A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

It’s not often you can find a reduction on the legendary lash-extending Lilash and Librow, so hold on to your mascara wands because the UK’s only authorised stockist is having a flash sale on ’em today!

Log onto Powder Rooms between 10am – 12pm this morning (yes, you’ve only got two hours folks!) to get your hands on a tube at 20% off the RRP.  If you’re taking advantage, you’ll need to use the code “blackfriday” at checkout to claim the discount.

If you’re not sure what Lilash can do for you, check out this great review from Bubblegarm.

Your crowning glory… barnet fair, whatever you call it, there’s no denying the condition of your locks can have a big impact on your self-confidence.  My biggest mental struggle over the years with my PCOS diagnosis revolved around the related hair problems… the fact that whilst my chin had no problems sprouting a carpet, my scalp recoiled in horror at the thought of supporting the weight of a full head of hair.

Viviscal, the leading experts in hair loss treatments have recently launched a worldwide hair census for females to uncover the true meaning of a good hair day.  None of this annoying flyaways or flat hair stuff… the aim is to find out more about the psychological effects of hair on confidence and self-esteem.

Everyone who takes a moment to complete the short survey will be entered into a competition for the chance to jet off to Los Angeles for Oscar Weekend 2014 and the lucky winner will also be treated to a hair makeover from a celebrity stylist to ensure that your locks really are your crowning glory on the red carpet!

As if that wasn’t incentive enough to spare a few minutes, for every UK resident who completes the survey, Viviscal will also donate a rather generous £1 to cancer-support charity Look Good Feel Better who work to help women manage the visible side effects of cancer treatment.

Go on, share your hair confessions and get involved with global conversation!

* This is a sponsored post “[SP]” for which I have received payment, written by me on behalf of Viviscal

You may remember earlier this year when Mavala launched the That’s My Colour campaign, inviting members of the general public (that’s you and me!) to submit some colour inspiration to the brand for a new nail polish shade.  Imagine, your very own nail polish colour!

Well, after receiving thousands of entries received via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram… the brand chose their three winners and set to work on some colour creation!

Fast forward a few months and the That’s My Colour set has just launched exclusively at John Lewis, the three winning nail polish colours were….

Argentum – molten silver with a chrome finish inspired by the sequined detailing of a jacket (submitted by @jrosellenm via Instagram)

Hearth – a cool forest green shade snapped within the rest room of a favourite restaurant (submitted by @lizzums via Twitter)

Iridescence – inspired by the chameleon like finish of petroleum reflected in the sun (submitted by @wizardofozzy via Instagram)

The set of three is priced at £11.70, available instore at John Lewis, currently out of stock online.

Which is your favourite of the three winning shades?

I did plan on catching up with my beauty blogging today, jumping back into the routine of photo-taking, editing, and tapping away at the keyboard that I’ve missed dearly.  What is it they say the best laid plans of mice and men?

Well, my plans went awry the moment Leila came snotting her way into our bedroom at 2 o’ clock this morning, coupled with a raging temperature and a hacking cough that made me want to throw one of us out of the window by the time 7am rolled around.  One quick phonecall to the school office later and our fates were decided… 11 hours later, we’re still in our pyjamas!

Starting with a bit of card-making (her current crafty obsession), some clothes-sorting and drawer rearranging… and a couple of books later… boredom struck.  Until I remembered a pack of Shrinkables that my friend Soraya from Powder Rooms had gifted Leila over the weekend.  If you’ve ever watched an empty crisp packet shrink in a pre-heated oven, you’ll know exactly what to expect from this novel little stocking filler!

We coloured and cut, scribbled and snipped until we were satisfied with our creations… our attention spans held strong until the last prince needed decorating, and while Madam was busying herself stealing a piece of her Dad’s fudge, I took over and ensured that the final Prince Charming was suitably suited and booted!  To be honest, it’s not often I can summon up the patience to do this kind of thing (making Play-Doh ice cream cones makes me want to go on a killing spree) but there was just enough colouring to keep her occupied and not too much to start her on a one-colour, screw-staying-in-the-lines rampage.

