Happy New Year!

Hello everyone and a happy new year!

I have finally got a new laptop to go back to blogging. I have debated wether to go back to blogging over the whole backlash of Bloggers in 2018 with bloggers unveiled, airbrush, AD, SP, AF etc,etc. I really don't care what people think but I will continue to blog as much as I can because I really do enjoy it.

My blog is 100% honest. I will be posting reviews and opinions on different products and interests. I have a lot of exciting things planned for this year and cannot wait to share it all with my little audience.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and have a peaceful new year.

Lots of Love,

Michaela

xoxo


Snapchat : beautymichaela

Instagram : michaelawalshx

Going into the Beauty Industry - my advice!

Hello girlies ,

So this was requested to me recently on my snapchat. I get a lot of questions on a daily basis about how I got into the Beauty Industry and what courses would I recommend. This post would be aimed for anybody interest in beauty, nails and makeup. This is all about my experience in beauty, what I recommend and some of my opinions.

 *This would help anybody in Galway as I don’t know what the other colleges around Ireland are like, best thing to do would be to read reviews or ask *

Beauty Therapist

If you want to become a beauty therapist you need to do your research on the course and what you will study. It is an extremely hard course and there is a lot to it. I had asked so many girls who had studied it what I was getting myself into and what it entailed. There is a lot of biology, paperwork, case studies and you must practise your treatments at home! Your tutor will spot straight away if you haven’t been practising or studying. You must be interested in learning about skincare, eyecare, eye treatments, manicures and pedicures and waxing. (I am going to go into makeup a little bit later in the post). Check what qualifications the college offers. In most salons they look for C.I.B.T.A.C, I.T.E.C and C.I.D.E.S.C.O. These can be used working on Cruise Ships and working abroad.

I went to Georgina Price College of Beauty Therapy where I completed all of my courses. I studied Beauty October 2016 – April 2017. The course was every Monday from 9-4. I then went onto do Holistic Massage from May 2017-October 2017. This was on every Tuesday from 1-4. Then I just finished my Reflexology course which was on from October 2017- April 2018. I did some workshops so I did Threading, Sculpted Gel Nails, Gelpolish and Spray Tans. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and I really miss it!!

I am I.T.E.C and C.I.B.T.A.C qualified in Beauty, Massage and Reflexology. You need your qualification to perform treatments in the salon, I.T.E.C is very common in most salons, but if you had both you’d have a greater advantage of getting a job (Just from personal experience)

You also don’t have to do workshops sometimes! A majority of salons will then train you in on Spray Tanning and Gel Polish, although if you want to go working for yourself you should go and do a day course. It also looks great on your cv if you already have these done!

Makeup Artistry

If you’re thinking of only wanting to specialise in makeup then just do a makeup course on its own- then like I said you can attend workshops to add on to your qualifications.

You will learn about skincare when doing makeup and a lot about hygiene, reason being it is in the exam curriculum. When I did beauty therapy, we did about 2 makeup classes and that was it, as during our exam all we had to do was a day makeup on a client- no smokey eyes, no cut creases, no pigments, quite boring!

Makeup Artists just became a thing overnight I think. I praise makeup artists because it is a fantastic talent and it is an art! A lot of people just have a flair for it which is great.

However I do think you should be qualified to work in makeup. Yes, there are people out there who are talented and a counter can hire somebody self employed, but you should always have that piece of paper just incase!! I think it’s unfair to women who have been in the makeup industry for years, even before it became massive overnight to be turned down in a job to a self-taught person.

There aren’t many places in Galway for makeup that in my opinion wouldn’t stand out like colleges in Dublin. There are a lot of makeup colleges in Dublin such as Vanity X, Sharleen Collins, LA College of Creative Arts and also Jimmy C Makeup in Limerick who is also doing courses in Galway and Tralee.

If you see a college have an open day- try and attend. Look at the kits, speak to the tutors, see what they have to offer! Read reviews, ask girls who have done the course is it good.

There are some AMAZING opportunities to work as a makeup artist wether it be self-employed or on a counter.

