Worth The Hype? BeneFit They're Real Mascara

I reviewed BeneFit's They're Real many moons ago when I tried it out for the first time but the photos are hideous and given that I'm about to purchase my fourth tube of this mascara, I figured it was worth revisiting.

 They're Real received a huge amount of attention when it launched and that always makes me incredibly skeptical; surely it couldn't be as good as everyone was claiming, right? Any concerns I had regarding this product vanished after the first few times I used it and for the last year every other mascara I've tried has failed to live up to the standard set by They're Real. 

So why is it so good?

Have you ever tried a mascara and loved the brush only to find the formula was a bit rubbish or vice versa? I find that quite often; They're Real is one of the few exceptions for me. The brush has lots of plastic bristles which coat individual lashes with just the right amount of product. It also has a little spiked ball on the end of the wand which is great for reaching smaller lashes or adding extra product to the outer lashes. The formula is great; it doesn't run or smudge on me at all which is almost a miracle! It also holds a curl amazingly well.

Before

The main gripes people seem to have with They're Real is that it looks too full on or a bit clumpy and that it can be difficult to remove. To prevent spider-lashes I avoid applying more than two coats and when the mascara is brand new I might use a spoolie to eradicate any clumps. As for removing this mascara I find that Philosophy's Purity Made Simple cleanser works best.

After one coat

Is BeneFit They're Real worth the hype?

Undeniably, YES! If you want a mascara to give you longer, thicker lashes I implore you to give They're Real a go if you haven't already. 

Debenhams are currently selling They're Real for £16.65. It's normally £18.50 from any BeneFit stockist.

Stace xx

Dolce & Gabbana The One: A Signature Scent?

This fragrance could not be more aptly named. It's definitely 'The One' for me and has been for about four years now. I don't post about perfumes a lot partly because I'm rubbish at describing them and partly because I don't try many new ones. This bottle was a gift from a lovely friend and is my fourth, but almost certainly not my last. 

You already know this is going to be a sappy post about a perfume, don't you? 

Well, it all started after Christmas four years ago. I was flying back to Glasgow and picked up a bottle of The One at the airport because I kind of liked the scent. I don't typically buy expensive perfumes for myself; I tend to ask for them as Christmas/birthday gifts, so it was an impulse buy. An excellent impulse buy. 

According to D&G: 'The fragrance features top notes of mandarin and peach that leads into a heart of jasmine and ends with a base of vanilla, amber and musk. The One for Her is a warm, oriental floral with modern sensuality. It's a fragrance with a strong personality and a contrasting golden sweetness. Created for the ultimate diva, The One is at once tempting, modern and glamorous, embracing a touch of classicism.'

To me it just smells good. I associate the scent with so many happy memories; it never fails to make me smile. 

The One EDP retails for between £38 and £63.

Do you have a signature scent you just can't be without? Tell me about it!

Stace xx

My Top Five: Winter Skin Essentials

Whilst I love being able to wear cosy scarves and jumpers during the cold winter months, I don't appreciate it when the climate wreaks havoc with my skin. Right now my beauty routine is limited to say the least but there are five products I find myself reaching for regularly to combat dry skin, hands and chapped lips.

Clarins Hand & Nails Treatment Cream

£19

This is my all-time favourite hand cream because it does exactly what it claims to; it moisturises my hands when the skin is feeling a bit dry and 'tight'. I love the light, slightly fruity scent and I appreciate the fact this sinks into the skin fairly quickly. I've only got a little bit left in this tube so I've been using it at night before bed. This is definitely going to be on my Christmas list. 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant

£21.25

I posted about this wonder product recently; I'm convinced everyone needs to own a tube of this funny smelling orange balm. During the winter months I'll use it as an all over face mask before bed to keep my skin looking and feeling soft. It also works well as a lip balm or on any dry patches of skin. A little goes a very long way with this product so whilst £20+ might seem a bit steep initially, it's an investment!

The Body Shop Body Butter

£13

The body butter in the photo is from last year's Christmas collection but any scent will do; there are loads to choose from. I'd recommend going for one of the dry skin formulas because I find I need to use less product for each application. I'd fallen out of love with my body butters during the summer months but now that the cold weather has set in, the love affair has been rekindled. You can usually find selected scents on sale - I've never paid full price for a tub.

Clarins Extra-Firming Lip & Contour Gentle Exfoliator

£19

This is one of those little products that deserves more attention, I think. It's expensive for a lip scrub but it's the best one I've tried because it's so gentle but still very effective. I work a small amount into my lips before wiping it off with a tissue. I do this a couple of times a week and that, in conjunction with the next product I'm going to talk about, keeps my lips smooth and prepped for whichever lip product I fancy wearing.

