OOTD | Off Duty

Shoes: Primark

Jeans: Quiz

Jacket: Savida at Dunnes Stores

Shirt: Primark

I was feeling my outfit today so Im gonna share it with you, my go to monochrome everything.

I got these shoes and shirt in Primark quite a awhile ago, My jeans are from Quiz quite recently and the jacket is from the AW14 collection.

A very simple, just grab out of your wardrobe in a rush kinda outfit but it really worked out.

Well at least I think it did.

XOXO Sarah

Sleek Face Form Contouring Kit

 Eske Pharmacy in town have recently stocked the entire Sleek range,and I was beyond excited, I bought quite a few items but this particular product I really loved an thought I'd review it.

I had heard a lot about this product from other beauty bloggers but every time I went in it was sold out, I realise why now.

The Contour is very subtle, its almost just a light glow which is beautiful on. Its also very pigmented.

 I use mine on a daily basis, for around a month and I haven't hit anywhere near pan yet. For a night out I use another bronzer along with it,

The highlighter is so pretty its like an iridescent sparkly off white ( obsessed with highlighters btw ), this is also very pigmented and leaves your cheekbones with a beautiful matte sheen to them.

The Blush is pretty on Irish skin or anyone with pale skin as its quite a pinky coral colour. It again is very pigmented and as you can see from the picture above it has a shimmer to it also.

One thing I love in a palette like this is a mirror, and I love the mirror on this palette. Its great for travelling and on the move to do the rest of your make up with. The palette is also lightweight and sleek. (Ignore the Pun). Perfect for Summer.

This will definitely be a palette I will be repurchasing again and again for the foreseeable future, I honestly can't fault it, and its only €12.99, such a good price for what you get.You essential have 3 products in 1, I hope you go out and purchase it and you love it as much as I do. :)

If you don't have access to it in a Pharmacy, Sleek have a website that you can buy from here.

Let me know some other Sleek Products you love and think I should try.

XOXO Sarah

OOTD | Blanc & Noir

Coat : Savida

Shirt : Penny's

Shoes : Penny's

Jeans : Quiz 

Yay for more Ootd's this year!!

 I am a major lover of Monochrome. My whole wardrobe is basically black and white,(well mostly black) its just so pretty and works with everything.

 I think this is one of my favourite outfits. 

I am in love with this shirt its one piece that looks like two (isn't that amazing) so you basically look like you put a lot of effort in and you really haven't. (lol)

Also these shoes are so comfy, I brought them on Holidays and wore them nearly everyday. Obsessed with pointed toe shoes.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram :Sarahloukane for daily updates of Ootd's and other things :)

XOXO Sarah

Bog Standard

I was at a fashion show last year in which they gave away gift bags to everyone that attended, in the gift bags was a sample of some Bog Standard Products, at the time I had never heard of the company.

After trying the samples for a while and I fell in love, the sample I got was 'Irish Field' as it was called at the time, its now called 'Field', it smells like a field after its rained and I love everything about it.

I have since repurchased the candle maybe 3-4 times, while buying the candle again I came across Soap and an Air Freshener, which I put in my wardrobe to make my clothes smell nice.

Isn't the new packaging just beautiful I almost didn't want to open it.

 Im all for supporting Irish businesses as well so this is perfect, its also a really cost effective brand and honestly I don't know what I did before I found it.

I'd recommend this scent for spring.

Have you ever heard of or tried this brand before? Let me know what your favourite is.

Visit their online store : www.bogstandard.ie/ and do tell me what you buy!

XOXO Sarah

Red Carpet Fever - Golden Globes 2015

If you know me well, you know I live for Awards Season and My favourite event is the Golden Globes.
Its the first major event of the Season and It sets the par. Fashion-wise anyway.

I was really impressed with the style this year, so I would like to share some of my favourite looks with you.

I really liked the neutral palette of these 3 dresses.

Chrissy Teigen looks phenomenal in this colour, It really complements her skin-tone and Zuhair Murad really knows how to dress a woman, the silhouette is beautiful. 

Where do I start with Kate Beckinsale, I have an unhealthy obsession with her, I love the fluidity of this dress, Its not too out there but not too subdued either.

Louise Roe looks amazing all the time but this Grecian look looks so good on her, the dress creates a nice shape on her and I love her hair like this.  

