A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Very, very tentatively am I moving into some proper Spring nail colours.  I know it’s like, April already and most of you are being all fashion-forward with your neons but me, well… I’m just a bit of a 21st century yokel.  You’ll have to let me bump along with the times at my own slow pace.

Deborah Lippmann’s Daytripper is the perfect example of my favourite. shade. ever. (other than taupe).  It’s what I like to call “Guava”, a softer version of coral… a version of coral that’s more forgiving to my pasty, pale pink skintone.  It doesn’t scream, it just siren-songs you into a gentle Summery submission.

Aside from the obvious fanaticism I have over the shade “guava”, this version of the shade on my fingertips sings even more temptingly thanks to it’s super-glassy finish.  That’s no top-coat on display there folks, this one is so shiny, you’ll have no need to carry a mirror around with you.  The above photo shows three coats because I hate a VNL (visible nail line).  If you don’t mind a little sheerness in your polish, this one has that pretty semi-translucent hard boiled sweet thing going on after two coats.  Me, I just like all out opacity.

Application is good, wear is good… and to be honest, so it should be from the premium brand.  I think I like their cremes even better than their notorious glitters!

Deborah Lippmann Daytripper retails at £16.00 for 15ml and is available to buy online from harrods.com and lookfantastic.com (where shipping is also gratis).

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Not the first time I’ve featured this polish but I gave it another airing recently and fell in love all over again…

Haha, look at my chunky placement – crapiologist alert.  These DL glitters are so good for disguising a tired manicure…. with just a single coat you can totally move the attention away from raggedy cuticles and tip wear and onto the sparklez!

Deborah Lippmann Today was a Fairytale* is available to buy online and instore at House of Fraser, priced at *gulp* £18.00

What’s your favourite Deborah Lippmann glitter?

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Now… this is more like it!

After some mild disappointment after seeing the Deborah Lippmann Autumn offerings this year, I’m glad to be back on cloud nine with one her beautiful glitters from last Autumn, Bad Romance (£14.00).

Purple glitter hexagons and regular glitter suspended in a black jelly base makes for an eye-catching combination!  Sure, it’s a little vampy for this time of year but rules are there to be broken yes?!

Opaque in three coats, it needs some careful placement to ensure even distribution of the glitter, thankfully not too tedious with this one as the particles moved around quite happily without causing any drag whilst still wet.  The only negative is that with such a dark shade, the tipwear becomes noticeable after the 2nd day.  No chipping on me though!

In the UK, Deborah Lippmann polishes are exclusively available online and instore at House of Fraser.

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Deborah Lippmann’s Autumn / Fall shades have been slated for a September UK launch with sadly no word yet on whether we’ll be seeing the glorious glitters that make up the Nordstrom Anniversary set (unless, they’re re-released in a different format, I very much doubt it).

But anyway, wipe away the tears and check out these infinitely more sensible shades instead.

Stormy Weather: an edgy granite shade created in collaboration with Narciso Rodriguez
Brick House: a shimmering rust
Billionaire: a moody, dark olive green

I can’t say that any of them are really shouting my name… Billionaire looks interesting but I just wanna chuck some sparkle in there.  Brick House has the potential to be better on the nail than in the promo and Stormy Weather just does nothing for me I’m afraid.

The Deborah Lippmann Autumn shades are set to launch in the UK exclusively at House of Fraser on the 19th September priced at £14 each.

Hmmm, I think I like this one even more than Happy Birthday, maybe.  I’m not sure… I like the idea that I can do glitter but still keep it looking a little sophistimacated you know?

My idea behind this one (ooh get me, *idea*) was to emulate (ooh get me, *emulate*) the rubbish Summer we’ve been having.  OK, it totally wasn’t…. it’s just reminded me of rain after the fact and I thought I’d try and sound a bit arty but I can’t even convince myself for half a second let alone anyone else.

But it does look like silver raindrops against a cloudy sky right?  Just nod.  It’s easier for everyone in the long run.

That’s one coat of Today Was A Fairytale* over American Apparel Factory Grey (also one coat).  Which makes the entire manicure a two coat wonder.  Looks like more right?  I’m suitably pleased!!

