#SkincareWeek : Claims vs Results - L'Oreal Paris Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion Review

Company Claims :
This first ever mask-grade hydrating lotion is infused with the finest French Grape Seed Extract, a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals to protect your skin against the dulling and damaging effects of external aggressors. Double Hyaluronic Acid also boosts hydration so skin is quenched, becomes softer and more radiant.
Suitable for Normal to Dry skin.

L'Oreal Paris Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion Review Ingredients Swatch in India

Ingredients :

L'Oreal Paris Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion Review Ingredients Swatch in India

My Experience with Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion:

My skin type : Currently, my skin is normal. It gets dry if I’m not regular with moisturizer (these months are cold after all!). I don’t have sensitive skin, however there are some products that give my skin allergic reactions.

L'Oreal Paris Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion claims to be ‘energizing & hydrating’ and boasts of some ingredients like Grape Polyphenols, French Spa Water (like Thermal Spa waters) & Double Hyaluronic Acid(HA). Because of these claims, I expected it to give an intense moisture boost to my skin.

The L’Oreal Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion can be used two ways – as a face lotion & as a face mask. As a lotion I find it heavier on my skin than my current goto product– Za total hydration milky moisturizer. This is the hydrating mask I had mentioned in the Za post. I used this mostly as a mask because I wanted to get rid of the dry patches I had back then quickly.


I applied this product as an overnight mask and the next morning I saw that my dry patches were hydrated & they looked less obvious. They weren’t completely gone though. A few days the dry patches returned. This mask + Za moisturizer together have helped my get rid of dry patches. It has not broken me out inspite of using it overnight several times.

This mask doesn’t do anything more – I expected my skin to be plump & glowy, like the effects I got from THEFACESHOP moisturizing sheet mask. L’Oreal claims that this gives you ‘watery, bouncy & radiant skin instantly’.  But there’s no radiance or visible plumping, however skin does feel hydrated. It can also be mixed in with your foundation (for ex the Lakme Absolute White Intense foundation) in cooler seasons. It has a runny texture and looks exactly like the mask fluid of THEFACESHOP mask. I won’t recommend mixing it with your foundation if you live in a humid place because it feels heavy on the skin.

I seriously don’t like the packaging of the L'Oreal Paris Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion indian version, it is too bulky ! The Singapore version is so pretty! This product has a light fragrance. Since it contains ingredients like Double HA, it should help in anti-ageing. I’m in my early 20s so I can’t comment on any anti-ageing effects as I don’t have any signs of ageing.

L'Oreal Paris Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion Review Ingredients Swatch in India


L'Oreal Paris Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion Review Ingredients Swatch in India

Price vs Product
Price : Rs.425 / $6.4
Qty : 200ml / 6.7 oz
Shelf Life : 12 months
Availability : Purplle | Nykaa | Flipkart 

Overall Verdict : 3.5 / 5

In my humble opinion, the L'Oreal Paris Hydra Fresh Mask In Lotion, has a lot more claims than results. I didn’t experience any radiance or bouncy skin. It didn’t make my skin look plump or well hydrated, but it did hydrate my skin, get it ? I still use it every few days (as I have still not purchased a night cream) to moisturize my skin but I do wish it imparted a glow. From price pov, its not very pricey for the quantity & you only need a little bit with every use so the bottle lasts a long time. I’d recommend it if you’re on a budget & need a mask that moisturizes your skin.

#SkincareWeek is a special series - Each day of the week I'll present you with a new skincare product. 7 skincare products carefully tried & tested out for you! Do check back tomorrow for a new product :) 
More from this series  : 7 |6 | 5 | 43 | 2 | 1

#SkincareWeek: Silky Goodness or Oil Factory? The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil Review

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil is the first cleansing oil I’ve ever tried. When I was in college, I didn’t have a defined makeup routine, I didn’t even own a foundation! Ever since I started my job, I developed a habit to apply basic makeup to work regularly. I wanted to make sure that all of my makeup was completely removed before I went to bed at night. I have the Maybelline Total Clean Express Eyes & Lips remover but it was cumbersome to use a different product for face so I decided to buy The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil so that I have one product to take care of all the makeup on my face.
Ingredients :
Glycine Soja Oil/Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil/Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil/Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 85, Sorbitan Trioleate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil/Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Parfum/Fragrance, Linalool, Tocopherol, Limonene, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Citric Acid.
The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil Review Demo Ingredients Price

The Body Shop Claims:
This silky-soft cleanser will effortlessly remove make-up from the whole face quickly and effectively, leaving skin feeling clean, refreshed and clear of impurities. It’s the ultimate time-saver.
   -Removes make-up
   -Suitable for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers
  -Removes waterproof make-up
My skin type : Currently, my skin is normal. It gets dry if I’m not regular with moisturizer (these months are cold after all!). I don’t have sensitive skin, however there are some products that give my skin allergic reactions.

