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: YSL Ombres Duolumières Eyeshadow Duo in Pearly Peach/Mink Brown

What they say....

"Playing on the alchemy of contrasts, the DUOLUMIERES Eye Shadows combine colour and luminosity to adorn your eyelids with vibrant harmonies. Thanks to an optical smoothing effect each shade fully expresses its intensity and brilliance".



What I say....

I've been using (and loving) this elf quad as my everyday eyeshadow for quite a few months now. The peachy shade is a fab all-over-lid colour which does mean I hit pan on it far sooner than any of the other shadows in the set. My current one chose to completely run out the day before Christmas Eve so whilst in town picking up a final few Xmas pressies I set about trying to find a dupe and was drawn to the YSL's Duolumières eyeshadow duo in No.23 (Pearly Peach/Mink Brown) - or more specifically the pearly peach half!

Packaging  

YSL packaging is undeniably luxurious and this compact in all its shiny gold glory is no exception. The weighty metal case houses a good-sized mirror along with two brushes - your bog standard shadow one and a teeny tiny one to allow you to apply shadow as liner. I love how the YSL logo is embossed into the shadows...makes it almost too pretty to use. But for 27 quid use it I must.....

Product 

As the name of this duo suggests it contains a mid peach and a minky grey/brown shadow both with hints of subtle shimmer. The colour payoff is ok but not spectacular - I'd go as far as to say its comparable to my beloved Elf one! The texture of these shadows is however far superior. Their creamy texture means they blend well with no fall-out. Lasting power is good - no better or worse than Elf if worn with a decent primer (I used Too Faced Shadow Insurance)



The duo in action - pearly peach all over the lid and mink brown on the outer crease



Price £27.00

Would I repurchase? As a rule I'm more of a high-street rather than high-end girl when it comes to make-up and this is the most expensive eyeshadow duo I have ever bought. (I actually felt a bit sick when the MUA ran it through the till!) Whilst I'll enjoy using it up I'm not as blown away by this as I would like to be for the price. And when I think that the Urban Decay Naked palette was £1 cheaper for 6 times as much product I sadly can't justify spending so much again on two little shadows.

Would I recommend? If budget is no question then I'd recommend this duo if only the for the feel good factor that the packaging alone brings. However if you usually buy high-end I'd really encourage you to give cheaper brands a whirl - there is, in my opinion, great quality to be had for significantly less cash!

Until next time,

A (belated) round up of my Christmas pressies...

I've loved reading other beauty blogger's Xmas posts so thought I'd do my own. Santa well and truly spoiled me this year with the following gorgeous goodies....reviews to follow as soon as I've given them all a good road test!

From left to right...

Top Row: Mac High Tea Lipstick, No 7 Nail Polish Set, Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Perfume

Middle Row: Origins Brighter By Nature Moisturiser, Mario Badescu Glycolic Cleanser & Toner, Mac 116 Blusher Brush & Elf Bamboo Contour Brush (the Elf brush was actually a 'present' to myself - that still counts right?)

Bottom Row: Toni & Guy Straighteners, Benefit Her Name Was Glowla Kit, YSL Singulier Mascara

So all that remains to be said is Happy New Year - I hope your 2011 is filled with fun, laughter and all things beautiful :)

 Until next time,

P.s if you liked this check out these other pressy posts from Abbie, Girl in the City and Liparazzi.