Beauty Resolutions

As beauty bloggers go, I'm a bit of a scruff. Okay, a lot of a scruff.  Oh, and I'm a bit lazy too.  If there's a choice between an extra ten minutes in bed, and giving myself a blow-dry in the morning, I'll take the ten minutes in bed, and go to work with wet hair.

Yes, I have no shame.  But I will always make the time to at least put some mascara on, I've no wish to scare the kiddiwinks on my walk to the tube ... (too often)


But no more!  Alongside my Project Perfume, I've decided that this is the year that Get Lippie Gets Groomed*.  No more fluffy eyebrows.  No more leaving my hair six months in-between getting coloured.  No more chipped nail varnish.  No more letting my toes go unpedicured for months on end (MrLippie's going to love this, I make him paint my toenails for reasons I won't go into on here again) No more letting my leg hair grow so long I could plait it .  Actually, that last one is a lie, but the sentiment is still there. So, to that end, I'm enlisting some of my favourite salons and services to help keep me in shape.

To wit: I've just booked myself a course of ten eyebrow shapes at Browhaus because it cost £100 instead of £150 (and I could pay in two instalments of £50!) and Ellie at the Covent Garden branch is practically the only person I'll trust near my eyebrows these days.  I'll be regularly visiting Equus in Knightsbridge to sort out my colour with Jack, and get some wonderful blow-dries from David Evans, who has just joined the team. He kindly sorted me out with a gorgeous swishy do for London Fashion Week over the weekend, which garnered a lot of compliments.  He's a bargain at £65 for a cut and blow dry too - make sure you book now for your Royal Wedding 'do (don't tell me you're not considering one), as they're getting booked up already ... I've already mentioned I'm sorting out teeth whitening recently, but more about that next week ...


As for stuff I can do myself  (what do you mean I can pluck my own eyebrows?  Have you seen the havoc I could wreak with a pair of tweezers?) I'm going to paint my nails at least twice a week, and I'm going to start having regular facials too. Sometimes I'll have them at home with my INSANE collection of skincare, and sometimes I'll try out facials from other places as well, but I'll talk about that another day this week. 


I shall still, however, stick to my policy of only wearing black sacks, flat shoes and cardigans.  Well, us accountants have to live down to image somehow ...


So, what else should one consider when going on a grooming regime?

*Not like that .

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

When Obsessions Collide...

Did I mention I had a stationery fetish?

Guerlain Rouge Automatique - 121 Rouge D'Enfer, 140 Mitsouko, 161 Cherry Blossom

One of the things I really really like about Guerlain is that they bridge an amazing history with really forward-thinking packaging and amazing textures.  It's a great contrast to think that they've been making perfume since the 1870's and yet, the packaging of their Rouge G's has more than a little hint of the space age about it, I'll say one thing for them, they're not afraid to do things different.

 Because they have such an amazing history, they have some great vaults in Guerlain HQ, and this leads creative director Olivier Echaudemaison to occasionally make raids on some great lost designs of the past.  Based on an old design lipstick case first developed in 1936 (I think the pic above really highlights their Art Deco influence) the new Rouge Automatique lipsticks are a fun - they're designed to be used one-handed - addition to the Guerlain lipstick line.

 
I was sent three to try, (l-r) Rouge D'Enfer, Mitsouko, and Cherry Blossom.  As well as taking the inspiration for the casings from the vaults, each lipstick is named after either a classic Guerlain shade or fragrance.

(l-r Rouge D'Enfer, Mitsouko, Cherry Blossom) In order to get at the colours, you slide the button on the (slightly rounded - this is important, I'll come back to this later) front of the casing, and the top slides down, and the bullet rises up to enable you to apply it.

There will be 25 shades in the range, and I have a red, a nude and a pink to show you.   In the same order as the hand swatches above:

Rouge D'Enfer:

A classic neutral red creme, with no shimmer.  It applies lightly and lasts well - I wore it for seven hours and it lasted me through several snacks and quite a few cups of coffee, but I have to admit there was a hint of "red ring of doom" when I wore it through lunch.

