A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

You say tomato, I say tomato (that works so much better in person).  They say Line Diffuser: Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules*, I say Primer (mine’s snappier).

Firstly, the capsules instill that “squee cuteness!” thing in me that I need to resolve before I buy up half the Disney store on my next visit.  Secondly, this thing is packed full of ‘cones… it has more ‘cones in it than an Ice Cream van parked outside IBM.

When I saw this I was all “hmmm, this ain’t skincare!”, “but it sounds like skincare?”… “nahhh, this ain’t ‘skincare'”.

Apparently, it IS skincare.  Here’s the ingredients, I’ll let you make your own mind up.

I like the sound of the peptides… so I’m gonna call it a primer with ‘skincare benefits’.  That’s a compromise to you and me.

I apply it under makeup as recommended and the silicone helps me achieve baby-soft, velvety skin in an instant.  Infact I’ve been a bit sarky about this product so far but I can’t deny that it’s actually one of the best ‘primers’ I’ve used.

My foundation glides on once the Line Diffuser has had a minute to dry down.  You know those rare, blissful times when you get a great foundation application that looks flawless?  Since using these prior to buffing in my liquid foundation, all applications have looked flawless.  It simply makes my skin look smoother and more even-textured.   I don’t have anything other than a few fine lines around my eyes to test claims on wrinkle-smoothing but I’m liking its pore polyfilling abilities a lot.

I don’t believe I’ve achieved any additional longevity from my foundation since using this but I am finding this noticeably more suited to my skin than my Smashbox primer or my MAC Prep + Prime.

I’m torn.  I think the marketing as to what it actually is, is a bit squiffy… it’s potentially a little drying with daily use (best reserved for days when you NEED great skin?) and it’s pricey at £29.95 for 60 capsules which works out at an overall volume of around 21ml.

But I’m loving its work.  Something I never thought I’d say about a brand brought to life by Cindy Crawford.  I know that’s snobby… that’s snobby right?  Still… she does rock the 90s brown lip like no other!

Meaningful Beauty’s Line Diffuser Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules are priced at £29.95 and can be purchased online at www.meaningfulbeauty.co.uk (a Guthy Renker site).

* press sample

I do all my best online shopping late at night… when no-one else is around.  Those two facts may or may not be connected.

I made a long-overdue Shiro Cosmetics order a few weeks ago and frankly, couldn’t be happier with my choices!  I don’t know about you but when it comes to posts like these… I just wanna see the swatches, so without further ado – here’s what I bought with official descriptions included.  These have all been applied with a damp brush.

Team Rocket: Shimmery red-toned purple (I get more of a muted greyed purple with a red undertone)

There Will be Cake: Shimmery chocolate brown with cherry sparks

S.S. Anne: Universally flattering, shimmery, subtle-yet-rich champagne with a peachy-copper tinge

Rattata: Vivid opaque bright purple with shimmery blue undertones

Party Escort: Shimmery blackened silver with lots of red sparks

Master Sword: Super-glittery pale taupe – a blend of silver and gold, with bright silver sparks

Veran: Super-dark blue-black loaded with aqua and purple sparks

Because We Can: Super-bright shimmery hot pink with flashes of silver

Mewtwo: Sheer, shimmery, medium purple with blue tones

Unsatisfactory Mark: Pure bold crimson with light shimmer

Golem: Rich, opaque brown with strong silver-gray shimmer

Still Alive: Cool, bright shimmery green with a subtle green-to-pink duochrome shift and lime glitter

Everything Is Bears: Rich, dark brown packed with gold glitter and red sparks

Beta: Shimmery blackened emerald

Your Best Friend: Shimmery grey-pink with strong pink glitter

Ganondorf: Velvety black with strong dark red shimmer

Weepinbell: Shimmery chartreuse with subtle green duochrome

Midna: Shimmery medium gray packed with bold aqua sparks

Oshus: Dark ocean blue, with boatloads of gold glitter

Test Subject: Bold, shimmery burnt orange

Epona: Soft velvety brown with a misty cream overlay

Outright Fabrication: Soft shimmery white with bold flecks of red and brown

It’s nice to be back playing amongst my piggies… I haven’t made a big order like this since the She Space had their closing down sale!

Do you have any favourite Shiro Cosmetics shades?

