A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

To honour the opening of one of the world’s greatest Tennis Grand Slam Tournaments, I’m dedicating this afternoon’s post to Wimbledon!

Tickets for The Championships are notoriously tricky to come by coupled with the fact that we’re more likely to see Murray win in straight sets than make it there in time to nab a decent spot on Henman Hill.

So let’s bring the atmosphere of Wimbledon to us with a few fragrances to get you in the mood for your centre court appearance!

1. Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Toit EDT 100ml – £77.00

This elegant bottle from Paris fashion house Hermès is the 4th fragrance from their garden-inspired series.  Literally translating to “A garden on the roof”, it pays homage to the roof-garden situated atop the Hermès’ HQ building in Paris!  One of the more instantly familiar notes within the jus is the freshly cut green grass synonymous with Wimbledon as one of the few remaining great grass courts!

Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Toit is available to buy online from uk.hermes.com

2. Eau de Lacoste Blanc EDT 100ml – £39.99 *

Pre-match nerves abound and the air crackles with tension as tight as strings on rackets!  If you could only snoop backstage to taste the atmosphere you’d get more than a hint of the cool, fresh notes waiting within this offering by Lacoste.  Simply titled ‘Blanc’ it evokes the spirit of the iconic L.12.12 polo shirt which translated to girl-speak means that lush, clean… crisp scent you’d get from nuzzling your nose in Federer’s freshly-ironed match-whites with just a hint of the iconic champion left behind.

Eau de Lacoste Blanc EDT 100ml is available to buy online from www.theperfumeshop.com

3. DIOR Miss Dior Chérie EDP 50ml – £59.50 *

It wouldn’t be Wimbledon with the event’s signature snack of strawberries and cream!  Like the sun with no moon, sausages sans mash… it just wouldn’t be the same without it.  Dior’s Miss Dior Chérie has some serious strawberry credentials that strike like a punnet of Kent’s finest with a backhand of caramelized sugar.  If anything can help remind the on-court grunters that they are indeed laydees, this would be the flirty scent for the job.  It’s unashamedly girly, fruity and pink!

DIOR Miss Dior Chérie Eau de Parfum is available to buy online from www.theperfumeshop.com

4. La Prairie Midnight Rain EDP 50ml – £74.00

I don’t need to tell you what this one reminds me of?  Clue: it’s not Cliff Richard.  La Prairie Midnight Rain is another fruity floral but with some serious “ooh la la” leanings.  While Miss Dior Cherie will render you the juiciest filly in the stand, Midnight Rain will have you tearing up the turf at the after party!  Opening with some tropical top notes the fragrance dries down to a sensuous musky finish, it’s not a sexydirty scent but it’s not alltogether innocent either.  One thing’s for sure… it wouldn’t let rain stop play!

La Prairie Midnight Rain is available to buy online from www.escentual.com

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Who’s gonna win the men’s final this year and what fragrance are you wearing today?

* press sample

My first Deborah Lippmann glitter polish.  It feels like every iconic DL polish comes with it’s own story firmly entrenched in popular culture.  Glitter in the Air was created by Deborah after she had watched Pink’s performance at the 2010 Grammy Awards (if you search on You Tube you can find it).

The most important thing you should note is that in the above swatch, I have LAYERED the Deborah Lippmann polish over Essie’s Sag Harbor.  The polish on my bare nail is VERY sheer… not a good look over yellow-stained tips.  I wanted you to be able to appreciate the glitter without the distractions from my ugly nails.

So again, I repeat… even with three coats… you will be able to see your own nail beneath Glitter in the Air unless you layer it over another colour.  Got that?  Right.

The overall effect of the mani reminds me of a baby’s birthday party… it’s ethereal, light, delicate and sunny.  A true feel-good polish for the playful amongst you.  It’s limited edition for Spring 2011 and has already disappeared from the website so if you want it?  Better get down to HoF fast!

£16 for 15ml at House of Fraser.  It’s undoubtedly pretty but has a hefty price tag to match.

* press sample

You may remind yourself frequently that for reasons beyond your control, it just wasn’t meant to be… but still, late at night as you find yourself in that transitional world between wakefulness and sleep, your mind wanders.  The imagery remains as fresh today as it was nearly 24 months ago, the longing sometimes even stronger.

There will always be a missing piece to the puzzle, never adequtely filled no matter how many attempts we may make to replace it.  We could spend thousands of pounds and travel far and wide to discover a suitable sucessor.  But the question remains… “What if?”

