A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Halloween must be a busy time for false lash manufacturers right?  If you’re dressing up for the occasion, you ain’t nothing without a pair of falsies to flash at passers by.  Stop sniggering.  Don’t be dirty.

Ardell have released 6 new pairs of false lashes to mark the spooky holiday… introducing Fright Night Lashes!

1. Spider Woman Lash Set
2. Dark Angel Lash Set
3. Cleopatra Lash Set
4. Fairy Wings Lash Set
5. Enchantress Lash Set
6. Pixie Dust Lash Set

They retail at £6.99 each and are available exclusively from Clinton Cards, Birthdays and Pure Party stores.  The sets are reusable if handled with care.  I think I want the Dark Angel set… I like the little flicky bit, but… I’m notoriously BAD with false lashes.

Do you dress up for Halloween, what are your plans this year?

Britain’s Next Top Model Live promises to be a great event this weekend and I’ve got a pair of tickets worth £36 that I want to give to one of my lucky readers.

Watch the ad below to find out more about BNTM Live.

There will be a whole host of beauty exhibitors in attendance including:  Bobbi Brown, Becca, Rebel Nails, Aurifere, Bourjois, Elemis, Fake Bake and Leighton Denny amongst many others!

The event runs from Friday 22nd October to Sunday 24th October inclusive and is being held at Excel London.

I want to send out a big thankyou to Aurifere who allowed me to pass on these tickets as a prize to my readers.

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So… how do you win?  Simply complete the form below and submit!  Tickets will be posted out to the winner by Special Next Day Delivery, so please enter an address where there will be someone available to sign for them.

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NOTES
* Postal address required to allow me to post the tickets to the winner without delay
* Competition will close at 11.59pm (BST) on the 20th October
* Competition is open to UK entrants only
* Winner will be selected at random from all correct entries
* 1 entry per email address accepted
* Addresses only used to contact the winner and will be deleted once the competition is closed
* My decision is final

So, the other day/week/month…. whenever it was (they’re blurring)… I told you about the new Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliners that I’d had a look at during the Avon Christmas collex launch.   I also told you about not being able to remove them with plain ol’ soap and water which resulted in me looking a bit grubby while I was on an overnighter in London.

I thought I’d compare it a little more closely to some of the other eyeliners I have in my stash that are generally well-regarded throughout the blogging community… so without further ado…

It’s got that fancy-schmancy luxe lace packaging going on… I’ve noticed that these eyeliners have currently disappeared from the website, so I’m guessing that’s ‘cos they’re about to be relaunched in the new packaging for Xmas.

Not retractable or any of that jazz, just your standard-looking eye pencil!

The black is VERY black.  Pigmented to the max and easily the softest eye pencil I own.  I barely need to touch this to my eyelid to create a defined and solid line.  Can you say impressive?  As with most soft/glidey eyeliners, it does mean that this needs more frequent sharpening than it’s counterparts… but your poor sensitive eyelids will thank you for the drag-free application.

Here’s 4 of some of the most highly regarded pencil eyeliners available.  I think you might be able to clearly pick out which packs the biggest punch in terms of pigmentation no?  The above artistic squiggles show one swipe each.

How about lasting power?  I swiped MULTIPLE times over my entire hand with a wet wipe…

Urban Decay… as much as I love you… you fail.

GOSH?  Close… but no cigar.

MUFE performed slightly better than Avon in the longwear test (conducted whilst I was wearing something that looked nothing like an official lab coat – probably my pyjamas) but the pigmentation just wasn’t there to begin with.

So… finally… how about a price comparison?

MUFE – £11.50
Avon – £6.00
GOSH – £4.99
Urban Decay – £11.50

There are a few other factors to take into consideration.  Of all ranges, Avon has the least shades available… I think there are only around 3 or 4, so great coloured eyeliners will still have to be sought elsewhere…

…But if you’re looking for a fabulously pigmented, long-lasting black eyeliner that won’t break the bank.  Better make friends with your local Avon lady (or yano, do the modern thang and head here).

ETA:

I received a sample of the Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner in Silver as a few of you requested swatches… here are the pictures.  I really do recommend these liners without hesitation.

I was going to do one post that encompassed the entire Christmas Collection, but for the life of me, I couldn’t get a colour-accurate tube shot of the lipstick that I received in my goody bag.  So instead, we’ll have to make do with the eye palette that I was sent home with for now.

Avon’s Luxe Lace True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Lace Hues is one of two eye palettes that Avon are releasing in special packaging as part of their Luxe Lace collection which is due to hit their online store at the end of the month.

