Tag Archives: lips

I (finally) fell for Chanel

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chanel-rouge-allure-velvet-lipstick-review-4My first Chanel lipstick. Yes, you heard it right.

This is one of those moments that makes me feel like a fraud as beauty blogger. Until a few weeks ago, I didn’t own a Chanel lipstick. There, I said it. Even my Chanel bag came before the lipstick!

So obviously I went for a red. Not any red, but the gorgeous Rouge Allure Velvet Rouge Feu (57), part of their Le Rouge Collection no1.

chanel-rouge-allure-velvet-lipstick-review-1This is an orange red, which personally is the best red for me (although true and blue also suit my complexion) and it has a beautiful matte finish.

Despite the finish, it is very creamy and extremely comfortable to wear. Durability is very good and it fades evenly.

chanel-rouge-allure-velvet-lipstick-review-3Also, I find this quite special as it was purchased at the brand new Fabled by Marie Claire shop in Tottenham Court Road, London, where you can find the best names in beauty – skincare, makeup, nails, fragrance, hair – it’s all there!

The counters are super approachable and the service and care are fantastic. Plus, you get to shop the Marie Claire edits, which are perfect for those looking for a look.

chanel-rouge-allure-velvet-lipstick-review-2I have to say that Marie Claire nailed it with Fabled. Bringing all those brands together, making beauty shopping easy.

And it gets easier: you can shop online and get it delivered with Ocado, within a named 1-hour slot. You can read all about the Fabled shopping experience on this post.

And because I love you, here’s a 15% discount code: VOU039323938, valid until the 26th October.

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The liquid lipstick

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liquid-lipsticks-3Stop press. I have succumbed to something liquid on my lips.

After living my fist makeup years (ok, way more than just my first years) smearing my lips with clear lipgloss (oh, the freaking 90s), I completely went off it and never looked back. I am a lipstick girl through and through.

In recent years, I started adding a tiny bit of high performing gloss to my lipstick, for that added volume trick.

However, liquid lipsticks started coming into the market a fir while ago and now they have hit the big time, flooding the high street. I must confess that scepticism got the best of me and I wasn’t that keen on Kylie, Jeffree, Kat Von D, YSL, just to name a few. So much I hadn’t tried anything until….

liquid-lipsticks-4I was at The Apartment over LFW and Collection had a fab area. Amongst other goodies to pick up, were they yet to be launched (and now on the shelves) Velvet Kiss lipsticks.

I picked one – because you know, I can’t resist, but didn’t get more than one because, you know, it’s a liquid lipstick. No good. Right? RIGHT?

Wrong. Very wrong. On another visit, I may have picked up a couple more.

And since then, more brands waltzed into my life and I cannot get enough. The brands on the market now deliver, for a very affordable price, superb quality.

liquid-lipsticks-3The pigmentation is ace, the finish is fantastic and durability great. All that on top of the ease of application. I find liquid lipsticks are the perfect everyday lip colour.

It is easy and quick to apply, there is no huge precision and multiple steps as it is with lipstick and it does deliver in a similar way.

High street budget brands do not disappoint: Collection Velvet Kiss (£) and MUA Velvet Lip Lacquer (£3) are fantastic tiny investments that offer a great return.

There is a colour and finish for everyone. Hello, blue ❤

Lord & Berry Timeless Kissproof lipstick is a little bit more on the expensive side at £15 but pays off in creaminess and colour.

I will be reviewing them all soon, as I think they deserve a good go!

My heart will always belong to lipsticks, but I can confidently say I found a tiny little corner in it for liquid lipsticks.

Are you a fan? What’s your favourite brand?

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You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

