Luis’s Birth Story

Luis is now 4 weeks old and I’ve barely posted anything on here since he was born. It’s all go wita new born. I was asked to share my birth story so I said I’d do a proper post on it instead.. 

Luis came into the world on a Monday morning 4 weeks ago very dramatically sadly my story isn’t as nice as other people who have shared theirs but I’m sure I’m not the only one out there who had the same experience.... 

In the middle of the Sunday night into Monday morning I had bad pain that wasn’t labour pain it was a strange pain it had woke me once and then I fell back asleep, then by 3am it came back and got up to go the bathroom. In the bathroom there was a massive amount of blood and it kept coming and it wasn’t the colour you want to see when pregnant. 

We ended up having to call an ambulance. Within minutes the ambulance came (felt like a life time to me) and we where brought straight to hospital. 

When I got there because the SPD was so bad I couldn’t be examined until I had an epidural so we had to wait until I got that. That was quite difficult to go through with the SPD but they got it in in the end. Once I had that it was all go with examinations and constantly checking the baby. 

There was still quite a lot of blood which the midwifes kept checking and then I was told Luis had to come out ASAP so I would be getting an emergency section. I was in labour but it wasn’t going quick enough and he had to come out there and then because he had poo’d inside and there was quite a lot and it was very thick. 

Within 5 minutes I was rushed up for the section. 

It all happened very quickly and I was terrified but I knew it was best to get Luis out quickly. 

I was numb from the neck down and a screen was put up so I didn’t see what was going on. 

Once I was all ready to go and Luis was about to be born Luis’s daddy was brought in really quickly and sat at my head to see him been born. 

We where told that it would all be very quickly and that Luis wouldn’t be aloud to breathe until he was cleared out. So as soon as Luis was born he was shown really quickly to his daddy and I waited to hear his cry. 

They took Richie’s phone to take pictures of him for us on it and then Luis was brought straight to Intensive Care. 

Luis needed to be giving oxygen to help him breathe for the first hour and a half or so and then he had a little mask thing on him for awhile as precaution. 

He was also checked over and X-rayed to make sure everything was ok and giving anti biotics because of the meconium. There was a lot of it, it was very thick and black.


I never got to see Luis and was brought to recovery after they cleared out all the meconium and closed me up.
After they closed me up and just before I was brought to recovery they talked me through the whole situation and process and they told me the doctor made the right decision to take Luis out when they did that if it had of been a few minutes later it would have been a totally different situation.


I was brought to a ward. I couldn’t walk with the epidural so had to wait for that to wear off.
While all this was going on Luis was still in Intensive Care and we waited to hear how he was doing. Richie was aloud in to see him eventually and we got to find out what weight he was and to know how he was doing.
Luis weighed 9lb !!!
He was kept in intensive care for a couple of days after that but that evening a lovely nurse got me a wheelchair and brought me down to Intensive Care were I got to see Luis very quickly.


Richie was aloud in to see Luis whenever he wanted and all the staff couldn’t of been more helpful and informative. His Nanna and Grandad where also aloud in to see him which was great.
I was able to see him properly then the following day and got to touch him. As time passed I eventually got to hold my little boy and the following day I even got to feed him.


As time was passing Luis improved greatly and we waiting and counting the hours to find out when he would be aloud out of Intensive care and back with us.
It was awful being on a ward with no baby while everyone around you had their babies.


Luis’s blood sugars and everything had reached a good level and he was starting to hold food down so we knew it was close to getting him back. A few times we thought he wasn’t getting out but would have set backs and that literally broke my heart but the time finally came and we got him out!!
It was the best feeling in the world. The amazing nurses dressed Luis and got him ready and brought him down to me on the ward.


Luis was 4 inches longer than the average baby so all of his newborn clothes didn’t fit him in length because his legs are so long. So he was straight into 0-3 months in baby grows for his legs.


We had to stay one more night in hospital once he got out of intensive care and Luis was a very nervous and frightened so I literally sat holding him for most of the night. I missed him that much I didn’t want to put him down either so we where bioth happy that night.



Luis is the most perfect little baby and we just can’t grt enough of him but he still is very nervous at times and traumatised which we where told would happen after his birth so he gets extra cuddle time with his mammy :)


The whole experience was very traumatic for me also and I too am not the better of it I have flashbacks all the time and night mares. I constantly worry about Luis and find it very very hard to be without him so now I even have a record shower time!! In time I’m sure we will both be ok but for now we are getting there but by bit.


I said I would share his story both from being asked and for other women out there who have been through the same experience so as they know their not alone.


Here’s a pic of Luis so you’s can all get a good look at how cute he is ....

Exciting News :)

So since the last blog post was published and told you all about why I was not blogging for so long. I’ve some good news to share with you all!!!!

Back when I was meeting specialist and discussing my surgery and options regarding fertility we where told that they where worried about my fertility so much so that one of the specialists didn’t want to do the surgery and sent me on to someone more suitable for severe Endometriosis.

When they said they where worried about my fertility that having Endometriosis for so long and all the surgeries and it being so bad we where told we didn’t have much time left if we wanted to have a child.
I was told after having the surgery it would be our best time to get pregnant because all Endometriosis would be removed and it would be the best chance to ever have a baby.

After the surgery I had the follow up appointment to tell me how things went and what my chances where to ever have a baby. So if I wanted to have a baby it was now or never.
We both really wanted kids and couldn’t imagine not ever having any so without and hestitation we knew if it was to be now or never then that’s what we would do!!

I had to go for lots of blood tests to check hormone levels on certain days of my cycle and if things were not good we would be sent of for fertility treatment.

So as time passed it started to get very stressful I was convinced I could t get pregnant. Your mind really does play havoc with you and when your stressed you can’t get pregnant, and it’s a lot harder than you think to just get pregnant. Some women are very lucky and get pregnant so easily but with having Endometriosis and surgeries and medication over years and years it’s a lot harder than you would think.

