Benefit Roller Lash Mascara Review

Ladies, what would you say if I told you you could have both long and curled eyelashes without picking up your eyelash curlers or even setting foot in a salon? No, I'm serious; you can! It isn't complicated, and it won't cost you an arm and a leg; all you need is one coat of the newest mascara in town: Benefit Roller Lash.

Roller Lash is a super-curling and lifting mascara, that has been inspired by good old fashioned hair curlers. The mascara wand has little hooks attached to the base of the bristles, which grab on to the lashes as the mascara is applied. This helps to roll the lashes upwards, and results in fabulous long, curled lashes! Benefit call it the 'Hook 'n' Roll'.

The mascara itself contains an instant curve-setting formula, which claims to last twelve hours, and  it also includes pro-vitamins that are known for their lash-conditioning benefits. This mascara sounds too good to be true! I mean, who doesn't want a long lasting mascara that curls and lengthens lashes and keeps them well conditioned?!

I was personally excited to hear of this miracle-working mascara, and when I heard it would be free with this month's Elle magazine, I quickly snapped one up. I was already a fan of Benefit's other mascaras, "They're Real" and "Bad Gal", so I had high hopes for Roller Lash. And... I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint!

In fact, I think it may actually be the best mascara I've ever used! I bloody love it! It noticeably lengthens my lashes and gives them the most incredible curl- and that's without the use of my eyelash curlers! Just take a look at my lashes...

I'm seriously blown away by how well this mascara actually works. I'm wearing just one coat of Roller Lash here, and I did not curl my lashes with an eyelash curler at any point! Amazing, right? You can't argue with results like these! (It usually gives me an even higher lift; too! I've never had lovelier lashes, with or without the use of an eyelash curler.

I forgot to take a before photo, but my lashes are naturally quite flat, and need a little help to curl. I've been a slave to my eyelash curlers since I was eleven because of this, but since I began using Roller Lash, I've not had to use them once!

You'll never need to pick up a pair of curlers as long as you have this mascara in your life!

I've already worn Roller Lash about a dozen times, and I find it stays in place perfectly all day. The curl holds at least twelve hours, and it hasn't yet smudged or bled on to my skin at any point, like some do. Though, thankfully, it does come off really easily with make up remover at the end of the day!

I honestly can't fault Roller Lash one little bit. I'm so impressed with the results that I've become a little obsessed with it. It's become my new favourite staple mascara and I just love wearing it. I'll definitely be buying myself a full sized tube when I've used this little tube up! Two enthusiastic thumbs up from me!

A 3g tube of Roller Lash is available free with Elle Magazine this month, and the full-sized 8.5g mascara is available to buy from Benefit now.

Have you tried Roller Lash yet? What do you think of it?

New Additions to My Make Up Collection November 2013

Hey guys,

Last weekend, I seemed to run out of all of my essential beauty products at once, so I popped in to my local Sainsburys to pick up what I could. Hair dye, leave in conditioner, cotton wool pads, nail polish remover, and some make up all made it in to the basket, along with a few other bits. I thought I'd give you a little peek at the make up I bought before I review them properly at a later date.

So, what did I pick up?

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation in Light Porcelain.

Bourjois Paris Healthy Balance Unifying Powder in Vanilla.

Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara in Glam Black.

Bourjois Paris Color Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in Red Island.

Bourjois Paris Extrait de Fard Intense Eyeshadow in 05.

And also...

Benefit Hoola Lip Gloss 6.5ml. *Free with this month's Elle Magazine.

The only item from this bunch that I have used before is the mascara, which has been my favourite and regular for years now, and I can't rate highly enough. All the other products are new to me, even though I've shopped from all three brands- Maybelline, Bourjois and Benefit- since my teens. 

The eyeshadow and lipstick were impulse purchases; "ooh, pretty new colours to try!"  I swear I have a serious addiction to green eyeshadow! It's my staple make up colour, and I'm not even sorry. 

I did actually need the mascara, foundation and powder, though. Thankfully, I had some Nectar points stored up, and a voucher off my next shop from a previous food shop, so I barely parted with actual money for them all! Now that's shopping I like!

Want a closer look?

Here's a peek at the lip crayon. It's not as bold as it looks in the packaging, but it's a lovely soft red all the same.

The eyeshadow is the most gorgeous dark forest green shade and seems to be well pigmented. I've not worn it, yet, but if it's like other Bourjois eyeshadows, I know we're going to get along well. It would look amazing used for a smokey eye look as an alternative to black.

