Heat Seeking Tootsies! Cold feet solutions for cold weather…

Posted by Lipglossiping On December - 5 - 2012

You may or may not know this about me… but I suffer from Raynaud’s syndrome which basically means that you wouldn’t want to share a bed with me on a cold night.

I’ve always had “poor circulation”, I remember as a small child, my Nan used to wrap my feet up in the bottom of her long nightdress while we slept in an attempt to warm them up.  I’ve lived with cold feet all my life but things only started to get serious a couple of years ago when I noticed my fingers becoming numb in cold weather.

Numb fingers is no joke, it’s a really disconcerting feeling – not exactly painful (it’s when the feeling comes back that they hurt!) but you literally cannot concentrate on anything else while it’s happening.  A most unwelcome sensation.

I’ve learnt to combat the problem with my hands with some great avoidance tactics: gloves are an essential – lined leather or suede are unbeatable.  Warming my hands under the hot tap restores feeling quicker than anything and Mr. L retrieves things from the freezer for me.  As for the tootsies, well… being less accessible than your fingers presents a bit of a problem – also, continuous contact with the frosty ground is never an ideal situation.

If you suffer from cold feet and are feeling the big chill this winter, here are some products that might help thaw you out!

Heat Seeking Tootsies! Cold feet solutions...

01: Body Essentials Warm Your Sole (£9.99) – A natural chilblain treatment with warming ginger to help improve circulation flow.  I massage a few drops of this into my feet after a bath and pull my bedsocks (#3) straight on for toasty night-time feet!

02: Carnation Pedi Roller (£5.49)* – While this curious device was designed to relieve the pain of Plantar Fasciitis, I use it to encourage sensation back into my feet when things get painful!  It seems to work well to encourage the blood flow… plus it’s kinda fun!

03: SockShop Heat Holders Thermal Socks (£6.00) – These simple-but-effective socks have made the biggest difference to my everyday dealings with Raynauds.  I buy mine at SportsDirect (2 pairs for £10) and although they’re bulkier than normal socks, they’re less cumbersome than welly socks and far, far warmer.  An amazing recommendation by the good people of Twitter!  I want a pair in every colour!

04: Gel Doctor Flosole (£14.95)* – These are great to have on standby if you know you’re going to be standing around in the cold for a considerable period of time.  Kid’s football matches, bonfire night parades, whatever the event – these gel-filled insoles can be pre-heated in warm water before slipping them inside your boots and allowing you to benefit from a long-lasting toasty sensation.  They also offer great cushioning between the soles of your feet and the hard ground below.

05: Microwaveable Slippers (£various) – Not the most practical things in the world (don’t try to walk in them!) but microwaveable slippers are great for slipping on when you’re sat at the computer or relaxing on the sofa.  Just don’t overheat them and burn your feet, ouch!

06: Carnation SilverSock (£9.54)* – Made with pure silver fibre, the Carnation SilverSocks are designed to let your feet breathe whilst keeping them warm in winter and cool in the summer, they work well for me when thicker socks just won’t do.  I also wear these when I’m out exercising… my lame attempts at running made slightly more bearable (and less stinky) by anti-bacterial beauties!

 

Do you suffer from super cold-feet in the Winter?  Have any tips?

* press sample


Winter Warmers: The ultimate Cold Weather Fragrances!

Posted by Lipglossiping On November - 23 - 2011

If the Met Office is to be believed, we’re ‘in for it’ (technical description) this Winter, I hope so anyway… I’ve just bought some bargain sledges in anticipation of blizzard-y snow and icicle snots.

There are thankfully a billion things to make up for the fact that we’ll only achieve around 6 hours of sunshine from now until February — Pringles, Quality Streets, and Christmas episodes of Eastenders would feature heavily on my list, but another thing that melts my frozen heart are the Winter fragrances that I can splash on with abandon.

