A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Marian Newman is an acclaimed session manicurist of many years standing and has worked with a ton of legendary photographers, models and celebrities.  She was the first UK nail technician to work on the top level fashion shows and her work continued in this year’s London Fashion Week when she demonstrated some on trend looks with Ruby & Millie as her polish of choice.

I’m loving these custom polish mixes for the catwalks and ‘Black Tulip’ is no exception:

The Look:
Black Tulip is for strong, confident ‘grown up’ women.  Longer and perfectly oval glamorous nails matching a strong  lip.  The deepest purple; reading black but with a glimmer of luscious purple in the light.

Ruby & Millie Nail Color:
Mix Nail Color Blue 620C and Nail Color Purple 550C – Price: £9.50 each

Marian’s Top Tip:
“The Black Tulip is a deep ‘midnight’ with just a hint of purple. The purple only appears in certain lights.  The key to this looking so fabulous is a smooth nail, smooth finish and a super glossy top coat. It should look almost PVC.”

I can totally imagine this for AW/10… purples are usually hot anyway but it’s lovely to see such a vampy colour wearing well on longer nails.

Problem is, I’m far too lazy to franken polishes… so Ruby & Millie need to get their bums in gear and just make sure it’s released at Boots in time for my Christmas Dinner.

…is CND’s Solar Oil!

Recommended to me by the rather lovely Jamilla from MakeupForProfessionalAsianWomen as her salon uses it to nourish her cuticles.  I’m always on the lookout for cuticle softeners (it makes nail painting SO much easier if your cuticles are in good shape) I couldn’t resist picking up a bottle to try.

Almonds, marzipan… gawd I could drink this stuff.  Though I don’t recommend it.

They say:

A synergistic blend of naturally light oils and Vitamin E, designed to deeply penetrate and protect skin and nails.

Jojoba Oil carries Vitamin E deeply into skin to help reduce visible signs of aging. Naturally light oils keep skin soft and supple. Keeps natural nails, nail color and nail enhancements tough and flexible. Repeated use drives oils deeper into natural nail.

It’s been 3 days and I’ve swiped the brush around my cuticles about 9 times maybe and I’m starting to see a huge improvement.

The thing I like most about the CND Solar Oil is how well it absorbs… taking just a few minutes of massaging into the surrounding skin before I can get on with whatever I was doing previously.  By contrast, my LUSH Lemony Flutter takes a good 10 minutes, by which time I’ve usually grabbed a tissue and wiped most of it off.

Time will tell if it’s as effective as my usual methods… but I’m already fairly condident that it’s outperforming.

I’ve got the 0.25oz size which you can pick up from RadiantBabe.co.uk for £5.99

What do you use to nourish your nails?

I first read back in January from the inimitable BeautyWooMe that kings of minimalism Muji were introducing their skincare line into the UK and as a huge fan of Japanese skincare, I was chomping at the bit for the release.

Comprising of two core product ranges:

Sensitive Skin: A hypo-allergenic skincare range formulated for delicate, sensitive skins.

The range is:

• Alcohol-free
• Paraben free
• Unperfumed
• No artifcial colouring
• Free from mineral oils

High Moisture: An intensive moisture rich skincare range formulated for dry skin.

• No artifcial colouring
• No added synthetic fragrances
• Free from mineral oils

The High Moisture range also contains Hyaluronic acid known for its moisturising properties and Lipidure ® (Polyquaternium -51), for locking in moisture, protecting and softening the skin.

In addition to the two core ranges, the skincare line also offers a Cleansing Oil (yippee!), a Cleansing Milk and a Cleansing Gel aswell as some rather nifty facial tools such as a Massager, Face Masks, Eye Masks and ever-useful Cotton Pads.

The skincare range starts from a very reasonable £7.95 and combined with the aesthetically pleasing packaging and somehow satisfying experience I always get from shopping in Muji, I’m gonna be making a beeline for the store every opportunity I get.

Or I could just be lazy and order online.

I have a couple of items that I’m testing at the moment so expect a review shortly!

To celebrate the launch of the Jemma Kidd Make Up School range on QVC, Hi-Shine Hydrating Glosstick SPF15 is EXCLUSIVE to QVC from the 18th April 2010.

Available in 5 shades:  Bridgetown, Hibiscus, Sugar Cane, Holders, Paradise

I love these chisel shaped lippies… ever since my Besame’s, I appreciate how much they aid application straight from the bullet… though I’m not sure they’re really necessary for a more balm-like product as this.

