Sunday 26 October 2014

Barry M Aquarium Nail Polishes

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening people :) Hope everyone is doing gooood and enjoying their Autumn cosyness! :)

I decided to being a bit of colour into my life seeming as were getting closer to dreary winter, so I picked myself up these two beauties!
I've had my eye on these for a good while now, because they're so damn so pretty! 
Since I was little (and I'm pretty sure every girl in the world is the same about this) I've been obsessed with mermaids and anything to do with them! And it doesnt help that the sparkley varnish on the left is actually called 'Mermaid'

So what did I think?

Pacific: Such a gorgeous and original colour! The cap on the bottle is beautifully designed with mermaid/fish scales and it is VERY eye catching. 

Mermaid: I absolutely adore this, it goes hand in hand with 'Pacific' and it really really sets it off, this shouldnt be worn by itself at the risk of having taky 90's kids nails. But if thats your thang, then fire away :) The only thing I don't like about these varnishes is that it takes FOREVER to dry! But otherwise, great varnishes!

Also, I'm terribley sorry about the absolute state of my nails..but sure..it is what it is :)


Saturday 25 October 2014

Pretty delicates at Penneys / Primark

Yo! How's everyone doing? Looking for something pretty to treat yo'selves with? 

So over the weekend I popped my wee bum into Penneys and found this GORGEOUS underwear set. I was blown away with how pretty and girly this lingerie set is so I just HAD to share it with you all!

A silk and lace two piece with added sparkle, this set is sure to make anyone feel and look super feminine and sexy!
So give yourselves a little pick me up and run in and grab this stunning set!

Bra: 6EURO
Lace underwear: 4EURO


The Parma Violet

Friday 24 October 2014

Hello Autumn - Essence Trend Edition

Hello everyone, I'm sorry I've been missing in action recently, due to family issues I had to take a wee mini break from my blog, but now I'm back and ready to show you all my pretty things I've obtained over the past 2 weeks.

So It was my 24th birthday on the 17th (Oh dear lord I'm in my mid twenties) and I got absolutely spoilt rotten by my family, boyfriend and friends and of course.. myself.
So lets get down and dirty shall we, this is one of the collections I bought myself! Lets get straight to it and skip all the shite :p
*Colour adapting powder blush* - this blush changes colour depending on the PH tone of your skin
PROS:
Inexpensive
Novel idea
Pretty packaging
CONS:
Novel idea
Colour change not noticeable 
Wears off quickly

*Thermo effect nail polishes* - Colour changes depending on temperature 
PROS:
Great concept
Novel Idea
Inexpensive
Different 
CONS:
Streaky
Not a huge colour change
Wears off extremely quickly
(Fell off in the shower- ALL OF IT)

*Leaf embossed multi colour powder* - Designed to give you colour and glow
PROS:
Amazing design
Visually attractive
Inexpensive
Great colour
Novel Idea
CONS:
Need a lot on brush

*Eye Shaddow palette* - An array of Autumnal shades
PROS:
Inexpensive
Perfect Autumn shades
Great for everyday wear
CONS:
Some shades are quite talc-ish
Doesn't last too long


So all in all I'd give this collection a 5/10, it's a hit and miss collection but I'd suggest everyone to try it out for themselves

Have you tried this collection? What other Essence products do you Love / Loathe? 

The Parma Violet

Monday 13 October 2014

L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Shampoo & Conditioner - Review

Good afternoon everyone and my good god is my flu kicking my arse! I just cannot seem to shift it! But whats made me feel loads better is purchasing these two beauties. 


Ever since I was 13 I have been dying my hair. Pink being the first colour. you name the hairstyle I've had it 
  • Mohawk 
  • Dreadlocks
  • Shaved & undercut
  • Blue,green,orange,red,pink
  • Black,blonde,bleached,pastel
  • And that terrible emo haircut everyone lusted after.
Yep my hair has gone through some rough times, and dyed more times than I've had dinners. But being a natural blonde.My hair is delicate and has been damaged so badly. My hair is dry, coarse and super frizzy ( and naturally curly)

So I always find it super hard to find good hair products on the cheap. Nothing ever works for me.
I picked these two up in Dunnes on half price special (2.59 each). I was waiting for a huge let down but surprisingly this stuff is alright!

