Maybelline: Illegal Length Mascara Review

Hey there! It's finaaaaaally school holidays (woo!) so I've had a chance to catch my breath and I'm going to try and get a few more blog posts up. To get the ball rolling, today I am reviewing Maybelline's Illegal Length Fibre Extensions Mascara.  

This is the first ever fibre extension mascara I have used, appose to normal mascaras that just coat your lashes with black, this mascara also consists of small fibres which build up on your lashes to add physical length. In the beginning I wasn't too keen on this mascara as I was applying it too close to the lash bed so the fibres were irritating my eyes throughout the day. But I have since learnt to mainly focus this mascara on the ends of my lashes. It is definitley a lengthening mascara, so I like to use it in conjunction with other mascaras (at the moment I've been using it with Revlons Lash Finder) just for that added ompf of length!

 It looks very black on the lashes, doesn't flake and I don't have any problems with smudging wooo! But the only downfall is its doesn't hold a curl well, which is something that I really look for in a mascara. In terms of the brush it made of real bristles which I really like, so it does a good job of separating the lashes. To be honest, I probably won't buy it again, just because I am now keen to try more lengthening mascaras. I don't think it is the best of mascaras in the world, but for it's inexpensive price I would recommend it!

 Side note: I have completely moved away from using waterproof mascaras, and my lashes have loved me for it. They are no longer as dry as they were anddddd it makes removing eye makeup 100 times easier!

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday break and I shall have a new blog post up very soooooooon! 

Ashleigh xo

Empties #1

Hey there! This post is a little bit exciting for me because its my first ever 'Empties' post. I think they are a great idea, because you get to read a well informed opinion of a series of products, appose to just being presented with a haul or something where you don't actually hear about the quality of the products. If you do like this style of post, I highhhhly recommended you go check out Miss Heather Lauren, as she has done quite of few of these Empty Product posts and they are all reaally great! Anywho, let's get the ball rolling!

1. Neutrogena Rapid Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub- I reeeeeeeeeaaaally love this daily scrub, I've gone through two bottles and my daily routine doesn't feel complete with out it. It's really refreshing and a little but tingling so you feel like it really is doing your skin some good. As well as the exfloliating beads which the skin feeling super soft! I have really oily skin with a boatload of black heads particulary on and near my nose, I wouldn't say it removed all of my blackheads, although it did dramatically reduce their prevalence and it is probably the best scrub I've found that does so. Conclusion: highly recommend!

2. Olay Enriched Night Cream- this was the first night cream I have ever tried so I can't really give well informed review as I don't have a point of reference, you get me? I will say that I did like this night cream, it was one of the cheapest ones and the morning after using it my skin always looked and felt better. I would recommend this to girls like me who are just starting out in the night cream business, I would buy it again but on the same hand I want to try something new.

3. Maybelline Makeup Remover- to be honest this make up remover wasn't the best, but it was cheap and I don't regret buying it. I would use it of a night and it would looook like all my eye make up was removed, but then when I woke up in the morning I still has black residue under my eyes. Buttt in saying that, I always wore water proof mascara, so it is never the easiest thing to remove in the first place. Overall, There is no harm in buying this product, but I personally wont be doing it again.

4. Natio Ageless Illuminating Primer- Natio is only available in Australia and New Zealand, so I apologise to all my international readers (which is most of you haha), but for the record I really like the brand and have used many of their products in the past. This primer was just a oversized sample and I think some people would really like it but because I have oily skin I don't think its the best primer for me. It assists with giving a dewy glow thus promoting a youthful look. The consistency was a little but watery for my liking, it was like you were applying a moisturiser to a degree and it didn't have that silicone-y feel which everyone seems to have a love/hate relationship with. I wont be buying the full size.

5. NP Set Pasarella Mascara- I really like Napoleon Perdis products and I really like the concept of NP Set, but to be be honest this mascara was just OK. I dont really have anything bad to say about it, but nor do I have anything good to say about it. Looook I just think you can get better quality mascaras for the same price.  (Worst product  review ever hahaha)

6. Rimmel London Exaggerate Eye Liner- I reeeeally like this eye liner, I'm sorry that all the writing has rubbed off the packaging, but I guess that just goes to show how much used it. Its a great liner for those just starting out in liquid liner, or who have a little trouble, as the felt tip liner makes it a pretty smooth process. I will just say that it does tend to wear as the day goes on, but nothing too terrible and I dont think this is the best liner for those who like a good clean wing, atleast I found it a bit hard to achieve. All in all I really like this liquid and have already repurchased as new one!

