Just an extremely quick post today, to add to this post, on ways to follow the blog. I recently joined hellocotton, so if you prefer this way to follow blogs, you can follow this blog there either by follow this link or press the little gadget over there on the right. (If you are reading this on hellocotton, hello!)
If you haven't heard about hellocotton, it's a website that collects all your blog subscriptions together and is slightly more interactive, than say bloglovin. You don't need to have a blog to have a profile, but you can only follow blogs which have a profile on hello cotton.
Have you tried hellocotton? What do you think?
Showing posts with label ramblings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ramblings. Show all posts
Monday, March 26, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Google Friend Connect and all that jazz!
This post was actually scheduled to post last week and with everything that's going around here I never noticed it didn't post, I think I've edited to read correctly now the GFC changes have (kinda?!) happened but apologies in advance if my tenses are wrong! I promise to come back with some pretty nail polish to show you soon, but unfortunately both blogging and painting my nails are quite low on the to do list at the mo'.
Since, rarely an hour goes by that I don't read either on da Twitter or in my google reader consternation at the fact that Google is dropping Google Friend Connect (GFC) for non-google (blogger) supported blogs, I thought I'd do a quick post on it.
Since, rarely an hour goes by that I don't read either on da Twitter or in my google reader consternation at the fact that Google is dropping Google Friend Connect (GFC) for non-google (blogger) supported blogs, I thought I'd do a quick post on it.
1. As things stand, this is a blogger blog, so it won't lose GFC in March. So if that's how you follow, you can continue doing that. (This stands for all blog with 'blogspot' in the url or a phrase like 'powered by blogger' at the end of the page and/or the blogger toolbar at the top of the page.) It is however likely that GFC will be dropped from blogger blogs eventually as Google have said they are no longer supporting it.
2. It seems that most, if not all non-blogger blogs have lost their GFC connection (if that's what you'd call it) by now. So, if you haven't heard from your favourite blogger lately this is probably why, so you are going to have to find a new way to follow them. (Most blogs have similar options to those listed in point 3)
3. If you decide that google friend connect is no longer the way you want to follow my blog, on the right of this post you can subscribe to the RSS feed using your favourite way. Mine is to use Google Reader which means that posts arrive in to my Reader account shortly after they're posted.
Or you can subscribe by email, so posts are emailed to you, shortly after they are posted. Again, there's a little box to the right of this post to do this
Or you can follow this blog (and loads more) using bloglovin' (again look right for the link....are you sensing a trend here?!)
Finally, you can follow @NailishRambling on twitter and I'll tweet when a new post is ..ummm... posted. (again you'll find a link to the right of this post!)
Even after writing all the above, the song is still in my head. I'm afeared I might be singing " And all that jazz ...." for the rest of the night. (I don't actually know any other words, so the same line is going round and round, even though I've been to the show a couple of times and think I own the dvd! I've also nearly dropped my laptop of my knee a couple of times, doing *jazz hands* , so if you never come back I understand! )
Monday, July 25, 2011
What did I pack?
Those of you who follow me on twitter will know that I was away in Spain for work last week, so I thought I'd do a quick post on the makeup and beauty stuff I brought with me. I thought I packed light but when it was all sitting on the table I realised how much I brought! (I've not included any nail varnish and removed duplicates.)
Skin care, hair care etc,
My favourite moisturiser is this Liz Earle one, so that was a must, but I also brought the benefit samples I received here, to try out also. Burt's Bees are one of my favourite brands and the people I like best know that so often buy me the mini kits for presents. The Milk and Honey body lotion smells yummy and moisturises well but is also very soothing after being in the sun. The Soap Bark & Chamoile Cleansing cream is lovely and one of my favourite cleansers, the fact it smells like sherbet helps too! ( I also brought some No7 Makeup remover wipes with me too, just for heavy duty makeup). The Hamilton Everyday Face Sunscreen, is my favourite, as I'm often allergic to suncream, it also is brown(but it doesn't even out your skin tone like a tinted moisturiser) in colour (like a tinted moisturiser) which means your face doesn't get shiney after you apply it . The Umberto Giannini Curl Scrunching Jelly, just doesn't suit my hair at the moment unfortunately, I've tried and like it before but I'm having bad hair at the moment! Instead of polish remover I brought these wipes they are not very nice, but easier to transport. Finally, I rarely go anywhere without a bottle of tea tree for spots and cuts (and usually a bottle of lavender for sunburn, bites etc, but I couldn't find it when I was leaving!)
