A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Lash curling. I think it’s probably one of the most under-talked about subjects in the blog world. And you know why? Because it’s a hugely neglected step in the quest for makeup perfection.

Before you think I’m preaching, I’m guilty of this too. The number of times that I pass over my eyelash curlers and reach straight for the mascara is pretty shameful for someone blogging about the virtues of this crucial step in the process!

First things first, many women give up on the idea of lash-curling simply because they haven’t found a pair of curlers to suit their eye shape.  Some pinch, some force you to contort your wrist awkwardly, and some… well, some just don’t give any kind of curl at all.  If your lashes are stubbornly straight, you may be better off investing in a pair of heated lash curlers which promise to give super-strength and hold to your curl.

My lashes are fairly average, they curl nicely at the end but benefit from a bit of lift at the roots for a more wide-eyed look.  I’ve tried a few lash curlers in the past and my needs aren’t so demanding that I’ve struggled to find a tool that works (although I find the Shu Uemura ones a little too flat for me).  Having said that, I’m enjoying the effortless results that I’m getting from these Japonesque Power Curl Eyelash Curlers* (£20) from Cult Beauty.

I say “effortless” because these ones seem to catch each lash in one attempt.  I don’t have to faff around with placement and even though I’m using them extremely close to the root, I can squeeze them together safe in the knowledge that I’m not going to feel a pinch at the outer corners.  Something that I have experienced in the past when I curl close to the root.  I suppose you just know when you find a pair that suits your eye-shape and curling requirements, and these are pretty much spot-on for me.  There’s also the added bonus of the brand offering free replacement curler pads throughout the lifetime of the product!

So… lash-curling… for the uninitiated, let me give you a few quick tips that work for me:

1. Rest the curlers against your cheek, they should feel comfortable to work with

2. Look down as you get the curlers in position, this will help trap as many lashes as possible.

3. Hold still whilst curling and count to ten before releasing your grip, you don’t want to pull out any lashes!

4. If your lashes are super-straight, don’t be afraid to create another curl halfway along the lash… and even another at the very tip if needed!

5. Set your curl with mascara.  If your lashes are very curl-resistant, you may fare better with a waterproof mascara for extra-strength hold.

place and…

…squeeze!

worth the effort?

I did the above demonstration without a mirror (I was holding my camera!) and you can see that I had the curler a little too close to my nose, missing a couple of lashes at the outer corner.  This is actually quite useful because it means that you can see the “droop” my lashes would have had minus the curling step.

Do you curl your lashes every day?  Think it makes enough of a difference to warrant the additional step in your routine?

* press sample

If you’ve been layering on the mascara, coat after coat (after coat, after coat) in the quest for lashes that sweep the floor.  Stop it.  You look like you’ve got spiders frantically trying to escape from your eyeballs.  I’ve even known girls who wait for their mascara to fully dry before adding more coats.  A surefire way to achieve lashes crispier than a KFC chicken wing.

Powder Rooms will be holding a Lilash/LiBrow Flash Sale tomorrow, Friday 7th June between 2-3PM BST.  This much-heralded wonder serum is known for strengthening, fortifying and boosting your lash power to the max.  But don’t take my word for it… check out Muhsine’s great post here with some impressive before/after pictures.

LiLash and LiBrow can be tricky to get hold outside of the U.S. and Powder Rooms is the UK’s only authorized online stockist, ensuring that you get fresh stock that won’t cost you a bomb in customs duty!

It takes around 3 months to see the full results from a course of LiLash, though some have reported dramatic effects after only 3/4 weeks.  If you’re interested in receiving 15% off the standard price, be sure to log on to Powder Rooms tomorrow between 2-3PM BST (ships worldwide) and make a rare saving on this cult product with the all important code: lashflash

…is precisely what I thought when I downloaded these images.  Truth be told, I was trying some different angles because I knew the usual above eye-level (wobbly chin minimizing) camera angle would completely obliterate the lashes that I worked so hard to apply.

