The new L'Oreal, Telescopic False Lash Effect mascara!

Evantually, there will always be another post (!) and another mascara.

Last week, I picked up the new L'Oreal, Telescopic False Lash Effect mascara.

We all know I'm quite a fan of that diva, L'Oreal Volume Million and am desperatly curious about the Illuminator mascara also offered by L'Oreal, which I still haven't picked up. Why?!

So I had quite high expectations for the new Telescopic. After all, this is the mascara Cheryl Cole advertises in images without lash inserts. Still, quite a novelty in mascara land!

L'Oreal claim that the Telescopic False Lash Effect composes of an 'innovative fibre formula [which] builds intensity' and that 'lashes look elongated as if beyond their tips.'

Basically, the new Telescopic sounds like a bit of a dream.

That's right, I said, sounds like . . !

I don't hate this mascara in fact, I do like it. A little!

Logistically, it works. The long, thin wand makes the formula easy to apply and the mascara lasts, smudge free, all day.

However, these things are all well and good but at the end of the day, I think, we all judge a mascara on the look it gives our lashes.

Well, indeed, the Telescopic False Lash Effect is very, very lengthening.

See, long, long lashes after two to three haphazard coats. However, that seems to be it. I can't really see or think of anything else that this mascara, the one that claims to give you a false lash effect, does besides lengthen and to be honest, I'm not sure the final look would be a pair of false lashes I would want to flutter.

For me, false lashes are about more then length. Length alone can not give your eyes the perfect flutter. When you choose a pair of falsies, you also consider factors such as colour (it seems magnetic black does not equal really black or carbon black, there is a difference), volume, shape and curl. This mascara does not really seem to enhance in these measures.

You may know, I am a bit lazy when it comes to lining my eyes on a daily basis. Normally, I find holding the mascara wand at the base of my lashes for a second or two before brushing through adds just enough definition to my lash line but with False Lash Telescopic, I find my lash line still seems a little lack lustre and my make up a little too muted. Maybe L'Oreal are just been clever and are giving us all an excuse to purchase the new Super sleek liner.

Reading through this post, I'm afraid I may have dissed this mascara too much which is not what I meant to do. Make no mistake, I do sort of quite like it. However, I feel it is not a false lash effect mascara in the way that Max Factor's, original offering or Volume Million is.

I have been wearing this new Telescopic on a daily basis since purchase. Like I said, there are plenty of selling points. Easy to apply, clump and smudge free and irritant-free (I have to say since the whole contact lenses saga, Volume Million was getting a bit much.) It has been great for work but it is just, that it is not a mascara I would use in place of false lashes (I would go back to Volume Million or Prestige's Blackest Lashes for that) or for an occasion, when I want my lashes to do the talking. I guess, if I'd brought this mascara at the last minute to wear out on the town then I may have been quite disappointed.

I hope you are all having a good Sunday.

What mascara are you currently using? Have you tried the Telescopic, False Lash Effect?

X

　

In and Out!

So many of you will know that when I got in to blogging a couple of years ago, I was on a mission to make a little more of myself. One of the first bloggers I followed was Laura of Buy Now, Blog Later. At the time, she was posting on her former blog, lollipop26writes.com. In particular, I loved reading her In and Out posts so today, I thought I would post my own.


IN

- 17 Mirrorshine, Beehive

This lipstick is my lip's best friend. It is so incredibly moisturising and this particular shade is very beautiful and easy to wear. The amazing look that Natalya created, for Valentines, used this lippie and I think, I fell in love with it just a little bit more (if that is even possible!) and don't even get me started on the fantastic price (currently £4.59) that the mirror shine lipsticks come in at. Bargain!

- Gucci, Guilty

I quickly went through that bottle of VIP (featured in this earlier post) . VIP was a gorgeous scent but it had very, very little lasting power. Resprays were constantly required and I think, I used the bottle in two weeks. There was no way I could justify £40 odd pounds on another bottle so soon.

