mascara

TooFaced Better Than Sex waterproof mascara Review 

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Hello my little buttons!!!  
I was tickled pink to see in a recent Glossy Box one of the items was the waterproof version of Toofaced Better Than Sex Mascara. I have seen this everywhere online and was so excited that I finally had it!


The packaging is gorgeous, a beautiful teal colour with waterdrops embossed all over giving it a wet look. I though that was really clever. 

The brush was bristled with an hourglass shape, fully loaded with product. I love mascara that creates length and separation with a bit of volume. I used to love big chunly thick lashes but as I’m getting older my tastes are changing. I still like crazy lashes on a night out as I tend to wear dramatic eye makeup but day to day, not so much! 

My lashes are fairly short and thin so I don’t have much to work with but with the right mascara they can look great. On first impression I really wasn’t sure I liked this mascara, it did add great volume but it did make my lashes look clumpy and brittle if that makes sense?! I was also disappointed that it didn’t hold the curl very well, within an hour or so my lashes looked pretty straight. 
Although I did get many complimets throughout the day on how good my lashes looked which did surprise me lol. I do have to say this mascara literally lasted alllllllll day. Even when it came to removing it my normal micellar water did nothing so I had to use an oil, which would be fantastic if I had a long day or night out and wanted to it last.

On reflection, looking at the photos a few days later my lashes actually looked better than I thought they did on the day. The mascara isn’t on my ‘ride or die’ list, but I think it really does add huge volume and the formula is super black and long lasting overall it’s not a bad mascara to own. I’m not sure I’d pay the £19 price tag but as a deluxe sample it will definitely get used.

I’d love to hear what you think about this product in the comments below! 

Lots of love 

Becca xxx 

Revlon Ultra Volume Mascara Review

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Hello my little buttons!

I received this mascara is my glossy box, I love big dramatic lashes so was really pleased I was given the Volume mascara as there were several in the line that other people had received. The mascara is worth £9.99 and as I paid £10 for the glossy box and received 5 other items I felt it was a good deal.

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The packaging is sleek, simple but pretty. The wand itself is a big chunky bristle brush, it doesnt seem to be over loaded with product either which is a nice change as most new mascaras with big brushes can have way too much on causing your lashes to really clump up.

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As you can see in this photo I have mascara on my right eye and nothing on my left eye. WOW this mascara is amazing! Separated my lashes beautifully and was so easy to layer up. The formula is a super dark black and it held my curl up all day long which on my straight lashes is impressive. It did add some volume but what I found most impressive is the crazy length it’s given me, the wand fanned out my lashes really opening my eyes up making me look bright eyed and awake.

Highly recommend this mascara it’s worked wonders for me, for £9.99 you really can’t go wrong. What’s your favourite mascara? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Becca xxx

Glossy Box May 2016 First Impressions

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Hello my little buttons!

One of the highlights of the month is when my glossy box arrives, it’s like receiving a present as I never know what’s inside. Glossy Box costs £10 per month plus P&P and the items inside are always worth far more than what you pay, you also get to try brands and products you wouldn’t come across every day in Boots or Superdrug. Since receiving glossy box I have found some real treasures which keeps me comming back for more! Here’s my first impressions of what I received and how I feel about this month’s box.

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Firstly the packaging, so adorable i actually want to colour it in!!! Each box was designed with a “city break” theme, London, New York or Berlin were the chosen cities. My box is Berlin, it was designed by Omg Studios. I really appreciate when so much thought has gone into the packaging, as the boxes are so sturdy I reuse them for other things so the design makes it a tad cooler.

The first thing I noticed about the products inside was the packet of popcorn, hmm bit of a ‘filler’ product but my kids were happy to munch on it so not the end of the world. I don’t think I’ve ever received food in a box before, i hope Glossy box don’t make this a regular occurrence as if I wanted food in my beauty box I would subscribe to a food box!!!

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Next in the box was Hairon Zero Crease Hair ties, a pack of 3 for £3.99. I have received these in Glossy Box before so sadly not a new product but they are really handy to have and saves me buying them so quite happy about these.

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I was really excited to see this next product, a velvet lippie worth £4.93 from the brand “Absolute New York” a product and brand I had never heard of, woohooo!! The colour is gorgeous, of course I instantly applied it and was really pleased with the results. It was very comfortable on the lips and unlike a lot of matte cream lipsticks it wasn’t drying and didn’t flake off. Result.

