bareMinerals: a Flawless Future Collection

If you are regular reader of this blog then you will know how much I adore bareMinerals make-up. So imagine the squeal that left my mouth when I recently discovered a fabulous offer on Feel Unique (via Money Saving Expert).

Now, I have never purchased a ‘group’ of products like these. It has been the occasional item here and there, so the whole bulk buy is new to me and also one of those things where I will plan on using every single item, when in hindsight I won’t. Needless to say, I absolutely love them.

I won’t talk too much about the Original SPF Foundation because I have previously spoken about it here, but the other products are also great. To start with the Clear Radiance All-Over Face Colour is great for giving complexion a quick boost. During winter we start to lose our natural summer glow and this is great for giving skin a subtle hint of radiance without looking too overdone.

Secondly, the Frame & Define Brow Styler (in Universal Taupe) is just your simple eyebrow pencil. I really, really like this product and its all down to how slim the nib is. I usually use a well-known Benefit eyebrow product, but often find the brush really hard to work with, so the Brow Styler from bareMinerals is perfect, plus the colour is a very good match too – I have mousy brows so finding a colour that isn’t too dark is often quite difficult.

I’m not really a huge fan of highlighters. They’re one of those products that I know are important, yet I’m really unsure on how to use them (note to self: must YouTube) and therefore they end up sitting in a drawer until they’re ready to be thrown out. I imagine the same habit will follow with the Stroke of Light Eye Brightener. bareMinerals claim to immediately brighten and defuse dark shadows around the eye area, as well as reducing the appearance of fine lines over time. Now, as much as I want to believe this, I’m not sure I can. I thought this was what eye creams and concealers were for, but we shall see.

Now the Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss (in Go Getter) is, by far, the most impressive product in this collection. I usually HATE, and hate is a very strong word, lipgloss – they’re sticky, slippery and disappear within minutes and trust me, I have tried a fair few. I put this to the test at the weekend. I was drinking and eating and it did a real good job of staying put and I only reapplied on a couple of occasions. The colour is nice too, a subtle pink that can be worn anytime – day or night.

Now, I really don’t want to discuss the last product, Flawless Definition Mascara too much because I will be reviewing it in my Mascara Monologues series. But I will let you into a little secret – it got me more excited that the gloss. So keep your eyes peeled soon.

All of these bareMinerals products can be purchased from www.bareminerals.co.uk or www.feelunique.co.uk. Prices are below:

Original SPF Foundation £25
Clear Radiance All-Over Face Colour £19
Frame & Define Brow Styler £13
Stroke of Light Eye Brightener £22
Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss £16
Flawless Definition Mascara £16

Grey is the new black

Firstly I want to apologise for using the stock image – I had the worst time trying to photograph this product. In fact, I didn’t even get as far as photographing it because I managed to smash it all over my kitchen floor, sending grey paint flying everywhere. I did, however, manage to get a sneaky shot of my nails after I had painted them. Apologies again for the lighting, it was taken just before bedtime and I wasn’t planning on using this photo at all.

Despite my mishap I still wanted to share this product with you because I absolutely adore the colour grey. I love how versatile it is and how it allows you to tone it down for daytime chic as well as mixing it up for night time glam. Either way the colour grey is hot and looks even hotter on nails too.

Maybelline’s Colour Show nail polish in Cool Touch is fantastic for wearing day and night. It has a slight blue-grey tone to it, neither looking too dark or light and will suit any skin tone too. After two coats it is fully opaque and it has a pretty good shelf life. It is safe to say that this colour has certainly made its way onto my list of summer shades, despite now having to repurchase again because of my clumsiness!

I bought Maybelline Colour Show nail polish in Cool Touch for £2.99/7ml from Boots.

Can you recommend any other grey colours that I should add to my collection? Leave your comments below!

Bad beauty habits

(image credit)

We all have a bad habit (or two) and I’m no exception, especially when it comes to the beauty side of things. So, after sitting down and contemplating this post, I soon began to realise that I have far more beauty habits that would seem necessary, so instead of dwelling on them I decided to share them with you in the hope that you would agree that they aren’t so bad after all…

Why scrub, when you can wipe…
I hate to boast but I’m pretty darn good in the mornings. Once that alarm has gone off, I’m up and ready for the day to begin. However…I am so god damn lazy, especially when it comes to my skin.

