A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

There are more silver holos on the market than there are old-enough-to-know-better 1D fans on twitter but Dodgy Barnett is different.  This particular holo-infused polish blurs the lines between silver and grey, leaning more to the understated sophistication of a cool-toned grey than the usual bling of a silver holo.

As you can see, it’s a pretty unassuming polish when worn indoors and in the shade but as with many holos, its true beauty comes alive when you get outside and find a patch of sunlight…

Dodgy Barnett sparkles a multitude of rainbow colours but ultimately keeps that wispy, pastelly grey thing going on… perfect if you’re looking for something sophisticated but with a little something different to show off about!

Butter London’s Dodgy Barnett is priced at £11.95 and available to buy online at PowderRooms.com who are offering 25% off all Butter London products with the code “butter”.  But hurry, today’s the last day to take advantage of the promotion.

* press sample

When I blog… I blog because I have something to say.  You’ll rarely find a post from me which contains only a few words… quite the opposite.  Which means that it takes me an average of 2hrs to compile a post, I aim to blog daily and I’m not meeting that target at the moment.  Why is it important to blog frequently?  Well, we’re all creatures of habit and it’s nice to know that when you log on to someone’s blog, you’ll find something new to read.  Consistency is important for a blogger.

It’s to this end that I’ve created Lipglossiping Lite.  It’s a tumblr-based site that I aim to update more frequently than this blog.  It won’t replace this blog… not in any way, shape or form.  Neither is it an excuse for me to blog less on here… but it will hopefully mean that I have somewhere online to deposit all those snippets that fill my head with things I want to share, but don’t necessarily want to write 500+ words about, you know?  Currently… those things, many of them time-sensitive (deals etc), just don’t get blogged at all anymore.

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, any Lipglossiping Lite updates will be accessible from there.  I’m turning off my Instagram updates (though will still be instagramming!) just so that I don’t bombard anyone with beauty overkill via their social media.

Truth be told, I’ve been in a blogging slump for a long time… commiting to another outlet is something I’ve resisted for a long time as a form of dilution but I can’t deny that perhaps being able to instantly share some of the things that excite me in a less time-consuming way, just might reignite my appetite for the whole deal again.  Or it might not.  But it’s worth a go.

Thanks for sticking with me x

Question of the Week – Do you own any beauty products that you “covet” but never (or rarely) use?

Answer: – My most coveted, least-used item is probably my Clarisonic.  It’s not that I don’t like it… it’s just that I don’t have anywhere near the sink that I can plug it in to keep it charged.  Such a pain in the arse.

Gouldylox Reviews – has found a mascara that gives long, lush lashes that no summer fling can resist!

Lipglossiping – questions the merits of gold in Orogold 24K Deep Peeling. Gold-laden genius or cosmetic quackery?

My Beauty Bunny – Doing a little beauty shopping this weekend? Find out what eyeshadow is best for your eye color and shape to help make the decisions easier!

Nouveau Cheap – Looking for a nice drugstore alternative to Clinique Black Honey that will only set you back five bucks? Check this out.

Pink Sith – Takes you on a journey though a rose garden in the middle of a hot summer day with Seth Kornegay Eau de Parfum in Orla .

Prime Beauty – is keeping her summer shine at bay with BECCA Blotting Powder Perfector–you’re going to love it!

Phyrra – shares her favorite Purple Nail Polish for Makeup Wars!

Vampy Varnish – takes you on a personalized tour of San Francisco with the new OPI San Francisco Collection for Fall/Winter 2013.

we heart this – have you seen the mermaid-esque summer Aqua launches from MAKE UP FOR EVER?

Beauty Junkies Unite – Ladies, please don’t miss this review & swatches of the upcoming OPI San Francisco Collection for Fall/Winter 2013. You just might be surprised by how many shades you love!

Clumps of Mascara – Can a piece of cloth replace your makeup remover? Hmmm…find out if The Wonder Cloth is really as wonderful as they say.

