A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I love wearing warm colours on my cool skintone.  They impart a sense of vitality and freshness that I just don’t get from my more traditional cool-toned favourites.  It can be tricky to paint a “cool” face with “warm” colours and unless you’re also blessed with plenty of freckles and red hair, there can be an immediate juxtaposition between face and hair/face and makeup.  I must admit that I generally only go for a warm face when I’m having a good skin day (which I wasn’t!).  The creamier my complexion (read: less ruddy), the more success I have with painting a warmer canvas.

When I first started wearing makeup, I adored all warm-toned eyeshadows… gold being the pinnacle of that adoration.  Infact, I still have so many beautiful gilded shades that just don’t see much love because as I’ve gotten older, the redness in my complexion has increased and I’m less concerned about making my blue/green eyes “pop” against the shadow and more concerned about not looking like I have a drinking problem.

I find that nowadays, if I do go for a wamer look, I tend to stick to soft peaches (never apricot), guavas, and rose-gold.  Anything that has a slightly pink base is a winner… it can be shot through with a ton of golden sparkle just so long as it has that complimentary base.  Orange and brown-toned golds rarely wear well though I love a good champagne-gold (think NARS Albatross/MAC Femme-Fi).

I’m completely in love with Boots No7 Stay Perfect Foundation* (I’m shade Calico – link) at the moment.  I’m a late-comer to this one and assumed that it would be too drying on my combo/dry and dehydrated skin… most things that claim any kind of longevity, usually are.  I find that aslong as I’m well-moisturised (which I always am anyway), I can wear this one without exacerbating any flakiness.  I haven’t tried it in the Winter yet… but I’ve been wearing this around 70% of the time since mid-June and it delivers a confidence-boosting super-smooth look if I wear it with a primer underneath. I didn’t wear a primer in the photos below because it was ridiculously hot yesterday and I just wasn’t up for all those layers!

One of the reasons that I’m loving it (and it seems like the faintest of praise) is down to the simple fact that the pump dispenses exactly the perfect amount.  Do not underestimate the power that getting the right amount of coverage can have.  Although I love my lovely Bourjois Healthy Mix, it dispenses far too much and I always have to physically restrain myself from applying the entire pump’s worth.  I’ll try to remember to do a before/after foundation and primer routine with the Stay Perfect soon because it really has been one of those rare “ohhhh SKIN LOOKS GOOOOOOD!” revelations.

Other products included in the FOTD run with the rose-gold theme…

Dainty Doll Cream Blusher 002 – link (or try NARS Deep Throat or Sleek Rose Gold)
MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot – link (or try Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rose Gold or Benefit Slippin’ n’ Dippin’)
Laqa & Co Fairyblood Lip Pencil* – link (or try MUA Shade 7 or Avon Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick in Sparkling Warm Rose)
Estee Lauder Intense Kajal Eye Crayon* – discontinued (any black liner will do)
No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara – link (any mascara will do)

Also…. only six products, check me out being all minimalist n’ stuff!  Or that other word for it… lazy.

Are you a Rose Gold fan?

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Su requested a swatch of the Laqa & Co Nail Polish Pen that I talked about yesterday, and I jumped at the chance of a quick and easy post so I could get to bed early (and carry on decorating bright and early tomorrow), forgive me for repeating myself!

Incestuous is one of those muted lavender shades that suit my skintone really nicely.  I know that some tones, especially olive skintones can struggle with muted purples which can sometimes make fingers appear lifeless but Incestuous (hate that name) offers enough saturation, I think, to avoid this phenomenon.

Application was basically pretty fun.  Except for the part when I realised that I would, in essence, be painting my nails with the wrong hand – with a pen.  Any ambidextrous readers out there?  Lucky.  I got my fingers in a proper muddle, made only more difficult by the fact that my nails on that hand were wet!  All in all though, the results were really good – the above image shows two coats (three on two of the fingers that I messed up).  Judging by the little window in the pen, it doesn’t seem to have consumed too much polish, but considering the pen only holds 5ml (the same as a Mavala) and costs £10.95 – this certainly isn’t the most economical way to paint your nails.

Having said that, it’s great for holidays and showing off your beauty gadgetry to anyone who gives a shit.  Which, let’s face it… is probably no-one.  You should probably just get this to amuse yourself/give as a present (the box and artwork is way cool/or for your holiday manicures.

