A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

The sun is finally shining!

At least, it has been over the weekend in my part of the world… this post will go live tomorrow afternoon, by which time, we’ll probably all be pushing for space on the Ark.

Remember this bundle of beauty goodies?

Well, lucky lucky…

Claire (sea.walker@****)

…scoops the lot with her memories of Summer’s past in Ireland.  Congratulations!

Thanks everyone for taking part, some of the memories were wonderful little tales that brightened my day to read them.

Stand by for another giveaway coming very soon!

I’m not really down with surfing jargon but I have totally watched Point Break as many times as the next girl, perhaps even more… sometimes in slow-motion too.

hang ten (verb American) – to ride a surfboard (at near-optimum speed or full stretch) with the toes of both feet hooked over the front. From the jargon of American surfers since the early 1960s. The phrase is sometimes used figuratively to mean something like ‘go full-tilt on a risky course.

China Glaze’s Hang Ten Toes might not make me think of Keanu Reeves or Patrick Swayze (rip) but it does make me think of long Summer days and sand between my toes.

Hang Ten Toes* is a superbly vibrant, hot pink with a silvery shimmer that gives the polish some blue flashes in the right light.  It’s a more wearable neon pink than some, though still impressively bright.  The formula was good, a little thick – as with the whole collection so far, it needs a small amount of care and attention to prevent pooling at the cuticles.  That’s the price CG have decided we should pay for impressive opacity in only two coats this time around.

China Glaze Hang Ten Toes is available to buy instore from Sallys or online at BeautyBay.com, priced from £6.95

* press sample

Question of the Week: – Your three favorite skincare lines, name them…

Answer: – Elemis, Olay and La Roche Posay.

Nouveau Cheap – Perhaps the longest review G. has ever written about a drugstore foundation, come see why she felt the need to update her original Revlon ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup post with even more photos and info.

Pink Sith – Is full of non-sequitur references when it comes to talking about Chanel Fall 2012 Lumiere d’Artifices Beiges Illuminating Powder with Shimmer!

Prime Beauty – appreciates multi-tasking beauty products and Sue Devitt’s Marine Minerals Eye Shadow Palette in Soloman Islands is a triple threat AND  ideal for summer. Okay, a quadruple threat!

Phyrra – updates her lovely locks with Manic Panic Atomic Turquoise & Fuchsia Shock! Check it out!

Vampy Varnish – If you love makeup and art then you are going to love the new Milani Color Play Felt-Tip Liquid Pens!

we heart this – Want to win one of two $81 skincare sets from Yu-Be, the Japanese line with a cult-like following? Pop by and say Konnichiwa!

Beauty Junkies Unite – Amber gives us an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming Urban Decay Smoked Eyeshadow Palette!

EauMG – Licorice, gumdrops, Turkish delights! Check out my review of Boadicea the Victorious Intense perfume.

Gouldylox Reviews – Can you believe it’s time to start thinking about the fall? I haven’t even been on vacation yet! Needless to say, it’s a departure from the bright summer colors, but I kind of like the classic vibe. You?

Krasey Beauty – shows you all of Make Up For Ever’s latest summer additions!

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Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by Nouveau Cheap – If you like MAC MSFs but you’re on a tight budget, check out Glam Morena’s swatches of the new e.l.f Baked Blushes.

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What are your favourite THREE skincare lines?

Contrary to popular belief (bloody blog name), I don’t much like lipgloss – I tolerate it because it’s so damn easy to apply and wear without any maintenance but I only wear it when I’ve got my hair tied back and even then, only in nude shades.  I’d like to tell you that this is the lipgloss that changed my entire opinion on the product genre, I mean… if any brand could do it, it would be a gloss that comes from the Kevyn Aucoin line right?

Wrong.  I still don’t like lipgloss, but don’t let that put me off telling you lipgloss lovers about a very pretty one from the U.S brand that has recently returned to our shores.

