A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I just wasn’t expecting to like it… but strangely, I do!

Bumster from Butter London’s Autumn/Winter collection is one of those ugly colours that you either love or hate.

It’s one of the two McQueen-inspired shades in the collection, named for the designer’s famously low slung trouser creation that shocked the fashion world at the time. Not a natural nail shade choice for the more conservative among us, it sits oddly against my skintone. However, I simply love how creamy it looks, opaque in only two coats and perfect for the camel trend we’re currently experiencing.

As much as I’m drawn to it, I do have to admit that it looks far, far better on my cousin’s olive-toned skin than it does on my pasty pink complexion.

Will that stop me wearing it? Not a chance… I can’t stop checking out my nails!

Butter London Bumster is available to buy online from Powder Rooms, priced at £9.75

Britain’s Next Top Model Live promises to be a great event this weekend and I’ve got a pair of tickets worth £36 that I want to give to one of my lucky readers.

Watch the ad below to find out more about BNTM Live.

There will be a whole host of beauty exhibitors in attendance including:  Bobbi Brown, Becca, Rebel Nails, Aurifere, Bourjois, Elemis, Fake Bake and Leighton Denny amongst many others!

The event runs from Friday 22nd October to Sunday 24th October inclusive and is being held at Excel London.

I want to send out a big thankyou to Aurifere who allowed me to pass on these tickets as a prize to my readers.

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So… how do you win?  Simply complete the form below and submit!  Tickets will be posted out to the winner by Special Next Day Delivery, so please enter an address where there will be someone available to sign for them.

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NOTES
* Postal address required to allow me to post the tickets to the winner without delay
* Competition will close at 11.59pm (BST) on the 20th October
* Competition is open to UK entrants only
* Winner will be selected at random from all correct entries
* 1 entry per email address accepted
* Addresses only used to contact the winner and will be deleted once the competition is closed
* My decision is final

Does everyone know what a GWP stands for?  I only found out about a year ago despite having been a regular owner of them for ooooooooooh about 10 years?  I think infact that I may have been the last person in the world to discover what the acronym actually stood for.  Kinda like that time I discovered my ex was sleeping with someone that wasn’t me.

GWP = Gift with Purchase!

Some brands are pretty famous for their awesome GWPs and many shoppers time their repurchases to coincide with instore events that feature these lovely little extras!  With potential bargainous Christmas pressies in mind, I contacted a few brands to find out what they had to offer for the month of October and was pleasantly surprised to find some not too shabby offerings!

1. Estee Lauder (Exclusive to Boots)

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Contents (choice of shades available)

• Take It Away Long-Wear Makeup Remover Towelettes, 5 sheets in travel size pouch
• Daywear Plus Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme, N/C Skin,15ml
• Advanced Night Repair Syncronized Recovery Complex, 7ml
• Eyeshadow Quad Compact with Applicator
• Pure Color Lipstick
• Double Wear Zero Smudge Lengthening Mascara in Black
• Estee Lauder Pleasures Edp, 4ml
• Purple Patent Cosmetic Bag with cross stitch pattern

Qualifier

Free with any two or more Estée Lauder purchases.

Until

Saturday 23rd October 2010

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2. Help: Clear Skin (online)

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Contents

• Limited Edition Heidi Cannon Purse

Qualifier

Free when you purchase one month’s supply of Help: Clear Skin

Until

While stocks last

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3. Clinique (Exclusive to Debenhams)

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Contents

• Exclusive Learn by Numbers Eye Compact in Neutral, 2.2g
• Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser, 50ml
• Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, 30ml
• High Impact Curling Mascara in Black, 4g
• Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Kissy Fit, 2.3ml

Qualifier

Free with the purchase of two or more Clinique products (one to be skin care)

Until

Saturday 30th October 2010

If you’ve been unsuccessful in tracking down the polish dupe of the year, then fear not!

I’ve got 2 of these beauties to give away to my lovely readers.

