A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Perhaps the ultimate offering from the Boots Star Gifts this year is the Soap & Glory Big Splendour set which, from tomorrow, will be slashed to better than half price.

The set includes the following Soap & Glory bestsellers:

Clean On Me™ Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel – 500ml
The Righteous Butter™ Body Butter – 300ml
Pulp Friction™ Body Scrub – 300ml
Face, Soap & Clarity™ Fresh Facial Wash – 150ml
25 Off Your Face™ Cleansing Wipes
Heel Genius Foot™ Cream – 125ml
Hand Food Hand™ Cream – 125ml
Mist You Madly™ Fragrant Body Spray – 250ml
Sexy Mother Pucker™ Lip Plumper In Candy Gloss – 7ml
Calm One, Calm All™ Bubble Bath – 500ml

From tomorrow, the price will be £25 (was £60) and the offer will run until Friday, 24th December.

Stocks are going to fly off the shelves, so if you know a S&G fan who would love one of these under their Christmas Tree – please avoid potential disappointment by jumping on this offer quickly.

I was mooching on the Boots website late at night (as you do) and came across an interesting basket configuration that would give back 2000 Boots Advantage Card points on a £32.97 spend.  That’s equivalent to £20 back on your card for future frivolous purchases.

It goes something like this (click to enlarge)…

Also take note that you get not one, but TWO free Origins GWP (gift with purchases).

Of course, if you’ve got no use for this stuff, don’t get all excited about it.  It’s like those people who bought a billion Terrys Chocolate Oranges from Tesco when there was a price glitch for like 30p each… only to realise once the dust had settled that they still ended up spending £50 on chocolate they didn’t really want.

I just thought I’d give a heads up incase you know someone who might fancy a little set of cosmetic brushes as a stocking filler (there’s also an eyeliner brush) or maybe just someone who has particularly hairy legs.  Whilst of course, you pocket the £20 for a later splurge.

Happy Christmas Shopping!!

Thirty One years.  That’s how long the BBC’s Children in Need appeal has been raising money for disadvantaged children in the UK.  We’re all familiar with the annual BBC televised appeal which never fails to divide the nation into a love/hate camp when it comes to Friday night TV viewing, but the truth is that the vast majority of the money raised actually comes from the donations outside of this, given both before and after the live telethon.

I was contemplating this as I sat on the train to Nottingham on Thursday evening.  Well, if I’m thoroughly honest, I was also obsessing over how old I felt knowing that I’d been on this planet for all but one of the years that the appeal has been running.  Aside from this though, I was feeling rather excited to be heading up north to take part in the Boots HQ fundraising day, held annually for their employees at HQ.

The first thing that struck me as I walked through the doors to reception (other than, woah BIG) was the noise.  “Hang on!”, I thought, “This doesn’t sound like a place of work!”  Turns out, I was right.  Apart from a couple of grumps glued to their computers (I would tell you which department had the biggest bah-humbug ratio but that would be mean) there was very little work going on at Boots HQ yesterday.  Wanna see?

Does this look like work?

Or this?  No.  Bunch of slackers, It wouldn’t surprise me if I can’t get my hands on my Meal Deal next week ‘cos the Meal Deal team were too busy at the roulette table.

In fairness, all this nonsense and frivolity came at a cost to those taking part who valiantly dug deep and surrendered their pennies for tombolas, raffles, home-made cakes, wii dance-offs, and bingo!

I will neither confirm nor deny the reports that the above table was raided.  Not by me of course.

The lesser-spotted Blush Bear – I was tempted to ask her if it was NARS Amour but I thought I might look a bit silly.

It wasn’t long before my partner-in-crime Modesty Brown and I had spotted the “Beauty Salon”, a little setup that included the option to indulge in Nail Rock manicures and Eylure false lash applications.  We paid our pennies and jumped in the queue, eager for a little pampering in the home of, well, pampering!

Modesty Brown put together a little video of the nail wraps being applied which I’ve promptly stolen and included below because it shows how quick they were to affix!

All in all, it was a grand old day and I spent the train journey home feeling like a 6 year old who’d overindulged on fun, sweets, and a bit of wonderment.  Wiped out!

