Party Eyes

I love weddings. I particularly love getting dolled up for weddings. I absolutely adore the opulent colour palette of this time of year, so I'm took full advantage of the opportunity to get my glam on & break out a completely decadent smokey eye at a recent wedding. I couldn't resist writing a post about my dress rehearsals.You'll have to excuse the lack of gel liner (usually a staple) as I couldn't find it (it may still be in the hotel!) the evening I had Mr Esme poised with the camera. There will be a part 2 of this post as I've more looks to recreate but waiting for a sunny day to get some decent quality photos for once!

Black & Gold

This super easy look would have complemented my outfit perfectly. I really like black and gold together and with some super sharp liner to finish this off would have been ideal wintery chic. 
Primed with Maybelline 24hr Eye Tattoo in Immortal Charcoal
Took MAC Carbon over outer corner and out into a wing, smudge some under lower lashes.
Blended Benefit Show Off in Jacki into inner corner and over the edge of Carbon. Lined upper lashes with carbon and filled in lower water line. I forgotten how much I love Jacki, its really pinky but turns a beautiful antique gold colour when applied over a darker base.

Navy and Bronze with Teal Liner

This is the look I wore on the day. Its my new favourite eye look. I love the teal under the eye, brightening the look. I love the bronze edges to the navy, not a combination I've tried before but I think the warmth from the bronze really sets the Navy off. 
I primed lids with Urban Decay Primer Potion (Greed) and contoured the crease with a reddish bronze from Sleek The Original Palette. Just underneath the reddish bronze I blended a more gold base tone from the same palette. I covered the lid with MAC Nehru and lined with Carbon  in place of a gel liner. I smudged some Shiseido Hydro Powder in H5 under the lower lashes as a primer then the teal from the Sleek palette over it.

Bright Blue Liner

I've been trying to find an excuse to wear MAC Liquidlast Liner for a while now. It was given to me by a friend who 'could get on with it'. I see her point. Its an amazing colour and REALLY lasts (I have to use baby oil to remove it) but I find it difficult to work with. I always end up with lashes caked in it, whether I use the brush that it comes with or decant onto my favourite liner brushes. Grrr. It stays wet for a really long time too. 
Anyway, I primed my lid with Maybelline 24hr Eye tattoo, Immortal charcoal and covered the lid with Blue Smoke from an Estee Lauder gift palette. I added a thick sweep of Liquidlast, a little flick and some Benefit Bad Gal Blue. I lined the lower water line with MAC Fascinating Pencil. I think its far too casual for a wedding but fun party make up. I love the silver and bright blue combo but still not sold on the Liquidlast formula.

Movember Male Grooming Product Round Up

Everywhere I look at the moment men are sprouting moustaches in support of Movember, a charity event to raise money for men's health causes in particular prostate and testicular cancer. I love this concept and its great to see so many people taking part, even if some are looking better than others! Anyway, after a conversation with my husband about beard oil, I thought perhaps I should do a little round up of some of the male grooming products we like the look of. If you're looking to treat the man in your life to a post-Movember treat or something to help a patchy nose beard on its way, keep reading!

£163.50 mankind.co.uk

I love giving my man beauty gifts, it stops him pilfering my products and indulges his decadent bathroom habit he won't admit too! I'm often a bit disappointed by the 'manly' styling of many of the products I find. Not so with eShave S Stand shaving set I think its classic but modern style would look great in any bathroom.

£25 notonthehighstreet.com

Every new razor needs some shaving products to accompany its maiden voyage. Shave Kit & Face Rag by The Botanist is created using natural ingredients, suitable for all skin types and contains a shave oil for a smooth, close shave, a beard oil to moisturise skin beneath a beard or stubble & condition the facial hair. It also comes with a 'face rag' to remove excess oil. Both oils contain essential oils like tea tree, patchouli, lime, and sandlewood and are packaged in the cutest cork topped bottles. 

Tweezerman Moustache scissors and grooming comb (£15.95 cheapsmells.com) are surely an essential for any facial hair cultivationist. This handy set will keep your man's 'tasche neat and tidy with straight, sharp blades for precise trimming of all facial hair and complete with a fine tooth comb to help achieve a  truly professional finish. 

