A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I generally balk at the prospect of paying more than £8 for a high street/drug store product, but I had seen/read a few reviews of the new L’oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer and was too excited by the “resurfacing” claims not to at least check it out.

My skin isn’t too bad and I’m generally fairly content with it… however, improvements can always be made right? and the thought of poreless, mattified smooth skin was one temptation too far.  So, I left Superdrug clutching my little 15ml pot of miracles whilst trying not to growl too loudly at the £12.99 receipt sat in the bottom of the bag.

Please excuse the stock image, I’ve still got the sniffles and the thought of digging out my camera feels far too energetic!

The consistency reminds me of a slightly less fluffy Maybelline Dream Mousse product, it’s a pale pink colour and a little goes quite a long way as it spreads smoothly and easily across the skin.  It feels quite heavy thanks to the silicones, although this feeling does fade after a little while you’ll be pleased to hear.  After application, my skin feels very velvety and soft – but unfortunately, that feeling fades aswell.

L’oreal say:

Inspired by professional make-up, this primer masks wrinkles and uneven textures in the skin, making the complexion incredibly smooth with a velvety touch. Skin feels soft as if resurfaced.

The high elastomer content in the Smoothing Primer means that it has a beautifully smooth texture and is incredibly effective at disguising wrinkles and pores. The combination of soft, light powders gives a matte look and a silky finish.

Bold claims huh?

Well, this is where I stop talking and let you decide.  I’ve uploaded a picture… a great big massive ugly close up picture.  Here are my pores and wrinkles for all the world to see.  I’ve primed half my face with this product before applying my foundation whilst the other half has the foundation applied on bare skin.

Please excuse the wild hair and slightly goofy bug-eyed expression – my camera’s wide angle lens is not the most flattering (but great for pinpoint focusing accuracy on those pores!)

Click the image to make it SUPER-SIZED! (if you dare)

Are you back? Do you need therapy?

So what do you think?  Is there a discernible difference?  If there is… is it worth £12.99 of your money?

Personally, I don’t think I’ll bother repurchasing.

Tell me what you think!

Before being gifted some of these Color Sensational lippies at the recent Maybelline event, I’d heard about this range from other bloggers on t’internet and had rushed out to purchase #112 Ambre Rose.

My experiences with this “lippie du jour” had been really good. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did (I thought the same about GOSH Darling too). Aside from the simple prettiness of the shade, I found it to be non-drying, easy to apply, nicely pigmented and carrying a gorgeous vanilla scent. Longevity is average for a high-street brand and I’m not ashamed to reapply in public thanks to the pretty case.

Now onto some swatches of just a few of the 26 available shades.

Out of the 7:

#730 (Golden Brown) and #420 (Coral Pop) are not flattering to my cool skintone.

#125 (Shimmer Pink) is beautiful, but a little too shimmery for me.

#148 (Summer Pink) is a little too bright for me to wear comfortably.

which leaves…

#112 (Ambre Rose), #165 (Pink Hurricane) & #240 (Galactic Mauve) as stand out shades for me.  These would really compliment any cool toned ladies out there.

I do wanna say though, #420 (Coral Pop) is a stonking shade for warmer skintones… I’m particularly grumpy about the fact that it doesn’t suit me very well.

Application and formula-wise, they’re consistently good.  If you want a lippie on a budget that you can tote around in your handbag for touch ups on the go, I recommend this line with complete conviction.

I haven’t tried any of the ‘stronger’ shades like #530 (Fatal Red) or #315 (Rich Plum) so I can’t comment on things like bleeding into the lip line, but if these 7 are indicative of the rest of the lineup, I can happily state that wear seems to be nice and even.

I’ll be hunting down a few more shades (especially whilst the 3for2 is still on at Boots) – #108 Pink Pearl (can’t find it and it isn’t even in stock on Boots.com), #132 Sweet Pink, #245 Magic Mauve (possibly) & #605 Precious Beige. 

There’s also a few US only shades that I’m scouring eBay for.

I wasn’t a massive fan of Maybelline’s other new release Pulse Perfection Mascara (although if you are, grab a £1.50 off coupon here) so I’m delighted to be able to enthuse about these!

Available from Boots, Superdrug et al and currently priced at £6.84ea.

I’m a lazy girl.. I hate reapplying lipsticks, so I do have a fondness for long-lasting lip colours.

I picked these glosses up in Superdrug a few weeks ago after falling in love with the shades whilst noseying through the Sleek stand.

