Mascara Drama: Revlon's Grow Luscious Plumping Mascara

Revlon's Grow Luscious Plumping Mascara

It has been a while since my last blog post. I've been busy trying new products, attending makeup sessions in London and working away like a busy bee! So to mark my return, I wanted to share with you all a mascara which has recently hit the market in the UK.

When I bought Revlon's Grow Luscious Plumping Mascara, from the in-store display, I thought it promised to encourage your own eyelashes to grow longer. Products to encourage eyelash growth have been on the market for a while, but when I saw this mascara on the high street I naturally had to try it and tipped my hat to Revlon for their ingenuity. I've always been told that my eyelashes are pretty long anyway (one makeup artist actually asked me if I had used a product to encourage growth - that's actually when I discovered that such products even existed) but there is no harm in trying to get them longer!

Anyway, on closer inspection of the product and the fact that there is no indication of how long it should take for the lashes to demonstrate growth, I realised that in fact the product does not promise to encourage lash growth, but actually just promises to volumise your lashes, and has a conditioner to keep your lashes, well, .... conditioned. I suppose the caveat to this clever marketing is that Revlon promises that the mascara has a "lash enhancing complex that conditions your lashes day after day" which I suppose in turn could be taken to encourage growth because conditioned lashes are more likely to grow longer? I'm making this up as I go along... It is a bit of cheek really, because I was gunning for a revolutionary product from Revlon but in spite of all the promises, I think it is generally just a shoddy mascara. I am kicking myself really - I should have known better but I was fooled by the packaging and the marketing. It doesn't do a lot for my lashes and the wand as well as the brush head both feel and look cheap. The mascara makes my lashes clump a bit but in a 'sticky' way that is difficult to separate - that must be the conditioner getting to work...

Anyway, I'm going to give the mascara another go to see if I can be persuaded. After all, it was £9.99, and so far doesn't stand up to my favourite mascara at the moment Max Factor's 2000 Calories Mascara which is a snip at £7.99 (I absolutely LOVE it). There is a recommended technique to applying Revlon's Grow Luscious mascara which I have not yet tried; namely, you are meant to apply just to the tips first and allow to dry, then reapply by wiggling from the roots. I launched straight in with wiggling from the roots when I used it, so maybe a change of technique will produce better results. Will update you all to let you know how I get on.

xXx

Let me know if you have tried this mascara, and tell me your thoughts...

Budget Buy: Maybelline's Fit Me Foundation

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation

You might have read in one of my previous blog posts, that I used Maybelline's Fit Me Foundation on both myself and my model Jane and loved it. So, I thought I'd share a more detailed review of the product here on my blog.

I purchased the foundations in three shades from each end of the spectrum, starting with a pale and slightly pinky toned Ivory 115, a medium and middle of the road Buff Beige 130 and a darker toned Caramel 350 which I could use to mix with the other two if I wanted a darker shade. I wanted a foundation that wasn't going to break the bank while I practice techniques but also one that was actually good, as there is no point using poor quality products even if only practicing. The foundations came at a snip at £7.99 each and they were on offer of 3 for 2, so I took the plunge and bought them, hoping they would work nicely.

I've always been dubious about products that promise to match your specific skin colour, as I couldn't really see how a product that has a certain colour pigment is suddenly going to adapt to your skin colour as soon as it is applied. But I've got to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I found the foundation to provide pretty flawless and yet natural coverage. The texture is silky and when applied used a stippling brush (by far my favourite brush at the moment) blends into skin beautifully.

Maybelline actually advertises the product as a "transluscent gel based formula merg[ing] seamlessly with your skin", and quite frankly, I think their product designers and marketing buffs have hit the nail on the head on this one. I don't know if a huge part of the reason why I love this foundation so much is because I have miraculously, for once, chosen the correct colour shade for my skin, or whether the foundation is just true to its word and does in fact merge seamlessly into the skin. I think it is most likely a combination of the two.

The added bonus about this foundation (now I am addicted to it and wear Buff Beige 130 straight out of the bottle, no mixing involved) is that it lasts all day. Even though I am a chronic and regular 'face toucher' (my own face that is!) Maybelline Fit Me foundation literally stays put on my face all day long. Its going to take a lot to wean me off this one.

So, I'm going to apply a second coat of foundation tonight, over the top of my day makeup, before I head out on the town in the confidence that I know it will last all evening...

xXx

Have you used this product? What are your thoughts?

Buff.On.Beauty is now on Twitter

Buff.On.Beauty is now on Twitter!

Follow @BuffOnBeauty for links to blog updates, general make up updates and more...

