Burberry Beauty Fall 2013 Collection - Trench Kisses

Today we are returning back to the fall collections, I have been reviewing some of the new products that I have bought for the past few days and now we need to get back to plotting my next fall makeup shopping list.  I have always admired the Burberry Beauty collections though I have not yet ordered anything from them and have never been in one of the stores where they are sold (this might require a trip to New York City) and I am looking forward to expanding my beauty horizons at the end of graduate school.  I do believe that I can purchase this makeup line on the Nordstrom website so I will have to check it out and see if this is true and then start what could be my newest obsession.

The fall collection from Burberry Beauty is named Trench Kisses, a clever play on the popularity of their traditional trench coats.  It contains new shades in some of the traditional collection products and then also includes the introduction of a new eye makeup product.  These shades originally debuted at the Autumn/Winter 2013 runway show late last winter and many people in the beauty industry have been eagerly waiting for the chance to purchase these shades.

Deep red hues for lips and nails play a prime role in this collection and I already have a feeling that I am going to look these shades and check out what I can order from Nordstrom.  When I start trying out new makeup lines, I usually start with my lip glosses and lipsticks and I think that I will continue that trend with this line.

The Trench Kisses line!

Multi-Use Kajal Crayon - This multi use product is designed to be used on face, eyes, and lips.  It can be used to define features and then add colour to all facial features.
- Poppy Black (No. 01) - deep black
- Oxblood (No. 02) - deep red
- Stone (No. 03- neutral medium nude

Light Glow Blush - A lightweight blush that gives the skin a bright fresh glow.  Burberry Light Glow contains silicones for effortless and even application and wild rose extract for moisturising benefits.  The complexion glows with natural looking radiance.
- Earthy (No. 07) - neutral brown

Sheer Eye Shadow - Burberry Eye Shadow Enhancer is a powder colour in a range of weather-inspired shades.  The shadows can be blended to create a range of eye enhancing colours.  The innovative formula uses silicones for smooth and flawless application and contains micronised satin smooth pigments to ensure long-lasting colour.
- Gold Trench (No. 04) - golden beige
- Midnight Black (No. 18) - deep black
- Pale Barley (No. 22) - golden taupe
- Porcelain White (No. 25) - white

Lip Mist - Burberry Lip Mist gives a sheer illuminating finish with a subtle hint of colour.  Contains moisturising emollients and wild rose extract for long-lasting hydration and protection.  The smooth and lightweight texture glides on effortlessly.
- Oxblood (No. 14) - deep red
- Rosewood (No. 15) - medium nude rose
- Trench Kiss (No. 16) - pale neutral nude

Lip Glow - Light reflecting Burberry Lip Glow adds a hint of colour for a fresh, moisturised glow and enhanced natural radiance.  The formula uses nourishing oils and ceramides that leave the lips hydrated, supple and naturally plumped.
- Oxblood (No. 23) - deep red
- Trench Kiss (No. 24 - pale neutral nude

Lip Cover - Burberry Lip Cover adds a touch of radiance.  The lightweight combination of nourishing oils and gel dispersed pigment ensures intense moisture and long lasting colour.  Burberry Lip Cover contains anti-aging ceramides for fuller lip definition.
- Oxblood (No. 33) - deep red

I am going to start small with this collection and begin learning more about the entire product line.  I am planning to order three pieces from this collection, two lip products and one eye shadow.  I want to start with the full pigment lipstick formula (Lip Mist) and will order the Oxblood and Trench Kiss shades.  If I like the lipstick formula, I will then order the lip glosses too.  I rarely meet a gold eye shadow that I do not like so the Sheer Eye Shadow in Gold Trench is on my shopping list also.  Now it just remains to be seen if I can order all the needed shades at Nordstrom or if I will need to order right from Burberry.

photo courtesy of Burberry

Burberry Spring 2013 Collection - Siren Red

All of last week, I looked back on my favorite brands and products in the beauty industry but today I have decided to check out a brand that I own no makeup from and have never looked at before.  Burberry Beauty is a line that I have not tried before, this is another line that I can only order and can't get anywhere within an hour of my house.  I have drooled over their coats and purses for many years and have tried their fragrance line at my nearby Sephora and have often wished that Sephora would carry their color collection (even a small part of it!) since I can't get it anywhere other than Nordstrom or Saks at this point.  I have been ordering from Nordstrom pretty regularly lately and so far I have had no issues with their Customer Service or shipping departments so I am getting more comfortable with ordering unseen cosmetics or unsniffed fragrances from this company.  This is opening up a new shopping world for me...