Three minutes in the oven later (our noses practically pressed to the glass) and we’d created a full set of mini (shrunk to about a 1/4 of their original size), hard plastic fairytale characters.  We discarded the stands (they weren’t very easy to attach) and Leila has lined them up lovingly along her windowsill, calling them her “stained glass” people.

Shrinkables are available in a Fairy Tale and Pirate variety from powderrooms.com. Priced at only £5 each, they make an excellent and original stocking filler for both big *cough* and small kids alike!

All in all, a lazy afternoon well spent.  When was your last pyjama day and was it as fun as mine?!

Are you feeling Christmassy yet?  I’m starting to see a few sets of fairy lights glinting away through people’s curtains and whilst I wouldn’t normally even entertain the idea of decorating before the first week of December has passed me by, I won’t deny it… this year, I’m itching to get my hands on the paper chains.

How about the shopping… is that under control for you?  Have you bagged some bargains throughout the year or are you resigned to a last-minute meltdown on your local high-street?  I’m usually fairly organised (at least in my head) about what I’m buying but this year I’ve been completely lacking in inspiration.  This will inevitably mean that I end up spending more money in an attempt to solve the problem… AND end up with less thoughtful presents!  Grrr!

Christmas grumbles aside, there’s 10% off beauty at Debenhams at the moment and if you’re looking for something with a bit of sparkle to get you in the mood for the festive season, I’ve got a couple of lovely things from Guerlain to share with you…

This warm-toned eyeshadow duo from the French brand in 08 Two Spicy evokes all the spirit of a fading Autumn with a rich, earthy umber and a softly-sparkling copper.  Both shades are finely-milled and soft to apply but you’ll see from the swatches below that pigment is lacking in the copper-shade.  This is designed to be applied as a wash of colour over the eyelid, lifting the complexion with some understated sparkle as opposed to adding anything in the way of substantial colour.

To this end, it works nicely to create a more informal, smudgy look that can be applied without the need for precision as the two shades blend together seamlessly to create a contoured eye rather than a full-on makeup look.

If you wanted to add a little more dimension or take the look from daytime to party-time, the new retractable eye pencil in 04 Katy Navy is my pick of the bunch.  It features a soft but intensely strong pigment with a shimmering metallic hue of blue that would complement a range of eye colours.

There’s very little drag across the eye area during application thanks to a creamy formula that sets quickly and stays put throughout a vigorous swatch wash!  Worn on the eye, it survives fairly well (although not completely) along the waterline but exceptionally well across the lower lashline as shown in the FOTD below.

Guerlain’s Ecrin 2 Couleurs – Colour fusion eyeshadow duo is currently priced at £27.00 (was £30) and Guerlain’s The Eye Pencil – Retractable Cream Khol & Liner is currently priced at £16.20 (was £18) instore and online at Debenhams.com

Do you have your Christmas sparkle sorted yet?

* press samples

As you may have guessed from the title, I’m totally blaming the pregnancy hormones for this one.  Whether or not they are actually culpable remains to be seen but it feels slightly less shameful to rest the responsibility upon my ever-increasing levels of hormonal angst.

Some women eat coal, crave the taste of rubber and leather… me?  Well, I just want to smell like all of those things instead.  You can keep your girly florals, sweet fruits, and vomit-worthy vanillas… give me all of the MAN SCENTS.

Were my pockets big enough, I’d carry the above candles around with me 24/7, pausing regularly for a sniff before continuing on my way.  My Jonathan Ward Woodstock candle, which I picked up whilst scouring the shelves at T.K. Maxx is the least masculine of the trio and perfect for the season, reminding me of a dampened but very-much-alive forest floor… woody and aromatic.

