Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara

I know I'm late on this but I have only just tried Benefit's Roller Lash mascara. I received a full sized product in a goodie bag and decided to stop using Armani Eyes To Kill and give Roller Lash a go. Luckily, I have already got a back up one (actually, I nabbed a second goodie bag... remember, stealing is great kids!)

Why this works: 

• The wand is easy to manoeuvre and there are brush grabs (Benefit's term, not mine) that lift and separate the lashes. 

• The brush grabs are not painful to the eye area and do exactly what they say they are going to do. 

• The lashes look natural but with glamorous edge. 

• In my opinion, this product is much better than Benefit's 'They're Real' mascara, which I didn't like.

• Roller Lash wears well throughout the day. The lashes stay put and I haven't noticed any fallout. 

• The mascara itself is fairly wet, which I like but not to the point where the lashes look weighed down by it. 

• I will use the wand with other mascaras (tried it with Hourglass) and it works pretty well. Those grabbers really work. So, if you like a really wet, clumpy mascara but need something that will separate the lashes, the Roller Lash wand is much better than any lash comb. 

• I haven't needed to use a lash curler with this product. 

I would buy this product again.... after I have used up my two freebies! 

£19.50 for 0.3oz 

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Best Beauty Advent Calendars 2015

First of all I must apologise for talking about Christmas when we are only three days into November. Yes, we all know people who have finished their Christmas shopping already, however (if you are anything like me and want to keep Christmas in December where it belongs) please bear with me...

Beauty advent calendars have been getting bigger and better over the last few years. They are now available to suit every budget and the high street is getting involved in what was once a solely high-end domain. Most are either 12 or 24 days and (as much as I love chocolate) what could be better than getting a beauty-related present each morning in the run up to Christmas?! There's only one problem – many of the most popular brands sell out quickly. So if you fancy treating yourself, or someone else, you will need to get in quick. Hence the unnaturally early festive post from me.

So without further ado, here are 8 of the best beauty advent calendars:

CHARLOTTE TILBURY
The Book of Makeup Magic is a fabulous calendar by the one and only Charlotte Tilbury. It contains 12 of her most popular products: Magic Cream 15ml, Take It All Off 15ml, Wonderglow 15ml, Multi Miracle Glow 15ml, Supermodel Body 15ml, Goddess Skin Clay Mask 15ml, Mini K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick, Matte Revolution lipstick, Lip Magic, Mini Rock n Kohl liner, Nocturnal Cat eyes Eyeshadow, Magic Night cream.
£150, www.charlottetilbury.com

SELFRIDGES
The Selfridges Beauty Workshop Advent Calendar is a lot like their seasonal beauty boxes – exceptional value for money. The 24 little beauty treats are worth £226 in total and include Tweezerman tweezers, Eyeko skinny liquid liner, Ole Henriksen Truth Serum, Caudalie Divine Oil and lots more.
£60 www.selfridges.com

KERASTASE
This limited edition calendar contains 24 iconic Kérastase deluxe travel size products and one full size Elixir product worth £28.50 alone. If you are a Kérastase fan you won't want to miss this one. Visit the link below for details of all the products included.
£79.99 www.kerastase.co.uk

LUSH
Fans of Lush can enjoy 12 days of bath bombs, bubble bars, bath melts and body lotions! All products are vegan making it an ideal gift for anyone who likes to buy cruelty-free brands.
£49.95 www.lush.co.uk

CIATÉ
Fellow nail-polish addicts will love this Mini Mani Month advent calendar by Ciaté. This is another one that is excellent value for money as it contains 23 nail polishes and a nail file worth £124 in total.
£49 www.selfridges.com

THE BODY SHOP
The Body Shop's 24 Happy Days calendar has a really wide variety of treats, from cult classics to new products, including bath and bodycare, skincare, fragrance and more. Check out the full list at the link below
£60 www.thebodyshop.co.uk

LIBERTY LONDON
This calendar is a real luxury treat.. possibly the one I want to get my paws on the most! Who could resist that beautiful packaging with the iconic Liberty building illustration? Yes it is a little pricey at £149, but with over £400 worth of products inside, my beauty maths tells me it is actually a real bargain! It even contains 11 full-sized products alongside the deluxe sample sizes. Gifts include skin care from Eve Lom and Dr Sebagh, candles by Diptyque, cosmetics by Surratt and haircare from Davines.
£149 www.liberty.co.uk

