Review of Burberry Beauty

It's been awhile since I've updated my blog - lots going on in my life, and little 'free' time. I've decided to write about my experience with the new Burberry Beauty line, which I purchased online from nordstrom.com.

I purchased 3 eyeshadows, in Pale Rose, Tea Rose, and Trench, and the Light Glow blush in Rose. Overall, the shadows are very soft (which also means a lot of fallout), and require quite a bit of building to get the desired color payoff. They do, however blend beautifully.

Tea Rose is a very basic rose tone - very neutral, nothing special.
Trench is a dead-on dupe for MAC Brule, but at $29, I'll be keeping Brule.
Pale Rose is a nice pale pink with irridescence, and maybe my fave of the three. Despite the brand name, and high expectations, they just don't live up to my makeup standards. The colors are essentially dupable, and are do not stand out enough for me to shell out $29 apiece for them.

The blush is nice - very soft and sheer, easily buildable, and the color is a good, everyday color for my NW25 skintone. But for $40, I think I'd rather use one of my MAC or LORAC blushes.......it just really isn't that special.

In the photo below, L-R: Tea Rose, Trench, Pale Rose. Bottom: Rose Light Glow blush. All are over UDPP, patted on. And yes, the camera captured the color depth well.

Sadly, these are going back.

In the photos below, for the eyes I've used the 3 shadows, plus MAC Charcoal Brown in the crease, and Chanel Cassis to line. Cheeks are Burberry Rose blush. Lips are Chanel Legende Rouge Coco topped off with MAC Easy Lounger lipglass.

Now on to makeup basics.......

This particular topic could take days, so I'm going to take it in stages :). I'll start off with what I consider 'essential' products - again, ones that I use everyday, and that give me predictable results.

Foundation Primers: Makeup Forever HD Primer in #0 and Chanel Base Lumiere: I use a brush to apply these primers - I've been using the MUFE primer for about 3 months, and the Chanel primer for about 3 weeks. I like them both quite a bit, but find I reach for the MUFE primer more (maybe because it's cheaper to replenish?). I apply it all over my face and on my neck as well. They really do help my foundation last the day. I never retouch at work (don't have to with these) and they provide a nice smooth finish for my liquid or powder foundation (depending on which I'm using on any given day). I think what I like most is the texture and the fact that they have slip (as opposed to primers in a jar that are thicker in consistency). I always apply my primer before I do my eye makeup so that it can absorb into my skin well before I apply foundation as my last step.

Eye Shadow Primers: Urban Decay Primer Potion: This is really sort of what I just use, rather than a favorite. I've tried many primers, and though I get the results I'm looking for (crease-free, shadow doesn't fade), I can't say that I'm in love with the formulations. Sometimes I use MAC paintpots, which I like every now and then (they can be 'draggy' and harder to blend, depending on the color), and sometimes I use Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Maybe it's just my eyelid texture, but I have not yet found the 'holy grail' shadow primer. UDPP comes the closest in that it leaves an invisible base, which I quite like. Sometimes, however, it does crease before I can get my eyeshadow on - which just means I have to blend it down again.

I did just place an order with Sephora for a few of the new MUFE Aqua Creams (which may fit the bill) and redeemed VIB points to get a deluxe sample of a new NARS shadow primer. I'll try both of these and maybe amend my opinion.

Setting Powder: MUFE High Definition Powder and MAC Prep & Prime Transparent Finishing Powder AND Bare Minerals Feather Light Mineral Veil: I'll start with the last one first. I've been using BE FLMV for many years, and I love it. It's got just the faintest bit of sparkle (though not in the disco ball sense) and it gives my face a bit of a glow. I use it to blend my eye shadows as well for more of a soft-focus kind of look. I hope I never run out of this. Hands down one of my all-time favorite beauty products.

The other 2 powders I use when I just want a finished look with no glow. Some would say that powder on mature skin is a no-no, but these powders blended into the foundation just provide 'set' for me, no powdery look at all. They soften the whole look without caking. I also find that if I'm going to use powder blush it works better over another powder. I never apply any of these products underneath my eye. My application tends to be T-zone and along my cheekbones and that's it.

Concealer: MUFE Lift Concealer in #3: I have finally found a concealer I can use under my eyes. I'm sure this sounds a bit goofy, but I have tried many products with less than acceptable results. I don't have dark circles, but I do like to lighted that area (I do have darkness in the area at my nose, like most people do). This concealer is invisible, but it works. It blends beautifully, and doesn't creep into my fine lines. All I can say is FINALLY! :)

Mascara: Mally Volumizing and DiorShow in black: Mascara is such a personal thing, and I'm pretty fickle in that I'm not really a brand loyalist in this category. I have tried them all (except YSL and Chanel) and I have to say that Mally and Dior give me the best results. As we age, our lashes become less full, and these mascaras give me some oomph without clumping or the spider effect. If I spend the time, I can get quite a bit of length out of my lashes, but who has that kind of time? I don't. I want to use two coats and walk out the door without a lot of fuss. These two fit that bill. If I take a break from these (or just want to save $$ and time), I will use anything by Rimmel or L'Oreal, as their products are quite good drugstore varieties. I get Mally from QVC.

That's it from a basics perspective - I have a lot of thoughts on color products. That will probably be an installment kind of thing, as it's hard for me to pin down just one or two faves in each category.

In closing, I just want to say count your blessings each day and tell your family you love them.