A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

So, this is it…

The Holy Grail of cleansers.. used by celebrities, models, MUA and now me.

Does it live up to the hype?

Actually it is pretty awesome.

However, let’s be clear – this ain’t some miracle “1 swipe all makeup gone” cleanser… which although tempting to imagine, is utter nonsense.  Infact, I don’t find it as effective on my eyes as my Boots Botanics eye makeup remover (the dual phase one) but let’s not forget that Bioderma is working it’s magic without the help of various oils.

This stuff is plain Jane. If it didn’t have a label on it announcing the contents – I could easily mistake it for half a litre of Evian.  It’s odourless and colourless with a texture just like water.

And this is where it’s greatest strength lies, it is incredibly gentle on the delicate eye area and does a good job at removing all sorts of makeup including waterproof mascara.  I still cleanse afterwards with water and whatever happens to be “cleanser of the month” sitting by my sink… but this is just so handy to dip a q-tip into to neaten up your eyemakeup or lipline.

There’s gonna be someone out there who’s skin is sensitive to this stuff… but I’d be happy to bet they’re few and far between.  After cleansing, my skin feels clean, non-tacky, non-oily and surprisingly soothed and moisturised.  If I ever go camping or backpacking (heaven forbid) I’d make sure this was safely packed before I’d even think about packing knickers.

Bioderma have recently rebranded this from “Crealine” to “Sensibio” so if you’re after a bottle, make sure you look out for either name – they’re the same product.

You can purchase a 500ml bottle from the UK at LeGuideSante for a reasonable £8.45 however shipping is a prohibitive £6.50.  Better yet, bribe someone holidaying in France to look it up for you and bring it back as a pressie (like I did – fanks Mum!)

[starreview tpl=14]

Now, despite fears that I may sound like your Mum… I HAVE to talk to you about sanitary wear, are you sitting comfortably?  Not fidgeting?  Good.  Now listen up.

Exciting news!

Bodyform are launching a new “Campaign for Confidence” and are very understanding of the fact that when us ladies look good, we feel good.  In light of that, they’re treating us to the latest lip gloss in two gorgeous, autumn shades.

Yes, you read that right!

From the 12th October you can snap up a Limited Edition Jemma Kidd Lip Gloss absolutely free with special packs of Bodyform!

The lip glosses come in 2 shades (Orchid & Rose) and are worth £10 each from the Jemma Kidd Makeup School range.

The limited edition packs will be available from the 12th October in all good supermarkets and pharmacies and will no doubt be in high demand so make sure you don’t delay!

Also featuring on these LE packs is some useful information on symptom awareness from The Eve Appeal, a charity working hard to raise funds into research for gynaecological cancers.  Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in women in the UK, so greater awareness of all gynaecological cancers should be of interest to every woman.

As if that wasn’t enough… I have a little “bodyform inspired” giveaway coming up, further details of that in the next few days!  Too exciting!

Bounce with me xx

I generally balk at the prospect of paying more than £8 for a high street/drug store product, but I had seen/read a few reviews of the new L’oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer and was too excited by the “resurfacing” claims not to at least check it out.

My skin isn’t too bad and I’m generally fairly content with it… however, improvements can always be made right? and the thought of poreless, mattified smooth skin was one temptation too far.  So, I left Superdrug clutching my little 15ml pot of miracles whilst trying not to growl too loudly at the £12.99 receipt sat in the bottom of the bag.

Please excuse the stock image, I’ve still got the sniffles and the thought of digging out my camera feels far too energetic!

The consistency reminds me of a slightly less fluffy Maybelline Dream Mousse product, it’s a pale pink colour and a little goes quite a long way as it spreads smoothly and easily across the skin.  It feels quite heavy thanks to the silicones, although this feeling does fade after a little while you’ll be pleased to hear.  After application, my skin feels very velvety and soft – but unfortunately, that feeling fades aswell.

L’oreal say:

Inspired by professional make-up, this primer masks wrinkles and uneven textures in the skin, making the complexion incredibly smooth with a velvety touch. Skin feels soft as if resurfaced.

