Blog Posts: What to write about

Snapshot of some of the stats Google Blogger provides for a particular period of time
(these are for this week)

I took a look at my viewer stats this morning to see if I could get some inspiration on what to write about today.  I have a few posts started, but nothing near completion (or even near where they should be for editing down).  So instead I took a trip down memory lane on my postings in the last fiften months.  It was an interesting trip and revealed to me what people read the most.

If you're a blogger, or an aspiring blogger, perhaps this might prove useful.  If you're a reader, then maybe you'll discover some posts you haven't seen before!

Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream

Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream

I got a few samples of this from Sephora last year which I'd forgotton I had.  In the interest of "using stuff up", I thought I'd give it a whirl. 

L'Oréal Super Liner Perfect Slim

l'Oréal Super Liner Perfect Slim

This stuff is brilliant.

Chanel 1932

Chanel 1932

Chanel are releasing a new fragrance which they are naming 1932, as an homage to very first jewellery collection (diamonds, naturally) launched by Coco Chanel in 1932.

Pai Skincare Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream

Pai Skincare
Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream

I think I may have found the holy grail.  I am seriously and deeply smitten with this stuff.

Pai Skincare, founded in 2007 by Sarah Brown, make organic solutions for sensitive/allergy-prone skin.  Their plant-based products are made in the UK and sell all over the world.  They use recycled materials in their packaging.  They are certified organic and don't carry out animal testing, nor do they source ingredients from companies that test on animals.  Their products contain no alcohol.  No parabens.  No chemical preservatives.  No silicones.  No fillers.  No mica or "trickery" ingredients that give your skin a fake glow.  No rubbish.

And they work.  Or at least this one does.

MAC 287 Brush from Après Chic Collection

MAC 287 Brush

This brush was part of the Après Chic collection from MAC that was released just at the start of the new year.  I had originally spotted this brush in the MAC Christmas 2012 Mineralize Brush set and wanted to get it to try it out.


This is a rounded paddle brush, made from a blend of both synthetic fibres and natural bristles (goat).  According to MAC it allows for a "light wash of colour".

This is definitely a good description, as that's mainly all it does - give a very light wash of colour.

Cosmetics à la Carte - Skin Veil

Cosmetics à la Carte - Skin Veil

Cosmetics à la Carte Skin Veil is a primer with a "hint of a tint", for use "with fingers or a sponge, alone or under makeup, or as a touch-up over makeup" per the information on the website.

These primers are not clear, but contain a slight tint - the options/shades available are

• Original (slightly pink-toned beige)
• Vanilla (slightly yellow-toned beige)
• Honey (darker tan-toned beige)

Targets? Challenges? New Years R-word?

Image from www.formspring.me

So we've rolled over into a new year - the "unlucky" one, if you're triskaidekaphobic.  For the last few weeks I have thought about, and settled on a few targets for 2013.  I hate the "new years resolutions" moniker, in fact it makes me NOT do whatever I've determined to do.  So this time around I decided that I'd call them "challenges" or "targets".

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadows in 5/Gold Blitz & 13/Black

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows in 5/Gold Blitz (left) & 13/Black (right)

I've had these for a while now but used them a lot over Christmas (blacks and golds, what a surprise!)

What I particularly like about this "Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow" formula is how creamy it feels;  its texture is like a powder-cream hybrid albeit in a loose (but extremely densely packed) powder.  It applies like a powder but feels like a cream.

How I track my cosmetics (Filemaker Bento)

Bento

This one might seem like an odd post, but a question I'm frequently asked (along with "how do you store everything) is "how do you keep track of everything you have"?

Actually it's a good question.  With almost 3,000 individual pieces of makeup, it's too easy to buy something I already have.  A few years ago I got fed up of the purchasing-and-return cycle when I discovered the latest purchase was already "in stock" at home!  In Ireland this can be quite irritating as these duplicate items can not always be returned, from a hygiene perspective, many cosmetics counters are loath to take items back (which makes sense).

Angelina Jolie Golden Globes 2012 Red Lipstick Dupe

Embryolisse Soin Lissant Contour des Yeux (Smoothing Eye Contour Care Cream)

Embryolisse Soin Lissant Contour des Yeux
(Smoothing Eye Contour Care Cream)

Having read and heard a lot about Embryolisse products, I decided to take the plunge and "pick up" some of their eye cream.  My eyes have been very very dry of late, and nothing really was helping.  This one is meant to be the daddy, the One Eye-cream to Rule Them All: the anti-aging one.

Estée Lauder: Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refresher & DayWear moisturiser

Estée Lauder Idealist Pore Minimising Skin Refresher
(my considerable a*se it is)

MUA Makeup Academy Nail Constellation (Nail Caviar dupe)

MUA Nail Constellation

This is basically another dupe for Ciaté's Caviar Nails from MUA;  a further - even cheaper - alternative would be to visit a good craft store and purchase micro beads; because that is all these are, in essence. (that said, the little funnel-lidded pot is very handy for pouring these onto your nails).  As far as I recall these cost me less than £3 each, and as far as I know they're on sale for £2 each at the moment.

Elemis Pro Radiance Cream Cleanser v Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser

I've been using and loving the Elemis Pro Radiance Cream Cleanser for a few years now, along with my Shu Uemura oil cleanser, these form the basis of my go-to makeup removers.  Either-or removes "pretty much most" of the makeup I wear on a daily basis, with a little bit of help for more heavy-duty eye makeup on occasion (mainly these days via Lancôme Bi-Facil).

A pre-Christmas trip away saw me forgetting to pack a makeup remover, so when I noticed the Liz Earle on sale in an in-flight deal (cleanser+moisturiser+toner+two muslin cloths+hand cream) I thought I'd give it a whirl, having heard so much about it in the past.

Dior Grand Bal Lipsticks in Marilyn & Diva - swatches

Dior Grand Bal Christmas 2012 Lipsticks

Red red red red red... I love red lippies.

Chanel Christmas 2012 Makeup Update: Purchases & Swatches

I know I know, I'm harping on a bit about Chanel a bit, but I just love their makeup, and I feel that the Christmas collection this year is particularly noteworthy.

A quick digression on arrival: the collection was late on stand in Dublin, and it wasn't exactly front-and-centre for a few days.  Cork got it late also.  It was worth the delay.

To recap, I had thought that I'd be interested in essentially five items:

• The new Illusion d'Ombre Apparence (definitely)
• The duo eyeshadow Nuit-Claire (possibly)
• The Rouge Allure Velvet l'Impatiente (most likely)
• The nailpolish Malice (maybe)
• The Poudre Universelle Rêverie (almost certainly)

I went, I visited counter, I perused, I swatched, I bought four of the five :-)