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Wasn’t overly pleased about this next product, Hawiaiian Topic Protective dry Oil SFP 15. I don’t use under factor 30 and I never use oil, I rubbed some on my arm it did smell nice but it isn’t something I am ever going to use. I do have a friend I could pass it on too so at least it’s not going to waste. The bottle I received is 100ml, the full size is 200ml for £13.99 although I have found it cheaper online.

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I love love love skin care, so I’m very pleased with this next item. Bee Youth Good Enhancing Plump & Firm Moisturising, it also says on the packaging “Made With Real Bees” I have noticed a real big trend in bee ingredients such as honey in skin care and makeup which is fantastic as saving the bees is so important right now. The tube is 15ml worth £9 and the full size is 50ml costing £23.50. I am yet to have tried this enough to fully review it but first impressions, wow!!! It’s given me silky smooth skin and smells devine, I think it’s going to be a winner.

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Last but not least, a Revlon Ultra Volume Mascara worth £9.99. Another favourite product for me to receive in a beauty box! I’m bit of a mascara junkie and as they dry out so fast I’m always open to getting more. The wand has a lovely chunky bristle brush which is right up my street, looking forward to testing it out tomorrow.

Overall I’m happy with this months box, my favourite items are the velvet lippie, moisturiser and mascara. All of which I will happily use and review. I’d love to hear in the comments below if you subscribe to any beauty boxes?

Becca xxx

Summer survival favourites

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Hello my little buttons!

As the weathers heating up here in the UK I thought I’d share with you a few key items that help me survive the summer. It’s quite a random selection of makeup and general things that make my life that bit easier in the heat!

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1. Boots Soltan Once Face 8 hour moisturising suncare cream spf 30 with gradual tan

This is my favourite face spf, priced at £9 for 50ml a little goes a long way and it lasts for most of the summer. I love products that combine several essentials in one. As well as being a suncream, in the summer this replaces my day moisturiser too. I find that even with spf on my body I will still catch the sun and build up some colour, although on my face under my huge sunglasses it stays pretty pale. As this product contains a gradual tan it helps my face catch up with the rest of my body! It also soaks in relatively quickly, I tend to apply it half an hour or so before I leave the house by which point I no longer look a creamy mess. I will say it does have that suncream feel when you apply it, but it’s more light weight. It ticks all the boxes for me and is my number one summer product as skin protection is very important to me.

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2. Sunglasses.

If you know me in ‘real life’ this won’t be a suprise, I LIVE in my sunglasses, even in the winter but especially in the summer. My favourite pair at the moment are also from boots, the brand is Miss Kj and they cost £30. I normally buy a cheapy pair from Primark but they never last very long and don’t really protect my eyes. This pair is awesome, my eyes never ache with the sun shine anymore, they are sturdy and I adore the 50’s design.

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3. Maxi dresses. (or summer dresses)

I’m a real dress kind of girl, no matter what the weather I’ll be in some sort of dress and leggings. But, my favourite of them all is the maxi dresses! I patiently wait all year long until it’s hot enough to get them out of their box and I will live in them until it’s too cold to pull it off. I tend to wear mainly black but for the summer I’m crazy patterned and colourful. They are super comfy and floaty to wear, they hide a multitude of sins and I always feel summery in them. A few of my favourites I actually got from Swindon Outlet they’re really unique and a total steal with huge reductions, outlooks can be a great place to go for clothes full stop.

4. Waterproof mascara.

Sweat sweat and more sweat. In the heat walking to parks and friends houses, days out, sitting in the sun, you know your going to get sweaty. There really is nothing worse than going indoors, removing your sunglasses, and your mascara being all under your eyes like a little baby panda. Not a good look for anyone! I don’t tend to wear make up if we’re going to the pool swimming or the beach but if you simply can’t live without mascara I would highly recommend a water proof version to save the panda embarrassment. It is slightly harder to remove but I feel the benefits out weigh the extra removal time.

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5. BB creams.

Nothing feels worse in the summer than having heavy makeup on, everytime you touch your face it transfers off and in the heat it’s moves about creating a patchy and generally unflattering look. If I want makeup on a bbcream is my best friend. As well as acting as a moisturiser it gives me just enough coverage to even out my skin tone and cover light imperfections. If I want a bit more coverage I’ll also use a light dusting of a powder foundation which also sets the bb cream helping it last far longer. I have a few favourites, one being the L’oreal Skin perfection which has skincare ingredients helping keep my breakouts to a minium. The rimmel bb cream is a really good one as well, it has more coverage and with powder can really cover up those face demonds while still feeling light weight on your skin.