I tried to keep make up to a minimum and knowing that it was going to be hot and foundation was probably going to melt off, I decided to bring 2 MAC samples I'd got at the counter when I was looking for new foundation, in case I did want to wear any (they are the two little pots) and my battered (it generally lives in my handbag!) Bourjois powder. Eyeshadow wise, since it was a work trip, I kept it very safe. The Rimmel quad doesn't have great colour payoff and was a panicked airport buy! The 17 trio, is good for a smokey eye. That's an ELF eyeshadow brush in the picture too, I have a few of these from both the £1.50 range (like this one) and the Studio range (£3.50) and I like the cheaper ones better. Mascara is probably my favourite bit of makeup, although since I started wearing my glasses all the time earlier this year, I find I don't wear it so much.. This one is Maybelline One by One Volum' Express (I've no idea why they felt the need to remove the E in Volume?!?), it has a spikey brush and I think it gives good length and definition to my lashes. Also pictured are Benefit Cha Cha tint and a small High Beam, that I got with Glamour last month, I've used both of these every day. I'll talk about the lipsticks and glosses, further down, so that just leaves the Benefit Tweezerman Tweezers, which I love, and MAC Fix +, which I also love but it comes into it's own in a hot country, particularly when you keep it in the fridge.
I thought I'd do the lipsticks and glosses seperately, from L-R, Benefit Who are you wearing?, Elf Mineral Pagent Princess, Elf Mineral Runway Pink, Elf Mineral Pouty Petal, Elf Mineral Party Pink, Benefit Do Tell, Benefit Flirt Alert, Mac Russian Red. Swatches below in the same order. (Pictures are clicky for larger images as always!)
Phew - I didn't expect this post to be quite so long! Is there anything I should have brought and didn't? Whenever I'm going away I pack things that I wouldn't mind losing because they were cheap or easy to replace, one because I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached and secondly because I've arrived sans luggage one too many times! What are your must haves for holidays?
Edited to Add: I got the inspiration for this post from Karen at http://www.lovelygirliebits.com, and wrote it about 2 weeks ago, but didn't get to post it due to blogger/lack of internet issues, but I've seen loads of people do it in the mean time.
Skin care, hair care etc,
My favourite moisturiser is this Liz Earle one, so that was a must, but I also brought the benefit samples I received here, to try out also. Burt's Bees are one of my favourite brands and the people I like best know that so often buy me the mini kits for presents. The Milk and Honey body lotion smells yummy and moisturises well but is also very soothing after being in the sun. The Soap Bark & Chamoile Cleansing cream is lovely and one of my favourite cleansers, the fact it smells like sherbet helps too! ( I also brought some No7 Makeup remover wipes with me too, just for heavy duty makeup). The Hamilton Everyday Face Sunscreen, is my favourite, as I'm often allergic to suncream, it also is brown(but it doesn't even out your skin tone like a tinted moisturiser) in colour (like a tinted moisturiser) which means your face doesn't get shiney after you apply it . The Umberto Giannini Curl Scrunching Jelly, just doesn't suit my hair at the moment unfortunately, I've tried and like it before but I'm having bad hair at the moment! Instead of polish remover I brought these wipes they are not very nice, but easier to transport. Finally, I rarely go anywhere without a bottle of tea tree for spots and cuts (and usually a bottle of lavender for sunburn, bites etc, but I couldn't find it when I was leaving!)
