Grandiose Eye Liner

Hi all! Today I am reviewing the new Lancome Grandiose eye liner that launched a few weeks ago.

If you have read my blog, you may have seen that the Grandiose mascara blew my mind and jumped straight to my number one mascara beating Benefit's 'They're Real' and the 'Chanel volumizing mascara. You can read a review of that here: Lancome Grandiose Mascara

What makes the Grandiose mascara so individual is the swan neck wand, which is a theme they have continued to the eye liner.

The ball point handle means you can have it straight or create angles with the brush making it SO easy to apply. If you have trouble with eye liner, or maybe you just want an easy alternative, then this product is perfect for you.

Clicking the wand into different angles means getting a continous line into the inner corner of the eye  is a breeze.

It is also a great angle to go as a guide line for the outer cat flick

The reason I commited and bought this liner was because I tried the new three shades on my hand and they lasted all day even after washing my hands and going about my day. The eye liner comes in the classic black, a beautiful brown and a stunning blue.

 It is also worth mentioning that the launch of this liner comes with a new edition of the mascara, the Grandiose extreme, which I will realistically be buying very soon as well, as it is longer lasting, even blacker than the original mascara, and promises to give even more oomph. Along with that, there is also a new eyebrow mascara which comes in 3 shades from blonde to brown, and also a clear gel for the fair haired or if you prefer no colour.

I absolutely love this product. My only flaw would be that I find the formula slightly dry, so I keep having to dip into the pot a lot to charge up the wand when applying, but I think that dry formula is what makes it stay longer compared to a wetter liquid eye liner.

This eyeliner retails at £23.00 at all Lancome suppliers.

Holiday Essentials 2014

So as you probably know by now, I just got back from a Summer holiday in Corfu, and I took along lots of cosmetics I haven't taken on holiday before, so I thought I would give you a little insight to my holiday routine!

(I realise now I write this, that photographing the products in the order of which they should be used would have been heaps easier but alas, we will have to make do!) 

Skin

When on holiday a lot of things tend to go slack, such as eating well, trying not to drink every day of the week, exercising less and not doing the usual makeup routine. One thing I do not let slack though, is my skin care routine. I do NOT want to look like a shrivelled raisin at the age of 30, so I took along all my usual skin care basics, just slightly more tailor made to the sun.

• Neal's Yard Facial Wipes - I don't usually use face wipes as they're packed with alcohol and dry the skin, but these Neal's Yard wipes are 100% natural and organic, and are made with rose water which is perfect for skin that's been in the sun. It is very soothing and sweeps away all traces of makeup, plus they're travel size friendly. Apologies for not having my own picture I threw away mine when it was finished!
• Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Correcting Serum - Usually at home I use the S.O.S hydrating serum from Caudalie, but the Vinoperfect serum adds radiance to the skin, as well as evening out skin tone and helping you tan more evenly. I applied this under my moisturiser every day.
• Caudalie Cleansing Milk - I used this little travel sized remover at the end of the day to remove all the grime from my face. I found it didn't remove my makeup very well with the Greek water (sounds ridiculous but it removes makeup fine at home!) but it was still nice to wash my face with, as it is lightweight and sweet smelling.
• Caudalie VinoSource Moisturising Sorbet - I love the name of this product! This was the moisturiser I used for the day on top of the serum, so my skin felt hydrated for the imminent drying affects of the sun. This is so lightweight so went on lovely under my sun cream.
• Caudalie Grape Water This fantastic little multi tasker is a great toner, skin soother, and general face cooler-downer. I had this next to me at night to spray over myself when the heat got to much.

Hair

I would never wash my hair everyday under usual circumstances, but on holiday it is a necessity! These are the products that kept my mane in tact.

• Aveda Smooth Infusions Conditioner - (This is exactly why I should have pictured the products in the right order!) This Aveda conditioner is a perfect little burst of moisture for the hair after a day of scorching it. This was a perfect travel sized and went on perfectly after my
• Aveda Sun Care Shampoo - I had never used a specific shampoo for sun and sea removal, but I am really glad I did. This made my hair feel normal again after a day of drying salt and chlorine. I would highly recommend a shampoo like this, especially if your a swimmer and need this kind of shampoo regularly.
• Number 4 Comb Prep and Prepare- This is the hair product I got in my Birchbox which I recieved the other day. I won't say all the same things again, but this was really good at detangling my hair before I used my Tangle Teezer on it, and it has UV protection in it which meant my hair was prepped for the next day of sun exposure.
• Aveda Smooth Infusion Perfectly Straight - I didn't use this product every night as I didn't want to waste it, but I have reviewed this product before which you can read here. This just took the edge off my naturally curly wavy hair so I could wear it down on some evenings without looking like a total nutter.

