Benefit's Hot Lips

BENEFIT'S UNIQUE APPROACH TO BEAUTY

You know, Benefit is one of those brands that never seems to fade or flounder. As it’s their first mention on my blog, let me just give you a little X Factor back story. The initial concept was founded in 1976 by two twins called Jean and Jane Ford with a small make-up store in San Francisco – I’ve been at a press launch where Jean and Jane have actually sung – and penned their own cheeky lyrics, which goes a long way in explaining their creative and non-corporate approach to beauty. Their ‘hero’ product back-in-the-day was a blush and lip tint called Rose Tint which was created for an exotic dancer who wanted a rose flushed tint for her nipples! It was later reinvented as Benetint. Going global 15 years ago, it’s a brand that has captured many a beauty heart with their quirky and retro cutsey packaging along with stick-in-your-head names and funky fonts. Although copycatted over the years by some, it just goes to show that packaging isn’t everything; it’s their formulations that stand true to the test of time, as well as their never ending ideas for giving us good face.

New on their scene are these Ultra Plush lip glosses. They don’t actually hit the stores until July, but I just couldn’t keep my lips sealed, they’re so good! Created to complement their bestselling box of powders of the same name, it’s hard to pick one as a favourite, so I’m guessing it won’t be long before you plump for all six. From sheer coral (CORALista) to shimmering golden nude (Hoola) they slide on silky smooth, with absolute no tackiness or cheap aftertaste. Lips are left looking sexily gleamed and understated. Just the slick for summer.

Benefit Ultra Plush lips glosses are available from July and cost £13.50 each

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Party time for Elemis's Papaya Peel

This peel has to be one of my favourite masks. Ever! A must-have for many a make-up artist – they swear by it for jet-lagged skin, or for pores that need a pep up, Elemis are celebrating its 10^th birthday with limited edition, eye popping packaging designed by British artist Laura Oakes.

The reason I’ve returned again and again to this mask over the last decade is simple, it works. Its workings are self explanatory in its sell – it uses the natural fruit enzyme Papain extracted from crushed Papaya and Pineapple sourced from Africa. Lovely to wear, this creamy, non-scratchy formula gets busy in just 10 minutes by gently melting away superficial dead skin cells, leaving skin feeling pleasantly hoovered. Pores look clearer and skin texture brighter and smoother. As for those with sensitive skins, there’s no fear of redness – it has a cut-off points so won’t over exfoliate. And, not to reshuffle the formulation after 10 years speaks for itself

 More than just making a splash with newly designed packaging, Elemis have also teamed up with the new charity SOCO to provide funding for over 50,000 vaccinations for children in Africa. Short for Socially Conscious, it’s a charity canvassing hard to alleviate poverty and malnutrition and to address healthcare and education issues in underprivileged societies. It warms the cockles of my heart when beauty companies go more than skin deep.

Elemis Limited Edition Papaya Enzyme Peel launches June 1^st and costs £28.60.

www.timetospa.co.uk

Charmed, I'm sure!



DOLCE&GABBANA'S CHARMING COLLECTIVE

I have to admit I’m having a pretty mad beauty crush at the moment on Dolce&Gabbana. Having just reviewed their Light Blue Dreaming in Portofino fragrance last week, this week I’ve just been introduced to their Limited Edition Charm Pencils Collection consisting of four lipliners and four eyeliners. And just had to share!

As you can see from my snaps these sophisticated trinkets wouldn’t look out of place hanging from your neck, let alone a pencil, so make for a very fashionable addition to your make-up purse. Each charm is related to the designing duos world – love, luck, femininity, fashion and romance. As for the pencils themselves, they’re soft in texture and glide on seamlessly. Lashes to lips are beautifully enchanced in a single no-fail swoop. Just charming!

SHARPEN UP YOUR BEAUTY ACT

The Eyeliner Charm Pencils are available in four colours: black, coffee, platinum and Stromboli at £19.50 each.

The Lipliner Charm Pencils are also available in four colours: nude, dahlia, fire and soft at £19.50 each.

Available from Harrods and www.harrods.com

The Body Shop's Beauty Makeover

LILY COLE AS THE FACE OF
THE BODY SHOP

The Body Shop has undoubtedly always been on my beauty radar. Founded by the late Anita Roddick in 1976 – I met her a couple of times and I found her inspiring, passionate, a little bit scary (as all entrepreneurs are) and not without strong views. She was a pioneer in creating an environmental and socially responsible brand. A year before her death, The Body Shop was taken over by the L’Oreal group which raised eyebrows namely for their stance on animal testing, but in true Roddick style she riposted by saying, selling her business to a huge firm, will be able to influence the decisions it makes. But business politics aside, The Body Shop – which personally I found had flat lined creatively over the last few years, has rediscovered their beauty mojo – although more commercially digestible, once again.



LILY OFF DUTY BUT LIVING
THE BODY SHOP SPIRIT

Their first big move was signing up flamed haired, cerebral model Lily Cole last year as their first ever Global Ambassador, and the face of their Beauty With Heart campaign. Known for her environmental credentials, she was the perfect fit – naturally beautiful, educated and emotionally intelligent. Lily has given the brand a glamorous edge whilst still retaining their core values.