NUXE Reve de Meil Lip Balm

£9.50

My first impressions of this lip balm weren't great but I've really warmed to it recently. The matte texture is a bit weird at first but I'm used to it now and I've yet to find a lip balm which stays on my lips as well as this. I put some on before going outside and it helps protect my lips from the cold weather. I also pop some on before bed. This has surprisingly become my lip balm of choice!

What are your winter skin essentials?

Stace xx

What's in my make up bag? [Using my Naked palette]

Everytime I look through my eye make up I spot my Urban Decay Naked palette and quietly scold myself for not using it more. I'm determined to make good use of it over the next couple of weeks!

I'm mixing up the base products I'm using (with the exception of concealers) to incorporate my new bottle of NARS Sheer Glow. I don't normally use a setting powder with this foundation but if I need one I've included LUSH's Emotional Brilliance loose powder. If I want to use a primer I have a little Murad primer sample to use up. For concealer, I'm sticking with my trusty duo of Collection Lasting Perfection and Rimmel Wake Me Up. I've also thrown in a BeneFit Sunbeam highlighter sample which I used for the first time today; I like it!

For blush I'm giving myself a bright shimmery coral option with S.O.P.H.I.E. from Illamasqua and a natural satin option in NARS Madly. Madly is definitely my most used blush and has been for about six months now whereas S.O.P.H.I.E. is brand new and crying out to be used for the first time. Both shades should work fairly well with the Naked palette's shadows. 

For eyes I have, of course, my Naked palette; I plan on wearing at least one eyeshadow every day! I'm going to use NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base underneath the shadows and LUSH's Eyes Right mascara. I've added a couple of Milani Liquf'Eye liners in black and brown in case I fancy using one. For my brows I have Smashbox Brow Tech but I realised this morning that I've lost (for the second time!) the brush I love to use with this so I may have to switch it out and use my Lancome brow pencil instead.

For lips I have two neutral shades; 17's Mirror Shine lipstick in Beehive and Rimmel by Kate Moss in 19. Beehive is lighter and glossier whereas 19 is a rosier shade with great staying power. If I want to wear a bolder colour it's going to be either Rimmel by Kate Moss Matte in 107 which is a medium berry shade or a warm toned pink in the form of Illamasqua's medium pencil in Titivate.

What's in your make up bag this week?

Stace xx

November Beauty Haul

I've not posted a haul for quite a while but that doesn't mean I haven't been shopping. I've been totally out of the beauty blogging loop so I've not been overly inspired to buy lots of new make up; if you've tried anything new you think is worth checking out, let me know in the comments!

Lip products were my thing this month; it seems. I picked up one of the recently repackaged 17 Mirror Shine lipsticks in Beehive. I've owned this before and used it up completely because it's such an easy lipstick to wear. I like the look of the new black packaging compared with the old shiny blue tubes but it's a faff to use! It's rectangular and there's a little mirror which slides out; basically it's annoyingly difficult to close. 

I finally purchased a couple of Rimmel's Kate Moss lipsticks and I have to say I'm incredibly impressed. I have the matte lipstick in 107 and the original formula in 19. I've worn 19 a lot already because it's a great every day colour. Both shades/formulas have great staying power and feel very comfortable on the lips. I may need to pick up a few more of these!

The fourth lip product in my haul is the YSL Glossy Stain in #22. This was a bit of an impulse buy but I've been on the hunt for a dark, glossy lip colour for a wee while now and this seemed to fit the bill. I wore it today and it is a bit difficult to work with but it looks amazing. Finally I picked up a medium pencil from Illamasqua in the shade Titivate because the counter assistant was wearing it and it looked awesome on her! I've not worn this one yet so can't share my thoughts on it.

I had a £10 off voucher for LookFantastic so snapped up a bottle of OPI Live and Let Die from their Skyfall collection. It's a gorgeous dark green with gold shimmer running through it. I was really impressed with the formula of this polish too; it was almost a one-coat wonder! Earlier in the month I bought this metallic Bourjois polish in the shade 20. I love the brushes on these polishes but I'm not totally sold on this shade in particular; it's almost like a metallic version of a nude.  

I replaced a couple of my favourite base products this month; Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer in Medium 3 and NARS Sheer Glow foundation in Punjab. I use the concealer almost every time I wear make up and the foundation is my favourite for winter because it offers a bit more coverage. I've not had a bottle of Sheer Glow since spring time so I'm excited to use this again. I picked up the Illamasqua blush in S.O.P.H.I.E because I've had it on my wish list for a while. It's a bright slightly shimmery coral. I've been good and not bought a blush in a long time so I thought it was about time I tried something new. 

What did you buy this month? If you've posted a haul, leave me a link!

Stace xx