Browsing Tag

Lipstick

Uncategorized

Sephora + Pantone Universe Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme & Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette

January 2, 2015

The Sephora + Pantone Universe Color of the Year is Marsala and there are some beautiful options for lips, cheeks and eyes that have been released. In this year’s color collection we have:
I have two items to share with you today (and a giveaway too!). First up is the Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme. This is a full coverage cream lipstick. It’s labeled as a matte finish color but I didn’t find it to be a true matte. It has a creamy feel with a slight sheen making it look more plush than a pure matte. This is the first Sephora branded lipstick I’ve tried and I found the pigment and coverage phenomenal. There’s no added fragrance although it does have a slight lipstick scent. On me it’s a dark pink wine color but not so dark that it’s a vamp shade. It is darker than what I am normally used to wearing but I found the color naturally flattering. If you want a darker lip but don’t want something quite as dramatic as a vampy shade, this is a good in between transition color. Texture is very smooth and glides on the lips easily. I found lasting power to be very good.

Here it is swatched with two swipes each lip, I found that if you layer it with a few more swipes, you can get a deeper more pigmented/vampy dark lip look:

A few comparisons to other shades (previous reviews are linked):

Charlotte Tilbury Stoned Rose (review soon)

Next up is the Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette. This is an impressive palette with 24 pigmented shades. The focus is primarily on reddish burgundy shades, but there is a good mix of others in the palette to coordinate with the reds. The colors in this palette are very much outside of my comfort zone although during makeovers artists often like to use warmer sable shades or wine shades on my eyes layered to warm up the entire look. I’ve experimented with some (like the wine shimmers from Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes) but use the color in small doses. This palette has a wide range of finishes and textures. Most of mattes are good if used as a liner or smokey eye, some of the textures of the mattes are a bit chalky if you try to use them all over the lid. I think they are best layered for added depth or as a liner. The shimmers range from glitter to finely milled shimmer to chunky sparkle. There are a few finely milled shimmers that have a very smooth easy to blend texture. Some of the chunkier shimmers have fallout when you apply them, but I found they did adhere ok to the lids once they were on the eyes. The glitters weren’t my favorite (I’m not a fan of glitter eyeshadows in general), but I’m still experimenting with them.  I think performance and quality does varies per shade.

Colors are swatched by row:

  • Autumn Blonde is a pale matte bone colored base with silver glitters, this one was very powdery and chalky on my skin
  • Toasted Nut is a shimmering pumpkin color, it has a medium-to-high frost with a smooth texture
  • Marsala Matte is a pigmented matte red wine color
  • Marsala Satin is a pigmented semi-matte/semi-shimmer red wine
  • Shifting Sand is a chunky silver with a high frost, there was fallout when applying this shade, but once it’s on the lids it stays put
  • Cocoa Brown is a satiny cool brown with a slight sheen

  • Burro is a neutral cool satiny matte color, it has a slight sheen but on the eyes goes on matte
  • Deep Taupe is a cool-toned bark brown that looks more blue on my skin
  • Marsala Metallic is a shimmering red wine, it has a smooth texture, I found it easy to blend and layer with other eyeshadow shades
  • Marsala Glitter is a red wine with red and silver tiny glitters
  • Kelp is a warm olive gold metallic, it has finely milled shimmer
  • Dusty Olive is a darker metallic olive, it also has good pigment and finely milled shimmer

  • Desert Mist is a highly frosted buttercream gold
  • Butterum is a medium golden copper metallic sparkle
  • Macaroon is a satiny tan with a hint of camel and pink
  • Chutney is a reddish matte red
  • Nimbus Cloud is a chunky cool-toned silvery white sparkle
  • Moonlight Blue is a sheer glittering blue, you can get more pigment if you layer it with a damp brush or over a liner but alone it’s pretty sheer

The last row of colors includes my favorites in the palette:

