Debs Dress Shopping Guide

Hey guys!

With debs just around the corner (September/October is still pretty close when you have the LC ahead of you and need to find a debs dress).

I went to countless shops before finding my dress last year and have compiled my favourite shops for some of you to go to this year!

Simply Divine - Fashion City

Simply Divine is a dress warehouse in Fashion City, Ballymount. They have a wide range of dresses for debs and other formal occasions. They're open Monday-Friday 10am-5:30pm and from 10am-4pm on Saturdays.

You have to book an appointment before you go (it's free don't worry) and can do so through their website www.simplydivine.ie . I think it's well worth the trip if you live in Dublin or are willing to travel to get your dress.

Marian Gale - Donnybrook

Marian Gale is another fabulous shop to try in Dublin. They always stock the season's latest trends. Their dresses start from €299 and are on the pricey end but if I learned anything when looking for mine last year, it's that wherever you look the average price is €300+, unless it is a warehouse.

Marian Gale will also take your name and school name in the aim to not have two dresses at the same debs which I find great. The boutique is open Monday - Friday 10am-5:30pm and from 10am-6pm on Saturdays.

Cari's Closet - Cork, Dublin & Galway

Cari's Closet was another shop I looked at when searching for a debs dress last year. I found the range in store pretty good and they had a variety of sizes that suited everyone.

The one thing about Cari's Closet that I didn't like was that they had the same dress in a variety of colours and with three branches nationwide, it would be hard to guarantee nobody else would have the same dress. Especially as I saw some of their dresses in different stores as well.

Each branch has different opening hours so be sure to check www.cariscloset.ie before going. As an added bonus, they're offering 20% all long dresses and debs dresses for midterm, using the code MIDTERM online, but only until Sunday!

Verso -  Douglas

Verso is another shop I went to in Cork during the summer. The staff in Verso were lovely and they had a good range of dresses in varying styles and colours.

One of the best things in Verso was that a lot of their dresses were on sale and I hadn't seen the majority of their collection in any other shop.

Although I didn't buy my debs dress here, my sister did and I loved hers! Check out their website for the opening hours as they vary.

Vermillion - Ennis

I found my dress before I got around to visiting Vermillion (Yes I was that prepared to travel) but I spent hours lusting over the dresses on their site.

Their range of styles, colours and sizes is unreal and the company pride themselves on only selling one style and one colour for any event. According to their website, prices range from €225-€295 which is really good as I found most shops were €300+.

The store operates on an appointment-only basis so make sure to give them a call before heading there!

Rosie's Closet - Newry

Rosie's Closet is another massive warehouse style store that was on my hit list before I found my dress. They stock a wide range of debs dresses and claim some are exclusive to the store, so there's no chance of a second dress popping up at your debs.

Open from 11am-8pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am-5pm on Saturdays, if you're willing to travel for your dress I would definitely try Rosie's Closet as there's no appointment necessary.

The Moderne - Cork

I saved the best for last in my opinion because I bought my dress here. The Moderne Bridal in Cork stocks debs dresses for the debs season and no appointment is necessary.

The staff are so helpful and very patient (I may have gone in five or six times because I had set my heart on my dress and wouldn't pick any other one). The have a good selection of dresses, even though the prices of each dress did vary quite a bit.

The staff also take your name and school to ensure no two dresses are at the same event (Even though my school was in Dublin they still did it!), and they offer companies that do alterations should your dress need one.

Check out their website for some of the dresses they have on offer.

Have you guys started looking for your dress yet?

Did you check out any of the stores I mentioned?

Let me know in the comments below!

Ciara,

xoxo.

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Valentines Makeup Inspiration

Hey guys!

Whether you're for or against Valentine's Day, pink themed makeup is perfect for any day, but especially this Tuesday.

Valentine's will be Galentines for me but I will have pink themed makeup nonetheless and these guys are some of my favourites.

Benefit Cosmetics Real Cheeky Party

I got this kit for my 18th and I know they sold it again for Christmas 2016. Sugarbomb (Top row, far right) gives the perfect pink glow to any cheeks and is a great choice for Valentine's Day, whether you have a date or not.

MAC X Giambattista Valli - Tats

I love Tats which was a limited edition in summer 2015 and it is the perfect hot pink that would give you pout-worthy lips. This lipstick stays on through dinners and would last all day.

