Wild Roses Couldn’t Keep Me Away from the New Burberry Beauty Lip Mists

Burberry Beauty is making a move on the must-have category with a line of $30 luxury lipsticks that look almost like bargains in spite of the price.
As soon as I saw Burberry Beauty’s Lip Mists, I wondered if I was witnessing a case of corporate espionage aimed at Chanel. These nine shiny, hydrating lippies share more than a few characteristics in common with the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines ($32).
First, there’s the finish, which has a similar subtle shine — a dewy, creamy sheen that pairs perfectly with a summertime tan. The colors themselves are rich, lightweight, long-lasting and loaded with pigment, and like the Shines don’t look heavy like a matte. Both of these lippies tread a lovely line somewhere between slightly sheer and fully opaque, but Burberry bests Chanel here in a few key areas.
Like wear time. The Lip Mists outlast the Coco Shines by a good, long while, and I wager they contain a little more color. Being slightly thicker than, yet not as slick as, the Coco Shines probably helps them last.
I like these so much that Wild roses couldn’t keep me away. Wild rose extract, which these contain, supposedly increases the amount of moisture they deliver to lips. Burberry also claims the extract stimulates the production of collagen, but I’m not too sure about that.
Yesterday I applied two layers of Feather Pink after lunch. Five hours and two cups of tea later, it was still going strong — and that’s without a layer of lip pencil underneath.


Lip Mist in No. 206 Blueberry (left) and No. 209 Feather Pink (right)


Swatches of Lip Mist in No. 206 Blueberry (left) and No. 209 Feather Pink (right)

Lip Mist in No. 209 Feather Pink

Lip Mist in No. 206 Blueberry

Heads up for the ladies with a great sense of smell: these have a potent taste and scent, like a mix of roses, Sweet Tarts and mint tea. The scent, which lingers for about an hour, probably sounds weird, but I think it works.
If you prefer conservative lip looks, these just might rock your world. The limited color palette sticks to nine safe neutrals, pinks and berries (nothing too crazy here), but then again, this is Burberry, aka the folks who perfected the timeless trench coat.
Even though the makeup line is still relatively new, from what I’ve seen so far, Burberry Beauty doesn’t seem to be chasing cutting-edge color lines like MAC. And that’s fine by me. Glittery neon orange lips have their time and place, but if you’re looking for a moisturizing, pigmented, long-wearing luxury lipstick that just plain works, you can’t do much better than this.
PRICE: $30
AVAILABILITY: Available now at select Nordstrom stores and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A- (Love everything about ‘em but the price)

Tabs has a new nickname…

I think the rain this week pushed Tabs past his usual limits of crazy because yesterday, for the first time ever, he swiped at my face. We were playing around his cat tower when he reached out and swatted my cheek, leaving a tiny scratch along my jawline.
We’ve been friends for what, five years now? — and he’s never resorted to anything like this. I feel oddly betrayed (I know! So cat lady!). El Hub thinks he just got too excited and couldn’t contain himself, which is probably the case, but still. That husky tabby is totally on my sh*t list today.
His behavior also earned him a new nickname: Edward Scissorpaws.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Kerastase Chroma Sensitive Cleansing Balm 3-Month Followup: Color-Treated Gals, This One’s a Keeper

If I freak out a little when I realize I’m almost out of a product, it’s usually a pretty good indicator of how I feel about it. Yesterday in the shower when I reached for my hot pink bottle o’ Kerastase Chroma Sensitive Cleansing Balm ($42 for a 6.8-oz. bottle) and noticed how light the bottle felt, I let out a sad little mewl. “Noooo.”

It was almost gone.
I started using the stuff, a silicone-free, low-foam and low-friction cleanser for color-treated hair, back in March. Unlike regular shampoos designed for color-treated hair, it adds special deep conditioners to the mix of mild cleansing agents. The blend is 1/4 cleansing agent, 3/4 deep conditioner, and Kerastase claims the brew gently washes hair while preventing pigments from escaping, thereby keeping your color intact.
After three months with it, I’m sold. I’m convinced it’s helped my hair color last longer. I went lighter a couple months ago with caramel highlights, and I think they still look bright, where with other products they probably would have looked a little brassy by now, and my darker base color still looks rich enough for me.