Two lucky winners will win one polish each. What do you have to do to be in with a chance?

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Go to the Lipglossiping facebook page, LIKE it and don’t forget to leave a comment saying ENTER ME! (on FB)

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RULES
~ Open worldwide
~ Two winners (winning 1 polish each) will be picked at random early next week
~ Giveaway closes at 11.59pm this Wednesday (you have 72hrs – ish)
~ If you don’t have Facebook but would still like to enter, shoot me an email via the contact page and I’ll make sure your name goes in the hat!
~ Please don’t send me any personal details (names or addresses). I will contact you via facebook/reply to email if you have won)

With all this Chanel vs. BarryM nail polish dupe talk… how could I possibly have resisted CHARGING down my local Superdrug as fast as my fat little trotters could carry me (ok, I drove) before scooping up a bottle of BarryM’s new nail polish sensation Dusky Mauve to compare for myself?

Well I couldn’t.  Hence this post – duh.

So is it?  Isn’t it?

It most certainly is.

BarryM’s Dusky Mauve Nail Paint is a practically perfect dupe for Chanel’s Paradoxal – I’ll let the photos do the talking.

When Bazza met Coco… *cue music*

The only teeniest, tiniest difference between the two is that I feel the BarryM version may have a touch more sparkle in direct sunlight… but I’m not even 100% confident on that.

If you had wanted to indulge in Chanel’s Paradoxal but couldn’t quite stretch to the £16.50 required to do so… put those pennies towards the £2.95 dupe of the year and head down to Superdrug for BarryM’s Dusky Mauve instead.  No one will be able to tell the difference.

If your local Superdrug/Boots are out of stock, don’t forget that you can also buy BarryM’s Dusky Mauve Nail Paint online from the BarryM website which ships internationally.

So, the other day/week/month…. whenever it was (they’re blurring)… I told you about the new Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliners that I’d had a look at during the Avon Christmas collex launch.   I also told you about not being able to remove them with plain ol’ soap and water which resulted in me looking a bit grubby while I was on an overnighter in London.

I thought I’d compare it a little more closely to some of the other eyeliners I have in my stash that are generally well-regarded throughout the blogging community… so without further ado…

It’s got that fancy-schmancy luxe lace packaging going on… I’ve noticed that these eyeliners have currently disappeared from the website, so I’m guessing that’s ‘cos they’re about to be relaunched in the new packaging for Xmas.

Not retractable or any of that jazz, just your standard-looking eye pencil!

The black is VERY black.  Pigmented to the max and easily the softest eye pencil I own.  I barely need to touch this to my eyelid to create a defined and solid line.  Can you say impressive?  As with most soft/glidey eyeliners, it does mean that this needs more frequent sharpening than it’s counterparts… but your poor sensitive eyelids will thank you for the drag-free application.

Here’s 4 of some of the most highly regarded pencil eyeliners available.  I think you might be able to clearly pick out which packs the biggest punch in terms of pigmentation no?  The above artistic squiggles show one swipe each.

How about lasting power?  I swiped MULTIPLE times over my entire hand with a wet wipe…

Urban Decay… as much as I love you… you fail.

GOSH?  Close… but no cigar.

MUFE performed slightly better than Avon in the longwear test (conducted whilst I was wearing something that looked nothing like an official lab coat – probably my pyjamas) but the pigmentation just wasn’t there to begin with.

So… finally… how about a price comparison?

MUFE – £11.50
Avon – £6.00
GOSH – £4.99
Urban Decay – £11.50

There are a few other factors to take into consideration.  Of all ranges, Avon has the least shades available… I think there are only around 3 or 4, so great coloured eyeliners will still have to be sought elsewhere…

…But if you’re looking for a fabulously pigmented, long-lasting black eyeliner that won’t break the bank.  Better make friends with your local Avon lady (or yano, do the modern thang and head here).

