Libertine LFW Inspired Nail Tutorial

Is it just me or is it always fashion week? I imagine Anna Dello Russo must shrug and say "well, it's fashion week somewhere," before she dives into yet another absurd outfit. And still, I love it. The clothes, the make up, the nails, the spectacle. I love it.

I was taken with quite a few of the beauty looks this time round, and I hope to recreate a few on this blog, but this week I'm starting with Libertine's show. Butter London was responsible for both the make up and nails for Libertine's look. Bold natural brows, and sexy black sixties eyes with a hint of smoke around the very edges - perfect. Perhaps not for everyday but something to pull out when you're feeling especially daring.

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However, today I'm focusing on nails. And before we start I should apologise on the poor photo quality - I only had my iPhone camera today and I really wanted to get this post up.

Butter London nail artists used four polishes to create this look: Diamond Geezer, Stardust, Black Knight, and an as yet unreleased polish called Anorak, which is a chunky silver, black and white topcoat. Diamond shaped silver holographic glitter was then placed ad hoc to finish the look.
To recreate this look, you will need a silver foil/metallic polish, a silver glitter polish and a glitter polish with a dark base (preferably black), and some silver glitter/sequins.
I used Australis Nail Colour in Foil Spoil, OPI Serving Up Sparkle, Zoya Fei Fei (I have misplaced my bottle of Butter London Black Knight and this was the closest thing I had to a dark glitter - a charcoal grey/navy blue base with gold and silver micro glitter), and diamond holographic glitter from Born Pretty Store.

Start by applying two coats of a silver foil polish.

Next apply your silver glitter polish on the top two-thirds of your nails creating a subtle glittery ombre.

Apply a few coats of your dark glitter polish to the top third of your nails to build up the desired colour.

Apply a clear polish over the nail and, using an orange stick or bobby pin, stick the holographic glitter in a haphazard pattern down the nail, making sure not to cover to much of the glitter ombre.

Finally, all you need is a good topcoat to keep everything in place. Et viola! Chic LFW nails, dahhling.

P.S. I'm sorting out the camera situation so photos with actual resolution of some description are imminent, so hang tight. 

Cruelty Free Brands #1 - Illamasqua

Once upon a time I thought that I was a relatively good person. I volunteered at the RSPCA, I apologised to people who bump into me, occasionally I even bought a copy of the Big Issue. However, the might and venom of the internet's extremist vegan faction swiftly relieved me of this thought. After all, what is the internet for if not the radicalisation of beliefs and anonymous victimisation of others by people who would normally be perfectly pleasant in the non-virtual world?

You see, I had been attempting to research and locate ethically raised meat in my area but my search only led me to forums where I was brusquely informed in no uncertain terms that such a thing did not exist and that the very notion of ethically raised meat was an oxymoron and I was a fool to believe otherwise. I couldn't deny their conviction but existing health problems meant that taking meat & dairy out of my diet would leave me with a very restricted palette.

So, what does this have to do with anything? We'll, after this meat lambasting I decided I could do a little more for animal welfare by making more of a concerted effort in the cruelty-free beauty stakes. That's not to say I don't still get suckered in the alluring packaging of Chanel and their ilk but I try. Thankfully there are hundreds of affordable and high quality cruelty-free products on the market and first in my sights is Illamasqua - an incredible brand that doesn't receive nearly the virtual blogger love it deserves.

Two products I use every single day are the Skin Base foundation (in SB06) and the concealer (in cc135). The Skin Base foundation provides medium coverage with a satin finish - it's neither matte nor particularly "dewy," a finish which Illamasqua describes as "skin realism." This foundation blends well into the skin and does not highlight any dry patches. There are an impressive 25 shades in the range and shockingly, my colour is not nearly the palest - they even make a white shade for mixing with others. The concealer performs equally well - good coverage without becoming cakey or separating throughout the day.

I use the powder blush in Disobey as a contour on days when I want to chisel out those cheekbones a little more. This is an incredibly highly pigmented product which requires a light hand to apply but still blends really well.

Equally pigmented and blendable are these eyeshadows in Boomerang, Fiasco and Creep. The Precision ink in Scribe is a white liquid liner pen which I mostly use for nail art. 

It is very opaque and is perfect for fine lines and sharp points.

Lastly, we have the lipsticks, the product for which the brand is perhaps most well known. I own the shades Maneater and Shard. 

