My Top Ten Makeup Dupes!29/07/15

Hey everyone and welcome back!

So today's post will be all about makeup duplicates. There are many makeup items out there that are just not worth the amount they are being charged for. Why buy something when you can get practically the same thing for a quarter of the price? I'm always on the hunt for bargains especially when it comes to makeup so hopefully you'll find this helpful! Enjoy :)

1. Benefit's Hoola Vs NYC bronzer in 'Sunny'

€34 Vs €2.81 

(Price in euros for NYC bronzer was converted from pounds from Superdrug.co.uk, might not be official price but it is definitely available in Ireland)

2.MAC 'Snob' Vs Revlon 'Pink Pout'

€19.50 Vs €10.69

3. MAC Fluidline in 'Blacktrack' Vs Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama  Gel Liner 

I way prefer the Maybelline one!

€19 Vs €11.99

4. Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion Vs Essence I <3 Stage Eyeshadow base 

€21 Vs €3.16

 (Price in euros is converted from US dollars from Ulta.com but this is also available in Ireland, I just couldn't get an online pricing)

5.Benefit High Beam Vs ELF Facial Whip in 'Lilac Petal

For sale at www.eyeslipsface.com .Have both of these and they are identical! ELF have some amazing stuff! They also have a UK site :) 

€27.50 Vs $1 

6. Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation Vs Revlon Colourstay 

Love both of these!

€34-38 Vs €17.79

7. Giorgio Armani Maestro Vs l'Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder

l'Oréal is under the same maker as YSL, all l'Oréal stuff is very high quality!

€49 Vs €13.99 

8. MAC 'Rebel' Vs Wet N' Wild 'Sugar Plum Fairy' 

A personal favourite of both Tessa's and I

€19.50 Vs €1.80

(Again price in euros for Sugar Plum Fairy converted from an online site,available in selected stores in Ireland, CH Chemist's and some Penney's do Wet N' Wild)

9. MAC 'Shy Girl' Vs Rimmel's 'Nude Delight'

€19.50 Vs €7.99

10. Benefit They're Real! Vs Collection Does It All 5 in 1 mascara 

This one is a PERFECT dupe I use it all the time! 

€26 Vs €6.59 

So there you have it everyone! Hope you found this helpful. Don't get me wrong some things are worth the fuss and the money but a lot of the time you can find the exact same thing for cheaper. Always look online before splurging, you'll most likely find a dupe!

Stay sparkling,

Edel and Tess x

Summer Sunnies! 25/07/2015

Hey guys! Hope all is well with you all! Today's blog is one to celebrate the bit of sun that we got this morning. (Even if it was the tiniest bit EVER). Today we are going to talk about our favourite sunglasses. Sunglasses can be a very expensive investment, but there also some gorgeous ones on the cheaper end of the scale. Here are some of our favourites. Enjoy!

Big sunglasses are all in this season.
 Be up with the trend with these flowery pair. Penney's, €3

Prada inspired beauties only €11.20 on MissGuided!

 These Lennon inspired sunnies are only €8 from BOOHOO! STEAL!!!

River Island have some gorgeous sunglasses in at the moment.
Look at the details on this pair!
 There is also an amazing sale on in River Island, Cork at the moment, so you never know, you might get a pair for half nothing! €17.

And here we have the bargain of the day folks! Asos is the first place I will go in future when I am looking for new sunnies after finding these beauties! Two in a pack for only €17.81?! How could you go wrong?!

I hope everyone enjoyed today's blog. All we can wish for now is the weather to wear our fab sunnies! (Well, they would look stylish on top of your head too!) 

Stay Sparkling, 

Tess and Edel x 

Online haul! 22/07/15

Welcome back to Sunflowers and Sparkles! Hope you're all doing really well :) So with the debs coming up for the both of us, I picked up a few bits online 'cause I'll be doing my own makeup. 

I've wanted all of these for ages now so it was the perfect opportunity to get them. I want to ensure that my makeup looks the best it can but most importantly last all day. 

 I ordered myself this stuff on the 4th of July, meaning there was offers on everything I bought! Some sites, especially American ones, often have sales on holidays so keep an eye out!

