Mac's Haute and Naughty Mascara Review!

I recently picked up the new Mac mascara 'Haute and Naughty' and thought it would be good to do a review to tell you what I think about it. 

Firstly, I absolutely love the packaging! Anything pink, purple and sparkly is good with me! It is a two in one design featuring a defining, natural look and a dramatic, fuller look. I really like this type of design as it is so versatile, but I have yet to come across one that I really love, especially as I usually prefer plastic wands instead of brushes...could this be the one?

No mascara on curled eyelashes

Lashes after applying the natural wand

To apply the defining and natural look simply unscrew the top part of the mascara (the pink bit!). I really love the effect this gave my lashes, it defined them beautifully and gave them a perfect amount of volume for daytime. It didn't lengthen them that much, but luckily I have quite long eye lashes already so that was fine with me! If you do prefer something that lengthens then this might not be a great choice for you. The wand is a nice size (not too big) which made it easy to apply. It lasted all day and didn't smudge on my oily eyelids! All in all I am very happy with the results! 

Time to see if the fuller version is as good...

No mascara on curled lashes

Lashes after applying the dramatic wand

Unscrew the purple lid and the wand is heavily loaded with mascara which creates a false lash look. This really added volume to my eyelashes and unlike the natural design it lengthen them too. As it is the same wand (just with more product) I found it easy to apply and it lasted well like before. I didn't apply much, a couple of sweeps was plenty and my friends thought I was wearing falsies! There is a risk of clumping if you apply to much...as I discovered! 

I tried using both wands together, the natural one first to define and then the dramatic one for volume and length, however this didn't really have the desired effect! It ended up being a whore lash situation ladies, I wouldn't recommend it! It is definitely one wand or the other! #clumpclumpcitybitch

I used a face wipe to remove it at the end of the evening and it came away quite easily but my god it went EVERYWHERE! My face was completely covered in it! You might need two wipes to actually get you're face clean!

To conclude I am very happy with my new mascara! It will be perfect for my upcoming weekend away with the girls, a natural look for in the day and a dramatic look for the evening - no need to pack two mascaras or false eyelashes! At RRP £18.00 I think this is a really reasonable price for the results it gave me! Have you tried it? How did it work for you? Thanks for reading!

B xxx

My Top 5 Summer Nail Varnish Colours!

Left to Right - Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine - Blueberry, Rimmel Lasting Finish- Misty Jade, Models Own Scented - Banana, Mac Cream Nail Lacquer - Impassioned, OPI - Significant Other

Hello there!

Summer is just around the corner, well sort of! The weather here in 'Sunny Wiltshire' is not very sunny! Ever the optimistic I have picked out my top 5 summer nail varnish colours, which I have already been wearing! 

Barry M Hi-Shine in Blueberry - This is a gorgeous bright sky blue colour. Now I am a bit iffy with blue nail varnish, I like the idea of it but when I actually apply it I think 'jeez that looks so tacky!' and immediately remove it. However this is just lovely and also looks great on toes! The gelly finish makes your nails look super glossy, especially after two coats. The staying power isn't so bad either, it usually lasts 3 days on my nails. RRP - £3.99

Rimmel Lasting Finish in Misty Jade - I wouldn't call this Misty Jade, it has far more of a mint tone once applied. Unlike other mint nail varnishes I have encounter this is really bright. You have to apply 3 coats to get it looking like it does in the bottle, but once it is one it looks lovely. It is pretty cheap too but can get a little streaky if not applied carefully...or with patience as I discovered. I find the staying power on these really good, they last especially well in water so good for the beach! RRP - £2.99

Models Own Scented in Banana - Scratch the lid and you get a sickly sweet banana smell. To be honest I brought this more because of the scent then I did the actual colour, but to my surprise I adore it and it has quickly become on of my most worn nail varnishes. It is nice and summery but subtle enough that I have even got away with wearing it at work. The smell doesn't really last though, in fact once I had applied a top coat I could barely smell it - gimmick alert! RRP - £5.00

