Hello, is anyone there? *Shyly pokes her head around the door.* In true blogger fashion I can’t believe it’s been almost two months since my last post! I went away for a while – physically and, in many ways, mentally – but I’m back and have finally recovered some of my “joie de vive”. And getting to go to the beauty event of the year has definitely helped.
A dream come true for me and many other beauty & makeup aficionados, Lisa Eldridge’s stunning pop-up studio opened to the public in Covent Garden on the 30th of October (an early birthday present for me). I may never have spoken about Lisa Eldridge on my blog before today, but let’s just say she’s the original makeup maestro for me. Long before social media and the cult of characterful makeup artists and Beauty YouTubers, it was Lisa Eldridge’s name and reputation I got to know and admire from devouring fashion magazines. Of course, her YouTube channel made me even more of an Eldridge devotee – but I’ll always associate her with my initial love for editorial fashion and beauty imagery.
Anyway, back to the studio-shop hybrid – named House of Eldridge, I was lucky to get there first thing in the morning and avoid any queuing (it was unsurprisingly nuts on its opening weekend). As expected, the store looks ravishing and the staff are ridiculously friendly and helpful. One of the most interesting aspects of the location was seeing Lisa Eldridge’s beautiful – and extensive – makeup and beauty paraphernalia collection, ranging from Mary Quant to Nina Ricci (which is, by far, one of the prettiest makeup lines I’ve ever laid eyes on). A girl after my own heart, I tell ya.
There is also a simple, yet wonderfully effective, wall covered in covers and campaigns involving the work, artistry and vision of Lisa Eldridge.
I’d been wanting to treat myself to a Lisa Eldridge lipstick ever since she launched her namesake brand in 2018 – and whilst I may have bought many a lipstick online, it really isn’t the same as trying a lipstick (or any makeup) in person. And what better time is there to get a new lipstick than right after one’s birthday? I was tempted to go for one of the brand’s ‘classic’ colours, Velvet Jazz, but a few days before going to the store I discovered Velvet Cinnabar on the brand’s Instagram and fell in love. If I were rolling in the dosh (and didn’t have a million lipsticks) I would have loved to treat myself to two or three colours, but I was sensible and stuck with Cinnabar. It’s a beautiful, ridiculously saturated brick-brown-red shade. After having been a liquid lipstick convert for years, I’m rarely drawn to classic bullet lipsticks – but luckily the name ‘Velvet’ is a very accurate description of how beautifully it feels on one’s lips. Not to mention the impressive, Matrix-esque texture of this lipstick – I’ve never seen anything like it. My camera didn’t pick it up, but it’s got what looks like a pixelated surface. Oh so sci-fi, oh so pleasing on the eye.
As well as lipsticks and gloss, the pop-up is also presenting what I believe is the brand’s all-new foundation, Seamless Skin. It was refreshing to see staff encouraging shoppers to go outside and look at their skin in natural light – super easy thanks to the shop’s perfect street-level location.
In conclusion? Needless to say, it’s 100% worth a visit if you have even the slightest interest in makeup. It’s on until the end of December – I’d like to think it might be extended. Of course I would suggest going there as soon as it opens on a weekday (11am) – difficult for 9 to 5ers, but maybe it can be a not too quick tea or coffee break that turns into a new lipstick break? You might even see the beautiful Lisa Eldridge herself, who has been occasionally popping into the store. I’ve pretty much convinced myself to go back and maybe get myself an early Christmas pressie…
Further details (exact address, opening times) about the House of Eldridge pop-up studio can be found here.
Pictures taken at House of Eldridge on the 4th of November 2021.
xxx