EauMG – Let’s travel to Bali with The Scent of Departure. Fans of “beachy” scents are going to love this affordable fragrance!

What’s your most-coveted, least-used item?

The lure of a manicure that delivers long-lasting wear, minimal fuss, and one that can be done in the comfort of your own home is a strong pull.  Once upon a time, the only way we could have achieved something like this would have been to visit our nearest nail technician for acrylics and gel overlays (I used to love Bio-Sculpture).

Nowadays technologies have moved on and things have become a lot let fussy since the advent of Shellac and Gellish-type polishes… and even more so, now that we can use similar UV-cured polish technology at home!

I’m not a newbie to at-home gel polish systems, having previously trialled and reviewed Red Carpet Manicure’s major competitor in the UK market: Sensationail, infact… I’m in a priviliged position where I’m able to deduce any differences between the two systems.  So, without further ado, let’s get down to it.

Red Carpet Manicure

The first point to note between the two at-home nail systems is that of the two… the Sensationail Kit is slightly cheaper at £60, compared to the Red Carpet Manicure Starter Kit at £65.

The Red Carpet Manicure kit contains pretty much the same product as the Sensational in terms of: prepping products, base coat, colour, top coat… the systems both work in a similar way when it comes to application and use.  The major difference between the two kits is the lamp.

Sensationail’s kit comes with a “pro” lamp as standard.  In this instance, you can take that to mean… a lamp with a timer.  The Sensationail lamp cuts out after 1-minute and “chirps” after 30-seconds.  Red Carpet Manicure’s smaller footprint lamp… doesn’t do this, you need a clock handy.  No real problem for those of us with our smartphones glued to our fingers anyway but curing time is also longer after each step with the Red Carpet Manicure system.

Red Carpet Manicure

In terms of value for money… the Red Carpet Manicure system provides you with larger-sized bottles in your starter kit.  Over double the amount of base/top coat, something that is fundamental to the system working… and generous quantities of nail cleanse and remover.  Sensationail’s offering, at around 3.6ml is pretty stingy… it won’t be long before you’re buying topups to be fair.

Back to the lamps for a moment… although the Red Carpet Manicure’s lamp has the convenience of being able to be powered by USB (laptop powered nails yeahh!!), I did find the design a little awkward.  My longest, middle finder had to contort in order to fit under the UV bulbs.  It’s no biggie… you don’t have to keep your hands locked in position for hours but it’s worth mentioning as a point of difference.  Red Carpet Manicure also do a less-portable lamp (with timer) in one of their more expensive kits.

What’s included in the Red Carpet Manicure kit

Lamps compared, quantity of product and price compared… things are working out to be pretty even between the two contenders for the at-home manicure crown.  But wait… because I’m about to blow this thing apart.  The Red Carpet Manicure system is easier to apply on the nail than the Sensationail kit.  And for a novice, this is an important distinction.

In my previous Sensationail review, I complained about the shoddy packaging of the Sensationail bottles… and it’s only after using superior packaging that I can appreciate how much more smoothly the product applies.  Now, don’t get me wrong… I got on “ok” with the Sensationail during application, a little pooling at the cuticles that I was quick to clean up… but…

The Red Carpet Manicure products apply like a dream.  The brushes are cut more carefully and I found it remarkably easy to apply each layer thinly.  Don’t underestimate the importance of applying this type of gel system in super-thin layers.  Thickly-cured gel on your nails is u.g.l.y.

Applying the base coat

The polish stays complete wet and workable right up until the moment you begin to cure it, leaving you ample time to push the product around the nail… capping the tips, keep the polish clear of the cuticles.  It’s almost therapeutic.

Applying the colour

You can see my funny finger contortion in the picture below… this was taken mid-cure.  You can also see how teeny-tiny the lamp is – it looks like a stapler!  Two minutes later and my colour was cured and ready for a top-coat.  All in all, it took around 25 minutes to complete a full manicure.

