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