Maybelline - Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara

Hello Beautiful!

Who doesn't like long thick voluminous lashes! I know I do! Mascara is what completes an eye makeup and brings it all together. Even if I'm doing a quick look I skip eye makeup but make sure I layer on my mascara. If you've been reading my posts you know I don't wear fake lashes (I have yet to try my hands on those) and so I'm always on a hunt for good mascaras that will provide me with both length and volume and also a formula that will not weigh my lashes down, specially near the inner corners. So yeah I always have high expectations and demands from a Mascara.

So I picked up Maybellline Volum'Express The Rocket Mascara without reading any reviews about it. I initially wanted the Colossal one but the word Volume and Rocket (Length = Rocket? No? Just me? Okay) caught my eye (I'm sure that's the most stupid thing you've read over the internet). So I picked this one up. When I first tried it on, I hated it! Yes! I hated how it made my lashes so thick and clumpy (not in a cute way at all). But how do I feel about it now? Read on to find out...

What Maybelline Says:

 At The Back of The Pack

Ingredients:

At The Back of The Pack.

My Thoughts:

As I mentioned, the first time I tried it I did not like it at all. It made my lashes look so so clumpy and deposited more product than needed so I didn't really use it until after a month and whoa!! I don't know if it's suppose to get better over time or the formula was too thin for my liking at the beginning but whatever it was I fell in love with this mascara for sure! Let's take a look at the packaging first.

The mascara tube is quite fat, enclosed in the typical Mascara-cardboard packaging. The tube itself can be bulky for some. Also one thing that bothers me about the tube, that might not bother others, is that it does not stand as it has a very small bottom.

The formula is a little thin at the beginning but with time it dries a little and gets to the perfect consistency for lengthy voluminous lashes! I personally do not like thin formula in a Mascara or maybe I put layers after layers when I tried it for the first time. Two coats of this mascara and it gives both length and volume to my lashes. I apply it directly to my lashes without curling them and the formula doesn't weigh my lashes down.

This particular Mascara has been given much love from me. The only Mascara that I gravitated towards for a whole month before I reminded myself I have got to try and use up the others in my stash.

The wand is fat which coats each lash from bottom to top perfectly. Also I love it to coat my lower lashes. Sometimes I'll use a different Mascara for my upper lashes and grab this one for my lower lashes.

Here's how two coats of Maybelline Volum'Express The Rocket Mascara looks applied to my Lashes.

Natural Lashes:

Two Coats of Maybelline Volum'Express The Rocket Mascara:

You can see how it hasn't weighed down my lashes at the inner corner and how long it has made the lower lashes. I super love it!!!

For a super quick look I warm up my crease with Morphe Brushes Individual Eyeshadow in Caramelized (see it swatched here), layer two coats of this Mascara on my upper and lower lashes, apply a nude pencil in my water-line, rosy pink cheeks and my favorite Maybelline Lipstick Coffee Craze (reviewed and swatched here).

Will I repurchase it again? Well, I already have :D as a back up! I do not wanna run out of it!! 

This mascara is definitely a 5 on 5 from me!

I got it from Naheed Supermarket. It's available on almost all the Maybelline counters and kiosks. You can also order it online from www.just4girls.pk and www.reforma.pk for Rs. 850.

Have you tried it before? What do you like the most about it? What is your tried and tested Mascara for long voluminous lashes? Don't forget to let me know in the comments section! Also, let me know if you have any questions regarding this product.

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao!

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November Favorites!

Hello Beautiful!

It's time to share my November favorites! November has been so rushed for me, but then this whole year seems that way. For all us makeup lovers (non-makeup too), November has been all about Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and as much as I went all out on last year's Friday and Cyber Monday sales I did not take part in this year's sale frenzy. Mostly because I had already hauled quite a lot in November and haven't even began to use it. It had been tough looking at all those tempting deals and sets and having to pass on them but well I'm glad to have stayed strong haha! Dramatic much? 

Well let's just -Oh hey! Before I start with the favorites -what I've done differently in this post (as compared to all my previous favorites posts) is that I have actually gathered all my favorite products and taken pictures of them unlike putting all the google images of my favorites together. I know my photography skills aren't the very best but I'm learning. Let me know how you feel about the pictures so that I can improve. ^-^ Let's finally start with my favorites for the month of November!

1. J. - Junaid Jamshed Deaodorant Body Spray - COLORS:

          I have been using this almost everyday ever since I purchased it. It smells so refreshing! I'm not much into fruity fragrances. I prefer musky, strong, deep and fresh fragrances. This stays on for good amount of time and thus has replaced the other perfume in my everyday bag. 

