Tuesday 24 October 2017

UCD SU President Impeachment Referendum


Hey guys!

This post is going to be a little different to what you would normally see on Sparkle of Pink. As a politics student in UCD, I felt like I had to post about the current SU situation in UCD before the election is held tomorrow.

As some of you may know, tomorrow and Thursday, the student body in UCD will be voting on whether or not to impeach our SU President, Katie Ascough. The movement began after some of Ascough's actions during the summer and at the start of the academic year became campus-wide knowledge and her actions did not sit well with some students.

I did not vote for Katie during the elections last year but I was ready to accept her as my SU President based on  her mandate that was shared during the election. While we do not share some views, I never held this against her as she is entitled to her opinion, just like everyone else.

During the run-up to the referendum, I have read posts and listened to campaigners on both sides. While Katie has run with the bullying that she has experienced since the petition was brought about, as her main tactic, the Yes side of the campaign has exposed the undemocratic and sneaky actions Katie has taken since becoming our President. Firstly, I do not think Katie has experienced bullying at all, the Yes side of the campaign has taken the democratic, and only route available to them as UCD students, to impeach a President who they believe has wholly manipulated them and broken her election promises since the beginning. This was not set out to be an attack on Katie as a person, it was to remove a President they saw as unfit to carry out the role of the UCD SU President,  without letting her personal views get in the way of the UCD SU mandate.

During her election campaign, Katie promised to delegate issues regarding abortion as her personal views clashed with the democratically voted pro-choice stance of the SU. However, since beginning her role as President, Katie has failed to do this.

Barry Murphy, our Campaigns and Communications officer shed some light on what went on behind closed doors last night, ahead of the election. During the summer, Katie tried to manipulate him into reducing the budget spent on the repeal campaign, while trying to increase other spending. While I understand a repeal campaign is something Katie does not personally believe in, she knew, while running for election, that if she won, she would be representing an SU that had adopted a pro-choice stance and she could not change this. Why then, did she attempt to reduce the budget for the campaign with the referendum looming on us?

The Winging It handbook is an SU book that is given to UCD freshers at the beginning of the year. I loved it last year and as a peer mentor this year, I was excited to see what my mentees thought of it. I was shocked to discover that the information on abortion was removed from the book while other, somewhat controversial but humorous information was left in. Within a few weeks, it became known that Katie was the one who removed this information. While she was uncomfortable with the information on the page, it was left in and sent to print before the deadline. However, weeks later, Katie told the other SU officers that the books had to be reprinted as, after consultation  with the SU lawyer, she discovered that the information was illegal.  This 'discovery' baffled me as the SU officers were all present for training where they were told the abortion information in the book was illegal but also something the student body needed to know and last year's SU was proud of distributing.
 The book ended up being scrapped and the SU, led and decided by Katie, ended up reprinting the handbook, incurring costs of €7000. This leads me to question was Katie ever really concerned with a budget? Was she just censoring information? How likely was a legal case, especially with the referendum being next year? I understand Katie's concern but the fine WOULD HAVE been less than the €7000 spent on reprinting and she should have given the other officers access to the SU lawyer and ended up redrafting the page herself (breaking her delegation promise), not showing it to the lawyer before sending it to print and the page still contains illegal information.

Katie has taken further undemocratic actions towards the UCD for Choice group and pro-choice class representatives since the Winging It controversy. Katie has the right to be pro-life. That is not the issue here. The issue is that she has repeatedly taken actions to prevent the SU for representing the pro-choice stance my college and peers voted for. It is a stance the majority voted for and Katie knew when taking on the role that she was expected to adopt the pro-choice mandate while carrying out her role SU President, Katie was not naive when she knew this was expected of her.

The majority of her fellow SU officers have lost confidence in her, those who work with her each day, no longer believe she is fit to carry out her role. Katie has broken her own campaign promises again and again and I believe she will do so again. Her personal views are getting in the way of her public role and has broken student body confidence in the SU. 

Tomorrow, I will be voting to impeach my SU President. Not because she is pro-life,  not because of her views on marriage equality, but because of her broken promises and actions taken against the UCD SU mandate. A mandate she promised to uphold when she won the SU election last year.


Ciara,
xoxo.
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Saturday 14 October 2017

Halloween Beauty Must-Haves!



Hey guys!

Halloween is so close now and I am beyond excited for it! I love dressing up and of course everything that comes along with it, especially the falling leaves.

So many brands come out with Halloween lines and this year, they do not disappoint. I've rounded up my must-haves for this year and cannot wait to get my hands on all of them!

Lush Monsters Ball Bomb


Returning from last year, Monsters Ball has hit Lush stores once again and I am so happy. Not only does it fill your bath with a cosmic array of colours but this little guy smells so citrusy and fresh. It is the perfect addition to any autumnal bath and I will definitely be stocking up before it disappears again.

Monsters Ball retails for €5.25 and is available in Lush stores nationwide.

Penneys Pierced Nails

I love Penneys nails and don't think you can ever go wrong with picking up a set, provided you pick up some better glue at the same time! Pierced nails aren't a new trend but these black ones are perfect for adding some edge to any look this Halloween and for the price, it's a total bargain.

