Burberry's beautiful and crave-worthy beauty collection...

With Christopher Bailey at the helm as creative maestro, the downmarket references of the 1990′s have disappeared from the fashion consciousness, and Burberry has returned to London Fashion week triumphantly, spearheading a new wave of looks that stretch far beyond the label’s staple trench. And with ad campaigns featuring the best of British fashion and music royalty, plus a exemplary online project in the crowd-sourced Art of the Trench, Burberry has turned things around 180° and created a new Cool Britannia aesthetic.

Two and a half years in the making, a lot of thought has gone into the make-up collection: “We really wanted the Burberry Beauty to reflect the same attitude as the Burberry girl, so we wanted it to be very relaxed; we wanted it to be easy; we wanted this whole idea of dishevelled elegance to be translated into beauty and make-up,” says Bailey. The ever popular look of past Burberry poster girl, Kate Moss, one might say.

The trench is a strong point of inspiration for Burberry and thus you’ll find every shade of nude in the make-up colour palette, alongside natural tones and darker smoky hues inspired by stormy weather. It’s all about understated sophistication: a smudge of berry-hued lipcolour here, a slick of ‘Effortless Mascara’ there.

Subtlety and luxury are key to the collection, for example the fluid foundation is sheer enough to create a light, radiant, yet lusciously cashmere-soft finish. Lip Cover is satiny-smooth, offering luminous colour in 16 nature-inspired shades from heather to tea rose. Ever on-trend, there are this season’s deep berry tones too, as well as ‘daywear’ colours (we loved Nutmeg) that might just become wardrobe staples. The eye collection offers a similar day/night palette, with sheer eyeshadows in taupe and chestnut for a neutral, everyday look and midnight blue and plum for easy evening glamour.

Products deliver on quality and effectiveness too; make-up is designed to be effortless and thus formulas are long-wearing and highly pigmented. There are UV filters in the powders and foundations and marine plant glycogen in the mascara to accelerate lash growth.

And the packaging? In deep chrome grey and perspex, packaging is embossed with Burberry’s iconic British check and is slick and modern, with a rather clever magnetic mechanism ensuring lipsticks click closed. Definitely as crave-worthy as that aviator jacket!

Burberry Beauty is available to buy online exclusively from Harrods. You can find more information about Burberry Beauty on Burberry’s website.

The Burberry Beauty campaign, featuring Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Lily Donaldson, and Nina Porter.

Dr Hauschka Summer Impressions palette

Have you struggled through spring by hastily throwing on a bit more blusher over that pasty complexion and hoping that the summer transition just won’t come this year? Well it is upon us ladies. The time has come to de-clutter your makeup bag and start using some streamlined summer essentials that will leave you feeling bronzed and beautiful.

Dr Hauschka has long been known for its organic, natural skin care products, but now we can delight in their make up range too. The brand’s Summer Impressions range is a clever capsule collection that will suit all complexions whilst caring for them too.

The collection includes two perfect-for-the-beach, pop-in-your-hand-luggage palettes as well as bronzing fluids and powders. The palettes provide an exotic combination of three silky eyeshadow shades, a kajal eyeliner, and two seductive lip colours makes this palette perfectly versatile for beach or bar.

There are two possible colour ways, ‘Cool Breeze’ for paler skin tones or ‘Warm Breeze’ for the naturally flushed amongst you. Cool Breeze contains a delicately different aqua-toned eye liner that will contrast wonderfully with tanned skin, whereas the warm colour palette offers an earthy golden brown that will enhance your glow. Lip colours in the cooler palette are gently glittery, in rosé and red, but if you’re a mouthy kind of girl then perhaps opt for the warmer palette that contains a glowing orange and punchy crimson colour.

The palettes are refreshingly large enough to contain a substantial mirror – perfect for those promenade touch ups- and yet they’re still not too big for your handbag. Complete with eyeshadow applicator and dainty lip brush, bronzed beach babe is just a brush stroke away with this multipurpose palette that won’t clog pores.

