A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

~ Miss Beauty Nerd dishes on Asia’s hottest and most coveted product – BB Creams!!

~ Jellyminx shares a Jessie J inspired makeup tutorial.

~ K from Beautifully Addicted To gives us a look at ELF Mineral Glosses.

~ Anita over at Pleasureflush sorts through her stash of mascaras to find out which ones are keepers and which ones are heading for the bin!

~ Fee at Makeup Savvy takes on this year’s Spring/Summer key fashion trends with a series of inspired nail art tutorials!

~ Phyrra’s Indie Spotlight for March is Epically Epic Soap Co. Learn all about Allison!

~ Getting downright Dirty with LUSH makes for one very clean-smelling Lipglossiping!

~ Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed swatches spring blushes and tries to decide between Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent!

~ Ooh, shatter! Musicalhouses shows you an awesome black and silver shatter NOTD with Barry M Instant Nail Effects!

~ Krasey Beauty hobnobs with makeup royalty, and learns of new beauty releases, while she’s at it!

~ Beauty’s Bad Habit shares her favourite eyeshadow bases and primers for vivid, ‘life proof’ eye make-up that lasts.

~ Checked outELF’s black bottles yet? Queen of Turquoise has!

~ Welcome to your new addiction – Alyson reviews the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams at The Gloss Menagerie.

~ Tracy at Beauty Reflections gets a 70s makeup vibe with Rimmel Glam’eyes Quad Eye Shadow that fits right in with the 70s fashion trend!

~ The Pink Sith won’t be able to kill your lemming for this new Armani Beauty Eyes To Kill Intense Silk Eyeshadow in # 4 Pulp Fiction.

~ Who said neutrals can’t be dramatic, Madame B Fatale shows you how!

~ Kimberly takes the Dare To Wear Charity Challenge: For Japan Are you up for the challenge?

~ Hop in the car for a roadtrip with My Lips But Better and OPI’s Fall 2011 collection, Touring America.

~ Are you a Kate or a Vanessa? You’ll find the answer at Musing on Beauty, by comparing Chanel Rouge Coco Shine and Dior Addict lipsticks.

~ The Chantecaille Sea Turtle palette came swimming into Cindy’s life, see if she thinks it’s worth the $79 price tag.

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~ Did you hear? BarryM may come to Canada!! To celebrate Spiced Beauty is giving away a huge 5-piece prize pack.

~ Want to win 2 NARS blushes + other goodies? All you have to do is be a follower of StealMyHeartLovee’s blog for a chance to win.

~ Music and Makeup has been going for 2 years! Jo celebrates with a giveaway of some of her favourite products.

~ theNotice is giving away a ridiculously glittery Honeycat Cosmetics lipgloss. Whether you’re a cat lover or a glitter girl, you *need* to check it out!

“He loves me, He loves me not…” is a rhyme that many of us will remember from the days when Summer holidays seemed to stretch an eternity and the biggest worry we had was whether or not we’d be able to sneak a jammie dodger from the biscuit tin before bed.

Of course, that particular rhyme meant very little unless we were clutching a fistful of daisies in our hands (we needed more than one incase we got the dreaded “he loves me not”).

Yardley LONDON, one of England’s oldest fragrance houses, re-launched last September with reformulated and repackaged products in a bid to re-energise the brand.  I would imagine that re-launching a brand so quintessentially English, with 240 years of history is not an easy task.  Obviously they need to stay true to their heritage and their loyal customers but in 2011, they clearly need to look to enhance the image of the brand in the eyes of the younger generations aswell.

Enter the Royal English Daisy Collection…

Perfume house Yardley LONDON have introduced the new fragrance collection to coincide with the imminent Royal Wedding.  Based around the perceived fragrance of daisies (the flowers have no actual fragrance), the limited edition range comprises of three products.

Royal English Daisy Eau de Toilette 50ml (£9.99)
Royal English Daisy Body Spray 75ml (£2.49)
Royal English Daisy Moisturising Body Lotion 250ml (£5.95)

Daisies have long been a favorite of many, as they represent loyal love and innocence. They have the ability to bring a smile to a face or brighten a room like a golden ray of sunshine.

