Review - Lóréal Magic Retouch

A relatively new product on the market is the Lóréal magic retouch spray and I recently decided to jump on the bandwagon and give it a try, unfortunately however I am ridiculously disappointed in this product.

 It had been a couple of months since I last got my roots done so I thought this would be the perfect product to get me through the next week until I had time to get to the salon. I picked up the little can in Penney's for €12.99 and thought it wouldn't fail me, Eva Longoria was the face of it for Chrsit sake she's not going to lie to me....SHE LIES LADIES!!!!! EVA LONGORIA LIES!!!

  As you can see from the picture below I have very light blond hair so naturally I decided to try out the 'light blonde' spray. It comes in a wide range of colours and I have heard the black one is good at covering grey hairs so maybe it's just the blond that's useless?
I sprayed it on dry, styled hair from 10cm back and waited for the magic to happen.... Long story short I'm still waiting and if anything it made my roots darker.
I thought that maybe my roots were a little bit too dark for the product so after two weeks of getting my roots done I tried it again and to be honest I was more disappointed than I was the first time. Like the last time I sprayed it on my dry hair and I'm not joking when I say it genuinely made my roots so much darker than they already were.
 They almost looked ginger in colour and the texture, it was disgusting. My hair felt dirty and gritty as if I hadn't washed it in weeks and had just walked through a dusty building site it was awful, and days on it still felt horrible and dry.

Overall out of ten I'd give this product 1 star I genuinely wouldn't recommenced it to anyone. I asked my hairdresser about it and she said it just simply does not work on blond so maybe you'll have better luck with the dark browns and blacks but if you want my advice, save your money and put it towards getting your hair done at the salon, much better believe me!!

My beauty Secret - Petroleum Jelly

In my twenty one years on earth I've tried and tested too many beauty products to name but one thing that has never, ever failed me is the trusted petroleum jelly otherwise known as 'Vaseline'.

Growing up, like every other Irish household there's always been a tub of Vaseline lying around. This was usually used when I'd fall and scrape my knee which surprisingly happened a ridiculous amount of times however it wasn't until I got older that I realised Vaseline had 101 uses and it's one of the products I'd recommend the most.
 Here's a couple of things I use Vaseline for:

Eyelashes- 
 As odd as this may sound my number one use for Vaseline is to thicken and strengthen my lashes. I remember being really young and hearing this but a few months ago I really started to give it a chance and the difference it's made is phenomenal.
 I completely cover the lashes in the product and then use an old washed mascara wand to spread them amongst my lashes just before going to bed. I then wake up, curl them and they're genuinely so separated and long it's a miracle.
I have tiny blonde lashes so anything that will make a difference for me is perfect, Even for those make up free days I do this and it makes such a huge difference.

Moisturiser- 
As moisturisers go I would never really pass Aveeno but when my skin is feeling very dry or I want it to be very soft I will always used Vaseline and believe me when I say it makes a huge difference. I hate the feeling of pure Vaseline on my skin when I'm going to sleep so what I usually do is mix it in with my Aveeno and trust me you'll never pass it by again.

Keeps Perfume Lasting Longer- 
Not a lot of people know this but if you put a little blob of Vaseline on the wrist, behind the ears or wherever you put your perfume then it will genuinely make the scent last longer.

Makes skin softer - 
I get very dry skin on my hands especially around Winter and there's nothing that works better than Vaseline, I cake it on my hands, cover with gloves and when I wake up the dry skin is gone!!
 There's hundreds of hand lotions out there but there's nothing cheaper and more effective than this stuff.

Softens Lips-
What we all know Vaseline is meant for, growing up through primary and secondary school everyone had a little tin of Vaseline in their pencil case and I was no different. As I got older not much has changed and I apply it morning and night to my lips before exfoliating them with an old toothbrush.

Cleans Up Nail Varnish Disasters- 
I'm a disaster at painting nails, I kid you not I couldn't be any worse and most of the time I don't really care about it but when there's something where I have to have immaculate nails then I take the extra time to put Vaseline on a cotton bud and wipe it around my cuticles so when the nails are dried you wipe off the product and Bob's your uncle you've perfect nails.

So there you have it, six uses of Vaseline that you may not know about, but now you do thanks to me!!

Q&A With Inglot MUA Lydia Everett

Waterford based MUA (make up artist) Lydia Everett is without a doubt one of the most stunning, creative women I know. Having started out as a self taught freelancer she now works with one of the countries biggest brands, Inglot and is quickly becoming one of the most in demand make up artists in the country.