Purity (on the left) and Christobell (on the right)

Purity is a lovely creamy dusky nude shade on my lips, whilst Christobell is a pale silvery pink with lots of shimmer.

Sleek say:

…Wonderlast Duo Lipgloss will equip you with a long lasting high gloss pout, allowing you to face the battles of the day without the endless need for reapplication. A lustrous, hydrating and long-lasting lip gloss. Available in 8 shades…

The idea behind this gloss is not a new one… Revlon released a version earlier this year (Colorstay Liquid Lipstick – which I’m a fan of), Maybelline does one (Superstay Lip Color) and even GOSH had one called Everlasting Lips (not sure if that’s still available).

Anyway, how do these glosses stand up to their claims?

First up, we have “Purity”:

Purity, with and without the gloss topcoat.

Well, firstly.. the shade is true to the tube and it applied smoothly.  However, I could instantly feel my lips reacting to the drying lipcolour.  Even with the gloss attempting to disguise the furrows… the drying effects are still visible.

I LOVE the clear gloss topcoat though, it’s smooth almost creamy and completely non-sticky – great stuff!

Moving on to “Christobell”…

Sorry… Did someone just post a picture of a cat’s bumhole?

Erm… check that out!  Way to age my lips by about 30 years, thanks Sleek!  The gloss does do quite a good job of disguising this though.  I’ll just have to walk around with a constant smile on my face to stretch out that skin.

One problem though… one BIG problem…

WTF is that? 5 minutes later… I felt my lips becoming “gritty” and this is what greeted me in the mirror.  Attractive no?  Just gonna go see if my husband fancies a snog…

This shade has done this before for me, I’m not sure if it’s an application issue or if I’ve got an odd tube.  I *think* it’s when I apply more than one coat of the colour.  But you HAVE to if you want to achieve anything near the intensity it looks in the tube as this shade is quite sheer.

As for longevity, it’s not bad.. but it’s not the best.  Revlon Liquid Lipstick wins that one for me (although also drying).  I would say that these Wonderlast Duo Lipglosses last an average of 3 hours on me before fading.  They also fade a little unevenly, so you may find yourself scrubbing away at your lips with the back of your hand well before the 3hrs are up.

Removal can be tricky (as with all of these types of product) But I overcome this by using my fingertip with a slick of cleansing oil or some other dual-phase makeup remover.

I’m disappointed that I’m not happier with these lipglosses, at a price of £3.91 each they’re an absolute steal and I’ve already declared my adoration for the 2 shades above.

However cat bum lips simply won’t do and if we lived in the U.S. I’d demand my money back for Sleek being so cheeky as to claim they’re “hydrating”.

I *may* repurchase Purity for the shade and to use the gloss coat ontop of other lipsticks but Christobell is a total no-no for me.

[starreview tpl=14]

Another new release for Autumn/Winter 2009 is Urban Decay’s new Ink For Eyes, a highly pigmented cream liner available in 6 different colours for the party season!

I received 3 of the latest shades to try out and share my thoughts with you.

They Say:

It’s everything you want in a cream eyeliner! More precise than a pencil, more forgiving than a liquid, this super-smooth formula offers more control, play time, and buildable coverage than your average liner.

What’s our secret ingredient? Nylon 12! This high-tech polymer decreases drag for flawless application (no skips or smears), while softening and absorbing excess oil. Color glides easily and stays true all day long. And, the formula is paraben-free!

Let’s have a look at these lovely new offerings then…

Very pretty no?

From left to right: Loaded (Deep Green), Demolition (Rich Brown), Binge (Midnight Blue)

One of the first things that struck me is the brush included with each liner.  It’s really rather decent! See for yourselves:

You can achieve good precision with the brush end and the smudger is as good as anything I own to create a smokier look.

Here’s a swatch of the brown.. check out that pigmentation!

The top line shows 2 swipes of the liner whilst the bottom line is 1 swipe and then smudged out using the smudger tip.

The product applies smoothly with absolutely no drag on the eyelid I’m pleased to report.  There’s nothing worse than a product which is too hard and drags on the delicate skin… my pet hate for any liner!

Here, I’ve lined the top and bottom lashlines fairly heavily (for a night-time look) and I’ve smoked out the lower for a more sultry effect.

This is where the product excels… I LOVE this liner for a smokier/smudgier ‘rock chick’ look.  It also works well as a cream eyeshadow when smudged gently over the upper lid… it blends beautifully.