Yardley London’s Royal English Daisy is an elegant dewy fresh, green floral fragrance, reminiscent of flower filled meadows in the spring sunshine. It opens with a burst of energetic top notes in the form of fresh green leaves and apple, combined with a heart of hyacinth and white rose, enhanced with warm base notes of sandalwood and musk.

It seems fitting to me that the brand who (are in possession of 2 Royal warrants), be the ones to commemorate and combine this Royal extravaganza with the classic British daisy.

The fragrance itself, was inspired by the future princess, Miss Catherine Middleton.  Yardley London wanted to create a new youthful, light and fun fragrance and they believe that they’ve successfully encapsluated her beauty, energetic and fun-loving character within the scent.

I find the fragrance in all three products to be light, airy and most definitely spring-like.  Not intoxicating enough for warm Summer evenings but perfect to spritz on in the mornings.  It reminds me of cool linens and long grasses… it’s sharp at first, the EDT… alcohol-heavy… but the dry down removes the acidity and what remains is crisp apple and white flowers.  It’s fresh, floral and a bit fruity.

My particular favourite from the range has to be the Moisturising Body Lotion, though I’d personally describe it as a light lotion.  It contains the same gentle scent that manages to linger on my skin for a surprising length of time.  It absorbs quickly, leaving behind softened skin that also feels slightly cooled.  For me, this product is going to be a Summer essential.  I’ve enquired about whether or not Yardley London have any plans to introduce the body lotion formula to their other scents.  No plans at the moment, but my goodness they must!

The range is available to purchase now from Boots, Lloyds Chemists and online.  Be sure to go and give it a sniff while it’s still available to buy, you may be pleasantly surprised at what you discover from this re-invigorated, heritage brand.  I certainly was.

…and what, in all honesty is prettier than this?

Estée Lauder Radiant Bloom  – RRP £95.00

and this…

Estée Lauder Precious Bluebirds – RRP £250.00

and most definitely this…

Estée Lauder White Linen Jewelled Sea Turtle, RRP: £320.00

Every year since 1963, Estée Lauder has introduced a collection of limited-edition solid perfume and powder compacts. These delicate pieces enjoy a worldwide following among collectors with their intricate and ornate designs. Nothing speaks to Estēe Lauder’s great legacy like these treasured collectables.

These exquisite miniature designs are available to collect and cherish. Each enamel and sparkling crystal compact is filled with either Lucidity Translucent Pressed Powder or a classic Estée Lauder Solid Perfume.

The Spring/Summer 2011 collection of compacts are available exclusively at the Estée Lauder counters at Harrods from March 2011 for a limited period only.

Now excuse me, I’m off to root around down the back of the sofa.  If I don’t find a spare £320 back there, I may at least find a chocolate button to console myself with.

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Which one is your favourite?

Welcome to the inaugural post for The Lipstick League! We are a group of beauty bloggers, bound together by the desire to save the world with beauty, one post at a time!

Once a week, each member of The Lipstick League will select a favorite post from their blog and we’ll assemble the links in one tidy weekly post for your reading pleasure.

We’ve gathered together a fantastic group of beauty bloggers whose content spans the world of beauty on topics such as makeup, skin care, nail care, fragrance and beyond!

To add a bit of personality to these posts, we’ll also ask each Lipstick League member to answer a “Question of the Week”, which they will answer on their own post. So be sure to check all the member’s responses!

We hope you enjoy these weekly posts—we are so proud of the group we’ve assembled and we can’t wait to share this great content with you, our readers!

The Question of the Week for this inaugural post is:

If you could only wear one lip product for the rest of all time (gasp!), what would it be?

Oh my, you can’t make me choose just one!  OK, ok… Well, it’s gonna have to be Lanolips in Apple.  I toyed with the idea of the original Lanolips 101 but I’d miss colour too much!  You’re mean!

