A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

When these polishes were first released, I saw so many positive reviews online and the thing that spoke to me more strongly than the words accompanying them, were the pictures.  I was reading all this good stuff about how amazing they were and all I kept thinking was “but your nails look really bad”.

Case in point…

MyFace Cosmetics Lil’ Bling* nail polish in Pink Champagne is an uber-metallic, high shine polish which benefits from a quick drying time and an opaque finish.  Despite such a pale colour, I was done in two swift coats.  On my hardy nails, wear was average with tip wear setting in on the 3rd day and no chips.

All good things from a high street nail polish that costs less than £6.00.

But the problem is, there just ain’t no denying that it makes my reasonably un-ridged nails look like McCoy’s Man Crisps.

On ridged nails (or my toenails) this could get a whole lot uglier.

MyFace Cosmetics Lil’ Bling polishes (£5.99) come in 16 different shades and are available online at MyFace Cosmetics or instore at Boots.

Do you have any polishes that are awesome in nearly every way bar the most important?

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P.S. see my perpetually peeling index fingernail?  Anyone got any awesome ideas to solve that problem?

* press sample

I’m delighted to be able to bring you an exclusive behind-the-scenes video today, featuring one of the most well-loved names in fashion.

Michael Kors is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his signature fragrance for women: Michael Kors, and in honour of this milestone, the brand have shot a new commercial featuring the enigmatic Karmen Pedaru.  Click play and take a sneak peek behind the scenes of the Mario Testino shoot which features some intimate, playful moments and Michael’s thoughts on just what makes a “signature” fragrance.

Today, September 14th also coincides with the Michael Kors runway show as part of New York Fashion Week (which you can watch live here from 10am EST) and in a celebratory act of fashionable flamboyance, I’d like to offer my lovely readers a rather special giveaway courtesy of the Michael Kors brand.

One reader will win a specially issued Signature Bottle of Michael Kors Fragrance for Women, signed by the man himself, of which there are only 10 in existence!

To enter, answer this simple question:

How many years ago did Michael Kors release his Signature Fragrance?

Error: Contact form not found.

Good Luck!

T&C
1. All international entries welcome by using the entry form above only.
2. One winner will be picked at random from all entries that provide an answer to the question.
3. One entry per email address.
4. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
5. Competition closes on Wednesday 28th September 2011 at 23.59.
6. Winner will be notified by email within 5 days of the close of the competition.
7. No email addresses will be stored once the competition has closed and will only be used to contact the winner.

Life is taken too seriously and Bootie  Babe Cosmetics are clearly here to remedy that problem.

President and CEO Mark O’Hara wanted to create a humorous, bold and unique beauty product to stand out from the competition and thus, twelve bootie-shaped nail polish bottles were born.

The shades are priced at $9 each and include the enticingly titled: Hella Baloo, Purp Slurp, Mean Tangerine, Lilac Lunatic and Slinky Pinky.

EDIT: Bootie Babe Cosmetics will ship orders internationally, prices are as stated on the website.

There’s no getting around the fact that our mutual addiction to all things ‘beautiful’ is an expensive one.  In an industry driven by fashion, technology and innovation, there will always be new products vying for space on our wishlists but never enough money to tick them all off.

The concept of group-buying has been growing in popularity over the last couple of years and there are many websites out there that offer deals on the basis that they will be supplying a single offer to a group collective at a lower than RRP price. Many of the beauty-related deals focus on experiences rather than material goods: haircuts, spa treatments and manicures (fishy or otherwise) and I’ve enjoyed many of the above at a lower price thanks to these websites.

BuyaPowa.com is a brand new site that enables shoppers like you and me to engage in ‘collective-buying’ and demand the same bulk-buy discounts that retailers enjoy. On initial inspection, these ‘co-buys’ appear to operate from the same starting-point as the other group-buying websites.  But there are some important differences…

1. The final price of any product drops as more people join the ‘co-buys’ and the person who brings the most people into any given co-buy receives their product for free.  A genuine opportunity to drive prices down with the help of those social-networking tools we all spend too much time on.

2. Alternative group-buying deals are generally focused on regional areas served by a particular salon or establishment but because BuyaPowa.com is product-centric, they offer deals to a national audience.

3. BuyaPowa.com have integrated a system into the site that encourages users to submit their requests for products they would like to purchase through a BuyaPowa.com ‘co-buy’.  This request is visible to other members who can join in and offer support for your submission. If enough people give your request a virtual thumbs up, BuyaPowa will set the wheels in motion towards getting a co-buy together.

