A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

You know I’m a sucker for Elemis and on Sunday, they’re launching their brand new Melting Cleansing Gel to the fanfare of one of QVC‘s legendary TSVs.

I get excited when TSVs like this come up.  They sometimes include products that I’m less likely to use which reduces the value of both the TSV and the set for me.  This one?  Love everything in it and the new Melting Cleansing Gel sounds exciting! (you know you need to get a life when you genuinely get excited at the prospect of cleansing gel).

But because I know you lot are as tragic as I am… have a listen…

This gorgeous cleanser is suitable for all skin types and transforms from a gel to a milky cream when it is mixed with water. (Love cleansers that emulsify like this and am sorely tempted to give it a try whilst ignoring the 4 half full bottles of cleansing oil still in my bathroom)

key ingredients include :

~ Argan Oil to tense the skin and support the skin’s fibre networks.
~ Rice Silk to eliminate shine.
~ Assai Fruit to protect the skin’s lipid barrier to avoid it getting dry.
~ Rosemary Leaf a powerful antioxidant to stabilize oil flow and the sebaceous glands.

Will you be checking out the Elemis TSV on Sunday (sky channel 640)?  What’s been some of your favourite TSVs to date?

…and thank GOD!

Last Tuesday, I attended an event at HQ Hair’s very own hair & beauty store in the heart of central London.  It’s an oasis of pampering conveniently located just off Regents Street with the added benefit of a storefront offering your favourite HQ Hair brands.

I was delighted to see so many brands on the shelves!  There’s not too many places you can pick up Mario Badescu, Yonka, Alpha H, Murad, Bare Escentuals, Paul & Joe, Philosophy, Fusion Beauty and much more… all under the same roof!

Because the Salon is located to the rear of the store, it doesn’t feel like you’re walking into a hairdressers.  You don’t feel out of place if you just want to visit for a browse.  Even better, if you’re in there getting a new colour or a trim… you don’t have the general public checking out your ‘no makeup face’ while they’re doing their shopping!  The two areas are zoned well.

I visited the store before when I came for a haircut back in June.  I’m sniggering to myself as I write this next bit because I dragged my husband along with me having just spent a couple of hours doing some serious debit card damage in Selfridges.  Poor Mr L was relieved it was all over.  Little did he know there was another shopping opportunity waiting for me at the salon!

But anyway… let me tell you a little bit about the lovely David Scheffen who came along to meet a group of very cold and slightly bedraggled bloggers on a snowy Tuesday evening.

I should warn you now that I’m actually his #1 fan girl.  It’s genuinely embarrassing.  I giggled and stumbled over my words… I may even have snorted when I laughed.  I’ve since gone as far as to ask Mr. L if I could please have a David Scheffen for Christmas.

Let me explain… I don’t always have a lot of luck with makeup artists.  I’m not great at coherent speech in social situations… what I want, what I’m trying to achieve… well it rarely comes across well in conversation, which results (quite rightly) in me walking away with advice I don’t care about and a look I hate.

Not. This. Time.

“What’s that?” I asked, as he swivelled up one of the NARS Multiples.

“St. Barts” he said (in his endearing French accent).

“I have that!!” I exclaimed, getting all excited… like he was going to give me A* for owning it or something.  “But I can’t make it work for me…” my lips continued to move as I expressed to Francois’ right hand man what a dumbass I was at applying makeup.  Smooth.

David looked surprised and explained that the cool toasted-taupe shimmer should work well on my colouring and I agreed… it’s one of those products that tick all the right boxes.  In theory.

Forty seconds later and the magic has been done, quick fingers transferring product from stick to skin with an effortless grace that I could only dream of emulating.  It looked good.  Really good.

A little on my cheeks, a touch along my browbone and a speck (or two) along the line of my cupids bow.  I didn’t look bronzed, I just looked… healthy.  The trick, he explained “…is to always build up to the level you require”.

“I know that!” I thought to myself… “But I can’t help being heavy handed!” Reading my mind (I told you he was good), David explained that tapping the product onto my skin with my fingers would result in a more controlled application.

Not only does that work 100x better for me but I now can’t stop applying this product to my cupids bow.  It has the desirable effect of making my top lip look instantly fuller and defined.

“And now for my next trick!” announced David, reaching into his top hat (ok, I made that bit up).

I was totally at ease in his company.  He has a light, affable manner with a generous side-serving of wicked humour which resulted in me being brave enough to admit something a little shameful.

