Tried and tested : False lashes mini review

I am a self confessed hoarder of false/fake eyelashes (or just lashes)! I wear them almost every day and am a strong believer that they are a great finishing touch for any make-up look day or night. 

 

I used to believe that false eyelashes were just something you'd rock on a night out, they were extremely difficult to apply, always too big for my eye shape so I would have to cut them (but then cut off too much, or from the wrong end!) and it was difficult to find the perfect pair to repurchase over and over again. 


I've tried several brands of lashes and sat though many YouTube tutorials on how to perfectly apply those little buggers, but it really is just practice! I've tried strips, individuals and pre-glued and all are slightly different to get along with. 

Pictures below: firstly my lashes coates in Bourjois Glamour curl mascara

Pictured below: straight after fake lash application (using duo glue; still wet obviously) 

So here it is, my run down, top tips, and overall review of fake lashes...

Why do I love them so much ?
I have fairly small eyes, so I don't tend to go for really heavy thick black eyelashes. Wispies, defining and lengthening sets are the most flattering for my eye shape because they really do open up the eye and add to a more polished make-up look(if applied correctly of course!). I genuinely feel more 'made up', pretty and girly whenever wear false lashes they are a great accessories to enhance any make-up day or night. 

Favourites
Currently my favourite set of lashes are extremely affordable at £3 for 5 pairs! Unbelievably great value this set by ViVi's Collection is extremely malleable, and a close dupe for the Ardell Wispies. I wear them virtually every day, they're very durable and great quality for the price, they remind me of the lashes Kylie Jenner wears. Theyre suitable day or night as they're fairly natural. 

Wispie lashes by ViVi's Collection available on their website click here 

Brands

1. Eylure
2. Ardell
3. Tanya Burr

Eylure are by far my favourite brand of lashes. Their range is never-ending, providing and array styles, length, thickness and even colour. From celebrity collaborations with the likes of Cheryl Cole and Katy Perry, to sets for the beginner, they even have starter kits which have a practice lash strip and plastic applicator. Malleability is very important in a good set of false lashes so that they are easy to manipulate when they're being applied (stiff, plastic falsies are a nightmare to use when you're trying to bring the corners in!). Eyelure lashes a nice and bendy, yet hold their shape well.  

Application 

You can watch countless tutorials on YouTube but the truth is practice makes perfect! 

Even now, sometimes it take me several attempts to perfectly apply lashes. The most important rule is that you use a well lit room, daylight is best I find, otherwise you might end up with what you think is a perfect application but you false lashes are no where near your lash line. 

My tip: I like to apply lashes with tweezers, first apply your glue of choice along the vein of the lash. Hold them with the tweezers for around 30 seconds to let the glue dry slightly then apply. Make sure you secure the middle of the false lashes to the middle of your lid which makes it easier to bring the corners in either side and position perfectly. 

There are a few brands that make false lash glue .. but my favourite by far is by Eylure. It has really great staying power and when the glue dries clear it doesn't leave any sheen or evidence that you've used the glue on your kids. YouTube favourite Duo comes in a close second however, sometimes I find that if you get the lashes really close to your own then when it comes to removal it's sometimes painful (because the glue is so strong!). Another point to make is that I find there to be a slight sheen when the glue dries, this is the only down side in my opinion but it's easily covetable with some matte black shadow or eyeliner. I've not tried and tested the tube made by Revlon, but I have heard good things about it on YouTube. As I've mentioned (quite a few) times I really do like the lashes by Tanya Burr, however I wouldnt rate the glue than comes in the box. I've tried using it several times but every time it really stings and irritates my eyes. Initially at a glance I did favour the clear product and assumed that it would work just fine, but I won't be reaching for it any times soon. Trusty Eylure for the win ( and duo on nights out)! 

Have a great day and thanks for reading :) 

Love Amy x 

Real Techniques: First impression of the Bold Metals Collection

The day the new Bold Metals Collection launched  I took a trip to Boots (the only official UK stock list of this collection) in the hope that there may be some brushes remaining in store on launch day .. however I was bitterly disappointed to find that they were nowhere to be found. I waited a week and still, no sign of the precious metals. In a bid to get my hands on (at least) one I ordered two online and now I can share with you their beauty !

A teeny tiny bit of background info..
The Bold Metals Collection is a new premium brush line created by the Champman sisters of YouTube fame, known as Pixiwoo. Featuring 7 brushes embracing distinctive look, shape and feel the Bold Metals Collection are an assembly of incredibly (incredibly, incredibly) soft synthetic bristles, slightly weighted for artistic precision with intelligently shaped spines.. not forgetting the striking palette of gold, silver and rose gold, 

You can watch Pixiwoo's Bold Metals vlog HERE to learn more about their new brushes.

What I chose
I am a big fan of the Real Techniques brushes, but I have to admit that with a price point ranging from £10- £25 I wasn't eager to buy the entire collection in one go. Their original collection of brushes were so affordable and such great quality that I wanted to give them a go .. (somehow I can justify spending more on them than MAC brushes because they're just so pretty... and I love Sam & Nic!) 

I went for number 100 - Arched Powder
and number 301  - Flat Contour 

Even the packaging is just beautiful, following the form of the brush embracing the spindle silhouette and embracing the metallic detailing.

The Flat Contour is literally the perfect contour brush, it's the perfect shape for using in the hollows of the cheeks and lightly on the nose for some Kim K style face shaping. The angled spinally handles make for easy use and application, as the brush surprisingly sits in your hand easier than a classic round barrelled brush.

Next up is the ever so fluffy arched powder brush. There's not an awful lot I can say about this one, it's a typical powder brush, however unlike its slightly fanned predecessors this boasts a pretty round yet slightly flat shape. I think it will be the perfect brush to even dust any finishing powder across the t-zone or as a blush brush on the apple of the cheeks.

Close up: Left 100 Arched Powder, Right: 301 Flat Contour

Comparison: Cheek brush from Nic's pick's Vs the Arched Powder Bold Metal

Size guide top to bottom: 
Cheek Brush from the Nic's pick's limited edition collection
Mac 116 
Real Techniques 100 Arched Powder
Angled brush from the Real Techniques starter set

Overall Opinion
So far I really love this new collection and I'm really glad that the Real Techniques brushes are now a joint venture for the sisters (First launched by Sam) and hopefully the brand will continue to grow. I own a number of the collections launched and my favourites by far are the silicone liner brush (the greatest brush to use with gel liner) and the miracle complexion sponge (a cheaper version of the Beauty Blender). I cannot praise this new line enough. The quality of the brushes from the very first core collection to the new Bold Metals is consistently high. Now that I own some of the new collection I can completely understand the elevated price point. As Sam and Nic illustrate in their latest vlog;  a little more time and money has been put into the production of these brushes, and you can definitely tell. I still love the original brushes, after all they are very accessible and used by professional make-up artists around the world.. but for now I'm definitely on the Bold Metal hype !

Meeting Pixiwoo!
Back in the summer I was lucky enough to meet Sam and Nic in Cardiff at a Real Techniques fan event. They held a meet and greet in the Superdrug Beauty Studio and hundreds of girls turned up to meet them, take photo's and have brushes signed. I've been watching their videos for around 4 and a half years now, since before I went to uni, not many people knew who they were or followed beauty guru's online... I have to say I really did learn most of my make-up tips and tricks from watching their videos over and over again!  Here are some of my pics from the day back in August :) 

Have a great day !

Love Amy xx