I told you I had some rather special Butter Londons to show you – how about this one from the new Spring/Summer collection?
Lady Muck is described as a powdery periwinkle blue, slightly on the grey side and infused with pearl pigment for a soft, sexy sheen.
It’s a gorgeous alternative shade for those of us who don’t go for the screaming brights and Easter Egg pastels that are on offer. Yes, it’s quite a toned-down shade that wouldn’t look out of place in a Winter collection but the silver pearl really lifts the dustiness and gives it a more floaty, ethereal look.
No complaints with either application or wear… there’s something about these greyed-out shades that seem to give me ridiculously good wear. Very strange but always welcome!
Butter London’s Lady Muck is priced at £11.95 and available to buy online from PowderRooms
Large Jam Jar Candle, fragranced with Cherry Blossom from Cath Kidston’s latest home fragrance collection. Burn time 40 hours.
I think it’s like… THE LAW… for Mum’s across the land to swoon at the altar of all things Cath Kidston. There is no way on Earth you can go wrong with this purchase. Cherries? Kitsch? Kidston? Those tatties are yours.
A fabulous gift for any occasion, featuring Eau de Toilette (30ml) and Hand & Nail Cream (125ml) in a beautiful presentation box, fragranced with our elegant rose petal scent, combining crisp green violet leaves, rose otto and warm damask rose.
I have the hand cream* and it’s a gently-scented, nourishing cream that leaves my hands feeling soft but not greasy. Not intensive enough for cuticles but a really nice all-rounder with a delicate true rose fragrance. Tres jolie!
Bejewel your nails with the ultimate Christmas duo, deepest emerald and decadent ruby. Talk with your hands and make a statement.
I don’t need to tell you how much of a bargain this is… just don’t tell your Mum it’s a Christmas set and you’re laughing (at your brother) all the way to the oven!
Inspired by French patisseries, these darling bath melts will slowly soften and sparkle to release shea and cocoa butters and sweet almond oil to moisture and delicately scent the skin. Looking scrummy enough to eat and with vintage inspired fragrances the dainty fairy cakes are beautifully packaged in a charming little cake box and finished with an intricate little flower. Set includes 3 bath melts.
Laduree eat your heart out. These many not be edible but they smell just as good as proper pastries – I was proper om-noming when I had a sniff instore! If your Mum is like my Mum, she won’t want to spoil them by using them! *tsk*
BALMSHELL’S top 5 lip gloss colours are now available in mini size! These adorable little glosses each contain the exact high-shine, non-stick, moisturizing lip gloss formula that our full size glosses are made with. They fit perfectly into the smallest clutch purse so you can take them along every where you go!
The mini collection includes: Darling You Look Fabulous, Shoe Fetish, Shopaholic, Weekend in the Hamptons & Yummy Mummy.
A lip gloss for each day of the working week! Not only that but you’ll get Zuneta’s legendary packaging which quite frankly means that you can save yourself a couple of quid on wrapping it! Stingy? Moi?!
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Hope that gives you a little inspiration for lovely Mums everywhere, I’ll be back tomorrow with the £15 – £30 range – get your purses ready for it!
If you find yourselves in Selfridges, Oxford Street over the next 7 days, be sure to check out the latest installation that’s causing a bit of a stir…
Step inside a giant 5.5 metre high Chanel fragrance bottle to view behind-the-scenes footage from the new Chanel Coco Mademoiselle advert featuring Keira Knightley.
In addition to watching the short film, visitors also have the opportunity to answer questions about Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel and receive a luxurious souvenir for every correct answer!
And if that isn’t enough to get your heart racing, don’t forget to gaze in wonderment at the limited edition, super-sized 200ml bottles of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle EDP that are exclusively available instore.
Ahhh, now wouldn’t we all like a little more dosh to see us through this Spring/Summer?
Described by Butter London as a molten apple green shot through with metallic gold, I’m happy with that description. On my skintone, it’s not as vulgar as OPI’s Sit Under The Apple Tree which still gives me nightmares when I think back to it.
DOSH is a far crisper, punkier and more vibrant affair. The metallic shimmer is micro and v. pretty in a gentle non-chunky way. No chips but a bit of tip wear by the third day and the above photo shows two coats.
If you’re a fan of greens, you’ll probably want to add this to your collection… if not? Hold out for a peek of some of the others because there’s some surprising stunners.
