Kiss Haute Couture Lashes

 RRP: £4.49 for a single pack; £7.49 for a duo pack; £16.99 for a pack of five
# of varieties: 4 (Lust, Flirt, Coy, Wink)

--What does the promo say?--
"Kiss Haute Couture lightweight lashes not only look natural but feel natural. When used with the included applicator, you'll be amazed at just how easy applying lashes can really be."

 --Application-- On the back of the box there are helpful drawings of how to apply the lashes using the pink applicator they've included in the pack, as well as a booklet with more detailed instructions. I'm not exactly a false lash aficionado and it did take me a couple of goes to get them in the right place and not poke myself in the eye but all in all they're pretty straightforward. The glue was easy to apply although I didn't use mascara before applying the lashes, so I don't know if the glue would react with  mascara if you did. 

Instructions: 1) If needed, trim lash size to fit your eyes. 2) Apply Kiss adhesive to lash band: wait 30 seconds for adhesive to become slightly clear and tacky. 3) Using the applicator, apply lashes along natural lash line. Hold, allowing adhesive to dry completely.

--Appearance-- As you can see from the photos, these lashes are quite 'BIG' and they are definitely for if you want to make a statement. They fit the eye pretty well but as mentioned, you can trim them down if you need to. Having worn them, I would suggest that you wear mascara on your normal lashes just so the colour is the same. These are unmistakably false lashes - I would only ever wear them for a big event like a prom or a dressy occasion as they basically take up half of my face, but they do have a nice look to them. Saying that, I would definitely be up for trying other styles of lashes in this range. 

 

--Longevity--

These stay on for as long as you want them to, and they were easy to remove when required (though as always with these things, it depends on how much adhesive you put on).
--Value for money-- 

These are in line with other market values, and it's definitely good that you can use them more than once, thus increasing product value.

by Eye and Eye Makeup Correspondent, Gemma Summons

L'Oréal Double Extension Renewal Serum Inside Mascara

RRP: £10.99

--What does the promo say?--
"L'Oréal Paris Double Extension Renewal Serum Inside Mascara combines The Renewal Lash Serum inside a spectacular mascara. The new L'Oréal Paris Double Extension Renewal Serum Inside Mascara is a 2-step mascara that gives a multiplied lash effect and up to 80% longer-looking lashes.

Step 1: A serum enriched base coat with arginine and centella. Lashes feel fortified and nourished.
Step 2: An ultra-lengthening mascara for a lash extension effect. Up to 80% longer-looking lashes.
Spectacular lashes!"

--Packaging--
The packaging is gold and royal blue, with each side being embossed with text in the reverse colour. This is not to be confused with the red version, the Double Extension Beauty Tubes, although you have to sit with the products for a while to work out the true difference between the versions. The original Beauty Tubes contain a sort of primer for the lashes, whose primary purpose is to make the lashes appear longer; however, the new Double Extension variants have a serum, which is not only designed to make the lashes look longer in the short term but is also supposed to make your lashes longer on a long-term scale. The writing on the tube is a little bit cheap-feeling and prone to rubbing off even when the tube is new; I definitely like the use of the two colours either way, though.

--Application--
Apply the serum to your lashes on one eye, and then add the mascara immediately afterwards. Repeat the process with the other eye. I do it this way because if my experiences with Lancôme's equivalent are anything to go by, if the serum is allowed to dry before the mascara is applied then there is a risk of the serum clumping or looking more obvious on the lashes (see below regarding appearance). Otherwise, this is fairly simple stuff.

--Appearance--
The serum is white (sob - maybe one day the mascara companies will work out how to make it clear/transparent), which I suppose does distinguish from all those clear mascaras on the market. You therefore couldn't just put this on and then go out as it actually does make you look albino. However, once the mascara is applied over it, no white is visible at all. The mascara is of a good colour and the two used together deliver real showgirl lashes.

--Texture/consistency--
Arguably better than Lancôme's equivalent - overall application and results are smoother and with better separation and definity.

--Effects on lashes--
Now, this is where L'Oréal loses out to Lancôme. I'm a firm believer that the vibrating technology used for Lancôme's serum really helps to stimulate the lashes' roots for visible long-term growth results. While L'Oréal's version does definitely provide an excellent base and gives extra length and separation to the mascara (so good results on a day-to-day basis), I'm afraid I didn't notice the same degree of results when it came to long-term lash improvement. One of L'Oréal's key ingredients of the serum, arginine, is an amino acid that has been reported to boost growth hormones, but as yet there is no proof. I prefer the sound of the serum's other key ingredient, centella, which has been traditionally used in medicine and is thought to maintain youthfulness and aid healing. I did definitely see an improvement in just a few days of use - maybe just not as significant an improvement as with the Lancôme equivalent.

--Value for money--
Ultimately, despite Lancôme's winning stakes in the lash growth department, I still think I'd plump for this product instead: it is cheaper, has far fewer clumps, and comes in a handy travel format instead of two separate tubes. Following L'Oréal's copy of Givenchy's Phenomen'Eyes in the form of their Telescopic Explosion mascara, this is another successful replication of the higher-end market.

perfect partner
Renewal Lash Serum, £10.99