Dr Hauschka prides itself on only using natural minerals, medicinal herbs, plant oils and petals waxes to create their reassuringly simple and safe products, which are then packaged in surprisingly sophisticated compacts. The Summer Impressions Powder Duos are no exception to this ethos. A fantastic combination of two shades of bronzing dust in the same compact, these powders come with a handy little brush (soft, soft, soft!) and an ample mirror to help guide application across your face and décolletage.

Bronzing products from Dr. Hauschka

Choose from co-ordinating colours to the palette, either ‘Warm Breeze’ or ‘Cool Breeze’, and enjoy a healthy, glimmering glow, whether you’re in Barbados or Blackpool. The circular shaped brush will allow you to create contoured cheekbones with ease, and with a choice of two shades it’s easy to achieve a professional looking, well blended finish.

If you’re looking for an overall colour injection for tired skin, try the blissful Bronzing Fluid, available in two shades; Beige 01 and Bronze 02. Neither of the tones have that terrible tan effect to them though – even the bronze shade is suitable for the palest of complexions. With a glide on formula, and subtle shimmer, this fluid is ideal for introducing a little sunlight to your usual regime, whilst avoiding nasty synthetic fragrances, colours and preservatives.

More information on the Dr. Hauschka Summer Impressions range is available online here, and be sure to check out the tutorial on how to recreate the Warm Breeze look.

The Wild Rose elixirs from NYR

Key Ingredients

The skincare treats for face and body are packed with essential oils and ingredients designed to nourish, brighten and firm.

● Rosehip: The basis for all of the products, rosehip oil is a natural anti-oxidant highly concentrated in retinol (vitamin A) and vitamin C which work to smooth skin, fight wrinkles and  improve elasticity. Rosehip is also packed with essential fatty acids which help repair and regenerate skin, as well as nourishing and moisturising.

● Tumeric: Widely used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, tumeric has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which even skin tone and create a natural radiant glow.

● Vitamin C: An essential nutrient, vitamin C boosts collagen production, in turn reducing fine wrinkles and smoothing the skin’s surface.

● Essential oils of Frankincense, Geranium and Patchouli: These add an extra aromatherapeutic aspect to the elixirs, as they’re all relaxing, calming fragrances. They also soothe and rejuventate skin.

● Hyaluronic Acid and Bio-active Tri-Peptides: Both ingredients well-known for their anti-aging, regenerative properties.

We Tried It Out

Due to my not-so-advanced age, I roped in someone whose opinion I trust when it comes to organic beauty products: Mother Dearest. Without a hint of reluctance, she agreed to test out the Wild Rose Beauty Elixir whilst I trialled the Body Elixir.

Maman has been extolling the virtues of Neal’s Yard Remedies’ products for some time and regularly uses the Frankincense Nourishing Cream, so she happily made the switch!  She really appreciated the Elixir’s smooth consistency and pleasant scent and said that it “floated” onto her skin. Words of praise indeed. She also noted that the cream absorbed easily and didn’t leave her skin feeling greasy or shiny, as rich serums can tend to do. I might have chosen my words more carefully when asking whether her skin looked more radiant. Of course, how could she possibly look more gloriously glowing than she always does? Eventually she conceded and agreed that her skin did, in fact feel taut, toned and well-cared for.

Personally, I absolutely loved the delicate rose fragrance of the Body Elixir. Initially it seemed a little overpowering, but the scent calms down quickly, and it’s actually a very clever way of adding another layer to your perfume. The balm is very rich and more like a gel than a cream in formulation, thus it didn’t feel too heavy – ideal for use during spring and summer months. Best applied after bathing, the elixir sinks into your skin and a little really does go a long way. I’m not someone that likes to hang around in the bathroom allowing body products to work their magic, so the fact that this absorbed quickly was a definite bonus. I found that not only were my elbows and knees looking rather smooth, my skin felt softer and more toned. Did it look more radiant? How could I possibly look more radiant?

The Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose range is available to buy online here.

Karin Herzog's indulgent (and guilt-free) Chocolate Trio

If you’re looking to indulge in some chocolate over Easter, it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the form of an egg after all! Chocolate is my antidepressant of choice, and there’s the science to prove my convictions; it promotes feelings of relaxation and wellbeing, boosting serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain. Chocolate is also a powerful antioxidant; researchers at Cornell University have proved that cocoa contains more antioxidants than red wine or tea even though, as they later admitted, they commenced the study expecting green tea to win hands-down.

