A Couple of High-Endies

I thought I would review a couple of my high end mascaras, for those of you who like to ‘live it large’, as they say.

Le Volume De Chanel Mascara

chanel

I like this one.  It makes my eyelashes slightly curled and very long, dark and voluminous.

The brush in the picture looks a lot thinner than my own brush, but I think that may be because the brush in the picture is very clean and my own brush always comes out with so much goop on it that it always looks super-thick.

Great for Chanel fans and high-end buyers, but if you’re on a budget, don’t splash out for this one as there are plenty of high street mascaras that are just as good.

Would I recommend this mascara? Only if you have a spare £25 lying around, in which case, it’s money well spent.

To use : Straight brush strokes keep lashes separate, zig-zag strokes clump lashes together.

M.A.C False Lashes Mascara

macfalselashmascara

First impressions of the bottle (is it called a bottle? Ah, ignorance) is that is it sleek, dark and mysterious. Then I realise what it reminded me of: a chess piece.

After applying one and then two coats of this mascara, I am left with very natural looking lashes. If you really pile it on then you can get quite a false-lashy effect but, in my opinion, still very natural. I guess its nice if you don’t want to look too overdone.

The thick, heavily bristled brush doesn’t really grab lashes, so it just leaves them a bit normal looking.

Use zig-zag strokes for separated, slightly voluminous top lashes, and straight brush strokes for not-too-flashy bottom lashes.

For £18, this is definitely not worth the money, unless you are a huge fan of the I-cant-even-tell-you’re-wearing-make-up look.

Have you had completely different experiences with these mascaras? Do you have any good dupes? If so, tell me!

Love from,

SASHA x

Click on these links for my other mascara reviews, including my favourite new find: Clinique Lash Power MascaraNatural Collection Clear Mascara, Eyeko Skinny Brush MascaraMax Factor False Lash Effect.

My Latest in Beauty Box

Bonjour bambinos! How totally spiffing to speak to you again.

I come bearing news – I just received my very first Latest in Beauty Box!

It was very exciting when it arrived in the post. The box was a little smaller than I expected, but the free lindor egg I found inside made up for it, and it also meant that the items were packed tightly into the box, so there was no empty space and you felt like you got your money’s worth (£14.95 plus P&P).

I spent a long time deliberating on the website over which box to buy, as you can see the products in the box before you buy. I am unsure if I like this, although I did like making sure I wasn’t wasting any money on products I didn’t want or need. However it did lead to me being disappointed when some of the products in the box were absolutely mini, as they looked bigger on the website. It does tell you the size, but I didn’t realize that 8ml was THAT small.

I also missed out on the surprise that I know a lot of people enjoy from a beauty box, but i’m quite stingy at the moment so am generally not taking those kinds of risks.

So I received:

Mary Greenwell – Plum

plum

I don’t have very much to say about this. How is one supposed to describe a perfume?     All right, I’ll give it a go.

The lusty, musty, wistful, woozy, intoxicating, dreamy, mindless, silky scent is all very well except that it reminds me of my grandma.

Bronze Buffer – Fake Tan Remover

bronzebuuffer

I haven’t used fake tan in a while so I haven’t used this yet, but I’ll get back to you on this one.

Yu-Be – Moisturizing Skin Cream

yu-be

On face : Fast absorbing, not greasy, so be liberal as is hard to spread. Very matte effect, I always have a problem with shine on my face and this is very impressive in effectively reducing shine (life saver for greasy T-zone girls!).

On lips : Most of the lip balms and butters I use kind of sit on your lips and don’t really feel like they penetrate, but they feel good when you rub your lips together. This is the opposite. It absorbs into your lips super-speedily so your lips feel like they are REALLY moisturised, but then you have nothing left on your lips as it has all absorbed. I suggest using this as a base BEFORE you lip balm, so your lips can be moisturised but then have something that feels good on top.

Elsewhere : V. fast absorb as is dry not greasy. Skin feels smooth and moisturised, but never greasy. Legs feel more smooth and moisturised compared to my normal moisturiser.

To add to the wonderfullness, it is the best selling beauty product in Japan, and a cult favourite among celebrities.

I would definitely recommend this. I haven’t checked the price but I don’t care.

Rimmel – BB Cream Matte

rimmel bb

This is a foundation. It hasn’t particularly impressed me, but I wouldn’t say it was bad, either. You do have to use quite a lot to get any coverage, though. I did feel that my spots couldn’t breath at the end.

Weleda – Skin Food

weleda

Haven’t tried this yet (CLICK HERE to see a full review), but apparently Victoria Beckham uses it. That’s all.

Kevin.Murphy – Color.Bug

colorbug

I attempted to use this before going out one fine evening, and it is very easy to apply and made my hair a gorgeous purple colour. However, whenever my hair touched my face or my clothes, I got purple powder on everything, so if you’re going to try this out just be very careful (and don’t wear anything expensive).

