A little haulin'

Items I got are:

China Glaze First Mate that I also have on my nails.

China Glaze Papaya Punch

Garnier Skin Naturals Caffeine Anti-dark Circles, 2-in-1 Tinted Eye Roll-On in 02 Fair. The other shade options was Very Fair. 

I considered about getting the one for very fair skin, as I am ridiculously pale normally. My foundations are a little darker though, they match my body, not the skin on my face so I thought I'd take the Fair one. I'm sure there isn't much of a difference between the two anyways... 

Then I got Seche Vite top coat, as I dropped my previous bottle on the floor...

Then I bought a brush cleaner from Kicks. I'm satisfied with this brush cleaner. I like that it has a spraythingy. Make Up Store doesn't have that. And they only had one bottle in Kicks so I couldn't buy that. 

 

I have ordered some stuff from UK and USA and they've already shipped the items for me so I'll write more about those some other time..

Stay tuned! 

Lumene - Excellength

This mascara was definitely the weirdest I have used. Not because of the consistency, but because of the wand. It is tiny. From the tip to the end it is 1.5 cm. It's a round brush and the diameter is (bristle-to-bristle) is about 0.5 cm. It is tiny! I don't think it is a bad thing though! 7 ml (0.24 fl.oz) of product.

On the bottle it says "Excellength Mascara - with Natural Lash-Extenders" and "Smudge-free formula, precise plastic brush. Ultimate length and separation."

This is a lenghtening mascara and I do think it does a little what it promises. I think my lashes are a little longer. I never measured, but really I do think they seem a little longer. This does not create volume. The mascara does not smell. Because the wand is this small, I don't get much of it on my eyelid. And if I do, it's easy to remove even with a lot of eyeshadow and eyeliner on already.

I do like the color of the Blueberry Volume Mascara package more. It's so nice and purple. The metallic gray is great too, but the metallic purple is nicer.

Then some swatches. I almost always put 10 layers or so. Not 1 or 2 anyways. And so that's what I did now too. I don't see many clumps at all. No spider lashes. To create more volume, I add another mascara  on top of this before this has dried. But that's not in the picture. All in all a very nice mascara.

I don't have issues with transferring, removing it or anything. The mascara stays put.

Orly Cosmix FX - Lunar Eclipse

This is a gorgeous color!

Such a nice blue!

 

It's not Rocket Science

How I got my Orly Cosmic FX Collection

Your thoughts?

Lumene - Blueberry Volume Mascara

Lumene's mascara Blueberry Volume Mascara. 

I love the bottle and the color of it!

The mascara wand is odd for me. I hadn't seen anything like it before. One side is flat like this

and the other side is like this.

I thought the mascara was good. I didn't see any problems with it. Didn't smell funny or anything. Was easy to remove, it's not waterproof.

Didn't really test can it handle any water.

This is after I've applied it several coats. 

I thought about applying only 1-2 first, but really I always put more coats on. More like 10, and that's what I did here too.

I like it. I like the bottle.  :)

Orly Cosmic FX - It's not Rocket Science

This is the third polish I tried from this collection. So far, it's the biggest failure for me. 

It looks nice in the bottle and in other people's swatches. On my nails, it's a whole another story. It's quite ugly. :( Doesn't suit me at all.

It looks alright in certain light when it's clearly green, but when it looks like a mixture of gold and green it's not so nice.

 

I put 3 coats of this on Friday night. I took the pictures on Sunday morning. They began to look worn out on Saturday morning.

Guess what? I have two bottles of this. I wasn't sent Galaxy girl, I got two of these.  A giveaway is on it's way so be on the lookout if you like this polish! :)

Do you like it?

China Glaze - Towel Boy Toy

This nailpolish is a new addition to my collection.

China Glaze - Towel Boy Toy

 

This is 3 layers. (With flash)

Turns out matte. Not what I expected.

 (no flash)

 

 Shiny only when a clear top coat added on top, like so.

About 3 Mascaras... review part 3 - Lumene Natural Code Eye Dramatizer Volumizing Mascara

This is the third part of a three-part mascara review. This review is about the Lumene Natural Code Eye Dramatizer Volumizing mascara. First part of the review series can be found here. Second part can be found here.

I am reviewing three mascaras and the first two pictures of each mascara are taken when I have applied 2-3 coats of mascara. The last two pictures are then when I have applied several coats of that mascara.

These three I am reviewing. First one is the Maybelline Volum' Express (in black) that's in the middle of the picture. Second mascara will be Max Factor's False Lash Effect (in black, not waterproof), and the last one is Lumene Natural Code Eye Dramatizer Volumizing Mascara (in blackest black).