Usage & tips : The oil has to be applied on to completely dry face and massaged in, especially on the areas where your makeup is waterproof. You will notice your eye area turn the color of your mascara when you massage it around your eyes. Once you’re happy with the amount of massage done, add water to your face. The oil turns milky and this makes it easy to wash off

In my experience, if you use the right amount of oil, your face will be completely clean & oil free after washing off with water and you may not need to follow up with a cleanser. I almost always use a face wash after this oil, simply out of habit & to get rid of the residue (if any). If I use too much of the oil, it does make eyes foggy during use, if I use the  right amount, there’s no fogginess.
Demo :Unfortunately I wasn't able to show how the oil turns milky with water, but trust me, it does!
(l-r) Eyeconic kajal & some long wearing lipsticks applied over a primerThe Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil Review Demo Ingredients Price
 after adding the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil. I used the same pressure I would use on my eye area to massage this oil on my hand
The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil Review Demo Ingredients Price

After washing away the oil with water & a wet wipe.
The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil Review Demo Ingredients Price

It takes more efforts to remove waterproof mascara. After I’ve used the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil & washed my face, I follow up with a q-tip soaked with Bioderma Sensibio H2O around my lashes to get rid of it. When you remove mascara, your entire eye area becomes colored with the shade of the mascara and its difficult to make out just using your fingers if the entire product is dissolved in the oil….at least for me :(  However, its extremely easy to get rid of all long wearing, waterproof makeup in a jiffy with this oil, like the Lakme Absolute Foundation & Kryolan Derma Color Cremes.
Effects : It doesn’t make my skin greasy, but I feel a little dry sometimes after using this product, compared to other makeup removers I’ve used. That’s why I don’t use it everyday, I like to use Bioderma Sensibio H2O in between. If you see its ingredients list, it contains a lot of other oils – soyabean, almond, sunflower, sesame & also camomile; yet it doesn't make skin oily. It does have fragrance but it has never broken me out or irritated my skin or eyes.
All in all I like this The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, but the bottle I got is faulty. The product keeps leaking from the neck of the bottle even when I lock the nozzle. I always end up using more than required so that I can keep the bottle clean T.T. I appreciate the packaging – the nozzle can be locked, but I still can’t travel with it because its faulty & will leak everywhere.
Product vs Price : 
Price: Rs. 1095 / $16.4
Qty: 200 ml / 6.75 oz 

Shelf Life : 12 months
Availability : The Body Shop Website 
Its seemingly pricey, but I could not find any cheaper dupes of it in the Indian market, yet. You get a whopping 200ml so it will last you a 3-4 months with regular use as you don't need a lot of product.
Overall Verdict : 4.5/5
The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil is a very effective makeup remover & takes care of removing even waterproof makeup. I did face a bit of hiccup with waterproof mascara but I have a feeling that its just me ! I do feel like its more drying than other makeup removers I use so I don’t use it daily but its my goto when I want to quickly get rid of all my long wearing makeup & it never disappoints. I will repurchase it if I’m not bored of using it, LOL

#SkincareWeek is a special series - Each day of the week I'll present you with a new skincare product. 7 skincare products carefully tried & tested out for you! Do check back tomorrow for a new product :) 
Previous Post : From the House of Shiseido, Za India Total Hydration Milky Moisturizer Review
More from this series  : 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

#SkincareWeek: From the House of Shiseido, Za India Total Hydration Milky Moisturizer Review

I’ve always wanted to try out Za products and with the launch of the new Total Hydration range in soft pink packaging, I couldn’t resist!


