Burberry Russet Blush (Look breakdown here)
Burberry Russet (01) Blush ($42.00 for 0.24 oz.) is a softened rust-brown. When blended out, it’s just a hint of red-toned brown, but it can be layered on for a deeper shade that looks most rust-like. On my cheeks, it looks like a bronzer with a lil’ kick to it–not quite a flat or shimmering brown or bronze, but it gives my cheeks more warmth and dimension. I like the soft, finely-milled feel of the powder, and it applies smoothly without looking powdery. Burberry’s blushes look incredibly natural on skin, and they’re easy to sheer out or build up for a stronger cheek (but never an ultra intense cheek).
It’s packaged in a hefty gunmetal compact with a soft, bristled brush that actually works (though I’ll still stick with my regular brushes) and doesn’t feel scratchy against the skin. Burberry’s signature check pattern covers the front of the compact, and the logo is on the side. This blush comes with a good amount of product–around 30% more than your average high-end blush compact, actually!
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! 
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: For a darker, but still natural, cheek, Russet makes a good color choice for both warm and cool skin tones.
AVAILABILITY: Nordstrom
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer
A Highlighter for Generations
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer
($24.00 for 0.30 oz.) is a mega highlighter–no, seriously! This compact contains a ton of product–it’s double the amount of your average blush. I can’t fathom ever finishing this, because you need so little to get that shimmering glow.
It’s a soft, shimmering champagne with subtle gold tones. It’s not the subtlest highlighter, but it’s not glittery, heavy, or overly shimmery either. It seems to have a combination of noticeable shimmer and subtle, glowy sheen. I think it’s a very pretty shade–ultra flattering on most skin tones–but it is absolutely gorgeous on warmer skin tones. (Again, this should work beautifully on cooler skin tones, too!)
On my cheeks, I just tap the tiniest amount on the tops of my cheeks using a tapered face brush, and then I blend it out. I will say that this is a product where blending is necessary–if you just tap it on, it will look obvious and accentate pores, but a few quick swishes of a brush will turn you into a glowy goddess. You can also use this as a highlighter anywhere–cheeks, eyes, lips, you name it!
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 10/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you love highlighters and don’t own this one, I really think you may want to put it on your list.
AVAILABILITY: Sephora
Nail Lacquers:: Edyta, Julieanne, Cheryl
Oh… So… Wicked
Zoya Wicked Collection ($36.00 for all 6, or $7 each) is one of two fall collections from Zoya. It contains six shades:
Edyta (complex mixture of gold, olive, blue-green, and smoky grey with a sparkling metallic finish), Julieanne (unique purple sparkles with gold, peach, and yellow-green duochrome in a dark blue-purple base), Cheryl (smoky brown base completely packed with metallic copper, gold, and mahogany metallic microglitter), Karina (cool medium crimson red with swirls of pink, gold, and red foil metallic glitter), Carrie Ann (light warm scarlet red with copper, gold and pink-red foil metallic glitter), Kym (antique copper base with gold, copper, and pink reflective metallic sparkles).
- Edyta is a tarnished, deep green with gold and green micro-shimmer. At first glance, it seems similar to Nubar Verde, but the latter is significantly greener–much more forest green. Just two coats.
- Julieanne is a deep violet purple with blue undertones and gold and glowing violet shimmer flecks. Two coats.
- Cheryl is a darkened chocolate brown base with warmer, amber and copper shimmer. It looks very rich and luxe. Two coats.
- Karina is a ruby red with flecks of scarlet and ruby shimmer–more blue-based. Two coats.
- Carrie Ann is a brightened cherry red with fiery red shimmer–more orange-based. Two coats.
- Kym is a pinked/mauvey brown with gold and bronze shimmer. Almost metallic. Two coats.
The formula is just as you’d expect from Zoya: smooth, nicely pigmented, and dries down beautifully. The colors are very true-to-bottle, and I had no issues with application whatsoever.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: Excellent pigmentation for all six shades, easy to apply, and none needed more than two coats for a smooth, opaque finish. If you see a color you like, I think you’ll be happy with it.
