You know when you’ve found a staple eyeliner and you think that life couldn’t get any better.  Imagine that life could, when a whole range of new colours come out…

Urban Decay’s famous 24/7 liners shrank at Christmas for a limited edition collection for gifting (keeping?!) purposes, but they’ve now brought out a whole load more.

I have in my hands, Binge, a dirty denim blue that shimmers and smoulders, Mildew, a khaki green that really looks great on hazel eyes, and my the new love of my life, Oilslick, a deep dark charcoal with their famous hint of glitter.

Nothing is lost with these new colours, (also available, Crash, Stash, Yeyo and Rockstar), they’re still just as smooth and soft, yet fantastically long lasting.

What I adore about these new colours is that they’re muted compared to the original collection.  That means that Urban Decay have cornered the eyeliner market, with something for everyone, genius in my book…!

I’m chuffed to bits that there are more to the collection, my pro kit just hasn’t got the room.  Oh well, best get another case then for the overflow…

Sam Donald

www.SamDonald.com

I’ve had www.compeed.co.uk/totalcare in my kit for a while, but recently used them myself, for the first time, when I felt a cold sore coming on.

As anyone who suffers from cold sores will know, they are hideous and you just want them to go away as quickly and painlessly as possible. But often they take up to 2 weeks to go, and the last few days can be the worst as they crust over and then split and bleed each time you open your mouth or try to eat something.

The patches take a little practise to put on, but if you read the instructions properly, it’s fairly simple.

At first it felt a bit weird having a plaster on my lip, but after a while, I got used to it, and other people could hardly notice it.

It felt reassuring knowing that my cold sore was completely covered, so reducing the risk of my children catching it. It also stopped it from hurting so much.

The cold sore started on a Monday evening, I could feel the unpleasant tingle, and there was a little redness, so I put a patch on. The next day there was a cluster of little blisters under the patch and they seemed to get bigger over the next few days. after about 3 days, I could feel that the cold sore was starting to heal.

It took until the following Wednesday until it had totally healed up, so not really any quicker than leaving it to heal on it’s own.
 
The difference was, the cold sore never actually crusted over, it just went away. So I managed to completely avoid the last few horrible days of splitting and bleeding and discomfort. (It is important that you use the patches until the cold sore has completely healed, otherwise you risk getting the crusting over period.)

I didn’t feel so self conscious, as the cold sore was well hidden and I was even able to apply make-up over it (although I chose not to do this as I did find it gave my lip a kind of waxy look and made me feel more concious of it)

I highly recommend these patches and will definitely use them again  the next time I get another attack.(not too soon, I hope)

Amanda Roberts

www.hairandmakeup4u.com

What a bargain! This little beauty is only £2.99 available from Superdrug. I tested it in Cocoa which is a dark brown colour. So far I have been wearing this since 8am today and it has not budged! I’ve even deliberately rubbed my eyes to see if it moves and nothing! 
It has made my lashes appear thicker at the roots and slightly longer in length. I will definitely be buying one of these in their other colour ranges which are Black and Xtra Black. 

Kelly hollands

Sam gave this to me at IMATS to try out and at first I didn’t think much of it. I applied 2 coats and by the end of the day there was no sign of mascara and didn’t look like I was wearing anything. But I’ve found using about 5 coats does the trick – a bit annoying when you’re trying to get ready for work – but in order for this product to work you have to layer it on. Doing that I can definitely see I’m wearing mascara and my lashes looks fairly good. This mascara didn’t clump…separated my lashes and it actually has staying power! 

Last night I went for a run (I forgot to take my make-up off before hand) and I had visions of coming back with panda eyes…but no….it stayed put and I was most impressed. 

The packaging of this does look a bit cheap but retailing at around £3.49 I wouldn’t expect anything fancy. I think for that price you get what you pay for but I was pleasantly surprised. I do think this is a good holiday mascara when you don’t fancy taking your expensive Dior with you.

I’ve been testing this lip gloss for a couple of weeks now. At £3.99 I wasn’t expecting anything special but was pleasantly surprised. 

I tested the ‘Mango crush’ one and in the bottle I loved the colour and how shiny it was but wasn’t sure how it would look once I put it on. The colour was just as gorgeous once applied and I really liked how shiny it made my lips. It went on really smoothly with no ‘gritty’ texture and tasted delicious. 

My only critisicm would probably be that it didn’t have as much staying power as my usual brand but with a lip gloss this nice I can overlook this flaw. 

I would wear this for a glam daytime look and but would also be happy to wear it on a night out. It’s the perfect one to have in your handbag just in case you get a last minute invitation. I think it’s great value for money and would definitely be tempted to buy it again.

Its a soft pearly pink with teeny bits of silver glitter. 

I have tested this a few times now and I’m a little bit disappointed with it! 

I love benefit products and although I’m not a regular lipstick wearer I know what I like and what I don’t like. 
I first tested it by just applying a coat on bare lips… a pink sheen but way too glittery-and it feels really slippery, a bit like vaseline! I think it looks like something a girly teen would wear to a party. 
I had to take it off because I really didn’t like the way it felt. 

