I got LIP FILLERS with Amara Clinics! Before & After Photos!!! ♥

So as most of you know, I scheduled an appointment with Amara Aesthetics recently and have been so so excited. I actually wrote an introductory blog post already which let you guys know why I chose to have them done and why I chose Amara. So if you haven't read that yet, do so now - as this is the second piece of the puzzle - read here!

As well as details into why I made the decision, my last post was pretty much a giant disclaimer that I'll tip-toe across once more. By getting lip-fillers I in no way intend to push that decision on anybody else. It is a medical procedure that requires plenty of planning and 100% confidence on your part! So if it's something you're interested in learning more about, keep reading :)

While I would find myself researching various clinics and mobile nurses around the country, I would find myself asking "Am I ready?" but upon browsing through Amara's website, I'd say to myself "Yes, I am ready!" Their many testimonials, informative website and natural before & after photos had me feeling at such ease and really made me not only confident, but majorly excited in their abilities and what they might be able to do for me. Admittedly I was nervous on the few days running up to the procedure, but that was no reflection on the clinic itself - I had full faith in Dr Paul Munsanje, the Medical Director of Amara Aesthetics. They are a 100% Irish owned company and have clinics in Dublin and London!

My lips weren't something that necessarily bothered me, but I've always wished for more! I was happy with the shape of my natural lip, I just wanted a little boost. I feel that by getting them plumped up it would balance my face, as I feel my nose takes center stage - (thanks Maaa!)

As a Makeup Artist, I've seen many clients come to me with lip-fillers and so began my slight obsession with them. I'd find myself looking at people on the streets (especially on my various trips to Liverpool!) and I'd say "Look, look, she got her lips done!" That wasn't the effect I wanted to go for. I'd like somebody to look at me and say "Look, she has great lips! I wonder..." rather than the obvious duck pout that seems to be overpopulating the nation. As great as it may look on Donald & Daffy, in my personal opinion, that's not a good look - you know, the gigantic upper lip curving outwards as though it's about to do a somersault, all while maintaining the rock-hard appearance of looking "done". In fact, I'm so picky that when I arrived to the clinic, I showed Dr. Paul a photo collage I had made with everything I didn't want! Head-wrecker of a client at it's finest, but it is my face after all!

I love love love them!

Upon arriving to the gorgeous clinic on Merrion Square, Dublin, I was welcomed by Katie - the clinic's Marketing Manager and also greeted by Karolina - the Clinic Administrator and finally Siobhan - Amara's Skin Specialist who would be assisting Dr. Paul Munsanje during the procedure. In their spacious reception, I sat on the couch filling in a detailed client consultation form, which was definitely assuring. (Whenever you're going for any kind of procedure, be very wary when you're not asked to fill anything out!) After about 5 minutes of filling out the form I was ready to go. I met with Dr. Paul and he read through my form making sure I was the perfect candidate. He asked me if I had any questions or comments and knowing me, of course I did!

At the bottom of the post I've listed some frequently asked questions and tried to answer them the best I could. But first, let's get to the procedure! Dr. Paul Munsanje took some 'before' photos while giving his expertise on what was achievable. There are various types of filler that can be used for lip injections. Amara uses Juvederm! He then clearly talked me through what to expect.

While he got the solution ready, Siobhan held an ice-pack against my lip for a minute or two. At first I was thinking "Surely this isn't going to help!" but I didn't even feel the needle go into my lip! What I found funny is that I could feel the Juvederm wriggle it's way in. Upon each 5 second injection, Dr. Paul would then massage the substance into my lips to assure there were no lumps and that everything was even. I think there were six injection points altogether. I could have never predicted how easy and pain-free it would be! I was expecting to be very nervous but even as I was being injected, it is such a relaxing environment and the confidence of Dr. Paul just radiated the room so I knew that I was in the best hands for the job! Juvederm is mixed with local anesthetic to ensure that there's virtually no pain. I was asked to rate the pain out of 10 at the end of the procedure and I said it was about a 3, so you get the idea! The entire procedure went so much better than I was expecting and only took about 10 minutes in total!

