A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Twice a week, I’m instructed to make bubble monsters of varying shapes and sizes.  Some are scary, some are friendly… some exist for mere seconds before a chubby toddler squishes them back down beneath the water. Others cling to the bath until I can be bothered to flush them down the plughole with a healthy dose of Cif.  We like bubbles in our house and a bath simply isn’t a bath without an accompaniment of pops and froth.

Imperial Leather have released a duo of limited edition fragrances, one of which caught my eye owing to the fact that it alludes to one of my favourite perfumery notes, and one that you don’t usually see in high street bodycare products, Amber.

Claiming an intoxicating base note of Amber, the Blissful* range (which comprises a shower gel and a bath cream) promises a highly nourishing formula, balanced to be pH neutral.  Other than the colour in the bottle, I didn’t detect too much of the promised amber but it does still offer a warm and comforting exotic floral scent.  Containing jojoba pearls to help both exfoliate and offer additional moisturisation and with bubbles a-plenty, it passed the toddler test with flying colours.

The other limited edition fragrance is Sublime and is based around a pomegranate scent, expect a far fruitier affair!

Can you remember the Imperial Leather ads from when we were growing up?  I found this one on You Tube and have to say, despite it featuring the magnificent Julie Walters, this one slipped my attention!

The new Imperial Leather Limited Editions range of pampering shower and bath creams are available from all major retailers, with an RRP of £1.89 per 250ml shower cream and £1.53 per 500ml bath cream.

* press sample

These trio of eyeshadows from Illamasqua’s latest Human Fundamentalism* collection landed on my desk this week and I thought I’d post up some swatches.  The three matte shades are: Vernau (yellow ochre), CanCan (bright lilac purple), and Pivot (yellow green).  Get ready for some piccies… (I dunno why I always say that like it’s 2001 and you’re all hitting X so as not to max out your 56k dial up *shrugs*)

The shades have fair to good pigmentation (for mattes) and blend nicely.  The pick up is powdery but again, this is something you often have to contend with when you’re using a matte formula.  On with the swatches…

Applied on dry skin with no primer (please excuse the cycling scratches).  The pales don’t look too chalky considering.

Each shade applied with Illamasqua’s Sealing Gel* (as you would for an eyeliner application).

My attempts at a FOTD sadly ended with me looking at myself in the mirror and declaring “you look like a twat in those colours”.

But…. and this is where it gets interesting…

I went to the bathroom to remove my clown face and upon scrubbing with face wash and warm water….

The swatches done with the Sealing Gel would. not. budge.  I mean, they really wouldn’t budge.  I’m sat here 5 hours later and they’re still looking at me.

So my review is being thoroughly hijacked because I can’t coo over a trio of eyeshadows in shades that I wouldn’t be seen dead in (did I mention Illamasqua will makeover your dead body?).  However… I can get excited over the Illamasqua Sealing Gel which would be a phenomenal addition to your makeup routine if, like me, you have hooded eyelids and can’t stop eyeliner from transfering up to your hairline when you blink a bit too hard.

The shadows are ok, if you’re gonna get all hot and sweaty over them… you probably don’t read my blog anyway to be honest.  But check out the inconspicuous looking bottle of sealing gel next time you’re near a counter.  I already own/use a mineral-makeup branded sealing gel… this is 100x better.

Illamasqua’s sealing gel is priced at £10.50 and can be purchased on counter or online.  Also, if you haven’t seen them already – check out Illa’s pretty glorious moving swatches on their new-fangled website.  The Human Fundamentalism Collection can be seen here.

* press sample

My poor, poor face.  I’m in the middle of a snot fest and I’m now understanding why I was brought up on a diet of haliborange.  Throughout the year I’m not a terribly sickly person (I was as a kid) which is just aswell because I’m the biggest wimp you could meet (probably).  I even have a ‘cold’ voice – you know that weak-sounding, more-than-slightly whiney tone that resonates through the nose more than the throat?  My poor family.  Anyway, this week’s cold has been particularly frustrating because of how beautiful it’s been outside!  The whole family have had it and thus we’ve been mostly quarantined indoors through the weekend.  I decided to make a break for it yesterday and thus needed a face of makeup to disguise my ravaged skin.  It’s so dry and dull, combined with the snot-induced nose flakes and hormonal jaw-line mega zits?  Not pretty.

