review: yves saint laurent raise the volume miniatures

High end makeup is one thing. Luxury makeup is a whole different ballgame. For me, a splurge means placing a Sephora order or purchasing an armful of drugstore items. Luxury makeup (like ultra high end designer releases) rarely enters my mind. The price point is just too much. What if it doesn't perform well? That isn't a small amount of money down the drain. It simply seems too risky. That being said...over the holiday season, my mom gifted me this Yves Saint Laurent Raise the Volume Miniatures Set. Talk about exciting! This was my opportunity to test out three different luxury essentials. The set came with a mascara, eyeliner, and makeup remover, all of which are everyday must haves. How did they perform? Were they truly luxurious? Keep reading to find out and see the eye products in action.

So...what was included in the Yves Saint Laurent Raise the Volume Miniatures Set? It came with the Top Secrets Expert Makeup Remover Gentle Biphase (0.2 fluid ounces of makeup remover), Dessin Du Regard Waterproof Eye Pencil (black eyeliner), and the Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (mascara). First of all, the addition of the makeup remover is genius because these eye products really stay put. The remover works well and has a light scent. It is especially effective at taking off waterproof products. All in all, the Top Secrets Expert Makeup Remover Gentle Biphase is a winner. Would I purchase a full-sized version? Absolutely not. A bottle of the makeup remover retails for $42 CDN. Personally, that is far too pricey for a makeup remover. But I will continue to enjoy what remains of this miniature version. 

As for the eye pencil, this was both excellent and a disappointment. If that makes sense! The product itself is actually so creamy that it is difficult to control. It slides and glides so much that it makes precision extremely troublesome. What works best for me is applying a rough line and then using a gel liner pencil to smooth it out and create the appropriate shape. This would be a million times better if it came in a small container rather than in the pencil form. The finished look is gorgeous. However, it really does require a brush to create a look that is clean and beautiful. That being said, I absolutely love how jet-black this liner is. It is so dramatic! While I really enjoy the finished look...this isn't something that I would purchase in future. It is $40 CDN and that is just way too much for an eyeliner, in my opinion. 

Last in the set was the Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils. There are a handful of mascaras that I reach for over and over again. My all-time favourite is The Super Sizer from Cover Girl. High end favourites include They're Real from Benefit and Better Than Sex from Too Faced. How did the Yves Saint Laurent mascara compare? It was pretty decent. The colour is a gorgeous rich black. The bottle design is absolutely gorgeous and definitely has that luxurious feel. The wand is fairly standard but works well to apply the product. As for the mascara, it does a really good job of lengthening the lashes but doesn't do a ton in terms of volume. Overall, I like it a lot but it isn't a must-have. This has a retail price of $42 CDN. Considering the fact that I could purchase five Cover Girl mascaras for that price....chances are this is a luxury item that will not be part of my everyday routine.

Want to see the mascara and eyeliner in action? They were both incorporated into this casual glam makeup look.

There is a lot to enjoy about these Yves Saint Laurent makeup products. Unfortunately, there is one major drawback: the cost. While these products work well and have an impressive end result...the luxury price point just doesn't appeal to me. Don't get me wrong! It has been a lot of fun putting these products to use. And it is certainly nice to be spoiled with high end items. But there are a lot of affordable alternatives that will work just as well. So, while these are really nice, they aren't must-haves. 

Have you tried any of these items? Do you use luxury makeup products?