A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

…I’m so pleased with how these party invitations turned out, I had to share!

Mostly because my poor husband is absolutely sick of giving me constant “they look great!” validation, so I’m turning to you instead.  Of course, you can tell me they look terrible if you want, it’s ok… I can totally handle criticism, that’s if… you can handle a DDOS attack.

JUST KIDDING.

Anyway, this is kind of a big deal, Leila has been waiting for a proper “friends” birthday party since she turned 3 and I told her that in her first year of BIG school, she could invite the whole class if she wanted but until then, she had to make do with family-only birthdays.  So she has.  Not that she minded the family parties at all, but you know… when you’re that age, nothing in life is more important than your PARTY, right?  She also knows that she doesn’t get another “big” party until she turns 10… so, she’s keen to make the most of it!

Anyway, as fate would have it… my due-date for baby number two coincides with her 5th Birthday.  Which means that I’ll be 38-and-a-half-weeks pregnant on the day of her party.  The party with 35-children coming.  Speshul award for me please!

The invitations are going in to school today to be given out just before home-time.  I don’t know about you but I hate the idea of giving out invitations during school-time if there’s only a select few kids being invited.  I’m of the opinion that if the whole class isn’t invited, the invitation “thing” should be done out of school completely.  The thought of leaving a few 4 or 5 year olds disappointed while others get invited makes my heart do a sob.

Because she’s having a Disco Party, we made VIP DISCO PASSES.  If you’re not wearing your lanyard, you’re not getting in! (or something like that).

Each lanyard has a glowstick and a candy watch attached.  To be honest, I really wanted to attach candy-dummies to the lanyards but I was a bit worried the parents might think I’d be playing Happy Hardcore and handing out Speed and Ecstasy during the interval.  I also considered a whistle… but then came to my senses, because that wouldn’t be at all annoying for Mum and Dad on the way home, right?

I bought most of the components for the invites from eBay.  The lanyards, I think, are mobile-phone ones from Hong Kong… the “VIP card” holders I bought separately and the glow-sticks were bought in a bulk pack of 50.  The candy watches came from Amazon.  All in all, to make 35 invitations, it came to just over £18.  Not including printer ink/card or the blood, sweat, and tears.

I was pleasantly surprised because I always embark on these projects and then start lying to my husband when I realise just how much it’s gonna cost to DIY it!  I also have some leftover glow-sticks/watches to put in goody bags.

Between the almost-5-year-old and the almost-33-year-old, you can guess who had more fun making these invitations can’t you? *blush*

If you could take just one period from history and transplant its looks, style, and fashion into this century… you’d be hard-pushed to pick a better era than the 1960s.  The decade thrived off a dynamism that transformed a post-war world, thrusting it into the modern age.  From space exploration to consumerism, civil rights to music… the buzz word was progress, and at a breakneck pace.

Nowhere was this better represented than in the world of beauty and fashion.  Many young women finally had access to a disposable income, and what better to do with it than spend it on pretty new things?

Rimmel London have released the new ScandalEyes Retro Mania Collection, a fun nod to the decade of change with a monochrome theme, featuring some of the must-have tools of the decade, absolutely necessary to perfect the mod style!

Focusing on the eyes as the main component in recreating the look of the era (lips were generally pale and frosty or completely blanked out with concealer), Rimmel London have released the following products:

•  Rimmel London ScandalEyes RetroGlam Mascara
•  ScandalEyes Thick & Thin Eyeliner
•  ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Paint in Mercury Silver, Rich Russet, and Golden Bronze
•  ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Stick in Witness White, Blackmail, and Bulletproof Beige

The ScandalEyes RetroGlam Mascara comes complete with an hourglass-shaped wand to capture all lashes from the innermost to the outermost corners, plumping and volumising as you comb the brush through from root to tip.  Whether you lust after Twiggy-esque lash separation or Edie Sedgwick’s luscious volume, the inky-black formula promises to deliver an “eyeconic” 60s look.