Looking back, I see that this is less time than it took to complete with the Sensationail kit.  Considering curing times are slower with this kit, I’m surprised at the difference.  I can only put it down to the speed at which I was able to apply the product to the nail thanks to easier application.

The curing process

Ta-da!  Here’s how the finished manicure looked.  My one complaint is that it was a little sheerer than I would have liked after two coats as my nail-line is still visible but in all honesty that’s my fault.  I was asked to choose a colour to receive with my kit and I didn’t look closely enough at the Pinterest photos linked on their colour range page (nice touch btw) that would have given me a better idea!

The finished result

The finished result

And so… manicure down… how did it last?

Well, really well actually!  I didn’t experience any of the “lifting” that I occassionally experience with the Sensationail kit and after 12-days (see picture below, please excuse the eczema), you’ll see that there’s no chipping of the nails.  The same does apply to all the other nails, I promise – I just didn’t think when I took the photo that you might want to see all of them, sorry!

By the way, check out my amazing nail growth!  I’m putting that down to Dr. Lewinn’s Renunail (review coming soon, it’s taken me a very long time to discover what it actually does!)

Removal was easy… I previously complained about the removal for the Sensationail system but I got the hang of it in the end.  Both are very similar… you simply need to buff the surface of the nail first, do the tin-foil trick (with pure acetone) and scrape off any remnants.  Give it 10-minutes with the foil on your fingertips first.  I will say however, that I didn’t need to buff my natural nail after removal with the Red Carpet Manicure kit… there were no remnants at all.

…and 12 days later!

So… all being said and done… yes, I do have a clear favourite out of the two systems.  The Red Carpet Manicure performs better for me across all levels except one, I’m not a fan of the ultra-portable lamp.  But I will happily trade a contorted finger for easier application and a better shot at being able to create some funky nail art with the system(!), greater value-for-money, and a wider range of colours.

The Red Carpet Manicure Starter Kit* is available to buy online from redcarpetmanicure.co.uk, priced at £65.00

* press sample

* please find my Sensationail reviews here and here.

I’ve seen a few Savse Smoothie posts pop up on blogs recently and while I try to avoid blanket campaigns, I was really intrigued by the idea that these could perhaps be used as a short-term and less expensive solution to a DIY Juice Cleanse.  Firstly, you might be a little ambiguous on what actually consititutes a juice cleanse in this context…

Well, for me… I took part in an expensive, but effective cleanse last year that really worked a bit of magic to hydrate and plump my skin, boost a natural-looking glow (and lose a bit of weight!).  Of course, the weight loss didn’t last much longer than it took me to inhale a bag of salty chips the next day… but, at the time, it went a long way to helping deal with some water retention.

A “professional” 5-day cleanse can cost in the region of £350 and usually includes all of your juices, some form of nut milk, perhaps a mild laxative, and usually a few skin-boosting supplements to help you along your way.

These Savse Smoothies* retail at £2.49 for a 250ml bottle.  Most “pro” cleanses provide juices that come in 500ml bottles… the average dose of which is around three-to-five bottles a day.  Taking this into consideration, you could feasibly subsitute Savse Smoothies (the ones that don’t contain yoghurt) at a cost of £15-to-£25 a day.  Over the course of 5-days?  £75-to-£125 depending on whether you choose to consume 1.5L or 2.5L of juice daily.  Either way, don’t forget to supplement the juices with plenty of water, coconut-water, and herbal teas.  A glass of almond milk before bed would also provide a dose of protein and good fats.

Now, while this of course, still sounds expensive… it’s nowhere near the £350 end of the spectrum, is it?  Of course… if you’re a regular juicer, you’d end up saving plenty of money just by investing in something like the soon-to-be-released Philips HR1863 Viva Collection Juicer.

