A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

We wear makeup for many different reasons. Some of us like to experiment with colour, some of us like to improve upon our natural beauty *cough*, and some of us enjoy piling on everything we own just because we can.

At the moment, I’m somewhere between number two and a facefull of slap. Whenever I’m sick (is she still going on about that?), my skin is the first place it shows and the last place it recovers. Flaky, blotchy, purple under the eyes, and spots a-plenty are the order of the day. Which is exactly what one needs when you already feel like shit, of course.

Whilst I’d love to tweak my skincare routine to improve my natural radiance and rebalance my complexion from the inside out… I’d also like to be able to sprout a pair of wings and crap on the EDL headquarters from a great height. Sadly, neither are happening any time soon, and so instead, I turn to my makeup routine for the answers and pray that it won’t fail me.

This isn’t a tutorial as such, I’m no bleedin’ make up artist after all… but I thought I’d go into some real depth about the products that I’m using to work, what is basically, a skin miracle at the moment.

First things first, skin prep. If your skin is suffering, you can’t ignore this step in the routine. It’s imperative that you give your makeup the best possible base upon which to sit. It may be that you’re fighting an oil-slick or something akin to moon craters, or perhaps like me… you’re battling dryness of epic proportions. Take an extra five-minutes to target these concerns before you even go near your face with foundation, the finished result will be worth the effort.

Starting with a cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturised face… I deal with the dryness that has been causing my foundation to cling in patches. Upon Caroline‘s advice, I’m treating my skin to a moisture sandwich of oil and cream, first with an Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss (£62.00) capsule which delivers an antioxidant-rich hydration boost in the form of moringa oil, followed immediately by a generous layer of La Roche Posay’s Nutritic Intense Riche* (£14.00)

And then I wait. A couple of minutes later, I can tell where I need additional hydration, so I work a little more of the LRP into the skin, avoiding the areas that are prone to midday oiliness. That done, I move onto the one product that generally replaces “primer” for me during the colder months.

Maqpro Makeup Mixer (from £8.00) is a makeup artist’s trick taught to me by the wonderful Kenneth Soh who recommended it to me a couple of years ago as a great base for mineral products on drier skins. It’s a tip that continues to save me whenever my skin is behaving badly. Not only is it a wonderful mixer for sheering out heavier foundations, it also does wonders for improving how a product applies over, and sits ontop of dry skin without compromising the moisture levels underneath.

At this point, I use a brush to apply the Maqpro but I don’t work it fully into the skin, preferring instead to dot the product allover with the brush and only lightly blend. This way, it combines easily and increases the glide of the next layer of product.

Before even contemplating foundation, I still want to improve the radiance levels of my skin. A lot of the time, I reach for a liquid illumintor that I can apply allover and then “tone down” with foundation. I’ve been trying something a little different recently in the form of this rather splendid Lyster Cream Bronzer* (£36.00) from Swedish brand Manasi Makeup.

The pot contains far more product (55g) than I could ever see myself using and as such, I do wish they offered a smaller-size for less money but I can’t deny that the product itself is beautiful. Free from mineral oils and parabens, it delivers something inbetween a bronzer and a luminizer that works very nicely against my pale skintone. If you’re blessed with naturally great skin, I could see something like this being your one-pot wonder for sunkissed, healthy-looking skin without fear of looking orange or overdone.

I tap my brush lightly on the top (you don’t need much) and work the bronzer all over my skin using a circular motion, it blends nicely… but even more beautifully with my layer of Maqpro beneath it.

Finally, it’s time for foundation! At the moment, I’m alternating between my Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in shade 4.5 (£34.50) and my beloved tube of Clinique Supermoisture Makeup* (£19.35) which is a better option for when I don’t have the time to do this kind of skin prep. If I am using the Clinique, I skip the Maqpro in this next step as it’s an exceptionally moisture-rich foundation on its own merit.

When I’m using anything other than the Clinique, I reach again for the Maqpro (as shown below). One blob of each and using the same face brush as I’ve been using all along, I give the products a little mix on the back of my hand before working into my skin lightly.

