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!
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- 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.
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- 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
Nail Lacquer: Vino, Rosso, Bronzo, Arencia
Nubar: Venetian Glass Collection, Part 1
Nubar’s latest collection, Venetian Glass ($49.95 for the entire collection or $7.49 each shade), features eight stunning shades that look very much like glass. The shades practically glow. All Nubar shades are free of formaldehyde, DBP, and tuluene–as well as the collection is vegan and cruelty-free. Nubar describes Vino as a deep shimmering wine, Rosso as a medium radiant red, Bronzo as a light red, and Arencia as a glowing orange.
Normally, I do swatches with a top coat (other than matte shades), but these have such a pretty look even without a top coat, I really wanted to show off the way the shades looked before a top coat went on. (I would wear all of these with a top coat, though, and I don’t find it interferes with the glass-look at all.)
- Vino is a copper and ruby flecked deep wine red with a glassy finish. I did two coats, but even the first coat was incredibly pigmented.
- Rosso is a glowing fiery copper flecked orange-based red. I did two coats, but you could likely get away with just one if you’re careful.
- Bronzo is a gold and copper flecked deep ember orange that glows. Two coats. I found this one showed just a touch of brush strokes, though.
- Arencia is a gold flecked medium orange that looks lit from within. It’s lighter and more orange than Bronzo, though they are similar. Two coats.
The formula was excellent–not too thick, not too thin–and each coat was very pigmented. I used two coats on all of these with a thinner first coat and a medium-thick second coat, which is my standard application. Each color had a lot of depth, which is what made them stand out to me. Of these four, Vino and Arencia were my favorites–Vino is just such a stunning, intense shade that’s perfect for fall and winter; Arencia makes my nails look like they’re almost on fire.
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- 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
Korres Liquid Lipstick: 25, 28, 30, 54, 56
Fall Makeup Trend: Opaque Lipgloss
Korres Liquid Lipstick ($22.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a new, water-based liquid lipstick that should appeal to lipgloss and lipstick lovers alike. It’s a very thin formula, and it is incredibly easy to apply. The color is absolutely opaque in a single layer–this is not something you need to layer or use much of at all. The formula also contains “natural raspberry and pomegranate extracts” as the included antioxidants to “protect against free-radical damage and smooth lip lines.”
My lip lines were certainly less noticeable, but I couldn’t say if it was ingredient based for sure–I think the richness of the color and the glossiness of the formula both contributed to the fuller, smoother lip look I had when I wore these. Given that the swatches are taken within seconds of application, I think I’d attribute those immediate results to the pigmentation and finish.
- #25 Natural is a medium coral that leans neither pink nor orange. It’s opaque, and it has a nice glossiness to it. It has an almost imperciptible touch of white shimmer underneath it.
- #28 Berry is a brightened fuchsia-red with warm white micro-shimmer. This is incredibly opaque, and though it is bright, it is also a darker shade.
- #30 Nude Beige is a browned nude with subtle white micro-shimmer and nearly opaque color. It feels almost cool, but it has significant brown, and perhaps even peach, undertones, so it should work well for both cool and warm skin tones.
- #54 Fuchsia is a bright fuchsia pink with the same imperceptible shimmer that was in #25. It is a pinker version of #28 Berry–they look surprisingly similar, though this shade is obviously brighter and lighter. It reminded me of a pinker version of Illamasqua Follow.
- #56 Red is a bold and bright tomato red with subtle white micro-shimmer. This is the most opaque shade of the five, though they’re all rather opaque. This has a stronger orange undertone, so those who prefer more blue-based reds may not find this to their liking.
These have a vanilla mint kind of scent to them; not exactly the most appealing scent to my nose, but it doesn’t linger. The Liquid Lipsticks also have a slight cooling/tingling sensation–it’s not a burning or stinging feeling. It’s just that minty tingling you’d get with any mint-based product (gum, toothpaste, lip gloss…). I found the cooling sensation dissipated within five to ten minutes, and it really wasn’t strong to begin with (which I think is a good thing, personally!).
It’s a thin formula that’s very lightweight, and it wears for a solid four hours or so. I didn’t notice too much staining, despite the richness of colors, which may be a good or bad thing, depending on your tastes!
It definitely seems like opaque gloss may be a major trend for the fall season. MAC’s Dare to Wear Lipglasses are supposed to be intensely pigmented, while Guerlain and Chanel appear to be launching similarly opaque, richly colored glosses during fall/winter.
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you like rich, opaque lip color and love the feel of lip gloss over lipstick, this is a great product for you. The shade range is-overall–a little bold, but there are still two everyday shades available (#25 and #30).
AVAILABILITY: Korres, Sephora
NARS Coconut Grove Eyeshadow
Get Down & Dirty with Coconut Grove
NARS Coconut Grove Eyeshadow ($23.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a rich, decadent dark chocolate. This is an intense brown–there is no subtly here. It’s one of the darkest browns I’ve seen without veering into black. I love the pigmentation of it, too. It doesn’t quiver in its boots! It charges straight ahead and goes on as dark as it looks in the pan. You gotta love when an eyeshadow looks exactly the same in the pan as it does in practice.
Unlike Daphne, Coconut Grove has no problem showing up to the party, no matter where it’s at! It swatches intensely, but more importantly, it applies the same way when used on the eye. I wore it in this smoky eye, and I had to do some furious blending to keep it from being too dark and sultry (just because I was pairing it with red lips, but it could have easily been left in its stronger form and paired with a nude lip). If pressed, I’d say this is a cooler brown, but I don’t think it leans very cool, and I liked it against my warmer skin tone as well.
According to NARS, this can be used wet as eyeliner, and since it’s incredibly deep in color and excellent in pigmentation, it could easily emphasize the eyes as eyeliner. I don’t think you’d have any trouble getting this to look smooth and pigmented in a tight line at all. From my experience, Coconut Grove is one of the best single eyeshadows by NARS to date.
Don’t forget — use code TEMPTALIA for a free mini lipgloss trio featuring Turkish Delight, Gothika, and Greek Holiday at NARS — expires 8/15.
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: For an alternative to black, Coconut Grove would make an excellent multi-tasking “darkening” agent. It’s also lovely on its own!
AVAILABILITY: NARS
Illamasqua Volt Illumine Oil
Less Bronze, More Galactic
Illamasqua Volt Illumine Oil (£32.00 for 100ml) is the same lovely formula as Pulse, but it gives off a very different look. This look is less sun goddess and more moon goddess–it’s a mix of iridescent blue and violet and white shimmer. I think this would be especially beautiful on those with cooler skin tones, because it will really set them off. Less coconutty scent, more general tropics feel–again, doesn’t seem to linger on me.
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- Product: 28/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you find golden body oils to be too unnatural on you, Volt may be a nice way to give you the same shimmer-sheen look with a more natural look.
AVAILABILITY: Illamasqua
