NARS 2011 - Dogon Eyeshadow Duo

I was lucky enough to be invited along to the NARS Summer preview this week, and, aside from falling deeply in love with the fall collection (which I forgot to take pictures of, because I'm an idiot), I also feel in love with the new eyeshadow duo in Dogon.  There are two duo's in the summer range (the other has a baby blue/gold combination) alongside an aqua-green trio.

Dogon has a taupe and navy blue combination, which, on first look appears to be a cool taupe with grey leanings, and a matt navy with a slight hint of glitter:

On initial swatching, those impressions are correct:

However, the taupe is creamy, easy to blend and mix, and has a slight hint of a green sheen.  The blue appears both blackened and slightly chalky.  It's decidedly harder to blend than the taupe, and I wondered how the two were meant to work together.


However, when you layer the shades, something magical happens:

This is the blue over the taupe and below is taupe over the blue:

What you have here (and it was nigh-on impossible to pick up with the lighting in my flat today, and this is a source of intense frustration) is green duochrome.  Beautiful, beetle-green duochrome, which is all the more wonderful for being completely unsuspected in the initial shades themselves.

This look is the blue in the crease,which is then blended onto the outside of the mobile lid, and with a layer of the taupe worked on over the entire mobile lid.  Sadly, the lights have washed out most of the colour here, as this is very definitely a much more dramatic look than it shows here.  The light plays off the shimmering duochrome, adding a depth and dimension that would normally be missing from a basic taupe/blue combo.  This is a smoky look, which I'll attempt to re-photograph in different lighting conditions.

Here's how it looks in the full context of my face:

Here's a crappy pic of my face that gives a better impression of how smoky this look is (which, thanks to my hooded lids, you can't really pick up here):

(Yeah, bit cross-eyed,this is what three hours sleep looks like)

So there you have it, this is my pick of summer from NARS, and I'm a tiny bit in love, it's more than made up for the bitter disappointment of Calanque (beautiful shades, but packaged in [expletive deleted]-awful glittery badness, making it unwearable, and, at £33, a daylight robbery too) from their last collection - and it's another blue eyeshadow to add alongside Blue Dahlia from Estee Lauder last year.

NARS summer collection will be in shops from May, and the eyeshadow duos will cost £23.

The Fine Print: PR sample, obtained after a press event, as the product is not yet available in-store.

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

Got Lippie?

I love lipstick.

And these pictures, dear ladies and gents are the explanation as to why Get Lippie is called what it is:

A slightly closer look:

And one with a standard-sized paperback book added for scale:

I had written a whole essay to go with this, but ... meh.  I will just say two things: One, that this isn't entirely them all (every girl has a bag full of lipstick in the house that they can't find, right?  RIGHT?), and the collection is about half the size it was two/three years ago (my loss is various housemates and Give & Makeup's gain!)  and:  two, I bought fully 95% of these.


See any of your favourites?


The Fine Print:  I could have bought a HOUSE with what I've spent on lipstick in the last 25 years.  A HOUSE.  Okay, maybe a car.  But defnitely a nice holiday.

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

The Konjac Sponge Company

I was at the Natural Products Show last weekend, and I was utterly delighted to notice that someone has finally brought konjac sponges to the UK.  I first became aware of them about ten years ago when I was in the US, but they looked pretty scary, and, in spite of being urged to try one by one of my more adventurous friends, I chickened out.

Konjac is a vegetable, and konjac sponges (Konnyaku in Japan) are widely used in Korea and Japan. They're made from flour ground from dried konjac "potatoes", and in their dried state, resemble sea-sponges. The Konjac Sponge Company import their sponges direct from Korea, and,  in addition to the baked konjac flour, they add a little mineral clay to several of their sponges to give added skincare benefits.  Also, they're the only company in the UK to ship their sponges in a wet state, so they don't look like ... well, baked vegetables!

So, what does a konjac sponge actually do?  Essentially, you use it in place of (or alongside) your regular cleanser, and it provides a tiny amount of non-abrasive exfoliation, and the natural plant extracts from  the konjac itself leave your skin feeling smooth and slightly moisturised.  I say slightly, but at the Natural Products Show last Sunday, the fingertips I'd been prodding the demonstration sponges with felt so smooth and silky that I couldn't stop rubbing them together afterwards!

I've been trialling a pink clay konjac sponge (for tired/devitalised skin) ever since, and I've enjoyed using it a great deal.  Whilst using it alone isn't the best cleanser in the world for removing makeup, I discovered, for a refreshing face-wash in the morning using only water, it's about perfect.  The sponge is smooth, and feels slightly silky on the skin, and it works well even on my rougher, thickened skin patches (so, my chin, basically).  Basically, you dip the sponge in warm water, then rub over your face, afterward, your skin feels clean, smooth and - there's no other word for it - velvety.  It's an unusual sensation to get used to, you'll spend a day or two playing with your face in amazement, but I think I'm a little bit in love with a sponge.


