A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Buying presents for men should come with a health warning.  How difficult do they make it?  I don’t know about yours… but mine isn’t hugely materialistic, which means that he only really has use for super expensive technology, or the boring basics (socks, pants, that kind of thing).  This usually results in me over-spending on mid-range crap with a novelty twist in an attempt to raise a genuine smile out of him on Christmas morning.  I’m making him sound like the Christmas grinch, which is totally unfair, he’d never let on that he thought my presents were crap, he wouldn’t need to… I already know.

What would make things one-hundred times easier would be if he were an avid male groomer.  That didn’t come out right, I don’t want him grooming other men, oh… you know what I mean!  But between you and me, I have the least interested man ever.  Soap, razor, 2-in-1 shampoo, and he’s done.  He does like my bath puffs though…

Having said that, there is one chink of hope in this toiletry-free zone.  Fragrance.  And even better, we share a similar taste for woody scents with a hint of the oriental (not too much of that mind).  Anything that smells resinous, earthy,  leathery, a little bit incensey or even herbally and we’re over it like a rash.  Thank god for that.

Now, seeing as I can’t buy half of the stuff below for my fella, how about you treat yours?

01:  Molton Brown Polaris – Re-charge Black Pepper Gift Set (£57.00)

Want to put a bit of fire in his belly?  Spice things up with Molton Brown’s Black Pepper Gift Set which includes some of the brand’s bestselling male grooming products: 1 x Re-charge Black Pepper Bodywash, 1 x Re-charge Black Pepper EDT, 1 x Re-charge Black Pepper Scrub Bar.  Perfect items for men who prefer their toiletries to be fuss-free – there’s nothing fluffy here, just modern, good-smelling MAN things!

02:  Yves Saint Laurent Heritage Collection M7 Oud Absolu EdT (£49.30)*

All men should smell like this.  I have nothing else to say because I reviewed it here – other than that £49.30 is a really good price for this scent.  Really good.

03:  Malin + Goetz Essential Kit (£20.00)

Give the gift of NY chic this Christmas with the Malin + Goetz Essential Kit featuring a range of the brand’s bestselling miniatures for face, body and hair.  The kit includes: grapefruit face cleanser, vitamin E face moisturiser, bergamot body cleanser, vitamin b5 body moisturiser, peppermint shampoo and cilantro conditioner.  Perfect for travel, the gym and dirty weekends.

04:  Kiehl’s Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap (£14.00)

Who says that it’s only girls who get to have soft skin?  Scrub up your fella with Kiehl’s “ultimate man” (whatever that is!) body scrub soap.  The bar contains pumice, skin-softening oat bran, and oat kernel meal to help relax fatigued skin and exfoliate the rough areas.

05:  ManCeuticals Dark Circle Eye Treatment (£39.00)

Whilst skincare may be an alien concept to some men, others will appreciate the thought that goes into treading the delicate line between careful gift-buying and accidental offensiveness!  Been dating a guy for 3 months?  Stick to aftershave and remote controlled cars.  Been married for 20 years?  Let’s face it, you’re gonna need more than dark circle eye treatment.

06:  Clarisonic Mia 2 (£130.00)

Unite your man’s love for gadgets with your love for beauty and indulge his technological side with the hi-tech skin-cleaning system from Clarisonic.  The Mia 2 features two speeds, a timer and a protective travel case for on-the-go sonic cleansing.

07:  Jack Black Balm Squad – Lip Quad 4 x 7g (£19.95)

Kissable lips are soft lips and Jack Black’s lip balms employ some top-quality ingredients to perfect your pucker.  Shea Butter, Avocado Oil and Lanolin work together to nourish the delicate skin on your lips whilst the fine, almost-silky fomula coats lips evenly without feeling too heavy.

