Monday, 29 September 2014

BUY THIS NOW: Sephora Give Me More Lip Ultimate Lip Sampler


As you may remember, I'm currently in the USA on an extended work trip.  Which means, obviously, lots of browsing at Sephora.  I spotted this lip sampler last weekend (it's part of the Sephora Christmas set lineup), and despite owning a million lip products already, had to give in and buy it.  It costs a teeny tiny $59 (or £38ish, if you want it shipped to the UK), and inside are seventeen (SEVENTEEN!) lip products - sixteen mini ones, and one full size.  Oh, and a mini lip brush.

You'll have to excuse the smartphone photos, and the attractive background that is the carpet of my rental apartment, because there was no way in hell I would be waiting til I get home to crack this open and start playing with it.  Sorry (not sorry).


Saturday, 27 September 2014

Too Faced Cat Eyes Eyeshadow & Liner Collection


Here we have the latest in Too Faced's 9-shades-of-eyeshadow-in-a-tin palette releases - Cat Eyes is a selection of shadows, three of which can be used wet as eyeliner, for a 'ferociously feminine' look.


Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Guerlain KissKiss Lipstick in 369 Rosy Boop


Guerlain's Fall (or Autumn, as we know it in Europe) collection gives us a few new shades of the existing KissKiss lipstick, including this rather gorgeous neutral rose.  In true Guerlain style, the name doesn't mean a lot to me - Rosy Boop is still a cute and unusual name, very French somehow.

Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Recent Repurchases: Clarins Truly Waterproof Mascara & The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Beautifying Oil


You may recall just how much I loved Clarins' Truly Waterproof Mascara - it gives great definition, doesn't budge in the face of sweat, water, long days, humid weather and it's super, super black.  When the sample I reviewed ran out, I went immediately out and bought a new one.  And will continue to do so until I find something better.... might be a long while then.  At £21, it's expensive, but lasts ages and is definitely, definitely worth it.

I've not written about the Body Shop's Beautifying Oils before, but I've been through a few bottles now, so I thought I probably should.  I'm the world's laziest person when it comes to body moisturisation - rubbing creams in is boring.  Squirting a bit of oil into my hand and smoothing it over wet skin is pretty easy, though, and this oil is fabulous - not too heavy, not too perfumed, just hydrating and silky and lovely.  Not only is this stuff perfect for the body, it's great on the hair - a few drops keeps my hair soft and healthy despite rather a lot of colour processing.   At £9, they're well priced, since a little goes a long way, and they come in a plethora of scents should cocoa butter not be your thing.

What have you repurchased recently?

Disclosure:  Both purchased by me.  

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Monday, 15 September 2014

GOSH To Enjoy in New York Eyeshadow Palette


GOSH's new releases for winter include three new eyeshadow palettes, each boasting nine shades themed around a US city.  There's Vegas, which is full of shimmering brights; LA, with jewel toned blues and purples; and New York, with a more purple-ish take on neutrals.  I've got the New York palette to show you today.


Tuesday, 9 September 2014

BUY THIS NOW: Amazing Concealer


It takes real balls to name your product Amazing Concealer.  Expectations are set high, and if it isn't, well, amazing, then you're going to take a lot of flack and probably disappear from the beauty industry pretty quickly.  Luckily, Amazing Concealer is actually amazing.


It's amazing because the pigmentation is so rich that it's more like paint than it is a makeup product.  Despite being so highly pigmented, it manages to look surprisingly natural on the skin - so long as you follow the simple prescribed application technique, that is.  The technique simply advises that you pat it, not rub it, and you use the tiniest speck possible and build up if you need to.  You won't need to, because the tiny speck will surprise you with how many blemishes or undereye circles it can cover - I use the amount of product above to cover both undereye areas, and the three or four healing spots I've got at the moment.  Impressive!


The one thing I'm not quite so keen on is the packaging - it's a teeny tiny tube (since a little goes a long way) and I find it difficult to squeeze delicately enough to dispense only a small amount of product.  What usually happens is that I squeeze out too much, then spend the next few days using the residue left on around the opening of the tube with my fingers, and the residue in the lid with a brush.

Anyway, packaging gripes aside this stuff is absolutely amazing if you're looking for some heavy duty undereye shadow or blemish concealing, and you don't want to go for a dry product like Laura Mercier's much beloved Secret Camouflage.  The price is £19.50 for a tiny 6ml tube - ordinary I'd be affronted that it was so expensive for so little, but given that my sample is still full and I've been using it for a month, I think it's pretty reasonable.  The makers say the 6ml tube should last 6 months, which makes it actually a bit of a bargain.  Find it at Marks and Spencer now.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Sunday, 7 September 2014

Neon Pink Hair (and a new job)

So!  It's been a bit of a quiet week on LBR.  The reason for this is that I've just started a new job, which means soaking up tons of new information and being absolutely exhausted every night.  As part of my induction, I'll be in San Francisco for 3 weeks very soon, so please bear with me if posting is somewhat sporadic!

Anyway, the day before I started my new job I had an appointment at the wonderful Rockalily for my usual colour.  Since I was just back from holiday, and my hair was a rather incongruous blonde at the ends and peach at the roots, I asked if we could bleach it down and go for the brightest possible pink.  The lovely Emma obliged, and my hair is now almost neon.



It's so bright the camera struggles to pick up much else!  So much so that my DSLR doesn't capture it particularly well at all - luckily my phone does.  I absolutely love it.  I keep forgetting how bright it is, and wondering why people on the street are staring at me.  If you're ever in the mood for a major hair change, or a super-bright colour, don't hesitate to visit the lovely ladies at Rockalily - they perform brightly coloured miracles every single day.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Monday, 1 September 2014

NOTD: Illamasqua Melange



Illamasqua's latest collection, Once, has a distinctly vintage theme, and the sole nail polish within that collection is absolutely glorious.  Melange is a dusty, muted duck egg blue with plenty of burnished golden bronze micro glitter, and it somehow manages to look antique. I think it's the combination of the faded colour and the slightly tarnished, rusty shade of the glitter.

Anyway, musings about colour aside, I've only got a single coat on in the photos above.  I was being a bit lazy when I applied it, and I was unsurprised to find that like most Illamasqua polishes, this one has great opacity, and is smooth and thick enough that it virtually applies itself.

At £14.50, Illamasqua polishes certainly aren't cheap, but they tick so many boxes for me (outstanding application, unique colours, decent wear, good texture) I'll always be prepared to part with my cash in exchange for them, and Melange is no exception.  Find it now at the Illamasqua website.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
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