MaxFactor Elixir Challenge

At a recent event the lovely Caroline Barnes set us a challenge to try out all the shades of the new Max Factor Elixir lipsticks. As you all know I'm a lover of lippie so was excited to wear all the colours and decided to do so all in one week!

There is really good selection of shades to chose from in the range, though I was apprehensive over how some of these would go down at work lol...

 Top L-R: Bewitching Coral, Burnt Caramel, Ruby Tuesday, English Rose.

Bottom L-R: Pink Brandy, Mulberry, Angel Pink.

Monday mornings are always difficult and inevitably I end up running late, so I decided to go for the lightest shade in the range - Angel Pink.

This lipstick is a lovely, delicate shade of pink that works equally well with a neutral or dramatic eye. However, as the finish is quite frosty I would recommend applying some lipbalm beforehand, so as to smooth the lips prior to application. I would say this shade is quite retro and reminiscent of the bubblegum pinks of the 60s, so would be best suited to lighter skintones.

On Tuesday I decided to keep it super neutral with Burnt Caramel.

This lipstick is a little more brown based than I would normally wear, but it has a lovely rosy tone to it that brings it to life. To keep it from looking too dark I applied it straight from the bullet and tapped around the edges to blend it into my natural lip colour. I think this lipstick would look particularly beautiful on darker skin tones.
A little more striking than a nude, and more sophisticated than a pink, it is a very welcome addition to my collection.

On Wednesday I went for Pink Brandy, which I had already fallen in love with after seeing Caroline wearing it at the presentation.

This is such a wearable coral shade with a slight pink undertone. I think it would be universally flattering for all skin tones. If you are scared of strong colours this would be a great shade to start with as it's bright, without being too striking. To soften the colour and make it modern I applied it to the centre of the lip and blended to cover. I then added a slight touch of clear lipgloss to make lips look fuller.

On Thursday I had to keep my makeup professional for a meeting, so I chose the shade English Rose.

This is a very classic pink that would suit anyone. Once again the frost makes it a little different as it adds quite a lot of shine and texture to the lips. This shade is very flattering and versatile and would work with an abundance of eye and cheek colours!

On Friday I decided to be brave and go for it with Ruby Tuesday.

Wow! This is such a beautiful, true red. I can't tell you what a raucous this caused in the office, but lets just say that I got many a compliment that day! As with any red this did need a little care in application. To prepare the lips I lined them with a red pencil and then filled them in lightly to provide a good base. I then applied the lipstick with a lip brush. As this lipstick has a blue base it not only lifts the complexion, but also makes teeth appear whiter.. yay! This lipstick lasted really well, even through a coffee meeting and lunch, and only needed one little touch up throughout the day. Ruby Tuesday will definitely be one of my go-to reds in future.

On Saturday evening I chose Bewitching Coral for a dinner date.

In keeping with the bright colour I played up the coral in my cheeks and added a little extra bronzer. To keep the colour fresh and modern I created a stain by applying the lipstick with my finger, and then topped it with a clear lip balm to add some shine. This colour is really flattering and would work even better with a tan!

On Sunday I attempted the most adventurous shade of the collection - Mulberry.

 

I was a little apprehensive about this shade as it is a little darker than I would normally wear. However, it completely surprised me by just how gorgeous it looked, even on my pale skin! I applied the lipstick carefully straight from the bullet and blotted off any excess. I then tidied up the edges with a burgundy lip liner to add some definition to the cupid's bow. I wanted to keep it looking modern, and not overlined, but to still create a really polished look. This lipstick really is something special, it's dark and dramatic, yet the shimmer particles make it still girlie and fun. I am absolutely in love with it.

Overall I am really impressed with the new Elixir lipsticks. They smell yummy (perhaps vanilla) and come in a great variety of shades. The Elixir formula contains a 60% blend of skin emollients, conditioners and antioxidants (including vitamin E), promising to make lips feel smoother in 7 days. After my week long trial I didn't notice a dramatic change in the texture of my lips (though I do put on a balm overnight anyway), but even the very strong colours didn't feel drying while wearing them so I was happy. After trialling the selection of colours and different ways of wear and application I can highly recommend these lipsticks to you guys, they really are lovely, and retailing at the £7.95 mark also affordable.

Have you tried any of the Max Factor Elixir lipsticks? Which shades are your favourite? xxx

It's all about the lips...

I will put my hand up and admit I am not a fan of Fearne Cotton. She annoys me.. there I said it ;). However, when I was shown a selection of makeup for her line exclusive to Boots I was very much excited by the lip sets. It's All About the Lips in Natural is a gorgeous, wearable trio of lip liner, lipstick and gloss.