The Savse Smoothies contain 100% natural ingredients… for example, their Super Green offering delivers the following in each 250ml bottle:

150ml Pear (juice)
80ml Broccoli (purée)
5ml Kiwi (pulp)
5ml Lemon (juice)
5ml Banana (purée)
4ml Kale (pulp)
1ml Spinach (juice)

Add up those totals?  You get 250ml.  That’s it… there’s nothing else added to detract from the fruit/veggie goodness contained within.

If you are contemplating a juice cleanse with these Savse Smoothies, I would recommend doing some homework online to discover some useful additions to help encourage the best detox possible.  Picking up some supplements from Holland & Barrett such as Spirulina Capsules/Powder, Psyllium Husk Capsules, perhaps a mult-digestive enzyme capsule to encourage the break-down of residual matter in the stomach will go a long way to increasing the successes of your cleanse.

Of course, if you do undertake something like this… do it carefully and watch out for signs of dehydration, it’s amazing how much of the liquid our body needs comes from the food we eat and not the drinks we consume and only do something like this for 3-5 days at the most.  If you have any underlying medical issues, always consult a doctor first.

Alternatively, you could use these Savse Smoothies as a nutritional boost!  “Drink your greens!” as they say… the Super Red/Green/and Purple juices in the range contain 2 of your 5-a-day.  If your skin is suffering because you’re not a veggie fan… treat a bottle of this like your medicine, bottoms up!

Either way, I’m a fan of the concept.  At £2.49, they’re not prohibitively expensive and the convenience speaks for itself.  The only downside to these is avaiability.  Right now, outside of London… supply is pretty sketchy.  Log on to savsesmoothies.com to find your nearest stockist.

Do you juice cleanse?  Get enough of your 5-a-day?  What do you think about Savse Smoothies?

* press sample

That’s it… stick a fork in me, I’m done. Infact, I’m overcooked. I’ve been par-boiled, roasted, reheated, and now I’m nothing but soggy leftovers. I know that in roughly 16 weeks, you’ll find me moaning about the cold… perhaps even the snow that global warming is sure to rain down on us again, but I don’t care. I’ve had enough. How is a girl even supposed to contemplate makeup in this heat?

You know, I’ve turned partially feral because of it don’t you?

Aside from a daily splash about in the shower, I’ve haven’t done a single thing in the way of beautifying.  The curse of the self-employed.  My roots are greyer than the sky will be when these thunderstorms finally take their toll, my leg hairs are trailing the floor behind me and I’m ashamed to admit that my toenails are most certainly NOT sandal-ready right now.  I’m going to a spa on Friday for a wee bit of pampering and I will have to force myself into some semblance of action before then if I don’t want to frighten all the punters away.

Infact, since returning from holiday last week, the only place I’ve been to is Iceland (the shop, not the country).  It made sense… I’m hot, they have freezers… and I knew that no-one gives a shit about sandal-ready toes in there, most of their patrons have webbed feet anyway.

Clockwise from top-left: Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Bali Brown, YSL Babydoll Mascara*, Paul & Joe #23 Eyeshadow, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, DHC Sun Block SPF25, Korres Face Primer, Boots Seventeen Lip Crayon in Bold*, Ilamasqua Eyebrow Cake in Gaze

Eight products, that’s not bad for a hardened makeup addict like me is it?  I couldn’t manage a single more installment on my face anyway… the more you apply, the more there is to slide off right?

I’m playing a game of using up products that should have been finished a while ago… I’m not entirely sure how old my Korres Face Primer is but I know it’s been discontinued… the same goes for the Sun Block which thankfully, only has a couple of squeezes left in it.

In this weather, I can’t get enough of those Seventeen Lip Crayons, they strike the perfect pigment balance between the original Clinique chubby stick formula and the more pigmented version.  Also, while I’m updating on products I’ve previously reviewed… it’s worth mentioning that the YSL Babydoll Mascara has yet to dry out in the tube, it’s a miracle!

Anyway, put all those products together and you get a FOTD that looks something like this:

I look mega-posey in a “How you doin’?” kinda way but honestly… I just wasn’t feeling the FOTD thing infront of the window while the sun beat down, altering my DNA structure from within and giving me rapid-onset heatstroke.  In other words, this was the best of a very bad selection.

