Dior Diorshow Mascara...

On my quest to find the perfect non waterproof mascara for my lashes I've stumbled upon a few that I would consider repurchasing even though they're not quite what I would qualify as HG.

The most notables until now...

Dior Iconic, so far is The One! Sadly the brush is a pain with it's tight bristles. I get about six weeks of use out of it, after that due to the fact the formula thickens a little, the brush becomes hard to work with.

Estée Lauder Sumptuous, an excellent formula combined with a good brush, this one is at the top of my list. Goes on smoothly, keeps the curl and doesn't flake. 

Benefit They're Real!, superior to Estée Lauder (in summer) but the brush now annoys me a little and the formula crumbles under cold Canadian temperatures.

Clinique High Impact, good formula, easy to work with brush, this one almost made it but for some reason on some days it doesn't hold the curl. 

The latest contender?

Let's think for a minute that maybe, just maybe all the Dior mascaras have the same formula but in different containers with different brushes... Yes there are companies out there that do this! Notice how some can launch up to three "new" mascaras a year?

Dior Diorshow Mascara...

As mentioned Diorshow Iconic has an amazing formula so could it be possible that it and Diorshow share the same mysterious recipe but with different brushes?

Sadly no!

Diorshow I was told was developed for last minute back stage "oomphing" up lashes and that, it does beautifully. It thickens and lengthens in two coats, dries fast and will definitely achieve great results on someone who already has lots of naturally curly lashes. Yes ladies, they are out there those who need neither mascara nor a lash curler... don't you hate them? 

Nah just kidding! :)

The brush of Diorshow, although huge, works nicely with the formula and unlike Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara, the product gets evenly distributed on the brush when you take it out of the container. On the picture below you can see there is less mascara on the tip of the Diorshow brush (top).

How does it perform? Read on...

It gives me long thick lashes with no clumps, resists the heat of my lash curler (remember I heat mine with a hair dryer otherwise I get no curl) but for some reason on some days the curl can last up to nine hours while on others I'll get barely two! This puzzles me since I always do the same thing and no, this doesn't happen on hot humid days so I have no smart explanation for this.

On me, it flakes!!! Weird again since this doesn't happen every day just like the curl doesn't hold the same from one day to the next... 

Is my Diorshow Mascara possessed?

Well probably not but it sure is a little cray cray, unstable I mean. Friday it did great and lasted an entire work day but Saturday it did poorly! Same weather except maybe I was outside a little more. When it flakes it doesn't do so in a discrete fashion but instead with big specs so I sometimes end up with black spots on my cheeks!!! Oh and it smudges a little! Now this is something I didn't expect. It does so very lightly in the outer corners of my eyes. I know it's Diorshow because these days I pretty much always wear the same eye makeup but with different mascaras and this happens only with this Dior offering.

The reviews...

After having written the above paragraph I decided to go have a look at some of the reviews on MakeupAlley, just the first two pages because there are 3026 in all... One confirmed something I was puzzled by, thinking it was a problem with mine only but apparently it's happened to others. After a while the wand doesn't screw back on properly and I get the feeling that if I force it it'll break and so it's the weirdest thing which has never happened to me and quite unimpressive coming from a luxury brand.

Makeup Alley: 3.5 / 5 lippies for 3026 reviews.

Beauté-test: 4 / 5 stars for 903 reviews.

Do I recommend Diorshow Mascara? Not really.

In the reviews there are many who swear by this mascara but I can't. Sadly I found it too unstable which is a description I never thought I would give a mascara. Some days are good while others not so much. Great dramatic look that can last and entire day or only a few hours, flakes here and there and a bit of smudging...

The fact that the brush is huge makes it unsuitable for short lashes.

I took my sweet time before writing this review because I wanted to make sure, sure I wasn't imagining things. I wore Diorshow on it's own as well as over other mascaras, namely Iconic, Benefit, Clinique and MUFE for that bit of extra oomph effect. It did that well but the flaking and smudging also happened in those instances. In other words, I really did put it to the test this past month and although it's working a little better now due to the fact it's dried up a little, it's not a formula I'll repurchase. 