As we were leaving, I heard the bingo caller announce that in the few short hours he’d been shouting about the two fat ladies, the bingo bits alone had raised well over £1000.  Boots have been working alongside BBC Children In Need for the past eight years, and have raised more than £4 million to date.  But, I’ll leave you with the super-hero of the day, aside from all that charitable stuff, I dunno how this fella copes when he needs a wee.

For details on how to donate to Children in Need, find more information on the BBC website.  Thanks for having me Boots!

Morning Campers!  This post is up bright and early, are you?

You have my sympathy.  It’s dark outside and it’s flippin’ cold.  The kids have probably started whining already, your other half would have most certainly guffed before leaving the bedroom, and I bet you forgot to put your phone on charge last night.  Whatever morning mishaps await you, life can truly suck at this time of day.

Well – they say the early bird gets to scoff all the worms (or something like that) and today is going to be a prime example of society’s bias towards those who rise with the lark.

Recognise these nail wraps?  Of course you do, I posted about them last month.  They’re from Nail Rock and are currently being sold in Boots having been especially created for BBC Children in Need, which is tomorrow – should you need reminding.

I have 25 of these nail wraps to give away right now!

Courtesy of Boots, I’ll be giving these lovely nail wraps to the first 25 people who leave a comment telling me what I should have for breakfast today.

Now come on, don’t leave it too late – a girl’s gotta eat, I wanna see these snapped up quicker than a bowl of Rice Krispies.  Only open to UK residents I’m afraid.  If it’s 10pm in your ‘hood, that’s just cheating see?!

On your marks, get set, GO! (You may need to refresh (CTRL+F5) the page to see your comment)

T&C
1. Entry open to UK residents only.
2. The first 25 eligible commenters will each receive a set of BBC Children in Need Nail Rock Nail Wraps.
3. One entry per person, duplicate entries will be deleted.
4. Winners will be chosen according to how they appear on my screen, my decision is final.
5. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
6. Competition closes when 25 eligible entries have been received.
7. Winners list will be published on-site on Saturday 19th November and I will email all winners shortly after.
8. I have no control over which colour Nail Rock Nail Wraps you receive, please don’t make requests!

The U.S. have always been big on their Christmas ad extravaganzas but historically, in the UK… the only way we could tell that it was Christmas in ad-land was when we heard the opening words…  “It’s a magical place, we’re on our way there…” Extra points if you can guess the ad.

Today, things have changed and some of my favourite ads of recent years have been the Christmas specials from companies including John Lewis, M&S, Sainsburys (maybe not Iceland though eh?)

Some of the cutest in recent years have come from Boots and this year’s is no exception.  I was treated to a sneak preview on Tuesday night and it gave me that teeny little thrill down the back of the neck that reminds you CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!

You can experience the same thrill TONIGHT when The Girls go undercover in an attempt to put Christmas on the map in a big way.  The brand new Boots Christmas 2011 ad will be debuting at 8.15pm with a sixty second slot on ITV and Channel 4 during Emmerdale and Beeny’s Restoration Nightmares.  My Dad fancies Beeny.  Sorry, not relevant.

Anyway, my lips have been sealed shut and I’m not allowed to reveal more about the ad but it is a Christmas cutie… don’t tell anyone I’ve shown you the still, I may have to kill you.  Or The Girls may have to kill me, either way, it wouldn’t be very Christmas-sy.

In the spirit of all things horribly commercial (geddit?), what are your favourite Christmas Ads?

Following on from last week’s FrontCover set, this week’s Star Gift of the Week at Boots is a Ted Baker Make It Big Vanity Case, picture below:

Until Thursday, 3rd November – the set will be priced at only £19 (regularly £40) and includes:

Butterfly Wings Body Wash (250ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Lotion (200ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Spray (150ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Scrub (300ml)
Origami Bath Foam (250ml)
Origami Body Souffle (300ml)
Origami Body Spray (150ml)

For a closer look at the actual case… you can watch the short video below:

Ted Baker Make It Big Vanity Case is available online and instore at Boots priced at £19.00, though be aware that the GotW’s usually sell out online fairly rapidly.

