Tuesday 28 August 2012

Lashes 7 - L'Oréal's Volume Million Lashes in Extra Black



Today's mascara 'before & after' is L'Oréal's Volume Million Lashes in Extra Black. I got this as a freebie but I can't remember where from I'm afraid. I haven't worn it much yet but it is quite nice. It is not as heavy as some of the other mascaras that I like and seems to be fairly good at lengthening and separating.





 Again here is my 'table' of the first five mascaras compared. I haven't added the ModelCo Fibre Lash or this L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes yet. I'll do a 'Part 2' at the end of all the 'before & afters'.





Score chart currently goes something like this -

First PlaceModelCo Fibre Lash Brush on False Lashes
Second Place - Maybelline One by One Volum' Express Satin Black
Third Place - Benefit They're Real!
Fourth Place -  L'Oréal's Volume Million Lashes in Extra Black
Fifth Place - Revlon Grow Luscious by Fabulash because it actually looks quite nice in the pictures.
Sixth Place - Maybelline's XXL PRO Extensions.
Seventh Place - Maybelline's The Falsies Volum' Express

Although the longer this list gets the harder it is to choose which ones are better than others.




Monday 27 August 2012

My Spoonflower fabric arrived.




My Spoonflower fabric, based on the tutorial by Etsy designer Anda Corrie, arrived a couple of days ago. I ordered pieces of organic cotton knit, cotton voile and a regular cotton. Now to decided how to use these test pieces and what to draw next. I am very happy with the service and the quality. The print is a bit bigger than I imagined but I hadn't actually looked at the scale to see how it would turn out so that's my own fault. It's not an issue for this test run at all though. The tutorial made it all very easy and if you have been thinking about trying Spoonflower I would say 'go for it!'.


20 days to organise and clean your home with 'The Organised Housewife'.

The Organised Housewife 

A few weeks ago I did a post about trying to clean and organise around the home and some of the tips that help me. One of those was the daily emails from The Organised Housewife. Well, The Organised Housewife is about to start a 20 day challenge to organise and clean your home and I decided this is something I should really try to follow along with. She is going to set tasks for 20 days (plus a few pre-challenge tasks to help you get ready) and it should be noted that you get weekends off. I'm not sure how easy it will be if you go out to work or if you work from home a lot but it might provide some tips and inspiration. Click the button above if you want to check it out. I'll try to let you know how I go.




Sunday 26 August 2012

Lashes 6 - ModelCo Fibre Lash Brush on False Lashes.



Here is a look at another two-step mascara in my collection. Actually it is a three-step mascara, four if you curl your lashes first but, for me, I think the results are worth the extra step. This is the ModelCo Fibre Lash Brush on False Lashes. I have purchased this mascara myself and also picked up freebies with magazine purchases because it is a little bit pricey and because I love this mascara for added length. For best results curl your lashes first then brush on the mascara. This gives the fibres in the other tube something to stick to. Brush on the fibres then cover with mascara again for longer lashes. Yes, you can get length like this with some one-step mascaras too but I do like this one a lot. I think it is my favourite.




 Again here is my 'table' of the first five mascaras compared. I haven't added the ModelCo Fibre Lash yet. I'll do a 'Part 2' at the end of all the 'before & afters' I think.





Score chart currently goes something like this -

First Place -  ModelCo Fibre Lash Brush on False Lashes
Second Place - Maybelline One by One Volum' Express Satin Black
Third Place - Benefit They're Real!
Fourth Place - Revlon Grow Luscious by Fabulash because it actually looks quite nice in the pictures.
Fifth Place - Maybelline's XXL PRO Extensions.
Sixth Place - Maybelline's The Falsies Volum' Express




Saturday 25 August 2012

I found my bicentennial medal... and a box full of letters.

Firstly, I must apologise if this blog entry seems a bit scattered or doesn't make sense. I've been sick for a few days and our little one has croup so my head isn't particularly clear. I've been so slack on the blog-front lately though I thought I should post something. Also I typed half of this using the blogger app on my phone for the first time which might add to the post's wonkiness. Oh well. Let's pretend any content is good content... just for now?

You might remember that a few weeks ago I was pondering the question 'Where are all the School Students' Australian Bicentennial medals?' Well, I did actually find my medal  a few days ago. It was where I suspected it might be, in a box full of letters I've saved from my teen years. After I dusted off the medal and noted the autographs collected inside its cardboard cover - my own(!?!) and one other school chum's - I obviously made a big effort there - I chuckled at myself and started reading a few of the letters.