Whilst I don't think I'll be replacing my Clarisonic with one any time soon (I'll still be using that at night), these are an excellent addition to the skincare routine of anyone with dry or sensitive skin in particular, and there's even a charcoal infused sponge for skin that's prone to spots.


Best thing about them?  They cost around a fiver, and last for months and months.  Cheapest face care product I can recommend!  Find out more at the Konjac Sponge Company website.

The Fine Print:Review written from press sample - I'm not affiliated with the company, but please do go and say hello to Michelle, who runs the company, on Twitter - @konjacsponges - she's really lovely.


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

Rodial Glamoxy "Snake" Mask

Sometimes you choose a product because it makes promises you want to believe in.


Like Rodial's Glamoxy Snake Mask, which promises:


"...to instantly lift the face, freeze muscles and plump fine lines and wrinkles"

It's a black, peel-off mask that contains amino acids and licorice to deep cleanse your pores and has peptides to help deal with fine lines. The combination of ingredients is supposed to mimic "venom" in order to give you smoother skin.  It's a sticky, and  viscous gel, and I have to admit that it's a complete pain in the backside to apply, as it's thick, doesn't spread well, and starts to set the second you squeeze it from the tube.  But, that said, it's enormous fun to peel off in one sheet, and peer at the gucky insides.

It did leave my skin feeling smoother, but, at £68 per tube (which I estimate you'd only get three - maybe four - uses out of) it's an extremely expensive bit of fun, and, to be honest, I didn't notice the smoothing effects lasting much beyond the next day.

But ...

... sometimes you pick a product because you can take pictures like this when you're using it:

This, dear readers, is what beauty bloggers do to amuse themselves when at a bit of a loose end on a Saturday night.  Don't tell me you don't do the same.

The Fine Print: Samples sent by PR for review, actual cost £68.  Total fun: Priceless.

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

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzing Blush

The ever-lovely Kellie over at BigFashionista was asking me last week how I go about updating my makeup for spring.  Well, the simple fact is that I tend to wear the same sort of makeup all year round (though I do switch to tinted moisturiser rather than foundation when it gets really warm), but in spring, I find that one of the simplest ways to update your makeup is to change your blusher.

Luckily, this time of year is when brands start to bring out their summer ranges, and switching to a warmer blush is easy.   Last year, my favourite blush was actually a bronzing blusher from the annual Bronze Goddess range released by Estee Lauder.  This year's limited edition bronzing blush is too cute, featuring a starfish design:

The darker pink that you see there is a shimmery overspray which disappears on first usage.  On first seeing this, I thought the shades were identical to last year's zebra-striped palette, so I decided to compare the two:

Turns out that my initial thoughts weren't quite correct.  Last year's palette has slightly cooler tones, and is, in fact, slightly more shimmery:

Top is the starfish palette, and bottom is the zebra, and I've swatched them in the order: bronzer then blusher then a mix of the two shades. the top palette has slightly more pigment, and is more matte, whereas the zebra bronzing blush (bottom) has a slightly more sheeny finish.

The bronzing blush is limited edition every year and costs £29.  The rest of the range consists of an eyeshadow palette, a couple of eyeshadow pencils, a beautifully coppery-bronze nail polish and a selection of lip products.  I'll bring you swatches as I have them ...

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

Andy Tauer's Carillon Pour Un Ange Review and Giveaway

 Bosky.  It's not a word I use enough on Get Lippie.  It's a word I like though.


Carillon pour un Ange is almost a textbook definition of the word bosky.  Earthy, damp, lightly green and redolent of lily of the valley, the latest release from Andy Tauer's Homages line is purest spring, bottled.


Above the intriguing notes of damp earth, wet leaves and cool cedar is a sharp peal of pure white spring flowers, reminding me of a walk through an English wood on a slightly drizzly spring day.  Lily of the valley and lilac get a bad reputation for being (perhaps) granny-ish, but this mixture of earth and ethereal flowers make this a floral scent which is very different and very, very appealing.  I've worn this a few times over the winter when I've wanted to remind myself that spring is indeed on the way.  


This is one of those scents that you'll find yourself sniffing constantly, being reminded at times of mud pies, and at others of sophisticated white bouquets, but at all times being reminded that it's spring.  The scent has amazing sillage (meaning other people will be able to smell it too - particularly if you apply  with too heavy a hand) and a mere drop or two will last the entire day.


