CliniqueFIT Workout 24-Hour Mascara

We've not discussed mascara for a while, have we? I've been meaning to write about this one for a couple of months. This is part of Clinique's make-up range to be worn while exercising. My eyes are rolling so hard, I am giving myself whiplash.

I find it hard to understand why anyone would wish to wear make-up when sweating and jumping about. These millennials and their instagramming ways have a lot to answer for. However, when I read about the range, I thought, I bet the mascara works.

It does work I guess. It's a tubing mascara so you wash it off with warm water, twiddling your lashes as you go. It's nowhere near as good as Lash Power though. This is my mascara of choice and I always have a spare one to hand just in case. Just in case of what I am not sure but the thought of being without it makes me anxious.

This mascara flakes more, it's harder to get off and it's somehow a bit drying on the lashes. It's cheaper than Lash Power and it shows. I've talked myself into throwing it away. Why bother when Lash Power is perfection?

Givenchy Teint Couture Balm Blurring Foundation

I've had my eye on this for a while. Sali Hughes raved about it a while back and I've been meaning to explore it. Givenchy counters are hard to track down. I decided to actually take a lunch hour a few weeks back and walk to the House of Fraser across London Bridge. I got there - no Givenchy counter. I bought a Tom Ford lipstick as a consolation prize and more about that another time.

Anyway, as so often with me, I became obsessed in the space of 24 hours. I went from a curious 'I must try this' to 'I need it in my life now, nothing I have works AT ALL'. A fine Saturday dawned and my sister and I spontaneously decided to meet at Selfridges for a little shop and some coffee. Guess what? Selfridges doesn't have Givenchy either. It became a mission. Turns out Debenhams does and so we fell in there and started to explore.

Givenchy make up is beautiful. Why have I never explored it before? Possibly because it's not everywhere. It's so pretty! We were helped by an extremely competent assistant. She knew her stuff, popped me in a chair and took off my make up and started again. It was honestly like a magician at work although she used a lot of product. By the time she had finished I wanted everything but I managed to be reasonably restrained. The foundation is life-changing. I've been wearing it every day and people have commented on how well I look. I am not well at the moment, I am in the middle of the project from hell, I am doing 13 hour days in the office, sleeping badly and I have a cold. That's how good this base is. It transcends all that and makes you glow.

I also bought the concealer which has a highlighter built in. I am quite lazy about concealer and I don't wear it all the time but it's very easy to work with and nice and light, not cakey. And I got the wondrous mascara which is bizarre.

I was sceptical until she used it on me. Long lashes be mine! It's a little bit of a knack to master without poking yourself in the eye but this is very good.

My sister also succumbed having said she wasn't buying anything. She got the foundation and the mascara. We swung out looking uber glamorous and went to, ermmm, Nando's.

If you just buy one product, buy the foundation. It really is wonderfully good, easy to apply and perks you up a treat. Recommended.

Clinique Lash Power Mascara Long-Wearing Formula

My beloved Estee Lauder mascara has been discontinued which makes me angry. Even worse, I left my tube of it in London. So I simply had to go and find a replacement. I picked up this baby in Sephora on Saturday. Two days in and I can report that it's good. It's not as perfect as the Estee Lauder but it doesn't smudge and it gives good lash. It has very low key packaging but that's ok. It's a perfectly serviceable everyday mascara. It's also only $16 which I consider a bit of a bargain.

Other products I am loving at the moment include the Bourjois cream blushers. They are so easy to apply. My divine Vitazing keeps me from looking dead in this ever-lasting winter. Seventeen powder which I dust it very lightly over my eyes so my mascara sticks better. I'd be lost without it, it's a real hero product and it's cheap as chips. Kiehls 24/7 moisturiser is my new favourite, the eucalyptus smell is so heavenly. I bought two bottles at the airport as they don't seem to sell it in the shops. Dries Van Noten perfume is perfect for this cold weather. And to cheer myself up, I bought this in Duane Reade at the weekend:

Carmex lip balm in a leopard skin tube! It makes me very happy. Read about it here, fab marketing.

Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara

Much woe, Estee Lauder has discontinued by beloved Doublewear mascara. They still do DW but it's not the one I love and adore. I knew this would happen, I finally find my desert island mascara and they do away with it. I bought this new Bobbi Brown one to see how I'd get on. Meh, it's ok but it's not even in the same league as the Estee Lauder one. My one faint hope is I might be able to stock up while I am back in London as they are running down stocks.

One is not amused.

Guerlain Maxi Lash mascara

Although I said I wasn't buying anything else, I found myself in Selfridges the other night and before I knew it, I was purchasing this. It's had rave reviews, my sister declared it better than Estee Lauder Double Wear mascara so I felt obliged to road test it.

Firstly, let's talk about the packaging. Have you ever seen anything so divine? Boring old black tubes are so 2009 don't you think? This gold, twinkly tube will brighten up any morning.

I am impressed with the mascara. It has an excellent brush and there is no smudging on application. I had a very long day yesterday and I did detect some smudging after about 12 hours but I don't think that's too criminal.

Also, it smells of roses. How decadent! All in all, I am impressed and I am wearing it again today. I am not sure for me it's better than Double Wear but it sure looks the part in my bathroom.

Estee Lauder Doublewear mascara

I have found it at last. The perfect mascara. No smudging. Perfect application. Great brush. Long-lasting. I don't know how it's taken me so long to try this mascara but I am very glad I finally did. You can get Volume + Lift, Curling or Lengthening. I went for Volume + Lift. Honestly, it's brilliant.

Now it's not cheap at £20 but I am really loving this. And I can't remember the last time I truly loved a mascara.

Max Factor Eye Brightening Mascara

Time to try a new mascara my friends. This one intrigued me, Max Factor Eye Brightening mascara. Apparently it contains light reflecting particles to add a subtle effect. It just looks black to me. Maybe the one for blue or green eyes is less subtle. However, as with all Max Factor mascaras, it has a great brush and does a good job. For £7.99, it's pretty good. It's not a big chunky mascara so it's good for the day. I've just layered up my eyes with it ready for a day of hard shopping.

Talking of shopping, I cleared out a bathroom cupboard yesterday and found five bottles of perfume I don't wear so I am ebaying them. You know, just in case you need some perfume in your life...

Liz Earle make-up

Liz Earle is one of those brands you know is good for you but is frankly a bit dull. I think the packaging is tedious and although I know people rave about Cleanse and Polish, I can't quite be bothered with it. However, Sali Hughes gave the new make-up range such a great review a few weeks ago, I decided to investigate.

There is a huge Liz Earle just off Kings Rd and it's a beautiful shop, the perfect place for a browse. The make-up range is small which I like. On Sali's recommendation, I looked at the cream blush first. The texture on this is the best I've ever seen, it literally glides and blends like a dream. I could have bought two or three but in the end plumped for Coral. I will definitely be buying more of these as they are foolproof.

I was intrigued to read about the mascara base, it claims to make your lashes look thicker and longer. You can use it under any mascara. For £10, it was worth a go. What I have noticed the most is not that it makes my lashes look longer (nothing makes them look longer in my opinion, your lashes are a set length) but that it reduces smudging. I get a lot of smudging with mascara as the day wears on. I've tried everything but always resemble a panda by the end of the day. This reduces that. It doesn't eliminate it but there is improvement. Plus, yes, it makes lashes look thicker.

I was also impressed with the eye pencils especially the Golden Bronze. I didn't buy it but only because it was the same day as the Bliss pedicure and various other expenditures and I decided to try and be sensible. I am regretting it and will return. It's a gorgeous colour.  I also liked the look of the lip glosses.

All in all, I am impressed and the simplicity of the range is very appealing. I also got to choose a sample of a skincare product and choose this exfoliator. It's excellent and smells divine and so I am recommending that too!

