Feel the glow.

I don’t know if it’s a millennial thing, or maybe I’m just obsessed with makeup having a glow. I find myself appreciating the dewy finish of an influencer I don’t particularly care for, as she yaps away on her stories, I’ll pause, maybe even tap back to the left to admire the subtly healthy sheen of her complexion.

I’ve had enough facials to know you can put on all the moisturiser and primer in the world, but if you’re not drinking enough water, even the foundation claiming to be the “dewiest” won’t stop your skin appearing dull and dry. That’s not to say, a little potion in a jar won’t help you along the way, but thats a skincare post for another time. Today I want to talk about the Glow! So here are my favourites, some new, some old reliables to assist me in achieving the much coveted glow.

Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate

“A Revitalizing Blend of Ginger Root, Sunflower and Tamanu Oils to Help Correct the vIsible Appearance of Skin Fatigue”

This little bottle of sunshine has never left my makeup bag since the day I got it! What a God send this has been. I bought it midway through my pregnancy, when putting on makeup for work became a mammoth chore. That pregnancy glow had gotten lost on its way to my house so I decided to help it along with the daily reviving concentrate. And boy did it revive me! I use it religiously as a first step in my make up routine. This little baby isn’t going anywhere! Oh and the smell, divine. I’d buy it for the scent alone. Available in Arnotts

UNISEX HEALTHY GLOW

“All-Year Hydrating Summer Tint Moisturiser”

One word. WOW. Let me be honest, I’ve never been one for a tinted moisturiser. I’m a full coverage kinda girl. I think I had one in secondary school and it was patchy, blotchy and orange. The exact opposite in everything I would look for in a tinted moisturiser. Post baby, I wanted to start looking human again but in my early new Mammy days I discovered, foundation, cuddles and snow white baby clothes do not mix. These days, I’m less inclined to get a cuddle, more of a little hand shoving my face away as I got in for a kiss. Foundation still wasn’t going to cut it. Also in these strange times of zoom meetings from my spare room at home, a full face of make-up seems a waste to me. Enter tinted moisturiser, but not as I once knew it. I did some research and liked what I saw in Charlotte Tilbury’s Unisex Healthy Glow. On days I want to look some what made up, but don’t want the effort of an hours worth of glam, I reach for the Healthy Glow. I wear it over the Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate and apply using a damp beauty blender or a dense foundation brush and the results are always golden, glowing, flawlessness. The bronzing tan pigments, along with the moisturisers ability to morph to your natural skin tone is like magic. Available soon on Charlotte Tilbury

HOLLYWOOD FLAWLESS FILTER

“For a Superstar Youth Glow”

Making the list a second time, Charlotte Tilbury knocks it out of the park. I’m obsessed with the HOLLYWOOD FLAWLESS FILTER! Recently I did my make up and forgot to pop this wonder product on before my foundation. I couldn’t work out what I was lacking until I noticed the bottle untouched in my make up bag. Thankfully this product can be easily applied on top of foundation as well as under so with a few dabs along my cheek bones I was good to go. Alas, my own bottle has seen better days, the writing has been wiped clean off, a sign of my utter love for the filter. It comes in 4 shades to suit many complexions, I wear shade 1 Fair, although I could get away with 2 for a bit of a lift. Available at Brown Thomas *well used and well loved, the label never stood a chance!*

Glow Chérie Natural Glow Enhancer Lotion

“A glow enhancing lotion, infused with watermelon, for an all over fresh & natural-looking glow.”

I recently came across L’oreal’s Glow Cherie. This versatile little product can be used on the skin as an illuminating base, mixed with your foundation for an added dose of bronzing dew or as a contouring champion. It comes in three glowing shades, I bought shade 4 “Deep Glow” with the intention of wearing with tan. If like me you’re a little on the paler side and occasionally give yourself a boost with some fake tan, you may worry about your body matching your face, have no fear! With the right products there’s no need to buy foundation in a darker shade. And Glow Cherie does just the job for me! Available in Boots

If it’s good enough for Meghan Markle, it’s good enough for me

Since it’s launch in 2000, Armani’s Luminous Silk foundation has cemented a cult following. It’s a Go-To for make up artists and I can deffo see why. It’s glides onto the skin and stays put. I find it isn’t drying and has a certain dewiness to it. I’m not sure if it’s full coverage, medium for sure, but I build it up with my beauty blender and go over with concealer. My only gripe with the foundation is it’s difficult to get my exact colour match. I bought it to go with my skin with fake tan, which is perfect, but the girls found it hard to match me up with my natural coloring. I’ve visited the Armani counter a few times with no tan on and the foundation number changes. The nearest and the closet we got was number 3.5 in the light shades, so I’m keen to try it out. Other than that it’s a foundation that really is; so far so good! Oh and if you’re feeling like a splurge I highly recommend the Maestro UV primer! It’s soooooo smooth and has SPF in it:) I got both from the most helpful and patient team in Brown Thomas.

The Red Wedding

   
    
    
    
    
    
   
A few weeks back we attended the wedding of Paulie’s sister Martina to her longtime partner Paul. I hadn’t been to a wedding not in a church before but they’re becoming increasingly popular here in Ireland. Paul and Martina’s ceremony was a nice length and they even included their kids Amber and Jake, with a really lovely sand ceremony. This was a nice touch as its a keepsake they can have forever. 

Martina’s dress suited her completely and the detail was just stunning. Matching her mammies hair, Ambers red dress was made by Paulies mam and was really set off by embellished converse. The boys, Paul and Jake scrubbed up well and looked so smart in their bow ties! 

The food was delicious and Martina and Paul really put a lot of thought and detail into their special day, they spoiled us with a sweets table and the wedding cake tying in with the theme, was a giant red velvet cupcake and plenty of little ones for those who weren’t fazed by the sweets! 

These days you can’t say your guests have gotten thoroughly carried away unless there’s a photo booth, and we weren’t let down. Whoever thought of having these at weddings is a genius! They are such good laugh and a really nice momento of the day! 

A truly great day was had by all and I must have lost some pounds because the tunes were pumping on the dance floor all night! Roll on the next one! 

My dress is from Virgos Lounge and I had my makeup applied that morning by the lovely girls at Laura Mercier in Brown Thomas.