Lipstick of the Week - Red

 Last week, I set myself the challenge of only wearing red lipstick for the next seven days.  Here's how I got on:

Clockwise from bottom:


Smashbox Limitless Lipstain in Sangria - this is a beautiful deep, deep red stain that doesn't turn fuchsia on the lips, I love it, but wish it lasted longer. It's not a real stain in the way most others are.
Chanel Rouge Allure in Flash - A limited edition Chanel lipstick from many (too many to mention) years ago, this is covered in silver leaf, but it's a deep blood-red underneath, and this is the lipstick most responsible for my red lipstick addiction in the first place.
Benetint - Possibly the best known product from Benefit.  On it's own, it's a cool rose shade, but, I layered it with the Benetint Balm right next to it to deepen the colour.
Ila in Arabian Knights - A rich deep red balm.  I love it, and wear it very, very often.
Guerlain Rouge G in Geisha - The lipstick that is responsible for my obsession with Rouge G's generally.  The perfect packaging, the glorious texture, and this is a beautiful bright, bright red.
Korres Lipgloss in Cherry - Perfect for red-haters, this is a light cherry red gloss, it wears pretty well, and doesn't dry my lips out.

Here are swatches, with flash, and without:

Different reds for different occasions there - did you join me in wearing red this week?


Next week: PINK.

This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Slight Change to Lipstick of the Week ...

Source

It is so difficult for a blogger to get motivated in January, it's dark when you leave for work, it's dark when you get home from work, and the light is so horrific for photos that half the time it is not even worth taking any!

So to brighten up my life a bit, I'm going to go through my make up collection a bit more, and do slightly different things with it.  Last year, I started doing "Lipstick of the Week" posts, highlighting what I'd been wearing the previous week, and they were hugely popular, so I'm going to keep doing them this year, but, to keep myself interested, I'm going to set myself little challenges, or have themed weeks.

I have close on 500 lipsticks/glosses/balms/stains and I really should use more of them!  This week's theme (if you can't tell from the pic) is ...


RED. 

I'll only be wearing red lipstick this week.  But I'll be wearing it every day this week!

If you want to join in, send me pic of yourself wearing your brightest/favourite red lipstick and I'll feature the best ones on the blog this Sunday, or, if you're shy, you can leave me a comment suggesting themes or challenges in the comments on this post today.  Here's to red lips!

This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

My 8 Week Challenge with Phillips ReAura

This innocuous looking bit of kit is a laser. Or, as Dr Evil* might have it, a "lay-zor".  Actually, it's a home facial re-surfacing gadget from Philips, and it's called a Re-Aura.  Retailing at just shy of £800, this has been in my beauty cupboard for the few weeks since it arrived. 


Because, I am, quite frankly, terrified of the flipping thing.


But, I am a woman of my word and I went through all manner of pre-purchase checks before I signed up to use it, and so I WILL be using it twice a week for the next eight weeks.   Actually, I have to admit to being very impressed with Phillips' service in this matter, they ask you - and anyone else intending to use the system, whether a blogger or not - a lot of questions before they'll let you have one.  A little about your medical history, a lot of questions about your skin and a few questions about your routines, they're very thorough, and extremely good at preparing you for what lies ahead.


The Re-Aura is a form of laser dermabrasion, and the Philips website states that it reduces fine lines, evens skin tone and smoothes the texture of your skin.  It's said to be very good for skin that has pigmentation marks from the sun.  I've read some remarkable testimonials, and so I'm going to give it a go.


Only, not on my face.  I have an inkling that it'll be too much for my delicate little noggin, so I'm going to be using it on my decolletage.  I met with leading dermatologist Dr Nick Lowe a couple of years ago, and he mentioned that if I was a client of his, the first thing he'd deal with is the sun damage that I have in that area (which I've felt self-conscious about ever since, thanks, Doc!), but he didn't give me any idea how to go about fixing it myself, so this is how I'm planning to sort it out!


You use the Re-Aura twice a week, the instructions seem pretty straightforward, and I've been warned - extensively - about what the possible side effects are.  I've just realised, however that this means you'll be subjected to pictures of my chest every week for the next couple of months.  Sorry about that ...




The Fine Print - Why yes, this is a PR sample.

* True story, when MrLippie and I met, it was on a website where my screen-name was "Only Slightly Evil".  He can't say he wasn't warned.  I'll zap him ifhe steps out of line.

This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

My Holiday Makeup Bag

I like to travel light when I go away - in December I was away a fair bit, and these were the bits and bobs I took along with me:

Here we have Le Metier de Beaute eyebrow pencil, Tom Ford eyebrow pencil, Makeup Forever eyeliner No19, DJV Beautenizer Volume Lash mascara, Clinique Lip Smoothie, Becca lipstick in Giselle, Chantecaille lip chic in Tea Rose, Paul and Joe face powder, Nars blush in Sin, and on the top, Le Metier de Beaute eye kaleidoscope in le Cirque, Chantecaille tinted moisturiser in Glow, and Nars Concealer in honey.

Here's a look at the shades:

And with flash:

I find with this kit I can accomplish a number of looks, from polished neutrals, to smokey eyes, to barely there.  In particular I love the le Cirque palette, as it always looks polished, and always gets compliments whenever I wear it - however I apply it!

As for brushes, I like to keep those to a minimum too:

One blush brush, three eyeshadow brushes, and one powder brush.


What do you pack to take away with you?


Oh, there are some full reviews of some of these products coming up soon, do let me know if there's anything you want to see.


The Fine Print - mixture of PR samples and purchases.  But mainly purchases.  These are mainly the products I can't live without ...
This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Tom Ford Nail Polish - Bitter Bitch

I splashed out a bit before Christmas, and went a bit crazy at the Tom Ford counter - admittedly, going a bit crazy at the Tom Ford counter can be very hurtful on the old wallet area, but sometimes you just have to, don't you?  I looked at the lipglosses, and simply couldn't decide which I wanted, but I knew I just had to have a nail varnish.  I picked Bitter Bitch (in spite of the name), because I don't have many brown polishes, and this looked like a a nice rich one.

And it is:

A warm brown with reddish tints, I figured this would be a great shade for my new - shorter - nails.

With flash:

Natural light: 

It applies like a dream - the brush is slightly too long for my short nails, which can lead to pooling, but applied carefully, this is great, great polish.  The square lid on the top is removable:

Making for easier application.


It's a creme finish without a hint of shimmer, and three coats makes for a delicious finish:

And again with flash:

Best of all, this stuff wears like iron!  The first time I applied it, it survived cooking Christmas dinner for ten, and was one for the best part of a week without showing any major chippage, but this was with three thin coats.  I've applied it since with just two thicker coats, and it has shown signs of chipping, minor signs, but still.


So, at £25 a throw, they're pricey.  But, as I never reapply the same nail varnish twice in a month, and I've had this one for the best part of a fortnight now (with a two-day break for some Pasha from Zoya - as you can see in the second picture), I think you can safely say that it's love ...


The Fine Print - Purchase.  I bought this AND something else (coming soon), I think I was bamboozled by some unexpectedly good service at the Tom Ford counter in Selfridges ...


This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.