ETA:

I received a sample of the Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner in Silver as a few of you requested swatches… here are the pictures.  I really do recommend these liners without hesitation.

I was going to do one post that encompassed the entire Christmas Collection, but for the life of me, I couldn’t get a colour-accurate tube shot of the lipstick that I received in my goody bag.  So instead, we’ll have to make do with the eye palette that I was sent home with for now.

Avon’s Luxe Lace True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Lace Hues is one of two eye palettes that Avon are releasing in special packaging as part of their Luxe Lace collection which is due to hit their online store at the end of the month.

Lace Hues contains four shades.  A shimmering white-gold, a matte neutral pink, a satin grey/green and a shimmering navy.  The packaging is delightful… a glossy black, well-built palette with pink lace embellishments.  It’s sturdy, secure and the large mirror inside is more than adequate for application’s sake.

On first inspection, it was the navy that caught my eye… it has a brighter blue flash to it… a certain interest that the other shades are lacking.

The texture of each shadow is quite hard and colour payoff is sheer but buildable with a bit of work.  I’ve been wearing the matte pink all over the lid with a touch of the grey/green in the socket and lashings of the blue underneath my lower lashline.  It’s a winning combination.  I’m not so fond of the pale gold highlighting shade as the shimmer is a little chunky and apparent for me.

The matte pink in particular has a tendency to kick up a bit of dust when loading up the brush, but the fallout doesn’t seem to transfer to my cheeks.  I know I’m gonna hit pan on that blue before any other colour though.  Isn’t it lovely?

What is the general opinion on Avon’s eyeshadow palettes?  I have to confess… I’ve never tried one before!

Completely inspired by Kellie at BigFashionista, I had a go at applying the BarryM Instant Nail Effects over Models Own 25 Carat Gold to get a more feline interpretation!

Close up… it’s not that leopard print-y, but from 3 feet or further, it works REALLY well!

This stuff really is nail art for the completely unartistic (i.e. me!)

But enough of all this!

Who are my two lucky winners from this weekend’s giveaway?

The gods over at Random.org have spoken… and I’m pleased to announce that…

Elizabeth/Makeuptini

Estelle/StellieStellina

… are the lucky winners, I shall email you this evening for your addresses ladies!

Thanks for entering everyone, with over 180 entries in 48hrs, I can’t tell you how much I wish I could afford to give away more bottles.  Instead, I shall wish you all the bestest week ever xx

From Lip Butters to Body Butters, Body Scrubs to Shower Foams… Body America’s range of bathroom goodies will be hitting the mainstream when they land in the new House of Fraser Apothecary from the middle of this month onwards.

A little birdy also told me that the Body America Body Butters come from the same creator as the much-loved Body Shop Body Butters… interesting…

But this becomes even more interesting when I tell you that a 200ml jar of Body America Body Butter will set you back a trifling £8 compared to £12.50 for The Body Shop equivalent.  Now you’re talking!

The entire range is described as 72% organic and comes enriched with certified organic Aloe Vera juice to naurally soothe and protect the skin.  The lineup is available in four flavours:

~ Vermont Va Va Voom: Green Apple, Maple and Blueberry
~ New York Cheesecake with an Edge: Vanilla and Strawberry
~ Toast to the Coast: Ocean and Grapeseed
~ Southern Belle: Peach and Mango

I fully intend to make a beeline for the Vermont Va Va Voom range…. Maple?  Oh god yes.  Now if only it came with pancakes too…

Like a moth to the proverbial flame, I found myself in my local backwater Boots yesterday afternoon and they had just put out their latest delivery of BarryM.

Being the dedicated beauty blogger that I am *cough* and remembering that some of you are struggling to source this for yourselves, I thought I’d pick up two of the new Instant Nail Effects Nail Paints for a quick giveaway!

And when I say quick, I mean QUICK!

Answer this question in the comments below:

Which polish would you choose as a base coat underneath the BarryM Instant Nail Effects?