I never apply foundation heavily or in more than one layer when my skin is playing up because it doesn’t matter how much preparation or effort I put into the application, after a few hours… my foundation will clump over the dehydrated patches if it’s too heavy. Which is why, I always reach for concealer as the last step despite usually being a bit of a concealer-phobe when my skin is less fussy.

Bare Minerals SPF 20 Correcting Concealer* (£21.00) is the perfect choice for dry skin-types thanks to a light texture and a lot of slip. It’s very creamy and offers a good amount of coverage, making it a great choice when your aim is to keep your layers as thin as possible. The final step is a little precision highlighting with something like the iconic YSL Touche Eclat (£25.00).

Now, that’s quite a lot of product but use my “how-to” as a guide rather than a manual. The principles are simple and you’ll already have certain products in your collection that you know you can substitute…

1. Make a real effort to get your skin in the best condition possible before you go near it with colour.
2. Work in thin, lightweight layers.
3. Add additional moisture or “slip” as you go.
4. Now isn’t the time for powder, keep things creamy.
5. If you’re nervous about being too heavy-handed with illuminator or bronzer, apply it before your foundation.
6. Leave concealer until the last possible moment, you’ll end up using less product as a result.

How’s your skin behaving at the moment and what trickery are you employing to get the best from your complexion?

* press sample

Eternally revered as one of the world’s most precious metals, gold has been a highly sought-after commodity from the earliest of ancient civilisations right through to the modern day.  Much of its worth has been built through socially-constructed symbolism rather than via any intrinsic financial value, but the rare metal has nevertheless proven useful in some fields thanks to certain unusual properties.

Gold is extremely durable, stable, and for a metal, unusually coloured making it a perfect exhibition of wealth.  It holds a strong continuity of value over time, and looks just as beautiful when first laid in a treasure chest as it does 20, 30 or 50 years later.  It’s an element that is difficult, dangerous and laborious to mine and rarity has always held a value when it comes to the importance of status within our society.

But what about in practical use?

We regularly see gold put to good use in the field of electronics, to plate connectors and prevent oxidisation.  As a metal, it conducts electricity extremely efficiently (though interestingly, not as efficiently as silver).  In dentistry, the metal is valued for its malleable attributes which can be used to easily construct fillings, crowns, and bridges.  Its chemically stable nature, makes it a suitable, nonallergenic material which has thus far proven to cause no adverse effects on long-term health.

But what about the usefulness of gold within the beauty and skincare industry?  Let’s take a look at some products today which seek to employ the midas touch…

1). Nahbi Pure Repair Gold Essence contains 24ct nano gold and gold leaf extract which claims to help stimulate circulation, cell renewal and the removal of toxins from the skin.  Nahbi use colloidal gold (suspended in liquid) and nano-technologies to increase the likelihood of physical absorbtion.  The particles are rated at 1.5nm, which is tiny indeed when you consider that the thickness of gold leaf is rated at a rather chunky 125nm!  The full range includes masks, serum, toner, a moisturiser and a cream. priced from £25, beauchoix.co.uk

2). Jamela offer a range of gold-infused masks that combine “active gold” and plant collagen with other, more recognisable ingredients including hyaluronic acid.  The masks have been designed to contour various body parts to deliver their collagen-boosting benefits including: eyes, lips, face, and even breasts!  I particularly like the idea of wearing one of these masks overnight before throwing it in the bath with me the next morning, they dissolve in hot water to release any remaining goodness!  priced from £24,50, jamelaskincare.co.uk

3). Chantecaille are well-known for their high-end formulations so it comes as no surprise to see an entire Gold Collection from the U.S. brand.  Their Nano Gold Firming Treatment is not simply content with exploring the supposed anti-inflammatory effects of nano gold, but hedges its bets on another recent “technological breakthrough” in the form of Swiss Apple Stem Cells which claim to deliver the creme-de-la-creme of antioxidant benefits within skincare.  For all this technology, you’ll have to pay a pretty penny.  priced at £280, uk.spacenk.com

