A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

This new treatment from Pantene Pro-V promises to tame the frizz for up to 24 hours with a non-sticky formula.  Well, it pretty much does what it says on the tin.  THE END.

Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek Range (minus the intensive treatment!)

OK, not really the end… that would be a speed review and a half.  There’s a teeny bit more to this new hair release than meets the eye.

Pantene asked one of the top UK Spas (Stoke Park Spa by SPC) if they were willing to embark on a little experiment with them.  It involved a blind test… you know the deal, get in some guinea pigs – give ’em the posh cat food hair treatment and then give ’em the high street alternative.  Well, the punters couldn’t tell the difference between the Pantene range and the £60 spa treament and neither could the expert stylists.

Stoke Park Spa by SPC, when I die… I’d like Heaven to look a bit like this.

But what does this have to do with the Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek 24h Frizz Fighter?  Well, the range that was put to the test was indeed the Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek line up which now comprises of 4 ‘spa-endorsed’ products.

Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek Shampoo 250ml – £2.19
Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek Conditioner 200ml – £2.19
Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek Intensive Treatment (wash out treatment) 200ml – £3.99
Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek 24h Frizz Fighter 150ml – £3.99

The Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek 24h Frizz Fighter feels more like a leave in conditioner in texture when compared to something like John Frieda’s iconic Frizz-Ease serum.  I’m a fan of both but I like the lighter texture of the Pantene for my fine hair.  I have to be very careful with the Frizz-Ease not to overload and the Pantene certainly seems to be far more forgiving.

9/10 cats couldn’t tell the difference between the salon at Stoke Park Spa by SPC and my bathroom.

And the results?  Well they’re GOOD!  Whether I leave to dry naturally or blast with a hairdryer (whilst trying to flatten the hair cuticles of course) I achieve smoother locks.  I still have the odd flyaway near the roots but running my fingers through the ends of my hair confirms that the entire shaft is smoother, not as rough which as you can imagine results in an overall sleeker do!

Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek 24hr Frizz Fighter is available at Boots and the other usual outlets!

* press sample

Next up on my Summer lists are FIVE fragrances perfectly suited to long Summer days, balmy Summer evenings and not forgetting the odd rain downpour just to keep us on our toes.

What makes a Summer fragrance?  Well… obviously highly subjective but personally, I’m partial to a bit of greenery, a touch of juiciness, not too much of my beloved amber this time of year but a nice big blast of floral instead.  I want a Summer fragrance to freshen and lighten my mood, I don’t want to curl up in it.  I just want it to carry me along on a cool breeze.

1.  Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Girl 30ml (£9.00)

Don’t you DARE laugh.  I’ve had this since I was 15 and I’m on my 3rd/4th bottle.  I’m sure there are unwritten or maybe even written rules about fragrances not really being fragrances at all when you can buy them for £9 in Asda but I. DON’T. CARE.  I think Tommy Girl is an exquisite Summer scent.  It’s fruity and sharp without being tarte or acidic.  It’s a proper mood lifter and whilst not hugely long-lasting (it’s an Eau de Cologne), it has a real energising tang with a soft, soft heart.

2.  Miller Harris Citron Citron 50ml (£60.00)

A slightly more refined choice in the form of Miller Harris Citron Citron which is distinctly part fruit, part earth.  It makes for a wonderfully new take on a traditional juicy fragrance.  Yes, the Sicilian lemon is at the core of the scent but it’s flanked in all directions by a bouquet of wild herbs and woodland.  Don’t mistake this for your typical juicy fruit fragrance… the fruit is nicely complemented with a crisp note of mint that ensures a perfect harmony.

3.  Burberry Summer Woman EDT 50ml* (£33.00)

While Citron Citron shuns the juicier aspects of fruit… Burberry Summer holds its arms out for a fruity cuddle whilst secretly concealing a 3000 watt juicer.

