A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

To celebrate the re-introduction of some long-lost favourites, The Body Shop are asking YOU to ‘Create an Original’.

If you could bottle a scent, what would it be?

Share the story behind your original scent and you could win the chance of turning that scent into a limited edition shower gel and get whisked off to the Body Shop’s ultra cool laboratory for three nights to watch your scent enter development!

Ice Blue Shampoo is still my total favourite from The Originals line up… but honourable mentions simply MUST go to the Fuzzy Peach and Dewberry scents.

If you want a crack at the competition, get a move on!  They’re accepting entries up until the 30th November.  Simply enter through the website here.

Stay tuned, ‘cos I’ve got a lovely Body Shop Originals Giveaway for FIVE lucky readers tomorrow!

Being charitable isn’t always glamourous and I think we could probably all be more generous of spirit at times but it’s often hard to find causes that resonate.

I’ll be the first to put my hands up and admit that I could be more giving over the course of the year.  There’s only really two charities that I support all year round and I need the push that their newsletters bring to remind me to do so.  Which is why Christmastime gives me a focus to broaden my horizons and learn about the other good causes out there.

It may be a cliche… but for me, Christmas is all about children… which is why I want to introduce you to a very specfic cause that has a beautifully clear and heart-warming aim.

British skincare brand This Works have joined forces with London-based charity Kids Company to release two products that promote a very worthy cause.

The aim?

To provide 2000 Christmas Dinners for vulnerable children who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day.

I’ve heard that the Kids Company Christmas Event is a sight to behold… games, activities, Christmas dinners and at the end of a long, fun-filled day.. a beautifully wrapped present for each child to take home with them!

Christmas should be magical regardless of your age and it’s events like these that give one hell of a boost, not only to the kids but also to the families that can watch their babies enjoy themselves and just. be. children.

So what are the products?

Perfect Hands – £18

“Perfect Hands is a deeply hydrating natural hand cream blended with Rose oil, Mimosa and Musk Mallow for smooth and young looking hands.  It contains powerful natural actives such as Larch extract which tightens and firms the skin while anti-aging Hyaluronic acid locks moisture in.  Rape Seed extract also helps to reduce the appearance of dark spots on the skin.”

Wish – £14

“Wish is the perfect hand-bag accessory with three mini skincare solutions for beautiful skin.

· The 100% natural multi-purpose Super Lips (10g) with Monoi Oil to hydrate the lips
· Soothing Tired Eye Serum (5ml) with Arnica to eliminate dark circles and Cucumber and Aloe Vera to soothe
· A refreshing facial spray, Quick Spritz (5ml) with Rosewood Oil to keep you cool on the go.”

£1.80 from each Helping Hands product sold will go towards Kids Company

You can buy This Works Helping Hands sets online from http://www.thisworks.com/home/helping-hands

Do you try to buy gifts that ‘give back’ at Christmastime?

We all want great skin throughout the year but we all want it that little bit more when we have a slew of parties to attend!

This Christmas, Sisley are offering 2 new Express Facials at Selfridges, a great excuse to include some pampering whilst doing your Christmas shopping!

The two new facials available are described as…

[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”Pre Party Preparation Express Facial” ccolor=”ffffff” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa” cbgcolor=”a9a9a9″]

Sisley’s new Pre Party Preparation Facial works to deep cleanse the skin and combines a gentle buffing cream to boost skin circulation whilst removing dead skin cells from the skin’s surface. This is followed be an intensely hydrating mask which plumps, firms and smoothes the skin. To solve the problem of dry, chapped winter lips, the facial combines nourishing lip treatments to leave lips soft and plump.

Skin is left glowing, hydrated and smooth providing a perfect base to apply your party makeup.

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[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”Post Party Recovery Facial” ccolor=”ffffff” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa” cbgcolor=”a9a9a9″]

Sisley’s new Post Party Recovery Facial begins with a deep cleanse to ensure that every trace of dirt and makeup is removed allowing pores to breathe again.  This is followed by a revitalising exfoliation to remove impurities.  Next, one of Sisley’s award winning skin saving masks is applied to help regain optimal condition of the skin.

