Caudalie Lip Conditioner

Posted by Lipglossiping On May - 28 - 2010

I picked up this Caudalie Lip Conditioner whilst I was on holiday a few weeks ago… I’d left my Lanolips at home and was after something fairly inexpensive and easy to apply.

I can’t detect a strong scent nor taste from this rather minimalistic-looking balm, it displays an impressive list of ingredients including beeswax, shea butter and grapeseed extract topped of with an SPF of 8.

Caudalie is a French brand that I’m not hugely familiar with  but I know that they place an emphasis on natural beauty and this product is no exception having been formulated with 99.5% naturally-derived ingredients.

It keeps my lips in check under normal circumstances, but I haven’t needed to put it to any serious dryness tests as my lips are in OK condition thanks to my Lanolips.  I do love how convenient and solid the Caudalie Lip Conditioner is… it makes for super quick on-the-go application with no risks of looking like you’ve dipped your mouth in goosefat.

I think I paid around £6 for my Caudalie Lip Conditioner, but you can buy it online for £5.50

Recommended!


Clinique Autumn / Fall 2010 – Bigger, Brighter Eyes in an Instant

Posted by Lipglossiping On May - 25 - 2010

Ohhh I do like this model image Clinique… it’s how my makeup would look everyday in a world unhindered by problematic issues such as not being able to find my pencil sharpener when I need it or not knowing exactly where I’m supposed to apply my damn blush.

Anyway, the Clinique Autumn 2010 collection consists of three brand new products and a bunch of what d’ya call ’em… existing stock that kinda gets pushed to the front of the counter in a “don’t forget about me, look how nice I am for Autumn” kinda way… um… repromotes?

Anyway, let’s take a look at what’s new:

NEW Limited Edition High Impact Mascara
RRP: £14.50 €19.00
Clinically proven to make eyes appear three times brighter, this limited edition deep black shade creates the necessary contrast against the whites of the eyes to create a youthful, vibrant look.

Available in:
Brightening Black

NEW Limited Edition Quickliner for Eyes Intense
RRP: £13.00 €17.50

A more dramatic version of our best-selling eyeliner, this extra creamy new formulation glides on smooth, while the rich new shades provide a more vivid colour payoff to intensify the eyes for up to 12 hours.

Available in:
Intense Black
Intense Plum
Intense Chocolate
Intense Coffee

NEW Vitamin C Lip Smoothie Antioxidant Lip Colour
RRP: £13.50 €19.00
These delicious lip smoothies are a healthy dose of luscious colour in six NEW juicy shades rich in moisture and shine.  Think of it as an antioxidant fruit smoothie for the lips.

Available in:
Guava Good
Pear-Fection
Running Latte
Strawberry Bliss
Pome-Greatness
Blackberry Nirvana

I know it’s a teeny bit early to be talking about Autumn collections when I’ve barely seen anything Summer-y hit the counters yet… (hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!) – but I liked the natural but sultry promo image too much to care.

I wish there was a touch more to the release… some new eye colours would have been nice in a collection that purports to be all about the eyes.   I’m definitely interested in the sound of some of those new eyeliners… extra dramatic smudgeability is nearly always a good thing in my book and an eye-brightening mascara?  Woohoo! Are we guessing at some clever blue/black pigment in there somewhere ladies?

After this scorcher of a weekend, I bet some of you are nursing your sore bits and will happily indulge in a little bit of early Autumnal cosmetic goodness, just so long as we’re talking September and not November right? Brrrr.

Clinique Autumn 2010 – Bigger, Brighter Eyes in an Instant will be available on counters nationwide from 1st August.

Chanel Rouge Coco – Get Inspired…

Posted by Lipglossiping On May - 11 - 2010

…with a neat video showcasing three very different looks created around three very different lipsticks from the Chanel Rouge Coco range.

Which look is your favourite?

China Glaze – Channelesque Nail Polish NOTD

Posted by Lipglossiping On May - 2 - 2010

Channelesque is a discontinued China Glaze shade… it’s still available on eBay at the standard price so I thought I’d it share anyway.

It’s a dusky mauve with more than just a hint of grey.  Quite frankly, it’s gorgeous and one of my favourite China Glaze shades.  I *would* liken it to Sephora by OPI’s Metro Chic… but as I don’t have it to compare, I won’t 😉

My bottle is getting a bit old now and could do with thinning… despite this, application was still pretty dreamy.  Two coats to achieve a solid, glossy finish.

