L.A.B.2 Lash Out Loud Mascara Wands

I am quite picky when it comes to Mascara Wands and I often switch the brushes between formulas to make it work for me. For example, I absolutely love the brush with Rollerlash from Benefit, but I am not so keen on the formula, so what I do, is use the brush from Rollerlash in other mascaras to make them work for me. However, if you still haven't managed to solve this issue, then you need the L.A.B.2 Lash Out Loud Mascara Wands from beautyMART. 

The L.A.B.2 Lash Out Loud Mascara Wands are priced at £5.50 and the box contains twelve disposable mascara wands which come in four different styles. So depending on the look you want, depends on the wand you would use and of course, we all want eyelashes we were not gifted with at birth! So the options here are:

• To Lengthen - This is the orange/coral brush and it has a mixture of rounded spikes, and sharper spikes to encourage length.
• To Volumise - For this, the Yellow brush is in play and it has lots of long sharp spiky bristles on the sides as well as the tip.
• To Curl - The Pink brush is the one you need for this and it has lots of shorter spiked bristles with none on the tip.
• To Define - Last but no means least is the Purple brush which has lots of shorter spiked bristles similar to the Curl wand except it has a ‘ball’ shape at the end with longer bristles for catching the outer and smaller lashes.

The wands are made from silicone and are reusable, you obviously just need to wash them. I find they are really handy for having in my makeup bag and desk drawer at work as well as for taking on holidays and weekends away.  What's more, if you run out of spoolies for your eyebrows, then you can also use these brushes for a bit of an eyebrow groom too! 

For £5.50, I think these wands are great value for money. I really like that there are four different styles to work with and that there are three of each within the box, giving you chance to experiment and see which brush works best for you and your lashes. For me, it ultimately depends on my mood and I do switch between them, if the mascara formula I am using is quite a wet formula then it is either Pink or Purple to help separate the lashes that little bit more.

I’d love to know what your favourite mascara wand type is?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

HD Miracle Silicone Shaped Sponge

As soon as I saw the Silicone sponges my interest was pricked. I was until recently the kind of person who used certain brushes to apply certain bits of makeup and never deviated from it. Then came the Beauty Blender which was such a game changer and one I adapted too with relative ease and now this.

The Brushworks HD Miracle Silicone Shaped Sponge retails for £7.99 (here) and is described as being 'The magic new way to get a flawless base" and the one I have is not only tear shaped but contains gold glitter!  Made from the highest quality silicone, it has been designed to give you a fast and flawless base application, so to all intent and purpose, speed up the entire process without compromising how good your base is.

The Silicone sponge which is also ultra-hygienic and allergy free is coated with a unique ultra-smooth (TPU) layer to minimise product wastage; unlike brushes or a blender, a silicone sponge does not absorb your makeup and one of its selling points is that it allows you to save more than half the amount of product compared to regular brushes and sponges which also saves you money. Silicone sponges are also long-lasting and easy to clean which again is another big selling point, as I am sure most people dread the brush/blender washing task.  So as well as having a few plus points, is it easy to use and does it work are possibly the questions everyone wants the answer too.

I'm not going to lie, it does feel weird.  Having expected the sponge to be quite rigid, it actually isn't at all, it is soft, smooth and you can wrap it around your finger to keep a better grip.  To use, you apply your product to the sponge directly, I have tried it with a primer to test out using it, a tinted moisturiser and a liquid foundation, I was surprised that one pump of my foundation was enough to cover my entire face when I would usually use 2-3 with my brush.  Once on the sponge, you spread it in a circular motion and then dab lightly to ensure you have blended in all the lines. Now here is the thing, it took me a good few practices to get to grips with using it, but I managed it and whilst I'm not sure it helps me complete the task of applying my makeup any quicker than it would usually take, it does use less product, it is wipe-clean and it does blend my foundation incredibly well.  I have also used it for applying face masks and again, it is as good as option as using an old makeup brush.

If you have been looking to try one of these sponges and haven't yet, then for me this is the place to start.  Since having it, I have tested the £1 Primark option and it isn't anywhere near as good as this one, in fact, had I used the Primark one first, I would have been totally put off even giving them a go.

