A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Life is full of essentials, and fashion’s most faithful of all ensembles is the inimitable little black dress.  Lauded as the holy grail wardrobe-dweller, the perfect LBD should be à la mode whilst appearing simultaneously timeless – a classic to accompany every occasion.  Ultimately, it should bestow the wearer with the confidence of a thousand catwalk models whilst proffering simplicity – the very essence of elegance.

Guerlain’s newest fragrance creation: La Petite Robe Noire*, is a nod to the ideals behind finding that ultimate pièce de résistance.  The concept of finding the fragrance equivalent of fashion’s most essential item isn’t all that unusual when you consider how fragrance is used to both bolster and uplift the spirit, polish one’s appearance, and suitably reflect our sensibilities.  Just like fashion, it can leave a lasting impression – so how does La Petite Robe Noire leave me feeling?

The bottle is indeed both simultaneously timeless and “of the now”, reminiscent of the Guerlain greats reflected in its silhouette – the bottle is a replica of those that house both Mitsouko and L’Heure Bleue.  The pretty illustration of the artists’ (Kuntzel+Deygas) interpretation of the perfect LBD (and let’s face it, it’s not far off!) grounds the flirtiness and sets the scene for what awaits inside.

A succulent cherry and frangipane tart immediately springs to mind, whetting the taste buds nicely with the almond notes arriving as a little surprise, flanking the reasonably well-anticipated fruitiness.  These give way to a classic heart of florals taking shape in the most feminine of forms, rose.  Bulgarian rose essence and candied Turkish rose absolute to be exact.  These middle notes reject the initial fruitiness, clinging instead to the almond and giving the perfume an edible but-not-quite gourmand appeal.  It feels strangely as though the notes (written down) should be offering something headier than my nose is experiencing and although this is absolutely a scent for evenings, it’s certainly not too boudoir.  The close is a little disappointing to me – touted to deliver shadowy temptations of liquorice and smoky black tea, I sense more of the classic Guerlinade accord of tonka bean and vanilla, and beautiful though it is – I’m longing for more of those promised shadowy temptations!

La Petite Robe Noire displays all the hallmarks of a best-selling fragrance.  It’s beautifully crafted, with a carefully-defined story to be found within.  From the moment you slip playfully into the attire, to the moment that the LBD is slipped from your shoulders and onto the bedroom floor, you are led through an evening of flirtation and romance, culminating in the classic Guerlain finale.

Don’t be fooled by the illustrations, which in my opinion, make this seem like a choice for a younger generation – there’s is plenty in here to appeal to all ages.  I recommend seeking this one out for a sniff when it sees a nationwide release from the 24th July.

La Petite Robe Noire EdP is available now at Selfridges, priced from £42.00

* press sample

I know I was supposed to be hot-footing it to Boots to spend my points on Chanel Summer… but I’ve got a little secret to let you into: I didn’t actually get that far.  I was in West Quay and when I came out of the lift, I got distracted by John Lewis… if you haven’t been to West Quay in Southampton, let me tell you… they know how to make a good John Lewis.  It’s my favourite local beauty department… by contrast, the Debenhams in town is woeful and sends me into fits of depression whenever I darken its doors.

Anyway, there I was… fingering (you can use that word in other contexts) all the pretty beauty stuff at the front of store when I spotted this Illusion d’Ombre (cream eyeshadow to plebs like you and me).  I already own two of them (Mirifique and Illusoire) and I’d completely forgotten that this shade even existed.  I was umm-ing and ahh-ing over picking up Fantasme (a sparkly irridescent shade) which I hoped would brighten my eye area without being too gaudy when the subtle peach-tones of Émerveillé stopped me in my tracks.

Summer in a pot.  Minus the Mojitos and insect bites.

Like Fantasme, it contains tiny reflects of multidimensional sparkle, though much MUCH more subtle, grown-up, and golden.  I know I haven’t properly reviewed Mirifique yet, but I literally wore Illusoire every day for a fortnight whilst up North.  The Illusion d’Ombres are completely effortless in application, blending and wear.  They last perfectly for 7+ hours without a sticky base or primer and almost melt (in a good way) onto my eyelids.  I actually can’t praise them enough for their complex finish and I love how they don’t appear metallic-y (and aging) like many shimmer shades often do.

Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in #82 Émerveillé is priced at £23.00 and available online at Boots (or instore at John Lewis!)

Do you own any of the Chanel Illusion d’Ombres?  Are you as crazy about them as I am?