Lilium is a sparkle-packed nude pink which flashes silver reflects on the lips.  It’s packaged in a nicely-weighted, square tube with a wider-than-usual doefoot applicator and would look sleek in any makeup bag.  The formula is tacky but not super-sticky, though I still wouldn’t recommend you go out on a windy day without a pair of tweezers to pick off all the leaves/grit/small children that may become stuck to your face, it is still lipgloss afterall.

There’s no discernible scent and the product applies nicely without doing that jizz-lips thing.  Sorry, but you totally know what I’m talking about, lipgloss can look pretty rank when badly formulated or over-applied.  This one won’t leave you shame-faced.

It’s actually pretty hard-wearing for a gloss formula, the colour fades after a couple of hours but the pale reflects linger on to give some natural shine and depth to your lips in an illusory lip-plumping way.  My only caveat with this particular shade is that the sparkle does feel the tiniest bit gritty on the lips… it’s not uncomfortable, but I can feel something there if that makes sense.

Kevyn Aucoin The Lipgloss in Lilium is priced at £23 and available to buy instore and online at SpaceNK*

* who need their butts kicked for such an awful swatch on the shade – can you remember when there weren’t beauty blogs and all our online purchases had to be based on those little damn circles?!

** press sample

*** I bought the Sensual Skin Enhancer in another shade before my no-buy, I’m gonna make it love me.

Remember how I told you that I’m supposed to be on a no-buy?  As in… no-buying anymore beauty crap until I’ve redeemed my spendy ways and bought enough substandard, veneered beech/birch/what’s the difference flat-pack from IKEA to furnish our new flat?  Well, I’m getting devious in my old age.

We went to IKEA last night and I totally came back with beauty stuff in the guise of it being for the new bathroom.  1-0 to me!

Ok, so it’s not the most exciting beauty purchase since the time I got all excited about finding a jumbo sharpener to fit my NARS Glitter Pencils but c’mon, a girl’s gotta get her beauty fix somewhere?  The blog-worthy thing about these IKEA NÄCKTEN flannels (guest towels/whatever) is that a). they’re 20p each and b). they’re BIG – about twice the size of normal flannels – which means that they soak up twice as much water as normal flannels and really give your pores a good steam.

They’re perfect for encouraging us grubby lot to change our flannels more regularly.  At 20p eahc, you can afford to keep a stash that you can just throw at the laundry basket (bonus points if you get it in) when you’re done.  Judging by the washing instructions, these should even survive my refusal to acknowledge anything that can’t be tumble dried – the lazy girls iron.

So next time you’re trudging around IKEA all sad-faced ‘cos they’d run out of Daim Cake and only had that trio of ugly mini-cakes that NO ONE EVER EATS, EVER – don’t be glum, go and buy some flannels or something.

And a hot-dog on the way out.

What are your favourite ‘cheap’ bathroom essentials?

I’m killing my poor red lip series!  First with the “ooh this is red (oh no it’s fucking not)” Revlon Cherries in the Snow and now, with this little number… the Lancome Rouge in Love, in… well… Rouge in Love.  That’s the shade name by the way, I don’t have that OCD thing where you repeat yourself… just a billion other OCDs to entertain myself with instead.

God, you’re beautiful.  Said no one, to me, ever.  So instead, let me serenade the packaging of the Rouge in Love line.  I fell in lust with the vintage-inspired styling last Autumn when Lancome released a couple of limited edition French Touch Absolu(s) – the shades were pretty incredible too and I was delighted when the year rolled over and the brand released an entire line of these beauties.

Rouge in Love (the shade, not the line) is a sheer, glossy red that is perfect for all of you who’ve been following my red lip series over the last year (two years is it now?) with a mixture of wantsies and canthavesies.  It’s the shade for all of you who are a bit too pussy wary to jump in at the deep end with some red-lip love.  The finish looks almost juicy, even on my slightly pruny lips though, to be honest, it does lean a little to the pink side of the spectrum, hence my initial declaration that the Red Lip Series (totally worthy of caps) was going to the dogs.

Talking of dogs.