The high elastomer content in the Smoothing Primer means that it has a beautifully smooth texture and is incredibly effective at disguising wrinkles and pores. The combination of soft, light powders gives a matte look and a silky finish.

Bold claims huh?

Well, this is where I stop talking and let you decide.  I’ve uploaded a picture… a great big massive ugly close up picture.  Here are my pores and wrinkles for all the world to see.  I’ve primed half my face with this product before applying my foundation whilst the other half has the foundation applied on bare skin.

Please excuse the wild hair and slightly goofy bug-eyed expression – my camera’s wide angle lens is not the most flattering (but great for pinpoint focusing accuracy on those pores!)

Click the image to make it SUPER-SIZED! (if you dare)

Are you back? Do you need therapy?

So what do you think?  Is there a discernible difference?  If there is… is it worth £12.99 of your money?

Personally, I don’t think I’ll bother repurchasing.

Tell me what you think!

Are you an organic kinda gal? If so, you’ll be particularly interested to hear about Cargo’s new Plant Love Collection which will be available in the UK exclusively from organic beauty boutique Puresha from the 30th September onwards.

Plant Love is the first Ecocert™ premium makeup line to be launched in the UK, and Puresha are (understandably) rather excited about it!

They say:

PlantLove™ combines earth-friendly formulations and packaging with CARGO’s dedication to creating professional-grade make-up, for a line of cosmetics that represents true beauty with conscience. One brand, with so many benefits. The entire PlantLove™ Collection is natural in origin. 

PlantLove™is free of parabens, phthalates, petro-chemicals, synthetic dyes and fragrances.  The cosmetics are only manufactured in countries with solid environmental and product labour records.  This means that PlantLove™ is entirely in harmony with the Earth.

The collection includes:

Natural Origin Lipstick – £12 (available in 20 shades, 11 of which are celeb-designed)
Natural Origin Loose Powder Foundation – £16 (Talc-free and infused with natural oils – 5 shades)
Natural Origin Pressed Powder – £16 (infused with organic olive fruit extract – 2 shades)
Natural Origin Bronzer – £15 (made with all natural terracotta ingredients and baked for eight hours)
Natural Origin Baked Illuminator – £15 (a blend of blush, bronzer and highlighter in one – 3 shades)
Natural Origin Blush – £14 (rich in natural Karanja Oil, Argan Oil and Grape Seed Oil – 6 shades)
Natural Origin Lip Gloss – £12 (high-shine in a non-sticky texture – 8 floral inspired shades)
Natural Origin Lipliner – £10 (formulated with Organic Beeswax and Jojoba Oil – 2 shades)
Natural Origin Lip Balm – £8 (infused with Organic Cocoa Butter, Beeswax & Grapefruit Extract)
Natural Origin Eye Shadow – £11 (available in 18 shades inspired by tropical gardens)
Natural Origin Eye Liner – £10 (available in six easy-to-wear shades)
Green Goddess Collection – £22 (A collection of 4 eye shadows and 2 blushes)

The lippies hold particular interest for me, 11 of the available 20 shades have been celebrity-designed.  “Celebrity-designed” products usually make for popular choices, so I’ll be very interested to hear how these fare.

I’ve scoured the net for some images to get more of a feel for the collection, and would like to share what I’ve found with you!

How cute does this look?

Cargo Plant Love Baked Illuminator in Fire (£15)

I’m a total sucker for baked products and this looks like it might flatter my pale skin-tone really nicely without just being a highlight product.

Pretty! This is Cargo’s Plant Love blush in Peony.  I’m fairly new to Cargo products in general, but am already a fan of their blush formula which is finely-milled and long lasting.  I hope these live up to their parent company’s existing line!

The last product I’ll show you is the Green Goddess Collection, I love the convenience of palettes, but they often disappoint by usually containing 1 or 2 bogey shades!

This one certainly doesn’t seem to be suffering from that problem with a selection of lovely, easy-to-wear shades.

