A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Most people are familiar with the practice of prepping oily skin before applying foundation but less is said about those of us with dehydrated or dull complexions.  Many, many paragraphs are given over to the subject of tailoring skincare to battle dehydrated skin… but what about makeup application?

Just as someone with oily skin can’t go slapping their base product onto a freshly moisturised face without thought of how their foundation will look in 3hrs time, I have to take care to prep my skin in advance of foundation application.  If I don’t, my skin will simply look tired, a little crepey, and incredibly dull within hours.

Once I’ve moisturised and primed with a moisturising primer, I always add some radiance to my foundations.  Wearing so many layers of product means that I have to give consideration as to how they work together, they have to be compatible and finickity products are always the first to find themselves in the reject pile.

One of my favourite methods of customising a foundation to suit my dehydrated skin involves giving it a little boost of radiance, usually in the form of a liquid luminizer that I can mix directly into the foundation.  The one I’m currently using is a purchase from last year, the Burberry Fresh Glow Fluid Base in 01 Nude Radiance.  I’ll be honest, I made a mistake… I actually bought this thinking that it was a foundation… albeit a sheer one.  Doh!

It’s not, it’s definitely a luminizer.  Unless you have the most perfect skin in the world, you’ll need something applied over this to provide a bit of a backbone if you want it to even-out your skintone.

You’ll never need more than one pump-per-application, so its 30ml packaging size is going to last you a fairly long while, which is just as well… being Burberry after all, it’s not the cheapest makeup purchase I made last year.  I take great solace from the fact that I generally tend to get on really well with high-street (priced) foundations though, so a little splurge here and there on a different kind of base product won’t do me too much harm.

To use it, I simply pump a single “splodge” (technical term, obv.) on the back of my hand before pumping my required amount of foundation ontop.  At the moment, I’m very much in favour of using my hands to apply my foundation, so I’m happy to mix the mess up on the back of my hand with a clean finger before spreading the product onto my face.  It’s a fuss-free method of application and I find that the warmth transferred from my fingers works well for spreading product smoothly over my dry skin.

The radiance boost that the Burberry Fresh Glow Fluid Base delivers is subtle but effective.  It doesn’t leave obvious shimmering particles on my skin, not that I’ve anything against more in-yer-face luminizers – I loves ’em, but sometimes they’re not wholly appropriate.  The Nude Radiance shade is a neutral-toned champagne that would suit many, many skintones… I’d always check before buying but in my opinion, it’s far too translucent to appear ashy, particularly as it will be so heavily influenced by the foundation shade you mix it with.

For me, mixing a luminizer into my foundation is a step in my makeup routine that I wouldn’t be without.  It allows me to get more use from the many, many foundations I’ve purchased that haven’t been “quite right” for my skintype.  It keeps my skin looking fresher and more radiant as the day progresses without having to over-moisturise and risk having it slide from my t-zone by lunchtime.

Of course, sometimes I’ll follow up this radiance-boosting step with a little powder highlighter also… though I mostly only bother if it’s something very subtle or I’m going out in the evening.

Burberry Fresh Glow Fluid Base in 01 Nude Radiance is priced at £34.00 and available to buy on Burberry counters nationwide and online from John Lewis.

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How many times have you made yourself look like a bit of an idiot trying to make the most of your fully-featured phone in public?  If you’re anything like me, the answer would be “more times than I care to divulge”.

Whether you’re trying to talk to Siri in hushed-tones, sneak an Instagram of the person sitting opposite you, or just cackling a little too loudly at the latest retweet… there are a number of opportunities to look a bit of a div in the name of technology.

And just incase you needed another one, Burberry have launched their latest digital innovation: Burberry Kisses.  The “kiss recognition technology” – which you can use with a desktop camera or direct lip contact on a touch screen device – will capture your kiss in real time and can then be attached to a personalised message before being sent into the ether in search of your intended target.

You can even customise your kiss with your preferred Burberry Lip shade (Union Red all the way for me!).  So what do you think of the idea?  They do say that nothing is more articulate than a kiss!

Now that I’ve sullied my screen in an attempt to create a perfect not-too-thin-lipped snog, I think the brand would do well to follow up with some Burberry Body-scented screen wipes, no?

