Review: Rimmel Stay Glossy Lipgloss

I won this gloss in a Rimmel giveaway.  Rimmel are really really good for giveaways of new products, if you sign up to their newsletter you get an email when they have a new product release and when they have a giveaway open.  Plus, they give away a fair amount, they gave away 3000 of these lipglosses which is super generous.
I've been using the gloss since the day I got it and below is my review..

Rimmel say "Style. Shape. Shine. Stay Glossy delivers on all three with a fantastic new formula and applicator combo, custom-designed for fabulously luscious lips that last, and last, and last. New Stay Glossy Lipgloss features advanced Shine Extend™ technology for up to six hours of fabulously polished perfection. Its lip-loving formula pampers lips with a caring complex of cotton and silk for increased lips moisturisation. The innovative Soft Extend™ applicator is designed for ultimate speed and accuracy, defining your dream lips in a flash."

The colour I got was Captivate Me (340).  The swatch on the website isn't the best but the colour match to my lips is great.  The colour is a dusky kinda pink and it has small flecks of glitter in it.


So, did it hold up to these claims?
It was indeed shiny and glossy and it was surprisingly good at keeping my lips soft and moisturised.  I sound like such a fat pig here but hey..I don't know if it stays on for six hours without coming off because I don't go 6 hours without eating but I will say that until I ate, it stayed on VERY well.

The main thing I loved about this gloss was the applicator, all companies making glosses should abandon that dodgy doe foot applicator (I'm not picking on this company, they had the best pic to illustrate my point) and start using this Soft Extend™ applicator because it works like a charm.

I've also found a way of making the applicator BETTER.  On visit to TGI's to celebrate my brother's birthday, I slipped the gloss into my pocket. My thighs must be hotter than the pits of hell because when I took the gloss out, the bottle was a bit warm.  The Soft Extend™ applicator had softened and application was the best I'd ever had. It bends just as you apply a little pressure but holds enough composure to coat your lips properly.  Plus, you don't get any wastage like you do with the doe feet. You can totally control how much gloss you want to put on.

The picture-y bit:

I really like the packaging on this, Rimmel have made it look bling but not tacky. The picture represents a true swatch of what the colour looks like.  I really liked the shiny part of the applicator..

See how lovely and sleek that looks?

The shade:

Tis a good thing I took this before I went to TGI's because it's all but rubbed off now..

The excellent applicator:

I tried my best to photograph the applicator so you could see it wasn't a doe foot but this is the best it came out. It's like a doe foot but the end is flat and you can flex it as you wish. It's a revelation in lipgloss application I tells ya and the pocket warming method only makes application more effortless.  Take my word for it, it's the bees kneees. I've been to Boots and have taken the tester out of the tube and you can see the trailblazing shape.

Look how gorgeous it is!

This is how the glitter appears under flashy conditions:

Purchase?
I'd buy this in a flash. The colour is lovely, it lasts, it is shiny and glossy and best of all the applicator is a stroke of genius.  I feel that I should say this about Rimmel because I feel they're missing a trick.  Their colour range works brilliantly on women of colour, I've bought glosses from them before and they've actually shown up on my lips whereas some high end brands have fallen flat on their faces. Maybe if Rimmel got a coloured model in their ads, they would increase their customer basis a bit.. The gloss is also cheap, it retails for £5.99 but is currently on sale in Boots for £4.49.

The Bodyform Period Surival Kit Blog Competition

What seems like many moons ago now, Bodyform decided to hold a blog competition whereby certain bloggers were chosen to host a vicarious giveaway..I've just realise that I could have just typed "a giveaway sponsored by Bodyform" but then I don't do things the easy way.

Anyway, I entered the giveaway/competition on Charlotte's blog and I won.

That was at the end of September.

Before I get to the prize, I have to say that Charlotte is too nice.  She kept on contacting the people running the comp on behalf of Bodyform until they gave her a satisfactory answer.  It's my (very limited) understanding that the company to whom Bodyform had outsourced the competition to have gone belly up.  That, of course, would cause a problem.  No company = no prizes.  Nevertheless, Charlotte didn't relent and finally got an answer from the new company who took over the comp.

