Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet - Don't Pink Of It!

Bonjour!

I recently treated myself to a couple of Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks and this is the first ... Don't Pink Of  It ...!

A liquid lipstick with loads of pigment, it's creamy when wet with a slight 'cooling' sensation and glides on before drying to it's matte finish - the doe foot applicator makes it super-easy to paint on 'la bouche'.  It's  meant to last for 24 hours on but nope - not on me anyway - maybe a couple of hours (less if I've eaten anything) but it fades fairly evenly  leaving a decent stain on the lips which sticks around for a while, although it does have a tendency to sit in any dryer bits if I've not kept up with a lip scrub/exfoliator. I also need to top up with lip balm at this stage as there's no hydration once it's worn away and it can feel rather drying being a matte and all!  When I swatched in store at Boots it did appear a warmer and deeper shade (as in the above  pic) but once on it takes on more of a powder pink hue and for this reason I only apply lightly as it does intensify with each additional coat and too much pale pink seems a bit odd on my type of kite!  

Now I've sussed how to make it work for me I'm actually really liking my  Don't Pink Of It! as a lip stain - it's  different to anything I've used before and a good one for those 'not so much make-up days' - paired with a bit of balm it's a  fresh and pretty Summertime shade for the old lips ...  it is still Summertime isn't it? 

Have you any of the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lippies? How do you wear it and which is your favourite?

Jen x

Soap & Glory Super-Colour FabuLipstick - Perfect Day

Bonjour!

This post was meant to be 'out' midweek but the dreaded overtime struck again - which resulted in a few sessions of 'ronking' with the laptop on my knee as I tried to blog!  I should explain that 'ronking' is an Anglo-Indian term for dozing whilst sitting (with or without laptop).  Ronking = late blog post! Anyway ... better late than never!

Enough of the waffle - here's my  Soap & Glory Super-Colour Collagen Boosting Fabulipstick in 'Perfect Day' (what can I say - I had a voucher to use!) and here's how Soap & Glory describe it ...

"Featuring ULTIMELT™ lip shine & shaping technology, 3-D PLUMP™ peptide complex, Shea Butter, Monoi Butter & Vitamin E. Hyaluronic acid and Ceramide 2 (for aging repair and visible wrinkle reduction) help to give a soft, smooth, dewy, plump colour-fill pout." source

Swatched above it has a real dusky/fleshy pink tone to it, which is what attracted me I reckon. I've been using without a lip balm, unless my lips feel super dry and then it doesn't hurt to stick some on underneath.  Either way it glides on with a 'satin finish' and is quite well pigmented.  As regards staying power - I'd say it's pretty standard, blotting and reapplying always helps of course but I do need to stick more on after eating.  Other than that it lasts me a good couple of hours and fades away evenly leaving a non-patchy (quite pleasant!) stain.  The colour is not too 'in yer face' but enough to give a bit of a pop (just a little one mind!) and is a great 'everyday' shade when I want a change from the usual nudes ... perfect for Autumn!

For once I'm not 'ronking' ...

This is my second Soap & Glory Fabulipstick - you can see 'Naked Beige' here.  They come in at £9 each, not so cheap but I usually wait until there is some sort of offer on, gotta love those offers!   The ones I have are not super long-wearing or anything (is it such a chore to have to re-apply lipstick anyway?!) but they are great for sticking in your bag for everyday use and the colours seem so wearable that I feel the need to try another quite soon.  I'm thinking 'Man Trap' or 'Red My Lips' - what do you think?

Are you a fan of the Soap & Glory Super-Colour Fabulipstick? Which is your favourite? Have you been 'ronking' lately?

Jen x

Soap & Glory Super-Colour FabuLipstick - Naked Beige

Bonjour!

A few weeks ago I decided I needed wanted another nude lipstick. I ended up with two (what can I say - there was an offer on at Boots!) and this is one of them - the Soap & Glory Super-Colour FabuLipstick in Naked Beige - mouthful or what!

