The Sunday Post, Vol. 30...

The return of my makeup mojo...

I think it's coming back! I really do!!!

Super boring makeup summer that's what it was for me! I think this was mainly due to the bad day job schedule I had combined with my waking up in the middle of the night at least two to three times a week. I chose the easy makeup route most mornings which was fine but hey, boring!

Work schedule is finally easier to live with so I'll keep my fingers crossed for the insomnia. Since I'll be home most nights by 6 pm, I should be able to do some blogging in the evening once I get used to the new hours... I hope. I feel like I've been out of it for a while with not much social media presence but I'll sure try to catch up.

I'll also be able to keep up with your comments, thank you so much for hanging in there you have no idea how much your feedback is appreciated.

This week's makeup love are all blurred up with my new additions...

I played with my new Illamasqua palette (see below), wore a new purplish/pinkish lipstick and went to work with no eyeliner on Thursday! By mid day I felt like I looked like death! I guess that's what happens when going from black to nothing! On Friday I brought out my beloved L'Oréal Infaillible liner in Slate and felt oh so much better! By the way, sorry about how weird the picture above looks but I had no time to redo it and noticed too late my hand showing in the mirror of the NARS duo.

New additions...

Illamasqua is leaving the North American market! Almost one year to the day the brand was introduced at The Bay (Canadian retail stores) it's calling it quits! Sad but in a way I'm not surprised since there weren't that many special events or promotions. In Montréal it was located in a nice looking boutique but in a corner, in front of Armani next to YSL. A quiet spot, a little out of the way which for a brand that isn't that well known is kind of a recipe for doom. Last week everything went down price wise, 25% off! I just had to take advantage of the markdown and so got a palette, lipstick, a mono eye shadow and went back the next day for a nail polish.

I finally got the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst I'd been coveting for so long. Hey at $34.00 a pop it did take some thinking about it. It's love! It's the perfect little boost for my green eyes. Combined with my beloved Diorshow mono in Velvet and Slate eyeliner it produces a great polished daytime look.

Yesterday I went shopping with Catherine and of course I just had to stop by Sephora, again... and as I was planning on getting a Dior Glow lip balm I was side tracked by the new Nail Glow...

Guys, you have to get one! Stat!

These past two weeks I've been getting a little lazy with my mani and there's also my left index that seems to have a hard time to get back to its normal strong self which means that I'd been using an illuminating base coat from Nicole by O.P.I. It was ok but the finish, being a base coat wasn't that shiny. Dior Nail Glow is Da Bomb! One coat, high illuminating shine... It's the perfect every day finish for when you don't feel like color, really it is!

What I have my eyes on... 

I'm still undecided about Dior Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush... I swatched it... again... I'm not seeing it! Am I missing something, will I regret not getting it?

I'm not a blush person, I find them pretty but honestly I've always gotten away with a few colors. Coral, pink and wine have done good by me for everyday but for some reason that Dior Rosy Glow is calling my name but every time I swatch it I'm like, really? It's soooo lite and almost feels powdery. I almost purchased it yesterday, almost!

So tell me, should I, really???


For your viewing enjoyment...

Dior does it again! Talk about timeless beauty, that lady Robert Pattinson dances with is a Babe! I can only hope to look that happy at that age, hey I can only hope to get to that age! Getting older isn't fun but we have to make the best of it! I don't own a car which means I walk a lot and I know it keeps me in reasonable shape and I sure am not planning on not curling my lashes anytime soon! Not having André to tell me I'm beautiful and loved everyday for the past year and a half has been hard, real hard but in a way I've always taken pride in my appearance for me, to feel good about myself.

Aches and pains are starting to be more of a regular occurrence, neck is starting to fall and don't get me started about my eyelids... Still, I don't intend on looking like I'm letting myself go nor do I plan on starting to try to look like a 20 yrs old. Taking public transportation I see women of every ages and so many look drab and sad that it makes me want to get up and give them a makeover on the spot while others look fantastic!

The way I see it, it's not a money thing, it's a willing thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV0ONCkyV5s

And speaking about timeless beauty, go have a look at The Beauty +, the new baby of Jane / British Beauty Blogger celebrating the "getting older" thing. Yes it is a thing and whether you consider it good or bad, well, that depends entirely on you. Since we have no say in the matter, might as well make the best of it.


Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

The Sunday Post, Vol. 25...

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.   Lao Tzu

Friday night watching television, I heard this quote and it stirred something in me. It made me stop and think. I'm not the kind of person who pins quotes on Pinterest and although I probably have a few, I rarely read the ones pinned by the people I follow. I guess I've heard/read most of them before and the ones about love make me sad more often than not, but not this one. It's been hard and still is but hearing this I felt like it gave me a second wind and I just wanted to share it with all of you.

I finally caught up on all the comments several of you were gracious enough to leave on posts from the past two weeks!!! It's been just crazy for me but I'm glad to say that in the next few weeks things should get back to normal... Erm as normal as possible I guess! :)

This week's makeup love... struggle...

Lashes and liner... Argh!!! 

So many mascaras and not one does what I want it to do! Thick curled lashes is what I want but it would seem that my lashes don't want to cooperate. Formulas that used to give me good results don't anymore and so it'll be Clinique High Impact mascara for a while (I'm still using the promotional size I got in a recent GWP but will probably get a full size soon). I will not spend $30+ for a mascara that won't perform unless I read it's the best thing since sliced bread! I am still loving Dior Iconic, it remains the best for my lashes so far but I can use it only about a month and a half due to the super tight bristles. Curse those stiff lashes of mine! 

