MY TOP FIVE // Drugstore Mascaras

Hey guys!

Similar to a series I did for a short time last year, I want to start doing another 'My Top Five' series. I'll basically be picking a category of products, and choosing what are my personal five favourites in that category. And this week, I've chosen to do drugstore mascaras!

I've noticed recently that I've been using a tonne of high end products in my routine over those from the drugstore - in all areas, except masara! Out of five mascaras sitting in my 'everyday' lot of products, only two or high end. And maybe that doesn't say anything to you, but it definitely says a lot to me! Thats why I thought it was appropriate to start this series off with this particular category, plus its always great to showcase what is truly great from the drugstore.

So in no particular order, here are my picks - keep reading to see my thoughts!

1. L'Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara // $8.95US

Eeek, not only is the packaging absolutely gorgeous, the product inside is incredible. I'm a massive fan of L'Oreal mascaras - I also love Miss Manga, One Million Lashes, Butterfly Lash, the originial Voluminous and the Extra Volume Collagen - but this one is probably my favourite. It has a slightly curved, bristle brush wand that really lifts and curls my lashes. The formula is also quite dry as well, which I personally love about mascara formulas, because it makes it so easy to build volume. This formula also has small fibres that also help with volume, although I barely notice them within this mascara. Definitely give this a try if you love voluminous, big, coated lashes!

Unfortunately, I could only find this on drugstore.com - they mustn't sell this over here :( (I purchased this from New York when I visited there)

2. Max Factor Masterpiece Max High Volume & Definition Mascara // $24.95

Another favourite brand from the drugstore - Max Factor mascaras have never disappointed me. This has been my personal go to lately, as I have it in the brown shade which looks more natural on me than black mascaras. This just has a straight, plastic brush - but don't let that put you off. I promise you, Max Factor have the best mascaras in the drugstore (and possibly even the high end market) on the same line as L'Oreal.

3. Max Factor Masterpiece Transform High Impact Volumising Mascara // $23.95

Oh goodness, another massive favourite! I recieved this late last year, and it went straight to my top favourite mascaras that I have eye used. The brush is small, plastic and goes up at an angle, with the biggest bristles on the end of the brush. It flares out, so trust me when I saw that this helps push your lashes up a ridiculous amount. I'm almost at the end of my tube, which makes me quite sad really, but I really really love this mascara. I used it, and only it, for months of end before turning to something else!

(If I still owned it, I would also be including Max Factors False Lash Effect Masara - thats also incredible, it's just never in stock when I go to buy it! Can you see how obsessed I truly am with Max Factor mascaras?)

4. Model Co Double Ended Fibre Lash Mascara // $20

I've done a comparison review with this and the Too Faced Better Than False Lashes here - and this mascara won! I have back ups upon back ups of this (I always buy it on sale at Woolies), thats just how good it is. It has the two ends, one with the actual mascara and the other with loose fibres. Unlike other fibre mascaras, this really coats your lashes with the fibres without ever looking clumpy or spidery. It's great for building volume on my lashes without every going overboard!

5. Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara // $14.95

I did another comparison post that featured this and the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara here! This is THE perfect dupe for the Too Faced mascara (which is out of stock a lot of the time, may I add ;) ), and is definitely my favourite Covergirl mascara! The brush is a bristle brush which is flared out on either side to really flare out dem lashes and volumise them. Its so incredibly buildable too, which is why it's really the drugstore version of the Too Faced Better Than Sex. 

And those are my top five drugstore mascaras! Which would have to be your favourites?

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

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review: l'oreal true match lumi foundation

Hey guys!

I have wanted to do a review on this foundation since I started my blog! It is one of my faaaaavourite foundations (can you tell? I literally own four bottles), but I wanted to wait until I was able to purchase the foundation in my current correct shade. I got this here in my Ulta Haul. Unfortunately, because I know self tan, my skin tone is always all over the place. Because I am fair, naturally I have a pink undertone, and when I tan naturally I retain that pink undertone. BUT, when I self tan, my undertone becomes yellow. I know, it's getting hard to keep up.

