Review: Maybelline Volume Express Colossal Smoky Eyes Mascara

Today's review is on a product M has been bugging me to buy for ages.

She's been using the Colossal Volume mascara from Maybelline for 4 years now and has been trying to get me to try it but I just haven't got round to it.

I saw this new Smokey Eyes version in Boots the other day so have finally picked it up!

First off I love that it's individually packaged and you know for sure that no one has been sticking their fingers in it and trying it on their own eyes.

M knows me and my sensitive eyes, after 3 months every mascara is in the bin because of the rate of bacteria growth inside the tube and so it's rare that I buy an expensive mascara because I just don't see the benefits.

This version of Colossal Volume claims that it also creates a smokey eye effect at the same time as coating your lashes without clumping them together for a sultry eye.

This instantly wins me over!

I do love a smokey eye and have just finished working on my dissertation which was on fire and accelerants.

Clearly this was a sign I needed to buy this product with its wispy smoke in the packaging background.... (I'm such a sucker!)

This mascara goes perfectly with our blog theme, yellow and black CSI style tape ha.

If truth be told I'm not a huge fan of yellow but this is so much easier to find in my bag than darker packaged products!

You can see the big brush below and can clearly see how many of your lashes it will grab on the way through.

I find bigger brushes mean fluffier and less clumpy lashes, nobody likes a spider eye!

The photos below show the effects of the mascara on my lashes.

I'm lucky enough to have really long lashes, but they're really straight and refuse to curl!

It really does pick up every little lash on the way through!

It does also help to curl them slightly, but not much.

You can see the comparison between the left and right eye, without and with the mascara.

And with both eyelashes coated.

I actually really like this mascara and although I might be better off with a curling mascara and think this one makes my lashes look great.

It's great for day and night wear and not at one point has it smudged down my face or flaked off, bonus points for Maybelline!

As for the smokey eye effect, I can agree with the more matte effect the mascara leaves behind but it makes no difference in terms of a smokey eye.

However this doesn't bother me in the slightest!

Thumbs up from me, maybe I'll have to listen to M more often.....or just annoy her and not ha!

I'm sure next time she'll sneak it into my basket when were shopping.

What do you think of Maybelline's Colossal Volume? Have you tried it?

Do you listen to recommendations from friends or ignore them?

I'm 50/50 ;)

L xxx

A/W NOTD: Nails Inc's Heddon Street

This is the final post in my A/W NOTD!

This week's is Nails Inc's Heddon Street and as you can see it is absolutely flipping amazing.

I love colours like these and love having them on short or long nails.

Look how luxurious the colour looks!

It's perfect for day time in work or at the weekend, and would be great for taking you from day to night if you have a Christmas party to go to.

I love how shiny it looks with a top coat and the metallic particles really do shimmer in the light.

I applied 2 coats of this as normal with a base and top coat and this lasted me a good 4 days.

You can see the bottle doesn't strictly look like the colour that it actually comes out as, which is sometimes misleading as I looked at this colour in my collection and wondered what on earth it was.

However it was a lovely surprise for it to come out looking as great as it did and it will be featuring on my nails a whole lot more now.

What do you think of this colour? I think it would suit so many skin tones.

Have you liked the other colours I've used in my A/W NOTD series? Which was your favourite?

L xxx

Review: Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in Coral Reef

Revlon have a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge fan base, including myself and M.

Both of us have been going mad for their products recently including Colorstay, nail polishes, lip butters and general love for the PhotoReady range.

I picked this up a fair few weeks ago now and have been meaning to write about it but the photos I kept taking were useless!

So finally I have something fairly decent that shows the product on my skin with true colours.

I love monochrome and I love simple shapes and designs.

This means I obviously love the packaging for this and that it comes in a box, it is wasteful as it's going straight in the bin to be honest (a recycling one!) but it makes it feel more expensive.

This cream blush is really easy to use.

I personally use the expert face brush from Real Techniques to apply this as its the perfect size and shape to pick up the product and apply it to the cheeks and particularly the hollows.

Eeee I do love how simple and amazing it looks.

It's faired pretty well in my gym bag too considering it gets carried around all day. It has never opened up by accident and the product sits at the bottom unaffected by any heat from car heaters etc.

I wish it still looked as perfect as this though:

This product is so easy to swirl onto a brush and straight onto your skin.

It blends with minimal effort and you need such a small amount that you will not need a new one for a long time!

You can see below pictures with a small amount and then the second with more:

It's really natural and can be worn all day every day, and out for an evening look.

After buying Cha Cha Tint in the summer I would say that the colours are comparable, with the Revlon being slightly easier to use with it being in a pot and not being runny.

However both have their place as I think Cha Cha Tint does last longer.

The only problem I've had with the Revlon Cream blush is bits of fluff from seemingly nowhere always finding their way into the product. This is easily rectified by wiping the surface with a tissue and it removes minimal product but it isn't great to see it all on the surface!

I would certainly buy this cream blush in another colour and have been eyeing up the pink!

It's currently on 3 for 2 in Boots which is asking for it really....

