A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

The first Friday in October… a brisk morning that was threatening to drop a raincloud on my head as I made my way through Bloomsbury.  I was heading to Simple‘s Beauty Bootcamp after being asked to join a panel of judges intent on discovering the brand’s new online ambassador and ‘Simple Star’.

I was feeling nervous and thanks to an early start, in desperate need of a strong, hot coffee.  I consoled myself with the knowledge that whatever nerves I might have been feeling, I could probably triple it and still not come close to the number of butterflies that would be encircling the bellies of the nine finalists.

And what about those finalists?  Nine of the most ambitious, articulate and driven ladies that I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.  Some were naturally confident, whilst others inspired me with the strong facades they were able to construct in preparation for the tasks ahead.  As I watched them listen carefully to what the day ahead would entail, I was confident that Simple would have no problems finding a Star amongst the group.

Task 1:  Getting to Know You

The ladies were set the challenge to do a little digging amongst their compadres in order to discover some interesting facts that they could share with the rest of us in the room…

Easier than it sounds… what ensued was a frantic scrum of semi-organised interrogation!  Secrets were divulged left, right and centre as the clock counted down.  We were treated to some juicy tidbits about the finalists and the task was completed with the ice well and truly broken!

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Last month, Simple asked me if I fancied penning October’s guest blog for them and I jumped at the chance to feature on the site of a brand that to all intents and purposes, I grew up with!

They were curious about what life was like for a beauty blogger who doesn’t really have enough hours in the day to get away with such frivolity and I was more than happy to tell them.  After all, once I start… you’ll struggle to shut me up!

I recently sat on their judging panel to help decide who would become their new online brand ambassador, or “Simple Star” as she will be known.  It was both incredibly interesting and a real privilege to watch the impact that social media is having on a big beauty brand first hand.

I’ll be doing a little write up of the day shortly (I’m waiting on photos), but until then… you can read my guest blog by clicking here.

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Facial Wipes… we know that we’re not supposed to rely on them right?  I mean… they’re convenient and all, but they don’t really ‘cleanse’ your face effectively enough to be your go-to cleansing solution.  Though, I’m sure lots of people do use nothing but wipes night and morning.  Dirty gits 😉

These are currently my favourites and I’ve forever got a little stock of them for cleaning swatches, tidying eyeliner mistakes and generally freshening up.

Clockwise from Top Left:

Good Things Total Wipe Out (£3.49/25)

Aimed at younger skin, these thick wipes make a really quick job of removing most makeup.  I love these for when I wear a smoky eye.  1 wipe makes it a much easier and quicker job once I get to the sink.

No7 Quick Thinking 4-in-1 wipes (£6.75/30)

Firstly, I’d never pay nearly £7 for a pack of wipes… frankly, I have better things to spend £7 on.  I stockpile these like they’re going out of fashion when the £5 off Boots No7 vouchers appear in store.  £1.75 for 30 lovely and effective wipes is not a price to be sniffed at!  These leave my skin feeling super soft and at £1.75 I don’t feel guilty carrying a pack in Leila’s nappy bag for messy fingers!

Simple Radiance Brightening Cleansing Wipes (£3.94/25)

I love the material of these (yes, I know… get a life) but these have a great stretch and subtle smell of mango.  Non-greasy and refreshing, these are the ones I keep in the glovebox throughout the Summer.  Instant freshener round the back of the neck.  Mr. L steals these regularly (though he’ll deny it).

Tesco Vitamin E Cleansing Wipes (£0.48/25)

Ridiculously cheap but effective.  They’re ALWAYS out of stock at my local Tesco whenever I try to pick these up, so when I DO see them – I grab as many as my basket can hold.  Well, alright… about 5 packs.  I remember when they used to be about 30p a pack… Tesco must have cottoned on!

I don’t really use these on my face but they’re great for cleaning up swatches and eyeliner brushes.  I hope they never get discontinued.

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What do you use wipes for and which ones do you swear by?

Listen up, this is exciting stuff!

One lucky person could win the job of a lifetime…and a prize package worth up to £50k!

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Are you a Social Media superstar?  Have what it takes to be a marketing genius?

Whatchu on About?

Simple are looking for an online spokesperson and marketer to join their team.  And it could be YOU!

Simple, the UK’s No. 1 Facial Skincare brand, are inviting people across the country to promote themselves to gain support and crucial votes – similar to any election campaign – as a stepping stone to secure a place at Beauty Boot Camp.

Group Marketing Director for Simple, Alex Pike, said:

“It’s really important for Simple to own online marketing. We don’t want to hire someone the conventional way, as we don’t want them to be constrained by text-book theories. We have developed this unique recruitment process to give applicants the chance to showcase their flair and creativity – which proves they have a natural aptitude and passion for marketing – but means qualifications are not necessary.

This is a real opportunity for someone who has no marketing qualifications to follow a life-long ambition into a dream role or change their current career.

We’ll be looking for someone who really embodies the brand – is down-to-earth, honest and confident, and believes in natural beauty.”

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Simple Star?

Log on to the Simple website and answer some questions explaining why you think you should be the person selected to represent the Simple brand.  Don’t forget to submit a video or photo of yourself.

Entry opens on 4th May and closes on 3rd September 2010.

The 50 applicants with the most votes will be selected to go through to regional heats, with the final 10 being sent to a beauty bootcamp where you will be put through your paces by a judging panel.  Winners will be announced in October.