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Here are this week’s links…

Beauty Junkies Unite – just can’t get enough of Urban Decay’s Greed Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Clumps of Mascara – tried brown eyeliner for the first time. It wasn’t what she thought it was.

EauMG – reviews a NEST candle. It’s fragrance will put a smile on your face.

Nouveau Cheap – puts the new Revlon Crazy Shine Nail Buffer to the test. Does it really give you 400% shiner nails in seconds?

Orange to LA – has her first experience with Jill Stuart Cream Eye Shadows, see if these shimmery shadows get you noticed!

Pink Sith – is finally able to get some much needed color on to her pale cheeks thanks to Yves Saint Laurent Creme de Blush # 5. No Pinching required!

Phyrra – discusses foundations, skin undertones & overtones and shows you her naked face!

Vampy Varnish – Zoya ModMattes Collection for Spring 2011 swatches & review.

we heart this – takes a look at the new Hourglass Aura Cheek and Lip Stains. Finally, a stain that you can be happy about!

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What do you think readers? If YOU could only wear one lip product for the rest of all time (gasp!), what would it be?

See you next week!
~The Lipstick League

Got a picky Mum?  A lady for whom a Superdrug giftset just won’t do?  No, me neither (thank God!) but if you do… here’s some prime picks that might settle the hunger in her belly!

The best Mother’s Day Gifts for between £30 – £50!

1. Liz Earle Botanical Essence™ Eau de parfum No.1* (£40.35)

For our first ever fragrance we’ve used the finest natural botanical ingredients from around the world and the expert skills of a distinguished perfumer from Grasse, France.  We gave him the time to indulge in the age-old art of perfumery, skilfully hand-crafting this complex scent with true passion to create this vibrant, sparkling fragrance translating into warmth and sensuality.  This sensuous fragrance can be worn every day.

Well, let’s just be honest here… it’s Liz Earle meets perfume innit.  If your Mum is like most Mums out there, she’ll fall over herself to rip the carefully chosen wrapping paper off this one.

2. Eve Lom TLC Cream* (£50.00)

This intensive cream gives tender, loving care to dry and very dry skins types and is ideal for more mature complexions.  The most luxurious of all rose oils, Rose Otto of Bulgaria gently softens lines and wrinkles and imparts a delicious aroma.

A very rich cream that is ideal as an overnight treatment for softening and reinvigorating the tightest of skin types.  To put it simply, go to bed with tight, aggravated skin and wake up with supple and hydrated skin.  It’s very thick but warms up well and absorbs effectively through the night.  Mostly?  I love the rose scent.  It’s a comfort cream for poorly skins.

3. Aspinal of London Lipstick Case (£35.00)

Protect your favourite lipstick in style with this lipstick case handmade in gorgeous mock croc calf leather and lined in shimmering grosgrain.  Designed to hold one lipstick, the case closes securely with a popper fastening and even has a small handy mirror.

Squee cute much?  If pink ain’t your *cough* Mum’s thing, it’s available in a host of other colours too!

4. Oskia Renaissance Mask (£48.50)

Designed to increase cell turnover, boost radiance and packed with OSKIA’s trademark blend of beauty-boosting nutrients, this luxuriously-textured exfoliating mask leaves the complexion smoother, more refined and illuminated. Our testing panel thought its natural perfume so delicious they wanted to eat it!

Oskia have a great reputation for their “nutritionally-designed, natural skincare range” which is all about supplying the skin with a ‘diet’ of skincare goodies that include vitamins, minerals, amino acids and glucides.  If your Mum is a lover of oraganic, natural products, then you won’t go far wrong with Oskia who are proud of their ECOCERT credentials.

The Renaissance Mask promises to be a real treat, providing instant results and rinsing tired skin down the plughole to reveal a fresher you!

5. Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum (£38.50)

Femininity, luxury and style… bottled.  Green top notes give a burst of freshness, a heart of Tiger Orchid lends a creamy seductiveness, and sensual base notes of toffee and Indonesian patchouli. A modern fruity-chypre.

