Some (very) quick reviews on a few drugstore launches…
LÓreal False Lash Superstar X Fiber Mascara
This latest release from LÓreal promises both extreme length and extreme volume using not one, but two, separate brushes. The first brush, the primer, is designed to thicken the lashes and add volume. The second brush, which contains fibres, extends the length of the lashes.
Apparently if you want a:
Natural False Lash Look: Apply one coat of the primer, then one coat of the fibers; or
Volume False Lash Look: Repeat application 3 times; or
X-treme False Lash Look: Repeat application 5 times (who has the time/inclination to apply this many coats of mascara?! Not me).
This underwhelmed me, I’m sorry to say. If you like a very natural look, then you might enjoy it, but I don’t think it delivered on its claims of increased length or volume, unfortunately. The volumising brush was pretty feeble, and the fibres on the lengthening brush just made my lashes look dry/brittle. LÓreal has some really top notch mascaras (Volume Million Lashes is a particular favourite), but this one fell flat for me.
LÓreal Infallible Lip Paint Matte in ‘Hollywood Beige’
Now this is lovely! If you follow us on Instragram you will have seen our InstaStory where we watched all of the shades we’d been sent, and they are all glorious. Being more of a neutral fan, the shade ‘Hollywood Beige’ caught my fancy and I’ve really been enjoying wearing it.
The texture is creamy and comfortable, which is a joy for those of us who are unwilling to put up with the typically drying textures of matte lipsticks. This glides on and leaves a rich deposit of colour and doesn’t settle into lines/cracks/peeling lips. If you prefer something which is more on the sheer side, you can pat a little bit onto the lips and you’ll get the same beautiful shade, but with less opacity. It wears well and leaves a nice stain behind, meaning you don’t need to constantly reapply during the day.
NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette in ‘Warm Neutrals’
When this arrived, my first thought was that the shade selection reminded me of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette (MRP). What I wasn’t expecting was for some of these shadows to perform as well as their MRP counterparts – a real stroke of luck considering their respective price points!
Overall, I’m impressed. The shimmer shades are rich and pigmented, and the bulk of the matte shades have a good consistency as well, although some are a little chalky. The majority of the shadows apply well, blend easily and have zero fall-down, but some are a bit more difficult to work with – sadly the shadow quality isn’t 100% consistent with this palette. However, with that being said, I would still recommend it for those of you who like warm tones because I think that the quality is generally good, and you can create some really beautiful autumn/winter looks with the shimmer shades in particular. I think the shade selection has been well curated and the tones are very complimentary: you get the warmer, more sumptuous reds/oranges, the slightly cooler matte transition shades, and lovely earthier tones too which can be used to add depth or to line the eyes. Lovely!
*All PR Samples