A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Please tell me that you had to read my title twice!  Childishness aside, I thought I’d share a recent purchase with you.

Just as with foundation, I love the promise of a new eyeliner.  You may have noticed that I’m not a gel liner kinda girl, which was tricky in the old days because when I first started blogging, it was ALL about the gel liner.  Oh lord how I tried to make them work for me, I bought brush after brush… slanted ones, angled ones, thin ones, push ones… and liner after liner… but for the life of me, gel liner is something I am just never going to love.

This was a frankly devastating situation because I wanted a flick.  I wanted ALL OF THE FLICKS.  And you can’t do that with kohl, well… not unless your name is Charlotte Tilbury, and I’m only halfway there with the name thing.

“What about liquid liner?” I hear you ask…

Well, up until the time I started blogging… I hadn’t even heard of gel liner.  All my friends used kohl or liquid and I couldn’t. bloody. do. liquid either could I?  The closest I could get to achieving the semblance of a straight line was with the Ruby & Millie i-writers (remember them?), but even then… I couldn’t do it consistently.

I wish I could tell you that I’m about to share the secret of the liquid eyeliner.  I’m not.  All I know is that my unevenly hooded eyelids make the task trickier than it ought to be, which explains why despite copying exactly how my peers applied their liners, my flicks would always be wonky.  All I can say is: don’t give up.  Find the tool that you feel gives you the most control (even if you aren’t quite there yet) and keep practicing.  For me, it’s always been felt-tip shaped liners.

Massive introduction over, the POP Ink Outliner Eyeliner is a pretty brilliant felt-tip shaped eyeliner which you should try if you struggle with your flicks.

Let me tell you about it…

This liquid liner is a chunky affair, built like a giant kids crayon with a stubby length and chubby girth (“girth” *beavis laugh*).  You can see that the nib is also super-sized, rendering it useless if you want super-fine lines but marvellous for those of us who want to rock a more dramatic look.  The felt tip is quite firm but soft enough to give a little flexibility at the tip without sacrificing any control.

With a light stroke, you can achieve a fine line but it does take a little patience.

I’ve only been using this for around a month, but it doesn’t show any signs of drying out.  Infact, the closure “click” is very strong and it takes a bit of effort to pull the lid off – it gives the impression that they’ve paid attention to preventing it from dehydrating too rapidly – something which can be a real problem with this kind of eyeliner.

The formula is inky black and dries quickly.  It promises to be water-resistant although I feel that it sometimes fades quicker than I’d like, especially as I’m one of those awkward people who cry when they laugh.  It doesn’t even have to be that funny.  I don’t have watery eyes at any other time, life’s a bitch.

The swatch above shows two single swipes, one using just the tip and the other, showing a firmer press at a 45 degree angle.  The beauty of this eyeliner for novice application is partially thanks to the fact that you don’t have to repeat your lines, one pass and the pigmentation has reached its full potential.  It also cleans up very nicely with the tip of a cotton bud should you make any mistakes.

POP Ink Outliner Eyeliner is priced at £10.00, and is available to buy online at www.asos.com and popbeauty.co.uk

How are your flicks?

Well now, hasn’t February been a gloomy month so far?

At least in January, we had the promise of a fresh new year… well, that novelty has worn off somewhat along with many of our resolutions.  As for the weather… more snow?!  Where where you in December when I actually wanted you?!  For me, February has been all about the no-buy and judging by what I’m reading across my social bookmarks… many of you are joining me in the unpleasant but ultimately sensible endeavour to save some pennies this month.

So how the opportunity to win a little splurge?

My zalando.co.uk picks! (the boots, the boots!)

Lipglossiping.com have teamed up with Zalando to offer ONE lucky reader a fantastic £100 voucher to spend online at Zalando.co.uk.  If the heavens smile down upon you, make sure that you embrace the opportunity to indulge in some guilt-free shopping with everything from the latest fashion to niche beauty buys available online.

The site offers some of the biggest brands around with free delivery AND free 30-day returns, what are you waiting for?