Butter London DOSH is available to buy online now from PowderRooms priced at £11.95
I’m hugely excited to be collaborating with Beautique.com for this giveaway. These guys are in my “oooh la-la don’t touch till payday” favourites folder!
Once upon a time (thanks to fat fingers)… the Beautique store link ended up in the same online shopping folder as my shortcut to WilkinsonPlus. It was like the Sun and Moon colliding and I only just escaped with my debit card intact.
Beautique.com have a seriously lust-worthy stock inventory that should probably come with a health warning. Or at the very least, a purse one!
Haven’t got a clue what I’m on about? Well… listen to what they have to say about themselves (they’ll be far more eloquent than me).
Beautique.com is the sister site to Urban Retreat which is a beauty treatment paradise located in Harrods, London and Harvey Nichols, Manchester.
Beautique.com stocks hard to find, luxury brands such as Laura Mercier, Clive Christian, Connock London plus old favourites such as OPI, Daniel Sandler and Kerastase. Thanks to Beautique’s close links with the world renowned Urban Retreat, the girls behind the keyboards have access to hundreds of beauty insiders and experts and are able to bring you the best and latest beauty information and products.
Plus every new customer benefits from 10% off their first order with code welcome, so if you’re in to your luxury beauty Beautique.com is worth a click!
You know Urban Retreat right? That bolthole of heavenly pampering and lavish treatments housed in Harrods, London and Harvey Nichols, Manchester? Good, thought you did.
So… clearly, you want to win – but how? Simple.
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Head over to the secret page on Beautique that’s been reserved for Lipglossiping readers and answer one simple question!
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I wish you the best of luck with this one my UK lovelies!
Well, I didn’t expect to spend the best part of Monday/Tuesday welling up at your stories of the inspirational women in your lives. And I know it’s a cliche to say that I wish I could send you ALL a friendship bracelet… but, boy do I really wish I could send you all a friendship bracelet.
What I will say though is that as inspirational as those women may be to you, you honouring them like that totally inspired me too. Thank you.
I had to pick your names out of a virtual hat, your stories were too personal and beautiful for me to feel entitled to personally ‘pick’, I hope you don’t mind:
Winners are:
Annabelle Leah Jessie Eliz C Bicky Christa
Ladies, please email me your postal details and I’ll get your lovely bracelets (and makeover tags!) off to you early next week!
I really don’t like to rush reviews on skincare, there are always so many claims to consider and sometimes skin takes its sweet time to get used to new products. I received the Biotherm Skin.Energetic Concentrate serum for review consideration almost 2 months ago and have been using it every morning, I’m just about ready to give you my thoughts and impressions of this serum that claims to “fight the most visible signs of fatigue”.
The product recommends itself to morning and nightly application but I prefer to use serums and oils that target my low hydration levels in the evening… that’s just a personal preference. However, I’m the total opposite in the mornings and have been known to skip moisturiser entirely purely because I hate to feel like I have a heavy mask of skincare on throughout the day.
The Biotherm Skin.Ergetic Concentrate is not your usual anti-aging serum. It’s designed for a younger market who may be just noticing the first effects of the aging process but instead of claiming to reverse those signs, the Skin.Ergetic serum promises to boost moisture, radiance and dampen the effects that a busy lifestyle can have on tired, dull or stressed skin. This in itself has me sitting up and paying attention. Radiance? Freshness? Did someone say perky? I’m all about the perky.
First things first… what a total bugger this is to open and ‘mix’. It comes in two parts, the ‘serum’ (think of it as a carrier oil) and then a ‘powder’ (think of that as the active ingredients). You need to dispense the powder into the serum and shake thoroughly to mix. I can do the shaking but the dispensing had me stumped for a little while.
I read the instructions, re-read them properly… made a cup of tea and glared at the bottle. Then I gave the thing to Mr. L, throwing my arms up in the most Gallic way I could muster and pointed at the instructions. About 15 seconds later he gave it back to me fully mixed with a pitying look on his face that left me with no other option than to refuse to say thank you and KMT at him instead.
The concentrate smells divine. It’s fresh, zingy and above all else, apple… er… y. It makes for a positively uplifting experience in the mornings on my freshly washed skin. A white lotion that spreads thinly and without resistance over my face ensuring that a little prodcut goes a very long way.
