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Showing posts with label Mascara. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mascara. Show all posts

Benefit They're Real Beyond Brown Reveiw

Thursday, 30 July 2015



They're Real £19.50

I've only ever worn black mascara, apart from a brief obsession with blue lashes as a teenager but we'll leave that where it is. Just lately I've been loving a natural look more than ever and I decided to put away my usual black mascara and eyeliner and go for a softer approach with Benefit's new Beyond Brown They're Real.

I've had a few sample sized They're Real over the years but never considered buying a full size, no real reason just favouring others more at the time of trying the sample sized. The release of new shades made the mascara more appealing than ever and I have to say its pretty good!

Beyond Brown definitely gives a softer finish to my lashes, the longevity is good and I don't find I get much transfer when wearing. I would like the formula to be a little glossier as the finish is more of a matte brown. As with the sample sized the bristles on the brush are quite a hard plastic and if you accidentally scrape it across the inside of your eyelid you certainly will know about it! Benefit say for the best result to hold wand horizontally and wiggle side to side for lift and then turn the wand vertically and stroke upward to curl and separate. Even using this technique I struggled to get a good amount of product on my lashes, not bad if you want to avoid clumps but not so greta on the volume side of things.

All in all I'd give this mascara 6/10, it certainly doesn't give me the volume and lift of others I have owned but it will see me through my brown mascara obsession this summer.

This Weeks Most Worn

Sunday, 19 July 2015


My most worn products over the last week are a collection of both old favourites almost forgotten about and new discoveries which I'm loving, all of which I really couldn't be without in this heat.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural has seriously left me wondering why on earth I hadn't tried it before. For years and years I had avoided finishing powders as they took me back to those awful matte, pasty pale years of my teens. After struggling more than most years with controlling shine I decided to purchase this powder as it not only controls shine with a semi-matte finish but it also provides another light layer of coverage. When wearing you can barely tell you're wearing it, it doesn't cling to imperfections or to those fuzzy little hairs we ladies have, just a smooth natural finish. Love!

Another MAC favourite at the moment is their Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre. My usual favourite eyeshadow primers aren't keeping shadows on my oily lids, this stuff not only works great as a matte eyeshadow on it's own but also doubles up as a long wearing natural base that doesn't crease or fade. My Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette has made an appearance in my daily routine again, with the shade Stark being my everyday shade, I'm seriously gutted they don't sell this shade on it's own as I will be lost without it!

My Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer has made it's way back into my makeup bag, I'd almost forgotten how good this stuff is! I do suffer with a little creasing under my eyes so I make sure I tissue off any excess product and set with powder to avoid it settling into the creases, the result is much brighter and more rested looking eyes.

I do currently have a Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara open but when I saw Benefit release new shades of their They're Real Mascara I was instantly drawn to the brown shade, I have to say its pretty good. The mascara itself doesn't give me the most volume and lift I've ever had from a mascara but I am enjoying the more natural look of brown lashes apposed to my normal black. I'll post a more in-depth review of this one soon.

Last but my no means least we have my current favourite blusher from Clinique, Melon Pop Cheek Pop. This stuff looks so nice with my current tan, it gives cheeks the loveliest wash of colour but keeping them looking natural and not powdery. I have the coordinating lipstick, Melon Pop and when worn together it really pulls my whole summery look together.

See any of your favourites or anything you've been dying to try?

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara Review + B&A Photos!

Sunday, 5 July 2015




Recently my favourite mascara, Lancome Hypnose, ran out *sheds a tear and I took to my Muji drawers for a replacement. Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara had been sat waiting for use for over a year and much to my delight it hadn't dried up or gone clumpy. I know a lot of gals go wild for this mascara as it gives volume and body to even the most non existent lashes but I must admit I had overlooked it as the only products from Too Faced that have ever appealed to me were their bronzers. Ready for the results and my thoughts?

