A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Put down the hammer, I don’t need any shelves straightening…. it’s these things I need help with:

Twenty neat little eye sheet masks (£1.50) that I picked up from Muji the other week!

Tell me, what can I soak ’em in to make me look 10 years younger?  I also have some of the face size ones too… all suggestions welcome!

The only thing I can think of is boiling up some green tea and letting it cool… there must be some other great DIY concoctions for sheet masks and the like?  I’ve done a quick Google, but I’m mostly finding thicker, gloopier type mask recipes.

Any of you wizards got any cool ideas?

Taking advantage of Barielle‘s current ‘buy one get one free’ offer, I find myself the new owner of four new Barielle shades.  I should have behaved and gone for two… but I even had a hard time narrowing it down to four.

I chose two shades from the Spring Wildflowers Collection (which was WILDLY late to arrive in the UK) and two from the High Steppin’ Summer collection.

I’m being a bit of a kid in a sweet shop, because I still have a couple left from the Urban Decay Summer of Love set to show you, but I simply couldn’t resist cracking open June Bug (£8) first.  After all, I’ve been desperately desiring it for the last 5 months.

I’m delighted and annoyed with it all at the same time.

I mean, once applied… I love it and I’m very pleased that I bought it… It’s like nothing else that I own.  But my God I turned the air blue during application.

Gloop, gloop, gloop.  This polish is thick.

It spread like marmite on my nails and with the addition of the glitter gave me a horrible satin bumpy finish that needed two coats of quick dry to stop me from reaching for the nail varnish remover.

However, once all is said and done… it’s one of those polishes that ends up looking far neater and more uniform than you would have thought possible during application.

The glitter is subtle and it mixes in beautifully with the shimmer that is present in the muted baby-blue base.  Mr. L couldn’t detect the fuchsia glitter from a distance of 4 foot until the sun caught my nails and it gave a litte sparkle.

I’m talking myself round as I’m writing this and casting glances at my fingertips.  I was cross with it as I was trying to work with that 2nd coat that was drying as quickly as I could put it on… but you simply have to forgive a polish that ends up looking as pretty as this does.

That pesky reflection below makes my nail bed look bumpy, it’s not… two layers of top coat sorted that out nicely.

Barielle are still offering BOGOF on their new Spring/Summer collections, but I’m not sure for how much longer.

What do you think?  Do you like it?

Multi-use products often don’t provide the results that they claim.  The innovation is there, but the performance generally isn’t.

Not so with Jemma Kidd Pro Lip Perfector I was sent last month.

Jemma Kidd Pro Lip Perfector is a product clearly designed to fulfill three uses: Anti-feather, Prime and Plump… all housed in a single double ended pen-esque container.

I am terribly dubious about most primers (excluding my beloved UDPP) and it wasn’t too long ago that I tried the new Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion, which went a long way to solving my pigmentation issues but was a drag (literally) to apply and left my lips feeling a little dry.

I expected something similar from this.

One end houses the anti-feather ‘nib’.  A waxy translucent lip liner that creates an impenetrable barrier in the same way you would Vaseline your hairline to stop your hair dye from seeping down towards your eyebrows.  The other end holds a concealer-coloured bullet which claims to ‘prime & plump’.  And it does so nicely.

The primer glides on in comparison to the Urban Decay version… it’s a joy.  The concealer colour that it imparts blanks out the colour from my lips and allows for a neutral base.  I would recommend blotting the primer before applying a lipstick ontop just to remove the excess product but keep the neutral colour base.

It does indeed tingle like a true plumper should and doesn’t leave my lips feeling any dryer than normal.  Infact, I applied the primer to one half of my mouth before using a lipstick… and in all honesty, couldn’t see a massive difference in application BUT the primer’ed half felt far more comfortable 10 minutes later, whilst the non primer’ed side began to feel a little dry and tight.

The photo above shows my lips wearing just the Jemma Kidd Pro Lip Perfector with nothing ontop.  You can see that it blanks out all natural pigmentation successfully.  I would recommend this over the Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion because it is so good at creating a blank canvas without drying.  I’m not convinced it gives me any extra wear from my lipsticks, but the addition of the anti-feather product makes this an extremely useful tool to own.