Makeup

Finally, my makeup routine is somewhat shortened, as it seems silly to cake on the foundation when its hot and sticky, and also not to take advantage of the sun tanning and clearing your complexion naturally anyway. I never wear makeup in the day on holiday, and I will only wear a minimal amount in the evening.

• Ren Satin Perfection BB Cream -  I used this as a moisturiser and face base in the evening. I used this as it still has an SPF 15 for when the sun is still out in the early evening. This cleverly adapts to your natural colour so will look right throughout the whole holiday, and is like a lightweight version of foundation.
• Eyeko Eyeliner Pen - I really love an eyeliner pen and will use this on its own in the evening for a easy to do makeup look. The pen means it easy to use and requires minimal effort.
• Clinique High Impact Mascara - This travel size is perfect for the makeup bag and lengthens and coats each lash making them natural but not too much.
• Cream Eyeshadows - If I really want to make a special effort, I will use some cream eyeshadows to make more of a statement with my eyes. The balmy consistency means they're easy to go on and don't take up much room in your luggage with brushes etc. Here, I used my 'Wild About Beauty' colour from my birch box as a base, and then added my 'Maybelline Colour Tattoo' on top for a pop of shimmer.

What are your Summer Holiday essentials?

Maybelline Eye and Brow Makeup

When I go into Boots, I usually ending up just picking up the product I need, without taking much notice of the brand they are from. Recently I have really enjoyed all the products I have been using on my eyes, and I came to realise that they are all from Maybelline.

My favourite product of all the goodies, has got to be the liquid eye liner pen.

This pen is so good and precise and gives you a perfect cat eye flick so effortlessly. The nib is really thin and can easy draw on thin lines, and also a thicker line for more dressed up occasions.

The colour is really good, although you have to go over it a few times to get that really jet black colour.

The other eyeliner I have tried is the kohl pencil, which I received in my latest GlossyBox. I tend to use liquid eyeliners more, but this one is good at adding a touch of smoke to the eye. I use this mostly on my top lid line to reach under the lashes where the pen can't quite get too.

The next product I also received in my GlossyBox at Christmas (which I am yet to review, apologies). The Smokey Eyes, colossal volume mascara is what I am using at the moment.

I wouldn't say this mascara gave me 'colossal volume', but adds more length. It isn't the best mascara I've used but it is good for everyday wear.

My next favourite products are the colour tattoo eye shadows from Maybelline. They stay on amazingly well hence the tattoo part name of the product, but they are not stubborn when it comes to removal.

  I first tried the gold colour and fell in love with it. It adds a really subtle shimmer which instantly brightens the eye.

I was so impressed I went out and bought 'pomegranate' which I must say I am not as overwhelmed with as the colour isn't as dense on the eye as it came out on the swatch. It looks amazing on my friend who has darker hair so that may be why it doesn't pop as much on me?!

Next are the eyebrow products. With celebrities like Keira Knightley, Cara Delevingne, and the Olsen twins rocking the bushy eyebrow look, eyebrows are becoming quite a statement maker. I must admit that only up until recently I have never really bothered with making up my eyebrows, but now I have started I won't be able to stop. The maybelline eyebrow pencil is double ended and has a small eyebrow brush one end and your colour of choice on the other. I went for dark blonde which is perfect for my eyebrow but in these pictures it looks slightly ginger. The pencil is really soft and smudges really easily so you don't have dramatic lines all over your eyebrows.

It is perfect for filling in gaps to make the brows look more even, and the little brush neatens them all up and keeps them together.

The final product I want to show you is the eyebrow wand. To be used just like a mascara, you sweep the wand over your eyebrows to hold them in place so they don't stray. There is a slight colour to the product so again you need to choose one that suits you, but it is not dark at all and just adds a bit more depth. It leaves a slightly crispy residue on the eyebrow but nothing uncomfortable or unsightly, it just keeps the eyebrow in place.

Have you tried any of the Maybelline products above? Or can you suggest any others to use? I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment below.