The Burberry spring collection that I am looking at is carried on the Nordstrom website and I first noticed it during my obsessive stalking of websites for Archie's Girls.  I feel like I spent so much time searching for pieces of Archie's Girls that I skipped over a few great new collection releases and am now going back and rediscovering some great new products.  This is going to be a great spring for me and a very bad spring for my wallet...

The Nordstrom website provides a product description and an overall collection description for the newest collection from Burberry Beauty.  "Powerfully feminine with glowing shots of color. A runway siren red lip is the focus, complemented by understand eyes and natural, glowing skin. Versatile and playful, the look is elegant and effortlessly seductive."

Here is the newest collection!

Siren Red Sheer Eye Shadow - Experience natural and earthy tones reminiscent of the English countryside and adaptable to all skin tones. Color selection captures the ease and versatility of the collection and ranges from classic trench coat-inspired shades to smoky metals.  Formula: The innovative composition reconciles comfort with long-lasting wear. Light, yet creamy, this performing powder offers optimal adherence.  Benefits: Ensures a smooth application and flawless color fidelity throughout the day. From the most natural look to the most sophisticated finish.  Protection: Silicones provide extreme emollience and comfort.
- No 26 Gold Pearl - light champagne gold shimmer

Siren Red Light Glow Natural Blush - Get a bright and radiant finish with warm glowing skin, reminiscent of the freshness of a spring morning.  Formula: This airy micro-powder ensures rich shades. Silicones provide an easy glide.  Benefits: An effortlessly natural fresh complexion and a healthy glow.  Protection: Provides moisturizing benefits.
- No 9 Coral Pink - bright peach pink
- No 10 Hydrangea Pink - bright rose pink

Siren Red Lip Velvet Long Wear Lipstick - Explore velvet intensity with Lip Velvet Long Wear Lipstick.  Burberry innovation brings a new finish for lips: a velvety matte radiance, inspired by the most opulent of English fabrics. Iconic pigments provide incredibly dense and luminous color, gel technology gives comfortable long-wear performance, while triglycerides and wild rose continuously hydrate. The result is effortlessly elegant, protective and breathable.  Tips: Apply Lip Velvet with fingertips for a natural stain of color or use with a Lip Definer Pencil for a more polished elegance.
- No 310 Military Red - deep cool brick red with a matte finish
- No 311 Bright Poppy - deep cool plum with a matte finish

Lip Glow Natural Lip Gloss - Formula: A creamy touch and perfectly adherent texture. Light oils and spherical powders give fluidity and comfort.  Benefits: Reflects light to create illusion of plumper, fuller lips. Leaves lips supple, glowing with natural highlights and subtle iconic tones.
Protection: Ceramide complex recreates the intercellular cement. Hydrating formula keeps the lips replenished. Fine lines are filled from within, lips are naturally plumped.
- No 19 Mallow Pink - warm pink cream
- No 20 Pink Sweet Pea - bright magenta pink cream
- No 21 Fondant Pink - neutral light pink cream
- No 22 Coral - bright warm peach coral cream

This collection is a nice introduction to the brand, lip products are usually the first product that I try from a new brand and this collection gives me some great choices to try.  I think that I would be more likely to start with the lip glosses for this spring and then try out the red lipstick shade that is featured in this collection.  My first choice would be the bright pink lip gloss, No 20 Pink Sweet Pea is very pretty and will be perfect in the warm weather months, No 21 Fondant Pink is my second choice sine this neutral pink will be wearable in any situation or with any eye makeup look.  I already bought several new lip glosses this spring and this trend shows no sign of stopping any time soon...

