5 Nail Polishes for Fall

Probably the most exciting part of fall for me is getting to break out all of my dark and neutral shades of nail polish! These colors go neglected by me all year until late September and then I just can't get enough of them. This year I have a select few that just scream fall to me and I keep going back to them!

NOTD: Burgundy Flirt

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro- Burgundy Flirt

Seche Vite- Dry Fast Top Coat

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Guest Post: Yu's Best of the British High Street

Today's Lovely Guest:

Well hello, lovely readers of Massachusetts Mask! I'm guessing it's already pretty obvious that I've hijacked Emily's blog for the day - this is Yu from Let's MakeYuUp. As a reader from across the pond, I thought I'd take this opportunity to bring you the best of the British high street. Visiting the UK? Here for the Olympics? Live here? Look no further.

My favourite British brand has be Rimmel. Okay, yes, it's available in the US but hidden amongst the seemingly universal brand are specific items that are only available in certain countries. My must-have? The Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight. It's a perfect nude for us midtoned gals that find MAC Myth and Creme d'Nude a bit too.. corpse bride? Give this a shot if you can get your hands on it - will change your life forever ;)

Another fave has to be MUA - Make Up Academy. They are SO ridiculously affordable! Available exclusively at Superdrug, their items start from a mere £1. I think my favourite from them has to be their lip balms, that came out with their Love Hearts collection* - they're available online for £2 if you're interested! Their eyeshadow palettes are also a hit amongst us British bloggers - but I'm a bit behind and haven't tried them myself!

 

The last but not least is WHSmith - no, it's not a drugstore you've never heard of, it's actually a stationary store! But it has a firm place in the British beauty blogging world as many bloggers' first and possibly favourite storage option. Their biggest hit are their stationary drawers that have the perfect sized compartments for blusher, eyeliners, and eyeshadows. I wonder when WHSmith will catch on that their sales are not going to school girls, but a few dozen beauty addicts?

There's so much to be said about the British high street. It's great. I'm not from Britain, so I can tell you truly that your first experience on it will be - UHmazing. It's not quite a mall, and it's not quite an outdoor market. It's somewhere inbetween, and an experience to be had. And with these three recommendations, you're bound to love it as much as myself.

Until then - CHEERIO! *in a pathetic attempt at an English accent*

<3yu

*The yellow MUA lip balm was received for consideration. The other was purchased with my own money

July Favorites!

Is it weird that I'm glad summer is winding down and coming to an end? My birthday is in July, so of course its my favorite month, but I think I'm just ready for boots, scarves, and all the gorgeous jewel toned colors that come with fall! But until then (we still have a way to go before the seasons change), here are the things I've been enjoying in July:

One Mascara, Two Mascara, Three Mascara

Left to Right: Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies, Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume, Rimmel Lycra Lash Extender

Left to Right: Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous, COVERGIRL Lash Blast, Physicians Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash

Recently I've been super frustrated because I just cannot find a mascara that gives me what I want!

 My ideal lashes would be super black, really long, and have lots of volume without clumping. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so since I've been buying/trying them like crazy and just can't find one that completes my wish list!

By no means do I have naturally bad lashes, mine are dark (natural brunette), fairly long, and I have a lot of them so I can actually go out with no mascara and look fine. I do hate that they are pretty stick straight, but I've been pretty blessed in the eyelash department so I wont complain! But my absolute favorite thing to do is play up my eyes, so on an everyday basis I want that really long and volumized look!

COVERGIRL Lash Blast

This has been a favorite mascara as of recently. I love the rubber bristles on the brush, it gives me a lot of volume, but its so freakin' big that a lot of the time I end up poking myself in the eye (which results in me getting mascara ALL over my eyeshadow)! The formula is really nice because its so black but it does nothing to hold any sort of curl.

Maybelline Lash Stilleto Voluptuous

I like the separation I get with this mascara, but the formula really sucks! I cannot wear this without it completely flaking off and leaving black rings underneath my eyes. The brush is pretty funky too, I don't see the point to the wavy shape, how is that going to help my lashes do anything?

Physicians Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash

I find this one to be really similar to the COVERGIRL Lash Blast. The brushes are pretty similar except this one has bigger plastic bristles, but the formula is a bit lacking. I don't get much length and this mascara also tends to leave black rings underneath my eyes throughout the day.

Rimmel Lycra Lash Extender

I really can't use this mascara on its own, it really doesn't do much of anything for my lashes. Its really nice and dark with good separation, but this mascara is too natural looking for me. I don't know why it claims that you'll get "50% more curve" and "80% more length" because that sure isn't true! There's next to no lengthening, I mean it looks like I'm not even wearing mascara, doesn't hold a curl, and no volume. Definitely not a winner!

Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies

This is one of those over-hyped products. You get great volume, but its so not worth it with the clumping! By the time I get the amount of volume I want, I need to go back through my lashes with a comb to get rid of the clumps! The formula is super wet, which I think adds to the clumping issue (loosely leave the cap on, it gets better as it dries out). Its also not good in terms of staying power, it will leave black rings under my eyes a few hours after I apply it. This mascara is okay in terms of holding a curl, it does well at first but after a few hours my lashes end up going back to their normal straight selves.

Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume

Like the Rimmel Lycra Lash Extender, I can't really use this mascara on its own, its too natural looking. The formula isn't very black, so it requires a couple coats to get the deep color. I love how separated my lashes look when I use this, I just wish they had volume (completely misleading calling this mascara "volume"). The brush on this mascara is SO flimsy, I've broken the actual brush off the wand when I've owned this mascara in the past! Like all the others, it doesn't hold a curl (I'm starting to think there's more of a problem with my lashes since nothing is working)!

If you guys have any recommendations for mascaras you think I might like, please tell me!