A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Since having Leila, I’ve noticed that my eyeslashes have been breaking more often and generally looking a bit sparser than normal.

I’m not in the market for lash growth solutions like li-lash and revitalash, but I do want something that promises to keep them in tip top condition.

Enter Mavala Double Lash:

They say:

Double Lash contains proteins which strengthen, cover and protect the lashes allowing them to become healthy, long and resistant.

To be fair, I’m not holding out much hope, I’m sure it has all to do with post-pregnancy hormones and no amount of proteins is going to alter that.  However, Double Lash is inexpensive and I figured it can’t hurt to try right?

The bottle is huge! It would take me a year to get through that much product!  I’m going to apply it to my lashes (and brows) every night before bed and see if there’s any differences to be seen in 30 days time.

Here’s the obligatory “before” shots:

Mavala Double Lash is available online from FeelUnique priced at £8.25

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.

Yes, I’m behind the times… by about 7 years.

Let me start by saying that my name is Charlotte and I am a total mascara whore.  I love it and I have a real problem staying faithful to any particular brand.  There’s just too many to choose from and companies come out with shiny new ones all the time to tempt me.  If there’s one product that I can’t leave the house without.  This is it.

Anyway, back to Benefit Bad Gal…

I got accosted this time last year by a pink clad MUA from Benefit whilst browsing The Vitality Show at London’s Olympia (which I really recommend for a fantastic day out!).  The MUA proceeded to cover me in You Rebel (nice but too dark for me), You’re Bluffing (meh), and Bad Gal Lash Mascara (which wowed me).  I couldn’t stop fluttering my eyelashes at everyone.

Roll forward nearly a year and I still hadn’t picked myself up a tube.  I dunno why, well actually I do.  I bought Benefit Dandelion after having it dusted over my cheeks by an over-enthusiastic MUA in Boots and it was a super huge disappointment.  I just couldn’t get it to show up on my skin, despite my uber paleness and I was worried Bad Gal was gonna disappoint in the same way.

Anyway, last week I finally succumbed and spent some of my hoard of Boots points on a lovely shiny tube of the black stuff.

I know some people think it’s over-rated.  I think that it’s probably suited to a specific type of eyelash (of which I’m lucky enough to include myself).  If you’ve got small eyes and short stubby lashes, this isn’t gonna do anything for you.  The brush is too large and unwieldy and you’re bound to make a mess.  I’ve got naturally long and curly lashes – they just need some serious darkening and beefing up which is exactly what this mascara does for them – and it does it well!

I love the density of the brush that really allows me to ‘brush’ my lashes from root to tip and create some proper separation to enhance the volumising effect.  My lashes tend to clump (especially on a 2nd coat), so the even distribution provided by the brush is particularly welcomed!  This mascara also leaves my lashes super soft and flexible and not at all crunchy, not a big deal for me – not bothered by stiff lashes, but I know some are – so thought I’d mention it!

All other mascaras in my stash are currently being ignored (apart from a Blinc tester that I’m slowly falling in love with – see, I told you… fickle!).

However, my one and only problem with Bad Gal is the price.  I know it’s not exactly break the bank expensive at £14.50… but, there’s so many other lovely mascaras out there begging me to buy them (don’t cry Diorshow I haven’t forgotten you – despite your eye watering price, nor you Lash Blast you lovely drugstore temptress you)… and with new ones appearing on the market quicker than I can apply a second coat of this one.  What’s a girl to do?

Are you a faithful Felicity? or a shamefully promiscuous Pandora like me when it comes to Mascara?

[starreview tpl=14]