Victoria's Secret Scent Splash!

Hey guys, sorry it's been a while since my last post, haven't been feeling the best for the last week. Anyway, despite the fact that the weather has been icy cold recently, I am in a ridiculous summery kind of mood, which has lead me into busting out some fresh summer scents. Nobody is better at doing these kind of scents than Victoria's Secret so thought I would tell you about a few of them.

    

The first is their Luscious Kisses fragrance mist which is described as a coconut and passion flower scent. I've never smelt passion flower so don't really know what it smells like but what I can tell you is that this scent makes me feel like I'm somewhere tropical drinking a pina colada. You can definitely smell the coconut in the fragrance along with something fruity. Despite being a fragrance mist, it is quite strong and lasts all day. I've had a couple of friends say it's too sweet but I think it smells delicious.

    

    

The next scent I wish to talk about is their Romantic Wish fragrance mist which contains freesia and cucumber. I love this. It smells so fresh and delicious and everyone I'm around asks me what I'm wearing. You can definitely get the notes of both freesia and cucumber upon spraying. This is a perfect spring/summer scent if you just want something light.


    

    

The final scent I'll talk about today is Pink With a Splash Pretty and Pure body mist which is described as containing jasmine and pink lemonade. I don't know if I can get either of these notes particularly well. It does give both a sweet and floral scent but I just don't get those particular notes. It is a nice sweet and fresh scent but it doesn't last very long at all. I would recommend the first 2 scents over this one.

    

    

What scents are you guys loving at the minute?

 XOXO,

B

Diaries of a Fair Lady- Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

So as I've said in a previous post Makeup Forever Face and Body foundation is my go to foundation, being the only one that matches me. Well the stockists of Makeup Forever in Dublin (FACE2 on Clarendon Street) are always out of this product. After Christmas, I was running very low on this foundation and thought I had a spare bottle in my drawer. Well, I didn't...so I went in to buy another bottle. They told me they were out of stock and that it would be a whole month before they got it back in. (Note that they have still not contacted me...very poor customer service).This sent me into a panic as I had no foundation that would match me. In my frenzy, I ran into Brown Thomas searching for a shade that would match my pale complexion.

One of the samples I picked up was Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. The lady at the counter was very nice and advised me to pick up shade 2, which as their palest shade. It looked slightly yellowy in the packaging so I asked did they do shade 1, to which she replied that it had been discontinued since nobody had that pasty of a complexion...I'd beg to differ!

    

I heard fantastic things about this foundation so was very excited to try it. I was a bit disappointed. It clung to all my dry patches and made my pores look very pronounced. For a 'luminous' foundation, I thought it would give my skin a healthy glow but it just made me look like I had very dull, dehydrated skin. Saying that, my skin was very dry at that time due to the cold weather but I have tried it since and it still doesn't look great.

    


In terms of colour, it went on slightly too dark and yellow for my skin and oxidised a touch more so that it really wasn't a good match for me. I could get away with it if I added a touch of bronzer on my neck and chest but for the hefty price tag (about 50 euro or so) this was not what I was looking for.


    

I also found the smell to be very strong and chemical like. I would't have minded this if I loved the product but for those of you sensitive to scents, I'd suggest giving this a try first.

Overall, I was quite disappointed. This may just have been due to the fact that I had such high hopes for it. For those of you with a normal skin tone, I'd say you could definitely find a colour to match you and if you have normal to slightly oily skin this may look great. For me, it just didn't work.

Have any of you guys tried this foundation? What did you think?

XOXO,

B

Liebster Award!

First of all I would like to say thank you so much to Adi from Coffee. Beauty. Life  for nominating me for this award.

The Liebster award is passed on through bloggers with under 200 GFC followers and helps to 

promote their blogs. So here are the rules:

1. Those who are nominated must link back the person who nominated them. 

2. Once nominated you must write 11 random facts about yourself.

3. You must also answer the 11 questions from the person that has nominated you.

4. Come up with 11 questions to ask the 11 people you have nominated for the award.

So let's get started!