  • Carob Brown is a satiny medium-warm brown, it’s primarily a matte but has a slightly reflective quality when layered and swatched in a large area
  • Bracken is a dark chocolate cool brown base with gold shimmer loaded into it
  • Russet is a warm matte brown, this also looks satiny because of the flash, but it performs like a matte
  • Hot Chocolate is a warm reddish brown matte
  • Castor Grey is a duo-chrome metallic similar in concept to MAC Club Eyeshadow
  • Red Mahogany is a matte plum red brown

I’m really pleased with the quality, pigment and color of the Marsala Lip Creme. It works just like a lipstick should. I think the Eyeshadow Palette is a good value set that will offer a diverse range of colors, textures and finishes. There are a lot of different looks that that you can create with the 24 shades. The quality of the shadows is mixed, but overall it’s a good palette. Color-wise, I’m almost exclusively a neutral eyeshadow wearer but I’ve played with this for a week now and found that I can use some of the reds layered with the cooler-toned shades and it’s very wearable. If you’re at a Sephora store, I definitely recommend you giving this a look.

For the other Marsala beauty items, I’ve played with the lip crayons and blush palette. There are a number of spring releases trickling in stores now so I’m waiting to see other items before purchasing, but the blush palette is seriously tempting me.

I have an extra set of the two items featured in this review to giveaway thanks to Sephora! This is an international giveaway, but you must be 18 years or older to qualify for entries. Simply enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below. One winner will be selected at random to win (x1) Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme and (x1) Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette. Entries will be collected through 1/8/2015 (refer to terms and conditions in the widget for all the details). All entrants must submit their own entries. Please note if you select to leave a comment via the Rafflecopter option, any with links or urls listed to blogs, websites, giveaways, Facebook pages etc. will be considered spam, will not be published and the entry will be disqualified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

The Sephora + Pantone Universe items in this review and
giveaway were provided courtesy of Sephora.

233 Comments
Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury The Supermodel Collection / Holiday 2014

December 30, 2014

Charlotte Tilbury’s holiday collection consists of a mix of new and previously released products for The Supermodel Look. She has a couple pre-made sets where you can purchase all the items in one kit for the entire look but you can also buy the items individually. I decided to purchase most of the items separately and have swatches and thoughts to share with you today.

Charlotte Tilbury’s collection is my favorite out of all the holiday releases. The colors and combination is quite stunning with the mix of a bronze-smokey eye and nude pink lips. Here are the items I ordered:

  • Fallen Angel Luxury Palette ($65, limited-edition) is a really pretty eyeshadow quad with a soft champagne, cool silvery mauve taupe, warm shimmery bronze and a satiny black. I previously compared this to Chanel’s Rêve D’Orient. I have a slight preference for the Chanel, but the Charlotte Tilbury is just as stunning and more cool-toned. I’ve been wearing this a lot and I like how easy it is to use. The four colors combined are pure genius and I like that you can wear this everyday but dress it up for evening. The texture is soft with a slightly creamy texture. The colors adhere well to the lids, blend nicely, layer really well and last long. I give it a huge thumbs up. I think it is different enough from the Chanel to justify both.
  • Sex on Fire Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blush ($40, permanent) is a luminous blush with a mix of beige and rose and tan. It has a lighter beige-pink on the outer rim with a darker tan-rose in the middle. I’ve accumulated several of Charlotte Tilbury’s blushes and have been really impressed. The texture is super soft with really good pigment. It glides on the skin nicely and layers well if you want more color. The way you are supposed to apply these is to take a brush and swish the outside lighter color and apply to the cheeks. Then take the inner darker color and pop some more color for added depth and pigment. I can’t always get my brush to just get the outside or inside color, so I like to swirl my brush in the entire compact before applying.
  • Confession K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick ($32, limited-edition) is the perfect color to get Kylie Jenner lips. It’s a good medium-toned nude pink with color. There is a slight hint of shimmer which prevents it from looking flat, but on my lips it’s primarily a cream. The coverage is full and the texture is very creamy. It is medium-to-thick which makes it adhere really well to the lips and I found it lasted quite long without any lipliner. I hope she considers making this permanent. 
  • Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds Lip Lustre ($22, limited-edition) is a light neutral pink beige with silvery champagne shimmer. I really love this lip gloss. The color is the prettiest light pearly beige. It works well alone for me, although I think most people will prefer this one layered over a lipstick. It has a sheer to medium coverage that adds the prettiest shimmery nude sheen to the lips.
  • Pillowtalk Lip Cheat Lip Pencil ($22, permanent) is a rosy neutral lipliner that matches Confession lipstick. I’m not a lipliner wearer much these days but so many have raved about it I had to check it out. It’s a good long-lasting creamy shade that you can use to line and fill the lips for added volume.