The HD Miracle Silicone Shaped Sponge from Brushworks retails for £7.99 and comes with a protective case to keep it clean and free from dirt when not being used.

*this post contains PR samples/Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise

The Beauty Blender

The Beauty Blender is a tool that I am sure most people have had, have used, want or dislike. There are so many to choose from that you can be like a rabbit in headlights trying to decide which one will work best for you, well I have amassed quite a collection thanks to a masterclass that I attended and having tried them all out since then, I have just about managed to get to grips with what is what.

The Original beautyblender - The one you might know better as 'the pink one'. This was the world’s first edgeless makeup sponge ensures flawless application of any complexion product - primer, powder, cream blush and more. beautyblender is guaranteed to leave you with a professional finish and its unique shape allows for that effortless blending to ensure a streak-free application everytime. There are three words that you need to remember when it comes to using your beautyblender and that is wet.squeeze.bounce. You can find it here

Before applying makeup you need to thoroughly soak your sponge in water and then gently squeeze out the excess - try to avoid wringing it out entirely to avoid tearing. Once wet, the beautyblender will expand to twice its size and become much softer.  Then bounce that makeup, whether it is a primer or your foundation across your face. Thus using the wet.squeeze.bounce method.

The Micro Mini beautyblender - The 'Green one' which is teeny tiny one which has been designed especially to highlight, contour and conceal. Owing to its size, the micro mini is perfect for applying makeup to small areas of the face such a under the eye, inner corner of the eye, the eyelids, brow bones, sides of the nose and the top of your cheeks.  Again, to use the micro mini you need to wet.squeeze.bounce. You can find this one here.

The Beauty Blusher - The 'Grey one' is the perfect sized applicator for cream and powder blush application. Made from the same exclusive beautyblender material, this is the first medium-sized blush applicator which is designed to deliver the right amount of blush to your cheeks and is made to perfectly match the apples of the cheeks for flawless application of blush. 

The Body Blender - The 'Black one' is designed especially for professionals and best for applying darker toned, long-wear cosmetic products, as well as self-tanners. It is large enough to cover the curves of your body and contoured enough to sit perfectly in the palm of your hand to ensure a controlled, even coverage.

The beautyblender blotterazzi (pink) - This game-changing washable, reusable alternative to blotting papers in iconic beautyblender® pink allows for precise, cushion blotting. Shaped to fit all contours of the face, blotterazzi™ saves you from unused corners like traditional blotting papers. The award-winning beautyblender ® material stays “thirsty” when its dry, absorbing excess oil without disturbing makeup and leaving skin looking radiant. 

The chic mirrored compact contains two blotting cushions for beauty touch ups on the go. A vented back and clear, hygienic separator ensures sponge freshness. Use dry. Wash with liquid blendercleanser® or blendercleanser® solid® and dry in a well ventilated area.

blotterazzi™ is easy to use: simply press the dry pointed side onto smaller areas of the face and the rounded side onto the larger areas of the face, absorbing oils and freshening makeup throughout the day. Wash with blendercleanser® and dry in a ventilated area. You can find it here

One of the newest products that I have been getting to grips with is the beautyblender liner.designer - Designed to become your steady hand and symmetry expert when applying liner to your eyes. It is perfect for use with all eyeliners, pencils, pens, gel creams, liquid and powder. You can find it right here.

liner.designer has a straight edge that is flexible and will stay in place when gently placed against the skin. The three different sides of liner.designer are devised to help create different angles and liner shapes. Its chic compact has a 5X magnifying mirror and suction cup allowing the compact to be used at eye level – anywhere, anytime. It’s also a great no-mess shield when applying mascara! If you are not convinced, the video below shows how easy it is:

So there you have a short but precise guide to the phenomenon that is the beautyblender and what their role in your makeup bag is.  I am a total convert to the beautyblender and find myself using them much more than I thought I would.  You find the entire range here on Cult Beauty.

Are you a fan of the beautyblender? Do you have a favourite?

*this post contains PR samples/AF Links unless indicated otherwise