December Advertisers

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Another great month for lovely bloggers and YouTubers advertising on my blog. If you would like to advertise your website check out the sale going on at the moment.

Our Ultimate advertiser this month is Girl Friday's Beauty blog. I enjoy reading Anne Marie's post because she always gives her honest opinion. She doesn't sugar coat what she thinks, she just lets it all out! She also blogs about my favourite brands and products so if I ever need a bit of encouragement to treat myself I can head over to Girls Friday's Beauty Blog. 

This month we have Holly from Sweet Like Cinnamon. I had not heard of her blog until she contacted me about advertising. Holly's blog is very up to date with special recipes and gift ideas to follow current events and she also shared special moments from her wedding earlier this year. I love this post she did on affordable items you can buy for your home.

I mentioned Elaine12Jones in the November Favourites and I'm delighted to have her advertise on my blog during December too. Check out her YouTube channel for daily vlogs on real life reality entertainment!

Thank you so much to my December Advertisers, I hope you gained some warm fuzzy exposure through advertising on my blog and your success continues to grow in the new year. January's Ultimate advertiser is still available and there are other packages available if you are interested in advertising please get in touch.

Lots of love,

Sarah

Festive Nails by The Nail Affair

I'm delighted to have Audrey from her blog The Nail Affair doing a guest post for us today. She is one talented cookie when it comes to nail art. She has come up with these festive Christmas tree nails which I think will be easy peasy for anyone to do. You must also check out her Snow man and Santa Claus tutorial if you are looking to do festive nails this Christmas.

Christmas Tree Nails

Hi all! Audrey here from The Nail Affair. I was so honoured when Sarah asked me to do a post for her, especially a festive one :) If there’s one thing I love it’s festive nails, I start wearing them as early as possible. So today I'm here to show you a little DIY! As I type this I’m listening to my specially made Christmas playlist! Definitely feeling festive ;)

I started off with a coat of Models Own Snow White which is my absolute favourite white! If you’re looking for a good white, I could not recommend this one more!! Opaque in 1 coat, though I always do two for good measure.

Then I took a thin brush, usually I would use a striper brush but I could not find it. Paint a thin line down the middle, this is our tree foundation. For this green I simply used a green nail art colour.

From here paint two triangles, one on top of another to give your tree a nice pointy shape.

Then you just have to fill it in. Alternatively you could just do one big triangle

 Where would a tree be without decorations?? I came up with a few options for decorating. You could (over) use the rhinestones which I did as a tribute to my tree which follows no pattern or colour theme. I love our tree and I’ll definitely continue the tradition with my own tree. You could also just dot polish over your tree as baubles. Maybe some tinsel~ Or even Christmas lights.

I've put in a super small tutorial for this. Simply draw a super thin black line, and then add coloured dots to that. Looks silly on it’s own but on your tree, I think it looks super!

So that’s all there is folks, thanks so much again to Sarah for letting me do this! If anyone does decide to these please send me pictures at my twitter!

Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!! And a wonderful New Year full of amazing manicures ;)

This months Ultimate advertiser is About Girl Friday . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

I Love Seaweed

I have to say I have become obsessed with finding body products containing natural ingredients over the last few months. I'm also delighted at the amount of companies in Ireland that deliver fantastic quality products using natural ingredients that are sourced locally too. Out of all the products I have tried and tested I fell in love with the following three containing seaweed.

 Seavite Illuminating Shampoo 250ml & Conditioner 250ml €10 each.

Seavite is an Irish family run company based in Co Galway. They have a whole range of organic seaweed products for your body, face and hair. I specifically love the shampoo and conditioner because they contain no skin irritants such as parabens which is great because I suffer from a dry scalp due to years of washing my hair daily. The price tag might be more than most are willing to spend but the quality of these products is fantastic. My hair felt amazing after the first use and the Illuminating conditioner is by far the best conditioner I have ever used. They have also lasted me quite a long time too so you are getting your money's worth. 