I had just turned 14 when our family moved half way across the country and the letters were mainly from school friends. It was supposed to be a permanent move but for many reasons we ended up back in Sydney six months later. As I'm sure you know there was no email or texting and no 'online' social networking for that instant and anywhere contact. At least not for anyone I knew. It was all snail-mail and an occasional phone call and so my friends and I undertook a furious letter-writing campaign trying to keep in touch. The first few letters I read from this box had some typically funny and slightly embarrassing teen stuff in them but I found that what struck me the most was they were rather sad too. I was surprised. Although after our family's move I found myself in a new place trying to figure out where I would belong, some of the friends I'd left behind were struggling to find where they fitted amongst the others at my old school now that our little group had shrunk so small. My departure had left a bit of a hole. And this still surprises me because even at this age self-confidence and I are usually almost strangers. I often assume that I am rather un-memorable (I know that isn't exactly a real word but 'forgettable' isn't quite the word I'm looking for) and I can still be surprised when someone says 'yeah, I remember you'. I mean, I remember them but for them to remember me is always a surprise. Why? I don't know. And if they remember me but I don't remember them I am even more surprised. I knew I missed my friends when I was 14 but for them to miss me too... I am still surprised to read that. Reading through all those letters again will take some time and I'm not sure whether they are something worth keeping for my children or possible grandchildren.  I guess their purpose right now is to remind me that I have always been important to someone, somewhere. Everyone is important to someone, somewhere. Don't forget it. (Especially if it is a little boy with croup.) To the friends who wrote the letters to me, thank you always! xx



Thursday 23 August 2012

Style challenge: Neon...and fluoro...and yellow...oh my.

I'm not a huge fan of all the neon that is making it's way into the stores for spring and summer. However, I know myself pretty well, and the likelihood that I will turn around at some point and decide that I MUST HAVE neon jeans is pretty strong. So, I thought I would hit the nail on the head, and do some advance planning.

I walked past Witchery the other day, and when I saw these neon yellow jeans I thought to myself - "What the frack do you wear with those?" And then I thought to myself, "Challenge accepted!" After a bit of thought, and some research I've come up with both daytime and nighttime options that I am mostly satisfied with. 

What I realised immediately with neon yellow, is that you can't immediately use the stalwarts of tan, black and navy blue that work so well with other coloured jeans. But that's okay - I like coloured jeans, and I'm glad they seem to be sticking around for a while. They really do make casual dressing a lot more fun and interesting.

I realised after a while, that the magic colour for neon yellow is grey. Which makes me happy, because I love grey. While the Helmut Lang jacket featured below is a bit of a stretch financially, you get what I'm going for, right? And a girl can dream...

I'm not as sold on chambray for the daytime option, but I do like the printed shirt... As in all things, I'd probably need to see it in real life to be sure. But hey, maybe I can make friends with neon after all?




Neon jeans - yellow

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Not a cloud in the sky.




Wintergirls

Wintergirls

Laurie Halse Anderson

I recently went on a bit of a splurge and bought myself one of those fancy new-fangled iPads. Mostly I've been downloading books and using it as an e-reader, which makes me think I probably should have just bought a kindle, but I'm sure I'll get into the full functionality of it soon enough. I'm pretty slow when it comes to technology, I admit it. It's just so amazing that I can download a sample of a book, read it, and then if I like it, download the rest of the book. All at the tap of a button. Frankly, it's a bit dangerous for my bank account and I probably need to start exercising a little more discretion in my purchases.

That however, is not a comment on Wintergirls. I've been on a bit of a hunt recently for YA authors that I haven't previously heard of, and Laurie Halse Anderson's name cropped up quite a few times in my internet browsing. I don't generally gravitate towards EATING DISORDER novels. It's a bit like novels that are about DRUGS, or DIVORCE, or teenage girls who are in INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS. Reading them is a bit like continuously being hit over the head by the author a baseball bat, with whatever the key message of the novel is painted on the side, just in case you're not getting it. It's annoying and painful. And let's face it, there are plenty of sophisticated teen readers out there, so odds are, they are annoyed too and there goes your target audience.



