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Those five seconds changed my life forever.

My parents are invincible! They have always been and always will be there! Sort of like a Wonder Woman and Super Man! Those five seconds of my life changed all that, when my father told me he had prostate cancer. I was sitting on a stool in our kitchen. I told him he would be OK, I cried a little and then went numb. It was almost like my body wrapped me in a cocoon for those few minutes. I rang a friend, I had to say the words "my dad has cancer". 

Cancer is such a scary word, even though treatments have come such a long way and survival rates have increased  that horrible thought of "will he survive this?" jumps into your mind. Cancer is like the elephant in the room, we couldn't see the cancer but we felt it's presence. I thought about it a lot and talked about it a lot but I couldn't feel. Feel what? Feel strong emotion and I know now it was was because deep down I knew he would be alright, but also it was completely out of my control. I did not have the power to fix him. Doctors, medication and God had that. I'm in no way religious, I do not practice my faith, but there defiantly is a greater good at those pearly gates. My dad was diagnosed in the very early stages of his cancer, his consultant was amazing and within weeks after an operation and time spent in hospital he was home recovering. This is where the story ends, or so I had hoped. 

When I thought of some-one recovering from cancer, I thought of some-one falling off their bike, getting back up and going on their merry way. The body and mind goes through such a huge trauma trying to heal and process the physical aspect of cancer but also the mental aspect. I can't speak for my father but I can speak for myself and how this, as my father's child has changed my life forever. I suffered anxieties early on in his recovery, every time my phone rang, "is dad alright?" , the constant worry of my father,not my mother but my father. These are very natural of course, Cancer had closed my eyes on my superman and opened them up to life, to reality, to personal journeys many had, are and will go through. My parents are wonderful people and I am so grateful and blessed to have them in my life. Does it take such a drastic thing to open your eyes to see what you truly have? Maybe it does, it did for me. It's thought me to enjoy every moment and enjoy the relationships you have with your parents. Life has strange ways of teaching us lessons, and showing us new paths and it has ways of opening up different worlds and perspectives. November or should I say Movember is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Action Prostate Cancer is run by Cancer.ie raising awarenss and funds for research into this cancer. There is so many ways, you can raise awareness, grow a moustache! Ladies, dye your hair blue! One in eight men have the chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, it's important to get screened.

 I knew nothing about this cancer until my father was diagnosed. Here are some facts direct from cancer.ie

"Most people in Ireland know someone who has been affected by prostate cancer. We want to encourage men to be more comfortable with an area of their health that is often neglected or ignored:

• Prostate cancer rates in Ireland are the highest in Europe and amongst the highest in the world
• In 2010, 3,125 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in Ireland
• Irish men have a 1 in 8 chance of developing prostate cancer (to put this in context, Irish women have a 1 in 10 chance of developing breast cancer)
• After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer in men
• Prostate cancer is often a slow growing cancer, particularly in older men, and symptoms may not occur for many years
• Prostate cancer is 90% curable if it is treated in its earliest stages
• The cumulative risk of a man developing prostate cancer before the age of 50 is 1 in 485. Before the age of 70 is 1 in 13
• Prevention is better than cure. While doctors still do not know what causes prostate cancer, links have been made between family history of prostate cancer, age (risk of prostate cancer increases after 50 years), and men of African ethnicityAll men over the age of 50, or men over 40 who have a first degree relative with prostate cancer or those of African ethnicity, should consult with their GP"

Do you like my moustache?!

Please share this post to raise awareness!

LOVE CAT

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Budget vs Bling. What's your face?!

Budget vs Bling. What's your face? Are you nifty at spending hours and picking out the best budget cosmetic brands in your local chemist or are you the type that is straight to the brands counter describing your wishlist and clipping your purse open is your only chore? I am mainly a budget buyer but I won't lie I like a bit of bling! Although, I have recently being learning a great appreciation for high street brands and my pocket agrees! I love make-up, I love all the products, can I apply them properly well I'll lie say yes!!! 

Here is a list of my all my favourite face and lip products to suit all budgets!

Highlighter: `My life changed when I discovered my first ever highlighter, Benefit Watts Up (€36), the effect it had when used on my cheeks, just under my eyebrow and down my nose-AMAZING!! Highlighter is the one thing you have to in your make up bag, and if you don't have one get one NOW! I am totally head over heels in love with Catrice Cosmetics at the moment. They have thought of every beauty product for all skin types that are a must and OMG they are fantastically priced! This highlighter by Catrice works a gem. It is so easy to apply, has such a cute name "fairy dust" and is so slim it's easy to store and for a neat price of €4.49, do I need to say more!

Foundation: Foundation is probably the number one must have product in any girl's make-up bag, it is for me. I am very pale with freckles. It is so important for me that I keep my natural colouring and my freckles are not covered over. Since the dawn of "Cat applying make-up"  time, I have always used MAC, NW20 Studio Script (€34) to be exact! I always got complemented on it. Since I moved jobs, I now get payed every second week so I've had to learn how to budget. I recently read a review on a friend's blog, Love.Life on Rimmel's Wake me up foundation, read it here. For a favourable sum of €10.99, this foundation has helped me to learn budgeting very well! It is so light you will not feel it on your skin and the colour is just perfect for me. I wear the palest shade!

Contouring: I am still learning to contour properly, it's one thing that can completely change the shape of your face. I go from flat cheeks to incredible cheekbones in minutes! Of course pulling a fish face for pictures also helps! They say a shade or two darker is best to contour but I go a bit darker simply because on nights out I wear fake tan and apply darker eye make up and foundation. Isa Dora is perfect for achieving this look and for such a large product for €19, it's a buyer pleaser. The little gem on the right is a blush by Essence cosmetics, €2.50!!! Not only is it an amazing bargain, my contouring for some reason always gets complemented when I use this! Suck in your cheeks and apply just below the cheekbone and blend! 

Mascara: I have only ever used one mascara and will only ever use one mascara Rimmel extra super lash, €6.99. I used Lancome's Hypnose tester mascara (normal size retails at €27) once but I couldn't betray my old faithful! Rimmel's mascara really extends your lashes. It does what it says on the tin!!

Primer; Primer's work! The difference they make is unbelievable! I always used Gosh's primer a sweet €12 but I was converted to MAC's Prep+Prime. At a steeper price of €36 it is amazing. It's pump action extends the life of the product, it's not greasy at all and drys super fast! It's perfect!

Blusher: We all need blusher in our lives especially in this frosty weather although the cold air might contribute to further pink cheeks! When I can, I splurge out on Estee Lauders' brand of blusher, it is expensive at €45 but so worth it! When I need to budget Lidl's brand of blusher €4, is colour perfect and long lasting.

L-R Ultimate Shine 230, Ultimate Colour 110, Ultimate Colour 060

Top-Bottom 230, 060, 110

Lipstick: Catrice's range of lipsticks are great and they have fab winter colours. What worries me about cheaper brands is the colour is not as strong on the lips as it is on the lipstick itself, but this is not the case for Catrice. All their lipsticks are of high quality and all at €4.49. 

Eyelashes: Last but not least, false eyelashes! If I'm on a night out and I am not wearing a pair of these I feel naked! How sad!! On the left Penneys/Primark full look lashes are only €1.50, it's insane and they are so good! On the right, Inglot's lashes are a bit pricier at €12 but they are worth the purchase! 

Links: Catrice
           Essence

What are your make up must haves?

LOVE CAT

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