Illamasqua 'Masquara' Review

Illamasqua Masquara in 'Raven', £16.50 for 10ml.

It was going to take something really special to follow in the footsteps of Lancome 'Hypnose Drama'. You can read a review of what I thought of that one here but today I am going to tell you about Illamasqua's mascara- Masquara in shade 'Raven'.

The brush is quite large, rounded, and fibrous. The bristles do a good job of coating each lash but I do think the main factor to discuss here is the formula. Masquara is very wet, even a couple of months down the line it has maintained it's moisture which is surprising. Apparently it has built-in lash conditioner, and while I can't say I have noticed a host of new  lashes growing, I have noticed that they feel a bit more luscious and soft. Due to it's high moisture content, it takes longer than the average mascara to dry but I do believe that the results are worth it, it adds natural, but bold volume (and you have to work quite hard for it to show any signs of clumpiness.) The brush and moist consistency lengthen the lashes and once it has dried it does a good job of keeping my lashes curled throughout the day, which is a problem I have battled with in the past.
The colour is Raven black as the name suggests and is non flaky. Considering this mascara isn't waterproof, I have experienced absolutely no smudging or flakiness since using it and it even seems to suit my sensitive, watery eyes. 

Items like mascara are easy to over look when shopping with a brand like Illamasqua as the colour range will immediately distract from 'core' basics. However I was pleasantly surprised by Masquara as I really wasn't expecting it to be very good. The price has just increased by a pound from when I purchased it which I think is cheeky however it remains fairly affordable and is one I will definitely be buying again.

Thanks for reading,

E.

Midweek Post: Essie 'Stylenomics'

Essie Nail Varnish in 'Stylenomics', £7.99 for 13.5ml.

Essie 'Stylenomics'- one coat. Sally Hansen Megashine topcoat- one coat.

Similarly to 'Head Mistress' which I reviewed here, 'Stylenomics' is part of the limited edition Autumn collection from Essie which is available in Boots stores in the UK. It's probably no secret by now how much I love Essie- the wide brush, quick drying formulas, amazing colour range and milky consistency. The only negative factor I can think of is that sometimes they chip too quickly. 'Stylenomics' is opaque in one coat, which cuts manicure time in half. This is the only Essie shade I own that is really dark, so I cannot comment for all of them, but the consistency of this felt thicker and more like a gel, which is probably the reason it only needed one coat instead of two or three.
I would describe the colour as a green infused black. In some lights, or to an untrained eye this varnish probably does look black, but it's certainly got a murky, moss green pigment that makes it so stunning and autumnal, and I hope that this comes across in the photos. I couldn't find any 'dupes' for it on any of the other makeup stands in Boots, so you'd probably have to go high end if you wanted a colour like this, which in turn completely takes the point out of a 'dupe' as they'll be no cheaper.

All in all, another Essie colour that I adore. I think this is my new favourite; it's mysterious, chic and powerful.

Midweek post: Bobbi Brown Gel Liner

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, £16.50

I'd recently been reaching for my Maybelline Gel Liner more and more but after noticing that it was getting drier and harder to use each day I thought it time I bought a new one. I opted for a premium one as I was hoping the quality would be more satisfactory and as it's an item I use everyday it wasn't a problem paying more for it.

The gel is a soft and creamy formula that glides on so smoothly. The product screams quality and I'm not expecting this to dry out the same way the Maybelline one did (but I'll keep you posted.) It's jet black and it's not often you'll need two layers to achieve this effect, however it can also be applied thinly for a more subtle, off-black flick.

What has really impressed me about this product is it's staying power. I believe it is 'water resistant' (Bobbi Brown website) and so I have been applying it onto my waterline...sure enough it's still intact 6 hours later albeit slightly faded, but still there. For someone who is constantly frustrated by kohl liners slipping off the waterline to product those oh so sexy panda eyes, this product has been a real life saver. On the top lid this liner lasts all day, with no fade and no smudge- divine!

Overall I'd certainly recommend this product, I'm not an expert in gel liners yet, having only used three different ones (previously being a die hard liquid liner user) but the creamy consistency paired with excellent staying power means that I give it a big thumbs up, I'm unsurprised it has won so many beauty awards. 