£4.99 foadwax.com

No man worth his facial hair can be without a tub of moustache wax and we think we've found the finest there is! Toad Satin Wax from Foadwax.com is vegan friendly and made in Britain using all natural British ingredients. The website says;
Foad's Toad Satin Wax is our Vegan pomade style moustache and beard wax suitable for everyday use. It has a loose to medium hold and a satin sheen finish. It can be used alone for groomed, neater facial hair, endowing your face fuzz with a natural flowing look. However it can also be used in conjunction with Foad Wax to aid its distribution, and create your own unique mix and level of hold for a more styled look. 
Love the styling of this product and the handy pocket sized tin making those all important on the go touch ups hassle free!   
 

Grimas Water Make Up (£9 funtimefaces.co.uk) can be used to darken or fill in patchy facial hair. It's probably something that most men (the ones I know anyway!) will need a bit of practise at. Its applied with a damp sponge directly to the area. Its actually a stage make up product but comes highly recommended, check out the Wayne Goss video link at the end of this post for more information on make up for men.

When you consider facial hair, its not actually that different from eyebrows and so a good eye brow pencil or palette would be more than adequate for filling in sparse areas. I really like MAC Eye Brow pencils ( £12.50 maccosmetics.co.uk), as they stay put well and don't need sharpening and are available in 6 shades so there's bound to be something for everybody.

£25.60 lookmanfastic.com

£40 mankind.co.uk

Once Movember is over and your man is once more naked of top lip foliage, why not treat him to some pampering skincare.
Billy Jealousy's Shave3some contains everything a man could possibly need for a luxurious shave. A hot towel pre shave treatment, shave cream and after shave balm work in conjunction to provide a comfortable shave, professional results and minimise irritation.

Elemis Men Post Shave Recovery Mask is formulated to replenish nutrients that are stripped from the skin with shaving. It contains macadamia, lavender and rosemary oil to calm irritation and shea butter to moisturise. My man has not tried this mask, but it smells lovely and has a beautiful texture. If its anything like the other Elemis masks it'll delivery great results.

A Few Good Websites
Need more inspiration for beauty treats for your man? Here are some websites that have been tried and tested by Esme's male counterpart!

http://www.mensmake-up.co.uk/ is definitely worth checking out if you know a man who isn't afraid to conceal, line or buff himself up a bit. 

http://www.mankind.co.uk/  has a great range of skin care brands that are difficult to find in the shops.

Visual Aids
I thought I'd include a couple of YouTube videos that contain some useful tips for male grooming, whether you're a man looking for hints or a woman wanting to learn some male friendly techniques.

The mighty Pixiwoo have done a great tutorial on male grooming, including how to clipper stubble,  that can be found at //www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7TOUg9udfc&feature=related

On of my YouTube favourites, Wayne Goss gives a great Make Up for Men tutorial here; //www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmUXF_W21Rc

Out of the rut #3

I had an urge for something rich & autumnal to wear with a cream blouse and a berry lip. I rarely wear pale clothing so I was breaking out the rut in more ways than one! 

I primed my lids with a mixture of Jemma Kidd Front Cover Touch Up Concealer & Rimmel Colour mousse in 007. I swept the pinky bronze from Bourjois Harmony & Contour palette (11 Miss Spirit) over the whole lid. I blended L'oreal chrome shine rose gold into the inner corner & a reddish brown from Sleek Au Natrel palette into outer corner & crease. I lined under my lower lashes with MAC's Teddy pencil then blended a deep gold from a La Femme palette over it. I lined upper & lower water lines & added mascara (opulash, my current Holy Grail). 

The lips I'd been desperate to try were, Max Factor Lipfinity Pen 06 Royal Plum worn under Models Own Pure Plum Lip Gloss. I love berry colours, especially on my lips at this time of year and think the overall look worked well.  I kept my foundation light and added just a touch of MAC Melba blush to give a bit of shape to my cheeks. The eyes were much more subtle than I initially planned but think this helped balance the lips and keep the look casual enough for a Saturday daytime.
 I should probably wear more brown/bronze colours as they looked good with my (currently) reddish hair & warmed my skin up nicely.