What I particularly like about this set is the difference in textures between the products, which lets you create different looks and play with different shades of nude. The lipliner is a deeper, more rosy nude that can create a matte look, the lipstick is a light, creamy pink that looks great paired with a smokey eye and the gloss is shimmery, without being overly glittery, to add some vibrancy to the nude palette.

Top - lipliner, Middle - lipstick, Bottom - gloss, Left - all three.

The above was created using all three (sparingly) to create a beautifully irridescent, natural nude lip.

I am really impressed with this set and look forward to sampling more of the range in the future. This line is exclusive to Boots and retails at £10 (here), not bad for 3 products!

Have you tried any of Fearne's range at Boots? xxx

Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick #19 Gabrielle

Its Chanel, it's classic, it's creamy, it's vibrant and rich and perhaps the most beautiful red I have ever seen. My new red lippie of choice is the Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick no.19 Gabrielle. I am in love!

A classic red lip is one of the easiest looks to do, but it never fails to make a statement and make you feel feminine and glamorous. The tricky part (once you have mastered creating a neat lip shape) is finding the right red for you!

 I think this colour would suit most as being a true red it is not too dark or cool, but still retains all its 'teeth brightening' properties. I'll let the swatches speak for themselves ;).

 Tutorial for this look is coming soon, but I just couldn't wait to share my lipstick love!

Do you love red statement lips? What is your favourite red lipstick? xxx

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick

Many of you will be aware of my love for Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream. I first discovered it at the age of 12 (in my LFW goodie bag!) and since then have been using it almost daily. Who knows how many tubes I have worked my way through, but my nightstand is never without it! It’s perfect left on over night to moisturise lips, cuticles and any dry areas - even scars and eczema.

Already being a fan of the brand I was excited to try the EA Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick Sheer Tint SPF 15 (RRP £19.00). As much as I love wearing lipsticks they can often be very drying, so this product is a great solution – lipstick, with all the added benefits including emollients, protective sunscreen and vitamin E!

I was sent the colour Blush, which appears quite bright and striking in the bullet, but gives a perfectly wearable sheer tint of pink to the lips, making them look full and glossy without being sticky or heavy.

This lipstick has now migrated to my handbag, especially as the colour is buildable so it can be applied lightly while on the go or layered for a more striking evening look. As the formulation is so light the bullet is a little softer than traditional lipsticks, so you do have to be more careful as I imagine it may be prone to bending, especially in this hot weather!

Have you tried any products from the EA Eight Hour Cream range? If you suffer from dry, chapped lips it is a must have product! xxx

Poppy King No. 7 lipstick and lipgloss

No7 has collaborated with lipstick legend Poppy King to create an exclusive range of lipstiks and lipglosses to change womens’ views of lip colour forever. The collection encompasses seven colours - ranging from the deep wine of 'Seduction' to the barely there nude warm glow of 'Confidence'. The colours are inspired by eras throughout history re-interpreted to be extremely wearable.

I was lucky enough to be sent two products to try out. The first is 'Glamour' - inspired by the 1950s this is a fun, flirty and feminine pink lipstick. 

 Power on the left, Glamour on the right.

Glamour is quite sheer on the lips, giving a lovely glossy, natural finish which is wearable enough for the day.

 Power is inspired by the 1930s - a deeper berry shade that works great as a more subtle alternative to a traditional red. The gloss is smooth and not at all sticky. It can be applied softly for a sheer wash of colour, or built up (as below) for more impact.

This collection can be found on the Boots website retailing at £12 for the lipsticks and £11 for the glosses. Check out the video below for more information on the different colours in the range!


Have you tried the new Poppy King range? What are your favourite colours? xxx

*This is a sponsored post. All views and opinions expressed are my own as usual.*

Poppy King Lipgloss ECLIPSE

Don't these look gorgeous? So natural and wearable - I would wear them any day, even to work! Just click on the video below to see all the colours.



Though if I had to pick one.. just one.. it would have to be Glamour! You can find the full range here.

What's your favourite colour? xxx

Lipsticks Made For Me

When running low on time I find the best way to look polished is to apply a statement lipstick. I have quite a few L'Oreal lipsticks in my collection as they have a great range of colours, are never drying and are easily accesible and affordable (£8.19 @ Boots, but often on offer). I was therefore excited to try the new L'Oreal Color Riche 'Made For Me' collections - Intense and Nude!

Above and left - Nude No. 380 Luminous Coral. Below and right - Intense No. 371 Pink Passion.