2. Rosebud Perfume Co. - Smith's Rosebud Salve:

          I use a lot of lips balms as Autumn approaches. I love a good lip balm and that is actually the most used product in Fall and Winter. I have been loving LOVING this balm!! It's so moisturizing and helps me get rid of all the flakey parts on my lips! You can clearly see the amount of product I have used!

3. Nishat Linen - Statement Necklace:

          I got this necklace from Nishat Linen a while back but only started wearing it more in the previous month. I love pairing statement necklaces with plain or solid colored outfits. They provide just the right bit of oomph! This necklace was love at first sight! I knew I had to buy as soon as I saw it and man I have given it much love this past month. 

4. SLEEK Contour Palette - Light:

          My first ever contour palette and boy oh boy! I'm so glad I got it. I don't always contour, I save it for events actually but ever since Kiran Khan taught us contouring in the Makeup Boot Camp, I have been using this palette for practicing and in my makeup routine and the more I used this the more I loved it! The powders are soft and so blendable.  

5. e.l.f Kabuki Face Brush:

          Let me just start with how incredibly soft it is! It's like I'm touching my face with a bunny's fluffed tail! The brush is quite dense and oh so SOFT!!! I have been using it to powder my face. In winters I do not need to powder much and this is just perfect to dust my T-Zone lightly with a pressed or translucent powder. Also I kinda like how the handle is small which makes it perfect to travel with.

6. Maybelline - Rocket Volum'Express Mascara:

          This is the second time it's in my favorite list! The first time I got this and tried it on I actually hated it for it made my lashes so clumpy but that was probably because the formula was quite wet and I just put layers and layers. Over time the formula got better and I fell in love with this mascara!!! I love love long and full lashes. My go to makeup look these days consist of no eyeliner just lashes coated twice with this and I love how it looks!

7. L. A. Girl Pro HD Concealer - Creamy Beige:

          Thanks to my insomnia and brain working at the speed of light at night I have been getting a good use out of this. It covers up my dark circles well and also the orange corrector (I use the NYX Orange Corrector). I have also tried using this instead of foundation, I basically apply a thin layer over the high points of my face and blend it outwards with my Real Techniques Sponge and I like how it looks!

So these were my most used and loved products in the month of November. Let me know if you've used and love any of these. I am excited to start using my recent makeup purchases so if you want a review on any of my hauls, please let me know. I have a lot of weddings to attend this month so looking forward to create makeup looks, let me know if you would want me to share them with you. I would love to!! Also tell me what were your most used products in the month of November and which were your favorites! 

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao!

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Morphe Brushes Individual Eyeshadows - Caramelized, Creme Brule, B.A.M & I Got The Blues

Hello Beautiful!

Morphe Brushes are all the hype these days! From their individual eye shadow pans to the eyeshadow palettes and makeup tools! Their 35O Palette is all the rage now that gets out of stock as soon as it comes and that only makes people want it more!  Also Jaclyn Hill collaborated with Morphe recently for a Limited Edition Palette consisting of her favorites. So to try this brand I got their Individual Eyeshadow Pans and Makeup Brushes (which you can see here). I had enough time to put the eyeshadows to test and use them and finally I'm ready to present a thorough review. I'll review the brushes in a separate post.

The Individual Eyeshadows have 80 colors that range from neutrals to bold and vibrant colors and from mattes to satin and shimmers. A Z-palette can be bought separately to make a custom palette. Out of all the colors I got two nude brown shades and two vibrant colors.

The Packaging:
Each pan is enclosed in a black card envelope with a little cushion ring inside to provide more grip and safety to the eyeshadow pan. I have yet to buy a Z-Palette but the pans are safe in the envelope. I have traveled with them too. It is a hassle of course, without the Z-Palette where you just open the lid and all the eyeshadows are displayed, ready to be used but in terms of its envelope packaging, it's pretty safe.

Caramelized ES15: (Matte)

Caramelized is a pretty warm brown color. It is my Holy Grail Crease/Transition color! I have been looking for a warm brown that'll pair up with almost all warm eye looks and this is what I'm in love with. It's definitely my most used eyeshadow.
The formula is smooth, blends like a dream and has incredible pigmentation. Also, the color is buildable. I have used this as a crease color in all these makeup looks : EOTD, MOTD, MOTD1

Creme Brule ES63: (Matte)

Creme Brule is a cool-toned brown, almost a grey brown color. It pairs up beautifully with Caramelized. I mostly use it on the outer corners of my eyes but it also looks great all over the lid blended with Caramelized in the crease for the subtle brown smokey eye. The eyeshadow itself is soft and buttery and blends beautifully. The pigmentation is great and it's buildable. It also is great for smoking out the lower lash line. You can see it used here and here. 