If you’re a fan of these kind of liners… then I don’t see how these could fail to please!  Beautifully packaged with a decent brush and useful mirror, whilst the product itself is nicely pigmented and very soft, creamy and easy to apply.

My only gripe with the Urban Decay Ink For Eyes is the same gripe I have with a lot of cream liners.  Transfer.

This doesn’t set too well.  I’d recommend a touch of translucent powder or eyeshadow in a similar shade to limit transfer on your mobile lids (especially if you have hooded eyelids like me).  Having said that, once smudged out a bit… I had no problems with further smudging or transfer on the lower lashline.

Colour-wise, I’m really tempted by the eggplant shade (Empire) for some gorgeous smoky Autumnal looks, which shade is your favourite?

Available from the usual Urban Decay stockists and priced at £14 each.

Ok, so um… this appeals to me a bit.  I’m honestly a bit ashamed to admit that.  I mean, I’m disgusted and intrigued by this product all at the same time.

Thoughts whizzing through my head include…

“How freakin’ lazy would you need to be….”
“How stupid would you need to be….”

But then, there’s this little gem weaving it’s way around in there too…

“But… what if it works… you know, even just a little bit?”

Ladies and erm Ladies… I introduce you to…

BURNER BALM!

Yeah, it could be a little more discreet about it couldn’t it.

It makes me think of David Mitchell doing his Sky Sports parody voice… BURNER BALM… IT’S FOR FAT PEOPLE!

I first came across this product on the HQHair website back in late July/early August and sniggered to myself about how craptastic the packaging was and how fantastically gimmicky it sounded.  Fast forward a couple of weeks and I saw a tweet from PurePR linking to this article and wondering if it was “too much fuss?”  I responded saying that I didn’t take the product’s claims seriously enough to get all indignant over it.   I got a reply a few minutes later that simply said:  “In that case I must insist you try a sample!”

Consider that gauntlet well and truly thrown down!

I received my Fat Burner Balm a couple of days later and YES it really is as ugly and as inyourface as it looks in the picture.  Smells alright though.  I licked a bit… it doesn’t really taste of anything.  The variety I received was Pomegranate, but being the cave dweller I am, I don’t know how that is supposed to taste.

Let me categorically state that I am not gonna say whether or not I think this had any effect on my appetite or energy levels because honestly? I don’t know whether it did or not.  And if I think it may have done? It could easily be placebo… and if I think it was a load of old rubbish – my GIMMICK! radar may be interfering with my impartiality.

What I will say is that I found the product moisturising on my dry lips and strangely refreshing in a minty (but non tingly way).  I liked the fact that it contains SPF15 (as all good lipbalms should).  I didn’t like the gritty texture.  I found that I kept licking my lips in an attempt to lick the grittiness away… I wonder if the texture is part of the masterplan to get the ingredients into our systems by lip licking?  Either way it encouraged excellent and rather impressive chameleon impressions.

Do you know what I liked most about this product? It’s a fabulous conversation piece!  Whisking it out at the dinner table and everyone is talking about it for the next 10 minutes!  Everyone wants to know if it works, what it tastes of and how many HobNobs I’ve scoffed that day.  They all want a sniff and a read of the ingredients (I would list them, but I can’t be arsed – look on HQHair if you’re interested).

It’s one of those products that will generally polarise opinion.

Or alternatively, like me… you’ll just remain bemused yet curious about it!

Available from HQHair in 4 flavour varieties and priced at £4.95.

Synonymous with the brand (and highly regarded) is Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion, so I was excited to get the chance to test and review some of their latest primers.

Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion is a new release to coincide with their Autumn/Winter collection…

They say:

Prepare your lips for the day ahead. Our invisible primer lays a silky foundation for your favorite lipstick or gloss. Color is truer, applies smoother, lasts longer, and will not fade or feather. The easy-glide formula feels velvety-soft, without the drying feeling often associated with long-lasting lip color.

The formula includes SPF 15 (yay!) and moisturizing Vitamins A, C and E for a primer that protects and perfects. And, our pretty roll-up tube and slanted bullet make for precise, easy application.

It’s a concealer coloured unassuming little product decked out in Urban Decay’s trademark pretty purple packaging.  All very nice, but does it actually do anything?

Let’s put it to the test!

First of all, let me introduce you to my bare lips.  I make no apologies for the total lack of makeup… it’s a Sunday and I couldn’t be bothered.

