Finally! The House of Fraser Apothecary has launched online which means that poor souls like myself (who’s nearest HoF is an hours drive away) can finally take advantage of some of the new and exclusive brands available to the department store.
I previously wrote about the Lippmann Collection of nail polishes that I’m still salivating over. I’m finding it damn near impossible to pick a preferred choice though!
I’m also curious about the Body America range of skincare… potentially good, affordable products that have enough about them (New York Cheesecake Body Butter anyone?) to raise real interest in how they feel, work and smell.
Other highlights include colostrum-based skincare brand Electric Body who hail from New Zealand and promise anti-aging delights (albeit at a price!), Aussie brand MOR – yes, they of the exquisite packaging and French pharmacie skincare brand Filorga who’s origins (in mesotherapy and injectible forms of anti-aging) promise the same results but without the needles.
I spent an indecent amount of time in the Guildford store just after Christmas… there *may* have been Guerlain purchases, I will neither confirm nor deny those rumours.
As well as being partial to a good red lipstick, I’m also partial to a good red nail polish. The best for me are those slightly retro creams that command attention and make you feel just that little bit sexier everytime you spot them!
Butter London’s Come to Bed Red not only has an awesome name… but it’s an awesome red too!
It has an almost jelly-like finish which means that you’ll need an additional coat to ward off a visible nail line but on the flipside is it’s supreme shine and sweetie-like appearance.
Do you like your reds to be as bright as this?
Butter London Come to Bed Red is available to buy online priced from around £9.75
For someone who’s scared of bronzers… I own a few. I’ve also ditched many more. The ones that I’ve kept work for me, though not without effort. This isn’t a fault of the products… it’s my unconfidence with application and with wear.
The ones that I’m showing you are my current favourites based on their tone. With my (admittedly) untrained eye… they all complement cool-toned skin. I should also point out that I’m not talking bronzer for contouring – these are all the products I use to mostly just warm up my complexion and give it a sunkissed look.
Swatched in the same order from left to right (note that swatches are to show tone, not intensity… some are VERY heavily swatched):
1. Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Maui (£23.50)
Is it a blush, is it a bronzer? Well… it looks a bit like a blush but if Bobbi says it’s a bronzer, who the hell am I to argue? Maui is a warm pink shimmer that’s shot through with golden sparkle. It’s an incredibly easy-to-use bronzer because it never looks muddy and on the rare ocassion that I actually do catch a bit of genuine sunlight… it’s much closer to how my skin would naturally colour than the more traditional golden browns available.
2. NARS Blush in Douceur L.E. (£19.50)*
Being a limited edition item <–ignore, am stoopid – it’s not Limited Edition! I wasn’t going to include this one. But it’s still available online at HQHair… so I figured it couldn’t hurt? Now… this is a blush (if I’m not gonna argue with Bobbi, I’m certainly gonna agree with Francois!) but on my skintone, this matte blush works very nicely as a light pink/brown bronzer. Although it looks dark in the pan, it’s the 2nd sheerest that I’m showing you. Even I can’t mess this one up. Just perfect.
3. Becca Pressed Shimmer Powder in Princess (£30)
Again, not a bronzer per se, Becca’s PSP in Princess is just lovely. It’s shimmery but not AT ALL glittery… it’s very well behaved and grown up about things. Smooth in texture, it imparts a subtle sun-kissed glow to my cheeks that is never overcooked. Pricey, but worth it.
4. Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Rumour (£16)
If there were one black sheep in the set, this would be it (being Illamasqua, it had to be the naughty one didn’t it?) The tone is perfect – devoid of any orange… and being so matte, it makes the best contour shade I own. The problem is, that’s not saying a lot because it’s the ‘only’ contour shade I own. I find Rumour a little hard to work with due to it’s heavy pigmentation and it can end up looking a bit muddy. I want to love it and I feel that it’s my inexperience that stops me rather than the product itself. Any tips for this one ladies?
5.Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder in Blondes (£31.50)
Finally, a classic. The sheerest of the lot (and the most expensive!) Blondes is the lightest of the three shimmery bronzer options from Guerlain. I also own the lightest in the matte version but reach for this one more often. I would defy anyone to overdo this… it’s a must-have for pale skintones.
