L'Oréal False Lash Superstar

 After 3 visits to the pc repair shop, I now seem to be back in the land of blogging & all is well *touches wood!*

So, back to normality & here I have a new mascara for you.  You know I'm a complete mascara addict so couldn't resist this one when it was on offer in Superdrug, L'Oréal False Lash Superstar.  It's now full price at £10.99 but is on 3 for 2.

This is a two-step mascara, something I've not really got on with in the past & I only tried it because it's by L'Oréal, but I have to tell you, I'll not be rushing out to repurchase it!  Unfortunately, this is the first L'Oréal mascara I've not liked & I'm really quite shocked!  I love the brushes & there's absolutely no dispute in that it gives phenomenal lashes, but my god, does it smudge!  It's also a bit reminiscent of Benefit They're Real in that it's a bit of a sod to remove without seriously scrubbing your lashes - and we don't want to do that, thank you very much!

The first step uses an hourglass shaped brush & is a white thickening lash primer.  I applied this & then after leaving it to dry slightly, applied the second step fibre rich formula with the curved brush & the photos show just one coat of each.  I absolutely loved the immediate volumising effect, it was just a few hours later that I became disappointed.

I don't know if it's because I have oilier eyelids or something but after 3 or 4 hours of wear, it was all over them & smudged underneath my eyes, not good IMO.  As I said, I've never had this trouble with L'Oréal mascaras before & their False Lash Telescopic is my HG mascara but this one just didn't float my boat I'm afraid.  I'd only bother using it if I was going out for 2 or 3 hours & wanted some va-va-voom on my lashes, rather than an all-day mascara.

What do you think, have you tried this one?

Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara

So it's no secret that I like a bit of oomph from my mascaras & I loved the sample of Roller Lash by Benefit that I had in last month's Elle magazine (reviewed here.) but I'll be honest, I don't like forking out nearly £20 on one!  I kept reading online that the new-ish Maybelline Lash Sensational was a very good dupe for the Roller Lash, I though I'd give it a shot for £7.99.

It's the familiar Maybelline bullet shaped packaging, which I'm not that fond of as I find them too bulky & has a similar curved wand with much shorter plastic bristles on the inner curve.  Whilst I find the wand grips the lashes really well, it's probably not quite as good as the Roller Lash wand but it still does a fantastic job!  It just takes a bit of practise to learn which side of the brush is best for what.

This is a side-by-side comparison to the roller Lash wand.  Maybelline is on the left & as you can see, is quite a bit fatter so there is a tendancy for a bit of smudging on the lids - nothing a cotton bud can't sort out though!  You can see the results below.....

This was just with one coat so it's pretty impressive & is my mascara of the moment I think - well, until I crack open my Lancôme Hypnôse that I have stashed away for my holiday!  My daughter loves this mascara too & it's getting great reviews online.  It doesn't smudge during the day & removes easily without next-day-panda-eyes *punches the air!*

Have you tried Lash Sensational yet?

Marrakech packing ~ makeup & skincare

I've had the morning to myself today as Hubble has taken Alfie out to a rugby tournament so I thought I'd get a head start on my pre-holiday beauty prep!  So far I've tinted my eyelashes (not the easiest thing to do yourself!), waxed my 'tache(ahem!), applied lashings of gradual tan lotion, coloured my roots & given myself a pedicure.  My hair is getting cut & blow dried on Tuesday morning so I can get up & go on Wednesday - one less thing for me to do!  I'm doing my friends' nails for them on Tuesday so I won't do my own nails until Tuesday night after I've packed the last couple of bits & bobs so I don't ruin them.

I've also sorted out & packed my makeup & skincare to take with me as I won't need these before we go - another tick off my packing list!  Seeing as we booked cases on in the end, I'm taking more than is probably necessary but a couple of bits I'll finish off whilst I'm there so they won't be coming home with me.  So here's what I'm taking -

My makeup bag from Muji is fantastic.  It's double sided with plenty of pockets & spaces to keep things neat & tidy!  They don't have this exact model anymore but they have this one which is very similar.  There's tons of room left in it so I might just put all my skincare in there too, one bag less to take!