7. Chanel No 5 Eau De Toilette 50mL- this empty bottle has be hanging around for a while but I really wanted to include in my Empties post. I love this perfume, its expensive as anything, but I think its worth it. I love ittttttt, i love it, i love it and have already got another 100mL bottle!

Alrighttt, I think thats all from me! I know I have a picture of a face mask but I used it so long ago I couldn't summon up a review, I'm sorryyyy. And, I'm sorry for being terrible and hardly posting last month, YEAR TWELVE... it's quite a time consuming thing. Have a great weekend! 

Ashleigh xo

Everyday School Make Up

 Hey there! Here is a quick run down of all products I slap on my face at seven in the morning before I spend seven hours tediously gaining an education, five days a week. Enjoy!

After I’ve done my morning skincare routine, I use my daily moisturiser the Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser. Once that’s all soaked in the rest is history…

Garnier BB Cream- I use the combination to oily skin, I like this because it does has a great coverage for a BB cream, but doesn’t appear to be thick. Depending on the season or if I’m fake tanning etc. I mix the medium shade and light shade together accordingly, to get the perfect match. The lasting power is also quite nice, but it does fade on my cheeks which is why I also go in with my concealer…

Bobbi Brown Corrector- I use the shade ‘Light to Medium Bisque’ to conceal the dark circles under my eyes, (the ones I get from all the late night ‘studying’… ). I have plenty of good things to say about this product; great coverage, great consistency etc. But the downfall is it is quite pricey for such a small amount of product and you haaave to set this bad boy with a powder or it will crease like no tomorrow. If my dark circles aren’t too bad one day, I’ll just use my Maybelline Dream Lumitouch Highlighting Concealer, which is as cheap as chips and does a great job!

MAC Mineralize Concealer-this is the concealer I use on the tops of my checks when I need a bit more coverage or on any particularly stubborn blemishes. I do like this concealer, but I probably won’t be buying this again. It doesn’t have a greeeeeat coverage which is kind of a must for concealer… although that’s why I like it for school, because it isn’t too thick. It really just up to what you are looking for in a concealer, I know of people who love it and some who don’t but I personally didn’t think it was worth the price tag.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural- as you can see I do love this product very much and unfortunately it’s on its last legs. It sets everything perfectly and controls oil without making the face look flat. This is the second one of mine and I will have to run out and grab my third very soon!

NARS Laguna Bronzer- this is hands down the BEST bronzer I’ve ever used. Definitely a Holy Grail product and a staple in millions of other girl’s makeup bags as well! I use it to contour when I want it to look a bit more natural and then to just bronze up my whole face, usually with the typically ‘3’ brush motion. I highly highly highly recommend this bronzer to everyone, it’s worth every dime! (Side note: even my super pale friend loves this bronzer, so it’s great for girls who have struggled to wear bronzer in the past, it won’t look muddy or orange I promise)

Benefit Dandelion Brightening Face Powder- this product is basically a blush and highlighter in one, it looks absolutely radiant on the skin and very natural too. It’s very soft and flattering on the cheeks, adding a very subtle but healthy touch of colour to the skin.

 Maybelline Falsies Mascara- I must apologies, I somehow forgot to take a closer photo of it, my mistake! Anywho, this just brings everything together, makes me look more awake and I do love big eyelashes I must say. This holds a curl well and I don’t have to worry about looking like a panda halfway through the day!

And there we have it folks, that is what I wear to school on a daily basis! For some this might seem like a lot but to others it might seem like hardly anything, personally I am quite content with the finally product and I promise it doesn’t actually take too long! If you are interested in what brushes I use then I have a separate post here!

 I think I’ll stop yakking on now but if you have any questions about anything or are up for a chat, please comment or email me: ashsbeautybag@gmail.com (even if it’s just school related)! I hope you are all having a lovely day and have fun at schooool!

Maybelline: One By One Volum’ Express Mascara Review

One By One Volum’ Express Mascara 

I am going to try my best and make this review a bit short and snappy because I am absolutely overwhelmed with homework/study that I should be doing right now! I bought this mascara back in January I believe (it was featured in my first little drugstore haul), mainly because it was on sale and I knew my well loved 'The Magnum' mascara was slowly reaching the end of its days. (P.S. you can check out a review of that mascara  HERE). I was hoping the One By One mascara would be a good replacement, but unfortunately I was sadly mistaken. I am just going to come right out and say it, I reeeeaally DO NOT recommend this mascara!

