Burberry Velvet and Luminous Foundation and Fresh Glow Luminous Base

Looks like this is just going to be a very Burberry week! Looking through the internet, I have not really seen any comparisons of the Burberry Velvet and the Luminous Foundations. So I decided to provide you with one while also reviewing the Fresh Glow Luminous Base. As you can see from the above image, I only own samples of these products and as such I will not be reviewing the containers. My new Barneys sa (Jason out in California) sent me these to play with.

Burberry describes the Velvet foundation as "being like a trench coat for the skin, Velvet Foundation is a sophisticated, long lasting formula that provides effortless protection with a flawless, velvety finish for a radiant, matte look." This formula contains long wear, second skin effect, hydration, and is weatherproof. It is an oil-free formula.

Burberry describes the Luminous foundation as "a sheer and light cream fluid. A gelled structure for optimum light diffusion. A subtle finish and natural glow that illuminate the skin. The skin feels beautifully bare, supple and comfortable. This is a hydrating formula that contains UV filters to protect from damaging environmental exposure."

Just by opening these containers, one can see a big texture difference that I believe you can even see in the pictures. The foundation on the right is the velvet foundation and the one on the left is the luminous foundation. The velvet is more liquidy and runny while the luminous foundation stays put, it is much richer and creamier. Both of these foundations are very moisturizing (something I look for in a foundation). The velvet foundation keeps you much more matte looking while the luminous foundation imparts a dewy glow. I have very dry skin and found I needed to blot by the early evening, so those with oily skin may not love this. The luminous foundation is also much more sheer than the velvet foundation, but can easily be built up. I would say the velvet foundation is more medium coverage. I love both of these formulas. I felt that both of them felt great on the skin, they both melted in so that they remained undetectable, and both made me look flawless without exacerbating my dry skin (or accentuating it for that matter). If I had to choose one to buy I would have a very hard time of it! I'm so happy that I recently purchased the By Terry foundation only because if I needed to purchase a foundation still I would probably have ended up with both of these; they are both so wonderful!

The Fresh Glow Luminous Base is described by Burberry as "a lightweight, luminous fluid base that gives the skin a gentle fresh shimmer and sherry dewy finish. The unique pink color compliments all skin tones and enhances the complexion for an effortlessly radiant, healthy look. The beautifying formula contains wild rose extract, which proves moisturizing benefits and regenerating properties. The skin is hydrated, protected and has a natural healthy glow."

Jason from Burberry told me this can be worn before foundation as a primer, mixed with your favorite foundation to turn it into a tinted moisturizer, or tapped over makeup to use as a highlighter. This can even be mixed with concealer and applied under the eyes to make the concealer brighter, smoother, and more luminous. He stated that this was the best seller. As another option, I like to use it under the velvet foundation to make it look more like the luminous foundation without my skin feeling greasy by the end of the day! This product is amazing! In the container it has a white, pearly, ethereal glow that is just amazing. You can see the  glowiness of the product before you ever apply it to your skin! Amazing.

If you have any other questions about any of the products that I didn't cover in my comparison, feel free to ask me in the comments.

These products can be purchased as select Nordstroms and Saks or online at http://us.burberry.com/store/fragrance-beauty/

Burberry Lip Cover in Tea Rose

As promised yesterday, a review of this Burberry lipstick. In December, I wrote a post stating my Holiday Beauty Wish list and on that list was a Burberry lipstick - any Burberry lipstick. I heard so much about these on other blogs that I felt I needed this. A few weeks ago I made the trek into NYC to find the only Burberry counter in the tri-state area (Saks) so I could finally play with my Burberry. I was originally thinking of getting the holiday lipstick trio, but found that the Nude Beige color wasn't a good color for me. So instead I was thinking of getting both Tea Rose and the other color in the set Dusty Rose, however the sa annoyed me so much I ended up with just this (the sales associates at the Burberry counter in the Saks in NYC are ridiculously pushy). 

This lipstick is everything I dreamed it would be and more. It is gorgeous to look at (a magnetic enclosure is just amazing) and feels like a dream on the lips. It it goes on moisturizing (I have found the moisture doesn't last, but they don't dry out your lips) and just glides across the lips. It isn't too heavy of a feeling on and the color is opaque with one swipe. Not only do I want more of these, but I would love to try the other lipsticks, the lip mists which are supposed to be on the more sheer side and the lip velvet which is supposed to me more opaque.

Burberry describes these as being "super-light 'second skin' texture that provides intense moisture immediately after application. Combination of oils and light waxes helps easy application and extreme comfort."