The Jemma Kidd Pro Lip Perfector is £15 and available from QVC online.

We know how revered Eve Lom’s original cleanser has been over the years, but when I tried it…. honestly? I found it a bit of a faff.

I loved the product, the herbal scent and the way it left my skin feeling baby-soft and perhaps with more practice, I would have gotten quicker, but the last thing I wanna do (when all I wanna do is fall into bed) is stand at the sink for 15 minutes washing my face.

Enter Eve Lom’s new product for Summer…

Morning Time Cleanser, developed on the same principles as the original but with the benefits of a quicker cleanse.  A 2 minute massage and splash off with warm water makes for a highly tempting alternative.

If you’re already an Eve Lom fan, then you may find this a perfect accompaniment to your evening cleanse.  As for me?  It’s sucking me back and tempting me in again.

£35 for 125ml and available from Space NK online and instore from this month.

Arbonne… you won’t find them on the high street, their products are sold through a network of independent consultants… like the old Avon lady/Mary Kay situation, but with a 21st Century twist.

The Swiss brand are particularly well-known for their skincare, with an almost cult fanbase in some countries.  More well-known in the U.S, Arbonne have only been active in the UK for a couple of years.

Now, the products aren’t cheap… and I’ve so far experienced some rather (how can I put it delicately) “full on” interactions with Arbonne consultants over the internet.  They come across a bit ‘motivational video/live your dreams/come join us and be happy!’ for me and I find it off-putting.  It’s a shame that you can’t just bypass the whole independent consultant bit… but it is what it is.

Having said that, I’m rapidly falling for the products I was sent to try, and one in particular…. the Arbonne Nude Lip Polish.

Exactly the same size as a Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss, 5.9ml is a pretty average quantity.  Sadly, Arbonne’s version will set you back £16.  I did say it wasn’t cheap.  What I didn’t say, is that in the week I’ve been wearing it, it’s quickly become one of the nicest products I’ve ever worn on my lips.

It’s semi-sheer… but where most lipglosses aren’t buildable (unless you like 7 inches of gunk stuck to your lips) this somehow is.  I usually apply 2 or 3 layers and in doing so, I achieve a more opaque finish without the product becoming denser and gloopier.  On my lips, it feels like a cross between a lip gloss and a lipstick with a satin gloss finish as opposed to a glassy one.

I guess what I’m saying is… if you don’t generally like lip glosses but kinda wish you did, there’s a very good chance that you’ll love this.

The packaging feels pretty luxe, with a nice weight.  The applicator is your standard doe foot affair, and the colour in the tube is true to life.  It’s also extremely long wearing… 2 cups of tea, 2 4 chocolate digestives and a cheese string later and it’s still holding on!  Oh, and another thing I’ve noticed that I’m really impressed by is Arbonne’s comprehensive website.

I can’t link you directly because it’s (stupidly) built in flash… but if you click through to “lips –> lip polish”, not only do they give you a full ingredient list… but they also state the purpose of each ingredient present in the product.  An extremely worthwhile addition to the website in an age where consumers are so information driven and ingredient conscious.

I love doing heavy eyes, so the Arbonne Lip Polish in Nude is pretty much the perfect accompaniment.  I’m still trying to make peace with the price tag and I guess compared to Beaute’s Weightless Lip Creme (around £20) I’m getting a bargain.

Anyway, wanna see?

You can see the satiny finish and how it’s glossy but without being pornstar full-on sucking on a greasy pork chop… (that’s not a euphamism btw).

I’m also wearing Arbonne’s eyeliner in Plum on my eyes and whilst it’s perfectly lovely… it’s also £15.  There’s no way I’m gonna attempt to justify that when I can buy almost 4 GOSH Velvet Touch eyeliners for the same price.  It’s nice… but it’s not £15 nice yano?

The Nude Lip Polish?  Definitely is.

Arbonne products can be purchased through a consultant and you can find your nearest consultant, here.

Have you tried Arbonne?

Click the image to go to the sale!

They could do with having more on offer in the most impressive 61%-99% savings range, though I like the look of this Urban Decay set containing a super-sized bottle of UDPP amongst other things for £18.50 (usual price £35):

and this Bare Escentuals set for £23 (usual price £37.50, though it’s come to my attention that it was never sold in stores at a markup of £37.50….)