LUSH Seanik Shampoo bar

I was very intrigued by this product the first time I was introduced to it by a Lush assistant in their store on Henry Street, Dublin. I had approached her asking for a shampoo that would not irritate my dry scalp and she suggested I use the Seanik shampoo bar. She spoke to me about the benefits of seaweed and that's how my love affair began. Seanik is a shampoo that doesn't come in liquid form like most. It is a round blue bar and contains seaweed and sea salt. I found it excellent for travelling especially with the lush tin to store it in. It added volume to my hair and although I didn't find it as nourishing for my scalp as I had expected it was great for removing dirt and grease from my hair leaving it a lovely shine and feeling soft.   

VOYA Time to Shine Body Buff 200ml €29 75ml €10

My favourite body scrub to use is the Body Buff Time to Shine by Voya. It's mild enough to use regularly but also very effective for exfoliating dead skin leaving you with silky toned results. It contains ground walnut shells and seaweed flakes which make this product so effective and enjoyable to use. I think the price point reflects the superb quality and effectiveness of this product. All products in the Voya range contain organic natural ingredients locally sourced in Co Sligo.

If you have dry skin like me you should give seaweed based products a go. Seaweed face masks are also great for relieving itching caused by acne and for achieving soft glowing skin. 

How do you feel about Products containing natural ingredients? Do you mind the hefty price tag? I for one think every penny (cent?!) is worth it.

Love,

Sarah

This months Ultimate advertiser is About Girl Friday . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

Happy Christmas Giveaway *CLOSED*

I want to wish every single one of you a happy Christmas. Wherever you are or whomever you are with I hope you have an absolutely magical Christmas. Christmas isn't about being spoiled with presents, it's about being spoiled with love and affection and I hope you are all spoiled rotten this year!

I just want to say thank you to all of you who have been following my blog, twitter, Facebook and Youtube over the last two years. I have made so many friends and I have been so blessed to call some of you my best friends. I have also been given so many wonderful opportunities because of my blog, because of the support you have given me. One of the main highlights this year was making it to the finals of the Blog awards. I never really took it all serious until I went to the awards night. It was a wonderful night and I owe all of it to you.

I have always enjoyed blogging but have only recently realised with growing confidence that I am passionate about it too. Your comments and overwhelming support are what makes my blog what it is today. I hope that next year will be just as successful and that I can continue to deliver fun, interesting content for you.

To say thank you I have put together a give-away prize for one lucky reader. I wish I could send you all goodies because you all deserve it. Good luck to you all and thank you again for being so great.

Prize includes: 

Lush Magic Wand bubble bar

Lush Santa's Sack
Lush Ponche shower gel
Hunger Games trilogy book collection by Suzanne Collins
The Handmade Soap Co. Body Lotion
The Handmade Soap Co. Hand Cream
Lash Perfect La La Lashes
Essence Breaking Dawn Shimmer Powder "Bella's Secret"
Essence Breaking Dawn Blush "Renesmee Red"
Dove Go Fresh Body Wash
Dove Indulgent Body Lotion
Dove Beauty cream bar
Three nail art pens in Orange, Purple and yellow
Yes Love nail varnish in 004 - Purple shimmer
NYC City Mono Eye Shadows 5th Avenue
NYC Metro Quartet Eye Shadow Riverside Park
Nail Art decoration Kit
LA Splash Cosmetics Smudge proof Mascara in Navy Blue

To Enter

1.You must follow my blog, you can do so by clicking on the GFC button in the side bar.

2.You must be subscribed to my YouTube channel, you can do so by following this link and clicking on the Subscribe button. 

3.Comment below telling me you have done both and leave details where I can contact you if you win. (email address, twitter username etc)

Extra entries

4. Follow me on twitter

5. Follow my Facebook page.

6. Tweet about this give-away, make sure you @Adoreabubbles and attach link.

You have a total of six chances of winning if you complete all of the above. Make sure you mention in your comment if you completed any of the extra entries. 

Best of luck to all of you. Give-away ends Midnight on Christmas eve and the winner will be announced on Christmas morning on my Facebook and twitter. 

Lots of Love,

Sarah

This months Ultimate advertiser is About Girl Friday . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

Cocoa Brown 1 hour Tan Review - Before & After photos

I'm so excited to review this product for you today. I have to admit I have never been big on tanning. You name a tanning brand and I've tried it with no luck in finding the right one for me. Until now...

