OHH DEER

As the title of this blog post suggests the words, 'oh dear' pop into my head. They may in fact pop into your head also. To be honest, oh dear may be putting it a little mildly. Replace the word 'dear' with a word that rhymes with 'duck' and you have more of a realistic idea of what phrase swirls through my brain roughly 10 times a day. But on this occasion I shall be putting my swear book down and 'oh dear' will have to suffice. But I'm actually not here to explain myself as to why I haven't blogged in three months (you may have noticed...oh dear), I am here to inform you lovely readers of an online illustration company called Ohh Deer.  

I have been aware of this company for a few years now but only recently gave into temptation and purchased a few items from the website. All sorts of quirky and unique products can be found on this website. Some cheeky, some cute and some down-right honest illustrated gifts await for you to explore. One of my favourite illustrations is of a cat (surprise surprise) with the title 'Cats don't give a f**k' attached. In turn, you can get this illustration on a mug, cushion or greeting card!   

The company itself was founded in 2011 by a guy called Jamie Mitchell and business partner Mark Callaby. The company employs 35 illustrators from all over the world and Ohh Deer just keeps on growing and growing. I have to admit some of the products are a little bit pricey, but you are helping independent illustrators and you are getting something that is a bit more different than what you might find on the high street. And who doesn't love getting stationary as gifts?! 

Also, calling all students, you can benefit from 20% off all year round at ohhdeer.com. You have no excuse now!

Now, here's hoping I don't take another extended holiday from blogging any time soon. Remember you can keep yourself updated via my Instagram page if you fancy giving it a wee peek! Just click on the link in the side bar. Enjoy the rest of your week everyone! And my wee cat Lottie (as pictured above) would just like to remind you to CALM THE HELL DOWN!

x

Created in Belfast

Mmhm, it's been quite a while since I last typed a few words and uploaded a few photos on Life NI Style. But I'm not going to bore you with excuses and ramblings. Here's to a brand new month! I don't know about you but June was a pretty big yawn-fest for myself. Apart from my brother moving to America for a year to work at Disneyland, (thanks for the many Snapchats Conor, making me extremely jealous) the month of June was a bit of a drag. 

But! 

As always, the beginning of June brought the Belfast school of art degree show and I was raring to have a wee nosy at the exhibition! I have to say the show did not disappoint and it was great to see all the wonderful work from a range of disciplines. Animation, applied arts, fine art, graphic design and illustration, interaction design, photography and finally the most important one of all (just kidding), textile art, design and fashion. No wonder it took almost three hours to view everyone's work! Stepping back inside the building and the heart of creativity in Belfast brought back so many memories of my time studying at this university. It's been just over two years now since I graduated from the art college and it just feels like yesterday that I was hunched over a knitting machine, a sewing machine or computer. Looking back my final year consisted of many a late night, many crying sessions, many meal deals or McDonalds, many hours spent deciding on the right shade of cream (yes, there are so many), many 5 minute breaks and deep conversations on the right size and type of font and so much money spent on print-outs (while also cursing that damn feckin' printer when it didn't print out those 50 pages you needed). So yeah, despite all of this, seeing the end result and all that work you put in was all worth it. And I have to admit that I do miss it.

My absolute favourite part was viewing the textiles and fashion section of the exhibition. So much hard work and dedication by the students had been put into their projects over the past three or four years and finally they were able to have a platform to showcase their beautiful collections or final pieces. Below I have included the cream of the crop in regards to the work which stood out to me and which I admired the most. Also, just a small mention on the textile designer, Terri McStraw. Her woven fabric collection titled 'The Fíor Collection' was just utterly beautiful. The fabrics she created were so luxurious and cosy and woven to perfection. I think this lady will be one to watch out for in the future! 

Terri McStraw designs - www.strawni.com 

Natalia Lees - natalialees.com

Adele Brown

Rachel Gallagher 

Alice Blackstock

Finally, just a little quote I came across and I thought it would end this blog post quite nicely!