Hand on heart, I can’t say that I get particularly excited by the word ‘organic’, if anything I’m usually a little sceptical as to whether the products may sacrifice quality in return for their ECO-credentials but CARGO Cosmetics are a well-respected Canadian brand that have already achieved a good reputation for quality cosmetics.

Not only that, but the more I’ve read about and dribbled over the images of the products in the collection – the more hopeful I’ve become that these won’t disappoint.  I’m already in love with the cute retro yet modern packaging – which incidentally is made from a special plastic manufactured entirely from plant materials (not petroleum).  Now, that’s what you call innovation!

Available from the 30th September exclusively from Puresha.com

So, after reading this kind comment from Ceona on my last FOTD post:

I love this palette and the way you’ve used it. So tempted to get one myself. I’m not sure about that blue though, how would you use it with the other colours? I am stuck in a brown/bronze/gold eyeshadow rut.

I realised that I too was mostly stuck in a bronze/gold shadow rut… but I’m loving it and don’t wanna leave, especially now Autumn is drawing near with all it’s bronzey shades! So, instead I thought I’d spice it up a little by using the blue in the palette foiled (wet) as a liner.

I *think* it works, although I’d probably use the same gold on the lower lashline as I did on the lids next time.

Used:

Kryolan Shades Palette in Santiago

Hope the shadows aren’t too distracting, I did this quite late at night and had to use my (bounced) flash to light my face.

Happy roast dinner day! (although I’ve got baked potato, so I dunno why I’m getting all excited..)

Before being gifted some of these Color Sensational lippies at the recent Maybelline event, I’d heard about this range from other bloggers on t’internet and had rushed out to purchase #112 Ambre Rose.

My experiences with this “lippie du jour” had been really good. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did (I thought the same about GOSH Darling too). Aside from the simple prettiness of the shade, I found it to be non-drying, easy to apply, nicely pigmented and carrying a gorgeous vanilla scent. Longevity is average for a high-street brand and I’m not ashamed to reapply in public thanks to the pretty case.

Now onto some swatches of just a few of the 26 available shades.

Out of the 7:

#730 (Golden Brown) and #420 (Coral Pop) are not flattering to my cool skintone.

#125 (Shimmer Pink) is beautiful, but a little too shimmery for me.

#148 (Summer Pink) is a little too bright for me to wear comfortably.

which leaves…

#112 (Ambre Rose), #165 (Pink Hurricane) & #240 (Galactic Mauve) as stand out shades for me.  These would really compliment any cool toned ladies out there.

I do wanna say though, #420 (Coral Pop) is a stonking shade for warmer skintones… I’m particularly grumpy about the fact that it doesn’t suit me very well.

Application and formula-wise, they’re consistently good.  If you want a lippie on a budget that you can tote around in your handbag for touch ups on the go, I recommend this line with complete conviction.

I haven’t tried any of the ‘stronger’ shades like #530 (Fatal Red) or #315 (Rich Plum) so I can’t comment on things like bleeding into the lip line, but if these 7 are indicative of the rest of the lineup, I can happily state that wear seems to be nice and even.

I’ll be hunting down a few more shades (especially whilst the 3for2 is still on at Boots) – #108 Pink Pearl (can’t find it and it isn’t even in stock on Boots.com), #132 Sweet Pink, #245 Magic Mauve (possibly) & #605 Precious Beige. 

There’s also a few US only shades that I’m scouring eBay for.

I wasn’t a massive fan of Maybelline’s other new release Pulse Perfection Mascara (although if you are, grab a £1.50 off coupon here) so I’m delighted to be able to enthuse about these!

Available from Boots, Superdrug et al and currently priced at £6.84ea.

I’m a lazy girl.. I hate reapplying lipsticks, so I do have a fondness for long-lasting lip colours.

I picked these glosses up in Superdrug a few weeks ago after falling in love with the shades whilst noseying through the Sleek stand.

Purity (on the left) and Christobell (on the right)

Purity is a lovely creamy dusky nude shade on my lips, whilst Christobell is a pale silvery pink with lots of shimmer.