From her favourite beauty products to her soon to be YouTube account I hope you enjoy this little Q&A with the fabulous Lydia Everett. 

So Lydia, how did you get involved in the beauty industry? 

I was always interested in makeup since school but I didn't know I wanted a career in it until I was about 19. I actually did a year of Equine Science in UL and realised that wasn't for me and then I got into makeup.

What's a typical day like for you? 

A typical day is going to work in Inglot and doing makeovers, makeup lessons, courses etc and then when I go home I do snapchat tutorials if im not too tired. My snapchat name is makeupbylydie 

Where do you get your inspiration from? 

I like to keep all the looks I do really different. I don't think I have a certain style of makeup I love trying out different looks. Most of my inspiration comes from random artists I find on Instagram. The girls I work with really inspire me as well were constantly learning off each other.

What MUA's do you admire? 

Plouise, Stacey Marie McDonald, Emily Casanova, Jamie Genevieve and all my Inglot gals.

What's the best thing about being a make up artist? 

It's probably the easiest and most enjoyable job in the world if you have a genuine passion for it. It never gets boring because there's always new trends and looks to try.

You have a huge following on Snapchat now, but how do you feel about having these new 'fans' 

 I wouldn't say fans now I cringed when I read that word lol but I'm so thankful for the followers I do have they're always asking questions and recreating looks I do and it really motivates me to keep active on social media.

You often comment about people screenshotting make up free snaps of you, what are the downsides to having a hugely active snapchat account? 

 Yeah that's one of the downsides I try not to let it bother me too much.. I don't mind when I have makeup on or there's a caption with the name of products etc but it's hard not to feel like some girls are slagging you off!

Are you going to make a YouTube Chanel?

Yeah I've been wanting to make one for a while now but I am nervous of negative comments etc at least with snapchat it's just there 24 hours but YouTube is a bit scarier.

What advice would you give aspiring MUA's?

My main advice is to keep practising and watching lots of different tutorials.. there's so many makeup artists out there now so you want to make yourself stand out by always trying different looks and developing your own style.

What are your top 5 Inglot products?

Duraline, eyeshadows, body sparkles, 77 gel liner and under eye concealer.

What's it really like working for Inglot?
I love working for Inglot I've had unbelievable training with our regional trainer Sarah Cummins and I feel like I'm constantly improving since I started working with Inglot. I made so many friends since I started working there as well were like a lil family. 

How long does it take you to get ready for work? 
On a normal day around an hour to do my makeup and when we have trend days maybe another half an hour.

What's your signature look?
I'm not sure if I have a signature look because I'm always trying different looks.. maybe cut crease or half cut crease because I do prefer dramatic looks.

What are the challenges MUA's have to face?

Probably hate from other girls.. a lot of girls slag MUAS because there are sooo many MUAs out there but it doesn't really bother me much.. I think it kinda makes you look like an asshole if you slag someone for doing something they love.

What beauty product can you not live without?

Lashes definitely because I feel like I look like an egg without them lol.. and brow gel is another must have. 

Do you have any other interests outside of make up and work?

I'm gone kind of lazy at the moment I used to do a lot of horse riding but now I go to the gym 2 times a week if I can.

Finally Lydia what can people expect from you?
I'm trying to do more tutorials and eventually I'lll start a YouTube channel.. I'm also trying to start doing more freelance makeup/lessons/courses etc and I can be contacted through my email everettlydia@gmail.com

So there you have it a quick Q&A with who in my opinion is one of, if not the greatest make up artist in the country. I wouldn't go to anyone other than Lydia anymore she's so talented and such a lovely girl.
Be sure to follow Lydia on the forums below...

Snapchat - makeupbylydie

Facebook - makeupbylydie

Instagram - lydiaeverett_makeup

Thanks so much Lydia for answering these questions for us :) 

My €3 Secret Weapon

False Lash Applicator - Boohoo.com

Buy It Here

One of the things I hate about myself are my eyelashes, they're incredibly blonde so without mascara you wouldn't think I have any lashes whatsoever and it annoys me so much. During the day a lick of mascara does the job but for any night out I don't feel complete without a pair of false eyelashes and believe me when I say for the amount of times I've applied them I should be a lot better at it.

 Every single time before I put on lashes I say a quick prayer to the beauty Gods and I'm not even joking, I can't tell you the amount of times putting them on has caused me to have a major breakdown and stopped almost stopped me going out, honestly those girls who can put them on with no hassle I salute you. 

I didn't go out of my way to find an eyelash applicator to be totally honest with you I didn't even know they existed until I was scrolling through Boohoo one night doing what girls do, filling up the basket with everything I want to buy and then heading to the checkout and laughing to myself before logging off but this one night I came across these 'falsh lash applicators' and for only €3 I thought shur why the hell not lets just try them out.