NYX Strobe of Genius

I have a special place in my heart for this palette. It is an unbelievable highlight kit and is actually really good for eyes as well. The bottom swatch on my hand is my favourite one from the palette and will give you the perfect rose gold goddess glow for whatever you're doing on Tuesday.

Strobe of Genius is available in Arnotts for €21.

EOS Lip Balm

If you're not into lipstick but want your lips Valentines ready then all you need is an EOS lip balm. The lip balm is super hydrating and all of them taste unreal (even though I've never actually bit one... you shouldn't either).

Whether it's Valentine's, Galentines or just a normal day for you on Tuesday, have a fab day!

Let me know how it goes in the comments below!

Ciara,

xoxo.

Twitter: twitter.com/ciarakittyk

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Snapchat: Ciarakxo

My Favourite Perfumes and Body Sprays

Happy Wednesday guys!

For some reason this week is going so slowly for me and I'm counting down the hours until the weekend. I've been switching up my perfume a lot recently and although I will always have my signature scent, I've noticed myself reaching for the same few at the moment and decided to do a roundup of all my current favourites.

Taylor Swift Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck will always be my signature scent. It was my very first perfume and people know me by the scent. I love floral scents but Wonderstruck has a sandalwood undertone that makes it slightly muskier and I absolutely love it. 

Spritz it on your clothes and your hair and the scent will follow you around all day.

I had to buy my current bottle of Wonderstruck from America so if anyone knows of a shop in Ireland that sells it, let me know in the comments!

Victoria Secret Love Spell Night

Love Spell Night is one of Victoria Secret's body sprays and I have found myself reaching for this whenever I have training or am going to the gym because the scent lingers on my clothes, even after. 

This body spray is blissfully fruity but again, has a muskier undertone to it that I love.

Victoria Secret Mists are available on their site (and on Grafton Street soon!) and are currently on offer! (5 for €31). 

CK One

I used to steal my dad's bottle of CK One and spray it on my clothes because I loved the scent so much. I have a little bottle of eau de toilette that I spritz on my clothes from time to time.

Colognes usually give me a headache but I love the fresh, clean scent of CK One with yet again, a musk undertone that I just can't get enough of!

You can currently get 200mls of the Eau de Toilette for €37.50 in Boots!

YSL Black Opium

Black Opium is a lovely floral scented perfume with vanilla undertones that makes it sweet and girly and I love it.

It doesn't linger on my clothes as much as the other perfumes but if I spritz some in my hair I get a nice whiff of it at random points throughout the day!

Black Opium is available in Boots for €60.

What are your favourite perfumes?

Do you have a signature scent?

Let me know in the comments below!

Ciara,

xoxo.

Twitter: twitter.com/ciarakittyk

Instagram: instagram.com/ciarakittyk

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Facebook: www.facebook.com/sparkleofpink
Snapchat: Ciarakxo

My 2017 Planner

Hey guys!

My Saturday post is a tiny bit late because I was absolutely wrecked this week and didn't have the energy to sit down and write a post. 

I love being organised and always *try to have my life together. I have finally caught onto the planner craze when I saw how easy it was to have everything planned out in planners like Recollections and Erin Condren.

I ordered a Recollections Planner from Michaels before Christmas and was so excited when my mum came home with it while she was visiting the States. Since January I've been using a combination of printables and kits sent to me by some fab shops on Etsy!

      January Monthly Kit

                                                

I got this floral themed January kit from Jax and Pepper  on Etsy and Lena was kind enough to send me the kit to try out. I loved the colour theme and although Lena makes her kits to fit Erin Condren planners, I found it fit rather well in my Recollections planner.

The kit came with three sheets of stickers, all of which I have not used, and is on lovely matte paper that is easy to write on. I loved this monthly kit and will definitely be using more kits from Jax and Pepper throughout the year!

Check out the full Etsy shop for all of the stickers available from Jax and Pepper!    

                                               

February Monthly Kit

     

I bought my February kit from PaperCrownPlanner on Etsy for €1.50 during a sale in January but her printable kits are lovely and you can buy them for less than €4 which is great.

I love this kit because it's pink for Valentines but there were also a few blank boxes that I wrote quotes on which add some personalisation to the spread which is always a bonus!

Silvia sells a fab range of printable stickers for planners and the majority, if not all, of her kits are less than €5.

Check out PaperCrownPlanner's full shop over on Etsy!

February Week 1

         

 I'm new to planning and still don't have a set way to do my weekly spread but I think my first week of February looks pretty good.

