By Tindara
Those of you who went to any of the Selfridges Beauty Project events will be sorry to hear that it’s now all over. The Get Lippie team had a great time and we decided to finish off our Beauty Project experience with a fascinating talk by Spob O’ Brian, Head Of Professional Development at Illamasqua, on Make-up Through the Ages. Spob is thoroughly engaging and very knowledgeable about the history of make-up. She went from the Egyptians covering themselves in ochre and clay, to World War II propaganda featuring red-lipped rosy-cheeked land girls. Like a lot of self-respecting beauty geeks I’m fascinated with this subject, and wanted to share some of the most interesting info that Spob imparted.
A lot of historical lotions and potions are remarkably similar in purpose to those we currently use. The earliest evidence of cosmetics were in ancient Egypt where handmaidens were only allowed to eat certain herbs and fruits as their saliva would be used in the mixing processes. Tomb paintings show Egyptian men and women sporting different coloured skin coverings made of clay, ochre, spit and oil, which protected them from the sun as well as making them look good; a mixture of the foundation and sunscreen that we use today. I hope Cleopatra washed it all off before the asses milk bathing. I’m now imagining her sitting in a bath of something resembling my cup of Twinings Everyday. Her skin must’ve been lovely and soft from all the clay and oils; it’s not so different from the kind of treatment you’d have at a spa, and it sounds like something that men would have taken part in too.
Egyptians also lined their eyes and brows heavily in black, with what we now know as kohl. And I bet you didn’t realise that in Ancient Egypt and Greece the mono-brow was highly prized. Why do we spend all this time plucking, and threading, eh? Or that there was a language of beauty spots in the 18th century when people used small pieces or fur or fabric to cover their smallpox scars. The placement would denote whether you were feeling coquettish or flirty. This could be fun. I dare you to use La passionnée pictured above for work tomorrow.
Of course, not all of it was so fun, the use of lead make-up from Ancient Rome to Elizabethan England led to lead poisoning and disease, but it was years later in 1873 when the production of theatrical greasepaint would lead to the first lead free make-up being made for the general public. Greasepaint was much harder work than current formulations and needed to be melted over candles in spoons before it could be used.
Spob pointed to women getting the vote in 1918 and the beginnings of cinema as the start of a period of greater self-expression and experimentation for women, as well as the beginning of the industry as we recognise it today. Further development came about as a result of WWII due to the market for camouflage after injury, and nail polish came about as a result of the car industry. Yes that’s right, the Opi and Essie stuff you paint your nails with was conceived as a result of spray paint for cars.
It’s a fascinating history and there’s a distinct correlation between Egyptian handmaidens and the red carpet make-up artists for A-listers today. I really want Spob to write a book about all this, when looking for information on this kind of historical detail, there really isn’t much out there. If she does a talk or event in the future I would urge you to go. You’ll love it. I’m off to paint beauty spots all over my face and mix my own mud packs.
This post: Spob O’Brian on Make-up Through the Ages originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper
Wednesday 18 June 2014
Friday 6 June 2014
Korres, Apivita and the Ancient Greeks
A selection of Ancient Greek makeup pots and mirrors. |
By Tindara
A
little while ago I spent a long weekend in Athens. It’s an amazing
city, the Acropolis and museums are incredible and the food is
gorgeous, and it’s totally doable in a weekend from the UK. If you
get the chance do go, though if you’re a Brit you may be
embarrassed by the Parthenon
Marble
gaps
in the Acropolis Museum. Yeah guys, we should give them back.
Honestly, it’s just completely shaming.
Obviously,
there was something else I wanted to check out, Greek beauty
products. Like most beauty geeks, I get a real thrill exploring a
foreign pharmacy or three, and this weekend was no different. The
little pots and colours and brands I know and others I’m not so
familiar with are part of the whole holiday experience.
I
had tried Korres products at home and was keen to see more of the
range that would be available in Greece. When I went into the nearest
pharmacy I picked up a Raspberry Twist Lipstick in Passion and a Zea
Mays Blush in Pink.
