Prestige 'My Longest Lashes' Pro Lengthening Mascara

I know which high street mascaras work for me (Maybelline Colossal and Max Factor False Lash Effect) but I always get stupidly tempted by something on offer which I later regret. This Prestige mascara is my latest mistake. The £6.99 price tag looked good  and I like their eyeliners so thought it wouldn't be all bad.

To be fair it does what it says - it really lengthens my lashes. First photo is one coat, second photo is two coats. It's very pigmented, doesn't flake and is easy enough to remove. My only niggle about the formulation is that it stays tacky for a little while after application and can clump if not careful.

So why don't I like it? The spiky rubber brush is so cheap and is flimsy as hell. See how it flops and bends in the above photo? This makes it difficult to get a "grip" on my lashes and I have to really work to apply the mascara effectively. EXTREMELY annoying when I'm in a rush getting ready for work in the morning.

I would promise not to stray from my faithful mascaras but I know that's not going to happen. Curiosity always gets the better of me :(

A is for...

...awesome birthday presents from Anthropologie.

It's my sister's 20th birthday tomorrow so I swung by Anthropologie after work today to get her a little gift. The clothes are crazy expensive but they have a really good homeware section, and their alphabet mugs make great personalised gifts.

I initially wanted to get one of these pretty monogrammed "missus" mugs but as they were on sale, the only ones left were B, I, K, X, Y & Z. Boohoo. Or maybe it was a blessing in disguise as I bought two as gifts last year and the handles broke easily.

This one is sturdier and quite large but that just means more room for gold chocolate coins! Sadly they don't all come with a Lola's red velvet cupcake ;)

Sleek Pan Tao blush from the Avoir la peche collection

When I first saw the promo photos from this new Sleek collection I knew that the Pan Tao blusher simply had to be mine. I mean look how bright and peachy it is. Love at first sight. I had originally bought the ASOS Groupon voucher with the intention to buy Gina by Nars but it's not on there, however I'm not too miffed coz Pan Tao looks very similar (to me anyway) and is like £15 cheaper!

It's a very orangey peach. It actually swatches a lot brighter than it appears in the pan and you really need a light hand when applying. I have to say that I found it chalkier than my other Sleek blushes.

Getting my hands on this turned out to be a mission. I went to Superdrug a total of SIX times, the one near work and the one near my house, last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. The collection officially came out on the 16th but the displays were up with the testers however only the palettes were in stock. In both stores I was told that the blushers and lip pouts hadn't been delivered yet. FAIL.

On Friday I sent the Mr to the Superdrug near his workplace with very detailed instructions. He is completely and utterly clueless when it comes to makeup. I even had to tell him that eye shadow goes on your eye lids...

I mean they're pretty clear right? (Note how I explained what blusher is) Yet he still had to ask a sales assistant for help haha.

I love this colour and will be buying another one as a back up if I can ever find it...

Btw I had to redraw the winner for my Avene Giveaway as the original winner never contacted me and it's been over a month. Congratulations to Ellie! xx

National No Make-Up Day

Did you know that the 24 March is National No Make-Up day?

The Vitality Show has conducted a survey of over 3,500 people and discovered that 98% of women say they can’t live without make-up and 1 in 5 women like nothing at all about their no make-up face!

I'll happily go without makeup when I'm popping to the local shops on a Sunday morning when I can't be bothered but any other time I NEED concealer otherwise I look like death. Plus my eyes look awfully small and beady without eyeliner :(


This is the closest photo I have to a make up free face. I was taking photos of new products and I'm only wearing under eye concealer, lipstick and mascara on only one eye (guess which) so that's why my face looks wonky!

Could you go a day without make-up?

P.S If you're attending the Vitality Show on Thursday the 24th March, be one of the first ten to arrive without a scrap of make-up on for a fantastic freebie!

Benefit's 'Finding Mr Bright'

On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of attending a Benefit event where we were introduced to their new makeup manual, Finding Mr Bright.



This little kit contains the following complexion enhancers:

Girl Meets Pearl (7.5ml): A golden pearly liquid which can be mixed in with your moisturiser or applied wherever you want to glow. I prefer to use this on my cheeks after I moisturise as it gives a new dimension to my powder blush.

Posietint (4ml): A bright pink cheek and lip stain which can be layered up for a stronger colour and it lasts for ages.

High Beam (2.5ml): Described as a "luminescent complexion enhancer" (whatever that is) but I use this as a highlighter on my cheek bones and brow bone.