Georgia May Jagger presents as the face of the new collection with a look that takes the 60s styling to the max, you can view some of the brand’s modcasts online from their Tumblr page.  I’ve embedded one of the campaign videos below which shows some of the main pieces of the collection in action:

This month, the brand are running a weekly #modmonday contest that you can enter by sharing your retro look with @RimmelLondonUS on Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr – and this week – you even stand a chance at winning an authentic Lambretta scooter!

I had a go at creating a wearable 60s look, understating the lips and cheeks whilst putting full attention on the eyes.

Lining the lower lashline with the new RetroGlam Eye Shadow Stick in Witness White drew maximum attention to the contrasting black of the ScandalEyes RetroGlam Mascara and ScandalEyes Thick & Thin Eyeliner.  I wanted my look to be a more work-friendly Anna Karina than the dramatic and editorial style of Peggy Moffit!

For more ideas and inspiration on how to recreate your own retro glam look, check out the official Rimmel London Retro Glam Page.

* This post has been sponsored by Rimmel London

I have very little patience for a lot of things.  Life’s little foibles that increase my intolerance levels are varied and far-reaching… waiting to use the bathroom in the morning, picking up a freshly-boiled kettle only to discover that the person before you didn’t put enough water in for two cups… you know the kind of thing.

I’ve got another one for you.  Reaching for your eyeliner only to discover that it’s so blunt, that were you to use it… you’d risk losing an eye.

So, it’s just as well that Smashbox have saved my sanity and devised an “always sharp” waterproof liner range and I’ve got two from the 3D (a.k.a sparkly) line-up to show you swatches of today.

3D Sparks on the left, 3D Neptune on the right

Now, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill retractable eyeliners, they actually feature some kind of voodoo sharpener in the lid, meaning that everytime you twist the cap off… the tip appears neatly tapered and ready for some precision action.  You don’t need to twist these up to expose more product, they’re just ready-to-wear time and time again.

My only complaint about them is that from what I can tell, there’s no way of discovering when they’re nearing the end of their lifespan.  3D Sparks is a golden olive shade, dark enough to pass for a softer black or grey with a bunch o’ gold glitter and 3D Neptune is a very pretty navy blue with brighter sparkles.

3D Sparks on the left, 3D Neptune on the right

The formula is quite firm and stays put well, giving long-wear without transfer or running.  I’ve even worn one along the lower waterline with great success and no eye-irritation from the shimmer particles.

The Smashbox Always Sharp 3D Liners are priced at £16-a-piece, so I’d like to point out that for those on a budget, it’d be worth checking out the Avon Glimmerstick Diamonds Eyeliner at £6-a-piece which also give a similar sparkle finish, albeit with more drag and none of the fancy self-sharpening!

Smashbox Always Sharp 3D Liners are available to purchase instore at Boots and online at boots.com or smashbox.co.uk priced at £16.00 each

* press samples

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

New from Aerin Beauty this season is their Essentials Collection*, primarily featuring a weighty compact filled with a kaleidoscope of colour.

The Kaleidolight Palette (£40) is essentially a Spring bronzer, offering the kind of skin boost and colour-correction that delivers on Spring’s more subtle promises.  This is the Spring bronzer for those of us who tend to shy away from bronzing, it adds a boost where Winter has stripped the skin of its luster, an inbetween complexion solution for these tricky months ahead.

At first glance, the six shades housed within the impressive gilt exterior lean toward the cooler side of the spectrum… I think the inclusion of a skintone-correcting lilac skews my overall impression, as this is definitely a warm-toned bronzer once all shades are swirled together and applied.  It is best suited to those with fair to medium skintones, overall a buildable formula that applies smoothly and blends beautifully on the skin.

If you prefer, you can… of course, use each shade independently.  The palette is generously-sized and the pans aren’t crowded together, allowing for decent pickup with a smaller-sized blusher brush.  If you were to use the palette more precisely in this manner, you have everything included from colour-correction to contour to blush.

I’ve swatched each shade below, as they apply straight out of the palette… you can see that pigmentation-wise, you’re getting a fair amount of colour payoff with only a couple of swipes from each pan.  The bronzing shades complement each other well and I’ve been using a duo-fibre brush to apply to my cheeks, ensuring a lighter hand.  Overall, the palette delivers mostly colour and warmth with a subtle radiance.

