Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation Review

04 Thursday Feb 2016

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I have recently re-purchased Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation for the third time in a row. A third consecutive purchase for me means that the product in question has become a firm favourite and a necessity.

Double Wear

I am fickle and greedy when it comes to make-up, i want to try everything and get excited by new products so it is the exception rather than the rule when products like this take up permanent residency in my make-up bag.

Double wear light is not new to the market, it has been around since about 2008 and it is the little sister to the original Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation. I, of course, tried the original Double Wear when it came out but found the coverage a little too heavy and the foundation a bit drying on my skin but i couldn’t deny the staying power of Double Wear. If your skin is on the oily side and you like full coverage then this is worth trying.

Double wear light like the name suggests is a lighter formulation that gives a very natural semi-matte fresh finish that doesn’t evaporate, change colour or turn patchy as the day goes on. It is a longwear foundation but it doesn’t feel in anyway cakey or heavy on the skin. It has a SPF 10 and is oil free. I imagine most skin types will get on well with this with the exception of those with very dry skin. If your skin is very dry then you will need a foundation that contains oil and is a bit more nourishing.

It comes in ten shades and it is very easy to apply. I am usually applying this before work as i simultaneously feed, dress and make lunch for my sons so let’s just say it is applied speedily with fingers.

It costs €38 and i have seen it stocked in Boots, Brown Thomas, Debenhams and House of Fraser. A word to the wise, they have stopped stocking at the loop in Dublin Airport recently if you are planning to stock up with savings the next time you are in the airport.

Estee Lauder also have a number of other double wear products in their range including concealers and powders, has anyone tried them? Would love to know if you have and what you thought of them in the comments.

Dublin Mummy x

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Cervical Cancer Awareness Week :The dreaded smear

28 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by in Pregnancy & Parenting, Uncategorized

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This week is cervical cancer awareness week and so the dreaded Smear is top of mind. Let’s face it, nobody likes getting it done but nonetheless it’s so important for all women from the age of 25 and we are lucky to live in a country where there is great free screening.

I was always the worst offender for dodging my smear tests, using pregnancies and every excuse i could think of to get out of it. I even waited until my last day of being 25 to get my first test done. I’m not alone though, i recently learnt that a very level-headed friend gets herself so worked up about it that she has to take valium beforehand.

Over the last few years, i have developed a little routine that has really made the process more bearable and i really don’t dread it as much anymore. Here are my top tips:

  1. Book your free smear in a clinic or GP surgery that you don’t go to,i find the anonymity helps. There is nothing worse than your GP/nurse asking after your Ma whilst she’s scraping your cervix to make the whole experience even more awkward.
  2. Book your test for first thing in the morning and on a day that you are really busy and have lots on. That way you will have it over first thing in the morning, and if you have lots on you will be distracted by all the other things that you have to do after the test.
  3. Take a couple of paracetamol 40 mins before your appointment.
  4. Pop a few drops of rescue remedy on your tongue just before you go into your appointment.
  5. Once the test starts, get your yogic breathing going. Take a really slow deep breaths in through your nose and out through through your mouth. Focus on those nice, loud and noisy breaths and before you know it the test will be over.
  6. Enjoy the nice smug feeling that it’s over and that if the results are clear you are off the hook for a couple of years.
  7. Buy yourself a treat afterwards, i usually opt for chocolate.

If you are overdue a test or not sure when your next one is, you can check and book one easily on www.cervicalcheck.ie .

Go on, just do it and get it over and done with!

Dublin Mummy x

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5 easy vegetarian meals for the whole family

11 Monday Jan 2016

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I always strive to eat less meat and move my family towards a healthier plant based diet. It can be challenging at times convincing them that a meal does not always need to be based around meat.

If you are trying to do the same in your household, a good place to start is introduce #MeatFreeMonday so that there is one day per week where there is no meat consumed.

Another really easy way to reduce the amount of meat consumed is only have at one meal per day. This is really easily done, if you are having a meat-based dinner just make sure to swap that ham sandwich in the kids lunchbox for a cheese one. This is a small change but can make a dramatic impact.

Here are 5 super easy veggie meal ideas for the whole family to enjoy:

  1. Secret Veggie Pasta Sauce 

Pasta sauce

2. Falafel Burgers 

Falafel burgers

3. Creamy Cauliflower, Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

20151102_131659

4. Mushroom Stroganoff 

mushroom-stroganoff

5. Slowcooker Tomato Soup

tomatosoup

I hope some of these recipes give you inspiration for more veg based meals in your home.

Happy cooking,

Dublin Mummy x

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Book Review| I Let You Go

10 Sunday Jan 2016

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I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh opens with a mum and a five year old walking home from school on a rainy day when mum lets go of her son’s hand for a split second; the little boy runs out into the road and becomes the victim of a hit and run.

ILETYOUGO

What the sleeve says: 

A tragic accident. It all happened so quickly. She couldn’t have prevented it. Could she?

In a split second, Jenna Gray’s world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever.

Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . .

I really enjoyed this book, it starts and ends very well but there is a long lull in the first half of the book and i must admit i almost abandoned it altogether. I am glad that i didn’t because the pace and story really pick up from about the halfway point.

This is a good thriller with a twist i certainly didn’t see coming. I give ‘I Let You Go’ a respectable 3.5 star Dublin Mummy rating.

Have you read it? Did you love or loathe it? Let me know in the comments and if you have any good book recommendations i would love to hear them.

