A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

It’s hard to beat a wonderfully-scented candle.  For one thing, there’s something undeniably romantic about how the gentle glow can make even Quasimodo look like Cara Delevigne.  Fire-safety aside, we all know that beauty brands would sell a truckload more product if beauty halls became wick-powered, but as flourescent lighting proves, there are times when candles just aren’t the most convenient option.

Before you reach for the plug-ins, consider another option.  The humble reed diffuser.

Brands do try and make these diffusers look elegant but the reality is that a reed diffuser is basically a pot of scented oil with a bunch of twigs sticking out of it.  Whilst candles can rightfully get all superior about what a great table centrepiece they make, diffusers are better off putting in their hard work from the sidelines.

Thankfully, the continuous and long-lasting scent that this one from NEOM Luxury Organics delivers to the home is nothing short of wondrous.  Sumptuous is a blend of rose and neroli that is both calming and uplifting, albeit in a more tender way than something like their Invigorate fragrance which slaps you about a bit to get the blood flowing.  Sumptuous on the other hand is all about the caresses and telling you that you’re the most beautiful person in the world.  No, really!  Well, sort of…

My reed diffuser has been doing the rounds since I unpackaged it last week.  A couple of days in the bathroom where it’s far too bloody pretentious to actually light a candle, hidden behind my Mother’s chair when she came over for her Mother’s Day dinner last week (“what’s that lovely smell Charlotte?” / “Oh my flat always smells like this!”), and propped up on the windowsill in the kitchen when I burnt some popcorn.  And if you’ve ever burnt popcorn, you know you need a massive scent-intervention.

If you have pets in the house, small children, or clumsy partners… reed diffusers make a great alternative to the mighty candle.

The NEOM Organic Reed Diffuser is discreet too, I’ve seen some that are around 3ft tall and higher… no-one needs that much scented-twig in the house.  Despite its small-size, this one delivers enough fragrance to scent a small room easily.  Bathrooms and hallways are blissfully filled with the perfume and I’d say that it delivers strong fragrance to just over half of my (average-sized) sitting-room.

Remember also, that the scent is continuous, you can control the strength of the scent simply by adding or reducing the amount of reed sticks in the aroma diffuser.  I no longer have to scramble around for a lighter to light a candle after I’ve buzzed a guest in through the intercom!

As for longevity, well NEOM rates their reed diffusers to last for up to 5 weeks, so you’ll be pleased to hear that you can buy fragrance oil refills for £18.00 each, as opposed to forking out the original price tag for the bottle, fragrance and sticks again.

NEOM’s Organic Reed Diffusers are priced at £35.00 each and available in a choice of eleven different fragrances from www.neomorganics.com

* press sample

I’ve just received this striking campaign image for the new YSL Baby Doll collection featuring the ubiquitous Cara Delevigne which will be released at the end of May.  The collection will include: four coloured mascaras (black, brown, blue, and purple), five coloured eyeliners, a new glossy lipstain and a nail polish.

I still haven’t tried any the YSL glossy lipstains (my intense dislike of “gloss” is making me so hesistant) but I always love the promise of a new YSL mascara, one of the few cyclic launches that gets me excited!

Now, am I getting horribly old or is the male “interest” in the campaign image genuinely young enough to be my offspring?  I can’t believe I’m able to say that without a hint of sarcasm.  He looks about what… 14?  I’m 31.

SON?!

Sweet jesus of all things prematurely ageing, I’m off to drown myself in mint imperials.

The new YSL Baby Doll Mascara will be available on counter, and online at yslbeauty.co.uk from the 22nd May, priced at £24.50

Back in January, I gave some initial thoughts on the new limited edition Jo Malone Sugar & Spice Collection and I apologised for any incoherence arising from my hastily scribbled notes and fragmented memories of the scents!  Today, I’m hoping to offer a little more clarification and depth on three of the five new fragrances available.

Let’s just dispense with half of you straight away shall we?  If you’re not a gourmand fragrance lover, give this collection as wide-a-berth as possible.  There’s nothing here for you, not even in the slightly-less-foodie Elderflower & Gooseberry scent which valiantly skirts the sweetness with a lighter touch than the others in the collection.  You will look upon this collection and wonder how such a distinguished brand have managed to create such a food-flavouring abomination of colognes.