The Rose Balm Lipstick in Whisper (£25) is another new addition to the line, promising a balm-like texture with medium coverage colour.  Whisper is an ultra-pale pink with the slightest hint of shimmer, more noticeable in the bullet than on the lips.  I’m not a fan of the texture, which feels somehow heavier than it should and a little “claggy” over the drier areas of the lip.

I’ve included a FOTD below which displays the products worn (please excuse my badger grey streak in my fringe!), I’ve limited use of the palette to the cheeks so that you can visualise the bronzing effect of the shades when swirled together.

The Aerin Essentials Collection is available to buy online now from esteelauder.co.uk and harrods.com

* press samples

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

Question of the Week: What is your all-time favorite drugstore lipstick?

Answer:  Oh boy.  Hardest question ever.  Can I name a range of lipsticks rather than just a single shade?  My favourite drugstore line of lipsticks is the Revlon Super Lustrous, the brand never stop producing fantastic shades in formulas that have stood the test of time.  When you think about many of the high-street classic shades, it’s the Revlon Super Lustrous range behind them: Cherries in the Snow, Black Cherry, Pink in the Afternoon, Fire & Ice.  That’s a lot of good lipsticks from one line-up.

A lot of my favourites have long-been discontinued but because of their mass-availability, I’m still able to grab them on eBay more often than not… greats like: Strawberry Suede, Pink Velvet, and Raspberry Bite.  Oh, I do love this range with all my heart, you can see why I can’t just pick one!

Clumps of Mascara – is all over this fantastic concealer from IMAN Cosmetics. It goes from a powder to a creme. It’s magic!

EauMG – shares a list of perfume names that make her feel sad. But, hopefully this post will leave you feeling glad.

Gouldylox Reviews – Too Faced has released their new summer collection and the shadow palette is a vision in bronze and electric pink. It may contain the hottest pink shadow I’ve ever seen! Is it for you?

Lipglossiping – shares some luminizing foundation tips for boosting skin radiance. Perfect for anyone with a dehydrated skin type!

My Beauty Bunny – Want fuller, plumper, kissable lips? City Cosmetics’ City Lips Lip Plumper delivers! And we’ve got the before and after pictures to prove it.

Nouveau Cheap – swatches what might possibly be the most beautiful drugstore blushes she’s ever seen.

Pink Sith – imagines that a Samurai Princess would fall in love with Tatcha’s Indigo Soothing Silk Body Care Line while still being incredibly badass on the battlefield!

Prime Beauty – found and beautiful and easy way to bring Radiant Orchid, Pantone Color of the Year into her wardrobe with butterLONDON’s Molly Coddled!

Phyrra – shares the Best Cruelty Free Illuminizers. Get your glow on!

we heart this – introduces you to a one-ingredient product under $20 that banishes acne and fights wrinkles. Say what now?

Beauty Junkies Unite – You don’t have to be a vintage Urban Decay lover to appreciate this lipstick color that’s a blast from the past—and available for a limited time. Try not to fall in love with Gash Revolution Lipstick!

Your turn… what is your all-time favorite “drugstore” lipstick?

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

One of the best beauty innovations in recent times was when bareMinerals finally made their sifters, lockable.  It was a game-changer… no more loose minerals floating around on the wrong side of the pot, no more having to poke selectively through the labels with a biro, exposing only a few sifter-holes at a time. Simply genius.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the latest innovation coming from bareMinerals HQ.

The brand’s Limited Edition 15th Anniversary Mineral Veil Finishing Powder looks the damn business, let’s be honest.  It’s basically a cross between a gadget and a beauty-item and you can’t tell me that you beauty-loving souls don’t love a bit of gadgetry with your cosmetics, ‘cos I know you do!

The 8g of Mineral Veil powder is housed in one end of the revolving “clam shell”, while at the other… a soft brush dispenses the product onto your face, blurring imperfections and giving your skin a final gloss.  Now, whilst the product does all of those lovely things (I’m a long-time fan), unfortunately the limited edition dispenser doesn’t really add much to the experience.

