I had one of those £5 off vouchers to use in Boots. Y’know the ones. My bag is always swimming with them though they’re rarely used. No7 just fails to ever truly impress me.

I did however want to try the new Exquisite Curl mascara, it’s been getting rave reviews and I’m trying to kick my L’Oreal Voluminous habit for good (animal testers…). With the voucher the mascara cost me £8. Fair enough. They were also running a gift with purchase, buy the mascara and get a free Define & Shimmer Eye Palette.

Tbh I clocked the colours and kinda wrote it off as “one to give to Mum”

I was wrong. After having a little play with it this morning it’s actually a really pretty palette. Perhaps more autumnal in hue than Spring/ Summer but really very nice all the same. There was minimal fall out (the majority from the lightest colour) and it was super easy to blend. I’m impressed, even more so because it didn’t cost me anything

As for the mascara, I really really like. I don’t think it gives curl AT ALL but it does give flattering volume and builds nicely without clumping. The only small negative is that it really does take you to pump the wand before use to get the curved brush coated adequately in product. Not ideal but hardly the end of the world.

Thumbs up No7. You’re back on my radar

well it is for me anyway

As a full on brunette I have always been able to carry off black eyeliner/ mascara…. however in these bright summer days even I think its a bit harsh on someone of my colouring.

So when I spied the Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Rope Collection on sale in Debenhams I jumped at it. Not only does this give me a spare Zero (their black) for Autumn/Winter but it also contains Bourbon, a brown I’ve been wanting to try out for quite some time. Plus 24/7 has always been a winner for me and my watery eyes! It stays put!

When you consider that just one of these pencils full size is £10 it really is a bargain, I already own the bright colours VIP collection and find that these last around 2-3 months anyway even if used daily

From L-R Yeyo, 1999, Zero, Bourbon & Stash

These are all very wearable, I’ll use the white in my inner corner on occasion, and 1999 will fit in perfectly with my new love of all eyeshadows plum. Stash is also an amazing green/ gold, not unlike Illamasqua’s Solstice Liquid Metal tbh. This would make a gorgeous base used all over the lid.

The result of Bourbon on the waterline is really quite refreshing. Much softer and more season suitable IMO. I’m even thinking of trying out a brown mascara now which is something I would never have entertained :-O

Any suggestions ladies?

xoxox

I have a drawer for all the mascara I test and use, it’s not a big drawer and every so often I like to be ruthless and bin the majority to make room for the new bigger and better mascaras that are emerging (too few & far between lately!).

The other more obvious and less frugal reason for binning what looks like perfectly good product is the use by date. This is important for every cosmetic product but it is particularly so for mascara, they are a breeding ground like no other for bacteria, and these bacteria can cause very very nasty infections within the eyes. I don’t need to tell anyone how precious your sight is!
The manufacturers are obliged to give you a guideline in regards to how long the product will last once opened, you’re looking for a pot with a little open lid as pictured below on Rimmel’s Sexy Curves Mascara. The number inside the pot is the number of months the product is good for after opening.

Rimmel’s time period is extremely optimistic IMO, most mascaras tend to read good for 6 months, a few 3. The rule for my own mascara is generally 3-4 months, by which stage if I love it its finished anyway or if its not I don’t like it enough to keep it.

In regards to mascara I have to use on other people, I keep that for 1 month and then dispose of regardless of what amount is left. I always use disposable wands which are cheap to buy but avoid double dipping and product contamination. Even if you’re not a pro make-up artist, but like to practice looks on friends & family you should get yourself some wands and get into the habit. Your bessie mate won’t thank you for conjunctivitis :S

So what did I throw out today then?

• MAC Plush Lash – Messy wand, too much like hard work for me
• Enormous Lash – Completely done, won’t be re-purchasing, vaseline is giving the same effects
• L’Oreal Double Extension Waterproof – horrible formula, dried up within a few weeks
• NARS Mascara Black Orchid – Yawn, boring boring boring and horrid smell
• Bourjois Volume & Glamour – Nasty over-powering paint type smell which made eyes water
• Bourjois Liner Effect – what a crock of sh*t, review here
• No7 Lash 360˚- Colour more dark grey than black, formulation dry, never going to get used up

So what have you binned recenty? Or are you one of these people that has drawers of things they don’t use but are convinced they might need some day? xox

Yes, thats right folks, another mascara…. wouldn’t be like me eh?!!

