A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Finding the perfect mascara is much like finding the perfect killer heels.  You want something that makes your legs (lashes) look incredible without crippling the wearer.  Some mascaras sting, flake, smear, or generally flop halfway through the day.  The Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara* is a good choice for anyone who wants impressive lash scaffolding without too many side effects.

My lashes are naturally fairly curly and crave definition and impressive darkening to make the most of them.  Curling isn’t high on my list of priorities but even I could see how once this mascara sets, it holds a rock-solid shape throughout the day.

The brush is a curved affair, with a tapered tip to allow you to reach the tiniest of corner lashes.  It does offer good coverage with a single pass, which is just as well because the formula has a tendency to go a little spidery if you go back for too many coats.  I’d stick with two as a maximum.  The formula is a little wetter than some, so be aware of this when applying… I’m always a little heavy-handed which usually results in a couple of splodges of product on my eyelid when using wetter formulas.  Avoid this by removing any excess from the wand with a tissue, or wiping it against the edge of the tube opening.

The black is a true, inky black which coats my lashes evenly and offers great definition, curling and lengthening.  It also does well to volumise at the roots, but again… with the wetter formula, you do need to be precise here.  It’s a little bit ‘bitty’ as it builds, and these ‘bits’ will flake off throughout the day but it’s purely the excess which drops, so again, just take a little more care that you haven’t loaded your brush with too much product and you’ll avoid this.  Another issue is removal… you’ll need warm water to remove, so simply hold a wet flannel to your lashes momentarily and the formula will slide right off.  If you don’t?  This stuff is holding steady – making it a great choice for Summer holidays!  Basically, there’s a learning curve with this mascara that’s worth getting to grips with.

All in all, I think the Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara is a strong offering from the line.  It does what it says on the tube, and if you’re looking for supreme hold and curl with a long-lasting formula (albeit with a little work on your part to get the absolute best from it), you won’t go far wrong with this one.

Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara is available to buy on counter and online, priced at £16.00

* press sample

Well, not entirely monstrous, but green is not a colour that I can pull off with much success.  Mr. L, who never comments on my makeup (other than to tell me I look lovely when I drop enough hints that he ought to be saying something), readily agrees that green is not a colour I should allow into my makeup-playing repertoire too often.  About halfway through the day I asked him, “Have you noticed that I’m wearing green on my eyes today?”.

“Yes. *pause* It doesn’t look too bad does it?”

And that ladies, clearly means that it looks amazing.  Or not.  I’ll go with the former.

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re getting a bit old to wear bright colours on your eyes?  I do.  I mean, when I was 27…. I thought I was getting too old, but now that I’m 30 and I’m looking at the photo thinking, “I think it doesn’t look too weird” but, I surround myself (online) with beautiful women who love to have fun and enjoy a passion for makeup.  What must women who don’t share our creativity when it comes to slap think?

Of course, one totally shouldn’t care what other women think and I’m neither fishing nor asking for validation here, it’s just that being on the cusp of the wrong side of 30 makes me hesitate.  Nothing more and nothing less, I guess it comes down to the fact that you can’t really pull off the “cute” thing once you reach your thirties, and so there’s no room for error in the same way as when you were younger.

“Should know better”.  I’d like that on my headstone… along with “One Day”, a long-held shot at faith.

I usually only have time in the morning for the basics when it comes to makeup but Mr. L has been super-generous with his time in the run-up to releasing his next game, so you can expect a few more FOTDs than normal simply because it feels lovely to walk out of the house in a proper made-up face once a week you know?  The type where you’ve played and pontificated over choosing what to apply rather than reached for the quickest, most fool-proof things you own.

Anyway, I’m really rambling.  I’ll do a quick product breakdown.