Other honourable mentions: Bobbi Brown Antigua, Bobbi Brown Bali Brown, The Body Shop Warm Glow, Guerlain Terracotta 01 (matte)
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I know that all my bronzers are at the higher-end of the price spectrum… but experience has shown me that if I want to rid myself of orange-toned monstrosities, this is where I have to look. Please do comment and let me know if things have improved in that respect on the high street because I’ll be one of the first out the door to go check out a bargain alternative!
I can probably count on one hand the number of Butter London polishes I’ve tried and disliked. This would fall into that sad category. I had cuticle drag with this one… you can possibly see the remnants on the middle finger at the base (where it looks kinda streaky). This meant that although in most places it was completely opaque after 2 coats… there were patches that demanded a third coat to finish off.
Everything else I was happy with… formula, drying time, glossiness… so it’s a shame I don’t really like the colour either.
Fash Pack is infused with the most delicious micro golden-sparkles… very similar to how China Glaze’s Ingrid looks in the bottle. And in the same way, I think that this is what ruins it for me by making it too warm (yet grey at the same time).
Warm and Olive toned ladies, this might be a really great choice for you. For me, it’s a boob.
You can buy Butter London Fash Pack online from PowderRooms
Butter London’s Tramp Stamp is a rich, dark chocolatey shade which leans toward the plum. It’s a gorgeous Winter shade which would look lovely on tidy, short nails rather than my talons (which have since had an extreme trim!)
When a creme is done well, there’s nothing that can really beat it is there? Look Ma, no top coat! Glossy and luxurious looking, this is one brown that is anything but dull.
I found the formula, application and all that stuff to be fine… a touch of cuticle drag on the 2nd coat which needed a 3rd just to cover it up, though in fairness I was a litttle hasty in application and the 1st coat may not have been quite dry enough.
Butter London’s Tramp Stamp is available to buy online from PowderRooms priced at £9.75
Blimey! It’s nail polish Sunday or somethink, sorry polish haters!
Some of you coo-ed over Butter London’s The Full Monty that I swatched earlier in the week… a true Xmassy gold that kept neutral enough to suit my cool skintone. Well… what with it being December n’all, how could I not glitterize the crap out of it?
I mean c’mon… it’s CHRISTMASSSSSSSSSSS! (nearly).
I added two coats of Butter London West End Wonderland to get this disco on my nails. It’s fabulous! Glitter is freaking HARD to capture in a still image. It lends itself to movement and light reflecting so what you can’t see is that West End Wonderland has a rather gorgeous red glitter scattered amongst the gold which sets it apart from my other gold glitters.
As always, it’s a bugger to remove… I love/hate glitter. But this time of year? Love wins out.
Butter London’s West End Wonderland is available to buy online from PowderRooms priced at £9.75
Butter London’s The Full Monty is a neutral gold (if that makes sense) it’s neither too warm, nor too green which makes it a suitable gold for most skintones.
Like Diamond Geezer, it’s also a foil…. my favourite type of metallic. The above photo shows two coats, I could have done one more but am planning on adding glitter v. soon!
Do you wear metallics like these throughout the year or restrict them to the holiday season?
The Full Monty is priced at £9.75 and available to buy online from PowderRooms who are currently offering free delivery on all orders until the 5th December.
As I explained in my previous video, I’m slowly coming to terms with the simple truth that one course of laser hair removal won’t guarantee “permanent removal”. The wording that’s generally used is “permanent reduction” and there’s a difference. It’s comparatively far more permanent than other hair removal methods but will never be truly permanent without occasional treatment ‘top ups’.
What I’ve also realised (with the help of hindsight) is that this doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing because you don’t have the funds to cover constant salon visits or an expensive at home device. The fact is that when (relatively) small amounts of hair do grow back, they’re often finer, more manageable and far less offensive(!) than their original growth patterns and this is precisely the ‘reduction’ that companies refer to.
I will happily confess that I have always placed a preference on having my unwanted hair zapped at a salon. It’s far more expensive in the long run but there’s something to be said for placing yourself in the hands of a professional in circumstances where the eventual outcome is potentially life-changing. It’s a confidence thing.
