A little haul

Just a small haul to share with you all. I snapped up a can of the latest addition to the Batiste family - their Big & Bouncy XXL Volume. I didn't get on well with UG Backcomb in a Bottle so hoping this will be a more successful encounter - can't wait for my hair to dirty up a bit so I can try it out!

Next up is a bottle of St Moriz Dark Instant Tanning Mousse which I was drawn to after seeing Lily's review here. I know a lot of beauty bloggers can get hold of St Moriz in TK Maxx but my local one showed no signs so I ordered it from cheapsmells.com for £4.49 delivered :) 

In need of a new mascara I picked up Loreal's Lash Architect 4D. I don't get drawn to the Loreal stand very often but this was on offer and my inner magpie couldn't resist the mirrored packaging!

Finally a couple of nail polishes made their way into my basket - Barry M's Peach Melba and Accessorize's Storm....

And some swatches.......Peach Melba...



Without flash

 

With flash



....and Storm...



Without flash

 

With flash



Until next time,

Reviewed: Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect Rotating Mascara

What they say

Innovative new mascara : The new auto rotating brush instantly and evenly wraps around each lash for a false lash volume effect in 30 seconds flat! The brush rotates 360° and coats lashes from root to tip with no overloading guaranteed. The rotating motion continuously deposits all mascara from the brush onto the lashes and evenly spreads just the right amount of formula onto the lash fringe effortlessly and in record time.

What I say

Packaging

Red and silver lettering on a black plastic tube....pretty unoffensive but nothing spectacularly eye-catching either. The tube is quite weighty due to the motor and battery in the lid - the lid section is also longer than the part that holds the mascara which somehow made me feel like I wasn't getting as much product....!?

A quick scan of Bourjois's mascara range for comparison shows you're getting less than with their Liner Effect & Volume Clubbing mascaras (11ml) and the Volume Glamour & Coup de Theatre ranges (a whopping 12ml) but more than The Volumizer (7ml) which happens to be one of my favourite mascaras so I shall stop mid-grumble and move on..

Product

Volume Fast & Perfect features a medium width, straight bristle brush. The formula is highly pigmented but a little on the dry side (probably to avoid blobs of mascara flying off the brush when you get the motor going!)

There is a switch on the tube which allows you to alternate the direction of the wand depending on which eye you're applying it to. For best results hold the brush at the base of your lashes allowing the rotating motion to sweep the product through to the tips - Bourjois claim it should take no more than 30 seconds to get perfectly volumised lashes and that you shouldn't need to go back for a second pump of product. I found it a bit odd to apply at first and every so slightly tickly but once you get the hang of it, its pretty easy. If this has worked you should be able to see a little video if the brush rotating below!!!

Results
Here's the photo evidence of one and two coats vs. bare lashes....



Bare lashes

The rotating brush applies the mascara really evenly and combs the product through leaving no clumps behind.

 

One coat

I did find the wand a bit tricky to use on lower lashes - as it rotated it tended to push them into my skin so quite a high risk of smudging if you're not careful.

 

Two coats

Length and volume were both reasonable but what really stood out for me was impressive amount of curl it gave to lashes as the following before/after pics show...

 

Bare lashes

Two coats

Price

Currently £7.99 in an introductory offer at Boots (normal RRP £11.99)

Would I repurchase?
Probably not - I think I was drawn in by the gadget/gimmick on this mascara - the results are pretty good but not ground-breaking enough compared to Bourjois's Volmuizer to warrant a second purchase!

Would I recommend?
Gadget addicts like myself will probably have to try this mascara, it definitely adds bit of fun to the daily make up routine!

Until next time,
 

Hauled: Givenchy & Eyeko!

I've almost completely hit pan on the coral shade from this YSL shadow duo and as replacement decided to go for Chic Coral from Givenchy's Le Prisme Yeux Mono eyeshadow range.

Like its YSL predecessor the packaging on this shadow is just amazing - I love the mirrored logo to the top and that the case has a magnetic rather than clasp closure - it closes with a luxuriously satisfying clunk!

