Review: Loreal Miss Hippie Mascara

When it comes to mascara I can't really be budged from the Maybelline Go Colossal Leather Black mascara. But then Loreal released another mascara into their Miss Mega Volume family and my poor Maybelline love has pushed to the side. So today I'm going to talk you through what I love so much about the new Miss Hippie Mega Volume Mascara.

The one thing that makes me love this product so much is the brush. It's a full bristle brush that doesn't taper in or curve in the slightest. It's just your standard straight bristle brush that has a thickness to it that most don't. As well as being a thick brush it has many more bristles than most brushes and each is equally spaced so that there's room for the brush to grab each individual lash as you apply it. And simply that's why the mascara works so well. No fancy brush, no fancy formula claims. Just a simple looking mascara that works wonders on my lashes.

I'll give you a close up of the brush so you can see what I mean.

When I first tried this mascara I didn't do anything different to what I've done with previous mascaras. I curled my lashes like normal and applied as much as I needed to get the desired look. The results were astounding. Where I've had to work with other mascaras to get that fanned out volumised look to my lashes, a few swipes of this brush gave me that look and didn't clump as I applied a second coat. Some mascaras lose their curl after a very short amount of time but I managed to wear this to work for a full shift and my lashes still looked as good when I cam home as when I left home.

The formula of this mascara is very wet so it can easily transfer when you applying or just as it's setting on your lashes but once it's dry it doesn't budge and it takes a good oil based eye make up remover to make sure everything is thoroughly removed at the end of the day. I definitely don't recommend sneezing or using any sort of fixing mist or refreshing spray after applying this. It will end up halfway down your face. It does come in a waterproof version as well but I find them a pain to remove in the evening so stuck with the original. As it's not waterproof, if you cry whether with laughter or because your upset this will run. Some Loreal mascaras don't run even if you have a good cry but this will. However a bit of eye make up remover will tidy it right up and you'd never know the difference.

This is probably one of the shortest reviews I've ever written. And if you've used this product you'll understand why. It's a simple product with brilliant results and there's no other way to describe it. It's going to look stunning in the upcoming months with fresh glowy skin, lashings of this mascara and a sheer tint to the lips. The brush is phenomenal and the formula is a lot better than some of the other mascara releases this year. If you're a fan of their original Miss Manga and the Miss Punky mascaras then I highly recommend checking this out.

Have any of you tried this? Or do you have another mascara recommendation you'd think I'd like? Let me know in the comments.

Top 3: Mascaras

If there's one thing I'm always looking for something bigger and better from it's mascara. As a girl with the straightest lashes ever I always find it hard to find a mascara that actually holds a curl and makes my lashes look somewhat okay. However after trying multiple products I have narrowed it down to my top three mascaras. All of these are available from the high street as mascara is something I don't care to pay loads for.

My first mascara is my all time favourite mascara. It's Maybelline's The Colossal Go Extreme Leather Black. Packed with a mixture of longer and shorter bristles, this brush is tapered to fit the contour of the eye. It has a double pump wand which claims to help add volume but in fact this mascara could do without them as it gives enough definition and volume without double pumping it. I found that when I first opened this mascara I didn't get along with it as was a very wet mascara and did nothing for my lashes. However once it had dried out a little bit I found this gave my lashes beautiful definition and held a curl a lot longer than most mascaras I'd tried. It can be built up to give an extreme dramatic look but for everyday it does fluttery well curled lashes perfectly.

My second pick is the L'Oréal Volume Million Lashes Feline. This would have come top on the list but the formula lets it down. The curved brush has longer bristles on one side and shorter on the other side to give a perfect clump curl to lashes. The ideal use of this brush is to start of with the longer bristles to push the lashes up into the curl and help create volume, then flipping it over to the shorter side to get rid of any clumps and adding that extra oomph if needed. I love the results this mascara gives, it holds my curl even longer than the Maybelline Leather Black and my lashes still look as good at the end of the day as they did in the morning. However the formula lets this product down for me. Whilst it doesn't clump, this formula is very much a wet formula that easily transfers onto my eyelids. If it was slightly drier like my Maybelline Leather Black this would be my ultimate holy grail mascara. Alas it's not but I still love the finish it gives my lashes. 