You’ll notice that I have a very full bottom lip (and not much top lip unfortunately).  This really causes quite a problem for me with lipsticks, especially pale ones.  The inner part of my bottom lip is highly pigmented in comparison to the rest of the lip (see the redder bit?).  Lipsticks simply don’t stick to that part of my lip which isn’t too much of a problem if the shade is dark enough… but if I’m wearing a nude or pale lip, you can spot where the lipstick hasn’t applied properly from a mile away.

I also have dry lips and some deep creases which I put down to a 20-a-day cigarette habit that lasted nearly 15 years.

The only lip primers I’ve ever tried in the past have been those plumping stinging ones, so I was interested to put Urban Decay’s Lip Primer Potion to the ultimate test!

Firstly…

I applied a lip scrub (I keep thinking Dr. Evil when I look at this picture).  I use a minty sugar based scrub from Earthen Glow Minerals.

Then I generously applied the primer all over my lips… Look! The red bit isn’t quite so noticeable! It created a nice even base without giving concealer lips!

Applying Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout, a lovely shade that I’ve barely worn because of my uneven pigmentation problem.  I found that the primer helped smooth the application of this matte which drags more than most lipsticks.

Finished! Apologies for looking so smug here… not quite sure why that is…

Final thoughts:

I’m very pleased to have discovered this product!  It offers a solution to my uneven pigmentation problem and that is the one thing I really hoped it would solve.  I’m not convinced that my lipstick lasted longer than usual… but it definitely faded evenly instead of leaving a ring around the edge of my lips as per usual.

Unfortunately, I found the actual primer itself quite hard to apply, a little bit draggy.  I also didn’t feel that it was very moisturising on my dry lips which was one of the promises made.  I did try the primer again with a waxy lip balm underneath and that definitely eased the dryness.. but worked against the whole priming effect so obviously not a very good solution!  I shall try a more cream-like lip moisturiser (think Body Shop) and see if that helps at all.

Would I purchase this?  Yes.  I’ve never found anything that evens out my lip pigmentation so EFFECTIVELY without completely drying my lips out or wearing off rapidly (concealer).  For me at least, this is a product that will change how I wear lipstick.  I will have far more confidence in pale lips without reapplying constantly and trying to grind the colour into a uniform application.  That’s a HUGE breakthrough for me!

Now… Urban Decay, listen up… please could you squeeze a little more moisturiser into it for old scabby-lipped ladies like me?

Available from the usual Urban Decay stockists and priced at £10

I received this to try a couple of weeks ago and thought it was high time I shared my thoughts on one of the newest lash primers to hit the UK market: Urban Decay’s Eyelash Primer Potion

They say:

Wave this magic wand before your favorite mascara for lashes that appear thicker, longer and stronger… right before your very eyes. Tiny fibers band together, cling to every lash, and construct towers of Babel… reaching for heavenly lashes. Just apply Eyelash Primer Potion, then apply your favorite mascara as usual. Your lashes will look fake, but the magic is real.

Our protein-rich and paraben-free formula conditions, fortifies, and thickens lashes with Silk Protein, Panthenol, and Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein.

As always from Urban Decay we’re treated to some pretty packaging… call me a sucker, I can’t help it – curb appeal counts!

You can see the little fibres clinging to the brush.  If you’ve experienced sensitivity with fibre mascaras in the past you may want to exercise some caution with this primer.  I had no sensitivity problems.

One set of lashes bare and one coated with the primer… is this what I’m gonna look like in 40 years?

Ta-da!  This is one coat of mascara on each set of lashes.  The Primer’d lashes are the ones on your right (like you need telling).  So, does Urban Decay’s new Eyelash Primer make a difference for me? Um yeah!

The effect is possibly a little clumpy for my personal taste, so next time I would definitely comb them through after applying… it’s also quite a heavy product, so if you curl your lashes, you may find this weighs them down.  I was pleased to note that the eyelashes with the primer on didn’t feel any more brittle or ‘crunchy’ than the other side.

I can’t easily test the claims of lash fortifying and thickening… but they sound like bonus qualities I’d want my lash primer to have.

Priced at £10 and available from the usual Urban Decay stockists.

There are two types of people in this world.. no, not those weird MacDonald’s gherkin haters always looking repulsed at the infinitely more sensible pickle lovers, (c’mon, it’s one your 5-a-day.  In a burger!).  I’m talking about Bath vs. Shower people.  I have always fallen into the latter category, simply never having enough time for a leisurely soak.