The best things come to those who wait and the base notes contained in the EDP are lovely.  Despite it’s base of toffee, it manages to be sweet without being cloying… they describe it as ‘creamy’ which is pretty much spot-on.  Perhaps a choice for the younger Mums out there *waves arms*.  Jimmy Choo’s inaugural fragrance is proving popular.

6. Davina Peace Citrus Fruits Candle (£36.00)

Each Davina Peace candle is inspired by a long-lasting memory of the brand’s eponymous founder.  Based on the balmy smell of citrus fruits, this candle blends the organic fragrances of Sicilian lemon peel, juicy orange, Italian bergamot and root ginger.  Dedicated to only sourcing organic ingredients where possible, Davina Peace uses only pure natural wax blended with an organic fragrance in her candles.

Nothing is more exquisitely shared between mothers and daughters than memories and Davina Peace pays tribute to the art of remembering with the fragrances she offers throughout her range.  Her Memory No. 2: Citrus Fruits candle is a perfect choice for the warmer Summer months that are hopefully beginning to open up before us!

Exclusively available at Harrods.

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Hope that gives you a little inspiration for lovely Mums everywhere!

* I have received press samples of these items in the past

I’m reviving my ever-so-slightly neglected Swatch Saturday posts!

These will be filled with images and swatches as opposed to my inane ramblings (woohoo!) and will hopefully showcase some of the products that I use regularly.

So here we go with today’s swatches of an eyeshadow that I’ve been using pretty much non-stop this week.  Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Eyeshadow in Sugar Biscuit.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Eyeshadow in Sugar Biscuit has a satin finish that shimmers without being metallic.  It is an integral part of my lazy day looks!  A wash of it from lid to browbone will brighten tired looking peepers and give the impression of 8 hours sleep. Kinda.

I usually combine with a taupe in the crease and lots of mascara!

You can see it used in a quick look here.

Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Eyeshadow in Sugar Biscuit is priced at £15.50 and available on counter or online (though currently OOS).

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What’s your favourite eyeshadow for all-over brightening?

I only own one Julie Hewett product, it’s a lipstick that LondonMUGirl made me buy.  She doesn’t know she made me buy it… it was a blog lemming thing.  Still unforgivable though.

Anyway, the reason I’m mentioning it is because I went to Shepherd’s Bush yesterday to check out the new and improved PAM store.  If you don’t know about PAM, they’re a professional makeup shop that caters to makeup artists and students.  Of course, they’re open to the public too so if there’s anything that catches your eye, you’ll be welcomed in store or on the website to have a closer look.

So, as I was saying…

I own one Julie Hewett lipstick from the Bijou line of sheer lipsticks.  The shade I have is probably the most well-known, Lulu.  It’s a true rosy pink on my unpigmented lips and really not that sheer after all.

Excuse the dust, Lulu is my ‘handbag’ lipstick and I dragged it out of a tissue-stuffed side pocket for the photo!

It’s very glossy, light and non-drying.  It doesn’t last too long but is ideal for touch ups on the go and to give an overall polished look.  Hence it always being in my handbag!

The Julie Hewett brand is only stocked in a few places online in the UK and as far as I’m aware, PAM are the only stockists you can visit to have a look at the products in person before purchasing.

While I was there, I fell in love with this promotional image.  The stark contrast of the dark lips with the barely there makeup enchants me!

and this one…

I’ll leave you with a few more pictures of the Julie Hewett stock available instore…

Have you tried anything from the Julie Hewett range?  Want to?

God, I’m tired.

It’s 2.47am and I got home from London half an hour ago. I can’t write my Mother’s Day Gift Guide part 3, I need to focus properly to hone in on the tastiest of gifts and my brain is failing me.  I’ll be back tomorrow with something a little more coherent.

I’m very pleased that it’s Friday and I’m hugely delighted that the sun hasn’t disappeared yet (in the UK).  By the time you’re reading this, it’ll probably be raining or snowing or something.