A sweet fragrance with a big hit of orange.  It’s a touch syrupy but contains enough fresh, green notes to stop it from fading into the gourmand, fruit salad genre.  Not the longest-lasting scent, it wears close to the skin once the top notes have faded and I detect a soft floral with a hint of powder.  Burberry Summer is a carefree, Summer fragrance with youth on its side and if you love Nina Ricci-esque scents, you should definitely be checking this one out before the limited edition run disappears along with the last of Summer!

4.  Ted Baker Skinwear Limited Edition EDT 100ml* (£24.00)

Lemon peel, spearmint and pepper make for a zingy and uplifting opening to this deliciously light men’s fragrance.  After a few minutes, the scent mellows, allowing the woodier notes to emerge.  Vetiver, cedarwood and patchouli make for a smooth and creamy base which lingers for hours and keeps encouraging me in for another sniff.

Despite having been created for men, there is nothing locker-room about this fragrance.  It’s far more refined and if you’re keen on a little spice and some woody notes, it’s thoroughly suitable to wear as an interesting alternative to the standard female fare.  I love it and it certainly doesn’t bring me the Lynx effect.  Thank god!

5.  Floris London Florissa EDT 50ml (£45.00)

Currently available on the Floris London website at a knockdown price, Florissa is a charming floral with a heart of rose and muguet.  I don’t wear lily of the valley too well but it reminds me of my Nan and will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason.

The opening is sharp and a little overpowering, containing a delightfully crisp element of cut grass but the winner for me is in the soft, powdery floral qualities to be found from the drydown onward.  It’s babysoft and comforting… Florissa is a perfume from another era and one that I happily visit again and again.

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What are your favourite Summer scents?

* press samples

I feel like I’ve been waiting FOREVER for this to turn up… I ordered about a month ago, so I’m making the assumption that post from the Far East is slow-going at the minute.  Missha M Perfect Cover was the name that kept cropping up following my last post showing my small collection of BB Creams and so it was this one that I decided to add to my ever-growing stash.

Packaged in a squeezy tube with a pump dispenser, the 50g of product contained within is well-housed both for hygienic application and freshness.  I don’t know why more base products don’t use this method.

I opted for the shade #21 (light beige) and am pleased I did as it matches my skin-tone well, I’m around a NW15 for reference.  The tone is fairly neutral to my eye, neither too yellow or pink but it does tone the redness down very well, which is something I find BB Creams excel at doing.

The particular skin benefits of the Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream include:  SPF 42 PA+++ (the PA+++ meaning that it is a broad spectrum product with the maximum UVA protection), skin lightening (hyper pigmentation) and anti-ageing.

The texture is thick but spreads well, it doesn’t feel particularly heavy or greasy… something which many BB Creams are prone to doing.  I find this quite moisturising but still wouldn’t be without an additional light moisturiser as base.

I would describe coverage as medium, it evens out my skintone nicely without looking too heavy.  It will dampen blemishes but not disguise them completely.  A great choice for everyday wear but you may want something that offers fuller coverage in the evening.

Compared to my other BB Creams, I find the Missha M Perfect Cover fairly matte.  It’s not flat matte but I wouldn’t describe it as dewy either…. on my combination skin, it didn’t need powdering and neither did it allow too much oil to break down the effectiveness on my t-zone for many, many hours.

It’s another LOVE to add to my collection… so easy just to apply with your fingers (as I have above) and there’s undoubted comfort in the knowledge that I have decent sun protection, good coverage and a little bit of added skin TLC thrown in for good measure.  Thanks for recomending this one to me chaps, I’ve struck gold!

I bought my Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream from seller FriedGreen on eBay and paid £11.78 inc. postage.

There’s a new toothpaste in town. It’s lean, mean and err not very minty as it happens.  Featuring the revolutionary bacteria-busting ingredient Stabilised Stannous Flouride, this supposed super-paste claims to be all you need to target the oral issues that affect us daily.

