It’s National Lipstick Day, here are lippies the SHEmazing team love

Jul 29, 2017

It's National Lipstick Day, and to celebrate the ultimate finishing touch to any makeup look, we at SHEmazing HQ reflected on our favourite lippie products.

From mauves to nudes to browns to dazzling reds, the varying shades we love are as unique as the women who wear them.

NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipstick in Embellishment

'Obviously the entire world has become obsessed with liquid lipsticks thanks to Kylie Jenner and her kits. I've always been a big fan of NYX because their colour range is massive, but Embellished is the ideal mauve shade that goes really well with my colouring. (aka pale AF with dark eyes and brows)'

'It doesn't require lip liner underneath and I need something I can slick on on the Luas on my way to drinks or whatever, and I'm definitely no MUA so one-step application is the only way forward for me.' – Sarah Magliocco, SHEmazing writer.

M.A.C Lipstick in Russian Red

'Mine has to be M.A.C's Russian Red.'

'It makes my lips look bigger and the colour goes with every makeup look.' – Oliva Hayes, SHEmazing writer.

Maybelline Coloursens Nude Lipstick in Coffee Craze

This is the perfect 'your lips but browner' colour, and it makes your teeth look super white.

'It's also a really nice texture and doesn't dry out your lips at all.' – Lauren Nolan, SHEmazing Writer

M.A.C Lipstick in Dark Side

'I don't really wear lipstick that often, even if I have a full face of makeup I'd more just wear a tinted Vaseline.'

'I often find that if I wear red lipsticks and stuff that I still feel like I'm playing with my Mam's makeup it's like a dressing up box, but this is more of a burgundy, and it doesn't;t feel waxy and artificial it feels quite creamy.'

'I't one of the few lipstick I've bought a few times.' – Niamh McClelland, SHEmazing Editor

M.A.C Lipstick in Velvet Teddy

Velvet Teddy is a cult classic, and there is a reason why – it goes with every look.

It is the perfect matte shade for both day and night, I wear it with pretty much everything.' – Rebecca O'Keeffe, Senior Staff Writer at Sheology.

DATING abuse: The scary statistics facing Irish women in relationships

Jun 1, 2016

by Amber Saunders

In today's Ireland, dating abuse is something that's known but rarely discussed – a silence we at SHEmazing! want to shatter.

Carrying out a survey on the topic with over 1,000 Irish women threw up some very frightening results, and yet they may not come as a shock to many given that 55% of those surveyed said they know someone in their inner circle of friends that has been abused in a relationship – and we are just stunned that this isn't talked about more.

The most common form of abuse experienced by 18-35 year-olds, is emotional and psychological, taking the top spot at 89%.

Following that is verbal abuse (67%), physical abuse (50%), cyber (24%), and then stalking (15%).

However, this is not being discussed at a national level, which means there is little to no legislation to protect the victims.

With dating abuse, the victim doesn't live with their partner which means they're not entitled to protection under the current domestic violence legislation in Ireland.

And further, with incidents of stalking – online or otherwise – cases are increasingly difficult to prove under the definition of harassment in Section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

We want Irish women to come together with us to implore the new Government to re-examine this issue and provide the young women of Ireland with legal protection and the services of support that they deserve.

Our editor, Gillian Fitzpatrick, said of the issues at hand: “Dating abuse is not being talked about therefore it is not being recognised by young women in relationships as unacceptable behaviour."

"Not only do incidents of dating abuse affect the mental health and future relationships of young women but in extreme cases it can lead to accidental or intentional death through physical abuse and suicide for those who see no way out."

"To fully protect young women from dating abuse, we are urging the new Government to recognise that dating abuse is on the increase and current legislation for domestic abuse needs to be extended to make safety orders available to these victims."

"We need to extend protection to younger women in dating relationships that are not covered by domestic violence legislation just because they have never lived with their boyfriend.”

Women who are victims of dating abuse have admitted that they have suffered from a number of long-term side effects including, anger, lowered self-esteem, depression, shame and guilt.

And further, 93% of victims have admitted that they turn to various forms of self-harm to escape their reality – practices which include, overeating (65%), alcohol (45%), cigarettes (31%) and illegal drugs (6%).

To raise awareness of the issue of dating abuse and to raise funds for Women's Aid, we have decided to host a music gig in The Sugar Club on Wednesday July 6, where Róisín O will headline, and more special guests to be announced.

Tickets go on sale TODAY, with the earlybird special price of €19. If you'd like to support us on the night, you can get your tickets here.