Do you bother with makeup when it’s this hot?  I gotta cover that lush’s nose somehow!

* press samples

We’ve been waiting a long time ladies, and summer is well and truly here – finally!  That means it’s time to hit the beach, get in the sea and have a well-deserved ice cream (or two). But if you can’t face pulling out your pasty pins on the sand, a sun tan is the way to go.

If you want a safer way of getting a tan than sunbathing for hours or using a sunbed (people who use sunbeds before the age of 30 increase their risk of skin cancer by 75 per cent), you should consider a spray tanning treatment at a beauty salon.

“Why at a beauty salon?” I hear you cry. Surely you can just use fake tan at home? Well yes, you can, but you may not get the same results.  This article, provided by beautician uniforms specialist SimonJersey.com looks at the pros and cons of each option, then offers preparation and aftercare advice.

self tan at home vs. spray tan at a salon

Self-tan at home
·    Inexpensive – a tub of Clarins Delicious Self Tanning Cream costs £22 for 125ml
·    Takes a little longer to apply yourself
·    Difficult to apply evenly and get a natural look
·    Can fall victim to streaking

Spray tan at a salon
·    You’re in the care of an experienced beauty therapist
·    Specialist equipment ensures a natural finish
·    Costs around £20 a session
·    It’s less time-consuming than rubbing a lotion all over your body
·    A spray tan dries faster than self-tanning products

Essentially, unless you’re on a really tight budget, it makes sense to go for a salon treatment so that you’re in the capable hands of the professionals for a flawless finish.

To ensure the best possible results, it’s important to correctly prepare your skin before a tanning treatment and to care for it properly afterwards.

Before having a tanning treatment (whether at a salon or at home), make sure you thoroughly exfoliate your skin. If you don’t, you’re at risk of only tanning the top layers of skin, which may soon rub off. Avoid any oil-based exfoliants as they could leave behind residue which could cause streaking. Make sure you moisturise afterwards to help to prolong your tan.

Arrange any other treatments, such as hair colouring, a manicure, waxing or shaving beforehand. If you need to shave your legs and underarms, you need to give your pores time to close afterwards (so shave the day before), but also all of these treatments can remove self-tanning lotion.

If you have a salon treatment on the day of your tan, refrain from wearing make-up (yes, really!), perfume, deodorant or lotions. They will only act as a barrier which will stop the tanning solution from fully penetrating the skin.
After tanning, air dry yourself and wait for at least 20 minutes before putting on any clothing. If you can you should wait until the following day to have a shower so that the solution can penetrate the skin. Avoid using any deodorants, perfumes or moisturisers for about eight hours after your treatment as again, these may stop the tan from developing.

To preserve your bronze tan, wash with a gentle cleanser and moisturise your skin regularly with a Zero-Oil lotion to keep it soft and supple. Don’t forget to slap on high factor sun cream when you’re out an about – just because you look brown it doesn’t mean you’re protected. Choose a broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.

Which do you prefer?  Are you a dab hand with the self-tan or do you leave your body-bronzing to the professionals?

* this is a guest-blogged sponsored post on behalf of Simon Jersey for which I have received payment.

If you’ve been following me for a little while, you may already know my thoughts on the use of gold in skincare.  Ultimately, I believe it’s an addition that’s far more beneficial to the marketers than the end user… it’s not a mineral enriched with healing properties, it’s a metal, prized for its stability and inertia.  But boy, does it pack some prestige and “luxury” into a product, no?

I was sent a beautifully packaged 24K Deep Peeling gel from Orogold Cosmetics for review… it really is a rather splendid thing.  Priced at £100… I guess it should be.

The heavyweight packaging, embossed font, and satin-lined box all scream luxury… living up to its placement and price tag.  But what about the product inside?  What are its claims and does it live up to them?