Eyeliner? My issue is not with the product I use, L'Oréal Infaillible Lacquer Liner, but the state of my lids close to the lash lines. They're slowly answering the call of gravity! *cries* This means that I have to adjust my application to make the line even and this past week I've had to redo my eye makeup twice on one eye! :(

Still loving my Shu Uemura curlers reviewed here & here.

New additions...

On an "almost" no buy as mentioned last Sunday, I did spend a lil' somethin'... The Body Shop was having a sale hard to resist and so I got the shower cream ($5.00) and the body butter ($10.00) from the Brazil Nut like. The smell is amazing!

What I have my eyes on...

There is that Guerlain bronzer, again, but this week taking advantage of one of many sales I purchased a pair of black sandals instead! Smarter I think. Like I've mentioned several times already I'm rebuilding my wardrobe and so I guess I'll keep my money for whatever good basics I can find on special. Gotta be smart!

For your viewing enjoyment...

From Guerlain, a look I'm planning to try/master because it doesn't require eyeliner except maybe on the outer corners or the eyes. It could be faster to do this in the morning and so I'll try look 3 later today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7U0a6PY4g

Aren't the Écrin 2 Couleurs stunning? I'd love to get my hands on Two Parisian, a lovely pink and smokey black but that would probably be too dark for me so I'll try this look with Diorshow Mono in Velvet (this is the shadow that gets the most love from me and it pops up in almost all my #fotd makeup pics on Instagram) and if I find it's not enough I can deepen it with others I already own. The Écrin 2 Couleurs are $51.00 a pop so there's no way I'll be getting one anytime soon especially since the colors I'm liking are somewhat dupable.


Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara Waterproof...

Is it just me or did this mascara use to give more volume?

I rarely wear waterproof mascaras and in fact I just can't recall using a formula other than this one. I may have tried other drugstore options but that was so long ago that I can't remember which, it's just not coming to me. Over the years I've repurchased this one maybe four or five times which for some reason I didn't mention in my first review of it, here. It was an ok go to for when I needed my mascara to stay put and in my memory I'm quite sure it kept the curl...

L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara, Waterproof...

Not what I remembered...

Again, I rarely wear waterproof but now I get the feeling I won't have any other choice since almost all the regular formulas I've tried recently don't seem to hold the curl even when heating my lash curler. Some of my old favorites aren't doing much better either. Are my lashes getting even stiffer? I hope not! Of course at this time of year, heat and humidity aren't helping much and so last week I decided to replace my L'Oréal Voluminous Waterproof from last year and at $5.99 I figured I'd be good for summer for cheap. Since my last trial was a bust, L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof reviewed recently, here, I thought this old standard would be fine.

Just like in my original review, the brush is just fine and it does give good length but it doesn't provide much volume! Duh! It's called Voluminous!!! Why did I like this mascara I have no idea!

Am I starting to suffer from Alzheimer?

I thought it not only held the curl but was black enough, thickening enough... Not so but what does remain the same is... Oh what a pain to remove!!!

To give my lashes more oomph I have to apply some Clinique or Dior on the tips otherwise they are practically non existent! Even doing this, the effect doesn't last and so after five hours or so my lashes don't have much volume and barely any curl.

Bottom line, I'm sorry about my previous review, or am I? Seems to me it used to do good on my lashes but not anymore. L'Oréal Infaillible Lacquer Liner in Dark Slate remains my ultimate HG liner (I have two backups of it) but I think I'm done with the brand's mascaras except for Voluminous Million Lashes Excess which I reviewed last year, here. I was considering trying the new Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara but after reading my new bloguerette friend Lena of Lenalure's review, here, I'll pass and keep my wallet happy! :)

Any old favorites you feel have changed or don't perform as well as they used to?

L'Oréal Sublime Soft Gentle Micellar Solution...

I guess by now y'all know how much I like (loooove) micellar water! I use one every day, at night to remove makeup and in the morning to refresh and remove the bit of oil that accumulates at the surface on my skin during the night. I use a lot of it and so it can get expensive. I'm glad to say, I've found another great wallet friendly option...

L'Oréal Sublime Soft Gentle Micellar Solution...

Recently the French brand has launched several new products including this one. I must admit I was hesitant in trying it since L'Oréal usually puts a lot of fragrance in their skincare and although I'm not sensitive to it I'm not much of a fan of synthetic flowery smells. Why did it surprise me? Well...

It has no fragrance!!! We were off to a good start!

How does it perform? Beautifully!

Works like a charm! It truly is "Soft" like the name says and if you drench you cotton pad enough, it cleanses extremely well without drying my skin. I've used it as my sole cleanser and as a follow up to a gel and it really is effective.

Would I recommend L'Oréal Sublime Soft Gentle Micellar Solution? Yes!*

So, I did say it had no fragrance but it does have a very faint somewhat chemical scent to it. Again it's very faint and for some reason I don't always smell it. Still, if you're sensitive to fragrance I doubt this would be much of an issue because again, it's barely there.

Effective, although I must admit I haven't used in on my eyes because these days I've been using waterproof mascara but given the way it removes my Dior BB I have no doubt it would do a good job on regular eye makeup.

The price!!! I purchased mine on special at $7.99, regularly priced at $12.99 (I think!) which means it's the same price as my recent HG from Klorane reviewed, here. This is really another great cheap thrill!

I still prefer Klorane over L'Oréal due to the light herbal scent but I can definitely see myself alternating between the two since they are readily available everywhere and there's always one or the other on special.