…is one of those phrases you try to desperately scrub from your psyche, you can’t say it without rendering yourself a total twat.  It’s true, I’m sorry.  If it’s any consolation, I said it about 20 minutes ago and got a look from Mr. L that would have made Bowie feel uncool.  No mean feat.

Anyway, seeing as there’s no Lipstick League this weekend, I thought I’d list some blogs that I check daily.  I don’t have time to read many on a daily basis… I usually have a mega-fest once a week or something, literally devouring blogs in my path… but these are the ones I will get back out of bed to check if I’ve forgotten (ok, I’m lying but you get the idea).

LondonMakeupGirl – chief enabler and show-er of interesting stuffs.

Cosmetic Candy – the first British blog I read religiously back when it was called something really tacky like MostlyMakeup.

Lotus Palace – Kathi buys some seriously cool things.  I covet.

Eyeliner & Spray Paint – Robyn wears all the colours I don’t… it’s like my makeup alter-ego, plus she makes me laugh.

Beautys Bad Habit Blog – Lily has talentz, she makes me want to do crazy things like add jewels to my eye makeup and eat deep-fried ice cream.  Admittedly, it doesn’t take a lot to make me want to eat deep-fried ice cream.

Makeup For Professional Asian Women – Jamilla makes me want to buy stuff.  I like it when bloggers make me want to buy stuff.  Jamilla is an expert in this field.

Sailboat – Jennie’s blog transports me to a land of whimsy and cute jewellery, I always feel uplifted after a flick through the archives.

Makeup Your Jangsara – Makes me want to put makeup on at 2am, without fail.

Temptalia – It’s just total makeup porn isn’t it really?  I almost feel dirty peering closer at the screen to check out the swatches.

Designer Spray – Halima makes me want to be a cooler person.  It ain’t gonna happen so I read her blog instead.

Scrangie – Never have I bought more nail polish than after a few minutes spent over at Scrangie’s place.

Dempeaux – This chick would look good in a binbag and I want her wardrobe.  And makeup.  And she’s got a pet sheep that would totally love my back garden.

Ok, I’m gonna stop there… considering that there’s at least another 10 I could reel off without having to actually think about it, I’m re-evaluating my moans on never having enought time to read blogs on a daily basis…

I should stop bellyachin’ about that.

What are your DAILY reads?

My lovely friend Allyson sent me a selection of Wet n’ Wild palettes from across the pond and I’m working my way through them slowly.  Some of the colour combinations are frightening for a neutral-loving lady like me but they’re all pretty damn fantastic nonetheless and I’m enjoying breaking my safe boundaries!

Considering we can’t get these in the UK, I thought I’d work my way through the palettes and torture you a little with some photos of their goodness.

how hot is that blue?

Poor blue, I haven’t done it justice AT ALL!

Do you own any of these Wet n’ Wild Color Icon palettes?

I was treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of acclaimed makeup school, The Academy of Freelance Makeup a couple of weeks ago so I headed into Soho, dodging thunderous downpours on the way.  Highly aware of how completely rubbish my own makeup looked that day, I settled into my seat to listen to Jana Ririnui, the creator of AOFM Pro and Jason Mallett, the director of AOFM Pro explain more about the school.

The core belief held by AOFM Pro is that their students will learn most efficiently from makeup artists currently operating in the freelance industry.  Not only will students gather the techniques and theories from qualified tutors but also learn more about experiences that might befall them in the future when they join the ‘real world’ of a working makeup artist.

Although the organised ‘curriculum’ is comprehensive, there’s also the opportunity for eager learners to gather knowledge through general class conversation with a working makeup artist… learning from anecdotes and tales of the fashion industry!  The scope for picking up invaluable advice is only limited by the flow of natural conversation.  In addition to this hands-on tutoring, students also benefit from the rotation of tutors, it’s the aim of the school to introduce their students to as many different working styles, techniques, creativity and products as possible.

The final thing that I took away from my morning at AOFM Pro was the aftercare… the school offers free refresher sessions for past students and promise to always be on hand to offer professional advice long after you’ve walked out the door, makeup brushes in hand.

