Masterclass - Lipstick

 

Lipstick is a combination of pigments, oils, emoluments, and waxes. This applies a colour, texture and protection to the lips. Some lipsticks can contains perfume as well as added vitamins but there is an increase of lipstick that not contain these they can increase chances of allergies.

 

Most lipsticks have four finishes:

• Cream - Has a slight shine to the finish, known for needed to replenished often. Has a high level of wax while long lasting ranges have a higher level of oil.
• Matt - Dull finish that can last longer
• Frosted - Lasts the longest because it also the driest, this produced by adding shimmery like mica or silica.
• Translucent - Almost colourless lipsticks.

Lipstick is made from grinding and heating ingredients. The heated waxes are added to the mix for texture. Oils and lanolin are added for specific formula requirements. Afterwards, the hot liquid is poured onto a metal mold. The mixture is chilled and kept cool so that the lipsticks harden. Once they have hardened, they are heated in flame for half a second to create a shiny finish and to remove imperfections.

 

It was said that first lipstick was made by Mesopotamian woman who grounded gemstones to wear on their lips. The ancient Egyptians expanded on this creating toxic combinations to decorate their lips including the first uses of fish scales to produce a shimmery effect.

 

In medieval Europe it was forbidden for people by the church to wear cosmetics and was know to be a mark of women of the night to be wearers. It wasn't until Royalty, Elizabeth I, started the trend for wearing blush red lips with pales faces that it acceptable for the higher classes to be seen wearing make up.

 

The first commercial lipstick was manufactures by French perfumer Guerlian in 1884. It was wrapped in silk paper and made from deer tallow, castor oil, and beeswax. It wasn't until 1921 that it acceptable for women to start wearing cosmetics and lipsticks.

 

Next Week - Lipstick trends

NOTD Filthy Gorgeous's Tea Bird with Rock Chick Tips

There's no underestimating this - I love this colour! This is the manicure I had done by Filthy Gorgeous at Olymipa Beauty on Sunday. I was instantly draw to the colour, it was perfect for cheering up a grey rainy day. The tips have a dark pewter shimmer with also lets the blue through. I honestly kept staring at my nails, I adored them.

Filthy Gorgeous are based in London and offer beauty service out of their London base in Regent Streets Superdry store. Not only do you they provide nails, but also make up, hair, and anything you need to get ready for a night on the town. You can see more on their services and full range of polishes here.

The polish itself went near solid colour with the first coat, with the second just making it perfect. They dry touch proof very quickly, their top coat really impressed me not only for the shine but for the time it took to dry. I was off the stoll with my collection bags and went to the bathroom. I nicked my polish, or so I thought, as it didn't even mark 15 minutes after finishing. If it wasn't for snapping my nail today the polish would still be looking fresh 3 days after having them done.

NOTD Boots No.7 Betty Blues (with added gems!)

 

If you follow my twitter (@unevenlemming), you would of known a few weekends back I was in a dilemma of going out or not. This was because my pay check had not cleared and it was my bridesmaid's birthday. I had settled for a night of painting nails and blogging, did eventually get my arm twisted and ended up having a brilliant night out with all my friends that I hadn't seen in ages. Thanks guys, it was much needed!

 

These are the nails I sported on that night, Boots No.7 Betty Blues, a deep (and I mean deep) dark navy blue that has the slightest blue shimmer. The bottle I have is from before they had a total revamp, and thankfully it is still in the current line up. The new line up has got some new colours that I have my eye on already, but for the life of me I cannot remember the names.

 

The varnish goes on smoothly, I did mine in two coats to get it truly dark, then on the ring finer put on some small white and blue gems from poundland. The wear time was really good as I expected, however the gems lasted until I caught one and ripped a bit of nail with it! They came off soon after.

My Giveaway win and NOTD with Fingerpaints varnish

In giveaways I don't normally win, I try and enter ones of people I already follow (or at least have a read through previous enteries to see if I would like to afterwards). There is an awesome blog I follow which combines my favourite items trainers and nail varnish called Lacquer and Laces by The Sneakerette. She does find some of the best indie lacquers that are on the market, photos are superb and the trainers are to die for.

She did an brilliant NOTD using Wet 'n' Wild black, Finger paint's Asylum and matt top coat. It's beautiful Check it out here the prize was these two above - Finger Paint's Sparkle Top Coat and my own bottle of Asylum.