The first thing I will say about Wintergirls is that it's incredibly confronting. Anderson does an amazing job of getting inside the head of eighteen year old Lia, who suffers from anorexia nervosa. Anderson clearly did her research, and did it well. I consider myself a fairly empathetic person, and I still had to work pretty hard at times to remind myself that Lia was being controlled by a disease - she was not sound of mind and making choices simply to be difficult and make life hell for her family. 

The novel opens with Lia finding out about the death of her friend Cassie - who died alone - in a motel room. RIght away, you know what the tone is going to be. Lia lives with her present-but-absent father, stepmother and stepsister and has an extremely dysfunctional  relationship with her mother, whom she refers to as Dr Madigan, rather than Mum (or Mom - the book is American). Wintergirls is dark, there is no getting around this. Lia's fractured family life and fractured self-image, result in her walking through life in a haze of denial and obsession.  

Not all readers will like Anderson's way of writing. There are a lot of, as the author puts it, "stylistic quirks." I think the author made some great choices in this regard and those quirks really helped me, as a reader, feel what it was like to be Lia, and inside Lia's body. It's a very sensory novel, Lia's emotional and physical pain is pretty visceral.

While this a YA novel about a SERIOUS ISSUE, Anderson manages to avoid a lot of the cliches found in this kind of novel. There is one huge cliche, that I was absolutely sure would appear at the end of the novel, and I was absolutely delighted to be wrong. And thank god, because that particular cliche is not the answer to every teenage girl's problems. I can't tell you what it was without spoiling it for you, but should you read it you'll know what I'm talking about. Hopefully, you might just breathe a sigh of relief too...

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson is published by Penguin Group US, and is $10.99 on iTunes. 


Sunday 19 August 2012

Sunday Sevens

Hello little birds!

Let's get into it, shall we?

1. Taylor Swift's new song!

I have been singing my love for Taylor loud and proud ever since I first saw the video clip for "You Belong With Me" and will continue to do so as long as she keeps writing amazingly catchy country pop songs, and being generally adorable. I challenge anyone who has ever had a crush, or been through a break up NOT to relate to at least one of her songs - if not all of them. I bet most of you can listen to this song and say to yourself "Ha - damn straight!" whilst thinking of someone from your past... I can already guarantee that it's going to be on every single playlist I make this summer. Also, this lyric video is super cute. Can't wait for the "real" video clip! 



2. Chevron stripes

A peek into my wardrobe will confirm that I have a strong affinity for anything stripey. Usually, I go for the standard horizontal, navy and white stripes, but recently I've been getting into chevron stripes more and more. What are chevron stripes, I hear you ask? They look like this:




I bought this skirt from Marcs recently (on sale! Win!) and now I can't wait until the weather is warm enough for bare legs and I can bust it out. 

3. Ikat

Okay, I hear you say, what the hell is Ikat? Good question! I didn't know myself until recently. It's a particular way of dying fabric that is mostly associated with Central and South America, but is also common in India, Japan and South-East Asia. Here are some pictures of Ikat stuff I would like to buy, which will help explain. You'll probably think "Oooooh...that. Yeah."



Ikat

Ikat by carolinelt featuring a straw hat

4. New material from Aaliyah

I was pretty devastated when Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash, eleven years ago. She is one of the most under-rated R&B singers of our time and it frustrates me when people talk about how she wasn't a "strong singer" because they are used to Mariah-style histrionics. Her subtlety is well, way too subtle for today's listeners, who are used to Rihanna leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination (and doing it all a quarter tone off key). This review sums up perfectly what Aaliyah contributed to R&B - she had nuance and class that is missing from the genre a decade later.

I know her family is not in support of the post-humous song released recently by Drake, but as a fan, I can't help but get excited. I'm not really a huge fan of Drake - I find him pretty average - but he barely features in the song, so he's easy enough to ignore.



5. Secret Squirrel

I usually lust after clothes from Secret Squirrel from afar, but when their prices started dropping, dropping, dropping on their end of season stock I had to pick up a few pieces. When they got to 50% off, I felt like they had moved into my price range (just) and swooped in. No regrets - I absolutely love their colours, fabrics and patterns. I'm looking forward to getting a lot of wear out of my new purchases, as they work quite well for the office or a bit of a smart-cas weekend.


6. Family time

My incredibly talented cousin Tom lives in Singapore, but was home with his partner this weekend for Tom's birthday. It was so good to see him - I really need to get off my butt and book a trip to Singapore...or maybe we can meet in Bali? ;) I could use a week or two relaxing by the beach/pool with a nice cocktail.