I wasn’t sure whether or not I wanted to comment on the latest news from Urban Decay which indicates their intention to expand operations into China.  Afterall, I’m not a “cruelty-free blogger” (writing only about cruelty-free products) and I’m not entirely sure that it’s my place to come out of the woodwork and comment on issues that I don’t normally involve myself with.  Having said that, it’s something that for whatever reason, I can’t stop thinking about.  I’ve been mulling it over in my head and it’s left a heavy-hearted feeling bumping around in my chest.  When all is said and done (and the Urban Decay press machine have spun a number of well-written statements defending their decision), it’s still (to me) an act of ultimate betrayal for the millions of fans that have been acquired, precisely because of the brand’s staunch stand against animal-testing.

In some ways, it’s due to my non pro-active status on the issue that I’m so surprised by the move.  MAC, Avon, Estee Lauder, Mary Kay and the other brands who have recently taken the decision to enter the Chinese market (therefore accepting the potential animal-testing regulations that surround the move) haven’t encouraged the slightest eyebrow-raise from my corner of the blogosphere, but then again, these aren’t brands that have built and staked their reputations on their responsibilities to providing cruelty-free cosmetics in the same way that Urban Decay have done.

Many of you will know that the EU have already banned the animal-testing of cosmetics within their own laboratories and despite postponements and potential delays, there’s still a significant push to ban the sale and marketing of any products within the EU that contain an ingredient that has been tested using animals by March 2013.  This would be the end result of a massive campaign that has been ongoing for over a decade and something that campaigners such as the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) would be immensely proud of achieving.  Above all else, it shows that there is huge demand in the world for new legislation and an appetite to develop alternative means of testing that cause harm to neither man nor beast.

So just why are these multi-national brands taking such giant steps backward by entering a foreign market which has a record of resistance when it comes to acknowledging or financing efforts into finding alternatives to animal-testing?  Well, there can really only be one reason.  China is a huge market, with the scope for almost immeasurable growth and in these economically uncertain times, it seems that everyone wants a piece of that particular pie.

The justifications released by Urban Decay focus on a rather romanticized notion of infiltrating the nation’s psyche from within through the use of education, and promoting a dialogue on the issue but as one Temptalia reader, BlackFuji succinctly wrote: This is like saying “I don’t punch my kids in the face… the babysitter does. I hope the babysitter learns from my example.”  Urban Decay’s infamous (and trademarked) tagline: “We don’t do animal testing. How could anyone?” ultimately sounds rather hollow under this new direction.

Whilst the brand have been busily reminding their followers on Twitter that they’re listening to feedback following the announcement and that they remain committed to not testing their products on animals, the BUAV have today released a statement confirming that Urban Decay will no longer be certified ‘cruelty free’ under the Humane Cosmetics or Humane Household Products Standards and that the U.S. cosmetic brand will no longer be licensed to carry the internationally-recognised Leaping Bunny trademark on their products.

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How do you feel about Urban Decay’s recent announcement?  Do you have faith in their motivations to enact change in this new market?

I know that some of you will be reading this with your neatly arched brows raised in curiosity at just what on Earth could be considered “terrifying” about eyebrow hair.  The rest of you (more normal types) will be reading this, twirling your brow hairs around your index finger.

Left to their own devices, mine grow like wildfire – and I’m not talking Cara Delevingne grandiose brows here; more… Dennis Healy.  Given an extra coat of brow set, you could zip wire from here to Lands End on one of mine.

This ultimately means that I take the business of beating them into submission seriously.  I’ve stopped shaping them myself because, like a two-year old with a biro, I simply cannot be trusted with a pair of tweezers and a magnifying mirror.  Instead, I get them threaded every 5/6 weeks and this is enough to keep the arch well-defined.  Preventing them from thereafter developing into McDonald’s ‘golden arches’?  Well that bit’s up to me.

These are the brow tools that I simply couldn’t live without.

01: Mascara Spoolie.  You can either buy these as purpose-built cosmetic tools or (more thriftily) clean an old mascara wand and use that instead.  Either way, a spoolie is an absolute necessity in the fight against unruly brows.  Comb through the stragglers before snipping and brush them into place before filling.

02: Brow Set/Gel.  You can buy brow set products but I use a clear mascara.  The Maybelline Great Lash in clear is perfect for the job because it holds the hairs in place without making them feel crusty and it doesn’t leave behind a telltale ‘wet look’.