Top Without Mascara
Middle One Coat
Bottom Two Coats

Excuse the puffy little morning eyes but pretty impressive stuff huh? My natural lashes are a light mouse brown and have no real length or body about them so this mascara is a welcome addition to my makeup routine. As you ca see the formula is blackest black and despite me having oily eyelids it doesn't transfer or smudge. I do find the brush to be a bit more bulky than I'm used to so I have to be a bit more focused when a applying but with results as full-bodied as this a little more time spent applying isn't an issue.

Still doesn't quite top my favourite Lancome Hypnose mascara but it's up there.

Current Favourites

Thursday, 2 July 2015




I was deliberating on whether to do a 'June Favourites' post but as I have been forcing myself to do a weekly rotation of the products in my makeup bag (with exception to my base products) I don't really have any products I couldn't leave alone but there are a few I'm finding hard to put away.

First up we have the beautiful Stila Field Of Florals Palette £30, I wanted this palette ever since I saw it's release in the US and it was so worth the wait. Even the shades I thought would not work on my fairly pale complexion sheer out to a beautiful wash of colour. Cream blushers are my favourite and with the huge variety of shades in this palette it's a true space saver in your makeup bag.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer has been my favourite primer over the last couple of weeks, I had completely forgotten what a pleasure it is to use. This cooling gel primer doesn't do an amazing job of concealing pores or blurring lines but it does give my base a glowing finish and keeps everything in place all day, perfect for the summer.

Clinique's Nude Pop Cheek Pop blusher unfortunately isn't available in the UK so I won't go on about it too much but I will say now I'm sporting more of a bronzed look it's perfect for that barely there makeup look.

Ok so NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder £26.50 hasn't just recently been a favourite of mine but it is one that I'm really starting to appreciate more now the warm weather is here. This powder keeps everything in place all day without that obvious powder finish to your skin, I adore this stuff!

Another product that has been a favourite for a while and an absolute godsend in this weather is Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade £15, this stuff really doesn't fade or budge. I'd recently discovered the product was starting to dry up and really didn't want to part with it so I placed a drop of baby oil in and voila it's totally revived!

I'd recently ran out of my favourite Lancome Hypnose mascara and rather than rushing out for a new one I though I'd try some of the mascara's in my stash waiting to be used. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara £19 has been a pleasant surprise, I initially thought it wouldn't be all that as the brush on the wand is quite big but it does an amazing job of separating and lengthening lashes.

Clinique Lash Building Primer Review

Thursday, 21 May 2015




Being a girl who favours a punchy pout over a bold eye I am always on the look out for something that will give my lashes a little more oomph. I've added Clinique's Lash Building Primer to my basket plenty of times when online shopping yet always removing it as I kind of considered it an unnecessary part of my routine, how wrong was I!

When I initially used this primer I was a little concerned as the formula looks quite a stark white on the brush however when you apply it it's noticeable enough to see where it has been applied yet not so bright you'd need 5 coats of mascara to cancel it out. After 2 coats of this primer and then 2 coats of mascara I am left with seriously thickened lashes! Clinique state this primer not only protects lashes but the formula conditions, which I can sort of agree with as my lashes don't feel dry or uncomfortable with it on. 

Have you tried a mascara primer? Which are your recommendations?

April Empties & Repurchases

Sunday, 3 May 2015



I didn't want to be the one to say it but where the hell did April go? Spring seems to be flying by and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's excited about the prospect of summer being on our doorstep. So as we say hello to May and goodbye to April here's my empties and a few repurchases...


Being in my mid-twenties I wanted to start using something for preventative measures against ageing and Clarins Double Serum was my first choice as it's a multi award winning anti ageing product. Suitable for all skin types this powerful serum helps shrink pores, firms skin and helps smooth wrinkles. I use at night and over the last 6 months have seen a dramatic change in my skins texture, my pores are considerably less visible and my complexion has an all round glow to it. A definite repurchase.


I bought this micellar water on a bit of a whim as there was an offer on in Boots. This micellar water claims to not only remove makeup and cleanse skin but also contain a natural mild exfoliator to leave skin brighter. I found this micellar water to be ok, not as great as my favourite (B. micellar water from Superdrug) and I certainly didn't see any improvement in my skins appearance from using it. Unfortunately not a repurchase.


