A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Back when Justin Bieber was nothing but a twinkle in his Grandfather’s eye, Biba was turning heads as an iconic 70s London store bringing fashion to the high street as the Top Shop of its day. The label is currently enjoying its 2nd relaunch and doing rather well, so much so, that the House of Fraser owned brand is on the cusp of relaunching Biba’s iconic makeup line with a beautiful capsule collection.

Biba Face Palette (34.00)

Six luxurious eyeshadows, a rich oyster pearl highlighter and dewy pink blusher to create alluring and sensuous looks-perfect from dawn unto dusk.

Biba Lipgloss Ring (£15.00)

This chunky cocktail ring will draw admiring glances with its nod to the iconic Biba logo. The lid slides to one side to reveal a shimmery pink gloss for the perfect pout! It can also be used to adorn your bag as a charm.

Biba Baked Eyeshadow Palette (£26.00)

Velvety soft mineral eyeshadows in opulent shades of molten metal and precious jewels. Use a dampened brush for intense long wearing colour.

Biba Luscious Lashes Duo (£18.00)

Biba lashes are sure to make a statement. Two pairs – one show stopping evening pair and one for a more natural day look will ensure that you are never overlooked.

Biba Lip Palette (£24.00)

Luscious and indulgent lip colours in five luxurious shades. Custom blend the lip colour for a unique style all of your own.

Biba Nail Polish Trio (£21.00)

Nail polish is the ultimate finishing touch to any look and these three stand-out shades will add a little something to every outfit.

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So there we have it, the re-launch of Biba Makeup. Not, as Barbara Hulanicki would have it, I’m almost positive of that. The collection most obviously strays from the affordable ethos that the original Biba held so close to its heart but I can’t deny that I’m loving the look of that nail polish trio and the baked eye palette for its Biba aesthetics and shade choices.

I was lucky enough to have been sent the lashes from the capsule collection and have passed them on to madame Lash Queen (Liloo) who has promised to give them an outing for us in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

Biba Beauty launches exclusively in House of Fraser from the 1st October 2011.

Will you be checking out the return of Biba Beauty?

I wrote about Molton Brown‘s new fine fragrance line back at the end of July (how quickly is this year whizzing through?) but I thought it was time for a recap in honour of their brand new Facebook App which will allow Molton Brown fans to profile themselves against the new fragrances and sign up for a complementary sample!

I went along to the launch last week and got the chance to speak to the perfumer behind the new range.  Talk about a fangirl moment, it was touching to see how completely excited she was with the launch of her ‘babies’.  I have to admit, I kept looking at her nose and wondering how much she could insure it for.

The Five new fragrances range from a light, yet soulful floral (Lijiang) through to the dark and brooding (Iunu).  Each pay homage to the part of the world for which they’re named.  The tie that holds the range together is the ancient Spice Trail, beginning in the birthplace of perfume (Egypt) and following its path to completion in the New World (Canada).

Jennifer Jambon, the perfumer behind the collection (on the left) has worked hard to evoke the feelings one would associate with the various destinations… they may not all be completely true to life, but they still work beautifully in a slightly fantastical way.  I received a sample of my personal favourite, Iunu and one sniff skillfully transports me to an ancient land I’ve never had the pleasure to visit.

Inspired by Egypt, the Birthplace of Scent, I detect the arid, musky notes that I’d associate with the Nile Delta.  Myrrh, hot pepper, sandalwood, clovebud and white jasmine transport me to those faraway river banks in a cloud of ancient opulence and mystery.  Truly intoxicating, a little bit dirty and with the kind of warmth that ensures this fragrance will sing on my skin as the months get cooler, I’m smitten.

The other four fragrances each carry their own personality just as confidently (Singosari is also particularly divine!), it’s a case of marrying up your scent personality to the fragrance.  This is where the new Facebook App comes into its own.

Take your own journey through a series of questions, where you’ll be able to discover which fragrance you are most suited to based on your tastes and preferences. Once the quiz has been completed, you will be able to sign up for a complementary sample of your chosen fragrance.  Get navigating explorers!

Molton Brown Navigations Through Scent fragrances are available to buy nationwide from Molton Brown stores, concessions and online.  Prices from £55.00

Well, crack one open (between my thighs) and send me to the tropics because I think I might need today’s inexpensive beauty find in my life.

Wembe is an organic soap company hailing from Brooklyn and the brand have just launched into the UK market!

I love the sound of their Coconut Exfoliating Bar which promises to combine gentle exfoliation from two types of coconut pulp, whilst leaving your skin soft and supple thanks to a blend of rich essential oils and moisturising butters.

