Monday, December 23, 2013

Beauty SOS for the party season...

The funny thing is, I haven't even been out for Christmas yet but I look like I've been on the tear solidly for two weeks.. It's a scary day when you look in the mirror and your once youthful eyes are now replaced with tired bags and the beginnings of crow's feet...I also found THREE grey hairs on the same day so to say that I freaked out is an understatement. December has been a very busy month for me and to be honest I have let my nightly Caudalie routine slip somewhat. It's amazing the change in your skin if you change your routine or like me, abandon it completely. But with two weeks ahead of partying, over eating, consuming copious amounts of chocolate and just general unhealthiness, all I can really do is try and camouflage the damage as much as possible! There are a few things I need in this process, most of which are things I have used and swore by for years and some are new additions to my beauty bag. Ok here it goes: 

The Konjac Sponge: 

I've been using this to clean my face for about a year now and it really is a little miracle worker. It's a natural sponge made from the Konjac plant in Japan which is naturally cleansing, exfoliating, and PH balancing. It's amazing for taking off make up and removing stubborn blackheads; whenever my skin looks like shite I put the sponge under warm
Water and It lifts the dullness leaving a glow to my skin! You also use way less cleanser when you use it! 




Nuxe Reve de Miele lipbalm: 
 I am one of those unlucky people who get coldsores ( PUKE) and they ALWAYS come up when I'm run down and stressed so two weeks ago I got the lovely present of FIVE AT ONCE it was awful. So my lips are all shrivelly and dry so this is when I turn to my Nuxe lip balm because it is natural, quite buttery and contains beeswax so it's excellent for dry and chapped lips. I love this, and I can finally wear lipstick again YAY! 



Nuxe Shimmer Oil 
 
I love this. Now, I'm a Caudalie girl through and through and nothing will change that, but I do have a soft spot for this golden bottle of gorgeousness... I feel so tired and like someone has turned my light off, it's hard to describe but I just feel like a zombie and when I put this oil on I just feel so nice and so luxurious like an actual piece of gold..! :p it is so fab though, it just lifts the skin and warms it up and it's so gorgeous with tan also on the collar bone and legs. 



Caudalie Divine Oil: 

Yes, it's another oil. But not for the same reason. I discovered this by accident and as a result of being too lazy to walk downstairs and get my cleanser. I reached for this to clean my
Make up off thinking it wasn't really going to work and I was pleasantly suprised. My makeup glided off and even my glue-like Benefit mascara came off with great ease. My skin felt very soft and clean after, I'm going to use this every second night to clean my face because my skin is very dehydrated these days. If you have combination or oily skin, use only a small amount and make sure the oil
Is Natural like the Caudalie one or it will upset the excess oils already in your skin. It will be my go-to when I come home in the wee hours of the morning and quickly wash my face!  



Caudalie Beauty Elixir: 

I remember the first time I saw a bottle of Beauty Elixir and I read the back which stated that it was inspired by Queen Isabelle of Hungary's Elixir of Youth, and I knew then it was something that would be a permanent fixture in my
Make up bag. It's a natural mist for the face which can be used as a light toner after cleansing to tighten pores; it gives a glow to the skin, and it sets make up. I love the smell of it so much and even of I feel tired I spray a bit on my face and it wakes me up... Sometimes! It's something ive been using for over two years now and I
Can't stress how much i love it. Perfect for hangover days to perk you up! 



Orofluido Hair Beauty Elixir 

Another Beauty Elixir. I just really love the word Elixir, it sounds like a potion... 
This stuff is amazing, I got it with my
extensions in the summer, it gives unreal
Shine to the hair making it more manageable and appear more healthy and shiny. When I remember to use it i love what it does..not sure where this can be bought probably hair salons..? It'll be perfect the day after the night before when I'm too fearful to shower incase I see a ghost. 




Catrice Camoflage cream Concealer: 

And if all this fails, CONCEAL, CONCEAL, CONCEAL. Concealer is just feckin' brilliant. I would eat this stuff if I could. Even on my most tired eyes are like slits type of days, lash concealer under the eyes and boom I look five years old. Really couldn't live without concealer. 



That's it, my little list of products to tricking people into thinking you look naturally fabulous even when you are so tired you can't even be bothered to brush your teeth. 

Not that I ever do that. 

Anyways, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very merry Christmas and just sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blogs.. I am terribly sorry for the long winded rants, I would say I'll change, but I won't. I love ranting, sorry. But, seriously, thank you. 
Here's to 2014. 

Loads of love, 

Elisha :) xo 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Along Came Pollly: The first of many Christmas Outfits..

Along Came Pollly: The first of many Christmas Outfits..: I remember the moment I fell in love with this dress. I was watching The Voice of Ireland questioning my choice of tv programmes, and then, ...

The first of many Christmas Outfits..

I remember the moment I fell in love with this dress. I was watching The Voice of Ireland questioning my choice of tv programmes, and then, Sharon Corr stepped out on stage wearing what can only be described as one of the most perfect dresses I had ever seen. It had everything I always wanted in a dress-capped sleeves, a nice neckline, perfect length, swing style AND sequins, WHITE sequins. That was it. I had to have it. So last year me and my family were in Dundrum and I popped in to French Connection and I saw it- it was even more beautiful in real life. It was also about €350. Needless to say my mother forbid me to buy it so I left Dundrum that day yes, with lots of bags, but, with a little hole in my heart I didn't think would ever be filled. Then, one day I was on eBay and I FOUND the dress from a seller in the UK! It was on auction starting at €10, I was the only bidder and I was so terrified other people would find it, so I outbid myself and I think in the end payed €25 for it..! I was so happy when it arrived I was just dying to wear it! 

At work we have an annual Ladies Night, full of glamour, glitter and wine, it's the best way to kick off Christmas so I knew the dress would be perfect. I spotted a tiara on ASOS that I also fell in love with and when I put it on with the dress I felt like an actual princess! :) I refer to myself as Blair Waldorf quite often, and minus the incessant scheming we are similar in that, all she wanted was to become a princess! I apologise for the odd rambling I had 3 hours sleep last night because I watched 6 episodes of Gossip Girl-obsession is not a strong enough word. Anyway... Here are some pictures! The tiara is unfortunately sold out on ASOS but there are lots of other types, and if you can't wear a tiara at christmas, when can you? 


One of my jobs on the night was to choose the best dressed lady, I knew the second I saw the outfit that she was my winner! The winner was Noelle Kelly who is an avid reader also, who wore a gorgeous Penneys tartan dress which she shortened herself, she just looked do beautiful and she won a huge bag of Caudalie products! Congrats Noelle! :) 


The night was a huge success, and we were wrecked after it but it was worth every second. Huge thanks to everyone who came on the night. So that was my first Christmas outfit, here's to many more, and roll on the next time I get to wear that tiara again! 

For more pictures/adventures check out my pages on Instagram/twitter/bloglovin and tumblr all with the username 'alongcamepollly' 

Feel free to ask me any questions or tell me what you thought of this outfit! 

Elisha :) xo