“I don’t know where to apply my blusher.”  Then, in the hope that it would make the previous statement seem slightly less retarded… “Does it really make a difference where you apply on different face shapes?”

“Absolutely!”

Placing two finger widths parallel to the side of his nose, David explained that the area covered by his fingers was a no-fly zone.  “Don’t apply blusher too close to your nose… it doesn’t look natural and isn’t flattering for you”.  I thought of all the times I’d grinned at myself in the mirror, applying my blusher EXACTLY where he’d just described whilst thinking I was hitting the ‘apple of the cheek’ bullseye.

He patiently showed me where I should concentrate the colour for my face shape (widest at the cheeks and quite pronounced.  Hamster podge).  I’ve artfully constructed a little diagram.  Don’t laugh.

I’ve found that if I keep my initial application focused right within that small dotted area, I get a natural (and less overdone) flush that detracts attention from the fleshier ‘apples’ and leaves my face looking more contoured.  I can hear angels singing Hallelujah.

Once blended, the area of ‘flush’ is larger than shown above and I tend to blend back toward the hairline and down toward the hollow.  It felt alien to me at first… mostly because of how high I’m applying but it’s definitely a better method for my face shape.  It’s only taken me 29 years to get that one right!

The makeup maestro at work!

He also had a message for you guys…  “Wear more purple eyeshadows.  Women are too intimidated by purple.”

You have to love him for that alone.  But you can’t.  ‘Cos he’s mine.

For more David-related goings on, keep a close eye on the HQ Hair blog as the HQ Girls get to regularly feature his tips, tricks and looks.  I think they keep him locked up in the beauty cupboard.  Lucky things.

HQ Hair & Beauty Salon,
2 New Burlington Street
W1S 2JE
0871 220 4141 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              0871 220 4141      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Silver yesterday… so what can I wear today?

Of course!!  GOLD!

Butter London’s The Full Monty is a neutral gold (if that makes sense) it’s neither too warm, nor too green which makes it a suitable gold for most skintones.

Like Diamond Geezer, it’s also a foil…. my favourite type of metallic.  The above photo shows two coats, I could have done one more but am planning on adding glitter v. soon!

Do you wear metallics like these throughout the year or restrict them to the holiday season?

The Full Monty is priced at £9.75 and available to buy online from PowderRooms who are currently offering free delivery on all orders until the 5th December.

As I explained in my previous video, I’m slowly coming to terms with the simple truth that one course of laser hair removal won’t guarantee “permanent removal”.  The wording that’s generally used is “permanent reduction” and there’s a difference.  It’s comparatively far more permanent than other hair removal methods but will never be truly permanent without occasional treatment ‘top ups’.

What I’ve also realised (with the help of hindsight) is that this doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing because you don’t have the funds to cover constant salon visits or an expensive at home device.  The fact is that when (relatively) small amounts of hair do grow back, they’re often finer, more manageable and far less offensive(!) than their original growth patterns and this is precisely the ‘reduction’ that companies refer to.

I will happily confess that I have always placed a preference on having my unwanted hair zapped at a salon.  It’s far more expensive in the long run but there’s something to be said for placing yourself in the hands of a professional in circumstances where the eventual outcome is potentially life-changing.  It’s a confidence thing.

However, now that I understand and appreciate the need for these ‘top ups’, the thought of having an IPL device that I can use in the comfort of my own home is more tempting.  Despite this, there are considerations that should be addressed before you decide what’s right for you.  For everyone, these will be different.  For me, they go something like this.

1).  Will I be disciplined enough when using an at home device?  I wouldn’t miss a salon appt for fear of being penalty charged… it’s much easier to be lax with the treatments at home.
2).  Am I confident enough in my own abilities to use an at home device competently?
3).  Are at home devices as effective as salon treatments?
4).  Do I want to use an at home device from day 1 or invest in one for maintenance purposes once my salon treatment is finished?

The wonderful thing about technology is that it’s forever evolving and improving.  Hair removal is on the front line… it’s a highly sought after process and still incredibly expensive for the average consumer.  Companies are investing millions in developing the best machines possible for both home and salon use.

I recently attended an event where we had the opportunity to put questions to the people behind the Boots iPulse Smooth Skin, you can watch the highlights of this event in the video below:

iPulse currently hold the enviable title of being Boots biggest seller.  They’ve sold approximately 35,000 units through the high street retailer and the device has generated an average 4 star rating from consumers on the Boots website.  Many are treating general areas such as legs and underarms, whilst others focus on hormonal hair (face, neck, chin etc.)