#BanTheBoring with the new Lancôme Juicy Shaker

Posted in Beauty, Make Up by
lancome-juicy-shaker-review - 2Lipgloss hasn’t been a thing for me in a long time.
Lipstick, one of my beauty trade marks, however, just came into play 8 years ago. Before that, lipglosses were the thing on my lips. Blame the 90s.
lancome-juicy-shaker-review - 1The classic Lancôme Juicy Tubes were an integral part of discovering makeup for me, but I felt I grew out of them, in a way.
Bring in the Lancôme Juicy Shaker, somewhat a version of the cult classic, reworked for the present day.
lancome-juicy-shaker-review - 4Start with the packing, a cute bullet that keeps a surprise: a ridiculously soft sponge applicator in a conical shape, which delivers the right amount of product and helps contour the lips.
The lipgloss itself has a super light formula, supercharged with oils (they are all the rage, don’t you know?!). These contain a blend sweet almond oil, omega 3 and cranberry oil for extra hydration and softness.
lancome-juicy-shaker-review - 3I tried Apricute and Cherry Symphony and the pigmentation is very decent:  a somewhat buildable tint (which is said to get more intense the more you shake the bullet) with a lovely sheen that is in no way sticky. My hair hasn’t caught once!
lancome-juicy-shaker-review - 1So good tat even my little forest friend wanted a piece of it – I had to be pretty nifty in removing them from the tray! 😀
Lips feel soft and moisturised. A real blast from the past in the best way possible!
lancome juicy shaker reviewThey come in an amazing 14 shades, including the limited edition Mint to Be, cost £18 each and can be purchased online and at retailers nationwide.
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A GOSH a day: matte lipsticks for the whole week

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gosh_aw15_velvet_touch_lipstick - 2 GOSH always delivers when it comes to lips. Every season. And for AW15, it is no different.

They are bringing out the love Velvet Touch Matt, which has eight fabulous matte shades, from nudes to rich plums, to update our lips in the new season.

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B.Sweet Candy Shop lipstick in Sherbert Dip review

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b sweet sherbert dip lipstickA bold lip is something I sport more often than not and while it is usually red, I am also a big fan of popping pinks, so the B. Sweet Sherbert Dip lipstick is just up my street.

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Beginner’s budget makeup bag with Make Up Gallery

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makeup gallery - poundland

Make Up Gallery launched at Poundland not that long ago. Having tried a good range of products, I can say they brought out a good line for the exceptional value of £1 each.

I think the range is perfect for younger girls putting together their first makeup bag.

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Product review: GOSH Lip Lacquer

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Gosh Lip Lacquer

Being a lipstick lover, I didn’t really think I’d give a lipgloss a lot of time. Oh, I had no idea how wrong I could be before I found the new GOSH Lip Lacquer.

They come in 8 lovely shades, from sheer to great coverage colour, from nudes and corals to pinks and reds – a colour for every pucker out there. And when they say colour like a lipstick, shine like a gloss, they weren’t lying!

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MAC Packed to go = ♥

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MAC packed to go promo imageI can barely contain my excitement since I opened the newsletter from MAC this morning and saw their Packed to go collection,  with a dozen beautiful compact product packages.

All very portable, what I find great about this range is that it covers a fair bit: from isolated areas (eyes or lips) to full face and looks in a box – and even brushes (although this is not news – every year MAC launches sets of make-up bag size versions of their brushes; I have two!).

My very favourites have to be the eye shadows, the Cool and Warm Smokey sets  – 6 shades for under £30, good value, if you, like me, is used to paying around £11.50 for one MAC eye shadow colour. The colours are very up-to-date, with 2 lighter shades, which are always a good all round base colours and rich greens, browns and dark reds.

The all black three assorted eye liners, which promise “versatility (which) lies in the application and the graphic quality of the line”, also intrigue me.

The Cinematic collection, offering lips kits and brushes, also caught my eye. I simply adore the colourful brushes!

I am in love (again!) and it is going to be very hard not to grossly overspend this weekend, as I have a make-over booked with them!

Wish me luck resisting!

On lipstick and lipgloss

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For many years of my life, my lip companion had been the lipgloss – my glossy addiction spanned for more than a decade, from completely clear to reddish hues, dabbling into the glittery ones.

My first encounter with a lipstick was when I was a child, not only would I wear it, on the lip and all over my face, but would also eat it, to my aunt’s despair.

Just as I remember!

Growing up, the thing to have back in the early 90’s was this green lipstick which would change colour to a weird translucent, dark red when applied. This would also stain your lips (and everywhere else you applied it to) for around 24 hours. And it was true, it did stick. The packaging was bright green with golden butterfiles embossed on it.

That was my last memory of wearing lipsticks. All my clubbing life, lipgloss was the thing to wear on your lips (apart from boys’ lips). There was always one in the handbag, and one in the car. Just in case.

Pinks, oranges and reds: my lippy collection

As a big fan of striking eye make up, I always thought lipsticks weren’t for me. The discretion of the gloss was the best companion for my smokey eyes. It was only in 2008  that I decided to venture back in the world of lipsticks, as I started to pay more attention to the shades available – and I fell in love.

And I have, since then, favoured the lipsticks over lipgloss, maybe it is just fashion, but I feel, that, just like me, my make up style has grown, developed, and I feel much more confident to wear whatever, whenever.