I tried to keep make up to a minimum and knowing that it was going to be hot and foundation was probably going to melt off, I decided to bring 2 MAC samples I'd got at the counter when I was looking for new foundation, in case I did want to wear any (they are the two little pots) and my battered (it generally lives in my handbag!) Bourjois powder. Eyeshadow wise, since it was a work trip, I kept it very safe. The Rimmel quad doesn't have great colour payoff and was a panicked airport buy! The 17 trio, is good for a smokey eye. That's an ELF eyeshadow brush in the picture too, I have a few of these from both the £1.50 range (like this one) and the Studio range (£3.50) and I like the cheaper ones better. Mascara is probably my favourite bit of makeup, although since I started wearing my glasses all the time earlier this year, I find I don't wear it so much.. This one is Maybelline One by One Volum' Express (I've no idea why they felt the need to remove the E in Volume?!?), it has a spikey brush and I think it gives good length and definition to my lashes. Also pictured are Benefit Cha Cha tint and a small High Beam, that I got with Glamour last month, I've used both of these every day. I'll talk about the lipsticks and glosses, further down, so that just leaves the Benefit Tweezerman Tweezers, which I love, and MAC Fix +, which I also love but it comes into it's own in a hot country, particularly when you keep it in the fridge.
I thought I'd do the lipsticks and glosses seperately, from L-R, Benefit Who are you wearing?, Elf Mineral Pagent Princess, Elf Mineral Runway Pink, Elf Mineral Pouty Petal, Elf Mineral Party Pink, Benefit Do Tell, Benefit Flirt Alert, Mac Russian Red. Swatches below in the same order. (Pictures are clicky for larger images as always!)
Phew - I didn't expect this post to be quite so long! Is there anything I should have brought and didn't? Whenever I'm going away I pack things that I wouldn't mind losing because they were cheap or easy to replace, one because I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached and secondly because I've arrived sans luggage one too many times! What are your must haves for holidays?
Edited to Add: I got the inspiration for this post from Karen at http://www.lovelygirliebits.com, and wrote it about 2 weeks ago, but didn't get to post it due to blogger/lack of internet issues, but I've seen loads of people do it in the mean time.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Beaut.ie Benefit Event
On Saturday, I took myself off to Dublin for a Benefit event organised with the lovely Kirstie and Aisling of Beaut.ie and Maggie and Annie (the daughters of one the benefit founders) to coincide with the launch of Cha Cha tint. I had missed previous get togethers so I thought this would be a great time to meet the other beaut.ies! It was so nice to finally put faces to blog names and twitter names! Having first met up with the girls ( from Claire, Cornflakegirl, Aifs - who has the most amazing benefit collection ever, Art Donatella, Action Mags, Sile C, Bride and Joy, Lovely Girlie Things, All Made Up and I think that's it) we actually missed the demos but all had our make done by the very lovely benefit make up artists. Having made our purchases we got a fab goody bag, I bought Cha Cha tint (it would have been rude not to!) Being a bad blogger even though I had my camera with me I took not one photo! - but you can pop over to Beaut.ie for some. I know I don't normally do make but let's have a little goo at Cha Cha tint.
Cha Cha tint is coral coloured cheek and lip tint a la benetint. I love it on the lips and am still getting used to applying it to my cheeks! (If only I could have been watching myself as the girl was doing my make up!) Here it is in the bottle
Swatches of cha cha tint - on the left as it is, yes, scarily bright! and on the right it's blended out, not so scary now is it!
and here's the contents of the goodie bag
A lipgloss, a benefit tweezerman, which I'm dying to try and will not lose as I do all my other tweezers, and some samples of the new skin care range.
The lipgloss is 'Who are you wearing?' and I was actually told by a benefit counter that it was discontinued a couple of years ago. So I'm delighted both to see it obviously wasn't and to get a new one!
How cute is the skin care packaging?! On the left Triple Performing Facial Emulsion(?!) and on the right It's Potent eye cream. I'll let you know how I get on with them, after I've used them for a while.
Sorry this turned in to quite a long post but I had a fab day and it was so lovely to meet some lovely beaut.ies!
Cha Cha tint is coral coloured cheek and lip tint a la benetint. I love it on the lips and am still getting used to applying it to my cheeks! (If only I could have been watching myself as the girl was doing my make up!) Here it is in the bottle
Swatches of cha cha tint - on the left as it is, yes, scarily bright! and on the right it's blended out, not so scary now is it!
and here's the contents of the goodie bag
The lipgloss is 'Who are you wearing?' and I was actually told by a benefit counter that it was discontinued a couple of years ago. So I'm delighted both to see it obviously wasn't and to get a new one!