To solve the problem of puffy, tired eyes the facial combines a soothing eye treatment to awaken tired eyes and eliminate dark circles.  Your skin is left looking bright, radiant and rested.

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A £35 booking fee applies, which is redeemable against 2 or more Sisley skincare products purchased on the day of the treatment.

Bryan Lacey is a man on a mission!

Appointed “The Complimentor” by new TV Channel QVC Beauty, he’s been dedicating November to dishing out feel-good compliments to people on the streets of London and online at QVCBeauty.

He says:

“The world is a very serious place at the moment, but there is always room for a compliment.  They are simple to give and great to receive so I’m hoping that I can spread 100,000 little moments of happiness, which will brighten up the receiver’s day.  To hit the target I have to give away roughly two compliments a minute, but I’m confident I can be chivalrous until the end.”

I haven’t even been paid a compliment and I’ve still got a smile on my face after watching that!

What’s the nicest compliment you’ve received lately?  Or if you haven’t… be sure to drop The Complimentor an email at hello@thecomplimentor.com before the 15th November to receive yours!

Great idea QVC!

So, it seems that the UK is gearing up for the Spring release of Revlon‘s scented nail polishes… something that our cousins across the pond have had access to for a while now.

So, cousins… what’s the verdict?

I love me a bit of Revlon and these are indeed some v. pretty shades… but…

…the last time I dedicated any time to sniffing my fingers, I was about 6 years old and had just picked my bum.

And the thing is… If I saw someone partaking in a bit of finger-sniffing tomorrow… I wouldn’t be wondering what flavour they’d painted their nails.  I’d be making sure I didn’t shake hands with them.

I just don’t see how these are workable in our society.  Should we exercise our right to sniff proudly in public or will we become a nation of closet finger sniffers?  It’s not like we can even be surreptitious in the workplace ‘cos you know if you get caught with your fingers hovering near your nostrils and you’re being all clandestine about it, it’s only gonna look worse for you.

The only reason I could think of to justify making scented nail polish is to stop those stinky fumes from filling the room whilst painting your tips.  That would be worthwhile no?  Except this stuff stinks like regular nail polish until it’s dry.

Will you be rushing to buy these when they’re released next year?

The first Friday in October… a brisk morning that was threatening to drop a raincloud on my head as I made my way through Bloomsbury.  I was heading to Simple‘s Beauty Bootcamp after being asked to join a panel of judges intent on discovering the brand’s new online ambassador and ‘Simple Star’.

I was feeling nervous and thanks to an early start, in desperate need of a strong, hot coffee.  I consoled myself with the knowledge that whatever nerves I might have been feeling, I could probably triple it and still not come close to the number of butterflies that would be encircling the bellies of the nine finalists.

And what about those finalists?  Nine of the most ambitious, articulate and driven ladies that I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.  Some were naturally confident, whilst others inspired me with the strong facades they were able to construct in preparation for the tasks ahead.  As I watched them listen carefully to what the day ahead would entail, I was confident that Simple would have no problems finding a Star amongst the group.

Task 1:  Getting to Know You

The ladies were set the challenge to do a little digging amongst their compadres in order to discover some interesting facts that they could share with the rest of us in the room…

Easier than it sounds… what ensued was a frantic scrum of semi-organised interrogation!  Secrets were divulged left, right and centre as the clock counted down.  We were treated to some juicy tidbits about the finalists and the task was completed with the ice well and truly broken!

Read the rest of this entry »

When I went to London a few weeks ago, I was on a mission.  I wanted to buy something that I couldn’t get from any of my local stores and I wanted it to be something from a brand that I wasn’t hugely familliar with.

I asked on Twitter and received a suggestion for the Shiseido Accentuating Color Sticks…. cream blushes?  I was all over it.  Like an embarrassing rash.