Here are my TOP FIVE Winter Perfumes to ward off the big chill…

1. L’Artisan Parfumeur: Tea for Two EdT (£78.00)

Black tea, honey and an aromatic smokiness that encourages deep, long sniffs with your nose buried in your sleeve.  Most of my perfumes are unisex because I’m developing expensive tastes and I find it much easier to justify my purchases when I remind Mr. L that we can *both* use them.  It’s not true of course, as I hide them behind my scarves in my wardrobe.

Tea for Two also contains a ginger note which doesn’t present itself very well on my skin.  I consider Tea for Two to be a less-sweet, slightly less boozy version of Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille.  Longevity is grand on this one but it wears close to my skin – all the better for sniffing yourself with.

2. La Prairie: Life Threads Gold EdP (£74.00 – currently £59.95 at Cheap Smells) *

La Prairie’s Life Threads Gold is a force to be reckoned with thanks to its retro leanings and powerful floriental heart.  If you like people to smell you before they see you, this one could have your name written all over it.  Notes include (are you ready?): Plum, clove, tangerine, pepper, cinnamon, corriander, rose, lily of the valley, ylang ylang, vanilla, musk, golden myrrh and precious woods.

It’s as unapologetic as it is striking – go big or go home.  Perfect for the cold weather.

I implore you to go sniff this one out – as a girly/womanly type fragrance, it’s hard to beat.  I cut my teeth on Hypnotic Poison and it harks back to all I loved about that fragrance, but this one feels like it’s for grown ups.

3. Fendi: Fan di Fendi EdP (£39.50) *

The majority of my Winter fragrant love affairs evoke a smoke, leather and amber accord that carries me away to warmer, more exotic climes.  Fan di Fendi is a kitten by comparison, rendering it very work-appropriate whilst still containing a hint to my usual leanings.

The leather base is apparent though not rough-and-ready, as if struggling to make up its mind between dominatrix and classy handbag lady.  I detect a twist of the Mediterannean thanks to a freshness from some fruity notes which include tangerine.  Silage is decent, particularly when those initial top fruity/floral notes present but it quickly calms down into a calmer experience.

4. Bottega Veneta: Bottega Veneta EdP (£42.00) *

Elegance and sophistication with a clean, smooth leather that evokes the joy of sniffing luxury leather accessories.  And so it should, coming from Bottega Veneta — purveyors of luxury handbags.  A quiet soul of a scent, work appropriate without losing the edge that sets it apart from the competition.

The leather is gentle, almost suede-like with an initial hit of citrus to remind you of its Italian heart.  It’s most similar to the Fendi but with an altogether more sophisticated personality.  It doesn’t try hard, it doesn’t have to — it’s like that girl you know who manages to ooze grace without even knowing it.

5. Parfums d’Empire: Ambre Russe (£84.50)

Perhaps the ultimate in decadence, a king of a fragrance with a boozy, amber accord that transcends all earthly dimensions.  A little goes a long way and will leave those in your company searching the room for the source of this scent that offers up a kindly lesson in “how the hell to smell amazing”.

You can’t read anything about this scent without the mentions of Tsarist Russia and that’s because you can’t wear this scent without being transported to one of those onion-domed churches, incense burning while the blizzard roars outside.  Throw in a booziness that would make vodka-loving Russians (stereotype much?) blush and you’re getting close to the experience that wearing this powerhouse offers.

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What are your favourite scents to get you through the cold Winter ahead?

* press samples

 

Winter Saviours…

Posted by Lipglossiping On January - 22 - 2011

…a.k.a the most overdone post in the blogosphere in recent weeks.

Everyone is different… with different needs, different tastes and different budgets… so what works for me may not work for you but these are the products that have made this Winter a far more comfortable affair.

It’s probably useful to let you know the kind of issues that Winter has been dishing out to me first right?

Skin: A touch of seborrheic dermatitis that flares up with greater prominence when the seasons change and in cold weather. Dryness (with the odd patch of scaliness if left untreated for too long) around the edges of my nose, eyebrows, hairline, behind my ears (yeah, weird) and under my eyes.