Erase Paste (No2.Medium 3.2g): A brightening concealer to get rid of dark circles and shadows under your eyes.



L-R: Girl Meets Pearl, Posietint, High Beam & Erase Paste (from my own pot which is No.3 Deep)

Finding Mr Bright is £28.50 and would be great for travelling, to give as a gift or simply for someone who wants to try these products but doesn't want to spend so much on the full sized versions.

BTW, if you're a Benefit fan they're currently holding a competition on their Facebook Page.



Check out the interactive video and upload your ending to be in with a chance of winning a whole years supply of products and you could also appear in their next video. My pick would be Mr Smooth, purely for the LOL factor! xx

NOTD - Topshop 'No Love Lost'

Dear Topshop, I want my fiver back. Your nail polishes are pretty but they SUCK.

This photo is when I first used it two weeks ago. The mess above is only two coats and it needs at least three to look decent but my god I couldn't bear the dragging and gloopiness. Why is it be gloopy and stringy when it's brand new?!

Since I had nothing but time on my hands today I thought I'd give it another go but nope, stll hate it. Four coats to become opaque and a clear top coat to get rid of the drag marks = too much hassle. Then of course it took ages to dry and ended up smudging so to prevent my blood pressure going through the roof, I decided it would be better to take it all off.

I can't help my attraction to coral nail polish and this one looked very promising but the only place it's fit for is the rubbish bin.

Kate Moss for Longchamp S/S 2011

I don't know as much as I'd like to about Longchamp but I never realised Kate Moss has been the face of the brand for 8 seasons?



The supermodel has designed a range of handbags known as the Faraway collection. The designs are simple but classic, mostly made of leather and would be to most people's taste. The key piece is a basket bag but my pick would be the satchel as seen above.



The promo photos are beautiful but far more stunning is the Seventies themed video campaign (it might not show up in Google Reader). Dressed in hippy/boho clothing with kohl rimmed eyes, nude lips and her blunt fringe, I think this is where Kate Moss looks her best.

Photos from the Telegraph

This is a sponsored post

Make Up For Ever HD Blush

These HD blushes have been around for a while and I kept reading about how great and pigmented they were etc which only made me want them more. I managed to pick Star Struck (#14) and Quickie (#6) from a blog sale.

Unfortunately Star Struck (on the left) has dried up considerably making it a chore to blend and it barely shows up. Quickie on the other hand is a gorgeous coral pink which blends to a powder finish. This is unlike any other cream blush I've used before as it has immense staying power. The swatches on my arm didn't budge for hours. I used my fingers to apply but I think a small stippling brush would work better in evenly distributing the colour.

If you didn't already know, MUFE isn't readily available in the UK and this blush will set you back £24.75 (inc £3 shipping) from Guru Makeup Emporium. I think that's expensive for 10ml, even if you only need to use a little bit because who knows how long it would last before totally drying out? Anyway there's no way I would ever pay full price for these, I'll stick to blog sales thanks!

Have you tried any HD blushes? What did you think?

AIU London 'Sustain' Fashion Show

Yesterday evening, industry guests attended the exclusive American InterContinental University (AIU) London 'Sustain' Fashion show at the beautiful One Mayfair venue. Based on the theme of Sustainability, all designs were created using recycled materials or re-using existing fabrics - with the designers as promoters of social change. The evening also included a drinks reception, a live band and live auctions of jewellery. The theme of Sustainability was apparent through-out the construct of the show, including the venue - a church that is being saved from disrepair.

This was a theme which appealed to me because during my art foundation, one of our projects included making a garment from recycled charity shop clothing. However, I left before I got a chance to complete it so I was interested in seeing the designs of the young fashion students.

I didn't manage to get many photos from the catwalk but these two dresses were my favourites out of the whole show:

I was lucky to be invited backstage nefore the show to see the models getting their hair and makeup done by Electric Hair, The Session School and Addicted Cosmetics.

I especially enjoyed watching how the hairstyles were created.

This model had her short bob totally transformed with just crimpers and gel.

It wasn't manic or as stressed as I thought it would be, everyone was really chilled. It was great to see what goes on behind the scenes and how professionals work and I had an amazing time!

The unwatermarked photos belong to edencancan.

Tag - Stylish Blogger Award

Thanks to Amina from InnerBelle for this award. I'm terrible at doing these tags but I've finally got round to it.

Rules:
* Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your blog
* Tell us 7 things about yourself
* Award 15 recently discovered new bloggers
* Contact these bloggers and let them know they've received the award.

