Who, what, where, when?

Okay so where to even begin....? Hi I guess! How are you all? Yes I know, here she goes again with another come back post blah, blah, blah. I've been horrendous, I'm aware. My last post here was over eight months ago and my God a lot has happened, so here we go.

Where have I been?
No where. I've been here in Galway. I didn't just decide to stop blogging and run off to find myself in Connemara. I left my job at Cara back in July and started working with Lancome and Clarins in Matt O'Flahertys. 

Why did I stop posting?
Well, a number of reasons really. 1) I was so uninspired and unmotivated. I promised myself from the day I started this little blog that I would never force myself to post things just for the sake of it. 2) I realised pretty early on that I wasn't happy in Cara and I suppose that contributed to the lack of inspiration/motivation. 3) When I started looking for new work, I very quickly realised that having a blog was seen as something to "control" by employers. I can see where they were coming from in a way. I work in the cosmetics industry so I'm lucky in the sense that I get to try out a lot of new things. Obviously I wasn't going to like everything and naturally, they didn't want to have an employee giving a bad review to one of the products/brands that was carried by the business. I didn't want to lose out on an opportunity from having a blog so I pushed it to the side.

What am I doing?
The answer to that my friends is that I have absolutely no idea. Well, sort of. I left Cara and started working for Matt O'Flahertys. I'm not going to lie to you, Matt's was such a good move. Almost instantly they started teaching me things and had a genuine interest in developing me as an experienced consultant. I was a lot more content but that quickly went away. I thought the problem was just the job. It wasn't. I realised that even though I was out of Cara, I was still looking for something bigger and better. Just for fun, I started looking at jobs in Dublin. Before I knew it I was making it through 2, 3 or 4 rounds of interviews for different brands. Which brings us to now. Almost three weeks ago I was offered a job as a Cosmetic Team Manager for a fantastic brand. I've decided not to mention the name of the brand publicly just from how I've seen employers react to blogs in the past. Those of you who know me personally (which is most of you) will know any way. 

Where am I going?
I will be moving to Leopardstown, Dublin in two weeks to start my new (scary) life. My boyfriend lives up there and I have a good friend who's been living up there for a while so I won't be entirely alone. Again not going to lie, I cried every night for the first two weeks after getting the job. If it wasn't the stress of finding a place it was the thoughts of leaving everyone I loved, what if I wasn't good enough, what if I didn't have enough money, etc. I have since calmed down and realised that I will, in time, be fine.

Why have I started posting again?
I guess it's because that for the first time in quite a while I am fully content. Yes I wake up at night and panic slightly over the prospects of my impending future but it's the kind of fear I think I've needed for a while. As horrible as this is going to sound, things here in Galway were just too easy and I'm a person who needs to be constantly challenged in order to develop. I could also feel myself settling. I very quickly got scared of becoming that person who spent their evening looking on their facebook timeline at all their "friends" doing exciting things and thinking to myself "I could have done that". 

So there you go. I can't promise scheduled postings or consistency because the truth is that I have no idea what the future holds. I'm just going to let myself feel the flow and try to live in the moment. And if all that leads to some interesting blog entries then I guess we'll all be in for a little laugh. I do have some ideas for posts that I think that a lot of you enjoy (considering that they're brutally honest). So here's to the next couple of months!

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo 

Brand of the Month

Welcome back my loves! So today is the beginning of a monthly series I will be doing on a brand that I have been loving over the last month (makeup/skincare/fashion/accessories/etc). This month I will be talking about a makeup brand that I have very quickly become obsessed with. I'm talking about Catrice Cosmetics.

One of the perks of my job is getting to really know the products. I try to pick up a few new things every week and give them a go considering that I need to be able to recommend them. I don't know what it was but I was really drawn to Catrice in my first couple of weeks. I've bought all of their concealers so far as well as the eye shadow primer, brow gel and a few lip liners. All the products are AMAZING! I'll talk about the concealers first. My first purchase was the Camouflage High Coverage Concealer. I won't harp on about the ingredients, consistency, etc. It literally does exactly what it says on the tin! The coverage is unbelievable and it blends like a dream. I got it in the shade 010 Porcellain because I wanted to use it as an under eye highlight and to cover the dark circles. It stays all day and doesn't settle into fine lines as long as you use a setting powder. 