When they arrived I thought they were the weirdest looking things ever, kind of like a little peg but when the night came to try them out I was flabbergasted! After applying a layer of 'duo' glue I just went with it, I didn't know if I was doing it right, didn't know if it was going to work but after pushing them on within thirty seconds both eyelashes were on and they were perfect, I had never in my life put on such perfect eyelashes in my whole entire life and all because of this little €3 gem!!

The more I used them the easier they got and it's minimum effort and you can't really go wrong, mark my words they've changed my eyelash appliance life and I love them. 

REVIEW - Nyx Liquid Illuminator

I've found a gem, a small little ridiculously gorgeous glowy gem and as you may have guessed from the title of this post it is the NYX Liquid Illuminator . One day (about a week after my 21st birthday so I was rolling in the dosh) and decided I would go on a makeup spending spree in Sam McCualeys chemist and picked up heaps of little bits that I hadn't tried before and the liquid illuminator was one of those products.
 It cost about €10 in Sam McCualeys but from my first time trying it I knew it was so worth the money.
If you've ever read my blog post on highlighter and contour then you'll know how much I love looking glowy and if you're like me and love it too then this is a product you should definitely invest in with so many options to create a dewy base it's flawless.

How To Use: 

The bottle in itself is small but believe me when I say a little goes a very long way, when using this product you have 4 options with it... I love having options!!
1. Use it as a foundation base. After you prep and prime your face you can simply use the product before putting on foundation to create an extremely dewy finished look.
2. Use along the cheekbones and cupids bow after your foundation has been applied. This is what I tend to do, it needs very little product and makes the world of a difference.
3. Mix a pea size amount in with your foundation. This is what I also do, by looking at the foundation you don't really notice there's anything mixed into it but when it's on the skin it's radiant you really are glowing!!
4. And finally your fourth option and once again it's a trick I learned off Youtuber Jamie Genevieve  and that's to use this product when you aren't even wearing any makeup to still get that glow!! Yep you heard me highlighting without wearing any makeup and I will no longer leave my house without makeup if I don't have this product run along my cheekbones.

So as you can see there are so many options to this product it's so diverse and it also now comes in four different shades to suit everyone.
 http://www.sammccauley.com/product/nyx-born-to-glow-liquid-illuminator/23178/2224.14.0#more-details

Review - SEVENTEEN Define & Conquer Contour Kit

Make up is something I've always had a slight obsession with admittedly I was probably better at doing my make up four/five years ago but one of my all time favourite trends to ever grace the makeup scene was contouring.  I'm pretty sure everyone in this day and age knows what contouring is what what is it exactly? ''Contouring is giving shape to an area of face and enhancing the facial structure through makeup' and that's literally it. I love using contour to obviously sculpt my face but I also love it for thinning my nose and that's the beauty of contour, you can change your features without changing your look..ideal. If you want to read a little bit more into contouring Teen Vogue have done a brilliant article on it which you can check out here or just learn like I did through Youtube Tutorials, my favourite youtuber is the amazing talented Jamie Genevieve and she's done a great video on contouring so check that out here and if you're like me and obsessed with highlight check that one out here.

Anyway back to business,  I've gone through so many contouring pallets from cream to powder and I've finally found my favourite one yet and guess what... it's under €9!!
 It's the Seventeen 'Define & Conquer Contour Kit'  which I pick up in Boots Pharmacy. I love this product so much that this is my second time purchasing the kit. You can view the product or buy it here. 
 It comes with a lovely matt highlight the perfect shade of contour and a little instruction page seen above. I can't recommend this product enough, the price you're paying the quality is phenomenal the only thing that doesn't do it for me is that the highlight just isn't shimmery enough for me, I love glowing!!

Even though the highlight in the kit is perfect I wanted that little bit extra so one day in Sam Mccauleys chemist I came across a little miracle the Catrice 'Prime and Fine' contouring kit and to finish off my make up everyday I rely on the highlight from this kit (as you can see from the picture I really depend on it) and do you want to know how much it costs??? €4!!! Yep you heard me €4.  Highlighter is applied above your cheekbones to give you that glistening finish and for me the more the better.
 Just by rubbing my finger along the highlight once and rubbing it on my hand you can't help but notice the glow off it. Pretty isn't it!!