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This can be purchased at select Saks and Nordstroms or online at http://us.burberry.com/store/fragrance-beauty/

Five Favorite Lipsticks of the Moment

I thought that I might post about my favorite lipsticks of the moment. These are the lipsticks I grab for the most. It's funny, until I swatched them all on my arm for this post I didn't realize how similar they all are in color!

1. Dior Addict Lipstick in 680: Millie (the first one all the way to the left) - This lipstick is by far my favorite because it is seriously moisturizing and imparts a pretty pink color. I can use this lipstick as a lip balm it is so moisturizing. It is just a pleasure to wear this.

2. Burberry Lip Cover in 08: Tea Rose - I haven't reviewed this lipstick yet because I love it so much I never wanted to waste any of it with a swatch. No worries however, as this will have a full review tomorrow. (edit: review can be read here) This color is very similar to the Dior Addict, but is much more opaque. Also quite moisturizing for a lipstick (but not nearly to the extreme of the Dior Addict). 

3. Dior Rouge in 786: Mysterious Mauve - The full review of this lipstick can be found here. However, this is my perfect purple lipstick. It is a bit less moisturizing then the Dior Addict line, but still goes on smoothly and doesn't dry out my lips. 

4. Mac Amplified: Up The Amp - This lipstick cannot be classified as moisturizing in the least. It is my favorite only because I love the color and this stuff lasts. I have eaten a cheeseburger with this lipstick and found that my lips were still perfect after the meal. 

5. Lorac Co-Stars: Hot Kiss - The full review of this lipstick can be found here (you can also read about one of my favorite lip glosses there as well). I love this lipstick for much the same reason as the Mac; it doesn't come off. As I am writing this I still have the swatch on my arm as I simply cannot remove it. It is also the color that is the most different in my collection. 

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These swatches are in the same order as the lipsticks and my favorites from top to bottom.

The Beauty Blogazons Weekly Roundup: January 26

• Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: Check out Destany's review of Nail Candy pens...one of the most inventive things to happen to Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom!
• Makeup Demon: Romantic pink & purple makeup and photoshoot.
• Pinked Polish: No Whine Left, no not that wine, it's a fabulous polish by KB Shimmer. :)
• Mama Fashionista: Quinn's latest Anatomy of a Mani was inspired by her favorite NFL team, the Atlanta Falcons! (Too bad it didn't help them win their playoff game!)
• Beauty and Fashion Tech: Best Beauty Products of 2012.
• Girl Gloss: Urban Decay Vice Review.
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Lola's Secret Beauty Blog loves Relogy Natural Acne Treatment System- it is gentle, effective, vegan and cruelty-free!
• Midnight Manicures: Looking for an easy to use Vegan Acne Treatment that works? Check out my Relogy Rinse-Free Foam Acne Treatment.
• Harajuku Girl FL Beauty: Want to be a Darling Girl? Take a look at these swatches from Darling Girl Cosmetics and become an Independent Beauty!!
• TheFabZilla: Fergalicious! TheFabZilla's FOTD (Face of the Day) features Wet n Wild Fergie Makeups. Plus she has some randomness and OOTD to share.
• Polarbelle: Find your Perfect Pout with the lipsticks from the Wet N Wild Fergie Centerstage Collection.
• Skin, Bones, and nails: Look at these cheaper versions of the ever so popular caviar manicure.
• Cult of Taupe: This week, Beauty meets Geek. See my favs from the Game of Thrones insipired "Win or Die" collection from Geek Chic Cosmetics.
• Beauty by Arielle: Easy Black & White Dot Nail Art Tutorial.
• Liesl Loves Pretty Things: Liesl's favorite nail polish layering duo is a beautiful mix of high and low end. See it here.
• Emily Hudspeth, hair design and makeup artist: DIY Sugar Scrub for Dry Lips. Only 2 Ingredients!
• Beauty by Miss L: Check out Miss L´s simple lazy manicure.
• Rachel's Makeup and Skincare: Rachel continues her search for the perfect foundation, check out what she thinks of By Terry Sheer Expert.
• Lacquer Buzz: Water marbling is not easy. But the result is worth it!
• Crows' Feet, Cupcakes, and Cellulite: Sasha profile's Pur Minerals film-inspired Beautiful Creatures makeup palette. Bring on the supernatural glam!
• Lipgloss Break: Angela reviews KISS Nail Dress nail stickers.
• My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog shares her review on the Laura Mercier Creme Eye Liners in Indigo and Espresso.
• Amber Did It!: Amber has some big news and a cute peacock accent mani to celebrate the news.
• Lisa's Nail Obsession: Paint or texture...which do you prefer?

Nastassja Skincare: Enzyme Facial Peel

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to review this line, but to be honest, I haven't really used these products yet. The only product I have used thus far was used Monday night and I was so impressed I felt it necessary to write an immediate review. This was, as the title suggests, the Enzyme Facial Peel. This peel is described as "exfoliating through natural fruit enzymes to reveal younger, brighter looking skin."