6. Water.

Last but not least is water, it is so important to hydrate through the day. I bring a bottle of water everywhere with me so there’s no excess not to drink. Your body is around 60% water and in the heat you need more liquids than normal. Dehydration can make your skin dry causing more wrinkles so keeping on top of your liquids every day can vastly help improve your skin.

So there were my top summer essentials, I’d love to hear your down in the comments below!

Becca xxx

Elf Lash tint mascara review

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Hello my little buttons!

If you read my blog posts you’ll be aware that I’m working my way through Elfs new beautifully bare collection. The line is meant to be natural flawless looking makeup for your ‘no makeup makeup’ days. In this review we’ll be looking at the Lash Tint Mascara in ‘naked noir’. When I recently put an order in with Elf I received this for free as they had a special offer on, to buy it would of been £5.  I tend to go for big chunky mascaras that will give me as much length and volume as possible so I had to change my mindset when trying this product, I thought of more natural and fluttery lashes that would look nice with toned down summer makeup.

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I really like the packaging is this line, the sleek silver mirrored tube looks great although the finger print aspect is starting to annoy me lol. The brush on this product is TINY, I mean really really tiny. Here is it next to a Freedom Makeup London mascara brush to show you in comparison.

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Elf claim that “this innovative and revolutionary applicator expertly combs and coats each individual Lash for weightless coverage. The micro fibre infused formula creates buildable volume from root to tip.” I’m afraid I have to really disagree with that!!! The information is all very conflicting, by the name ‘lash tint’ you would assume it litrally tints your lashes black for a real natural ‘your lashes but better’ look. Yet on the back of the packet it’s claiming buildable volume? I wasn’t overly impressed with the brush, I found it actually started uncurled my lashes when applying. It did separate most of my lashes but there wasn’t any volume going on, I do have to say the mascara colour is very black which I did like and even noticed later on when I looked in the mirror. But even if I could get past the minimum volume and straight lashes, I hate to say it as I love Elf, the formula sucks. My lashes took about half an hour to dry, this is not exaduration even after the half hour they were tacky and sticky to touch. While they were drying everytime I blinked I felt like my top and bottom lashes were trying to stick together which was really irritating and uncomfortable. Here are some photos of what it looked like on.

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It didn’t look horrendous and if it wasn’t for the sticky formula I would of proberly given it another few goes but I couldn’t stand the feeling of my lashes sticking together so sadly this is a fail for me. I recently review the Beautifully Bare Total Face Palette which I loved if you were interested in reading reviews on other products in the line. I will also be reviewing the beautifully bare blush this week too.

Becca xxx

L’oreal False Lash Sculpt Mascara

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Hello my little buttons!

I recently purchased L’Oréal False Lash Effect Mascara after hearing the huge claims L’Oréal were making in regards to what this mascara can do. Allegedly in One STROKE it can tight line at the roots, volumize at the core and fan your lashes out at the tips. My first thought was no way, in one stroke is that possible. After purchasing the mascara I straight away checked out this ‘magic’  wand, it was not what I was expecting at all. It’s quite hard to explain so I will add photos down below, it’s a long cone shape with two small combs next to each other. I was genuinely expecting a big chunky bristle brush or even a Benefit There Real! rubber brush dupe.

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On first application I have to say I was really impressed, the bottom comb almost hooks on to your lashes at the root causing a ‘tight line’ effect, it did add volume and fan my lashes out as promised. I used a few coats as I wanted to reposition some of my lashes but it really wasn’t 100% nessasary. I was very happy with the end result, although do be careful the first time you use it as it does feel different compared to a generic mascara, I did jab myself in the eye!!! On the photo below I litrally have eyeshadow and mascara on, no eyeliner at all.

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But second time round I was prepared and sculpted my lashes like a pro. It built up beautifully and I easily could of added more. When you first pull the wand out there is quite a lot of product on there so I recon it would work with one stroke for big punky thick lashes, I wiped some off for a more defined look. It’s also super dark which throughout the day has been one of the things I really noticed and loved. What I think is super unique about this formula is your lashes stay exactually where you want them to, as an example, I had curled my lashes but thought they needed an extra umph so after application I gently pushed my lashes up in hope they would stay there (which never happens) but omg they did stay up!!! Even when I moved them about to even out the fanned effect, once positioned they didn’t budge at all. It’s almost like hair gel for your lashes!!! Another bonus is later on in the day I could actually add more mascara on top of what I already had on and it looked gorgeous. I’m so impressed with this mascara, my new magic weapon for sure.