If you've never tried a Dior mascara, best steer clear of this one which is $31.00 and either go for Diorshow Iconic or Diorshow Overcurl which is pretty much the brand's best seller and gets the most love from my bloguerette friends.

Now you do know there's a new one coming out don't you?

This little beauty is now available through Sephora's website though I haven't seen it in the store yet and goes for $32.00. The brush does remind me of Benefit's but from other pictures I've seen, appears to be a little thinner which I think will make it easy of use on most eye shape as well as on shorter lashes. I sincerely hope it's as good as it looks!

Do you use different mascaras in rotation or do you always go for the same one?

Mascaras, Let's Compare a Few... Brushes!

Every time I review a mascara I always mention the importance of the combination of good formula and good brush. You really can't have one without the other. Basic I know but this is something that may have been overlooked by some of those who are still searching for "The One".

I think the first step is trying to figure out which brush works best for you and then take it from there because even if you have found a great formula, if you keep struggling with the brush, well, that's not a good thing. There is a perfect mascara for everyone out there, believe me!

Why was it such a struggle for me? My lashes are on the short side and point straight down plus they are stiff and hard to curl. The only way I can keep a curl all day is by heating my lash curler with my hair dryer and that's with mascara on! If I do this before application it's always a major fail. Doing this the mascara formula must be on the amazing side because not all can sustain a heated lash curler. Several "melt" on point of contact and although not super noticeable it's a little annoying.

The mascaras mentioned below all have great formulas that did good with the heated lash curler. Some believe that you're not suppose to curl your lashes with mascara on, thinking that it will break them but I've been doing this for years with no issues. If you break or pull off lashes the problem is the lash curler itself not the fact that you have mascara on. Oh I almost forgot, all these mascaras kept the curl a good 12 hours too!

Let's compare some brushes...

These are the ones I've used this year. Of course if you have long naturally curly lashes (I could almost hate you right now, yes I'm talking to you Melissa from Kiss & Makeup and Tracy from Beauty Reflections) you may not even need to bother with this entry, these comments but, you may still find it... informative. :)

L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess:  the brush is huge compared to the others and I don't quite get the curve of it. The wand itself is kind of soft and a little flimsy and I must admit that I was a afraid it would break at one point leaving the brush in the container. Still it was a good drugstore option because it did a good job and it's one I'd reconsider.

Estée Lauder Sumptuous: my favorite! It's a standard no fuss conic shaped brush that due to the fact it's more pointy makes mascara application easier on those inner corner tiny lashes.

Benefit They're Real!: Ok this one is a little funky and prickly but it does a good quick job. Combined with a good product it's one that I now buy in it's small size to always have available.

Diorshow Iconic: I truly loved this beautifully smooth formula but as mentioned the brush is a pain! Notice the difference below compared to the others? How the bristles are tight, close to one another? Once there a bit of products on the lashes it can barely grab on to them for a second coat. I was able to achieve a good look with it but it did take longer and that was rather annoying some mornings.

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl: curved brushes aren't my favorite and this one made it hard to grab the lashes on the inner corners of my eyes. I can't comment on the formula since it appears I ended up with a bad one that I had to take back but do know it gets a lot of love. I don't think I will try again just because of the brush.

My wish...

Could someone combine the formula of Diorshow Iconic with Estée Lauder's Sumptuous brush? This would make it one of the best mascaras out there!!!

Yes I dare say, even better than Benefit They're Real!

The mascaras mentioned here are all top sellers and get high ratings so yes, if you want to try any of them do go ahead. You may have noticed in the reviews I wrote about them, I really have nothing negative to say about their formulas* and unlike me, you may have no issues with their respective brushes. I guess I'm a bit of a perfectionist in this area but at the same time I thought it would give you something to think about the next time you decide to purchase a new mascara. That is if you haven't found "The One" yet!

