The Lash Diaries: YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking Mascara

If you are a regular follower of this blog you will know how much I adore YSL’s Faux Cils mascara.  Unfortunately for me, we don’t have a YSL counter in my city and the only place I can get my hands on my beloved mascara is at Sephora or Holt Renfrew.  When I heard YSL reformulated the HG formula into a new mascara and added on the word “shocking”, I knew I had to try it.  Was it better than the original?  Did it make your lashes more shocking (hence the name)?  I had to get my hands on a bottle of it, but I had to wait patiently until I travelled to a destination which carried it.  Luckily for me, I went to Montreal last month, so I made sure to buy a tube.

From YSL:

Exaggerate your lashes with shocking volume from every angle!  New and exclusive to YSL, the amplified helix brush with a twisted cut, provides instant excess volume on the lashes, with effortless application. Shaped and styled for excess, this slim brush breaks the rules of volume, allowing for perfect control and precision, combined with a beautifully creamy formula to cover each lash evenly, for a thick and lustrous fringe.

I didn’t end up opening this product until last weekend because I wanted to finish up my mini DiorShow mascara.  With the hefty C$36 price tag I wasn’t about to risk drying out this product before I could get my lashes on it.

YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils mascara wand

YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking mascara wand

So to my untrained eye, the mascara wands between the two mascaras seem to be the same.  However, the first thing I noticed between Shocking and the original formulation is that the new version is noticeably more wet than it’s original counterpart.  So wet that when I first applied it my lashes looked like a glob of mascara and not shocking at all.  It wasn’t love at first swipe like I thought it would be.  But then I gave it another chance.

Curled lashes, no mascara or primer

One coat

Two coats

By comparison, two coats of the original Faux Cils mascara

To be honest, after one coat I thought I had enough mascara on my lashes to last me the day, but for the purposes of this blog I decided to brush another coat on.  If I bothered with a third one I would be a spidery mess.  Because this mascara is more wet in consistency than it’s original counterpart you have to be really careful in applying it.  It does make lashes look really nice once it’s applied properly, but you have to take your time with this one.  I know from reading reviews of the original Faux Cils many people had the same complaint that the product dried up quite fast.  I used mine almost everyday for about four to five months so it was quite dry by the time I threw it out.  With that being said I have mascaras from a year ago that are still wet in consistency but I don’t use them everyday.

So would I recommend Shocking over the original?  It’s too early to tell.  Once I use it a little more I will get a better understanding of whether or not I like it better.  I can say that I find the Shocking mascara to be a bit more black than the other one, maybe that’s what makes it so shocking?

I am in love with the original formulation so anything will be hard to beat that, but for the same price, if you are between the two, try the Shocking version, who knows it may even last longer in the long run.

Have you tried YSL’s Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking mascara?  What are your thoughts?

Also, don’t forget to enter my May Loose Button Luxebox giveaway! ** Canadians only!

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BB fever: Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream

So if you haven’t been living under a rock for the past year, North America is beyond crazy with BB Creams.  Also known as Blemish Balms or Beauty Balms, BB Creams are a product mainly sold in east and southeast Asia.  Originally formulated in Germany, the product was initially used to protect skin after laser procedures and surgery. Further on down the line, BB Creams were made famous in South Korea by an actress who was known for her beautiful skin.

A ton of companies here in North America has reformulated BB Creams (it’s been said that Asian BB Creams are different from their Western counterparts), everyone from Garnier to Clinique to Smashbox to even Dior.  About a month ago, Garnier Canada’s Facebook page was giving away a whole whack of samples to people to try out.  Me being the beauty buff I am, jumped at the chance.

Garnier’s BB Cream is actually called Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector.  Here are the claims:

It’s your most fabulous beauty secret… the all-in-one skincare solution for perfect-looking skin.  Instantly!  Use it on its own or as a primer, first thing in the morning or after the gym, as a post-work touch-up or a pre-date beautifier.