Makeup wise, I'm going to decant into the teeny tiny posts my Boujois Bronzing BB & Revlon Photoready BB & that's my face sorted - nothing heavy & definitely no powder.  I will, however, take this dinky tube of Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer to cover up my persistant scars on my face.  To add a healthy flush in the evenings I'm taking my Bourjois Cream Blush & a tiny pot of mineral powder bronzer by Bare Minerals that I picked up in TK Maxx.   

For my eyes, I just have 2 eyeshadow pencils in charcoal & bronze by Barry M & a mini Lancôme Hypnôse Star mascara that was part of a special offer gift set (reviewed here.)

And the last of the makeup are 3 of my favourite lip colours, Bourjois Peach Club  (review here), Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple (review here) & No 7 BB Lips in Blush Pink.

Now moving on to the skincare.  I bought this Rosehip trial size gift set by Trilogy a couple of weeks ago so this is the base of my skincare.  It contains a cream cleanser, hydrating mist toner, facial oil & day cream.  Next, I've got a miniature of Bi-facil eye makeup remover by Lancôme, a mini micellar water by B Pure, mini Hydraluron that came in a gift set & my Botanics All Bright eye roll-on to help tired eyes.

So although there looks like quite a lot, because they're all minis they take up no room at all!

I need to take a quick trip to town in the morning to get the last couple of bits that I need & then I'll get my case packed.  3 days to go....!!!

Benefit ~ Roller Lash Super-curling & Lifting mascara

Unless you've been living under a rock these past few weeks, you will/may have noticed the huge amount of press for the newest release from Benefit, the 'super-curling & lifting' Roller Lash mascara.  This is not yet available to buy but you can however, grab a freebie mini version with the March edition of Elle magazine right now!

Now, I wasn't overly impressed by the blogger favourite They're Real mascara by Benefit (read my post here) so I was pleasantly surprised to find I much prefer this one.  The plastic curved wand is styled on velcro rollers with tiny wee hooks that grab, lift & curl the lashes.  I can't comment on the curling effect as my lashes are naturally curled but I will agree that the brush grabs & lifts the lashes with ease.

Unlike the They're Real wand though, the bristles aren't sharp & spiky so it's very comfortable to use & although the formula is quite wet, it's very light-weight & doesn't spread all over the eyelid - result!  It visibly lengthened my lashes but didn't offer a huge deal of volume as you'll see by the following photos but it is super-black.  I've taken shots before, with one coat & with 2 coats so you can see the difference for yourselves!

The burning question is, would I buy the full-sized version when it's released?  To be honest, probably not which is bizarre seeing as I think it's a pretty darned great mascara.  I think someone with straighter lashes would benefit (sorry!!) more from this as I can get the same results from a mascara half the price (L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic, in case you're wondering!)  I will say though that the formula does last 12 hours as it promises, it doesn't flake or smudge & hoo-bloody-ray, it removes very easily, which was my biggest bugbear with They're Real!

Roller Lash will launch in March & will cost £19.50.  Will you be trying it?

  

Barry M ~ Showgirl Extra Volume Black Mascara

I've had this Barry M Showgirl mascara for a couple of months now as it was a 'gift with purchase' when I bought a couple of nail polishes (quelle surprise!)  So in the mad flourish of new mascara excitement, I tried it straight away but was less than impressed with it, hence the lack of post.  However, others may love the look of it so here goes!

First of all, it's by no means the worst mascara I've ever used (that one's coming up soon!) but it doesn't live up to it's name.....not by a long shot!  It's called Showgirl Extra Volume but I found it offered no extra volume whatsoever.   Yes, it's black & yes, you can tell I'm wearing it - just - but it just doesn't offer the va-va-voom I require in a mascara!  The above photo is with 2 coats so you can imagine how little was on the lashes with just one coat.

I've mentioned before that because I wear glasses, I like a mascara to give a bit of oomph otherwise my eyes disappear behind the lenses.  This to me is a very light coverage daytime mascara, very similar in fact to the Maybelline Great Lash that everyone raved about & I hated!! 