 The contour itself I can't say is my favourite as I feel it is rather dark and a little bit too shimmery for me but it's still perfect to use, and whenever I run out of my Seventeen contour it's the first option I turn too but €4 for the highlight alone is well worth it.
 And there you have it my two favourite contour and highlight pallets if you could only have the one I'd definitely recommend picking up the SEVENTEEN kit high quality at a low price what could be better ;)

Charcoal Rescue Masque - Review

'' A Little Miracle In A Bottle''

I recently got sent this charcoal 'rescue' masque and to be 100% truthful with you I wasn't expecting much. I thought to myself 'well obviously it's going to be good because it's from dermalogica' a brand in which I've always trusted but I just presumed it would be average, God I was wrong.
 Having used this masque twice now it's without a doubt my favourite skin care item I've ever used and something I'll be using every week for the rest of my life.
Putting on the masque was a bit of a giggle, I looked like a madwoman but as it slightly tightened I could already feel it working. I was hungover, my eye bags were awful but there it is on my face...looks crazy doesn't it!!
 After 7-10 minutes you gently massage it into your skin with very wet hands and then rinse off. It's better to do this in a shower because trust me when I say you need a lot of water.
 When it eventually came off I couldn't believe how soft my skin felt and I was glowing!!
 The masque itself contains charcoal, volcanic ash, sea silt, bamboo and sulphur and them ingredients in themselves just sound amazing.
 
You can apply your masque up to four times a week, really whenever you feel like your skin needs a break, It's as if you've had a spa treatment in ten minutes it's without a doubt made me smile from ear to ear.
It's a little bit pricey retailing at (€48.00/£38.00) but believe me it is worth it. A little miracle in a bottle.

Iskra Lawrence Interview

For me, the best part of blogging or any area of the media industry is the interviewing side. There's nothing I rather than getting the opportunity to chat to new, interesting people and there's sometimes I literally have to pinch myself for having the opportunity to interview people I genuinely look up too and my first interview of 2016 is with a young woman I idolise and that's UK model Iskra Lawrence.

 A couple of months ago as I scrolled through instagram I came across a picture of a girl I had never seen before lifting some pretty heavy weights and thought to myself 'Wow, what a woman' so I went onto her page and learned she was a UK model living in New York called Iskra Lawrence and she's a pretty big deal with a huge instagram following of 791k people.  I couldn't get over how amazing she was sharing her workout videos, inspiring posts and teaching girls about being comfortable in their own skin and what Iskra prides herself on is not retouching her photographs embracing her curves and even her cellulite she's also known as the next Kim K with her extraordinary booty, I hope you enjoy my interview with the lovely Iskra Lawrence.

Little Piece Of Lynda: You began modelling at the age of 13, but was it always your dream to become a model?

Iskra Lawrence: My mother actually entered me into Elle girl search for a supermodel as she knew I loved fashion but at that point I actually dreamt of being a ‘brain surgeon’. But as soon as I got taste for modelling I loved working with creative teams, getting my hair and makeup done and getting ‘dressed up’ and styled.

LPL: Was it always modelling or was there ever any other career options?

Iskra: I have wanted to be numerous ‘things’ from dancer to owning a car garage to becoming an architect. I wish growing up more children were told not what do you want to do when you’re older in singular terms but let them know they can try hundreds of different career paths throughout life. I haven’t been to college or university because I wanted to model and it was my sole focus. Maybe I’ll go back to university however right now I’m very fulfilled and love what I do and I try very hard to be humble ask for help and learn off everyone I meet.

LPL: You recently took the plunge to move from your home in the UK to NYC what made you decide to pack up and begin your new adventure?

Iskra: I have dreamt of living in NY since i was 15 and went on a school trip. I love a challenge and to create situations that put me out of my comfort zone and force me to grow. So as soon as the agency I had read so much about and was desperate to be signed by asked to represent me I had no doubt in my mind I was going. I wasn’t worried about leaving because I knew I could always come back and there are no failures in life only lessons.

LPL: You landed your first big break by landing the untouched campaign with Aerie but how did that come about for you? Has it changed your life much?
Iskra: There was a couple of casting rounds, one of which was a filmed question about your favourite body part. Not only did the Aerie campaign change my career forever it made me believe that anything was possible and increased my confidence ten fold because I wasn’t retouched and they booked me for being me not my measurements.

LPL: You're now run one of my favourite websites 'Runway Riot'  but for people who have never heard of the website how would you describe it?

Iskra: RunwayRiot is the fashion, style, and beauty site for women of all sizes. We are dedicated to serving an underrepresented and often overlooked community ​of curvier women ​who deserve to have just as many stylish choices as everyone else. Every editorial fashion spread you see will be 100% unretouched. And we hope to encourage healthy body image in the fashion industry and positively impact those women who may have felt excluded before, because we celebrate that everybody is beautiful.