First up are the two Morphe brushes I got. If you're not familiar with Morphe, they are an American brush brand that do amazing quality brushes at very reasonable prices! I got the M406 and the G24. The M406 is a stippling foundation brush. This is lovely for blending your foundation into your skin and helps with applying a light layer. Your makeup won't cake if you use this. The G24 is a classic fluffy brush. Brushes like these are widely available and are a MUST for your brush collection. The fluffier the better. This brush is ideal for blending out any harsh edges or lines of shadow. Both these brushes are fabulous quality, are very soft and easy to use. You can use codes at the checkout like 'mannymua' and 'jacattack' for 10% off curtesy of Manny Mua and Jaclyn Hill on YouTube( check them out they are amazing!) 

Next is my Morphe 35W- 35Color Warm Palette. These shadows are really pigmented and ,for the overall price, are fantastic quality! I personally prefer using warm colours on my eyes to suit my eye colour and this palette is perfect for that. There is a wide range of colours and with 35 different shades, this will last me a really long time! They do many different pallettes so definitely check them out!

(I accidentally stubbed my thumb in the bottom left hand corner colour but it's okay I've fixed it!)

I got these at www.morphebrushes. com

I also picked up the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade. This is a gel brow product that is AMAZING. You definitely need a light hand with this one as a little goes a long way. It adds structure snd definition to the brows and lasts all day! I got mine in the colour 'taupe'. It comes in a wide range of colours to suite everyone! 

Next is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit. I got mine in 'light to medium'. This is a one stop shop for all things powder contour. It has three highlight and three contour shades. These are very high quality,I love this!

I got both of these on www.beautybay. com. I love this website as it offers a huge range of high end products and best of all they do free shipping worldwide! 

I picked up the Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation in 2W2 Rattan. This shade is darker than my natural skin tone but it's perfect for when I am wearing tan. I've heard so many good things about this foundation. I got a sample of it a few months back and I instantly loved it! It has great coverage but doesn't cake. You will get long wear from it and this one is also ideal for the debs! It's a foundation for a special occasion or if you want it to last all day, it's a bit heavy for everyday but suit yourself!

I also got the travel size of the Smashbox Photo Finish primer. These primers are well known for being great! They have a wide range from hydrating to brightening. They have a silicone feel and I can tell a little goes a long way. Hopefully will look good in pictures!

Lastly, I got the St Tropez Bronzing Spray.  I haven't tried St Tropez tan yet but I've heard good things! I normally go for a mousse but I said I would try something different. What also pushed me to buy it is that it was on sale. I bought the tan, primer and foundation on Boots.ie. They always have great offers both in store and online. I qualified for free shipping also :)

So that's it everyone! Something new from us anyway, I hope ye liked it! Make sure ye keep up to date with our social media sites!

Keep inviting your friends and family to like our Facebook page, we're getting closer everyday to our giveaway! 

Stay sparkling,

Edel and Tess x

Our favourite iPhone apps!18/07/15

Hey everyone! It's hard to believe that it's blogging day again. Before we know it the holidays will be over. So today's blog will be something a little different. We are going to tell you some of our personal favourite iPhone Apps. I'm going to be honest here, my iPhone was the best thing I have ever received and I would 100% not be able to live without it. From reminders to social media, what more would you want in one little device?

1. Facebook. The first thing we check every morning when we wake up and every night before we go to sleep. You can't beat a stalk to start your day can you? ;)

 

2. Instagram. Good 'ole Instagram. Okay, I'm going to admit, I'm one for putting off replying to texts so I won't lose my place when scrolling through my newsfeed! Instagram has really become even more popular in the last year and I don't blame it. Another perfect one for having a good stalk after a night out, don't you agree ladies! ;) PS: give us a follow @Sunflowersandsparkles

3. Netflix. Whether it's on your TV, Laptop, Phone or iPad, Netflix will always win our hearts. (We are trying to hold it together knowing we have to wait another 11 months for the next season of  ''Orange Is The New Black''). And  let's be honest, for €7.99 a month, with unlimited movies and series, it's not going to break the bank.

4. Pinterest. For anyone, who is into ANYTHING, Pinterest is for you. From DIY to baking, there will be new, creative, ideas for you to try. Once you make a (free) account, you can pin to boards, like other peoples pins and even upload your own ideas if you feel you could help others. This is such a fab app, and is even better in the desktop version! Be sure to try it out!

