Current Mascara Line Up 2017

March 28, 2017July 27, 2018 - Vicki 3 Comments

Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara

I have been loyal to Lancome mascara’s for years, although I usually opt for the Hypnose I felt like a change recently & I’ve been using the Hypnose Doll Eyes this year. 2017 is a year of makeup changes. It is different from the rest of the Lancome Mascara’s but in a very good way. This is a mascara that really opens your eye and fans out your lashes, it very much gives them that doll eyed look & I love it. The formula is quite dry and jet black, It is quite natural in that it’s not heavy or clumpy on the lashes and it gives a little drama but I wouldn’t recommend it if you like your lashes to look false. The wand is fantastic and the tapered end means you can get right in to the corner and apply mascara to even the shortest of lashes. So if you like fluttery, long, fanned out lashes then you need this Doll Eyes Mascara in your life, I am thrilled with it!

Essence Forbidden Volume Mascara*

Essence Mascara’s are some of my favourites because they’re affordable and fantastic quality. I haven’t enjoyed this one as much as other mascaras I have tried from Essence but I do like that you can build it up to be quite dramatic. I found the formula to be a little wet and it transferred on to my eyelid. I do recommend checking out this brand if you haven’t already, their lipsticks, nail polish and face powders are incredible. Just maybe give this mascara a swerve.

Tarte Tarteist Mascara

I love the plastic wand on this mascara, it separates and lifts my lashes too. This formula won’t give you drama or too much volume but like the Lancome Doll Eyes it will give you long, pretty flirty lashes. This is a great daytime option & it also works well under other mascaras as a first step to more voluminous lashes. I liked this a lot more than their Better Than Sex offering. It lasts all day on me without flaking and it is epic at holding a curl too.

Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara*

This new release from Rimmel features a first-to-market patented shaker system that refreshes the volumising formula and promises to extend the life of your mascara. I’m not 100% sold on either claim, I will have to test it out further to make up my mind. Off the bat I will say that the packaging is noticeably heavier than any other mascara I have owned, it is so weighty. I like the wand and find the bristles grab my lashes and lay down a lot of product quickly. The jet black formula does have fibres in and these do help give your lashes length but I am not overly impressed with the volume. The formula is quite wet too and I found it hard to get a clump free finish, especially when applying more than one coat. I prefer the Scandal Eyes Mascara from Rimmel but it is cool to see brands pushing the envelope, however this isn’t the mascara for me.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Reloaded Mascara

The version I like out of the two Scandaleyes Mascaras is the Extreme Black one – I hate it when my mascara is not jet black and this version is super intense Black. The wand is perfect, big, tapered and the bristles work magic at giving your lashes volume like no other! This wand works the mascara in to every individual lash but without clumping them together, it lengthens and gives volume so it is an epic all round mascara. One of my favourite affordable mascaras for sure. Even with a few coats this doesn’t flake or weigh your lashes down, it has great staying power and of course I love the extreme black colour.

YSL The Shock Mascara*

This is the latest addition to my makeup bag and I am pretty excited about it. The packaging isn’t what I would have expected from YSL, it doesn’t look or feel as luxurious as the price tag but I am willing to overlook that because the product itself is amazing. The wand is quite long but not bulky, it gives volume and drama without having to apply layer upon layer. It does have a tendency to clump but if I apply whilst doing that magic trickery of wiggling the brush through my lashes it helps separate my lashes and ensure the product is applied from root to tip giving the ultimate high impact look. I love the jet black formula and think this is a fantastic mascara for evening and making the most of your natural lashes without the need to apply falsies.

What are your favourite mascara’s at the moment & have you tried any of the ones I have mentioned in my Mascara Line Up?

* This post contains PR samples

Current Mascara Line Up

March 15, 2016 - Vicki Leave a comment

Current Mascara Line Up

Like most beauty addicts I always have more than one mascara on the go at any one time & right now I am using some of my absolute favourite mascaras. I like my mascara to help my lashes look long, hold a curl and maybe give the illusion I was blessed with more lashes than I actually have. What mascara are you loving right now & which should I avoid?

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir*

This is the newest mascara in my collection and I have to say it has been receiving the most love too. If you like subtle quite natural looking lashes then this is not for you at all. This is one of the best false lash effect mascaras I have ever tried. It adds such volume and length to my lashes, I love it. Its jet black & absolutely smudge proof so you can rely on this mascara to stay put! If you love fluttery lashes that have that false lash effect then this is one to add to your wishlist. I also think at £20 its very well priced.