Ingredients (from Beauté-test):
Aqua/water, hexylène glycol, glycerin, poloxamer 184, disodium cocoamphodiacetate, disodium edta, polyaminopropyl biguanide (F.I.L B54894/1)

*As with any skin care, if you have sensitive/allergic, acne/clog prone skin, make sure to patch test first.

You can read about the other micellar waters I've tried so far, here.


Have you tried different micellar waters or do you tend to stick to the same, that's if you use one to begin with of course? 

L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara...

To find a mascara that will hold the curl all day... Is it too much to ask for, is it an impossible concept?

Wait till I do a round up post of all the ones I've tried in the past twelve months or so... Crazy, just crazy!

Since so far I just can't seem to be pleased with any of the ones I use in rotation except for Dior Iconic reviewed, here, I figured the next step would be going for a waterproof formula. This is something I wanted to avoid because they usually are such a pain to remove. I know, I know one simply has to use a bi-phase eye makeup remover but I always end up with "clouds" in my eyes which equals in irritation. 

Anyways, I guess a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof...

This picture I posted on Instagram last week.

On special at less than $8.00 when I purchased it last week, it was a bit of an impulse buy. For some reason I thought it would be if not improved at least similar to the original Voluminous Waterproof which I've repurchased several times over the years but with a new packaging. 

Not quite! Actually I should say, not even close!

The brush is made of plastic and is a little reminiscent of Benefit They're Real! but maybe a little less scary, less spiky looking and the wand is slightly more solid than L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess reviewed, here. I must admit that I prefer this brush to Excess, it's shorter and easier to work with. I believe the main problem with this waterproof version is the container's opening. Tight, it doesn't leave enough product on the brush. It separates lashes beautifully but leaves barely any color on then and this translates into no volume, no volume at all!

Remember, it's called Voluminous! On the package it also said "Multiplied Maximized Volume"

Top, Voluminous Million LashesWaterproof 

Bottom, Voluminous Million Lashes Excess

As mentioned, I've used the original Voluminous waterproof in the past and was always pleased with it except for the fact that it truly was a pain to remove but this one sadly, is not really an improved version. Separation and some length, yes but volume, forget it unless you're prepare to spend at least ten minutes applying coats after coats of it.

I tried it as a "base" to separate my lashes thinking that as a first coat it might help hold the curl better but not so. At the end of the day it didn't make any difference and was as anticipated, hard to remove. 

Would I recommend L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof? Sadly, no.

Unless you have gorgeous long and full lashes that only need a little definition to begin with, this one won't do much for you unless you're prepared to apply five coats or more! It does receive some rave reviews but for me it just didn't work.

Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 4 / 5 lippies for 140 reviews.

Beauté-test: 3.1 / 5 stars for 90 reviews.

I guess should have stuck to the original L'Oréal Voluminous Waterproof formula! :(

Have you ever been disappointed by "improved" versions of old favorites?

The Sunday Post, Vol. 20...

Excited!

My friend from Australia is coming to Montreal to visit her family and we have a date on Wednesday!

We've known each other since we were 14 yrs old and although we've lost track here and there we've managed to keep in touch. The last time we saw each other face to face? I can't really remember but I believe Catherine was 8 and she'll be 15 in less than a month so yes, it's been a while!

Finally we are back on track and have been enjoying beautiful springy weather! Most summer makeup collections are out but I've stayed away from the cosmetics departments! I stayed away because I need to reduce my beauty spending, not completely but I just can't go all crazy like I did last Christmas. I still need new shoes...

... and I have Catherine's upcoming birthday to think about!

This week's makeup love...

... Erm I should say this month's makeup love! Since for a while now I've been using pretty much the same items I thought it would be fun to do a round up and show you what I reach for in order of use, before putting on perfume and lipstick in the morning. Of course I don't use all of these at once in case you're wondering. If I were I guess I would probably look like a clown!

Base products...

Dior Hydra Life BB Crème (see below)
Hourglass Mineral Veil (under eye area)
Rimmel Match Perfection concealer
NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
Marcelle Pressed Powder (with a fan brush under eye area)
Guerlain Crazy Météorites

Eyes...

Guerlain Terracotta La Sélection de l'Été Eye and Face Palette from last year. The faun eye shadow on lower lid and been playing with the other two colors as well, a darkish olive green and purplish brown
Diorshow Mono in Velvet or TheBalm Shady Lady in Risqué Renee for definition
Bobbi Brown Ciment from the Navy & Nude palette on upper lids and to blend the edges
L'Oréal Infaillible Lacquer Liner in Slate sometimes "oomfed" with Dior Fusion Mono in Nocturne
Mascara, alternating between Diorshow and Diorshow Iconic

Contour, definition or glowy stuff, however you want to call these...

Bronzer, alternating between Terracotta 01 / La Sélection de l'Été and NARS Laguna. Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo in Coral Glow has come out of hibernation but I've only used it 2x so far.

Oops! I forgot blushes! Well at the moment it's pretty much always M.A.C Whole Lotta Love

Finishing powder, Guerlain Crazy Météorite again or a combination from Hourglass Ambient Lighting, mainly Dim Light and Radiant Light.

Ok so I have included Bobbi Brown's Longwear Gel Eyeliner in Caviar Ink in there but in all honesty I rarely reach for it. I find it harder to work with than L'Oréal. For some reason, once the line is done, going back over it to either thicken it or make it more clean sometimes makes a pretty bad mess. Since it dries fast, it can get all smudgy and weird.