You didn’t think I was talking about a *man* did you?  Pfft.

I didn’t pick either palette up (and I love them both) when they were available because there was simply TOO much from Dior Holiday that had made my wishlist.  I bit my lip as I told myself they were too expensive when I’d already Xmas hauled, a classic angel/devil shoulder combination.  On this occasion, I should have let the devil win.

And so it will remain for now, Dior Jazz Club palettes… the ones that got away.

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Do you have a sorry tale to tell of the Limited Edition item(s) you still wish you’d splurged on?

workhorse: noun. Something, such as a machine, that performs dependably under heavy or prolonged use.

Dior’s One Couleur Eyeshadow in Trendy Taupe is one of my go-to shades for deepening the crease.  It works well paired with anything I’ve matched it up to and blends without too much argument or swearing (from me).

Other than that… well, in all honesty, it’s completely un-exciting.  But I wouldn’t be without it.

The pigmentation is light but buildable which means that I don’t end up with “WOAH! PANDA EYES” whenever I attempt anything smoky.

Dior’s One Couleur Eyeshadow in Trendy Taupe is priced at £19.50 (ouch) and available online from House Of Fraser.  I can’t remember if it’s limited edition but I didn’t see it online at Boots.

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Anyone else suffer from the dreaded black eye effect when attempting to go smoky?

For the love of all things shimmery, creme-y and smelling of solvent will someone PLEASE stock Diamond Cosmetics nail polishes in the UK again?

It was a dark, dark day when Flashy Nails closed and took with it the last (as far as I’m aware) of the UK stock.

Let’s have a quick recap of what we’re missing…

Yeah… we don’t really need much more convincing than that do we?  But just incase you do…

And some of the ones I haven’t gotten round to swatching yet…

Did I mention these used to retail at around $2.50 a bottle in the U.S.?  Don’t make me beg now…

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So, UK ladies – are you with me?  Who do we have to bribe with fudge to get our own way… and just how much fudge are we talking!?

So, who’s for yellow nails this Summer?

Every year, the celebs get their banana polishes out of storage to threaten us with canary tips but this year… we’re in for some serious yellow fever!

image credit: MTV Style

We all knew we were in for a trend when we saw Chanel’s upcoming Mimosa polish set to launch next month but Mimosa is just the tip of the yellow-coloured iceberg!

image credit: Polish Police & Fashion Fame

1.  From NARS upcoming Summer collection, Kismet polish, described as a “shimmering sunflower”

2. Deborah Lippmann will be showing us which path to take… the jelly Yellow Brick Road of course!

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Will you be taking the plunge into the IT shade of the season or are you a bit yellow-bellied *groan* like me?

Got a picky Mum?  A lady for whom a Superdrug giftset just won’t do?  No, me neither (thank God!) but if you do… here’s some prime picks that might settle the hunger in her belly!

The best Mother’s Day Gifts for between £30 – £50!

1. Liz Earle Botanical Essence™ Eau de parfum No.1* (£40.35)

For our first ever fragrance we’ve used the finest natural botanical ingredients from around the world and the expert skills of a distinguished perfumer from Grasse, France.  We gave him the time to indulge in the age-old art of perfumery, skilfully hand-crafting this complex scent with true passion to create this vibrant, sparkling fragrance translating into warmth and sensuality.  This sensuous fragrance can be worn every day.

Well, let’s just be honest here… it’s Liz Earle meets perfume innit.  If your Mum is like most Mums out there, she’ll fall over herself to rip the carefully chosen wrapping paper off this one.

2. Eve Lom TLC Cream* (£50.00)

This intensive cream gives tender, loving care to dry and very dry skins types and is ideal for more mature complexions.  The most luxurious of all rose oils, Rose Otto of Bulgaria gently softens lines and wrinkles and imparts a delicious aroma.

A very rich cream that is ideal as an overnight treatment for softening and reinvigorating the tightest of skin types.  To put it simply, go to bed with tight, aggravated skin and wake up with supple and hydrated skin.  It’s very thick but warms up well and absorbs effectively through the night.  Mostly?  I love the rose scent.  It’s a comfort cream for poorly skins.

3. Aspinal of London Lipstick Case (£35.00)

Protect your favourite lipstick in style with this lipstick case handmade in gorgeous mock croc calf leather and lined in shimmering grosgrain.  Designed to hold one lipstick, the case closes securely with a popper fastening and even has a small handy mirror.