I massaged my freshly-washed skin with a combination of Liz Earle SuperSkin Concentrate* and Alpha H All For Eve Age Delay Facial Oil* in an attempt to revive some life.  Kinda like a cardiac massage for the face before giving my driest spots (flakey bits) at light cover of Lucas Paw Paw Ointment (this stuff is great for disguising nose flakes).  I went with the spring-like weather and injected some colour onto my face with a bright streak of blue under my lower lashline.  This is my favourite way to wear the shade and I do it quite a lot in the Summer.  Anyway, enough talk.  Here’s my Springtime in the Sahara FOTD:

I think I could have done with a touch of highlighter but I’m otherwise looking fairly perky considering I felt like DEATH.  Like my Tammy Faye Baker eyelashes?  Tough – I do!  I never put that much on my lower lashes normally but now I’m gonna (until I get bored of it).

I’m wearing:

Skinfood Gingko Green BB Cream
Priori Perfecting Mineral Foundation (lightly buffed where I needed more coverage)*
Maybelline Pure Cover Mineral Concealer

KIKO Automatic Waterproof Eyeliner
Laura Mercier Luster Eye Colour in Marina under the lower lashline
Benefit They’re Real Mascara*
Illamasqua Eye Brow Cake in Gaze (I found it, I found it!)

Benefit Hervana Blush* (I did promise you a FOTD with this beauty)
Boots No7 Vital Brights Lipstick in Blooming Pink*

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What do you think?  Bit too early in the year to pull out these shades?  Hope you’re well and less snotty than me!  At least the pancakes (bacon and maple syrup!) cheered me up!

* press samples

You’re more than likely familiar with the name Illuminum thanks to the Duchess of Cambridge’s decision to wear the brand’s White Gardenia Petals on her wedding day earlier this year, causing a mass sell out of the floral fragrance.

Following this runaway success, the British-based fragrance house are opening what is thought to be the largest independent perfumery in the world right here, in the heart of London.

‘Fume heads everywhere will be delighted to hear that the concept behind the boutique revolves around the idea that luxury fine fragrance should not be about rushing, tills and counters.  The space has been designed to invite customers to sit, have a cup of coffee and take their time over the all-important business of scenting!

I want to create an oasis of fragrance in the heart of the city.  There will be no rushing at The Fragrance
Lounge, you can sit and enjoy an espresso or a glass of champagne and take you time – selecting from my scents should be a joyous experience and there are 32 to choose from! — Michael Boadi (creator)

From bespoke offerings to the Haute Perfume Collection comprising of 16 newly launched scents, there should be something for everyone to admire, though with prices starting from £70 for the classic collection and ranging up to £7,500 for a uniquely bespoke creation — it won’t be for everyone.  I quite fancy going in there for a Pretty Woman moment, anyone wanna be my Richard Gere?

The Illuminum Fragrance Lounge will open at 41/42, Dover Street, Mayfair, London.

The lovely Lily from BeautysBadHabit is doing another stint with us today and showcasing Illamasqua’s latest collection: Theatre of the Nameless – take it away Lily!

Illamasqua have been at it again with their Autumn/ Winter collection, ‘Theatre of the Nameless’, being yet another which has had the blogosphere abuzz. Inspired by the dark, decadent creatures of ’20s Berlin who owned the night with illicit acts and wild looks, the ‘Theatre of the Nameless’ is an unapologetic nod towards Illamasqua’s original inspirations.

To my surprise, when Charlotte received a few ‘Theatre of the Nameless’ items to review, she sent them my way since such ‘odd’ shades are pretty everyday for me! Especially lipsticks, with Illamasqua ‘Disciple’ (inky navy blue) being a firm favourite.

‘Kontrol’ lipstick (£15.50) is a medium dark, blue toned purple with a twist of grey and extremely impressive pigmentation. One swipe and this baby is as opaque as they come. To me, ‘Kontrol’ is the perfect ‘night on the town’ colour if you’re a little…um…gothically inclined? Alternatively natured? Heck. If you’re up for wearing something more interesting or ‘edgy’ than primary red or hot pink – this is for you!

I love ‘Kontrol’ with a strong, opaque, sharp application, but it also looks lovely dabbed on and coated with a sheer gloss for a more forgiving finish. This lipstick will last as long as you do, I’ve gone entire days (and then well into the night) wearing this without it fading or smudging – very impressive indeed!

‘Kink’ polish (£13.50) is one of four from this collection, all of which have the same ‘rubber-look’, waxy finish. The new texture (for Illamasqua at least, I recognise the finish as satin/ semi-matte) is bound to be love it or hate it with all who try it. Personally, I’m a fan, though my opinion may have been swayed by the gorgeous, deep green colour! ‘Kink’ was extremely thin (managed to drip it down my jeans – oops), opaque in two coats, fast drying and lasted two days before any chips appeared – which, for me, is average. The best thing? It’s called ‘Kink’. ‘KINK’. Who doesn’t want to say they have a bottle of ‘Kink’?!

