Chanel Ombre D'eau

I don't see these very often around the blogosphere, and I wonder why that is? I find them very easy to use, and  60: Sand (on the right)is very often my default eyeshadow for applying a slick of over the lid for those "can't be bothered" days.  If I want something a bit more sludgy, then I'll pop a little of 100 Torrent over the mobile lid too, and blend them both together. There is a doe-foot applicator in the bottle, and they have a tendency to settle if you leave them alone for a day or two.  It's easily remedied though, just give them a shake, and the ball-bearing in the bottle will re-mix them for you.  They're basically a pigment in a water base, which means they're very cooling to apply, and leave a good depth of colour behind.

These aren't quite as budgeproof as the shadows I showed you yesterday, but they do stay put with a minimum of creasing, without a base, for around 10 hours, which is great. They do contain shimmer though, so if you're looking for a matte finish, they're probably not the shadows for you.  Here's how they swatch:

One word of advice, they do dry very fast, so blend as quickly as you can! What's your default makeup for those "can't be bothered" days?

The Fine Print: Yup, bought these too.  Man, I love me some Chanel.  Wanna see my whole collection?

Waterproof eyeshadows: YSL and Estee Lauder

I had no idea YSL actually did a waterproof shadow until I found this little beauty recently! YSL Fard Lumiere Aquaresistant in #2 Amethyst Grey, which is actually a cool-taupe shade with just a hint of silver shimmer:

This feels very different on the skin to my normal crease and budge-proof shadows (Benefit Creaseless Creams, for reference) they're very cool, and more of a mousse texture than other ones I've tried.  That said, this stuff does not budge once it's in place.  It's still pretty easy to blend though.  But the brush that comes with it:

should just be thrown away.  For a £20 product, the brush is utterly useless.  I've been using my (clean) fingers to apply, and find this helps spread the product much better.

Onto one that's much more familiar, Estee Lauder's Double Wear Eyeshadow cream:

This is the shade Pink Amethyst (spotted the link between the two shades yet?), this feels more greasy in texture, and takes a few seconds to set once you've applied it, but once it's one, it's going nowhere, here's how it looks on the skin:

Now, I love my Benefit Creaseless creams to an almost absurd degree, but this one comes in a poor third in a comparison of those, and the YSL.  It's a nice shade, and it doesn't crease or run, but it doesn't blend as well as the other two formulations, and I find it feels a little "rubbery" once it has set.  Also, I find that you can't apply other (powder) shadows over the top as well. They tend to ball up, and drop off, has this happened to anyone else?  Is there something I'm doing wrong?

Here's a comparison of how the two formulations look on the skin:

What's probably not apparent from this swatch is that the YSL has a matte finish - albeit with silver shimmer - but the Estee Lauder has a more visible cream-sheen to it.  They're both nice shades, but I think I'll get more wear out of the YSL.  The Lauder is cheaper though, at £15 for the pot, as opposed to the YSL's £20 (which made even me blanch slightly, as I don't think it will actually last all that long, being a whipped mousse rather than a cream).

What's your go-to waterproof shadow?

The Fine Print: I bought these and I have the receipts to prove it.  And the overdraft.

Givenchy Parad'eyes

Yes, they really are called that.  Oh well.  These are Givenchy's latest liquid eyeliners, and I have to admit that they are very, very, very pretty:

The long top forms the handle, and the smaller bottom portion contains the liner. I bought two recently, the blue one you can see above, and the nude shade.  I know, nude eyeliner, sounds crazy!   Take a closer look at the brushes:

These formulations are very, very sparkly, and give a just beautiful finish on the skin.  I find them them be very long-lasting, and are slightly more subtle than, say, an Urban Decay Heavy Metals glitter liner. There is a downside however, and I'll get to that after I show you the hand-swatches:

My hand is angled slightly different in the second pic to show that the blue liner is actually lots of blue glitter suspended in a semi-sheer charcoal base.

They apply easily, both of them really needing two passes over the lid to achieve full opacity, but I find that's normal with most liquid liners.  These, however, don't dry down as well as other liquid liners I've tried, staying a little "tacky" on the skin.  It's not really a problem, and these are very beautiful colours - I use the nude shade for highlighting the inner corner of my eyes, blended in with a cotton bud, it really does open the eyes up - but you will be more aware that you're wearing this than you might with a more traditional liner.