It’s this 3rd difference that really has me interested in the BuyaPowa.com concept and is what sets them apart from other group-buying websites.  Something that utilises a community’s shared opinion and buying power in a unique and more importantly, useful way strikes a chord with me and is what I want to focus on in the remainder of this post.

Watch this short video for more information on how the BuyaPowa.com concept works

For a current example of a beauty ‘co-buy’, they’ve got a Burts Bees one live right now which is on its way to finishing at a discount of up to 53%.

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Of course, it would be quite easy for them to go ahead and buy up a bunch of discontinued stock at a low price and flog it on like other online beauty discounters. Infact, I’ve quizzed them on how realistic it would be for them to approach high-end beauty brands and their response showed me that this is precisely the kind of feat they’re trying to achieve.  Of course, they can’t guarantee that every brand will be interested in our requests but to achieve this kind of shopping revolution, they’re going to need our help to convince the brands that WE would buy from them in this way.

Infact, can you imagine how cool this could be for the beauty community online?  Example…

Brand X releases uber new ‘multiple’ at £30 and within hours, some brilliant reader/blogger/you-tuber/twitterer has set up a request on BuyaPowa nagging them to provide a ‘co-buy’.  We all pile in (thanks to the power of social media) and within 24 hours the request receives enough support to elevate it to the attention of BuyaPowa who then approach Brand X to request 100 ‘uber multiples’ before passing on their retailer discount to us.  Get in!

BuyaPowa.com would like to hear our opinions and would love if you could answer one, two or all three of the below questions.

1). What type of proucts would YOU like to buy this way for less?

2). Are there any specific beauty products you love that are over-priced and particularly ripe for bulk-buy discounting?

3). Do you own any products which you now realise you could have bought for less if only something like this had previously been available?

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* this is a sponsored post

Not the classiest way of putting it, but it’s a simple fact of life that people love a bargain.  The killer spring in your step that can only be achieved from walking away with a bagful of goodies you KNOW you couldn’t have afforded at pre-sale prices.  Cheers to that.

My favourite brand for killer sales is Paul & Joe.  Specifically in the Fenwicks store on Bond Street – which in itself, is one of my favourite places to shop in London.  Come sale time, I will physically not leave the city until I’ve walked around it seven times and once more for luck.  I’m still haunted by the fact that some HORRIBLE woman beat me to the last sale bottle of Calamity Jane (JHAG) when I was last in-store.  It all happened in slow-mo — in fact, I think I may have let out a slow-mo “Noooooooooooooo!” as I watched her walk away with my dream.  Bitch.

Anyway… where was I?

Oh yeah, sale goodies.  Some brands are tight as…  while others announce their sales with great flourish.  My favourites are the ones that just silently slip last seasons goodies into a little box on the counter and let you get on with it.  Guerlain are awesome at this.  Lancome, getting better.  The rest?  Well, you can pretty much forget it.

Is it just the case that the brands who don’t put aside last season’s items simply don’t have any stock left?  Or do you think it’s a status ‘thing’.  Do you think it cheapens a brand’s image as ‘high end’ if it discounts their products?

I think it is undoubtedly a question of status but in these cash-strapped times, a real shame that some brands don’t have the foresight to be clever enough to attract new customers in this manner.  There’s no need for all ‘bargain bins’ to look like the ones in Superdrug — you know, you need a hazmat suit to go near those right? — I strongly believe that all brands can do discounts without cheapening the brand image.

And would it pay dividends for the brands in question?  I think so.  From a personal point of view… I started small.  I lived in my local chemist, hoovering up the bargain pencils from Collection 2000, a few months later… as my interest in beauty grew, I moved onto the Revlon.  It’s like drugs.  You know you’re gonna eventually end up on the hard stuff (Chanel) with a bit of puff (BarryM) inbetween to keep you high*.  You just need your dealer to give you that first taste.

And just because drugs and porn** go so delightfully well together (so I’ve heard), I’ll leave you with a little makeup version.  Three exquisite Paul & Joe beauty items, under £25…

Which brands get you running for their sale items and which brands would you give your eyeliner-applying arm to see throw some old stock in a discreet discount box?

* in my experience, brands absolutely love being compared to class A drugs.

** pornography works well too.

I have no idea what the new fragrance by Bottega Veneta smells like — though leathery floral chypre sounds promising — but it’s this short film by director Christian Weber that really gives me the chills.

They say

This film, The Scent, is an intense and compelling visual journey which tells the story of the fragrance.

I say

Slow start, promising middle and a cracking, action-packed finish that would make Bruce Willis proud.  Move over Claudia Winkleman, I’m chasing your Film 2011 gig.

Seriously though, does anyone else a little shiver watching this?

