Review - Armani Code for Men

Well, it's been a while since he popped up, and I did embarrass him this week by outing his new-found love of candles, so I thought it was time he reviewed something else. Today's post is by my fluffy wuffy bunnykins Mr Lippie.  Please say hello:

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So.

I'm not a big wearer of scents, I think we've established that. If you didn't know it from yesterday's post (rolleyes) you certainly know now. However, somehow, I seem to have been landed with a quite nifty bottle of Armani Code, and after the first experimental sniff a couple of weeks ago, I thought I could potentially give it a whirl.

Firstly, a brief look at the packaging - the bottle itself. A very sleek black bottle that curves outwards gently at the base and top, with the brand name fairly discreetly at the base of the bottle. Nice. One minor bit of criticism - the lid, whilst going for the gunmetal grey look, is still, noticeably, plastic. I admit, you don't want to spend lots on a piece of kit that is no doubt going to get dropped, scraped, possibly lost, etc, etc, etc...but it just jars a bit with the look of the rest of the bottle. Still, nevermind, onto the scent itself!

It's....intriguing. And that's not a cop-out, I assure you. It's fresh...but there's a hint of something behind it. The scent, is, I would say, very definitely masculine - not aggressively so, but more subtle. Not quite an old-school James Bond smooth scent, but definitely several leagues above the occasional nasal assaults you find emanating from salesmen. I'd normally say used car salesmen, but, to be fair, the teenage wunderkids you find in mobile phone shops tend to pile it on with little or no regard to whether the customer has an interest in staying concious during the sales pitch. Where was I? Ah yes, the scent. Smelling this puts me in mind of a cocktail bar - not one with a dress code or something, or anything horribly 80s-tastic, but somewhere comfortable, relatively unselfconcious, and with enough presence of mind to keep things low-key and chilled. I like it, basically.

It lasts quite well - I would say a whole morning - and there's still hints of it there, which isn't unpleasant. I'm not sure how much this will retail at, but it looks like it'll last a good 2/3 months, so I would say it's probably a reasonable choice for a gift/impulse buy/attempt to make your boyfriend smell nice/general hint to change his ways...I'll be using it for awhile yet, so I'm sure GetLippie won't have too many objections!

And finally, because I said I would, the summary: 

Less whale bottom, more chilled cocktail bar. And if that doesn't make you like it, what will? ;-)

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So there you go.  Armani Code is available from all good perfumeries (trans: department stores) and costs around £43.

The Small Print: Samples were sent for review. But actually, I take no responsibility for the content of this post anyway, as MrL won't wear the stuff when I'm near him.  I suspect he's worried about me trying to re-enact the Denim adverts. That or he drank it.

Organic Wednesday: Jonathan Ward Candles

There are few things more surreal than dragging the rugby-loving, cider-drinking, not-interested-in-male-grooming, will-only-get-his-hair-cut-when-ordered-to, shouldn't-be-reading-this Mr Lippie along to a candle viewing and scent testing session, and then watching him take over the proceedings to the extent that the Official Lippie (me) can't actually get a word in edgeways!


It might have happened because Jonathan Ward's candles are truly things of beauty, and it was a delight to be invited to pop along to Wholefoods recently for a sneak preview of his autumn collection (even MrL agrees).  Religiously inspired with incense, amber and spices, the new range will add three new scents to the line. No1 (which is the one that got MrL all excited, and he still refers to it now, a couple of weeks later) which to me smells like a clean, fresh, and warm (if that makes sense?) Mediterannean scent - in some ways similar to Acqua di Parma, only deeper and more resonant, No2, which I found to be a more classical kind of "boudoir" scent, and it brought to mind Hollywood glamour, film noir, and marabou-trimmed negligees. I can't wait to see how this one translates into a candle! And finally No3 (which is Jonathan's personal favourite) which was a more sweet amber-spice scent, almost food-y, but in a good way.

Sadly, we won't be able to see these candles for a good few months yet as they're still in the testing phase. So, what's the point in my telling you about something you can't buy yet, I hear you cry?! Well, as a result of some previous testing sessions (Jonathan does these fairly regularly for his favoured clients and the occasional blogger who has, let's face it, allowed her boyfriend to gatecrash), Jonathan has introduced a new size candle, after previous panels requested a range of candles at a more purse-friendly price point. Currently the large candles cost £30, which is a good price for an all-organic, hand poured, hand-packaged candle, but there is now a full range of slightly smaller candles (6.5oz as opposed to 8.5oz) which come in at £20 each which is a great price for presents, hostess gifts and the like. Also a good price for trying a new scent, if you ask me.

There is also a new scent about to be launched, Lulu in Provence, which is redolent of nectarines, sandalwood and redcurrants. Go buy a couple to make your house smell lovely, you'll never regret it. Me, I'll be getting myself a couple of Lost in El Salvador, which is another amber-based scent I can't resist. The candles are clean-burning, and smell beautiful even when they're not in use (I have Nightingales Jasmine by my bed to ensure sweet-smelling dreams), and will last for 45 hours in the large, or 30 in the medium.

