Recession-bustin’ Blowdrys at Salon Zeba

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

female hand holding hairdryer

Yesterday we had a comment from a first-timer Zia, a Montreal-er who had lived in Dublin and hopes to move back at some point. But she has a problem with Irish hairdressers - and it’s a cost one: ” they are all so expensive!,” she exclaimed.

She’s not wrong, but I was pretty pleased to find this nugget of info out - Salon Zeba, which has two locations, one on South William street and one in Maynooth, is tapping into all things recessionary with its budget blowdry offering.

€20 is the very affordable damage, and to book check out www.zeba.ie for contact info. What do you reckon -would you like your hairdresser to follow suit? Or perhaps they already have - let us know in the comments.

Tags: beautienomics, Hair & Hair Removal, zeba
Posted in Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys, Hair & Hair Removal | 17 Comments »

Budget Buy for Oily Skins: Rimmel’s New Stay Matte

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

stay matte

It is a truth universally acknowledged that far too many blog posts begin with ‘it is a truth universally acknowledged’ but in this case, I think I’m ok to use it, because it is indeed a global truism that foundation is a bugger to get right. And that’s even if you’re normal of skin, not too concerned about a specific coverage type and manage to fit into a shade category precisely.

But what if you’ve oily skin? Even now, with amazing developments in de wurrld of beauty coming at us left, right and centre, it’s still one of the hardest things for sebum-prone gals to buy. Sure, you can go the mineral route; you can shell out for Estee Lauder’s Doublewear, which is a bit of a fail-safe, but in general budget buys won’t perform for you.

While I’m a bit of a posh foundation fan, if you can get a cheaper option that suits your skin type and tone then hell, go for it. So, if you do happen to fit one of the five shades of Rimmel’s new Stay Matte Foundation, ace - because it’s a mere €7.45 and it promises to give natural-looking coverage that’s got a naturally-derived shine-control complex. Shade number one is ivory, so if you’re paler than that then you’re out of luck, but otherwise you never know - it could be a goer.

Anyone tried it yet? Give us your verdict in a comment!

Tags: beautienomics, foundation, oily skin, Rimmel
Posted in Bases, Foundations & Concealers, Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys | 8 Comments »

Wow: Stila’s Smokey Eye Palette at CheapSmells is AWEmazing Value

Friday, November 13th, 2009

stila-cosmetics-smokey-eye-palette

In today’s post on silver-tastic slap, Little Blue alerted us to the amazing bargantasticness of this Stila Smokey Eye kit on CheapSmells.com.

It’s one of their hokey-press-a-button-and-it-talks doofers but the cheesiness of that aside, Stila eyeshadows tend to be excellent. The brand is restructuring and all the old stock is going for a song but even so, the €9.73 this currently costs represents a huge saving, and this palette is just the ticket for getting this morning’s look.

Oh, and Little Blue also reliably informs us that “Incidentally Ronan Keating fragrance is only €6.06 at moment!” Heh heh.

Tags: beautienomics, palette, Stila
Posted in Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys, Eyes, Lips and Cheeks | 20 Comments »

New Vichy Essentielles Range: Mighty Nice and Very Affordable

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

gamme_les_essentiellesreflets

Well hello there now, I thought when this little feller popped into my creaking, wheezing inbox yesterday (groaning under the weight of all the gorgeous beauty booty I’ll be bringing your way very shortly, including, *squeak* spring launches). It’s a new line of skincare from Vichy and what’s immediately striking about Essentielles is the packaging. A bit of a departure for the brand alright, this is lovely-looking stuff, and what’s inside sounds just as promising.

While I haven’t had a go (yet!), the fact that there’s rose in there made me sit up and take immediate notice. I love anything to do with roses, me. Rose oil is something I am always happy to lash on for its super-moisturising ways and this range uses rosa gallica extract, a powerful natural antioxidant. Rose Polyphenols is an ingredient rich in hydrating properties, say Vichy, and can help to soothe and enhance skin’s radiance.

Great! So who’s the range for? The simple answer is those with sensitive skins. Paraben-free formulations are hypoallergenic and also packed with goodies like moisturising gylcerin and shea butter.

Sound good? The product (and very Beaut.ienomical price) run-down is after the cut, and the line will be arriving in pharmacies from mid-November.

(more…)

Tags: beautienomics, Skincare, vichy
Posted in Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys, Skincare | 17 Comments »

Ardell Lashes Now at Queen Beauty Emporium

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

ardell

As far as I know, US import Ardell lashes can apparently be found at bigger Boots stores but as I haven’t seen them with my own two eyes, I’m very pleased to report that Dublin’s Queen Beauty Emporium absolutely definitely positively 100% stocks them.

But what’s so gosh-darn great about them, then? Over to Leonard, Queen’s beauty director. “The reason that I love them is that they are super-natural and don’t look like false lashes when they are on: they just make it look like you have fantastic natural lashes.” Ok, so those who like sequins, feathers and doo-dahs might not be impressed, but I do like a nice full regular-looking lash-fringe and I also have a pack of Ardell’s lurking in my stash I’m now dying to try out.

