A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Love Light…

Totally a layering shade, so I thought I’d just see how many coats it needed to achieve opacity.

I got to 4 and I’m just about there…

One of the best applicators of the Summer of Love set, this glides on the nail and dries quickly.  Once opaque, it’s a beautiful pale gold shade with a lot of sparkle.

It’s feminine without being too floaty.  I like it more than I thought I would on initial inspection.

Sadly it has chipped in two places along the cuticle edge which is rather odd, I think it may have more to do with a heavy handed application of top coat though… which renders that last statement rather useless.

I’ve got one more shade to show from the Summer of Love kit.. I know it’s practically old news now, but I’m determined to get them all blogged for swatch purposes!

When I was contacted and asked if I wanted to review a couple of products from the Elemis range, I tried to choose carefully.  The last thing I wanted to do was choose something that left me feeling uncertain of it’s value.  I wanted products that I could have an opinion about…. something tangible that I could describe to you.  I don’t care if it’s rubbish, fanastic or unfathomably dull… I just want to be able to have confidence in my feelings on the product.  And sometimes skincare leaves me feeling a little confused.

It’s to this end that I chose two masks that claim concrete results.  You may have already seen my Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask review.   That mask blew me away with outcomes that I could almost instantly appreciate…. smoothing, refreshing, complexion lifting… most of it’s promises came true on my face.  A blogger’s dream and an absolute delight to describe to you.

But then it all went a bit wrong.

Elemis Absolute Eye Mask will leave your purse £27 lighter for a generous (considering how far a little goes) 30ml tube.

It describes itself thus:

Elemis Absolute Eye Mask is an eye-brightening treatment that combines vital extracts of Rose, Mimosa, Cornflower and Comfrey to help decongest, firm and minimise dark circles and leave the delicate eye area soothed and revitalized.

So… I’m looking for decongesting, firming, dark circle reduction and a soothing/revitalizing effect.

So far, I haven’t experienced any of this.

In a complete contrast to the tri-enzyme mask, this eye mask leaves me with no instant impressions.  It doesn’t tingle, soothe, feel cooling, refreshing or even hydrating upon application.  Infact, if anything… there’s a small amount of tightening.  And not in a good way.

The blurb on the back tells me to apply sparingly around the eye bone area avoiding direct contact with the lid and inner eye areas.  “Sparingly”… I like it when expensive products say that.  As previously mentioned, a very small amount will spread nicely over the eye area… this tube will last me months!

But the problem is this…

Ultimately, Elemis Absolute Eye Mask is marketed as an anti-ageing product.  Maybe I’ll see some beneficial anti-ageing effects in a years time but unlike their anti-ageing Pro Collagen Marine Cream (be still my beating heart) this doesn’t even feel that nice before, during or after application.

And there you have it.

I’ll keep using it a couple of times a week as suggested on the box, and if in 6 months time I start noticing some longer term benefits, you can be sure I’ll be back to update

But those instant mask-type results that I was looking for?  Move along… there’s nothing to be seen here.

When I was in London last Friday… I was travelling up the escalator at Oxford Circus tube station *tsking* at the impatient healthy types that were overtaking me on the left when I noticed the woman in front of me.  Or more accurately, I noticed her non-existent skirt.

For a moment I wasn’t quite sure where to look… I mean, seriously… you could see the (baggy) gusset of her tights.  I was half tempted to make her aware of this fact but decided to keep schtum for two reasons…

1).  She might have been a total exhibitionist and telling her would only have made her day.

2).  I didn’t fancy a smack in the gob.

So instead of looking ahead, I kept my eyes down and concentrated on her ankles.  I had to give a wry smile when I saw a pair of beige plasters covering the backs of her heels where her shoes had obviously been rubbing.

Priorities ladies… if you’re gonna cover the backs of your ankles you can go one step further and cover up your minges too.  I don’t care if it’s sunny… have some class.

Now… what I should have done, was tapped her on the shoulder and told her about these:

Elastoplast Invisible Protection is a new plaster on the market.  An innovation in plaster technology if you will… I’m so excited, I might just pee myself.