Love Becca xxx

Kiko Extra Sculpt Volume Mascara

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Hello my little buttons!

I received the Kiko Extra Sculpt Volume mascara in my glossy box a few months ago. I had heard bits and pieces about the brand so was excited to try one of their mascaras. It’s priced at £8.50 and come with 11ml/0.37FL. The mascara came in a box which I think is a nice touch, the tube it’s self is rather different than your normal mascara tube. I’ll insert a photo here as it’s quite hard to describe, modern and chunky are the words that come to mind!

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For the price it is cool packaging I do have to say, it felt more high end than drugstore. I was then in for a shock when I saw the brush, it’s HUGE. Now, my eyes are big so they can normally handle larger than average mascara wands but this was a beast.

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I also thought it’s going to be tricky to apply as the end that coats you inner lashes wasn’t narrow and sleek to get right in there, but was also big and chunky. I tested it out today with a full face of makeup and was petrified of the wand touching any of it! The wand also had a crazy amount of product on it, as you can see in the photo.

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Wasn’t overly impressed on application, as predicted it was a pain trying to coat all my lashes due to the wand shape. I found it dried very quick so I couldn’t really layer it up, it also didn’t separate my lashes very well and there was far too much product on the brush. There definatly wasn’t any volume going on my lashes looked more whisby and crispy! It’s very rare I give a total bad review as what works for some people doesn’t work for others and I tend to find the silver lining in life in general…but I just don’t see how this could work for anyone! Apart from the cool packaging I didn’t like the brush, application or formula. Sorry Kiko total fail for me!! Looking forward to trying some other products in the future but sadly this was definatly not for me.

Love Becca xxx

Manna Kadar conditioning lash primer review

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Hello my little buttons! 

Recently I have been reviewing a lot of mascaras so I thought after received this Manna Kadar Conditioning Lash Primer in my August Glossy Box it would fit in nicely. As next week I’ll be reviewing an eyeshadowpalette, while trying to use up all my new mascaras! I haven’t really dabbled with lash primers so wasn’t sure what to expect. I decided the test this with my current favourite mascara, Rimmel Extra 3d Lash, I thought the rubberised brush would be handy for separating my lashes if the primer stuck them together.

The primer applied smoothly and evenly with very little clumping, the product is white so although it was harder to see I could already tell it had added length. I left it for a few seconds to dry slightly then added my mascara. I instantly noticed a difference in volume especially towards the roots of the lashes as well as toward the ends. There was some added length and it really helped hold my lashes up almost like lash hair spray!!  I was really pleased with the finished look, it was just enough umph to make a difference. 

One tip for the product, don’t apply your mascara when the primer is too wet or too dry, the best result I found was when it was somewhere in between! This product was $24 for 4grams and is avalible from 

http://www.mannakadarcosmetics.com

 

The world scariest mascara ever???

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Hello my little buttons!

Welcome to the frightening world of Avons Mega Effects Mascara. I have been literally itching to try this for the longest time. The cute little brush and novelty of this mascara had me intrigued, I wanted to see how it would apply and if it was as fun as it looked. A good friend didn’t use hers to offered it to me, I bit her hand off!! 

I was surprised how small it was for some reason I thought it would of been bigger, which is a bit daft really as it goes near your eyes lol. After removing the grey lid it reminded me of a brush in a pot of paint, you give the brush a wiggle and out come the bristles with a flexible handle so you can get at the right angle. I thought this was awesome, in the same way you might like looking at a pointless little ornament or miniature dolls house furniture. 

I went straight the the mirror to try it out, it was then I realised how impractical this mascara is!! It felt as unnatural as pushing a new born baby back up yourself. From a young age you train you hand and eye coordination to use a mascara wand a certain way, it takes time, dedication and a lot of messy black dots on your face. Using this mascara felt like someone else was waving the wand near my eyes, I had to move super slow and couldn’t take my gaze off the mirror for even a second. Another thing that was irritating is there was no where to wipe the excess off so I was worried about big clumps but it was fairly easy to brush them through. I do have to say I did kinda like the end result, my lashes looked longer and the mascara itself was super black which is something I love in a mascara. I will definitely keep trying this crazy contraption out to see if I can get used to it but as it stands today im just baffled lol. 

