A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I think it’s about time for an update to this post.

It’s been a month and I’ve been sticking to the new routine, using The Body Shop’s Rainforest Haircare.  Infact, I’ve finished the bottles that I was given at their blogger event in the Summer.

I know it’s taken me a while to review, but not only did my hair need to get used to the new products, I needed to get used to the new routine too.  It’s a big difference going from normal detergents and condtioners and it takes a while to adjust.

So, I’ve been trialling The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture variety which is aimed at dry hair types.  My hair is coloured (frequently) and as a result, a little over-processed and dry.  It needs something that isn’t stripping.

My first impressions of this weren’t positive.  Within the 3rd use, my hair felt like straw.  It was unmanageable and bushy… rough and knotty.  I tried using more conditioner, but didn’t experience any improvements.  I nearly gave up on it completely.

Instead, I tried using it in conjunction with my normal conditioner.  I was worried that by using a normal conditioner, I’d be giving the sls-free shampoo too tough a job to clear my hair of build-up… but for me?  This is working well.

The shampoo takes a little getting used to, it doesn’t lather very well on the hair.  It’s recommended to rub it between your palms to build up a small amount of lather before applying to your hair and this does make a difference.

I simply found that the condtioner didn’t do enough to smooth the hair shaft.  Whilst I’m not in love with either of these products, I would purchase the shampoo again.  It left my hair feeling clean and since getting rid of my scalp issues (thanks Nizoral!) it hasn’t caused any further irritations.

Priced at £4 for 250ml, I think the range is pretty good value for money considering the natural and eco-friendly ingredients, but I’d need to see more moisture from the conditioner before I’d purchase again.

You can buy The Body Shop’s Rainforest Haircare range online or instore.

Ohhhh, I dunno… it’s all a bit macho innit… cheesy 90s machismo.

Maybe it’s the bottle, maybe it’s the whole locker room sport scent thing…

They say

[stextbox id=”custom” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa”]Davidoff’s latest men’s fragrance Champion will trigger in men a desire to develop the latent potential within them. That deep, fundamental instinct for victory and power. Davidoff Champion is about the daily ritual of taking the time to build physical and mental strength. To become a champion.[/stextbox]

I say

I’m not a snob (well, alright… I am) but it’s a bit mainstream isn’t it?  I hate this just as much as I’d hate a stiletto shaped bottle of scent (there must be one out there?).  I know, I know… look past the packaging… but I’m struggling.

Having said that, I think the packaging will probably tempt just as many men as it puts off… I can see this on the Christmas wish list of many 16yr olds.

As for the scent?

Well… it’s not my favourite and it does border slightly on the generic fresh scent for “manly” men… but… it just about dodges the bullet.

Davidoff Champion has a nice citrusy kick that although never really fades enough to reveal anything beyond this, is almost pleasant enough on it’s own.  Staying power is pretty good too… I just wish it were a bit more complex.  This ain’t gonna beat Marc Jacobs Bang as men’s scent of the season, that’s for certain!

Having said that, I’m strangely addicted to the ad… *shrugs*

Davidoff Champion is available in 50ml & 90ml EDT and priced at £35.50/£43.50 respectively.

Until next year, Decleor’s new Aroma Cleanse is a QVC exclusive and claims to leave your skin feeling fresh, cleansed and hydrated.

I’ve been putting a PR sample to the test over the last month…

You only need to use a tiny amount and the pump action nozzle is quite frustrating when judging how hard to de-press in order to dispense a small amount.  Answer, about a 1/3 of the way… and this isn’t always possible!

The product does indeed foam up quickly and spreads smoothly over the skin… it smells pleasant and washes away leaving my skin feeling squeaky clean.  A little too squeaky clean for my normal/dry complexion.

I struggle with this cleanser… after use I develop an immediate and uncomfortable tightness that demands moisture.  After a few days… I notice dry patches along the tops of my cheekbones that extend into the undereye area.  This is simply too stripping for my skin.

I also take issue at the cleanser’s claims that it can be used to remove eye makeup.  I have tried it twice and I wouldn’t wish a third attempt on my worst enemy.  If even a small amount of the Decleor Aroma Cleanse enters my eye… the pain leaves me unable to open my eye properly without it streaming until it passes around 10 minutes later.  I don’t even have sensitive eyes!

I’ll be interested to discover how folks with oilier skins fare with the Aroma Cleanse… it certainly leaves your face feeling clean!

Priced at £24.56, I’m disappointed by this cleanser.  Generally a fan of Decleor (I love their night balms!), this hasn’t lived up to the high expectations I had for it.

