A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I love many things… the smell of freshly-cut grass, Leila telling me that my dress looks pretty, a slice of bread devoured hot from the breadmaker, looking back through old photos, and choosing the perfect gift are among my favourites.  Life is made up of a million tiny pleasures, and I know that many of you will agree with me when I say that a little bit of sparkle definitely counts as a tiny pleasure.

Well, I hope that today, I can bring you a little pleasure as I have not one, not two, but THREE sparkly holographic Glitter Gal nail polishes to give away courtesy of PowderRooms, the UK’s new and exclusive stockist for the Aussie brand.

These polishes have long-created a blogging sensation thanks to their rainbow hues and linear holographic awesomeness, and it’s about time the brand found a reliable UK supplier.

Want to win your own Glitter Gal polish?  All you have to do is click through to PowderRooms and tell me which one you’d like to win, simples!  Enter and earn extra entries by following the Rafflecopter instructions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&C

1. Start date for this competition is 11th March 2013 at 00.01 GMT
2. Closing date for this competition is 18th March 2013 at 23.59 GMT
3. UK residents only please.
4. There are three prizes to be won, each prize consists of your choice of Glitter Gal nail polish. No cash alternative.
5. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
6. Only one entry per IP address will be accepted.
7. Personal details will only be used in the context of this competition to inform the winner(s) of their prize status.
8. Three winners will be selected at random from all entries received.
9. Winners will be notified within 7 working days and will be expected to reply to an email sent to the address used to enter your comment within 5 working days or risk forfeiting the prize.
10. In the unlikely event that your chosen shade is out of stock, Powder Rooms will request that you choose an alternative shade.

Question of the Week – What essential products would you recommend to a friend who is just starting to build her beauty arsenal?

Answer: – I used to be reluctant to part with significant amounts of money, so it’d be no good trying to fill a newbie’s makeup bag with Chanel.  For starters, I’d suggest a capsule collection of: Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner, Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer or Maybelline mineral one, A cheap neutral eye palette, Maybelline mascara (the yellow tubed one), NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream, done.  Oh wait, blush…. ummm… a MyFace Cosmetics one I think.

Pink Sith – thinks that her Birchbox subscription is trying to break up with her based on the contents of the box from February.

Prime Beauty – takes the confusion out of the myriad of eyeliner choices on the marker and helps you decide which is for you!

Phyrra – Does the lingering Winter have you dreaming of warm getaways? Enter Phyrra & BFTE’s Tropical Pinterest Contest.

Vampy Varnish – Loves the brand new Satin Lip Pencils from NARS and is pretty sure you will find some to love as well!

we heart this – is giving away not one, not two, but SIX of their new favorite skincare product; O.R.G’s Organic Mineral Peel.

Beauty Junkies Unite – Amber gives you a sneak peek review of the Sweetheart Beads from the upcoming Too Faced summer 2013 collection, Hello Sunshine!

Clumps of Mascara – is absolutely in love with Maybelline’s Vivid lipsticks. How hot is this Neon Red lipstick?

EauMG – Get your chocolate fix! Victoria updated her chocolate perfume guide. Here’s a guide to yummy chocolate perfumes in a variety of price points!

Gouldylox Reviews – It’s the first ever Gouldylox Makeover Challenge! Check out how I got a long time friend to go from girl next door to glam for less than $50 at CVS/Pharmacy!

Lipglossiping – goes ooh la la over her favourite French Pharmacy skincare and offers a worldwide giveaway on her favourite pieces.

My Beauty Bunny – My Beauty Bunny is giving away Beautisol Tea Tan Glow! Go enter!

Nouveau Cheap – So I found a $1 alternative to my favorite NARS eyeshadow. Did I mention it’s only ONE dollar?

Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by Pink Sith – During some recent image searches I happened upon the Bloomin’ Beauty Blog. This blog is filled with great images and reviews of high end makeup, making it one of my newly favorite blogs to visit, and also dangerous for my bank account!

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Go on, fill a newbie mate’s makeup bag, I wanna hear your picks!

I pre-warned you earlier in the week that I’d be blogging about my new favourite thing: courgette spaghetti, and here I am!  I’ve always liked courgettes but they’re one of those vegetables that don’t really serve a huge amount of purpose aren’t they?  I mean, sure… they’re alright skewered and barbecued and they make a mean fritter but they’re not the kind of vegetable I ever “add” to other meals as a bulking ingredient.  I have to specifically plan a meal around them, and that sometimes means that I have courgettes littering up my salad box at the end of the week.

