My neighbour is very loudly playing Summer Nights from Grease on their electric guitar. I'm pretty sure they've got their amp cranked up to 11 and facing out a window.

This would be all fine and dandy if they actually finished any of the songs they're playing. It's pretty annoying when they start playing Summer Nights and I'm like yes! Who doesn't love Grease? and then they stop and play something else for another five seconds.

Lancome Hypnôse Doll Eyes Waterproof mascara

I've been trying out Lancome's Hypnôse Doll Eyes mascara in the shade Waterproof for a few weeks now and I think it is a very good mascara, especially in it being waterproof.

It applies nicely, separating and lengthening the lashes, it's very black and about as waterproof as mascaras come. Never have I doubted that this mascara will stay put in all conditions, it passed the dreary rainy London weather, excessive sweating under the hot Roman sun and even stayed when I was home sick and crying.

All that does come with a compromise. It's so difficult to get off. I don't know what this stuff is made of, but it takes a lot to get off. So far Bioderma Crealine/Sensibio H20 micelle solution seems to do alright, I have to soak two cotton rounds in the solution and leave them on my eyes for a minute or so and then wipe off. It gets most of the mascara off, but takes a few eyelashes too. So probably not best for everyday wear.

The brush is conical, making it easier to get all of the lashes and adding more volume to the outer corner lashes (a trick many makeup artists use with false lashes - applying half lashes to the outer corners opens the eye).

So all in all this mascara is very good if you plan on scuba diving or have a long night ahead, but not so great if you're just popping to the store as it is quite difficult to remove.

Bioderma Crealine/Sensibio H20 review

"Bioderma believes that temporary relief alone is insufficient in treating most skin problems. Consequently, it offers a holistic, corrective solution for each skin type. Through enabling skin to achieve a sustainable recovery of its original wellbeing, we allow it to restore its natural balance."

I recently ordered the Bioderma Sensibio (also known as Crealine) H20 online as it is only available in Europe. Sensibio H20 is a non-rinse cleanser and makeup remover for sensitive skin. I wash it off, but have left it on and experienced no irritation or break outs. I've use it for about two months for both makeup removal and cleansing and feel that it leaves my skin very clean.

I like that it is a liquid (it looks, feels and smells like water). It's really easy to use, just apply to a cotton round and wipe over face. I usually use three cotton rounds to remove a full face of makeup (two more for eye makeup), one round if I didn't wear makeup that day. It takes off eye makeup really well too. I saturate two cotton rounds in the solution and set them on my eyes for a minute or so and then gently wipe away. That gets rid of all my eyeshadow, mascara, liner, etc in one go.

Swatches of (left to right, top to bottom) Revlon ColorStay in Black, Urban Decay Naked Palette eyeshadows in Creep and Hustle, MAC matte Ruby Woo lipstick

After one cotton round soaked in Sensibio H20, let to sit for approx. 20secs and then wiped off

My main issue with this cleanser, and I'm really quite pissed about this because if it wasn't for this I would continue to use it, it's a really good makeup remover, is that it has caused my skin to break out with eczema. I don't think it would be a problem for people that aren't prone to eczema, but alas, it is a bit of a problem for me. I think I'll go back to Lush's Ultrabland cleanser as it's really calming and moisturising and I haven't had problems with it before.

Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation review (Spoiler alert: it's awesome)

While I was in Italy I picked up Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation in a chemist. I'd heard lots of really good things about it around the interwebs and was super stoked when I saw it, I thought I'd have to order it online because it's a European brand.

It's a corrective foundation, meaning that because it contains Vichy Thermal Water it will soothe the skin and is full coverage without being thick.

I bought shades 15 Opal and 25 Nude to mix, I use a majority of Opal to a drop of Nude to create the perfect colour for my skin (I'm MAC NC20). The foundation colours blend together really nicely, so it's not difficult to create your own colour. Since there are limited shades I think this is a good compromise.

I use it as a concealer because it is completely full coverage (too much coverage for a full face), it covers my dark circles really well and has a easy to blend consistency.

I apply it with a Sigma P84 Precision Angled brush (my favourite under eye concealer brush of all time), first mixing the colours on the back of my hand and then apply with my fingertips and smoothing with the brush. Then I go over it lightly with a translucent powder to set.

15 Opal

15 Opal and 25 Nude

Mixed

I made my personal record for fastest full face of makeup with this foundation, 3 minutes flat when I had gotten all dressed up for a fancy dinner, but forget to do my makeup with five minutes until we had to leave. It included concealer (Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation - 15 Opal and 25 Nude), mineral foundation (Lily Lolo mineral foundation - Blondie), blush (Benefit Box o' Powder - Dandelion, powder (Mattify - Translucent) and mascara (Lancome Doll Eyes - Waterproof Black). Pretty proud of myself.

Anyway, the foundation is allergy tested (which I don't understand because people can be allergic to anything), tested on sensitive skin, eyes and contact wearers, fragrance free, dermatologist tested, ophthalmologist tested and non-comedogenic.
Take whatever you want from that, they only things that mean anything to me are fragrance free and ophthalmologist tested, the rest would be all down to what the particular tester was sensitive to.

Pros:
- It covers really well
- Inexpensive
- Hasn't irritated my skin or eyes at all
- Able to mix colours to match skin perfectly
- Applies nicely
- Doesn't come in a ridiculous amount that I could never use within the used by time
- Squeeze bottle - my preference for cream/liquid makeup packaging
- Natural looking finish
- Not limited edition

Cons:
- Not available in Australia

So generally this gets a million stars out of five.

I'm so tired...so, so tired

I got back from England the day before yesterday and I'm so tired and my sleep pattern is all effed up.

It's really annoying because it's 1pm right now and I'm exhausted, I could really go for a nap, but when it gets to 11pm I'm wide awake and can't get to sleep. So the cycle continues of me not sleeping at night, not sleeping during the day and then being tired all the time and just hoping that my body sorts its shit out.

I can't tell if I should nap now to catch up on the sleep I lost last night, because I was only able to go to sleep around 1:30am and then I woke up at 4:00am (what the hell, body?), or if I should stay awake and assume it's jet lag and will only be made worse by sleeping.

Also I have to go back to school the day after tomorrow...It's going to be the worst thing ever.