To create and send your own, personalised Burberry Kiss… pucker up and log on to kisses.burberry.com.  Go on, send me your snogs!

* the software has been made in partnership with Google, you made need Google Chrome installed for this to work!

Because we haven’t seen enough of Cara Delevigne and her bloody wonderful eyebrows mooching up and down the catwalk over the past month, Burberry are releasing another flanker for their bestselling Burberry BODY fragrance in the form of Burberry BODY Tender with said model fronting the campaign.

Touted as a lighter interpretation of the original, Burberry BODY Tender brings together lemon, English rose and white jasmine to create a scent that they say is inspired by the playful attitude of the Burberry girl with the energy of the brand’s London hometown.

The packaging mimics the refreshing styling of the original Burberry BODY fragrance with its tall, slender bottle but with a shift in the colouring from gold to a gentle rosy hue.

Of the new scent, Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer had this to say:

“Burberry Body was always about creating something that captures all the different characteristics of the Burberry girl.

With Body Tender, we wanted to explore and bring out the softer, more playful sides of her – capturing this light femininity in the scent as well as the campaign.

Cara’s natural beauty and vibrant energy lit up alongside London’s magnificent architecture.”

The notes listed are:

Top: lemon, crisp apple and green absinthe
Heart: English rose, white jasmine and sandalwood
Base: cashmeran, amber and musk

The campaign, created under Christopher Bailey’s creative direction was shot on the river Thames by Mario Testino.   You’ll be pleased to hear that Cara hasn’t taken a leaf out of Brad Pitt’s book, instead she takes the opportunity to do what she does best… looking effortlessly chic in a Burberry mac whilst making women everywhere blunt their tweezers on the nearest rock.

Burberry BODY Tender Eau de Toilette is on counter and online now priced from £39.00 for 35ml.  Also available as a body milk.

Oh, my lovely fellow beauty addicts… oh, I think you’re going to like this lipstick.  It’s my first “non-wimpy” red of the season and I won’t lie to you, I felt like it wore me FAR better than I could wear it.  This baby needs taming ‘cos she’s wild and a little bit scary – even for someone like me who is finally fairly confident with braving a bold lip in public.

But first let me tell you about her, she’s a new girl and needs an introduction…

To complement their current lipstick range of Lip Mists and Lip Covers, Burberry Beauty have launched a range of Lip Velvets.  Matte in look but not in texture is the best way I can describe the new formula – admittedly, I have only tried one but if the range is as consistent as it ought to be, you should experience a deeply pigmented finish with minimal gloss and a completely NON-drying formula.

NON-drying?  Yes, completely.

Now, my lips are in good condition – I have no flakes, no peels… I don’t need to exfoliate them in the shower with my flannel and I don’t need to reapply lip balm 100x a day to keep them comfortable (thanks Lanolips).  I pretty much have the most ideal lip condition for someone who wants to wear a matte lip.  Stop throwing things at me.

I’m not saying this to be conceited, I’m giving you a benchmark that says, just because my lips are super comfortable with this formula, it doesn’t mean yours will be.  And I’m sorry I have to provide that caveat in this instance, because frankly, I’d like to sing the praises of the new Burberry Lip Velvets from the rooftops with absolutely no caveat whatsoever… but it would be remiss of me not to mention that I have wonderwoman lips right now.

The shade I have here is #310, Military Red.  And it is BOLD.  To my eye, there is the tiniest amount of warmth to it that doesn’t register enough to label this an orange-toned red but is enough to give it leanings toward the warm side of neutral.  The packaging is the same magnetic affair as the rest of the Burberry lipstick range but with a marked difference, matte casing = no more fingerprints ha!  Still sleek, still sexy… just a little more practical with it.

The other thing you need to know about the colour of this one is that it’s bright.  Very bright.  In the lip swatches below, I have applied this straight from the bullet with no lipliner but you do need to take care to be precise because any major wobbles will be instantly noticeable on a shade this vivid.  While the bullet is still in pristine condition, I had no problems with achieving sharp lines – I dream to be able to wear a “mussed-up” red, beautifully deconstructed and carefree.  Alas, whenever I smudge the edges to soften the look in an attempt to make it less formal, I look like I’ve been punched in the mouth, repeatedly.