These wipes are the best I've come across. The B. range from Superdrug offers some seriously brilliant skincare products, these wipes along with their micellar water gently remove all traces of my makeup and leave my skin feeling soft and smooth. These wipes are a regular repurchase.


I had high hopes for this toner after reading so many shining reviews on it but unfortunately my skin didn't reap any of the benefits it claims to give. Despite this toner claiming to be free from alcohol the scent tells me otherwise and it really dried my skin out (and I have pretty oily skin!). Definitely won't be repurchasing this one.


For my pre mani cuticle treatment I use Leighton Denney's Slick Tips, a great product but not practical for when you're on the go as it comes in a glass nail polish style bottle so queue The Body Shop's pen style cuticle oil. I usually keep one of these in my handbag and one on my keyboard at work, because it comes in a pen style applicator it's such a quick and easy product to use. A definite repurchase.


This has been my favourite nail polish remover for what seems like forever. It does a great job of dissolving polish quickly and leaving my nails feeling moisturised and clean. The formula also helps whiten nails so it's great for those times you forget to use a base coat and are left with some staining. A regular repurchase.


I adore this mascara, I have raved about it in a previous post as it does the most amazing job of lengthening and giving volume to my lashes without leaving them looking clumpy and loaded with mascara. I love the fact I can wear this mascara all day and not need to worry about smudges or any dry flakes. Already repurchased another one of these little beauties.


This was actually a sample from a Birchbox from months ago that I totally forgot about. This stuff smells divine and really helps to seal the moisture into my hair after washing and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. I've gone on to purchase the full size product from the Birchbox shop as I couldn't find it anywhere else in the UK.

Did you see any of your favourite products here or anything you'd want to try?




Lancome Hypnose Mascara Review

Friday, 20 February 2015

I'm still dipping my toe into Lancome products and I have to say I think this mascara could be the catalyst to me trying more!

Lancome Hypnose mascara rrp £22.50 comes in some seriously sleek packaging, it definitely has a luxe feel to it and the brush on the wand is just, well just perfect! 
The brush does an excellent job of coating each lash and really lengthening them without any clumpy bits. The formula is to die for! Not only is it blackest black but it stays put all day, not a sign of smudges or flaky bits. 

Top - No Mascara
Middle - One Coat
Bottom - Two Coats
Excuse my puffy morning eyes and flyaway bed hair but how lovely is this mascara on? It really lengthens and defines my lashes, I'm hooked!



Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara

Friday, 26 September 2014

A mascara that I have been loving lately is Bourjois 1 Seconde, from the Glamour Beauty Power List Box by Latest In Beauty. 
This new mascara offering from Bourjois features a 'unique brush with spherical bristles to help wrap every lash in a 360 degree motion and the straight bristles help to create clump-free definition'. The formula is great, it is long-lasting and smudge free which is perfect for the up and coming rainy season. Although initially when looking at the brush it seemed quite bulky, it really does a great job of coating each lash without any nasty blobs in the corner of your eye or on your eyelids.
This mascara doesn't so much build volume but helps lengthen and separate lashes for a more natural a polished finish. Retailing at £9.99 you can get this mascara plus loads of other great products (including Eyeko eye make-up remover wipes and Laura Mercier Primer) as part of the Glamour Beauty Power List box for only £15.99!  

The Glamour Beauty Power List 2014 Box From Latest In Beauty

Saturday, 13 September 2014

I absolutely adore Latest In Beauty's collaboration boxes with Glamour magazine, they are always excellent value and packed with a great variation of branded products that would each get used. Needless to say when they emailed me two weeks ago releasing a new box 'The Glamour Beauty Power List 2014' I ordered it straight away and waited impatiently for it to be delivered. When it arrived on Thursday although I already knew what the contents were I still let out a little shriek as I unboxed it. With a whopping value of over £80 but yours for £15.99 here's the contents...