Face

Face Atelier Ultra Foundation in Ivory
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage SC-1
Guerlain Terracotta Moisturising Bronzing Powder in 00

Eyes

GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Green Grass on the upper lashline
Purple Eyeshadow from the Smashbox Muse Artist Eye Palette on lower lashline
Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara*
Illamasqua Eye Brow Cake in Gaze

Lips

Bourjois Sweet Kiss Natural in 09 Sienne Kiss*

What’s your colour nemesis?  Do you hesitate when it comes to colour?

* press sample

I had a little shop-my-stash session and pulled out some things that haven’t seen as much love recently as they should, namely my Face Atelier foundation which is a touch too silicone-heavy for my skin when it’s at its driest in the Winter.  My skin is back in a good place at the moment and I couldn’t wait to see if I still loved it as much as I did last Summer when I bought it.  The answer is a resounding YES!  I’ll do a proper review with before/after shots later in the week, kick me if I don’t ‘cos it makes a great spring/summer foundation for those who aren’t ready to give up ‘propah’ coverage just yet.

My NARS Lhasa got some extra love with a sparkly pairing courtesy of Avon’s Glimmerstick Diamonds Eye Liner in Sugar Plum – it’s a nice way to supercharge a much-loved taupe with a bit of additional colour.  My beautiful Maison Lancome blush* is still pleasing me muchly, especially if I give the brush a good swirl in the darker shades first before building up a little more luminosity courtesy of the pale pink.

Hmm, what else…

Ahh, a Fyrinnae Lip Lustre in Ryo Pinko!  I wasn’t sure if this would still be usable… it’s been a while!  However, it smells and tastes perfectly fine, it’s not quite ready for the cosmetics graveyard just yet!  I love the colour and the metallic finish is a little bit retro (in a good way!).  It inspired me to give today’s FOTD a silly little name though, so it’s all good.

Finally, I layered up two mascaras that I’ve recently been sent and got some epic lashes as a result, I’ll blog them as part of my mascara series shortly.  The Clinique Lash Power Mascara* has a small brush that works well at getting product right into the roots of the lashes before a coat of Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara* ontop sends them skyward.

What’s on your fizzog today and when was the last time you shopped your stash for some forgotten treasures?

* press sample

So, I’m an old married… and my husband doesn’t buy me Valentine’s gifts.  Instead, he makes me a minimum of three cups of tea a day, fills the car with petrol when I can’t be arsed, sounds semi-enthusiastic when I regale him with tales of my shopping bargains, and always knows my current favourite chocolate bar.

But it wasn’t always this way and back when we were all shiny and new, falling out because he laughed at a pair of BIG girl’s pants in M&S that looked scarily like a pair of mine, Valentine’s Day was kind of a big deal.

In all honesty Valentine’s Day is about as much for married people as it is for single people, i.e. it’s not.  It’s for sickeningly saccharine types enjoying the first, what — maybe two years of a new relationship?  Which ultimately means that the rest of us should treat V-day as nothing but a big excuse to buy ourselves a present of LOVE.  Because afterall, no one understands how much love (read ” new stuff”) we need better than we do.

01: Jo Malone Red Roses Travel Candle* – The problem with fresh roses is that nine times out of ten, the other half has bought them from the Esso garage.  Go for something a little longer lasting with Jo Malone’s Red Roses Travel Candle.  Burn, enjoy, extinguish – repeat ad. infinitum until you’ve surrounded yourself with the luxurious atmosphere afforded by a blend of seven of the world’s most exquisite roses.  Priced at £22.00 and packaged in the inimitable “Jo Malone way”, it’ll be considerably more affordable and better-presented to boot!

02: Wahanda Valentine Treats – Treat yourself to a Wahanda treat in time for Valentine’s Day.  From £11 mini manicures (and a glass of wine!) at Coco Nail Bar to a £200 overnighter at the chinese-inspired Chuan Spa at The Langham – there’s something to suit every taste and every budget.  Just be ready to bat away the incoming offers from those potential suitors who’ve heard about your bargain!

