Battle Of The Lashes #2: Do Expensive Mascaras Work Better?

I love mascaras, but sometimes the bold claims just don't live up to your expectations. I've previously done another mascara showdown which displayed the pros and cons of mascaras from £3 to £19.50, and now I'm topping it by showing twice the amount ranging from £6.99 up to £25 with surprising results that prove that the price tag isn't everything. I'm showing them all in price order to show you how wide the range is in price difference!

Rimmel Volume Shake £6.99
I've recently reviewed this mascara and said that the bristles could be longer but the shake up gimic impressed me. It comes in the cutest cocktail shaker packaging and formula worked well for me. If the wand itself was improved I'd start using this more often.

L'Oréal False Lash Superstar X Fiber £7.99
This is my joint favourite mascara, with it being a double-ended product with the second part adding small fibers to add length and volume. Whilst I hadn't previously tried a fiber mascara and was dubious about the actual fibers themselves, these haven't ended up in my eyes yet so I'm pretty damn impressed.

Revlon 3D Volume (Discontinued)
I took the photos for this post before I did a quick Google search and realised that this is discontinued. I'm not too sad however, as the bristle didn't give me the '3D Volume' I was expecting.

Revlon Ultimate All In One £9.99
Revlon brought out a year or two ago, a new set of mascaras that were tailored to different areas you wanted to target, and within the range they brought out an 'all in one' version. Although I love Revlon as a brand, I don't like how tiny the wand is. It feels like it takes forever to apply and for volume I use wands with long bristles on to really get the product onto my lashes.

Maxfactor False Lash Effect £10.99
This mascara claims it has up to 50% more bristles for 'never ending volume' and I'm not overly mad at this. It definitely has a ton of bristles but they aren't long enough to add enough volume in my opinion. It doesn't give me a false lash look but the formula lasts all day and looks just as good as when you first applied it.

No7 Lovely Lashes £12.95 This is my 'natural lash' mascara for days when I don't want to wear makeup but still want to have visible lashes. It's the only mascara in a different colour as it's in Brown/Black which looks more natural. It doesn't add a ton of volume which is fine by me as the name suggests a more natural look.
Tarte Lights Camera Flashes I bloody love the bones out of Tarte but I really do not like this mascara. The packaging is very unique which I adore, but the mascara itself is lacklustre and makes my eyes water because the spiky bristles poke me in the eye. I've kept this mascara purely for comparison in posts like this.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof £19 I had previously tried the non-waterproof version of this mascara and loved it but even with an eye primer it seemed to end up underneath my eyes and just underneath my brow bone so I thought when it came to getting the full version I may as well try the waterproof version. Definitely the right decision and it is one of my favourites.
Urban Decay Perversion £19 This was the first mascara that I tried that really made me say oh wow. The first time I tried it I used the Subversion Primer too and fell head over heels for the combination. I ran out of the primer and recently rebought the mascara alone and it works almost as well as with the primer. 
Illamasqua Masquara Gain £20 This is another mascara I've reviewed and I genuinely love it. You'll see a pattern of big fluffy wands = nice lashes for me but for a while it overtook other mascaras on my list until it unfortunately ran out. 
Benefit They're Real £20.50 When I first started using They're Real I was over the moon with it as the wand really separates the lashes, but I found that the formula made my lashes feel odd. The formula sticks to the lashes and makes it a bit hard to remove which is great if you need it to last all day. 
Dior Diorshow Blackout Waterproof £25 The most expensive mascara on the list but not my favourite. The wand is pretty big and gets every lash which I love but the length isn't quite how I'd like it because of the stubby wand shape. All in all it's a good mascara but there are others I prefer.

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Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette Review

I have a slight obsession with Too Faced Palettes as have every 'bar' palette so far. It started Christmas 2015 when I got the original Chocolate Bar Palette and I fell in love with the shade selection and the pigmented formula of the eyeshadows inside. A few months later I bought myself the Chocolate Bon Bons Palette and loved the heart shaped pans and the pink packaging. For my last birthday I received the Semi-Sweet Palette with these shades really complimenting my complexion and I knew by this point I would have to get every bar palette since I loved those three so much. So for Valentine's Day, Andy bought me the Sweet Peach Palette (£39.00) and oh my I was in heaven. I took photos as soon as I opened it and have since been trying out the shades to see whether they meet up to my expectations.

