Sunday 23 March 2014

The Mascara Monologues: Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara


So, February’s Glossybox arrived and out jumped this beaut – Maybelline’s Big Eyes Mascara. A mascara that comes with two brushes in one – one for your upper lashes and another for lower lashes.

Upper lash wand 

Lower lash wand
 
Back when I was working as a beauty writer I remember Clinique launching their lower lash mascara and although it wasn’t a massive hit, I remember thinking what a brilliant idea. It seems a shame that this one followed in its footsteps.

Maybelline mascara’s are usually pretty good, most of which live up to their claims, so it seems such a shame that this one left me slightly disappointed. Claiming to push up upper lashes for a wide, volumised effect and magnify lower lashes, I was so gutted that I found it really hard to work with. Don’t get me wrong, the upper lash wand is great but what it really lacks power in, is the amount of product it uses. It barely applies any and three coats later, I was just about fine. The biggest downfall was the lower lash wand. I struggled to apply product to the lashes because it felt like it was just gliding over them rather than actually applying. The ability for it to have a lasting effect is also its downfall. By the end of the day, I might as well of not been wearing any. A shame when I had super high hopes.

Don’t get me wrong, despite my review I will not give up on Maybelline mascara. Other versions have been fantastic – in fact Maybelline Great Lash Mascara was my go-to mascara for years. Needless to say you can buy Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara from most drug stores £8.99/9ml.

Have you tried Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara? How did you find it? Can you recommend any others that are similar?

Saturday 15 March 2014

My February favourites


First of all before I start, I want to apologise for how late this blog post is. I was in Barcelona last weekend and I was supposed to get it posted before then but time got the better of me. So albeit a bit late, here’s a quick round-up of the products that I’ve loved using this month…


Katy Perry Killer Queen
I’ve really been into ‘celebrity scents’. I find them quite gimmicky and a little bit naff at times. However, this one smells surprisingly good.

If you haven’t yet had a whiff of Killer Queen here’s the professional’s description:

'A charming playful yet lethally gorgeous floriental fragrance, opens with tempting dark berries and lush plum that blend into an opulent floral heart. The softness and grace of the heart is highlighted by the Royal Red Velvet flower that leads into an intoxicating background of precious woods and sensual musk.'

Sounds pretty scrumptious, and it is! The bottle is quite cute and quirky too and looks slightly different to your average perfume bottle. Katy Perry Killer Queen is available from most perfume and drug stores at a range of prices.


Super Facialist by Una Brenann Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil
This product was previously mentioned in my recent blog post The Best Beauty Products for Blemishes (you can read it here) where I raved about how fantastic it is at giving skin a thoroughly deep cleanse. The super light oil feels greasy on contact but as soon as it’s washed away with warm water, it leaves skin feeling super soft and refreshed with not an ounce of oil left on your face.

I’ve been using this product a lot lately and that’s because it’s great at removing eye make-up – oil based cleansers can work wonders on stubborn mascara. So, before removing the oil from my face, I very gently rub my eyelashes between my fingers to remove any excess. My eyes still require cotton wool and eye make-up remover but it means that any stubborn lumps are already loosened.

Super Facialist by Una Brenann Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil is available from Boots £10.99/200ml.


Vaseline Healthy Hands and Stronger Nails Hand Cream
Last but not least is this really simple product from Vaseline that I recently started to use more recently while at work.

Office air-conditioning can play havoc on skin and for me in particular, my hands really suffer, so this one is great for making sure they stay soft and healthy.

I’ve always been a bit selective when it comes to hand creams because I can’t stand the greasy feel some of them can leave. Vaseline is great for creating a non-greasy cream that’s incredibly soothing and nourishing. I’m not sure how well it lives up to the claim that it can strengthen nails by up to 50%, but maybe I’m not using it often enough.

I apply Vaseline Healthy Hands and Stronger Nails Hand Cream twice a day to ensure my hands don’t dry and crack. Available from Boots £3.27/75ml.
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