Ok, let’s face it.  It’s not exactly the height of glamour is it?  But I go through plasters like nobody’s business (clumsy oaf that I am) and have been known to remove and discard a plaster after half an hour if it’s in a conspicuous position and I’m feeling self-conscious about it’s placement.  Don’t try and tell me you haven’t done that too…

Elastoplast Invisible Protection simply promises to be the most invisible a plaster can be.  It’s always the simple ideas that work the best no?

Not only that… but Elastoplast are offering you a free sample so you can put their claims to the test yourself.

Click here to register for your free sample.

Elastoplast Invisible Protection plasters are priced at £2.99 and available from all major erm… plaster retailers.  What are you waiting for?  Go stick I mean stock up!

I was reminded of my NARS Mediteranee (£23) duo yesterday when talking about neon orange eyeshadow.  This isn’t neon… but it is bright.

Perfect for Summer!

My NARS Mediteranee duo also happens to be one of the most buttery shadows I’ve ever had the pleasure to swatch (esp the orange half).  I adore it, but do have to use with an incredibly light hand thanks to it’s immense pigmentation!

Scary!

It’s a wonderful duo for darker and olive-toned girls but I was determined to make it work for me too.  The warm tones really bring out the green in my eyes.  I’m wearing a tiny amount of the orange in this FOTD… just a speck and then dragged out towards the end of my eyebrow.

I think it’s probably the brightest eye shadow I own.  What’s your favourite Summer bright?

I’ve been using a lash growth accelerator product (Latisse) since the start of April and I’m pretty happy with the length of my lashes now.  I feel that it’s made them a little finer than I’d like them to be, but I’ll continue to use it once a week or so for maintenance.

However, it means that I really need to use mascara nowadays to enhance these finer (but ultimately slightly longer) lashes.  And I’ve been trialling some lovely ones recently!

I thought I’d show you a high street one that’s grabbed my attention thanks to it’s light formula but lovely dark pigment.

Lash Extension Effect Mascara contain’s Max Factor’s longest mascara brush ever, which they claim helps you to reach every lash to deliver dramatic length.  Personally, I still struggled a little to reach those outer corner lashes…. L’oreal Telescopic Explosion still wins the “coating every lash award” for me.

A lengthening mascara as opposed to a volume or curl-giving product, it lengthens well.  The smell is quite off-putting and chemically… I notice this often with Max Factor mascaras, it’s an irritation but ultimately doesn’t stop me buying them.

One of the things that I really like about this mascara is how easy I find it to remove.  I own the non-waterproof version and this rinses away nicely with a cleansing oil.  I sometimes have to massage the oil into my lashes to shift stubborn mascaras, but this dissolves readily despite not smudging on me during the day.

Priced at £10.99 I’m almost loathe to call this a high-street mascara, it is… but it certainly isn’t budget friendly.

What do you think about the prices of high street mascaras nowadays?  They just keep going up and up!

I like food, I like photos… I like making you hungry.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen… or Burger World as my very good friend calls it.

I like early evening nonsense.  I’m hungry.  What’s for dinner at your house tonight?

If you’re all indignant and annoyed that you clicked and didn’t see makeup… here, have a peek at tomorrow’s mascara series post.

My lashes always look so puny in the before pictures, I think I have their mousey brown colouring to thank for that.

Have a lovely evening ladies!

…from the inside out?

Beauty supplements are big business nowadays, with entire websites dedicated to selling dietary supplements that claim to rid you of cellulite, improve your skin tone, make your hair stronger and delay the signs of ageing.  You name it, they’ve got a supplement for it.

But do you think that beauty can really be achieved in powder, tablet or liquid form in this way?

I think if you ingest enough Southern Comfort on a Friday night, beauty is most certainly achievable through a pair of beer goggles and soft lighting… but in broad daylight, with a clear head?  I’m curious, but ultimately in need of convincing.

One of the things that puts me off finding out for myself is the price tag that these supplements usually come with.  Imedeen, one of the most well known and respected brands to offer “internal skincare” have developed an entire range of anti-ageing supplements.  I took their online LifeStyle Skin Assesment and as a result was recommended their “Derma One” skincare tablet (their first signs of ageing formula for hydration and radiance).

So far, so good… I continue reading…

Take two tablets per day. Visible results within 12-24 weeks.