Sleek say:

…Wonderlast Duo Lipgloss will equip you with a long lasting high gloss pout, allowing you to face the battles of the day without the endless need for reapplication. A lustrous, hydrating and long-lasting lip gloss. Available in 8 shades…

The idea behind this gloss is not a new one… Revlon released a version earlier this year (Colorstay Liquid Lipstick – which I’m a fan of), Maybelline does one (Superstay Lip Color) and even GOSH had one called Everlasting Lips (not sure if that’s still available).

Anyway, how do these glosses stand up to their claims?

First up, we have “Purity”:

Purity, with and without the gloss topcoat.

Well, firstly.. the shade is true to the tube and it applied smoothly.  However, I could instantly feel my lips reacting to the drying lipcolour.  Even with the gloss attempting to disguise the furrows… the drying effects are still visible.

I LOVE the clear gloss topcoat though, it’s smooth almost creamy and completely non-sticky – great stuff!

Moving on to “Christobell”…

Sorry… Did someone just post a picture of a cat’s bumhole?

Erm… check that out!  Way to age my lips by about 30 years, thanks Sleek!  The gloss does do quite a good job of disguising this though.  I’ll just have to walk around with a constant smile on my face to stretch out that skin.

One problem though… one BIG problem…

WTF is that? 5 minutes later… I felt my lips becoming “gritty” and this is what greeted me in the mirror.  Attractive no?  Just gonna go see if my husband fancies a snog…

This shade has done this before for me, I’m not sure if it’s an application issue or if I’ve got an odd tube.  I *think* it’s when I apply more than one coat of the colour.  But you HAVE to if you want to achieve anything near the intensity it looks in the tube as this shade is quite sheer.

As for longevity, it’s not bad.. but it’s not the best.  Revlon Liquid Lipstick wins that one for me (although also drying).  I would say that these Wonderlast Duo Lipglosses last an average of 3 hours on me before fading.  They also fade a little unevenly, so you may find yourself scrubbing away at your lips with the back of your hand well before the 3hrs are up.

Removal can be tricky (as with all of these types of product) But I overcome this by using my fingertip with a slick of cleansing oil or some other dual-phase makeup remover.

I’m disappointed that I’m not happier with these lipglosses, at a price of £3.91 each they’re an absolute steal and I’ve already declared my adoration for the 2 shades above.

However cat bum lips simply won’t do and if we lived in the U.S. I’d demand my money back for Sleek being so cheeky as to claim they’re “hydrating”.

I *may* repurchase Purity for the shade and to use the gloss coat ontop of other lipsticks but Christobell is a total no-no for me.

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Another new release for Autumn/Winter 2009 is Urban Decay’s new Ink For Eyes, a highly pigmented cream liner available in 6 different colours for the party season!

I received 3 of the latest shades to try out and share my thoughts with you.

They Say:

It’s everything you want in a cream eyeliner! More precise than a pencil, more forgiving than a liquid, this super-smooth formula offers more control, play time, and buildable coverage than your average liner.

What’s our secret ingredient? Nylon 12! This high-tech polymer decreases drag for flawless application (no skips or smears), while softening and absorbing excess oil. Color glides easily and stays true all day long. And, the formula is paraben-free!

Let’s have a look at these lovely new offerings then…

Very pretty no?

From left to right: Loaded (Deep Green), Demolition (Rich Brown), Binge (Midnight Blue)

One of the first things that struck me is the brush included with each liner.  It’s really rather decent! See for yourselves:

You can achieve good precision with the brush end and the smudger is as good as anything I own to create a smokier look.

Here’s a swatch of the brown.. check out that pigmentation!

The top line shows 2 swipes of the liner whilst the bottom line is 1 swipe and then smudged out using the smudger tip.

The product applies smoothly with absolutely no drag on the eyelid I’m pleased to report.  There’s nothing worse than a product which is too hard and drags on the delicate skin… my pet hate for any liner!