Harsh words perhaps, but I can see how they can be applied depending on your personal fragrance tastes.  The Jo Malone Sugar & Spice Collection is unapologetically saccharine.  It is as much brave as it is predictable, setting itself up for a battering from many faithful fans who consider it the absolute height of dumbing down for an unwelcome audience.

I’m on the fence.

When I first started to wear and enjoy fragrance, I was utterly drawn to the gourmand side of things.  Those were the smells that were most relatable to my tender palate and nose.  Ginger biscuits, chocolate oranges, and lemon tarts?  Stuff of dreams.  And Jo Malone have captured these dreams in the most delicious of ways, that is surely impossible to deny.  From the campaign imagery of delectable treats to their beautiful muse who looks more like a macaron than a model sets the scene.  This collection is here to whet your appetite, and if your appetite lies not with the sweet stuff, it’s time to move along.

Elderflower & Gooseberry Cologne*

Surprsingly, it’s not the juiciness from the gooseberries that first makes contact with my skin but a creaminess that’s been tempered with a touch of fizz.  It strikes a nice balance that develops into a full-bodied, soft-fleshed juiciness, from which I detect mostly gooseberry and lychee.  It’s light but warming, fresh but not particularly zingy, like a hug from an older sister rather than a mother.

The elderflower sits in the background, carefully orchestrating the proceedings and provides a tenderness that matures the juicy playfulness of the other notes.  There’s also a powdery note that feels particularly hand-on-shoulder calming.  Out of all the fragrances in the collection, this one is still my favourite.  Surprisingly long-lasting too.

Bitter Orange & Chocolate Cologne*

When I first had the opportunity to smell this at the launch event last year, I was suitable impressed by its foodie rendition.  If I’ve read it once, I’ve read it a hundred times: there is indeed something very true to the Terry’s Chocolate Orange about this scent.  But then it gets kinda bitey.  The chocolate is dark and lacking in softness, this combined with the bitter orange makes me feel uncomfortable after a short while.

I feel like I’ve been lured in under the promise of velvet, only to be whipped with sandpaper.  It’s not that the notes jar or are remotely ill-combined, the chocolate orange is a fantastic rendition, but it’s not for me and not for my skin chemistry.  It feels a little too raw and uncooked, sitting on my skin with far too much front.  Interestingly, I actually quite enjoy it once I’ve washed it off, the main facets of the scent are still completely detectable without screaming for my attention.

Ginger Biscuit Cologne*

Before the ginger has a chance to throw itself into the (cookie) mix, the other spices tickle my nose in the most pleasant of ways.  There is nothing piquant about this scent, just the wonderful richness and true aromatic qualities you’d expect from something that lists nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger as the main party players.  You can feel the warmth of the kitchen, the scents that lift from the red-hot baking tray.  The almost-magical buttery notes create the impression of tummy rumbles that make it so darn impossible to wait for the freshly-baked goodies to firm up before diving in.

The only problem I have with Ginger Biscuit Cologne is that it has been crafted so wonderfully true to its inspiration that I can’t imagine wearing this at any other time than Christmas.  I would happily drown myself in it throughout the month of December, but not now.  Instead, I enjoy illicit sniffs at the nozzle and bide my time patiently.

Do any of the colognes appeal to your sweet tooth?

 The Limited Edition Jo Malone Sugar & Spice Collection is available to buy now on counter and online at www.jomalone.co.uk priced at £38 for 30ml.

* press sample

I’m currently sitting in the middle of a big pile of steaming pooh, otherwise known as “someone forgot that a child might need a passport to leave the country and there are mere DAYS in which to fix this stupidity”.  I have been rushing around like a blue-assed fly in an attempt to gather photos, counter-signatories, and application forms.  I thankfully have an appointment at the passport office on Wednesday to sort my idiotic mess out.

The fact that I have to drive to Wales in order to do this as I couldn’t get a fast-track appointment in London is making my forehead vein throb a little more rapidly than normal.

It’s to this end that I’m asking you to forgive a FOTD post.  In fairness, it features the eyeshadow quad that I reviewed earlier today, so is at least… relevant.