11 Facts about me:

1)I have quite an addiction to chocolate...I even get bad headaches if I'm deprived haha

2)I am terrified of needles

3)I love a good Nicholas Sparks book (and movie!)

4)Reality shows are my guilty pleasure...I watch nearly all of them

5)I like to think I can rap...I can't

6)I am in my final year of uni...SCARY!

7)My favorite number is 8

8)I used to be quite OCD

9)I love pilates and yoga

10)I really miss the tv show Brothers and Sisters

11)I hate being in really crowded places

My questions from Adi:

1)Your idea of a perfect Sunday: Lie in until about 12pm, and stay in my pjs watching romcoms or reality shows. (Yes I am quite lazy haha)

2)Your favorite music artist: I actually don't have one! I go through phases! At the minute I'm liking Hunter Hayes and Colbie Callait

3)What's your current favorite beauty product?: YSL Le Touche Eclat foundation (review coming soon!)

4)One thing in your life you just cannot do without?: My family and friends, they keep me sane :)

5)Your favorite colour: I love aqua blue, such a cheerful colour I think haha

6)For a night out, what would your outfit be?: Depends where I'm going. If its to a pub, jeans and a nice top and some heeled boots maybe. If its to a club, some form of dress (it involves no thinking) and heels

7)Your sun sign: I had to google that, but I have realized it is the same as star sign. I am a virgo!

8)Nail polish- bright, dark, neon or natural?: Depends what time of the year but I'm a fan of red nails or French manicure all year round

9)Your favorite scent (perfume): At the minute it's Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia

10)Piercings or tattoos?: I've none! As I've said...I'm terrified of needles

11)After 5 years where would you like to see yourself?: Well at the minute I'm trying to decide what direction to go with in my career but I really don't know yet. I'd just like to be really happy!

The 11 brilliant bloggers I've nominated:

1)Tales From The Kingdom

2)Beauty is Perfection

3)Aoife's Beauty Blog

4)Glamorous Glitter

5)Not your average

6)Fuchsia Forest

7)Blogging My Days Away

8)Emilie The Hackett

9)Little Miss Lifestyle

10) I Fell into yesterday

11)Deceptive Beauty

Questions for my nominees:

1)Why did you start blogging?

2)What's your all time favorite movie?

3) What was the first beauty product you ever bought?

4)What is your job/what are you studying in school or college?

5)What's your favorite song at the minute?

6)Who is your favorite blogger?

7)Are you a summer or winter person?

8)What perks you up when you're in a bad mood?

9)Do you sing to yourself in the car/shower?

10)What TV show do you love?

11)What's your favorite thing about yourself?

Please link me to your post when you're done, I would really love to read your answers!

Thanks again to Adi, I really enjoyed doing this post :)

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer Review

So I am well aware that everyone and their mother has been reviewing this product lately but when I'm buying a product I often read a ridiculous amount of reviews before purchasing just to make sure its extra good. So...I don't think one more review on this product is going to be too bad!



I'd been eyeing up Rimmel's Apocalips lip lacquer ever since the promo came out a while back. I was looking for a great long wearing red lip colour that didn't cause dryness and this product in the shade Big Bang looked perfect. However...it didn't come out in time for the event. (I did find another great product instead though, so check out this post to see what it was : http://bellissimabeauty18.blogspot.ie/2013/01/glossy-vixen-revlon-colorburst-lipgloss.html

Anyway, my urge to splurge didn't end after the event. When the product finally came into Boots, I was out on the prowl straight away. I had heard of all the great 3 for 2 offers in the UK but my Boots unfortunately wasn't as kind, so I just left with one. They were out of the Big Bang shade so I went for the shade Apocaliptic instead. This is a very bright pink with orangey undertones, that could cause it to be mistaken for a red shade. The shade is definitely not one for the faint hearted. I don't think I could wear it as an everyday colour but I already have it ready to go for my next night out.