Balmain – Silk Perfume

hairperfume

This is the first hair perfume that I’ve tried, and it was what I was looking forward to most in this box. I always find it hard to find a shampoo/conditioner that works well AND smells good, so this is an excellent alternative for me. The scent isn’t what I expected; with hair you usually want a fresh, clean, smell. This, however, is a woozy, fazed smell, much more sexy than one would expect. I like it – I am sitting here right now just smelling the bottle – and the mixture includes the cult favourite Argan oil, along with silk extract. It acts as a kind of leave-in conditioner, it makes hair shiny and leaves it in good condition, but does nothing to detangle (for me anyway). It should be used as a finishing spray for a final touch to your style. To use, aim a hairdryer at your mid lengths to ends and spray into the path of the hairdryer. This way, you end up with much more light and even coverage, if you spray it straight on to the hair a whole load of it will go into one place and look very uneven.

I do recommend this spray, but with an RRP of 20.95, you would be much better off buying it with this box and getting loads of other free goodies too.

Astalift – Rejuvenating Concentrate

dvs

As I haven’t really had a problem with premature aging, I gave this tiny sample to my mum.

DHC – Deep Cleansing Oil

oil

I tried this out for a week without using a moisturiser, so I could see how it fared (is that even a word?) on its own. I have been very impressed with it, at the end of the week my skin was looking much clearer, and my number of spots decreased (woop woop). Then, after I went back to my previous face care regime, I developed two zits, a spot cluster on my forehead, and many a spot on and around my nose. This concludes that the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is much better than my previous skin care regime.

When I saw the bottle I was disappointed as it was the same height as my pinkie, including the lid. I was also worried that it would make my nose more oily, as it is, in fact, an oil. I needn’t have worried about either of these things – you only need to use a tiny amount and after a week of use I barely see the difference in the bottle. And it didn’t make my nose greasy at all.

I am very impressed with this. My 30ml bottle is £4.50 which is a fantastic price as I predict it to last me about six weeks.

Overall, I love this box and most of the products inside it. I will definitely keep an eye on the Latest in Beauty website!

What’s your favourite beauty box?

Love from,

SASHA x

What I’m Loving

These are a few of my favourite things…*SPONTANIOUSLY BURSTS INTO SONG* mittens and kittens and something about roses…

What I’m Loving

Costa Skinny Mocha

I have been on the hunt for quite a while now for a satisfying coffee. I am not a big coffee drinker, so I don’t really like the bitter taste that I find in so many coffee shops. The closest I came to satisfaction was a little bottled Starbucks Frappuccino, I had to hold my nose every time I drank it because it was made with UHT milk, but I was willing to do this as it was the only coffee I remotely liked. Then, to my utter horror and disappointment, they discontinued the drink. I was so distraught that I decided to stop drinking at Starbucks altogether and hop along to Costa right next door, which is where I came across this gem of a coffee. The skinniness makes it not too thick or creamy so I don’t feel sick afterwards, and I always like mochas for their chocolately flavour. Just for the record though, this coffee is not ‘perfect’. I don’t know if I’ll ever find my perfect coffee…have you found yours?

Sushi Japan

Located in North Finchley, my mum, dad sister and I eat at this restaurant almost every week. It is by no means my favourite Japanese restaurant food-wise, but the value of their lunch special is staggering, and I always leave feeling full and satisfied. For £5.90 you can get:

-Six maki rolls

-A portion of teriyaki

-A portion of rice (AMAZINGG with soy sauce)

-A portion of salad

-Japanese tea (refillable) or miso soup

All in a cute little bento box. Considering my family usually spends around £60 on a trip to Yo Sushi, this is an amazing spending detox for us, and the only thing that even tastes better in Yo Sushi is the chicken teriyaki. All in all, I recommend giving this restaurant a go (although I did get told off last time I was there for stabbing my lettuce).

Innocent Smoothie – Mangoes and Passion Fruits

This is so far my favourite innocent smoothie (although the defence super smoothie is high on my list), in fact, it might even be my favourite drink. There’s two of your five a day in every delicious bottle, and it gives you the goodness of six different types of fruit. For some reason (possibly the fantastic flavour) I can never put this drink down, so I usually end up downing it in under a minute.

Gossip Girl

Having just discovered this series on Netflix, I am officially obsessed. I am so far gone that the ‘buffering’ on Netflix (my internet connection is dismal) bugged me so much that I had to buy the box set. It is actually ridiculous. I am a really bad binge-watcher. I binge-watched Friends so bad that Phoebe’s pregnancy lasted a day for me.

SO, what do you think? Are you a hard-to-please coffee drinker, smoothie lover, sushi eater or binge-watcher?

Love From,

SASHA x

 

Grandma’s Easter Egg Hunt

So today I went to my grandma’s house for a cute little Easter egg hunt that we have every year. I am aware that today was not Easter, but being Jewish my family don’t really care.
Most of my mums side of the family goes, including my cousins who I’m really close with.
The hunt itself lasted about five minutes but we all stayed for ages after that, chatting and scoffing as you do. I tried to eat as much as possible so as not to upset my grandma, but having just gone out for Japanese I was finding it hard to fit anything in my stomach at all. She did have these really cute fingernail size golden Easter eggs though.