This palette is different since it is a fruit inspired palette, so it has a peachy theme but also smells like peaches which reminds me of those Love 2 Love Bears that I had in the 90's. The palette contains 18 shades of all the same size with light coral and peach shades to bronzes and deep purples so it's perfect for all year round. I found that since using the ABH Modern Renaissance Palette I've been using the bright shades more often which encouraged me to go bold and brave when using this palette. 

The shades really vary with this palette with multiple finishes. White Peach is as close to white as you could get with great pigmentation and a really blendable, creamy texture. I use this all over the lid and up to the brow bone as a base shade like I usually do with every palette. Nectar is a light honey-peach shade with a pearly finish but I've not used it that much. Peaches 'N Cream is a really pale pink matte shade that is another great base shade. Luscious is a bronze metallic shade with copper undertones and is one of the prettiest shades in the palette. Cobbler is a brown shimmery shade that is darker than Luscious with a more taupe undertone. Georgia is a mauve-pink with a matte finish which I use underneath the bright peach shades to really build up that colour. It also looks great blended into the shades in the Modern Renaissance palette too. Just Peachy is a shimmery pink with gold undertones which needs a few applications to really make it bold. Candied Peach is a micro-glitter eyeshadow that is a peachy-pink and the best shade in this palette in my opinion. Caramelized is a bronze-brown frosted shade that I've not worn as much but would look great on most people. 
Bless Her Heart is an olive green shade with brown undertones with a frosted finish. It's cooler than the other brown shades. Bellini is another peachy-pink shimmer with golden undertones that is stunning as a lid colour. Puree is a red-toned caramel that's matte and perfect as a crease or outer-v shade. Tempting is the darkest shade in the palette and is almost black with a pearl finish. Peach Pit is a golden-undertoned purple with a shimmery pearl finish. Summer Yum is similar to Puree but a more brick/terracotta shade that is again another great transition shade. Charmed, I'm Sure is a chocolate matte brown that is quite powdery but great in the outer-v. Delectable is a deep purple warm undertones and a satin finish. Talk Derby To Me is blue-purple with pinky-gold shimmer, and another shade I've not used so much.

The only issue I have with this palette is that I wish there were a few more peach shades. I would happily switch out Tempting and one of the shimmery brown shades like Bless Her Heart or Cobbler in place of a darker peach shade and a completely matte peach. Nonetheless, the palette has some stunning shades and I've been picking it up almost every time I wear makeup. The packaging itself reflects the shades inside and I adore the ombré look. I'd hope in the future Too Faced would bring out another fruit inspired palette with similar packaging too.

The shades didn't disappoint, being creamy and blendable. I always wear a primer underneath eyeshadow and with it they lasted all day until I removed all of my makeup. I definitely want to get my hands on the Sweet Peach Glow Highlighting Palette to go with it as the colours look stunning.

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What I Got For Christmas 2016

I write this post every year, with the usual disclaimer of course. I thought I would pick out my favourite bits that I received this Christmas and why I love them. Of course most of my presents were beauty based and I have left the homeware and stocking fillers out otherwise I wouldn't have the table space nor the patience to stop myself from eating chocolate before taking the photos. You may notice that my backdrop is a bit different to usual, and that's because I brought my marble board 2 hours away to Derbyshire where I'm staying with my boyfriend's mum because I wanted to get this post up before new year. Dedication!

As I mentioned, the majority of my present were beauty based so I'll start with the makeup. I received two palettes this year, one was the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette, and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Ultimate Glow Kit. I really wanted the Modern Renaissance palette when it came out earlier in the year but didn't have the money to pick it up, so when it finally came back in stock on Cult Beauty, Andy picked it up for me along with some Morphe Rose Gold Brushes which I just realised I forgot to photograph. I had asked my family to repurchase some items I was running out of, as they were asking for ideas and I couldn't think of much! They bought me the Benefit Gimmie Brow and Stay Don't Stray which are two items I couldn't live without, as they keep my brows strong and my lids perfect so my makeup doesn't come off during the day. As I'd tried the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in mini form but it didn't stay on too well, I now have the waterproof version so hopefully it will last all day.