JO MALONE
Jo Malone's advent calendar is always a hot favourite and rightly so. However, as a result it sells out very quickly. It is currently unavailable on their website but it might be worth checking your nearest store. If you can get hold of you one you will have 24 days of beautiful treats to look forward to! This is another one that scores highly on the packaging front too, with the brand's Georgian townhouse illustrated on the front.
£260, www.jomalone.co.uk


Other brands worth checking out include L'Occitane, Benefit (although I believe this has sold out online!), No7 and M&S Beauty. If you know of any others we would love to hear from you!

Sephora Shopping!

I'm always hoping that Sephora will come to the UK. I mean, it's in Europe, so surely it's only a matter of time before we can parade the London streets with stripey black and white bags. However, saying that, I also quite like the fact that it's a holiday treat. I like planning my Sephora list at the airport and stocking up on products that are Sephora exclusives or far more cost effective with the exchange rate. It's part of the holiday shopping process, especially when I go to the U.S.

So here is my Sephora shop from my recent trip to America: 

Glam Glow Flashmud Brightening Treatment – $69.00 for 50g
I have always wanted to try a Glam Glow product and this seemed a better mask for my skin than others. The price suggests that it should be good...hopefully.

Marc Jacobs High Shine Lip Lacquer in Hot, Hot, Hot – $28.00 for 5.0ml
This is going to be a present and I am sure the hot pink colour will be stunning on my friend.

Algenist Advanced Anti-Aging Repairing Oil – $79.00 for 30ml
Formulated with Microalgae Oil and brown algae, which although sounds like your splashing on pond water, it is light, absorbs easily, doesn't smell weird, does not contain parabens, dermatologist tested and genuinely has improved the elasticity of my skin. Hurrah.

Ole Henriksen Brightening The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths (travel pack) – $8.00

Anasastasia Beverley Hills Duo Brow Eyeliner Brush #12 (spoolie and angled brush) – $18.00

Hourglass Veil Fluid Makeup in Light Beige – $60.00 for 30ml
Paraben free, collagen boosting, skin tightening, long lasting foundation, SPF 15

Hourglass Veil Fluid Makeup in Honey – $60.00 for 30ml
Paraben free, collagen boosting, skin tightening, long lasting foundation)

Above - Honey; Top - Light Beige

La Vanilla Healthy Deodorant in Pure Vanilla x 8 – $8.00 each
All natural ingredients, no harsh chemicals, no parabens or any other nasty preservatives. Why did I buy 8? Because they work and cost a fortune in the UK!

Beauty Blender (enough said) – $20.00

Formula X The System To Go – $16.00 4 x 3ml
Travel sized, basic nails set. Includes Nail Cleanser (no idea what that is!), Base Coat, Top Coat and a nude coloured varnish.

Velour Lashes (100% real silk lashes) – $23.00

Hourglass Film Noir Mascara – $28.00 for 0.35oz
I love Hourglass products. They are beautiful products and are also mindful that consumers are more concerned with parabens, sulfates and other harsh chemicals.

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer – $52 for 30ml
Paraben free, collagen boosting, skin tightening, long lasting foundation, SPF 15.

Dr. Jart + Ceramidin Oil Balm – $35.00 for 10oz
Comes with a spatula, so fingers don't have to go into the pot! The product transforms from balm to oil but is not greasy and absorbs easily. It is designed for dry skin and has refreshed my aeroplane dry skin! Cruelty free, dermatologist tested, paraben free and can be used on face, skin, cuticles and ends of the hair.

Hourglass 1.5MM Mechanical Gel Eye Liner – $16.00 for 0.002 oz
Ultra-black gel liner in a pencil. I'm going to appreciate the lack of cleaning a brush everyday!)

Formula X The Match – $16.00 4 x 3m
Travel sized polishes; red, pink, nude and turquoise.

Anastasia Beverley Hills DipBrow Pomade in Ash Brown – $18.00 for 0.14 oz
I'm so excited to try this out. It is a brow product, ideal for sculpting and defining brows. It is waterproof and humidity proof!