5. Pump Up. This app is just like Instagram but the difference is it is for fitness and motivation. It has been described as ''a personal trainer in your pocket'' as you can see others how they are progressing as they get fit. Perfect if you need a little motivation to get up and go for a jog.

6. Headspace. We have mentioned this app in a previous blog about mental health, but since then our love for it has only grown. It is so so perfect if you just want to have a few minutes to yourself and de-stress. Just lie down and let the app do all the work.

7. PhotoQuilt. This is the perfect app for any collage you want to make. All you have to do is choose the photos and the app will do the rest. You don't have to worry about photos not fitting it or the layout of them. Perfect for anyone's birthday collage or if you just ant to put some memories together for yourself.

Thanks everyone for reading today's blog! I hope you enjoyed and if you have any apps you would recommend, don't be afraid to comment.

Stay Sparkling,

Tess and Edel x

Barry M Matte Coat Review! 15/07/15

Hey everyone and welcome back! Today I'll be reviewing the Barry M Matte top coat on the Barry M Speedy Quick Dry. Picked these up during the week and I was so excited to try them out! 

I started off with one coat of 'Full Throttle'. This colour is perfect for summer as it adds a subtle burst of colour. 

I think you'd need two coats for perfect coverage. It drys really really quickly and is perfect if you're in a rush. There's a great colour range and are not too expensive at €5.99

I then followed up with the matte coat. This retails at €4.49.I didn't know what to expect from this but I was really impressed with the finished result! This also dried really quickly. I much prefer the look with the matte coat. I also had a shower after I applied the two coats and normally it would chip in the shower and this didn't move at all!

Overall I'm really impressed with both polishes. They do their job and are perfect for a woman on the go who wants a professional look! These are also ideal for the debs season!Would definitely recommend them :)

That's it from us today! The support has been amazing lately and we are so grateful! If you could keep inviting your friends to like our Facebook page we can get out giveaway going!

Stay sparkling,

Edel and Tess x

CH Beauty camp, final two days! 11/07/2015

Hello again! So as you probably have already seen, Edel and I have been doing a beauty camp in the amazing CH chemists Tralee. On Wednesday we told you all what we did, what we learned, etc on the first three days. Well today we are going to fill you in on the information we learned on the last two days of the camp. We had so much fun and would advise anyone who would like to learn more about makeup, skin care and general beauty to go to this camp. You will be sure to have a good time!


Day 4:

• Smokey orange eyes. The amazing Áine from Estée Lauder gave us a visit and showed us a fab (and really easy to do) orange smokey eye. This would be a perfect look for any night time event. Áine used the 'sleek' eyeshadow palette for the orange colour and then used neutral brown shades to tone down the look. She then went on to show us how to complete the look with an ombrée lip.

• Cut crease look. Áine then went on to show us a really dramatic look using the 'cut crease' technique. She used 'Barry M' gold glitter for really sparkly nightime makup. This is a perfect look if you are brave enough to wear it! 

Day 5, the last day :( 

On day 5, and the final day of the camp, the first thing we did in the morning was learn how to apply tan correctly. We had great fun trying out loads of products on ourselves (we didn't have as much fun taking it off however!) 

On the final day of the camp each week, there is a competition to win a €50 voucher for CH Chemists! I think it would be any girls dream to win this! To be in with a chance in wining the competition, all you had to do was complete one of the looks you learned from the week. Unfortunately neither Edel or I won, but it's the taking part that counts Eh?

After this, we got a visit from Kevin, the wonderful manager of CH, giving us great tips on how to make our CV's better. This was a great addition to the camp because these are skills you will always use!

To top the morning off, there was a photo booth that you could get your very own polaroid picture to take home! I have always wanted one of these so I was delighted when we got one to take home! They are oh so pretty and a polaroid camera is going on my wish list right now!!

On the 24th of July in CH Chemists, there will be a Benefit masterclass with international Benefit makeup artists doing demonstrations. This would be a fantastic night out for you and a friend and tickets are on sale for just €10! Visit the CH Chemist Facebook page for more info!

Hope you enjoyed,

Stay Sparkling,

Tess and Edel.

