As I've been looking through my beauty stash, I've noticed I've been testing out a few products all at once. Usually I tend to only try one new thing at a time, so since there are more than one I thought I'd give a little roundup of quick reviews and my first impressions.
The first product is the only new skincare product I've been trying. It's the No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm. I have the Melting Gel Cleanser from the same range, and I really enjoy using it, so I thought I'd try out its more nourishing counterpart and see how I got on. I usually use The Body Shop's Camomile Cleansing Butter to take my makeup off/as a first cleanse, so I tested this product in its stead. It didn't remove my eye makeup as easily as the offering from The Body Shop, but it did get there in the end. I've been using it either as a morning cleanse or a second cleanse at night after taking my makeup off with The Body Shop cleanser. It hasn't broken me out, and I don't think that should be a problem as long as you wash it off with a warm washcloth. It left my skin feeling so nourished and clean. As I've been sick this week it's felt so lovely on my dull, dehydrated skin, and it's definitely something I'll keep reaching for even when I'm not sick.
I've also been using a couple mascara samples I got with my Sephora points. The first is the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara. This has a curved brush that I find helps to coat every lash. It really does well as a curling mascara, but it doesn't seem to hold the curl as long as some of my other mascaras. It fans out my lashes beautifully and adds a good amount of volume and length. Despite it not being a waterproof formula, it really stays put throughout the day with no smudging. It's really a beautiful mascara, but I'm not sure if I'd get the full size because of the price.
The next mascara sample is the Clinique Lash Power Feathering Mascara. I had heard great reviews about this, and as I was about to get it I started hearing some not-so-great reviews. I decided to go with my gut and try the sample anyway and I'm glad I did. I think I'll definitely be purchasing the full size when my sample runs out. It has a large fiber brush, but it's not super dense, so its size is manageable. This gives the perfect amount of separation and length. It's dramatic without being over-the-top volumizing. As the name would suggest, it makes my lashes look so long and fluttery, which is something I always look for. It lasts the whole day for me without smudging or flaking, but it's really easy to get off at night. This one is a true win for me.
The last is a lip liner that I've heard is a dupe for Charlotte Tilbury's famous Lip Cheat in Pillowtalk - the Rimmel Exaggerate Full Color Lip Liner in Eastend Snob. The color is lovely - a great MLBB shade when applied with a light hand. The formula is creamy enough to glide on but not so creamy that it won't stay put. If worn all over the lips, it does tend to dry them out throughout the day, but that can be fixed by wearing a lip balm or moisturizing gloss along with it. I'll admit that my lip liners from higher-end brands like MAC and Estee Lauder last longer than this one, but this is still a great lip liner for the price, and one I'll gladly reach for over and over.
Have you tried any of these products? What did you think of them?