Going back through some of my old photo folders I was surprised to notice that I hadn’t blogged about one of my favourite foundations ever!

I love light foundations that feel comfortable on the skin and MUFE’s Face & Body Liquid Make Up fits that criteria beautifully.  Yes, it’s sheer and will not cover blemishes – but it evens out my skintone nicely and lasts all day.  Being waterproof, it’s pretty fabulous for warm climates too.

In my humble and completely non-expert opinion, the key to falling in love with this foundation is in the way you apply it.

I layer it.

It takes a little longer, but I adore the finish that I can achieve if I take some time and care with my application.

Starting with a thin layer all over, I give the jelly-like water-based formula a couple of minues to dry.  Once set, I apply another layer… this time focusing on the centre of my face.  This is the layer that evens out the redness in my skin… not completely, but enough to keep my tone looking more uniform yet still natural.

If I have blemishes, then before applying anything… I’ll conceal them.

The formula takes a little getting used to… it’s very wet and jelly like.  Before dispensing, you need to give the bottle a thorough shake to mix the formula and when tipping beware that you can dislodge a big jellified blob onto the back of your hand if you’re not cautious!

Make Up For Ever’s Face & Body Liquid Make Up isn’t an inexpensive choice, but it’s certainly cheaper (especially for the quantity in the bottle) than most high end alternatives.

Available in the UK from Guru Makeup Emporium and PAM Makeup, 50ml will set you back around £25-£27.

As an aside, Shade #36 is the MOST perfect match for my skintone (especially in winter).  Though, ironically… it wouldn’t matter if it were a shade or two off because it’s such a forgiving sheer formula.  Why can’t I find this shade in other foundations huh?

Have you tried MUFE’s Face & Body Liquid Make Up?  What are your favourite MUFE products?  I wish we had greater availability in the UK… I can’t understand why a national chain haven’t picked the brand up already *sigh*.

duh duh duh duh duh duh duh duh…. or something…

Facial Wipes… we know that we’re not supposed to rely on them right?  I mean… they’re convenient and all, but they don’t really ‘cleanse’ your face effectively enough to be your go-to cleansing solution.  Though, I’m sure lots of people do use nothing but wipes night and morning.  Dirty gits 😉

These are currently my favourites and I’ve forever got a little stock of them for cleaning swatches, tidying eyeliner mistakes and generally freshening up.

Clockwise from Top Left:

Good Things Total Wipe Out (£3.49/25)

Aimed at younger skin, these thick wipes make a really quick job of removing most makeup.  I love these for when I wear a smoky eye.  1 wipe makes it a much easier and quicker job once I get to the sink.

No7 Quick Thinking 4-in-1 wipes (£6.75/30)

Firstly, I’d never pay nearly £7 for a pack of wipes… frankly, I have better things to spend £7 on.  I stockpile these like they’re going out of fashion when the £5 off Boots No7 vouchers appear in store.  £1.75 for 30 lovely and effective wipes is not a price to be sniffed at!  These leave my skin feeling super soft and at £1.75 I don’t feel guilty carrying a pack in Leila’s nappy bag for messy fingers!

Simple Radiance Brightening Cleansing Wipes (£3.94/25)

I love the material of these (yes, I know… get a life) but these have a great stretch and subtle smell of mango.  Non-greasy and refreshing, these are the ones I keep in the glovebox throughout the Summer.  Instant freshener round the back of the neck.  Mr. L steals these regularly (though he’ll deny it).

Tesco Vitamin E Cleansing Wipes (£0.48/25)

Ridiculously cheap but effective.  They’re ALWAYS out of stock at my local Tesco whenever I try to pick these up, so when I DO see them – I grab as many as my basket can hold.  Well, alright… about 5 packs.  I remember when they used to be about 30p a pack… Tesco must have cottoned on!

I don’t really use these on my face but they’re great for cleaning up swatches and eyeliner brushes.  I hope they never get discontinued.

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What do you use wipes for and which ones do you swear by?

The day that I get my concealer application down to a fine art is the day that I go ALL out on tinted moisturisers.  I love the more natural finish, but hate compromising on coverage.

Arbonne are quite new to me and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the products I’ve tried.  I’ll probably never feel comfortable with the way in which you need to purchase the products through consultants but that’s just because I’m an old fashioned girl who’d much rather be able to pick up her makeup whilst out shopping!

I received a sample of Arbonne’s Sheer Finish Tinted Moisturiser in Fair.  Arbonne offer an impressive 6 shades within their tinted moisturiser range.  I’m used to seeing Light, Medium and Dark… so such a wide selection caught my attention early on.