So you see, I don't need to go all crazy over the new collections since I've got most of my makeup needs covered. Right?

A little update...

It's official, Dior Hydra Life BB Crème will not do for summer! Great luminous coverage but it doesn't control the oil and on some afternoons this week I could actually feel it on my skin. With it I've had to use 2x the powder I normally do if not more. Not a total waste, I will simply keep it for late august, for when the weather starts to cool down to transition into fall.

What I have my eyes on...

I do still want a few new nail polishes but haven't decided yet if I'll go Dior or Chanel and there's a Guerlain Rouge Automatique that I'm considering but since I have to find a new daytime foundation/BB or whatever the name, it may have to wait.

For your viewing enjoyment...

This week's video is not from Dior!!! Aren't you surprised? From YSL showing one of their iconic products, I think I really need one! Imagine that, a full night's sleep rested look in a clickable pen! I just can't believe I haven't tried this before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-3EhjF2ePE

Yup! I definitely need one.

Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

The Sunday Post, Vol. 19...

Another Sunday and this one is right smack in the middle of a long weekend! Yay off tomorrow again! I could definitely live with a four days work week. :)

Due to the crazy schedule I've had recently (which will go on for about another month) it's been hard to publish posts as regularly as I wanted to and I have so many drafts with no pictures at the moment that I don't even know which to finish first. Feel as if I'm running in all directions like a headless chicken!

Ok so this chick has made several new purchases recently and yes, I will review my goodies! Again, which first? Since I like everything these days it's kinda hard to choose but I will, I promise I will. :)

Finally starting to feel a little spring/summer inspiration...

Am I getting my makeup mojo back? Yup, I think I am! I need a pink blush, yes I do! You know a nice light baby pink? A pink that'll go with a pink nail polish I want! Yeah we all match our cheeks to our nails don't we? Hmm I may have to get a slightly pinker lipstick than the ones I have at the moment too!

Imagine that, me inspired to get a pink blush and I'm not even a blush person, o_O...

This week's makeup love...

I've been very happy with Dior Hydra Life BB Crème but this past week it wasn't doing much for my shiny t-zone on those warmer days we've had (on Monday or was it Tuesday... it reached 30° C) and so I'm not sure it's a complete hit. There's no way I'll be buying another in the same price range so I'll probably do a little research into drugstore brands or I may simply decide to use a regular light moisturizer with my Smooth Minerals compact foundation from Avon which gives me a pretty awesome finish.

For bronzer I've been playing with both Guerlain Terracotta in 01 and NARS Laguna which is really growing on me. The faint shimmer of Laguna makes for a very natural finish and so I like to use it on my cheeks while I lightly dust some Terracotta on my neck to make it match my face.

Eyes, also from Dior, I've been using and liking Diorshow mascara which I purchased a little while back and still haven't reviewed. A blue eye shadow!!! Yesssss! I wanted Diorshow mono in Cabine but found another... from TheBalm and it's pretty awesome. What's even more awesome is that I payed less than $6.00 for it!!! I've used it almost every day this week and I must say I'm very impressed by how it performs.

Notice the repetition of the word "awesome"? I need writing lessons!

I've also been testing using a primer on my under eye area before applying my concealer and it's performing well. I do believe it'll work nicely for those upcoming hot days. It would appear I've found use for my Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer sample. I've only done this a few times so hopefully it won't give me milia (those pesky little white bumps I'm prone to).

This smart idea came to me in a dream... nah it's Sunny's! See what she uses, here.

For lips these days I reach for NARS Dolce Vita in the morning before I get out the door but that one stays on my bathroom vanity shelf. During the day it's either Rouge Dior in Charnelle (I think you can see on the picture above that it's been getting lots of love!) which I can reapply without a mirror or NARS Tolède...

I've also enjoyed my new Guerlain Rouge Automatique in... wait for it... wait for it... Tonka Impériale!!!

Also... notice the repetition of the word "also"? Argh I'm losing it! I need a vacation too!

Nails...

I thought I could bring my nails out of rehab the other week but seems the problem is still ongoing. They peel! They're still quite strong but the peeling at the tips make it seem like nail polish chips so bright colors are still out at the moment. I'm stuck wearing Chanel Le Vernis in Frenzy again! Don't get me wrong, this is a very nice shade but I want pink... to go with that blush I want... not nude!!!

What I have my eyes on...

I passed on both Terracotta perfume and Célébration bronzer!!!

Both had been at the top of my wish list for weeks but I just had to pass. The Terracotta perfume almost made me sick due to its high concentration of Tiaré flower. Way too much for my taste and its head notes didn't soften on me the way I was hoping they would. It almost broke my heart to pass on the Terracotta Célébration bronzer! The colors were beautifully stunning in the pan but the blushes were too matte and didn't look natural on my skin and since I'm not a collector I just couldn't justify purchasing it.

I passed on those but got a lipstick and a nail polish. A hit and a miss... Yes, a miss from Guerlain! Argh!!!

Ok so now I want a pink blush, a pink nail polish and there's a face powder compact I'm eyeing... like I don't have enough compacts but this one is... oh... so pretty! My envies are all from Chanel but for the pink lipstick I'm considering that will probably be a Dior Addict. I haven't tried that formula yet and since it's sheerer than Rouge Dior's it just may be perfect...

For your viewing enjoyment...

From Dior again... I know, I know, these past few weeks this feature should practically have been called The Dior Video Moment but what can I say, I want to remain on topic and other companies haven't released anything of interest to me recently so...

