Friday night I went to Pygmalion to see Gerd, it was a great night and there was some really cool style there. I took some pics to share with you all and don’t forget to check out Gerd’s boiler room set (below).
Mucho Love,
Aoife
Ciara Glover
Katie Stenson
Ellie
I know it has been so long since I have posted, I have been so so busy the last 2 weeks and I literally have loads blog about over the next week, including shoots, fashion shows and some great fashion hauls, but I promised in my last post I would talk more about my time interning with Xpose and I have had so many people ask me about it and request another post, so here’s some more behind the scenes info for all you Xpose fans!
I have snaps from 2 more VT’s I shot on location with Xpose, the first was a wedding shoot about English designer Suzanne Neville. Although she is well known for designing gowns for many celebrities (I personally knew her from designing a lot of Tess Dalys gowns for Strictly come dancing) Suzanne also designs stunning bridal collections. Her 2013 collection is called the ‘Diamond Collection’ and features something for all brides. From lace to silk to streamline to princesses she really does cover all the angels while still maintaining a certain continuity throughout. Sarah Morissey looked effortlessly glamorous modelling the collection. The VT featured cut aways of Sarah modelling the dresses while presenter Lisa Cannon interviewed Suzanne about her new collection. Lisa was great fun to work with and was happy to answer any questions I had as well as give me advice on my presenting work.
Next up was another dress shoot but this time it was shot in Lara Boutique and featured Celebrity inspired dresses from the latest range they’re stocking Lust. These dresses are really sexy figure hugging high quality pieces. What’s great about them is the fact that they are so versatile, they’re dressy enough for a special occasion but not so dressy that they will be left hanging in a wardrobe until another formal event come’s up. They could easily be worn to a wedding or special event, but just as easily worn for a regular Saturday night on the town and not look out of place. To me that makes them a good investment! This VT was presented by Glenda Gilson who is so professional, she’s a great presenter and has a really friendly bubbly personality which really comes across great on camera. Glenda was interviewing one of Irelands top stylists Courtney Smith (Who also comes across great on camera and really knows her stuff when it comes to styling!). They chatted about the different looks while models Sarah Morissey and Lynn Kelly modelled the collection.
I really enjoyed my time at Xpose, everyone was so nice and I learned so much. The camera man Ronan took me under his wing and even though I have been presenting and studying media for 3 and a half years now my time in Xpose was an invaluable experience. I look forward to my next trip to TV3 (which is actually quite soon, but I’m not giving anything away yet!) and cant wait to learn more.
Mucho Love,
Aoife X
Last week I was lucky enough to be interning at Xpose. I was so lucky because due to the large amount of requests they constantly receive Xpose don’t take people for work experience/internships as a rule. However some of my presenting work was brought to the attention of one of TV3’s staff and they very kindly bent the rules for me a little and offered me the chance to see how Xpose works, as they thought of all the TV3 shows it would be the one that would best suit my personality.
I was put with one of TV3’s camera men Ronan out on the road and we went from place to place filming different packages for the show. Xpose usually features 7 packages in each show meaning there is lots of filming to be done every day! Ronan was really great and I learnt so much from him on all the different pieces we filmed. The first package we worked on was one for YSL in The Style Club on South William Street. We filmed this piece with Karen Koster (who I think I should mention was a really lovely girl and brilliant at what she does!). YSL’s head make up artist was flown in from London and he created 2 stunning looks on the models using all products from YSL’s new Spring/Summer collection.
The new YSL Spring/Summer collection is really gorgeous with lots of fresh pastel colours that are great for subtle but colourful summer looks and a fab cream blush (in 3 different shades) which is a must have for everyone this spring/summer to create that light dewy glow we see so often re-appearing every spring/summer. I really love the packaging of this collection and and as a whole it looks like an on trend summery well rounded collection that includes eye shadows, lip colours, blush, nail varnish and lots of lovely special additions!
YSL very kindly gave me the new Y Facettes Palette to review as a little sneak peek of the collection. I’ve been meaning to try a new highlighter for awhile as mines been running low so I was excited to try it. YSL have a great reputation when it comes to their illuminating products (of course I’m referring to the famous Touch Eclat!) so the Y Facettes Illuminating Palette had a lot to live up to, and as far as I’m concerned it didn’t disappoint! its a nude colour powder product with a slight shimmer and some very subtle glitter. I applied it along the top of my cheek bones and lightly to the bridge of my nose, the centre of my forehead and top of my brow bone for a little extra definition. It was easy to apply and looked great. The packaging is YSL’s signature gold, very classy, and as an added bonus it comes with a fab little storage pouch to protect it.