Hair: Coarse, dull and kinda bushy! (just for clarification, we’re talking head hair here mmm-k?)

Nails: Where do I begin… these have suffered the most this winter and I’m starting to see the point in using acetone free nail polish removers despite still being in love with my poundland bargain purchases.  My nails have started to peel quite badly on the edges and I’m having to trim them regularly just to remedy this.  My cuticles are like elephant hide and the poor things sob everytime I approach with a new polish.

As you can see… a few issues that have needed to be kept under control.

It has literally taken me until the last week or so to pin down *which* products are having a reasonable effect on those issues and the ones I’ve shown above are the ones that I know are making a real difference.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (£28.50 – ish)* has been a gentler alternative to my usual scrubs at keeping my face free from flakes.  I’ve started trialling a Clarisonic in the past week but up ’til then, it’s been the Dermalogica sloughing my skin without causing extra dryness or irritation.  I can see why it’s so revered amongst industry experts.

Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate (£37.80)* has probably been my skincare product of the year.  It’s one to avoid if you have oily skin but on my combo/dry skin – it’s a tonic and a half.  As the weeks have gotten colder I’ve upped the frequency with which I’m applying and I’m on a full pump every evening spread all over my face (except the bridge of my nose!).  It’s ‘organic’ scent takes a little getting used to and many will dislike the heavier feeling it leaves behind.  Me?  It lets me know that my skin is getting the nourishment it needs.

Organic Root Stimulator Carrot Oil (£4.39) The range is targeted toward the needs of Afro hair and although it’s recommended use is on the scalp, I’ve been applying this on my hair 20 minutes before jumping in the shower.  I combine this with Pantene Pro-V Colour Protect 2 Minute Damage Rescue Treatment (which I use as a conditioner rather than treatment) and have been enjoying much healthier and smoother-looking hair as a result!

Haus of Gloi Pumpkin Butter (£5.70 – ish) Another ‘product of the year’ is the Haus of Gloi’s pumpkin butter formula for deep and long-lasting body moisturisation.  I’m in love with the thick but absorbable creams… finding the perfect scent can be a bit like playing Russian roulette but at £5.70 for a full-size tub, it’s hardly breaking the bank.  The site’s stock of pumpkin butter moisturisers is slowly dwindling, replaced by the lighter emulsions… that makes me sad – I’m hoping I have enough stock in my own beauty cupboard to last me through ’till it really does start getting warmer.

Weleda Calendula Weather Protection Cream*(£5.50) Good enough for baby, good enough for me. It’s been my handbag staple for weeks now.  The thinner-than-Vaseline texture and gentle scent make this intensely moisturising product my pick for on-the-go moisturisation.  I apply a very small amount (half pea-sized for my entire face)… it spreads like a dream and although it’s lanolin/almond-oil based, sinks in fairly quickly without leaving me looking shiny aslong as I’m careful not to over-apply.  Also wonderful for ravaged cuticles!

CND Solar Oil – (£5.07 – ish) Whilst I’m not convinced it’s my HG for keeping my nails in good condition, it’s done a better job this Winter than my LUSH Lemony Flutter which is why I’m including it in the list.  It’s inexpensive and quick to apply before or after a manicure.  It smells divine (if you like marzipan!) and certainly goes some way to giving my poor tips a bit of respite.

HC45 Hydrocortisone Cream (£3.77) This is a ‘branded’ version of a cream that should be used very sparingly indeed!  I usually pick up a chemist-own version for a bit less than this.  It’s a steroid cream that can thin the skin with prolonged use, hence the ‘sparingly’ comment.  For me, nothing comes close at soothing my skin in an emergency.  I usually use a miniscule amount behind my ears if the skin starts to crack (nice) or if I get wind burn.  Leila also benefits from a smidge if her eczema gets out of control which thankfully this year, it hasn’t.

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So those are my winter skin saviours, it’s not the most glamourous list in the world and the price point varies wildly from a couple of quid, right up to £40 but these are the products that I haven’t been able to better.

