'Tis the season of holiday parties, it's officially Christmas month and the first of my christmas parties starts tomorrow! 
It’s my favourite time to dress up and I always reach for a classic black lbd when I don’t know what to wear. I love the velvet and embellished details of this Topshop one- It's pricier than the normal Topshop range but I think it's a classic that will see you through many parties and NYE events!
This dress is such a standout piece that it's best to keep accessories to a minimum, these Topshop shoes are divine, a classic black stiletto is a must and at only 40e, you can't afford not to have these in your closet.
 Pair with a statement clutch and you have the perfect party outfit.
Happy Holidays!


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Topshop

Topshop

YSL

Christmas Gifts For Her //

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Hunter tall boots, €90 I UGG Dakota (Chemise Pink) Women's Slippers, €94 I Valentino pointed toe pumps I Yves Saint Laurent cross body handbag, €940 I CLUSE pin jewelry, €93 I Poppy Finch 14 karat gold earrings, €145 I Topshop scarve, €19 I Maison Michel hat, €520 I Valentino cat eye sunglasses, €165 I Mulberry heart key ring, €88 I Bobbi brown cosmetic, €110 I Yves Saint Laurent lipstick, €35 I Benefit Besties gift set, €35


Whether you're picking these up as a stocking filler, secret Santa gift which is well in budget (hello Topshop scarf) or simply as a little 'Merry Christmas' gift to yourself, these are some of my favourite  picks from this year. I have already picked up the Benefit 'Besties' set, which includes all the favourites and is a steal at 38e. With Christmas just weeks away and Cyber Monday starting tomorrow, it's best to get shopping!

So it’s here again- the biggest shopping weekend of the year and here are all the discount codes you need for the best bargains. If you are more of a Cyber Monday girl,skip the queue's, avoid the hassle and shop online! 

F A S H I O N

Abercrombie & Fitch | Entire Store 50% Off – Online Only

All Saints | 30% off everything with CODE: CYBER

ASOS | 50% off Winter Gear & 20% off Sitewide and In Store with CODE: GOGOGO

Boohoo.com | Up to 50% off

Brown Thomas I 20% off selected items

French Connection | Up to 50% off selected items

H&M | 50% off selected knits & outerwear

Karen Millen | 25% off everything online & instore

L.K. Bennett | 20% off everything online

Mango | 20% off everything with CODE: BLACK

Missguided | 30% off party wear with CODE: SPARKLE & 30% off selected dresses with CODE: HOTAF

Miss Selfridge |  Up to 50% off selected lines

Prettylittlething.com | Up to 50% off everything

New Look | Up to 50% off selected styles

River Island | 50% off selected stock

Topshop | Up to 50% off select items – instore and online

Urban Outfitters | Up to 50% off inshore & online

Warehouse | Up to 30% off all clothing & accessories

Whistles | 25% off selected lines in store & online

                                      B E A U T Y

It’s the most wonderful time of the year to score some major beauty deals to gift everyone on your list, and maybe pick up a few additions for your own collection. Happy shopping!

Charlotte Tilbury -Buy one, gift one 50% off Nocturnal Cat Eyes to Hypnotise sets.

Look Fantastic | 18% off with CODE: RUSH

Feel Unique | Daily Cyber Week Deals

The Body Shop | 40% off with CODE: 19805

Aveda | 15% off First Order with CODE: WELCOME15

Nars is 20% off. Nars is 20% off! Nars is 20% off through Monday.

Have a fantastic Friday!!

Irish brand Pestle & Mortar burst on to the beauty scene a few years ago with their exquisitely simple Pure Hyaluronic Serum. Created by Sonia Deasy and her biochemist sister, the brand offers no-fuss skincare that gets straight to the point. Sonia says of their latest launch 'every woman should use a retinol, you see the benefits so quickly and they’re lasting. And the fact that it’s an oil…we think it’s really going to change a lot.”

The new Superstar Retinol Night Oil takes a similar approach with Retinol (vitamin A) which is a genuinely amazing ingredient that improves the texture of skin, interrupts free-radical damage, increases collagen and helps to fade discolouration from sun damage. The Night Oil is a luxurious oil which is easy to apply after your night time cleanse. You can use Superstar either on its own or followed by your usual night cream.