Of course this year I will be trying others in fact, I already have a few I'm considering and can't wait to play with! :D


When deciding on trying a new mascara, is the brush an important selling point or am I the only nut case out there?



*It was confirmed again this week that there was a bad shipment of Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara from another Dior counter where they too had some returns. My guess is it may have been exposed to extreme temperatures.

Recent Empties...

My routine is pretty basic so I don't do these types of post very often. What I experiment with the most are cleansers, lip balms and mascaras as you can see in the pictures below but I did empty a few treatments that are staples of mine.

All of these I truly loved. Biotherm Pure-Fect was purchased for my daughter but I tried it and it really is a good cleanser. I would definitely consider it again for next summer since it's more for combination/oily skin. Biotherm an Marcelle micellar waters, well, excellent! I wouldn't hesitate on recommending either of them and they both take care of eye makeup brilliantly. Caudalie Foam Cleanser (a product I forgot to review) was a great cleanser although the fragrance was slightly on the chemical side. For some reason I always ended up tasting it, a little nasty if you ask me. Still it's an excellent option and it too I would recommend.

As mentioned my skin care is on the boring side. For anti aging I rely on Avène. These three products contain the highest concentration of retinaldehyde available over the counter with the advantage that they are not as irritating once your skin gets used to them. Move effective than Neutrogena or anything you could get at Sephora. Ysthéal Cream was replaced by the Emulsion. This was probably my 4th tube of Eluage Cream and now I prefer the 1st mentioned. Eluage Concentrated Firming gel is a favorite due to the hyaluronic acid fragments in the formula which plumps the skin. I love this one for my forehead and as an eye contour. It's no longer available here but I have 2 backups.

Marcelle Xtension Plus mascara was ok but did require a bit of effort to hold the curl so I will not repurchase. Not a fail but not the best drugstore option. I've since then discovered L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes which for roughly the same price performs better on my lashes. Benefit They're Real is my HG mascara and so this one will be replaced.


Any Holy Grail product you've had to replace lately?


Sorry for the blurry pictures it's been cloudy here this past week and so they were taken inside.

Diorshow Iconic Mascara / Review...

Most of you already know that my absolute favorite mascara so far is, Benefit They're Real! mascara. I would, if I could, repost my original review everytime I repurchase but it would end up being redundent and boring to you so, I just have to move on and try others!

Diorshow Iconic Mascara in 090 Black...

Originally I wanted to get Diorshow Iconic Overcurl but was told this newest member of Dior's mascara line up had a slightly dryer formula and looking at the tester, it did seem quite creamy and stable so I figured why not?

L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess / Review

For a while now I haven't had much luck with drugstore mascaras and so recently I had just about given up. True that for the price of my beloved Benefit They're Real! I can get two or three drugstore mascaras but if they're not good it's simply money wasted.

The only one I've purchased repetitively years ago was L'Oréal Voluminous but for some mysterious reason there came a point where it wasn't working for me anymore. I don't know if it was the formula or my lashes that got really stiff but it wouldn't hold the curl anymore. That's when I started to heat my lash curler with my blow dryer. Even doing this, Voluminous let me down after an hour or so.

Last Winter, in need of a more tenacious formula, I purchased L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara Waterproof and was quite pleased with it despite the fact that it was a pain to remove. Since I don't need to wear this type of mascara often, it was an affordable alternative and next Winter I'll surely repurchase. It's what one has to wear on those snowstorm days since raccoon eyes are never a good look.

This week I stumbled upon the new incarnation of this old favorite, L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess and decided to give it a go after reading Tracy's review on her blog Beauty Reflections, here. It was on special and so I figured for $8.00? Why not?

 I must admit that I much preferred the old packaging which was less flashy 

but I guess the red and gold will make it easy to find in one's makeup bag. 

For me a good mascara doesn't only rely on the formula but also the brush...

