24 HOURS IN PARIS WITH ALCATEL

 Hello everyone! I know this post is long overdue and I'm so sorry I've been neglecting my blog for past few months! My laptop has been broke and I was sick of it crashing in the middle of writing a post so i kind of just gave up on it for a while.

Fast forward a few months later and it's still broke.. BUT I really wanted to share my Paris trip with you guys because I had such an amazing time. I had intentions to actually vlog the trip but I got too scared! I know it sounds silly but I just cant get used to speaking into a camera - but I'm going to have to suck it up if I eventually want to start a Youtube channel! I have so many visions and ideas for my channel but I'm such a perfectionist that I know I will everything to a certain standard which means : a better lens for my camera, studio lighting, a cute setup and of course a laptop that doesn't crash every ten minutes! But these things are all achievable and I've set myself a goal to start a channel before the year ends.

 I was kindly invited to Paris with Alcatel Mobile for the launch of their new A5 LED phone along with a group of five other bloggers from the UK, check them out: Naomi Victoria , Gemma Storey , Just Jodes , Lucy Jane Wood & Jessy Ball. There were bloggers and Youtubers from all around the world being flown into Paris for the occasion. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous because I didn't know any of the girls going and I was flying over by myself but I didn't let myself get into my own head and I just kept focusing on how fun it would be. So i flew solo to Charles de Gaulle airport where I was picked up by a driver (and yes, he had my name on one of those signs!) and chauffeured to the Hotel.

We spent the afternoon exploring the Eiffel Tower which was a ten minute walk from our hotel and then Myself, Naomi and Gemma adventured off to the Mothership... SEPHORA! I would be penniless if we had Sephora in Ireland!

We headed back to our rooms to get ready for the launch party event and we boarded a coach that brought us on a quick tour of landmarks before we headed into the Venue. This Venue was so dreamy! It had the most beautiful spiral staircase and classic Parisian architecture. We were greeted by cocktails and champagne and had an amazing night! We were also lucky enough to have been gifted the brand new A5 LED smartphone which was so generous of Alcatel!

 

The following morning I had a few hours to kill before my flight home so Naomi and I decided to ditch the hotel breakfast and get a taxi to Avenue de Champs-Élyseés for quick bite at my favourite place Ladureé. It's always a treat when I buy myself macaroons at the Ladureé store in Dublin but it was even more magical in Paris! Although I ended up spending €12 (eek) on the worlds smallest fruit salad it was still a lovely experience seeing all of the decor and tea rooms they had. Every corner of Avenue de Champs-Élyseé was so stunning I could have spent the whole day wandering around.

After that I had to rush back to the hotel because the car was waiting to bring me to the airport - I felt like such a Princess being chauffeured around! I have to say I'm extremely proud of myself for navigating through the airport by myself because I'm usually useless and leave it whoever else I'm flying with! 

As soon as I passed through security I saw the Gucci store and thought I'd treat myself to something to remember my trip to Paris by. Basically just looking for any excuse to treat myself! Anyone who knows me will know that I never carry cash. I hate it and It's too easy to spend when it's physically in your hand. Sooo I invested in a card holder after going a year without a purse, carelessly throwing my hard in my bag everyday. I went for the Gucci Marmont cardholder in the light pink shade and I'm in love! The sales assistants were so lovely and made the experience so enjoyable - I know it can be daunting in some designer stores. This baby cost me €170 euro because it was VAT free in the airport but it will set you back €190 retail price. Some of my friends think I'm crazy for spending that amount on something so small with the sole purpose of holding your cards but I love it and I know I will take care of it and have it for years. Not to mention it is absolutely beautiful! 

 

Thank you so much to Nicole and Kirsty from Alter Agency for taking such good care of me and thank you to Alcatel Mobile for having me! I had an amazing jam packed 24 hours in Paris and I will definitely be back for another visit to this gorgeous city. Here's a photo from the #A5LEDparty of the lights in all their glory! 

 

I hope you all enjoyed this post.

Aisling x

MY MOST USED BEAUTY PRODUCTS

 Hello everyone! I thought I'd share what products I've been reaching most for in the past few months. I bought the majority of them while I was in New York last November but I've listed some UK stockists so you can get your hands on these goodies too! 

Firstly I'll start off with the NIP+FAB Glycolic fix daily cleansing pads which are insane! I've noticed that they have upped their prices lately but it's worth it to stock up when Boots have their 3 for 2 offers on. I have tried the Extreme night version of these pads but I found them to be a little harsh. I use them as a toning pad - in the morning after I've washed my face, and in the evening after I've removed my makeup. The glycolic acid retexures your face giving you a light exfoliation while the hyaluronic acid refreshes the skin. These are an essential in my skincare routine!