…is precisely what I thought when I downloaded these images.  Truth be told, I was trying some different angles because I knew the usual above eye-level (wobbly chin minimizing) camera angle would completely obliterate the lashes that I worked so hard to apply.

So then I did some shots with the camera pointing up at the lashes, but they were no good ‘cos you could see right up my nose and I’m neither denying nor confirming reports that we had a bogey situation.

So, for the love of God, please don’t think this is an actual pose.

But what I wanted to say was, wheee Red Cherry Lashes!

If you don’t know about Red Cherry lashes, you’re missing out.  It’s more likely that some of my lovely UK readers won’t have heard of them purely because availability isn’t quite so good here in the UK.  I bought these (Red Cherry #600) last week from BuyEyelashes.co.uk and they arrived a few days later.  I do own some other pairs but being the non false lash wearer that I am, I haven’t gotten around to trying them on yet.

Let’s take a closer look at the lashes.

100% Human Hair.  I’m sure this is supposed to be a good thing, they do feel very fluttery and naturalistic but is it just me who wonders exactly where this human hair comes from?  I know you’re thinking India or the Far East but I don’t mean that.  What I’m really thinking about, is the possibility that I’m wearing someone’s bum hair on my face.

Looks good though doesn’t it?

The bands on these Red Cherry #600s are beautifully pliable and thin enough to work with comfortably.  I applied the lashes above with the help of my new Japonesque tool which I bought after Liloo said we all needed one.  It does make a difference, but I’ll blog about that later.

Red Cherry 600s are priced at £3.10 from BuyEyelashes.co.uk, or I have used this eBay seller before for Red Cherry lashes.

So, there we have it.  Bum hair, ridiculously thick eyeliner (that thing where you make it thicker to go over a booboo) and a picture that makes me look like I’m about to make love to myself.

Have a lovely weekend special people.

If you’ve been umm-ing and ahh-ing over the influx of ‘beauty boxes’ to the market, I’m just about to make your life a little more complicated.

Latest in Beauty were the beauty box scene pioneers.  Back in 2008, I agonised over choosing my first three samples, paid my £1 (taken off my mobile phone bill) and waited with bated breath for my beauty box to pop through the letter box.  A few days later, it did and has over the years introduced me to some great brands like Ginvera, Blinc and Lavera, not to mention cultivating my addiction to Elemis.

The company went through what I’d describe as a ‘wilderness’ period a couple of years ago (a 1ml sachet of sun protection – what’s that gonna protect, my little finger?) but relaunched with a new website, adding more strings to their bow ever since.  Most recently, they’ve introduced the Beauty Insiders Choice Winners Box, where for £4.95 – you will receive 6 products worth in the region of £20 that share the common theme of picking up a trophy at this year’s prestigious Cosmetic Executive Woman awards.

Contained within the Beauty Insiders Choice Winners Box are the following products:

Dr. Organic Rose Otto Skin Lotion (5ml sachet), Clarins Multi-Active Day Early-Wrinkle Correction Cream (15ml tube), Batiste Dry Shampoo (50ml can), Balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash (55ml Bottle), Nivea for Men Q10 Revitalising Gel (15ml tube) and Lanolips 101 Lip Ointment (1g Sachet).

The Clarins is clearly the shining star of the set when it comes to value, 50ml of product usually retails at £38, making a 15ml tube more than cover the outlay for the £4.95 box.  The transparency is refreshing for people who like to know exactly what their money will be buying them, I’m a bit torn – I lurve nothing more than a wonderful surprise but I am also a horrific control freak.  Just ask Mr. L.

This is the first of the new themed boxes produced by Latest in Beauty, so if this one doesn’t grab at your wallet, be sure to check back soon for more.

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As a little sweetener to tempt you into trying, Latest in Beauty have put together a rather delicious prize in the shape of a NARS-A-PALOOZA!

The prize includes:

~ NARS Illuminator in ‘Orgasm’ – £21.50
~ NARS Lipstick in ‘Jungle Red’ – £17.50
~ NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in ‘Carthage’ – £18.50
~ NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in ‘Bolero’ – £17.50
~ NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in ‘Queen’ – £16.50

…worth £91.50 in total!

This lovely lot will go to ONE person who orders a CEW box from latestinbeauty.com using the exclusive code LIPGLOSSIPING before 30th September.  Only one entry per person and DON’T FORGET THE CODE!  Good Luck!

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What are your thoughts on the Latest in Beauty CEW Beauty Insiders Choice Winners Box?