I wanted to follow up and put some additional questions to the people behind the iPulse, focusing on issues related to treating hormonal hair.

1). Most “at home” IPL hair removal systems aren’t recommended for use on women with PCOS, am I right in thinking that you’ve updated your literature to specifically include considerations for PCOS sufferers who want to use the device?

We are aware that hormonal imbalances and in particuar PCOS, are extremely distressing conditions when the side effect can produce unwanted facial hair.  Boots Smooth Skin is suitable for use on the face and our research and clinical trials indicated a substantial reduction in facial hair and also our customers advised us that they were delighted with the results they have achieved in using the device on this sensitive area.

2). What are the main considerations that women with PCOS need to be aware of when using the iPulse?

The main considerations for customers with PCOS is that the hair growth cycle becomes irregular and therefore it may be necessary to give the area more treatments than other areas of the body.  Stimulation of hair growth to the facial area can be considerable when there are hormonal imbalances and it is good to be able to treat the area  as and when necessary.

3). What are the benefits of choosing the iPulse over going to my local salon for a course of IPL treatments?

Convenience and cost are the two main  benefits however, there are many more.  For some people privacy is important and this enables the treatment in comfort of your own home at a gtime convenient to you.  Another benefit is time.  Using Boots Smooth Skin will take approximately 6 – 12 weeks due to the regulated energy output enabling a weekly or fortnightly treatment.  With salon treatments you will have a four to six week waiting period between each treatment – probably needing 6 – 10 treatments to achieve the same results and then there is the cost and inconvenience of traveling to the salon when it suits them!

4). iPulse offer an “IPL system”, the treatment I underwent at the SK:N clinic was on a “laser system”.  What are the differences between the two treatments and is one more effective for reducing hormonal hair growth?

A laser is the first generation of hair removal systems using one beam of light to treat individual hairs – IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is the next generation of light based therapy systems using multiple wavelengths and a larger spot size which enables the treatment of many hairs at any one time.   Offering the same results – permanent hair reduction – it is generally thought that treatment is faster and pain free with IPL systems.

5). Would you say that the iPulse is a particularly suitable option for women like me who have already undergone laser treatment and are looking for a cost-effective way to maintain their results?

Most definitely, this is a great way to keep previously treated areas hair free without the necessity of returning to the salon for further expensive treatments. A convenient way to ensure the initial results achieved are maintained.

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A big thank you to iPulse for taking the time to answer my questions.  I hope that you’ve found them useful too!

A new foundation always fills me with hope.  The promise of flawless skin is a tempting one, something we all aspire to.  I’m a firm believer that getting your base right is half the battle to looking good.  For some of us, it’s frankly more of a war than a skirmish.

I don’t generally wear concealer.  I haven’t perfected my application technique and therefore rely on my foundation to do the work of both, I’m a hard task master!  I know this isn’t ideal… and means that I don’t usually expect a flawless, porcelain finish.  But I do want enough coverage to look polished and non-blotchy!

I’m a fan of mineral foundations, I find them quick to apply without the need for expert blending or shade matching.  Overall, except on the very driest of skintypes – they’re a pretty forgiving formulation.

I dug out Priori’s CoffeeBerry Perfecting Minerals Foundation from a press pack that I received some time ago.  I usually reach for cream foundations in the winter but was curious to see how the Priori would perform on slightly dehydrated skin.

I’ve heard that the CoffeeBerry (an antioxidant) formula is particularly suited to troubled skin types.  One of the foundation’s claims is that the CoffeeBerry extracts actually help to improve photodamage, rosacea and dryness which leaves me wondering whether this is skincare, foundation or a bit of both?

While the claims sound good, I can’t accurately verify them with any confidence other than by wearing this single foundation throughout the Winter and Spring and I’m simply too in love with all my other products to push them to the back of my cupboard.  So let’s just focus on the foundation aspects shall we?

I received shade #1.  The lightest shade of the 6 available and to my eye, it’s not that light and it’s quite warm toned.  I’d call it light medium, a NW/NC20 in terms of depth.

However, as I mentioned earlier… mineral foundations are generally quite forgiving when it comes to shade selection and the Priori CoffeeBerry Perfecting Minerals Foundation is no different.  I can wear this shade quite comfortably on my NW15 skintone.