4). Focusing on exploring the links between the precious metal and its soothing, anti-inflammatory benefits.  Omorivicza’s Gold Eye Lift uses gold ferment in an attempt to repair micro-damage and strengthen the delicate skin by renewing lost elasticity and as you would expect, the Hungarian brand remain true to their spa roots with the infusion of mineral compounds and their globally famous thermal waters rich in copper, zinc, calcium and magnesium.  priced at £110, selfridges.com

5). For the “gold standard” (geddit?!) in gold-enriched skincare, look no further than Swiss brand La Prairie for their Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold which claims to diminish the appearance of lines and wrinkles and help regulate discoloration.  The gold, suspended in a colloidal gel promises to help prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin whilst illuminating the skin with a stunning radiance. It will certainly lighten your wallet.  priced at £408, urbanretreat.co.uk

6). For something a little more tangible, not to mention… affordable, Zoya’s Gilty Pleasures trio contains an 18k real gold flake top coat which will transform all your manicures into something a little bit special.  priced at £29.60, nailcareclub.com

7). ByTerry’s Or De Rose Elixir Extreme is a rose-tinted primer which delivers instant radiance thanks to its blend of 24-carat pink gold micronized particles and light-reflecting prisms.  More of a cosmetic radiance-giver than a skincare marvel, coming from the queen of highlighting herself… that ain’t no bad thing.  The closest I’ll get to being a gold-dipped bond girl.  priced at £108, uk.spacenk.com

So, the question remains… can the benefits of gold be applied to anti-ageing theories?  Scientists and dermatologists are frankly divided on the issue and serious research is ongoing on the potential health benefits of using gold in the fight against cancer and the relief of rheumatoid arthritis.

To my mind, there appears to be a somewhat necessary leap of faith in order to believe that something so valued for its chemical inertia can also posess such life-changing, tangible benefits but there’s no doubt that this is one debate that will run and run.  Especially while it continues to give cosmetic companies such a wonderfully marketable element of luxury and privilege.

What say you? Are you interested in unleashing the power of gold on your skin, hair and nails?

Please tell me that you had to read my title twice!  Childishness aside, I thought I’d share a recent purchase with you.

Just as with foundation, I love the promise of a new eyeliner.  You may have noticed that I’m not a gel liner kinda girl, which was tricky in the old days because when I first started blogging, it was ALL about the gel liner.  Oh lord how I tried to make them work for me, I bought brush after brush… slanted ones, angled ones, thin ones, push ones… and liner after liner… but for the life of me, gel liner is something I am just never going to love.

This was a frankly devastating situation because I wanted a flick.  I wanted ALL OF THE FLICKS.  And you can’t do that with kohl, well… not unless your name is Charlotte Tilbury, and I’m only halfway there with the name thing.

“What about liquid liner?” I hear you ask…

Well, up until the time I started blogging… I hadn’t even heard of gel liner.  All my friends used kohl or liquid and I couldn’t. bloody. do. liquid either could I?  The closest I could get to achieving the semblance of a straight line was with the Ruby & Millie i-writers (remember them?), but even then… I couldn’t do it consistently.

I wish I could tell you that I’m about to share the secret of the liquid eyeliner.  I’m not.  All I know is that my unevenly hooded eyelids make the task trickier than it ought to be, which explains why despite copying exactly how my peers applied their liners, my flicks would always be wonky.  All I can say is: don’t give up.  Find the tool that you feel gives you the most control (even if you aren’t quite there yet) and keep practicing.  For me, it’s always been felt-tip shaped liners.

Massive introduction over, the POP Ink Outliner Eyeliner is a pretty brilliant felt-tip shaped eyeliner which you should try if you struggle with your flicks.

Let me tell you about it…

This liquid liner is a chunky affair, built like a giant kids crayon with a stubby length and chubby girth (“girth” *beavis laugh*).  You can see that the nib is also super-sized, rendering it useless if you want super-fine lines but marvellous for those of us who want to rock a more dramatic look.  The felt tip is quite firm but soft enough to give a little flexibility at the tip without sacrificing any control.

With a light stroke, you can achieve a fine line but it does take a little patience.

