My Tried & Tested Column seems to be making a regular appearance these days over at herald.ie, which is great news for those who’d like a quick blast of info as regards a weekly category of beauty and skincare products!
This week: brow enhancing make up. See here, m’dears!
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If you’d like to mooch around the archives over there, best to search ‘Sue Conley’…
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Ah! There’s a wee bit left! I didn’t see it ’til I tilted it for the photo! I am just mad enough not to bin this now, in order to squeeze out the very last drop!
I am sensing a trend here, as it seems that the stuff I use all up seems to be focused on the area comprising my head. Well — maybe not entirely true, as I don’t ever seem to use up lippy, and definitely not eyeshadow, and deffo-definitely not nail varnish, ever. I do seem to use up allll the toners and shampoos and such. Just as matter of interest — I’m not gonna go all psychobabble on myself.
I approach make up removal products with caution because I have found that four out five are crap. This one? Not at all crap, and in fact, was thorough, gentle and comprehensive. In practice, I really don’t think I ought to use more than one cotton pad per eye, and this respected my boundaries. Even with a Smokey Eye, this did the biz, quickly and efficiently.
I don’t ever wear waterproof mascara, but if I had to, I’d run out and pick me up another of there bad girls.
It is a tiny bit oily and made for somewhat blurry bedtime reading, but would totes use again.
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€13.50/£8 < That price differential is appalling, Body Shop!
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I LOVE this time of year. Love. It. Here’s a bunch of things that make me feel even more of the love.
Just everything in Dealz. Everything. This is the sort of stuff you can buy in a pound shop < using this as the catch-all term for ‘value-priced product store’ and not get The Rage because you don’t need it to last more than a day. Photo slightly blurry due to excitement.
My lil’ LUSH Pumkin Bubble Bar 
{€3.50} didn’t make it through the post in one piece, but he was fated to be merciless crumbled under hot running water anyway. He made a glorious, orange-coloured, orange flower absolute and ylang ylang scented bath, full of froth and refreshment. The little guy on the right is the Soot Ball Bath Bomb who apparently will not turn the bath black. I don’t think I would have minded, just for the sake of novelty. He will, in fact, turn the water gold, and the scents involved here are frankincense, tonka and sandalwood. I may run out and get one while they last!
Oh, if only I was capable of doing these super fantastic imPRESS Nails {€8}! My nail beds are so unsuited to these long and thin shaped yokes — I’ve tried, I’ve tried! May this inspire you to do a ghoulish manicure that you can then peel off as if it had never been there, just like a ghost.
Oh, yeah. I enjoy skulls in the general run of the year, and become fairly delirious around the end of October. This gorgeous piece of statement necklacery is via Helen Galibardy via galibardy.com… Soz, just got lost in the website all over again. C’mere, I think this cost about €50ish, I can’t remember because I don’t care, and I love it, and will wear it all year round, but with especial pride on the 31st.
Have ye childer? And do you suffer from 
procrastination? I’d say you’re probs SOL at this stage, because if the costumes at Tesco haven’t been all snapped up, I’d be utterly shocked. I have a fondness for this Gold Witch Costume {€7} because A} witches; B} the pose reminds me of one of my better efforts at a costuming, which was the year {1999!} I and my pal Ames went as martinis. Simple and effective! We made skirts out of… taffeta? Sparkly something — organza? and I went with a twist, as you can see, made from wire and foam and acrylic paint.
And then we went to a party and we were the only people that had exerted themselves, which at the time hadn’t bothered me much, but I haven’t dressed up since. In the digging through the archive for that photo, I realise that I’ve never actually worn all my showjumping gear — the white jodhs and the shirt and the tie and the jacket. Ah sure: if worse comes to worse, there’s always my collection of crops…
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Happy Hallowe’en!!!!
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You know those really excellent masks you get sometimes, when you’re getting a professional facial? The ones that are actually exactly like masks, that peel off in one go, and feel like they are taking every impurity with them? Our pals at bliss have come up with an at-home version of this via their fabulous skin-reviving rubberizing mask.
You get six mixes in the box, which includes one measuring cup to fill with the amount of water necessary to create each mask, and six spatulas to use in the mixing and application of it. I cleared the decks in the bath and after cleansing my face, I got to it.
I was surprised at the purple hue, which I would not have been had I been paying attention to the ingredients. Bilberry figures largely, as does seaweed and vitamin C. I was already feeling under pressure, even as I mixed, because the packet cautioned me to apply the mask as quickly as possible.