Za India Total Hydration Milky Moisturizer Review Swatches Ingredients Price in India

Company Claims:
  • This moisturizer relieves stickiness & thoroughly replenishes skin's moisture giving it a clarified glow and vibrancy.
  • Dewy & supply texture
  • For skin that tends to feel flaky yet greasy 
  • Amino mineral complex, Sebum holding power, Prism Enhancer(????),Vitamin B Derivative
  • Dermatologist tested, non clogging to pores.
Ingredients :  
Za India Total Hydration Milky Moisturizer Review Swatches Ingredients Price in India


My Experience :
My skin type : Currently, my skin is normal. It gets dry if I’m not regular with moisturizer (these months are cold after all!). I don’t have sensitive skin, however there are some products that give my skin allergic reactions.

Packaging : The soft pink bottle gives the Za Total Hydration Milky moisturizer a nice feminine touch. I wish the bottle had a pump opening instead.  After I get the product out on my palm, some of it is around the mouth of the bottle which is very messy! Za has even added instructions to wipe the mouth of the bottle clean after every use which is cumbersome if you use the moisturizer multiples times everyday.

Fragrance : It has a mild fragrance that disappears once the moisturizer sinks into your skin

Za India Total Hydration Milky Moisturizer Review Swatches Ingredients Price in India

Texture : Like the name suggests, it’s a milky moisturizer & has a very runny consistency. It easily sinks into my skin & doesn’t leave it sticky. Its very lightweight on my skin; it feels like nothing is on. I like to layer it on the drier areas of my face & it doesn’t feel heavy after layering either.

Effects
I have been using the Za Total Hydration Milky Moisturizer as regularly as I can since the last week of June. At that time I had dry patches which I was not able to get rid of (I mentioned this in the THEFACESHOP Mango Sheet Mask Review post). I had been using another hydrating mask too but it gave temporary results- my dry patches would return after a few days. I realised that probably the moisturizers I was using were not upto the mark so I switched to this Za one and it has given me significant results. My dry patches have completely gone & my skin looks visibly hydrated. My skin has always been soft (even when its dry) so I can’t comment on how much softer it will make your skin. 


I love using this moisturizer a lot & I use it in my night routine too. However, now that is getting colder, I will need something thicker for night time. It wears well under makeup too. One significant con is that it contains no SPF/PA protection & this is something missing from the entire Total Hydration range. I haven’t faced any problems wearing my sunscreen over it because both products are lightweight so they don’t feel heavy on my skin. Also, it contains parabensI haven't experienced any allergy (like breakouts) since I started using it.

I like the Za Total Hydration Milky Moisturizer a lot over my previous day moisturizer, the Chambor Hydra Essential Day Moisturizer, that one contained a lot of alcohol which made my skin look dull in the long run. The Za one is cheaper too!

Za India Total Hydration Milky Moisturizer Review Swatches Ingredients Price in India


Product vs Price :
Price: Rs.599 / $9
Qty : 150 ml / 5 oz.
Availability: Flipkart | Nykaa

Overall Verdict : 4/5

I absolutely love this product & recommend it to beauties with normal skin like me. I think dry skinned beauties might also like it and combination-oily skinned beauties can opt for the Za Total Hydration Amino Mineral Refreshing Gel. Za has mentioned that it will suit skin that is flaky yet greasy i.e skin that gets oily easily because it is dehydrated. Since it contains parabens & doesn’t give you sun protection, it isn’t the most appealing product in the market, therefore it doesn’t get a five rating. That said, I’m happy with it- it fulfills the claims of replenishing skin's moisture. I’m eyeing the Za Total Hydration Deep Moist Cream for my night routine!

#SkincareWeek is a special series - Each day of the week I'll present you with a new skincare product. 7 skincare products carefully tried & tested out for you! Do check back tomorrow for a new product :) 
Previous Post : Do YOU really need it ? The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Facial Wash Review
More from this series  : 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

#SkincareWeek: Do YOU really need it ? The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Facial Wash Review

Important as they are, not all facewashes manage to leave a lasting impression. That is why I hardly review face washes. Because The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Facial Wash is pricey & has gained a lot of popularity, I decided to share my experience with the product.
Did you know that it has a rating of 4 on Beautypedia? That’s the highest rating for a product on the site, it is also featured in their Best Skincare page.

The Body Shop Claims ~ Rich, ultra-mild foam rinses away makeup, impurities and daily grime, leaving skin clean, not tight. Dermatologist approved, clinically proven suitable for sensitive skin.