I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts on this mascara! Please comment down below and subscribe if you’d like to read more! 

My HONEST review on Younique Moodstruck 3d fibre lashes + mascara! 

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Hello my little buttons! 

I was sent the brand spanking new Moodstruck 3d fiber lashes + mascara from a lovely presenter called Asia I met on Instagram, her account is @asiamwh. Asia started selling younique so she could stay at home with her 7 month old gorgeous baby, she has been selling since May 2015 and lives in the USA. 

I was really intrigued to see how this mascara would perform as like most people on the online beauty community I have seen it EVERYWHERE!! I was also rather sceptical as some presenters (please do understand I do only mean some) are incredibly pushy, and flood my page with ‘check out my new mascara!’ I almost didn’t want to like it!!! But as the open minded person I am I didn’t want to punish presenters such as Asia and the product itself because the actions of others. I also loved that the new formula is gluten, soy, paraben and sulphate free and is 100% hypoallergenic. The wand is now cone shaped to reduce clumping and it’s made in the USA.  

I really liked the packaging, the product was presented in a lovely black box and the two mascara tubes came in a soft black bag which is great for storage to keep them together and for travel. It’s a nice added little luxury that made it feel very high end. There was one tube of transplanting gel and another tube of fibres. The tubes had a rubberised feel and were matte black which looks awesome. There is also windows on both tubes to show what was inside and how much you have left. There was a handy instruction sheet of how to apply the mascara step by step with pictures. 

  

I had heard from several people that ‘at first it can be tricky to apply’ and ‘you’ll need a bit of practice’ but first impressions I was surprised how easy it was!! The transplantation gel even on its own looked great it felt like applying any other normal mascara and really lengthened my lashes. I then applied the fibres, which I was fairly nervous about as I didn’t want to get any in my eyes and wasn’t sure how they would adhere to the gel. Again I was surprised as they stuck perfectly on the gel, they were scattered all over my lashes with zero in the eyes. I then used the gel again to smooth the fibres over and to stick to my lashes and seal them in. I repeated the process again and was really impressed with the final result. They didn’t look like big chunky spider legs, it’s looked gorgeous! Adding volume and length and really lifting the lashes up. I didn’t use the fibres on the bottom, I added a touch of gel and I felt that was enough. 

 
The next time I used it I tried out one coat and was pleased with the natural look the mascara achieved. On lot of photos on Instagram I had seen huge built up lashes which for a dramatic or night time look is great but for day to day I prefere something lighter and wasn’t sure this mascara was up to the job but I was pleasantly surprised at how diverse this product is. 

  

For this smokey eye I wanted to added lots of volume to my lashes so I added 3 coats of the mascara. It layered up great with very little fiddling and playing about. The most time consuming thing is chopping and changing tubes but even then I think it is well worth the added few minutes. 

Now for some pros and cons, I liked the finished look it was better than I expected and I really liked that you have control on how big you want your lashes to go. Several times I was asked if I was wearing falsies and that’s a big thumbs up in my book. I didn’t notice very much eye irritation, although after maybe 10 hours or so I did have some fall out and my eyes did get a bit itchy but then again even with normal mascara my eyes get sore and tiered by the night time. On the odd occasion I did get a fibre in my eye it’s wasn’t painful and was easy to remove so this wasn’t an issue for me. I did notice that during the day I had to keep my hands off my eyes, if I accidentally knocked my lashes I was at risk of loosing the extention of fibres that were on the end!! 

Overal I think this mascara is a big win, I’m not sure if I’d wear it every day but for an event, big day out or night on the town I’ll definitely be using this when I don’t fancy wearing lashes. It was comfy to wear and you really can get the look you want with this product it’s not just for big crazy lashes, although it’s very good at that too!! I can see why it’s so popular and how several of my friends (in real life) swear by it. Such a clever idea that doesn’t take long to master. I can also see how it wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea as it does take longer to use than regular mascara but as I said before the final look far out weights the additional effort! 

If you’d like to give this mascara a go for yourself you can order it from: 

http://www.youniqueproducts.com/asiaholcomb  
  
Disclaimer: This was sent to me to review but that doesn’t remotely effect the honest review I have given I have not been sponsored or paid to promote this product. I would not sell my soul for makeup.