A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

You’re gonna have to excuse the late-night point & shoot pictures, these were taken at around 11pm and I’d just dragged my tired bum through the door after spending an evening at Selfridges enjoying an Armani masterclass with Cesar Santos, one of Armani’s International Face Designers.  I’d already managed to eat my lipstick and gloss off whilst on the train home, so what remains in the photo below is a five-hour old base which my dry skin instantly fell in love with (Luminous Silk 4.5), some phenomenal mascara (Eyes to Kill (VexInTheCity, you were right)), and one of the new Eyes To Kill eyeshadows (#24 – RougeDeluxe has more info on them here).

There was also a blush (blushing fabric #1) which the camera has failed to capture.  I’m sad that I ate the lipstick off, it was probably the best warm pink I’ve ever worn for not looking clashy against my skin.  Don’t comment on my brows, I would say that I’m “growing them out” or something bloggery like that, but I’m not… I’m just too idle to phone my threading lady and my fringe does a great job at hiding them.  Usually.

How about that mascara huh?

Cesar Santos usually resides on the Giorgio Armani counter at Harvey Nichols, London.  You need to track down this man, seriously.  He’s ridiculously easy to talk to, completely non-judgemental when admitting your makeup crimes, and did not put a single foot wrong when selecting shades that complemented both my skintone AND my hair.  Basically, if ever there were a case for human cloning (especially if we could turn them into our makeup minions)… Cesar is it.

I shall be blogging more about the evening soon!

I know!  Right?!

But before you get all excited (as I did when I read about this), the offer is only available to new Boots Treat Street customers.  So, if like me, you’re already justifying your eBay addiction by reminding yourself that you earn Boots points with every purchase courtesy of Treat Street, this deal doesn’t have your name written on it.  The bastards.

However…

If you’re new to the world of Boots Treat Street, there isn’t a better time to sign up.  Except for that time when I signed up and got £15 in Boots points (kerr-ching) via a Living Social deal.  Sorry, you’ve missed that boat and no-one likes a gloater.

So, what’s this Treat Street malarkey all about then?  Well, to put it simply… it’s the Boots Advantage Card system extended to other stores (but only online).  For example, you can’t walk in to Dixons brandishing your Boots card but you can click through to the Dixons website VIA the Boots Treat Street website and subsequently earn Boots points on any purchases.  Clear as mud?  Good.

As much as I hate installing crap on my computer, I must admit that the Boots Treat Street browser toolbar comes in quite handy.  It pops up whenever I’m on a website that participates in the scheme and reminds me to “log myself in” to the system before making my purchase, thus securing my Boots Advantage Card Points from the deal.

If you haven’t shopped via the Boots Treat Street website before, you’ll be wanting this code: WELCOME500 and these instructions on what to do next.

Happy points collecting!  Do you use Treat Street?  Tempted to sign up?

Four new shades from Orly that echo Electronica’s past.  The campaign ad is a distinctly 80s affair with a touch of post-apocolyptic punk thrown in for good measure.  The shades seem to span the seasons from a summery hot pink shimmer to the more wintry slate grey.

Shades are as listed below:

Decoded: Slate grey creme
Preamp: Girly pink with gold shimmer
Shockwave: Royal blue creme
Synchro: Duochrome pink/gold (but all the swatches I’ve seen show a rose-toned polish with blue reflects – go figure!)

All shades are available to purchase online now from BeautyBay, where they’re currently priced at £7.50 each.

Are any of these on your Summer wishlist?

I’ve been a fan of Jo Malone’s Cologne Intense range since it debuted in the Summer of 2010 and although back then, the thought of spending £70+ on a fragrance did little more than bewilder me, you may have noticed that as my interest in fragrance has grown, so my spending budget has significantly increased.  Of the current colognes in the range, it has always been the Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense that has appealed to my senses more than any other (followed closesly by the Amber & Patchouli – what can I say?  I like the headier stuff!) which is why I was excited to hear about the brand’s latest addition to the line, the Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense*.

Rose & Oud… it’s not the most original pairing in the fragrance world is it?  But there’s good reason for that – the traditional Middle Eastern coupling simply compliments one another beautifully.  If you’re a Rose & Oud aficionado, you may find this version a touch dumbed-down despite the “intense” moniker, in which case, you’ll be pleased to save your pennies.

