MY MOST AND LEAST FAVORITE MASCARAS

MY MOST AND LEAST FAVORITE MASCARAS

1 Mascara is an important part of any eye makeup look. It enhances the lashes and adds definition and intensity to the eye. Even a “natural” makeup look can stand out with a touch of mascara. There are many different types of brushes that serve different purposes. There are those that add volume, length, intensity or all of them together. I have tried quite a few mascaras and I have come to absolutely love a few! I really like my mascara to separate and elongate my lashes and I really hate it when the mascara clumps my lashes and makes them stick to each other. In this post I am going to talk about my favorite mascaras and about those I don’t really enjoy wearing.

Lancome Definicils

definicils

This is probably my favorite mascara. I love how long, slim and neat the brush is. It reaches my entire lash line even the inner and outer corner. It doesn’t apply a lot of product to the lashes, so it doesn’t stick them together. On the contrary it separates them and creates a natural look. You can easily build it up and make your lashes as intense as you like. It also is not messy at all. It is the perfect mascara for defined, long yet natural-looking lashes.

Lancome Hypnose

hypnose

Another amazing product from Lancome, this iconic mascara really deserves all the hype. It is a little different from the Definicils one, as its brush is kind of wavy instead of straight. This is very helpful for adding volume and thickening the lashes, instead of elongating them. It has a creamier formula, which really intensifies the lashes and creates a more dramatic look instead of a natural one. I like how once again it reaches my entire lash line and how doesn’t clumps my lashes, even though it does carry a lot of product. This is the perfect mascara for a statement night-time look.

Benefit They’re real!

benefit

This was my favorite mascara for years prior to the Lancome ones. I really love this mascara. Before I used it for the first time, I wasn’t really wearing any mascara, as I was disappointed from all my previous ones. This mascara really changed my life. It has a lovely long brush, similar to the Definicils one but a little bigger. The bristles are quite small; therefore it doesn’t carry a lot of product. Just like the Definicils, it lengthens my lashes without clumping them at all. I also use it close to my roots to add some volume and curl to my lash line. Basically, it is multi-mascara that adds volume, curl and length to the lashes without creating a mess.

YSL Effet Faux Cils

ysl

This Yves Saint Laurent mascara is my last favorite one. It has a shorter brush than the others and it has a swirly design instead of bristles. Although it is shorter, it does get to my inner and outer corners quite easily. The swirly design of the brush may give the impression that it creates a lot of mess, but actually it doesn’t. It is very neat, even though it carries a lot of product, and it doesn’t clump my lashes. It creates full, bold lashes by adding volume more than length. It is perfect for creating a deep, intense, dramatic look like the Hypnose one.

In order to have a more complete and honest post, I thought it would be helpful to mention a couple of mascaras that didn’t satisfy me as much as all the above. I need to stress out that the following mascaras are not terrible but simply not as good or effective as the previous ones.

Too Faced Better Than Sex

too faced

I was really, really disappointed by this hyped up Too Faced mascara. I had been dying to try it for quite a while, so when I finally got my hands on a sample of it, I couldn’t contain my excitement. My first impression was that the brush is very messy. It has an hourglass shape, which is a great idea for adding volume and length to the inner and outer corner, while keeping the middle more natural. This idea would have worked better if the bristles weren’t as long and very close to each other. This is the perfect example of clumping mascara. It carries way too much product that is not distributed evenly and as a result, my lashes are clumped and they stick together. I really wanted to love this mascara because I love Too Faced as a brand, but I was not satisfied at all. I feel that in all it is a great idea but poorly executed.

