MAKEUP | E.L.F. Cosmetics Lash XTNDR Mascara

Purchased by me (via Ipsy Bag). Affiliate links.

I know singular product reviews are "sooo early 2010s", but I have come to realize that for my own personal organization purposes, I love having one post dedicated to a product that we can do a deep dive on. From an SEO perspective, of course the singular product review works best and that's actually how I personally still search for product reviews. If anything, I wish there were more product reviews that were written so that I don't have to contend with going on Instagram and having to watch a reel! Basically, I am doing these singular product reviews for people like me! 

MAKEUP | L'Oreal Paradise Big Deal Mascara (Definitely NOT a Big Deal For Me!)

Press sample. Affiliate links.

I very rarely discuss mascara on here because even though it is a product I use daily, there are very few that manage to make my little lashes look substantial and today is no different. If anything, this is the first mascara I have tried in a long time that had such a minimal result that I wanted to talk about it! A little backwards when you think about how most beauty reviews work, but I was indeed amazed just in the opposite direction!

HOLIDAY | Relive your Childhood Birthdays with the Sephora Collection La Pinata

What a CUTE idea! We all loved smashing pinatas to bits as kids to get candy and treats so why should this have to change now that we are adults? Granted, you can't smash this, but the fox head Sephora Collection La Pinata* ($38 CDN) is filled with 10 Sephora Collection beauty goodies ranging from makeup to skincare! Don't take a bat to this pinata though! Instead, tug on the pink and white ribbons to reveal all of your holiday treats!  

MAKEUP | Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara (Hmmm...)

T'is the year of mascaras and though I have mainly been using high end ones, drugstore mascaras don't seem all that different to me in terms of brushes and formulations. The Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara* has been the talk of the town thanks to social campaigns from companies like Influencer and after reading some pretty terrible reviews, I think I am unfortunately going to have to add one of my own.  

BEAUTY | Givenchy Noir Interdit Mascara (Will This Work on My Baby Asian Lashes?)

I don't often review mascara because let's face it, although there are many pros to being Asian (Hello Kitty, magical math abilities and looking 15 years old until you're 60), as a people we just don't have much in the way of lashes. They are almost always thin, short and in most cases slope downward. No matter the mascara, it's hard to see a difference when you don't really have a good lash foundation to begin with!

I do like weird beauty things though. I like finding out if a product is truly innovative or if it's just gimmicky especially if it's a $38 mascara like the new Noir Interdit* from Givenchy! With a new 90° bendable brush for ultimate lift to give a complete lash extension effect, so let's see whether it works!

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Smoky Stretch Mascara Review with Before & After Shots!

Ah, mascaras. There are so many of you and yet I can never find the right one. My last MAKE UP FOR EVER mascara review was for the Smoky Extravagant (here) which had a rather large conical brush and gave rather dramatic results. Today is all about its descendant Smoky Stretch* ($28.00 CDN) which is all about length, intense black colour and a formula that is just smooooth. Formulated with Locust Tree Alginate Jelly(algin) and silk protein (sericin), this newest mascara formulation promises to define and elongate even the finest of lashes.

 

MAKEUP LOOK | Getting Ready for Spring with Guerlain’s Les Tendres Spring 2015 Collection Review

I feel like I only seem to keep track of the seasons not by solstice, but by makeup collection. In December, I was blessed (yes, I use that term on purpose because it almost felt heaven-sent) with a good Samaritan who received my Guerlain package in error and took the trouble to look up my blog and email me to let me know she had it. It was probably the best Christmas present I had ever gotten!

When it comes to luxury colour cosmetics, Guerlain is like Mecca for me. I’ll make the journey to splurge once a year and worship from afar for the other 364 days. Released last month, Guerlain’s Spring Les Tendres 2015 Collection is all about radiance and having that naturally glowing complexion. There are some definite star products that I cannot help but highlight in the coming posts, but here is a somewhat first impression post of the products I used to create this glowing Spring look!

Wet n Wild | “Steal the Look” App with I’m His Breezy and Spoiled Brat Palettes + GIVEAWAY!

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that I could have any makeup look I spotted in a magazine with just the click of a camera and of course technology to figure out the rest! One of my favourite high school makeup brands has made that little fantasy happen in the form of the new Steal the Look app from Wet n Wild. I love the smoky eye so the look I wanted to “steal” was a “Modern Mod” look with a grey smoky eye and nude lips (I think this girl is from the Bachelor Canada).

 

Lancome | Grandiose Mascara Review with Before and After and Application Video (Yes, I Actually Speak!)

