A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Now, don’t be confusing this for a giveaway… these are very much MY goodies and I’ll fight you lipsticks at dawn (well, no earlier than 9am ok?) for them.

My beautiful friend Julia from BlessMyBag sent me a surprise Christmas gift a few weeks ago.  It would be something of an understatement to suggest that I was excited and noisy (squeals of delight mostly) as I investigated everything at the breakfast table.  Then Leila stole the empty box and carried on with the noises where I’d left off.

Thank you Julia, you made two girls far happier than their bowl of cornflakes could!

Wanna see what I got?  Tough, I’m showing you anyway…

Etude House is a Korean brand that has some of the cutest packaging I’ve ever laid eyes on.  It’s flirtatiously girly and these nail stickers are no exception!  Adorable!

*dies* I couldn’t have chosen better shades myself.  Truly.  If I’d had an Etude House stand infront of me… I would have plumped for these three.  That girl must know me well (either that or I’m really predictable!).

These eyeshadows from Code B (an Etude House sub-line) are well pigmented and contain the most beautiful micro sparkle that makes them quite glittery but in a fairy dust way rather than chunky.  Hard to explain but stunning on the lid.

Julia also sent me a cute bottle of nail polish remover from the line… that girl knows what I need! LOL

Now, this cream liner… I’ve read rave reviews about.  It comes with a brush attached to a chain which you can hook up to the pot lid for convenience.  I’ve had a feel of the brush and it’s nice and stiff… I hate floppy eyeliner brushes because I need something that I can use to ‘push’ the cream into my lashline.  This looks like it might be up to the job.  I’ll probably be back with a full review of this one.

Again… would have totally picked this myself.  It’s a beautiful pale, shimmery rose… not one of those barbie pinks but slightly lighter than a nude lip, so it has some impact.  I have been applying, then blotting to take down the shimmer.  I want to show you a FOTD with this one because I think it would probably appeal to a LOT of you if you saw it on the lips.

Lastly…

Two Filipino nail polishes!!  A classic pin up red and a shimmering blue.  They look beautiful and I can’t wait to try them!  Julia also told me that they’re an amazing bargain at less than 50p each! (equivalent).

I’m delighted with my lovely goodies, thank you so much Julia!

A new foundation always fills me with hope.  The promise of flawless skin is a tempting one, something we all aspire to.  I’m a firm believer that getting your base right is half the battle to looking good.  For some of us, it’s frankly more of a war than a skirmish.

I don’t generally wear concealer.  I haven’t perfected my application technique and therefore rely on my foundation to do the work of both, I’m a hard task master!  I know this isn’t ideal… and means that I don’t usually expect a flawless, porcelain finish.  But I do want enough coverage to look polished and non-blotchy!

I’m a fan of mineral foundations, I find them quick to apply without the need for expert blending or shade matching.  Overall, except on the very driest of skintypes – they’re a pretty forgiving formulation.

I dug out Priori’s CoffeeBerry Perfecting Minerals Foundation from a press pack that I received some time ago.  I usually reach for cream foundations in the winter but was curious to see how the Priori would perform on slightly dehydrated skin.

I’ve heard that the CoffeeBerry (an antioxidant) formula is particularly suited to troubled skin types.  One of the foundation’s claims is that the CoffeeBerry extracts actually help to improve photodamage, rosacea and dryness which leaves me wondering whether this is skincare, foundation or a bit of both?

While the claims sound good, I can’t accurately verify them with any confidence other than by wearing this single foundation throughout the Winter and Spring and I’m simply too in love with all my other products to push them to the back of my cupboard.  So let’s just focus on the foundation aspects shall we?

I received shade #1.  The lightest shade of the 6 available and to my eye, it’s not that light and it’s quite warm toned.  I’d call it light medium, a NW/NC20 in terms of depth.

However, as I mentioned earlier… mineral foundations are generally quite forgiving when it comes to shade selection and the Priori CoffeeBerry Perfecting Minerals Foundation is no different.  I can wear this shade quite comfortably on my NW15 skintone.

My favourite thing about this product is the packaging… minerals are a notoriously difficult formula to use without fuss but Priori have implemented a really great packaging system.  The pot is wide and squat with a large bowl-like lid.  This lid makes a perfect vessel to swirl your brush around and enables you to pick the product up evenly.

When I opened this, I didn’t peel off the protective sticker which covers the sifter holes.  Instead, I grabbed a biro and punched through the sticker, exposing only about half of the openings.  That way, I can ensure that I don’t flood the pot with product whenever I turn it upside down.

