A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Ayurvedic therapies have grown in popularity within the spa world this year.  The ancient holistic practices and treatments from Southern Asia are now increasingly available to book alongside the usual wraps and hot stone therapies.

Ayush Spa in Jersey – the UK’s first Ayurvedic Hotel Spa – is dedicated to the principles of Ayurvedic therapies and even offers its own Indian physician and therapists to preserve the traditions of the ancient therapies.

If, however, you don’t know your vatas from your pittas and think I’m talking a load of old kapha, don’t worry.  What has been a fairly niche buzzword within the health and beauty industry looks set to hit the mainstream.  And by “mainstream”, I mean, the “high street”.

First up are British clothing brand Monsoon, who are upping the ante with the launch of a bath and body collection, inspired by the Indian practice.  The collection features hand washes, hand and body lotions, moisturisers, body butters, body scrubs and more.  All containing natural, 100% pure plant actives that capture the spirit and knowledge of the ayurvedic tradition.  Prices start from £4.00 and there are even Christmas gift sets available to boost the well-being of your favourite aunties!

Taking the ancient principles to an even lower price point are Palmolive, with the launch of their Ayurituel shower gel range which promises a harmonious body and mind experience to leave you feeling balanced and energised.  Blimey!

The shower gels are available in three varieties: Energy, Joyous, and Tranquility – each containing exotic extracts of Indian origin including: sandalwood, Indian mulberry and neem and patchouli extracts.

You can’t beat a deliciously-scented shower gel on a cold morning and my pick from the range is Energy* (the orange one) with it’s warming combination of Indian Sandalwood & Ginger.  The Ayurituel range is priced at £2.99 each and available from Sainsburys.

Noticed any other buzzwords creeping in that look set to be a feature for 2013?

* press sample

I received a press release at the end of last week announcing a retro-inspired set of Christmas goodies from skincare brand, Dove.

“Oooh!” I thought, as I clicked to open the email for a better look.

“Oh.” I said, as the email revealed nothing of the sort.

Am I missing some crucial piece of retro-evidence here?

What in the name of full-skirted, fedora-wearing, seemingly wholesome, nothing-to-do-with-the-fifties kind of fuckery is this?

Just in case you thought I imagined it… let me indulge you with Dove’s idea about what these sets are supposed to represent…

Beauty lovers are in for a treat this Christmas as Dove launches a stunning Christmas gift collection with packaging inspired by the fabulous fifties, marking the era in which the beauty brand first launched.

In a throwback to those glamorous days, Dove is launching a beautifully packaged range of indulgent and nourishing necessities.

Sorry Dove, but sticking a tiny slightly 50s-inspired illustration on the part of the packaging that you THROW AWAY within two seconds of opening the gift, does not a 50s-inspired gift make.

Just so we’re clear.  LAZY.

Urban Decay have released three palettes, in the clutch-style format you might remember from The Midnight Emergency Kit.  The three palettes each contain six eyeshadows and a complementing mini Lip Junkie lip gloss.

The palettes are well-constructed and tote-worthy enough to be able to throw them in your handbag in advance of a night out.  Don’t tend to reapply your eyeshadow halfway through an evening, me neither… so did you know that you can remove the platform on which the eyeshadows sit and transform the packaging into a proper evening clutch?  Yeah!

The Fun palette is my favourite from the new trio on looks alone (I’ll be showing you the others soon)… I mean, turquoise glitter encrusted packaging?  It’s flippin’ gorgeous.

Enough about the clutch, it’s clear I’m smitten… how about the actual contents?

Urban Decay’s The Fun Palette claims to offer shades that are perfect for those who like to experiment with colour.  I like colour, and I like experimenting with it… but I don’t tend to actually leave the house in huge amounts of colour, mostly because I’m a big wimp.  Let’s take a look at them…

Of the six shades included, only one of them is a brand new shade… meaning that if you’re Urban Decay’s #1 fan, you may already have these shades at your disposal from within other palettes.  The shades included are:

Maui Wowie – Metallic golden beige with silver glitter
Deep End* – Bright teal shimmer
Sellout – Pinky champagne
Fishnet – Bright pink with purple shift
Stray Dog – Cool metallic ash brown
Freakshow – Deep royal purple pearl

* new shade (not new shade, Bicky recognised it from the 15th Anniversary palette)

The fact is that there’s enough neutrality going on here to suit scaredy cats like me (sellout, maui wowie and stray dog make a beautiful natural eye on their own) whilst injecting enough colour to tempt me into showing a little bravery on occasion.