Anything on there catch your eye?  Let me know if you buy anything… I’m incurably nosey!  And let me know of any sales you find… I’m also incurably addicted to spending money 😉

£20.50 makes for an expensive concealer.  It needs to live up to the hype.

I bought the Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer in shade #1 a few months ago.  I was looking for a great all rounder that I could use under my eyes and to cover blemishes.  On paper at least, this seemed to fit the bill.

It’s fragrance-free, non-comedegenic and suitable for sensitive skin… blah, blah, blah.  All I really care about is this…  Does it cover?  Does it cake?

Yes and No.

There, review done.

Yeah… you wish…

For such a professional brand, I was hoping for a touch more longevity from this concealer.

I apply just the tiniest amount under my eye and it spreads out beautifully without dragging or settling into fine lines.  I set it with a touch of powder and hope for the best.  It gives a beautiful finish.  Though not brightening, it will disguise any obvious dark circles really rather well and a little goes a very long way.

The shade range is marvellous, I usually opt for the lightest, and unfortunately for me…. #1 is a touch too light and gives me a slight ashy look under the eyes, I should have gone for #2 or #3 but for paler gals than me, I know this will be great news!

It covers blemishes nicely, though I find that 2 thin coats works better than one thick one (doesn’t it always?).   This also tones down redness on my nose, though I do occasionally find that it clings to the dry patches there if I’m not well-moisturised enough.

So back to my longevity issue.  This lasts about 4 hours on me… so it sadly doesn’t see me through a working day.

Would I recommend it?  Yes, I think I would… despite the price tag, I think it’s a pretty lovely full coverage concealer that gives great results without looking like you’re using a full coverage concealer.

See how nicely it blends out and how a teeny amount pretty much covered the back of my hand?

You can purchase MUFE Full Cover Camouflage Cream from Guru Makeup Emporium instore or over the phone (0207 731 4646)

Do you own this or any of MUFE’s other concealers?

Oh, I wasn’t expecting not to like you.

You’re a little bit greige gone wrong… too much grey or maybe too much brown… I’m all confused and can’t pinpoint what it is that I don’t like about your colour.  But you’re just not quite right for me.

You were a bit patchy too.  Though I totally admire you pouncing on the latest trends and bringing us great colours at affordable prices… you disappointed me with this one.

I’m sad.  Did I get a duff bottle?  Mine did apply a lot darker than the bottle colour suggested… everyone else seems to love it?!

Try saying that after half a bottle of Shiraz.

Does this picture need a NSFW warning?

Tough…. it’s Monday morning, don’t even try and pretend you’re not struggling to read THE WORDS in this post.  Words?  Are there even words in this post?

Anyway… where was I? *distracted*.

Oh yeah…  So, hardened beauty addicts… what I want to know, is this….

With a bulging (sorry) beauty cupboard and a crammed bathroom cabinet, does your better half/significant other/tea maker ever indulge in your products, and are you happy about it?

Mine doesn’t.  It saddens me…

I have a lovely man doll, but he won’t let me play.

I have gorgeous masks and scrubs that I wanna put all over his face and I bet he’d look Johnny Depp-esque with just a hint of guyliner but he’s not having any of it.

He’s not all “Urgh gerrof me with that girl crap!” or any of that unsensitive macho crap… it’s just…

He couldn’t care less about ‘beauty’ products.

They’re not on his radar.  He’s all about HTC Desires and Flash CS5, a little bit of PES and a lot of Opal Fru Starburst

I could even present something to him in the latest ‘man packaging’ and his lack of interest wouldn’t waver.

He gets up, splashes his face with water, shaves with Imperial Leather and a BIC and then wonders why he gets a sore chin.  He doesn’t even differentiate between shampoo and shower gel.

When I first got married, I had visions of changing all this.

Maybe this is a bit of a weird confession, but I’ve always thought there’s something very sexy about a man shaving.  Especially if it’s done “the old fashioned way”.

I’ve tried many times to persuade him to buy one of those posh safety razor sets with a huge domed badger-hair shaving brush and a musky sandalwood-scented soap in a dish…

… of course, this is more for my (slightly pervy) benefit than his, but a man should make these sacrifices for their one true love.