It can be found on any Bobbi counter or under the 'Best Sellers' section of their website and is available in a whopping 13 shades- next on my hitlist is 'Black Mauve Shimmer' to put a bit of a spin on a classic.

What gel eyeliner do you use?

Eyeliner Review #1 Maybelline, M.A.C, Rimmel

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner £7.99

M.A.C. Superslick Liquid Eye Liner £15 for 1.8ml

Rimmel London £5.29 for 2.5ml

 

As promised in previous posts, I'm going to compare three different eyeliners, all of which you can create the winged flicks with, the makeup trend that I posted about here. Two are liquid liners and one is a gel liner.

1) Maybelline's gel liner caught my eye earlier this year because firstly I hadn't tried it before and secondly, it made a change to liquid liners. I had heard a couple of good things about it so bought it and gave it a try.

• This pot of gel liner has so much product for the money you pay and will last you yonks.
• The container it cute and small, and frosted glass- like! And it comes with a precision brush.
• The gel liner is a good shade of black, but I find that it needs two coats to be jet black. I find this quite difficult, as the line always seems to thicken the second time and I don't always want this to happen!
• I personally find the brush to be too thick and hard to control. It is especially difficult when using it on the inner corners of the eye, where you would want a thinner line (ready to graduate to thicker once gliding it accross the lid). It really depends on how steady my hand is that day and if I have the patience to try this product, as it does take a lot longer to apply than a liquid liner. 
• It has pretty good lasting power.

The gel liner does give a nice effect, it is more soft focus than a hard line. It does seem to fade throughout the day, not too drastically though and I'm sure this might be prevented through wearing an eye lid primer.

I think this product's success is down to personal preference for how you like to apply your eyeliner and how thick you like your lines and flicks to be. I think I'll be trying this out more; I used it for a couple of weeks and put it aside, some mornings I find the brush and the pot too fiddly and time consuming. Practice makes perfick though, I suppose!

2) One of my most disappointing purchases from M.A.C. I even repurchased when the first one ran out thinking maybe the one I'd had previously had been a dodgy one. No such luck, the finish and colour pigmentation is terrible for the price, the lasting power even worse, shame!

• Superslick eye liner is supposed to leave a wet look finish. It does leave a slight glossy finish. 
• The colour is more of a charcoal- grey than a black, which is fine if you want a more subtle or natural look.
• The brush is my favourite part, it is thin and precise which means excellent control over how thick you want the line to be, also means a perfect flick, there's less room for mistakes to be made with this brush.
• Only hours after application the eye liner fades dramatically, it smudges and rubs off a bit too easily, a definate disadvantage.

These photos were taken about an hour after application, as you can see there is clear fading already happening [ :-( ]. I'd recommend this product if you're looking for a precise brush and therefore a precise/thin/subtle line, but be prepared to reapply throughout your day.

3) I bought this Rimmel eyeliner partly because I was broke, needed a liquid eyeliner and it was cheap, and partly because I had read pretty impressive reviews. I must say, I think this is my favourite of the three, I pick this one up before the other two when I'm applying my makeup in the mornings.

• The brush is slightly fatter than the M.A.C. one so it is a bit harder to apply such a precise or thinner line, but the pigmentation is fab. 
• The formula is slightly watery and can take a couple of minutes to dry, but this is common amongst wet cosmetics such as liquid eyeliner. It can rub off quite easily, but in comparison the previous M.A.C. one this one has excellent staying power. I can complete a 9hr shift at work and still have a clear line and flick by the end of it.
• It can take two coats, but this is easily achievable with liquid eyeliner. I only struggle to go over lines with the gel liner.

Eyeliner really is one of those personal choices every girl makes because every girl wants something different from an eyeliner, from price, to finish, to overall look. I hope these mini reviews help at least one of you out there to make a decision though! :-)

Top; Maybelline. Middle; M.A.C. Bottom; Rimmel

What eyeliner do you use? Do you have any products where you pick the 'drugstore' brands over the more high end brands?