Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush Mascara

Maybelline are very, very good at Marketing and the latest addition to their Volum' Express collection is no exception - A mascara called 'Mega Plush' is obviously going to fly off the shelves because that's what women want from a mascara, a touch of plush and bucket loads of mega. Whatever that means.

It wasn't just the greeny-blue packaging with shiny pink writing that made me pick this up, but the promise of plushy goodness caressing my lashes rather than stiff, brittle crumbly stuff.

Mega Plush mascara promises 'Massive & Soft Volume' and while I wouldn't agree that this is exactly what it delivers, it does make a pretty decent everyday mascara.

Once dried (which doesn't take long), lashes actually do feel surprisingly soft. Not baby-bum soft, but almost as soft as they feel in their natural state, sans makeup. This is down to the gel-mousse formula of the mascara that contains 40% less hard waxes than your stock standard mascara.

My only real gripe with this mascara that I simply can't let fly is the 'flexor brush'.

 The jointed part of the wand is very bendy, and intended to work in a shock-absorber like fashion, but I like to have absolute control when it comes to putting things anywhere near my eyes so I find this aspect of the product more gimmicky than useful. Will someone also please tell me why a shock absorber mechanism is required for mascara...

My final verdict is this: Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush Mascara is nice, but it's not worth beating someone over the head to get the last tube in Boots. I ended up doing about 5 coats on each eye just to achieve the rather low key look you can see in the pictures. I think Maybelline have definitely nailed the Plush aspect of the mascara but I was expecting a lot more Mega ;)

Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush is available in washable and waterproof formulas and has an RRP of £7.99.

Thanks for reading!

The Evolution of Festival Fashion by New Look

Festival Fashion Timeline by New Look

Guam Full Body Wrap at Beauty Works West: My Experience

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of experiencing the Guam Full Body Wrap at my favourite London beauty destination so far, Beauty Works West.
 85 minutes of laying about doing not a lot is fantastic as it is, but having someone scrub you from head to toe and cover you in warm mud is even better, trust me.


What is Guam and why was I being covered in it?

Guam is a territory in the United States but it's also a type of seaweed enriched mud that firms and tightens the skin and aids in reducing cellulite.

It works on cellulite by drawing out excess water that becomes trapped in fatty deposits in the skin and does the same for water retention, making it especially good for prepping your body for bikini season.

There are a few different types of the Guam mud that the therapist applies to target specific areas of the body  including thighs, hips and bust. The Guam range is available to purchase from Beauty Works West if you're game to slather yourself in mud in the comfort of your own home.  

The Treatment

Therapist Ridah showed me to the treatment room that contained a bed that was decked out in towels and plastic sheeting topped off with a disposable thong. Next to the bed was a blanket that looked suspiciously like a sleeping bag - I was told that this was used once the mud was on to heat me up sufficiently so the Guam could work its magic.

Ridah left me to strip off, put on the thong and cover myself in the towels to wait for her return. Disposable thongs are enough to make the most body-confident woman a little nervous, but Ridah had such a wonderful sense of humour that the prospect of having only a flimsy piece of (semi-see through) paper guarding my lady bits wasn't quite as horrific as it could have been.

When she returned, Ridah gently exfoliated me from neck to toe with a gorgeous warm scrub before wiping it away with hot damp towels to prep my body for the application of the Guam.

Different types of Guam were then gently painted onto my body, which at first felt a little strange but was ultimately a pretty relaxing experience.

I was then swaddled in the plastic sheeting and wrapped up in heated blankets to give the mud the best environment to get to work on my wobbly bits. Ridah explained that I was being kept warm to make me sweat slightly and to prevent the mud from going dry on my skin.
At times, the mud felt a bit tingly - apparently an indication that it's doing its job, drawing out excess water and firming things up!
While I was cocooned in the mud and blankets, Ridah gave me a beautiful face, head and neck massage before moving down to feet to give my tootsies some attention.
After 30 minutes of muddy, massage-y bliss, I was unwrapped and the mud was removed with warm, damp towels before a light application of moisturiser to lock in the Guam goodness.

After 85 minutes of being scrubbed, smothered in mud and massaged, I did feel somewhat lighter on my feet and Ridah suggested I put on something tight when I get home to see if I could tell the difference. So that evening, as I pulled up the Disco Pants that I've been afraid of for the past few months, I saw the results myself - a slightly slimmer figure thanks to Guam's water retention eliminating powers.

The Guam Full Body Wrap at Beauty Works West is normally priced at £125 for an 85 minute treatment, but is currently on special for £100. If you're a bride to be, about to go on holiday or just fancy having up to 2cm trimmed off your frame for no particular reason, visit Beauty Works West online here  or call the lovely ladies at reception on 020 7221 2248.

Thanks for reading :)

Vintage Cosmetics Advertisements

My friend Kate is over from Australia at the moment and she recently popped in to Vinmag in Soho to  pick up some vintage magazines to frame.

I had a leaf through them and found a load of beautiful and at times, hilarious, cosmetics advertisements and thought it might be nice to share them here on the blog.

These ads are from 'Picturegoer' magazine editiones published in 1956 & 1957.

Incredible Tampax Ad

I have no words for this Ryvita ad...