Indulge me, I rarely do haul posts. But I’m really loving the things that I picked up this week. And just look how restrained I was at my local CCO (the MAC).
At the beginning of the week my Stila bits turned up from CheapSmells.. oh! I haven’t included my Stila Topaz Kajal in the photo! Oh well, I got that too… But anyway, look at that lovely taupe (bottom left). That’s Stila Cloud, a very cool toned shimmery silver taupe.
I finally took the plunge and ordered a Shu Uemura IR Beige 800 eyeshadow… I was struggling between the IR and ME versions, but felt the ME version swatched a little too pink for me.
I also took advantage of the Barielle BOGOF offer and picked up two colours from the Spring Wildflowers Collection (A Bouquet for Ava & June Bug) and two from the Summer High Steppin’ Collection (Belly Dance & Electric Boogie)
Hmm what else…
Oh, I nabbed Clinique’s (relatively) new High Lengths mascara that I’ve had my eye on for a little while… super funky alienesque brush!
Finally, I was (semi) well-behaved in my local CCO on Friday. I don’t have a MAC counter near me… so I usually target the MAC stand quite heavily when I raid the Gunwharf CCO. I picked up: Melon pigment, Blonde MSF and Femme-Fi eyeshadow. Pat on the back for resisting Moon River from the Grand Duo collection and Flower Mist Dew Beauty Powder from the Ungaro collection. (Please don’t tell me I NEED those two items in my life… I totally bend to peer pressure!)
Terry de Gunzburg, founder of cult beauty brand By Terry is making a one day personal appearance at the Space NK Hans Crescent store in Knightsbridge.
She’ll be in store on Thursday 17th June (10.30am – 5.30pm) with her team of international make up artists to introduce her Summer collection and offer individual consultations.
Booking fee is £20 (redeemable against purchases) and all guests will receive a special gift bag from ByTerry.
If you fancy the thought of champagne, macaroons, luxe makeup and some personal attention then you can call the Space NK Hans Crescent to book a ticket on 0207 581 25 18
INRAW was the first OPI I bought back in the day and is probably the only bottle of polish I’m even close to finishing.
If I look *really* closely, I’d say that Stargazer #155 is the teeniest bit more cherry toned than INRAW, but there’s barely anything in it.
#155 is opaque in two coats and applies smoothly with a decent brush… not too thin and no straggly long bits. Quick drying but affording just enough time to work the polish to the edges of the nail bed. It benefits from a glossy top coat to bring out the sparkle within the polish.
And a comparison with the OPI…
I prefer the Stargazer. I’ve always had an issue with tip wear with this particular OPI (see my review from last May) and the Stargazer is outperforming INRAW in this instance by a huge amount. No tip wear at all until the 3rd day.
Did I find a good dupe? I’m usually pretty crappy at dupe hunting, so I’m kinda chuffed with myself! Simple things and all that…
It’s time I be brave and post a before treatment / during picture. Now that the irritation and redness has completely subsided (took about a week) from my first Sk:n laser hair removal treatment, I’m thoroughly enjoying my new (relatively) hairless face!
I have 5 more treatments to go and I’m in it for the long haul. 6 treatments in total, each separated by a 4 week period to allow for different growth cycles means I should be finished in October.
Let me show you the (gruesome) photos first and then I’ll share my observations about the current hair growth.
Yeah, looking at this 6 weeks on is a little bit upsetting. I can’t believe that I sruggled with this for so many years. Maybe I’m being blase…. I don’t know that this is going to be permanent, but jeez… one session is all I’ve had. One. Look.
I catch myself stroking my chin with the back of my hand occassionally… surprised at the feeling of smooth skin… but mostly, I’m loving just not having to think about it at all.
I’m currently shaving every 3rd/4th day, compared to once or even twice a day previously.
When the hair does come back through, it feels finer and less coarse. It’s still dark and the pinpricks of colour under the surface of my skin are noticeable if you look closely. But what an astounding difference.
I didn’t expect to achieve such instant results. I know I need to continue the ‘course’ and not be lulled into a false sense of security as I’ve been told the hair can sometimes appear to get even thicker than previously after the 2nd/3rd sessions thanks to the different growth cycles… but for now…. I’m on cloud nine.
I’ve got a brand spankin’ new bottle of Seche Vite up for grabs… and a rather cute Japanese cheek guide thing for blush application…
So, how do you win it?
