A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

So impressed was I with Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon, I went out and bought Coromandel (£24) too.

I knew it was a risk, Coromandel is an orange-based red and I think it’s clear that I’m more suited to blue-based reds.

Still it will be interesting to see Coromandel in the swatch comparison lineup (week 2 is coming soon!)

We’re getting into Ronald McDonald territory aren’t we?  I think it’s a beautiful shade but for the purpose of learning more about reds and how different shades ‘react’ on different skin tones… are we in agreement that this isn’t the most flattering for such pink-toned skin as mine?

I mean… by all means, break the rules.  There is NOTHING to say that one shouldn’t rock a shade that isn’t classically correct for you.  Infact, I’d be willing to bet that some of the hawt-est chicks out there are rocking reds that POP off their lips precisely because they contrast so strikingly.  But in the interests of me being more your normal, everyday kinda girl – I think this one’s a fail.

As for the actual product.  It’s another Chanel beaut!  You can pretty much read my Dragon post and repeat the pros and cons of wear and quality for this one here.

I’m gonna do a high street red lip next… I’m getting a bit one-sided and high end centric here.  Red lips should be accessible for all right?!

What next?  Maybelline?  Rimmel?  Revlon?

I would love to tell you about this shade, but I’ve drunk 3/4 bottle of really cheap, crap merlot and it’s taken me a good 5 minutes to make this sentence readable.

What’s that Mr. L?  Vogue are onthe phone?  They want to employ me?  Tell them that I charge double for posts this shiteous.

Right, let me put a bit of effort into stopping these letters dancing around the monitor.

Pearly Queen reminds me of everything I wanted OPI Moon over Mumbai to be… but in less coats.  3 coats gives the elegant finish shown above (though 2 will do if you don’t mind a slight VNL)… and it really is elegant and elongating with a pretty satin finish.  My nails feel proper lady-like without being frou frou or bridal.

Pearly Queen is available to buy online from PowderRooms, priced at £9.75

Mineral makeup tends to attract followers of great dedication.  Some people are almost evangelical in their adoration for their swirl, tap, buff methods that they leave my head spinning.  I do count myself as a fan of most mineral foundations, I find them quick and easy whilst leaving behind pretty good skin!

My biggest issue with them would be lasting power (or lack of!)… especially in the Summer and particularly on my nose!

Enter Bare Minerals‘ new Prime Time Brightening Foundation Primer*.  They already have a ‘normal’ primer on the market, this is the new one that promises to deliver an “extraordinarily luminous, healthy-looking glow” to our skins.

It’s a very peachy-looking primer… I was expecting to see the usual, white or cloudy viscose liquid dispense from the pump.  Instead, it’s creamy, sparkly and a little on the orange side!  Eek!

So how does it fare?

Well, the colour blends away into my skintone and doesn’t leave a trace behind… it has a slight silicone slip though not as much as primers like the Smashbox one.

When I buff the foundation into my skin, I can definitely feel a difference in the application… it’s smoother and seems to give a little more glide to the buffing action.  I’d even go so far as to say that I get a better finish than without the primer.

But longevity?  Nuh Uh… I’m not noticing a discernible difference.  Not only that… but the “luminous, healthy-looking glow”?  Well… that’s just a bit of sparkle.  All over mah face.

Look.

See the gold flecks?  They sure are pretty!  But they make me wanna break into Saturday Night Fever.  They’re discoball… albeit subtle discoball once spread out over the face.

In any luminizer, I prefer subtle sheen over glittery particles.  It’s not that the effect isn’t pretty… it is.  It’s just too much for daywear, for me at least.

Little primer. we can’t stay together, I’m sorry.  It’s not you… it’s me.

Bare Minerals Prime Time Brightening Primer is available from this month at Bare Escentuals Boutiques, department stores and selected spas/salons nationwide priced at £19.00.

*Press Sample

Butter London say: Straight from the Fashion Week runways, the butter LONDON Spring/Summer 2011 Collection was inspired by the many colourful “impressionist” style prints that graced catwalks from New York to Paris. Designed by Founding Creative Director Nonie Creme, the new collection is reminiscent of Monet’s palettes, with the inclusion of an opal overcoat that lends ethereal beauty to any shade.

BLAGGER
Colour: Striking cobalt blue.
Definition: A person with a silver tongue; a charlatan.

HEN PARTY
Colour: Sheer opal lacquer that is neutral and stunning alone and on-trend as an edgy overcoat on top of any shade.
Definition: British term for a bachelorette party.

LADY MUCK
Colour: Powdery periwinkle blue, slightly on the grey side and infused with pearl pigment for a soft, sexy sheen.
Definition: A term for an arrogant, conceited woman; a snob.

DOSH
Colour: A molten apple green shot through with metallic gold.
Definition: British slang for money or cash. “Can have a bit of dosh, love?”

TEDDY GIRL
Colour: A pale retro bubblegum pink, featured on the catwalk of a top Brit designer for S/S 2011.
Definition: “Teddy Boys & Girls” was a youth culture movement in Britain typified by teens fighting, drinking, shagging, and fighting some more.

