Burberry Lip Glow in No. 14, Nude Rose: A Review

Love the Nova check detailing

After a particularly bad day during the midterm onslaught, I went to Saks Fifth Avenue and wandered over the Burberry Beauty counter. I lived in Waco when the line was released so I was so excited to FINALLY be able to go to a counter. I am an emotional beauty buyer, I admit, and I knew I wanted a pink lipstick to lift my spirits.


However, since it WAS a particularly bad day I decided to buy a lip gloss as well.  This review is for that gloss, and I will post about the lipstick soon.


I’m not a lip gloss kind of girl and it has been quite some time since I purchased a lip gloss (think Spring 2011). I’m happy to say that this lip gloss formula was worth breaking my no-buy streak.

The gloss is a “Lip Glow” in the color “Nude Rose”, a shade featured in the Spring/Summer 2012 collection. The salesperson told me it was packed with Vitamin E and has moisturizing properties, and it actually is! I normally take the salespeople’s speech with a grain of salt because I know they’re trying to move product, but I have to say I am pleasantly surprised.

Swatch, Blended out

The gloss is not sticky or tacky in the slightest. It glides on with the doe-foot applicator, contains no glitter chunks or sparkles, and feels comfortable and moisturizing on your lips with no mask-like sticky effect. It lasted for a full four hours during a busy day at work and through a cup of tea. The gloss faded naturally and I was not left with that dreaded ring around my lips.


Now for the bad news: there is little color payoff; it’s nearly transparent. I would not suggest this particular shade if you are looking to transform your lip color.

Bare Lips

Lip Glow in Nude Rose

However, there are many other color offerings within this line that are much more pigmented. This gloss works well as a layering product to enhance lipsticks or as a natural gloss to wear daily.


Verdict: I love this gloss, and I’m not a gloss girl. However, I would not repurchase this particular color if I ran out due to the transparency of the gloss coupled with the high price. I can pretty much achieve the same effect with my beloved Aquaphor. Though if I were ever in the market for a lip gloss I would check out the other color offerings of the Lip Glow due to the amazing formula.


 Do I regret this purchase? No.
 The packaging is gorgeous and I love applying it. I’m a girl, y’all.


Burberry "Lip Glow" is retails for $27 and is available at Nordstroms(.com as well) for those who don't live near a Burberry Beauty Counter.

Vacation

I've been absent due to juggling midterms AND working.. and now it is finally my Spring Break! My family is visiting, I am going to visit a friend later this weekend, AND I am still squeezing in two days of work this week.

Point is, I won't be posting until my life has settled back to a "normal" busy.

BUT trust me.. after midterms I did some emotional beauty shopping so I will have reviews ready to go next week.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer: A Review

It seems as if most girls are on a hunt for that perfect product. You know, the one that actually does everything it claims to, the Holy Grail (HG). Look no further than Nars' new Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 / PA +++. I've been repurchasing the same tinted moisturizer (Smashbox Sheer Focus) for over a year and a half now, and in the beauty world that means we were pretty much married. That is... until I purchased Nars' new tinted moisturizer (TM for short) on February 1st.

I've been wearing that TM every day since, and I am simply blown away by its accomplishments. Laura Mercier has long been revered as possessing the most coverage of the TM's, but I have to say this new offering from Nars blows Laura Mercier out of the water. Sorry, girl.

I was initially attracted to the product due to its high 30 SPF protection and PA +++ rating, providing a full-spectrum coverage of both UVA and UVB rays. I am pale as can be, and with a redhead father the sun can be my worst enemy. Plus, who really wants to deal with premature aging?


I was pleasantly surprised by several factors of this TM:

1) The scent – No traces of chemical sunscreen here. The TM smells so fresh thanks to its inclusion of naturally-derived fragrances from Peony, Violet and RoseWater

2) The coverage- This TM provides the most coverage of any TM I’ve ever tried, including Laura Mercier. It nearly completely covers up my spots of hyper-pigmentation, which is amazing. Most TM's I’ve tried merely cast a slight shadow over the spots. With a quick dab of concealer I’m ready to go. No more layering and layering thanks to this guy.

3) The finish – I am queen of the combination skin category, and this TM neither accentuates dry spots nor creates an oil slick in certain areas of my face. I highly recommend applying this with your fingers, as I believe it imparts the most natural and flattering finish. It feels very lightweight on your skin and has a pleasant dewey, NOT shiny, finish. I do not set it with powder and it lasts all day. I’m in fact surprised at how much my washcloth picks up by the end of the day.



I wear the lightest shade (also called Light 1) Finland. It appears much darker in the tube than it does once blended into your skin so I’d suggest trying to get a sample if you’re an in-between shade.

It is oil-free and has not caused any problems with my skin. The TM also claims to help fade hyper-pigmentation, and after 4 weeks of use my hyper-pigmentation seems to be fading, but then again, I’m currently using additional products for that issue so I can’t exclusively credit it to this TM.

I find this TM to be similar to the “BB Creams” that are out today thanks to the lofty claims, more coverage, and high SPF values. I’ve tried Dr. Jart’s two BB creams as well as Clinique’s and once again I think this TM out-performs all three.

TM in natural light
 Slight sheen on cheek is partly from Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose

The TM is 1.9 OZ ($42), comes in 9 shades, and while it was once a Nordstroms and Nars.com/Nars Boutique exclusive, the TM hit shelves at Sephora today!