A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I never get round to doing “products of the month” posts because there’s inevitably something else that I wanna blog about when the ‘critical’ time is approaching.

I do love reading other people’s picks though so instead of giving up on these type of posts completely I think I’ll just throw random ones out there when the mood takes me instead.  Who needs time restraints anyway?

1.  Gielly Green Argan Rescue Oil (£19.50)

This has given my dry, overprocessed hair such a lift these last few weeks.  I don’t know how it compares to the likes of Moroccan Oil which I haven’t tried yet but the Gielly Green Argan Rescue add shine, softness and smooth ends without being too heavy on my fine (but lots of it!) hair.

You can buy the Gielly Green Argan Rescue Oil here.

2.  Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel (£19.40)

I received a sample size of this tucked into my last Debenhams order and “uh oh”, ‘cos it’s on the repurchase list!

I’ve been trying to work out a morning skincare routine that suits my combo/dry skin and this has become my morning cleanser of choice.  Normally, I use a ‘cleansing gel’ to remove my makeup but this one is so light that a pea-sized amount cleanses my bare face beautifully.

It has a delicious ‘wake me up’ grapefruit scent and is the only cleansing gel/oil/balm type product I’ve used that makes me feel clean without doing a double cleanse.  Add to that the fact that it’s one of the least drying cleansers I’ve discovered and I’m delighted to start the day with this gem!

Now, I’ve said that… watch me hate it once I purchase the full size.  It’s always the way right?

You can buy the Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel here.

3.  Balenciaga Paris Eau de Parfum 20ml (£34.00) *

Now available in a travel-friendly 20ml bottle, Balenciaga Paris is simply exquisite.  I’m not sure how it manages to capture so much in one small bottle.

It opens with a crisp, floral freshness that announces itself with all the fervour that BIG openings bring before mellowing into something quite creamy yet grown-up.

It seems to capture both a lightness and a depth that feels more sensual, darker… naughtier!

My only gripe is that it needs a top-up every 3 hours or so as the fragrance sadly doesn’t last the day… but I guess that’s the benefit of a 20ml bottle!

You can buy Balenciaga Paris Eau de Parfum 20ml here.

4.  Bliss Blood Orange & White Pepper Hand Cream (part of a duo set that cost £8.00)

Beautifully citrusy with a hint of spice, this hand cream is light, fast-absorbing and nourishing.  The scent lingers for a short while and will keep you sniffing your hands until it fades!  It’s a great daytime moisturiser that sadly only comes in a 30ml tube.  I think it may be limited edition too…

Oh well, as much as I love it – I guess I’ll have to find something else to replace it.

You can buy Bliss Blood Orange and White Pepper Hand Cream here. (on offer!)

5.  Vicks First Defence (£7.14)

I know this is a bit of a weird one… but I’ve used it twice now at the onset of a cold.  As soon as I get that “drowning feeling” in the back of my throat, I pull this out and use as often as the directions allow me.  Whilst it hasn’t killed or cured the ensuing snuffles, it’s made a real difference to it’s severity.

The last two times I’ve used it, my cold hasn’t progressed into full-blown face ache/streaming nose type horrors as it normally would.  I’ve been able to get on with day-to-day life with a couple of paracetamol and this nasal spray nearby quite happily!

You can buy Vicks First Defence here.

6.  Sheer Cover Refreshing Face Mist (£12.95) *

Since my run in with the Prai o2 Infusion I reviewed yesterday, my skin has been in dire need of TLC and the Sheer Cover Refreshing Face Mist has provided this well.  Once made up in the mornings, I obviously can’t moisturise with normal creams and this refreshing spray gives my skin a hydration boost with a couple of squirts throughout the day.

It’s alcohol-free and at 60ml is handbag-friendly.

You can buy Sheer Cover Refreshing Face Mist here. (Guthy Renker sells products through a ‘membership’ scheme and you may need to cancel your membership if you don’t want automatic product topups every 90 days)

7.  Melvita Eye Contour Gel (£18.00) *

Organic brand Melvita failed to impress me first time round… I tried a particularly stinky oil that I just couldn’t bring myself to use because of it’s… um… aroma.  However, the Melvita Eye Contour Gel is a delight!

