A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I don’t own anything else like this shade.  Nails Inc. Battersea Park is a true hybrid.  It’s a cross between army greens and olive, and it really does apply differently on the nails to how it looks in the bottle (I prefer it applied).

1st coat is very nearly opaque, but if you hold your hand to the light, it looks a little uneven in patches… so for me, is a firm 2-coater.  Application is smooth with no dragging at the cuticles.  I do love these slightly murky creme finishes, they don’t feel very spring-like (I’m still craving some Barielle’s for that. HURRY UP BARIELLE!) but I’m loving them nonetheless.

What are your favourite greens?  Forest? Olive? Shimmer? Pea Soup? Emerald? – Come on, spill… I need some more green in my life.

Back when February was still so new I was calling it January, I blogged about this:

Hei Poa Pur Monoi Beauty Oil, my skin was bone dry at the time and as a fan of most body oils anyway, I was keen to try another.

I ordered from Zuneta and it arrived within two days with a couple of posh samples enclosed as a bonus!

It’s not particularly attractive in it’s solid state, infact… it’s not at all appetising until you unscrew the lid and give it a sniff.  The unmistakable scent of Frangipani fills your nostrils, a beautiful tropical aroma.

So how do you turn it from that solid, waxy-looking state into a warm oily texture ready for use on your skin or your hair?

I fill a jug with hot tap water and simply sit the bottle in the water whilst I’m in the shower.  It takes about 4-5 minutes to melt completely, but you don’t need to melt the whole bottle.  If you only wanted a little, you could be done in 30-40 seconds.

Not a huge thing… but a point of note is that the labelling on the bottle  is waterproof and has so far remained intact despite being submerged countless times!  I hate paper labels on bath products that disintegrate as soon as they get a splash of water on them!

After about a minute in the hot water, I pulled the bottle out and although you can see it’s not completely melted, there’s enough there for one application.

I find the Hei Poa to be a particularly dry body oil, it’s not massively ‘glidey’ and once I’ve started to spread, it drags a touch on my skin.  The flip-side to that is that I’m not left feeling at all greasy.  It’s a trade off that I’m happy with.  The oil leaves my skin feeling noticeably smoother with a beautiful sheen and delicate scent.

I’m a very happy Hei Poa convert!

What to try next?  The ‘golden glow’ version or the shower/bath oil? – decisions, decisions!

Here comes the older, more glam sister…

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin has been out in the US for over a year now, and I’ve been cooling my heels ever since I saw it pop up on Sephora many moons ago!

It promises all the benefits of the original UDPP with a little added pizazz.

They Say:

~ Use it alone; it’s a crease proof shadow!
~ Maximise it’s potential by using it as a highlighter, dab on brow bone, eye corners and cheeks for a radiant finish.
~ Sin works perfectly with any eye shadow and doesn’t show through, experience vibrant colour all day, with absolutely no creasing!

I received the sample of this last week and as a fan of the original, I was keen to see exactly why I’d want to purchase this one instead.

The new-fangled angled (I’m a poet) wand which promises to reach into each dark primer-potion filled corner of your tube.  I was initially sceptical about how putting an angle on the wand would *really* help, but having had a little play at ‘scooping’ from that very bottom jutting out bit, I think it might just work.  I don’t like how it makes the wand more difficult to remove from the tube though, I keep thinking it’s gonna ping primer at me as it pops free.

Swatched beside the original UDPP you can see that it’s a champagne cream with a metallic looking shimmer.  I instantly liked it… what with being a fan of metallic neutrals with a bit of shimmer n’all  😉

It’s quite heavily pigmented and the first thought that struck me was that it may do a better job at evening out skintone on pigmented eyelids better than the original.  I’m only speculating here as I don’t have a particular issue with red eyelids, but it makes a nice neutral base that sheers out well depending on how much you blend.

I really like this worn as a cream eyeshadow combined with a powder crease colour, as you would imagine, the staying power is rather marvellous.

The two primers blended out a little (not completely).

You can see that Sin retains it’s champagne shimmer whilst the original UDPP is well on it’s way to blending invisibly.

I’m an idiot and forgot to take a photo demonstrating how the same eye shadow looked applied over both primers.  I promise I’ll do it before the week is out and just pop up a quick comparison post.  Basically, if you’re applying a shadow over UDPP Sin… it ups the shimmer.  I <3 it, but it’s important to see as it may put you off completely.

I find that staying power for eyeshadows applied ontop is pretty equal for both primers, if there is a difference, it’s not discernible to me.  Blendability is still hard work over Sin and I’m a bit disappointed about that as it’s the only thing I really would have loved to see changed about the original UDPP.

D’yanowot… I’m on the fence about it with regards to my original question: “Why would I purchase this one over the original?”

Don’t get me wrong… I  really like it, there’s nothing for me not to like.  I like neutral, I like shimmer…

Might I sometimes want some of my shimmer eyeshadows even more shimmery… Possibly!