I’ve only been using this for around a month, but it doesn’t show any signs of drying out.  Infact, the closure “click” is very strong and it takes a bit of effort to pull the lid off – it gives the impression that they’ve paid attention to preventing it from dehydrating too rapidly – something which can be a real problem with this kind of eyeliner.

The formula is inky black and dries quickly.  It promises to be water-resistant although I feel that it sometimes fades quicker than I’d like, especially as I’m one of those awkward people who cry when they laugh.  It doesn’t even have to be that funny.  I don’t have watery eyes at any other time, life’s a bitch.

The swatch above shows two single swipes, one using just the tip and the other, showing a firmer press at a 45 degree angle.  The beauty of this eyeliner for novice application is partially thanks to the fact that you don’t have to repeat your lines, one pass and the pigmentation has reached its full potential.  It also cleans up very nicely with the tip of a cotton bud should you make any mistakes.

POP Ink Outliner Eyeliner is priced at £10.00, and is available to buy online at www.asos.com and popbeauty.co.uk

How are your flicks?

Whether or not you celebrate Valentine’s day, it’s an event that’s pretty much unmissable in terms of marketing and hype.  A walk down the high street from mid-January is all you need to be reminded of how much of a little shit Cupid actually is.  He’s not the most endearing figure from Roman mythology is he?  I mean… for one thing, what’s with the nappies?  Does falling in love make you incontinent?  I know it certainly makes some people sprout a load of crap… but that’s from their mouths.

When I was little, my Dad would send me a Valentine’s card each year… but I became pretty high-maintenance about the effort he had to put into deceiving me that my card had actually come from a secret admirer.  It’s no surprise he stopped sending me them when I reached my tween years and discovered that my solitary valentine’s card had been postmarked from his workplace for the last few years.  Having your card sent from a category B men’s lifer prison is enough to make you not want to take it into school to show your friends.

As for now, we don’t really do Valentine’s day.  That is to say… I tell my husband that I think it’s a load of old crap because he does lovely things for me throughout the year.  Then my husband doesn’t do anything for Valentine’s day and I don’t talk to him for the rest of February because he didn’t buy me anything.  It works for us.

Here are some bits and bobs that have been catching my eye in the run up to V-day.  I suggest printing them off and drawing a massive red circle around anything you want (preferably in your partner’s blood) before leaving it taped to the front door (both sides).  Taking such precaution may ensure that you at least end up with some flowers from the local Esso garage.

01: Ladyshape Intimate Shaping Tool, for err… shaping your “lady”.  The only reason I’d do this would be to see the look of confused WTFery from my husband.  We’ve been together for 12 years, he would not be expecting this.  He would point, I would laugh, we’d all have a nice cup of tea and I’d spend the next seven days scratching. (£12.99, stressnomore.co.uk)

If you’re looking for some mega bright lipsticks to blow away those wintery cobwebs without too much in the way of spends (let’s face it, it’s a miserable skinty mcskinty January), look no further than Miss Sporty.  Oh yay, brand of inexpensive-but-beautiful duochromes!  Infact, it was buying the duochromes that led me back to my local stand in Boots (or is it Superdrug? or both?!) for another look at what was on offer.

I skimmed over the foundations, for I am a foundation snob.  I meh’ed over the mascaras… contemplated a new liquid liner but eventually settled on the Perfect Colour Lipsticks.  Of course.  Not that this wasn’t the most completely predictable route that I would take.  God, I love lipstick.

I went for the brights, just because… you know… I could.  I mean, they’re £2.59 each… not an ounce of guilt was felt.

I Love and Malaga, the most obnoxious shades I could find.  Lovely.

They pack the kind of pigment you’d expect from some of MACs hallowed shades without saying “Here, have great colour in exchange for a shitty shitty texture”.  That’s not to say the texture is mind-blowingly awesome but it’s not draggy like the bright BarryM lipsticks can be and it’s not moisture-sucking.

My only issue with these lipsticks is that they smell a bit like a rancid Jolly Rancher.  Obviously disguising something that must smell even more revolting.  It’s a good thing I can’t sniff my lips.