As time passed I got a good result on one of the blood tests and said ok I’m not going to stress anymore that if there is problems I’ll eventually get to the route of it and if I need medication I’ll take it and one day we will have a baby.... that month I totally relaxed. I wasn’t tracking my cycle for ovulation or anything.

There was loads happening that month and I was starting to recover so much better so I was doing more and totally distracted from everything.
 I knew I was due my period soon so went and checked my calendar and realised I was due my period any day. After two days there was no sign of a period...(I’m like clock work I know when their coming because the pain and symptoms do be bad from the week before). so we went and got some pregnancy tests.

Even after buying them I still wasn’t in a rush to do a test and eventually done one that evening.....

Normally you wait 3 minutes and then you check the test but after I had done it still as cool as a cucumber not expecting it to be positive I hadn’t even put it down long enough to let it settle and wait the 3 minutes... the whole thing was glowing blue and it was a POSITIVE test. I was like WTF??!!

I moved quicker than I’ve ever moved since before the surgery in
months and went a told the bf!!!
We were so in shock and over the moon it’s was all so crazy!!!

I didn’t sleep at all that night I think I just lay their on disbelief and shock and I know around 4am I was thinking what if I got a false positive test... so I jumped up out of bed and took another test!!! Again it was glowing blue and positive within seconds :)

We waited a little while before telling anyone and then eventually shared the news with both families.


So now it’s time to share the news over on here...... IM PREGANT!!!

We couldn’t be more happier :)

Everything is great and the baby is doing great.
Me on the other hand I’m sick all the time and tired but that’s ok once the baby is ok that’s all that matters!!

So for anyone out there that has Endometriosis or any fertility issues and think they won’t or can’t get pregnant don’t worry. It will happen when it’s ment to happen.

I remember even being told at 17 that I wouldn’t be able to get pregnant and I think anyone who has been told they can’t have kids or has Endometriosis they always think they can’t get pregnant or it plays on their mind.

If it has happened for me with all my problems with Endometriosis and how bad it’s been it will happen for so many of you all :)

We’re having our own little miracle baby!!  It’s still hard to believe at times.



I will keep you all updated on how I’m getting on throughout my pregnancy so there will be plenty of pregnancy posts :)




Rebecca xxxx

Why I’ve not being blogging for quite awhile....

Hey everyone!!

It’s been so long since I’ve actually sat and wrote anything over on my blog.... I think it’s been at least a year if I’m not mistaking! I’ve kept a few posts going on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook but no actual posts.  But sure I’m back for now anyways.

So as you all know I wrote a few posts on having Endometriosis and what it was like growing up with it and how shocking out healthy system is when it comes to having Endometriosis... for anyone who doesn’t know what it is I’ve a post all about it on my blog feel free to pop back and have a look:)

Well the reason why I’ve been so quiet is all related back to Endometriosis AGAIN.... sadly it never goes away as it’s an incurable disease but at times you manage to get on with life and work if you’re lucky.
That’s what I had been doing for awhile I was even going to the gym a few times a week and walked every night and lost weight and was really feeling great :)  then all of a sudden the pain got too much and I ended up in hospital last summer. I’d not had surgery to remove any of the Endometriosis in about 6 years but had been managing with different hormones, pills and pain killers and the bang it all got too much.

When I went into hospital scans where done and I was kept in to manage the pain and was told that my Endometriosis has returned very badly and I was a high priority case and needed surgery ASAP. Sadly in Ireland surgery isn’t straight away even when it’s priority so I was sent home and had to wait  to see specialist, they had to have a meeting to discuss my case and who was able to do the surgery.
One specialist was willing to do the surgery and then changed his mind as he was worried about my fertility and causing damage because of where the Endometriosis had spread to. So I was then referred to another more experienced specialist for more severe Endometriosis.

I then met with them and my surgery was discussed along with what my options where regarding fertility. With having Endometriosis your fertility and chances of having a child or children are more limited due to the damage Endometriosis cases to your womb, ovaries etc.
This time around with the severity of mine and having 4 surgeries previously and depending on how the extent of my Endometriosis was when they opened me up to remove it my chances of having a child where very limited and “running out of time”

A couple of months passed waiting on surgery being basically bed bound and in constant agony making life pretty tough at times so no blogging was done. Makeup was pointless as I was stuck in bed. I had lost interest in anything Blog related and when the invitations to events and things and being too sick to attend I needed a break from it all.

In February I finally had the surgery after 6 months of waiting and all the Endometriosis was removed in more places than expected. Recovery was very tough. The pain from the surgery was horrible. It was by far the worst surgery yet. It was weeks before I could drive and I needed help with everything I did.
It’s taking a lot of time to get over the surgery and still recovering when it comes to certain things but I’m getting there :)

All the Endometriosis was removed successfully and they where very happy with how things went.
I’m now in remission but the Endometriosis can return at any time and I’ve a new Endometriosis nurse who keeps an eye on me all the time (which I never had before) who is lovely.
I need physio for my leg and back because I’ve nerve damage from the Endometriosis so sitting and standing for long periods of time is a killer and I had to say goodbye to my little girl racer days and get an Automatic car... which I shouldn’t really complain about considering it’s a BMW 520 Msport :)

Now that things have started to improve and get better I’ve a bit more of an interest on blogging again and sharing my story as to why I was MIA. So fingers crossed things keep going the way their going and I get back into the swing of things and yous see a lot more post, tutorials and reviews.

So that’s my little update on why I’ve been so quiet and not blogging in so long :)

Thanks for having a read and I look forward to chatting with everyone soon with lots more blog posts to follow :)



Rebecca xxxx

NYX Christmas Gift Guide

I love NYX Cosmetics I have done for years now so I was delighted to be informed of this years Christmas Gift ideas!!!