03: Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria – Unashamedly pink and most definitely girly, this new release from Calvin Klein ticks all the right boxes for those who like their fragrances on the fruity side.  Dedicated to the ‘independent woman’, there’s no better way to announce your fabulous presence than with a blend of forbidden fruit including mandarin, passion fruit and touches of iced raspberry.  Priced from £32.50.

04: Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil – Smell delicious from top to toe with this nourishing body oil from Elemis.  This multi-tasker can be drizzled in a hot bath for a relaxing scent-sensation, smoothed onto dry skin to replenish and moisturise, rubbed into cuticles to nourish, and even massaged into your hair to scent and soften.  Worthy of its cult-status, the Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil makes for a great Valentine’s night treat – just keep it to yourself eh?

05: Philosophy Sweet Talk Set – This latest body-pampering set from Philosophy combines the brand’s three-in-one shower gel, body lotion and pink-tinted lip shine in the Candy Hearts flavour: a sweet (with a hint of tart) scent which will capture the hearts of girls across the nation.  Limited edition and priced at £22.00

06: Samsung MultiView MV800 Camera – For girls that have been very good this year comes the latest compact camera offering from Samsung.  Small enough to slip in your handbag with a 3.0″ wide (every inch counts right?) touch-screen which flips a full 180 degrees to ensure you capture spot-on self-portraits every time without getting a crick in your neck.  16.1 megapixels, HD video recording and 5x optical zoom will ensure your Facebook photos are the best on the block.  Just leave out the duck-face yes?  Comes in a range of snazzy colours (it’s gotta be red though right?) and is priced at £249. Unless you’re clever and go to Amazon!

07: Clinique Limited Edition Kiss it Better Kissable Lip Set –  Spread the love with a purchase of Clinique’s charity lip set and help raise money to fund research into the causes and treatment of childhood cancer.  In collaboration with the Great Ormond Street Hospital, 50% of the RRP price will be going directly to the KISS IT BETTER appeal. The set of covetable minis includes: a Vitamin C Lip Smoothie, Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss, Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm, and a mini Long Last Glosswear.  Available instore at House of Fraser, priced at £25.

Love yourselves.  The end.

* press sample

Clinique are playing Secret Santa this week, so if you’re in need of an early festive treat, log on to Clinique website everyday this week for a little surprise.

Today’s  beauty treat is a free mini-set of best-selling eye essentials with any purchase over £30.  The set includes: High Impact Mascara, Quickliner for Eyes and High Lengths Mascara.  A really well put-together set that will give you dramatic eyes for the party season!

To get the party started on this offer, log on to the Clinique website and enter the offer code EYES during checkout with your £30+ order.

Don’t forget to check back on the website daily to see if any of the other offers are worthy of a place in your stocking!

Morning!

Just a quick PSA to let you know that you have until the end of Saturday to pick up your Clinique Bonus Time gift with purchase (GWP) which is currently an exclusive at House of Fraser.

All you need to do to claim your treat is purchase two Clinique products (one to be skincare), so if you need a topup of your Dramatically Different or your High Impact is running dry, now’s the time to stock up!

The set includes:

Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief  |  Sparkle Skin Exfoliating Cream  |  Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes and Lips  |  Exclusive Colour Surge Eyeshadow Quad  |  High Impact Mascara in Black  |  Long Last Lipstick in Bamboo Pink  |  Cosmetic Bag

I don’t need to tell you frugalistas that this would make a lovely little Xmas pressie for someone, so if you’re a Clinique fan, don’t let the offer slip through your fingers.

Do you ever indulge in Bonus Time treats?

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We all know how it feels to sneak five minutes of our lunch break on the way back to the office with our sarnies.  Some people will spend that precious respite browsing the news-stands, others may glance over the cosmetic counters.  The very last thing you want to do when you only have minutes to spare?  Get into a conversation with the shop assistant over the latest launches.

Alternatively, you just may be an anti-social bitch like me and prefer to shop without assistance until you request it.  Or perhaps you love hearing about the technology in the latest serums on the market but can never find an SA willing to talk shop with you?

