The truth about lip balms

Are you damaging your skin and your health?

Lipbalms drive me insane! I hate nothing more than seeing someone with chapped lips applying some god awful plastic based 'lipbalm' Or overhearing someone say ''has anyone got any Vaseline?'' So i'm here to tell you the truth about lip balms! No matter how hydrating they may make your lips feel!  So here we go...

Whatever you do, please, for the love of god, stay away from Vaseline!

Vaseline use special tactics in order for you to buy these little pots of hell. For example 'Vaseline with Cocoa Butter'. They colour the tin to coordinate with the new nourishing ingredient, so your brain is mainly focused on 'Cocoa butter' rather than 'petroleum jelly'.

 We all know Cocoa butter is super moisturizing and nourishing. But what about the Petroleum Jelly?  Well believe it or not petroleum comes from the same place as gasoline..that should say something..not very Eco friendly . 

Vaseline actually dries your skin up like there is no tomorrow! These greasy substance sits on top of your skin and traps your bodies toxins underneath! Ew! I don't care how cheap these crap tins are. stay away!

Next we have Carmex!

For years this has been the 'go to' lip product! Its cooling and soothing sensation leaves people wanting more..So is this really doing anything for your lips! NO, would be the answer to that question.

The ingredients in Carmex include Phenol, Camphor and Menthol! When you apply it gives the illusion of soothing, but in reality it quickly dries up and needs to be reapplied!Thats because this product contains OL (alcohol) Which dries up everything! So stay away from this lip damaging product. ESPECIALLY when lips are chapped

There are no words for how much I hate these.

You're basically rubbing toxic plastic on your lips. ANY kind of pound shop, dealz, pound-world,euroshop store lipbalms,will be in this catagory too. They are all the same! They contain a whole heap of Alcohol and other substances that dry out your skin immensely. Sure they might look cute, taste great and smell amazing, but that is ALL they're worth. These will make your lips, dry,chapped and sore after continuous use. Stay away from these god awful creations.

So here are some Eco friendly,skin friendly and purse friendly alternatives!

Burts Bees-Beeswax balm

Lush-Honey Trap Balm

Eos-Passion fruit Balm

Nivea- Lip Butter 

If you have any questions or queries simply comment below or mail me on theparmavioletblog@gmail.com , thank you

The Parma Violet

Transform your skin

Transform your skin for Summer!

Before I start off can I just say thanks to everyone for following, I just started up my own twitter page for my blog if anybody is interested  Click here to view my brand new twitter page!

Want your skin to look flawless and dewy this summer? Well I've got a few handy tips up my sleeve with affordable products that will transform your skin in the blink of an eye! Here is a few of my transforming favourites!

 I've always had problems with my facial skin, it has always been spotty, red and bumpy and extremely sensitive! I recently got diagnosed with Rosacea (A common facial skin problem causing spots, red harsh skin and itchiness) So to combat this i am taking medication, but of course, that alone won't work. So after searching high and low for the best skincare products for those with sensitive skin I have finally found some desirable products which are gentle on your skin as well as your pocket.