03: Brow Powder.  Much easier than pencils in my opinion.  My holy grail is the Illamasqua Brow Powder but the most important thing is to find a good shade match in whatever you use and unless your brows are naturally auburn, beware of warm-toned browns.  Many women use eyeshadow… any powder is fine.

04: Sharp pair of eyebrow scissors.  These are nothing special, I bought them years ago off eBay but they’re brilliant.  Super sharp with a precise point that trims the hair without pushing them ineffectually along the blade.  Always brush the hair upward toward the hairline and trim any that stray outside of the bulk of the brow area.  Go easy, you can always trim more but you can’t stick them back on!

05: Tweezers.  I favour the brand Tweezerman for my tweezers, particularly the wide-grip style.  There’s nothing more frustrating than a pair of tweezers that fail to pluck.  Particularly when you’ve psyched yourself up to grab an eye-watering one only to find that the points have clutched at nothing more substantial than air.  Don’t be afraid to attack anything that looks like it may contribute to a mono-brow or those random ones that appear to be sprouting far closer to your eyelid than your brow-line.

06: Angled Brow Brush.  A fairly stiff brush is best for running the powder through the brow area.  Always start filling-in from the middle of the brow to avoid depositing too much product on the inner third.  Unles you’re going for the scouse brow/Katie Price look – in which case, just dispense of the brush and grab the nearest Sharpie pen.  Also, get off my blog.

What steps do you take to keep from tripping over your eyebrows?  Do you thread and then leave them be or are you a serial tweezerer?

I know what you’re thinking… “Charlotte, don’t be stupid – you don’t just “accidentally” dye your hair”.  But allow me to explain, because it’s not as black and white (and red) as it may initially seem.

You remember that time when you accidentally ate someone else’s Krispy Kreme because you weren’t paying attention?  Or that time you innocently forgot to take your pill and had a baby as a result?  There are all kinds of accidents, it’s just that some of them aren’t completley blame-less.

I didn’t mean to wake up this morning with bright red hair that leans menacingly toward the cerise, but I’ll admit that it didn’t just ‘happen’ either.  It went something like this…

I bought a bottle of Crazy Color semi-permanent hair color cream online from Amazon… after umm-ing and ahh-ing over the shades, I went for #56 Fire mainly because the reviews of some of the other reds in the range were pretty poor.  I bought the Renbow Crazy Color because I was looking for something to refresh my recently dyed hair without causing further damage.  The Renbow Crazy Color range works by staining the hair shaft without opening the cuticle and penetrating into the hair, it’s a vegetable dye that doesn’t inflict damage in the same way as conventional dyes.

In order to refresh my locks and give them a little boost of colour, I intended to mix a little dye into my conditioner and let it sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing out.  Easy peasy!  Except, it didn’t quite work out like that.

Once I’d blow dried my hair, I could see that the dye had really taken to my lighter roots, creating an uneven halo effect.  Not only that but thanks to my cackhanded application, only the very top layer had grabbed the colour.  I tried to live with it for a couple of hours… but I couldn’t kid myself, I looked ridiculous.

So I went for it.

Ignoring the instructions, I applied 3/4 of the bottle to my dry hair and concentrated on ensuring that I was evenly distributing the product throughout.  I can’t lie to you, it was messy.  At one point, Paul commented that it looked like he’d been trying to murder me.  I knew from reading reviews that vegetable dyes are notorious for staining skin and bathrooms but I don’t mind admitting that I got to the point where I didn’t care!

Once I was satisfied that every strand had been covered (and combed through for extra insurance), I set to work on the cleanup.  I’d been wearing disposable gloves… an absolute must, trust me.  The rest of the cleanup was surprisingly easy – the sink was treated to a hefty dose of Cillit Bang and any ‘staining’ wiped off without any bother.  As for my skin?  I used a damp flannel and rubbed until  my skin bled I decided that I’d rather live with the staining than keep going.  I left the dye on for around 30 minutes before rinsing.

And rinsing.  And rinsing.  I was stood under the shower for another 30 minutes in an attempt to get the water to run clear.  Eventually I got bored (and a bit cold) and gave up.  At this point, don’t reach for one of your nice towels – you’ll ruin it.  I’m gonna burn mine to hide the evidence.

Enough talking… it’s just hair dye.  Here’s how it turned out….

BRIGHT!