Incredibly lightweight and fast-absorbing, I’ve finally found an eye cream that I’m happy to wear under my makeup.  I’ve noticed a decrease in puffiness since incorporating this into my routine… not sure it does much for fine lines or dark circles but it feels wonderfully refreshing and lifting for bleary morning peepers!

You can buy Melvita Eye Contour Gel here.

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What are you currently using and loving?

* press sample

…side effects, that is.

I was sent a tube of Prai’s new o2 Infusion last month which is described as an “innovative formula (which) contains oxygen molecules to help deliver additional oxygen to the surface of the skin, giving lackluster skin a more youthful and a refreshed look”.

I’m in two minds about this product.

For me, it does what it says on the tin.  After using it just one time, my skin did look brighter… the tone seemed more even and gave an impression of (dareisayit) outright perkiness!

But the next day?  My skin was ALL kinds of flakey.

So, I brought my ever-faithful, heavy duty skin oils into play and a week later my skin was back to normal.

Being me though, I couldn’t help but eye up this lovely, neat tube of product every time I stood at the sink washing my face and it wasn’t long before I was slathering it over my skin again, watching it get foamier and foamier as I waited the requisite 2 minutes before rinsing it off.

“Oooh, nice fresh looking skin again!”

Until the next day, when I was back to square one and looking more Mumm-Ra than Yummy-Mummy.  My foundation looked like crap and I was moisturising 3 times a day just to try and inject some life back into my skin.

Third time’s a charm right?  Wrong.

I feel like this…

I experience no sensitivity when using it and no dryness issues immediately afterward.  I moisturise straight after use and in fairness, I suffer from normal/dry skin anyway.

So what do I do… do I recommend?

Well… at under £20 for 40ml it doesn’t break the bank (and a little goes a VERY long way thanks to the foaming action), so I’m happy to recommend under one condition; you have oily skin.

[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”Ingredients List” ccolor=”ffffff” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa” cbgcolor=”b0c4de”]Water (Aqua), Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Sorbitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Isononyl Isononanoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Sodium Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Sodium PCA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Mica, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Zingiber Cassumunar Root Oil, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 40 (CI 16035)[/stextbox]

If you have a propensity toward dry skin?  I would stay away as I think this might just be a tad too harsh for our sensitive souls.

Prai o2 Infusion with Vacuum Technology should be launching on QVC this month, priced at £19.75

* Press Sample

I love store loyalty cards (as my Boots Advantage card will happily testify) and so I was delighted to hear about the new(ish) Space NK scheme that gives something back!

Benefits include:

• Points for every purchase in-store and online
• N.centives. £1 = 1 point, for every 100 points you’ll receive a £5 N.centive (reward).
• New product previews
• Invitations to private events and sales, including two 20% off events
• Access to beauty tips, perks and privileges
• Complimentary product samples
• A special treat on your birthday
• A complimentary subscription to Space NK’s beauty magazine, N.vision
• Dedicated customer care line

I signed myself up a few weeks ago after CityGirlsFashionBox ordered me to do it and am waiting for my card to drop through the door any day now (hurryup hurryup hurryup).

It’s free to sign up so if you’re a Space NK shopper, whatchu waiting for?

…or hairy wimps, we can be passive or active about this… I don’t care whose voice we use.

I was bullied into this purchase by the good folks on Twitter who told me that if I didn’t buy one, my first born would hate me forever.

Always open to a bit of parenting guilt, I went for the black.  If in doubt, always buy something in black I say!

It arrived a few days later, looking all sleek and shiny and I couldn’t wait to put it to the test.

Now, to be fair… I don’t have particularly tangly hair.  Nowadays it’s a lot finer that it used to be and I don’t have to do that whole “clench it at the roots” thing to reduce pulling and pain.

My first impressions of the Tangle Teezer are that it’s a lot lighter than I anticipated and to be blunt, it’s a lot ‘cheaper’ feeling too.

