My Makeup Dream Team – R*cession or No R*cession
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: May 7, 2009
- In: Beauty| Makeup
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Its no secret that I am a product junkie. I’ve been a slave to lotions and potions for yonks. After years of research I have a selection of product staples that the Brians Cowen and Lenihan will have to prise out of my cold, dead hands if they want me to cut back.
These are the makeup products I rate as almost magical:
Primer: Benefit “That Gal” – Its pink and it smells like bubblegum. Fan.Feckin.Tastic.
Foundation: Lancome Teint Idole, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light (although it took me awhile to come around to this one). I also love L’Oreal True Match as it is very similar to the Lancome. Hardly surprising as they are part of the same group I guess.
Concealer: Benefit Bo-ing is my ultimate, but I also rate Rimmel’s Hide the Blemish.
Blush: MAC, MAC, MAC. I’m not into the whole gel/cream blush lark so its powder for me. And MAC do the best powder blusher EVER. It lasts for ages too. I have my current one (in “Peachykeen”) for nearly 2 years and there’s still loads left. So Brians, it is much better value than cheaper blushers if you look at the cost-per-use.
Bronzer: Benefit 10 bronzer is the best I’ve ever used. I was not a fan of Hoola (too dark and it wore off patchy), but 10 is lovely and light with a subtle pink shimmer. There’s no way the Brians are getting this one. As a cheaper alternative I also rely on the Rimmel Sunshimmer in the little compact with the flip lid, but my skin is a bit sensitive to it.
Eyeshadows: MAC powder eyeshadows are my faves. The pigment is great and they last for years. The SA’s give good advice on which ones would suit you (when you can get their attention that is).
Mascara: Clinique High Definition without a doubt. The double sided brush is genius. I’m too tight-fisted to buy it for another while though so have turned back to my old Rimmel one for now.
Lipglosses: I am still exploring this area as I find it difficult to find colours to suit me. Love Clinique Superbalm as they are very moisturising. Also love the Benefit one in 24K but it is discontinued. Bah!! When I’m strapped for cash the Bourjois or L’Oreal Glam Shine glosses work a treat.
Palettes: I got Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes as a gift recently and it is only fabillis. Makes my eyes look huuuuge and sparkly. A1.
Overall Magic Potion: Benefit Ooh la lift. This pink fluid looks pretty harmless but boy, is it good at hiding my dark circles. With all its light-reflecting properties, stick this over your ordinary concealer and BANG – the dark circles are gone! This stuff is the shizz.
Highlighter: High Beam. Nuff Said.
So what would your dream team be if spends were not an issue?
Adidas Ad for Women – Yum Yum
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: May 4, 2009
- In: Boys
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Zie put this link on the Beaut.ie blather today and I thought I should share it for the good of womankind.
Follow the link, pick two of the hot sporty men and watch them take their tops off. Simple!
And there’s a slow-mo replay too. Oh bless you, Adidas.
I Heart Men
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: May 4, 2009
Ok so I’ll admit to being a bit of a commitaphobe. I’m also verrrrry picky when it comes to men but sure, who isn’t? Since Carrie Bradshaw sold out and got married, I now consider myself to be the ultimate single girl. I like the freedom, control over my own life, knowing that I could go anywhere and do anything without having to take anyone else into account. I’m in my early twenties so feel that I have plenty of time left before I should think about settling down. I also hate the idea of going out specifically to find a man. I see girls in night clubs spending half their night doing “laps” in order to find a suitable male specimen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no stranger to sizing up the talent in any given room, I would just rather relax and enjoy my night on the dancefloor, with a nice strong vodka in hand. If I happen to come across someone I like in the process, that’s a nice bonus.
I am also very private about my relationships with the opposite sex, especially around my family. My love life is my business and I would rather not be plagued with questions about it – “what does he do now?” and ”when are we going to meet him?” etc etc. I also tend not to bring guys home to meet my family until its very serious. To me bringing someone home says something along the lines of ” I really like this one, pleeeease be nice.”
I thought this was all understood until at a recent family function while I was getting the usual “so, any men in your life?” interrogation, my aunt asked if there were any girls in my life. *Splutter* WHAT???
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not offended per se, I’m just unbelievably surprised that anyone would believe that I’m into women. I LOVE men. My rugby obsession began due to the em, aesthetics, shall we say. My mind flashed back to an episode of Sex and the City where Miranda’s colleague tried to set her up with a woman. Since he had never seen her with a man, he surmised that she must be a lesbian. “When did being single translate into being gay??” she queried.
This makes me particularly mad because if a man were single for a long period, he’d just be considered to be a stud. But if you’re a single woman, you’re gay.
