mascara – Clairey Sweetie

Hey Sweeties,

Recently I was lucky enough to win (through Twitter) a competition to receive the Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara and the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner. Until this, I had only tried one other Stila product in the past which was the Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner (review here), which I received in the Latest in Beauty Glamour Party Beauty edit box a couple of Christmas’ ago (review here); to this day still one of the best beauty boxes I have ever purchased/received!

I’ve got to be honest, when I first opened the Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara and saw the wand applicator, with its large head and clumpy bristles, I was sceptical that it was going to give the kind of finish I like and also be true to its name. But how wrong I was, this is a gorgeous mascara and it absolutely lives up to what it says on the tin -huge, extreme lashes, and the wand coats product without clumping; it’s amazing!

The eye liner, it’s got to be said, applies like a dream –it’s so easy and quick to do! I love the pen shape of the product which makes it really easy to hold, and the nib is lovely and fine so it will work for those that like to lightly define their eyes, as well as for those like me who like a dramatic wing/cat eye flick, as you can of course build the thickness. The product also lasts really well and once it’s applied you can pretty much leave it for the rest of the day without worrying that it has smudged, I even played hockey the other night and it all stayed beautifully in place.

Stila as a brand sit a little bit on par with Benefit for price point, so while their ranges are affordable and good quality, they do sit at the higher end of the high street scale. The Huge Extreme Lash mascara is about £18, and the eye liner ranges between £13-14.50 depending on where you shop, but both are available on Amazon.

Have any of you tired either of the Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara or Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner? Thoughts?

Until next time x

Hey Sweeties,

So I can finally reveal a top secret launch I attended back in December in London with Benefit and Elle magazine! I can finally reveal that Benefit’s brand new launch is Roller Lash -a mascara that hooks, lifts and curls!

On 11th December, we (a select group of Elle Insiders) were asked to meet outside Marble Arch at 5:30 on a chilly Thursday evening… We were told to look out for a lorry which ‘we couldn’t miss’. The fact is you could miss it as it was dark but once through the famous arch there it stood in the darkness, full of mystery of what was to be revealed behind the exterior.

Inside, the trailer had been turned into a 1940-50s esque salon, all pink and vibrant! We were welcomed by Maggie and Annie Ford Danielson -the daughters of Jean Ford/Nieces of Jane Ford aka. the famous Ford Twins and original founders of Benefit no less!- and were soon handed glasses of champagne and trays of canapés made the rounds.

We were then introduced to Roller Lash!!

Keeping it simple, the idea behind this mascara is to eliminate the need to curl your lashes before applying mascara as this product quite simply does it for you (yes really!). If you think about the way hair curlers work, the same theory applies here. On the applicator, the wand tip -the Hook ‘n’ Roll Brush– despite appearing similar to other mascara applicators, has the unique new feature of tiny little hooks that as you apply product to your lashes, the brush hooks each individual lash and “delivers super-culing and lifting performance”. Sceptical? Yes us Insiders were too… until we were given the product to try to ourselves. And oh my does it curl!

Firstly, you would think that to hook and curl lashes upon application may be uncomfortable? … no Sweeties, no. The applicator is very light and yet the effect that follows is witnessed instantly as just one rolling coat opens up the eyes and defines your lashes as if you were using the best of the best eyelash curlers. It really is quite incredible.

One of my favourite things about the product is the packaging! If you remember my earlier point about the inside of the Benefit trailor/lorry being all styled around a 40s-50s salon and the hair curler theory, the packaging is of course in keeping with this. Above I have included photos both from the event and (below) of the product I have been sent in order to try and really show off to you this new mascara. I really like the combination of black and pink and the handle of the applicator is lovely and grippy to hold.

This is the 4th Elle Insider event I have attended (in 2014) and it was great this time to start getting recognised by Elle staff, Lisa Potter-Dixon (Benefit’s Head Makeup Artist) and then meeting up again with fellow insiders. I would like to say a special THANK YOU to Elle for providing subscribers like myself these types of opportunities as it really is great to get involved!

Nothing quite like standing between 2 stunningly beautiful ladies to make you feel like a frump!

Until next time x

Hey Sweeties,

It seems routine that all beauty bloggers, aspiring beauty bloggers and people that are just generally interested in beauty, on a monthly or at least regular basis post about their beauty favourites of that past month or of recent times. So why not join in eh?

This past month one of my favourite beauty products has been Maybelline’s Super Stay 24H Waterproof Powder (40 Fawn) which isn’t as exciting as some mascara’s and lip products I have been using, but from having quite low expectations when I bought it, I have been thoroughly impressed with the powder of which I am keen to rave.

For years I have been using Mac’s Mineralize Skin Finish (medium) and until recently never thought to try anything else. I was looking to replace my Mac powder with something lighter on the skin, less matte looking and more purse friendly. Also just for the sake of exploring a bit of what’s out there and not just sticking to what I know, I needed change! On my new face powder mission I expected to leave the shop with a product from the Rimmel collection after hearing so much about them but actually, just by doing a quick in store test I wasn’t convinced it was the product for me which is how I stumbled upon Maybelline’s Super Stay 24h powder.

The packaging doesn’t scream “buy me” but for £6.99 it was worth a punt and I am so pleased I did. It’s light and smooth on the skin and although I debated shades ‘nude’ or ‘fawn’ (I eventually settled with fawn), it works fantastically with my skin tone and lasts all day. It’s one of my favourite beauty products at the moment on the basis that it was such a surprise to so love using it and actually, because I found it by myself without direction or influence from another blogger/ beauty review assuming that because they like it I would.

The second beauty item I am really enjoying at the moment is the Bourjois Beauty’ Full volume black khôl mascara which I got as part of a gift set with my Company magazine subscription.

I was a bit unsure before using it as the applicator didn’t fill me with confidence that it would apply all that nicely but actually, really rather impressed! My usual mascara of choice (as you have no doubt seen) is Maybelline’s the Falsies volum’ Express, black drama and/or Benefit’s They’re Real. I like thick, black lashes and it has been a real mission finding the mascara’s to achieve this on the high street but I think between these three I am pretty much there!

I was a bit fearful that the Bourjois mascara would be a bit pricey (by ‘pricey’ I mean over £10) but when I was last in Boots I had a quick look and was pleased to see it can be purchased for the purse friendly amount of £7.99! Of course for the right item I will spend more but while I am on such a tight spending limit with anything right now, price really does play a large part in my product selection, especially if I am trying something new. I also feel that the high-street has so much to offer that unless the product really is truly and utterly fantastic, quality products can be purchased for under a tenner each and there’s no need to spend more.

Until next time x

Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara & Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner | Review

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