It’s also pink. purple. purplink.

If I do say so myself, how nice is that lip colour?  I do not wear Bobbi Brown’s Rich Lip Color in Mod Pink anywhere near enough.  It’s blue-toned without going all Minaj-freaky-I’m-not-sixteen-anymore on my face.  If you want a blue-pink that doesn’t make you look like a mental deficient, it’s worth checking out.

The eyes are courtesy of the BareMinerals A List palette I reviewed earlier.  I used the purple shade both in the crease, and as a liner.  The pink is on the lid and the white highlight across the browbone.  I used a smidge of the black in the outer corner.

All products used are shown below.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion  | BareMinerals READY Eyeshadow Quad in The A List  |  Guerlain Cils d’Enfer Maxi Lash Mascara  |  Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Antigua  |  Illamasqua Brow Cake in Gaze  |  Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color in Mod Pink  |  Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation in Vanille Clair

You know, the real irony is that I remembered to get her an E111 European Health Insurance Card.  Who remembers shit like that and yet forgets the passport?

*sigh*

* p.s.  Look again at the FOTD!  This unwanted stress has given me grey hair.  Bitch too busy stressin’ to do her roots.

I remember the first time I visited the Bare Escentuals store in Covent Garden. It hadn’t been open very long and at the time, I think I referred to it as “the candy shop”.  You see, for a makeup lover, there’s something about being surrounded by so many mini pots of jewel-toned pigments that makes it quite easy to lose your sense of decorum.  I emerged from the store, so completely covered in swatches, it looked like I’d had my own private Holi festival.

Obviously, pigments and powders is where it all started with Bare Escentuals and when the brand announced a range of pressed-powder products, I was excited for the convenience that this brings, but also wary that the same kind of vibrancy and pigment quality wouldn’t, nay perhaps couldn’t translate itself so well from the confines of a pressed pan.

Well, I worried needlessly.

My first experience of the new(ish) BareMinerals READY Eyeshadows comes in the form of one of their quads: A List*.  On paper, it’s got my name written all over it, I’m a sucker for a purple-toned palette.  I’d heard about the “incredible” texture of the new READY eyeshadows and I had the highest of expectations as a result.

First thing to note about this particular eyeshadow quad is indeed, the texture which is truly buttery.  You can tell that this product comes from a brand who know their way around a pigment or two because the powders are so softly textured, they feel almost creamy.  There’s a hint of roughness to the purple shade (Swanky) but you have to expect that from the glitter particles.

You’d expect a buttery-textured eyeshadow would blend with ease, and in my opinion, they do.  Infact, above all else, I’d put weight on this being their best selling-point.  It’s not always easy to blend smooth gradients from shadow to shadow, getting that perfectly refined edge to soften to the point of invisibility is a well-honed skill, and anything that makes lighter work of it is a marvel.  On this score, the BareMinerals READY Eyeshadow Quad in A List, is, a marvel.

Where I think some of these palettes could do with a little work is with their combination of colours.  I feel that A List doesn’t quite give me the eye palette that I want to work with.  The highlighting shade (Icebreaker) is very pale, very shimmery, and very…. highlighter-y.  Unfortunately, I feel that the next shade up in the quad, the pink (Fashionably Late), is also playing the same role… albeit in a more vibrant way.

For definition, I need a solid crease colour, and unless I go black, my only option is the glittery Swanky.  The jump between Fashionably Late (on the lid) and Swanky (in the crease) is quite large and on my skintone at least, the palette is not quite there in terms of shade combining.  I would have liked to have seen these pink/violet hues without both extreme ends of the spectrum (white/black) incorporated in the 4-pan palette.  Perhaps something like The Dream Sequence is closer to what I’m looking for.

I had one other, minor, issue with the palette.  In the photo below, I’ve highlighted where one of the pans is raised above the level of the palette.  It’s not quite enough to cause any problems with the closure mechanism but… and perhaps I’m being a touch fussy… it’s not something I expect from a £29 (on counter) eyeshadow palette.  It looks untidy but is hopefully a one-off.  Really not interesting in a sponge-tipped applicator when I’m paying nearly £30 either.