Thanks AOFM Pro for letting me have a nosey around your studios and in your beauty cupboards and a big thank you also to Jade, Assistant Head Of Education for a super hawt smokey eye to brighten up the rotten Summer downpours!

image courtesy of Katie at MyLipsButBetter

For more information on the school, tutors and courses visit aofmakeup.com

…and for those of you who guessed it was a mini vibrator, shame on you!  The day I start blogging sex toys is the day I realise it’s all gone a bit too far.

This slightly dubious looking item is infact… a root cover-up!  I know, I know… not as interesting as the alternatives but far more blog-worthy!  I saw this when I was last at PAM Makeup Provisions and couldn’t resist popping it into my basket in case of emergency.

I say “emergency”, it’s more like… once every couple of months.  Like a ‘routine’ emergency… one that doesn’t really sound much like an emergency at all.  Just a lazy bitch who can’t be organised enough to ensure she’s got a pack of hair dye to hand.

So, in theory… you’re just supposed to crayon over your roots with this hard waxy stick and walk around like you’re not premature ageing at all!  It actually works better than I thought it would… but it’s not without issue.

It does leave my hair feeling kinda… well, waxy to be honest.  It’s not greasy and it doesn’t *look* greasy… but I can feel the difference and it annoys me.  I’m not sure that I wouldn’t just achieve the same cover-up with one of Leila’s dark brown crayolas… perhaps I should try.  It would be the most uninteresting dupe alert the blogging world has known.

On the positive side, it doesn’t clump and once I’ve painted it over my roots, it allows me to work it in with my fingers to ensure it’s blended nicely.  Overall, it’s something I am pleased to have incase of emergencies/laziness *delete as appropriate.

Cover Your Gray for Women is available in various shades online from afrodesire.com and even with £2.99 delivery, it’s less than I paid for mine at PAM.

Who says beauty blogging ain’t glamourous?

What do you reckon this is all about then?

I’ll give you a clue… it’s not a lipstick.

The other polish I received from their Summer 2011 collection is this muted “grurple” called Native Rock, it’s somehow softer than any of the other shades of this type that I own.  It’s almost whimsical and ethereal, tres beautiful.

I think it may have a bit too much grey in it for some skintones to wear with success but I’m not complaining on mine!  The above photo shows two coats and although it looked like complete coverage… with hindsight, I think I could have gone for a third.  The photo shows it looking just a little thin in places.

Application was dreamy and longevity average.  Another solid release from SpaRitual.

SpaRitual nail polishes (£8.50) are available to purchase directly from the SpaRitual website and spas/salons.

Jo Malone’s new Wild Bluebell is a four piece collection celebrating one of the most iconic wonders of the British woodland, the English Bluebell.  Synonymous with the ending of the long winter, the flower captures the imagination of anyone who encounters its magnificent carpets across the ancient woodlands of Britain.

image courtesy of Jo Malone

How to bottle that mesmerising sight?  Jo Malone’s Wild Bluebell is a delicate blend of fresh bluebell (engineered) and clove with a heart of lily of the valley and jasmine alongside a base of white amber and musk.

Compared to Penhaligon’s Bluebell (of which I’m a fan for its almost audacious evocation of the surroundings in which bluebells grow), this is a much lighter, easy-to-wear fragrance.  It’s gentle and playful with a hint of juxtaposition from the musk that lingers very close to the skin.  Ultimately, it’s a green floral with a hint of spice… where Penhaligon’s is a confrontation, Jo Malone’s is more a sweet echo.

The launch took place at the end of last month in a beautifully restored Georgian townhouse that demonstrated the spirit of the fragrance beautifully.  I was introduced to Wild Bluebell herself, the fragrance personified… a whimsical character with more than just a hint of the woodland nymph about her.

I’ll leave you with a couple more photos from the launch, the brand had commandeered the global stock of faux bluebells for the occasion, not to mention the scarily realistic bunnies found frolicking amongst the flowers.  It was like stepping through the looking glass!

The Jo Malone Wild Bluebell collection will be available from September and include the Cologne (£36/£72), Body & Hand Wash (£30), Body Creme (£48) and Home Candle (£38).

“But you said you were completely bored of shatter top coats?”

“I never said I was bored of silver ones.”

Out of all the 24 billion photos of seen of manicures done with shatter top coats this year, the silver ones always look the prettiest to me which is why I actually couldn’t quite restrain myself from adding this to a recent eBay polish haul.  I mean, it’s Color Club… it cost me less than a coffee.