Every special event I always receive some Mac items since it's an easy gift for people to pick up and I'll never stop loving Mac. I received the Diva lipstick and the Cherry lip pencil which are both red shades that I know I'll love when I wear them. I received a Mac voucher too so I've ordered two more single eyeshadows to go into my Mac palette which I've not touched in a while so it needed some love. Another item I forgot to photograph (but brought all the way to Derbyshire regardless) is the Sigma Beauty Dry'n Shape Spa which is multi-purpose item to help with washing and drying your makeup brushes that can hold up to 18 brushes and has a detachable middle to aid with washing them. I have about 40-50 brushes right now and getting them all cleaned and dried has been a tough task, so this is going to help so much.

Of course it wouldn't be a haul without a bit of Colourpop. This as a gift from me to me, and also a gift to my best friend. I bought two of the value kits, the Persuede Me and Staycation and knew that e both wouldn't like all the colours, so took three out of one kit and swapped it with the other and we both adore the lippie stix we have now. From the two kits, I've got LBB, Goldie, Cookie, Le Freak, Hotline and Grunge. They're a mix of nudes and warm tones and since I have so many bright shades in my entire lipstick collection, it was time I tried some shades I wasn't to familiar with. Colourpop Lippie Stix are hands down one of my favourite lipstick products.

I received a few home and style items but I'll start with these beautiful silver heels from New Look, bought for me by my boyfriend's brother. He asked what I wanted and I sent him images of two pairs and told him to surprise me, and these were my favourite pair out of the two. They're more of a classic shape and style, with glitzy silver finish to make them perfect for this time of year. I was asked quite a lot what I wanted for Christmas this year and two items that I thought of was camera bags. I've had my Olympus Pen for quite a while and love being able to take my blog and Instagram photos with it, but I hated the bag it came with. I was looking for something that didn't look like a camera bag, and this one from Asos was exactly what I was after. It fits my camera in, phone and plenty of other things in without causing damage to the camera itself due to the soft lining. I've also had my Instax camera for most of the year but hadn't found a good bag for it yet. My best friend bought me this matching white Instax bag to carry it in and I'm in love.

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Too Faced Love Flush

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think 7 year old Polly-Pocket obsessed Laura would be obsessed with this product. At 22 I'm equally as blown away by the Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting Blush (£22) in How Deep Is Your Love? From the packaging to the formula of this blusher, I give it a million marks. Too Faced brought out this blusher that is long-wearing, "fade-proof" and smudge-proof that aims to last for 16 hours. I swatched this in Sephora and I fell in love in an instant.

My usual blushers are Nars Orgasm, Benefit Hervana and a few from various palettes so it was nice to buy a new one after not switching up my blusher since November. The formula is buttery and is incredibly easy to blend onto the skin. I use a Real Techniques Stippling Brush to apply my blusher so it's not too bold and I've not had a single problem with it so far. Although the aim is for a bold colour payoff, I tend to have my blusher looking a little more natural as I am fair skinned and I don't want to look like my mistakes aged 14 with block illuminated blusher. I've used the blusher about twenty times now and it doesn't even look like I've used the blusher much.

Each packaging of the six blushers in the range all match the blusher inside which I take my hat off to. The attention to detail is there for all to see, from the adorable heart shape on the outside to the embossed Too Faced logo paired with bunnies and flowers on the inside. The only issue I have with the packaging is that when I'm wearing false nails it's a little tricky to get into, but I can manage it. I'd buy this again in the rest of the colours and has overtaken Nars Orgasm as my favourite blusher. The colour goes better with my skin tone and the matte finish means it's wearable everyday. The colour I'd pick up next would have to be I Will Always Love You as it's more of a peachy pink than this coral pink blush. Have you seen my other Too Faced posts?