Ps: please keep liking and sharing our facebook page, we have some amazing stuff gathered for the giveaway, so the sooner we reach 1000 likes, the better! Toodles! X

  

CH Chemists Beauty Camp! 08/07/15

Hi everyone! As some of you all have seen on snapchat, (sands_blog if you haven't added us already!) we have been going to the CH Chemists Beauty Camp in Tralee since Monday. We have learned so much from the lovely ladies at CH that we said we would write a diary of what we've been doing.

Mary and Bláthín can't be anymore helpful and kind!(And pretty.)

There's something for everyone at CH Chemists, so the next time you're in Tralee, pop in and see what it has had to offer. There's always great items on sale and they are always more than happy to help! Hope you enjoy this this post and we'll see you again on Saturday!

Day 1:

•Skin care;cleansing and toning

Bláthín explained to us that there are 4 main skin types, oily,dry,normal and combination.(we will cover this in a future post!) You should be looking out for products that are suitable for your skin type. It will say on the bottle,jar or tube which skin type for which  it is appropriate. You should cleanse your skin morning and night and use a toner after, if you wish but it isn't necessary if you are young.

•The natural look

Bláthín started us off with a simple brown eye look with a light coverage foundation. This look is ideal for younger teenagers as it's not too much. She used neutral brown shades to achieve this look. We then tried the look on out on ourselves. We are supplied with makeup and brushes that we can use throughout the duration of the course.

•Hair

Next Bláthín showed us some easy updos like French,Dutch and fishtail plaits,and messy buns.These looks are ideal for school or ladies on the go!

•Nails

Bláthín gave us sample ideas of some nail art we could try.

The morning flew by and we headed around town for a bit of shopping as ye saw Monday.

Day two:

•Contouring

Contouring is using dark and light products to create the effect of a narrower or slimmer face. Mary showed us the two main types of contouring;cream and powder. She used the Blank Canvas Cosmetics contouring palettes.  

She showed us the number 3 technique. This is where you apply the darker product beginning at your hairline on your forehead,continuing down underneath your cheekbone and then under your jawline. This makes the process a lot easier.  This method is suitable with both cream and powder. Apply your lighter product in a triangular shape underneath your eyes from the inner corner,down the side of your nose and up the the outer corner of your eye. You can also place the lighter product down the centre of your nose, on your brow bone and on your Cupid's bow (just above your top lip)

Don't forget to blend everything out and you can always add more bronzer or highlight if you're not happy with the finished look. It is essential to cleanse and tone prior to contouring as a clean face is a must.

Hair:

Mary showed us the best method for back combing your hair. This is to add more volume and body.Essentially you should pick a section of hair, hold it at the ends and keep it tight, and back comb down the roots. You can add dry shampoo to help with the volumising. Don't forget a spritz of hairspray to complete the look.

Mary then showed us some sleeked back looks with braids and an Elsa plait.

Day 3:

•Festival looks

Today was the day for experimenting with colour. Mary began with a dark smokey eye and a blue liner for a pop of colour. She then showed us the look which is on the front of our booklets. This included a purple crease colour and bright blue on the lid.

We then learned some more festival looks. We tried out some designs like flowers and tribal prints using eyeliner and glitter liners. This is a fun way to jazz up a festival look with limited effort.

•Hair

Bláthín showed us a hairstyle that she was wearing today. It's so simple yet so gorgeous! She split her hair in half, plaited both sections, crossed them at the back and they then met at the front of her head.She pinned them in place and voilà, the perfect festival hair!

So there we have it everyone! We are enjoying ourselves so much and taking in as much as possible. We hope by doing this, that it will benefit the blog. Mary and Bláthín make it so enjoyable and we couldn't recommend CH Chemists enough!

We will update ye on Saturday about the last two days. Hope you have enjoyed it!

Edel and Tess x

High waisted bikini's. 04/07/2015.

Hey pretties! How are ye today? We are happy because it's finally getting warm and the sun is shining!! To celebrate, today's blog is going to be about high waisted bikini's. Whether it's to hide your tummy, or a fashion statement, High Waisted bikini's are HUGE the summer and we will definitely be buying! Here are some of our favourites at very very affordable prices. Enjoy!

This bikini is for the braver lady. Not everyone would be comfortable wearing a style like this but if you are willing to chance it and be brave we found this one on ASOS.

