July Favourites 2013

Hello There!

So I know I've been away for a while but I'm coming back full speed ahead. And in my opinion there's no better comeback post than a favourites post. So, here come my July favourites. 

MaxFactor Liquid Illusion Foundation: So at the beginning of this month it was cooler so I was still wearing full foundations, and I was really enjoying the Liquid Illusion foundation. Basically I was really enjoying the finish. It's a dewey, not shiny finish and your skin just looks flawless. It's a medium-full coverage, but it is way way way too heavy for the weather we're having in the UK at the moment, so I'll probably put this bad boy away until November time. 

Barry M Lash Vegas: I'd been getting a bit bored of my mascara routine and when I was looking through my mascaras I decided to try this again, and just fell in love again. I think I get a bit caught up in my love for products and so the other products just get overlooked. On the plus side, it's great to rediscover a great product! Full review here.

Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner:  I've really been enjoying these eyeliners this month. I've only recently discovered gel eyeliners because I've always been a bit wary of them. I'm rubbish with liquid liner and never like the way it looks on me, so pencil/kajal eyeliner's have been my saviours. But, I've been branching out and these are just fabulous. They are so easy to apply, because they have exactly the same consistency as potted gel eyeliners but in stick form! These are the two colours that I have - Black and Blackberry. Blackberry is the most beautiful deep purple-black and looks amazing on green eyes, and the black is beautifully pigmented. 

Full reviews coming soon :)

Elf Daily Brush Cleaner: I mentioned that I liked this in my ELF haul last month, and I've put it in my July favourites simply because I've been loving it for the whole month, and I'm sure the love will continue for August...

Joursna Blush Brush: This is a brush I bought from ebay a while ago. This seems to be a knock-off version of the Real Techniques brushes. I have since bought the genuine articles and realised that it isn't really a dupe for any brush in particular. It is a very special brush. It is actually amazing. I completely love it. It is a complete multi-tasker - blush, contour, highlight it does it all. If you have a spare £2.50 then you need this in your collection! Available here.

Elf Contouring Blush & Bronzer Powder: I've been on the move a bit this month and I've enjoyed this because not only is it great quality, but also a massive space saver in my makeup case. The bronzer doubles as contour as well as bronzer and the blush doubles as blush and highlighter. I can't pack lightly so I take other blushes and bronzers and whatnot, but in when you're in a rush this is perfect product. 

L'Oreal 3-In-1 Micellar Solution: This is a new staple in my skincare routine. It's just completely fabulous. There's nothing more I can say except full review soon :)

So, I hope that you've been inspired to try some of these products - they truly are great products, I wouldn't mention them otherwise! 

What are your favourites this month? 

Let me know in a comment!

Ciao for now, G x

Barry M Lash Vegas Mascara & Advert

Hello There!

Ok, so there's been a lot of hype about Barry M's new mascara Lash Vegas. Well, in particular their advert. Featuring limousines, showgirls, and fireworks, the advert sets the scene for all manner of exaggerations - particularly false lashes. BUT, shocker, there aren't any. Barry M have said that they're tired of adverts that use false lashes and lash dyes and whatnot, and so this is their attempt to break the mould. If you haven't seen the advert yet, here it is:



I'm not going to lie, the first time I watched it I was a little bit disappointed. I mean, we're a so used to seeing false lashes and creative eyeliner and what-not, that when you see the mascara as it is in real-life, you do think - is that it?  But once I understood the message Barry M were trying to convey, I warmed to the idea of the advert. And when you watch the advert again, you look at it from a 'real-life' perspective and think, hmm will this look better or worse than my mascara at the moment? It gives you a realistic expectation.

So, how did the mascara compare with the advert in 'real-life'?

Barry M Advert 'Lash Vegas'

My Eyes with Lash Vegas

Pretty well I'd say. Obviously we all have different eye-shapes and eyelashes so its going to look slightly different on everyone. But I think the gist of it is there. It's supposed to be an all-rounder mascara. Here's what the website says:

"'New Lash Vegas Mascara features a new spiral shaped brush that has been specifically designed to separate, define and reach the smallest of lashes giving exceptional length and unrivalled definition. 
Featuring bristles that work close to the root for ultimate oooomph, this brush promises to give you show-stopping volume!.'"

So basically, it's supposed to be a magic mascara that does everything. Personally, I'm a big fan of lengthening mascaras, and it does the job for me. I'm not sure about the volumising aspect of it - I think there are more volumising mascaras on the market, but, they don't lengthen and separate as well...

There are three things that stand out to me about this mascara:

1. The Brush - is a bristle brush instead of a plastic brush, which was quite a surprise to me because almost all of the mascaras under the £10 mark have plastic brushes. The advantage is that the brush catches your lashes and provides more resistance so that more product goes on your lashes. I tend to find that bristle brushes don't provide as much separation and length as a plastic brush - but I was proven wrong in my assumptions! If this mascara does anything, it makes your eyelashes look longer and more separated. 

2. This is what I call a 'wet' mascara. I'm not usually a fan of these types of mascaras (where if you look up after 10 seconds of applying you'll get an imprint below your eyebrow), but actually that wasn't much of an issue with this mascara. I also find with 'wet' mascaras that they clump up my eyelashes and so I look like I've only got 5 eyelashes, which surprisingly was not the case for me this time. It definitely separates and doesn't clump. So it's a thumbs up from me :)

3. It lasts for ages without smudging. I occasionally am completely lazy/extremely tired, and have fallen asleep wearing this mascara. But, the next day, you wouldn't have know that I had - I didn't even have to reapply it for the same effect. That's definite kudos for this mascara.

The only downside I can find with this mascara is the bottle/tube/holder thing? As with most volumising mascaras it's a curvy little thing and for me that's just not handy . I much prefer a straight up and down tube that I can just throw in any size handbag and fits comfortably in my hand. But the tube shape isn't a deal-breaker and I still bought it regardless.

This mascara retails at £6-8 and is available at: 
amazon.co.uk (where I got it from), ebay.co.uk, superdrug.co.uk, boots.com & barrym.com.

I don't think I'll be switching from my current (and favourite) everyday mascara D&G Secret Eyes (a review of that here), because it has a more subtle effect. But Lash Vegas undeniably produces a blacker and fuller-lash effect, so I will definitely be using it for a night out with a  smokey eye.

Do you find the advert refreshing?
Should we see this type of advert more often?

Ciao for now, G x