Review: Mirenesse Vibralash Mascara

I haven’t done a mascara review for a while. That’s because I haven’t been using any other mascara for the past 2 months other than one product. Which one is it that has me utterly in love with it and unwilling to stray to any other product – it’s the Mirenesse Vibralash

Mirenesse Vibralash 
Now my last foray into vibrating mascaras didn’t turn out all that well so I was a little hesitant when I first tried this product. But I had nothing to fear with this beautiful formula  This mascara is fom Mirenesse's Boutique M collection which is it’s latest runway inspired range of eye and face makeup. 

Mirenesse Vibralash with vibration protective cap on; wand brush close up

• It comes with a push button at the end of the wand (make sure you remove that protective cap at the top end of the wand) that activates the vibrations and comes in 3 speeds that you can toggle through. #1 gives the gentles vibration movements and #3 is the strongest vibrating my hold hand and I actually found it quite uncomfortable to control the wand when it was buzzing around so much. My preferred speed is middle of the road #2
• I find the best way to use the wand is to start at the base of lashes, and then very slowly move the wand up and outwards, letting the vibrations do all the wiggling work for you to coat and define the lashes.
• The formula is quite thick and rich and really benefits from use with the vibrating wand as when I tried without it, I ended up with thick deposits on each lash, making my lashes look rather clumpy. On setting 1 or 2 my lashes were perfectly separated, volumised, lengthened and very fluttery. Yes they do give the false lashes look
• Claims to give 24 hours lasting power and I’ll pay that because once dried, it just doesn’t budge. There is no smudging, no fall out no droopy lashes after half a day - no a single bit of change and still looks fresh 15 hours later (I didnt' test for 24 hours as I took it off before bed that night). I can’t say too many other mascara give me this results. 
• What I love most is that for such a great formula, removal was very easy with any gentle eye makeup remover. The formula just comes off easily without having to tug and rub and with a final warm water rinse, any residues remaining were washed off easily. 

Check out the definition, lift and curl of the lashes after using Vibralash on my short sparse lashes!

After 2 months of almost daily use, my tube is still going strong and it hasn’t dried up or changed consistency, which is very important as I find many mascara start off well but in a month or so time, they just dry up and become unusable. The vibralash has renewed my faith in vibration mascaras and has become one of my top rated mascaras of 2011. I'm definitely looking for refills when I’m finish with the current tube.

RRP A$49.95 online at Mirenesse.com and 20% off if you are their VIP member (subscription fees applies).

This product was received during last year's ABBW event.

The Versatile Blogger Award

I’m still in holiday mode despite heading back to work today. Thankfully my office is 80% empty this week and I’m able to catch up on administrative things and finish off outstanding project work from last year.

So you can imagine my pleasant surprise today when I found out that Saumya at the Vanity Bag Diaries has bestowed upon me the Versatile Blogger Award which I want to thank her warmly for.

I must be out of the blogging loop and hiding under a rock lately because I haven’t heard of this award before so I thought I better look it up. What I found is that the Versatile Award is not so much an award as such, but rather, a tagging game with only 3 simple rules:

• Thank and acknowledge the person who awarded you this award
• Share 7 random facts about yourself
• Pass this award along to 15 blogs you enjoy reading.

So again, many thanks to Saumya for this tagging me this award.

Now for the7 random facts about me in the order of randomness:

1. I’m the eldest of 3 which puts me squarely in Miss Bossy Boots territory. My sister and brother probably didn’t appreciate it when they were younger, but I hope they can now because the responsibility for me was huge – afterall, I was only doing mummy’s calling.
2. I have a bronze medal in latin dance for Salsa – don’t ask me how but I do from my uni years. I wished I continued and tried for my silver medal because I would love to have some of those groovy moves these days.
3. I hate mock cream – you know, the whipped butter and icing sugar stuff. Do not even try to make me eat anything with it unless you want me to shoot dagger eyes at you.
4. I was a tom-boy in my teens and most of my uni life. How could that be when I’m crazy about makeup and beauty I can’t explain. I must have lost my boyish good looks after one too many girly makeup transformations :D
5. I love musicals and it didn’t start with Glee. The sound of Music, The King and I, My Fair Lady - I could watch those musicals over and over again. Oh, I love going to theatres to watch musical shows too.
6. I’m very minimalistic when it comes to work makeup even though I own a truckload of it. I spend more time layering on my skincare and sunscreen than I do on eye shadows... a base to even out my skintone, blush for some colour, liquid eyeliner and mascara and a lip gloss and I’m out the door most mornings.
7. I have read every Christopher Pike novel ever written in high school. Yes, I used to devour a book within a day. These days, I can’t even finish a novel in a year. I guess my taste have changed but if Mr. Pike ever released any new titles, I’ll be picking up a copy on launch day.

I hope you find some or all these quirky facts about me interesting. Now, I will pass along this Versatile Award tag to the following wonderful Australian bloggers.

Tine at BeautyholicsAnonymous
Jess at  MissJShopaholic
Celina at Fables in Fashion
Jade at Jade Musing
Tina at Chasing Elixir
Norlin at Baubles Bubbles Bags
Sarah at Dempeaux
Dana at Blushfully
Melissa at MissMacBeauty
Melmeko at Yeah,Yeah Ragger, Ragger
Emma at Emma Bovary Blog
Lexi at Dreaming of Verona
Megsy at Beauty In The Sky
Jen at My Funny Valentine
Faye at Faye Lu Review

2012: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone. I cannot believe it’s the 2nd day of 2012 already. Yes, time just truly flies when you’re having fun.

I took an impromptu break from blogging and took the time to recharge myself and enjoy the year end by relaxing, going out with friends, family and visiting the beach.

Photo courtesy of Romeo Ranoco | Reuters

Now that I feel more refreshed after a busy year, I’m ready to tackle another big year ahead.

To me, the New Year is an opportunity to reflect and renew. It may just be another day on the calendar but it acts as a mental circuit breaker for me to focus and if required recalibrate my life goals. I don’t really make any new year’s resolutions (because I can’t keep them having failed epically on my attempt to head to bed earlier this year and sleep before midnight on the very first day) – Instead I use this time to set targets I want to achieve for the new year. These, in no particular order, include:

• Plan and book that 6-week European holiday for the 2nd half of the year.
• Taking more risks at work to pursue my dream role in Strategy.
• Stepping up on my photography passion – which would start with an upcoming purchase of a new DSLR camera!
• Be a more consistent (which doesn't necessarily equate to more frequent) blogger with more quality content for my readers. So, if you have any suggestions or requests, I'm here to serve!

This is a small and fairly achievable list because I want to set goals that are going to motivate and stretch me a little rather than unrealistic targets that deflate or depress.

And finally, I want to wish you all a amazing new year; one filled with love and joy where you are able to reach your fullest potential each and every day.  Happy 2012!