Max Factor Eye Brightening Mascara

Another day... Another mascara is launched.

                                  
However this one has a slight twist.
The latest Max Factor mascara claims to have an eye brightening affect due to tonal particles which compliment your natural eye colour.

             
For the first time in a long while I was actually excited about a mascara.. I hunted down one for green eyes - which seemed to take me forever but nevertheless I finally found one..
Here's the results.
The mascara for green eyes is labelled Black Ruby and has a red/plum tone to it... Anyone that remembers the colour wheel from school will know that the complimentary colour for green is red so bravo Max Factor. 

                                

The application is great, no clumps and the finish is easily buildable.
But the burning question is: Do my eyes look any brighter?
Hmmmm I would love to say yes, but if I'm completely honest I couldn't tell the difference. I've posted a comparable picture below - I'd love for you to
comment if you feel the bottom eye looks brighter.. 

                                       

But like I said, the mascara itself isn't half bad. I'm normally a fan of a black mascara - the blacker the better. But this offers a more natural alternative so is great for daily wear but not one I'd grab for a night out. 

Max Factor Eye Brightening mascara is available for Brown, Blue and Green eyes and nationwide for around £7.99.

Rhian Xx

Glitter Ombré Nails

When my lovely friend Kirsty sent me a link on Facebook with a "How To" on ombré nails I was keen to try it out... But I wanted to take it one sparkly step further and try a glittery ombré nail. After all. Who doesn't like a little bling?
Not to be overly dramatic I opted for a neutral base to add the glitter on to, and for this is used Nails Inc. Porchester Square. Which is one of my favourite shades. Perfect for everyday and long wearing too. For the glitter effect I chose a Nails Inc polish again, and this time it was Burlington Square part of the "Nail Jewellery" collection. This polish is great as the flecks of glitter aren't uniform in shape like with most glitter polishes and this works particularly well for this look. (any glitter nail varnish can be used)
Anyway.... Now for the science bit. APPLICATION.
Here's a step by step guide, created especially for the lovely Rebecca @becliz_ (twitter)
1) apply a base coat to nails. Allow to dry.
2) apply two coats of the polish you wish to use as a base colour. Allow to dry.
3) apply glitter polish 3/4 of the way down the nail. Don't worry about how much is applied as the whole idea is to build up in density towards the nail tip.
4) starting a little further toward the tip add more layers of glitter polish. Repeat as desired.
5) the tip of your nail should have the most glitter on and you should have created a graduated glitter look on your nail.
6) apply top coat to entire nail.
7) make sure you leave sufficient time for the polish to dry due to the layers added to avoid smudging.
And....Voila!!
Perfect glittery ombré nails.

Have fun!
Rhian Xx

Revlon - PHOTOREADY 3D VOLUME Mascara

I know what your thinking... Another NEW mascara that promises the world.
So what's the tag line on this one?
"Get glamorous, big volume lashes from every angle. Lashes look 100% more magnified, multiplied, amplified*two coats*"
Let's get straight to the nitty gritty.... Does it work? The answer..... I'm not quite sure. The truth is I'm torn on this one.
With most mascaras I decide instantly whether I love of hate them and this one has left me totally confused. I'll break it down bit by bit and hopefully by the end I'll make a decision. Here goes.....
Packaging: The packaging is slick and smart... It looks professional and there are no vibrant colours or quirky features like LED lights present. In fact I think it was the sleek packaging that first attracted me to the product.

The Wand: Like most mascaras these days this one features a plastic wand rather than the traditional fibre ones of old. And it boasts what Revlon refer to as a "Lash Finding Brush" as the end features extra bristles similar to the Givenchy mascara which was simply a ball.