  
Mac Cream Nail Lacquer in Impassioned - I received this as a gift from my friend, she knows me to well. This is gorgeous bright coral. The varnish is so pigmented that you only need to apply one coat, great if you are running out the door. It dries nice and quickly too. I've not tried any other Mac nail varnishes so I am not sure if all of them are this good! It is a little bit more than what I would usually pay for a nail varnish, but as it was a gift I can't complain! RRP - £10.00

OPI Nail Lacquer in Significant Other - This is one of my all time favourite colours! It is just beautiful! A gorgeous lilac colour with green shimmer, sounds disgusting right? WRONG! If you get the chance to purchase it do, you won't be disappointed. When the light catches it you can see all the green shimmer which is why it is perfect for the summer. It is not to bright either so if you are afraid to go bold then this is a lovely alternative. It looks great with just one coat however you can build the colour up to get it looking more like in the bottle too. RRP - £11.50 (from John Lewis)

So there you have it! My top 5 nail varnishes for summer. What are yours? I would love to know as I am always on the hunt for a new colours. Thanks for reading! 

B xxx

Introducing Myself!

Hello there!

So I thought it would be best to do a little introduction. My name is Brogan – nice to meet you! I'm a post grad university student with little direction but a lot of big dreams! If you've recently graduated university then I'm sure you feel the same way! I thought blogging would be a good way to bring some structure back into my life and keep the creative juices flowing! For me, there was only one topic I wanted to focus on...the glorious world of beauty, in particular MAKEUP, I am a complete junkie...for makeup that is!!! Anyway, lets cut to the facts, I've answered 5 questions below about me (this sounds so vain, cringe!) and hopefully this will give a little insight into my life...without being to personal! So here we go...

1. How old are you?

I am 23! I feel like I've got to that age where I get excited but also slightly depressed about my birthday...because I know I am going to be another year old and the days partying and reckless behaviour (not too reckless mind!) are slowly slipping away!

2. Where are you from?

Currently I am living in South West England, with the olds! Moving back in with my parents after uni was...surprisingly OK! We have a very independent family, so mostly we all keep to ourselves, that's not to say we don't love eachother of course!

3. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

I actually don't. My parents only wanted one and here I am! I am proud to say though that not one person I have met has described me as spoilt. I work hard for what I have! Of course I realise that by being an only one there are definitely privileges I get that someone with perhaps two siblings wouldn't, but, I really appreciate my parents for everything they do for me.

     4. Your style?

I like floral patterns a lot, particularly Cath Kidston! All her prints are simply gorgeous. I never really wear jeans or trousers, just dresses and skirts with tights...probably because I just grew out of all my jeans! I love my cardigans and always wear a scarf in any weather condition, I feel naked without one! I hardly wear jewelery, just earrings and a ring. Flat shoes, never heels – cant walk in them! I usually wear quite neutral  eye makeup and a bright lip. Just a normal girly girl really!

     5.  Things you couldn't live without? (Aside from the obvious like food and water!)

I couldn't be without my family and friends (so soppy), I swear my laughter lines are going to be so bad when I am older because they make me laugh every single day. Gadget wise, my laptop and ipod hold my whole world. Makeup wise it has to be Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, (I actually named it as my hero in the year book when I left school!) I have a really oily complextion! And finally cosy pyjamas bottoms...I rarely get completely dressed unless I'm going out!

So There you have it! There's abit about me, I hope it wasn't boring...people that talk too much about themselves are boring...awks! Thanks for reading! Bye!

B xxx

I took this picture the other day when the weather was actually nice enough to have the car windows down!

A Beauty Blog By Your Average Girl!

Hey there!

Welcome to my blog. As you can see it is fairly quiet here at the moment! I am planning on using this space to blog about beauty, including makeup, hair, nails and more! I will also be posting videos on YouTube which will be directly related to my blog. I hope you will stick around and join me on my journey. A post introducing myself properly will follow shortly. Thanks for reading! 

B xxx