The Autumn Tag

Seeing as it's the start of my favourite season I thought I'd do a tag about Autumn. :)

For Autumn, what is your..

1) Favourite thing about the season?

Autumn is one of my favourite times of year. I love the leaves changing colour, the chill in the air, coming home and warming up with a hot drink and getting new scarves, hates, gloves and coats. The best part is getting ready for Christmas, buying presents and seeing everything really beautifully decorated. I also really love the darker evenings. There is something really calming about coming home at six or seven in the evening when it's dark and getting a hot drink, a cosy blanket and chilling on the couch watching movies or TV.


2) Favourite drink?

My favourite hot drink would have to be tea, it's so comforting and warming. My favourite juice would have to be freshly squeezed apple juice with cinnamon and my favourite alcoholic drink would have to be rekorderlig cider.


3) Favourite food?

Soup! Chunky vegetable, carrot and coriander, potato and leek... Super healthy, full of vitamins and comforting.


4) Favourite scent/fragrance?

My favourite perfume would have to be Naughty Alice by Vivienne Westwood or Hugo Boss Orange. I also love cinnamon scented candles.


5) Favourite lipstick?

Berry and plum coloured lips are brilliant for the Autumn month. I have Kate Moss 107, Revlon Lip Balm Stain in Cherish, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie and Carmex Sheer Tint in Plum. They all are really long lasting deep, bold shades. I have my eyes on a few others though; Revlon Lips butters in Red Velvet and Candy Apple and MAC Rebel.


6) Favourite eye colour?

Anything dark, there is something really enticing about deep brown, copper and pomegranate coloured eyes this time of year.


7) Favourite item of skincare?

A good lip balm never goes a miss!! I love anything by carmex, I apply the original at night before I go to bed and a carmex lip balm during the day to keep my lips smooth and prevent them from chapping and flaking. I also keep a rich night cream on my bed side table. As I have oily skin I don't like wearing a heavy moisturiser during the day as it means my make-up fades much faster so applying one at night keeps my skin smooth and hydrated.

8) Favourite wardrobe update/outfit?

I've planned a few purchases for when my comes through. I got a pair of thermal leggings a few weeks ago and they have been keeping me much warmer than my usual tights. I got them from M&S for £15 and they really have been worth the money. I think they will look brilliant with a pair of black ankle boots and help keep me a bit warmer (I really think I must be cold blooded..). I'm also looking out for a few dark coloured plain skater dresses and skirts to have as flattering basics in my wardrobe. Oh and a nice winter coat. And some scarves. And jumpers. And anything floral. And slippers. I may not be eating this term..

9) Favourite band/musician?

Recently I've been loving The Band Perry, perfect for sticking my head phones in and going for a long walk.


10) Favourite place to be?

There is a national trust property near my house called Castleward and it might be my favourite thing about home. The grounds are really stunning and diverse, there's woodland walks, landscaped gardens, a beautiful big pond and it runs down along the dramatic coast line. It's beautiful all year round but it's stunning in autumn when the leaves start to fall and it's a bit colder. I also like chilling out on the couch with a huge blanket, a mug of tea and a good book or TV series.

11) Favourite TV series?

I have quite a few that start back over the winter months. Downton Abbey is back on ITV1 on Sunday night at 9, I only started watching this recently but I've become addicted. However, my most anticipated has to be American Horror Story. There have been two seasons so far: Murder House and Asylum, which were brilliant. They're so dark and twisted, but not scary in the traditional sense. The new series, Coven, starts on October 9th and I honestly can't wait.

Pre-Student Loan Haulin'

I really didn't think I had bought that much until I gathered everything together. As I'm back to University next week I decided to treat myself to a few bits and pieces, nothing is going to numb the pain of a 9am lecture but if I'm going to have to get up then I'd rather do it in a floral scarf with groomed brows and pomegranate eyes. Anyway, here's what I've picked up..