Enough of the packaging, talk about getting caught up in the details!  How does it look?

I really like the finish it provides.  It’s glowy and natural compared to other mineral formulas.  I described it on Twitter last week as ‘soft focus’.  It doesn’t disguise my fine lines but seems to somehow soften them.  Coverage is light/medium in my opinion… it evens out my skintone without concealing.  Tones down my redness but doesn’t disguise it completely.

If you have acne scarring or prefer something with more serious coverage, I don’t think this product will be for you.  I think that the Priori CoffeeBerry Perfecting Minerals Foundation (what a mouthful) is particularly suited to mature skin types.

Despite being a powder, it doesn’t gather or clump on my dry bits and the soft focus, luminous finish would work well on duller skintones.  The foundation contains a perfectly respectable SPF25 rating and is priced at around £32.00 for a large 14g pot.

PRIORI® CoffeeBerry Perfecting Minerals are available from salons and clinics nationwide, stockists 0845 555 2121 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              0845 555 2121      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

…sensible in this cold weather?  Or just plain funny lookin’

I like to pretend that I’m a completely free-thinking, non-judgemental and generally super-cool human being.  I’m not, but on the bigot scale I’m definitely not setting off any alarm bells either.

Which is why I don’t know why I can’t get my head around the idea of men wearing tights without giggling about it like an 11 year old.

I think it’s the feet.  If they were a bit more legging-y I could probably contain my giggles.

I love how he’s pointing his toes… mind, he’s probably got better legs than me.

Would you be cool as a cucumber if your man whipped off his trousers to reveal a pair of Charnos 20 deniers?

I think I could possibly handle it… I reckon it’s one of those things that you’d get used to once the novelty had worn off…

…that is until he asked to borrow my clear nail polish to fix a run in his stockings. *dies*

Tightsplease.co.uk have launched a selection of man-sized tights perfect for blokes to layer underneath when the cold weather bites.  You can check out the selection online.

Avon bring us one of the easiest to recreate Christmas party looks I’ve seen so far, I’m loving the heavy eyeliner and pink lips.

I’ve blogged about that sparkly blue Avon Glimmerstick Diamonds and the Avon Lace Hues Palette before, so check those posts for swatches.

I’m getting tons of wear from my black Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner… and I’m going to start putting my silver one to good use too now that Christmas is getting ever-closer!

Have you got any Christmas parties to attend this year?  Started scouring the net for makeup inspiration?

This glass-flecked, foil shimmer is a new finish to me… but when I saw swatches online, I knew I had to hunt down this beautiful green polish from the Nubar Autumn collection.

I don’t usually go for green polishes… infact, it’s the only drawer in my collection that has any room for more.  I’m so glad I decided to fill the space with this little number.

Nubar Verde is a blue-based green that makes it a good choice for cooler skintones… it’s almost gunmetal in certain lighting.  What really lifts this from the ordinary are the beautiful golden glasslike flecks of glitter that run through the formula.

Because the photo above was taken on such an overcast day, I’m afraid that the gold is far more apparent in the bottle than it is on the nail, but trust me… it’s there… being all beautiful and foil-like.

Tip wear was a bit of an issue with this polish as it was apparent by the end of the first full day of wear.  Such a shame because I could have happily worn this one for weeks.  On the plus side, pigmentation for Verde is magnificent and I was able to top up with a single coat to disguise the worn tips and get a few more days wear from this manicure.

If you’re a fan of green polishes or even just looking for something slightly different to the current plethora of standard (but beautiful) glitters, do check out the Nubar Venetian Glass collection, it’s really very pretty.

Nubar’s Venetian Glass collection is priced at £8 each and available to buy online from BeautyShed.

…picture the scene.  You’re getting married today.

You open your makeup bag and discover that from your entire amazing collection, you’ve managed to somehow bring only 3 ITEMS with you!  Tsk!

In an ideal world, what would those three items be?  You’re not allowed to choose a HUGE palette that has EVERYTHING in it!!!  And don’t just pick your favourites… be resourceful!

I’d choose:

1). NARS Kuala Lumpur Eyeshadow Duo –  The peach is a beautful allover shade and the plum works well dry in the crease and wet as an eyeliner.

2). No7 Exceptional Defintion Mascara – Can’t do without mascara and I’d attempt to run a bit lightly through my brows too!

3). Estee Lauder Extravagant Berry Lipstick – Patted onto my lips as a stain, this beautiful lipstick gives a flush of colour to my lips.  I’d apply some to my cheeks in an attempt to not look like I’d just been dug up!