My favourite thing about this product is the packaging… minerals are a notoriously difficult formula to use without fuss but Priori have implemented a really great packaging system.  The pot is wide and squat with a large bowl-like lid.  This lid makes a perfect vessel to swirl your brush around and enables you to pick the product up evenly.

When I opened this, I didn’t peel off the protective sticker which covers the sifter holes.  Instead, I grabbed a biro and punched through the sticker, exposing only about half of the openings.  That way, I can ensure that I don’t flood the pot with product whenever I turn it upside down.

Enough of the packaging, talk about getting caught up in the details!  How does it look?

I really like the finish it provides.  It’s glowy and natural compared to other mineral formulas.  I described it on Twitter last week as ‘soft focus’.  It doesn’t disguise my fine lines but seems to somehow soften them.  Coverage is light/medium in my opinion… it evens out my skintone without concealing.  Tones down my redness but doesn’t disguise it completely.

If you have acne scarring or prefer something with more serious coverage, I don’t think this product will be for you.  I think that the Priori CoffeeBerry Perfecting Minerals Foundation (what a mouthful) is particularly suited to mature skin types.

Despite being a powder, it doesn’t gather or clump on my dry bits and the soft focus, luminous finish would work well on duller skintones.  The foundation contains a perfectly respectable SPF25 rating and is priced at around £32.00 for a large 14g pot.

PRIORI® CoffeeBerry Perfecting Minerals are available from salons and clinics nationwide, stockists 0845 555 2121 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              0845 555 2121      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Avon bring us one of the easiest to recreate Christmas party looks I’ve seen so far, I’m loving the heavy eyeliner and pink lips.

I’ve blogged about that sparkly blue Avon Glimmerstick Diamonds and the Avon Lace Hues Palette before, so check those posts for swatches.

I’m getting tons of wear from my black Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner… and I’m going to start putting my silver one to good use too now that Christmas is getting ever-closer!

Have you got any Christmas parties to attend this year?  Started scouring the net for makeup inspiration?

This glass-flecked, foil shimmer is a new finish to me… but when I saw swatches online, I knew I had to hunt down this beautiful green polish from the Nubar Autumn collection.

I don’t usually go for green polishes… infact, it’s the only drawer in my collection that has any room for more.  I’m so glad I decided to fill the space with this little number.

Nubar Verde is a blue-based green that makes it a good choice for cooler skintones… it’s almost gunmetal in certain lighting.  What really lifts this from the ordinary are the beautiful golden glasslike flecks of glitter that run through the formula.

Because the photo above was taken on such an overcast day, I’m afraid that the gold is far more apparent in the bottle than it is on the nail, but trust me… it’s there… being all beautiful and foil-like.

Tip wear was a bit of an issue with this polish as it was apparent by the end of the first full day of wear.  Such a shame because I could have happily worn this one for weeks.  On the plus side, pigmentation for Verde is magnificent and I was able to top up with a single coat to disguise the worn tips and get a few more days wear from this manicure.

If you’re a fan of green polishes or even just looking for something slightly different to the current plethora of standard (but beautiful) glitters, do check out the Nubar Venetian Glass collection, it’s really very pretty.

Nubar’s Venetian Glass collection is priced at £8 each and available to buy online from BeautyShed.

Five names have been drawn at random and I’m pleased to announce the lucky winners who will each receive a set of The Body Shop Originals products are….

1). Rose

2). Konni

3). Nicola Abbott

4). Viv

5). Suzanne

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Congratulations ladies, I’ll be getting in touch this evening to get your details so that I can have the prizes sent out to you ASAP.  Also, don’t forget that The Body Shop are running their own Originals competition which closes tomorrow!

Thanks for taking part everyone!

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The Lipglossiping annual Advent giveaway is starting this Wednesday!!

Be there, or miss out!

Blimey do I ever love these Accessorize duochromes.

If wealthy Elizabethan women wore nail polishes, they’d look something like this.  I think I need a sumptuous velvet gown to go with it no?  There’s something so rich and luxurious about this polish.  It’s smooth and almost creamy.

It flashes between pink, bronze, gold, amber, green.  Spell-binding.

Application was three coats but each dried fairly quickly so didn’t cause much annoyance.  The whole mani was done in half an hour from base coat to top coat (INM Out The Door).

The last Accessorize polish I picked up from the new range is called Pink Spice and I think I’m gonna save that one for Christmas Day.  Here’s a link to my other Accessorize polish, Aztec.