Whilst they are sparkly, I have worn both of them to the office before now and not caused a scene, they're very wearable. What do you think of sparkly liners?

Givenchy Parad'eyes liners are available in major department stores and cost around £20.

The Fine Print: I bought these.  My credit card hates me.

Armani Nude Contrast Palette - FotD

New for this summer, Armani have released two nude contrast palettes, one pink, one blue.   I was very lucky to have been sent the blue one to try recently.

That said, some of you will already know of my dislike of pastels – in particular pale blue – and find those sorts of colours impossible to wear, so this one was rather a challenge for me!

The palette consists of stripes of pale blue, a beautiful shimmering “old gold” shade, a thin strip of jet black, and a pure white highlight, this picture shows off the shimmer in the gold shade better than the one above:

 Blue and pure white are difficult shades for me to pull off with my (very) pale olive skin, but here’s what I came up with:

I used the white as a brow-highlight, the gold as a colour-wash all over the mobile lid area, the black as a liner, and the blue to highlight the inner corner. Mascara is Lancome Precious Cells, and the lipgloss is Lancome D'Absolou, I'm also wearing a hint of Cargo Plant Love Illuminator in Wind on my cheeks.

What this picture doesn't show is that I gave myself a double-flick of eyeliner, here's a close up:

I thought it was a good way to make this a little different to my normal liner.  The Armani palette is very nice, and of beautiful quality, it has definitely made me want to discover more about the brand, I can't deny it!

The black is very densely pigmented, it makes a great eyeliner, and doesn't have a grey cast on the skin. It stays very black, I'd have liked a wider strip of it in the palette, actually. I absolutely love the sandy gold shade, it's beautifully shimmery - with an almost holographic sheen - which makes it very beautiful.  However, I'm not entirely sure I'll be using the blue or white again, I kept getting glances of myself whilst I was wearing this (ok, I was looking at myself, I'll admit it), and all I could see was the pale blue, and it wasn't flattering!

How do you wear pastels?

Armani Nude Contrast Palettes are available from Selfridges and costs around £39.

The Small Print: This was sent to me for review purposes.  Gotta love a PR with a sense of humour ;)

Makeover: Laura

Laura got married yesterday, but way back in February she asked me for some ideas for her wedding makeover.  Here's what we came up with.

Please welcome Laura:

Laura was a little too young to remember Prisoner Cell Block H, hence the rather cheery "before" pic this week.  As always we start with the foundation.  Laura is very pale (and yet had been recently colour "matched" as an NC30 by a MAC assistant who obviously needs their eyes testing, and possibly a change of career), we decided to use Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation in 51 Light Vanilla instead, which is a great demi-matte foundation which lasts a whole day, and leaves a healthy glow:

This gave us a great canvas to work from, and we decided to concentrate on the eyes.  In order to make whatever we applied last for the whole day, I used Benefit Creaseless Cream in RSVP as the base for the colour.  A lovely shimmering champagne shade, this does NOT budge, and is great for wedding makeups.

I then went on and added a little Bobbi Brown colours from the chocolate palette to define the eye (this palette doesn't suit me at all, but it's stunningly versatile on other people, I've found):

I lined the eyes - very lightly - with the same shade, and then added Bourjois Ultra Care mascara to define those pretty lashes:

To add some colour, and a little bridal glow, we brushed a little of the deepest shade of Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Natural on the cheekbones, then used the lightest shades to highlight:

All that is missing now is a touch of lipgloss.  We used Bobbi Brown in Rose Sugar, and the look was complete, here's the blushing bride!

And here's the before'n'after:

I hope everything went well yesterday for you Laura, and I wish you and Kris every happiness in your new life together!

New hair - new lipstick!

I had a spectacularly crappy day yesterday, so getting my hair done was a real treat, here's the finished result:

Have no idea what's going on with my face there, but here's the before and after:

It's a bit darker, but more of a coppery dark than previously, the layers have been recut, and I had a fringe cut back in.  I like it so far, but I'm looking forward to seeing it in the daylight. I went to the Rush salon in Baker Street, which is a great salon, a little noisy for me after a tough old day, but my stylist Nicola was great, it was so nice to be with a hairdresser who listens!