And because it finally is spring, I've teamed up with the lovely Ronny at Scents & Sensibility to give away a full-size gift-boxed bottle of Carillon Pour Un Ange (worth £99) to one lucky reader, prior to it being officially launched for sale in May. 


All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what your favourite spring scents are - perfumes, or otherwise.  Please be a resident of the UK, and please make sure that you leave me a valid email address.  I will make the draw on the evening of April 10th, so please get your entries in before then!

The Fine Print: Prize will be dispatched direct from Scents & Sensibility, however, Get Lippie reserves the right to disqualify invalid entries, or any entries obviously originating from competition listing websites. 


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

A Week in Lipstick

Here's what I wore this week:




From top to bottom:

Tom Ford in Pink Dusk,
MAC Viva Glam Cyndi
Dior Addict in Diorkiss
Lancome Gloss 132
Estee Lauder Pure Colour Crystal Lipstick in Elizabeth Pink
Guerlain Rouge G Serie Noir in Rouge Sensuel
Lanolips Lemonaid

Here's how the colours look:




Two nudes, two pinks, and two reds. And a balm (I alway wear something on my lips even if I'm not leaving the house, which I didn't on Saturday). Better mix of colours than usual!

Here are the swatches in the same order:




There really is a swatch of the Lanolips there!

More about lipstick later on in the week.

Give And Makeup

I get emails every now and again from people asking me what happens to all the things I sample for Get Lippie, and wondering if they can buy the samples that I've featured, particularly if I don't seem that enamoured with them, and a lot of people have been asking me recently if I will hold a blog sale.

First things first, I would never, ever sell something that was sent to Get Lippie for review purposes, for me to profit from something that was sent to me free of charge wouldn't be right.  So, what does happen to products that I don't finish, or don't like, or even simply get bored with?  Simply,  I donate them to Give and Makeup, an initiative I've supported since it first started late last year.

In very many respects, I'm a lucky woman, I have a roof over my head, a good job, and a stable relationship, plus I have the means to be able to afford to buy myself those little luxuries that make life seem a little more worth living.  But very many women don't, and, in particular women who are fleeing abusive relationships have neither the time, the money, nor the inclination to remember to pack toiletries to take with them when the time comes to make the break from abusive partnerships.  Further, lots of shelters are extremely short of cash and simply can't afford to provide such "luxuries" as shower gel, skin care and hair care to women and children when they get there.


Give and Makeup is a non-profit making organisation dedicated to distributing unwanted toiletries and cosmetics from individuals and companies who find they have an excess (no matter how big or small) to Refuge and Women's Aid, who then make sure that the products get into the hands of the women who need them.  Founded by Caroline Hirons, it's a simple, but rather genius idea, and donating to Give and Makeup gets easier every week as more and more volunteers sign up to help them expand their distribution network.


I can't deny that being able to donate my unwanted products goes some way toward assuaging a slightly guilty conscience about being such a consumerist in the first place, but, as I've discussed before, being able to take care of yourself in a stressful situation provides a psychological boost that's hard to replicate any other way, alongside Look Good, Feel Better, (another charity I support in a variety of ways) Give and Makeup helps women come to terms with their lives, by helping make demanding life circumstances easier.


Please help. If you have toiletries, cosmetics, hair care, or baby products to spare - lightly used is fine, they don't have to be brand new (although if the product has an applicator - such as mascara or lipgloss - then please ensure they are unopened, for hygiene reasons) then please consider sending them to Give and Makeup.


So, er, yeah, this is why there won't be any blog sales on Get Lippie any time soon, sorry!


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

A sneaky peek ...

Some people are fascinated by my array of lipsticks, so here's a sneaky peek at something I'll be posting about in more detail very soon:




Doesn't look much there (well, to me it doesn't, but I'm aware that they are jammed in that drawer four or five deep), but that's only one part of my collection ...

Time for a heated debate!

In my spare time - you know, the time I get in between working twelvety million hours a week, and the time I spend blogging - I also moderate a debate forum.  I know, I'm a sucker for punishment.

There was a debate recently about women in positions of power, and someone suggested that the only reason women wear makeup is to attract men.  And that women who go out whilst wearing makeup and reject advances made to them by men are "ball-breakers".  Here are his actual words:

Has anyone ever noticed that there are allot of women in  {...} who will spend literally hours on their hair and make-up...wear hundreds of dollars worth of clothing and expensive perfumes...go out to a dance bar and...

SIT in groups of women, chatting and so on, while every so often a guy will make his sorry-ass way over to their table and ask one to dance. Can you guess the answer he gets more often than not? Sure ya can...