Cocoa Brown is a revolutionary new tan that has exploded onto the Irish market. Apart from its affordable price of just €7.99 for 150ml and it's gorgeous pink packaging the major plus for this product is the fact that it's a one hour tan. You can apply this to your skin, leave it on for just one hour and be left with an all over natural tan. You can leave it on for a maximum of three hours if you are looking to achieve a deeper tan. It won't develop any future after three hours....so in other words it's pretty fool proof. No more tangoed teenagers, AMEN! It's called Cocoa Brown because that's what this product will deliver. A nice natural brown tan. 

Marissa has gone above and beyond to bring us Irish girls this almost too good to be true product. The ingredients contain hi tech accelerating agents which start working the moment the mouse touches your skin. The revolutionary ingredients speed up the absorption and development of the tan which allows you to wash it off after just one hour. 

I thought this product couldn't get any better until I experienced another WOW moment after using it. I was not at all expecting the sweet smell of Tahitian Gardinia. I never thought I would see the day when I would actually like the scent of a self tan but I love the smell of Cocoa Brown. 

Unlike other brands I have tried this won't have you looking like a Character from Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, it won't leave you with streaks, it won't stain your bed clothes and it won't leave you broke.

I know I have been in situations where I was going on a night out and was in a fluster because I had no time to apply tan and ended up covering up with tights and cardigans to hide my pale skin!! Having a tan that develops in such a short time is going to make going out a lot easier for women from now on.

AFTER

Sorry about the lighting, this is the cocoa brown tan after I had it on for 3 hours. Taken without a flash.

I found Cocoa tan very easy to apply using the Self tan applicator mitt. The mitt will prevent your hands from staining and is re-usable. It is machine washable but I find it quicker just to hand wash straight after using it. 

Cocoa Brown is available nationwide and you can find out more information on their Facebook page and stay up to date on all their latest news over on twitter.

I'm so excited about this product I want you to try it out too. Win yourself a bottle of Cocoa Brown 1 hour tan and an applicator mitt just in time for New Years by following the rafflecoptor widget below.

Good Luck,

Sarah

This months Ultimate advertiser is About Girl Friday . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Inis - the energy of the Sea

I can't believe how close it is to Christmas, it seems to have snuck up on me this year. I'm delighted all the same as it's my favourite time of the year.

I come to you today with my thoughts on a cologne that has been available for many years. It's by Inis and is suitable for men and women. I had my doubts about it the very first time I read those words "FOR MEN AND WOMEN" on the packaging. How can this be I asked myself. Surely all women like floral scents and all men like musky scents. You really do learn something new everyday!

Let me tell you a little bit about Inis before I share my thoughts on The energy of the sea cologne. Inis (which means Island in Irish) is made in Ireland, does not test on animals and been contributing to the protection and conservation of Whales and Dolphins in Irish waters since 2001.

The frosted bottle packaging is lovely and the cap on top is made to replicate two stones you might find while walking along a beach. I like the simplicity of the packaging. While I adore other brands such as Marc Jacob which go for the lavish over the top packaging I would be proud to have this Inis cologne sitting on my vanity. Sometimes less is more.

Scents are a powerful thing, different scents can submerge you into a memory and remind you of special occasions or your favourite places. The scent certainty has a nature feel to it and The energy of the sea makes me think of many happy visits to Bettystown beach in Co Meath, trying to hide my toes in the sand when I was little.

I found it quite hard to put my finger on it, at first I thought it's definitely a scent more suited to men but the longer I wore it the more it grew on me. Would it make sense if I was to say it had a little bit of sweetness but was also a very warm scent?! That's what I am getting from it. If I was to choose anyone in my family to gift this cologne to it would be my dad. I think he would like this because it is not too overpowering and again it reminds me off all the times he drove our family to the beach when I was younger.

If you are looking for a special scent to buy your loved ones this Christmas check out the Fragrances of Ireland website and see what other little bottles of Ireland they have available. I must mention that The energy of the sea is their best selling signature scent and from reading reviews on their website it is indeed popular with men and women.

Love,

Sarah

This months Ultimate advertiser is About Girl Friday . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

NIMA Brush Review

For the past few weeks I have been using the newest and brightest make-up brushes available on the Irish market. After using the 7 piece essential brush set by NIMA BRUSH I am happy to report that they are everything you would expect in a make-up brush set. They are affordable, look great and being designed by a professional make-up artist you can expect great quality fibres and strong brush ferrules.