08:  L’Occitane L’Occitan Men’s Collection (£48.00)*

French men are renowned as some of the world’s most expert male groomers and it’s no surprise when you understand the kind of high-quality brands that they would have grown up with in their native country.  The L’Occitan Collection from L’Occitane offers an all-in-one bathroom solution featuring some of the brand’s best-selling products.  The collection includes: L’Occitan Shower Gel, L’Occitan Shaving Gel, L’Occitan Eau de Toilette, L’Occitan Soap, and L’Occitan After-Shave Balm.

Got a nose for a great gift?  Tomorrow’s scentsational gift guide will keep you heading in the right direction!

* press sample

I’m really sorry to do this to you but I’m about to feature a super-pretty polish that you can’t get anymore.  And when I say “sorry”, I mean, “not at all”.  You see, I would have featured this one earlier but I have a shoebox in my cupboard full of those naughty polish purchases that are usually made upon impulse and when the postman brings them to my door… I shove them in my shoebox until such a time that my shopping guilt has passed and I can go rummaging for treasures.

Well, I must have been very naughty because this one was bought back in February and I’ve only just pulled it out now.

It’s an absolute stinker of a polish and I’m sure I’ve contracted finger-cancer seven times over since applying it, god knows what it’s got in it… you see, it was an eBay purchase from Hong Kong, a brand I’ve never heard of… and I’m not exagerrating when I say that it stinks.  It could clear a room faster than a fire alarm.

But look!  LOOK!  It’s so sparkly and pretty!

The above photo shows ONE coat over a purple creme, the top photo shows three coats over a bare nail.  The formula is pretty horrible to be fair, thick and gloopy but it does spread evenly with a bit of patience.  It’s a very slow drier too, almost like a gluey resin on your nails – I was worried that I had infact, picked up a gel polish that would never dry without curing!  But it is just a regular polish…. albeit in dire need of a quick-dry solution painted ontop.

I think I paid around £2.50 or something for the polish, if you’re keen it might pay dividends to save a search on ebay for something like “glitter 189 polish” or simillar, I think that was how it was listed.

Do you like it?

Question of the Week – Finish this sentence with a beauty item: You can never have enough _________.

Answer – Easy, peasy…. RED LIPSTICK!

Question of the Week – Finish this sentence with a beauty item: You can never have enough _________.

Pink Sith – The Pink Sith is no fashion icon…yet, but with the help of Baublebar.com and essie nail polish collaboration she’s on her way to looking a bit more put together

Prime Beauty – goes for a glitzy holiday look for her birthday celebration using Laura Mercier’s Illuminating Eye Colour.

Phyrra – shares the Makeup Wars Holiday Wish List! See what Beauty Bloggers are wishing for this Holiday Season.

Vampy Varnish – thinks the new Benefit World Famous Neutrals Eyeshadow Kits are super cute and priced nice!

we heart this – asks if you want to see some new winter beauty products (including a Glittertastic polish from the latest China Glaze collection)? Well…do you?

Beauty Junkies Unite – Amber just tried a $265 facial peel, so that you don’t have to. Or maybe you DO after seeing how to get ready, set, and glow with Le Métier de Beauté’s CHEM60 Pro-Peel & GLOW10ai Mask Set!

EauMG shares her 2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Natural Beauties containing her favorite all-natural, indie beauty products and fragrances!

Lipglossiping – feels the chill as she sets her sights on the best ways to keep your feet warm this winter!

Nouveau Cheap – If you love glitter, and you haven’t seen the new polishes from the Revlon Bubble Gum Days Urban Nights Collection yet, you kind of need to click right here.

Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by Pink Sith – One of the first makeup blogs I started to read was A Touch Of Blusher. Showing a wide variety of Asian and European Makeup brands, A Touch Of Blusher is still one of my favorite go to blogs for catching up on the latest collections from Asia and Europe!

Your turn, finish this sentence with a beauty item: You can never have enough _________.

I’m not really a trends girl, and I don’t do much in the way of nail art – when it comes to my talons, I like shiny manicures with a side of sparkle whenever appropriate!  I have a heap of nail art “implements” that I sometimes have a play with when I’ve got more than five-minutes to myself (the problem with being self-employed is that you’re still plagued by the things that you should be doing on your day off!) and have been comtemplating picking up some of those el-cheapo nail plates from Hong Kong.  Good idea/bad idea?