For those of you hatin’ on my beloved taupes 😉  Is this a bit less concrete for ya?! x

Are you bothered by hyperpigmentation?

Posted by Lipglossiping On April - 30 - 2010

The problem with being a total beauty nut is that I find myself noticing flaws in my appearance that I’m sure wouldn’t really bother the average woman my age.

My mother has always suffered with hyperpigmentation and dark spots but she’s also about 3/4 foundation shades darker than me, so I’ve always assumed that it’s not something I would have to worry about as a paler skinned lady.

Well, maybe it’s NOT something I should worry about, heaven knows there’s enough “stuff” queueing up ready to be worried about in our day to day lives anyway… but regardless, I have noticed in recent months that my skin tone is looking less even.  I’ve always suffered from broken capilliaries on my cheeks and nose… but I’m also noticing a couple of little patches that I initially dismissed as new freckles.

Freckles all of a sudden? At 28? What… I think I’m Lindsay Lohan or something?  I guess it just sounds better than sun damage right?

Anyway, I’ve read lots about the Paul and Joe Whitening Serum that seems to get decent reviews for it’s ability to fade dark spots and even out skin tone… but my interest has been piqued by this new release from Clinique.

Clinique’s Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector claims to hold the power to even skin tone with results equal to a leading prescription ingredient.  Not only that but…

…this “damage eraser” is gentle and non-irritating and ideal for skins that cannot tolerate other skin brightening treatments.

It goes on to baffle me with science but regardless, if you’ve got skin that’s prone to a little bit of redness… you’ll know that the last thing you wanna do is slap product on that’s gonna accentuate that… a false economy right?

At £37.50 for 30ml, it’s not an inexpensive solution… but in general, these type of whitening/brightening products seem to offer good visible results when you compare them to anti-wrinkle creams.  The Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector is available from today on counters nationwide.  I’m interested, but I’ll be keeping my eyes open for some reviews before putting my hands in my pocket.

Have you tried whitening creams before?  What do you think?

Clarins Everlasting Foundation Review

Posted by Lipglossiping On April - 29 - 2010

I was hot… so I bullied Mr. L into getting the fans out of the loft yesterday.  I subsequently spent the night shivering under my duvet but of course, I was too stubborn to turn the damn thing off.

Summer IS a-coming….

There are 2 camps when it comes to Summer foundation… those that want lightweight, breathable cover and those that want their usual good coverage, but with added staying power in warmer weather.

It’s with the 2nd group in mind that I’m reviewing Clarins new Everlasting Foundation.  The clue is in the name… longevity.  Clarins promises 15hrs of impeccable coverage with this product.  15hrs?  That’s enough time to fly halfway round the world!

Let me start by saying that (in my albeit fairly limited experience) I quite like Clarins’ base products… I’m nearing the end of a bottle of their Truly Matte foundation that I cracked open last Summer, the shade wasn’t quite right for me but it did pretty much what it said on the tin.  This Everlasting Foundation promises a flawless matte finish but with that extra insurance factor of lasting through a full day of wear.

Well let’s see if it lives up to it’s claims shall we?

Packaging is beautiful…. a heavyweight frosted glass bottle containing 30ml of product.  The info on the back states that the product is allergy tested and non comedogenic which should make it a fab non-pore clogging option for ‘glowing’ skin.  Ladies don’t sweat remember?

Clarins sent me shade 104 (Cream) for review consideration, it’s a pretty good match… perhaps half a shade too dark, but it blends into my natural skintone well and I thankfully don’t have to blend the product down to my backside to avoid tide marks.

The coverage is indeed matte and I’d call it medium to full… not quite as full-on as say Estee Lauder’s Double Wear, but definitely heading in that direction.  If you want sheer to medium, this isn’t for you.  The product applies beautifully with either a brush or a sponge (I always test things with my beauty blender now too!).  I’m also loving using this with my fingers, the heat from my hands really makes this product melt into my skin… I’m anal about blobby coverage though so I’ve still been finishing off with an allover buff (flat top kabuki) after applying!

Have a close up pic, as always… click to enlarge (barf!)

The one personal downfall I had with this foundation is that I’m a touch too dry skinned for it.  I’m combo normal/dry at the moment (though definitely get oilier in the summer) and I felt that this accentuated my dry patches on my nose.  You may be able to see this in the enlarged image.  Now, whilst this is an issue for me… you oilier ladies should be bouncing in your seats, Clarins Everlasting foundation really kept the shine at bay for many hours thanks to it’s oil-free formula.