I then went and bought the All Round Concealer Palette and the Camouflage cream together. Again, not going to bore you with the in depth details. The palette is fabulous. The green is great at getting rid of any redness (I use it around my nostril area), the red makes those dark circles under your eyes seem like yesterdays problem, the darker concealer shade is a really nice subtle cream contour for my skin colour and the last two lighter shades are really nice for either highlighting or concealing. They're so creamy and blendable! The cream pot is a dupe for benefits boing concealer and it is equally as fabulous. It literally covers up any blemish and is invisible under only one layer of foundation.

The lip products below are really handy to have in your makeup bag. The lip volumizer is so moisturising and does make your lips look plumper. Not like Kylie Jenner plump but it gives my lips just enough for my liking. The lip pencils are ones that I go in between on a weekly basis. They stay all day and blend beautifully with whatever you use after them.

And lastly, we have the eye shadow primer and brow wax. I use thes products everyday for work and I don't have to worry one but about my shadow or brows falling off my face. They look the same at the end of the day as they did from when I applied all of it nine or ten hours before hand. The primer doesn't crease which is a winner for me considering I have hooded eyelids. 

You can find all of these products in Cara Pharmacy in Edwards Square, Galway. Let me know what you've used from Catrice and if you buy any of these products, let me know if you agree. I can't remember exactly how much all of these products were but they were all definitely under six euro!

Feeling social? Follow me on:

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And on snapchat at shannypoo94

Much Love,

Shannon.

x

Hello, it's me!

Oh my goodness it's nearly been nine months since my last post...... SCANDALOUS. But here, life has been kicking my ass lately. Sure everyone has times like that and I just needed to take a step back. Guys, being an adult is hard and I'm still living at home! 

So why did I take such a long break from blogging? Okay, first of all I was really unhappy with the layout/design of my blog and had absolutely no idea what direction I wanted to go with in terms of colours, etc. Thanks to my technically skilled boyfriend I am thrilled with the new look! I was going to go all white and classy but it just wasn't me. I had to have a splash of pink and sparkle in there because, well, how could I not? Secondly, I felt as though my posts weren't as genuine as I wanted them to be. I started writing about things just because other people were and actually realised that I wasn't enjoying it at all so that lead to some severe writers block! And lastly, my life has completely changed. If you've been here for a while then you'll know that I went back to college in September. Long story short, it wasn't the course that I had worked so hard to do and I was so unhappy. I made the choice to leave both college and my part time job at Next. Making the choice to leave college was hard, but making the choice to leave the family I had at Next was a much harder one. They took me in as a teenager with no experience or knowledge and gave me a confidence I never knew I could have. They were the best friends I never got to make in college and we still remain close. Where am I now? I'm in Cara learning about all the things a girly girl like me would want to know about makeup and beauty. Not to mention its full time! WHOOOOO!

Where does this leave me at present? Well myself and my other half are taking the plunge after nearly seven years and moving in together in May or June! It's something I'm very ready for and very excited about considering I've never lived away from home before. Other than that, I don't know what this year will hold for me but I'm excited to find out. I'm also really happy to be back in the blogosphere with my new look, new ideas and new confidence.

So thank you to all of you who have been baring with me and staying caught up on my facebook page and instagram. You're the best!

Feeling social? Follow me on:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

And on snapchat at shannypoo94

Much Love,
Shannon
x

My Week in Pictures

This week I thought I'd stick with a more personal post rather than a fashion related one. I've really been feeling these lately! They just seem to be coming more naturally in terms of writing fluidity. 

So to begin. Last week I went to my boyfriends sisters confirmation and had a lovely time. I can honestly spend hours with the girls, especially now that they're getting older. We have Kacey (12) who's confirmation it was and she is just the most fun loving and smiley child you will ever meet. And mature beyond her years. Like you should hear the stuff she comes out with, it's amazing. And then there's Melissa (15) who is so incredibly genuine and kind. She always thinks of others before herself and loves everyone so hard. I grew up with one brother so having these two in my life is a luxury and blessing that I will never take for granted. They are just two incredible girls that I love so much. If you read my last post, you would have seen that I joined Slimming World. Well on this day, that took a complete step back as we went to Scotty's Steakhouse for dinner. It's an American style restaurant with killer meals. The Ice Cream pictured below, yes I ate all of it. I REGRET NOTHING!

