Saturday 27 February 2016

My Top 5 Favourite Mascaras

Welcome back lovely people!
Today's post is a little different than my usual content but I decided to upload it anyway because what the heck, why not?!  I am going to take you all through my top 5 ultimate favourite mascaras!  These are the best of the best in my opinion; some of which are great on their own, others look fantastic paired together.  Keep in mind, these products are what works best for me and my own lashes.  Everyone has different preferences when it comes to mascara, as well, everyone has different lashes.  I am very appreciative of the lashes that I have naturally.  Aside from genetics, I must give credit to the DIY Lash Growth Serum that I put on my lashes every night.  I did a whole separate blog post about that so if you want to check it out (why wouldn't you!?), click hereNow that that is all said and done, onto the mascaras.... (in no particular order)

  1. Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara in Very Black
I mean let's be honest here, if you or someone you know has not owned this mascara at some point in time, then you're doing it all wrong.  This is my go-to base mascara meaning, I love to start off my mascara routine with this baby.  It won't give you crazy length or crazy volume, but it is absolutely fantastic at separating the lashes in between coats.  Decent-sized brush that has little rubber spikes coming out of it so if rubber brushes aren't your thing, then you may want to pass on this one.  The spikes on this wand don't hurt your eyes like other spiked-wands.  The spikes taper down ever so slightly towards the end of the brush and the tip is completely flat.  This baby is great once you first open it and eventually (once it starts to dry out a bit) you will be able to tell once it's time to get a new one.  Wear it alone for a more natural look OR use it as a base to other more dramatic mascaras like I do!  The mascara comes in four shades (black, black brown, brown, and very black) and runs anywhere from 5-8 bucks depending on where you shop (can be found at most if not all drugstores)!







2. L'Oréal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara in Carbon Black
Another oldie but a goodie.  I'm sure you've all tried or at least seen the original gold-tube of this mascara... Well, the black tube is even better!  This is going to be your go-to lengthening mascara, and when I say lengthening, I mean it will give you length hunny!  I prefer the one if the black tube as it is more intense than the original (but that is obviously a personal preference).  This is definitely a more wet-formula so if you're more of a dry mascara kinda person, then you may wanna skip out on this one.  Similar to the Covergirl mascara mentioned above, this mascara comes with a rubber wand with teeny-tiny spikes that again do not hurt or irritate the eye.  The tip comes to a nice point which can coat the inner lashes very nicely and because the wand is so small, you can get right up close to that lash line and almost give a tight-lined effect to your lashes.  Definitely a great follow-up to the Covergirl mascara since this one won't really add much volume but will give you some serious length.  Price ranges anywhere from 9-12 bucks depending on which stores you shop at and the deals that they have that week!






3. Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara in Black
The cheapest of the bunch but really packs a real punch!  You've probably passed by this section of the drugstore a couple times and thought nothing of it but this mascara is a must try for anyone looking for a bold, dramatic look that is volumized & lengthened!  This mascara will run you anywhere from 3-5 bucks at most drugstores and is sort of a hybrid of the Covergirl and L'Oreal mascaras listed above.  This is a thicker formula and actually needs some scraping off during the first couple uses, however, it gives such a crazy amount of volume that I can look past it.  Comes with a very large brush with rubberized spikes (can we see a trend here with my mascara preferences?) and the tip of the wand is sort of like a ball with spikes, similar to the Benefit They're Real mascara.  Forewarning though with this mascara: after 2 coats it does start to clump up but in no way do you need more than 2 coats (1 is sometimes more than enough for me).  Again, pair it up with the two other mascaras listed above and you've got some dramatic af lashes to hit up the town!






4. Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara in Black
Okay before you kill me for including this crazy expensive mascara in this list, hear me out.  I've never been one to spend crazy amounts of money on mascara especially because if you're using them everyday, you'll eventually have to re-purchase another tube after 3-ish months.  However, this mascara is definitely worth the $27-30 price tag!  I would say this mascara is the Covergirl, L'Oreal, and Essence mascaras combined into one.  The medium sized wand has a bristle-brush applicator (a change from all the rubber) and tapers similar to that of a tree shape.  This mascara adds a ton of volume as well as length and is super black (also comes in a brown shade if that is more up your alley).  I love pairing this mascara with the L'Oreal one for some bombshell looking lashes for nighttime or using it alone for a dramatically natural looking lash (if that makes sense lol).  Personally my lashes are able to hold a curl very well, but I find this mascara definitely keeps that curl in place all day with no flaking!! That is one thing I forgot to mention, none of these mascaras flake on my eyes.  Granted I don't have the most sensitive or watery eyes (I don't wear contacts either), but it's still something worth mentioning.  Get out to an Estee Lauder counter and ask for a sample and see for yourself how great this mascara is!