Nail products make perfect Christmas gifts, especially in stockings!  They provide a little bit of instant “oooh!”, are far less expensive than something like skincare and even if you get the colour wrong – it’s the kind of product that can be passed on to family and friends so it never goes to waste.

Here are my top gifting picks for all you nailistas out there!

01:  Colour Me Bu Polish Pack (£36.95)

Have you got a Sophy Robson-in-the-making?  Always trying to steal your polishes, sticking their little heads in your good light when you’re trying to paint your nails (you can tell I’ve got one!), and generally making a nuisance of themselves?  This cute pack of non-toxic, water-based polishes from Little BU will make the perfect distraction – the only problem will be deciding which colour to choose first!

02:  Jessica Little Gems Gift Set (£17.55)

Jessica are a top-quality nail brand that for some reason, don’t seem to get a lot of love in the blogosphere – back in 2008 I was in love with almost every release the brand put out, but they’ve fallen off my radar somewhat in recent times.

03:  Leighton Denny Large Crystal Nail File (£15.50)

If you get one gift for a nail polish addict this year, make it this one.  Crystal nail files have revolutionised the way I care for my nails and have enabled them to grow stronger and longer than ever before.  Sadly, my addiction to nail polish undid all that good work BUT I wouldn’t be without mine.

04:  ELF Nail Polish Set in Nice & Natural (£4.00)**

Treat a loved one to prim and polished nails this winter with this sophisticated trio of neutral nail shades from bargain brand, ELF.  Be a total darling and include a plain white/black polish to the gift and introduce them to the world of ombre!  The fun is set to continue.

05:  DIOR Vernis Diorific Nail Enamel (£17.00)

Style over content?  Apparently not this time as most reports seem to suggest that the formula is almost as lustworthy as the packaging with DIOR’s adorable Vernis Diorific nail polishes from their Christmas Grand Bal collection.  They’re also completely crying out for a bit of upcycling once emptied – baubles anyone?

06:  Tweezerman Mini Nail Rescue Kit (£22.00)

This bijou box of tricks is designed to rattle about in your handbag, patiently waiting until disaster* strikes.  Broke a tip?  Pulled a hangnails?  Got a snag?  All these things can ruin a girl’s day (sort of), so enlist some help from this trio of mani-managers and make use of the contents which include: Tweezerman Mini Hangnail & Cuticle Snipper, Tweezerman Pocket Sapphire Nail File, and Tweezerman Mini Pushy & Nail Cleaner.

07:  Butter London Cuticle Miracle Kit (£21.00)

Know any nail pickers? cuticle-chewers?  Give them the gift that keeps on giving with this Cuticle Miracle Kit from Butter London.  The Melt Away Cuticle Eliminator promises to banish dead skin without the need for cuticle cutters (ouch), while the Handbag Holiday Cuticle Oil will keep your fingers looking fine!

08:  LAQA & Co Nail Polish Pen in Squid Ink (£10.95)

Three reasons why you know someone who needs this in their lives.  A). It’s an awesome Spring shade! B). It has the most adorable packaging, ever! C). It’s NAIL POLISH IN A PEN FFS!  Just how much more fun do you need whilst applying your nail lacquer huh?!

Come back for tomorrow’s installment in my gift guide series!  It’s got his name written all over it…

* first world problems

** press sample

It’s not like you need an excuse to wear red lipstick, but sometimes it’s nice to fall back on the whole “Oh, well… it’s Christmas isn’t it?  It’s practically illegal NOT TO wear red lipstick this time of year” thing…

I don’t know about you but when I started wearing red lipstick as part of my day-to-day look, people (women) were genuinely curious about it and I felt that I had to defend my choice, as if I’d purposefully set out to make myself more conspicuous for a reason via my red lips.  ATTENTION WHORE!  Which is strange, because I’m hugely uncomfortable being the focus participant in any situation.  So cheers Christmas!  You make red lips a-ok.

