Friday Feature - Lips

The fun, or perhaps daunting, part about cosmetics for your lips is that the variety is vast, from sheer lipsticks, to opaque lip glosses, to shimmery lip glosses, to matte lipsticks, to moisturising salves and lip balms, the options are endless. We at The Amazing Blog maintain that the staples are a matte lipstick with longevity, a shiny lip gloss to use as a matte lipstick topper or on natural lips, an intense lip salve to use as a rich treatment, and an on the go lip balm. In our selection today, you’ll find all of these.

Lip preparation is very important when you’re going to be putting product on your lips, as you don’t want cracks and dried skin. Smith’s have a range of lip moisture products, and we were lucky enough to try the Rosebud Salve and the Tropical Ambrosia Balm. The former is their self-proclaimed ‘miracle in a can!’ and is their original salve dating back to 1892. The latter is a modern twist on the traditional formula with a heady combination of coconut and mango. The base formula has remained unchanged for over 100 years, with just some additional flavours added in to ramp up the vintage recipe for a modern generation. The concentrated blend of oil is high in vitamins A and E, which will do so much good for dry skin. The salves have a buttery, emollient texture which soothes chapped and cracked lips and anywhere that is craving for some extra-hydration – our cuticles and elbow love it! You can even add some dewiness to your face by tapping some onto cheekbones or keep unruly eyebrows and flyaway hairs in check with a touch of salve. Really, the options are endless.

Dr Smith’s company is still owned by his grandchildren, so we recommend getting in on this family’s secret recipe for some skin repair. Purchase tins here for £8.50.
 

Of course, these little tins aren’t always the most convenient to carry around with you, which is where ISUN’s Golden Lip Balm comes in. With equally intense hydration, it comes in a small chapstick for moisture on-the-go. This little lip saviour contains antioxidant herbs and high nutrient berry oils for nourishing lip therapy. One key active ingredient, Buriti Fruit Oil, extracted from the Amazon rainforest, has the highest known levels of protective carotenoids. Cacao Butter forms the base and is known for its antioxidants and fatty acids for intense moisture, and is responsible for the heavenly chocolate smell and taste.

All of ISUN’s products are created with natural ingredients, and these are harvested from the plants in their natural habitats, untouched by humankind. It is the rich nutrients that gives ISUN’s products their naturally nourishing properties.

Purchase ISUN’s Golden Lip Balm here for £12.50.
 

It is no secret that matte lipsticks have been the prominent trend of the past year or two, and they are definitely here to stay. With a matte formula, you get longevity and rich pigment. These lipsticks from LOLA say it all in the name; Matte Long-Lasing Lipstick, so make no mistake about it, these colours will last hours on your lips, with infrequent touch ups. Of course, as it is autumn, we’re into the colours Glacier Cherry, a rich, true red (which, to be honest, is timeless) and Purple Rock, a very autumnal, vampy purple.

The formula of these lipsticks does something special. It helps lips to appear fuller and smoother, which matte lipsticks usually do the opposite of. This is thanks to the blend of polymers and emollients which helps fill in fine lines and create an even surface. The jojoba oil and vitamin E nourish lips, making this matte lipstick a creamy and comfortable wear.

Purchase the Matte Long Lasting Lipsticks here for £11.95 each.
 

Now onto the gloss, a necessity, we believe, in everyone’s makeup collection. Jane Iredale’s PureGloss range has a plethora of shades to choose from. We have the shades Hot Cider, a golden-peach toned gloss, and Pink Lady, a classic pink gloss with a hint of shimmer. High-shine, sheer, but with a touch of colour, these glosses are perfect for transforming your natural lip colour or adding a shine and colour depth to lipstick. Despite being a gloss, these PureGlosses are remarkably long-lasting and contain Moringa butter and avocado oil to condition your lips. The added bonus? To us, they smell like gorgeously sweet pink lemonade.
These glosses are all vegan and certified cruelty-free, luxuriously creamy but with a slight stick which helps them to last longer on the lips. They are everything we love in a lip gloss.

Purchase the PureGlosses here for £19.95 each.

