A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

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 was sure I’d already blogged about my Guerlain Météorites Perles?  I mean, there aren’t many items I use so frequently but this is one of the ones I reach for almost every morning.

And for one, it’s a pure joy just to reach for… look…

I bought the shade 01 Teint Rosé back in March when I had a coupon code for StrawberryNet.  I’d been lusting after them forever but money-off was the final push I needed to take the plunge!

The metal tin houses 100s? (I’m not counting them) of little powder balls in a variety of lilac, green, pink, yellow and white shades that promise to colour-correct and impart a healthy glow.  It also smells like a giant parma violet.

I use this in conjunction with my Trish McEvoy powder brush #5 to swirl before lightly buffing over my face.  My personal preference is to use this when I’ve finished applying my makeup… it gives a very light covering so I consider it my ‘finishing’ powder.  To my eye, it adds luminosity and a slight soft-focus finish.  You might be interested to hear that the other product I use (when I’m not using this) is ELF’s HD Powder.  Eclectic.

Guerlain Météorites occasionally comes under accusations of being a bit “Emperors New Clothes” but all I can say about it is that it’s one of my very few Holy Grail items and will last me for (literally) many years, making its hefty price tag seem a little more justifiable.

Do you use Guerlain Météorites?  Love it?  Think it’s massively over-rated?

I have a love/hate relationship with these Guerlain Rouge G lipsticks.  They’re stupidly expensive and I blame it ALL on the elaborate casing.  Yes, the packaging is kinda delightful… it’s sexy and tactile and all those things but it also weighs my bag down and brings guilt to my purse.

Greta is a cool toned, creamy red that delivers maximum pigmentation with little effort.  It’s a formula that’s comfortable to wear for many hours despite drying down to a slight satin finish.  It’s fairly well behaved but I still wouldn’t recommend wearing without a lip liner.

Wear is slightly better than average.  I’m not sure what ‘average’ is, I haven’t really quantified it that definitively… but if I’m pleased with the wear (which I was) it means that a).  I wasn’t infront of a mirror every hour reapplying and b).  I didn’t scare myself with patchiness when I made it to the mirror.

£28 is a lot of money to spend on one lipstick and it’s not something I do that often. (honest guv)

If you wanted a signature red with classy packaging, a great formula and bold colouring… I would recommend checking out the Guerlain Rouge G reds… they also do a more orange-toned one too (the name escapes me atm).

For someone who’s scared of bronzers… I own a few.  I’ve also ditched many more.  The ones that I’ve kept work for me, though not without effort.  This isn’t a fault of the products… it’s my unconfidence with application and with wear.

The ones that I’m showing you are my current favourites based on their tone.  With my (admittedly) untrained eye… they all complement cool-toned skin.  I should also point out that I’m not talking bronzer for contouring – these are all the products I use to mostly just warm up my complexion and give it a sunkissed look.

Swatched in the same order from left to right (note that swatches are to show tone, not intensity… some are VERY heavily swatched):

1. Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Maui (£23.50)

Is it a blush, is it a bronzer?  Well… it looks a bit like a blush but if Bobbi says it’s a bronzer, who the hell am I to argue?  Maui is a warm pink shimmer that’s shot through with golden sparkle.  It’s an incredibly easy-to-use bronzer because it never looks muddy and on the rare ocassion that I actually do catch a bit of genuine sunlight… it’s much closer to how my skin would naturally colour than the more traditional golden browns available.

2. NARS Blush in Douceur L.E. (£19.50)*

Being a limited edition item <–ignore, am stoopid – it’s not Limited Edition!  I wasn’t going to include this one.  But it’s still available online at HQHair… so I figured it couldn’t hurt?  Now… this is a blush (if I’m not gonna argue with Bobbi, I’m certainly gonna agree with Francois!) but on my skintone, this matte blush works very nicely as a light pink/brown bronzer.  Although it looks dark in the pan, it’s the 2nd sheerest that I’m showing you.  Even I can’t mess this one up.  Just perfect.

3. Becca Pressed Shimmer Powder in Princess (£30)

Again, not a bronzer per se, Becca’s PSP in Princess is just lovely.  It’s shimmery but not AT ALL glittery… it’s very well behaved and grown up about things.  Smooth in texture, it imparts a subtle sun-kissed glow to my cheeks that is never overcooked.  Pricey, but worth it.

4. Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Rumour (£16)

If there were one black sheep in the set, this would be it (being Illamasqua, it had to be the naughty one didn’t it?)  The tone is perfect – devoid of any orange… and being so matte, it makes the best contour shade I own.  The problem is, that’s not saying a lot because it’s the ‘only’ contour shade I own.  I find Rumour a little hard to work with due to it’s heavy pigmentation and it can end up looking a bit muddy.  I want to love it and I feel that it’s my inexperience that stops me rather than the product itself.  Any tips for this one ladies?

5.Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder in Blondes (£31.50)

Finally, a classic.  The sheerest of the lot (and the most expensive!)  Blondes is the lightest of the three shimmery bronzer options from Guerlain.  I also own the lightest in the matte version but reach for this one more often.  I would defy anyone to overdo this… it’s a must-have for pale skintones.

Other honourable mentions: Bobbi Brown Antigua, Bobbi Brown Bali Brown, The Body Shop Warm Glow, Guerlain Terracotta 01 (matte)

.

I know that all my bronzers are at the higher-end of the price spectrum… but experience has shown me that if I want to rid myself of orange-toned monstrosities, this is where I have to look.  Please do comment and let me know if things have improved in that respect on the high street because I’ll be one of the first out the door to go check out a bargain alternative!

What are some of your favourite bronzers?

* denotes PR sample.

Nothing screams Summer like a warm bronzed complexion with copper accents.  Bronze scares me in so many ways!  I love metallics and I adore golds… but bronze?  It’s a touch red… that little bit bolder no?

Bronze and copper totally brings out the greens lurking in your iris though.

Did I tell you that I finally found a bronzer that I can apply with my eyes shut?  Guerlain Terracotta Light Bronzer in 01 Blondes.  If you’re as pale and cool toned as me and think bronzer isn’t for you?  Shut Up.  Just go and try it.  I wish I’d found it years ago.

I’ll do a proper review on it soon…

Anyway, the eyes…

I swished my Laura Geller Eye Rimz in Bewitching Bronze all over…. yeah, 1 colour.  Bite me.  I’m a lazy bitch most days, I’ve got approx 549589430 eyeshadows and 50% of the time (unless I’m showing off) I just grab one shade and go.

But check out the eyeliner! I don’t even know if it goes with the shadow… I don’t really care ‘cos it’s HOT!

Guerlain Divinora Liquid Eyeliner, I think they’re discontinued now.  The colour is immense, the packaging beautiful… the formula a little gloopy and slow-drying… but whatever, the colour. is. great.  I’ll have to start stalking eBay.

Are you stalking eBay for anything discontinued?  Do you do that?

Summer is usually all about the brights… and so perhaps, for once… naturals are the brave choice.

Introducing Guerlain’s Summer 2010 Collection:

Ombre Éclat 4 Shades  – OMBRE PERLÉES (LE) – £36.00 / €50.78

A monochrome palette of natural hues – 4 subtle shades with a touch of iridescence: Beige, satin pink, taupe and smoky brown all housed in a frosted silver case, embossed with the Guerlain logo.  A limited edition palette makes for an elegant addition to the collection.

KissKiss Baby – Limited Edition Nourishing Lip Balms – £20.00 / €27.88

Cherry Summer & Coral Sunset

I adore the formula of these Guerlain KissKiss Baby Balms made with wild mango butter and Luffa oil and those tints are just too perfect for Summer.

Ombre Éclat – 1 Shade – £19.00 / €28.89

Top – Bottom:

~ L’INSTANT D’UN BAISER (PEARLY PINK)
~ L’INSTANT D’UNE CARESSE (SMOKY BEIGE)
~ L’INSTANT D’UN RÊVE (SMOKY BROWN)
~ L’INSTANT D’UNE EMOTION (PEARLY VERDIGRIS)

Four new pearl shades have been added to the Ombre Eclat – 1 Shade line.  I’m loving the look of the Pearly Pink and Smoky Beige.

Guerlain’s Summer 2010 Collection is more about luminosity than colour, it’s about reflecting the light that Summer brings and reflecting radiance and elegance.  Personally?  I’ve already made room in my collection for that Cherry Summer KissKiss Baby balm.

Available on counters nationwide from the 5th June 2010

What say you?  Too subtle for Summer or understated elegance?

I know, I know… my head is telling me…

“That’s gonna be expensive.  You’re gonna get it and then look at the pattern for a few months perhaps finally drumming up the courage to tarnish it sometime next November”.

But, but just look at it!  Is it art? Is it makeup?  I don’t care… I want it!