Perfector?...I'd say so... (Boots No 7 Lash & Brow Perfector)

Member Name: bollinger28

Product:	Boots No 7 Lash & Brow Perfector
Date:	28/12/07 (457 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: More natural look. Light and easy to apply. Moisturizes and conditions.

Disadvantages: Expensive, but worth it.

It seems that now more than ever, we're bombarded with adverts for new "improved" products aren't we? The old, tried and tested favourites just aren't quite good enough according to the media. Quite frankly, I get a bit sick of all those endless TV adverts for face creams with "new" oxyribbolax or body sculpting jollop with added rhinohelix12 - all of which are touted as the new magic ingredient you cannot live without. The message very clearly says how on earth have you managed to get through life so far without lashing copious amounts of "recently discovered" waspswellax on your face? And when you do try these new all singing, all dancing products, they never really live up to all the hype or the wonders they've hinted at, do they? Which is why I've sort of given up on trying out most of these new products. I'm fed up being suckered in by huge advertising campaigns which promise all sorts of fantastic miracles, when the result is a pot full of expensive goo that's no different to the one I've been using for years.

Mascara is one of the second biggest offenders for over imaginative marketing campaigns (face creams have got to be at No 1!). It seems you cannot turn on the TV without Penelope Cruz or her ilk advertising some new improved mascara that's going to give you lashes like you've never had before. They've all got bigger and better names to convey their miracle powers on your lashes - try 2000 calorie, go XXL, go sky high. Sadly, I've tried a few, and they've never lived up to any of their hype. What you end up with is a set of unnatural looking lashes, where the mascara is so thickly caked on, it makes it almost impossible to blink without dislodging an eyeball. OK, so that's a bit of an exaggeration... but for me, it never really results in a natural look....it's always oh so very obvious that I'm wearing several coats of mascara. Added to which, mascara is incredibly drying on your lashes.

When I read about an eye-lash conditioning product being sold by Boots No7, I wasn't entirely convinced of its benefits. I therefore approached the store with a very healthy dose of skepticism.


~~ WHAT IS IT? ~~

No7 Lash and Brow Perfector is a clear conditioning gel, which you use on your eye brows (to brush and set them into place) and on your eye-lashes (to give them some natural definition). The wand has longish bristles on one side for your lashes, and shorter ones on the other side for brows. It's ideal for holding your brows in place, and it can also be used as clear mascara, if you are going for a no-make up day, or you're aiming for a very natural look

I should also mention that this colourless gel is totally hypo-allergenic, and is also suitable for sensitive skin.


~~ COST, PACKAGING & AVAILABILITY ~~

This product is produced by No7, a range of cosmetics made and sold exclusively by Boots. You can either buy No7 products online at www.boots.com or in a Boots high street store.

You'll find the lash and brow perfector in the same section as the mascaras instore. It's exactly the same size as standard mascara and it's packaged in the same sort of dispenser. The gel inside is totally opaque and odourless.

Unfortunately, it also retails at around the same price as mascara, coming in at a rather hefty £9.30. However, if you're a regular user of the No7 range, they very often have special offers both online and instore where you can get 3 for 2 on selected items.


~~ HOW TO APPLY ~~

You need to rotate the mascara brush inside the "barrel", in order to coat the wand with the gel (you don't need to pump the brush at all). The brush itself is shaped with longer bristles on one side for your lashes and shorter bristles on the other side for your brows. Whilst applying to your eye-lashes it's best to use a sort of zig-zag motion, coating the lashes from root to tip. You will get the occasional tiny blob of gel, but this is easily removed with the brush. The shorter bristles of the wand are ideal to comb through your eye-brows. The brush should be used in the direction of the natural shape and hair growth on your brows.

This gel is really, really easy, and very quick to apply. It dries in several seconds, and it doesn't feel at all heavy or sticky. As it's a colourless gel, there is no nasty smudging to deal with after application like you often get with mascara.


~~ WHAT DOES IT DO FOR YOU? ~~

I guess, if you're lucky enough to have dark lashes, then a simple coat of this gel would be enough to define your lashes, without the need to resort to mascara. Sadly, I've not been born so lucky. I can't really go out without at least one coat of mascara on my eye-lashes, as my lashes are too pale. I have very long eye-lashes, which is nice. However, too much mascara just makes them look very spindly and dry - yes, you've guessed it - just like a row of spiders' legs. I do hate lashing on too much mascara though, as it just gives you an over made up look and it looks rather false.

What I like about this product is that I can apply a very quick coat to my lashes before I start to do my morning make-up. It takes a few seconds to dry, and then I apply just one coat of black/brown mascara. The gel really does condition and moisten your lashes beautifully, so that the mascara glides on really easily.....and, here's the most important bit.... with hardly any clumping. You end up with a perfect set of natural looking top and bottom eye-lashes. No clumping, no unnatural looking thicker bits and no flaking either.

The gel also helps give a little bit of curl to your lashes as well, and sets them nicely in place part-curled for a coat of mascara. I don't use any specific, special mascara after application, but I have found that Boots No7 Lift and Curve mascara (£10.30) does work well with it. I use the Perfector to define and slightly curl my lashes, and then the mascara finishes off my look nicely and naturally.

Similarly, you can brush your eye-brows into place, apply a brow pencil or powder, and then apply a very thin veneer of this gel to them. It holds them in place beautifully, and there is no sticky residue or clumping. It really does help define your brows so that they lift your eyes and frame your face.


~~ RECOMMENDATION ~~

And my verdict - this product comes highly recommended. It's ideal for taming your eyebrows. However, where it really comes into its own for me is using it on my lashes. I'm really impressed with how it conditions and moisturizes my lashes, so that I can achieve a more natural and glossy look. One light coating of mascara and I'm ready to face the world. No more that dry spindly spider leg look for me - I'm truly left with a set of glossy and natural looking lashes.

Highly recommended.

Boots Group Plc
1 Thane Road
Nottingham
NG2 3AA

Website: www.boots.com
Customer Services: 08456 090055 (local rate call)

Summary: Clear gel to define lashes and brows