Pass me a face wipe and the moisturiser and I’m good to go. There’s no washing, water, creams or serums involved which is probably doing my skin more harm than good. But don’t panic, my skin does get some TLC at bedtime.

Little pickers wear big knickers
One of my mother’s favourite sayings when I was younger – from food to cuts and grazes, eyelashes and nails, I was always picking something and could never leave anything alone. It seems that I have carried this rather disgusting habit into my adult life too and it all comes down to one thing – nail polish! A good polish will last two days max on my nails before I scrape, scratch and pick at it until it’s virtually gone.

To get over this habit I recently tried gelish. This time it lasted a total of 7 days before it was gone…

Don’t break a bad habit
This has to be one of my most annoying habits to date. Not annoying for others, but more annoying for me. I am the most unadventurous person ever when it comes down to beauty. I often re-buy the same products, stick to the same colours and never have I ever stepped out of the house in a really daring lip colour. You want an example? Throughout most of my early twenties I was still using a foundation and moisturiser aimed at late-teenage skin. It took some persuading (by myself of course) to branch out and opt for more mature products.

Keeping it dirty
I am 100% guilty of not washing my make-up brushes regularly and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone too.

Washing make-up brushes should be an integral part of my beauty regime, however much I tell myself, it is not. Not only do they keep bristles softer for easier application but it stops them from spreading dirty, nasty germs too, which can cause niggling spots and blemishes.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post just as much as I enjoyed writing it. I would love to read your comments on whether you can relate to any of my bad habits or read your own bad beauty habit posts - put your links below!

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?

The Mascara Monologues: Benefit They're Real Mascara

The hype for this product a couple of months ago was incredible. Not only did I see it advertised everywhere, but every beauty blogger in the blogosphere was reviewing it. But now it’s my turn.

I was bought this product for Christmas, as a gift from my sister after she’d discovered it a month earlier. I've always loved Benefit products - the sleek and quirky designs, they're exciting and look great. But as much as it pains me to say, I was a little bit disappointed by this mascara.

Ill start with a positive and trust me, there are plenty! Regular readers of Jade's beauty blog will know how much I appreciate a plastic mascara wand. What makes this one slightly different from the rest is that it combines two wands in one - a standard brush with a slightly rounder end to curl and separate the lashes. Despite Benefit claiming that the wand curls and separates, for me it did the opposite. I found the product slightly too clumpy and not near as 'natural' as other, cheaper mascaras that I have used. But maybe this is down to how heavy the finished product is causing it to clump rather than separate.

Aside from the wand, I was really impressed with the staying power of there product. In fact, it's better than any other mascara I've used before. Benefit claim that the mascara won't smudge or dry out and they are 100% spot on. Despite this, removing the mascara takes some welly! No matter how often I wash and wipe my eyelashes, it takes a good couple of goes before it's gone. 

For me, Benefit's They're Real Mascara was a little bit hit and miss. If the product didn't clump as much then I would definitely re-purchase over and over again. Yet because of this, I'm not sure I could justify the price tag for a product I wouldn't be overly happy with. I'm not saying I wouldn't ever use it again, but it certainly wouldn't be my go-to mascara. 

Benefit They're Real Mascara is available for £19.50/8.5g from www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk.

My January favourites

Back before I lost my blogging mojo I would give a round-up of my favourite beauty products that I'd been using that month. I’m not quite sure why I stopped, but I’ve decided to give it a whirl again. So here’s a quick recap of the products I’ve loved throughout January.

 

 

Soap & Glory Clean on Me Bath & Shower Gel
I received this gigantic product for Christmas as part of a gorgeous gift set from my best friend and I've not stopped using it since. I shower everyday and I'm not even a quarter way through yet - it really is huge!

 

Every beauty junkie knows that Soap & Glory products smell delicious and this product follows the same suit. It's floral, pink and girly, what more could a girl want? You can read my full review here.

 

Benefit Erase Paste
This miniature product was a sneaky treat for myself from Feel Unique a couple of months ago and it is ever so slowly replacing my trusty L'Oreal Touché Magique Concealer - my go-to concealer that I never thought I'd change.