 The Kat Von D shade and light palette was number one on my New York list after hearing such amazing things about it and it did not disappoint! It comes with three contour shades and three highlight shades. The highlight shades are matte powders aimed for using where you would highlight with concealer rather than the shimmery kind of highlight. I love that each contour shade has a different undertone - one is more of a cool undertone to really sculpt, the second is a little warmer that I tend to use to add colour to my face, and the last is a beautiful deep shade which is quite neutral. The pigment is amazing so you can use a lighter or heavier hand depending on how strong you want your contour.

I was silly enough to forget my mascara while I was in N.Y so off to Sephora I went (I went twice a day everyday by the way) to pick up a new one. I'm not really fussy when it comes to mascaras but one in particular caught my eye because I heard SO much about it. It was the Two Faced Better than sex mascara and I am delighted I bought it. It absolutely lives up to the hype and even makes my stubborn lashes look long and full. The only downside is that I notice a little flaking towards the end of the day but nothing major! It's sold out online but you can buy Two Faced cosmetics from Debenhams.

 

I'm sure almost every girl on the planet has one of these sponges in their makeup kit by now. I have used a lot of different variations of this makeup sponge but I had never tried the real deal. I was one of those people who thought 'how could there be a difference in sponges?'. Boy was I wrong! The BeautyBlender is so bouncy and light compared to the dense versions I've tried that just drink up all of your foundation. I always damped mine and I've been using it almost everyday. I use the pointed end to set my foundation with my beloved banana powder. 

And of course I had to try out the BeautyBlender cleanser because cleaning sponges is the bain of my life! I was really surprised at how quickly this cleanser melted the makeup from the sponge. I have seen that Primark released a version of this for €2 or something ridiculously cheap so definitely try that out because I've heard amazing things about it 

- and who doesn't love a bargain!

The NARS radiant creamy concealer is no stranger to my blog but I have been having a bit of a love-hate relationship with it lately. I find myself reaching for it more and more but I've also been noticing a few breakouts in the areas that I apply it. I have been blessed with clear skin and I would only get the odd hormonal breakout but I'm starting to think I'm going to have to end my love affair with this concealer! The finish and coverage are so beautiful that I keep using it but my skin just seems to be getting worse! 

 

 

Next up is the Charlotte Tillbury bar of gold highlighter which has replaced my Anastasia glow kit as my daily highlight. The ABH glow kit can be quite chunky for day time but this little gem is so smooth and finely milled that it just blends in with the skin while giving off an amazing sheen.

I bought the eyeshadow quad and the eyeshadow pans separately so I could choose the colours myself. It's from Anastasia Beverly Hills but I cant seem to find the eyeshadows on any UK stockist websites! But if any of you girls are ever abroad these eyeshadows are amazing! They're not chalky at all and last all day without creasing.

And last but not least is my secret weapon when removing my makeup. This is the Charlotte Tillbury Multi-Miracle Glow balm and this pot is huge so don't let the price tag scare you off. It has a cream to oil balm formula and it honestly feels like a facial in a jar. I massage the product into my face and let it breakdown all of my makeup, then I use a wet face pad or sometimes I use Garnier Miceller water to wipe off all of the residue. You can also use this product on its own as a mask as it is enriched with vitamins and floral extracts that will nourish the skin. This is one of those products that I'd think I didn't need in my skincare regime but it is so amazing and leaves my skin baby soft!

 

MY SKINCARE ROUTINE

 

Skincare is something that has always been just as important as makeup to me when it comes to using quality products. If your skin isn't being looked after it can lead to breakouts and clogged pores. So, to combat this I make sure to cleanse my face every morning, followed by moisturizing, and every evening after removing my makeup I rinse my face with water just to make sure there is no residue left over.

 

I've been using  Kiehl's Ultra facial Moisturizer and Cleanser after I heard great things about it last year. I have normal to dry skin and this works a treat for my skin as its not too oily. I'm currently using the travel size versions of these products as I bought them to bring on holiday with me but this is a great way for you to trial the product before buying the full size! One thing I love about Kiehl's is that they always give you plenty of samples to try out other products when you purchase something. 

 

Face masks are one of my favourite products to use on my face (I'm actually wearing one as I write this). TIP: Try steaming your face before using a face mask to really open your pores and let the mask work it's magic! I like using them after a long day to unwind and have a little weekly pamper session - I love the cooling sensation it gives to the skin!

