A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I know what you’re thinking… “Charlotte, don’t be stupid – you don’t just “accidentally” dye your hair”.  But allow me to explain, because it’s not as black and white (and red) as it may initially seem.

You remember that time when you accidentally ate someone else’s Krispy Kreme because you weren’t paying attention?  Or that time you innocently forgot to take your pill and had a baby as a result?  There are all kinds of accidents, it’s just that some of them aren’t completley blame-less.

I didn’t mean to wake up this morning with bright red hair that leans menacingly toward the cerise, but I’ll admit that it didn’t just ‘happen’ either.  It went something like this…

I bought a bottle of Crazy Color semi-permanent hair color cream online from Amazon… after umm-ing and ahh-ing over the shades, I went for #56 Fire mainly because the reviews of some of the other reds in the range were pretty poor.  I bought the Renbow Crazy Color because I was looking for something to refresh my recently dyed hair without causing further damage.  The Renbow Crazy Color range works by staining the hair shaft without opening the cuticle and penetrating into the hair, it’s a vegetable dye that doesn’t inflict damage in the same way as conventional dyes.

In order to refresh my locks and give them a little boost of colour, I intended to mix a little dye into my conditioner and let it sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing out.  Easy peasy!  Except, it didn’t quite work out like that.

Once I’d blow dried my hair, I could see that the dye had really taken to my lighter roots, creating an uneven halo effect.  Not only that but thanks to my cackhanded application, only the very top layer had grabbed the colour.  I tried to live with it for a couple of hours… but I couldn’t kid myself, I looked ridiculous.

So I went for it.

Ignoring the instructions, I applied 3/4 of the bottle to my dry hair and concentrated on ensuring that I was evenly distributing the product throughout.  I can’t lie to you, it was messy.  At one point, Paul commented that it looked like he’d been trying to murder me.  I knew from reading reviews that vegetable dyes are notorious for staining skin and bathrooms but I don’t mind admitting that I got to the point where I didn’t care!

Once I was satisfied that every strand had been covered (and combed through for extra insurance), I set to work on the cleanup.  I’d been wearing disposable gloves… an absolute must, trust me.  The rest of the cleanup was surprisingly easy – the sink was treated to a hefty dose of Cillit Bang and any ‘staining’ wiped off without any bother.  As for my skin?  I used a damp flannel and rubbed until  my skin bled I decided that I’d rather live with the staining than keep going.  I left the dye on for around 30 minutes before rinsing.

And rinsing.  And rinsing.  I was stood under the shower for another 30 minutes in an attempt to get the water to run clear.  Eventually I got bored (and a bit cold) and gave up.  At this point, don’t reach for one of your nice towels – you’ll ruin it.  I’m gonna burn mine to hide the evidence.

Enough talking… it’s just hair dye.  Here’s how it turned out….

BRIGHT!

I’m anticipating that it’s gonna fade quickly (6-8 washes maybe?) so I’ve bought another bottle online and I still have about 1/4 of the first bottle left to go back to my original plan of refreshing the colour by mixing a little in with my conditioner when I wash my hair.  I’ll be honest, I’m a bit unsure of my new ‘do’ – it makes my eyes look really green but I think it clashes with my skintone!

Anyway, that’s the story of how one might become an accidental redhead.  Call it a cautionary tale if you like.

Do you use vegetable dyes?  Got any favourites?!

* oh, by the way, I need to tell you that you all disgusted me, disgusted me with your grubby ways on yesterday’s post – you brilliant, brilliant lot.

Good morning, this is your captain speaking.

On behalf of my crew today, I’d like to welcome you aboard flight number L1P6L0551P1N6 from Heathrow to Antigua.  We are currently flying at an altitude of 35,000 Boots points midway across the Atlantic.  If you look out of the windows on the starboard side, you should get a great reflection for reapplying your lipsticks – alternatively, please await the cabin crew’s further instructions as we have a rather special purchase to show you today.