A few months ago, I bought a spiraliser.  It was an impulse purchase that in honesty, I regretted almost immediately.  When it arrived and I saw how bulky it was, my regrets deepened and I resigned it to the back of the cupboard until I’d had a chance to get my head around what to do with it.

I knew that one of the most popular dishes to make with a spiraliser was courgette spaghetti… raw.  I didn’t fancy eating it raw but it did encourage me to substitute normal pasta for a trial.  Once tasted, I was hooked!

The cast of characters. You’ll need (for two people): three courgettes, fresh basil, two onions, a few mushrooms (or one big flat!), 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper, passata.  I also used frozen peppers and frozen garlic (not shown above).  You can add some ham or bacon… as you can see, I was going to, but Mr. L decided he wanted the last two rashers saved for a bacon sandwich on Sunday morning!

Cut the ends off your courgettes and grab your spiraliser (this one is mine).  If you don’t have room for one of these beauties, you can also buy a julienne peeler which will help get the spaghetti shape.  I have to say though, the spiraliser is far too much fun!

Look at it in action!

You know you want a go.

Ta-da!

I sprinkle my courgette with a little salt and blast in the microwave on high for five minutes.  This softens the vegetable and encourages it to release some of its water content.  Once it comes out of the microwave, tip the courgette into a sieve and let it drain the excess water.  If you have a potato ricer, you could squeeze out the excess water using that.  Don’t worry too much though, if all else fails, you can cook the “spaghetti” a little longer on the hob until the excess water evaporates.

Finely chop the onion…

…and the mushroom…

My freezer essentials include a bag of frozen peppers (how expensive are fresh?!), and frozen minced garlic that I can throw straight in the pan.  Convenience at its best.

To a lightly oiled pan, add the: onions, garlic, frozen peppers, drained courgette and mushrooms.  Sprinkle over the cayenne pepper and allow to fry for five minutes.

Pour over the pasatta and simmer gently until the liquid reduces.  Around 5-10 minutes.  Tear the fresh basil by hand and add to the pan a few minutes before serving.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan.  So much fresh flavour and very filling.

It’s also a perfect dish to make on a work-night, even quicker if you buy a pot of marinara-esque sauce to throw over the top.  I’ve bought one of these to try with it next week.

But do you know perhaps my favourite thing about this dish?  The entire meal is 2 ProPoints on Weight Watchers (without the bacon), leaving plenty of points for a big chunk of garlic ciabatta or dough balls.

Have you ever made vegetable spaghetti?  If not, I dare you to try it!

the first step in making my bathroom look a little prettier

two new lipsticks from opposite ends of the market

growing my own salad on the windowsill

a special treat for a special little girl

currently playing on my mind – the fact that this lot needs a sort-through

a vintage perfume procured for my Mum

my Mother’s day gifts that someone couldn’t wait ’til Sunday to give me

my first foray into supplementing.  I will remember to take them, I will!

getting frustrated with my weight watchers pedometer

booking tickets for my first gig since 2001

Don’t forget that my Escentual.com French Pharmacy giveaway is closing tonight, entry is open worldwide so do get ’em in before midnight GMT.  I’ve got another exciting giveaway going live over the weekend, so keep an eye out for that also.

I hope that you’ve had a lovely week and are looking forward to winding down this evening.  My aunty (who is more like a second-mum), has been allowed home from the hospital after a week under observation following a collapsed lung, special Mother’s Day hugs for her this weekend.  My Mum and Dad are coming over tomorrow for an early Sunday dinner, I’ve got to get to grips with cooking pork tenderloin – it was on offer at the supermarket and I can never resist a bargain!

Whatever you’re doing this weekend and whoever you’re spending it with, have a lovely one.  The weather looks set to turn vile again on Sunday so I’ll be throwing open the windows tomorrow and making the most of any remaining bright spells.

xx

Looking for a KAPOW! red?  Of course you are.

Of. course. you. are.

Lipstick Queen’s Scarlet Red* is as lusty as they come.  Richly pigmented with a long-lasting formula, it’s not one for the faint-hearted.

Sitting halfway between a matte and a satin finish, I find that once applied, it sticks extremely well… if you have trouble with bold lip colours feathering, you should add this to your “to try” list.  Infact, I think it’s fair to say that this kind of stickability appears to be quite the selling point throughout the Sinner range.

Unfortunately, and probably because of this… it’s not as moisturising as I’d like it to be.  There’s a sacrifice to be made, and although I wouldn’t go quite so far as to call it “drying”, you may not find it as comfortable on the lips as you’d like without a slick of balm underneath and then you’d probably lose the “sticks like sh*t to a blanket” factor that I’ve just bigged up so much.  Bloody cosmetic formulas.