"No thanks...hehehe..." 

I pointed out that there are many reasons to wear makeup:

... women do not {solely} wear makeup to attract men. There are almost as many reasons to wear makeup as there are people wearing makeup. ... neither is it only women who wear cosmetics.  

To which the response was:

Now: "women do not wear makeup to attract men" To which I have to say, that unless the women in question happens to be a lesbian...then Bull S**t! Please...that's just silly. Women wear make-up in order to enhance their appearance and attract a mate...of either sex. Just as these men you speak of who also wear make-up...do so for the same reason. I'll admit there may be the odd exception, but please...its the same thing with jewelry, hair-do's, cloths even. I think that's rather self-evident.

(all spelling mistakes theirs)

So, I was wondering what my readers thought?  Is it self-evident that the only reason people wear cosmetics is to make them more attractive to potential partners? Why do you wear makeup?  


Personally, I think the existence of charities such as Look Good Feel Better disproves his entire theory - not to mention the fact that women who have  partners don't immediately stop wearing makeup, which, if his theory is to be believed, is what would happen naturally.  But I want to  know what you think, please let me know in the comments, thanks!

 

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

Project Perfume - an update

Oof, it's been a little while since I did an update, I have to admit!  It's not been because I've had a lack of things to think about, rather the opposite in fact.

If you take a look at the Project Perfume page itself you'll see that I've sniffed, or obtained samples of around about 50% of the list now, which is due in large part to three websites: Luckyscent, one is Scent and Sensibility and last, but by no means least, Escentual.com.  

Luckyscent (based in the US) and Scent and Sensibility (based in the UK) both specialise in niche, or hard to find perfumes, and I've been purchasing samples from both of them for a while now, I ordered a bunch of Andy Tauer perfumes from Ronny at Scent & Sensibility at the end of last year, and they turned up very quickly and beautifully packaged, and there was a little treat of a sample of Hilde Soliani's Vecchi Rossetti perfume included too, which is about as perfect a scent for a beauty blogger as can possibly be, as it's inspired by the scent of theatres and theatrical makeup.  Violets, roses and beeswax combine to make this smell of the makeup your grandmother used to wear, ladylike and powdery, and just a tad old fashioned, it's a gloriously glamorous scent which evokes the forties and fifties and just needs a beautiful powder compact to make the image complete.  It's not something for everyday wear - it's definitely a fragrance that requires a bit of dressing up to accompany it, but for those days when I prefer my pearls to my edgy silver jewellery, it's wonderfully evocative.

I'll talk more about Luckyscent and Scent & Sensibility next week (look out for a special post next week where I've teamed up with S&S to bring you something I'm very excited about indeed), but I wanted to talk about some scents I've been sent by Escentual.com this week.  

I'm hugely indebted to the lovely Louise (are there any other kinds of Louises?  I rather think not - however long term readers of this blog may have views that differ ... ) at Escentual who saw my list of perfumes and got really on-board with the project, thanks to Louise, I was sent samples of fully a fifth of the perfumes on my list, and it's been wonderful over the last few weeks having a "lucky dip" of some wonderful - and some er ...slightly less so - perfumes to choose from every day!  I suspect my workmates have been a little confused by some of the scents I've been wearing recently, but hey ... 

First off, Calandre by Paco Rabanne:

On first spray this is metallic, and flowery.  And, as is the way of these things, I had an initial impression of tinned peas.  The perfume doesn't, in fact, smell anything like tinned peas, but everytime I wear this, they're what I think about, at least for the first few minutes.  There's a tinny, metallic accord on first spray, which will tickle the back of your nose - and in my case, get the old brain cells working overtime - but, once this ticklish phase is over, there's a beautiful (and I do mean beautiful) essence of roses and glorious full-bodied florals, which leaves me sniffing my wrists in ecstasy.  It's perfume-y, but not at all old-fashioned, which is rather a wonderful trick to pull off, particularly for a scent that was first released in 1966. It's fresh and floral, and rather lovely, I've worn my sample of this one a lot since it arrived, to the detriment of a few other samples that appeared in the same batch.

It wasn't until I went back to Luca Turin and "the book" that I realised where the tinned peas thing came from. Luca talks about Rive Gauche a lot in conjunction with Calandre (allegedly, the two are almost identical), and Rive Gauche is a perfume that my mother wears.  As for the tinned peas, well, there's a very metallic note in Calandre, and my mother ... well ... my mother fed us a lot of tinned vegetables growing up, and that's the scent-memory my subconscious dragged up ...  

Lippie Rating: Lovely.