Couldn't wait to get asylum on my fingers - This is with two coats of SpaRituals Undercurrent creme blue with one coat of Asylum over the top. The photos really don't do it justice! I have worn the Sparkle top coat over a soft pink for a daytime look, it's packed with glitter and glimmers beautifully in the sun (since I did the manicure there has been no sun to get a decent photo! I'm determined to get one!)

 

They are from America :( but can be viewed here

If I didn't have a mortgage to pay

As being more of a 'maturer' bblogger it takes me a lot longer to purchase the stuff I really want. Most of the time by the time I can afford it, I'm already onto the next big thing that everyone is raving about. Being a blogger I do change my a lot, entry to entry, as I skip through my read list. There are however items that no matter what I still really want.

 

1. War Paint: Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein - Their Lives, Their Times, Their Rivalry

I am a bit of a book nerd, my current to be read list is over 20 books already and my amazon wish list is over 100. This charts of the very first rivalries in the beauty world, before women even given the vote, these women created their own business which are two of the most respected companies in the industry. One of the many beauty books on my wish list.

2. Flake Away by Soap & Glory

 

I love a good scrub, not an exfoliated. I like to feel like it is getting rid of dead skin, not just giving them a little tickle. A mixture of Shea butter, sweet almond oil with the duo of salt and sugar scrub, it's not scrubs but leaves skin super soft. The scent is divine as well, for £7.00 well worth it.

 

3. OPI German Collection - German-icure 

 

OPI and I have a very long love affair from when I was first training about 8 years ago to today. If I won the lottery I would buy all the colours in every part of the range. I literally will have to hold myself back at Olympia Beauty next month, because before I would know it I'd probably buy £100's worth without blinking. I have allowed myself one - this one from the AW12 range around Germany. It's a chocolate brown burgundy shimmer that is on trend for the season. (I might sneak in Every Month Is Oktoberfest, a shimmer rich purple but shh)

 

4. Real Techniques Stippling brush

 

First it was sponges, then it was foundation brushes, now it's all about the stippling brush. It suppose to give an airbrushes finished and can be used with a majority of face products. This is suppose to be the F1 of all the brushes, developed by the Pixiwoo girls and everyone who has used them adore them, the more I read about it the more I want it!

 

5. Konad stamping set

 

I actually missed out on buying one of these earlier this year at The Ideal Home on a massive discount because yet again I was broke (I picked up free tickets to go to the show). I've now seen on lots of nail blogs how fab they look and can be done with them, I'm chopping at the bit to get a set. If any has recommendations of sellers then please let me know.

 

6. YSL Le Teint Touch Eclat Foundation

 

I use the concealer for the days I look a little tired, which currently is everyday. When I read this was coming out I wanted to try it, when I started seeing swatches it upgraded to longing. I will be investing in this as I like the look of the finish and colour range.

NOTD - OPI's I Don't Give a Rotterdam

Over the weekend my husbands grandad has his 80th birthday and his main wich was to have all the family together. Saturday afternoon we all gathered in one of parish's churchs (his does the accounts for them) halls to catch up, eat lots and general just have a really relaxing afternoon.

I had recently brought OPI's I Don't Give a Rotterdam from Laurzrah's blog sale after seeing it on one of my friends and fell in love with it's blue/grey tones with a silver/gold shimmer. For the party I had a dress that had been sitting in waldrobe for the right occasion, a navy blue V-neck knee length with white doves that I brought at the beginning of the year from Matalan in the sales for £10.

It was a really good day out and was great to see everyone including family down from Scotland. I ate lots of things I shouldn't really of eaten and lots of fizzy pop!

The Whole family - I'm second from the left :)

NOTD: Salsa by Boots No.7

Oh Boots how much do I love thee? It does however alway seem you are constantly are on offer, so much that now I think I own most of the varnish collections just though £5 off vouchers alone (I have family who donate them as well as earning them myself). This is my favourite, my other favourite "Pink Grapefruit" no longer exists *sob*, if there are any dupes can people please let me know. Back on topic, this is my red of choice, a rich red shimmer that oozes that glamour that is required when wearing red.
I love the brush on this for something that is unprofessional and reasonably prices at £7.95, goes on evenly in two coats and when a top coat is on, boy does it shine. I prefer the stay perfect collection rather the speed dry, I find the formulation is better and is not as thick. For me it starts to chip between 3-4 days but to be honest by then I'm ready for my next colour.
A benchmark was also hit yesterday - The blog had 2000 hits, yet again I want to thank everyone who regularly reads my mutterings. It still is makes me feel humble that people want to read my enteries. Thank you once again.