Debauchery in Dublin

  Dress - Topshop | Shoes - ASOS | Watch - Michael Kors | Lipstick - MAC Dark Side

I have that Sunday night feeling but it’s Monday.  I’m so confused right now.  Having just returned from an awesome weekend in Dublin with the girls I’m feeling a tad worse for wear yet very content.  You know the kind of weekend where memories are made and you laugh from start to finish?  This was one of them!  There to celebrate a friends birthday, we were determined to not let the wind and rain dampen our spirits and made sure we constantly had a cocktail in hand or were doing some sort of activity which filled us with glee i.e. shopping!

The girls looked so glam on the night that I just had to grab my camera and take a few quick snaps.  I then had the idea to do a mini fashion feature starring each one of them and their gorgeous outfits.  I’m going to post one each night this week so if you’re looking for a bit of dress-spiration then make sure to check back.  They were all pros in front of the camera and I’m sure you will all agree they looked gorge.

First things first: my outfit!  As it’s January No Money Month I decided to re-wear the outfit I wore for my office Christmas party.  I was disappointed I didn’t get any photographs of this last time so I’m pleased I could re-wear and share.  I love the colour and think it was perfect for the occasion as Ireland is very green!  The high neck collar and top section overlapping material make it a little more interesting and I felt wearing my hair up would show off the dress a little more.  And on that note...why does effortless, messy look hair take SO MUCH EFFORT?!  To achieve this look I had to backcomb all of my hair, add my hair extensions and then attempt the impossible task of getting it all in a hair bobble.  I’m not exaggerating when I say it took two of us to make it look half decent.  And it took even longer to take back out!  Please tell me I’m not the only girl who has this problem?

Anyway, my bed is calling me.  It’s time I caught up on some much needed sleep ready for work tomorrow.  I’ll be back tomorrow for my first installment of Fashion With Friends.  See you then :)

GC.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (£21)

On my quest for affordable yet effective skincare I’ve come across Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm.  Cleansing balms are having a moment after the Emma Hardie balm cleanser became a hit with bloggers and skincare fanatics alike last year.  It may be worth its hefty price tag but I wanted to try a more purse friendly balm first so opted for Clinique’s offering.  Am I impressed?  I can confirm I am!

With an ingredient list filled with nothing but good things for your skin, as well as it being 100% fragrance free, this balm should suit all/most skin types without any irritation or issues.  I have combination skin and often get blemishes on my chin area but I’ve been getting along with this just fine.  Each evening before bed I warm a small amount of the balm between my fingertips before massaging it into the rest of my face, then wash it off with a clean flannel.  It does remove eye makeup well but I prefer to take mine off separately before concentrating the balm on my face. 

I love how squeaky clean and soft my skin feels after using this.  It’s smooth, fresh and feels ready to soak in the rest of the products which follow in my skincare routine.  The balm doesn’t leave behind any sort of greasy residue which is really good considering it’s effectively an oil once it melts onto your skin.  Initially I found it a little difficult to get the balm out of the pot as it was so solid and hard but it’s really easy to do now the tub sits at room temperature in my bathroom.

A little goes a long way with this product so don’t worry about the price tag (which I think is rather reasonable anyway!).  I’ve been using this at least once, maybe twice, a day for three months and have barely used a quarter of the tub, which I think is fab value for money.  I’m really pleased I tried this before splashing out on the Emma Hardy version as I don’t think I need to buy it (for now anyway - I can’t make any promises!)  If you’re looking at balm cleansers, or even just cleansers in general, this is definitely worth a try!

GC.

Disco pants and denim

 Top - Primark | Jacket - Primark | Disco Pants - American Apparel | Shoes - Topshop | Bag - Topshop | Watch - Michael Kors | Lipstick - MAC Russian Red

Well hello there and welcome to my first blog post of 2014!  Actually, it’s my first blog post in a long, long time.  I’ve kinda fell off the blogging wagon lately having got caught up in the busyness of the festive period and life in general, but I have missed it and I feel so happy to be sitting behind the keyboard once more.  As usual you can expect a lot of beauty related posts from me this year but I’m also going to try and write a lot more fashion and lifestyle ramblings.  Starting with todays outfit of the day or OOTD for all you abbreviation lovers...

I’ve done nothing else today other than have a long lie in and then go to my parents’ house for a lovely roast dinner to celebrate my Dad’s birthday.    The disco pants were a bad choice after a big lunch but I do think they went well with my new top and jacket, which were a pair of Primark bargains.  The denim jacket with wooly lining reminds me of this one from Topshop but it’s a lot more purse-friendly of course.  I know it’s far too early to be thinking about spring but I can see this being a good transition piece in the warmer months.  My shoes are the highlight of this outfit and I know I will wear them a lot.  The lion head embellishment is very chic I think and goes well against the patent leather.  Comfort plus style equals my kind of shoe!

Currently I’m suffering a serious case of ‘round face’ after totally letting myself go this Christmas and so I’m using red lipstick as welcome distraction.  Red lippy always brightens up my complexion so it’s an essential for me whenever I’m feeling a bit sluggish.  My healthy eating regime starts again tomorrow and I’m looking forward to seeing the effects  the vitamin-filled veg and plenty of water will have on my skin.  Right now, I’m on a mission to finish the box of leftover chocolate biscuits whilst I still can.  It would be rude not too wouldn’t it?

GC.