This stuff comes out of the jar as a jelly and you apply a thin layer of the stuff all over your face and let it sit for a minute. During that minute the jelly liquifies. After it liquifies you massage your face in circular motions to exfoliate. This is where the magic happens (and let me tell you the surprise), the dead skin on your face kinda, well, comes off. It balls up under your fingers and is weirdest sensation. When you wash your face off after you are literally washing away little balls of your dead skin. I was shocked to see this considering I exfoliate twice a week, this stuff was just that incredible.

My skin after was smoother than I have seen it in awhile, it was soft, and my pores were incredibly clean. Not to mention that it did all this while remaining incredibly gentle on my skin. This product made me want to get off my behind and use the rest of the line! So I am sure you will be hearing more reviews on this line shortly.

This product can be purchased from http://www.nastassjaskin.com.

I'd just like to mention that I won this line from a Glossybox contest.

By Terry Sheer Expert

Those of you who are readers know that recently I found what I thought was my new HG foundation, but it turned out to break me out. You can read that post here. I exchanged that and bought the By Terry Sheer Expert foundation. Could this be my new HG foundation? Not really, but I do like it.

This product is described as being fusional between "natural and multi-corrective foundation that adjusts and blends with the skin to reveal a perfect and natural complexion. Its new generation Intensive Mimetic Camouflage technology is a combination of "camouflage" prisms, powder microspheres and mimetic micro-pigments. It erases imperfections, combats shine, signs of aging and adapts automatically to all types of complexions. With high-performance "zero imperfections" properties, a matte but non-drying translucent texture and hydra-plumping comfortable feel, it smooths away lines and brightens the face for a visibly sublime glow."

For those of you who are not familiar with the By Terry line, they have a lot of foundations. They have Sheer Expert, Cover Expert, and then they have their foundation and a tinted moisturizer. I bought the Sheer Expert because I don't like a lot of coverage. I have relatively good skin and so when I look for a foundation I look for something that is only moderately more coverage than a tinted moisturizer (which is why I have been using a BB Cream for quite awhile now). I would say that this only has as much coverage as a tinted moisturizer, although this can be layered.

What is does, however, is amazing. It sinks into your skin so its almost impossible to see and it makes your skin GLOW. I don't mean a glow like a luminizer, I mean a glow like that glow from within. It is an amazing product. I put it on and walked away for a minute and when I came back I was seriously impressed in how it blended into my skin on its own. It is a bit like magic. It doesn't settle into pores and it lasts all day. It also absolutely has moisturizing properties and it doesn't accentuate my dry skin. And most importantly, it doesn't break me out. This is nearly perfect, it just doesn't have as much coverage as I would have liked. I think that next time I will try the Cover Expert, as that it supposed to have a bit more coverage (I was just worried it would be too much coverage, plus from what I read from reviews it is a bit more matte of a product and doesn't supply that luminous glow that I love).

This can be purchased from Barney's or http://www.byterry.com/.

Burberry Eyeshadows in Khaki and Rosewood

Burberry eyeshadows are phenomenal. I bought these eyeshadows right before going out to dinner with friends and decided to open them at dinner, and everyone at the table was immediately impressed with the packaging. This stuff doesn't make me question that this is indeed luxury makeup. The container is a very sturdy (and heavy) metal that has a mirror and a magnetic enclosure. Gorgeous.

Burberry describes their eyeshadow as being an "innovative composition that reconciles comfort with long-lasting wear. Light, yet creamy, this performing powder offers optimal adherence and ensures a smooth application and flawless color fidelity throughout the day. Silicones provide extreme emolliency and comfort."

The two shadows I bought, khaki and rosewood are both very wearable colors. Rosewood is a pinky, metallic neutral that has a lot of dimension to it while khaki is a very brown based green (not a lot of yellow in this one at all). I love that they are both on the neutral plane so they can be worn in many looks. Both can be worn wet or dry. When wet, the rosewood gives off a more metallic finish. The eyeshadows are silky and a pleasure to use and these last all day.

