A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Whenever I look at a Philosopy Christmas Gift Set, it reminds me of exactly how I want my Christmases to look.  Sure, it’s a little bit (a lot) twee and there’s enough glitter involved to get your local drag queen banging down your door, but c’mon.  It’s CHRISTMAS!!!!! (nearly).

The Philosophy Jolly Jubilee set comprises two items:

Holly Jolly Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bubble Bath (120ml)
Crisp Berry Lip Shine (15ml)

This would make a perfect Secret Santa gift with the wrapping already done for you courtesy of a cute red velvet bow and beautifully designed tin in which the products sit.  Priced at £16 and available instore and online from John Lewis & Selfridges.

Do you like Philosophy gift sets or are their idealized Christmas scenes a little too much cuteness for you to bear?!

Morning Campers!  This post is up bright and early, are you?

You have my sympathy.  It’s dark outside and it’s flippin’ cold.  The kids have probably started whining already, your other half would have most certainly guffed before leaving the bedroom, and I bet you forgot to put your phone on charge last night.  Whatever morning mishaps await you, life can truly suck at this time of day.

Well – they say the early bird gets to scoff all the worms (or something like that) and today is going to be a prime example of society’s bias towards those who rise with the lark.

Recognise these nail wraps?  Of course you do, I posted about them last month.  They’re from Nail Rock and are currently being sold in Boots having been especially created for BBC Children in Need, which is tomorrow – should you need reminding.

I have 25 of these nail wraps to give away right now!

Courtesy of Boots, I’ll be giving these lovely nail wraps to the first 25 people who leave a comment telling me what I should have for breakfast today.

Now come on, don’t leave it too late – a girl’s gotta eat, I wanna see these snapped up quicker than a bowl of Rice Krispies.  Only open to UK residents I’m afraid.  If it’s 10pm in your ‘hood, that’s just cheating see?!

On your marks, get set, GO! (You may need to refresh (CTRL+F5) the page to see your comment)

T&C
1. Entry open to UK residents only.
2. The first 25 eligible commenters will each receive a set of BBC Children in Need Nail Rock Nail Wraps.
3. One entry per person, duplicate entries will be deleted.
4. Winners will be chosen according to how they appear on my screen, my decision is final.
5. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
6. Competition closes when 25 eligible entries have been received.
7. Winners list will be published on-site on Saturday 19th November and I will email all winners shortly after.
8. I have no control over which colour Nail Rock Nail Wraps you receive, please don’t make requests!

As a global brand marketed to the masses, Pantene have never been known to rest on their laurels.  To remain competitive, uber-brands such as Pantene who dominate their markets in this way simply have to stay ontop of the latest technologies and even more than that, often be the first to implement them.

The downside to this, from a consumer point of view is that TOO MUCH CHOICE can be a bad thing.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood in-front of the haircare shelves in my local supermarket, taking far too long to decide which shampoo to buy and I know that most of us (unless you’re majorly brand loyal) face this same dilemma each time we shop.  I mean, ok… it’s one of those 1st world ‘problems’ that isn’t really a problem but in such a competitive market-place, these little things can make a big difference to consumers.

Pantene have relaunched, re-branded…. all that “re” stuff that doesn’t really matter too much to us unless we’re interested by the marketing side of things.  What they’ve actually done, in terms that I can get my head around is have a little re-jig.  And it looks something like this…

Still looks a bit excessive right?  It’s not!

Here are three choices, you can only pick one.  Is your hair?

Fine
Normal to Thick
Coloured/Highlighted (if your hair is coloured, choose this option regardless of the texture)

OK, got one?  Well, that’s all you need to know to shop the entire range easily and with confidence because Pantene have divided all of their products into these three categories which should in theory, make choosing the right product for your hair type, simple.

Gone should be the days of working out that “volumising” shampoos should be used for fine hair, “protecting” for coloured and “smoothing” for thicker hair types.  The industry loves a good buzz word and the above examples are some of the less “out-there” descriptions of what a hair product is supposed to achieve.  With the relaunch, stick to that initial question and you’ll be sure to choose a product designed with your hair type in mind.

As part of the relaunch, the brand are also introducing new formulas and ingredients, one of which involves a breakthrough ingredient for dry, frizzy hair-types called AM Triquat-76.  This patented whatsit (insert scientific word there) aids silicones to deposit themselves evenly across the hair shaft, thus smoothing the cuticle more effectively with less weigh-down than before and offering better protection from styling.

So, there you have it – the new look Pantene and the reasons behind all these changes.  To read more about the relaunch and what it means for your favourite products, click through to the Pantene site.

 Which hair type are you?

There’s a new nail brand on the scene and they’re devoted to the classics.