Head on over to the Lipglossiping ego Facebook page and agree to sell me your soul like it!
Simples!
I shall draw a winner (international entrants welcome) on the 24th June.
P.S. – I know that some of you would rather stick hot pins in your eyes than sign up on facebook, so if you wanna join in the fun but are allergic to the “book of faces”, drop me an email with the subject “JUNE GIVEAWAY” (and a few lines of text to get past my spam filter) and I’ll make sure you’re entered too!
I found this amongst my other Star Gazer goodies that I was sent last week and immediately my eyes went into a bit of a roll.
I can be a bit of a foundation snob. Eyeshadows… I’ll buy and happily use from all price points… but foundation is the base of everything right? If your base ain’t right… you ain’t coming in.
I have to say though, this Star Gazer Pro Paint Stick is pretty brilliant! Don’t get wrong… there’s plenty of stuff about it that I don’t like. For one, it kinda pongs… it smells chemically and cheap. That’s probably because it is.
For two, the ingredient list is massive… there’s lots of unpronounceables in there.
And for three, well… it’s Star Gazer and not Chanel. I’m gonna have to hide the packaging. SORRY! But it’s true, this won’t be taking pride of place on my dressing table.
But snobbery aside; Stargazer Pro Paint Stick is a truly effective full coverage, creamy foundation. In a stick.
It glides on without drag, #1 Light Flesh (sexy) is a great neutral colour match for me (don’t get this one if you’re darker than a NW/NC15 though) and blends seamlessly with the warmth from my fingers.
I’ve been working out the best way to use it, and for me… I’m loving it as a giant concealer stick.
I swipe the tube over the tops of my cheeks and down the bridge of my nose and blend. It evens out my skintone beautifully and once set with some translucent powder, doesn’t want to budge. It means that I can happily coat the rest of my face in tinted moisturiser and be all “la la la I’m wearing tinted moisturiser, isn’t my complexion LOVELY!”
I’ve worn it all over too, but I tend to be a little heavy handed and I get that full-cover slightly sticky mask thing going on. Here’s a before/after shot. You should be able to see how well the redness and uneveness is covered?
Priced at £4 each and available from Stargazer online, though the online colour swatches look a bit rubbish.
Stargazer are a budget brand that I’ve had some real success with in the past… infact, one of the first things I ever reviewed was a Stargazer cake eyeliner that I still enjoy using to this day.
I received a couple of their liquid eye liners to have a play with and initially… I was mega OVERLY excited.
Look! I thought they were gonna be huge chunky felt tip type liquid eye liners. The idea really appealed to me in theory (in reality of course, great big sharpie-type liquid eyeliners would ensure I made even more of a mess than I usually do).
Anyway… this is how they look:
The ‘nib’ is a flexible nylony bristle type affair. It holds together well and doesn’t splay or flop about during application.
It produces a substantially pigmented black line that’s thin enough to tightly line the lashline. The above photo shows the line after I’d built it up to get the kinda thickness that I usually like.
I received two shades, black and blue. Both are true to description… the black is pure with no charcoal ashiness. The above swatch shows one swipe from each shade. Impressive huh? My only negative is that drying time was a little slower than I’m used to thanks to a wetter formula. I’d estimate that it took around a minute before I felt comfortable enough to let my (hooded eyelid) droop back over my lashline. However, once set… this stuff isn’t budging or transferring ’til makeup removal time. It doesn’t flake and it doesn’t fade. Phenomenal.
If you’re looking for a purse-friendly “does what it says on the tin” liquid eyeliner… I’d wholeheartedly recommend these from the Stargazer range. They do a host of shades and I’m gonna check out the violet and red (though I could probably use an intervention… I’m not gonna use a freakin’ red eyeliner am I?).
You can buy Stargazer’s Liquid Eyeliners online or from New Look at the ridiculously good price of £3 each.
This is the most horrific video and after watching it, I very nearly stuck to just still images for this post (and you’ll probably wish I had). I was blatantly traumatised enough by the whole experience to think that filming a video in direct sunlight without a scrap of makeup on was a FABULOUS idea! Perhaps the laser fried my brain aswell as my follicles?
Oh god… Don’t judge me bitches.
Ok, enough of all that…
So here’s an image showing the area around my chin and neck later on the same evening after my first full treatment at the sk:n laser hair removal clinic.
It was pretty much as sore as it looks. Itchy too… Bear in mind that my skin was completely clear when I woke that morning… so this is all from the laser. I spent most of that evening with a wet muslin cloth pressed to the area to take the heat out of it.