1. Boots Essentials Moisturising Cream (Fragrance free) - This moisturiser is one of the most nourishing and beautiful I have ever come across, absolutely perfect for all skin types. For those with dry skin, do make sure to put a decent amount on and massage smoothly in to your skin. 3.75EURO
2. Avene Thermal Spring Water Facial Serum - Serum, believe it or not, is one of the most important parts of a skincare routine. This Avene serum is perfect for those with a slight red tinge to their skin, it has a cooling action that takes the redness right down while replenishing your skin!Perfect for all skin types!Aldi do 3 diferent types of facial serum for half the price of any others, all three which are suited to ones own person skintype! Avene Serum 25.00EURO
3. NUXE All Purpose Dry Oil - This stuff is magic in a bottle! It can literally be used anywhere on the body. Hair,Nails,Skin you name it! Not to mention the heavenly exotic smell, but how it works is amazing! Just a tiny drop of this makes skin youthful and vibrant looking. Oils are becoming more and more popular in the beauty spectrum because they restore all the oils lacking or lost. Prefect buy, I would truly recommend this to anyone!it's a bit pricey but will last a lifetime! 35.00EURO
4. Simple Oil Balancing Facial Scrub - I dont think theres a bad word to say about this product really.This is aimed for those with sensitive skin, Simple is my go to skincare line! Its perfect and fragrance free! This scrub is powerful enough to remove dead skin and deeply clean skin and pores, while gentle enough to keep skin feeling smooth and soft. 5.29EURO
5. Bio Oil - Now, the reason why I have bio oil here, is because believe it or not Bio Oil is a better anti aging oil than anything else, AND it reduces the look of scaring from spots,chicken poc marks, skin discolouration etc. This is a dream product for anti aging and so reducing them unsightly scars. 10.99EURO
6. LUSH BB Seaweed Facial Mask - This is my favourite skincare product of all time. This gorgeous pot of heaven reduces redness,removes spots, tightens pores AND rejuvenates skin leaving it looking young,fresh dewy and simply healthy! Just pop this tub in the fridge, and use 2-3 times a week! If youre looking for an overnight transformation, then look no further.
7. L'Oreal Youth Code Pore Vanisher - This tube, is full of magic and wonder! This (Which is a Dupe of Benefits Porefessional'') Is a life saver, this tube has TRIPLE the amount of a tube of Porefessional by benefit and in my opinion works just as well! I like using this after I do my skin care treatment to take the shine off of my face and to reduce the image of my pores.  25.00EURO

Now on to lips!!

People always seem to forget lip products!! Lip products are just as important as all the rest. Theres no use having gorgeously,smooth,radiant skin without having the lips to match! So here are my two products that i Swear by

1. Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - This is a godsend, this little put will set you back around 7EURO, but last's a fairly long time. This is also free of any alcohol or anything else that would dry up your skin, and its Vegan!!How does it work? Well simply scoop some of this fantastic smelling scrub onto your finger and scrub your lips,be quite forceful as this bad boy takes off all the dead skin and flakes. Now...before you eat the whole tub...stop.
2. Nivea Lip Butter n Raspberry Rose - This luscious pot of joy smells out of this world and tastes just as good, but works even better! This butter has no petrolium or anything else that could dry up lips. enriched with oils and the wings on an angel, this stuff works wonders for your lips leaving them feeling silky and ....buttery 3.75EURO

Have you any beauty products you cannot live without? Want be to review a product? Simple comment below for mail me on theparmavioletblog@gmail.com, thank you!

The Parma Violet 

MAC Osbournes + Pedro Lourenco MAC review

IT'S SUMMER..

And one of the most anticipated MAC collaborations hit shops and the web!
And I'm pretty sure everybody nearly wet themselves with sheer excitement!

The MAC Osbournes collab with Mother and Daughter Kelly and Sharon Osbourne, was for me, the most exciting thing in makeup! And I knew I just HAD to grab at least SOMETHING from this collection! Although I do think the Sharon side of the collection is lacking slightly, the hype seems to be all about Kelly's side of the collection, and its very clear to see why. Kelly's collection seems to be very pastel/60's nude inspired, where as Sharon's collection is a more toned down version.

I feel like I'm the only one that adores the  Pedro Lourenco collection for MAC! Maybe because it was overshadowed by the release of the Mac Osbournes collection but who knows, this collection is sophisticated,simple and sexy! Another collection that was screaming out at me from all angles. So here Is what I picked up from these two fabulous MAC collections:

First of all, I keep the boxes from every piece of makeup I get, Im addicted, Im a box hoarder. 

These are the two pretties I got from the collection, I opted for lippies from both collections.

The packaging is to die for! Look at that casing! So pretty and girly!

The Pedro Lourenco casing is simple and sexy! A Matte black case with gold accents. The MAC logo is instead placed on the lower half of  the case  instead of the traditional placing which i love!

Kelly Osbournes lilac/Pastel packaging (inspired by her statement hair) is amazingly beautiful! I would nearly buy this lippie JUST for the packaging! So summery and girly! 

