Holy Grail Beautyy . . .

Storytime

I had never used a cleansing oil before, so I was eager to try this Simple brand version of it.

Beauty Guru

Quite simply *no pun intended* is a great, inexpensive cleansing oil that removes your makeup/eye makeup *I have not tested this with waterproof products* and general facial grime that we all accrue each day and throughout the night.  It contains 100% Grape Seed Oil which gives it a very mild smell.  It was approximately $10 AUD from my local supermarket.  Grape Seed Oil contains Vitamins A and E which are excellent for skin health. 

Once you remove it from your skin, it leaves your skin feeling soft and hydrated with no trace of skin tightness that you can experience with some skin cleansing products.  The oil also does not leave any residue after removal.  

• Fragrance Free
• Natural ingredients
• Non Eye Irritating
• Sensitive skin friendly
• Inexpensive
• It simply works

Grape Seed Oil
Isopropyl Palmitate
Sorbeth 30 Tetraoleate Laurate
Phenoxyethanol
Vitamin E
Vitamin A

I definitely recommend this cleansing oil to everyone.

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Image via me.
Simple Skincare

Storytime

I saw this palette at my local Target in the beauty section and there was also a Vol. 2 but I just got the first one.  This palette is warm tones and the Vol. 2 is more cool tones.  I had high hopes for this eyeshadow palette, keep reading to find out how this product performs.

Beauty Guru

I have not had a good experience with The Balm shadows, I also have Meet Matt (Nude) palette and I have not reviewed it yet formally but I should have learned my lesson with that palette but I get sucked into packaging and The Balm has great packaging.



The four colours are Salsa a gold colour with a healthy amount of sheen to it.  Flamenco, is a mid brown colour which is fairly shimmer free, Mambo, a deeper brown with gold glitter flecks and Rumba a deep green with a sheen to it.




The problems I have encountered with The Balm's shadow formula are the fact that they are not always buildable, they don't blend and not a problem as such but they do not perform very well with a primer underneath.  The Salsa shade is ok on the lid, on my swatch photo above it barely shows up but it is more even and consistent then the Rumba shade *green*.

Rumba is not a great shadow.  Its barely pigmented and hard to build and blend.  The mid brown shade Flamenco, is such a dull, muddy brown that is very very average and Mambo is probably the best of the bunch its still not easy to blend and still has questionable pigmentation etc.

These shadows also kick up very quickly and make mess on your palette and your face so do your foundation last.  This palette was around $15.00 AUD.

Unfortunately, I do not recommend this palette to anybody unless you like the packaging as that is the best part of the palette.
 

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Images my own.
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The Balm

I was in need of a new face cleanser that was also affordable, so off to the supermarket I go and I decided to try the Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser because it is fragrance free and I have used Neutrogena products before with good and bad results! Now to the cleanser....

Beauty Guru

I was hoping that this cleanser would be good, because last time I tried the Acne free daily wash and seriously that was a bad formulation.  I remember putting it on in the shower and wanting it off immediately! It left a thick film on my face, I cant recall if it burned or was itchy now and I do not have it anymore and I do not want to repurchase it again! It was just a super bad product and it made itself known how bad on the few times I tried it.  So off it went to the bin.

This cleanser is great! Here are its best points:

• Fragrance free
• Leaves you moisturised, not parched
• Feels luxurious on the skin
• Inexpensive $15.99 AUD
• Easy to find
• Does what it says
• Pump packaging
• Easy to store, mine is in the shower

So happy with this purchase! I definitely recommend this product to everyone.

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Photo by me.
More Neutrogena 

Beauty Bites!

I have a GHD Ionic straightener which I love but I only use it when necessary.  I bought alongside the GHD, the heat protection spray.  I found the best way to get the best use of my heat protectant spray is not just spraying it all over your hair haphazardly, but by spraying sections of hair, brushing the product through and separating the sections of hair with hair clips.  Once you have done your whole head of hair with the spray you can go ahead with your styling tools knowing that all of your hair is being protected as much as possible.