PUFF ON RADIANCE

MINI HI-SHINE LIP GLOSS

The new limited edition make-up range which is vegetarian and 100% cruelty free has a Doris Day feel with their packaging. The Puff On Radiance for instance comes with a cute-as-a-button pink powder puff and the Lip & Cheek Dome brings an innocent 50’s flush on cheeks and lips – Lily’s favourite product in the range by-the-way. The make-up line falls in two colour stories: Pink Revolution and Coral Me Beautiful. So, if like me you've passed by The Body Shop for a while, put it back on your beauty-dar.

CORAL ME BEAUTIFUL COLOUR SWATCH

Lily’s Cruelty Free Make-Up range is strictly limited and prices start from £4 for the Mini Hi-Shine lip gloss.

www.bodyshop.com

Scented sensuality



ELIZABETH TAYLOR WITH EDDIE FISHER
IN PORTOFINO

You may not be taking a trip to Portofino this bank holiday weekend, but it’s easy to whip up the olfactory excitement of sunshine, sea and sizzle with a generous spritz of  Dolce&Gabbana’s limited edition Light Blue Dreaming in Portofino.

A beautiful fishing village on the Italian Riviera, Portofino has a get-away-from-it-all paradise vibe that is frequented by the jet set. With an old word, romantic movie style presence – Elizabeth Taylor used to vacation there back in the day, it’s a fragrance that relies heavily on high-end escapism. Top notes of Litchi and Ambrette seed along with rich floral tones of Iris and Osmanthus settle warmly on the skin, delivering an easy, breezy intimacy that has you dreaming of beaches and blue skies. A true emotion potion,  I think I’ve just embarked on a summer sensory fling!

Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue Dreaming in Portofino Limited Edition is available from this month from £32.

Smoke gets in your eyes wtih UNE

There seems to be a beauty commandment that says, 'Thou shalt not wear smoky eyes in the daylight hours." Well, rules, or commandments are made to be broken, and the rule breaker here is UNE. Launching three new wear-in-the-day smoky eye make-up shades called Sfumata - named after an Italian painting technique favoured by Leonardo da Vinci, they're intellecutal in name, and smart in application. For the art buffs amongst you, Sfumato is actually a technique that consists of layering paint to create a smoky mist. It's a practice that can be adopted whilst working with these eyeshadows.

I'm a lover of the smoky eye, but rarely wear it myself for fear of looking over-done, but I have to say these shadows are low-key in their application whilst giving the desired effect. Combining both intensity and subtlety, they boast a high content of colour mineral pigments and blend on seamlessly. The overall effect is smoky without being too smoky. In essence, they create a smoky halo which is perfect for day time without looking like you've had a night on the tiles. Workable and wonderful!

Intense Sfumato Eyes cost £9.29 and comes in shades of deep green, intense blue and charcoal grey.

Feel Good Naked with Emma Hardie!

BIKINI BOUND THOUGHTS?

I’m a huge fan of Emma Hardie and her brand Amazing Face, and why she hasn’t called her two new body focused products Amazing Body I have no idea. However, naming issues asides, I’m a little bit excited over these two wondrous pots of lovely-ness. 



A POT OF LOVELY-NESS

Moving her face line down below the jaw line, and with thoughts of sunshine and a bikini bared body for summer, her Natural Lift and Sculpt Body Treatment and Body Butter will shape up bumpy and dry goose pimpled flesh in a jiffy. Emma’s known for her highly concentrated, aromatic and enriched botanical ingredients and these body beauties don’t disappoint.

FINE ROSE AND CHINA CLAY SCRUB

The Body Treatment is a luxurious mud-based scrub that throws together fine rose and china clays with detoxifying Himalayan salt, exfoliating granules of organic red corn, along with moisturising sweet almond oil leaves. The whole alchemy is body-blowing. I can only describe it as the best in-house spa treatment you'll experience in your own bathroom. As you can see from the texture, it means business, but the skin suffers no cheap scratchiness and is left feeling super smooth along with a healthy radiant glow. Emma reveals it’s also the perfect back treatment mask to help purify and detox congested and blemished skin.

THE DELICIOUS BODY BUTTER

Post scrub, the Body Butter has the look and texture of Greek yoghurt. Skin literally wallows in the luxuriousness of this nourishing and hydrating moisturiser with shea butter and exotic Inca Inchi oils from Peru. Let me tell you, this Body Butter demands to be massaged in – no quick slap and tickle application here. As thick as it looks, it absorbs surprisingly quickly, but leaves the skin not feeling veiled, but opaqued in moisture. You can literally feel the skin’s elasticity pinging back! Emma explains that using feel-good aromatic products encourages the self-practice of massage which helps to promote the remove of excess toxins for a toned appearance.

 Some might say these two body products are quite costly when you can pick up a generic scrub and moisturiser for under a fiver each, but quality pays in terms of application – pots are generously sized and the top drawer ingredients ensures you don’t need handfuls for instant body benefits. Love, love, love! 

 Natural Lift and Sculpt Body Treatment, £46

Natural Lift and Sculpt Body Butter, £49

Available from John Lewis, Urban Retreat in Harrods, QVC UK and FeelUnique.com