I am so super impressed with the Burberry beauty collection. The products are incredibly impressive. these can be purchased at select Saks and Nordstroms or from http://us.burberry.com

The Beauty Blogazons Weekly Roundup: January 19

• Chickettes.com: Add some glitz and glam your nails for a night out on the town with the Gelish Sizzling Summer Nights collection!
• Beauty Fiends: Curious about mineral foundation? Julia at Beauty Fiends has been testing Ferro Cosmetic's Ultimate Mineral Foundation. Find out what she thinks!
• Emily Hudspeth, hair design and makeup artist: My YouTube channel got a facelift! Now you can find your favorite tutorials and product reviews organized into playlists. Enjoy!
• Adore A Polish: Kristina shares her favorite nail polish picks from 2012.
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Looking for a whole new customizable Beauty Box experience? Then take a look at Wantable!
• Polarbelle: Want to know how to really plump your lips? I'd like to suggest EnvyDerm lip plumping gloss.
• TheFabZilla: TheFabZilla starts a new series- Lips Showcase. What is it? Hop over to her bloggity blog.
• Vicerimus: Like the Suede finish, but not feeling like wearing it as a full mani? Do Suede accent nails!
• Ishah x Beauty: Looking for a YSL Glossy Stain dupe? Check out L'Oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain!
• Samarium's Swatches: Sarah shows off her LE collaboration piCture pOlish shade Atomic!
• The Beauty Think Tank: Revlon has debuted the new Photoready BB Cream - but the question on everyone's mind... is it obnoxiously shimmery?
• Lacquer Buzz: This week Lacquer Buzz ventures into makeup territory to show you this awesome movie inspired palette by NYX.
• Makeup Demon: Fresh blue and green makeup + photoshoot. Waiting for the Spring...
• Pinked Polish: Holy Holo Stamping Batman!!!!! Stamping with the beautiful Halo-graphic. :)
• Très Beau Glamour: Nay Denise has gotten her hands on the BH Cosmetics Day & Night Palette and used it to create an amazing Turquoise & Purple look. Check out the tutorial she created!
• Beauty by Arielle: Dior 5 Couleurs in Smoky Design Swatchfest & Review.
• Beauty Professor: Completely obsessed with all things Tom Ford, the Beauty Professor swatches the entire shade spectrum of his Traceless Foundation Stick!
• The Passenger Element: new year's giveaway.
• Never Gonna Give You Up: Kara swatches and reviews Daily Lacquer's I'll Fly Away.
• Midnight Manicures: Check out Jeanie's review of the Parnevu Tea Tree Shampoo & Conditioner and Hair Mayonaise. Enter the giveaway for the same 3 products.
• Love At First Site!: Beauty Elixir by Caudalie. A review. I decided that is was high time that I shared with you my views on the Beauty Elixir of Caudalie, which is said to have been inspired by the elixir of youth that Queen Isabelle of Hungary used!
• Mama Fashionista: Julep is already a star when it comes to polish, but can they "nail" mascara as well? Find out the verdict in Mama Fashionista's latest review!
• datyorkLOVES: HTF Ellen Tracy Gun Metal Gray Nail Polish *Photo Heavy Post.
• Spontaneous Chick: If you like hair products made with argan oil then check out 8 DermOrganic reviews by Spontaneous Chick.
• Lisa's Nail Obsession: What inspires your creativity?
• Beyond Beauty Lounge: Bulletproof Cream Eyeshadows from Mally Beauty.
• Rachel's Makeup and Skincare: Rachel finally invests in some Bite lip products, what's the verdict?
• The Beauty Delicacy: Quick Pink + Gold Tribal Nails.
• The Convenient Beauty: Dress up your lips with this opulent Tom Ford Black Orchid lipstick.
• Amber Did It!: Amber takes you over the rainbow with a colorful saran wrap mani.

Up & Coming Beauty Bloggers Weekly Report

Jeneille of Beauti by Jinger showcases her laptop case, a piece by designer Jeremy Payne of Fashion is Payne.

Lola of Lola's Secret Beauty Blog reviews her Rouge Bunny Rouge Eyeshadow collection, by request.

Emily of Mrs. Wasp tells us about her top picks from Laura Mercier's Arabesque Collection.

Harriet at Little Miss Student Beauty has been reviewing the Maybelline Superstay Lipsticks!

Barbara at Barbara & 1923 reviews the Fashion Fair True Finish Refining Mineral Foundation.

Elizabeth at Love.Life.Beauty gives us the scoop on the NARS Spring 2013 collection.

Olivia of The Unknown Beauty Blog asks us - Is Your Makeup Life A Bit Boring? Stimulate It With a Touch Face Vibrating Sponge.

Rachel from Rachel's Makeup and Skincare has jumped on Pammy's wagon and started building a core MAC collection with $21 a month. See what she bought for January!

Come see the last installment of Best of 2012 Roundup - Body Care, Hair Care, Etc. at Rola's Fountain of Youth!

Lindsay at TheBeautyThinkTank wonders if the new Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream is a glitterbomb or not?  And if it's not, then what is it!

If you would like to be featured in a future Up & Coming Beauty Bloggers Weekly Report, e-mail Lindsay at beautythinktank(at)gmail(dot)com.