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Storytime

I recently tried the Match Perfection foundation and I was interested to see how this concealer and highlighter two in one product fared.  It is available in three shades from what I know.

Beauty Guru

I fell in love with this product immediately; as you can see on the left hand side I am wearing the product with Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in 01 Clair/Fair.  I will include a photo of my face without the powder as well.



I really love a lot about this product.  It is very easy to blend into your skin.  The tone was perfect for me.  The product is fragrance free, it covered my under eye area to my satisfaction.  I prefer it over the Match Perfection Foundation.  Its not too expensive, still under $20.00.  The only thing I don't like about it is the packaging.  Its hard to squeeze the tube to get product out of it, and if you keep pressing to push it out, it can explode out quickly and could cause a difficult mess and a large waste of product.  A doe foot applicator would be a great alternative or similar.  This tube's pressure is not right.  Do I recommend? Absolutely! One other bone to pick:  There is only three shades which is actually more than these brands like Rimmel, Maybelline etc usually proffer, there is a light medium shade and a medium I think.



The additional products on my face are the following:  L'Oreal Lumi Magique Base Pure Light Primer, Revlon Photoready BB Cream SPF 30 in 010 Pale Light and to set the concealer I used Revlon Nearly Naked pressed powder in 010 Fair/Clair.

Recapping the good bits:

• Blends seamlessly
• Fragrance free
• Inexpensive
• Three shades so a bit better than the average two shades offered 

Not so good bits:

•  Product can "POP" out of the applicator when you keep pushing for product out 
• More shades would always be a good thing for any brand to include for more options for customers
• The highlight the product is supposed to have is non existant
• It is scientifically impossible for the product to 'adapt' to my individual skin tone - pure marketing!

The photos of after 8 hours are not touched up with extra powder or any other product.  It is the full 8 hours.   It does have a matte finish and lasts about four hours before it starts to wear off.  Touch ups with powder though could prolong it.


 Because to truly test the product I refrained from touch ups, you can see the natural oils melting my makeup! My eyebrows even aren't the same after 8 hours of wear.  Things start to disintegrate around hours 4-5 for other items of make up.

To avoid too much creasing, I prep the eye area with some non silicone moisturiser as I find they become troublesome afterwards when you use other products on top of them.  After a couple of layers of moisturiser, I then apply the primer, base and now the concealer.  Then I set with a minimal amount of powder to try and avoid as much as possible creasing, fine line exaggeration and excessive dry looking texture.  It can take a little bit of experimentation for each person but this system should at least be workable.

I definitely recommend this product!
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Photos by me.
More Rimmel London Australia

I was always unsure if I should be using a yellow powder to set my concealer but I am an extremely pink undertoned girl and I recently found out by watching a YouTube video by awesome make up artist Wayne Goss The Best Under Eye Setting Powders that you can buy pink toned loose and pressed powder to set your concealer and/or foundation.  I feel that this is much more flattering to me personally.  Of course I won't be sure until I buy one a product like this.  Stay Tuned!!

Brands to try out are Make Up For Eve, YSL, Bobbi Brown and Charlotte Tilbury.

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YouTube Video by Wayne Goss

Lipstick Queen continues the romantic story of the Frog Prince Green Lipstick that turns a bespoke pink just made for your very own lips to include a green cream blush housed in a pink compact and a vivid green lip gloss!

The products are so pretty and striking in their packaging!  Don't be scared the green shall turn you a beautiful pink hue worthy of the attentions of royalty!

To see it in action emilynoel83

To find your fairytale Frog Prince

Storytime

This is The Volume Mascara by Kevyn Aucoin, the second mascara release from this brand.  I have reviewed the first mascara the brand brought out previously, you can read that review here Kevyn Aucoin's The Curling Mascara

I was hoping that the brand would come out with a volumising mascara because I did really like Kevyn Aucoin's The Curling Mascara but I really wanted it to do more than what it did as it is an expensive product.