The wand is a medium sized tightly compacted bristle brush with very little 'give' to it so I found the application quite difficult.  The formula is not too bad on application to be fair but it does flake after a few hours.  This generally tends to indicate that the formula will dry up quite quickly.  I do love however, the pinky metal tube although it's quite heavy so not the most practical for travelling with.

This retails at £4.99, which is a decent price if you prefer a lighter mascara but I definitely won't be repurchasing, it will get passed on to one of my daughters!

Have you tried this?

I blame the babysitter!

I remember the day so well - our usual babysitter Jane had turned up to look after me & my sister & as she walked in, she handed us a bag of things to share out between ourselves.  In this bag was a huge collection of makeup that she was clearing out & my 8 year old self squealed with excitement!  We spent a happy couple of hours sharing out the goodies but the one item I really, really wanted - and that I hoped my sister wouldn't call dibs on first! - was a bright red lipstick from Estée Lauder.  I did end up with the lipstick & this was the day my love of makeup & beauty products began!

From that day on, I would take my crimped-hair self into town & my pocket money was spent in the local chemist buying all sorts of garish electric blue mascara & the only lipstick that made the whitest of teeth look like they were being subjected to 60 fags a day, Twilight Teaser (it was the 80s after all!), tiny cans of Insett hairspray that would leave my hair hard enough to take an eye out & the ubiquitous pink bottles of Impulse - I loved it all & just wanted to look like Madonna.......or Boy George, ahem!

Photo from Amazon

Photo from Sali Hughes Beauty

Now, 31 years later, I can't walk past Boots or Debenhams without going in & perusing the makeup aisles first.  I just love makeup - there, I've said it!  I love the whole artistry about it & how even the simplest of swipes with a mascara brush makes me feel sooooo much better.  If we have a big night out planned, 9 times out of 10 I'm not so much bothered about what I wear, but about what 'face' I'll be doing & do I complement or clash the nails?!  In fact, I've been known to choose my outfit after choosing what makeup I want to wear first! It's my favourite part of getting ready, whether for a night out or doing the school run & it would be extremely rare to catch me outside my home sans maquillage.

I don't see a problem with this whatsoever.....but for some bizarre reason, other people do seem to have a problem with this & this really upsets me.  For starters, it's nobody's business if I want to wear red lipstick when I drop my son at school at 8.50am & secondly, I would never judge anyone for not wanting to wear makeup so I cannot fathom why someone would feel that they can judge me for doing so.  

One of oldest friends always asks why I wear 'so much' makeup everyday, that I don't need it blah de blah but the truth is, I wear it because I love it & I feel more like 'me' with it on.  At a size 16, I am larger than I'd like to be & more often than not, feel extremely body conscious so I love to make an effort with my makeup, it just makes me feel so much better about myself - is this wrong...or too vain?   And can I just state for the record, that a regular day for me consists of foundation (I have acne scarring & pigmentation that I'm just not comfortable baring to the world!), blusher, mascara & lipstick or lip balm & takes me 4 minutes to apply in the morning - I know this because I timed myself this morning!  It's part of my morning routine the same as jumping in the shower or brushing my teeth & is not something I can see myself foregoing anytime soon.  (Obviously, lounging by the pool somewhere hot would be the exception to this rule!!)

So opinions, is it really such a bad thing to do something that makes you happy every day?  Maybe I'm reading too much into things & my hormones are rearing their ugly heads again!  Is anyone else a makeup lover like me?!

Lancôme Hypnôse mascaras

If I could only choose one piece of makeup to use for the rest of my life *hyperventilates at the thought*, it would be the mighty mascara.  My skin is not great at the moment so I always even it out with foundation & I do love slicking on a fabulous splash of colour on my lips but....I could live without both...if I had to to!  Mascara on the other hand.......

I think it's because I wear glasses that I love mascara so much.  My eyes seem to disappear into 2 teeny tiny raisins behind the lenses if I don't wear it & without it, I truly feel naked!  So needless to say, over the years I have gone through many, many tubes of the stuff, my favourite being L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic....until now that is, as I think I may have just found my new best friend!!  Enter Lancôme Hypnôse!