 The main reason why I don't like this mascara is because it smudges and flakes worse than anything I have ever used. In it's defence I am used to using waterproof mascara, (until recently I found out how detrimental that is to your lashes) but still the fact that I cant last a day a school without this causing panda eyes is a bit unforgivable. I also don't like that wand (although now I am just getting fussy with personal preference), it does do a great job of separating each individual lash, but the wand is so flimsy and rubbery that it was just annoying and unpleasant to apply. I won't go into too much more detail on the wand, as you can see the shape/size of it in the picture below, But I am sure some people out there really like wands like that, I know some of my friends do. It definitely lengthens the lashes quite well but cannot hold a curl to save it's life! The one thing that I do like about this mascara is that it comes off at night extremely easy, but like I said, it doesn't have great longevity in general. 

Overall I think that there a million and one other mascara options out there in the same price range that do a much better job than this one, (black smudging and flakes under your eyes is never a good look in my books!) I think I might just pass this mascara along to my sister, because I have got a fresh tube of the Maybelline Falsies mascara just waiting to be used! I am usually a fan of Maybelline mascaras, so I was quite surprised with how much I didn't like this one. 

Anywho, thats about all from my end! I hope all is well where ever you may be & have a lovely day!

Ashleigh xo

January Favourites

Hey there! This is pretty much self explanatory but basically these are the eight products/tools that I have been using non stop throughout the month of January. I would like to apologise in advance for the dodgy-ness of the photos, I tried my best and took these photos a couple of times, but the sun just didn't want to come out. I try not to use flash usually, but i guess this is the exception. 

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfecter BB Cream for Oily Skin

As some of you may know I received this BB cream for Christmas and it’s basically the only thing I’ve worn on my face since. Unfortunately I came to the realisation that the medium is too dark for me so I’ve gone out and purchased the light/clair shade as well, so now I can mix the two and get the perfect shade. In a nutshell; this BB crème is amazing, it has good coverage, leaves a nice dewy look to the skin (which you can always powder), reduces you pore size and has agents that work to reduce and heal blemishes. So unlike wearing a foundation that will often cause you to get more pimples or worsen your acne, this will do the opposite and reduce their appearance both short term (through the coverage of the cream) and long term (the working agents). I’ll definitely be doing full review on this in the very near future, so stay tuned!

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub

I am absolutely in LOVE with this facial scrub. I've always had trouble with blackheads but have never found a great face wash specifically targeted for them. I'm not saying this has removed every blackhead from my face, but it definitely has been a huge help in reducing their prevalence and overall I've had less breakouts this month.  It has small orange exfoliating beads that leave you skin feeling zesty and fresh which I love, but they aren't too harsh so you can use it on a daily basis. I would only recommend this for those with normal or oily skin, because it may be a bit drying for some. 

The Magnum Volum’ Express Waterproof Mascara

Basically this is the perfect summer mascara. It lengthen an curls your lashes well, but isn’t too dramatic so you can wear it every day. It is also waterproof so it won’t sweat off in the hot sun nor is there any fallout or flakiness. I have a full review HERE if you are interested.

Cosmetica Manicare Rounded Blending Brush

I'm sorry that I won't stop banging on about this brush, but I do love it. I use it everyday under my eyes to blend out my Bobbi Brown Corrector and it works a treat. If you want to know any more about this brush its all in my everyday face brushes post HERE, but I do highly recommend this brush!

MAC Powder Blush in Fleur Power

As you can see this has been a very well loved product! It is the perfect dusty rose blush for my skin tone and is a little bit muted so I can wear it every day and it will go with anything. I've only had this for a year so the fact that I have hit pan that much already, goes to show how much I really do love it. I think it is a great basic blush for any collection and I'll be quite sad when I finally use it all up. 

MAC Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch

This isn’t just a January favourite; this is an every day, every night, all year round favourite. It’s basically just a beautiful light champagne colour and I absolutely adore it. Naked Lunch is so fuss free and looks great with a nice light matte brown in the crease during the day or something more dramatic like MAC’s Satin Taupe at night. I must say this colour is fairly similar to Sin out of Urban Decay’s Naked palate, so you probably don’t need both, but this is definitely my most worn eye shadow.

Carmex Classic Lip Balm
I'm not too sure where I would be in life if I didn't have this little pot of gold. Its perfect for the hot (over forty degrees Celsius) weather we've had this past month and is the remedy to any chapped lip. It goes with me everywhere so its a little battered on the outside but it still works like a gem!

Rimmel London Kate Moss Lipstick in #16 

I recently purchased this lipstick in my recent drugstore haul which you can check out HERE if you are interested. I have worn this non stop; to work, out shopping, to two birthday parties and a few gatherings... I just can't get enough of it. It is a bright pinky coral and has a great lasting finish, this has definitely been my summer obsession.