Mitsouko

 Mitsouko is - what else? - peach. If you don't know, the fragrance Mitsouko is based on peaches - amongst other things.  I can't deny that when I first looked at the bullet, my first thought was "Peach! Frosty! Frosty Peach!".  But on swatching, and on the lips I was very pleasantly surprised.  It's a lot more sheer than I anticipated, and it has very fine shimmer on the lips.  Not quite a micro-shimmer, but close.  It's far, far, far more flattering than I ever expected, and it's something I'll happily wear.

Cherry Blossom

Now, my favourite pink lipstick of All Time (at the time of writing - I am fickle)  is, of course, Guerlain Rouge G in Georgia.  This doesn't, for me, hold a candle to that shade, but it is very pretty.  Again, in the bullet, the impression is that it's frosty, but, like Mitsouko it's sheer on the lips, and the frost shows up as a slight hint of shimmer.  It's very wearable, if a little on the pale side for someone who likes their pinks, PINK! as I do ...


Overall


The texture of these lipsticks is fabulous. All from a gel base, the creme shades are highly pigmented, and all the variations are lightweight on the lips, and "meld" with your lips rather than sit on it (which is a particular pet hate of mine), they're very comfortable, non-greasy, and non-drying.  Lasting time is rather average, but you can extend that with use of lip pencil or a lip primer. The packaging is lovely and light, and you could carry about six of these around with you for the same weight of say, one Rouge G or two Tom Fords ...

The one thing I don't like is ... the packaging.  As you can see from the picture above, the case is rounded at the front, and is quite thick, so it can house the lever that moves the bullet up and down.  Now, the problem is that the bullet is placed facing that direction so you have the thicker side of the casing towards your lips when you're applying it.  With the more sheer shades this isn't so much of a problem, but when you're applying the red (or any other shade that requires precision), it means you have to lever up much more of the bullet to avoid having to hold the lipstick at an awkward angle when applying - and it makes me worry about snapping the bullet.  If the bullets were placed so they face the back of the case (where it is thinner), it would be less of an issue.  All that said, it's a relatively minor issue.  The texture and wear of these is superb.


Guerlain Rouge Automatique will launch exclusively in Selfridges on April 3rd, and cost £24.50.  The cost is comparable to Rouge G's, which now cost £28 ... they'll be available nationwide from 1st May.

Oh, and one final picture ... I'll be reviewing the Terracotta collection for 2011 from next week, here's a sneaky preview:

The Fine Print: Samples kindly provided by a mysterious benefactor*.

*Guerlain.


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

Artistic Colour Gloss - Gel Manicure

Long-lasting manicures have been around for a little while now.  Essentially, they consist of layers of gel (as used in gel nail extensions) layered onto your natural nails, and cured with UV light.  They differ from the gel used in nail extensions as they contain pigment, and therefore act like a nail varnish until your natural nails grow out!  They will last from between two to four weeks, depending on how you look after your nails, and how fast your nails grow.

I was invited along to Equus recently to be their nail model (fame at last!) for the new system, Artistic Colour Gloss, which they're launching next week, and I chose this glorious and gorgeous bronze shade, which I've tried to show in a variety of different lighting conditions.

 

Browns and bronzes aren't normally shades I go for, but I was very happy with this, as the shade was deep and complex, and I spent a lot of time admiring my nails!

So, how does a gel manicure work?  Well, first of all, your nails have to be completely and utterly dry, so a dehydrator fluid is painted onto your nails, and once this is dry, a base coat of clear gel is painted onto your nails, and this is then "cured" under a UV light for a few seconds.  The the colour gel is applied in either two or three coats (depending on the depth of colour you want) and "cured" between each coat.  A glossy top coat is then applied and this is cured too.  Best part is, the second the top coat is finished, your nails are dry and ready to go!  No awkward waiting around for your nails to dry before you can leave the salon/pay the bill/drink your tea.