Ingredients: Cupassu butter (Theobroma grandiflorum), Sodium Salts from Vegetable Oils, Coconut oil (Cocus nucifera), Coconut Pulp ( Cocus nucifera)

Priced reasonably at £5.85 ensures that this Vegan body treat stays on my radar for a little while longer.

Today marks the launch of Penhaligon’s latest fragrance: Juniper Sling*.   A compulsive cocktail, the fragrance pays homage to London’s roaring twenties and the beloved iconic tipple of the day, London Dry Gin.

A headying mix of juniper, angelica and brandy with a gourmand sugar base and a beating heart of cardamom, leather and black pepper ensures that you won’t forget it in a hurry.

I’m first hit by the bitter orange notes, liberally laced with black pepper floating upon the unmistakable backdrop of the Juniper berry.  I don’t get much gourmand from this, the sweetness promised by the base notes fails to surface on my skin but I do get the rich smokiness from the vetiver which charms me for many hours.

Described as unisex, it leans slightly masculine but that suits my fragrance tastes perfectly.  Juniper Sling is a charming and intoxicating scent from the London Perfumers that evokes a time when the Bright Young Things really knew how to throw a party.

On my last trip into London, I was able to dedicate a little detour to Les Senteurs and on my next trip, I hope to spare the time to investigate the Penhaligon’s store in Covent Garden for a closer look at some of the other scents available.

Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling EDT is available in 50ml & 100ml, priced at £78/£110 respectively.  Available in Penhaligon’s boutiques, concessions and online at www.penhaligons.com

* PR Sample (travel atomiser)

Argh, look what happens when I go away… all the awesome deals come out!  I’m loving this one in particular courtesy of CheapSmells (I typo’ed CheapSmalls then and gave myself a massive smirk).

Back to this Deal Alert – Remember when I talked about the Travalo Perfume Atomisers?  Well, they’re fairly inexpensive to begin with but CheapSmElls are offering them at an unbeatable price this weekend only…

£5.50 with gratis delivery and you can carry a fair amount of your favourite perfume around with you wherever you go.  I took my Travalo on holiday with me this week (filled with Apothecary EDT incase you care) and it was fabulous for quick on the go spritzes.

Hope you’re having a lovely Sunday, it’s Saturday night as I’m writing this and I’ve not long got home from my 5 day break in London, want to go back already!

bareMinerals will be touring the country this September in their rather cute skincare van!

Celebrating the nationwide launch of bareMinerals skincare, the brand are inviting you to look out for the van and stop by for a closer look at the products and enjoy to a free RDA Organic Smoothie on them!

I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help but have a giggle at the tour van.  It’s not exactly glamourous is it?  Beep Beep!

The tour dates are as follows: (if the van makes it that far…)

12TH SEPTEMBER  •   BRIGHTON, EAST STREET BASTION
13TH SEPTEMBER  •   GUILDFORD, HOUSE OF FRASER GUILDFORD ENTRANCE
14TH SEPTEMBER  •   KINGSTON, MARKET PLACE
15TH SEPTEMBER  •   LONDON 7 DIALS, EARLHAM STREET
16TH SEPTEMBER  •   BIRMINGHAM, ROTUNDA SQUARE
17TH SEPTEMBER  •   MANCHESTER TRAFFORD CENTRE, THE GREAT HALL ENTRANCE

Not the most extensive UK tour I’ve ever seen (sorry Northerners, Welsh and Scots), but if you happen to be nearby, it’s worth a look.  I’m a big fan of the bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser which has replaced Cetaphil as my morning cleanser of choice.

They should have named the van, that van needs a name.  I vote for Barney.

I’m aware that I’ve been showing you the individual products from the Lancome Fall collection with their corresponding swatches without showing a FOTD to go alongside.  It’s always useful to see product put into context, lip swatches can mean little without being able to see how the shade marries up to the wearer’s colouring etc…

But rather than repeat the same image throughout the posts (you’d be throwing things at your monitor by the time I’d gotten round to the eyeshadow palette), I thought I’d post up the FOTD at the end so you can see how the products harmonise together.

And a reminder of the products used:

Face
Lancome Maison Lancome Blush

Eyes
Lancome Les Oeillades in Blondette Fatale
Lancome Hypnose Drama in Gris Fatal

Lips
Lancome French Touch Absolu Lipstick in #102 Rouge St Honore

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I thought it was going to be the blush that would steal my heart from this collection but I’m afraid I’ve reverted to type.  For me, it’s all about the lips and that beautiful vintage-styled lipstick casing.  I’ll be checking out the other two shades available when the collection is released tomorrow.