First things first, it’s not refillable.  There seems to be some confusion online about whether or not you can top-up the contents once they’ve run out.  You can’t.  This is a one-off novelty purchase, and this irks me a little.  Ok, a lot.  What if I’d fallen in love with it only to discover that my product-lust was subject to a time-limit?

Secondly, it takes a lot of effort to get the powder to distribute through the brush evenly.  During normal use, you’d just dip your brush into the sifter to coat the tips with a fine layer of powder.  With this gadget, you’re working from the opposite end of those brush fibres and the powder needs to work its way down to the tips from the base.  The dispenser is only able to flow product from two holes at either end of the brush (shown above where the two pink “plugs” are located).

My experience over the last few weeks has shown that nine-times-out-of-ten, I just don’t get an even distribution of product across the brush head.  It’s not unusable but it’s definitely a step down from the usual application method.

Not to put an entire downer on the product, I truly can’t deny that it’s really convenient for travel and I haven’t discovered any spillages or leaks in my handbag.  The dispenser locks securely when not in use and it is a pretty neat solution for taking down the shine on a midday face.

Ultimately, it’s a great idea but it needs fine-tuning… I’d love to see this product return as a permanent (refillable) item after a little product development.

The bareMinerals Limited Edition 15th Anniversary Mineral Veil Finishing Powder will be available from next month instore in bareMinerals boutiques, on the website, and at Boots, priced at £22.00

* press sample

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

All being well, in just over 6 weeks, I’m going to be a Mum again.  To say that I’m feeling a little apprehensive about this is an understatement.  Five years is a long time for the mind to heal, forgetting about the sleepless nights and the frustrations at not being able to immediately comfort an unhappy little one.

I love being the Mum of a 5-yr old more than anything, but I’m acutely aware that I didn’t relish those first few months in my new role.  I’m not ashamed to admit that either, I much prefer the company of someone who can talk back to me.  That being said, I shall be patiently awaiting the flood of maternal love that will surely wash over me within minutes of meeting our new family member.  And then I’ll be demanding a belated Mother’s Day present, because… you know, how dare you schedule your entry to coincide with MISSING THE BIG DAY?!

Incase you’re listening little one… any, or you know… ALL of the below will suffice.

1). It’s an oldie but a goodie.  Liz Earle’s Cleanse & Polish (£14.75) sales must hit the roof come Mother’s Day, I genuinely don’t know any women in my family who wouldn’t love to see this blue bottle pop out of a gift bag.  There’s also free delivery over on the website at the moment until the 25th March and a free sample with every order.

You could even build your own Liz Earle goody-bag for Mum by purchasing the mini 15ml tube and a muslin cloth for only £3.75 – now there’s thoughtful!

2). Each year, when Jo Malone release their bespoke Mother’s Day Floral Boxes (£120), I sit and drool at the thought of receiving something so mind-blowingly extravagant.  Complete with 100ml cologne of your choice (Vetyver for me please sproglet!), this beautiful floral display will melt the heart of anyone you’ve been privileged enough to call “Mum”.  Available from Monday 24th March, exclusively from the Jo Malone Sloane Street boutique.

3). Back down to earth with a beautifully-scented bump now, thanks to this perfectly-presented sweet little cone of bubbles and fizz!  The Mum’s Goodies (£13.50) offering from LUSH contains a limited edition Wonder Woohoo bubble bar, the Secret Garden bath bomb, and a Rockstar Soap.  The perfect way to show Mum that you care.  Just don’t steal the contents while her back is turned, ok?

4). For the ultimate glamour-Mum, look no further than this Paparazzi Compact (£27.65) from the new Joan Collins Timeless Beauty range.  The pretty duo features a classic lipstick/powder combination that makes “on the go” touch-ups a thing of true elegance!  The powder shade is a “neutral” tone to suit most complexions and depending on how bold your influential lady’s beauty tastes are, you can choose between a pink or burgundy lipstick!