I gave the powder a quick wear yesterday, and I'm already impressed with it. It's a pretty good colour match for my pale-as-a-picket-fence skin, it feels so soft on my face, and it covers shine without caking in to pores. If it continues to perform this well, I may have found myself the perfect new face powder!

I've been looking to find a new foundation, since the two in my arsenal aren't quite right for my skin tone or type. I already liked the results from the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse blushers, so decided to give one of their foundations a go. There weren't testers of the shades in store, so I had to take a risk. I'm not sure if the shade I picked, the palest available, is too dark for me;  I need to see it on me in natural daylight to come to a conclusion. I hope I'm wrong because it is the softest foundation I've ever had on my skin and I like the light coverage.

This is a swatch of the mini Benefit lipgloss 'Hoola', which was free with Elle Magazine this month. I've always wanted to try it, so I couldn't resist buying the magazine to get the mini sample. It's a subtle gloss with a hint of bronze and a delicate shimmer. There are two other Benefit lipglosses to collect with the magazine, and I'm keeping my eyes pealed for them both.

And, finally, the mascara with the wand which makes my eyelashes look fuller, darker, and longer than any other mascara ever has. Those little bristles don't miss a lash, and it's pretty much perfect.

I'll be reviewing these products properly once I've given them all some wear, but I hope you liked the little peek I gave you today.

Have you tried any of these cosmetics yet? 

Beauty Advent Calendars Christmas 2013

Yes, I said the dreaded C-word. In October. I've tentatively gone there.

Christmas.

Now I know that the mention of the C word before December is generally met with loathing, so no doubt many of you disapprove of a Christmas post so early... but, this topic couldn't wait. Advent calendars.

Long gone are the days when advent calendars were mostly just chocolate filled or illustrated, depicting a nativity scene or the latest cartoon characters. These days advent calendars come in all shapes and forms, including something a little more special for us beauty loving ladies: advent calendars filled with beauty products! Can you imagine waking up to a beauty product a day in the run up to Christmas?! Doesn't that sound too fabulous for words? Yes, you say? Then read on, dear friend. We have much to discuss.

Here's my low-done on this season's beauty advent calendars, starting with the most expensive:

If you want to be a little indulgent this Christmas and like your high-end beauty products, then the Selfridges Christmas Advent Calendar might be exactly what you're looking for. It boasts a selection of mini toiletries from leading brands like Kiehls, Yves Saint Laurent, Georgio Armani, Lancome and more, so it's packed full of luxurious treats to pamper yourself with throughout December. At £84 it's the most expensive beauty advent calendar on the market (that I'm aware of), and though it's obviously not cheap in price, it's also not cheap in quality, and it would make a wonderful treat for yourself or a loved one if you have the pennies to spare.

The set which I am most infatuated with is the Benefit Countdown to Love Advent Calendar. An advent calendar packed full of Benefit goodness. Oh my! I won't lie, when I first heard that Benefit were releasing their own advent calendar, I may have got a tad over excited. Or a lot. Benefit are one of my favourite make up brands, I adore them- but as they're a little pricey I have so many products yet to try. I think this advent calendar, packed full of mini cosmetics and accessories, is a fantastic way of trying out lots of their products without spending a fortune on a full-sized item you're unfamiliar with.

The calendar includes everything shown in the image above, including 21 cosmetics, a bracelet, a necklace, and a barrette for £50, which is reasonable for all those quality products. The calendar is exclusive to Debenhams and Benefit Boutiques in the UK (although it's on the Sephora website here, too), and will only be available in selected stores on the 2nd of November, and online on the 3rd of November. Since the quantity available is very limited, it's sure to sell out fast, so if you're thinking of getting one, go in to Debenhams and have one reserved. I'm seriously considering scrapping the pennies together to treat myself to one, as I would love to wake up to a bit of Benefit every day in the run up to Christmas. I love the look of it, and I think it would be a lovely treat for any Benefit fan or make up aficionado.

Ciaté's Mini Mani Month calendar has to be one of the most coveted beauty advent calendars in the blogging world, and it's not hard to see why. Behind the twenty four windows are twenty-four pots of nail polish to add a little glamour and luxury to your nails in the run up to Christmas, (and in to the New Year). It includes 19 mini paint pots, 2 pots of caviar pearls, 2 pots of sequins, and 1 full sized paint pot in a good selection of colours. It may seem a little pricey at £42, but it's pretty good value considering the price of just one Ciaté paint pot, and it would be perfect for any nail polish fan. This is the second year I've been admiring this set from afar, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to treat myself to it this year. Tempted? You can buy it via Ciaté and ASOS.