I went a bit crazy swatching lipsticks in Selfridges afterwards, I tried ALL the Tom Fords, but, I'll be honest, I wasn't really taken with any of them. There were two - Pure Pink and Pure Coral, I think - that I might have considered, but for the price, I couldn't justify either to myself.  I really liked the new Armani pink lipstick collection though, and I think I'll be picking one of those up soon (506 and 507 really caught my eye), has anyone tried them?  I did splurge on a new Guerlain Rouge G amongst other things, I'm wearing in the top picture there, in shade 62, "Georgia", which is a lovely pink shade, but I'll show you that in a bit more depth later ... Didn't have any Rouge G's last week, and now I have two!  Pretty soon I won't be able to lift up my makeup bag ...

Can't believe how much I'm looking forward to the weekend!

All for Eve Finally Launches!

 I was very proud to be invited as a guest blogger to the official launch of the All For Eve range on Monday night. Held in the heart of Marylebone, this has to be the glitziest thing I've done on a Monday since, well, let's face it, since forever.

Before I start to talk about the evening I spent though, I just want to quote a sobering statistic I picked up whilst reading the press pack on the way home: 

"Ovarian cancer takes the lives of 72% of sufferers every year, a figure that has not changed since 1972. Every day 20 women will die from a gynaecological cancer in the UK alone."

I don't know about you, but this fact shocked me, especially when you consider that the 5yr survival rate for breast cancer stands at 80%. I simply cannot believe that the survival rates haven't changed in nearly 40 years! This shocked and appalled me, and it brought home to me why All For Eve actually exists.

The brand has had, so far, a very short history, the initial idea came into being in November 2009, and it's already on the shelves in Harrods, and will shortly be available in Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Fenwicks, Fortnum & Mason, and the top 50 Boots in the country. It's starting with beauty products, AFE is planning  to expand the initial offering - currently comprising body products, a lipstick and nail polish, alongside a Swarovski crystal nail file - into some currently shrouded in mystery other areas - I'm thinking fashion though! Other brands lined up to join the All for Eve umbrella later this year include Elemis, Alpha H and Emma Hardie amongst others, which is a very interesting line up, and I, for one, can't wait to see what other areas the brand expands into. It's already won 4 CEW awards, and that's a record in the British beauty industry.

I had a brief chat with Sophy Robson, creator of the nailpolish, and we had a bit of a giggle about my twitter habit! But most definitely the high-point of my evening was speaking to Daniel Sandler, creator of the brand's iconic lipstick (which I am, of course, wearing in the pic at right, alongside it's creator!), about how he got involved with the company, and how he went about creating such a great lip colour.  He told me all about the perfect red lipstick he discovered as a teenager (a Lancome shade, but I forget the name, but you bet I'll be speaking to the Lancome office to see if I can track it down soon!), and wanted to come close as possible to that shade within the budgetary constraints inherent within producing a product for charity.  Personally, I think he's done an amazing job, and wasn't backward in saying so, I think it's a great lipstick (and I've seen some dreadful ones recently), and it's definitely on my list of classics.

As for why Daniel got involved, something I didn't know was that he was the man responsible for making Jade Goody look so amazing on her wedding day - say and/or think what you will about Jade, you can't deny that for an end-stage terminal cancer patient, she literally glowed  as a bride, and she single-handedly did more to publicise gynaecological cancer than any woman has in a very, very long time - and she did a lot to inspire him.  He pointed out that there are a lot of people have been affected by cancer, and he's very happy and privileged to find himself now in a position to be able to actually do something. Daniel is an exceptionally nice man, and very easy to talk to - sadly, I think I may have talked his ear off a little bit, if you read this Daniel, I'm very sorry! - and when he found out my mother works in a hospice with cancer patients, he immediately offered some help with fundraising efforts.  I have to admit I was very touched by this, and I'll be getting in touch with the hospice soon to see if there is anything they need.

