Anastasia of Beverly Hills Lash Genius review

I know that I told you all I'd be trialing an Anastasia brow product a long time ago. Well due to issues in getting samples out to bloggers I ended up getting my parcel quite a few months later than expected but with the fantastic bonus of another product to try. I have been dying to try this because when I heard about it, it seemed far too good to be true.

Anastasia Soare's beauty range Anastasia of Beverly Hills has made bold claims with their new Lash Genius. This product primarily works to waterproof your favourite existing mascara. It is a topcoat that according to their website "instantly waterproofs, refreshes, and protects any mascara all day." I must say that I was a little skeptical but excited by this idea. With the summer coming, I couldn't wait to take this product and put it through its paces. On its own Lash Genius simply looks like a mascara in some rather nice packaging, but don't let that deceive you.

Apart from a slightly chemical smell in the tube (didn't notice it at all though from the wand), the product is clear gel-like and didn't irritate my eyes upon application. The brush has quite stiff comb-like bristles and while I was worried it might not cover all my lashes, it actually managed to get through my slightly stiff and already clumped lashes without much trouble. The stiff bristles actually helped it get to the roots really well. I strongly approve of any brush that lets me get to the roots of my lashes properly so this is a tick in my book.

So here is my everyday eye makeup. I had trouble finding a decent shot of this as by this stage in my photos I might have already applied the product. Can you tell? No? Me neither. What I'm wearing as my usual daily mascara is actually a combination of 2true's Voluptulash and Accessorize's lengthening mascara ... because I like to be awkward. Now I personally know that this combination isn't at all waterproof so I was really interested to see what would happen next.

Now the eye with two heavy coats of Anastasia's Lash Genius applied here is on the left. One application of the product actually helped define my already applied mascara and only after two very heavy coats did I notice the lashes looking at all like they had been moved. Lash Genius did very little to disturb the product that was already there and I don't feel I lost the desired effect of my chosen mascaras. All I notice is my lashes are slightly more bouyant? Between each application I left a few minutes for this to dry as I would a mascara - just to give it a fighting chance. This second shot is literally taken about a minute before I threw a lot of water at my face.

In the picture below however, it's fairly obvious which eye has the Lash Genius on! There is no visible product migration from the left eye and yet on the right hand side I'm sporting the panda look. There are actually droplets of water on my lashes and yet the black pigment on the left hasn't moved. I even screwed my eyes up for good measure before I took this in order to fully simulate what having a good cry looks like. The staying power is quite incredible and although my lashes themselves moved a bit after a soaking, the product did. not. budge.

Having left my eyelashes to dry out naturally after this, the eye with a topcoat on looks simply a little clumpier than before and not panda-esque at all. Even having given it a good rub just now nothing came away. I haven't had any real irritation at this stage although by now I'm quite aware that the makeup is still there. However normally I would at least blot my eyes! My current mascaras when combined don't normally fare as well and there was no flaking, smudging or smudging of any kind. Removal with a makeup wipe was actually slightly better than what I normally experience with my daily mascara.

If you plan on visiting a pool, beach, the movies (Monsters Inc. gets me every time) or any other venue where you might not be able to guarantee a dry eye this Summer; I'm fairly sure that this product could literally save your face! As a precautionary measure, it works perfectly. I know that my Mum has very sensitive eyes and real trouble with mascara migrating, so I'm fairly certain this would probably solve her problems too. As for me, I know exactly when I'd wear this. There happens to be a hot-tub in my boyfriend's back garden so this will be in my makeup bag for the rest of the Summer!

The Anastasia Lash genius costs $21 and can be purchased here and their shipping is worldwide! Other Anastasia of Beverly Hills products are also available at Sephora. I also have my Anastasia brow review coming up soon!

Chit Chat mascara

So the other day I bought a mascara. Not really that much of a big deal. I guess you could say it looks like a lot of other mascaras out on the high street at the moment. The difference? This mascara is part of a relaunched Chit Chat makeup range I spotted in Poundland.

While you're probably thinking I only ever buy makeup in pound shops, I'll be deflecting your attention to the brush. The reason I picked this up was that I strongly suspected a mahoosive mascara wand... and I was right. While the formula itself is really wet, the large brush is what made me try this product. I'm not normally one for brushes as big as this but at the moment my current daily mascara is giving up the ghost and I'm all for experiments. For £1, I could definitely justify trying this out.

Now here is the obligatory creepy 'before' photo of my eye with no makeup on to show my natural lashes. What you can see below is the after.

The plus points of this mascara are the price, pigmentation and lengthening properties. With one tiny dab of the wand, my lashes were instantly black. Applying this in gradual thin coats seems to be the way forward (which as you might be able to see from my sloppy application, I didn't quite manage) and so it definitely does do what it says on the tin. The wand reached the base to the tip of my lashes fine, however I did really have trouble with the wetness of the formula. Once it was on, it seemed to get everywhere. I also had an issue with getting mascara on my eyelids, which is a pet hate of mine. Finally when I was taking this off earlier, I got major panda eyes thanks to the uber pigmentation. Perhaps it might not be so great if it rains?

If you compare this to my previous review and photos of the Maybelline New York One by One mascara the photos don't actually differ too much. I'd say that the One by One covers my lashes individually and adds more volume. It also adds a lot more control. But if you can be more careful with your application than I was I'm sure the results would be pretty close.

I'll definitely keep playing with this mascara because despite its flaws I have yet to try a better mascara for as many pennies. I almost feel I'll regret saying that when it comes into contact with the air a little bit, it'll probably be better, because I don't want this to die off too soon! Personally I like a little bit more control and volume in a mascara but when I applied this over a base it really gave a lot more impact to the look. Either way I can still see myself reaching for this quite a bit. For £1, I can't really argue with that. Will any of you be checking out the revamped Chit Chat range?

