DEEP clean? Oh well...

Reason I bought this was I wanted to reduce the number of times I exfoliate my face over the winter, so that I won't dry out my skin. On top of that, I went for a cream wash because cream wash tends to be less drying than gel wash. I went for the cheapest cream wash I could found that at the same time has some properties in it - claims to contain salicylic acid, which can help prevent spots and breakouts. it says, 'cleans deep down to effectively remove dirt, oil and impurities without clogging pores', 'the tingling sensation tells you your skin has been thoroughly cleaned, leaving it cool, refreshed and really clear'. I bought this when it was half price in Wilkinson (so I only paid GBP1.xx for it :D). It was a gamble, really. I still remember the last time I tried a Clean & Clear product, how drying it was that was enough to put me off from this brand for years until now (that was when I was in year 7 I believe...). However, I guess Clean & Clear has improved their products a lot but still got a very long way to go. 

• non-drying
• really strong menthol but you can still open your eyes with no problems during cleansing / straight after rinsing, which is something I could never do back in the years, the last time I used a Clean & Clear product. 
• did not clog pores
• did not cause break outs
• did not prevent break outs completely either (these are not from the cleanser, it's because I've stopped using my antibiotics)
• so... kind of maintain my skin condition rather than improve
• did remove dirt and oil, but does not clean deeply enough I think. I still have many very visible blackheads after cleansing. When I applied a nose strip afterwards, I still ended up with millions of blackheads (Yes, blackheads is one of the major problems of my skin) just not as big. I would say... remove 40-50% of my blackheads.
• consistency is more to the lotion side than cream, and I need double a pea size to cover my entire face
• left my skin really soft and cool
• did not cause irritation
• maintained my skin condition in terms of oily T-zone, did not make me look shine-free completely but my T-zone did not look more oily

MIGHT get this again if no other cream washes (with some properties) are on sale during winter...

Not my first choice but at least it is non-drying, oil-free, maintained the condition with spots issue and did not leave me looking like a grease ball.

The War of Mascaras *O*

Rimmel London
100% Waterproof Mascara
shade: 001 Black Black

Totally NOT FOR ME, quite a wet mascara, claims that it's 100% waterproof

Bristle wand, normal size. 

• Does not hold curl
• Does not give volume
• Does not lengthen
• Clumps up like crazy
• Makes my lashes stick together -> spider lashes (Looks like you have only got a few really thick - diameter wise - lashes) - no separation
• Takes ages to dry after application
• Dries up in the tube fast
• Smudges like crazy (even if it's only the minute after application) -> panda eyes
• NOT 100% waterproof at all, smears around my eyes so badly
• Also get dried bits of mascara falling off all the time
• Solution form: need to rub a bit to get it off 
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: remove without any effort

What did I do at the end?

BINNED it. 

Rimmel London
Glam'eyes Waterproof Mascara
shade: Black

I know a lot of people like this mascara but it's just... NOT for me either... A very wet formula. Claims to give you ultra volume and high definition (!?!?!?)

Rubber wand, thin, curled. 

• Does not hold curl
• Does not give volume
• Does not lengthen
• Does not clump
• Makes my lashes stick together -> spider lashes (Looks like you have only got a few really thick - diameter wise - lashes) - no separation
• Takes ages to dry after application
• Seems that it never dries up in the tube
• Smudges like crazy -> panda eyes, but not as bad as the above
• Makes my lashes turn into a rubbery texture
• NOT waterproof, smears around my eyes so badly
• Solution form: easy to remove
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: easy to remove

Where is it now?

Sitting in the tray collecting dust.

Avon
ColorTrend Plump Out Mascara
shade: Black

I don't even know whether this mascara claims to do anything? The packaging does not say a lot... It says 'plump out', I guess it's a volumising mascara? It's a mascara with a drier formula. 

Bristle wand, normal size. 

• Holds the curl
• Very black
• Gives volume
• Clumps like crazy
• Does not lengthen
• Not waterproof (it does not say it is anyway)
• Dried bits of mascara falling off all the time
• Smudges and smears around the eye badly
• Not that stand out in terms of separation
• Dries quite quickly after application
• Does dry up in the tube fast
• Solution form: easy to remove
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: easy to remove

Where is it now?

I don't even know...

L'Oreal Paris
Double Extension Waterproof Mascara
shade: Black

Claims to give you so much length and waterproof. Not my favourite but quite nice to combine to use with a good voulmising mascara such as the Maybelline Full 'N Soft waterproof. It is one of the mascaras that is formulated with the tubing technique that when you take the mascara of it comes off in tubes rather than a smear, so that all mascara can come off without leaving any residue.  

Bristle wand, normal size. 