Overall I really like the product and the packaging of the Y Facettes Illuminating Palette and think its a great all round highlighter that can be used multi-purpose for contouring, eyes, or even just to add some extra sparkle to any look!
I’ll have more posts about my time in Xpose over the coming days. You can check out the video from one of the two looks created (An Anne Hathaway inspired look) here.
Mucho Love,
Aoife X
One of my biggest stresses for Miss Tourism World was trying to sort out a national costume. A national costume needs to be something that represents your country but also something that really stands out on stage. When I thought about an elaborate stage costume the first company I thought of was Love Jewles x.
Love Jewels is a fairly recent business venture set up by one of Ireland’s leading make up artists Julie Caufield. I first met Julie when we worked on a shoot together a few years back, she’s really creative so I wasn’t surprised at all when I saw she had expanded her creativity into costume design. Love Jewel’s is really unique and is filling a gap for high end costumes and customised pieces in the Irish market. Whether it be for a dancer costume, a stage show, a fancy dress costume, or something a bit different for a photo shoot love jewels will have you covered with their extensive range.
One of Love Jewels more elaborate costumes, perfect for a shoot!
This one would look great as a dancer costume.
Stunning Julie models some of her custom studded bras (these can be made to order)
I called over to Jules house for a fitting and we tried on a few costumes. In the end we decided to go with a sparkly emerald green dress and the theme of my costume could be the emerald Isle.
I themed it with a black cloak, green necklace and a green shamrock embellished headband, I really loved the quality of this dress and I thought it really stood out and sparkled on stage, especially against the black.
On stage
In Bangkok Scene Magazine.
My shoes for the pageant where provided by my favourite online store NoPolka.com, if your a regular reader of my blog you will have seen me blog about nopolka before, I use them alot and find their online service to always be quick and very reliable. The shoes they provided me with for the pageant where great because they where super high with a 6.5inch heel (meaning they gave me that extra bit of height on stage) but still comfortable to walk in so that I didn’t have to worry about tripping or having sore feet during the show.
I love the suede effect and the red sole, I think it gives these shoes a really classic designer look. Nopolka are my go to brand for shoes and these stunning heels are currently reduced to a bargain €39.19, unbeatable value! Unfortunately they don’t have many sizes left, but don’t worry there are plenty of other similar amazing bargain heels on the Nopolka website.
I really loved my national costume and thought it was a cool twist on the Irish theme, using two great Irish costume/clothing company’s. You can check it out in the video of the Miss Tourism World final below.
Until next time,
Aoife X
Before I start my review of the eyelash extensions I have to say that having them whilst on my trip really did make all the difference! There was so many early starts for press calls and photo ops, some mornings I was up at 6 but we had to go with light make up because we’d be getting our makeup and hair done a few hours later however there was a constant group of photographers and press following us around so obviously we where all still concious about how we looked, and it is hard to feel you look good at 6am make up free ! Having extensions on my eyelashes really made me feel much more confident on these days as they just made my eyes look so much more awake and made it easier to go make up free.
My eyelashes where done by La Prima Rosa in Celbridge and they really did such a great job, the eyelashes looked so natural and they felt so soft. They where so well done that I was stopped by about 10 different in the airport on the way to thailand (Including the girls in the MAC shop who couldn’t believe they weren’t my own). The lashes they use in La Prima Rosa are mink meaning they are very fine and soft and I think this is why they blend so seamlessly with your own lashes, they then spend roughly an hour applying them until you get your desired effect (I went for a very full look).
Heres a pic of the lashes after 3 weeks.
I would definitely recommend eyelash extensions from La Prima Rosa, they did such a brilliant job on mine and they lasted for 4 weeks. I was surprised with how long I got out of them considering I was having my make up done then removed later and redone again most days throughout my trip to thailand so they where put under alot of strain but they lasted! 5 stars from me!
You can check out more from La Prima Rosa on their facebook page, or call them on 01 6279812 for an appointment.
Until next time,
Aoife X
I got my nails for Miss Tourism World done by Grace from Cherry on Top. I first noticed Cherry on Top nails on facebook when I saw some pictures on my news feed that really stood out to me. Grace isn’t just a nail technician but also an amazing artist, some of the nails she does have so much detail they really are brilliant and I love her unique funky style.
