Clinique Chubby Stick Intense: Curviest Caramel, Plushest Punch, Chunkiest Chilli

Judging by the amount of imitators currently on the market, Clinique's Chubby Sticks have been one of the most successful product launches of all time.  A balm consistency, with a hint of pigment, Chubby Sticks are perfect for this "can't be bothered thinking about my makeup" days, and I have a selection of the shades.  They're easy to wear, and comfortable, and there's a big enough range of shades to suit almost everyone.

Sometimes, however, you want a bit more ... well, bang for your buck.  Well, certainly it has to be admitted that £16 is rather expensive for a lip balm with a hint of a tint.  This month Clinique launch Chubby Stick Intense for those of us who like a bit more pigment with our balms.  I've got three shades to show you:

From left to right, we have Curviest Caramel, Plushest Punch and Chunkiest Chilli (which has to win prizes for the worst named lip product, ever).  Caramel is a nude, Punch is a bright pink, and Chilli is a red-brown.

They are actually surprisingly pigmented, and they haven't sacrificed too much of their conditioning properties to bring you the colour, either, which is nice.  Lasting time is about average, a couple of hours, but they don't feel either greasy or sticky, and they don't dry your lips out.  You can mix them into new shades too, I find a combination of Punch and Chilli makes a nice bright red, and you know how I like my reds ...

Do you think you'll be picking any of the new Chubby Sticks up?  They're bringing out a version for eyes in the spring, and I can't wait ... 

The Fine Print: PR Samples. Is it just me, or does Chunkiest Chilli sound .... pre-digested?

This post: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense: Curviest Caramel, Plushest Punch, Chunkiest Chilli originated at: Get Lippie on 8 November 2012 All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

FashionistA Secret Gel Eyeliner in Under the Radar

I don't get all that excited about drugstore makeup, it's true.  I've been accused of being a makeup snob many times, and, to a certain extent, I'd agree.  Whilst it's not entirely true that you get what you pay for when it comes to cosmetics, after several years writing this blog, I do firmly believe that what you do pay for when it comes to expensive cosmetics is better research and product development, and - in the main- slightly better ingredients.  

However, this doesn't mean that I only have a makeup bag full of Tom Ford and la Prairie, what I mainly believe in is value for money, and that means I like to get my money's worth out of my products, whatever their price point.   Take, for example, this little pot of eyeliner that I bought because I fell in love with the colour.  It's a taupe, as some people might have noticed, and it's long been noticeable that I can't resist a taupe ... 

FashionistA Secret Gel Eyeliner in Under the Radar costs £6, it's a massive pot of product, and should last practically forever, it comes with a built in brush, and is rather creamy, and easy to apply.

However, as an eyeliner, I'm a little underwhelmed, it's a little underpowered in the pigment department, and takes several layers to build up into something visible, which can lead to it caking somewhat, which then leads to flaking.

 But, it is such a beautiful colour, a grey/silver/taupe shade, with a myriad of other shades visible in the mix too, so I was determined to make this work for me, so I've been using it as an eyeshadow base, and here's where is works magnificently.  It's creamy so it spreads well, and you can blend eyeshadows over it beautifully.  It's not as "grabby" as a traditional silicone-based eyeshadow base (or primer), and, of course, it imparts a beautiful colour to the lids too.  It doesn't dry the lids out (so may not work to well if you have oily eyelids, however), and it lasts incredibly well, getting about eight hours wear before there's a sign of creasing. I've been using it as a basis for a taupe smokey eye for the last week, and I've fallen in love with this product as a result.

So, as an eyeliner, I'd have to say that cheap though this product is, it's simply not worth the money, however, as an eyeshadow primer, that £6 could be the best £6 you've ever spent ...       

The Fine Print: A purchase.
 
This post: FashionistA Secret Gel Eyeliner in Under the Radar originated at: Get Lippie on 9th November 2012. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

I'm not around ...

 ... I'm in hospital today, having a teeny tiny procedure.  Hopefully all will be well, and I'll be back to normal service soon!  There's a full week of posts this week, but I may not be up to a full schedule next week, but I'll keep you posted ...