After two weeks, my nails looked like this:

You can see where my nails have grown around the cuticle area (a little), there's some very minor chipping on the index finger, but there's a quite significant peel on the thumbnail.  I should make clear that is because of my own incompetence and wasn't the fault of the manicure in the slightest (I got the edge of the nail caught in something, and couldn't help worrying at it for a day or two ...).  I was really pleased.

This manicure doesn't need to be soaked off, either.  A day or two after I took the above picture, I had to remove the manicure, and only had some normal nail varnish remover in the house - ordinarily, you'd have this done in the salon with a special removing fluid - but I found the foil method:

(where you put a pad soaked in nail varnish remover on your nail and wrap it in foil to keep in the heat and stop evaporation) worked just as well, though it did take about twice as long (about ten minutes) to get the gel off than it did in the salon.  The gel comes away in one piece of film.  Enormous fun!  I'll definitely be getting this done again, it strikes me that for fingers and toes if you're going away on holiday, it's definitely worth investing in.

The Artistic Colour Gloss gel manicure at Equus salon will cost £50 and is available from Monday 21st February.

The Fine Print: Get Lippie was a guest of Equus.  Cheers, Jack!

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

Bulldog - The Return

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the long awaited (and requested) return of Mr Lippie ... I've been nagging him to get back in the blogging groove, and here he is with some thoughts about some Bulldog goodies he was sent a little while ago ... I've been using a fair few Bulldog products since my last rather "interesting" experience with them, and I thought it only fair to share how they've fared against my somewhat fussy instincts and tastes, given that I was perhaps a touch uncharitable in my last scribblings about them. Firstly, let's talk about the shower gel. It's presented to us in a functional dispenser, with the trademark stark black & white packaging that Bulldog are known for, with just a couple of hints about what it may or may not do for the user. Not bad, a decent size, and looks like it means business. So far so good. Pouring it out onto the hand, and you're presented with a yellowy gel that is seriously aromatic. The eucalyptus just cuts through everything and makes this practically eyewateringly 'herby'. As to how it feels, it's quite refreshing, lathers up well, and has a nice cooling/soothing effect. Quite good when it's that whole feeling of first thing in the morning and you're barely awake! Nonetheless, not entirely for me - the smell just overpowers everything and is a touch too sharp for something your're applying as a precursor to the entire day - but still, not a bad product in itself! Moving on to the next step in getting ready to face the day - the shaving gel. An impressively large tube of the stuff, again with the black on white classic packaging, and it all looks good. The gel is again somewhat yellow, with the odd random bubble in it, and yet again, the first thing you really notice is the smell. I'm genuinely not sure what it is about Bulldog and how I react to the smells - they are just far too sharp on the whole for me. Smell, however, is a very distinctly personal thing - and given some of the other products on the market, the aroma isn't that displeasing, it's just too herbal & sharp for myself. Anyway, moving on - it lathers up well, feels very cool on the skin, and doesn't turn me into a frothing monster of doom, unlike some previous gels I've experimented with. It remains (loosely) controllable, and doesn't spread over your face like some voracious fungus intent on world domination. Which is a plus, in my book. The final product I'm taking a look at in this post is the 'Original Cooling' Moisturiser, which (funnily enough) is applied within seconds after finishing with the gel above. Yet again, I have to compliment Bulldog on the packaging. It's disctinct, consistent, and presents a brand image that's very 'no nonsense', which appeals on several layers to male consumers. I do worry that the organic philosophy that lies behind Bulldog is not necessarily expressed particularly well when you look at their products, but anyone who is actually focussed on that sort of thing will take the time and effort to a) examine the packaging and b) spend some time researching the market for products that match up to their desires. Moving on, yet again, and back to the product. This time, the smell is toned down CONSIDERABLY. This is a moisturiser I would happily use again & again as it's smooth, creamy, and the aroma is genuinely relaxing as opposed to being really sharp. Certainly one for any/all mornings. That's it from me - for now....  Get Lippie writes: So, the frothing monster of doom has awoken ... I'll have to see what I can get him thinking about reviewing next ...