The
Raspberry Twist Lipstick is a Chubby Stick type affair that is twist
up, so no requirement for a sharpener. I am loving the preponderance
of these twist-up pencils of late, they’re super practical. The
lipstick itself is very hydrating due to the raspberry oil included
in the formulation. I am wearing this berry red a fair amount at the
moment and never need any lip balm beforehand or after, as it’s so
moisturising. The finish is pretty glossy so I wouldn’t say it’s
the most long-lasting lipstick in the world, but it does leave a
natural berry stain on your lips for most of the day. This would be a
great lipstick for those that are a bit wary of stronger reds; it can
be blotted down to a soft stain from the start, or layered for a more
full-on lip later on if you’re going out.
The
Zea Mays Blush in Pink was really good too, I chose this quite
natural pinky brown shade because most of my powder blushers are pops
of colour on my cheeks and I needed a subtle one for wearing
underneath or on more neutral days. I could use this as a contour
shade or bronzer at a push; it’s not a very deep pink at all. Not
that I go in for bronzer or contouring much. I could probably do with
a contouring masterclass in fact, but let’s not discuss my ruddy
cheeks or double chin any further, there will be plenty of time for
that in future posts, I am sure. I am doing facial exercises as we
speak.
Apivita,
like Korres are a Greek brand that are all about the natural
ingredients and are paraben and silicone free. I tried their Euphoria
Jasmine and White Tea Bath and Shower Gel and corresponding Body
Milk. I chose these primarily for the scent, but these are good
products irrespective of their glorious aroma. And it’s a
beautiful scent, but I love jasmine anyway. There’s a touch of
freshness to it too, which I’m finding really useful for this mini
‘heatwave’ we’re having in London. The Bath and Shower Gel
foams well and the Body Milk moisturises nicely without being too
sticky. It’s a light body milk, so not for the driest of skins but
still enough to give a slight sheen. But oh, shall I say it again,
the scent of this, it stays on for hours and wafts about you like a
cloud of fresh white petals with a tannin and citrus hit. I love it
and want to know if there’s a perfume similar so I can layer it all
on together. Recommendations, please, for Jasmine scents, people!
I
also spent a lot of time in the Archaeological Museum in Athens. I am
a total museum nerd, having spent what felt like months at a time in
the Cast Courts at the V&A sketching as a teenager, and a short
time of my working life in a couple of London museums and galleries.
So I never pass up the chance to go to an unfamiliar one when
visiting new places. Where is she going with this you ask yourself?
Well, there was a section of the museum that displayed objects
associated with the average ancient Greeks’ toilette and I thought
it might be interesting to have a look at some of them. Especially
the beautiful hand mirrors that they used. There are what look like
large compact mirrors, as well as hand held mirrors with intricate
decorative work on the back and handle. Mirrors from 6BC with the
short thin handles were usually sheathed in wood at the bottom like
some of our hand mirrors and brushes today. The upright mirrors that
were supported by female figures were also from the same period, but
the folding portable mirrors were from the later 5 and 4BC. These
mirrors had one or two decorative covers, usually of deities or
mythological scenes. Sometimes, there was even a hook edge to hang up
the mirror when it wasn’t in use. Practical, eh? There were also
small pots used to contain cosmetics and ‘strigils’ which were
scrapers used to remove cosmetic oils and ointments. I’m really
hoping they didn’t remove their make-up with them though, it sounds
harsh. What you want is a nice micellar water or hot cloth, ancient
Greek Lady.
Limited
Korres and Apivita products are available in the UK. Korres Zea May
Blush is £17.50. The Raspberry Twist Lipstick is a new product and
should be over here soon, look out for it. Apivita Euphoria Jasmine
and White Tea Bath and Shower Gel is £12, while the Apivita Euphoria
Jasmine and White Tea Body Milk is £13.
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Monday 2 June 2014
All Bound for Muumuu Land - Body image, bare face and red lipstick.