Love the quirky, true to form Soap & Glory packaging ... with a nice shiny chunky tube ...!

Some good things going on in there ...

Cute S&G hallmark stamp in the bullet ...

Swatched ...

Described as a 'satin finish' it goes on smoothly without the need for lip balm underneath and does feel quite moisturising.   I sometimes struggle with 'the nudes' but, colour wise, this has turned out to be one of the most wearable lippies for 'everyday' that I own as it's not too light, dark, pink or brown - my perfect nude?  As far as longevity is concerned, if I apply, blot and reapply etc then it lasts a good couple of hours, as long as I don't eat anything  -  which practically never happens! Will have to see how long it lasts with a lip primer - any recs for a decent one?  It does just fade away evenly but because this colour seems so close to my natural lip colour maybe the only thing to do is to buy another stronger/brighter shade (they all look lovely to be honest!) just to check up on the pigmentation? ;)

Here we go with the dreaded mugshot  ...

Don't even ask about that facial expression.  Smiling didn't work that day and I can't pout to save my life so I'm afraid it's the 'spaced-out' look or nowt! Seem to have a plethora of open pores showing up too but hey-ho it was warm!

Anyway - back to the lippie - I am liking my Naked Beige for a natural look and have been wearing it constantly for the last few weeks. It's not a 'lip popper' but 'your lips but better' and is definitely one that I can just stick on quickly whilst running out the door (and since I'm usually late for everything this is a regular occurrence)!

Soap & Glory products are on 3 for 2 offer at Boots at the moment so may be a good time for me to try out another couple of colours?  Have you tried out the Super-Colour FabuLipstick - which one did you go for?

Jen x

It's Another Haul Thing...

Bonjour!

Just a few bits and bobs I've picked up. First up is this lot from Sainsbury's last week - all on offer ...

A third off the Palmer's and half price Dove. Wondering what effect the Dove Intensive Repair will have on my mop, the Summer Glow is an old favourite but probably won't get to use it until next year now - rubbish! Sensodyne is so expensive at around £4 a tube I try to stock up whenever there's a half price offer on.  My teeth are sensitive at the best of time so always comes in handy - I'm also planning on whitening my teeth soon which always makes the sensitivity sky high at times and this toothpaste really helps takes the edge off it.

Couple of lippies with the buy one get one half price at Boots. I've gone for nudes - will swatch and post shortly.

Now believe it or not I didn't buy much in the way of clothing or footwear this summer - by the time the hot weather actually arrived I reckoned I could make do with what I had and only bought a couple of t-shirts from H&M and Primark (and one of the items below!). So ...

Jumper and boots from the new range at TU Sainsbury's - can't get out of the grey rut as you can see. Hope the lowered hem at the back doesn't make my bum look huge!  I love these boots and they're really easy to walk in but I'm actually wondering when I'll wear them - not exactly suitable for the school run! Maybe I need a few nights' out planned!

The leopard shoes were an absolute bargain at £9 in the M & S sale - love these! Again - need to get out more and get these worn!  Zara (pretend leather) jacket which I bought months ago at the start of summer and dithered around wondering if I was a) having a mid-life biker chick crisis or b) trying subconsciously to imitate Cher Lloyd! Anyway believe it or not it actually looks ok on my old frame - getting in and out of it is the problem as it's such a snug fit - there is clearly a knack to it which I'm working on!

So that's me done for a while. What have you been buying recently?

Jen x

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick 110 (My first!)

Bonjour!

I've bloomin' done it - gone and bought my first Kate Moss Matte Lippie and I have a feeling it won't be the last...!  I've not been very good on the bold lip front of late - got into a bit of a gloss and balm rut but have been feeling ready to break free ....  I was going to re-introduce myself gently with a couple of subtle creations but what the heck - jumped right in with the gorgeous 110 shade from the Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate...(Moss of course!).

I saw 110 first swatched by Sam over on Honey Go-Lightly blog (which you can check out here) and instantly fell for it ...