Still, maybe that is how it should be, as right now, there seems to be only one scent that smells right (read 'right' as in 'I want to actually wear it!')  and that is Gucci, Guilty.

Surprised?

Yep, me too.

I've always said I love the scent of Guilty but in my earlier review (where I see I referred to Black Orchid as White Orchid,oops!) I was a little wary of it. I found the scent beautiful but in a very obvious and in your face way. It seemed quite sensuous and one I felt a little nervous to wear and on certain occasions, it just seemed  to be a scent that was too distracting and powerful.

However, for some reason, whenever I spray the scent now, it is just as bloody gorgeous but muted. In other words, it is now about as perfume perfect as it gets. I absolutely adore it and at the moment, it is the only scent I'm picking up to spray.

And by the way, Gucci Guilty lasts. Fact! It lingers on everything, skin; clothes; hair etc for hours. So this bottle should last a while.

- My new haircut

I finally got my haircut (FYI: A slight dusting off the ends DOES qualify as a cut!) after more then eighteen months. I am now on a mission to look after my more polished barnet and have brought some new products which I'm hoping to post with new hair photos (!) soon. It's strange but now I've actually had the "snip", I feel a bit stupid that I was so scared about a haircut and held off for so long. I mean for goodness sake, really, what was the worst that could have happened?!

- New Girl



Image from Google Search here!


Normally, I take it or leave it with comedy TV. When it comes to DVDs, for every episode I watch of Friends, I'll watch three or four more of Sex and The City or The Hills. However, New Girl is laugh out loud fantastic. I love it and although, her style is completely different to mine (ie.she always wears a lot of bright colours and I wear black, black, black, maybe a little denim, black, black and navy), I look forward to seeing what Zooey Deschanel's character, Jess, is wearing in each episode. As for Jess and Nick, a big awh, so meant to be!

- Katie Piper

Image from Google Search here!

You all know how incredible and inspiring, I found Katie's book, Beautiful, to be. Well, earlier this week, I watched her new documentary, 'The Science of Seeing Again' and this reminded me not only how amazing and strong Katie is but also, of the fantastic work she puts out there. So I went back and caught up with some of the 'Katie: My Beautiful Friends' episodes and what can I say but that I urge all of you to watch an episode or two of one of the Katie Piper documentaries. At the very least, it will leave you in complete awe of the human body and the courage that some people conjure up every day.

OUT

Image from Google Search here!

- Contact lenses

I thought that these were going to make my life so much easier but I'm really struggling to get them in and when I have to leave for work at 6.20am, I'm not sure just how practical these are going to be. Though once they are finally(!) in, all is good and the world is no longer a blur!

- Phytovolume shampoo

Image from Google Search here!

I have just finished a bottle of this and my hair always looked pretty good (considering it is mine) and big after using this but it was so watery and lathering action was non-existent. It reminded me a little of the Mane and Tail products. Maybe the condition of my hair is just a little too dry then is optimal for these products. The final result was fine but I just didn't like the way this Phyto shampoo made my hair feel as I was washing and drying it. Saying that, I'm pretty sure that this shampoo is much better for the health of my hair in the long term then some supermarket alternatives so may consider repurchasing Phyto (I really rated the citrus conditioning treatment a while back!) in the future but as far as Phyto shampoo goes, I certainly prefer the Phytorhum.

- Spending

Image from Google Search here!

I have so many of those bi-annual payments and direct debits due over the next month or so and I'm literally tripping over products and clothes in my flat so I really am going to try and take a no spend seriously this month. Honest, Guv!

What scent are you wearing? Have you got any contact lenses tips for me? I hope you've all had a fabulous start to the weekend. Don't forget to wrap up warm if it is as cold where you are, as it is here in England!

X

Ahoy there!

A little note from me to you:
 Hey, this is a post I drafted over a week ago but never got around to posting. What can I say?! There was just too much birthday cake to be eaten and a few too many presents to "play" with. I hope you can understand why I was a little distracted from photo editing and spell-checking but a week later and I realise, I need to get a post up ! ASAP!!! I've gotten so behind with blogging this year. So here is last week's feeble effort . . . Happy Friday, hope you are all well x

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I don't know about you but I find, birthdays always fall together. I recently had mine. Then Monday was my sister's and Tuesday was my Mum's. I'm also on annual leave. So over the last week or so, I have had the perfect excuse to try and mix up my look a little.