  • Lipidure and Hyaluronic acid provide deep and long-lasting 24h moisture
  • Caffeine stimulates radiance
  • SPF 15 protects skin against harmful UV rays
  • Vitamin C boots luminosity and corrects wrinkles
  • Mineral pigments create a natural sheer coverage to blur imperfection and even the skin tone
So according to Garnier, this product basically does everything: evens skin tone, corrects imperfections, brightens complexion, hydrates for 24 hours, and protects with SPF 15. Throw away your foundation, moisturizers, concealers, and primers, this is the product to end all products.
Or is it?
I got a sample packet in the colour light which, considering how ghostly pale I am, this colour would be perfect for me.  When I opened the packet the shade was a nice medium beige colour that really was perfect for my skin.  I couldn’t, however, get over how thick the consistency of the product was.
I didn’t use a brush to blend this in, just my fingers but I found that you really have to rub it into your skin.  I would actually recommend a brush with this because it took me a while to get the product to set on my face.  After it was on I didn’t see that much of a difference right away, however, throughout the day my face did look better than it would be if I was wearing no makeup.

Before shot- no makeup

After

So just by looking at the before and after shots, my face doesn’t look as red and has an even complexion.  I’m also not as pale.

So would I recommend Garnier’s version of BB Cream?  It depends.  At first I wasn’t blown away by the product but after looking at the photos, the product does seem to work.  It doesn’t come close to a full-coverage foundation (which is something I like), but if you like a foundation with sheer coverage or even a tinted moisturizer, I would say this product is for you.  With summer coming up this would be perfect for those days at the beach or pool where you don’t want to go au natural but still want some sort of coverage. Also, I would totally use this for lazy Sundays, and if I wanted something with a little more coverage I would put some Bare Minerals over top for a flawless finish.

If you were interested in trying this product if you haven’t already, head on over to Garnier Canada’s Facebook page, they are offering a $3 rebate coupon.  The product itself retails for $19.99, so it is pricey, but the $3 definitely helps.

Oh, and I would also love to wish my precious dog Ziggy a very happy birthday! He turns three today!

Have you tried Garnier’s Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream?  What were your thoughts?

Also, don’t forget to enter my May Loose Button Luxebox giveaway! ** Canadians only!

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Canary eyes

I wanted to do something fun and bright, so I went all out turned the lights up on my eyes.  I love playing with bright, bold looks using fun eyeshadows, so since I got a bright yellow colour at Inglot last month, I figured I would do something fun.

Here’s how I achieved it:

I didn’t use a primer for my eyes, instead I grabbed a bit of the bright yellow colour from the Make Up For Ever 12 colour Flash palette.  Using this as a base, apply it all over your eyelid region and then bring it down in the inner corner of your eyes.

Now, if you don’t have something similar (this palette is quite pricey), you can always use a regular primer like Urban Decay’s Primer Potion or even a nude colour Paint Pot from MAC (like Bare Study or Painterly).

Using a bright yellow eyeshadow (mine is by Inglot), apply the colour all over your lids over the primer.  Now because my primer was so bright to begin with, what I’m basically doing is setting the colour.  However, if you used a regular primer or none at all, try wetting your brush so the colour will go on more vibrant, otherwise you will really have to build it up if you use it dry.

Next up, grab a liquid eyeliner and line your upper lash line, winging out the ends.  Then to set the liner, grab some black eyeshadow and, using a eyeliner brush, go over the line so you make sure it doesn’t budge.  I used MAC’s Liquid Eye Liner in black and then MAC’s Carbon eyeshadow (a matte black colour) over top to set.

Using a black pencil liner, liner your waterline and your lower lash line.  I used Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes eyeliner in black (obsessed with this).

We are almost done. Using a white/cream colour eyeshadow, apply this to your brow bone to act as a highlight.  I used MAC’s Phloof!

To finish up the look, curl your lashes and apply your favourite mascara (I used DiorShow, not my fave but I’m trying to use up the bottle).  If you want some extra oomph, pop on a pair of false lashes (mine are by Velour Lashes) to complete the look.

MAC's Kissable Lip Colour in Enchantee on the lips

This look is super easy to do and you don’t really need a lot of products to achieve it.  You can always swap out the yellow and use a different bold colour instead.  Maybelline has a ton of fun colours in their Color Tattoo line that you can use as a base.

Let me know if you try the look!

FYI, today is the last day to save 15 per cent at Sephora.  I bought the Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes eyeliner that I used in this tutorial during the sale. This Week Only: Beauty Insiders Get 15% Off! Use Code: CHIC

Also, don’t forget to enter my May Loose Button Luxebox giveaway! ** Canadians only!

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