I tried it again, this time by lining and filling in my lips with a red lipliner(first one I got out of mybag) and then applying a little bit of the swoonderful on top. 
The effect was nicer, a red lip with a little shine, not looking too glittery. 
Using less helped it feel like it wasn’t going to slide off and just gave the lips a fuller look. 

The best way to use it on its own is to just use a small amount and blend it out for a little shine but for £13 I want a LOT more from a lipstick.

I have mixed feelings about this product. I love the packaging but I do find the fact that it’s so chunky a bit of a problem – especially because I have thin lips and when I apply this it tends to go all over the lips and everywhere else and I’m constantly having to wipe around my mouth! 

However, I do love the texture and look of the balm. It has a subtle pink shimmer (Minty Fat Balm)that actually looks a bit like lip gloss and a nice minty flavour that feels quite refreshing. It does leave the lips feeling hydrated. 

I did have a bit of a problem trying to wind it up and the lip balm ended up cracking – I’m not sure if this is what usually happens or if I just happened to get a faulty one. 

Reading up online it says that you can actually apply this to your cheeks as a blush – I may give this a try as I love the shimmer pink colour!

www.superdrug.com

This is going to be a difficult review to do.  Not because the product is bad, but because it does so many different things that I’m going to find it hard to remember to add it all in!

At first glance, the packaging is sleek and smart – shiny black with the red metallic signature ‘Lola’ logo on the front.

When you open it up, there are 2 face products in their own metal pans (not merged together like others!), that have been beautifully embossed with a Mandela style design.

However, this isn’t about how beautiful the product is to look at, it’s about how beautiful it can make you feel.

The principle is simple.  Blush your cheeks with one side, highlight with the other.  But its more than that.  Because these are a different type of face product.  They are both home to hidden inner glow particles.  You know, the ones that make you look like you’re radiating with inner beauty.  They are also so finely milled that your face almost takes on an airbrushed, soft-focus to it.  I did have to double check that it wasn’t my new bedroom lighting, and have taken this out and about with me on various jobs, and yes, it does have inbuilt soft-focus.

But it doesn’t stop there.  If you’re prone to getting a shine on later in the day, this does help to keep it at bay a little longer.  I would advise, with all makeup application, using primers appropriate for your skin, but if you’re a blush-and-go kind of girl, then this will keep oil spots away for a little longer.

And finally.  Does it last?  Definitely!  For me, in my particular makeup discipline, longevity is key, and on a personal level, its essential for my own face.  This is now a staple kit favourite, I’d recommend it for anyone really.  Anyone who wants to make sure their makeup lasts on their face, anyone who professionally needs to be able to guarantee that their makeup application will last, but also to the makeup artist who wants to create a ‘wow’ with their makeup technique.

Definitely one for everyone’s makeup bag.

Sam Donald

www.SamDonald.com

Normally, when the MAF team write reviews on products, its either on a seasonal collection as a whole, or individual products on their own.

Today, I’m changing that by writing a review for Lancome Mascaras as a group of their own!

I can’t remember how long ago it was that I first started consciously buying Lancome mascara, probably well over 10 years ago.  It’s certainly about 5 years since Marie Claire quoted me recommending them – see here!

The mascaras are such a reliable product that I know that no matter which one I choose to buy, I know it will deliver.  It’s a no-brainer with Lancome.  They do what they claim to do.  The lengthening mascaras do actually lengthen, and the thickening ones do make your lashes thicker.

Whats perfect, particularly for me, where I use a lot of Waterproof products, is that the WP versions of the Lancome mascaras deliver the same results as the originals.  Nothing is lost in translation.

My professional kit is full of them, from Fatale to Virtuose, with L’Extreme and the new Hypnose Drama.  I have the originals and the waterproofs, I’ve got every conceivable colour. 

What I really love about their mascaras though is that its all about the product, and not so much about the brush.  Yes, they do all have different brushes, which are an added dimension bonus, but its more about what the product is like inside the bottle, and as a pro makeup artist, using disposables often means that you have little choice over the mascara wand.  Lancome mascaras don’t let you down, no matter which brush you’re using.

And for me?  My personal favourite is L’Extreme for full on long lashes!

Sam Donald

www.SamDonald.com

Oh My Word!

Siren red pure metallic lipgloss that doesn’t go anywhere!  Extreme Sheen is the perfect name for these, they are extreme in all aspects!  The colour is true and pure, siren is exactly that, a fire engine siren red.  The colour is as though someone has painted metallic paint on your lips!

So it’s a little sticky at first.  That’s okay, just blot a little off and wait a few minutes, the stickiness goes, I promise.

The result? Pure molten red metallic lips that look plumper and fatter, not particularly kissable at first look, though they do become more and more alluring the more you look at them, but just so divine with a dusting of sandy eyeshadow, some black liner and lashings of gloss, a hint of cheek and these stunning lips.

Gorgeous.  That’s all I can say, just gorgeous.

Sam Donald

www.SamDonald.com