A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I went to one of those Christmas in July press days yesterday.  Plenty of well-dressed ladies, canapes and nonchalant expressions.

Being neither well-dressed nor seemingly able to contain my excitement when surrounded by makeup THAT’S NOT EVEN OUT YET!  I felt a little out of place.  I wasn’t even carrying a designer handbag.

I may also have let out a little uncontrolled squeal when I saw the OPI Holiday 2010 Burlesque Collection due out at the end of November.

‘Ave a look!

Rising Star – Lustrous glimmering gold.

Ali’s Big Break – Glowing Red Shimmer

The Show Must Go On – Deep Pink Shimmer

Teasey Does It! – Burgundy Shimmer

Drool! Check out the duochrome shimmery goodness of Teasey Does It! and The Show Must Go On.

Extra-Va-Vaganza – Orange Glitter

Glow Up Already! – Green Glitter

Simmer and Shimmer – Blue Glitter

Bring on the Bling – Golden Glitter

Glitter-ama!  These bear more than just a passing resemblance to the Alice in Wonderland glitters… I’m thinking OPI know a good thing when they see one.

Sparkle-iscious – Multi Coloured Glitter

Show it and Glow It – Purple/Fuchsia Glitter

Let Me Entertain You! – Fuchsia Glimmer

Take The Stage – Warm Orange Shimmer

How perfect are these for Christmas?

I KNOW it’s only August, and you’re a bit over the Xmas posts already.  But how could I not show you these?

I only wish I’d had the balls to swatch them all.  But I think that perhaps sitting cross-legged on the floor painting each nail a different spangly colour would have been a step too far.  Don’t think I wasn’t tempted though.

You’ll be able to purchase the collection from LookFantastic.com – I’ve already earmarked a couple!

Any of them calling your name?

A ‘propah’ Summer bright!  I’m making the most of my shorter nails and digging all the shades I wouldn’t normally be able to wear so well.

China Glaze Towel Boy Toy is from the Poolside collection of neons and summer WOW colours that China Glaze do so well.

Towel Boy Toy is a super bright blue with shimmer, and it’s the shimmer that makes this stand out for me.  It’s not a neon… and you can look at it quite comfortably without squinting!  The shimmer gives it a little lift and really does remind me of the depths of a swimming pool!

Application was a touch streaky and I’d recommend 3-4 coats.  It also dries matte (like many brights and neons do), so I added a top coat to bring back the gloss.  I think it needs it personally.

Have you tried any of the China Glaze Poolside shades?

Look away now if you don’t like children.  I totally get it if you don’t.  It’s ok, I only like my child… normal service will resume in the next few days as I get settled back into my routine.

But I wanted to share the face that greeted me this morning.

Why the hell can’t I look that cute when I wake up?

While I’m here… I might aswell tell you that I finally booked my fishy pedicure for the 9th and I’m dragging my cousin along with me (Mr. L totally dodged that one!).  I’m all nervous, if you reviewed it… please link me up below!

…you kinda need this:

Estee Lauder’s Surreal Violet Nail Polish from the new Blue Dahlia collection is now available to purchase.  It’s a limited edition shade and a beautiful late summer/fall companion to Chanel’s eagerly anticipated Paradoxal.

Surreal Violet is priced at £12, and I’m just as in love with it today as I was back in June.  A cracking shade.

I have comitted a cardinal nail polish sin, for which I’m being punished.

Don’t store your nail polish on it’s side kids.

For the love of everything brightly coloured and infused with solvents, listen to Oprah:

http://www.oprah.com/style/How-to-Store-Nail-Polish

But even more importantly, listen to Oprah’s commenter… Jeff1967 (at the very bottom of the page).

Any tips?  I can’t shake ’em… that induces bubbles!  Do I just keep rolling endlessly?

Monday Musings… Tuesday’s Twaddle… Wednesday Waffling…. Thursday Thuckery?  No, that doesn’t sound right.

And so on…

There just aren’t enough days in the week for the amount of shit I could come up with.