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Too Faced Hangover Primer Review

  I recently picked up the new Too Faced Hangover Primer in a Sephora in Los Angeles and it was the first thing from the Too Faced stand that I saw. I had heard so many good reviews about it and considering I've only really picked up drugstore primers I definitely wanted to try some from my newly discovered favourite brand. I know Too Faced has been around in the UK for a short while now and I've got both of the Chocolate Bar and Chocolate Bon Bons palettes I'd never tried anything else from the brand. The Too Faced Hangover Primer is £24 ($32) and is described as a replenishing face primer that hydrates, smoothes and brightens the skin for a dewy effect, giving off a healthy looking skin finish. The primer is infused with coconut water, probiotics and 'skin revivers' that when combined boost radiance, promote elasticity and to help hydrate your skin. At the same time, it aims to lock down your foundation, promoting a flawless finish and longer lasting makeup.
First off I can't comment for the dewy skin look as for someone with oily/combination skin the idea of dewy looking skin petrifies me as to me it just looks like I have excess oil. I've been using my trust Maybelline 24hr Stay face powder which is a tad cakey, so if I come across a lighter powder I might be able to provide an update for whether it looks dewy. From the name itself, the product aims to show that your skin looks like it's had a good nights rest and staying hydrated and I have to say I can tell that my skin looks more awake and bright. I was dubious as to whether it would brighten my skin and I don't know whether it's because the product is white that it helped or not.
Some reviews have said they have seen the product cause break outs but I don't tend to wear makeup every single day so I can't comment from an everyday perspective. I'm naturally prone to break outs due to excess oil my skin produces and from what I've used so far (about ten times) I've not seen my skin any worse that it normally is so I would naturally rule out this as a cause. It definitely depends on your skin but I'd see if you can get a sample first before buying it if you were concerned.
I definitely think it makes my makeup last all day but I do have to add an extra pit of powder after having it on for 5+ hours due to the extra moisture it gives me skin. I wouldn't say my pores were covered more than using any other primer but my skin does feel better after using it. I think in the upcoming months I'll test it on a night out and see how it lasts! The last feature I love about the Too Faced Hangover Primer is that when you take the lid off it has a handy pump so you don't squeeze out too much product, making that £24 go a long way. Anything with a pump pleases me as I really hate wasting makeup as I don't have hundreds of pounds to repurchase products after I've wasted half of them. Overall I really enjoy using this primer and I'm now intrigued to try out their eye primer too.

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Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette Giveaway & 2 Year Blogging Anniversary

This little blog turned 2 today! I knew I wanted to celebrate it somehow so thought I may as well do a giveaway so you can celebrate with me. I discovered my love for Too Faced when I received the Chocolate Bar Palette for Christmas and fell in love with how creamy and pigmented the shades were. The logical thing to do was to whilst buying myself the new Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons palette was to buy one for you too, right? So I did, and here we are. Without even trying it out I know I'm going to enjoy using it so much, and it comes with a guide that includes how to perfect three different looks using the palette, detailing every shade and exactly where to put it.

The packaging is so cute and usually I'm one for darker packaging but the pink is such a nice touch considering there is a pink in the palette such as 'totally fetch' which wouldn't normally be my cup of tea but would look so beautiful next to some warm shades. I like the addition of 'earl grey' which adds something different to the palette - one of the most stunning midnight blue shades I've ever set my eyes upon. The shade 'black currant' is another addition that could be worn everyday or for the most pretty smokey eye going. I've uploaded a few photos of both palettes over on my instagram so you can see the difference between the two palettes.

It's been such a good year for this little blog and I've had so many amazing opportunities, especially in comparison with the year previously. I won a trip to Los Angeles which still to this day makes me so excited to go and explore all the American makeup. I've worked with a long term favourites of mine such as  L'Oréal Paris and Benefit Cosmetics who continue to amaze me with their beautiful makeup. I bought my Olympus Pen E-PL7 and my photos both on here and on instagram have improved so much and I'm so proud of myself for it. I was hoping one day I'd get my photos to a standard I'm proud of and whilst I'll improve in the future, I'm definitely at that point right now.