The brush for this mascara is large. I had trouble using it at first because I just kept making a mess. It gets easier eventually. There are a lot of bristles, they're long and most importantly they are soft. This mascara does not smell at all like some other mascaras.

From these first two pictures you can see the result after 2-3 coats. The lashes are very separated and appear a little longer, or then it is just wishful thinking. I however, don't see any addition in volume. In the lower picture is looks kind of like I wouldn't have any mascara on. So it seems to give a very natural result, but not a very volumous result.

The color of this mascara is Blackest black. I'm not really seeing that, at least not in the picture directly above this sentence.

In the last two pictures I have applied several, several coats and now I am liking the result. I still don't think it really gives me the volume that I want, but I'd say this is a good daily mascara. And now my lashes look dark too. I curl my lashes before applying mascara and I feel like this holds the curl well. Other mascaras only hold for about half and hour, and then my lashes are very slightly curly, but this seems to hold the curl a little longer. I have issues with curling my lashes or my hair, the curls just wont hold, so I don't have big expectations about a mascara holding the curls.

This is applied by the zic-zag-motion.

There is 8 ml of product.

I don't have the receipt left anymore, but I believe this cost something like 7-9 euros. It was not more than 10 euros for sure.

I could buy this again, unlike the Max Factor one. This one does not smell and the bristles are very soft. The brush is slightly big for me, but nothing that can't be fixed. I'm still going to stick with the Maybelline Volum' Express.

Were these reviews useful for you?

(Dislaimer: Bought all the products myself. Not affiliated with the companies mentioned.)

About 3 Mascaras... review part 2 - Max Factor False Lash Effect

This is the second part of a three-part mascara review. This review is about the Max Factor False Lash Effect. First part of the review series can ban be found here.

I am reviewing three mascaras and the first two pictures of each mascara are taken when I have applied 2-3 coats of mascara. The last two pictures are then when I have applied several coats of that mascara.

These three I am reviewing. First one is the Maybelline Volum' Express (in black) that's in the middle of the picture. Second mascara will be Max Factor's False Lash Effect (in black, not waterproof), and the last one is Lumene Natural Code Eye Dramatizer Volumizing Mascara (in blackest black).

As you can see the Max Factor mascara wand looks different from the Maybelline one. This one is thinner from one end and the bristle length varies and they are quite dense in the end. The bristles are made of rubber. I hear it is very common for a volumizing mascara to have this type of a wand. The bristles are dense and have a lot of product in them so that should create the volume.

The Max Factor False Lash Effect is supposed to double the volume of your lashes and make it seem like you'd be wearing false lashes. The pictures above and below have 2-3 coats of mascara.

I read online somewhere that when you use this mascara the 'traditional' method of doing zic-zac-motion in the base of your lashes and then bringing the wand up towards the tips of your lashes wouldn't give you the results you want. It didn't.

I read about another way of applying this mascara. You kind of roll the mascara wand slowly up and away from you, the way you would use a rolling pin kind of, and then moving the brush up towards the tips of your lashes. 2-3 coats should be enough to give you your wished look. Well did it work? Look at the pictures above and see for yourself. (edit. this is where I read about the other method of applying. Blog is in Finnish only.)

The two pictures below have several coats of mascara, applied on by using both of the methods, the rolling method and the zic-zac method.

If you wear contact lenses you can use this mascara. It is ophthalmologically tested.

There is 13.1 ml of product. It cost 16.70€ ($22.85).

The bristles are really hard. I apply mascara to the very bottom of my lashes and when I do that the bristles do touch the upper (and lower) waterline, and the bristles made the waterline a little red because they were so hard.

This mascara is supposed to be fragrance free. It smells really strong, like paint. I don't like that. It's a very strong smell.

This is not the waterproof version. It can be easily removed with makeup remover. It did not smudge when I walked in rain, so it does stay on your lashes, but I haven't tested it in the swimming pool so can't say anything about how much water it can stand.

I had heard a lot of good things about this mascara so I was expecting great results. I am not that pleased. It gives me basically the same results as the Maybelline mascara I reviewed earlier, the only difference is that this one smells really bad and the bristles are really hard. I'm going to stick with the Maybelline mascara and just use this up and not buy this one again.

I hear this Max Factor False Lash Effect is the sister mascara for the CoverGirl Lash Blast. The tubes look the same and the wands and bristles, just different colors. I mean that CoverGirl LB is sold in the US but Max Factor FLE in Europe? Max Factor and CoverGirl are both owned by Procter & Gamble so go figure.

Do you have a completely different opinion of this mascara than I do? Let's hear it.

(Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post I bought myself. Not affiliated with the companies. All opinions are my own true opinions.)