It has taken me a little while to get used to the consistency of the concealer, as I have always been more comfortable using a lighter, creamier product. But after seeing how fantastic the coverage was, it has soon transformed itself into a real staple in my daily make-up routine. Not only does the Erase Paste completely cover blemishes and pesky fine lines I've recently discovered (!) but it has real staying power too. Usually a product as thick as this runs away from my face, but so far it has passed the test with flying colours. Now the real test will be in the summer!

Toni & Guy Hair Meets Wardrobe Shine Gloss Serum
Hair products have featured quite heavily on my blog recently and maybe it’s because of the weather. The damp, wet weather wreaks havoc on my hair causing a sleek and straightened look to turn into a frizzy mess within a matter of minutes. That was until I discovered this beauty in my Glossybox a couple of months ago.

 

I've always assumed serum was to be used as a way of protecting hair before styling, but this super lightweight formula controls frizz, smoothing flyaways and giving the illusion of a sleeker look that even Jen Aniston would be envious of.

The Shine Gloss Serum by Toni & Guy has soon turned into one of my daily essentials and a recommend must have purchase for the damper, winter months.

Barry M Matte Nail Polish
After seeing one of my closet friends post a picture of her matte black nails on Instagram, I can pretty much say I fell in love. I love how chic a good black nail polish looks and for me matte trumps gloss any day. The staying power of Barry M polishes can be a bit hit and miss but after 3 days there's not a chip in sight and that's without a top coat!

What have been your favourite products you've used during January? Can you recommend any? I'd love to see your links below.

The original Naked

The Urban Decay Naked palettes have yet again been the talk of the beauty blogging town over the last couple of months and the reason for this, the arrival of the third in the series, Naked 3. 

So rather than jumping on the Naked 3 bandwagon, I opted for the original Naked - a gorgeous eyeshadow palette filled with 12 bronze-hue neutrals in an array of textures from full on shimmer to a subtle matte. 

I must admit, this palette is pretty hot stuff and doesn't let you down in terms of looks. With its velvet case, it looks a lot more expensive than your usual palette and so it should with a price tag of £35. And as for each shade, every single one is usable and will suit any skin tone. From heavy shimmery golds to dark browns and even a light skin-toned, peach shade, each and every one is perfect in terms of colour and has real staying power too. 

Even though the cost of this palette does sit in the more expensive end of the spectrum, it is definitely worth each and every penny. I just can't wait to get my hands on Naked2 and Naked3 to complete my collection. 

Have you tried any of the Naked palettes from Urban Decay? If so, what were your thoughts? 

Lancôme Hypnose Drama gift set

Last week I turned 26. A milestone age in my opinion. I no longer belong in the 18-25 age category. It also dawned on me that I would be in the Overs category on X-Factor too.

However, being 26 isn't bad. I'm proud of what I've achieved and how far I've come. Aside from the soppy stuff, you also get the best gifts too! 

One of my favourites was this very special gift set from Lancôme. The Hypnose Drama gift set comes with two mini versions - the Bi-Facil and Crayon Khol Noir and the full sized version of the Lancôme Hypnose mascara. 

Being a beauty blogger, I'm embarrassed to say I've never, ever used a Lancôme product before. I could never justify the price tag, and so, I just awed from afar. But now I can definitely say the products are certainly worth the money.

 

In my quest to find the ultimate eye makeup remover, I think I may have found a very strong contender. The Lancôme Bi-Facil is a sensitive, non-oily liquid that almost melts eye make away in one sweep. A full bottle of this stuff costs a pricey £26, but you really don't need that much. 

Another product that came with this gift set was a mini pencil eyeliner. Pencil eyeliners are about as simple as they come, but this one has definite staying power and doesn't budge from the moment you apply until you remove it at the end of the day. In fact, I'd tested out on my hand and two days and two showers later, it still was there. I wasn't sure how I felt about that at the time, but it's actually a perfect day to night product. 

The last product in this gift set was the Hypnose Mascara. Mascara is my favourite kind of makeup product and I was gutted to be so disappointed by this one. For a £22 mascara, I thought it was going have a bit more of an impact. Instead I found the wand too clumpy and the mascara slightly flaky and there's a perfectly good reason for this - natural bristle wands and me do not get on. I find that they hold too much product and don't give lashes the natural look a plastic wand does. 

Apart from the disappointment with the mascara, I was really impressed with the other products. I'm not sure I'd pay out the amount to buy the eyeliner and mascara but I'd definitely invest in the Bi-Facil. 

