Mumsnet BlogFest 2012

Did I mention I was a guest-speaker at Mumsnet BlogFest the other week?  I suspect I only really mentioned it in passing in the Evans post ... anyhoo, I was, and, out of all the blogging conferences I've been to over the years, BlogFest was by far the most fun! And not just because I was one of the panellists ...

I bought a ticket for BlogFest as soon as I heard that Liz Jones and Caitlin Moran were going to be speakers. Really, I couldn't imagine two more diametrically opposed journalists, and I was interested to see what both of them would have to say about blogging. As food was included in the entry price (and I'm a sucker for a catered event), I figured that seeing either, or both of these ladies speak would be well worth the entry fee ... and how right (and wrong) I was!




I was slightly bemused at the time of buying the ticket that the "Blog  Beautiful" (which I was magnetically drawn to for some strange reason) panel featured no actual beauty bloggers, and, whilst it did contain the utterly divine Sali Hughes, beauty writer of the Guardian, it has to be said that the other panellists: Erica Davies, Avril Keys, Alyson Walsh (who are amazing by the way, go check them out) are, whilst definitely beautiful, inarguably more fashion-focused than beauty.  My plan was to go along and ask why they didn't have any "pure" beauty bloggers involved.  I'm nice like that.  Alas, my cunning plan was scuppered slightly by them inviting me along to fill that particular slot!   Our panel was lots of fun - although I understand a few of the audience were a bit confused and thought it was about making your blog beautiful - and I talked far too much, as you'll see if you click on the video above.

Me in full flow (images from the video)

The rest of the day was great too,  I developed girl-crushes all over the place for some of the amazing women on the bill.  Caitlin Moran was both hilarious and inspirational, though I'll never be able to look at a microphone in precisely the same way ever again, it has to be said.  Miriam González Durántez gave an amazing, rousing speech at the beginning of the day, setting the tone perfectly for the rest of the sessions.  In particular Suzanne Moore and Cath Elliot were amazing, strong, opinionated women, and their tales of the troubles their writing have caused them - seriously, a few "you look like crap"comments on beauty blogs are nothing compared to the trolling other women go through - really helped me put a few things into perspective.  Also, Zoe Margolis has the best hair I've ever seen.  FACT.  I may have made a fool of myself mentioning it in one or a dozen tweets or so, afterwards.

As for Liz Jones ... well.  Some of you have probably read some of the hoo-ha her piece about BlogFest in the Mail on Sunday the other week caused, so I won't go into it here (it's dull, she's dull, the Mail is dull - and IT HATES YOU, so if you have a womb, then you need to STOP READING IT.  Seriously, I used to work there. And, before you say anything, I know).  Well, let's just say that Liz Jones is ... unwell.  And very, very sad.

Oh, and the food was ace.  Any blogging conference that has a four separate officially-scheduled cake-breaks is okay with me. The food - and drink - alone was well worth the entrance fee.  Oh, and there was a goody-bag, the contents of which still make me giggle, thanks to the inclusion of the Bonne Maman cookery book, which appears to believe that the inclusion of jam into everything (beef stew with blueberry jam, steak in ale and redcurrant jelly, kedgeree with apricot conserve, those sorts of recipes).  My only regret about the day is that I couldn't attend every session.  In particular, I was disappointed not to be able to attend the "Blogging Can Change The World" session, as I genuinely believe that blogging is changing, if not the world, then women's lives all over the world.  It's certainly changed mine, and, as I sit here in my pyjamas, typing this whilst staring at a pile of boxes I haven't yet sorted, and not sure I have room for even when I do, I still think it's for the better.  Blogging has sent some amazing opportunities, and people, my way and that's very definitely changed my world.

I'll be booking a ticket for next year for sure. I doubt they'll let me speak again, bless 'em ... 