AVAILABILITY: Zoya
No foundation / Philosophy Supernatural Superbeautiful
Feels Like a Tinted Moisturizer, Looks Like Foundation
Philosophy Supernatural Superbeautiful SPF 20
($30.00 for 1.25 oz.) is certainly the hybrid foundation it describes itself as. It delivers a nice, medium-coverage finish that’s just slightly dewy but not oily, but it feels more like a tinted moisturizer than a liquid foundation. It’s even on the moisturizing side (but I wouldn’t skip the moisturizer!).
The texture is very creamy and almost gel-like, though it is a water-based foundation with the first inactive ingredient being water. It’s easily applied with fingertips (again, like a tinted moisturizer) or with a foundation sponge/brush. I found it wore very well, without any fading, settling, or migration over an eight hour period. I have warm undertones and a light medium skin tone (NC25), and I found Beige to be a good color match for me. I think the semi-matte finish of the foundation helps it stay natural-looking, and the creaminess of the product (without being heavy or thick) also helps to keep it from accentuating dryness.
I so rarely think of Philosophy for anything but skincare and bodycare, but the foundation was a definite–pleasant–surprise. I forgot to take photos of the packaging, and I’ve literally had that on my to-do list for three months along with a bajillion other things, so instead of waiting around for that to happen, I said on with the review! The packaging is a flat, slim squeeze-tube that’s easy to control–it really looks exactly as it is pictured in retailer product photos.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you like the feel of tinted moisturizer but need more coverage than they often offer, Philosophy’s Superbeautiful might be the best of both worlds.
AVAILABILITY: Sephora
Burberry Hibiscus Lipstick
Burberry Hibiscus (20) Lipstick
($30.00 for 0.13 oz.) is an intense shade of ruby red–though more red than ruby, I’d say! When I was picking out three lipsticks to purchase, I thought Hibiscus might be a deep pink, rather than red, but it’s most certainly in the red family. There is a very subtle shimmer strewn through the color, but it’s not obvious nor is the end result shimmery in the least bit.
Burberry has created a solid lipstick formula–it’s creamy without being thick or slippery, and it’s moisturizing without sliding off in an hour. I picked only bold shades by chance, and Hibiscus was very rich and looked nearly opaque on my lips. It applied smoothly, evenly, and didn’t bleed on my lips (but very few lipsticks do). Being such a deep shade, it wore well–four hours and then left a stain behind.
Each lipstick has an embellished check pattern on the lipstick itself, as well as the same gunmetal, check-covered packaging that the other Burberry Bauty products have. The lipstick has a magnetic closure, and I was rather amused by how the lipstick would spin into place, no matter how you slipped the lid back on–just drop the lid on and it will swivel into place!
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you like your reds blue-based, a smidgen pinky and touch ruby, you may like Hibiscus.
AVAILABILITY: Nordstrom
Nail Lacquer: Caramello, Oro, Verde, Vaso
Nubar: Venetian Glass Collection, Part 2
Don’t forget to read Part 1!
All Nubar shades are free of formaldehyde, DBP, and tuluene–as well as the collection is vegan and cruelty-free. Nubar describes Caramello as a rich bronze, Oro as a deep gold, Verde as a unique dark green, and Vaso as a striking light purple.
- Caramello is a rich, burning bronze with flecks of gold and copper shimmer. Two coats.
- Oro is a bright marigold with gold flecks of shimmer. Just two coats, but there were some noticeable brush strokes.
- Verde is a deep, dark forest green with flecks of green-gold and emerald green shimmer. I used two coats, but this is one shade that just one might have done just fine.
- Vaso is a nearly metallic lilac with silver and lilac flecks of shimmer. This also seemed to show some brush strokes.
Verde is absolutely stunning. It is hands down my favorite shade of the eight! Amid such rich shades, Vaso seems out of place to me. My dear Italian readers, can anyone tell me why Vaso would be lilac? I Google translated, and I just got jar/vase as suggestions. I kind of missed having a really lush fuchsia-purple or even a rich violet here. It doesn’t make or break the collection, but just an observation.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: Nubar really hits it out of the park with this collection, just in time for fall. Lovely formula, easy application, and gorgeous shades.
AVAILABILITY: Nubar