This post: I'm not around today ... 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

Lipstick of the week

I spent last week wearing mainly neutral glossy lips, but with occasional splashes of colour, it just felt right somehow ...

 Clockwise from top left here, we have:

Clinique Catwalk Coral
Chantecaille Lip Chic in Bourbon Rose
Chantecaille Lip Chic in Tea Rose
MakeBelieve Enhance Lipgloss
Lancome Juicy Tube in Crazy Raspberry
Clinique Chubby Stick in Plumped Up Pink
Guerlain L'Extrait Rouge G in Paresse

Here's the shades again, this time with flash:

And here are the swatches:

Catwalk Coral is a lovely full-coverage coral shade, with a slightly whitened base.  It's rather difficult to wear (occasionally I feel like it's wearing me) but I love it regardless.  The two Chantecaille Lip Chics are old favourites, of which I'm going to need a back up of both soon.  The Makebelieve is a lovely gloss for wearing alone, as it contains a tiny amount of shimmer, drawing attention to the lips without feeling gritty, or making it look like you've been snacking on fairy wings.  It's been ages since I wore a Lancome Juicy Tube, and their sticky fruitiness hasn't altered in the slightest in the intervening years.  This isn't a bad thing, btw ... The Clinique Chubby Stick is a limited edition sold in aid of Breast Cancer, it's a really lovely pink shade, and very cheering.  The Guerlain L'Extrait is one of my very favourite things a richly pigmented pink that lasts for hours.

And, here's the aftermath:

What've you been wearing? 

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Art Deco Dita's Classics

After being genuinely hugely impressed with several of the lipsticks from the Art Deco Dita's Classics collection, I thought it was only fair to try some of the other products in the range.  I found the display in my local Debenhams, and after a peaceful half an hour swatching (the stands are unmanned), I made a selection of purchases of the powder-based products.  

First of all is the palette you see above, Art Deco products form a modular system, you buy an empty container, then fill it with the shades of your choice.  The palette I picked out can hold eight eyeshadow pans, or two blusher-size pans and two shadows, or any combination thereof.  The empty palette costs £14, it has a good sized mirror, emblazoned with "Beauty is Art" at the bottom.

I basically went for neutrals, as the lipsticks I have from the collection are all on the bright side, I thought that neutral shades would complement them best.

I picked out a black (for tightlining), a slightly warm champagne, a dark rich brown, a cool shimmering white, and, of course, a taupe, this time matte, as I don't have too many matte taupes.  Is there such a thing as too many taupes?  If there is, I don't want to know.  The blush is a cool rose, and what you can't see here, because I'm a lousy photographer, is that there is a tiny hint of iridescent blue shimmer in the formulation.  It's not like anything else I own, and it's very beautiful.  It's not at all sparkly on the skin, which is nice too.

 
The shadows, whilst not as buttery soft as some I've come across, are nice and velvety on the skin.  I find them both easily blendable and buildable. When you factor in their £6 each price point, they're extremely good quality.  I grouped the slightly warmer shades of shadow to the left, and the cooler to the right. 

The blusher costs £10.25, and whilst I normally don't like mixed palettes, there's enough of a lip around this one to ensure that you can use the blusher with most brushes, and not get it intermingled with your shadows, which is handy.

Here are  the same swatches blended out slightly (the swatches above were one or two passes on bare skin applied with a finger, hence the slight patchiness):

Overall, I'm deeply impressed with both the Dita's Classics collection, and Art Deco generally.  I love the freedom to create your own palette, and the price point is a good one too.  You can now find Art Deco at your local Debenhams.

The Fine Print: Purchases. Yes, I was that impressed.

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Current Skincare - Night & Day

I've been ill recently, necessitating a more than a couple of hospital trips, and it means I need a small procedure later on in the year. It's nothing too serious, but the feeling of being more rundown than usual has been showing in my skin, and as a result I've had to break out some of the big guns in my skincare arsenal.  Far from being a pain, I've found myself really enjoying taking care of my skin recently, mainly thanks to these somewhat ... er, luxurious* products.  I have two routines, evening and morning, and I'll take you through them both.