But what about it’s claims of Everlasting…um…ness?

Here’s a freshly applied/9 hours later comparison.  No cheating, not even a flick of powder during the day, oh and this was on the hottest day of the year so far…

Now, bear in mind I don’t have very oily skin… but 9 hours is impressive!  To be fair, it didn’t last much longer than this… about another hour before I was properly itching to reach for some powder or something to touch up with!  The coverage on my nose was the first to disappear which is stupid seeing as I’ve just gone on about how I’ve got dry bits there… but I seem to be oily down the bridge with dry bits elsewhere *rolls eyes*.

15hrs? Not quite… but more than long enough to see you through a day at work.  A quick touch up from your favourite powder foundation over the bits that need it and I reckon you’d be set for an evening out aswell.

Clarins Everlasting Foundation (£23) is available from counters nationwide or online at Clarins

My latest addiction…

Posted by Lipglossiping On April - 19 - 2010

…is CND’s Solar Oil!

Recommended to me by the rather lovely Jamilla from MakeupForProfessionalAsianWomen as her salon uses it to nourish her cuticles.  I’m always on the lookout for cuticle softeners (it makes nail painting SO much easier if your cuticles are in good shape) I couldn’t resist picking up a bottle to try.

Almonds, marzipan… gawd I could drink this stuff.  Though I don’t recommend it.

They say:

A synergistic blend of naturally light oils and Vitamin E, designed to deeply penetrate and protect skin and nails.

Jojoba Oil carries Vitamin E deeply into skin to help reduce visible signs of aging. Naturally light oils keep skin soft and supple. Keeps natural nails, nail color and nail enhancements tough and flexible. Repeated use drives oils deeper into natural nail.

It’s been 3 days and I’ve swiped the brush around my cuticles about 9 times maybe and I’m starting to see a huge improvement.

The thing I like most about the CND Solar Oil is how well it absorbs… taking just a few minutes of massaging into the surrounding skin before I can get on with whatever I was doing previously.  By contrast, my LUSH Lemony Flutter takes a good 10 minutes, by which time I’ve usually grabbed a tissue and wiped most of it off.

Time will tell if it’s as effective as my usual methods… but I’m already fairly condident that it’s outperforming.

I’ve got the 0.25oz size which you can pick up from RadiantBabe.co.uk for £5.99

What do you use to nourish your nails?

Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle Dupe

Posted by Lipglossiping On April - 11 - 2010

I haven’t got a side by side swatch comparison and I’m not claiming this dupe discovery as my own (a quick Google search threw this up) but it’s been said that Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Soft Rose is a colour dupe for Chanel’s Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle.

Is it?

It’s pretty darn close!

I’ve got a full lip swatch post coming soon(ish) of all the new Revlon Colorburst shades… I’ll try and get it live by the end of the week.  I don’t believe the Colorbursts are out in the UK yet… so cool your heels lovely ladies, they’re a-coming!

What d’ya think?  Close enough?

Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle

Posted by Lipglossiping On April - 11 - 2010

I didn’t buy it… it was on my list, but I thought I’d better try it at the counter first.  The SA applied it on me and warned me that some of her more cool-toned ladies felt that the colour turns a bit orangey on them.  She wasn’t wrong.

Here it is after I got home 3 hours later… great long-lasting wear by the way:

Please excuse the expression… it’s like a cross between really smug and “eugh, I’ve just stepped in a dog turd but I better keep smiling anyway”.

I loved that Mademoiselle isn’t at all frosty or even glossy.  It’s just a beautiful, sophisticated creamy lipstick.

However, I was expecting a medium pink that leant slightly towards the neutral/brown.  This is much more brick-like on my complexion.

Not only that, but I found the formula pretty drying… something that I really hadn’t been expecting.  All the reviews I’ve read (and I’ve read a LOT) celebrate how moisturising they find the Chanel Rouge Coco formula.

Look at the state of my lips after 3 hours.

You can also see how corally the shade turned against my pinky/blue tones.

I would go back to try Camelia or Gardenia (which I think would be my best bets for a pink) but I think they’re both a bit frosty for me.

Sigh… I really wanted to love it badly.

Hair Volumising with Clynol & Neal & Wolf

Posted by Lipglossiping On March - 29 - 2010

I’m pretty rubbish when it comes to styling my hair.  I’m growing out a bob at the moment, not on purpose… I’m just too lazy to make the appointment for a trim.