I was too much of an impatient child to apply it over anything over than what I was already wearing so it jazzed up the Nails Inc. OMP! nicely.  It also reminded me how nice it was to have something to breathe new life into a tired looking mani without having to redo the whole thing.  Forty seconds later and I’m getting another 3 days wear from something that should have bitten the dust days ago.

I like it.  But I won’t buy anymore.  No, really.  I’m totally bored of them… unless someone brings out a holographic one…

Ok, we’re really done with this trend now yah?  Just one more? Nooooooo!

When a well-known skincare brand announces that it’s bringing out a professional line with professional results, it’s a point of interest.  When well-known skincare brand points out that its results are backed by a long-term, independent clinical study that’s been published in the British Journal of Dermatology – it’s a point of slightly more significant interest.

Introducing, Olay Professional.

You can keep your Thandie Newtons, show me the clinical studies!!!  Though to be fair, better dumb ’em down a bit, I only got a C in my GCSE Double Award Science.

The study involved a panel of women aged between 40-65 who tested the regime over a 6 month period against a leading anti-ageing prescription ingredient.  The study showed that the new Olay Professional range was as effective as the prescription ingredient, Retinoic Acid (the most powerful form of Vitamin A) at reducing the appearance of wrinkles.

If you want to find more about this study, there’s an article on cosmeticsdesign.com that you may be interested to read.

POP-UP SKIN CLINIC!

In celebration of the launch, Olay will be opening the doors to a temporary clinic where you’ll have the opportunity to pre-book for a free one to one consultation with a skin expert from the world of dermatology.

The Olay Professional Clinic will be open to the public for three days only (28-29 June and 1 July 2011) at 18 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London from 10am-5pm.  If you don’t want to pre-book, you can still drop by to receive a product demonstration by an expert beauty consultant, and relax in the lounge with an anti-ageing “mocktail”.

To book, call the Olay Professional Clinic booking hotline on tel: 0207 611 3770 and register your details.

Olay Professional went live on the Boots website today on a strictly limited pre-sale basis with only 300 Olay Professional Anti-Wrinkle Kits available for purchase and I hear that over 7000 women signed up for the pre-sale.  Scary stuff!

The full, nationwide launch is scheduled for August.

Do you feel like you’ve seen it all before or are you more likely to be interested by products marketed around the results of their clinical trials?

One of the most hyped products of the last decade has been given a long overdue update, YSL’s Touche Eclat* is finally available to purchase in darker-skinned shades, why this has taken so long?  God only knows… it can’t have been due to a lack of interest.

the un-numbered one on the left is #1

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with this little clicky pen.  Many, many years ago I bought shade #1 and marvelled at its pinky paleness… delighted to discover a shade that would suit my skin so wonderfully.  Until I wore it and it made me look thoroughly lifeless.

Then a helpful MUA showed me where I was going wrong and drummed it into me that I was using a highlighter and NOT a concealer.  Huh?  First I’d heard of it… every woman and her cat had been shouting about how this was hiding their dark undereye circles!?  Confusion reigned…

the shade range swatched in the same order as above

Well, turns out that for me… I was applying WAY too much, WAY too close to the lashline.  Nowadays, I only really use it in the area that extends from the inner corner where my eye meets my nose (kinda), along the socket line to about halfway across the eye.  It brightens but it doesn’t really conceal… for me, Touche Eclat is a convenient everyday pick-me-up but no industrial strength fix for mega late nights!

You’ll find so many people telling you where to use it and how to apply it, personally…  I think it’s one of those products that you need to experiment with to find the best way to suit you.  I really don’t think Touche Eclat is a one-size-fits-all number.

the OCD in me wants to CLEAN these badly

For more information on selecting the right shade from the newly available selection, the YSL website has one of those ‘which shade are you’ thingamajigs that you may find useful.

I thought I’d leave you with this official YSL video, you can find it on their website.  I’m just wondering if he could have fit MOAR product on her face?  He should have just filled a bucket and let her dunk herself.

YSL Touche Eclat in all its glorious, new shades can be purchased online from Selfridges or instore priced at £24.50

What’s your take on this iconic beauty product from YSL?

* press samples