Anything else good about them, sir? “They are cheap as chips, only €10, and if you take care of them they can last a few times.” Excellent news altogether, and you don’t even have to pay to have them applied cos Leonard’ll lash them on for you if you buy in-store.

Now that’s what I call Beaut.ienomical, wha?

Tags: ardell, beautienomics, false lashes, queen beauty emporium
Posted in Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys, Eyes, Lips and Cheeks | 28 Comments »

When manicures go bad: Bourjois So Laque Blue Mysterieux came to the rescue

Monday, November 9th, 2009

so-laque-bleu

On Friday evening, in preparation for the book signing the next day, Kirstie and I went to have our nails done. Cos you can’t be signing with tattered old nail varnish half chewed off nails, can you?

Kirstie had the worst manicure ever seen, but I’ll let her tell you all about that. Mine was fine, but despite letting my nails dry for hours, the second I went to get dressed for going out that night, disaster struck.

“Ah fecks sake look at that.” We’re not talking chipping here - we’re talking big ridges and the colour smudged off nails.

“I can’t do the book signing with these nails,” I wailed.

Kirstie had the answer and nipping to the chemist came back with a Bourjois shade the exact same as the fancy pants OPI colour I had on. (Read about all of the new season Bourjois here)

Blue Mysterieux is dark blue (almost black) and shiny out, I wish I’d done my own bloody nails. Especially as the manicurist had the worst technique for filing I’ve ever seen. It was quite violent, I won’t lie to you. She filed the nails downwards in over forceful strokes as I watched her in open mouthed amazement.

“Do you get many people coming in for manicures?” I ventured. “Not really no” she replied.

I’m not surprised.

Tags: Bourjois, manicure, nails
Posted in Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys, Brands, treatment & product reviews, Hands, Body & Feet | 25 Comments »

Estee Lauder Blockbuster: The Best a Mammy Can Get

Friday, November 6th, 2009

blockbuster

To be sung to the theme tune to the Gillette ads: truly, the Estee Lauder Blockbuster is the best a Mammy can get, and you can bag it for €69 with any Estee Lauder fragrance purchase. The gift that keeps on giving, and keeps you in the good books, wha?

Stocks of these babies are always limited and it’s ALWAYS incredible. Worth millions more than the cash you’ll shell out for it, this year’s Blockbuster features more products than ever before. But but but what are they? All is revealed after the cut.

(more…)

Tags: beautienomics, blockbuster, estee lauder, gift with purchase
Posted in Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys | 10 Comments »

Adventures in Tanning: The Winter Files With Rimmel SunShimmer

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Earlier this year I spent some time testing various fake tans to make sure that the baring of Beaut.ieful flesh across the land would be more olive than Oráiste for the few short sunny months we were granted this year. But once the darker days set in, I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets a bit lazy about tanning. Sure what’s the point, when our pale Irish limbs go into hibernation in long sleeves, thick tights and polo neck jumpers?

Let’s face it, the chances are that for winter ’09, money is tight, time is tight, and you just can’t be arsed planning days ahead to tan yourself to perfection. But there are still the occasions when you’ve still got a strappy Saturday night top with a plunging back, or front (or maybe even both, you shameless hussy you) that just wasn’t designed to go with pale, goosepimply arms.

Now you may think that with my fondness for St Tropez and the likes, that I might turn my nose up at the cheaper fake tans on the market. But my recommendation in this case is that you give that old bargain buy, Rimmel Sunshimmer, a try, using a previously top-secret technique that I will now exclusively divulge. Ahem.

(more…)

Tags: fake tan, How to?, Rimmel, Sunshimmer
Posted in Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys, Hands, Body & Feet | 24 Comments »

Glitter Lashes on the Cheap with Barry M

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Lynnie gave us lash envy earlier in the week with her tales of Lancome’s Virtuose topcoat but looky here at what I’ve found: a cheap as chips alternative from Barry M.

Six shades of clicky-fabulous-pen-dispenser-style shennanigans are on offer, but officially this product is called Glitter Lashes and comes in gold, silver, green, purple, red and blue. The lipgloss-style brush allows you to precisely paint it onto lashes and for €7.50 (£4.95 in the UK - that’s a grrrr at Barry M for opportunistic pricing) it’s cheap enough to have a lash of.

A lash of! Oh, I kill me.

Tags: Barry M, beautienomics, christmas09, eyelashes
Posted in Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys, Eyes, Lips and Cheeks | 8 Comments »

Select Six: Perfect Palettes for Christmas

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

palettes

When it comes to online shopping for Christmas, November is the month to start planning and snapping up a few bargains. To kick things off we’ve selected six palettes that we think are especially yum and bargaintastic. Click the links to see price and more details.

And er, maybe they won’t make their way to anyone else at all… if not never mind - you’re worth it!