Essence Maximum Definition Volume Mascara

Product

Essence claims that this mascara is an 'innovative and flexible synthetic brush' that 'reaches even the shortest lashes in the corner of you eye for perfect lengthening effects from base to tips'. I don't usually like this style of brush, however I actually like this one.  It makes it very easy to coat all of the lashes including the smaller ones on the inside on the eyelid.  So there claim about the brush is true.  The bristles on the brush really do separate the lashes.

The formula isn't waterproof and doesn't claim to be but it also doesn't come off onto my foundation or around my eyes. It is easily removed using a face cleanser or eye make-up remover.  

I think its a combination of the brush and the mascara formula that create the longer looking lashes and do also give a certain amount of volume.  

Longevity

I usually apply this in the morning and it will last me all day.  It doesn't flake off and leave black marks around my eyes.  Therefore, I could get anywhere from eight to twelve hours from this mascara.

Packaging

The packaging on this doesn't look very expensive.  In design it's very similar to other mascaras but I think the bright orange colour looks a little cheap. Although it does make it easier to find in your hand bag.

Price

I think this cost approximately €2.50. It is available at Essence stands. 

Would I buy this again? Yes. 

Sites of the Week: 5 August 2011

I don't usually like the wear really glittery nail polish but there is some thing about this one that I would love to try.

Some more DIY this week with this simple tank dress.

Ah hair treatments...here are some different homemade hair treatments.

Do you need a little inspiration, try this out without having to test the styles on yourself.  

If you need some help with a French braid this is a great tutorial.

This is a great make-up tutorial that gives something extra to the usual brown makeup.

Here is a really fabulous manicure and probably for the more creative side in us.

Help with your eyeliner is at hand with this great article.

Elf Matt Lip Colour

 This is the first lip product that I have purchased from Elf.

Product

 Elf describes this as a 'convenient jumbo sized lip pencil' that 'creates exact colour application with twist up ease so you never have to sharpen. The pigment rich colour glides on effortlessly and easily to provide long lasting matte colour. The enriched Vitamin A,C & E formula moisturizes and hydrates lips for beautiful healthy looking lips'. I got this lip pen in natural. I like this lip pen as you don't have to sharpen it. I have purchased many pens similar to this where they have to be sharpened and have stopped using them as they are too difficult to sharpen. 


This lip pen does have very good pigment. When I applied it to my lips I expected that it might look drying as it was a matt formula.  However, it didn't do this. It also has a very smooth texture and as it is in pen form  it is very easy to apply.  

Longevity

The main problem with this lip pen is the longevity. It doesn't stay on for very long. It lasted me about an hour. It doesn't bother me to have to reapply it, however I would still have liked if it stayed on longer.

Packaging

This lip pen comes in a very nice black box with the pen viewable at the side of the box. The pen itself is in a black plastic round container with a twistable  lid.

Price

This costs €4 and it is available from ELF.

  

Would I buy this product again? Yes. Even though it didn't stay on very long, I don't mind reappling it and I like that it has a natural matt finish.  

Elf Powder Brush

The first of many reviews of Elf make-up brushes. These are great brushes for a budget brand.  

Product

Elf powder brush is one of their brushes from the studio range.  This brush is meant to be used as a powder brush. I however purchased this as I had read many reviews about people using it to apply foundation. This gives a flawless look to cream or liquid foundation that it applies.  

The bristles on this brush are very soft which is great as it is very soft on my face and also doesn't irritate my skin.  Although the bristles are soft they are also tightly packed, making the brush stiff enough to apply foundation.  I have tried using this to apply powder however prefer it for foundation.  

The top of this brush is very flat. This makes it perfect for applying foundation and it also bends with the curves around the nose and eyes to make it easy to apply the foundation. This is a large brush and would be comparable in size to a MAC 187.  

Packaging

All of Elf's brushes come in a plastic type wrapping.  They also come with a make-up brush cover to protect the bristles on the brush.  

Price 

This powder brush comes from Elf and costs €4.00

Would I buy this again? Yes. I bought another brush after I purchased the first one as I used it so much.  

Elf nail polish: Pearl

Product

Pearl nail polish is a shimmery white colour. Elf claims that this nail polish has a chip resistant shield that gives long lasting nail colour with a high shine. This polish does have a high shine and also applies very smoothly.  Unlike some polishes, this doesn't go gloopy or thick. When I applied the first layer of this polish it dried very quickly. I did however have to apply three layers to get the colour that I wanted. This made it harder for it to dry.  The first coat of polish was very sheer.  

                                                                                       

I also really like the colour. I love applying white to my nails and I really like that this had a shimmer and not the usual matt that I apply.  I also noticed that there is a mixer ball in the bottom of the nail polish bottle which is good considering the price of this polish.  

I have three coats of polish applied in this picture. 

Longevity

While this polish claims to have a chip resistant shield and I find that this is true for Elf nail  polishes, it is certainty not true for this polish. I had it applied for approximately 24 hours when I noticed that there was chipping. 

Packaging

All of Elf's nail polishes come in small black boxes, which I think is great for such a budget brand, something that many more expensive brands don't offer. The bottle itself is like any other polish. It is a clear glass bottle with a plastic top.  

Price

This polish costs €1.70 and comes from ELF.   

Would I buy this again?  No, although I really like the colour, the fact that it chips so quickly annoys me.  

July Favourites

I know it's a few days into August so I apologise for being a little bit late with my July Favourites.  

1. I'll start with what I have definitely been using the most. It also made an appearance for the June favourites.  It's Urban Decay's Naked palette.  I still use this nearly everyday and also night for creating different looks. 

