bourjois volume 1 seconde mascara

Bourjois are back again with the release of a new mascara, which promises volume in one second from what I can gather from the packaging. I'm not so keen on the name, we all know that no mascara in the world takes anywhere near to one second to apply. On a more positive note, I do really like the packaging, it has a chic and expensive feel to it and is ultra simple looking too. The thin nib on the end of the handle for the wand actually makes application much easier and means you end up using a lighter hand than when using a bulky version. Upon the first coat, the mascara coats each lash quickly and easily to create jet black voluminous lashes. With the second coat the lashes end up looking much thicker than with the first, but be careful as at this point clumps can begin to form, as you can see at the inner corner of my eye. That's not to say it isn't a great mascara though, you just need to keep in mind to have a light hand and don't overdo it with the amount of coats that you put on. As you can see from the before picture I wasn't particularly blessed with long and luscious lashes, so to find a mascara that makes them stand out and look both thick and dark is always a blessing. I usually prefer to go for dramatic looking bold lashes so this mascara works perfectly for me but it's worth baring in mind that you can still use it for a more natural look by using just one coat. After I had been wearing the mascara all day I noticed that my lashes didn't feel heavy with product and they still felt malleable to touch rather than solid as a rock as with some mascaras. It reminds me a great deal of Benefit They're Real (my usual favourite) with the effect it has on the lashes, but doesn't feel lashes feeling clogged up towards the end of the day as the Benefit mascara can sometimes do. Should the tube last well and I continue to get the same results from the mascara then I will definitely be buying it again, Bourjois have done it again with a mascara that is set at an affordable price point but has high end results. Plus it's currently reduced at £3 off the usual price over at Boots!

BOURJOIS VOLUME 1 SECONDE MASCARA - £6.99 (£3 OFF)

bourjois twist up the volume mascara

Today the newest mascara to from Bourjois landed through my door, it's quite a while off from being available to buy in stores yet but I know how you all love an exclusive sneaky peek at products before they've launched. I admit that I'm a bit of a mascara snob and as a rule I favour my Yves Saint Laurent False Lash Effect over anything else, but this genius invention from Bourjois has totally changed my viewpoint. It's designed to be a 'two in one' type of mascara, you apply your first coat using the position 1 setting which lengthens and separates, and then move on to position 2 by twisting the device at the end, which then thickens and volumises the lashes. I'm the kind of girl who likes full on dramatic lashes every single day but this kind of design means you can have a more natural look for the day and also bulk up your lashes for an evening look, I usually have a few different mascaras lying around depending on how I want my lashes to look but would happily swap those in for this multi-use version. It's fair to say that my lashes are looking the thickest and darkest they ever have, and not only that but they are left feeling light and not at all weighed down once the mascara has dried. I've been so impressed by this mascara thus far, if it manages to last well in the tube for a couple of months then I'd certainly recommend it to anyone who favours a volumising mascara. You will have to hold on until October for it to become available, but trust me it will be worth the wait!

BOURJOIS TWIST UP THE VOLUME MASCARA - £10.99

new launch: chanel l'ete papillon collection

Chanel and Summer. What two things could ever combine to rival the concept of such a dreamy new make up collection. Chanel is the ultimate in luxury make up as far as I'm concerned, the packaging is always beautifully chic and rarely does something disappoint. Call me a sucker but I'd happily fork out a small fortune for any beauty product stamped with the CC logo. I'm head over heels for the L'ete Papillon (meaning Summer butterfly in French) collection and have added many products to my lust list, the nail polishes look incredible. I've had the privilege of being able to feature a couple of products before the launch date and have been so excited to put this post up.

First up is the Rouge Coco Shine lipstick in '457 Idylle', which in basic terms is a super hydrating peach shade of lippie. I find peach lipsticks usually quite tricky to wear as they don't go well with my skin tone but I'm in love with this as it's so sheer and just gives a hint of colour.

