Glam with a touch of Drama; Chit Chat Makeup Tutorial.

I managed to get one last makeup tutorial in on time for Christmas and of course it had to be dramatic yet glamorous! This was one of those looks that looks a bit crazy and, well... crap until it all comes to together in the end and then turns out fairly decent. 

Who says you can't do eyes and lips??!

Glitter Eyeliner Tutorial; 2 Ways!

Another glitter look, this time on the eyes. I love and hate glitter in near equal measure but the love wins out thanks to just how friggin' gorgeous it looks!

(The hate stems from how hard it is to remove & clean up!)

I filmed a tutorial showing how to apply glitter as eyeliner 2 ways, the first tutorial comes with a bit of fallout and but is probably the easiest one to do due to the products needed, the second one is very tidy and perfect for anyone who wears contacts or has very sensitive eyes!

Best Powder & Cream Face Products from 2014.

Part 2 of my favourite products from over the past year!

Watch Part 1 here...

Shiv.

xx

3D Gold Glitter Lips Tutorial!

I've been waiting for the Christmas Season to come around so I could finally try my hand at glitter lip art. This can be a tricky one to pull off, and by that I mean to have it look pretty and last for longer than just a few minutes!!

So here's how to apply glitter to your lips & make it last the night.
(Product list below!)

Best Primers, Foundations & Concealers from 2014.

Shiv.

xx

GRWM; My Work Christmas Party Makeup!

I had my work Christmas party last week where we went for a few drinks and dinner. (I bowed out before the nightclub, Nanna central here, lol ).

I decided to go for a very typical Christmas makeup look with the true red lips and warm brown smokey eyes. Hey, if it works!...

I was so surprised that my lips stayed on the whole evening despite the dinner and I only touched them up once, and even then I could have skipped the touch-up!

Scroll on down to see the full product list plus watch the video to see me applying said makeup :)

xx

Christmas Inspired High-Shine Makeup Tutorial. ft. Sleek Makeup

Helloooo Lovelies ^_^

I have been really enjoying knocking out the makeup tutorials lately, particularly the more festive ones on the run up to Christmas. When I was sent a few Sleek Makeup products a couple of weeks ago, the new 'Precious Metals' Highlighting palette in particular totally inspired me to create a super high-shine look, like the warm glow from candlelight or the reflected light from tinsel or Christmas tree baubles! 

Christmas Gift Guide for Her :)

FAMILY & FRIENDS ARE FORBIDDEN FROM WATCHING THIS VIDEO UNTIL AFTER CHRISTMAS 

:P

Cheers Guys!!

Shiv.

xx

November Favourites | Plus some duds 0_o

Max Factor 'Skin Luminizer' Foundation Demo & Review...

PRODUCTS MENTIONED;

WEEK 1;

Eucerin ‘Aquaphor’

Rimmel ‘Match Perfection’ Skin tone adapting Concealer

Coastal Scents ‘Flat Buffer’ Brush (16pc Pearl Brush Set)

Maybelline ’Fit Me’ Concealer #10

WEEK 2;

Max Factor 'Skin Luminizer Foundation' Review & Demo

A foundation I was sent a few months ago but that I've been using and loving, more & more lately is the Max Factor 'Skin Luminizer' Foundation. This is a 'radiance giving' foundation which contains pearlised pigments swirled throughout a matte base.

There are only 6 shades available sadly, which you can see swatched alongside MAC shades down below, but if you happen to match any of the shades that are available, I would highly recommend trying this one out!

Watch the video below for a full run-down of the foundation plus an application demo.

ThanksGiving Inspired Makeup Tutorial.

Hey Guys!

Tomorrow is ThanksGiving in the US and I wanted to do a video for my viewers who celebrate the holiday and hopefully offer some inspiration to anyone still unsure of what makeup to wear for the day. 

The eyes are inspired by candle light, thinking of the gorgeous dinner spreads I've seen on TV of Thanksgiving feasts, and all the products (listed below) are available in the US!!

Plus I kept the focus on the eyes so your lips wouldn't be ruined while stuffing yer faces :P

Hope you all like the look.

xx

Exotic, Cat Eye Makeup Tutorial | Angelina Jolie Eyes.