This kit was a printable freebie from PlannerAddiction.com ! The site has a whole range of freebies ranging from monthly kits to cute kawaii sticker sheets.

I use Q Connect A4 Sticker Paper to  print my planner kits and I bought 100 sheets including delivery to Ireland for something like €8 which is pretty good if you think about how much                                                           a weekly or monthly kit costs on Etsy!

        

February Week 2 

     

Lena, the owner of Jax and Pepper, was also kind enough to send me a weekly kit to try out and although I haven't written anything in for the week coming yet, I love the look of the kit!

I love marble everything and this kit is gorgeous! The marble and peach weekly kit comes with four full sheets (I haven't used all of them here) and are made for vertical planners but I love the layout in my horizontal one and think it fits very nicely into the Recollections planner!

                                                      

                                                Check out all of the weekly kits over on Etsy!

                                             

Do you guys have a planner?

What kits do you use?

Do you have any suggestions for my layout?

Let me know in the comments below!

Ciara,

xoxo.

Twitter: twitter.com/ciarakittyk

Instagram: instagram.com/ciarakittyk

Bloglovin: www.bloglovin.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sparkleofpink
Snapchat: Ciarakxo

January Favourites

Hey guys!

Going back to college has made everything hectic and I didn't have a chance to sit down and write a post. I'm settled back into the routine now so I'll be back to my normal schedule before you know it!

Seen as I had most of January off I was wearing makeup almost every day and found some new gems hidden in my collection.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit

I got this for Christmas and I am in love! Although the shades look similar in the palette they are all incredibly different. I love the pigmentation and metallic glow that Moonchild has and it has become a firm favourite in my routine since I was lucky enough to get it for Christmas.

Moonchild is $40 plus shipping from the ABH website.

 Eylure x Vegas Nay Grand Glamor Lashes

I had a fair few nights out over the break and these lashes add the perfect dramatic volume to any makeup look that are perfect for a night out. I will literally be wearing these lashes until they're on their last legs and I will definitely have a pair or two in storage as well.

Grand Glamor are available from Eylure's website for €9.30.

 Soap & Glory Instant Sunkissed Tint Body Lotion

If you decide to go out last minute and need an instant fix, Soap & Glory's Sunkissed Tint Body Lotion is perfect! It dries in minutes and leaves you with a fab tan until the next time you shower. It smells great too which is a bonus when it comes to tan!

The Sunkissed Tint Body Lotion is available from Boots for €12.

 Kiko Smart Colour Eyeshadow Shade 12

Kiko shadows are one of my favourite shadows out there because the pigmentation is unbelievable for the price of their products. I bought shade 12 in November when I was in London and I have been using it in my crease for weeks. It is such a buildable, metallic rose gold that is perfect for a subtle smokey eye.

Kiko's Smart Colour Eyeshadows are available from their site for €2.50.

 Garnier Express 2 in 1 Eye Makeup Remover

I am such a fiend for not taking off my eye makeup properly but this remover works wonders for me with very minimal effort. One or two quick swipes with a cotton pad and my eye makeup is gone without a trace!

Garnier's Express 2 in 1 Eye Makeup Remover is currently on offer in Boots for €3.33.

 Beverly Hills Formula Perfect White Gold Toothpaste

To be honest, I haven't kept track of my teeth colour while using this toothpaste but I have loved how fresh and clean my feel after brushing and they feel the exact same way hours later!

Beverly Hills Formula Perfect White Gold Toothpaste is currently on offer in McCabes Pharmacies for €3.74.

Lush Pearl Massage Bar

Admittedly, my bar has seen better days but I love it so much, I'll definitely be buying myself a new one when this one is gone. I use the bar after showers and it leaves my skin feeling so smooth and soft. The scent lingers on my skin and I love it so much!

Lush's massage bars are available in stores for roughly €7.50 (Although I could be wrong as I lost the label).

 Dream Dots for Spots

As much as I love London, I never appreciate the breakout I get after coming home and I'll inevitably get one every single time. I love Dream Dots because after putting one on at night, the spot is almost gone the following morning!

Dream Dots are available from their site with varying prices depending on how many packets you buy!

What products did you guys love in January?

Let me know in the comments below!

Ciara,

xoxo.

Twitter: twitter.com/ciarakittyk

Instagram: instagram.com/ciarakittyk

Bloglovin: www.bloglovin.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sparkleofpink
Snapchat: Ciarakxo