*denotes PR samples

What are some of your winter must-haves?

Guest Post! Winter Skin Tips from Jo Givens at Liz Earle

Posted by Lipglossiping On November - 8 - 2010

Happy Monday morning you lovely lot!

Stop dragging your knuckles on the floor.  I know you’ve only had time for 8 mugs of double espresso so far but look lively ‘cos I’ve got a treat for you today!

Jo Givens, the infinitely wise Treatments Development Manager at Liz Earle’s London flagship store has agreed to share some of her best tips to prepare your skin for whatever Winter has to throw at it!

L-R: Jo Givens -Treatments Development Manager at Liz Earle, Liz Earle Flagship London Store

Dear Lipglossiping readers!

I’m so honoured that I have been invited to share my seasonal skin tips with you all!

As the summer has sadly come to an end, I begrudgingly pack away my summer wardrobe as my ‘tan’ starts to fade along with the sunshine.  Autumn is here and winter is on its way.  The air feels cooler and the leaves on the trees have started to transform into a beautiful sea of orange and gold.  I find that this is the time my skin starts to feel in need of hydration, as the central heating resumes once more and sucks away skin moisture, and signs of damage from the harsh UV rays of the summer start to be revealed.

It is important to remember that we need to adapt our skincare routine during these coming months, along with good nutrition to keep skin looking and feeling its best whilst maintaining flagging energy levels.

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Problem: Skin breakouts during changing seasons

Solution: Plummeting temperatures and central heating can wreak havoc with your skin- symptoms of this can be breakouts (spots or pimples), due to inflammation, bacteria and a build up of dead skin cells and excess oils.  Use a clay mask which is rich in minerals to absorb excess oils.  I would recommend using this 2-3 x a week all over your face, or just on specific areas as a spot treatment overnight.  I firmly believe in supplements for the skin and garlic tablets are perfect as an anti-inflammatory treatment for the skin – always consult your doctor before taking anything internal.

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Problem: Dull and tired skin

Solution: Exfoliate skin as once stubborn skin cells are removed your skin will instantly look clearer and brighter. Also, I always recommend exoliating your skin before using a facial mask, as this can literally double the effects of any mask.  Try to do at least 10 minutes of exercise a day – this will boost the circulation to the skin and keep it looking fresh and hydrated.

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Problem: Parched, dry skin

Solution: As your skin can feel drier in the winter months, double up with a hydrating facial oil at night underneath your existing moisturiser.  Try a facial oil that is made up of 100% plant oils packed with skin loving ingredients such as argan oil and organic rosehip oil.  Also, try using a richer moisturiser at night that will provide super hydration whilst you sleep.  Focus on massaging your skin with gentle caring sweeps for at least 2 minutes every night as this will boost circulation and keep skin supple.

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Problem: How to Survive the Christmas Preparations?

Solution: After a warm bath, pat skin dry and lavish skin with a rich luxurious body cream.  Burn a natural Lavender soy candle for 10 minutes in your bedroom before you sleep to scent the room-this will aid relaxation

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Problem: Low Energy Levels during Dark Mornings and Evenings

Solution: I would always advise to start your day with a dry skin body brush. On dry skin, brush upwards using long sweeping strokes towards the heart – this boosts a sluggish system.  Once you have body brushed, massage a body scrub over damp skin – this will remove dead skin cells and bring oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells.

Banish tiredness by not eating sugary foods at night- these energy foods can disturb sleep.  A daily supplement of milk thistle is great during the winter months to boost the liver energy which will help the body to eliminate waste and maintain vitality.  Also keep up your daily water intake as dehydration can have a negative effect on the skin and body.

Interior of Liz Earle’s flagship London store

Thanks so much to Jo for taking the time to share your great tips and solutions with us!

I’ve already contemplated introducing some dry skin body brushing into my daily routine and I love treating my skin to Superskin Concentrate as an overnight dry-skin quencher whenever I feel it rebelling against the elements.  It’s a bit heavy for daytime use… but my goodness does it sort me out while I sleep!