LPL: Iskra how different is it living in the USA compared to the UK?
Iskra: NYC is extremely fast paced compared to the UK. It’s such a small island so it’s intense but I love it because it drives me to work hard and play hard.

LPL: How did you go about getting your body into the shape it is in now?
Iskra: I didn’t change or alter my body shape I focused on health and fitness and becoming the best version of me.

LPL: The Booty Iskra, it's one of the biggest talking points surrounding you but were you born with the curves or were they born in the gym?
Iskra: I have always had an hourglass shape and I learnt to embrace it and find ways to workout that worked for my body and over time I became curvier through exercise and eating more

LPL: What advice would you give people hoping to tone up or loose weight?
Iskra: I would encourage people to stop looking to ‘lose weight’ I don’t believe in diets I believe that the focus should be your body’s and mind's health. When you begin to research nutrition and try workouts that your body responds well to if you have the goal to be the fittest strongest version of yourself you will naturally shed fat.

LPL: What is a typical day like for Iskra Lawrence?
Iskra: In NYC I wake up make a juice either go to a photo shoot or if I’m not shooting I’ll catch up on emails and social media, do some interviews go to about 3 meetings, film for RR or write my self-care piece. I usually eat out with my girls a couple of times a week and go to the cinema or the club once or twice a week.

LPL: What's your gym playlist like?
Iskra: I love hip-hop, rap and some house music.

LPL: Can you tell us something about yourself that no one else knows?

Iskra: I have a balloon phobia it’s terribly embarrassing lol

LPL: Was there ever a time in a career that you felt like giving up, what made you keep going?

Iskra: Yes from 14-18 I just thought I would get by modelling doing small jobs but never ‘make it’. I was doing my A-levels and just seeing where it went. But the more rejections I received and body scrutiny I realised that there was no one representing girls my size and it motivated to be that change.

LPL: What are your top tips for looking and feeling good?

Iskra: You decide your worth not the mirror, a man or the media. So wake up and love that you’re you, one of a kind and give your gift to the world no one else can - you!

LPL: Is there anything else left in this world that you'd still like to achieve?

Iskra: Sooooooo much I haven’t even scraped the surface I have a huge announcement coming soon. I also want to have a TED talk, make compulsory self-care classes in schools and have my own nutritional baking show. There’s a lot more but I’m taking it one step at a time there is no rush.

LPL: And finally Iskra with you being half Irish (I know lads, we can claim her as our own) do you like Ireland and do you come back often?

Iskra: HAHA yes my mom and her whole family is from Ballymena in NI I try and visit once a year - love it! :)

And there you have it, my exclusive interview with model Iskra Lawrence, I'm literally still in shock I got to interview Iskra with it being a real dream come true for me. Huge thanks to Iskra for answering these questions and Gary for setting the interview up.

Of course you can keep up to date with everything Iskra in the following ways: 

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/iskralawrence
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/iamiskra
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/iskralawrence
VK http://vk.com/iskralawrence

I hope you enjoyed this little piece of Iskra :)

My 2015 Christmas Wishlist

There are very few things that I want this Christmas, I know I must be getting very old but obviously there are a few things I have my eyes set on, here are the top five things I want this Christmas.

Mac Mehr Lipstick - One of my college classmates Caoimhe Morrissey not only has an amazing blog but she also has a YouTube channel which is where I found this new little gem. Caoimhe did a run through of her Mac lipstick collection, you can watch the video here and this is where I came across this Mehr lipstick and I'm obsessed.

 You can buy this lipstick for €20 in Brown Thomas or in a Mac Store, but it's definitely on my Christmas list this year.

Boots from Boohoo.com - These boots are my life, I'm in love with these boots so much so these would be my second pair. I wear these boots with everything, going out, staying casual, day wear they can never look too casual or too dressy and to top it off they're so comfortable.
 I remember the night well, that dreaded night in Carlow (one of the best nights I've had in Carlow) that still brings a tear to my eye. I was in the Foundry night club with Jennie and Tanya when I felt a wobble 'what's going on' I thought as I looked down and noticed my heel hanging off.. with the belief of my 'friends' that I was so drunk I was imagining it I still boogied the night away, it was only on arrival home I realised the devastation that had taken place that night and I was heelless... see picture below.
 If you want to be lovely and make my Christmas these boots can be bought from Boohoo.com and cost €41 (I'm a size 7 ;))

I don't want to talk about it...

