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Burberry Oxblood No. 303 Nail Polish

December 13, 2013

Burberry Oxblood No. 303 Nail Polish ($21 for 8ml/.27 fl oz) is one of the eighteen nail polishes just released by Burberry Beauty. It’s a stunning dark red wine shade with a sheerish jelly base. There is a lot of red in the base which prevents it from being too dark. Still it’s dark enough to be vampy. I found it applied well with two coats although a third coat made it look best.

Removeable cap:

Wide and flat brush:

There have been mixed feelings about the formula. I tested this with two different applications. The first was with a professional manicure – my manicurist noted that the brush on this nail polish was poorly designed with rough bristles making it hard to get an accurate finish by the cuticles. Still application was pure perfection with two coats. She expressed her strong dislike for the formula and the design. I tried a second time on my own (photos with own application shown below) and found it slightly more difficult to work with compared to Chanel, Dior and Tom Ford but was still able to get a decent application. Lasting power was quite good. I used my usual go-to’s Deborah Lippmann’s Rehydrating Base Coat and Chanel’s Top Coat – the manicure lasted well over 5 days.

For comparisons, see below: Chanel Vamp, Burberry Oxblood, Chanel Accessoire, Chanel Rouge Noir and Chanel Forbidden (discontinued).

I give Burberry Oxblood a thumbs up for lasting power and color. The brush could use some improvement for easier application. I did have to be more careful to not over-apply the color to the nail and get an even application. It’s currently sold out online but on backorder for another week. You might want to check your Burberry counters to see if they have stock in stores. 
You can find Burberry Oxblood Nail polish online at Nordstrom. If you’re a fan of the oxblood-colored theme, check out the other variations of the Lip Mist, Lip Cover and Lip Glow. (I bought all three.)
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Holiday Gift Guide $50 and Under

December 9, 2013

Another gift guide on my picks for items $50 and under. I love that most stores have items sorted by price point making it easy to search for ideas by category. Currently on my radar (still making my lists):

  1. Chanel Magic or Cosmic Le Vernis $27 each – a must-have for die-hard Chanel collectors
  2. Laura Mercier Bath Duo $48 – comes in a variety of scent offerings, great for those who love sweet scents for bath and body
  3. Tom Ford Lipstick $48 – the classic shade picks for me are Pink Dusk or Spanish Pink
  4. Jo Malone Vitamin E Nourishing Hand Treatment $50 – this is like a spa for the hands
  5. Aerin Rose Hand and Body Cream $40 – great for those who like a soft rose scent that’s not too floral, feels lush and moisturizing for the hands but it’s not too heavy
  6. Kate Spade Holiday Candles $40 – there are four options for Kate Spade candles in glass jars, they look like they’ll make great decorating pieces for the holiday and also after burning
  7. Kate Spade Ikat iPhone Case $40 – cute cover for iPhone owners 
  8. Diptyque Orange Chai Candle (Small) $32 – a lovely warm unique holiday scent that comes in the most beautiful packaging
  9. West Elm Capiz Jewelry Box $39 – small but dainty and lovely, will make a lovely accent piece to any room
  10. Pottery Barn Throw $45 – aa perfect gift for the home, lovely, classic and so soft
  11. Henri Bendel Holiday Candle $30 – Henri Bendel candles are in my top three picks for home fragrance brands during the holidays they often have promotions and price breaks if you spend a certain amount, the holiday scents have lovely gold and silver packaging
  12. Kate Spade Holiday Coasters $20 for a set of 24 – lovely host/hostess gift as an add on to a bottle of wine or gift basket
  13. Jack Black First Class Five Set $49 – killer deal for a starter or travel kit for men, my husband loves Jack Black and I know he would love a sampler set to try different things
  14. Caudalie Divine Indulgence Set $49 – value set priced the same as an individual full-sized Divine Oil, gives an opportunity to try 2 other items in a lovely gift set (bought this for myself)
  15. L’Occitane Hand Cream Indulgences Trio $28 – L’Occitane makes amazing hand creams that are perfect for the purse, holidays are always a good time to stock up or to buy value sets
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Loving Right Now

December 8, 2013

My current obsessions right now is Burberry Oxblood Nail Polish. I’ve been eagerly waiting for the Burberry Nail Polishes to arrive in the US. There are a few available on Nordstrom.com (some on back-order) and several available now online at Burberry. Above is a swatch photo of Oxblood with two coats (it’s slightly transparent on me). I’ll have a more detailed review on Oxblood soon. For now here are a few Burberry nail polish reviews I’ve been loving lately:

I’m kinda dying over Metallic Khaki! I can’t wait until all the shades arrive at Nordstrom so I can test at the counters.