A lot of Hairdressers would let you rent a chair in their salon as a lot of people would have weddings, debs, balls, staff parties, nights out. It’s convenient for clients to have them both there and then.

When you work on a counter you may learn more tips and tricks that you may not have heard of or ways you can do techniques easier for you! You may also attend events and hold workshops and masterclasses!

I have attended 2 masterclasses myself, I went to Rosie Connolly’s and Pauline Fletcher. These are extremely talented ladies and still use some of their tips and tricks to this day!

I decided to go and do a makeup course myself and have signed up to do a course with Jimmy C Makeup and I am so excited to learn from him, he seems absolutely fantastic and so encouraging and welcome- WHICH IS WHAT YOU NEED!

Nail Technology

I remember a time when there was hardly any nail bars around and you could never get Gel Nails done then all of a sudden overnight they were everywhere!!!

From personal experience, for you to qualify in a Gel Nail course, you would need to do a 2-3 day course. In my opinion a day course just would not cover you fully! You need to be taught the diseases and disorders of the nails, because surprisingly you will come across a few and have to tell the client you cannot perform a nail treatment L You must be shown how to prep the nail, applications, removals, refills, different brands etc.

This is why I don’t agree with ‘self-taught’ nail technicians. It is so important you go to a fully trained technician no matter how good their sets look or how ‘cheap’ they are. ‘Cheap nails ain’t nice and nice nails ain’t cheap’. I’ve gotten messages in the past literally opening with ‘Hi how much are you for Gel Nails’. I find it so ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude :( When I reply it’s either ‘oh perfect can I make an appointment’ or ‘oh that’s too expensive for me, I’m going to try find someone cheaper’. It doesn’t bother me as much as it did in the beginning, but that’s life!!

If you were thinking of going into a nail course, do your research- don’t be worrying over the price. Ring the trainer and ask for some information on what you’ll be learning, what is in the kits, will there be discounts on products whilst you’re training.

You must do lots of practise when training, try and aim for 2 a day when training and always charge a small fee to cover your costs, you timing in the beginning will take you absolutely ages but with more practise you will be get better with timing and skill! J

A lot of beauty supply shops offer nail courses, beauty colleges or nail technicians themselves!

There are a lot of opportunities for nail technicians also.

You can rent a table in a hairdressers, beauty salon or an office, which can be slow business in the beginning as customers may not know you are there yet, but word of mouth , facebook pages and Instagram is a great form of advertising.

You can also work for a nail salon but it’s more stressful that it would be working for yourself with very little breaks and lots of strain on your back.  

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and gave you a better insight on the beauty industry. If you have any questions never hesitate to message me. I am always happy to help J

Love to you all

Michaela xxxx

SNAPCHAT : beautymichaela

My Favourite Youtubers.

Hello everybody!

I hope you're all well, I am so sorry I haven't posted in so long, I haven't been well and I've also been busy doing nails (thanks to my lovely clients, I love doing nails)

ANYWAY..

This post is going to be about my favourite youtubers! Let's face it, we all love going on Youtube to watch some videos. Here's a list of some of my favourites!

1. DramaticMac
I came accross Aisling around 2 years ago and I think she is such a cutie! She's so bubbly and funny. I love sitting back and just clicking into her videos because she has such a variety. She is so honest, which I like- if she doesn't like a certain product, she will tell you, even a product everyone raves about. I also love her accent (is that weird?) I could just listen to her talk all day!

2. Tanya-Rachel Makeup
This girl is so talented when it comes to makeup (please do my makeup for me?!). She previously worked for Inglot and is now freelancing. She's so fun to watch and is also very honest. I'm actually watching one of her videos whilst blogging about this. Go check her out.



3. Cutepolish
Everyone knows how much I love this account, full of cute nail designs, tips and tricks for anybody wanting to broaden their nail art designs. Sandi originally started this channel and now there are more people working with her on nail art designs.

