Maybelline Mascaras Review

Maybelline Mascaras

Mascara is probably my favourite makeup product, I love how they can transform the way your eyes and face looks. I also think that mascaras can be very versatile and each can make your lashes appear different. This is especially because my eyelashes are blonde on the tips so without mascara they look quite short when they are actually not, mascara shows them off to their full potential.

 

I definitely think that high end mascaras are overrated and when high street ones are as good if not better, I don’t think you should waste your money on something you are going to throw away in three months when there are better cheaper alternatives.

 

As you can tell I am loyal to the drugstore mascara, but I am particularly loyal to just one brand: Maybelline. Rarely have I strayed and cheated with another brand but in my experience they have never been as good and I have always gone crawling back to Maybelline begging for forgiveness.

They have a huge range of different ones too, I personally own 6 types from the range but there are even more than that!

 

As they are all different and do their own individual things, I thought it would be useful to go through the each of the ones I have and write a short review with my opinions on each as there are some I like, some I don’t and some I used to give different effects.

 

Big Eyes
 

Firstly lets start with Maybelline’s newest mascara, Big Eyes.

 

This is Maybelline’s first double ended mascara and I think it is rather unique to have one end for the upper lashes and the other for the lower lashes

 

I have done a full blog post about this mascara which you can see HERE.

 

But in short it is most definitely in the running to be my all time favourite mascara!

 

The upper and lower lash wands have been specifically designed and do their job really well.

 

The Falsies

This is the mascara that everyone knows about from Maybelline, it has been hyped up so much on YouTube and here in the bloggersphere.

 

This is different to the other Maybelline mascaras because it is a spoon shaped brush which should make application easier as it is bent into the shape of you lash line. This is true, but as someone who has never got on with these curved brushes (I just cant get used to them, I do try!), I hated it. I thought the design of the brush was bad and it made my eyelashes really clumpy even though I didn’t apply loads.

 

This was also one of the first of the Maybelline mascaras which the ‘flexible wand’ was introduced on. I also don’t like the flexible wand as I like to get right into the base of my lashed and with the brush moving I cant apply the right pressure because it bends away.

 

I have done a full blog post about my dislike for this mascara HERE with a comparison with The Colossal, which is the next one on the list.

 

The Colossal
 

For a good few years this has been my favourite mascara and I always have one on the go, along with the waterproof version. I also feel the need to keep an unopened back up too.

 

I also love that the packaging is yellow, which some people obviously wouldn’t but it means that I can see it a mile off in my makeup collection and in the shops.

 

I think I have tried all of the different versions of this, the standard black one, 100% Black, Cat Eyes, Smokey Eyes and Waterproof. The only one I didn’t get along with was the Cat Eyes one, again because of the stupid spoon shaped brush.

 

But the other versions are great, I tend to buy a lot of the 100% black ones and every now and then I will buy a waterproof one as I use them less. It just does everything I want in a mascara, it lengthens, volumises and separates, it also holds a curl. On me it doesn’t clump or, wear off or smudge under my bottom lashes. I also just need one coat for my lashes to look how I want them.

 

It is just PERFECT!

 

The Rocket
 

The Rocket is the only mascara that I have mentioned that has a plastic head, rather than fibre bristles. I used to be a lover of plastic wands but in more recent years I have preferred other ones.

 

I think that the wand of this is HUGE and for me this makes it difficult to work with, I always end up getting mascara everywhere! In all over my eyelid, under my lower lashes and in my eyes, I also find it that as it isn’t very tapered at the end I cant get into my inner corners easily.

 

Mega Plush
 

This mascara is marketed as being different from the others in the drugstore as it has a gel-mousse formula which contains less wax than your typical mascara, this good as it doesn’t make your lashes brittle and it doesn’t flake off. This has a softer texture on your lashes, it doesn’t make them stiff and ridged to touch like most other mascaras do. I do think that this would make it loose a curl more easily so if holding a curl is something you look for in a mascara then maybe give this a miss.

 

This is another one of the Maybelline mascaras with the flexible wand, so that I dislike, but other than that the brush is really great. It is quite similar to The Colossal’s shape but more tapered at the end so you can get into the inner corners easier.

 

I found the texture on my lashes strange to begin with as it was different to what I an used to, after a few uses I think that it is probably better for your lashes so I would highly recommend it for those of you whos eyelashes fall out when you are removing your mascara, as this is so much easier to remove than a standard mascara.

One by One

 

One by one is the other maybelline mascara with a plastic brush that I own. As another from the volume express you would expect it to volumise your lashes and it does!! 

Maybelline say that it catches, coats and de-clumps your lashes to make them look more volumised. It's Patented Lash Catcher™ brush has up to 3 bristles per lash (I have no idea what this means!).