The product has a doe foot applicator which makes applying it very easy. The product is also extremely smooth and goes on like a dream. Word of warning though, it is extremely pigmented and so, a little goes a very long way.



I was really very impressed with the wear of this product. It lasted a good 5/6 hours (it may last longer but that was all I had it on for) and was fine with drinking and eating. After a while, its glossiness faded but it still left a lovely stain just as pigmented as when it was applied.


Overall, for the value of this product, it is amazing. I'm always skeptical about products with this much hype but I really had nothing to fear. It reminds me very much of NYX Xtreme Lip Creams, which unfortunately we can't get in Ireland, so it was definitely a fantastic replacement for me.

XOXO,

B

Redken Shine Brilliance Shine Flash 02 - Buyer Beware!

I received Redken's Shine Brilliance Shine Flash 02 in a Birchbox last year, but had lost it before I got to use it. It resurfaced at the bottom of a bag last week and I was very excited to give it a try.
Redken describe this as a spray which "illuminates hair with brilliant sheen and a silky feel. Weightless formula gives a light, clean application to all hair types".

               

I sprayed it in my newly washed hair as I was about to go out the door and the first thing I noticed was the horrible scent. I'm usually not very fussy with scents, not really caring what my hair products smell like but this really was not pleasant at all.

As for the effect of the spray, it really didn't make any difference to my hair whatsoever. There may have been a very slight shine but I don't think I would have noticed except for the fact I was really looking for it.

The scent alone would have put me off buying it but the fact it's pretty much useless has cemented my dislike for the product. I have even noticed that there is an error in the spelling of the product on the bottle (notice it says 'brillance' instead of 'brilliance'). Save your money guys!

Mac Primped Out Eye Look Bag in Drama Taupe

So this Christmas, Mac came out with a large range of sets as they do every year. I got given the Mac Primped Out Eye Look Bag in Drama Taupe as a gift and was super excited to see what was inside!

               

So the gift set comes in a really cute little green/turquoise cheetah print box. Inside it includes a little makeup bag of matching print, an eyeliner, an eyeshadow duo, a mascara and a brush.

           

The first thing I'll talk about is the eyeshadow duo. It includes the shades Filament and Black Tied, both of which I think are permanent colors so can be bought individually. However, only one of these I would buy on its own. Black tied is a beautifully pigmented black shade with silver sparkles in it. It would a fantastic shade for eyeliner or if you're brave enough, a dark smokey eye would look amazing using this. The second shade, Filament, was very disappointing. It looks like a beautiful shimmery silver in the pan but when swatched it literally just shows up with no pigment other than silver glitter. I definitely would not wear this on its own but it would probably be nice put on top of a matte shade to make it shimmery.

      
         
                L-R: Filament, Black Tied, Engraved eyeliner

The brush is a 275SE Medium Angled Shading Brush. It is a nice soft brush that I think would be best used in the crease. It is good but I don't think I would purchase in full size.



The mascara is Mac's Opulash in 'Bad Bad Black'. I have terrible eyelashes (blonde and short) so there are very few mascaras I am wowed by. This is a nice mascara, nothing amazing but it is good. It's very black which is always a good thing and is a nice big brush which I generally like. It really reminds me of Benefit's Bad Gal Lash which was a favorite of mine for years. It creates a decent bit of volume and I'm sure would look fantastic on someone with nice eyelashes. It does however transfer a little bit after wearing it for a long time so if you have oily eyelids, it may create panda eyes.


The eyeliner included is Mac's Powerpoint eyeliner in Engraved. This is fantastic. I'm pretty picky about eyeliners but this is one of the best (maybe even the best) I have ever used. It is a very black colour and is very very pigmented. It goes on like a dream and is beautifully creamy. (See swatch above with eyeshadows). With other Mac eyeliners, I usually have a problem putting them on the waterline but this one went on very easily. it is waterproof and stayed on the waterline all day and didn't leave that horrible smudgy look under my eyes. It can also be blended out to create a smokey feel if you wish to do so and it sets really well. It alIt seems similar to me to the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners, but I actually think this is better. This is my standout product of the set      

Overall, it was a decent set. It was 58 euro, which I think would be worth it if the Filament eyeshadow was replaced with something you could wear on its own. It did however, introduce me to the Powerpoint eyeliner which I would never have bought otherwise, so that on its own made me happy.

