Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil

Cheeky Clarins. This review was originally going to be in time for the launch in February - but this was released across Clarins counters and online on Sunday and is already sold out nationwide.

I can see why.

The Instant Light range was always going to be expanded on, such was its success (clearly!). I've used the original perfectors since they came out.

Between the weather and travelling for work, this gem of a lip product saved my lips last week. It's comforting, soothing, shiny without being sticky and has my most-favourite lip applicator ever. I kid you not. It's the most comfortable use of a product ever.

It contains:
- Polyglyceryl-2 ISO-Sterate/Dimer Dilinoleate COP-Lymer
- Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer
- Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil (Jo Joba)
- Corylus Avellana Seed Oil (Hazel)
- Prunus Insititia Seed Oil
- Parfum/Fragrance
- Vanillin
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
- Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract6
- Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil (Sun Flower)
- Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)
- Leaf Extract

and is designed to enhance, protect and nourish, which it does, wonderfully.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil I am told, is going to be back online by the end of the week from www.clarins.co.uk and it is £18.00.

Join the queue. I have (need the raspberry!).

Guilty Pleasure - and one of my most repurchased items - Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush glosses

I've been meaning to blog about these for the longest time - but didn't want to until I'd stocked up. Selfish cow - I know.

Victoria's Secret - they of the tres expensive yet tres tres comfortable bras - do a tight selection of beauty/cosmetics - it's what you'd expect - extremely sweet perfumes (some of which I also secretly love), body products, the basic makeup range and lip glosses. Oh the lip glosses. I have been in love with these glosses for years. Years. The picture above shows the repackaged version of my favourite range - they are now called Beauty Rush and come in 26 shades. 26! We don't get that many in the UK - but you lucky US dwellers will.

They are the exact colour that you see, the ones I buy have no shimmer - but they are available in differing depths of pigment and with shimmer if that's your thing. The applicator is the tube itself - perfectly slanted with a small opening so you don't drown in gloss with one slight push. They are flavoured/smelly - almost like cotton candy. I love that though.
If I had to take one lip gloss to a desert island - it would be Candy,Baby - which in the picture above is book-ending the other two: Yummy Berry and Citrus Kissed. The absolute perfect pink. For me. If you want really sophisticated formulas and a fashion designer's name on your products - these may not be for you. I love a swanky lip gloss as much as the next girl - but for all day/everyday use? These win every time.

And the best part: these are 4 for £20.00. Annoyingly they are also 4 for $20.00 - which tells you everything you need to know about rip-off Britain and why I take an empty suitcase when I go to the US.

www.victoriassecret.com

Michael Kors Beauty #SportySexyGlam

Yesterday I had possibly the best personal intro to a new range since I started the blog. Over lunch, with gorgeous company - *waves* - I was taken through the new Michael Kors Beauty range. 

Those of you that know me IRL will understand my love for The Kors. I don't generally go in for the whole designer 'thing'. Oh but I love Michael Kors. Love him. If he was a singer he'd be SLB*. If he was a guitarist he'd be Jimmy Page. You see my point...

He's larger than life, throw-it-all-out-there and doesn't take himself too seriously. And this collection is a reflection of him. It's fun, glamorous, sexy and gorgeous all in one.

GLAM

SEXY

SPORTY

Predictably my favourites from the Collection are the bronzing powders (£34). Huge, gorgeous pigment - no glitter.

#Glam - Beam - The deepest golden bronze.

#Sporty - Glow - barely any shimmer - traditional bronzer - if you use NARS Laguna? This one is for you.

#Sexy - Flush - I think this is my favourite - it has a divine pinky/coral tint that literally looks like a 'flush'.

The above is all three lined up together to show the difference - and the below is my beloved NARS Sin blusher - for scale - see? HUGE.

Lip Lacquers £23.00

Lip Luster £21.00

Six shades of Nail Lacquer - £15.00 each.

And as if that wasn't enough...guess who he's used for the ad campaign?

And he's a Leo.

*snaps fingers in a Z formation*

Michael Kors Beauty is available in Macy's in the US and launches in selected House of Fraser stores in the UK on 18th September. It's beautiful. Go get yours.

Next week: the Fragrance and Body Collection

*Simon Le Bon - obvs.

Bobbi Brown Lilac Rose Collection

I'm a sucker for a good flower visual. This is for the new Bobbi Brown Lilac Rose Collection available nationwide from today.

Hard to go wrong with Bobbi Brown and how much do those colours make you pine for Spring??!

Prices start at £11.00 and the Lilac Rose Collection is available on BobbiBrown.co.uk

Soap & Glory Cosmetics Launch

Marcia Kilgore is a genius. I don't throw that word around thoughtlessly - she just IS. The woman behind Bliss and Fit Flops is in a league of her own. I remember being at a talk she gave to industry people a few years ago just before the launch of Soap & Glory. She was presenting the concept of the brand to the bigwigs at Harvey Nichols when they asked her 'Why Harvey Nichols would possibly sell something so cheap and 'mass' market?' to which she went around the table and asked each of them 'How much do YOU spend on a shower gel?'
The answers were resoundly 'not more than a fiver' and she sealed the deal. At the same event she mentioned how the trademark office hung up on her team when they tried to register 'Sexy Mother Pucker' thinking it was a prank call...

And thus Soap & Glory launched in Harvey Nichols Beyond Beauty whilst simultaneously becoming the Number 1 brand in Boots. In the beauty industry - this is unheard of. You're either 'mass' - and sold in chemists/supermarkets etc or 'prestige' and sold in department stores such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. To cross over takes real skill in marketing and good product with no BS. Women are not fools.

So: after the huge success of the bath and body range (of which I have a healthy stalker-like obsession) which included a little dabble in cosmetics - comes the official launch of Soap & Glory Cosmetics.

Affordable, funky in style and staying true to the original S&G ethos of fun 50's packaging and images - it's undoubtedly going to be a sure-fire success.

I personally showed no restraint when invited to their Head Office and spent a good hour ooh-ing and aah-ing at the new products on offer which include Fabulipstick, Show Good Face foundation, Cheekmate cheekstain and various eye products including kohl pencils, eyeshadows and mascara....

Thick & Fast Mascara

In fact my only gripe is with the mascara. A big brush does not necessarily big lashes make. It's too big to actually be able to get it on the lashes successfully. And the formula is a little dry. I have used it over another mascara to give 'oomph' and that works well - but for me, it's not great for normal everyday use. Sadly.

Glow All Out Luminizing Face Powder

Glow All Out however is lovely. I need a bronzer to stop me looking like death and my bronzer of choice this year has been New C-ID's Coral Glow. This is a great cheaper alternative. Lifts off nicely on to the brush and doesn't look orange or dry. I know my bronzers. This is a good one.

Sexy Mother Pucker in Yummy Plum

Predictably, from a Sexy Mother Pucker addict, this is my favourite. There are other colours but this one I think is the most user-friendly. It gives great sheer colour - and you get the notorious SMP 'burn'. LOVE.

Soap & Glory Cosmetics prices start at a bargainous £5.00 and are available from Harvey Nichols and Boots - although surprisingly not from their own website. Sort THAT and it'll be damn near perfect.

P.S. - As I hit 'publish page' S&G is on 3for2 in Boots.

P.P.S. - the above were PR samples - but I'm off to Boots to stock up on all things Righteous Butter....