A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Small portions at restaurants, a child that can’t complete a sentence without repeating the word “Mummy” over and over before getting to her point, and body lotion that slides ineffectually over my skin for all eternity without actually sinking in.  These are the kind of things that get on my tits daily.

E45 have released a trio of new body creams that dodge my irritation-o-meter, they’re light, pleasantly slippy, cooling on the skin and quick to absorb.

The three varieties are best suited to normal/dry skins as a daily moisturiser, if you’re looking for something more nourishing for brillo-pad elbows and shins, look elsewhere in the range for heavier formulas.  My favourite of the three and the one that I’m classing as my “inexpensive beauty find” is the E45 Silky Radiance Body Lotion* (the one on the far right in the above picture).

This is going to be a particularly good choice for the summer months as it contains a really subtle shimmer that makes you look all glowy and healthy.  I can’t even emphasise just how crucial it is to have shimmery limbs right now – I mean, I can’t turn on the telly without being blinded by some s’lebs shiny legs and this is a far more appealing version which doesn’t like you’ve rolled around in the butter dish.

E45 Silky Radiance Body Lotion is available to buy instore and online at Boots.com, priced at £3.99 (also available from Supermarkets and the usual places)

* press sample

How much do we love a beautiful duochrome nail polish? Almost as much as a cracking holo, that’s how much.

Love it even more if I can browse and pick it up during my weekly shop.

Oh, hai Eye Candy London… I don’t believe we’ve met but I’m liking the look of your Colour Flip polishes very much indeed!

Well, they’re a bit pretty aren’t they? Also available from this brand are some crackles (yawn), a magnetic range, a rainbow flaky and a graphite (think chanel-inspired).

The Eye Candy London range is available to buy instore at Sainsburys (yeahhh!) priced at £8 each.

I popped into one that I was passing yesterday but couldn’t spot them yet. Keep your eyes peeled ladies!

Have you spied these new instalments in the beauty aisle yet?

I’m not a body lotion type person but I have about four bottles open, each at various stages of emptiness… I slather them on and wander aimlessly across the landing and back, waiting for the icky feeling to subside.  I have to use them because underneath my skin, I have scales.  After showering, the water seemingly dissolves the upper epidermis leaving me feeling more horny toad than supple and soft.

The worst bits are typically in those hard to reach areas, namely that horizontal line that connects both shoulder blades.  As the water evaporates, my skin tightens and I feel a familiar tingle that has me running for the body cremes.  When I say “me”, I actually mean Mr. L… I’ve already said that I can’t reach.  It’s a daily ritual… and one that I’m very grateful that I have a husband to help me with.  I’m so high maintenance.

Enter LUSH’s latest innovation, Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner*.

Taking the hair conditioner theory and applying it to the skin, it’s basically a tub of sweet-smelling, oil-infused skin conditioner that you smear over your body after washing, then rinse off prior to stepping out of the shower.  Towel dry your skin gently and you’ll feel as if you’ve just smothered yourself in a rich body creme.  And unlike last year’s innovation, Toothy Tabs… I’m a massive fan.

A). It smells completely delicious, like a mixture of cocoa butter and roses… truly edible.

B).  It really works.

It feels odd on the skin whilst you’re still in the shower, like you’ve just waterproofed your skin with a slather of grease to be honest.  Deliciously-scented but lardy nonetheless.   As I patted my skin dry with the towel, it felt simply amazing and still does, sitting here 5 hours later. *strokes arms*

A little goes a very long way and the trick is to increase its ‘spreadability’, work with a small amount and don’t be afraid to really eke it out over the skin’s surface.  It’s generously rich in oils and although some parts may feel like you have more product on than others, have faith that you’ve done a good job in spreading the conditioner.  It’s not the cheapest outlay but it will easily last twice as long as my regular body moisturisers PLUS, I don’t have to stand around shivering as I wait for it to sink in!

LUSH Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner is priced at £15.50 for 225g and I highly recommend it for post-shower lizard people.

* press sample

I’m a big fan of homeopathic brand Nelsons, a British institution with over 150 years of history behind it.  As a teen, I relied on their Bach’s Rescue Remedy to get me through my GCSEs and driving test, I keep an Arnica kid’s stick in my handbag for when Leila walks into something/falls over/needs to pretend that she’s a doctor, and I keep forgetting to pick up a tube of Graphites Cream for the little eczema flare ups that I get where my wedding ring sits.  I find the products effective at providing quick relief (almost like a security blanket) without breaking the bank.

