Some of you beauty fanatics out there will be familiar with the fabulous Irish blog, Dolly Rouge by Kat and Rachelle. Earlier this year, the ladies made the announcement that they would be going their separate ways. 

This week, we caught up with Kat and her fabulous beauty blog, Sophistikat. From her earliest beauty memory to a peek inside her make-up bag, Kat lets us in on all of her beauty secrets – check it out!

1. What's your best budget beauty buy?
Oh don't ask me to pick just one! We're so lucky to have access to amazing affordable brands here, even ones that aren't widely available in the UK like Wet N Wild, NYX, Essence and Catrice. For a little island we're spoilt for choice. My absolute favourite would have to be Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Primer. Until this came along the only decent eyeshadow bases were from high end brands like Urban Decay and NARS. I've wear tested the Essence primer on one eye, and Urban Decay Primer Potion on the other, and honestly the Essence version was just as good for longevity and preventing creasing. Now I can spend €3 instead of over €20! 

2. What's your top make-up tip?
Brows are so important. I only realised this myself in the past couple of years, after getting mine professionally shaped instead of haphazardly plucking them at home. Brows frame your face, and can change your appearance from undefined to polished in an instant. At the same time though, there's a difference between groomed and obviously fake. Don't go overboard filling them in, otherwise you might look back on your photos in ten years time and all you'll be able to see is BROWS. Get a professional to shape them for you, then keep them tidy and add a bit of colour with a brow gel like Benefit Gimme Brow. It only takes two seconds in the morning, and transforms your face.

3. Do you have a favourite all-round beauty product?
Not a product per-se, but an ingredient – glycolic acid. I'm fanatical about chemical exfoliants. They gently break down dead skin cells to reveal fresh radiant skin beneath, without irritating or scratching your skin like scrubs do. Which is really important for people with acne prone or sensitive skin. Glycolic acid has been clinically proven to penetrate the skin to not only exfoliate, but also stimulate collagen and elastin production helping to smooth out lines and wrinkles. It also has water attracting properties and so is great for dehydrated skin. I love to use glycolic acid pads on my face after cleansing, then use the leftover residue on my legs to prevent ingrown hairs, and on my arms to prevent keratosis pilaris. A wonder ingredient!

4. What's your earliest beauty memory?
I had a Lil' Miss Makeup doll that I was obsessed with as a kid. I'm probably showing my age now! She came with makeup sponges, and when you dipped them in cold water and applied them to her face, her makeup magically appeared. Then when you wiped her face with a cloth dipped in warm water, the makeup disappeared again. I always take my makeup off at night, even when I'm wrecked or home from a night out. Must be where I learned the habit!
 
5. Most girls have a signature scent – what's yours?
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. It's the scent I wore through my twenties, but now at 30 I think I've outgrown it. I've been sniffing around for a new perfume for my upcoming wedding, and I think I'm going to graduate to Chanel No. 5 for the big day. Cliche, but a total classic. 

6. What's in your make-up bag right now?
What's not in my makeup bag more like! I'm really lucky to have a beauty vanity at home, but a few days a week I end up applying my makeup in the gym in morning. This is my bag of daily essentials.

  • NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation
  • Clarins Instant Concealer
  • Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette – I've hit pan and I'll definitely be replacing this. It just brings life to your face and gives it the most gorgeous lit from within glow
  • Bourjois Healthy Balance powder for touch ups throughout the day
  • One of the new Max Factor Creme Puff Baked Blushes
  • Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner (amazing, lasts all day)
  • Benefit Roller Lash (it really does curl straight lashes!)
  • Benefit Gimme Brow
  • A Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in case I have a red lip emergency
  • My beloved double ended Laura Mercier travel makeup brushes (amazing quality and small enough to fit in your handbag).

Thanks for answering all of our questions, Kat! 

You can catch up with all of the latest beauty advice, news and reviews on Sophistikat and you can follow Kat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter too!