Boots No7 Lash 360˚ RRP £11.26

The driving force behind this purchase was actually panacea81, she was using it on YouTube a while back and I homed in on the unusual looking wand. It is quite pricey but I used the No7 £5 off voucher. I got it just before Christmas, but times must be tough, as they are STILL running the £5 off promo.

Marketing material for this mascara promises “Up to 7 x more volume with No7′s breakthrough new lash 360 mascara”. I bought it in Black, the only other colour available is Brown/ Black.

This is a GOOD mascara, not great but good. There is no doubt in my mind that this macara gives a lengthening effect, as you can see from the pic its really very impressive in that department, however it is marketed as a volumising mascara? I don’t feel it adds volume at all. It does however curl the lashes quite effectively. I don’t use eyelash curlers, simply because my eyelashes are already poor and I want to avoid any damage to what I do have.

Left Eye: Lash 360˚, Right Eye: No Mascara

The brush is really a very good design, get it right into the base and wiggle it through back and forth, coverage would be good IF the actual mascara formula was just slightly wetter. Unfortunately it isn’t. This is a real bug bear with me in regards to mascara. Either they are too dry and coating the lashes is an arduous task, or they are too wet and you get transfer onto the skin if you look up etc.

My other problem is the colour, Black, not Blackest Black, not Carbon Black, just plain ole Black. I’m sorry but for those people that say Black is Black, thats rubbish. I’ve been spoilt with rich kohl pigmented mascaras lately. They give a dense glam black finish. This is simpy a dull black, when swatched on my hand beside L’Oreal Voluminous it looks positively grey.

In summary, this is a well designed mascara wand that doesn’t quite have the formula to compliment it. IMO it certainly doesn’t warrant the price tag, there are much better mascaras out there that curl and lengthen for a fraction of the cost ie: Rimmel London’s Sexy Curves.

Hope this is helpful if you have been considering this mascara xox

I think everyone has a certain make-up product they buy more of than any other. For me its anything to do with the eyes, my eye shadow drawer is bulging, my mascara drawer is not quite as bad but definitely getting there! I like to play up the eyes more than any other area.

On Friday night I was chatting online to a fellow make-up lover Nikky and we got to talking about NARS shadows, I had a sudden over-whelming urge to go swatching! So with it being only 7pm, I got into my little hairdryer of a motor and drove the 11 miles to Belfast, and more importantly House of Fraser.

It was bliss, empty but for a few other addicts. The girls were obviously bored and so I managed to play about with lots and pocket more than a few testers. Yay! I bought one shadow in HoF, NARS Fuji (a recommendation from Nikky), its a gorgeous army green with shimmer. I’ve played about a bit with it on the back of my hand already and its seems very versatile, highly pigmented, but equally it blends out very well into a much more subtle green if thats the look you’re going for. Any suggestions of what to pair it with greatly appreciated!

I then took a dander round to MAC in Debenhams and got a few things off my Wish List, namely Greenstroke Paintpot and Blackground Paintpot (to save me wasting my Blacktrack Fluidline) and Steamy Eye Shadow, a gorgeous bluey green with gold shimmer. Its a frost finish. I wore this today over the Greenstroke, with a bit of Print smoked into the outer third and crease. Love love love it, really brings out the brown in my eyes.

Check out the swatches below, you can click to enlarge

With Flash

Minus flash; Greenstroke, Steamy, Fuji, Blackground

With Flash

Which product are you a sucker for??? xox

Yee Haaaaa!! I am feeling thoroughly spoilt on the make-up front, as late yesterday afternoon my second NYX haul arrived courtesy of Cherry Culture

From date of shipping it took 10 days to reach me, not as quite as fast as Coastal Scents, but still pretty damn quick for international delivery, especially at this time of year. Everything was packed really well, bubble wrap, surrounded by tissue. On top was a free Cherry Culture own brand lip gloss (cute idea, tastes gross, think plastic)

So here it is….