Obviously there has to be a few terms and conditions. There are a few compulsory entries that all need to be met to qualify and before you can unlock the extra entries. The giveaway will end a month from now, so 11.59 on 6th March and the winner will be notified the following day. It's open internationally and the winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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What I Got For Christmas

First of all I have to say I've been so lucky this year. I didn't create this post to brag, simply to show you what I received this year as it's honestly made me so excited! There are some things not photographed, like the huge bag of chocolates and the clothes and shoes I bought with vouchers since this post would be so long and I may have eaten some of my chocolates already...

I made a list and distributed it amongst my family and boyfriend since they spend the most amount of money and like to get me things I'll really love. They then sent the list to everyone else which is why I don't have anything the same. Usually from my Dad and Stepmum they give me money and then a stocking, but since I never usually spend money at this time of year on makeup, I said to them that I'd rather open presents instead of sale shopping. On my birthday I received a ton of Mac makeup so decided now to focus on Nars and some other brands I hadn't really tried out. I had no idea I'd recieve the Dual Intensity Palette or the Steven Klein lip trio so that was so exciting to open. The Too Faced chocolate bar palette surprised me and oh my gosh it smells like hot chocolate inside! I was excited most at the Vice 4 palette from Urban Decay since I hadn't used a Vice palette before and Andy must have really understood that I had my eye on it. I received the Nars Creamy Concealer in Vanilla which the perfect match to my skin tone, along with two Audacious lipsticks in Liv and Charlotte.

I still managed to receive some Mac goodies in there from my Uncle and best friend. There are two eyeshadows to add to my pro palette in White Frost and Woodwinked, the Miley Cyrus Viva Glam II lipstick and Lady Danger which are some pretty vibrant shades. The Nyx lip suede and matte lip cream are also pretty daring so I'm excited to try them, especially Transylvania which is so similar to the Revlon Black Cherry lipstick. For when I'm wanting a more natural lip I now have Charlotte Tilbury's Bitch Perfect from the KISSING range, with a lip pencil to match. There are so many products here that I'm so excited to try out, including other bits from Nyx, Sleek and The Balm, and a lighter shade of Double Wear for the winter months.

I laughed so much when I opened this 1kg Family Size jar of Nutella. I'm still yet to open it but definitely want to try making a Nutella hot chocolate with it. Along with the Lindor I've got some fabulous chocolates such as Guylian, Ferrero Rocher, Thorntons and all the rest but I'm trying to eat them in small doses. I was so happy to receive the One Line A Day book as I saw tons of bloggers get it last year and I'm a big fan of documenting things that it seemed too good to miss. The Babyliss Diamond Waves intrigued me as I've never used this type of hair styling tool before but since I have curly hair and have to straighten my hair to reduce frizz, then curl with tongs then brush it out, I'm hoping these make life a little easier. I've just picked up the chopstick tongs by Lee Stafford in attempt to recurl any natural bits that aren't still curly so I'm heading into 2016 with high hopes for my hair.

My best friend bought me this adorable rose gold candle which I squealed at in front of her because she knows how much I love copper and rose gold. My boyfriend's Brother and his girlfriend bought me a similar looking copper mug but I may have drank out of it and forgot to take a photo. To match the candle I have this adorable copper lantern which is just too pretty for words. I want to put a little tealight in it but I don't want to open it just yet. Also from my twinny I have this gorgeous Ted Baker makeup bag from Boots. I worked there over Christmas and was so tempted to pick it up for myself (because I bought her the same one, coincidentally) and was told to wait just in case someone happened to buy it! It is so pretty and I'm not normally a fan of smaller makeup bags but I will happily not bring some makeup with me just to use this whenever I can.
I'm so genuinely surprised at the gifts I received this year and did leave some out of photos because they were personal or because they were too big to fit onto my makeup table such as bags, hats and other items. Hopefully I'll get better at makeup to really make use out of these new products that I have! If you've done a similar post feel free to link it in the comments - I'm just as nosey and love reading haul posts.

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