The collection launches around the 1st March and will be available to purchase online from ThePowderRooms and instore at Harvey Nichols.

We all know how it feels to find a fabulous holy grail piece of cosmetic wizardry.  That one lipstick that makes your teeth look whiter, your face fresher and your eyes sparkle.  And then it goes and gets discontinued.

You throw yourself on the mercy of eBay, watching as auction after auction fizzles out whilst you sob at your keyboard bemoaning your crappy sniping skillz.

Let me tell you about Cosmetics a la Carte’s “My Colour” service.  At £47, it’s not inexpensive… but to many, it’s proved invaluable.

The premise is simple.  Take them a sample of your discontinued/hard-to-find gem and they’ll make a virtually indistinguishable match for you.  The process happens instore and your guidance is most welcome… think it’s a little too dark?  Let them know!

Once you’re happy with the colour match, you can expect a package through your door just a couple of days later containing a doppelganger for your long-lost holy grail product.

The possibilities for this kind of service aren’t limited to colour-matching.  Perhaps you have a favourite lipstick… but hate the texture?  Perhaps you want the colour re-created in a gloss form?  No problem!

Now, part of the beauty for Cosmetics a la Carte is that not only have they provided the initial service, but the chances are that the lazy among us are likely to come back for re-orders.

At £47 for the “my colour” service… you’d have to really love that product but I think it’d make a rather awesome gift for a mother or grandmother who has kept a sentimental stub of their favourite ‘rouge’ or ‘lippie’ from days gone by!

The Cosmetics a la Carte store is located in swanky Knightsbridge, a stones throw from Harrods, Christian Louboutin, Annick Goutal and Dior.  So the simple fact is that you may not have any money left to spend by the time you walk through the door.  However, next time you’re in the area – pop in for a nose around.  It’s a little cosmetic haven!

COSMETICS A LA CARTE, 19b Motcomb Street, Knightsbridge, London SW1 – Tel: 020 7235 0596

Is it just me or are we seeing a bit of a theme emerging? 😉

First up…

Hot.  Hotty Hot Hot.

Blush – Scandalous (£4.29)
Pout Polish – Scandal (£4.29)
NAILED – Geisha’s Seal (£3.89)

Due to be released exclusively to Superdrug on February 14th.

All For Eve and all for a very good cause indeed.

All For Eve have joined forces with London florist OnlyRoses in time for Valentine’s Day.  Above is the “ultimate in red” package.  Priced at £90, it includes a dozen red roses, an award winning lipstick from celebrity make-up artist Daniel Sandler, the Sophy Robson Nail Polish and the clutch bag essential of a Swarovski Crystal Nail File.

Orders are being taken online at allforeve.co.uk and www.only-roses.com from 27th January with 100% of All For Eve’s net profits going directly to The Eve Appeal.

If you haven’t seen or read about this collection 100 times already then you truly are in love and should stop snogging your beau before your lips drop off.  C’mon, the makeup’s this-a-way!

Illamasqua Throb is their nod to the season of lurve and the cheekily-named pieces reflect this.  I picked up the lipstick in Sangers last week and can’t wait to give the true red it’s first outing!

Nail Polish – Load, Scorn, Throb (£13.50)

Lipstick – Sangers (£15.50)

Intense Lipgloss – Succubus (£13.00)

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Any of those take your fancy?  They’re less maintenance than a fella!

Cult Beauty Pop-Up Store!

From today until Monday 31st January, Cult Beauty is launching a pop-up shop exclusively in that beauty mecca otherwise known as Selfridges!

image shamefully purloined, half-inched from CultBeauty.co.uk

You’ll be able to lay your hands on hard-to-find brands such as Face Atelier, Ginvera, MV Organics and Rahua; as well as benefit from a whole host of beauty advice from industry experts.

Also, If you Sign up for the Cult Beauty newsletter, you’ll receive a coupon which will allow you to claim a free Como Shambala Invigorate travel set (showergel and lotion) – redeemable at the pop-up shop.

I’ll be heading along on Saturday after IMATS – might see you there!

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Cosmetics A La Carte Pop Up Parlour!

Cosmetics A La Carte will be launching a pop up parlour at The Peak Spa at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel.  The pop-up parlour will offer complimentary ‘Recharge Makeovers’ and handy tips on how to get the perfect complexion every Friday.

The parlour will launch this Friday 28th January and will be open from 10am – 6pm.  Each consultation lasts between 20-30 minutes and Peak Spa, located high above the city on the ninth floor of the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, is open to members and guests.

Spa treatments at The Peak Spa can be booked by calling 0207 858 7300

Last weekend saw VexintheCity and myself wandering the streets of Paris, city of lights and painfully stylish women.  What is it with Parisienne ladies anyway?  Do they teach eyeliner in schools?  I didn’t see a single pair of eyes that hadn’t been expertly rimmed with smudgy black kohl.  It was both refreshing and slightly intimidating.

