REVIEW: Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara

Lancome makes some great mascaras, and I was excited about their newest release in spite of the kinda creepy promo images (models with dead eyes.  Probably the greigey-makeup is in part to blame).  I love the idea of "Doll Lashes" Mascara, it sounds a lot like Fairy Drops and brings whimsy to a product that is usually so straight-forward.  Lancome's packaging also does not disappoint; the tube has such a pretty curve and the wand is comfortable to hold.  It has beautiful (but rather tricky to photograph) iconic Lancome roses all over and a reflective cap tip.  Packaging definitely gets an A+.

The wand is an interesting idea as it's rather cone-shaped.  This allows you to get at some hard-to-reach lashes with the narrow tip, while you can try to pack on layers of mascara with the thick bottom.

No eye makeup whatsover...

Yeah, nobody wants to see me with no makeup, avert your eyes!!!

MANY coats of Hypnose Doll Lashes mascara...

Pretty, but natural.

 That is... you can try to pack it on. In the pictures above I am wearing countless layers of Hypnose Doll Lashes, and while the lengthening is acceptable and it doesn't clump, there is hardly any thickening to speak of.  The wear of this mascara is excellent and it doesn't flake whatsoever, and application is a breeze with stray smudges easily avoided.  I think this would be a good mascara to put over false lashes or wear for a natural day look, but I think the marketing suggests it ought to give you a false lash, dolly look.  Yeah, not so much, and I am disappointed!  It's a nice future addition to the makeup graveyard (I keep around products with pretty packaging), but definitely not something I'd repurchase.  Covergirl LashBlast in the orange tube acheives a more doll-like effect without the $25 price tag!  But I imagine women who like very natural-looking mascara will overlook this because of its marketing, and they shouldn't!

Easy, Twiggy-inspired EOTD

Obviously I'm a huge fan of the pixie hairstyle, so wouldn't you know one of my beauty icons is none other than Twiggy!
The eye look she is most famous for is a bit costumey for every-day, but let me know what you think of my inspired look below:

I used a "Smokey" eye palette from Forever 21, a black liquid liner pen from Stila, Garnier's tinted eye roller under my eyes, layered Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara under MAC Zoom Lash mascara for a falsie look, and lined my waterline with Wet N Wild Color Icon White eyeliner (looks retro and makes my eye seem rounder).

I cut my crease using a pencil brush in a sheer, matte black eyeshadow. You have to take care not to blend out the edges too much for a '60s style.  A shimmer champagne was then dusted lashline to the black, and a shimmery ivory shadow on the inner corner kind of messily because you need a really bright, wide-eyed appearance with this look.  I have a lot of eyelid so I drew with the liquid liner marker thickly in a wing, just short of Cleopatra in length (wrong image!).  Layering my mascaras bulked up my lashes and I made sure to get every lower lash because Twiggy used to actually draw lines down there!

This look is pretty dramatic but neutral in color, and calls for a shimmery nude or pale lip.  Would you feel brave enough to wear this interpretation of Twiggy's look?

DUPE SMACKDOWN #1: MAC SHY GIRL VS. LANCOME B-LIST VS. NYX PUMPKIN PIE

Happy Saturday!  My first dupe smackdown is going to be perennially popular MAC Shy Girl $15 vs. Lancome (GWP freebie!) Color Design Lipstick in B-List $22 and NYX Round Lipstick in Pumpkin Pie $4. I purchased each of these on my own, except the Lancome lipstick was a GWP when I bought a Color Design Palette.

NYX Pumpkin Pie, Lancome B-List, and MAC Shy Girl applied in unblended zones to lips. Can you tell where one ends and another begins?

Smell: MAC definitely wins for smell, but I LOVE the smell of most MAC lipsticks as they have that signature vanilla scent *usually* but some lipsticks and lipglasses I've had didn't have that tasty smell --namely Patisserie (Lustre) and Bubble Tea Lipglass (Plushglass) -- but Shy Girl smells as tasty as they come.  The Lancome Color Design has a vaguely floral scent that fortunately disappears quickly. In last place is the soap smell of the NYX lipstick, but these are so cheap and otherwise high-quality that I usually let that slide and get them anyway!