Lorde Eye Makeup

Lorde is an up and coming artist for 2014, with her single 'Royals' already storming the charts. I got her album for Christmas and I love her voice and music. Hearing her voice, as well as seeing how stunningly beautiful she is, its safe to say I have a pretty big girl crush on her. I first saw the video to 'Royals' a few days ago and was instantly captivated by the eye makeup she is wearing in some scenes.

I have recreated the look the best I can and think it is a really cool alternative to the usual cat eye flick. 

I started by using concealer on my eye area, and using powder to set everything so it was dry. With an eyeliner brush, and using the black eye shadow from my Benefit Smokey Eyes set, I drew a thick line from the outer eye.

I then used a bigger brush, and filled in a triangle from the base of my top lash to form a thicker flick.

Using the same brush, I dragged the shadow from the top of the flick, into the crease of my eye which is created when I open my eye.

To clean up the edges and make it really sharp, I used an eyeliner pen to trace around the triangle. I find these pens are perfect for precision.

Using powder and a concealer brush, I cleaned up the edges and created a more obvious colour contrast between black and white on the eye lid.

I love how this looks like a normal flick from the outer eye at first. But when the eye is shut or blinking, it adds a bit more interest to the eye. I could probably afford to go further into the eye crease, but as Lorde is in a music video, I think this slightly more subtle option would be appropriate for normal day to day wear.

Here is the song if you haven't heard it already

enjoy!

September Glossy Box

This if my first GlossyBox  review in a very long time, and to be honest the reason is because I kind of couldn't be bothered anymore. The products I was getting were not really really good, or really really bad, and I felt there was nothing to really say about them of any interest, which is boring for me to write, and even more boring for you to read. You may notice I have skipped a box because the August box was just too drab. Now I have had a break, I am excited about GlossyBox again, and will backdate some boxes that I didn't review. So take a short jump back to September with me, and I will show you what I thought of my 'British Box'.

Eylure  Pre-Glued Lashes

To be completely honest, these eye lashes are the reason it has taken me so long to review this box. I do not do fake eyelashes, and I was trying to find a day where I could put them on to test them for a day, but also avoid going out. It's not that I dislike the look of them, when done well they can look really natural and pretty. I don't like the feel of them, the idea of them or the hassle they cause. I also have a huge fear of being that girl on a night out with a eyelash half way up her face. Anyway, now we have discovered why I hate them, lets find out why I actually didn't mind these!

Before

After

Before

After

These lashes were pre-glued which meant I didn't have to worry about the hassle of getting them on. They don't look to fake, they just add a small amount of length to my real lashes and they add a bit of 'oomph' to the volume making them look thicker. I still don't like the feel of them, and I am absolutely terrible at applying these things, so I carefully selected photos where you can't see the huge gap between my lash line and the eye lashes. Would I wear them again? If they looked this natural and someone else applied them for me I would consider wearing them for an occasion.

Elizabeth Arden 'Untold' Fragrance

Now I have tried reviewing perfume before, and it is safe to say that I am absolutely rubbish at describing a smell, but here goes. It is quite a sweet and floral scent but with a bit of spice too. It reminds me of autumn and feeling cosy at home. The size was really lovely and the box was cute too.

Toni&Guy Classic Shine Gloss Serum

Any hair product with the word 'shine' or 'gloss' instantly puts me off because all I can think is, 'how greasy is that going to make my hair look?' Unfortunately this applied to this serum too. I found it a bit to thick and slimy. As my hair is very thick anyway, I found it really dragged it down and made my hair feel very heavy and full of gunk. I used to use the John Freida 'Frizz-Ease' serum (which features in this post, here)which I really liked, so it isn't serums in general that I dislike, just ones that say they will add shine.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm

I was a little taken aback when I saw this product. A nipple balm was a little random I felt, but once I read it was a kind of 'everything' balm, I calmed down. I didn't really fancy describing how a cream felt on my nipples to you guys (I'm bad enough at explaining the smell of a perfume), and I doubt you would have liked reading it either. This is a really nice lip balm, especially good for this cold harsh weather we are getting at the moment, and it sinks in quite nicely as a cuticle butter too!

Bombshell Eyeliner

I had never heard of these 'felt tip pen' eye liners until very recently. The idea was quite strange to me at first, but now I have used one, I am quite fond of it. These pens are perfect for achieving the feline flick at the outer corners of your eyes. The precision of the pen makes it really easy, and if you make a mistake you can easily wipe it off again. My only problem with these is that they are not very dark. They are quite faint so I have been using mine as a guideline, and then going over it in something heavier to get the definition.