Want sultry, almond shaped cat eyes but don't have them naturally? Follow the tips in this video to make your eyes look more like Angelina Jolie's cat eye shape.

This technique is great for people with a round eye shape who would like to make them appear more almond in shape, it's also perfect for people with down turned eyes who would like to make them appear more lifted.

No Liquid Eyeliner needed!!!

'Rusted Metal' Smokey Eyes Makeup Tutorial ft; Zoeva

I decided to put my new Zoeva 'Mixed Metal' palette to good use after being sent one as a sample before it's release earlier this week. I already own 2 of their other palettes which I love and wasn't disappointed by the quality of this new addition. The texture of the shadows is like butter and I didn't bother using a base/primer under the shadows for this look to show just how intense and strong the pigments are!!

As well as amazing colour pay-off straight off the bat, the makeup lasted the entire day without any creasing or fading on the lids.

Shiv's Stash: What's New?? (A.K.A; Beauty Haul)

After a bit of a dry spell, I was recently sent a good few bits from various beauty brands as well as picking up a few items myself locally and definitely had more than enough to throw together in a 'Haul Video', though I quite hate that term so I'm giving 'Shiv's Stash; What's New?' a go to see how I get on with that. 

I'm in Makeup Brush/Eye Shadow Heaven with this lot so watch the video below to find out more about what has been added to the stash, and scroll on further below for any extra information.

Sparkling Purple Eyes Makeup Tutorial.

Who doesn't love a good purple smokey-ish eye for the Christmas Season, especially with a bit of sparkle thrown in?!

I flippin' well do, in fact its easily one of my favourite looks to do!

So I decided to bust out some of my old favourite purple MAC eyeshadows and create a purple-with-sparkle party eyes look to really kick off the Christmas inspired looks for this year.

Used up Beauty Products: Love or Regret? | Empties #9

I personally love looking at other people's 'Empties' videos on Youtube. There's something about nosing into people's rubbish I just can't resist! ha ha.

I am on my 9th instalment of my own 'Empties' Series on my Youtube Channel and am genuinely always surprised about how many products that stack up after a few weeks!!

Taylor Swift - Blank Space | Music Video Makeup Tutorial

Coming up to Christmas & Christmas Party Season, requests for tutorials involving red lips has increased 2 fold easily on my Youtube Channel.  And who am I to deny the masses?? :P

On Monday, Taylor Swift's new music video for 'Blank Space' was released on Youtube which sees her sporting a gorgeous bright red lipped makeup look and I figured I'd kill 2 birds with the one stone and use that as one of my red lip inspirations!!!

How to prevent Oily Lids! | Shiv's Tricks

A quick tip I recently picked up on how to prevent the dreaded oily lids eating your eyeshadow! 

Long Lasting Lipstick Routine | LetzMakeup

When I apply my makeup in the morning, my main aim is to have it last as long as possible without the need for touch-ups! Here I share my long lasting lipstick routine that always gets me through a long day at work or just when I am on the go.

Cosy Winter Haul | Primark, NewLook, SheInside

Autumn/Winter Fashion Haul featuring Primark, NewLook & SheInside.
 Are you guys as bonkers about layering as I am? xx

SheInside Wine Red Dress;

SheInside Floral Dress; (Out of Stock)

Shop all floral dresses here...

NewLook Hooded Cape;

NewLook Wide-Neck Top;

Music is Royalty Free & Provided by http://www.danosongs.com
Song; 'Matiere Noire Vibrante'
Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0" http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/"

Shiv.
xx

Grungy Smokey Eye GRWM | First Impressions ft; Coastal Scents & Olay

Hey Guys! 

I was heading to the cinema to see 'Night Crawler' (which was class btw) and to a Halloween party afterwards, so decided to film a get ready with me makeup tutorial, plus it's a first impressions, trying out some new makeup goodies! 

The Brushes and Cream were sent as samples for consideration.

October Favourites | Beauty & Random (plus a few duds!)

STUFF MENTIONED;

Apple ‘iPhone’ 6+

Sleek Makeup ‘I am Conditional’ Mascara

Wet ’n’ Wild ‘Color Icon’  Pencils

* Fab Fuchsia

* Plum Berry

* Black

20 Halloween Makeup Ideas!!!

Watch all my Halloween makeups here...