Beauty Guru

UPDATE!!:  I have been wearing this on my eye that I was not testing the VolumeColourist by Rimmel mascara on the other eye and I kept going with this one.  At first I thought it was allergies or something else but I have now realised that this mascara makes my eyes water; especially when worn on both eyes.  I don't know if it is getting into my eye membranes or something but it definitely does that so if you have sensitive eyes I don't advise wearing this particular mascara.  I also noticed that it had a caution warning on the tube which says if eye irritation occurs to please see your doctor.  I DID NOT have this reaction to The Curling Mascara by Kevyn Aucoin
 
The wand is very different to The Curling Mascara, as you can see in the photo it is a slimline brush and it does have bristles on the brush.  Now I really like this mascara but I wish it was more thickening too.  Aarrghh I know I am nit picking.  Maybelline's Lash Sensational is my chemist/drugstore holy grail mascara product and it does all the things I want from mascara.

• Defines and separates your lashes
  
• No flaking
• No smudging
• Easy to use wand
• No smell
• No clumps
• Does curl too
• Almost perfect

I definitely recommend this mascara! I am hoping they will come out with a thickening, volumising and curling mascara all in one! Please excuse my terrible eyebrows in these photos I have been having a few bad brow days!

Thankyou for reading!
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Photos by me.
More Kevyn Aucoin  

Storytime

Made in Italy and Australian owned company, CROP Natural Cosmetics *Dermatologically Tested* has been in stocked in one of our major supermarkets for around a year or so.  It is not supermarket cheaply priced though. 


Beauty Guru

This is four shade quad, I applied the cream shade over L'oreal True Match Super Blendable Concealer Creamy Concealer crayon in Ivory 10 to the entire eye lid as a primer.  I then applied the cream shade from the eyeshadow quad all over the lid.  I then used the peachy brown shade on the lid only, I then used the brighter brown colour in the crease and in the outer v, the more muted brown.


These shadows are mineral shadows and applied so effortlessley but ONLY with a primer on my eyelids.   Without a primer or foundation base the colours are no way as deep in colour or as easy to blend without primers.  The colours end up being quite sheer and not very rich in depth.   Despite the colour demarcations, on the eye lid, the colours all melt together and just appear a rust colour.  After two hours the lid colour had dissipated and I could see my eye lid veins.  It left the crease though.

I would not recommend these shadows because even with a primer on, the colours are still too similar to each other especially the last two darker colours.  The cream colour requires so many coats to get something going there and I don't really like the rust muddy colour that eventuated.

There is one other colour quad and it is smokey greys.

If there were some updates to the product that I have recommended then I could recommend these but I feel they are not up to par and are too expensive for a supermarket brand.  $24.00 AUD.

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Photo by me.
CROP Natural Cosmetics

• Went on the skin so well
• Easy to create full coverage
• Easy to blend
• Hid pores

What I did not love

• A cakey look was always imminent especially on the nasal folds
• Started to wear away from the perimeters on my face after the first hour

Overall I think I would buy this product to use as a evening out to dinner or some social event type foundation.  I would have to be very light in how much product to use due to the cakey factor.

I think this foundation is all up to personal preference.  The main thing I did not like was the colour chosen for me.
I recommend asking for a sample of the product and try for yourself before committing to buying it, it may turn out to be your Holy Grail! I intend to go back and ask for a sample of Porcelain and also to for some reason Perth only have four shades that are stocked?????

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Photo from www.toofaced.com
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Check out Too Faced products here

Storytime



I have worn black winged eye liner since I was 14 years old, only using liquid eyeliners.  I was pretty damn devoted to it and only in the last two years I have been trying to find a good cheap alternative to liquid eyeliner.  I still love liquid eyeliner but when it is summer and I am sweating like a pig on a spit, the liquid eyeliner will run, transfer and just look a total mess.

Australia didn't stock E.L.F. Cosmetics until recently and I found my pot of eyeliner at Kmart.  I had read good reviews on this at Beautypedia and it is insanely cheap! So when I tried it I loved it instantly.  Its pigmented, easy to apply and appears to be sweat proof to a point as I wore it to my step aerobics class and only after the intensity of that class did I start to get a light transfer.  I have posted that picture here and it also appears on the Rimmel Magnif'eyes Shadow and liner in Kissed by a rose gold product review on this blog.