This first one from January 2013 is showing a more dramatic take on the smokey eye look I've been doing recently. Here makeup artist Yadim uses Diorshow #096 Khôl with black eyeliner while my version is with Diorshow #783 Velvet with which I use L'Oréal Infaillible Lacker Liner in Slate (I got a second back up of this one last week for fear it may be discontinued) or Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in Caviar Ink. I just can't do black eyeliner! Oh and Yadim uses Rouge Dior in Grège 1947 to finish the look! Woot! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO6k9RkC5pk

The second is from the Dior Cruise 2015 Fashion show in which Peter Philips, Dior's new Creative and Image Director of Dior make-up for the Cruise 2015 Collection. It's en français I know but just pay attention to the emphasis on the black liner as a strong graphic and classic element and the almost bare face. Simple hair and clean radiant skin help highlight the element of sophistication of the strong liner with black mascara.

About black mascara, did you notice the new Dior mascara? This I'm excited about and wouldn't you know, it just popped up on Sephora's website! Called Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara it's got a brush that reminds me of Benefit They're Real! mascara. Towards the end of the video, Philips mentions a new Dior foundation called Star which would seem to offer more coverage but with light reflecting particles for a more luminous effect. This new product is coming out in the fall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgNdOAC0PdE

See? Even in French you got it didn't you? *pats self on back for my great description* :)

Erm... didn't think it woudl be such a long post... hope you had a nice cup of coffee!


Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

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.

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara...

I finally purchased it! I think it was back in August that I first started to notice this one so why not until now? I have no idea!

The last two I tried and reviewed were L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess and Diorshow Iconic. While the first did a good job in the beginning it turned rather quickly into a weird goop, the second had a great formula that kept the curl all day but the brush was a little of a pain to use due to the tight placing of the bristles.

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl...

A favorite for many! The brush's bristles are placed in a more traditional fashion and so application is faster and easier than with it's mate Iconic. Holding the brush against the lashes for a few seconds you can get a bit of a natural lift but on me this doesn't last. I still need to heat my lash curler not only to achieve the effect I want but it's also the only way the curl will last all day.

For me a good mascara does indeed require a good formula but if the brush doesn't do a proper job during application, well, it's kind of for nothing. Of course we all have our preferences in that regard.

What about Diorshow Iconic Overcurl's brush?

It's curved!

I'm not a fan of curved brushes because I find them hard to work with, especially in the inner corner of my eyes where my lashes are shorter. Ok I know it's not only me, we all have shorter lashes in that area! Many swear by the curve but I'm not one of them.

The formula...

I'm not sure if I got a "good one"! The first week I used it, it went on like a dream, thickened and lengthened my lashes in just a few swipes. Kept the curl a good 10 hours (with the help of my heated lash curler) and didn't produce any flakes.

After that, it went downhill! It's like it dried up in no time. The formula got thick and was hard to use by the end of the second week. It's important to note that I never, ever, pump the brush in the container. This is a big no no since it brings air in and can ruin a mascara in no time. I just don't know what happened. The temperature where I keep my makeup is on the normal side at about 21°C with no direct sunlight at this time of year. I did not leave it open, I love the little "click" it does when I screw the wand back in so this didn't happen. I purchased it at Sephora and the box was pristine so I doubt it had been opened. If you have any idea please let me know in the comments section because I'd really like to solve this mystery.

Would I recommend Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara? I just don't know!

The formula that first week was excellent and had just the right consistency to be able to apply 2 to 3 coats for a beautiful dramatic effect. I was even able to get a bit of a "lift" before using my lash curler. After those first 10 days or so, it got thick, was hard to apply with clumps here and there and horror of horror, flakes, lots of them. The last straw was that it didn't keep the curl for more than 5 hours or so. This is truly baffling!

For this one, don't take my word for it, really I mean it! Just look at the reviews below, it's a favorite for many and several of my bloguerette friends swear by it and that's after having tried several other high end formulas. This is the reason why I think I got a bad one. Even a not so good mascara will be relatively good for at least a month and a half, not barely two weeks! I just can't remember this happening to me before

One last note...

The wand is quite long and some may struggle a little with this at first but you do get used to it.

Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 4 / 5 lippies for 17 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4 / 5 stars for 83 reviews.


Update...

Last night out of the blues I thought why not try to take it back at Sephora where I purchased it? So today I did and the first thing I was told was that I wasn't the first one disappointed with this Dior mascara. Apparently there seems to be a bad batch out there! Duh!!!

I guess this answers my questions!

I'm glad I didn't press "enter" on this entry this morning!

They did exchange it, I didn't even have my receipt and so that's what I call great customer service!

So if Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara is you favorite than please carry on! Just know that it is possible to get a dud, even with Dior! :)


Have you ever purchased a mascara that dried up in no time or with an "off" formula?

2013, The Flops...

In a perfect world everything would work for everyone! Ok I guess it would be a little boring but at least there would be less money wasted. Looking back on the reviews I've posted in 2013 I'm glad to say that out of all of them most were if not hits, products that were good enough to recommend. Others on the other hand just didn't work for me and were hard to comment on. To call them flops may be a bit harsh but sadly that's what they were to me.


Here goes...