Lunar Eclipse Necklace- 

Everyone knows I'm obsessed with the moon and these Lunar Eclipse necklaces take my breathe away. They come from a website called 'My Exclusive Jem' you can buy them here for $17.99 which works out at about €17 but look how unreal they are. I've been obsessed with these necklaces since I stumbled across them on twitter and they've been on my wish list ever since, I can't tell you how reliable the website is because I've never ordered from the site but trust me when I say I will be very soon. 

Hair Extensions- I'm an avid hair extension user and wear them whenever I'm not too lazy to put them in I love wearing them, about four years ago my hairdresser cut all my hair off and ever since it never grew back so I have quite short hair and in badly need of a good pair of extensions..great lengths will do the finest thanks very much ;)

Strobing Stick From Iconic London- 

I've been obsessed with this highlighter ever since I saw Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan tweet about it and I knew straight away I needed this product and it's on the Christmas list this year 100%.
 You can either mix this with your foundation for an all over dewy effect or as a highlighter on your cheeks,wherever you put it it looks amazing and I want it.
 You need to pre order this product from a website called 'Iconic London' and it will set you back £29.99 which works out at about €41 which is quite expensive but trust me when I say it's worth it it really is just look at the Geordie girls.. yep, gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!!

And there you have it, five things that I need this Christmas, so if you're extremely generous and want to purchase me a gift then take your pick!! 

Exclusive Interview With Cocoa Brown Stephanie O'Quigley

Anyone that knows me knows I'm obsessed with strong Irish women and Stephanie O'Quigley is one of those people. Since graduating from IT Tallaght in 2013 where she studied advertising and marketing Stephanie has gone on to start her own and in my opnion one of Ireland's leading blogs www.snappedup.ie (a website where I take a lot of inspiration from) and also working as marketing manager for one of Ireland's strongest companies Marisa Carter's Cocoa Brown Tan.

 For me, working for Cocoa Brown and being under Marisa's guidance everyday would be a dream come true and that's no different to Stephanie, who in herself is an inspiration just like Marisa.
   I couldn't believe my luck when Stephanie agreed to an interview where we chatted all things college, blogging and Cocoa Brown, I hope you enjoy :)

 Like I said in the intro Stephanie studied advertising and marketing in IT Tallaght and it was obviously the perfect decision for her, I know full well being in my first year of college that making the right course decision can be one of the hardest things a student will have to do but the course in IT Tallaght gave Stephanie the option to rule out what she liked and what she didn't,
 ''I really didn’t know what I wanted to do at the time and the course at IT Tallaght really held a lot of various options and routes. I studied media, marketing, radio & TV production, event management, PR and more. It gave me an insight into a lot of different industries and as a result, I was able to decipher what I liked and didn’t like after being exposed to such a wide variety of topics and career paths. Sometimes, knowing that you don’t want to do something is just as valuable as knowing what you are passionate about. ''

When it comes to first year in college I think we can all be as 'dippy' as each other and not make the most of our time in college, it's something we've never experienced before and sometimes it takes someone who's gone through college to tell us what to appreciate, Stephanie advises us to have fun but to remember that we're all in competition with each other, especially in this industry,

''Soak it all up! Although college is about having fun too, be sure to network and take advantage of opportunities if you want to stand out from the crowd when enter the rat race for job. At the end of the day, your college peers are your competition.

Any extra experiences or projects you can get involved in will not only develop your skillset and teach you about yourself in general, it will also adds to your CV which is important in when you’re applying for jobs in the future.

Also, don’t worry if you’re still unsure of what field you’d like to work in. Be patient and try out new things until you find something you’re really good at. ''

  In 2012 Stephanie set up her blog, http://www.snappedup.ie/ which trust me when I say you need to check out and every since her career has gone from strength to strength 

' I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t launch SnappedUp.ie, I put so much time, energy and effort into blogging but it’s such a passion of mine it definitely doesn’t feel like work.

Blogging changed my life because I got my first ‘real world’ job out of it. If you told me 3 years ago I would be the Marketing Manager for Cocoa Brown Tan, a job I love, I wouldn’t have believed you. For that reason alone, I am ever grateful that I decided to start SnappedUp.ie but it has also given me a space to grow my skills which complement my job at Cocoa Brown too.'

Having a blog, in my opinion is one of the greatest things in the world and Stephanie loves blogging because she gets to teach herself and is always moving forward,

''The best part of having a blog is that I learn so many new skills by just teaching myself. I also love meeting new people and pushing myself to do things I normally wouldn’t do. In the long term, I would love to maintain SnappedUp.ie as a way of documenting my life and an expression of who I am. I also hope it will help me continue grow my skillset and creativity and provide me with a communications outlet for my writing.''