For more information on Lancôme products, visit www.lancome.co.uk. 

Full-sized products are priced at:

Lancôme Bi-Facil £26/100ml

Lancôme Crayon Khol Noir £16

Lancôme Hypnose Mascara £22 

nails inc. Lucky Dip #2

If any of you are signed up to the nails inc. newsletter, you would have seen the other day they were offering seven nail polishes for £18 - a bargain that I couldn't possibly miss and considering I've purchased from the nails inc. Lucky Dip before, it wasn't long before my bank card was out of my purse and I was typing the digits onto the screen.

My lucky dip this time around was just as good as the last. I love how they really mix up the colours.

Left to right: mortimer street, chancery lane and sloane gardens.

Left to right: richmond terrace, mayfair, pembridge crescent, mornington crescent.

I'm loving mayfair - a gorgeous pearly white;  richmond terrace - a rich, deep brown; and sloane gardens - a dark, glittery navy, perfect for the Christmas party season.

Nails inc. nail polishes are priced at £12 each. For more information visit www.nailsinc.com. 

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer

Since this product launched in January I've read many mixed reviews - some loving the product, others finding it mediocre, but each one commenting on the range of colours. With eight colours to choose from, I opted for nude. The reason for this being that I'm not exactly the most daring when it comes to lip colours. I don't ever believe I could pull off the red lips look and bright pink can make my lips look like they've disappeared, which is why I played it safe.

On first impressions the consistency of the product is fantastic. I'm really not a fan of the sticky, tacky feel that you can get from similar products, instead this one provided a smooth, silky finish. The colour is fully opaque, even with the nude.

What I love the most about this product is the brush. It has a tiny hollow hole at the end, which holds more product than the usual lipgloss applicator. This is perfect and also means I'm not constantly dipping in and out of the pot for more product. 

I must admit I'm completely won over by this product and might even invest in another colour! I purchased this product from Boots for £6.49, but it is available from other drug stores. 

Glossybox: August 2013

So, it occurred to be the other day when opening my Glossybox that I have never, ever blogged about it, and considering I was so impressed with this months, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

This month saw Glossybox appoint new CEO, Rachel Kavanagh, and you can definitely tell. August's  'High-Flyers' box was filled with impressive beauty goodies for girls on the go - which in my opinion is every girl on the planet. I was so impressed with the selection and for once I can honestly say I've used every product. The product I was most impressed with was the Urban Veda Purifying Day Cream.

I suffer from a really oily t-zone and have quite visible pores, and I struggle to find products to completely tackle this problem, but this product seems to be half way there. The day cream contains detoxifying botanicals of pure Neem oil, witch hazel and spearmint, working to reduce sebum, tighten pores and support healthy cell renewal. Although it hasn't exactly banished my oily t-zone, but I was surprised to see a difference in my pores. This is the exact reason why I signed up to Glossybox - to discover fantastic products I would have never have discovered otherwise, so thank you Glossybox.

Other products in this month box include a Jelly Pong Pong 2-in-1 Eyeliner & Shadow, Oceane Make-up Remover Pen, TRESemme Keratin Smooth Concentrated Treatment Shot and Emite Eyelash Curlers.

If you haven't yet signed up to Glossybox, I would highly recommend it, especially if you're a beauty junkie who loves discovering new treats like these.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

Ever since this product was launched I have seen rave reviews, in fact I haven't read a bad one yet. So after browsing Boots the other day (and after picking up a really bad foundation previously) I wanted a piece of the action and to find out why everyone was such a fan.

After being a complete BB fan for a while, I wasn't used to applying a thicker consistency to my skin first thing in the morning. But when looking at it, it isn't actually that thick, I mean I have used mud-like formulas before, so this is quite light in comparison. It smooths onto the skin easily and provides a good coverage too.

When looking at the product inside the bottle, you can see a subtle shimmer. This is visible on the skin, but not overly obvious and more so in artificial light. I guess you could say this is what gives the skin a dewy finish, helping you're complexion look fresher than a daisy.

One thing this foundation promises to do is wake-up tired-looking skin and to some extent I agree. It evens out skin tone and like I said above, gives the skin a dewy finish. The only dislikes i have about this product is that you have to use quite a bit in order to cover the whole face. I have used foundations in the past where one pump is plenty, but with this one you easily have to use one and a half. Secondly, this foundation doesn't apply well with a brush. I have found that application is a lot easier with your hands (clean hands that is) and an applicator sponge.