Anyway…

I wanted to acknowledge that I’ve been terrible at responding to comments over the last 10 days.  I’m home now, and I’m working my way back through them (well, I will when Leila’s gone for her nap and I’ve had another 3 coffees – screw proper work).  I haven’t forgotten that I owe a Pantene ingredient list to some nice soul and a comparison of Jo’Mina and Barry M… what else, what else…. I’m working on a nail-care maintenance type post which has been requested a few times and I’d like to do another photo-tip type one but I’m not sure what would be useful?  Any requests?

Ahhh I’m so excited to be home, I could snog my computer!  True to life colours, software that doesn’t freeze and the ability to have more than 2 windows open at once.  Life’s simple pleasures.

Oh and before I forget (yeah, right… like I *really* was gonna forget) – Lipglossiping.com was featured in last weekend’s Waitrose magazine (is it still a magazine if it’s not glossy?)

Anyway, look!

Look at me, inbetween Delia and a BOGOF on extra mature cheddar.  My mama would be so proud.

Have you ever tried epilating? Well, now Rae has — and she just loves her new Emjoi Emagine!

Vote NOW on what Makeup Series you’d like to see next on Betty Girl Makeup. Poll closes Friday, August 6th @ 11:59pm.

Jellyminx shows a summery golden pink look and features a surprise guest!

Kim Porter swatches products from the MAC In The Groove Collection to show you what it looks like on NC50 skin.

Krasey Beauty has exclusive swatches of the new Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Collection.

Rachel’s been trying out new mineral makeup from Lily Lolo over at Queen of Turquoise.

Hot Beauty Health shares a list of the top 10 virtual hairstyle and makeover sites to try out a new look!

Musicalhouses makes Illamasqua’s Beg blush wearable in her latest FOTD.

Find out everything about Summer 2010 makeup trends in the Makeup4All on-line beauty magazine.

Joeybunny over at the PinkSith blog tells us what worked and what didn’t during her testing of Raw Minerals Makeup and Brushes.

Jolie Laide Girl gets all hot and bothered playing with the Urban Decay Naked Palette.

Check out what makes Guerlain’s Meteorites Perles primer so special on Beauty Addict.

Fed up of struggling to access your new makeup? Yeah… Lipglossiping is, too!

Christelle from Beauty Crazed learns that multiple X’s are not always inappropriate… sometimes they mean mascara!

I Heart Cosmetics has become totally obsessed with the Clarisonic.

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Retrodiva is giving away the brand new Sampar’s Good Weekend Kit, a new travel-friendly kit for urban skin survival.

Win an Infiniti by Conair You Curl curling iron from Audrey Dao.

There’s still time to enter the Summer Smooth Skin Giveaway at The Gloss Menagerie!

Got troublesome skin? Enter Hellcandy’s skincare giveaway for the chance to win some B-Liv products!

Do you want a new traincase? CSN stores is giving one Spiced Beauty reader a $40 gift card!

It seems you can’t blink at the moment without seeing cult British brand Illamasqua pop up at a new outlet!  First ASOS and now one of my other favourite beauty sites… BeautyBay!

I would tell you that I’m most excited about this thanks to greater availability blah blah blah.  But in all honesty, I’m hoping for some super sale bargains, and they’re already kicking us off with a top offer:

To celebrate the launch of Illamasqua at BeautyBay.com, they’re giving all customers a free Boosh Nail Polish when they buy any two products from the range.

And as if that weren’t enough…

Illamasqua announced today that they will be opening their first flagship store on Beak street in central London which will include the West End’s first ever school of make-up art.

Exciting stuff!