Back in 600 B.C. the Mayans and Aztecs started using Cocoa. They saw cocoa as a gift from the Gods and believed it had magical healing powers. Cocoa nourishes, moisturises and protects the skin, fighting the effects of free radicals and UV. It contains magnesium, iron, vitamin A, B1, B2, D and E.

We have found the perfect no-calorie Easter egg substitute: chocolate skincare is the way forward. Personally, I hadn’t been this excited about Easter since 1989!  Hot on the heels of Karin Herzog’s super popular Coc0² (chocolate and oxygen) facial comes a divine chocolate trio. Ingredients include real Swiss chocolate and Herzog’s patented oxygen formula, leaving the skin clean while also detoxifying, hydrating, firming, brightening and transforming tired complexions. And the products have celebrity devotees too; we hear that none other than Ms. Kylie Minogue is a fan of the guilt-free chocolate fix!

The philosophy behind the Karin Herzog range is to let the skin breathe. By delivering essential elements including oxygen, vitamins A & E, water and glucose directly to the skin, the brand’s products help the skin look after itself in the most natural and effective way possible. As an added bonus, the Karin Herzog range is suitable for all skin types as their products only give your skin elements that it recognises and needs.

Smelling these three chocotastic products (Chocolate Cleaner, ChoCO2 Oxygen Treatment and Chocolate! Daily Moisturer) brought my Lent no-chocolate promise to a swift halt. Although, technically speaking, no chocolate was being consumed; my skin was getting it all!

In fact, not eating the Chocolate Cleanser was the hardest part of my newfound beauty regime. It looks seriously chocolatey and its aroma (dark chocolate with a hint of orange), beats that of any chocolate spread you’ve ever encountered – and believe me, I have tried many. You are advised to use your hands and massage the product all over your face, eyes and neck to then remove it with a warm cloth.  The need to massage the product in, coupled with the enticing smell, made cleansing my face feel like real pampering and, more importantly, my skin loved it. It didn’t take long for my face to look refreshed and generally suppler.

Chocolate therapy with Herzog's tasty trio

The ChoCO2 Oxygen Treatment is to be used at night, right after cleansing your face, as it encourages and accelerates cellular activity while you sleep.  Unlike the Chocolate Cleanser, this treatment cream doesn’t need massaging so I applied a very thin layer all over my face, lips and neck and allowed it to penetrate. I wasn’t expecting this treatment cream to be soothing but, shortly after application, my skin felt cool and comfortable, just as if I had used Aloe Vera.

The Chocolate! Daily Moisturiser restores the epidermis while increasing elasticity and softness. Unlike ChoCO2, it doesn’t include oxygen so you massage it normally into the skin. It smells heavenly and also contains Swiss chocolate, orange and avocado oils, however I found it a little sticky and my skin felt slightly itchy. The uncomfortable feeling fades away quickly but it made me apprehensive as I have very sensitive skin.

Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and this Easter, largely thanks to the Chocolate Cleanser and the ChoCO2 Oxygen Treatment, I’m celebrating the resurrection of my skin. Praise the ChocoLord!

Karin Herzog products are not tested on animals. For more information or advice, take a look at the brand’s Facebook page. Their discussion board is open to anybody who may have any questions or comments about their products. You can also follow Karin Herzog on Twitter @KarinHerzogUK.

All of the products are available to buy on the Karin Herzog website.

Face Atelier's “revolutionary” Ultra Foundation

I really don’t know how to write this review without going over board with superlatives. I know that there are much worse things in life, but one of the worst days of 2010 for me so far was the day I ran out of Face Atelier’s Ultra Foundation. I’m not joking. This foundation is hands down the best I’ve ever encountered.

As a girl who applies base every single day, I’ve had my fair share of experiences with  foundations. Even my most lauded choice to date paled in comparison with Face Atelier’s “revolutionary” Ultra Foundation. Because it’s silicone based, the foundation “floats” over the skin as silicone particles are larger than skin pores and aren’t absorbed. The next plus point then is that the foundation doesn’t interfere with the absorption of one’s moisturiser.