Overall, I'm sure I would re-purchase this product. I've never really rated Rimmel foundations in the past, but I guess this one passes.

My favourite products of two thousand and twelve

2012 was a strange year. A lot of things changed and unfortunately this took strain on my blog, therefore I don't have many blog reviews to fall back on. I have still managed to keep my beauty hat on this year, so this is my chance to share with you some of the products I have rated but might not have had a chance to blog about. So here goes...

One of my all time favourite products this year is The Sanctuary Spa Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser. I heard fave reviews about the Liz Earle version so wanted to try this version as an alternative. I love how clean my skin feels after using it and it smells amazing too. I'm really lazy with my skin care routine - often just a make-up wipe will do - but this gives me the chance to give my skin a deep cleanse, something it doesn't get very often!

As for mascara's, in 2012 I used some fab products and some shockers, but there's one I always run back to as a safe choice - L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara. It's a fail s. afe mascara that gives full, volumous lashes in minimal strokes, and it lasts from morning till night. I have recently been testing the luminizer version. A blog post is expected soon.

After ombre-ing my hair two months ago, it has really suffered and become damaged, so Lee Stafford's Nourishing Miracle Oil became my savour. Just adding a small, 1p sized blob to the ends of my hair before blow-drying helped smooth it out and keep it looking and feeling healthy.

Despite its launch in 2011, the MUA Heaven and Earth Eyeshadow Palette was one of my favourite products last year and still remains one of my ultimate party make-up essentials. I won't go out without using one of the 12 eyeshadows.

Another L'Oreal product and that's the Nude Magique BB Cream. I bought this BB Cream back in the summer as a lighter alternative to my foundation and in fact I love it that much, I have bought it twice over. Whether you want subtle coverage or to use as a base, the L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream is perfect. It's incredibly light, gives great coverage and lasts much longer than other BB creams I have tested. I'm praying L'Oreal don't discontinue this one.

Last, but certainly not least is the Neutrogena Multi-Defence Daily Moisturiser for Normal to Combination Skin. I have tested many moisturisers throughout the years. I've had my favourites and one's where I didn't even get round to finishing the bottle, but non that I've liked as much as this one. I was first introduced to this product a couple of years ago after picking up a sample. I loved it that much that I went out and bought a bottle and I've carried on buying it ever since. I find some moisturisers too heavy on the skin, which is fine for night but there's nothing I hate more than applying a tacky, thick moisturiser to my skin in the morning when I'm strapped for time. The Neutrogena Multi-Defence Daily Moisturiser is completely different. It's extremely light and sinks in within a matter of seconds. What I love about it the most is it protects against different daily elements from, sun, heat, cold, pollution and wind. Plus it comes with SPF15 too!

This year I plan on blogging more and coming up with a completely new list of products ready for the beginning of 2014. I can't wait to see what new launches the beauty brands bring.

Lastly, I want to thank every one of you for reading my blog and commenting. Getting that email to tell me one of you has commented brings a huge smile to my face and its why I blog. I love beauty, as do you and I love sharing that with you all. So thank you again.

What's in my make-up bag 2012

Back in 2011, my make-up bag looked like this. Considering we're three months away from 2013, I thought I was due another one and to see how much my make-up routine has changed - apparently not so much. I guess I'm a creature of habit.

First of all my make-up bag is Cath Kidston and was bought as a Christmas gift from my beautiful Sister. It's a lot smaller than the last one I had, so I've had to cut down on a few products, leaving room for just the essentials.

L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream (Light Skin Tone) - My current make-up essential, you won't see me go a day without this product. To read my full review of this product, click here.

L'Oreal True Match Touché Magique Concealer - I have never, ever found an under eye concealer that works so well with my skin tone and hides those pesky dark circles as good as this one. It's a fantastic product and almost a cheaper version of the Yves Saint Laurent's Touché Éclat. Price, £7.19 from Boots.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-One BB Cream (Light) - I bought this quite a while back, back when I wanted to try a BB cream that wasn't going to cost me the earth. I loved this as a starter product, but wanted a BB cream that did a little bit more. I still keep this one in my make-up bag for days when I don't feel like wearing too much make-up. Available from Boots at £7.49.