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara

Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies

Not a massive fan of this, it clumps on my lashes and after a couple of hours It seems to end up halfway down my face! So much fall out under my eyes! This is not a mascara I would recommend, I found it very messy and hard to remove. It does give volume but I just don’t like the formula so I am looking forward to parting ways with this mascara.

Lancome Hypnose Mascara Wand

Lancome Hypnose Mascara

LOVE this mascara and until the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir came into my life Hypnose was my go to mascara. It still is the perfect mascara for fanning out your lashes and making them look healthy, long and fluttery. This isn’t as dramatic as Velvet Noir but I do wear this more during the day and I love the brush and how it grabs every individual lash and coats them all with product without applying too much and weighing them down. Hypnose is still a front runner and I always recommend this mascara because it has never let me down.

Max Factor Velvet Volume Mascara

Max Factor Velvet Volume False Lash Effect Mascara*

I like this because my lashes never feel crispy when I’m wearing this, no matter how many coats I apply & there is no fall out or smudging. It has a big plastic wand and the different sized bristles helps coat every single lash, the formula is also great at holding a curl. No clumping or fall out, this is another fab mascara from Max Factor and one of my favourite everyday options. Oh & I have been using this for almost 3 months now & it hasn’t started to dry out, so that pleases me.

Eye Of Horus Goddess Mascara

This is a great one for quite natural looking lashes, not in a no makeup kind of way but more of a, my lashes look long, healthy and they’re all natural kind of way (am I making sense?). Its a pretty mascara for daytime and will add length to short lashes and give them definition. Its understated but always makes me look awake and my lashes long! The formula is the perfect consistency and it has very good staying power. This is a reliable mascara and one you can wear everyday for pretty natural lashes.

Essence Plump No Clump Mascara

What a budget beauty this Essence mascara is – plump no clump indeed. Look at that massive brush, it leaves no lash out & gives them a coat of jet black mascara leaving them looking full, volumised and long. This is another mascara with a pretty big brush, I think we are seeing a common theme, I like big brushes & I can not lie. This is an affordable mascara but it works, it works very very well.

For false lash effect the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir is a must buy & best budget friendly but also incredible quality the Essence Plump no Clump is one mascara you need in your collection

*PR Sample

Shopping My Stash July 2015

July 7, 2015February 27, 2018 - Vicki 9 Comments

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer*

I’m so pleased to have rediscovered this especially as the weather is so hot and my makeup just slides right off my face without a primer. This one is really lightweight and leaves your skin feeling and looking smooth, my foundation always applies really well over the top and it helps keep everything looking even and in place all day long. I also find it quite hydrating and makes my skin look fresh throughout the day.

MeMeMe Dew Pot – Silk Dusk

I really like cream shadows and despite the annoying packaging on this (it’s so hard to even get your finger in to get the product out) I just love the colour and finish of this Dew Pot, it’s like a dusky lilac shade with a slightly metallic finish. Once blended on to the lid it’s not so metallic but it catches the light and looks so pretty. The formula is creamy and it has serious staying power.

B. Longer Mascara*

This hasn’t been in my stash that long but I have far too many mascaras on the go right now that I keep overlooking this one despite it being a really nice everyday mascara. B. is a brand which is exclusive to Superdrug and they have a really nice selection of makeup and skincare. This mascara is a tubing mascara and that means it uses flexible polymers that wrap right around each individual lash to make your lashes look fluttery and long. Click to read my full review – B. Longer Mascara review

Essence Gel Eyeliner

These gel liners from Essence are amazing, I have raved about them on my blog before. They’re creamy, pigmented and waterproof, so they have very good staying power. I normally reach for the black one but have rediscovered the brown one and like how it looks softer and more natural. Great for a daytime look. So affordable too, you have to try them for yourself. Essence is sold in selected Superdrugs & in Wilko stores.

Seventeen Stay Time Concealer

If I’m honest this has almost had its day, I will use it in July then bin it. It’s a very good concealer for blemishes and redness. It has good staying power & I will buy another one at the end of the month.

Essence Quattro Eyeshadow

This was in my Top Essence Buys a while ago & its such a handy quad to have, the shades are neutral and easy to wear. No fuss makeup which is right up my street. I will get a lot of use out of this in July. I tend not to wear too much makeup day to day but often it’s nice to do a simple eye look so I will be using this.