Mexican Sugar Skull Makeup; Día de los Muertos

My final look for this Halloween...

And instead of a Halloween Makeup, I chose to finish up with a Mexican Sugar Skull in honour of Day of the Dead.

Watch the video below to find out a little bit about the celebration if you are unfamiliar with it!

Realistic CAT Makeup Tutorial | Halloween 2014

CAT MAKEUP.

 My next tutorial for this Halloween 2014, this one's slightly less scary than the others though. Keep watching to learn how to transform yourself into a cat =^_^=

Zoeva 'Pink Elements' Brush Set Review.

The Zoeva lovely people at Zoeva HQ were good enough to send little ol' me one of their new 'Pink Elements' brush sets which were released on 27th of this month (yesterday!).

The two sets released are;

1. The 'Complete Eye Set'

This contains 12 makeup brushes designed for the eye area, and are a mix of natural and synthetic fibres.

Glam Smokey Eye Tutorial with a Twist! ft; Zoeva Cosmetics

Well would ya look who made a bit of effort with her hair for a change!!! :P

I wanted to road test the new Zoeva brush set I was recently sent & so created this tutorial to do just that, and instantly fell in love with the brushes!!

But in all fairness I already new I love them as I already have most of them in their usual black and silver outfits :)

Chit Chat 'Get Ready With Me' ft; Sleek Makeup | Cinema Night

A 'Get Ready With Me' / Sleek Makeup; Show & Tell Video... who doesn't like to kill two birds with the one stone???? (Poor birdies 0_o)

Your Tattoo Questions Answered!

Hey All :)

After my last couple of videos talking about my tattoos, I compiled some of the questions you guys were asking in relation to my tattoos and tattoos in general and answer some of them here!!!

Hope it helps!

Shiv.

xx

Black Widow Makeup Tutorial | Easy, Glam Halloween Look.

You Guys asked and I answered...

Here it is! 

An easy, achievable glam Halloween makeup tutorial which is a remake on one I did back in 2009 which ye can watch here...

Makeup Atelier Paris Review ft. Waterproof Gel Foundation & More!!

All products by

Makeup Atelier Paris;

http://makeupatelier.ie/

Waterproof Gel Foundation FTG1Y

http://makeupatelier.ie/home/5-gel-foundation.html

Getting Tattooed & My New Tattoo!!

I TOTALLY forgot to add this post/video here after getting my newest tattoo at the recent 2nd annual Galway Tattoo Convention. 

I have already done a video showing my other older tattoos and the stories behind them which you can watch here...

My friend Jeremy Switzer, who is a phenomenal tattooist, was over from Portland, Oregon, US and I had him pre-booked for ages to get more added to my sleeve. I love his style of tattooing and trust him 100% as an artist.

Ultimate Fall Makeup | First Impressions & Mini Reviews!

Just because its finally October, doesn't mean I can't knock out a few non-Halloweeny makeup tutorials, and that's exactly what this is!

It's very much Autumn/Winter inspired using very rich warm eyeshadows on the lids (All from inglot) and a beautiful intense burgundy on the lips!

Studded Ape Skull Makeup Tutorial | Halloween '14

This tutorial was more of an experiment rather than a well thought out planned design, but sometimes winging it on a very basic idea works out! Not 100% happy with it but it could've been a lot worse...

And I love just sitting down, playing with makeup and seeing where things go; 

I highly recommend you all do the same!!

Crazy Clown Makeup | Halloween 2014

Oh Halloween, how I love thee...

I figured it was about time for another clown makeup and this one is a messy looking, slightly unhinged little Fecker :P

But surprisingly easy to apply!!

Watch the tutorial at the bottom of this post to see how I applied it.

You will need;

Glue Stick (Non-toxic & washable!)