Application is easy enough with or without a lip brush.  In the photo below, I used a brush because any slight wobbles always seem to show up far more in photos than they do in person.  However, the firmer texture will allow you to work some precision lip-lining direct from the bullet if you can’t be doing with any faffing around carrying brushes.

As for the actual shade?  Well, it’s heart-beat inducing.  A red that I’d say leans slightly toward the cooler side of the spectrum without being a full-bodied blue red.  It should suit most skintones as I think it’s one of those reds that will somehow allow your own natural colouring to impact on how it looks in the context of a full-face.  What I love most about the colour though is its brightness.  Scarlet Red delivers a vivid slash of colour and brightens my complexion thanks to its clarity and clean hue.

Lipstick Queen Sinner Scarlet Red is priced at £18, available instore and online at uk.spacenk.com

* press sample

Among an ever-increasing tide of Mother’s Day press releases, I spotted one subject line milliseconds after deleting (itchy trigger finger) that had me scrambling through the email bin to retrieve it.

Child-friendly nail polish brand Little BU will be holding an Easter sale extravaganza and all nail polishes will be reduced to a ridiculous £5 each.

Horrendous news for my wallet, with Leila’s 4th birthday coming up and four recently released shades to put a twinkle in her eye.  I can see myself having to sacrifice one of my Helmer drawers for her stash in the future, though I was hoping we’d hit teenage years first.

Incase you’re unfamilliar with the brand, Little BU offer non-toxic, water-based, and odourless nail polish formulas that wash away with a bit of soap and water.  For increased longevity, you can apply their special top-coat to seal the colour for extra wear.

Here’s Leila showing just how prepared she is to follow in her Mum’s footsteps.  Heaven help her.

Little BU in Sofia

If you have birthday gifts to buy throughout the year or stockings to fill at Christmas, I suggest you make a head-start and hide them away.  There’s nothing like a little prepared-ness in the face of a good sale.

Little BU in Olivia

The Little BU Easter Sale begins online at www.iluvlittlebu.com on the 18th March (date for the diary) and will run right through until Easter Sunday.  All polishes will be reduced from the regular price of £9.95 to £5.00 each.

If you’re anticipating the warmth of Spring as eagerly as me, you may be interested in pre-empting the vibrancy with a little treat from LVX.  The vegan nail brand’s products are formulated without the use of Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, DBP, Toluene, and Camphor making them not just 3-free, but 5-free!

Midori* is a retina-searing chartreuse creme that applies smoothly, if a little thinly, in two coats.  The chunky square lid removes to reveal a slim handle for painting.  I found the formula to be quick-drying but prone to pooling at the cuticles, thin layers are the way forward but thankfully the pigmented creme is opaque in two coats.

LVX Nail products are priced at £10.99 each and available to buy online from www.cloud10beauty.com

* press sample

When we first moved into our new flat, I was all about painting chevrons on a feature wall and incorporating some graphic loveliness into our interior design.  Of course, it being our first home, we ended up taking more inspiration from the sale corner at Ikea than the distant reaches of my imagination.

This beautiful limited-edition set* from BareMinerals features New York designer Jonathon Adler’s signature aesthetic, I think we should all just take a moment to enjoy its prettiness.

There, doesn’t that feel better?

The Limited Edition Jonathan Adler for BareMinerals set contains an Original SPF15 Foundation in luxury size, a Handy Buki Brush, and collectible box.

The set is a Selfridges exclusive, available on counter and online now, priced at £50.00

* press sample

I still feel quite new at this motherhood lark and haven’t come to terms with the fact that after all these years, I’m now included in this annual celebration.

So, when does Mother’s Day stop being about your own Mum?  Never, I’d imagine.  My Mum and I don’t have the easiest relationship, it’s not the kind I want Leila and I to enjoy in years to come, and yet we both understand our failings.  I know I love my Mum and I know that my Mum loves me… in our own ways.

That has to be enough for both of us because neither can bring any more to the table.  That sounds more regretful than it is but it’s something we’ve actually made peace with over the past 12-months, which makes this Sunday more poignant for me, maybe for both of us, than it usually is.  It’s also my first Mother’s Day away from my Mum, perhaps we just lived under the same roof for too long?!

Regardless, Mother’s Day for me, has always been the day where I attempt to repent for my sins.  All those times throughout the year where I happily let my Mum put aside her wishes/choices/motivations to please me instead must now be addressed in full.  Sure, I showed appreciation at the time, and there’s lots of you out there that feel these one-day “celebrations” are nothing more than an opportunity to line Hallmark’s pockets… but, there’s something about dedicating a whole day to say thank you for the role someone plays in your life.