I’m back in London on Sunday with the fam for The Vitality Show.  I can’t wait to attend!  I last visited back in 2007 and had an amazing time.  It was a really friendly-feeling show with some real ‘niche’ exhibitors.  I hope it lives up to my memories.  I may have stalked Rosemary Conley last time (going “OMG look, it’s Rosemary Conley!”)… but only for a couple of circuits of the show floor, nothing too criminal.

Before I collapse, I’ll just leave you with this snippet that managed to completely pass me by…

Apparently, it was National No Makeup Day yesterday.  *makes big W sign*.  I bought 3 lipsticks.

Did you wear make up yesterday?

Ok, so these aren’t necessarily ‘moody’ but I didn’t know how to describe them.  I love blue polishes and wanted to do a comparison post showing some of the blues in my collection that are a little different to the norm.  A little greyer… a little more… stroppy.

Some of you were also keen for me to elaborate on potential dupes for Butter London’s new Lady Muck polish.  I’m afraid I came up empty handed on that score!

1. Essie – Sag Harbor
2. Eyeko – Rain
3. Butter London – Lady Muck
4. Butter London – Victoriana
5. Barielle – June Bug

A close up so that you can see the finish of each polish.  You can see that the HTF Essie Sag Harbor and Eyeko Rain are definitely quite close in appearance.

Yesterday I was also asked about the differences between BL Lady Muck and Victoriana.  Hopefully you can see that they’re worlds apart.  Barielle June Bug?  Well that’s just a fun odd ball!  Incidentally, I wonder what’s happened to Barielle’s Spring/Summer collection… anyone know if there is one?

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What are your favourite ‘odd’ blues to wear?

Onwards and upwards with the Mother’s Day gift guides! Yesterday we looked at some gift ideas for those of us on a budget but what if you’ve got a little more in the coffers for treating Mummy dearest?

Here’s my pick of the best Mother’s Day Gifts for £30 and under!

1. LUSH Mum Hatbox Set (£25.96)

Reusable hatbox full of luxuriously indulgent products for the industrious mums out there on Mother’s Day.  They’ve earned it!  This extravagant Mother’s Day gift box is brimming with joy for mums, containing everything she needs for bright spring days filled with flowers, fruit, rainbows, green grass, fluff and honey.

If your Mum is a bathing belle, this hatbox is full to the brim with lovely bath goodies.  The set contains: Grass shower gel, Pop in the Bath Bubble Bar, Dorothy Bubble Bar, Space Girl ‘Mum Ballistic, Keep it Fluffy Ballistic, You’ve Been Mangoed Bath Melt and Sultana of Soap.  You’re bound to come up smelling of roses with this gift choice!

2. Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me – Paula Begoun (£18.75)

Paula Begoun is the most unique, respected, and controversial source of skin care and makeup analysis available.  In the 8th edition of Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me you’ll find out the benefits and failings of each product so you can easily shop for the best of the best-and get beautiful skin and makeup, regardless of your budget!

A perfect choice for Mum’s who are a little intimidated by the wide choice of products available.  We can’t always be there to guide them in their selections but this book would make a really good place to start if (like mine) your Mum is cultivating a blossoming affair with beauty!  Plus, you get a free Paula’s Choice Surprise Sample Set with every book ordered.

3. Aromatherapy Associates Miniature Bath & Shower Oil Collection (£28.50)

The complete collection of Aromatherapy Associates bath & shower oils in miniature sizes.

Rapidly gaining cult status, Aromatherapy Associates deliver rich blends of scent-driven bath oils that promise to make every day that little bit more special.  Who says you need a spa to pamper?  With this miniature collection of oils you don’t need to make the tough decision over which one to choose – have the best of both worlds!

4. Sanctuary Skincare Spa Heroes Kit (£20.00)

You might be spending a bit more but who says that you don’t still want a bargain?  Wahanda have teamed up with The Sanctuary Spa to launch an unbeatable Mobdeal on its skincare products!

The set will contain: Radiance Boosting Facial Oil (30ml), Perfectly Polished Hot Cloth Cleanser (175ml), Warming Microbrasion Polish (100ml), and Warming Charcoal Detox Mask (100ml).