Packaging is SLEEK!  I know they’ve recently revamped their entire cosmetics line and the dirty pewter finish is lovely!

The texture of the tinted moisturiser is quite fluid… which makes it easy to spread and blend, there’s plenty of slip which makes for quite a fool-proof application.  It’s definitely more like applying a moisturiser than applying a foundation.

It’s a dewy finish that would benefit from a little powder over areas that are prone to shine.  I usually powder my nose, chin and forehead after applying this.  It evens out my skintone nicely but doesn’t provide any coverage for blemishes.  It also doesn’t completely cover redness, but as a tinted moisturiser, it probably isn’t meant to.

It moisturises well (something that most tinted moisturisers actually fail to do!) but the flipside to this is that it leaves my skin feeling slightly tacky to the touch, another reason to set with powder.

At £24 for 50ml, this is high end.  Not as expensive as Laura Mercier’s cult offering or Bobbi Brown’s tinted balm, but more expensive than many high street alternatives including Clinique’s Almost Makeup (which I love for the winter).

Longevity is good, it does slip around my nose by mid-afternoon… but that’s where I’m at my most oily and I don’t use any kind of mattifying products in this area.

Final Verdict – If you’re looking for a sheer tinted moisturiser in a wide variety of shade choices, Arbonne’s Sheer Finish Tinted Moisturiser may be for you.  If you’re prone to oily skin or don’t need so much moisturisation… consider other options first.

I bought this cream concealer from Inglot earlier in the year (around the same time as I picked up the MUFE full cover concealer).  I was hoping to do a comparison, but they’re really quite different.

I tend to use this around my nose and on blemishes.  It’s a little thick to use under the eyes, though I have had some success if I apply with a small fluffy brush.  Coverage is medium/full and I find that it dries quite quickly, so rapid blending is essential to achieve a flawless finish.

Compared to my MUFE, the texture is thin and gives less coverage, it’s easier to blend but doesn’t produce quite the same effective results.

I also find it a little drying.  Having said a few negative things about the Inglot Cream Concealer, it’s only fair to also point out a major positive.  This doesn’t seem to highlight or sink into my pores.  Some concealers leave my pores feeling rather ‘out there’… but this blends in nicely.  It will sink into fine lines around the eyes unless you use a very light hand during application.  I think that perhaps thin layers may be key with this concealer.

Shade #32 is a good slightly pink toned match for my cool pale skin.  I wish I could remember how much I paid for this but I can’t.  If anyone knows how much the Inglot Cream Concealers retail at, holler and I’ll update.

You can buy Inglot in the UK at the Westfield in London and Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in Dublin.

It’s not uncommon for a fragrance to give you a swift kick to the guts… nowadays it’s all about the impact and it’s all about capturing a modern audience with that initial “scentsation” (see what I did there, huh huh?).

Marc Jacobs’ Bang can certainly be included in this category.  It’s pepper-heavy top notes demand a reaction, there’s no ‘growing on you’ with this fragrance.  You choose your camp and you better stick with it.

I love it.  I’m absolutely in love with it.

I often prefer men’s fragrances over ones aimed toward the female market, they make me wanna breathe deeper and hold onto the scent just that little bit longer.

Bang’s packaging is fabulous… I dare you to see it in store and NOT want to reach out and hold it, it’s has that whole curio thing going on and with it’s crumpled metallic exterior, is a clever interpretation of it’s title.

I wasn’t keen on the campaign image… but it fits.  It fits with the product.  It’s brash, attention-seeking and evokes an instant gut reaction.  Personally, I prefer MJ in his quieter, geekier days… but if that were still the case, perhaps he wouldn’t be producing BIG scents like this one.

Those peppery notes hang around for a while before mixing into some deeply masculine woody tones.  The fragrance becomes more conventional at this point, though never dull.

Below, you can watch Marc Jacobs talking about the ideas and development of Bang.

Final Thoughts – Marc Jacobs Bang is a modern top-note heavy fragrance for a man looking for something different.  It’s a grown up scent with no hints of citrus or fruit.  If you’re looking for that locker-room sporty type fragrance, move away from the bottle now.  Bang is sexy in an entirely different way… unlike the ad, it’s subtle.  Those strong pepper notes ensnare you without being overtly sexual and then it softens down into something deeply masculine but less aggressive.  Screw “Cool Water”, this is the fragrance Sawyer would wear.

Marc Jacobs Bang is available to buy now priced at £48.50 for 100ml

The soon-to-be-released Black Palette from US eyeshadow maestro’s Urban Decay is an altogether darker affair than the recent Naked set…

The Black Palette includes 6, 1g eyeshadows, 1 mini 24/7 eye pencil in zero and a mini eyeshadow primer potion in new ‘shade’ Eden.  We haven’t seen Eden on these shores before so I was excited to be able to take a look when I received this sample last week.