I'm not shy of bold make up looks that's for sure so when I spotted the coloured mascaras the make up addict voice in my mind told me that I needed to try one (or two) out. These mascaras are the first of any colour than black that I've ever tried, and they really are quite brilliant. You'd think that using a bright colour on dark lashes probably wouldn't show up all that well or manage to thicken the lashes and work as a proper mascara, but both of these work in every way that you'd hope. I was pretty shocked at just how good the colour pay off was on my dark lashes and was equally impressed that my lashes were just as thick and defined as when I use my favourite mascara. I'm so excited to work with these for lots of different eye looks for Summer, I will be making the most of them that's for sure. As they are waterproof they can be a little tricky to remove but on the plus side it means that they last all day long. Inimitable Waterproof Mascaras in 57 Blue Note (left) and 47 Aqua Blue (right).

And last but not least we have the Levres Scintiallantes in '437 Eden' - a shimmer free bright pink shade of lipgloss. As most of you will know I am no lipgloss fan and pretty much hate the stuff unless the formula is just right. By just right I mean doesn't feel sticky and lasts long on the lips thankfully this one ticks those boxes (Chanel packaging always sweetens the deal too) but the colour comes out clear on the lips and if asked would I repurchase it I'd have to say no.

Overall I'd recommend checking out the nail polishes and coloured mascaras from the collection, I predict that they will be the most popular and sought-after due to being unique shades. The L'ete Palillon collection launches in stores and online tomorrow (31st May). What are you loving the look of from the collection?

sisley so intense mascra

Every time that I think I've found my favourite mascara another one is launched on the market which makes me ditch the last in favour of something different. I think all girls are in the same boat on this one and forever searching for the one. There have been a few that have come close, enough so that I'd be happy to buy them again but the perks of being a beauty blogger is that I am lucky enough to try out more than my fair share, which brings me onto this Sisley mascara. 

Sisley is luxury beauty at it's best, the prices are sky high and the quality of the products scream sophistication. I've recently been trying out the So Intense Mascara and have been hugely impressed thus far. The mascara wand is nothing short of genius, it literally grabs onto my lashes and combs the product through them to create beautiful thick feathery lashes that look clump free and volumous. It's a very well pigmented mascara as my eyelashes are left a shade of jet black and as the name would suggest, intense. I also noticed how gentle it felt, there's no scratchy feeling to the brush and my lashes end up feeling soft rather than crispy and hardened as with most mascaras. The only thing to watch out for is if you have typically watery eyes, as although it stand up well all day it doesn't cope at all well with any tears. I'd happily state that it's one of the best mascaras that I've ever tried, and if I had the budget I would repurchase it time and time over. I feel slightly bittersweet towards it because it's such an amazing mascara but the price means that it's not accessible to most, but I guess it depends on what beauty products you like to invest in. I will update you all in terms of how well it stands the test of time before it dries up in the tube, who knows it may earn it's value for money in that respect.

SISLEY SO INTENSE MASCARA - £38

illamasqua theatre of nameless collection

Hi dolls. So, one of my all time fave brands Illamasqua recently launched another collection named 'Theatre of Nameless' and I was lucky enough to get sent a few pieces to review. I've also been sent their new mascara to try out..

''Infused with the essence of self-expression that transformed 1920s Berlin, this rich and indulgent collection envelops the senses. Darkly sophisticated tones are accompanied by shocks of dazzling iridescence, creating a breathtakingly modern interpretation of the most illicit nightlife in history.''

On to the products..

Cream Pigment in 'Androgen'  £17

I find the consistency and shade perfect as a cream blush and it can be used lightly for a subtle look or built up for going out. As it's a cream pigment you can also use it on the lips or eyes, I personally think it makes an amazing lip colour that turns out more pink based than orange. I've been wearing the colour on my lips and cheeks together which creates a perfect daytime and fresh faced look. If you like your coral shades then this cream pigment is definitely a must have.

Pure Pigment in 'Beguile'  £15.50

As I am basically like a seven year old kid when it comes to glitter I was so happy to get this pigment in my hands. The shade is a beautiful mix of electric pink and green brought together with a snowy white colour. As it's so finely milled the product is perfect to use on the inner corner of your eye for a night out, or even in the day time if you fancy playing around with your make up.