Especially made for Dry to Very Dry hair, these babies are enfused with 6 micro flower oils.And not to mention they smell AMAZING
I found after the first use it didn't do much to my hair, but after the 2nd/3rd use I could really feel a change. 
My hair feels less frizzy, smoother and smells amazing.
It doesn't give that much of a shine off your hair but it certainly does make it feel alot healthier and manageable.
I give this product 6/10

Do you have any hair products for dry hair that you find work? 

The Parma Violet 


Sunday 12 October 2014

Anniversary getaway in Galway

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't been posting much, that's because I was in Galway for a mini break away with my boyfriend because we celebrated our 2 year anniversary! (yay!)

OK so we only went for 2 days so we couldn't go mad but we did have an amazing time (Even if I was sick and Galway city did decide to flood)

We hopped on a Bus Eirean bus straight to The Connacht hotel. Initially we thought the hotel was ages away from the city centre, turns out it was only 5 minutes away! Super turbo excitement mode! 
When we first entered the hotel it looked quite small but lavish.
We opted for the suite seeming as it was our anniversary and we decided to spoil ourselves a little :)

The room was amazing!
Complete with mini kitchen and living room!
The bed was enormous and extremely comfortable!
Ever get when you stay in a hotel and you don't sleep right cause the bed is basically made of brick and cardboard? Yeah, not with this hotel!
And amazing value too! For two nights in this huge suite in the middle of Galway it came to less than 200 quid!! Bargain!
And not to mention it has an unbelievable swimming pool & gym that you can use for free when you stay there!
We went to the pool both days we were there (obviously) 
 After wondering around Galway a little bit and after dipping in the pool, we decided it was time to go out for dinner cause we were starved!
Dan had been looking up restaurants before we went and picked out this cute little gem of a place 'Druid Lane' - A cosy and warm restaurant with good hearty food. That sounds right up my alley! When we walked in I was pleasantly surprised, the whole room was candlelit and we had the entire place to ourselves.

The food was insanely tasty and the atmosphere was warm, welcoming and romantic. I urge anyone who is thinking about visiting Galway to eat here at some point.It will definitely be worth your while. The staff were helpful and polite and if i ever visit again I will most definitely be returning here.






After dinner, we popped back to the hotel to grab a pint or two in their amazing bar downstairs! Again the interior was lavish and warm, and prices were inexpensive! I got an amazing tropical cocktail while Dan..like the true man he is, opted for a good aul pint.
On the second day we went sight seeing. I am truly in love with Galway city. The atmosphere its like no other and it reminds me quite alot of our very own Temple Bar.
The bright colours in this town really make you forget about the dull October weather. 
And there were swans everywhere! It was so pretty and like something out of a fairytale.
All in all we had an amazing get away!
Thank you to The connacht hotel for having us and providing such an amazing stay that we will never forget and thank you to Druid Lane for giving us such a tasty and beautiful anniversary dinner.
(Sincere apology about my no makeup face in both of these pictures)


I also consumed a large boat and pile of rubbish...My stomach is specially trained for this kind of activity, do not try this at home kids.

The Parma Violet

Friday 3 October 2014

Zoella Beauty range


Hello everyone!Hope everyone is doing well!
Now if you, like myself, love your pamper nights then you are in for a huge treat.

International youtube super blogger Zoe Sugg (Zoella) has teamed up with Superdrug to launch her very own range of 'pamper' style products, and I couldn't be more exited!
The whole range is wonderfully girly looking and even better smelling!
The world of bloggers seem to be getting bigger & better! We've had lines from Tanya Burr, Pixi Woo and now, the long awaited Zoella which seems to be the cherry on top.



Incase you have been living under a rock and have no idea who or what Zoella is let me give you the 411. 
Zoella is a superstar in the vlogging/blogging world and has been doing so since what feels like the dawn of time. She is super girly and is almost like that inspiring big sister, who has tips and advice coming out of her ears. She is thee role model for young girls and adults alike. Zoe had full reign over the entire collection, from smells, and packaging to design and price!
So this is what she has bought to us:

The range consists of:
Zoella Fizz bar : £5 / €6.50

Zoella Let's Glow Candle £5 / €6.50

Zoella Soak Opera £5 / €6.50

Creamy Madly Deeply Body Lotion £5 / €6.50

Zoella Blissfull Mistfull £7 / €10.40

Zoella Guinea pig beauty bag £8 / €10.40

Zoella eyes beauty bag £8 / €10.40



The design is so pretty that it works for both teens and adults alike. With pastel shades, pretty polka dots, and Zoes beautiful handwritten logo, these will fly off the shelves! The range contains notes of Strawberry,violet,jasmine,vanilla and gardenia which is SURE to make it the most prettiest smelling range around.