My Beauty Favourites

This week I've been obsessing over all things beauty related! 
Thanks to YouTubers Jaclyn Hill, Melanie Murphy and Tanya Burr I have a list the length of my arm of all their beauty recommendations. I love watching their videos and discovering new products and in turn testing them out myself. Not all of the them though, unfortunately I don't own a money tree. I would definitely recommend watching any of these lovely ladies Youtube channels if you are an avid beauty devotee. I would especially urge you to check out Melanie Murphy's channel if you suffer from the burden that is acne. She has some great tips and solutions to help you combat those pesky spots.  

For today's blog post I thought I would write a quick summary of my current beauty favourites!

1. Sleek MakeUP Highlighter Palette Precious Metals
2. Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat
3. Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick (Minx)
4. LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub
5. Crabtree & Evelyn Ultra-moisturising Hand Therapy (Summer Hill) 
6. The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream 

The Sleek highlighter palette has been on the market for a while now and after reading numerous glowing (ahem) reviews I decided to give it a go myself. This palette is great if you're on a budget and and want to highlight the flip out of those cheek bones but I would definitely throw away that small useless brush that comes along with this product. 

As I mentioned in a previous post the Revlon colorstay diamond top coat is perfect if you don't want your nail varnish to chip after half an hour (we all want that, right?) I usually slick it on over any nail brand and your nail varnish will stay put for 3-4 days.

I received this Illamasqua lipstick in a beauty box I purchased from the Latest in Beauty website at the beginning of this year. I always have this lipstick in my handbag. It's a really easy colour to wear and very long-lasting. 

The Lush lip scrub is great if you have really dry lips like myself. I'm always wearing quite dark lip colours, which tend to dry out my lips so this product is a pretty great lip rescue. I usually use this product before I go to bed and follow it up with a really moisturising lip butter.

I had never tried any products from Crabtree & Evelyn until a few weeks ago when I decided to take advantage of an offer that was in store at the time. I purchased 2 hand lotions (Summer Hill and Somerset Meadow) for £6 (they are originally £9 each) so I was pretty happy with the deal. I absolutely love the smell of Summer Hill, it's quite a subtle scent and really rich and moisturising. Also, while in store I was recommended the 'Gardeners' hand scrub and lotion for those who suffer from painfully dry hands. 

Finally, The Body Shop's vitamin E night cream is a Godsend if you have problem skin. To be honest it did take a few weeks for my skin to adjust to this moisturiser and I did break out in spots but the results are great. I have been using the body shop's vitamin E range for a few years now after being recommended it when I was undergoing treatment for acne, which severely dried out my skin. It's also great for acne scarring! This night cream is my all-time favourite from everything I have mentioned in this post so I suggest you try it out now!


Have a great weekend everyone! And if you are stuck for anything to do this weekend I would suggest you take a wee dander around the Belfast School of Art end of year show. The exhibition runs from the 6th- 13th June and you are guaranteed an array of wonderful work from a diverse range of disciplines! Enjoy! 

Sunny Delights

As I look out of my window at the rain pelting down, the wind howling and the clouds turning an even darker shade of grey, it's surprising to think that we are entering the season of summer sunglasses. But we may as well prepare ourselves for when the Irish summer decides to appear. Shouldn't we? And if all else fails, just go and book that sunny trip away so you can make the most of those shades! 

I'm definitely not one for buying super expensive designer sunglasses, because lets be honest, they would most likely break in my handbag, as many others have. (Rest in peace H&M sunnies, you were my fave)
But after dandering about a few of our High Street shops it's great to see that they are certainly awash with all the latest statement shades in preparation for that glimpse of sun. With an excellent range of summer frames to meet your fancy and ultra affordable too there's just the difficult decision of choosing the perfect pair for you. So which ones do you choose? And in my case, how many pairs do I choose?! 

Thankfully over the past five years sunglasses have become much cooler with a greater variety to choose from! Say hello to the chic cat-eye, the hippie oversized, the 60's round, the cool aviator, the classic wayfarer and the laid-back preppy. I have to say my favourite style is the cat-eye. And no, not just because I like cats. I really love the retro feel of the cat-eye and they also suit the shape of my face. 

