Givenchy La Rouge Lipsticks

These limited edition lipsticks are a brand new offering from Givenchy which you can snap up for £24 each at Harrods right now.

The La Rouge lipsticks have a semi-matte formula, which is long lasting and wears really well.

Givenchy La Rouge Lipsticks in (from left): Fuschia and Coral

These lipsticks are very pigmented and give great colour payoff - just one swipe is plenty and you get a really bold, lasting colour on your lips.

My personal favourite is the Coral shade which I think would really brighten up any complexion. I love the Fuschia shade too, but it's so purple I don't think this will suit as many people and it's definitely not an everyday colour for Spring/Summer. It might be a pretty shade for Summer evenings, though.

As always, I'm a sucker for the packaging and these babies come with white leather detailed cases - if you look closely you can see the white leather parts down the side of the lid.

Givenchy are releasing some really good quality products at the moment (I'll feature a few more of these shortly!) and these lipsticks are no exception - powerful, feminine colours with a really nice texture for the lips.


Will you be buying one of these? Which colour is your favourite?


xo

By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge

These brand new lipsticks from By Terry are the next generation in lip products. They contain a hyaluronic acid concentrate to smooth, renew and regenerate your lips.

The lipsticks themselves are primarily sheer but you still get a ready good veil of colour. They have a really glossy texture which gives lips a volumised, plumped appearance. 

I'm loving the colour range available for these, too. The one shown above is Nudissimo - it looks like a perfect nude lipstick.

There are a range of really flattering shades with something to suit everyones personal taste and skintones.

These are great lipsticks because they are something you can wear everyday and they actually improve the texture and condition of your lips whilst wearing them - something not many lip products can genuinely offer.

The lipsticks are available now for £25 each. Space NK  have these in stock and are currently doing free delivery on them until Sunday so if you are thinking of getting one, get there quick!


Liz
xo

Topshop Lip Crayons

The Topshop make up collection has some surprisingly good pieces for a high street fashion store. A lot of clothes shops try to do make up and it doesn't work well at all but the Topshop collection has always seemed very well planned and a better quality than most.

The lip crayons are one item I particularly like. They have some really pretty colours and the consistency is kind of balmy. Different colours have either matte or shiny finishes - all with a big colour pay off. If you try a matte one, apply either a lip primer or a little balm first to prevent the product looking too powdery.

At only £7 each they're a real bargain and at this price you can can get a few different colours to try. My favourites at the moment are Powder Room (a medium to light matte pink) and On the Cards (bright shiny Barbie pink).

Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge

Two great reasons to buy this product...

1) It's a really pretty double-duty product that can be used on your lips and cheeks

2) 100% of the purchase price for each pot (£18) goes to charity. This year's charity is Dress for Success London, a charity that women on low incomes get back into work.

Pretty and charitable? What other excuse do you need to buy?!

Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge

You can get this now for £18 from Selfridges or Bobbi Brown.


Liz
xo

Estee Lauder Mad Men Collection

I'm a huge fan of Mad Men - if you are too you'll be just as excited about this collection.

If you don't watch Mad Men (why not?!) it's a big American TV drama set in the Sixties. The beauty trends of the Sixties are among the most copied ever and this collection doesn't veer to far from the classic Sixties look.

Porcelain skin, nude lips and manicured, creamy cashmere nails were all the rage and this Estee Lauder collection nails that retro style perfectly.

There are only 3 pieces to this collection - I suppose that is a good thing for our purses, and because the 3 items are so spot-on Sixties, perhaps you don't need any more than 3..

Nail Lacquer in Pink Paisley

Rich, Rich Lipstick in Pinkadelic

See-Thru Blush in Light Snow

I am lusting after the blush big time - how adorable is that packaging?! The boxes that these products come in all match that blue and yellow print which gives everything a romantic, retro touch. I kind of want a top made in this print now too...

This collection is set to launch on 4th March to coincide with the sixth season of Mad Men in the UK.


Liz
xo

Dolce and Gabbana Animalier Collection

Hi everyone!

Following on from yesterday's post, I wanted to show you the other two products in this collection from Dolce & Gabbana.