Water in spray bottle

September FAVOURITES

STUFF MENTIONED;

Essence ‘All About Matt’ Oil Absorbing Sheets

Tweezerman Eyelash Curlers

Get Bigger Lips like Kylie Jenner. (With Makeup)

Over the past month or so, my most requested look or tutorial both in my retail job & on Youtube has been how to achieve the Kylie Jenner lip look. It's mad how something like his can just catch on and go beyond wild!!! While her makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic claims that her fuller lips is down to plain ol' makeup and clever application with over lining, the fib is apparent when looking at pictures like the one at the bottom of the series of images here of Kylie.

Used up Beauty Products; Love or Regret? | Empties #8

PRODUCTS MENTIONED;

No.7 Makeup Brush Cleanser

MAC Brush Cleanser

Downton Abbey 'No Makeup' Makeup | Chit Chat Tutorial

The Crawley Sisters of ITV's Downton Abbey.

This was a request from my sister Eithne to celebrate the return of Downton Abbey to our tv's last Sunday night!! It's most definitely a 'no-makeup' makeup look inspired by the fictional Crawley sisters, very natural yet polished and would be perfect for school or work. Best of all, it would take very little time to apply.

Zombie Makeup Tutorial | Halloween 2014

Well!!

This is actually my first ever proper Zombie look, not sure why I never did one before, anyhow it's easy to achieve, perfect for Halloween and I would give about 2 hours to apply in total at most!! (Mostly because of waiting for the latex to dry)

Demi Lovato Makeup Tutorial | OOTD | Shoe Haul

Howdy my Lovelies :)

I was inspired to recreate a look I came across online worn by the beautiful Demi Lovato (below) as it's a perfect one for this time of year transitioning into the cooler winter period. (My favourite!!!)

...Plus silver is a colour I don't often reach for so always good to go a little outside of the ol' comfort zone in the name of beauty!

3D SPIDER; Halloween Makeup

Yay! It's my favourite time of year again... the run up to Halloween. (I think I actually prefer the run up to the actual day!)

I was planning on starting my videos last week but wasn't feeling the greatest, so started with an easy enough design for people to re-create, and an easy one for me to do :)

This is a fun makeup to try out to scare the pants off of people, especially since most people seem to be terrified of spiders. 

*shudders*

How to look Healthy! ...when you feel like Poo :(

PRODUCTS USED:

Vichy ‘Aqualia Thermal’ Dynamic Serum

Vichy ‘Idealia Eyes’ Eye Contour Idealizer

Nivea ‘Q10 Dark Spot Day Cream’ SPF30

Chit Chat Unboxing & Haul!

Cat Eye Liner; Sophia Loren Inspired Tutorial.

Hey lovelies,

We are pretty much all eyeliner obsessed here I think it's safe to say, and thanks to icons like the beautiful Sofia Loren who turns 80 later this month on Sept 20 we have loads of inspiration to draw from when in a rut. That's what happened here, I was kind of bored with my usual liner look and when I came across a picture of Sofia I immediately wanted to recreate her iconic look and share it with you Guys :)

This is perfect for rounder eye shapes or for anyone who wants to enhance their already almond shaped eyes!

PRODUCTS USED;

Catrice Velvet Matte EyeShadow 010 ‘Vanillaty Fair’

Olay Essentials 'Glow Perfectors'.

I can't say I get overly excited by limited edition packaging when it comes to my beauty products, I either like & use them, or I don't. Olay is a brand I've used quite frequently since my teens as my mom used it back in the day, (still does!) and I of course stole hers :)

The 3 stars of today's post by Olay have been repackaged for a limited edition release and the new look designed by Jewellery designer Daisy Knights... I'll admit, I've never heard of her before this.

Basically she was inspired by a trip to the Caribbean and used that inspiration to create the packaging. 

AUGUST FAVOURITES | LETZMAKEUP

PRODUCTS MENTIONED;

WEEK 1/2;

Vichy ‘Aqualia Thermal’ Dynamic Serum

http://www.letzmakeupblog.com/2014/08/new-vichy-aqualia-thermal-serum-light.html

Catrice Nail Polish ‘Berry Potter & Plumbledore’ #46

Catrice Nail Polish ‘Must Have STEELetto’ #62

Nicki Minaj - Anaconda Makeup Tutorial

Howdy Guys :)

I wasn't planning initially on doing another celebrity inspired makeup look this week but after the release of Nicki Minaj's new and highly controversial music video for 'Anaconda', I was inundated with requests to recreate the look she wore in the video, and figured I may as well do it while people are still interested in it! I was actually a little surprised that people noticed the makeup enough to request it considering everything else that's going on in the video!! Ha ha, anyhow, here's my take on it.