You know what else makes red lips a-ok?  A kickass red lipstick, that’s what.  And today’s red lip is kicking some serious butt.

Daniel Sandler’s Luxury Matte Lipstick in Red Carpet is my idea of a heaven-sent formula.  It doesn’t have the dryness that I associate with some matte lipsticks *cough* MAC *cough*, thanks to an infusion of hyaluronic acid, yet it retains the essential simplicity that a matte red lip brings to your look.  It’s creamy and applies smoothly without too much slip, ensuring that you can get a neat line straight from the bullet.

Finally, it packs the kind of pigmentation and stickability that gives you confidence that a couple of lip stains on your coffee mug won’t even make a dent in its appearance.  Shade-wise, Red Carpet is a true red that leans neither too orange nor blue, I’d imagine that this teeth-flattering shade will suit most skin-tones as it has enough depth not to look garish.

To hammer home what should be obvious by now, this is one sassy red lipstick that easily makes it into my top ten.  And that my friends – from a horrible hoarder woman with over 50 red lipsticks – is no mean feat.

Daniel Sandler Luxury Matte Lipstick in Red Carpet is available to buy online priced at £13.50 from danielsandler.com

* press sample

Coffret.  A.k.a box.  Coffret sounds better though doesn’t it?  Especially if you say it in a french accent, roll the “r” a bit… but not too much – you’ll sound like you’re having a seizurrrrrre.

You know what I like about coffrets?  They’re easy to wrap.  Because I’m a bit cheap, I dug my old Robosapien out of the loft for Leila this Christmas (we’re in a recession ok?) and I couldn’t find the box for it.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to wrap a Robosapien in Primark-quality wrapping paper?  It’s basically IMPOSSIBLE.  Especially when the thing starts fucking moving ‘cos you’ve left the batteries in and managed to turn it on through the sellotape.

So, yes, anything housed in a box is alright by me.  As long as it’s not a really obvious box… like a Toblerone because let’s face it, the gift receiver can pretty much see that “surprise” coming from the other side of the room can’t he?

Here are my favourite Coffret gifts available for your wrapping pleasure this year, hope you like them:

01:  Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Christmas Limited Edition (£19.75)

If limited editions are your thing, team it up with the cult classic cleanser from Liz Earle.  The Christmas wreath presentation case will ensure that your gift looks the business, even if the recipient’s face, doesn’t (that’s what the cleanser is for!)

02:  Hourglass Holiday Coffret (£59.00)

This four-piece collection of best-selling products from U.S. cosmetic brand, Hourglass comes complete with: Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara (10G), Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss (7G), Veil Mineral Primer Spf 15 (10Ml), and No. 28 Primer Serum (5Ml).  It’s all anyone needs to introduce them to the brand (and probably keep them coming back for more!)

03:  Acqua di Parma Colonia Coffret (£74.00)

If you partner has a nose for scent, gifting them this beautiful coffret from Acqua di Parma would be an act of supreme kindness.  Colonia is the timeless Italian classic, and this set contains: Acqua Di Parma Colonia Eau de Cologne 100ml,  Acqua Di Parma Colonia Shower Gel 75ml, and Acqua Di Parma Colonia Body Cream 75ml.

04:  Melvita Apicosma Discovery Gift Set (£15.00)

“And it’s all about the honey, honey, honey!” sang no-one, ever.  But for Melvita, it really is all about the humble bumble, without whom they would be unable to employ their patented 3-Honey-Complex to enrich and nourish our skin.  This coffret is another great brand-introducer and contains: Skin-softening nourishing body milk, Apicosma Extra-rich Hand cream, and Apicosma Repairing lip balm.