Lace Hues contains four shades.  A shimmering white-gold, a matte neutral pink, a satin grey/green and a shimmering navy.  The packaging is delightful… a glossy black, well-built palette with pink lace embellishments.  It’s sturdy, secure and the large mirror inside is more than adequate for application’s sake.

On first inspection, it was the navy that caught my eye… it has a brighter blue flash to it… a certain interest that the other shades are lacking.

The texture of each shadow is quite hard and colour payoff is sheer but buildable with a bit of work.  I’ve been wearing the matte pink all over the lid with a touch of the grey/green in the socket and lashings of the blue underneath my lower lashline.  It’s a winning combination.  I’m not so fond of the pale gold highlighting shade as the shimmer is a little chunky and apparent for me.

The matte pink in particular has a tendency to kick up a bit of dust when loading up the brush, but the fallout doesn’t seem to transfer to my cheeks.  I know I’m gonna hit pan on that blue before any other colour though.  Isn’t it lovely?

What is the general opinion on Avon’s eyeshadow palettes?  I have to confess… I’ve never tried one before!

My first ever eyeshadow was an Avon Color Trends lilac shade in a green case… I ground that thing down to the pan and then when I went to repurchase, couldn’t find the sucker!  I still have the occasional search on eBay for it for sentimental value, but have long forgotten it’s name 🙁

Anyway, I was invited to have a look at Avon’s new Winter cosmetics collection which goes by the name Luxe Lace… is it just me or is the name just a touch naff?  Fortunately, that’s where any naffness ends because the collection itself is really rather nice.

Let’s have a look at what we can expect…

Avon’s Luxe Lace True Colour Eyeshadow Quads (£8.00)

The Chanel-esque eyeshadow palettes offer 4 complementing shades that are suitable for both day or night depending on how you combine them.  The picture above shows the purple palette (Lace Electric) and the other (which I got in my goody bag) is a slightly more eclectic mix of champagnge/pinky-beige/green and blue (Lace Hues)  I shall swatch it v. soon!

In the photo, Lace Hues is hiding snugly behind Lace Electric.  Fail.

Luxe Lace Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick (£7.00)

Three new shades are due to be introduced from the end of October.  Instant Mocha, Frostiest Mauve and Pout will be priced at £7 each and promise to offer hydrating colour.  I found them to be hugely wearable in terms of pigmentation.  Not particularly long-lasting, but easy to apply and non-drying.

Luxe Lace SuperShock Mascara (£8.00)

I’m not a huge fan of Avon’s SuperShock Mascara though I know it’s very well-received. On me, it transfers and leaves little black spots just under my brows if I even remotely show any sign of getting a little ‘glowy’!  I love the big brush and the slightly dry formula… but there’s nothing worse than looking in the mirror and noticing funny black splotches undermining your appearance!

For the Winter Collection, SuperShock has been given a cute packaging makeover to bring it in line with it’s lacy counterparts.

Luxe Lace SuperShock Gel Eyeliner Pens (£6.00)

For me, the most impressive product in the collection.  These SuperShock Gel Eyeliner Pens completely blew me away.  Pigmented like you wouldn’t believe… creamier than a tub of Ben and Jerrys and long lasting?  Oh my…

I met up with a journalist the next day who’d attended the same event and we were both still wearing our swatches on the back of our hands despite showering and secondary scrubbing in an attempt to remove them!

Two shades: Black and Silver, perfect for the party season.  If you only get one thing from this collection, make it these!

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The new collection will be available to order online or from your Avon rep from the 28th October.

I’ll be back with swatches of the Black Eyeliner, Lace Hues palette and Pout lipstick as soon as I can get accurate shots!

The day that I get my concealer application down to a fine art is the day that I go ALL out on tinted moisturisers.  I love the more natural finish, but hate compromising on coverage.

Arbonne are quite new to me and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the products I’ve tried.  I’ll probably never feel comfortable with the way in which you need to purchase the products through consultants but that’s just because I’m an old fashioned girl who’d much rather be able to pick up her makeup whilst out shopping!

I received a sample of Arbonne’s Sheer Finish Tinted Moisturiser in Fair.  Arbonne offer an impressive 6 shades within their tinted moisturiser range.  I’m used to seeing Light, Medium and Dark… so such a wide selection caught my attention early on.

Packaging is SLEEK!  I know they’ve recently revamped their entire cosmetics line and the dirty pewter finish is lovely!

The texture of the tinted moisturiser is quite fluid… which makes it easy to spread and blend, there’s plenty of slip which makes for quite a fool-proof application.  It’s definitely more like applying a moisturiser than applying a foundation.