I am now three weeks into my membership with Slimming World and I am thrilled to be able to say that I have lost 10 pounds with them so far. The classes are fabulous and cater to all ages. The recipes are flawless and so tasty. I am actually really surprised by how many things I can actually have. And not to mention, my Mum made the decision to do it with me. It's really nice having someone who offers a never ending supply of support and a little bit of innocent competition. She's honestly been my rock through all of this and has already taught me so much about what I can actually achieve. I'm reminded everyday by how incredible she is and how there is nothing like a Mother's unconditional love.

I also bought myself a new pair of snazzy trainers. I had my eye on a new bag but I've been eyeing these babies up for months. So considering that I was starting a healthier chapter of my life, I thought that this particular purchase would be fitting for the occasion. They're called the Nike Air Pegasus Zoom trainers and they retail in Lifestyle Sports for 110 euro. Yes they are on the pricier side of shoes but they are so comfortable and cushioned. I feel like Tigger walking up and down the promenade! And well, they're lilac. SOLD!

Hope that you too have had a lovely week!

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Let's Catch Up

OKAY! Yes I am so aware that it has been months since I last did a blog post. I just wasn't feeling inspired and I never blog unless it's natural. So here we are, two months later and I am writing to you "au naturale".

London

Oh yeah! I went to London. My whole family live over there and I haven't been in years so when my boyfriend left for America back in January, I took it as an opportunity to go on a few adventures. I got to visit my cousins, see a close friend of mine and see my Godparents. There were countless days of shopping and meals out. And the friends that I was staying with even got me a goodbye gift. I was totally and utterly spoiled and I had an absolutely amazing time. When I graduate, I'll be doing a bee line over there! To see more pictures of my trip, head over to my Instagram account! 

Lifestyle Change

If you've been following my social media and this site, then you'll know that I joined Weight Watchers back in September. I managed to lose a stone a two pounds by the time November came along, which I am still so thrilled about. But as the Christmas season crept up upon us all, I started working more, going out more and having less time to focus on the bigger picture. Then after Christmas, I went on two holidays. So my new lifestyle took a step back and of course, I put on a few pounds. But I think it was what I needed. It made me realise that I do not want to go back to how I was. I enjoyed Zumba, walks on the prom and achieving something at my weigh in every week. I liked weight watchers, but there were'nt a lot of people my own age there and they all seemed to be mothers. So the majority of the group chat was about cooking for the rest of the family which was something I found hard to relate to, as I am only 20 and childless. I looked into other groups and heard about Slimming World. I went to my first class last week and loved it. The youngest person there is 13 and the oldest is 63. There were loads of people my own age there and it was so up beat and positive. Thinking about the future made me excited and I was extremely motivated. Once I'm a couple of weeks into it, I'll do a more in depth post about my journey so far.

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Room Decor & Future Plans

Welcome back! Tonight I thought I'd talk about something a little different. I've been posting pictures on Instagram of my new room and everyone seems to love them so I thought I would do a post on my new room, decor, furniture, etc. And to be honest, I think I got all of my furniture at a discounted price so that made the splurging a bit easier. Keep in mind I've also been gradually saving and buying these items since August. 

My Dressing Table
So to begin, I'm going to talk about my favourite item in my room. It's my Victorian dressing table. I think it's fair to say that every girl dreams of having a dressing table. Well I most certainly have any way. This was the first piece of furniture that I bought. I turned 20 back in September and I used the money I got from friends and family to buy the table. It was 200 euro and included the stool and mirror. I got it from Ryans Home Store in Galway. It was flat packed so I was able to fit it in my dad's car and assembly was easy. All I had to do was attach the legs and mirror. The lights, frame and fake flowers are from Next, The illuminated mirror is from Boots (now on sale for 30 euro), the make up brush container and treasure chest jewelry box are from ebay and the silver jewelry box is a family heirloom. It truly is my most favoured piece so thank you to my friends and family who made it possible for me to finally get one! 

My Bedside Locker and Mirror
The next two items on my list was a full length mirror and bedside table to match my dressing table. I know, a challenge right? But for some reason the universe was working with me when it came to presenting itself with things that I was thinking of. I found my mirror and table in a shop across from Claire's Accessories in the Eyre Square Shopping Centre in Galway. They were both reduced so I got the table for 89.99 and the mirror for 39.99. They're both very classic and have the same detailing as my dressing table so how could I not? The lamp on my table was 22.99 from B&Q and my jewelry dish was 5 euro from Dunnes Stores. The books at the bottom are a gradual collection from over the years, but mainly bought in Easons.

