A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Let me give you a quick rundown of The Body Shop event I attended a couple of weeks ago… I’ll point out a few new product highlights, but the full reviews will come soon!

Cupcakes and makeup, it doesn’t get much better than this!  8 eye colours, 4 face products… all baked and very pretty indeed!

Superfluous… but look what Cosmetic-Candy made me!

She presented it to me really sweetly, but then turned nasty.  “Eat it then”… “Go on, I MADE IT for you”.  Proper sinister like….

I didn’t want to stuff my face with cake it infront of all my blogging peers!  Can you SEE how many Smarties the bitch piled on it?  It’s totally clear to me that she just wanted to sabotage my street cred and watch me throw smarties all over myself and the floor whilst looking like a greedy fat bitch infront of everyone.

When she wasn’t looking, I hid it behind a bottle of shampoo.

Chase Aston worked his magic on two delightfully beautiful models.  Here he is, demonstrating one of the new Bronzers from the Baked to Last summer collection.

Such amazing skin!

The Baked to Last Lineup…

I’ve already vented my spleen on the new Body Shop Baked to Last Eye Colours…. they don’t do it for me at all.

But the blushes and bronzers?  A different story altogether.  I’m really enjoying using them.  I’m writing my review now, but it’s still in draft… watch this space!

New Haircare!

Yes!  The Body Shop’s beloved haircare range is getting a revamp with a view to being more ECO Friendly… this means, no silicones, colourants or parabens – thereby protecting aquatic life from our toxic haircare that we flush down the drains daily.  Also coming soon will be new Hair Butters, intense nourishment built along the same lines as their current top sellers, the Body Butters!

The ever-popular Vitamin C range will have to squeeze up and make some room for these new inclusions!

New additions include: Eye Reviver Duo (double ended wand for instant pick-me-ups!), Skin Radiance Capsules, Skin Radiance Powder Mix (super innovative) and Microdermabrasion.

It was a lovely afternoon and good to hear about and discover all the new things that The Body Shop are planning to roll out over the next few months.  I’ll be back with further reviews on the products very soon!

All aboard!  I have 3 to give away!

My giveaway is closing this evening at 11pm BST – get those last minute entries in!

Click here to find out how to win!

Due to be launched on QVC on the 10th July (that’s just a few days away!), Matte is the latest foundation to be released by mineral foundation pioneers Bare Escentuals.

Available in 15 shades to suit every skintone, I purchased my pot of Bare Escentuals Matte SPF15 (shade: Fair) in a blog sale a little while ago and have been putting it to good use in the warm weather we’ve recently been enjoying.

Just as finely milled as the original version, the foundation feels silky and light to the touch.  I’m starting to realise there’s a bit of a love/hate vibe around mineral foundation.  I will happily swear by the coverage it gives and I rarely get a cakey finish when wearing it.  Infact, I’ve often (ok, twice) been asked what foundation I’m wearing when shopping on beauty counters and both times when I’ve replied with the answer ‘mineral’ – the look of shock from the SA’s has been in “kodak moment” territory.

As with the original Bare Escentuals SPF15 foundation, I’d call this medium coverage.  You *can* build, but that’s when you begin to run the risk of it looking more obvious, especially on dryer skin.  You can purchase fuller and more sheer mineral foundations, it all depends on the ratio of the minerals, but Bare Escentuals in my opinion, offers straight down the line medium coverage.

An irritation with mineral anything, is packaging and portability.  In the past, Bare Escentuals foundations have been fine sitting on your dressing table… but take it anywhere without sellotaping up the holes in the sifter?  BIG MESS!  The new Bare Escentuals Matte foundation offers a very simple solution that quite frankly, should have been implemented years ago…

A little rotating lid like you’d find on your pepper pots covers the holes in the sifter and stops excess product leaking during transportation.  I told you it was simple!

Application is the same for the new Bare Escentuals Matte foundation as it is for the original.  Swirl, Tap, Buff!

Mineral still affords me the quickest and most forgiving of foundation applications.  I have a few great brushes for application: My Body Shop kabuki, my MAC Flat Top 180 or my Bare Escentuals Full Flawless Face Brush.  They all work equally well to provide an even finish, though flat top brushes tend to give a fuller coverage.

I’ve talked about application, packaging and my experiences with mineral foundation in general… let me tell you how I find the new Matte version in comparison to the Bare Escentuals original formula.