These 3 dresses were one's I'm not sure on but I really like at the same time.

Dakota Johnson, I really like the fit, colour and shape but not keen on the sequins and sparkle, I also really like her hair.

.

Taylor Schilling, The colour suits her, I just think she could have worn something form fitting and it would have been a show stopper.

Reese Witherspoon looks like a Oscar, love the dress but I think it would have looked better on someone else, it sort of washes her out, She needs a brighter colour.

My Favourite Look of the Night is Jenna Dewan Tatum. Her Hair, Her Dress, Her Arm Candy.

I don't known where to begin. 

The dress is so flattering on her and the red clutch bag is such a brilliant addition of colour, Her make- up is so natural, It makes the whole outfit look so effortless. 

Let me know what was your favourite and what you hated!

XOXO Sarah

Mani Monday

Happy Monday Everyone, I hope your having a good day, Im currently writing this on Sunday evening as Im moving house tomorrow, Well today since you will be reading this on Monday or after.

Since its still sorta Christmasy I decided to go with a glittery theme, These are acrylic nails as my own are in pieces from work.

 I really like these nails, there so pretty and they go with everything and look great on a night out. I bought these in a pharmacy in town, at a really good price at €6.50. I find these nails so handy, and time effective. I hate waiting for my nails to dry so these are perfect.

They aren't like any other false nails I've used before, they're very secure and feel real, Which is great for everyday things such as washing your hair to getting dressed. Ive always found with other false nails catch on everything but these seem very good.

I've always been against false nails but starting to change my mind, What are your thoughts on false nails Yay or Nay?

XOXO Sarah

Calling all Benebabes!

A little bit before Christmas there was a Benefit Pop Up Shop in town, which of course I couldn't resist.

I had heard great things for a while now about the 'They're Real' Mascara so I jumped at the chance to buy it and everything that was said about it is true, It goes on a treat and looks even better on! (I even bought another for my Sister.)

They were selling it with a travel sized version of the Eyeliner free.

After using the mini version I went back the next day and picked up the 'They're Real' Eyeliner in the full size, 

I'm the first to admit that I have a love hate relationship with liquid liner, so when I heard it was a gel liner I was intrigued as I've never used one before. I really enjoyed using it, It just glided on its almost automatically just hold it up to your eye and it does the work for you.

While I was there, I needed a good coverage concealer so the girl that was helping me out recommended 'Erase Paste' which I really enjoyed using, I didn't need to use a lot of product and was the perfect shade for my skin-tone which is so hard because I'm so pale. 

So Thank You Benefit!

Let me know your favourite Benefit Products, Any Recommendations are welcome!

XOXO Sarah

Happy Christmas 2014

Hello There, Happy Christmas I hope you are currently sitting somewhere reading this stuffing your face and enjoying some well needed time off work.

I was looking at some photo's and realized I never posted my outfit from my staff night out.

Dress: Three Floor

Shoes: Public Desire

Bag: Michael Kors

Coat :She Inside

Unfortunately this is the only photo I was able to take cause it was far too good of a night, We went out to a restaurant in town called The Manhattan, Drank way too many cocktails and Danced most of the night.

In other Blog related news, I'm going to start posting a lot more regularly, things like Ootd, Reviews, Products I've Used Up, and anything else you would like me to do leave any requests or idea's in the comments.

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and an Amazing New Year, Here's to 2015!!!!

Sarah XOXO

Hakuna Ma'Vodka

I think the words above perfectly depict the night. Hello Everyone, It was my Baby Sister Rachel's 18th Birthday ( I still can't believe she's 18) so I thought I'd share some photo's from the past two weekends, as it was her actual birthday on the 2nd but she didn't have her party until the 8th.

Oh and by the way I have dyed my hair back brown.(Yay for not damaging my hair )

A little Blurry wooops

As you can see the photo's aren't the best quality as everyone was well on at this point.( Again see photo at the very top)  I got my dress from a website called IClothing, An Irish website to which I wasn't aware of until a fellow Irish Blogger wore a dress during NYFW and the second I seen it I needed it in my life. It's probably the most flattering dress I've ever worn and Im gonna wear it to my Christmas party at work, YES I love it that much. It also come in Black and Red if you want to check them out. Perfect Party Dress

Mine is the Navy one as I always go for Black but I am going to purchase it in Red also. It's so pretty, it's high necked and comes down in a triangle at the back of my neck, Its fitted but not in a tight way and then curves asymmetrically at the bottom with the white pleats going the whole way around the dress. I would really recommend this for a special occasion like a wedding or a party and its a steal at €40.  