November's Wish List

Ok so we're fast approaching payday & I'm already scouring the net for my November Haul!
This month I'm hunting for rich, deep jewel tones & Maybelline's Eye Tattoo range is topping the list. I'll probably grab Endless Purple and Eternal God and seeing as its 3 for 2 at Superdrug it'd be rude to leave Turquoise Forever on the shelf! I already own a couple of these & I love them, so versatile as they work well as shadow, bases & liners & really do last until I deem it is time to remove them.

Hot on the heels of the successful cream blush experiment I think I'll pick up a MAC Cream Colour Base (Hush or Improper Copper) or Bobbi Brown Pot Rogue (Powder Pink). Whilst I'm hovering around MAC I've been eyeing up Lickable & Moxie. I love wearing naked looking make up with a bright lip at the moment & feel I need to mix it up a bit shade wise.

The biggest beauty challenge this month is dressing table & lighting. The darker mornings and a bedroom shift about have left my mirror lacking any kind of decent light. Now I've finally got my collection into some sort of order it's time create the dressing table of dreams! I've seen a few I like & I've been dribbling over hinged mirrors. I've also been trawling eBay for unusual storage ideas. I hope to create a kind of beauty table utopia where I can comfortably sit & learn my craft, have others sit for me to practise on & somewhere to escape to when I need to feel lady-like & spoilt! I love dressing tables, especially when styled with a vintage vibe. I can't wait to get my teeth into this project, I'm sure I'll post photos a plenty when I eventually perfect my vision!

I'd love to hear what you guys are lusting after this month so leave a comment!

Out of the Rut. Eye look #1

One of the nicest things about having a week off work is not having to wear the same super subtle make up everyday! I intend to make good use of this time by trying out some of the looks from my piles of inspiration pictures, books, pinterest boards etc. I hope to try a different look each day & break out of my daytime make up rut.
Today's eye is inspired by a look from Linda Mason's Eye Candy (www.lindamason.com) It's a great little book full of inspiring looks from everyday to full on drama. I've  put Amazon link at the bottom for this post, if you're interested.
I took Linda's original idea (Playful, page 99) but didn't follow the instructions, instead I used my own favoured techniques to create something similar.
After priming my lids by taking my foundation over them, I used MAC Girlie on a large Ms Make Up brush over the upper lid & brow bone. Then I blended  Bourjois Mini 68 into the inner  third of the  upper lid using a Real Techniques Base Shadow Fluff Brush. Next I took Melton Mauve (also MAC) on a Jemma Kidd Deepen Brush & applied a heavy smudge over the centre of the eye, above the crease. Using the same colour on a MAC 266, I smudged a bit under the centre of the lower lashes. Finally I took some MAC Nehru on a Real Techniques Accent Brush & blended from my lash line up & out taking it slightly into the crease and under the outer third of my eye. I blended this gently with the Fluff Brush but I wanted the colours to be quite distinct so only softened the harsh lines of the Nehru.
After curling my lashes a applied one coat of MAC Opulash to define lashes & add a bit of volume but I wanted the colours to be the star of the look so kept lashes fairly soft.
I teamed these eyes with a pinky-nude lip, Lord & Berry Ultimate Lipstick in Nude topped with Rimmel Vinyl Gloss in Pin Up. For cheeks I smeared the smallest hint of Revlon Photoready cream blush (Pinched) over the apples of my cheeks & swept a touch of MAC powder blush (Melba) over the pink and up through my cheek bones.
I think this is a really fun weekend look that could easily be paired with jeans & a t shirt or a flirty tea dress. I'm really pleased with the results & will definitely wear this look again. 

Linda Mason Eye Candy can be purchased from Amazon for £5.39
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eye-Candy-Makeup-Luscious-Lashes/dp/1845432592/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1351196443&sr=8-11

My October Additions

I've had three weeks to get to know this months new products so here's a quick round up of what's new & what I'm loving. 