MUA Sweet Sheen Lip Balms*

I have 5 of these and they’re all pretty so I try & rotate them to use a different one each month. July’s shade is Cherry Bomb. These are hydrating on the lips and also give you a really nice wash of colour. Click here to see my Sweet Sheen Review with swatches. This will be great in my handbag over the next month, I like a lightweight lip product when its warm & you can apply these without needing a mirror!

Illamasqua Blush in Tremble

What a pretty colour this is & just gorgeous to give the cheeks a pinch of colour in the summer. It’s a pretty sweet pink shade and has no glitter/shimmer at all which I like, especially for wearing during the day. The pigmentation is so good, a light hand is needed for sure.

L’Oreal Super Blendable True Match Powder in Rose Beige

I haven’t used this too much but it seems to be a nice finely milled powder & its good for sweeping over the areas prone to getting oily throughout the day. It also makes the skin look smoother and gives a hint of colour. I will let you know how I get on with it at the end of the month

PUR Minerals Bare It All Contour / Highlighter Duo

I have been using my Soap & Glory Solar Powder to death so its about time I switched it up & used something else. This is a great duo & although the colour pay off isn’t as good as the S&G one thats not always a bad thing. This gives more of a subtle finish so looking forward to using that more this month.

See my previous Shopping My Stash post

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

B. Cosmetics Makeup

March 31, 2015October 16, 2016 - Vicki 5 Comments

B. Cosmetics is a makeup and skincare brand thats sold exclusively in Superdrug, I’ve tried a couple of their skincare products in the past and always been really impressed with the quality and the price. I have been trying out a few products from their extensive makeup collection and have been excited to tell you how I got on.

First up I love using products that give my skin a glow, not make it shimmery but just leave my skin looking bright, fresh & healthy and thats exactly what the B. Prepared Illuminating Makeup Primer* does, it leaves my skin looking fresh and bright. This is such a lightweight non greasy primer, it leaves the skin feeling silky smooth and doesn’t add any slip or shine to the skin but instead it adds a beautiful luminous glow to the skin without any shimmer or glitter. It is a really nice smooth base for my foundation to sit on top of & it helps my makeup last all day whilst adding a healthy glow to my skin. It also has Hyaluronic acid and vitamin E which are great at hydrating skin and helping reduce the signs of fatigue.

I’m a little scared of cream products & very much a novice when it comes to contouring but I have been using this B. Sculpted Contour Kit* and my contouring skills are getting better. This kit comes in three shade options light, medium and dark. I have been using the medium kit and that seems to be a great match for my skintone, I try to keep my contouring as natural as possible and I use a very light hand. I use the matte brown contour powder in the hollows of my cheeks to create the illusion of definition. The powder is so easy to blend and isn’t too dark.

The highlighter in this duo is cream but is still easy to work with, I like to use this on the tops of my cheekbones, brow bone & bridge of my nose. I use my fingers to apply and blend and find that works best. You need very little product to achieve a very fresh, illuminated look. The cream is a little harder to work with, its quite slippy and it doesn’t seem to last that long on my skin but when initially applied it looks pretty & does create a gorgeous highlight without being shimmery. I do have quite oily skin so if you’re skin is less oily it might have more staying power.

The matte contour shade in this duo is really good & lasts all day, it blends beautifully so even being a novice at contouring I was able to apply this without it looking like I had a strip of makeup on my cheek. I use a small Eco Tools brush with this & that fits right in the hollows of my cheek and more importantly doesn’t pick up too much product. Less is more when it comes to contouring! Oh & they include a handy guide on the back so you know exactly where to put the products to create the perfect highlight & contour. Very useful.

B. Longer Lengthening & Defining Mascara* is a tubing mascara and that means it uses flexible polymers that wrap right around each individual lash to make your lashes look fluttery and long. The mascara coats each lash and keeps clumps, smudges and flakes at bay. It wears all day long without any flaking and your lashes still look incredible by the end of the night. To remove a tubing mascara all you need to do is use water, no makeup remover necessary just warm water which is easy & perfect for when I am feeling a little lazy. The packaging of this mascara feels luxurious & looks really sleek, it really does tick all the boxes.

I’m very impressed with this mascara & out of the three products its my overall favourite.

B. Cosmetics is proud to be Cruelty Free & Vegan

Let me know what your B. Cosmetics product recommendations are & if you only try one product from them make sure its the B. Longer Lengthening & Defining Mascara its a damn good mascara.

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