To enter the competition, simply leave a comment below to tell me about the last thing you stopped yourself from buying!

T&C

1. Start date for this competition is 12th February 2013 at 00.01 GMT
2. Closing date for this competition is 19th February 2013 at 23.59 GMT
3. There is one prize to be won, a £100 voucher to spend online at Zalando.co.uk. No cash alternative.
4. UK entrants only.
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. One winner will be selected at random from all entries received.
9. Winner will be notified within 5 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. This giveaway has been made possible by a partnership with Zalando.co.uk

I am quite fussy about glitter, and this one’s on my shit list. Which is quite surprising considering that I thought I’d love this and hate Gobsmacked (reviewed last week). My tastes have swapped places – what’s going on?!

So what is it that I don’t like about Fairy Cake?

Well… it’s mind-numbingly un-unique when it could have been great. Described as a “full coverage, silvery, multi-colour iridescent glitter suspended in a light grey base”, I wanted it to embrace that grey base with fervour and imprint an alternative take on a holo-explosion. And it’s just another “opaque in a couple of coats” glitter. The holo isn’t even that spectacular. It’s a bit too sandy, a bit too chunky. There’s no “edge” to it. And “edge” is precisely what I love Butter London for delivering.

Butter London Fairy Cake is available to buy online from powderrooms.com, priced at £11.95

* press sample

I would love to say that when it comes to enjoying a special occasion… for me, it’s all about the social experience.  I can’t.  I’m ashamed to admit that I like to involve food and drink in a big way.  Whether I’m planning a night in or a night out in celebration, the thought of what we’ll be eating or drinking is usually near the top of the list when it comes to preparation (and excitement).  Here standeth a foodie.

If you’re following a weight loss plan or trying to achieve a change in lifestyle, we can often view special occasions as the perfect excuse to let our hair down and overindulge.

Is this really such a problem?

I honestly believe that there is NO problem in occasionally taking your eye off the ball, and whilst I should be telling you how you can swap your chips for boiled potatoes, burgers for steamed fish, and your high-sugar cocktails for a gin and slimline tonic… I won’t.  Put it this way, if you’re coming to my dinner party whilst dieting AND you’re on pudding duty.  Don’t even think of bringing a fruit salad in lieu of a tiramisu, I’d mess you up.

The reason I won’t explain how you can be so wonderfully virtuous?  Well… I can’t, because it’s not what I would do and if I did?  I’d spend the evening with a look of pure resentment on my face as I watch my husband shovel steak cut chips into his mouth.

Homemade Steak & Chips (steak fried in garlic butter, jumbo mushroom, homemade baked chips dipped in egg white instead of oil, and salad) – 11 Propoints

I love food.  I always will love food, and who doesn’t love the occasional feast on the less-than-healthy stuff?  I love Weight Watchers precisely because it doesn’t stop me eating what I want.  It just reminds me (constantly) to keep myself in check, and that’s what I need more than anything.

I’m the sort of dieter who can sense a downhill spiral at a hundred paces.  I know that if I let myself go a bit silly on a Thursday night (our movie night), the chances are that my willpower will be weakened on a Friday evening too.  This is just the way that my brain likes to play games with my belly and I’m certain that some of you will recognise my words in yourselves.

Does this mean that I don’t feel any guilt about a splurge? (I won’t call it a binge, because it’s not that epic!)  Of course I feel guilty at times but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to pile on the self-sabotage with cherries on top.  This is nothing to do with hunger management, and everything to do with whatever issues give me the potential to live my life at a weight that is double that of what is considered healthy.  There ain’t no weight-loss plan in the world that will fix that overnight.

So, how do I use Weight Watchers in this situation?

1. I’m a planner, which is probably one of the reasons WW works for me… and I like to go into situations with my eyes wide open.  If I’m going out for a meal, I’ll usually have a nosey online at the restaurant’s menu beforehand.  Infact, that’s something I do regardless of whether or not I’m “dieting”.  What can I say?  The anticipation of a great meal is a thrill for me *embarrassed face*.  I use the Propoints Calculator on my iPhone app to work out the points of anything I can’t easily find in the Weight Watchers database and I calculate the Propoints of my chosen meal.