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RULES
~ Two winners (winning 1 polish each) will be picked at random early next week
~ Giveaway closes at 11.59pm this Sunday (you have 48hrs – ish)
~ Open worldwide

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Good luck!

I scoured high and I scoured low for this little bottle of Barry M Instant Nail Effects… it’s seemingly harder to acquire than the proverbial gold dust.

When I first saw it on Yinka’s blog… I didn’t think I was gonna like it.  I like NEAT nails and I’m not hugely into nail art.  Not really… I just like polished tips that add a bit of interest.  Instant Nail Effects looks haphazard… indeed it is.  It’s messy, it’s random…

But I kinda like it!

What I didn’t like was that I slapped a glossy top coat over it.  Next time I’m gonna keep the crackle matte.

Is this a new idea?  Nooooooooo…. these crackle polishes have been around for years, but as far as I’m aware – it’s the first time it’s been brought to the UK high street (correct me if I’m wrong!).

Wanna know how it’s done?  Watch the official BarryM tutorial video on how to make the Instant Nail Effects work for you here.

Do you like the effect?  I think the general consensus is that it works best over bold, pale colours… think bright pastels!

If you can source it on the high street, Boots are currently offering two BarryM polishes (including this one) for £5, otherwise you can purchase online from the BarryM website for £3.95 a piece.

My first ever eyeshadow was an Avon Color Trends lilac shade in a green case… I ground that thing down to the pan and then when I went to repurchase, couldn’t find the sucker!  I still have the occasional search on eBay for it for sentimental value, but have long forgotten it’s name 🙁

Anyway, I was invited to have a look at Avon’s new Winter cosmetics collection which goes by the name Luxe Lace… is it just me or is the name just a touch naff?  Fortunately, that’s where any naffness ends because the collection itself is really rather nice.

Let’s have a look at what we can expect…

Avon’s Luxe Lace True Colour Eyeshadow Quads (£8.00)

The Chanel-esque eyeshadow palettes offer 4 complementing shades that are suitable for both day or night depending on how you combine them.  The picture above shows the purple palette (Lace Electric) and the other (which I got in my goody bag) is a slightly more eclectic mix of champagnge/pinky-beige/green and blue (Lace Hues)  I shall swatch it v. soon!

In the photo, Lace Hues is hiding snugly behind Lace Electric.  Fail.

Luxe Lace Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick (£7.00)

Three new shades are due to be introduced from the end of October.  Instant Mocha, Frostiest Mauve and Pout will be priced at £7 each and promise to offer hydrating colour.  I found them to be hugely wearable in terms of pigmentation.  Not particularly long-lasting, but easy to apply and non-drying.

Luxe Lace SuperShock Mascara (£8.00)

I’m not a huge fan of Avon’s SuperShock Mascara though I know it’s very well-received. On me, it transfers and leaves little black spots just under my brows if I even remotely show any sign of getting a little ‘glowy’!  I love the big brush and the slightly dry formula… but there’s nothing worse than looking in the mirror and noticing funny black splotches undermining your appearance!

For the Winter Collection, SuperShock has been given a cute packaging makeover to bring it in line with it’s lacy counterparts.

Luxe Lace SuperShock Gel Eyeliner Pens (£6.00)

For me, the most impressive product in the collection.  These SuperShock Gel Eyeliner Pens completely blew me away.  Pigmented like you wouldn’t believe… creamier than a tub of Ben and Jerrys and long lasting?  Oh my…

I met up with a journalist the next day who’d attended the same event and we were both still wearing our swatches on the back of our hands despite showering and secondary scrubbing in an attempt to remove them!

Two shades: Black and Silver, perfect for the party season.  If you only get one thing from this collection, make it these!

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The new collection will be available to order online or from your Avon rep from the 28th October.

I’ll be back with swatches of the Black Eyeliner, Lace Hues palette and Pout lipstick as soon as I can get accurate shots!