I wouldn’t get rid of the celebration for the world.  Plus, my Mum gets to stock up on Walnut Whips and her favourite perfume!

01: Urban Apothecary’s Macaroon-inspired candle collection will be sure to get your Mother’s taste-buds watering with a choice of scents including: frangipan, violet cassis, mint creme, strawberries and cream, chocolate orange, and white truffle.  Each candle delivers artound 25-hours burn time with a natural soy wax blend and 100% cotton wick. £30, www.urbanapothecarylondon.com

02: Volupté Sheer Candy by Yves Saint Laurent delivers sheer lip colour with a moisturising, balmy finish thanks to a formula developed with fruit extracts.  Available now on counter in ten shades and packaged so beautifully, you wouldn’t even need to wrap it. £23.50, www.yslbeauty.co.uk *

03: Did your mother give you butterfly kisses when you were a wee one?  Give one back in the shape of this LUSH Madame Butterfly Re-Usable Bubble Bar enriched with delicious rose absolute, geranium oil and lemon.  Each bubble bar should allow for around six baths, ensuring that you remain #1 daughter for a while.  Madame Butterfly also comes with a rather special tag with wild-flower seeds embedded in the paper!  The gift that keeps on giving! £5.25, www.lush.co.uk *

04: Recently shortlisted as “gift of the year” by the Giftware Association, Miss Patisserie’s Macaroon Gift Tin promises to be a true bathing delight for any sweet-toothed Mum’s out there.  Nine fizzy melts will release a range of fragrances into your bath including: sweet pomegranate, spearmint & eucalyptus, champagne, french lavender, juicy peach, coconut & citrus, cucumber, garden flowers and rose. £15.50, www.miss-patisserie.com

05: For the Mum who has everything, there’s only one option… the works.  Give her the gift of ultimate pampering with a special Mother’s Day package from Daniel Galvin.  The treat includes: An express Dermalogica facial, manicure, cut & blow-dry, and a glass of bubbly from the top London salon. £140, www.danielgalvin.com

06: For the sweetest-smelling Mum around, gift her this fruity-floral wonder from an iconic British fragrance house.  Floris Cherry Blossom delivers a fresh blend of bergamot, orange and pink pepper over a heart of cherry blossom, osmanthus, rose and peony.  It’s a delicate, decadent, and exclusive gift that evokes the very essence of Spring. £99, www.florislondon.com *

07: If you’ve ever heard yourself say “let’s have a nice cup of tea and a sit down” the chances are, you’re turning into your Mum.  Let her lead the way in style with this Blossom & Bird Tea for One set.  Comprising a teapot, cup, and saucer in the prettiest of designs, all you need is a packet of hob knobs for a wonderful afternoon treat. £5, www.tesco.com

Do you go all-out on the Mother’s Day treats?  What have you got planned for this year?

* press sample

* p.s – sorry about that intro, I started writing and it ALL came out haha!

1. Jenny from Beauty And The Biryani is looking lovely in Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate lipstick in shade 01

2. Rachel from Rachel tbeauty is resplendent in Lancome’s L’absolu Rouge, shade #132 Caprica

3. Adrianna from Agent Coulson Lives does her country proud(!) in MAC Ruffian Red

4. Kadian from Ace Your Face rocks a budget beauty in the form of Maybelline’s Colour Sensational in Red Revival

5. Cassie from Shimmer Dreamz pulls of the classic red lip and liner look with the help of Clinique’s High Impact lipstick in Red-y To Wear.

If you want to submit your red lip look, email me a photo of your lovely selves with the following info:

Your name:
Lip shade name:
Link to blog (if applicable):

Are you wearing a red lip today?  Tell me about it in the comments below!

This isn’t actually the title of this week’s official challenge.  You see, I read this week’s challenge about taking “me time” to assess your weight loss journey and it didn’t feel like something I could blog about in my own voice, so instead, I’m going to talk about what I like to call “The Mental Plateau”.

We all know about the problems with physical plateaus (wait, is the plural of plateau, plateaux?! *mind blown*) whilst on a weight-loss journey, but what about the mental obstacles that lie across our path?

Now, I’m not currently experiencing any kind of plateau, after 2 weeks of illness and takeaway-fueled recovery, my scales and my attitude are reflecting some healthy losses again but the mental plateau is my biggest problem whenever I get to a certain weight, and I’m expecting to see it raise its ugly head again at some point in the near future.

So what is a plateau?