Nandos! (1/2 chicken, regular rice, and salad) – 14 Propoints. Swapping out the pitta bread and creamy mash meant that I happily guzzled a Cornetto at the cinema after.  Wasn’t giving up my rice though!

Usually, just by taking that step… I find myself genuinely wanting to swap an unhealthy side for something a little lower in points purely because it doesn’t seem worth it.  But I don’t put myself under any pressure to do this… and I’ll honestly only do this if I love the “healthier” version.  An example of this would be swapping out a meat-based starter for something like mushroom bruschetta.  I LOVE mushrooms and doing this is genuinely, no hardship to me.  Don’t think I’m being angelic… I’ll often justify an on-the-spot “oh go on then” pudding moment because I’ve made a couple of swaps earlier in the meal.

2. Well, you already know that I’m not on the exercise wagon as firmly as I should be… but this week, in pure anticipation of stuffing my face on Valentine’s evening… I’m upping the stakes.  It’s a challenge and for someone like me, let’s face it, the best reward is an extra scoop (ok, 2) of Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche on Thursday night.  Because the Propoints system makes the exercise/food ratio so tangible… I know precisely how many Propoints of exercise I want to earn this week and what I need to do to achieve it.

Whether or not this will actually make a difference on the scales next week, I don’t know.  But you know what?  I don’t actually care.  It helps me retain control and alleviate any guilty pangs, ‘cos those are the things that are really unhealthy to my willpower.

What approach do you take when special occasions threaten your steely-eyed determination to lose weight?

* I am a Weight Watchers blog ambassador and my links to their website are affiliated.  I have received no payment for this post.

Welcome to our new Lipstick League member, the fabulous My Beauty Bunny, who will be bringing us the latest in cruelty-free beauty every week!

Question of the Week – If you could have a shopping spree with any cosmetic brand, who would you choose?

Answer – It would have to be NARS, there’s something about the nature of the brand that makes it feel almost “collectible”.  Those eyeshadow duos… screw whether or not I’d ever use them, I just want them all regardless.  I realise that this is not a healthy obsession.

Gouldylox Reviews – Wondering what drugstore BB Cream gives great face? Check out this Foundation Half & Half with results that one reader insists must be photoshopped! (It’s not!)

Lipglossiping – puts together a bright Spring look in an attempt to defrost the winter chills!

My Beauty Bunny – My Cruelty-Free Product of the month is the DermOrganic Leave-in Treatment. See why it’s awesome!

Nouveau Cheap – What’s the closest drugstore equivalent to a $25 lipstick? In my humble opinion, it’s these new Milani Color Statement Lipsticks, which feel so sublime on the lips you won’t believe they’re under six bucks a pop.

Phyrra – is in love with Virus Insanity Eyeshadows! Check out the beautiful duochromes and holographic sparkles.

Prime Beauty – deems the new shades of Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eye Colours the best on the market!

Vampy Varnish – loves the HBO show GIRLS and now Deborah Lippmann has a new nail collection out to celebrate it!

we heart this – shares their 3 latest drugstore purchases (a leave in conditioner, nail stickers and Stef’s girl crush’s new lipstick). Come on by and share yours!

Clumps of Mascara – is loving Sally Hansen’s gel nail kit. Gel nails at home? Sounds ideal!

EauMG Pamper yourself or your Valentine with one of the many pretty scented items on Victoria’s 2013 Valentine’s Gift Guide!

Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by Gouldylox Reviews – This week, I wanted to share the blog, Oh So Pretty, The Diaries. I love their tutorials, hair ideas and descriptive photos. Check them out for some inspiration beyond reviews.

If you could have a shopping spree with any cosmetic brand, who would you choose?

When I first saw swatches of this nail polish appear on the web, my nose wrinkled with disdain.

“Ugh. Lumpy.”