Neither of these shades are the most flattering on me but they’re flippin’ fun are they not?  Malaga is a really great casual red that looks lovely (much nicer than the lip swatch) when pressed onto the lips and then smooshed around, paying no attention to things like a sharp lip-line.

What do you think?  Will you be checking them out the next time you’re in town?

Miss Sporty Perfect Colour Lipsticks in Malaga and I Love are priced at £2.59 each and available instore and online from Boots.com and Superdrug.com

If the advent of this new year has inspired a fresh start when it comes to your skincare choices, you could save yourself a pretty penny by heading over to the Organic Surge website and indulging in their Skin and Body Mega Bundle which offers everything you need to turn over a new leaf.

The Mega Bundle, worth £60, is currently priced at an astonishingly good value of only £23.97 and contains many of Organic Surge’s bestselling products including:

Gentle Cleansing Lotion
Daily Care Face Wash
Skin Perfecting Polish
Overnight Sensation Night Cream
Super-Intensive Daily Moisturiser
Eye Gel
Kiss & Make-Up Wipes
Gentle Meadow Body Lotion
Sweet Blossom Shower Gel
Lemon & Honey Soap

This deal should be of particular appeal to those of you with sensitive skin and anyone concerned about the chemicals in their skincare, the entire range is 100% free of parabens and sodium lauryl sulphate with no artificial fragrances or colourants.

Beware, this is a limited edition bundle so go forth and shop!

Alright glitter munchers, how’s 2013 treating you so far?  I’m coming to terms with taking down the decorations today (12th night and all that), to be honest… I started to take them down a couple of days ago after Louise told me that taking just a few down each day makes the process less soul-destroying…  Still, let’s all take comfort from the knowledge that it’s only 352 days until Christmas.

Last month (year), I treated myself to a new blusher… at least, I thought it was a blusher because I didn’t pay any attention to anything that I saw or read about it until after I’d bought it.  NARS Satellite of Love was released as part of the Andy Warhol collection a couple of months ago… an odd collection in my opinion, with exceptionally expensive eyeshadow palettes but rather tempting nail polishes.  What did you make of it?

Anyway, the one item that caught my eye immediately… I assumed (on sight) was a blusher.  Infact it’s a highlighter… or Highlighting Blush to give it its official name.

Rather than just review, I thought I’d compare it to my super-beloved highlighter from NARS, the only (powder) one that I really reach for, a product that can transform your look in seconds: NARS Albatross.  Albatross is a cult product in the NARS catalogue and it’s easy to see why.  It imparts a smooth, champagne-gold shimmer that both lifts and illuminates the complexion without dusting your face in glitter or an odd pinky/white highlight.  It’s a wonderful product to use at anytime, night or day – just use a light hand and a loosely packed brush for optimum effect.

NARS Satellite of Love is… different.

Now, don’t be assuming that I don’t like it, because I do… but it’s a completely different animal, and that’s probably for the best because what would be the point of it otherwise?  Satellite of Love is a warm-toned peach/nude/orange shade with gold glitter.  Gold glitter like Super Orgasm glitter, chunky knock-it-off-the-brush-before-that-shit-comes-near-my-face glitter.  Again, not necessarily a bad thing, I own and love Super Orgasm… but you just have to pay deference to its bling.

I treat super-glittery blushes in the same way that I treat McDonald’s hamburgers.  The glitter – like the gherkin/pickle – is optional.  You’re in complete control and the only time any kind of issue arises is when you take your eye off the ball and dive in without paying attention.  When it comes to NARS blushes/highlighters… all you need to do is swirl (gently) and then tap the handle of your brush against your forearm to rid yourself of the chunkiest pieces of glitter.  Infact, it’s far less hassle than removing gherkins from burgers, and you don’t get the nasty surprise of a second hidden pickle in your blusher*.

I am disappointed that Satellite of Love isn’t as nude as I expected it to be, there’s a lot of warmth in that there pan and whilst this is a minus for me… I can only imagine how beautiful this would look highlighting richer-toned girls who suit warmer blush.  Can you imagine?  With all that gold sparkle in the summertime (when the weather is fine)?  Lush.