I’m a sucker for cream blushes, particularly when they’re in stick form like this… the only problem that lay ahead of me now was shade selection.

Three shades had caught my eye and I was truly torn.

Peach Flush, Rosy Flush and Champagne Flush.

Peach Flush looked quite… well… peachy to my eye and I’m always a little fearful of anything warm-toned but I know that when I get the shade right…. peach can really brighten up my complexion and play down the redness in my cheeks.

Rosy Flush was the one I was drawn to naturally… but my only caveat was that it was really quite bright… almost dolly pink rather than a true rose colour.  Less natural looking, but lovely for the Winter nonetheless.

Lastly, Champagne Flush… one of those beautiful shimmering highlighter shades that give that “lit from within” look.  Just a hint of pink pearl…. very lovely, but did I want another highlighter?

I went with Rosy Flush.  I handed over my card, paid my monies and went on my way not entirely sure I’d made the right decision.  Infact, I got as far as the Clinique counter and changed my mind.

Sheepishly, I went back and asked if I could change for a different shade and the counter staff couldn’t have been more accommodating… even going so far as to not treat me like a nuisance… I KNOW!  In SELFRIDGES?  Ah. Mazing.

Wanna know which one I got?

Peach Flush!  Aren’t I brave?

And I love it…

I’m so pleased I changed my mind and went for the less safe option.  The Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick is a sheer cream to powder formula that doesn’t look at all greasyand I find it easier to blend than the NARS multiples (which although I love, I find a bit… tough going?).

Peach Flush really does give me a naturally warm flush and wears beautifully under NARS Orgasm and Deep Throat for a slightly bolder look.  It has a very subtle shimmer that isn’t too apparent once on the cheeks.

I take a little colour from the stick onto my finger tips and apply that way…. although tempting, I wouldn’t recommend applying straight from the tube.  Stripe-o-rama.

The only downside to the Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick is in it’s lasting power… I get about 4 hours wear from it before it disappears.  If I need it to last all day, then I wear it underneath a complementing powder blush.

Of course, now that I’ve bought Peach Flush… I’m desperate to get my hands on Rosy and Champagne too.

Shiseido Accentuating Color Sticks are available from counters nationwide priced at £26 each.

The new SpaRitual Winter 2010 collection is titled Imagine and features 6 on-trend shades for the season ahead.

Unconditional Love – Deep rose foil metallic
Living in the moment – classy, understated mushroom crème
Health, Wealth & Happiness – Luxurious dramatic two-tone blue, purple metallic

Endless Possibilities – Intense black cherry plum crème
Dreams Becoming Reality – Dramatic teal blue crème
A World of Compassion – Deep lilac crème

Not only big 3 free, all SpaRitual shades are also vegan.  One of my favourite things about the brand is the packaging.  The bulbous bottles feel luxurious and curvy, whilst the caps are simply perfectly shaped and proportioned for use.  The patented design features rubber grips which are moulded for a comfortable experience.

I was sent two of the shades from the collection to swatch… I’ll start with Endless Possibilities:

Endless Possibilities is a cherry black creme, incredibly glossy with a smooth glass-like finish.  THe above photo shows no top coat… nice huh?

It applied very nicely, and was opaque in two coats.  Impressive.  I didn’t experience any chipping but as with most very dark shades like this, tip wear was apparent by the end of the 2nd day.

Another 2-coater, Health, Wealth and Happiness is one incredibly sexy shade.  A Blue/Purple duochrome… the two-tone flashes are spell-binding yet sophisticated.  Application was consistent with the other polish and again, the swatch shot features no top coat.

Wear was a little better on this polish… again, no chips but tip wear wasn’t quite so apparent.

SpaRitual polishes are priced at £7.23 (exc. VAT) each and available online from SpaRitual

Recommended!