Revlon Colorstay Cream Eyeliner in Charcoal

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden

L'Oréal Color Riche Balm in Caring Coral 418

Laura Mercier Mineral Finishing Powder

L'Oréal Telescopic Shocking Extension Mascara

bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lip Color

Clarins Graphic Expression Eye Quartet Mineral Palette

Real Techniques Brush Collection, Eye Starter Set

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

Nuxe Lip Moisturizing Stick

Almost all the products tried for my Hair Quest, among them L'Oréal Nutri-Sleek Precious Oils

These were such disappointments. I've tried the Clarins Quad again recently over my 

NARS ProPrime Eyshadow Base and still no staying power. I regret not taking
 the Laura Mercier back for as it turns out, my daughter who I thought would 

use it over her sunscreen just doesn't want to be bothered with it.

These two L'Oréal products were fails at first use! I tried to make them work but with no success.

If you already use and love some of these products then I'm truly happy for you. Also do not let this list reflect on the brands mentioned for they all offer great beauty options. My favorite gel eyeliner is from L'Oréal and I will continue to buy it and the same goes for The Body Shop, especially their bath/body offerings.

Hopefully there will be less of these flops in the future because like everybody else, I hate wasting money! My consolation is that some of these reviews may have enabled some of you to make more enlightened choices and save pennies in the process.


Have you had flops this year? What was you biggest disappointment?

What to do with my Sunday Post?

Before you start you may want to go grab a coffee or tea for this is a long one!

A little personal update...

As some of you may have guessed, I'm still trying to figure out how to organize my schedule between work, blogging and home time. I do think I'm slowly getting it but this week everything went kaput due to a horrible back pain that came out from nowhere!

It started last Friday just as I was going back to work after lunch. For some reason I could barely walk. That evening I was suppose to take Catherine to see a movie and so she had come downtown to meet with me. She was disappointed when I told her there was no way I could suffer sitting in a theatre for two hours straight. I took her to eat something and home we went.

In the morning I would have needed a mechanical lift to get me out of bed! This lasted until Thursday making this Friday morning almost normal. I still feel it but at least now it bearable.

My best friend this week was my heating pad. :(

The movie, we finally managed to go see this Friday. I almost bailed out again due to the fact I was so tired but I didn't want to turn down Catherine again. She rarely asks for anything and is such a good reasonable girl she totally deserved the treat. We went to see The Hunger Games and both loved it!


What to do with my Sunday post...

I'm not sure when I'll be able to continue my Notable Reads post. Having less time I kind of knew that it would suffer and so for now I won't stress and will simply put it on the back burner.

What will I replace it with? I just don't know yet! For now just bare with me. Sundays will likely be either New Additions, Weekly Makeup, New Makeup Love or maybe simply a new review.

This week I have a bit of everything!


Faithful purse companions...

This week with a more smoky eye it was all about Rouge Dior Grège 1947 and 

Givenchy Le Prisme Visage compact is always in my purse!

New additions...

I've purchased several new amazing items that have yet to be reviewed and this past week I've again indulged in a few additions... It would seem that I am doomed!!! Sephora and The Bay just a few minutes away from my office... This clearly means I'll be purchasing a few weekly goodies.

Here are the items I got this week. During my lunch hours I had to get up and walk since this was the only thing helping me with the pain. On Monday I went to The Bay to get Diorific Frimas! Not my kind of color but for some reason I just fell in love with it. On Thursday I went over to the Eaton Center and walked into Sephora just to "browse" and see what special holiday kits were left. I was told by an SA that there would be specials for Black Friday!

ARGH!!! 

Prices reduced on Dior fragrances? Little minis for $12.00?

Of course I went back the next day and took advantage of these specials. On top of those I purchased two sets of pyjamas for myself. Who could resist a 2 for 1? I mean really!

When I purchased Diorific Frimas I received a cute Miss Dior mini! Who doesn't like minis? :)

Both Tocca and Bite where special Black Friday goodies at $12.00 each! 

This week's makeup love...

...For eyes was all about Chanel Charming (yet to be reviewed I know *sigh* time goes by way too fast), Chanel Fatal and Dior Velvet...

... For face, it was Guerlain with  Madame Rougit, Crazy Terracotta and Crazy Météorites (also yet to be reviewed)...

There were of course the tag along, Estée Lauder BB cream, NARS Pro-Prime, Rimmel concealer, L'Oréal Infaillible Lacquer Liner and Diorshow Iconic mascara.


On my list...

This coming week I may get Diorshow Iconic Curl mascara since my Iconic is starting to be a little harder to apply. It seems to have gotten thicker and some mornings I've had to struggle a little which resulted in taking longer to achieve my usual lash look. Not a good thing!

I may also get a new lipstick, been thinking about NARS Dolce Vita but I might wait. Pictures of Dior and Chanel new spring collections have started to surface and of course I've already spotted a few items I'd love to get my hands on. There's also the fact that I'll need a new morning moisturizer soon and Chanel Vitalumière compact foundation is kind of calling my name. I've swatched it several times and the texture is just dreamy.

Then again, I may not get any of these since I do have to think about Catherine's Christmas gift. She may end up with the equivalent of my goodies and more in one gift. As mentioned, she's been such a good reasonable girl and with what she's been through this year I do want to get her something special. Ok she's always had the privilege of getting gorgeous Christmas goodies but this year I want to give her something meaningful she'll remember. I can barely believe it's already December 1st! Seems to me that only last week I was wearing flip flops and writing in my gazebo!


For your viewing enjoyment...

This week is all about Dior makeup, more specifically the Golden Winter Christmas Makeup Collection.

The Ad...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC3O7oAriA4

Le look Golden Winter...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baT8lwO9Dx8&list=PL1BC1B82A424FE06A

This makes me almost want to get 5 Couleurs 644 Golden Snow, almost...