 Carrying on with the vegetable theme, I next tried Fahrenheit 32 by Dior.  Described as an unpretentious "minty vanilla" by Luca Turin, this is exceptionally difficult to find in stores, I tried everywhere before it turned up.  Yes, it's very definitely a minty vanilla, it's both herbal and sweet, cool and comforting.  For some reason, I do find a lot of vanillas rather too reminiscent of custard, and I'm uncomfortable in them for that reason, but this is very green, and I'm occasionally reminded of watercress (this isn't a criticism, I love watercress, and would eat it every day if I could), with a hint of orange blossom, and the vanilla just takes the edge off the sharp, green herbs, and rounds off the orange blossom a little.  If I want to sharpen it up, I add a little "fizz" with a drop or two of Commes des Garcons Rhubarb (from their "Sherbet" series), and the minty rhubarb'n'custard that results is perfect for carefree weekend days, and wearing with jeans and sitting down the pub in.  
Somehow though, I can't convince MrLippie to wear this, the big wuss.  Although, that might be because I've refused to hand it over to him since it arrived.


Lippie Rating: Weird - but good.


More on Project Perfume coming soon ....


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

Dior Addict Lipstick 578 Diorkiss

Apparently, some people think I'm a bit obsessed with lipstick.  I cannot imagine why people might think this.

[looks up at logo]

Oh.

Alright, they might have a point.  But, I'd like to make clear that I only own three drawers worth of lipsticks/glosses and balms.  For the purposes of the point I'm making, I'd like to - of course - ignore the box of lip products in the bathroom.   And the fact that I always have at least 10 lip products in my handbag at any one time.


Where was I?  Oh yes, Dior are relaunching their Addict range of lipsticks, and they very kindly agreed to send me one so I would stop sending them begging letters could take a look at them for you.  I was sent 578 in Diorkiss which is a pink.  I think my search for the perfect pink has overtaken my search for the perfect red over the last few months, which is a surprise!

This lipstick is also the shade you'll see Kate Moss wearing the advertising campaign.  In the bullet, this looks quite a deep shade:

But be not scared if you're wary of dark lipsticks, for in what appears to be an increasing trend this year (like the Guerlains and Chanels I've shown you recently), these have a gel base and are perfect for a more sheer look:

As you can see from the swatch, this is a soft and gentle pink on the skin, a little less "bright" than a lot of the other pinks I wear, and it feels very emollient on the lips.  If you like a deep, opaque look from your lip colours, then it's likely that the newly released (they're currently in Selfridges, but you will be able to buy them nationwide from 11th April)  Addict line isn't for you.

On the lips, it's a gentle wash of glossy colour, perfect for no-fuss looks.  Lasting power is about average for a glossy sheer - about three hours if you can abstain from eating or drinking for a while, less if you must indulge in a coffee in the morning.


I love the pearlescent packaging, and, even though it took a little while for me to figure out precisely to get the lid off (look, I'm old, and opening things seems to not be my forte these days), it's a lovely bit of kit.  I think I might have to indulge in a couple more.


Dior Addict lipsticks will be available nationwide from April 11th and will cost £22.  Which is cheaper than the new Chanel Rouge Coco shines (by 50p), and a good few pounds cheaper than the Guerlain Rouge Automatiques which will be released later in the month.


The Fine Print:  I was sent this to review.

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

A Week in Lipstick

So, after last week's accidental all-pink lipstick extravaganza, let's take a look at what I've been carrying around with me this week:




From top to bottom:

Max Factor Xperience - Pink Opal
Chanel Rouge Allure - Incognito
Bourjois Effet 3d - Brun Rose Academic
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine - Boy
Tarina Tarantino - Cameo
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine -
Bonheur
Dior Addict Lipstick - Diorkiss

And so, what colours did this week's lips entail?




Sigh. Nearly all nudes.




Swatches in (almost) the same order - the Dior is the odd one out, but there's a in-depth review of that one coming up tomorrow.

Random Sunday Stuff

It's been a pretty emotional week on Get Lippie, I was astonished by the reaction to my post on Thursday, and just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who took the time to comment, tweet and email me with their experiences, and support.  My readers are amazing, and I'm glad you're here, thank you all for not making me regret publishing that piece, rather the opposite.

In other news, I also had my contribution to a brand new online magazine published this week:

I'm writing about high-tech beauty products - click on the picture above and flick through to page 68 if you want to read what I have to say.  It's a gorgeous magazine and I'm really proud to have been asked to take part! 

Also, the lovely, wonderful and amazing people at Escentual.com (without whom my Project Perfume wouldn't be possible, but more about that later on) voted me their blog of the week. They had some really lovely things to say about Get Lippie, which made me feel all warm and fuzzy.  You can see what they had to say here:

So, that's what's been going on here this week, there's loads more shallow stuff coming up on Get Lippie this week, so please stay tuned!