For everyone else, I have to say that the new Jo Malone version makes for a lovely introduction to the classic duo.  It’s heavy on the rose, as you might expect from the British brand and reminds me somehow of a more velveteen and cleaner Le Labo Rose 31, thanks in no small part to the fact that the Oud in this definitely plays only a bit part on the stage.  It lacks the animalic tang and spice of the Le Labo but the dark, masculine edge is perfectly balanced with a voluptuousness that emerges from the first sniff and stays the course throughout the shorter-than-I’d-like wear time.  So, talking of longevity… this is where I find my disappointment – for such a majestic pairing (and a non-too-shabby price), I’d like more endurance please – on my skin, I achieve around the four hours mark.  Ultimately, this leaves me torn – I adore the composition: the allure of the rose with the darkened petals and its full-bodied, almost torrid sultriness appeals in all the ways I had anticipated.  It’s just aswell it’s only available in a 100ml bottle, because I’ll spraying this liberally and often.

In other news, the brand have recently opened a new London boutique in Covent Garden on King Street.  Most interestingly, this is the first store to employ the brand’s new design in the inimitable Jo Malone style of black and cream, it’s also the largest freestanding boutique in the UK stocking a full range of Jo Malone’s beauty and home fragrance favourites.

Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intesnse is a limited edition fragrance available now, priced at £95 for 100ml.

* press sample

You know how I love to come across an unexpected beauty bargain?  Well, this one is my latest and it’s from the M&S debut Limited Collection make-up range.  The range went live last month, you can read more about the brand’s new beauty ventures in this post but the main thing you need to know about the M&S Limited Collection is that everything comes in at under £6.00

The Limited Collection includes almost everything a girl needs for her daily makeup bag from foundation to bronzer, nail polish to cheek tint and most things that fall in-between.  I was sent a few random bits and bobs from the new collection and I’ve got enough of a feel for the products to confidently call this one out as worth a look next time you’re in store.

The shadows come in a range of finishes and although I suspect that some of the base products will be a little hit and miss when it comes to shade selection (light, medium and dark anyone?) there are some funky nail shades on offer and this little gem of a liquid liner really turned my head…

This liquid liner in turquoise packs one hell of a tropical punch in the colour stakes.  It’s incredibly pigmented and doesn’t do that annoying liquid liner thing of pushing the pigment to the edges of the line, leaving the centre colour-free and in need of seven more layers.  The above swatch images show a single sweep of colour (except for the very outer “v” on the eye where for neatness’ sake I had to go over it).  My only caveat with this product is that it takes a while to dry… I’d say around 90 seconds to set, that’s quite a long time when you’ve only got five-minutes to do your face in the morning.

Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Liner in Turquoise is a complete steal at only £4.00 for 6ml.

* press sample

… I’ve never depotted before.  Which is basically the beauty blogger equivalent of a whore admitting that she’s never actually done it before.  Not that I’m calling beauty bloggers whores.

Wait, where was I?

Well, it was Saturday night and I had about 20 minutes before I was supposed to be in bed, which obviously made it the ideal time to get out a bunch of eyeshadows, light a candle and kiss goodbye to a perfectly good cuticle pusher.

So the above Z-Palette is now made up of a mixture of depots and pressed pigments.  I didn’t sacrifice any of my expensive shadows in the making of this… the whole exercise is an attempt to make me use more of the shades that I’ve been neglecting.  There’s a right old hotch-potch in there – you may recognise some MUA, Art Deco, MAC, The Body Shop, Mary Quant, Maybelline, and NYX.  The ones with bumpy texture are my pressed pigments (mostly The She Space, Shiro Cosmetics and Victorian Disco).

All in all, it didn’t go too badly. I gouged a couple (and quickly re-pressed), dented the pans on more than a couple (what’s a few dinks between friends?) and shattered one (didn’t like it much anyway).  Am I game to do the same for my more cherished eyeshadows?  Am I naff.

Do you depot?  Always or just sometimes?

You can keep your Andrex puppies and their loo roll-pulling antics because Zoya Kendal has super-softness in the bag.  This beautiful polish from the American brand is simply perfect.  A gorgeous greyed-lavender creme that incites visions of mist-swirled candyfloss.

The formula is also divine, reaching full opacity in two fuss-free, streak-free coats. You may be able to tell that this is my favourite polish of the year so far…. making me want to retrospectively check out the rest of the Zoya Feel Collection from last winter (thank heavens for eBay).

If you’re finding Zoya Kendal a little too simplistic or cold for your tastes, these kind of muted pastels are my absolute favourite for enhancing with a little glitter.  In this case, Butter London’s Tart with a Heart did the honours…

Ethereal, delicate, beautiful and blinging to the max!

Zoya Kendal is available to buy online from beauty4nails-body.co.uk, priced at £7.99

Question of the Week: – How do you keep track of the beauty blogs you read? Do you use an RSS reader, bookmarks, GFC, Bloglovin’ or something else?