However, now that I understand and appreciate the need for these ‘top ups’, the thought of having an IPL device that I can use in the comfort of my own home is more tempting. Despite this, there are considerations that should be addressed before you decide what’s right for you. For everyone, these will be different. For me, they go something like this.
1). Will I be disciplined enough when using an at home device? I wouldn’t miss a salon appt for fear of being penalty charged… it’s much easier to be lax with the treatments at home.
2). Am I confident enough in my own abilities to use an at home device competently?
3). Are at home devices as effective as salon treatments?
4). Do I want to use an at home device from day 1 or invest in one for maintenance purposes once my salon treatment is finished?
The wonderful thing about technology is that it’s forever evolving and improving. Hair removal is on the front line… it’s a highly sought after process and still incredibly expensive for the average consumer. Companies are investing millions in developing the best machines possible for both home and salon use.
I recently attended an event where we had the opportunity to put questions to the people behind the Boots iPulse Smooth Skin, you can watch the highlights of this event in the video below:
iPulse currently hold the enviable title of being Boots biggest seller. They’ve sold approximately 35,000 units through the high street retailer and the device has generated an average 4 star rating from consumers on the Boots website. Many are treating general areas such as legs and underarms, whilst others focus on hormonal hair (face, neck, chin etc.)
I wanted to follow up and put some additional questions to the people behind the iPulse, focusing on issues related to treating hormonal hair.
1). Most “at home” IPL hair removal systems aren’t recommended for use on women with PCOS, am I right in thinking that you’ve updated your literature to specifically include considerations for PCOS sufferers who want to use the device?
We are aware that hormonal imbalances and in particuar PCOS, are extremely distressing conditions when the side effect can produce unwanted facial hair. Boots Smooth Skin is suitable for use on the face and our research and clinical trials indicated a substantial reduction in facial hair and also our customers advised us that they were delighted with the results they have achieved in using the device on this sensitive area.
2). What are the main considerations that women with PCOS need to be aware of when using the iPulse?
The main considerations for customers with PCOS is that the hair growth cycle becomes irregular and therefore it may be necessary to give the area more treatments than other areas of the body. Stimulation of hair growth to the facial area can be considerable when there are hormonal imbalances and it is good to be able to treat the area as and when necessary.
3). What are the benefits of choosing the iPulse over going to my local salon for a course of IPL treatments?
Convenience and cost are the two main benefits however, there are many more. For some people privacy is important and this enables the treatment in comfort of your own home at a gtime convenient to you. Another benefit is time. Using Boots Smooth Skin will take approximately 6 – 12 weeks due to the regulated energy output enabling a weekly or fortnightly treatment. With salon treatments you will have a four to six week waiting period between each treatment – probably needing 6 – 10 treatments to achieve the same results and then there is the cost and inconvenience of traveling to the salon when it suits them!
4). iPulse offer an “IPL system”, the treatment I underwent at the SK:N clinic was on a “laser system”. What are the differences between the two treatments and is one more effective for reducing hormonal hair growth?
A laser is the first generation of hair removal systems using one beam of light to treat individual hairs – IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is the next generation of light based therapy systems using multiple wavelengths and a larger spot size which enables the treatment of many hairs at any one time. Offering the same results – permanent hair reduction – it is generally thought that treatment is faster and pain free with IPL systems.
5). Would you say that the iPulse is a particularly suitable option for women like me who have already undergone laser treatment and are looking for a cost-effective way to maintain their results?
Most definitely, this is a great way to keep previously treated areas hair free without the necessity of returning to the salon for further expensive treatments. A convenient way to ensure the initial results achieved are maintained.
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A big thank you to iPulse for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope that you’ve found them useful too!
With the weather being so incredibly festive, there was really only one mani I could post…
Butter London’s Diamond Geezer is an icy display of pure silver. Stark and glistening, it couldn’t be more current!
It has a foil finish and is a three coater for solid opacity though you could get away with two if you don’t mind a slight VNL. Longevity was good and tip wear not particularly noticeable thanks to the forgiving shade.
Butter London Diamond Geezer is priced at £9.75 and available to buy online from PowderRooms
If you’re familiar with pigments, then you’re probably familiar with the concept of foiling them. If not… it goes something like this…
You wet your brush by spraying it with your toner/water/fixer of choice before dipping it in the loose pigment and patting onto your eyelid. It gives a high shine, high metallic effect that’s vibrant and striking.