First of all can we just take a minute to look and talk about the NYX Professional Makeup Lippie Countdown advent calendar set wait until you see it.........

 

 

 

This bad boy is €65 !!! Like seriously I NEED IT!! Imagine waking up to a new lippie everyday from 1st to 24th December......YES PLEASE!!
In the calendar it has the Lip Lingerie, Liquid Suede, Cream Lipsticks, Soft Matte Lip Creams :) and its Limited Addition !!
I WANT IT.


Then for gift wise here's the latest...

NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie Vault set €85

So in this amazing vault there is 24 shades plus 6 NEW shades that are limited edition. Now I would love to wake up Christmas morning to this under the tree.. could you imagine!! HINT HINT NUDGE NUDGE :)


NYX Professional Makeup Soft Matte Lip Cream City Dublin set €20

So this is an all NEW lip colour called Dublin. To go with the new shade you get 4 velvety eyeshadows, 1 blush, 1 illuminator, and then the NEW Dublin soft matte lip cream.
Now how stunning is this gift set and all for only €20... This would make a perfect stocking filler or Christmas gift :)
There will be all NEW city sets from L.A to London and Dublin is one of the new ones.


NYX Professional Makeup Mattes Vs Metals Vault €39

In this vault there are 6 velvety Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks and then 6 lustrous Cosmetic Metal shades. This would be a very on trend Christmas gift set to get any makeup or lip lover out there. I know personally I'd struggle to pick a shade to wear each time doing my makeup they are all fab shades.


NYX Professional Makeup Beyond Basic Look set €26

Isn't this set just so handy??!! In it you get 6 pigmented eyeshadows, 1 bold matte liquid liner, and 1 velvety matte liquid lipstick... This is a great little set to get someone who loves makeup but your not sure what to get them.. it basically has it all.. its great!!



NYX Professional Makeup Go-To Goodies Set €20

This is another great set for when your not sure what to get someone just like the one above only this one is slightly cheaper by €6 and it contains 4 highly pigmented eyeshadows, 1 creamy matte lipstick and 1 lip liner. This is another great set!!

I'm so blown away by the NYX Professional Makeup sets this Christmas, they're so fab!! If you love the brand I hope you get one of these gifts this year under the tree :)

NYX Professional Makeup is available from Boots, McCabes Pharmacy and selected pharmacies nationwide.


Make sure you let me know if you will be picking one of these up for gifts this year or if any of them are on your Christmas list :) :)





Rebecca xxxx

Lierac Homme For Men

When it comes to gifts for men weather it's Christmas or birthdays I always try to add a little skincare into the gift.... as much as I love skincare products which I'm sure you's all know by now men need them too! They might not like to admit but they do.... men have skin too!! 

As tough as men think they are believe it or they need to moisturise and look after their skin too. 

So today I'm going to tell you about Lierac Homme Paris products that have been tried and tested over the last while to let you know what I think of them.... I used the bf as guiney pig to test them out this time. 

So we'll start off with.... 

Lierac Anti Fatigue Gel Cream €34

 

 

So this is an anti fatigue gel so basically it gives life back into the skin because it constrains micro-algae to energise the skin. Ginseng and caffeine complex to stimulate each micro-cell of the skin. 

You only need a pea sized amount of it on the face so a little goes a long way with this product. 

Now when you apply it it almost has a peach look to the gel so instantly you look brighter so it does put life back into the skin instantly. It's a gel so it's non greasy or tacky on the skin so no film is left lying on the skin which is even better so theirs no irritation. It's suitable on sensitive skin and won't make oily skin have any extra oil or appear oiler on their skin. It does hydrate the skin too so after a couple of weeks you will see a difference in the skins appearance. 

I'd suggest applying this every morning you give you that fresh healthy look to the skin while doing the work of ingredients for the day. 

I know it seems pricy for a moisturiser but it will last ages!!

 

 

Next up is....

 

Lierac Anti-Wrinkle Repairing Fluid  €45

 

 

This is anti-wrinkle fluid (cream) and its aim is hydrate the skin and regaining the elasticity in the skin therefore making wrinkles appear less visible. It's more liquid in texture so again a little goes a long way and one pump is plenty for the entire face. You can apply this twice daily so morning and night. It does make the skin appear more plump in appearance and the skin appears more plump and healthy looking after a couple of weeks. This would suit all skin types too even sensitive skin. It dries in quickly and doesn't leave a tacky film on the skin either which is great.

I would recommend both products together for men as I think every man should be using an anti-wrinkle product and hydration product from mid 20's + just the same as women. In fact men more so than women because a lot more men work out doors in all weather conditions throughout the year so they are more exposed to sun damage and the cold in the winter. I know men's skin is thicker than women but in time these effects take its toll on men and can age in looks quicker than women.. so for every man in your life make sure they are protecting their skin!!

 

I would highly recommend both these products for any man out there who wants to help treat and protect their skin or for any ladies who want to pick up some skincare for their boyfriends, husbands, fathers or son I'd suggest this brand. Yes its pricy but deffo worth it.

 

Lierac is sold in most pharmacies nationwide so check your local pharmacy for the range and products.

 

If you already picked up some of the range as a gift for Christmas let me know which you picked up or if you're planning on getting some skincare for any men out there would this be the one you'd get?

 

 

 

 

 

Rebecca xxx

Ps Custom Glow Liquid Highlighters

Penny's have done it again!!!  Just when you think they can't out do themselves they do!!! A couple of weeks ago they brought out three different shades of Custom Glow Liquid Highlighters priced at €5 each.

 

 

Moon Shine, Pearl Blossom, Stargaze

 

 

 

I wouldn't use liquid highlighters too often on my own face when doing makeup but said I would pick these up and see how I got on with them. For €5 each you couldn't not pick them up!!


Swatches of all three together.....

 

How could you not love these. Look at that glow off each and everyone of them.