I’m used to paying out for a Mason Pearson and was hoping that this would be the brush that would help extend the last bit of life left in mine.  In other words, I wanted the Tangle Teezer to be my workhorse… and the Mason Pearson to be my finisher!

The Tangle Teezer feels quite rough around the edges… construction is fully plastic and it is literally quite ‘rough around the edges’ with bits of plastic that catch on your skin.

On a more positive note, Mr. L has told me in no uncertain terms that if I can’t find it, it’s because he’s stolen it to scratch his head with which means that my MP is off the hook.  Anyone who owns a Tangle Teezer will understand what I mean when I say that the plastic bristles (I know that’s an oxymoron) really reach through your hair and give your scalp a great ‘brush’.

Another problem I have with the Tangle Teezer is it’s tendency to fly out of my hand mid brush… this thing needs rubber grips on the handle like I need an Apple Martini… i.e. now.

I would imagine that if your hair is thicker, this would be even more of an issue because of the additional pressure one would have to apply to draw the brush through the hair.

It fits nicely in the palm, even in my small hands though it would be far too cumbersome for a child to hold.  I believe they have a flowerpot designed Tangle Teezer especially for small hands!

So… overall… I’m torn.

It does exactly what it’s supposed to, I can’t fault it on it’s detangling abilities on my fine hair.  The teeth work through my hair like a hot knife through butter.

But having said this, I still think it’s over-rated and overpriced.  It feels cheap (but isn’t) and it’s quite poorly designed.  I can’t even carry it around in my bag because the prongs look like they would bend out of shape if I blew on them too hard… but perhaps their flexibility is part of the reason it detangles so painlessly?

Would I purchase it again?  No… but that doesn’t mean I regret my purchase either.

The Tangle Teezer is priced at around £10 and available online and instore at Boots.

I was quite sad to read this piece of news yesterday afternoon!

After 13 years as a mainstay on the British high street Boots UK is today announcing the phased withdrawal of the Ruby & Millie brand from its stores.  Ruby & Millie led the way for pioneering fashionable cosmetic brands to break into the mass market driving the trend for the fusion of mass and premium cosmetics .

Ruby & Millie were one of the brands I cut my beauty teeth on.  Not quite ‘high street’ (though they are!) but not ‘high end’ either.  To be fair, I wasn’t in love with many R&M products, especially in recent times… but the ones that I did fall for, I still use frequently today!

Where am I going to get my i-writers from now huh?!

The press release went on to say (I’m C&P-ing because I can’t say it any more concisely!)

Ruby Hammer and Millie Kendall stepped down from the brand in 2008 and have since focused on new and innovative brands such as Andrea Fulerton Nail Boutique, Scarlett & Crimson and Alex Byrne Beauty. 2011 will also see the launch of Ruby Hammer’s eponymous new range.

I still haven’t tried anything from the Andrea Fulerton Nail Boutique…  I need to get into a bigger Superdrug to check the range out after seeing Helen’s nails blinged up to the max with the Trio Colour Layering System!

But it’s not all doom and gloom for the Ruby & Millie brand because…

The duo will also look to reinvest their energy into the Ruby & Millie brand bringing back a classic representation of their iconic products and initial concept of affordable luxury to the global market.

I’m pleased that the duo will be looking at ways to bring the brand back to former glory, it’s one of those brands that seems to have lost its way a little in recent times.  Also looking forward to finding out more about this new range from Ruby Hammer – every cloud has a silver lining eh?

Will you be sorry to see the Ruby & Millie brand disappear from Boots?

…plus a free £5 Love Your Body™ card if you don’t already have one or yours needs renewing!

The offer is only open until midnight tonight, so if you’re partaking… get your skates on!

This offer is an IDEAL opportunity for you to stockpile your favourite products and I’m sorely tempted to buy two to ensure that I’ve got a huge enough supply of Ice Blue Shampoo to see Mr. L through the next 2 years!

What would make it even more amazing would be to combine this offer with their current awesome “buy more save more” offer on shower gels (also available instore).