This post: Mumsnet BlogFest 2012 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

Wedding Preparation with Slendertone Face

It is less than 90 days till the "wedding of the weekend"* takes place, and, I have to admit, I'm getting a bit nervous now.  The dress is bought, the invitations have been posted, the rings are ordered, we've tasted the cake(s), booked the band, bought approximately 58,754,665,476 boleros in an attempt to cover up my bingo-wings (know anybody who needs a silvery bolero?  Cheap?), recruited MakeupbyKaty, MissMerxMani's, Priya Sonn, The Beauty Slice and CookWithSheenie (hey, I'm a blogger, and I'm all for supporting bloggers with their own businesses) for various bits and bobs, and I think that finally - an outfit for MrLippie aside - that we're nearly ready.

Almost.

There's still stuff to be done, and some of that will actually involve me doing things for myself, which is where Slendertone Face comes in.  I've had a couple of facials this year (reviews upcoming), and I've enjoyed them a great deal, but I can't afford - in either time or money - to have one every week, which is what I would really like to do.  

Slendertone Face gives your facial muscles a workout every time you use it.  Essentially, it uses electrical currents to stimulate the muscles in your face, making them contract and relax and increasing blood flow to the skin, which in turn improves both the condition and tone of your skin.

Packaged like a set of expensive headphones, you wear these hooked around the back of your head, and the wider bits sit in front of your ears, just underneath your cheekbones.  There are three settings, Facial, Radiance and Massage, and you control the intensity of your "workout" via the handset:

It's easy to use, you press P to select your programme, then use the plus or minus buttons to increase or decrease the power of each connector till you can feel your muscles working.  Then you sit back and relax!  My kind of workout, frankly ... oh, if your eyelid starts to twitch, you've probably got the power too high, you need to work up to the increasing power levels.   You must make sure that your skin is clean, dry and free from creams, otherwise the pads won't stay in contact with your skin.

I'll be honest, it does feel a bit weird in use, (and MrL thinks it looks hilarious), but you soon get used to it.  And I have to say that anything that'll help me tighten up my jowls is a must-have as far as I'm concerned!

You use the Slendertone face three times a week for around 15 minutes (depending on which programme you're using), and you should start to see results in around six weeks.  I'll keep you posted.

The Slendertone Face is currently on offer on the Slendertone website, and has £50 off.  It currently costs £199, which is just slightly over the cost of three really good facials.  A bargain?  We'll see.

Now, I wonder if it'll fix my bingo wings ... ?


 The Fine Print: PR Sample. Begone foul jowls!  Begone!

This post: Wedding Preparation with Slendertone Face originated at: Get Lippie on November 22nd 2012 All rights reserved. 
If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

Shopping My Stash ...

My makeup collection is insane.  It always has been, admittedly, but one of the side-effects of being a beauty blogger is that you're constantly being seduced by the call of the new, and old-favourites can sometimes get sidelined.  Sometimes, however, I like to take a little wander around products that have been favourites in the past (called "shopping your stash", by beauty bloggers) and rediscover what I loved about them.

The above picture shows some of the things I've rediscovered lately, and that I'm loving using.  From left to right we have Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place ShadowCreme (catchy!) in Pink Pearl, Guerlain Kohl in Mirage, Noir and Oriental Metal, and Malin+Goetz lip moisturiser.  Let's take a closer look:

I love the Double Wear Shadow formulas, they're smooth and easy to use, and last all day.  Pink Pearl isn't a shade I wear alone (it's pink), but it makes a great base for other shadows, and is great for adding a touch of "glow" to a neutral eye makeup look. It blends out really well, and wears all day, a perfect shadow base, as it's a lot easier to blend over than say ... Urban Decay Primer Potion.

I like this so much, I'm going to investigate a couple more shades of this, in Smokey Plum (as I can't resist anything purple), and Precious Jade, which contrary to its name is a slightly greenish-taupe colour.   I love me a bit of taupe, allegedly.

Moving onto the Guerlain Kohl's, here's how they swatch:

Mirage is a matte brown, which doesn't contain that much red, and is therefore fairly easy to wear. Noir is a lightly sparkling black, which I adore. And I don't really have the words to tell you how much I love Oriental Metal, except to say that it is taupe.  And I love taupe above all things.  Okay, most things.  Okay, some things. But when it comes to makeup, it's probably definitely safe to say that my taupe obsession borders on the unhealthy...  I've been wearing these shades a lot recently, and wish Guerlain would bring out more shades, I think a purple would be wonderful ...