Check out Tom's showreel below - so talented!




7. The end of winter...almost!

I know I'm getting a head of myself, and it's going to be cold for a while yet (by my standards at least), but I'm starting to feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Every morning when I walk to the station I get to walk past these beautiful cherry blossoms, and it really feels like spring is in the air. Or will be soon...


xx



Friday 17 August 2012

Spoonflower continued.





Following on from my bookmark entry about Spoonflower.com, I finally took the plunge and using the tutorial on their blog I've created the demo design and I've ordered my first fabric! Yes it is extremely heavily based on the tutorial but I'm counting this as my test run. Can't wait to see how it looks. I've chosen a couple of their different types of fabrics so I can compare them for later reference although you can order swatch samples before printing anything if you prefer. (Caroline, can you spot your nephews? The girls are all loosely based on your niece though.)







Thursday 16 August 2012

Mister Bill Murray




Caroline! Thrill Murray (coloring book)! Although, sadly out of stock.








Sifting through bookmarks again - Spoonflower

Spoonflower is a place I have bookmarked many times. It is a place that seems to be eternally on my to-do list. It is a place where you can have your own designs printed on fabric and that is something I'd love to do one day. But what to print? They have tutorials to help you turn your ideas into files ready for printing with tips for how to get the best results and if you don't consider yourself much of a designer you can often buy other people's prints.

Spoonflower runs regular competitions based around a weekly theme. One of my favourites (which I obviously bookmarked) was a 'softies' theme. My favourite entry was probably this 'Fab Fox' by 'Happy Sew Lucky'. A super hero in y-fronts. (Click through to see some cute pictures on her own website if you are interested. I'm not quite sure what the protocol is around using other people's pictures if you are spruiking their websites... do you just go for it? Or do you email and ask permission? Is there a general consensus? Check our link to our Pinterest boards and I'll add a few 'pins' there.) Another cute entry was called 'Kawaii Kitchen' which I believe came in at number one. They could be some fun school holiday projects for kids who like to sew.



Tuesday 14 August 2012

Lashes 5



Now for a two-step mascara. I've noticed, on the web, that some people just aren't fans of the two-step mascara. I think this is partly because they feel it takes longer to apply and that annoys them. I've found that this type of mascara really can help to get that extra millimetre or two of length out of your lashes and that second step doesn't bother me. It's just another couple of seconds. I own a couple of this type of mascara which I'll be looking at here over the next couple of posts.

Today, a mascara that was an old favourite of mine -
Maybelline's XXL PRO Extensions. I think it is pretty good for a mascara that you can buy at a supermarket. It looks a little clumpy in the photos here... maybe it is... or maybe I'm not so good at applying the mascara? I don't usually find that it is too clumpy myself. Step 1 is a white 'primer', for want of a better word. Some two-step mascaras have small fibres to brush on to the lashes (e.g. Model Co. Fibre Lash which I will show soon) but this is just a white coat. Brush this coat on and then go back over it with the black coat. The white primer clings to the thin, light tips of the lashes that you normally can't see giving the black coat something extra to hang on to. It's not magic, just logic I suppose.


Maybelline XXL Pro Extensions mascara before and after.
Maybelline XXL Pro Extensions mascara.

Now, I have put together a 'table' of the five mascaras compared so far. (It's a little odd seeing thirteen pictures of your own eyes staring out at you from the computer screen!) My lighting and camera angles are a little inconsistent but I think you can get the idea.


Looking at them all together like this is making me think differently about which ones I like best now.

I think my score chart goes something like this now -

First Place - Maybelline One by One Volum' Express Satin Black
Second Place - Benefit They're Real!
Third Place - Revlon Grow Luscious by Fabulash because it actually looks quite nice in the pictures.
Fourth Place - Maybelline's XXL PRO Extensions.
Fifth Place - Maybelline's The Falsies Volum' Express

- but that could change on a day-to-day basis.



Friday 10 August 2012

Cover me: We'd like to help you learn to help yourself...