You should be able to see the depth of pigmentation and gloss that this lipstick provides in the photo above.  It’s just so completely easy-to-wear with a non-heavy formula that lasts surprisingly well throughout the day.  I really recommend this as an everyday choice for red-lip lovers who need something just a little less in-yer-face for office/school wear.

Lancome Rouge in Love in Rouge in Love is available to buy on counter and online, priced at £21.00

* press sample

Orange You Hot? Well, you are indeed warmer than a slice of Kingsmill, toasted on the defrost setting.  I’m not really damning this polish with faint praise… it’s pretty bright, but to be honest… it’s still totally wearable for everyone.  I realise this is probably a good thing… but I do like my neons to just occassionally, set my retinas alight.

Orange You Hot is an orange, nay tangerine shimmer.  The shimmer adds a dose of brightness that can’t help but inject a bit of wotsit (cheetos)-flavoured sunshine into the proceedings.  Mr. L hates it… which means that I, of course, have to love it more than I really do just to piss him off.

China Glaze Orange You Hot is available to buy instore from Sallys or online at RadiantBabe-Beauty, priced from £6.75

* press sample

Laugh?  I nearly cried when I got a press release instructing me on how I could transition my Summer look into something more suitable for Autumn/Winter.  I mean, really?  WE HAVEN’T EVEN HAD SUMMER.  Not that this is the fault of Bobbi Brown, to be fair.  I’m sure that she (of sueded nudes and creamy ivories) has absolutely no influence on our climatic shitness.  I nearly wrote ‘climactic’ then… sorry, freudian slip.

Here, let’s distract ourselves from the views out the window by looking at some pretty pretties instead.

I must admit, the Desert Spring Collection does bridge the gap between happiness (summer) and misery (winter) quite nicely.

You’ve got a bit of Turquoise Nail Polish to remind you of those halcyon, balmy days WE NEVER HAD and the Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Blue Moon shouldn’t smudge too easily as we sob the makeup OFF OUR FACES.  Finally, the Creamy Colour for Lips and Cheeks looks suitably frost-bitten for when it’s still DARK IN THE MORNING and you’re scraping the ice off your car with your credit card ‘cos you’ve lost the scraper and the de-icer in the can has frozen solid.

Yeah, it looks quite promising.

I’m lusting after the eye palette (always the palettes Bobbi!), the blush/bronzer duo and the vampier polish of the duo.  The collection is set to launch next month online at BobbiBrown.co.uk and across counters nationwide.

Got any early favourites?

It’s not that I mean to be a bitch, I really don’t.  It’s just that I’m on a spending ban and this time I really mean it – you see, we’re about to move house and furnish it from top to bottom.  Paul says that furnishing it with makeup doesn’t count and despite my protestations, we have to buy proper grown-up shit, like cookers n stuff.  It’s to this end that I’ve been on a strict no-buy for almost a week.  I know! I can’t believe my dedication either.

Let me tell you though… right now, it’s 01.15am and I’ve just had a cup of tea and half a Boost bar and I’m feeling pretty invincible.  I could whip out the debit card in less time than it would take me to hide the chocolate wrapper and I could buy all this stuff *sweeps arm across browser window*.  But I mustn’t.  I promised that I wouldn’t buy anything except the bathroom essentials for at least a month, so I’m going to do a bit of enabling instead.  It’s ok, I know you can handle it.

This is what I would have probably, definitely, most likely bought this week, had I been allowed.  It’s always the bargains that test my lame-arsed resolve.

01  |  02  |  03  |  04  |  05  |  06

01: Costume National Scent Intense 100ml (sale price £26.10 / original price £87.00, 70% off)

02: Rodial Rehab Scented Candle (sale price £10.00 / original price £45.00, 78% off)

03: Vita Liberata Silken Mousse Set (sale price £14.70 / original price £49.00, 70% off)

04: Ionika Zebra Mini Straighteners – other styles available (sale price £4.00 / original price £9.99, 60% off)

05: RapidLash (sale price £21.00 / original price £41.00, 50% off)

06: La Prairie Life Threads Platinum Eau de Parfum Spray 50ml (sale price £37.00 / original price £74.00, 50% off)

You see what I’m missing out on? SCREW YOU NO-BUY!

