A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Well, if you wanna be… get in there quick!  Entries close at 9am on the 7th June.

British brand Illamasqua are looking for a fresh face to front their Autumn/Winter collection and it could be you!

Check out the casting page to find out more and apply (men welcome too!)

Good luck if you’re applying!

According to the latest consumer study from America anyway…

Market Force Information, a market survey company, presented a selection of US consumers with the question what do you love most about your favourite makeup line and surprisingly only a small number of respondents selected the option of loving it because they use humane testing/environmentally safe.

I’m curious about this survey… it appears that it was a “tick the box that applies” affair rather than “provide your own answers in the space below”, but what if the respondent was unsure of whether their favourite brand tests humanely.  That doesn’t really leave uses humane testing as a viable answer option regardless of their feelngs on animal testing.  Survey fail?

I’m curious about how savvy people really are when it comes to humane testing and environmental issues – could you take a moment to answer my poll please?

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I have to remember that a lot of you guys are probably more makeup savvy than your ordinary consumer which may make a difference, but it’ll be interesting to see the results nonetheless!

Do you think that the original survey was wrong to draw the conclusion that humane testing isn’t an important consideration for US consumers?

I received the press release for Urban Decay‘s new tinted moisturiser range that’ll be hitting our shores soon and it’s got me thinking…

Do you swap your base product for something lighter in the Summer?

I have a couple of tinted moisturisers on the go throughout the year, but I tend to reach for them more often in the Summer.

I don’t feel that my skin is clear enough (I get redness) to completely rely on a tinted moisturiser, so I tend to use a concealer brush to blend a little foundation over my nose and cheeks.  I’m also not a huge fan of the ‘shine’ that tinted moisturiser always brings to my face.  I need a top notch setting powder to hand with a couple of touch-ups throughout the day.

I do love the lighter feeling though… Oh, why must everything be a compromise?

Urban Defense from Urban Decay will be hitting shelves in Debenhams and Boots soon, priced at £17 for 50ml and could hopefully put the compromising to an end!

Do you opt for tinted moisturisers in the Summer or are you a hardcore full-coverage addict?

Remember this post about the LCBT‘s attempt at a rather fabulous record-breaking attempt?

Well…

THEY DID IT!

The college set a new world record with an incredible 1897 manicures, setting the bar very high for any pretenders to the throne!

They sent many volunteers home happy with their manicures and raised the profile of the Wellbeing of Women charity.

All in all, not a bad day’s work!

… but enquiring minds (mainly mine) need to know…

Do you keep the empty boxes?

Yano… when you rush home clutching your newly purchased bunch of ‘whatever’.  Do you rip the packaging apart, tossing it over your shoulder as you go or do you keep the product boxed for all eternity?

Me? I hog the middle ground.  I have a drawer dedicated to the empty boxes.  I know… Could I actually be any LESS space-saving?  I’m considering getting them all out and at the very least flattening them before putting them back into storage.

Why do I keep the boxes?  I have no idea!

Anyway, tell me…  What do you do with the empty boxes?  If you keep them… how do you store them?

Fee from Makeup Savvy wrote some nice things about Lipglossiping today and feaured a little interview with me on her lovely blog.

If you want to have a read, you can check it out here

I’ve already declared my preference for shopping solo before… it’s a control thing.

My tastes are probably different to yours and I don’t wanna spend 20 minutes pretending to like that green eyeshadow you’ve gone all misty-eyed for.

I mean… “Hey!  Why don’t you come over here instead and examine these 7 different taupes with me whilst I delve into miniscule detail noting all the subtle differences between them”.

See the problem?  I’m not a very compatible or companionable person whilst shopping.  Just leave. me. alone.

So, it’s with interest that I saw Elemis’ latest launch!

By the way… this is supposed to be a graphical representation of Debenhams on Oxford St… I wanna know why there’s only two women in the picture?  There should be at least 50… all foaming at the mouth… pushing, snarling and invading one another’s personal space whilst clutching their little yellow Selfies bags from down the road.

Anyway, where was I?

Oh yeah… Elemis… Well, they’ve introduced this thing called a Double SpaPod and it goes something like this…

Launching this May is the world’s first Double Elemis SpaPod.  Now there are two treatment rooms available so you can book in alone or if with a friend you can both stop for advanced facial therapy and total body revival before you continue to shop!

I’m really not sold on this whole “go with a mate” thing but it got more interesting when I read this…

Each treatment is carried out whilst you relax on an Intelligent Massage Chair that measures the length of the spine,  takes your body weight, warms the body and is then  programmed to deliver a customised massage using a variety of techniques, working specifically on any problem areas.

Getting warmer…

And check out the new innovative Smart Glass Technology.  At the flick of a switch, this advanced glass instantly frosts over locking out the hustle and bustle of the beauty hall and cocoons you in its relaxing retreat-like ambiance…

Sold to the lady who wants to play with the switch! *flick, flick, flick*

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I guess I can see the point with going to a spa-type thing with a mate… but I dunno, if it involves shopping too… I think I’d rather be forced to buy nothing but Constance Carroll for a year than buddy up…

Are you a sociable shopper?  Do you take your girlfriend’s to the loo with you?  Do you want one of those Elemis massage chairs for your front room too?