So then I did some shots with the camera pointing up at the lashes, but they were no good ‘cos you could see right up my nose and I’m neither denying nor confirming reports that we had a bogey situation.

So, for the love of God, please don’t think this is an actual pose.

But what I wanted to say was, wheee Red Cherry Lashes!

If you don’t know about Red Cherry lashes, you’re missing out.  It’s more likely that some of my lovely UK readers won’t have heard of them purely because availability isn’t quite so good here in the UK.  I bought these (Red Cherry #600) last week from BuyEyelashes.co.uk and they arrived a few days later.  I do own some other pairs but being the non false lash wearer that I am, I haven’t gotten around to trying them on yet.

Let’s take a closer look at the lashes.

100% Human Hair.  I’m sure this is supposed to be a good thing, they do feel very fluttery and naturalistic but is it just me who wonders exactly where this human hair comes from?  I know you’re thinking India or the Far East but I don’t mean that.  What I’m really thinking about, is the possibility that I’m wearing someone’s bum hair on my face.

Looks good though doesn’t it?

The bands on these Red Cherry #600s are beautifully pliable and thin enough to work with comfortably.  I applied the lashes above with the help of my new Japonesque tool which I bought after Liloo said we all needed one.  It does make a difference, but I’ll blog about that later.

Red Cherry 600s are priced at £3.10 from BuyEyelashes.co.uk, or I have used this eBay seller before for Red Cherry lashes.

So, there we have it.  Bum hair, ridiculously thick eyeliner (that thing where you make it thicker to go over a booboo) and a picture that makes me look like I’m about to make love to myself.

Have a lovely weekend special people.

I’m not a tutorial blogger, I don’t have the skills to teach anyone much about anything but I thought a few photos and a quick rundown of my experience with the Colorsport 30 Day Mascara might be useful to any scaredy-cats out there who are nervous about home tinting!

The kit contains enough product for ‘upto’ 16 applications but I found that I had lots left over when I used the amount suggested by the instructions.  Your mileage may vary!

I think this would make a great Summer holiday purchase to darken those lashes before you hit the pool.  No running mascara worries, how cool would that be?!

Here’s a shot of the products I assembled before attempting to dye my eyebrows with the kit.  I was feeling a little apprehensive and wanted to have everything to hand incase I panicked and wanted to wipe everything off halfway through!

Cotton Buds for application on my eyebrows.

Lanolips to protect the skin around my eyebrows from being dyed too!  You could replace the Lanolips with something less expensive like Vaseline or a heavy moisturiser (I would next time but had neither of those to hand!)

Oil Free Makeup Remover, I used my Bioderma Crealine.

Mascara Spoolie or an old mascara wand to run through my brows midway through the tint process.

Now it’s time to mix-up the solution…

stop sniggering…

The final mix should look something like the above.  Creamy and non-drippy!

I wiped my brows over with a wash of the non-oily makeup remover, smeared the Lanolips over the surrounding area and then painted the dye over my brow with a cotton bud (q-tip).

2 minutes later and a quick wipe-off with a dampened cotton pad… here’s a before and after shot.  Only the eyebrow on your right has been tinted.

The Results…

Well, it’s subtler than I expected… which I guess is a good thing really.  I’m not keen on the fact that it appears to have warmed up my naturally ashy brows.  The skin underneath the hair that has caught some of the dye and I expect will fade in a couple of days, it’s not hugely noticeable but I will gently exfoliate the skin tomorrow to speed up the fade.

They also have a version in black which I was concerned might be too harsh for me but now I think it could work well with less developing time until I’m more confident in the results.

Other things to note…

The application/mixing wand provided with the kit isn’t up to the job.  It’s not unusable but you will probably end up reaching for something else to use instead.

I experienced no irritation or sensitivity with this product and was careful to conduct a skin sensitivity test 48hrs before use.

Overall…

I’m really enthused by how easy and quick the process was compared to how I imagined it.  Neither was it messy or particularly fiddly… it was quite good fun!

I think it would most benefit people with fair brows and lashes.  On me, the difference wasn’t huge on either my lashes or my brows.  I would recommend the Colorsport 30 Day Mascara Eyelash & Brow Dye Kit but with a caveat about the dark brown being quite warming.

Colorsport 30 day Mascara Eyelash & Brow Dye Kit is available to purchase instore or online from Boots where it is 1/3 off at only £5.44 a pack.  (usual price £8.16)

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Do you tint your eyebrows or lashes at home?

* this is a review of a PR sample

I know a few of you have been keen to hear about how I fared with my trial of Urban Decay’s Lush Lash System*.  I started the trial back in February and finished up the tube a few weeks ago.

The system promises lashes that are…

– 25% longer and thicker in 2 weeks
– 40% longer in 4 weeks
– 63% longer in 6 weeks

Sadly, I didn’t experience anything as impressive as those results.  Infact, I’m not really sure I experienced anything much at all.  See what you think (the top image shows the BEFORE, the bottom image is AFTER using the system for 8 weeks).

I think I see more fullness to my lashline… but no increase in length.  Or at least, nothing worth shouting about.  (On a side note, damn… I think I’m in love with my eye cream LOL!)

As a peptide-based lash growth system, it works on the premise of protecting the lashes you already have and strengthening new ones coming through, thereby increasing their life cycle.  This is probably why I’m seeing a slight increase in volume as the lashes that would have normally fallen out are still clinging on thanks to the fortification.

At £28 it’s an affordable alternative to the more expensive systems out there which include the likes of M2Beauté, LiLash and Revitalash but I can’t help but wonder if sometimes, you really do get what you pay for.

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Urban Decay Lush Lash is priced at £28 and available to buy online from BeautyBay, LookFantastic and HQHair

* PR Sample

I was born with feet for hands.  Not literally you understand, I mean I don’t actually have toes for fingers… but dexterity wise?  May as well have.

Because of this, I don’t wear false lashes very often but I’m always left wanting to buy some whenever I visit my local CCO.  There’s this SA in there who’s simply stunning (total girl crush) and she always wears perfect false lashes, full and flirty with no hint of Katie Price… they darken her lashline and open her eyes.

Anyway, after my last CCO jaunt, I came home and got straight on the net to satisfy my urge for lashes that I’ll probably never wear out of the house and I came across these:

I favour flirty, natural-looking lashes over the thicker types which I really struggle with and these looked perfect!  I bought two pairs from eBay and they cost around £2.50/£3.00 each once shipping had been added.  Bargain!

Have some piccies…

The boxes aren’t numbered which is a bit of a silly oversight, so I had to do some detective work.  These are #461 – they’re very curly and the band is super-fine and flexible.  The lashes feel soft… really nice for a natural look.  The band is quite long though, I had to cut about 4 knots in to achieve the right length for my lashline.

These are demi (half) lashes, #079 – the band is thicker and slightly stiffer but softens up well with a bit of manipulation.  I’m in total love with these because they really extend my eye outwards and give an almost cat-eye effect…. slinky!  I’m buying a couple more pairs of these this weekend to make sure I have some for wedding season!

Because they’re only half length, I also find them easier to apply… less band, less chance of sticking them to my eyebrow right?!

Excuse the messy brows, I’ve nearly managed to grow them out (whoop!) – I’m booking myself in for a mahoosive threading session next week.

Anyway, back to the lashes, these are the 1st pair (#461), you can see that the curl is strong and the lashes, fine and a touch feathery.

All in all, I’m really pleased with my bargain discoveries from Elise!  You should note that they don’t come with any glue and unlike simillarly-priced Red Cherry lashes, aren’t human hair.

What are some of your favourite false lashes and how often do you wear them?

I’m a bit dubious about lash lengthening products that rely on conditioning agents and peptides rather than…yano… proper ‘drugs’ to promote growth.

Ok, so on the plus side, you’ve got no risks of iris darkening or other unsavoury side-effects, but on the negative side… will it really have any effect?

Urban Decay have released Lush Lash (£28.00), a double-ended system that boasts two products enriched with peptides that work to lengthen, thicken and fortify your lashes.

O Rly.

Let’s see shall we?

It’s flippin’ tricky to get dead on accurate before/afters for this type of trial but I’ll do my best and have memorized how I was holding the camera (and where I was looking) to try and achieve the same pose in 6 weeks time.

So what can I expect according to Urban Decay’s clinical results?

Sounds good to me…

I used Latisse last year so know the kind of results I achieved from a prostaglandin-based product and will be hugely interested to see if you can achieve the same kind of results from a trusted, high street name without the side-effect risk AND at a greatly reduced price.

Wish me luck!

Urban Decay Lush Lash System is priced at £28 and available online from BeautyBay, Debenhams and LookFantastic.

My lovely cousin A. is 8 weeks in to her Trish McEvoy Lash Enhancer challenge!

Let me refer you lovely people to this post for the background info.

I’m a week early on the photo because she’s on holiday this week… but I thought it was worth taking anyway and my next update will be at the 12 week stage, by which time… results should be fully apparent according to the blurb with the product.

Anyway, enough gassing… have some pics:

Two months in means that she’s halfway through the £89 tube.  It’s on a par price-wise with other lash-enhancing products on the market, but backed by the reputable name of Trish McEvoy.

A. (who hasn’t seen these photos) believes that she’s experienced a change in the volume of her lashes… to her, they feel thicker and more luxurious.  She doesn’t believe that her lashes have grown in length though.

Giddyup lashes!  Week 12 awaits!

What do you ladies reckon judging by the photos?

Straight ones, short ones, long ones, curly ones.  Pubes Eyelashes, they’re the business.

They’re the shields that protect our precious eyes from debris every second of the day, they’re sensitive enough to let us know when that mascara wand is getting perilously close to our eyeballs and trigger the reflex that clamps our eyes shut just before we stupidly poke ourselves with it.

The problem with eyelashes though?  They’re just not long enough.

Horses have fab eyelashes, have you ever noticed?  Straight as a poker… you’d need to put the Shu Uemura’s to work… but still, mega lashes.

I was contacted by the PR for Trish McEvoy who are going to love the fact that my feature about their lash enhancer has already managed to mention pubes and horses when we’re barely 100 words in… but nevermind…

Where was I?

Oh yes, nice PR lady said “Hello!” and “Would you like to try our new Lash Enhancer?”.

“Hmmm” said I… “I’m already using some lash enhancing stuff that I bought, but if you don’t mind a potential guest reviewer I have just the person!”

Meet my cousin… A.

I don’t like this before picture… she’s not as good at taking photos as me.  She says she has some more, so if and when she emails me them… I shall add them.  But this will do for now.

She’s desperate for longer lashes and infact… this photo is the first time I’ve seen her for ages where she isn’t sporting either extensions or a pair of falsies.

We’re gonna give it a couple of months and see how she gets on with the Trish McEvoy Lash Enhancer.

This stuff isn’t cheap by the way… around £89 for 4 months supply.  I hope she doesn’t drop it down the loo or something stupid like that.

Let me give you the rest of the blurb:

Lashes lose fullness due to day-to-day wear-and-tear, makeup removal, eyerubbing, and the aging process. Using highly potent SymPeptides™ and an abundance of powerful proteins, vitamins, and moisturizing ingredients, Lash Enhancer helps condition, hydrate, strengthen, and nourish lashes to help them withstand the mechanical, natural and environmental aggressors as well as aging process that may shorten their life.

A single nightly application of Lash Enhancer Nighttime Conditioning Treatment will promote the stronger, fuller, healthier lashes of your dreams. In just 2 weeks of daily use can you experience as much as a 25% increase in volume. A few quick seconds each night will put you on the road to fuller lashes.

So… fundamentally this stuff is different from the more pharmaceutical lash enhancing treatments.  Most importantly, you can apply this stuff without fear of your eyes changing colour or growing a second head.  Which is always reassuring.

The packaging is sleek, sexy and heavyweight…

A nice precision applicator so you don’t waste too much product during application and deliver the good stuff right to where it’s needed.

I’m excited!  I like these kind of trials… I like tangible results!

Fingers crossed for A that Trish McEvoy’s Lash Enhancer can turn those puny lashes into floor sweepers!  Stay tuned!

With bananas that like to masquerade as fingers, I’m not particularly adept at the whole false eyelash thing.  The number of times I’ve attempted to falsify my lashes can be counted on one hand.

I need to practice and improve my technique because a well-chosen pair of lashes can make a huge difference to an overall look…

…not well chosen.

It was with interest then that I read an eye health warning from The Eyecare Trust.

“Failing to follow a good hygiene routine when wearing false lashes puts you at risk of suffering irritation and nasty eye infections such as conjunctivitis and bacterial keratitis.”

Iain Anderson, Chairman of the Eyecare Trust continues: “Common symptoms of these eye infections include: red, sore or gritty eyes; a watery discharge; sensitivity to the light; headaches; blurred vision and in severe cases, reduced visual acuity.”

Whoulda thunk it?

Here are The Eyecare Trust‘s top tips for using false lashes safely.

1. Wash your hands before applying fake lashes
2. Use a good quality adhesive
3. Never stick them to your own lashes (always glue them to the eyelid and following the manufacturer’s instructions)
4. Never wear more than one pair at once
5. Clean them thoroughly before reuse
6. Throw them away at the first sign of wear and tear (most lashes have a lifespan of around four wears)
7. Store them in a clean / dry case
8. Never share your lashes with anyone else
9. Don’t stick jewels or other embellishments onto the lashes
10. Always remove them before you go to bed.

Do you adhere to the guidelines?

A few months ago (read 5… yeah, I’m slacking), I started trialling Mavala’s Double Lash that I’d picked up in an effort to improve the condition of my eye lashes which had been breaking and looking a little sparse ever since giving birth to my daughter.

Anyway, how did I get on?

Here’s how my lashes looked back in October:

…and here they were when I finished the trial at the end of December:

I applied Mavala Double Lash every night as directed for around 10 weeks.

They say:

Eye lashes are an essential element of face beauty. Double Lash contains proteins which strengthen, cover and protect the lashes allowing them to become healthy, long and resistant.

It is the natural active ingredients in Double Lash which stimulate growth of the lashes giving them a lovely luxuriant and silky appearance.

I think I see a teeny bit of difference if you use my eyelid crease as a benchmark.  I felt on occasion that my lashes were longer and thicker (particularly when I was wearing mascara) but I just wasn’t convinced that I couldn’t attribute at least some of those feelings to plain wishful thinking.  Unless there’s a significant difference with things like this, I think it’s pretty tricky to judge.

I didn’t experience any irritation using the product, and it literally took seconds to apply each evening.  But, I guess the crux of the trial can be summed up with this simple observation… I haven’t bothered to repurchase it.

Mavala Double Lash is available online priced from around £8.50

Tell me, do you see any differences?

I woke up to an email this morning announcing the arrival of Get Lashed lashes for sale on the Nails Inc. website (like that website isn’t tempting enough already right?)

Choose from 8 available styles:

L-R: Get Cute, Get Natural

L-R: Get Gorgeous, Get Kissable

L-R: Get Glam, Get Flirty

L-R: Get Funky, Get Playful

Prices vary from £7 up to £13 depending on style.  Personally, I’m loving the look of Get Kissable!

Which of these styles would be perfect for your Christmas parties this season?