…and then I’d mug a passing pale-skinned stranger for their foundation.  Wha?

Which three items from your collection would you pray were in your makeup bag on such an important day?

Five names have been drawn at random and I’m pleased to announce the lucky winners who will each receive a set of The Body Shop Originals products are….

1). Rose

2). Konni

3). Nicola Abbott

4). Viv

5). Suzanne

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Congratulations ladies, I’ll be getting in touch this evening to get your details so that I can have the prizes sent out to you ASAP.  Also, don’t forget that The Body Shop are running their own Originals competition which closes tomorrow!

Thanks for taking part everyone!

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The Lipglossiping annual Advent giveaway is starting this Wednesday!!

Be there, or miss out!

Blimey do I ever love these Accessorize duochromes.

If wealthy Elizabethan women wore nail polishes, they’d look something like this.  I think I need a sumptuous velvet gown to go with it no?  There’s something so rich and luxurious about this polish.  It’s smooth and almost creamy.

It flashes between pink, bronze, gold, amber, green.  Spell-binding.

Application was three coats but each dried fairly quickly so didn’t cause much annoyance.  The whole mani was done in half an hour from base coat to top coat (INM Out The Door).

The last Accessorize polish I picked up from the new range is called Pink Spice and I think I’m gonna save that one for Christmas Day.  Here’s a link to my other Accessorize polish, Aztec.

Am I missing any from the range that I absolutely must have?

If you’re familiar with pigments, then you’re probably familiar with the concept of foiling them.  If not… it goes something like this…

You wet your brush by spraying it with your toner/water/fixer of choice before dipping it in the loose pigment and patting onto your eyelid.  It gives a high shine, high metallic effect that’s vibrant and striking.

Bare Minerals have introduced a new range of eye colours that they’re calling High Shine EyeColor.  The simple premise of this new line is a high-intensity metallic colour without the need for foiling.  The foiled effect but with dry pigments.

I was sent a few shades from the new line up to put to the test and I have mixed feelings on them.

Undoubtedly beautiful, they’re also incredibly portable in their well-sealed vials.  Packed with metallic goodness, they’re an enticing product.

From left to right, the above image shows the shades: Bronzed (bronze), Frost (silver), Glisten (pale gold) and Patina (khaki gold).

Purdy aren’t they?

But these aren’t just pigments in a jar a la MAC or the regular Bare Minerals offerings because they come with an inbuilt sponge applicator and delivery system.  This is where the product loses points for me.

The sponge applicator is mounted on a spring mechanism which is frankly pretty fierce.  You need to be prepared to work against it to stop it from “springing” up and dumping product in your lap.  It’s not a huge issue aslong as you’re aware of it… but I can imagine it might catch a few people unaware.

Secondly, there’s fall out as you remove the applicator from the neck of the vial.  It’s avoidable only if you’re incredibly careful and precise.  A bit like one of those fairground games that buzz if you touch the metal wire with the hoop!

Part of me feels that this is to be expected and that I’m being a touch harsh.  Afterall, these are loose pigments and no one ever said that working with them wasn’t messy.  However, I feel that if you’re going to go to the trouble of implementing an application system… it needs to do a better job than one could do without it.  I simply don’t feel that this system makes a messy job any easier.

But check out how these babies look…

Swatched on bare skin, they’re quite something.  How perfect are they for the Holiday season?

Back to the application for a minute… as with most loose eyeshadows, you’ll be wanting to do your eyes before attempting foundation.  There’s fall out from the sponge tip onto the uppper cheekbone whenever I apply.  Not a huge amount but enough to irritate and provoke much tsking!

If you can get past the inconveniences of working with loose pigment… this is how they look worn.

Excuse my Burglar Bill t-shirt.  Instead, check out the intensity of that pigment.  Infact, if anything… they’re a touch washed out by the camera flash.  I didn’t wear any primer underneath and the colour lasted amazingly well.  Easily 6/7 hours before fading… I think probably because they are SO intense to begin with.

So there we have it.  I love them but they’re not flawless.  Their intensity is electrifying and wear equally impressive.  They’re just a bit of a pain in the bum to apply.

Bare Minerals High Shine EyeColor is available in 6 shades.  You’ll be able to find them at all Bare Escentuals boutiques, selected department stores and spas and salons nationwide from December.  Priced at £14 each.

Are you happy to sacrifice convenience for the end result?

This Christmas, it’s the Chanel collection that caught my eye more than any other.  Those beautiful pinks and coppers that contain the perfect amount of shimmer/glitter for the holiday season without being gaudy.