In the face swatch below, I’ll apologise for the placement – I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to wear it as a bronzer, blusher, or highlighter… so I just sort of put it in a really weird place on my cheeks.  I’ll call it the brunzlighter placement.

NARS Satellite of Love and NARS Albatross are available to buy online from narscosmetics.co.uk priced at £21.00 (and if you could pick me up NARS Dragon Girl VMLP while you’re there? Cheers!)

Do you own either of these blush/highlighters?

* this is all bullshit, I actually LOVE the gherkins in burgers.  I’m the original give-me-all-your-gherkins girl.

If I concentrate hard enough, I can hear my Nan speaking to me in her sing-song valleys accent.  She’s saying: “There was a little girl, who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead.  And when she was good, she was very, very good.  And when she was bad, she was horrid.”  Which is precisely how my skin feels about mineral makeup – on a good day, nothing comes close to looking better and more naturally flawless on my skin.  At other times though, it can look like I’ve dipped my face in a vat of semolina flour… which then slowly cooks in situ, as the day progresses.

I tried NATOrigin Loose Powder Foundation, after it was recommended to me as a cross between a mineral foundation and a setting powder. This is good news for me as I often use my mineral foundation as a setting powder… albeit with a very light hand.

Compared to most mineral foundations I’ve tried, I found this to be sheerer… more finely milled, and lighter in texture.  The unglamourous but practical packaging features enough space to hold a sponge between the lid and the sifter should you need a way to avoid spillage during travel.  This extra roominess also means that you’re more likely to keep the powder in the pot whilst picking up product on your brush, and not allover your dressing table.

The foundation is available in four shades, and I was sent the second lightest – which as you can imagine, is a touch too dark for my skintone but thanks to its sheerness, doesn’t cause me much concern.  The foundation is about as genuinely organic as you can get, certified so by the prestigious ECOCERT and promises a hypoallergenic, paraben-free formula which has been approved by AllergyUK as an allergy-friendly product.  Quite interesting when you consider that the label states that the product may contain Bismuth Oxychloride, a known potential irritant and something that many of you have grumbled about in the past.

The quantity shown in the lid is roughly the amount I’ve been using for a full face after applying a light tinted moisturiser as a base.  It’s my favourite way to apply this foundation and both sets my makeup and gives me a little extra coverage in the areas where my base is letting me down.  The combination of the two products as a single base gives me great medium/full coverage with none of the heaviness that I’d get were I using liquid/cream foundation alone.  It’s a real time saver as I don’t have to worry about the finish looking at all caked-on or artificial.

The NATOrigin Loose Powder Foundation lacks the pretty sheen that I enjoy from other brands such as Bare Minerals, infact I’d consider this one as fairly mattifying, obviously a bonus for half the population but I prefer my finishing powder to have a little luminosity in these darker months.  I’ve been mixing a liquid luminizer into my moisturiser to solve this problem.

Hopefully the above photo will let you deduce the amount of coverage you can expect from using NATOrigin Loose Powder Foundation on bare skin, it’s a sheer-medium finish and as I’ve already mentioned, a matte one.  I’ve been enjoying using a flat top kabuki brush which works the product into the skin and ensures that you get maximum coverage with the least effort.

NATOrigin Loose Powder Foundation is priced at £17.75 for 5g and available to buy online from www.natorigin.co.uk

* press sample

Back in October, I posted about the return of the Olay Big British Beauty Poll which sampled an impressive 4,400 women via the brand’s facebook page.  The aim of the poll was to gather an up-to-date understanding on women’s thoughts about beauty, skincare and the industry in the current economic climate.

Read on, because it unveiled some interesting and rather surprising insights!

Figures reveal that women are spending LESS on beauty today than we were two years ago – understandable really, while the economic climate is still so vulnerable – but at 15% less, that’s a significant reduction!  What makes this all the more interesting is that the Olay Big British Beauty Poll revealed that despite the numbers proving otherwise, we still think that we’re spending more on beauty than we were in 2010!  Infact, a massive 41% of women said they felt that their spending had increased.  How strange!

