think?!
Dawn 

Monday, 3 February 2014

Cocoa Browns Chocolate Whip Moisturiser

Being a beauty blogger you'd think I'd be all into my exfoliating and moisturising... I'm not. I just don't have the time for it. I usually work earlies,  meaning I've to be awake by about half 5 and leaving my house by about 10 past 6. When I get home from work and shower I'm usually either too tired to do all that, or I have made plans and I'm literally rushing out the door. Saying that once or twice a week (usually the days I'm off) I'll be sure to at least moisturise after a shower. When I received my Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip moisturiser I wanted to see if the brand would change my ways... And it's quite possible they did. As everyone knows, I'm ridiculously loyal to Cocoa Brown, so I already had high hopes for this product (let alone the amount of reviews I had already read). 
The packaging is cute as always, maintaining their trademark pink (even if it is in a white tube). The fact it comes in a tube is fantastic, I hate tubs and bottles are just awkward (especially with wet hands). I decided I would start using this after applying a layer of tan, so on a dull Sunday morning (with a dreadful hangover) I layered myself with some Chocolate Whip. I was actually shocked to see it was brown... And NOT pink! I sort of expected it to smell overwhelmingly like chocolate, but it doesn't... It's even nicer AND my mam even complemented my smell (if it can cover up last nights double vodkas and red bulls it gets extra brownie points). 
After about five days of using it straight I noticed my tan faded more naturally, while lasting longer, and applying tan midweek went on smoother.
Silly me I forgot to take a picture of day 3
The best part about this is that it's not just for tanning, it's a fantastic day to day moisturiser. It's oil free so it doesn't clog pores either, thumbs up for Cocoa Brown thinking about our delicate Irish skin. 
Overall, it's officially in my bathroom cabinet and is being used everyday, and not just by me (yeah that's right mam, I know you use it too). I love the smell and it doesn't take too long to soak in either. The one flaw is that if you don't rub it in fully it can sort of cling to dry patches, leaving a brown tint with it.
Another great product by Marissa and her team... Fair play ladies! Defo worth a purchase and it's pretty much available everywhere (including online at Cloud10 Beauty), and as usual is as cheap as chips!!
Have you tried Cocoa Browns Chocolate Whip? What's your opinion?
Dawn
xXx 

Monday, 27 January 2014

A Classic Beauty Staple

So life at the moment has become pretty hectic, 2014 really has started with a bang. I'm working full-time now and the shifts are so long which means when I get home I just want to pass out, but at the end of the day I'm loving what I am doing! That and the cold weather making me ill, has sort of prevented me from having the energy to write up blog posts.
But hey back to this blog post. About a month ago, a friend suggested using baby lotion as eye make up remover. At first I was like, you have to be crazy, I'm not putting that stuff near my eyes. Then I though to myself, I don't recognise any of the chemicals in eye make up remover, so really what's the difference?!
I'm so cheap I even resorted to buying an own
brand bottle, as opposed to a brand name!
So I put it to the test. My god... I am never buying another bottle of eye makeup remover ever again... Like EVER.  Been using this every night and I haven't woken up and thought, Janey my eyes look a bit rough. I always found with actual eye makeup remover, it never removed all my eyeliner and mascara. Baby oil, on the other hand, does. It also makes under my eyes super soft. AND it doesn't sting my eyes, like other big brand names. And best yet? It's super cheap, lasts forever and can be used for lots of different things. 
After I give my make up brushes a clean I'll wipe some baby oil through the ends to keep them soft (sort of like conditioning them, I suppose). After a shower I'll use it to lock in the moisture (which also locks in body heat during the day, perfect for colder months). Usually after I shave my legs I lash some on, to prevent dryness and that burning sensation. And tonight, I'm going to try it as a foot moisturiser (I have awfully cracked heels) and I'll let you all know in my next blog post how it went!
My one issue is how oily and messy it is. Everyday I'll end up spilling loads all over my table and/ or legs. And it does make my eyes go a bit oily, but I usually just wipe this off with a cotton pad. However, this is the only flaw, so I seriously recommend any of you makeup lovers to give this a try. Well worth it!
Have you ever tried baby oil? Any unique uses of baby oil

Dawn

Saturday, 11 January 2014

ManhaTan - A mini business with HUGE potential

A few weeks ago I was informed by Anita, of Anita's Beauty Spot, about an app created by four transition year students for their mini business. Yep, you heard that right; TRANSITION year students. I couldn't even think of an app like this now let alone at 15/ 16/ 17, so fair play to all of the girls.
 The app has three different options; information and prices on leading tanning brands, tanning salons based around Dublin, and hints and tips on applying your tan.
 The first section, which contains information on different tanning brands, is extremely useful and shows a huge variety of brands; from your cheap as chips St Moriz tan, to the higher end Vita Liberta PHenomenal Tan, and everything in between. Perfect for tanning newbies. Each product has information regarding ingredients, application, development times, prices and stockists. 

The second option allows you to see tanning salons throughout Dublin, which are near to you. By clicking on the red pins you can see information about the salons including their website and contact information, another helpful section especially if you're not up for tanning at home!
The final section, which is my favourite part, has loads of hints and tips, from choosing the brand with the right ingredients for you, to removing tan stains from clothing and bedding. Some of these tips I didn't even know, and I've been tanning since I was 14. 
I'm still literally shocked about this app. I have no clue how these girls have done it and made it look so professional... At their age I was worried about boy, not business ideas (needless to say my mini company idea was a last minute sweet shop where we sold sweets from the Euro shop!). You can clearly see how much research these girls have put in, and I really hope they are successful. The app is currently only available on iTunes and the salon section only contains information about Dublin salons, but it is designed to a very high quality and is very easy to use!

Have you heard about the ManhaTan app?! What do you think of the idea?!

Dawn
xXx 

Wednesday, 1 January 2014

Hello 2014...

Again I must apologise for disappearing off the blogosphere for awhile. Christmas has been extremely hectic and it's just about begining to calm down. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and Santa spoiled you all... He definitely spoiled me (and so did my fantastic boyfriend!). 
I just wanted to write a quick post to let you all know I'm still around and that I'll be up and blogging again very soon! I also wanted to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year. As for resolutions, i have a few. One of these is definitely to focus more on my blog... So I'll be trying to stick by this as much as I can. Another one, is to get healthier (not lose weight or anything) but just in general be healthier. I've noticed in the past year certain tasks I could have done two years ago now drain me of energy. I eat terribly and exercise is nonexistent. I won't be joining a gym or start some fad diet but I will try eat more fruit and veg, drink more water and instead of driving to the shop (that's literally around the corner) I'm going to walk. 
Again I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and a brilliant New Year. Have any of you made any New Years resolutions?!  
Dawn