Hope you like it Guys!!

Current Hair Care Routine!

C/o; Products sent as samples.

My hair care routine is usually pretty much the same all the time, I shampoo & condition every second day, use a treatment in between every second cleanse and then use my various leave-in treatments/styling products when needed. But the products I use do vary slightly from time to time. 

If you are interested in what I'm using at the moment, then you're about to find out!!

I am still using my Aussie shampoo and conditioner thanks to pr samples, and these are actually the exact same formula as the last ones I blogged about here, just with a different limited edition design on the bottles! The formula is super moisturising and perfect for my over-processed locks.

EYESHADOW FOR BEGINNERS! Tips, Tricks & Application.

Hey hey! 

One of the most asked-for lessons I get from both clients in work and subscribers on YouTube is how to apply eyeshadow (and it's usually the elusive 'smokey eye').

It can absolutely seem daunting at first but with just a few tips it can be much less intimidating, and definitely with a bit of practice you'll be flying with it in no time!!

Used up Beauty Products; Empties #7!

My latest 'Empties' video :)

Shiv.

xx

FIRST IMPRESSIONS TUTORIAL | NYX, Catrice & Physicians Formula.

Hello again Lovelies,

I recently picked up some products from a local pharmacy that stocks NYX Cosmetics and now Physicians Formula, as well as a few Catrice items, and very patiently waited to use them all together in a First Impressions video! I personally love watching these types of videos from other people so hopefully you guys will enjoy this one :)

Full list of products below.

Shiv.

xx

Maximize your Lashes!! (No Clumps)

Some of my easy to follow tips on how to achieve big, voluminous lashes without false lashes!!

Hope it helps :)

Shiv.

xx

NEW! Vichy 'Aqualia Thermal' Serum & Light Cream.

Oh Vichy, you do know how to woo a girl!!

...and this time they have done it with the help of their 2 newest hydrating skin saviours from the 'Aqualia Thermal' range, the 'Dynamic Hydration Serum' and the 'Dynamic Hydration Light Cream'.

I already briefly showed and mentioned these in a recent 'Unboxing' video on Youtube but they definitely deserve their very own blog post. I had said in that video how I was going to wait to finish off another serum I had been using before breaking out the Vichy one, but that didn't exactly happen. I tried the Vichy one just to get a feel for it and was hooked! My skin felt soooo lovely and super hydrated and best of all it's extremely fluid and 'soaks' in to the skin in no time. So when my boyfriend's mother mentioned how she wasn't currently using any serums, I selflessly offered the other serum I was supposed to finish off. Problem solved!!

My Tattoos & their Stories!

This video has been a long time coming, about 5 years to be precise, but I decided to finally bite the bullet and upload my Tattoo Story. I've been so reluctant to do this as I'm quite a shy/private person who definitely doesn't show excess skin in my daily life but it's up now and out there so please enjoy and make sure to like the video if you would like to see future updated tattoo videos on my Youtube channel!

Bright Gold & Purple Eye Tutorial ft: Sleek Makeup 'Rio Rio' Palette

Hey Lovelies :)

Hope ye are all having a great week, and happy hump day!! I personally have always liked Wednesdays, I get to look back over what I've already done for the week and decide what needs to be done before the week's end. 

Today's tutorial is fun and bright and done using Sleek Makeup's 'Rio Rio' i-divine palette as promised!!

(Available here while stocks last)

July Favourites!

Hey Guys!

Incase anyone missed my July favourites over on my Youtube Channel, here's the video :)

It's a little shorter than usual and shows some of my favourite pieces of jewellery as well as the usual makeup & beauty bits!
(The makeup I'm wearing in the video is from this tutorial)

PRODUCTS SHOWN;

New! Sleek Makeup 'Bare Skin' Foundation.

Sleek Makeup recently introduced us to their newest complexion base, 'Bare Skin' Foundation, which promises to provide "weightless coverage with a flawless 'no makeup' look and feel".

