#StillHere Ep. 5 - Bad Days | Drumbeat Heart

New blog post, documenting some bad days I've had this week.

Fionnuala x 

NEW VIDEO! The Importance of ... Channel Orange + BONUS Spotify Playlist!

This video is the perfect example of why you should always script videos. Sorry if this is a little all over the place - hopefully someone understands what I was getting at!

Boys may not cry, but I certainly do over this album. Check out the bonus playlist below for some of my favourite cuts from Frank.

x

REVIEW: Zoeva Classic Brush Set! | Drumbeat Heart

(L-R: The face brushes from the Classic Brush Set - the 125 Stippling brush, the 105 Luxe Highlight brush, the 128 Cream Cheek brush, and the 142 Concealer brush)

Hello little friends ...

It was my birthday recently, (had I mentioned that? I didn't think I had. At all. Ahem). My brush collection had become deplorably dirty, so my sister convinced me, (tough task, I assure you), to let her buy me some new ones from Zoeva. 

Founded in 2008 by Zoe Boikou, Zoeva is a cosmetic line originating in Germany. The name comes from the Germany word for 'life', ('zoe'), and honours 'the first woman on earth', ('eva'). 

I didn't want to get a set specific for eyes or face, so I got the Classic Brush Set, which costs €60 on their website. The sets range in price from €35 to €185: all sets are cruelty free, and there are a couple of vegan-friendly sets too!

The eye brushes in the Classic Brush set

The face brushes in the Classic Brush set

The set contains four face brushes, and four eye brushes, which I will go into in more detail further on. The brushes came in a faux-leather wallet/bag/thing which I have found very convenient for travelling recently. The one thing I didn't like - only five of the brushes came with brush guards, and the ones for the eye brushes didn't even fit. It felt a little half assed, like someone gave up packaging halfway through.

Having never been in contact with the brand before, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of positive reinforcement their products and their branding carries. It's not something you get with a lot of brands, and it feels very authentic.

But you don't want to read about the packaging, do you?

L-R: The 142 Concealer Buffer brush, 128 Cream Blush brush, 125 Stippling brush and the 105 Luxe Highlight brush

Starting with the face brushes - I was wary of the 125 Stippling brush, (I'm just wary of stippling brushes in general. How does it blend it in? Sorcery). No, but this is very good at both stippling AND buffing, and I think it will grow to replace my Real Techniques buffing brush. It applies product evenly and flawlessly, and the bristles are super soft on your skin. Be warned though - those thinner bristles will never be white again. Ever.

The 142 Concealer Buffer brush is an exact dupe for the Real Techniques Deluxe Crease brush. It is really stiff and dense (like every man I've ever encountered, amirite?) and it blends product out beautifully. I rarely applied concealer with a brush before, but I'm a convert now.

The 105 Luxe Highlight needs to be seen (and felt) to be believed. All the brushes are fairly soft but this might as well be a rabbit's tale, (it's not because that would be lousy). It is perfectly shaped for applying highlight, with the brush picking up a lot of product. It wouldn't make a bad contour brush either: the chiseled tip is perfect for creating your own chiseled cheek bones.

I'm not a blush person. Thousands of makeup tutorials later and I still can't apply the shite without resembling a whoopie cushion. It should be no surprise then that 128 Cream Blush brush was my least favourite of the set. I tried using it a couple of ways - highlight, contour and yes, blush - and the brush just wasn't effective at applying any product. The bristles are firm or dense enough, and it feels the cheapest of the lot.

Now the eyes ...

L-R: The 317 Wing Eyeliner brush, the 228 Luxe Crease brush, the 230 Luxe Pencil brush and the 227 Soft Definer brush

The 227 Soft Definer brush is your standard flat base colour brush. It's not rounded enough for blending, but that's ok. It's does its job. It's good at its job. My only crib is that I already have plenty of brushes that do that exact same job, just as well, I also found that it didn't wash very wall, and
there was some bristle fall out after.