Here’s some shots from the (very long) day out, starting with the Paris essentials:

A map, we looked at it blankly all day long.

Jaffa Cakes – Don’t attempt the Eurostar at 6.22am without copious amounts of sugar close at hand.

Papped – I swear to God I did not pose for this!  Red lipstick made me feel almost cultured enough to tread the cobbled streets though.

Undeniably Paris!  Napoleon’s rebuild of the great city renders it thoroughly iconic with it’s long, wide Boulevards and grand Avenues!

Ahhh Sephora!  My first ever visit!  This is the one on Champs Élysées, we arrived v. early and as you can see, it wasn’t too busy at all!

Makeup, makeup as far as the eye can see!

Can you believe we sat our bums down on the posh chairs in Ladurée only to be told that we were too early for cake?  Too early… for cake?  So we boycotted all things French and went to McDonalds instead.  No really… we were famished!

As night fell, we indulged in a little of Paris’ notorious cafe culture… I recommend the house Merlot at Café Kléber, though I was a bit squiffy after only two glasses!

As you can probably tell by this photo.

But not this one!  Oooh La la!  Je t’aime La Tour Eiffel!

So what did I buy in the capital of fashion, beauty and all things ladylike?  Not a lot actually.  I’m saving my pennies for this weekend at IMATS but I did pick up a couple of bits…

See?  How restrained was I?

Despite all your fabulous advice and words of temptation, (for which I was immensely grateful and will be relying on when I return later in the year!) I held back and only picked up a Bioderma cleanser (for Mr. L!), a MAC CCB (I know, sacrilege to go to Paris and buy MAC right?) and a Rouge Baiser Lipstick (described as the world’s first ‘kiss-proof’ lipstick!)

Did I do well?  I also played with some MUFE in Sephora and expanded my IMATS wishlist tenfold.  Oops.

I bought this last summer at the same time as picking up a few of their other shades.  I was so unimpressed with the gloopy formula that I found with Peacock (a teal shade), that it’s taken me until now to try one of the others!

Silly me eh?

Mouse is quite, quite lovely.  It’s a softened greige… I defy you to liken this to shit fingers you ‘orrible greige hating lot (you know who you are!)

Very sophisticated-looking (if I do say so myself) but it needs 3 coats.  The above photo shows two coats and I can see a bit of transparency on my ring finger that I didn’t spot until looking at the photo above.

Longevity is slightly less than average, tip wear was noticeable after a day so I’d steer clear if polish peels off your tips quicker than you can paint it on.

American Apparel nail polishes are available instore or online priced at £7 each.

Butter London have just announced a new nail polish shade to coincide with the Royal Wedding this year!

“No More Waity, Katie” will be a limited edition shade released late spring, named for the popular tabloid play on Kate Middleton’s perceived patience as she waited for Prince William to pop that all important question!

Described as a greyish/blue glitter infusion, I can’t waity (see what I did there? smooth…) to see how this looks in person.

More information on release dates and potential pre-orders at PowderRooms as and when I have it.

I’ll take any excuse for some new glitter-infused nail polish shades thankyouverymuch!

Due on counter next week (26th January), the new No7 Spring collection includes an array of delicately-hued goodies for the new season.

The collection includes:

Limited Edition Eye Palette – £12.50
Limited Edition Gel Eyeliners, in Navy Blue, Turquoise and Black – £10.50
Limited Edition Lipsticks, in Brigitte (pale pink) and Grace (pale coral) – £10.50
Limited Edition Nail Polish, in Sugar (pale pink) and Spice (pale coral) – £7.50

Lisa Eldridge had this to say about the inspiration behind her latest No7 collection:

“Inspired by St Tropez in the early 1960’s, the birthplace of the glamorous international jet set and Brigitte Bardot, the archetypal sex kitten, this collection focuses attention very much on the eyes – the key items being the three Gel Eyeliners and beautiful Eye Palette. The eye shadow quartet contains the prettiest washes of ‘barely there’ beiges, corals, pinks, shimmering turquoises and sea greens all evocative of the Cote d’Azur. When the strong liners and pretty shadows are combined with the pale pouty lip colours… the look is defnitely more than a little 60’s Riviera starlet.”

I’ll be diving in for a closer look at the Gel Eyeliner in Navy Blue (love a good, deep blue eyeliner!) and lippie in Grace (pale coral).

What will you be making a beeline for?

… collect all the new Nails Inc./Diet Coke promo shades!

I’m actually off Diet Coke at the minute… not out of choice I hasten to add.  This is one of those dietary reasonings *rolls eyes*.

However, I’m not going to let a silly little thing like that stop me from getting my hands on all four of the limited and exclusive Nails Inc. shades!

Each bottle is full size (10ml) and to get your grubby hands on one you need to buy two 500ml bottles of Diet Coke from a participating Boots store (the polishes are usually located on display stands nearby).  The promo started on Wednesday but I haven’t noticed these in my local store yet which makes me think I may have to travel into town to take advantage.

They don’t call me Dora the Explorer for nothing!  Or… actually… at all.

Which one will you be going for first?