Evening:

  
In the evening, I like to give myself a really thorough cleanse, using a lot of massage techniques.  Le Belle Oil Cleanser (£28) is a fairly thick oil-based cleanser which doesn't really emulsify, so is perfect for a really thorough cleanse when you've got a full-face of makeup on.  And even if you don't, it's still great for a really deep cleanse. I rinse using one of my gazillion washi cloths and some hot water, then I give my face a good going over with a Zelens PHA Bio-Peel Resurfacing Face Pad (£65) These are a recent discovery for me, and I LOVE them.

Based on a combination of AHAs and BHAs, alongside PHAs, and with a combination of acids (including salicylic, lactic, citric and polyhydroxy)  these are a gentler alternative to my beloved Alpha-H Liquid Gold.  They help to resurface, and rehydrate your skin overnight.  When my skin is feeling sensitive, it's easier to use these then the Alpha H, and I can really tell the difference.  I follow with a spritz of toner (see morning), then add two drops of Sjal Saphir Concentrate Oil (£125) An anti-ageing oil suffused with sapphire, this stuff is amazing, plumping and firming, it's a pleasure to use. I use it as a serum rather than a moisturiser, as it's rather light, so I finish with a tiny dab of Zelens Z Recovery Intensive Repair Balm (£140).  Again, on the pricey side, this is the one product on this list that I'd go without shoes to re-purchase.  A thick, slightly gummy "balm", it leaves the skin plump and hydrated, plus it soothes and repairs any dry patches or irritated skin.  It's light and non-greasy, and after applying, I always look forward to seeing how great my skin looks the morning after, if I could marry a product, this would be The One.

Morning:

 I do another oil cleanse, this time with Nude Cleansing Facial Oil (£28) it is lighter than the Le Belle, and emulsifies easily in water.  This is my default cleanser - I may dabble with others, but Nude is the one I return to again and again and again, even in this, my fourth (eep!) year as a beauty blogger. 

After rinsing with a washi, I spritz again with toner, this time with Sjal Mineral Kalla Energy Tonic (£50), which is hydrating and calming, and sets your skin up for serums and moisturiser nicely. For daytime use, I like Darphin Camomile Aromatic Care (£41), as I find it it both soothing, and protective for my "prone to redness and sensitivity" skin.  Finally, I apply a layer of Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream ($55), which contains both goat milk (good for a lactic acid dose), and aloe vera for soothing, plus avocado and jojoba oils for hydration.  Sadly, SpaceNK have dropped the Kate Somerville line, so I beg everyone I know who has a trip to the US planned to pick some up for me, and this is my fourth jar.

I realise that this is an expensive routine in anyone's book, but what price skin?


*  Expensive.  Yes, I KNOW.

The Fine Print: I sold my soul to PRs, various relatives, and several online retailers for some of these products, which are a combination of samples, gifts and (in a surprisingly large proportion) purchases.  You don't even want to know what the MiL wanted in return for the Goat Milk Cream ...

Oh, all links in this post are for informational purposes only, and are NOT affiliate links.
 
This post: Current Skincare - Night & Day 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

Dove Creme Mousse Body Wash

I don't get too excited about shower gel, as a rule - unless it's fragranced like one of my favourite perfumes, or, well, rhubarb - but Dove offered me the chance to try out their newest body wash, and I thought I'd give it a go.  I also had some visitors over for the weekend, and I thought I'd get them to try it as well.

It's a rich, thick, pearlescent cream (not quite a mousse, there's not enough air in it for that), that smells slightly sweet, and lathers up really well.  I found that my skin very definitely felt softer after using this than it does with my normal shower gels, which surprised me and I can tell this, because I don't routinely use body lotion.  Don't hate me! 

My special-guest reviewer - actually my baby sister - says: "this smelt really nice, lathered very well indeed, and left my skin feeling smoother than a baby's bottom".

High praise indeed from a very hard to please audience.  I liked it, I have no idea whatsoever what the "nutrium moisture" referred to on the bottle actually is, but my skin seems to like it...

The Fine Print: This is a sponsored post.

This post: http://getlippie.blogspot.com/2012/10/dove-creme-mousse-body-wash.html originated at http://getlippie.com.  If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, this this content has been stolen by a scraper.