Taste: None of these have a taste, really, except the NYX so rather than a winner we have a loser.

 Texture:  All of these are relatively creamy and opaque.  The Lancome and NYX are the creamiest, but Lancome trumps the NYX for lasting power (NYX round lipsticks don't stick around that long).  The MAC lipstick is harder and less creamy (despite being a "cremesheen" finish) but it's also the glossiest and lasts pretty long.  Texturally for me Lancome wins.

Color: These are all fairly dead-on dupes, but I think that MAC Shy Girl is slightly pinker and glossier. This doesn't really translate on lips.

Winner: MAC Shy Girl wins for me on its mid-price point and smell, but Lancome B-List wins if you can get it as a GWP, for sure (can't beat creamy, pigmented, AND free!).

Left to Right: MAC Shy Girl, Lancome B-List, NYX Pumpkin Pie on NC25 skin

Going Shopping with My Other Half OOTD and FOTD

Last weekend my husband and I braved the outlet mall and this is what I wore...

Argh, smudgie on my forehead! I really need a better camera...

Shorts - Mudd (Kohl's), Cami - Forever 21, Lace Tank - Hot Topic, Jewelry - Jewelmint, Flip Flops - Old Navy, Pink Sponges at my feet - Beauty Blender (these are AMAZING!!!)

Eyes - TFSI, NYX Velvet Rope Palette, Wet N Wild ColorIcon Liner in Purple, Maybelline The Falsies Flared Mascara, Garnier Tinted Eye Roller (Love this!)

Cheeks - NYX Mocha Blush

Lips - Hard Candy Glossaholic in Chill Out

Nails - OPI Funky Dunkey (Toes), Essie Nice is Nice (Fingers, sooo similar to Lilacism)

I think this is colorful, purple eye makeup that is subtle enough for daytime, don't you?

DH's shirt says "May a squadron of beautiful vaginas find their way to your crotch by day's end!" Gotta love theoatmeal.com!

Maybelline Color Explosion in Forest Fury FOTD

Eyes - Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Maybelline Color Explosion in Forest Fury

Cheeks - Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso
Lips - MAC Ever Hip Lipstick, Strange Potion Lipglass

Sorry about my hair... These new Maybelline Quints apply really smoothly and pigmented.  The sparkle overcoat is a bit much so you have to use a light hand.  They need a primer to last, but that's kind of par for the course.  They are excellent for drugstore eyeshadows, like much of Maybelline's Eye Studio line.  I have used Amethyst Ablazed as well and found it to blend muddily, unfortunately. Blue Blowout is as nice as Forest Fury, though, and quite wearable for blues! 

I know these have been extensively reviewed online already (hence, why I bought them), but I'm trying to ease into this blogging thing. I hope that's okay!  I plan to devise more unique posts in the future.

Taking on Beauty

So, I'm thinking of starting a beauty blog, seeing as there is no self-professed Beauty Vigilante currently in existence (oh yes, I checked!).  I spend a lot of my free time watching youtube beauty gurus and perusing beauty blogs, so I'm adjusting this template to give it a go! I intend to engage in lots of "well-mannered frivolity," including OOTD, FOTD, E/L/COTD, hauls, collection posts, favorites posts, dupe smackdowns, swatches and reviews.  And I'm a vigilante like Batman because I'm unqualified (i.e. not a makeup artist or journalist, unless a huge makeup addiction is qualification for starting a beauty blog). The #1 thing I need to work on with this is not being so verbose... and I need to get a better camera!

Hi! I'm Sarah, and this is my first post... a cheeky look.

Face - Origins Vitazing, Boscia BB Cream, E.L.F. Mineral Foundation in Light, BE Mineral Veil

Cheeks - Stila Convertible Color in Camellia, Urban Decay Afterglow in Quickie, Benefit Girl Meets Pearl, Benefit Dallas Boxed Powder, Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

Lips - MAC Creme Cup Lipstick, LORAC Multiplex Gloss in 4D

Eyes - Stila Topaz Kohl liner, UD 24/7 liner in Zero, Stila Glamourize Mascara

If anybody reads this ever, yay!