05:  Elemis Energising Treasures Gift Set (£25.00)

At no point in time does one need more energising than in the early-January lull.  With all the excitement of Christmas over, we’re simply faced with the prospect of yet more bitterly cold weather and a potential tax-bill.  Awesome.  Elemis’ Energising Treasures Gift Set contains four face and body treats that promise to uplift and boost hydration.  Now if only they’d sneaked a bottle of vodka in there too…

06:  Roger & Gallet Ginger Soap Coffret (£11.70)

I don’t generally have much use for soaps… but my husband (the ifty-fifties binman that he is) loves ’em.  I have issues with them sitting, slimily on the side of my sink but I must compromise.  As-long as he has to compromise too, meaning that I get to choose the soap and these ones sound particularly lovely without being too girly.  The packaging is girly enough to please my senses and the soap is… soapy enough to please his, sorted.

07:  Philosophy Winter Escape Set (£22.00)

No one does cute coffrets quite like Philosophy and this year’s Winter Escape Set does nothing to disprove my theory.  The lovely coffret features a playful winter-scene (why doesn’t it ever actually look like that on Christmas morning?), and three tantalising treats, each one employing a delicious musky-vanilla scent.  Live the (fanciful) winter dream.

08:  Diptyque Holiday Coffret (£60.00)

From Body Shop home fragrance oils to my Annick Goutal candles, I do like me a bit of home fragrancing and when it comes to woody, winter scents – you are hard-pushed to beat the harmonies that arise from the flame when you burn a Diptyque candle.  This set contains 3x 70g candles in the form of Feu de Bois, Opoponax, and Oliban – a genuinely, perfect counterpart to these long, dark nights.  If you’re not sure why da bloggerz are going Diptyque mad at the moment?  Just go sniff Feu de Bois and come back to me on that one…

Nailistasistas?  Tomorrow’s your day…

I’m starting to wonder if and when Butter London are gonna run out of these cutesy “British” slang terms… I reckon that when inspiration is at its lowest ebb, someone in the office sticks an episode of Only Fools and Horses on the DVD player.  “Alright me old china?” <— Butter London Spring 2016 name right there.  Naturally, the polish would be an off-white cream, somewhat like a glaze.  Can I make money doing this?  Hands up if you’d give up EVERYTHING to name nail polishes for a living.

Butter London Shag from their Autumn/Winter 2012 collection is a clear nod to the season’s hues.  Reminiscent of fallen Autumn leaves (before they’ve turned mouldy), with a dazzling metallic finish that glimmers beautifully in the late afternoon light.  Well, what little we have of it.

The formula on this one was a dream and the above photo shows two coats – the polish applied smoothly and dried to a shiny finish, the above photo shows no top coat.  If you had the opportunity to conceive a Butter London polish, what would you call it and what would it look like?

Butter London Shag is priced at £11.95 and available to buy online at www.thepowderrooms.com

From top-to-toe, let’s face it… Christmas is all about sparkle, shine, glitter, and glow (I’m a poet, DontchaNo).  It’s the one time of the year that we – as grown ups – get to indulge our inner 6-year olds and go bat-shit crazy about all things thoroughly innapropriate for our age.  If you have children, it’s even easier because you can totally blame them for your temporary insanity.

Why, just today, I had to divert accusatory looks from my husband as I picked out yet another set of fairy lights for the flat.  I don’t know where I’m going to put them, or whether the national grid actually has enough power to supply the electricity to my flat anymore, but dammit – I want my flat to resemble a grotto for the next couple of weeks, is that really too much to ask?  Is it Santa?  Is it?!

Today’s gift guide is all about introducing our nearest and dearest (and us!) to a little bit of sparkle.  It may be subtle or it may be in your face with a bling-a-ding-ding – either way, there’s plenty of glow to go around!

01:  Benefit Away We Glow Gift Set (£29.50)*

This face set from Benefit promises to bring on the glam just in time for Christmas with a full eyeshadow palette of neutrals, a cream highlighting duo in the form of Sun Beam and High Beam, a glistening lip shine, mascara, and Coralista blush.  Making it the complete kit to inject some radiance into your makeup looks through these dark months.