More photos and swatches:

A few quick comparison swatches to some other Charlotte Tilbury nude lipsticks (a more detailed feature on all these shades to follow soon):

If you’re looking for one brand that will give you a complete look for the holiday or new year (or year round) the items in Charlotte Tilbury’s The Supermodel Look is a good one to check out. I researched reviews on a number of blogs before purchasing the items sight unseen and the shades look great on all different skin tones.
I like every single item in the collection and I think they are worth every penny. I could have skipped the lipliner since I rarely wear liners these days, but Pillowtalk is a good nude pink.

Do note the best items in the look are limited-edition. I would recommend ordering soon if you’re interested. The Confession Lipstick and Fallen Angel Quad have sold out numerous times on multiple sites but the good news is that many have restocked over the past week. You can find Charlotte Tilbury Beauty online at Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, Beautylish, Selfridges and Charlotte Tilbury.

Did you buy any of the holiday items from Charlotte Tilbury?
What was your favorite holiday collection this year?
20 Comments
Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lips & Boys – Beauty Look Book Picks

December 24, 2014

Tom Ford launched 50 shades of clutch-sized lipstick last month with the Lips and Boys collection as an online exclusive for a very short period of time. Ordering the colors I wanted was a bit tricky for me since many of the colors sold out on different sites almost instantly. They are making a comeback though, while supplies last, online now at Nordstrom, Saks and Bloomingdales. They are expected to launch again on December 26th at select Tom Ford counters and boutiques, also online at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman. I have my neutral picks to share with you along with swatches and thoughts.

The Tom Ford Lips & Boys are clutch-sized lipsticks priced at $32 each for 0.07 oz/2 g. They are in between the sizes of the full sized Lip Colors and baby gift with purchase Lip Colors. For size reference here are all three options lined up side by side.

Full Size is .1 oz / 3 g priced at $50 each
Lips & Boys are 0.07 oz / 2 g priced at $32 each
Baby Gift with Purchase is 0.03 oz / 1 g 

After playing with the shades for several weeks I can say that my overall impressions are positive. I think the lip colors are the strong point of Tom Ford’s beauty line and have been impressed with pigment, coverage and feel ever since the first launch back in 2011. The Lips & Boys have two different finishes. There are shimmery shades and then there are cream shades. Some of the creams have a tiny bit of shimmer in the tube but on the lips they apply more like a true cream. Pigments range from sheer to medium to full depending on color. Closeups and arm swatches below:

Photographing 15 lipsticks on one arm was a bit tricky because of my arm curve and also because many of the colors have this natural glossy sheen. I have several shots to try and capture the colors and show you the difference between the nudes:

Close ups and lip swatches with descriptions of each shade:

  • Addison is a creamy full coverage medium neutral pink, the coverage is perfection, Addison is reported to be a repromote of Pink Dusk – I find Addison about a 1/2 shade darker than Pink Dusk
  • Alexander is a full coverage bright pink with cool tones, on my lips it pulls very blue, this one emphasizes dry patches and lip lines
  • Beau is a full coverage creamy nude, it’s almost flesh-tone on me, it’s reported to be a dupe of Blush Nude, in the tubes Beau is slightly more pinkish, Blush Nude is a tiny bit lighter and more beige
  • Cary is a full coverage deep mauve pink, it pulls brighter on my lips
  • Flynn is a baby pink with medium coverage