NIYOT are headed up by designer and beauty expert Toyin Badiru who spent many years working as a nail technician in the industry before deciding to go it alone with her own range of 4-free (formaldehyde, toluene, DBP and parabens) nail polishes.

The inaugural three shades from the UK-based company hark back to the classic red, my favourite shade for intstant polish (pardon the pun).

CEO Blood (powerful vampy deep red)
Lost Red (classic but difficult to find pillar box red)
Fire Red (vibrant bright red)

Which red would you go for?

The range is available exclusively online at at www.niyot.com and shades retail at £8 each.

I’m not a big fan of nail wraps but wanted to give a shout out to these rather cute dotty ones from Nail Rock which are currently available to buy in Boots priced at £6.65

If I don’t like them, why the mention?  Well… a very decent 25% (£1.66) from each purchase will go directly to BBC’s Children in Need and help disadvantaged kids across the UK.  Now as charitable as I aspire to be, I’m not one for bathing in tins of beans or sponsored beard shaves (what?) – this is far more my cuppa tea.

Having said that, if you prefer to donate directly — you can find out all you need to know about donating right here.

MAC’s Oh, Oh, Oh lustre lipstick was recently released in the brand’s 8438594th collection of the year.  Oh ok, it was released in their huge 51-piece MAC Me Over collection for Autumn.  Said collection included a total of eight lipsticks, I fell in love with one.

MAC Oh, Oh, Oh is an unlikely-looking contender in the tube with an overwhelming impression that you’re looking at a bronze/copper shade.  Not so my fellow lipstick-lovers, for Oh, Oh, Oh is infact a beautiful plum with vibrant gold shimmer, rendering it absolutely perfect for Autumn.

Lustres are my favourite MAC lipstick finish, sheer (but not too sheer) and glossy with a softer texture than most.  Once warmed up, it glides on with no issues and imparts a healthy dose of colour to my naturally unpigmented lips.

I like to wear MAC Oh, Oh, Oh with a pink or plum blush, a slick of eyeliner and not much else.  The beauty in this lipstick lies in the golden shimmer that deserves to take the main stage.

Have you found your favourite Autumn lipstick yet?

MAC Oh, Oh, Oh Lustre Lipstick is still available on the MAC Website in the going-going-gone section priced at £13.50, if you wanted to snap up a great choice for Autumn, better be quick!

I love new foundations, there’s nothing like peering at a shiny, unopened tube of foundation and just allowing yourself to imagine for a few minutes that this will be the one.  The one that never makes you want to stray to another.  The one that makes you look well-rested, flawless and smoother than a baby’s bottom.

This ain’t the one.  But it does come pretty darn close.

MyFace Cosmetics MyMix Foundation in Fair 01 is a brilliant colour match for my skintone, lucky that, seeing as it’s the lightest they do.  Although the packaging isn’t very pretty, it’s incredibly useful as I discovered trying to pack my travel makeup bag last weekend.  I didn’t have much room, I was only away for a single evening and wanted to be able to fit everything into a large handbag (clothes and all).  This thin tube happily slipped into a gap and for that, my shoulders were very grateful.

The texture is thin, but not watery.  Light, but still substantial enough to feel like you’re applying product.

It’s not for people who want to cover severe blemishes and breakouts (I guess we’re supposed to use concealer for that anyway), and I wouldn’t describe this as a ‘going out’ foundation but this does make the most perfect daytime foundation.  The foundation you want to not let you down under scrutiny, stand in some bright light and you’re not going to be shamed by this clinging to every fine hair on your face.  It’s not going to highlight any little dry patches and it won’t sit in your pores.  It won’t give you full coverage either.  MyMix Foundation is potent enough on my skin to give it a gloss over that lies somewhere inbetween a tinted moisturiser and a medium-cover foundation.  It disguises blotchiness, tones down redness (but doesn’t eliminate it) and gently smoothes over dodgy skin texture without hiding it completely.

On a good skin day, this will make you look flawless.  On a rubbish skin day, you will need some extra work and on an average Monday morning, you’ll be so pleased with how effortlessly this blends and makes you look human again, you’ll be singing its praises till lunchtime.

So, why is it not my Holy Grail?  Well, partially, I don’t think I really want to give anything that status because what if the next best thing is lurking just around the corner?  But mostly, I’d just love a tiny hint more coverage from it.  Not too much because that would probably ruin the magic.  Just a hair.

Oh, I forgot to mention that this stuff lasts really well on my combination skin too, a bit of slip on the nose by lunchtime but massively admirable for what is, after all, a ‘drugstore’ foundation.  If your skin is prone to oiliness, you may need to combine with a primer to get the best results.

Let me finish with some more photos, I’ve been a bit wordy!

What do you think?  Have you tried the MyFace Cosmetics MyMix Foundation and does it offer enough coverage for you?