 

 

 

Ok so I'm going to start with the first highlighter... MOONSHINE

 

Moonshine is the softer of the three shades in my opinion and has a lovely soft golden glow to it. It's fab! With liquid highlighters you can apply them under your foundation to give a glow to the skin with the foundation. You can mix a small amount into the foundation before applying it to the skin and its a more noticeable glow all over the skin. Then you can apply it softly over the foundation to he areas of the face you want it to be seen but its a much more noticeable glow and slightly harder to work with if you are a little bit nervous of using a liquid highlighter.

Moonshine to be is the best shade of the three for apply to the face after foundation. Its so easy to work with too which is great. I applied a small amount above the cheeks and taking it above my cheek bone and around the corner of my eyes up towards the eyebrows. Now this sounds a lot but I only used a small amount and patted it on with my finger then blended it all out and into the skin with a small fluffy brush (similar to what you would use on the eyes)

 

Here's a pic to show you what it was like on....

 

         As you can see its very noticeable but not too much. I applied a soft powder highlighter over it just to set the liquid but you can leave it as it is on its own if you want. I personally just don't like any tacky feeling on my skin.
It lasted all day and stayed in place and held its glow throughout the duration of wearing it which was great.

Now the other two shades PEARL BLOSSOM and STARGAZE are two other stunning shades but a lot more pigmented and noticeable on the skin. These two shades would be fab applied before foundation to give the skin a dewy glow look. Pearl Blossom would be fab on the more paler skin tones and Stargaze of the more warmer skin tones or someone wearing tan.

Here's swatches of the both....

Pearl Blossom is so fab and because of the softer pink tone it would be amazing on paler skin tones, some highlighters can be too "golden" in colour on pale skin tones and this is the winner in my opinion for the paler skin tones :)
Both worn above and under the foundation and it would be amazing !!!

 

 

Now Stargaze as you can see is a more golden tone and its stunning. This would be amazing in the summer for a golden makeup look and this applied before the foundation and a little after above the cheeks would look amazing. Imagine this with tan :)

 

It would be soo hard to just pick one shade I think anyways that's why I picked up all three :)

 

You could also pop some highlighter down the front of your skins when wearing tan and showing off the legs. It finishes off the legs lovely.

 

I would highly recommend these highlighters to everyone who loves some glow in their life and for €5 you literally couldn't go wrong so go get ALL THREE you WILL find uses for them TRUST ME!!!!

 

 

If you have picked any of them up let me know what you think of them and if you have tried them how have you found them :) :)

 

 

 

 

 

Rebecca xxxx

 

 

Note Cosmetics

Note Cosmetics.....have you tried any of the range??

I had heard so much about the Note Cosmetics range on Snapchat and across the internet so I said I'd go pick up some the range to see what I thought of it!!
From what I had seen online I was thinking it all sounded too good to be true and only way was to find out for myself.

Here's what I picked up....

I'll start off with prices....

Detox & Protect Spf 15 Foundation in shade 03 Medium Beige €13.95

Full Coverage Liquid Concealer in shade 01 Ivory  €4.95

Terracotta Powder in shade 02 Warm Honey €8.95

Long Wearing Lip Gloss in shade 05 cream Cup €7.95

Silk Compact Powder in shade 04 Sand €9.95


From the prices above you can see that whey are a very affordable brand. I paid €45 for 5 products from the range which is great!


My Thoughts.....

Ok so I'll be honest I didn't think I was going to like the products giving the price range and all the hype about them. They look like a high end affordable brand with the packaging and a lot like another brand that many makeup artists use and makeup lovers out there but are a hell of a lot cheaper as you can see from the prices... so I was thinking Nah these are not going to be good!!
              Well wasn't I pleasantly surprised!! :) I LOVE them !!! The quality is UNREAL !!
The foundation itself lasts all day and is so lovely to work with. It blends so easily onto the skin and sets and sits lovely on the skin. Its a medium to full coverage foundation and with the medium coverage which is one layer it covers any redness or blemishes on my skin for me. Most foundations need two layers for full coverage or a good medium coverage to cover the redness without a doubt. I patted and buffed the foundation into the skin and it looked flawless, I was blown away by how good it looked.

The concealer is nice to work with it blends lovely too and isn't too heavy on the skin. It also doesn't crease I tested it lots of times with setting with and without powder and it sit perfect with no creasing. The only thing I will say about the concealer is... it says its full coverage but personally I find you need 2 - 3 layers of it to be full coverage. There's nothing wrong with that at all as its quite a light product but if I'm looking for a flaw that's all I can find with it!

The lip gloss is amazing I'd not worn a lip gloss is soooo long because I'm all about that liquid lipstick life....well not anymore. My love for lip gloss is back. It stays in place and holds its colour and shine really well. Obviously with a gloss it will wear away much quicker but it does last a good few hours. It's not real tacky and sticky on the lips which is nice to because tacky, sticky glosses drive me up the wall!!

The Terracotta Powder..... can we just take a minute to appreciate this product.... its amazing seriously!!! It's one of the nicest high lighters I've used in a long time. Its a dream to work with and it sits on the skin so lovely. It's so finely milled that there's very little blending needed with it. It builds lovely on the skin too so if you want a really vibrant and noticeable highlight it doesn't look too powdery when building it up which I love. I'll be picking up more of the shades.

The Compact Powder... I'll be honest I've not even needed to use it yet!! I get shine on the nose area after a few hours and I've still not needed to powder yet so that just goes to show you how good the foundation is! I will get to use the powder at some point (I hope) if not it will be going into my kit. When swathing it, it felt lovely not really drying on the skin which is good for anyone who is dry/dehydrated skin.