Shard is described as a matte red violet - a deep purple with red undertones. Maneater is a classic true red which would suit all skin tones. Both lipsticks have a matte finish but do not drag on the lips during application, nor do I find them particularly drying for a matte.

These lipsticks are richly pigmented and do not need to be built up on the lips.

I think perhaps some people may be shy of Illamasqua because it may be seen as more of an 'alternative' brand catering to those with more daring or exotic tastes (which it does magnificently); however, it also produces high quality, wearable products suitable for the more conservative amongst us and those who prefer a more natural makeup look. Thus, whatever your inclinations, Illamasqua has you covered.

Not Rad, Just Bad

Is the 90s revival over yet? Is it safe once more to leave our houses wearing reasonably waisted pants? Can we bring out our dead overalls and thrust them onto the bonfire and watch the extravagantly long zippers fizzle and burn like an unflattering denim Guy Fawkes night? Will government task forces begin to ruthlessly turn away shipping container after shipping container of "Mom" jeans and hideous white flatform sandles? I imagine that when the revolution finally comes (and beware 90s nostalgics,  for it will), as we throw down the Rave Wear oppressors, and cast off the burden of leggings-as-pants, we will see things as they really are for the first time since the first whispers of clothes-for-irony's-sake were heard amongst the Millennials; and as we burn the caustically bright patterns, obnoxious slogans and retina-searing apparel, there will be much gnashing of teeth as the spirits of the 90s flee the flames to phantom realms, subject to the eternal torment of endless DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince albums.

The humanity!
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But, you protest, surely this trend is not quite the breaking of the seventh seal that I suggest? I am forgetting all of the bountiful gifts the 90s have given us, like cropped fluffy jumpers, tartan and Dr Martens. And yes, this is true - in part. I love all of those things, but, in the mighty tradition of fashion borrowing from the past, they were born in other eras (the 50s and the 70s' punk movement respectively). Unfortunately, fashion is like the friend you never want to lend things to because they always return them in poor condition.Take for example, "millennium" fashion: in the lead up to the year 2000 fashion took the 60s' Barbarella, futuristic space sex kitten aesthetic and gave us shiny millennium-themed turds - skirts over pants and so much cosmetic glitter body gel.
Perhaps, in many ways we revisit past trends the way that we recall past romances and previously forgotten exes. We're lonely, or bored, or looking for something so far removed from wear we presently find ourselves that we wind up pining for the past through rose-coloured glasses. We rekindle old flames and it is not until we lean in for the first reunion kiss that we remember just how poor their dental hygiene was. Or how universally unflattering denim dungarees really are.

No scrubs and no dignity.
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Maybe it's because I'm old now, and can make no sense of "youths." Maybe it's because I actually remember the 90s and can do nothing now but watch the sartorial mistakes of the past repeat themselves, just as those who remember the original Robocop can merely stand back in silent disbelief and watch as a new generation digs up the festering corpse, ready to relive the nightmare (et tu, Gary Oldman?) A new generation crying, "YES! I choose badly written, poorly devised cinematic fap!" "YES! I choose brown lipstick and sun dresses over t shirts!"
You see, the 90s weren't like Clueless or The Craft. They were more like one long episode of Neighbours. Less cute co-ordinates and more long denim skirts buttoned all the way to your ankles. Less knee socks and more cargo pants and turtle necks under overalls (the modern chastity belt). I remember the two-toned sunglasses 9hell, I even had a pair of blue-green ones in my wayward pre-teens). I remember the platform sandles, the skin-flaying, blister-inducing jelly shoes made from a material impossible to break-in, and I remember the clogs. Yes, the clogs, and their "special" cousin, the mules. Suede, trimmed with wool, backless, trimmed with suede flowers. That's not just the kind of thing a person can forget so easily as though it were nothing. You try and leave those memories in the past and move on with your life, and just when you think you've finally put it all behind you, BAM! Miu Miu and Jimmy Choo try and revive them.

The herpes of shoes.
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Stop it, Jimmy, it's been done before and it didn't work out - leave the past to the past.
Forget it, Miu Miu, it's Chinatown!

While we may not have the strength to band together and rise up against such ill-advised revisionist fashion, the very least we can do is quietly ride out the tide of flannelette and try to forget that we could be so neglectful to let it happen for a second time.
Take back the day. Take back the clothes rack. And for the love of all that is holy, take off those bloody overalls!