I don't have any other suitable photo's of the night so Im just going to leave it there.

Happy Birthday Rachel xxx

Talk Again Soon 

Love From Sarah

XXX

I've gone Blonde

Hello there everyone, for the summer I thought it would be a nice change to dye my hair blonde, really just to see what it would be like and I've always wanted to. 

Some of you may know that I've had ombre for as long as I can remember, so I decided to brave it.

It turned out better than I thought it would, but not the shade I wanted at first.

 From Ombre to Blonde 

I used the L'Oréal's Perfect Blonde bleaching kit that I used previously with my ombre just because I was used to it.With the picture above, that was the first time I did it but I only dyed the brown bits and it actually turned out the same shade (Thank god).

Bleaching Kit I used.

Although it did come out well and I was happy with it. It wasn't the exact shade I wanted so I bleached it again and this was the result.

I know, poser right!

I like the different tones through it because it looks more natural and i don't think platinum blonde would suit me, I would like to point out that I only used bleach and no toner. So if you want  really blonde I would definitely use a toner. I also used silver shampoo to eliminate those horrible yellow tones nobody wants.

These are the only Silver Shampoo/Conditioner I've ever used so I couldn't give you a comparison but these work really well for me.If you have any suggestions on other one's that you think are better let me know or any tips for bleached hair they will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for Reading :) xxx 

Spring Skin

Hello there, As it's now officially spring, I like to start preparing my skin for Summer as I will obviously not be wearing much make up. So I thought I would share with you some of the things that I use that really help my skin and hopefully yours too.

I have seen this product on nearly every beauty blog, so im sure you'll have seen it before, as I have sensitive skin I was a little apprehensive about using this and usually any cleansers leave my face a little red after but this hasn't. It is essentially like water.My skin has never felt so clean before.

I use both the Clean and Clear Morning burst Moisturiser and Facial Cleanser, that I use as somewhat of a scrub, I recommend this for the Spring/Summer as it leaves your skin with a radiant glow.

And for a Face Mask I use this Australian Tea Tree Mask, I love the smell of Tea Tree. I wouldn't recommend this if you don't because its quite strong. It really leaves your feeling soft and clear from the first use.

These are products that work with my skin, and as I said my skin is really sensitive so these product should be suitable for any skin type.

Let me know if this helped anybody as I love finding new products that leave me with nice clear skin.

xxx

Vegan Maybe ???

Again not really a beauty related post, but im gonna use this as like a diary for the week and try to update about it as often as I can, so my friend Diana and I watched a documentary on Veganism and decided to try it for a week to see what its like and see will I continue it.

This isn't something I decided from watching the documentary as such, I have been thinking about it for a while, but didn't think it would be easy to do due to where I live and accessibility to Vegan products but its far easier than I originally thought, although it is early days.

As this is the first day and im new to this, I wanted to use this as a sort of way to document it and share my experience with Veganism if any of you were thinking of trying it. Also if you know any good recipes maybe you could leave a link or the recipes themselves below, I like all vegetables so im open to anything.

Wish me Luck :)  xxx

Style Crush Sunday | Camila Alves

Every Sunday Im going to tell you who Im loving at the moment, whether it's style/make up or hair.

Today its Camila Alves, Brazilian Model and wife of Matthew McConaughey, she really brings it, whether it's red carpet or casual, I think she's stunning. As well as being a mum of three (I know, with her body) she is also a designer.

I also have serious hair envy but lets not get to into that, I love that her casual style it's so laid back compared to her Red Carpet wardrobe, to me she really made an impact on the red carpets recently at movie premiere's and award shows.

She wears clothes so well,well I suppose she is a model, and always looks so unbelievably gorgeous.

I just love the whole vibe she gives off with her style,she has the same style I do and Im obsessed with her lately, I can't wait to see what she wears to the the Oscars, she will more than likely be featured in my 'I Have Red Carpet Fever - Part 2' as she was heavily in the first one.

What do you think of her style? Let me know.