Ok let's talk about the 110 - I did apply a little balm beforehand - the lipstick went on easily, great texture- almost velvety and not so matte that it dried up on my lips and also has a really pleasant, fresh aroma!  I love the orange tones in this lippie - it has gorgeous vibrancy to it and great pigment - it's verging on fluorescent but in a totally good way and I found it had a brightening effect on my dull old kite! So much so I wore it to do the weekly shop down at Sainsburys - it's a cheery pop of colour on a dull day!

Apologies for the messy hair btw - am in need of a cut but trying to hold off until December - you know how it is! Further apologies for only half a face - it's all I can manage at the moment (still feel like a bit of a dork and all that - plus my nose is huge and spreads across the entire blog post - if any friends or family are reading this you can stop laughing now!!).

Anyway - long and short I'm glad I trusted my first instinct and went for this beautiful bright lippie - love the Kate Moss 110, think this may be my 'Xmas do' lip colour this year! Would love to try out some more colours from the range - any recs?

You can buy your very own Rimmel 'Kate' Matte lipstick from Superdrug or check out the range from Boots - here . 

Will you be trying out any lippies from the Kate Moss Matte Collection?

Jen x

August Favourites!

Bonjour!

I didn't do my July favourites because I was on holiday so here a few of my fave products during July/August and a couple I've managed to (almost) use up!

Original Source Daily Scrub Cranberry and Honey - there's something about Original Source products that's truly mouthwatering and this is no exception! Smells like something you could spread on your toast/crumpet/pikelet/bagel! It's moisturising and provides a gentle yet effective exfoliation experience!

Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment Spray (sorry I seem to have lost the cover!)- this is described as 'a leave-in finishing treatment that performs like a hairspray'. I love this product, I only use it when my hair is pretty frazzled on the ends, it's like a conditioning treatment in a can with a bit of hold. I find the trick is to use sparingly on fine hair (which is probably why this can has lasted me ages), as with all Ojon products I've used it's pretty concentrated and a little goes a long way. Think it's been re-named though as 'Ojon Damage Reverse Finishing Spray'.

John Frieda Full Repair (Full Body) Shampoo and Conditioner - took these on holiday and then brought them home to finish off (have done so now).  This was a great duo for holiday as I felt it gave my hair a bit of extra protection and moisture in a hot and humid climate.  Not the best volume I've experienced but good on the conditioning front.

Dove Summer Glow Moisturiser (normal to dark) - I've used this moisturiser for a couple of years now, it's great for a bit of extra colour and also for topping up the old tan once you return from holiday. Doesn't give off that obvious self-tan aroma and I've not found it to be too orange in tone but you do have to remember to rub in well around any dry bits!

Chanel Bronze/Revlon Balm Stain/Glossybox Lipstick

Sanctuary Spa Skin Perfecting BB Cream - my ultimate summer BB, been loving this for a while now (that could be the start of a song title!).  It's still my morning 'pick-me-up' complexion wise, seems to keep that bit of holiday colour going. There's loads left in the tube for next spring once I need to 'warm up' my face. I'll definitely be repurchasing this one. You can see my full review here should you with to do so!

Olay Essentials Complete Care Plus Multiradiance Moisturising Lotion (Normal/Oily) - this is a regular re-purchase, especially for the summer months. Absorbs very easily, keeps my skin hydrated, contains SPF 15 and also light reflecting particles which help to give skin a bit of a lift. It's also a bargain in my opinion at £7.99/75ml and has lasted for ages.

Chanel Bronze Universel Sun Illuminator - gorgeous bronzer, a sort of gel/cream texture that gives a natural glow without any shimmer.  This pot has lasted for ages and is nearly finished as you can see. I was once told I looked 'really well' by a friend I bumped into at the supermarket, I can remember being gobsmacked  because I was feeling pretty run-down (as all mums do from time to time) and so put it down to having worn this bronzer on that day!  I told my friend as much! I've not blended the bronzer in (on above swatch) but just smeared a bit on my hand, I think the colour works well on most skintones (it was my 'English Rose' friend who recommended it to me!), hence the 'Universel' vibe!