The innovative silicone content also means that the foundation is especially light to wear. So much so, in fact, that for me it felt as though fresh air was actually able to pass between the layer of foundation and my face! However, the foundation was in no way plastic-y or mask like, but rather, enhanced my visage astronomically and with acute subtlety. In fact, there’s something a tiny bit other-worldly about the Ultra Foundation: it’s a thick emulsion, which requires vigorous shaking before application, but unlike the mental picture of a pot of flesh coloured Dulux I’m certain I’ve conjured up here, the foundation seems to morph into what feels like an organic second skin.

Following application, my skin tone was flawlessly even and appeared extremely fresh looking. Another bonus of the foundation’s silicone content is that it cosmetically fillers in fine lines – great for a late twenty something like me who’s beginning to crease – and ‘moves’ with the natural movement of the face: it doesn’t crack around the eyes half way through the day nor does it blotch up around the mouth.

Indeed, another big fat brownie point for Face Atelier’s Ultra Foundation is that it really does last all day. My face looked equally as good before bedtime as it did when I applied my base in the mornings. Yet, there’s no need for industrial products to remove the make-up; just a little squirt of facial cleanser was more than enough to remove it. Ultra Foundation is not scented either, minimising irritation.

The Face Atelier skin range

There’s just one word for Face Atelier’s Ultra Foundation – amazing. No wonder it’s Madonna’s favourite. At £32 for a regular 30ml bottle, it’s certainly not cheap, but believe me: a little goes a very long way, and there’s little need for reapplication throughout the day.

Big up Face Atelier also for their consideration to darker skin tones also: the Ultra Foundation is available in a spectrum of tones, from palest Porcelain to rich Cocoa. And, should you need to doctor the colour at all to make it even more spot on, Face Atelier have developed Zero Minus and Zero Plus, additional tints you can add to your nearest match Ultra Foundation to perfect the colour for your skin.

And for those among us who are blessed with freckles but wish that they could play them down, Zero Minus is the ‘foundation’ for you: just a little drop on its own will even out a freckly skin tone. Face Atelier’s Ultra Foundation is most certainly a gift from the gods. 10/10.

Face Atelier Ultra Foundation is available online from Cult Beauty.

Andrea Garland's vintage Lovely Lip Bams tins

When it comes to cosmetics we’re suckers for pretty packaging and it doesn’t come more adorable than Andrea Garland’s one-of-a-kind vintage compacts. Garland’s range re-uses vintage tins, compacts and pill boxes, so they’re unique and good for the environment as well!

The lip balm itself is 100% natural too; the botanical formulation uses as many organic ingredients as possible. Made with Cocoa Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Beeswax, Carotene and essential oils of Lavender, Lime and Benzoin; the balm protects, moisturises and smells fresh and natural.

Garland is an aromatherapist by trade, and began creating bespoke beauty products in 2007 in reaction to the unispiring packaging offered by many ethical beauty brands. Today the range includes a variety of skincare lotions and potions for face and body alongside the original Lovely Lip Balm and Facial Beauty Balm.

From floral compacts to kitschy pill boxes and cute powder tins, there’s something to please every vintage lover and Garland offers lipbalm refills, meaning that you can continue to add to the history of these lovely items!

Find out more about Andrea Garland on her website, or buy online here.

Besame's delicious Carmine lipstick

Were you left waiting under the misletoe this Christmas? Or sans snog as the bells rang out twelve on December 31st? Well that may just be because you failed to buy any of Besame’s crave-a-licious lipsticks!

Created by Gabriela Hernandez, the range aims to evoke the glamour of the golden era of Hollywood, when silver screen sirens such as Rita Hayworth, Lauren Bacall and Lana Turner reigned supreme as beauty icons. Hernandez (a beauty historian, no less) has devised a collection of make-up which harks back to the time when the aesthetics of a beauty product were as important as their cosmetic properties; these are items that you’ll be happy to whip out of your clutch and show off!