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

Katie: My Beautiful Friends.

I was approached to write this piece, and it's a little different to what I'd normally put on here - it's certainly a lot more personal, for which I apologise in advance - so I do hope people won't mind too much.

On Tuesday evening, I sat and watched the Channel Four TV show Katie: My Beautiful Friends and found it extraordinary. Normally, I find TV shows about disfigurement exceptionally difficult to watch, and I very deliberately avoided watching Katie: My Beautiful Face (which was the precursor to this show) a Cutting Edge documentary shown in 2009 about Katie Piper's recovery from being attacked with sulphuric acid by a man she met on Facebook, as I knew I would find it painful. 

Let me tell you why.


My problem - if you can call it that, I suspect that it's more a form of "over-identification", as you shall see - with TV programmes like this stems from my own - very minor - experience of disfigurement.  I was never what you would call a pretty child: pudgy, verging on ginger, and I had a gap between my two front teeth you could park a bicycle in.  When I was five, I went to bed perfectly normal, and woke up with strabismus.  Essentially I went cross-eyed in my sleep, which is pretty rare to happen so suddenly, especially when you wake up so severely cross-eyed that only the white of the crossed eye is visible, which is was happened to me.

I had to undergo major eye surgery several times to correct it, and endured brain scans, blood tests, and vision tests many, many times during my childhood, as they were worried about brain tumours and cerebral palsy, amongst other - scarier - things.  In the mid-70's, none of these tests were a minor undertaking (if you've ever seen the brain-scan scene in The Exorcist, it's based - almost entirely - on the actual medical procedure of the time).  Quite where my mum found her resources of strength to deal with all this, I will never know.


My childhood wasn't really a fun place.  Added to my gappy teeth, the pudginess, the nearly-gingerness, and the constant medical tests and surgery, I then had to endure a year or two of wearing eye-patches, and the adhesive on those things (no sexy black patches on elastic for this kid, no!  Industrial strength Elastoplast all the way, baby!) ripped my eyebrow out, every single time.  So, I was a one-eyebrowed, cross-eyed, chubby ginger child with teeth pointing both east and west, usually to be found wearing smeary pink NHS glasses.  I still have nightmares about those glasses to this day.


I was not popular.  I was not cool.  And I was bullied, unmercifully all the way through school, even after the eyepatch disappeared.  Possibly unsurprisingly, as I was also rather unpleasant.  Whiny, needy, and something of a smart-alec (some things never change).  I was rather isolated, and convinced I was horrific to behold - so I separated myself from people.  Usually via sarcasm (as I said, some things never change), but normally just by being by myself. I read a lot, and wasn't really good in groups of other kids.  Still not, as it happens.  Anyhoo.

I remember, on a family holiday not long after my first surgery, hearing my mother say to one of the holiday camp photographers (we were at Butlins and they followed you everywhere back then) not to take pictures of me as she was "ashamed" to see them. Once in a while she'd yell "no pictures!" if anyone else tried to take a picture too.  Even now, Mum will still make jokes about how terrible I looked back then, and the word hideous is usually used. It still hurts, the fact that my mother thought she couldn't look at me, even when my realistically, my "disfigurement" was very minor, and, as it turned out, purely temporary.  It wasn't quick though, I didn't really grow into my looks until I hit my late teens, and I have days where I'm still not sure I have.

I still don't like having my photograph taken to this day, and I can never ever take a compliment seriously - these things stay with you.  I am less than I look.  Or, rather, I feel that I am less than I look. Objectively, these days, I'm a perfectly ordinary-looking woman, but there has ever been a little corner of me that is still that ugly and unloved little mite, and I carry her everywhere with me.  My little blog about "beauty" is partially a response to that, I guess.  

I, myself, may never be a "beauty", but there's always the hope, every new cosmetic release, that there's something that might help lay the ghost of my five year old self to rest.  I think I use skin cream in the hope that I'll suddenly wake up "beautiful" or even just plain "pretty", instead of the "merely passable" being I see in the mirror every morning. These last few paragraphs have been the single hardest thing I've ever written for Get Lippie, and it's possible it makes no sense as a result - or worse, makes me look like an idiot. Or both! But, I'll take my chances, I think.

Because, my experience is nothing, literally nothing compared to some of the stories on display Tuesday evening, particularly the story of Chantelle and her AVM - a condition which causes blood vessels to expand uncontrollably, and because it is Chantelle's nose that is affected, her condition threatens her life.  Such a beautiful - in all senses of the word - girl, unable to hide her affliction, and dealing with everything that life had to throw at her, including the break-up of her marriage on the eve of her life-saving operation.  Katie Piper, too, dealing with finding out about her attacker's appeal against his life sentence with such dignity and grace, these women were strong, graceful and inspirational.