  • Henry is full coverage shimmering brown, on my lip/complexion it pulls very orange
  • Ian is a sheer shimmery light pink nude
  • Orlando is a sheer frosted mauve nude tan
  • Patrick is a bright medium coverage coral pink, texture was patchy on this one
  • Peter is a shimmering medium coverage neutral pink with pale champagne shimmers

  • Rory is sheer shimmering pale gold, it goes on patchy if your lips aren’t well prepped
  • William is a medium coverage shimmering warm nude peachy pink, this is reported to be a repromote of Pink Dune, I don’t find them similar, Pink Dune is more beige and glossy, William is a lot warmer almost peachy gold by comparison
  • Julian is a full coverage medium cool pink
  • Luca is a medium to full coverage coral with contrasted pale champagne frost mixed in
  • Olivier is a medium coverage cool pale pink

Swatching 15 lipsticks was extremely harsh on my lips with all the wiping and re-applying so some of the swatch photos may look a bit dry. I found that the shimmery shades have a high level of pale frost in them which ended up emphasizing lip lines with a camera flash or super dry lips. I think prepping the lips and making sure they are hydrated is key – but I do think extra moisture is needed right now with the dry winter weather. The creams performed the best for me with the exception of Patrick which I found applied patchy and uneven (it took extra work). Still with the creams you need a well hydrated or smooth lip because the pigment is rich and creamy with full coverage.

My favorite shades include William, Peter, Addison, Ian, Orlando and Luca. I personally don’t like Alexander, Julian & Olivier because cool-toned pinks just don’t work well with my skin although they are very pretty pinks. I had application issues with Rory and Patrick (at least straight from the tube). Henry for some reason turns very orange on me.

Overall my thoughts are thumbs up on most of the colors. The clutch size is just so adorable – I can never resist a mini. The price point is still a bit steep but I have an easier time justifying $32 vs $50 on a lipstick (even if the size is small).

If you’re not able to see these in person before purchasing, I highly recommend researching swatches and reviews online. I won’t have time to do comparison swatches but there are many resources that have helpful reviews you can find on other blogs. The Tom Ford Beauty discussion thread on Specktra.net is extremely helpful, many have chimed in on their thoughts, added swatches, photos and have additional shopping tips.

If any of these interest you at all I recommend you order sooner than later because I think it’s a good assumption that these will sell out very quickly. You can find the Tom Ford Lips & Boys online now at Nordstrom, Saks and Bloomingdales. Available for pre-order at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Expected to launch at Tom Ford counters, boutiques and online this week on December 26th.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. I will be taking a few days off from the blog to enjoy time with loved ones. Merry Christmas from me to you! 

36 Comments
Uncategorized

Chanel Collection Rêverie Parisienne Rouge Coco Shines and Glossimers for Spring 2015

December 19, 2014

Chanel’s Spring 2015 Collection has two new Glossimers in Fleur D’Eau 192 and Crazy Fuchsia 194 ($29.50 each) and two new Rouge Coco Shines in Étourdie 98 and Désinvolte 97 ($35 each). The color theme is coral and fuchsia-rose pink for lips and the items I picked out have a mix of soft and bright.

The Glossimers and Rouge Coco Shines have a glossy sheen. If you’re a Chanel fan you are well aware of the lovely natural shine these have. The texture is smooth and feels really nice on the lips.

Swatches with flash:

Swatches without flash:

The Rouge Coco Shines are sheer glossy lipsticks. The colors for spring are vibrant in color but the sheer texture makes them very soft on the lips. On my pigmented lips the colors do show up quite well. These are easy to apply with a smooth hydrating texture. Désinvolte 97 is a bright but sheer coral peach. Étourdie 98 is a cool-toned rose pink with silver sparkles. If you apply these with a lip brush I find you can get more color/pigment. I prefer to apply straight from the tube because it’s faster.