MUA professional matte foundation

Finding a foundation is never an easy task. I spend forever in shops trying to swatch as many as possible but still seem unsure of what to buy. Due to how pale and pink my skin is, I have trouble finding a light shade that'll even out the pink without making me look like a ghost. After quite a bit of swatching in superdrug on Saturday, I couldn't resist trying the new MUA professional matte foundation for £2 and I'm so glad I did!

The shade has enough yellow tone to even out some of the pink in my skin. It is what I've been looking for shadewise - a non-orange and non-ashy shade, that's sheer enough to blend with my skin whilst providing decent coverage. The consistency of this foundation is quite thick, but it doesn't settle into every dry area of my combination skin and similarly it doesn't instantly dry patchily on my skin. It takes a while to blend in due to the thick, slightly tacky consistency to apply it (I use my hands to apply foundation 99% of the time) but once it's on, it has great coverage without making me look like I'm wearing a mask. 

I was surprised by how light it felt as one major problem with cheap foundations I've swatched seems to be the strange muddiness and dodgy formulas. I didn't find it drying but I would note some shine and fading (mostly under my eyes where I normally conceal) after about 6 hours of wear. Also, despite the fact that it was quite a thick formula, I didn't need immense amounts of the product because it could be blended before drying out. I don't mind the fact that it wasn't as matte as I was expecting but I would say for those with particularly oily skin, it might not be the best idea. Above is a swatch of the foundation straight out of the tube and below it is blended right out.

So here are the all important before and after photos. Firstly, I'm going to warn you outright that I'm wearing absolutely no makeup in this photo. Zilch. Nada.

So there it is, and I even have a spot for the occasion! Aren't you all lucky. Now, I'd like you all to compare this monstrosity to the photo below, where I'm wearing only MUA's professional matte foundation in soft sand. This product boasts it is "velvet smooth" and will leave a "long-lasting finish."

 

I have to say I was seriously surprised to see such a difference. The redness in my cheeks and around my nose has been reduced (which is something that I suffer from all year round). Also, the dark shadows under my eyes have been pretty considerably reduced. While I do look a little shiny, I actually don't think I look like I'm even wearing makeup. There are still quite a few freckles and admittedly that great big blemish visible, but I think that this foundation covers what I seek to cover. While I wouldn't describe this effect as matte, it was definitely smooth and I'm seriously impressed for £2!

Now this last photo is just me with a dusting of collection 2000's powder over the top which is my every day cheap powder product. Instantly the dewiness is toned down and my skin looks matte and even. While I normally top up my foundation and powder combination with a touch of concealer (yes spot, I'm looking at you) I think that for £2 this is great. After a day of wear today, I can probably say that it did probably fade somewhat around my nose and  undereye area but I'm not adverse to topping up with powder to mask shine. For £2 I think this is a nice and light formula and cheap alternative in a sea of dodgy foundations.

Maybelline New York one by one mascara

So after something of a break from spending and blogging, I'm back! I'm sorry for the lack of warning but I'd like to say thank you for the continued support that has been trickling in during my absence. I hit 100 followers today and I'll take that as a hint to shut up, knuckle down and get on with the reviewing!

I never really thought that I'd review many mascaras for this blog simply because I don't own or buy many! I try to stick with an everyday mascara with a good wand for defining and not too wet a formula that doesn't clump or crumble away. I use it until it runs out and then I panic. The process of buying mascaras is a painful one because apparently, finding a product that fits all of my criteria is nigh on impossible! No matter how many reviews and swatches I look at, I still feel utterly befuddled in the shops.

When I bought this mascara on impulse, it was pretty out of character but I had my reasons. For starters it was the last one on the display! Despite the fact that I had read no reviews of it, I'd heard good whisperings about Maybelline mascaras in general. Priced at £6.49 (reduced from the regular price of £8.49) at Superdrug it was cheaper than the Rimmel option I was looking at and there was one glorious selling point that won me over in the end. Encased in the plastic packaging, for all the world and I to see... was the mascara wand.

For me the make or break part of any mascara is the wand. While I mostly ignore adverts, claims, the names (this one especially is a mouthful) and the differences in price, I can't compromise on the wand. I'm not a fan of giant clumpy bristles and I don't think I could work with a tiny comb so it totally mystifies me as to why 90% of the products I could have bought that day didn't show me what I consider to be the main selling point!

I'm highly reluctant to buy a mascara - budget or otherwise - only to open the tube and find a product I just can't work with! So when I looked at the Maybelline display and actually saw this wand with the rigid defining effect of a comb but the chance to get greater coverage, I handed over my cash for the snappily titled Maybelline New York the one by one volum' express mascara. Try saying that when you're tired!

When it comes to mascaras I am firmly of the belief that everyone has different preferences, so showing is often far better than telling. One person's holy grail item can be another's clumpy nightmare so for illustrative purposes in all its bloodshot glory here is one of my eyes with no makeup. For comparison purposes, this is what my lashes look like naturally...

And here is my other eye with the Maybelline mascara and  perhaps a little bit of undereye concealer. Now the difference is pretty impressive to me. My lashes look well defined and an awful lot longer without looking spidery! The clumps I experienced with this formula were minimal although I'd definitely say that as it is new and rather wet a little goes further than I thought it would. The rigidness of the wand allows me to get the product right to the base of my lashes and comb it outwards from there.

All in all I'd consider this to be money very well spent and this is now my new everyday staple. Due to the newness and the fact that very little air has reached the product, I allow my lashes a little while to dry and apply light coats rather than one heavy one just because I am that picky about clumps. I'm rather pleased with this purchase and strongly feel that other brands are missing a trick by not giving the people what they want and showing off their wands! What do you all think of the before and after here?