A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I’ve been wearing a lot of kohl lately, reaching over my usual liquid liners in favour of a smudgier, more deconstructed look than normal.  This Summer, Clarins have released one of the most-beautiful-to-hold kohl liners that I’ve ever used.  The Clarins Kohl Kajal promises a soft, creamy texture that’s both deeply-pigmented and delivers a long-lasting formula.

I know that there are many different methods of applying kohl kajal and I tend to hold the larger-than-normal nib horizontally, running it along the lower waterline back and forth to build pigmentation before squeezing my eyes shut and hoping for a good amount of transfer to the top lashline!  I’ve never really been able to simultaneously run the nib along both upper and lower lashlines.  At least, not without my eyes watering.

The beauty of kohl is that its softness really delivers product into the base of the lashes, making them appear thicker and giving your eyes greater definition.  The Clarin’s version allows great manouverability with the application thanks to the cleverly designed packaging, you can tell I’m digging the packaging right?

It’s not all good stuff though as this doesn’t deliver enough pigmentation to make me delirious with joy.  Although quickly buildable, if you do the transfer method of application like me, you’ll be squinting like nobody’s business in an attempt to increase the depth of colour.  This does make it more suitable for work-appropriate looks but I do like a bit of inky blackness from my kohls!

The formula smudges easily (in a good way) but resists migration down my face admirably despite the warmer weekend weather.  I wouldn’t say that it ever fully “set” on my eyes (I was able to go back in and blend out further an hour later) but it remained on my waterline for a good few hours and between my lashes for the entire day.  It’s perhaps the perfect solution if you’re looking for a subtler version of the Indian kohl pencils.

Clarins Kohl Kajal is available to buy on counter and online at Clarins.com, priced at £15.00

* press sample

I adore these collector face palettes that Clarins release, I don’t know how they manage to create such softly luminous powders but whatever it is, it’s working.  Really, really well.  I can speak only for my combo/dry skin type but for me, powders are a tricky thing.  I want something that will set my foundation, concealer and cream blush but I don’t want it to mattify too heavily.  Sure, I need to take the edge off the shine on my t-zone but I also want it to impart a luminosity to my complexion.  Basically, I want it all.

Clarins’ Spring 2012 offering is more warm-toned than their Autumn face palette.  I find it perfectly wearable on my cool-toned skin though, so don’t let that put you off.  The Colour Breeze Face & Blush Powder* imparts the same kind of luminosity whilst setting both liquid and creme products well.  It’s sheer and it’s flattering.  Ultimately, it’s everything I’m looking for.  Again.

It’s not quite as pretty as previous versions but I’m not afraid to use my makeup and take off the oversprays etc, so that doesn’t bother me.  Between these and the Guerlain Meteorites, I just don’t think that I need to explore any other powder options for dry skin.  Holy Grail people, holy. grail.

Also, just to be super-brilliant, Escentual.com are currently offering this at a saving.  You can buy online for £25.00 (that’s £5 less than RRP).

* press sample

Three new lip colours have joined the permanent range of Clarins Rouge Prodige lipsticks this Autumn and although they’re new shades for fall, they hark back to the Summer we never had.  Let me tell you why…

Summer 2011 was all about the glossy, sheer look for lips with shades like Chanel’s Boy making the biggest waves across the beauty blogosphere.  Clarin’s Autumn lineup has included three new Rouge Prodige colours* that replicate the sheer, glossy trend but in a more Winter-appropriate formula that’s less balmy and longer-lasting than the Summer offerings.

Rouge Prodige True-Hold Colour & Shine Lipsticks include include the new shades:

#105 Peach Sorbet
#115 Rosy Coral
#123 Creamy Toffee

Here’s a closer look…

The Rouge Prodige formula continues to feel quite different to most other lipsticks.  For a long-wearing texture, it feels moisturising on the lips and fairly tacky, though not in a gloopy, lipgloss way.  These don’t dry my lips at all but you may find the stickiness a little awkward if you’re prefer a matte-r feeling.