Having known other women who have undergone the treatment, I honestly didn’t expect to develop such a strong reaction and seeing it in all it’s gory glory on here makes me feel a little bit better about being a touch wimpy during my first session. Put it this way… if flinching were an Olympic sport, I’d have been high on that podium saluting the flag.
My cousin reminded me yesterday that I was the only one in the family group (as a child) who managed to get sunburned severely enough to need A&E treatment whilst on holiday in Devon. In October. I’m so pleased that my Sk:n therapist agreed it would be wise to turn the laser down for me!
I had a rough time that first night and didn’t sleep well. The itching was driving me insane and I don’t know HOW I managed to keep my nails away from my skin. The next morning, I woke up looking like I’d done a few rounds with Mike Tyson.
It’s not that easy to see here, but my upper lip was really swollen. When I pressed my lips together, my top lip completely overhung my bottom and it was tricky to talk without sounding silly.
It wasn’t painful though, the best way I can describe it is thus… yano when you get a blister on your foot and you press lightly? It feels slightly numb and cushion-y? That was how my lower face felt. Admittedly, not the most pleasant sensation.
You can see that the redness had subsided by the 2nd day, but the swelling is also apparent around the jawline. Frankly, I felt pretty hideous. I didn’t want to wear makeup, despite having been assured that I could if I wanted to… I just wanted to hide in the house, preferably under the bed.
.
So, those last two photos were from the day before yesterday (Wednesday) and it’s getting better as each day passes. Today (Friday) the whole area is back to being flesh-coloured and the swelling has completely disappeared. The treated area is still covered with bumps where each dark hair-containing follicle has been zapped, but these are camouflageable with a bit of concealer and patience. I’ve also still got a bruise coloured tache as in the 2nd photo, but it’s fading.
It’s been a tough few days since my first full treatment on Tuesday. Tougher than I imagined it would be. I honestly expected to go in and emerge 30 minutes later with some redness that would subside within a few hours.
.
Back then, I was the only 9yr old getting her blisters popped in A&E and again… I find myself being the exception rather than the rule. Whilst it’s beginning to look like I’m not your average ‘reactor’ to the treatment, I think that my experience is perhaps even more useful as a result.
It’s hard to underestimate just how DIFFERENT we all are and I’m starting to understand why there just can’t be any guarantees with something as personal as laser hair removal. I’m also secretly hoping that this extra dose of irritation means that those bastard hair follicles are taking an extra battering and admitting defeat under the awesomeness of the laser. Pee-ow, pee-ow!
So, last Friday (14th May) I had my first consultation and test patch for facial laser hair removal at the sk:n clinic in Southampton.
I had previously shared my concerns and nerves about this first meeting… but I needn’t have worried too much. The staff and therapists at the clinic were very friendly and I was put completely at ease in their care.
When I arrived, I was given a few forms to fill out… general contact stuff like name, address, next of kin… and I was also given a consent form.
I asked if I could have a copy of the consent form and they were happy to oblige. I really recommend you do this and infact, it would be great if they did it as standard. It’s a well written document that summarises many of the important concerns about laser hair removal and if you’re signing your name on the dotted line… it’s good to have a reminder of exactly what you’re giving your consent to right?
So after these formalities, I was greeted by my therapist Hayley and led into a treatment room. The laser device was the indimidating looking machine lurking in the corner looking a lot like a big photocopier with a hoover attachment. It’s true… look…
Hayley went through a checklist of contraindications which included things like asking me if I were pregnant, suntanned (yeah right) and whether I was on any medication including steroids (I was assured that steroid inhalers didn’t count!). We discussed which body areas were going to be treated and at this point I asked if it would be ok for me to pay to have a small patch on my chest included in the treatment area. She grabbed a price list and gave me a quote for 6 sessions (just under £300) which I agreed to.
I was asked what I do to currently control the hair growth and I explained that I shave the areas daily. She was pleased with this as it meant that the hair follicles would be intact and undamaged by the plucking or waxing process. If you want to know more about why this would be important and how laser hair removal actually works (along with a video demonstration), check out this page on the sk:n clinic website.
The last thing we discussed was after care. At this point, I was offered the option to purchase a ‘starter pack’. What this basically includes is three products that are recommended for you to use after treatment to help soothe and protect your skin.