Also, one of my favourite bath-time relaxers comes in the form of the Vital Oils for the Bath… the site recommends 1/2 capfuls per bath but this stuff is SO potent that a couple of drops does it for me!

However, if you really want to get your skin Winter-ready, you can’t beat a visit to The Treatment Rooms in the London store to indulge in one of Liz Earle facials or skin tutorials with an expert therapist like Jo.

What are your main skincare concerns for the upcoming Winter?  Dryness?  Dullness? Something else?

The SpaRitual Winter Imagine Nail Collection

Posted by Lipglossiping On November - 1 - 2010

The new SpaRitual Winter 2010 collection is titled Imagine and features 6 on-trend shades for the season ahead.

Unconditional Love – Deep rose foil metallic
Living in the moment – classy, understated mushroom crème
Health, Wealth & Happiness – Luxurious dramatic two-tone blue, purple metallic

Endless Possibilities – Intense black cherry plum crème
Dreams Becoming Reality – Dramatic teal blue crème
A World of Compassion – Deep lilac crème

Not only big 3 free, all SpaRitual shades are also vegan.  One of my favourite things about the brand is the packaging.  The bulbous bottles feel luxurious and curvy, whilst the caps are simply perfectly shaped and proportioned for use.  The patented design features rubber grips which are moulded for a comfortable experience.

I was sent two of the shades from the collection to swatch… I’ll start with Endless Possibilities:

Endless Possibilities is a cherry black creme, incredibly glossy with a smooth glass-like finish.  THe above photo shows no top coat… nice huh?

It applied very nicely, and was opaque in two coats.  Impressive.  I didn’t experience any chipping but as with most very dark shades like this, tip wear was apparent by the end of the 2nd day.

Another 2-coater, Health, Wealth and Happiness is one incredibly sexy shade.  A Blue/Purple duochrome… the two-tone flashes are spell-binding yet sophisticated.  Application was consistent with the other polish and again, the swatch shot features no top coat.

Wear was a little better on this polish… again, no chips but tip wear wasn’t quite so apparent.

SpaRitual polishes are priced at £7.23 (exc. VAT) each and available online from SpaRitual

Recommended!

Illamasqua – Art of Darkness Autumn/Winter 2010

Posted by Lipglossiping On August - 23 - 2010

If you ever need a brand to remind you that it ain’t just about the pretty pretty, Illamasqua is a pretty good choice to be the one to do it.

Art of Darkness is their new Autumn/Winter collection for 2010, and if there’s one thing they do very well indeed…  ‘Dark’ just about sums it up.

Launching nationwide on the 16th September, the collection will introduce new liquid eyeliners priced at £16.50 each called Precision Inks.  An antiqued gold going by the name Alchemy (as seen in the above image) and the usual ever-useful black.

I’ve also heard tales of other new delights including a shimmering teal green nail polish called Viridian, which I think is safe to assume can be spotted in the above campaign image… and to complete your Christmas mani?  A metallic red going by the name Scarab.

If that weren’t enough to whet your appetite… how about a new gold powdered metal or a vampy intense lipgloss?

Are you looking forward to the new Illamasqua collection or have we seen it all before?

Essie Wrapped in Rubies – NOTD

Posted by Lipglossiping On May - 20 - 2010

The other evening, after painting my nails in Essie’s Wrapped im Rubies… it ddn’t take me long to decide that it was a dull, dull colour…

…but I’ve changed my mind.  It’s not dull, it’s just not Summery.

Application was a teeny bit awkward, it seemed to remain sheer in certain places on the nail and I experienced a tiny bit of bubbling on my thumb.  To be fair though, I was in more of a hurry than usual… so it could well be down to my application skills (or lack of them on this occassion).