Sephora's 2013 Birthday Gift - Benefit

I have yet to try this product, but I thought I would share it with you anyway. This is the new Sephora 2013 free Birthday present to any of their Beauty Insider Members. It contains a deluxe size sample of Benefit's They're Real Mascara and a deluxe size samples of Benefit's Watt's Up. For anyone that might have received it, last year's was two deluxe size samples of Fresh's Lip Treatment (one in Rose and the other uncolored). I prefer last year's gift, though this is still a step up from the previous year's Happy Birthday Shower Gel (yuck).

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This can be picked up a week before or after your birthday from Sephora (or if you're making a purchase it can be included in your http://www.sephora.com/ purchase).

Bite: Colour + Shine To Go

I had posted about a little mini Bite travel kit in the past (here) and have been whining incessantly to my mother for months about how much I wanted to try Bite (but for whatever reasons just never purchased anything). Well, Sunday I was in Sephora returning something with my mother and she saw this little guy and decided to purchase this for me (I think if anything to shut me up). I'd like to apologize though to anyone looking to purchase this, as the colors in my kit are a bit off. The lipgloss that should be with these two lipsticks is supposed to be a nude and this pink goes with two pinky nude lipsticks. I *might* have switches them because I prefer a light pink gloss to a nude, but I will admit to it. The lipsticks are in Cin Cin (a burnt orange color) and Tannin (a raspberry color) and the lipgloss is in Sante (a light, sheer pink), but should be Champagne Pearl (self explanatory color name).

I would like to say, it was well worth the wait. The lipsticks are creamy, go on well without tugging the lip, are very pigmented, and long lasting. They are moisturizing for a time as well, though that doesn't last and they do dry out the lip a bit. The lipgloss is sticky, though I'm pretty sure when I tried the lip glosses when they first came out they were quite stickier. So I do think they tweaked the formula. The lipgloss does have a slightly sweet smell to it, but that dissipates after application. The color is a semi-sheer pink. Because of the slight tackiness to the lipgloss, it lasts a considerable amount of time for a gloss (about 4 or 5 hours).

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I happen to really like these products and I would most definitely purchase bite again (I just wish I had a Sephora that sold Bite products as I prefer to test out colors in person before purchasing). 

This little bag can be purchased at your Sephora or http://www.sephora.com/.

MAC Matters (January 2013): Build A Core Collection with $21 per month

Hey there. This is  new blog series that was originally started by Pammy Blogs Beauty. I decided to jump on this bandwagon and do this series with her. You can see her original post here and follow her series as well. You can check out my December purchase here.

The idea of this series is to take the $21 a month one would spend on a beauty subscription service (Pammy chose to cancel her current subscription, I am choosing to opt into this as a "new subscription") and instead use it to buy Mac products in an effort to build a core collection of Mac items.

These are the rules (borrowed with thanks from Pammy):

Goal: Build my core MAC Collection using an average of $21.00 per month.

• Purchase at least one item a month: If the item is under $20, I can save the remainder for the next month. While there are many items priced under $20, there are plenty that are over the $20 range that I can save for. 
• Do a monthly blog post to share what I got! My goal is to continue this series for 12 months to see what kind of core collection I can build! 
• To coordinate with my "Build a Core MAC Collection" purchases, I will also be posting "MAC Matters: From the Stash" reviews! These "stash" items are MAC items that I love that are already in my makeup collection. Some months, I will be "saving" my $21 to go towards a bigger MAC purchase. This is when you will likely see the "stash" posts. Or, I might include a "stash" item mini review within my "Build a Core MAC Collection" posts because if you are reading this because you want to build your own MAC collection, you might enjoy reading about what I am already using and loving! 
• If this series is popular, I will repeat the series with another brand upon completion of 12 months with MAC.

You can see Pammy's first installment of the series here.

Last month I was left with $25.50 to spend for January. This month I decided to purchase a pressed eyeshadow in deep truth.

I'm sorry about having to take this swatch on my finger, but I was having a terrible time getting it to transfer. Which leads into the product itself: this eyeshadow has great staying power! Wherever you put it, it will stay. However, unlike some of the Nars eyeshadows that are like this, this will allow you to blend it. This color is like a midnight blue with some lighter blue iridescence in it. I love this color. I have been using it quite often since I received it. I can easily blend it out to be a bit more subtle for a day look or back this guy on for a night look. Mac describes this color as a true dark blue with frost.

This product, like most Mac products, was $15, which leaves me with $31.50 for February (which means I might either go for a more expensive product or get two products, YAY!). 

Anyone have any cool suggestions on what to buy in February or other future months? Feel free to share in the comments.

Mac cosmetics can be bough in a Mac boutique, Mac in Macey's or on http://www.maccosmetics.com.

Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara

I am incredibly impressed with this mascara. I had heard about this on several other blogs and had seen it in Allure Magazine's Best of Beauty. I was obviously interested in trying this out, but I had my own mascara tubes as well as many different samples from beauty boxes and other places. Finally, my tube of mascara started to get dry and I had tried all of my samples. I was ready. 

I have to say, from the get go before even opening the bottle, I was impressed. It comes in a metal container and it is HEAVY. I'm not sure I would love to travel with this, or even keep it in my purse, but the quality of the tube is outstanding. Well worth the price. Opening the tube, I was met with a big, plush, bristled brush. This guy catches all my lashes. I'm in love so far and haven't even put the stuff on. Putting it on is pure magic. I can see why this has won so many awards. It is inky black and it lengthens, thickens, and curls my lashes out to new heights. When I wear it during the day I only do one coat because I have found more than that is too much drama for a day look. Wearing two or three coats at night gives an incredible false lash look that I have never achieved from a mascara. Incredible.

If you need a new tube of mascara, I would suggest giving this a try if you have not already. This has quickly become my all time favorite mascara. Will I buy this when it is empty? Most likely. I have heard this tube dries out really quickly so it will depend on that. I will give you an update as to how long it lasted.

This can be purchased from Neiman Marcus. Barney's, Saks, or online at http://www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com

The Beauty Blogazons Weekly Roundup: January 12

• Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: Destany swatches (and swoons over) two gorgeous Pure Ice polishes!
• Makeup Demon: A few tips that will help you to choose a good quality makeup brushes.
• The Convenient Beauty: Warm-skin toned ladies and even non-glitter wearers must check out Tom Ford Cognac Sable!!
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Burberry Light Glow Natural Blushes in Misty, Cameo & Peony are among the highest quality powder blushes that Lola's Secret Beauty Blog has encountered! Find out why!
• Midnight Manicures: Find out about Jeanie's must have skin care treatment for 2013, Reviva Labs Non-Chemical Skin Peel to the rescue!
• TheFabZilla: Got pimples? Evologie may have the answer for you!
• Never Gonna Give You Up: Kara swatches and reviews Kelara Lacquers' I Love Lamp. Ready for a photo bomb?
• Liesl Loves Pretty Things: Liesl fulfills a huge fragrance lemming with Chanel No.5 and shares the journey it sent her on.
• Pinked Polish: A Collection by the fabulous Vivid Lacquer!!!!
• Lacquer Buzz: Experimenting with a new technique can be difficult. Check out my first cloud manicure!
• Lipgloss Break: Enter to win a Julep Maven box with nail polish to match your style!
• Beauty by Arielle: Ever wonder about signing up for Birchbox? Here's all the info you need from a year subscriber.
• Beauty Professor: The Beauty Professor has found a way to cut down on the time it takes to blow dry her hair with Blowout Beauty!
• Beauty by Miss L: Find out which was Miss L´s favorite body lotion with those very cold winter days when skin gets unpleasantly dry.
• Emily Hudspeth, hair design and makeup artist: Try this Quick & Easy trick to create the look of False Lashes with only mascara.
• Mama Fashionista: Has the cold weather left your skin in need of some TLC? Quinn has some great rec's from Lumene that may be just what you need!
• Polarbelle: Swatches of the new OPI Mariah Carey Collection Plus a Giveaway.
• Lisa's Nail Obsession: I thought it was blue? Go On Green!
• Sincerely Stephanie: Sincerely Stephanie takes on some colourful street art!
• Rachel's Makeup and Skincare: Rachel almost finds her new HG foundation, find out why it didn't pass.

Koh Gen Doh Maifanshi Moisture Foundation

This foundation had the possibility to be my new HG foundation. It had everything I have ever wanted out of a foundation and I was in love. That is, until I broke out. I literally have to be the only person who has ever broken out from this foundation. I have checked reviews from Sephora, makeup alley, blogs, etc and have heard about this being too light of coverage, too expensive, not containing as much in the bottle as other bottles, etc, but have never heard of anyone breaking out. Sadly though, I did and so this had to go back.

I figured I would let you all know about this foundation anyway though since I did find it to be such an amazing foundation. It blended seamlessly into my skin and was absolutely undetectable. It was moisturizing and luminizing without any sparkle. It just made my skin brighter and naturally luminous. It is only slightly heavier coverage than a tinted moisturizer, more along the lines of a bb cream. It feels like nothing on your skin and is just a fantastically luxurious foundation. 

I would absolutely recommend this. It would have been my HG foundation had it not broken me out.