It's a light or sheer consistency formula that offers a natural skin-like finish.

'Arabian Nights' Makeup Tutorial ft. Sleek Makeup

Hey Guys :)

Time for a new makeup tutorial, and it's another Arab inspired makeup look! I recently recreated a Rihanna look that was called 'Rihanna of Arabia' from a Harper's Bizaar Magazine Cover Shoot, and I also created a super dramatic Arab inspired look last month. It's easily one of my favourite makeup aesthetics to draw inspiration from!

Sleek Makeup just released today another limited i-Divine EyeShadow palette called 'Arabian Nights' which happens to co-inside with the end of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid Mubarak. Good timing Sleek!!

The Beauty Scenario TAG!

Shiv.

xoxo

Cheryl Cole (Fernandez Versini) Signature Smokey Eye / Pink Lips Makeup Tutorial.

Hey Guys, 

The Gorgeous Cheryl Cole, now officially going by her new exotic (well exotic in the UK & Ireland anyhow!) married surname of Fernandez Versini, is very prolific in the press at the minute due to her recent surprise nuptials. And this has got everyone interested in her yet again, which of course prompted requests! I'm very happy to do one of her signature looks as it's super pretty yet easy to achieve and will suit just about everyone!!!

Catrice Products Discontinuing Fall '14...

Hey Guys :)

As I mention in todays video, Catrice are discontinuing a load of products to make way for the new season stuff!! (There's a tonne of new fab items coming ^_^)

Find out here exactly what's going.... Some of the bits are well loved by myself and many others so ye may want to pick a few bits up before they are gone!!

Watch the video for my run down of the products going...

Click on the charts below to enlarge!!

'Rihanna of Arabia' Makeup Tutorial

The real deal -v- my interpretation! 

When I saw the recent Harper's Bazaar Rihanna Cover shown above, I was totally compelled to recreate the beautiful makeup she wore. The look was beautifully applied by Rihanna's personal makeup artist Lora Arellano, (check out her instagram here) who I am a big fan of. 

I, of course, tweaked it a little as usual to suit myself and to personalise it, but it's more or less a direct copy of the original look!

Catch the full product list below....

MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 Foundation; EVERYTHING you need to know!

Hey Guys :)

I was running through the videos I've already done in which I've reviewed foundations and surprised myself to see I hadn't solely covered MAC's Studio Fix Fluid yet. (I did touch on it in this video)

This is easily the one foundation that I am most familiar with... that's out of every foundation to ever exist people!

I have been using this both on myself and in my kit for 10+ years and decided I may as well share my knowledge on all things to do with it.

Watch the video to get the full run-down as well as application etc.

Hope it helps!

Chat soon,

Shiv.

xx

Empties #6! Used up Beauty Products.

PRODUCTS MENTIONED;

Benefit ‘Stay Don’t Stray’ Eye Primer

Barbara Daly ‘Face Lift’ Foundation

StarGazer ‘Eye Dust’ #26

MAC ‘Prep & Prime’ Lip

MAC ‘Fling’ EyeBrow Pencil

MAC ‘False Lashes’ #’s 33 & 36

Beachy Waves for Dummies :)

Naked 3 Dupe! W7 'In the Nude' Palette... only €7.50

W7 Cosmetics are old pro's now at copying well loved high-end makeup items and offering affordable dupes. They have blushers and bronzers just like Benefits, a contour kit the same as the Tom Ford one and of course their 'In the Buff' palette which is a dupe for Urban Decay's 'Naked' 2 palette. 

Now they have released a dupe for the 'Naked 3' palette in the shape of 'In the Nude'.

Latest Aussie Hair Goodies :)

Products sent for consideration*

It only took me forever but I finally finished off the 2 shampoos and 2 conditioners that I've been using for the past few months, which means I finally get to make a start on these guys. (They've been sitting on a shelf for over a month) 

The shampoo and conditioner are part of the Miracle Moist range which are designed for dry/damaged hair. They both contain Australian Macadamia Nut Oil which infuses the hair shaft with essential moisture. It also smooths out the hair helping to minimize frizz. They have the usual delicious floral scent which the Aussie products are known for.