Personalised Hoola bronzers by Benefit

For a while now, several beauty bloggers have been flaunting their very own personalised versions of Benefit's cult classic Hoola bronzer, much to the envy of fellow Hoola fans. Well the good news is now you can get your hands on one too! Benefit are finally selling personalised bronzers on their website, complete with engraved box and brush, for a limited time only.

Sounds like an ideal present for a fellow make-up lover to me! Benefit are even giving some away on Twitter so head over to @BenefitUK to find out more.

Personalised Hoola, £28.50, www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Benefit Majorette Booster Blush

© Benefit Cosmetics

Benefit has come out with a cream to powder blush. Being someone who prefers the application of a cream blush, this makes me chirpy, especially when considering how good their cream eyeshadows are. 

© Benefit Cosmetics

This is a peach-pink that, according to the Benefit website, can be applied using the finger tips. Hurrah. Perfect for being out and about.

£23.50 for 0.24oz, www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Benefit High Brow Glow

THOUGHTS

A beauty tip that has been circling for years is to highlight and tight line eyes with a bright coloured (usually white) pencil if tired, to give a bright eyed look and dispel any suggestions of late nights, sleepless nights or a hangover. 

When I saw that Benefit had brought out a champagne coloured highlighting pencil, I was excited. Using a white colour can sometimes be too much of a stark contrast to tired eyes, so a warmer shade seemed perfecto! I love Benefit and they have so many wonderful products (don't even get me started on my love for their primers!) but this one is just so blah.

Swatching it, the product looks beautiful. Subtle but visible and illuminating, however underneath the brow or on the water line, it's non existent. It doesn't do anything. I am hoping that it's because I have quite oily lids and so on other people's eyes, it shimmers and widens the appearance. On a happier note, during the same spendy trip, I bought That Gal Primer (review in my recent Makeup Routine post) but I am disappointed that the High Brow doesn't do what I hoped it would. 

A beautiful highlight on the hand. None existent on the brow bone. Quite frankly,  I could have done with some serious highlighting anywhere on the eye when this was taken. 

£15.50 

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk 

Kay's Make Up Routine

PRIMER

Benefit That Gal, £22.50 for 11ml and Olay 30 Second Wrinkle Filler, £12.45 for 100ml

The Wrinkle Filler is amazing and smooths skin, not only filling in wrinkles but minimising pores. That Gal is the only illuminating primer that I don't react to. It gives skin healthy sheen. 

REPURCHASE?

About to for both as I have just run out. 

EYE PRIMER

Urban Decay Primer Potion Eden, £16

Better than Paint Pots and will hold eyeliner all day, even in hot and sticky weather. I have worn it without eye shadow and it gives the eyelid an even tone. 

REPURCHASE?

Yes. I like it better than the original. 

CONCEALER

Laura Mercier Undercover Pot, £29 for 5.8g

One half is for blemishes and is the best at hiding red spots from acne scarring. The other half is for the under eye area and is a peachy creamy texture. I am so-so about this. Underneath the concealers is their setting powder, which is a good'un. 

REPURCHASE?

I have done and probably will when autumn rolls around and I need slightly more coverage. 

FOUNDATION

Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua B30 B40, £33 for 30ml

A fluid based, light-coverage foundation, which is buildable and does not tend to oxidise (certainly not on my skin). Easily blendable and is scented, which doesn't particularly bother me. Creates a lovely, natural sheen to the skin and is excellent for my dry skin type. 

REPURCHASE?

Yes, although they last a long old time. Currently switching to CC cream and MAC powder for the summer months. 

HIGHLIGHTER

MAC Prep and Prime in Radiant Rose, £18 for 3.6ml and Sleek Face Form, £9.99 for 20g

Made almost un-buy able by the Kim Kardashian contour craze, Prep and Prime Highlighter is a staple. It gives a beautiful natural highlight, which is great for any skin, especially my dry skin and in the summer, I often use it in place of a concealer. Blends beautifully – better than YSL's Touché Eclat. The Sleek highlight is a subtle shimmer that makes all the difference to the shape of the face....or the shape that is trying to be enhanced. 