I'm already a huge fan of Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish (although I can't use it everyday due to my temperamental skin prone to hormonal break-out's) and I adore everything by Eyeko. The products I've most wanted to try from this box were the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer and James Read Sleep Mask Tan, the concept of an overnight mask that gives you a gorgeous glow in the morning is a winner for me.

I've purchased a few of the Glamour collaborations with Latest In Beauty and this has to be my absolute favorite as I genuinely will use every product! I imagine these boxes will go quite quickly so head on over to Latest In Beauty and buy yours today...you wont be disappointed!
  

September's Pink Parcel - Contents And Review

Wednesday, 10 September 2014

You may have caught my post last month on my first Pink Parcel and it's contents. In case you didn't catch my post and don't know what Pink Parcel have to offer here's a little info on the fab subscription service tailored to your monthly cycle.

Pink Parcel is a monthly subscription service for your monthly! You can choose your brand, type and absorbency of either tampons or towels and they are conveniently delivered to your door a few days before your period with some lovely little extra's to cheer you up!

My weapon of choice is Tampax Compact. As I did last month I received an ample amount of (5x) Tampax Light, (7x) Tampax Regular, (7x) Tampax Super and (7x) Tampax Super-Plus to see me through. 

There was an issue with Pink Parcel's supplier this month which meant subscribers received their extra goodies a few days late. I did email their customer services about the missing items and they were quick to reply and just lovely. The wait for my extra goodies was well worth it as there were some fantastic items! 



If you like the look of Pink Parcel your first month is only £5.95 and every subsequent month is £9.95, not only convenient and a joy to receive but an absolute bargain! 

July Beauty Favourites

Monday, 4 August 2014


With July going by in an absolute flash I bring a round up of my favourite beauty buys and there were some fantastic ones! The great thing about summer is lighter make-up, halving the time we take in the morning to get ready by using just a few products to enhance that tan we've gained. Let's take a look at the products I've been reaching for most frequently in July...

Cosmetic Warrior 

Lush Cosmetic Warrior has been my favourite face mask of July. Anyone that reads my blog knows I suffer from bad skin (thanks to PCOS) so I have to keep on top of my skincare routine and Cosmetic Warrior has made a vast improvement to my skin over the few weeks I have been using it. This cooling mask is designed to deep-cleanse spot-prone skin, soothing redness and help banish break-outs. Best kept in the fridge, you can get around 6 uses from one 75g tub, it must be used within 3 weeks so this gives you a generous amount for a mask twice weekly.

Peach Club

One of my favourite lip colours of last month was from the Rouge Edition Velvet line by Bourjois in the shade Peach Club. This is the best matte lip product I've tried. Peach Club is a very wearable peachy-coral colour that looks gorgeous applied with your finger for a softer finish or applied with the wand for a bolder colour pay-off. This feathery-light matte lipstick doesn't dry lips at all and is completely transfer resistant giving you at least 8 hours without the need for re-application. With the hot weather we were having last month I found myself reaching more and more for this gorgeous lip colour and it just lasts and lasts and as I was confident I wouldn't need to reapply it saved space in my bag by not carrying a million lip products!

Miss Manga Mascara

I received Loreal's Miss Manga Mascara  in July's You Beauty box and I've been using it pretty much every day. Not only does this mascara actually give lashes volume it also has incredible staying power and I find very little transference in this hot and humid weather. Initially when I pulled the wand from the tube I thought it would leave my lashes quite clumpy as the brush holds a lot of the product but the end result is quite the opposite, lashes are longer and thicker and there is no brittleness of the formula.

Barry M Gelly Coconut

I absolutely love Barry M's Gelly range and I'm already on my second bottle of the shade Coconut. Coconut is the perfect creamy off-white shade that I have been pretty much wearing throughout the whole of July. The opacity isn't that great, I find I need 3 coats for a perfect finish but this hasn't deterred me from wearing as like the other shades from their range it is long wearing and has a perfect gel like finish.