I would have loved to have gone for one of these crazy styles myself but considering what my nails where for I decided to go for something a bit more simple. I wanted something elegant but still something that would pop, grace suggested instead of the regular french polish look that I go for a classy nude colour with some type of design on my ring finger. We decided to use my Jovani Dress from Glitterati Boutique (which I would be wearing for the final of the pageant) as inspiration and go with a nude base and a little bit of sparkle.
I’m so happy with the results, I have really thin nail beds and grace did such a good job at making sure to keep the nails the perfect size so even though they’re long they don’t look overly fake. Two weeks on they still look great, I’m so happy with them and will defiantly be back to Cherry on top to get my nails done in the future.
Cherry on top is a mobile service and operates throughout Dublin and Kildare, super handy and you can get pampered in the comfort of your own home! Grace is a lovely girl, shes is so creative and really great at what she does. Check out Cherry on tops facebook page for more of her brilliant designs.
Until next time,
Aoife X
I had 2 steps in getting my hair ready for Miss tourism world, colour and extensions. My colour was sponsered by OB1 salon in Maynooth and my extensions by Lushious Locks Hair Extensions (parkside beauty rooms). I’m so grateful to both salons for getting my hair ready for the trip, especially as they fit me in at short notice! I’ll review them both separately below.
Colour at OB1:
This was my first time to go to OB1, but I’d heard great things about the salon in the past so I was really excited to try them out. When I arrived all the girls where so friendly. The girl who was going to be doing my colour (Niamh) had a look at my hair and we had a good chat about what I wanted colour wise. I basically just wanted to clean up my blonde a bit as I felt over the last year it had become very dull. She explained to me that this process would take more then one go but she’d do as much as she could for me without damaging my hair. I have to say Niamh was just great she really put so much time and effort into getting my colour right, I find alot of the time (especially because I have extensions) hairdressers tend to put alot of meche packets (highlights) along my t-bar and then just throw a few into the rest of my hair, even if i ask for a half or 3/4 head of highlights. Since my hair is naturally dark I feel this leaves an awful shadow through out my hair meaning it looks awful unless it is parted into one position and stays in that exact position at all times (which is impossible!). This was the first time in a very long time that a hairdresser didn’t do this cheat on my hair and it really made all the difference! Niamh literally fit as many packets of meche into my hair and around my extensions as possible and my colour is so much more even for it.
After doing my highlights Niamh applied 2 toners, 1 to remove the greenish tint on my hair ( she explained this was due to hard water in the area which I live and how washing your hair in hard water can cause a build up) and then 1 to restore my hair to its ash blonde tone that I like it to have.
All in all OB1 salon gets a massive thumbs up form me, the staff are friendly and attentive and the service I received was the best I have in a very long time, my colour looks great and I couldn’t be happier. I will definitely be back! Check out OB1’s facebook page or call them on (01) 629 3900.
Extensions (Lushious Locks):
This was my 3rd visit to Lushious Locks I’ve been getting my hair done there by Stacey for awhile now and I cant recommend her enough, on top of being great at what she does she’s a really friendly girl and we always have a good girly chat every time I’m there. I’ve been using extensions in my hair for about 6 years now and have had EVERY type of extensions on the market, from clip ins to keratin bonds to weaves, Stacey uses Micro beaded extensions. The reason I’ve come to love Lushious Locks so much is because micro beads aren’t as damaging to your hair as some other forms of extensions since there is no heat or glue involved, the hair is reusable so if you take good care of it this can be a very economical form of hair extension for those of you who like me cant live with out your extensions, lastly I love the quality of the Lushious Locks hair. I find with some extensions they look great for the first 3 weeks or so but then once the outer layer of shine comes off the hair becomes dry and hard to manage, this is not the case with Lushious Locks the hair really does hold its quality so well.
The extensions can be curled, straightened, and blow dried just like your real hair and you can go for a full head, a 3/4 head or a half head of hair depending on how much length/volume you’d like to add. For those of you who would love extensions but are worried about damage to your real hair I’m on my 3rd set now and if anything my hair condition has improved because now instead of curling/straightening/styling my real hair I’m mostly applying heat to the extensions and saving my own hair from heat damage.
You can contact Lushious Locks via Facebook or call the salon on 018388939.
Untill next time,
Aoife X
So I know a lot of you may be thinking why bother writing a review on Urban Decays naked palette since its been out for awhile now and theres already a million reviews of it online, but since getting it as a gift 3 months ago I have litterally used it almost every day so I thought it deserved a review.