This can be bought from Barney's, Sephora, or online at http://www.sephora.com or http://www.kohgendocosmetics.com/

Urban Decay vs. Lorac Eye Primer

I have been a big fan of Urban Decay's Primer Potions for quite awhile. I have both the original version in nude that dries "invisibly" (you can generally see the nude color even after it dries down) and their sin color which is a champagne shimmer and makes your eyeshadows metallicy. I have loved these two for awhile, however, they don't seem to make my shadow hold up as long as I would like. I now work all day and have class all night and my eyeshadow just has not been lasting through my day. I started using sin more and more as I think it makes my shadow last longer than the original, but I hated that I was forced to wear a metallic every day. If anyone is interested this also comes in Greed, which is a gold, and Eden, which is a matte and turns all of your shadows matte. I started looking for an alternative eye primer and found the Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer.

The Lorac product is described as a "gentle, lightweight eyeshadow primer that is oil free, fragrance free, and paraben free." This product is actually invisible after application and, although my eyeshadow still doesn't make it through the day (I don't think there's any product that can perform that feat of magic) it does last much, much longer. Although I still like Urban Decay's sin from time to time, the Lorac primer has absolutely taken the place as my everyday eye primer. It makes my shadows pop, stay crease free, and last and last. It does everything I loved about the Urban Decay Primer Potion, plus the added benefit of lasting longer (and actually being invisible). I highly recommend this to women who don't have time to be touching up their eyeshadow mid day.

The Urban Decay products can be purchased from Ulta or Sephora or online at http://www.urbandecay.com. The Lorac product can also be bought at Ulta or Sephora or online at either of these retailers or http://www.loraccosmetics.com.

The Beauty Blogazons Weekly Roundup: January 5

• Pinked Polish: What I have learned this year in the wonderful world of Nail Blogging.
• Love At First Site!: Face Of The Day, New Year's Eve! Happy New Year!
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Lola's Secret Beauty Blog's Beauty Resolutions to Consider for 2013.
• Adore A Polish: Check out an in depth review on the Sally Hanson Insta Gel Strips.
• Polarbelle: Polarbelle wants you to consider the Anastasia Beverly Hills Kisses On My List lipgloss set while you still can!
• datyorkLOVES: Find out what the Top 10 Post of 2012 are for datyorkLOVES!
• Beauty by Arielle: ARIELLE'S TOP PRODUCTS OF 2012.
• TheFabZilla: Happy New Year! New Hair, New Resolutions? Check out TheFabZilla blog for deets.
• Cosmetics Aficionado: A new drugstore gel liner from L.A. Girl is on the beauty scene, but is it worth it?
• Never Gonna Give You Up: Kara showcases a nail polish favorite.
• Beauty by Miss L: Check out Miss L´s New Year´s Eve nails.
• Lacquer Buzz: Mihaela chose her favorite nail polishes of last year. Wanna see what made it on the list?
• Makeup Demon: Makeup Demons Top 5 posts of Year 2012!
• Ishah x Beauty: Gold Eyes, Oxblood Lips. My New Year's Day Look.
• Liesl Loves Pretty Things: Here's Liesl's personal Best Of 2012 list, Agree? Disagree? Check it out here.
• The Fabulous Mind of a Wacky Mama Bear: Ever wish your beauty subscription box gave full sizes? Then check out Starlooks, this is what I thought of my December 2012 Starbox.
• Mama Fashionista: Though she's no expert, Mama Fashionista loves the results of her first leopard mani! How do you think she did?
• Baking Beauty: Baking Beauty reviews the new Laura Mercier Free Spirit Palette.
• Rachel's Makeup and Skincare: Rachel reviews products from the new NARSskin line and finds she's impressed.
• Beauty Professor: The Beauty Professor reviews her top beauty products of 2012!
• My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog invites you to get ready with her!
• Lisa's Nail Obsession: Come on...you can think of something better for the alphabet challenge than "Q" for Queen. No? Then, All Hail The Queen!

November Glossybox Review

I'm sorry this post is so late, but I have still not received the numb style argon oil missing from this box. I called them months ago and I was promised it would be here in two weeks. I have now emailed them several times and called hundreds of times. They have yet to pick up the phone or answer my emails. I am disgusted with them and quite frankly I give up and will review this box as is. I will gladly update this post if I ever receive the missing product, though I doubt that will happen, which is ridiculous since it was the most expensive item in my box and the one I wanted the most.

Illamasqua Lip and Eye Medium Pencil - $20/0.5 oz

Designed to glide over your skin and create a long-lasting highly pigmented finish, this creamy pencil lets you write a different story with every look. Use it to create sultry eyes or sensuous lips.

This pencil is as smooth and wonderful as they say it is. I originally received a black pencil, but traded for a light blue. It is creamy and goes on like a dream. My only caveat is that it won't seem to work on my waterline. I'm not quite sure why. However this looks great on both the lips and as eyeliner. It is quite a fun color and item.