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Holiday Gift Guide $25 and Under

December 8, 2013
With Christmas only a few weeks away I’m determined to make my lists and get all my holiday shopping complete by the middle of next week at the latest. I’ve searched for things by price point starting with the little things I can use as add-ons, stocking stuffers or small gifts. On my radar:
1, 2, 3. Mini fragrances Jimmy Choo $25, Kate Spade $24, Marc Jacobs Dot $22 – great for add-ons
4. Minimergency Kits $15 each – perfect to throw in your purse, keep in your car or store at your work desk
5. Caudalie Duo Mini Hand Cream and Divine Oil $15 – this is what I’m getting for all my girl friends this year as a stocking stuffer
6. Jo Malone Vitamin E Lip Balm $25 – one of my holy grail lip balms, pricey but is something everyone all ages will love and use
7. Essie Hors d’oeuvres Nail Polish $8.50 – a nice little glitzy add-on
8. Deborah Lippmann Boom-Boom Pow Nail Polish $20 – a luxurious splurge for those who love sparkle and bling
9. Pottery Barn Silver-Plated Locket Key Chain $19.50 – a creative gift for close friends or loved ones
10. Burberry Light Gold Nail Polish $21 – another luxurious splurge for the holiday
11. Henri Bendel Cross Your T’s Pen $25 – for those who want a little something extra for their desks
12. Kate Spade Letter Stationary $25 – monogramed cards add a nice personalized touch that is also timeless
13. Henri Bendel Candle Trio $25 – small but the holiday scents are to die for
14. Fresh Assorted Soaps $15 – makes a nice little add-on for the home, Fresh has the prettiest soap wrapping that I’ve seen from any brand
15. Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark Bites (4 Pieces) $10 – small bites for those who don’t want to be tempted by the entire tin
16. Williams-Sonoma Classic Hot Chocolate Mix $19.50 – perfect hostess gift, the classic hot chocolate is available only during the holidays (tip – mix and match items to save instores by bundling products)
17. Godiva Dessert Truffles (Box of 6) $16 – an impressive box of six dessert themed truffles will bring a smile to anyone
If you have any good ideas for what you’re doing this year for stocking stuffers or small add-ons I would absolutely love to hear your ideas!!
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Chanel Émotion #87 Powder Blush

December 6, 2013

There’s a new blush from Chanel in the US (separate from the holiday collection) called Émotion #87 ($43 for 6 g/0.21 oz). It’s a pigmented satiny rose pink. The color is one of the darkest and most pigmented blushes I’ve seen from Chanel in quite some time. Émotion has a soft subtle shimmer to it in the pan but it applies with a very soft glow with a healthy flush. It’s the perfect pink to add color but doesn’t darken or look too bright on the skin.

It applies very smoothly on my skin. The color shows up quite well. It’s a bright color with a soft finish.

At first glance I thought it would be similar to Tom Ford Wicked. It’s a bit different – Chanel Émotion has a softer and more delicate finish while Tom Ford Wicked is a bit sharper in color. Below: Chanel Turbulent (discontinued), Tumulte, Rose Petale and Tom Ford Wicked (on backorder at Neimans).

I’m a huge fan of Chanel blushes. I love their soft texture and layerable colors. Émotion proves to be one of the darker more pigmented colors. I give it a huge thumbs up. I recommend checking Weekend Ramblings, Jayded Dreaming and Color Me Loud for additional swatches.

I purchased my Émotion #87 blush in store at Nordstrom, online at Nordstrom.com.

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Chanel Nuit Magique | Cosmic and Magic

December 4, 2013

Chanel just released their Nuit Magique shades in the US in Cosmic and Magic ($27 each, limited-edition at Macys.com and Chanel.com). I found mine in store at Macy’s this past weekend. Both shades apply smoothly and flawlessly with two coats. The colors are very similar to past releases, but are still a bit different. Scroll down for comparisons.

Cosmic is a black infused with silver sparkles. It’s very sheer on the first coat but smooths out perfectly with the second. The silver shimmer is nearly invisible on the nails. I can only see them in direct sunlight or with a high flash. Even though the sparkle doesn’t show up I do think it prevents the color from being too harsh or flat-looking.

For comparisons I pulled Steel (limited from 2010), Black Satin, Noir Ceramic (discontinued). Cosmic is like a cross between Black Satin and Noir Ceramic.

Magic is a dark blue cream with a hint of teal. It’s a lovely striking shade on the nails. Magic is very similar to the Blue Rebel that was released a few years ago but there is a noticeable difference (scroll down for swatches). Magic is shown with 2 coats.

Comparisons show Magic is slightly deeper and more teal compared to the Blue Rebel from a few years ago. Below: Blue Satin, Blue Rebel (no longer available), and Blue Boy (no longer for sale).

I love both and think they are both worth having even though there are similar shades in previous releases. If you want to avoid dupes you can skip these though. Do keep in mind they are limited-edition.
The Nuit Magique shades can be found at Macy’s and Macys.com as well as various Chanel Boutiques and Chanel.com.