'Masquara'  £15

If you are a mascara junkie then this one is definitely for you, as I tend to go for full on lashes and build the mascara up like there is no tomorrow I love this one. I'd recommend layering it over another mascara though as it can be quite messy and adds no length or separation, it literally just gives your lashes thickness and makes them jet black. I'm also super impressed with the longevity, my lashes have been looking perfect all day long. If any of you have tried Bourjois clubbing mascara, 'Masquara' is basically the better version of that.

Let me know your thoughts xo

benefit 'they're real' mascara

As I'm sure most of you beauty buffs will already be aware, Benefit have just launched a new mascara named 'they're real', which has been big news around the beauty world. The mascara promises lashes that will leave people questioning if you are wearing falsies or not, sounds good to me! The wand even has spikes built in at the end to make sure that you catch every lash which worked a treat for me. I found that after two coats my lashes did indeed look long, separated and thick just as I hoped and most definitely resembled falsies and I also got plenty of comments on which mascara I use, winner.  If you give the wand a little wiggle at the roots of your lashes it will create thickness and then coat over the rest of the lash for length and use the end of the brush to separate. I've been using the mascara for three weeks now and I have to say it's the best I've ever used, it's so easy to apply and gives such gorgeous intense black looking lashes but the best thing I found was the longevity - my lashes look fab all day long with no need to reapply whatsoever. I would most definitely recommend that you buy yourself a tube, yes it's not the cheapest mascara in the world but trust me it's a small price to pay for gorgeous looking lashes.

One coat

Two coats

Price: £18.50
Available at: Benefit Counters and Debenhams.com (cheapest) 

m2 beauté lash activating serum and rivitalizing gloss

For the past few weeks I've been treating my lashes to M2 Beauté lash activating serum and revitalizing gloss. I'm sure you will all agree that as a girl the longer the lashes you have the better and nothing is more frustrating than having high hopes of a mascara and it almost always failing to achieve long and lushious lashes. A few of you might of heard of the famous rapid lash but as it has had reports of changing peoples eye colour I've never fancied risking it. So I decided to try out the M2 Beauté eyelash range and so far I'm super impressed. I find that without mascara on they are a lot thicker and look darker, definitely a plus for the summer when you don't want to wear eye make up. You simply apply the serum exactly the same as you would a liquid eyeliner once or twice a day and then coat your lashes in the gloss the same as a mascara. The serum works on making your lashes longer and thicker and the gloss makes them healthy, glossy and strong. I've been using them for only a few weeks and can see really good results so far but once the tubes are used up will do a post of my final thoughts. The serum costs a whopping £123 and the gloss £46 which I know will put a lot of you off but trust me if you have a budget to afford that then I'd definitely recommend you go for it. Otherwise I'm deeply sorry for making you want something so much that costs a small fortune!

Eyelash Activating Serum - £123

Eyelash Revitalizing Gloss - £46

(The products were provided as PR samples)

Before

After

Hope you lot are enjoying the lovely weather!

make up for ever smoky lash mascara

I got this make up for ever mascara not long ago in a swap and I've been using it ever since. It's really hard to get hold of if you live in the UK and the best way to get one would be to do a swap like I did. A lot of people describe it as their 'holy grail' mascara and I can definitely see why. It's really easy to apply and you can create loads of volume and thickness on the lashes without any clumps at all. I'm always after really thick, curled, separated and long lashes and I believe that this mascara delivers on all of those counts. I simply curl my lashes for a few seconds and then wiggle the mascara wand right in at the roots of my lashes for the way I like to wear my mascara. The other great thing about this mascara is that it doesn't make my lashes feel crispy and weighed down like some mascaras can tend to do. The pigment in the mascara is also extremely black hence which helps to give a more dramatic look. Hopefully make up for ever will get its act together and start to sell in the uk soon!

Cost: $22/£14

 Rating: ★★★★★

Available from: Currently only in the US & readily available in Sephora

& thank you for the people in the comments that told me you can buy the mascara from gurumakeupemporium.com & makeup-provisions.com

for a very decent price if you live in the UK! :)