She told me late last week/early this week that I'd have my prizes this side of Xmas.

I was off work yesterday with severe period pains and was secretly quite chuffed when the (deceptively sized) box arrived. 

Bodyform stated that the winner wuld get "a little prize of girlie treats".

How right they were..

I know this post may come across as me sounding spoilt and you may be thinking that I should be grateful that I got something for free.

Well, when a company big something up and end up sending you three sample sized goods, a cheapo hot water bottle and a 10 year old DVD I think you'd feel a bit pissed off.  Plus, I wouldn't have even had that had Charlotte not carried on asking them on my behalf.

I'm fully aware that Bodyform outsource their PR to another firm, I'm not sure what that firm do but apparently they outsource it even further..which was where the original company administering the comp came in.

This whole debacle reflects really badly on Bodyform if anything.  I'm aware it's not Bodyform themselves administering the comp but it's called the Bodyform giveaway, not the "PR company" giveaway.  Just a tip to Bodyform, the next time you hype up a competition, try to ensure that PR company provide "prizes" which actually worth the hype.

I know you're all waiting to see what I got, so here it is..

The box..Mon pointed out last night that it looked like the kind of box that supermarkets get when they get deliveries.  Now I understand why it has the 12x 14 Normal Wing sticker on it..

The prize:

Hot water bottle, travel size FCUK scrub, Green and Black chocolate, DVD from 1999 and a 98p facemask.

If this was in my actual period survival kit, I wouldn't last a day..

I thought I'd do an update on the box situation.  I had a proper look at the box last night and if you can see where there's that curve on the side with sellotape on it, you will see that this box is an actual display box that they have on the shelves in supermarkets. I had a look all the way around and it had been opened and they had just taped it back up and sent the stuff in it.  What made me even more suspicious that it had been opened was the fact that there was a hole..if you look underneath and a bit to the right of the Bodyform logo, you will see it. That is lamer than lame..

Blogging actually requires some effort, sort it aaaht you lazy cow..

I was uploading some pics onto Tinypic and saw that the last pics I'd uploaded were the face charts two months ago..that prompted this post..

I haven't blogged PROPERLY for a while now and I think it's time I told you guys why.  Please find below a list of comprehensive reasons as to why I haven't been blogging as much..

1. Work.  I'm in full time employment and sometimes I just don't have the time and energy to blog.  I know those of you who follow me on Twitter will know that I Twitter practically everyday.  I'm sure that those of you on Twitter will also realise that Tweeting doesn't take half as much effort as blogging. However, it's difficult to take the photos, apply the product, snap a pic etc...when you have like 5 mins in the morning to get ready..then by the time you're home you have no energy left.  Weekends get swallowed up by relaxing and (if you're me) having about a million blogs in draft form.  I currently have about 5 which range from haircuts, finding beauty gems and good customer service I've had.
   
2. Loss of the bojo.  By this I mean the blogger mojo and not the guy who works down the cobbled road from me.  I think everyone reaches this point at least once.  I read quite a few beauty blogs and lately I kinda just felt like taking a backseat and reading instead of posting but fikkar not! (that's Punjabi for worry not.  That deserves bonus points for repping my mother tongue, if nothing else!) The bojo is back and will be released very soon.
3. Home life. Nothing negative to report here, we just have a lot going on. Have a function to get ready for which means I have to sew an Indian suit so I've been out shopping trying to find one and start sewing it..that takes the piss too.  The little shits who sell the material expect me to pay through the nose for it, I don't know if they fail to realise that the Punjabis are masters at haggling.  I've seen my mum buy a suit which was originally marked at £140 for £25 quid.  She's a genius.
4. Men. First my brother took the memory card to my camera and he had it for a while, then the Mr took it.  I finally have it back but have also realised I can take 8 pics on the camera sans memory card, result!
   