You could have enough bubbles to fill a hundred bathrooms for less than £25!

Gosh, I love a good bargain me.

Let me know if you buy the deal and tell me what you’re gonna buy, I want some inspiration!

I know it’s LFW but I’ve never been particularly fashionable.  I like clothes, a lot.  I like to buy clothes, a lot.  I just don’t know how to combine them to ‘create’ looks.  I’m truly envious of women who have an unforced style… me?  If it looks good, it tends to look like I’ve ‘tried’ really, really hard to make it look good you know?

So anyway, it’s not that I’m eschewing LFW… not at all, I love to look at the makeup from the shows… but when it comes to trends?  Completey superficial and frivolous posts on eyebrows are more my thing!

With this in mind, brow gods Tweezerman reckon they’ve got their fingers on the Brow Trends that’ll have us going “ooh nice brows” this Summer.  Don’t say that I’m the only one who “oohs” over nice eyebrows in this way… no seriously, don’t.

[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”Tweezerman say…” ccolor=”ffffff” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa” cbgcolor=”b0c4de”]Brows – last season it was all about an over sized, wild & bushy brow.  This season, full brows are still on trend but now they are more tailored & groomed, the hairs aren’t as wild and often they are slightly elongated and tapered at the ends creating a touch more drama.


This Spring/Summer’s full brows have a great arch that is both feminine and strong.  Brow colour should be 1-2 shades lighter than hair colour and should be powdered across the whole brow rather than just used to fill in.  A new trend is also to highlight under the brow, which makes it look more substantial and showcases the brow perfectly.[/stextbox]

Strong brows are still in, just a little more ‘tailored’!

If you’re not blessed with a well-defined arch, Tweezerman recommend the use of a little cosmetic trickery to give the impression of a master eyebrow-raiser:

“You can use a touch of a highlight of makeup underneath the brow to create a bit of lift; a light-toned fleshy nude or very pale vanilla colour to illuminate the underneath.  You can also use your brow powder or brow pencil to emphasize the arch.”

Here are some of the most popular products on the market for emphasising a beautiful brow!

1. E.L.F Eyebrow Lifter and Filler (£3.50)
2. Clinique Instant Lift for Brows (£13.00)
3. Pixi Brow Lift (£16.00)
4. Benefit High Brow (£14.00)
5. MAC Shroom Eyeshadow (£11.50)

But what my eyebrows want to know is this… how long are they going to have to wait until curly brows are in huh?

Oh… that long?

Well in that case, I’d better stock up on mega-hold hairspray and hone my use of brow shaping scissors instead.

Do you have brow envy?

A quick heads up incase you’re planning on heading into town over the weekend, the new Sandstorm Spring Summer trends collection from Topshop should now be instore for your makeup purchasing pleasure.

The premise of the collection evolves around the theory of warm tones contrasting with washed out neons and there’s a couple of pieces I’m keen on taking a close look at (local store permitting!)

Check out these swatches on RougeDeluxe for a closer look… I’m really taken with the look of the Creme Lipcolour in Daze (£7.50) and the Crayon in Zephyr (£8.50).

Also, if you can’t get into store, Topshop are currently offering free UK standard delivery for all orders until Tuesday 22nd February.

Ellis Faas fans will be pleased to hear that one of their favourite brands is now available to buy from Space NK online and in selected stores.

The Dutch brand launched in the UK a year ago exclusively to Liberty and have seen great success and growth on these shores over the past 12 months.

The sleek products, instantly recognised for their quirky packaging and iconic colours (Ellis Red anyone?) have garnered fans globally and I’m interested to see how they fare with the opportunity of a wider UK audience.

Initially, 14 Space NK stores will carry the line though I can’t hide my disappointment when I note that 13 of the 14 stores have London addresses.  The 14th and final store (for now) is in Glasgow… a little bit too far for a day trip methinks.

Here’s hoping for a all-encompassing nationwide roll out following this initial launch!

Prices start from £20 and the range can be viewed online on the Space NK website, here.