These grumbles aside, I really can’t fault the colour payoff and texture of the included shades.  Black Tie Optional makes a great liner close to the lashline, or smoked out at the edges to deepen and intensify the overall look.  Both Icebreaker and Fashionably Late offer something a little more frosty but both will work as highlighters, although FL is a little saturated to blend too high up the browbone.  Swanky is a really nice purple that’s blue-enough not to deliver the bruised/consumptive look, the added sparkle is a nice touch.

BareMinerals READY Eyeshadow Quad in A List is available to buy online from beautybay.com, priced at a very reasonable £23.49

* press sample

** come back later today for a FOTD with the above palette

I love many things… the smell of freshly-cut grass, Leila telling me that my dress looks pretty, a slice of bread devoured hot from the breadmaker, looking back through old photos, and choosing the perfect gift are among my favourites.  Life is made up of a million tiny pleasures, and I know that many of you will agree with me when I say that a little bit of sparkle definitely counts as a tiny pleasure.

Well, I hope that today, I can bring you a little pleasure as I have not one, not two, but THREE sparkly holographic Glitter Gal nail polishes to give away courtesy of PowderRooms, the UK’s new and exclusive stockist for the Aussie brand.

These polishes have long-created a blogging sensation thanks to their rainbow hues and linear holographic awesomeness, and it’s about time the brand found a reliable UK supplier.

Want to win your own Glitter Gal polish?  All you have to do is click through to PowderRooms and tell me which one you’d like to win, simples!  Enter and earn extra entries by following the Rafflecopter instructions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&C

1. Start date for this competition is 11th March 2013 at 00.01 GMT
2. Closing date for this competition is 18th March 2013 at 23.59 GMT
3. UK residents only please.
4. There are three prizes to be won, each prize consists of your choice of Glitter Gal nail polish. No cash alternative.
5. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
6. Only one entry per IP address will be accepted.
7. Personal details will only be used in the context of this competition to inform the winner(s) of their prize status.
8. Three winners will be selected at random from all entries received.
9. Winners will be notified within 7 working days and will be expected to reply to an email sent to the address used to enter your comment within 5 working days or risk forfeiting the prize.
10. In the unlikely event that your chosen shade is out of stock, Powder Rooms will request that you choose an alternative shade.

Question of the Week – What essential products would you recommend to a friend who is just starting to build her beauty arsenal?

Answer: – I used to be reluctant to part with significant amounts of money, so it’d be no good trying to fill a newbie’s makeup bag with Chanel.  For starters, I’d suggest a capsule collection of: Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner, Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer or Maybelline mineral one, A cheap neutral eye palette, Maybelline mascara (the yellow tubed one), NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream, done.  Oh wait, blush…. ummm… a MyFace Cosmetics one I think.

Pink Sith – thinks that her Birchbox subscription is trying to break up with her based on the contents of the box from February.

Prime Beauty – takes the confusion out of the myriad of eyeliner choices on the marker and helps you decide which is for you!

Phyrra – Does the lingering Winter have you dreaming of warm getaways? Enter Phyrra & BFTE’s Tropical Pinterest Contest.

Vampy Varnish – Loves the brand new Satin Lip Pencils from NARS and is pretty sure you will find some to love as well!

we heart this – is giving away not one, not two, but SIX of their new favorite skincare product; O.R.G’s Organic Mineral Peel.

Beauty Junkies Unite – Amber gives you a sneak peek review of the Sweetheart Beads from the upcoming Too Faced summer 2013 collection, Hello Sunshine!

Clumps of Mascara – is absolutely in love with Maybelline’s Vivid lipsticks. How hot is this Neon Red lipstick?

EauMG – Get your chocolate fix! Victoria updated her chocolate perfume guide. Here’s a guide to yummy chocolate perfumes in a variety of price points!

Gouldylox Reviews – It’s the first ever Gouldylox Makeover Challenge! Check out how I got a long time friend to go from girl next door to glam for less than $50 at CVS/Pharmacy!

Lipglossiping – goes ooh la la over her favourite French Pharmacy skincare and offers a worldwide giveaway on her favourite pieces.

My Beauty Bunny – My Beauty Bunny is giving away Beautisol Tea Tan Glow! Go enter!