 And the last pick on my list is Rimmel's Wonder'Full Wake Me Up Mascara. This has another brush that fits to meet the contour of the eye, however this one flares out at each end so it catches even the tiniest of lashes. The shape of the brush gives lashes volume and curl but unfortunately doesn't hold them for long. I like this mascara on it's own but it would work better if partnered with a mascara that does hold a curl better. This one smells like cucumber and really gives the eyes a wide awake feeling. It's a wet formula but unlike the L'Oréal Volume Million Lashes Feline it doesn't transfer onto my eyelids. Definitely one to try if you're looking for more natural lashes. 

So that's it for my top three mascaras. Are any of your favourites on there? Do you have recommendations for me to try? Let me know in the comments.

Review: L'Oréal Volume Million Lashes Feline

I'm not going to lie when I first saw this on the Boots website I was instantly drawn in by the packaging. I'm still a little googly eyed over the packaging but that's just because I love the colour green. However you're not here to read about me rambling about packaging so I'll just jump right into my review.

Apart from the packaging I was immediately drawn in by the brush. It reminds me a lot of the Maxfactor Clump Defy brush but it's a lot more flexible making it easier to wiggle it as you apply it. The brush is curved to fit to the contours of the eye and helps with a precise and smudge free application. I really like how it fits to my eye and the results it leaves. I don't even have to wiggle it much to get the amount of volume I want. I'll insert a close up of the brush so you can see it in more detail.

When it comes to results I'm thoroughly impressed. I have very straight lashes, that struggle to hold a curl on a good day. However since I've been using this product I've found my lashes hold a curl all day long and look the same in the evening as they did when I first did my make up. A lot of it comes down to the brush and how easy it makes it to apply. I hold it so it lines up with the contour of my eye and use the side with the longer bristles to create the intial curl. Once I've repeated the motion I flip it around to the smaller bristles and comb through my lashes to give them some extra oopmh as well as seperating any lashes that may be stuck together.

When it comes to removing I find it can be quite tricky to get rid of every last bit. I usually use a bio phase eye make up remover which gets rid of most of it but come the next morning and I still find tiny flakes of it under my eyes. The flakiness is something that could be a deal breaker for some people but I've personally found that once it's on my lashes it doesn't budge until I remove it in the evening. However it does make for easier removal if you smudge it or get it on the eye lid. Just wait for it to dry and then roll a dry cotton bud over the top and it flakes away.

Not many mascaras get my seal of approval as I'm pretty faithful to my Maybelline favourite but L'Oréal's latest offering definitely does. A brilliant brush that actually does something to the lashes, a formula that holds a curl on the straightest of lashes and shiny (so so shiny) packaging makes it a must have for anyone looking for a new mascara.

Available Exclusively from Boots

May Favourites

It's the last Monday of the month and that means it’s time for me to share the top 5 products I've been loving this month. This month I have a couple have some new favourites with a couple of old ones thrown in. I've also thrown in a random non beauty favourite this month.

Witch- Witch Hazel Bursting Beads Face Wash 
My first favourite is a new find for me. I happened upon it while strolling through the skincare aisle and it immediately caught my attention. It's a gel like formula with tiny balls of Witch Hazel which burst when rubbed into the skin. It leaves skin feeling refreshed as well as removing any bacteria that can cause blemishes. It isn't highly fragranced and doesn't irritate skin. I use it twice weekly to fight any excess make up or bacteria that's lingering on my skin and ever since my skin has felt softer and looked more radiant. 

Kleenex Soothing Nose and Lip Balm 
My second favourite of the month may seem like a strange one but to me is the key to super soft lips. Back when I found this in March/April I was suffering with a cold and my lips were in a terrible condition. No other lip balm worked for me and one day my mum offered me this. I originally tried this on my nose but found it didn't work so then tried it on my lips, don't worry though I made sure it was germ free beforehand. The results on my lips were fantastic, they looked softer, plumper and more hydrated which made it great for when I broke out my matte lipsticks. I think why it works so brilliantly is because there is no petroleum in it which can sometimes just dry lips out more and leave them greasy looking. 

Rimmel Wonder'Full Wake Me Up Mascara 
This mascara made me stray from my absolute favourite Maybelline one. I was originally drawn in by the packaging but was pleasantly surprised when the formula lived up to the hype. Packed with vitamins and soothing cucumber extract this leaves eyes feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Alongside the lash hugging brush that gives and holds a brilliant curl this product has seen more love than any other this month. I talk more in detail about in my review here.

L’Oréal 24hr Infallible Foundation in Porcelain 
This favourite is a long time favourite of mine which I'd originally put away until autumn came back round. However I found myself reaching for this a few weeks back when my usual foundation started to look different on me. This is a medium coverage foundation but can easily be built up to a full coverage. I like to concentrate this on any redness I have, using concealer to cover any other imperfections I want to hide. It's not one I'd advise to use all summer long but if the odd blemish or bit of redness needs concealing this is perfect.
 

