A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

In the midst of another lovely weekend, if only this one were as long as the last *wistful sigh*…

This week’s question of the week…

What’s your favourite fragrance?  If you don’t have a favourite, what are you currently loving?

I can’t name a single favourite because my perfume loves are so entwined with seasons, moods and occasions that there’s a time and place for all of my favourites!

I am however currently caught under the spell of Givenchy’s Ange ou Démon which I bought a couple of weeks ago after copping a sniff in John Lewis.  We’re talking a citrusy, slightly sharp opening with a herbal heart and a sweet vanilla base… it’s not too heavy for Summer but keeps that edge that stops it from being too floaty.

Which reminds me, I had to giggle when I read what I always think of ‘the edge’ described simply as the “skank” note and I guess it really is!  It just carries a very slight dirty muskiness that appeals to me.  I guess it’s the Demon at work against the Angel… way to strike a balance!

Nouveau Cheap – Did the new John Frieda Go Blonder Controlled Lightening Spray work wonders on her pesky roots, or did it just give her scary high school flashbacks to days of orange hair and braces?

Pink Sith – Joeybunny Transports you to Cap Ferrat in Southeast France with the new NARS Cap Ferrat eye Shadow Trio!

Phyrra – takes you on a journey to another dimension with the Supernaturals, a collection by Meow Cosmetics.

Vampy Varnish – wants you to stop and smell the Pacifica Body Butters.

we heart this – Benefit’s beautiful new Coral Chacha tint has us dancing!

Beauty Junkies Unite – puts the new Makeup For Ever Aqua Liners to the test. Will they budge? Are they waterproof? Your questions are answered.

Clumps of Mascara – is in love with Color Club’s newest nail polish collection. Need some new neons in your life?

EauMG – Just for fun: EauMG asks her dog to discuss his favorite fragrances.

Lipglossiping – wants to hear your commandments for the perfect foundation. Ladies, we’re taking no prisoners with this one!

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What’s your favourite fragrance?  If you don’t have a favourite, what are you currently loving?

Oooh la la, American Apparel are serving us up a Summer scorcher with these new neon polishes…

A total of SIX new blisteringly bright shades are now available and I’m just a little bit excited by the thought of a Neon Red. (ok, a lot excited!)

The new shades are: Neon Orange, Neon Violet, Neon Green, Neon Coral, Neon Red and Neon Yellow.

Priced at £7.00 each and available to buy online or in store.  Up and at ’em!

I know a few of you have been keen to hear about how I fared with my trial of Urban Decay’s Lush Lash System*.  I started the trial back in February and finished up the tube a few weeks ago.

The system promises lashes that are…

– 25% longer and thicker in 2 weeks
– 40% longer in 4 weeks
– 63% longer in 6 weeks

Sadly, I didn’t experience anything as impressive as those results.  Infact, I’m not really sure I experienced anything much at all.  See what you think (the top image shows the BEFORE, the bottom image is AFTER using the system for 8 weeks).

I think I see more fullness to my lashline… but no increase in length.  Or at least, nothing worth shouting about.  (On a side note, damn… I think I’m in love with my eye cream LOL!)

As a peptide-based lash growth system, it works on the premise of protecting the lashes you already have and strengthening new ones coming through, thereby increasing their life cycle.  This is probably why I’m seeing a slight increase in volume as the lashes that would have normally fallen out are still clinging on thanks to the fortification.

At £28 it’s an affordable alternative to the more expensive systems out there which include the likes of M2Beauté, LiLash and Revitalash but I can’t help but wonder if sometimes, you really do get what you pay for.

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Urban Decay Lush Lash is priced at £28 and available to buy online from BeautyBay, LookFantastic and HQHair

* PR Sample

As if an obsession with all things beauty wasn’t enough to contend with, I thought I’d let you in on one of my other little ‘collections’.  Home Fragrance Oils.

I’m actually in recovery as far as these bijou bottles are concerned.  Mr. L has in the past, banned me from entering The Body Shop until I finish a bottle which quite frankly, is probably for the best.