Zoella's beauty range is available from Superdrug (UK only) and on feelunique.com

The parma Violet

Thursday 2 October 2014

Ziaja skincare - *Review*

Hello everyone, hope everyone is keeping on top of their skincare regime, I know I am, thanks to this absolute savior duo!

I received these two beauties at a blogger event in Dublin earlier in September. I'm always quite skeptical when trying new skincare products as the majority of them make my skin break out or effect it quite badly, as I suffer from Rosacea, So I decided to give them a whirl.

Natural Olive Micellar Water - This bottle is Paraben, colourant and fragrance free and its also Hypo-allergenic which is JUST what I need! Its key ingredients are glycerin , olive oil and pro-vitamin B5 which shocked me! And no alcohol too!
This water is used not only to remove makeup to also to add moisture to your skin, due to the added ingredient of Olive oil, this will soften your skin and soothe any irritations you may have. This can be used on the most sensitive of skin and I will definitely be re-purchasing this!
Score: 9/10

Natural Olive Cream - Another astounding find! Moisturiser is the one thing that always makes my skin flare up, so I took a real chance with this, and I found that it has been working wonders on my skin. This cream frightened me a tad because the texture is so rich and creamy, that's usually a bad sign for anyone who suffers with Rosacea, but as I applied it, it felt heavenly,you only need the tiniest dot and it gets to work straight away. Again because of the added olive oil, this cream softens skin, prevents dehydration and makes skin baby smooth. I would definitely recommend this if you have dry skin or suffer from Rosacea .
Score: 10/10


You can check out they're full olive oil collection here, with everything from skincare to hair care, there is something for everyone in their natural olive range.

If you suffer with Rosacea and would like to find more products to help, please get in touch!!


The Parma Violet

Wednesday 1 October 2014

300 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY!

Thank you all so much for getting me to 300 followers on bloglovin' and 5000 page views!

This is totally awesome for me as I never thought id get above 20 followers at one point, so to say thank you and to celebrate I am giving away an Autumn bundle of happiness! yay!


In this giveaway we have
  • 4 Vaseline intensive care lotions
  • 4 Limited edition Vaseline lip care tins
  • 1 Cocoa Brown, gentle bronze gradual tan lotion
  • 1 London Studio Smokey eyes set
If you are entering this competition using Twitter or Instagram you must follow the rules printed on the photo above.
OR
You can enter the giveaway by filling out whats needed below
You MUST be following this blog

This competition will be chosen by random using rafflecopter

Good luck everyone!!


TheParmaViolet

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vaseline through the years - Event

Hello everyone hope you're all well and good, and welcome October(my birthday month, yay)!!
earlier in September I was invited to celebrate Vaseline's superb party in none other than the penthouse suite in The Morgan hotel Dublin.
This was my first event so I was super excited & nervous, not realising that I could bring anyone I attended all by my lonesome... awwww.

As I walked into the penthouse suite, I genuinely could not believe the effort Thinkhouse & Vaseline went though to throw this gorgeous, classy, girly party. There were cocktails upon arrival, prosecco, a nail bar and a hair & beauty station! I was blown away! It was really refreshing to meet other bloggers and people in the business too!
There were little tubs of Limited Edition Vaseline everywhere! As well as candles, food, drinks and laughter
The rooftop deck is where it was all happening, the decor was to die for, complete with 1950's style caravan doubled as a bar handing out an array of marvelous cocktails! 
On exiting, we all got handed a gorgeous goodie bag full of Vaselines skincare and lip care range! I was thrilled! I met some genuinely amazing people, had a brilliant time, got a little tipsy and had my hair styled, got spoiled by Vaseline and got to actually see what a penthouse suite looks like. It was an amazing event.

Congratulations Vaseline!! You must be doing something right!

Photo's by Thinkhouse.ie


The Parma Violet