Clinique have been looking at the way us shoppers like to prowl the counters and have come up with a potential solution to this common problem.  Complimentary wrist bands.

Three different coloured wrist bands to be precise.

Which wrist band do you go for?  Well that depends on your mood!

Green = Chat me up and tell me whatchu got!

White = Help me/Serve me, QUICKLY – The boss is coming back any minute now!

Pink = Leave me the hell alone unless I ask otherwise.

How effective this scheme will be, remains to be seen.  I popped by the Clinique counter in Selfridges (Oxford Street) on Tuesday afternoon and although the billboard was up, advertising the new Service As You Like It concept — there wasn’t a wrist band to be seen.  I asked about them and a friendly (though slightly suspicious!) SA explained that they were waiting on more bands to come into stock before they put them out on display.  She kindly let me have a look at the display box and seemed keen on the idea when I asked about it.  It was clear however that there had already been some teething issues with ‘customers’ picking them up in handfuls and simply walking away with them without even attempting to have a look around the counter!  Dreadful.

I have to applaud Clinique for tackling such an age-old problem with this scheme.  Hopefully it will ultimately mean that time is spent more effectively on customers who require assistance and will generate better relationships between the SA and the customer.  A potential win-win situation for both brand and shopper.

Here’s hoping!  What do you think?

The Clinique Service As You Like It complimentary wrist bands are on counter from Selfridges Oxford Street, House of Fraser Meadowhall, House of Fraser Glasgow, Debenhams Leeds and Fenwick Newcastle.

What is it?

The GREAT LIPS, GREAT CAUSE KEY RING features a heart-shaped ribbon charm, Clinique “C” charm and three mini Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 glosses in best selling Clearly Pink, Air Kiss and Cabana Crush.

How much is it?

It’s priced at £15.00

How much of our money goes to supporting PINK projects?

From every purchase made in the UK, £2 will go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

How do I get it?

Currently available from Clinique counters at Boots while stocks last.

We’ve all seen products that stake lofty claims on the packaging and using them can often leave behind a single raised eyebrow of “hmm… really?”  Take The Day Off*… really does take the day off.  And the night before that if you’ve been a lazy sink-dodging mare.

With dry hands, scoop out a 10p piece sized blog and massage over dry skin to remove all traces of makeup.  The solid balm transforms into a silky oil that glides over skin with ease.

I’m a long-standing cleansing oil fan and my face simply doesn’t feel clean to me until I’ve double cleansed.  Cleansing balms are something I’ve bought in the past but I generally prefer to use a pump bottle of oil than scoop product from a jar.

Last time I returned from holiday and opened my suitcase to find oil-soaked clothes put pay to that little preference.

I’m also finding balms to be more compatible with my Clarisonic.  The slip feels a little dryer than with my usual oils (though still perfectly workable) and I use my delicate brush head in conjunction with a low speed setting before washing off.

It leaves my skin feeling smooth and squeaky clean.  Drier skins may find this a little drying but oilier types should appreciate the product’s ability to cleanse thoroughly without too much stripping of the skin’s natural oils.

Finally?  It leaves not a scrap of residue behind.  It emulsifies fully with water into a creamy, milky fluid that washes away with ease.

It’s unscented which will please many (though I wouldn’t have minded a touch of fragrance tbh), gives me absolutely NO eye irritation (despite massaging it into my lashes!) and contains no mineral oils.  Win.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm is priced at £19.50 for 125ml.

Do you use cleansing balms?  What are some of your favourites?

*press sample

It’s every mother’s worst fear… watching their child get sick and being powerless to wade in and fix it all.

Clinique are once again partnering with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity for the KISS IT BETTER appeal which raises money to fund research into the causes and treatment of childhood cancer.