Boots have also jumped on the beauty advent calendar bandwagon and have brought out a calendar filled with items from a variety of the brands they stock in store; Soap and Glory, Nails Inc, Juicy Couture, Rimmel and many more. This calendar is the most inexpensive I've seen at just £30, and the product value is actually a whopping £65, so it's incredible value for money! This calendar is the most affordable and one I think will appeal to a wide range of people, and I'm intrigued to know exactly what's behind each window. It's available to buy already on boots.com and you can find it online here.

So those are the four beauty advent calendars on the market this Christmas. Which one do you like the sound of best, and will you be treating yourself to one this year? 

If beauty products aren't really your thing but you still want a grown-up advent calendar, then how about this Yankee Candle Advent Calendar?

I ♥ Fall Tag

I saw this Autumn inspired tag on Sarah's blog and decided to steal the post idea as I was having a bit of writer's block. This tagged post is all to do with Autumn and Halloween. Well, technically, the questions are titled with 'Fall', but I'm English and in England this season is more commonly known as Autumn, so forgive me for answering a Fall question with the word Autumn in my sentences.

1. Favourite Fall lip product?

I have a new found love for Benefit's Benetint lip and cheek stain after getting a small pot of it free with a magazine recently. One coat of it gives a subtle, natural look, but it can also be built up to create a more intense pout. It makes my small lips look so much fuller, and it gets extra points for being versatile and giving my cheeks an English Rose glow, too.

2. Favourite Fall nail polish?

This Autumn I'm really loving Barry M's Raspberry, Racing Green, and Ruby Glitter polishes, and also NYC Backstage Brown. Each colour works so well with my Autumn wardrobe, and even though they're all inexpensive polishes (which are fab as they don't break the bank), they all dry wonderfully smooth, and can remain chip free for days.

Ruby Glitter (Centre), Raspberry (Right)

Racing Green (Right)

Backstage Brown

3. Favourite Starbucks Fall drink?

I'm not much of a Starbucks drinker. I don't drink tea or coffee, and I personally prefer to head to Costa for a sweet treat. On the rare occasion I visit either, it tends to be for a hot chocolate when I'm out shopping and freezing because the temperature is below zero. I do remember loving the hazelnut hot chocolate I once had in Starbucks in Covent Garden, though.

4. Favourite Fall candle?

It's technically designed for the festive season, but during both Autumn and Winter I love the scent of the Christmas Cupcake and Vanilla Cupcake Yankee Candles. They smell like a mixture of vanilla cupcakes and shortbread, and smell delicious. The aroma of cakes baking in the kitchen reminds me of cold dark Sunday afternoons when my Mum would often be baking something delicious in the kitchen, so they give a really comforting, nostalgic smell.

[Source]

 5. Favourite fall scarf or accessory?

I've just purchased myself a new knitted teal snood, and it's so warm and cosy. It's definitely my new favourite accessory, and it's in one of my favourite Autumn colours.

I also adore my navy polka dot scarf, and my cut off crochet Accessorize gloves, which I have in two different colour themes.

[Source]

6. Haunted house, haunted hay ride, or haunted corn maze?

I can't say I've ever experienced any of the above. Halloween was never much of a big deal in England when I was growing up. People are beginning to get in to it more these days, but I've never stumbled up on a 'haunted' social event.

7. Favourite Halloween movie?

Hocus Pocus! I grew up watching it every Halloween, and over the years it's become a tradition to watch it every year. Childish, maybe, but it brings back good memories, and let's face it, nineties kids, it really can't be beat! When I was little, I wanted to be Sarah Jessica Parker's character... what was I thinking?

I love to dig out the Scream saga, and Labyrinth, too.

8. Favourite candy to eat on Halloween?

I don't have a preference or any traditions, as I don't usually make much of a deal out of Halloween, apart from watching movies and occasionally carving a pumpkin... I'm not a big fan of sweets, but you can never go wrong with some Haribo Star Mix or a bar of chocolate.

9. What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

I haven't dressed up for Halloween since I was eleven. If I had somewhere to go and celebrate, I like the idea of dressing up as Amy Ferrah Fowler from The Big Bang Theory. There was a photo of a girl who did just that on Tumblr last year, and I thought the idea was brilliant!

When I was younger, I was usually dressed as a ghost.