All in all, another fascinating and boundary pushing (green gloss – need I say more?) collection from Illamasqua, but by now – would we expect anything less?

I’m usually the woman who loves the fragrances that others hate, so reading Julian Kynaston describe the brand’s first foray into perfumery as:

There’s no middle ground with Freak.  The name, the packaging and the fragrance will polarise opinion to simply love or hate.

I can’t help but feel tremendously excited.  I’m really hoping for something that strays wildly from the well-trodden, mass-appeal fruity-floral, mild musk that proliferates the market today.

Illamasqua’s Freak lists top notes of: Black Davana, Opium Flower and Belladonna followed up with heart notes that include: Poison Hemlock, Datura and Queen of  the Night (are they making these florals up?) sitting on a base of aromatic Frankincense, Oud and Myrrh.  Finally, something I can grasp at, and although I’m not the world’s bigest fan of Frankincense, I do love (quality) Oud and Myrrh.  Freak will be available to purchase only in 75ml bottles and will be priced at £59.00.

I have a niggling concern that Illamasqua Freak has the potential to demonstrate a classic case of style over content.  Everything about the fragrance has been so carefully constructed to fit with the brand’s ethos and whilst that’s clearly not something to be criticised, I hope that the sum of these individual (edgy-sounding) notes add up to something that represents and rings true for their fans.  I don’t actually care if I hate it, I just want it to be engaging enough to make me care one way or another.  I also want it to be powerful, with great sillage and turn heads regardless – it wouldn’t be Illamasqua without that quality.  The fact that it will be released exclusively as an EDP has me hoping.

First impressions based upon the campaign film and images alone?  I dislike the name, love the film and adore the bottle.

So there we have it, Illamasqua’s first fragrance.  On paper, it works.  On the fragrance blotter and under our noses?  Time will tell.

Freak by Illamasqua is available for pre-order from the 3rd October online at Illamasqua.com before it launches on the 20th October.

There’s nothing like an el-cheapo nail polish to quench that insatiable itch to buy something.  I was walking round town last week and felt the need to scratch.  Still recovering from the new lens purchase (it may be some time), I dived into Superdrug for something that wouldn’t break the bank and emerged triumphant with this little beauty…

…BeautyUK to be precise.  Voodoo – No. 55 (£1.99) is an absolute cracking shade for Autumn, a deep russet with a playful shimmer that glows in the right light.  Two coats to achieve opacity, I did get a tiny bit of bubbling on one nail which made me a little more careful with the application than I might normally be.

After admiring my manicure for half a day, I decided, beautiful though it is, I wanted moar Autumn.  I dug out my Inglot Flakie #205 and slapped on a coat…

Now we’re talking!  I see toffee apples, fallen leaves, crisp afternoons and misty mornings.  Brrr… c’mon Autumn, I’m ready for you!

Are you ready for Autumn?  Digging out your vampier shades yet?

In a world that seems to take ever-increasing pleasure from bringing others down, just five minutes of your time please.

http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/

I picked this up at the start of the week from the Inglot store in Westfield.  I was impressed with the super-fluid texture that I knew would combine nicely with my foundation.  I tend to use liquid highlighters to give a boost of radiance to my foundations rather than as ‘spot’ highlighters.

There are a few colour options available, I didn’t take not of exactly how many… but something like 6?  I chose the pale gold which looks remarkably yellow.  Infact, truth be told… I didn’t choose it.  The SA told me I should choose it over the two that I was contemplating (a white/silver and a rose gold).  I was unsure because this really is pale GOLD gold.  She argued that it would tone down the pink-tones in my skin for a more even complexion.

Yeah, that sold it.

I’ve been mixing a single pump into my foundation before applying and I really like it.  It’s not glittery but gives a nice amount of radiance to my complexion.  I also agree that I’d been steered toward a good colour choice… it doesn’t give me a more neutral-toned complexion but it compliments what is already there without exacerbating the pink undertone.

I can’t find my receipt but I think it was around £11, a bargain compared to similar products like the Armani Fluid Sheers (love those too).

Do you mix highlighter in with your foundation?

Inlight are a soil association-backed organic skincare brand hailing from deepest, darkest Cornwall with a philosophy geared toward homeopathic formulations and highly concentrated products.