• Lengenths like crazy
• Not that great at separation, can end up with spider lashes if put on a second or third coat (or, when you have applied more primer than you needed to cover all your lashes)
• Would clump if you applied more than two coats
• Very waterproof
• No smudging or smearing
• Holds the curl
• No volume - it is a lengthening mascara (that's why it's best to use in conjunction with a volumising mascara)
• Does not take long to dry after application
• Does not dry up in the tube fast, well, still not dried up six months after opening, which is normally when you should bin your mascara and get a new one. 
• No dried bits come off during the day
• Solution form: such a pain to remove / takes ages
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: can be removed easily 

Do I like it? 

Yes, I do like it, but best to use with other mascaras as I said. I do have back-ups of this mascara because I luv how long my lashes look after applying this mascara. Also because most mascaras smudge/smear on me but this on never :)

L'Oreal Paris
Lash Architech Waterproof Mascara
shade: Black Brown

Claims to give a false lash effect, gives a magnified volume, redefined curl and infinite length. This is the waterproof version in brown black. Smells funny. 

Bristle wand, thin. 

• Holds the curl 
• Gives a good volume but I would not say it is dramatic
• Lengthening but not as lengthening as above
• Does not smear/smudge, great for summer as well
• Very waterproof
• Can clump after two coats
• Does not take long to dry after application
• Does not dry out quickly in the tube
• Good at separating lashes but not the greatest I have tried. But can make a few lashes stick together when more than two coats are applied. 
• I don't like the strong funny smell
• No dried bits fall off during the day
• Solution form: a pain to remove it with
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: easy to be removed

How often do you use this?

This is one of my everyday mascaras even though I don't like the smell. 

L'Oreal Paris
Extra-Volume Collagene Mascara (waterproof)
shade: Black

Claims to give you hydra-collagen instant volume and waterproof. I don't notice any change in terms of the health of my lashes... Well, my lashes do not suddenly break off anyway in the first place, and whatever needs to come off will come off (your lashes do come off when they've reached a certain length/life-time, it's normal,). Maybe people who usually suffer with lashes breaking would see a difference... I don't. Does do quite a good job but I just want to use it as less often as possible. Carry on reading if you want to know why...

Bristle wand, Fat brush with bristles going in all directions. 

• Bristles used are very SPIKY and SCRATCHY
• Very Black
• Great volume, one of the best for volume
• Holds the curl
• Does not lengthen
• Separation is okay but can end up with spider lashes if more than two coats are applied
• Clumps
• Does not take long to dry after application
• Does not dry up in the tube easily
• No smudging or smearing around the eye
• No dried bits fall off during the day
• Very waterproof
• Solution form: a pain to remove, have to use a lot of product AND takes forever but STILL cannot remove all residue... Basically impossible...
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: takes longer to dissolve the mascara comparing to other waterproof mascaras that I own or owned

What do I think?

It is with all my other everyday mascaras on my desk but I try to use this as little as possible because it's such a pain to remove with any type of makeup removers. It is also because the wand is so spiky that I have to take extra caution applying this mascara. 

Maybelline New York
Great Lash Mascara - waterproof
shade: Very Black

Claims that it can perfectly separate your lashes, no clumps, gives you volume and with a conditioning formula. Also in the waterproof version. I don't know if it is conditioning or not though... As I said, the condition of lashes are not that bad in the first place...

It is one of my everyday choices. 

Bristle wand. Spiral. Small compared to normal size. 

• Separates so well
• Does not clump
• Not lengthening
• Gives little volume but can be built up (wet build-up formula), I just never want to because when I use this mascara I want my eyes look simple, clean and fresh
• Holds the curl
• Does not take long to dry after application
• Does not dry up in the tube easily
• No dried bits fall off during the day
• Does not smear at all throughout the day
• Never get spider lashes no matter how many coats you applied
• Solution form: can take a bit of time for the makeup remover to dissolve the product
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: can be removed without any effort

What do I think of this in general?

Gives you a nice clean, fresh, simple look by separating your lashes so well and not smearing. Can be built up to give you more volume but why bother when you want to look natural? Oh yea, when men says they prefer 'natural' looking face, they do not mean they want a girl with absolutely no makeup on, research has shown that 80% of men voted for the face with makeup on when they were shown with a photo of a women with makeup on and a photo without makeup on. 

Maybelline New York
Volum'epress Turbo Boost Waterproof Mascara
shade: Turbo Black

Claims to give you five times more volume and is waterproof. I don't know whether the 'five times' claim is true because I did not measure, either do I know HOW to measure.... 

It is one of my choices for volume. 

Bristle wand, normal size. 

• VERY black
• Separation is great
• Does lengthen a bit, which is strange, because it does not claim to do that
• No clumps
• Can give you a LOT of volume without giving you spider lashes
• It is waterproof but cannot stand EXTREMELY humid weather
• Generally does not smudge or smear but can smear a little when it is EXTREMELY humid / when your eye areas go EXTREMELY oily due to various reason
• Holds the curl
• Does take a bit of time to dry after application
• Does not dry out in the tube easily
• No dried bits fall off during the day
• Solution form: no rubbing required but can take a bit of time dissolving the product
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: can be removed without any effort at all

When do I use this?

