Up for beauty-scrutiny in our (very) irregular series where we ask female bloggers some hard-hitting (not really) questions about their grooming habits, is The National Lottie. A glam gal (she's just been shortlisted for a Blog Award!) with a charming way with words, we had to find out the nitty-gritty of this lassies love of all things cosmetic.
Beaut.ie: You've a big commute every day, which must mean getting up early. How have you tailored your beauty routine to suit?
The National Lottie: Routine - Oh how I wish I had one. You see, I'm not a morning person. I love my bed and truly believe that there are few things better than sleep. So when my alarm goes off at 6.30am in the mornings and is usually quickly muted with a quick slap and I hit snooze a dozen times before dragging myself into the shower around 7am.
This then gives me little time to apply make-up or beautify in anyway and since I normally fall back to sleep on the DART I end up doing most of my daily prep when I get to work. I can honestly say that the only beauty routine I have before 9am is to brush my teeth and flick a bit of mousse through my hair.
B: We had a bit of a discussion recently on the blog about being work-appropriate. What's your take on it? Do you tailor your makeup for the office environment?
TNL: My job requires a conservative dress code, all two-piece suits and stern faces - mucho boring. It's an unwritten but well observed rule. I try my best to spice up my wardrobe with cute shirts or quirky jewelery. I love the new tailored suits in Oasis and Next at the moment which have a much more feminine, 40's influenced cut incorporating fish tail pencil skirts and delicate tailoring on jackets. I try to match a formal suit with detailed shirts and I love the flowy frilly silk shirts in style at the moment. I get a lot of my work wardrobe online and ASOS is my Mecca.
Make-up wise - I can say that I play it pretty safe in work. Foundation, a bit of blusher and a slick of mascara. I love coloured nail varnishes and I am a bit surprised that no-one has called me up on my neon green talons yet. Live dangerously I say.
I always have the fully stocked make-up bag with me just in case of a social emergency. In my make-up bag there is MAC (N97), MAC Mineral Powder, MAC Zoom Mascara, Smashbox lip colour, Maybelline blusher and MAC Eyeliner. You see the pattern?
B: I know you're a bit of a burlesque babe. And that means makeup! What's your beauty routine for a night featuring feathers, nipple tassels and teeny top hats?
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TNL: Ooh burlesque - it's my new infatuation and I plead guilty to spending many hours in front of the mirror priming and pruning prior to a big night out. I buy my most of my outfits from Retro in George's Arcade but you can't beat Penneys for cheap fishnets and heels.
There are no holds barred when it comes to make-up and burlesque. Super long false lashes, full on eyeliner and blazing red lips. MAC do some great false lashes and will apply them in store if you need it. I also love The Lash Bar at Powerscourt Town Centre.
No nipple tassels though. Not yet anyway.
B: I know you've got 'em: give us your top 5 can't-live-without beauty bits:
TNL:
- Vaseline - it really is a girls best friend.
- My eyelash curlers. I have a really compact little pair that I picked up in MUJI on Chatham Street for €6
- Hair mousse - I love Pantene and believe it or not Boots do a great own brand mousse for curly hair that's a recession busting €1.50. Happy days.
- Vibrant nail varnish. My favourite brand is Essie, in any colour. Coloured nail varnish can hide a multitude of sins.
- Body scrub - I make my own with brown sugar and olive oil. It works great on the legs for getting rid of flaky skin. Natural and cheap as chips.
Can I have 6? Pretty please? I love my tweezers. Everywhere I go, I always have alt least one tweezers with me.
B: Last question: divulge the worst product you ever bought and tell us the one cosmetic item you truly, madly deeply lust after
TNL: The worst product I have ever used and this is purely from a personal aspect as I know others swear by it, is Dermalogica. I had a facial about a year and a half ago and invested in a lot of Dermalogica products. After about two days my skin developed a nasty rash that took quite a time to clear. Sexy, I know. My skin has become more sensitive in my mid twenties than it ever was before and I find that certain products just don't agree with me.
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My deeply madly truly lust-worthy products are anything by Liz Earle and in particular the hot cloth cleanser. I recommend it to everyone.