Although Military Red is indeed, a matte finish lipstick – there’s (hopefully) no sign of old lady lips going on, because frankly, at 31 – I should be starting to think about more forgiving textures – but I’ll cross that bridge when people start pointing.

The formula has really impressed me, longevity was completely within what I’d expect from a high-end brand and a matte formula.  The lipstick wore down evenly throughout the day, only giving up to a darker edge after my evening meal but a few lip smacks infront of a mirror pulled enough colour back in to the centre to dismiss this as an issue.  I didn’t reapply once throughout the day and I didn’t feel that I needed to.  Of course, after 12 hours there was nowhere the same kind of vividness on display but a firm stain ensured that my lips didn’t pale into insignificance despite the late hour.

Burberry Beauty’s Lip Velvets are priced at £23 a-piece and available on counter and online at Harrods in a range of 12 shades.  Bright Poppy is on my Winter hit-list the next time I get a chance to make it into London!

Would you wear a shade this bright?

* press sample

Sometimes I get a gut feeling about something and I can’t always pin it down and explain it to myself in a way that helps me unravel and make sense of it. This is one of those times.

The new Burberry Body ad (which premiered the other day on ITV1) features a very beautiful Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and a fitting, delicately-orchestrated track by The Feeling but… it’s leaving me a little conflicted.

Wanna see?

It’s beautiful isn’t it? The back-lighting, the photography, the way the material from the coat moves around her naked form.  But, I don’t actually feel anything other than a bit of a perv after watching it.

I know that sex sells and it sells to both men and women regardless of sexual orientation but this is a strip-tease, with added come-hither eyes to the viewer (that’s me) and whilst I don’t object to the content of the ad – I’m just failing to see the relevance as the camera pans to her nethers.  Infact, the only real connection my mind makes (as the bottle spins around provocatively) is that RHW is contemplating using it for something a bit inappropriate and I’m not entirely sure that this is what Burberry are trying to convey.

Perhaps I’m overthinking things and shouldn’t delve beyond the classic “if I buy your product, I’ll get a body like RHW” hook but in fairness, it’s Burberry’s fault because they’ve taken a bit of subtle “sex sells” and turned it into “if Harrods did Spearmint Rhino”.

What do you think of the new Burberry Body ad?

Facebook.  Love it or hate it, I may be about to give you a reason to direct your browser toward said “Book of Faces” in a bit of a hurry.

Burberry have announced that their Facebook fans will be able to exclusively sample the new Burberry Body fragrance before it is available to purchase!

With over 7.6 million Facebook followers, the British brand can claim the largest Facebook fan page of any luxury fashion brand and with incentives like this, I’m starting to see why!

Burberry fans will be able to request a sample of the new Burberry Body Fragrance with an app that also features exclusive content.

So, enough of all this blather.  You want the link don’t you?

http://www.facebook.com/burberry

Simply click “request sample”, select your country and fill in your details.  Samples are available while stocks last and may not be available within your country.

What do you think about luxury brands engaging in social media like this?  Does it make them more approachable?  Are you more likely to investigate brands you might otherwise have ignored?

The new fragrance, Burberry Body is set for a nationwide release on the 1st September.

OK, I’m nearly done with “the best lipstick that ever graced makeup counters anywhere” but as promised, here’s a FOTD showing the Burberry Lip Cover Lipstick in Claret worn in a more casual way.

This is how I favour it… not that I don’t like it worn as a full-on red lipstick but I’m delighted to have something that I can blot onto my lips and achieve a good 6 hours of wear from with it come out still looking pretty pristine the other side.

The camera hasn’t picked it up but there is a sprinkling of silver sparkle throughout the lipstick and it’s more apparent after blotting, perhaps because the actual act of blotting mattifies the colour base.  Whatever the reason, the sparkle shines through in an understated way.

So yeah, incase you haven’t already deduced… this is my lipstick du jour.  My objet d’art *insert more poncy faux frenchness here*.  Check out this post if you want to see the shade swatched in full pigmentation.