Will you be heading to your local counter for a closer look at Lancome’s 29, Saint Honore Fall Collection?

To complete the Fall collection, Lancome will release two new nail polishes in classic red and edgy black.

The red – #22 Rouge St Honore is a classic, vixen red creme with great single-coat opacity and a high gloss finish.  The brush on these polishes is wide and allows for 3-stroke coverage, meaning that I was completely done with the red in less than 5 minutes from start to finish (not allowing for drying time of course).

The black – #29 Noir is a little more unusual in that the inky base  is infused with mini, multi-coloured flecks.  Sadly, these don’t quite translate as vividly on the nail as they do in the bottle.  Also a little sheerer than the red, this one took a respectable 2 coats to achieve opacity.

See below for swatches…

Lancome’s Le Vernis in #22 Rouge Saint Honore & #29 Noir 29 are priced at £12.50 each and available at Lancome counters nationwide from 1st September 2011

Grey eyeliner, I’m a fan… grey mascara?  I knew I was gonna need some convincing…

Lancome’s Fall 2011 collection, which I’ve been previewing this week includes the popular Hypnose Drama mascara in a new shade: Gris Fatal.

They say…

In just one stroke, lash volume is magnified, customisable and offers women intenseley expressive eyes.  Hypnose Drama in Gris Fatal dresses lashes in this season’s it-shade, defining and sculpting lashes without looking hevaily “made-up”.

I’m a sucker for lashes.  Blessed with decent natural length and curl, I like my mascara to take things to the next level and always opt for the blackest of the black to tint them.  I have to say, the new shade doesn’t float my boat but it has opened my eyes (har har) to a previously untested formula!

Gris Fatal is a flat, darker than mid-toned grey that would suit anyone who finds that black mascara makes them look a bit ‘doll-i-fied’ (nice madeup word there).  Infact, my mother has stolen this from me and it looks fabulous on her.  For reference, she’s blond with sparse lashes, heavily hooded eyelids and piercing blue eyes, single-handedly – this shade has given her back an interest in cosmetics.  God help me.

So, while I won’t recommend this one for anyone who likes BIG lashes, it’s perfect for women (especially older women) who want a more natural, polished look.

And the formula?  Well, it’s lovely!  Nicely balanced, lengthening and volumising with zero clumps.  I do believe this is VexInTheCity‘s favourite mascara of all time (we were having a conflab about the merits of this vs. my newly beloved Benefit They’re Real just the other day!), so I will have to put my money where her big gob is and plump for it in black very soon!

Have you tried Lancome Hypnose Drama?  How about grey mascara – reckon you could rock it?

Lancome’s Hypnose Drama in Gris Fatal Mascara is priced at £20.50 and available at Lancome counters nationwide from 1st September 2011

* press sample

The second piece from this year’s Lancome Fall collection that I wanted to show you was the new eyeshadow palette, Les Oeillades in Blondette Fatale, featuring an array of wearable neutrals and multi-tasking eyeliner/brow shades.

This beautifully designed brown and taupe palette can be used to create a beautiful smoky eye effect.  It can also be used for subtle shading and for softer, more natural definition, you can use the metallic shades to illuminate the lids and the matte shades to define and sculpt the eye area.

Shown top left, is the dark liner/brow shade which is an ash-toned dark brown matte with a firm texture.  Next along is a mid-toned brown matte shade which leans slightly warm and can also be used for filling in fair brows.  The two bottom spaces are taken up by a pair of metallic shadows, one cool and one warm.  The bottom left works beautifully toward the inner corner to inject a hint of light without being ‘highlighter-y’.  The bronzier shade (bottom right) is nice to wear dabbed over the base in the centre of the lid.

Aaron de Mey, Lancome’s Global Make-Up Director suggests…

The eye shadow can also be used wet with a small brush on the eye area if you wish a more intense result or dry with small soft brushes to shade and sculpt, always remembering that darkness makes areas recede and lighter shades bring features ‘forward’.

The pigmentation on these is nicely build-able, with the mattes requiring a couple of swipes to achieve the payoff shown above.  The metallics are, as usual, the most strongly pigmented in the palette.  The colour-combination and texture shows this palette to be a more grown-up version of a neutral work palette.  The build-ability ensures that Les Oeillades in Blondette Fatale can be put to use in both day and night-time situations depending on the intensity required.