Having watched the programme in full, I feel a bit ashamed of my tale further up this post, it's such a little thing compared to some of the situations some people go through in their lives, but I know that even small things like those can leave a lasting impression, and I know too that my little blog makes a difference to some people's lives from the emails I get from my readers.  Cosmetics, whilst seemingly frivolous, are a serious matter for some people, which is why I'm here, still blogging away.  And, whilst I may still upon occasion complain about my looks, as a result of this show, I'll be thinking about how I relate to my face somewhat differently.


I'm glad I watched.  Looking beyond someone's appearance (even our own) is difficult, and the programme taught me I can face up to my own issues, and I'm grateful for that.  I'm nothing like as brave as Katie or Chantelle, and I'm very glad I haven't had reason to be, and that is a lesson I'm glad to have learned.  That Katie has turned around her tragic experience and it's made her reach out to people similarly affected is astonishing - the show is following her life as she sets up the Katie Piper Foundation, which aims to set up communities in order to support people similarly affected - and the fact that she's such a lovely, unpretentious and warm girl made the programme feel like a real slice of a life shared, and that's been a real inspiration.


Thank you, Katie.  I shall now watch My Beautiful Face, and really put my issues in order.


Watch the first episode here on C4 on demand and tune into the next episodes every Tuesday at 9pm on C4.






The Fine Print: This has been a sponsored post, however, I shall donate part of my fee to The Katie Piper Foundation.


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

Accessorize Molten Truffle

People were asking me recently to post more about affordable beauty products ... well, how does £1.50 for one of the most beautiful eyeshadows I have ever seen* grab you?

Wandering around my local Superdrug recently, I finally spotted the Accessorize makeup stand.  I realise I'm the last blogger on earth to have discovered the makeup, but hey ho.  I picked up the nail varnishes in Aztec and Bronze which are as beautiful as I've been lead to believe (and an utter bargain at £4.50 each), but more about those later.  I noticed a little sign saying the pigment pots were £1.50 each, and picked this one up, it's a cool taupe, one of those perfect greybrownpurple shades, and I was instantly smitten.

However, it wasn't until I swatched it that I realised just how beautiful it was.  The powder is gloriously soft, silky, smooth and so complex a shade that it's actually incredibly difficult to describe.  So here are some really terrible photographs in an attempt to explain:

The second picture actually picks up a hint of the multi-tonal microshimmer - alongside the greybrownpurple of the basic pigment itself, there are hints of pink, bronze and green shimmer.  It puts my beloved Le Metier de Beaute Le Circ palette to shame.

There. I said it.

And breathe. 

Here's another dreadful pic of how it looks on my eyes:

Eyeliner: Illamasqua Abyss, Mascara: Armani Eyes to Kill

 Hmn, my eyelids are unexpectedly creased here, I have been trialling a sealing gel that I'm not hugely impressed with.  So I shall blame that.  DAMN you stupid sealing gel that has given me creased-up eyelids!  

And now, here's an awful full-face pic that doesn't show the eyeshadow at all, but it's my blog, and I like seeing my new pink pearls in photos:

Still aggravated by that sealing gel, obviously.

So, there you go, one bargainalicious beauty product, that even at full-price (£4.50) would still be a bargain.  I'm going back for Molten Khaki tomorrow.




*It's okay if you don't think it's beautiful too.  It's TAUPE, I gettit ... 

The Fine Print: I bought everything I'm wearing in this blog post.  Including the perfume.

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

When Poppy King met No7

A brand new range of lip products were born:

 
I can't deny that I have a bit of a fangirl crush on Poppy King, aka the Lipstick Queen,  she's a stylish lady who is basically dedicating her life to lipstick.  Much like myself but, you know, with style and a lipstick company, and business sense and stuff.  I own something from practically every release she's done over the last few years or so, and, even when I think the ideas are a bit suspect (hello Jean Queen), I can't deny that she's onto something.


Poppy believes that there's a perfect lipstick (indeed a perfect red lipstick) for everyone, even people who hate lipstick, and this, her latest collection of lipsticks - and glosses - in collaboration with No7, which is released this week, is almost entirely perfectly pitched, in my opinion.


The lipsticks and glosses are entirely without shimmer, sparkle and glitter (and expect me to have more to say about glitter in cosmetic products later on in the week), and flavour, which makes a refreshing change.  There are seven shades in the range which runs the gamut from nudes to pinks to reds to browns to berries.