Below, on the left, I'm showing you the difference between the new L'Oréal Voluminous and Benefit They're Real! my current favorite. The brush is similar except for the slight hourglass shape and the tip which is more pointy. Benefit's is a little bigger but both have similar bristles.

On the right, the new vs the old. It's clear to me that the new brush makes it easier to evenly coat each lashes more quickly. Do note that both the regular and waterproof of the old version had the same brush. The old version's wand was a little longer and the brush was almost identical to Estée Lauder's Sumptuous which is also a favorite of mine.

Again a little blurry I know but I believe you can get the idea.

Ok so a good brush was a good start!

How does L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess perform? Very well thank you!

The formula is a little thinner than both Benefit and Estée Lauder but goes on quite smoothly. No clumps, no mess (I feel like a commercial here) the brush is as I thought, excellent. What a difference if I compare this one to Telescopic Shocking Extension also from L'Oréal. The brush on that one was such a pain to use for me but I know that it did get lots of love. It just wasn't for me. Voluminous Million Lashes Excess gave my lashes good volume in one go and gave them a bit of extra length. Like Tracy mentions in her review, in about two weeks of regular use the formula will be dryer and just about perfect!

Does it keep the curl? YES!!!

I know you're not suppose to but I curl my lashes with mascara on. I've always done this and never had any issues. Curling without just doesn't work, my lashes are super extra stiff and point down. Nice I know! So I apply a good coat of L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess mascara (honestly, they could have made the name shorter!), heat my Shiseido lash curler with my blow dryer, let the heat do it's thing and boom!

My lashes kept their curl a good seven hours and even in the evening just before I removed my eye makeup they still had a bit of a curl. Not quite like Benefit or Estée Lauder but still super impressive for me. Remember, my lashes have a mind of their own!

If I have one bad thing to say about it it's that at the end of the day I did have a few super tiny black specs below my eyes, like black eye shadow fall out. I saw these looking in a magnifying mirror and it was truly minimal, easily removed with a small powder brush.

This mascara is going straight into my emergency makeup bag! I wouldn't want what happened to my friend Stacey to happen to me!

The horror! One morning she was in her car and realised she had forgotten to apply mascara! Now for a makeup addict this is just plain horrific! She had to make a stop on her way to work to get one from the drugstore. Good thing she had time to do so. Can you imagine an entire morning with naked lashes? Ouch!

Do have a read of her "nightmare", here. She got a Maybeline mascara that I just might try myself. :)

About the reviews Voluminous Million Lashes Excess has received so far I was stunned! It's quite new and can seem pricey if one only purchases makeup from the drugstore especially since L'Oréal is one of the more expensive brands in that market but I was still surprised by the poor performance comments. I don't think this mascara is made to apply several coats. It has some thickness on the first coat so I believe applying more than two coats would make it clump. Also, it seems some expected their lashes to double in length, that's just not possible!

Lastly and this made me smile, several reviewers mentioned L'Oréal's television commercial which I haven't seen and, well, just don't believe everything you see on TV! :)


Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 2.5 / 5 lippies for 17 reviews.
Beauté-test: 3.5 / 5 stars for 6 reviews.


What was your last drugstore purchase? Any great discovery?

My Current Favorites / Makeup

In a few days August will be over! Where did it go???

This Summer was way too short and I just can't believe that we will soon have to start wearing socks again! The blogging world is going loco for all the new fall collections and I agree, there are or will be some stunners out there but for me, this means the return of the cold! I like Spring the most. It announces the arrival of lazy and care free days. Fall, is the precursor to cold and last Winter was such a harsh one in Montreal that I wish I could win the lottery and move to a more temperate climate...

*Le Sigh*

Recently I showed you what my Spring & Summer Skin Care Routine was like and so I thought it would be fun to show you what makeup I've been going for in the morning for the past month or so. I realise looking at these that this was real basic. No fuss, five minutes and I'm done! Compared to the same type of post I brought you in June, here, a few changes where made but I'm still keeping it minimal.