B.A.M ES41: (Matte)

Described as a Teal, it is a pretty vibrant sea green color which looks beautiful layered over a white, blue and green base. The formula is soft, not at all chalky or patchy and it blends beautifully. Also the pigmentation is ah-mazing and the color is buildable. I have mostly used it layered over a sea green eyeliner for a pop of color as you can see here.

I Got The Blues ES44: (Matte)

A deep royal blue with a matte finish. This shade looks beautiful and deeper on a black base. The swatch here looks a tad brighter than the actual color. It's a beautiful color for a blue smokey eye or a pop of color on a more neutral eye look specially smudged on the lower lash line. The pigmentation is great although this color needs some building up to reach that full opaqueness and intensity, otherwise the formula is buttery and blends smoothly.

You should read my Morphe Brushes Haul post (here) for how I got it because Morphe Brushes do not ship to Pakistan unfortunately. These are priced at $2.29 a pop which is a steal for the smooth pigmented blend-able formula! I love love the quality of these and would definitely be getting more! I'm keen on trying the satin and shimmery shades now because I'm impressed with the mattes and I'm so tempted to get the bright colorful eyeshadow palette that they just came out with! It's the 12P Picasso Palette and it's so vibrant; oh and not to forget the 35O Palette! It's hyped for a reason, a treat for warm tone lovers! Well, here are more swatches for Caramelized, Creme brule, B.A.M and I Got The Blues.

I have nothing bad to say about these, right from the packaging, the pricing to the quality and pigmentation -it's amazing! Just that I wish they shipped worldwide! So, it's definitely a 5 on a 5 for these from me.

So have you tried any of the Morphe Eyeshadows either these pans or the palettes? Let me know if you like them and if you have any recommendations for me, i'd love to know your thoughts on them. Also if you want me to review anything from my hauls (which you can see here) please let me know and I'd love to oblige (:

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao!

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Previous Reviews and Swatches:

a) E.L.F Baked Highlighters

b) Maybelline Color Sensational Stripped Nudes - Coffee Craze

c) Masarrat Misbah Makeup

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WishList - December

Hello Beautiful!

It seems it was just yesterday when I put up my WishList for November (which you can read here) or maybe it's because I put that one up a little late than I usually do. Oh well the time really went by so fast and we're already in December and another New Year is just on it's way! I was able to get everything in my last Wish-List *Alhamdulillah* and hopefully I'd be able to cross the items off this wish-list too. Also you can read my first post (here) to know why and how I put these up (: So here's what I really really want to get this month!

1. Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette:

          This is such a beautiful warm nude eye shadow palette! If you love chocolate and makeup then this one is a special treat for you! I have the Too Faced Chocolate Bar and as much as I love it I also have my eyes set on this one for the color theme specially, warm nudes mixed with that beautiful plum shade and also for the great reviews it has. They are compared to Urban Decay shadows by some while they are not expensive.

2. Winter'15 Collection by HOBO by HUB:

          If you read my post on HOBO by HUB on their Winter'15 Collection you know why this is here. They have got the most amazing collection of bags, shoes, sunglasses and accessories! You must read my post here to see for yourself. I love everything specially the bags and the boots but this bag in particular caught my eye! It's the perfect color to go with every outfit, also it looks so classy! Definitely need this!!

3. Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation:

          As Winter is here, my combination skin is leaning more towards the drier side, with dry patches around my nose and mouth. I love a good matte finish for Summer but for winters I want a good foundation with a satin finish. I tend to stay away from dewy foundations thanks to my combination skin. As I recently just started wearing foundation I haven't really experimented with many but reading the great reviews for this and also having used one of Bourjois Foundation (I use the 123 Perfect one) I really gotta buy this for the Winter.

4. MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Diva:

          Is this not a gorgeous gorgeous shade? Specially for this time of the year! Mascara and this and you're ready to take over the world! Ok probably that was just too much but really! This is such a perfect shade for this season if you love to rock a bold lip!

5. Forever 21 - Plush-Lined Longline Jacket in Burgundy:

          I know I know.. We don't really get that much Winter here in my city but yes hear me out. I have been looking for a jacket that's not just cozy but well put together and chic and this jacket right here is that! I love it. It's soft and it's just perfect. This is available in 3 colors (Olive, Black and Burgundy) but Burgundy is my favorite for this time of the year, I want everything in this shade! Hence this jacket here is perfection for me!