Two of my faves are the Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Clay Mask & the L'oreal Pure clay mask. I use the C.T mask when I want my skin to glow but also get rid of impurities - usually masks make your skin dry but this one leaves the skin dewy and refreshed. 

But when I need some heavy duty purifying I opt for the L'oreal mask - it's amazing for unclogging pores but it does leave my skin very dry! 

 

 Now this next product is classified as a mask but I would definitely say it's more of a moisturizer. ThirstyMud Hydrating treatment by GlamGlow is what I would use after the L'oreal mask I just spoke about. It's kind of like a balm you put on your skin to rehydrate any dry or tired skin - and it smells like coconuts! I bought mine from Space.NK on Grafton street (they stock Eve Lom, ByTerry, Hourglass and loads more).

And of course my beloved Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream needs a mention because it is simply amazing! Like I've said on previous posts, It is expensive but the best way to try out the product is to purchase one of the Christmas skincare gift sets - I've had my 15ml pot for almost a year now and it still has product left! The gift sets may be different than last year but hopefully they have something that includes this baby!

Another little gem I've been using is Witch Hazel Gel. If you haven't heard of it before, Witch hazel gel naturally soothes and helps to tone and close pores. It helps to keep skin clear and dissolves grease from the skins surface. I put a little bit of product on a cotton pad and apply to my face or just concentrate it on any problem areas I may have.

I hop you guys found this helpful and try out some of these amazing products for yourselves!

Aisling x

 

TRAVEL POST | BALI

 

I'm backkkkkk! So sorry for the lack of posts lately, I'd been so busy with work and then took a two week holiday which I have just returned from! Most of you may have seen from my Instagram that I visited Bali,Indonesia, with my boyfriend Cian.

We've had a list of dream destinations we really want to visit for quite some time now, so when choosing a destination this year we just went for it! Instead of just booking any ol' holiday to get some much needed sunshine, we saved up some extra money to be able to check off a country from our list - and it was absolutely worth it! 

 

 We embarked on a 21 hour travel journey starting with a quick flight to London and then a not-so-quick 13 hour flight to Malaysia. Thankfully the airplane was a double-decker with T.V screens on every seat, fully equipped with a selection of movies and enough leg room to get comfortable for some much needed shut eye. Another 3 hour flight and we had reached our destination! Let me tell you, I was not prepared for the heat when I stepped off the airplane. The humidity was on another level over there!

 

Firstly we stayed in Seminyak which is quite a trendy area full of boutiques and cute cafes, then we made our way to Jimbaran where we treated ourselves to a Five star Resort for the last four nights. Both myself and Cian were extremely impressed with our first hotel which was Vila Lumbung. The staff were so friendly and courteous, the hotel grounds were beautifully decorated with lush greenery and every now and again I would spy a cute little squirrel in the tree outside our room. I would definitely recommend staying here as it was such a central location to everything Seminyak had to offer and was so affordable. 

A good tip for anyone traveling with food allergies,or just for general curiosity as to what is around your area, is to use TripAdvisor. I selected the location and then filter the options to restaurants that offer Gluten Free options. This gave me a list of places with GF on the menu which was extremely helpful as it can be sooo frustrating trying to find places in a foreign country that caters to your needs - and Cian knows first hand how ugly it can get when I'm 'hangry'!

 One of my favourite places we visited for lunch was Cafe Organic. If you love fresh juices, avocado on toast, Gluten free pancakes or Acai smoothie bowls then this place is for you! Another hotspot was Potato Head beach club which was a 10 minute walk from Vila Lumbung. Get there early if you want a bed as this place fills up fast! With an infinity pool over looking the ocean and the beach right at its doorstep it's no wonder Potato Head is so popular. 

 

   

 After a week spent in Seminyak it was time to upgrade! One of the first hotels I found while researching Bali was the Ayana Resort and Spa in Jimbaran. It is without a doubt the most beautiful place I have ever been. It was very hectic in Seminyak with the hustle and bustle of traffic,every second person on the street trying to sell us motor bikes and the continuous beeping of taxi's trying to get us in their car became extremely annoying! So arriving at Ayana was a breath of fresh air as it was secluded from the city life but still only a twenty five minute drive from Seminyak and Kuta . I can't even attempt to explain the scale of this place, everyday was a little adventure discovering new parts of the hotel we hadn't seen yet. 

You definitely get what you pay for and this was our first time experiencing a 5 star resort. We lapped up a life of luxury while staying here and nothing was too much to ask of the staff - they were so genuinely happy to help. Everything about the hotel was just amazing. The Infamous Rock bar (which is in the Top 10 bars to visit in the world!) is part of the hotel and it had the most beautiful views. There are bars and restaurants on the grounds so you don't even have to leave the resort for dinner - they also had gluten free options for me.