How cute is the skin care packaging?! On the left Triple Performing Facial Emulsion(?!) and on the right It's Potent eye cream. I'll let you know how I get on with them, after I've used them for a while.
Sorry this turned in to quite a long post but I had a fab day and it was so lovely to meet some lovely beaut.ies!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The one in which I apologise and make a confession …..
Ok, so I know I've been more than a little MIA lately, and for that I’d like to apologise, every time I think I have the back of my work broken I seem to get more to add to the pile. I keep saying to everyone, family friends, people who want me to do work for them, “Another couple of weeks and I’ll have a life, I just need to get X, Y &Z out the way and then it will quiet down”. The reality is that hasn't happen but is going to have to, because I can’t keep working this much or I’ll collapse. I’m not leaving work till 9 pm most days and then trying to do more work at home and I can’t remember the last time I had a day off.
So apology out of the way it’s confession time, and the two are related (and this is where I should have but in an uber cute picture to distract you but I didn't!). I have painted my nails once in the last month (so that explains the lack of posts then!! ) I’m just so shattered by the time I get a chance to paint them that I can’t bring myself to do it! Although I have still been buying polish, so once I get back to being able to muster some energy to paint my nails, I have loads to show you. In the meantime, I’m having a stern word with myself and teaching myself how to say no!
In the meantime if there is anything you'd like to see drop me a comment and I'll add it to the list!
In the meantime if there is anything you'd like to see drop me a comment and I'll add it to the list!
Monday, January 17, 2011
A round up of (some of) the Spring Collections
The Spring collections are on their way big stylee (did I really just say stylee?!) so I thought rather than post them as most people have already seen a lot of them already, I'd link to blogs which have posted them, with swatches rather than press releases, where possible.
China Glaze
Have their nautical themed collection Anchors Away. My favourite swatches of this are here. This is availiable to order from the states already.
Tronica, a collection of holographic polishes. This is a Sallys exclusive, due out in March/April, whether it will be available in Sallys in Ireland, I'm not sure. China Glaze said on twitter it would be available in UK Sallys. Swatches here
Also have a collection of crackle polishes coming out, promo pics here. ( to the very best of my knowledge there are no swatches of this around yet!)
OPI
Have two collections starting to emerge at the moment, one with Katy Perry and one with Serena Williams. Both contain a black shatter (crackle ) polish. Swatches of these here.
Also have a Texas collection due out soon, swatches here.
Essie
Their spring collection is called French Affair, info here.
Orly
Their spring collection is called Precious, info here.
I've only covered the main brands, there are obviously way more releases, but I had to stop somewhere. I tried to link to a variety of blogs, that I read often. Which ones do you love, hate and feel meh about? Is there any really obvious ones I've left out? Get thee to the comments and let me know!
China Glaze
Have their nautical themed collection Anchors Away. My favourite swatches of this are here. This is availiable to order from the states already.
Tronica, a collection of holographic polishes. This is a Sallys exclusive, due out in March/April, whether it will be available in Sallys in Ireland, I'm not sure. China Glaze said on twitter it would be available in UK Sallys. Swatches here
Also have a collection of crackle polishes coming out, promo pics here. ( to the very best of my knowledge there are no swatches of this around yet!)
OPI
Have two collections starting to emerge at the moment, one with Katy Perry and one with Serena Williams. Both contain a black shatter (crackle ) polish. Swatches of these here.
Also have a Texas collection due out soon, swatches here.
Essie
Their spring collection is called French Affair, info here.
Orly
Their spring collection is called Precious, info here.
I've only covered the main brands, there are obviously way more releases, but I had to stop somewhere. I tried to link to a variety of blogs, that I read often. Which ones do you love, hate and feel meh about? Is there any really obvious ones I've left out? Get thee to the comments and let me know!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My exciting weekend!
