Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Body Lotion & Why I'll Never Wear Aftersun Again

There's something so special about the smell of holidays. You know the one. Whether it's the scent of sun cream mixed with sea air, that heady waft that hits you as you step out of the airport, or drops of vanilla on your skin from hastily licked melting ice cream. The body products we pack in our suitcases can also remind us of holidays: one of mine is Hawaiian Tropic's tanning oil (yes I'm insane) and lazy days by the pool in Tenerife.

I'm a long time fan of Palmer's products- namely their Cocoa Butter Formula body lotion. Being made from mostly natural, and sustainable ingredients and also due to the fact they're cruelty free. So when I saw their new Coconut Oil Body Lotion in Boots (priced at €5.49), I knew it was coming to Portugal with me.

Aftersun Schmastersun

I decided to ditch the aftersun and just use this instead, as all aftersun does is rehydrate skin.

First off the smell is divine. Coconuts and almonds mix together to make a nutty heaven. The scent is also lasting, and I still could smell it (though faintly) after 12 hours.

It's thick, but super easy to apply, and a little does go quite a long way. I found it to absorb quickly, and by the time I applied my hair heat protecting spray I was able to get dressed without everything sticking to me. 

I'm one of those unfortunate people to suffer from dry skin. As I knew I'd be in the sun most of the day, I needed something that would keep my skin really hydrated, and also relieve any redness from sun exposure. Fantastically, this lotion does exactly that. I had some redness on my back and shoulders one evening after my parents abandoned me all day to go to the beach. After two applications of this all traces of red had completely disappeared. I've come home with tanned, healthy looking smooth skin.

The Science Bit

It's made from 100% sustainably sourced coconuts, Tahitian Monoï Oil, and infused with Tiaré flower petals. (Monoï is pronounced mah-noy and it's an infused perfume oil made from soaking Tahitian gardenias, or Tiaré flowers in coconut oil, doncha know). There's also a heap of naturally occurring fatty acids and proteins that helps keep skin plump and looking moisturised. There's also vitamin E oil, which is a great antioxidant, hydrator, anti-inflammatory, and helps protect skin against cell mutation in the sun. 

Sure what more could you want?

I honestly found this to be a brilliant product, and really loved using it.I've been home for a couple of days and am still applying it every night, and plan on repurchasing when this bottle runs out.
So what are your favorite holiday smells? Let me know in the comments below, as I'd love to hear them!

Is There Anything to Love About Kim's Kardazzle Palette?

I'll be honest, I'm not a Kim Kardashian fan. At all. In fact the entire Kardashian klan (couldn't resist) definitely aren't on my Christmas card list. However, I've heard of Khroma, the line started by Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe, and was definitely excited to try this.

I picked up Kim's Kardazzle Palette, and whoever named it needs to be fired, but nevertheless I'll let it slide.

The palette packaging is undeniably gorgeous: grey snakeskin effect with the Khroma logo in silver on the bottom right hand corner. The lid opens up to reveal a mirror and the eight shadows, while the face powders slide out from the bottom. It's around the same size as a credit card so perfect for travel, and doesn't come with any brushes. Probably a good thing seeing as most palette brushes are rubbish.

This palette contains eight eyeshadows (four shimmers and four mattes), and a blush, highlighter, and bronzer.

None of the individual colours are named, so for convenience I've numbered them 1-8.

They range from a matte light, dove grey to a carbon black shimmer, with teal and navy thrown into the mix. The mattes definitely let this palette down with very little pigmentation. 

1. Matte black. Pigmentation was good, and it applied very smoothly.

2. Light dove grey matte. Absolutely terrible pigmentation, very dry and stiff. Lovely colour, but a pain to use.

3. Charcoal matte grey. I absolutely love this colour, however pigmentation was ever so slightly lacking. Still, it was easy enough to build up, and way creamier than #2.

4. Matte teal. Very similar to #3 pigmentation-wise. Teal was definitely a nice addition to the palette, but not an essential. It honestly looks a lot better in the pan.

5. White shimmer. Awful awful awful. Crumbly, cakey, and the fallout was intense. A lovely highlight colour, but a nightmare to use. It took ages to smooth out and even then, it still looks patchy.

6. Navy shimmer. Definitely one of the best colours in this palette. Smooth, creamy, and so easy to work with. Really helped make up for the disastrous white shimmer.

7. Silver shimmer. Yet again, creamy, easy to apply, and a smooth finish.

8. Black shimmer. Brilliant pigmentation, and would be a real star if it weren't for the masses of fallout. I didn't even apply much product to my brush, and there were little specks flying everywhere. Definitely one to apply before doing the rest of your face 

This palette was designed with smoky eyes in mind, similar to those of Kimmy K. While they definitely have the dark colours and highlights there, I was very disappointed with the lack of transition colours. One nude would have been a welcome addition (or replacement for that darn light grey).