1 month’s supply £34.50

So that’s visible results within (ultimately) 6 months, so £207 later I can expect to see…

~ Improves skin quality and structure
~ Improves moisture balance
~ Skin appears more radiant
~ Makes skin on face and body feel softer and more supple

I can’t help but think I could bank that £207, instead making sure that I eat my 5-a-day, force a bit more oily fish down my throat, drink my 6-8 glasses of water a day, slip-slap-slop and get a bit lot more exercise than I currently do.  Realistically… I’m gonna achieve simillar if not better results in 6 months time.

Do I think Imedeen and the like is a con?  Not at all… I just think that £207 is a lot of money to pay for a convenience.

But then it goes and gets a bit tricky on us.

We all know those simple lifestyle changes we should be making to improve our overall health and appearance, but what about specific skincare concerns?

Help: Clear Skin is another supplemental beauty product that claims to bridge the gap between nutrition and pharmaceutical drugs and effectively help clear acne in (a minimum of) 6 weeks.

It’s claims come down to a single, key natural ingredient called Lactoferrin.  A substance that is found in a protein called Praventin which in turn, is found in milk.  Being the uber sharp-minded soul that I am, I think…. well… go find your neighbourhood milkman and slip him a note reading “8 pints of gold-top STAT!”

Of course, it’s never as easy as that is it…  Cow’s milk contains about 0.5% – 1% Lactoferrin, tiny amounts.

Although Praventin can be found in milk, the beneficial skin clearing effect is only activated when this bioactive protein is extracted from the milk. This means that drinking litres of milk is not going to deliver the same benefit.

Praventin – the key ingredient in help: clear skin – is rich in Lactoferrin, known to reduce the development of bacteria responsible for many skin impurities. In addition, Lactoferrin also helps to prevent blemishes and spots forming due to its antimicrobial effect.

It’s to this end that Help: Clear Skin offers a more convenient way to supplement your body with Lactoferrin… at a cost of £49.99 a month.  You can read more about the clinical studies that they’ve done here.  They claim that the median (average) time took to achieve significant results was around 8 weeks… so you’re talking about £100 leaving your purse before you can make any informed decisions about it’s affects.

This kind of supplemental dietary beauty addition appeals to me more though, simply because it’s targeting something tangible.  If you’re not seeing less inflammation, breakouts and cysts in 8 weeks… then you’re gonna know about it aren’t you?  I would imagine that it’s much harder to accurately measure general anti-ageing supplemental benefits.

There is one other option…

Remember that lovely sounding Lactoferrin?  Guess where you can find high concentrations of it?  One word…

Bitty.

No, really.  About 15% concentration… one of the reasons breast milk is so beneficial to supporting a baby’s immature immune system… but erm…

Yeah, I’ll just go get my purse…

What do you ladies think about beauty supplements in general?  Are they really any more dubious than spending £120 on face creams that claim to offer the same anti-ageing benefits with prolonged use?  I’m on the fence on this one, if you’re joining me… mind the splinters!

This review is about 6 months overdue… sorry about that.

In late December, I treated myself to a Le Metier de Beaute eye shadow… I wanted a silver, something that I could use for the party season, not that a woman with a 7 month old (at the time) goes to parties… but I obviously had this mental fantasy of rocking some silver shadow like a post-Christmas fairy.

So I picked up “Platinum”.

How I laugh now… £21.

I’ve used it once.

WHY GOD WHY did I choose silver?  Why not brown or purple or even *cough* taupe?  Silver.  What a fuckin’ idiot.

I will say that it’s a very pretty silver…

It’s soft and smooth with a medium pigment that builds nicely.  It’s a metallic shade (duh) that catches the light when applied near the tearducts.  Hell, I might even make a dent in it come 2056.

Would I buy another Le Metier de Beaute eyeshadow?  Yes.  I might go for a nice neon orange next time.

I need to get my hands on more of these!  Especially Night Life and Hit That… but, they’re discontinued.  I’m stalking eBay… and I’m on a mission.

For now, I have this one to show you…

Rimmel Play Fast in Street Wear got picked up for obvious greige-y type reasons.  Please ignore the art stamp on my ring finger.  It’s where I got accosted at The Clothes Show by some bloke who didn’t know what he was doing and ruined my manicure with a shoddily applied topcoat and distinct lack of charm.  Dick.