 

I like that the brush is tapered so you can get mascara into the little lashes in the inner corners of your eyes but I find that the bristles are really rigid and spikey that when you are applying to the root of your lashes the brush digs into your lash line which is quite uncomfortable.

 

The effect is good though, it does volumise and lengthen you lashes but I never find myself reaching for this mascara as there are better ones by maybelline that I love so much more.

Great Lash

Great Lash is the old classic mascara from Maybelline. I have no idea how long it been around but it's definitely 40+ years. I know many people who can recall the pink and green tube from their teenage years.

Personally I hate the packaging but I do like that they have kept it the same since it began.

 This mascara give a more natural finish on your lashes as it just makes them look darker, I doesn't do anything for volume or length. I don't mind this as for me there are some days where I don't want to wear much makeup but still want to draw focus to my eyes and this does the job. I also have this in Black/Brown which gives an even more natural finish.

 What is your favourite mascara? Have you tried any of these ones, if so which one?

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

 

Rimmel Foundations

After browsing along the Rimmel make up stand in Boots this week I realised that I currently own or have owned all of the foundations and BB Creams that they currently stock. (I know I am a hoarder of makeup!)

 

 

Once I discovered this I thought it could be quite helpful for me to give you a little round up of the different ones, what they do and the good and bad points for each.

 

Wake Me Up

 

This is a light to medium coverage foundation with a subtle shimmer in it which reflects light and makes your skin appear more glowy. It is easy to blend with your fingers or a brush. The range only come in 6 shades so there isn’t something for everyone especially if you have very pale or darker skin. But if you are in the middle of the range then you should find a good match. I love the bottle of this foundation as I love orange and it has a pump.

 

I have done a full review of this foundation which you can see HERE.

 

You can get this foundation in Boots where it is currently £8.99 HERE.

 

Match Perfection

 

Match Perfection is a similar coverage to Wake Me Up but it doesn’t have the shimmer in it so it gives more satin finish. There are a lot more colours in the range so make sure you colour match as the names don’t correlate across the whole Rimmel line e.g. the Match Perfection foundation in Ivory is a lot paler than the Wake Me Up foundation in Ivory.

I really like this foundation as the coverage and finish is great for an everyday foundation, I also think that it would work well on all skin types as I don’t think it is greasy on my oily skin and its not drying either so it would work for more dry skin.

I also like the bottle of this foundation as it looks sleek with the blue lid and it has a pump which is more hygienic, I also like how it matches with the other products in the match perfection range.

 

The only thing that I have heard people dislike about this foundation is that the majority of the shades have a pink or neutral undertone, so it may be difficult to find a good match of you have a yellow undertone to your skin.

 

You can get this foundation in Boots where it is currently £6.99 HERE.

 

Lasting Finish

 

This is the most long lasting foundation that Rimmel have as it is similar to the Revlon Colour Stay is as much as you have to apply it with a damp sponge otherwise it will dry instantly, this does mean that once it is dry it doesn’t budge. The coverage of this foundation is higher that the others in the Rimmel range as it is a good medium but it is buildable to a more full coverage.  I tend to use this foundation when I have a bit more time to do my make up or if in an going out for the night and I need it to last. Rimmel claims that this foundation lasts for 25 hours, I’m not too sure about that claim as I don’t wear my make up for that long but I know that it does last from day to night well.

The packaging of the Lasting Finish foundation is essentially the same as the Match Perfection foundation bottle but this one has a red lid as opposed to blue, I do quite like the uniformity of the bottle I just wonder why the other foundations i.e. Wake Me Up isn’t in this style bottle.

 

You can get this foundation in Boots where it is currently £7.99 HERE.

 

Stay Matte

 

The updated Stay Matte foundation has a mousse consistency rather than the previous liquid formula. The finish of this foundation is most definitely matte which is great if you are an oily skinned girl. The staying power of this foundation is really good too. The packaging however does let it down as the plastic tube and purple and white design makes it look quite cheap, although it is cheaper than the other foundations and it would be difficult to have a mouse foundation in anything other than a tube or a pot (like Maybelline Dream Matte Mouse) as is doesn’t pump or pour easily. Again with this foundation there are only a few shades in the range so it could be difficult to get a good match of you are particularly fair or dark skinned.

A word of warning with this foundation though, if you don’t take the time and really blend it properly it will look cakey on your skin so take the extra few minutes and blend, blend, blend and it will be worth it for the matte finish.

 

I have also done a full review of this foundation which you can see HERE.

 

You can get this foundation in Boots where it is currently £5.99 HERE.