Yeee, there it is, ready to go — get to work!
The impossibility of two things became apparent fairly sharpish:
1} I couldn’t take photos of the application and apply, simultaneously.
2} The spatula was not nearly as speedy and effective as the need for haste implied.
So, I took matters — ha, ha — into my own hands.
When you are lying flat on your back with your eyes closed, certain things may pass you by, like, the texture and appearance of the mask itself. Unless all rubbery facial masks are not like this? It may merely be the result of non-profesh application + gravity. Drippy!
I tidied that up as much as I could, and went into the sitting room to recline.
The sensation of the mask on the face was cool and invigorating> a word I use when product is tingly, but not in an irritating sense. Although I don’t mind an irritating tingle every now and again.
It did eventually dry, without drying out.
TIME TO PEEL.
I have always wanted to ask to see the mask that the aesthetician peeled off, sure I was going to see every single thing that had had the potential to criminally block my pores, but I’d be so zoned out at that stage, I’d always forget to ask. I was eager to see what my DIY efforts would yield!
Hmmm.
Those lumps are not oogy bits of sebum*, they are proof of my inability to mix anything well by hand, and why I don’t bake. Needless to say, this didn’t come off all in one go. I left the flakes of mask to collect in the sink…
… and hopped in the shower to wash off the rest.
Which I possibly should not have done, as there are two warnings regarding the disposal of the mask, right there on the packet, which say not to send it down the drain. This stuff is not the most dissoluble in water: I got some of it on the fleece I was wearing during the treatment, and the bilberry mix didn’t come off in the wash.
Luckily, I had wiped up the main bits of it, post-treatment, with some kitchen roll, and put it in the trash.
So, was the mess worth it?
I gotta say yes. Under the circs, as ever with an iPhone in the bathroom, the image is not A1, but oh! my skin felt so soft, and clean, and my pores felt tight, but not too tight, and I just felt all glowy and fresh.
I didn’t really mind making a mess, and reckon I’ll get better at this with practice. At €49 for six masks, that’s about €9.80/mask — that’s good value for the very spa-like result.
As ever, when you use a high quality product, the aftereffects last that much longer. I didn’t put on makeup for days afterwards, and when I did, it went on like dream — meaning: it didn’t feel like my foundation looked like a mask.
So: do it at home? DO ITTTT.
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See blissworld.co.uk for more information.
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* I wish they were oogy bits of sebum.
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I have booked my Christmas ticket back to the States; this seems cray, but it really is not. Given the way this year has flown, I wasn’t taking any chances of it suddenly being, like, 12 December and me without my arrangements made.
Involved in that arranging is, of course, whatever gifts I can transport without setting off sirens at the bag drop. I am generally an early bird at the airport, and there’s nothing I like better than a roam round duty free, but around this time of year, you don’t want to be panicking in the aisles. If you are the same, then may I direct your attention to theloop.ie?
The Loop is the premiere shopping area in Dublin T2 and Cork airport, with all manner of fancy brands, and the vibe is that of a very fancy high street. It’s taken some time to find its feet, but it feels now that it’s got everything going on — except for a blow dry bar, which would be a great feature, to which I can personally attest: the day I was taken through as a guest of The Loop, with a flying visit to London as well, the electricity in my flat exploded, and I was plunged into darkness with wet hair. Disaster! I was ragin’ that I was going to be swanning round London with less-than perfect locks, and was further dev when I found that the blow dry bar had packed it in.
I chose not to focus on the negatives of such an epically bad hair day, and instead dwelled on the fact that I would have some delightful Jo Malone products awaiting me on my return, which I had bought via theloop.ie’s shopping facility. The general range of product is pretty good, although sadly lacking in electronics. Last year, I had tried to do my Christmas shopping via this portal, and was not permitted to buy alcohol — which had been the guts of what the lads were getting — and I was not best pleased. That’s not an issue now, however, which is fantastic, and there are several ‘airport exclusive’ deals of which to avail. There’s a great selection of whiskey, with a special offer on Tullamore Dew Phoenix going for €49.95, and keep an eye out for offers on champers, the like of 75cls of Moët & Chandon for €36.50, or the same amount of Bollinger for €46.50. I certainly feel welcome over any threshold with either {or both!} of those in hand.