The set includes:

Large powder brush for  blending face powders and bronzer.

Dome blush brush for soft cheek application.

Duo Fibre foundation brush which can be used with powder, liquid or cream products.

Concealer brush perfect for concealing under eye circles and corners of the nose.

Small angle brush for filling in brows and can also be used to apply liner.

Pencil brush which is great for creating a soft and smokey effect on your bottom lash line.

Crease blender brush for blending out shadows in the crease of your eyes.

At first the crease blender and pencil brush felt coarse on my skin but after a few washes the fibres softened up and are now a delight to use. The large powder brush is perfect for applying bronzer which is something I  have only recently become confident in doing and the dome blush brush is the perfect size for my cheekbones. I have been using all the brushes over the last two weeks and usually when it comes to brush sets I might only use a few, so I am overall delighted all the brushes are being put to good use.

I really enjoy using this set and I think €65 is a fantastic affordable price for a brush set that is perfect for applying your everyday make-up. It's also ideal for beginners and would make the perfect present for any occasion. I had the pleasure of meeting and having my make-up done by Niamh Martin the owner of NIMA Brush recently. She is such a warm, bubbly person. I don't think it will be very long until NIMA becomes a household name here in Ireland and I wish her every bit of success possible.

Niamh has some new products coming out in the near future so keep updated by following here on Facebook and Twitter. This won't be the last time you here about NIMA on my blog. I will soon be testing out the Make-up remover mitt and sharing my thoughts on that also.

Niamh has been very kind to give all my readers and YouTube subscribers the chance to win themselves a 7 piece essential brush set. To enter simply follow the rafflecopter widget instructions below.

This months Ultimate advertiser is About Girl Friday . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

Good Luck everyone,

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Tag - Jingle bells Jingle bells..

I was so excited that Donna from Not Just Inside tagged me in the Christmas Tag today that I had to do it straight away. My name is Sarah and I am a Christmas nut! 

What's your favourite thing about Christmas?

My favourite thing about Christmas are the few weeks leading up to the best day of the year. Being in outside in the cold, wondering when the snow will come and stepping into our warm house getting excited as the time for putting up the decorations gets closer.

What's your favourite make-up look for the season?

There is something about this cold weather that has made me not want to wear make-up during the day. I've been using Elave Intense Moisture Surge and their daily skin defence SPF 45 to keep my skin from drying out. For night time when the party season starts I will be rocking smokey eye's with thick liner and false lashes.

Real tree or fake tree?

Growing up we always had a real tree and I want to do the same. I love the smell of the pine and the bigger the better! It will be interesting to see how we get on with real tree plus puppy this year!

Giving presents or receiving presents?

I LOVE giving presents so much that I usually start collecting my presents months before Christmas. If I see something on sale or something I know a friend or family member would love I have to get it! I'm terrible at receiving presents, I never know what to say. Thank you never seems to be enough.

Do you open presents Christmas morning or evening?

Always on Christmas morning, as we (my brothers) got older we started getting up later and later or when we moved out it became an afternoon thing because we had to wait for everyone to arrive. Once we all stopped over to our parents on Christmas eve for drinks and by the time all the fun was over it was after midnight and we somehow persuaded out parents to open them that night, it was lots of fun! 

Handmade Christmas cards or bought?

I have given and received hand-made Christmas cards, I think they are great but I can understand how some people might not have time to go to that much trouble. I usually keep my favourite cards to use as decorations for the following year and I always keep the hand made ones!! 

What's your favourite Christmas movie?

Hands down it has to be Home Alone one. Years back during Christmas dinner when we all lived at home my dad said I could have a small glass of wine and I loved it so much my brothers gave me theirs too...I may have been a bit tipsy and remember we all sat down to watch Home Alone afterwards with other family member's. It's so funny I was laughing so hard I began to cry! I'll never forget it! 

Thank you Donna for tagging me I am going to tag......Hmmmm let me think about this now....

• http://www.makeupbylaurenmarie.com/
• http://raragiggle.blogspot.ie/
• http://www.aprettyobsession.com/
• http://girlfridaysbeautyblog.wordpress.com/

I hope everyone is excited about Christmas, if you would like to see any special festive posts on here please let me know. 