I was unconvinced that it would give me enough moisture and in patches, I don’t think it does. I definitely need to use my normal day cream over this but in fairness, you’re not supposed to use it alone anyway. Moot point.
The concentrate is enriched with things such as: Broccoli (a novel way to get your 5 a day), Soy, Apple, Lemon and Sugar Cane… all of which promise to improve radiance and skin texture. In honesty, I can’t say I noticed a huge difference to my skin texture first nor last… but radiance? Well… it was only when I stopped using it last week (thinking that I’d had enough of it not doing anything other than smelling and feeling good) that I noticed how much duller my skin was looking by the middle of the day. The Biotherm Skin.Ergetic concentrate seems to bring a brightness to my complexion that it’s visibly lacking without.
Priced at £35 for 50ml… I’m not even close to being halfway through the bottle after 2 months (1x a day) usage so have no problems expressing that I believe it provides value for money. My only concern is chasing after something that gives more than just visible brightness. Admittedly, it provides most things I want from a daytime serum… non-greasy, easily absorbed, refreshing, value for money, brightening… but it doesn’t give me smoother skin or plump out fine lines. Does anything? Well… I’m still chasing that particular pot of gold.
All in all, if fatigue is your main skin concern and you want something light and refreshing for the summer months that will brighten your complexion and leave you looking more refreshed. I’d seriously give Biotherm’s Skin.Ergetic Concentrate a second look.
In celebration of International Women’s Day last Tuesday, Bare Escentuals held events around the country inviting women to “Try. Believe. Love.” the BareMinerals foundation.
I went along to the event in Covent Garden to have a peek behind the scenes and to talk to some of the women who had stopped by to join the Bare Escentuals Friendship Bracelet Club. Even the sun came out in support!
Read on to find out what happened at the event and for a chance to win a little prize!
Bare Escentuals may be more well-known for their foundations than their skincare formulas but the brand are bringing a new range to high streets, salons and boutiques up and down the country.
Officially launching in the UK next month (though an introductory kit went live on QVC last Sunday), I had the pleasure of sneaking a peek at the new BareMinerals Skincare range yesterday afternoon…
BareMinerals Deep Cleansing Foam 119g – £15.00
Our new, luxuriously rich cleanser deep cleans pores and lifts away impurities. Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, this non-drying formula bursts into a rich lather when activated with water to clean and instantly refresh skin for a soft, smooth complexion.
In our underground U.S. prelaunch of this product, customers called this a super cleanser and gave it stellar reviews. Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, it removes makeup, dissolves impurities and rebalances skin for a soft, smooth complexion. Skin is left perfectly clean, instantly hydrated and renewed. It’s also gentle enough for eye makeup removal.
This moisturiser effectively hydrates skin while improving firmness, elasticity, radiance and overall skin texture. Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex with its unique electrolyte delivery system, it’s formulated to perfectly moisturise combination skin.
Specially formulated for dry skin, our new luxuriously rich cream deeply nurtures skin. Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex with its unique electrolyte delivery system, it’s formulated to provide the ultimate amount of moisture for dry skin. The result is soft, smooth and incredibly luminous skin.
BareMinerals Firming Eye Treatment 15ml – £23.00
This dramatically effective treatment helps to restore firmness and reduces puffiness around the eyes. Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, this formula delivers smoother, younger-looking skin around the eye area.
BareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment 4.2g – £45.00
This breakthrough night-time treatment is powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex to replenish skin for smoother, brighter, more even skin tone with improved texture. Proven to visibly reduce pores, increase firmness and improve elasticity, this multi-tasing product reveals remarkably healthier-looking skin.
Available in four tones – clear, light, medium and tan – to instantly diffuse imperfections.
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Now a little rant about the marketing for this new range. About this RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex…
The press info states:
We know what you’re thinking… soil?
Yes, that’s pretty much *exactly* what I’m thinking. Well, that and “biffidus boffidus digestivum”.
The proprietry complex in our skincare line is extracted from effective, mineral-abundant soil containing a comprehensive blend of beneficial macro and micro minerals that exist in nature. When extracted through a unique method, these minerals yield a densely rich, efficacious concentrate capable of transformational skin-renewing benefits.
“Unique method”, “Proprietry complex” – the whole blurb makes me desperate to read between the lines and actually UNDERSTAND what the hell it is.