~ Shampoo: Pantene Pro-V’s new Aqua Light Shampoo FOR THE WIN!  I’m so impressed at a product that simply does what it claims to do.
~ Conditioner: Pantene Pro-V’s new Aqua Light Conditioner – I know, I’m sounding like a broken record… sorry!
~ Styling products: OSiS Mess Up Matt Gum is giving my hair some sweet texture atm without making it look like it’s got a ton of product in it
~ Shower Gel: TAO Rituals T’ai Chi Shower Foam… smells good, and it’s bubbly!
~ Night Cream: PerriconeMD Cold Plasma has been working nicely for me as a night cream during this hot, sticky month.  It’s light and moisturising… but I wouldn’t pay £120 for it… review coming soon!
~ Day Cream: Ponds Light Day Cream
~ Cleanser: NUDE Cleansing Oil followed up with Priori Advanced AHA – Gentle Facial Cleanser
~ Exfoliator: Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask
~ Primer: Shu Uemuera UV Underbase SPF 30
~ Foundation brush: Pout Airbrush
~ Concealer: MUFE HD Concealer
~ Powder: MAC MSF Natural in Medium
~ Blusher: Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Maui
~ Highlighter: None, it’s been too hot and I’ve been too glowy for that malarky!
~ Eyeshadow base: UDPP (as always)
~ Eyeshadows: Shu Uemura IR Beige 800 allover the lid for a brighter, more awake look!
~ Eyeliner: Sleek Kajal in Black
~ Mascara: Boots 17 Wild Curls
~ Lipstick: Guerlain Rouge G in Gabrielle
~ Lipgloss: None

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Have you noticed any stand outs this month?

What might I be talking about?

Gerard Butler has been announced as the new brand spokesman for L’oreal Men Expert!

He says: “I’m excited to be working with L’Oréal Paris.  I have always liked the quality and innovation of their products.”

“With his charisma, confidence and modern style, Gerard Butler perfectly embodies the spirit of the Men Expert line.  A talented actor, he has enjoyed a string of successes on the silver screen and is renowned for his professionalism. Gerard is just so easy to relate to – his charmingly authentic, natural air will win him the respect of consumers, who can’t help seeing themselves in the actor.  I am delighted to welcome Gerard as a L’Oréal Paris Spokesperson!” says Vianney Derville, International General Manager of L’Oréal Paris.

Suddenly, the Men Expert range has become a whole lot more interesting no? *fans self*

Good choice? Or yano… in other words… would you?

If you do one thing today, do this.  Please.

It would be wonderful if you could take a moment to sign this petition to the UK Government.  It asks for a first name, surname and that’s it.  It will literally take you less than 20 seconds to click through and sign.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but the simple fact is that children are trafficked and exploited daily within the UK.

ECPAT say:

While trafficking for sexual exploitation remains the most common form of child trafficking in the UK, children are also trafficked to the country for other types of abuse including labour exploitation, forced participation in criminal activities, forced marriage, illegal adoption and domestic servitude. Even children who are not trafficked for the explicit purpose of sexual exploitation are vulnerable to rape and sexual abuse because of the dangerous and hidden circumstances in which they are kept.

The petition calls for greater care and protection for child victims of trafficking by ensuring every child is provided with a guardian to look after them.  Over half of all children that are put under local authority care whilst their cases are investigated go missing.  These vulnerable children are in dire need of protection and your signature is a significant way to make a difference.

The Body Shop have released a Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream priced at £3.50.  Released in association with ECPAT UK, £2.36 from each purchase is donated directly to ECPAT to help fund their campaigns and projects.

For more information on ECPAT and their campaigns, log on to their website and check out their facebook page or twitter.

It’s been quite a year for luxury lipsticks!

Only just recovering from the Chanel Rouge Cocos and the Tom Ford purse breakers, we’re now faced with the new collection on the block… and it’s a biggie!

Rouge Dior Haute Couleur Voluptuous Care (£22) is a new collection of 32 (yes, 32!) mouth-watering shades.  Each shade has been inspired by (and named after) a vintage Dior Haute Couture dress.  Check out those two beauties in the background!

The range has been grouped into three colour families to make navigating through the line a little easier.  Red to Coral, Pink to Lilac and Beige to Brown, there’s a shade to suit every taste and skintone (if not budget!).

The Rouge Dior Haute Couleur Voluptuous Care collection also promises to plump your lips both in the short and long term using some fancy schmancy hyaluronic technology.  I can’t wait to see the rest of the line up, though I’m already totally drawn to the nude there *swoon*.

If you want to get your hands on one (or seven) of these babies, you need to take your lipstick-loving selves to Selfridges who hold the worldwide exclusive on the range.  Available from yesterday (28th July), these are sure to be hugely in demand throughout August!