I find it very hard to put my family right on this issue without being vulgar….”just because I’m single doesn’t mean I’m not getting any.” Don’t think I can say that in front of my granny. I’m seriously considering signing up for one of Kitty’s “I love cock” badges.
That would shut them up.
Laziness….
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: May 4, 2009
Hey everyone, sorry for the lack of blogging lately. Have been very busy in work and feeling generally uninspired. More stuff will be appearing here soon!!
Find your B-Spot for Free!!
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: April 5, 2009
Now this is NOT a P-Ken style duuuuurrrty post about enhancing certain, ahem, sensations and whatnot. This is about Benefit’s loverly new perfume “B Spot” and - more importantly - about how Benefit are literally giving it away for free.
If you spend €55 on Benefit products (and let’s face it, its not difficult to do that), you get the full-size 50ml bottle of B-Spot completely gratis. Considering that it carries a price tag of $38 on the Benefit website, that’s a pretty good deal. Its a very alluring scint and it includes a guide on where to apply it for maximum…ehh…..effect.
I can confirm that it is a vaaay nice perfume, light, summery and fruity it reminds me of the Ralph Lauren turquoise bottle that I loved as a college kid. This is pretty much a grown up version of that Ralph Lauren, and I love it . So off you pop now to the Benefit counter and find your B Spot, no injectables required.
Are you there Fashion God? Its me…ShellBelle
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: April 4, 2009
I’ve been going on and on and on and on about how I NEED a really good coat. In this cold country we do live in, the first item of clothing people see when we’re out and about is the outerwear. And I have an awful time looking for coats. I’m only a petite little thing, so big trench coats and winter jackets look like big Harry Potter style robes on me.
I also have another problem when it comes to fashion – my wants are too specific. I’ve been on the search for a long (just above the knee) coat, in purple, with a belt or corset yoke. Oh and it has to be made for petites. My lack of flexibility with my wishlist has led to less than fruitful results. Until the other day that is….the day that the Fashion Gods (aka Topshop) answered all my outerwear prayers.
I spotted it from across the crowded petite section, and it was love at first sight. Above the knee? Check! Purple? Check! Corset yoke? Check! Petite? Check! In my size? FECK!!! There was only one of my soulmate coat – and it was a size too small. So I did the smart and sensible thing and stripped down to my string top and squeezed myself into it. Grand. Well, kind of grand. I won’t be able to wear any big jumpers underneath, and I certainly won’t be able to breathe but hey, who needs oxygen? And it looks GREAT.
Reader, I purchased it. I’ve been getting compliments about it ever since. Sooo worth the cut-off oxegen supply.
The Topshop website won’t let me download or copy the picture so ye are just going to have to go and see it for yerselves
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Bathing Showdown: Lush vs Soap and Glory
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: March 29, 2009
There are few things in life more luxurious than a nice long soak, and in these recessionary times cheap treats are always appreciated. I’ve always loved Lush, they have been my first stop shop for all bathing paraphernalia for many years now. However, I have to admit that I have recently developed a little crush on cutesy S&G. I just love their gorgeously pink, vintage packaging and their pocket-friendly prices. It is actually shocking how cheap S&G products are, I’m surprised Eddie Hobbs isn’t doing their ads.
My love of Lush products is equally strong – I am incapable of passing by any Lush store anywhere in the world. The sweet distinctive soapy smell lures me in every time. It is like a sweet shop for grown-ups with bath bombs, gels, soaps and jellies in every colour imaginable. There are a few Lush products that are never missing from my bathroom – Buffy Body Butter, Fair Trade Foot Lotion, and Dreamwash are all personal faves.
But how do these brands measure up against each other in the bathing stakes? If I was to pledge my love and loyalty to just one, which would it be?
Round 1: Bath Bubbles and Bombs
My experimentation with Lush Bath Ballistics began fadó fadó, and my feelings about them have never waned. There is a great assortment available but my heart belongs to Twinkle, a beautiful blue and yellow star-shaped ballistic which smells of the strawberries-and-cream scent of American Cream. It is only fabillis. Unfortunately, it only appears in stores around de Chrissmiss, so I stock up when I can. It turns the bath water to a calming turquoise-blue colour and fills the room with delicious fragrance – I can smell it off my skin for hours. My only gripe with bath ballistics is the lack of bubbles. A bubble bath just isn’t a bubble bath without foam. Lush do stock some nice bubble bars, but none of them have ever blown me away.
So, I was only deeeelighted when I tried out S&G’s Calm One Calm All. Just a tiny amount of this stuff fills the bath with lovely inviting bubbles. And it smells deelish. Mallow and lemon balm, yum yum. The name is not an empty promise either. A very stressed out and generally p*ssed off ShellBelle stepped into a “Calm One Calm All” bath today and emerged relaxed and perfectly stable. The bottle lasts for ages too. With a bath ballistic you only get one go, making the S&G a great recession-busting option.