5). When it comes to picking a perfume, you can’t go wrong with a delicate rose scent, the queen of all florals.  This Monotheme Apothéose de Rose (£18.00) from Marks & Spencer, offers a modern take on a much-loved theme.  Described as a soft, young and feminine scent – you won’t mistake this beauty for one of granny’s old perfumes.  The packaging is beautiful and will look a proper treat given pride of place at the dressing table.

6). If you haven’t yet heard of bathing brand Kneipp, trust me – you’re about to…

This German, mineral-rich brand offer a wide-range of bodycare products developed around the wonders of hydrotherapy.  The Kneipp Pure Bliss Bath & Body Gift Set (£12.95) will turn Mum’s bath water from boring to blissful in the blink of an eye.  With Red Poppy and Hemp as the workhorse naturals in this set, Mum will be sure to achieve complete serenity.  Even if its only until the water turns cold.

7). For the more traditional fragrant-fiend in your life, you won’t go wrong with a sneaky purchase of Floris’ Night Scented Jasmine Gift Set (£50) which includes a moisturising Bath & Shower Gel and an enriched Body Moisturiser.  This luxurious scent is inspired by the original Jasmine perfume introduced in 1806 by Mr. Floris.  It’s the kind of fragrant heritage that money just can’t buy… err, except luckily for us, it can!  The epitome of elegant gift-choices!

8). When spa-brand Elemis put together a special release that saves almost £30 on the full-price, you have to sit up and take notice.  Particularly when the items included are full-size products!  The Elemis Pro-Collagen Treats Collection (£49.00) comprises two beauty essentials from their iconic Pro-Collagen range: the Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, and the Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment.

Both products are housed in a rather cute, silver presentation box that makes gifting just a little bit more glamourous!

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

Most people are familiar with the practice of prepping oily skin before applying foundation but less is said about those of us with dehydrated or dull complexions.  Many, many paragraphs are given over to the subject of tailoring skincare to battle dehydrated skin… but what about makeup application?

Just as someone with oily skin can’t go slapping their base product onto a freshly moisturised face without thought of how their foundation will look in 3hrs time, I have to take care to prep my skin in advance of foundation application.  If I don’t, my skin will simply look tired, a little crepey, and incredibly dull within hours.

Once I’ve moisturised and primed with a moisturising primer, I always add some radiance to my foundations.  Wearing so many layers of product means that I have to give consideration as to how they work together, they have to be compatible and finickity products are always the first to find themselves in the reject pile.

One of my favourite methods of customising a foundation to suit my dehydrated skin involves giving it a little boost of radiance, usually in the form of a liquid luminizer that I can mix directly into the foundation.  The one I’m currently using is a purchase from last year, the Burberry Fresh Glow Fluid Base in 01 Nude Radiance.  I’ll be honest, I made a mistake… I actually bought this thinking that it was a foundation… albeit a sheer one.  Doh!

It’s not, it’s definitely a luminizer.  Unless you have the most perfect skin in the world, you’ll need something applied over this to provide a bit of a backbone if you want it to even-out your skintone.

You’ll never need more than one pump-per-application, so its 30ml packaging size is going to last you a fairly long while, which is just as well… being Burberry after all, it’s not the cheapest makeup purchase I made last year.  I take great solace from the fact that I generally tend to get on really well with high-street (priced) foundations though, so a little splurge here and there on a different kind of base product won’t do me too much harm.

To use it, I simply pump a single “splodge” (technical term, obv.) on the back of my hand before pumping my required amount of foundation ontop.  At the moment, I’m very much in favour of using my hands to apply my foundation, so I’m happy to mix the mess up on the back of my hand with a clean finger before spreading the product onto my face.  It’s a fuss-free method of application and I find that the warmth transferred from my fingers works well for spreading product smoothly over my dry skin.

The radiance boost that the Burberry Fresh Glow Fluid Base delivers is subtle but effective.  It doesn’t leave obvious shimmering particles on my skin, not that I’ve anything against more in-yer-face luminizers – I loves ’em, but sometimes they’re not wholly appropriate.  The Nude Radiance shade is a neutral-toned champagne that would suit many, many skintones… I’d always check before buying but in my opinion, it’s far too translucent to appear ashy, particularly as it will be so heavily influenced by the foundation shade you mix it with.