Let’s face it, we’re closer to the festive season than most of us would like to admit.  Have you made any preparations for the big day yet?  No?!

Well, Boots have devised a cunning plan to get us filling up those Christmas stockings quicker than you can devour the mince pies you were supposed to leave out for the main man himself.  They’re called Star Gifts and include a series of fabulous one-off offers every week during the Christmas shopping period.  And by Christmas shopping period, I mean NOW.

Not only that, but Boots are getting all social with their Twelve Gifts of Christmas campaign.  Once a week from now until Boxing Day, they’ll will be selecting one lucky blogger to receive the Star Gift of the week.  In turn, that blogger will pay it forward by nominating another blogger to receive the same Star Gift.  It’s like a paper-chain of beauty booty!

Seeing as I’m the lucky recipient of this week’s Star Gift from Frontcover pictured above, I’d better tell you a bit about it!

Frontcover are well known for their fantastic releases this time of year and this one doesn’t disappoint.  A one-stop make-up collection for eyes, lips and cheeks which includes hints and tips from Frontcover make-up artist, Leanne Shaw, and all the tools needed to create many different looks for the festive season.

The Frontcover Style Queen Colour Set includes:

~ 6 lip glosses
~ 7 dome baked powder eyeshadows
~ 6 pressed powder eyeshadows
~ 2 fine-line baked powder cheek domes
~ Double ended mascara/sealer
~ 2 iridescent pigments
~ Shadowline
~ 6 make-up brushes
~ Mini lash curler
~ Double pencil sharpener
~ A mirror in the lid

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For this week only, the set can be snapped up for just £17.00!

(usual price £35.00)

What’s the catch?  You’ve only got TODAY left to buy it!

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And now for the extra fun bit…

I’m paying it forward and nominating…. my good friend, Cosmetic Candy to receive this week’s Star Gift on me.  Nepotism rules OK.

Keep your eyes peeled because somewhere across the blogosphere, Father Christmas (ok, Boots PR) will be pointing the finger of fortune at another lucky soul to help them count down to Christmas with next week’s ‘Star Gift’ of the week!

Who could it be?  WHAT could it be?!

I do love reading about the things that people pick up in their lunch breaks, so hope mine is somewhat interesting too!  This wasn’t a lunch break… more of a ‘coffee’ break with the lovely Ally.

Since getting my Clarisonic, I’ve turned into a bit of a cleansing freak and there’s nothing I like more now than experimenting with all manner of different cleansers in conjunction with the gadget!  Honestly?  I don’t know how I didn’t get the crap beaten out of me at school.

Not only that, but despite having found a total JOY in the new Elemis Melting Cleanser, I *still* can’t resist picking up these ‘just incase’.  This is my problem though… by the time I’ve finished experimenting to see if I can find a cheaper alternative, I will have spent what it costs to go and by the Elemis twice over!  Please tell me I’m not alone in that kind of nonsense!

So after that rambling… what did I get?

Well, there’s currently a rather tempting 3for2 across skincare lines in Boots at the moment so that’s where I indulged!  I picked up the Boots Botanics Organic Cleansing Balm (£6.63) after reading the on-site reviews.

I also grabbed a nifty looking Boots Botanics Organic Nourishing Eye Makeup Remover (£3.99) (US link – I can’t find it on the UK site!) and the much revered Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation in Opal (£14.30) which I’m hoping to use as a redness concealer.

One last stop near the haircare and I grabbed the new Batiste dry shampoo for brown hair.  I’m not sure if this is reformulated or just repackaged from this one.  I’m secretly hoping this can will get me through those days where it takes you longer than it should to realise that you seriously should go buy some more hair dye.  Like now.

I’m in London today and I’ll be doing my best to avoid ‘popping’ into Boots for another look before the offer ends.  Honest!

What have you been hauling recently?

I was quite sad to read this piece of news yesterday afternoon!

After 13 years as a mainstay on the British high street Boots UK is today announcing the phased withdrawal of the Ruby & Millie brand from its stores.  Ruby & Millie led the way for pioneering fashionable cosmetic brands to break into the mass market driving the trend for the fusion of mass and premium cosmetics .