5. Mac Extended Play Gigablack Lash in Intense Black

This last mascara is definitely different from the other four because it is my go-to lower lash mascara (the other four can be worn on the lower lashes too, I just prefer this one for that job)!  This mascara is comparable in size to the L'Oreal mascara, the only difference is the brush.  Here we are dealing with a long, skinny wand with a bristle-brush applicator much like traditional mascara wands except a lot skinnier (as opposed to the big rubber applicators).  This mascara has a really wet-formula and is super black in colour and claims to be a waterproof formula that can last up to 16 hours.  I for one have not tested that type of longevity before (because who the heck wants mascara on for that long anyway!?), but it does last your average 8 hour day.  Because the wand/brush is so skinny and small, it is perfect for those smaller lower lashes as well as the tight-line of your upper lashes if that's what you are using it for.  This baby will cost you 20 bucks in the Mac stores or at the Mac counters and doesn't dry out as fast as other mascaras.  Has a slight funky smell, but don't all mascaras have a weirdly unique smell to them? I will warn you though, the applicator is a little more stiff (nothing crazy) than the rest of the mascaras so go nice and easy on the eye area.            



Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn  

"Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle."
Napoleon Hill

Week 35: Banish Acne Scars

Welcome back wonderful people!
I just want to start off by saying that school has officially taken over my life *insert crying emoji* Whether it's readings, assignments, tests, etc. it's coming all at once and really stressing me out.  My skin has taken a slight toll on this stress (especially on my chin area) but for the most part everything is feeling pretty smooth and looking pretty good.  No, all my acne scars have not magically faded away.  Yes, they are improving each and every day.  As you may or may not know, my end goal for my skin's journey is to have at least 75% of my scars fade completely.  This is obviously something that will take a lot of effort and time, but will be well worth it in the end.
In this week's before and after pictures, we are going back all the way to Week 19 and seeing the differences 16 weeks can make using the Banish Acne Scars system as well as my own skin regimen (which can be found here).  Some notable changes can be seen on the left side (your right) of my face especially on the cheeks and cheekbone area.  As well as some drastic changes on the right side (your left) of my chin/jawline.  Again, due to the lovely present that us girls receive in the mail once a month I've had some new spots pop up in the after photots but it's inevitable.  Hey, I'd rather have a couple PMS pimples a month than 10+ pimples throughout the month.  We can also take in and appreciate some thinner eyebrows that I've been rocking lately; they usually go in phases.
Mascara used in Week 19's pictures are:
Click here for my Week 34: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
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Click here to purchase products from Banish Acne Scars!

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn  

"Wake up with determination- go to bed with satisfaction."
George Latimer

Friday 5 February 2016

Week 34: Banish Acne Scars

Welcome back beautiful people!
Side note from the actual blog post.  I challenge each and everyone of you reading this to go look in a mirror and find 5 things you love about yourself and actually t e l l  y o u r s e l f.  If you find 6, or 7 things, then that's even better!  And if you can only find 1 thing that's fine too!  I hear so many girls comparing themselves to other girls out there when they are already beautiful (and boys too).  Self-confidence and self-love is such a beautiful thing and definitely something I think we should all start having a lot more of.  
Now that that little ramble is over, onto this week's acne scars progress!  So I think I've mentioned this before, but whenever I'm having a really good skin day or week, I always end up getting some sort of issue either the next day or the next couple of days.  But I don't even care anymore, I'm not afraid to say that my skin has been doing amazingly this past week!  Aside from the pimple I got underneath my lip and on my cheek, everything else has been super smooth and super clear (which makes me very happy).  I don't know, something about a good skin day/week for an acne sufferer can really just change their whole mood. 

I've gone back to my old routine of using the Dove Beauty Bar as well as using my Proactiv+ and I think the two combined are the perfect pair for my skin.  Again, it may be different for your skin, but I'm hoping either one or the other will help you in your journey!  If you do use either method, just be sure to moisturize afterwards as both products tend to dry out the skin.  I will usually use my Cetaphil and/or Equate Moisturizing Lotion (dupe comparison blog post here) or my CeraVe  Moisturizing Cream.  Now onto the before & after pictures...
We are looking at a 14 week difference here between these before & after photos (before photos taken from Week 20's blog post).  If this is the first blog post that you've stumbled on then I will inform you that I do not edit or re-touch any of my photos.  The most I do is crop them and zoom them in.  For those of you who have been following me for a while, that probably sounds like such a broken record and I'M SORRY (please forgive me), just informing the new folks that have stopped by.

I love looking at drastic differences like the one today because you are able to see the huge difference that the Banish Acne Scars products are making for my skin in the long-run.  If I were to post before and after pictures from week-to-week you probably wouldn't notice that much of a difference.  Nonetheless, the products are working wonderfully on my skin and I know I say this in every post, but I can't wait to see how much better my skin gets.  To all my acne and acne scar sufferers out there, know this... you are not alone!  There are so many of us out there, including me!  Hopefully my journey through this blog is showing you not to give up and to keep fighting this battle!  See you all in Week 35!

Click here for my Week 33: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
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Click here for my Week 2: Banish Acne Scars blog post! 
Click here for my Week 1: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
Click here to purchase products from Banish Acne Scars!

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn  

"What you do today can improve all your tomorrows."
Ralph Marston