For me, mixing a luminizer into my foundation is a step in my makeup routine that I wouldn’t be without.  It allows me to get more use from the many, many foundations I’ve purchased that haven’t been “quite right” for my skintype.  It keeps my skin looking fresher and more radiant as the day progresses without having to over-moisturise and risk having it slide from my t-zone by lunchtime.

Of course, sometimes I’ll follow up this radiance-boosting step with a little powder highlighter also… though I mostly only bother if it’s something very subtle or I’m going out in the evening.

Burberry Fresh Glow Fluid Base in 01 Nude Radiance is priced at £34.00 and available to buy on Burberry counters nationwide and online from John Lewis.

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

Want to really spoil Mum this Mother’s Day?  Or perhaps you just want to spoil yourself?  It’s ok… I won’t judge… there are plenty of others who will happily do that for me!

Either way, if you’re in the mood for a truly wonderful giveaway, look sharp because beauty emporium Escentual have kindly provided today’s prize!

And what a prize it is…

Givenchy’s latest fragrant release: Very Irresistible L’eau en Rose takes the lead from the much-loved original Very Irresistible and gives it a fresh, Spring 2014 look with a sublime coral jus and soft fruity, floral accents that pay homage to the Mother of all flowers, the Rose.  Described as a universal fragrance, one that can be enjoyed by all ages and at any time of the year, it will make an absolutely perfect gift for a lucky someone in your life.

Want to win a bottle?

To enter the competition, simply leave a comment and tell me which men’s Marc Jacob’s fragrance is likely to give you the most “___” for your buck?       (need a clue?: click here)

T&C
1. Start date for this competition is 18th March 2014
2. Closing date for this competition is 25th March 2014
3. Winner will receive 1x bottle of Givenchy L’eau en Rose. No cash alternatives.
4. Competition is open worldwide.
5. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
6. Personal details will not be kept or forwarded and are only used in the context of this competition to inform & dispatch the winner’s prize.
7. One winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received.
8. Winner will be notified within 5 working days and will be expected to reply to an email sent to the address used to enter the competition within 5 working days or risk forfeiting the prize.

Shall we have something a little more demure today? All this holographic sparkle is lush n’ all but not always the most work-appropriate of choices.  If you are looking for the kind of polish that is possibly more work-appropriate than even you are, look no further than this Suqqu Spring release…

SUQQU Nail Color R EX05 Shirakoucha is so demure and understated that it makes Emma Watson look like Miley Cyrus.  This pale, creamy nude is completely and utterly neutral, like the milkiest tea-latte in the coffee-shop.

It’s a little sheer on the first coat and needs a full 2 or even 3 coats to build up to opacity and you only get a rather laughable 5ml for your money here, so if you’re wearing this frequently as part of your nail wardrobe, you’ll get through a bottle sharpish.

That aside, it’s a lovely polish to work with, quick-drying and glossy… I’m on day 3 of wear and it still looks as good as new.

SUQQU Nail Color R EX05 Shirakoucha is priced at £18.00 and available to buy on counter at Selfridges while stocks last.

* press sample

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

Hands up who had a bloody lovely weekend?!

ME! I did!

Casa Lipglossiping is finally beginning to shake the lurgy that had taken hold with a vice-like grip for the past fortnight.  Just a “cold”, said the Doctor… but honestly one of the worst I’ve known in my time, our noses were unaffected but the coughing… oh boy, the coughing!  If anyone knows how long broken blood vessels in the eye take to heal, Vampira here would like to know the answer please.  I look like I’m on a quest for blood-lust and it’s not very attractive!

What is rather attractive though, is my latest installment in my mini-series of Layla Cosmetics nail polishes…

Cloudy Violet.  What a corker!  And a little better-lasting than the others I’ve featured so far, hell… I got a full three-days out of this one before it chipped.  I know, right?!  Truth be told, I’m sure I could get a bit longer out of all the Layla’s if I used a base coat… something like the LUMOS or CND’s Stickey… but I don’t really do basecoats, I don’t normally need to.  This one was another three-coater that needed a top-coat to retain the shine.