I was sent a tube of Calendula Cream*, which is marketed as a multi-purpose cream for rough, dry, flaky or chapped skin.  Oh hai!  That’s me that is!

I’ve spent the past two days rubbing it into my cuticles as a benchmark, simply because I’m so used to nourishing that area I feel that I can judge it’s efficacy better here than by using it on other parts on my body.  I’d describe the Calendula Cream as a good option for those who need a lightweight but nourishing moisturiser.  This isn’t something I’d apply before bed for an intensive treatment, it’s better suited to a daytime environment.  It’s a little too slow to absorb to keep in my handbag (when you’ve literally only got about 30 seconds before you need to be doing stuff/touching things again) but it’s nicely balanced as an option for your desk drawer.

It has been effective at softening the hardest bits of skin around my fingernails even after only a couple of days.  I don’t care for the scent, which I’m struggling to describe as it smells (to me) neither floral, nor herbal.  I don’t know what calendula (the plant) actually smells like, it may be a perfect representation.  The cream doesn’t leave a greasy film behind but does leave a silky sensation that may put you off… you can ‘feel’ it, but it doesn’t hinder at all.

You can use this on any dry bits, I’m currently suffering around my hairline… so I’ll be giving it a go on my face, albeit a little concerned that it may be too rich… we shall see!  I’ve posted a picture of the ingredient’s list above, the cream is described as being free from: artificial colourings, fragrances, parabens, PEGs, lanolin, silicones and mineral oils.  So basically, it’s a good option for anyone that has experienced (or feels they have experienced) any problems with the above ingredients in the past.  I also really like the Weleda Calendula Weather Protection Cream which is more of an intensive treatment (and doesn’t sink in so well) for very dry skin.

Priced at £6.35, Nelsons Calendula Cream is available to buy instore and online at Boots

* press sample

Twice a week, I’m instructed to make bubble monsters of varying shapes and sizes.  Some are scary, some are friendly… some exist for mere seconds before a chubby toddler squishes them back down beneath the water. Others cling to the bath until I can be bothered to flush them down the plughole with a healthy dose of Cif.  We like bubbles in our house and a bath simply isn’t a bath without an accompaniment of pops and froth.

Imperial Leather have released a duo of limited edition fragrances, one of which caught my eye owing to the fact that it alludes to one of my favourite perfumery notes, and one that you don’t usually see in high street bodycare products, Amber.

Claiming an intoxicating base note of Amber, the Blissful* range (which comprises a shower gel and a bath cream) promises a highly nourishing formula, balanced to be pH neutral.  Other than the colour in the bottle, I didn’t detect too much of the promised amber but it does still offer a warm and comforting exotic floral scent.  Containing jojoba pearls to help both exfoliate and offer additional moisturisation and with bubbles a-plenty, it passed the toddler test with flying colours.

The other limited edition fragrance is Sublime and is based around a pomegranate scent, expect a far fruitier affair!

Can you remember the Imperial Leather ads from when we were growing up?  I found this one on You Tube and have to say, despite it featuring the magnificent Julie Walters, this one slipped my attention!

The new Imperial Leather Limited Editions range of pampering shower and bath creams are available from all major retailers, with an RRP of £1.89 per 250ml shower cream and £1.53 per 500ml bath cream.

* press sample

I love a bit of alliteration in the mornings and the ECOTools Bamboo Bronzer Brush is just the kind of tongue twister that my beauty routine was waiting for.  I’ll start my review by pointing out that this little big brush has amassed an amazing 4.8 (out of 5) average rating over on makeupalley.  No great shakes you might think, except when you take into consideration that it’s been rated almost 300 times.  That’s a lot of very happy brush owners.

Although sold as a bronzing brush, this thing is so large, I have to assume that ECOTools intended this to be used as a body-brozing brush or simply an all-over face bronzing (as in tanning) brush.  There’s no way you’d wanna reach for this daily to “sunkiss” your face in specific areas, it’s mahoosive!  Where this baby excels is in its ability to buff – buff, buff and buff again.  It’s a wonderful long-handled kabuki for mineral foundation and an even more awesome applicator for the kind of liquid foundations that would normally give you an armache as you try to blend them before they quickly set.