You see, I’m a simple girl (shut up) and I like simple nail polishes. I like shiny cremes, holos, and duochromes. And that’s it. I rarely bother with nail art, which is just aswell, because I’m not very good at it, and I just can’t be faffed with other embellishments.

I decided that, in the case of Gobsmacked, I’d probably like it with a thick coat of Gelous but that without, it could do one.  But then I applied it…

… and I really liked it.

It is lumpy, but in a way that somehow just misses setting my teeth on edge.  It applies nicely in three smooth coats and gave me no drying issues.

Which means that I probably owe a silent apology to all brands that have since followed suit with texture-based collections. I have quietly vomited in my mouth when perusing swatches of concrete, leather, and velvet.  Perhaps I’ve been wrong all along but the thing is, each time I look again…. I still want to rip my nails off in protest.

Butter London Gobsmacked is priced at £11.95 and available to buy online from www.powderrooms.com

* press sample

I took the pictures for this review before Christmas, in-case you’re wondering why my hair has changed colour again.  I’ve decided to review this now because I’m at the stage where I need to decide whether or not I’ll be repurchasing a tube, usually my reviews help me justify or dismiss potential repurchases and I’ve been umm-ing and ahh-ing ove this one!

The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer has been a global phenomenon since the brand launched over 15 years ago, it’s a product that has satisfied the niche between barely-there and light coverage although personally, I’ve always viewed it as a sheer foundation rather than a tinted moisturiser.  So popular has it proven over the years, that it’s now available in four incarnations: the original tinted moisturizer, an oil-free version, an illuminating version, and most recently… a creme compact.

It promises a healthy “no makeup, makeup look”, which to be fair, is precisely what it delivers.  If you’re blessed with a reasonable complexion and don’t like the feeling of heavy foundation on your skin, you may have already fallen under this product’s spell.

I’ve always loved the fuss-free packaging that belies its £33.00 price tag.  It says nothing about luxury yet everything about practicality and this tube has certainly seen better days after being thrown around inside weekend bags, handbags, and suitcases.  There’s no pump to fail and no wide neck to dispense too much product, it just works as it should.  You can tell that this has been borne from the brain of a working makeup artist.

Laura Mercier prides herself and her brand on a flawless skin approach, and boasts that this is their speciality.  Indeed, some of the brand’s most cult products focus precisely on skin-perfecting.  Refreshing, it’s not too often that a brand can actually live up to claims like this.

I’ve already discussed the coverage, which I’d describe as that of a light foundation.  For my dry skin, the original formula works well for me… I can’t imagine really needing an extra luminosity that might be provided by the newer illuminating version of the tinted moisturiser and I’d rather not risk losing any wear time.  If you have oily skin, I’d definitely suggest checking out the oil-free version as an alternative to the original as this one certainly doesn’t mattify in any way and you may find yourself blotting fairly often.

My preferred way to apply this is either with my fingers, or if I have a little more time… a dampened sponge.  I usually break out my Beauty Blender for the job and enjoy the total control and buildability I get from this method.  You can see in the before/after below… the Nude shade is slightly too warm for my winter skintone but as this is something I tend to use in the Summer (it also contains a broad spectrum SPF20), you’ll have to trust that the tonal difference is much less noticeable once the sun has put in a few weeks appearance.

Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer lasts well enough throughout the day not to cause me any grumbles but does need setting with a translucent powder in warmer weather.  It’s a truly natural finish product with a little bit of a skin crutch for those of us with unevenness.  It won’t cover blemishes on its own, and neither is it expected to.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (2.0%), Octinoxate (7.5%).
Other Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Peg-40 Castor Oil, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Cyclomethicone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hexyl Laurate, Emu Oil (Dromiceius Oil), Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Peg-15 Cocamine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Methylparaben, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Ascorbate, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben. May Contain (+/-): Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77019 (Mica).

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer is available to buy on counter or online at uk.spacenk.com and urbanretreat.co.uk

As for whether I’ll repurchase?  Honestly, it’s probably a little too early in the year to consider it and I’m so tempted by her Creme Smooth foundation that I’ll probably leave it for now.