By Tindara
I’ve gone out of the house with no
make-up on most of this week. This is not by design, simply down to
the fact that I’ve been busy and pushed for time. Also, I have
taken to carrying a small and beautiful orange satchel which doesn’t
allow for carrying much make-up with me. It got me thinking again
about that naked face for charity nonsense a while back where people
were talking about women as ‘brave’ for showing what they looked
like with a bare face. It was all a bit silly really, wasn’t it? I
often go out bare faced. The first couple of hours I feel a bit
unfinished, but then I get used to it. I see my pink cheeks and small
bright eyes and it’s all fine. I recognise that face, the old
faithful. Why would it be brave?
It makes wearing make-up fun again
rather than a chore that’s part of your morning rush hour, a few
bare faced days and putting on a full face again is thrilling. I love
my pots and brushes and sticks of colour, I see them as an extension
of my creativity and a means of self-expression. For me it’s a
statement of intent; confidence, passion, a commitment to myself, who
I am, not just what I look like. I realise that sounds overblown,
you’re probably thinking “Get over yourself love, it‘s only
lipstick.” But in a world where people are constantly telling my
fat self to pipe down and get in the shadows I feel it’s an
important statement. I could just wear a muumuu all the time and sit
in the house, I suppose, but I’m not ready for my muumuu yet.
Recently, I attended one of the
Selfridges Beauty Project events where a panel were discussing body
image; they spoke about beauty being democratic in a world where
fashion leaves a whole lot of people out. This is definitely my
experience. But also, people see the world of make-up as a masking of
imperfection rather than an exuberant female rite of passage. Yes, we
all wear foundation and concealer, and strive to deal with the
problem areas that irritate us. I will be reporting back on my
experience of non-invasive procedures on my double chin shortly, so I
know how it feels.
It’s the other
stuff that gets me going, though, the purple and pink waxy matt
sticks, palettes of rainbow powders, the slick of red or fuchsia
satin lips, an inky black calligrapher style pen for eyelids. People
say these are brave too. As though the only acceptable box for women
is that marked beige and perfect. No more, no less. Don’t stand
out or get too big or too small. Don’t be bare-faced or scruffy,
don’t have tattoos, piercings, or be different in any way. Maybe
it’s best if we remember we’re all in this together whatever our
bodies or faces are like, whatever lipstick we choose to wear,
whether we favour bikinis or muumuus. Actually, I’ve just looked
some up on google images; I think one could work with a belt and some
gladiator sandals. What do you think?
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Tuesday 20 May 2014
A Lippie Team Post - Skincare Routines
We're planning a number of these group posts, but we thought we'd start with the basics, so here's how the whole team at Get Lippie looks after their skin:
This post: A Lippie Team Post - Skincare Routines originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper
LOUISE (aka "Get Lippie")
My
skincare routine has been kind of fixed for a while now – to the
extent that one of the products is running out and I'm upset because
current circumstances dictate that I can't afford to replace it at
the moment, and panic is ensuing … anyhoo, here's the lowdown:
Cleanse:
I'm still in love with Champneys cleansing balm. It's on the cheap
and cheerful side (and the instructions are rubbish), but it gets the
job done, and my skin loves it.
Treatments:
I'm currently alternating between Pixi Glow Tonic and my old standby;
Clarins Gentle exfoliating toner, (having temporarily run out of
Zelens resurfacing pads) both of which are second to none at removing
dead skin cells. I follow both of these with a quick spritz of La
Roche Posay Serozinc spray, which I'm still miffed they won't bring
to the UK.
Serums:
Currently I'm using Sunday Riley's Juno Hydroactive Cellular Face
Oil, which smells like a rancid spag bol according to my husband, but
this is because it doesn't contain any scented essential oils to mask
the smell of the seeds they've crushed into it. As essential oils
are one of my sensitive skin triggers, this suits my skin very well
indeed and I put up with the rather … unusual … scent. As
always, I follow this up with a thin layer of Hydraluron.