Monday night, I chose to debut my new white dress. I wore it with the Topshop collarless cropped jacket, jeans (typical!) and my New Look boots.

I think, by the end I looked like a little bit of a pirate especially as I chose to leave the one dress sleeve hanging under the cropped jacket just to add a little more interest to the outfit.

Of course, every pirate has a little bling and mine was in the form of an old favourite, my massive twinkling ring from Tanya Burr's, Talullah Tu jewellery line (I brought this about eighteen months ago. Read that post here).

As I said before, white is very classic and clean so I tried to keep the colours of my look equally bold. I used, 'Tweet Me' from MAC on my eyes and then lined them heavily with a kohl pencil from Body Shop and Carbon. Then for the lips, I went red! Yay, red always puts me in party mode but there is really only one red that I'll leave the house in and that is the gorgeous Viva Cyndi.

Meanwhile on Tuesday night, again I invited the Top Shop jacket out to play and paired it with a H&M sequined vest which I tucked in (I was lacking a belt and I felt quite daring, 'tucking a vest in' as my casual look normally features a vest top of some kind hanging over jeans etc.) to my black midi (maxi on me!) skirt from Next.

Then, just because I seemed a little obsessed, I added a little more sparkle in the form of my twinkly ballet flats from New Look.

Make-up wise, I wore a look more familiar to my face. All That Glitters on the eye and Snob (my old love!) on the lips. I carefully applied and blended Snob with a little Creme Cup to try and avoid a patchy finish.

Now, I've got to decide what to wear for my little niece's birthday tomorrow . . !

In other news, I finished Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson last week. It was a fantastic book with a lot of twists and turns which I didn't see coming (and my goodness, was I looking out for them!?!). I'm not sure if this just means I'm a bit slow on the uptake or that this, is genuinely a very clever book. Whatever the case may be, it sure was entertaining and I'm glad that I read it.

I'm now moving on to something a little lighter. I Heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelks. I read the Single Girls To Do List last year and found it so so (mind you, if I remember correctly I was in a bit of a strange mood at the time) but I've read all of the 'I Heart . . .' series so far and have always found them a great laugh so fingers crossed for this one! I'm also planning to dip in to a couple of photography books that I was given recently.

These books by Michael Freeman are more about the composition of photography rather then the technicalities. I'm definitely more a 'place the pretty flower here next to the vase so that it can show it's natural colour off' type of person rather then 'press this button and this button to make the flower appear beautiful but artificial and completely foreign to it's reality' so hopefully, I will pick some tips up with these.

Do you mix up your style or make up very often? What are you reading right now?

X

And the winner is . . .

So . . .


I logged on to random.org earlier this evening and a winner for my giveaway was generated.

Let's pause a moment, Ant and Dec style . . .

And . . .

Ahem *somebody reading the blog coughs*

More pausing . . .

Cue music and atmosphere of suspense!

A little more pausing . . .

Should I insert an ad here?

No?! Er ok. Just another little pause then . . .

. . .

Image from Google search here!

Congratulations Lipstick Fridays, you've won!

Yay!!!

I will email you shortly.



Image from Google search here!


Lipstick Fridays chose the beautiful MAC lipstick, Angel as her prize. Angel is a gorgeous, light rosy pink that has being a staple in my collection for a good year or so. I hope Lipstick Fridays likes it as much as I do. I think, it has just the perfect degree of pink for spring!

Thank you to all who entered. I'm sorry that you couldn't all win but my, didn't you pool some good choices?! A couple of lippies in particular caught my eye.

Lady Bug (suggested by Amelia)

Image from Google search here!

Billed in reviews as a sheer but buildable red with yellow tones, this MAC lipstick is very sophisticated and has a bit of a glamorous, timeless vibe about it yet apparently, it is an amazing pick for those a little nervous or new to red lipstick. Stunning!