Ruby & Millie were one of the brands I cut my beauty teeth on.  Not quite ‘high street’ (though they are!) but not ‘high end’ either.  To be fair, I wasn’t in love with many R&M products, especially in recent times… but the ones that I did fall for, I still use frequently today!

Where am I going to get my i-writers from now huh?!

The press release went on to say (I’m C&P-ing because I can’t say it any more concisely!)

Ruby Hammer and Millie Kendall stepped down from the brand in 2008 and have since focused on new and innovative brands such as Andrea Fulerton Nail Boutique, Scarlett & Crimson and Alex Byrne Beauty. 2011 will also see the launch of Ruby Hammer’s eponymous new range.

I still haven’t tried anything from the Andrea Fulerton Nail Boutique…  I need to get into a bigger Superdrug to check the range out after seeing Helen’s nails blinged up to the max with the Trio Colour Layering System!

But it’s not all doom and gloom for the Ruby & Millie brand because…

The duo will also look to reinvest their energy into the Ruby & Millie brand bringing back a classic representation of their iconic products and initial concept of affordable luxury to the global market.

I’m pleased that the duo will be looking at ways to bring the brand back to former glory, it’s one of those brands that seems to have lost its way a little in recent times.  Also looking forward to finding out more about this new range from Ruby Hammer – every cloud has a silver lining eh?

Will you be sorry to see the Ruby & Millie brand disappear from Boots?

Due on counter next week (26th January), the new No7 Spring collection includes an array of delicately-hued goodies for the new season.

The collection includes:

Limited Edition Eye Palette – £12.50
Limited Edition Gel Eyeliners, in Navy Blue, Turquoise and Black – £10.50
Limited Edition Lipsticks, in Brigitte (pale pink) and Grace (pale coral) – £10.50
Limited Edition Nail Polish, in Sugar (pale pink) and Spice (pale coral) – £7.50

Lisa Eldridge had this to say about the inspiration behind her latest No7 collection:

“Inspired by St Tropez in the early 1960’s, the birthplace of the glamorous international jet set and Brigitte Bardot, the archetypal sex kitten, this collection focuses attention very much on the eyes – the key items being the three Gel Eyeliners and beautiful Eye Palette. The eye shadow quartet contains the prettiest washes of ‘barely there’ beiges, corals, pinks, shimmering turquoises and sea greens all evocative of the Cote d’Azur. When the strong liners and pretty shadows are combined with the pale pouty lip colours… the look is defnitely more than a little 60’s Riviera starlet.”

I’ll be diving in for a closer look at the Gel Eyeliner in Navy Blue (love a good, deep blue eyeliner!) and lippie in Grace (pale coral).

What will you be making a beeline for?

… collect all the new Nails Inc./Diet Coke promo shades!

I’m actually off Diet Coke at the minute… not out of choice I hasten to add.  This is one of those dietary reasonings *rolls eyes*.

However, I’m not going to let a silly little thing like that stop me from getting my hands on all four of the limited and exclusive Nails Inc. shades!

Each bottle is full size (10ml) and to get your grubby hands on one you need to buy two 500ml bottles of Diet Coke from a participating Boots store (the polishes are usually located on display stands nearby).  The promo started on Wednesday but I haven’t noticed these in my local store yet which makes me think I may have to travel into town to take advantage.

They don’t call me Dora the Explorer for nothing!  Or… actually… at all.

Which one will you be going for first?

As I explained in my previous video, I’m slowly coming to terms with the simple truth that one course of laser hair removal won’t guarantee “permanent removal”.  The wording that’s generally used is “permanent reduction” and there’s a difference.  It’s comparatively far more permanent than other hair removal methods but will never be truly permanent without occasional treatment ‘top ups’.

What I’ve also realised (with the help of hindsight) is that this doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing because you don’t have the funds to cover constant salon visits or an expensive at home device.  The fact is that when (relatively) small amounts of hair do grow back, they’re often finer, more manageable and far less offensive(!) than their original growth patterns and this is precisely the ‘reduction’ that companies refer to.