 Batiste Tropical - I couldn't be without this, my hair takes an age to dry so if I don't have time to wash it a quick spray of this and I could fool anybody. This smells like coconut and it is divine.

Maybelline Brow Drama in 'Medium Brown' - I only picked this up because it was the same price as the item I'd gone into boots for and I really can't resist a buy-one-get-one-half-price offer. I'd never heard of this but anything promising neat, groomed brows is a winner in my book.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'Metallic Pomegranate' - This has been on my wishlist for ages and I only got round to buying it today. I've only swatched it so far and it is enchanting! This will be a versatile product as it can be worn on its on, as an eyeliner or layered with some eye shadow.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'Fair' - This has been a staple in my make-up bag for well over a year now. Pale enough for my fair skin, great coverage and it lasts all day. Oh, and the best part? It's only £4.19.

Nivea Express Hydration Primer for sensitive/dry skin - I'd heard great reviews on this and thought it was worth a go. It combines moisturising and priming before applying make-up and I will do anything for a few extra minutes in bed.

Nivea Rich Regenerating Night Cream - I've been trying to avoid facial moisturisers that contain mineral oils to see if my skin improves any and I've heard good things about this. And it was offer...

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - I always carry this in my bag, cheap and it works as well as some higher end brands.

Floral A4 Project Book - I wandered into Sainsbury's for some pens and came out with this little beauty. Project notebooks are brilliant for splitting up different modules and keeping your work organised. And it floral. And Half price. Can't complain.

Marks and Spencer's Underwear - Really comfortable, pretty and not a bad price. These are £5 each or 3 for £10. I chose the wide lace trim Brazilian in white, back and nude to start with but I think I'll be back for more colours and styles.

Black Floral Scarf - I really love this. It will go with so much in my wardrobe and add some detail to an otherwise plain outfit, as well as covering any lumps and bumps around my stomach and keeping me warm. And it's floral... And I do like my florals.

Bed Socks - I am addicted to these. I got this set of three for £3 in Dunnes Stores (NI & ROI) because they are so cosy and cute. They're really soft and perfect for wearing on colder nights for a bit of extra warmth, I'm regretting not buying a second pack for taking back over to Uni with me because these are an absolute bargain.

Orla xo

Getting to know me

1. Are you named after anyone? 

No, My parents wanted to give me an Irish name and the only one they could agree on Was "Orla". It means "Princess of Gold" in Irish. 

2. When was the last time you cried? I can't even remember... I tend to cry over the smallest things and then manage to hold it together when something really bad happens. Or when I'm at the dentist or Doctor and have to get an injection. Damn I hate injections.  

3. Do you have kids? No, but I really want to have loads in the future! I like to think I'd make a good mother. 

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? Probably not, I'm very sarcastic and bossy and yet I don't like sarcastic and bossy people. Ironic. 

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Very. I rarely say anything that isn't laced in sarcasm. 

6. Will you ever bungee-jump? Never!

7. What’s your favorite cereal? Jordan's muesli with nuts... So yummy.

8. What’s the first thing you notice about people? Skin and eyes, I am so jealous of people with great glowing skin.

9. What is your eye colour? Blue.

10. Scary movie or happy endings? Scary movies. I really love them, anything a bit gory and gruesome I   adore. 

11. Favorite smells? Anything tropical or sweet and floral. 

12. Summer or winter? Winter. I love wrapping up in all my layers to go outside, coming back into a warm house, having a hot drink and relaxing. And winter comes with the promise of Christmas, and I am a fanatic about anything remotely Christmassy.  

13. Computer or television? Computer, being a university student I only ever watch TV when I'm back home for the breaks. 

14. What’s the furthest you've ever been from home? Probably Norway or Majorca. 

15. Do you have any special talents? I can sing in Irish, which I love doing.

16. Where were you born? Ireland 

17. What are your hobbies? Shopping, singing, anything to do with make-up, dying my hair to within an inch if it's life and exploring idyllic areas of countryside.  

