Q&A – Fashion/Beauty/Motherhood

1. Who does your hair? 

I go to Peter Mark in Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre- Terri does my colour (I’ve no idea what the colours are) & Michael Doyle styles it. They’re both excellent. Every 8 weeks I usually get a treatment while I’m there – they use a Kerastase one and I find it really helps, especially with keeping my coloured hair in good condition.

2. Do you get your brows professionally done? 

Yes, I go to Kim O’Sullivan. I get HD brows done with Kim – she’s a pro HD brow technician and can transform anyone’s brows no matter what condition they’re in. She’s based in Dublin & can be found on Facebook.

3. What tan do you use?

I use everything. I swap around all the time. I love trying new tans.

Ones I particularly like are Vita Liberata dark tanning gel/He Shi mousse/Cocoa Brown gradual tanning moisturiser is excellent for a subtle glow… Their ‘Tough Stuff’ is excellent for removing any sort of tan – it works a treat.

4. How often should I wash my make up brushes?

At least once a week – see my post on that here

5. What are your essential brushes you’d advise everyone to have?

See my post on that here

6. Do you take supplements for hair/skin or vitamins? 

In winter I take Vit C & zinc.

I took Viviscal tablets after I had Ollie, my hair grew like the wind when I was pregnant but soon after I stopped breastfeeding it came out in chunks all around my hairline. I was really self-conscious about it but it grew back after a few months. The tablets definitely helped for me.

7. If you only have minutes to spare and an active toddler how do you get ready really quickly in the mornings? 

Preparation is key. I’ve learned to be organised from the night before. I know what I’m going to wear and what Ollie is going to wear. Being organised means no stress and your child is less likely to have a tantrum then also.

8. 5 minute make up / what would you use? 

5 minutes is what I spend most mornings to be honest, I don’t have time anymore to do my make up at my leisure. Having your brows done in a salon is a big help for when it comes to getting ready because they’ll already look tinted and shaped.

I’ll use a tinted moisturiser – I like The Balm tinted moisturiser; I mix that with No7 rapid radiance balm. Together they add a bit of colour to your skin, making it look fresh and dewy. Applying it with your fingers takes only seconds. I’ll always use concealer; everyone needs concealer no matter what. If you use nothing else you should be using this. A little around the eyes does wonders, and then on any blemishes. Then some bronzer or blush, a quick sweep of either will do. Then use mascara –L’Oreal Million Lashes Couture is brilliant. No need for eyeshadow.

Finally I’ll put on some gloss- anything that’s nude or pinky in colour.

9. What’s your typical daily diet? 

I have whatever I fancy really, I don’t ban anything from my diet. I suppose I have good eating habits though and eat everything in moderation. I have a bad sweet tooth and eat way too much chocolate and sugar but I’m okay with that… I love it!

I did a more detailed post on this last year – see that here.

10. Favourite foundations 

-Armani Luminous Silk.

-Benefit Oxygen Wow

-L’Oreal True Match

-Rimmel Wake Me Up

11. Skincare recommendations 

On a budget I would go for Garnier  – they’re cleansing products are great. Or No7 is brilliant too- their eye makeup remover is the best I’ve ever used.

If you’ve more money to spend, I highly recommend Image skincare- it’s fantastic, it’s transformed my skin. If you can get an image facial too absolutely do it!

Emma Hardie (in Arnotts) is another favourite of mine- he products are unbelievable; they’re so luxurious and smell like you’re in a spa. The cleansing balm and eye cream are excellent.

Dermalogica is fantastic also- they’ve a wonderful eye & lip cream called multivitamin powerfirm. Perfect for all ages.

12. Favourite clothes shops

Tough one, I’ve so many. I love amazing looking affordable fashion. I love Zara/River Island/Warehouse and of course, Penneys.

Sandro, Maje, Cos, (bt2)

Asos.

Boutiques I really like are Bowtique Dublin , The Ivory Closet (Limerick) and Cari’s Closet (Malahide).

MUM & BABY

1. How do you juggle a career, being a Mum and have a social life? 

It’s definitely not easy. Sometimes I get stressed out and have so much to do I don’t know where to start. Again though organisation is key, I have a good routine in place. Ollie goes to crèche 2 days a week, 1 other day a week Brian will take him out to see his Granny so that gives me 3 full days to work. On the other days I just do whatever work I can when Ollie takes an afternoon nap or I’ll work after 7pm when he goes to bed.

It’s all a juggling system.

I love going out for dinner, to the cinema and into town for a night out – I’ve continued to do it since he was born, it’s important not to loose yourself when you become a parent and it’s equally important to continue spending quality time with your other half. We definitely go out a lot less these days. Truthfully I’m perfectly happy with that. I like staying in and being in our nice house and cooking dinner. When we do go out we have an amazing babysitter that minds Ollie. Or sometimes Ollie’s auntie will mind him and stay over. We’re lucky we’ve a few great people to rely on.

2. What things do you do for some time out?

I get my nails done every 2-3 weeks. No matter what I’m doing I’ll take the hour out to go. I love having them done and it’s a little treat to myself. I always get gelish as it lasts the longest and doesn’t chip at all. I go to Michelle Burke, Main Street Dundrum.

3. What do you do to keep fit?

I’m embarrassed to say I’m not fit at all… I don’t do any exercise and I haven’t been in a gym since before my wedding. I loathe the thoughts of gyms – they just aren’t for me.

When the weather is fine I’ll go to the Phoenix park for a walk.

After I had Ollie the weight just came off. I breastfed him around the clock (hungriest child ever known to man!) so that definitely contributed to snapping back to what I was before. I don’t know how lucky I’ll be if I had more than 1!! 😉

4. What is Ollie’s sleeping routine?

He’s slept in his own room in a cot since he’s been 3 months old. He was perfectly okay with this and settled in well. Since he’s been 5 months old he’s slept from 7 to 7. We’ve been so lucky with him. He goes up to bed wide awake, into his cot, he kisses and waves goodbye and I leave the room straight away.

5. What is Ollie’s food diary? 

Like I mentioned above he was born hungry, you could never fill him. He began eating puréed food at 16 weeks and devoured anything you’d give him. Until about 18 months he would eat absolutely anything you gave him, I followed Annabel Karmels book and made everything from it. In the last couple of months he’s all of a sudden become fussy – much to my disappointment, he used to adore chicken, now he’s not so keen. His favourite things now are eggs, spag bol, spinach tortellini, broccoli (loads of it which is weird!) rice, cheese, pork, and fish pie sometimes. He loves any type of fruit, bananas being number 1, with grapes, strawberries, blueberries. His favourite snacks are raisins, liga and yogurt. I get the Glenisk kids ones – he loves them. He doesn’t have any sweets or chocolate – he’s obviously had a little taste here and there but I wouldn’t give them to him. There’s loads of time for all that I reckon.

I’m hoping he’ll get better again and start eating a bigger selection. I’m sure it’s just a faze of him discovering everything.

6. Favourite clothes shops for Ollie?

-Mothercare

-Zara

-Penneys

-M&S

-H&M

-Clarke’s for shoes

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