After the emotion of Johnny Cash last week, I thought I'd lighten the mood a little for this Friday's cover song. The Lemonheads covered this to promote the release of "The Graduate" on VHS - okay, let's pause for some snerks and lols, VHS you guys! - way back in 1992. I was only ten, but I remember watching the video clip with Georgia, as this was back in the days when people would tape things off Rage and watch them over and over... It's such a kicky cover, and I love how low-budget the video clip is. It's all so un-styled and un-choreographed - it's kind of refreshing. Plus, Evan Dando was one of my early crushes. What can I say...

One of the good things about being the youngest child, is you get exposed to a lot of cool stuff before your friends do, courtesy of your older siblings. Georgia and our brother have pretty good taste in music, and even though I wasn't really a teenager in the grunge heyday, I do feel like I was part of it and watching clips like this makes me a wee bit nostalgic.

 


Thursday 9 August 2012

Girl Crush: Jennifer Lawrence

I'm a big fan of the Hunger Games novels, and I thought that the movie adaptation was seriously good. The casting was spot on, and Jennifer Lawrence did an amazing job of bringing Katniss Everdeen to life. Also, the casting of Lenny Kravitz as Cinna was kind of gold. I was horrified when I started reading comments on the internet about how Jennifer didn't look "hungry enough" to play Katniss. It surprises me that I am still surprised that people think it is their right to comment on and criticise women's bodies simply because they are in the public eye. Frankly I think she's gorgeous, and I love that although she glams up like nobody's business, you'll find just as many pictures of her wearing jeans and flats floating around the internet.

I also highly recommend you check out Winter's Bone. Not the happiest movie you'll ever see by a long shot - I think words like "gritty" and "hard hitting" were used when the film was being reviewed and promoted - but her Oscar nomination was well-deserved.



Jennifer Lawrence


Wednesday 8 August 2012

Lashes 3 & 4



Today I bring you two mascaras from my excessive collection. Also, I realised that although I own twelve mascaras, some of them are double-ups so there won't  be twelve reviews. That would just be silly.

First up - Benefit's They're Real! mascara.

This is another mascara that I did actually purchase. It is a bit pricier than the others I have shown so far, especially if you buy it here in Australia. The Benefit cosmetics website in America ships to Australia now and their prices are much more affordable especially if you spend enough to may qualify for free shipping. It might be worth a look if you are a fan of Benefit. This mascara is good but it is not quite as good at separating and defining the lashes as the Maybelline One by One and it also doesn't add quite as much length but They're Real! adds volume for sure. I quite like this mascara. It's hard to say whether I like One by One or They're Real! better though. They're Real! creates a blacker, thicker lash look and One by One creates a long, black, separated lash look as far as I can tell with my untrained eye.
Benefit They're Real! mascara.
Second today is Revlon's - Grow Luscious by Fabulash
The Revlon - Grow Luscious mascara is more 'lightweight' and subtle on my already-dark lashes than the other mascaras I've tried so far.  Supposedly it contains ingredients that help your lashes grow healthier and stronger but as I don't use this one often I can't say that I have noticed any improvement. If you want a natural, subtle sort of look then this mascara might be one you'd like. I don't think I'd buy it again myself as I don't find it particularly amazing but it is not horrible.
Revlon Grow Luscious by Fabulash mascara.

The score card (in my personal opinion) now reads -

First Place - Maybelline One by One Volum' Express Satin Black
Second Place - Benefit They're Real!
Third Place - Revlon Grow Luscious by Fabulash
Fourth Place - Maybelline's The Falsies Volum' Express

Still a few more to follow soon and I'm working on a collage with all of the mascaras together for an overall comparison too.




Tuesday 7 August 2012

Lullaby schmullaby.

I think about sleep, the nature of sleep, and how it affects us a lot. I've always been incredibly envious of people who fall asleep as easily as turning off a light, and can pretty much settle down for a nap in any old place, like my cousin Tom can. Give him 60 seconds and a relatively comfortable spot, and out he goes. As I write this, I'm waiting for my electric blanket to heat up so I can crawl into bed and settle in for the night. But I know, there will be a good amount of trying to calm down my brain and thinking of peaceful quiet places in the hopes that it will help me drift off.

Whether it's being constantly awoken by a baby or toddler that needs you, or simply being a "troubled sleeper" like myself, when a good nights sleep constantly eludes you, you can find yourself going a little cuckoo. I've had sleep issues since I was pretty young. Georgia and I shared a room when we were kids, and I'm sure she can pay testament to the fact that once put to bed, I rarely stayed there. I probably drove her crazy, getting up over and over again, but even as a kid I knew that it was ridiculous to try to sleep when you simply can't. In the ensuing two decades of trying to figure out this whole sleep thing, I've come to a few conclusions that I thought I would share with you. 