The Glossimers mimic the texture and color of the Rouge Coco Shines. Fleur D’Eau 192 is a very sheer bright coral peach but the sheerness makes it look very natural. It has a transparent quality so your natural lip will definitely show through. Crazy Fuchsia 194 is a crazy pigmented shimmery fuchsia rose pink. The shimmer and pigment in this is incredibly beautiful. It’s a bit out of my comfort zone (because I usually like lighter lips) but the color is just so pretty I couldn’t pass it up. There is a mix of deep mauve rose in it so it’s not fluorescent but it’s still vibrant.

I’m really pleased with these. They are perfect bright spring shades that lift the mood and make the complexion come to life. I do think they are classics suitable for year round so I feel completely comfortable wearing them right now even though we are in the midst of the holiday season.

Spring should be trickling in stores now. I spotted the collection in store at Nordstrom. So far, only Fleur D’Eau is listed as limited-edition on Chanel.com.
Have you ordered anything from the spring collection? What did you pick out?
15 Comments
Uncategorized

Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Petal 135

December 13, 2014

I’ve received a few requests for a lip swatch on the Petal 135 Classic Cream Lipstick I featured in yesterday’s Dolce & Gabbana Beauty roundup. The online stock photos for Petal on my screen look lighter and less saturated in color compared to the real lipstick. I tested out a few of the nudes and Petal is a medium neutral nude pink. It’s the perfect balance between warm and cool, on me it leans slightly warm which works better for my lips.

Here is Petal 135 swatched on bare lips:

For skin tone reference, I am wearing NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation in Punjab (reviewed here) and Dolce & Gabbana Powder Foundation in Warm 100 (reviewed here).

Comparisons added to some other nude pink lipsticks, same set in both photos, just slightly different lighting:

Tom Ford Pink Tease Lip Color Matte (reviewed here)
Charlotte Tilbury Bitch Perfect K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick (reviewed here)
NARS Raquel Audacious Lipstick (swatches here)
Tom Ford Pink Adobe Lip Color
Tom Ford Pink Dusk Lip Color (lip swatch here)
NARS Vanessa Audacious Lipstick (swatched here)
Armani Rouge Ecstasy 103 (review + swatches here)

I hope the lip swatch + comparisons help!
18 Comments
Uncategorized

Dolce & Gabbana Beauty – Lips, Eyes and Nails

December 12, 2014

Today I’m sharing Part 2 of my Dolce & Gabbana Beauty favorites. There is a lot to explore with the Dolce & Gabbana beauty line and over the past few years I’ve done some extensive testing. Today’s post will be an introduction to some of the items I have enjoyed the most. What I think is the most appealing about the line is the diverse color range in all of the products. There are good nudes and soft pinks to appeal to neutral makeup lovers, but there are also a lot of more dramatic and bright shades for those who crave color.

Up first are the Smooth Eye Color Quads ($60 each for 4.8 g/ 0.16 oz) in Smoky 105 and Contrasts 140. Smoky is hands down the best smokey eyeshadow quad I’ve tried. The pigment is very good and smooth. It has a pigmented matte black, deep chocolate bronze, shimmering sand and a pale ivory pink frost. If you find most traditional grey, silver and black smokey eyeshadow palettes too cool-toned for you, the Dolce & Gabbana Smoky is a great alternative. The sand and bronze colors add depth and definition with a warm touch. Contrasts is a softer palette of rosy colors. It has a soft petal pink shimmer, a pale pink-tinged cream satin, a soft plum shimmer and a warm reddish bronze shimmer. This will give you a soft defined eye that isn’t too nude or too pink. If you’re new to eye makeup and want to ease into wearing color, this is a great introductory quad that is impossible to mess up or overdo.

Next is the Perfect Mono Cream Eye Color ($36 for 4 g / 0.14 oz) in Desert 40. This one is listed as a matte shade but it has a slight shimmery sheen to it. Desert is a cool-toned tan nude shade. On my skin tone it’s the perfect contouring nude shade to add depth and a hint of color. I like this one alone or combined with the Smoky Quad. It has a soft velvety texture. It is creamy to the touch but dries quickly. I found it went on smoothly when my lids were primed with a tiny bit of eye cream. It is described as a long-wear cream shadow that is supposed to last up to 12 hours. I found it lasted from morning to night for me, I’ve tested it for around 9-10 hours and each time it stayed put and did not budge.

