Mac Keepsakes / Plum Eye Bag | Review, Swatches and Eye Look! Blogmas Day #4

























I have to admit, I don’t usually pay much attention to the Mac Christmas collections. They come out with so many collections these days and I’m just not as into following them as I used to be. That being said, I was very pleased and excited to receive one of the eye kits for my birthday from some lovely friends as I hadn’t tried any of the products that came with it…
The Mac Keepsakes / Plum Eye Bag contains three eye products: an Extra Dimension eyeshadow duo in the shades Triple Impact and Round Midnight, a powerpoint eye pencil in the shade Permaplum, an In Extreme Dimension Lash mascara and they all come in an amazing limited edition glittery black makeup bag. Only the eyeshadows from this set are limited edition, so the eyeliner and the mascara are available to purchase all year round. 
I’ve always been intrigued by the Extra Dimension eyeshadows that Mac often bring out with collections. They always contain this stunning raised swirl pattern, and the formula is very unique. It feels somewhere between a cream and a powder – it feels much creamier and smoother to touch that a standard powder eyeshadow but it isn’t actually a cream product. Triple Impact is described as an ‘Opalescent Pink’ – it has a pale pink base and with a blue-purple duochrome running through it, so it looks different colours when it catches the light. Round Midnight is described as a ‘Rich Reddish Plum’ – to me it is a blackened purply-plum shade, that also catches the light beautifully. These are both metallic and shimmery eyeshadows, so if you’re not a fan of sheeny glittery lids then these may not be for you. They are both nicely pigmented, although I would say Round Midnight is more so, and it is definitely my favourite of the two.
I’ve actually never tried an eye pencil from Mac, let alone a Powerpoint Pencil, so I was very intrigued about this one. Permaplum is described as a ‘Deeply Plum with Dark Shimmer’, but to me it is a blackened very blue-toned purple and has a soft sheen to it, rather than any noticeable shimmer or glitter. It is an incredibly creamy formula, which is easy to smudge out to create soft smokey looks. It does set, but it does give you a lot of time to work with. For me this seems like a pencil you use on the lashlines rather than the waterline. 
Much like eye pencils, I have never delved into the world of Mac mascaras as they often don’t get high appraisal in the blogging and YouTube worlds. The In Extreme Dimension Lash is supposed to be largely a volumising formula, which I would definitely agree with. I didn’t get a whole lot of length with this, and I found it a little messy to use as initially it is a very wet formula. The wand reminds me very much of the Benefit They’re Real Mascara as it’s a plastic wand with short bristles and has the extra bristles on the tip of the wand to aid lower lashes and inner corners etc. I don’t think I’ve quite made my mind up on this one, as I feel that if may get better once it has dried up a little. Right now I think it’s okay; it’s not my favourite.
Below I’ve included pictures of all the products used on my eyes. I used Round Midnight all over the lids and Triple Impact  on the inner corner. I blended a little of Mauve from the Lorac Pro Palette (full post here) into the crease and along the lower lashline. for some added definition and to ground the look. I lined the upper lashline and the outer half of the lower lashline with Permaplum and finished off the look with the In Extreme Dimension Lash.  

All in all, I think this definitely a set worth buying if you (or someone you are buying a gift for) love purple-toned eye makeup or is looking to experiment with colour. It’s also a great way to try a few new Mac products for much better value. I definitely give this gift set a thumbs up. What are your thoughts on this year’s Mac Christmas collection?

RachelElizabeth

Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara | Review

Just over a month ago saw the 10th anniversary of this best-selling mascara, and Debenhams were selling it for only £10! I was in the market for a new mascara, and naturally, this was a deal I just couldn’t pass up. Even though I’ve had it a while now, it did take me quite a long time to decide how I felt about it. I feel now that I’ve tested this out long enough I can finally give you my verdict…


Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara retails for £22.50. The main issue I had with this mascara was that when brand new it is incredibly wet. My lashes are naturally quite long (although very blonde, explaining why they look non-existent in the before picture!) and I found that when I first got this the application did end up getting quite messy. I think I prefer and am more used to a slightly drier formulation, but once this started to dry out a little bit and I made sure I only applied to the upper lashes when looking down in the mirror, this wasn’t so much of an issue. 

Lancôme says that this mascara’s main asset is that it adds volume to the lashes. I do think that this is the case, and what is great about this mascara is that it adds volume and coats the lashes incredibly quickly, and it doesn’t take long to get a dramatic result. However, if you’re one for layering many coats of mascara, this one doesn’t do too well in that area. I find because it is quite wet, it tends to clump if you add too much. Overall I like the look that it gives to my lashes, it is extremely black, and is quite lengthening as well as volumising. 

In terms of wear, I find that when I wear this alone without any eyeshadow on, it can transfer on to my eyelid and brow bone, but bear in mind that this happens to me with loads of mascaras. If you have oily eyelids or you find that mascara smudges on you then you may want to skip this one. However, I find it wears well when I have got eyeshadow on as this helps to keep the eyelid from getting oily throughout the day. It also keeps my lashes looking really curled throughout the day. 











































Overall, I don’t think I’m 100% sold on this mascara. Its quite upsetting as this is such a popular mascara and I had quite high hopes for it, but not everything works for everyone. It is no means a bad mascara, I do like it and I will use it up, but I don’t think it is my perfect mascara, and it is definitely not the best I’ve tried. Have you tried Hypnôse before? Let me know if you haveany mascara recommendations!

RachelElizabeth

Benefit They’re Real Mascara Review

I am quite fickle with my mascaras, and don’t often like to buy the same one twice. However, I had actually tried Benefit They’re Real Mascara before just after it was released, and have only just decided to repurchase. It is claimed to be the ‘UK’s  no.1 best-selling mascara’ and I can definitely understand why. For the record, I have naturally quite long, full, blonde lashes.

The Claims:
They’re real! lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts & separates. Our jet black, long-wearing formula won’t smudge or dry out. A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had!

The Verdict:
My favourite part about this mascara is the brush – it is a plastic wand with relatively short bristles, making it easy to get right into the roots of the lashes. The spikes at the end of the wand allows you to define inner lashes  and you can use it on the outer corner to extend the lashes to create a feline shape. It can be slightly spiky and uncomfortable to use, but when used properly this isn’t an issue.

I find that getting optimal results does require a bit of building up, but it is worth it. It gives everything that I look for in a mascara – length, volume and definition (check out the before and after pics below). I don’t think that it is the best I’ve ever tried, and it doesn’t look like I’m wearing false lashes, but it is definitely one of better ones I have tried. I do sometimes find that if I’m not wearing any eyeshadow or primer it can smudge a little on my upper lid, but this happens with most mascaras for me due to my oily lids. 
























































I would definitely recommend this mascara, as at £19.50 it sits at the cheaper end of the higher end mascaras, and it is popular for a reason. My favourite mascaras above this are probably the Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll Mascara and the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara, but they are both £24.50, making the Benefit option seem a little more cost effective.

RachelElizabeth