The Jemma Kidd Gloss Sticks promise a super sheer wash of colour for lips with a hi-shine gloss finish and light reflecting particles to give the illusion of fullness.

Jemma will be presenting a special two hour launch show today on QVC’s Beauty Day.

HI-SHINE HYDRATING GLOSSTICK SPF15, £13.00 available via your telly box (don’t make me tell you what channel) and online at QVC

Ringing up the till at £3.99, one of Sleek MakeUP‘s latest product releases is the Kajal.  A deeply pigmented eyeliner made with smudgy smoky looks in mind.

Based on the traditional Southern Asian kohl… Sleek MakeUP’s kajal is a much waxier, crayony affair.  It’s an eyeliner that never needs sharpening and is ready to go with a quick twist of the tube.  Compared to PURE’s now discontinued version, I find Sleek MakeUP’s version a little waxier… not quite so soft to apply but perhaps a touch more waterproof as a result.

I was sent the version in matte Black (Nocturnal).  The Kajal is also available in purple (Odyssey).

As already mentioned, the eyeliner twists up to reveal it’s full length.  It tapers to a smooth point, which is great for applying along the waterline and depending on how you angle the eyeliner during application… you can achieve different effects and amounts of ‘smokiness’.

The swatch on the left shows the Kajal applied directly from the tube, whilst on the right… I’ve smudged the line.  It smudges readily and thus I would only recommend this eyeliner for when precision is not important.  I don’t have particularly watery eyes and found that the Kajal remained happily on my waterline for many hours.

If you’re wanting something soft, easy to apply and richly pigmented for a ‘rock chick’ look (I hate that expression)… then beat your way down to your local Superdrug and pick one of these babies up!

A very beautiful pale greige that I was sent a while ago by the lovely Liloo.

Shown here is 2 coats, and I think it probably needs 3… looked fine indoors but a touch patchy in direct sunlight.  Country Club Khaki is a gorgeously sophisticate creamy greige and definitely in my top 5.  If you’re into the trend, you need this polish in your life!

I find Orly’s brushes a touch on the narrow side, but the formula was completely forgiving and I didn’t have any issues to speak of.

Are you a fan of the trend? I personally love it.  There’s a great looking new Nails Inc shade aswell that I need to tell you about soon!

£6.99 from Beauty4Nails-Body.

I hear that the new Superdrug MUA £1 range *should* be landing in around 80 of Superdrug’s brick and mortar stores on Thursday, I’m not sure which ones will be getting stock… but if you’re passing, pop in and let me know if yours is one of the lucky ones!

Mine doesn’t even have a Sleek MakeUP stand, so I’m not gonna hold my breath!

Also… the entire MUA range will be available to purchase online from Superdrug.com, perhaps this means that they will start adding the full ranges from other brands to the website… I live in hope!

…into beauty brand Elemis!

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a fan of the British luxe brand, but it’s definitely on my ‘treat myself’ list rather than my ‘repurchase regularly’ list.  This stuff is pricey!

However, from the 3rd till the 31st May there’s a rather good deal going on:

The Elemis Rose and Lavender Recovery Regime is a collection of four of Elemis’ top-selling detox products, with some significant savings to be made.

Excuse a little c&p whilst I tell you what each product claims to do:

Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules (60 capsules / worth £58)

These little gems counteract the damaging effects of pollution and help repair the visible signs of ageing. Each capsule contains Moringa Oil which is clinically proven to have 1700% more anti-oxidant power that Evening Primrose Oil when applied to the skin. The pink Rose Absolute ‘day’ capsule restores a youthful bloom, whilst the green Lavender evening’ capsule helps to balance and repair stressed skin whilst you sleep.

Gentle Rose Exfoliator (50ml / worth £25)

Gently exfoliates the skin, smoothing and revitalising the skins surface and is excellent for use before a treatment mask, it removes dead skin cells making the surface of the skin appear smoother and brighter.

Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (15ml / worth £26)

This is Elemis’ no. 1 best selling product globally! This super lightweight anti-ageing moisturiser is perfect day and night. Containing revolutionary Padina Pavonica, a marine algae that has ability to mimic the skin’s function to boost collagen in the skin and give you youthful skin and is proven to reduce wrinkles and increase hydration.

Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream (15ml / worth £31)

Apply before bed, this oxygenating night cream increases oxygen levels and in the skin by up to 41%* to help it regenerate speedily. *Independent Clinical Trials 2006

RRP £58.00 / worth £140 / saving over 55%

Available from 3rd May until 31st May 2010 at Elemis’ official online retailer www.timetospa.co.uk, spas, salons and selected retail stores.