Orogold Cosmetics 24K Deep Peeling is an exfoliating product that promises to remove a thin layer of dead skin cells to “reveal ultra-smooth and youthful skin”.  It is recommended to be used once a week with a “sweeping circular motion over skin until you feel the dirt forming”.  Oddly, there is no mention on the website of the 24k gold that this product contains.  Considering that this is such a selling-point and no doubt a price justification… I’m surprised to see that the brand have omitted this information online.

So, what about this gold?  Is it there, do you need a microscope to detect it?  Well, no actually…

Each pot of Orogold 24K Deep Peeling comes with its own certificate of authenticity (I told you the packaging was good).  The certificate proclaims that the product contains pure 24K gold from Italy.  And you know, it really does… it contains food-grade gold leaf.  Very pretty to look at but at that size, unlikely to have any impact on your skin.  You’d need pores the size of moon-craters to benefit from any of its so-called properties.

To put it another way, the thickness of gold leaf is rated at around 125nm and anything rated above 40nm has been shown not to be able to penetrate deeper than the upper 1/5 layer of the epidermis.  This gold ain’t going nowhere except down the plug-hole.

But you know, pretty….

So, I’m obviously not convinced by the gold.  But what about the peeling?  How about the exfoliation?

See the picture above?  That’s the “dirt formation” you will feel after rubbing the product into your skin for a few moments.   It’s not dirt… it’s not your dead skin cells being sloughed off… it’s the product’s chemistry reacting with the massage motion you use to apply it.  This isn’t a new thing… many products, particularly those in the Asian market exfoliate skin using this method.  It’s pretty cute… let me explain how it works…

To create this kind of “balling up” upon application, you need to create a chemical reaction on the skin.  Two such ingredients that will create this effect are: cetrimonium chloride and carbomer… both of which are present and correct in Orogold’s 24K Deep Peeling.  Clever huh?

Now just because I’ve (semi) explained the science behind the “magic” doesn’t mean that it’s all smoke and mirrors.  Those little flakey bits will actually help to gently exfoliate your skin as you massage them over your face and let’s not forget the other ingredients contained within the exfoliator, namely: tocopheryl acetate (vit e), ascorbic acid (vit c), and glycerin… all of which will indeed help to smoothe and soften the top layer of the skin.  That being said, it’s a very gentle exfoliation and I’m not sure how effective it would be in the long term if used only once a week as per their direction on the website.

All in all, Orogold 24k Deep Peeling is an exfoliator that works to errr, exfoliate.  I won’t deny that it feels nice on the skin, looks the business in the pot, and leaves my skin feeling soft but… is it worth £100 of your hard-earned cash?  I wouldn’t pay more than £10 for it – gold or no gold.

Orogold 24k Deep Peeling is available to buy instore from one of Orogold Cosmetic’s London boutiques or online from oro-gold.co.uk

* press sample

Question of the Week – Name some beauty icons who inspire you.

Answer: – Francoise Hardy, Jean Seberg, Famke Janssen, Shirley Maclaine, Debbie Harry… gosh, I have lots!

EauMG – reviews her favorite black pepper perfume, CdG PLAY Black.

Gouldylox Reviews – In need of a skin rescue? First Aid Beauty has you covered!

My Beauty Bunny – Searching for cruelty free dupes for Benefit Hoola lipgloss? We’ve got swatches that closely match the shimmery bronze lippie and will keep you looking great in animal-friendly style!

Nouveau Cheap – Looking for some beautiful new powder blushes with a silky-smooth texture, awesome pigmentation and an even more awesome price (under $3)? Click right here.

Pink Sith – wants to know if you’re a concealer floozy? She is. This time she has an “affair” with the Edward Bess Platinum Concealer and explains why she and Edward can never be photographed together.

Prime Beauty – chose 10 cream blush contenders for the latest Top 10 Tuesday Best Cream Makeup.

Phyrra – shares her favorites for Fall 2013 Colors.