You buy Jonathan Ward candles online here, or they are stocked at Wholefoods.  A full list of stockists is available on Jonathan's website. Want to say a quick thank you to the adorable Jonathan for inviting us along, and say that it's great to see a company that not only listens to it's customers, but actually pays attention. To that end, I'm just going to say two words:  Bath. Oil.  Please? ;)

The Small Print: No boyfriends, candles or whales were harmed during the writing of this post.

Review - Untitled by Maison Martin Margiela

I was at Selfridges last Thursday, to see the in-store launch of this new fragrance from Maison Martin Margiela, and it looked amazing, white feathers everywhere, women dressed in lab coats, and the fragrance strips are cut like hospital bracelets! Plenty more fun than the usual frou-frou frilliness, I must say.

The perfume is a little different to the norm too, on me, this is one of those rare perfumes that smells more or less exactly like it does in the bottle when it's on my skin.  That's not a bad thing, to be honest, how many times have you fallen in love with a scent from a perfume strip only to find that it smells nothing like that when you're actually wearing it?

This has resinous top notes for me, I used to play the violin (yes, it's a day of unexpected confessions from me, I'm afraid), and immediately, it transported me back to Miss Brenton's classroom for violin practice on wet weekday lunchtimes. I spent a lot of time as a youngster with rosin under my nails, I recall, and this was a very unexpected  and not unwelcome scent-memory!  I've since read that the top-note is Galbanum, which is indeed, a resin.  It's an unusual, quite sweet scent (on me), without being sugary.

Crammed full of unexpected ingredients, it contains incense and orange blossom giving it an evocative undertone.  Mr Lippie calls it "interesting" and indeed it is, green without being over-fresh or sharp, and sexy without being in your face about it.  It's a mature and confident kind of sexiness, one that grows on you the more time you spend with it, rather than the desperately waving their knickers in your face kinds of smells a lot of perfumes rely on these days.

Personally, I don't get too much smokiness from (untitled), despite it's incense base, although when I do, I'm reminded of retsina and barbecues in the Troodos mountains, it smells of long, relaxed evenings, and again, this is a scent-memory that's personal to me, but it goes to show - I think - how unusual a scent this is, you don't immediately thing "strawberries!" or the like.  This is an unusual and unfussy scent which is all the better for not smelling of fruit, ozone or sugary girly sweetness, it smells of tweed and cashmere, and closeness.

Whilst it's being marketed as a unisex scent, I'm not entirely sure about that premise to be honest (although you can bet I'll be testing that claim!), it's very definitely feminine to me, and I like it that way.

The Small Print: Samples were provided for review.  As always, opinions are honest regardless of the source of product  Whether or not the aforementioned opinions make any sense is a matter of opinion.  As this is a perfume review, you may find it smells of a different classroom entirely on your skin, I cannot take any responsibility if it's maths, but you will have my deepest sympathy.

OooOOoOoOOoooOoOo .... !

How excited am I today?  Zuneta.com - one of my favourite online shopping sites has invited me to be a guest blogger for a couple of weeks!  Please click on the link below:

Get Lippie has a ramble elsewhere

To find out what I'm going on about today ... And don't forget to leave me a comment, please!

Normal service will be resumed on Get Lippie later.

Bliss?

I bought these just after Christmas for the bargain price of about £15, I love the post-Christmas sales, I think the normal retail price of this little lot is about £30!  There's a double size shower gel, a  full-size body butter and a trial-size handcream.

So, why has it take me till nearly April to review them?  Well, they're just a bit meh.  I've read a lot of raves about the Bliss Spa, and I guess I was expecting miraculous things from their products. 

I have to say that the scent is wonderful, redolent of freshly cut oranges, undercut with the merest hint of spicy white pepper which all makes the shower gel one of the most refreshing ways to wake yourself up in the morning.  Sadly, it's stuffed full of SLS and parabens, and as a result, I find it (a little) irritating on my already-prone-to-dryness shins.  I still use it though, being both a sucker for punishment and slightly addicted to spicy, citrussy scents. It does bubble up nicely, and a little of this on a shower-lily really does go a very long way!

Likewise, the hand cream and body butter are chock-full of parabens too, which is a real shame, it means I can't use them as often as I'd like to because they can make me sting a little bit if I use them too much, or too often.  Lovely lingering scent though.  I've heard tell that the body butter is chock-full of glitter, but if it is, it must be microscopic, because I've not noticed it at all!

Personally, I wouldn't buy these at full price to be honest, there's nothing in there that you can't find in products which are a lot cheaper, and there's a few chemical nasties in there that might irritate more sensitive souls, but if you want a great-smelling refreshing shower experience, and you aren't bothered by the cheap ingredients, you'll love it!

Have you tried Bliss products?  Is there something from the range that you think will change my mind?

Just in - Sale at The Make-up Artist Boutique!