As for the blush, highlight, and bronzer, these absolutely steal the show. Pigmented, easy to apply, and in lovely shades.

Blush. The blush is a very pigmented, vibrant bubblegum pink. It was very easy to build and had a very smooth finish. Due to the vibrancy of it, I'd recommend building up bit by bit (this has clown-cheek syndrome written all over it).

Bronzer. Light terracotta would be the best way of describing the colour of this. It applied lightly but was easily buildable. While the product consistency is good, I'm a bit iffy on the colour. It has a slightly orange tinge to it, so could be a risk on fair skintones.

Highlight. White gold with a hint of champagne, super easy to apply and very pigmented. 

So while the blush and bronzer are in my opinion so- so, this highlighter is HEAVENLY. It's a super useable colour that would suit most skintones and was a total pleasure to use. There's also a gorgeous iridescence (that my camera skills don't do justice to) under certain light. Definitely the star of the palette and I wish it was available separately.

Just look at it! Absolute champagne gold perfection.

Speaking of availability, Khroma is a difficult enough brand to track down Ireland. I was lucky enough to find this in TKMaxx, but have never actually seen it anywhere else. The website names Cloud 10 as a stockists, but it's not in the brand selection there. 

Now I did get lucky and only paid €5.99 for this, but after doing a bit of detective work I found that these usually retail for €16.95. Which I think is a bit of a ripoff. For the quality of the eyeshadows (that damn light grey) I'd be happy to pay €12/ €13 at most for this. 

So what do you think of this palette, or any other Khroma products? Also, I'd love to hear and better (or worse!) possible alternative names for this palette.

Claire x

MakeUp Brush Guide Part Two: How To Spot Clean Your MakeUp Brushes

'I love cleaning my makeup brushes'.
Said no one ever.
Let's face it, makeup brush cleaning is no one's favorite job. It's time consuming, mind numbing, and repetitive. However the benefits far outweigh the negatives: your brushes have a longer life, makeup application is easier, and the risk of bacteria transfer is lessened. No more mini civilizations living in your brushes!

I have two ways of keeping my brushes lovely and clean: spot cleaning and deep cleaning. In this post I'm going to give a rundown on spot cleaning, as it's an everyday job that doesn't take much time, and does so much good in the long run.

To clean your brushes you'll need:
- brush cleaner (MAC, No7, Crown Brush, Cinema Secrets, MakeUp Forever, Bobbi Brown, BateMonerals. Do NOT use plain rubbing alcohol*)
- towel, kitchen paper, or a face cloth
- small cup with 20ml water
- drying rack or something to keep your brushes vertical/ at an angle
*rubbing alcohol by itself will just dry out your brush bristles and handle over time

For powder products and small to medium brushes: 
Start off by using your chosen brush to apply a product. 
Once you've used a brush, simply squirt a small amount of cleaner onto your clothes or kitchen paper. 
Gently rub the brush back and forth to remove any leftover product. 
Pop your brushes into your drying rack and leave to dry.

For cream/ liquid products: these are definitely a bit trickier. I found MAC cleaner to really under perform in removal when using the powder technique, especially with my 187 foundation brush. 
What I do now is add a squirt of cleaner to the water in your cup, and swirl it around. You can also press it against the edges but be careful to not get liquid high up in the brush so the fibres don't loosen. 
Gently press into the cloth to remove and water, and repeat if necessary. These will take a little longer to dry but it definitely helps prevent product build up.

So that's it! If you clean as you go, it takes absolutely no time at all and can easily be built in to your everyday routine. The best bit? Make up cleansers contain isopropyl alcohol, so dry almost instantly, meaning you can use the same brush again after a few minutes. Winner!

I hope this has helped some of you anyway! Let me know below if you have a different method, or can recommend another brushe cleaner. I've got my eye on the Make Up For Ever one but would love to hear any suggestions!

Claire x

Blog Introduction.

Hello!

So most likely you're one of my friends that I've forced into reading this, but if you're not then you're my hero today!

About Me

I'm Claire and I'm twenty-two. I live in Dublin in an apartment with my roommate. His name is Nox and he's my kitten (bet you didn't see that one coming).

I'm a college dropout, aspiring makeup artist, and I've been a professional hoodie folder for four years.

Why Am I Blogging?

I started blogging three years ago, but had a lot going on at the time so decided to stop. Recently I made the decision to take it up again after realizing how much I missed it.

I love makeup, and all things beauty related so am constantly reading different blogs. I wanted to share my thoughts and ideas, after being inspired by so many others.

What This Blog Is About

Beauty reviews, swatches, lifestyle posts,

story time and anything else in between.

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