Here, I’ve lined the top and bottom lashlines fairly heavily (for a night-time look) and I’ve smoked out the lower for a more sultry effect.

This is where the product excels… I LOVE this liner for a smokier/smudgier ‘rock chick’ look.  It also works well as a cream eyeshadow when smudged gently over the upper lid… it blends beautifully.

If you’re a fan of these kind of liners… then I don’t see how these could fail to please!  Beautifully packaged with a decent brush and useful mirror, whilst the product itself is nicely pigmented and very soft, creamy and easy to apply.

My only gripe with the Urban Decay Ink For Eyes is the same gripe I have with a lot of cream liners.  Transfer.

This doesn’t set too well.  I’d recommend a touch of translucent powder or eyeshadow in a similar shade to limit transfer on your mobile lids (especially if you have hooded eyelids like me).  Having said that, once smudged out a bit… I had no problems with further smudging or transfer on the lower lashline.

Colour-wise, I’m really tempted by the eggplant shade (Empire) for some gorgeous smoky Autumnal looks, which shade is your favourite?

Available from the usual Urban Decay stockists and priced at £14 each.

A couple of weeeks ago whilst killing some time waiting to head off to the Maybelline event… Myself, Sian, Sophie, Lydia & Leanne spent a little time browsing Charles Fox in Covent Garden.

I spied upon this little palette and loved it’s metallic sheen  and wearable Autumnal shades.  Upon closer inspection it turned out to be a Kryolan “Shades” Palette in Santiago.

Pretty no?  I love the inclusion of the dark blue over there on the right… great addition.  And the brush that comes with the palette isn’t completely useless either which is more than refreshing!  I can’t remember the exact price but it was around £15.

Here’s yesterday’s FOTD using the above palette.  Apologies for focusing on the wrong eye & then being too lazy to retake.

Products Used:

Eyes:

~ Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
~ Kryolan Santiago Shades Palette (palest gold on lid/khaki gold in crease)
~ MAC Fluidline in Sweet Sage on upper lid
~ MAC Fluidline in Waveline on lower lashline
~ Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

Face:

~ Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation (still giving this some love… review to come soon)
~ Silk Naturals Maybe Baby Blush (Mac Blushbaby Clone)
~ MAC Blush in Honour (swept gently over the top of Maybe Baby)

Lips:

~ Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion
~ GOSH Darling Lipstick

Do you own any Kryolan goodies?

A cheapie I picked up from the clearance stand at Sallys (anyone else make a beeline for that little stand?)

Moon Over Mumbai was released as part of the OPI Indian Collection and was one of the first ultra light greys on the market.

It’s a very pale cold grey with a slight shimmer.  I’d call it a pale pearl grey… very lovely!

It’s unfortunately (for me) rather sheer.  The above shows 5 coats and it’s still not fully opaque, although close enough.  Longevity is VERY good though… 5 days and counting with no top coat! (I’m so lazy)

Are you a fan of greys?

Synonymous with the brand (and highly regarded) is Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion, so I was excited to get the chance to test and review some of their latest primers.

Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion is a new release to coincide with their Autumn/Winter collection…

They say:

Prepare your lips for the day ahead. Our invisible primer lays a silky foundation for your favorite lipstick or gloss. Color is truer, applies smoother, lasts longer, and will not fade or feather. The easy-glide formula feels velvety-soft, without the drying feeling often associated with long-lasting lip color.

The formula includes SPF 15 (yay!) and moisturizing Vitamins A, C and E for a primer that protects and perfects. And, our pretty roll-up tube and slanted bullet make for precise, easy application.

It’s a concealer coloured unassuming little product decked out in Urban Decay’s trademark pretty purple packaging.  All very nice, but does it actually do anything?

Let’s put it to the test!

First of all, let me introduce you to my bare lips.  I make no apologies for the total lack of makeup… it’s a Sunday and I couldn’t be bothered.