Finally... My Before & After photos!

I have a little gloss on. This was taken as soon as I came home.
You can notice the teeny bruise at the bottom corner which
has now totally healed!

My lip-shape hasn't changed at all, it's just a pronounced
version of what was there before! I love them!

Well, what do you think? I didn't want a lot of product along the edge or outer corners of my lips - I really wanted to focus on the middle body of the lip making them voluptuous, yet natural, and that's exactly what I got!

As warned by Siobhan, they felt a little numb afterwards but this faded after an hour or so and eating/drinking was absolutely no problem. When I went to show my reluctant-hippy-esque-natural-beauty-is-key mother, even she said "You don't have a beak" - result! I never told my two little brothers and had them examine me to notice if anything was different; I had to tell them in the end! Amara pride themselves on a 'less is more' motto and they certainly have succeeded in that! That night they did swell and became a little tender, but nothing I couldn't handle. I woke up the next morning and the swelling had gone down completely! One week has now passed and I'm so in love with them! Now for some of your questions!

Was it sore?

As I said previously, barely! I rated it a 3 out of 10. The only thing I was really nervous about were the needles but I've had a lot of piercings and this doesn't even compare to getting your ears pierced! I couldn't even feel the needle enter my lips once, I just felt the Juvederm & local anesthetic go in - which was weird but totally bearable! The ice-pack and local anesthetic ensures the client feels minimal pain! 

My side profile has totally filed out. Excuse the dry lips!

Was there any bruising or swelling?
When I asked Dr. Munsanje how common it was to bruise he told me there's maybe a 1/10 chance or less. It obviously depends on the person's skin. I got one teeny tiny bruise on the left corner but it was so small that it wasn't noticeable whatsoever, just like a small red dot on my lip! It's now 7 days later and it's completely gone. In regards to swelling, I won't lie! They got pretty swollen the day I got them done and they were like my dream lips - hahaha! The next morning practically all swelling had gone so it didn't even last 24 hours!

What product is used?

Juvederm Volift was the product that was used in my lips. Unlike collagen-based fillers which is extracted from animals, Juvederm is hyaluronic acid-based which is naturally occuring in the skin already. It's FDA approved and has been around for about 10 years, which means it's been repeatedly tried and tested and an allergic reaction is very unlikely. Safety is really important to the guys at Amara which is a big plus from me!

How long does it last?

Juvederm Volift lasts 9-18 months so about a year, on average. This makes Amara the best value clinic that I've come across in comparison to others that only last 3-4 months. The longevity of course depends on each individual!

How much does it cost?

1ml costs €450 (which is what I got) but if you're a candidate for 2ml that's €800. Through browsing through Facebook I'd often see cheap deals being advertised by various mobile nurses and hearing friends that have gone to these places and said they now know why! If you take anything from this blog-post, please let it be to make sure you're going to the best of the business when it comes to any aesthetic treatment! It is your face after all and you can't really put a price on that!

Is it worth it?

Yes, yes, a million times yes! I am so happy with them I've been spending the last week looking in every reflection known to man! They're exactly what I wanted and I can't thank Dr. Paul Munsanje and all of the staff at Amara Clinic enough!

Oh and I don't know if this is anything to go by, but on my way home I stopped in my local green grocers and the guy working there said I looked great! Ha! That's definitely a first! 

So if you want to be complimented by your local businessmen, give Amara a shout! They're so friendly to deal with and extremely informative! I can't thank all of the staff enough! I will forever recommend them to anybody who's interested in getting any aesthetic treatment done! 

Give them a 'like' on their Facebook and for anybody who wants to see for themselves, watch Dr. Paul Munsanje's Youtube channel where he has a series of lip-filler based videos to assure the skeptical client, like me and of course you can browse their informative website too!

If you've any other questions, drop them an email info@amara.ie

Let me know if you end up booking in! 