Swatched with no primer.

And a quick FOTD using Fishnet on the lids, Freakshow dragged outward from the corners, Deep End as an accent under the eye, and Sellout as a highlighter.  I’m also wearing the Lip Junkie lipgloss included, which is Midnight Cowboy, a sheer nude sparkle.  It’s very sticky and not my cup of tea at all.

Urban Decay’s The Fun Palette is a sweet offering from the brand that is sure to tempt many new UD-ites into occasionally swapping out their beloved Naked Palettes for something a little brighter.  For old-skool UD junkies, there may not be enough here to warrant another purchase, but it’s a good reminder of the brand’s founding ethos towards colour and expermentation.

The Fun Palette is priced at £25 (€ 34) and available from Debenhams and House of Fraser stores or online at debenhams.com, houseoffraser.com and beautybay.com.

* press sample

Question of the Week: What ONE beauty item would you choose if someone offered to purchase it for you…no price limit?

Answer: – I really, really want this.  That is all.

EauMG – Victoria reviews Iris de Nuit perfume. It’s a fresh out of the dryer iris!

Lipglossiping – talks lucky numbers as she tries to figure out the sums involved in making a fragrance as delightful as Liz Earle’s latest offering!

Gouldylox Reviews – I’m not the most confident person when it comes to body image, but shapewear boosts my confidence each time I wear it. Have you tried it? Rachel Zoe has a new line (yes, I too wonder if she’s worn it) and I’m giving away $100 worth in this (sponsored) post!

Nouveau Cheap – As a self-proclaimed “dry shampoo junkie” who can’t resist trying every new version that hits the drugstore, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the newest offering from Aveeno.

Pink Sith – tells you all about Literal Linda and the Lise Watier Portfolio Corrector. She is also giving one away, so enter today!

Prime Beauty – picks her favorite bareMinerals gift sets from a mind boggling selection.

Phyrra – is hosting an amazing Too Faced Giveaway worth $209! And it’s open Worldwide!

we heart this – We’re having a Too Faced giveaway of our 10 favorite products. Pop by and enter, why don’t you?

Beauty Junkies Unite – Enter to win a Too Faced prize pack, with 10 of Amber’s favorite products, valued at $267!

Clumps of Mascara – is lovin’ how creamy these Too Faced Créme lipsticks are. And that gold tube? Goooorgeous!

Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by EauMG – One of my favorite blogs is Beauty Huile. It’s a must read beauty blog if you love green beauty products and oils as much as I do!

What ONE beauty item would you choose if someone offered to purchase it for you…no price limit?

Sorry ladies, I got taup-ally happy with my Yves Rocher ordering didn’t I?  This is the last one… I promise (until the next time).

You’ll be pleased to hear that this one was also the cheapest, and I didn’t have much hopes for it… but I think it’s my favourite!

#71 Gris Taupe is a densely pigmented shade with a satin finish.  So many times, cheaper powder eyeshadows lack any creaminess and feel gritty or hard to the touch.  This one has all the textural qualities you’d expect from a product twice the price.  Packaging is horrible though, this one’s definitely a depotter, though I do like a neat square pan in a depotted palatte, so it’s all good!

You can see in the swatch photo that the taupe definitely leans to the grey and is fairly neutral in tone, the silver highlight is very pretty and gives a nice ethereal sheen to the eye area once applied. Longevity is average, and I prefer to apply this one with my finger for a gentler effect as it is quite deep in pigment otherwise.

Yves Rocher Taupe Gris is priced at £8 on a buy-one-get-one-free offer (YR seem to change their prices more often than I change my knickers).

You can buy Taupe Gris online here.

Can we please have an all-together-now chorus of “it’s tooooo cold!”.  Is anyone else finding it harder-than-usual to adjust to the plummeting temperatures?  I was doing ok until about a week ago, when things seemed to take a leap from chilly to arctic.  Anyway, with the big freeze only just beginning, I’ve been battling it off with this lovely face and blush powder from Clarins.  Part of their Autumn/Winter collection, it gently injects a little warmth and colour without looking “bronzy”.

As much as I want a bit of warmth on my face, I don’t want to look like I’m desperately hankering after a bit-part in Benidorm.