This particular brush pairs up wonderfully with all manner of foundations including powders, creams and liquids and if you love the ELF Powder Brush for buffing in your foundation, I’m willing to bet that you’re going to love this even more.  The synthetic bristles are kitten-paw soft, keeping dry skin happy while you buff away to your hearts content.  I’m not gonna call the finished results ‘airbrushed’ (because it’s a naff expression) but I did get a lovely sheen to prove that the product had been worked well into the skin before any excess was buffed away by the densely-packed fibres.  I don’t find the large handle cumbersome to use, neither have I experienced any problems with shedding.

I’ve since bought another one to keep as a finishing brush and I use it to apply an illuminating/setting powder and ensure that everything is fully blended with a non-powdery finish – something I can struggle with when my skin is on the dry side.  The only negatives about this brush is that it’s a bugger to clean, takes an age to dry and isn’t very-travel friendly.

The ECOTools brush range is available to buy instore in Boots, priced at £9.99.  It’s also available online from cutecosmetics, priced at £8.99

Halloween-mad Liloo is passionate about makeup and its effectiveness at allowing people to feel more confident.  The following article is a guest submission, you can read more of Liloo’s writing at Le Petit Jardin de Liloo.

To complement the recent release of their Foils Collection, BeautyUK have launched The Gemstone Collection*, a stunning selection of six pastel polish shades with a difference: a smooth and glittery finish.

If you’re new to the brand, Beauty UK is a British brand of affordable makeup, mainly sold in Superdrug but usually shoved at the back of the shop.  Why is this so?  I really don’t know.  A crying shame for the brand in my opinion, as their nail polishes offer impressive coverage in a minimal amount of coats and are a doddle to apply.  The new Gemstone polishes are no exception to the rule.  In honour of the semi-precious stones where BeautyUK took their inspiration, the Gemstone Posh Polishes are donning a fancy cap for the occasion, reminiscent of Nails Inc. polishes but at a much more budget friendly price of £3.49 each.

They say: Inspired by precious gemstones, these metallized pastels combine subtle hues with a light shimmer and superb coverage to bring a touch of class to any look.  Treat yourself to a bit of posh in any of the six shades – Amethyst (lilac), Sunstone (blush), Topaz (taupe), Silmaril (gold), Elfstone (green) and Moonstone (blue).

The brunette in me had to try the amethyst shade first as I like to think that purple shades really make my brown eyes stand out.

Application for the gemstone polishes was even easier than normal thanks to their forgiving pastel nature. I was able to apply my polish even more sloppily than normal without feeling too self conscious.  All my photos show two coats but I could have gotten away with one.  Drying time was a little slower than usual, but nothing as slow as Boots No.7 Sultry Sands and Golden Palms which have to be the slowest-to-dry polishes known to mankind.

These are Moonstone and Elfstone:

At first glance, the golden shades Silmaril, Topaz and Sandstone will look very similar in their bottles. Wear them all on one hand on a bright sunny day and you’ll be able to marvel at their subtle nuances.

Don’t ask me to choose a favourite. At the beginning, my heart was set amethyst, but looking at the photos again, I just want to wear topaz and sunstone as the same time, in a muted ‘ombre’ kind of manicure.

If you’re fussy about your polishes and want something ultra wearable, subtle but eye catching simultaneously, shimmery/glittery but without the removal nightmare of traditional glitter polishes, pastel shades evocative of the Spring season, *and* inexpensive, the gemstone collection might just well be for you.

*Disclosure: Polishes were sent for review purposes

If you would like to submit a non-commercial post to be considered for inclusion on Lipglossiping.com, please email for more details.

I love a good rusty orange, and before you jump on the it’s too Autumnal thing (I saw you making me feel completely off-trend with Minger!), I’m sticking two fingers up at trends.  Well, that and the fact that I bought this last Autumn.  Busted.

I see brushstrokes, does that make this a frost?  Does anyone else struggle a little bit telling the difference between all the various finishes?  I’m gonna call this a frost.  Go on, you can correct me if I’m wrong – I’m wearing my big girl’s pants.  I’m always wearing big girl’s pants 🙁

Desert Dune is a great shade for Autumn Spring, it’s rich… velvety and a looks non too shabby on a pale skintone.  Application with this one was trouble-free, with a few coats covering the nail bed to a good opacity.