Are you a fan of the classic Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer?

Despite my very best intentions, I haven’t fared too well at this challenge.  I mean, it was simple enough… “Move More, Sit Less” they said…. “Show us how you squeeze more activity into your day” they said.

And so I thought about it.  And I thought about it some more, and I spent so long thinking about it, that I didn’t really do a huge amount about it.  What is it they say about the road to hell being paved with good intentions?  Oh yeah, that.

It’s not as if the plan doesn’t give you an incentive to exercise either.  You can earn activity propoints by working up a sweat before swapping them for normal propoints which is ideal if you’re a propoint or two short of that glass of wine you’ve been craving.  So why have I failed?  Well, I promised myself that last week would be the week I’d finally pull my running shoes back on.  The snow has cleared, the temperatures have risen a touch and the sun seems to be hanging on for just a little bit longer in the evenings.  Did I get out there for a run?  Did I naff.  I didn’t even drag myself out for a brisk walk!

So lame-ness aside, what did I do?  Well, I dusted off the Wii Fit in an attempt to alleviate some guilt.  I loaded up The Biggest Loser game (yeah, that’s me – and not in the positive sense of the expression), please excuse the feet, I’m surprised I was able to see them.

It was fun for about 5 minutes and then it actually started to burn a bit. Why can’t exercise just stay fun? Why does it have to start bloody hurting anyway?! I’ve learned that I can do a pretty mean squat, that my lunges are atrocious (I wobble all over), and that I need to wear my sports bra if they start with that jumping jack stuff again.

In all seriousness though, I banked two activity propoints through my efforts so it wasn’t all bad for a half hour routine.

My other efforts at increasing my exercise count involved a far more enjoyable play with my hoops!  The one in the photo below is my most recent acquisition, she’s smaller and faster and has white glitter tape, isn’t she pretty?  I still need more practice at keeping her up so I did end up moving back to a slower hoop that gave me more control, I’ll get better though!

I do find hooping far more enjoyable than other forms of exercise and I’ve been doing it (on and off) since last April but I’m not sure that it really gives me enough of a work out.  I’ve tried the weighted varieties (which make you sweat!) but I’ve read too much about the potential damage they can cause to want to go back to them.  I found it pretty difficult to gauge how many activity propoints I could bank with the hooping, but I let myself bank 3 propoints for 40 minutes, based on a rough 70kcal burned = 1 activity point rule.  I’ll have to use my heart rate monitor this week to see if I’m being too generous with myself!

It’s not always easy to find obvious ways to incorporate exercise into our busy schedules, 40-minutes of hooping is actually quite a large chunk of my free time, it’s just as-well I enjoy it!  If the weather is kind this week, I’ll be swapping the steering wheel for some cosy insoles and walking to pick Leila up from nursery.  I’ve got a pedometer* to ensure I don’t miss a trick and make the most of this additional activity.  If I’m doing it, you can bet I’ll be banking it on the Weight Watchers app!

How are your activity levels?  Are you skirting around some serious workouts like me or are you straight into building up a sweat?

* I am a Weight Watchers blog ambassador and my links to their website are affiliated.  I have received no payment for this post.  The pedometer mentioned is a press sample.

I’ve been having a strange relationship with the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation over the past month.  To begin with, I loved it… then the snow came, my skin became drier and this love affair turned into a horror story.  But now… it’s coming good again.  Let me start at the beginning.

I bought this online from the YSL site just before Christmas and was more excited about this purchase than almost any other throughout the year.  All the reviews I’d read had described its ability to deliver a luminous, sheer finish that dry skintypes would adore.  Most reviewers marked it down a little on lasting power, but that didn’t bother me.  All in all, I figured that I’d found my perfect foundation.

I ordered BR10 the lightest “pink” shade, untested because there seemed to be a jump between the lightest and second lightest shades, in my mind, I was erring on the side of caution.  It’s actually a little too pale for me, I should have gone for the next shade up.  It looks ok in the before/after photo at the bottom of the post but it can look a little ghostly unless I work it in to the skin carefully, it just think it has the potential to look much better tone-wise, were it a hair darker.