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation, if you've read my review you'll know this was an instant hit. I'm completely & utterly obsessed with this & have not touched another foundation for a fortnight! 

L'Oreal Revitalift Eye Cream, promises visible results from first use. I'm not convinced it lived up to this claim but my eyes are looking firmer & my fine lines are less noticeable after 8 days. This is definitely worth sticking with as I'm encouraged by the results so far.

Lord & Berry Ultimate Lipstick Pencils. I got these super cheap on eBay in my quest for a nude lip colour I like on me! I knew absolutely nothing about the brand except seeing the name in In Style Magazine's A to Z of High Street Beauty. Probably more suited to lining the lips than a stand alone colour,the formula feels quite dry on the lips. They last quite well but I'm not overly sold on the shades I chose (nude & egg plant). I have a feeling they may have been discontinued as I can't find them anywhere other than on eBay. Not too disappointed as I wouldn't buy another.

Shu Uemura Pore Clarifying gentle cleansing oil. It's taken some time to get used to using an oil but it's definitely been worth persevering. It does a fab job of melting make up, eye liner & mascara, it feels a bit unusual in that it's not actually all that oily in a greasy sense. It takes some washing off but my skin feels so fresh & squeaky clean afterwards & looks really bright. I like that it doesn't really have a fragrance & that you emulsify it with water & rinse off, as I never feel really clean when I cleanse without water. I'll definitely repurchase this oil, yes it's fairly pricey but a little goes a long way & I think it really has made a difference to my skin.

Jergens Hand & Cuticle cream. I've been using this daily for nearly 2 weeks & I'm yet to notice any difference. My cuticles are still dry & I've had to supplement with another hand cream. This was fairly cheap from Sainsbury's but I'd heard good things about the brand so am a little disappointed. I think I'll repurchase my beloved Arran Aromatics After The Rain Hand & Nail Cream & retire this to my locker at work for emergency use only, bit of a shame as I expected more from it. 

Revlon Photoready Cream Blusher. Loving pinched it's perfect for 'no make up' looks & a healthy everyday glow. These have turned out to be really good investments as I've already used them both loads. I love the look of vitality they give my skin & the weightless texture is amazing. Just wish the shade range was a bit more extensive as I'd like some more!

Shiseido Body Creator Aromatic Energizing Spray. Have developed an addiction to this spray! It claims to be a moisturising mist that gives the body a toned appearance when used on areas prone to puffiness. It has a 'sense stimulating, invigorating scent' to promote feelings of optimism. Well, I've been using it whenever I need a bit of a boost during the day & it definitely leaves me up lifted and more positive. The Shiseido website (http://www.shiseido.co.uk/#/body-care/body-creator/sculpting/aromatic-energizing-spray) describes a cooling sensation but I find it gives me a warm tingle that lasts about 10 minutes after I've used it. Not sure it's all that moisturising but if my legs are tired or I'm feeling a bit lack lustre, it certainly picks me up. It has a heady, spicy fragrance which I like but it doesn't last too long and I've not notice it competing with my Vivienne Westwood Let It Rock. It is pretty pricey at almost £40 but the magic of eBay allowed me to snatch one up at £10. If you need something to kick you up the bum and motivate you through the winter blues, this is for you! My favourite purchase of the month by far.

It's all about eye

Firstly, Apologies for my terrible, flu ravaged skin & the absolutely shocking photo quality contained in this post but I was desperate to get it published after over a week of blog silence & so tried (& some may say failed!) to photograph my own eyes.

This post is purely self indulgent. I love applying eye make, it's what I love most about doing my face. Finding myself with a rare work/child/husband free morning, I decided to play around with a few eye looks. I had no plan other than to delve deep inside my shadow box & see how the mood took me. This is what happen next!