4.TheMakeupFairyPro
Ok ok, this gal is just goals, she works so hard to get to where she is and I am SUCH A HUGE FAN!!!! ok ok I'll calm down. She's so lovely and honest and her makeup is so FLAWLESS, definitely go and check her out.
5.FacesbyGrace23
Another Irish Youtuber I like is Grace Mongey, she is so cute and bubbly. She is very open and honest about her depression and anxiety and has helped me out so much. She is also a makeup artist, she previously worked for Bare Minerals and Inglot, but has decided to go and work for herself and is soon going to be a mammy! Congrats Grace and Kips <3
6. TheStyleDiet (Anna Saccone)
Anna is one of the first youtubers I watched, I've spoken about her before but she is an amazing, hardworking lady. She currently lives in the UK with her husband Jonathon (Joffee Jokes) and her two children Emilia and Eduardo (adorable kids) oh and I can't forget her 6 puppies, yes she has 6 dogs. She talks about all kinds, being a mother, beauty and fashion and general topics.
7. Zoella
Zoella is from the UK and is so bubbly and fun. She has videos on all kinds of topics, which is what has drawn me to her, she is also good friends with Anna and sometimes collab. Definitely worth a watch.


So that is all from this post, I hope you enjoyed reading it. I also have a Competition on my Facebook page 'Michaela's Beauty' go and have a look.

I'll see you all next time
Michaela

Please Follow me on Social Media:

Snapchat - beautymichaela

Facebook - Michaela's Beauty

Instagram - beautywithmichaela

Twitter - michaelabeautyy

PR Email - michaelaw123@gmail.com

My Top Netflix Picks.

There's days we all just want to cuddle up on the couch and put on something on Netflix. Yes there are so many options to choose from, from tv shows to films. Some options are better than others, so here is my top Netflix picks.

New York City and Chuck Bass, need I say anymore? I was obsessed with Gossip Girl since day 1. So much happens in it that it is so easy to keep up with it. I convinced most of my friends to watch it and I get 'what have you done to me, I am obsessed with Gossip Girl!!'. I watched all 6 seasons three times. Full of fun of the Upper East Side. If you haven't watched it, DO! (Also, look at that beauty, it's Chuck Bass.)

I love this series. Again, so much happens between each character yet they all link in some way. As there is only 4 seasons at the moment, I am trying to space out each episode, I don't know what I will do when I finish it :(

I started watching Full House recently and OH MY GOODNESS it is the cutest family series I have ever seen! It's a family from San Francisco and they get up to all sorts. The relationship between them all is so much fun, especially between Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) and Michelle (Mary Kate&Ashley Olsen). If you want to watch something that will make you laugh constantly and say 'awww' Full House is for you.

This movie is priceless! I can watch it over and over and not get bored, I laugh harder every time. This movie basically proves that blondes aren't dumb.

Another heart breaking yet fantastic film. Also a 3 hour view of Leonardo DiCaprio, I can't complain ;)

They could not have casted anyone better than Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum for this. They are 2 lads in the police force gone undercover in college. If you want a laugh, definitely give this a watch.

This is the story behind Mary Poppins. The writer visits Walt Disney studios and was determined not to make Mary Poppins into a movie/musical/cartoon. I was so shocked when I watched this because I grew up watching it. There are some dark parts to this movie but the story behind it is very beautiful. Definitely worth a watch!


So these are my Netflix Picks. What do you guys like to watch?

Until next time
Michaela xx

Follow me on social media:

Snapchat - beautymichaela

Facebook - Michaela's Beauty

Instagram - beautywithmichaela

Twitter - michaelabeautyy

PR Email - michaelaw123@gmail.com

June Favourites 2016

Hello lovelies! I cannot believe we are in the seventh month already, the year is flying! Here is a list of my favourite products of last month.

First of all is my Lorac 180 eyeshadow palette. The colours in this are absolute bliss and I love to play around with them. They are extremely pigmented and theres a mixture of matte shadows also.

*I know I'm late to the game* I cannot believe I haven't had this sooner, The Mac prep+prime spray. I apply this to my face before and after makeup. It makes my makeup look more dewy and looks better if you've used a lot of powder. I am smitten! Everyone needs to try this. €21 in Brown Thomas.