You can browse whenever you like, which is dead handy, but you need to buy 48 hours before you fly. This is worth noting in your diary, or putting a reminder in your phone, because it is so simple, and you can get loads done, and again, avail of many special offers, some that put your regular high street to shame. This is particularly true when it comes to fragrance and skincare. I was drawn to the Clarins offer of 400mls of their Moisture Rich Body Lotion for €20 — over 50% off the department store price.* And! If you buy three Clarins products, with one to be for the face, you can get a free 20 Minute Mini-Facial. This would suit me down to the ground, espesh before a transatlantic journey.
Your plinth awaits: the Clarins Treament Room in Terminal 2
Right so: off to London we went, me with my manky hair. A quick zip into Soho and Liberty London, a coffee with a dear pal, then a fab lunch, then it was time to go home. This was indeed what is meant as a flying visit! Because The Loop provide their signature — and free! — Shop and Collect service, my goodies were waiting for me when I landed, so there was no hassle with carrying the stuff around all day.
Have you been to Liberty London? It is amazzzzzing, the building itself is spectac, much less what is in it. I bought myself a Liberty Patchwork Bundle, which is in advance of my purchase of my mobile holiday home, which I am going to turn into a totally contempo-country chic little party wagon. And this is gonna help immensely:
Between the electric explosion and the amount of travel in one day, plus the great craic, I was in bits the next morning. I skipped horses, much to my chagrin, but inspired by the Clarins offers in the The Loop, decided to give myself the treat of the brand’s Skin Smoothing Eye Mask. Applied thickly around the very place that all other masks tell you to avoid, this is a superb gift to give your peepers: slap it on, lay on some dampened cotton pads, and lie back for ten minutes. Don’t think about anything, much less England.
Because I was still a bit giddy from all the flying and the fun, I decided it was a good idea to take a selfie without looking. This still makes me laugh, and it actually came out, although it looks kind of like I am falling down the side of a building or something.
This one, however, is even funnier for being a complete fail.
So keep an eye on theloop.ie for retail travel specials and the like — if you’re travelling anyway, you may as well multi-task!
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*Ends at the end of October, so if you’re travelling now, stock up! Also: ring ahead to Clarins to check on the availability of the facial, on 01 944 0759.
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Also: Lads. airportgenie.com. Seriously. €5.95 buys you an individual pass, which lets you jump the mad queue for the X ray, and also avails you of a free coffee. Seriously: the best fiver-and-a-bit you’ll spend.
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> Seven shampoo & conditioner duos
> One conditioner on its ownio
> One tiny shampoo & conditioner sample {Kevin Murphy? Which is fabbilis and I don’t know where to get it?}
> Three bars of soap
> Four shower gels
> One in-shower body moisturiser
> ONLY TWO BODY EXFOLIATORS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME.
This does not even include the five facial exfoliators, the two cleansers, and the three intense conditioning treatments.
If you look up ‘first world problems’ in the dictionary, etc. etc.
On the other hand, I am hard at work!
Right. See above.
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How much stuff have you got in your bath? I would welcome photos of baths that are not quite as populated as mine…
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‘Ha, sezs she!’ sez you.
Intervention was required to prove that I did, indeed, use these all up.
Or did I?!?! O.o
That’s the shampoo, all gone.
Nooooooooo! That was enough conditioner for — no, there isn’t actually. Not enough for a treatment. Having said that: the shampoo-to-conditioner ratio being what it usually is, which is twice as much of the former to not as much of latter, I think I did really well, getting the full value out of this duo.
This was my go-to for perfect second-day hair, meaning: I used this post-horse of a Wednesday night, and wokeon the Thursday refreshed, and with fresh looking locks. Ah, well. At €6.31 {RRP} apiece, it’s great value that went a long way.
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I am also a fan of the line’s Blow Dry Lotion Root Booster {RRP €6.31} which adds lift when using this combo for first-day hair.
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In between HD Brow sessions at Carter Beauty, Blackrock, I daren’t try to tweeze because I am useless at it, but I do find that a dye job goes some way to keeping the look going without too much drawing-on-the-brows error. I hadn’t been terribly impressed by Colorsport the the first time I tried it; I gave another brand a go, which shall remains nameless {okay, not: 1000Hour} and disliked it mightily. It didn’t mix up well at all, and I ended up sacrificing a lip brush to use as an applicator.
I was on the hunt for yet another brand to try, but there is a dearth of brow dyeing kits in Ireland — dare I say, the world? Googling comes up with nothing. SIGH. I found myself, as I often do, in Boots and thought I’d trust the packaging — IMPROVED & FASTER FORMULA — and give their Dark Brown dye another chance.