As part of this blog post I thought I would try something a little different. Rather than just display photo after photo I thought I would put my Photoshop skills to use and rustle up some collages to hopefully give you some sunglasses inspiration! I have to say that I did have fun creating the mini collages! Now's the time to go out and hit the shops and find your perfect pair of sunny delights! And remember, your summer shades are probably the only accessory your doctor will recommend! Yes! You can be stylish AND look after your eyes!

Enjoy the rest of your week everyone!
x

LatestinBeauty.com

It's that time of the year again folks! The summer beauty products are hitting the shelves! And for some, this puts the absolute fear of God into them.    

For most women (including myself) summer brings extra panic on making your feet look pretty, your skin look bronzed and of course, every inch of hair removed from your body. In other words, major stress and far too much time wasted! 

Making the transition from your winter beauty regime to your summer regime can be a bit of a pain. That lovely rich moisturiser which you used to banish the dryness of your skin, thanks to the cold winter air, is now a greasy, oily, clogged mess. And those days where you just couldn't be bothered shaving? Well, those days are over my friend.    

Pastel nail colours, bold bright lipsticks, BB creams, CC creams, tinted moisturisers, tanning creams, sun lotions. The list goes on and on. 

But which product do you choose? 

Oh and a heads up on the new hair colour trend. According to the adverts you can now dye your hair 'Bronde'. That's right everyone, Bronde.

(Thanks J-Lo). 

Okay, so I may have the answer to some of your summer beauty woes. And it comes in the form of the Glamour Spring beauty box! The box is full to the brim of all the latest beauty products (high-end and cheap as chips) and it can be purchased right here: http://www.latestinbeauty.com/glamour/ 

I first came across 'Latest In Beauty' last year when I purchased my first beauty box from their website. So far I have bought three beauty boxes and each one did not disappoint. The great thing about this website is that you can test all the latest beauty products at a fraction of the normal retail price.

The best part is, there is no subscription fee and you can basically choose whatever product you want to try. Or, you have the option of choosing a box from one of LIB's collections at a set price. 

The Glamour Spring Beauty Edit box retails at £16.99 and is worth £99. And yes, most of the products are full size with a few exceptions. Believe me, there are no catches!

So what's in the box? (Click the link)

     Morrocanoil Intense Hydrating Mask

Nuxe Creme Fraiche De Beaute Mask

                   Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow             

Beauty UK High Brow Kit

Elie Saab L'eau Couture
Model Co Creme-Rouge Cheek & Lips
Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Longwear Nail Enamel 
Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat
Rimmel Oh My Gloss! Lipgloss

Rather than bore you with a review of each product I thought I would give you a little summary of my favourite items from the box! I would have to say my least-liked product was the Elie Saab fragrance. The scent is quite fresh and floral and I tend to veer away from such aromas in my own perfume choices.

I know, you are probably thinking, another high street brand attempting the gel nail craze?! It's bound to be rubbish? Right? Well, you are very much mistaken. On trying this nail varnish for the first time I was a little doubtful, but after four days of perfect pristine manicured nails I was pretty pleased! And no, I did not sit on my ass for 4 days straight and do absolutely nothing. My nails took quite a bashing in work. The best results are achieved when both products are used together. I applied two layers of this coral shade (130 Pocket Aces) and one layer of the diamond top coat, et voila, long-lasting, shiny summer nails.

I have always wanted to try a Moroccanoil product as I have heard brilliant reviews on this brand. After using this product three times now I am a convert! I have quite thick, curly frizzy hair which can be quite dry at times and the mask is making a big difference to the texture and the general appearance of my hair. I would use it once a week while showering and massage it onto towel tried hair and leave for roughly 10 minutes. I would definitely recommend this if you do suffer from quite unruly hair. 

And finally we have the Model Co creme rouge. I'm definitely not one for using cream blush. I have been using the Benefit Sugarbomb blusher for years now, and I have to admit it is still my favourite. But I have to say that this product is perfect for your summer make-up bag. The colour is quite scary but the super soft and blendable texture means you can add a little or a lot. You can also use this rouge on your lips! The perfect versatile product for that sunshine flush on your cheeks and lips!

I hope this post has given you some summer beauty inspiration and that you may even try some of the latest products gracing the shelves of the shops!

HAPPY HUMP DAY!
(Two days left til the weekend! You can do it!)