I was wandering through Boots the other day getting some of life's essentials, you know, cotton buds, toothpaste, nail polish *ahem* when the SA on the Lancôme counter asked if I'd like to try their limited edition mascara gift set.  I've read endless glowing reports of the Hypnôse mascara but I'll be blunt & say that the £22.50 pricetag has always put me off.  However, this box set of 4 (1 full size, 3 travel size) Hypnôse mascaras was on offer at £22.50 - frankly, it would've been rude not to.....!

The full size tube is the original Hypnôse, which I think is my favourite of the four.  It has a great hourglass bristle wand that grabs & coats every single lash with one swoop - it's fabulous!  It adds the perfect amount of volume & length for an everyday mascara.  Apologies for the photo quality on my pics, autumn natural light is not good for photos!!

Next up is Hypnôse Drama.  This is my least favourite of the four as I couldn't get on with the wavy brush on this one.  Although the end result was good, it took a LOT of cleaning up my eyelids as the 'waves' kept touching the skin & smudging everywhere!  This one will be passed on to my daughter (who has her beady eye on the whole kit - errr, no missus!!) & is the only one I wouldn't buy the full size version of.

The third offering is Hypnose Star.  This has a really bizarre wand that looks like a flat tapered Christmas tree from one angle, but turn it 90° & it's flat & slim.  I didn't have high hopes for this but it's amazing!  I use the larger flat side to apply the mascara, then turn the brush & use the thin side to wiggle from the base of the lashes to give great uplift!  I would say this one gives the best volume. Love it!

And last but no means least is the Hypnôse Doll Eyes.  Again, this is one that I've read many blog reviews on so was very keen to try it.  This has a conical shaped brush & just slathers on the formula in one easy swipe.  The tapered end grabs all the teeny corner lashes & is also great for the bottom lashes.  It gives the best length of all the formulas.

The formula is perfect for me, jet black, not too wet & thick enough to give serious oomph straight away.  It doesn't smudge or crumble, removes like a dream & doesn't give me next-day-panda-eyes, my new go-to mascara!  I can't find this set online although they still had them instore yesterday, but now at £30.00.  They do however, have this set online for £22.50!!

Sorry about the lengthy post but I could rave about these all day long!! Have you tried them?

Review ~ Clarins Be Long mascara

Clarins Be Long mascara, full sized price £21.00, see here.

This came as part of a great gift with purchase last year & to be honest, I put it in my makeup drawer & kind of forgot about it!  I found it last week so thought I'd better try it out.

First of all, the packaging.  As this was a GWP, it's a weeny sized tube, ideal for travelling & is not the usual Clarins gold casing.  I sometimes find these sample sized mascaras really difficult to use purely due to the length - or lack thereof - of the wand but because this has quite a small brush anyway, it was pretty easy to use.

It has a plastic wand & works really well to lengthen & lift the lashes & it grips the tiniest of lashes perfectly.  This was the first time I'd ever used a Clarins mascara but I was pleasantly pleased with it.  It removed easily but there always seems to be the teeniest bit of residue left behind the following morning.  Clarins say,

"This revolutionary new mascara combines an instant strengthening formula and exclusive new brush design making it an absolute must-have for lashes lacking in length."

I seem to be on a mascara mission this week!  What's your favourite?

Review ~ L'Oréal False Lash Flutter mascara

I realised that seeing as I have a drawer full of mascaras, I should really be reviewing them.  The leading brand for me has always been L'Oréal, I think they've really nailed their mascara formulas.  It's no secret that the False Lash Telescopic is my all time favourite but this is pretty darned excellent too!

It has a plastic wand that is 'wing' shaped to help lift & lengthen your lashes.  It works beautifully on the top lashes although is a little more difficult to use on the bottom ones, it's takes a bit of getting used to!  But once you do, it's fabulous.  I've tried to photograph it as well as possible to show the shape of the wand but it wasn't easy!

As you can see from the before & after photos, it really does lengthen the lashes & as with all the L'Oréal formulas that I've tried (most of them!), it doesn't flake, smudge or run & removes easily.  Like the Miss Manga mascara, it works best when it's been opened for a week or so to help thicken the formula slightly.

Not bad......just look past the late-night reading sessions dark circles please!!

What's your favourite mascara?