Ingredients ~ Water, Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Dimethicone Copolyol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Tocopherol
Aloe Barbadensis Gel is aloe vera leaf juice. It can soothe skin and serves as an anti-inflammatory. It is a great ingredient to have in a product targeted for sensitive skin.

The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Facial Wash Review Price in India

Product vs Price ~
Price : Rs.695 / $10.5
Qty : 125ml / 4.2 oz [one size only]
Shelf Life : 6 months
Availability : thebodyshop.in | FlipkartAmazon

#SkincareWeek - Miracle Water or Overhyped Water in a Can ? Vichy Thermal Spa Water Review

[UPDATE: As of now, its been two months & I have not broken out during my periods & I think it is because of using this product around my time of the month  ] 
The thing about thermal spring waters is that they are just mineral water. Its probably the mineral water you can buy by the bottle at your local supermarket, but it is very pricey compared to those. 

Vichy Thermal Spa Water Review Price Buy Online in India

The Vichy Thermal Spa Water claims to comfort & refresh sensitive skin & soothe irritation due to dryness. It didn’t really do that for me. I decided to do a bit of googling about it & I came across this informative post by Escentual. Do read it if you ever plan to buy an aerosol can of water from French pharmacy brands. Here’s an excerpt from the article about the Vichy Thermal Spa Water:
It’s so beneficial to skin that it can even be used as a treatment for troubled skin and anti-aging in its own right! According to Vichy, an astonishing fifteen clinical studies have proven the skin health benefits of the thermal spa water, particularly its soothing and fortifying properties, thanks to a unique blend of anti-oxidants and skin regenerating minerals infused into the water from the core of the Auvergne magma rocks it’s filtered through that can’t be replicated by science. After frequent use skin is placated and skin tolerance is improved. This particular water spray would benefit all skin-types for a whole spectrum of skin ailments or just for a skin pick-me-up, but it would unquestionably perform especially well alongside a Vichy heavy skincare regime to reinforce the qualities of the wondrous water present in all Vichy products.

Review and Swatches : L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204) & Top Coats Collection Matte (915)

Ever since I got the Faces Candy Floss Matte Nail Polish, I’ve been in love with the idea of matte nail polishes. Candy Floss is a vibrant pink color & as much as I want to wear it all the time, its not always office appropriate. It was hard to find subtle colored matte nail polishes at an affordable price. I had heard of the Bourjois Matte Top Coat but it was pricey and I wasn’t sure it was good or just a gimmick so I was vary of spending as much on it. Then this year, L’Oreal launched the Color Riche Les Vernis Top Coats Collection which had a top coat called 915 Matte, and no one was more happier than me when it was launched! Luckily I was able to get it at a discount on Nykaa (there’s a sale here every month).

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Top Coats Collection Matte (915)
This top coat is in one word, superb, for a matte nail polish maniac like me. It transforms any nail polish to a beautiful matte finish. The texture is thick and it looks cloudy in the bottle. It is easy to apply when the polish is new, however with time the quantity of polish in the bottle reduces and it becomes slightly harder to apply coats quickly. 1-2 coats per nail are enough. It also acts like a proper top coat, my nail polish lasts longer and chips less frequently. I’m very delighted with this top coat! On the downside, it becomes a bit harder to take off your polish if you use the nail polish wipes.

Price: Rs. 299 (available on discount online)
Qty: 5ml
Availability: Nykaa | Amazon | Flipkart 
(7 shades)

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches

 Matte top coat over Faces Frosty Ice Blue 
L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose 
Boudoir Rose is one of my favorite pink colors evaaaa. It is the most beautiful subdued darkened baby pink color which is suitable for our naturally tan Indian skintones. In simpler terms, it’s a nude pink color. It’s one of those must have pink shades, it goes with any colored outfit – gold, black, white, blue…I can go on & on. It requires two coats for opacity. On its own it looks lovely but I couldn’t resist adding the Matte top coat over it & I love the effect! On its own it lasts for 2-3 days on me without chipping, with the topcoat its good for 4-5 days.