With an abundance of lip products and formulas to choose from, we hope we've helped you navigate the maze slightly. We think lips are one of the most fun facial features to decorate, so prep them and go forth and rock a bold or glossy lip!

Argan & Orange Blossom Elixir by SoapNSkin

At The Amazing Blog, we think that everyone needs a go-to product. For us, our number one go-to beauty product is the handmade Argan and Orange Blossom Elixir from SoapNSkin, which is as versatile as it is effective. We cannot live without this product, it is 100% natural, effective on all skin types and can be used on your face, body and hair. Before we discuss the many ways you can use this product and the reasons behind its versatility, we have to tell you a little about SoapNSkin, which is one of our favourite brands. Founded by two mothers, SoapNSkin aims to empower women in any way they can, so not only is their Argan Oil Soil Association Certified, but it is also sourced from a supplier that is dedicated to looking after 600 Berber women that it has employed at its mill. This supplier only employs women and pays them a fair wage as they are often the sole supporters of their families, as well as providing free crèche facilities and education programmes.

Made with ethically sourced organic Argan Oil and Orange Blossom Oil, this beautifully fragranced elixir has a multitude of uses. This is because the Argan Oil moisturises, heals and renews lost vitality in skin and hair, while the Orange Blossom Oil helps to create an enviable glow. The ingredients are packed full of Vitamins A and E, Omega Fatty Acids and anti-oxidants which mean that your skin doesn’t just look better but is actually healthier on a cellular level.

To use this on your face, we would recommend gently massaging a few drops into freshly cleansed skin. The Argan oil is non-comedogenic which means it won’t clog up pores but will leave skin looking more radiant than ever. If you want to heal dry or damaged skin on your body – which can especially occur in the winter months – then we suggest applying the elixir directly to areas of concern and watch skin heal within days. Otherwise merely apply after showering for softer skin. Our favourite use for the elixir has to be when it’s used on hair.  If applied like a serum it will help to control frizz and leave hair glossy, but it also will soften hair and treat an unruly scalp if used as a leave-in conditioning treatment before showering.

We love this product and brand and hope you do too. The product only costs £42.00 and can be purchased here. All profits made from selling the elixir are given back to the communities who help mill the Argan Oil. 
 

Anti-Ageing Perfect Teint II, Vinolift Skin Tightening Cream, Lip Lines Cream and Eye Cream by M.Asam

In the past The Amazing Blog may have said that wine was our favourite grape-based product on the market but now we have a very different answer; anti-aging cosmetics. M.Asam Cosmetics is Germany’s first producer of anti-aging products developed from the ingredients found in grapes. 10 years of intense research into the anti-aging properties of grapes lead M.Asam to develop their high quality skin care line, which aims to battle against signs of premature skin aging. We managed to get a few samples of these brilliant products, including the Perfect Teint II, Vinolift Skin Tightening Cream, Vinolift Eye Cream and Vinolift Lip Lines Cream. 

There’s a huge amount of complicated science behind the range, so we’ll try and sum up what makes it so fantastic. The Perfect Teint II acts as a temporary filler, providing a mattifying base for makeup. The product wears evenly throughout the day and is easily removed with a facial cleanser. The formula contains a retinol-peptide complex meaning that it joins up the forces of retinol and peptides. Retinol works on preventing collagen loss, treating fine lines and acting as an antioxidant, while the peptides stimulate collagen production. M.Asam combines these two agents in the Perfect Teint II, producing a makeup base that expertly blurs facial lines and enlarged pores to produce a matte complexion. It’s easy for us to see why they call it their ‘hero product.’

The Vinolift range is specifically designed for mature, dry skin and combines grape stem cells, resveratrol and OPC extracted from grape seeds. The Vinolift Skin Tightening Cream intensely hydrates the skin both morning and evening, reducing signs of aging all over the face. The Vinolift Eye Cream and Lip Lines Cream target their specific areas to reduce fine lines and wrinkles in the delicate eye contour and providing a plumping effect to the lip contours. The Eye Cream also has the benefit of being fragrance free, a bonus for those with particularly sensitive areas around the eyes.

We love these products and hope you do too. The Perfect Teint II (50ml) retails for £23, The Vinolift Skin Tightening Cream 100ml retails for £29.50 and 50ml for £24, The Vinolift Eye Cream (30ml) retails for £21 and The Vinolift Lip Lines Cream (30ml) retails for £15.50. 

