A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I’ve blogged about Jo Malone’s wonderful gardens before, their charity initiative that encourages marginalised communities to build and maintain beautiful, scented gardens.  The brand collaborate with dedicated charities to harness the power of gardening in an effort to improve the lives of those living in vulnerable situations; normally due to the isolation that comes with mental ill health, addiction, poverty or disability.

The initiative also encourages brand involvement with volunteers from Jo Malone themselves, be it head office staff or boutique stylists, many of whom who are more than happy to swap skills and lend a hand to get the gardens up to scratch!

Following on from the successes of the original Old English Garden in London and the Gil Hodges Community Garden in New York, the brand are due to open two more green spaces in Liverpool and Edinburgh on the 1st July and a further garden in Bristol next year.

To help support this initiative, all proceeds from the new Limited Edition Silk Blossom Home Candle – a fragrance described as Apricot-fresh with a touch of spice – will go to supporting the charity gardens nationwide.

If you needed an excuse to indulge in some home-scenting, the new Jo Malone London Limited Edition Silk Blossom Candle (and Cologne) is available to buy online now, priced at £42.00

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This February marks 10-years of the KISS IT BETTER appeal with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.  The appeal is the brainchild of ex-beauty director Carmel Allen whose daughter Josephine was treated at the London hospital for Neuroblastoma, the appeal helps to raise awareness and funds for children suffering from cancer.

For this special, 10-year anniversary, the Clinique team have partnered up with retail giants House of Fraser and throughout the month of February, £2 from every Clinique lip product (lipgloss or lipstick) sold on counters in House of Fraser stores will be donated to the charity.

In addition to this, you can also purchase the Limited Edition A Different Nail Enamel For Sensitive Skins in the shade ‘Kiss it Better’.  A purchase of this vibrant, hot pink with its skin-friendly formula will guarantee that 50% of the £12.00 RRP goes directly to the appeal.  This polish is stocked exclusively on House of Fraser counters for the month of February.

For further information on the KISS IT BETTER appeal and ways to donate, visit www.gosh.org/kissitbetter

It’s June and the mercury is soaring.  Great.  “Woohoo”, you all shout! (collectively, go on…)

But, this has put me in a quandry… you see, I don’t wear red lipstick when it’s hot.  You know how it is, your moustache sweats and the last thing you want is red lipstick smearing in a southerly direction down your chin.

And for that image?  You’re welcome.

But the thing is, it’s an important week… it’s Cervical Screening Awareness Week and that can only mean one thing…

It’s time for THE Red Lippy Project.

From today, until the 15th June, I’d be super-proud of you all if you grabbed your most obnoxiously beautiful red lipsticks and gave them a twirl.  Put them on rotation and give them a thorough outing.  If anyone asks why, tell them all about The Red Lippy Project and how you’re doing your bit to promote Cervical Screening Awareness Week because ladies, 20% of us still dodge our smear tests.

Let’s talk about that for a minute.  Twenty freakin’ percent.  Seriously… we’re not all immune from the big C, our bloody wonderful NHS provides us with a free screening that saves up to 5,000 lives every year, and 1 in every 5 of us aren’t actually using this opportunity to get checked out?  Madness.

I’ll be wearing seven of my most impressive, in-yer-face red lipsticks this week and instagramming them as I go.  I’m not gonna pretend that wearing red lipstick is a hardship for me, and the thought of asking my family and friends to sponsor me to do so is akin to asking them to donate generously whilst I eat cake.  It’s not gonna happen.  So, instead I’m donating £10 to the cause by texting TRLP80 £10 to 70070

Men grow their silken moustaches in November in the name of charidee and you know damn well that we look far more sassy sporting a hot red lip.  Even if it does end up on our teeth.

If you’re getting involved, link me up to your blog posts, instagram pictures, facebooks and tweets below! 

And most of all, tell your friend/sister/daughter/mother/neighbour to go get her cervix scrutinised.

