Femme Fatale Designer Mink Lashes in Selfies

I've already admitted that I'm a total false eyelash noob. This also includes mink eyelashes. The latest pair I've been testing is the Femme Fatale Designer Mink Lashes in the style Selfies ($30 at http://www.femmefatalelashes.com/). 

Femme Fatale makes their lashes out of 100% mink fur. The lashes are cruelty-free, handmade and hypo-allergenic. The lashes can be used up to 25 times and come in a plethora of styles. 

After doing a little research, I found that the differences between mink and synthetic lashes are that (1) mink lashes are very fine this means that they're more natural-looking (2) mink lashes also imply that their made from animal fur - so if you're not about animal products in or on your face, then this is something to keep in mind. 

The fact is that these lashes DO look much nicer than regular, old synthetic lashes. The hairs are slightly less shiny so they look like hairs instead of plastic fibres. 

The Femme Fatale Designer Mink Lashes are housed in a hard cardboard box with confidence-inspiring little messages. Upon opening you get a Hello, Gorgeous! and underneath the eyelashes you get a Be prepared to break some hearts. It's sweet and something about a box telling me I'm flawless makes me feel good about myself. 

The Selfies are a wispy false eyelash - every few hairs alternates short and long pieces. I cut about a centimeter off of the outer edges to fit the false lashes onto my eyes. The lash band is flexible and easy to manipulate onto the eyes. Despite being a fuller-looking set of eyelashes, they're actually lightweight and I can wear them for upwards of 6-7 hours.

As for looks, I'm not a fan of this particular style. It's a bit too much drama for my face. The longer hairs of the eyelashes are so long that they reach up to almost my brows. The hairs don't really shorten from the outer to inner corner of the eye - which is unnatural compared to how natural eyelashes taper slightly towards the centre of the eyes. 

Despite my dislike for this particular style of lashes, I prefer mink lashes over synthetic lashes. Femme Fatale offers more natural styles, so those are up for consideration for special occasion makeup, as I like the way the mink lashes feel on my lids. 

Have you ever tried mink eyelashes? How do you think they compare to synthetic ones? 

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Beauty n00b: False Lashes

As a beauty blogger, I feel pretty well-versed in the land of makeups. However, there is some unexplored territory - false lashes. Admittedly, despite having teeny, tiny, straight, short, stubby eyelashes, I've never worn a pair of false ones. 

So, a ton of false lashes from the KISS Ever EZ line land on my door step and I thought, "hey, this looks like fun... why not look like a superbly Asian girl stereotype and test out some false eyelashes?"

And the result... 

I'm wearing the pair on the left!

The Kiss Ever EZ Lashes come in packs of 5 pairs ($12.94) or 2 pairs ($6.47) and include a little plastic applicator. Both come in glam or natural styles and are made of 100% human hair. What you need to buy separately is some lash adhesive. I've been using the Kiss Strip Lash Adhesive with Aloe ($3.97). 

I chose to test out a "natural" pair. I didn't need to cut  To apply, I squeezed a little bit of the Kiss Strip Lash Adhesive onto the back of my hand and then pulled the band of the lashes through the glue. I waited 30 seconds for the glue to get tacky and then proceeded to stick it onto my eyelid (as per the instructions on the back of the packaging).

Is it just more or is aligning the fake lash to your lash line the most difficult process of all? The lashes are fairly lightweight and the band is flexible, but my eyes are so twitchy. 

After a couple hours, the edges of the lashes at the inner corners of my eyes started to fall slightly. At the four hour mark, my lids started to feel a bit heavy because I'm not used to wearing false eyelashes, so I proceeded to removal. To remove the lashes, I simply peeled off the strip with the applicator and put the lashes back into the packaging for reuse. 

The Good: The false lashes add a TON of oomph to my sparse ones. I used a black adhesive so the clear band was fully concealed. Eyeliner seemed unnecessary but I felt the need to apply a little bit anyways. The "natural" set is fairly natural looking, good for everyday if that's your style! 

The Bad: Felt uncomfortable after a few hours (perhaps this is something I need to get used to). I also need to focus on getting the inner corner to stay put. It took me at least 3 minutes to apply the lashes to each eye (I'm a n00b....) 

I truly commend any girl who wears false lashes on the daily. It's an excruciatingly long and difficult process for someone as lazy as me. Furthermore, the uncomfortable wear is something I'd prefer to reserve for special occasions and costume parties, perfect if you need a lot (or a little) more drama in your makeup look. Halloween is coming up very quickly so perhaps you'll see these lashes make an appearance in the near future! 

How often do you wear false eyelashes?

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Mika for Shu Uemura Makeup Look

Mika Ninagawa (renowned photographer director) has imagined a wonderland of beauty, excitement, and discovery in her third collaboration with shu uemura. Shu's international chief makeup artist, Yuji Asano, has translated her vision into a makeup look: 

"Imagining the heroine of wonderland, I created a doll-like look with transparent white porcelain skin and also used gorgeous colours for point make-up to express Mika's world... Spring is a season with new encounters, new beginnings. Just as you take on new challenges and new experiences in your life, try out the new make-up collection and discover your new allure and beauty" - Yuji Asano

This rings true with my thoughts on beauty blogging. It's about trying new things, taking on new challenges, and seeing the world from a different new perspective. Case in point - I've challenged myself to recreate his look for the Mika for Shu collection. 

On the face: Shu Uemura POREraser UV under base (UVUB) mousse beige SPF 35, Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse  in "Soft Beige", Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Powder; Cheeks: Shu Uemura Tint in Gelato in "PK01" and Rimmel Apocalips in "Apocalyptic"; Lips: Rimmel Apocalips in "Apocalyptic" and Laura Mercier Lip Glace in "Bare Pink"; Tools: Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush - 122 Blending Powder Brush

For the most part, this look was quite straight forward - flawless face, satin raspberry lips, and dual-toned cheeks. In my opinion, there's no immediate focal point or highlight in this look. The look is a stunner in itself. However, if I had to pick my favourite part to mimic it would be the eyes. The warm, spring colour palette blended into perfection over the lids is something that I can 100% appreciate for its drama and whimsy. 

The actual makeup look by Yuji Asano features the Mika for Shu Eye Shadow Spiral Duo in 02 ($60). The orange side is slightly shimmery while the pink is quite satin. I started by swirling my brush in the orange/yellow/white side and brushing the colour all over the lid and on the centre of the lower lash line. Then, I took a small blending brush and concentrated it in the darkest areas of the pink. I applied this to the upper inner corner and the outer half of the lower lash line blending outwards. To diffuse the pink, I blended the yellow into the centre of my crease and also into the lower inner corner. 

Another reason I love this eye look is the false eyelashes ($35). The limited edition Mika Ninagawa demi lashes with yellow and pink wisps and silver stars are cute with a star-lit touch of glamour. Would it be weird if I said they look very "Japanese"? They add a doll-like beauty to the look. 

Not your typical makeup look but bang-on editorial, creative and fun to recreate. The next step for me would be incorporating the oranges and pinks into my everyday eye makeup. I'm not quite sure if I'm ready for that! 

How do you think I did?

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