Price: Rs. 250 (available on discount online)
Qty: 5ml
Availability: Nykaa | Flipkart | Jabong
(39 shades)

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches

 Matte top coat over Bourdoir Rose
L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches

L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Boudoir Rose (204)  & Top Coats Collection Matte (915) Review and Swatches


I love the look & sleek design of the L'oreal Paris Color Riche Nail Polishes but the packaging isn’t as sturdy as it looks. The cap always separates from the applicator and makes it difficult to hold & apply the color properly without streaks. That’s why I avoid buying from this range. Both polishes tend to try out if kept in one position for long periods so I make sure to change the way I store them (horizontal to vertical & vice versa) every 7-10 days.

Overall Verdict :
L'oreal Paris Color Riche Les Vernis Top Coats Collection Matte (915) : 4.5/5
L'oreal Paris Color Riche Vernis Boudoir Rose (204) : 4/5


I want to give them full marks but the price combined with the below average quality of packaging is holding me back! But I do recommend both the shades, I will definitely be repurchasing them. You should definitely check it out during sales, currently, they are on sale on some of the sites mentioned above.

Maybelline Baby Lips Spiced Up Tropical Punch Review n Swatches

The Maybelline Baby Lips Indian versions with their not-so-cute packaging have not managed to impress me much so far in terms of a “lip balm”. The shades available are pretty great but when compared to other lipbalms like Eos & Carmex they fall short. The new India exclusive Baby Lips Spiced Up range however, is pretty mind blowing. The pigment packs a punch, the formula is waxy so it actually sticks to your lips and keeps them moisturized, and to top it off, it has an SPF 20 & claims to give 12hrs of moisture to your lips.

Maybelline Baby Lips Spiced Up Tropical Punch Review n Swatches

My experience with Maybelline Baby Lips Spiced Up Tropical Punch:

Does it actually give 12 hours moisture ? Well, no. I think it keeps my lips moisturized for a good 6 hours which is pretty great imo. The other versions of Baby Lips barely moisturized my lips. This range is formulated with coconut oil & Vit E which maybe the reason behind the difference.

The formula is waxy & very similar to the Carmex Moisture Plus & Ultra Hydrating Balm range (minus the tingly feeling of the latter) which is why it sticks to the lips for a longer time. Even after it gets wiped off my lips feel moisturized.

I have the shade Tropical Punch which is a deep reddish pink color. I absolutely love the deepness of color – it covers my lip pigmentation completely – its actually deep enough to be a lipstick but it has a distinct balmy texture which lipsticks lack. It is 10000 times better than those ridiculously overpriced L’Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks (a waste of money imo) and less than half the price ! It survives snacks. The color leaves a pink stain on my lips.



This range gives a close competition to the Carmex Moisture Plus tinted lipbalm range i.e the performance is very similar. The only difference is that the Carmex one is more hydrating and the Maybelline one has higher SPF. For Rs.175 and no hassle of international delivery & customs, the Maybelline Spiced Up range wins, hands down.

As with every Baby Lips balm, I have the same complaint. The packaging is quite weak and the push up mechanism doesn’t work properly after I’ve dropped the lip balm. I tend to drop all my lip balms at least once :/ On the plus side, the packaging color matches the shade, so if you own multiple Baby Lips Lip Balms you won't have trouble finding this one in your collection. Also, the colors seem camera shy, they just don’t look as pigmented in the lip swatches, trust me they are very pigmented off camera.


Maybelline Baby Lips Spiced Up Tropical Punch Review n Swatches

Maybelline Baby Lips Spiced Up Tropical Punch Review n Swatches

Maybelline Baby Lips Spiced Up Tropical Punch Review n Swatches

Price : Rs. 175 / ~$2.7
Qty: 4g / 0.14oz
Availability: Amazon | Flipkart | Nykaa | Purplle

Overall Verdict : 5/5
At first the new Baby Lips Spiced Up range seemed pricey but the pigmentation, formula and longevity made up for it. This is definitely a must try especially for college girls & office-going gals. There really is nothing bad about the new Baby Lips Spiced Up range, if I had to nitpick, I’d say the packaging is flimsy but a lot of lip balms have the same problem. Do try out at least one shade from this range!

Bourjois Paris Twist Up the Volume Mascara Review + Demo

For the longest period of time, I’ve been a stern Maybelline Mascara user! I’ve tried all variants (right from my teens) & because they were so good & affordable, I’ve repurchased them over & over again. However, one fine day in March, I decided to branch out a little and try some other mascaras, and that’s how I ended up buying the Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara. I originally wanted another mascara from them, but it was OOS :(         Just FYI, Bourjois products are not sealed, so be careful when you’re buying their products. If you see the SAs open any product – BB cream, Mascara, lipstick etc. make sure that you report them to the store manager! Bourjois is considered as a drugstore brand even in India, but actually its not. Drugstore products are those that you can literally get at your drugstore (general store) like Health & Glow or New U, but I’ve never found Bourjois products there! Anyways, lets get on with the review.