I have one more halloweeny post for you tomorrow but today I thought I’d show you what I spent my weekend doing, coz I’m exciting like that! You might have noticed that I painted my blood tipped nails on a nail wheel, well I ordered these ages ago and when they arrived I thought I’d swatch my whole collection. I was going to paint them by colour but I decided that it would annoy me if I got a new polish that belonged in between two other polishes. I just painted them in the order I took them out of their homes! So here’s the result,
There’s a couple of lookie likies on there so I think I’ll do some comparision posts soon. If there’s anything you want me to post or name, just shout! (or comment I’m more likely to answer!)
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
A Break in Normal Service.
Hi all, just a quick apology! I'm really busy with work this week and last, plus I have family visiting, so I'm a bit stuck for time to write posts. I hope to be back up and running by Friday, but just thought I'd let you know.
In other news, I have a few bits of nail mail on the way. I did an etailer order on Saturday for some of the new OPI Burlesque collection and some others, and I have the China Glaze Halloween Collection on the way too. So swatches of these will appear as and when I get them.
I've added a new page at the top of the blog called Stash, (you can get to it by clicking here) and I've listed all my stash, I'm currently updating it to link to those polishes which I've already shown. If there's anything on the list you'd like to see or any comparisons please let me know!
In other news, I have a few bits of nail mail on the way. I did an etailer order on Saturday for some of the new OPI Burlesque collection and some others, and I have the China Glaze Halloween Collection on the way too. So swatches of these will appear as and when I get them.
I've added a new page at the top of the blog called Stash, (you can get to it by clicking here) and I've listed all my stash, I'm currently updating it to link to those polishes which I've already shown. If there's anything on the list you'd like to see or any comparisons please let me know!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
A bit boring? Mais Oui!
A few days a go I was changing my polish and realised that I had meetings the next day, that I needed to look “respectable” for, so I looked round my stash in vain for something to put on and wasn’t really feeling anything. Then I spied a French base and thought I must have a white somewhere I’ll do a French manicure. To be honest, I was a little surprised that I had the makings! I wasn’t go to do a post about this given it’s only a boring French manicure, but while I was wearing it I got to thinking that in a round about way French maincures were why I started the blog!
(If you are not in the mood for a ramble, skip the next three paragraphs, and down to the pictures with you!)
Before I started back at college, I worked a 9-5 (more like 8-7!) in a conservative setting, most weeks I’d get a manicure as a treat to myself, nearly always French. I gave a lot of courses and chaired a lot of meetings in my job so I was always loathe to go for any thing too flashy on my nails. But the girls in my usual place were really good and were always trying to get me to do something a little less safe, so we used to play around with bases, like using pink bases that subtly flashed another colour in the light, add a line of glitter in between the white and the base. Of course, if I was going out or on holidays I’d have something even better! It turns out, I was spoiled with that salon, the girls were really knowledgable, they used seche on top of every mani, so it dried quickly, etc,
I moved back to Ireland and now I was a student, so my rare manicures were an even bigger treat, because money was tight. I found myself paying double the prices I was paying before for really bad manicures, where there was no quick dry topcoat and they’d paint on the polish so thick it wouldn’t dry. After trying 5/6 places, I was getting really upset, my one treat, the thing I knew that if I was having a bad week, would cheer me up and make me feel better and ready to face the world again, wasn’t working.
This is when I decided that instead of wasting money on bad manicures, I could buy around 6 polishes for the price of one manicure, and at the same time improve my own application skills.
The base is an essence pink base for French manicures and the white is from ELF. While, I know it’s not the best French in the world, I don’t think I would have been able to do this months ago, so I thought I’d show it. It's still not perfect but I'm improving!
It may be a boring French but it definitely grew on me!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Storage and My New Teapot!
At the moment, I keep my polish in random boxes all over the place, I really need a better way to store them. I was shopping during my days off, and I spied these boxes thinking they’d be just right for my polish collection, I snapped them right up.
Turns out they are perfect for polish, I took a quick count I reckon there’s over 50 polishes in both boxes. The bottom box has all my tried polish, the middle box has the untrieds and topcoats, etc, and the top box has all the bits of make up that were hanging around my bag and the sitting room. I want to get some more of these. They were €8 for 3 in Dunnes.