* press sample

Clarins have released a radiance powder this Autumn which promises to melt into the skin for a naturally radiant complexion.  For a dry-skinned gal like me, those claims make my heart beat just a little bit faster.

Let’s take a look at their new and limited Color Definition 3D Radiance Face Powder…

The theory behind the varying hues in the palette remind me of my Guerlain Meteorites.  My understanding of this colour correction is that the lilac tones should normalize any sallowness while the deeper pink will give a lift/highlight to the complexion.  Those harder working pixels sit on a base combination of beige and peach to create an overall luminous finish.

Isn’t it pretty?  OK, so it’s lacking the WOW! factor that the Guerlain delivers but as a Computer Repair chick in my alternate life, that pixellation speaks to me.

The packaging is as luxe as you would expect from Clarins, the signature pale gold – so shiny that the outside totally works as a mirror.  I should know, I plucked my eyebrows using it because I was both too lazy to find my proper mirror OR actually bother opening the compact to use the ‘proper’ mirror provided.

The Color Definition 3D Radiance Face Powder is firmly textured, I don’t get any product dust when sweeping my brush over the surface.  I’d recommend using a natural hair brush to pick up the powder as you could well be there all day with something that doesn’t grab product so efficiently.

The effect is subtle but noticeable, it seems to soften the effect of my pores but unlike my Guerlain Meteorites, leaves behind no trace of sparkle.  If you’ve always wanted the luminizing, softening effect of the Meteorites but were concerned about the sparkle, this could be the product you’ve been waiting for.  There *is* sparkle in the peach shade (the indented parts of the palette) but this doesn’t seem visible on my skin.

The swatch shows it looking quite pigmented, but it’s not – You’d have great difficulty using this as a blush… which is just as well really, seeing as it, err, isn’t one.

Overall, this is a really strong offering from Clarins and if there is nothing similar in their core product line, it SO shouldn’t be Limited Edition.  I’m flagging this one up as something that should be checked out on counter ASAP – it’s cheaper than the Guerlain, sensitive noses will be pleased to hear that this isn’t highly-scented and will be more forgiving on oilier skins.  It’s a realistic and worthy alternative to the iconic Guerlain Meteorites.

A FOTD showing a sheer/medium coverage foundation with the Clarins face powder dusted ontop (and a bit of a “Tim Nice but Dim” smile).

Clarins Color Definition 3D Radiance Face Powder is regularly priced at £30 and available on counter and online from Clarins, FeelUnique (*cough* £27) and Escentual.com (£24 *chokes*)

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* press sample

With London Fashion Week just a week away, everyone’s going catwalk-crazy, but for us beauty-lovers, we’re more drawn to the latest winged liner shapes and nail trends than the cut of the cloth.

The PR gang at Benefit are offering ONE lucky beauty fan the chance to rub shoulders with the industry elite with a ticket to London Fashion Week where they’ll be able to join the Benefit team and *cough* me *cough* (booby prize) to watch the Jean Pierre Braganza show live!

Click to like their facebook page and follow the instructions to enter!  Good luck!

There’s nothing like an el-cheapo nail polish to quench that insatiable itch to buy something.  I was walking round town last week and felt the need to scratch.  Still recovering from the new lens purchase (it may be some time), I dived into Superdrug for something that wouldn’t break the bank and emerged triumphant with this little beauty…

…BeautyUK to be precise.  Voodoo – No. 55 (£1.99) is an absolute cracking shade for Autumn, a deep russet with a playful shimmer that glows in the right light.  Two coats to achieve opacity, I did get a tiny bit of bubbling on one nail which made me a little more careful with the application than I might normally be.

After admiring my manicure for half a day, I decided, beautiful though it is, I wanted moar Autumn.  I dug out my Inglot Flakie #205 and slapped on a coat…

Now we’re talking!  I see toffee apples, fallen leaves, crisp afternoons and misty mornings.  Brrr… c’mon Autumn, I’m ready for you!

Are you ready for Autumn?  Digging out your vampier shades yet?

Vogue’s Fashion Night Out is once again upon us, and in celebration of the occasion, Chanel have created an exclusive nail trio that pays homage to our love for the quintessentially chic, denim jean.

Perfect for the ombre nail trend, the three shades graduate from the medium to the very pale blue and promise to capture the essence of our well-worn old faithfuls.

Blue Rebel, Blue Boy and Coco Blue are available in Selfridges W1, Chanel Bond Street and Selfridges boutiques from today, priced at £17.50 each.

The trio will see a wider roll-out to Chanel Makeup Studios in: Harrods, Fenwicks Newcastle and House of Fraser Glasgow as well as Chanel fashion boutiques from 10th September 2011

Do you have a favourite?