Well, in the simplest terms, it’s a levelling out of progress… to the extent where your weight-loss or motivation flatlines.  If it’s physical, you may feel as though you’re throwing every effort into doing all of the right things without reaping any rewards, and that can be pretty demoralising.  However, a mental plateau, in my experience, can be even more disastrous.  Mine usually hits when I reach what I consider to be an “acceptable weight”.  If I can turn sideways infront of a mirror and my boobs stick out twice as much as my belly, I’m there.  When I can see my feet in the shower without leaning over?  Get in!

It doesn’t help that when we reach that stage, weight-loss can genuinely, physically becomes harder.  They say that the closer you get to your goal weight, the harder it becomes and I’m more than happy to agree with this sentiment.  In my life, contentment has always bred laziness… like a piggy enjoying a mud bath, I’m happy to live in the moment without any thought for the bigger picture.  Inevitably, this leads to over-eating, because I genuinely feel that until something “clicks” (if it ever does), over-eating is what my psyche is programmed to do.  It doesn’t happen immediately, it’s taken over two years to put on half of what I originally lost… but it happens.  And whilst the scales are steadily climbing, my brain is still plateauing… simply not registering.

When it does finally kick into action (usually because my clothes start to feel tight), an initial reaction is anything from self-loathing to abject dismay, not the best emotions for motivation.  After a bit more wallowing (and a few more pounds on the scales), I find myself doing the “enough is enough!” thing whilst desperately trying to leap back into the saddle in blind panic before my buttons start popping.  It would be a lot more productive and easier on the emotions if I didn’t experience that mental plateau in the first place.

If you’re not familiar with the Weight Watchers plan, they have something called “Filling & Healthy” which is a nifty tool in your weight-loss arsenal and one that I’ve been employing on days when the motivation just isn’t there.  It works like this:

1. Pick only the foods listed as Filling & Healthy
2. Stop when you feel satisfied and not when you’re ready to burst!
3. Include 2 teaspoons of healthy oil (sunflower, olive, flaxseed, safflower or rapeseed oil)
4. Deduct the ProPoints values of any food or drink you have that isn’t Filling & Healthy from your Weekly ProPoints allowance of 49
5. Relax and don’t count!

To put it bluntly, I believe that getting fully-acquainted with the concept of Weight Watcher’s “Filling & Healthy” regime is the key to beating the future mental plateau.  And when I say “acquainted”, I mean… “overly-familiar”.  We all know that the key to losing weight (and keeping it off) is down to employing some good ol’ common-sense and their “Filling & Healthy” list is packed-full of common-sense foods.  Playing with food combinations on that list is a less taxing method of maintaining your weight when you feel that the novelty of counting points and weighing portions is wearing thin.

I like that it doesn’t do battle with what is probably just a temporary “can see my feet, so can’t be bothered to work hard!” attitude.  Instead, it lets you ride that dip in your motivation like a wave until you come back out the other side without (hopefully) having done too much damage to your hard work.

Do you suffer from the Mental Plateau?

p.s. I’ve got a lovely (healthy!) recipe that I want to share later in the week if my Asda home shop turns up today!

* I am a Weight Watchers blog ambassador and my links to their website are affiliated.  I have received no payment for this post.

Because we haven’t seen enough of Cara Delevigne and her bloody wonderful eyebrows mooching up and down the catwalk over the past month, Burberry are releasing another flanker for their bestselling Burberry BODY fragrance in the form of Burberry BODY Tender with said model fronting the campaign.

Touted as a lighter interpretation of the original, Burberry BODY Tender brings together lemon, English rose and white jasmine to create a scent that they say is inspired by the playful attitude of the Burberry girl with the energy of the brand’s London hometown.

The packaging mimics the refreshing styling of the original Burberry BODY fragrance with its tall, slender bottle but with a shift in the colouring from gold to a gentle rosy hue.

Of the new scent, Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer had this to say:

“Burberry Body was always about creating something that captures all the different characteristics of the Burberry girl.

With Body Tender, we wanted to explore and bring out the softer, more playful sides of her – capturing this light femininity in the scent as well as the campaign.

Cara’s natural beauty and vibrant energy lit up alongside London’s magnificent architecture.”

The notes listed are:

Top: lemon, crisp apple and green absinthe
Heart: English rose, white jasmine and sandalwood
Base: cashmeran, amber and musk

The campaign, created under Christopher Bailey’s creative direction was shot on the river Thames by Mario Testino.   You’ll be pleased to hear that Cara hasn’t taken a leaf out of Brad Pitt’s book, instead she takes the opportunity to do what she does best… looking effortlessly chic in a Burberry mac whilst making women everywhere blunt their tweezers on the nearest rock.

Burberry BODY Tender Eau de Toilette is on counter and online now priced from £39.00 for 35ml.  Also available as a body milk.