My Mum picked up the Rigaud Cuir de Kyara candle for me after spotting it nestled on a tabletop at her local Emmaus in France.  She said that the smell of pure, unadulterated leather “nearly knocked her head off” and thus, knew instantly that I would fall in love with it.  She was right.  It’s a blinder and I’m now obsessed with finding other candles from this Parisian brand.

Finally, and thanks to a Zuneta/Amazon bargain, I’m pleased to finally be able to add this Malin + Goetz Vetiver candle to my collection!  I haven’t been able to walk past the display of M+G candles in Liberty for ages without stopping to sniff this one in all its earthy, woody and downright sexy glory.

But my obsession with man-scent doesn’t just stop at candles.  Oh no!  It gets far more serious…

I bought L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Tea for Two during their Summer sale a couple of years ago and it was love at first sniff but recently, I just can’t get enough of it and have upgraded to a massive 100ml bottle in order to get my fix.  The perfect blend of smoky embers, honeyed tobacco and warming ginger to keep all thoughts of frostiness at bay this Winter.

Ahhh, Molton Brown… I remember when I first came across your distinctively delicious Re-Charge Black Pepper scent (now called black peppercorn) a few years ago whilst staying at a hotel in Basel.  To this day, I kick myself for being good and not stealing all the hotel toiletries, it just felt too naughty to take the ones that I hadn’t actually opened to use during my stay!  Instead, I scoop up other people’s spoils on eBay and long for the candle version!

My final fragrant craving is one that Mr. L is less than impressed with.  He can cope with sharing most of his scents with me, infact… many times, we purchase a fragrance under the certain knowledge that we’re doing so in order to share the bottle (it makes a £70 splurge so much more palatable split two ways).  My desires to wear his smells-just-like-a-freshly-wet-shaved-man Floris Santal*, however, are falling on deaf ears.  I’ve been allowed a quick spritz, twice.  Only twice.  I actually think that might constitute domestic abuse.

Are there any “boy” scents that drive you wild?  And, question is… are you wild enough to wear them?

* press sample

This post constitutes my entry in response to this competition hosted by cosmetic-candy.com in association with Total Jobs JobAcademy

I remember my first job interview clearly.  I was 17 and looking for something to earn some extra pennies whilst I was at sixth form college.  I applied to be an “activities organiser” at a local care home for the elderly.  I got the job but only lasted a week once I realised that they didn’t actually want someone to organise days out and activities for the residents but required an underpaid carer with a false job description that meant they could get away without providing any health and safety training.

I haven’t had a job interview since, one of the many benefits of being self-employed… though I do wish I had a Christmas party to go to for once (someone invite me to theirs please)!

Anyway, Rowena from Cosmetic Candy has challenged her readers to document their “interview look”, which includes makeup, hair, scent, and nails.  The complete package.  Thankfully not clothes though… I’m rubbish at putting together outfits, truly awful…

Here’s my “interview appropriate” ideas for ensuring you look your best under pressure!

01: Benefit They’re Real Mascara (£19.50, boots.com) – I’d leave the eyeliner at home, knowing that one slip could turn my look from kitten-eyed into crazy-eyed… not to mention the lunchtime eye-bogies that can often accompany a slick of kohl.  Instead, I’d reach for one of the most va-va-voom mascaras in my arsenal.  Benefit’s They’re Real delivers the longest of lashes with the least amount of clumping for me.

02: Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette (£20.00, debenhams.com) – While its name may not be interview appropriate, the hues housed within this handy little eyeshadow companion are all about making the best of your features with the minimum of fuss.  Perfect for shading and contouring the eye area to bring forth your natural beauty in a sophisticated and most importantly, understated way.

03: Illamasqua Gaze Eyebrow Cake (£15.50, debenhams.com) – Illamasqua’s answer to perfect brows has long-been on my holy grail list.  Gaze is the perfect brow powder for dark brunettes looking for an ashy tone that won’t turn red as the colour fades.