So what’s right with it and what’s wrong with it?

Well firstly, it’s extremely faithful to its Touch Eclat concealer counterpart.  It does indeed add only a little coverage but a lot of luminosity, it’s actually quite an unusual formula for a foundation in this regard.  It doesn’t cover redness exceptionally well, neither does it cover blemishes (although it combines beautifully with concealer).  Despite this, it delivers a very natural uniformity across the face and it’s honestly quite hard for me to put my finger on just how it achieves this.  It’s one of those foundations that anyone with a normal skintype should adore, but the further away your skin is from the “normal”, the more problems I suspect you’ll encounter.

When I first started using the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation, my skin was dry but not problematic, I kept it well-exfoliated and well-moisturised.  As January progressed, my skin became drier still, I developed the kind of dryness that forms patches where the texture would be markedly different… not quite flaky, but heading in that direction and boy, did this foundation show it.

The particularly odd and redeeming feature about this foundation however is in its ability to adapt and melt into your skin.  Without fail, each time I applied it… things would improve after around 15 minutes.  I hypothesised that perhaps I was missing a trick and should be using the warmth from my fingers to apply it and achieve a better initial result, but no… it still grumbled terribly about my dry patches, only to look remarkably less rubbish quarter of an hour later.

So really, this foundation is still a bit of an enigma to me.  I don’t mind that it doesn’t hold up so well down the bridge of my nose as the day progresses, although I’d imagine that oilier skintypes will be exceptionally bothered by this.  And I don’t mind that it doesn’t fully cover my redness on the sides of my nose and cheeks because a touch of loose powder and/or concealer really brings the coverage up to par.

I love the luminosity that it delivers, how lightweight it feels on my skin, and the way it melts into my skintone as time progresses, almost as if it’s self-adjusting.  I really hope that I love it even more when the weather warms up but I’m concerned that my shade mismatch will be the nail in the coffin for this bottle.

If you have a fairly normal skintype and you’re looking for a foundation that is a genuine “my skin but better” affair but with more refinement and coverage than a tinted moisturiser, you should be running to your local YSL counter.  Anyone else, please beg, steal or borrow a sample before splurging.  Also, make sure you ask the SA to shade match you, there are an amazing 22 shades from which you can choose.

Ingredients: Aqua/Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Clycerin, Dimethicone, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Sorbitol, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexyl-Glycerin, Parfum, Aluminum Hydroxide, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dipropylene Glycol, Isotridecyl Isononanoate, {+/- May Contain: CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77499 / Iron Oxides, CI 77163 / Bismuth Oxychloride], (F.I.L. B50106/2)

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation is available on counter and online, priced at £28 for 30ml

* I keep meaning to do some arm swatches of my current foundations with their shade names, just so you can see the shades I’m using at the moment… there may not be much in the way of words to accompany, but if I’ve reviewed it, I’ll link.  Sound useful?

Following on from Saturday’s “I want a perm!” declaration, I thought I’d let you know what prompted this revelation. I used a styling wand! And not just any old styling wand but one that is generally considered a bit of a posh styling wand, the Cloud Nine version.

It’s a bit of a chunky beast with a large tapered barrel and a heavy-duty, solid handle.

The wand comes complete with a protective sheath that slides over the heated barrel and protects fingers/surfaces from burns and damage when the tool isn’t in use. The Cloud Nine The Wand certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted (or weak-wristed), it quite heavy and takes a little practice to wield comfortably. I don’t mind admitting that it took not one, but two ear burns (matching) before I realised that at least one secret can be found in a simple solution: for the love of God, do not move or angle the tool once it’s cms from your skin, move the hair. MOVE THE HAIR, NOT THE TOOL. Are we clear on this? Good.

The tapered barrel allows for a good amount of volume at the root of the hair, and as you wind the hair toward the tip of the barrel, the curl will become tighter.