I’ve decided that I prefer a top coat over the Deborah Lippmann glitter polishes.  You don’t *need* one but if you do… just one coat renders the surface perfectly smooth like a normal manicure.

Deborah Lippmann Today Was A Fairytale is available to buy online and instore at House of Fraser priced at £16.00

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GLITTER THROW UP!

I hate glitter polishes.  I can’t apply them without thinking ahead about 4 days… the thought of removal makes me want to sharpen a meat cleaver in preparation.

I love glitter polishes.  I can’t apply them without smiling at their cheery playfulness.  I love how nothing else on earth makes Leila think her Mum is ridiculously cool like a big ol’ pile of glitter vom on my nails.

This is my difficulty.  I know, starving people all over the world think they’ve got problems?

Yeah, that’s super pretty right?

I defy you to look at Happy Birthday* and not feel the whimsy in the bottle.  It’s the polish that all 4 year olds dream of.  34 year olds dream of it too… they just don’t admit it so freely.

3 coats gives you a fair splattering over a bare nail.  It gave me enough coverage to not be concerned about my poor, yellow nail beds and that’s saying something!  It would actually layer over any shade exceptionally well… black would knock it outta the ball park no?

I had so many comments on my nails when I wore this for a few days… the glitter lies flat so it’s completely non-irritating but you might still want a top coat to smooth it further.  It’s really very lovely, though I did turn the air blue when removal time came.  I attempted one finger the usual way before going for the very successful tin-foil trick.  I’m so glad the cleaver stayed in the drawer.  This time.

Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday is available to buy online and instore at House of Fraser priced at a nail-biting £16.00

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My first Deborah Lippmann glitter polish.  It feels like every iconic DL polish comes with it’s own story firmly entrenched in popular culture.  Glitter in the Air was created by Deborah after she had watched Pink’s performance at the 2010 Grammy Awards (if you search on You Tube you can find it).

The most important thing you should note is that in the above swatch, I have LAYERED the Deborah Lippmann polish over Essie’s Sag Harbor.  The polish on my bare nail is VERY sheer… not a good look over yellow-stained tips.  I wanted you to be able to appreciate the glitter without the distractions from my ugly nails.

So again, I repeat… even with three coats… you will be able to see your own nail beneath Glitter in the Air unless you layer it over another colour.  Got that?  Right.

The overall effect of the mani reminds me of a baby’s birthday party… it’s ethereal, light, delicate and sunny.  A true feel-good polish for the playful amongst you.  It’s limited edition for Spring 2011 and has already disappeared from the website so if you want it?  Better get down to HoF fast!

£16 for 15ml at House of Fraser.  It’s undoubtedly pretty but has a hefty price tag to match.

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So, who’s for yellow nails this Summer?

Every year, the celebs get their banana polishes out of storage to threaten us with canary tips but this year… we’re in for some serious yellow fever!

image credit: MTV Style

We all knew we were in for a trend when we saw Chanel’s upcoming Mimosa polish set to launch next month but Mimosa is just the tip of the yellow-coloured iceberg!

image credit: Polish Police & Fashion Fame

1.  From NARS upcoming Summer collection, Kismet polish, described as a “shimmering sunflower”

2. Deborah Lippmann will be showing us which path to take… the jelly Yellow Brick Road of course!

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Will you be taking the plunge into the IT shade of the season or are you a bit yellow-bellied *groan* like me?

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.

Have you stopped by the new House of Fraser Apothecary yet?

I’m wildly excited at the prospect of being able to get my hands on the Deborah Lippmann’s collection.

From mid October, House of Fraser will be stocking The Lippmann Collection exclusively as part of it’s new Apothecary.

The collection includes cult shades such as Happy Birthday, Don’t Tell Mama, Superstar and now included under that ‘cult’ umbrella thanks to a recent Vanity Fair cover… Waking Up In Vegas.

Starting from £14 a bottle, The Lippmann Collection may well make our purses weep, but there’s no denying that there are some splurge-worthy shades at our fingertips.

Me?  I’m lusting after Waking up in Vegas (naturally!) and new shade for A/W Across the Universe (the blue glitter above).

Anything catch your eye?