04: MAC Pink Cult Blush (£??, discontinued) – Sadly, this perfect “pop of pink” blush was part of a limited edition collection a couple of years back, however I picked it up a couple of weeks ago at my local CCO for just over a tenner and I’m glad I did!  The neutral flush gives a lift to my naturally ruddy cheeks without overpowering them with colour.  Do keep an eye out for a re-issue from MAC or as an alternative, Illamasqua Naked Rose would work well.

05: Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil Lipstick in Thriller (£22.00, SpaceNK.com) – I umm’ed and ahh’ed over whether to include an easy-to-wear lipgloss, or stay true to my roots and go for a lipstick.  In the end, I decided why choose when you can compromise?  Lipstick Queen’s glossy lip pencils deliver a slightly-sheerer-than-lipstick punch of colour with the shine (but none of the stickiness) that comes with a lipgloss.  Thriller is my chosen colour, the safest of reds that won’t leave you with colour on your teeth or a ring of doom on your lips!

06: No7 Stay Perfect Liquid Foundation (£14.00, boots.com) – It’s been a while but I’m still pretty much fully in love with this high-street foundation from the Boots’ brand.  It provides long-lasting coverage with a natural finish that doesn’t sit too heavily on a (gently!) maturing face.  The bottle dispenses the perfect amount of product in a single pump, ensuring that I never get too heavy-handed with my application, there’s nothing like finding a foolproof foundation and this is one of the closest I’ve discovered.

07: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19, boots.com) – I remember the first time I discovered this little beauty that highlights and conceals in one.  Who knew that you could get such quality from such an inexpensive brand?  I don’t go in for heavy-duty concealers and this one is perfect for a little bit of light cover-up and an undereye highlight.

01: Mum Cool Blue Extra Dry Deodorant (£1.05, chemistdirect.co.uk) – I can’t do aerosol deodorants… that blast of icy mist first thing in the morning does nothing to improve my just-got-out-of-bed mood.  I’m a roll-on girl and Mum has been my brand of choice for years!  I went through a Mitchum phase but for the extra pennies, I just don’t think it works that much harder than the Extra Dry variety I usually pick up which always keeps me cool under pressure!

02: Prada Infusion D’Iris EdP (from £41.50, theperfumeshop.com) – If you’re looking for a sophisticated scent that never cloys or irritates the nose of others around you, Prada’s Infusion d’Iris delivers a timeless and fresh perfume that lingers long into the day without need for reapplication.  Perfectly interview-appropriate without causing a stink!

03: Mavala Liberty Mini Nail Polish (£4.10, supplymebeauty.com) – If you want your nails to look polished without causing a scene-stealing furore, your safest bet is to stick with a skin-flattering nude.  Choose the perfect shade that will compliment your skin tone to elongate your fingers and show that you know how to take care of yourself!

04: Octopus Hair Claw (£17.00, stone-bridge.co.uk) – Hair is not my forte and for that reason, I recommend investing in only one product: a great quality hair claw.  You’re looking for something that will keep your locks off your face securely without breaking after five-minutes.  The Octopus hair claw is top of my list because of its tentacled hair-gripping combs and lightweight design that won’t pull fine hair down to the nape of the neck as the day progresses.

05: Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File (£15.50, boots.com) – Want to know what doesn’t look good in an interview room?  A pair of tights that look as though you’ve been playing hide-the-sausage with the postman in the stationery cupboard (already).  Catch any tears and snags that develop on your nails quickly before they rip your tights (and any chance of getting that job with it) to shreds.

06: Trebor Extra Strong Mints (£0.46, asda.com) – Because you just never know when last night’s cheeky takeaway is gonna put in a reappearance.  You want to impress with your mind-meltingly good charm and knowledge, not your face-meltingly bad breath.

What’s the one beauty item you couldn’t survive a job interview without?

* Don’t forget to check out the competition at Cosmetic Candy for your chance to enter to win £150 in Selfridges vouchers, I know I should keep it to myself… but I’m just not that mean… mostly.