All in all, a success. Perfect make-up for the natural 'no make-up' ladies.

Another day, another mascara

Another flight and more mascara. This time from Dior with Diorshow. It has an exclusive nano brush dontcha know?

Anyway, it's very good. It applies very easily with no smudging, I do prefer a smaller brush. It's quite hard work to get off though! However that means it lasts all day and there is very little in the way of panda eyes. I'd recommend this if you are in the market for a high end mascara.

Lancome primer

A friend told me I had to buy a new miracle product from Lancome.  I quote: "it literally fills in wrinkles and lines on your face."

Hot-footed it I did to the nearest Lancome counter where I managed to buy the wrong product. She was talking about this:

But I managed to buy this. This is because the woman on the Lancome counter was hopeless. Now I hear Lancome are in a bit of trouble and if their staff don't know the products, then I am not surprised.

Anyway, I've been using what I bought because hey, a primer is always useful and I'm not about to waste £25.  It's very much like the Smashbox primer I got last year but not as plasticky. It's pretty good and nice with my new Bobbi Brown foundation over the top (yes, I bought it, nobody is surprised are they?) However, I wouldn't say it's a 'must-have'.

However, I am loving my Bobbi Brown. I went back and bought everything else from my recent makeover. The blusher is great but the foundation is a revelation. It glides on, you hardly need any and it smells truly lovely. The mascara is the only meh product. It's not rocking my world.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara

A trip to Boots as it is time to test some new mascaras and I decided to go budget. I bought this one and a Revlon one. The Revlon one is disappointing but this is punching well above its weight.

It's too early to say if it's maximising my eyelash growth but I must say, it's performing as well as a £15-20 mascara.  The brush is really good and there is no more smudging than on any other one I've tried, it applies well and I have to say, I am impressed so far.

I've just looked up the price and it is £8.99 but I know I paid about £5 for it so it must be on special offer.

What do we need in 2012?

The year that it all ends according to the Mayans. I think we can all agree that we must make sure our hair and make-up is on trend just in case.

The Stylist is a great freebie magazine that comes out once a week. A very nice chap at work picks up a copy for us ladies each week and leaves them on our desks. I was perusing my copy in the bath earlier (with a fabulous new SpaceNK bubble bath) and they had Top 10 products for 2012. All are coming out this year.

Some caught my eye. Let's get to it.

MAC Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel (£26) - released 2 Feb.

Water moisture gel. I am already drawn in. It sounds dewy and you know, I love the promise of dewiness.  "An ultra-light gel like cream" says the website. Not too eye-wateringly expensive. It's got to be worth a go.

Dior New Look Mascara (£23) - released 30 January

Royal Jelly. Black Glass Pigment.  Yadder, yadder. It's a new mascara and therefore, I am trying it.


London Addixtion Sprax Delight Texturising  Spray-Wax (£12.60) - released late April 2012

I cannot find anything online about this. It sounds great. Easy to apply, doesn't weight hair down, gives texture. If I can find it, I shall be investigating.


YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum (£60) - released 16 January

Firstly, you can already get this at John Lewis so the 16 Jan release date is wrong. I've been reading quite a bit about this. I can't be arsed to repeat all the science guff, Nobel prizes and so on. It just sounds awesome and I want to try it.

January is all a bit blah isn't it? My advice is to have lots of indulgent bubble baths, drink wine (January detox has been scientifically proven to be a waste of time - yay!) and dream of holidays, I've already started planning mine...

New and exciting mascara

Lancome Hypnose Precious Cells mascara. Where do they come up with these names? And how do they do so with a straight face?

Anyway, another in-flight purchase. 12 hours is a long time, I got bored, ok? This promises to 'regenerate' your eyelashes, used continuously it says it will make your lashes thicker. I am so sceptical, I have a face of pure scepticism.