Vampy Varnish – Has swatches of the beautiful new Zoya PixieDust Collection for Fall 2013!

we heart this – apologizes in advance for creating a deep sense of need in you after you see Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Complexe, a tinted treatment that makes your skin glow…and costs a lot of doe.

Beauty Junkies Unite – Amber had to see what the fuss was about over Dior’s new Nail Glow, a $24 tinted nail enhancer. Check out the review & swatches, decide if it’s worth the hype!

Clumps of Mascara – Sick of beauty subscription boxes? It’s not exactly cheap, but POPSUGAR’s Must Have box is the best box I’ve ever seen!

Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by EauMG – Let’s travel to the Land of Oz where musk is not only a perfume note but a Life Savers’ candy flavor! One of my favorite perfume blogs is Australian Perfume Junkies. This blog consists of a great team of diverse perfume junkies that cover mainstream perfumes, niche perfumes, men’s fragrance…you name it, they’ve talked about it!

Who are your beauty icons?

I’m off to the wilds of Wales for a week to enjoy my upcoming birthday under the stars.  Well, sort of under the stars… I’m not quite that brave.  We’ve rented one of those glamping cabins, camping for wimps… you know the type, so I’ll be hairdryer-less for the week and already, I’m feeling a little bit twitchy.

I’m not promising any posts because I’m not sure I’ll have any internet access (oh please God let me have 3G) and I’ve been too busy this past week to schedule anything in, I’m sure you’ll survive without me for a wee while… just don’t cheat on me with those other bloggers too hard ok?

Source and Credit: http://v-g.me.uk

I’m a wee bit anxious about this trip to be honest, you see… we have a bit of an ulterior motive going on…

In an ideal world, this time next year… we’ll be out of the flat and living somewhere we can call our own.  I’ve always grown up with a close connection to Wales and one of our intentions whilst away is to take a peek at the area close to where we’re staying with an eye to a permanent move there next year.  I do hope we fall in love with the area and that the people aren’t unfriendly… I’ll be putting my unfortunate bitchface under strict orders not to show herself too frequently!

Source and Credit: http://v-g.me.uk

I promise not to climb any mountains but I will eat lots of Welsh cakes.

Smell ya later! x

Question of the Week – What’s your current favorite lip balm?

Answer: – I use Lanolips 101 Ointment nightly (well, not every night at the moment ‘cos my lips are ok… but definitely 2-3x a week, more in the winter) and Homeoplasmine before I put a drying lipstick on in the day.  With these two working together BEAUTIFULLY, I never need to carry a balm around with me.

Gouldylox Reviews – Scared to try hair and face oils for fear of being oily? Don’t be! Here’s a guide to my favorite oils!

Lipglossiping – blames it on everything but the boogie when she reviews the Limited Edition The Rich is Back! kit from Benefit.

My Beauty Bunny – Beauty bloggers are buzzing about the latest science-based treatment from FutureDerm. Here’s your chance to instantly win a deluxe sample of their game-changing, skin-saving Vitamin CE Caffeic Serum!

Nouveau Cheap – Did ya hear that those fab Wet n Wild 8-pan palettes from Spring 2013 have been re-released? Yep, you’ve got a second chance to grab ‘em.

Pink Sith – received the newest CHANEL Gri-Gri eyeshadow as a gift from a loverly blogger friend. Therefore she shall spare her life and not consume her still beating heart in front of her because that’s what friends do for each other.

Prime Beauty – is revved up and ready to put the pedal to the metal with the new bareMinerals Power Neutrals Collection!

Phyrra – gives you 22 New Reasons to Fall in Love With Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks.

Vampy Varnish – Loves the new Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks and is positive you will find many you love as well!

we heart this – brings you a bevy of bronzing beauties from bareMinerals, babe!

The historic town of Grasse in the South-Eastern corner of France is widely considered as the world’s capital of perfumery. The area enjoys a climate ripe for growing and harvesting flowers and it’s reported that over twenty-seven tonnes of jasmine alone are harvested in Grasse annually!  The town is also home to many of the world’s oldest perfumeries and most of the industries most famous “noses” have trained there at some point in their career.