Most people like Stephanie get into blogging whilst in college and for anyone like myself (a media and PR student in Carlow IT) who wants to break into the media industry it's the perfect place to start,

''Firstly, I got into blogging while in college studying media, PR and event management because I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do. I just knew I loved to write, read and had an interested in both fashion and beauty and so, SnappedUp.ie was born. From there I was given the opportunity to work at Cocoa Brown and have learnt so much more about advertising, branding and the marketing industry in general.

My advice would be to cling on to what interests you most. Even if you are studying something you are not necessarily interested in, use your spare time to develop your skills and interest in the areas that excite you. Take a part time class or hobby that will help you meet like-minded people and increase your knowledge as best you can.''

Cocoa Brown..... I was in like a hawk. Working for a huge successful brand like Cocoa

Brown is a dream of mine and it was for Stephanie too, she tells me she began with the brand after meeting owner of Cocoa Brown's Marisa Carter at a blogger event,

''I met Marissa, Cocoa Brown CEO, at a blogger event she was hosting back in 2012. I got chatting to her about what I was doing in college, my own blog and my interest areas. Shortly after our initial meeting, she advertised that she was looking for a intern and the timing was perfect ; I was just finishing up my exams and was looking for a job. I met again with Marissa and the rest is history!''

And as for working with the Queen Marissa Carter??? '' You just don’t get used to it! I have watched the brand and Marissa grow in the past 3 years at Cocoa Brown. It’s a rollercoaster when you start with such a small/new brand and I have been lucky enough to experience a lot more than what a typical Marketing Manager usually experiences!

Marissa has given me so much opportunity with Cocoa Brown and thus has allowed me to grow quite fast within my position at the brand. Because I work so closely with Marissa, I am lucky enough to experience her lessons, inspiration and learn from her knowledge on a daily basis. She continues to amaze me and I will be ever grateful for her belief in me from day one, as cheesy as that sounds!'

 Everyone knows what I'm talking about when I say the word Cocoa Brown and it's even gone as far as the Kardashians with Kylie Jenner recently instagramming a picture of the now world famous tan, there are no two days the same when working with Cocoa Brown 

''Two days are really never the same. We are a very fast paced brand ; I could be on a plane in the morning or perhaps have one of the biggest celebrities in the world Tweet about Cocoa Brown and end up losing 2 days of sleep!

We thrive on ‘the best time is now’ and what can be done today will not be left until tomorrow. The excitement of working in a company like Cocoa Brown is rare. I won’t lie when I say I am excited to get to the office and get started and find leaving a bit of a struggle!''

 Having achieved so much in her life I ask Stephanie if there is anything LEFT in this world that she's like to achieve,

''I would definitely like to be in a position where I love my work and what I do ; I can’t imagine settling for a job to pay the bills. I would love to develop my skills through education and practice so I can become better at what I do.

I hope that my family will always be close and of course, I would love a lot of nice, expensive things too! However, success, to me, is happiness.

And finally, I finish the interview by asking if Stephanie could go back in time and talk to her 18 year old self, what would she say.....

'' suppose I would say start exercising a little, not every fashion trend is a must so don’t try and make it ‘work’ and value quality over quantity when it comes to friendships''

And on that note it concludes my interview with the gorgeous, flawless and inspirational lady that is Stephanie O'Quigley.

I cannot thank Stephanie enough for taking her time out to chat to me, and I hope you enjoyed the interview as much as I did.

Don't forget you can follow Stephanie on her social media accounts which I will leave the links to below:

Twitter - @StephanieOQ

Facebook - SnappedUpBlog

Blog - http://www.snappedup.ie/

The Sleek Contour Palette

If there's one essential beauty product I would recommend to every single girl out there it's this contour palette by 'Sleek'  I'm not even joking when I say this palette has changed my life!! Before I found this palette I found it so hard to contour and highlight, I always looked like I was covered in mud and could never get my cheeks sculpted the way I dreamed of having them.
 One day my friend Carrie came over with this new 'contour palette' What the hell is this I asked?! 'I dunno, it was on sale in the chemist so I got it, I must text Haleigh and ask her how it works' and from then it's the one beauty product we're both obsessed with and will go to extreme lengths to ensure we have it in our make up purse.
 The palette has your bronzer which is such a good brown, it comes out so well on the skin and can be buffed in without any difficulty, you can literally put on barley any of it and it still looks incredible. It literally sculpts your face so well and I love it.
 Next in the set is the highlighter, now this, this is something else. It literally makes you glow like an angel it's the best of the best highlighters and just putting it on your forehead, above your cheeks and on your chin makes you look so great it's fantastic and then finally finish off with some blush, I don't personally adore the blush as I don't think it's very pink and I love deep blush but it's perfect to finish off your Kim K inspired contour.

