It Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stain

You don't really know what pain is until you try and get the words in this products title in the right order for SEO purposes, you know. For the record these are: It Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stains (try saying that three times fast), which have just launched on QVC, and come in four glowing, jewel-like shades (l-r) : Magical in Mauve, Radiant in Rose, Pretty in Peony and Matte Sweet Apple.  Though the product name might be a mouthful, it's really very apt, they are definitely stains!

I don't write about blushers often on Get Lippie,  as they're just not as interesting to me as lipsticks, or perfumes or skincare, but when I get a good one, I tend to love it to death.  And when I say that these are getting a LOT of love chez Lippie at the moment, it would be a mild understatement.  Three of these Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stains (look, I didn't just spend an hour learning the name of the product only to not use it at every available opportunity, you know) turned up as part of a press gift, and I was so impressed I immediately went and ordered the fourth so I would have the complete set!  As I'm supposedly on a bit of a no-buy at the moment - we've just furnished our new flat - moving house has been the reason for my recent bit of radio-silence - this just goes to show how impressive they really are!

Swatches in the same order as picture one: Magical in Mauve, Radiant in Rose, Pretty in Peony, and Matte Sweet Apple

It's quite a feat to get powder blushes which are hugely pigmented - and I do mean HUGELY pigmented, the swatches above are one pass with a fingertip, something that you simply can't do with other powder blushes - but still appear sheer and skin-like when applied.  Normally a powder blush with this sort of pigmentation would appear chalky, or just plain dusty, but this isn't an issue here. These blushers glow like a dream once applied, even the matte one (Sweet Apple, here on the far right).  

They do look rather dark in the pan thanks to the insane pigment, and you really do need the very lightest of hands to apply (trust me on this, I looked like Aunt Sally the first time I tried to put one of these on!), but they're really the loveliest blushers (sorry, Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stains) I've tried in a very long time.  The colour applies sheerly, but brightly, with just the tiniest amount of powder on the brush. Tap lightly - once - onto the pan, do NOT swirl your brush! Seriously, you'll regret it, if you do! Apply to the apples of your cheeks and watch it last and last and last.  I swatched these on the back of my hand the first day I had them, and I still had the marks on my hands 24 hours later ... During the course of a normal work-day, which for me can mean applying my makeup at 6am or so, these will last the whole day, avoiding the inevitable 3pm loo break "oh god, I look dead" realisation that is only too common as I get older.

How did It Cosmetics do it?  I'm not sure, but I'm glad they did, they're marvellous.  It Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stain (or ICVCFPBS for short) are available on QVC  (not an affiliate link) for £21 each, or you can buy a set with a rather handsome brush and ICVCFPBS combined for £28. 


The Fine Print: mixture of PR samples and purchases


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Beuti Skincare - Beauty Sleep Elixir

I don't normally do this, so I hope you will forgive me, just this once.  It's exceedingly rare that I feature a skincare product after less than a month (minimum) of use, but this little bottle of golden elixir, Beuti Skincare's Beauty Sleep Elixir appears to be quite magical.

If you've been a Get Lippie reader for a while, you'll know I'm prone to both sensitivity and redness.  My redness is usually caused by inflammation from my various sensitivities, or vaso-dilation caused by heat, or factors such as too much sugar and/or alcohol, rather than a specific skin condition such as rosacea. I am always on the lookout for products that either promise to protect my skin from external irritation, or to help heal it when it's at its reddest and most uncomfortable - some of you might have noticed that I use a lot of anti-oxidant serums to protect my skin.  Beuti Skincare's recent press release mentioned "anti-inflammaging" (a quite frankly horrific phrase, but ...), meaning their products are both anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing, so I was intrigued to try.

Beuti Skincare's Beauty Sleep Elixir is a blend of 14 natural plant oils (and it's low on essential oils, too, which is good, as my skin finds them highly irritating), and is bright, bright orange in the bottle from a good dose of beta-carotene from the various seed oils  inside.  The full ingredient list, which is both 100% natural, and 98% organic, comprises:

Camellia oil

Chia seed oil

Bitter cherry seed oil

Strawberry seed oil

Pomegranate seed oil

Blueberry seed oil

Cranberry seed oil

Sandalwood nut seed oil

Raspberry seed oil

Seabuckthorn fruit berry oil

Lavender herb oil

Geranium flower oil

Sandalwood oil

Neroli flower oil

Capric triglyceride from coconut

Sea whip extract (extracted from coral)

Sea Whip extract is a known anti-inflammatory, and lavender and neroli are both known for their soothing properties. I had some inflammation recently (in fact, I spent a couple of days in the office last week flushed redder than a stop sign thanks to a bad cosmetic choice or two), and I chose to set aside my usual soothing products and try Beuti Skincare Beauty Sleep Elixir for a night or two instead.  I'm very glad I did.  Skin looks instantly less reddened when you use an orange-yellow beta-carotene rich oil, as the deep gold instantly counteracts redness in the same optical way a yellow powder does, so you'll instantly feel and look better.  Used overnight, I woke up to find that not only had my beacon-esque redness disappeared completely, but the under-skin bumps that are a signature of irritation on my skin had also completely gone.  