The colours I chose were Roxo and Kelly Yum Yum! I originally wanted Dodgy Girl from Kelly's Collection (A gorgeous pastel purple colour) But it sold out in no time! So I picked up Kelly Yum Yum. This is a spin on MAC's best selling Candy Yum Yum (CandyYumYum being a Matte finish and KellyYumYum being Satin finish)And I am SO insanely glad I did pick it up!This picture does not do these colours any justice! So I've swatched them so you can get a closer look (apologies for the terrible skin, my Rosacea is acting the maggot)

On the left I have Kelly Yum Yum and on the Right I have Roxo.

Kelly YumYum: Im not the biggest fan of bright pink lipstick, infact, i used to hate it, but now, this has changed my opinion completely, I LOVE it! I love the finish on this lipstick as it makes lips look juicy and full, and not too shimmery and 'wet' looking! 

Roxo: This is an amplified lipstick, and my god the colour is perfect! The light on my phone makes this colour look alot lighter than it is, its slighter deeper than the look in this photo. My only worry with this is that the staying power isn't all too great. 

Here's how these bad boys look with and without flash!

Over all both lipsticks have gone straight into my favorite category. I really think MAC are killing it this summer with all their fabulous collaborations and packaging!

I bought Kelly YumYum in BT2-Dundrum

I bought Roxo in Brown Thomas Grafton Street. 

Have you recently bought any of MAC's new collections? Want me to review something? Then simply comment below or email me on theparmavioletblog@gmail.com, thank you.  

The Parma Violet

My June wishlist

Before I start it has come to my attention that nearly all of my pictures on my blog are missing!! I will fix this problem ASAP! 

Now for my June wishlist! my wishlist is totally endless, like most girls! But these are my most wanted things this June!Most, unfortunately I will be unable to obtain but, nevertheless, a girl can dream....

First of all, I have this gorgeous 50's pastel midi skirt from PENNEYS!! I nearly died when I laid eyes upon it, and i instantly regret not grabbing it there and then! Its perfect! I am legit so annoyed at myself for not picking it up as it seemed there were only a handful left :'( And for only 13 EURO its perfect for those long summer days!And also seems to be a blogger favourite at the moment!

Next I have This beautiful Pastel pink River island bag, at 40EURO, its a tad bit of a dream for me at the moment, but it is absolutely beautiful, very summery, perfect size for daytime and nighttime! Also available in a gorgeous lilac! to view click here!

Obviously, like nearly everyone else in the entire world, I am in love with the MAC osbournes collection, absolutely everything about it screams 'buy me' The one that sticks out most to me is Kelly's Dodgy Girl Lipstick! Wonderfully summery, with a retro twist! This being a Limited Edition collection, these babies won't stick around for long! This seems to cost around 21.50EURO...well worth the money

Another Limited Edition MAC collection in my eyesight is by Pedro Lourenco. I adore the look of everything this collection has to offer, especially the deep red lipsticks! This Pallette shouts out at me for so many reasons! The natural colours in this look so sexy and light, perfect for summery nights! Definitely a huuuuge want for me!

Finally, I don't know how long I've wanted this for, it feels like I've wanted this for my entire life, but this is Red Velvet by Limecrime from their Velvetines collection.This dream formula, goes on wet and dries completely matte! It looks astounding on the lips, super pigmented and rich. This has been on my wishlist for eons! at 21EURO a pop its a tad pricey but I really do think EVERY girl needs a Limecrime Velvetines in their lives! Available in 6 different colours, Velvetines has a lot to offer, and lets not forget about this darling packaging! With a new hyper pink Velvetines coming out soon, you better keep an eye out, cause these bad boys sell fast!Click here to see more Velvetines!

Have you tried any of MAC's new LE makeup? Want any product tried and tested? Simply email me at theparmavioletblog@gmail.com or comment below! thank you!

The Parma Violet

June haul + summer happiness

Oh happy days!!

Firstly before I start this off, can I just mention how overly ecstatic I was to have went to see McBusted in the point/o2 on the 2nd of June!
I'm not the biggest Mcfly fan, but I am the worlds biggest Busted fan since I was a child (no shame) so seeing them again was one of the happiest moments of my life! And was legit one if the funnest gigs I have ever went to! So this started of my June with a huge emotional bang! Also Matt Willis is probably the hottest thing on this planet and Emma Willis is a damn lucky woman......swiftly moving on..