I will never tire of the classic elegance of Clarin’s packaging.

The Clarins Colour Accents Face and Blush Powder offers a trio of shades that should suit all skintones, I’ve swatched them below and you can see that there is slightly less difference on the skin as there appears to be in the pan between the two tan shades.  I would say that the darker section is slightly more orange-toned, and the lighter tan a little cooler, which is why this set doesn’t “oompah, loompah” me.

Unlike the more summery offerings, this palette is also very matte.  There’s no shimmer and not even a hint of luminosity – which is actually a bit of a shame because Clarins does luminosity in their face powders better than any other brand I know.

Having said that, on my skintone, this works more as a blush than a face powder and I don’t have any issues adding some highlighter to my foundation instead.

 Clarins Colour Accents Face and Blush Powder is a very nice choice for adding some warmth to your complexion without looking like a summer-desperado.

This limited edition product won’t be around too much longer but is still available online at clarins.co.uk (£30) or even better, you can currently grab it at the special price of £24, from escentual.com

* press sample

I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a cleansing oil connoisseur, but I’ve been a fan of them for a little while now and have tried far more than my fair share in the quest for perfection.  The beauty of a cleansing oil, for lazy girls like me, is that they offer a perfectly quick solution to makeup removal AND cleansing.  In theory.  In reality, I often feel as though I need to cleanse with another product once I’ve removed my makeup with the cleansing oil.  It’s not how they’re supposed to work – but I find that many others feel the same way, advocating the double cleanse method.

Douvall’s All-in-one Argan Oil Cleanser is a 100% natural and 71.9% organic cleanser, enriched with almond, safflower seed and grapeseed oil as well as the all important Argan Oil from which the cleanser derives its name.  In-fact, a glance at the ingredient’s list reveals that Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil is indeed at the top of the bill, reassuring.

I’ve been enjoying trying out this 20ml travel-size sample of the Oil Cleanser over the last couple of weeks, you only need a tiny amount to melt away your makeup so even just a small amount lasts a significant while.  The oil is thinly-textured but sufficiently viscous enough to provide some great oily massage on the skin.  My favourite thing about the Douvall’s All-in-one Argan Oil Cleanser is the scent – some oil cleansers stink, even the really posh eones.  In general, I’ve found that the more “organic” the brand, the better the scent that’s derived from some of the natural oils.   The Douvall’s cleanser is an absolute citrus dream, tsharing top position for the best I’ve ever used in terms of scent (Nude Skincare’s is the other one).  It’s uplifting and really encourages me to linger with the oil on my face whilst I massage it into my skin, not a bad thing.

It doesn’t emulsify very well, so be prepared with your basin of warm water and make sure that you rinse completely – it will take a few passes until your skin feels oil-free.  It doesn’t leave my face feeling tight though I still need to moisturise afterward.  A lovely, pampering treat for a mundane daily task.

Douvall’s All-in-one Argan Oil Cleanser is priced at £28.00 for 150ml and is available to buy online at The Urban Retreat Beautique.

Do you have a lucky number? I’m sure almost everyone does… mine is number 7, which I’m led to believe, is one of the most popular lucky numbers in the world. Not that I really use it for anything, my lottery ticket (when I remember to buy it) is of the “lucky dip” variety and I’m no gambler, but still… it’s the LAW to have a lucky number regardless of whether it has any real significance right?

Significance isn’t a problem for Liz Earle’s latest fragrance. Liz Earle Botanical Essence No.15 hasn’t staked its name on the whim of somebody’s superstition. The number 15 actually refers to the number of precious botanicals that have gone into creating this olfactory delight.  And delight it does.

I wan’t a fan of Liz Earle’s other fragrant creation, Botanical Essence No.1 – infact, it really disappointed me.  I found it sharp and reminiscent of an old-fashioned chypre that had seen better days.  When I think of Liz Earle products, I think of fragrances that soothe the spirits and calm the mind… and the perfume bods at Liz Earle have thankfully got it very, very, right this time around.

Isn’t the packaging lovely?  I know it’s not the be all and end all, of course it isn’t… but when it comes to perfume, it’s definitely appealing when something looks good sat on your dressing table no?

The cardboard housing tells the story of the fragrance and the process in creating it, going to great lengths to detail each of the 15 botanical ingredients, it’s an interesting touch and great for novice perfume-lovers who are interested in finding out more about the ingredients and notes that make up a complete scent.