This is unheard of for me in the first use of a healing product - I normally have to stick to a low-impact, low-active regime for at least a week or so in order to get rid of incipient irritation, even with tried and tested products. I was a little amazed.  I've not been able to stop applying it to my face ever since.  My skin is velvety smooth, and even and without even a hint of greasiness.  The instructions say to use three pumps, but I've been using one or two at most.  Can I call it love after less than a week of trials?  It's certainly been a whirlwind romance!  I'm going to need a backup bottle already, I can tell.

You can buy Beuti Skincare Beauty Sleep Elixir from Look Fantastic, (not an affiliate link) where it will cost £42.  A bargain, in my eyes.


The Fine Print: PR sample.  Get Lippie has not been compensated for this review, and there are NO affiliate links in this article.


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Finishing Touches (#LipsNspritz) of the Week 2nd May 2016

 Bright reds and dark berries, plus one glorious pink this week, alongside some classic fragrances too. Top left were the gorgeous white flowers of Narciso  For Her, which is a fragrance I love a great deal, and could even smell it slightly through my parosmia last year, which always grants a special place in my heart for a fragrance. I wore this on Friday with Mac Hot Tahiti, a soft and gentle red.  

Middle Left: I'd also worn Narciso Rodriguez Musc For Her this week, which is a powdery musk, somewhat clean-smelling (reminiscent, slightly, of laundry musks), but the oil format keeps it close to the skin.  I wore this with the most emailed about lipstick ever featured on this blog, Rouge Baiser 306, which I picked up in Paris a few years ago.  (Incidentally, I'm not a stockist or supplier of these lipsticks - which are only available in France - so, please, stop asking me to get them for you!)

Bottom Left: I wore Mugler Cologne, which features a little creaminess in amongst the usual neroli and bitter orange that you get in a classic cologne, making this just a little more interesting than the usual plain citrus blast you might get with a sharper cologne.  I wore this with It Cosmetics Vitality Lipstick Stain in Pretty Woman, which is a sheer deep berry.  I'll have a lot more to say about It Cosmetics products later on this week.

Bottom right is Chanel Rouge Coco Lip Stylo in 208 Roman, which is a beautiful bright pink.  I've not bought anything from Chanel in AGES, and it's hard to get across in this picture just how bright, beautiful and juicy these shades are in the flesh.  I'll be picking up some more for sure. I wore it with Chanel Exclusifs Sycomore, which is a fabulous smoky vetiver that I should really pick up a proper bottle of at some point.

And finally (top right) Reiss Grey Flower.  Still one of the most unusual and haunting fragrances you could buy on the high street for less than £50, it's filled with guaic wood, which has an oddly fleshy kind of effect (smelled neat, its a bit like parma ham), and this doesn't smell flowery, either.  It's hard to say what it smells like (apart from good, interesting, unusual), but it's definitely worth a sniff if you can find a bottle.  I paired it up with YSL Rouge Volupte No4, a bright and beautiful sheer red.  Not my favourite of formulas - I find it too slippery - but a gorgeous shade.

What have your favourite finishing touches been recently?

The Fine Print: PR samples and purchases


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Skincare of the week 2nd May 2016

I'm trialling a couple of new bits and pieces at the moment, mostly from Zelens.  The new pieces I've added to my routine are the Zelens Power D Treatment Drops, which I've been adding to my serums this week for a lovely antioxidant boost, and I've been using them alongside the Zelens Hydra Shiso Balancing Moisturiser too.  Loving the treatment drops, but I really need to re-try the moisturiser - I had a touch of sensitivity towards the end of the week (which I think was related to a rather silicone-heavy cosmetic product I'd been using), so I'll be gradually re-introducing the skincare back to my routine over the next week or so.  I was also introduced to Erborian Eau Ginseng toner this week, which is a lovely moisturising step in my routine.  I'm really enjoying using splash toners at the moment, they're a bit less shocking than sprays, first thing in the morning!   Plus, you can really feel the difference in what they do to your skin, as you apply.  (I also have plans to use this as an occasional eye mask, I've been doing a lot of squinting at a computer recently, and the dehydration lines I've been suffering with as a result are no joke, believe me!).

What's new in your routine these days? 

The Fine Print: A mixture of PR samples and purchases


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Skincare of the Week 17 April 2016

I'm still playing "Eenie, meenie, minie, mo" with my skincare at the moment, luckily, it's all tried and tested stuff that I know works with my skin, so there's been no irritation, in spite of my background level of stress still being on the high side (year end will do that to you).  Mostly this week, I've been welcoming back Kate Somerville Goat Cream - and attempting to buy the new Goat Cream Cleanser and Eye Balm from Sephora with NO LUCK whatsoever.   I love Goat Cream, it doesn't matter what state my skin is in, or what state my life is in, Goat Cream always soothes and leaves me looking (slightly) more human.  It's a little too heavy for wear in the warmest of weather though, so I'll be making the most of it for a week or too more, then hoping to find a suitable moisturiser for the summer months.