Lets take a closer look at what I got….

Six Eyeshadow Trio’s $4.00 each (£2.63 each)

• Anti Diva
• Lake Moss
• White/ Grey/ Black
• Aloha/ Mink Brown/ Deep Bronze
• Copper/ Rust/ Bronze
• Golden/ Rust/ Walnut Bronze

1 Tinted Lip Spa in Jewel $4.00 (£2.63)

1 Jumbo Lip Pencil in Narcisse $3.00 (£1.97)

1 Doll Eye Mascara – Long Lash Version Extreme Black $5.50 (£3.62)

2 Ultra Pearl Mania Pigments $1.25 each (£0.82p each)

• Nude
• Rust

Initial thoughts on all products are good, yes the trio shadow formulations are different, but certainly not terrible. They just lack the creaminess of the singles, pigmentation is far from poor though, so I think some internet critics have been overly harsh here.

The Jumbo Lip Pencil is devine, Narcisse is a deep plummy colour, perfect for this time of year. The formulation is fabulously smooth and I much prefer it to the like of Benefit’s Color Plump, which is grainy in comparison. I will definitely be looking a few more of these!

The mascara was a impulse add on when I placed the order, I didn’t expect it to be ground breaking, and its not but actually it is really good at giving curl to my lashes. However the formulation is a bit clumpy which means a lot more work with the wand to get each lash looking smooth. Can I be bothered?….

My favourite items from this haul hands down are the Ultra Pearl Mania pigments. What a complete bargain. Sure, the bullets are small, but don’t under-estimate the colour pay off in this stuff. A little, and I mean a little, goes a very long way. I’ve quickly put some on in the picture below to give you an idea of what to expect in regards to colour. Nude is on the inner third and under the lower lash line. Mascara is Rimmel London’s Sexy Curves.

Altogether my order value was $39.00 (£25.59)
Shipping was $9.95 (£6.53)
I did not incur any customs charges as the box was labelled as a gift.

All in all, even with shipping, it is far cheaper to buy NYX from the USA.
In the UK we pay twice the price for the trio’s. In fact we pay double for almost all NYX cosmetics.
All I can say, is in the future my NYX hauls will be bought at Cherry Culture and not All Wellan Good! I’m happy to wait the 10 days and pocket the difference

I have been using Enormous Lash for one week now, and as promised these are the pictures of my eyelashes one week on. I took the pictures under the same conditions as the first (see post below), make-up and mascara free

I am honestly a little shocked as deep down I really didn’t expect any difference especially so early on, but I have to say that there definitely is. Not just in length but also in the condition of my lashes. They feel different, glossier, and easier to coat with my mascara wand. I will post another update again in a week xo

While I’m waiting for Enormous Lash to perform miracles I am still trying every mascara on the market that promotes longer/ thicker/ blacker lashes. So there was much excitement at the beginning on the week when Covergirl’s Lashblast and Maybelline’s Colossal Volum’ Express arrived via Ebay

The promises are good, Lashblast “maxes-out each and every lash for a blast of lush, volumized lashes.” & Colossal gives “Colossal Lashes in Just One Coat!” apparently. Happy days I’m thinking! Packaging is bright & funky but how do they actually perform?
I am comparing the Colossal against Max Factor’s Masterpiece mascara and the Lashblast against MAC’s Plush Lash as they are similar styles and the wands are extremely alike. See Pics Below.

Covergirl (left) Maybelline (right) wand

Max Factor (left) MAC (right) wand

Lashblast has thee thickest wand I have ever seen on a mascara, the head is huge with rubberised type bristles, formulation is very thick and creamy. I’ve tried this twice now. Both times I have had to put two coats on to achieve anything that gives nearly enough the coverage I like. I do not see the thinking/ point behind the super width wand. The bristles seem stumpy and uneven and I felt they didn’t grip each individual lash, I also felt it was hard to get the thick wand into the base of my lashes without a) poking myself in the eye and b) getting mascara on my eye make-up.