You can purchase Burberry lipsticks at Harrods if you’re nearby but I also discovered last night that the Burberry website is offering free-freaking-delivery at the moment, which is also pretty awesome.  The lipsticks are £22 each.

It’s taken me AGES to break this open from its packaging because I do this ‘thing’ where I don’t let myself use new products until I’ve photographed them in their pristine glory.  I stick to this pact mostly but boy, it was hard to do with this one!

Just look…

I’m not sure you can beat Burberry and Armani for their lipstick packaging… those magnetic closures get me every time.  The satisfying spin and gentle ‘clunk’ as the lid hits home.  One day, I will get a life.

I picked this up from the counter in Harrods a few weeks ago after umm-ing and ahh-ing over which shade to get.  I already own Cameo Pink which is a warm, summer pink with a slight hint of salmon… trust me, it’s nicer than I’ve just made it sound.  Fish references rarely work well with cosmetics.

With this little beauty, I thought I’d buy ahead… I wanted something to “see in” Autumn.  You know I love my reds and HELL I can’t wait to break them out again but I wanted something ‘inbetween’ for the coming months and I couldn’t have made a better choice than Burberry Lip Cover in #16 Claret (£22.00).

Claret is a lovely red with a hint of brown and a dusting of sparkle.  It can be worn to achieve a full, glossy finish (as in the lip swatch below) or blotted down to provide a beautiful, slightly bloodied (seriously, I can tell I’m selling this to you), full bodied stroke of sensuality for a more casual finish.

Casual reds don’t usually work well on me, they often look a bit… well… smudgy and like I’ve had a few too many vodkas.  I tend to need that sharp definition that a lip brush brings.  But this one looks BETTER pressed onto the lips.  The sparkle makes my lips look fuller (proper sparkle, not frost), while the claret shade gives that ‘just bitten’ effect but slightly more vampy.

The above photo shows it NOT worn casually, silly me.  I’ll include it in a FOTD soon wearing it the way that made me fall in love.  The formula of the Burberry Lip Cover is smooth and non-drying, a little slippy unless blotted but nothing as short-lived as a YSL Rouge Volupte.

I actually have Nonie Creme from Butter London to thank for this little beauty.  The S.A. in Harrods had applied it for me before I headed off to meet Nonie and her lovely PR and during a conversation which included me telling her that I’d been looking at some Burberry lipsticks that morning, she asked if I was wearing one of them.  After replying in the affirmative, Nonie asked if I had bought it to which I replied “Not yet, I couldn’t decide between a couple of shades.”

Nonie insisted that I go buy it.  Like I was gonna NOT buy it after that decree right?

So thanks Nonie!  Ok, I’m done with name-dropping now, as you were.

*cuddles lipstick*

Next up on my Summer lists are FIVE fragrances perfectly suited to long Summer days, balmy Summer evenings and not forgetting the odd rain downpour just to keep us on our toes.

What makes a Summer fragrance?  Well… obviously highly subjective but personally, I’m partial to a bit of greenery, a touch of juiciness, not too much of my beloved amber this time of year but a nice big blast of floral instead.  I want a Summer fragrance to freshen and lighten my mood, I don’t want to curl up in it.  I just want it to carry me along on a cool breeze.

1.  Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Girl 30ml (£9.00)

Don’t you DARE laugh.  I’ve had this since I was 15 and I’m on my 3rd/4th bottle.  I’m sure there are unwritten or maybe even written rules about fragrances not really being fragrances at all when you can buy them for £9 in Asda but I. DON’T. CARE.  I think Tommy Girl is an exquisite Summer scent.  It’s fruity and sharp without being tarte or acidic.  It’s a proper mood lifter and whilst not hugely long-lasting (it’s an Eau de Cologne), it has a real energising tang with a soft, soft heart.

2.  Miller Harris Citron Citron 50ml (£60.00)

A slightly more refined choice in the form of Miller Harris Citron Citron which is distinctly part fruit, part earth.  It makes for a wonderfully new take on a traditional juicy fragrance.  Yes, the Sicilian lemon is at the core of the scent but it’s flanked in all directions by a bouquet of wild herbs and woodland.  Don’t mistake this for your typical juicy fruit fragrance… the fruit is nicely complemented with a crisp note of mint that ensures a perfect harmony.