LA Colours is available to buy in BeautyBase in both of London’s Westfields.  I picked this up from Whiteleys Shopping Centre on Queensway last time I was in London.  I think it was 99p?  I might have made that up.

What is your favourite LA Colors shade?

So, staunchly ploughing my way through the UK available BB Creams (but slowly, very slowly)… the next on my radar was the Boots No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream* which was launched recently.  It comes in a few varieties, depending on your skintype: normal/oily, normal/dry, dry/very dry.  I’ve got a stock image here because I took my photos last month and can’t find them on my computer anymore… I bet I got a bit zealous in my cleaning up process a few weeks ago.

I’m really enjoying what feels like a bonus inclusion for the dry/very dry camp and this delivers well on not exacerbating any symptoms of dry skin.  It doesn’t cling to flakes and it doesn’t highlight any dry patches or look powdery as it settles.  It doesn’t however, provide enough moisturisation for me to wear it without moisutirser underneath.  Nor, at SPF15, does it provide enough sun protection on its own.  This to me, isn’t a BB Cream – it’s simply not an all-in-one solution with the kind of skincare benefits that I’m looking for.

But how does it work as a foundation or base?

Really nicely actually.  It gives more coverage than a regular tinted moisturiser but not quite as much as a light foundation.  It leaves a dewy finish that is a little tacky to the touch before settling and tones down my redness well enough to give me the confidence I need to face the world.  I usually apply this with my fingers, making it a fast 5-minute face option for mornings when I don’t need or particularly want to look made-up.  Quick trips to the shops, school-runs, the general day-to-day stuff that you feel a little happier doing without a completely bare face.

It lasts adequately and doesn’t pack any oxidisation issues throughout the day.

Although the texture is quite thick, it feels blendable once it comes into contact with skin (especially under warm fingers) and has enough slip to allow you to really work it into the face quite well.  There are two shades available in each variety (fair & medium) and fair is a good-enough match for my pale skintone, a little too warm/dark but it’s sheer enough not to cause any problems.

The Boots No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream in Dry/Very Dry is priced at £12.95 for 40ml, and is available instore and online at boots.com

* press sample

Remember this post?  The mystery brand conducted a huge facebook-driven campaign involving over 500,000 secret samples being sent out to households across the UK.  Feedback on the mystery product has been pretty positive with 91% of testers saying that they would recommend the product to a friend.

Well, I can finally reveal the brand behind The Big Skincare Mystery (and some of you guessed it!) as Clearasil!

The new Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts range has been packed with superfruits known for their antioxidant properties and soothing plant extracts, and the flagship product in the range is the new Clearasil PerfectaWash.  A face wash dispenser that automatically dispenses the perfect dose of cleanser to ensure effective cleansing without over-drying.  This is available in two variants: superfruits or soothing plant extract.

In addition to the PerfectaWash, Clearasil’s new range includes the  2 in 1 Vitamins & Extracts Wash and Mask (the one we’ve all been trialling), Vitamins & Extracts Scrub and Vitamins & Extracts Cleansing Wipes.

As for how I got on with the 2 in 1 Vitamins & Extracts Wash and Mask*?  Well pretty good actually.  I didn’t experience any of the dryness that I would normally associate with using a product aimed at problem skin-types.  Literally, none at all but I wasn’t keen on the scent and as a result, didn’t enjoy using this as a mask – I prefer something that feels and smells a little more luxurious on my skin!  Having said that, I will be repurchasing this to use as a daily wash (used after oil cleansing) simply because it left my skin feeling freshly cleansed without being stripped and it’s cheaper than my Bare Minerals cleanser.  If it goes on to do effective battle with my blemishes and breakouts, then even better!  I think combination skintypes are going to really enjoy this product.

The new range is already available to buy instore and online at Boots.com with prices starting from £3.49

* press sample

Can you feel it coming?  The birds are beginning to sing a slightly more cheerful tune, the flowers are peeking their tiny heads out from beneath the frozen ground and the dark evenings are gradually fading into longer twilights.  Sure, it ain’t exactly warming up yet… but I’m optimistic that we’re over the worst of it.  Maybe.