Thanks for reading xx

Primark S/S 14 -My Favourites

While flicking through LOOK Magazine, I seen they had some of Primark/Penny's S/S 2014 Collection.I knew I needed some new things for my wardrobe, So I went online and found some of my favourites, these items will defiantly be in my wardrobe ASAP.

First off, I found this Green Blouse with sheer flower detailing which I really like, I absolutely love this colour and thought it would look great for Spring.

To compliment that, I thought this White Mini Satchel would go with anything in the Spring and then into Summer. 

How cute is this Yellow Shift Dress, I can totally see this with this Statement Necklace when the weather gets a little nicer.

As I missed out on Zara's skort when it was out I will be purchasing this replica , that is if this one doesn't go either.

If you know me, you know im a bit obsessed with Monochrome, I basically live in it and I adore this Monochrome Grid Blouse , not really for spring only, for me this is an all year rounder.

I've been really liking Perspex clutches and was about to buy one online when I found this one, This Perspex Handbag is perfect for summer nights out to bring a pop of colour to an outfit, although i would like to point out you will need a little pouch inside this for money, cards etc as it is see through.

Again this is something for all year round , This Denim Sleeveless Shirt would look great open with shorts or tucked into a skater skirt, and paired with this Statement Necklace .

If you've seen some of their new collection tell me what was your favourite and if you have some suggestions on what I would like please tell me :)

Face Mapping

Being a girl, something that I find really important is trying to keep my skin clear because even though your make up will cover it up (sometimes) you will constantly be worried about it.
And I know for me the first thing I think is where the spot is and what that means.


About 4 years ago my Mum introduced me to face mapping and a couple of weeks ago my friend mentioned she had had a persistent spot and I said 'where is it' and she looked at me weird and said 'why does that matter' and I realised none of my friends knew about face mapping.


Well anyway she said it was a cluster on her cheekbone and i said that's your lungs so I asked did she have a cough or anything and that's what it was so she wanted to know about face mapping so I was more than happy to teach her about it.


So just in case nobody else has heard about it,and the fact that it helps me so much, I thought I would write about it.



Forehead
This is usually a sign of a poor digestive system or your liver, Easily rectified, just drink plenty of water , get a good night sleep and eat foods that will support you digestive system eg Yogurt, Meat and Fish,Whole Grains, Banana's and Ginger.
Avoid High fat and Fried Foods, Anything Spicy, Alcohol and Berries.


Cheeks
This is usually a sign that there are problems with your respiratory system. Commonly more prone to people who smoke. Usually spending more time outside will improve this.
As well it could be due to sickness.


Nose
This is linked to heart health and could be down to blood pressure.


Jawline
This is most common due to hormonal imbalances and stress, More intake of green veg and increased intake of water will help.


Neck
This is your body's way of telling you, you have an incoming illness, again water helps and take a few vitamins to strengthen your system.



I hope this helps you in some way because I find this so helpful, Thanks for reading.xx 

Homemade Lips Scrubs

Im a big advocate of D.I.Y beauty products, why spend a lot of money on something you can do yourself.

Key Essentials are Oil, White/Brown Sugar and A Container of your choice.
Use either Brown or White Sugar its your choice, White has a finer consistency than Brown Sugar.

Its up to you to choose whatever one you would rather use, based on the ingredients you have.

Cinnamon Sugar

This one is the easiest to do.

Ingredients

• White/Brown Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon

Use your desired amount of sugar (this depends on the size of your container). Add your Cinnamon, Mash it around until the cinnamon is evenly distributed through the sugar and put into your Container. Store in the Fridge in between uses.

Rosemary and Peppermint

Ingredients

• White/Brown Sugar
• Fresh Rosemary
• Peppermint Extract

The peppermint will also cool down your lips and freshen your breath.

Chop the Rosemary into tiny bits before you add it to the bowl and use a folding motion on this one as the sugar will dissolve if your not careful.Add a few drops of Peppermint Extract and put into your Container.

Sweet Honey

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp. Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp. Sugar 
• 1 tsp. Honey

Combine the ingredients, mixing until everything is thoroughly combined, and then put into your Container.



Massage onto lips, Use a Wet Paper towel or Flannel to remove and use a lip balm after to keep lips soft.

Let me know if any of these worked for you or you have any other recipes :)

Winter Lips

Winter is the time to shelve your lip glosses and barely there balms and break out those 'look at me' lipsticks.
Bold lips can be fabulously paired with a neutral eye.