Happy reading,

Dublin Mummy x

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* DublinMummy book rating guide
1 star = don’t waste your time or money | 2 star = fair | 3 star = good
4 star = excellent | 5 star = classic

3 suggestions for telly binge-watching over Christmas

16 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in TV & Film

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Christmas is coming and once all the parties are over and the turkey and ham has been eaten, there is lots of telly-watching to do. I find that during the in-between Christmas and New Years period in our house, there is a monumental amount of binge-watching/eating done once the children are all tucked up in bed. Here are some suggestions of shows i have been loving recently.

The Affair

 

THE AFFAIR

Currently coming the end of the second season, this a story an extramarital affair between a grieving waitress and a struggling writer. It is set against the backdrop of Montauk and New York and stars Dominic West, Joshua Jackson, Maura Tierney and Ruth Wilson.

What is particularly interesting about this show is that each scenario is told from different perspectives. In other words, you see the affair played out from his point of view and then from hers and it’s fascinating to see the differences in the sequence of events depending on who is telling the story. It also leaves you guessing and not knowing exactly what the truth is.

The first series started really strong for me and i was glued to it but i started to lose a little interest towards the end of series one, but stick with it because so far season two is excellent.

The Jinx

 

robert-durst-the-jinx-hed-2015

This is not a series but a highly stylised HBO documentary in six parts about the life and deaths of Robert Durst. Robert Durst, who’s he? I hadn’t a clue either as most of us won’t living on this side of the pond.

If you decide to watch this, i highly recommend that you don’t google him or look up anything about him in advance. I didn’t research it at all before watching it and it makes the whole series even better as you learn all about Robert for the first time.

This a gripping and terrifically made documentary with mass appeal for all adults, if you got older or younger friends and family staying over Christmas this is one to watch as everyone will enjoy.

Togetherness

Togetherness-keyart-01-16x9-1

Togetherness is a new sitcom and definitely one to watch i think. There is one season so far with another starting in the States in February.

Togetherness is about four adults in their mid -late 30’s who due to unexpected circumstances find themselves living together under one roof in LA.

Brett and Michelle are a married couple struggling to adapt their relationship to the pressures of parenthood. Brett’s best friend is Alex is an overweight, out-of-work actor and Michelle’s sister is struggling with getting older and being single.

The show explores the ‘ordinary everyday’ in a really funny and relatable way. The writing is excellent and personally for me, Amanda Peet steals the show with her funny and lovable portrayal of Michelle’s sister Tina.

Here are some other TV shows i recommend from a previous post http://bit.ly/1JbKJAE .

Have you watched any of these shows or have you any other suggestions of things to watch over the Christmas season? Let me know in the comments.

Dublin Mummy x

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Chicken Tagine

07 Monday Dec 2015

Posted by in Food, Uncategorized

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I love the warm spiciness of Moroccan food especially at this time of year. This is a family favourite in our house, it freezes really well and it a handy dish to make ahead of time if you are having friends over.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 1.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1.5 tsp turmeric
  • 3 tsp paprika
  • 4 chicken breasts cut into chunks
  • 1 tblsp oil
  • 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tblsp honey
  • 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 veg or chicken stock cube dissolved in a little boiling water

Method

  • Mix all the spices together in a small bowl. Place the chicken pieces in a large plastic bag, add half the spice mixture and toss until the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated. Place in the fridge for at least an hour (the longer the better) to allow the spices to permeate the meat.
  • Heat the oil in a large high-sided frying pan, add the marinated chicken pieces and fry until browned all over. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
  • Add the onions and garlic to the pan and fry for 1 minute over a low heat, then add the remaining spice mixture and fry until the onions are soft.
  • Add the honey, chopped tomatoes and stock.
  • Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Add the chicken pieces and toss until coated in the sauce then cook gently for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with couscous and lots of chopped fresh coriander.

Dublin Mummy x

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how NOT to potty train

02 Wednesday Dec 2015

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It took me 14 months in total to potty train my little boy so i have put together a list of all the things that i did,  a list of what NOT to do:

Do not:

  • Ignore all books and do no research and adopt your own made-up method
  • Offer rewards to your toddler for merely glancing at the potty
  • Do not in desperation make up a lucky dip bag for them to choose one toy from everytime they do a poo, and then when they get frustrated  and don’t produce a poo give them a toy anyways
  • Do not put potty in front of telly, wise toddlers will wangle extra telly time without any produce
  • Do not abandon the potty training after a few weeks because you are going on holidays and couldn’t be bothered
  • After successfully getting them to wee in the the potty, do not then compromise and let them continue poo in the nappy for months on end

If you are about to embark on potty training for the first time, best of luck and if you do none of the above then i am sure it will be very successful.

Dublin Mummy x

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Tomato Chicken and Pasta Bake

17 Tuesday Nov 2015

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It’s amazing what you can do with a can of tomato soup. This is a souper (pardon the pun) easy, tasty pasta bake that you can throw together after a long day and kids love it.

Tomato Chicken Pasta Bake

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 can (295g) of Erin or Campbells condensed cream of tomato soup

1 soup can of water

2 1/4 cups of uncooked pasta (penne or fusilli works well)

3 sliced chicken breasts

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen sweetcorn

Black pepper

1/2 cup of grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Method:

  • Mix soup, water, pasta, chicken and vegetables in a shallow ovenproof casserole dish.
  • Sprinkle with cheese and black pepper. Cover the dish with tin foil.
  • Bake at 190 degrees celsius until chicken is cooked through and pasta is tender (about 45 minutes). Remove cover and pop it under the grill for 2-3 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Serve on it’s own or with a green salad.

Enjoy,

Dublin Mummy x

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