A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Here’s a simple, summery one colour eye FOTD using BarryM Dazzle Dust in Bronze #44.

I love this shade, and normally use a little on the centre of my eyelid to give a neutral eye a little bit of a pop. When I got up this morning, the weather was beautiful so I decided I was gonna go a little brighter on the eye makeup than usual:

I can’t decide if I look ‘glowy’ or just plain shiny.

Eyes:
BarryM Dazzle Dust #44 (Bronze)
GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Golden Cadillac
Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara
Sleek Ink Pot Gel Liner in Dominatrix (Black)

Face:
Clarins Truly Matte Foundation
Earthen Glow Minerals Blush in Copala Beach (♥)
MAC MSF Natural in Light/Medium

Lips:
Burts Bees Super Shiny Gloss in Sheer Lemon

And just for shits and giggles, we all know that it’s not easy taking these FOTD photos… arms outstretched, trying to find the right buttons to press (even harder on a DSLR), searching out the best light in the house and all the while trying not to gurn.

So here’s an outtake, “My… what a big nose you have.”  And fan-fuckintastic, I’ve ALWAYS wanted to see what my nose blackheads looked like in full macro, technicolour glory.

You lot just need to thank God for small mercies.  I must have picked my nose at some point before taking this picture or it coulda been a hell of a lot uglier.

Mrs ‘Keepin’ it Real’ Lipglossiping xxxx

My enjoyment at admiring my latest Body Shop haul was short lived when…

…to my horror, I opened up my Oui, Oui, Oui lip butter only to discover that the lip butter goblin had swiped the lot.

The greedy little bastard had even somehow managed to get the plastic wrap back on the pot ensuring it was hygenically resealed (just to mess with my mind some more you understand).

Um, do you think The Body Shop will believe me?  Or will they think I’m some kind of sick desperado who goes around buying Oui, Oui, Oui lip butters… painstakingly scraping out the contents, washing up the pots and returning them for a new one?

I wouldn’t mind SO much, but sods law dictates that I didn’t haul from my local Body Shop… oh no, I had to get this from the store 15 miles away didn’t I.

Anyway, onto the rest of my haul…

Olive Glossing Shampoo & Conditioner: Have heard such good things about this.  My scalp is a mess at the minute, I always suffer from soreness this time of year so I’m hoping something a little more natural than my usual products will help.

Mandarin Orchid Shower Gel: Love my bathing products to smell fruity or tropical and citrusy scents are at the top of my list!

Vitamin E Face Mist: Replacing my last bottle which I find essential for giving my mineral foundation a more dewy appearance.

Rich Plum handwash: This was in the sale, and now that I’m a full time nappy changer – I’m always washing my hands, so thought I’d indulge in something a little more luxurious than Carex!

Almond Home Fragrance Oil: I already own this one (I collect them), but it’s one of my favs so grabbed another bottle while I saw it.

Chamomile Essential Oil: My super bargain of the day, I usually drip a little of this into some milk and add to the bath, it’s normally over £11 a bottle, this was reduced to £1.75 – very happy!

Simply Purify Rejuvenating Bath Soak: Another sale item, contains wasabi extract… love wasabi!

Was sorely tempted by the Coconut Body Scrub too, but I’ve still got a Nirvana Spa one I bought at The Vitality Show to use up.

What are your Body Shop favs?

Just another boring neutral FOTD…

Eyes:

Body Shop Shimmer Cube in Warm (Thanks Tali!)
Sleek Ink Pot in Black (Dominatrix)
Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara
GOSH Velvet Touch eyeliner (Black)

Face:

Gale Hayman Youth Light Foundation (Porcelain) – A Direct Cosmetics cheapy I’ve surprised myself by liking!
Earthen Glow Minerals Matte Blush (Emotions)
MAC MSF in Perfect Topping

Lips:

GOSH Darling Lipstick

My hooded eyelids make things really tricky for a novice like me… I can hardly ever achieve a decent eyeliner flick, and getting my shadows to appear above the crease without looking plain odd I find really tricky.  Help!

…of liquid eye liners?

I have a real problem with most liquid liners.  I either love the tip, but find the product too thin and unpigmented (yano where the blacks come out as a watery grey) or, I love the product but daren’t put the tip within 2 feet of my eye without risk of blinding myself.

I’ve finally found one that applies like a dream and is also a gorgeously pigmented black.