You may or may not remember that a few months ago, I bought a couple of wigs.  Infact, you probably shouldn’t remember this, I only mentioned it in passing and if you do happen to have some kind of superhuman power of recall, then quite frankly, I’d be a bit concerned about you.

Anyway, when my wigs arrived, I tried one on and didn’t really like it.  I mean, I loved the wig… the colour was so intensely rich and chocolatey brown with a hint of caramel, just delicious.  But on me?  It looked exceptionally daft.  It was curly and needed to be longer in order to not look immensely wiggy on my fat head.  I was immediately disheartened by it and so, when the other wig arrived… I didn’t actually get round to trying it on (a fool and her money etc. etc.).

Well you know what’s coming don’t you?

Boredom has struck this week in the most tedious of ways and so I did what I used to love doing in this situation, I went and had a play in my beauty cupboard.  Instead of dragging out the coloured eye liners, my hands happened upon the untried wig, cue some excitement and grappling for a bunch of kirby grips.

What do you think?  It’s not too bad is it?  I reckon that on bad fringe days it could see me right?!

It’s synthetic but doesn’t have too much shine to it… nothing that a bit of dry shampoo won’t tame.  Best of all, it was ridiculously cheap, much cheaper than the other one I bought and didn’t like.  Here’s a link to the one I purchased (although I bought from a different seller months ago), the picture in the auction makes it look far more highlighted and caramelly than it is in real life but dudes, it’s like £7.00 – for a play around with a new hairdo, it’s brilliant.

Can you tell how much weight I’ve put on?  You don’t need to be (too) kind… since I found out I was pregnant almost 4-months ago, I’ve used it as carte blanche to just eat all. the. things.  I had secretly hoped that having such revolting morning (afternoon, and evening) sickness would have kept the balance somewhat more fairly but no… that would be too much to ask for wouldn’t it?

Talking of babies, which I promise not to do too often, Leila’s latest name suggestions for her little brother/sister include: Marmalade, Margaret, Humphrey, and Zod.  No, I don’t think we’ll be entrusting her with the job either.

Back to the FOTD…

I was thinking about some of the “safe” colours that are always the first to sell out when a new collection appears.  When I was in my teens, it was always the “browns” that would be in short supply, except, that I’ve never really had much of a love affair with brown browns, generally favouring greys and taupes when it comes to getting my neutral fix.

To this end, I decided to embrace the season and go all out BROWN for a FOTD.  As always, I didn’t use 438 products… I’m just too lazy for that kind of dedication to the cause.  For colour, I grabbed at my Laura Mercier Bonne Mine palette which I knew would sort me out for eyes and cheeks, my Estee Lauder Blackened Cocoa* eye pencil, an almost-dried-out Estee Lauder Sumptuous Color mascara in, and my trusty Urban Decay Naked 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencil in Naked.

Thanks to the brush-free application, the look took only a few minutes to complete and gives a good amount of warmth and definition without looking massively made up, especially once the lips begin to fade a little.  The nature of the cream products mean that as the day goes on, the makeup wears gently and softens further, I’m no longer afraid of a little bit of creasing!

Brown still isn’t one of my favourite shades to wear, but I do love how it looks much less “try hard” than when I do a full face of makeup with a palette of greys.  There’s something much more informal about smudging earthy colours across the canvas, and there’s a lot to be said for that.

What colours are you favouring at the moment and are there any popular shades that you just don’t reach for?

* press sample

Morning all, here are the lucky winners of my recent competition to snaffle a bottle of Face The World Cleanser…

Leanne M. (@LilMissStylish)

Charlotte G.

Peter G.

I shall be in touch with the lucky winners later today!

If you weren’t lucky enough to win a bottle this time around, you’ll be pleased to hear that Face The World are currently offering a BOGOF promotion on their mini gift kits and cleansing lotion – no code needed, just in time for some bargainous Christmas shopping!

Have a great week everyone x