Perfect Day (suggested by Kat and Joan)

Image from Google search here!

This lipstick is from the recent MAC collection, Naturally. It looks like a gorgeous nude. I've tried Darling and Barry M 100 before but usually, my lips are left looking chalky and dry. However, this one looks a little less concealer-like and just slightly more human in colour and as an amplified, it should give a good colour payoff. I'm not surprised that it's currently sold out online.

Certainly, two more for the wish list! Oh, if only my hair grew as quick as that friggin' list!

Hmmm, must say I quite like this giveaway malarkey. Let's get me to 150 followers and then we can have another . . !

X

Sunday bargains!

So I just had to share with you my bargain of the week, year so far!

I brought this little Miss Harvey number in Beales, a local department store for just five pounds reduced from twenty (oh yes!) and I think, I'm going to get more then my money's worth.

As simple as this number appears, there are a number of things that have caught my eye and most are positive.

I love . . .

* . . . that this number is asymmetrical. This somewhat 'lopsided' look has always appealed to me. The flash of shoulder can be quite alluring yet as the other shoulder is clothed (and in this case, with a full sleeve), the number could never be dismissed as too tarty.

* . . . the fact that the one sleeve is sheer. This is both "on trend" and again, a little teasing.

* . . . that indeed, it is designed as a dress but looks very cute over a pair of dark blue jeans. Yep, I'm more likely to wear this one in the more casual manner. I'm thinking of chucking in the Primark nude heels (that I'm currently obsessed with. I featured them in the last post here and will probably continue to mention them in every post until they are scuffed and I start to sulk!) and Viva Glam Cyndi as I've been looking for an excuse to crack the ole red lipstick out again and this dress/top could just be it. I think, the white will work well with strong, defined colours.

*. . . the simple, stark white that this number is, a colour that I lack in my wardrobe. Yes, I like neutrals but those that I do have, of the lighter hue, tend not to be white-white but instead to be slightly off, heading in the cream and ivory direction. Aside from Tee-shirts, actual plain white garments are quite a rarity on the high street but with spring coming, I'm keen to introduce this colour in to my wardrobe. There is something fresh and new about daisy white garments plus it makes me look quite innocent which more often then not, is no bad thing! ; )

So far, only good, good points and to be honest, my only worry with this number is that it is indeed, white and I am me, a sum that doesn't really add up. I'm so clumsy that yes, indeed this dress/top is not likely to last more then an outing before a very messy encounter with red wine or spaghetti (if you squint, you may spot some make up marks already!) and then of course, thinking about it some more, there is that delicate sleeve and my habit to fall off my heels (especially when they are as high as the Primark nudes!) but you know at £5, I still maintain that this little number is an absolute bargain and I can't wait to wear it!

And to Bargain No. 2 . . !

That's right, there was not just one bargain today but two. I popped in to Boots to repurchase my staple foundation, the Revlon Colorstay in Ivory for Dry/Normal skin.

Tangent time: Colorstay was one of the first foundations I tried when I began blogging a couple of years ago and initially, I was very disappointed (and was quite harsh in reviews) but four or five colorstay bottles later and I'm honestly not tempted by anything else. The only foundation that impresses me anywhere near as much (and still, not as much) is L'oreal True Match. I find that the Colorstay blends seamlessly if you get the right colour, lasts most of the day, gives fantastic coverage while allowing the skin to still look like human skin plus the bottle seems to last two to three months with daily use. 

Anyway back to the bargain which was a free Revlon Lip product of choice when buying the Colorstay.

After a good ten minutes of swatching and changing my mind between this gloss and that lippie, I opted for the Revlon Colorburst Gloss in Crystal Lilac (002) worth £7.99. I only have three or four glosses and gloss is a certainly a make up product that has grown on me over recent months. It's unusual for me to leave the house now without a little Underage slicked over that day's lippie. Yep, today that was Creme Cup. Still, my lippie of the moment!