And what do you think of my lips?

Comment below!

Martha x

I'm getting LIP FILLERS! Part 1 - Intro! ♥

So, I've made the decision to finally get temporary lip fillers. Is this something you generally flaunt or shout from the roof-tops? Maybe not, but I think everything is a little different when you have a platform to share your experience. The reason I've decided to share my story wasn't to encourage others to alter their appearance or follow a trend - it's to let people know about the clinic & procedure itself if it's something that interests them. I would advise to continue reading this post to those over 18 who've been considering getting them done for a while now. Trust me, the last thing I want to do is come across as though I'm encouraging them to those who don't need any! 

Getting any aesthetic treatment isn't something you should get because your favourite Instagram personality has them or because 'big lips are in'. If you are ever thinking about going through with them, take the time to discover your options and see if they're right for you. When I say time, I don't mean a few days of googling. I mean months or maybe even years! One really important message is not to shop around for the cheapest, shop around for the best!

Let me clear this up straight away - the reason I've decided to take the plunge was not to follow the latest 'Kylie Jenner' trend or hope for a celebrity pout. Anybody that knows me knows that I am not a glamorous person; I shop high street (mostly for fluffy socks & peanut butter, truth be told), I don't follow trends and just do my own thing!

 I have no desire to be glamorous by any means, that is so not me!

Although there's been a big focus on juicy lips in the last 2 years or so, this is something that I've actually been researching since I was 15! Yes, 15! Lip fillers back then were kind of a taboo. Knowing that I was too young at the time didn't stop me from emailing companies for future reference and ask about the products they used and how they worked. I'm a very... careful person. I don't make really impulsive decisions. So even when I turned 18 I didn't want to go ahead with them until I knew I was ready. I said if I still want them in another year I'd look into it. Another year passed and so on and so forth. I'm 21 now and after 6 years of researching & knowing all of the information, I'm finally ready!

My teeth, lips and nose have always been something I would love to change. Don't worry, I'm not saving for a nose job, but braces could be on the cards! Anyway, I have a very long side-profile with most of the attention on my lengthy nose. I feel that my lips lose focus and by making them a little bit more prominent, my face will look a little more balanced overall, and I'll be happier which is the main thing. As a Makeup Artist you may notice that the only lip colour I ever wear is nude, despite having so many vibrant colours in my makeup collection dying to be worn - but I don't have the confidence I need to pull them off how I would like to! 

So after 'liking' a million Facebook pages of mobile nurses, visiting nation-wide websites, emailing various doctors, researching ingredients, reading reviews and viewing before & after photos, I've finally come to my decision that Amara Clinics is the only option for me! After taking the time to research I now know that I only want a qualified doctor in a clinical environment near my face and that's the bottom line. Here's an article that scared the bejayzuz out of me - check it out!

Just one of the things I love about Amara Clinics is that they are so easily contactable and they use all of their resources available. I saved their website, liked them on Facebook, followed them on Instagram, read through their Twitter, watched their Youtube and read their blog. They literally couldn't have more information out there, which is great for people like me that google EVERYTHING! I'm a super thorough person and would spend the day googling what kind of almond milk to buy... yep, I'm a freak!

My consultation and procedure with Dr. Munsanje of Amara Clinics is scheduled for a few weeks time. This post is just to let you guys in on it and to criss-cross any potential nastiness I may receive "Yew don't need dem hun x" by explaining why I've made the choice. In my next piece I will be showing you all my 'Before & After' photos, letting you know my experience at the clinic, talking about the shape & size I'm after, what I want to avoid , disclosing the price and of course you will be (secretly) judging my results! Aaahh! So if this is something you've been seriously considering for a while, stay posted! Until my little procedure, have a look around their website, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube or blog. Yeah, I know, it's a pretty long list!

Is there anything in particular you'd like me to include in my piece on the procedure?

Let me know below in the comments!

Wish me luck, but I don't think I'll need it :)

Martha x