Here’s how they look applied and in context with the rest of the face.  You can see here that each shade is fairly transparent with a hint of base colour.  The most pigmented is #105 and I felt that each shade would particularly suit specific skintones: #105 for warmer skins, #115 for cooler skintones and #123 for darker complexions.

The new shades add polish and shine to a made-up face without injecting too much colour.  Balm fans will be delighted to find a longer-lasting alternative to the Summer trends, colour-freaks?  Not so much.

The new Clarins Rouge Prodige shades are available to buy now online at Clarins.com and on counter, priced at £17.00 each.

* press samples

Phew, what a mouthful!

Clarins Ombre Minerale 4 Couleurs Eye Quartet in Rosewood is a new release from the French brand and comprises one palette from the new 6-piece eye collection for Autumn/Winter.

The packaging includes a face chart displaying some useful positioning tips for makeup newbies.

Four mineral shades that can be used wet or dry.  Two satin shades, a darker eye shadow liner and an iridescent highlighter.  The highlighter is very sheer and provides a sophisticated sparkle rather than any real colour.

Swatched dry without base or primer.  Around two/three swipes each.

The Rosewood palette contains four very wearable, neutral shades that would suit most skintones.  It’s a sheer but buildable palette – something that I’ve come to expect from Clarins.  If you want immediate, intense pigmentation – you’re looking in the wrong place.  If you want something that you can wear to work without fear of overcooking it, this could be just what you need.

You can see from this (rather goofy) FOTD that the palette provides a delicate iridescence.  I think it would really suit anyone who feels they might be a bit too mature for sparkle or metallics but aren’t quite ready to go down the all matte route just yet.  I found the shades to be exceptionally long-lasting though the darkest (and most matte) was not quite as smooth as I would have liked.

Clarins Ombre Minerale 4 Couleurs Eye Quartet in Rosewood is available to buy on counter or online at Clarins.com, priced at £30.00

* press sample

Clarins have released a radiance powder this Autumn which promises to melt into the skin for a naturally radiant complexion.  For a dry-skinned gal like me, those claims make my heart beat just a little bit faster.

Let’s take a look at their new and limited Color Definition 3D Radiance Face Powder…

The theory behind the varying hues in the palette remind me of my Guerlain Meteorites.  My understanding of this colour correction is that the lilac tones should normalize any sallowness while the deeper pink will give a lift/highlight to the complexion.  Those harder working pixels sit on a base combination of beige and peach to create an overall luminous finish.

Isn’t it pretty?  OK, so it’s lacking the WOW! factor that the Guerlain delivers but as a Computer Repair chick in my alternate life, that pixellation speaks to me.

The packaging is as luxe as you would expect from Clarins, the signature pale gold – so shiny that the outside totally works as a mirror.  I should know, I plucked my eyebrows using it because I was both too lazy to find my proper mirror OR actually bother opening the compact to use the ‘proper’ mirror provided.

The Color Definition 3D Radiance Face Powder is firmly textured, I don’t get any product dust when sweeping my brush over the surface.  I’d recommend using a natural hair brush to pick up the powder as you could well be there all day with something that doesn’t grab product so efficiently.

The effect is subtle but noticeable, it seems to soften the effect of my pores but unlike my Guerlain Meteorites, leaves behind no trace of sparkle.  If you’ve always wanted the luminizing, softening effect of the Meteorites but were concerned about the sparkle, this could be the product you’ve been waiting for.  There *is* sparkle in the peach shade (the indented parts of the palette) but this doesn’t seem visible on my skin.

The swatch shows it looking quite pigmented, but it’s not – You’d have great difficulty using this as a blush… which is just as well really, seeing as it, err, isn’t one.

Overall, this is a really strong offering from Clarins and if there is nothing similar in their core product line, it SO shouldn’t be Limited Edition.  I’m flagging this one up as something that should be checked out on counter ASAP – it’s cheaper than the Guerlain, sensitive noses will be pleased to hear that this isn’t highly-scented and will be more forgiving on oilier skins.  It’s a realistic and worthy alternative to the iconic Guerlain Meteorites.

A FOTD showing a sheer/medium coverage foundation with the Clarins face powder dusted ontop (and a bit of a “Tim Nice but Dim” smile).