Now as you all know I'm super sensitive when it comes to anything going on my face and I get irritated so easily and I've not had one problem with this range at all!! With it being cheaper in price I was kind of thinking I would have a reaction but I didn't!! So if you suffer with sensitive skin don't worry at all its suitable for sensitive skin. Most the products have a property in them to help and trea skin such as Macadamia oil, Argan oil, Almond Oil, and Vitamin E just to name a few which is great.

Would I buy more of the range......... YES!!!!! In fact I plan on picking up more of the range.. I'm dying to try out the BB cream from them I've heard so many good things about them.

So even though the range is very affordable that doesn't mean to say its not durable or worth buying. A lot of people think if its cheap its not as good as other brands out there, even I thought the same about NOTE but I was very wrong! I would highly recommend the range to everyone and I would also have the range in my kit and use on clients its just as good as the rest in my kit and makeup collection.

So if you haven't picked up or tried any of the range make sure you get out and pick some up!!!

I picked up the Note Cosmetics from Mc Cabes pharmacy at City West Shopping Centre and are available from selected pharmacies natiowide.

I done a full face of makeup using all of the products I picked up....

 

 

 

Let me know what you think of the range and your thoughts on it!!




Rebecca xxxx

How to pick the right foundation

*** Foundation Tip ***

When buying foundation do you always wonder what shade you are? What undertone are you? Which product do you get?

Pick the right foundation comes down to knowing what undertone you are. An undertone is the tone of your skin. There are 2 different undertones as shown below.

Warm - yellow
Cool - pink

How to know which undertone you are....
*Warm = If you look at the inside of your wrist most warm undertoned skins have green veins.
You tan easily.
Your skin looks more yellow in colour.
Your skin is more salo in colour.

*Cool = If you look on the inside of your wrists you have veins that appear blue.
You burn easily.
Your skin looks more pink and pale in colour.

If you buy a foundation with the wrong undertone it will immediately look like it doesn't suit you it may appear more yellow on your skin or more pink on the skin.
Foundation should blend into the skin colour with out appearing very visible in pink or yellow on the skin. So if either appear more prominent there you are more than likely going wrong with colour and undertone choice.

Now you can have a skin tone that may appear cool and warm in places and this would make them a NEUTRAL shade meaning the foundation would need to have both.
When wearing false tan it's very common to be matched to a neutral foundation.
A very popular shade in foundation for when wearing tan in Inglot foundations would be YSM no.50. It kills off the cool and warm tones leaving the skin looking flawless.

How to know to pick the right colour foundation....
       So when picking the right colour foundation a lot of people test the product on the hand or wrist.... this gives you the correct match of foundation if you were wearing it on you hand or wrist. ALWAYS test the foundation right on your jaw line and top of the neck. The colour of your hand and jaw are two totally different shades especially if you are wearing tan!

The neck is the lightest part of the body because your head shadows it from sun light. The jaw is the closest area to the neck and you want your foundation shade to match both.

When matching shades if the colour is too dark it will be very visible and darker looking on the skin, and if it's too light it will be very pale looking on the skin. Both being very visible to the eye.
If it's the right shade it should almost blend into the skin making you nearly look twice to see where you applied it..... this is the perfect colour!!!

If you are wearing tan and want a match for the tan. Look on the chest and neck and if the chest is the darkest area match the colour as closest to the chest and neck as possible. This will give you a one colour effect without the Face being too pale or dark compared to the rest of the skin.

*** Foundation asks as a canvas on the skin to look like a second skin keeping it even in colour. Foundation isn't made for covering blemishes, redness, spots or scars. This is what concealers are for ***

**** You can always warm up the skin if foundation is a little too pale by applying a Matt bronzer all over the face on the areas where the sun catches. Never use a shimmer bronzer to warm the face as it will look unnatural and enhance any fine lines, wrinkles on the skin ****

Mac Foundations ...
NW = Cool - Pink undertone
NC = Warm - Yellow undertone


I hope you find this helpful and if you read it all and found it informative... sharing is caring 💄💄

Rebecca xxx

Youngblood Ultimate Concealer

Youngblood Ultimate Concealer €27

This Concealer has a sheer coverage and used by some of the top makeup artists. 

It gives you a flawless completion while hiding dark circles and blemished from its light reflecting formula. 

With it containing vitamins it also soothes and brightens the delicate eye area. 

It contains Jojoba seed oil, honey suckle, while also being paraben free so it's suitable on sensitive skins, anyone prone to rosacea, psoriasis and acne prone skin. 

I've never used any of the Youngblood Cosmetics products before so was dying to get my hands on some of the products! 

When using concealers I like them to be nice and soft and a creamy texture without creasing while also having a long durability..... I'm not half fussy am I?! 

This concealer has a lovely consistency to it and nice and creamy without it being too thick. It's so easy to work with the blending on it is amazing. Very little work is put into using this product! 

It sits lovely on the skin too I had no crease at all. Always make sure you set your under eye concealer straight after applying to prevent any creasing anyway but as time goes on it can sometimes crease... this doesn't!! 

I use it to highlight as well. I got the Medium shade and when wearing tan it's fab as a highlighter shade. 

 

I'm wearing it this pic both under eyes, for highlighter on the nose, Cupid's bow and forehead and as a primer on the lid. I also carved out the brows with it in this makeup look. 

It's lovely as an eye primer as I'm super sensitive and can find some irritate my eyes. 

My makeup does last all day when wearing it both on the eyes and face so the durability is great. 

I'll definitely be picking up more of the 

Youngblood products. I've heard so much about their contour and highlight palette I reckon that will be next on the list! 

They are available from selected pharmacys nationwide or from the link above. 

Rebecca xxx 

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The Body Shop Down To Earth 03 Palette

A couple of years ago I worked in The Body Shop and I fell in love with their eye products. 

I myself have super sensitive skin and when some products are very pigmented they can irritate my eyes but with 

The Body Shop I've never had that problem. 

They are mostly known for their amazing body butters, creams and oils but I don't think many people are aware of the range of makeup they do. 