These have been my absolute favorites, I have used other products here and there but there are the ones my hands reached for most often, especially this past month and all have been reviewed...

Face...

Estée Lauder DayWear BB creme
Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer
Givenchy Le Prisme Visage Mat in Peach Plumetis
Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo in Coral Glow

Eyes...

Bobbi Brown Navy & Nude palette
L'Oréal Infaillible Lacker Liner in Dark Slate
Benefit They're Real! mascara

Lips...

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer
NARS Satin Lipstick in Tolède

Nails...

Essie The Girls Are Out for fingers
Chanel Le Vernis in Taboo on toes


True that Estée Lauder's BB and Bobbi Brown's palette are recent additions but oh how I wish I had put my hands on them sooner.

One quick comment about both the Givenchy and Dior compacts, notice how the embossed patterns are still visible? I've used these almost every day since I purchased them and it barely shows. This to me proves that they where totally worth the splurge. Fine and tightly pressed powders that perform well are definitely worth it and these have excellent staying power so no need to reapply repetitively during the day.


What where the staples of your Summer? 

A Long Hot Week Ahead... Minimal Makeup!

As usual this morning I had my café au lait, turned on my lap top, read great blogs, left a few comments and off to shower!

The Body Shop's Pink Grapefruit shower gel for fresh boost of waking up fragrance, a bit of almond oil for moisture and done.

The Sun is out so Ombrelle SPF 45 had my full attention since I have to run a few errands but first I had to do a tour of the yard to pick up the tiny pears that either fell to the ground or where dropped by the squirrels. They love to munch on them but leave quite a mess behind the little rascals!

After 10 minutes I was a sweaty mess, ready for another shower!

It was barely 8:30!!!

Pupa Ultra Shine Eyeliner / Review

The other day at the drugstore I stumbled upon a display of Pupa's 50's Dream Collection which came out for Spring 2013. I guess they where getting ready for the new Summer collection since all the items where reduced. Curious, I noticed the eyeliners, a turquoise and a deep plum. I tried the latter on my hand and although I liked the color, I found it a little glittery for my taste. The fact that it was a liquid didn't help either. I usually stay away from those since I've never been able to really master the application technique.

So I left the drugstore and went about with my day. When I got home I of course washed my hands. The eyeliner didn't budge. I must have repeated this at least four times and still, the eyeliner swatch was on my hand!

That stuff wore like iron!!!

My Current Favorites / Makeup

There's a lot of makeup on my table but these are the items I reach for the most and all have been reviewed, just click on their names if you want to know more about them.

As you can see, for me, less is more! I don't wear foundation but I do wear concealer and powder. Why do I have three concealers? I don't have dark circles but do have a little redness on my lids and I find that either one of these serves me well as an eye shadow base. Rimmel, Hard Candy and Laura Mercier are all favorites and I use either one of them depending on my mood but I do tend to reach for Rimmel most of the time.

Givenchy Le Prisme Visage Mat is my go to powder at the moment. So light and natural, it goes from my table to my purse when I go out. I often use the "dark" beige as an eye shadow when I want a "no makeup" makeup look.

Revlon Colorstay Quad in Sea Mist. This is such a surprise for me since I haven't used any of Revlon's products for years except for a lip butter purchased one year ago. I've been reaching for it every morning, especially the dark purple which is quite flattering on green eyes. I've used these eye shadows on hot days (we've had only few so far) and I must say, they have good staying power. For such an inexpensive item I couldn't be more pleased.

L'Oréal's Infaillible Lacker Liner 24h in Dark Slate, the best I've tried so far. I have deep set eyes and let's be real, my upper lids are starting to be influenced by gravity. *sigh* This eye liner has not let me down so far except on the day when I had to work in the yard for a bit and it was extremely hot (38C with humidity). After about 40 minutes or so, it was starting to disappear on me. Now let's be fair, I don't think any eye liner would have resisted that. The color, Dark Slate is perfect for me. Dark but not as harsh as black would be. Even if I'm a brunette I have a fair complexion and I don't always curl my lashes. A black eye liner would be the only thing one would see on my face.