Left to Right: MAC Blush in Fleur Power, MAC eye shadow in Naked Lunch, Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in #16

I hope you all had a lovely January, unfortunately it means now my summer is slowly coming to an end and I'm back at school! Anywho, enough from me, what have your favourite products been this January?

Ashleigh xo

Another Little Drugstore Haul

 Hey there! Let's face it, it was inevitable this was going to happen, I even foreshadowed it in my previous haul. The sales were just too good for me to resist and before I knew it I found myself back through the Chemist Warehouse doors trying to juggle these products to the counter- did I mention it was 50% off all cosmetics?

Unfortunately somehow I've already managed to misplace the receipt so unfortunately I won't be able to give you the prices exactly, but I'll give you the rough amount. 

Revlon Colorstay Nail Polish in 300 ‘ Bare Bones’ – the name give a pretty good indication of the colour, it is a very light mushroom/off white colour. I've been on the hunt for a colour like this for quite sometime and when Estée aka Essiebutton (I'm her biggest fan) mentioned this in one of her videos a just knew I had to get it! Sale Price: AU$8-ish

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Velvet - this was definitely an impulse buy, but I've used these lip balms before and really liked it. Sale Price: AU$1.50-ish

Maybelline Color Tattoo in 05 Too Cool- these crème eye shadows/bases are very versatile and really do stay put all day (maybe not 24hrs as it claim but still...) I own a couple others but I wanted one that I can used on more of a regular basis, and this icy white could definitely be used as a brow bone highlight or as a bases for an array of eye shadows. Sale Price AU$4-ish

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant- I will just tell you right now that the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream original is a miracle worker and I do often used it on my chapped lips when they are at their worst. This little tin will be more convenient for when I'm out and about so I'm sure I'll get plenty of use of it. Sale Price AU$5.00 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Lovesick- I've heard plenty of people recommend these little beauties so I thought I should just give them a try. Sale Price AU$8-ish

Maybelline Dream LUMItouch Highlighting Concealer in 002 Nude- I've been looking for something to brighten up my under eye area and Zoe aka Zoella gave this little product a lot of praise, so I'll test it out and hopefully it does the job! Sale Price AU$4-ish

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in 01 Blackest Black- This was the most expensive product of this shopping trip but I have been meaning to try out some new liquid eyeliners, I wanted one with a greater staying power and with a bit more precision. This one seems to tick all the boxes and I am excited to try it out. Sale Price AU$15-ish 

(Left to Right) Revlon Balm Stain in Lovesick, Revlon Liquid Eye Pen, Maybelline LUMItouch Highlighting Concealer, Maybelline Color Tattoo in Too Cool

That is aaaall (for now), but please let me know in the comments what are your favourite drugstore products? 

Ashleigh xo

A Little Drugstore Haul

Hey there! I just did a little bit of shopping the other day and discovered that the Chemist Warehouse (to my fellow Australians, it’s the big yellow chemist franchise) was having a 50% all cosmetics sale. Considering that drugstore makeup is getting to be almost as expensive as some high-end brands I thought I had better take this opportunity and pick up a few bits. The sale is still on so I am thinking I may need to go back and grab a few more products! Anywho, here are the few items that I did purchase on shopping trip number one…

Revlon Nail Polish in 211‘Charming’ – this is a very opaque pale purple/lavender nail polish which I had had my eye on for quite some time.

                RRP: AU$13.95   SALE: $6.97  

 

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipsticks in shades (from left to right)

                 20- A bright fuchsia

                 12- An orange coral

                 16- A pinky/apricot coral

 I own other Rimmel lipsticks from this line and really liked them. They are very pigmented and have great lasting power so I couldn’t resist buying some more. Side Note: Last night I wore a mixture of no. 12 and no. 16 to get the perfect coral! 

             RRP: AU$ 11.95   SALE: $5.97

 

Maybelline One By One Mascara- I bought this mainly as a backup for when my current mascara runs out, I have heard good things about this mascara though and it claims to create ‘clump-free big volume’.

RRP: AU$19.25   SALE: $9.63

 

Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof  Eye Definer in 26 Nior- I have a confession; I haven’t had a black pencil liner in my collection for about three years now, so I thought it was time to buy one. I own the liquid eyeliner from the Exaggerate line which I am quite a fan of so I thought why not grab the pencil version too!

RRP: AU$12.50   SALE $6.25

Side Note: I have changed my mind (sorry) about the whole review series. Instead of boring you all with four foundation reviews in a row, I think I will just mix it up a bit and might do for example a mascara review and a foundation review in one week and that is all. That way I can still post other random posts such as hauls like this too. Have a lovely weekend!

Ashleigh xo