Clarins Color Definition 3D Radiance Face Powder is regularly priced at £30 and available on counter and online from Clarins, FeelUnique (*cough* £27) and Escentual.com (£24 *chokes*)

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* press sample

Gosh, has it really been nearly a week since I did a Red Lips day?  Time is currently moving far too quickly… that’s what happens when you still have a Christmas tree to put up.

Day 5 is one of Clarins’ new Rouge Prodige long-lasting lipsticks in Fusion Red.  If you don’t like your products to be scented… steer clear of this range as that tell-tale lipstick smell has been heavily masked with a lovely (if a bit strong) scent of fig.

Fusion Red is a glossy creme with a texture that grips.  It has a little less slip during application because of this and takes me longer to apply with a brush than some of the other reds I own but once it’s on, you can wear with the confidence that only a long-lasting lipstick brings.

On me, Fusion Red lasted a good 6 hours before fading but when it did eventually begin to fade, It lost colour in the centre first leaving me that tell tale red ring.  It wasn’t too apparent thanks to filling in with my lip liner but still…

Having said that, I had less teeth transfer issues with Fusion Red than with any other.  Is there anything worse than smiling seductively at yourself in the mirror only to notice that it looks like you’ve been chowing down on a couple of wild gazelles during your lunchbreak?

Clarins Fusion Red (£16) is a good, solid… long-lasting choice that is particularly unfussy but does need to be kept nearby for a quick touch up when it eventually fades.

It’s all about the lips this Autumn as far as Clarins are concerned.

They’ve introduced a new lipstick to their line up!  The long-lasting Rouge Prodige range boasts an impressive 24 shades, I’ve been sent a few to swatch and show you… so here goes…

Sleek is the word I’d use to describe the packaging… look at that cute little ‘C’.  For ‘Charlotte’ innit…

Shades and swatches after the jump!

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I was gonna incorporate the Clarins Instant Blush I was sent into a feature on ‘colour-changing’ cosmetics… but then I tried it and decided that it deserved a post on it’s own.  It’s pretty close to blush heaven.

I don’t generally associate Clarins with innovation (sorry Clarins!), but it’s one of those brands that sits over there in that ‘safe’ category of cosmetics.  Maybe it’s the counter staff… in their red & white ensembles, makes me think of Butlins or something.  Either way… the Clarins counter is generally one I don’t spend too long browsing.

The new Clarins Instant Blush is a cream/gel formula that promises to adjust itself to your skintone upon application.  I’m not sure about all these colour changing products… In theory I love the idea!  But I dislike gimmicks with no substance.

I’m feeling particularly sore about these type of products since I swatched the new Bourjois Rose Exclusif onto a piece of paper the day before yesterday and watched it change into the exact same shade it develops on my lips… I’ve gone all skeptical.  That stuff is supposed to give you a unique shade dependant on personal PH levels blah blah blah.  Apparently, I’m as unique as a sheet of A4.  Great.

But back to this (somebody slap me if I go off on a tangent again)…

In fairness, the Clarins Instant Blush doesn’t claim anything about unique shades and PH levels… I think the premise is that it’s just gonna deepen and build intensity when it comes into contact with your skin.

I adore the texture of this product.  It’s a gel/cream… quite thin and vaseline-esque.  It has a lot of slip which makes for easy blending… but being so thin, it’s controllable.  I still have the whole Aunt Sally issue with blush going on, so for me…  the more control the better.

How beautiful is that pink?  Seriously?  The blurb on the website advises that the single shade is suitable for all complexions… it’s totally buildable and the intensity will deepen depending on the number of layers you apply.  On me, it’s quite a cool-toned pink… will it be a slightly different hued pink on olive tones? *shrugs* If you swatch of buy, I’d be really interested to know!

The blush contains some small sparkle… too fine to be glittery and too sparse to be shimmery.  I’m not really sure if the sparkle does much other than look pretty in the pot.

I apply this with my fingers, dotting over the apple of my cheeks and blending backward towards my temples.  The colour builds as soon as you apply, so there’s no guessing games as to what shade you’re gonna achieve ten minutes later.