It’s taken 15 years of development and 70 scientific studies ahead of today’s launch because this volatile active ingredient has proven difficult to present in a stable, usable form.  That sounds like me before my morning cuppa.

Finally, the bods at Oral-B reckon they’ve nailed it in the form of the new Oral-B Pro-Expert toothpaste which goes on general sale today.  There’s more sciencey stuff behind it about how they managed to stabilise and tame this chemical but seeing as it involves words like polyphosphate, you will excuse me if I skim over those finer details this early in the morning?

The bottom line is that Oral-B Pro-Expert is proclaimed to be the toothpaste to put an end to forced compromises.  Oral-B say that you really can have your whitening, cavity protection, plaque reduction, tartar control, enamel strengthening, sensitivity repair, gum improving and breath freshening all in one tube.  Phew!

I used it for the first time last night and it’s really a little strange!  It feels slightly gritty on the teeth (although I have been promised that it’s 100% non-abrasive) and the taste!  Oh the taste!  It is EXACTLY like the rinse you get at the dentist.  It’s not bad, I actually really like it… but don’t expect that minty zing because this is something altogether quite different!

Oral-B Pro-Expert goes on sale today priced at £3.49 for 75ml

You say tomato, I say tomato (that works so much better in person).  They say Line Diffuser: Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules*, I say Primer (mine’s snappier).

Firstly, the capsules instill that “squee cuteness!” thing in me that I need to resolve before I buy up half the Disney store on my next visit.  Secondly, this thing is packed full of ‘cones… it has more ‘cones in it than an Ice Cream van parked outside IBM.

When I saw this I was all “hmmm, this ain’t skincare!”, “but it sounds like skincare?”… “nahhh, this ain’t ‘skincare'”.

Apparently, it IS skincare.  Here’s the ingredients, I’ll let you make your own mind up.

I like the sound of the peptides… so I’m gonna call it a primer with ‘skincare benefits’.  That’s a compromise to you and me.

I apply it under makeup as recommended and the silicone helps me achieve baby-soft, velvety skin in an instant.  Infact I’ve been a bit sarky about this product so far but I can’t deny that it’s actually one of the best ‘primers’ I’ve used.

My foundation glides on once the Line Diffuser has had a minute to dry down.  You know those rare, blissful times when you get a great foundation application that looks flawless?  Since using these prior to buffing in my liquid foundation, all applications have looked flawless.  It simply makes my skin look smoother and more even-textured.   I don’t have anything other than a few fine lines around my eyes to test claims on wrinkle-smoothing but I’m liking its pore polyfilling abilities a lot.

I don’t believe I’ve achieved any additional longevity from my foundation since using this but I am finding this noticeably more suited to my skin than my Smashbox primer or my MAC Prep + Prime.

I’m torn.  I think the marketing as to what it actually is, is a bit squiffy… it’s potentially a little drying with daily use (best reserved for days when you NEED great skin?) and it’s pricey at £29.95 for 60 capsules which works out at an overall volume of around 21ml.

But I’m loving its work.  Something I never thought I’d say about a brand brought to life by Cindy Crawford.  I know that’s snobby… that’s snobby right?  Still… she does rock the 90s brown lip like no other!

Meaningful Beauty’s Line Diffuser Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules are priced at £29.95 and can be purchased online at www.meaningfulbeauty.co.uk (a Guthy Renker site).

* press sample

When a well-known skincare brand announces that it’s bringing out a professional line with professional results, it’s a point of interest.  When well-known skincare brand points out that its results are backed by a long-term, independent clinical study that’s been published in the British Journal of Dermatology – it’s a point of slightly more significant interest.

Introducing, Olay Professional.

You can keep your Thandie Newtons, show me the clinical studies!!!  Though to be fair, better dumb ’em down a bit, I only got a C in my GCSE Double Award Science.