I usually have one of these ‘on the burn’ somewhere in my home, they’re mood-lifting, fun to choose from in the shop and often on sale!  As far as quality goes, some of the scents can be a touch Glade-esque but occasionally, The Body Shop blend a scentsational gem!

I have four particular favourites and unfortunately, none of them are currently available.  The Body Shop’s turnover for these products are pretty rapid and ultimately seasonal.  They’ll sometimes be re-released the following year but if you find one that you fall in love with, my advice is to buy in bulk!

My four biggest favourites from recent years have been…

Hit The Beach: I think this was from 2007/2008 and I returned for backups when I discovered how lovely it was!  I actually find it a bit more floral than oceanic despite the name… it’s light, summery and carries a gorgeous vibe that makes me think of wide open windows, dune flowers and a stiff breeze.

Orange Clove: The Body Shop do the citrus-y scents very nicely and this is my favourite of the bunch.  It’s incredibly festive and indeed was a limited release a few Christmases ago.  It’s sweetness reminds me a little of Orange squash which makes it sound far less impressive than it actually is!  Think sweet oranges with a hint of spice.

Very Vanilla: Is the booziest of the vanilla fragrance oils I’ve purchased from The Body Shop… it’s rich, creamy and decadent.  Perfect for burning on cold evenings.

Line Dried Cotton: Ahh, my first and still one of my absolute favourites.  Nothing smells quite as amazing as getting in a clean bed right?  Well… take the scent of clean sheets and intensify it, you’ll get this.  An amazing fragrance for the Summer and I’m on my last bottle now!

There are others that I love to light up but these are the ones that I will always snap up if I see them pop up on eBay (as long as they’re not extortionate).  I would love them to re-release Line Dried Cotton in its original form…. all the other linen/cotton ones they’ve released since don’t quite do it for me in the same way.

Aside from The Body Shop, I’ve also started burning my Haus of Gloi perfume oils (I sound like an arsonist!) not the most economical way of scenting my home but my God are they deliciously potent!

Candles, wax tarts, oils, reed diffusers… I’m a sucker for a great scent.

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Are you a fan of home fragrancing?  What are your favourite scents?

We all like to flap our gums about beauty, some of us more than others *cough* and for once, someone is interested in what we have to say!

The Instyle team are descending upon the Selfridges Beauty Hall today to invite customers to share their best beauty tips and advice for collation and inclusion in a special September issue!

If you can’t make it to the Oxford Street store today, head on over to the facebook page that’s been set up for the task and leave your pearls of wisdom on the wall (in lipstick of course!)

You all know that I’m a touch brow-obsessed, so here’s my advice (that I wish I’d given to my younger self!)

Never underestimate the impact that well-shaped eyebrows have on your appearance. If unsure, seek professional advice from your salon and try to resist the urge to overpluck!

If you have a snippet to share, come back and let me know which gem is yours in the comments!

When a product gets over 200 5* reviews on Amazon, I can’t help but take notice.  Which is how I ended up buying one of these Travalo perfume atomisers last Christmas to put in a care parcel for my sister in Oz.  I haven’t actually *sent* this parcel yet, infact… I’m looking at it with overwhelming guilt as I type this. Note to self: send the damn parcel already, it has creme eggs and a packet of twiglets with her name on ’em!

I’m tangenting…

Anyway, I was contacted by Travalo’s PR last month who wondered if I’d heard of the atomiser… “Yes!” says I, irrelevantly explaining what a completely awful sister I was.  Once I’d stopped rambling, they deduced that I hadn’t actually tried it for myself and kindly offered to send me one.

Behold.  The Travalo.  (and a nearly empty bottle of Hypnotic Poison).

The premise is simple.  We don’t want to carry big bottles of breakable perfumes around with us in our handbags and we *definitely* don’t want to pack them in our suitcases to take on hols but we still want to smell incredible right?

Old fashioned perfume atomisers involved fiddly things like funnels and swearing under your breath as you poured half your bottle of EDT over yourself, the kitchen counter and the cat before managing to eke maybe half a drop into the atomiser vessel.