The trick is knowing how to wear it.

• Think about the mood your trying to convey

                              -A classic lip look would be a Red.

Mac's Russian Red

                  - Something a bit punchier would be a Coral or Orange.

Cara Delevingne sports a coral lip

                 - Or be daring with a dark plum almost black lip.

             

               

Both can be paired with a neutral eye, remember not to pair it with a heavy eye instead sharpen your eyes with Liquid Eyeliner and Mascara.

Don't wear coral or poppy red lip colour if your worried about making your teeth appear yellow.Stick to blue toned lipsticks these will appear whiter and brighter. A good Blue toned Red is Mac's Russian Red.

Don't exaggerate full lips, Bright colours can make your lips look bigger anyway, if you have naturally larger lip (I envy you),don't go over the lip line, if you do your lips will look out of balance with the rest of your face. 

*Tip* Store Bright Lipstick in the fridge, it will prolong its life and make it easier to apply. Also exfoliate your lips first to make sure to have an even finish, I would recommend you exfoliate your lips at least two times a week if not more especially in Winter.

If you don't want to fork out for a lip scrub you can make one yourself.

• Apply a thick layer of lip balm (I use Vaseline), leave on for about 10 minutes then using a soft toothbrush brush back and forth, wipe away with a flannel and apply a lip balm over. 

I will do a more detailed blog post on some other homemade lip scrubs but this is one that I think everyone could do because they should have these items in there possession.

 

Home Remedies for getting rid of Spots

Here are some home remedies that I have used and have worked for me and there also a good alternative to spending a lot of money on products that may not work for you.


ICE
* Removes Dirt & Oil
* Improves Circulation
* Reduces Redness & Swelling

LEMON
* Rich in Vitamin C
* Burns Away Spots

HONEY
* Natural Antibodies
* Moisturizes Skin

TOOTHPASTE *Tip* Not Gel
* Reduces Swelling
* Using Gel Will Only Irritate the Spot

STEAM
* Opens Up Pours
* Gets Rid Of Oil,Dirt,Bacteria
* Tip* Apply An Oil Free Cleanser After.

GARLIC
* Antiviral
* Anti-fungal
* Antiseptic
* Antioxidant Agent
* Sulfur Promotes Quick Healing

BAKING SODA *Tip* Good For Sensitive Skin
* No Irritation

PEPPERMINT
* Has Calming Effects (so does Lavender)
* Reduces Redness & Irritation
* Antibacterial
* Antiviral Properties

CUCUMBER
*Potassium
*Vitamin A,C&E

PAPAYA
* Removes Dead Skin & Unclogs Pores
* Antioxidant
* Enzymes That Reduce Inflammation
* Makes Your Skin Soft & Smooth
*Vitamin A

Along With These You Should Drink Plenty Of Water And Try To Eat Healthy And For The Best Results Do These At Night. 

Let me know if any of these worked for you or if you have any others.

10 Beauty Tips and Facts

Here are some Beauty Tips you may not have known.

• Contrary to belief cucumber on your eyes does make a difference, it contains potassium & Vitamin A,C& E which will in turn freshen your eyes. 

• This is an obvious one but drinking plenty of water will clear toxins and detox your body, therefore clearing your skin.

• A nice beauty tip is to spray some of your favourite perfume on your hairbrush so when your hair blows in the wind it will smell divine.

• If you dye your hair and don't like the colour or its not what you wanted wash your hair with fairy liquid and it will remove the dye. Ketchup works the same.

• Coffee granules are good to exfoliate your skin , also reduces cellulite.

• Massaging an ice cube on your skin will reduce redness and swelling of acne.Ice also improves circulation and removes dirt and oil.

• Cut a slice of lemon and lightly squeeze the lemon so some of the juice comes out, drizzle some honey on the lemon slice and massage it onto your face, targeting problem area's, The lemon will kill off the spot while the honey moisturizes your skin.Leave on your skin for 20 mins and wash off. Its best to do this before going to bed because your skin will breathe overnight. 

• Toothpaste on spots reduces swelling, but avoid using gel toothpaste that will only irritate the spot and will do the opposite.

• Lemon Juice will whiten the tips of your nails.

• Moisturizing your feet before going to bed and wearing socks in bed will soften your feet.

Thanks for reading :)

Leave a comment if you'd like, maybe leave me some others. 

Have a nice day.