It’s obviously another string to sk:n’s money-making bow to offer you the option to purchase products directly from them at the time of treatment. I don’t think they’re particularly marked up (although the seperate purchase price of £15 for a SPF30 Sunblock seems quite expensive).
Anyway, here’s the “Starter Pack”:
Aloe Vera Gel
Spray Water
SPF 30 Sunblock
If you already have these… you don’t HAVE to purchase them. For me, it was a convenient time to pick them up. I’ve already been through a lot of the Aloe Vera gel and I’ll be buying another tube (albeit from Holland & Barratts!).
You’re advised not to use your normal skincare for a few days… simply because you don’t want to expose your skin to any lotions and potions that could cause extra sensitivity on an already sensitized area. However, I made sure to check that wearing makeup wasn’t a problem!
The single most important aspect of aftercare however, (and Hayley drummed into me!) is sunblock. Do not leave the house unless you’re protected from the sun. To be blunt… don’t risk a tan whilst you’re undergoing treatment. The whole premise of laser hair removal is that it targets melanin, the areas of pigmentation (i.e. dark hair and the follicle under the skin). You start getting tanned bits and you lose the contrast making the treatment less effective and more likely to burn the skin.
Dun, dun, dun! It was time to hop up on the couch and get on with the test patch… my mouth went a bit dry at this point…
I was handeed a pair of sunbed goggles… you know, the ones that kinda fit the shape of your eyeballs and don’t extend much further… these are total blackout, so it’s immediately a little more unnerving as you can’t see a thing. A side effect of this is that your hearing becomes a touch more acute… so when the machine (which was right by my head) fired up… I’m not ashamed to admit that my heart beat a little faster.
Hayley was constantly talking to me, explaining what she was doing and reassuring me that everything was as it should be. I’m glad she was chatty… it really helped to put me at ease. I’m such a wuss!
As the (I’m not sure what to call it!?) laser head bit was put over a small area on my chin… I felt a slight vacuum-y/cooling sensation before the laser fired and I felt a sharp twang on the surface of my skin. It’s not painful… but the anticipation is uncomfortable for me. It’s a bit like waiting for a balloon to be popped. I think that as I get used to it and into the swing of a full session, this feeling will fade… but I was really aware of anticipating the next laser fire.
What I wasn’t expecting however, was the smell. Burnt hair… really quite unpleasant and thanks to the treatment being carried out around my chin and top lip, right under my nose! I think I’ll breathe through my mouth next time!
Immediately after, Hayley sprayed my skin with thermal water and applied copious amounts of Aloe Vera Gel which I forgot to rub in and spent the next ten minutes looking like I’d sneezed on myself. My skin immediately turned a shade of lobster pink and I was sent on my merry way with an appointment for my first full session (Tues 18th May) and my starter pack of after-care products.
You can see how my skin looked 12 hours later and read my concerns at the time by reading my update here.
It remained hot to the touch ’till Sunday evening (60hrs after treatment) but the redness and swelling have now subsided. There’s still visible signs of irritation, but it doesn’t feel ‘burnt’ anymore. I’m a lot happier that my skin isn’t reacting in some unusual way. It also would have helped if I’d read the aftercare sheet FULLY and not just scanned it thinking I recognised everything I’d already been told:
2. …the treated area may become red and swollen and may remain so for several days after treatment.
Sorted. My skin probably isn’t going to fall off then. I am Norman normal, just perhaps a teeny bit more sensitive than hardier types!
You’re gonna have to excuse the hair… I have shaved twice since my test patch on Friday… I guess you can see why I so desperately want this treatment done huh? Anyway, at the risk of stating the bleedin’ obvious… the red bits are irritation and these photos show the affected areas 60hrs after treatment.
Honestly, I’m kinda dreading what I’m going to look like on Wednesday morning after my first full session. I’m thinking Freddy Krueger. Don’t forget I’m practically having the whole of my lower face lasered… I’m not sure I’ll be able to leave the house for a few days if the test patch was anything to go by. I guess it’s something I didn’t consider. Oh well, I think it’s time to stop worrying and wait and see what greets me in the mirror on Wednesday morning.
So that’s it really… a full on update. In total, I’ll be having six sessions and although I won’t be updating with as much detail as this after my subsequent treatments, I’ll still be doing progress reports and posting photos when appropriate.
I guess that if I’ve got something worth sharing, I’ll be letting you guys know about it.