Superstar is packed full of Retinyl Palmitate which helps to fight free radical damage, increase collagen and elastin production, while correcting sun damage pigmentation, grapeseed oil which reduces pore size and fine lines, tightens skin and improves elasticity. black cumin seed oil, pomegranate oil, jojoba oil which all help to provide a smoother, more youthful, healthy complexion and organic rosehip oil, carrot oil, sunflower oil all work together to stimulate cell growth and repair damaged skin.

I have seen a great improvement in my skin after applying this product every evening for the past month. I double cleanse my skin, the first cleanse to remove make-up and the second one to remove dirt, and then apply a swipe of lightweight glycolic toner (pixi glow tonic) to lift dead skin cells before massaging a pump of Superstar onto my face. Drier skins can add a moisturiser to complete their evening routine. All Pestle and Mortar products, including Superstar, are 100% vegan, paraben free, propylene glycol free, fragrance free and not tested on animals. 

If you love the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil, you will love this, Superstar is a powerful retinol oil that really improves the skin, particularly in the anti-ageing field. I personally think Superstar gives slighter better results and it is more affordable! 

It really is a superstar skincare product!

SHOP HERE! 

Paris has the Ritz, New York has the St. Regis, and Dublin has the Shelbourne. This is Dublin's grand dame, dahling... Dating from 1824, mixing old-school opulence with the business swank of Marriott's Renaissance brand, The Shelbourne is still one of Ireland's top hotels.

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Upon arriving at the famous Shelbourne hotel, It instantly takes you to a different place- The valet takes our car, a vibrant display of flowers sit in the sweeping lobby and lemonade is offered at check-in. The location is excellent, just a few minutes from Grafton street and beside the sprawling St Stephens Green. It's intrinsic elegance, modern creature comforts, famous bars and classy staff would easily cut it in London.

On the downside, the Shelbourne doesn't come cheap! Rooms can be quite pricy and Breakfast alone is a staggering 29 euro pp. However, the premium is worth paying for that exquisite feeling of simply being looked after in The Shelborne.

The guest rooms are almost as luxurious as the lobby, with the marble bathrooms a tactile pleasure. Rooms in front overlook the Green, those in the back, without a view, are quieter. The beds are divinely luxe and comfortable, you may never want to leave...

The location of the hotel could not be better with oldies such as Doheny & Nesbitt's and O'Donoghue's, as well as No. 37 on Dawson Street on their doorstep. 

It has no shortage of great in house restaurants either with The Saddle Room as the standout. It is an old favourite reinvented as a steak and seafood restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Offering a contemporary menu using only the finest Irish ingredients and also featuring an Oyster Bar sourced from West Clare, Carlingford, Galway, and French Claire. 

The No 27 Bar & Lounge sparkles with style and sophisticated fun. It is the place to see and be seen with frequent live music adding to the atmosphere. The bar is richly decorated with specially commissioned artwork of Victor Richardson echoing the outdoor views.

The tradition of afternoon tea continues in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge  where this most pleasurable of rituals at Dublin’s favourite five-star hotel takes an artistic turn, with the dynamic new Afternoon Tea inspired by the artist Michael Flatley.

We enjoyed a selection of salted caramel mousse, raspberry compote and dark chocolate mousse encased in a dark chocolate glaze, strawberry macaroon filled with strawberry vanilla cheesecake, rhubarb compote and strawberry pâte de fruit, caramelised éclair filled with mango passion mousse with coconut ganache, an almond frangipane tartlet and pistachio pot crème with mixed berries.

Afternoon Tea costs  €49 per person for Classic Afternoon Tea and €64 for Champagne Afternoon Tea.

The Spa at the Shelbourne is a tranquil urban retreat where a complete menu of experiences for both men and women include facials, purifying body wraps, intense body scrubs and intricate hand and foot care are available.

Spanning over 3 floors, it offers an atmosphere of calm and elegance, featuring 7 treatment rooms, a couples treatment room, and an opulent relaxation room, the perfect place to clear the mind and relax. A specially created elegant space dedicated to manicures and pedicures completes the pampering facilities. In addition, this oasis of calm features a swimming pool, thermal facilities, a dance studio and state-of-the-art gymnasium.

The Salon offers hair styling, manicures, pedicures, express beauty treatments and a specialist blow-dry bar. Anyone in a rush can also choose the option of breakfast to go with any early morning treatment, as well as fresh juices, teas and coffees, cocktails, fine wines and Champagnes. 


