Review | Benefit They're Real Mascara |

I love Mascara. It is the one item that gives me confidence and makes me feel my age, rather than a wide eyed 12 year old child. I have been testing the Benefit They're Real Mascara out for a good few months now and the first time I applied it even my boyfriend pointed out how good my eyelashes looked (that must be a good sign.) I really like the packaging, it has a metal like finish and resembles a mini cocktail shaker so feels sturdy and expensive (which it should do for £18.50 pop!)  The picture below shows the wand way better than any of the pictures I took and I really like it as it has different length plastic bristles with a bristle ball at the end to get into the little nooks and crannies of the eye.

The formulation is not dry at all but it's not super wet which I like. If it is too wet I find it drags my lashes down once I have curled them. Once dry, this mascara does not flake off but on my long eyelashes, it does transfer on to my brow bone. Below are a couple of before and after shots of just the mascara and no other makeup on.

My eyelashes are looking a bit more sparse than usual  however hopefully you can see hoe much length an volume it gives with only one coat. I have so many mascaras on the go at the moment so expect to see more reviews and an empties post coming soon :)

Hayley xxx

Cream Eyeshadow Convert

Recently there has been an influx of cream eyeshadows in both the high street shops and in higher end products. Lots of people are put off by creams as they stereotypically crease and slide all over the place. I personally love them, they are super quick to apply as brushes aren't necessary and they last all day on my eyelids even though they can get quite greasy. If I know I will be wearing the eyeshadow for more than around eight hours I  will however use the e.l.f. eyelid primer which is surprisingly good, especially as it is so cheap. Cream shadows can be either used by themselves or layered under a powder eyeshadow to increase its vibrancy or longevity.

Popular creams include the MAC paintpots (which I have yet to try) as well as the Laura Mercier Creme Eye Colours. If you want a cheaper option you could go with the MeMeMe Dew Pots or my personal favourites, the Maybelline Colour Tattoos. E.l.f. even do their own versions which are part of their studio line and priced at only £3.50.

The first product in the swatch above is the e.l.f. Cream Eyeshadow in the colour Dawn. I love the shimmer that it gives to the lids because it is so effortless but looks really put together once the rest of the make up is done. The middle shade is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in the colour  40 Permanent Taupe. It's a matte taupe shade which looks great under other eyeshadows. My favourite of the three is the last shade, another Colour Tattoo but in number 35 On and On Bronze. I wear this all over the lid with just a brown eyeliner and lashings of mascara to add some colour and definition. The Maybelline creams are smoother in texure than the e.l.f product which makes the application that little bit easier. They are all however great shades that I  switch between often. The only downfall of the Colour Tattoos are the shade range. The two colours I have are the only ones that to me, are wearable on a day to day basis and I wish we had some of the other neutral shades that came out in the States. I would have loved to see a champagne shade or even a peachy nude shade! Hopefully they will bring out new shades to the UK in the future.

Have you tired any of the products above? I would love any suggestions for any more neutral cream eyeshadows that are available in the UK.

Hayley xxx

Glossybox: July 2012

This is just going to be a quick post to give you a sneak peak of what I received in my July Glossybox. The theme of this one is surrounded by festivals and includes five samples plus a bonus product. Also, as a quick side note, my camera has gone to repairs so I am borrowing a snazzy DSLR which will greatly improve picture quality for the next few weeks.

Probably the most disappointing thing I received in my box was yet another perfume. I don't mind getting the odd sample here and there however I have for every single box I have got so far whereas other peoples boxes haven't. This may have been something to do with my profile as you can select sample preferences and I had selected 'all'. I have since narrowed it down to only skincare, makeup and haircare. Anyway, this is the Bex London  Londoner Urban Fragrance which actually smells ok however the full size bottle is a whopping £8.

This is the Paul Mitchell Moisture Mist which I was quite excited about as moisture/cooling/refreshing sprays are something I have wanted to try ever since the infamous Caudalie Beauty Elixer came onto the scene. This one has a bit of a twist however as it can be used on  both the skin and hair which is great for the summer. The full size is a reasonable £9.25 for 250ml and the sample I have is a very generous 100ml. The smell isn't in your face at all and I look forward to giving this a go.

Above is the Jelly Pong Pong Lip Frosting which is a multifunctional cream gloss which can be used on the lips and cheeks. I have used it on the lips and it gives a nice sheer colour however seems too greasy to be used as a blush however I have yet to test it on my cheeks. Mine is the Irish cream pavlova scent which smells delicious. This is priced at £10 for 15ml which I think is quite a lot for a mediocre gloss.

I was very excited to receive an eye gel in my box as I don't yet use eye creams because I deem myself too young. However prevention is the best cure and I planned to start using an eye cream/gel casually once I found one that was light, decent and not overpriced. This Monu eye cool gel claims to revive and tone tired eyes as well as reduce puffiness (which I don't especially need) and dark circles (which I really do need.) The sample is  20ml which is actually more than the full sized version which is just £15 ml and priced at £16.95. This is one of the reason why I love Glossybox as I get to try great products that I usually would not spend my money on.

This is the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse  which is basically a dry oil which you can apply to your face, hair and body. I plan to save this to use in the Autumn/Winter months as my skin gets dry (and when I say dry I mean extremely dry!) If you were to purchase this product yourself it would set you back £17.50 for  50ml.

The last product I received was the bonus product which was a trio of Elizabeth Arden products. I got the Gentle hydrating Cleanser, the Optimizing Skin Serum and the Gentle Hydrating Cream SPF 15 which are all part of the Visible Difference skincare range. I look forward to using these and if you present the card at any Debenhams Elizabeth Arden counter you receive a free deluxe sample which I will definitely try and get my hands on.

That's it for the Glossybox round up. I have seen some other boxes which included the HD bows kit which I was so jealous of because I wasn't a subscriber last year when it got put in the boxes and really wanted it then. Ohhh well my brows will have to endure the MUA clear mascara for a little while longer. What was in your Glossybox that wasn't in mine?

Hayley xxx