Buxom Lash Mascara

buxom

This mascara is quite disappointing as well. I got it as a sample in a Sephora goodie bag and I was really excited to try it out. At first I found weird how instead of screwing the lid, you simply pull it out. I believe that this very design is the main reason why this mascara is bad. The brush is straight and long with short bristles, which normally would be great, but the size of it is big. It is like a triple version of the Definicils one. That size combined with the pull-out design, result in a clumpy and messy mascara. A lot of the product is gathered at the two corners of the brush which in turn clumps the corners of my lash line. Also as mentioned, the brush is too big to handle and I feel it’s too big for my eyes in general. I do however believe that it is not as bad as the Too Faced one. In my opinion, if the brush was longer and screwed in, it would be much better.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant

smoky

If there was a big brush competition, this mascara would be the winner. Its brush is simply huge, which obviously is a problem to me. I like its unique “pyramid” shape, where one corner is small and as you move to the other one it gets bigger and bigger. This is perfect for making the outer corner lashes longer and more voluminous, creating a flutter look. As much as I love the idea, like with the Too Faced mascara, I believe it is poorly executed. A multi-purpose mascara for lengthening and volumizing the lashes, it would be amazing if it didn’t carry so much product. It really clumps my lashes. A lot of product is gathered in the inner corner of the brush, while there is a huge size difference between its two ends. The outer end is much bigger than the inner one, therefore the inner corner is clumpy and the outer corner is too big for my eye. The only good thing is that it is swirly mascara, because if it had bristles it would be really awful.

I have tried many different types of mascara because I love trying new products. Each one has a different style and a different purpose, but not all of them are effective nor do they achieve that purpose. The worst thing mascara can do, is to clump and stick your lashes. Sadly some of the mascaras above do exactly that. However, there are some that are absolutely lovely! They elongate the lashes without clumping them for a nice everyday look, or add some serious volume for a more dramatic one. Comment down below and share which is your favorite mascara and why. Also don’t forget to pop over my Instagram (@blueberrylover) and Twitter (@vickyinlalaland) to say hi!

Till next time take care dolls 😉 xxx

Vicky

 

 

 

 

DECEMBER FAVORITES

DECEMBER FAVORITES

favorites

 Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I wish you all an amazing 2016, where your wildest dreams come true! It has been a bit crazy this past week due to all the celebrations and preparations, so I am a little late with my monthly favorites. December was a lovely month with all the presents and the festive spirit. I got the chance to try some new products that I absolutely loved and can’t wait to share with you guys.

Jo Malone Perfume – French Lime Blossom

perfume

Every time I go by Jo Malone’s stand I always feel the urge to smell the amazing perfumes and candles. This year is definitely Jo Malone’s year for me. Not only I got my first candle (see post) but also I got a couple of perfumes. From the beginning, I was in love with the French Lime Blossom perfume. It has a powdery scent and it reminds me of something clean and fresh, like soap. I know it doesn’t seem like much but I absolutely love that scent. It makes me feel peaceful, like I am in a fresh meadow on a spring day. I love it when I can associate a perfume to something so stress relieving. It is not overwhelming or too strong. I love the perfume so much, that I am considering getting the candle too at some point.

Charlotte Tilbury – Charlotte’s Magic Cream

cream

I got this cream in Charlotte Tilbury holiday set “The gift of Goddess” (see review). Having heard so many amazing things about Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty and skin care products, I have wanted to try them for a while now. I got the cream in a small size and I tried it right away. It’s amazing; such a moisturizing cream with a nice thick texture. It smells lovely (like a rose), and it doesn’t make my face oily at all. You only need to apply a little bit, which means my small pot will last. I love how smooth and fresh my face feels afterwards, especially now in the winter where it gets quite dry.

Michael Kors Camille Small Leather Satchel in black

bag1

I was looking for a nice everyday bag for a couple of months now. Since I don’t have a light grey bag, I was after that color. I think it’s very neutral and I can wear it daily all year round. I never had a Michael Kors bag before, but I always liked his designs, as they are modern and sophisticated. However, I couldn’t find the style and size I wanted in light grey. I was really bumped, but then I came across the Camille satchel in black and I was in love. It is such a cute bag, with the perfect size for daily use. It has a strap, many compartments and the leather is so soft. It was simply perfect. My mom surprised me by getting it for me for Christmas! Black is the perfect color that matches with everything. It is not the color I wanted, but it is a basic, neutral color which is what I was going for bottom line. The size is just great; apart from daytime, I can get it for a dinner or a drink as well. It is not really small, and it can accommodate everything I carry with me daily plus an umbrella in case of rain. An absolutely ideal bag!