The compact features a single colour shadow but with four different textures to allow you to create a multidimensional look with just one product - there's a matte shadow, two levels of pearl finish and a 'sequined' one (aka glittery-ish!)

I wasn't really able to capture the different textures in the picture but here's a shot anyway :) I haven't included any swatches either as it barely shows up on my hands which are slightly tanned from the recent sunshine!

The shadow costs £20 but I managed to get a couple of pounds off as part of Debenhams' Easter Extravaganza event.

Another recent purchase is Eyeko's Big Eyes Mascara. This is my first try of Eyeko products and I'm impressed so far (with the customer service & delivery anyway!)

I love the fact that this mascara comes in a squeezy tube - can imagine it makes it easier to get as much of the product out as possible. The brush is also a new venture for me as its so tiny...

....will let you know how I get on! The mascara was £8.95 from Eyeko's website (delivery is free!)

Until next time,

Reviewed: Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion Mascara

What they say

'False Lash Effect Fusion combines Max Factor’s biggest ever volumising brush with its latest lengthening formula to create thicker and longer lashes. For those girls who want an extreme lash look, they’ve come to the right place'

What I say
Packaging

The mascara comes in a chunky purple plastic tube with silver lettering. I really like how its bright without being tacky looking.

The only downside is that 'chunky' takes up a lot of space. My make up bag won't close properly with this in it :-\

Product

The brush is the same as the one from Max Factor's False Effect mascara which for reference is huge and fat with short plastic bristles and its the brush which creates volume for your lashes. The lengthening element comes courtesy of an innovative formula that contains the same nylon fibres found in lash extensions.

Application wise, I'm not used to such a large brush and personally found this one cumbersome and awkward to use, especially for little corner lashes. It did however apply the mascara evenly and separated lashes along the way so there were no clumps in sight.

Results

Here are the pictures of the mascara in action....

Bare eye (except for a bit of eyeshadow!)

One coat



Two coats



Three coats

The brush doesn't pick up much formula which meant I needed 3 coats to get a look I was happy with. Having said that you do get a quite big deposit of product on the tip of the brush which tended to catch my nose! It didn't smudge but did get a bit dry and flaky by the end of the day. 

Price
£11.99 from Boots.

Would I repurchase?

I'm not likely to purely because I prefer medium brushes and don't think I could get used to one of this size.

Would I recommend?
If you like chubby brushes then this is definitely worth a try as the formula and application are both great.

Until next time,

Reviewed: YSL Singulier Mascara

What they say

'A mascara that dares everything - volume, length and extreme curves - and sculpts the lashes creating a base effect "liner" for a look that is unique yet irresistible'

What I say

Packaging
Glossy, gold, metal shiny-ness. Nuff said :)

Product

Singulier comes with a medium size bristle wand - the bristles are actually 2 different lengths which gives it a spiral appearance. The formula is medium consistency - personally I like a bit more on the brush but its not one of those overly dry/unworkable formulas.

It does have a fairly obvious floral/perfume scent (apparently all YSL mascaras have this but this is only one I've owned so can't confirm!) I can't say I mind it although it is a bit odd to use a scented mascara!

Results

Singulier gave me good length and volume and reasonable curl. Not quite as knockout as Holly achieved...she seems to get a far more dramatic look out of this mascara than I do! The girl has skills!

Bare eye

One coat



Two coats

Freshly applied this mascara looks great but throughout the day I did find that it became a little dry and flaky and on top of this, the tube itself also dries up quickly - I've been using it daily for just under a month and its more or less dead :( Would really like to get a more use for the price which is.....

Price £21.50 (ouch!)

Would I repurchase?
I really like the result this mascara gives and the sleek packaging has a lot of feel-good factor about it, but the fact that it dries out so quickly makes it no-no from me.

Would I recommend?
Yes but be prepared to replace this often.