Surprise, surprise I am yet ANOTHER beauty blogger who is going to talk about the new Lancome Grandiose Mascara ($35 CDN) that has been the latest topic of conversation when it comes mascara innovation. With a revolutionary “swan-neck” that grants us access to uncharted eyelash territory, I am getting ready to be introduced to my inner corner lashes…

shu uemura | Petal Lash Mascara in Intense Black

I have tried so many mascaras. It seems to be the one thing that is always in a bag of samples or a gift with purchase, but shu uemura’s petal lash mascara ($29.00 CDN) is different. With a manoeuvrable pink blossom applicator (it really is pink!) that is able to catch even the tiniest of lashes, a super light formula that doesn’t weigh them down and the scent of Sakura blossoms, this mascara needs to be on your radar.

ARTDECO | Miami Summer Collection Swatches and Makeup Look (Many Many Pictures!)

There is now yet another totally legitimate reason to visit Shoppers Drug Mart with the addition of German makeup company ARTDECO to the ever-growing beauty roster! Founded in 1985 by Helmut Baurecht, the company has now expanded to over 70 countries and often out sells larger cosmetic lines because of their amazing quality, packaging and selection all at a reasonable price. Aren’t those all things you would be onboard with?! Today I have a few products from the new Miami Summer Collection which launched just at the end of June to share with you all complete with a makeup look that is guaranteed to last through the summer heat!

Essence | LASH Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara

It’s no secret that being Asian has given me some itty, bitty lashes. I am still not gifted in the false lash application department, so when it comes to a mascara I tend to prefer thicker lashes over length or volume. Essence LASH Mania False Lash Mascara promises to give lashes the “oomph” they need and has one of those flexible, bendy brushes that feels almost weightless in my hand.  

Review | Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara

Baby thin lashes. They’re what I was born with and what I have to work with so mascaras quickly became one of my best makeup friends the moment my parents let me wear makeup! I experiment with a lot of mascaras in order to find one that gives me volume, length and fullness. Three qualities that I often find lacking in just one mascara so when MAKE UP FOR EVER announced that their latest mascara, the new Smoky Extravagant, promised volume, curl and precision in just one swipe, I was game to try it!

Smoky Extravagant intensifies eyes with dramatic impact that attracts attention from afar and shows precise and defined lashes up close. Its “ergonomic” brush allows for ultra-precise, intuitive application. Generously coated with just the right amount of mascara, the brush’s soft fibers lift each last individually.

The clump-free texture glides on easily, sheathes and coats the lashes for spectacular volume and length. The result is instantaneous with a long lasting hold. Lashes fan out, dramatic and defined, from root to tip.

I have been loving MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Smoky Lash mascara that I reviewed back in January. I didn’t find it too special back then, but I gave it a second chance this month and have been enjoying it. Let’s see how its sibling does on my lashes, shall we?

Review - Maybelline Mega Plush Volume Mascara

I’m not normally one to buy mascara considering the number of mascara samples I’ve been getting, but the new Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara really caught my eye because it uses a gel-mousse formula leading to less “crunchy” and brittle lashes. This lighter formula also promises massive and supple volume as it contains 40% less hard waxes and uses a new Flexor Brush. To be honest, these flexible brushes scare me…I feel like I have no control when I’m applying mascara! I’m like a woman gone wild!

                    

As you can see, I didn’t really get a lot of “mega volume”, but I did get some lash lengthening. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with how little this mascara plumped up my lashes, but the gel-mousse formula definitely left my lashes feeling not quite so brittle. There were moments in my day when I forgot I was even wearing mascara! The other positive about this mascara was that it was really easy to remove with just water. The packaging says to use soap and water, but I’m too scared to have soap anywhere near my eyes because I dread the stinging sensation!

The Flexor Brush is not my favourite as I do feel like the extra “gumbiness” of the mascara wand makes me feel like I have less control. I like being able to push a little to really get the brush in between what few lashes I have, but with the Flexor Brush, pushing just caused the brush to bend and not really get into the lash crevices.  One thing I did notice was that the length of the wand is quite short in order to compensate for the “gumby” brush so at least the physics involved are correct!

Final Verdict: Do I suggest that you run out now and snap up this mascara? Probably not. After this experience, I definitely prefer stiff mascara brushes much more to flexible ones. The concept was interesting, but it just didn’t work for me. I did like the formula though, so MAYBE I could substitute a stiff brush with this formula? My lashes didn’t feel quite so heavy so the gel-mousse formula definitely lived up to its promises in that respect, but I didn’t get the volume that was promised which is a huge factor in why most of us buy mascaras anyway. I don’t really care too much for lengthening if my lashes look sparse. As much as I hate to say I don’t like something, I’m going to have to say NO to re-purchasing this mascara