Dolce & Gabbana Animalier Classic Cream Lipsticks in, from left: Desert, Iconic, Caramel

These lipsticks are a long-wear, moisturising cream formula that apparently smell of rose. They are supposed to represent 'classic' colours whilst still retaining that smouldering, sexy element that the Dolce & Gabbana is reknowned for. They cost £27 each and you can get these online from Harrods.

Dolce & Gabbana Animalier Eyeshadow Quad in Desert

This eyeshadow quad is really worth the investment if you can find it. All of these products are limited edition and the eyeshadow is the one that is tricky to find online! The quad features an assortment of your classic, matte powders as well as a shimmery gold accent for a touch of glamour. The palette costs £44 so is quite pricey but I think most women will get a lot of wear out of these colours and a palette which keeps them all in one place is very handy.

If you are as in love with this leopard print packaging as I am you'll want to rush - the collection has been around for a little while and once it's gone it's gone! I personally want one of each!

Will any of you be buying any of the products from this collection?

Liz

xo

MAC Archie's Girls - More previews

Hi everyone!

A lot of the Archie's Girls collection is available on the Selfridges website now and it should be live on the MAC website soon, so I thought I'd share a few more of my favourite items from the collection...

Betty Lipsticks in (from left): Girl Next Door, Betty Bright and Oh Oh Oh

 The Veronica lipsticks are much more in my colour range than these Betty ones, but they are growing on me each time I see them. The Betty shades in this collection are probably more everyday colours - very girly, peachy and pretty. Having seen swatches of these, my favourite of the above is Betty Bright which is a vibrant peach colour. 

Betty Polish in PepPepPep

Pearlmatte Face Powder in Veronica's Blush

 I am loving the look of this face powder - the cute design has reeled me in! This face powder combines pearlized and satin shades and can be used as a blush or highlighter also.

Veronica Powder Blush in Prom Princess

 This blush is a mid-tone pink berry with a satin finish. The pigment in these blushes is really good so you only need a tiny amount.

Veronica Polishes in (from left): Past Curfew and Double Trouble

If anyone has got anything from this collection already, let me know by leaving a comment - I'd love to know your thoughts.

Liz

xo

MAC Archie's Girls Preview

I am SO excited for the MAC Archie's girls collection to launch. 

This collection is based on the 1950's comic book series, which focused on 'best friends and worst enemies' Betty (blonde) and Veronica (dark).  Betty is characterise as a girl next door type, whereas Veronica is the racier of the two, and the collection is based around this principle - dark vs light, if you will... 

There are literally so many pieces from this collection that I will be wanting to buy, but in the meantime I just wanted to show you the lipsticks and glosses I am particularly enthusiastic about. The Veronica collection is much more my style, but I will also feature some pieces from the Betty collection for you soon!

Above form left: Veronica Lipstick in Daddy’s Little Girl, Ronnie Red and Boyfriend Stealer

The lipsticks are exactly what you would expect from MAC - really great texture, good colour impact and the cute packaging makes them even more covetable. I am lusting after 'Boyfriend Stealer' in particular, which is a gorgeous, dark wine shade. I think lots of the products from this range will sell out and wouldn't be surprised if this lipstick was the first one to go!

From left: Veronica Lipglass in Mall Madness, Strawberry Malt and Feelin’ So Good 

These lipglosses are the same texture and quality as MAC's usual lipglass range which a lot of people love. As you can see, the lipsticks are designed to compliment the lipsticks so these are a great addition to the range, either to wear alone if you are more of a gloss girl or to layer over the lipstick for a shiny colour impact.

All the Archie's Girls products will be launching in March in the UK - be sure to sign up for the alert on the MAC website so you can be first in the queue and I'll see you there!


Liz

xo

Valentine's Day Make Up

Whether you like Valentine's Day or not, it's hard not to feel in love with these Valentine's themed beauty products...

This super cute lipstick by Marks & Spencer Limited Collection is only £5.00 and comes in a light pink or rose shade. Easy to wear, pretty colours. They remind me of the Paul & Joe 'cat head' lipsticks - both are adorable and a fun twist on a product many of us use every day.