 The hotel offers a free shuttle to the Spa, The Villas , the sister hotel Rimba and to the private Kubu beach - there was just so much to see! Even if you book one night at this hotel during your stay in Bali it will 100% be worth the visit! But definitely visit the Rock Bar as that is open to public and people travel from all over Bali to experience it!

Here's some photos from our stay at Ayana. 

 

 

 

 

 

Now onto the classic tourist stuff! We hired a car to drive us around which cost around thirty euro for three hours - so cheap! We visited Pura Tanah Lot temple and the Monkey forest. I had been dying to visit the monkeys when I saw them in some travel vlogs. It was such a surreal experience to be so up close with them and of course Cian made a little friend that decided to jump up on him looking for food! It was hilarious and I managed to capture it on video so we can relive that moment forever (he's scarred for life and going to kill me for telling you that). 

We did some other things I didn't get photos of like attempting to go snorkeling but we got stung by jellyfish! There was still so much more we wanted to do so I suggest that you plan out your week as soon as you get there and book some activities. Also try to get used to the Indonesian Currency in advance as it can get very confusing! For example ten euro is roughly 150,000 Indonesian Rupiah and some locals may try to rip you off when buying.

I mentioned on my Instagram that if any of you are traveling through Asia or Australia that you have to visit Bali along the way! It's such a beautiful place with amazing people and I definitely feel like being here opened my eyes a lot more to the world. It was so strange to walk down a street and see the most luxurious hotels right next to the extreme poverty of the locals but they were still so happy and had that Bali personality about them which makes the place so charming.

I had an amazing experience here and I will definitely be back again to visit this magical place. 

I hope you guys liked this post and found it helpful! A few of you have commented on my Instagram that you will be visiting Bali this year so if there's anything I haven't covered please let me know and I'll be happy to help!

Aisling x

10 BABES YOU NEED TO FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM

I don't know about you guys but I am always on the lookout for new Instagram Influencers to follow! I thought it would be nice to share the love with some fellow blogger babes while giving you lot some possible new girl crushes! 

So, here we go in no particular order.. 

 

@EMILY_LUCIANO

Emily is one of my latest finds on Instagram and her feed is so perfect it hurts. A lover of pale pinks, she makes every outfit look effortless.

 

@EMMANOODLE_

I met Emma at a press event after being 'instagram friends' for a while and we instantly clicked! She's just moved herself to Marbella for the summer so expect amazing summer style pics.

 @CIARAODOHERTY

Ciara is a blogger and tv presenter extraordinaire who you may recognize from Ireland AM. This lady can do it all! One thing I love is that she shares all the deets whenever she makes a new designer purchase , because lets be honest ...we all love to be nosy!

@CHARLOTTEFISHER

I came across Charlotte's page after ASOS reposted one of her travel photos wearing their swimwear. I instantly went online and bought one for myself! Right now she is in The Maldives and as you can see below, her photos are amazing!

@LISSYRODDYY 

Alicia is another gal who loves a good blush pink number. You would be surprised at how many of her items are actually from the highstreet, she makes everything look so much more expensive!

@NIAMH_LOVELIFE

Niamh is the biggest sweetheart ever and is just a burst of energy! She has Sports Luxe down to a T and stays true to her own personal style which is so important! Niamh recently signed with Andrea Roche and is working with some amazing brands.

 @EMMAZOEYROCHE

Emma has the most insane style and always gives me nail envy anytime I see her freshly done claws. She constantly looks effortlessly polished and put together.. TEACH ME YOUR WAYS GIRL!

 @SONIAXFYZA

Sister duo Sonia and Fyza are the ultimate makeup bible! I've loved every product that I've bought from their recommendations and Fyza always shares her latest beauty finds! They give honest advice and yes, Sonia looks like a baby Kimmy K!

@NYANÉLEBAJOA

This girl is just Instagram goal. Hair, outfits, photography...everythingggg! She's currently in Ibiza with Missguided shooting some amazing photos.

 @UNAOBOYLE

Una is the amazing lady who runs Dresses.ie and I always have such a good time when working with her! Una's recent trip to NYC filled my feed excitement(and jealousy) for when I visit the beautiful city later this year. Her styling posts are amazing and she always seems to find the cutest spots for lunching.

Hope you guys found some new fashion forward ladies to follow and get inspiration from and I hope you enjoyed this post!