Travalo uses a pump action to draw the juice from the original bottle into the atomiser chamber without a single drop going to waste.  Or that’s how it works in theory at least… look…

You just pop the nozzle off your favourite perfume and press the base of the Travalo onto the exposed, erm, errr, stump?  I’m sure that’s not the technical word.

It totally reminds me of watching my mum refill her BIC lighters in the 80s.  But again, with less swearing.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about pumping the Travalo up and down on the stump of the perfume bottle.  And it doesn’t even remotely make me think of sex either.

You get about 50 spritzes from a full Travalo which should be plenty for a week in the Sun.  I like that the atomiser has a decent nozzle too… it doesn’t dribble fragrance pathetically or force me to make do with my most hated of dispensers… the roller ball.

It’s a bit “form follows function” in its design and styling but it serves its purpose well without any major faults.  I’ve lumped it about with me in my handbag, given it to L to play with in the back of the car and even let Mr. L have a go at filling it after his curiosity got the better of him.  It has suffered a fair few scratches where the Travalo has bumped up against my car keys so I’d like to see the product come with one of those little drawstring pouches to keep it better protected.

When all is said and done though, it’s solidly achieved what it promises without fuss or palava, providing an affordable solution to a common fragrance dilemma!

Travalo Rapid Pump Fill Perfume Atomiser Bottle is available to buy online from CheapSmells and Amazon, priced from £7.10 with free delivery.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Now, for the giveaway… I have one of these Travalo Atomisers (in PINK!) to give away to a lovely Facebook follower!  If you don’t already following Lipglossiping.com on the book of faces, why not? Oh, you hate facebook?  In that case drop me an email and I’ll enter you anyway.

If you ARE on Facebook, it’d be much easier to go here and click LIKE.  Or alternatively click the ‘like’ button over there on the right somewhere —>

T&C
1. Entry open to worldwide participants by liking the Lipglossiping.com Facebook page.
2. Alternative entry available for Facebook haters by email.
3. One winner will be picked at random from all participants.
4. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this giveaway.
5. Competition closes on Friday 13th May 2011 at 23.59.
6. Winner will be notified through Facebook or email within 5 days of the close of the competition.
7. No email addresses will be stored once the competition has closed and will only be used to contact the winner.

Wow, you ladies were a bit hot on this huh?  The La Femme Blush Palette kindly donated by Cocktail Cosmetics.

335 entries and 1 lucky winner later… drumroll please…

Congratulations Jenny K!

Expect an email from me this evening!

Thanks for taking part everyone, I have another little giveaway coming up this afternoon so don’t be disheartened if you weren’t as lucky as Jenny this time round.

Have a wonderful day!

With a health, lifestyle, fashion, and beauty event that promises to be twice as big as last years, you Scottish ladies are in for a treat!

This year’s Girls’ Day Out Show in conjunction with No.1 Magazine is taking place from Friday 6th May to Sunday 8th May at the SECC in Glasgow so if you’re at a bit of a loose end this weekend, get your ticket booked today, they’re only £12 each!

Here’s a video showing some of last year’s highlights…

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Will you be attending this year’s show?

I’m a foundation floozy.  A total sucker too ‘cos I can never resist a new release that promises me the skin of an angel.

I’m currently trialling one that’s almost ticking all the right boxes for me (review coming v. soon!) but in putting this particular product through its paces, it’s made me realise just how demanding my requirements are for the perfect base.

Holy Grail foundation, dude… wherefore art thou?

Infact, not only are my requirements kinda demanding… I’m not sure they’re wholly realistic.  A bit like the images used to sell us the foundations then?  Touche.

My Holy Grail foundation, let’s break it down…

1. Thou shalt give medium coverage

I don’t want heavy coverage from a foundation, I want *even* coverage… it needs to give enough oomph to subdue the redness, dampen down the blotchiness and remove all traces of motley bits.  So, I want a mask… but like an invisible one ok?  Or someone else’s face.

2. Thou shalt not stick to my eyebrows

I have an eyebrow/foundation issue.  Yes, I know the simplest answer would be to keep my foundation the hell away from my eyebrows.  But I like to apply my base in about 15 seconds flat with minimal fuss.  Infact, in an ideal world… I’d like my base to apply itself.  Some foundations spot my eyebrows from a mile away and make a direct beeline so that when I look in the mirror, my face is bare and my eyebrows? Skin coloured.

