No Way, In Fact, That It Was Enough: Yeah, I Mean, Seriously.

Tchaa. Like I didn’t know it. In an effort to save on kgs at check-in, I had made a list of the product I’d left behind at mum’s.

No. So I packed with my usual style — still keeping that list in mind, but also trying to remember the the things I hate to be without when abroad.

Hate being without exfoliant. When I get back home, I spend about ten minutes scrubbing off the accumulation of dead skin cells. Is gross! Feels spectacular! Spectaluloss! In went the body exfoliant; forgot the face exfoliant.

HATE having dry looking hair, which occurs due to the difference in water hardness/softeness —  which I write about every year! — so I chucked in some serum capsules, which I didn’t need because there was a big thing of some hair gloss that I got last time — but forgot to bring conditioner. Gahhhh.

Oh, darn! Have to go to Walgreens!

ALMOST ALL THE STUFF

Have to go to Walgreens, even with all that. And I haven’t even looked in the make up bags.

Make up bags. Or gone through all my pockets to track down rogue lippys…

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I don’t know, it’s not so much stuff? For the guts of three weeks? << which is my cry every year?

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OMChristmas: A Variety of Beautyfull Things

BUTLERS 7.95
Love, love, love this BUTLER’S CHOCOLATE Tree Ornament {€7.95} is fun, functional and delicious. Well, the stuff inside is; don’t eat the actual bauble. Like I have to say it, but you never know. Should figure in your decorative oeuvre for years to come.

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Mini Mani Month 2013-1
This is an advent-ish calender that works all year round: CIATÉ Mini Mani Month {£42} comes with enough nail polish to please even your fussiest manicure enthusiast. There’s 19 5ml varnishes, 1 large size paint pot, 2 bottles of Caviar Pearls, and 2 samples of glitter/sequins… which equals 24? Whevs: it is super cute, even if it can’t add.

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Aoife Harrison - Ivory Lace Hairband with Silk Flower - High
AOIFE HARRISON is an Irish milliner whose gorgeous headpieces are like confectionery for your noggin. Above is the Ivory Lace Hairband with Silk Flower, embroidered and studded with pearls — it is simply stunning! Prices range from €199 to €399; her work is stocked exclusively at the Design Centre, or go online at aoifeharrison.ie. A bridal heirloom in the making!

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Neroli Candle
Oh, YON KA PARIS, with your Neroli Orange Blossom Serenity Massage Oil Candle {€45}, are you trying to kill me? This is so pretty and smart: the little spout on the candle container is pure genius. No messing about with scooping warmed wax: just light, blow out the flame, and pour! Happy holidays, indeed.

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DUBARRY FLASK
DUBARRY Rugby Hip Flask in Walnut {€50} is perfect for the dudes, but why be sexist when you don’t have to? I would welcome this with open pocket.

That’s me done with gift guides for another festive season. Happy Christmas!

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No Way This Is Enough: Product In America

I just came across this list, which I made in an iNote, which really ought to be on my frickin’ iPhone, but that app routinely decides, off its own bat, to migrate information to a folder in my email account, which I did not even set up? Evidence that The Machines are slowly but surely starting to think for themselves.

This is a list of things that I left at my mum’s, in an effort to pack less the next time I visited:
>Hairbrush
>Some cotton pads (CVS)
>Cleanance lotion
>Lush dry shampoo
>Cocoa butter gel
>Smashbox photo finish primer
>Kerastase Sensidote Dermo Calm
>Vichy foundation
>Cien deodorant
>Avène Eluage cream and eye cream
>Clinique sparkle skin (small)
>Awapuhi hair gel
>Hair elastics
>Black eyeliner
>Benefit Girl meets pearl (not much)
>Benefit Erase paste
>Candle
>Gel tabs
>Eye pencil sharpener

What is this even? I can’t — really? Gel tabs… of what, exactly? Unicorn tears? Did I leave an entire bottle of Cleanance lotion behind? Could I be any less specific re: Kerastase Sensidote Dermo Calm? Whew: don’t have to pack an eyepencil sharpener!

I had thought to take photos but they seem to have disappeared as well.

Understand that I am at that stage in the packing process in which the bag feels heavy, so I take out a pair of tights and lace top. Because that’s the tipping point right there. I hatttttte this part. And I am sure that the bag is too heavy to pass, but it always passes, and if worse comes to worse, then I’ll take the long coat out of the bag, which in fairness I should probably be wearing but I hate rattling around the airport in excessive outerwear…

Gah.

I’ll post a photos of all of the above, and all of the stuff I am bringing in spite of all of the above, and we’ll all have a good laugh/sigh.

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Tried & Tested @ The Herald: Facial Exfoliants

I can’t ever get enough of a good scrub — let’s go back in time and see what I thought about six of them, shall we?