 

BB Cream

 

This was the first BB (Beauty Balm) cream that Rimmel brought out when BB Creams got big on the high-street a few years ago, it claims to be a 9-in-1 skin perfecting super makeup but for me it is just a lighter coverage foundation. This makes it great for the warmer months as it also has SPF25. There are only a two colours in that range light and medium so nothing for darker skin tones. Rimmel claim that is a 9-in-1 products as it primes, moisturises, minimises pores, conceals, covers, smoothes, mattifies, brightens and helps protect. I don’t agree with all of this as I would still use a moisturiser, primer, concealer and powder with this product and it doesn’t do too much for my pores either.

The consistency is quite thick compared to other BB Creams and the staying power isn’t too great, I have also heard that it isn’t great for dry skin as it clings to dry patches.

I do however like this BB Cream as on my oily skin it is pretty good, just like a normal foundation. I tend to use this more when I know I will be in the sun as with the SPF25 is if more that most, if not all of my other foundations.

 
N.B. This is the only one that I don't currently own so sorry for the crappy image :)
 

You can get this BB Cream in Boots where it is currently £6.99 HERE.

 

Matte BB Cream

 

This is the newest foundation type product from Rimmel, I picked it up a couple of weeks ago, this is essentially the same as the BB Cream I mentioned above but it also contains ingredients to keep your skin looking matte.

Rimmel claim that is also a 9-in-1 products as it primes, moisturises, minimises pores, conceals, covers, smoothes, mattifies, brightens and helps protect. But again I would still use a moisturiser, primer, concealer and powder. This is especially formulated for combination and oily skin, so again if you have dry skin stay away from this one. The SPF has also been lowered to SPF15 which is quite disappointing as this is the main reason I liked the original BB Cream.

There is an improvement from the original BB Cream as this one has 3 shades: Light, Medium and Medium Dark.

The main difference in the two BB Creams is the finish, so it depends what you are after to know which to get, whether you like the more satin finish of the original BB Cream or the matte finish of this one.

You can get this BB Cream in Boots where it is currently £6.99 HERE.

I do believe that there is something for everyone as Rimmel have products to suit different skin types, the desired coverage and the finish you prefer. I also think they are very affordable for the quality.

Which foundation or BB Cream to you love? Is there one from Rimmel you want to try? What kind of foundation do you think they will bring out next?

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo


Instagram: hannah_price93

 

Tanya Burr Lips and Nails

Tanya Burr Lips and Nails

I know that most of you will know who Tanya Burr is but for those who don’t, she is a professional makeup artist, blogger, YouTuber and all round lovely lady from Norwich in England.

 

She has just launched her own range of lip glosses and nail varnishes. As I have been a long time viewer of her YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/tanyaburr) and reader of her blog (www.tanyaburr.co.uk) and because she thoroughly deserves it, I thought it would be good to contribute (a little bit) to her products being a success and order a few of them.

 

So when the products went live on www.feelunique.com I ordered some straight away, as there was a huge rush of people buying the products through the website my delivery got delayed and rescheduled, which www.feelunique.com kept me up to date with via email, and I got them through a couple of weeks ago.

 

In the range there are 12 lip glosses (£6.99) and 10 nail polishes (£5.99), each having a cute name that mean something to Tanya. I think that the prices are amazing for such quality products and is a good drugstore price.

 

The lip glosses have a few different finishes, some have glitter in them, some are shimmery and some are just a tinted gloss. So there is something for everyone. I’m not a lip gloss fan, I much prefer lipsticks, but even I found one that I wanted to buy so I picked up the colour called Chic which is a pretty muted pink colour with no shimmer or glitter particles.

The formula of this gloss it super shiny, non sticky and long lasting. I tend to wear it alone but I does look great over a lipstick too, especially a dark nude. I like the simple but classy packaging of the glosses with a clear tube with Tanya’s signature on with black lid. I like the doe-foot applicator as it make precise application quick and easy.

 

I also picked up two nail polishes in Penguin Chic which is a beautiful cool mid grey colour and Mischief Managed which is a gorgeous bold red shade. The formula of these is also super shiny and they look glossy on the nails. They are very opaque and true to the colour in the bottle. I’ve had Mischief Managed on my toenails for a week and its still looking like I’ve just put it on.

 

They are currently available on www.feelunique.com and are on trial in some Superdrug shops before being rolled out into the rest in the near future.

 

I wish that Tanya gets all the success she deserves with these products, and I hope the range evolves and develops into other makeup products. I think a lip stick range would be perfect and I would definitely pick up a few more of those.

 

Overall both nail polishes and the lip gloss have been great quality, affordable and look beautiful. Well done Tanya!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Love Hannah xoxo

Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara Review

Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara Review

 

Big eyes is Maybelline’s first double ended mascara. It has just been launched in the UK after being out in America for the past few months.

 

I haven’t seen much about this mascara in the blogger-sphere since hitting the shops in the UK so I am unsure of the general opinion on it. However after using it for a few weeks I have definitely made up my mind about it.
 