Virgin Atlantic have teamed up with bareMinerals to create a mile-high red lip that’s worth a swoon or two.  Upper Class Red* is taking off in style with the signature Pretty Amazing Lipcolor formula combining the coverage you’d expect from a lipstick with the high-shine of a gloss.  The scarlet shade is synonymous with the cabin crew’s glamourous image as seen in the airline’s latest advert.

Having been adopted as an official piece of uniform for the Virgin Atlantic cabin crew, you can imagine that this formula really needs to live up to the demands that will be placed upon it in a working environment and none is more important 35,000 feet up than longevity.  While not completely bullet-proof, the colour wears very evenly and transforms from an opaque, glossy covering to a pigmented stain after a couple of hours that lasts throughout the day.  I actually prefer the slightly more subdued stain to the pow-pow in your face-ness of this particular red.

The applicator has a flexible, rounded tip that helps to apply such a strong colour with the kind of precision required for the task.  The texture is thick and I’d suggest wiping any excess product back into the neck of the tube as a little will go a long way.  Once applied, the finish is super-shiny and I prefer to blot it once on a tissue to get rid of  that sticky gloss feeling without losing any of the incredible pigmentation.

To my eye it’s a warm-toned red… not enough to actually be classed as a “warm red”, but you should be able to see that it leans away from the cool end of the spectrum with my pinky colouring as a backdrop.

You can check-in (groan) with ‘Upper Class Red’ exclusively at Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Spas before it’s made available for pre-order on board Virgin Atlantic flights.  Later in the year, it will become available to purchase from selected bareMinerals stockists.

If you can’t wait until then, check out some of the other Pretty Amazing LipColors available to purchase online at BeautyBay.com

* press sample

Cigdem is a 22 year old Journalism graduate from London with an obsession for all things fashion and beauty!  The following article is a guest submission, you can read more from Cigdem at It’s Cigdem.

I think I speak for most women when I say that my mission to find the perfect red lipstick is never over. Unlike 10 years ago, we’re now so spoilt for choice it can be a little overwhelming – there are just so many brands selling so many different shades of red!

Miners Lip Colour in Seduction is probably the lipstick with the lowest price point, as it retails at only £3.99, but (thankfully) that’s where the ‘cheapness’ ends.

Seduction is described as ‘a velvety smooth deep red’, and that’s exactly what it is. The colour is the perfect shade for creating a ‘sexy’ pout, as it has hints of blue undertones – so I wouldn’t recommend this if you want to create a bright, retro red lip. I think it’s a good colour if you want to create an edgy, almost gothic look.

Applying it in different way can certainly alter the colour. I found that it was slightly too dark for me when I applied the lipstick straight from the bullet, but with a lip brush (as in the photo) the colour blended in with the pink tones in my lip, creating a colour that looked much better.

I wore this lipstick for about 5 hours and the colour did not wear off at all. It lasted through cups of tea and only came off because I wiped it off with a wipe, and by the end of the day my lips still felt smooth, meaning the long lasting colour didn’t try my lips out.

This lipstick definitely ticks a lot the boxes: it provides strong, long lasting colour, which doesn’t dry out over time. Is it my perfect red lipstick? I’m going to say no, only because I feel like I could find a shade of red that would suit my colouring much better. But apart from the colour, Miners Lip Colour is definitely great value for money!

Miners Lip Colour in Seduction is available online from www.minerscosmetics.co.uk and throughout selected pharmacies for £3.99 (online postage is £1.99).

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

Today’s red lip is courtesy of Italian brand KIKO – I picked shade #222 Dark Red up a few weeks back and gave it a first outing the other day. I have to say, it’s not going to make it to my top twenty. Colour-wise, I love it but the texture is uncomfortable to wear, it feels cheap and it smells cheap. Just aswell it is cheap I guess?

I know that people laugh at paying good money for lipstick… essentially wax in a stick but wearing this has reinforced my appreciation for creamier, better-quality formulas. Having said that, I do still like the shade a lot… I’m just not sure whether I’ll be reaching for it too often.

KIKO Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in #222 is priced at £5.90 (currently £3.00) and available from their store in Westfield Stratford or online.