Part of me is relieved that he doesn’t hog the bathroom, it’s not really big enough for two beauty aficionados.  However, another little bit of me thinks that this is the reason behind him simply not understanding my love for all things frivolous, pretty and rose-scented.

So tell me ladies….

Does your fella know his eye serum from his athlete’s foot cream?   And are you pleased he shares your passion?

Indulge me, I rarely do haul posts.  But I’m really loving the things that I picked up this week.  And just look how restrained I was at my local CCO (the MAC).

At the beginning of the week my Stila bits turned up from CheapSmells.. oh! I haven’t included my Stila Topaz Kajal in the photo!  Oh well, I got that too… But anyway, look at that lovely taupe (bottom left).  That’s Stila Cloud, a very cool toned shimmery silver taupe.

I finally took the plunge and ordered a Shu Uemura IR Beige 800 eyeshadow… I was struggling between the IR and ME versions, but felt the ME version swatched a little too pink for me.

I also took advantage of the Barielle BOGOF offer and picked up two colours from the Spring Wildflowers Collection (A Bouquet for Ava & June Bug) and two from the Summer High Steppin’ Collection (Belly Dance & Electric Boogie)

Hmm what else…

Oh, I nabbed Clinique’s (relatively) new High Lengths mascara that I’ve had my eye on for a little while… super funky alienesque brush!

Finally, I was (semi) well-behaved in my local CCO on Friday.  I don’t have a MAC counter near me… so I usually target the MAC stand quite heavily when I raid the Gunwharf CCO.  I picked up: Melon pigment, Blonde MSF and Femme-Fi eyeshadow.  Pat on the back for resisting Moon River from the Grand Duo collection and Flower Mist Dew Beauty Powder from the Ungaro collection.  (Please don’t tell me I NEED those two items in my life… I totally bend to peer pressure!)

What have you bought this week?

Terry de Gunzburg, founder of cult beauty brand By Terry is making a one day personal appearance at the Space NK Hans Crescent store in Knightsbridge.

She’ll be in store on Thursday 17th June (10.30am – 5.30pm) with her team of international make up artists to introduce her Summer collection and offer individual consultations.

Booking fee is £20 (redeemable against purchases) and all guests will receive a special gift bag from ByTerry.

If you fancy the thought of champagne, macaroons, luxe makeup and some personal attention then you can call the Space NK Hans Crescent to book a ticket on 0207 581 25 18

~ Over at theNotice, Rae has been bitten stung by the Misikko bug — and she is not pleased!

~ Betty Girl Makeup is back, and continuing on with her series on contouring!

~ Vex in the City shares her delight at discovering the wonders of Mehron’s new Celebré HD-Pro foundation.

~ Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed checks out the multitude of choices in lash enhancers.

~ Louise pens a love letter to a BLUE eyeshadow, and is now trying to deal with her embarrassment.

~ Mz. More from The Glamorous Gleam tells you all about her experience with the Zoya Nail Polish Exchange, and shows off her new goodies!

~ Does your significant other complain about “too girly” shower gel scents? Want a happy medium? Look no further and discover what shower gel Hellcandy and her bf are raving about!

~ Jeweled Thumb shares how she spot cleans her brushes, and reviews 6 cleansers to help you find the best one for you!

~ Hot Beauty Health shares the top beach beauty buys for summer 2010!

~ Krasey Beauty meets Dany Sanz, the artist, legend, and creator of Make Up For Ever.

~ Spiced Beauty shows you that you can look fab in red lipstick… even if it just costs a dollar!

~ There’s a new natural cosmetics line on the block! Lipglossiping casts her eye over Bourjois’ little sister, Une.

~ Jolie Laide Girl is glowing with Make Up Forever’s HD Blushes.

~ Learn how to get ‘Perfect Skin’ with the help of makeup artist Jon Hennessy at Makeup by Kim Porter.

~ Phyrra shows you the newest collection from Aromaleigh, Victoria’s Revenge. If you like steampunk, you’ll love this collection!

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Find out what Audrey Dao is giving away for June’s Reader of the Month Giveaway!

Cindy from Prime Beauty is a Stila IT girl and you can be too, with her awesome Stila giveaway!