My pumpkin from last year.

10. What is your favourite thing about Fall?

I love crunching through dead leaves, buying new clothes, layering, keeping warm in cute gloves and scarves, and knowing Christmas isn't far away. I love how pretty everything looks with a backdrop of colourful leaves, and feeling the frost on my skin on cold mornings. Oh, and ordinarily, I get excited for bonfire night.

 Halloween 2011

What do you love about Autumn/Fall?

Feel free to give this challenge a go, too!

November 2012 In Style Magazine with Benefit Freebies

The November issue of  In Style Magazine (UK) comes with a free Benefit product this month. Like many make up lovers, I love Benefit cosmetics, so I couldn't resist buying two copies of the magazine for the freebies. I gave the extra magazine to my Sister. There are three products to collect, but the third wasn't available when I popped in to my local supermarket. I got my hands on Bene Tint and Sun Beam, and am hoping to pick up the Cha Cha Tint if I can find it, too.

I picked up Company Magazine, too.

The products are 4ml, and worth £7.00 each which isn't bad for a free gift. The full sized versions retail around £24.50 for 12.5ml (price from Benefit's website). I've always wanted to try these products but never had, so I saw these freebies as the perfect opportunity to test them out without breaking the bank.

The samples are roughly the size of my stubby little thumbs. They're small, but not bad for a sample size, and I think they'd last for a couple of months of regular use. The packaging is plastic, and pretty basic looking. I dare say the matte gold Sun Beam packaging is a little cheap looking. Bene Tint is a little more visually pleasing with it's transparent pot.

Sun Beam is a golden bronze complexion highlighter. Perfecting for highlighting the cheek and brow bones.

Bene Tint is a rose-tinted lip and cheek stain. It does what it says on the tin.

Sun Beam unscrews to reveal a brush in the lid, much like a nail polish pot, and appears to be a very vibrant golden colour. I'm better acquainted with pinker highlighters, so I was interested to see if this would suit my complexion.

Bene Tint also has a nail-polish-like brush in the lid, and on first glance it appeared to be a dark red.

When applied to my very fair skin, the Sun Beam highlighter gives a lovely iridescent bronze shimmer. It's really quite a subtle shimmer, but still provides a natural looking glow to my cheeks and brow bones. It was very light and easy to blend, and I found a little goes a long way.

 Bene Tint also surprised me. When I applied it to my lips like a lip gloss, it was much subtler than I was expecting. It was perhaps a couple of shades darker than my natural pink lip colour, which gave a very natural, healthy look. The stain before blending could be compared to strawberry stains. I then applied a few strokes of the brush to the apples of my cheeks and blended it along my cheekbone towards my ears. It was very easy to blend and I'd say it gives you about ten seconds to play with before it dries. What I was left with was a lovely English Rose glow.

Both products gave me a natural base that would probably make others think I wasn't wearing make up at all, but had had a really good night's sleep.

*Gross cotton wool pad after shot photo*

I also found both products came off easily with a little cleanser. I was left with only a pale mark from the lip and cheek stain on my hand, which had faded away by the morning.

Overall, I'm very impressed with both products, and am certain I'll buy the full sized cosmetics when I've used the samples up. I'm particularly taken with Bene Tint and love the way it makes my cheeks and lips look.

I'm sure there are still some copies of the November In Style Magazine around, so it's worth keeping your eyes open for it, because the freebies are great.

Have you used Bene Tint and/or Sun Beam before? What did you think?

P.S. I'm sorry I didn't include photographs of the products on my face; it just not a pretty sight at the moment.

"You can buy all the make up that Mac can make"

Today, I'm going to do something a little different and stray from my usual fashion musings and OOTDs. I've scheduled this little post for you.

I haven't really posted much about make up in the short time I've been blogging. When I posted a make up look last month for the blogging challenge, I had such positive lovely feedback, and Hannah from Daisies & Dr Martens asked to see more posts like it. Of course, I was more than happy to oblige.

Wearing make up has been a daily ritual of mine since my age reached double digits. I've always loved playing around with different colours and different looks; not because society has told me I need to wear make up to be accepted, but because I genuinely enjoy wearing it. To me, make up is just another part of fashion and personal style. I don't wear it because I'm told I look ugly without it, or because I'm told to hide my 'flaws'. It's just another part of my outfit, and I feel undressed without at least a coat of mascara. Anyone who encourages me to hide behind a mask of make up can take the high road! 