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One of the entrants is Neostrata, which is very close to my hometown, as shared here!

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Crikey, looka dem tagz…

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I Used It All Up: Lush Lip Service

The reformulated versions of Lush‘s lip balms came out in March. I started using this, before bed, every night, since… let’s say 1 April.

LUSH LIP SERVICE

Eight months? That’s pretty good! If you only apply it once*, though. Still: even if you used it twice a day, four months out of this wee 8g, 100% recyclable tin — that’s pretty impressive.

I’m also impressed by the brand’s constant revisitation of formulae, as I’ve said before. The last version I used of this was really hard to coax out of the tin — the scraping required! The initial scratchy moments of application until the balm warmed! Not nice. This is much softer, more aerated, and it stayed completely fresh over those eight months, too.

Next up: Honey Trap

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€7.20/£5.75/$7.25

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*Who applies lip balm only once a day?!?!

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OMChristmas: Dudes

I guess guys must think we think they smell bad, given that’s the majority of what we give them at Christmas … nah, just joking. Nothing like a fragranced male to keep the yuletide bright! Herewith are several gift sets for yer fella, a list which betrays my own personal bias towards the snuffle factor, and some skincare bits that are fairly burstin’ with testosterone.

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‘Snuffle factor’ being an actual industry term, which is a measure of the degree to which a lady wants to rub her nose on a man’s post-cologned neck. I could get a PHD in this, I am such an excellent calibrator of snuffle-ocity.
Zegna Uomo Classic Set High Res

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Z Zegna Uomo Classic Set {€55} contains Z Zegna 50ml EDT and a 100mls of  Hair & Body Wash. The scent dries down to yummy vetiver, patchouli and musk. I don’t know when we started calling cologne Eau de Toilette? Are they different things, or what? No idea, but I do know that causing your man to smell like a sexy Italian is no bad thing. If your man is already a sexy Italian, does he have a brother?

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NIVEA MEN REGIME
NIVEA MEN Regime {€12.99} is a great way to get your man into skincare without making it come over all girly. This set includes Deep Cleansing Wash 100ml; Moisturising Shave Gel 200ml; Rehydrating Moisturiser 75ml. It looks suitably masculine and as with all Nivea products, smells fresh and clean, so he will, too.

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L'OCCITANE CEDRE & ORANGEL’OCCITANE have a gorgeous box of South of France goodness in the form of their Cèdre & Oranger range for men {€73}. Included in this Star Gift Set is 75ml Cèdre & Oranger Eau de Toilette; 175ml Cèdre & Oranger Shower Gel and 75ml Cèdre & Oranger After Shave Balm.

I, er, made the mistake of cracking into it, and I really like it for myself — so if you, like, mistakenly use the shower gel, say, it won’t be that terrible of a mistake.

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ZIAJA €7.99The macho-looking ZIAJA‘s Men Set {€7.99} is a full-sized wonder for a travel-sized price. The cream absorbs superfast, and dries matte, so there’ll be no sign of the pampering that has just ensued. The rest of the line is as competitively priced as the lady stuff, so you could throw a few more products in, and if you spend €20, I’d be surprised.

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HUGO BOSS FRAGRANCE SETI would buy this for a grown-up nephew, or a brother or brother-in-law. The BOSS Bottled Gift Set {€60} is a modern, fresh, masculine combo of 50mls of Eau de Toilette and 100mls of shower cream. It is sexy, but not in a way that ‘s going to annoy your sister because you are giving it to her husband, or freak out your bro.

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007 FRAGRANCE SETThis is perfect for a medium-grown nephew, as I have heard that 11-year-olds are now giving themselves a splash of cologne before getting on the school bus. The JAMES BOND 007 Quantum Gift Set {€38} contains 75mls of EDT and Refreshing Shower Gel. The cap is a nifty twisty thing that adds interest, and the size is just right for those fickle tweensters, who will no doubt go about robbing their dad’s cologne (above.)

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Yon-Ka Men GiftSauce for goose meets gander: YON KA PARIS for the ladies is sublime, so surely it is the same for the mens? This For Men Gift Set {€40} come with Anti-oxidant and Energising Nutri-Moist creme and a travel-sized Lotion YK Aftershave in a fancy toiletry bag. I mean, a manly toiletry bag.

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OMChristmas 2013: Gifts That Give

I played a game yesterday, unbeknowst to the charity muggers who were also involved. Instead of crossing to the other side of the road to avoid them, I tried to see how close I get to them and avoid eye contact — of course, whilst still saying ‘No thank you’ politely. I got pretty close! Then I felt bad, because they are only trying to do a job; and then I was like, but this whole notion of buttonholing people in the street to give money to help the less fortunate — surely there must be a better way.