Powder FX (E40) - I was given this at a press show around about a year ago and unfortunately I haven't kept any details on the brand. For the last year I have sworn by bareMinerals, but after running out and realising I had no other foundation, I fell towards this. The lovely gentleman who I spoke to at the time, matched my skin perfectly, which I guess is why I haven't stopped using it. The only problem is it doesn't last that long and by midday, it's worn off. But the consistency is lovely and feels ever so light on the skin.

Benefit 'that gal' Brightening Face Primer - I received this as a sample from a magazine. It smells amazing and feels really light and as a primer itself, I think it's okay. I haven't really used it enough to get a full grasp on it yet. Full sized product cost £21.50.

bareMinerals Prime Time Brightening Pearl Eyelid Primer - I haven't yet used an eyelid primer that trumps this one, but if you have any to rival, let me know. It helps make your eyeshadow pop and won't budge at all. To read my full review, click here. Price, £16 for 3ml.

Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Eyeliner (black) - I believe that every woman should own a liquid eyeliner. It's an essential product for creating a completely different look in one sweep. The great thing about this eyeliner is the size of the wand - it's quite long, as is the brush, which makes application really easy and seamless. A must have product of mine that I have been buying for years. Price £5.29.

Bourjois Eyeliner Pencil (black) - I think this product has been discontinued because I can't seem to find it anywhere. But needless to say, it's pretty much a standard eyeliner pencil. Stays put for most of the day, but tends to bleed under your eyes. Price is unknown.

L'Oreal Volume Million Mascara - I don't often buy a mascara more than once, but this one has been an exception to the rule. In fact, I think I have bought this twice over. What I love about this mascara is the wand and how well it coats all of your lashes.

Barry M Nail Polish (shade NP318) - One of my favourite Barry M nail polish shades, slightly too bright and summery for the Autumn months, so I will be swapping this with a darker navy or deep red shade instead. Price, £2.99 from Boots.

Clinique Instant Life for Brows (soft brown) - Quite possibly one of the best eyebrow crayons I have used, it's really subtle and easy to apply. The highlighter on the other end of the crayon gives a great lift to the brow bone too. Available in three colours, soft blonde, soft brown and deep brown, and available from Clinique for £15.

Benefit Posy Tint - This was a mini sample from a magazine, that I'm still trying to scrape the remnants from. It's a great little product and add a slight pink tone to your cheeks. This is a lip tint too. Price for the original size is £24.50.

Tools

(Unknown brand) eyelash curlers - A must-have for any girls make-up bag. I don't go a day without using these!

Vie at Home Double-Ended Eyeshadow Brush - Unsure of price

bareMinerals Wet/Dry Shadow Brush - £13 from bareMinerals

bareMinerals Flawless Application Face Brush - £19 from bareMinerals

Please link me to your make-up bag posts - I love having a good nosey!

The Mascara Monologues: Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara

Firstly I want to apologise for my serious lack of blogging lately. The newest addition to our family has really turned our lives around – who’d have thought, having a pet dog would take up so much time. But regardless of her mischievousness, she’s incredibly cute and cuddly and we love her to bits.

But anyway, I’m back now and promise not to keep you guys waiting so long for the next post. I have so much to share with you, some new products and some that I received from the Lisbon EADV conference (that long ago, I know!)

I thought I would start off with another post in the Mascara Monologues though and what better way to kick it off than with Rimmel’s Lash Accelerator Mascara, of which I purchased around two months ago. I’m still using it and do so every day, but I’m due a new one because this one’s pretty much on its last legs.

I’ve never really been a huge fan of Rimmel (excluding their Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner, which I just LOVE and have used for the past 5 years) because I’ve always thought of them as a younger brand. But for a budget, high-street mascara, I’ve been quite impressed.

Rimmel claims that the Lash Accelerator Mascara will help your lashes appear 80% longer, due to its combined grow-lash complex. Being the sceptic that I am, I think it’s pretty challenging to measure whether your lashes have grown or not. But I must add, they are much stronger.

