Maybelline The Rocket Volum'Express Mascara

RRP: £7.99
 
--What does the promo say?--
"Explosive Volume in Rocket Time! 6X Bigger. Smoother. Even. Now, the most explosive, beautiful lashes ever! Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara's patented Supersonic Brush with micro bristles loads on big, sleek volume instantly. Our fast-glide formula keeps lashes smooth. Zero clumps!"

--Packaging--
The cobalt and fuschia combination is really bold without being too girly, ensuring that the tube stands out on the shelf. As for the brush itself, it's attracted mixed reviews, and in a way it's easy to see why: it's very large, and the mascara formula seems quite thin, so it can collect in the bristles quite easily.

--Application--
Give the brush a wipe beforehand if it seems to have too much mascara on it (on the rim of the tube opening, or on a tissue). Once you're happy, apply as normal: one thin coat on each row of lashes, then go round again and repeat: multiple thin coats of mascara are always better than one thick one, as this lets the mascara dry more quickly and helps you to avoid clumps.

--Appearance--
Simply WOW. Doll-like, long, beautiful, and clump-free. It wouldn't surprise me if Maybelline shared formulae with Lancome, actually (they are both owned by L'Oreal, after all): that's the quality of the comparison we're talking about here.

--Texture and consistency--
Possibly slightly watery, but not to any detriment. The formula goes on smoothly, and isn't at all sticky or clumpy.

--Longevity--
Stays on quite well during normal use, but I wouldn't try going swimming in it or anything (and it never claims to be waterproof, so quite right too).

--Value for money--
Mine was free (Maybelline website giveaway for the win!) but I would happily pay full price for this. £7.99 is very reasonable for what is actually quite a high-quality product. Well done, Maybelline!

perfect partners
EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Gel Eyeshadow, £4.99
Fit Me Foundation Stick, £8.99 
Baby Lips Lip Balm, £2.99

Maybelline Express Finish Diamonds

RRP: not found, though I gather it retails at between £3.99 and £6.99
no. of shades available: 6

--What does the promo say?--
"Wet to set, now in 40 seconds! Chip-resistant nail colour. Shock-control technology. Ultra-precise Control-flow™ brush for 1 coat application."

--Packaging--
It's a slim square bottle, but it has some curve and extra dimension to it from the curved thicker glass layer at the bottom of the bottle and from the slightly rounded silver lid. The 40 second aspect is emphasised by way of a silver 'timer' motif on the front of the bottle and the concept of the product is expressed concisely, with the 'express' word leaning forwards to denote this and with little stars decorating the bottle to show off the 'diamond' shine. All of this is in silver, and actually looks simpler than it sounds. Opens and closes easily, and yet doesn't leak. The flat brush is nice too, though it's nothing new now.

--Application--
After preparing your nails, carefully apply the colour. Sadly it takes a bit longer than 40 seconds to dry (probably more like 60-100 seconds), but once it has dried, complete with a top coat and you'll be all set.

--Texture/consistency--
No problems here: it's not sticky or runny, and goes onto the nails very well.

--Appearance--
One coat will allow a softer, more natural look, with a second coat making things slightly more disco.

--Does it do what it promises?--
To an extent, yes. From a company that isn't a specialist in nail care, I found it really impressive that it lasted nearly a week before it began to chip. However, they shouldn't promise that it will dry in 40 seconds if it actually doesn't (and I timed it so I know it doesn't...).

--Value for money--
Even though for some reason I couldn't find an exact price, it's still pretty reasonable whichever way you look at it. The fact that the varnish lasts for so long without chipping means that one bottle certainly lasts a long time, and it assures continuity of high standards in Maybelline's products. Good work.

Maybelline Forever Strong Professional Nail Polish

RRP: £3.99 for 10ml
no. of shades available: 18

--What does the promo say?--
"# Perfect precision curved brush
# Rich colour and high shine
# Enriched with Iron & Calcium"

--Packaging--
Nice slender squarish bottle with a medium-sized black lid. The logo and product information is written on the transparent bottle in white writing. Nothing special going on there, though I do like how the extra layer of glass at the bottom of the bottle creates an effect of the varnish being suspended in the bottle.

--Application--
Pretty standard stuff: unscrew the lid, allow any excess polish to drip back into the bottle, and apply 1 or 2 layers to your nails after prepping them with a base coat.