Well that's my WishList for this month. I hope I get some of it if not all, specially that beautiful jacket! Let me know what you have your eyes on and don't forget to share your wish-lists with me. I'd love to know. I hope you have a great December and a happy transition into the next year! <3

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao!

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Over A Cup Of Coffee... -With Maliha Rao!

Hello Beautiful!

I am super excited to do the second installment in this series and this time we have the beautiful Maliha Rao with us! 
If you don't already know, Over A Cup Of Coffee is a new series I have recently started on my blog where I get to interview or do a Q and A session with different personalities. People we can relate to or learn from. You can read more about it here.

Over A Cup Of Coffee... 

- With Maliha Rao!

I was able to do a Q and A session or informal interview (if you may) with the beautiful Maliha Rao from www.REDALICERAO.com

Maliha in her words:

A creative Brand Consultant and a passionate Blogger. Super curious, eccentric, obsessed with Red, crazy about everything Japanese. A Closet Geek and bitten by Wanderlust.

Maliha is a very talented and sweet lady with a cheerful persona. Working along side Rabiyah, she has provided Pakistan Beauty Society (then: Pakistan Beauty Bloggers Community) as a platform to all us beauty lovers and her efforts are commendable! Her blog is not just full of in-depth reviews but also with informative and interesting posts on travel, fashion and more. Her photography on the blog is so on point! So while the coffee is still steaming hot, let's just start with this Q and A (:

Q1. How long have you been into beauty and fashion industry?

Over a decade (: I have been working in the field before I even started blogging.

Q2. How would you describe your style?

Versatile, because I don't like sticking to just one plain look. Comfort is very important though in whatever I wear.

Q3. When did you know a career in beauty and fashion was for you?

When I got my first copy of Seventeen Magazine as a teenager from Sunday Market!

Q4. What are the best aspects of running your own blog? What are the hardest aspects?

My blog is where I got to blurb and express myself so it's always fun. 

The hardest aspect is to make sure it's frequent and exciting. I don't want to bore my readers, ever.

Q5. Who is your makeup and fashion inspiration?

I don't think ANYONE can have one but I can definitely say it's NOT any of the Kardashians and Jenners ;)

Q6. What's your daily makeup routine?

It depends on my meeting and routine. If it's a more casual thing then BB cream is good enough along with liner and lipstick. If I plan to go somewhere for a meeting I dress up the makeup with a bit more blush, mascara and light face powder.

Q7. What are your favorite Fall/Winter 2015 beauty trend?

Dark Lips!

Q8. What beauty products can you not live without?

Lipsticks and Eyeliners.

Q9. What are you favorite places to shop?

Everywhere I can get a chance to shop is good enough!

Q10. Share your story about Pakistan Beauty Bloggers Community to Pakistan Beauty Society?

Wanted to evolve into a community that is bigger and better and involved more than just Beauty Bloggers even though they will be the main highlight. I and Rabiyah want a community which not only promotes and mentors the Beauty Bloggers but also spread awareness of other beauty related things in Pakistan like brands, Freelance MUAs, Salons etc.

Q11. How is Pakistan Beauty Society helping the bloggers and non-bloggers?

I think I mentioned it already in the last one. Beauty Bloggers will not only get highlighted in PBS but as we are working closely big brands and we recommend them, they will be mentored to improve themselves and many other activities planned so stay tuned you will love it.

Q12. Do you have any new plan for Bloggers?

PBS is a new plan :)

Q13. How can a blogger register with PBS and what are the benefits offered to them?

Go to the Facebook page and the pinned post has a new form which you can fill.

Q14. Who were your favorite designers of 2015 ?

I don't have one.

Q15. What trends and colors do you see in Bridal wear for this Fall/Winter?

Teal blue, powder pink, rust orange and lots of jewel tones.

Q16. Any advice for the new bloggers, particularly fashion bloggers?

For all bloggers: Be honest and frequent with content, don't run after freebies and be patient. 

Q17. Where can my readers follow you?

Blog Link: www.redalicerao.com

Facebook Link: www.facebook.com/RedAliceRao

Twitter Link: www.twitter.com/RedAliceRao

Instagram Link: www.instagram.com/redalicerao

So that's Maliha Rao for you. I am so glad I got a chance to have this Q and A with her and to get to know her better. Make sure you visit her blog and see her wonderful posts. I'm sure you'll enjoy each one of them. Also if you're a blogger make sure you're following the Pakistan Beauty Society. I personally have learned a lot from that platform and I promise, you will too.

Don't forget to visit her blog and tell her if you enjoyed this Q and A and also remember to leave your valued comments and feedback down in the comment section. Make sure you're following my blog to see more in this series and if you have any suggestions please leave them in the comments area.

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao!

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