The product I’m talking about today is their Organic Face Cleanser which is packed full of natural ingredients suspended in a moisturising base of coconut oil.  I’m familiar with many types of oil and balm-based cleansers, they form an important step in my daily cleansing routine since discovering the “like attracts like” properties of oil for makeup removal a few years ago.

Inlight’s Organic Face Cleanser is, to put it simply, high quality.  It contains no synthetic fillers to bulk the volume and every last gram has been engineered with great thought as to what purpose each ingredient serves.  The website impressively lists the skincare benefits alongside the ingredient list, transparency is key and it’s a real pleasure to be able to break down the properties to their base values.

For your money (£27.00), you get 60ml of product.  That’s not a lot of product for a cleansing balm, something that you reach for daily and although you don’t need a huge amount to cleanse your face… I was only able to make my pot last around 35 days.  We’re not talking an inexpensive product but then… you don’t pay peanuts and get high quality do you?

I sometimes find the scent overpowering with organics, they can be very heady and herbal.  Not unbearable but often a little overwhelming.  This face cleanser is reminiscent of a good (but not too heavy) aromatherapy oil, the multiple natural scents in the jar don’t jostle for pole position and I can appreciate a few individual notes in there (mostly the lavender and lemon).

The texture is beautifully creamy, it spreads over my face nicely with good slip but enough drag to encourage a good facial massage during application.  Breathe in deeply as you apply it and you’re benefiting from the fragrance aswell.  I have bitten the bullet, taken the plunge and can confirm that I’ve encountered no eye irritation despite being thoroughly clumsy during the mascara removal stage!  Often oils and balms will cloud my vision (at best) or send me scurrying for the cold water tap to flush my eyes (at worst).  The Inlight Organic Face Cleanser does neither, we’re in the retina-friendly zone with this one!

I don’t have any complaints with makeup removal, it does the job well and cleanses my skin nicely.  I don’t wear waterproof mascara but seeing as this is an oil-based product anyway, I can’t imagine it being less effective on more stubborn products.  My only gripe with the Inlight Organic Facial Cleanser is that it’s not an emulsifying cleanser.  Don’t expect this to turn the water cloudy and rinse cleanly away without a bit of effort on your part.

With hindsight, this is both a good and bad thing.

I’m used to emulsifying cleansers, infact I rate them on how well they emulsify.  I dislike being left with an oily residue which is precisely what this one will do unless you’re diligent in your rinsing, wringing, rinsing, repeat.  For me, this is definitely the 1st step in a 2-part cleansing ritual… I need to double cleanse after using this.  I say it like it’s an inconvenience but the truth is, I’ve always double-cleansed anyway.  Even with the best emulsifiers, so I’m not sure why I consider it an issue.  Infact, because the ingredients are so pure… I’d be tempted to suggest that those with very dry or mature skin not even bother with a 2nd cleanse.  Any residue from those ingredients will probably do you more good than stripping everything away with a 2nd cleanser.  I guess it boils down to what you’re used to.

Which brings me to my final point.  What I’m used to… well, I’m used to oils and balms leaving my skin a little tight.  Nothing I can’t put right with a dose of heavy bed-time moisture but still, it’s a compromise I’ve always made.  The Inlight Organic Face Cleanser doesn’t leave me with any tightness despite feeling more astringent (read: effective) on my combination (read: congested) bits, I’m just not experiencing the dryness I would have expected.  Perhaps it’s the lack of those emulsifying agents?

So there we have it.  An effective, high quality cleanser that I’d rate as excellent for combination skin.  It doesn’t emulsify and it (probably) won’t leave you with tightness.  It smells good and it feels like you’re treating your skin to the best you can afford.  Only problem is, I’m not sure I can afford it on a monthly basis.

Inlight Organic Face Cleanser* is priced at £27.00 for 60ml and available online from Inlight Organic Skincare

* press sample

I went to the Beak St. store last week in an attempt to find a shade match for the new Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation.  I’d previously been to the Selfridges counter where they were OOS of the shade the MUA had recc’ed for me, #2.  Once at Beak St. I had a closer look at the tester for #2 and I wasn’t convinced.  It’s very pale.  Like proper porcelain pale.  I’m pale but ruddy with it and dislike “too pale” foundations even more than ones that are a little too dark thanks to a morbid fear of a face that looks like an uncooked pasty.

Again, I was matched to #2 and though I could see where the MUA was coming from with her recommendation, I asked her if she knew whether the base was prone to oxidising in the hopes it was!  In other words, I still wasn’t convinced by the shade but I wanted to try the formula so badly I was clutching at straws just so that I could convince myself into purchasing.