On initial application, it is indeed a completely matte finish (thanks to additional oil-absorbing minerals)… it wipes out all traces of shine and oil from my skin, leaving a wonderfully even surface.  The original leaves me with a touch of…. not sparkle, that’s comletely the wrong word.  Natural luminosity?  I would say that if you have more mature skin, you may prefer the more forgiving finish of the original formula.  If your skin is younger and more prone to oil… the Matte formula is something you should definitely try.  Alternatively, something I’ve had success with is wearing my original formula lightly all over before buffing a little Matte into my T-Zone.

I’ll share a little tip that SJ (Bare Escentuals National MUA) told me when I was introduced to the new foundation.  If, in the middle of the day… you think you need a little foundation touch up, grab a brush and simply buff your face with it (no product).  It re-distributes the minerals that are already on your face from the initial application and simply recharges your foundation.  It totally works and is something that I’ve always done with minerals anyway… but it seemed funny to hear a proper MUA confirm something that I do without any thought as to why or how it works.  Silly anecdote, but a tip is a tip!

Here’s a before/after application with the new Matte foundation (no concealer):

Longevity?  Well… that’s my other bugbear with mineral foundations.  It’s a shame that I have to take a brush and buff my face in the middle of the day… but I do.  Bare Escentuals Matte foundation is no different and generally lasts about 5 hours on me before I need a pitstop to the Ladies with my brush in hand to ‘redistribute’ the powder.  Then, I probably get another 3/4 hours out of that before I wanna apply more product.

The nature of the product however, means that it doesn’t matter if I apply a bit more over the top of the rest of my makeup.  It has no ill-effect at all and now that Bare Escentuals has made it portable… well, it’s just not much of an issue for me anymore.  Worth mentioning though.

Overall, it’s not an improvement on the Bare Escentuals Original foundation (bar the new sifter)… but it does sit very nicely alongside, offering an additional choice which may or may not be for you depending on your skin type.

Bare Escentuals Matte SPF15 Foundation will launch on 10th July exclusively on QVC priced at £19.50.

Are you a mineral foundation lover?

L’Occitane are releasing a new limited edition range for the Summer set to tantalise our senses.

Verbena Summer Secret will launch this month with 4 products in the line up:

I’m a big fan of the original Verbena line up with it’s true citrusy notes that transport you from your 3’x3′ shower cubicle to the lemon groves of Sicily and let’s be honest… where else would you rather be on a Monday morning?

The range will include:

1. Moisturising Body Gel – £17.50
2. Shower Jelly – £12.50
3. Eau de Toilette – £34.00
4. Cooling Gloss – £7.00

I’m particularly keen to try the Moisturising Body Gel… it’s the word “gel”… anything that conjures up a mental image of being lightweight and easily absorbed is something that makes me sit up and take notice.  Especially in this weather.

Are you a L’Occitane fan?  What are your favourites from the brand?

If it’s good enough for Kylie…

You never have to travel far before you come across someone who will happily swear by these iconic pots of cream.  Whether it’s the original Cold Cream or some of their more uptodate incarnations, someone somewhere will happily tell you how Ponds is the only moisturiser their Nan/Mother/Sister (delete as appropriate) has been using since 1935 and that she doesn’t look a day over 23.

I’ve been using Pond’s Light Day Cream (£3.99) on and off for a while now and it is indeed (mostly) the bees knees.

Ignore for a moment the parabens, perfume and mineral oil contained within (I know, it’s hard)… these are pretty old school inexpensive ingredients designed to a) make the product stay fresh longer, b) smell nice and c) form a barrier between your skin and the drying effects of the environment.  Are there better ingredients that do the same job?  You bet.  Are there better ingredients that do the same job for the same price?  Not so much.

If you’re not sensitive to these ingredients (and I don’t seem to be) then I’m happy to use them.  Many people aren’t afforded that luxury, with artificial perfumes being among one of the biggest culprits for skin sensitivity.

But anyway, I’m going off on a tangent slightly… back to the review…

Attractively packaged in a heavyweight frosted glass jar, the cream has a thick but slippy texture.  It’s much easier to spread than that refrigerated Nutella texture that is Nivea Creme. It’s also as light and non-greasy as it claims, as long as I’m not too heavy handed.  I find that the cream sinks in beautifully and leaves my skin feeling softer and more supple than before.  If I get a bit carried away with it, it leaves my skin slightly tacky for about 10 minutes before subsiding.