Benefit's They're Real! Given my recent rave review it's no surprise that this is the mascara I reach for every morning. When I want to keep the curl all day, I heat my Shiseido lash curler with my blow dryer. With Benefit's mascara the process is not as long for they get and keep the curl pretty fast.

La Terracotta de Guerlain, my favorite basic bronzer. No shimmer, perfect for contouring I sometimes even use it as an eye shadow or liner on the outer ends of my lower lids.

Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo... Love! This is the perfect summer glow in a compact! The bronzer side gives a light natural tanned look with just enough of a satiny finish. It's not shimmery and so I don't look like a disco ball. Mixed with the coral, perfect glow! I apply the coral lightly on my cheeks but also on my upper lids, very lightly. This gives the effect of having been in the Sun without the damage. I'm so glad I gave in to temptation. :)

M.A.C Whole Lotta Love Pro Longwear Blush. The only item I haven't reviewed yet and I'm starting to wonder why I purchased it. I've used it only once, the day after I bought it. It was lovely but for some reason I'm not attracted by it, especially since I got my Diorskin Duo. I rarely wear pinks and so far Bourjois Rose Ambré (not shown on the picture) was my go to. For Summer I wanted something with a little more brightness, reason why I got this M.A.C but now I don't know when I'll use it. I guess I included it in this line up in the hope I'll start using it soon. :)

I don't know why NARS Larger Than Life Gloss in Gold Digger is there either since I've only used it a few times. I guess in this case it's to remind me that I want to try it in another color... :)

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 05 Candy Shimmer and 06 Rosewood Shimmer. These I reach for every day. Moisturizing, they give a little dimension to my lips and are perfect for a natural look.

NARS Satin Lipstick in Tolède really turned out to be my Summer lipstick so far. This color is perfect and I get a good four hours of colors. Light, I haven't found it drying so far although I don't wear it every day, only when I go out. It goes with everything but I must admit I don't wear super bright colors This shade should definitely become part of NARS regular line up because again, for me, it's perfect!

Oh how long does it take me to put on "my face" in the morning? Rarely more than 10 minutes! Unless I'm experimenting with a new color or product, I've got my basic look pretty much covered.


How long does it take you to put on your makeup in the morning?

Benefit They're Real! Mascara / Review

I've had this mascara for a month now and can now bring you my review...

A revelation! Amazing! Da Bomb!!!

The End.

Ok I know, I can't stop here. Sorry!

So far, this mascara is the best I've used in years. No kidding!  My lashes point down not up (grrr!) and they are quite stubborn to boot. This mascara holds the curl like no other so far without being a waterproof formula. It's stiff, real stiff so it keeps lashes looking nice for a good 10 hours if not more.

Ta-da!!!

Back in April I received this little birthday present at Sephora which included small sizes of Watts Up! highlighter reviewed here, and They're Real! mascara.

I was so impressed by how the mascara performed that the following week I went and got the full size.

I don't know if this has happened to any of you but sometimes you get a promotional size of a product, like it, go get the full size and are left disappointed. This is the reason why I wanted to wait before writing my review. I wanted to make sure it was that good.

How did it perform? F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C!!!

I take the wand out once and do both eyes. I don't pump it in the container because I want to introduce as little air as possible. The formula is just perfect! Not too thin and not too thick. It dries fast so you can easily do two or three coats in no time. No clumps, no mess. For real! 

I know I sound like a commercial, sorry about that but it's that good!

It lenghtens and thickens my lashes and sometimes it even... wait for it... gives me a little curl without using the lash curler! Practically unheard of for me.

As much as Estée Lauder's Sumptuous mascara had been a hit and run, this one is hitting the ball way out of the ball park! 

Do I recommend Benefit They're Real!? Hummmm, what do you think?