18. Do you have any pets? No, I really hate animals! 

19. Favorite movie? Mean girls and a whole list of horror films.

20. Do you have any siblings? A younger brother 

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be happy. I would like a good career with plenty of money and opportunities. I'd love to work in the make-up industry but most of all I would love to be a mother. 

That's just a wee bit about me, If you've any questions just ask them below and I will answer :)

Orla x

No7 Beautiful Skin Eye Make-Up Remover Review

How do you start a blog post? I honestly do not have any clue how to politely start this. So we'll just dive in.

I wear a lot of eye make-up, even on a daily basis so an eye-makeup remover that can get rid of dark eye shadows, eyeliner and waterproof mascara is a must. I had never thought of looking at No7 for an eye make-up remover but when boots released their £5 off vouchers I figured I had nothing to lose. The bottle itself contains 100ml of product, and is made up of two layers of liquids. One is an oil to dissolve the eye make-up and the other is more like water. Truth be told I have no idea what the second liquid is.

To use the product, the bottle must be vigorously shaken to mix the liquids. Unfortunately you need to act quickly as the liquids begin to separate soon after you stop shaking the bottle. Then just soak a cotton pad with the product, hold over your (closed) eye and the make-up should begin to dissolve and you can gently wipe it away.

The product is effective enough, I usually only need 2 cotton pads to completely remove my eye make-up. Afterwards the skin around my eyes can sometimes feel greasy but a splash of water and perhaps a quick wipe of toner quickly rectifies that. There honestly isn't anything too amazing or special about this product. It removes eye make-up but I'm not wowed by this product. I will use up the rest of the bottle, but it's unlikely I would purchase it at full price when there are other products equally as effective but at a fraction of the cost. All in all, not a bad eye make-up remover but nothing extraordinary. Worth a try if boots are running there £5 off vouchers.

Orla x

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

With the flash of a camera on a night out, there is nothing I hate more than having shiny skin. My oily/combination skin has always been a nightmare but fortunately a good powder can solve all my shine problems and keep me looking dewy. Surely that isn't too much to ask? Wrong. Finding a good pressed powder has become the bane of my life and has cost me a fortune which is why I am so surprised that what seems to be my holy grail product comes from a budget brand and has been hovering under my nose for so long.Since discovering Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder a few months ago it has become a staple in my make-up bag. It is one of only a few product that I repurchase religiously and that I never seem to become disappointed with.

The packaging is simple and sturdy, and there is a decent amount of product in the container at 14g per pot. The small plastic lid a sturdy plastic base seem to be enough to keep the product intact in my make-up bag although I imagine of you left this product to lie loose in your bag it would be prone to breaking. The ingredients are printed on the back, along with a claim that the product will minimize pores and help keep you shine free for up to five hours.

 I have the powder in the shade 001 transparent. I wouldn't agree that the powder is totally transparent as it does leave traces of colour behind, but it doesn't look orange on my overly pale skin which is huge bonus for a well priced high street product. I tend to use a powder puff to press the product lightly all over my face, paying particular attention to my forehead and nose, and then use a powder brush to blend it in and distribute the powder evenly. Using a powder puff to apply also prevents the application of the powder from disturbing the foundation, concealer and cream blusher on underneath. In terms of wear time I find this can last anywhere from 2 hours in hot, sticky and humid conditions to 8 hours in colder calmer conditions, so the brand estimate of 5 hours I think is acceptable. I use this product every day and I usually repurchase every 3-4 weeks but I am do use a lot of it compared to others so I imagine it would last someone with a lighter hand much longer. The powder adds a beautiful sheen to the skin, my skin looks matte but not un-naturally so. It still manages to keep some small amount of dewiness that softens the look of the face, something other night street brands struggle to capture. All in all, for me this is a must have. The powder is finely milled, doesn't look cakes and best of all it is a friendly price for my already over stretched student budget.

Stay Matte Pressed Powder, Boots ,  £3.99