In the meantime, if there's something you want to do, then make a start and buy a product from All for Eve.  Those survival rates have to change.

My Hair!

It's that time of year again, when my hair just absolutely gets on my wick.  I've not had it cut since last December, and my last colour was a (slight) disaster ...here's how it looks at the moment:

Don't get me wrong, it's perfectly good hair, it's in good condition, it's long, it's healthy, the colour (finally) is okay.  It's just ... dull.  And shapeless.  It just kind of hangs around, getting in my way, and I spend half my time with it tied back, just to keep it out of my way.

So, this week, I'm heading to the hairdresser to get it changed up a bit.  What do you think I should do with it?  First person to mention pink mohican (yes, Seona, I'm looking at you), gets a filthy look, but serious suggestions are welcome!  I decided, however to consult some experts on what this seasons trends are.  Some of them I've replicated below:

“Spring colour uses a palette of apricot, honey and vanilla tones. These suit paler complexions and fairer hair. For the brunettes, rich russets and caramels peak through natural chocolate tones. For summer, blondes have paler violet tones and bright platinum streaks. Some vivid shades of copper or magenta may be placed in strategic areas of interest to be on show or peek-a-boo colour. Darker hair is sun streaked using a technique called sun blushing. It is taking highlights a couple of shades lighter than your natural colour subtly under your parting to minimize any re-growth. This is a very popular technique in our salons especially as the credit crunch means frequency between visits may be lessening.”- Gina Conway, Ambassador of Hairdressing, Aveda Lifestyle Salon & Spa, Wimbledon and Fulham

“This spring/summer sees colour become more natural yet playful. The inspiration for these looks are from Marc by Marc Jacobs’s S/S10 runway collection, which is full of brightly coloured bows. Colour is softly progressing from autumn/winter through to spring/summer 2010. The rich hues of deep coppers have infused to coral peaches like an expensive piece of fabric. Keeping the root area natural or richer and working mutational soft tones through the mid lengths and ends. If you have naturally wavy or curly hair a great technique is to colour each individual curl as they naturally fall, this is a brilliant way to add definition. It’s all about creating texture but still keeping the colour shiny and well conditioned. For shorter styles keep the colour sold and richer if darker think cacao meets espresso, if your lighter keep your blonde locks in fab condition; high shine is the key.  Remember your hair colour is an accessory so make sure it enhances your eyes and skin tone and makes you look amazing.”

- Amanda Dicker, Artistic Director, The Chapel, L’Oreal

“There are three main colour trends for S/S10, these are:
1. For ‘Notice Me Individuals’ colour takes on a bold experimental edge with splashes of intense colour from Geranium Red to 24 Carat Gold Blonde in hidden obvious sections contrasting with a muted all over tone.
2. The ‘Soft Touch’ is where hair is coloured in pretty shades of woven strands mimicking a sun kissed effect on a darker shades as well as lighter shades.
3. Our glamorous ‘Sensual Silhouettes’ is where hair colour resembles the Hollywood starlets from the past and of course the present. All over shades of one colour, whether blonde or brunette, are gorgeous.”
-  AJ Blackadder, Technical Director, Andrew Barton Salon






 “Rich chocolate is in for s/s, along with copper, rusts, and strawberry blondes - really rich multi dimensional shades are back. Caramel blondes, strong chestnuts, shades with a lot more warmth in are key.  Lavender slices underneath a blonde give the element of movement that is so essential this season. The emphasis is on multi tones especially for blondes and coppers - at least 3 or 4 shades, but keep to the same tone so it's not a huge contrast - so no more than 2 levels difference between the three colours and stick within same shade, e.g. red copper, copper gold and rich copper. We're moving away from bright light white blondes so really look for gold shades and depth.”
- Brett Walker, Manager and Head Colourist, Michael Barnes Salon

“For spring/summer it’s all about blondes and rich chocolates. The colours are quite natural and full of warm tones, the blondes are leaning more to baby blondes with pastel highlights while the browns are very rich and luxurious with caramels running through. Although there is a big wave of rich deep Ribena purples making a come back, the sun will reflect these reds beautifully, the purples are more for the younger clientele.”
- Tracey Devine, Salon Director, Angels

Do you change you hair with the seasons?  Do you follow hair trends?  And finally my hair, HALP!