Being currently unemployed, MAC temptations are an actual killer, all you can do is look at everyone else's instagram pictures of their new Limited Edition, gorgeously packaged, MAC treasures.

So I made it my business to get at least SOMETHING from MAC's new 'Alluring aquatic' collection! Seeming as I am a lipstick fiend, I went straight for the lipsticks.. 

And I'm not going to lie, I kind of only got this for the packaging! 'Goddess of the sea' kicked off MAC's limited edition summer wants for me! I adore purple lipstick, so this was the only product that really stood out for me. I ran straight to MAC in BT2 and bought this little baby for a whopping 21.50 EURO...Sickened, I went home to swatch it straight away, and I can't say I was entirely blown away to be perfectly honest. This lipstick has a cremesheen finish, I myself prefer matte lipstick, but the shine off this is sexy and classy! In order to get any kind of decent colour off of this you must apply quite thick, I applied 3-4 layers until I found the result I wanted. Although initially looking great (sorry for no swatch photo's my phone camera isn't great) The staying power lacks greatly! I found I got an hour out of this lipstick MAX! I decided to put on some Rimmel lipstick lock on top to keep the colour...But to no avail. If you're looking for great staying power and colour, then this one is a miss I'm afraid, keep your money. But if you want to buy purely for the UNBELIEVEABLE wet look + feel packaging, then by all means ladies RUN and get this before its sold out! 

Must get ALL the goodies! 

• On the top left, we have Lidl's famous 'Suddenly' perfume range! Recently Lidl have introduced 'Suddenly, Madame Glamour' Body lotion,shower gel and deodorant with the same scent! If you have the perfume, I suggest running out and grabbing the body lotion and shower gel set for 5.99EURO  and a glass, roll on deodorant for 79 cent!!! Perfection! (Madame Glamour is a Coco Mademoiselle dupe) The Body lotion is surprisingly thick and creamy, definitely worth picking up.
• On the top right I have a mini Penneys Haul! There is no happier place on earth than Penneys/ Primark! Reasonably priced items as far as the eye can see! I picked up this gorgeous powder blue shoulder bag with gold clasp for only 7EURO! Huge bargain!I got three sets of nails for 1.50 each, no complaining there! And P.S Love ultra black mascara for 2EURO! 3 Necklaces for 3 EURO is amazing value! And my favourite buy is this floral headband for only 2EURO in the childrens section! (Theyre selling adult headbands for 3 euro so head down to the childrens section and get the same one for a euro cheaper!)
• And on the bottom I have my favourite beauty buys!'Goddess of the sea' Lipstick by MAC 21.50EURO. (see above)I personally think Essence's new 'Blush up' ombre blush is a Dupe for MAC's Limited Edition Proenza Schouler Ocean City blush! And for 4.75EURO its a fraction of the price! Gorgeous blush!I FINALLY got around to buying Lush's Bubblegum lip scrub! this has been on my wishlist for a while and never got around to buying it! Give your lips some TLC for only 6.75EURO. also available in 'Mint julips' and  'Popcorn'. Leaves lips tasting and feeling heavenly! The smell is divine and you will have to stop yourself from devouring the whole tub! Also 'pow wow' popping candy lip scrub comes out to make an annual christmas appearance, perfect for those chapped lips. 

And finally, my favourite outfit for festivals.

As i wont be attending Electric Picnic (le sob), I shall be attending KnockanStockan and hopefully Body and Soul festival. Everybody wants a simple and cosy outfit that looks awesome, and represents their style too! So I paired my 70's Floaty style top and a 4EURO penneys skirt for a relaxed Boho Look! I paired this with a pair of DocMartens (my essential festival and everyday wear boots),Floral headband and a small mint handbag from Penneys/Primark for a pop of colour and voila, done! (Headbands are perfect for festivals, keeps hair in place when weather gets rainy/windy)

I hope you enjoyed reading this post, if you need to get in touch mail me on nadinestephens1990@gmail.com  or simply comment below! thank you!

The Parma Violet