The Product: Does it last all day without flaking? YES. Is it soft and natural to touch while on lashes? YES. Do the extra bristles find the hard to reach lashes in the inner corner of your eye? YES.
But ultimately the only question is: Does the mascara do exactly what it promises and leave me with Glamorous, Big Volume Lashes from every angle?
The answer: No...
And I think that is why I'm confused. It delivers on all other aspects apart from the key focus of the product which is Big Volume Lashes. I wouldn't particularly say that this mascara offers any more volume to a standard mascara. I want to LOVE this product and I sort of do until it falls at the last hurdle. I am not dissatisfied with the product at all... If I had to summarise it would be "fine" would I recommend it? Hmmm "ish". At £7.99 it is very competitively priced in a quite frankly flooded market. But I don't think I would repeat purchase the product and would probably choose a Max Factor Masterpiece mascara over it every time. However one feature this product has that it doesn't shout about is the fact that is completely clump free!

Rhian Xx

*excuse the pic of the eye... I'd worn the mascara all day and it was a loooong day :-)*

Cha Cha Tint by Benefit.

Following the iconic Benetint and the newer but highly popular Posietint, Benefit have introduced a new mango coloured cheek stain which goes by the ever creative Benefit name of Cha Cha Tint... And it may be my favourite one yet.
Cha Cha Tint has the same consistency as Posietint, which is slightly creamier and more blend-able than the classic Benetint, and the mango colour is great for a summer look and looks especially good with a tan!
Cha Cha tint has the same staying power as the other tints and I find them perfect for nights out and also day/night work where you don't get chance to reapply your face make up.
Since I've had this product I've used it nearly every day, I can't get enough! Like the other Benefit tints it carries a pretty hefty price tag of £24.50 but it will last you ages as you only need to
apply a little for a great result.
Benefit is one of those brands for me that release a number of quirky and quite niche product that you don't necessarily NEED but it's nice to have. Unfortunately most products from Benefit are quite pricey so you need to make sure you invest your money in to the right products within their range in order to get the most out of your buck! They do however have a number of amazing products which I would definitely repurchase and recommend to friends.
My favourite Benefit products are listed below;
• They're Real Mascara
• Porefessional
• LemonAid
• Cha Cha Tint
• Hoola
• Browzings
• California Kissing
• High Beam
• High Brow
• Magic Ink

*I've also included a pic of me on a night out using the tint.

Rhian Xx

Chubby Stick by Clinique

I'm always a bit of a wimp when it comes to applying any sort of colour to my lips. I hate any attention being drawn to them. I've always been paranoid about the size of my lips and believe me I heard every nickname under the sun when I was at school. But at the grand old age of 25, school was a long time ago, and yet I am still under the belief that I am far safer with a nude lipgloss than I am I'm a bold lipstick...
Lately however I have noticed a change.
Every time I see a picture of someone walking down the street wearing bright lipstick I yearn to be that confident, powerful woman giving the one finger salute to the people around who happen to catch a glimpse and think OMG WTF has she got on her lips? Yet it is clear to me that these are my own insecurities and it is these insecurities that I must overcome. All be it one baby step at a time.
This is where the Chubby Stick comes in to it...
Interesting choice of name I think you'll agree, however I like it.
And while it has no fancy, sparkly, iridescent packaging the Chubby Stick
is sleek, sexy and sophisticated offering everything the end user could possibly want in a lip balm.
Under the lid what an only be described as a large crayon presents itself but despite its crayon like facade the Chubby Stick glides on to your lips leaving just the right amount of subtle colour, shine and gloss. Perfect for me and my lip paranoia.
A little goes a long way with the Chubby Stick with great coverage in one application and it has good staying power to boot. The balm also offers a moisturiser so great for when your lips are not feeling their best but you'd still like a little colour.
Not only did this little Chubby Stick leave me feeling invigorated that I could finally add a little colour to my lips without me being conscious that I was drawing attention to my mouth but it also left me wanting more... I would definitely invest in more of these delightful creations and despite them having a price tag of £16 it wouldn't deter me due to the finish ad practicality of the product.

The range now comes in 15 different shades.

I guess the only question left is... Which colour next?

Not too bright though.. One baby step at a time remember ;o)

Rhian Xx

*image shown on my lips is Clinique Chubby Stick in Oversized Orange.