The deal is set to go live on Monday 28th March via this link.  So log on after midnight on the 28th to discover over 50% off a kit containing some real skincare treats.

5. Elemis Enriching Body Treats (£20.79)

A sensational selection of new and classic bodycare favourites in handy travel sizes, worth over £35!

The set contains: Wild Lavender Hand and Body Wash, Uplifting Sharp Shower and Bath Gel, Exotic Lime and Ginger Hand and Body Wash, Exotic Frangipani Monoi Bath and Shower Cream, Skin Nourishing Shower Cream, Skin Nourishing Hand and Body Lotion.

Nothing gets this Mum’s heart racing faster than a bunch of Elemis treats and one of the things that this British brand excels at is putting together these value sets.  The Elemis Enriching Body Treats is perfect to take on Summer holidays or to the gym!  Your Mum would be the sweetest-smelling lady in the locker room!

6. Rituals Under A Fig Tree Fragrance Sticks* (£19.90)

Rituals are one brand that need a greater high street presence in the UK.  You can pick up products in John Lewis but I’d love to see more stand alone stores like their one in Westfield.  I love this reed diffuser which is described as a natural and stylish way of fragrancing your home.  They look stylish and deliver a long-lasting scent that makes an impression without overpowering.

* I received a set of these as a press sample.

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Hope that gives you a little inspiration for lovely Mums everywhere, I’ll be back tomorrow with the £30 – £50 range – get your purses credit cards ready for it!

I told you I had some rather special Butter Londons to show you – how about this one from the new Spring/Summer collection?

Lady Muck is described as a powdery periwinkle blue, slightly on the grey side and infused with pearl pigment for a soft, sexy sheen.

It’s a gorgeous alternative shade for those of us who don’t go for the screaming brights and Easter Egg pastels that are on offer.  Yes, it’s quite a toned-down shade that wouldn’t look out of place in a Winter collection but the silver pearl really lifts the dustiness and gives it a more floaty, ethereal look.

No complaints with either application or wear… there’s something about these greyed-out shades that seem to give me ridiculously good wear.  Very strange but always welcome!

Butter London’s Lady Muck is priced at £11.95 and available to buy online from PowderRooms

Get it wrong and Mum will serve you up the sad, soggy-looking roast potatoes forever more.  That smug brother of yours?  He’ll get your crispy ones.

On a budget?  Never fear… here’s my pick of the best Mother’s Day Gifts for £15 and under!

1. Cath Kidston Cherry Blossom, Jam Jar Candle (£15.00)

Large Jam Jar Candle, fragranced with Cherry Blossom from Cath Kidston’s latest home fragrance collection.   Burn time 40 hours.

I think it’s like… THE LAW… for Mum’s across the land to swoon at the altar of all things Cath Kidston.  There is no way on Earth you can go wrong with this purchase.  Cherries?  Kitsch?  Kidston?  Those tatties are yours.

2. Woods of Windsor, True Rose Perfect Pairs (£13.25)

A fabulous gift for any occasion, featuring Eau de Toilette (30ml) and Hand & Nail Cream (125ml) in a beautiful presentation box, fragranced with our elegant rose petal scent, combining crisp green violet leaves, rose otto and warm damask rose.

I have the hand cream* and it’s a gently-scented, nourishing cream that leaves my hands feeling soft but not greasy.  Not intensive enough for cuticles but a really nice all-rounder with a delicate true rose fragrance.  Tres jolie!

* my hand cream was a PR sample

3. Illamasqua ASOS Exclusive Nail Duo / Viridian & Scarab (£10.35)

Bejewel your nails with the ultimate Christmas duo, deepest emerald and decadent ruby. Talk with your hands and make a statement.

I don’t need to tell you how much of a bargain this is… just don’t tell your Mum it’s a Christmas set and you’re laughing (at your brother) all the way to the oven!

4. Vaseline Pink Therapy Tin (£6.99)