Saucy Rain from Eyeko

Two new limted edition polishes from Eyeko: Rain, a grey blue; and a repromoted - and I hear, reformulated Saucy, a deep yet fun red.

I loved Saucy first time around, so I was glad to see "reformulated" wouldn't affect my opinion. To be honest it seemed basically the same.

Rain is an original mix of baby blue and grey, and although it has shimmer on close inspection, it applies as a creamy matte polish. I noticed it had a strong nail varnish scent à la Barry M, but aside from that it was the expected Eyeko formula - 2 coats and you're away!

As always I will quote one of Eyeko's charming, and accurate, descriptions. "Eyeko Rain Polish: Here comes the Rain...but there's always a silver lining and 2 coats of the grey-blue hue will put a smile on your face."

Since discovering Eyeko polishes, I must admit I have rarely been tempted by high end £12 a bottle variations. I think nails are one beauty product that you can economise on, and no one will suspect. Indeed, my Eyeko Posh nails has had many impressed compliments: how did I manage to get Chanel Particuliere?

With Seche Vite on top, these bottles hold the key to luxe nails.... Highly recommended. Eyeko offer free shipping and from my experience, they always arrive nicely wrapped, and fast. They even offer paypal for extra convenience. These polishes are £3.50 for a rather generous 8.5ml.

Available individually from the Eyeko website. And currently you can get these in sets of three shades for £8.50.

Swatches:

Eyeko AMAZING new nail polishes - again!

Once again, Eyeko's polishes have left me VERY impressed. These are £3.50 for 8.5ml and  are "a nail friendly formula that is Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP and Camphor FREE! No Colour fade thanks to UV absorbers and an amazing glossy, chip resistant finish which strengthens nails too!"
I think these are the BEST budget nail polishes out there - for instance, I find Barry M very thick and prone to streaking, also the Barry M smell horrible and cheap to me.

These polishes (I received three: Posh polish, Coral polish, and Vampire polish) go on very watery but as I explained in my last review, this enables them to create a glossy smooth finish. Indeed, I was on the verge of ordering a backup of the great MAC Blue India nail polish from Liberty of London when these arrived, but after loving these £3.50 bottles, suddenly £8 didn't seem as much of a bargain. And I think the Coral one looks a lot like the new MAC To The Beach from promo shots, so I'd say these are totally comparable and a lot more affordable!

Coral polish (above) is designed to "get your toes resort-ready". I love the Eyeko website and descriptions! They are so fun, yet very accurate - swatches are also completely on the mark. It's a lively very orange red that indeed would make a fabulous toe colour or look striking with a tan. Essentially, it's the ultimate holiday nail shade! This can be worn with just one coat, but two coats, with all of the Eyeko polishes, creates a true deluxe finish. They all look expensive on! Totally could be high end, seriously!! - Unbelieveable really, as most drugstore nail polishes betray their cheapness on some level. Not these. The only hint of their economical status is their runny texture - but as I said, I don't mind that aspect at all.

Then there is the famous Posh Polish. Taking their cue from Chanel as they did with the stunning Vintage Polish (now back in stock after being LE by the way)this one is Particuliere by another name. And seeing as the Chanel is waiting list only....

 

This one has to be my favourite. Like the green Chanel one, it's a shade I would never have been drawn to, for fear it would make my hands look corpse-like. But instead, as Eyeko explain: "For ladylike nails this chic taupe shade wins hands down." It simply is, well, a posh polish. And, best of all, this lasted SO well, even without a Top coat it just didn't chip all week! Wonderful stuff.

Next up is a rival to my former favourite, which was Cosmic (a stunning warm black with "firework sky" sparkles. Vampire polish is similarly a really glossy black, but with exclusivey red sparkles. It is indeed, vampire like. Not goth (well, black nails are so mainstream now they never are goth anymore are they) but something approaching goth. This polish has a very obvious red sparkle to it, and I wore it on all my nails except one, which I used the Coral for - it looked great! Very modern gothic chic. I still prefer Cosmic but as they are only £3.50, I would nevertheless say get both. For this one I suggest a base coat as it'll make removing it a lot easier. Also looks extra brilliant finished with Seche Vite for an uber glossy effect. These polishes are all limited edition but you can get a set of 5 for £14, making them even better value, at £2.80 each. Check out the newest releases here.