I understand that at $29.00 it's not cheap for a mascara but if you have a hard time with your lashes, if they're hard to curl, don't keep the curl, if they're short or whatever the issue is, do try this one! You can purchase the small size for $12.00 and the formula really is the same, so is the brush. 

I've mentioned before, a good mascara is a combination of a good formula and a good brush. This one, just like Estée Lauder's reviewed here, definitely has both. 

Let's compare the two...

Top, Benefit they're Real!

Bottom, Estée Lauder Sumptuous.

Both brushes are roughly the same size, they are big so if you're accustomed to smaller ones you may find getting accustomed to one of these a little tricky. This would apply if you have short lashes as well but it's doable. The lashes in the inner corners of my eyes are kind of short and I have no issues with either of these brushes. What makes Benefit's superior, in my view, are the little spikes you can see at the end. They get in there and grab every single one of those tiny little lashes!

For curling, I still have to heat my lash curler with the blow dryer but I don't have to press as much as with Sumptuous. The only way this works for me is if I curl with the mascara on. Neither of these formulas budge or clump but with They're Real! I only have to do it a few times. I get great results faster than with Estée Lauder.

Removal...

Since it's stiffer than other mascaras, you need a little more eye makeup remover or micellar water on your cotton pads to remove it. Between the two, Estée Lauder is easier to take off but Benefit is worth the little extra time for that gorgeous all day finish you get.

So...

Estée Lauder's Sumptuous does remain an excellent option and if you already use and like it, keep doing so but for me Benefit's they're Real! is superior and has reached HG status! Total Holy Grail!

I will of course try other mascaras to bring you more reviews but I do believe that this one will remain in my makeup bag for a long time!

Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 3.5 / 5 lippies for 763 reviews.

Beauté-test: 4 / 5 stars for 523 reviews.

Benefit's Real Birthday Turn-Ons!

I received this as a gift at Sephora a few weeks ago, in fact one week before my birthday on April 13th. These are my first Benefits products, ever! I have been eying their blushes and bronzers for a while now but haven't purchased any yet. Their cute but bulky presentation are the main reason I haven't taken the plunge yet but eventually I will try, I know I will.

In the box, They're Real! mascara and Watt's Up! highlighter.

Watt's Up! highlighter

This I was disappointed and happy at the same time to get. I can be weird like that sometimes... Disappointed because I stay away from shimmer and have been doing so for years. Even when I was a makeup artist, there where highlighters on the market, although they didn't go by that name. Estée Lauder released several liquid formulas way back when. Every Spring there would be some gold shimmer, pink, or bronze available. These did not sell well because women didn't want to try them. Even with the most perfect application it was, most of the time, a no go.

Fast forward several years and I must admit, I'm starting to reconcile myself with them. The formulas are different, more refined and easier to use.

The name, Watt's Up! is fun and the formula quite nice. It's a light champagne beige cream that's a little on the dry side so it can be applied over powder. I've used it on the brow bones and lightly on cheek bones. The results, as it turned out, more natural than I imagined it would be. I didn't look like the wattage of my face had been turned on to the point that I had become a beacon for ships in the night!

Few, what a relief. Now would I use this product everyday, would the purchase of the full size, $36.00 be a good investment for me? No.

The presentation of the regular size is quite nice 

with it's two sides for precise application.

What I've been enjoying recently are satiny finishes. Using them eliminates the need for such a product for me and this little sample will likely last me a long time. The regular size would probably last me years so I don't see the point but for someone who likes to use this type of product, it's a very good quality highlighter, good lasting power and the shimmer is quite fine so very natural depending on how much you apply but again, I find the price a bit on the high side.

They're Real! mascara

This mascara was such a revelation that the week after receiving it I went back to Sephora and got the full size! Worth every penny of the $29.00 price! I've been using it on and off (testing other mascaras at the same time) for about 3 weeks and will bring you a full review of it shortly.

Do I like it? So far it's "da bomb"!!!

Here the regular size along with the sample size that 

made me discover this fab mascara!

Again, full review coming up shortly, I swear! :D