Do I want all my eyeshadows turned a bit shimmery by using it?  Probably not…

Do I want a lovely champagne cream eyeshadow practically guaranteed not to budge in the summer? Yes please!

Would I purchase?  I dunno!  Stop asking me hard questions!!  What say you?

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin is due out next month, priced at £11.50.

I just got mine, well… Leila’s.

Remember, SHD1 for free delivery and PE5P will give you10% off (yeah, I found that one AFTER I ordered)

…I’m cultivating it gently… I don’t want to go all out and mega haul, I’m dipping my toe 1 product at a time.  eBay, QVC, my mother’s makeup collection… nowhere is safe.

Oh hai Laura Geller!

I’m loving your baked goodness!  I’m the happy owner of the above 3 Laura Geller eye products.

L-R: Pink Icing/Devil’s Food Duo, Bewitching Bronze, Eye Rimz Fire Water.

Out of the three, the pink icing duo is my favourite… it’s the most beautiful combo for a neutral eye.

Bewitching Bronze is lovely too but I’m slightly disappointed with the Eye Rimz, as it’s mostly glitter that doesn’t stick too well either as a shadow or a liner.  It’s a gorgeous colour though.

All Laura Geller baked shadows can be used wet or dry, so they’re pretty darn versatile.

Laura Geller are a brand I don’t hear too much about.  The fact that it’s stocked exclusively by QVC in the UK may have something to do with it, rendering it fairly inaccessible.  I’m looking forward to continuing my exploration into the brand.

Are you a Laura Geller fan?  Anything I *must* try?

I’ve received clarification from Urban Decay’s PR representative in the UK.

You’ll be pleased to know…

Debenhams.com will be restocking the Alice in Wonderland on their website. They’re hoping to have this done within the next 2 days, but can’t give an exact time frame.  Advice is to simply keep checking.

The palette will then hit Oxford Street Debenhams on the 28th of February.

On the 1st March, the palette will roll out to Debenhams stores nationwide.  Check to see if your local has a UD counter because if you pop down to your local counter, you’ll also have a (no purchase necessary) chance to win a pair of tickets to see Alice in Wonderland at the cinema.

Please refer to this post for further shopping details.

I hope that eases the confusion x

I’m SO behind with posting things from my lovely IMATS weekend, you’ve seen my NOTD with the flakie on the right, and I’ll do one soon using my blue flakie too

They’re soo pretty, and apply far more smoothly than I thought they would.  It’s not regular glitter where you’re left crying out for a top coat to even out the surface.

In other news, I attempted white nails last night a la Lady Gaga at The Brits only to come to a “WTF am I doing?” revelation halfway through.  Yeah, it was streaking badly.

Also found a NARS Purple Rain dupe in my collection, but I’m not sure if it’s still available to buy… I’ll try and find out before posting it up.

’til tomorrow x

Illamasqua have a hot new competition open… I’ll let the press release give you all the information you need to know.

Check it out:

2010’s hottest new nail colour is in your hands!

Whether it’s the standout shade of your favourite killer heels, your must-have cupcake frosting or the glow of the city skyline, Illamasqua want to hear what inspires your soul.

The UK’s hottest and most talked about make-up brand, Illamasqua is famed for its unique and daringly different collection of cult Nail Varnish colours.

And now they want YOU to get creative.

Illamasqua is asking finger fetishists the world over to submit a description of their dream nail varnish colour, for their chance to make it a reality.

Run in conjunction with luxury retailer, Selfridges, this incredible competition is giving nail varnish fans the world over the opportunity to push their imaginative boundaries further than ever before and design their very own perfect shade.

Entrants must explain in no more than 50 words what inspired their unique choice, and provide an image or photograph to illustrate their big idea.

The prize? Two winners will see their dream colour created and sold exclusively at Illamasqua.com and Selfridges in London, Manchester Trafford and Birmingham from October 2010. In addition, they’ll receive a bottle of their winning colour before anybody else!

The winning entries will be selected by a high-profile judging panel consisting of legendary make-up artist Alex Box, nail artist to the stars Sophy Robson and YouTube sensations Pixiwoo.

The rules:

In 50 words or less, submit a description of your dream colour and the thinking behind it – please include pictures to illustrate your inspiration if possible.

Entries must be submitted in one of the following three ways, no later than 14^th March 2010:

Via email: competition@illamasqua.com

Via blog post: email the link to competition@illamasqua.com

Via mail:

NAIL COMPETITION
c/o Illamasqua
6-8 Amwell St
London
EC1R 1UQ

One entry per person. Competition is open to entrants globally.

The other NARS AW/10 runway look I wanted to share comes from Phillip Lim’s show:

It’s punchy but delicate all at the same time no?

Here’s the lowdown:

INSPIRATION: Disco-punk. “This is a youthful, rebellious look that exudes a strong sense of confidence. Energy radiates within the girls through their makeup with eyes that have a bit of a rock and roll feel,” said designer Phillip Lim whose inspiration stemmed from an image of Blondie’s Debbie Harry.