Here’s a vid that Mr. L shot when we went for a cup of tea afterwards, please excuse the sillyness at the end. Apparently, I’m boring, unlike the dude that walks behind me with a giant red erection… no, really (40 seconds in).
Ok, so I have another video update on the way…. it needs a little bit of editing and I’m totally new to this video lark so still learning how to do all that stuff! I’m happy to overshare… but not look like a total moron, hence the need for editing.
I thought I’d give an impromptu update on the test patch I had at the sk:n clinic today in preparation for my course of laser hair removal. More of what actually happened during the consultation will be revealed in the vid, but as of a quarter to one in the morning following my consultation and test patch, I just wanna say…
Owwie! (please excuse the hint of boob-age)
The technician lady/laser thingy operator said that the redness (and any swelling) usually fades after an hour or so… but this is still going strong 12 hours later. It feels hot to the touch and slightly stingy but not too bad. I’m guessing it’s laser burn.
You can see that the hairs in that area *blush* are unshaved and I think this is the cause. She said that it’s best if I shave on the morning of treatment as the skin can suffer from burning if there’s much hair above the actual skin surface.
The lady was very nice and explained everything very well… but I kinda wish I’d known about this before hand. Or that they had disposable razors onsite that they could have offered me to quickly remove the surface hair and avoid this discomfort. I’ve been applying Aloe Vera like it’s going out of business ever since.
My first video… eek, no edits! Video queen I ain’t…
If you have any questions (no matter how silly you think they may be) about professional IPL treatment at a clinic, please ask and I’ll either be able to answer them through my own experiences or find out on your behalf.
If you don’t feel comfortable asking questions in the comment box, feel free to email me privately.
To find out more about the sk:n clinic and the treatments they offer, visit their website here.
EDIT 13/05 20:51:
I wanted to quickly update to say…
Firstly, thank you SO much for being supportive and generous in wishing me the best of luck with the treatment, it’s really appreciated and very good of you.
But I also want to clarify something…
I don’t feel brave and I don’t think you should think me brave either. Save that for someone who writes openly about something like this without being rewarded with many many pounds worth of free treatments in an attempt to fix it.
Honestly? I wouldn’t be discussing this on my blog if it weren’t for that fact. I’m certainly no martyr to the cause of hirsutism!
I seriously contemplated limiting my experiences, review and photographs to my upper lip. It’s the least ‘freaky’ area to suffer from excess hair and the place where most people would be able to relate. But the simple fact is that receiving this free treatment puts me in a privileged position. I’m not a bonafide beauty writer… I’m a lucky girl dedicated to her blog and I think I can suffer a little bit of indignity if it:
a). helps highlight the more embarrassing aspects of excess hair in a sympathetic way.
b). brings a small amount of comfort to even one person who may read this and realise that there’s literally loads of women with the same problems.
c). (if the treatment works) bring hope that there is an effective solution to the problem.
d). (if the treatment doesn’t work) potentially save someone a good deal of money, or encourage them to explore other options first.
Regardless, from now on… if I see any of you checking out my FOTDs with a magnifying glass… you’re off my Christmas Card list FOR GOOD!
It’s gorgeous no? I dug it out of my goody bag that I was given at the Sleek MakeUP blogger event this week.
I’m loving the new Sleek i-Divine cardboard sleeves… not so much the coloured cases, but the sleeves are a total win for me!
Visible from outer space.
It’s a bright palette… I personally wouldn’t wear these as eyeshadows… but I’d buy it anyway, ‘cos these are gonna make some cracking Summer eyeliners. I’ve already worn both blues blended tightly along the lashline… fabulous!
Like the Bohemian palette before it, the Sleek Circus palette contains a mixture of shimmer and matte shades. Mostly heavily pigmented (with 2 exceptions) this is an exciting selection. It’s exciting because it’s pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone… without going too far. It’s not the acid palette… I couldn’t wear that one. This, I can work with… it’ll spice things up nicely!
They will be getting named in due course by one of the lucky bloggers who won the opportunity at the event!
4 & 8 are crapola. Heavily swatched, I’m just not getting any colour payoff from them dry or wet. They’re write-offs unless you have incredible patience. I’m not bothered about the white, but it’s a shame that the lilac is so disappointing… it’s an interesting shade.
Stand out shades for me are: 1, 2, 5, 9, 10 and 11.
Infact, I’d buy the palette for 11 alone. It’s perfection.
The Sleek Circus Palette will be released in June, what do you guys think? Impatient or Indifferent?