Squee cute much?  If pink ain’t your *cough* Mum’s thing, it’s available in a host of other colours too!

4. Oskia Renaissance Mask (£48.50)

Designed to increase cell turnover, boost radiance and packed with OSKIA’s trademark blend of beauty-boosting nutrients, this luxuriously-textured exfoliating mask leaves the complexion smoother, more refined and illuminated. Our testing panel thought its natural perfume so delicious they wanted to eat it!

Oskia have a great reputation for their “nutritionally-designed, natural skincare range” which is all about supplying the skin with a ‘diet’ of skincare goodies that include vitamins, minerals, amino acids and glucides.  If your Mum is a lover of oraganic, natural products, then you won’t go far wrong with Oskia who are proud of their ECOCERT credentials.

The Renaissance Mask promises to be a real treat, providing instant results and rinsing tired skin down the plughole to reveal a fresher you!

5. Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum (£38.50)

Femininity, luxury and style… bottled.  Green top notes give a burst of freshness, a heart of Tiger Orchid lends a creamy seductiveness, and sensual base notes of toffee and Indonesian patchouli. A modern fruity-chypre.

The best things come to those who wait and the base notes contained in the EDP are lovely.  Despite it’s base of toffee, it manages to be sweet without being cloying… they describe it as ‘creamy’ which is pretty much spot-on.  Perhaps a choice for the younger Mums out there *waves arms*.  Jimmy Choo’s inaugural fragrance is proving popular.

6. Davina Peace Citrus Fruits Candle (£36.00)

Each Davina Peace candle is inspired by a long-lasting memory of the brand’s eponymous founder.  Based on the balmy smell of citrus fruits, this candle blends the organic fragrances of Sicilian lemon peel, juicy orange, Italian bergamot and root ginger.  Dedicated to only sourcing organic ingredients where possible, Davina Peace uses only pure natural wax blended with an organic fragrance in her candles.

Nothing is more exquisitely shared between mothers and daughters than memories and Davina Peace pays tribute to the art of remembering with the fragrances she offers throughout her range.  Her Memory No. 2: Citrus Fruits candle is a perfect choice for the warmer Summer months that are hopefully beginning to open up before us!

Exclusively available at Harrods.

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Hope that gives you a little inspiration for lovely Mums everywhere!

* I have received press samples of these items in the past

Finally!  The House of Fraser Apothecary has launched online which means that poor souls like myself (who’s nearest HoF is an hours drive away) can finally take advantage of some of the new and exclusive brands available to the department store.

I previously wrote about the Lippmann Collection of nail polishes that I’m still salivating over.  I’m finding it damn near impossible to pick a preferred choice though!

I’m also curious about the Body America range of skincare… potentially good, affordable products that have enough about them (New York Cheesecake Body Butter anyone?) to raise real interest in how they feel, work and smell.

Other highlights include colostrum-based skincare brand Electric Body who hail from New Zealand and promise anti-aging delights (albeit at a price!), Aussie brand MOR – yes, they of the exquisite packaging and French pharmacie skincare brand Filorga who’s origins (in mesotherapy and injectible forms of anti-aging) promise the same results but without the needles.

I spent an indecent amount of time in the Guildford store just after Christmas… there *may* have been Guerlain purchases, I will neither confirm nor deny those rumours.

Have you stopped by the new House of Fraser Apothecary yet?

When I was making a birthday purchase for a dear friend, I couldn’t resist keeping the GWP for myself.  I know that’s naughty… but don’t act like you wouldn’t.  You wouldn’t?  Ok… now you’ve made me feel *really* bad.

Dolce & Gabbana Rose The One has been a hit on counters since it was launched last year.  It’s a very soft, feminine floral that updates the traditional rose scent and reintroduces it to a younger generation.

Of course, as with most fragrance successes comes the spin offs… the body lotions, shower gels and in this case… the body shimmer powder.

I received a ‘mini’ 6g size free with my fragrance order and have been thoroughly loving it.

As an objet d’art, it’s a really pretty thing to have sat on my dressing table.

As soon as you remove the lid you become aware of the delicate scent of roses and grapefruit.  It smells like a really clean floral… immensely feminine and quite suited as a body product.

The shimmer that this product imparts is beautiful.  Delicate, rose coloured with gold accents… it’s shimmer for grown ups.  I tap a little into the lid and use my powder brush to dust along my collarbone.  I’ve tried to catch how it looks in the photo below but not sure I’ve done it much justice.