Bare Minerals have introduced a new range of eye colours that they’re calling High Shine EyeColor. The simple premise of this new line is a high-intensity metallic colour without the need for foiling. The foiled effect but with dry pigments.
I was sent a few shades from the new line up to put to the test and I have mixed feelings on them.
Undoubtedly beautiful, they’re also incredibly portable in their well-sealed vials. Packed with metallic goodness, they’re an enticing product.
From left to right, the above image shows the shades: Bronzed (bronze), Frost (silver), Glisten (pale gold) and Patina (khaki gold).
Purdy aren’t they?
But these aren’t just pigments in a jar a la MAC or the regular Bare Minerals offerings because they come with an inbuilt sponge applicator and delivery system. This is where the product loses points for me.
The sponge applicator is mounted on a spring mechanism which is frankly pretty fierce. You need to be prepared to work against it to stop it from “springing” up and dumping product in your lap. It’s not a huge issue aslong as you’re aware of it… but I can imagine it might catch a few people unaware.
Secondly, there’s fall out as you remove the applicator from the neck of the vial. It’s avoidable only if you’re incredibly careful and precise. A bit like one of those fairground games that buzz if you touch the metal wire with the hoop!
Part of me feels that this is to be expected and that I’m being a touch harsh. Afterall, these are loose pigments and no one ever said that working with them wasn’t messy. However, I feel that if you’re going to go to the trouble of implementing an application system… it needs to do a better job than one could do without it. I simply don’t feel that this system makes a messy job any easier.
But check out how these babies look…
Swatched on bare skin, they’re quite something. How perfect are they for the Holiday season?
Back to the application for a minute… as with most loose eyeshadows, you’ll be wanting to do your eyes before attempting foundation. There’s fall out from the sponge tip onto the uppper cheekbone whenever I apply. Not a huge amount but enough to irritate and provoke much tsking!
If you can get past the inconveniences of working with loose pigment… this is how they look worn.
Excuse my Burglar Bill t-shirt. Instead, check out the intensity of that pigment. Infact, if anything… they’re a touch washed out by the camera flash. I didn’t wear any primer underneath and the colour lasted amazingly well. Easily 6/7 hours before fading… I think probably because they are SO intense to begin with.
So there we have it. I love them but they’re not flawless. Their intensity is electrifying and wear equally impressive. They’re just a bit of a pain in the bum to apply.
Bare Minerals High Shine EyeColor is available in 6 shades. You’ll be able to find them at all Bare Escentuals boutiques, selected department stores and spas and salons nationwide from December. Priced at £14 each.
Are you happy to sacrifice convenience for the end result?
Today’s NOTD is dedicated to the lovely Jen from NailPolishUK simply because I know that this is one of her favourite polishes.
How outrageously girly is that? The thing about this polish is that it’s more than just pink glitter. Well, it’s not… it IS just pink glitter… but it’s not stereotypical. It has an edge to it that steers it away from being Barbie. I think it’s the hint of rose gold.
I love it. I hate removing it. But… God, I love it.
It wears like Teflon too… I can keep this on my tips for a week solid. Which is just aswell really ‘cos it takes that long to remove the bugger.
Butter London Rosie Lee is available to buy online from PowderRooms priced at £9.75 – A Christmas Cracker if ever I saw one!
ETA: I forgot to say! It’s pretty simillar to the infinitely more affordable Eyeko Chi Chi… differences: Rosie Lee is more opaque, the finish is smoother and it’s more sparkly. But they’re both beautiful Rose/Pink Gold glitters!
Described as a 3D Brightening Pink Face Powder, I’m wondering if this is the Benefit blush we’ve all been waiting for?
Bella Bamba is described as the triple dimension of pink!
[stextbox id=”alert” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa”]Laced with shimmering gold undertones, this 3D watermelon blush is multi-dimensional to the naked eye… wear it on your cheeks or dust it lightly all over your face to look brighter, perkier, prettier![/stextbox]
I’m always excited to see a new Benefit face powder and this is no exception. It’s set to retail at £23.50 and is due out in February 2011.
Will you be heading to your local counter to give this one a spin?