Beauty Guru

• Pigmented colour
• Super cheap
• Great quality
• Easy to use
• Pot doesn't dry out 

Definitely recommend this product.
Photos by me.
Thankyou for reading
Not sponsored

Storytime

I have been wearing pink matte nudes for the last twelve years, I used to love red lipstick a lot and I still do, but I have fallen in love with pink and brown nude matte lips.  I achieved my look back then with Revlon Colorstay Over Time Lip Color in Bare Maximum  that is still available today, Bare Maximum is of course a pink natural lip colour and you painted it on and then after it dried you would put the gloss on top and that would seal the colour on to your lips for several hours.  I am tempted to buy it again for old times sake and give it a whirl!  I used to wear it without the gloss seal, because I loved the matte look of the colour and I wore it with black liquid eyeliner for a feline flick look.  To this day I still wear black eyeliner slightly exaggerated to give that feline look.

Beauty Guru

I lined my lips with Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner in 018 Addiction a kind of nude pink and then applied the Matte Me product.  It is a slim paddle like applicator not a doe foot and the product is a little more fluid than the Klara Cosmetics 24 hour Kissproof liquid lipstick.  It doesn't dry as fast either but this is a good thing, lest you have some edges to clean up.  It can apply patchy but this is not an issue as you can just go back to that spot and even it out.  Not drying whatsoever. Not a pinch.

I had breakfast with a friend, I ordered buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup, jam and a bit of cream and a cappucino coffee.  Naturally no matte lipstick is immune to these sorts of foodstuffs but I think you could definitely get away unscathed with sipping a drink through a straw and with a less substantial meal.

My verdict? LOVE this colour and product.  I dont require lipstick to last through substantial meals especailly when it is so affordable and great in so many ways. 

Definitely recommended.
Photo by me.
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Storytime

I saw a YouTube video this morning with Lauren Curtis and she was using this product on her face and I went to Target and lo and behold they had the product in stock! It was fate, it was meant to be, it was destiny!

There is three colour combinations with this product, however Target thus far has only 002 Coral Glow in stock.  I really love this colour combination so once again its fate!

Kate Moss has created this and two other products I believe, a tinted glowing primer in two colours one for light/medium skin tones and a dark tone so that's awesome and a clear conditioning lip balm with SPF.

Beauty Guru

All three of these products are effortless to use.  Blending is a dream for the contour, I only use a light hand with any contour as I am very fair and it just does not look right on me.  The blush is lovely and gives a lovely lit look especially with the highlighter both being applied to the cheekbones, blush should really be applied to the cheekbone not the apples of the cheek, however it is a personal preference of course and how you apply your makeup especially based on your face shape. I also agree with Matt Goss Make Up Artist that coral can look orange on the face so just be mindful of how much you apply.  Beauty is fun and if you want to rock a certain look or product make it your own!  This is just what works for me.

Photos by me.
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Storytime

I found this great product whilst browsing at one of the Priceline stores in Perth.  Priceline, for those who aren't familiar with it, is an Australian retail cosmetics and other related products store and has outlets in major shopping complex's and some smaller ones too around Australia.




I really love the packaging design the artwork really grabbed me! It is also on the box as you can see below.  After a few uses of the tester available, and a lot of deliberation, I decided to buy it.
The product dispenses out of a pump container, it comes out as a very white liquid which contains colour correcting ingredients and pore minimizing and wrinkle hiding properties whilst imparting a sheer but comprehensive covering of skin imperfections.  For me it is a literal miracle! I don't wear foundation and have not ever really worn it and I am 36.  I have always had difficulty finding a shade that was not too yellow, that covered my pores, that I can wear with sun-cream as foundations that include SPF are not always sufficient or even contain the right amount or type of SPF.