I heard about this foundation through Jaclyn Hill first. Of course, I knew I needed it. Her recommendations are always spot on, and being the foundation junkie that I am, I immediately went out and purchased a bottle. I adored it as soon as I put it on!

Most people will know the original True Match formula, which is also a favourite of mine. The original True Match is a very full, flawless coverage that covers virtually anything. True Match Lumi is its younger sister, with a light medium coverage. It has light relfecting technology to make your skin look radiant and glowing, which is why I love it because I really prefer dewier finish foundations.

Below, I have photos of my skin without the foundation and then after once the foundation has been put on. You'll notice that it really isn't a full coverage, you can still see all my freckles and any blemishes that I have. But, this makes it perfect for everyday because it doesn't suffocate your face at all.

Before foundation - only wearing the Garnier Perfect Blur as a primer.

After foundation - one layer of the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation in W3

You can see it isn't full coverage - but that's honestly why I love it! It is so perfect for everyday, and I'm so glad that I finally have it in my correct shade so that I can wear it more often. The other thing is that it can sheered down or build up - much like the original formula! Overall, I love it and if you like dewier finish foundations then I would definitely recommend you give this a try!

As I said, I did buy the latest bottle from Ulta using a shipping service for $12.99US. In Australia, this retails for about $33.95AU in most drugstore like Priceline.

Do you own this foundation? Do you love it as much as I do?

Until next time....

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

top five thursday: mascara edition

Hey guys!

Todays edition of Top Five Thursday is going to feature my favourite mascaras! This is a product that I am very guilty of hoarding, I have so many tubes that I switch between on a regular basis. But the five that I'm featuring today are the ones that I always go back to, mainly because they are all exactly what I want in a mascara.

My preferences for my lashes changes depending on what look I want to do. Usually, I prefer my lashes to look full and voluminous, but there is the rare occasion that I will want them to look super long. The five I will be talking about are my favourite voluminous mascaras, as that is generally what I will reach for on a frequent basis.

I'll be keeping this short and sweet, as I have spoken about some of these in previous blog posts. Read on to see what I love about these mascaras!

Products pictured (l-r): Dior Diorshow Mascara, L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara, Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara, Model Co Fibre Lash Extension Mascara

1. Dior Diorshow Mascara

This is the only product in my collection that I am sure is a holy grail for me. To say that it is the best mascara in the world is an understatement - basically, I will always repurchase this no matter now much it costs. I have written a full review on this mascara here, so I won't drone on about it. It is just the best mascara in the world for giving my lashes volume without ever clumping. Seriously, I could put layer upon layer of this on my lashes and it will just keep making them bigger and better. Plus, this wand is amazing. It is huge and grabs every single lash. You can buy it in Australia in select Myer and David Jones Stores for around $51-52AU.

2. L'Oreal Vouminous Million Lashes Mascara 

I have to say, I think that L'Oreal make the best drugstore mascaras. Honestly, I have about five, and there is not one that I do not like. I just really enjoy this one, because like Diorshow it grabs every single lash, and really seperates and thickens at the same time. It has a plastic brush, which I generally don't like, but this doesn't affect my opinion at all. This is just a really fantastic drugstore mascara. I did buy it in the US for $8.99US (from memory), but this is available in Australia at most drugstores like Priceline for $27.95AU.

3. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

This mascara is amazing, and well priced for a high end mascara. It has an hourglass shaped bristle brush that really curls my lashes up and makes them long, black and voluminous. So impressed with this, especially given that in the US it is cheaper than the majority of drugstore mascaras in Australia. Even here, the price really isn't outrageous. Basically, if you are looking for a high end mascara that isn't going to blow your budget and that is really good for volumising your lashes, look no further! You can find this in Australia at Kit Cosmetics (part of Mecca Cosmetica) for $31.95AU.

4. Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

Otherwise known as THE BEST drugstore mascara for making my lashes look amazing yet natural at the same time. When I first purchased this, I accidently picked up the brown shade and couldn't be bothered to take it back for exchange - I am so glad I didn't. This is perfect for everyday wear, it just goes with everything and as I said, my lashes always look amazing but never overdone. I featured this in my Spending Ban/Project Pan post, and it really is almost out. But I will be repurchasing this 100%! Again, this is available in most Australian drugstores like Priceline for $24.95AU.

5. Model Co Fibre Lash Extension Mascara

As someone who is scared to use false lashes, I usually look to a fibre extension mascara to give my lashes that 'false lash' effect. This is the best one I have found thus far! I have a review on it here, and I also compared it to the Too Faced Better Than Lashes which is more than half the price and really not as good as this one. To read a more thorough review on this, click through to that link. I just really like this, it gives an amazing amount of volume and really thickens your lashes to the point of almost being falsies. You can buy it in Australia at Woolies for $21.45AU (there's a sale every couple of weeks), but otherwise you can find it here on the Model Co website for $19.95.

And that's it for this weeks edition of Top Five Thursday! Mascara is one of the few items I really couldn't live without, and I love all of these mascaras (plus more) to really make my lashes look amazing.

What are some of your favourite mascaras?

Until next time....

xxxx

click here to read last weeks edition of top five Thursday

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

first impression: l'oreal false lash butterfly wings mascara

Hey guys!

When Priceline has a good deal, I tend to buy into it. Really who doesn't? It's not that I lack self control (jokes, I actually do), but seeing as the price of cosmetics is so high in Australia, when you see a good deal, you have to take it. Am I right, or am I right?

In this case, Priceline has both the L'Oreal Super Line Blockbuster (which is felt tip, not a kohl, as I initially thought) and the L'Oreal False Lash Butterfly Wings Mascara at 2 for $30AU. The liner by itself is $16.95, and the mascara also retails for a whopping $25.95AU each. I had initially talked myself out of buying the mascara during the 40% off cosmetics sale, because did I really need another mascara (no, I did not). But this was just such a good deal to get the two of them at a much cheaper price that I couldn't resist. Oops.

I personally think L'Oreal makes the best drugstore mascaras - they are just so expensive that I either buy them online or wait for a really good sale (which never happens, just by the by). So of course I wanted to try this out. I just didn't want to pay full price, because let's face it, there are so many cheaper products that I could buy with that $25.95. But, I am always intrigued by new mascaras, and always trying to find a cheaper alternative to my holy grail, the Dior Diorshow mascara.

Before I actually opened this and use it, I wanted to do a first impression for you guys. These photos are from when I actually used this for the first time ever (I hadn't even taken it out of the box prior to this).

One thing I will say, is that I will never understand putting a mascara in a box to sell it. Unless you are going to put a freebie in there for me, what's the point? It's bulky and annoying, plus it really only held the mascara when it is big enough to hold three of them. Anyway, just an observation..

This is what the actually mascara tube looks like once you throw away the useless big ass box it comes in. It's silver with quite a futuristic design. Other than that, it is really quite simple and is average size when compared to other L'Oreal mascaras.

This is a close up of the brush. L'Oreal says that this is an asymmetrical brush for "... ease and precision of application, catching every lash and volumising even the shortest lashes.. No clumping." Big claims L'Oreal!

As you can see, the wand is curved (sort of like a wave), so I can see what they were going for. It's a plastic brush, which is something I'm not particularly fond of, and it also seems to goop a lot of product onto the brush. There's nothing wrong with that in theory, but I find that it really makes it difficult to separate my lashes when there is quite a lot of product on the wand.

Here are the photos of my lashes with and without the mascara:

Lashes without mascara

Lashes with one coat

Lashes with two coats

Comparison to my other mascara-less eye

I am actually pretty impressed with this mascara. I did have a little issue separating them, which is something I anticipated given how much product was on the brush, but I got there in the end. I love how it really fanned out my lashes, and even made my eyes look bigger! That, my friends, is a talented mascara.