3. Thou shalt not make me matte

I don’t do matte very well.  I have dry/combo skin… my nose gets oily by lunchtime but I’m ok with that (hello powder), I’m not ok with looking like I’ve been dug up.  Matte makes me look…. lifeless.  I want the glow (not the chip pan glow) but the “oooh la la” satin glow ok?

4. Thou shalt not squat in my pores

I have cheek pores that you could fall into and never escape from.  Some foundations make them appear smoothed over… some foundations install neon signage around each one to ensure they’re visible from the International Space Station.

5. Thou shalt glide on with fingers/brush/sponge/elbows if necessary

I can’t be doing with finickity foundations.  I want my Holy Grail foundation to apply happily with whatever utensil I have at hand.  I already have too many bases that look amazing only when applied with a coral reef sea sponge dampened with virgin water from iceberg B-15A on a Tuesday afternoon.

6. Under no circumstance shalt thou oxidise in my presence

Nothing worse than applying a perfect shade only to discover you’ve been oompah loompah’ed by tea time and your colleagues left wondering if their transition lenses are playing up.

Oh.. and finally?

If you don’t last longer than a chocolate button caught in Leila’s line of sight then it doesn’t matter how good you are at all the other stuff.  You fail.

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What are your foundation pet peeves?  Have you found your Holy Grail base?

A FOTD of a different kind.

This week, Lucy from Miss Lucy Loves is bringing us her guest review on the Doctor Brand Blemish Relief Kit which promises to be a simple, comprehensive regimen to help treat and prevent acne and breakouts, take it away Lucy!

This three step system aims to reduce the appearance of blemishes within two weeks.  Step 1 is a purifying cleanser, step 2: a pore-cleansing gel and step 3: an oil-free moisturiser.

For someone who suffers from huge, hormonal under-the-skin spots, my skin is actually quite dry.  I have a dry T-zone and normal cheeks with most of my painful blemishes clustering on my chin and around my mouth.  As a result of my dry skin, I usually use a heavy duty moisturiser such as Oilatum and have to say that after about a week I had to stop using step 3 of the Doctor Brand Blemish Relief Kit as the oil-free moisturiser just wasn’t cutting it on my dry areas.

The cleanser is a joy to use, it lathers nicely with a little water and leaves the face fresh and tingly.  The scent is similar to those Clearasil face pads I used to use as a teenager; clinical but reassuring.  Step 2, the pore-cleansing gel, is also great.  It stings slightly on any open blemishes which, again, I find reassuring as it feels like it is actually doing something.

I’ve been using the system now for nearly a month and am amazed at the results.  Yes, I still have blemishes but they are completely different in their nature.  I do still get huge under-the-skin lumps form, but they quickly disappear, never reaching the surface.  Instead of these huge ones, I tend to get smaller white heads which (naughty, I know) I just pop and then they vanish much more quickly.

I’ve now finished my tube of the cleanser and have already been out to buy a second tube.  I will also repurchase the cleansing gel but not the moisturiser.  The moisturiser would be great for someone with oily skin though.

The second shade that I was fortunate enough to preview from the upcoming OPI Touring America collection is this olive green number called Uh Oh Roll Down the Window.

Autumn/Fall’s OPI Touring America collection is set for release in the UK this August and sees an eclectic mixture of Summer brights and Autumnal earthy shades making the cut.

Uh Oh Roll Down the Window is an olive green creme with more than enough grey to keep it muted and work-appropriate.  The above photo shows two coats in hindsight, I should have given it a third for a perfect finish.  Wear has been solid and without issue as I’d expect from the professional nail brand.

The shade bears more than a passing resemblance to Nails Inc. Battersea Park which isn’t available to buy anymore but after receiving a few enquiries about it last year, you might be pleased to hear that you can get your hands on something similar..

O.P.I – Uh Oh Roll Down the Window will be available on our shores this August from LenaWhite.