Street Wear is a pale grey/beige which reminds me of Orly’s Country Club Khaki.  It’s a 3 coater and a little gloopy, possibly down to it’s age… I shall try adding a touch of thinner to the bottle before using it again.  It contains a subtle (but beautful) rose gold shimmer that picks up when the sunlight hits it.

Overall, it’s a nice addition to my collection… but ultimately not a must have.  Wear is good but once it sets in, the polish ages quickly and unevenly.

And that, my friends… is that!

I was invited along to The Clothes Show London courtesy of Pantene Pro-V on Friday and my God was I ‘glowing’ by the time I arrived.  How hot was it?  I was with Rowena from Cosmetic-Candy who looked far more ‘together’ and composed than me.

Flared nostrils, crazy-eyed “too many sweaty people near me” expression, melting eyeliner and foundation that had pooled somewhere around my ankles meant that the ladies behind the press desk had a genuinely hard time accepting me as a bonafide member of society let alone someone they should let in without a chaperone.

However, once safely inside Earls Court, we were led to the Pantene Pro-V stand for a wash and blow dry.  I was positively foaming at the mouth over the thought of getting a hair wash (that’s how hot I was) and if they’d retracted their offer at that point, they would have found me moments later with my arse wedged in the sink hosing my sweaty head down anyway.

After the most beautifully refreshing hair wash with some brand new products due for release this Summer, (more on those when I get the info next week) I got to experience a proper blow dry thanks to session stylist Lara Zee.  It was very different to my home attempts which generally involve me flipping my head upside down till all the blood rushes to my nose.  This actually achieved some incredible volume.  Gotta love a professional!

The blow dry was followed up by a fabulous makeup refresher from MUA Laurey Simmons who shared some of her current favs with me (Max Factor Lash Extension Effect & Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser – or was it False Lash Effect… bollocks, now I can’t remember!).  The woman is a psychic… opening up her Shu Uemura palette, I watched her reach for (what looked to me like) the beautiful ME 850.  I walked away a rejuvenated, regenerated and slightly less sweaty version of my former self.  Fabulous.

Time for shopping!

Bar some black tops from ASOS, I actually can’t remember the last time I bought something for myself that wasn’t in powder, liquid or creme form.

Eagle-eyed Rowena spotted this on a stand and practically challenged me to walk away without it.  I couldn’t.

Say Cheese!

Mr. L is unimpressed.  It’s apparently screwed up his plan for my Birthday present as he had his eye on this.  I reckon I should have both AND something else now too seeing as he gave away his surprise by telling me about it DUH!

The Clothes Show itself was a bit disappointing… the discounts were mostly underwhelming… £7 for O.P.I polishes (or 3 for £20), Make Up Store offered some products at 2 for £15 but things like the eyeliners were set at their standard instore price and they didn’t bring the High Light creme things to the show either.

OMG Marketing had a tough time accepting ‘no’ or even “do you have a website?” for an answer which put me off the Art Deco konad-a-like’s more than I thought possible.

However, in fairness… this isn’t IMATS and I ain’t no fashion blogger (or fashion anything really).

The Style Stage attracted a lot of positive attention with Caryn Franklin (I grew up watching her!) putting in an appearance and Pantene encouraging the audience to ‘swish’ their hair in order to win a goodie bag, those in attendance seemed to be thoroughly enjoying all the onstage antics!

And look what I saw!

I spent a wee while hovering at the Eclectic Eccentricity stand which hands down had the prettiest jewellery on display at the show.  All the pieces were so tactile and kinda interactive… I’m surprised I didn’t drive the owner a little bit mad ooh-ing and poking at things *blush*.  If I hadn’t been a little bit naughty in Harrods Beauty Hall earlier in the day, I would have definitely walked away with one of these and one of these too!

All in all, a lovely afternoon made even better by reading this little snippet of news the night before attending.  Ahhhh.

Have you ever been to The Clothes Show?

My love for these Aussie tubes of lip-loving lanolin have been well documented on this here blog and I’m excited to announce that from September we need go no further than the high street to get our hands on them!

Lanolips will be launching in the top 22 Boots stores starting in September before (hopefully) being rolled out to other stores nationwide later in the year.

The original non-coloured 101 ointment (my fav!) will be priced at £10.99 with the sheer coloured lip-ointments retailing for slightly less.

I’m over the Summer now… come on September!