The packaging is compact.  There’s been complaints about how cumbersome some of Urban Decay’s palettes are and they’ve clearly listened to the fans.  There are no hidden drawers or slots for your car keys.  Barely an inch of wasted space… infact, the included UDPP (Urban Decay Primer Potion) sits seperately from the palette once taken out of the exterior packaging.  The Urban Decay Black Palette is thoroughly portable if you need it to be.

Read the rest of this entry »

The new Revlon Grow Luscious mascara had me all confused.  It promises to promote stronger, longer lashes and with all these ‘lash enhancing’ products entering the mass market, I initially wondered if we were looking at another one of these.

We’re not.

Revlon’s Grow Luscious incorporates into it’s formula something that it calls unique fibres and phytopeptides complex which it promises will enhance the condition of your lashes thereby enabling them to remain strong and intact right to the end of their natural growth period.  This tries to prevent premature breakage, not grow your lashes ladies.

There’s no real way for me to accurately quantify those claims, but I don’t see any reason why a good balance of lash conditioning agents wouldn’t in some way help to keep your lashes in good condition in the same way a conditioner can keep your hair feeling softer and stronger.

It’s attractively (if rather simply) packaged in a green metallic-looking tube, minimalist in appearance.

The wand is VERY large, larger infact than my Benefit Bad Gal’s wand which is kinda my benchmark for large wands.  Those with smaller eyes or short lashes may struggle with application issues.

The formula is quite thick and perhaps a little dry but that’s a-ok with me.  I can’t stand ‘wet’ mascaras… I make a terrible mess with them and although the Revlon Grow Luscious does seem to attract a little gloop on the tip of the wand, it’s nothing I can’t wipe off on the edge of the tube.

The tips of my lashes are a little out of focus here… but I’m showing a comparison between the new Revlon Grow Luscious (on the right) and Boots 17 Wild Curls (on the left).

Boots 17 Wild Curls seems like a good comparison as a fellow high street offering that’s proving to be the one to beat at the moment.

It’s not so easy to tell in this image… but the Revlon does have the edge in the length stakes.  Not by a huge amount…. just by a whisker an eyelash 😉  It also smells kinda lovely… I know some of you laugh at me commenting on the smell, but some mascaras STINK!  It’s always nice not to have to hold your nose everytime you lift the wand to your eyes.

However, the Boots 17 Wild Curls takes the lead in the definition stakes… it defines each lash with greater precision and has an overall less clumpy appearance.

Final Verdict – The new Revlon Grow Luscious mascara is a nice, solid high street offering.  It hasn’t blown me away with incredible results and I’m not gonna tell you I love it.  I like it.  I’d like it more if it was a couple of pounds cheaper.

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara is available in most high street chemists (Boots et al.) and online, priced at £9.99

“Don’t sit on that cold step, you’ll get piles…”

“If you sit too close to that TV, your eyes’ll turn square… ”

“You’ll catch your death if you go out without a coat on…”

That’s my Nan talking up there incase you’re wondering. My beautiful Nan… she’s not with us anymore, but you can be sure that wherever she is, she’s got a glass of Guiness in her hand.

Oh, she’ll also have a bag of fluff-coated cough drops somewhere in her handbag (the white Maggie Thatcher-esque one that never left her side).

But what does any of that nonsense have to do with a skin primer that hails all the way from Japan from one of my first-discovered ‘exotic’ (for me) brands?

Absolutely sod all.

Sorry for wasting the last 30 seconds of your life. It was just the words Skin Coat made me think of not leaving the house without your coat on…

DHC’s Velvet Skin Coat was sent to me for review consideration a little while ago.

It’s one of those silicone, skin-smoothing primers like Smashbox Photo Finish. In this instance, you get 15g for £12.50 which puts it a nose ahead of the Smashbox version in terms of value.

I find the packaging of the DHC Velvet Skin Coat preferable to Smashbox’s pump action bottle which always used to spew out too much product. The (rather plain) squeezy tube from DHC offers complete control over how much I’m dispensing without any wastage.

So far, it’s looking good for the DHC… But what does it actually claim to do?