Tried box,
Untried box,
While I was in Dunnes, I also picked up a new teapot and sugar bowl milk jug set.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Prudence Beauty Awards
On Thursday night, the Prudence Beauty Awards where held in the new (and very lovely looking) Gibson's hotel in Dublin. Your's truly couldn't go because work got in the way and I was going to treat myself to a stay in the lovely hotel too :( It looks like a great night was had by all. Prudence is a bimonthly Irish magazine, which as the name suggests centers on spending money wisely. I personally love Irish magazines mostly because items featured are *usually* easy enough to obtain. There's nothing worse than reading about something and thinking I want that, only to find it's impossible to get in Ireland.
The full list of winners are in the magazine released on the 1st September, but here's a peak at some of the winners. (Pictures and text from the press release)
Independently judged by a panel of industry experts, Prudence’s beauty awards are now in their second year and are dedicated to rewarding great beauty buys that perform for pocket-friendly prices. The awards also feature ‘splurges’ – more expensive treat buys which are worth the cost because of their high performance.
The Prudence Best Buy Beauty Awards will be published in a special handbag-sized booklet along with the September issue, in stores on September 1st.
Aldi's Lacura Face Care Double Lift Regeneration Cream (€6.99)won the Day and Night Creams category, beating off competition from established skincare brands like L’Oréal Paris, RoC and Bliss. A peptide, retinol and vitamin E mix convinced judges that this performance skincare product is a great buy for Irish women who are crying out for quality products that don’t break the bank.
Penneys (Primark), which scored two gongs for its SPF30 Sun Lotion, €2.70, and Ta Ta for Now Concealer, €3, which judges said mimicked much more expensive brush concealers.
Want to know the rest of the winners? Well go get the magazine on the first of September, I know I will!
Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of them? What product would you vote as a winner in beauty awards? Let me know!
The Prudence Best Buy Beauty Awards will be published in a special handbag-sized booklet along with the September issue, in stores on September 1st.
Aldi's Lacura Face Care Double Lift Regeneration Cream (€6.99)won the Day and Night Creams category, beating off competition from established skincare brands like L’Oréal Paris, RoC and Bliss. A peptide, retinol and vitamin E mix convinced judges that this performance skincare product is a great buy for Irish women who are crying out for quality products that don’t break the bank.
Irish brand L’Onglex, which cleaned up in the Hands and Nails category for its excellent Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover, €3.67
Penneys (Primark), which scored two gongs for its SPF30 Sun Lotion, €2.70, and Ta Ta for Now Concealer, €3, which judges said mimicked much more expensive brush concealers.
Want to know the rest of the winners? Well go get the magazine on the first of September, I know I will!
Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of them? What product would you vote as a winner in beauty awards? Let me know!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Things I'm loving and Things I'm not loving so much
And now for something a bit different...........
Things I’m loving
Things I’m loving
- My new jacket. I knew the minute I started seeing all the aviator jackets coming through for AW I’d end up with one. Although I was trying to hold off on buying one I saw this and love ensued, less than 5 minutes later I was leaving the shop with the jacket (and minus the boots I’d actually gone in to buy!)
![]() |
Source: River Island |
- Lovely soap and candles from the dolly tub. They do lovely candles in teacups, which are extremely pretty and lovely goats milk soaps. There’s pictures on their website although the website doesn’t seem to be working too well. http://www.thedollytub.com/index.html
- All the lovely irish bloggers! They’ll either cost you money or make you hungry. Check out my blog roll. (I was going to make a list but was afraid I'd leave someone out!)
- Books. I love reading, although I tend to read non-improving books, because I spend so much time reading for uni and it’s nice to switch off. (That’s my excuse anyway!)
Things I’m not loving quite so much
- My ability to be swayed by pretty things, for example see jacket above!
- My age, I *celebrated* a birthday recently and I’m now into the final year of my twenties!
- My cuticles, are being extremely badly behaved, lately!
- My inability (or maybe my camera's inability) to photograph blues and purples, true to life.
Is there anything you are loving (or not loving) at the moment? Well share it, don't keep it bottled up inside!
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