Liz Earle Botanical Essence No15 is equally as heady as Liz Earle’s first fragrance creation but in a much softer way.  It’s a completely different genre to be fair, and gone is the sharpness that pricked at my senses to be replaced by a warmer vanilla base, studded with spices and a veil of rich Damask rose.

The beauty of this scent lies in how the variety of notes toy so playfully with one another in a non-linear way.  The cinnamon doesn’t actually deliver the scent of cinnamon into the equation, it just infuses warmth.  The caramel doesn’t bring sweetness, only creamy qualities that tone down the zing of the bergamot.

It just feels (and smells) like a clever, clever creation and the more time I take to analyse it on my wrists, the more I appreciate the work that’s gone into it.

Liz Earle Botanical Essence No15 has that feminine, sensual vibe mastered and yet I can appreciate the more masculine qualities within it aswell.  The spices are rich and deep, the sandalwood is clean and calming, and the vetiver is mysteriously earthy.

No15, it’s not the most obvious lucky number in the world, but I think it’ll do wonders for Liz Earle’s sales this Christmas.

Liz Earle Botanical Essence No15 is priced at £45 for 50ml and available to buy at your local Liz Earle counter or online at lizearle.com and QVC

* press sample

Please excuse a photo post, it’s not Wednesday yet so I can’t even excuse it with a “wordless” prefix.  However, it is 3am and I’m yawning in time with my keyboard taps.  Thank you so much for your amazing comments on my post yesterday, it’s so good to hear that even in the most ridiculous of situations, there are always people keeping me company by doing exactly. the. same. thing.  You idiots 😉

Anyway, we promised Leila a trip to see the fireworks this bonfire night.  Last year, I was a bit more organised and we went to the big display in Winchester – which I thoroughly recommend.  This year, after a quick shout-out on Twitter, I discovered that the town of Alresford (about 14 miles away) was having a display, so after picking Leila up from pre-school, we hot-footed it up the M3.  £14 for two adults?  Ok, I know it’s for charity and you mustn’t grumble (I still grumbled) but don’t they know there’s a recession going on?!  AND there was no Starbucks this time.  BOO.

It was an “ok” display, hampered by a change in wind direction which meant that most of the whizz-bangs were let off from behind a great (or “gurt” as we say in this neck of the woods) big tree. We probably wouldn’t do this one again…

Here are some photos – they’re handheld and not the best, there was less people and subsequently less light than at last years display – you’ll notice I got busy with my fisheye again!

Did you get the sparklers out last night or over the weekend?

When you want something, you work hard and you achieve it.  That’s the way things are supposed to happen.  And if they don’t happen this way, then you only have your lazy-ass self to blame.

Which is why I’ve been feeling quite cross with myself recently.  You see, over the last few years, I’ve lost a lot of weight – around six stones in total and in that time, I’ve hit plateau after plateau, fell off the wagon repeatedly, and sailed down the scales with the wind behind me when the going’s been good.

When you’re very overweight, it can take a long time to notice that you’re even losing the excess baggage.  In my experience, it’s only when I get to the level where I can see the effects of developing muscle tone that I start to feel properly trim… I also put myself under a lot of pressure, and it’s frightening how quickly I shift my goalposts of what is an “acceptable” weight/fitness level.  I can definitely appreciate how people get sucked into the “just one more stone” weight loss mentality.

But my problem is, I’m on my way back up the scales.  Not just a glitch… I didn’t fall headfirst into a plate of roast potatoes too many times last month.  I’m simply creeping steadily back to my tunic tops and over-sized jumpers.  My fitness levels have also plummeted… earlier in the Summer, climbing the stairs to my front door felt like nothing, literally.  Not any more!

Weight Watchers was great for me, and I’ve just signed on again last weekend… but the disruption after moving house in the Summer completely shifted my mindset from “eating well”, to “eating cheaply” and although I’m certain those two things aren’t mutually exclusive – it feels like I have to work a lot harder to create inexpensive, filling, and healthy meals for the family.  This is part of it… the other part is that the area we’ve moved to, isn’t really the kind of place I feel safe to be running around in, at least, not after dark.  Throw in the plummeting temperature, the fact that all my “skinny girl” clothes aren’t fitting me, and I’m in a huge motivational slump.