Moisturiser:
And here is where I cry, just a little bit. Sometimes I get press
releases that are so bonkers that I have to call in the product, just
to see how far from the point the the copy actually got. Such as it
is with Argentum Apothecary La Potion Infinie. The flowery,
overblown, overwritten, overpretentious prose on both the press
release and, sadly, the website, mask what is, in fact, a bloody
excellent moisturiser. I wasn't too impressed with it at first, but
my love for it has grown by leaps and bounds over the last six months
or so, to the point where I can now see the bottom of the jar, and my
heart cries every time I see it. I've been known to panic about it
running out. I'm sad, I know. However, formulated with colloidial
silver, and featuring a really nice primer-style matte finish on the
skin, this suits my fussy, sensitive, easily reddened skin very well,
and as it's £147 a jar, I'm going to miss it a great deal once I do
finally scrape out that final molecule from the jar. It's brilliant,
but the website will give you a headache, I warn you. It's the only moisturiser I've tried in years that's come even close to replacing my beloved Kate Somerville Goat Cream, and that is really saying something. Once I'm back in funds, a repurchase will definitely follow.
LAURIN
My
skincare routine is a many headed hydra, with one product being
culled and another two springing up in its place. The one constant,
however, is my DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. I've used this for nearly five
years, and I've yet to find anything better. In the morning, it's a
drop of DHC and a quick swipe with a flannel before I hit the shower. As soon as I hop out, I slap on Superdrug Aqua Pure Hydrating Serum,
followed by Clinique Moisture Surge on my face and Clinique
Superdefense Eye Cream all around my eyes. I've finally been
converted to the cause of a daily SPF, so I finish with a layer of
Soap and Glory Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid.
Night
time gets a bit trickier. The minute I get home, I take off my
make-up with whichever version of Bioderma Micellar Water I bought on
special last, then it's a full cleanse with the DHC and a hot cloth.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I use Clarins Gentle Exfoliating
Toner and on Sundays I use Alpha-H Liquid Gold. Whatever the day,
then use Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair and Kiehl's Creamy
Avocado Eye Treatment. The last thing I do before I go to bed is
massage in a few drops of Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.
With
all the money I'm literally sinking into it, it's a good thing beauty
lasts forever, and I can use my face as my pension. Right? RIGHT?
TINDARA
I
may be shunned by the rest of the Get Lippie team after saying this,
but, I’m a bit lax with my moisturising at night. Four nights out
of seven my head will hit the pillow cleansed with Bioderma
Hydrabio
H2O
Micelle stuff but
unmoisturised. I love the clean face feeling, and I sleep with a
CPAP mask on, as I have sleep apnoea, so no gunk on my face makes it
more comfortable. Honest.
Those
other three nights though, I really go for it, I hot cloth cleanse
with Skyn Pure Cloud Cleanser or Boots Botanics Ultra
Calm Gentle Cleansing Cream
and
then use Elizabeth Arden Prevage Serum and Eye Serum – they really
work! – followed by Clarins Blue Orchid Face Oil, and sometimes
more night cream or balm on top. Depending on my skin and/or the time
of year this might be Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter or this Est
Rose and Honey Remedy
from Australia. It’s really soothing and healing, and I love the
Lavender
and Tea Tree
version too. It feels just the right level of comforting and
medicinal.
If
it’s warm, I might leave it at the Clarins or put a little of my
day moisturiser on top instead, currently that’s Skyn Pure Cloud
Cream, but this changes all the time. Then some lip balm. I’m using
Hurraw or Clinique lip balms at the moment. In the morning I use
Organic Surge Daily Care Face Wash in the shower, and I swap the
Prevage for Eucerin Hyaluron
Filler Concentrate.
Most
of the time, my sensitive rosacea prone skin behaves itself, but if
it doesn’t I dial it right back and just use Bioderma micelle
cleanser and day moisturiser and maybe one of the Est balms
occasionally.
When I remember, I throw a bit of Elemis Papaya Enzyme
Cream on followed by a hydrating mask of some description, I’m not
loyal to any in particular, my last was a Decleor Hydra Floral mask.
Any recommendations?