 And really to be honest I have never needed to nor wished to cover my skin up because it does not have any real issues to cover EXCEPT for open pores which have only been an issue in the last six years or so.  I think I was 28 or so when I was shopping in David Jones (expensive department store) and I walked past a Clinique counter when the sales assistant for them pulled me aside and quite rudely told me "I can see your pores from here!" and convinced me to buy their pore filling or airbrushing product which did work but I cannot recall if my pores were indeed so bad that people can see them from five or so meters away.
 Beauty Guru

Apart from colour correction for your face this product also contains a lot of natural skin friendly ingredients alongside the usual slip agents and silicone's.  You can really see the difference in your face as soon as you have it on.
When you pump some of the product onto your hand, you will see little bumps which smooth out when you mix it with your finger, it is recommended to apply the product with your hands starting from the middle of the face and outwards.

One thing I am unsure of is if this is a one shade fits all and if it is cruelty free.  I will have to investigate this and update this post accordingly.

Benefits of this product:

• Colour correction 
• Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
• Plant derived ingredients See below
• Very natural coverage but still effective
• Blurring of Pores 
• Blurring of fine lines *dependent on the individual and depth of lines
• Adenosine 
• Cassia Angustifolia Extract
• Lilium Candidum Flower Extract
• Iris Versicolor Extract 
• Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
• Nulumba Nucifera Flower Extract 
• Rose Extract
• Jasmine Extract
• Freesia Extract
• Narcissus Pseudo Narcissus Daffodil
• Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
• Houttuynia Cordata Extract

I definitely love this product and the only gripe I have is the fact that it is perfumed.  However, the perfume smells very flower like and it is not linalool or limonene which are more well known as irritants to some people's skin.  It is very familiar so I am not sure about its components as on the product box it says (parfum) fragrance.



Sorry, one more issue well not an issue but a lack of information on whether this is a one colour fits all and the cruelty free aspect or is there are other options in this particular product.

Start time: 8am I set this product with pressed powder and I find after four hours or so I get
break through oily spots nothing drastic but this product keeps things very smooth and in place for most of an 8 hour day.  The pressed powder I use is Revlon Nearly Naked in 010 Fair/Clair with a velour puff.  

I definitely recommend this product.
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Photos by me.
Touch in Sol Twitter


Niacinamide, what is it?
Adenosine, what is it?
Cassia Angustifolia Extract. what is it?
Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, what is it?
Iris Versicolor Extract, what is it?
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower Leaf Extract, what is it?
Nulumba Nucifera Flower Extract, what is it?
Rose Extract, what is it?
Jasmine Flower Extract, what is it?
Freesia Extract, what is it?
Narcissus Pseudo Narcissus, what is it?
Althaea Officinalis, what is it?
Houttunyia Cordata, what is it? 

Storytime

This product contains a corrector, concealer and a setting powder which contains SPF 15, which is the minimum SPF that you should be using for protection.

Beauty Guru

Now, I used this in conjunction with the NUXE Creme Prodigieuse Moisturiser a primer in my most densest areas of large open pores which is either side of my nose and my nose.  I used an Eco-Tools Concealer brush to apply the corrector color and the concealer.  I then patted on with a small eyeshadow brush also from Eco-Tools to pat on the setting powder.


Here is a photo of the products on.  I did not blend all the way and I am not wearing any other makeup or skin products in this photo other than the NUXE Creme Prodigieuse Moisturiser.

This is a great little compact to throw in your bag to touch up with.  It goes really well with the NUXE moisturiser.  The colour corrector is great it immediateley takes away any darkness under your eyes.  The concealer is easy to blend.  The setting powder could be a tad lighter for me but it's still fine for what it is and for small areas.  The concealer can highlight fine lines near the eyes but setting can eliminate the majority of the lines.

I would recommend this product.
Sleek MakeUP
Photo by me.
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Storytime

I loved Poppy King's lipsticks when she first came out with her original line all that time ago.  I love them all over again and I just discovered she is bringing out a quartet new release named All That Jazz!

Beauty Guru

A quartet of colours : Hot Piano a gorgeous red, Cool Gin a pink nude, Whoopee Spot a special purple and Paint the Town a very special deep red.  These lipsticks are imbued with a rare, sexy glamour due to their traffic stopping metallic coloured pearls sheen.