Ouf! I think I'm done! Would you believe I had a bit of writers block yesterday! :)


Have a great week everyone!  Hélène xoxo

My First Work Week In Makeup...

My first week at my new job is done and went quite well! Lots of things to learn but mostly about procedures which is what I was expecting. In all honesty, I do believe I will simply love it! :)

As suspected and mentioned last Sunday, I didn't get the chance to take note on interesting articles for you but I think I'll be able to next week. You see this weekend I've had to clean up the yard and do a lot of leaves picking. I got 10 big orange bags! I would have double if not for the leaf picker upper that mulches them! You may have guessed that I'm a little tired.

First week's beauty stuff...

I thought is would be fun to show you the items I reached for in the morning. Aside from getting up at 5:30 am, my biggest challenge was to figure out where I would "put on my face"! As it turns out, same place as usual only this time instead of relying on the light coming in from the window I use an artificial one. At that hour it's still night outside and thank the *putting on makeup* gods I have a good halogen lamp!

Face...

Split face testing of Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, Estée Lauder DayWear BB Cream, Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer, Marcelle Compact powder (not shown), a nice little go to to make sure other powders go on smoothly.

Eyes...

On Monday I started off the week with Chanel Mystère quad but as a *first day of work* gift to myself I got NARS Fary's Kiss palette during my lunch break and have been playing with it ever since. The top middle and top right colors have been my favorites so far and yes, I will bring you a review real soon. I also have one in the works for NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base.

Bobbi Brown Cement and Slate from the Navy & Nude palette have been great complements. Mascara, I started with L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess but for some reason on Wednesday it looked weird on my lashes, almost kind of goopy. I was able to smooth it out but it did make me a little angry so out it will go. On Thursday morning I switched to Dior Iconic and although it takes a little longer to achieve the thickness I like, it lasts all day and keeps the curl beautifully.

Oh the one item I left out is my beloved L'Oréal Infaillible Lacquer Liner in Slate! I get the most amazing thick line in no time and it stays put!

"Glow" & Cheeks...

Guerlain Crazy Terracotta has been getting all my attention this week and with good reason, just read my review, it's total love! I used Madame Rougit a few times for a little extra kick of color when I felt the need for it.

Lips...

On my first day it was Rouge Dior Grège 1947 but for a work day it's too creamy and doesn't last long enough so the following day I wore Rouge Dior Nude in Esquisse 683 and on Friday, Rose Dolce Vita 555 was the one I reached for. Those last two haven't been reviewed yet but it's coming! I also kept in my purse this new Revlon Lip Gloss but have to find the color. I bought two recently and they lost their stickers at the bottom. This one here has a bit of glitter in it which gives it dimension and results into a nice nude lip.

Nails...

I started the week with Diorific Minuit and on Wednesday night went for Essie Sable Collar. Usually I would not have done my nails again in the middle of the week but broke a nail.

Fragrances...

Except for Tuesday when I wore Dior J'Adore, it was Nina L'Eau by Nina Ricci this entire week.

In my purse...

I kept the lipsticks and gloss along with my little Givenchy compact and my small Caudalie Huile Divine.

How long did it take me to put on my makeup in the morning?

10 minutes tops and that was Wednesday when I had to *play* with my lashes due to the L'Oréal mascara.


What do you think? Too much or too little? Have you ever broken down your weekly beauty routine? 

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Caviar Ink / Review...

It's good! It's really good!

It would seem everyone has been raving about Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner for years and now I know why but although it is that good, I still prefer another...

For the past year now I've been wearing L'Oréal Infaillible Lacquer Liner in Slate which on me is just perfect since I can't wear black, well maybe I could but I don't feel comfortable with it. Green eyes with a rather pale complexion, I feel if I wear black it's the only thing we see. Slate is a dark grey/brown that goes with everything and with it I can do a thick line without looking like I'm coming out of the 60s and the fabulous thing about it is that it's matte!

Although I love L'Oréal's for everyday I wanted another just a tiny bit darker but again, not black and it too had to be matte. I found one in the Bobbi Brown's line up of gel liners, Caviar Ink.

Essie's Twin Sweater Set / Review...

Stepping out of my comfort zone, again... Only this time, I love it!

I've never been much of a red nail polish kinda girl but for some reason this year I've been looking at them with more interest than ever before. Every cosmetics company out there that produces nail polishes has reds in their collections. Warm, cool, metallic or cream, if you're looking for a specific shade of red you'll find it.

Essie's Twin Sweater Set is a red that had me go back to the drugstore. I had purchased For The Twill Of It for my daughter but she didn't like it, seems she's not into metallic. We went back to exchange it and she chose Cashmere Bathrobe, you can see it on her nails, here. Both times I was drawn by the beautiful creamy crimson red but didn't take the plunge. Not because of the price, they were on sale, but because of the fact that I already own a few reds that I can't remember wearing. So why would I bother with this one?

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water / Review...

Following the trend of micellar water Boots recently added one to their No7 line of cleansers. This is a brand I'm not that familiar with having used only one of it's serum a few years back and so when I stumbled upon it the other day I decided to give it a try. Oh and I was a little excited about the fact that it has a pump! I know it doesn't take me much but I kind of like the novelty. :)

The idea behind micellar cleansers is to use one as a first cleanse. Using cotton pads dampened with the water you swipe over your face, neck and even the eye area to remove dirt and makeup and then follow up with a regular cleanser. This is what is usually recommended but I rarely use them this way. I like to use them like a toner, after my first cleanser to make sure my face is clean.