02:  The Body Shop The Sparkler in Enchanting Gold (£14.00)*

Brushing on your highlighter is sooo 2011… opt for the ultimate in decadence and start spritzing on the sparkle instead.  The Body Shop’s limited edition atomiser releases a fine-textured shimmer powder that will brighten up your complexion in no time.  Perfect for bare arms and an eye-catching decolletage this party season.

03:  Murad Radiance Rescue 4 Piece Collection (£58.50)*

If your quest for radiance lies beneath the surface of the skin, you might want to try a new skincare routine that promises to work to improve your skin’s natural radiance.  The 4-piece collection from the hi-tech U.S. brand contains: Active Radiance Serum 30ml, Complete Reform Serum 3.7ml, Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture 7.5ml, and Essential C Eye Cream SPF15 4ml.

04:  Laura Mercier Petit Baked Eye Colour Trio (£20.00)

For pint-sized perfection, you can’t beat this super-cute eye colour trio from Laura Mercier featuring three glittering shades that are sure to put some sparkle in your stocking this year.  Use them dry for a sheer wash of shine or wet the brush before application for a more vivid, metallic shimmer.

05:  L’Occitane Verbena Energised Hands Duo (£30.00)

Verbena, my favourite line from L’Occitane with its sparkling citrus aroma that brings to mind those warmer months that seem like a distant memory at this time of the year.  This nourishing hand duo will uplift your spirits with a long-lasting zingy freshness that will keep you sneaking back to the sink for another sniff.

06:  St. Tropez Catwalk Glow Set (£20.00)*

Hands up if you haven’t shaved your legs for more than a week.  More than two?  Saving on the heating are you?  Well, if your legs have got any New Year parties to attend, treat them to a sun-kissed glow from St. Tropez’s Catwalk Glow set which includes two tubes of their everyday Gradual Tan formula, one for the body and one for the visage (that means face, hairy Mary).

07:  O.P.I The Man With The Golden Gun Top Coat (£26.00)

Remember that bling-a-ding-ding I talked about?  Well this is it – the ultimate in 18-carat glitz, for your nails!  This clear top-coat from O.P.I will take any manicure from dull to dazzling in the blink of a glittering eye.  Just one warning, times are tough out there… don’t get your fingers lopped off by a Bond baddie down a dark alley, I hear gold fetches a pretty penny nowadays.

08:  NARS Foreplay Orgasm (£39.50)

Even though I don’t recommend asking your Dad (or indeed any male relative) to get you this one for Christmas, it should still remain firmly on your wishlist.  This glitzy palette of four cheek shades will soothe the souls of any NARS fans out there taking its inspiration from the best-selling Orgasm blush and featuring a peach matte, gold highlighter, pink matte, and peach pink with gold shimmer blush.  Orgasmic.

If you go crazy for coffrets, look out – the next gift guide’s got your name on it!

* press samples

Well known for their bold colours, high pigmentation and shimmering shadows, Urban Decay have gone for a softer look this time around with the limited edition Feminine Palette*. If you’ve already read my review on The Fun Palette, you’ll be familliar with the zipped-up case that doubles up as a little clutch bag should you wish to mix makeup and fashion in this way. The packaging is cute as hell, with a metallic purple outer featuring a delicate lace design.

Just as with the other palettes in this limited edition range, the housing is sturdy enough to cope with general wear and tear from daily use. It’s a great portable option for a pared-down selection of eyeshadows. The palette contains six shades that lean towards the softer tones in the spectrum, they’re slightly greyed in comparison to some of Urban Decay’s bolder colours making them a great choice for this style of palette.

All six shades are shimmery and smooth-textured, I could do with a matte in there (as a personal preference) but have been enjoying using these as soft lid shades, more as a wash than building them up to any kind of intensity. Though, as you can appreciate (being from UD), these will build up to full pigmentation very easily if required. Both AC/DC and Hijack in particular employ some extra depth with some pretty irridescence that adds some real sparkle without adding any glitter. I imagine that these two shades in particular would look amazing over a sticky black base for a high-voltage look.