As the layers are getting longer, the increased weight is starting to have an effect on my roots… weighing them down and increasing the slaphead factor – not an encouraging look.  I was offered 2 different styling products to have a play with and after a couple of weeks experimenting on just how to get the best out of them, I thought you might wanna have a read of my observations.  If you don’t… whatever, just don’t bother darkening my door again.

Clynol Move Massive Volume Spray (£6.75)

Technology: Pro.VolumeForce.Complex, with Panthenol and volumising resins.

Benefit: Volumises the hair, providing strong yet moveable hold.

Usage: Spray evenly onto dry or damp hair and style as preferred. Leave-in.

I’ve used this on both wet and dry hair and I prefer the results I get from using it on dry hair.  I lift sections from the front backwards, spraying quite generously before taking my hairdryer and giving my hair a quick upside-down blast at the roots.  I then take my brush and coax the hair back being careful not to flatten the roots with the weight of the brush and once styled, the root lift seems to stay in place for a good few hours before dropping.  I particularly like the Clynol Move Massive Volume Spray for when I’m styling my hair into an updo, the effect seems to be more apparent and gives some great ‘flathead’ avoidance.

I like, that as a spray, it’s easy to use and great to reach for in a hurry.  I’ve used it successfully in conjunction with my Batiste Dry Shampoo (again before pinning my hair up) and it really freshens up my style.  It smells great and most importantly, is completely non-sticky

Neäl & Wølf Elevate Volumising Lotion (£11.95)

Goodbye to drab limp locks, and hello to luxuriously thick hair, filled with body. ELEVATE has been designed to leave hair stronger, fuller and give more control.  Designed to improve body and texture while enhancing shine and manageability.  Specially selected ingredients complete the effect, reducing static and adding a spectacular glossy finish.

The more traditional serum format that I’m used to…  Just aswell really, ‘cos there aren’t any usage instructions on the bottle… however, being a salon brand rather than one for numptys like me, this is possibly understandable.  I initially didn’t notice many benefits from using this product until I started applying it a touch more generously.  After towel-drying my hair, I squeeze out a good 10p-sized blob and apply throughout my roots.

When I first started using this, I was nervous of making my roots greasy… but I needn’t have feared.  I add more product (10p size at a time) until I’m happy that I’ve applied a nice even amount throughout.  Then I flip my head over and blow-dry upside down, encouraging the air to pass through my roots and teasing with my fingers to encourage more lift.

The result is BIG hair, and I’m sold.  It takes a little more work than the Clynol, but the results are more dramatic if you take the time.

I’d happily use both products for different situations.  The Clynol is great for a lower maintenance lifestyle, which to be honest is me (most of the time).  But if I wanted to bring out the big guns, I’d reach for the Neäl & Wølf Elevate.

.

Overall I was impressed with both products, sadly neither lasted the full day… but in honesty, I didn’t expect miracles.  All volume had flattened significantly by lunchtime, earlier if I was naughtly and didn’t stop playing with my hair.  I’d also recommend that if you ARE going to use these styling products then it might be wise not to overload your hair with too many other products at the same time.  Keep it to the minimum to achieve the best results.

Do you have any tips for bringing the 80s back to our barnets?

China Glaze – Who’s Wearing What NOTD

Posted by Lipglossiping On February - 14 - 2010

Who’s Wearing What is a discontinued China Glaze shade that I picked up on eBay.  I do like my greyed out purples and this fit the bill perfectly:

It reminds me of a more muted version of OPI’s ever popular Done out in Deco.  I love my durgy colours and this one fits nicely into my ever-growing collection.

It’s a 3-coater to look it’s best and unfortunately it’s a slow-drier, definitely needing a coat of Seche Vite to finish off.  The creme finish is gorgeous, very glossy and smooth.  I’m pleased to have picked up this shade while it’s still available!

It’s stronger and less pastelly than Orly’s Bon Bon, so may suit you well if you’re darker toned too!

Spring 2010 Trend – Chanel Temporary Tattoos

Posted by Lipglossiping On January - 17 - 2010

Nothing screams “I got a tattoo in the late 90s” like a tattooed arm or ankle band.

Chanel’s latest must-have accessory was recently showcased on the Paris runway and it’s just as well the 90s are back in fashion, ‘cos check these babies out!

“Les Trompe L’œil de Chanel”, a set of 55 individual tattoos priced at an eye-watering £49 will be available on the Selfridges Chanel counter from 1st March.

I think I’ll stick to the ones you get free with bubblegum… or if I really must indulge, there must be 101 purse-friendly alternatives out there.

What say you? Fabulousness or Folly?

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