I've barely worn make up during my injury, and I can honestly say I've missed wearing it these nine months. Creating a look for this post was a real pleasure.

I set up the products and tools I thought I'd need. I forgot to add my blusher brush, and completely forgot to use my eyelash curlers, though. Can you tell I'm a little rusty?

I'd also recommend having tissues, cleansing wipes, or cotton wool to hand for any mistakes or stray product. Natural light is best for applying, but I'm sure you're all skilled at applying make up in poor light, and in moving vehicles on the way to work... or is that just me?

These are the products used to create the look, numbered in the order I used them. I only used the eye shadow brush this time, as well as a blusher brush, but it's always handy to have different brushes for shading and lining the lids. A good quality set of brushes are a good investment and should last a life time.

Products used:

1. Benefit Some-Kind-a-Gorgeous lite.

2. Benefit Powder Pop (Dandelion, Dallas, and Hoola powders).

3. The Body Shop Pressed Face Powder 01.

4,5,6. Inglot (my customised freedom palettes).

7. Bourjois Paris Contour Clubbing Waterproof liner in 45 Blue Remix.

8. Bourjois Paris  Regard Paillete Sparkling Eyeliner 34 Vert Stupefiant.

9.Maybelline New York The Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof.

I don't confine myself to just one brand. I love shopping around for great products. I love Inglot, Benefit, The Body Shop, Maybelline, L'Oreal, Mac, Too Faced, Bourjois, Urban Decay... to name but a few.

Okay... let's get started.

Straight from the shower, I've cleansed, toned and moisturised my skin. I like to apply my base when my skin is still a little damp, as it absorbs the product better.

At the moment, I'm using Benefit's 'Some Kind-a-Gorgeous lite' which is a light foundation that sets like a powder when applied to the skin. It doesn't feel heavy, as so many foundations do, so my skin can still breathe. I use the provided make up sponge to apply a light layer all over my face.

(I had to skip the under eye concealer step, as I'm all out. I use one from The Body Shop).

I decided to go for a pink blusher today. I chose to use 'Benefit Powder Pop'. Using a blusher brush, I gently swept the lighter shade, 'Dandelion', from the outer apples of my cheeks along the cheekbone area until I was happy with the definition. I then blended a light amount of the darker shade 'Hoola' over the top towards the end of the cheekbones (nearer the ears). I followed this by using a translucent  Body Shop powder over any shiny areas, such as my chin and nose.

As I've always been blessed with good skin, I keep my base light. I don't always wear foundation, and when I do I often mix it with moisturiser to tone it down (especially in the summer). It's difficult to find the right shade for my very pale skin. I'm never going to have a flawless base due to my millions of freckles, so I just go with it. I use an under eye concealer to hide dark circles; go easy on the blusher to prevent looking like a clown; and use a powder to blot out shiny areas. If I'm out and about in the summer, I'll usually switch foundation for suncream.

I didn't have a specific look in mind when I set out these Inglot palettes. More often than not I make it up as I go along. I'm pretty experimental. For the lid, I've used two shades of turquoise, one lighter than the other, and a lime green. I chose the colours as I was wearing a turquoise and coral outfit.

Using

1. Sweep over the entire lid until bright and evenly coloured.

2. Shade the outer 3rd or so of the lid to create definition.

3. Using a damp eye shadow brush, highlight the inner corner of the lid and lower lash line.

Using:

4. Line the upper and lower lash lines/lids.

5. Line the inner lower lash line.

6. Generously coat the upper and lower lashes.

I started by sweeping the lighter turquoise shade all over the lid, and built it up until it was evenly coloured.  This photo shows the first step, and my lashes in their natural state. I find a damp brush will make the colour more intense.

And the end result...

First step... end result when the green was still damp... and end result after a bit more blending.

I personally think eye make up doesn't need to be too neat, but I should have touched up the green a little before snapping these photos. My hair had just been washed and dried, which always leaves stray strands of hair in my fringe, and I'm over due a trim, so sorry for the messy fringe!

After taking a few photos, I realised the green needed a bit of blending, so I went back to the dressing table to fix it. (Top left, bottom right show final results).

And a rare glimpse at my scary face! As you can see, the base is subtle, and I've left my lips untouched to tone the look down.

And, voila!

Sorry for the really long post. I hope you've enjoyed reading it. If this is something you'd like to see more of in the future, leave me a message and let me know what you think!

Do you wear coloured eye make up, or do you prefer natural shadows? Or do you avoid eye make up altogether?