I think S&G have just scraped a win in this round.
Round Two: Scrubs and Exfoliators
I always have a good body scrub to hand, especially for my legs. A scrub is great to prepare the skin before shaving. I have been using Lush’s Buffy Body Butter for this purpose. Its a two-in-one product, a scrub and a moisturising body butter. I’m a lazy mare so anything that will scrub and moisturise at the same time is a winner in my book. If you use this little gem before you shave, your pins will be as smooth as a babby’s backside. FACT. The downside is that it doesn’t last very long, it comes in the form of a bar and quickly melts away in the bath or the shower.
In order to be a bit more economical I thought I’d give S&G’s Scrub of Your Life a go. It smells divine, like all S&G products do and it does a pretty good job. As a pre-shave scrub it really doesn’t measure up to Buffy’s standards though. I was quite happy with it and I would use it again, but given the choice, I would have to give Buffy the win. However, Scrub of Your Life is an excellent alternative if you don’t want to shell out £8 for a product that melts away completely in the space of a week.
So its a 1-1 draw for Lush and Soap and Glory. It is a fair result – I know I could never choose between them
How Many Warren Gatlands Does It Take To Change a Lightbulb?
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: March 23, 2009
Let me begin by congratulating the fabbilis Irish rugby team after da big win at the weekend. And for nearly causing me to have several coronaries, jaysis I had to leave the room at one stage.
Anyway, I was on the bus to work this morning (yes, months of unemployment have finally come to an end – my bank manager is vaaay excited), listening to Ian Dempsey on the radio. He asked people for Warren Gatland jokes along the lines of “How many Warren Gatlands does it take to change a lightbulb?” There were many brillo answers following from the offensive anti-Irish sentiments expressed by the Welsh coach last week. However, there was one joke that I really liked.
So, how many Warren Gatlands does it take to change a lightbulb?
F*ck him, let him b*tch in the dark! 
I love a bad joke me.
Wouldn’t It Be Nice…..60s bliss
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: March 21, 2009
- In: music
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I’ve been meaning to blog about this for over a week but never got around to it, but sure you know how it is. Last week Dave Fanning did a radio show on the Beach Boys (one of my all-time favourite bands) and asked people to text in their favourite Beach Boys song. This got me thinking about my favourite, “Wouldn’t it Be Nice.” Sure, its not as technically brilliant as “Sail on Sailor” or as emotionally charged as “And Then I Kissed Her” – I swear that song sends shivers down my spine whenever I hear it – but “Wouldn’t it be Nice” is just the epitome of the laid-back, carefree, surfer sound of Brian Wilson & Co. It came from a great album called Pet Sounds, which is said to have heavily influenced some of the Beatles’ offerings.
I always said that if I could live in any other decade I’d live in the 60s – cute minis, gorgeous haircuts, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Twiggy….what more could ya ask for???
Above is the original “Wouldn’t it Be Nice” video, I hope it brightens your weekend!
Dermalogica to the Rescue!
Posted by: shellbelleoftheball on: March 13, 2009
So I’ve been having a few skin issues of late. Having suffered an attack of the dreaded spotai, I was desperate to get it sorted. FAST. You see, breakouts are a bit of a slippery slope for me. If I get one little cluster of spots, guaranteed they’ll multiply no matter what I do. Before long, my skin begins to resemble a warzone.
In an attempt to banish the blemishes I toddled off to have a Dermalogica facial. I’ve had lots of facials before but I’ve only ever had one by Dermalogica. I was impressed at the time but my skin was quite good then, so it was hardly a challenge.
Upon leaving the treatment room yesterday I was nay impressed. It wasn’t particularly relaxing as the exfoliation was quite stingy, and the mask didn’t feel very heavy and nourishing. The neck and shoulder massage only lasted about two minutes, and no extractions! I’m a big fan of extractions, they’re pretty much the only reason I go for facials, being of the opinion that I could do all the other stuff myself. The facialist told me that she had chosen not to do extractions as my skin was too red and sensitive but that she would do them next time. Next time? Pah! There won’t be a next time.
That’s what I thought until I got up this morning. When I rolled out of bed and dragged myself over to the mirror, I actually couldn’t believe the difference in my skin. The spots were much smaller and there was no new breakout for the first time in a week. It turns out that whatever that stingy exfoliator is, its a magic potion. I followed up on it and apparently its only available in salons. Also, the angry redness on my face had calmed a fair bit so she actually did me a favour by not poking at it. I guess I’ll have to go back.