However, I can report that this is almost a perfect mascara, it applies beautifully, it amplifies one's lashes, it barely smudges and it comes off without the need for a shovel. It's £22 so frankly it should be good but it really actually is. Something to buy in-flight again (where it only cost me £18 - I say only, it's still really expensive for a mascara). It's not often I find a new mascara I actually would buy again but this, I would. Recommended.

Reporting back - Benefit mascara

I have used this every day this week and there has been no better test for it. Twelve hour days in the office, extreme tiredness and much stress. How did it stand up to this rigour?

Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is this does make your eyelashes look longer and fuller. It is a great brush, easy to apply, no smudging on application, no clogging and clagging so full marks there. However, it 'travels' I had to wipe away smudges of black under my eyes from about lunch time onwards. I promise you I hadn't cried (although felt like it on occasion) or rubbed my eyes. By evening, it was really smudgy. Also, a bugger to remove despite me investing in two new eye make-up removers (more on them at a later date).

In conclusion this is a great evening mascara when you might only need it on for five hours or so but the jury is still out on its staying power. For £18.50 I expect it to do everything and make me coffee.

Benefit - They're Real, Beyond Belief Mascara

I've been hearing very good things about this. Because I still like to believe there is a miracle mascara out there, I bought it. I only just got it today but I have high hopes. Full reportage will occur.

£18.50. It had better work.

17 Falsifeye mascara

I saw this today in Boots and thought I had to buy it with such a brilliant name. I was preparing for disappointment as I always do when trying a new mascara and it didn't start off hopefully as it's a very thick brush and quite cloggy. However, I have to say it was easier to apply than I was expecting and it stayed put through glasses of champagne and laughter with my mate.

It's cheap as chips so give it a go.

Simple eye make-up remover pen

Hayfever season is here. I sneeze a lot and shock, horror - eye make-up smudges. Not a problem with this little beauty in your bag. It works really well at removing mascara smudges. And it is less than a fiver. I think we all need one.

Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara

I reported that I bought this in Burgundy last week. I've had a week to get used to it and here is my review. People rave about this mascara (not necessarily the Burgundy colour) and say it's the best mascara out there. I am sceptical about this claim. I think it's pretty good, it applies very nicely, it gives you nicely plumped up lashes but at £22, it's not exactly ground-breaking. It doesn't do anything Max Factor Masterpiece Max can't do.

I wouldn't buy it again based on all round mascara performance, however the colour is magnificent. It's hard to explain what a difference it makes, just so much softer but in a much more interesting way than a brown mascara. It looks fabulous with grey/green/brown eye shadow. In fact, I imagine it looks great with all eye shadow.

It freaked me out a bit when I removed it on day one and my cotton wool pad was purple. When it flakes (and all mascara does on me after 12 hours) it flakes with little purple bits. I am so used to black that I found this very novel.

If there was a cheaper mascara in this exact shade (and it's quite a deep purple, not a bright one) then I'd buy that. If there isn't, I shall have to buy this again when it runs out.

Sometimes you just need to spend some money

It was time to go and sweep the Peter Jones beauty department today. As I have said, I've wanted some purple mascara for a while. I went to MAC where there was NO SIGN of any Wonder Woman stuff. Woe.

Instead I went to YSL in Peter Jones and got this in Burgundy.

I also got these three products from Origins.

I then got this hand cream for CoverBoy as it's his favourite.

And a friend recommended this.

And so I came home happy with my haul. Can't wait to try the mascara. Full reporting will occur.

MAC - Wonder Woman

Oh my giddy aunt. Check it out people! I am late to the party with this as the beauty bloggers are all over this new range from MAC. It's so covetable. Frankly, I don't even care what the cosmetics are like with packaging like this.

I've not looked at this up close yet - but oh, I totally plan to. However, I notice they do a purple mascara and I've been wanting to try purple mascara for a while. Black is so obvious, no? A purple Wonder Woman mascara? I am actually almost too excited to type.

I shall be reporting back.