Bourjois Pink Sunwear

Since getting my hands on the new shades of cream blushers from Bourjois Pink Sunwear has been a blusher I have reached for on a daily basis. This gorgeous shade is a tan cream blusher with pink undertones and the fine gold shimmer it contains leaves you with a healthy glow to your cheeks. Like all other cream blushers from Bourjois this blush blends like a dream thanks to its gel like constituency and is extremely long wearing.

Body Shop Honey Bronzer

I did a post about this absolutely perfect little bronzer a couple of days ago. I've been wearing shade 2 every day since I bought it, it's a completely matte bronzer with yellow undertones which is perfect for my fair (NC15) skin, leaving me with a natural glow and no muddiness or obvious orange tones. Not only is the shade perfect for my fair skin but the formula itself is silky and extremely blend able.


A great month for new beauty discoveries, I have found some fantastic products that will be residing in my daily routine throughout the summer.












July's You Beauty Discovery Box

Tuesday, 8 July 2014


This months You Beauty Discovery Box heralded the official start to the holiday season aptly named the You Travel Box. The You Travel edit was designed to offer a range of travel-friendly beauty must-haves and I must say the product shortlist was quite a good one! Let's take a look at the items I chose and my little extras...

Tan Organic Self Tanner

I chose Tan Organic Original Self Tan as I seem to have a small obsession with tanners of any form. This one is a sunless tanner made with natural ingredients that reputed to give you a healthy tan that fades perfectly without the unpleasant fake tan smell. Tan Organic contains no paragons, artificial fragrances or synthetic ingredients. I'm looking forward to giving this one a go on the weekend!

Loreal Miss Manga Mascara

My other selection was a no-brainer! I wear mascara everyday and I have read some positive reviews and blog posts on this mascara so I was interested to try it. Loreal Miss Manga Mascara features a flexible cone shaped brush for mega volume on top and bottom lashes. The 360 degree flexible brush eagles easy application. I've used this mascara a couple of times since I received my bx and I'm really pleased with it. It leaves my lashes volumised but without clumps.





This months extra treats were a sachet of Egyptian Magic multi-purpose cream, Dove Men Shave Cream (not sure why?!) and a 2ml sample of Agent Provocateur Fatale.


As with every month a great selection of products and extras and all for £6.95 (inc p&p). 




Jodie
xoxo





Eyeko Black Magic Mascara Review

Sunday, 25 May 2014



I've been dying to purchase this mascara ever since I found a new love in Eyeko's Brow Gel, but I have been trying to be restrained and wait until my current mascara had ran out, which it now has, ok nearly has I just didn't want to wait any longer!

Eyeko's Black Magic Mascara rrp £18 promises drama, volume and curl delivered by it's curvaceous brush which lifts, curls and volumises and leaves lashes blacker-than-black, perfect for after-hours seduction. The formula is a unique conditioning blend that contains Keratin and Shea Butter for transformed lashes with superior staying-power. 

Top L-R without Black Magic Mascara
Bottom with Black Magic Mascara

As you can see from my before photo's I don't have much in the way of eyelashes nowadays, I'm pretty sure that's what years of relentless mascara application does for you! I found Eyeko's Black Magic Mascara delivered on every promise. It was easy to apply (I love the tube packaging they use for their products) the brush didn't leave any clumps on my lashes and there is a definite visible improvement in length and definition of my lashes. The formula stays all day (this one is waterproof) and I got only the slightest transfer smudges under my eyes after hours of wear.

Another favourite in my make-up bag from Eyeko!

Jodie
xoxo

LIB's The British Beauty Blogger Dream Box

Saturday, 24 May 2014

Earlier this week Latest In Beauty announced they were releasing a 'Dream Beauty Box' collaboration with Jane Cunningham aka The British Beauty Blogger, this caused a stir on all social media platforms as ladies couldn't wait to get their hands on it! Luckily I didn't hang around too long to purchase mine as it sold out within 24 hours, unsurprisingly so as it's packed with some fabulous products each of which I will use. Priced at £19.95 and the value of the contents amounting to over £100 this is an astoundingly good value beauty box and with each of the products being tried, tested and approved by Jane herself we all knew we'd love it!
There were only a few variations of products you would receive, the Make-up Revolution palette, Essie nail polish, Bourjois cream blush, Kneipp herbal bath and Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick sachet. I was very happy with the variations of the products in my box, lets take a closer look at the products I received...