I’m on my 2nd full day of wear and tip wear is barely noticeable.  I did dent one nail despite my quick dry top coat, so it seems to be a slow dryer… deffo crack open the seche or alternative.  Essie Wrapped in Rubies is a beautiful bronzed-red with flecks of gold from the Winter 2007 collection… perfect for Autumn.

Shame it’s May!

NOTD – OPI Holiday Glow

Posted by Lipglossiping On January - 21 - 2010

So, it’s not the Holidays anymore… it’s mid January and I certainly don’t feel very ‘glowy’.  Wearing this now, makes me incredibly unfashionable and like “SO” last season… Regardless, check this beautiful shade out!

OPI Holiday Glow is a 3 coater to fill in any baldy patches and get the best from it.  It’s undoubtedly a glitter but you could get away without using a top coat if you were feeling particularly lazy thanks to the small, smooth glitter particles.

I couldn’t decide if the base colour was brown or burgundy, so I’m calling a” BRugurndy”.  See how I did that?  No, please don’t applaud, you’ll only make me blush.  The glitter is a nice mixture of gold and silver, the combo works so well as a whole.

I ended up buying 2 of these by accident.  I thought I’d bought this and Merry Midnight… turns out, I’d just bought 2 of these.  No matter, I’m giving one away on twitter this evening.  So, if you fancy being tragically last season too, find me on there to be in with a shot of winning it.

Do you like? This is probably one of the most sophisticated glitters I own… I love that OPI wide brush too…

NOTD – OPI Shim-Merry Chic

Posted by Lipglossiping On January - 7 - 2010

Released as part of the Holiday Wishes 2009 collection (like SO last year sweetie!) I’m still rocking this one on my nails, clinging onto the last vestiges of Christmas before the total bleakness of pre-Spring sets in.  Wow, that was cheerful.

This is a beautiful bronzed shade flecked through with multi-coloured chunks of glitter of irregular sizes.

Application was Lipglossiping-friendly and it has so far lasted 6 days without a top coat.  Tip wear is moderate and it hasn’t chipped at all.  Removal? Don’t ask… I’m too scared to do it.  Perhaps I’ll just leave it on ’till next Christmas!

Did you buy any of the Holiday Wishes Collection shades? I really wanted Merry Midnight and Holiday Glow aswell but they were out of stock by the time I got round to buying 🙁

Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream

Posted by Lipglossiping On December - 28 - 2009

The lovely VexintheCity got me lemming this cream just over a month ago when she nonchalantly tweeted that it was time to repurchase for the winter.  Repurchase?!  That’s a word I rarely hear in the beauty community and so it was that my interest was piqued!

When I was in London at the beginning of December I headed to The Garden Pharmacy on Long Acre to check out the Art Deco they stock there, but it wasn’t long before my attention was diverted when I saw the Dr. Hauschka display on the shelves nearby.

Dropping the Art Deco like a hot potato (such is the fickle nature of makeup shopping) I made a beeline for the Dr. Hauschka display and started rummaging amongst the plain-looking boxes to find what I was looking for:

It’s a thick, silky-feeling cream which as the name would suggest… is rose scented.  I don’t find the scent too overpowering, but then, I do like rose-scented things.

You get 30ml of product for a £20 price tag.  Yes, it’s expensive and I balked at the price.

I suffer every winter from dry patches on my face.  My skin doesn’t seem to be au fait with THE RULES.  It’s supposed to know to be oily on the nose and dry on the cheeks… such is the bane of typical combination skin.  My skin SCOFFS at THE RULES.   Crusty and flaky down the sides of the nose and on the chin/top lip line with a great big pimple on the cheek.

It dispenses easily out of the tube, thankfully at £20 a pop it doesn’t pour out too much product when you squeeze the tube.  As you can see from the following picture it spreads itself quite thinly too, so you really only need a small amount of product to get a great amount of coverage.

It has an impressive list of ingredients which (if interested) you can find here.

So how did I find it? Will I be repurchasing?

I loved it.