[stextbox id=”custom” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa”]Prepare your skin for pristine make-up application. This transparent silicone gel helps temporarily fill in fine lines and promote a more even-looking, refined skin texture – creating a perfect, silky-smooth make-up base. Just slide our primer between your skin and foundation to absorb excess oil and encourage longer-lasting wear. If you prefer a more natural look, use it on its own for a truly gorgeous matt complexion that is velvety-soft to the touch.[/stextbox]

Pretty much everything then *rolls eyes*

From personal experience, it achieves about half of those things… It creates a matte texture that feels velvety and soft. It doesn’t pill, ball-up or interfere with my other products when I’m applying it alone or in conjunction with foundation.

If I’m applying my foundation with my fingers, then I can definitely feel my foundation gliding on more smoothly… as for longevity… hmmmm… undecided. As for filling in pores? hmmmm, not really. In fairness though, Smashbox doesn’t do these things for me either.

Can you make out much difference between the 2 sides of my face?

Because of it’s clear texture… it also sadly doesn’t do anything to disguise the redness in my skintone and neither does it offer any SPF protection.

The only primers I’ve found that work well for me are the less silicone-y ones… the Shu Uemura UV Underbase and Paul & Joe’s Moisturising Foundation Primer (which gave some great longevity). But having said that… so many people swear by Smashbox Photo Finish (c. £28), L’oreal’s Studio Secrets (£12.99) and other silicone-heavy offerings that just because I haven’t found it working wonders on me, doesn’t mean that you won’t love it.

Final Verdict: If you’re a Smashbox Photo Finish fan, try this purse-friendly alternative! Hell, it’s even cheaper than L’oreal’s Studio Secrets (and it’s far better than that!)

DHC Velvet Skin Coat is priced at £12.50 for 15g and available online from DHC. While you’re there, pick up a bottle of their Deep Cleansing Oil… you’ll thank me for it.

I was gonna incorporate the Clarins Instant Blush I was sent into a feature on ‘colour-changing’ cosmetics… but then I tried it and decided that it deserved a post on it’s own.  It’s pretty close to blush heaven.

I don’t generally associate Clarins with innovation (sorry Clarins!), but it’s one of those brands that sits over there in that ‘safe’ category of cosmetics.  Maybe it’s the counter staff… in their red & white ensembles, makes me think of Butlins or something.  Either way… the Clarins counter is generally one I don’t spend too long browsing.

The new Clarins Instant Blush is a cream/gel formula that promises to adjust itself to your skintone upon application.  I’m not sure about all these colour changing products… In theory I love the idea!  But I dislike gimmicks with no substance.

I’m feeling particularly sore about these type of products since I swatched the new Bourjois Rose Exclusif onto a piece of paper the day before yesterday and watched it change into the exact same shade it develops on my lips… I’ve gone all skeptical.  That stuff is supposed to give you a unique shade dependant on personal PH levels blah blah blah.  Apparently, I’m as unique as a sheet of A4.  Great.

But back to this (somebody slap me if I go off on a tangent again)…

In fairness, the Clarins Instant Blush doesn’t claim anything about unique shades and PH levels… I think the premise is that it’s just gonna deepen and build intensity when it comes into contact with your skin.

I adore the texture of this product.  It’s a gel/cream… quite thin and vaseline-esque.  It has a lot of slip which makes for easy blending… but being so thin, it’s controllable.  I still have the whole Aunt Sally issue with blush going on, so for me…  the more control the better.

How beautiful is that pink?  Seriously?  The blurb on the website advises that the single shade is suitable for all complexions… it’s totally buildable and the intensity will deepen depending on the number of layers you apply.  On me, it’s quite a cool-toned pink… will it be a slightly different hued pink on olive tones? *shrugs* If you swatch of buy, I’d be really interested to know!

The blush contains some small sparkle… too fine to be glittery and too sparse to be shimmery.  I’m not really sure if the sparkle does much other than look pretty in the pot.

I apply this with my fingers, dotting over the apple of my cheeks and blending backward towards my temples.  The colour builds as soon as you apply, so there’s no guessing games as to what shade you’re gonna achieve ten minutes later.

My one caveat is that it remains quite tacky to the touch for a short while.  It does eventually set… but it’s not immediate.  Having said that, I’ve powdered over it whilst it’s still tacky with no clumping or issues from doing so.  Staying power on my normal/combo skin is great – I didn’t feel the need to reapply on my cheeks until the evening when I was going out.

In the above picture, I’ve also slicked a small amount onto my lips.  I adore this as a lip tint because of the texture.  It’s so thin that it really feels as though my lips are bare.  I hate gloopy lips.  My lips needed another coat by lunchtime to bring the colour back.

All in all, it’s a wonderful multi-tasker in a pretty, pretty pink hue.

Clarins Instant Blush is priced at £16.50 and available on counter or online at Clarins website.