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I am a big fan of ‘drugstore’ more affordable mascaras. As you know if you’ve been around these parts before, I am a waterproof mascara junkie. It’s been a while since I had tried a high end one so I traipsed into Brown Thomas a few weeks ago, had a look around, asked you lovely people on Snapchat what I should get and left with the YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Waterproof mascara.

ysl volume effect faux cils waterproof mascara

May I add the girl on the counter was super lovely and friendly which made the experience so much nicer. I love going to Boots and picking up bargains, but I do also love splurging every now and again on more luxurious items. As Tom Haverford and Donna from Parks and Recreation would say “Treat yo’self’ and that I did with the YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Waterproof Mascara 🙂

ysl volume effect faux cils waterproof mascara

I have to be honest I kind of hoped I wasn’t going to really like it, because it means if it runs out I am going to want to buy one again. Alas, it was love at first use, damn you YSL!

The packaging alone is pretty glorious, right? They definitely get brownie points for that.

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The formula of the YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Waterproof is wet but still very build-able without clumping together on your lashes. It has quite a thin tapered bristled wand that is great for really getting into the roots of your lashes.

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The reason I always go for waterproof is because I have really straight lashes and waterproof formulas seem to hold a curl better throughout the day for me. I also have oily eye lids and normal formulas can sometimes transfer and make a mess.Since getting this mascara I have always used a eyelash curler before application, just to give my lashes an extra bit of oomph, for the purpose of this post I didn’t though and I was actually quite happy with how my lashes turned out regardless. For me and my crap eyelashes, there’s volume, there’s length and there’s a bit of curl too!

Here’s my lashes before application.

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Then here is my upper lashes on one eye with a couple of coats of the YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils.

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I even use this mascara on my bottom lashes too, as the wand it not too big and the formula doesn’t flake or transfer. This means I don’t have to necessarily buy a separate tubing mascara from my bottom lashes which I normally do. That’s penny pinching right there 🙂

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Here’s the before and after on each of my eyes.

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And then here’s the YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils applied to both eyes.

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I do still prefer giving my eyelashes a quick curl with the eyelash curlers because I want maximum lash.

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But if I forgot to do it or didn’t bring an eyelash curlers away with me, I wouldn’t be in panic mode as I have been in the past 🙂

I bloomin’ love this mascara, it’s pricey for sure, but it really ticks all the boxes for me. I may not use it exclusively forever because I do like to try new products, (it’s what I do ha), but if I HAD too, I wouldn’t be too unhappy about it at all.

You can pick up the YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Waterproof mascara from Boots instore or online here and from Brown Thomas instore. It costs 32.50.

What do you think, would you splurge? Let me know what you’re favourite mascara is?

xxx

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Bourjois Bronzing Primer

The bit of sunshine in Ireland is making me slightly obsessed with bronzer and bronzing at the minute, I haven’t really shut up about them in the last while so apologies if you’re not a fan 🙂

I’ve owned both the Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel and the Bourjois Bronzing Primer for a long time now and they always tend to get pulled out more around this time of year. What are they you might ask? They are bronzing bases, that you can use to warm up your face under foundation, or just on their own if you are lucky and have lovely skin.

I personally use them as you would a cream bronzer. I to use them after I have applied my foundation and hit the parts of my face I would normally contour. I use them on their own if I am just going for a more subtle look or I apply powder on top for more definition, really depends on the day or the situation.

They are both two very different price points. Do they do the same thing?

The Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel.

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanelel

The Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel is a cream product with a dense formula, that in my opinion is best applied with a dense synthetic brush.

Close up Soleil Tan De Chanel

As you would expect from Chanel, it is really pigmented and easy to blend into the skin.You can build it up quite quickly. It does have a slightly orange undertone so a light hand and alot of buffing is needed if you are lighter skinned like myself. It has a lovely light florally scent that is familiar to Chanel.

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel swatch

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Swatched

 

The Bourjois Bronzing Primer.

Bourjois Bronzing Primer

The Bourjois Bronzing Primer has a whipped, creamy formula. It is mousse like to the touch.

Close Up Bourjois Bronzing Primer

It applies much more liberally that the Soleil Tan De Chanel as it is more of a wet consistency. I prefer to apply this with a small synthetic duo fibre brush as you can control your application that way. This is a pigmented product, so apply a little at a time, but it does blend out quite sheer. You need to build it up if you want a more intense bronzing effect. It smells like coconut and chocolate, nice if you like a sweet holiday scent.

Bourjois Bronzing Primer swatch

Bourjois Bronzing Primer Swatched

These products compare pretty closely. In the pan they look different, obviously the packaging is a bit more swish and fancy on the Chanel offering. They both have the same amount of product in the tub. They both bronze your face and do it nicely. They are both a matte finish. The Soleil Tan De Chanel does pack more of a punch in the pigment stakes and you don’t need as much of it as you do the Bourjois one, and it sets quicker on the skin, it’s also €38.50 though! The bronzing primer from Bourjois is not as elegant but it is a hell of alot cheaper at €12.99!!