It’s strong scent loses it a point (or 4)… I know it’s iconic… but I can still smell it 3 hours later!  Also, SPF 6… is that it?  It’s barely worth bothering is it?  I won’t leave the house without a minimum of SPF15 and it’s a shame that this doesn’t supply that extra protection.

There’s one thing I must mention though, it’s the one reason in particular that I will be repurchasing.  It’s compatible.

Shall I explain?

I often like to mix things into my moisturiser.  Luminizers mostly… but often I’ll add foundations to sheer them out a touch.  Things like the new LUSH Colour Supplement blend wonderfully into this cream and apply flawlessly.  Oh and another thing?  Powder products wear with absolutely no problems over the Pond’s Light Day Cream.  I can slap a bit of this on my face first thing and less than 5 minutes later, I’m swirl, tap, buffing my way to a flawless complexion quite happily.  Nothing ‘balls’ up under my fingers… it’s just a very laid back, inexpensive and light day cream for the summer.

Top marks! (nearly).

Soooooooooo The Boots Smooth Skin by iPulse IPL System…

Armpit or Leg…

Arm. Pit. or. Leg.

I tossed a coin.  You get to see my hairy legs.  Or, leg even.  Just below the knee… to the right of the 2nd thread vein from the left.

I dunno why I watermarked it, it’s not like I wanna claim it as mine.

Random Internet User:  “Hey, lady… is this your photo of your pasty white leg with dry skin and multiple hairs protruding from one follicle (you freak)”.

Me: “Um, nope… no, doesn’t look like one of mine”.

Random Internet User:  “But it says here… Lipglossiping.com”

Me: “…”

On the positive side… we’re kinda meant to have hairy legs.  I feel normal posting this in comparison to the hairy chin pics.

Until I can put the The Boots Smooth Skin to work on maintaining my facial in-clinic laser hair removal, I thought I’d best put it to good use on some other hirsute part of my anatomy.  Stop making gagging noises and be bloody grateful you were spared the bikini line bitches.

So this is the benchmark, here we are. Day One.  Well, not day one… this photo shows about 4 days worth of growth actually.  I’ve done my test patch and I’m good to go…. raring even.

I’m a little bit sad that I can’t fake tan my legs whilst I’m zapping but in the grand scheme of things, I’d rather be white than hairy.

Wish me luck, I’m going in!

Soleil indeed…

Paul & Joe‘s Soleil is a juicy tangerine shade from Spring 2009 (though still available online).  It’s a shimmery jelly shade with a few golden sparkles thrown in for good measure.  Oh… and let’s not forget the typically beautiful Paul & Joe packaging *swoon*

I was on the hunt for a juicy but non-neon orange and this fits the bill perfectly.  The above shows 4 coats with a topper of Seche Vite.  I think it could probably do with a few more bits of sparkle, as you can see it’s only really my middle finger that managed to attract any gold specks.

Is orange a shade that you’re into at the moment?  It’s not a favourite on my skin tone, but nothing screams Summer quite like it!

ASOS, is there anything you won’t do to make me shop with you?

Free delivery, free returns, clothing in sizes I can shoehorn myself into?

Now, admittedly… you don’t ALWAYS get it right… but by George, you know how to tempt me back time and time again.

Japanese beauty brand RMK have intrigued me for a few years and I’ve had mixed success with the line so far.  I’ve loved some of their sheer, juicy (word of the day?) lip colours but not so much their pencil liners.  I’ve also meant to try their ingenious gel eyeliners for ages which generally enjoy rave reviews.

Have you had much experience with RMK?  Tempted to?

Maybe this will change your minds…

ARGH!  Stop!  Must. not. buy. more. polish!

But yano…. if you wanted to, here’s the link

July is an exciting month on Zuneta.  Mark the date in your diaries ladies, for the 12th July will see the launch of U.S. brand Edward Bess.

I have been lemming the Daydream Bronzer (apparently a great choice for pale skins) for longer than I care to think about and Zuneta, in their endless quest to fill the voids in our makeup-loving hearts have their finger’s well and truly on the pulse with this latest import.

As if that weren’t enough…

Zuneta are inviting 5 lucky customers to attend the press launch in London on the 14th July!

Click here for more details on how to win this great opporunity to be one of the first to see the full line up and meet the man himself!