1. If it's taking you more than half an hour to get to sleep, stop trying. Seriously.

A lot of articles I have read say if it takes more that fifteen minutes get up and stop trying to force it, but I feel like half an hour is a bit more reasonable. We're busy people, constantly connected. It takes a while to switch off. If it's just not happening for me, I get back back up and try to do mindless things that aren't too stimulating, like folding laundry or reorganising my sock drawer. Reading a boring book can sometimes help, and if you find that you aren't too affected by computer screens, then the old Freecell or solitaire can be a winner. At the moment, I'm all about mahjong. I know it's not how you really play mahjong, but good lord is it mind numbing.

The point is, there is no point lying in bed stressing about how much sleep that you're not getting and how tired you'll be the next day. Being tired sucks, but it's not the end of the world. You'll be okay. Whatever you do, don't lie there staring at the ticking clock! And if all else fails, go to the couch and turn on that channel that plays infomercials 24/7.

2. Pay attention to how your body deals with caffeine.

Until earlier this year, I had no idea how wildly different our responses to caffeine can be. Some people can have a coffee right before going to bed, and sleep perfectly well. Others, like myself, have to ration their cups of tea strictly - I avoid any caffeine after midday. Seriously. It puts me into that "I'm exhausted but can't close my eyes" nightmare state, that is truly, truly frustrating. I know this is a big deal - a lot of us a very attached to our caffeinated beverages. I'm not saying give them up, but if you're having trouble sleeping, it could be worth reassessing. 

After midday, I am my very own tea nazi...no tea for me!!

3. No televisions or computers in the bedroom. I mean it y'all. 

This is a tough one, right? I know it contradicts what I said in point one a little, but as a general habit, keep the screens away from the bedroom. The light from these screens supresses melatonin production, which is the hormone that naturally regulates our sleep cycles. Ideally, our brains secrete more in the evening, when it’s dark, to make us sleepy, and less during the day when it’s light and so we can stay awake and alert. You don't want to mess with that. It's one of the reasons I've started to become a big fan of podcasts. My all time favourite is from NPR, and is called "This American Life." I seriously recommend it, it's incredibly interesting. So actually, I should probably start seeking out podcasts that are a little duller...

4. White noise.

I have an app on my iPhone that makes rain noises. It's brilliant. You can choose the kind of rain you would like to listen to, and there are a plethora of options. My personal favourite is "medium and steady with puddles" but you might prefer "gentle against windows with wind" or "heavy torrential downpour." Or you could just turn the radio to static, or maybe get one of those wave machines. Whatever works for you. The idea, is to block out noises from the street or your neighbours, that can disturb your sleep. I think it's brilliant. Plus, if you are travelling, it helps you feel more at home.

There are other things that might work for you that I've tried, but for some reason never really did it for me. Sleep teas and meditation recordings are both options that work like a charm for others, but left me wide awake, with a chattering mind. 

I hope this helps! Sweet dreams. Y'all.




Monday 6 August 2012

Lashes 2 ... Electric Boogaloo


Continuing on with my mascara 'reviews', Caroline asked if I own 'that Maybelline one that is supposed to look like false lashes'. I do own Maybelline 'Falsies' but the one I've seen in TV ads the most lately is the 'Falsies Flared'. I don't have this 'Flared' one and at this stage I definitely don't need to buy it. (Maybe I can win one? I've entered the facebook competition already of course.)




So today I present Maybelline's 'The Falsies Volum' Express' mascara. From memory, this is one that I did actually buy but unfortunately it isn't one of my favourites. I would describe it as 'clumpier' and less smooth to apply. It doesn't seem to separate the lashes as nicely as the 'One by One' does. I find that the 'One by One' adds more length too. I've added the 'One by One' photo from the other day below the 'Falsies' photo for comparison.



Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express mascara before & after
Maybelline's The Falsies Volum' Express



Maybelline One by One Volum' Express Satin Black mascara before and after
Maybelline One by One Volum' Express Satin Black

The score card (in my personal opinion) currently reads -

First Place - Maybelline One by One Volum' Express Satin Black
Second Place - Maybelline's The Falsies Volum' Express

More to follow soon.