Then, there is the Malin+ Goetz lip moisturiser, which I wrote about fairly recently, it is, quite simply, the best base I've found for lipstick, ever.  I must own (practically) at least one of every single lipbalm ever made, and the lack of grease and instant hydration that this product offers is unbeatable.

What's lurking in the depths of your makeup bag?


The Fine Print: Purchases, mainly.  To get to the other side, silly! What, you expected more from me?
 
This post: Shopping My Stash originated at: Get Lippie on Novemeber 20th All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

Frontcover Desk to Date Palette

  
Sadly no longer available in  Boots, Frontcover are now available exclusively online, and they're also now internationally available from Sephora, which is all kinds of aces.  Famous for their kits which provide a variety of looks - and the instructions of how to get them, Frontcover is an excellent independent British brand that deserves a bit more recognition.  They've just released their collection of kits for Christmas, and I've been trialling the Desk to Date kit, which is an eyeshadow-only kit.

Desk to Date contains eighteen eyeshadows, ten of which are highly iridescent baked formulas, just packed with pearl and colour.  The remaining eight are neutrals, in a semi-matte formula.  There are also two high-quality (and I don't say that lightly) double ended applicators, which is handy.

The baked shades (Date) are vibrant, and well-pigmented, and rather creamy on application.  Unusually for a baked formula, the shades apply well even without a primer, and are less patchy than I expected.  They are exceptionally shimmery though, so if you're a fan of the gleam, these will be perfect for you:

Applied over a primer, the shades are more vibrant.  My favourite of these is the silver, and I admit to being just a touch disappointed with the lilac above it, but overall, I've been more impressed with these than I thought I would be.

  
The shades in the base are far more neutral, with just the barest hint of shimmer - there are two shades suitable for lining (a dark brown and a deep charcoal), but the rest will allow you to create either a lovely nude look, or an office suitable look in shades of taupe:

Again, the shadows are fairly creamy, and blend well on the skin even without a primer - the shades in the paler colours do tend to err on the warmer side though, I have to say, but they're all very lovely.

Overall, I have to say I'm really impressed with the quality of this palette, the eyeshadows are well pigmented, the brush applicators are surprisingly good, and there's a nice, big mirror in the lid.  What you don't get in this palette, which you do in some of the other kits, is step by step instructions on how to create a variety of looks, personally, I don't see that as a disadvantage, but I'm aware that some people might.  Another thing I like about this kit is that it's made of plastic, rather then the more usual cardboard, which makes it a bit more durable than some of the other Frontcover kits I've come across in the past.

All in all, for just £16, I think that the Desk to Date palette is a winner.  What say you?  

 
The Fine Print: PR Sample. Why did the chicken cross the road? I'll tell you tomorrow
 
This post: FrontCover Desk to Date Palette originated at: Get Lippie on November 19th 2012 
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Technical Difficulties …

We're having some scheduling difficulties at Get Lippie this week, so, in time-honoured "Test Card" fashion, here's a completely irrelevant photo of a tin gingerbread man next to a giant lip balm to tide you over until normal service can be resumed.

You'll just have to imagine your own soothing music …

Sjal Saphir Concentrate Review

A tiny blue bottle of calm, this is.  I haven't tried too many Sjal products up to now, (though I have mentioned this one before, actually), but I'm aware that 30mls of product for £125 is a big investment for almost anyone, so I thought it needed a more in-depth review. 

Sjal describe this product as: "a powerful, modern face treatment oil with an artisanal blend of rare essential oils and supra-3ä, a proprietary anti-aging bioactive complex designed to visibly diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, increase elasticity, plump and revitalize skin. This ‘liquid silk’ weightless oil is infused with Himalayan blue sapphires and aquamarine known to facilitate clarity, calming and balance."

It's a dry oil texture, which is very light, and sinks in very quickly, it never feels greasy, and your skin doesn't feel overloaded in use.  I use it in my nighttime routine, as a serum under a balm, but if your skin isn't as dehydrated as mine is at the moment, you could probably skip a moisturiser as well.