Recently they released a new range called the Down To Earth range and it's a number of eyeshadow products that almost represent colours of the Earth. The shades are unreal! 

I've tried the Down To Earth 03 Palette €25. It's a quad palette 

 

Three of the shadows are a grey/green shade and one bright shimmer shade 

 

So the way these are designed is to be able to create a complete eye look using all four shades. The top left shimmer shade Indian Rose Quartz can be placed under the brow bone as a highlight, inner corners and on the lid too. 

The top right shade Atlas Rhassoul shade can be placed on the lid to give that deep smokey look as well as placed on the outer corner. 

The bottom left shade Cerro Rico Silver can also be placed on the lid. 

The bottom right shade Siberia Anthracite would be then used on the outer corners to really darken and smoke out the look or placed on the lid and blown out / blended with one of the lighter shades. 

So as you can see this Palette has many uses for creating an eye look. 

The consistency of the shadows are a lovely creamy texture which makes them super easy to blend and work with. I love this in a shadow. The colour pay off is great they don't crease on the eye and last all day. I always apply an eye primer or concealer on my eyes before any eye look this helps with colour pigment and pay off with every product. 

This palette is perfect for complimenting brown eyes because they would really make eyes pop. So if your looking for a stocking filler for someone who loves makeup and has brown eyes this would be fab. 

Now in saying that they shades will work really well on both blue and green eyes too these just happen to compliment brown eyes fabulously! 

If you wet your brush with either fixing spray or water it will intensify the colour and shimmers so much more which is a handy tip. 

A little goes a long way with these shadows so you will get a long time out of each shadow. You can also take the shadows out the palette and mix and match them with other shades and palette from the range. 

Overall I loved the palette and love love their shadows I always have. 

Have you tried any of their eye products? 

Rebecca xxx 

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The Body Shop Fresh Nude Cushion Foundation

I love a good full coverage foundation but recently I've been on the hunt for a nice light to build able foundation that isn't completely matte..... the not real 'foundation or makeup look' and I think I've found it. 

The Body Shop new Fresh New Cushion Foundation €25.50

It's in a compact style but is a liquid foundation... this is the perfect product for on the go in your hand bag. 

As you can see it has a sponge like applicator so theirs no pump you literally press on the cushion and the foundation comes to the top of the sponge. This is great because theirs no mess or spill like some liquid foundations.

So let's get down to it....

It's a semi-matte foundation meaning it's not quite matte but not too sheer or glowing. It's a lovely natural looking foundation when applied and is very buildable to a medium coverage. This is ideal for me for daily foundations as I like full coverage and find BB creams just don't cut it for daily use. 

It comes with a compact sponge which is perfectly fine to use just make sure you pat it onto the skin rather than drag the sponge across the face. Your just pulling on the product. I use a flat foundation brush or a larger stippling brush and pat and bounce onto and into the skin. This gives a flawless finish to the skin. 

The shade I have is 03 Malawi Beach. It would be lovely for a paler skin with a light tan on if that makes sense? 

The foundation itself is vegan friendly, moisturising from Marula Oil. It also contains Rose water which is great on sensitive skin and Aloe Vera. Its a mineral product so designed to last 24 hours and with powder over it there's no reason for it not to last that long. It also is non-comodegenic which means it won't clog your mores... now who doesn't love that! 

It comes in 5 shades so it will suit a variety of skin tones. 

This foundation would be ideal for younger skin too so great for anyone out their looking to find products for their daughters to wear. 

Overall it's a lovely light foundation that gives the skin a nice glow. I'll be keeping it in my makeup bag for day to day wearing or if going on holidays :) 

Have you tried this foundation? 

To keep up to date on my favourite makeup products, tutorials and how to use this product along with many others pop over to my Snapchat - lipstickglitz

Rebecca xxx 

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Life with Endometriosis part 2

Hi everyone, 

As promised I would keep you all up to date on how things have been getting on since the healthy eating and cutting out gluten, refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol and dairy products. 

I spoke in the previous blog post about how cutting out these products helps with Endometriosis and can help improve daily life. 

I think when you have literally had enough of how you're feeling daily and have tried every route with medication you will try anything and if you look your food just like me you become quitesceptical because deep down you don't want to accept or believe you have to give up certain foods :( 

So I've been on this "lifestyle change" for over 6 weeks now. I started off gradually reducing all these foods from my diet so as it wouldn't be too drastic and find myself clawing at press cupboards crying. 

Being quite honest it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be! 

Now I'm not saying I've not had any slips along the way because I have and I don't think I would be human if I didn't. 

So let's get down to it .... 

 

At the beginning I found myself wondering what to eat each day. 

For breakfast I have poached eggs, mushrooms and fruit afterwards. I would normally have toast or bread with it so I just stopped having bread each morning. It was touch for the first 2/3 mornings. 

Lunch I'll make a salad, baked potato with beans or have a soup. 

Dinner always consists of a meat and plenty of veg. 

Within the first week I noticed a massive massive difference on my tummy area I'd very little bloating and none of that horrible stuffed feeling like you've eating too much. 

Snacks wise I'll eat fruit or gluten free rice cakes. 

I've done slimming world before so I always have that mentality when cooking or eating too so I try to stick to that as much as possible. 

I was kindly gifted and amazing hamper for the gorgeous Nikki from 

Whole Foods I was literally blown away by what was delivered to the door and if you are on Snapchat you would have seen it. 

 

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how amazing this is and how kind Nikki and Whole Foods are. 

The hamper contained all gluten free products that you would use on a daily basis. 

The bars are now perfect for extra snacks on the go or when I don't feel like fruit or rice cakes. They are high in sugar so I always try to not go over my RDA of sugar. 

In fact you would be suprised at the amount of sugar that is in foods!! 

 

This pasta and sauce was literally the nicest I've ever tasted. Like Oh My God I'd actually love off it.... no joke!!!! 