Well, the below are a few beautyfull ideas in which to do so. I’m sure — I hope! — there are many, many initiatives that I have missed, as this post is somewhat cursory. Surely there are many big corporations out there who are working with worthy causes to raise finds and awareness. O.o

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ELEMIS was something of an inspiration for this post, as they recently reported having been able to donate £36,000 to GAVI (Global Alliance of Vaccines and Immunisations).

The money was raised through the sale of the very special limited edition 10th anniversary edition of their Papaya Enzyme Peel, about which I wrote here.* The donation provides 5-in-1 Pentavalent vaccines to fully inoculate children in Africa against five diseases.

You can still avail of this offer, while supplies last. Equally, the brand have an initiative for breast cancer: Think Pink Beauty Heroes {€42.20; bliss.ie} is a fantastic little zippered pouch of goodness, with travel sizes of five of the best of Elemis: Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm {20g}; Pro-Collagen Marine Cream {15ml}; Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm {15ml}; Pro-Collagen Lifting Treatment Neck and Bust {15ml}. Elemis pledged to donate £10,000 to the Breast Cancer Care charity to raise money for research.
ELEMIS charity gift

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L'OCCITANE Solidarity SoapL’OCCITANE‘s Rose Tenderness Solidarity Soap {50g} is €4, and 100% of profits from the sales of this special edition  will finance eye-health projects run by NGOs in developing countries. The L’Occitane foundation is particularly committed to supporting the blind and visually impaired, which I didn’t know! Learn something new, etc.

It’s a gorgeous wee stocking stuffer, and suits just about every lady and girl on your list. I don’t use much soap that comes in bars these days, but when I do, I am surprised at how long it lasts!

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GREEN ANGEL for barnardos
GREEN ANGEL ,the Irish seaweed beauty brand, have long been associated with Barnardos, offer up their Golfer’s Hand Repair Treatment gift set {€29.95} This handy {ha, ha} gift for the golfer in your life will help everyone. Including here are hand scrub, hand cream, and a bar of the especially great lavender soap. A percentage from sales goes to the children’s charity.

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LUSH‘s Charity Pot {€16.85/240grms} is extremely transparent: not the pot itself, but the way in which sales of it help fund projects. The guidelines and mission statement are right there on their website, with their specialist areas being the environment, animal protection, and human rights.
LUSH CHARITY POT
In the last financial year, the brand donated £340,000 in those areas.

Hello. That is pretty awesome. Do your bit to help by buying a Charity Pot for a pal. The moisturiser is made from cocoa butter: it smells deliciously chocolatey and so will you. Your pal will. Or your sister, or niece, or mum. Or whomever!

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*It’s the Enyzeme Peel in the wee photo that I’m talkin’ ’bout; not sure that the awesome toiletries case is still A Thing.

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Kardashian Beauty Lip Lacquer in Shocking Pink is Shocking Because:

photo-7{Post updated with re-branded, ligitised name}

A} It’s not this.
B} I always feel morto liking a celebrity brand of anything.
C} I don’t know where to buy it, how much it costs, or anything and I don’t care and am posting anyway.*
D} I had to google the colour, because even with my specs, I couldn’t read any of the information on the bottom of the tube. I suspect that means I am probs too old to be sporting this. {Please feel free to dispute this in the comments.}
E} It is light and yet the pigment is so matte and so not drying.
F} It’s pointy! Thin and pointy, and it dials up, and you don’t even need a lip pencil, which I would usually recommend with something as matte as this.
G} I like allll the colours, and would spend my own actual money on Babydoll Pink and Love Hangover.

Like I said: shocking!

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Anybody know where to get this stuff? Boots isn’t giving me any joy…

* Thanks, internet! {In the form of Aoife} Available on http://www.sammccauley.com and cloud10 beauty, €13.99. IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO NOT KNOW SOMETHING.

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Tried & Tested @The Herald: Cleansing Balms

My new favourite thing! As I say here, I have always hated, if not completely loathed, the fuss of using a cleanser. These go on your face and stay there, working away as you massage them round, without making a splattery disaster of the sink, or dripping down to your elbows.

Clean up without making a worse mess! That’s my new motto.

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And Another Thing! Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter

OBSESSED with this lipstick.
COLOURBURST again

In addition to its other virtues, it smells really nice, too! Like: delicious.

And as a matter of interest, I had two or three other samples of these — no, five, because I also got these super-odd coloured ones: a blue, and a purple that was not a violet, more like a zombie colour. And I didn’t like any of them nearly as much as this, which is, of course, Strawberry Shortcake.

So there.

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€11.20/£7.99/$4.79; also, any time is good time to complain about price points and dodgey conversions!

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Hey! Do you think my jaw looks rather firmer than it has, in the recent past? Wait until I tell you all about the Radio Frequency treatment at Aqua Beauty/Medispa!

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