Royal blue with flashes of emerald green. Pure silliness! My gran would say 'blue & green should never be seen except when worn by a gypsy queen' but when I see striking blue & green I think peacocks & mermaids (how girly does that sound!). I covered my upper lid Mac LiquidLast (can't find the name of this shade) taking it below my lower lashes but keeping it quite round. Next I lined below the blue underneath & my upper lash line with collection 2000 glam crystals in Pizzazz. Who knows what I was thinking but I kind of like it! Having made an unholy mess I skipped mascara as my lashes were caked in liner. Unless a fancy dress party demands it, I think this look will be going firmly back in the box!

Ombré ish Green I love the melting quality of dip dyed ombré silk & have seen a couple of great example of ombré hair over summer so thought I'd give it a whirl on my eyes. On the outer third I applied GO eyes in 577c  then used a mid green from Pixi's Muse pallet in the centre before  blending some Trish Mcevoy Kiwi into inner corner. I used a bit of L'Oreal Chrome Shine Silver Jade to blend the colours in the centre of the lid. I took all three greens underneath the eye too. I finished up by lining upper lashes & waterline with Trish Mcevoy Definer in Clover. A Quick sweep of Maybelline Great Lash Black/Brown to define lashes but not swamp the softness of the look. I do think this look is soft, despite being bright and heavy. I think it's the kind of thing I'd wear for a Saturday daytime with pale pink blush and glossy pink lips. I  think my initial vision was of something less blended with greater definition between shades but I'm happy with the outcome none the less. This is probably my favourite eye of the morning.

Squared off crease colour.Firstly, I blended a neutral from a 120 colour Prettypink palette all over my lid using a big Ms Make Up brush. Using a  bright matt blue from a FCUK gift palette I took a  Mac 266 and drew a sharp corners at the inner an outer corner of my upper eye and filled it in taking the colour across the crease. I took the same colour underneath, hoping for an arty reflection kind of effect! I added a coat of Benefit Bad Gal Blue and lined the waterline with MAC Fascinating Kohl pencil.  I've been wanted to try a squared eye for a whole after seeing picture of the Frankie Morello catwalk. I've envisioned a dark Gothic version worn with a fierce black dress & boots which I do intend to try this winter. This was so easy to achieve & I like it, perhaps not this colour on me & without the colour underneath but I'll definitely keep playing with this until I get something I really like.


Sparkly green with deep pink. I'm loving wearing L'Oreal Chrome Shine silver jade with collection 2000 Hard Candy  underneath as a weekend look at the moment & the is just a sparkly take on that look with a thick liner. I covered my lid with E5 from W7 Cabaret set then lined it with MAC Stormwatch applied with a Real Techniques brow brush so the line was fairly meaty, I didn't wing it as far as I'd usually take a colour liner so not to overwhelm the look.  I smudged some collection 2000 pixie pigment over Stormwatch then I worked some Hard Candy under the eye adding some Benefit show off in a pinky shade to 'pink it up' a bit. Finally i added a touch of Chrome Shine in rose Gold to the inner corner as a highlight. I finished off with MAC opulash mascara. I'm so sad this didn't photograph better because its a really pretty and subtly colourful look that I'm sure I'll recreate again.

All in all, I had great fun and will be spending my next qquiet morning doing exactly the same but with a plan of the looks I want to try. I will also have a husband on hand to take some decent pictures! Oh how I wish I could spend all my mornings playing in my make up box!!