To define the eyes, the original pencil released was the Crayon Intense Eyeliner ($30 each). These are highly pigmented pencils that come with an angled applicator at one end for blending. Lasting power depends on the shades. I find the metallics last long on my eyes while the mattes don’t. Shades like Stromboli and Coffee have a matte base with flecks of sparkle – I find these work best if you layer a powder shadow on top of them to intensify color and get a smokey eye look. They don’t smudge but they on me they fade by early-afternoon. I’ve had better experience with the shimmery metallics though like Bronzo, Shimmer and Agave – all of which last quite long on my eyes from morning until night. 

For lips, Dolce & Gabbana offers a wide range of textures and finishes. There are sheer shine lipsticks, glossy lipsticks, pigmented cream lipsticks and glosses with different levels of pigment and shimmer. Do note these are heavily scented with a soft rose fragrance so if you are super sensitive to scents your mileage may vary on tolerance. I find I can wear them without any issue and the scent does fade after 5 minutes or so. Out of all the formulas, I would say the Classic Cream ($33 for 3.5 g) and Voluptuous Monica Lipstick ($34 each) formulas perform the best. They are creamy, smooth and moisturizing with pigmented coverage. The Classic Cream Lipstick in Petal 135 is my newest acquisition and I find it is the perfect pink nude cream, it leans neutral but has the perfect balance of warm and cool in it to not wash out the face or pull blue on my pigmented lips.

For glosses, the packaging was re-designed although it still comes in a clear tube and sponge tip applicator. I have several colors in the Sheer Shine ($31 for 5 ml) formula. Two I’ve used up include Seduction 100 and Nude 60. I’ve found the old and new formulas to be identical. These are sheer glosses with high shine that work best when layered over a lipstick.

For many years I would do a lipliner + lipstick + gloss look on a daily basis. These days I find I usually skip lipliner altogether but Dolce & Gabbana does have a wide range of perfect nudes. I prefer to find a lipliner that matches my natural lip tone or something slightly lighter to go with nude lip colors. The Precision Lip Liner ($30) comes in a wide range of nude shades with pink, brown and rose undertones. They blend in well with the lip naturally and help extend the wear of lipstick. These come with a brush at one end which is handy for blending. Cashmere 8 is a good versatile nude. I’ve swatched a couple others below.

For the nails, Dolce & Gabbana has over 30 shades to choose from. The polishes are called Intense Nail Lacquer ($25 each for 11 ml). I’ve accumulated quite a few to date and like these for the glossy finish and smooth texture. Even the sheer shades have really good coverage and smooth application. Three I’m obsessed with include Perfection (a sheer but smooth nude with a jelly finish), Chocolate (a deep glossy chocolate cream with a jelly finish) and Cosmopolitan (a sheer coral peach, also with a jelly finish). The colors can be easily duped but the formulas have this perfect jelly texture that has an ultra glossy finish. Lasting power is really good and I usually get 5 days of wear without any chipping or tip wear. If you try these I think you will be impressed with the smooth coverage these offer.

I hope you found this a helpful introduction to the Dolce & Gabbana Beauty line. The brand offers high quality luxurious products that I find perform really well. It’s definitely one I recommend exploring the next time you are at a counter. Out of all that Dolce & Gabbana has to offer, if I had to pick three things to look at for starters, it would be the Powder Foundation (reviewed here), Smoky Quad and any one of the Luminous Cheek Colors.

This post was sponsored by Nordstrom. All opinions are my own. For more information you can refer to my Disclosures page.

13 Comments
Uncategorized

Burberry Beauty Winter Glow // Shades of Gold and Oxblood for Lips and Nails

December 10, 2014

Burberry’s holiday collection this year focuses on shades of gold and oxblood. There are two color sets for lips and nails, each with matching shades of their Lip Glow ($29 each), Lip Mist ($33 each) and Nail Polish ($22 each). Each item in the holiday collection comes with a special limited-edition gold colored check pattern on the packaging. The Oxblood Look colors are repromoted shades but the Gold Look items are new this year.