But, since having Leila – any period of time that involves me being locked in a room on my own is a GOOD thing and what better excuse is there than “I’m just gonna have a bath, k?”

I’m considering moving most of my belongings into the bathroom, that’s how much time I’m spending in there… my husband and daughter occasionally catch glimpses of me running from the bedroom to the bathroom, towel flapping behind me – “just gonna have a quick bath mmm…k?!” *door shuts. door locks. Mum double checks that door cannot be opened*  Don’t worry, there are photos of me dotted around the house so Leila knows what Mummy looks like.

Jeez… I’m rambling.

Anyway, you can clearly imagine my delight when I was sent a new bath oil to try out!  Can I get a woop WOOP!?

Muscle Ease?  Oh, yes please! – It’s hard work being an all-round yummy mummy, incredible wife and beauty blogger – my poor aching muscles… oh and look! Ginger! One of my favourite smells in the whole wide world!

So far, so good…

I turned on the taps and unscrewed the lid. Oh. My. God… I know I have a tendency towards over the over-dramatic, but this is the scent to beat all scents.  It’s warm, spicy, autumnal and citrusy without being sharp.  Absolutely incredible with real depth that makes you want to keep that ‘in’ breath going until the scent envelopes you and carries you away wrapped in a cashmere blanket.

Sorry, but I did warn you about the drama.

Once poured into the bath, (just a capful, a little goes a long way!) the oil emulsifies, turning the water milky and luxurious.  The scent is still lingering in the air, it’s enthusiasm to tickle your nostrils not even remotely dampened by the gallons of steamy water now diluting it.

I’ll let you into a little secret… I don’t REALLY have weary muscles (although I am a yummy mummy and incredible wife… get lost, I so AM) heck, the only muscles I exercise are the ones needed to eat and talk – do they do a mouthwash?  This unfortunately means that I can’t comment on it’s ability to ease tired muscles.  But… after experiencing TOTAL relaxation despite grizzly child noises echoing in the background, I wouldn’t be surprised if this stuff could make me tea and toast, let alone relieve a few aches and pains.

I will absolutely be purchasing this when my bottle runs out.  I will also be purchasing the Detox variety (Lemon and Black Pepper anyone? *yes please!*)

Tisserand Bath Oils are currently available in 4 varieties: Muscle Ease, Energy Revive, Detox and De-Stress.

They are priced at £7.50 each and available to buy online from Tisserand.com (You can also get them with Free Delivery from Beauty Flash)

I would mention that Tisserand Bath Oils are also free from Synthetic Fragrances, SLES and Parabens but I’m too busy sniffing the bottle to care.  Oh, but I do care enough to let you know that they don’t test on bunnies either.

Looky, my first 5 out of 5… I just can’t find fault.

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When I got up this morning, I was determined to brave this adventurous (for me) lipgloss, so here we go!

You can probably tell that this is a sheer application.  It’s applied over the top of Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Lily-Rose.

It’s consistency is sticky, but not as sticky as MAC’s lipglasses.  Longevity is good, it hasn’t faded much at all throughout the day so far.

Galactic is a really lovely item to have in your kit, glamour in a tube!

[starreview tpl=14]

Continuing with my mascara series (check out the others by clicking here)…

I actually don’t know too much about L’oreal Lash Architect Mascara… I bought blind, not being aware of the general consensus on this one.

Lovely, sleek black packaging with a nice tapered wand handle.  Sounds silly to place such emphasis on packaging… but it really does have nice ‘curb appeal’.

This is the ‘Carbon Gloss’ variety, which is deemed to be L’oreals ‘glossiest blackest mascara yet’.

It’s a standard bristle brush, with a relatively small head when compared to the big boys (Bad Gal et al.)  To my eye, the brush narrows slightly in the middle, but I’m not sure if this is a design feature (a la sexy curves) or just a flaw in the manufacturing process.  Anyone else have one to compare?

The formula is nice and non-gloopy on the wand which is an absolute must for me.  There’s nothing worse than trying to battle huge globs of mascara off the wand and back into the tube.  Yes, I know some people just wipe the wands with tissue… what you think I have money to burn?  You should see me trying to shoehorn the excess back down that narrow tube… Just call me ‘Arkwright’ (please don’t all be too young to know Open All Hours)

It applies evenly and builds up nicely with no clumping at all (which I find can be a problem with L’oreal mascaras).