Bourjois Paris Twist Up the Volume Mascara Review + Demo

Price: Rs. 830 / ~$12.7
Qty: 8ml / 0.27 fl. Oz.
Shelf life: 6 months after opening

Company claims:
Two transformable brushes in one!
Use position 1 to lengthen and separate lashes
Use position 2 to volumise and intensify lashes
Its intense black formula quickly builds full coverage and volume on every single lash.

Lashes look visibly lengthened and perfectly volumised!

My experience with the Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara

Packaging: The Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara comes in a simple black case which actually looks pretty cheap (for the price!) . The top part of the cap is twistable – you can twist it to change the shape of the wand. Twisting it to the right gives you a shorter & conical wand with bristles slightly densely packed for adding more volume; at least that’s the intention. Twisting that back to the left gives you a straight, longer wand with bristles slightly wider apart than the volumising wand, this is supposed to give your lashes a defined length.


volumising wand
Bourjois Paris Twist Up the Volume Mascara Review + Demo


lengthening wand
Bourjois Paris Twist Up the Volume Mascara Review + Demo

Product vs Claims:
For the first many times when I used the Bourjois Twist Up the Volume mascara, it honestly felt quite gimmicky & hard to use.  I’m accustomed to the Maybelline mascaras & those have a drier formula. The formula of this mascara is runny. On top of that, both the wands are pretty different to the Maybelline mascara wands. I feel like the Maybelline wands actually have hairy bristles and this mascara has plastic bristles. I don’t know if the material is indeed plastic (can’t find the details anywhere!) but it takes a bit of adjusting at start. You really have to spend time figuring out how to make the wand work best for you (though this is true for any mascara!) and since there are 2 wands here it takes double the time.
just with lengthening wand
Bourjois Paris Twist Up the Volume Mascara Review + Demo

The color of the mascara is jet black. Honestly, the difference between the Lengthening Wand & the Volumising wand isn’t much. The Lengthening Wand does make my lashes look a longer than they are however it gives absolutely no volume. It separates each lash without clumping (see pic above). The volumising side of the Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara is not the most impressive volumising mascara that I’ve tried(see pic below). I mean, Maybelline Falsies Volum’ Express is the winner any day, hands down! As you’ll see from the pics below, it does curl up my lashes and gives them volume. But its not as dramatic as I’d like it to be. There’s isn’t much difference between the effect both wands give my lashes. Both the wands curl my lashes a bit.


just with volumising wand
Bourjois Paris Twist Up the Volume Mascara Review + Demo

The Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara is suitable for everyday office wear. But I could definitely do with more volume, that’s why I sometimes curl my lashes before I apply it, this gives a more dramatic effect.

Legthening + Volumising wand :
To get the best of both worlds, you can also use both these wands together. In the pic below, I haven’t curled my lashes & I’ve used both the wands one after the other, going back and forth as needed. I’m pretty happy with the effect, the volume is definitely to my liking & my lashes look quite wispy! I recommend not putting too many coats because the formula is wet and can make your lashes look very sparse.


lengthening & volumising wand combined
Bourjois Paris Twist Up the Volume Mascara Review + Demo

Weartime
Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara has a very impressive weartime. It stays on my eye lashes without making the lashes droop for 12 hours straight, after which I had to remove my makeup. One thing I really admire is that the Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara doesn’t smudge at all, this is something that some of the Maybelline washable & waterproof mascaras lack! It also doesn't flake during the day.

Removal
the Bourjois Twist Up the Volume mascara I have is not waterproof (another first for me!)so it is easy to remove with any makeup remover, even Bioderma.

Overall Verdict: 3.8 / 5
I won’t consider the Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara as a must have, but it’s good for everyday wear if you don’t like heavy volume. I like that it easily separates lashes, doesn’t smudge at all & wears for a really long time. However, there are definitely cheaper mascaras in the market that can do the same task. The formula has never irritated my eyes so that’s another plus point.