Is Botox the new detox? A huge 45% of us want to CHANGE how we look

Dec 2, 2015

by Amber Saunders

Bum too big, boobs too small, stomach too flabby? We all have our own complaints when it comes to our looks, but it seems Ireland’s self-esteem issue goes far deeper than that.

A shocking four in ten (45%) of us Irish women are unhappy with our appearance, with the need to lose weight and tone up topping the list of issues getting us down.

That’s according to SHEmazing!’s new Cosmetic Beauty research, which saw 994 females give their opinions on beauty, ageing and the intense pressure on women in this country to look good.

Unsurprisingly, many of those surveyed said they felt worst about their appearance when scrolling through social media or looking at images of celebrities – something anyone who uses Instagram or Snapchat on a regular basis can no doubt relate to.

A staggering 95% of women say they feel social media adds to the pressure on us females to look a certain way, while 70% say the celebrity culture is to blame.

Speaking about the “worrying” figures, SHEmazing!’s Susan Vickers suggests it’s time we stopped taking what we see online at face value.

"Young women’s newsfeeds are flooded with images of glamorous celebrities and their luxurious lifestyles… but these images are often captured by professionals using clever lighting techniques and even Photoshopping."

Of course, it’s not just our online habits denting our self-esteem – sometimes the pressure comes from much closer to home. Indeed, one in four women (26%) say they work in an industry where the pressure is on to look their best at all times.

With strain on us from so many outside factors, it’s no surprise that three in four women (75%) say they would consider some form of cosmetic procedure in the future.

Highest on the list of non-surgical procedures us Irish ladies would be open to are laser hair removal, anti-wrinkle injections like Botox and chemical skin peels.

And as for going under the knife, almost a third of women (31%) would consider getting a breast lift, and 22% would get a tummy tuck to tighten up the ab area.

If you are considering getting a procedure, Susan advises making safety your primary concern. "Worryingly, our research revealed that 34% of young women would travel abroad to source procedures at cheaper rates," she says.

"We strongly advise any women thinking of travelling abroad to research the cosmetic industry in that country, the surgeon and the clinic to ensure they are reputable.

"Remember, this is your body and you only get one."

Doing a Kylie? 8 in 10 of us would consider getting cosmetic work

Dec 2, 2015

by Amber Saunders

The countdown is officially on for Christmas, and along with gift-buying and party-planning, many Irish women are feeling overwhelmed by something else entirely.

Three in four Irish women admit they feel under pressure to look their best during the festive period, and over half of us (51%) say we’re worried about the ageing process.

Indeed, a shocking eight in ten (86%) of women said they’d consider having non-invasive cosmetic procedures like fillers, laser treatments and anti-wrinkle injections to help counteract the signs of ageing.

The results come as part of SHEmazing’s! Cosmetic Beauty research, which saw 994 women give their opinions on ageing, cosmetic procedures and the need to live up to a social media ideal of beauty.

Along with increased pressure from all sides to look our best, it seems cosmetic work – both surgical and non-surgical – is no longer just for the celebrity elite.

For many of us, the thought of getting a cosmetic procedure might be a long way off, but that’s certainly not the case for the 16% of participants who say they’ve already undergone one, be it surgical or non-surgical.

Of those, a whopping 18% made like the Kardashian-Jenner sisters and had their first procedure before the age of 20, while the majority (51%) chose to have work done in their 20s.

"The cosmetic beauty industry in Ireland is experiencing rapid growth. In the past year alone, Ireland has seen the rise in convenient lunchtime procedures such as derma and lip fillers," says SHEmazing!’s Susan Vickers.

And if you’re looking for Christmas present ideas, you might be in luck, as 54% of women surveyed said they be more than happy to receive a voucher for a cosmetic procedure as a festive gift.

Of course, cosmetic procedures aren’t the only answer when it comes to looking our best – and over half of us count regular exercise as a key way to prevent signs of ageing.

As for other lifestyle changes, 38% of us do our best to get enough shut-eye, and 54% try to maintain a healthy diet.

Speaking about the "eye-opening" results, Susan said the rise of social media could be to blame for women’s unrealistic ideals of beauty.

"The rise in digital media and social networking platforms has fuelled young people’s obsession with aesthetics," she said, citing Instagram and Snapchat as two examples.

S! TV: Expert gives advice on how to contour

Jun 17, 2015

by Amber Saunders

As part of a new S! TV series, we'll be finding out the answers to some of our viewers' most pressing beauty questions, with the help of make-up artist Stephan Ulvund Øien from IsaDora Global.

When contouring, it can be difficult to know exactly where to highlight and where to shade.

In this new video, Stephan gives us an expert guide on how to correctly contour.

S! FACTOR

Apr 21, 2014

by Karen Bell