I’m anticipating that it’s gonna fade quickly (6-8 washes maybe?) so I’ve bought another bottle online and I still have about 1/4 of the first bottle left to go back to my original plan of refreshing the colour by mixing a little in with my conditioner when I wash my hair.  I’ll be honest, I’m a bit unsure of my new ‘do’ – it makes my eyes look really green but I think it clashes with my skintone!

Anyway, that’s the story of how one might become an accidental redhead.  Call it a cautionary tale if you like.

Do you use vegetable dyes?  Got any favourites?!

* oh, by the way, I need to tell you that you all disgusted me, disgusted me with your grubby ways on yesterday’s post – you brilliant, brilliant lot.

This is your Tuesday morning confessional.  Confession All.

You’d be forgiven thinking that people with our level of beauty obsession might get it right, but we don’t.  Just because we know the rules, doesn’t mean that we don’t break them.  I’m feeling a little heavy-hearted this morning, let me lay bare my (grungy) beauty soul in the hopes of lifting a little weight off my shoulders.

1.  I store my brushes in pots, upside down.  These infact.  They’re perfect and lovely and hold all my brushes beautifully – so what’s the problem?  Dust.  You know, all that dead skin and tiny insect turds that float down onto my brush heads before I buff them into my pores every morning?  That.

2.  Flannel-washing.  Do I use a clean flannel every morning?  Errr… sometimes… not really, um no… maybe 3x a week (on a good week).

3.  Best Before… Unless the skincare actives are very, very active (vitamin C and the like), I can’t promise you that I don’t use skincare after its recommended expiry.  I always mean to write the date I opened it somewhere on the packaging to ensure I don’t go beyond… but you know, I have a fucking life.

4.  Skin-picking.  I am the queen crater-creator.  Find me the tiniest blemish and I’ll make a mountain out of a pimple in no time at all.

5.  Concealer?  Oh, I can’t quite reach you over there – never mind, let me add another 7 coats of foundation on this spot instead, I’m *sure* that will fix it.

In my (weak) defence, I do wash my makeup off every night before sleeping.  Without fail.  What used to be a chore turned into a habit and now I’m actually quite compulsive about it.  Not that it really matters though, seeing as I’m using a “dirty” flannel (oh the shame!)

Make me feel better!  Please share your beauty confessionals this morning!

Essie Armed & Ready is from the Spring Go Overboard collection and one that I picked up owing to it’s beautiful golden shimmer as perfectly demonstrated by The PolishAholic in her great swatches.  Can I get the golden shimmer to show up?  Can I bollocks.  I’m putting it down to the fact that she lives in Orange County, CA and I’m currently staying in Shitsville, NBA (Newcastle Brown Ale).

Despite the lack of golden glitz, Essie’s Armed & Ready is still a very nice army green, a dirgy khaki if you will.  It also applies in a single coat if you get the brush fill right, you definitely don’t need more than two coats before whacking on your quick-dry topper.

I wish I could give you some beautiful shimmer shots, but in lieu of those…. have a look at just what I have to put up with while I’m trying to blog – it’s a wonder I actually get any bloody posts written…

I’m heading home today (after my fortnight at the in-laws), have had a lovely time but it’ll be nice to get back into my normal routine!  Hope all my lovely UK/Commonwealth peeps enjoy the Jubilee Weekend! x

You may have noticed that posts have been a little thin on the ground over the past week, I’m currently in the North East spending some time with the in-laws and my husband’s family.  We spent yesterday enjoying the charms of market town Richmond, in North Yorkshire.  We walked the cobbles until our blisters had blisters and climbed to the top of the castle keep for an impromptu “I’m the King of the castle” singalong.

You may already know that I’m an avid geocacher but the ‘treasure hunts’ from treasuretrails.org caught my eye and I downloaded one to try.  It was supposed to take 2 1/2 hours to complete, so I’m a little shame-faced to admit that yesterday was our SECOND day returning to the town to complete it!  In my defence, Leila walks at about 200 yards an hour.  It was a fantastic way to enjoy a new town, the clues weren’t too easy… at times we had to retrace our steps (not easy when you carrying a toddler up the steepest hill in the world) and there may have been plenty of shandy breaks to cool down from the blazing sun!

We’re back home next weekend and although I’m looking foraward to it, I’ll miss this daily galivanting!  Hope you’ve been able to enjoy the unseasonably wonderful weather?  Looks like it’s nearly done with us for another Summer (probably).