Throughout February, you’ll be able to purchase a special Limited Edition Smoothie Kisses Lip Gloss Set (£22.50) featuring the latest lip launch from Clinique, Vitamin C Lip Smoothie Antioxidant Lip Colour.

The set includes four Vitamin C Lip Smoothie glosses, in Pink Me Up, Goodness Grapecious, Nude-tricious and Mango-thon, all housed in a brightly coloured pink bag.

Sold exclusively in House of Fraser stores nationwide during the month of February, £4.00 from each purchase will go to the KISS IT BETER appeal (£2 from Clinique and £2 from House of Fraser).

If the new set doesn’t take your fancy, then A £2.00 donation will also apply to all Clinique lipstick or lip gloss (£15.00) sold at House of Fraser stores nationwide, throughout February. (£1.00 will be donated by Clinique and £1.00 will be donated by House of Fraser).

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If you want to learn more about the KISS IT BETTER appeal and discover other ways to donate, visit www.gosh.org/kissitbetter

… is titled “3 things to do before you’re 30“.

At the age of 29, that resonates.  Tick, tock, tick, tock… boom.  Why have I gotta do things before I’m 30?  Surely I’ve got time to do it AFTER I’m 30… *small voice* haven’t I?

Mannnn… Clinique, you just made me feel old.  But it’s free… so, I downloaded it anyway.

When you load it up, it’s caaaa-ute!  Lots of little squares that invite you to give it a shake… so I did!

Wheeee, they all fly around the screen… it’s very satisfying.  Then they settle… and give you a list of 3 things to do before you’re 30.

The first one I got told me to learn the trapeze.

So I turned it off and uninstalled it.  Stupid app.

Back in September, I chose a reader to trial and review the new Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus – Wrinkle and UV Damage Corrector which had been picking up some rather fabulous reviews across the blogosphere.  Helen kindly agreed to provide us with two reviews…. one partway through her trial and another once she’d completed the 12 weeks.

Today, I’d like to share her thoughts on the product that she’s been using for the past 4/5 weeks.

Take it away Helen…

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Okay – so Charlotte very kindly chose me to review this product – many thanks Charlotte.

First impressions: Nice solid glass bottle with pipette type dispenser.  Product itself is a milky fluid – 100% fragrance free and allergy tested.  Love the bottle – looks and feels like it knows what it’s doing.  Slight drawback in that you can’t see how much product you’ve got left at a glance but I’m only about halfway through so should last til the end of this review.

What it promises: ‘striking improvements in as little as 4 weeks’… how does it do this… who cares…. oh, hang on… you do… let me quote… with ‘high-level peptides to boost the production of natural collagen’ and a ‘patented enzyme blend that works to mend visible UV damage’  So in just four weeks I should notice a ‘striking reduction in the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

What it’s up against: 45 year old mother of two who, although not a sun worshipper, wasn’t particularly good at applying facial sunscreen in her younger years and has only recently seen the error of her ways.   I also wear contacts so my delicate eye area is probably suffering a bit more wear and tear than it should.  I think the ‘before’ photo probably speaks for itself… (viewers of a nervous disposition may wish to look away!)

Usage: 3 to 4 drops to face and around eye area – twice a day.  Product is easy to apply via the pipette, and sinks into skin quickly.  Left my skin immediately feeling smoother and moisturised.  Have to say at this point I was pleasantly surprised as I wasn’t expecting my skin to feel so much better so quickly – but there was a distinct improvement in the texture and appearance after only a few days.

After four weeks – well….I do still have wrinkles/lines… BUT I would swear they are greatly improved in just this short time… please bear in mind the ‘after’ photo was taken after a very hectic weekend of late nights but even then I think you can see a difference.

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Thanks Helen, sounding really promising!  Can’t wait to hear your final thoughts once you’ve completed the trial and thanks for being our guinea pig!

Clinique’s Repairwear Laser Focus – Wrinkle and UV Damage Correcter is priced at £35.00 a bottle and available online or on counters nationwide.