Ruby & Millie’s I-Writer is an odd looking contraption.  A few of their products utilise this futuristic x-ray type design.  It’s novel, interesting and pretty functional.

As you can see, the tip is VERY fine.  It’s also flexible and soft fibred, which means that it’s not gonna drag on your eyelid.  The brush has a wide enough base to offer some support to the tip which gives it just enough stiffness.  It tapers into a lovely sharp point for precision lining and the product disperses itself fairly evenly along the fibres when you give the other end of the pen a little twist.

I love the brush so much that when I run out of product, I’m gonna can use it with my gel liners.

The I-Writer retails at Boots for £10.50 and is available in a few different colours (I also have this in green, but don’t recommend it.  the formula is a bit too sheer for an eyeliner).

Next time I use this in a FOTD, I shall make a note of it in the products used so you can see it in action!

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I shouldn’t even call this ‘bronzing’… it’s more about finding a summer look that works and toning down the blueness of my complexion and replacing it with a subtle wash of warmth.  I’m liking this simple and fast look for the summer.

Products Used:

Face: Cory Cosmetics Mineral Foundation in Ivory Beige
Cory Cosmetics Mineral Blush in Whatever

Eyes: Sleek Ink Pot in Black
Avon Color Trend Mascara in Black (trying to use up this nice but dull mascara!)

Lips: NYX Round Lipstick in Darling

Love these generous Rimmel promotions, I discovered the original Sexy Curves formula through winning one from their last promotion.

To celebrate the launch of Rimmel London’s NEW SEXY CURVES WATERPROOF MASCARA they’re giving us the chance to try a FULL SIZE sample worth £7.82.

There’s 4000 to give away so we’re in with a shot!

Click the image to be taken to the promotion.

So I’m getting a little braver – go me!  Still nowhere near as accomplished or imaginative as some of you lovely ladies, but – baby steps!

As you can see, with this FOTD – the focus is on the eyes.  There’s a slick of sheer lipgloss there but it’s barely pigmented and again, I’m crap at making my blushes show up.  I either go too subtle or all out Bozo the clown stylee – grrr, it’s something I really need to get the hang of!

I can’t bring myself to apply above the crease either… I always end up attacking it with a q-tip.  It just doesn’t suit me – I look in the mirror and shout “Eurgh, garish – gerrit off!” – and yet it looks so lovely on other ladies.  Maybe my eyes are too deep set to carry it off?  Maybe I’m just a big pussy who doesn’t deserve to own any makeup if she can’t wear it proudly and unashamedly – I’m on the fence with that judgement.

Products used (Eyes):

Sleek – I-Divine Palette (Original) – Colours used shown below:

Sleek Ink Pot Gel Liner – Purple Rain
Barry M Glitter Dust – Black Purple (outer V and under eye)
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara – I love it!

I was on the lookout for a replacement for my beloved DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (which at £16 a bottle is a touch rich for my blood whilst currently hemorrhaging money in preperation for my new arrival)… when I came across Smashbox Cleansing Oil on eBay for £5 a bottle.

I’ve been trying it for 3 weeks now and thought I’d give my verdict on how it compares to DHC.

It’s a huge bottle in comparison to most branded Cleansing Oils weighing in at 345ml and is definitely thinner and lighter so a little really goes a long way!  It doesn’t cause me any sensitivity – even practically rubbing it into my eyes (and I often react to the mildest of products).  It removes all that DHC does and removes everything perfectly – so far top marks…

I’m not a huge fan of the smell, it’s slight cucumber-ey in a cheap rather than refreshing way, but it’s not terribly noticeable.  The real problem though…

…It just doesn’t emulsify well at all (which DHC does brilliantly), this stuff sticks to my face-cloth and skin like tar no matter how many times I rinse in hot water.  Which means that even after the next step of washing my face with my favourite cleanser/mild soap I can still feel the oil on my skin thanks to it transferring back from my face-cloth. 

I also have to scrub the sink everytime I wash my face as it leaves a ring of make up on the sink – not really a problem (infact it’s quite satisfying looking at all that makeup grime in a gruesome sunburn-peeling kinda way) but worth mentioning.

This ‘problem’ as I see it might not bother you if you’re used to traditional OCM, but if you’re prone to breakouts – you need to be extra vigilant to ensure your skin is free from the product after cleansing.