3.  Burberry Summer Woman EDT 50ml* (£33.00)

While Citron Citron shuns the juicier aspects of fruit… Burberry Summer holds its arms out for a fruity cuddle whilst secretly concealing a 3000 watt juicer.

A sweet fragrance with a big hit of orange.  It’s a touch syrupy but contains enough fresh, green notes to stop it from fading into the gourmand, fruit salad genre.  Not the longest-lasting scent, it wears close to the skin once the top notes have faded and I detect a soft floral with a hint of powder.  Burberry Summer is a carefree, Summer fragrance with youth on its side and if you love Nina Ricci-esque scents, you should definitely be checking this one out before the limited edition run disappears along with the last of Summer!

4.  Ted Baker Skinwear Limited Edition EDT 100ml* (£24.00)

Lemon peel, spearmint and pepper make for a zingy and uplifting opening to this deliciously light men’s fragrance.  After a few minutes, the scent mellows, allowing the woodier notes to emerge.  Vetiver, cedarwood and patchouli make for a smooth and creamy base which lingers for hours and keeps encouraging me in for another sniff.

Despite having been created for men, there is nothing locker-room about this fragrance.  It’s far more refined and if you’re keen on a little spice and some woody notes, it’s thoroughly suitable to wear as an interesting alternative to the standard female fare.  I love it and it certainly doesn’t bring me the Lynx effect.  Thank god!

5.  Floris London Florissa EDT 50ml (£45.00)

Currently available on the Floris London website at a knockdown price, Florissa is a charming floral with a heart of rose and muguet.  I don’t wear lily of the valley too well but it reminds me of my Nan and will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason.

The opening is sharp and a little overpowering, containing a delightfully crisp element of cut grass but the winner for me is in the soft, powdery floral qualities to be found from the drydown onward.  It’s babysoft and comforting… Florissa is a perfume from another era and one that I happily visit again and again.

.

What are your favourite Summer scents?

* press samples

I haven’t explored Burberry’s beauty offerings before… I’m not really sure why but having seen this Spring/Summer’s campaign images – I think I’ve been given that much-needed push in the direction of Harrods.

Le Sigh.  A girl like me can only dream of brows like that.

The Burberry Spring/Summer 2011 collection is online and counter now and adds 3 new Light Glow Blushes and 3 new Lip Covers to the permanent line up.

The new blush shades shown above, from L-R: Tangerine (#6), Earthy (#7), Misty (#8) – £29.00 each.

The new Lip Cover shades shown above, from L-R: Delicate Rose (#22), English Rose (#23), Romantic Rose (#24) – £22.00 each.

“I wanted the Spring Summer 2011 runway collection to be a fusion of the classic trench coat and the biker jacket.  As with all the Burberry shows it’s this kind of relaxed feeling that you’ve thrown something on over something very precious.  I often describe the Burberry girl as someone who has this dishevelled elegance; she’s incredibly elegant, but she’s also very relaxed and comfortable in herself.  It’s a very, sexy, confident girl” – Christopher Bailey, Burberry Chief Creative Officer

Can you see anything even remotely dishevelled in those beautiful campaign images featuring Cara Delevingne?  If Christopher wants to see dishevelled, come round my house at 7.15am on a Monday morning.  I’ve got more dishevelled than he could handle.

Also set to go on counter from May is a collection of nine new Lip Covers with a “gelled” formula described as an everyday shine that reflects the “dewy glow of the British rain followed by the gentle glow of the sun”.  Or as I’d call it… “crap weather”.  Dodgy descriptions aside, I’m loving the sound of a “gelled structure” and look forward to seeing them!

I am a bit partial to these lovely bag charms that brands are indulging us with at the moment.  First Clinique and now luxe British fashion house Burberry…

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Latest addition to the Burberry Beauty collection.

Limited edition Burberry Beauty Lip Charm takes inspiration from the Burberry Beauty and Burberry.

Accessories collections featuring iconic Burberry gun metal check casing and trench-coloured outer packaging.

Lip gloss within available in Nude Beige taken from the signature Burberry Beauty colour palette.

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It’s on counter this month in Harrods, priced at an eye-wateringly indulgent £69