The beauty blogging world is buzzing with details of the new YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation (currently available exclusively in Selfridges).  The foundation is touted to have built on the Touche Eclat luminising technology which has kept the infamous “clicky-pen” a bestseller for the past 20 years, providing a natural, radiant finish with impeccable brightening properties.

If you’re in the market for a new foundation (or even if you’re not!), take heed of this sampling offer, courtesy of the Yves Saint Laurent Facebook page.  Simply “like” the brand’s page and register your details to print a voucher that is redeemable for one 5ml sample available from all UK and Ireland YSL counters.

The full-size foundations roll-out to counters nationwide once the Selfridges exclusive finishes on the 9th July.  If you’re a tricky shade to match, it’s worth noting that Selfridges will be the only retailers to carry the full 22 shades.

Will you be trialling the new YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation?

I love blue nails, yet rarely wear them myself.  I don’t know why that is… perhaps the fear of smurf fingers after removal (though I’m frequently advised that a smear of vaseline over your fingertips avoids the problem), or is it simply the primitive-ness of the hue? Perhaps I’m just scared it might make me look like Michael Howard’s lovechild (afterall, there is “something of the night” about me).

China Glaze Ride The Waves doesn’t really conjour up images of riding any kind of waves, it feels more traditionally maritime blue in a Royal Navy kinda way than all surfy n’ stuff.  Although most definitely a primary blue, the finish is all squishy and jelly-like to give some oomph to its character.  Unlike some of the other brights in the Summer Neons Collection, this one isn’t actually all that bright – though it does create an impact.  Application was fine but worth bearing in mind that it will prove to be a little sheer because of the jelly finish (the above photo shows three coats).

China Glaze Ride the Waves is available to buy instore from Sallys or online at RadiantBabe-Beauty, priced from £6.75

* press sample

Kicking dirt in the face of Urban Decay’s recent announcement that the brand are now allowing their (previously certified cruelty-free) products to be tested on animals (if required by law) comes a new initiative from LUSH.  The British brand – who have recently caused controversy after unveiling a ‘shock’ stunt at their Regent Street store – are taking a particularly pro-active stance against animal-testing by fronting a £250,000 annual fund (in partnership with Ethical Consumer) towards finding and implementing viable alternatives to the traditional methods of safety testing cosmetics.

A panel of ten independent judges will deliver the verdicts on the movers and shakers in the industry in a high-profile awards ceremony to be held in London each year.  The initiative will be known as The LUSH Prize and will be awarded to the most effective projects and individuals working towards the goal of replacing animal use in product safety testing.  The £250,000 fund will be divided into five prizes of £50,000 each and awarded across five distinct categories:

Science Prize –  the development of replacement non-animal tests

Training Prize –  training researchers in non-animal methods

Lobbying Prize –  policy interventions to promote the use of replacements

Public Awareness Prize –  raising public-awareness of ongoing testing

Young Researcher Awards –  to five post-graduates specialising in replacements research

In any year where there is a major breakthrough in 21st Century Toxicology – the area which holds out most hope for a ‘Eureka’ moment where animal tests can be replaced wholesale, the entire £250,000 prize fund will be awarded to the individual or team respsonsible.

You can watch Mark Constantine, the managing director and co-founder of LUSH Cosmetics explain more about the new LUSH Prize below:

I’m applauding LUSH for taking a different direction in the fight against animal-testing, and this is coming from someone who is rarely a fan of their “hard-hitting” publicity stunts and campaigns.  I don’t get morally outraged, I just like to believe that I’m not so completely desensitized to the issues that I need something so brutal to remind me (or the younger fans of LUSH) of it.  I also felt that the window campaign fetishized the issue, I like to think… accidentally, but who knows.

What say you?