--Texture/consistency--
Smooth without being runny: in other words, perfect.

--Appearance--
I personally prefer to apply two coats of any nail varnish I use, but with this varnish you could probably get away with just one. The colour I have is a really definite colour, but still suitable for everyday, and fits my overall look and colouring well.

--Longevity--
Not too bad. I'd say it lasts 4-5 days before it starts to chip.

--Ease of removal--
Fine :)

--Value for money--
For the amount you get and the quality of the varnish itself, the price is extremely reasonable and the range of available shades is impressive. Top marks.

Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara

RRP: £5.49
# of shades available: 2

--Packaging--
As you may have noticed, this mascara tube is bright green, and I don't really know what to make of that. On the good side it's funky, young, and stands out among the many black, brown and navy blue mascara tubes. On the bad side it's a bit too acidic-looking and retro for me, but that could just be me being old-fashioned. Anyway, Maybelline's main selling point with this mascara is due to the unique brush - it's made of rubber, meaning that it works with the curve of your lashes more, and it has a rollerball technology just inside the neck of the tube, which is meant to eliminate clumps from the brush every time the brush slides out of the tube (allegedly).

--What does the promo say?--
"Fancy sexier, more defined lashes?
NEW DEFINE-A-LASH lengthening zero-clump mascara.The unique shaped-to-the-lash brush is ultra flexible, designed to reach and accentuate each and every lash. NEW DEFINE-A-LASH mascara has a lightweight formula and unique built-in clump remover leaves zero clumps on brush for zero clumps on lashes."

--Application--
Same as any other mascara on the market. No tricks there.

--Appearance--
On the brush it appears to live up to its promises. No clumps the size of a small island here. Again, when you apply to your lashes, no clumps. So technically it does what it says it does. However, despite the rubber brush, I found it didn't truly separate my lashes, so while there were no clumps, a few of my lashes did cling to one another, meaning I still had to get out my eyelash brush and go through them once the mascara was dry, which rather defeats the point of the exercise really. It also only comes in two shades: black and brown. I usually use black, so this isn't exactly a problem for me, but come on, most mascara ranges can manage better than this.

--Longevity--
Impressively, it doesn't budge, even in the rain, despite not being advertised as waterproof, and yet there are no problems removing it. Good work.

--Value for money--
Perfectly fine, all things considered - it's in the same price range as most other high street mascaras. However, I've not had mine very long, so we'll see.

--Other comments--
I was intrigued by this mascara as I'd never seen anything like it. However, while it's a nice mascara in its own right, and Maybelline have made a pretty good effort with the concept, I'm not sure it totally does what it says on the box. Next time I'll probably just stick with their years-old classic, Maybelline Great Lash.

Maybelline Shinylicious Fruity Gloss

RRP: £5.95
No. of shades available: 13

--Packaging--

Clear plastic tube c. 3 inches long, with a long, somewhat squat plastic lid (the lid matching the colour of the gloss).

--What does the promo say?--

"For glassy-looking lips that burst with colour and flavour!
• Glassy-looking, shiny lips• Deliciously fruity• Hugs the lips without being sticky
• Light-weight, ultra-precise application"

--Application--
The applicator is cut off at an angle to aid application - just squeeze the tube slightly and you're away. Beware though - a little of this stuff goes a long way.

--Appearance and scent--
The colour of the gloss seems quite vivid and has a bit of a shimmer to it. Smells fruity, but not overly so. However, when you apply it, the colour loses some of its vividness, which is probably good. The shade I've got is particularly flattering - 803 bonbon fraise/strawberry whizz is a reddish pink that fills out your lips and makes them look softer. Smell of gloss is not overpowering.

--Taste--
None, surprisingly - I thought it would do from the strong scent.

--Texture--
Smooth, rather than sticky. Thumbs up.

--Longevity--
Like most glosses, you have to keep applying this one, but I'm not complaining as this is the nature of glosses - if I want long-lasting colour or shine then I'll go for a long-lasting lipstick.

--Value for money--
The whole Maybelline range is very well-priced and you get a lot of good-quality product for your money. Sound work.

*****

Hope my first review suits all of you discerning fashionistas. If there's anything glaring I've missed, let me know and I'll edit the entry to include it as well as taking into account suggestions for next time.