Benefit Roller Lash Mascara Review

Benefit has got to be one of my favourite make up brands ever. I love the whole retro vibe, packaging and new releases that the company comes up with. I absolutely love the styling of the new salons that have popped up and the the design of the bar that they had before Christmas too.

I bought Elle magazine as it had Benefit make up free with it and not only that it was their new release of the Roller Lash mascara. The full sized version of this mascara costs £19.50 usually so for the price of the magazine it was a great way of trying it out for much cheaper.

I have tried out all of Benefit's mascaras before and this is the one that has stood out the most to me. I love the idea that it lifts and curls your eyelashes as I want long fluttery lashes.

The sample size comes in a small 3g tube and has a regular lid rather than the pink roller of the full sized version. The mascara wand is also black on this version rather than pink which is a shame as I love the retro roller version.

The brush has been designed so that it hooks the eyelashes and the little spikes ensure that it catches many lashes in order to lift. 

 What Benefit say about Roller Lash;

"Why we love it!

It’s a roller for lashes! The eye-opening Hook ‘n’ Roll™ brush grabs, separates, lifts and curls…while the instant curve-setting formula holds for 12 hours.

 

Curl Power!

97% said it visibly lifts lashes* 

87% said it gives long-lasting curl* 

94% said eyes look more wide open* 

*consumer panel survey on 31 women after 4 weeks

How to apply

Gently wiggle the wand from base of lashes to tip. Repeat across your lashline, making sure to catch every lash.

Details

Easy-to-remove

Contains Provitamin B5 and Serin, ingredients known for their lash-conditioning benefits

Water-resistant

Ink black

Satin finish 

8.5 g Net wt. 0.3 oz.

Beauty tip

For super curl AND length, apply roller lash first to curl & lift your lashes then layer they’re real! lengthening mascara on top. It’s sexy drama beyond belief!"

Here's my lashes without mascara on and they are quite curled already naturally. They are blonde on the ends too which are more noticeable when mascara is added as they are longer than they look.

This is one coat of the Roller Lash mascara and I found that it was really easy to apply and curled my lashes. It makes for a wide eyed look and is my favourite of Benefit's mascara so far. I love the black shade and found that it lasted the whole day without any smudges or crumbling.

I wouldn't say it was super easy to remove as some mascara remained and smudged under my eyes but after a second wipe it all came off.

Overall, I love this mascara and would buy the full sized version of it. If you are looking for a mascara that curls your lashes then this is the one whereas if you're looking for length then I would try the They're Real mascara instead.

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My Glossybox For March 2015?

Oooooo my Glossybox arrived just after lunchtime again and I was excited to find out what was inside it. I forgot to mention before that the editor has now changed and the boxes seem to be much improved. Lots of full sized products have been appearing and the quality has upped its game too.

Glossybox, if you've not come across it before, is a beauty subscription box that costs £10 per month plus p+p. It works out cheaper if you pay for your subscription in advance but I just pay for mine monthly. Inside you find a selection of beauty samples and brands that you may not have heard of before. I love these type of boxes as it'l like receiving a Birthday surprise each month.

Let's take a peek at what I found inside this month's box.......

Here's all my products for this month. Straight away I just loved it. It has a varied selection and I will use absolutely everything this month.

First up are these Dove Advanced Hair Series- Youthful Vitality Shampoo & Conditioner. 

As I had my hair balyaged, the blonde has damaged my hair again so anything that helps is a bonus. I've tried other Dove conditioner samples before and they was good so hopefully this new one will be too. Their deodorant definitely does not work for me at all. It lasts around one hour on me and then I start to become unfresh!

Full sized for these would be £5.99 for 250ml so it'll have to be amazing for me to repurchase these.

Ooooo finally a polish in a colour that I love. There were far too many reds that I received in the past and I don't even like red.

This ncLA - Nail Lacquer in the shade, 'Like.... Totally Valley Girl' costs £13 and is their best selling shade. It's also free from toxins too. I've not heard of this brand before so it's a chance to discover something new. Love the shade name. It reminds me of Clueless of Sweet Valley High!

I've not tried many Essence products before so this Lash Princess Volume Mascara will be perfect for me to try out the brand. I love the name of the product as I want princess lashes. This has a cobra head shaped wand to create length and volume which is what I look for in a mascara. It costs £3.30 which is a bargain price.

