A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Lipglossiping.com has teamed up with one-stop-beauty-shop Xtras to give you a chance to win a lovely Prada EDP Gift Set containing not one, not two, not three but FOUR top-selling Prada fragrances.

The lovely, boxed gift set includes: 50ml Prada EDP perfume, 7ml Prada EDP, Tendre 7ml EDP & Intense 7ml EDP.

For a chance to win, just answer one simple question…

Which celebrity is featured in Xtras’ Get the Look section?

T&C
1. Entry open to UK residents by using the entry form above only.
2. One winner will be picked at random from all entries that provide an answer to the question.
3. One entry per email address.
4. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
5. Competition closes on Tuesday 23rd August 2011 at 23.59.
6. Winner will be notified by email within 5 days of the close of the competition.
7. No email addresses will be stored once the competition has closed and will only be used to contact the winner.

This evening, with the UK going to hell in a handcart (I can’t bring myself to watch the news), I thought I’d settle down to a bit of blogging… get back on the bandwagon because it’s amazing how quickly you fall out of sync with things when you have a few days away.

I can always find something that inspires me to blog about but some days, the words aren’t forthcoming.  Today’s been filled with plenty of disappointment in my fellow countrymen and waxing lyrical about lipstick feels somehow wrong.

So let’s laugh at men getting their body hair waxed instead.  That always feels right.

To celebrate the move of feisty and candid female channel Really on to Freeview we created a male waxing viral.  Why?… Men like ladies to be well-groomed, but do they Really understand what this entails?  Can they take the pain when the tables were turned?  Find out what happened when 30 men took Really TV channel’s waxing challenge.  Be prepared for wince-inducing scenes of crotch, nipple and armpit waxes!

With a programming schedule that promises visual delights such as ‘My Big Breasts and Me’ and ‘Hair Battle Spectacular’, I think we can safely assume that you can leave 90% of your brain cells outside the living room door when you tune in.

Still, I think we’re all in need of some distraction and I missed Super Botox Me when it was on the first time round a couple of years ago. (Wednesday at 10pm incase you’re wondering).  OK, I’ve talked myself into a bit of crap telly.  Now, who’s got the Haagen Dazs to complete the stereotype?

No posts for TWO whole days.  I can see a few beads of sweat developing and is that a nervous twitch I can feel tickling the corner of my eye?

Where have I been?  Well, I’ve spent a couple of days in Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of Mr. William Shakespeare… I’d like to say that I took the opportunity to have a nosy around the town and check out some of the beautiful surroundings but I didn’t get so much as a chance to pop my head in Space NK.

We travelled there for Mr. L’s nephew’s wedding, the weather forecast was a bit grim but as you’ll see, the sun always shines on the righteous regardless of what the Met office has to say.  I’m massively fond of Mr. L’s nephew A, when I first met him he was only 14 years old (I was 19) and I was very nervous meeting Mr. L’s HUGE family.  I still get a bit nervous 11 years later but A relaxed me with good humour and gentleness.  We would play Silent Hill late into the night together… me, Mr. L and A, raiding my MIL’s biscuit tin and consuming endless cups of tea until dawn broke.  Good times.

Anyway, now he’s all grown up and like his uncle, moved away from the North East a few years ago.  His wife C is one of those rare people who can truly light up a room, as a newcomer to the family I remember envying her ability to take everything in her stride with a casual smile.  I’d still be sat there (8 years down the line) with a halo of awkwardness surrounding me praying that nobody was mistaking my lack of confidence for sullenness.

Anyway, enough of that… here’s a few photos from the day.  I wasn’t official ‘tog so tried to stay out of the way, there’s nothing worse than someone trying to get in the way and be all David Bailey when you’ve got a job to do right?!

I love a good wedding.  Especially when there are no punch-ups.

Is your wedding season over or have you gotta dust off your heels for one more outing before Summer’s out?

Deborah Lippmann’s Autumn / Fall shades have been slated for a September UK launch with sadly no word yet on whether we’ll be seeing the glorious glitters that make up the Nordstrom Anniversary set (unless, they’re re-released in a different format, I very much doubt it).

But anyway, wipe away the tears and check out these infinitely more sensible shades instead.

Stormy Weather: an edgy granite shade created in collaboration with Narciso Rodriguez
Brick House: a shimmering rust
Billionaire: a moody, dark olive green

I can’t say that any of them are really shouting my name… Billionaire looks interesting but I just wanna chuck some sparkle in there.  Brick House has the potential to be better on the nail than in the promo and Stormy Weather just does nothing for me I’m afraid.

The Deborah Lippmann Autumn shades are set to launch in the UK exclusively at House of Fraser on the 19th September priced at £14 each.

I have a smoothie-maker rapidly gathering dust in the back of my cupboard and I’ve decided to brush it off and put it into action this month!

I’m gonna feed my skin from the inside out with some beautifying smoothie recipes consisting of a whole host of revolting sounding ingredients!  Don’t laugh… check me out at the end of the month when you’re all mistaking me for err… *insert someone with really amazing skin here*.

Anyway, you get the jist.