• Jojoba oil
• Omega 3s
• Lady Thistle *milk thistle, you may know of this in liver detox formulas* this contains benefits mainly through oral consumption, however there is skin care benefits, some of which pertain to skin cancers.  It is an anti-irritant which is good for lips, it is an antioxidant for skin.*
• Algomega is a sea derived algae that has many skin benefit properties in the relief of dry skin and preventing dry skin.
• Contains ingredients to impart light changing elements. 

 
Ready to go out?

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Jojoba Oil, What is it?
Omega3s, what are they?

Lady Thistle, What is it?
Algomega, What is it?
Image supplied by  

• Heavy fragrance
• Mattifying formula
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Glycerin
• Musk Rose Oil
• Immortelle Bleue plant
• Cocoa Beans

The morning after I tried this product, my face was still quite matte.  This has some interesting potential for makeup application and I am going to test it out.

I have applied some on my heavy pore areas on my face and then used Sleek MakeUP color corrector, concealer and setting powder in 01 355 or very light/fair and I got an amazing result! Now it was 39 degrees so it was very hot and not much sweat seemed to affect it.  I will create a new post for the concealer product used in conjunction with this product.

Both products have worked so well together and the heavy fragrance dissipated.  

Storytime

I have recently swapped from liquid eyeliner to cream eyeliner and desperately needed a slanted eyeliner brush.  Based on one review I had read online, I bought this one from Target which has recently brought the brand in to stock.

The packaging is quite comprehensive for a beauty tool which is definitely a good thing; you can cut the image with instructions out of the box to keep for reference sake.

It's a fine tipped eyeliner brush in black with the name of the product printed on it in a turquoise color.


Beauty Guru

Here are the best points on this product:

• Easy to use
• No animal derived components *on the box
• Instructional advice to keep and cut out on the box
• Hypoallergenic Dermatologist Tested *on the box
• Inexpensive

L.A.B. 2 provides more information and instructional videos on how to use their products on their website.

I definitely recommend this product for purchase.

Thankyou for reading my review.

Not sponsored.
Photos by me.
YouTube video posted on YouTube by SuperDrug.
To find out more on L.A.B. 2 Beauty

I have been using this eyebrow pencil by Rimmel for so long I actually don't know how long!
I use Hazel 002 as I am fair with blonde hair and my eyebrows are naturally platinum blonde.  This is the perfect color for blondes, redheads and light brunettes.  This is a holy grail product for me.

Its the perfect consistency not too hard where it drags the skin, and not too soft that its messy.
One thing I learned was that it applies far better when the skin is dry of any moisture.  I have to do my eyebrows first and then apply moisturiser, primer, sunscreen and any powder afterwards as it will not apply with moisturiser etc on your eyebrow.

• Very cheap
• Perfect consistency
• Easy to use
• Need to sharpen
• Three colors to choose from Black/Brown, Hazel, Dark Brown

Thankyou for reading.
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 Rimmellondon
Photo from ebay.com

Storytime

I came across this mascara in Australia's version of Sephora which is called Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima at Christmas time and when I saw this mascara the name rang a bell instantly.  Kevyn Aucoin was a famous for being an amazing makeup artist, photographer and author.  So when I saw this product bearing his name I had to try it out!

Beauty Guru

This mascara is good.  Not great for me, but its good.  Here is what is good about it:

• It definitely curls your lashes up and outward
• It definitely separates lashes and defines them
• It definitely lengthens lashes
• It is easy to remove

Here is what is not so great about this mascara:

• It is not a thickening mascara in any way
• I think the pigment is too light however I have brown/blonde eyelashes 

So if the not so great comments don't bother you and just straight up curling etc is what you need. then by all means buy this mascara.  I won't be buying it again purely because I need a more pigmented formulation and the much needed thickness.

This is one of those beauty products that some people love and some people don't like.  I don't hate it at all but it's an expensive option just for curling to me.

Thankyou for reading this review.
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Photo sourced via google images.