I did find it to clump a little when putting on the second coat, which is why I didn't try for a third. But overall, I am happy with the mascara, and I will be using it more to really get a feel for it. I'm hoping it'll dry out a little now that it has been opened, which should solve the issue with separating my lashes. Hopefully..

This retails for $25.95AU normally (eek), but it is on sale at Priceline with the 2 for $30AU until tomorrow. If you think you'd like it, go and grab one while you still can!

Have you tried this mascara? What are your thoughts?

Until next time babes...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

mini review: l'oreal lumi magique pure light primer

Hey lovelies!

 

Todays post will just be a quick review on a product that I feel is held favourably in most reviews on Youtube and other beauty blogs. Seeing as Australia pays something like 200% (I have heard that figure somewhere, but don't quote me on it) more for cosmetic products than every other country in the world, our drugstore items are priced similarly to most high end products in the US. Because of this, it is really hard to determine what is actually worth the money, and what is not, which I have said before in previous blogs.

 

Todays product is not a bad product I feel, but I feel like a fair review needs to be done by someone who has paid the Australian price for it rather than the US price. I'll be reviewing it under five different categories: What the Product Is, What it Claims to Do, What I Think, Is It Worth the Money? and Would I Repurchase? Hopefully, by the end of the review, you may have made your mind up about it as well :)

 

I also need to stress that this is not a reflection of the brand in question, but the product itself.

 

The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer

 

Swatch of the primer

 

What is the product?

 

The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer is the base primer that is supposed to go hand in hand with their L'Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation. It is supposed to give your skin a boost of hydration and brighten your appearance so that once your foundation is applied it looks all dewy and glowy, all while prolonging the wear of your foundation.

 

What does it claim to do?

 

From L'Oreal's Australian website, it claims to be "... ideal for preparing the skin for beautifully radiant make-up results." and that it "... masks irregularities and uneven textures." It also says it provides an "... even-textured surface for foundation to look its best and stay on the skin longer."

 

What I think?

 

Here are some photos before and after applying the primer (all photos are taken in natural light):

Before primer

After primer

Before and after side by side

 

Do I think this is a bad primer? No, I don't. In terms of it evening out my skin tone, and brightening my skin it definitely does a great job. It is not completely clear in the photos, but I do feel that this helps my foundation to go on smoother and definitely makes my skin look absolutely radiant.

 

The issue I have with this primer is its staying power. Typically, foundation lasts pretty well on me, except in my t-zone. I am not oily, it just so happens that foundation tends to wear off my nose and chin pretty easily, which is why I set it with a powder to help it last as long as it can. However, this primer does not help your make-up last any longer than if I was not wearing any primer at all. Maybe it's just my skin, but I find that I can only wear this primer and foundation for about two hours before I can see it starting to wear off.

 

So.. Is it worth the money?

 

That's the other issue I have with this product. In Australia, this retails for $27.95AU. Is it worth that? No. It's a lovely primer in the beginning, but people usually buy primer for two reasons: correcting uneven skin tone and to help the make up stay on longer. For $27.95 I expect it to at least do those two things, and a musical act for me. It does correct skin tone and make your finished look more radiant, but there are plenty of other, more affordable primers that do that and keep your face from wearing off.

 

In the US this retails for $12.99USD which is much more reasonable than $27.95AU (about $25US for any American readers). If you can get it cheaper, either if you're visiting the States, or making an order with a shipping service, even online or on sale, sure give it a try. But I would definitely research it further (don't go just off this review) before you pay the full price in Australian drugstores.

 

But keep in mind that just because I'm not hugely fond of it, doesn't mean that it won't work for you :)

 

Would I repurchase?

 

Not in Australian drugstores. Maybe on eBay, but I have plenty of primers to get through before I need to buy another.

 

Please let me know if this review was helpful in the comments below, and if you'd like to see more in this format :) I really value your opinions!

 

Until next time xxxx

 

*all products mentioned in this post have been purchased by me, and all photos and opinions are my own unless stated otherwise*