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

Parian Spirit

Every once in a while a product comes along that's nothing less than a miracle.  Parian Spirit is one of those products.  In case you're wondering, it's a brush cleanser, but it's not like any other brush cleanser I've ever used, it's much, much better.  No water required, no shampooing, and no endless rinsing, it's a miracle.

Essentially, you just dip your brushes in a shallow dish of Parian spirit, it dissolves the makeup on them almost instantly, then you wipe the brush with a paper towel, and presto! Clean brushes which dry in a couple of hours, rather than overnight.

I'm demonstrating this on one of my favourite brushes, my blush brush from Pro Makeup Brushes, which is made of white goat hair, and takes on the colour of whatever you use on it almost instantly.

How to use Parian Spirit:

Pour a little into a shallow dish:

(It's there, honest!  Up to the third line on the bowl)

Then, dip your brush into the liquid:

Swirl the bristles around in the dish:

Then wipe the bristles on a paper towel:

Once done, your brush will look like this:

Clean, and almost dry!  This was just one pass in the liquid.

Once I'd tried it once on this badly stained white brush, I used this to clean my entire brush collection (which is huge, I have two sets for me, and one set that I use for makeovers, a collection of nearly 100 brushes in total) and was done in just a little over an hour.  Something that if I'd tried it with shampoo would have taken several hours, and some of the brushes would have taken several days to dry.

I've used it on both natural and synthetic brushes of all shapes and sizes, and it works astonishingly well on all of them, leaving brushes clean, conditioned and smelling gently of citrus - it's also antibacterial, so your brushes will be super-super clean.  I simply can't recommend this stuff highly enough.

You can buy Parian Spirit from Pro Makeup Brushes who currently have it on offer for £14.95 instead of £19.95 for a 473ml bottle.

The Fine Print: PR Sample, but I've had this in rotation for about four months now, and I'll be buying another bottle.

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

Reader Request - Handcreams

Well, it is Valentine's day, so I'm hoping all my readers will find at least one person they'd like to hold hands with today, so here's something to make sure your paws will be at their smooth best.  Now, I'll be honest, I don't use much in the way of handcreams - my hands aren't particularly dry, as a rule, and I'm blessed with good "hand genes", in my hands are always pretty smooth and youthful looking. Sorry! But, I do use handcream occasionally, especially at this time of year, and these are the three that I reach for when I need one:

For every day use, I have a tub of this on my desk at work:

 All for Eve Hand Cream.  Simple, easily absorbed, and beautifully herbal-scented, this is a great all rounder, and everyone at work who has tried it has ended up buying a tube.  In fact, it's the most seen beauty product in my office.  I think the fact that all the profits go to help The Eve Appeal make this a simple decision for me.  A "feel good" product that actually does good, it's a no-brainer.  At £7.50 for 100mls, it's an affordable treat too.

Most times, I have a tube of this  in my bag at all times too:

 Liz Earle Hand Repair.  When I first tried this hand cream - must be about 12 years ago now - this was a revolutionary texture for me. It's matte, and leaves your hands soft and moisturised, without ever feeling greasy, which is utterly wonderful. Again, it's easily absorbed and with a lovely herbal scent.  A 50 ml tube of this will set you back £8.95, so it's a bit more pricey than the All for Eve, but it's a very handy size for carrying around with you.

When my hands really need a bit of TLC I use a dollop of this:

Lanolips Wild Rose Balm Intense. Which is an incredibly rich, thick, even dense, balm of medical-grade lanolin which requires warming in the palms of your hands before it becomes soft enough to be spreadable onto your skin. Once that's done though, you're rewarded with a rose-scented treatment cream that's an incredible treat for parched skin.  It's fabulous on dry cuticles and anywhere you have dry, parched or even cracked skin.  It costs £8.95 for 50mls , but it's also available in a less intense version for dry skin which is £9.95 for 120 mls, making that one a bargain.  I find the smell of this one extremely (and randomly) nostalgic, in that it smells - ever so slightly - like the plastic they used to make Sindy's out of. 

Yes, I am a weird.  What are your recommendations for handcreams? 

The Fine Print:  These are all products I've quite happily spent my own pennies one.  Make of that what you will ...


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