Next is the Crazy Angel Bronze Desire spray tan. I don't always wear fake tan but I was so obsessed with this, it applys like a dream and gives you a lovely bronzed look. You just spray it where you want to be tanned and then rub in any damp patches, definitely going to try this again.

Here is my Inglot palette full of my contouring bits. If you follow me on snapchat you will know how much I love this! Inglot is my favourite brand and their customer service is incredible, they really take care of you and help you out looking for colours, offer to show you how you should apply the products and give complimentary makeup lessons, Pop into your local inglot store to try these out.

This is Macs 'Silver Dusks' powder. This can act as a highlight but I like to use it on my inner tear duct to make my eyes pop!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post, take care and I will see you next time!
Kayla x

Follow me on social media:

Snapchat - beautymichaela

Facebook - Michaela's Beauty

Instagram - beautywithmichaela

Twitter - michaelabeautyy

Email - michaelaw123@gmail.com

My Mental Health Story.

This is very different to previous posts, but here it goes! This post isn't me looking for attention or sympathy, but the mental health issue in Ireland is getting out of hand, especially in Galway. Hearing that someone you know has gone missing overnight, hasn't been heard from or isn't answering their phones or texts is awful! We need to make a stop to this and start helping each other out, look around on a night out and make sure nobody goes out on their own. There is always help and you are not alone, you may be surprised how many people can relate to how you are feeling.

So here is my mental health story, it may not sound like a big deal, but to me each day was a battle.

I had really bad anxiety practically all my life, it would be a nervous anxious yet excited feeling, if that makes any sense. I'd feel very sick before going somewhere with my friends or family but as the day would go on or the event would go on, luckily my anxiety would go away. Doctors told me I would grow out of it and that really used to wreck my head because I felt awful all the time,
This started when I was around 8 years old and continued until I was a teenager. It wouldn't happen all the time, but it was the start of it.

2015 was the year my anxiety got out of control. I felt sick a lot that year and even if I had the energy to leave the house, I didn't want to because I felt awful, I hid that feeling for awhile and just continued feeling down- BAD IDEA.
I started taking rescue remedy recommended by a friend of mine, which really did help me a lot! I still use it if I feel a LITTLE bit nervous and it luckily does the trick.

So now you're probably thinking 'but that's nothing, it's not that serious'. Well this is only part of it, wait until you hear the part about me not wanting to leave my house and crying nearly everyday.