LUKE
Cleanse:
I generally flit between these two depending on mood
and what my skin feels like that morning/evening. I ADORE the Elemis
Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm. The smell, the texture, the way my skin
feels afterwards, the all of it is just fantastic. Not heavy at all
(some are) and just an absolute pleasure to use. This is ALWAYS in
my kit, purely because every single person I use this on falls in
love with it. For the odd time when I think my skin feels a little
dull, and needs a bloody good scrub, the Dermalogica Daily
Microfoliant is ABSOLUTELY SECOND TO NONE! Did I make that clear?
This is one of the BEST products for exfoliating that I have EVER
used. It says daily, however I find it a little too abrasive for
daily use. Once or twice a week is absolutely enough for me.
Treatments/Serums
I
use a lot of these. Especially at the moment with all the fake tan I
am trialling, but ANYWAY, these are the ones that if I had to choose,
would be the ones that pretty much cover all bases. The Clinique
Laser Focus Repairwear Serum, recently reformulated, is now even better than it was the first time round. And they have improved the
packaging so that you don’t end up with the drips all collecting
around the edge. I use this pretty much all summer, or when the sun
is out as a sort of insurance. I like the silky feel, and it seems
to make my skin feel hydrated also.
Day
Creams I am quite picky about my day creams. I always want a
good SPF in my day cream, as I have said before. One of these has a
high SPF of 30 already ‘built in’ and the other doesn’t have
one, but I add one over the top. La Prairie Anti-Ageing Day Cream
SPF30 is one that I will use literally every day when the sun is
strong, hence why this is nearly at the bottom of the jar at this
point. It smells pleasant, and has a micro blasted SPF that is so
fine and non skin clogging that it’s a joy to use. I have never
caught too much of the sun with this on, and it still managed to not
dry my skin out either. The space age silver packaging and heavy
glass make it not great for travelling with, but my, what a cream.
Not cheap, but not out there expensive either.
Night
cream: Finally, the night time. I am of the
school of thought that if it’s a moisturiser, it’s good enough.
Most of the time a good moisturiser would be perfectly adequate for a
night cream I would think, but nonetheless, I am still using these
like they are going out of fashion. Neal’s Yard Beauty Sleep
Concentrate has been a favourite for a long while. The multi award
winning cream contains all sorts of goodies in it hat help to
regenerate the skin, and has essential oils that are known to relax
you and gently send you off into the land of nod. Me being somewhat
of an insomniac, every little helps. It’s a very light lotion type
texture, but seems to be nourishing enough, and a little really does
go a long way.
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Tuesday 6 May 2014
Beauty Project at Selfridges
By Tindara
In
short, lot of fabulous new products and a fascinating series of
events. I’ll be at ‘Sali
Hughes: Beauty, Good Or Bad For Our Body Image?’
And may even do some shopping. Join me! Have a look at the programme
and get down there
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If
you’re into beauty and its associated pleasures it can’t have
escaped your notice that Selfridges has something rather special
going on at the moment. The Beauty Project started on the 1 May and
continues till 12 June. I went along for a sneak preview on Thursday
morning and not only are there plenty of new launches and limited
editions; there are lots of interesting events planned; poetry
workshops and advice from some of the most knowledgeable in the
business, as well as serious debate and discussion. Subjects include
aging, body image, self-esteem, sexual stereotyping, tattooing and
body modification with the likes of two of my favourites, beauty guru
Sali Hughes, and psychotherapist and campaigner Susie Orbach, as well
as countless other big-hitters.
There
are also interesting collaborations with artists, Jo Malone are
working with London studio collective Calm and Collected who are live
screen-printing in store to decorate a suite of bottles. Their
sketchbooks and inspiration boards are also on show and it’s great
to see how their designs have developed. Acqua di Parma have also
worked with artists to produce some beautiful limited edition hand
painted lids for their Blu
Mediterraneo
collection. Bobbi Brown have launched Art Sticks with giant pencils
about the place, and MAC have their full range displayed in giant
lipstick storage too. I love a massive lipstick or eye pencil.