Crystal Lilac looks to me quite a dusty pink colour with some shimmer. I will let you know how we get on. Online reviews seem promising!

Now, I was going to ramble on about books here but this post is just getting a little too long (again!) so I think, I will cut out and save the book ramble for maybe, a quick post tomorrow.

Have you picked up any bargains recently? What is your go to foundation? Any Revlon Lip product recommendations?

Anyways, I hope you had a fabulous weekend. Don't forget my MAC giveaway closes soon! Read this post if you haven't entered yet. I hope anybody in the UK (or anywhere else) who does get snow (if it comes) doesn't get stuck. Take care!

X

The blue cutout dress!

You may recognise this little number. It is the Topshop dress that I was all excited about buying a few posts ago. As soon as I slipped it on, I knew it was a purchase that had to be blogged. (FYI: Not everything of mine gets here. I have made many a mistake and the allure of many pieces even I struggle to identify, let alone share.)

Yet, I still hesitated and the reason for that (aside from the Great Bloat) is because this dress really does look a lot better in reality. Trust me, this one is stunning but everything about it, the vibrant colour, its substance, all just seems a little too muted on camera.

Obviously the first thing you notice is the colour. To say, that it is bright is an understatement. However, even as a recovering black-aholic, this bright, bright blue is a colour I feel at ease wearing. Maybe because the shape of the dress is quite conventional. It has a high neck, it covers the arms (woo!) and though short, the length remains decent (bear in mind, I'm short, not quite 5ft 2).

All these classic features add up and means that one more design twist (literally) in addition to the colour can be thrown in conspicuously and still, without the dress becoming too much. The cut outs seem to fall in a very flattering position on the side, giving the impression that the rest of the body is as toned as the little cut outs suggest. Got to love the power of design details!

Such features also mean that I do not need to think too much about accessorising with this one. I have tried necklaces but they look a little too much with the high neck and the centre twist. So the other night, I settled with a handful of gold bangles from Accessorise and some nude heels from Primark.

This dress was a pleasure to wear and indeed, some online reviews suggest that it could be slimming. However, I do think that I was lucky as the dress I picked up seemed almost a perfect fit (which doesn't happen very often) and I feel, that if it had being instead a little baggy or a little too tight then all the design details would have been pulled out of sync and the final look ruined. So while I do recommend this dress (fantastic price!), please try this one on before taking it home. There is no reason why this number will not flatter any size but I do think, it is one where you need to get the right fit!

If you do try it, then let me know what you think. I'm really curious as to whether the burgundy version works as well as the blue seems to.

And er, it has always got to come back to hair!

Image from Google Image Search here!

In other news, I love, love, love Victoria Beckham's new haircut! I'm not sure I could live with it as I always seem to struggle with layers and tousling to just the right degree but I think, this style is adorable and looks so, soo good on her and that fringe just tones down the beachiness enough to maintain that Beckham polish.



Image from here!


Hmmm, I wonder how much an appointment with her hairdresser is?! More then I can afford! You think!! For now, I guess, I'm just going to have settle with my Moroccan Oil which is every bit as amazing as I remember. Nothing wows me like it! Have a look under the Hair post header at the top of the screen for my earlier reviews.

What do you think of the Topshop dress? Do you dig Victoria's latest look? What do you think of Moroccan Oil? Have you entered my MAC giveaway yet? See the details here in the last post, don't forget the giveaway closes on Wednesday!

X

The Giveaway and some more MAC!

I know, it looks delicious.

Indeed, it was (!) but this cheeky little cheesecake has scuppered my blog plans a little.

I was planning to do an outfit post today, I have a couple of little dresses to show you but after a long weekend of overindulgence, I really don't feel like fluttering around in front of the camera. In fact, to be honest, I can hardly move. Yes, I really did eat that much!

So while we are waiting for the great bloat to pass, I thought I would share with you the rest of my MAC haul.

You already know about All That Glitters but I also picked up some other eye shadows specifically, Retrospeck; Bronze and Mystery.