L’Occitane have recently released a collection of fragrances that pay tribute to the area’s rich history of “scentsory” creation and the set* that I’m reviewing today offers a generous insight into each of the new offerings in 7.5ml form.  You should note that this addition of miniatures is a limited release and according to the L’Occitane website, there are only a few left available to purchase.

Each fragrance is contained in individual, fully-resealable bottles.  I mention this because I shall never purchase another L’Artisan Parfumeur set whose miniatures evaporate their ridiculous packaging within weeks.  Take your time enjoying these… at £28 for a total of 30ml, you’re getting good value that will give you plenty of opportunity to discover your favourite(s).

The lady behind the collection, Karine Dubreuil, has created for L’Occitane before and is fully in-tune with the brand’s ethos and love for natural extracts.

I immediately recognised myself in this clear, pure style of authenticity associated with L’OCCITANE.  This vow of sincerity is captured in their fragrances, which expresses the beauty of nature in all its transparency. – Karine Dubreuil

The collection plays around with the idea of capturing a pair of players in the fragrance world and weaving their simplicity into something a little more meaningful.  Whether a chance encounter, or destined to be together… the ingredients are chosen and combined expertly under Karine’s care.

Jasmine & Bergamote

Bergamot discreetly lights up the scent and continues to retain a lingering presence. Contrasts blend with ambivalence as jasmine reveals all its facets. To convey this ambiguity, at least two types of jasmine would be needed: a jasmine from Grasse and a jasmine from Egypt. The balance fluctuates between petals and leaves, freshness and sensuality, day and night.

Top notes: mandarin orange, BERGAMOT
Heart notes: JASMINE, lemon leaves
Base notes: sandalwood, cedar

Magnolia & Mure

Between flower and fruit, the magnolia essence provides the prelude to wild and slightly musky blackberry notes. Present throughout the fragrance, blackberry gives a tenderness to the woody structure. Its velvety seeds soften the solemnity of patchouli. Over time, the fragrance asserts its chypre character.

Top notes: bergamot, BLACKBERRY
Heart notes: MAGNOLIA, rose
Base notes: patchouli, moss

Vanille & Narcisse

Discreet at first, the scent of narcissus swells to reveal a bouquet of white flowers and spicy heart accords. Finally, rich and radiant vanilla borrows the wilder, untamed notes of narcissus that give it spirit.

Top notes: blackcurrant, bergamot
Heart notes: NARCISSUS, gardenia
Base notes: VANILLA, tonka bean

Thé Vert & Bigarade

This great classic from L’OCCITANE joins La Collection de Grasse. Refreshing, essential and aimed at both men and women, it has a thirst-quenching effect from the very first contact, when sparkling citrus notes burst forth in an accord of sweet and bitter orange. Hints of green tea, yerba mate and hay give a reassuring touch before drying down into an aromatic trail.

Top notes: orange, BITTER ORANGE
Heart notes: GREEN TEA, yerba mate
Base notes: cedar, thyme, musk

From the collection, Thé Vert & Bigarade is my pick of the bunch.  An uplifting citrus without any of the prickliness that one might usually associate with the genre.  It’s both refreshing and warming with a hint of the oriental that softens the edges of the bitter orange and evokes a feeling of comfort and well-being.  In all honesty, there’s not an awful lot more to it than that… there’s no great complexity or layer upon layer of twists and turns to excite your senses.  Thé Vert & Bigarade simply displays a beautiful pairing of notes that were clearly meant to be together.

There’s a fantastic interview with the perfumer Karine Dubreuil which I’ve embedded below, it explains more about the inspiration behind the collection and gives a little insight into the region and it’s rich wealth of fragrant history.

The Petit Grasse Fragrance Collection is available to buy instore and online at uk.loccitane.com, priced at £28 for the boxed selection (3oml total)

* press sample