 

 

And I was also sent the Graffiti liner, which is limited edition too. The shade is Navy Blue. I noticed XSparkage using one of these pens in a recent tutorial. These are just like using a pen on your eye, which is either a good or a bad thing. I noticed the swatch on my hand just refused to budge - so I never used this on my eye, just too long wearing - can you imagine. But for anyone who needs help perfecting a winged eyeliner, this liner will be extremely easy - and it'll stay put. It definitely is smudge-proof and fade-proof for a long day's wear. It removes with an oil-based eye makeup remover such as Lancome Bi-Facil. The colour is a deep blackened teal. These are priced at £5 - so again, great price. Shipping to UK is free, and you currently get a free Fat Balm if you spend £10 or more. International shipping is very reasonable, only £3.50 or FREE if it's an order over £35. And it's sent fully tracked. Can't say fairer than that. I highly recommend these and will definitely be keen to try the other 3 limited colours next!!!

website here: http://www.eyeko.com/

Eyeko NEW nail polishes

Eyeko, self styled "London's cutest cosmetics" have created a new range of colours for their nail polish collection. Priced at £3 a pop, these are an instant pick-me-up. Getting the whole range was so much fun! There really is a shade in there for everyone. In addition, they feature a formula that is Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP and Camphor free, promising "no colour fade thanks to UV absorbers and an amazing glossy, chip resistant finish which strengthens nails too!"

I could never compete with Eyeko's brilliant descriptions but I will briefly outline my thoughts...

Forgive the brutally clear and messy picture below, this depicts one coat and no base or top coat:
Worn with base coat and top coat, these can achieve luxe effect nails! They are very runny, so best not apply them in your finest garb. Indeed, perhaps opt to apply these in the nude and distanced from any precious objects (poor laptop). My absolute favourite is the "Cosmic". Let Eyeko do the talking:

"This night time hue is loaded with multi-coloured iridescent glitters like fireworks in a black November sky. An ultra, flattering nail look for those who favour the dark side."

I love their atmospheric descriptions! I actually agree with every word. Also, although I am a great fan of the dark side, and indeed of fireworks, I am usually very against black nails. Mainly because of the tiresome link it has with goths and emos (though I was by default a goth at university). However, this is a WARM black. Yes the sparkles, especially the red and gold, lifts this into a girly black which doesn't give you mortuary hands. It applies like the others, runny, but no streaking and very full coverage.

There is also a pinky electro purple, a light pastel purple (likened by those great scribes at Eyeko to "that opaque sugared almond look Lilly Allen craves") - Again, I agree! Also there's a hot on trend pale green that dupes Chanel's Jade polish (an ASOS exclusive) and a nude "just one coat of pinky-beige for luxe-looking super groomed nails like Jenifer Lopez or layer up for an opaque mannequin effect." (the Nude is the least impressive but its pretty colour and usefulness make it another top pick nonetheless) and there is an Indigo. Dark blue never suits me, though I love it and wear it on my eyes all the time. Perhaps I ought to heed their advice first though: "Keep nails short and blunt to nail this shimmery, midnight blue for a touch of cool gothic glamour à la Sophie Dahl."

All in all I definitely recommend these nail polishes. Many nail polishes on the high street at a similar price point are gross. These are no dangerous rival to OPI et al (the wide brush is lacking for starters) BUT they can work wonders given a nice quality base coat (I use Creative Nail Design Ridge Out) and of course your trusty Seche Vite top coat to finish. My Cosmic nails lasted a full week and would have carried on: Impressive performance! Watch out for runny texture and be prepared to layer up on products, but it's worth it. Check these out here.