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I’ve personally tried the (infamous) Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and became a huge fan…. but at retail price, I can’t really afford my habit… so continue to look elsewhere.  I am very tempted by this offer though…  If you do take advantage yourself, have a quick google for a discount code for Time to Spa, I know there are some around… but I think they all expire at the end of this month – boo!

The ladies at MUABoutique have slashed the prices of Yaby Lip Colours by 33% for one day only!

Get your order in by midnight tonight if you want to take advantage of the deal.

Touted as the best priced cosmetics collection available in the country, Makeup Academy is set to launch exclusively at Superdrug this month!

The range includes lipsticks, glosses, eyeshadows, mascaras, eye liners, blush, powder and nail polish in shades from neutrals to brights and every shade in between.

I’m really excited to head down to Superdrug and pick some bits up… anything in the promo images caught your eye?

“What a snore!” I proclaimed, looking at Illamasqua’s latest collection, Body Electrics.

It’s not that it’s a bad looking collection… it’s just… not me.

I don’t really do bronzers…. I don’t want liquid metals (regardless of how lovely they look in their pans)… I don’t go anywhere to warrant slathering myself in sparkly body oils and I’m a bit blued and purpled out in the nail polish world too.

I actually really quite like the theory behind the collection…. the dynamics of movement and light reflecting… all great stuff, but I just felt disappointed seeing the theory put into practice.

I received a parcel from Illamasqua containing a couple of pieces from the new collection and to be blunt, I was expecting to give the products a “these are nice but ultimately dull” review based on how uninspiring I’d found them thus far.

I was wrong.

Initially, when I opened the parcel… my spirits weren’t lifted when I pulled out one of the new Nail Polishes in shade Prism.

“Oh… it’s not the purple” thought I… sounding far too much like a spoilt child to admi… oh

I twirled the bottle in my hands, watching the iridescence and blue flashes catch the light…. yeah, it’s pretty… but I kept thinking about my yellow stained nails and how ugly they’d look combined with this blatantly sheer polish I was holding.

Wanna see?

Admitedly, this is 4 coats… 1 coat was as horrible as I’d envisaged.  But this is beautiful.  After a year of solid, opaque polishes to cover up stains and dodgy ridged nails… this is delicate.  It’s like a veil…. it shrouds all the imperfections, but leaves a hint of nail tip and blue irridescence that simply says…. feminine.

Not only that, but the formula is stunning.  This is my first Illamasqua polish… drying time blew me away.  I was able to apply and finish 4 coats in 25 minutes.  Hand on heart, this is probably the greatest formula I’ve used so far.  Whether or not other Illamasqua polishes are the same, I don’t know.

Prism is perfect for weddings, french manicures… it’s one of those polishes for people that don’t like polishes.  If you don’t paint your nails often but want something for those times when you need to up your game… get this polish.  I imagine it would also look rather lovely layered over a dark base too… I shall have to experiment!

Thanks ever so much lovely Illamasqua makeup fairies, a genuinely lovely surprise that simply made a makeup addict’s week!

Available from counters nationwide or online at Illamasqua priced at £13.00

My posts on the launch have been a touch hiccoughy – so here’s a little recap ‘cos I know there’s a lot of interest out there.

~ Launch Announcment & Thoughts

~ Review and lip swatches of Countessa Fluorescent, No She Didn’t & My Beautiful Rocket

Fully launched now, you should be able to find the Lime Crime lipsticks in your local store…. if you do go and have a play with some of the colours, please come back and share your thoughts with me (and everyone else!).

It would be great to get lots of varied feedback because judging by some emails I’ve received… I’m beginning to get the impression that some of you are really interested and excited by the lipsticks but hesitant to display your excitement for fear of ‘going against the tide of opinion’.

That saddens me.

Getting excited about super-bright lipsticks is your prerogative and we should all be excited about beautiful colours and new launches!

The majority of you who come here aren’t beauty bloggers and don’t leave me comments and are infact interested in one thing and one thing only:  “…are they any good ‘cos I don’t wanna waste £14 on a crappy lipstick”.

I say… read my review and then go and try a few shades!  While you’re at it, please come back and let me know what Airborne Unicorn is like ‘cos my nearest Space NK is a shocking 25 miles away.  Yep… feel for me.

And that (you’ll be pleased to hear) is probably my last word on it.