What they say: You can look great NAKED! This long, lean, seductive case is packed with TWELVE gorgeous neutrals. Shades range from delicate champagnes to dark, gritty gunmetal, and feature FIVE NEW shades with names like Darkhorse, Virgin and Buck. We’ve also included a range of textures: everything from glitter to shimmer to matte. The chocolaty velvet case is emblazoned with the word “NAKED” in gold foil lettering. (Just wait ’til your friends see you pull this sexy thing out of your bag. Jealous!) The mirrored case also includes a professional quality, cruelty-free Good Karma Eyeshadow Brush, AND a travel-size Eyeshadow Primer Potion in original formula. This is a shadow palette EVERYONE can use, and a truly spectacular gift. Experiment with office-appropriate neutrals, summertime bronzy looks, or sultry smokiness. With such a diversity of neutral shades at your fingertips, there’s more to neutral than meets the eye.
What I say: I love this palette and the thing that I have enjoyed most about it is its versatility. It can be used to create any look I want, day or night as the colours range from soft beiges and sparkely golds to dark browns and greys. Urban Decay eyeshadows are well known for having amazing pigment so you really only need to use a small amount of product to achieve deep colour results, meaning this palette should last quite a long time. The palette is €40.50 from Urban Decay at Brown Thomas or Debenhams Dublin, it can also be purchased online for $50. This may seem expensive but when you take into account that your getting 12 eyeshadows (which retail at roughly €17 when sold as separates) a primer potion (retails at €20) and an eyeshadow brush (again retails at €20) then it really is a great bargain. The packaging is great, it comes with a mirror which is really handy and the case seems sturdy enough that it protects the eye shadows from breaking (which tends to happen me a lot with palettes!) I can’t recommend this palette enough and think it would be a great staple in any makeup collection as it really covers you for all your neutral colours and with the amount of different combinations possible there is something for everyone no matter what kind of skin tone.
I find Virgin to be a great highlighter, Naked and Buck are perfect flat neutrals for a simple but effective day time look and Half Baked is a great colour for with a tan or to brighten up your complexion a little.
All in all this palette gets a big thumbs up from me and its definitely my favorite item in my makeup bag at the moment. If you like the idea of the naked pallet but don’t wear a lot of shimmer colours and prefer matt shadows then there is also the option of the more recent Naked 2 palette which is also €40.50 from Urban Decay.
Have you tried Naked or Naked 2? If so what did you think?
Untill next time,
Aoife X
Cult brand BOY London has always been popular with the stars and has been around since the 70’s. This year BOY decided to totally re-invent their brand, and what a success its been! it feels like BOY has just exploded all over the fashion world with stars from Jessie J to Nicki Minaj sporting custom made pieces.
One person who really seems to be championing BOY at the moment is Rihanna, since the first time she was spotted wearing BL shes been wearing it at least once a week. She was head to toe custom made BL for an appearance on the Jonathon Ross Show back in March, this appearence alone increased BL sales by a massive 45%!!
I recently put together this casual monochrome look with a BOY Londan Snap back cap (£30), a peace sign vest (€8 from fab in the ilac centre Dublin), black shorts (€15 H&M) and some white flossys (€10 top tickets ibiza).
Check out their new online store www.leavetheboyalone.com for some really great pieces! Im loving BL’s new found popularity, I just hope it doesnt meet the brand will loose its underground/cult style.
Untill Next time,
Aoife X
So I did a bit of shopping yesterday in preparation for my summer in ibiza and one of the things I picked up was a pair of super cute re-worked vintage levi shorts from my favorite place in the world, urban outfitters. They where €42, not too bad since they go with EVERYTHING and a good pair of plain denim shorts is a staple piece in any wardrobe so I’m looking at them as an investment!
I also picked up a pink and blue tribal print oversized croped t-shirt (€19) while I was there, love the pattern on it, perfect for summer.
So heres the look I put together..
I themed it with a pair of converse (Available in office and many other shoe shops for about €50) and a combination of bracelets from river island and H&M. Heres a closer look..
The two skinny colourful braclets are from a set I bought in H&M for €3.50 and the rest are part of a set from river island €11, I especially love the pink peace sign. For a little variation on this look I bought this sheer linen oatmael top from the I Love H-81 range in Forever 21 for €10.75 the sheer is perfect for summer but could also be layered with a cami underneath for the winter months.
Hope you all enjoyed this post, these weren’t the only bits I picked up on my little spree so I’ll have more looks up over the coming days.
Untill next time,
Aoife X
coolpeoplenicethangs 