This sounds like a massive pity party, it honestly isn’t.  It’s an admission to myself.

I haven’t admitted to myself that I’m unhappy with the way things are heading again.  Sure, I’ve moaned about my clothes being tighter, done the whole “boo, I’m getting fat again!” thing (three times a day), but truly admitting that the current situation is having a massive effect on my daily mood?  No.  Because I don’t like admitting that I am so defined by this issue.  I want to be defined by the way I treat my family, how good I am (or not) at my job, hobbies, and passions… even just my smile.  I don’t want this to have such a huge impact on who I am and how I feel about everything.

But it does, and I’m admitting that here and now.  Because, you know what?

It’s ok.

My weight, and more specifically, the way I deal with food, is not a problem that’s going to disappear when the scales magically hit the 10 stone mark, I have issues with food and exercise that are so entwined around my 31-years of existence that I can’t possibly expect them to evaporate.  Certainly not overnight, and possibly not ever.  My current issue isn’t even really about my increasing weight, it’s the anger I’m feeling at my apathy toward challenging myself again and my attempts at pretending I’m ok with it.  When I’m not.

I will not deal with unhappiness by suppressing it, any fool could tell you that won’t end well.

But in the meantime, does anyone have any practical tips (think: rocket up bum) for digging oneself out of a hole of imagined indifference?  Hard work I can do (when I put my mind to it) but this is like fucking treacle.

How entwined is your current emotional well-being with your current physical shape?

I was just browsing the Tesco website and discovered that there are a number of hairstyling tools to be had at a decent saving.  I thought that with the “party” season just around the corner, this could be of interest to some of you. I wish I had more dedication to making my hair look nicely done, I always feel better when it looks less bird’s-nesty but when you have to prioritise time in the mornings, something’s gotta give and hair is just way down there on the list of priorities.

Anyway, here are the offers on cheap hair styling tools on the site that caught my eye… anyone know what the TRESemme “big hair-alike” is like (number 2)?

1.  TRESemmé Salon Professional 24 Hour Body Rollers – normal price: £29.97 / current price: £17.50

2.  TRESemmé Salon Professional 24 Hour Body Styler – normal price: £24.97 / current price: £19.97

3.  BaByliss Pro 235 Smooth Straightener – normal price: £59.97 / current price: £29.50

4.  THX Power Up 2200w Hairdryer – normal price: £19.94 / currently price: £14.94

What hair styling tool could you not live without?  Mine is the modest hairdryer, my fringe looks like a pair of curtains without it.

This weekend you can tweet beauty-related questions to #TMSOrlando for our very own Lipstick League members Brittany and Phyrra to answer. They will be panelists on James Vincent’s Beauty & the Blog panel at The Makeup Show Orlando. Congratulations!

Question of the Week: – Do you get excited when you finish a beauty product?

Answer: – Genuinely, ecstatically excited – because it usually means that I’m allowed to treat myself to something to replace it!

Clumps of Mascara – is giving away $140 in butter LONDON nail polishes and lippies. Crazy, uh? Enter to be eligible to win!

EauMG – Here’s a video review of the pretty lily fragrance, Cartier Baiser Volé EDP.

Lipglossiping – needs to go for a lie-down after getting hot under the collar for Dita Von Teese’s eponymous debut fragrance!

Gouldylox Reviews – Have you seen this hair gizmo? It actually works!

Nouveau Cheap – Are the new Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lip Colors much different than previous ColorStay lip colors? Come find out.

Prime Beauty – says it’s never too early to get glowing! She gets her Holiday glow on with these 5 must-have highlighters! 

Phyrra – falls in love with FutureDerm Time Release Retinol 0.5. It’s the perfect Retinol product that works for 8 hours!

Vampy Varnish – loves the new and exclusive to Sephora Illamasqua Nail Varnishes in Cameo and Noble!

we heart this – What’s French, fabulous AND from a drugstore? RoC Max Wrinkle Resurfacing System, that’s what. We’re calling it a game changer, folks.

Beauty Junkies Unite – Amber gives you a peek at what’s inside the new bareMinerals ‘Simply Irresistible’ Collection for the holidays!

Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by Clumps of Mascara – She’s a fashion and lifestyle blogger but I adore Love Brown Sugar’s post on feeling beautiful in her own skin. We could all take notes on the knowledge that she’s dropping.

Do you get excited when you finish a beauty product?