The study involved a panel of women aged between 40-65 who tested the regime over a 6 month period against a leading anti-ageing prescription ingredient.  The study showed that the new Olay Professional range was as effective as the prescription ingredient, Retinoic Acid (the most powerful form of Vitamin A) at reducing the appearance of wrinkles.

If you want to find more about this study, there’s an article on cosmeticsdesign.com that you may be interested to read.

POP-UP SKIN CLINIC!

In celebration of the launch, Olay will be opening the doors to a temporary clinic where you’ll have the opportunity to pre-book for a free one to one consultation with a skin expert from the world of dermatology.

The Olay Professional Clinic will be open to the public for three days only (28-29 June and 1 July 2011) at 18 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London from 10am-5pm.  If you don’t want to pre-book, you can still drop by to receive a product demonstration by an expert beauty consultant, and relax in the lounge with an anti-ageing “mocktail”.

To book, call the Olay Professional Clinic booking hotline on tel: 0207 611 3770 and register your details.

Olay Professional went live on the Boots website today on a strictly limited pre-sale basis with only 300 Olay Professional Anti-Wrinkle Kits available for purchase and I hear that over 7000 women signed up for the pre-sale.  Scary stuff!

The full, nationwide launch is scheduled for August.

Do you feel like you’ve seen it all before or are you more likely to be interested by products marketed around the results of their clinical trials?

I know I’ve got a few ladies who like to hear the latest deals at Liberty so thought I’d share what’s happening this month with Hungarian skincare brand, Omorovicza.

Hailing from Budapest, the luxury brand (who centres their products around the health benefits of Hungary’s thermal waters) have sent their head therapists, Beata and Dominika to the UK for 10 days.  Until the 25th June, they’re available on counter in Liberty where they’re teaching Omorovicza facial massage techniques and providing personalised product recommendations.

In addition to this and in celebration of the refurbishment of the beauty hall at Liberty, you can take advantage of the following special offer.  Purchase any Omorovicza three product combination, and you’ll receive a free full size moisturizer of your choice and a travel size Queen of Hungary Mist.

If you’re interested, call 0207 573 9402 to book your free 30 minute one-to-one appointment with Beata or Dominika.

Starting this Sunday, News of the World’s Fabulous magazine will be bringing a little sunshine to what is turning out to be a rained off Summer!

Cut out and keep three differently numbered tokens over the next four weeks starting this Sunday from inside your NOTW’s Fabulous Magazine to get your mitts on this vibrant duo from Nails Inc.

Atomic and OMP! (that’s Oh My Pink!) are a pair of vibrant Summer-loving shades, guaranteed to bring out the sunglasses!

Once you’ve collected your three tokens, simply take them along to any participating Tesco Extra or Tesco supermarket to claim your freebie nail polish duo anytime between July 3-11.

Will you be collecting your first coupon this Sunday?

You may have noticed that I’m not a prolific MAC buyer… it’s not some conscious decision to avoid MAC, I just don’t have access to the brand in Southampton.  My nearest MAC store is a good 45 minute drive away and so I generally only pick up bits and bobs when I’m in London.

Last time I was in the MAC store in Covent Garden, I was enjoying the company of Katie from My Lips But Better and she pointed out this MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder to me.  Well, actually… she kinda dragged me to the pot and insisted that I HAD to play with it.  It was love at first touch… a liquid/powder/uber cool thing?  Get. In. My. Bag.

I used the tip of a pen to pop some holes through the sticker covering the sifter but it doesn’t actually work that well as the powder is reluctant to dispense without a lot of tapping.  I think you’d be better off peeling back about a quarter of the sticker and snipping the excess.

So, what is this Magically Cool Liquid Powder thing all about anyway?  I’ll let MAC explain…

An alchemical fusion that charms water droplets into a loose powder while remaining over 50 percent H2O.

This feather-light silky powder goes on with the refreshing impact of an ocean mist.
What’s more, this magical melange contains just enough optical blurring via its light-diffusing pigments to render skin’s surface into line-softened, natural luminosity.