Let me know if you've tried this or any of the other Holiday sets!

XOXO,
B

Beauty Tag

Was thinking it would be a nice idea to do something a bit different today. Was browsing through a couple of tags and thought this one was nice. It was taken from the lovely Glossed Beauty at www.glossedbeauty.com. Hope you learn a bit about me here, let me know if there's any other good tags you've come across

1. Is your hair naturally curly or straight?

Currently it's wavy! It has been both straight and curly at one stage though..thanks ever changing hair!

2. What is your natural hair colour?

It's a dark blonde/light brown colour

3. Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon?

I get highlights at a salon

4. How often do you wash your hair?

Every other day :)

5. Do you wear the same hair style every day or change it?

It's nearly always down but I like a variation between curly and straight!

6. Do you do your own mani/pedi or go to a salon?

Usually my own. If I'm in America though, I get my nails done in a salon coz its such good value

7. How often to you change your nail polish?

I'm a terrible nail biter so it chips really quickly. If I am wearing nail polish I'd change it every few days

8. Do you polish your toes in the winter, too or just in the summer?

I like a good french pedicure all year round.

9. How long does it take to put on your makeup?

I will honestly take up as much time as I'm given. If I'm in a super rush, I can do a full face of makeup in 5 minutes, but it can take me an hour on a night out if I'm giving myself pampering time!

10. What do you do first? Face or eyes?

Face!

11. Do you "collect" makeup or just buy what you need when you need it?

I say to myself I just buy things I need but I don't think I'm fooling anyone.

12. How often do you wear false eyelashes?

Rarely...I wear contacts and my eyes are super sensitive so I don't like putting anything on that would make them more irritated

13. Do you do a full face of makeup every day?

If I'm just lazing around the house I won't wear any makeup, but if I'm going out I do.

14. Do you wear makeup when you are home alone (or with family)?

Nope! I have acne prone skin so like to have my face clear of makeup whenever I can.

15. Will you leave the house without makeup?

It sounds bad to say but I rarely do.

16. How many high end products do you have?

I'd say 70%  of my makeup is high end. I do, however, like drug store mascaras and lip products.

17. How often do you wash your makeup brushes?

I am terrible at washing them...really only every couple of weeks..eek!

18. Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you are getting dressed?

When I'm getting dressed.

19. How often do you change your handbag?

I use the same handbag for college every day, but otherwise I just grab what goes best with my outfit.

20. What time do you get up & go to sleep?

Depends on my college timetable 

21. How often & when do you workout?

I use the treadmill about 4/5 times a week for 20 minutes

22. Left-handed or Right-handed?

Right

23. How tall are you?

About 5'7

24. Do you speak a foreign language?

A little bit of French...and an even smaller bit of Irish

25. How many pets do you have?

I've one doggy!

26. How often are you on Blogger?

A couple of times every day!

27. Do you read the comments posted on blogs?

Yes! 

28. Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?

I do indeed, its through reading these posts that get me buying products

29. How did you come up with your blog name?

I tried looking up various words for beauty/beautiful and liked the sound of Bellissima. It also is a play on my name!

30. What kind of camera do you use for photographs?

Fujifilm Finepix

31. How often do you clean your house? (Daily, weekly, other)

I still live at home so my parents do most of the cleaning (lucky me) but my room is cleaned about once a week because I rarely have time to do a good clean

32. What is your favorite colour?

I love Tiffany Blue

33. What is your favorite beauty/fashion magazine?

It's not specifically beauty/fashion but these are a large part of it...Nylon! I love the way it includes a decent bit of alternative style

34. Do you swear?

Not very much

35. What are you doing with the rest of your day?

It's 8pm now so just relaxing and watching TV!