MAC Stormwatch

I'm not a fan of this time of year. The cold, wet, dark days just don't do it for me. My one consolation as the nights draw in is I feel drawn to richer, jewel like colours &  smokey eyes to get me in the mood for a bit of festive partying.
I think Stormwatch is just perfect for this time of year.
It's a deep matt teal colour which blends out well making it quite versatile. As is standard for MAC shadows, it's well pigmented & lasts with with no flaking, I do think it needs a good primer for ultimate colour pay off though.
I've tried it as a contour for daytime, applied with a damp 266 brush for a vivid flash of liner but my favourite way to wear it is as part of a bright smokey eye.
Inspired by a Lisa Eldridge video (http://lisaeldridge.com/video/25175/aw-make-up-trends/) I was itching to try a more 'me' version of her colourful smokey eye. I prepped my lids with Benefit Lemon Aid & applied Stormwatch from the inner corner about two thirds over the upper lid, up to & just over the crease (239 brush). I smudged a little of the mid colour from a Bourjois Smokey Eyes trio into the inner corner (266 brush) & just below the tear duct. I took Bourjois Noir Emeraude over the outer third of the lid & below the lower lashes, winging it out & bring it through the crease. I lined the upper lid & water line with Maybelline gel eyeliner & applied plenty of MAC Opulash mascara. I was tempted to add to feathery lashes but didn't want to look 'too drag' but I think a good set of thick lashes would have really finished the look.
I kept the skin light with a bit of Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow over cheek bones & contoured using MAC bronzing powder. For lips I used a dark berry for colour that wouldn't compete with such strong eyes.
I can see this look coming out to play a couple if times over the festive season, teamed with a little black dress, some fierce heels & a cocktail or two! 
Apologies for the terrible photos, I've recreated this look a couple of times to photograph for this post, each time the weather has been terrible and there has been so little natural light in my house. I've included the following photo as a rough idea of the look, unfortunately its a bit dark and the Stormwatch has failed to shine through. I'll update with better pictures if we ever get some nice day light here in Brum!! 

Review; MAC Pro Longwear Foundation

Foundation reviews are funny things, one persons sheer delight is somebody's ultimate horror. For that reason I feel a bit iffy about writing one but I've found myself with quite a lot to say about this product so here goes.....

Overcoming Prejudice

I've held off from investing a Pro Longwear for a while because I've not had much love for MAC foundations in the past. The ones they've tried on me in store have never filled me with delight shade wise and Studio Sculpt & Studio Fix really upset my skin. Having read some really glowing reports about Pro Longwear I finally decide to let MAC prove me wrong. 

200 Shades of Pale

I made a controversial choice in terms of shade and went slightly darker than I'd normally opt for. Mainly because I've found my foundation collection to be looking a bit pale lately but I've just dyed my hair darker too and don't want to look too washed out.

A Dubious Start

So, NC25 arrived, 30ml of product for £24, housed in a glass bottle with a lockable pump dispenser. I really like the dispenser for two reasons, firstly I'm always losing lids & secondly I've had a couple of pump related incidents in my make up bag! Its easy to pump out the exact amount of product you require and the packing feels quite sturdy so should last the duration of the bottle. 
I was quite alarmed at how orange this appeared when I first swatched it on my hand but once I'd applied it to my face the colour was actually a good match. I think wearing my base so pale for so long has warped my opinion of foundation shades!

Application

I found the consistency of the liquid easy to work with, it blends easily and sets fairly quickly. I've been applying it with a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush or my fingers and have achieved a lovely fresh finish. I think it needs a bit of buffing as I imagine it'd streak a bit with a 190 type brush. Its billed as sheer to medium coverage but I think it sits closer to the medium side of the fence, I certainly need less concealing than I would expect after using a more sheer product. It leaves a lovely fresh finish which is neither too radiant or too matt, it just looks like good skin. I didn't powder it as I wanted to see how it fared standing alone.

Sticking With It

I really gave this foundation a run for its money in terms of testing its staying power. MAC claim it'll stay put and control oil for up to 15 hours whatever the environmental conditions, they don't lie.  My job involves wear a mask for long periods of time, something that plays havoc with almost every foundation I've ever tried. Not Pro Longwear! By lunchtime my face is usually a state, foundation evaporated and shining like a mirror ball. After 4 hours behind a mask Pro Longwear still looked fresh, my pores were still invisible and I wasn't greasy. Not once did I need to touch it up during the day. This is a revelation! I wanted to shout from the roof tops 'I may have found the one!'.When I got home I examined my face thoroughly and over 13 hours in my face was still holding up. Not only that but my skin had felt great all day, it almost felt naked! My oiliness was controlled but my drier patches weren't at all irritated.

So What's the Catch?

I've really tried to look for some cons to this product, if only to keep this post from being a gushy ramble but really there are very few downsides for me. However...
It only contains a SPF of 10 which I think is a bit weedy but hey I'm looking at winter in the Midlands, it'll do! It also takes some real effort to remove, now I don't feel like I can complain about this as I've been searching for something that will last and then some, but I can see how it might put some people off. I've been using a cleansing oil, face wash and Bioderma H20 before I feel squeaky clean. This is not a foundation that a quick face wipe will remove adequately so be warned and stock up on cotton wool!