Nouveau Cheap – So I found a $1 alternative to my favorite NARS eyeshadow. Did I mention it’s only ONE dollar?

Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by Pink Sith – During some recent image searches I happened upon the Bloomin’ Beauty Blog. This blog is filled with great images and reviews of high end makeup, making it one of my newly favorite blogs to visit, and also dangerous for my bank account!

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Go on, fill a newbie mate’s makeup bag, I wanna hear your picks!

I pre-warned you earlier in the week that I’d be blogging about my new favourite thing: courgette spaghetti, and here I am!  I’ve always liked courgettes but they’re one of those vegetables that don’t really serve a huge amount of purpose aren’t they?  I mean, sure… they’re alright skewered and barbecued and they make a mean fritter but they’re not the kind of vegetable I ever “add” to other meals as a bulking ingredient.  I have to specifically plan a meal around them, and that sometimes means that I have courgettes littering up my salad box at the end of the week.

A few months ago, I bought a spiraliser.  It was an impulse purchase that in honesty, I regretted almost immediately.  When it arrived and I saw how bulky it was, my regrets deepened and I resigned it to the back of the cupboard until I’d had a chance to get my head around what to do with it.

I knew that one of the most popular dishes to make with a spiraliser was courgette spaghetti… raw.  I didn’t fancy eating it raw but it did encourage me to substitute normal pasta for a trial.  Once tasted, I was hooked!

The cast of characters. You’ll need (for two people): three courgettes, fresh basil, two onions, a few mushrooms (or one big flat!), 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper, passata.  I also used frozen peppers and frozen garlic (not shown above).  You can add some ham or bacon… as you can see, I was going to, but Mr. L decided he wanted the last two rashers saved for a bacon sandwich on Sunday morning!

Cut the ends off your courgettes and grab your spiraliser (this one is mine).  If you don’t have room for one of these beauties, you can also buy a julienne peeler which will help get the spaghetti shape.  I have to say though, the spiraliser is far too much fun!

Look at it in action!

You know you want a go.

Ta-da!

I sprinkle my courgette with a little salt and blast in the microwave on high for five minutes.  This softens the vegetable and encourages it to release some of its water content.  Once it comes out of the microwave, tip the courgette into a sieve and let it drain the excess water.  If you have a potato ricer, you could squeeze out the excess water using that.  Don’t worry too much though, if all else fails, you can cook the “spaghetti” a little longer on the hob until the excess water evaporates.

Finely chop the onion…

…and the mushroom…

My freezer essentials include a bag of frozen peppers (how expensive are fresh?!), and frozen minced garlic that I can throw straight in the pan.  Convenience at its best.

To a lightly oiled pan, add the: onions, garlic, frozen peppers, drained courgette and mushrooms.  Sprinkle over the cayenne pepper and allow to fry for five minutes.

Pour over the pasatta and simmer gently until the liquid reduces.  Around 5-10 minutes.  Tear the fresh basil by hand and add to the pan a few minutes before serving.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan.  So much fresh flavour and very filling.

It’s also a perfect dish to make on a work-night, even quicker if you buy a pot of marinara-esque sauce to throw over the top.  I’ve bought one of these to try with it next week.

But do you know perhaps my favourite thing about this dish?  The entire meal is 2 ProPoints on Weight Watchers (without the bacon), leaving plenty of points for a big chunk of garlic ciabatta or dough balls.

Have you ever made vegetable spaghetti?  If not, I dare you to try it!

the first step in making my bathroom look a little prettier

two new lipsticks from opposite ends of the market

growing my own salad on the windowsill

a special treat for a special little girl

currently playing on my mind – the fact that this lot needs a sort-through

a vintage perfume procured for my Mum

my Mother’s day gifts that someone couldn’t wait ’til Sunday to give me

my first foray into supplementing.  I will remember to take them, I will!

getting frustrated with my weight watchers pedometer

booking tickets for my first gig since 2001

Don’t forget that my Escentual.com French Pharmacy giveaway is closing tonight, entry is open worldwide so do get ’em in before midnight GMT.  I’ve got another exciting giveaway going live over the weekend, so keep an eye out for that also.