Another product in this line from Marks & Spencer is this multi blush, which comes in at just £6.00. It features little hearts in various shades of pink for a rosy glow.

MAC's Archie Girls collection will be launching in the first week of March and I'll be snapping up this eyeliner along with a couple of other pieces. The packaging for this whole range is really cute and a lot of the products look really wearable.

This is the Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in 'Black Swan'.

For the brave ones amongst us, these heart sequin eyelashes from ASOS (£15) are a really bold and creative way to get in on the love theme. These do not look particularly comfortable...However they undoubtedly add something different to a look!

Last but not least, heart decoration for the lips in the form of a temporary lip tattoo! This is another piece from ASOS and costs £10. Probably not an item to wear on a date or if you plan on eating anything (!) but for a girly night out with friends these are pretty fun.

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Liz
xo

Autumn/Winter 2013 Trends from the Catwalk: The Dark Lip

Fashion week is upon us and first on the schedule is New York which has been taking place over the last week.

Beauty at New York Fashion Week is typically very groomed, polished and immaculate. Beauty-wise it's a great place for fashion week to start because it always features the key trends.

One trend in particular that has popped up on various catwalks this week is the dark lip - namely at Vera Wang, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Derek Lam and Zac Posen. This is a beauty trend which comes round time and again but is a really beautiful autumn/winter look.

Vera Wang Autumn/Winter 2013

  

Derek Lam Autumn/Winter 2013

 The best thing about this look is how easy it is to achieve. A strong, dark lip looks best with pared-down make up on the rest of the face so you only need minimal make up elsewhere.

3.1 Phillip Lim Autumn/Winter 2013

To achieve this look start with a seamless, neutral base. Buff in any foundation until you have that 'no make-up' look. Apply concealer only where needed for added brightness, add one coat of mascara on the eyes and then move on to your lipstick.


There are a few different shades to try in this trend, depending on your skin tone and hair colour. Darker skins can carry off bright wines, plums and reds, whereas pale skins should stick to more muted tones of brown and pink. Olive or medium skin tones can pull off the dark lip easily - brownish reds, burgundies and aubergine colours are your best friend for this look!

If this trend scares you, try a gloss first to ease yourself into the trend.


A few recommendations...

MAC Lipstick in 'Cyber' - an intense, dark purple with a satin finish

MAC Lipstick in 'Dark Side' - a full-bodied dark grape shade

Nars Lipstick in 'Fast Ride' - a vibrant shade with a velvet finish

Dior Rouge Lipstick in 'Hypnotic' - a long-wearing, buildable burgundy shade


Let me know if you have any favourite dark lipsticks that I should try!


Liz
xo

Diane von Furstenberg Autumn/Winter 2013 New York Fashion Week

I am a big fan of Diane von Furstenberg, not only because she creates beautiful, womanly clothing but because she has always been about empowering women. Her clothes have all the glamour of the seventies but with a clean, modern twist.

Some of my favourite outfits from the show...

Diane von Furstenberg Autumn/Winter 2013 at New York Fashion Week

The make-up for this show is my favourite from NYFW so far. James Kaliardos, who created the look for Diane described it as "Life is the party...how you get up in the morning, and feel great" which I think is the perfect description for this look. The pink lipstick is so vibrant and fun, and seems to suit every model regardless of hair or skin tone.

The whole look was created using MAC products. The lips were created by using MAC Chromographic Pencil in 'Magenta' all over the lip to give them that bold, matte colour - this isn't available in the UK but MAC's standard Lip Pencil also comes in Magenta. Face and Body foundation was applied lightly to the face, using a slightly different shade on the temple and cheekbones for that warm and 'real' skin appearance.

MAC products

For the eyes, MAC's eyeshadow in Omega was applied very lightly to the brow, and a highlighter was applied along the cheekbones to give skin radiance.

I really love this look. The clean and perfectly highlighted skin complimented the power lip perfectly, and the simplicity of the look allowed the lip to stand out without making the whole thing look too 'done'.

I hope you like this look too! I'll be featuring a few other Fashion Week looks on my blog so if there are any that you love and want to know how to recreate, leave me a comment!

Liz
xo