Pitch Black Pierced Nails retail for €2.50 and are available in Penneys stores nationwide.

NYX Professional Makeup Cosmic Metals Lip Cream


Whether you're dressing up as a witch, fairy, unicorn or princess this year, one of the cosmic metals will definitely complete your makeup look. The pigmented lip cream, combined with a shiny gloss adds the perfect glistening effect to make your lips eye-catching and memorable. The range comes in eighteen different shades and looks absolutely fab!

The Cosmic Metals Lip Creams retail for €10.50 are available in Arnotts and selected pharmacies nationwide.


Essence Cosmetics Superlast Waterproof Eyeliner


I picked this eyeliner up while I was in Italy and paid less than €2.50 for it and it did not disappoint at all! It is very pigmented, doesn't have a patchy application and lasts all day! The applicator is small enough to draw intricate designs or graphic liner for whatever makeup look you're going for this year!

The Superlast Waterproof Eyeliner is available from Penneys and selected pharmacies nationwide.

Sleek Distorted Dreams Highlighter Palette
I think this palette is so similar to ABH Moonchild and the variety of shades means you can have a popping highlight for almost every outfit. The green and lilac shades are perfect for cosmic looks while the pink and peach shades would give that a more subtle glowly highlight.

Distorted Dreams retails for €13.99 and is available in Boots nationwide.


Lusso Self Tan Lotion



This tan (medium) is the tan of dreams. It is a buildable tan so if you don't think one layer is enough, it's quick drying and easy to add a second layer. It also has an unbelievably natural colour so if you're planning on being an oompa loompa, this tan isn't for you.

I find a layer of tan just makes me feel so much better about myself and I feel fab when I have tan on. A good tan can make any outfit better in my opinion!

Lusso Self Tan Lotion retails for €22.30 and is available from lussotan.com.

Make Up For Ever False Lashes

Make Up For Ever have such a cool range of false lashes that are perfect for Halloween. Whether you're going for a super dramatic eye look and need the perfect over-the-top lashes or you just want some added volume,  you'll find them here!

Most of the lashes retail for €17 and are available from MUFE stores and concessions nationwide.

Lush Bewitched Bath Bomb

                
Lush are just knocking it out of the park with this year's collection! I haven't had a chance to pop in to see the full range yet but from the pictures I have seen online, I will definitely be picking this one up! This cute bath bomb turns your water black and if that isn't a colour to match my mood at the end of a long day, I don't know what is!

There's something about a black bath that's so intriguing and I cannot wait to try this one out!

Bewitched retails for €5.75 and is available in Lush stores nationwide.

While you're enjoying an evening bath or watching a movie while getting ready, there are some Halloween classics that you have to watch with your favourite drink and seasonal sweets!

Halloweentown


Halloweentown is a Disney classic that spun into a series that defined my Halloween traditions when  I was younger. My brother, sister and I used to watch one, if not all of the movies before we went trick or treating and I have to watch it every year now. Otherwise, it just doesn't feel the same!

Hocus Pocus


How someone can go through October and not watch this movie is beyond me. Granted, it scared me at times when I was younger but it is always on some TV channel on Halloween and if it's on, I have to watch it!

It is such a classic Halloween movie and although I'd love a sequel, it's perfect the way it is, and does not, in any way, need a remake.

What are your Halloween must-haves this year, or your movie suggestions?
What are you dressing up as?
Let me know in the comments below!

Ciara,
xoxo.
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Wednesday 4 October 2017

Mini Sephora Haul


Hey guys!

So while I was in Milan, I made it my mission to find a Sephora (or two) and they did not disappoint! I had only ever been in one other Sephora (In Krakow) so I didn't really know what to expect walking in. At first I was kind of overwhelmed with the various floors in the store and seen as Ali had just come back from the States with a whole load of new makeup for us, I wasn't really looking for any makeup in particular.

That being said, I did spend the guts of an hour just browsing around the store and ended up coming out with a heap of Sephora skincare and one primer that I've been dying to try!


I have a few of their sheet masks left from when Ali came home but I hadn't come across their overnight masks before and I just had to try them! While I was there, they were two for €5 so I took advantage of this by buying a few different ones.

Each mask has a different purpose and they are so easy to use.
The green mask (green tea) is used for clean. smooth and matte skin.
The ivory mask (pearl) is used for evening out and brightening the skin.
The pink mask (rose) is used for hydrated, luminous and brighter skin.
The blue mask (algae) is used for a fresh and radiant complexion in the morning.
The purple mask (orchid) is used for skin that feels firmer in the morning.

I used the orchid mask while I was away and I loved it! I applied a thin layer of the mask on my face and neck after I had cleansed my face. I found there was enough in the pack for two applications so I shared it with my sister!


I love using eye masks after flights and have used this one before. It smells fab and the rose mask is aimed at giving you plumper, fresher and brighter looking eyes!

This mask was €3.95


The final thing I picked up in Sephora was a mini version of Too Faced's Hangover primer. I have wanted to try the primer for ages and the mini is quite big (20ml) and was only €15 so I thought it was the perfect way to try it out without fully committing.

I haven't tried it yet but once a do, expect a review!


Have you been in a Sephora recently?
What did you buy?
Let me know in the comments below!

Ciara,
xoxo.
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