How magical is that?

Magical indeed… I’ve swatched it heavily below so you can see the shade.

I bought the palest shade of the three available, Truth & Light.  At the time of purchasing, I thought I was buying it as a highlighter… but I’m delighted to be able to wear it as a setting powder.  I think of it in the same way I think of my Guerlain Metorites.  A light dusting for an added dimension of luminosity.

A significant difference with the MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder though is in its longevity.  The swatch above needed to be washed off, rubbing with my hand wouldn’t budge it!  This makes for an excellent setting powder but some tricky application issues.

I initially applied this with a normal powder brush and it transferred way too much product to my face.  If you apply too much, it balls up and will not blend, not to mention it sits there caked on your face looking pretty awful.  I’ve since started using my Sonia Kashuk stippling brush which deposits the perfect amount of product and delivers a wonderful cooling sensation!

Horrible photo but hopefully you can make out a bit of sheen (NO SPARKLE!) where the light hits my cheeks.

I’m really pleased with my purchase, one of my favourites MAC buys in a very long time!

MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder is available on counter and online priced at £23.50 for 28g of product.

I mentioned this new Mii Cosmetics base last week as something a li’l special.  I’ve been wearing it solidly since then in an effort to pin down exactly what it is that makes it stand out for me…

I mean look at it…

It’s a bit too dark and a bit too peachy.  It comes in a big plunge pot and heaven knows, I hate getting product under my finger nails.

This is the lightest of 5 shades, 01 Gentle Glow and you get 25g of product for your pennies.  If you’re paler than a NW15 – I would be hesitant to recommend it at all.  Yes, it’s sheer and has the potential to blend without too much bother but really… the colour may well limit your enjoyment of this product.  And that’s a shame, because this is an awesome base.

Mii Cosmetics Illuminating Face Base (£25.20) is for drier skin types and in my humble opinion, you won’t appreciate this product if you’re oily… it’s incredibly luminizing without sheen or glitter, imparting moisture and dewiness as if by magic.

I suffer the kind of dryness that concentrates itself in tiny flakes around my nose and eyebrows, I occasionally get scaly patches under my eyes and when things are out of control in the winter, a general dullness to the overall appearance of my skin.  I don’t have anything as bad as that at the moment… but I know how it feels on my skin in comparison to other products I’ve used and I’m going to love this when the weather turns cooler.

It’s sheer… more like a tinted moisturizer, don’t expect blemish coverage but it will dampen mild redness and uneven skintones nicely.  It’s very creamy and my preferred method of application is with my fingers because I can literally feel the product melting and gliding more smoothly as it heats up from the warmth.  Once on, I bounce my (dry) beauty blender over my skin to remove any excess (something I do with most foundations that I use my fingers to apply) and set with a finishing powder.

For extra coverage, I wait a few minutes (it feels quite ‘wet’ when you first apply) before going back in with a light dusting of mineral foundation.

Want to see a direct before/after comparison?  I didn’t finish off with any additional powder because I thought you might like to see the coverage…

I would love, LOVE Mii to create something with the same formula but with slightly heavier coverage and in a tube.  I would literally sell Leila’s Granny (sorry Mum) for that product.  As it stands… I’m still hugely enamoured.  It’s dewy, fairly long-lasting (about 8hrs with a little slip on my nose) and doesn’t grumble when I slap other face products over it to get better coverage.

Here’s a shot showing the base combined with finishing powder (MAC Magically Cool <3)…

If you already have awesome normal or normal/dry skin and you’re looking for sheer, summer coverage… do see if you can discover Mii Cosmetics Illuminating Face Base.  I really don’t think you’d be disappointed.

Mii Cosmetics are sold exclusively in Spas/Salons, call 0845 217 1360 to find your nearest.