The Gold colors in this year’s collection are sheer cool-toned golds. I found the shades unique for a gold color. Typically golds for holidays are brighter or warmer. The items from Burberry have a pale tinge to them making them different than most.

  • Gold No. 27 Lip Mist is a unique pale gold. It has a sheer formula which makes it forgiving but on my lips it applies like a cool nude with gold shimmer. I prefer this one dabbed on the lips in a sheer wash. If I layer this too much, it makes my pigmented lips look a bit too pale-looking.
  • Gold No. 25 Lip Glow is a sheer sparkling gold. The sparkles are larger than finely milled shimmer with add a beautiful sparkle to the lips. While the shimmer is on the heavy side, the gloss is smooth in texture and I find the shimmer to be very wearable, even for those conservative on shimmer for the lips. I found it best layered over another lipstick. It’s a bit sheer when worn alone.
  • Gold No. 447 Nail Polish is a pale yellow beige gold shimmer. The formula is excellent with smooth and rich coverage. It applies flawlessly on the nail and with two coats you get full coverage with a slight hint of silver sparkle. Unfortunately it doesn’t work so well with my olive skin tone. I suspect colors like this will work better on those with pink undertones in the skin. For me the yellow clashes with my olive skin. It is a wearable color and I’ve asked a few friends for their input. They like it, but don’t love it on me.

Swatches:

Comparisons for the lip glosses: MAC Gold Mirror Lipglass (discontinued), Dior Gold Rain Addict Lip Gloss (holiday, limited-edition), Burberry Nude Gold Lip Glow, NARS Greek Holiday Lip Gloss, NARS Gold Digger Larger Than Life Lip Gloss

The Oxblood colors are repromoted shades. I’ve reviewed the original Oxblood line before, but reswatched everything from this year’s collection to see if the colors are the same. They are.

  • Oxblood No. 214 Lip Mist is a gel-like lipstick formula. The Lip Mists are sheerer than the Lip Covers but still have very good pigment. I find the Lip Mist adheres better to the lip even though it has a glossy finish. There is a semi-transparent quality but the colors still cover the lip entirely and evenly with a few swipes back and forth. Oxblood looks like a deep vampy color in the tube. On the lips it’s a brighter sheer red. It deepens if you layer it. If you apply one swipe the color is a sheer red.
  • Oxblood No. 23 Lip Glow is another color that applies sheerer on the lips than what you see in the tube. This is a lovely sheer pink red with a hint of vamp. It wears well alone but looks good layered over the lipstick for added intensity and shine.
  • Oxblood No. 303 Nail Polish is a deep vampy red. It seems to have improved in formula over the original one released several years ago with better smoother coverage. The brush is still wide and flat but seems easier to use than what I remember from my original review. The color is still identical to the original version.

Swatches:

Comparisons on the lips to: Burberry Hibiscus Lip Glow (slightly deeper than oxblood), Oxblood Lip Cover (is deeper and darker), Blueberry Lip Mist (is less blue/red but similar in effect):

Both the Gold and Oxblood are beautiful classics for the holidays giving you options for subtle or dramatic looks. My favorite items are the Gold Lip Glow, Oxblood Lip Mist and Oxblood Lip Glow. If you already own the Oxblood shades, the good news is you can shop your stash for a lovely understated but still slightly bold holiday red that isn’t too garish or bright.
All the items are limited-edition. Right now Burberry has all the items in stock online. Burberry Beauty is also carried at other retailers such as Nordstrom, Saks and Net-A-Porter, but some of the holiday pieces have started to sell out so you may need to shop around to pick out the pieces you want.
Have you checked out the Burberry Winter Glow collection yet? What did you think?
The Burberry Winter Glow items in this review were provided free of charge from Burberry for review consideration. All other items purchased by me.
7 Comments