I will happily confess that I have always placed a preference on having my unwanted hair zapped at a salon.  It’s far more expensive in the long run but there’s something to be said for placing yourself in the hands of a professional in circumstances where the eventual outcome is potentially life-changing.  It’s a confidence thing.

However, now that I understand and appreciate the need for these ‘top ups’, the thought of having an IPL device that I can use in the comfort of my own home is more tempting.  Despite this, there are considerations that should be addressed before you decide what’s right for you.  For everyone, these will be different.  For me, they go something like this.

1).  Will I be disciplined enough when using an at home device?  I wouldn’t miss a salon appt for fear of being penalty charged… it’s much easier to be lax with the treatments at home.
2).  Am I confident enough in my own abilities to use an at home device competently?
3).  Are at home devices as effective as salon treatments?
4).  Do I want to use an at home device from day 1 or invest in one for maintenance purposes once my salon treatment is finished?

The wonderful thing about technology is that it’s forever evolving and improving.  Hair removal is on the front line… it’s a highly sought after process and still incredibly expensive for the average consumer.  Companies are investing millions in developing the best machines possible for both home and salon use.

I recently attended an event where we had the opportunity to put questions to the people behind the Boots iPulse Smooth Skin, you can watch the highlights of this event in the video below:

iPulse currently hold the enviable title of being Boots biggest seller.  They’ve sold approximately 35,000 units through the high street retailer and the device has generated an average 4 star rating from consumers on the Boots website.  Many are treating general areas such as legs and underarms, whilst others focus on hormonal hair (face, neck, chin etc.)

I wanted to follow up and put some additional questions to the people behind the iPulse, focusing on issues related to treating hormonal hair.

1). Most “at home” IPL hair removal systems aren’t recommended for use on women with PCOS, am I right in thinking that you’ve updated your literature to specifically include considerations for PCOS sufferers who want to use the device?

We are aware that hormonal imbalances and in particuar PCOS, are extremely distressing conditions when the side effect can produce unwanted facial hair.  Boots Smooth Skin is suitable for use on the face and our research and clinical trials indicated a substantial reduction in facial hair and also our customers advised us that they were delighted with the results they have achieved in using the device on this sensitive area.

2). What are the main considerations that women with PCOS need to be aware of when using the iPulse?

The main considerations for customers with PCOS is that the hair growth cycle becomes irregular and therefore it may be necessary to give the area more treatments than other areas of the body.  Stimulation of hair growth to the facial area can be considerable when there are hormonal imbalances and it is good to be able to treat the area  as and when necessary.

3). What are the benefits of choosing the iPulse over going to my local salon for a course of IPL treatments?

Convenience and cost are the two main  benefits however, there are many more.  For some people privacy is important and this enables the treatment in comfort of your own home at a gtime convenient to you.  Another benefit is time.  Using Boots Smooth Skin will take approximately 6 – 12 weeks due to the regulated energy output enabling a weekly or fortnightly treatment.  With salon treatments you will have a four to six week waiting period between each treatment – probably needing 6 – 10 treatments to achieve the same results and then there is the cost and inconvenience of traveling to the salon when it suits them!

4). iPulse offer an “IPL system”, the treatment I underwent at the SK:N clinic was on a “laser system”.  What are the differences between the two treatments and is one more effective for reducing hormonal hair growth?

A laser is the first generation of hair removal systems using one beam of light to treat individual hairs – IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is the next generation of light based therapy systems using multiple wavelengths and a larger spot size which enables the treatment of many hairs at any one time.   Offering the same results – permanent hair reduction – it is generally thought that treatment is faster and pain free with IPL systems.

5). Would you say that the iPulse is a particularly suitable option for women like me who have already undergone laser treatment and are looking for a cost-effective way to maintain their results?

Most definitely, this is a great way to keep previously treated areas hair free without the necessity of returning to the salon for further expensive treatments. A convenient way to ensure the initial results achieved are maintained.

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A big thank you to iPulse for taking the time to answer my questions.  I hope that you’ve found them useful too!