Top - €24.64
Bottoms - €13.68

We found this beaut in River Island. Perfect if you want to make a statement on the beach this summer,
Top - €29
Bottoms - €18






This one is my personal favourite. It's so so cute and girly!! Also from ASOS. A little more on the expensive side but it would be an investment as you would have it for summers to come!

Top- €41.09
Bottoms - €34.25








This final bikini is from Boohoo.com. This is the bargain of the day as the top and bottoms come together for just €27! Perfect for adding a splash of colour into your holiday!




So whether it's Portugal or Ballybunion you're heading this summer - make sure you look your best in one of these bikinis! You will be sure to get compliments!

Also- Don't forget to add us on Snapchat 'sands_blog' as we are very excited about what is in store next week!

Hope you enjoyed,

Stay Sparkling,

Tess and Edel x

Dublin Diary-01/07/15

Hey everyone and welcome back to Sunflowers and Sparkles! Well I had an amazing two days in Dublin with my sisters! We were so incredibly lucky to win 3 tickets from the lovely Ryan Tubridy at 2fm just before Christmas. I had such a great time I said I'd blog about the whole thing including a haul of some of things that I picked up and a very important announcement! So stay turned :)

28/06/15

Not much happened, just got a train to Dublin, Luas to Connelly and a Dart to Dun Laoighaire where my sister lives. Got a Chinese and watched the showing of Glastonbury.

29/06/15-The Big Day

Woke up and went to the lovely Avoca for breakfast. Had some amazing pancakes with fruit, yoghurt and maple syrup. Went up the Dun Laoighaire pier on this sunny morning. Popped into penneys to get some last minute concert essentials. Walked back and began to get ready.

Arrived at the 3 Arena at about 5 and waited for an hour and half with the help of giant chocolate buttons. Eventually we speed walked to the standing area (the big men shout at you if you run-not nice) and we got decent spots!

Vance Joy began with class set ending with the more well known Riptide.

As we awaited the terrific Taylor Swift, there were two large screens to either side of the stage with had behind the scenes footage of her music videos, interviews and the odd quiz question-such a simple idea that eased the crowd who were waiting in anticipation.

Then it began. Full of energy, the beautiful Taylor and all her backup dancers, singers and her band played 19 songs.

There wasn't a moment during the whole show I wasn't smiling and having a great time. The talent she has is incredible. She played 4 different instruments during the show. She had very few costume changes which was good. During this time, messages and advice from her friends appeared on the two big screens. There was a large main stage and a long one that went through the crowd, like a T shape( how appropriate ;) ) the long stage raised above the crowd so she played directly in front of the seated area. The long stage also moved left to right for some songs.

I've never been to a concert like it. So full of spirit with an atmosphere that couldn't be beaten. Swift is such a hardworking dedicated women and I feel this was truly conveyed in her performance.

We headed home to some fluffy pjs and a nice cup of tea.

30/06/15

Set off for Arnotts and Debenhams in search of a Debs dress. Successfully found one ( this is being kept under wraps-sorry!)

Grabbed a bite to eat. Onto Penneys, Jervis shopping centre.I got some things in Boots and Forever 21. Didn't do too much shopping cause all I needed was a debs dress.

Penneys €3

Sunnies €3-Penneys

LOVE THIS! €21-Penneys

Top €5-Penneys

 Shorts €12-Forever 21

Earrings €5-Forever 21

Bag €12- Penneys

Purse €22-River Island

Brogues €13 -Penneys (my old ones are wearing away)

Nail polish €1.99-Penneys

Socks €2-Penneys

Soap and Glory Body Scrub

Bourjois Liner Clubbng-Ultra Black

Soap and Glory Arch de Triumph

l'Oreal lipstick in Nude

Mitchum deodorant in Shower Fresh (the BEST stuff try it!)

Lost my reciept so I don't know how much everything cost,sorry guys!

Then went to the Luas to get the train home. Of course I looked through my pictures from the concert a million times.

*ANNOUNCEMENT*

We at Sunflowers and Sparkles are now on Snapchat! Add us: SandS_blog

We have a very cool project coming up next week that will hopefully benefit the blog so add us to see what's happening!

Thanks so much for reading today's blog! It's the start of a new month so make this one great!

Stay sparkling,

Edel and Tess x