Masterepiece in contrast has the benefit of longer, more uniform rubber bristles and a thinner wand allowing a more precise application, and although I coated lashes twice, once would have sufficed.

Colossal has a large bushy wand, lots of bristles, densely packed. Again I gave 2 coats, it gave a nice black finish, but no wow effect for me.

Plush Lash has an almost identical wand, mascara formulation is a lot thicker though and I felt definitely pumped the lashes up better. However neither of the above mascaras are easy to use on the lower lash line and I feel this is because of the sheer bushiness of the wands. So unless you don’t want to be fixing your undereye make-up with concealer I would give both of these a wide berth.

So not overly impressed with the two new additions to my mascara collection and tbh I doubt I’ll use either unless I run out of my favourites, of which Max Factor’s Masterpiece is still definitely one.

Most of us have things about our physical appearance that we would like to enhance or change. For some women its their breasts, others their noses (actually can I add that one for a later date) and some even want different coloured skin. The thing that has always bothered me most,  being a make-up lover, is my lashes. Actually my lack of lashes. They are sparse (the close up pics make them look half way decent), they are in fact stumpy and have a resistance to curling, even with a heated eyelash curler.

I spend a lot of money buying various mascaras promising me 10X volume, extreme curl, false eyelash effect lashes. You name it and chances are I own it. I’m pretty experienced in mascara testing! lol

These are my top three

• 1. L’oreal Voluminous
• 2. L’oreal Telescopic
• 3. Max Factor Masterpiece

But I wouldn’t be me, unless I still hankered after the real deal. Therefore that explains why I spent just over $100 buying a eyelash growth product called “Enormous Lash” by Beauty Society (formerly Intuit Beauty) Check out the before and after pics on their site, yikes!!

Enormous Lash claims to contain “a blend of peptides, amino acids and many conditioning ingredients to produce mind blowing results.” Now even as I type this I’m giggling to myself, my husband will simply roll his eyes. There is absolute no scientific proof that this product will cause my lashes to sprout but I’m taken in by the fact that “Celebs love Enormous Lash too… here are just a few! Courtney Cox, Catherine Oxenberg, Swoozie Kurtz, Jenny McCarthy, Kendra Wilkinson, Kim Kardashian, Holly Robinson Peete, Mariel Hemingway, Kathy Griffin”…. Kathy Griffin??? anyways……. it has quite a following online also.

So, just for fun and because secretly I’m hoping for a lash miracle I will be doing exactly as recommended, and starting today, applying it to my lower and upper lash line twice daily. These are my before pics below, mascara and make-free and I will post a progress picture weekly.

Just messing about trying out new looks, as you do, and came together with this little concoction.
As a fair skinned brunette with green/brown eyes I find blue hard to wear. It has to be warm and this can be hard to achieve. However I think the following works.

I prepped my eyelid with MAC Paint in Bare Canvas, letting that almost dry. Then I took a flat brush, MAC’s 239 is ideal and packed Barry M’s Fine Glitter Dust in Denim 20 over my entire lid. I didn’t blend at this stage. Then I took the same brush and used Collection 2000′s Dazzle Me Pigment in Heavenly 5, applying it to only the inner third of my eyelid to brighten. Again didn’t blend (so by this stage I look a bit Pat Butcherish). Then I took Barry M’s Dazzle Dust in Emerald 72 and applied it to the crease of my eyelid with a fluffy blending brush and swept it back and forth in a window wiper motion. Then used the same brush to buff the pigments lightly into each other, starting at the inner corner and working out. This removed any harsh lines. Then I took a fluffy tapered brush, MAC’s 224 and picked up some Deep Truth (a dark navy shadow) and using a circular motion rubbed this into the extreme outer edge of the crease, working it over towards the centre of the crease to add smokiness and definition. Then using a firm slanted brush I took Coastal Scents Gel Liner in Turquoise and applied it to my upper lash line as you would a liquid eyeliner, I also applied it under my lower lashes to tie the colour together. Finally I coated my eyelashes in L’oreal’s Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black. This is my fave mascara at the moment, the brush design looks gimmicky but I’m telling you, it coats every single lash and seperates them with ease, and no nasty clumping! Hooray!!