I will always be drawn to palettes that promise to create a wonderful smoky eye and this was no exception.  The only thing that could possibly dampen my enthusiasm would be pigmentation.  I wasn’t sure how much power this quad would pack.  I needn’t have fretted.

Come to Mama….

I know I usually take blog photos before I start sticking my sausage fingers in my shadows but I think I had this one opened and swatched before I’d even left the shop.  Excuse the shadow dust!

And the swatches (swatched over eye primer)…

To say that I love this palette would be an understatement.  The coppery tones in the two darkest shades really accentuate the green in my eyes and the paler, more ethereal hues brighten my eyes beautifully.

I don’t kno if you’re interested in lazy girl’s makeup application… but mine goes something like this:  The darkest copper shade… I apply all over the mobile lid, right up to the socket line.  Then I take the pink (on the far right) and use this to blend the harsh edges.  I pat the glittery shade (on the far left) ontop of the copper and finally, use the ivory to highlight the inner corner and brow bone.

All that takes me less than 2 minutes because I don’t do anything intricate in the socket line, nor do any fancy stuff in the outer corner.  This palette gives me a gorgeous smoky look in minutes.  And that’s why I love it.

For me, it’s more than worth the £35 I paid for it.  Can you tell I love this palette?

I think we’re all prone to being suckers for a beautifully packaged product.  There’s something to be said for kerb appeal and this year… some brands have pulled out all the stops to ensure that their wares will take pride of place under your Christmas tree.

Here are some of my favourites…

1. Limited Edition RapidLash Christmas Cracker (£39.99) – Very cutely packaged as a Christmas cracker, this Limited Edition RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum is available from Boots while stocks last.

2. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Limited Edition (£17.50) – The iconic Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish housed in a limited edition embossed metallic shell.  Comes complete with muslin cloth and 150ml of product.

3. Neals Yard ENCHANTING gift set (£12.50) – Rose & Geranium Body Lotion and Shower Gel make this a great choice for budget conscious gift shoppers.  The packaging holds a secret…the box, which is folded together, can be turned inside out to be reused as a gift or trinket box!  Cute AND Recyclable!

4. Fearne Cotton Nails by Day (£10.00) – A set of six easy-to-wear nail polishes packaged in an adorable grey leopard print box.  Exclusive to Boots.

5. Dior Minaudiere (£59.00) – Simply precious.  3 shadows, 2 lip colours… Dior’s exquisite Minaudiere would totally set any makeup-loving girl’s heart a-fluttering on Christmas morning.  Comes in Grey Golds (pictured) and Pink Golds… I’m swooning…

6. Liz Earle Ultimate Superskin Hamper (£94.00) – It’s no secret that Superskin is the Liz Earle range that *really* sets me alight.  I think it’s a wonderful, no-BS, quality skincare line that treats my normal/dry skin very kindly.  This hamper is a treat and a half.  The ultimate in Christmas morning decadence.

7. Victoria Moore Scented Candle & Soap Gift Set (£25.00) – Choose between: Cinnamon, Vetimos & Cognac oil, Frangipani & Jasmine or Frankincense, Jasmine & Vanilla.  Three variations to suit every discerning nose!  Beautifully presented, a simply gorgeous gift for any woman in your life.

8. Denman Hairbrush Gift Packs (from £8.23) – Referred to as the Hairdressers’ Hairbrush, Denman have some fabulous stocking filler gifts on offer this year.  Carefully presented in co-ordinating organza gift bags, the brushes sets are perfect handbag fillers – some diamante studded and colours to match every Christmas outfit!

9. Molton Brown The Three Musketeers (£42.00) – I suppose I’d better include one for the gents in our lives.  This beautifully packaged three-piece set for men brings together elements from their popular men’s body range: Active cassia hair & body sportswash, moisture rich aloe karite ultrabar, active cassia deodorant.

10. Mama Mio Boob Tube Christmas Cracker (£10.00) – Another gorgeous Christmas cracker!  The inclusion of the words: “As his hungry eyes fell to her gorgeous bosom, she knew he was hers…” makes this a saucy Christmas stocking filler.  Just be sure you know the person you’re gifting to well enough not to offend with boob-firming cream, or you may get more than you bargained for!

11. Glam Smoky Eyes Book (£4.00) – A gorgeous makeup book that includes four seriously enticing smoky eye shades to create sultry evening looks.  At the bargain price of £4 for the set, this is one to look out for whilst you’re shopping for your Turkey and Brussel Sprouts!

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Anything in my little list of perfectly packaged goodies catch your eye?  What’s on your Christmas lists this year?