Lancome is a brand that until recently I had never really dabbled much in. There was a whole lot of hype surrounding their Hypnose Drama mascara a while back and so I gave it a go, but it all honesty wasn't that impressed - the formula was a little too dry for my liking and if I remember rightly, tended to flake on my lashes - it wasn't horrendous but it wasn't something I would go back and repurchase either.
Since then (and I might add - not intentionally), I haven't picked up anything else from them - that is until the other day when I saw a friend of mine wearing one of their 'Rouge in Love' Lipsticks in the shade 'Rose Tea' 200B or 'Rose Thé' as it appears to be called online (this caused a lot of confusion when it came to purchasing I can tell you!). It looked incredible on her and so I knew immediately that I would have to snap one up for myself. It's a gorgeous nude with a brown tinge that I have been enjoying pairing with Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat Pencil in 'Pillow Talk' on an everyday basis. The formula is creamy and leaves a sheen to the lips but nothing too glossy. It is well pigmented and its diddy size and cute packaging make it the perfect handbag companion. Whilst waiting for the sales assistant to grab this for me, I found myself drawn towards the other mascaras that were on offer and one in particular grabbed my attention. The Hypnose Volume-a-porter Mascara - it's wand with short plastic bristles and tapered end, had me intrigued. And, if I'm totally honest, the shiny gunmetal packaging also made it stand out (moth to a flame and all that). I picked it up on impulse but am so glad that I did.Unlike the Hypnose Drama mascara, the formula isn't so dry. Though neither is it so wet that you run the risk of transfer during application. As the name suggests the product gives your lashes plenty of volume, but it does a whole lot more than that in addition and helps to lengthen and separate at the same time. It is easy to layer and does so without clumping in order to create a more dramatic effect, and it manages to hold a curl like nobody's business. The first time I wore this it was for 12 hours straight - it didn't smudge or transfer and there was no flaking - which are both things I tend to suffer with thanks to my slightly hooded lids. A bold claim, but I think this might have just shot to the top of my 'high end' mascara pile.I'm excited now to try some more bits from Lancome and to find out exactly what's on offer. If you've any recommendations, then please send them my way! Sarah x