In addition to the lip glosses, I can't wait to try out the lipstick formula that is featured in Siren Red.  I want the Siren Red shade the most, I always want to try new formulas of deep red matte lipsticks and I am hoping to find another red lipstick love from this collection.  Lastly, I like the eye shadow shade in this collection but I don't know that I consider it is a "needed" item, I own many pale champagne gold eye shadows since they match every thing and work well with my eye color however this color is not unique enough for me to order it right away.

I look forward to trying some new makeup from Burberry very soon and seeing if this brand adds some hit products to my collection!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Burberry Body

Burberry had one big fragrance release this season, their new fragrance Body.  The company had been hyping this fragrance on Facebook and Twitter for several weeks before it can out, including sending out very generous amounts of sample to friends and followers.  Most of Burberry's fragrances are light and floral, with the new release being the individual of the line.  I have a feeling that is why the fragrance was so hyped, it will bring a completely new fragrance customer to the Burberry line of perfumes.  This fragrance is described as a chypre with fruity notes in it.  I do believe that this is the first time that Burberry has even attempted any type of chypre and therefore I am very interested to see what they did with this fragrance.  I was very happy when Burberry sent me a small bottle of this fragrance to try out and really decide what I thought of it. 

The perfume is available at Sephora and that is the website where I found the best description of the fragrance itself.  "Wrapped around a woman, the iconic Burberry trench evokes sensuality, feminity, and luxury.  In this fragrance, an eclectic composition of fruity-chypre notes envelopes the body, creating a suggestion of effortless seduction.  The fragrance opens with a fresh, green note of absinthe and bright hints of peach and freesia.  Elegance emerges in the heart, where cool notes of natural rose absolute and iris are set against the subtlety and warmth of sandalwood.  In the base, woody cashmeran and creamy vanilla join the sensuality of amber and musk." 
The notes of the fragrance are: Freesia, Green Absinthe, Peach, Rose, Iris, Sandalwood, Cashmeran, Musk, Amber, Vanilla.  Maybe it's just me, but I feel like many of the notes in this new scents are very generic...how many fragrances do you own that contains at minimum three to four of the above notes?!  That isn't saying that they are bad notes to have in a perfume (quite the opposite in fact) but I just don't think that this fragrance shows as much originality as some of their earlier fragrances.  I am happy that I see a rose note in this fragrance however I am not surprised since I feel like many English fragrances contain some type of rose note. 

I have been wearing this fragrance for the past few days and I have finally began to form my thoughts around it.  It isn't one of those fragrances that I fell in love with instantly, it isn't unique enough for me to grab it from my collection more than two or three days in a row.  It is pretty however it reminds me very much of a slightly lighter version of Elizabeth Arden's Mediterrean with a bit more sandalwood in it.  When I first spray it on, the peach and the green notes come out right away but quickly fade into the vanilla, sandalwood, and musk notes.  I also get no rose from this fragrance which is very disappointing for me and a major reason that I wouldn't buy a bottle of this after my current one is finished. 

One of the hardest parts of this fragrance was placing it into a "wear" category.  It took me until last night to decide wear and how I would wear this fragrance.  Let me explain my logic quickly - I have certain fragrances that I wear in professional settings, others that are just for going out, and a few that are very casual and work best on lazy weekend days.  I quickly decided that this fragrance is not a professional fragrance, the sandalwood and vanilla are too sensual to carry off.  This isn't a light and casual fragrance that I would wear when walking down to the farmers market.  This leaves only a going out fragrance, however I found it too light to work with a black dress and heels.  I concluded last night that this fragrance is best worn for small gatherings at casual restaurants or informal dinner parties.  Considering that this is all that I could come up with wear times, my small bottle from the company will last for ages and I won't need a new one any time soon.