Am I missing any from the range that I absolutely must have?

If you’re familiar with pigments, then you’re probably familiar with the concept of foiling them.  If not… it goes something like this…

You wet your brush by spraying it with your toner/water/fixer of choice before dipping it in the loose pigment and patting onto your eyelid.  It gives a high shine, high metallic effect that’s vibrant and striking.

Bare Minerals have introduced a new range of eye colours that they’re calling High Shine EyeColor.  The simple premise of this new line is a high-intensity metallic colour without the need for foiling.  The foiled effect but with dry pigments.

I was sent a few shades from the new line up to put to the test and I have mixed feelings on them.

Undoubtedly beautiful, they’re also incredibly portable in their well-sealed vials.  Packed with metallic goodness, they’re an enticing product.

From left to right, the above image shows the shades: Bronzed (bronze), Frost (silver), Glisten (pale gold) and Patina (khaki gold).

Purdy aren’t they?

But these aren’t just pigments in a jar a la MAC or the regular Bare Minerals offerings because they come with an inbuilt sponge applicator and delivery system.  This is where the product loses points for me.

The sponge applicator is mounted on a spring mechanism which is frankly pretty fierce.  You need to be prepared to work against it to stop it from “springing” up and dumping product in your lap.  It’s not a huge issue aslong as you’re aware of it… but I can imagine it might catch a few people unaware.

Secondly, there’s fall out as you remove the applicator from the neck of the vial.  It’s avoidable only if you’re incredibly careful and precise.  A bit like one of those fairground games that buzz if you touch the metal wire with the hoop!

Part of me feels that this is to be expected and that I’m being a touch harsh.  Afterall, these are loose pigments and no one ever said that working with them wasn’t messy.  However, I feel that if you’re going to go to the trouble of implementing an application system… it needs to do a better job than one could do without it.  I simply don’t feel that this system makes a messy job any easier.

But check out how these babies look…

Swatched on bare skin, they’re quite something.  How perfect are they for the Holiday season?

Back to the application for a minute… as with most loose eyeshadows, you’ll be wanting to do your eyes before attempting foundation.  There’s fall out from the sponge tip onto the uppper cheekbone whenever I apply.  Not a huge amount but enough to irritate and provoke much tsking!

If you can get past the inconveniences of working with loose pigment… this is how they look worn.

Excuse my Burglar Bill t-shirt.  Instead, check out the intensity of that pigment.  Infact, if anything… they’re a touch washed out by the camera flash.  I didn’t wear any primer underneath and the colour lasted amazingly well.  Easily 6/7 hours before fading… I think probably because they are SO intense to begin with.

So there we have it.  I love them but they’re not flawless.  Their intensity is electrifying and wear equally impressive.  They’re just a bit of a pain in the bum to apply.

Bare Minerals High Shine EyeColor is available in 6 shades.  You’ll be able to find them at all Bare Escentuals boutiques, selected department stores and spas and salons nationwide from December.  Priced at £14 each.

Are you happy to sacrifice convenience for the end result?

This Christmas, it’s the Chanel collection that caught my eye more than any other.  Those beautiful pinks and coppers that contain the perfect amount of shimmer/glitter for the holiday season without being gaudy.

I will always be drawn to palettes that promise to create a wonderful smoky eye and this was no exception.  The only thing that could possibly dampen my enthusiasm would be pigmentation.  I wasn’t sure how much power this quad would pack.  I needn’t have fretted.

Come to Mama….

I know I usually take blog photos before I start sticking my sausage fingers in my shadows but I think I had this one opened and swatched before I’d even left the shop.  Excuse the shadow dust!

And the swatches (swatched over eye primer)…

To say that I love this palette would be an understatement.  The coppery tones in the two darkest shades really accentuate the green in my eyes and the paler, more ethereal hues brighten my eyes beautifully.

I don’t kno if you’re interested in lazy girl’s makeup application… but mine goes something like this:  The darkest copper shade… I apply all over the mobile lid, right up to the socket line.  Then I take the pink (on the far right) and use this to blend the harsh edges.  I pat the glittery shade (on the far left) ontop of the copper and finally, use the ivory to highlight the inner corner and brow bone.

All that takes me less than 2 minutes because I don’t do anything intricate in the socket line, nor do any fancy stuff in the outer corner.  This palette gives me a gorgeous smoky look in minutes.  And that’s why I love it.

For me, it’s more than worth the £35 I paid for it.  Can you tell I love this palette?