The controls are simple and easy to master, the wand gives you complete control over the temperature you’re using, which is great for anyone whose hair frazzles at standard settings. My fine hair generally responds pretty well at low temperatures, so for obvious reasons, I’m relieved that The Wand (like their straighteners) gives me the option to turn down the heat. If you’ve got coarse hair, by all means… crank that baby up.

The Cloud Nine wand also comes complete with a heat-resistant glove, this took away THE FEAR and ensured that I could wind each lock around the barrel right to the tip, there were no straggly straight bits for me! Plus, just having one glove in your possession is total justification for trying out any Michael Jackson impressions that you’ve been secretly stifling over the past 31 years. Not that I did any. Ow!

Cloud Nine are currently campaigning for women to be kinder to their hair by having “off” days. I have plenty of “off” days but after reading the press release, I realised that weren’t thinking along the same lines. According to Cloud Nine, you can treat your hair without compromising on style simply by rethinking your “2nd day” look. An example of this would be curling your hair on day 1, wearing the curls to their full-potential before using day 2 to be kind to your hair, leave the heated tools on the dressing table and simply wearing your hair in a half up/half down style with loose waves (the remainder of day 1’s curls) keeping you looking stylish.

It’s a bit bloody obvious isn’t it… but I get what they’re saying…

So anyway, onto my before and after… here’s my hair in all its uber flat, just washed and dried glory. Boring.

I honestly thought it would take longer to style, I kept asking Mr. L whether I’d missed a chunk at the back because it took me less than 10 minutes to curl and achieve this…

The above photo shows the curls before I’d separated them with my fingers. I was a little haphazard because I wanted to accurately reflect how I’d use the tool.

I’m not the kind of girl who has the patience to part her hair in a thousand different directions, pinning each section up and spritzing with heat defence. I’m the kind of girl who sprays half a bottle of heat defence, brushes it through, before randomly taking sections (that may or may not be completely different sizes) and curls. That’s me. I’m a crapiologist, and this still came out looking good.

So there you have it, I really like this… for one major reason. I could achieve proper curls a couple of times a week without wanting to gauge my eyes out in frustration. I’m not a hair person, I’m rarely happy with my hair but I hate fussing even more. So much so… that I’m already contemplating a one-off perm so that my hair can look like the above without me doing ANYTHING at all. Except, I know that it won’t work out like that and I’ll emerge from the salon looking like little orphan Annie, so as an alternative to not having to do anything at all, the Cloud Nine wand has proven itself to be a genuine solution to achieving great curls with the least amount of fuss, even on low heat.

Now as for that 2nd day hair… well, I could have done half-up/half-down, but that’s how I wore my hair to school, so screw you 2nd day hair. Instead, I cheated and used an old-skool setting lotion. Take that! No waves for me, these curls lasted until I had to wash the buggers out ha!

Cloud Nine’s The Wand is currently £20 off the usual RRP, priced at £99.95 and available to buy online from cloudninehair.com

* press sample

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: monetising a blog is a tough job. Walking the line between speaking your own words with undiluted thoughts and keeping brands happy when you’re building relationships? Not easy. Throw money into the equation and that shit gets harder. Which is why I’ve never and will never accept money to review a product. The sample issue is different, expectations from the start are different and brands are well aware that you may not review a product favourably or even at all just because you received a sample. Bloggers who call in their shopping lists can piss right off though.

I’m talking about accepting money…

I accept money to feature products, state their existence, bring awareness to brand campaigns and promotions. But to trial a product and report to you on its efficacy? To tell you whether or not I believe you should go and spend your money on a product because it’s fab (regardless of whether or not it is) when I’ve had my pockets lined to do so? That’s something I don’t feel comfortable doing.

On the way up, bloggers took every opportunity to blast magazines for their bias toward advertiser’s products. We promoted the medium of blogging as an impartial, independent and unbiased alternative but just this last week, I’ve received two sponsored post pitches from big brands, both requesting that I review the product they’re interested in promoting. It honestly killed me to turn them down, not least because I probably would like the product anyway (or at least, not dislike it), but frankly because I can’t afford to turn down opportunities like that when this is my main source of income.