My lips have been so chapped just recently. I have tonnes of lipbalms and glosses but none that seem to be doing the job of nourishing and caring. Sigh. I love Carmex and I've not tried one of these Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balms before. I like how it gives a berry sheer tint to it too. Hopefully the Vitamin E and Aloe will make my lip in tip top condition. This is more expensive than their other lipbalms and comes in at £4.49.

Finally I have a NAOBAY - Moisturizing Peeling is essentially an exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and to brighten your complexion. At first I thought it was going to be one of those peel off face masks that my mum used to have when I was a little girl. I was feeling the nostalgia and then I realised it wasn't. Oh! This is a full sized product and costs £13.71. It looks like the sort of product you would see in a spa with the crisp whiteness and wood effect. It's from a Spanish brand and is marketed as an organic peeling milk.

So that's my Glossybox for March.

My favourites this month are the Carmex, Mascara and pink nail polish.

What did you get in yours?

Love Laura xoxo

Here's my January 2015 Glossybox incase you missed it.

Makeup Revolution Haul

I've wanted to try Makeup Revolution products for the longest time so when I had some Christmas money, I decided straight away to get some items. At the time there was a Christmas promotion whereby if you spent £25 or more on items then you got a free gift with your order. After seeing what you would get, I took full advantage of the offer.

Makeup Revolution was launched in London in March 2014 and in that time has gained fast popularity. Their products range from as little as £1 and I have heard fantastic comments about the pigmentation of the makeup. New products are launching all the time and I already want/ need the I love Makeup Blushing Hearts (I adore the heart shaped packaging,)  the Naked Chocolate Palette  and the new Lip Lava's.  Anything with cute packaging and I neeeeed it!

I decided on three eye shadow palettes these being;

Iconic 1 - I chose this one as it had lots of shimmer shades and I love nudes as they make my blue eyes stand out more. I loved the look of the golds in particular and can't wait to see if they are buttery and pigmented.

Iconic 3 Again this has a great mix of shimmers and mattes and what I love about this one is the more pink/ gold shades. These really remind me of the Urban Decay Palettes but for a much smaller price tag of £4 compared to £37. 

Mermaids vs Unicorns When I heard the name of this palette, it made me want it even more! I love mermaids and I love Unicorns so great name choice.  I've only actually started wearing nude colours recently whereas this palette is definitely my go to. I like wearing blues and greens so I'm leaning towards a Mermaid already. 

 

I got the blush palette in All About The Pink  for £6 and it has a mixture of shimmer, matte and baked blushers. I love pink blushers and these six shades look fabulous.

I love lipsticks and so I decided to choose six different ones as they were an amazing £1 each.

The colours I chose were;

Enchant,

Magnificent

Flashing

Sweetheart

Dazzle

Cheer

Mostly pink shades with a purple too as I loved the look of this shade.

This is the free gift that I got with my order. I wanted one of these palettes as soon as I saw them, yes purely for the pink gem heart on the front! This is the I Heart Passion palette and it will look beautiful on my dressing.

Also included with the gift were these three lipglosses. The vibrant pink shade looks an absolute beaut.

I also got this vivid blush lacquer too which is not a shade I would necessarily choose myself but it will be great to try it out and see if I suit it or not.

What do you recommend from Makeup Revolution? Have you tried this brand before?

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My Glossybox January 2015 ?

 Hello Glitter Rays!

My Glossybox just arrived and I was excited to open my box of beauty. I almost cancelled my subscription for a number of reasons being that I have too many products, last January's box wasn't very good and I wanted to cut out one box. As you can clearly see my finger didn't press unsubscribe and here is my box. I'm so glad that I decided to keep it as this month is a fab one. It contains five full sized products and I've not tried any of the items before so it's all new to me.

 I received a card this month with the details of the products and the price lists. ( Mine was missing last month.) I'm glad they have gone back to including an information card as I don't always see my e-mail from them and therefore just miss all the product details completely.

This month there's a wide variety of products and I love how there's much more concentration on make up this month (my favourite.) It all looks so pretty with all the pinkness going on.

I love Jelly Pong Pong but I'm confused as I'm not sure whether it's turned into So Susan or whether it's just their sister brand. I've had lots of their cosmetics over the past five years or so but never tried this All Over Glow which retails for £10. I love their packaging and the scent of their products too. I prefer to buy them as a deal at the Clothes Show Live as I feel that their products are rather on the high side. 