2. I have also been using Urban Decay's Supercurl mascara a lot this month since I received it for my birthday. It  really finishes off an eye look and is great for day and night time.  

3. With regards to foundation I have been using Max Factor Lasting Performance. It gives me great coverage and also gives a flawless look.  

4. For priming my eyes before eyeshadow I have been using Revlon Vital Radiance. It gives great longevity to any eyeshadow that I apply and also prevents any creasing.  

5. For my lips I have been using a Benefit lipstick in LaLa Land. I will be reviewing a few of Benefits lipsticks soon. 

6.  I have been using a variety of different blushers and bronzers over the past month. I have been trying to use different ones instead of using my Benefit Coralista and also testing some other's for review purposes.  

7. For my nails I have been using, again, Penny's Cornflower and also Tesco's Barbara Daly Goodbye Yellow.

8. For my brushes I have been using mainly MAC 187 for foundation and No7 concealer brush and also Elf stippling brush for applying my high definition powder. I have used some other brushes too but these have been the ones I have used most.  

Barry M Intense Black Eyeliner Pen

Yet another eyeliner, this is something that I am always trying to find the best of. 

Product

Barry M describes this mascara as 'a waterproof, long wear formulation in a retractable pack for easy use'. This eyeliner does apply easily and goes on smoothly. It doesn't smudge on the top eyelid, which can be both a good and bad thing. It's good if you want a clear line of eyeliner. However, if you want to blend it for a smoky look it is a little more difficult but not impossible.  I also find that holding this in my hand for a few seconds helps to heat the eyeliner and makes it easier to apply.  

As this mascara comes in a retractable pen it makes it harder to get a thin black line. Even after trying it a few times I still had a lot of problems getting a very thin line because I couldn't sharpen it.  This has a very smooth and soft texture.  

Longevity

I found this mascara to be waterproof on my top lid, however when applied to the waterline it didn't last very long and caused me to have black eyeliner under my eyes. Not a look that I particularly like.  This is a problem that I have with many eyeliners.  It was easily removed, after a days wear, using eye makeup remover. 

Packaging

This mascara comes in a retractable eyeliner so a sharpener is not necessary. This is good and also bad. It's good in that you can use the eyeliner even if you forget to bring a sharpener and also if the top becomes very soft and breaks, which can happen with many eyeliners. This does, however, lead to the problem I outlined above in that it is more difficult to get a thin line.  Also as it is retractable it is important not to unscrew too much of the product or it will break off, which happened to me the first time I used it.  

Price

I bought this on Amazon for £3.98.  The only place that I know in Ireland that Barry M is available in Ireland is in Boots or Superdrug.

Would I buy this again? No, I had purchased this as I wanted an eyeliner I could use on the waterline without it moving under my eyes. 

Ms Manicure Brilliant Brows

Product

This set includes a tweezers, safety scissors, 4 eyebrow stencils, 3 shades of eyebrow powder, dome tip brush and a dual-ended angled brush/spoolie.  This set contains all the essential products for perfectly shaped eyebrows.  

I will start with the bad and then move onto the good with this set. 

The main things that I didn't like about this set are the brushes. The bristles were too stiff and were very difficult to work with. The also picked up far too much product and make it difficult to achieve a natural look. Next, the tweezers are not terrible but I find that they are a little bit light and the shape of the tweezers makes it difficult to grasp eyebrow hair.    

Now onto the good things. The stencils provided are natural shapes that are easy to achieve. The scissors are also good for dealing with longer eyebrow hairs at the sides of the eyebrow. My favourite part of this set are the three eyebrow powder shades. When I got this first I thought I would need the darkest of the colours, I was however wrong. The middle brown colour was perfect. There are times when I will need to mix the first and second colour to achieve the perfect colour. That is what I like the most about this eyebrow palette. I can mix any of the colours to get the colour that perfectly matches my eyebrow colour.  The powder is also very smooth and soft to blend into my eyebrows.  

Longevity

These eyebrow powders last for ages. When I apply the powder in the morning it will last me all day and even if I go out that night. Therefore the staying power from this is fantastic.

Packaging

I like the packaging on the eyebrow powder as it is simply a flip up top making the eyebrow powder easy to access.  The packaging on the overall product is very simply. It is a simple plastic box with an area to insert each product.

Price

It has been some time since I purchased this but I think it cost approximately €5.99. I got it from TK Maxx. 

Would I buy this again? Yes. I like the eyebrow powder and would like to just purchase this on it's own but I don't think they sell it on it's own so would buy this for the eyebrow powder, as I don't need two sets of the equipment provided.  

Blog Carnival:1 August 2011

Make-up
Elaine Marie presents Definitelybeauty: Urban Decay Naked Palette posted at Definitelybeauty.

Blog - http://definitelybeauty.blogspot.com

Skin care
Thailand Breeze presents Natural Foot Massage On the Beach posted at Thailand Breeze.

Blog - http://thailandbreeze.com

Donna Cullen presents Top Dating Sites » 10 Things That Can Make Feet More Attractive posted at Top Dating Sites.

Blog - http://www.topdatingsites.com

Linda@NHE presents Making Natural Perfumes at Home posted at Natural Health Ezine.

Blog - http://naturalhealthezine.com

Off-topic
cottone louie presents Amy Winehouse Remembered, Investigators Still Clueless on Cause of Death posted at Concert Tickets | Sports Tickets | Broadway Tickets | Opera Tickets | Vegas.

Blog - http://blog.dynamictickets.net

Submit your blog article to the next edition of beauty and cosmetics using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Weekly Quote

“Beauty is a form of genius — is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation. It is of the great facts in the world like sunlight, or springtime, or the reflection in dark water of that silver shell we call the moon.”

—	Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Irish poet and dramatist.