* PR sample

Following my pledge to suffocate the makeup snob in me that threatens to overwhelm, I spent a little while swatching at the Maybelline stand in my local Tesco the other evening.  OK, I swatched at all of them, I’m a quick healer.  Infact, I was gone for so long (just popping out for a pint of milk dear!) that Mr. L looked slightly white-faced when I returned home after 10pm having forgotten to take my phone.  Oops.

I thought I’d share some photos of my favourite purchase of the evening, Maybelline’s Eye Studio Mono Eye Shadow in Silken Taupe (£4.09)…

Alright, so it’s not exactly the Show Orchid of the eyeshadow world.  It’s taupe.  But damnit, I like my taupes… and I like them a lot.  Wanna know how much?  Well… here’s some potential dupes I pulled out…

From left to right: Maybelline Silken Taupe ♦ Shu Uemura M810 ♦ Helena Rubenstein Dark Ebony Duo ♦ NARS Ashes to Ashes ♦ Estee Lauder Tempting Mocha

Swatched from left to right: Maybelline Silken Taupe ♦ Shu Uemura M810 ♦ Helena Rubenstein Dark Ebony Duo ♦ NARS Ashes to Ashes ♦ Estee Lauder Tempting Mocha

Wait… there’s more…

From left to right: Maybelline Silken Taupe ♦ Chanel Safari ♦ MAC Style Snob ♦ Paul & Joe #23 ♦ MAC Satin Taupe

Swatched from left to right: Maybelline Silken Taupe ♦ Chanel Safari ♦ MAC Style Snob ♦ Paul & Joe #23 ♦ MAC Satin Taupe

Last one, I promise…

From left to right: Maybelline Silken Taupe ♦ Stila Cloud

Swatched from left to right: Maybelline Silken Taupe ♦ Stila Cloud

The moral of this post of boring eyeshadows is…

a).  Go and buy Maybelline’s Silken Taupe right now.

b). Count your neutral shades and work out just how many millenia it will take to use them up.

c). If you want to borrow a taupe, you’ll have to ask elsewhere… I don’t seem to have very many, must rectify this.

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* estee lauder’s tempting mocha was a pr sample

I was recently introduced to a new salon-brand: Mii Cosmetics, who carry an astonishingly wide range of products.  The range is divided cleanly into two sections: Mineral and, well… non-mineral.  The mineral lineup is packaged in black boxes to clearly distinguish from the rest which you’ll find housed in white packaging.

From the bits that I’ve had the opportunity to play with, the bases in particular stand out as something special,  I can see one of them becoming a bit of a hero product for the brand, it’s not like anything I’ve come across before.

I’ll tell you more about that one a little later in the week… I know, I’m teasing… sorry.

I’ll begin with the straight-up, no-messing mineral foundation: Irresistible Face Base (£21), a loose mineral foundation powder with a sifter.  It comes in 7 shades and naturally, I’m showing you 01 Precious Porcelain.

Mii Cosmetics Perfect Mineral Brush (£28.95) also shown.

For an 01, it’s actually a little dark.  It matches me well enough but if you’re paler than a NW15 you might struggle with this.  I swatched it alongside my Bare Minerals foundation in fair and it was a good shade darker.  I find the Bare Minerals a little too light for me in the Summer months so, selfishly… this pleases me.

Swatched heavily on my hand, it looks a little warm but to my eye it’s pretty neutral once you take away the pink bias in my skin.  You should be able to make out the sheen in the swatch… less sparkly than my Bare Minerals but a little more glowy.  It also feels more finely milled than the Bare Minerals, which I have to admit, surprised me.

Having said that, it does offer less coverage.  A personal preference but I’m not skin-confident enough to wear this alone over bare skin.  However, combined with one of the other Mii Cosmetics bases (the one I’ll be showing you later in the week!), the pairing delivers flawless but dewy, natural looking skin.  My favourite kind.

A promising start!

Mii Cosmetics are sold exclusively in Spas/Salons, call 0845 217 1360 to find your nearest.

* pr sample