Worth The Hype?- Maybelline Sky High Mascara

Yes. The answer is simply yes, this mascara is absolutely worth the hype. I’m sure many of you have seen all of the insta reels, TikTok testing vids and in store advertising for this product. Interestingly, this isn’t actually a new product, but rather something that has come into the limelight thanks to TikTok.

I have tried so many mascaras and found that only Benefit works for me. Despite trying many hyped up lash products before, I have always been let down BUT NOT BY THIS ONE! As you can tell I am overly excited, mainly being because it means I don’t need to splash out over £20 each time I run out of mascara anymore. This mascara is just £10 which is the going rate for a popular drug store brand but the results are that of a high end brand.

So as for the product itself… In the picture above I am wearing just two coats. Now you can actually keep layering it up quite easily but I prefer just two coats otherwise it creates a more voluminous effect, which is great as well if you’re going for a more dramatic look. My favourite thing about this is that is doesn’t smudge throughout the day, whereas usually I’m having to wipe under my eye to get rid of any smears. I think for this great price you should absolutely try this product and you can use my Look Fantastic code LFTFUCIAJ for 20% off!

LJL Rating: 10/10

Draw Me An Eye Look Challenge- Attempt One!

Similar to my last blog, I wanted to stick to the theme of talking about my fave products used to create a look. If you see my Insta post you can see I attempted the ‘draw me an eye look’ which is trending across Insta and Tiktok. If you haven’t heard of this yet I recommend checking it out, there are some super creative looks across both platforms!

The first product I just have to share because it is such a bargain! For my brows I used Essence’s Super Last 24hr Waterproof Pomade Brow Pencil in shade 10- Blonde. So many good things to say about this guy! Let’s start with the fact that it’s an absolute steal at £1.99! It applies so easily and is neither too creamy or scratchy. It lasts ALL DAY with absolutely no smudges and I think it looks really natural. I don’t usually use pencils and have always stuck with the ABH or Benefit pomade but I’m fully converted now! Can’t recommend enough! LJL Rating: 10/10

For my base I used Stila’s Stay All Day Foundation in ‘Honey’ which is usually around £30 but I cheated because I found it at Tk Maxx for £11 shh! So I’ll start by saying this foundation is better for short term wear (2-5 hours) because it does tend to dry out throughout the day. Despite this, before this happens it’s my fave foundation for looking more alive! It sits nicely on the skin and gives a natural glowy finish. I use this for days when I’ve had little sleep or look a little worse for wear! It also comes with a concealer built into the lid which I realised 5 seconds ago which makes the price a little more acceptable! LJL Rating: 7/10

Finally, I have to mention a highlighter I have been using daily for a while now! I used Lottie London’s highlighter quad. For my nose I used ‘The Good Girl’ and on brow bone, cheekbones and chin I used ‘The Queen Bee’. I actually love this product and I’m surprised there isn’t more hype around it! It has a really natural finish and looks so smooth on the skin with no bumps or that chunky glitter look. It’s so pigmented that you don’t need much and I works well with ALL my foundations (yes all 30!). Only downer is the other shades are too dark for a highlighter on me and too shimmery to use as a bronzer. LJL Rating: 9/10

Brows on Fleek

I am a huge fan of Instagram brows, and I have tested so many products to find the perfect products to achieve this well-desired look. From pomades to pencils I have put together my faves.

So my go to has to be Benefit Ka-Brow Pomade. I know I usually go for drug store products but with brow products I’m happy to branch out as they usually last over a year anyway, which makes it worth it. . Brows are one of the hardest parts of a polished look and I love this as the application is so easy to work with. I used the ABH pomade for a year and was so committed until I found this. They are quite similar, however I find that unlike most pomades, including ABH Dipbrow, this doesn’t dry up. It lasts all day, and has a very natural look to it, but you can easily build on it for stronger looking brows.

LJL Rating: 10/10

Next is another Benefit product- they don’t get their brow success for nothing! When I’m in a hurry I use Gimme-Brow! This brushes on so easily and enhances your natural brows. So if you already have a good set of brows, I highly recommend this. The only downside is that it can look messy, so if you’re like me and prefer tidy brows, you can easily clean up the look with concealer.

LJL Rating: 9/10

Next, an underrated brand- Lottie London. Their Archival Brow Pen is only £6.50 and is  used to create a microblade effect. The end of this pen has 4 separate nibs which allow you to create natural looking brows in just a few fast strokes. This is great for either natural, bushy or insta-brows! The only flaw is that if you don’t use this with fast strokes, the product can bleed into fine lines.

LJL Rating: 8/10

Finally, for a simple pencil look, I use B. Pro Styler Brow Pencil, which is only £4.99 and is usually on offer. I use this either to quickly fill in my brows, or to neaten up the edges. The colour pay off is really strong, and the pencil is angled for ease. It also comes with a spoolie at the other end to help have a flawless look.

LJL Rating: 8/10

Overall, I do think that if you really care about how your brows look, then high end is always better. If you just like to fill in your brows, or lightly shape and define, then pencils and powders are the way to go.

Mascara, Mascara and More Mascara

I’ll start by being honest and admitting that I have some of the shortest and straightest lashes known to man. This makes it a bit of a struggle when it comes to finding a mascara that works for me, and often I resort to falsies instead. However, I have managed to find three that work well from a high, middle and low end brand.

I’ll start with the cheap and cheerful Miss Sporty Fabulous Lash in Extra Black. Believe it or not this is only £1.99 which is the quarter of the price of the average mascara! I really love this mascara as it’s very lengthening and it has a wispy effect. It can make lashes look quite thin so if you prefer thicker lashes then you can easily put a thickening mascara over the top.

LJL Rating: 8/10

Maybelline Lash Sensation mascara in a long time fave of mine.  It costs a little more at £8.99 but it does everything I need it to. It lengthens, curls and thickens and an extra coat can easily be added for extra definition. It is a little more expensive but I think it’s worth it because you don’t need to worry about applying other mascaras over the top.

LJL Rating: 10/10

Finally, the popular Bad Gal Bang from Benefit makes the list. It’s known for its thickening and voluminous effect. It certainly works. No other mascara has ever given me such full looking lashes. I have to admit that it can look a little clumpy so I prefer putting on a lengthening mascara first (usually Miss Sporty’s above or Benefit’s ‘They’re Real’). The full sized version is around £18 but I have the mini version for £8.99 and it’s lasted me half a year and I use it nearly every day because you don’t need much product.

LJL Rating: 9/10