I love having the Chanel one, it was a treat from the bf and owning anything Chanel makes me feel ladylike. I think when I run out of both and decide I still want a cream bronzer I would be more inclined to pick up the Bourjois Bronzing Primer, it just makes better mathematical sense (you won’t hear me say that very often).

Do you have either of them? What’s you take on it? I would love to know?

xxx

Beautynook Top Cream Shadow Stick Picks

I use cream shadow pencils, sticks whatever you want to call them alot in my day to day makeup routine. Formulas have gotten so great nowadays that you can use them as shadow on their own and they don’t budge (for the most part) throughout the day. Or you can layer them under shadows to intensify them or increase their longevity too. They come in very handy.

So I compiled some my favourite brands for this post to show you some of the ones I love using and that I have tried and tested.

First up is the posh ones of the group.

By Terry Ombre Blackstar

These are the By Terry Ombre Blackstar. These are so very nice and so very posh with their €30 price tag. They are so creamy, pigmented and easy to blend though and they last all day on the lids. You can literally just throw one of these all over your lids, blend the edges and you’ve got yourself a really lovely eye look.

I have two shades…so far 🙂

5 Misty Rock 4 Bronze Moon

5 Misty Rock (on top) 4 Bronze Moon (bottom)

I have a couple of brands that I just have one offering from, but I wanted to include them because I pick them up regularly.

Rimmel Scandaleyes shadow stick

The Rimmel Scandaleyes. I love this shade under gold or creamy coloured shadows. It’s a great neutral shade to have in your collection. They come in an alot of different shades though. This is 002 Bulletproof Beige.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Bulletproof BeigeI bought one of the new Bourjois Colorband sticks not too long ago in Boots.

Bourjois Colorband Eyeshadow & Liner

This shade 05 Mauve Baroque is a great more affordable dupe for the By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock. These stay put on the lid too, no messing about. You need to work quickly with them once it’s on it’s on!

Bourjois Colorband Mauve Baroque

Bourjois Colorband Mauve Baroque

 

The Kiko Longlasting Shadow Sticks are new in my makeup collection, but I picked them up because I’d read so much positivity about them in the blogging and You Tube world. You have to order online if you’re in Ireland which is a pain but the shipping is really good, as are the sticks themselves 🙂

I got three shades 05 (another dupe for the By Terry Ombre Blackstar, do you see a theme forming?), 10 a sparkly blue green shade and 10 an electric blue.

Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow

These are just awesome, simple as that. Creamy, smooth ,vibrant, longlasting, and come in a plethora of colours to suit everyone, and they are so reasonable priced too. More will find their way home to me soon, I’m sure of it.

Kiko Longlasting Shadow Sticks 05,11,10

05, 11,10

A couple of Wet n Wild picks up next.

Wet n wild Idol Eyes Creme Shadow Pencil

If you are a regular round these parts you’ll know I am a huge fan of this affordable brand. These are their Idol Eyes Creme Shadow Pencil. So ridiculously affordable and lovely base for shadow to help them stick around and help the colour become more vibrant too. These come in loads of colours, soft, but not as pigmented as maybe some of the others on the market. For the price though they are pretty great 🙂 I have two:

Wet n Wild Idol Eyes Graphite Techno

E133 Techno (on top) E135 Graphite (on bottom)

I left the probably most well known ones until last.

Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils

These are of course the Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils. Apologies as mine have seen better days, they aren’t very photogenic. That doesn’t mean they’re not good at their job though. These things are brilliant! I’ve been buying Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils a long time, I use to have to buy them on eBay from America, but thank god Ireland now finally has gotten its act together and we are starting to see Nyx in pharmacies more and more. Wohoo! These literally come in all of the colour of the rainbow and more. They come in different finishes too,  some are matte some are more shimmery or sparkly. They are stupid pigmented and last well on the eyes. I have even used these on my water line and they last really well inside the eye too. I know Milk is such a cult shade now. It’s a matte, opaque white, if you are wanting vivid colours to stand out, you need Milk in your life believe me!

I have six in my collection, I’ve had more in the past but where they’re gone I don’t know 🙁

Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils

In Order 603 Pots & Pans, 615 Slate, 612 Gold, 617 Iced Mocha, 624A Rocky Mountain Green and 604 Milk

There you have it, if you are in the market for some new cream shadow sticks, I hope I’ve helped a little showing you some of my favourites. I tried to pick some from all spectrum’s of the market to suit everyone. I honestly get so much use from all of these little beauties. Writing this blog post has just made me want to buy more 🙂

xxx

Today’s tale children is one of sorrow and woe 🙁 . I actually put my name down at the Nars counter in Brown Thomas for the latest limited edition offering from Nars “The Narsissist Palette”to be sure we got my hands on it. I got the call and high tailed it down when it was in stock and adopted it gladly for a surprising price tag of 55Euro. I thought this was pretty reasonable for Nars considering you get 15 shades in the palette and a single eyeshadow of theirs can set you back 24 quid.