Both of these lipsticks are well pigmented with a lovely, creamy texture that feels smooth and hydrating, giving a subtle sheen to the lips, without being glittery. Like most L'Oreal lipsticks these have the traditional 'lipstick smell', which I personally like as it reminds me of playing with my mama's treasured lipsticks when I was little, but I know it is not to everyone's taste. The packaging has a gold metal look, but is in fact plastic and feels very light, and a bit cheap. Since the lid can only be replaced with the cusp at the front it is quite easy to crack the plastic if you are not careful.

I wore Pink Passion (371) this weekend and loved the intensity of the colour. It also lasted well, even through a meal, as it stained my lips a little. However, as you can see below on my lips this colour was a lot more orange than it appears in the bullet.

 I think this makes a perfect Summer coral shade and I can't wait to try it with a tan!

Luminous Coral (380) is a more wearable peachy shade with a neutral base.When applied lightly it gives a beautiful tint, but is also buildable to a more intense saturation of colour as below.

Have you tried L'Oreal's Color Riche Lipsticks? What are your favourite shades? To see other colours in the range just click here. xxx

Max Factor Kiss Art - Lipfinity Liptints

I have always been a lover of liptints. As my lips are naturally pigmented I find them very easy to use and love the fact that they stay put all day through wind, snow and many a cocktail ;). I was therefore curious to try the new Max Factor Lipfinity Liptints that come in a handy felt tip form, and excited to introduce you all to the Kiss Art charity campaign in association with Macmillan Cancer support.

Max Factor are hosting an online auction at Ebay’s charity site (www.ebay.co.uk/ebayforcharity) on the 28th March 2011 where full proceeds will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support. Max Factor will have its own dedicated area on the Ebay site and the auction will last at least one week. The auction will feature artist, illustrator and celebrity pieces of art with a fun twist - all the pieces are created using Max Factor Lipfinity Liptint pens!

Although I wouldn't describe myself as inherently 'artistic' I have always loved art and to some extent that passion has transformed into makeup. Though when the bf offered to make me an illustration I was curious to see what he could create with two liptint pens! I should have really known... though I assure you I did not model for this boudoir scene lol. Let me know what you think of his imagination... hmm I mean design ;).

So they work on paper but what about the lips? The colours I was sent are perhaps not the ones I would necessarily have chosen, but I have enjoyed wearing both of them. The lip tints smell delicious and are very easy to apply as the product is dispensed through the applicator in just the right quantity, no drips.
The hard edges of the pen also make the application accurate and help to define the lips. I first tried this on the tube and surprisingly managed to 'colour within the lines', which unfortunately isn't always the case for my shaky hands when it comes to lipsticks!

 Without flash - no. 04 on the left and 08 on the right.

 With flash - no. 04 on the left and 08 on the right.

Longevity is great as with any lip tint, though I did find them a little drying. Although I like the matte, natural effect of a lip tint I often reapply balm on top throughout the day, which does make the colour fade a little faster, but gives a glossy appearance and much needed moisture to the lips.

 A quick sweep of number 4. 

This photo highlights the fact that your lips must be in good condition to wear these or any other lip stain. Mine were a little chapped this evening after a day of sitting under the office aircon and braving the chilly wind outside, so you can see some of the colour has collected in the creases. This can easily be fixed with a little lipbalm, but just something to be aware of ;).

Have you tried Max Factor's Liptints? Are you a fan of lip stains? I do hope you all stop by Max Factor's Macmillan Cancer Support auction (www.ebay.co.uk/ebayforcharity) on the 28th of  March! Good luck and happy bidding! xxx

*This is a sponsored post*

17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick

During a recent trip to Boots I spotted the 17 Mirror Shine On lipstick display and couldn't resist a quick swatch! I have noticed these lipsticks mentioned on a couple of blogs, but as 17 is a brand I'm not terribly familiar with my expectations were not all that high.

I was therefore surprised by just how wonderful the texture of these lipsticks was - glossy, creamy and sheer while still delivering a juicy burst of colour. I chose to go for the natural shade of Belle as I thought it would be perfect for work.

Belle is a beautiful, full rosy pink that really has that natural 'my lips but better' look and I absolutely adore it. Its a perfect lipstick for every day that works effortlessly with any eye look.

(Apologies for the washed out colours in this photo)

At just £4.59 it makes a great dupe for many high end lipsticks and is comparable in formulation to MAC slimshines and Chanel Rouge Coco Shines. They are available at Boots stores nationwide, and can be found here online. Definitely worth a look!

Have you tried the 17 Mirror Shine On lipsticks? Let me know your favourites as I will be picking up a few more shades to review soon! xxx