The packaging is similar to the popular Falsies mascara in colour, I’m not too keen on the packaging as I think it looks quite cheap (even though it is a drugstore mascara).

  

The upper lash end brush is similar to the mega plush one at is it tapered so you can get into you inner corners easily.

 

As for the lower lash wand, this I have been searching for!! It is long and thin with short and works really well at separating the lower lashes.

 

If you have the same problem as me when applying mascara on the lower lashes where the mascara wand hits your lower lid and leaves mascara on your skin (I have to clean it up once I’m done), this this is worth buying just for the lower last wand. It is also really handy to get in the inner corner of your top lashes where the bigger mascara wands can struggle and things become messy.

 

Its also a hell of a lot cheaper that the Clinique bottom lash mascara which is a massive £12 for 2ml.

 

So even if you don’t like the upper lash wand then this is definitely a great cheaper alternative.

 

I, however, do like the upper lash wand (admittedly not as much as my beloved Colossal mascara) and using both together gives a great effect as it volumises as well as separates with a formula with stays black, I don think that is lengthens too much is that’s is what you’re looking for, maybe this one wouldn’t be to great for you.

 

I think that the price point is pretty brilliant too as only £8.99, you can get it HERE! It is also widely available in the USA.

 

Overall I think that this could be a contender best mascara in my eyes, well it can be joint top with the Colossal volume mascara.

What's your holy grail mascara?

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

Urban Decay Naked Basics

The naked basic palette was released late 2012/early 2013 by urban decay and was a travel sized matte palette which perfectly complimented the Naked 1 and Naked 2 palettes and with the recently released Naked 3 palette.

 

 

This palette definitely lives up to its name as is contains 6 different neutral shades what you can create any day to night look with, you can wear them alone of blend them together to create even more looks. 5 of the shades are completely matte with one shimmer shade which is perfect for highlighting.

 

 

In my opinion it is the perfect compact palette as it is light, slim, contains a large mirror, and doesn’t have extra space for a useless brush like most small palettes contain.

 

I like that this palette contains both a shimmery highlight colour (Venus) and a matte black (Crave) and 4 other neutral shades in between (Foxy, Walk of Shame [WOS], Faint, Naked 2).

 

 

As with all Urban decay eye shadows these are amazing quality, blend effortlessly and stay put for ages – I do use the Urban Decay Primer Potion under the eye shadow but I do have particularly oily skin so using both together they last all day and don’t crease at all.

 

 

If you, like me, have oily eyelids and have trouble with eye shadows creasing I would 100% recommend the Urban Decay Primer Potion but if you have normal eyelids you wont need to use a primer and the shadows should last all day.

 

The packaging is minimal and clean with a good secure fastening, I also like that there is a large mirror included so you don’t have to carry a separate compact. The eye shadows themselves have a soft texture, are highly pigmented and blendable and with all 6 different shades you can create pretty day looks and smoke them out for a darker more intense evening look. I also don’t get any fall out under my eyes even with the darker colours which is a huge plus.

 

The palette is priced at £20 which is great value for money as that is just over £3 per eye shadow which is a similar price to a Rimmel or Max Factor single eye shadow and the quality is impeccable.

 

I would highly recommend this palette to everyone: the neutral girl, the one that wants everything in one place, the lady who travels, a woman who doesn’t like glitter, and for someone who wants to get into makeup with their first high end purchase.

 

You can buy this from Beauty Bay HERE.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Love Hannah xoxo
 

Maybelline Baby Skin Primer

Maybelline Baby Skin Primer has just launched in the UK after the success of the Baby Lips range.

 

Now I am a huge primer fan as I need it to help my foundation stick to my oily face.

 

I’ve not had much luck with the drugstore primers that are around at the moment as they just don’t make my makeup last as long as the more high end ones.

  

First of all can we talk about how creepy the name is, baby skin, and I thought baby lips was an odd choice of name for lip balm but this is so much weirder.

 

The packaging is nice with the soft blue and pink and I like that it is in a tube rather than a pot as it is much more sanitary, although do wish it came with a pump, but you cant have everything I guess.

 

The product is more of a gel primer than a cream one as it is clear and has the silicone texture. But I prefer these over the moisturising primers and they tend to work better on me.

  

Is does absorb into the skin quickly as doesn’t leave a greasy residue but it did leave my skin feeling slightly dry. I apply my foundation with a brush and find that it goes over the primer smoothly and leaves a great finish on my skin.

 

The longevity is good too it lasts well through the day, as it is currently winter in the UK I haven’t been able to try it in the hotter temperatures

Overall I think it's a really good primer for a great price! I would recommend it to anyone who had oily skin but has maybe never used a primer before or doesn't want to splurge on a high end one.

Thanks for reading! 

Love Hannah xoxo