Kneipp Herbal Bath rrp £7.95 Stress Free Orange & Mandarin full-size
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick sample in So Marilyn
Bee Good Honey & Wild Water Mint Cleansing Water rrp £10 full-size
Elemis Treat Your Feet foot cream 20ml 
Essie in Spin The Bottle rrp £7.99 full-size
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara rrp £19 full-size
Benefit  It's Potent Eye Cream 3ml sample
REN Satin Perfection BB CReam 3ml sample
L'Occitane  Divine Lotion rrp £10.50 50ml 
Bourjois  Cream Blush rrp £7.99 full-size
La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water 50ml
Janjira  Thai Lime & Ginger Handwash 50ml
Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow and Eyebrow Palette in Lock & Load rrp £4 full-size
Roger & Gallet Gingembre Rouge Perfume 1.5ml vial
Lola  Kabuki Brush full-size

I'm really happy with the products I received and find it an amazing value box, the great variation of products means it's great for a pampering night in! I know I'll be trying a few products out at bath time tonight...

Jodie
xoxo 

May's Edition Of Birchbox

Saturday, 10 May 2014



Rather excitingly Birchbox collaborated with Sophie Bloomfield the Beauty Director from fashion and beauty magazine Harper's Bazaar with their must-have beauty picks for Spring/Summer. When Birchbox announced their collaboration it caused quite a stir on social media with beauty enthusiasts eagerly anticipating May's edition and quite rightly so as this box has some fabulous products in it! Let's take a look into my box and the items I received...



One of the products everyone wanted was Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish. This award winning (100 awards to be precise!) cleanser lifts dirt and makeup from the skin's surface with a little help from two of nature's best astringents- eucalyptus oil and rosemary, polishing the product off with their 100% cotton muslin cloth it leaves skin radiant, smoothed and soothed. Gentle yet effective it can even be used to remove eye makeup. Funnily enough I placed an order for this very product earlier in the week and it came the same time as my Birchbox! Whilst I am more than happy with my current cleanser I was intrigued to know why this product has such a cult following...I will pop a post up once I have tried it this evening.


I was hoping that I would have one of the polishes in my box after seeing the spoilers and I was so pleased when I opened the box to find the shade Persimmon by expert salon brand Soigne. This gorgeous coral shade, leaning more on the orange side, will be the perfect Spring/Summer shade for fingers and toes! The packaging of this polish makes it feel a lot more expensive than it is (rrp £11). It comes in a gorgeous Chanel-esque black and white box with the polish being hugged firmly by black foam inside. I only did my nails yesterday evening so won't be trying it out tonight but it's next on my list!






Another great sample-sized product from Benefit this month. I have tried their 'They're Real!' mascara before and it's really good, it gives lashes both length and volume with a natural looking curl. The formula is jet-black and the special brush is definition enchanting, easily layered to take you from your day-to-night look. I find the best application is to wiggle the brush from lash base to tip, giving you volume without clumps.








I do love a good bath oil, although I tend to shower more I do have a lovely little collection in the bathroom for when I do decide to take time out and indulge. I have tried Aromatherapy Associates Morning Bath & Shower Oil before, containing grapefruit, rosemary and juniper it's a great energy booster for use in the morning or after travelling. There's enough for one bath in the sample, I will add this to my collection to indulge in soon.









Last but not least in my box was Beauty Protectors shampoo and conditioner. I rarely stray from my usual shampoo and conditioner but I do have a little box of samples which are great to pack if I'm going away for the night. Beauty Protector's range is designed to revive heat styled hair, guard against further damage and hep heal any that's already been done. The formula contains honey pearl powder which is rich in conchiolin which acts like the hair protein Keratin.





Overall I think this was a fabulous box full of a good variation of great quality products. I have only been with Birchbox for 3 months and I haven't been disappointed yet.

Jodie
xoxo

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