LOOK: “This look has many layers,” said NARS lead artist Lisa Butler. “The eyes are punchy and edgy while the skin was kept healthy and glowing. The lips are a soft, sheer pink for the elegant punk-rock princess style that Phillip was looking for.”

FACE
•  Riviera Multiple
•  Douceur Blush (NEW for Fall 2010); try Lovejoy or Madly Blush for a similar effect
•  Luxor Multiple

EYES
•  Abyssinia Single Eyeshadow
•  Nymphea Single Eyeshadow
•  Coconut Grove Single Eyeshadow (NEW for Fall 2010); try Bali Single Eyeshadow for a similar effect
•  London Eyeliner Pencil

LIPS
•  Bangkok Pure Matte Lipstick (NEW for Fall 2010); try Sex Machine Velvet Matte Lip Pencil for a similar effect

I’m loving the look of the new matte lipstick but groaning at how long we have to wait for it….

I can totally see Debbie Harry in the inspiration too.  She’s one of my favourite beauty icons ever (along with Jean Seberg, Anna Karina & Edie Sedgwick) so I’m not hugely surprised to find myself in love with this look.

I haven’t posted the Thakoon look ‘cos it’s a bit bronzey nuder and doesn’t do a whole lot for me, but check it out here.

So, Diamond Cosmetics nail polishes have had rave reviews across the pond, and I thought it was high time I picked up a couple for myself!

The first one I’ve tried is Decadence.  The picture below was taken with sunlight streaming through the window, so looks a bit warmer here than real life.

A neutral toned brown shimmer that goes nicely with a cool skintone.  The shimmer is strong as you can see and I love it.  I suppose it’s more of a cool bronze than a plain ol’ brown because of the sparkles.  Note, this isn’t glitter – just shimmer.

I had no issues with application and applied 3 coats to achieve opacity (I apply fairly thin coats, so it may only take 2 coats for you).  The finish is smooth and glossy.  After 3 days (the photo was taken on the 1st full day) I have no chips, but tip wear is quite extensive on a couple of fingers.  We’re talking 2mm easy.

Still, the polishes are priced at £3 each, so I was still pleasently surprised by the quality of the formula and finish.

Have you checked out Diamond Cosmetics polishes yet?

….As of 12.30am on the 21st Feb, the Alice in Wonderland Palette is out of stock on Debenhams.com.  That’s about 12hrs after it was first released right?

How do I know this?  ‘Cos I’ve been umm-ing and ahh-ing all bloody day trying to decide whether or not to purchase the one I’ve had sitting in my basket since lunchtime to keep as a little makeup heirloom for Leila.

At 12.30am, I decided to go for it!

BUGGER!

Hurry up and come back Alice!  Will it be there when I wake up in the morning?

Zomg.

That’s the sound of me toppling off my chair after seeing the AW/10 runway look Francois NARS created for the Marc Jacobs show at NYFW.

I got an email yesterday which contained a couple of the looks from the shows with teeny tiny pictures promising that more pics will follow. I’m like, HELLO! It’s a Friday… you CANNOT leave me waiting ’till Monday like this, these are freaking beautiful!

So, I googled and saw that the creme de la creme of US blogging ladies were already on the case!

There’s 2 looks in particular that I’ve fallen head over heels with, wanna see one of ’em? No? Tough shit.

How sultry is that? Be still my beating heart.

Here’s the details and breakdown of products used:

INSPIRATION: “I was inspired by the film La Vie des Autres. I wanted the models to have a dirty look as if the hair and makeup had been slept in,” said designer Marc Jacobs, who specifically requested Barbarella lipstick to be used on the models’ lips.

LOOK: “This look is what you’d see on a girl from the East Village or St. Germain des Pres – an existentialist with a modern twist,” said NARS Cosmetics Founder and Creative Director François Nars whose application technique included using his fingers to achieve the faded effect. “These girls are sexy and cool. Their makeup looks dirty and worn out as if it has been on all night but still translates beautifully on the runway.”

FACE
•  Sheer Glow Foundation
•  Enchanted Blush (NEW for Summer 2010); try Gina Blush for a similar look

EYES
•  D. Gorgeous Single Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010)
•  Black Moon Eyeliner Pencil
•  Nuits Blanches Eyeliner Stylo
•  Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

LIPS
•  Barbarella Lipstick

See, I didn’t fancy the look of D.Gorgeous when I first saw it… but now I want it (or something simillar). I really need some mattes in my life.

I also TOTALLY need Barbarella, but in the tube it scares me, it looks proper peachy orange.  Any of you lovely ladies have it?  Is it super warm toned?

I’ll post my other fav up on Monday!  I’m off to try and recreate this, I think the difficulty will be stopping the eyes from looking too smoky and heavy, any tips?