This is great for dramatic looks and smoky eyes. For those looks when I normally would wear nude colours on my lips. 

Natural Collection
Mascara
shade: Clear

It says it conditions for natural looking lashes, is fragrance-free and dermatologically tested. To be honest, I want to know what 'tests' did they carried out, because it stings my eyes. It went cloudy as well after a few uses. 

Bristle wand, spiral. Normal size. 

• Gives no volume
• Gives no length
• Does not hold curl
• Does nothing about separation - lashes stay what they look like before applying the mascara
• The lashes stayed soft after application
• Took me ages to wait for the product to dry after application
• Does not dry out in the tube at all
• No dried bits fall off during the day
• No smudging or smearing throughout the day
• Solution form: I didn't even know if there was any product on my lashes when I took my makeup off at the end of the day
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: I didn't even know if there was any product on my lashes when I took my makeup off at the end of the day

So, what did I do instead of using it as a mascara?

Simply did not do ANYTHING, so I changed and tried to use it as a brow gel but failed... Did not hold my brow hair in place either. 

Casuelic
Mascara & Eyebrow Gel
shade: Clear

The first mascara I bought was a clear mascara. Reason I bought that was, at that time, I have only came across two mascaras, both by Rimmel, one was waterproof(the first mascara I talked about here), one wasn't and both smudges on me badly. I was on the look for something that can hold the curl but does not smudge. I thought to myself, a clear mascara should not smudge on me since it has no colour, even if it does, no one would be able to see. However, it turned cloudy eventually after I used it everyday for about two months so the following summer, I had to go get another one. I could not find the same one but bought this one instead, hoping it would do as good a job as my previous one but... And, this one turned cloudy after two uses!

Bristle wand, spiral, normal size.

• Gives no volume
• Gives no length
• Does not hold the curl (my first one DID hold the curl!)
• Separation is great (so was my first one!)
• Did not take too long to dry after application (so was my first one!)
• Does not dry out in the tube easily (so was my first one!)
• No dried bits fall off during the day(so was my first one!)
• No smudging or smearing throughout the day (so was my first one!)
• Solution form: can be removed easily (so was my first one!)
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: can be removed easily (so was my first one!)

What did I do after it turned cloudy?

I used it as a brow gel but did not see the point...

Maybelline New York
Full'N Soft Mascara Hydrofuge
shade: Soft Black

Claims to leave your lashes soft at the same time gives you volume. It is the waterproof version. I luv this mascara and it's my favourite of ALL TIME. I just hope that they sell this at where I live so that I don't have to get this off the internet in the future. Also claims that it can make your lashes stay healthy rather than damaging them, I am not sure since I don't have a problem with the health of my lashes. Because my lashes stays soft, I can use this even when I wear my glasses without having 'hard-lashes' poking the glasses and hurting my eyes, they bend since they are soft. 

Bristle wand, normal size. 

• Gives you volume
• Holds the curl
• Separation is good - no spider lashes
• Does not take long to dry after application
• Does not dry out in the tube easily
• Lashes stay soft (I luv it!)
• No clumps
• No dried bits fall off during the day
• Completely smudge-proof and waterproof (I wore this for the whole summer, when the weather is EXTREMELY HOT AND HUMID, when my eye areas are the MOST OILY AND SWEATY in the year)
• Solution form: easy to be removed
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: can be removed easily

How much I luv this?

It is my favourite of all time and I have a few backups :D This is the mascara that got me into Maybelline New York's mascaras.

Maybelline New York
Sky High Curves Waterproof Mascara
shade: Soft Black

I think this is the lengthening version of Maybelline New York's Great Lash Mascara Waterproof, giving you clean looking lashes. I was on the look for a waterproof mascara that is affordable because I forgot to bring one with me when I went back to HK for holiday. I found this in Bonjour and only cost me HKD35.00 and it's by Maybelline New York!!!!!!!! I did not want a volumising mascara in particular since it was summer and I would rarely want to do any 'heavy eye-look'. This was the perfect choice. 

Bristle wand. Normal size. 

• Gives length (but not crazy like L'oreal Paris' Double Extension Waterproof)
• Holds the curl all day 
• Completely smudge-proof and waterproof (I wore this for the whole summer, when the weather is EXTREMELY HOT AND HUMID, when my eye areas are the MOST OILY AND SWEATY in the year)
• No clumps
• Great in terms of separation
• Does not give volume
• Does not take long to dry after application
• Does not dry up in the tube easily
• No dried bits fall off during the day
• Solution: easy to remove
• 2-phase / cream / lotion / oil form: easy to remove

What's my thought on this?

Another GREAT choice for the summer.