Boots No 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water / Review...

How did I use it? How did it perform?

The first time I tried it, that day I was wearing, among other items of makeup, Estée Lauder's DayWear BB cream, L'Oréal Infaillible gel liner and Diorshow Iconic Mascara (non waterproof). I sprayed my face with a little thermal water first and then proceeded with No 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water on a large cotton pad. It didn't do so well. Although my pad was relatively drenched of product, it ended up being a little irritating due to the fact I had to go over and over again all over my face. For the eye area, well, it smeared the eye makeup instead of removing it.

The second time, I was wearing only powder, bronzer, the same eye liner but this time L'Oréal's latest incarnation of Voluminous mascara. It did a little better on my face but the same smearing occurred on the eye area.

Ok so forget about makeup removal!

As a second cleanser... It turned out not being that great either. It almost felt as if this micellar water glided at the surface of my skin without doing much and so I'm truly surprised about the rave reviews it's received so far. As some of you know, this is not my first cleansing water and truly, compared to all the others I've tried, I think so far this one is the worst. The only good things about it are the price, a little under $14,00 and the pump.

It can do somewhat ok as a quick morning cleanser but that's about it. While it's formulated for normal to oily skin, I was expecting it to be quick about removing at least the oil accumulated on the surface of skin during the night but it fell a little short for this as well. It's highly fragranced which took me by surprise. This is not an issue for me but can be for others even if it doesn't linger.

So if you're looking for an affordable cleansing water my recommendation is go with Marcelle Soothing Water which is readily available everywhere in Canada. No fragrance, glides easily on the skin and does a great job with eye makeup removal and it's in the same price range at about $14.95. If you keep your eyes on specials it's often reduced at around $10,00.

You can see the list of micellar waters I've tried so far, here.

I'm sorry but this one is a no go for me and so to the fail bin it goes. :(


Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Butylene glycol, PEG-6 caprylic/capric glycerides, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium citrate, Parfum (Fragrance), Hamamelis virginiana (Witch hazel) distillate, Citric acid, Sodium methylparaben, Sodium PCA, Zinc PCA, Tocopheryl acetate, Ascorbyl glucoside, Tetrasodium EDTA, Magnesium PCA, Dipropylene glycol, Potassium hydroxide, Manganese PCA, Potassium sorbate - See more at: http://us.boots.com/product/37211#sthash.TbypfqeZ.dpuf


Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 4.8 / 5 lippies for 9 reviews.
Beauté-test: there are no reviews of this product.


As with any other skin care item, if you decide to try this product and have sensitive skin or are clog/acne prone, make sure to patch test for at least a few days before using it all over your face.

Annabelle Smoothliner / Review...

I haven't used pencils in a loooong time! Reason? They don't last on me. I have deep set eyes and let's be honest, my upper lids are starting to feel the effects of gravity. *cries*

Now this was before all these new waterproof formulas came out and so I thought I would start having a second look at them.

Annabelle Smoothliner Waterproof + Long Lasting...

Real affordable, I purchased it for under $7.00 and chose the color Gunmetal, a dark grey with medium shimmer.

It glides on easily and since it takes a few minutes to set you do have time to get the wanted look, if you like to smudge it for instance. No tugging, no pulling it was super easy to get a nice clean line and of course it was much quicker than my L'Oréal Infaillible Lacker Liner which has to be applied with a brush.

Did it last? On me, nope!

After about an hour I had traces of it on my upper lids. Not only that but I had to use a little concealer to remove/erase them since they where tenacious. Had I used water or eye makeup remover I would have ended up with ruined eye makeup. The rest or the line, the part that didn't touch the upper lid, did fade a little after four hours or so.

Would I recommend Annabelle Smoothliner? Yes & no!

Yes if when you wear eye liner it doesn't touch your upper lid but you still might have to retouch it during the day since it tends to fade a little (on me). If you have a look at the reviews you will see that these crayons get lots of love and so it's real sad that this one here didn't do so well on me so do keep that in mind if ever you stumble upon them. If you don't have the same issues as me, at that price, they are worth a try.

No if like me, you have deep set eyes or droopy lids. Oh and by the way I don't have oily eye lids so that's not an issue.

Finally I can't comment on how it performs on the waterline since I didn't try it there.

Again, it's not because it didn't work for me that it will be the same for you. At that price it is worth a try!

So sadly for me, this crayon is going straight to the fail bin. :(


Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 4.5 / 5 lippies for 65 review.
Beauté-test: it gets a perfect score of 5 / 5 stars for 2 reviews.

L'Oréal Spice Things Up Nail Color no 340 / Review...

Recently I mentioned I was slowly developing a nail polish addiction and this week seems to reflect this but I swear this was totally not planned and no, this blog is not turning into a nail blog, promise!

Stepping out of my comfort zone...

Some colors we are drawn to and other we steer clear of usually due to our personal preferences but also I believe due to past experiences, memories good or bad, some coming from as far as our early childhood. Now in my case the same can be said about smells and weirdly enough I've almost always associated fragrances with colors but that's for another day...

Hair Quest: The Results!

Last June was just horrible in Montreal! Rain, humidity, more rain!!! If only we could have a refund for it but apparently that's not the way it works. So now we're left with twenty days of Summer and we'll probably have a few more hot and sticky ones as was the case this past week.

Saturday I did my hair color and it was perfect! I mean the color was great and styling was a breeze. I ended up with beautiful sleek shiny hair. The weather was just amazing! Sunny, a bit of a breeze and most importantly, no humidity!

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?