Answer :- I keep up with my favourite beauty blogs via Twitter, most bloggers tend to link to their new posts and I’m always clicking through to check out their latest highlights.  Any that I miss from there, I catch up once a week via HelloCotton or Bloglines.

Gouldylox Reviews – Want beachy waves? Kelly from Gouldylox tested the irons and found out which ones deliver the wave you want!

Lipglossiping – gets down and dirty, talking about all those things you shouldn’t do… but do anyway…

Nouveau Cheap – reviews a drugstore setting powder that matched her skin so well she could barely photograph it.

Pink Sith – Brings you an UNusual review of UNdeniably beautiful LORAC Unzipped Palette!

Prime Beauty – visits the Island of Capri…sort of. Okay, the Estee Lauder Bronze Sands Eye Shadow palette takes her there. K?

Phyrra – is treated to a Beauty Blogger Breakfast at Neiman Marcus. See what she learned from the experience!

we heart this – is giving away a $100 gift card to New London Pharmacy’s online shop. Shop for Dad or yourself, we won’t tell. Caudalie, Fekkai, Deborah Lippmann and more!

Beauty Junkies Unite – See why Amber has been toting around not just one, but THREE shades of bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in her purse lately!

Clumps of Mascara – is giving away THREE $50 gift cards to Sephora.com. You want one, uh? Be sure to enter!

How do you keep up with your favourite blogs?

I came across this fun video on a late night YouTube session…

Low Octane. Really? REALLY? Get off my planet.

The only one that I can think of (from the top of my head) that I struggle with is Weleda.  Is it “vell-eeda”, “vell-ayda”, “well-eeda”, “well-ayda?”  FFS.

Which brand names do you struggle with?

Life is full of essentials, and fashion’s most faithful of all ensembles is the inimitable little black dress.  Lauded as the holy grail wardrobe-dweller, the perfect LBD should be à la mode whilst appearing simultaneously timeless – a classic to accompany every occasion.  Ultimately, it should bestow the wearer with the confidence of a thousand catwalk models whilst proffering simplicity – the very essence of elegance.

Guerlain’s newest fragrance creation: La Petite Robe Noire*, is a nod to the ideals behind finding that ultimate pièce de résistance.  The concept of finding the fragrance equivalent of fashion’s most essential item isn’t all that unusual when you consider how fragrance is used to both bolster and uplift the spirit, polish one’s appearance, and suitably reflect our sensibilities.  Just like fashion, it can leave a lasting impression – so how does La Petite Robe Noire leave me feeling?

The bottle is indeed both simultaneously timeless and “of the now”, reminiscent of the Guerlain greats reflected in its silhouette – the bottle is a replica of those that house both Mitsouko and L’Heure Bleue.  The pretty illustration of the artists’ (Kuntzel+Deygas) interpretation of the perfect LBD (and let’s face it, it’s not far off!) grounds the flirtiness and sets the scene for what awaits inside.

A succulent cherry and frangipane tart immediately springs to mind, whetting the taste buds nicely with the almond notes arriving as a little surprise, flanking the reasonably well-anticipated fruitiness.  These give way to a classic heart of florals taking shape in the most feminine of forms, rose.  Bulgarian rose essence and candied Turkish rose absolute to be exact.  These middle notes reject the initial fruitiness, clinging instead to the almond and giving the perfume an edible but-not-quite gourmand appeal.  It feels strangely as though the notes (written down) should be offering something headier than my nose is experiencing and although this is absolutely a scent for evenings, it’s certainly not too boudoir.  The close is a little disappointing to me – touted to deliver shadowy temptations of liquorice and smoky black tea, I sense more of the classic Guerlinade accord of tonka bean and vanilla, and beautiful though it is – I’m longing for more of those promised shadowy temptations!

La Petite Robe Noire displays all the hallmarks of a best-selling fragrance.  It’s beautifully crafted, with a carefully-defined story to be found within.  From the moment you slip playfully into the attire, to the moment that the LBD is slipped from your shoulders and onto the bedroom floor, you are led through an evening of flirtation and romance, culminating in the classic Guerlain finale.

Don’t be fooled by the illustrations, which in my opinion, make this seem like a choice for a younger generation – there’s is plenty in here to appeal to all ages.  I recommend seeking this one out for a sniff when it sees a nationwide release from the 24th July.