Cloudy Violet is a lovely blue-toned purple with a myriad of holographic linear sparkle.  Not a brain-dazzlingly, in-yer-face holo but not as subtle as the Catherine Arley’s tend to be.

There are seven of these left on Amazon now, priced at £5.25 each, another recommended purchase from me!

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

Ey up!  I’ve got a guest review on the blog today!

Kenzie hails from Kenzie Benali Beauty & Fashion, a blog that the Southampton-based student enjoys updating during her spare time from a busy Multimedia Journalism degree.  She kindly took charge of guest reviewing the new Dermalogica Clear Start Range* for me, as her younger skin is more suited to the range’s active ingredients and target audience than mine!

Take it away Kenzie…

For the last month and a half, I have religiously been using all of the products from the Dermalogica clear start range.

With a history of problematic skin and having tried what feels like every product on the market I was excited to find out what the hype surrounding Dermalogica was all about.

Here is how I got on with them!

Breakout Clearing Foam Wash (£13.00) – I used this product twice daily and I have to say I loved it. It has quite a thick, gel like texture, which at first was a little hard to take to, but it really left my skin feeling cleansed and fresh and smelt beautiful.

Breakout Clearing All Over Toner (£13.00) – This is a unique toner because of its mist form. Prior to using this, I had never tried any spray toners. At first it felt slightly uncomfortable as it leaves the face feeling a little damp but once you get used to the sensation and allow it to sink into the skin it is extremely refreshing and effective. If you can not take to the spray however, I often applied the toner onto a cotton pad and then to my face to avoid the feeling of residue on the skin. This product can also be applied onto other areas of the body that are prone to breakouts.

Blackhead Clearing Pore Control Scrub (£13.00) – My skin is extremely prone to dryness, so out of all of the products this was one of the most effective for me. I used this 3 to 4 times a week and it made a visible difference to the way my foundation sat on my skin. Often my skin would become flakey and applying foundation on to my skin can just worsen this but using the scrub prior to doing my make up really helped to smooth the skin and provide a clean and soft base. The only trouble I did have with this was that I found the microbeads perhaps a little too harsh, that being said I have very sensitive skin! To combat this, I just used a tiny amount each time and rubbed it in extremely gently.

Breakout Clearing Daytime Treatment (£16.00) – This moisturiser was lovely to put on after my morning routine. However, I did find that I had to leave a substantial amount of time in between applying this and doing my make up, (about 30 minutes) because it took sometime to really soak into the skin.

Oil Clearing Matte Moisturiser SPF15 (£16.00) – This moisturiser promises to provide all day shine control and although it didn’t completely eliminate all areas of oiliness, it certainly helped to improve it. Often, a few hours after applying my make up, I start to get shine on my face so this was a great product for me.

Breakout Clearing Emergency Spot Fix (£13.00) – I used this at the first signs of any breakouts and it made a very obvious difference. I usually applied the cream before I went to bed so that when I woke up the redness had noticeably gone down. My only criticism would be that it comes in an extremely small tube and I went through it very quickly.

Breakout Clearing Cooling Masque (£16.00) – This masque was extremely successful in unclogging pores but most notably for hydrating my skin. I used it about 3 times a week whenever my skin was looking slightly dry. As my skin is so sensitive I only kept this treatment on for 5 minutes, rather than the 10 suggested but it still did exactly as the packaging promised and soothed away irritations.

Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment (£13.00) – This invisible treatment really improved swelling and redness and felt extremely soothing before bed. This product also seemed to greatly reduce dryness and kept my skin hydrated until the morning.

Over all I found the clear start range very true to its word, “a clear winner for teenagers.” I definitely noticed fewer breakouts and improved clarity in the skin which I think in the longer term could potentially completely clear affected areas. All of the products smell gorgeous, with a very fruity and fresh theme running throughout and left me feeling completely cleansed. I would not hesitate to purchase anything from this range again!

Lots of love, Kenzie xxx

* press sample

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here