The hotel is so historically beautiful,  it’s hard not to have an amazing stay. From the moment we checked in, we were immediately wowed by the grand surroundings of the Shelbourne and its historical significance seeps from every corner. 

A must staycation !

1. Beauty Blender 2. Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation 3. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow 4. Zoeva Rose Gold Collection 5. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation 6. Rosie For Autograph 'I Feel Like A Million Dollars Palette' 7. Nars 'Deep Throat' 8. Smashbox Contour Palette 9. Lancôme Mascara 10. Smash box Photo Finish Primer 11. Bare Minerals Bare Skin Concealer 12. Anatasia Bevelery Hills Dip Brow Pomade 13. Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G 'Bitch Perfect'  14. Soap & Glory 'One Heck Of A Blot'

Today I want to share with you a few new bits that I’ve been trying out recently and loving. These are the makeup pieces that are my go to, everyday face picks. Some I’ve been a fan of for a little while whilst others are new purchases but never the less, these are what’s in my make up bag right now. 
What can’t you leave the house with right now? Have you tried any of these before?

I'm sure that most parents feel them as their babies turn one,

That feeling of life running away from you a little bit;

a mixture of happiness and sadness,

excitement for their future

and bittersweet feelings about the fleeting nature of childhood.

My little girl turning one. 

12 whole months of having another daughter.

Of getting to know her

Of being her mummy.

Of loving her.

I just feel excited and so incredibly lucky that I get to be these little girls mama!

 Temperatures have dropped in most parts of the country in the last week, despite the blue skies, which means many of us begrudgingly have to temporarily shelve cute outfits in favour of knits and chunky winter boots.

But guess what? Just because it’s almost winter, doesn’t mean we have to collectively resign ourselves to giving up on style, it just means we all have to think a bit more creatively when getting dressed in the morning.

There is a reason layering is such a big trend this season: it’s a massively practical way to dress when it’s really cold. So don’t be afraid to pile on the layers. A turtleneck, under a sweater, under a jacket, under a coat, for instance, will definitely keep you warm. My grey ZARA coat has been a good investment for this purpose.  

Great winter style really boils down to a great pair of boots. I love these over the knee boots- practical and so comfortable. 

 TOP PRIMARK // JEANS TOPSHOP // COAT ZARA // BOOTS STUART WEITZMAN // 

For a long time, the words "affordable", "good quality" and "skincare" could not be found in the same sentence. You could find cleansers, moisturisers and treatments  but they often left much to be desired with cheaper ingredients and questionable formulations that didn't yield the same results as their more expensive counterparts. 

Thankfully, the last few years has seen a massive rise in quality and availability for skincare at a more affordable price but there was always one thing missing - face masks! 

This trio of masks (11.49e) is designed to address all of your various skin concerns from clarity and dullness to clogged pores and dryness. They are formulated with 3 pure mineral clays and are then customised with different ingredients to deliver different benefits.  If you are a fan of GlamGlow, you will love this trio!

Each mask has it's own specific purpose, the green mask is to purify and mattify, the black is to detoxify and brighten and the red is to exfoliate and refine. I love to 'multimask' using the green on my forehead, the black on my nose and chin and the red on my cheeks. 

The Purity Mask (green) is intended to work deep into the pores and get rid of dirt and grime while fighting blackheads, shine and oiliness. It features eucalyptus to help remove oil and leave you with soft, matte skin. This mask is best for oily skin. 

The Detox Mask (black) is a dupe for the original Glamgldw mask, which is my all time favourite mask! It includes active charcoal to act as a magnet to unclog pores and draw out impurities. It has a lovely creamy texture that cleanses skin's surface to leave it feeling ultra clean but not at all tight or dry. Your skin will not only feel great but it will be more even in tone and radiant. This mask is best for normal/combination skin. 

The Glow Mask (red) is a two in one product that acts as both a mask and a scrub. It has a creamy texture with tiny volcanic particles to exfoliate and illuminate as you scrub. It contains red algae which is known for it's brightening capabilities and antioxidant properties. The result of a mask application that is then scrubbed off is tighter looking pores, refined texture, super smooth skin and a bright, clear appearance. The mask is best for dull skin. 

Available HERE! 

Have you tried these GlamGlow dupes?