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Buff.On.Beauty's first make-up practice session

So since my last blog post, I have been again purchasing new products and tools to build up my kit. TopShop, as a fashion-forward brand, was my first point of call to check out the hot new colours of the season. So I popped into their flagship store on Oxford Street on Monday to have a browse. I thought the make-up was reasonably priced and although I've not used any of the products yet, I tested out some pressed powders, lip crayons and pencils on my hand in-store and have since read good reviews online. I like the colours; its all about bright pinks and peaches as well as zesty oranges for both lips and blush for this summer. The lippies and crayons are highly pigmented which I love and the theme throughout is 'matte'.

For my kit, I purchased an eyelash curler, a double pencil sharpener and tweezers. All were really professional looking, in matte black, perfect for my new kit, and were really reasonably priced at £12 for all three. See all these accessories plus others here: TopShop Make-up Accessories.

Anyway, yesterday, one of my best buddies, Jane,  came round to my gaff to be the first of my guinea piggies. I started off the practice session by doing a nude/day look. Read on for BuffOnBeauty's step by step guide to how I achieved the look...

Nude/Day look

Step 1 I buffed in Maybelline New York Fit Me Foundation in Ivory 115 using my stippling brush. I found the foundation buffed in really nicely and provided good yet natural coverage. In fact, I used Buff Beige 130 as my foundation for today and I am loving the feel of it on my skin. The colour really has just blended in with my natural skin tone and has provided great coverage. My skin feels glowing and moisturised and coverage looks almost exactly the same at 3.30pm this afternoon as it did at 8am this morning when it was applied!

Following application of foundation, using my concealer palette, I mixed a colour suitable for my friend's skin tone and applied under the eyes, round the corners of the nose and anywhere else that needed it. I then blended the edges into the face with my stippling brush which I had previously used to buff in the foundation. 

Step 2 I kept the eyebrows simple, just applying a chestnut brown shadow into the brow using one of my larger eyebrow brushes, to match Jane's hair colour. I lengthened the brow slightly, bringing the ends upwards to lift the eyes.

Step 3 I pressed a shadow onto the eyelid using one of my larger shadow brushes (in a colour which I can only describe as a reddy/purply chestnut) which worked really well with my friend's auburn locks. Then I blended the colour down, keeping the look simple and suitable for day-wear.

Step 4  I applied a light application of black mascara using a disposable mascara brush. Applying the mascara was the trickiest part of the practice session. Despite Jane's longstanding uneasiness with applying products very close to the eye (she won't mind me saying that!) it can be difficult to wiggle right into the lash and to avoid getting mascara over and under the eyelids. 

Step 5 To finish the look, I applied Boots No17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Beehive with a lip brush. I know the lipstick is meant to be glossy, but I found the lipstick to lack pigment, and although it did make the lip glossy, with one lick of the lips the lipstick had disappeared. I also bought the same lipstick in Belle and although the colour was stronger, the product sat on the lips more like a poor-quality lipgloss and had no staying power at all. I'm sad to say, I wouldn't recommend this lipstick if you want staying power and strong pigmentation.

So there you have it, 5 easy steps to a natural day look.

I also experimented with an evening smokey eye look with brown tones (rather than the usual blacks) to compliment Jane's porcelain and auburn colouring.

For the final look of the practice session, I strengthened Jane's brows for a catwalk look, and applied a bronze glitter round the eye as well as on the lip. I contoured with a shadow from my palette in Mushroom.

Both these looks will go into my portfolio, which I may publish online by the end of the year.

xXx

Buff.On.Beauty says be original for your Valentine look

 

So Valentine's Day is upon us once more. This year, instead of opting for a classic pin-up red, mix things up and opt for this season's deep berry hue. The great thing about berry is that it suits almost all skin shades; Jennifer Lopez recently opted for a lightly glossed berry but equally you can matte-up your pout like Lana del Rey.

An easy way to update your look if you dont feel inspired to splash out on a new berry lipstick is to invest in Illamasqua's trend setting leaf green (yes, that's green!) Intense Lipgloss in Shoot. This lipgloss is perfect for blending into other lip shades to create different colours. Mix it into a pin-up red lip colour to create a rich bitten berry look, perfect for smooching your Valentine! For those brave enough to wear straight, there is no need for a lipstick base to achieve a bold leaf green statement look! BuffOnBeauty will be sticking to berry lips tonight though! 

BuffOnBeauty recommends carrying this romantic look throughout the month of February.

Buff.On.Beauty says welcome!

Welcome to BuffOnBeauty's first ever blog. Providing you with product reviews, BuffOnBeauty's hot tips for all aspiring make-up artists and an insight into BuffOnBeauty's personal journey in the world of make-up artistry...

First blog to follow shortly! xXx