Mostly, I'm hoping to get back into a proper skincare - and blogging! - routine soon, at the moment, I'm suffering because I don't have a space to take photos just yet, and ... I haven't finished unpacking!

How's your week been? 

The Fine Print: PR samples and purchases


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LipsNspritz of the Week 10/04/2016

I have been parted from my favourite lipsticks for far too long* now, and have spent this week doing a random kind of "lucky dip" with my pot of "second favourite" lipsticks, which I keep stored in a lego storage case as compensation.  Truly, I am one of the coolest people on earth, let's face it.  I love my lego-head storage though ...

Monday morning after a full house move meant I wanted to wear something light and fun, not in the slightest bit serious, but still lovely, and Ananas Fizz from L'Artisan Perfumer fit the brief perfectly, as it smells of pineapple chunks in their juice.  Fizzy, fruity, fun, and completely discontinued, alas.  I wore it with Clinique's All Heart, which isn't really a second-best lipstick, but I do have two of them ...

Tuesday I was in a springy Tom Ford kind of mood, so I dug out  Ombre de Hyacinth, a soapy-green and clean floral, that is a breath of fresh air, after the long, long winter we've had. I found my long-misplaced Tainted Love lip and cheek stain this week, do determined to wear this lovely sheer wine shade as I move (slightly) away from winter opaques.

Wednesday I went to a perfume launch in the evening, so wanted something lovely, that doesn't draw too much attention to itself, so I chose Clair de Musc by Serge Lutens, because I love it a great deal, it smells of warm skin, talcum powder, loving hugs and just a hint of nostalgia.  Because I'm irrational, however, I paired it with Rouge Orage from Chanel, a medium-neutral red.

On Thursday, I wore a fragrance from the launch I'd attended the night before - something that very rarely happens - as I fell totally in love at first sniff with this one. Safran Rare by Amouroud, a buttery-soft chamois-leather fragrance, with hints of oud and spices won't be released until July (at Harrods) and I'll have a full review for you in a week or so.  I recommend you check the brand out even if you're an oud-hater, or are "over" the oud "trend", the whole range is that good, even for the oud-phobic.  Also, the price-point for a new niche brand is a good one, these big bottles will be £145, which when you consider that even the dreckiest department store brand is coming in around £70 these days, looks incredibly well-thought out. Lipstick was Chanel Passion, a bright red, because I felt like it.

On Friday I had some big meetings, and wanted not to look or smell threatening or disturbing, so I picked out one of my favourite colognes: Andy Tauer's Cologne du Maghreb, a citrus with good lasting power.  I paired it up with History by No7, which was from the limited edition collection Boots did with Poppy King a couple of years ago.  A sheer soft red, this is just lovely.

And finally, on Saturday I was just opening and unpacking cardboard box after cardboard box after cardboard box, so I wore just a bit of lip balm (my favourite Nuxe de Miel) and a spritz or two of Aqua Manda which is a lovely reminder of years gone by.  I love the retro-style packaging too, the orange and brown reminds me of the seventies so much!

What've you been wearing? 

 *About a week, in actuality

The Fine Print: PR samples and purchases


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Skincare of the Week 10/04/2016

It's taken me a while, but I've finally managed to get my broadband connected, and unpack some skincare!  Moving to a new house is always stressful, but I had somehow managed to schedule my move for the beginning of a new financial year, and the end of my probationary period at work.  As I'm an accountant, April is a pretty busy month anyway, but ... anyway.  Never again.

Skincare-wise, I've been using pretty much everything in my day-to-day collection this week, as I've been happy to be reunited with it - we've been living out of boxes for so long now, it's felt a bit like emerging from a cardboard forest!  - but the two products I've used most are the Zelens Best Defence Antioxidant serum, and the Omorovicza Omoressence.  I'm a big fan of the Antioxidant Serum anyway - as you can probably tell from the amount left in the bottle - and I use this a minimum of three times a week, and it's great for slightly sensitised skin, and feels very protecting.  It has been really cold this week, and I really do find this protecting.

The Omorovicza Omoressence, I love.  I was initially sceptical - I do find Omorovicza can overclaim somewhat on their product descriptions - but I do love the velvety-feeling I get after using this, and it does seem to keep my face calm.  I'll be doing a full review of this soon, but I genuinely really like it.  No a huge fan of the glass bottle - it has a shaker, and it can get slippery, but a great product inside.

Other things I've tried this week include the Murad Colour Correcting Moisturiser.  I'm very pink-toned naturally, and this light  green moisturiser helps tone that down slightly.  In conjunction with a slightly yellow-toned powder, it works really well.  I'm not entirely sure it's moisturising enough, but a few more uses should help me figure that out.

Reviews will remain a bit patchy whilst I get myself - and the new flat - organised, but I'm BACK!  For more regular updates, you can find me at least three times a day over on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/get_lippie/

The Fine Print: PR samples and purchases


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