It’s a dewy finish that would benefit from a little powder over areas that are prone to shine.  I usually powder my nose, chin and forehead after applying this.  It evens out my skintone nicely but doesn’t provide any coverage for blemishes.  It also doesn’t completely cover redness, but as a tinted moisturiser, it probably isn’t meant to.

It moisturises well (something that most tinted moisturisers actually fail to do!) but the flipside to this is that it leaves my skin feeling slightly tacky to the touch, another reason to set with powder.

At £24 for 50ml, this is high end.  Not as expensive as Laura Mercier’s cult offering or Bobbi Brown’s tinted balm, but more expensive than many high street alternatives including Clinique’s Almost Makeup (which I love for the winter).

Longevity is good, it does slip around my nose by mid-afternoon… but that’s where I’m at my most oily and I don’t use any kind of mattifying products in this area.

Final Verdict – If you’re looking for a sheer tinted moisturiser in a wide variety of shade choices, Arbonne’s Sheer Finish Tinted Moisturiser may be for you.  If you’re prone to oily skin or don’t need so much moisturisation… consider other options first.

My name is Charlotte and I’m a mascara-a-holic.  And a khol-a-holic… and an eyeshadow-a-holic.  You get the picture right?

The day I leave the house without mascara as a bare minimum, is the day I leave the house in 6×2 box.

Again, I’m painting it vividly for ya.

This means that come bedtime… I need my cleansing oils and I need them to work.  They generally work well, but I still keep a bottle of eye makeup remover in my arsenal to swipe over any leftovers.

Since my Bioderma Sensibio ran out, I’ve been using the Boots Botanics dual phase one that is generally adored and worshipped across the blogosphere.  It’s good… I’ll give it that, but it leaves a residue… a film.  The last thing I want post-cleansing is a film of oil on my eyelids.

I was sent the Amie Bright Eyes Gentle Eye Make-up Remover a little while ago and it’s well and truly taken up residence as my go-to remover ever since.

It has a water-like texture, similar to my beloved Sensibio.  Unlike the Bioderma, this is scented… and will sting if you get it in your eyes.

Unlike the Bioderma, it’s easily accessible in the UK.

I dispense a good few shakes onto a cotton pad, giving it a liberal soaking and then simply hold against my closed eyelid for around 30 seconds.  I apply a bit of pressure with my fingertips to ensure that the product is making contact with the makeup.  Once I get bored (which, let’s face it… is probably far less than 30 seconds) I give a few gentle downward swipes and stare in amazement at it’s effectiveness.

I should, at this point… tell you that I don’t wear waterproof mascara.  Waterproof cream eyeshadows?  Yes.  Mascara… no.  This may make a huge difference to it’s effectiveness for you.  For me?  I’m happy to recommend it.

The above shows removal of khol eyeliner and a good dose of mascara.  Notice that there aren’t any ‘swipe’ tracks because the product had already dissolved everything before I’d gotten that far!

I feel that after such a glowing review, I want to redress the balance a touch and simply reiterate 2 things.

1. This does sting if you get it in your eyes.  If you have very sensitive eyes, this may not be for you, I really recommend getting your hands on some Bioderma Sensibio if sensitivity is your major concern.

2. I don’t own a waterproof mascara to trial this on.  I don’t have watery eyes and I hate swimming pools and sad films.

I’ll be picking up another bottle when this one runs out.  Until I can beg, steal or borrow some more Sensibio that is 😉

Amie Bright Eyes Very Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (£4.75) is available from John Lewis, Waitrose and online at Amie Skincare

I attempted a Twiggy-esque look last night in preparation for tonight’s Aussome 60s shindig.  Thank you so much for your fab suggestions and inspiration…

But it turns out that baby L wasn’t feeling any better today so I didn’t make it up to London for my swanky night out and late morning lie-in after all.

Instead, I’m having the dullest 60s party imaginable.  At home.

On the plus side, I have Appletiser, butter popcorn and full ownership of the remote control.  Life is good really.

Check me out.

I would have rocked the joint. *munches popcorn*

Nevermind!  Onto more exciting things…

The lucky winner of my facebook giveaway is:

Rebecca Courtley

Congratulations Rebecca, I’ve messaged you!

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Tomorrow signals the start of another giveaway (non-facebook this time, I’m keeping you on your toes!)… it’s a good’un.  No really… You don’t wanna miss it!

Yeah… I thought ‘Twiggy’ might be pushing it a bit.

Thursday is Aussie night… Which as you can see…

…is 60s night!