Glad I did! Look:
Thank you, genius, who thought that an actual mascara wand would be a good idea. Seriously! This makes it fairly foolproof — a designation I almost proved false, as I was going to take out the paper things and start mixing up the stuff for the bottle with the stuff from the tube in that little well, until it occurred that perhaps the instructions might best be consulted…
Right. Those papers are for when one dyes one’s lashes. Otherwise, this now could not be simpler, and less messy: apply the Eyelash Colour Solution directly to the brows with a cotton bud {or pad, if you’re me}; then, squeeze some of the Eyelash Contour Gel onto the wand, and brush it on. My first squeeze was, er, robust, and I got enough for a brow and a half, so easy does it.
One thing that is unclear is how long you are meant to keep it on, and how you are meant to remove it. Not great to be desperately scanning the directions when you’ve got this stuff working away. Somewhere it said 2-3 minutes; I’ve just looked back and actually can’t find that information again. Really not great!
I decided that the time it took to take a couple of photos was long enough.
Insert Groucho Marx impression *here*
That mascara wand applicator is the biz. I coated every single hair.
Lydia, oh Lydia, oh have you met Lydia…
Just about there ^ I started getting worried that it was going to be too much…
Nope, not so much! I mean, I could have groomed them before I went deliriously snapping away, but honestly, that’s exactly what I was looking for.
So, no messy mixing up of the two potions, and this dye job happened in 1/5th the time it took in the unimproved and slower version. Sold!
! I did it AGAIN: ‘before’ pictures might have come in useful! Argh!
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€8.50; also comes in black.
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First thought: This is only small.
Second thought: Smells nice, though.
Third thought, as applying to skin: Ohhhhhhhhhhh — !
I like me a balm, but find that on the bod, they can be a bit greasy. This has all the qualities of a balm, and finishes with a glow, but it doesn’t feel at all slimy. Its mousse-y texture feels very, very gentle, and you absolutely don’t need all that much to get excellent coverage.
I feel itchy all over just thinking about wintertime: this is a combination of both cocoa and shea butter, which just sounds like a total itch-buster. It’s also got calendula, ylang ylang and lavender oil in there, which contributes to its balm-y qualities, and its lovely fragrance.
I am sold on this little tin of goodness, and am sure it is a future candidate for an I Used It All Up post…
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€12.99; free delivery in Ireland for orders over €10!
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Emer Gillen is originally from Sligo; based in London for the last four years, she trained as a beauty therapist in the Georgina Price College of Beauty Therapy in Galway. Having had an equal passion for spa therapy and travel, she pursued the opportunity to work on a cruise ship with Steiner Leisure Ltd. “This was my first introduction to Elemis products and treatments, and was where I made such a strong connection with the brand,” she explains.
She was part of the management team that launched the Spirit One Spa when it opened in the Radisson Blu, Galway, and considered it a natural progression to join the Elemis training team 8 years ago as an International Trainer. “I have such a varied spectrum of responsibilities with my role,” Emer says, “from spa, salon and retail courses, alongside working with our Elemis Day Spa, SpaSpecialist and British Airways Travel Spa teams. Globally, I work closely with our distribution teams developing their training divisions and I also present Elemis on QVC UK.”
Emer took some time to talk about a mainstay of the Elemis brand, followed by my review of the Spirit One experience…
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It’s the 10th anniversary of the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, and I think it says it all in the name. Can you talk about the properties of both the collagen and the marine aspect, and how they are so effective in anti-ageing?
Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is about working with the skin’s natural functions to assist in improving collagen and elastin production, which leads to stunning long-lasting results.
The results really speak for themselves: the Marine Cream has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkle depth by up to 78%, and increase hydration and moisture levels by up to 45%.
The composition of the cream challenged traditional anti-ageing skincare by combining ground breaking natural marine ingredients Porphyridum and Chlorella seaweeds along with Padina Pavonica, which is central to the cream’s activity; a fan shaped brown algae, it is handpicked daily by scuba divers from the temperate waters of Malta, and left to dry under the sun’s warming rays. This dynamic anti-ageing cream gel helps to dramatically increase skin elasticity, suppleness, firmness and hydration levels.
How does the new cult fave Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm complement the cream, and how does it work?
Make-up, sweat and pollution build up in the layers of the skin. Oils and waxes are naturally compatible with sebum, easily breaking down excess pore blocking oils. Theses oils and waxes protect the skin from being stripped of its natural lipid layer and essential skin protection. Make-up micro particles left in the skin result in a long-term dulling of the complexion and may also lead to other skin problems.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is a beautiful texture for an exceptional treatment experience, preparing the skin brilliantly which complements Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and enhances its anti-ageing effectiveness.