*cue Barry White* duh duh duh duh duh… duh duh duh duhduh…

Give it up, ain’t no use… I can’t help myself if I wanted to…

I’m hung up, no doubt… I’m so in love with you, for me there’s no way out…

Cause deeper and deeper, In love with you, I’m falling…

I’m gonna love you, love you, love you just a little more, baby…

I’m gonna need you, need you, need you every day…

I’m gonna want you, want you, want you in every way, yeah…

Phew!

So, I got my first Tom Ford lipstick the other day.  I figured that Valentine’s Day was almost here and that you need to love yourself before you can love others right?

So… me and Tom.  Tom and I… it’s an expensive relationship.  Some men are just like that.

I picked up Pure Pink… I hovered for an indecent amount of time over Smoke Red but in the end, figured that I have some really lovely reds already.  What I don’t have is a pink that’s going to make me long for Summer.  I do now!

Pure Pink is a bright POP of colour on my lips, somehow it stops short of looking like one of my Mum’s fuchsia lipsticks from the 80s.  Thank god right?  That would have been an expensive alternative to vintage Constance Carroll by Christ!

It’s creamy but firm with a subtle shimmer and a hue that makes my teeth look whiter than they really are.  It doesn’t feather and fades evenly.  Not moisturising but comfortable.

It’s lovely.  It’s not £35 lovely of course… I haven’t taken complete leave of my senses.  But if you’re as daft to spend £35 on a lipstick as I was, then I hope you thoroughly enjoy it as much as I am too!

Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color in Pure Pink is priced at £35 and available online and on counter.

Happy Valentine’s Day beautiful people, love your lipsticks especially hard today xxx

I do love these retro reds… they always make me feel a little ‘pin up’… it doesn’t matter how much the rest of my body lets me down on that score, a quick peep at my tips is enough to convince me I am Bettie Page personified!

Is it the ratio of orange to red that does it?  It’s something that this shade, Eyeko Saucy and Models own Red Alert all seem to have in common.  I should do a swatch comparison to see if they’re as simillar in the flesh as they are in my head.

Anyway, rambling aside… All Fired Up is a neat-o shade.  It applies a little more sheerly than I anticipated and took three coats to remove all traces of VNL (two if I’d layered it on with a trowel).  It dries fairly slowly so would always use a quick dry top coat… I do anyway, so this isn’t really an issue for me.  It scores big points for long-wear, it lasted a full 3 days before tip wear became noticeable.

I really haven’t checked out many Revlon polishes, I kinda jumped straight from not digging polish into my OPIs and Essies… infact, I’m sure there’s some sick part of me that just loves the chase of a good product.

Giving this some wear over IMATS weekend has convinced me that I need to delve into the lower shelves of my nearest Revlon stand to investigate further, I like the bottle design and the brush which was a pleasure to use.

Revlon All Fired Up is priced at £6.29 and exclusive to Boots.

The Art Deco signature Paloma styling on the packaging is doing it for me alone.  But throw in bejewelled lashes (that in fairness, I would probably only ever gaze upon), a red lipstick, black liner and a smoky eye set?  I’m liking the look of the collection very much indeed!

The two limited edition items from the collection are unsurprisingly, the palette and the eyelashes.  The lipstick and liner can be found in Shu Uemura’s current core collection (albeit in different packaging).

~ Paloma for Shu Uemura limited edition Swarovski encrusted false eyelashes – £55 (ouch)
~ Rouge Unlimited lipstick in 190 – £19.50
~ Black Gel Eyeliner – £19.50
~ Limited Edition Paloma Faith make up palette – £57

Paloma says… “I’m inspired by the queens of tragedy – Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and Judy Garland.   Then throw a bit of Nick Cave, Etta James and PJ Harvey into the mix, add all my influences from avant garde cinema and you start to come close. My visual style is fancy dress as I never grew out of dressing up boxes! My early performances were David Lynch meets William Blake at the circus. Welcome to my world….”

The collection is available throughout February, exclusive to Selfridges, London.