Tarina Tarantino Makeup Collection

These little pretties arrived courtesy of the international mail on Friday, and how gorgeous are they?  I owe the gorgeous Paula at Older Girl Beauty a massive thank you for sorting out a gorgeous delivery for me!

The pic on the left shows two eyeshadows (in headband and brooch) a blush (in feather) and a lipstick in cameo.  Tarina also designs jewellery, and as you can see, a lot of thought has gone into designing the outside of this range.

But, do the insides measure up?  Swatches after the jump.

Lippie Chat - Nicola Elliot NEOM Luxury Organics

As it is my first "Organic Weekend", I thought this month's Lippie Chat would be with the founder of one of the loveliest organic ranges I've found recently: NEOM.  Please welcome Nicola Elliot, who has very kindly agreed to take part this month.

Hi Nicola, can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

Originally from Yorkshire I moved to London to pursue a career as a journalist. I worked for In Style magazine and Glamour magazine for years before I decided to launch NEOM. I relocated back to Harrogate, Yorkshire where we moved the head office 8 months ago – the NEOM team and I are also obsessed with getting your chemical count down!

How did you end up in the organic “beauty” industry? How did NEOM come into being? 

I was working as an Editor for Glamour at the time when Oliver (my business partner) and I decided to launch NEOM. Working for magazines I was always surrounded by gorgeous beauty products, however I always wondered how effective they were and most importantly what was in them. Suddenly I saw a gap in the market for a product which was not only luxurious and effective but was also completely organic too.

NEOM was 18 months in the making and we launched in 2005 with 5 candle scents. NEOM now has a candle scent library of 12 as well as home treatment mists and an organic bath & body range too.

A lot of previously “high-powered” women are increasingly giving up their lucrative careers in order to get involved with organic products at the moment, do you have any thoughts on why that may be?

I think we are seeing increasing numbers of people becoming more aware of organic products, whether it is food produce or beauty which is great. This awareness brings more businesses and individuals launching within the organic world.

What are the philosophies behind NEOM?

To be luxurious, highly effective as well as completely organic…Our  NEOM promise is no petrochemicals, parabens, PEGS, silicone, SLS or synthetic fragrances – in fact no nasty chemicals whatsoever!

What makes NEOM unique?

All our products are organic and are made with the highest concentration of essential oils and the finest ingredients – no toxins, paraffin wax or synthetic scents. They also act as holistic treatments, so they make you feel relaxed, more energized or just a whole lot happier depending on which scent you choose. The candles are hand-poured in the UK and the wax burns completely evenly so you really do get to use all of the wax.

Who are you targeting the NEOM brand at?

The NEOM customer is sophisticated and stylish and interested in organics but won’t sacrifice the quality of a product just for its organic status. NEOM Luxury Organics places huge emphasis on the efficiency and luxury of any product, because the ‘gorgeousness’ of any beauty product is fundamental to its success.

What do you hope is in the future for NEOM?

We hope to continue to grow and develop more products. We have just launched our two new candle scents Serenity (Vanilla & Sandalwood) and Sumptuous (Rose & Neroli). We are launching some fabulous travel kits in the summer as well as reed diffusers and a gigantic four wick candle in September too - so watch this space.

What’s your beauty regime?

I am always up early with my son Charlie who is 2, so my regime is pretty minimal. I make sure I always light my NEOM ‘Refresh’ (Sicilian Lemon & Fresh Basil) candle to wake me up; even at 5.30am in the morning it does the trick! I apply some radiance face cream from Burts Bees and a dab of Bobbi Brown concealer before making sure Charlie is dressed and ready. Carrot cleansing butter from Organic Pharmacy is a great product for the evening as it wipes away everything in one easy step.

What is one cosmetic product couldn’t you live without?

NEOM Luxury Organics Complete Bliss body oil, I completely swear by this product. It is amazing to quench the skin and the Moroccan blush rose scent smells absolutely divine too. 

What advice would you give Get Lippie readers?

Your skin is the biggest organ so know exactly what you are putting onto it – don’t trust any marketing blurb!