I tend to wear these higher-end shadows without primer and these held up very well indeed.  I’m sure using the mattes as a base increases the longevity of the shimmers successfully.  I also want to mention the little ‘tools’ included with the palette which I would usually either ignore (at best) or ridicule.  The ones included with this palette are actually brilliant for travel.  A completely useable angled brush for brows, the usual application sponge (ignore that one) and a pointy, thin sponge that works brilliantly to line the eyes.  Colour me impressed.

Overall, I would describe Les Oeillades in Blondette Fatale as an incredibly versatile palette.  It may well be that you, like me, already have 101 neutrals in your collection in which case, I’d say this is great for travel thanks to the inclusion of genuinely useful brow/liners shades and tools but is otherwise a non-essential.

Lancome’s Les Oeillades in Blondette Fatale is priced at £33.00 and available at Lancome counters nationwide from 1st September 2011

* press sample

Perhaps one shouldn’t judge a collection on the sum of its smallest parts but damn, I like lipstick.  And I really like this lipstick.  Lancome’s French Touch Absolu is heavyweight, solid and beautifully designed to capture the attention of vintage-lipstick lovers everywhere.

You should take note of how small this is.  Possibly the one down-side to retaining that authentic, vintage styling.  It’s practically a stub.  A stub of beauty, but a stub nonetheless.  For the princely sum of £23.50, you get 3.7ml (not listed in grams) of product (EDIT: Rouge Deluxe has come to the rescue and confirmed that you get 3g of product, the same as a MAC lipstick – so, erm, ignore me).

It has a wonderful old-fashioned lipstick scent that evokes memories of playing with my Nan’s makeup when I was a little girl.  It’s thoroughly charming and despite the obvious absence of any value for money… my heart has been captured.

In 1945, Lancome redefined the codes of beauty by launching “Shaker”, its very first lipstick, in the ultimate shade of red.

In creating the latest French Touch Absolu, Aaron de Mey has once again drawn inspiration from Lancome’s heritage whilst adding a modern twist.  The sumptuous, creamy texture of French Touch Absolu guarantees a deliciously sensual velvet touch: a true silk cream enhanced with Pro-Xylane™ to give lips stunning contour and shape.

One swipe.  Perhaps there is a little more value for money there than I first anticipated…  The above swatch shows shade #102 Rouge St Honore, but there will be two other reds available (#100 Rouge 29 and #104 Rouge Faubourg).

Words can’t quite express how in love I am with this lipstick.  I mean, I know the collection is all about that blush, which is of course ridiculously pretty.  But I’m not just looking at it, I wanna use it and this lipstick would blow most products out of the water.  It’s creamy without being heavy, moisturising without being slippy and once blotted, it stays put for hours.  Love.

Lancome’s French Touch Absolu Lipstick in Rouge St Honoré is priced at £23.50 and available at Lancome counters nationwide from 1st September 2011

*press sample

I couldn’t keep this one under wraps any longer. I was going to save it ’til last but like a fat kid with a plate of biscuits, I’m licking the chocolate off the digestives.

With the charm of a vintage postcard, the very essence of Paris has been captured in this season’s blush palette. The silhouette of the Eiffel Tower, the typically Parisian Art Nouveau streetlamp lighting the cobbled pavement outside the historical House of Lancome at 29, rue du Faubourg Saint Honore makes this palette a true work of art.

Three soft shades combine to make up this palette which can be used either as a highlighter or a blusher depending on skin-tone. It contains a very fine golden shimmer beneath the overspray which lifts the matte formula and adds another dimension.

I personally wouldn’t recommend trying to use the shades independently of one another, they’re sheer and the small surface area would simply make that endeavour a giant pain the in backside. Instead, a fluffy brush will pick up plenty of product (it’s a touch powdery) and deposit a little more than a wash wherever desired.

As mentioned, this is sheer but build-able. Sheerer than I thought it would be so if you’re a darker skin-tone you may want to have an SA try this on you before purchasing. For fairer skins, you may have just found your ‘can’t overcook it’ blush of choice this Winter.

I’d describe the shade (all three colours combined) as a pale rose with a hint of sparkle. The above swatch was done with a finger (2 layers) and I found that the Maison Lancome blush nicely deposits luminosity aswell as colour, making this a good potential highlighter if your skin tone will allow it. It’s not at all metallic or shimmery so you don’t need to worry about it highlighting enlarged pores.

Aaron de Mey, Lancome’s Global Make-Up Director suggests…

Use as an overall cheek blush with a large, soft fluffy brush, keeping it high and central on the cheekbones. It adds soft, sheer colour and definition to the face by illuminating the cheekbones.

Maison Lancome Blush is priced at £32.50 and will be available at Lancome counters nationwide from 1st September 2011

* press sample