Revlon 'Just Bitten Kissable' Balm Stain (Rendezvous) - wasn't sure what to expect from this (it looks a bit like a wax crayon from my kids' younger days!),  I fancied something with an orange tone for summer but not too 'full on'.  This provides a wash of translucent colour with a slight sheen but can be built up if you want the colour to be more intense.  Tastes minty and makes my lips tingle! The only thing I would say is I've needed to use a lip balm beforehand because it does tend to cling to any dry areas on the lips (well it does on mine anyway!). Having said that, it is pretty long lasting and does live up to it's name in that it does 'stain' the lips!

Glossybox Lipstick (Glossy Pink) - absolutely love this lipstick, not had one in this tone for a good while and it's been perfect once I had a bit of a tan on my face! It's creamy and moisturising and lasts ok too. I've been a bit lipstick shy for a few years but this has made me want to experiment a bit more on the 'lippy front'!

Erm ... don't know how that got there!  Anyway, this is a childhood favourite of mine. We used to spread it thickly on a slice of bread and have for supper as a treat - very sticky and sweet! Something I like to indulge in now and again.  You'll probably know it's also fantastic when used in cake recipes ...will have to get onto that ...!

So what have been your favourites over the past month? Any childhood treats you'd like to share?

Jen x

August Glossybox!

Bonjour!

So here is the August Glossybox, hot on the heels of the Olympics this is the International Superstars box.  Apparently this box contains 'brands that are well known in the UK as well as products that have cult status in their native country...'

Here's what was in my Glossybox...

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil 30ml - Fullsize £18.50/200ml

DHC Cleansing Oil (from Japan). 'This revolutionary water-soluble cleanser is better than any other make-up remover you've ever tried.'  I'm really loving my current cleansing balm at the moment but will definitely give this a go, interested to see what effect it has on my oily-ish T-zone.

Alessandro Pro White - RRP £7.85/10ml

Alessandro Pro White (from Germany). Apparently an 'Optically brightening effect nail polish with anti-yellowing formula for radiant white and gleaming nails.'  Never heard of this sort of nail treatment, I'm sometimes a bit slack with undercoat and just plonk my polish directly onto my nails. They can become a wee bit discoloured with the highly pigmented nail polishes, so this should be handy.

Lipcote RRP £3.99/7ml

'Original Lipstick Sealer...' (from UK of course!).  This has been around for years and is meant to be applied after lipstick as a sort of 'topcoat' to seal your lippy and prevent fading/feathering etc. Should come in useful for nights out!

Eve's Balm - Fullsize £4.99/7g

A multi-purpose recovery balm to nourish dry, chapped bits! Great for chucking in your handbag with it's lil mirror!  Have used it on lips but should be good on cuticles and nails too, the aroma is very natural and subtle, a lovely balm, I love balms!

Vera Valenti Eyeshadow Palette - RRP £3.85

An eyeshadow palette (from Spain).  I like the neutrals and the darker greens but won't use the paler/minty greens (remember George and Mildred, well obviously just Mildred?).  I used one of the neutral colours the other day and it actually went on ok and lasted quite well (it's got a very slight shimmer to it but not too much for daytime wear!).  Chucked a few of the colours on my arm here ...... the applicators aren't great - bit flimsy, but what the heck eh?

Glossybox Lipstick RRP £9.50

That's more like it!  The lipstick is 'Glossy Pink' a really pretty soft pink, thought it may be too pale for me but it wasn't and looked fine with my bit of tan!

So that's it. Overall I'm pleased with this box, some really nice products, the Eve's Balm and the lovely Glossybox lipstick are my initial faves.

Oh and here's a pic of George and Mildred from the late 70's, just in case any of you youngies were wondering?  Fond memories of my grandparents watching this sitcom...!

'Not now dear, the Horse of the Year Show hasn't finished!'

Glossybox subscription details can be found here for anyone that wants to share the experience! What did you think of this month's box? What was your favourite product?

Jen x