I hope that you’ve had a lovely week and are looking forward to winding down this evening.  My aunty (who is more like a second-mum), has been allowed home from the hospital after a week under observation following a collapsed lung, special Mother’s Day hugs for her this weekend.  My Mum and Dad are coming over tomorrow for an early Sunday dinner, I’ve got to get to grips with cooking pork tenderloin – it was on offer at the supermarket and I can never resist a bargain!

Whatever you’re doing this weekend and whoever you’re spending it with, have a lovely one.  The weather looks set to turn vile again on Sunday so I’ll be throwing open the windows tomorrow and making the most of any remaining bright spells.

xx

Looking for a KAPOW! red?  Of course you are.

Of. course. you. are.

Lipstick Queen’s Scarlet Red* is as lusty as they come.  Richly pigmented with a long-lasting formula, it’s not one for the faint-hearted.

Sitting halfway between a matte and a satin finish, I find that once applied, it sticks extremely well… if you have trouble with bold lip colours feathering, you should add this to your “to try” list.  Infact, I think it’s fair to say that this kind of stickability appears to be quite the selling point throughout the Sinner range.

Unfortunately, and probably because of this… it’s not as moisturising as I’d like it to be.  There’s a sacrifice to be made, and although I wouldn’t go quite so far as to call it “drying”, you may not find it as comfortable on the lips as you’d like without a slick of balm underneath and then you’d probably lose the “sticks like sh*t to a blanket” factor that I’ve just bigged up so much.  Bloody cosmetic formulas.

Application is easy enough with or without a lip brush.  In the photo below, I used a brush because any slight wobbles always seem to show up far more in photos than they do in person.  However, the firmer texture will allow you to work some precision lip-lining direct from the bullet if you can’t be doing with any faffing around carrying brushes.

As for the actual shade?  Well, it’s heart-beat inducing.  A red that I’d say leans slightly toward the cooler side of the spectrum without being a full-bodied blue red.  It should suit most skintones as I think it’s one of those reds that will somehow allow your own natural colouring to impact on how it looks in the context of a full-face.  What I love most about the colour though is its brightness.  Scarlet Red delivers a vivid slash of colour and brightens my complexion thanks to its clarity and clean hue.

Lipstick Queen Sinner Scarlet Red is priced at £18, available instore and online at uk.spacenk.com

* press sample

Among an ever-increasing tide of Mother’s Day press releases, I spotted one subject line milliseconds after deleting (itchy trigger finger) that had me scrambling through the email bin to retrieve it.

Child-friendly nail polish brand Little BU will be holding an Easter sale extravaganza and all nail polishes will be reduced to a ridiculous £5 each.

Horrendous news for my wallet, with Leila’s 4th birthday coming up and four recently released shades to put a twinkle in her eye.  I can see myself having to sacrifice one of my Helmer drawers for her stash in the future, though I was hoping we’d hit teenage years first.

Incase you’re unfamilliar with the brand, Little BU offer non-toxic, water-based, and odourless nail polish formulas that wash away with a bit of soap and water.  For increased longevity, you can apply their special top-coat to seal the colour for extra wear.

Here’s Leila showing just how prepared she is to follow in her Mum’s footsteps.  Heaven help her.

Little BU in Sofia

If you have birthday gifts to buy throughout the year or stockings to fill at Christmas, I suggest you make a head-start and hide them away.  There’s nothing like a little prepared-ness in the face of a good sale.

Little BU in Olivia

The Little BU Easter Sale begins online at www.iluvlittlebu.com on the 18th March (date for the diary) and will run right through until Easter Sunday.  All polishes will be reduced from the regular price of £9.95 to £5.00 each.

If you’re anticipating the warmth of Spring as eagerly as me, you may be interested in pre-empting the vibrancy with a little treat from LVX.  The vegan nail brand’s products are formulated without the use of Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, DBP, Toluene, and Camphor making them not just 3-free, but 5-free!

Midori* is a retina-searing chartreuse creme that applies smoothly, if a little thinly, in two coats.  The chunky square lid removes to reveal a slim handle for painting.  I found the formula to be quick-drying but prone to pooling at the cuticles, thin layers are the way forward but thankfully the pigmented creme is opaque in two coats.

LVX Nail products are priced at £10.99 each and available to buy online from www.cloud10beauty.com

* press sample