Real Techniques Sculpting Brush
First off, please excuse how dirty my brush is. I washed it to take pictures of but ended up using it before I got the photos. This has become my new go to foundation brush. Densely packed bristles make it so so easy to apply pretty much any foundation. I really like the sloped shape of the brush, making it easier to slide in and across certain parts of my face. It worked hand in hand with my Infallible foundation giving me an almost airbrushed finish. My so longed for buffing brush has been left lonely in the pot as I can't stop reaching for it, the synthetic bristles brilliant against my sensitive skin. 

Munroe- Bloodlet 
My random favourite of the month is an EP. Bloodlet is the debut self-titled EP from Kathleen Munroe a.k.a Munroe. It has a very folksy laid back with stunning vocals and lyrics which occasionally lean towards gothic. Each song on the EP is unique and as a whole is very easy to get lost in on repeat. Whilst I love every song my favourite has to be On The Briars, there's just something about the opening notes that just catch my attention immediately. If you like something laid back to listen to I wholly advise you go check it out. I can't wait to see what she does next. 

What were you guys favourites this month? Were any of them the same as mine? Did you have any recommendations? 

Until next time beauties
xoxo

Make Up Haul

Over the last couple of weeks I've picked up a few make up bits, some I've had my eye on for a while and some new releases that caught my eye. So I thought I'd share them with you as quick post between my normal weekly scheldule.

I picked up these two new colour releases from the Barry M Quick Dry Polish collection. There new releases are very summer based, all very bright and some even sparkly. There was only two colours that stood out to me, Need For Speed and Get Set Go. Need For Speed is a bright lavender toned purple and Get Set Go is a bright corally pink shade. Both polishes are opaque in one coat and leave a glossy shine to the nails. These will look amazing with a tan in the summer but for now I'm wearing Get Set Go on my tootsies to brighten them up a bit.

The next product I picked up was another Barry M polish and another new release. From their Gelly Hi Shine range I picked up Sugar Plum this beautiful pink almost raspberry shade. When it comes to these polishes I always make sure I pick up the latest shades when they come out. Thick formula, opaque in one coat and a high gloss finish, these are a must have in my collection. This shade will be beautiful in the summer but can also be used as a transition shade as we come into autumn.

I will admit I picked this up purely for the packaging. However after some reading up on it, I am excited to try this out. With a formula containing vitamins and cucumber, this product is supposed to wake eyes up and nourish lashes. I'm intrigued by this and from the look of the brush it's going to be right up my street. Also it smells of cucumber which is supposed to soothe tired eyes and help them look more awake and refreshed. I will be doing a review on this soon when I've given it a go.

This purchase has been months in the coming. After seeing everyone talking about this I thought it was about time I tried out the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in EastEnd Snob. And I can see why everyone raves about it. I've worn this a couple of times and while I love the colour and the finish, I find the application can be tricky. I've only had it a couple of weeks and have already snapped some of it off. That aside I really like this lip liner and if you're looking for a pinky nude lip then this is definitely what to go for.

This is a new release from Loreal and to begin with I wasn't very interested. I thought that these new Infallible Glosses were exactly that, glosses. However I was pleasently surprised to find that they did matter shades as well. So obviously I had to pick one up. I got the shade Smoke Me Up which a brilliant raspberry pink shade, perfect all year round in my opinion. The applicator reminds of one I've seen from YSL recently and I'm intrigued to see how it applies. As with the mascara I will be doing a full review once I've worn it.

I'm not exactly thrilled by this product but I'm working on ways to make it work. This is the Kate Moss for Rimmel in 101. I've been on a nudey pink lip binge lately and when I swatched this I thought it would be perfect but it doesn't come across like that on the lips. It still looks quite shiny for a matte finish and the shade is one that doesn't quite suit my skintone. However I'm going to try and pair it over EastEnd Snob to see if it neutralises any of the baby pink tones in it.

The last product I picked up is probably a boring purchase to some but I think no one can ever have to many grey/grey toned nail polishes. I love the Colour Show nail polishes from Maybelline and this one is no different. Called Sidewalk Strut this is a part of a new range of nail varnishes releases to celebrate 100 years of Maybelline. Opaque in one coat but absolutley stunning with two coats, this is a beautiful colour that I'm going to wear all year round.

Have any of you tried any of these? Do you have any recommendations?