My uncle recently bought her two new cats after both her old ones died (in the same week – not fun).  I have been shown pictures and we have all agreed that they are staggeringly ugly. They look like grumpy cat with fat rolls. They are Persians – so if any of you have seen Cats and Dogs, its the evil one, so we’re not off to a very good start.

Here is what Google Images has to say about Persian cats:

Lovely.

Lovely.

So I’m looking forward to one being a criminal mastermind and the other being psychopathic, but its nice that my grandma (who lives alone) has two little friends to occupy her time.

Are you a cat person or a dog person?

Love from,

SASHA x

My Moisture Pointers

So here is my collection of body moisturisers and a little review of each one…

Body Shop Body Butter

bodyshoppassionbutter

I may have three massive tubs of these…(and a baby tub) but don’t judge, I only bought one of them myself…

My fave one is passion fruit. I LOVE the smell, it’s one of the nicest they do. I’m completely torn between wanting to use it all the time and wanting to save it for special occasions!!

I also have two coconut tubs (one full size and one baby), and for some reason, the baby tub smells sooooo much nicer than the big one?! The only difference is it is a lot older…maybe body butters improve with age?

I personally don’t think that these are worth £13 a tub, but when a sale is on they are usually taken down to £5, in which case it’s a great buy!

Soap And Glory The Righteous Butter

righteos butter

This one is very very creamy, which I like. It is easier to apply than the body shop butters that I have, which means I’ve been using it much more often as it takes less time to smooth into the skin, and it feels luxurious. I also like the smell, and I love the pink retro Soap And Glory packaging.

Ted Baker Body Souffle

aztedbaker

This one is lighter than the body shop butter. It is heavily perfumed and smells nice but unnatural and a bit sickly. Unfortunately I always feel like I’m rubbing chemicals into my skin with this one.

The Sanctuary Spa Body Moisture Spray

aysanctuary

I absolutely ADORE this spray. It absorbs instantly into your skin and it’s really really light, which makes a change from my body butters and various creams that I use. It’s especially good if you are in a rush and don’t have enough time to forever rub in a cream. It also leaves a divine shine on my skin, which non of my other moisturisers do, so I feel glowing whenever I put it on, like a lamp, or a glow-worm. I seriously recommend this to anyone who has legs…or arms. Or money to spend. Or a friend with a birthday coming up.

What about you? What do you look for in a body moisturiser? Which are your favourites? I wanna know!

Click here for the most deeply moisturising body cream I have ever tried…

Love from,

SASHA x

My Fave Eye Make Up

Bonjour again! Hope you’ve all been well since I last posted a minute ago.

I thought I would share with you some of my favourite eye make up products right now, to show you…well, ME.

Maybelline the Falsies Volum’ Express

the falsies

 

 

I use quite a lot of different mascaras, but I wanted  to give this one a shout-out because it have been getting so many rave reviews and I wanted to say that they are ALL COMPLETELY TRUE. The asymmetrical curved brush is slightly out of my comfort zone, but even I seem so be able to achieve voluminous, lengthened and curled lashes (my lashes are so straight that I always love it when I find a mascara that curls them) with minimal effort when using this mascara.

How to use : This mascara is perfect at any time of day or night, on both top and bottom lashes. Using zig-zag brush strokes clumps the lashes together, for a heavy, thick look. Using straight strokes separates the lashes for a slightly more natural look, but still stand out. Perfect on bottom lashes for definition but not too much length.

L’Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim

loreal super liner

I have used this product every day since it arrived (it was cheaper on the internet). The pointed tip gives me precision and ultra-fine definition, so you can go from extremely natural to flawless va-va-voom. This means it is ultra versatile, and I even jabbed it in my eye recently and nothing bad has come of it. It didn’t even hurt or anything.

I could not possibly tell you how to use this because there are too many way to count!

Max Factor Masterpiece Glide and Define Liquid Eyeliner

max factor glide and define

What I love about this liner is that it is so easy to use. You simply glide it along the top of your eye and POOF! You look fantastic. SO useful if you’re in a hurry but don’t want to sacrifice your beauty. It’s also in a cute handbag size, so it’s great for on-the-go!

Up-and-coming : Wet n Wild Walking on Eggshells Eyeshadow

walking on eggshells

I haven’t tried this one out yet but it looks so great that I had to give it a mention. Especially good for beginners, as it shows you how to use it on the packet! Comes in perfect handbag size.

What about you? What are your favourite eye make up products?

Love ya,

SASHA x

 

 

Evening beauty lovers!

Bonjour, lovers of beauty! My name is Sasha and I’m here to make your dreams and wishes come true…yes, I am a fairy godmother.

I love all things beauty and I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts, experiences and reviews with all of you. Please bear with me as I’m just getting started but I hope to be up and running soon! Literally, I need to get fit.

I really hope I can help you decide which products to buy, and that maybe we could be friends…(OK, that sounds weird and stalky)

See you soon!

Lots of Love,

SASHA x