The MUA disappeared and came back with a little sample tube which was a kind gesture gratefully received and one that has since saved me £25.00 of disappointment.

Illamasqua’s latest foundation is marketed as being inspired by the Asian BB Cream market, promising to smooth, soften and condition your skin whilst providing natural, buildable coverage.  Unfortunately, my experiences don’t tally with any of those claims.

The formula is thick but not unblendable, it takes well to warming up with your fingertips before spreading over your face.  This makes it (as with most true BB creams) a good lazy day foundation… no brushes are needed, just apply… blend with your fingers and go.

As for natural coverage?  I found this a little on the heavy side.  Not too heavy… but heavier than I’d like to call ‘natural’.  As with most things as subjective as this, you may well be immensely pleased to hear that it’s a fuller coverage foundation!

But my first disappointment (aside from the lack of sun protection and downplayed skincare ingredients) was the shade.  Now, with 18 shades available, I’ve got a cheek moaning about it.  But despite those 18 shades, I haven’t found a match.  The Missha #21 is pretty much perfect for me… this is too pale and the next shade up is too yellow… any further than that and it’s too dark.

IMO possibly the first time my skin has looked better WITHOUT foundation.

The second disappointment came with the flakies.  My skin is admittedly quite unbalanced… I have flakes and congestion occupying the same areas.  Before applying any foundation, I moisturise well… it’s a rare foundation that can take the place of my moisturiser but look, flakies immediately after applying despite a good dose of Oilatum.

The foundation clearly sent out mini heat-seeking missiles to every dry spot on my face and clung on for dear life.  I just can’t recommend this for dry-skinned sisters… these flakes weren’t apparent before foundation, though of course I’m not denying they were there but I don’t enjoy foundations that accentuate my dryness like this.

Finally, despite the dryness thing… I found that this didn’t control oil very well either!  The centre strip down the bridge of my nose was shiny within a couple of hours and the foundation had slipped from my t-zone by lunchtime.

sexy

I really think this foundation should be tried before buying.  It’s garnered some rave reviews across the net by some awesome reviewers whose opinions I trust implicitely.  I think that the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation is simply a slippery customer and will either delight or disgust you.  Do try and get a sample or a full face applied by a MUA before purchasing.

For me, this doesn’t compare to my BB Creams… infact, it reminds me of my MUFE HD Foundation which as a revered product is probably a huge compliment.  But then I disliked my MUFE HD foundation for the same reasons.

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation is priced at £25 and available instore, on counter or online.

Have you tried it?  How did you find it?

First launched by the model extraordinaire into the UK in 1997, the brand described as being for “Women with Skin of Color” are introducing a new mineral liquid foundation to its range of base products.  The range already consists of powder and cream bases, so a liquid option just in time for Summer completes the set nicely.

IMAN Luxury Radiance Liquid Makeup Enriched with Minerals (£23.95) offers a sheer-to-medium coverage and comes in 8 shades.

According to the IMAN Cosmetics website, the shade range begins at around a MAC NC35/44 so as you might expect, none of these shades are intended to come close to catering for a woman of clearlynocolouratall like me but I’m sure there’ll be useful swatches-a-plenty appearing soon on WOC-friendly blogs for you to feast your eyes upon!

I’ll focus on some other stuff from the brand that caught my eye…

The Eye-Con Kit… a cute enough set but has the line’s packaging seen an update since the 90s?

The above two photos show IMAN’s hero bronzing product Afterglow which I can totally vouch is pretty much flippin’ stunning.  See how those shades would easily work on all skintones?  I was impressed with the subtle shimmer, delicate colour and soft texture.  A beautiful bronzer indeed and one that I would definitely consider picking up.

Four shimmering liquid eyeliners available from the brand’s Luxury Liquid Eyeliner range in Platinum, Sapphire, Onyx and Copper.  The pigmentation was good and as you can see, the colours are stunning.

See that bottom shadow?  I had a mild stroke when I saw its taupey goodness looking at me.  Wicked is a shadow from their Luxury Eye Defining Powder range.  I experienced virtually no fall out with this loose shadow and it glided on nicely pigmented.  I wasn’t so keen on the lighter, golden shade swatched above which packed a lot less pigment by comparison.

Luxury Lip Shimmers – I didn’t inspect these close up but judging by those swatches on Yinka’s hand… they pack a decent punch of colour!

Now, at the moment… the IMAN Cosmetics range isn’t the easiest to come across.  Infact, unless you live in London… you’re gonna struggle to access it until it makes its way online.  Current stockists can be found by visiting the find-a-store page on the website.