This is after 2 coats.  Some nice length and some volumising.  I honestly don’t think that this formula is THAT black, I have others in my arsenal far darker than this one.  Surprising considering this is the USP of this particular mascara.  I think that it’s clear that the real strength in this mascara lies within it’s defining properties a.k.a The False Lash Effect.  My lashes are really separated and each one is individually emphasised.  I really like this mascara, the look is fairly natural which makes for a great day time product.  For the evenings, I’d love something which provides this much definition with a little more va va voom!

[starreview tpl=14]

You already know by now that I’m a big fan of Mavala polishes and further to my post a few weeks ago on Mavala’s “Ruby” polish, I was sent the remaining 2 colours of Mavala’s Autumn/Winter collection for review. 

The collection is called Viva La Colour!  – a brave slap in the face to the usual Autumn/Winter collections showing up around now.

The first shade I want to show you is “Liberty”, an elegant soft nude.

This is a sheer, but it builds up opacity quite nicely thanks to Mavala’s reliable formula which never fails to please me.  The above is a total of 4 thin coats, a little more than I would prefer to apply – but it’s not a chore thanks to the smooth application.  If you did want to wear this sheer, it would be a lovely shade to compliment a french manicure… as for me, I don’t do sheers – so I’m glad I was able to build up the opacity, especially on such a lovely work-appropriate nude.  Work-appropriate nude? An oxymoron if ever I heard one!

Before I continue, I have to tell you that  “Viva La Colour!” is a collection of mattes.  Which probably goes some way to explain why I wasn’t delighted with the finish of the Ruby shade I tried earlier this month.

To be blunt, I don’t regard this collection as matte.  We’ve all seen the mattes on offer this season from the likes of O.P.I, Zoya and Nubar… I’m not a fan, but regardless of my personal taste, these ‘matte’ offerings from Mavala just aren’t… well, matte.  Semi-matte perhaps, but they’re definitely still fairly glossy.  This might be the ideal compromise for you if you’re a little too conservative to rush headlong into the new trend.

For me, this finish just misses – I get a non-commital vibe from the collection which is a shame, but as I’m about to demonstrate… easily remedied by a swipe of your favourite top coat.

Introducing Tokyo, the final shade in the trio.  It’s a beautiful deep dark blue with more than just a hint of purple on display.  Lovely colour, shame about that finish.

But wait… 1 top coat later…

Oh my!… Hello lover!  You’re beautiful in all your ultra glossy loveliness.  You remind me of Cadbury’s chocolate wrappers.  You make me feel all dark, mysterious and sophisticated – quite an achievement!

So, to sum up… if you’re into your mattes, I’d steer clear of this collection.

If you just want some gorgeous Autumn/Winter nail styling that’s bang on trend, a dream to apply and beautifully finished (with a top coat – ahem) – then look no further.

The collection is available from Greenhands and priced @ £3.75 each

Now, if you’ll excuse me… I’m off to stuff my face on Dairy Milk.

[starreview tpl=14]

L’oreal’s Voluminous Mascara in good ol’ black.  It’s one of those purported ‘oldies but goodies’ thought of in the same way as Max Factor’s 2000 Calorie.

An unassuming rather plain tube greets you, indeed much like Max Factor’s 2000 Calorie.  Don’t let that put you off… as they say, appearances can be deceptive.

The wand is your standard bristle affair and rather large (although not as large as Bad Gal’s which seems to be the benchmark for chunky wand heads).  It’s a little longer than standard which can make for tricky application on the outer lashes, but it’s not a major problem on my longer lashes.  One thing I really like about this wand is the density of the bristles.  They’re really packed in there which makes for some great separation.

And here’s your comparison shot.  No mascara on the left, L’oreal Voluminous on the right.  It’s a nice deep black which offers some great volumising (as the name would suggest).  I would say that there are better lengthening mascaras out there, but I could imagine that this would work great paired with one of them.  I experience no flaking or smudging with this and it lasts all day long.

My only gripe with this mascara is that the neck doesn’t fit too snugly around the wand, which creates two potential problems.  Sometimes when I pull the wand out, there is a little too much product on the head and I also find that this mascara dries out a little quicker than my others.  Not sure if this is down to the tube design or the formula itself, but it’s something to be aware of.

Overall, it’s a nice solid mascara.  I prefer 2000 Calorie over this (as long as I pinch my nose whilst applying the Max Factor) but Voluminous is very buildable thanks to a formula that isn’t too gloopy or clumping – if you haven’t already, check it out!

[starreview tpl=14]