Laqa & Co Nail Polish Pen in Incestuous is priced at £10.95 and available online from PowderRooms.

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Or is it vol. 533493491?  With over 2250 posts under my belt, you can appreciate that I’ve loved and fell out of love with all manner of things, such is the fickle nature of beauty and such is the fickle nature of “ooh shiny”.  I’m always reticent to admit to Holy Grail products because I’m not really the kind of person to stick to one thing for life (except perhaps for Mr. L and Boost bars).  If I repurchase something, that’s pretty damn good going when there’s all manner of other lovely things that promise the earth and deliver about 2 continents worth instead.  As beauty lovers, we’ve grown to expect a certain amount of over-selling when it comes to product claims and I guess that’s why blogs are so useful, they simply provide the experiences of peers who generally have the same expectation levels as yourself.

With that in mind, these are the things that I’ve been currently loving long time.  Well, about two weeks – which, in the coquettish world of beauty, is literally, forever.

1). Calling all mermaids!  VOYA Ritzy Spritzy* hails from the salty depths, quite literally!  The hero ingredient to this refreshing toner is hand-harvested seaweed, packed with vitamins B1, B2 and B12 (sounds like Bananas in Pyjamas), plus polysaccharides and alginates, all of which combine to offer a tonic that delivers a moisturising, oil-free formula.  I’m an toner-nut and after using it continuously for a week in-place of my usual variety, this one is particularly efficient in cooling the skin, making it a great holiday choice for those jetting off to far-flung beaches. £23.00 from Look Fantastic.

2). Hello Glow! Hello indeed to this budget-friendly alternative to a particularly well-known Dermalogica favourite!  If you’re a Daily Microfoliant addict, you might want to give Hello Glow‘s Whitening Plus Facial Polish* a spin.  Released just last month, the powder formulation mixes with a little water to create a mildly exfoliating paste that leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft.  It contains a 100% natural blend of coconut milk powder, potato starch, milk, honey, rice and essential oils and is suitcase friendly too! £9.99 from RoseLinkUK.

3). It wouldn’t be Summer without a fresh, summer fragrance to distract myself from the necessity to build a replica Ark and Prada’s Infusion d’Iris offers maximum distraction.  A classic, green scent which despite the name offers a more sensual, woody edge than I’d expect.  The floral is clearly there, along with a burst of Italian-inspired citrus zings that never smell too sharp but it’s the drydrown that leaves my mouth watering in it’s pure cleanliness that leaves me feeling like I’ve just stepped from the shower (minus the cheap soap!).  A perfect balance of floral, fresh and woody that simply works very nicely on my skin.  From £40.00 at Debenhams.

4). From one classic to another, in the form of Trilogy’s Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, which I purchased as a little moisture-booster to my current skincare routine.  I use it while my skin is still wet from the shower (water really makes my skin feel tight), and massage it in to my elbows, knees, heels and any little eczema patches that have flared up overnight – what’s left on my hands after this, goes straight on my face.  In the winter, I may use it more often but a couple of times a week at the moment is enough to keep my skin supple and happy. £16.50 from Boots.

5).  Another one for the holiday bag is Laqa & Co’s Nail Pen in Incestuous*.  Hate the name, love the colour!  This muted lavender nail pen is one of those products that you think will never work.  Nail polish in a pen?!  But work it does… though I discovered that painting with your “wrong” hand is significantly more tricky than when using a regular polish brush – it’s just like writing or drawing with your weak hand!  The polish dispenses easily and is fluid enough to work with without too much fuss.  5ml for £11 makes it an expensive option, but it’s great for travel and is a real conversation starter as I discovered on the train the other day! £11 from PowderRooms.

6). There’s lots of classics on my list today and Olay’s Classic Care Nourishing Beauty Fluid (Sensitive) is perhaps the consummate defintion of the word.  My day moisturiser recently ran out, and being on a no-buy meant that I had more chance of a sunny day than guiltessly hot-footing it to the Elemis counter, so I settled for Asda instead and picked up this one to tide me over.  I actually meant to pick up this one but couldn’t find it on the shelves.  That being said, it’s doing a sterling job at leaving my skin feeling hydrated with a non-greasy finish.  I’m not sure I’ll repurchase, because I’ll hopefully be off my no-buy when this one runs out and I’ll try and pick up the one I meant to get next time.  Still, £4.69 from Boots – mustn’t grumble!