7 things about me:

*I'm a massive football and Arsenal fan. I don't always get to go to games but try to at least once a year.

*I don't like ice cream (except for Haagen Dazs Strawberry Cheesecake) and I hate Coco Pops but I LOVE vegetables. Even brussel sprouts.

*I am a language fiend. I studied French and Spanish for 5 years and Italian for 2 years. I haven't practised for an age so I couldn't really hold a conversation but I read and understand them well.


*I have two cats and I am totally a crazy cat lady.

*I didn't really wear nail polish until I started blogging. I went to an all girls school with very strict rules regarding makeup/nail polish so never really bothered with my nails. We got told off for wearing clear polish!

*Love video games. I've got a Nintendo DS and a Wii but my latest fixation is Call of Duty on the PC.

*I only started drinking tea 3 years ago and now I can't imagine life without it.

I would like to pass this award to:

GlamSam
MAKE UP BY YASS
City Girls Fashion Box
Makeup Savvy 
polkadani: addicted to pretty things
Princess Feef
My Addiction Explained....
LittleMissNC25
Addicted To a Life of Material 
Lil Miss. Rosh
Viva Beauté
Yes I Dress
My Precious Nail Polish
Secret Beauty Blog
Pearls, lace and ruffles ; a fatshion blog.

xx 

Benefit Gilded highlighter pencil

I don't really use highlighting products but ever since I received Gilded in the goody bag from the Benefit event, I've been wearing it everyday.

Moody McMoodyson

A lovely tangerine gold colour, I wear it in the inner corners of my eyes to add another dimension to my basic everyday eye makeup.

It's not much to shout about in natural daylight but really comes to life and sparkles in flash photos. It also blends well so can be worn anywhere e.g brow bone, cupid's bow etc.

I wouldn't buy this because highlighters aren't a necessity for me, but if they're your thing it's a nice versatile product to have.

Priced £14 from Benefit.

Shoe Lust - The Zara Edition

Reason #14535 why I love Zara. They ALWAYS have beautiful, quality, on trend shoes which look more expensive than they actually are.






 1, 2, 3.
My favourites are the first multi coloured pair which I first saw on Canned Fashion.
Oh to be able to wear vertiginous heels everyday without the fear of being crippled.

I should probably make this a monthly feature as there's hardly ever a pair of shoes I don't want.

NOTD - I got WAH'd!

WAH'd? Or is it WAH-ed? Anyway my NOTD is courtesy of WAH nails, something I've wanted to get done for a while. I actually got these done for free at the WAH pop up nail bar at the Barbican, where there were many events going on this weekend.

There were a select few designs to choose from including the popular leopard print but I wanted something I had never tried before so opted for polka dot pow nails. It took roughly 15 minutes and I looooove them. I can't allow myself £20+ manis on a regular basis but for special occasions I am definitely going back!

Benefit Beauty Event for WOC

My biggest gripe with Benefit is that I find most of their products don't cater for women of colour. However on Tuesday evening I attended an event co-hosted by the lovely Yinka for an introduction into the brand and to look at the products which suit darker skintones. We were given a demonstration by Benefit's Head MUA Lisa Potter-Dixon who did a makeover on another blogger using popular products like Bella Bamba and Benetint. She then gave her a brow wax and tint - a service I never knew they offered. We also learnt something interesting about the origins of Benetint which I thought was hilarious.

After the talk we were given the chance to browse the products in their Covent Garden Boutique. Rhamnousia and I went swatch crazy and ended up discovering lots of WOC friendly products, some of which I had never come across before.

Lust Dusters, Creaseless Cream Shadows & Silky Finish Lipstick.

These are the ones that stood out the most, and I was really impressed with the Lust Dusters which were very pigmented and came in a number of gorgeous shimmery shades. I think these products get overshadowed by best sellers such as their blush boxes and make up kits which is a shame as they're really good (and in some cases, probably better!).

Even better news is that Benefit will be releasing a new range of foundation with 20 shades where there'll hopefully be something to suit everyone.Before that there'll be their new skin care range to look forward to this Spring.

All in all I had a great time at the event, especially as I got to meet so many other bloggers. If you're interested in blogs by WOC, do check them out!

Inner Belle 

Desi girl does makeup 

Just a bowl of MOULDY FRUIT 

BeautyFulfilled

Lil Miss. Rosh

Fashion Overload

Lipgloss And Leopard Print 

Shortiee's Beauty Blog

The Postcolonial Rabbit

Vex In The City

All pics from the Benefit website as I forgot my camera. I know, I know, I fail at life.