The Enchanting Lipsticks are simply adorable – elegantly presented in mini golden packaging, adorned with scarlet filigree designs. They’re so pretty that you might not even want to use them, but that would be a mistake as the lipsticks are top quality: with highly pigmented colour which really lasts. There are ten shades available whether you like your lippy bright and bold or prefer more subtle shades. Carmine is a delicious orange-scarlet shade – perfect for a change from to the standard pillar box red. For something a little bit different, choose Besame’s Exotic Pink – this beguiling colour really makes your lips pop and is ideal for a modern take on the 1980s look. Tone things down and wear a lipstick named after every starlet’s favourite tipple: champagne. This one is a great daywear colour, if you’re less confident about a va-va-voom pout. All of the colours are semi-matte, but contain beeswax, kaolin, carnauba and candelilla wax which ensure that your lips stay moisturised and kissable. The range isn’t called Besame for nothing!

Add a slick of Besame’s Enriched Lip Glaze for some more modern shine – the gloss tastes absolutely divine as it’s made with macadamia nut and sweet almond oil. There are four colours to choose from and all of them give lips a sexy brilliance without being too sticky.

With beautiful lips from Besame, all of the boys will be asking where you were at midnight. And all of the girls will be asking where you bought that lippy. Would Lauren and Lana have divulged their secrets? We’re not sure…

Find the Besame range available to buy exclusively at Cult Beauty.

Gloriously gorgeous make-up from Ellis Faas

As you may have already realised, we’re total packaging junkies; if it looks luxe and glossy, we love it! Well-designed products that deliver cosmetic perfection are our make-up mission. One such collection comes from renowned make-up artist Ellis Faas. Fashion bible Vogue Paris called her “one of the most influential make-up artists of her time”, so suffice to say that Ms Faas’ beauty line had a lot to live up to.

Born in the Netherlands, Faas has worked with huge industry names from Mario Testino to Karl Lagerfeld, as well as with cosmetic heavyweights including Clinique, Lancôme and MAC. Thus creating her own range of make-up was both a natural progression and a life-long ambition.

Ellis Faas cosmetics are based on a concept she calls “Human Colours”; this means colours that by nature exist in every human body – “from the tawny peach of a freckle to the pure, vivid red that pulses through our veins.” The Faas collection offers shades to complement every complexion, whether you’re a pale English rose or a bronzed Mediterranean goddess. Does this mean an ultra au naturel look? No, Faas says: “Human Colours is all about going back to nature without having to appear natural.”

And the packaging? Think sleek, silver and almost sci-fi. The concept came from award-winning industrial designer Arnout Visser and the results are stunning; liquid colours are dispensed from pens which were inspired by bullets! Not only are the products very sexy, they’re all very portable too.

Faas says: “liquid makeup tends to blend into the skin more easily,” and having thoroughly road-tested the products we can concur. The Ellis Eyes collection divides into “Milky Eyes” and “Creamy Eyes”, as well as offering mascara and eyeliner. Creamy textured shadows use a brush and the milky shades are dispensed via a sponge-tipped applicator. We tried the “Creamy” E104 shadow, a soft, velvety-textured brown taupe colour which could easily become a permanent fixture in any make-up bag. It blends beautifully and stays on all day. And we really mean all day. What’s great about the brush applicator is that you can wash colour across the whole eyelid, use the shade to create a sultry look by blending into the socket, or even use as a soft eyeliner under the eye. “Milky Eyes” in E203 (a vivid, sexy grey-purple) allows you to create a more subtle, sheer colour effect – ideal for a modern smoky-eyed look.

The Ellis Lips collection also consists of “Milky” and “Creamy” colours, as well as a “Glazed”, glossy finish. For long-lasting coverage, choose one of the “Creamy” lipsticks; these are really easy to apply thanks to the sponge-tipped applicators. We tested the L104 shade, which is a vibrant, sexy magenta colour – perfect for a pop of colour. In the “Milky” range, L203 is a natural, warm rich red tone which will complement any complexion; it’s a slightly more translucent, sheer finish. All of the lipsticks offer real staying power, which is what we expected from a pro like Faas anyway!