I’m delighted to introduce my latest guest reviewer Rachel from the delightful QueenofTurquoise.  As a more suitable candidate age-wise than me, she’s been trialling the Liz Earle Young Skin Try-Me Kit, and this is what she thought of it….

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I received this kit from Charlotte at the end of May and I’m far more impressed by it than I expected to be!  I was kind of thinking it would just show me that I wasn’t missing out on anything with my cheapy products.. Wrong 😉

I’ve been using it for three weeks now and I’ve noticed considerable changes…

Before I started using this I had quite a few little spots/bumps on my forehead, noticeable pores around my nose and the little creases around my nose were quite dry and red.  Primer was a necessity as my skin suffered from random flaky patches of skin that weren’t visible until foundation was applied.  I also had some stubborn blackheads on and around my nose and chin… Although I wouldn’t describe my skin as particularly oily it has it’s moments and breakouts are relatively common!

The difference in three weeks is quite dramatic, the pores around my nose appear smaller, noticeably more radiant skin (if I do say so myself!) less blackheads, spots disappear faster, and my odd flaky bits of skin have vanished making primer optional rather than essential!

The hot cloth cleanser is amazing, and boasts ingredients of Rosemary, Chamomile, Cocoa butter and Eucalyptus essentiol oil.

At first I was a little unsure of the consistency as I’d never really used anything like it before, but it soon grew on me as I watched my skin become smoother and softer.  The muslin cloth part of this really makes all the difference, particularly to the radiance factor! The cloth provided in the kit is lovely, really good quality and a great size.  The only down point for me is that I’m not keen on the scent of the cleanser, which is a shame as using it feels lovely and luxurious, and not liking the scent is a little frustrating!  I’d love this so much more if it had the same scent as the toner… Something I’d definitely consider buying full size for myself (which is saying a lot, I’m normally a £5 cleanser girl!)

Next in my new routine was the Skin Tonic Spritzer.  It smells absolutely gorgeous, I’d really like a perfume of it!  The scent really makes this product for me.  The naturally active ingredients are listed as Organic Aloe Vera, Calendula, Cucumber and Vitamin E.  There’s really nothing that this little wonder can’t do, used after cleansing my face felt smoother and softer, used during the day to refresh and cool through this weird British summer it did it’s job perfectly, and it sets make up amazingly!  Wonderful wonderful stuff, incredibly reasonably priced, I can see myself buying this forever more!

The third step is moisturiser, and for this the kit provided me with Skin Repair Light for Combination/Oily skin.  It’s described as “light, gentle and balancing” which I can only agree with.

I tend to have huge issues with moisturiser, I’m really fussy and I want it to do everything, be rich enough to moisturise well, yet still be light enough for it to be absorbed quickly enough to use before applying make up in the morning and more!  This ticks all the boxes, despite not claiming any mattifying qualities it doesn’t leave me shiny, it’s beautifully light yet creamy and it moisturises perfectly, plus I can put primer and make up over the top after just a couple of minutes without it “rolling” off in little bits everywhere!  Again, another top product and an essential one if you struggle with combination/oily skin, or even if you just like a lighter moisturiser in the morning.

The last product in the kit is the “Spot on” which is described as a “rescue treatment for blemishes, bites and cuts”.  I really didn’t like this on my face for spots, sticky and just yuck, for me it doesn’t fit with the luxurious experience the other products provide and that was disappointing.  It smells like any other spot treatment with tea tree and made very little noticeable difference to spots for me.  As you can tell, I was totally unimpressed with this until I got totally attacked with bites that kept me awake most of the night and nothing that I put on made any difference until I tried this, instantly cooling and soothing and it did a really great job considering the nasty allergic reaction I had to the bites!

Overall, an amazing kit to try, would really recommend it to anyone looking for a new routine with gorgeous products!

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Thanks Rachel, a great indepth review!

The Liz Earle Young Skin Try-Me kit is priced at £23 and available online from Liz Earle.

I wanted to get these out quickly in the hope that the photos/swatches over my overspend haul may be useful to those still making up their minds on what they want to order.  But I failed…

I’m not gonna do any proper reviews, I’m just trying to put some shots out there that are as colour accurate as I can manage.

Without further ado…

The Haul!

Stereo Rose MSF – surprisingly wearable on my pale, cool-toned skin.

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