Those of us who have been around a while will remember Urban Decay’s previous Feminine Palette which was released a couple of years ago. While this (re)incarnation contains different actual shades, the feel is very similar with the inclusion of a teal and a purple among the staple neutrals. If you missed out last time, this is definitely worth a look. The palette also comes complete with a lipgloss in Wallflower – a creamy neutral that keeps everything looking pared down and soft.

For a quick demonstration, I recreated a simple look that I’ve been wearing with this palette. I played up to its name and went for a really sheer, see-through interpretation… for which, I needed no primer. I used the shades more as a wash of colour, and find that they blend easily together without muddying. In the image below, I’m wearing Bordello on the lid, AC/DC on the lower lashline, and Hijack along the crease. I skipped lining my upper lashline but took the mascara right into the roots instead to ensure that I gave my lashes as much depth as possible.

Urban Decay The Feminine Palette is priced at £25 and avaialble for a limited time from BeautyBay.com, Debenhams (£22.50 at the time of writing), and House of Fraser.

* press sample

Let’s start this season’s gift guides off with some beautiful bargains shall we?  You know me, I’m just as happy swatching on the counters at Harrods as I am trawling the clearance section at CheapSmells, my makeup snobbery gets treated to a regular kick in the teeth each time it tries to raise its ugly head.  Sure, I’m no MUA girl (that neutral palette is pretty/too SHINY SHINY for my slowly-ageing eyelids) but I still get all clappy excited when I spot a bit of a bargain.

Here be my pick of the gifts for next to no pennies at all… heads up skinflints, this one’s for you (and me).

01: Umberto Giannini Painted Lady Beatrice Palette (£8.00)

Part of Boots 3for2 on Christmas gifts, this striking palette from Umberto Giannini (better known for their hair range) offers a wealth of grungy glamour and rather cool illustrationd to boot.  Four eye colours, two lip shades and a butterfly stencil should the desire to flutter yourself up become too much to resist.

02: ELF 48pc Little Black Beauty Book – Warm Edition (£5.00)*

ELF are the kings (and queens) of affordable gifts this time of year and there’s no better place to look for achieving the biggest bang for your buck.  A veritable menagerie of neutral-toned eyeshadows presented in book form, complete with a mirror ensures that this is a gift that will delight all makeup fans.

03: LUSH Sweet Christmas Gift Set (£6.95)

Everyone has a Lushie in their life and whether they’re big or small in stature, you’ll be sure to melt their icy heart with the LUSH Sweet Christmas set containing a Candy Mountain bubble bar and Rockstar soap.  It’s a win-win situation, not only will they smell sweeter, you don’t even have to do any wrapping.

04: SEN Energy Gingko and Mandarin Energising Mist (£4.95)

Embrace the reinvigorating scent of the far east at a price that will uplift your wallet and splash out on this posher-than-average body mist from SEN.  It promises to refresh, revive and revitalise – something we could all do with once the Christmas shopping is over.

05: Yardley 3-Piece Body Spray Set (£4.99)

A boxed set for under £5 is not something to sniffed at (haw haw), we all know someone who would appreciate this timeless set from iconic British fragrance house, Yardley.  The set contains three 75ml body sprays including: English Lavender, Royal English Daisy, and English Rose.

06: Essie Tour de Finance Nail Polish (£1.99)

Hold the stampede!  Yes, you can get a fabulously hot pink polish from cult NY nail brand, Essie for less than £2!  I see some fabulous stocking fillers in your future!  Not only that… but if you stick on-site a little bit longer, you might come across the £5.00 OPIs… just sayin’.

07: Soap & Glory Wowed Mouth (£12.00)

The most expensive item in today’s selection but for your pennies, you’re getting a 6-piece lip palette that contains all six shades of S&G’s Fabulipsticks.  The perfect gift for any lipstick fan, or ideal for someone who owns all the lipglosses in the world and just doesn’t quite know where to start with lipstick.

