Beauty Block.

It's been a while. A very long while. Writer's block is a killer. It destroys any chance you have of conveying your feelings in a non hysterical way that others can in some way relate to. I went on a kind of sub conscious ramble every time I decided to sit down and share my thoughts on beauty. I found it hard to relay any sort of fluidity to my thoughts and began to realize that I needed to slow down my thinking and concentrate on my immediate thoughts. That's the thing about the beauty industry, it causes all sorts of havoc with my mind and I can't seem to pin point its immediate effect on me. After reflecting on this (and many, many lipsticks later) I came to realize that there's a very good reason for this. The beauty industry is changing, It's evolved before our eyes into something that lives sub consciously inside us and we can't put our finger on why we NEED a certain product but we do,

We invent reasons to ourselves as to why we NEED to buy a specific fragrance or fancy french candle smelling of musky feet. It kind if scares me. Like the beauty industry is subliminally tricking us and we have been sucked into their trap. But the trap is honest. It's one we've allowed haunt our dreams. One where we've helped to create ourselves. A trap that has evolved to cater for us all in every possible way,  Beauty has never just been an objective term, it is always influenced by our feelings. A lipstick can represent a milestone in someones life. I know Mac's Brave was my lipstick of choice upon graduating Uni and I'll forever hold it in my heart, I guess the point I'm trying to make is what we all already know, the beauty industry is a complex and ever evolving universe on Earth. Blogging has become a full time job for people and has launched careers of many talented make up lovers/artists/obsessees. We have become reliant on the reviews of such bloggers and it has become a part of my daily routine to watch the daily lives of some of my favorites on YouTube.  These are people are respect and feel like I know. Like long lost relative or just virtual pen pals.

And why did we feel the need to create this evolving beauty culture? Because, we can. Science can back us up and give us what we want. We want a lipstick that's matte but creamy and comfortable on the lips. No problem. We want to have a culture which showcases the trans-formative power of make up. Not just what it creates on the outside but the power it gives us on the inside,  We've all voted on the referendum of Beauty and voted it as a cultural necessity. It is what you want it to be, It helps mold the very essence of our being. We are in charge of how we want to be perceived  to oursleves and to others,

There is a place for us all in this 'swatching culture'. You don't have to be queen of the false lashes or accomplish the Kylie Jenner lip (the new lip liner phenomenon) in order to be apart of it. You can simply appreciate the skill it takes to create the ''no make-up make up' look. Which, in my opinion is the most difficult of all. Mainly because I love ALL the make up.

I'm sure there are countless books on the history of make-up that details our relationship with the beauty industry in a much less 'rambly' fashion than myself and I urge you to read those, but because I blog to release my inner most thoughts about beauty and my sometimes love/hate attitude to its hold on me, you'll have to excuse my  mutterings, Unless, you also find yourself in the same frame of mind that I am and in that case... WAHAY,  you're not alone. I'm right here on this same ride with you.

Express yourself!

      Hey Hey Everyone! 

 Ok so, I've been suffering blogger's block over the last few weeks. I've become a little bit underwhelmed by it all to be honest. I find beauty blogs can be a little boring and repetitive to read sometimes as they don't have a bit of a plot to draw me in! I know, it's more about the products than it is the narrative and I'm sorry but I like a little story to go with a blog post, something a little more exciting and relatable. Ok, we all don't want to be reading a load of 'waffle' and want to get straight to the point but sometimes straight to the point can be a little 'cold' and doesn't give me that same feeling of excitement that a well written (albeit short or long) piece creates. This is just a prelude to my love of great writing skills. One blog which always carries my interest would be that of the lovely ViviannaDoesMakeUp. Boy, can that girl tell a tale! I love how her experience of a product gives it a whole new depth of feeling. When she talks about lipsticks, she gets me! She really gets me! It's more than just a waxy colour experiment, it's a way of life!   

  A little aside to this article would be that I thoroughly love when girls can enjoy make-up and beauty and not judge others that don't. On the other end of the spectrum, I hate getting judged at work for wearing a bright pink lip. People can be totally condescending towards you when you express yourself through the creativity of make-up. I really thought by this stage people would get over such petty stuff and not be so narrow minded.   

  There are so many greater issues in the world than how I styled my hair today! An example of this pettiness was (not naming any names) when I was in work a couple of days ago a fellow colleague (when I was covering her role whilst she was going away) told me to keep my head 'out-of-the-clouds'. I took it as pure ignorance. How dare anybody judge you on your appearance. She didn't know me at all but assumed I would be all 'airy-fairy' because I was sporting a bright pink lip and wearing eyeshadow. What?! Seriously. I don't judge her on her choice of not wearing make-up. It's a choice we all make. I wouldn't judge anybody's creativity levels on their 'choice' to wear make-up. This may seem over-exaggerated but I think people are really surprised when they find out I have a degree and a masters degree. I might come across as a bit kooky and alternative in what I choose to wear but this in no way reflects my ability to do a job and excel in that job. Make-up is an extension of me whether I decide to wear a nude lip or a bright, daring purple lip. It's not for attention. It's for myself and my own feelings of contentment. It's a combination of trying to figure out who you are and knowing who you are. 

  Anybody else ever feel this way? I just feel like the beauty culture of today can sometimes be frowned upon by people in all types of working cultures. We are beautiful, unique strong women who can possess great writing skills and love to express our passion for the perfect blush or foundation at the same time!  

Cheers for reading! ;-)

Nicole xx

Body Lotions for the body and mind...