My one caveat is that it remains quite tacky to the touch for a short while.  It does eventually set… but it’s not immediate.  Having said that, I’ve powdered over it whilst it’s still tacky with no clumping or issues from doing so.  Staying power on my normal/combo skin is great – I didn’t feel the need to reapply on my cheeks until the evening when I was going out.

In the above picture, I’ve also slicked a small amount onto my lips.  I adore this as a lip tint because of the texture.  It’s so thin that it really feels as though my lips are bare.  I hate gloopy lips.  My lips needed another coat by lunchtime to bring the colour back.

All in all, it’s a wonderful multi-tasker in a pretty, pretty pink hue.

Clarins Instant Blush is priced at £16.50 and available on counter or online at Clarins website.

I was hot… so I bullied Mr. L into getting the fans out of the loft yesterday.  I subsequently spent the night shivering under my duvet but of course, I was too stubborn to turn the damn thing off.

Summer IS a-coming….

There are 2 camps when it comes to Summer foundation… those that want lightweight, breathable cover and those that want their usual good coverage, but with added staying power in warmer weather.

It’s with the 2nd group in mind that I’m reviewing Clarins new Everlasting Foundation.  The clue is in the name… longevity.  Clarins promises 15hrs of impeccable coverage with this product.  15hrs?  That’s enough time to fly halfway round the world!

Let me start by saying that (in my albeit fairly limited experience) I quite like Clarins’ base products… I’m nearing the end of a bottle of their Truly Matte foundation that I cracked open last Summer, the shade wasn’t quite right for me but it did pretty much what it said on the tin.  This Everlasting Foundation promises a flawless matte finish but with that extra insurance factor of lasting through a full day of wear.

Well let’s see if it lives up to it’s claims shall we?

Packaging is beautiful…. a heavyweight frosted glass bottle containing 30ml of product.  The info on the back states that the product is allergy tested and non comedogenic which should make it a fab non-pore clogging option for ‘glowing’ skin.  Ladies don’t sweat remember?

Clarins sent me shade 104 (Cream) for review consideration, it’s a pretty good match… perhaps half a shade too dark, but it blends into my natural skintone well and I thankfully don’t have to blend the product down to my backside to avoid tide marks.

The coverage is indeed matte and I’d call it medium to full… not quite as full-on as say Estee Lauder’s Double Wear, but definitely heading in that direction.  If you want sheer to medium, this isn’t for you.  The product applies beautifully with either a brush or a sponge (I always test things with my beauty blender now too!).  I’m also loving using this with my fingers, the heat from my hands really makes this product melt into my skin… I’m anal about blobby coverage though so I’ve still been finishing off with an allover buff (flat top kabuki) after applying!

Have a close up pic, as always… click to enlarge (barf!)

The one personal downfall I had with this foundation is that I’m a touch too dry skinned for it.  I’m combo normal/dry at the moment (though definitely get oilier in the summer) and I felt that this accentuated my dry patches on my nose.  You may be able to see this in the enlarged image.  Now, whilst this is an issue for me… you oilier ladies should be bouncing in your seats, Clarins Everlasting foundation really kept the shine at bay for many hours thanks to it’s oil-free formula.

But what about it’s claims of Everlasting…um…ness?

Here’s a freshly applied/9 hours later comparison.  No cheating, not even a flick of powder during the day, oh and this was on the hottest day of the year so far…

Now, bear in mind I don’t have very oily skin… but 9 hours is impressive!  To be fair, it didn’t last much longer than this… about another hour before I was properly itching to reach for some powder or something to touch up with!  The coverage on my nose was the first to disappear which is stupid seeing as I’ve just gone on about how I’ve got dry bits there… but I seem to be oily down the bridge with dry bits elsewhere *rolls eyes*.

15hrs? Not quite… but more than long enough to see you through a day at work.  A quick touch up from your favourite powder foundation over the bits that need it and I reckon you’d be set for an evening out aswell.

Clarins Everlasting Foundation (£23) is available from counters nationwide or online at Clarins

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