The vague information encourages almost mystical connotations, talking about infusions of energy and how the soil is powerful. I understand that the marketing of this particular ‘rare’ mineral is hyped because the ‘ingredient’ is exclusive to the Bare Escentuals brand but blimey, please just explain HOW it benefits skin so amazingly?
Thank god I uncovered this video before I burst a blood vessel:
It’s high in antioxidants. Now, as a consumer, I understand (and appreciate) that snippet of information FAR more than being told that it’s a densely rich, efficacious concentrate capable of transformational skin-renewing benefits. Or maybe that’s just me.
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Now, back to the products – did you notice the BareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment?
I’m massively excited to trial it. In the simplest terms, it looks like a mineral foundation that you wear in bed. Makeup… in bed. I’m half horrified and half delighted! It’s supposed to make you look ah-maze whilst giving you visibly-reduced pores, increasing firmness and improving elasticity.
Frankly, I’m just squealing about not scaring the bedbugs away.
There’s a fine line between gimmick and revolution and I’m looking forward to finding out on which side of that line this product belongs.
…and because that name isn’t quite daft enough, I’m also christening it “the polish for women who don’t dig polish”. Do you think it’ll catch on?
In the same way that I wouldn’t linger about ripping a bandaid off your arm hairs, I’ll also let you know that this bottle will set you back 20 of your British pounds. Did you catch that? £20. For a nail polish. Not even 15ml of nail polish. 10ml.
Which might go some way to explaining the name that I’ve given this polish. Forget your Pink Pongs… this is a polish for women who don’t dig polish and I’ll tell you why:
1). It practically applies itself.
2). It doesn’t need a top coat.
3). It was opaque in one coat.
4). It may well survive nuclear war.
It’s the perfect polish for ladies who don’t normally ‘do’ nails but suddenly find themselves with the need for a nail polish that isn’t going to fail them in any way, shape or form. ByTerry Terrybly Nail Laque in Pink Pong is a practically perfect polish.
But as a chick who digs nail polish and digs applying nail polish… I’d personally rather spend £20 on 3 bottles that give me a bit of trouble when applying, need a top coat but come in a shade that make me go ‘ooooh’!
Quite frankly, I’d feel sick at myself for spending £20 on one nail polish… though perversely, I’m ok with spending £39 on a blush. Maybe I should just shut up because I’m suffering from a clear case of double-standards.
Terrybly Nail Laque By Terry* is available instore at SpaceNK or online, priced at £20
In celebration of International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8th March, Bare Escentuals will be heading up a campaign they’re calling TRY. BELIEVE. LOVE. at three different locations across the UK.
They Say
At each of these locations, Bare Escentuals will be connecting with women, sharing the love, and allowing them to discover the foundation that started the makeup revolution. Each will have the chance to receive a limited-edition Bare Escentuals Friendship Bracelet, together with an invitation to go to one of the Bare Escentuals counters for a complimentary make-under. What’s more, each Friendship Bracelet has 5 mini-make-under certificates attached so women can share the love and make-under experience with their friends.
If you fancy getting your hands on one of these limited edition bracelets, head to one of the following locations on Tuesday 8th March to join in:
London – Covent Garden Piazza
Manchester – Trafford Centre
Birmingham – Bull Ring
I’m looking forward to taking my camera along to cover the event in Covent Garden, so if you go – don’t forget to say “Cheese!”
I’m spending the day in Windsor today (official home to the Queen) so I thought that Butter London’s No More Waity Katie would be a very fitting shade for my nails!
A dirty mauve packed with lavender glitter… looks absolutely nothing like it’s promo picture!
The mauve base is awfully sheer… and this polish doesn’t make for a pretty sheer. In my opinion it ‘needs’ building up and for me, that meant 3 coats on most fingers and an extra one on two of them that still appeared patchy.
The glitter is well… it’s just glitter. Yes, it’s a nice colour combo and you know I love my dirgy shades but I think I was hoping for something more spectacular… imagine a dirgy version of All Hail McQueen with it’s super fine glitter… yeah, that.
The finish is rough and will need more than one application of top coat to remove the grittiness. It’s a more understated glitter than most and one that I’d even go so far as to class work appropriate!
Overall, it’s not as regal as I’d hoped… but regardless, it’s already a sell out!
And if you want to get your hands on this limited edition shade, Powder Rooms still has stock!