This month, eco-conscious brand Aveda are supporting Earth Month 2013 with the launch of a limited edition Light the Way Candle.  The brand will be donating 100% of the retail price (less VAT) to Global Greengrants Fund (GGF), a non-profit organisation that channels high-impact grants to grassroots groups working to solve pressing environmental problems.

Terry Odendahl, Global Greengrants Fund Executive Director says…

“Aveda’s support makes an enormous difference to Global Greengrants Fund and our goal of creating a sustainable world. Partnering with local communities, we have protected over 700 watersheds, lakes and rivers, and have supported over 20,000 women working for clean water in their communities. All of this is made possible by the sale of Light the Way Candles, and the salon owners who participate. We are grateful to the Aveda community for their visionary support!”

These clean-water projects can make a real difference to the lives of real people around the world.  In Morocco, just one candle donation can support the purchase of eight metres of piping to transport drinking water!

The 2013 Light the Way Candle (held in 100% reclaimed glass beverage bottles) features a new Madagascar-inspired aroma and has been blended with essential oils, including: vanilla, cinnamon, and ylang-ylang, all sourced from Madagascar.  The carton (made from 70% post-consumer-recycled paperboard) has been decorated with artwork made by students of the Association School in Ampasimanjeva, Madagascar, a village that has received two Global Greengrants Fund grants for water projects.

It’s plain to see that a lot of real thought, and energy has gone into the production of these candles.  Almost every aspect of the finished product can be linked in some way to the very good cause that the brand are helping to promote.

The Aveda Light The Way candle is priced at £16, and available to buy online from www.aveda.co.uk

Whilst I don’t have anything against Valentine’s day, I wanted to dedicate today’s post to something a little more meaningful than my usual rose-scented beauty products theme.  You see, today isn’t all about cupid, overpriced roses, and abject loneliness.  February 14th also marks a very special birthday.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children first opened its doors on Valentine’s Day, 1852 and has been striving for excellence from that day forward.  The hospital, which treats over 200,000 children a year, is globally renowned for its paediatric care and training.

The Kiss It Better Appeal is the brainchild of Carmel Allen whose daughter Josephine was treated at the hospital for Neuroblastoma – a type of cancer. The appeal efforts focus on raising money to fund research into the causes and treatment of childhood cancer.

Carmel says: “The premise was really simple, KISS IT BETTER is something every parent says and does when their child is sick or injured. I wanted to turn Josephine’s experience into something positive and to help make a difference to the lives of children with cancer everywhere”.

And so, today… in honour of a very important birthday, I’m making a simple request.

Spread your Valentine’s good feelings a little bit further today and text KISS12 followed by donation amount (e.g KISS12 £3) to 70070.  There is no cost to send the message and the donation goes straight to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Many thanks to clinique.co.uk for providing the visuals for this post.

I bet you’ve got at least one Christmas present that is still languishing unopened?

When I was a kid… Mum used to make us pile our presents into a carrier bag to take upstairs and 5 months later… the carrier bag would still be half-full in the bottom of our wardrobes.  Ungrateful sods, kids.  The thing is though, what do you do with unwanted gifts?  There’s always eBay… but the chances are, Aunty Vi has been stalking the auction site since the 26th December to see if any of her gifts have ended up under the virtual hammer.

Alternatively, you could give them away to friends and colleagues… who probably don’t want them either…

Or… if we’re talking about unwanted fragrances (novelty socks won’t work)… and you fancy a £5 off voucher for a new scent…

Tweet @escentualdotcom a picture of the fragrance with the hashtag #FragranceAmnesty, let them know which scents you’ve liked in the past, and they’ll recommend a better fit AND give you a £5 gift voucher towards your next fragrance purchase with them.

Once you’ve claimed your voucher, go one step further and donate your unwanted fragrances to a better home.