I’ve been getting in the mood for Thursday by listening to the classics…

and…

Would you lovely ladies mind sharing your favourite 60s makeup tutorials and looks that you’ve come across?  I know that some of you are confirmed You Tube addicts… eh Liloo?

I’d love to have a go at recreating a 60s inspired look for the evening!

…Strawberry!

I was sent an Arbonne lipstick in shade, Strawberry (£16).  It’s an “almost red” that would suit ladies who fear a completely bold red lip, i.e. me.

The texture is smooth and it feels light on the lips.  I’ve been wearing this applied quite sheerly and blotted with my finger to create a softer matte stain-like finish and as a result, longevity has been impressive.  Applied more heavily, you can achieve a glossier effect, but the flipside is a more noticeably dehydrated lip.

It’s a fun shade for the summer, a pink-ed red that suits it’s name perfectly.

Excuse the silliness, I was being too lazy to go and pose in my usual spot properly!

Visit www.arbonneinternational.co.uk or call Customer Services on 0800 977 5721 to locate your nearest consultant and purchase products.

What reds are you favouring for the Summer?

Arbonne… you won’t find them on the high street, their products are sold through a network of independent consultants… like the old Avon lady/Mary Kay situation, but with a 21st Century twist.

The Swiss brand are particularly well-known for their skincare, with an almost cult fanbase in some countries.  More well-known in the U.S, Arbonne have only been active in the UK for a couple of years.

Now, the products aren’t cheap… and I’ve so far experienced some rather (how can I put it delicately) “full on” interactions with Arbonne consultants over the internet.  They come across a bit ‘motivational video/live your dreams/come join us and be happy!’ for me and I find it off-putting.  It’s a shame that you can’t just bypass the whole independent consultant bit… but it is what it is.

Having said that, I’m rapidly falling for the products I was sent to try, and one in particular…. the Arbonne Nude Lip Polish.

Exactly the same size as a Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss, 5.9ml is a pretty average quantity.  Sadly, Arbonne’s version will set you back £16.  I did say it wasn’t cheap.  What I didn’t say, is that in the week I’ve been wearing it, it’s quickly become one of the nicest products I’ve ever worn on my lips.

It’s semi-sheer… but where most lipglosses aren’t buildable (unless you like 7 inches of gunk stuck to your lips) this somehow is.  I usually apply 2 or 3 layers and in doing so, I achieve a more opaque finish without the product becoming denser and gloopier.  On my lips, it feels like a cross between a lip gloss and a lipstick with a satin gloss finish as opposed to a glassy one.

I guess what I’m saying is… if you don’t generally like lip glosses but kinda wish you did, there’s a very good chance that you’ll love this.

The packaging feels pretty luxe, with a nice weight.  The applicator is your standard doe foot affair, and the colour in the tube is true to life.  It’s also extremely long wearing… 2 cups of tea, 2 4 chocolate digestives and a cheese string later and it’s still holding on!  Oh, and another thing I’ve noticed that I’m really impressed by is Arbonne’s comprehensive website.

I can’t link you directly because it’s (stupidly) built in flash… but if you click through to “lips –> lip polish”, not only do they give you a full ingredient list… but they also state the purpose of each ingredient present in the product.  An extremely worthwhile addition to the website in an age where consumers are so information driven and ingredient conscious.

I love doing heavy eyes, so the Arbonne Lip Polish in Nude is pretty much the perfect accompaniment.  I’m still trying to make peace with the price tag and I guess compared to Beaute’s Weightless Lip Creme (around £20) I’m getting a bargain.

Anyway, wanna see?

You can see the satiny finish and how it’s glossy but without being pornstar full-on sucking on a greasy pork chop… (that’s not a euphamism btw).

I’m also wearing Arbonne’s eyeliner in Plum on my eyes and whilst it’s perfectly lovely… it’s also £15.  There’s no way I’m gonna attempt to justify that when I can buy almost 4 GOSH Velvet Touch eyeliners for the same price.  It’s nice… but it’s not £15 nice yano?

The Nude Lip Polish?  Definitely is.

Arbonne products can be purchased through a consultant and you can find your nearest consultant, here.

Have you tried Arbonne?

…only a teeny haul!

It was 3 for £12… and there were 3 further colours I was tempted by, but I’m not convinced of the quality so held off splurging further until I’d given these a try!

L-R: Mouse, Peacock, Factory Grey.

I wore Peacock to the Sleek event, and whilst I love the colour… I wasn’t too enamoured of the formula which was a bit gloopy.

I would have a NOTD for you but I fractured 2 of my nails whilst bowling (of course) so have given them all a much needed prune instead!

Have you tried the American Apparel polishes yet?