I was sent these a while ago now via the brilliant r8beauty, probably around the time my camera went up in a big puff of smoke and I have been absolutely DYING to play with them but holding off until I could do them justice with a photo incase they were amaze.

Rebel Nails are a simple stick-on concept that can be customised with an almost infinite number of designs from animal print to high-shine chrome.

I found application a touch tricky, though the instructions provided were clear and easy to follow.

Firstly, I had to trim EVERY nail sticker.  They were all far too wide for my narrow nails and even after trimming, I found that I had been a little too cautious and should have taken off more than I did.  Something to remember for next time.  It looks far better once on the nail if they’re a little too narrow for your nail bed than too wide.

I also experienced more problems with creasing on the ones that I hadn’t trimmed enough.  It really is key to ensure you personalise these nails to fit your own properly.

But how does the overall effect look?

Pretty darn brilliant even if I do say so myself:

My little nail and ring finger are both perfect fits (and applications) but at the time, I thought I’d trimmed too much from the sticker.  You can see though that they look far better than my index and middle fingers yes?

Stickability is impressive.  I achieved 4 days before a little peeling but if I’m completely honest with you… I wanted them off my fingers after day 1.  I found that the free edges (no matter how well I filed) just kept catching on things and feeling ‘scratchy’.  I wouldn’t have lasted 4 days if I weren’t testing them for wear.

For me, these are great for special occasions…. nights out and the like.  They feel very comfortable on the nails… the thin membrane of sticky foil is light and unobtrusive.  It’s just that rough nail tip that I couldn’t put up with.

Removal was 100x easier than I had anticipated.  I switched on my hairdryer, gave a nail a quick blast before peeling back the sticker which left barely any residue, gunk and absolutely no damage behind.

Rebel Nails offer around 100 desgins on their website, with prices starting at only £4.99 a set.

I’m loving the look of these Snowflake Red ones for Christmas.

Do you like?

Did you know that today, October 18th… marks the UK’s first Anti-Slavery Day?

I had the opportunity to put a few questions to Hannah Pearce from ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) to talk about why slavery is still an issue, what needs to be changed and how we go about making those changes.

How is slavery an issue in the UK today?

We were really pleased that the government decided, in part as a result of ECPAT UK’s lobbying, to introduce a national Anti-Slavery Day earlier this year.  The UK’s first ever Anti-Slavery Day will be marked on 18th October 2010.

Whilst slavery was officially abolished almost 200 hundred years ago a modern version of slavery exists in the form of child trafficking.  ECPAT UK is part of a global network of organisations campaigning against child trafficking.  ECPAT UK has carried out research over recent years which has found that children are trafficked to the UK from a wide range of countries.  These are children who have faced appalling experiences of exploitation; children who have been trafficked for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, cannabis cultivation, forced criminal activities and benefit fraud.

It’s both sad and shocking to understand this, what would be the single most important thing the government could do to help?

Our campaign with the Body Shop is calling on the government to introduce a system of guardianship to be introduced for all trafficked children.  Children who have been trafficked do not have anyone to look after them and make decisions on their behalf as a parent would do.  Although many professionals can be involved in the care of a child who has been trafficked no one person has parental responsibility. We believe there are substantial gaps in the system of support for trafficked children who need guidance through the welfare, legal, asylum and immigration processes.  A guardian would ensure that these children receive the support they need.

What is it about The Body Shop (other than their High Street positioning) that ECPAT feels makes them the company to help with this campaign?

Anita Roddick was a truly inspirational woman and her commitment to social justice lives on in the Body Shop. Before she died she had decided that the Body Shop would launch a campaign against child trafficking and she made contact with ECPAT to discuss how we might be able to work together.

From ECPAT’s point of view we are really delighted to be working with a company that is renowned for its social values, and the campaign has given us an amazing opportunity to bring the issue of child trafficking into high streets not only across the UK, but across the world.

The Body Shop have been running an online petition to stop the sex trafficking of young people, how many signatures do you currently have and what’s the next step with this?