I’ve tried many ‘thick’ creams in the winter to combat the flaky bits that make foundation look horrific about 20secs after applying and I’ve tried many creamier foundations in an attempt to stave off that crusty, dry, clumpy effect I get over the dry patches.  Nothing worked until I picked up a tube of Dr. Hauschka’s Rose Day Cream.

I was wary about slathering it on my nose… It *is* thick and heavy feeling and I was concerned that my makeup would slide right off, but it sinks in nicely in about 3 minutes.

The singular reason why I will be repurchasing next winter is this…

It’s an instant cure.  I don’t have to apply this a couple of times a day to see the effect a few days down the line (hello Eucerin) – I simply slap a bit of this on and the dryness is gone.  A gentle rub with a dry flannel to exfoliate and remove any dead skin flakes and they’re not coming back for the day once this has sunk in.  And that’s what I want.  I have cuticles like cactus spikes because I’m not hugely dedicated to the cause of massaging cuticle butter into them 5 times a day.  Ooooh I’m gonna try this on my nails too, that was an instant brainwave right there… you’re watching genius as it happens people!

Anyway, I’m really happy with it.  I’m still gonna shriek at the numbers that pop up on the till next November, but when I think of all the money I’ve spent on rich day creams and foundations in an attempt to battle winter skin problems.  For me, it’s completely worth it.

You can find Dr. Hauschka’s Rose Day Cream online on their website where you can even purchase a sample size (although £3.50 p&p charges may make this seem less tempting).

NOTD – Mavala Black Cherry from the Mystic Collection

Posted by Lipglossiping On December - 24 - 2009

Mavala Black Cherry is one of the shades I was sent from the upcoming Mystic Collection (available from January).

It’s a rich black shimmer infused with a cherry sparkle that isn’t quite red and isn’t quite purple.  The sparkle is very subtle and you have to be upclose with the polish to truly appreciate how much it lifts the polish from the realms of ‘just another black’.

Mavala Black Cherry is a solid 2-coater with a great formula that glides on without flooding the cuticles or suffering from drag.

Every dark Mavala shade I’ve tried looks positively amazing once the top coat is added.  Love it.

Apologies for the teeny tiny image, I’m gonna see if I can get hold of a bigger one once the holidays are over, but for now, I wanted to show you the Mystic Collection as a whole.  You can see that they’re all black based with varying degrees of coloured shimmer.

I also have Black Velvet (purple infused) and Mosaic Blue (blue infused) to swatch for you.  I’m ridiculously excited about Black Velvet which, in the bottle looks divine.

You can purchase Mavala polishes online from FeelUnique and GreenHands, they generally retail for around £3.75 for a 5ml bottle.

Do you like or are you getting tired of the dark shades? I must admit that I’m looking forward to Spring, although I don’t know why as I’m not sold on the pastelly shades that inevitably feature heavily in Spring collections.

I’m on eBay hunting down some of the Mavala Diamond collection from AW 09/10… I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve gone a little glitter crazy!

NOTD – Dior Vernis Silver Purple Holiday 2009

Posted by Lipglossiping On December - 13 - 2009

diorpolish

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple.

Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve a great glossy finish, wear has been very good.

It’s a fabulously winter-y shade and my first Dior Polish, I’m very impressed with the quality!

What are some of your fav Dior polishes?

RANDOM

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CLOSED: Competition Time: Givenchy Very Irresistible L'eau en Rose Perfume!

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

CLOSED - Win it! The Body Shop Expert Brush Collection

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

Win a gorgeous "glow" trio with prizes from Urban Decay, New CID, & Arbonne!

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

Hello? Is this thing on?

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

Avoid the brush off with Oral-B Pro-Expert

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

Big savings on French Pharmacy brands, win my Escentual.com top picks!

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

Win it! 3 EcoTools Bamboo Bronzer Brushes to win!

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

FOTD Busting out of the comfort zone!

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

Dear Obesity...

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

Urban Decay The Black Palette - Photos & Swatches

A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple. Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks.  Needs a top coat to achieve …

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