You’ll notice that I have a very full bottom lip (and not much top lip unfortunately).  This really causes quite a problem for me with lipsticks, especially pale ones.  The inner part of my bottom lip is highly pigmented in comparison to the rest of the lip (see the redder bit?).  Lipsticks simply don’t stick to that part of my lip which isn’t too much of a problem if the shade is dark enough… but if I’m wearing a nude or pale lip, you can spot where the lipstick hasn’t applied properly from a mile away.

I also have dry lips and some deep creases which I put down to a 20-a-day cigarette habit that lasted nearly 15 years.

The only lip primers I’ve ever tried in the past have been those plumping stinging ones, so I was interested to put Urban Decay’s Lip Primer Potion to the ultimate test!

Firstly…

I applied a lip scrub (I keep thinking Dr. Evil when I look at this picture).  I use a minty sugar based scrub from Earthen Glow Minerals.

Then I generously applied the primer all over my lips… Look! The red bit isn’t quite so noticeable! It created a nice even base without giving concealer lips!

Applying Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout, a lovely shade that I’ve barely worn because of my uneven pigmentation problem.  I found that the primer helped smooth the application of this matte which drags more than most lipsticks.

Finished! Apologies for looking so smug here… not quite sure why that is…

Final thoughts:

I’m very pleased to have discovered this product!  It offers a solution to my uneven pigmentation problem and that is the one thing I really hoped it would solve.  I’m not convinced that my lipstick lasted longer than usual… but it definitely faded evenly instead of leaving a ring around the edge of my lips as per usual.

Unfortunately, I found the actual primer itself quite hard to apply, a little bit draggy.  I also didn’t feel that it was very moisturising on my dry lips which was one of the promises made.  I did try the primer again with a waxy lip balm underneath and that definitely eased the dryness.. but worked against the whole priming effect so obviously not a very good solution!  I shall try a more cream-like lip moisturiser (think Body Shop) and see if that helps at all.

Would I purchase this?  Yes.  I’ve never found anything that evens out my lip pigmentation so EFFECTIVELY without completely drying my lips out or wearing off rapidly (concealer).  For me at least, this is a product that will change how I wear lipstick.  I will have far more confidence in pale lips without reapplying constantly and trying to grind the colour into a uniform application.  That’s a HUGE breakthrough for me!

Now… Urban Decay, listen up… please could you squeeze a little more moisturiser into it for old scabby-lipped ladies like me?

Available from the usual Urban Decay stockists and priced at £10

I received this to try a couple of weeks ago and thought it was high time I shared my thoughts on one of the newest lash primers to hit the UK market: Urban Decay’s Eyelash Primer Potion

They say:

Wave this magic wand before your favorite mascara for lashes that appear thicker, longer and stronger… right before your very eyes. Tiny fibers band together, cling to every lash, and construct towers of Babel… reaching for heavenly lashes. Just apply Eyelash Primer Potion, then apply your favorite mascara as usual. Your lashes will look fake, but the magic is real.

Our protein-rich and paraben-free formula conditions, fortifies, and thickens lashes with Silk Protein, Panthenol, and Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein.

As always from Urban Decay we’re treated to some pretty packaging… call me a sucker, I can’t help it – curb appeal counts!

You can see the little fibres clinging to the brush.  If you’ve experienced sensitivity with fibre mascaras in the past you may want to exercise some caution with this primer.  I had no sensitivity problems.

One set of lashes bare and one coated with the primer… is this what I’m gonna look like in 40 years?

Ta-da!  This is one coat of mascara on each set of lashes.  The Primer’d lashes are the ones on your right (like you need telling).  So, does Urban Decay’s new Eyelash Primer make a difference for me? Um yeah!

The effect is possibly a little clumpy for my personal taste, so next time I would definitely comb them through after applying… it’s also quite a heavy product, so if you curl your lashes, you may find this weighs them down.  I was pleased to note that the eyelashes with the primer on didn’t feel any more brittle or ‘crunchy’ than the other side.

I can’t easily test the claims of lash fortifying and thickening… but they sound like bonus qualities I’d want my lash primer to have.

Priced at £10 and available from the usual Urban Decay stockists.