Reminds me of my days as a window dresser in Boots. My office was
full of giant lipsticks and enormous fake perfume bottles. Sigh.
For
those of you against cosmetic surgery but interested in softening the
signs of aging, Spa Junkie has recently unveiled her new venture, the
Face Gym, which works on the premise of exercising the face in the
same way that you would the body. There are also a couple of Fingers
2 Go manicure machines that paint nail art directly onto fingernails
or stick on falsies then and there. There are hundreds of designs to
choose from and you can even print a selfie or group friend shot onto
your nails. I predict groups of teenage girls going mad for them.
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Monday 24 March 2014
Lipstick of the Week
Oyez!
Oyez! My first Lipsticks of the Week! So here we go chaps, it’s my
first selection and I mostly went with my old faithfuls. There
is some similarity between all the bullets, I won’t lie. A red
lipstick stain on my glass is how I roll. As I wear specs my easy
everyday look tends to be eyebrow pencil and clear brow and lash gel
with a bright lip and blusher. So I can be a bit of creature of habit
when it comes to lip colour. Do you ever get those days when you feel
like your head is filled with cotton wool and something is just not
firing correctly in your brain? My solutions are equal parts espresso
and red lipstick. Or a bright fuchsia, at a push. Last week was a
toughie; lots of meetings and training sessions, and my first event
for Get Lippie, so when I opened my dressing table drawer to choose a
lipstick in the mornings, it was most likely a tried and tested
colour and formulation that just makes me feel good.
First up is
Nars lipstick in Heatwave. It’s a beautiful orange red with a
semi-matte texture that recalls the freshest tomato salsa or a juicy
blood orange. I really like to wear it in spring/summer as the tomato
pull plays well in sunshine with brighter colours and works with
little or no eye make-up. It’s also a really good look with leopard
print and huge clip on earrings though, if you’re going for a retro
vintage feel. Although it’s a semi-matte formulation it’s not
drying at all and lasts fairly well. No ring of doom either, it tends
to wear off evenly. This is probably the lipstick I’m wearing most
at the moment. So I suppose it goes without saying I wore the Nars
Heatwave twice last week.
But before
this came Dita. Our fragrant editor Louise has waxed lyrical about
the Art Deco Dita
Von Teese Art Couture Lipstick Velvets
before. They’re highly pigmented lasting lipsticks that have a
matte finish. You can see a pattern here can’t you? I have a few of
these but the one I use the most is Muse Red, which is, again, an
orange red, possibly even more tomatoey than the Heatwave. I really
like the vanilla smell and the way it lasts and lasts without being
drying. In fact, I love this lipstick so much I worry I may not find
it again, so I’ve recently bought another JUST IN CASE. Please tell
me I’m not the only one that does this.
When I’m
not wearing reds, I like a deep pink of some description and in my
opinion you can’t get better than Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Colour in
Cosmic Raspberry. It’s not so bright as to be a ‘shocking’
pink, but there’s an unmistakable magenta hint to this hydrating
lipstick. It carries the same weight as a red but is more playful and
berry-like. I wear it with a bare eye, as per, or lots of black
eyeliner, either smudged or flicked. It’s a really flattering
colour and lasts pretty well leaving a pleasing berry stain on the
lips.
Guerlain
Rouge Blossom
Rouge
Automatique in
Insolence is my last lipstick, one I picked up at Lippie HQ and felt
like giving a go. The packaging is just the most beautiful design. I
suggest you go to a Guerlain counter to see what I mean if you don’t
have one. The sliding mechanism and jack in the box lipstick is hours
of fun. Well, if you’re me it is. The colour looks like it will be
a very bright pink, but what actually goes on is a deep rose pink
with just a hint of brightness that’s really flattering. It’s
also really hydrating and comfortable. This one is growing on me. I
can see me wearing it a lot if we actually get a decent spring and
summer.
Tune in
next time for more lipstick stories. Will she wear pink? Will she
wear red? Will she run out bare faced ‘cause she overslept and
switched her alarm off and put on whatever is in her bag? Maybe.