Until next time,

Reviewed: Revlon Custom Eyes Mascara

What they say

'New Revlon CustomEyes™ Mascara is the first Revlon mascara that offers two gorgeous lash looks with one genius brush. The innovative brush has adjustable bristles to amp up length & drama or for all-out length & definition'

What I say

Packaging
A simple black plastic tube with silver lettering - I can't decide if its classy or a little dull (at least compared to the neon offerings of Rimmel and Maybelline!) The brush is adjusted by twisting the end of the cap.

Product

Custom eyes offers a medium size rubber bristle brush. The rows of bristles move up or down which alters how the product is delivered and in turn allows you to choose from two different 'looks'.  Setting 1 promises Length and Drama - here's the brush when this look is selected...

and here's setting 2 which offers Length and Definition....

As you can see from both shots the formula is wet and intensely pigmented. There are two shades available Blackest Black (the one I got) and Blackened Brown.

Results
So here are the piccies of each setting with both one and two coats on top lashes only.

First up we have Length and Drama....or rather clumps, clumps and more clumps :( My lashes were so stuck together after one coat you'd be forgiven for thinking I'm missing half of them. The formula dries quickly so the end result was possibly not helped by the fact that I stopped to take photos between each coat. Even still this is a non-wearable look in my book.

Bare eye

One coat

Two coats

The Length and Definition look did fare a little better - reasonable length and volume and more critically an even looking lash line (thank god!). Lasting power is good - no smudging or flaking and my lashes don't feel dry or crispy.  

Bare eye

One coat

Two coats

Price £9.99 for 5.6ml

Would I repurchase?

Although I'd happily wear the Length and Definition look in the day I won't be buying this mascara again anytime soon. I love seeing new technology and gimmicks in beauty products (which explains why I was drawn to this mascara in the first place!)  but I'm essentially only getting one look out of it and not two as promised.

Would I recommend?

If you're in the market for an adjustable look mascara I think there are better ones to be had out there - a couple that spring to mind are Bourjois's Volumizer or Rimmel's 1-2-3 Looks. I'd recommend either of those over this offering from Revlon.

Until next time,

Reviewed: Boots 17 Photo Flawless Lashes Mascara in Black/Copper

What they say

"These fabulous mascaras have a clever curved wand that will give your lashes a long-lasting lift and voluptuous volume from day to night. They are smudge-proof and promise to leave you saying good-bye to panda eyes. Each mascara contains a carbon black shade mixed with a twist of pearlescent colour. 

By accentuating your natural eye colour, you’ll never feel the need to hide from the camera again. Thanks to the angled brush of this mascara it creates the most dramatic effect by lifting and curling the lashes. The best thing about this mascara is the intense pigment in the formula that accentuates the colour of your iris, brightening your eyes making them bigger and your lashes full of life."

What I say

Packaging
This mascara comes packaged in quite a unique shaped black plastic tube with gold lettering - I love the film reel detail.

Product
The Photo Flawless mascara is available in 3 colour-ways Black/Blue, Black/Green, Black/Copper for blue, green and brown eyes respectively! You can (hopefully) see the slight pearlescent shimmer on the brush in the picture below. 

The mascara features a medium sized, curved bristle brush and a middle of the road formula which is neither overly wet or dry. I do prefer a wetter formula but its not unworkable.

Results
As the pics show it took 3 coats to get a look that I was reasonably happy with (probably owing to the medium consistency). There was definitely some decent length but volume was in my view lacking. Also worth noting that this mascara lived up to the claim of being smudge proof during the day but its in no way water resistant.

Bare eye

One coat..

Two coats...

Three coats...

The copper shimmer isn't visible once on - but the key selling point is that the the mascara accentuates your natural eye colour so here is the bare eye/3-coat pics side by side.  To ensure impartiality I asked the boyf to look and see if he could point out any differences. His first comment was 'your lashes are different' (bless!) but he did also go on to add that my iris in the right hand pic is ever so slightly brighter so the mascara appears to have made a little difference :)

Price £5.99 from good old Boots

Would I repurchase? I love the brightening effect but for me the formula doesn't give enough volume for this to become my new fave - three coats is just too much hassle!

Would I recommend? This will be a great mascara for a natural look with a eye-brightening twist so if that's your aim, you could do a lot worse.

Until next time,