 Narsissist Palette

The Palette itself looks amazing in the typical Nars black packaging. A large mirror in the lid, and a multitude of neutral colours inside that any makeup lover would love. The shade names and explanation of the colours are as follows:

  • All About Eve I :Flesh coloured neutral
  • Madrague II : Caramel matte colour
  • Fez : Cocoa Colour
  • Bali :Neutral Colour
  • Coconut Grove : Deep brown
  • Madarague I : Cream Matte
  • Nepal : Sheer rose colour
  • Ashes to Ashes : Shimmery brown with a violet base
  • Brousse II : Violet
  • Mekong : Espresso shade with gold flecks
  • Belissima I : Beige with gold shimmer
  • Lhasa : Lavender Grey
  • Bad Behaviour : Pewter Colour
  • Dogon II : Black Charcoal
  • Pandora II : Matte Black

Narsissist palette swatches

These colours in the packaging look amazing and some are even sold as separate colours in the permanent line (Coconut Grove is a cult fave). But this palette as a whole is so disappointing. Alot of the colours are very wishy washy (Belissima I is a particular one of these). The matte black is matte and black and does what it’s supposed to do, but you can get that in any palette or pan and be happy with it rather than having to fork out for this palette. Colours like Ashes to Ashes and Nepal are impossible to blend and just end up looking like dirt on the eye if you want to do anything other than wear them as a lid colour or dare to blend them into a crease colour.

Alot of the colours are quite sheer as you may see above from my crude swatches, so maybe if you are new to makeup this might be a good palette as the colours are not too scary and the more pigmented ones would work for liners until you are brave enough to use them as full on lid colours 🙂 To be honest though there are way better alternatives on the market. The Naked Palettes from Urban Decay kick the Narsissist Palettes arse!

To say I am unhappy to have bought this would be a lie, but I am coming at you from the perspective that it means I can give you an honest opinion about it. It also means this palette can be added to my ever growing makeup collection…come on its limited edition I’m not going to throw it out :).

So there you have it a rather disappointing buy from Nars, I don’t think I will say this very often, well I hope I don’t, cos it ain’t cheap!

Thanks for reading guys. If anyone else has purchased this and wants to give their two cents by all means write it in the comments below.

Gemma

xxx

 

 

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The fibre mascara has been around a few years now but never really seemed to take off hugely. However it seems to be back now and becoming more popular so of course I had to get it to test it out, sure isn’t that what we’re here for 🙂

The Santhilea London Magnetic Lash Mascara is a two step system.

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You use the magnetic mascara, (marked as number 1 on the tube) first just like a normal mascara, I suggest doing one eye at a time. While the mascara is still wet dab the lash builder (tube number 2) onto the lashes coating as much as you can without clumping them. The lash builder is a tube containing small black fibres that adhere to your lashes, so you have to be careful. You then coat the lashes again carefully with the magnetic mascara to help keep the fibres in place. You can see the steps below:

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Nothing on lashes

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One coat of the mascara

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Lashes with the fibres added and another coat of mascara on top

As you can above there is a pretty significant difference in my lashes in the last picture. I have not being blessed with the longest or most voluminous of lashes so any mascara is some improvement but I really feel this mascara gives them more length and volume than the other vast amount of mascaras I have ever used.

However there are some cons to using fibres on your lashes. Some of them do tend to fall down throughout the day so you can find yourself having to check your make-up and clean up any fall down that may occur. The mascara itself to the best of my knowledge is not waterproof so if you have oily skin and eyelids like me and mascaras tend to smudge on you that may happen too. For this reason I do not use the mascara on my bottom lashes I opt for a waterproof one.

The process of using the two steps (well technically three steps, as you have to apply the mascara twice!) AND doing one eye at a time takes time. You would not be rushing out to work in the morning and using this mascara, if you like to throw on your make-up in a hurry. I tend to keep it for the weekends, when I can take my time beautifying myself or at least trying too 🙂

Overall, I love this product I really do, it adds length and volume and some wow when you don’t want to be using falsies to do the work. There’s are couple of  drawbacks but sure nothing is perfect and if you are willing to persevere and are looking to try something a bit different I would definitely recommend it.

It is not the cheapest of products, it can be bought on Look Fantastic  for 28.11 euro That’s a pretty standard price for a high end mascara.

Have you ever used fibre mascara? Have you tried other brands of it? What did you think? I would love to hear your feedback or any tips and tricks you might have.

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Here’s the rest of my mug and a profile of my lashes 🙂

Thanks so much for reading.

Gemma

xxx