The 228 Luxe Crease brush AKA THE PERFECT AFFORDABLE BLENDING BRUSH. This is beautifully soft and so rounded - great for softly defining the crease or buffing out harsh edges. I really really liked this product. When I washed it though, compared to the other brushes, it didn't keep its shape very well. Again, there was a tiny bit of bristle fallout after, but not enough to stop me loving it. (I am very sad).

I usually wear smokey eyes going out, and the 230 Luxe Pencil brush is going be really useful for those kind of looks. It's a good enough size that it can kinda of be used for everything - cut creases, soft creases, smoking out eyeliner, your lower lashline, highlighting your inner corners ... Multi-purpose wonderfullness!

Last but not least, the 317 Wing Liner brush is a basic angled brush. You could use this on your brows with gel or shadow, or for eyeliner - either applying or smoking out.

Eight brushes for €60, with only one dud, ain't too shabby - it roughly works out at €7.50 a brush, which is what you'd pay for most good quality ones in the pharmacy/drugstore.

Overall, I'm impressed, and I would definitely consider repurchasing again. In fact, I already have my eye on the Cocoa Blend eyeshadow palette! Pity you only have one birthday a year, huh?

Have you tried any Zoeva products before? Are you a fan?

x

DRUGSTORE HAUL! Sleek Makeup, W7 and NYC Cosmetics | Drumbeat Heart

L-R: NYC Liquid Eyeliner in Black, W7 Prime Magic in 'Camera Ready', W7 The Fixer setting spray, Sleek Makeup Matte Me lip creams in 'Fandango Purple', 'Birthday Suit' and , W7 Absolute Lashes mascara

'Ello 'ello 'ello ...

I usually don't do posts like this because I don't want to come off like a big fat wanker. I am not a makeup artist, nor would I consider myself a 'beauty blogger', but I do absolutely love makeup. I remember discovering online makeup tutorials and I became completely obsessed, (as in if I could do my Masters in being Pixiwoo then I would).

I'm constantly picking up new stuff, and seeing as I dropped serious dollah on a DSLR, and because I'm trying to get back into blogging regularly, I thought I'd talk about some bits I picked up recently!

I bought all these products in Sam McCauley's Pharmacy in Midleton, (they were doing a 'buy one get one half price' on cosmetics, I was like a deer in headlights), 

W7 Absolute Lashes mascara

First up - W7's Absolute Lashes mascara, which is basically Benefit's They're Real! for €4. Don't tell them that though, obviously. Gracey from Long Hair and Lashes (go check out her blog and fawn over her) posted about this originally so I said I'd pick it up when I got a chance. Since using up my They're Real! I've been at a loss. I did find some great ones in the mean time - Benefit's Rollerlash is fantastic, as is Bare Minerals Lash Domination - but I can't justify spending lots of money on something that I'll be throwing out in three months. Absolute Lashes is literally the EXACT same, right down to the brush, for a fraction of the price. I will be repurchasing by the dozen.

Lil brushy wush!

Next up ...

W7 Prime Magic primer in 'Camera Ready'

...W7's Prime Magic face primer! Being honest, I never usually used primer up until recently, when I got a sample of Bare Minerals Prime Time primer. It made my skin look visibly smoother when I applied my foundation, no matter how rough and ragged it was. This is the same concept, but again, for half the price (this costs €6 compared to Bare Minerals being anywhere between €22 and €26). The one thing I would say about this is that it doesn't dry as fast as the BM one, and the 'camera ready' claim is just marketing fluff.

W7 The Fixer setting spray

This was €3 which meant I had to buy it because I am attracted to things that are very very cheap. W7's The Fixer spray smells amazing, but I don't think I've used it enough to give it a fair review. It did take away a little bit of the chalkiness from my setting powder but as regards my makeup longevity, it's too early to tell.

NYC Liquid Eyeliner in 'Black'

This is one of NikkieTutorial's favourite eyeliner, and it was only €2 so I said it was worth a shout, (if you can't tell, I'm a massive cheapskate). This has definitely overtaken my old favourite. Essence Liquid Ink - the longer brush of the NYC Liquid Eyeliner is way easier to manoeuvre, and the formula is much longer-lasting. Win!