Love,

Sarah

This months Ultimate Advertiser is Girl Fridays Beauty Blog. If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

November's Adorable Advertisers

Source

Last month I began selling advertising space in the side bar of my blog. I am delighted with the feedback I have received and I am thankful that the success of my blog has allowed me to do this. If you would like to check out the different advertising packages I have to offer you can do so by clicking on the Advertise button on the top right hand side of my blog.

Novembers Ultimate Bubble Advertiser was Carter Beauty, a salon in Blackrock that provides all the latest  beauty trends. I have had the pleasure of going to Carter Beauty a few times and have been delighted with the friendly and professional experiences I've had. They have a really great team of girls I have to say. I am going in next week to get my spray tan to make sure I am prepared for the Christmas party season which is fast approaching. Goodbye winter blues hello sun goddess!

Our next Bubble advertiser for the month of November was Donna from Not Just Inside. She very recently gave her blog a new look and its gorgeous so be sure to check it out. Donna posts on her blog daily which is not a easy thing to do trust me I know, it's something I have never been able to do so I think it is very safe to say she is a dedicated blogger. Sometimes she even post more than once a day....teach me your ways master Donna!! She blogs about affordable and high end brands so there is something for everyone.

You may have also noticed and advert supporting Movember in my side bar also. Elaine from Misseblog has been taking part in Movember to raise awareness and money for those affected by testicular cancer. If you would like to check out her page and donate you can do so HERE

Lastly we had my good smiley, beautiful friend from the UK Elaine. Elaine has her own YouTube channel called Elaine12Jones and she does daily vlogs of her everyday life. She also shares her experience with weight loss and if you are lucky you might get to see her hubby Neil in the bath every now and again!!!

Thank you so much to my November Advertisers, I hope you gained some warm fuzzy exposure through advertising on my blog. Decembers Ultimate advertiser has been booked up but there are other packages available if you are interested in advertising please get in touch.

Lots of love,

Sarah

Christmas Gifts For Her

Christmas is fast approaching. Some of you may react to this news with joy and others with dread! If you are at a loss as of what to get the lovely ladies in your life I have a few suggestions that might help. I love doing my Christmas shopping on-line,  not only can I stay in my pj's but you can also find unique items on-line you otherwise wouldn't find in your local high-street shops. Here are a few of my favourites.

1. Eye catching glass pendants made in Donegal by Louise Spokes. Simply beautiful pieces suitable for family and friends for any occasion. 2. Elegant handmade silk clutches from Bag Noir made in Dublin. These clutch bags are made from the best quality fabrics and can be made to order, how great is that! 3.Stunning handmade hair clips from Astrid Crafts made in Co Wicklow. Another fantastic quality accessory that's a sure winner with someone on your gift list this Christmas.

4. A lovely subtle fragrance suitable for men and women. The energy of the sea by Inis is an Irish fragrance, they do not test on animals and they also contribute to the protection and conservation of Whales and dolphins. 5. Where There's a wool is a delightful shop on Etsy based in Dublin and owned by Angela Carr. 6. A new find that I am super happy about is House of Ismay, this shop sells wooden badges with text from your favourite books. My personal favourite is the Black Beauty badge. 7. My last gift suggestion is a lovely vintage handmade cake stand by My Grandfathers Clock. The owner Susan also makes home made candles using vintage tea cups, it's just pure genius really! I love the idea of re-using the old an making something fun and if you like cake as much as I do, noting gets more fun than a cake stand full of....well cake! mmmmmm!

Those are my Christmas gift suggestions. Of course it depends on the personal taste of the person you are buying for and there are plenty of pre-wrapped gift set options in the shops but don't underestimate the power of on-line Christmas shopping this year...you could give someone the best present they have ever received.

Happy Shopping,

Sarah x

LUSH FUN Bath Times

 FUN - Blue 200g €6.50 Suitable for children and adults!

What is FUN? FUN is basically a play-dough like substance which can be used in the exact same way in that you can make all sorts of fun shapes and models with it but unlike playdough when you are finished having all your fun you can use it in the shower or bath to wash. How cool is that! To wash your body and hair you only need a small amount. These big 200g bars of FUN go a long way.

FUN Blue has a lovely lavender and chamomile fragrance which makes it perfect for kiddies bedtime bath. It will send those kiddies right to sleep....if you can get them out of the bath that is!