I think there’s an unwritten law that allows only this much red glitter on two days of the year: Christmas Day and Valentine’s Day.  Pixi nail polish in #20 is a dense red glitter suspended in a pink/red jelly base… it’s a proper pow-pow bling-fest on the nails and needs 2/3 coats to ensure even distribution.

If you don’t like the rough finish, you’re gonna need a couple of coats of topper to smooth out that much of a glitter party but those brighter flakes sing out loud in the sunshine!

Pixi Nail Polishes are priced at £10 each and available instore or online from Pixi Beauty

Orly Rock It is a sparkling sherry from the Mineral FX Collection that appeared earlier this year. It’s an impressive concoction that is packed full of dimension and light-play as the flecks dance on your fingertips.

In some ways, Orly Rock It reminds me of a flakie with it’s subtle golden duochrome and packed shimmer but without actually containing flakes… I know that makes better sense in my head than it does on the blog but hopefully the picture demonstrates a little of what I’m talking about.

You should also know that the picture makes it look less dimensional than it really is because of the flash lighting.  It’s December, sigh… it’s the best I can do when it gets dark so early!

Orly Rock It is available to buy online from BeautyBay.com, priced at £7.50

* press sample

I’m slowly getting back into the swing of wearing bolder lipsticks and rapidly falling in love with my Kevyn Aucoin purchases whilst I’m at it!  Enchantaberry is a wearable berry shade that never looks overdone.  It’s perfect if you’re a little shy of vampy Autumn/Winter shades but would still like to experiment.

My favourite thing about these KA lipsticks though, is the formula.  They seem to somehow dry to a powder finish without being drying, at least for me – and I don’t have particularly amazing lips. I usually have to bring my Lanolips into nightly use when I bring out the red lipstick but not so with the Kevyn Aucoin lippies that I’ve been wearing recently.

Just like Dantique, which I featured previously, Enchantaberry appears to be darker in the tube than when applied.  It has a silky texture and can be blotted to a “just bitten” stain if you so wish.  I prefer to wear it full-on, it’s not too dark or vampy, as you can see…

Out of all the berries(!), I say this one has a raspberry edge, it’s another big thumbs up for a wearable red from makeup master Kevyn Aucoin.

Kevyn Aucoin Enchantaberry is currently available at a bargain price of £4.99 on eBay, alternatively you can purchase online from www.misebeauty.com, priced at £20.

To complete the Fall collection, Lancome will release two new nail polishes in classic red and edgy black.

The red – #22 Rouge St Honore is a classic, vixen red creme with great single-coat opacity and a high gloss finish.  The brush on these polishes is wide and allows for 3-stroke coverage, meaning that I was completely done with the red in less than 5 minutes from start to finish (not allowing for drying time of course).

The black – #29 Noir is a little more unusual in that the inky base  is infused with mini, multi-coloured flecks.  Sadly, these don’t quite translate as vividly on the nail as they do in the bottle.  Also a little sheerer than the red, this one took a respectable 2 coats to achieve opacity.

See below for swatches…

Lancome’s Le Vernis in #22 Rouge Saint Honore & #29 Noir 29 are priced at £12.50 each and available at Lancome counters nationwide from 1st September 2011

ReeRee Rockette from Rockalily Makeup has released a new compact range of 4 lipsticks designed to inspire you to find your perfect red.  Ahhh, that elusive perfect red…

ReeRee Rockette was tired of trying to find her perfect red lipstick. She was overwhelmed with lipstick choices, but disappointed with their colours. Some were too dry, some too dull, some yellowed her teeth whilst others bled beyond her lip line. ReeRee knew she wanted a blue-based red lipstick but beauty assistants never seemed able to help.

ReeRee decided to start her own brand of lipsticks, where less really could be more.  She wanted to create a range that could be worn every day and that were the right shade and quality of product.  She wanted Rockalily Ladies to be able to quickly choose which shade would be right, and be confident that they wouldn’t be disappointed when they got them home.  She settled on three red shades and one pink, creating a capsule range of perfect shades for anyone brave enough to apply!