These where both also in the hamper. 

If you are on Snapchat - lipstickglitz is where I show my meals and what I'm eating (when I can remember) so you will and have seen a lot of what was in the hamper, along with foods I'm picking up when at the shops. 

Has there been a difference with Endometriosis in the last two months???? ....

     I have noticed a big difference already and they say it takes 3 months or so for your body to really feel or see a difference when removing gluten from your diet. 

I would kind of be an "emotional eater" when my Endo would be bad or having a flair up and I would crave lots of foods. 

I'm a sucker for a chipper or a burger when I'd be bad. My cravings have massively subsided and I've actually turned down a number of choppers since I've made the switch. 

My moods.... well they have been a little easier but I won't lie and say everything is all gravy when it's not. I've still had my bad bouts of feeling low or down and angry. With not being on any medication now I've nothing to help control it. As much as people say or think as she's just moody or cranky or the worst... hormonal (please don't call a hormonal woman horemonal... not if you value your life!) 

People don't understand how hard it is when your having these days and you don't choose to feel or act in these ways. 

They have got a little easier thank God. I keep meaning to take Evening Primrose Oil they help with "moods" 

The pain.... now this is the good bit! Seriously my pain has been a lot easier already. This months period was much easier than last months at most I've taking maybe 3-4 prescription pain killers. That's massive for me as I would normally take that a day! 

Now I'm not totally pain free daily or at that time or the month but it's much more barable and the swelling or bloating isn't as big looking. I can't wear jeans or anything that would be a hard material at that time of the month because I'm so sensitive swollen and sore but I've managed to get back into jeans for the rest of the month. 

At one point I have gone years without being able to put jeans on. So that's a big noticeable difference. 

It's always the little things you notice more. 

I will definitely be continuing with the diet or lifestyle change that's for sure. 

I'm also going down the fertility route at the moment on tests and things so if you would like to know more about that in another post just let me know. 

As always please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or need to talk about your own experiences. I love hearing from everyone. It's lovely to know their are others out there and not on my own. 

Make sure you pop over to Whole Foods and check out their page and have a look at what they do. 

Thanks for reading my part 2 of Life with Endometriosis 

Rebecca xxx 

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My life with Endometriosis

Ok so its after taking me the guts of a week to sit and write this since I spoke about Endometriosis on Snapchat.

 
Have you heard of Endometriosis before?

Well I'm about to tell you what it is, why and my life with it....

Endometriosis is often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus - the endometrium - grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and tissue lining your pelvis. Rarely, endometrial tissue may spread beyond pelvic organs. ( this is what google says)

So basically every time you get a period this is what happens. In some cases it can happen at any stage throughout the month.
The reason I'm doing this today is to raise awareness on Endometriosis and to know the signs if you have it.

Endometriosis (endo for short) is a non visable disease that's sadly their is no cure for as of yet and can affect your fertility if left un treated.
If you find every month when you get your period that you are in horrible pain and the over the counter pain killers aren't taking away the pain. If you find yourself reaching for prescription pain killers to make it through the day then that's not normal period behaviour.

If you find that each month they become more and more painful, stuck in bed, not being able to go to work or school, feeling pain in your stomach or back, bleeding is heavier or they are becoming irregular then you need to see your GP.

There are treatments available to help with Endo and surgery available just make sure you persist with your GP and make sure they listen.
The reason I'm saying this is because here's my story and why I want everyone to be aware and not go down the road I did.....

I first got my period when I was 9 (this is also another sign of endo) and they where fairly normal ish until I was 11. Things became worse, my periods where so bad with pain I wouldn't be able to go to school. I was always sick. I used to and still do catch anything that's going.
I was brought to my GP and told to just take prescribed pain killers that it was just "bad periods".
     As time went on I wouldn't be able to go to school or go to friends parties because the pain would be so bad even with the pain killers.
From the age of maybe 14 or so things got really bad I was always sick. Always in agony with pain and absolutely dreaded getting my period. I never done a full week of school and when I would get my period I rarely made one day of that week. I would vomit, pass out because the pain would be so intense and bad. Trips to A&E that would be pointless. I would gain weight. I'd have constipation and extreme diarrhoea. When I did make it to school I would pass out in school and would have to be sent home.

 
As this was on going the doctor would always say the same its just "bad periods" nobody would listen. This isn't normal I don't believe there is such a thing as a bad period!
     I reached 17 and at this point I was in pain everyday both my stomach and back and my stomach was always bloated, swolling and hard to the touch. I had bad pain down my right leg and was very painful to walk. Trips to A&E always happened throughout the years but became more frequent around that age... I don't know how many times they where going to remove my appendix! Once I was filled with pain killers I would always be sent on my merry way.
I was then put on the pill as a trial to see if that would help  at all and it didn't tired taking it each month and then taking the weeks break and straight back onto it. That didn't work so then they tried taking it continuesly without the weeks break and still no improvement.

A specialist then done a laprascopy which is when they put a camera in through your belly button ( this is the only way you can tell if you have endo ) and they found endo. I was then put on a hormone tablet which left me with very bad depression and sent to see another specialist for treatment.
They made me walk across a room and said I had pulled a muscle in my leg to just go swimming and how many times a day would I be happy... No joke that's what I was asked. I was then told to continue taking the medication for another 6 months and to come back and see them. Even though the medication was making me feel so down and depressed. 

My parents then decided they would take me to see a doctor in New York. I was in college at the time studying to become a Beauty Therapist and Makeup Artist. I'd always wanted to do it so I was trying my best to her through it even though it was really tough. 

I went to see the doctor on a mid term break and we spent four hours in his office with him. He asked had I pain down my leg and finding it hard to walk that that was a sign of endo (in some cases). 

That day we decided on a treatment plan to get me though the rest of college and help treat the endo until I returned for surgery. 