Sleek Matte Me lip creams in 'Fandango Purple', 'Birthday Suit' and 'Brink Pink'

Best 'til last! Sleek Matte Me lipcreams! *Whitney Houston's 'The Greatest Love of All' plays in the background* I became obsessed these when my friend Gracey started raving about them. If you're familiar with Limecrime Velvetines, this is them, for half the price and without the fraud, (these retail at about €6/€7). These are extremely pigmented, extremely long wearing and extremely matte - they even lasted through me eating a really oily salad the other day. Application is key though: you'll get the bet results if you apply it in thin layers, and allow it to dry between each one. Also, I HATE the doe foot applicator, it's like extended and very stiff and not easy to use at all. I usually use a separate brush to be honest. But it's a tiny price to pay I guess.

Talking about the shades - 'Fandango Purple' is a blue-toned purple. For comparison, it's slightly lighter than my MAC Lipliner in 'Currant'. 'Birthday Suit' is the the eponymous Kylie Jenner colour - dark, browney nude. And 'Brink Pink' is literally highlighter pink. Amazing.

L-R: 'Fandango Purple', 'Birthday Suit', 'Brink Pink' and the NYC Eyeliner in 'Black'

Fionnuala x

NEW VIDEO! #StillHere Ep. 3 - Defining Your Happiness | Drumbeat Heart + BONUS SPOTIFY PLAYLIST!

Hello friends,

New video is hereee - talking about how we need to take control over our emotions, especially happiness.

We can make ourselves, we just need to know how!

Also, bonus Spotify playlist here on the blog! It includes some tracks that instantly put me in a good mood - there should be a lil something for everyone on it!.

Fionnuala x

#StillHere Ep. 2 - Job Stress & Social Media | Drumbeat Heart

#StillHere - promoting discussions about mental health ... AND MY YOUTUBE DEBUT!

DCU breeds creativity. There's not a day that goes by that someone isn't producing a cool show on the radio, or filming for a new viral video. To be quite honest, being surrounded by such creative, hard working people is intimidating, and often leads me to question my own existence. It's also a huge challenge when it comes to my anxiety.

So, I decided to do something about it.

It has taken me YEARS to pluck up the confidence to do something like this - sit in front of a camera and say what I have to say. In recent weeks, however I've found that talking to the camera has been hugely therapeutic.

And thus, Drumbeat Heart, the YouTube channel, was born, as well as the accompanying series, #StillHere.

Inspired by fellow YouTuber LittleKuriboh's decision to document his recovery from depression, #StillHere aims to promote honest, open and frank discussions about mental health, challenge my anxiety and rebuild my confidence. 

Exciting, huh?

All comments, subscribers and feedback welcome! Feel free to get in touch with me on Twitter. 

Check out the first episode of #StillHere below - there's more to come during the week.

Thank you all for being so patient, and I hope you enjoy!

Fionnuala x

Why the Grammys don't matter

(Paul McCartney, Rihanna and Kanye West perform 'FourFiveSeconds' at the 57th Grammy Annual Awards on February 8 2015. Image - Just Jared)

For as long as I can remember, I've looked up to my brother.

Not just because he’s older and taller, mind. He has opinions, strong as himself, and speaks well, but not to the point where he is argumentative. He is extremely intelligent and well-informed, and has always challenged me to think for myself, and not what people tell me to think.

When it came to music, growing up, we rarely agreed on things. I went through the inevitable emo phase, (which I’m not sure I ever really came out of, being), and become obsessed with Fall Out Boy, much to his dismay. When he called them shit, or mocked Pete Wentz’s bass playing, I would defend them to the end.

He would never let up though. Comparing them to John Legend, (an artist we both love), he would always say, “but sure how many Grammys have they won?”

Big fat zero, that’s how many. I listed off the numerous awards they had managed to nab – MTV, Teen Choice, People’s Choice, Kerrang – but he would just laugh.

“They don’t matter!” he said. Artist after artist, he would make me question their credibility as musicians and artists.

Why is that the Grammys are held in such high esteem? What makes the number of Grammy awards a person has the best indication of quality?