My Bed

This was something that I didn't have to spend a lot of money on because we already had the bed in the spare room. I use to have one of those bunk beds with the desk underneath so this was a seriously long overdue change. I got my quilt and pillow covers from Penneys/Primark for 11 euro as well as the thin throw for about 20 euro. The fur throw on top was a bit pricier however. It cost around 80 euro from the Paul Costelloe collection in Dunnes Stores. But my boyfriend had won a voucher at work and was kind enough to take me shopping for things I needed for my room, so the throw was one of the things I chose to get as it gets quite cold in my room in the winter. All three of my cushions are from B&Q. I bought them all on sale for 11 euro. At the end of my bed are two bean bags that I bought from Aldi for 21.99 each. I use to have a futon seating area in my room for when I had friends over but had to get rid of that to make room for my table. These were a perfect find and tie in so nicely with the theme of my room.

Storage
To be honest I haven't done much in terms of storage yet. I still have my wardrobe unit and there are draws under my bed where I store my bags. Something I did reuse from my old bed was a shelving unit that was built into the bunk so I just unscrewed it and it now acts as a stand alone shelving unit in the corner of my room. I have some pictures and my candles on the top shelf. The baskets I have throughout the unit are all from Penneys/Primark. They came in a set of two for just 8 euro each so really how could you go wrong?

What's on my wall?
So first of all, I got my paint from Next and the name of it is Powder Pink. I cannot remember how much it was because we're talking about back in August here, but I think I paid about 40 euro for two cans. The wall stickers were also bought in Next and these were 23 euro. I still love them! My Grand Central Station picture was bought in Dunnes Stores for 30 euro (bought with the voucher). The "Fashion Ave." sign was a present from my best friend brought back from New York. The three Vogue illustrations were 3 for 5 euro in a small shop called "Love Vintage" out in Clifden and I just bought the frames in the pound shop. And lastly, my "Shannon" painting was done by a street artist in Venice when we were over there on holiday when I was about twelve. I think we paid something like 12 euro for it then just got it framed.

Bits and Bobs 
The vase in the corner of my room was 25 euro from the Paul Costelloe collection in Dunnes (also bought with the voucher). I love the illustration on it! Above, is my crown chain hanger which was something ridiculous like 1.20 in Deals. On my window sill I have a frame from the Carolyn Donnelly collection in Dunnes for 8 euro. I then have a little treasure box that was given to me as a gift from my boyfriends brother and his girlfriend. I know it's from Dunnes but not sure on the price. I do love it. It's quite deep and can really store quite a bit. The final thing on my window sill is a little owl. I call him Herbert. He was 7 euro from Next. Lastly, there's my little chandelier that cost me just 11 euro from Next. It was on display and they were taking it down so I got it for a discounted price. WINNING!

Future Plans
The only things I have left to get for my room is a new rug and a headboard for my bed. But they're not major. I'm still shopping around. I also want to paint my shelving and wardrobe units the same cream colour as my table and mirror but that's really more of a Spring/Summer project so we can have the windows and all open.

I hope you enjoyed this read! I had a lot of fun writing it.

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Beauty News and Reviews: The Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream

Today is a bit of a speedy review on something that I think is the most talked about beauty product of 2014. Yes, the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour cream. Now, I have been hearing about this cream non stop from Youtubers, beauty bloggers and various magazines. I left it for a while because I usually wait to see how long the hype lasts around a product. Well after over a year of reading about it and considering that it is still being discussed, I took the plunge a couple of weeks ago. 

One major factor that was stopping me from buying it was the price. It usually retails at around 26 euro but I bought mine in duty free for like 21 euro, I think. I suffer from extremely dry skin and my lips are constantly cracking, even in the warmer months. Those of you who suffer from this will also know that it comes with the frustration of lipstick just not looking good when you apply it. 

After using it for over three weeks now, I can't imagine my life without it. After two days of regular application, there was a drastic improvement. My lips have not felt dry or cracked since I've started using this product. There is a specific lip version but I've heard through the grape vine that the regular one is actually better. And it's a multi purpose product as it can be applied to any dry areas on your skin. Now that I know how good it is, I would pay double the price because it really does guarantee amazing results!

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo