A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I’ve just received this striking campaign image for the new YSL Baby Doll collection featuring the ubiquitous Cara Delevigne which will be released at the end of May.  The collection will include: four coloured mascaras (black, brown, blue, and purple), five coloured eyeliners, a new glossy lipstain and a nail polish.

I still haven’t tried any the YSL glossy lipstains (my intense dislike of “gloss” is making me so hesistant) but I always love the promise of a new YSL mascara, one of the few cyclic launches that gets me excited!

Now, am I getting horribly old or is the male “interest” in the campaign image genuinely young enough to be my offspring?  I can’t believe I’m able to say that without a hint of sarcasm.  He looks about what… 14?  I’m 31.

SON?!

Sweet jesus of all things prematurely ageing, I’m off to drown myself in mint imperials.

The new YSL Baby Doll Mascara will be available on counter, and online at yslbeauty.co.uk from the 22nd May, priced at £24.50

Lash lines.  Is it just me, or are they getting a little bit silly?  I’m all for a bit o’ flutter but what is with the false lash ALL OF THE TIME trend that I’m seeing everywhere?  It genuinely catches me by surprise when I’m in the supermarket, rooting around for my loyalty card, only to look up at and be greeted by a pair of ridicu-lashes courtesy of the cashier.  Nothing else, just lashes… the face is completely obscured by a pair that look like they’ve come straight out of Priscilla’s desert.

It’s about finding balance.  Sure, I don’t want “au naturel” lashes, if I did… I’d go and buy Maybelline Great Lash and maybe after seven coats I’d have something that resembled me not wearing any mascara.  I want volume, definition and a bit of lengthening.  Curl is always an added bonus.

Guerlain Cils d’Enfer Maxi Lash Mascara

Guerlain have released a new mascara: Cils d’Enfer… or “lashes from hell” as the literal translation suggests.  Not quite sure where they’re going with that one but thankfully Cils d’Enfer* produces rather lovely, non-hellish lashes.  The packaging is interesting, when I first picked it up, I expected it to feel much weightier… it looks chunkier than it is.  Perhaps I’m so used to my gorgeous Guerlain lipsticks that I expected something similar in feel.

A standard-looking brush with fibre bristles

The brush is your standard old-skool bristle affair, the brand have focused the majority of effort into perfecting the formula of this mascara, the press release states:

The secret is in the combined action of three remarkable polymers.  The first one wraps the lashes in extremely adherent oils, coating and thickening the lashes.  The second one, made with supple waxes, acts like a conditioner, softening the lashes so you can sculpt them into just the right shape and style.  The last one forms a thin film, coating the lashes to trap the wax and set the amazing curve.

Va Va Voom lashes (on the right obv!)

The formula glides through my lashes nicely and does indeed coat them evenly with the minimum of effort on my part.  The above photo shows one coat, I did go back in for more but you need to be careful about clumping as this one definitely leans more toward the dramatic rather than the natural look.  I think that with the aid of a metal lash comb, you could achieve some serious party lashes from this product.  For me?  One coat is plenty.

I appreciate the inky black pigment and the fact that it doesn’t leave little splodges attached to the tips of my lashes.  It also dries rapidly, ensuring that only the most of violent of mid-application sneezes will catch me out.  I don’t have terribly watery eyes but didn’t experience any longevity issues, transfer or flaking… and you would think not, Guerlain’s Cils d’Enfer is priced at £22.00 – a premium price, for a premium product.

Guerlain Cils d’Enfer is available on counter now in two shades, 01 Noir and 02 Violet.

* press sample

I don’t know if I’m just naturally stupid or if it’s developed with age but I only realised this week that prunes… you know those wrinkly things that your Nan used to serve you with custard to keep you regular, are in fact, plums.  Dried plums.  Did you know this?!  Why didn’t anyone TELL me?  I mean… I never thought there were such things as prune trees but I didn’t make the connection either!

Anyway, huge tangent aside…

Clarins have released a new mascara for Autumn, and in their infinite wisdom, have decided not to call in Prune mascara.  No Sir!  This is Plum mascara – see how that sounds so much better?

Clarins Instant Definition mascara in Intense Plum is a hit of purple-y goodness that stays natural looking, there’s no electric violet lash injections going on here.  This is a mascara that won’t limit your choice of eyeshadow when you wear it and works nicely to jazz things up a little bit in the eye makeup department.

The formula is on the dry side – something I favour in a mascara for giving greater control during application and quicker va-va-voom results but these drier formulas do sometimes last a little less time before hardening in the tube – although the neck seal on this one does feel pretty tight.  The wand is interesting, quite rigid and small – making it great for stubby lashes with an even narrower tip to tickle even the tiniest of corner lashes with colour.

Overall, the results are pretty.  There is clumping on the second coat, but I don’t mind defining the above as pretty clumping.  I have enough lashes in the lash-line for a little bit of clumping to work for the effect rather than against it but if you crave total separation and flutter… you might not like.  I felt that this one gave me Bambi lashes that looked really nice from a distance of more than 3 foot – any closer and I was a little bit aware of da clump.  The colour was a nice touch that didn’t overpower but gave an added interest.  No problems with longevity/flaking/smudging etc. etc.

Clarins Instant Definition Mascara in Intense Plum is priced at £20.00 – it’s a Limited Edition release for Autumn and is unlikely to be available for much longer.

* press sample

Starting tomorrow morning and lasting for 48hrs only, receive a free D.J.V. Beautenizer Fiberwig LX Mascara (worth £18) with any CultBeauty order over £40.  Perhaps now’s the time to plump for the Face Atelier Ultra Foundation I talked about the other week?  Or… how about this 3 Custom Color Century in Red Lip Palette that has a permanent place on the Lipglossiping wishlist (alter-ego, can’t blame myself for these wishlists).

Whatever you choose, the D.J.V. Beautenizer Fiberwig LX Mascara has a cult following and even got me rightly told off by die-hard fans when I reviewed it without reading the instructions properly!

The offer ends at midnight on Monday, so be quick!

Finding the perfect mascara is much like finding the perfect killer heels.  You want something that makes your legs (lashes) look incredible without crippling the wearer.  Some mascaras sting, flake, smear, or generally flop halfway through the day.  The Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara* is a good choice for anyone who wants impressive lash scaffolding without too many side effects.

My lashes are naturally fairly curly and crave definition and impressive darkening to make the most of them.  Curling isn’t high on my list of priorities but even I could see how once this mascara sets, it holds a rock-solid shape throughout the day.

The brush is a curved affair, with a tapered tip to allow you to reach the tiniest of corner lashes.  It does offer good coverage with a single pass, which is just as well because the formula has a tendency to go a little spidery if you go back for too many coats.  I’d stick with two as a maximum.  The formula is a little wetter than some, so be aware of this when applying… I’m always a little heavy-handed which usually results in a couple of splodges of product on my eyelid when using wetter formulas.  Avoid this by removing any excess from the wand with a tissue, or wiping it against the edge of the tube opening.

The black is a true, inky black which coats my lashes evenly and offers great definition, curling and lengthening.  It also does well to volumise at the roots, but again… with the wetter formula, you do need to be precise here.  It’s a little bit ‘bitty’ as it builds, and these ‘bits’ will flake off throughout the day but it’s purely the excess which drops, so again, just take a little more care that you haven’t loaded your brush with too much product and you’ll avoid this.  Another issue is removal… you’ll need warm water to remove, so simply hold a wet flannel to your lashes momentarily and the formula will slide right off.  If you don’t?  This stuff is holding steady – making it a great choice for Summer holidays!  Basically, there’s a learning curve with this mascara that’s worth getting to grips with.

All in all, I think the Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara is a strong offering from the line.  It does what it says on the tube, and if you’re looking for supreme hold and curl with a long-lasting formula (albeit with a little work on your part to get the absolute best from it), you won’t go far wrong with this one.

Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara is available to buy on counter and online, priced at £16.00

* press sample

Smashbox is a brand that just isn’t that easy for me to lay may hands on – sure, it’s in Debenhams but my local Debenhams is situated a 10 minute walk from the main shopping area, making it a bit of a black hole as a far as I’m concerned.

Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Jet Black is currently available at CheapSmells.com — who knows for how long, they have a pretty rapid stock turnover — and they sent me a sample to put to the test.

The mascara has a “wet” formula, something which I noticed immediately because I can never help but worry when buying from online cosmetic ‘discounters’ that I might be getting very old stock… and in the case of mascaras, old stock = dry mascara.

I needn’t have been concerned as the Smashbox Bionic Mascara I received is most definitely wet, any wetter and it would have been an instant fail, like the Bourjois 1001 which I hated until it began to dry out.

You can see from the before/after that the Smashbox Bionic Mascara (on the right!) offers decent lengthening if not much volumising.  I like the inky black shade and the fact that it left my lashes feeling soft and flexible.

It’s not the showstopping mascara I’d have liked to see from Smashbox but it’s a better-than-natural daily mascara (I hate ‘natural’ mascaras) which won’t dry out any time soon and offers genuine single-sweep lash boosting.  Maybe not for nights out on the tiles but a really, very good daily choice for work.

Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Jet Black is priced at £12.95 (a £16.50 value, 22% discount) and available from CheapSmells.com

What’s your favourite ‘daily’ mascara?

* press sample

… I squeed when I spotted Benefit’s new mascara wand in person earlier this month.  We all have our favourites don’t we?  Some like ’em long… some like ’em fat and others just like them to do the job well.  If you’re smirking… you are disgusting.

Benefit’s They’re Real! mascara comes in one shade.  Black.  That suits me fine… I don’t really do coloured mascaras they make me feel like an 80s throwback.

So anyway, this brush… what the hell is so exciting about it?

Well, the Boots No7 Exceptional Definition is still my favourite mascara, I even called it Holy Grail (you can see a before/after in the previous link) and do you notice a similarity between the wands?

Boots No7 Exceptional Definition on top, Benefit They’re Real! on the bottom.

They both have the end spikes but I’m liking the look of Benefit’s longer er ‘prongs’… ok, someone MUST know the proper word for that?!

Of course, the brush is only half the story.  If the formula is pants, it’ll end up in my cosmetic graveyard for all eternity but I’m expecting and hoping for great things!

Benefit’s They’re Real! Mascara will be coming to the UK in August and retail at £18.00

Do you know the last time I did a mascara review?  No, me neither… but it’s been a hella long time.  I used to do at least one a month but I ended up disillusioning myself seeing such little overall difference between the various tubes available.

One Mascara that I’ve always meant to pick up and try is the Max Factor False Lash Effect which I know often gets loads of praise from MUA circles.  I umm’ed and ahh’ed in Boots over whether to go for the original or this new spangly looking purple one.  I lived up to my girly stereotype and went for the spangly one.

See?  Spangly.

How about more important things though, like brush… formula… ability to falsify lashes?

They say:

False Lash Effect Fusion combines Max Factor’s biggest ever volumising brush with its latest lengthening formula to create thicker and longer lashes. For those girls who want an extreme lash look, they’ve come to the right place.

I say, the chunky brush is pretty nice… but I imagine that for those with short lashes it could be a nightmare.  I always have difficulty trying to detect whether the bristles are indeed bristles, plastic or rubber… these feel like stumpy old-style bristles to me but I could be wrong.  It’s been known to happen!

The formula is pretty good.  I hate thin formulas that practically drip off the brush (I’m looking at you Bourjois 1001 cils) but I equally dislike mascaras that last about 3 weeks before drying up.  This is middle of the road.

Are the results middle of the road too?  See for yourselves…

I see a good amount of volume and I love how the Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion has emphasised my lashline so heavily but I’m not seeing the length I was hoping for from this mascara.

I’m gonna try combining it with my favourite length-boosting mascara… who knows, I may stumble upon the ‘ultimate’ pairing!

You can currently purchase Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion for a very reasonable £8.99 (saving £3 off the original price) at Boots.

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Have you tried Max Factor’s False Lash Effect Fusion Mascara yet?  How about the original?

Let me set the scene…

My makeup is lovely.  I’m very happy with how I’ve scrubbed up this evening… there’s definitely room for improvement, but on the makeup front?  The girl’s done good.

I’m getting into the swing of things and have been at this function for a couple of hours… I’m relaxing and smiling more… joining in with the odd conversation and life is generally pretty sweet.

But hang on, what’s this?

Oh… one too many gin and tonics tells me that I need a loo break.  Off we go!

Oooooh squeee mirrors!  Let me give myself a quick check, make sure my hair’s not gone too wild, lips aren’t too faded….

….

…errrr wtf?

You don’t see it?  Look closer mi amigos…

Check out the nice mascara smudges… I got off lightly, I sometimes develop matching ones on both eyelids.

Seriously though…for  just HOW LONG had I looked like I needed a bloody good wash?  I stand infront of the mirror, my brain working overtime trying to calculate just how many people had clearly done the polite thing of NOT STARING?

Mascara…

You fail me.

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Do you have a beauty nemesis?

Forever on a quest for a kick-ass mascara, today I’m bringing you my thoughts on Jemma Kidd’s Lash Xtension Volume Mascara which I was sent a couple of weeks ago.

It promises both volume and length with a formula designed to promote lash strength and healthiness thanks to the help of some added vitamin A and E.  As an aside (and something I can’t accurately test because my lashes are already being artificially ‘boosted’) this Jemma Kidd mascara contains something called “BioBoost Complex” to stimulate growth.  It really is all the rage at the moment isn’t it?

I like the Jemma Kidd packaging style and this is no exception… it has that matte/glossy juxtaposition going on and looks embroidered, neat!

“What a stumpy little brush!” I exclaimed when I pulled the wand from the tube…

You can see that compared to the DiorShow… it’s only 2/3rds of the length with a chunky, short head making it ideal for those of us with smaller eyes or hooded lids.  I can get right to the outer corner lashes without blobbing (technical term) product on the hooded part of my eyelid.

I’d call this a “natural” mascara.

Yeah, I don’t really get excited over that term either.

On my left eye (your right), I’m wearing 2 coats of it.  This mascara excels in it’s buildability.  After taking the photo I thought I’d keep going… another 2 coats left me with lashes that were thicker at the base without clumping at the ends.  I don’t have watery eyes… but I didn’t notice any problems with flaking or smudging.

It’s not the most exciting mascara I’ve tried and it sadly doesn’t leave my lashes reaching for the stars but it is pretty foolproof.

If you’re looking for an everyday natural mascara that would particularly suit mature eyes and give you a foolproof application I’d really recommend giving this a go.  Add in the whole “BioBoost complex” selling point and perhaps you’ve found your next mascara?

2 eyes, 83 eyelashes (or thereabouts) and 2 mascaras.

On one eye, I’ve applied £21.50 worth of mascara (DiorShow Iconic)

On the other eye… £5.99 worth of mascara (Boots 17 Wild Curls)

There’s undoubtedly a difference, and the expensive mascara (on the left as you look at it) has done it’s job well.

But is the difference really worth £15.51?

Hand on heart, for me… I think it’s worth it.  My husband thinks I’m a sucker.

What do you think?

I’ve been using a lash growth accelerator product (Latisse) since the start of April and I’m pretty happy with the length of my lashes now.  I feel that it’s made them a little finer than I’d like them to be, but I’ll continue to use it once a week or so for maintenance.

However, it means that I really need to use mascara nowadays to enhance these finer (but ultimately slightly longer) lashes.  And I’ve been trialling some lovely ones recently!

I thought I’d show you a high street one that’s grabbed my attention thanks to it’s light formula but lovely dark pigment.

Lash Extension Effect Mascara contain’s Max Factor’s longest mascara brush ever, which they claim helps you to reach every lash to deliver dramatic length.  Personally, I still struggled a little to reach those outer corner lashes…. L’oreal Telescopic Explosion still wins the “coating every lash award” for me.

A lengthening mascara as opposed to a volume or curl-giving product, it lengthens well.  The smell is quite off-putting and chemically… I notice this often with Max Factor mascaras, it’s an irritation but ultimately doesn’t stop me buying them.

One of the things that I really like about this mascara is how easy I find it to remove.  I own the non-waterproof version and this rinses away nicely with a cleansing oil.  I sometimes have to massage the oil into my lashes to shift stubborn mascaras, but this dissolves readily despite not smudging on me during the day.

Priced at £10.99 I’m almost loathe to call this a high-street mascara, it is… but it certainly isn’t budget friendly.

What do you think about the prices of high street mascaras nowadays?  They just keep going up and up!