Yes, in my world, comprehensive means three.

I posted a while back that I would post less reviews in October and I did do this, I posted less everything really..I haven't forgotten about this blog at all, I just wish I had more time for it.  Fret not my lovelies for I'm going to start making time for it...

I know I have totally neglected my Urban Decay faces but I'm getting back on with them.  I mentioned the Indian function that I have to attend, the outfit I'm wearing (decided to not sew another one after all) is a dark blue so I can practice my Urban Decay Binge eyes look a few times before rolling it out in public.  I already tried this with a white eye shadow and it worked, just used an angled brush then applied the colour with this brush.

The lovely Louise was lamenting about some Stila items she bought and how the colour payoff was bad.  I've been to a Stila sample sale and I too bought a palette (this one) and was a bit panicked that the colours wouldn't work.  You can see why, the colours are pretty light and I'm Indian.  Plus, the palette which Get Lippie used was full with colours which looked darker.  Anyway, I used my palette as a quick test run whilst watching The IT Crowd and it worked really nicely for me (sans UDPP).  I was VERY impressed with how pigmented the black liner in the palette was.  V creamy and the right amount of sparkle.

Right, if you've made it this far then you deserve a medal of some sort (I always think the chocolate ones are the best).  If you're to take anything from this post, let it be this:

• Bojo was lost
• Bojo has been found
• Had no time for blogging
• Now will make time
• Urban Decay faces will be with you soon
• Some Stila palettes bad, some good

Thank you and good night!

*Takes a bow and waits for the onslaught of mouldy veg*

Here bunny, bunny, bunny..

I got my Giles Deacon and Cadburys Nibbles scarf *beaming like Cheshire Cat* and I'm VERY chuffed with it.

It's pretty big for a freebie scarf, it's actually full size.  I rang my mum to tell her about this (she hears about all these monumental things in my life) and she was like a bit surprised as to why I thought it wouldn't be.

I sent her a picture of it from the Blackberry and she now wants it..at least I know what to get her as part of her Xmas present. I've had mine on for a while and it's gorgeous, well worth the £15 that John Lewis are selling it for (of which, all the profits, or so I hear, are going to charity).

Anywho, without further ado..here's the beauty:

 

This is the little slip it came with:

This post is clearly a showing off post so I shan't masquerade it as being anything but.

How many of you ladies snagged a scarf? If you haven't got it yet, you will love it when it arrives.

PS apologies for the webcam shots, I'm sans camera today thanks to Mr Ross who has taken the memory card from it to do something..

Products I would quite happily elope with..

Hey everyone,

How are all 64 of you?! Bloody hellfire! (How old do I sound?!) 64 people who read what I go on about, that's berluddy amazing! I told the Mon about this and he was equally surprised (though I'm sure for different reasons because he thinks he's smart..but I know him!)

I thought I'd do a post about stuff I am currently loving so here goes..

Here's the group shot:

L-R:

• Tesco Vitamin E face wipes: £0.27p
• L'oreal Tecni-Art Liss Control: £1.50 (though priced about £10 just about everywhere)
• Carmex lip balm: £2.44
• George at Asda nail polish in Raincloud: £1.00 (I had this a while before Charlotte blogged about it and have had a post about it in draft form for ages...damn my slow self)
• Boots Expert Senstive Soothing Eye Gel: £4.49
• YSL Gloss Repulpant Shiny Lip Plumper (shade 2: Plum): £15.00
• Boots No7 Eye shadow Blend and Contour Brush: £6.00 (I paid £1.00 because I had a voucher)
• Anatomicals Help the Paw hand cream: £1.95
• Boots Essentials Fragrance Free Eye Make Up Remover pads: £1.49

So, why do I love them?

Here's why..