Escentual.com are collecting your unwanted perfumes on behalf of Give and Make Up, a charitable organisation that passes on unwanted beauty products to women’s shelters. Read more about the #FragranceAmnesty and how to donate your fragrances here.

This year, The Body Shop are focusing their campaign efforts on supporting the UK charity Teenage Cancer Trust.  The partnership will see the two organisations working together to improve the lives of young people dealing with cancer age 13 to 24.  Fundraising is, as ever, an important part of the campaign but the partnership will also deliver a range of activities for young people with cancer including make-up workshops in the charity’s specialist cancer units across the UK, and work experience opportunities in The Body Shop® stores.

Simon Davies, CEO of Teenage Cancer Trust says:

“There are strong parallels between our two organisations and we’re looking forward to an exciting year ahead. Cancer and cancer treatment can impact appearance in many difficult ways, including losing hair, dramatically changing weight,  scarring, problems with sight or balance or even losing limbs. We know how hard these issues are for young people to cope with. Our vision is a future where young people’s lives don’t stop because they have cancer, and we want every young person with cancer to have access to our specialist care no matter where they live. The Body Shop’s support will be a powerful force for helping us achieve this.”

From April, customers at The Body Shop stores nationwide will also be given the opportunity to get involved by making a 10p donation at the end of their purchase and in total, The Body Shop aims to raise £250,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust  through a number of fundraising activities throughout the year.

The first of these activities will see The Body Shop release their first charity single!  Beauty With Heart, written and performed by British singer/songwriter Leddra Chapman is available to download now and all proceeds from sales of the single will go to Teenage Cancer Trust.

To download the single – priced at just 99p, go to www.fairsharemusic.com

What is it?

An elegant pink pin in the iconic pink ribbon design with one pink, and one blue stone.  The blue stone represents male sufferers of breast cancer, currently affecting around 1% of all those diagnosed with the disease.

How much is it?

£10.00

How much of the money goes to supporting PINK projects?

All of it.  The whole kit and caboodle.

How do I get it?

Available now on counters nationwide and online at www.esteelauder.co.uk

Elizabeth Hurley is known for her work as Estée Lauder spokesperson and Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Ambassador, and just as in past years… she’s putting in some personal appearances once again to help raise awareness for the annual campaign.

To celebrate the 20 year anniversary for BCA Month, this year Elizabeth will be making two in-store appearances:

Monday 8th October

1pm – 2pm: Elizabeth Hurley will be at Selfridges Oxford Street in London for a PA to meet and greet customers and sign BCA limited edition purchases.

Thursday 11th October

1pm – 2pm: Elizabeth Hurley will be at Selfridges Trafford Centre in Manchester for a PA to meet and greet customers and sign CA limited edition purchases.

7:30pm: Elizabeth Hurley will make an appearance at Selfridges Exchange in Manchester, and turn the store façade a spectacular shade of pink

Will you be there?

What is it?

A limited edition shade of Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm in Plumped Up Pink, housed in a cute pink cosmetic carrying pouch

How much is it?

£16.00

How much of our money goes to supporting PINK projects?

£2 from every purchase will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation

How do I get it?

Clinique counters at Selfridges and Boots nationwide and online at www.clinique.co.uk, from October, while stocks last.

What is it?

Solid mineral cheek colour from the cult U.S. mineral makeup brand in shade The French Kiss, a watermelon pink.

How much is it?

£22.00

How much of our money goes to supporting PINK projects?

£5 from each sale will go directly to cancer charity Look Good Feel Better

How do I get it?

www.bareminerals.co.uk and on-counter.

What is it?

A mud mask that promises the highest quality ingredients and exceptional results to deliver everything you need for great skin, whatever your skin type.

How much is it?

£49.99

How much of our money goes to supporting PINK projects?

25% of profits from the sale of CURE SEXY will be donated to the Pink Ribbon Foundation.

How do I get it?

www.glamglowmud.co.uk