08: The Body Shop White Musk Shower & Moisture Set (£6.00)

A classic fragrance from The Body Shop that has stood the test of time, and worn it elegantly.  A duo of mini bath-time treats that are great for travel or taking to the gym – the set contains: 1 White Musk Shower Gel 60ml, 1 White Musk Smooth Satin Body Lotion 60ml, 1 Ultra Fine Lilac Bath Lily.

If you’re a glitter fan, look out – the next gift guide’s got your name on it!

* press sample

If I concentrate hard enough, I can hear my Nan speaking to me in her sing-song valleys accent.  She’s saying: “There was a little girl, who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead.  And when she was good, she was very, very good.  And when she was bad, she was horrid.”  Which is precisely how my skin feels about mineral makeup – on a good day, nothing comes close to looking better and more naturally flawless on my skin.  At other times though, it can look like I’ve dipped my face in a vat of semolina flour… which then slowly cooks in situ, as the day progresses.

I tried NATOrigin Loose Powder Foundation, after it was recommended to me as a cross between a mineral foundation and a setting powder. This is good news for me as I often use my mineral foundation as a setting powder… albeit with a very light hand.

Compared to most mineral foundations I’ve tried, I found this to be sheerer… more finely milled, and lighter in texture.  The unglamourous but practical packaging features enough space to hold a sponge between the lid and the sifter should you need a way to avoid spillage during travel.  This extra roominess also means that you’re more likely to keep the powder in the pot whilst picking up product on your brush, and not allover your dressing table.

The foundation is available in four shades, and I was sent the second lightest – which as you can imagine, is a touch too dark for my skintone but thanks to its sheerness, doesn’t cause me much concern.  The foundation is about as genuinely organic as you can get, certified so by the prestigious ECOCERT and promises a hypoallergenic, paraben-free formula which has been approved by AllergyUK as an allergy-friendly product.  Quite interesting when you consider that the label states that the product may contain Bismuth Oxychloride, a known potential irritant and something that many of you have grumbled about in the past.

The quantity shown in the lid is roughly the amount I’ve been using for a full face after applying a light tinted moisturiser as a base.  It’s my favourite way to apply this foundation and both sets my makeup and gives me a little extra coverage in the areas where my base is letting me down.  The combination of the two products as a single base gives me great medium/full coverage with none of the heaviness that I’d get were I using liquid/cream foundation alone.  It’s a real time saver as I don’t have to worry about the finish looking at all caked-on or artificial.

The NATOrigin Loose Powder Foundation lacks the pretty sheen that I enjoy from other brands such as Bare Minerals, infact I’d consider this one as fairly mattifying, obviously a bonus for half the population but I prefer my finishing powder to have a little luminosity in these darker months.  I’ve been mixing a liquid luminizer into my moisturiser to solve this problem.

Hopefully the above photo will let you deduce the amount of coverage you can expect from using NATOrigin Loose Powder Foundation on bare skin, it’s a sheer-medium finish and as I’ve already mentioned, a matte one.  I’ve been enjoying using a flat top kabuki brush which works the product into the skin and ensures that you get maximum coverage with the least effort.

NATOrigin Loose Powder Foundation is priced at £17.75 for 5g and available to buy online from www.natorigin.co.uk

* press sample

You know I’m a sucker for a pretty duochrome right?  And if you don’t… STOP READING THOSE OTHER BLOGS, FFS.  Anyway, I spotted these duochromes from Bad Apple Cosmetics last night and a little googling revealed that you’ve probably all known about them for some time – I’ve never been too quick on the old scoop front, or really, anything. at all.

I don’t know much about the brand behind the colours, other than they’re British, and they make somewhat pretty polishes and nail wraps (boo to fiddly nail wraps – has anyone got the hang of keeping those things on longer than 3 hours yet?)  The polishes are priced at £9.95 each on their website, apparently the usual price is £14.95 *insert raised eyebrow here*.

Slightly more tempting is the fact that there are a few available on their Amazon storefront for £8.99 each with free shipping.

Have you tried any of the polishes from the line?