Jasmine Birtles, broadcaster, financial expert and founder of Moneymagpie.com has an interesting take on this phenomenon: ’This perception gap shows how much tighter money is for most people and how our money isn’t going as far as it used to, women think they’re spending more on beauty but they’re actually spending less…’

However, there are still some products we’re not giving up without a fight…

Skincare is the main area in which we’re not so keen to tighten our belts.  Gone may be the days of splurging £100+ on anti-ageing creams, but women are fervidly searching for the biggest bang for their buck and investing heavily in high-street skincare like Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Relaxing Complex (£29.99), a not insignificant price point when you consider that 79% of women polled said that they wouldn’t be prepared to spend any more than £30 on an anti-wrinkle cream – even if they thought the product was working well!

When it comes to makeup, with 35% of the votes, the trusty mascara came out on top as the one make-up item we can’t live without, closely followed by foundation at 31%.  Shamefully only 11% of you voted for lipstick, and even worse, poor old nail polish was thoroughly dispensible with a paltry 2.8% of the vote!

Ludicrous, I’ll swap you a mascara for a nail polish anyday!  Ok, well maybe if you throw in a lipstick too…

What do you think about the perception that we’re spending more on beauty… when we’re actually spending less?!

* this is a P&G/Olay sponsored post

I always write about lipsticks in my Red Lip Series that I love. So, here’s one that I don’t…

Make Up Forever #418 is a lipstick that I would happily send to room 101 without a second glance or moment of regret. There’s nothing particularly wrong with how it looks once on the lips, but it stinks like the inside of my Nannas old handbag and applies so roughly that I keep imagining squeaking sounds as it passes over my lips.  It’s a bastard of a lipstick, and being RED, is an absolute disgrace to its genre.

I even look slightly pained to be wearing it in the swatch photo don’t I?  This is what mediocre lipstick does to your soul.  It honestly sucks to find the words to express my discontent with below-average lipsticks, so I’m going to stop right here and play with some Burberry reds instead to make myself feel better.

What lipstick has disappointed you recently?

You guys seemed to be quite taken with the trio of duochrome polishes I blogged about last week, so when I was in London, I picked up three of the Miss Sporty Metal Flip Duochromes to give away.  Ok, it’s not the most valuable competition I’ve ever held, but for those of you who can’t get your hands on these babies, well… it’s hopefully still enticing!

Aren’t they pretty?  They look like miniature galaxies swirling around the bottles!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck ladies!

T&C
1. Start date for this competition is 28th November 2012
2. Closing date for this competition is 5th December 2012
3. There is one prize to be won, a trio of Miss Sporty Metal Flip Duochrome Nail Polishes (worth £1.99 each). No cash alternatives.
4. Competition is open worldwide.
5. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
6. Only one entry per email address will be accepted.
7. Personal details will not be kept or forwarded and are only used in the context of this competition to inform the winner(s) of their prize status.
8. Three winners will be selected at random from all entries received.
9. Winners will be notified within 5 working days and will be expected to reply to an email sent to the address used to enter the competition within 5 working days or risk forfeiting the prize.

Lilac… Icicle… yeah, no I’m not sure what happened with my attempt at a post title either. The thing is, I love the combination of glitter tips and pastel nails – it’s probably my favourite nod to nail art, I only wish I could get a proper glitter gradient going, as opposed to just a splodge.  Having said that… doesn’t it look super wintery?  I feel a chill everytime I look at my fingers, and it’s got nothing to do with the hangnails looking back at me either!

The base colour is another Miss Sporty polish, Miss Sporty Lilac to be exact… look at me regressing back to my teens!  I’ll be loitering with intent in Claire’s Accessories next, eyeing up the Bieber head boppers.  Anyway, there’s not much to say about this polish other than the fact that it’s £1.99, has a nice brush, and is opaque in two coats.  It doesn’t give me a stress aneurism when I try to apply it.  Basically, it’s all good.

The glitter is courtesy of OPI’s Disco Ball Sparkle, an oldie from the Reflection Collection.

Do you wear pastel nails with glitter tips?  What are your favourite colour combinations?