Those lovely ladies at the Make-up Artist Boutique have done it again! They're having an Easter sale this week, and for all you lucky people, there's 10% off across the board, on everything from OCC liptars to Yaby palettes, and everything in between.  But, if ten percent off isn't enough for you (and you're a new customer) then just add the code:

LIPPIENEWCUST

When you get to the checkout and you'll get an extra 5% off, making a total of 15% off any purchases you want to make! The sale starts Monday morning, and goes on until Friday.  Don't miss out. I'm going to finally complete my lip tar collection, I want vintage, plum and ... erm, another one. What're you going to get?

The Small Print: I am not affiliated with The Makeup Artist Boutique and I will receive no remuneration if you click on any of the links contained in this post, or if you make any purchases as a result of this posting.  They, are, however really lovely people, and hey! Who doesn't love a discount?

Lippie Chat - Lynne Sanders of Cosmetics a la Carte

Just a wee while ago, I was lucky enough to meet and chat with Lynne Sanders who -  alongside Christina Stewart, now retired from the business - founded Cosmetics a la Carte back in the seventies, after working for both Unilever and Yardley.  Cosmetics a la Carte have been providing women with bespoke cosmetic shades for all occasions, and individually blended foundations for any and all skin types ever since their inception. Renowned for their naturally glamorous groomed looks, Cosmetics a la Carte provide make up for women that is made by women who care what they wear too.

Lynne very kindly agreed to be interviewed for Get Lippie, and I'm both delighted and honoured that she did, she's a lovely, funny and warm lady who I took to immediately when I met her (she was eating a cupcake at the time, and hey, who doesn't love somebody who loves a cupcake?), and I've been enjoying re-discovering a British institution that's inspired many cosmetic brands the world over.

Hi Lynne, thanks for taking part! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

I really enjoy making make-up and being actively involved in helping women ‘find their look and be fabulous’ and enjoy dreaming about new products, concepts and colours.  It’s difficult to believe that I am 60 and have been involved with Cosmetics a la Carte for over 30 years.

Apart from enjoying my daughter it is the most fulfilling thing that I do.

How did you end up in the beauty industry in the first place?

I have been a convert to the transformation qualities of make-up ever since I was a spotty, pasty, teenager studying Chemistry and conscious that the concealers available to cover those spots were all the wrong colour!

Inevitable then that I should choose Cosmetic Science as a career and start making my own colours. The rest is history.

How did Cosmetics a la Carte itself come into being?

Four Chemists, working in the corporate world of Cosmetic R&D, frustrated with the ‘copy-cat’ marketing approach to make-up in the 1970s; opened a little shop in Knightsbridge where we had a lab to create make-up while pioneering Make-up lessons in the shop.
I seem to be the only one left!

What are the philosophies behind Cosmetics a la Carte?

Make-up is a crucial part of self expression, part of finding the look to be taken seriously as a young person and then keeping the look fresh, glowy, and not disappearing into middle age.

It takes just 3 seconds to judge someone on first meeting so it is important to send the right personal message and be ‘truly top of your own game’.

What makes Cosmetics a la Carte unique, do you think?

The wide range and personal approach is part of our brand ethos. We are well known for blending the exact shade with variations for all skins and whatever our customers need.

We are totally customer led, and a lot of our range has a celebrity origin. From Princess Diana who ordered a flesh-coloured lipstick to Lady Gaga who was wowed at the idea of  Flush Blush and Bubblegum gloss that shows in UV light!  Dannii Minogue created Candy, our super glossy staining lipstick with sunscreen, and Boy George during the punk movement meant that we were the very first with super bright shadows… the list goes on.

Who are you targeting the Cosmetics a la Carte brand at?

We are a little different. Our experience with over 30 years making products for women by women means that we really understand what it means to have the right foundation and we go to extra-ordinary lengths to find that for those that care.

What do you hope is in the future for Cosmetics a la Carte?

CALC was the first luxury British makeup company to make all their own products, with a personal and individual couture service including makeup lessons to “Find your look and be Fabulous” and we have expanded and perfected the genre of natural with advice ever since. We would like to take this all over the world. 

What’s your beauty regime?

I love wearing make-up so I try to accentuate the good bits of my face with clever make-up colours and application. Naturally with a nod to fashion, and cleansing my skin completely every single night! 
What one cosmetic product couldn’t you live without?

Can I only have one??  I suppose it would have to be foundation or concealer to cover up the shadows, redness and marks.

What beauty advice would you give Get Lippie readers?

Make-up is a wonderful way to enhance anti-ageing skincare or procedures by concealing flaws and providing an illuminating glow to the skin. Furthermore, technology now means that we can enhance these qualities by incorporating anti-ageing ingredients into the products so delaying dermatological procedures or sustaining benefits in between treatments, naturally and without toxins.

I want to say a massive thank you to Lynne for taking part.  You can find out more about Cosmetics A La Carte here

Is there anyone else you'd like to see featured in this series?  I have interviews lined up with several cosmetic-range founders, a celebrity makeup artist, and an international hair designer, alongside a couple of surprise guests, but if there's anyone specific you'd like to see featured here, please let me know and I'll see if I can make it happen.  You might also be interested in reading about the chat I had with Alex Box recently, too!