La Petite Robe Noire EdP is available now at Selfridges, priced from £42.00

* press sample

I know I was supposed to be hot-footing it to Boots to spend my points on Chanel Summer… but I’ve got a little secret to let you into: I didn’t actually get that far.  I was in West Quay and when I came out of the lift, I got distracted by John Lewis… if you haven’t been to West Quay in Southampton, let me tell you… they know how to make a good John Lewis.  It’s my favourite local beauty department… by contrast, the Debenhams in town is woeful and sends me into fits of depression whenever I darken its doors.

Anyway, there I was… fingering (you can use that word in other contexts) all the pretty beauty stuff at the front of store when I spotted this Illusion d’Ombre (cream eyeshadow to plebs like you and me).  I already own two of them (Mirifique and Illusoire) and I’d completely forgotten that this shade even existed.  I was umm-ing and ahh-ing over picking up Fantasme (a sparkly irridescent shade) which I hoped would brighten my eye area without being too gaudy when the subtle peach-tones of Émerveillé stopped me in my tracks.

Summer in a pot.  Minus the Mojitos and insect bites.

Like Fantasme, it contains tiny reflects of multidimensional sparkle, though much MUCH more subtle, grown-up, and golden.  I know I haven’t properly reviewed Mirifique yet, but I literally wore Illusoire every day for a fortnight whilst up North.  The Illusion d’Ombres are completely effortless in application, blending and wear.  They last perfectly for 7+ hours without a sticky base or primer and almost melt (in a good way) onto my eyelids.  I actually can’t praise them enough for their complex finish and I love how they don’t appear metallic-y (and aging) like many shimmer shades often do.

Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in #82 Émerveillé is priced at £23.00 and available online at Boots (or instore at John Lewis!)

Do you own any of the Chanel Illusion d’Ombres?  Are you as crazy about them as I am?

I wasn’t sure whether or not I wanted to comment on the latest news from Urban Decay which indicates their intention to expand operations into China.  Afterall, I’m not a “cruelty-free blogger” (writing only about cruelty-free products) and I’m not entirely sure that it’s my place to come out of the woodwork and comment on issues that I don’t normally involve myself with.  Having said that, it’s something that for whatever reason, I can’t stop thinking about.  I’ve been mulling it over in my head and it’s left a heavy-hearted feeling bumping around in my chest.  When all is said and done (and the Urban Decay press machine have spun a number of well-written statements defending their decision), it’s still (to me) an act of ultimate betrayal for the millions of fans that have been acquired, precisely because of the brand’s staunch stand against animal-testing.

In some ways, it’s due to my non pro-active status on the issue that I’m so surprised by the move.  MAC, Avon, Estee Lauder, Mary Kay and the other brands who have recently taken the decision to enter the Chinese market (therefore accepting the potential animal-testing regulations that surround the move) haven’t encouraged the slightest eyebrow-raise from my corner of the blogosphere, but then again, these aren’t brands that have built and staked their reputations on their responsibilities to providing cruelty-free cosmetics in the same way that Urban Decay have done.

Many of you will know that the EU have already banned the animal-testing of cosmetics within their own laboratories and despite postponements and potential delays, there’s still a significant push to ban the sale and marketing of any products within the EU that contain an ingredient that has been tested using animals by March 2013.  This would be the end result of a massive campaign that has been ongoing for over a decade and something that campaigners such as the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) would be immensely proud of achieving.  Above all else, it shows that there is huge demand in the world for new legislation and an appetite to develop alternative means of testing that cause harm to neither man nor beast.

So just why are these multi-national brands taking such giant steps backward by entering a foreign market which has a record of resistance when it comes to acknowledging or financing efforts into finding alternatives to animal-testing?  Well, there can really only be one reason.  China is a huge market, with the scope for almost immeasurable growth and in these economically uncertain times, it seems that everyone wants a piece of that particular pie.

The justifications released by Urban Decay focus on a rather romanticized notion of infiltrating the nation’s psyche from within through the use of education, and promoting a dialogue on the issue but as one Temptalia reader, BlackFuji succinctly wrote: This is like saying “I don’t punch my kids in the face… the babysitter does. I hope the babysitter learns from my example.”  Urban Decay’s infamous (and trademarked) tagline: “We don’t do animal testing. How could anyone?” ultimately sounds rather hollow under this new direction.

Whilst the brand have been busily reminding their followers on Twitter that they’re listening to feedback following the announcement and that they remain committed to not testing their products on animals, the BUAV have today released a statement confirming that Urban Decay will no longer be certified ‘cruelty free’ under the Humane Cosmetics or Humane Household Products Standards and that the U.S. cosmetic brand will no longer be licensed to carry the internationally-recognised Leaping Bunny trademark on their products.

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How do you feel about Urban Decay’s recent announcement?  Do you have faith in their motivations to enact change in this new market?