The wand is different too, the bristles are much shorter, which helps coat the lashes better making them look thicker and fuller. I've always found longer bristled brushes to be a bit clumpy and they dry up a lot quicker too. Although I said I wasn't a fan of Rimmel, I'd purchase this mascara again. It doesn't give a dramatic look compared to others, but it's great for everyday wear and lasts all day without flaking. It seems to have lasted a long time too, so it isn't one of those products that lasts a few uses and then it's done.

So a big thumbs up for this mascara. Can you guys recommend any for me to try next?

Have you tried this mascara? If so, what were your thoughts? Can you recommend any other Rimmel products I should try?

MUA Heaven and Earth Palette

I cannot begin to tell you how long I have been trying to get my hands on this product. Every Superdrug store I went into it was no where to be seen and the website was out of stock every time I checked. You should have seen my face when I spotted it in the new store in town. So to make sure I didn't run out, I bought two.

I honestly think this is the best selection of neutral eyeshadows I've seen (I haven't yet got my hands on the Urban Decay Naked Palette) and MUA certainly haven't scrimped on quality either, even for a £4.99 price tag.

Top row left to right

Bottom row left to right

Each colour is completely different, with a shimmery consitency and they last for as long as you're wearing them. Even without an eyeshadow primer. I have mostly worn the second shade on the top row and third shade on the bottom row. I can't wait to try a smokey eye with the other shades.

I'll be honest, I always assumed cheaper brands produced cheaper products but MUA have completely changed my mind. They show that you can get budget products that work just as well as brands which are slightly more expensive and compared to similar products produced by more expensive brands, it comes out on top.

Have you tried any other MUA products? Or have you tried any similar products that work just as w

Lashes Eyelash Conditioner

Lash boosting products amaze me. Mainly because I'm far to impatient to find out whether they work or not. Plus, the lash boosters I've seen, carry some pretty outrageous claims, which I'm sure are near impossible to live up too. But something different attracted me to Lashes. Instead of focusing on the promise of thicker, false-looking lashes, it claims to improve strength, condition and rejuvenate them into better condition.

According to the brains behind Lashes, their special cocktail of ingredients helps stimulate the hair follicle and protect against further cosmetic damage from mascara, false lashes and lash extensions. Not only does it aim to look after your lashes, but it conditions them too - something I'm sure my eyelashes need after years of mascara abuse.

I haven't tried this product myself, but I'm definitely going to save up for one. At £69.95 a pop, it better live up to my expectations. Available from www.beautyproductsdirect.com

Are there any lash boosting products you'd recommend? 

The Mascara Monologues: Maybelline Falsies Black Drama Mascara

This is the first of many posts in my Mascara Monologues and boy I've started with a good'un.

Maybelline are well known for their quirky, brightly coloured and beautifully packaged mascaras. But unlike other Maybelline mascaras, the Falsies Black Drama comes with a new formula. Containing extra long fibres and carbon black pigments, it sets out to give lashes a full on, false lash effect. 

The brush is slightly different to your average. Instead it's curved upwards like a spoon. According to description it's to help fan out your lashes and ensure even coverage of the product.

After one coat and a full day's wear

Even after one coat it gives eyelashes a beautiful length and a subtle false lash effect. Maybelline claims that this mascara doesn't clump, but I wouldn't necessarily agree. When I removed the wand from the tube, the brush looked too full of product and I ended up having to wipe of a lot of excess. Also, it's not so strong on bottom lashes - it takes quite a few coats to make them stand out.

However, I'd most definitely recommend it for everyday wear. I think I bought it was around £8, which is a good price for a high street brand.

What are your thoughts on the Maybelline Falsies Black Drama Mascara? Are there any mascaras you'd recommend?

The Mascara Monologues: An Introduction

 Courtesy of Weheartit

Mascara has to be my most favourite make-up tool ever invented. I love how it can transform a fresh face into something sexy and beautiful, whether you wear it on its own for a natural look or combine it with other make-up products for a little extra va-va-voom. 

Like most females, I won't leave the house unless my lashes have been coated. But recently I started to notice a re-occuring habit - I never buy the same mascara twice. And it's always because of the same reason - I'm never satisfied.

This is why I've decided to dedicate a collection of blog posts aimed at finding the perfect mascara and named The Mascara Monologues.

In my quest I'm hoping to discover the mascara of all mascaras. Whether it thickens, lengthens or defines, comes from a high street store or high end, I will blog about it honestly and openly.

I hope you all enjoy!