My first Smoothie is gonna be from skincare guru himself, Dr. Murad.  I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of years ago and listened to him talk about his theories behind the importance of ‘getting’ your water from your food as well as your drinks/general fluid intake.  He’s a fascinating man and I’m looking forward to trying out his Water Secret Smoothie.  I may have to hold my nose as I drink it though no?

He says:

The delicious smoothie you are about to enjoy is a wonderful way to give your body Internal Care by flooding your system with the building blocks of healthy strong cells.  That’s why this smoothie provides you with:

Amino Acids: the building blocks of cell-building proteins.

Lecithin: a source for a key ingredient in cell membranes called phosphatidycholine.

Antioxidants: to protect cells from free-radical damage.

Essential Fatty Acids: to help cells attract life-sustaining water.

If you wanna join me (go on, be brave!) here’s the recipe for Dr. Murad’s The Water Secret Smoothie.

• 1/2 cup blueberry juice (unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup raspberries (fresh or unsweetened frozen)
• 1 tablespoon lecithin granules
• 1 small banana
• 3 to 4 cubes of ice (optional)
• Stevia extract or Agave Nectar (optional) to tast

I’ve just picked up my lecithin granules from here with free delivery, blueberry juice is looking a little elusive at the moment but the rest should be simple enough to find.

Hope it’s not revolting!

You can read more about Dr. Murad’s theories on looking and feeling younger in his book, The Water Secret* (£12.99)

Do you ever make skin-beautifying smoothies?  One of those ideas you always toy with but never see through?

* press sample

I was sure I’d already blogged about my Guerlain Météorites Perles?  I mean, there aren’t many items I use so frequently but this is one of the ones I reach for almost every morning.

And for one, it’s a pure joy just to reach for… look…

I bought the shade 01 Teint Rosé back in March when I had a coupon code for StrawberryNet.  I’d been lusting after them forever but money-off was the final push I needed to take the plunge!

The metal tin houses 100s? (I’m not counting them) of little powder balls in a variety of lilac, green, pink, yellow and white shades that promise to colour-correct and impart a healthy glow.  It also smells like a giant parma violet.

I use this in conjunction with my Trish McEvoy powder brush #5 to swirl before lightly buffing over my face.  My personal preference is to use this when I’ve finished applying my makeup… it gives a very light covering so I consider it my ‘finishing’ powder.  To my eye, it adds luminosity and a slight soft-focus finish.  You might be interested to hear that the other product I use (when I’m not using this) is ELF’s HD Powder.  Eclectic.

Guerlain Météorites occasionally comes under accusations of being a bit “Emperors New Clothes” but all I can say about it is that it’s one of my very few Holy Grail items and will last me for (literally) many years, making its hefty price tag seem a little more justifiable.

Do you use Guerlain Météorites?  Love it?  Think it’s massively over-rated?

Perfume ‘jewellery’ has been big news for some time now and will again be found on many wishlists this Christmas.  I spotted this Chloé Solid Perfume Necklace at a recent press day and made a bee-line for it because I loved the simplicity of the design.  There was a release last year that did the blog rounds, it was a solid perfume ring that was hugely OTT and possibly, the ugliest thing I’d laid eyes on.

This, is a little more understated…

The Chloé Solid Perfume Necklace contains the brand’s signature scent and will be available from all Chloé stockists from the 21st September 2011 with an RRP of £45.00/€56.30

Are you a fan of solid fragrance turned into jewellery?

Estee Lauder’s Autumn 2011 collection goes by the name Modern Mercury and features three limited edition matte lipsticks that are perfect for bold-textured lips as the longer nights begin to draw in.

I have one of the three shades: Fuchsia Velvet (£18.50), a hot, hawt pink with violet/blue leanings.  It’s as matte as they come and with a depth of pigmentation that will beat most lipsticks into the ground.  Have a look:

please excuse the blotchy “just been threaded” eyebrow area

The texture is creamy but not too heavy on slip, I recommend a lip brush to apply (my favourite is by Lancome) such bold shades.  If you don’t like such a harsh line you can always soften it a little once it’s on there but I think this formula really benefits from being ‘worked’ into the lip a little with a good brush.

As a matte, it is a touch drying… it doesn’t suck my lips of moisture like some but it does feel a little uncomfortable after a couple of hours.  The flip-side to this is that it stays put.  Like, seriously.  I applied, blotted, applied and it saw me through an entire morning and a good amount of the afternoon.  This would make an excellent choice for evenings out or special occasions (I’m considering wearing it to Saturday’s wedding).

I thought I’d compare it to some of my other hot pinks (I like hot pinks).

1.  Estee Lauder Fuchsia Velvet
2.  Tom Ford Pure Pink
3.  Illamasqua Atomic
4.  Benefit Pillow Talk
5.  Barry M #145
6.  MUFE Rouge Artist Intense #36

If you’re on a budget, you’ll be pleased to hear that the BarryM is the closest alternative available to Estee Lauder’s Fuchsia Velvet but on my lips, the BarryM leans a little more cherry.

Estee Lauder Modern Mercury Collection is available to buy on counter and online now.