Cleansing balms seem to be all the rage at the moment. What are your top tips for using a balm?
Scoop a small amount of Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm with dry fingertips, and massage directly into the skin. Then, wet the fingertips and continue to massage as the balm transforms into a beautiful milk. Remove with a very warm cleansing cloth, both morning and evening.
For a special treatment, smooth a generous amount over the face, neck and décolleté with dry fingers. Massage to warm the skin and loosen the balm. Leave for 10 minutes. Hold a very warm, damp cleansing cloth over the skin, practice abdominal breathing and inhale the exquisite aroma. Gently wipe away.
The Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift facial in Spirit One Spa was gorgeous. How do people go about designing facials, and what are the specific benefits of this one?
The Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Facial for fine lines and wrinkles was designed by Noella Gabriel, Director of Elemis treatment and products development. Through Noella’s vast industry expertise, and therapy background, this treatment was developed to deliver a results-driven sensory experience for the client.
The Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Facial allows you to experience the ultimate in scientific skin therapy. It’s an advanced anti-ageing facial, clinically proven to reduce the number of wrinkles by 94% and improve skin firmness by 57% after just one treatment. This anti-aging face and eye treatment helps to protect against the signs of ageing, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face and restructuring the eye contour. Specialised lifting massage techniques are combined with Elemis anti-ageing products for maximum treatment efficacy.
Looking over the protocol for the facial, I notice that there are loads of essential oils used — lime, rosewood, tea tree, to name a few. Can you talk about the brand’s use of such ingredients, and what the benefits are?
Each Elemis product and treatment takes you on a sensory journey and the Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Facial is no different. The use of Lime, Lavender and Rosewood Essential Oils which are anointed onto luxuriously warm mitts or facial compresses are used to enhance the aromatic experience of the Elemis facial. We understand the emotional and physiological response that aromatics have on our wellbeing, and so essential oils, herbs and fruits play an integral role in the fragrance pyramid of each unique product.
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So, how was it?
Spirit One Spa is like a little fairground of therapeutic possibilities: you’ve got your sauna and your steam room, and your bowl of ice to really get those pores breathing, but there are also loads of marble beds upon which to recline, and the Sabia Med, a beach room in which you can lie on sand and relax, from a simulated sunrise to sunset. The spa is also very popular, and was rather busy the day I was there to avail of its benefits — benefits that were somewhat diminished by the chattery hen parties that were roaming about the place. Save it for the pub, ladies, seriously. Manners! One would encourage the staff to gently enforce the rule of silence. It’s only fair.
Once the hens went on their way, the place achieved the kind of serenity it aims to provide. And once I was lead away to enjoy my treatment, it was like being transported to another world. A world of seemingly endless double-cleansing, toning, exfoliation, massage… and every Elemis product known to woman. Okay, not every, but all the best ones.
As mentioned above, the use of essential oils in tandem with the glorious signature scent of the products was almost enough to send me into bliss, just on their own. It all started off with a Hot Lime Foot Cleansing and Thai Foot Ritual, and progressed through the use of Japanese camellia oil, rosewood, more lime, and lavender, this last in the form of an eye pillow that did its work whilst I received a hand, arm, and décolleté massage.
It’s amazing how relaxing it can be for the face when your hands are getting a good going over…
Amongst the products used were, of course, the piéce de resistance of the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, but also in play was the Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum, the Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Peel Off Mask and the Pro-Collagen Lifting Treatment. And the Eye Renewal. And the Wrinkle Treatment. And the Rehydrating Ginseng Toner! This too is like a little fairground, a little fairground of renewal and utter, utter relaxation.
The best thing was that, even after a night of gorgeous food and plenty of bubbly, my visage was not ravaged. In fact, the glow lasted the guts of a week, and as ever, my make up looked all the better for having had the canvas primed, as it were. Nothing like several hours wrapped in a spa robe and a fab facial to put all things right in the world.
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The Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Facial is 1 hour 10 minutes, €95.00. See spiritonespa.com for details
spirit one spa, Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Galway, Lough Atalia Road, Galway, Ireland
T: +353 91 538 462
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ALSO: Some of the best sushi ever is available at the Radisson Blu’s Japanese restaurant, RAW: sushi in the sky. SERIOUSLY. And I have enjoyed sushi in both NYC and LA (admittedly not in Japan) and both of those places have the best sushi, but this sushi in Galway not only holds its own, but also beats the competition! Seriously!
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Bright & Beautyfull! 