Tiny picture… sorry… it’s a makeup bag.

But not just any makeup bag…. oh no…

The Refresh Make-up Chiller is an ingeneous way to keep your cosmetics cool when the temperature rises.

This handy little pouch with a pocket for a mini-ice pack is the ideal way to protect your cosmetic essentials when you’re hot in the city or relaxing by the pool.

Large enough to hold your daily essentials, but small enough for your handbag, the Refresh Make-up Chiller takes the heat out of looking your best in the sun!

Um. Ok then.

This week, whilst up in London I was in a well known and respected beauty hall buying Leila her first Mason Pearson hairbrush.  This beauty hall is small, cramped and slightly unusual as the tills are randomly dotted around the department without the usual till/counter setup.

I picked up the hairbrush and approached two sales assistants who were stood at the till nearest to me.  Hovering with the hairbrush in my hand I waited for them to finish their conversation and notice me standing there.

They didn’t.

I wasn’t in a rush… so I waited quite happily until a few minutes had passed and frankly I started to feel a bit silly.  I began dropping increasingly obvious hints that I was indeed on the same planet as them.

2 minutes later, I faux coughed and got noticed.

“You can pay for that here” said SA1 whilst SA2 turned and busied herself for a moment.  I smile and extend my arm to hand her the hairbrush… but before it’s left my grip, SA1 has signalled SA2 for her attention and they’re gabbing again leaving me with my hand outstretched waiting for someone to take the damn brush off me.

Awkwardly I lower my arm and wait whilst SA1 continues her conversation with SA2.

Eventually SA1 reaches out without saying a word or even breaking eye contact with her pal.  I place the hairbrush in her hand all the while thinking “Don’t buy it from here… go on, interrupt and tell them not to bother themselves…” of course, I don’t say a word…

…and so it continues.  I hand over my card in silence… again, waiting with my hand outstretched while SA1 takes an age to contemplate whether or not she can be arsed to put my transaction through.

Eventually I get handed back my card, receipt and the hairbrush in one big handful.

“Could I have a bag please?”

I get passed a bag in the manner you would pass someone a closed book…. so I purposefully make a show of fumbling with my purse, bag, hairbrush and receipt (remember no counters to rest anything on).  I’m pissed at this point and they’re still just freaking chatting.

“You can pay for that here” were the only words that were uttered to me throughout a transaction that took 5 minutes to complete.

Rude.

Did I complain? You bet… poor Mr. L suffered my irritation all the way up Regent Street.

Are you the complaining type or do you suffer in silence like me and then ear-bash your nearest and dearest?  Had any poor beauty hall experiences recently?

I couldn’t resist posting this press release that landed in my inbox yesterday… check it out…

The London College of Beauty Therapy are undertaking a Guiness World Record on Thursday 13th May and in order to achieve it, they need YOUR help!

They’re hoping to break The Guinness World Record for the highest number of File and Varnishes to be carried out in eight hours!  That means over 2000 files and polishes!

The London College of Beauty Therapy is staging the event to support the charity Wellbeing of Women which funds medical research into all women’s health issues.

Men and Women are invited to come along on the day to receive a free file and varnish (or file and buff) performed by a highly trained therapist.

Speaking about the reasons behind the event, Eileen Cavalier, OBE, Founder and CEO of London College of Beauty Therapy said: “This is a fun way of helping to raise concerns about women’s health issues. Although we plan to carry out at least two thousand nail treatments, a daunting challenge, we are, nevertheless, confident that each recipient will receive an excellent and enjoyable treatment.”

The Guinness World Record File and Varnish event will take place between 11am and 7pm on Thursday May 13th at London College of Beauty Therapy, 47 Great Marlborough Street, London W1. The college is located close to Oxford Circus Underground Station.

If you’d like to volunteer your tips for a good cause, email the bods behind the challenge to book your slot at helpusnailit@lcbt.co.uk

We’re used to seeing beauties Hilary Rhoda, Carolyn Murphy, Liz Hurley and Gwyneth Paltrow grace the Estee Lauder campaigns, but now we’ll be seeing these two lovelies aswell:

Constance Jablonski is a french model hailing from Lyon, she’s been very much in demand on the catwalks recently, featuring in shows such as Derek Lam, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors to name but a tiny few.

Liu Wen, China’s brightest fashion star broke through in 2008 and has walked shows such as Alexander Wang, Fendi and Balenciaga.

Estee Lauder are moving with the times…  they’re blatantly working very hard to shift that association as being a bit of a ‘granny’ brand.

Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Global Brand President of Estée Lauder says:

“We are thrilled to introduce Constance and Liu Wen to women around the world. Both models have the style and confidence that reflects Estée Lauder’s modern vision of global beauty.”

Personally… I totally associate the Estee Lauder brand with rich old ladies, maybe I always will… but for me, that’s not a bad thing.  Those rich old ladies don’t put up with shit and as a result, I’ve generally found EL counter staff to be among the best, with the products to match.

There’s something to be said for being the matriarchs… they have their niche, they should embrace it.

I’m chatting about the rise and fall of nail polish today!

If you give a stuff, come and check me out!

Hope you’re having a lovely Sunday x