"This brightening gel is great for problem skin (as it's oil free) and is packed with micronized pearlescent pigments that catch the light, highlighting the face for a radiant glow that doesn't look glittery."

Glossybox says: "Dab along cheek and brow bones using your ring finger then switch to a small brush to blend."

I say- So this should be great as a highlighter and I can't wait to see the results.

I love lip balms and especially in this weather I am desperately needing one that is extremely effective in soothing and preventing chapped lips. This one is Naked Lips - Organic Lip Balm in Superfruits and retails for five euros. 

"Some balms taste a little waxy for our liking but this 100% natural formula is sweet tasting, packed full of oils from some of the world's most anti-oxidant rich fruits snf berries and leaves lips nourished and subtly sheeny."

Glossybox says: " For super smooth lips buff away dry skin with the end of a soft, wet tooth brush and then slick with balm."

I say- It smells sweet and natural and nourished my lips straight away.

Nicka KK New York- Colorluxe Powder Blush 8.95 euros.

"Say hello to loose powder blush without the mess. Packed in a faux metal pot complete with a soft, powder puff applicator, this blush is easy to apply and won't cause a powder explosion at the bottom of your handbag."

Glossybox says: " Apply blush to the cheek bones rather than lower down on the apples of the cheeks in order to quickly lift the face (the pop of colour will also draw attention to your eyes)

I say- I have the shade Romantic and I hope it compliments my skin tone. I recommend to blend blusher well. 

Kueshi Natural & Pleasant Cosmetics- Revitalizing Face Toner 10.70 Euros.

"This toner contains a soothing blend of calendula, chamomile and aloe vera to calm and rehydrate skin."

Glossybox says: " Saturate a cotton pad with toner then sweep it over cleaned skin before applying your usual serum and/or moisturiser on top."

I say: The ingredients in this are very calming and should be great to tone my face with.

Finally I received a MeMeMe Eye Liner Pencil in Clay which retails for £4.

" This British born brand has created the perfect eye-pencil: long-lasting but extra soft so it easily glides along the lashes without pulling at skin. We picked this clay shade because it suits all eye colours and is a day-to-night staple."

Glossybox says: " Line inside the lash line (also known as the water line) and smudge beneath lashes for a sexy worn-in feel.

I say- I love soft eye liners and will get good use out of this. I've not had this particular shade before but it will be great for an every day wear. I tend to put it just underneath my lash line as putting it on my water line makes my eyes water.

So a much improved Glossybox this month. What a way to start the year with five full sized products! I will use every one of them too which is brilliant.

My favourite items are the lip balm , eyeliner and the highlighter.

What do you think of this month's box?

Love Laura xoxo

My W7 Make Up Advent Calendar - Days 1-12

Happy Saturday everyone.

I am so productive today already. I have completed a lot of to-do things before I have work later on and then a Christmas party to go to straight after!

I was over the moon to have won this W7 advent makeup calendar from W7 themselves. I have witnessed the explosion of the variety of advents that are now available and think that they are a super exciting and brilliant idea. I still have a Milky Bar chocolate one though as you can't beat the original chocolatey ones. Yum!

I really loved the look of the Benefit one ( My favourite make up brand) The Body Shop one and the Yankee Candle one too but I spent my money on Christmas presents for other people instead and couldn't really afford an expensive calendar. So you can imagine I was so excited to have won one of these calendars filled with a different make up treat for each of the 24 days of Christmas.

I've not owned any W7 make up before so what a brilliant way of being introduced to a range of their products all at once.

On the reverse of the Advent calendar it has a spoiler of all of the different treats that you're going to find inside so don't peep if you want it to be a surprise! I'm naughty as I just can't resist. Although having said that I haven't opened the calendar doors unless it's for that specific day.

The calendar opens up like a book and behind each one of the easy to open doors, you find your treat. The numbered days are all in order so they are easy to find.

Here are days 1 and 2.

On the 1st December I opened the door to reveal this gorgeous shade of eyeshadow. I've started to wear more of these bronzey colours as I've got older as they make blue eyes stand out. 

On the 2nd day I received this gold glitter polish which is super Christmassy. I needed two coats of this and was pleased that it lasted a few days.

On the 3rd I received a mini lipstick which applies smoothly and I love the pink shade. I will wear this to work to get my use out of it.