Hundreds of thousands of people across the UK have already signed the petition either in Body Shop stores or on the website, which is absolutely fantastic.  We will continue to collect signatures until next March.  Then later in 2011 we will be presenting, what we hope will be one of the biggest petitions ever collected, to the Prime Minister.  We will be asking the Prime Minister to acknowledged the massive groundswell of support for trafficked children by asking him to take action and introduce a system of guardianship.

Sounds great, how can we help?

It would be brilliant if you could sign the petition and even better if you could ask ten friends to sign the petition as well.  You can sign the petition in Body Shop stores or by going to the campaign website www.thebodyshop.com/stop

As well as supporting our campaign by signing the petition you can buy the special campaign hand cream, Soft hands, Kind heart.  The hand cream costs £3.50 and all the profits (£2.36 per bottle) are donated to ECPAT.

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Special thanks to Hannah for taking the time to help us understand more about a subject that should be frontpage news today and every day until it’s an issue no longer plaguing our society.

Come on ladies, no matter where you are in the world… if you haven’t signed the petition – please do it now, to mark Anti-Slavery Day.  It will only take a minute of your time.

Click the button below to select your country and SIGN!

Strictly Come Dancing on Stars with Ice Factors in the Jungle makeup I can handle.  Especially when I got the opportunity to play and wasn’t completely horrified by the actual quality.  Plus they’d made the most of all the sequins, glitterballs, cutely packaged bits and bobs… it has that tack-tastic quality that you want from a Strictly Come Dancing makeup line.

This?

I’m not so sure.

[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”They Say” ccolor=”ffffff” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa” cbgcolor=”b0c4de”]Become the ultimate diva with this new show-stopping collection of Glee inspired cosmetics. The dazzling selection of nail colours, eye shadows, lip glosses and lip balms offers Glee fans the chance to create their own personal ‘Gleekover’.[/stextbox]

I’ll be honest… I’ve never watched Glee, but surely if you were going to capitalise on the whole Glee phenomena with a little sideline in makeup… you could put a bit more effort into it?

Picture the scene (and bear in mind I have no actual idea how this works.)   So… we’re in the Superdrug/Glee/Wholesale Cosmetics people’s boardroom.  Eating doughnuts… probably.

“Hey guyyyyyys!  How about some Glee Makeup for Christmas?!”

*audible gasp*

“Ah-mazing!”

“But how can we make it Glee makeup as opposed to any old generic cheap crap makeup?  We don’t want our customers to think that we’re taking advantage of an opportunity without putting any real thought into it.”

“Let’s stick some Glee stickers on it!”

*audible gasp*

“Genius! – If it’s good enough for MACs latest collection… it’s good enough for us.”

At least MAC’s stickers were printed in more than one colour.  Cheapskates.  How in the hell is this Glee-inspired makeup?  Once your Gleeky consumer has torn away the cardboard packaging… don’t you think they may be just a teeny bit disappointed with what’s left in the way of Glee-spiration? (ok, I’m stopping with the quips now).

You can go buy your *cough* Glee-inspired makeup which includes *cough* BeautyUK-esque eyeshadow palettes instore at Superdrug now.  With prices starting at £3, I’m not saying they won’t make excellent stocking fillers… but if I find one in mine?  Mr. L won’t have much to be “Gleeful” about.

Next up doing their bit for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is…

What is it?

The Breast Cancer Care Smashbox Smile Brightening lipstick duo from QVC – in luscious pink!

Light up your smile with this Smile Brightening Lipgloss Duo (each 6ml) from Smashbox. Each lipgloss is packed with light-reflecting particles for a gorgeous shimmering pout, as well as specially coloured pigments designed to reveal your brightest smile. It’s also infused with a cool minty flavour that will make you feel fresh and ready for the day or evening ahead.

Price

£13.31

Donation

QVC will donate all net profits to Breast Cancer Care

Availability

Online at QVC throughout October