About 3 Mascaras... review part 1 - Maybelline Volum' Express

This is the first part of a three-part mascara review.

These I am reviewing. First one is the Maybelline Volum' Express (in black, not waterproof) that's in the middle of the picture. Second mascara will be Max Factor's False Lash Effect (in black, not waterproof), and the last one is Lumene Natural Code Eye Dramatizer Volumizing Mascara (in blackest black, not waterproof).

Here are pictures of the mascara wands.

As you can see, the Maybelline one is the thinnest and I'd say the Max Factor is the biggest. Also Lumene and Max Factor are shaped the same whereas Maybelline is different from those two.

My lashes look like this without any mascara.

Maybelline Volum' Express mascara is hypoallergenic and safe for contact lense wearers. It is Ophthalmologically tested. This mascara can also be found in waterproof formula, but I don't use waterproof mascaras so I can't say anything about those.

The package claims that with this mascara you can achieve three times more volume. It also claims to not get clumpy.

In this picture (above and below) I have only used 2-3 coats of mascara. I like to think that there is more volume and length, but I am not entirely sure. I have very fair skin and my hair is quite light, so my eye lashes are somewhat dark where they start, but the ends are very clear. I don't exactly know how long my lashes are, but I like to think this mascara also lengthens my lashes.

The following 2 pictures are of my lashes when I have applied several coats of mascara.

I'd like to point out that when I took these pictures I had not brushed my lashes at all. The lashes are separated, look longer and appear a little volumized.

There are a few clumps, but those can be gotten rid of by brushing the lashes.

I do like the color, it really is black.

I like the wand and the bristles. The wand isn't flimsy. I don't know how many of these I have used, but I do remember that at first the brush was a little difficult to use, because it is reasonably big, but the other mascaras I am reviewing have even bigger brushes. I have learned to use this mascara without making a mess.

I haven't had a problem with removing the mascara. It comes off easily with makeup remover, doesn't even have to be specifically eye makeup remover. I have slept with this mascara still on, and I don't look like a panda the next morning. But don't do what I do, do what I tell you to! Remove your makeup before going to bed! Also I have experienced this in extreme weather, as in when it has rained (and snowed) horizontally straight in my face, this hasn't moved at all. It stayed on my lashes. I think I have even swam once or twice while wearing this and haven't had a problem. But just because I can still swim and wear this does not mean that you can. Everyones lashes are different, so don't take my word on that swimming part.

There is no perfume in this one, but it does smell a little. Like a typical mascara smell. I am not as sensitive to scents as some might be. I really don't mind it. It's very mild... It kind of smells clean.

It dries on your lashes fast enough. The mascara formula is not runny or too thick.

The quantity is 10ml. It is quite a lot for 'normal' mascaras. A very big plus.

I have seen this price vary a lot! 8-13€ normally (so $10.99-$17,86). Depends where you buy it. Now I kinda wish I'd live in the US, because that is a ridiculous amount to pay for a drug store mascara, but even the cheap mascaras are around 6€ (so $8.20 or so). Basically this is the only reason I'd like to live in another country. But everything is way more expensive here, and I'm used to it, so for me paying 10€ for a mascara does not seem very abnormal.

This mascara has been my go-to product for years now. I am going to buy this again like I have done so many times before. I am still intrigued by other mascaras that is there anything better out there...

Have you tried this mascara? What did you think of it?

Disclaimer: Not sponsored by Maybelline New York. All opinions are my own and 100% true.

Swatches of Glamour Doll eyeshadows

I believe there pictures are better on the actual website of Glamour Doll, but here are the swatches of the eyeshadow samples that I bought.

Want to see my first look with these shadows, if yes, then click here.

L-R: DinoSpotz, Flashdance!, MIngles, Olivia Green, Secretive and Summer Skies.

I could not capture the magnificent color of DinoSpotz. :( I already know I'm going to order some of these in full size and DinoSpotz is definately one of them. MIngles and Olivia Green are matte.

L-R: Island Chic, Shaded Orchid, Katie's Storm, Graffiti, Lovers Lane and Disco White

The picture of the sample baggies. One without flash and the other with flash. The real color is something in between. I got two black ones, Graffiti is matte black with lime glitter, but you can't see it in the picture. :(

L-R: Skinny Jeans, Jailhouse Jumpsuit, Urban Trash, Glam Girl and Dusk

Skinny Jeans isn't black, it's like green gray or so... Sounds weird huh? Urban Trash is a matte black.

These are the two free samples I got with my order. The picture above does not really match at all to the colors, it's again something in between the two pictures, one taken without flash and the other with.

And here is a bad pic of the swatches.

Do you like them? :D