One last note on the wear of the fragrance - it doesn't last near as long as I was expecting with the heavy emphasis on the base notes, I only got about three hours from it before I needed to reapply.  If you are looking for a warm, easy fragrance to wear out for relaxed bistro dinners, then this is a great choice for you.  Personally, I liked it but i can skip over buying a new bottle.  My current bottle will last me for quite a bit since I won't be wearing it on a daily basis.  This fragrance is a big change from Burberry's previous scent offerings and I think that it will attract a new customer to the company, however it is very similar to many other scents that are currently being sold and is easily dupable.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Burberry Brit Sheer

Several weeks ago, we looked at the beauty products of England and one of the fragrances that I wrote about was Burberry Brit, the light zingy scent for warmer weather. Well I guess that I might be in the minority when I think that that fragrance was light enough for warmer weather because the company has released a summer version of this fragrance, called Brit Sheer. Just based on a first whiff of this new version, it seems to me like this one has more floral notes in it and it a bit softer than the original.

Sephora places the original fragrance in the "floral-oriental" category while placing the new edition purely with the florals. Sephora describes the fragrance right here, "Burberry Brit Sheer is a fresh, fruity, light-hearted floral fragrance that embodies the youthful spirit of Burberry Brit". This fragrance is described as "seductive, hypnotic, sparkling". Personally, I like the Brit Sheer better with it having more floral notes but I more inclined to purchase the original because it is still light enough for the summer and it smells like nothing else in my perfume collection.

A comparison of the fragrance notes will help to tell the two fragrance apart. The original Brit has the following notes in it - Italian Lime, Icy Pear, Green Almond, White Peony, Sugared Almonds, Amber, Mahogany, Vanilla, Tonka Bean. The Brit Sheer version has these notes in it - Yuzu, Pineapple Leaves, Litchi, Mandarin, Grapes, Pink Peony, Peach Blossom, Nashi, White Musk, Blond Woods.

Without the Lime note in the new version, it is much softer and the addition of the florals continues to soften the fragrance. My only dislike of the new version is that it seems to be more generic since it is now a fruity floral. I mean, how many fragrances this spring and summer contained peony and peach blossom?!

photo courtesy of Sephora

England Week Day 1 - Burberry Brit

The first brand that we are going to look at in this Theme Week is Burberry. Very fitting, most people think of England right away when they see the iconic Burberry plaid. The House of Burberry has been around for decades, starting first with raincoats and other gear that is suitable for the wet climate of England. They slowly expanded into becoming a full design house, with lines for both men, women, children, home, etc. Several years ago, they launched their first fragrance, the now iconic "Brit", a fragrance that reminds some of Gin and Tonics, others of a garden, but all of England.

Sephora gives a brief introduction in the brand itself. "The Burberry brand, created in 1856, has a rich history behind it. Known throughout the world, Burberry's classic trenchcoats are complemented by women's and men's ready-to-wear. sportswear, and fine leather accessories. Inspired by the image, elegance, luxury, and style of Burberry apparel, the fragrances are a classic and prestigious extension of the ready-to-wear and accessory collections".

Sephora places this fragrance in the family of floral orientals. I believe that this fragrance has been a consistent top seller for them ever since its initial release. "The Brit girl embodies the playful British spirit of individuality, but always charming and unpredictably sexy. Fresh and playful, the fragrance is a classic, green-oriental blend of lush fruits, sweet nutty esscences, and soothing amber, vanilla, and Tonka Bean." This fragrance is very light and great for warmer weather. It is also quite easy for anyone to wear since it isn't heavy on the florals. I have yet to meet anyone who cannot tolerate this fragrance.

The fragrance notes are as follows: Italian Lime, Icy Pear, Green Almond, White Peony, Sugared Almonds, Amber, Mahogany, Vanilla, Tonka Bean. On myself, the Italian Lime, Icy Pear, and the White Peony come out the strongest on myself. This fragrance never overpowers but is always able to be detected.

I would expect nothing less from Burberry other than for this fragrance to be housed in a top notch bottle. A bottle that is printed with their signature plaid is just icing on the cake with this product. Not only do I love the scent and can wear it all the time, but the bottle looks amazing sitting with my perfume collection.

Burberry is the quintessential British brand and has now expanded to include several fragrances for both genders. This company now has classic fragrances for both genders and allow a person to be covered in plaid from head to toe.

photo courtesy of Sephora