The shades are described on the website as:

Hot Rod Red is an orange-based red designed for those with darker skin tones. And creamy and luxurious matte lipstick. Still a classically bright red.

Roulette Red is a deeper shade of classic red. It is a creamy and luxurious matte lipstick. Again, perfect for paler skin tones, for a more sultry look. This again is a blue-based red, to enhance the whiteness of your teeth.

Pompadour Pink is a semi-gloss lipstick in a bright fuchsia shade. A blue-based pink to flatter paler skins and teeth. The perfect pink!

Rockette Red is a creamy and luxurious matte lipstick. It is my classic bright red, and is perfect for paler skins. It is a blue-based lipstick so it is also good for making your teeth look whiter.

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Rockalily Lipsticks available exclusively from www.rockalily.com and are priced at £14 each.

You may have already heard about Karen Alder’s new lipstick creation – TRUST which has been developed to raise funds for the youth charity, The Prince’s Trust.

100% of the proceeds from the sales of TRUST (exc. VAT) will go directly to the charity!

I thought I’d share some images of the celebrity supporters sporting the lipstick (in various guises!) and I particularly adore Kara’s playful pose! (bottom right)

Karen Alder, Celebrity Makeup Artist and creator of the TRUST lipstick said…

I love the power of the colour red – no other shade has such an impact.

I call it a not-so-secret weapon.  My new creation – TRUST – is a foolproof easy to wear bright red, packed with Vitamin E. To me, this is the perfect red, striking the balance between the orange tones and blue. Its satin finish really makes it easy to apply without bleeding, yet keeps the look contemporary.

What with being ALL about the red lipstick, I’ll be logging on to snap one of these babies up quicker than you can say ‘big ears’.  Wait… can I get put in the tower for that?

The limited edition lipstick will go on sale on the 2nd of April exclusively at QVC UK.

You will be able to log on to the QVC website or call 0800 50 40 30 to buy one and it’s priced at a bargainous £8.00

Phew, your gorgeous red-lipped pics are still coming in thick and fast so it’s high time for another one of these don’t you think?

1. The beautiful Smaira from DollyMixFits is wow-ing us all in a stunning bold red, Rimmel’s Alarm.

2. Adorable Aina from Pudderkvastrabagast is vamping it up with MAC Currant lipliner & Hang-Up lipstick!

3. Sabrina from A Little Obsessed sports a striking high street red in a GOSH Soft n Shine Lip balm, Kiss – stunning!

4. Robyn from EyelinerAndSprayPaint is totally rocking indie brand’s Evil Shades Deviant Lipstick in Devilista

5. Kathrine over at ProductPixie sizzles in Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square with a slick of 8 Hour Cream on top.

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Thanks ladies!  I flippin’ love seeing how all these gorgeous reds suit different skintones and hair colours so well!

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If you want to join in with the fun and submit your red lip look, email me a photo of your lovely selves with the following info:

I do love these retro reds… they always make me feel a little ‘pin up’… it doesn’t matter how much the rest of my body lets me down on that score, a quick peep at my tips is enough to convince me I am Bettie Page personified!

Is it the ratio of orange to red that does it?  It’s something that this shade, Eyeko Saucy and Models own Red Alert all seem to have in common.  I should do a swatch comparison to see if they’re as simillar in the flesh as they are in my head.

Anyway, rambling aside… All Fired Up is a neat-o shade.  It applies a little more sheerly than I anticipated and took three coats to remove all traces of VNL (two if I’d layered it on with a trowel).  It dries fairly slowly so would always use a quick dry top coat… I do anyway, so this isn’t really an issue for me.  It scores big points for long-wear, it lasted a full 3 days before tip wear became noticeable.

I really haven’t checked out many Revlon polishes, I kinda jumped straight from not digging polish into my OPIs and Essies… infact, I’m sure there’s some sick part of me that just loves the chase of a good product.

Giving this some wear over IMATS weekend has convinced me that I need to delve into the lower shelves of my nearest Revlon stand to investigate further, I like the bottle design and the brush which was a pleasure to use.

Revlon All Fired Up is priced at £6.29 and exclusive to Boots.