Brace yourselves: it doesn't.

Now, that’s not to say that MTV awards and the like are only given to the finest of musicians – far from it. Simply put, the award has come to be nothing more than a title.

This goes without saying, but music taste is completely subjective. It would be impossible for the academy for the Grammys – or any judges board, for that matter – to compile a list that would please everyone.

Criticism of this year's ceremony has been extensive. After interrupting Beck's acceptance speech following his Album Of The Year Win, Kanye said it was all a joke, “like the Grammys themselves”. Ironic, considering he's performed for the academy countless times.

Memes have since circulated comparing Beck's 'Morning Phase' to Beyoncé's self-titled effort which attempt to undermine Kanye's comments about artistry, highlighting Beyoncé's extensive employment of song-writers. Pitting artists against each other like this only devalues the industry itself. Just because Beck arranged his album himself doesn't make it better than 'Beyoncé'. Likewise, Beyoncé's album doesn't trump 'Morning Phase' just because it's Beyoncé.

EDM giants Calvin Harris and Kaskade were also critical. At the inaugural GQ Grammy after-party, they slammed the telecast as “geriatric”, and complained that their music was unfairly represented. Most of the awards for dance categories were awarded before the main ceremony.

In 1989, rap and hip-hop communities initiated a boycott against the Recording Academy when their categories weren't televised. This year, rap and hip-hop artists were serious contenders within certain categories. This, however, has been overshadowed by the fact that this year's Grammys were 'the whitest in 35 years'.

In the past six years, Best Rap Album has gone to white male artists four times – Eminem and Macklemore. In the past four years, there were no black artists nominated for Best New Artist, Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.

On top of that, Best Rap Album nominee rapper Iggy Azalea was a lightening rod for controversy, accused time after time of appropriating black culture and encouraging black erasure. When she lost out to Eminem's 'The Marshall Mathers LP 2', people reacted gleefully. But was she nominated for the sake of causing a stir? Was it just an attempt on the part of the Recording Academy to stay relevant?

It's not just the Grammys that have been getting a roasting. Resident crank Morrissey penned an open letter recently, criticised both the Brit Awards and the Mercury Prize for giving out awards to artists “who had not earned it”.

"The Brit Awards do not ask the public who they would like to see receive awards - for that would be to risk too much, yet the fierce insistence is that artists are rewarded for their prominence in the previous twelve months because, after all, 'it's what everybody wants'," he wrote.

"Thus, for 2015, we have MacDonna [Madonna], who had a quiet 2014 (but who is quite usefully about to release her new album!), yet here she is again promoting her frightening career on the Brit Awards even though her music has not ever said anything at all about British life."

Morrissey also wrote that awards are a cynical incentive to produce quality music. "At its most honest, the Brit Awards are unfairly given to singers who, it is hoped, might be encouraged enough by the award to actually write a good song. Just as the Mercury Prize lands like a voodoo doll in the hands of the unlucky recipient (who is usually to be found selling mattresses ten months later), a Brit Award generally goes to a lot of shriveled young souls who have not earned it, yet none are likely to ask 'are you sure I deserve it?' - possibly because they know the reply."

Comments on Morrissey's outburst varied. The most significant, however, was probably the one that read, “how can anyone get so bitter over something so insignificant?”

We are now living in age where, hopefully, people are beginning to realise that there is no correlation between the number of accolades an artist or band has garnered, and the quality of their music. People scour obscure music blogs and streaming services to find music they enjoy, and that's fine. Others rely on the charts or popular media when it comes to their listening preferences, and that's also fine.

My tastes have broadened since that conversation with my brother, (Fall Out Boy are still the one, though), and I am insatiable when it comes to my knowledge of music and culture. I'm still learning to form my opinions on things, and how not to be blinkered by mainstream media. My brother and I, we still don't agree on everything, and he still calls me out on my shit.

A couple of years ago, I posted a link to a Bruce Spingsteen song on my Facebook. I can't remember which one. I do remember, however, his comment underneath it.

“Wow, something good for once. I'm proud of you!”