As regular readers might remember, my skin is sensitive, and reddened, even at the best of times, and, after my recent bout of multiple hospitalisations and medical procedures, it's been rather dehydrated, and feeling rather rough as a result too. I've found this oil to have a cooling and calming, and most of all, hydrating effect on my skin.  It has a light citrus fragrance, but this disperses quite quickly, and doesn't linger on the skin.

I find that using this as a night treatment has really calmed down my redness, and it's given my skin a new lease of life, with a better, clearer, more refreshed and even tone, which is fabulous.  If you're under 35 or so, then you really do not need this, but if you're over 35, and feeling a bit run-down, this has worked marvels for my skin.

A simplified list of the ingredients is:

Camellia Oil,
Capric triglyceride (a fatty acid derived from coconut)
Grape seed oil
Meadowfoam seed oil
Macademia oil
Bitter orange oil
Jasmine oil
Sweet orange oil
Lavender oil
Clary Sage oil
Evening Primrose oil
Cotton seed oil
Linseed oil
Camomile oil
Rosemary extract
Sunflower oil
Bidens Pilosa extract (a plant commonly known as "cobblers pegs")
Alaria Esculenta (a kind of seaweed)
Palm oil
Tocopherol (a form of vitamin e)

I'm a little unhappy to see palm oil on the list (but at least it is way down the list), but this is a nice light formula, without mineral oil, without pthalates and parabens, that feels nourishing and light on the skin.

You can buy Sjal Saphir Concentrate from BeautyWorksWest for £125.
  
The Fine Print: PR Sample, which I'm planning to eke out for as long as possible ... 
  
This post: Sjal Saphir Concentrate Review 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

Evans & #Bootgate continued ...

I promise, no more boot-based posts or tweets after this. I'm fed up of me. However I got the following email just now:

Hi Louise,

I am sorry to hear that you wish to decline the offer of £25.00 and are not happy with our goodwill gesture. Unfortunately we feel that this offer is appropriate to the nature of your complaint and are unable to increase this offer any further.

We are still looking into any information from the couriers and will update you once we have received a response from them in regards to the parcel being returned to us.

Kind Regards,
Evans Customer Services

To which I have responded:

Actually, the reason I keep declining your goodwill gestures is not because of the amount, but because of their content. I've made it perfectly clear on several occasions that I no longer wish to be a customer of yours because of the way I've been treated in the preceding four days.

Any "goodwill gesture" from any company where the offended party is then tied into further transactions with the organisation that has caused offence are something everyone should routinely reject.

It's not a goodwill gesture for you to ask me for more money (the offer of a 10% discount on a "next purchase"). It is not a goodwill gesture for a company to offer something that is, essentially, worthless (a £10 gift card) without me spending money of my own. A goodwill gesture is something that doesn't rely on me having to become a customer again, as it is the very act of being one of your customers that has caused the problem on this occasion. I'm not complaining about a faulty product, or a bit of upset caused by a thoughtless comment from a staff member, this little problem has cost me in the region of £350 when you add in lost work, the cost of other items I have had to buy to make up for your lack of delivery on this occasion, not to mention the hours (and I mean that literally) I've had to put into these emails, and my blogpost to get your company to take my situation seriously.

So, as a compromise, I suggest this: If you want to make a "goodwill gesture", then actually *make* a gesture. One that will engender actual, real, genuine and sincere goodwill. Send some flowers, make a donation to charity (I'll choose it if you like), apologise publicly, or something - anything! - but, whatever you or your boss decides to do, just do something that isn't merely a "Here's a voucher, now go buy something else from us and get out of our hair"-shaped "gesture", please.

 

I'll edit this post later if they respond.  Many thanks to everyone for the tweets, DMs, Facebook messages and emails I've had regarding this morning's blog post, I've really appreciated the support today! I don't normally worry about pressing publish, but today I did. I'm glad I didn't have to...

Edited to add:

They changed their offer from a £25 "gift" card to a £25 cheque.  I have accepted this, and will donate it to charity.

The boots are still, at the time of writing, "with the courier for delivery".

I will never shop at Evans Online again.

This post: Evans & #Bootgate Continued  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