Klurskin cleanser with jojoba and coconut

cleanser

As I have mentioned before, I am a skin care hoarder. I love skin care products and I am always looking for something new that will freshen up and improve my skin. Although I do like all the major cosmetics and skin care brands, lately I am interested more and more into smaller, indie skin care brands. They are local and use natural ingredients. Klurskin is a LA based brand that creates non-toxic products that nourish the skin. This cleanser is aloe based and 75% organic. It has coconut milk and jojoba oil. It is in a gel form and has a pleasant scent. It is very gentle and cleanses the skin well; however, I don’t use it when I have a lot of make up on my face because I feel I need something stronger. I love how much it actually hydrates my skin. It doesn’t only cleanse it and removes all the dirt, but it also hydrates it and makes it look fresher and calmer afterwards. Such a nice, organic cleanser!

Laura Mercier Ambre and Vanille body soufflé

body lotion

I got Laura Mercier’s Sweet Temptations Ambre and Vanille holiday set because I was very excited to try the body products. Everybody is raving about how lovely they are, so when I saw the holiday set, I just had to get it. I am not going to mention the entire set, as there will be a review about it up soon, but I have to admit that the body lotion is my favorite product. I absolutely love it! It has an amazing scent that makes me feel like I am a vanilla cookie, and it deeply moisturizes my skin. It has a thick texture therefore, you don’t need a lot. Its scent lingers for a couple of days on my skin which is wonderful. This body soufflé is just perfect. From the scent to the feeling, it is amazing. I know for sure that once I finish it I will repurchase the full size.

Topshop Betty Star boots

shoes

I am not going to talk a lot about those boots because there will be a review of them up the blog soon. I got the Topshop Betty Star boots only recently but I am in love with them already. The heel height is perfect for me for every day and for a casual night out as well. I love how they are simple but the golden stars in the back add some spice to them. They are basic black ankle boots but with a twist. I have worn them twice so far and I love them! Stay tuned for a more thorough review J

H&M nail polish in Red Over Heels shade

nail polish

You guys already know how much I love H&M’s new nail polishes. I have a whole review of them where I am raving about how fast they dry and how long the last (see review). For the holidays I wanted a true red color, so I can be a little festive myself. I went for the Red Over Heels shade, because it is a lovely deep, yet not too dark, red. It doesn’t have any orange undertone. I was so happy with my choice. They nail polish was lovely like all the H&M ones and it was perfect for the holiday season. I don’t usually go for red nails but I was so happy I did this year!

YSL Rouge pur Couture lipstick in the shade 201

lipstick

I got this lipstick in a magazine, so I didn’t purchase it myself. I never had a YSL lipstick so I didn’t have an opinion about them. I was happy to find that the lipstick was in a bright red shade, because red is one of my favorite lip colors. The shade itself is quite lovely; bright red with orange undertone. Something I don’t really have. I tried it on and I was surprised at how lovely it looks. It’s creamy and moisturizing, which I really like, since my lips are quite dry. It is matte with a satin finish. It didn’t sit in my lip lines and it lasted for a quite a while. I really love this lipstick, as it is festive and the sample size of it is just too cute! I am very pleasantly surprised with this YSL lipstick, because I liked the texture, the color and the longevity. Also it has a rose scent. Highly recommend the YSL Rouge pur Couture lipstick!

I was so blessed to get my hands on some amazing things on December. I absolutely love each and every thing mentioned in this post. From the bag and the shoes to the lipstick and the body lotion, all these products are simply wonderful. They stole my heart on December and they earned their place in my monthly favorites list. I recommend them all. Don’t forget to pop over my Instagram (@blueberrylover) and Twitter (@vickyinlalaland) and say hello! With 2015 gone, I am very excited for what 2016 has in store! Happy New Year to everyone with lots of love!

Till next time take care dolls 😉 xxx

Vicky