Mystery has been on my wish list for a while now. Tanya Burr has done a couple of tutorials with it and created some gorgeous, smoky eyes. I would love to be able to create eye make up similar to this.

I guess, I'm hoping that merely including Mystery in my own collection will bring me one step closer to Tanya's amazing make up looks and talent. Hmmm, yeah, if only it was that easy!

Still, I don't think I'm going to regret purchasing Mystery. It is such a nice cool toned matt brown which seems a better brown for me. Some of the reddier browns such as Sable can make my eyes look tired and irritated. Mattes also seem to offer a more definite contour.

Bronze was a little bit more of a random purchase. It looked great in the pan and swatched well. When you pair these little points with the fact that gold/peachy shadows seem to bring out the little hazel specks in my green pupils -and oh yes, makes my eyes "pop"!- then really, Bronze was destined to come home with me.

Retrospeck, too, was a random purchase. It looks pretty and swatches well but in reality, online reviews seem a bit blah. Some suggest that the shadow is not particularly pigmented and I do worry that maybe, it will look a bit ashy on me. I guess, time will tell but I think, Retrospeck is most likely to become my new inner eye highlight if I reach for it at all!

I also brought three lipsticks, Angel (a current fave); Hug Me (a newbie for me. I asked for Hue and I guess, the assistant grabbed the wrong one out of the draw. Still, I'm gonna give Hug Me a shot as I haven't really got any wearable browns in my collection) and the one I'm a bit dreamy about at the moment, Creme Cup.

I've heard so much about Creme Cup but still, I can't remember ever trying it. I guess, Creme Cup falls in to that Hue, Patesserie, Angel, 'pink nude' type class and since I kind of lost my heart to Hue, the day I first walked in to MAC, it has took me too long to give the others any attention but yes, indeed, you were all right! Creme Cup is amazing and like Angel, comes in to its own when you give it a chance. I can tell you now, this cremesheen isn't going be far from my lips this week!

Well, I think, that is about all I got from MAC this week. However, I will be returning again soon (I need Hue!) which brings me to my giveaway.

*********************************************************************************

The 50 Follower Giveaway!!!!

Yay, that's right, I am giving you a chance to win either a MAC lipstick or a MAC eye shadow of your choice.

I know, its hardly original but who doesn't want need another piece of MAC?!

So here are the rules!

- This giveaway is open internationally.


- You must be a Google Connect Follower of Mission Me.


-A For one entry: You must leave a comment on this post naming the lipstick or eye shadow you would like, if you win. Please also leave me a contact e-mail or blog address so I can contact you if you win.


-B You will receive two additional entries, if you also tweet about the giveaway. Please remember to mention me @xessjay23x so I can see your tweet. You also need to link back to this post and mention your tweet (and your name on twitter) in your comment here.


-C/D You will receive three additional entries, if you mention the giveaway in your blog post or/and sidebar. You must link to this post. You must also link me to your post/sidebar in the comment below so I can see it. If you mention the giveaway in a post and in the sidebar, you will receive six additional entries.


-Each person can only enter once in A, B, C, D. Basically, nobody is entitled to more then 9 entries.


-This giveaway will end on 0001am, UK time on Wednesday, 1st of February 2012.


- There will be one winner. That winner will be chosen randomly. They will receive a lipstick or eye shadow of their choice from the MAC permanent line as long as I can get hold of it.


- This is my giveaway so my discretion is final!

*Just in case, I've confused you all. Here is a comment similar to one you might leave, if you decide to enter

'Enter me! I follow your blog with GFC. I would like to win ...........! My google name is .................. and my e-mail address is ..........@...........! I have also tweeted about your giveaway. My twitter name is ............! I've also posted about your giveaway here http://.............. and in the sidebar of my blog here http://..........'

*

I hope this is clearer then mud for you, lovelies! Good luck!! Can't wait to see which lippies and shadows you're yearning for!

EDIT: This giveaway is now closed. Details of the winning entry (and a peek at some lovely MAC lippies) can be found here, link.

X