The No-Mascara Mascara

Ahh Benefit, you never fail to impress. The latest edition in the They’re Real! range is the They’re Real Mascara Primer which boasts to give a natural look to eyelashes, increase length, volume, separation and curl. You can get the sample size for free with Elle magazine at the moment, which is worth picking up for £4.10!

This is a product that, as you will see from my pictures below, you can wear on its own, or as a base to then add your mascara. The primer is a brown colour which gives the natural look, and the brush is the same as the original They're Real mascara brush, which if you have used before, you will know is fantastic.

The primer itself is brilliant, I have been wearing this to work all week just on its own, and then topping up with mascara afterwards if I'm going out for the evening. This works as it doesn't feel dry and crunchy on your eyelashes once you've had it on for a while, it manages to stay quite soft on your eyes for quite a long time, ready to be topped up. It says on the box that 91% of people said that it is soft enough to layer on mascara 6 hours later, which is a pretty good indication to go on.

I ran out of my beloved They're Real mascara, so the mascara that I have used in the above picture is the Seventeen Dolled Up mascara, which is actually quite a good budget dupe. I have to say that the primer works wonders with mascara for plumping up the lashes. I can definitely see a difference with the volume and separation.

Overall, I would definitely pick this up. I'm not 100% sure how much this product will be when it hits the shops, but as all Benefit products are, I would guess it will be fairly expensive. However, for the versatility of the product, I would say it is definitely worth trying out. If you're unsure, it's at least worth grabbing the sample size in Elle magazine to try it out before you buy. As I said before, this can be used every day, for a natural look, or to prime a bolder look, I am really impressed with this, as I am with all Benefit products

What do you think of this latest offering by Benefit? Are you a fan of Benefit products? Let me know your favourites

Soap & Glory - One Heck of a Blot Range

You may have seen this little collection sneak up on the Soap and Glory stands at Boots. I did originally want to re-purchase the One Heck of a Blot powder, which is a staple for us shiny gals,  but when I saw the range and a 3 for 2 label, I could not resist.

I thought I would review the primer and foundation individually with the use of other products, and then altogether using them all. I use the powder daily, as I think it is the best blotting powder out there. This product on its own is fantastic and will reduce oiliness as well as giving you a perfect finish over make up. If you go for one thing in this range I would recommend this.

Obviously everyone has different skin types and different routines when it comes to touching up their make up. I personally have combination skin, but throughout the day I do get very oily and shiny around my T zone and on my cheeks.

Primer

The primer is thick in consistency and quite tacky. It is still quite smooth on the skin giving a nice even base for make up application. I have used this with my Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation, and have found that I stay shiny free for about 4 hours.  This for me is pretty good, as it normally only takes me a couple of hours to be reaching for my powder! I have to say also when I do feel my face becoming oily, it's not as bad as it usually is with a normal primer/foundation. It manages to reduce the oiliness of my skin throughout the day very well.

Foundation
The foundation is unlike any that I have used before. It is a liquid to powder foundation with a very bizarre consistency. There are only four shades which isn't great, but as this is a new range I'm assuming they want to test the waters before they bring out any more. I obviously went for the lightest shade which is fair enough, the shade is actually called fair enough! you can't beat Soap and Glory for their clever play on words. A word of warning! If you have dry skin/patches, I imagine that this would cling to them quite badly. This managed to keep me oily free for about 5 hours which is pretty good! It does however tend to look a bit patchy though as the day goes on. Overall it is a good foundation that gives a good flawless base, and does a great job at reducing oiliness.

Primer/Foundation Combo
Together, these products are a fierce attack on shine, keeping me oil free for around 5/6 hours. The thing i do find though is that this does get quite patchy and if you're not careful, it can look very cakey if you put a generous amount of foundation on in the first instance and then topping up with powder.

Overall i would say that this is a very unique range that is definitely worth trying. I love the primer and the powder, the foundation is definitely worth trying but its not the best I've ever used. If you've tried Soap and Glory products before, you'll know that they're a fantastic brand and always bring out worthwhile products. Also as a side note, the packaging is beautiful!

What do you think of Soap and Glory products? Have you tried anything in this range? What's your favourite?

Maybelline Creamy Mattes

Who doesn't go crazy over a matte lipstick? I very rarely go for anything other than matte to be honest with you, i think that they just look classic and gorgeous. When i saw the new creamy matte range from Maybelline, i had to grab some. I've been a big fan of their lipsticks in the past, and thought these would be no exception.

I picked up two shades, a gorgeous rosy red (siren in scarlett) and a deep plum (divine in wine). The darker shade is definitely my favourite. It's a great bold colour that gives me a 90's vibe. The red colour is also amazing, it gives a nice red lip without being too in your face. 

As for the lipstick itself, they are just as creamy as they claim to be. Amazingly soft on the lips and feel very moisturising. The only thing i would say is that they don't last on the lips for that long a time, but the colour payoff is excellent and they are lovely and pigmented.  

Have you tried these lipsticks? What do you think to them? Do you have a favourite? 

Pinterest Picks

My name is Lauren, and i'm addicted to Pinterest.

I think Pinterest is the main source of blame for my procrastination, it is always my go-to app on my phone when i'm bored, i can spend a ridiculous amount of time on it. I thought i would do a feature where i share my loved pins of the week (since i always have some to share!)

• Firstly, yes i have started a christmas board already! Even though i'm sure some would agree i'm late to the party here judging by all the stuff I've come across on Pinterest. I adore these Grinchkabobs, i think they're so cute and a nice healthy snack too. I can't wait to make these at christmas, i think my little nieces will love them - pinned on my 'Jingle Bells' board
• Secondly i came across this great guide to contouring your face for different face shapes. I thought this was great as there are loads of help guides on pinterest but obviously not everyone has the same face shape so a lot of them aren't as helpful for everyone. I found this really interesting - pinned on my 'Make Up' board
• Thirdly i just fell in love with this look, the jacket is stunning even though i'm not sure i'd be brave enough to pull it off! I am now desperate to find a lovely embellished jacket to pair with a fedora - pinned on my 'Style' board
• Fourthly i saw this little butterfly-tea-bag-holder-whatever-the-heck-they-are-called-things and thought it was adorable! I so want to make some! Think they'd be lovely for a tea party or something sweet like that - pinned to my 'Ideas' board
• Lastly, oh my god this lady is incredibly talented! The make up here is something i could never pull off and i think it looks fantastic for Halloween. I've been scouring Pinterest for Halloween ideas and this one really caught my eye (too cheesy?) I won't be attempting to recreate it but thought i'd share it because i thought it was amazingly done - pinned to my 'Fancy Dress' board

Are you as obsessed with Pinterest as me? Let me know if there's any boards that i should check out!