Tesco Vitamin E face wipes: £0.27p

•  CHEAP! 
• They've become HG for me because they are wet enough to make me feel clean
• They're so forward thinking that if I take a day off from my usual skincare routine the day after using these (I use them at night), my skin behaves itself all on its own
• I blogged about how my Biore wash gave me some unwanted white heads.  Well, this beauty is the solution.  I've been cleaning my face with these wipes and they've gotten rid of the white head situation
• THEY EVEN OUT SKIN TONE! How bloody amazing is that?! You get change from a 50p and they actually do something they don't advertise as doing
  
• Skin looks flawless after using less than half the packet
  

L'oreal Tecni-Art Liss Control: £1.50 (though priced about £10 just about everywhere)

• This is one for the people with curly hair, a small amount gives you shine without being greasy
• You can ignore the instructions and use on dry hair (it says to only use on damp hair)
• No sticky feeling at all, you can touch your hair and the curls remain in place
• Not conventionally cheap but a bottle will last you ages

Carmex lip balm: £2.44

• I had lip troubles recently and my lips were literally killing me.  This was my saviour.
• It heals, softens, protects and all that jazz for less than a fiver..RESULT!
• You can get it cheaper than £2.44, I swear to God I bought it in Tescos last Winter for £1

George at Asda nail polish in Raincloud: £1.00 (I had this a while before Charlotte blogged about it and have had a post about it in draft form for ages...damn my slow self)

• CHEAP!
• Colour pay off and chip resistant-ness of it rivals Nails Inc
• I bite my nails and have been wearing this on one thumb (since I did the swatch for my other post) for a while, it didn't chip at all until I tried to bite my nail.  I'm very heavy handed so am joyous about this find AND the nail growth is going strong.

Boots Expert Senstive Soothing Eye Gel: £4.49

• Moisturises the delicate area under your eyes PROPERLY (I find that some either over-egg the cake and leave me greasy to the touch and others do nada)
• Gets rid of dark circles.  It doesn't claim to do this so I think Boots should put it on the packaging.  I've been using it haphazardly recently and it's made an improvement on my bags.  However, I don't have typical Asian dark circles so I can't speak for that but it has brought light to my life.  I only get dark circles when I haven't slept enough and it's man enough to deal with those.
  
• Lasts ages
  
• One note of caution, I had another Boots Expert eye cream and I kept it open for more than 6 months (that's what the little box said the expiry date was) and it started to smell like MDF..which is a random smell so I think I may try to finish this ASAP.
• Brightens the eye area, I find that some creams which claim to brighten don't actually that, I can see a marked improvement under my eyes.  I think this is different to getting rid of dark circles, some creams get rid and leave the skin still a bit darker..this actually brightens.
  

YSL Gloss Repulpant Shiny Lip Plumper (shade 2: Plum): £15.00

• Lasts ageeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees, I've been using it practically every single day since last May and only now does it look like it's been used.
• Moisturises lips like no other gloss I've used 
• Colour is bright and glossy and as day wears on, it stays behind as a stain..RESULT
• Nice minty smell, not overpowering at all
  

Boots No7 Eye shadow Blend and Contour Brush: £6.00 (I paid £1.00 because I had a voucher)

• Fluffy but not overly so, lets you blend properly
• Cheap even at full price
• Hairs are white so you can see how much product you have on the brush
• Perfect sized handle, easy to grip etc..
  

Anatomicals Help the Paw hand cream: £1.95

• CHEAP
• Smells like sweets
• Above point could get a bit tedious (I had a Champneys hand cream which smelled like oranges and that scent started to wear thin after a week) but the smells gets less when you've rubbed the cream in
• Soaks in immediately, you're not left leaving marks on everything you touch 
• Hands actually feel moisturised

Boots Essentials Fragrance Free Eye Make Up Remover pads: £1.49

• Greasy (which not everyone likes) so they take off all makeup effortlessly
• CHEAP
• Moisturising, the oil keeps my eyes moisturised and not dry which is very important

So, those are the products I'm currently in love with plus a more than comprehensive (can you get more than that?) list of why I love them so.

What products are you guys currently loving?