If it's bubbles you are into then all you have to do is crumble a chunk under hot running water from your tap. You don't have to use the whole bar, as I said before it goes a long long way and you can continue to store what's left in the biodegradable wrapper it comes in.

Fun is also available in Pink, Yellow, Green and Red and they all have their own fragrance. Having problems getting your little monsters into the bath? Well then present them with some bath time fun that is preservative free, against animal testing and FUN

Not only is this product really fun, 10p from each sale with go towards grants and projects which help provide fun and recreational activities for children living in Challenging environments. This Friday myself and Aundrea will be heading to a primary school in Athlone to raise awareness and funds for the children affected by the Fukushima disaster. Aundrea came up with the idea and after she got the go ahead from LUSH she approached the primary school that she went to as a little monster!! We will be heading into a pre-school class armed with thirty fun bars for the children to shape and mould into what ever creations their imaginations can muster up.

I am really looking forward to it. I can't wait to see what the children think of FUN and hope we can raise some well needed funds for the children in Fukushima.

Have you tried FUN yet? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Love,

Sarah

This months Ultimate Advertiser is Carter Beauty. If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

Buy Irish Day 8: Precious Prints

Precious Prints is a unique company based in Terenure, Co Dublin. They specialise in personalised pieces of jewellery which capture your child's footprint, handprint or fingerprint. All their jewellery is hand crafted using pure silver. Precious Prints also works exclusively with Dublin Crystal to make the most beautiful Christmas decorations. 

How to Order your Christmas Decoration:

Ordering could not be easier. There are three options to choose from, round, star and angel. Once you have selected which decoration you would like all you have to do is enter the child's name and a date if you would like a date to be placed onto the crystal. Add the item to your cart and complete payment.

Within a few days you will be sent an inkless kit in the post. It comes with all the instructions you will need to create your prints.

After you have created your prints you just pop them into the envelope which is also provided and send it back to Precious Prints in Dublin. While there your print will be cleaned up if there are any smudges, fifth fingers or extra thumbs! You know how wriggly little children can be! Thankfully my little friend Rian was very good while taking his prints with his mummy. The process took less than two minutes and he didn't mind me wiping the applicator over his hands before pressing them down onto the paper. 

After that your prints are sent off to the engraver. voilà! your precious gift will be sent to you in the post in a lovely gift bag and box. Precious Prints will stop taking orders for Christmas on Friday November 23rd so that they can ensure delivery before Christmas. All prints must be returned by Decemeber 6th. 

For more information be sure to check out their website . They also have a Facebook where you can stay up to date on all new products and offers.

Christmas decoration, Star with name, date and print €28.95

Phone: 087 0562925 - Web: www.PreciousPrints.ie - Email: info@PreciousPrints.ie

Let me know how you are getting on with your Christmas shopping below. I would love to hear if you are an organised snowflake or a laid back, last minute Christmas cracker!!! 

Love,

Sarah

This months Ultimate Advertiser is Carter Beauty. If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

Buy Irish Day 7: Caribbean Christmas

A few days ago I mentioned the Caribbean Christmas on my blog. It's a Christmas pop up shop made up of over 20 different craft businesses based in Ireland.

It's been going since Thursday and the last day is tomorrow. I got a chance to stop by this afternoon and was   taken aback by all the different items on display. I told Fiona, one of the girls responsible for setting up the shop that I wanted to take everything with me but alas my bank account would not let me!

I was given some delicious Hibiscus Juice and had a look at all the wonderful creations on display. I bought some handmade glass Christmas decorations which have been made by students from the NCAD Glass department, all money made from these will be going back into funding their department.

I also bought myself a lovely Murano glass beaded necklace from the vintage jewellery stand for just €6. Planet Purple where there and I treated myself to one of their lovely felt brooches.

I enjoyed meeting Sara Furlong during my visit, I did a post on her handmade Christmas cards a few days ago you can check it out HERE. She was also selling her own Christmas wrapping paper for €2.

                                                                                                   
I would really recommend you visit the Caribbean Christmas shop as after tomorrow (18th Nov) it will be gone. I hope it comes back next Christmas. It really was a great idea to have all these small businesses under one roof. Check out their Facebook page for more information.