The thing that’s prompted me to write this shitty Blog God post (and I kinda hate myself for doing it) is the knowledge that there are bloggers who have already accepted the type of sponsored posts that I’m turning down more frequently, thus giving justification to brands and agencies who are delivering these shitty proposals. It’s not that I want to shame the bloggers or even really question their motives, I just want to say: “You don’t need to accept these opportunities from a brand or agency”.

As bloggers, we need to take a step back and re-evaluate who we are and what we’re doing. Without our readers, we really are nothing when it comes to making any pennies. Our words aren’t read and our pictures aren’t flicked through because we’re so damn aspirational. Our opinions aren’t trusted because we’re experts in our field, hell… those bloggers are few and far between. It’s simply because we’re relatable that we’re valued.

Don’t let brands and agencies who haven’t targeted their campaigns properly, damage what you’ve built. They’re not being sly… they’re not being underhand, but sometimes I think it becomes clear that they still don’t quite get what blogging is about. It’s not about having a million 12 year old You Tube fans or being the coolest kid on Instagram. Or (and now I’m doubting myself), if it is… then I don’t want any part in its future.

It’s about creating pockets of communities online, sharing common interests, and making a connection. That thrill of getting a new comment, the fear when you post something like this… finding a reader who leaves you such a hilarious comment that you think they must be your long-lost twin and you hunt them down on Twitter for lifelong companionship… what?!

If you are wanting to monetise your blog (and you do it carefully, with full disclosure, it’s something to be applauded – doing what you love and getting paid for it? BEST. JOB. EVER.), you think brands won’t want to provide sponsored post opportunities if you don’t review their products? Bullshit. They still want their Facebook competitions linked, their You Tube videos embedded. They want a human voice to give context to their latest campaign, plough through all that Brad Pitt crap that no-one normal thinks is anywhere near as amazing as those who created it do. This is why blogs exist and why they thrive so well alongside magazines and other media.

But you cannot physically accept payment to review a product and then call it “shit” on your blog. And if it is shit? What do you do. Not write about it and still keep the money? Not bloody likely.

If a sponsored post opportunity doesn’t deliver true value to the brand, you, AND your reader – it isn’t worth doing. Make brands and agencies work harder at creating something amazing for this relatively unexplored (commercially) blog medium, paying for reviews is the easy option for them. Not for you and certainly not for your readers. By all means, sell a legitimate service but don’t sell yourselves.

Question of the Week – Is there anything in your beauty arsenal that you like to bring out for springtime (that you don’t use much during the colder months)?

Answer – No. Spring can do one. I hate Spring colours, bring back Autumn/Winter *rolls self in black eyeshadow*.  Plus, it’s still freezing here anyway.

Lipglossiping – brings out the brights with a lip colour so packed with pigment, you’ll be hard pressed not to pout with envy.

Gouldylox Reviews – I’m obsessed with this glorious waffle of creamy goodness.

Nouveau Cheap – Does the beautiful packaging of the new Flower by Drew Barrymore Color Play Créme Eyeshadows match what’s inside? Come see for yourself!

Prime Beauty – has a riddle for you. What’s pink and peach, heart shaped and imparts a glowy natural flush? Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush! Get the deets!

Phyrra – brings you a sneak peek of Jesse’s Girl Julie G Gumdrop Nail Polish!

we heart this – If you’re like us, you love a good haul post! And we’ve got one right here – check out Stef’s IMATS haul.

Beauty Junkies Unite – Check out the review & swatches for the five new Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal shades, Amber loves these cream eyeshadows because they’re great multi-taskers!

Clumps of Mascara – reminisces about the good ole’ college days and talks about that time she went to Philadelphia to volunteer for a week.

Inspire me.  Is there anything in your beauty arsenal that you like to bring out for springtime (that you don’t use much during the colder months)?