Nars
Semi-Matte Lipstick in Heatwave is £18.50. Art Deco Dita
Von Teese Art Couture Lipstick Velvet in Muse Red is £16.50. Bobbi
Brown Rich Lip Colour in Cosmic Raspberry is £19.00 Guerlain Rouge
Blossom
Rouge
Automatique in
Insolence is £22.50.
The
fine print: Mixture of purchases and PR Samples
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Friday 7 March 2014
Orange Crush with Tom Ford, Models Own and Lipstick Queen.
By Tindara
The first I liked the look of is a heavily pigmented liquid lipstick from lip colour experts Lipstick Queen. Vesuvius Liquid Lips in Coral is a lovely deep orange shade. It’s really hydrating and looks glossy but is not as sticky as a regular lip gloss. I really liked the depth of colour and the fresh minty feel of this. It lasted fairly well too and left a more neutral coral stain to my lips through the latter half of the day. Though the liquid gloop did leak a little into the lid after a day being battered around in my bag, but that could just be me and my rough bag handling. I will try a few more of these gorgeous colours, I think.
Models Own Matt Hyper Brite |
Day two of my orange experiment and I felt like something brighter and more full on. I had been given Models Own Matt Hyper Brite lipstick in Orangeade a while back but hadn’t had the guts to wear it much. Time to give it another go. I got lots of compliments with this shade. It happened to be a really spring like day, the sun was out and my hyper-bright orange lips made me feel happy. The texture is actually quite sheer so I had to build up the colour to get a depth to it, but it is a bright matt orange that stays put fairly well for a lipstick at this price point.
Next was Tom Ford Lip Colour in True Coral. For various reasons I have always avoided Tom Ford products, I always thought they were pricey and overblown and I really didn’t like the past perfume marketing. But I have to admit that this lipstick is pretty bloody awesome, my lips are really dry at the moment and it glided on and hydrated well. The white and gold packaging is gorgeous and the coral packs a mean orange punch. I didn’t want to like it but I really did, what can I say. It’s a luxurious lipstick and a beautiful colour.
Ultimately, oranges and corals can be really flattering and wearable, I had to get my head round the idea of having bright orange lips, and now for me it’s just a small step from the likes of my fave scarlets to some of these shades. With smudgy or flicky black liner they can look really modern and fresh. I may go even brighter and lighter next time.
Lipstick Queen Vesuvius Liquid Lips in Coral is £22. Models Own Matt Hyper Brite lipstick in Orangeade is £6. Tom Ford Lip Colour in True Coral is £36.
The fine print: PR samples.
This post: Orange Crush with Tom Ford, Models Own and Lipstick Queen. originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper
Friday 21 February 2014
Footnotes - A Margaret Dabbs Pedicure.
By Tindara
Like a lot of people I have become addicted to the delights of the nail shop. Ubiquitous and reasonably priced, it has become the norm for me, in spring and summer months at least, to succumb to the regular pedicure. It seems we’re not squeamish about someone coming at our feet with a scalpel these days. But I hear there are pedicures and PEDICURES.
At Christmas, my very generous sister presented me with a voucher for a medical pedicure and polish at Margaret Dabbs Foot Clinic & Nail Spa where you can routinely see a podiatrist for a medical pedicure as well as a nail technician for nail polish. My sister was waxing lyrical about how amazing the experience was and I had read that it really was the best pedicure you could get in London. I saved up my voucher till the depths of a miserable cold, wet winter for when I needed cheering up, so obviously, I took myself off there this week.
When I got there, I was welcomed in by the receptionist who put me at my ease straight away, and pretty quickly my podiatrist Chloe called me into one of the treatment rooms with the whizzy chairs to start on my feet. It was super comfortable and I was asked if I wanted a drink or anything and she set to work. I was really impressed, not only did she talk to me a lot about any health issues associated with my feet - I’m a type 2 diabetic - she really did have an attention to detail that you don’t get with a regular pedicure. It was scrupulously clean too - she ripped open packets of newly sterilized instruments while working away. Once my feet were moisturized to within an inch of their lives I was given a couple of those foamy spa flip-flops and taken back to the main lobby manicure area for the next bit.