Hydro Effect Serum and Re-Energising Sleeping Cream from Lavera Naturkosmetik

Pollution is almost inescapable in 2017, and at The Amazing Blog, we know that pollution affects us not only on the inside but also causes problems for our skin. Lavera, an all natural beauty brand understands that pollution is becoming an ever increasing problem, and they want to fight against this. Their new Hydro Effect Serum and Re-Energising Sleeping Cream both contain anti-pollution technology, aiming to protect the skin from the environment as well as providing hydrating and anti-ageing benefits.

Lavera's new Hydro Effect Serum battles against daily pollution exposure using highly effective antioxidants, organic algae and white horehound extract from the mint family. These ingredients not only help with anti-pollution but also hydrate the skin to prevent signs of premature ageing. Apply a few drops of the light weight formula to the skin, let it absorb and then apply moisturiser. Natural hyaluronic acid, organic aloe vera and biosaccharides provide a hydrating, cooling and soothing effect throughout the day.

We also tried the Re-Energising Sleeping Cream which aids the natural skin repairing qualities overnight by targeting damage from pollution during the day. The cream also nourishes tired skin and helps produce a fresh feeling in the morning. The Re-Energising Sleeping Cream contains almond and olive oil to smooth and increase radiance, while organic grape and vitamin E provide anti-ageing properties. Massage gently into the skin after cleansing and toning before bed.

Both the Hydro Effect Serum and the Re-Energising Sleeping Cream and vegan friendly and cruelty free. Purchase the Hydro Effect Serum (30ml) here for £19.90 and the Re-Energising Sleeping Cream (50ml) here for £16.90.

Fenty Beauty

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you’ll be well aware that superstar Rihanna has combined her business savvy and beauty goddess status to create an impressive and much lust over beauty line. We at The Amazing Blog have been chomping at the bit to sample some of these amazing products. After all, on her first release, Rihanna launched forty shades of foundation and has created a brand that provides beauty for all, definitely a brand belief we can get behind. It is with great excitement that today we review not one, not two but three of Fenty Beauty’s new products; The Pro Filt’r Primer, the Gloss Bomb lip gloss and the Invisimatte Blotting Paper. 

We have to begin by discussing the packaging which is stunning. The primer comes in a beautiful frosted glass bottle, the lip gloss in a pentagon tube, and the blotting paper is refillable. The Pro Filt'r Primer will quickly become a favourite to all who use it, especially to those who want to minimise shine but keep a dewy complexion. The oil-free primer helps to smooth away the look of pores, while evening out skin tone and creating an envy-inducing base for make-up. The primer is incredibly lightweight but is easily absorbed by the skin leaving it feeling baby soft. What’s more is that it smells amazing, so on those days where you feel worse for wear, the primer will both lift your mood and your appearance making you feel unstoppable. As Fenty Beauty is built around the concept of beauty for all, the primer works on all skin tones so everyone can have a photo filter complexion all day long. 

The Gloss Bomb is available in one stunning and universal shade which was handpicked by Rihanna; Rose Nude. It delivers an almost unbelievable shine and is filled with conditioning shea butter to leave lips kissable at all times. Fenty wanted to create beauty products that offer a sensory experience as such the gloss also has an almost addictively beautiful peach-vanilla scent that we adore. 

Last, but certainly by no means least, is the Invisimatte Blotting paper. This product is super portable and is roughly the size of a chunky chapstick or a lipstick case, making it perfectly pockets size. What’s amazing is that Fenty Beauty has transformed perhaps the least exciting or sexy product and made it look and feel chic. Made with natural botanical fibres, Invisimatte left our skin looking not only fresher but kept our makeup looking like it had only just been applied. What’s more, all Fenty Beauty products are cruelty-free.

We can honestly say that the products made us feel not only more beautiful, but they also made us feel more ourselves. The brand makes beauty for everyone, so each product felt personal as we felt like our needs had been carefully considered.

You can purchase the primer here for £24.00, the lip gloss here for £16.00 and the blotting paper here for £13.00.