At the recent press launch, I was given Romance and History to try - which are, luckily the two I'd have gone right out and purchased that day, had they been available!

Swatches:

As you can see, both the glosses and the lipsticks swatch on the sheer side, Romance is a nice neutral pink, and History a sheer neutral red, not too orange, not too blue. Now, whilst they are sheer, they are buildable, particularly if you layer the gloss and lipstick together.  

Here, I'll demonstrate:


Romance:

History:

As you can see, alone, the lipsticks are sheer, and have a satin - not too glossy - finish, but adding a slick of the (slightly sheer on it's own) lipgloss intensifies the colours.  


Both the gloss and lipsticks are hydrating, and non-drying, although the wear is about average for such a balm-like product, a couple of hours, and they won't really last much beyond your morning cup of coffee. But they are so soft and hydrating that re-applying them isn't too much of a problem.  Best of all, the lipgloss isn't sticky!


The packaging on the lipsticks is nice, it's very different to normal No7 offerings, which I normally think look a bit cheap - even the special limited editions.  Metal cased, and rather on the small side, they actually contain a full-size lipstick, and they're more than comparable to the original Lipstick Queen lipsticks, including price, as they're going on sale for £12 each.


Sadly, the lipgloss packaging isn't that brilliant - Poppy explained it wonderfully at the launch, talking of Bakelite, Man Ray and Marilyn Monroe, and other such great visuals, and her lookbook was amazing ... but, just adding a spotty lid to a lipgloss isn't really that inspiring, to be honest.  Also, the doe foot applicator doesn't pick up much product - and tends to wipe off that which you do apply -  I'd have much preferred a brush, particularly for layering!  The lipgloss will be available for £11.


The range will be available both in-store and online later this week, I'll be going in to pick up one or two of the other shades, will you?

The Fine Print: PR samples received at press launch, but I'd have happily handed over actual cash-money for merely the opportunity to sit and gas with Poppy and Lisa Eldridge even without the goody bag! 


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

Public Beauty

 I don't know about you, but I'm a bit squeamish.  Also, I like to keep my beauty routines strictly between me and the bathroom mirror (for the purposes of this post, my blog doesn't count, mmkay?).  So, when I spotted a booth - and I use the phrase lightly - offering tooth-whitening for the bargain basement price of £135 in my local shopping mall, I was a bit horrified.


Ok, a lot horrified.


A shonky booth made of posters of unattainably white teeth, promising superb results in an hour or less, right between a set of escalators, and the entrance to Tesco for maximum footfall doesn't strike me as the best place in the world to get your teeth seen to.  Now, I'm not saying they were cowboys (I didn't catch the name of the company), but ... what if something went wrong?  


Tooth whitening, whilst it's taking place is not sexy, it's not comfortable, and it can be a little painful - would you want people desperate to get at the Krispy Kreme stand, or going up the escalators looking on whilst you have your mouth clamped open?  Really?  You're so vulnerable in the chair, would you want to be gawped at?

I've noticed that fish pedicures are becoming more commonplace in shopping centres too - please don't get me started on those.  Putting aside my issues with feet for a minute, I can't help thinking that fish pedicures are a bit ... cruel to the fish.  But, why would you want to get your feet done openly in a shopping centre?

Anyhoo, I'm digressing a bit, and possibly being a little hypocritical because I have had beauty treatments in department stores, but things like manicures, and eyebrow threadings only.  Treatments unlikely to need medical attention if things go wrong, in other words.  The reason it costs so much in a dental surgery is that you're paying for professional attention, and follow-up, things you're unlikely to get in a shopping centre.


Am I wrong?  Would you be prepared to undergo the indignity for the chance of prettier teeth?  How far would you go in public to be "beautiful"?


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

Giveaway winners!

Okay, it's time to announce my winners, and random.org hasn't let me down today, as I'm delighted to announce my two winners as  ....

Winner No1 (Chanel)

JoBetterDays from Music And Makeup

Winner No2 (mystery prize)

Rebecca from Oh Panda

Congratulations, ladies!  Please drop me an email to let me know your delivery addresses, and I'll get them out to you ASAP.

Thank you to every single one of you who entered, I loved reading all your suggestions, and I've had some great ideas for posts from them.  Who know storage ideas would be so popular?

There will be another giveaway in April, so not too long to wait now.

Lx

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

A Week In Lipstick

I took these out of my handbag just now. It's obviously been a pink lips kind of week!




Man, I'm predictable ...

Giveaway reminder!

A normal post will be up for you guys later, but in the meantime, here's a little reminder that I have a giveaway on at the moment.

Please click this link for more details

Thank you so much!


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