7). Can you tell I’m not going on holiday until September?  My goodness am I packing in these travel essentials this month!  The St. Tropez Bronzing Gel* is a great option for pasty legs that demand a streak-free finish!  Creams are all well and good but this dark gel will ensure you leave no patches un-tanned!  Combine it with an applicator mitt and really work the formula into your skin to ensure an even tan.  I like the gel formula because it looks a bit scarier, thus making me less complacent with my application – it’s all in the mind folks and this one just makes me work harder (in a good way!). £21.99 from Boots.

8). Last but by no means least!  Benadryl Allerfy Relief (Acrivastine) keeps both myself and Mr. L free from hayfever.  I’m fortunate to only suffer from mild symptoms but when the pollen count reaches the top of the charts, I reach for one of these and it knocks all symptoms on the head within half an hour.  I do sometimes have to take another tablet later in the day and they’re not the cheapest (I don’t think you can get generic versions) but they’re the best I’ve found for controlling the summer sniffles!  £3.80 from Tesco.

What are you loving so far this month?

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There’s nothing like feeling the pull of a good lemming and I take great pride in both creating and crushing them in almost equal measure.  Ultimately though, it feels a little bit more heart-warming to instill a good dose of the ‘want its’ in both yourself and others.  I knew as soon as I laid my eyes on these chubby little pencils, I had the easiest lemming post in the world on my hands.

Laqa & Co are a brand best known for their nail polish pens which promise to dispense glossy colour to your tips in just a couple of clicks (call the ad men, I’ve just made up that rhyme!).  The U.S. brand take great pride in promoting up-and-coming designers by featuring their work on the packaging and profiling them on their website.  It’s a match made in heaven for producing some beautifully quirky products that appeal to the ‘gotta catch them all’ magpie mentality.

I was recently introduced to their latest product… the Fat Lip Pencil*.

Just as beautifully designed as the polish pens, these lip pencils are ridiculously cute.  There are five shades available in a chunky, wind-up form… you’ll like the shade names: Wolfman, Fairyblood, Ring of Fire, Lambchop, and Bossy Boots.  I think I may aswell call my lip collection complete now that I own a lipstick called Lambchop no?  I mean, it just doesn’t get any better.  Unless you’re a vegetarian, in which case, I’m very, very sorry.

So, cuteness overload aside… let’s take a closer look at these shades.

The shades range from the sheer to the uber-pigmented.  They’re fairly inconsistent in terms of glossiness with some shades appearing more matte despite the website describing each of them as glossy.  The texture also varies across the range with Bossy Boots having the most gloriously smooth texture compared to the firmer-feeling Wolfman which dragged a little on my lips.  Staying power was better than average for most shades with the mattes holding up particularly well throughout the day.

Wolfman: A firm-textured super pale pink that works best if pre-warmed on the back of your hand before applying.  It’s a little chalky looking but covers my pigmented bits with ease.

Fairyblood: Laqa & Co describe this one as a glossy sheer peach with shimmery flecks of gold but because this one is sheerer, my colouring turns this one much cooler on me.  I can imagine it looking quite different on someone with a warmer skintone.  This is a really nice, natural-looking nude on my lips giving a polished but not made-up feel.

Lambchop: A vibrant blue-pink with  pepto-bismol brightness.  What a scorching shade for spring/summer!  This leans more matte and as a result, lasts well throughout the day needing only a couple of touchups.  Again, this one benefits from warming up before application.

Ring of Fire: Well, well.  Stop sniggering at the back there.  Ring of Fire is a cool-toned red with a hint of raspberry.  This is one of the creamier shades and packs an impressive punch of pigmentation to boot.

Bossy Boots: My favourite of the five.  A beautiful my-lips-but-better shade that layers into a sheer, very wearable red.  It’s also the most glossy of all shades whilst still retaining a true lipstick feel.

I love the portability of the range and the fact that unlike the NYX jumbo pencils, I don’t need to worry about carrying a pencil sharpener around with me!  The shades are comprehensive and feel fresh and modern with non-frosty finishes.  They’re cute enough to gift but if that’s your intention, be aware – you may just end up keeping it for yourself!

Laqa & Co Fat Lip Pencils are reasonably priced at £13 each and available to buy online at www.powderrooms.com – Which one is your favourite?

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