Eyeko Magic Mascara: Review

Since my last review of Eyeko, the company have widened their appeal. Now they offer Eyeko Couture, which kicks off with Magic Mascara.

The large, soft bristled brush is encased in a very attractive purple tube embellished with sequins. It reminded me of a more kitch Guerlain - as soon as I saw it, that was my instant impression. It's priced at £9 and comes in Black.

I've used it for a while now and I can definitely recommend it. It's Limited Edition and will only be around for about 4 months. The Eyeko brand is known for being dinky, but this mascara feels like it's aimed at a slightly older crowd. I am sworn to using Lancome Hypnose, as every drugstore mascara I ever try, leaves me cold by comparison. They either smudge, are not black enough, or leave my lashes feeling crunchy. However the Eyeko Magic Mascara wins on all these points. It gives instant length, and with several coats it achieves volume too. It is surpassed by Hypnose... but at half the price, it delivers more than half the result. Certainly one of the better options out there and well worth a look.

Check out the new Magic mascara here

Eyeko Products Review

Ever wanted to shove aside those hysterical schoolgirls at the Eyeko stand in Superdrug and get the chance to try it for yourself? Well here's my overview of a few products from the line-up.

The Eyeko 3 in 1 cream kick-started the range. Designed "for girls to perk up their skin, counteracting the draining effects of staring at their computer screens" (oh dear, that's certainly me!) this shimmery cream contains vitamins A, C and E and is intended to be a one-step solution and a superstar sheen. It comes in a very retro 80s pink pot that will look trendy in your beauty cabinet. Here it is swatched:


As someone with a tendency towards greasy skin, the cream was somewhat on the heavier side than I am used to, however it did certainly deliver on its promise: my skin took on a definite sheen and the skin tone was ever so slightly evened out. This will probably make a wonderful base under heavier foundations, and be a godsend to dry or aging skin in desperate need of a pick-me-up. £6 For 36ml.


The newly launched Fat Balms come in three versions: Strawberry, Raspberry and Mint. I tried Raspberry. These are designed to be worn as a tint for cheeks and lips. The scent smelt like a flavoured chapstick, which I liked as I felt instantly transported to my blissful childhood. The colour is a deep berry red and aptly named. It tinted lips and cheeks as promised, though does benefit from the addition of a lipliner. As a blusher it feels a little heavy but as someone used to powder blusher, this is natural enough and says more about me than the product! It certainly didn't need much to do the job and contains a generous 6g for £5. Here it is swatched:


I also tried the highlighter pen, Touch Up and Glow. This takes its cue from YSL Touche Eclat and I did desperately want it to be a dupe. Sadly it does not literally melt into the skin the way my beloved Touche Eclat manages, however for £5 versus over £20 I think that can be forgiven. It imparts a shimmery cool toned silver highlight, perfect for pale skins in particular. Takes some blending, but once blended this is an impressive little product. This can be worn more intensely for the evening, or softened up under a blusher for a more demure glow. Here it is swatched:


And finally I tried the nail polishes. This was the only product from the range I'd heard about - namely, via Lollipop26's blog praising the Pastel blue one. I by contrast found that although the colour was particularly pretty - a soft blue that had enough white in to not look corpse fingered - it just would not apply evenly. Using a nail varnish base coat and Seche Vite top coat didn't help, unfortunately I found the application rather streaky. However the Red Nail Polish went on literally as flawlessly as a high end varnish, so that's confusing. I shall be trying out the other colours as the little milk bottle design and colour names are so adorable! I hope that the rest go on the way the red one does: one coat was all it took for a smooth and vivid orange red. This was my favourite item, as it's very difficult to find a 'young' red - i.e not a blue red but a vibrant red. Try it and see! Here it is on my hands:


And yours truly has found a loophole - although these products are available from Superdug and www.eyeko.com, get it from ASOS website and everything is significantly cheaper. (I'm not sure if they know about this) The highlight stick is £3.50 there as opposed to £5, what a steal!!!!

Please see my You Tube review if you'd like to see it all in action!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdWpn1fMK9I&feature=channel_page