On the 4th day, I received the silver glitter polish which I was pleased with again as it's perfect for this time of year.

The container is quite cheap on this and the lid popped out and fell on the floor. When swatching, the powder feels velvety and required a few swipes to build up the colour.  I will apply this with a quality eyeshadow brush to see if it makes a difference.

I love the shade of this pink lipstick as it's like a Barbie pink candy colour. It applied smoothly and evenly which is great. I'm not keen on the lipstick tube but I suppose it fits into the calendar being a mini.

On the 5th day of Christmas I received this deep pink sparkly glitter polish which is more me. I love glitter polishes as when they start to chip you can just apply more to make it last longer as it just blends in.

On the 6th day, I received this little tube of foundation. After swatching I found that it has a pink undertone and is too dark and bronzey for my skintone. It did however blend really well.

On the 7th day I received this neon pink polish which I love. The colour is so me and what I would buy if I saw it in a shop.

On the 8th day I received this stunning iridescent glitter pot which reminds me of mermaids and I want to bathe in it! I absolutely love this so much.

On the 9th day Of Christmas W7 gave to me this gorgeous pink holographic glitter pot which is just beautiful and uber mermaidy again.

On the 10th day was another hot pink polish which is similar to day 7 but this one is even more neon.

On the 11th day I received this coral lipstick, which again, I love and can't wait to wear.

On the 12th day of Christmas I received a clear lip gloss which I don't really wear but I may add it to a matte lipstick to make it more smooth when applying.

So that's my 12 days of Advent treats with 12 days to go :)

Do you have an Advent calendar this year?

Love Laura xoxo

Glossybox December 2014 Unboxing

Oh Glossybox, Oh Glossybox. My lovely little Glossybox!

I was so excited to receive the Glossybox December version as they are usually the best one. Let me first of all mention the box as it's absolutely gorgeous. I love the little snowflakes with the print of the Glossybox ribbon all around it. Inside the box, the tissue paper matches and you get a beautiful ribbon tied into a bow.

Now unfortunately they forgot to put me in a card which details all the products so that makes it a lot harder as I've had to research for all of the prices and product uses. Sigh!

Inside the box this month is a very impressive four full-sized products and one sample size. None of these items scream out to me Christmas though. Do they to you? I think I was maybe expecting sparkly nail polish, perfume and lipstick. Anyway, expectations aside, the products are actually fabulous.

I love, love, love Anatomicals brand. They are so quirky and the marketing people are genius as the text on the products is hilarious. The slogan is 'We only want you for your body.' Ooooh your roody toodies Anatomicals. Well I will gladly give it to you if this spot zapper works. I like how it has two ends and one is for the day and one is to apply at night. This retails for £3.50 but you can get it from ASOS or Amazon for cheaper.

"Zap! Zap! Zap! Gets that chap."

Next, I got this Skin Pep - Anti ageing 12 hour defence serum sample.  This retails on Amazon for £29.99 for 30ml and I received 7ml. I don't get excited over skin products but I will use it. 

                           

Oooo I love lip balms and this is one that I've not heard of before by the brand #LipGlam. This retails for £9.99 and is full size. Although it states lip balm, it actually has multi- uses and can be used as a cuticle ointment, split ends smoother, lipstick & mascara primer, eyebrow balm, to soothe rashes and for dry skin relief. Wow, what a lot of uses. I've just applied it to my lips as they get so chapped in this weather. It feels so smooth and like it actually works rather than just coating the lips like some other lip products do. A big thumbs up to this one.

I then got a bellapierre coral cheek & lip stain which retails for £12.99. You can get it in a pink shade too which looks fabulous. 

"Unlike traditional stains that are hard to apply, this oil-free Cheek and Lip Stain will finish off any look with great ease and is super blend-able. Available in Pink or Coral."

I love hair products so I'm pleased that I got these TRESemme Renewal Hair and Scalp 60 second treatment shots. You can buy these from Boots for £5.50 and they are included in the 3 for 2. These are said to nourish your scalp and they renew your hair. I can't wait to try these out.

So that's what I received in my December Glossybox! What do you think?

My favourite items are the #LipGlam and the TRESemme as I am excited to see the results on these two products. I was initially disappointed that there wasn't anything Christmassy inside but the products more than make up for that.

Love Laura xoxo