Coming up to Christmas I would recommend this set as a stocking filler, a gift for your best friend or just a gift to me from me, I really cannot say enough good things about this palette.
 It costs €13.49 and I always get mine in Sam Mccauleys chemist but they do tend to sell out so quickly so your best bet is to order is online. You can buy it here from the Sleek website and have it within a week.
 For €13.49 you couldn't ask for a better product, believe me when I say I am IN LOVE and I really do recommend you go out and try out this contour palette. Be sure to let me know what you think :)

So Couture Collection *Review

For the majority of teenage girls in Ireland 'So' fragrances are one of the first perfumes they have ever had and just getting a sniff of 'So kiss me' can transport you back to the days of the innocent sixteen year old heading off to the local disco, it's without a doubt my teenage years in a bottle and the minute I heard of the new SO Couture collection I knew I couldn't wait to try them all out.

 I couldn't believe the delight when the lovely people at 'SO' sent me some of the new collection to try out, I got given the perfume of 'Rio' and 'New York' and given the deodorant of 'Paris' and 'London' and let me tell you, I almost cried with delight and I really wasn't disappointed in this collection. 

 Each fragrance has a real distinct sense and I'm personally obsessed with the 'Rio' perfume. This perfume has hints of pineapple, mango and melon and I am obsessed with it and the best part??... It's €5.99.It also comes in body spray which is only €1.99 so if I was to recommend anything to you it's to go try this Rio one, I love it and Christmas is coming up ;) 

My next favourite is which to be totally honest is up there with Rio and actually equal to me is the London fragrance, this has grapefruit, mandarin and apricot but also has a haze of jasmine, rose and violet. Base notes of sandalwood, vanilla and musk just make this fragrance so amazing and like nothing I've ever smelt before. I think if I could only have one perfume for the rest of my life this would be it, I'm in love and cannot wait to go buy another bottle of this gem. 

Once again it's only €5.99 and the body spray is only €1.99 but believe me when I say you're going to get OBSESSED!!!!

What I love about 'SO' is that for us students it's so reasonable priced and has such a young girly scent that you can't help but adore it. There's no perfume out there that smells like So! and I can't get over how amazing this new collection smells. 

 The other two fragrances are the Paris one which scents of plums, roses and patchouli and the NYC one which has scents of lychee's and peaches.

 Every perfume is so distinct that after spending a while smelling them you'll know exactly which one is which and they're so fruity and lovely. I'm truthfully obsessed.

     If I could recommend anything for you to try over November/December it's this new collection, trust me.. treat yourself ;-) 

TanOrganic - *The Review*

I make no bones about it I am an extremely pale human being, I'm Irish so what do you expect and although I like to embrace the pale skin I much rather having a nice golden tan be it summer, winter or any day of the week I love having darker skin it just makes me feel better and more confident. I am by no means saying you need to be tanned to look good, but for me it helps me feel my best so I try wear it whenever I can.
 Over the years I've tried so many tans from Sally Hansen, Cocoa Brown to Rimmel and most recently the extremely popular TanOrganic which is what I'm going to talk about today and give a full, honest, in detail review.

When I received my bottle of TanOrganic I really couldn't wait to give it a go, it was a cold, wet dirty Monday morning and I was getting ready to head back to college so it really was such a treat getting to brown myself up for the week ahead.
 The bottle itself is really nice and smells amazing!! It reminds me of oranges and I just love the smell. Then the tan itself, you pour it onto the mitt and apply to your skin. The tanning mitt is without a doubt the best mitt I've ever used in my life. It applies the tan so smoothly, I love the mitt, I would recommend the mitt to everyone.

The tan went on extremely smoothly and developed straight away, I was in love with it until the following morning and I noticed how crappy the tan looked on my wrist. The more it dried the less I liked the tan and by Wednesday it looked manky, after showers and everything it just really didn't live up to my expectations whatsoever and I was very disappointed.
 I have to say though the tan itself is amazing on the face and the colour is fantastic. It's the colour you dream of being, not orange but golden it's ideal.
TanOrganic is 100% organic which I love and if only it developed well over the week I would be OBSESSED with this tan as it feels really great on the skin and not caked at all.
Overall I'd give the tan a 3 out of 5 so  be sure to try check out the tan if you can and let me know what you make of it.