Staring cross-eyed at Fairy Lights is one of my favourite Christmas past-times, staring cross-eyed at this nail polish makes it only marginally more appealing than looking at it with 20-20 vision.

Butter London’s Fairy Lights is a pink metallic with a high-shine chrome finish that accentuates every single flaw on the nail bed, despite the use of a base coat.  The tiniest ridge will turn into the Grand Canyon and heaven forbid if you have a peeling nail like me…

It applied streakily, coming good on the third coat and is frankly, utterly dupable.  You should check out the MyFace Lil Bling Nail Chromes for similar finishes (they do a pink one too).  Longevity was average on my hardy nails, with tip wear becoming apparent from the third day onwards.

Butter London’s Fairy Lights is priced at £11.95 and available to buy online from PowderRooms.

A good “nude” blush isn’t as easy to come by as you might imagine.  It should lean neither too cool nor too warm, this is no time for that “pop” of colour you often hear mentioned.  It’s the blusher you reach for when you just want to look fresh, more awake – a workhorse that will never let you down.

Liz Earle‘s new cosmetic line contains a particularly lovely nude blush, imaginatively called “Nude”.  It’s in a forgiving cream formula that drier skin types should gravitate toward.  Having said that, it’s not too emollient for the warm weather though I wouldn’t recommend it for oily skinned wearers.

The packaging conforms to the navy blue (with a hint of sparkle) colouring that we first saw on the brand’s Sheer Skin Tint.  Enclosed with the product is a mini-booklet featuring application tips.

As for the shade itself, I’d describe it as a true nude.  On first inspection, I didn’t think it was as it does look a little warm and dark in the pan, particularly for my very cool-toned, pale skin.  However, once blended on the cheek – it seems to allow my own rosy cheeks to influence the shading, rendering it a very natural-looking flush without any of the ruddiness that my natural natural flush would try to impose.

Buildability is impressive, I’ve been wearing it with no more than two “layers” which offers plenty enough pigmentation for me.  The product does set, though not fully – there’s enough workability there to blend the edges (I usually go back in with my foundation brush) but this does mean that longevity may be an issue if you find that your blush generally wears off quickly.  You could set it with some powder (especially in this warmer weather) but I prefer to keep a dewier finish.

My only gripe with the product is that I’d like to see more product for my money.  At 2g, I frankly own larger eyeshadows.  Sure, it’s not the most expensive blusher in the world but ideally, I’d want another gram of product in there to warrant a price on the “wrong” side of the fifteen pounds mark.

Liz Earle Healthy Glow Cream Blush is available in 7 shades and can be bought online from LizEarle.com, priced at £16.50

* press sample

Shapeshifting.  Good or bad?  Would you like to be able to transform yourself from one thing to the next in the blink of an eye?  I remember watching An American Werewolf in London (from behind the sofa) when I was about 8 or 9, that bit where David turns from hairy man into even hairier beast?  Horrifying.  It still gives me the heebies to think of it now.

Butter London’s Knackered is an altogether prettier shapeshifter.  It morphs from green to purple in the most delightful of ways, proving itself to be a very worthy duochrome.  As if that weren’t enough loveliness to contend with, the shade is flecked with holographic micro-glitter.  In fact, it’s almost too much prettiness to contend with, basically the kind of polish I’d create if I ever had me a chance: “Oh, let’s just put EVERYTHING in it!”

Butter London Knackered is priced at £11.95 and available online from PowderRooms.com

Gouldylox Reviews – Just in case your beach plans fell through this weekend, here is a list of everything you’ll need to prepare for summer.

Nouveau Cheap – A nail art stamping kit for under $2? Seriously? It’s true!

Pink Sith – Goes all 50 Shades of Gray on you with her review of the newest Agent Provocateur L’agent fragrance. However she does not use the term “inner goddess”, thank goodness!

Prime Beauty – shows you how to look good nude with the LORAC Unzipped Palette!

Phyrra – Phyrra’s story has a happy ending with Cult Nails Cult Fairy Tale Collection.

Vampy Varnish – Even though Kelly gets sea-sick, the new limited edition MAC Hey, Sailor! Collection makes her want to get all nautical.

we heart this – You better WORK that Milani Runway palette!

Beauty Junkies Unite – What summer nail polish shades will you want from Essie’s new ‘Bikini So Teeny’ collection? Amber’s pick: Mojito Madness!

Clumps of Mascara – loves OPI’s Mickey Mouse nail polish collection. Check out these pretty pinks.