Estee Lauder Sumptuous Infinite Mascara

Joining the canon of mascaras at Estee Lauder is its new family member- Sumptuous Infinite Daring Length Mascara. It's been a while since Lauder had launched a new mascara, but if it doesn't have a purpose that the existing roster does not fulfill already, then there really wasn't going to be much point. After all, we can't all be like Maybelline or L'Oreal who seem to have a new release and a 'new' brush every two weeks (yes, I want 'butterly wings' for eyelashes...) All I'm saying is, if they can afford to spend money on creating new mascaras every week, surely they should just put that in creating a technology and a formula that's good enough to last for years. Anyway, rant over. 

As I was saying, as a company- Estee Lauder seems to be one of those brands who follows the saying 'If it ain't broke, why fix it?'. They already have a reliable and effective selection of mascaras, so there's the question of why release a new one? As soon as I got my hands on one, I proceeded to examine and test out this new tube. And you all know I like my lash wands. Here is what I found:

I couldn't get my camera to zoom in properly, so pardon the tissue background ^^ You can see the graduated comb though!

The wand is of course, the highlight and feature of the mascara. Lauder have finally caught on the trend of silicone moulded wands and although it isn't exactly groundbreaking, trust the brand to give their own twist to the trend. In comparison to the general look of the silicone brush (which is really just either medium sized or super bullet thick; check Chanel, MaxFactor) Sumptuous Infinite keeps a medium-sized wand tip with one of the grooves standing upright like a spine (or a fin!) The idea being that whilst working the wand deep in the lash roots building up the volume, the fin groove combs and separates the lashes to create definition and length. Pretty smart, if I do say so myself! It saves you from having to use a spoolie after using, say, something like Le Volume from Chanel, to separate the lashes, thus avoiding clumps. In comparison to its predecessors, having a silicone mould wand also means it doesn't take on as much product because of the clear grooves, instead of just stiff, straight-edged bristles. This feature gets an A from me.

The formula on the other hand is fine- assuming that it follows the same DNA as Sumptuous and Sumptuous Extreme, this mascara is for those who want big and bold lashes. However, for my personal taste, it is a little on the wet side. From the Estee Lauder roster, DoubleWear is my favourite range of mascara because it has quite a dry(-ish) formula. By 'dry' I mean that the mascara coats the lashes thinly- allowing for gradual build up and the opportunity to really work and separate the lashes for a fuller look. Obviously, it also dries faster. The Sumptuous family on the other hand is very much a 'fashion' and 'wet' mascara, in that although it has that blacker-than-black finish, it also has a tendency to get gloopy and it takes longer to dry. Some people like that look but I personally don't- but the good thing is, Sumptuous Infinite's wand prevents too much product when it comes out of the tube- so you shouldn't run the risk of clumps and a spider-leg finish. The formula gets a B- from me. 

Overall, it is a great addition to the range. It serves its purpose, which for me seems to be- taking Estee Lauder mascaras into the future. It's a modern wand for the modern gal who wants it all. It has a 10-hour staying power, which is pretty accurate. I don't wear mascara on my bottom lashes because I don't like the transfer later on in the day, but since I wear lenses- I blink a lot and I use eyedrops. No transfers all day. 

The mascara retails for £21, and you can purchase yours at your nearest Estee Lauder counter or online here. 

Have you tried Sumptuous Infinite yet? Sound off below!

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick: The Ultimate Beauty LBT

LB-what you say?

LBT.

Little Black Tube. Do you own one?

As far as bases go, I firmly believe that one should have one of these fabulous tubes (or in my case, two!) in their repertoire. It's funny because, it wasn't until recently that I finally committed to purchasing Bobbi's cult favourite Foundation Stick. I've tried it in the past, on and off. Loved it, but I always put it in the back burner because my skin was oilier back then. I had it stuck in my mind that cream foundations will just slip off my face because I was far too oily and the consistency is creamy. Not a great combination. I'm sure oily skin types can use it too, but having to powder a lot throughout the day and to set the foundation was simply too much hassle for me. However, fast forward to my mid-twenties- my skin is more normal than anything, and since I've had great results with Kevyn Aucoin's creme foundation I thought maybe it was time to try BB's stick again.

Bare Essentials: Let's Touch Base!

After years and YEARS of trying different foundations, *and much money down the drain*, I've narrowed my wardrobe down to these three. I'm still open to trying new ranges from different brands- in fact, I'm currently testing out Dior's and Benefit's selection of bases, (and with positive response!), but in the last year or so, I've realised that I always come back to one of these three foundations. They are about as go-to as it'll ever get for me, and it's been a painstaking ride getting to this point.

Of course like most people, I have a few skin issues at different times of the year. I have found that I can't stick to just one formulation for a long time because my skin changes throughout the year- be it down to moisture levels, dullness, oiliness- and these really are the main three that shape the way I approach my seasonal make-up routine.

Another major issue for me is colour. These three are by no means THE perfect match, but out of all that I have tried and tested thus far, these are the ones that provide the closest match to my skintone without requiring much modification by way of warming up or otherwise. It's also no surprise that these are not cheap. The price points on these items go from £20+.

Though self-service brands seem to be more aware of the need for colour diversity these days, and they still have a long way to go- I still prefer to look at the higher end of the spectrum, those who have the luxury to produce those in-between shades of various undertones, because there's a higher chance for me to find my colour range. I can understand why drugstore brands won't do that, because it is expensive. And so, it's not about snobbery at all from me, as I wish I could find a cheaper (or accessible and available) brand with great colours, but I don't mind spending that much more if it means getting a product that really suits me. Furthermore, these three are suitable to all skin types! For me, that's a MAJOR bonus because throughout year, my skin literally becomes ALL skin types. 

On that note, shall we begin? Let's talk base!