* press sample

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Ok, maybe just one word: Cumin.

With ever-increasing emphasis being placed on design and aesthetics, it’s no wonder that nowadays, we’re inundated with beautiful products to “enrich” our buying experiences.  I will admit that I’m a total sucker for a beautifully packaged object… it all adds to the delight of cradling that new purchase in your hands and feeding…well… kinda ‘good’ about it no?

How horribly shallow.  I will have to feed my soul with some wholesome, profound and worthy thoughts about BINTM to make amends…  <…>  …Ok, I’m over it.

But it’s always good to remember Aesop’s words reminding us that “Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.”  It’s all too easy to get swept along on a tide of “ooh pretty” and forget about the product inside.  Perhaps more than any other, the beauty industry should be driven by physical results, why else would there exist so many beauty bloggers slathering products on their faces like no tomorrow, eager to share their findings?  So is it kinda ludicrous that there is such importance placed on how products look externally?

Probably.  Case in point…

I want these limited edition Steam Cream Xmas tins from Selfridges… I don’t even really like the product (it’s nice enough but doesn’t rock my boat) and yet, gimme.

And how about those Guerlain palettes… you know the ones, the horribly expensive but atthesametime ridiculously beautiful chrome cut-out ones.  They’ve generally received luke-warm reviews, but I still want to stroke one and make it mine.

And of course, Paul & Joe… well they know how to make a product look nice don’t they?

Whenthey tweeted an image of the lipstick below a couple of weeks ago, I knew I wanted one.  Of course it helps that the shade shown is hawt but still, I reckon I would have bought one even if the shade was a bit boring.  Art Deco styled lipsticks?  GOD yes.

Now, don’t get me wrong… I am admitting to shallowness and I’m admitting to having my head turned more readily by something that appeals to my inner magpie.  But I’m not saying that style overrides content.  It just… helps.

Are you a sucker for beautifully presented beauty products?  What is your most ‘beautiful’ purchase?

en·rap·ture

verb /enˈrapCHər/

Give intense pleasure or joy to

Three new styling tools designed to give a variety of curls, waves and va-va-voom to your locks.  The new Enrapture range isn’t about the everyday, roll out of bed and make yourself look presentable.  The tools have been designed for when “everyday hair just isn’t enough”.

But what does that marketing guff actually mean?  Well, it means that this trio of hair styling tools has been created for those times when you want extra-special hair, going-out hair, sex-kitten hair (ok, I made that last one up) – you see what I’m getting at?  I wouldn’t use these on my hair before heading down to Lidl on a Friday morning because a).  By the time I’d mastered my ‘do’ the shop would be shut and b).  I might get chatted up by ‘Art’ the fruit n’ veg guy.

The tools in the range include:

Encode Totem Styler – A curling wand with a teeny flipper and independent heat zones to customize your curl.

Amplify Jumbo Waver – A waver with bigger-than-normal barrels to create beachy hair.

Extremity Heated Rollers – Heated rollers with the ability to heat hair from BOTH sides of the curl.

I’ll be reviewing all three tools but initially I want to show you the Encode Totem Styler* which at first glance looks rather complicated.

It’s basically a curling wand with the addition of a flipper (which you can choose to use or ignore) and three individually heated zones on the barrel that will heat to a temperature of your choosing.  The point of this is to give you the option to customise your curl.  Do you want a looser wave near the scalp getting tighter toward the end?  You need to dial in a 1-2-3 (1 being the lowest heat setting).

The styler incorporates a 25mm, titanium-plated barrel that ensures a fast heat-up and snag-free styling.  I did find the ‘cool-tip’ to be a little uncomfortably warm after around 10 minutes of styling, so that’s something I’d like to see improved in future versions but I can’t say I had any other ‘technical’ problems relating to the tool’s build quality.

The styler is light enough to hold comfortably for long periods of time and once you become accustomed to the way the coding system works, it’s all rather intuitive.

I can see a Facebook group in the company’s future, asking their fans to unlock their ‘codes’ and share their hair results with other users.  “Hey, check out my hair – I’m a 2-2-3!” etc. etc. – It’s a neat idea and whilst it could be a little gimmicky if it didn’t actually work, the whole independent heat zones provides tangible results so I’m not complaining.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if the styler came with 2 extra pairs of hands?

Well, I tried to recreate the Katie Melua-esque (in my dreams) curls that I was given at the launch event in the (dis)comfort of my own bedroom and for a novice,  I didn’t do too badly!  Sure, I may have given myself a minor scorching on the wrist but I’m not used to these wand things!

I’m looking forward to trying out some more coding combinations for different effects (the above was 1-2-3, loose-med-tight), I wanna know what a 2-3-2 would turn out like… it sounds weird in theory!

The Enrapture Encode Totem Styler is set to launch this month into all major retailers (Boots, Argos, Debenhams etc.) with an RRP of £74.99 (ouch) – for more information, check out www.enrapturehair.com or talk to the hair gurus on Facebook or Twitter

It’s all about big hair this year isn’t it?!  Do you curl your hair for special occasions?

* press sample