MyFace Cosmetics MyMix Foundation is priced at £12.99 and available instore and online at Boots.com

What is it?

OPI and Lena White have released a new shade in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  OPI Pink of Hearts Pink Shatter Top Coat builds on the already popular shatter lineup with a new, pinked-up shade!

How much is it?

Individual bottles are priced at £10.50 each.

How much of our money goes to supporting PINK projects?

£1 from the sale of every bottle will be donated as a contribution to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity for their ongoing research into cancer.

How do I get it?

Available from www.lenawhite.co.uk

It’s undoubtedly their duochromes that set Nubar apart from the competition and I’ve got a very pretty one to show you today.  Indigo Illusion is a liac/blue/green/grey infusion of colour that dances on the nails depending on the amount of light hitting it and from what angle it strikes.

Three smooth coats will ensure a fully opaque finish from a brand that is fast becoming one of my favourites.  No top coat in the above image either.

Nubar Indigo Illusion is available to buy online from BeautyBay.com and is priced at £5.50 with free delivery.

If you invented your own duochrome polish, which colours would you include?

Are you excited?  I’m very excited, what a lovely prize (even if I do say so myself…)

The lucky winner of my signed bottle of Michael Kors for Women (of which there are only TEN in the world!) is….

Mary Christiansen!

Congratulations Mary, I hope you love your prize!  I’ll be getting in touch v. soon to nab your postal details so I can pass them on and get your flippin’ gorgeous prize dispatched!

Thanks for taking part everyone and better luck next time!

Well, more… mini-sized, nano would just be ridiculous despite the mileage one might get from the whole alliteration thing.  Could you imagine trying to paint your nails with a brush designed for a nano-sized container?  That would take polish rage to a whole other level.  You get polish rage too right?

The sizing comes in at 7ml and retails online at around the £5.25 mark.  It doesn’t work out to be the most cost-effective way to purchase polish (buy in bulk people) but it’s still a cute gift idea for people you don’t like enough to shell out the full amount of money on right?

Was I not supposed to say that out loud?

What I particularly like about the mini range is that Nubar have included some of their cult classics (*cough* Peacock Feathers *cough*) in the 54-piece shrinkies and not held their best-selling shades hostage.

Nubar minis are available online at BeautyShed priced at £5.25 each or from Nubar-Nailz priced at £5.00 each

On Monday night, I was invited to attend a rare UK appearance from Dr. Howard Murad who was visiting the UK with his son Jeff to introduce a few new products to the brand’s lineup.  Included in the launch are a new range of primers, marketed as “Hybrids” that draw maximum inspiration from the well-established skincare line.

The 4-piece range includes:

Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer Matte Finish (£27)
Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer Dewy Finish (£27)
Hybrids Eye Lift Illuminator (£25)
Hybrids Eye Lift Perfector (£25)

The two Skin Perfecting Primers in the range project obvious differences in overall finish (one matte, one glowy) but both claim to offer universal shade-matching from an oil-free formula.  They promise to disguise flaws, even skin texture and minimise the appearance of pores whilst balancing oil production.  Sadly, there’s nothing specific in the release about promoting longevity of makeup but that may well come under the ‘balancing oil production’ umbrella.

The other two products are intended for the eye area.  The Eye Lift Illuminator promises to instantly brighten the eyes thanks to a colour corrective formula (violet-toned), whilst hydrating, de-puffing, and minimising dark circles to give the surrounding delicate skin a more youthful appearance.

The final product is the Eye Lift Perfector which promises the same improvements to general skin health as the Illuminator but with the addition of a natural tint (concealer) to even skin tone further.

I won’t deny it, I’m very excited to try the skin primers – and for one reason in particular.  The brand have placed emphasis on something that sounds remarkably worthy of an eye-roll but has me wetting myself in anticipation regardless…

Pore Factor-5.

Murad describes Pore Factor-5 as a proprietary technology that will…

~ Improve skin grain by tightening dilated pores
~ Blends with skin’s natural pigments to add luminosity to the skin while msoothing out fine lines and wrinkles
~ Normalizes oil production and helps control bacterial proliferation
~ Soothes and reduces inflammation
~ Protects against the damaging effects of UV-induced free radicals to preserve and improve skin elasticity, firmness and tone.

Honestly, I’m too fixated on that first one to bother caring about the rest.  Note how it doesn’t say ‘improves the appearance of pores’.  Yeahhhh Murad, you’ve just given me a BENCHMARK.  I like benchmarks.

I’ll be putting the primers to the test over the next few weeks and will be looking for all these lovely, instant results that I wanna see.  As a fairly pore-y kinda chick, I’ve got my fingers crossed.

Murad’s new Hybrids range is available to buy online from Murad, Feel Unique, Urban Retreat Beautique and from leading salons and spas nationwide.