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Hey Hey everyone! :-)

 

   Decided to do a 'quick' blog about body lotions/creams/butters that I've being LOVING over the last few months. Ok, so we all know how important body lotions are for the skins elasticity, hydration, smoothness and so on. No saggy skin for us, no surr-ie! It's become second nature for most people to moisturise their body after showering/bathing. I know I wouldn't feel complete without a big dollap of some Palmer's cocoa butter all over my shivering bod (starting to move into more erotic territory here, oops!) after a good aul' rinse. So, once our skin feels all quenched, we feel all glowy and ready to go. I personally like a non-frangranced body lotion during the day such as Palmer's Cocoa butter without the frangrance or Garnier's own cocoa butter lotion (which is a lighter formula but my skin still feels impeccably hydrated and nourished). This is just because I like to wear perfume and don't want the lotion to overpower it. 
  But for now away from using lotions for lotions sake. I have just found a holy grail lotion. Never have I been more excited to let my senses run wild. May I present to you....

 

 Oh my god. The smell is DIVINE. Seriously. Heaven has a scent. Ok. Clichés aside, this stuff is so beautiful. It's from the Roger&Gallet brand, which they sell in my local pharmacy here in Ireland. It's called 'Fleur De Figuier' replenishing body lotion. To be honest, I've always kind of overlooked their products because I tried one of their fragrances before and it just didn't tickle my fancy and the packaging was kind of 'old lady'?!(you catch my drift...I am so judgy of packaging.. never judge a book, I guess...). Well, I was feeling a little under the weather the other day and needed a little pick-me-up so decided to pop over to the local shopping centre and have a look at some smelling salts, etc. I find certain citrus-y smells are very meditative and give me a sence of calm that I'm craving, such as lime, lemon etc. For example, ALL the Soap&Glory products are LIFE to me! This lotion is rich in fig pulp and fig bud which gives off this delicate sweet amora that has orange-y undertones. There is nothing better than rubbing a lotion onto the skin and letting your worries melt away with the scent of happiness. The key to winding down and letting go is arousing your senses and letting your mind wander into a Lewis Carroll world of it's own. Yeah, this is just me, wandering off yet again. But seriously, it's amazing what a good whiff of your favourite fragrance can do for your spirits. Look at me for instance, decided to get up off my lazy arse and write a blog. Positivity in a (pretty pink) bottle. Also, it's cheap enough (apparently, it's a dead ringer for some Estée Lauder summer scent?) at 14 euro (around 12 GBP).  So, go on, treat your body to the gorgeous smelling marvel that is Fleur De Figuier.

 

   

The Wake Up Make-Up Routine.

 

 

 

 

Yep. Waking up is really hard. Yes Zooey, you speak such truths. To make matters worse, looking out the window and seeing a blizzard in the Summer (Ireland, I love you) doesn't help. I try shrug off the many mental images of me jumping off a cliff and think of the morning make up routine ahead. Yes. Routine. it helps to settle my stomach and gets me moving. First, tea. Shower. Then onto the good stuff! Some people love to hear the birds singing them into awakening, getting their senses into motion. Just thinking of the powdery goodness of my Coralista blusher sets my senses into overdrive. The transformation it brings to the soul (deep, I know) is something which I think all of you make-up fanatics can relate to.

I always try to give myself an bit of time ( half an hour) to apply my make-up. I need to be relaxed and in a yoga like pose whilst doing this (optional *:-D*) and really get focused. I set out my daily essentials in front of me and then choose the lipstick of the day (I mostly grab for the Mac Hue, just to be safe). Insert singing (cute) mice folk who happen to be good at ironing (I'm still in dream mode). It was mice in Cinderlla right?! Yes. It was. There was a super cute one called Gus. You catch my drift (hopefully). Anyhows, after applying my beloved hydraluron, I start massaging my face with my mango smelling Bia Beauty moisuriser ( It's Irish and it smells DIVINE). Then a quick slather of my favourite BB cream by Dr.Jart helps to even out my skin tone and provide me with an SPF25. 

  I have opened my curtains at this stage. Windy, cloudy, ah well. I've always got my Nars Sheer Glow to illuminate my face. A soft sweep of Benefit's Coralista onto my cheeks. I'm nearly done. Onto eyes. A nice, gentle sweep of Urban Decay's Sin. My eyes are now near alive. Then, Rimmel ScandalEyes pencil in bronze to blend into my crease. The tea has now kicked in and I now have full use of both my hands. A (quick) glide of my Essence liquid liner and a couple of coats of Maybelline Falsies mascara and I'm alive! Wait, I've forgotten my eyebrows! It's the Rimmel brow pencil in brown/black with its handy little brush on the lid. My morning therapy is complete. I am me. My identity has awoken and I am, who I am meant to be. The philosophical ramblings aside, make-up makes me happy! It's the sparkly sheen of the Urban Decay palette and the creamy, dewy texture of the Bourjois blushes that awaken my spirit and my will to get involved in the big bad world out there.

 

I pack my bits back into my Minnie Mouse make-up bag (my subconscious seems to link rodents with make-up...lovely) and get dressed in a hurry. Filled with hope and gleaming from the inside out, I walk out the front door and run for the bus. Although I know the make-up will diminish throughout the day (it shouldn't though...damn you Maybelline 16 hour lipstick...hmmm) it has helped contribute to the waking up process and the opening of my eyes to the beauty of the world. This was a VERY deep first blog post. If you're passionate about make-up and skincare you will know that it's not just a nascissitic pleasure, it's apart of who you are. It's your portrayal of how you feel. It's an act of creation. It's life. Ok. Maybe not life (although I would DIE without it). How does your morning make-up routine differ? Are you as passionate about the morning make-up routine as I am...or more?Thank you so much for reading this blog post and I hope you enjoyed it. What are your morning go-to products? I would LOVE to know. Getting butterflies at the thought of it!

 

 

No mice were harmed during the production of this blog :-)