Hand made glass Christmas decorations by the NCAD students. Large €3 Smal €2 and they also had others to choose from at three for €12

Check it out! 33 Charles Street West. A short walk from O'Connell bridge situated beside the four courts. You really don't want to miss out on the unique items they have for sale.

Love,
Sarah

This months Ultimate Advertiser is Carter Beauty. If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog click HERE

Urban Decay - Vice Palette - Guest Post by Sarah Lowry

Hi there! My name is Sarah (also answers to “Mike” to avoid confusion when there are a few Sarah's around!) & when Sarah asked me to do a guest post on her blog I jumped at the chance as I am trying to get some blogging practise in so I can start up my own blog – something I have wanted to do for ages – and as Sarah’s blog is just awesome what better place to throw out a post & get feedback?! So thanks so much to Sarah no.1 as I like to call her, it’s a brilliant chance for me, you’re a wee gem m’lady!

So, for my guest post I am going to be reviewing the Urban Decay palette that was out for Holiday 2012 season – the VICE PALETTE!!

Just look at this beauty – even the packaging is so swish & swanky (I am a sucker for nice packaging!) Also, what I love about it is that it is a sturdy, hard cased palette, so flimsy cardboard in sight, which makes it travel proof, added bonus! PLUS, the mirror is the full size of the palette, which is awesome as pokey wee mirrors are just more hassle than they are worth. Cherry on top of an insanely tasty cake? Urban Decay kindly include one of their Good Karma brushes!

I love this as them flimsy sponge applicators in palettes are actually AWFUL at applying shadow. But the brush here is actually pretty decent quality! Now, I would be sticking to my trusty Sigma brush but for travelling its handy to not have to pack my Mrs Bunny’s!

Then, what we all want to see really right – the GOODS!! Just look inside this baby!! All new colours, not one shadow is a copy or repromote from another palette. I love this, as I am a HUGE Urban Decay junkie, with more UD palettes than you can shake a stick at but UD has this habit of repeating the old & having very little new till NOW! So yay for new-ness!!

So the shadows… the first thing that hit me was the quality of them, so creamy & butter smooth, super pigmented and no chalky effect (no one likes looking like a blackboard after all!). Urban Decay managed to have a good mix of colours in this palette, and different finishes too –from the matte Chaos (the AWESOME cobalt blue!) to the shimmery shades we know & love UD for –Penny Lane comes to mind here- that stunning shimmery copper.

Here is a quick break down of the shadows in this wee beauty –

Desperation – a taupe brown with a satin finish

Muse – a deep brown with a sparkley finish

Jagged – black with HUGE chunks of red glitter

Blitz – a metallic gold that has a shimmer finish to it

Penny Lane – a metallic peachy bronze

Junkie – a turquoise shadow with a slight golden shimmer

Chaos – cobalt blue

Occupy – metallic steel grey with multi coloured sparkle

Unhinged – a silver/baby blue

Blackout – matte black, great to use as liner!

Provocateur – a light metallic pink/mauve with pink & white sparkle bits!

Rapture – a dark grey/purple

Vice – a dark matte purple

Noise – shimmery fuchsia with gold sparkle (GIRL POWER!)

Armour – a light metallic grey with small silver glitter

Nevermind – a frosted metallic bronzy brown

Echo Beach – a pale gold with a frosted finish

Anonymous- a matte almost-white shadow – can only describe this shadow as an ivory shade

Freebird – a pale pink shadow, baby pink, with a tiny bit of gold sparkle & a metallic finish

Laced – A matte pink-beige shadow

If I had to find fault with the shadows here in this palette it would have to be that some of glittery ones had some fallout, I am looking at Jagged especially when I say this!

However, since Urban Decay redeveloped their shadows, their glitter shadows have definitely improved in staying power. Also, a really good eyeshadow primer will help this problem dramatically!

Which shadow is my favourite you ask? I am actually adoring Blitz – haven’t seen such a shimmery gold in a long time, it’s the shadow of queens!

So, there you have it! My quick low-down on all things Urban Decay & Vice! Thanks again to my lovely lady, Sarah no.1 for having me on her Adoreabubble blog! (bad pun I know I know!) You, are a LEGEND!

If anyone has any questions or comments please don’t be afraid to give me a shout – tips on blogging are always welcome too!

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