I would definitely repurchase this in a larger size if/when I run out.  The scent it leaves on my skin is just the right amount and I would imagine that when layered with the complimenting EDP is a force to be reckoned with.

Don’t you just love a good GWP?

D&G Rose The One Shimmer Powder (in the huge 26g size) is available to buy online from John Lewis, priced at £34.

I was on the lookout for a true peach blush but I couldn’t decide whether I wanted matte or shimmer…. I do love my shimmers but it’s mattes that consistently give me the best results on my skin.

I was walking round John Lewis a couple of weeks ago checking out all the peaches at ALL the counters (I don’t do brand discrimination when I’m on a hunt) and my eyes alighted on this little number:

I don’t actually own a Dior blush… so I wasn’t really sure what to expect.  I find Dior can sometimes be a little hit and miss in terms of texture and pigment but on my pale skin, a slightly less pigmented blush can work just as well if not better.

I took the plunge!

Check it out!  Matte on the left, shimmer on the right – you CAN have your cake and eat it too!

The shimmer side is very finely milled and adds a touch of glow to the long-lasting and overall matte appearance.  It’s a great combination for shimmer/matte fence-sitters like me!  The strange thing about this blush is that although it looks scarily peach in the pan (I did have a little wobble after buying it because of this)… it actually ends up looking pretty pinky/peach on my cheeks.  Which in fairness, is probably for the best.

(A terrible patchy swatch, I’m sorry… it looks quite ruddy here.  I’ll do a FOTD when bruises have gone)

I only need to pull my brush across the surface once to pick up enough product and I do notice a little bit of excess powder lift on the pan (what’s the term for that? – when you have to blow on the pan after to get rid of the excess powder?) but it applies smoothly and blends nicely.  I really don’t have any complaints about this blush at all.  Apart from perhaps the price… but I didn’t go to the Dior counter expecting to get a Sleek bargain now did I?

I paid £27.50 for this and am truly delighted to have done so… more DiorBlush! More!

Available online and on counter, do you ladies have any other shades that you’d recommend a hopeless addict?

I don’t know about you… but when I think of ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ makeup… it’s all I can do to stifle the yawns that try desperately to escape from my body and expose my feelings.

So when I opened an email and was greeted with this London Fashion Week image…

…I was a little surprised to learn that it came from Louise Amstrup’s SS11 show, where the makeup was represented by none other than natural brand Dr. Hauschka.

Known more for their iconic Rose Day Cream than their colour palettes, I couldn’t resist having a closer look at some of their pieces when I found myself in Whole Foods this week.

I was particularly taken with this palette:

Part of this year’s Summer Impressions collection, the Cool Breeze palette is creamy, pigmented and interesting.  Quite frankly… pretty much all the things I didn’t expect it to be.  Though, I will never like having my lip products in the same palette as powders and all this loveliness comes at a price.  £40 to be exact.

Do you have any preconceptions about all-natural makeup lines – are my sterotypes out of date?

Until next year, Decleor’s new Aroma Cleanse is a QVC exclusive and claims to leave your skin feeling fresh, cleansed and hydrated.

I’ve been putting a PR sample to the test over the last month…

You only need to use a tiny amount and the pump action nozzle is quite frustrating when judging how hard to de-press in order to dispense a small amount.  Answer, about a 1/3 of the way… and this isn’t always possible!

The product does indeed foam up quickly and spreads smoothly over the skin… it smells pleasant and washes away leaving my skin feeling squeaky clean.  A little too squeaky clean for my normal/dry complexion.

I struggle with this cleanser… after use I develop an immediate and uncomfortable tightness that demands moisture.  After a few days… I notice dry patches along the tops of my cheekbones that extend into the undereye area.  This is simply too stripping for my skin.

I also take issue at the cleanser’s claims that it can be used to remove eye makeup.  I have tried it twice and I wouldn’t wish a third attempt on my worst enemy.  If even a small amount of the Decleor Aroma Cleanse enters my eye… the pain leaves me unable to open my eye properly without it streaming until it passes around 10 minutes later.  I don’t even have sensitive eyes!

I’ll be interested to discover how folks with oilier skins fare with the Aroma Cleanse… it certainly leaves your face feeling clean!

Priced at £24.56, I’m disappointed by this cleanser.  Generally a fan of Decleor (I love their night balms!), this hasn’t lived up to the high expectations I had for it.