I was very sick during the Summer last year! I remember the day I went to the Ed Sheeran concert last year with my friends I had headaches all day and felt like a huge burden on everyone. I didn't want to ruin their night and have them look after me and not enjoy it, I wasn't looking forward to it because I was very anxious that day and everyone knows how much I love Ed Sheeran, it's played so much in the house that my mam knows the words to his songs! :P But I pushed through the day and acted like my headaches weren't there, I listened to Ed singing and roared the lyrics until I lost my voice and it was the best night of 2015, and 2015 wasn't my favourite year.
My headaches eventually went and then one day they came back and the pain was unbearable, so I was taken to hospital. I was discharged as all my tests came back negative (thank goodness) and I was prescribed with amitriptyline, an antidepressant used to treat headaches. I took a week off school and went in for a half day and I was really happy to see my friends. I felt like I was getting back to normal, but the tablets made me so tired all I wanted to do was sleep, that was why I went into school for half days, literally so I could come home to sleep and then study, my principal was so supportive and understood completely if I needed anything.
My second day of school I was in class and I was very tired, but I just got on with it, until I walked upstairs and collapsed into a sleep. I went home and I stopped taking the tablets and just kept resting until I felt well enough to go back to school.
So you're still thinking 'but this isn't a big deal, what's this got to do with anxiety'. Well, this is where it got really bad. I was miserable all the time, I had no energy, I was crying all the time and felt awful. Anytime I left my house, I'd feel sick and tired and I'd get even more upset. My parents were always worrying about me and I was doing my best not to cry in front of them and not make them feel bad, but I was so miserable all the time I couldn't help it.
My parents were amazing. Mam would wake me up and convince me to get out of bed, we'd watch movies and would ring my friends to come over to keep me company. She'd always do her best to make me smile and always told me to take each day as it comes. My dad would tell me everyday that they were going to do everything they could to make me happy again.
Each day became longer and slower, I missed almost 2 months of school and I was so lost in trying to teach myself the subjects- it seriously isn't easy. That's another thing I was worried about was school. The big leaving cert. I kept convincing myself I wasn't going to repeat the school year. I always found school difficult anyway, so the solution we came to was homeschooling, but more about that later. I eventually went to my local GP who has helped me out so much. I remember when I first went in. I just burst out crying and told him I want to get better and not be afraid of my front door anymore. He was so helpful and didn't make me feel bad about myself. We talked and I go to him regularly to chat, and each time I go back to him, he always tells me he notices a difference in me since the first time I met him, so talking to someone really does help, or else writing all your feelings down in a diary. I'd write down 3 good things that happen each day, it was difficult at first so the first day I wrote 'I got up out of bed when I didn't feel like it, I watched my favourite movie and laughed and I spoke to my friend on the phone'. Simple I know, but doing this made me realise that little things can make you happy!
My Granny told me her friend suffered from bad anxiety and helped herself get better. I was curious of how she done so, so I asked her what did she do. She reads a book 'Living with IT' and she said it's her bible and takes it everywhere with her. I ordered it straight away and as soon as it arrived in the post I had it all read in an hour, it blew my mind. There is loads of animations to demonstrate how it makes you feel, some parts made me laugh because the animations were so silly but so true, it says anxiety is like an invisible dinosaur following you around in your mind, and let's face it, it is. So now I do the same thing and carry it everywhere with me in my hand bag. The contents page lets you go to what you're feeling anxious about, then I just open the page, read through it to reassure myself.
I also started reading up on anxiety more, and read different peoples stories. I meditate now and again if I feel on edge and it works.


I was nervous starting homeschooling, would the teachers laugh at me for asking 'silly questions' or think i'm a freak for not going to school. It was the complete opposite. They were all so friendly and helped me get back into a study pace, it was difficult at first but I eventually got myself into a routine. It is tough as I have each subject once a week but when you work at something you get good results.

Another thing I had a fear of was going out to a nightclub, 'how crazy is that'you're thinking. It was a struggle, but eventually my friends got me out and they made me realise I had nothing to worry about. A group of us went out for my best friends 19th birthday and I have to say it was a brilliant night. They made sure I was ok, and best of all helped me get over my fear. Now I look forward to going out with my friends and having a bit of craic! :)

I'm very lucky to have people look out for me such as my family and close friends. Now I am really happy, some days are better than others, but whenever I feel down now, I think back to the time I felt like crap and compare it to how I actually feel now.
There's always help out there and nobody will look down on you just because you don't feel ok.
I look forward to things more now and do my best to take time for myself.

Thank you to my family and friends for getting me this far and not a day goes by that I am not grateful.



<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14930883/?claim=gmu6bz5hxr2">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

My 18th! - The G Hotel.

 Hey Everyone!

So as some of you may know I turned 18 last Wednesday and my mam, my aunt and Becca decided to take a little break and stay in the G for a couple of days. It was certainly needed after a tough couple of months.
The hotel was absolute bliss! I would literally recommend it to anyone. The staff are so friendly, the food is delicious and the rooms are amazing- along with the spa.

Upon my arrival there was balloons left in my room, a small slice of chocolate cake, and a plate with Happy Birthday with chocolate sauce! I literally wasn't expecting it, it was so cute.
In each room there is dressing gowns and slippers (which you can see me wearing, it didn't take me long to make myself at home.












The following day I had a facial in the spa, it was so relaxing and soothing. There was a good variety of treatments to choose from in the spa, I just always wanted a facial so I went ahead and got it, and it made me feel so relaxed and eased my anxiety a lot.









We had room service both nights, I had the G burger and the next night I had the fish. I literally fell in love with their food.
I am definitely coming back to this hotel to stay as it is so amazing.

I hope you enjoyed this post,
Also regarding nails, please feel free to message me for Christmas nails.

Michaela xxx