Sparkled Beauty

I have two new Make Up For Ever products today. You all probably heard about the Smoky Extravagant mascara, meant to offer volume, length, curl and precision to your lashes.

According to MUFE:
- the black natural mineral pigment (made of micronized iron oxide) in the formula is safe for sensitive eyes or contact wearers
- the base of wax complex and abyssinian oil helps the mascara stay smudge proof but is easily removed
- Panthenol Pro-vitamin B5 nourishes the lashes and protects them from environmental effects.

Feel pretty good there, don't we? I don't have any issue with the formula, but more with the wand. It's too big for my eyes. Most of the time, I ended up using only the smaller half of it. It coats my lashes well and I get the volume but also leaves a smudge or two around my eyes in the process due to its size. Because my lashes (and my curler) suck, I can't testify the curl effect of this mascara. Not much of length either.

The mascara retails $28. For the price, I'm not sure Smoky Extravagant would be my first choice for mascaras.

Now the second product, I love. It's the 230, a large shader brush with straight, tapered fibers.

The artisan brushes are great additions to MUFE product line, 76 hand-crafted pieces all together, numbered 100s for complexion, 200s for eyes, 300s for lips and 400s for pros. All with synthetic fibers, either straight (for precise application) or wavy (for lighter application).

The gunmetal ferrules and beech wood handles give an overall sleek design.

230 is to apply, blend and smudge eye products, recommended for cream, loose and compact powder eyeshadows.

The bristles are flat and slightly firm (not scratchy), great to pack on products. Dark colour means easier to clean

Check out the slanted tip on the handle, which is meant to give support for false lash application. Cool huh?

Length wise, 230 is a bit longer than my other eye brushes - MAC239 and Loew Cornell Maxine Mops, so it does stand out in the brush holder. For what it can do, 230 has taken over most of the makeup tasks on the eyes for me.

The brush retails $36, available at Sephora. Worth a splurge, if you know what you're doing with a shader brush :)

A quick FOTD using both the MUFE Smoky Extravagant mascara and the 230 brush.

On the eyes:
- MUFE Aqua cream in #5 Peach
- Annabelle 4Show eyeshadow in Tiger-eye(discontinued)
- Annabelle Smoothie eyeshadow pencil in Licoriche on lower lash line, set by the bronze in the Tiger-eye quad.

Other products:
- Marcelle BB cream in Medium to Dark
- Maybelline The Eraser Dark Spot concealer + treatment in Light/ Medium
- Annabelle Glossy crayon for lips in Fauvish
- NYX eyeshadow in Wild Flower as blush
- Annabelle Zebra bronzing powder in Haute Gold.