With a pot of tea at my side I relaxed while nail technician Kaiah expertly painted my nails a lovely bright red. I’m pretty unimaginative when it comes to nails colours for my toes. I always come back to reds. I also managed to smoosh up one of my big toes on the dryer but Kaiah just wiped it and did over without missing a beat. She even managed to do my tiny toenails precisely. Anyone who has painted my toenails remarks on how difficult this is, those toes are small, I can’t help it, my husband says I should live in a town called Smallfoot Tennesee, mucho apologies to nail technicians everywhere. Mea maxima culpa.
The only niggle for me was that I would’ve liked to stay in the treatment room for the nail polish part - I feel self-conscious being in a wider room visible to those popping their head in to enquire about appointments, though I know it’s perfectly common scenario in nail shops and some spas. I thought, perhaps the polish would be more part of the whole rather than an add-on to the medical pedicure here in a more luxe environment. Having said all that though, it really is a fantastic pedicure, the best I’ve ever had, and well worth the price tag for an occasional treat. Go go go.
Margaret Dabbs treatments are available at Margaret Dabbs Foot Clinic & Nail Spa, Margaret Dabbs Sole Spa at Liberty.
This post: Footnotes - A Margaret Dabbs Pedicure originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper
Like a lot of people I have become addicted to the delights of the nail shop. Ubiquitous and reasonably priced, it has become the norm for me, in spring and summer months at least, to succumb to the regular pedicure. It seems we’re not squeamish about someone coming at our feet with a scalpel these days. But I hear there are pedicures and PEDICURES.
At Christmas, my very generous sister presented me with a voucher for a medical pedicure and polish at Margaret Dabbs Foot Clinic & Nail Spa where you can routinely see a podiatrist for a medical pedicure as well as a nail technician for nail polish. My sister was waxing lyrical about how amazing the experience was and I had read that it really was the best pedicure you could get in London. I saved up my voucher till the depths of a miserable cold, wet winter for when I needed cheering up, so obviously, I took myself off there this week.
When I got there, I was welcomed in by the receptionist who put me at my ease straight away, and pretty quickly my podiatrist Chloe called me into one of the treatment rooms with the whizzy chairs to start on my feet. It was super comfortable and I was asked if I wanted a drink or anything and she set to work. I was really impressed, not only did she talk to me a lot about any health issues associated with my feet - I’m a type 2 diabetic - she really did have an attention to detail that you don’t get with a regular pedicure. It was scrupulously clean too - she ripped open packets of newly sterilized instruments while working away. Once my feet were moisturized to within an inch of their lives I was given a couple of those foamy spa flip-flops and taken back to the main lobby manicure area for the next bit.
With a pot of tea at my side I relaxed while nail technician Kaiah expertly painted my nails a lovely bright red. I’m pretty unimaginative when it comes to nails colours for my toes. I always come back to reds. I also managed to smoosh up one of my big toes on the dryer but Kaiah just wiped it and did over without missing a beat. She even managed to do my tiny toenails precisely. Anyone who has painted my toenails remarks on how difficult this is, those toes are small, I can’t help it, my husband says I should live in a town called Smallfoot Tennesee, mucho apologies to nail technicians everywhere. Mea maxima culpa.
The only niggle for me was that I would’ve liked to stay in the treatment room for the nail polish part - I feel self-conscious being in a wider room visible to those popping their head in to enquire about appointments, though I know it’s perfectly common scenario in nail shops and some spas. I thought, perhaps the polish would be more part of the whole rather than an add-on to the medical pedicure here in a more luxe environment. Having said all that though, it really is a fantastic pedicure, the best I’ve ever had, and well worth the price tag for an occasional treat. Go go go.
Margaret Dabbs treatments are available at Margaret Dabbs Foot Clinic & Nail Spa, Margaret Dabbs Sole Spa at Liberty.
This post: Footnotes - A Margaret Dabbs Pedicure originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper
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