The fact that I took delivery of the Boots No7 Floral Brights Spring 2012 Collection* this morning may have had something to do with the new-found spring in my step (pardon the pun).  Look at that packaging, I love it and I usually quite dislike white cosmetic packaging.  Mind you, I used to hate white gadgets too… *hides all Apple technology*.

The new Lisa Eldridge-created collection consists of: one eye palette, one complexion highlighter, two cream blushers and two lipsticks.  No nail polishes this time.  Boo.

Want a closer look?

This prettily packaged eye palette reminds me of the Avon Marimekko ones from a few years back, does anyone remember those?  Anyway, the No7 Vital Brighetning Eye Palette offers five warm-toned shades with four neutrals and a pop of golden-yellow.  Nothing too dark here, this is all about bringing some light to the face and brightening the eye area.  I tend to prefer cooler tones on my eyes but I do like the satin-finish of these, they’re not too metallic and showy.  Texture is a touch soft but they blend nicely and last very well on primed eyelids.

Next up is the No7 Vital Enlightening Highlighter, a smooth champagne highlighting powder that applies with more sophistication and refinement than I expected.  It imparts a non-metallic glow when used with a light hand and is neutral enough not to look too warm, or too pink on my skintone.  No7 generally do highlighting powders very, very well and if you’re in the market for a new one, this is worth a look.

A real standout in the collection are their two new blushers.  The No7 Vital Brights Cream Blushers in Blooming Pink (fuchsia) and Blossoming Pink (guava) are a cream-to-powder formulation that pack a real punch of vibrancy whilst still being able to blend down to a wearable flush without streaking.  The formula is *so* spot on with these… I own cream blushers that cost twice as much and apply literally, half as well as these do.  Highly recommend checking these out while they’re still available.

My other favourite from the collection are the two new No7 Vital Brights Lipstick shades that allude to the popular lightweight formula the beauty world can’t get enough off, whilst boasting more buildable pigmentation levels than most gel-style lipsticks.  They’re knockout shades too… Blooming Pink is the killer, cool-toned fuchsia which looks great with a slick of black liner and will carry you confidently through to Summer.  Blossoming Pink is a slightly cool-toned nude which will please women who prefer a safer lip-shade.  It’s nude without being too pale, more of a perfecting lip shade than a colour statement.  How this one turns out will really depend on your natural lip colouring.

Without wanting to sound like a major fangirl, there’s not a dud in the collection.  If you twisted my arm, I’d say that you could probably leave the eye palette on the shelf.  It’s a little bit soft and doesn’t tick my must-have requirements in the same way as some of the other pieces.  Do not let this limited edition collection pass you by without going in for a closer look at the lipsticks and blushes though.  That’s an order.

If you can bring yourself to, please excuse the bottom right cam-whoring.  I couldn’t – in all seriousness – where such a horrifically clashing lip shade and not ham it up a bit.  In all photos I’m wearing the eye palette, blossoming pink cream blush and highlighter.  It’s hopefully clear enough in which photos I’m wearing which lipstick.  Does that make sense?

No7 Vital Brighetning Eye Palette – 4g (£13.00)
No7 Vital Enlightening Highlighter – 10g (£13.00)
No7 Vital Brights Cream Blushers in Blooming Pink or Blossoming Pink – 2g (£10.00)
No7 Vital Brights Lipsticks in Blooming Pink or Blossoming Pink – 3.5g (£10.00)

Have you got your eye on any pieces from the new Spring Collection?  Already bought something – let me know!

The No7 Floral Brights Spring 2012 Collection is available exclusively in Boots stores now and online at Boots.com until the 6th March 2012.  It’s worth pointing out that No7 products are also currently on 3for2.

* press samples

Just a quickie to share the new Boots 17 Spring Fling Eye Palettes that showed up today – I don’t think I’ve seen much about these online yet?

Two limited edition eye palettes with super, super pretty styling.  What with it being the weekend and all, I don’t have the release info but I think it’s safe to assume that these will be out very shortly (I can’t see them on the website).  Here’s some photos and swatches taken this afternoon.

Texture-wise, the shadows are very soft and a little crumbly but they blend effortlessly and subsequently afford better pigmentation than most pastels.  The colour combinations are cute… I can see a distinctly traditional fair/olive divide going on!

Any first impressions?

* press sample