A Match Made in Heaven?

To be honest, this is as close to my Holy Grail of foundation as I've ever found. The oil controlling properties and the longevity are way beyond what I expect from a good foundation and its so comfortable to wear and so far no breakout. It'll never be my one and only, I'm not ready to forsake all others but this is an absolute winner for work and for nights out or occasions when I don't want/need the hassle of touching up too often.  I'm in love!!

The Great Mascara Cull

 The Great Mascara Cull of 2012

The thought of a world without mascara leaves me cold. Its a long standing love affair that refuses to go stale. Volumising, lengthening, coloured, curling, vibrating, I've tried them all. A few weeks ago, after yet another came to be in my possession, I was forced to take stock of my collection. As the head count approached 15, I knew the time had come to ruthlessly edit. 

The Chosen Few.

I decided to limit myself to 5. Heading up the keep pile was Maybelline Great Lash. I defy anybody not to get on with this one. Its perfect for work as it gives good definition, doesn't flake or smudge so I can't get away without using a waterproof, saving myself from the world of pain that is removing a waterproof mascara after a 16 hour day!
Secondly, and this is where I cheated slightly, was Benefit Bad Gal. I love the big, bristly brush that comes with this one. The volume this gives me is pleasing, its not flaky and doesn't clump to badly after a second or even three coat. If pushed I'd choose this as my one & only mascara. I have this in black, blue and plum but have lumped them together to count as one, slightly cheeky but hey I'm making the rules here!!
Next I broke my no MAC mascara's vow and let Opulash stay. After falling out of love with Plush Lash and the horror show that was Zoom Fast Lash, I promised never to buy another MAC mascara but a rather charming salesman, resembling Julian Clary convinced me that Opulash was the answer to my prayers. Its certainly very black, always a good thing, and it gives great volume. Perfect smokey eye mascara if I'm feeling too lazy for falsies.
Avon SuperMagnify was a worthy contender for fourth place. I really like this for a natural look, I often wear it on its own on no make up days or for super casual looks. It feels really light, doesn't clump and makes my lashes look fantastically long without any spidery-ness.
Finally I just could not let my Max Factor 2000 Calorie go. I've had one for these in my collection since the dawn of time. I generally love all Max Factor mascaras but this is my favourite, although it gives me the same kind of effect as Bad Gal there's something about this formula that seems to last a bit longer and its so easy to remove. I also like the curved brush to add a bit for staying power to curled lashes. 

So Long, Goodbye ......

So what did the binman relieve me of? 
Rimmel Scandal Eyes, loved the brush but the formula stayed wet way too long and transferred onto my face. 
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara, I found this a bit gimmicky. I've never really had trouble getting my bottom lashes, I just use the tip of the brush held vertically. This took way to long and was a bit fiddly.
L'Oreal Telescopic, came close to blinding myself on more than one occasion with this one! Didn't like the formula very much either, seemed a bit watery for my liking.
MAC Zoom Fast Lash. Hated this from the outset. Bought it after a sales assistant used it on me in the store. By the time I got to the car park my eyes were moist and it had run all down my face leaving really stubborn black streaks. Not a good look. Second attempt, it melted in the sun, same effect. Third and final try it flaked causing my eyes to run and yes, you've guessed it, the gorgeous black streaks were back again. 
DiorShow, loved how it looked but it smudged badly and always left me with panda eyes in the morning no matter how much effort i put into removing it at night.
Barry M Clear Mascara. I just didn't use this as much I thought I would. It was quite useful for blending my real lashes into falsies though. 
Avon Super Shock Mascara (Plum), I liked the colour and the formula but i like a bristly brush and this had a nylon applicator which gave good volume but not the definition I wanted, wasn't going to replace Bad Gal in my affections. 

So now I can close the lid on the mascara box even if it does look a bit naked.