Lierac Gommage Sensoriel - $30/3.5 oz

This unique gel-oil texture scrub transforms into a milk upon contact with damp skin for skin smoothing, toning, and invigorating exfoliation. A mix of three white flower extracts and four precious botanical oils regenerate and softens the skin.

This was probably my favorite item in the box. It took some playing with to get it out of the tube (I think the opening was too small for the exfoliating beads), but once I got it out it was wonderful. It smells great and makes my skin feel fantastic. If I didn't have more exfolients than necessary I might have purchased this. I liked that it wasn't too harsh (since it turns to a milky substance upon contact with water), but at the same time was exfoliating enough to get rid of dead skin and dirt. I loved this stuff.

Nume style arganics by nume argon oil - $59/4 oz

A perfect compliment to any hair an skin care regiment, this Argon Oil is rich in Vitamin E and another beneficial fatty acids. Non-greasy and specially formulated for rapid penetration, the oil brings a whole new level of shine and luster to even the most ravaged and damaged hair and skin.

This sounds awesome, I only wish I actually got to try this.

Perfumies Solid Perfume Stick - $7/0.7 oz

A perfect travel companion, these slender and elegant solid perfume sticks allow you to touch up your fragrance on the go. These convenient perfume sticks have an all natural base, no preservative, paraban free and are never tested on animals.

This product came very squishes inside the tube. I put it in the freezer to make it solid again, which helped me use the product, but didn't change the fact that it was not a pleasant smell. I did not like this product at all, but then again I am very picky with my perfumes. I have to admit, I kind of liked the idea of a solid perfume. I can image it would be great for travel, I just didn't like the scent.

Skin and Co Roma Truffle Serum: Hydro-Toning Day Face Serum - $36/1.01 oz

Give your face a boost and slow down the signs of aging using this italian serum infused with Peptides, pure extracts of Tuber Melanosporum and Hyaluronic Acid. Use daily for a brighter more even tones complexion. 

I used this for two days, but this made me break out, so I can't really adequately review this other than to say that people with sensitive skin may not like this. It did have a pleasant odor and I liked how it felt on my skin.

All in all, as you can probably see, I was not thrilled with this box or with glossy box's costumer service this month. To be honest, I wasn't completely thrilled with December's box either. January's box is supposed to be a collaboration with the Man Repeller and is supposed to be an awesome box. Let's hope it is because I am going to seriously consider canceling if it isn't.

Glossybox is a monthly subscription service for $21 a month and can be purchased from http://www.glossybox.com/.

Chanel Poudre Signee De Chanel Illuminating Powder

Without Flash

With Flash

Although I had gazed at this from afar, I had no real intention of purchasing this. However, I went to the mall the day after Christmas and Lord and Taylor had a $20 off coupon when you purchase $40 or more...and it worked on cosmetics. So now this is in my stash. Was it worth it even for the lowered price? I'm still on the fence. The packaging is gorgeous. It comes in a velvet pouch that closes with elastic and when you open it up it has a big sponge applicator in it. There is certainly enough product as well. I don't think I will ever get through this. And of course, the design on the product itself is gorgeous. Chanel describes this as being "a limited edition creation, this sheer highlighting powder is artfully embosses with the icons of Chanel. Bringing a fresh vitality to the face, this soft pink powder lightly dusts over cheekbones and high points to capture and reflect light with a delicate luminosity. This is part of the Printemps Precieux De Chanel collection."

To start with, I hate the included applicator. I used it the first day with that and I hated it. I thought it was the product and almost gave it back. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong, but it appeared heavy and placed, like i'm wearing makeup and don't just have naturally luminous skin, when I used the applicator. However, when I applied this with a bigger, fluffy brush, it makes my skin look radiant. It is a lovely pinky luminosity that works well with my pink Chanel blush. It lasts pretty much all day (i'd estimate somewhere between 8 and 9 hours) and looks natural and beautiful. It does have a slight perfumery scent, but I think many of channel's products have this scent and I actually kinda like it. I like this product, I'm just not sure I like it more than the Benefit illuminating powder I was using previously. This is definitely a much lighter (and by that I mean it is hard to see it applied in certain lights because it isn't heavy) luminizing powder than the Benefit one (where I can see it applied as soon as I apply it) and is much more finely milled (a gorgeous texture), I'm just not sure I like it better. 

All in all I would still recommend this (especially if you have a coupon), as I do like the product, I'm just not sure it's love. =)

This can be bough wherever Chanel can be purchased (which is pretty much everywhere). I bought mine at Lord and Taylor. It can also be bought on the Chanel website here.