Perfectly designed products

We also tried out some of the Ellis Skin products; the range includes eight foundation and eight concealer colours. We tried the brush-tipped concealer which is highly-pigmented and offers excellent coverage. The formula includes karité oil and rice wax as well as Vitamins E and C to hydrate the skin. The result? A truly flawless finish. Illuminate your complexion with one of the Ellis Skin blushers which contain essential oils, rose water and vitamins C and E, offering a fresh finish as well as cooling and toning skin. We tried the S302 shade which gives a shimmery veil of peachy-pink colour and a pretty dewy effect. The blush lasts well too.

We expected to be impressed with Ms Faas’ make-up collection and we were. The packaging is slick, shiny, well-designed and easy to pop in your handbag. There’s a wide range of colours on offer and the liquid formula means that they blend superbly and stay on all day long. We agree with Vogue Paris – she certainly is an influential make-up artist and the effect that she has on our cosmetic collections (and credit cards…) will doubtless be as long-lasting as her lipsticks!

To buy Ellis Faas cosmetics, visit the website, or for a list of stockists see here. In Europe, Ellis Faas is currently available in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Spain and the UK.

⋅

⋅

⋅

⋅

⋅

⋅

⋅

⋅

⋅

⋅

Chanel Refillable Spray, around £60. Available online here.

Rococo 24ct Gold Leaf Polish, £22. Available online here.

Shu Uemura Gold Glam Leaf Lashes, £50. Available online here.

Filofax Beauty Giftbox, £40. Available online here.

Guerlain Sublime Radiant Powder Eclat Imperial, £43. Available online here.

MAC Brush Bags, from £39.50. Available online here.

Corioliss Crystal Hair Straighteners, £399.99. Available online here.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat, £20. Available online here.

Crème de la Mer, £930. Available online here.

]]> http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/ten-craved-gifts-for-the-beauty-junkie/feed/ 0 http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/crave-givenchy-gloss-poetique/ http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/crave-givenchy-gloss-poetique/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:01:26 +0000 Dominie Heald http://runninginheels.co.uk/?p=12915 “From wintry winds to the winds of time, echoing melancholy’ s mire, beauty emerges so sublime, painting a landscape of desire. At conformity, the mind rebels, yields to emotions running raw, in romantic dreams, elatedly dwells; why live, if not under passion’s law?

According to Nicolas Degennes, the creator of the Givenchy Poetique range, his inspiration is a fantasy that recreates visions of the fragile beauty of Gothic novel heroines; wide eyes, ethereal gowns, silken strands of hair flying wildly. The thread of poetry runs throughout the collection, conjuring images of Byron, Shelley, Keats and the like, lounging under trees in a poet’s utopia, writing verses, and falling in love every 20 minutes. It will take much less time for you to fall head over heels for this little cosmetic chameleon which makes up in glamour what it lacks in size. Its 5 x 5 x 1 cm frame fits snugly between phone and credit card in your sequinned clutch; and while the gloss effect doesn’t last forever, the regular reapplication is so intensely enjoyable that it doesn’t matter. Particularly pleasing are the seethingly envious glances from every female in the loos when you produce, as if by magic, this sexy black box. And magic it is: the beautifully scented black gel becomes clear when applied, and gradually turns a warm sugary pink on the lips. It’s a perfectly muted shade that works well for balancing out the new deco-glam messy eyes and hair, and even long after wearing off, its moisturising agents are hard at work making my lips feel rose-petal soft.

In a second compartment of the Mary-Poppins-esque pot is a tiny space with an applicator pad and two divinely soft lip brushes. The Givenchy Poetique gloss can be worn both over and under lipstick, as well as alone. The two lip colours in the Poetique range (Rouge Interdit and Rouge Interdit Shine) are, needless to say, vastly improved by the addition of the non-sticky gloss, but it flies much better solo. The pink that it morphs into is a beautifully natural colour that would suit most complexions, even those with an enviable olive colouring, and especially the paler skinned English roses. The honey-textured gel glides on so smoothly that it’s all I can do not to permanently sweep the brush across my puckered lips, like some kind of weird nervous tic. We have also been informed that the gloss works as a blush. Not true. Unless you’re going for the shiny-faced plastic-doll look, which isn’t a style we think Gothic heroines would approve of.

You can buy Givenchy gloss Poetique online here.