REPURCHASE?

Yes, yes, yes. 

CONTOUR

Sleek Face Form, £9.99 for 20g

The best contouring set that I have tried. I prefer the bronze colour to Laguna (Sorry, Nars) and although it needs to be blended thoroughly, it is such a good contouring colour. It really defines the cheek bones. Plus, I love the price. 

REPURCHASE?

Yes but will take me a while to get through it. 

BLUSH

Sleek Pink Lemonade, £9.99

Cream and powder pinks. A flush of summer. A little goes a heck of a long way and it is easy to blend. Lasts for the long haul. 

REPURCHASE? I would like to try the range before going back to this. Greedy? Yes. Hey ho! 

BROWS

Beautiful Brows, £38

You can read a full review of my new brow must-have product here

REPURCHASE?

YES. In caps....I mean business. 

EYE SHADOW

Urban Decay Create Your Own Palette, Too Faced Chocolate Palette, Inglot, Dior quads, Sigma, MAC Build Your Own (see various reviews...more to come) 

REPURCHASE?

These are my favourite lines for shadows, with some, like the Sigma Smoke Screen, only just discovered. I am planning to buy more from all of the companies. Lord help my mortgage. 

EYELINER

MAC Fluid Gel Liner in Black Track, £15 for 3g, Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner Black, £7.99 for 10ml

I use MAC for the initial line and then fill in and define with the Maybelline. I find that the Maybelline feathers on its own. The MAC line controls it! 

RE-PURCHASE?

Yes, but I'm always on the look out for a new liner. 

MASCARA

Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara, £21 for 6ml; Lancôme Hypnose, £22.50 for 6.ml; Dior Extase, £24.50 for 6ml; YSL Babydoll, £24.50 for 5ml

Estée Lauder does not budge. It's defining, dramatic and does not budge. Sometimes after cleansing three times, I have to do a fourth to get the remaining mascara residue off. Dior is great and doesn't seem to get the recognition that it deserves. I have written a post on it....I need to get on the website asap. YSL Baby Doll is dramatic and defining. The colour can wander but it creates a lovely shape and opens the eyes. It does tend to go off quicker than other mascaras. Lancôme is my every day mascara; easy to apply and easy to get off of an evening. 

REPURCHASE?

Yes to Estée Lauder and YSL. Dior, already have, several times. I also like Armani Eyes to Kill but haven't used it in a while. 

SETTING

Urban Decay Chill Spray, £20 (see separate review here) and the Laura Mercier Setting Powder, £ 29 for 11.3g

Both are good and do what they say. 

REPURCHASE?

I'm going to use MAC powder for a while. I think that my skin has got used to the products and they are not working quite as effectively as they once were. 

PERFUME

Jo Malone Peony and Blush, £40 for 30ml and Tuberose Angelica, £100 for 100ml

REPURCHASE?

Without a shadow of a doubt. Not only do they smell amazing and luxurious but the customer care at Jo Malone is traditional and quite the experience. After visiting the Covent Garden store, I received a hand written note, thanking me for visiting. I was utterly blown away. In this day and age, hand written anything is a shock, but it was such a lovely gesture. Plus, Jo Malone offer a complimentary hand and arm massage. It's advisable to book and be warned, you will want to buy every product that they use. 

 

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

www.boots.com

www.debenhams.com

www.uk.spacenk.com

www.superdrug.com

www.beautifulbrows.co.uk 

www.maccosmetics.co.uk

www.maybelline.co.uk

www.esteelauder.co.uk

www.lancome.co.uk

www.jomalone.co.uk

New – They're Real Push-Up Liner from Benefit

BEAUTY NEWS

Benefit's best-selling They're Real Mascara now has a new companion – the They're Real Push-Up Liner! It took five years of development to produce the innovative AccuFlex tip, which hugs the lash line and makes it super easy to apply. Gel liner can be notoriously difficult to work with, especially if you are in a hurry and don't have time to spend hours perfecting your cat-eye flicks, so any product that makes the process easier gets our vote.

Don't believe that it's easy to use? Here's a little instructional video in case you find yourself in the back of a police car in handcuffs and need to apply liner for your impending mug shot.....



www.benefitcosmetics.com