What do you think of the Cream blushes? Have you tried them out?

L xxx

Save, Spend, Splurge Night Creams featuring Avon, Lush and Clinique

So a few weeks ago I did Save, Spend, Splurge on day creams, you can see that and my eye make up remover one by clicking here. I'm liking writing these as it's making me compare things to make sure I'm not just liking something more because I think I should. I have a few more of these planned including clear primers, cream based primers, hot cloth cleansers, volumising mascara, lengthening mascara and some foundation ones but I need to pick up a good save one for oily skin to test so any recommedations let me know or any other products you particularly like compared. I will try to do them regularly but most likely they will be fortnightly so I can test new things as I seem to have two things for most categories.

So on my day creams last month Splurge won (save only lost out due to lack of anti aging properites) and Spend won the Eye Make Up remover battle. Will Save win this to even up?

Let's see what I've picked as my night creams. I'd say it's only really the last year (since blogging really) that I've really paid attention to my skincare and made sure I cleanse, tone and moisturise twice daily. 

SAVE

Avon Complete Balance Night - Oil Free Gel

This is a super light weight oil free gel that just sinks into the skin. It has the most amazing fresh, clean smell that doesn't smell fake. It skins into the skin quickly and provides a good level of moisture for oily skin types. It can feel a touch tacky sometimes. Annoyingly this is in the current Avon brochure but it is in there regularly and I have checked with Mummy M (my mum's an Avon lady) and she has reassured me she hasn't seen that it is going out. This one tends to come and go from the catelogues. The Avon Solutions skin care range is great for those on a budget and Avon does some truely amazing deals.

I think this normal retail price of this is aroun £7.00 which for 50ml is very reasonable. But it regularly is in deals such as half price or even lower. I know when I picked it up it was £2.50-£3.00 so it's definitely worth looking at. I find it harder to find cheap skin care for oily skin, especially moisturisers. This doesn't have anti aging products which I have started to look for but is perfect for oily skin. If you have oily combination I don't think this will help any dry patches. I will re visit this and add links when it's in the next Avon Campaign. It's standard packaging for your moisturiser. Glass tub with a screw on lid. Not great for travelling but it does mean it's unlikely to get stood on and broke if you live in a messy environment like me. (I favour the floordobe, I'm trying to improve) Also glass is recyclable for you green ladies :)

Spend

Lush Vanishing Cream

I loved this cream from the moment I first started using it. This was one of the first moisturisers I spent a lot of money on. This technically isn't aimed as a night cream and can be used as both day and night. Which is handy if you are someone who travels a lot or doesn't like to have too many products. Vanishing cream is advertised as a Low fat moisturiser meaning it contains little fat/ oils and is great for us oilier skinned ladies. Vanishing cream sinks into the skin straight away. It feels light and fresh on the skin but provides a good level of moisturisation as well. It helps with any dry patches I get left from where spots have been without leaving greasy patches on my skin. It smells nice and fresh and contain lavender (which gives this a very subtle smell not at all over powering) and also witch hazel to help control any oil and help with blemishes.

This isn't going to do anything for anti aging as I use this when I have more breakouts. It's £17.50 for 45g which is more expensive than I remember but a little goes a long way and it does last. It also comes in one of Lush's black pots so save these little ones up and you get a free face mask which is always good. You can purchase here.

Splurge

Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturiser

The day cream partner for this won the battle of the day creams and I have to say this wins the night creams too but mainly because I'm paranoid about anti ageing and I'm hoping prevention really is going to help may skin staying looking better for longer. I find it really hard to find a high street cream with a cheaper price tag that is lightweight, oil free, won't break me out and helps prevent ageing. This really is a great all rounder. Mine is running out and I'm literally heart broken that I can't afford to replace these at the moment. (I'm moving in the New Year and have to save every penny going) This cream is slightly thicker but still dissolves into the skin without a greasy feeling. I like something that feels a bit heavier at night as I think my skin can do with that extra boost. Again there are no heavy fragrances with this cream. Skin is just left feeling soft, non greasy, moisturised and clean. 

The downside of course to the Clinique is it's rather pricey price tag. £37 for 50ml. It's expensive. It will last around 3 months though when used every night so it's not to extortionate. Another bonus is it comes in 3 slightly different formulations so even if you don't have oily skin there is still a good chance this cream will work for you. You can purchase it and read about other variations here

So Splurge did it again. I think I'm just getting expensive tastes. I love that it's a great all round cream and it offers it all that none of my other options do. I'm still on the hunt for a slightly cheaper one that is just as good but without a doubt when I have the money a sneaky purchase to Clinique will happen. For now I have others to use up. I haven't included my current night time cream in here as it's one I'm using but I don't like. 

What is your go to night cream? Would you spend £37 on a night cream? Although it's expensive I think it's worth it as what's the point in spending loads on make up if you aren't looking after the skin you put it on. Me and L were also once told to think about how much you're willing to spend on a dress for a few nights out ;)!! Skin is for life hehe!!

Love M

xxx