I bought my Smashbox Cleansing Oil from this seller, it’s available from other sellers and also some of the discount cosmetic websites have it in stock at a good price as it’s now a discontinued Smashbox skincare item.

However, I won’t be buying it again – I just don’t have the patience last thing at night to meticulously go over my skin a 100x to ensure all the oil is removed.  Such a shame, ‘cos everything else about it is truly spot-on.

I can’t bring myself to bin it either seeing as it does work so well in all other aspects.  I shall have to invest in some more face cloths and ensure I only use one for the oil and refill the sink a couple of times inbetween cleansing… makes it all a bit high maintenance though!

Oh, I hate to give it such a low score – but that singular problem is a BIG deal for me.

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Welcome to my world of boring but wearable neutrals.  I love colour, but I’m not sure it loves me – I’m still experimenting though so hopefully my FOTDs will get a little more adventurous over time!

Face:
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Grimas Concealer – Shade G0
Bourjois Lilas D’or Blush – (I was a bit too light handed)
Lavshuca Blush/Highlighter Duo – PK1
SK-II Airbrush Foundation Shade OP1 – (my first test with it! ‘citing!)

Eyes:
Revlon Brow Fill in Powder
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette – Storm
Stargazer Cake Eyeliner – Brown (Upper) – still loving it!
Some random Boots No7 Brown Kohl (Lower)
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

Lips:
Art Deco Waterproof Lip Liner #17 – used as base and liner
Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lip Gloss – #10 Pink Champagne

…look what I’ve got in my grubby little hands!

Hello lover, please don’t disappoint me.  Anyone got one of these little beauties, any tips?

So I mentioned this cake eyeliner a few days ago.  I bought mine on eBay for £1.95, I’m sure I’ve seen some Stargazer products in Superdrug, but I’m not sure if they stock the cake eyeliners.

Stargazer seems to be a bit of a Raver/Goth/Emo alternative cosmetics brand, with neons and bold colours featuring heavily in their range.

The eyeliner comes in an unassuming little pot, which although plastic, feels quite solid and sturdy.

‘Cos I’m so boring, I bought the brown shade.  You can choose from: Blue, Silver, Violet, Gold, Black, Red, Pink, Grey, Green and White.

Once you wet your eyeliner brush (either in water or a mixing medium of your choice) – swipe it across the pan to pick up some colour and get painting!

It’s really well pigmented – and once dry, simply doesn’t budge off my eyelids.  This wouldn’t be any good for waterlines though as it doesn’t take too much water to make it disappear into thin air.  But for the upper eyelid this is a fab bargain find!

It glides on super smoothly (it’s like painting with a watercolour).  Out of all my solid liners (gel types) this one allows me to get the most precise line thanks to it’s fluidity.  It dries very quickly and I usually go over a couple more times to build up the pigmentation a touch before the brush dries.  It can be a little tricky to ensure that the second coat doesn’t ‘dilute’ the first colour-wise.  However, I’ve found that as long as I work fairly quickly and don’t keep re-wetting my brush then I can get VERY strong pigmentation, but it’s a case of trial and error.

I’ve got my sights set on the other colours now.  Staying power is really great, I thought that seeing as it’s just a powder/water combination that it may crack and flake by the end of the day – which is a regular problem I have with cheaper liquid liners – not so here!  I’ve only ever mixed water with the liner and haven’t experienced any flaking so far.

For the price, I’m not sure these can really be beaten.  Grab them all!

P.S. I’ve got Blinc Mascara on in these shots.

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A lightweight, non-greasy serum designed for all hair types.

Calms frazzled hair for a beautiful, natural-looking sheen and to tame  those stubborn flyaways.

I’ve used this twice so far, and I love how silky and light it makes my hair feel not to mention the glossy sheen it adds (must be all the silicones) and for those reasons I would buy it again.  It’s also lightweight and has a rather delicious smell.  However, it doesn’t seem to do much at all to smooth the little flyaway bits that stick up making my ‘do’ resemble an explosion in a mattress factory.

 Having said that, Tigi Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream doesn’t do anything for me either and that’s 4x the price of this stuff and about 3x greasier.

I’ve only tried it on wet hair, so I’ll give it another go after drying.  Just wish I could find something that does what it says on the tin.  It’s also leaves a greasy residue on your hands that needs washing off immediately which makes me a little wary to try it on dry hair.

If you’re interested you can read more about it here and I paid £3 for a bottle in the supermarket.

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