He put me into a medically induced menopause along with other medication on top. This would shut everything down preventing the endo for spreading even more and shrink it a little. 

I was never skinny as a kid or teenager but never over weight... That changed when I was put on the medication. I gained a lot of weight and I was in a full blown menopause... Mood swings, hot flashes, cravings, crying, was just a few. I was still in a lot of pain but I knew it wouldn't spread anymore. 

I returned to NewYork 9 months layer mad had surgery. What should have been an hour max turned into 4 hours of surgery to remove the endo. To remove it they can go in by lapraoscapy through the belly button and small incisions around the belly. They then lazer off the endo and burn it off. I had more or less every where on my womb etc. 

It was a tough recovery but the doctor was amazing. I was put on the pill continuesely without a break. If I had a period it would grow again more. 

Even though I stayed on the pill all the time it did grow back and I had it removed another 2 times since then. 

I tried every pill, medication, hormone, you and isn't I've tried it! 

I still suffer to this day with it but I know now what I'm capable of doing and what I can and can't do. 

My weight does fluctuate a lot and it can be hard to shift weight at times. 

I've now decided and started on a gluten, dairy, caffeine and refined sugar free diet to help manage and hopefully improve things. As these food can trigger symptoms or make them worse if you are suffering at that time. 

I'm taking a step in going down the alternative route and holistic treatments. 

I've tried everything else I may as well give this a try!! 

That's basically my story and this is why I want everyone to be endo aware. If you know someone who suffers with any of these symptoms please get them to speak to their GP and if they don't feel like they are being listened to persist and make sure someone listens. We all know our own bodies and we know when something is wrong. Don't let anyone fob you off. 

It took 7 years for someone to listen to me and help me don't let that be you. 

I don't want anyone to go through what I've gone through and if by me telling my story and what symptoms I have or had help someone I'll be happy. 

If anyone has any questions or has Endometriosis and want to tell me what they do to help them feel free to message me. The more we know the better!! 

Thanks for reading this and please feel free to share it if you found helpful or helpful to someone else. 

I'll pop up a part two to this soon regarding the diet and lifestyle change and what products o use if anyone would like to know more. 

Rebecca xxx 

3 Ingredients gluten free cookies

I think it was late last week that I seen the 3 ingredient cookies being made on Tv3's Ireland Am. 

I thought wow their super quick and easy to make and would make a healthy snack. 

I changed one of the ingredients to gluten free porraige oats instead of regular and here's how they turned out 

The ingredients: 

2 bananas

125g gluten free porridge oats 

         ( you can use regular if you want ) 

50g of desiccated coconut 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees 

Mash bananas until becomes a paste. 

Add the rest of ingredients into the bowl and mix all together. 

 

Place spoonful onto grease proof paper on baking tray and press down until becomes flat. 

Make sure to leave space between each cookie. 

 

Cook for 10 mins until golden brown in colour. 

Eat while warm or store in and air tight container. 

I added some mixed nuts on top to add a bit more flavour 

 

This is a personal preference. Some fruits or chocolate chips added to the mix before cooking would also be nice. 

Surya Brasil Henna Cream

So I got the Surya Brasil Henna Cream Semi - Permanent hair colour in the shade Reddish Dark Blonde €13.80 

 

I'd never tried a henna hair colour before but was very intrigued to try one. This Surya Brasil range doesn't contain Ammonia, Gluten, Hydrogen Peroxide, Parabens, Sodium  Chloride, Mineral Oil. 

Which means it's great on your hair and conditions at the same time because it contains 

Vitamin A, B, C, E, Aloe Vera, Arnica, Brasil Nut, Hazelnut, Malva. 

It's a safer more natural way to colour your hair, cover greys and change your hair colour. 

It comes in 15 shades - black, dark brown, golden brown, light brown, burgundy, mahogany, red, reddish dark blonde, copper, ash blonde, golden blonde, Swedish blonde, light blonde, silver fox. 

Priced at €13.80 

Now my own hair is quite dry and damaged from bleaching it to make it lighter. It's a copper shade so I chose the reddish dark blonde to give my own hair more of a vibrant colour. I wanted a deep conditioning colour so this was definitely the one. 

In the box you get the henna cream, gloves, plastic cap, clean up shampoo, reviving conditioner. 

So the henna cream cones in a bottle like this 

 

This bottle is great because you can re use the product unlike most you have to bin what's left.

So what you do is : 

Wash your hair first with the Clean - up shampoo 

 

Then you towel dry your hair leaving it damp (I brushed my hair through so as their was no knots) 

Then I applied the henna to my hair from the roots to the mid sections. 

I sectioned my hair making sure it was all covered. You can use a brush for applicator or your fingers... I found using my hands fairly easy. Then I basically massaged it into my hair I didn't brush it because this would pull the cream away from the hair. 

For my hair colour the chart said to leave for 60 mins so I did. The plastic cap is ment to go on over the colour and left until ready to rinse. 

I rinsed it off without using shampoo basically letting the water run clear. 

Then using the conditioner 

 

And left it in for about 5 minutes. 

Once it was washed my hair smelled lovely but not too over powering. 

It brushed it very easily some times it can be hard to brush after colouring. 

When dried it was lovely and had a lovely shine to it making it look and feel super healthy. 

The colour itself was more of a copped red which fab but I'm thinking that was because of my hair being copped to start with. It was so vibrant. 

It did was out and fade a little quicker than other hair colours but that's to be expected giving their is no chemicals or peroxide in it. 

The only other thing is it contains nuts products so if you have an allergy make sure you can use it first before applying to your hair. 

Over all I really liked it and I will definitely be picking up another box. It covered my roots and greys. I might try the Copper colour next to see what that's like over my copper colour. 

The Health Store stock it both online and in selected stores. Liffey Valley stocks the Surya Brasil range. 

Let me know if you have tried it or plan on trying it :)

Rebecca xxx