Because a bottle costs $42, I haven’t been using it every day. I alternate between it and conditioner washing with Yes to Carrots Pampering Conditioner. If your hair is shorter and/or less dense than mine, which I compare to a mop, the bottle would probably last you a lot longer than this one lasted me.
One more thing — I’ve heard that coupon sites like Groupon sometimes offer discounts on salons that sell Kerastase. Just something to consider if you’re interested in giving it a try.
Too bad it’s so expensive, but it could be worth it, especially if you’ve already made a big investment in your hair color.
PRICE: $42 for a 6.8-oz. bottle
AVAILABILITY: At select salons and beauty stores
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+ (updated from a B+ in my earlier review)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. I just found that Keratase is hosting an online private sale offering 20% off any purchase of $100 or more for My Kerastase members. You’ll have to set up a profile to access the sale, but if you’re already a fan of the line, it might be a good way to save a little money and stock up on some basics. Happy shopping.

Radiant Summer Skin for Just $12.99: Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15

Sonia Kashuk just reminded me why I have to get my air conditioner fixed. You see, with the mercury rising indoors and out, her Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15 ($12.99) means I won’t have to wear a heavy mask of makeup in the heat.
I never thought I’d see the day when anything would come between me and my trusty tube of Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer, especially a drugstore product, but here we are. For years, Laura’s sheer-to-medium coverage has evened out my skin tone and kept my combination dry/oil skin happily hydrated and (nearly) breakout-free, but in hot and/or humid weather, it has at times looked and felt heavy on my skin.
With summer quickly approaching, I decided to keep my options open. Last week I started testing Sonia’s Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, and so far, so good.

It’s not the first drugstore tinted moisturizer I’ve tried over the years, but it is the first, in my opinion, able to hold its own against Laura’s in more ways than one. Like Laura’s entry, buildable, pigmented Radiant Tinted in Tan covers up red patches and pimples, evens out my skin tone, and helps to hide any scratches left by Edward Scissorpaws, who, by the way, is still on my sh*t list (NOTE TO SELF: work on forgiving and forgetting). And this it does with a single layer that feels lighter and more comfy than Laura’s to me.
I swear it looks like real skin, too, and isn’t heavy, thick or fake-looking at all. A touch of barely-there shimmer gives it dimension and further helps diffuse my fine lines and wrinkles.
If you have very oily skin, you could probably wear it all by itself, but if you have shiny patches on your forehead or cheeks (like I do), you might set it with a blotting powder (I like MAC Blot). That’ll take care of those oily areas. Or, for even more/better coverage, you could use a sheer powder like the MAC Studio Careblends, which I’m using in these pics.




Swatches from the left: Tan unblended and blended; Linen unblended and blended

Wearing Tan
Radiant hasn’t triggered any breakouts yet, but I have read some reviews on Makeup Alley warning about it causing pimples. If you have sensitive skin, it might be a good idea to start with a patch test for a week using a spot on your cheek. Beter safe than sorry, ya know?
As far as drawbacks or negatives, I could name a couple, and they’re both fairly annoying. Radiant isn’t moisturizing enough for me (one way in which Laura’s wins). If you suffer from dry skin, applying it on top of a layer of moisturizer should help.
And then there’s the limited shade selection of just four colors.
The product also contains a few ingredients I would love to see replaced, like various dimethicones, Peg-40 Castor Oil and parabens…

• Active ingredients — Octinoxate (7.5%) and Avobenzone (2%)
• Inactive ingredients — Purified Water, C12 – 15 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Emulsifying Wax, NF, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Cethyl Dimethicone Copolyol, DEA-Cetyl Phosphate, Peg-40 Castor Oil, Hexyl Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Dromiceius Oil, Tocophyeryl Acetate, Carbomer, Allantoin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Ascorbate, Methyl Paraben, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben. May Contain: CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxide), CI 77492 (Iron Oxide, CI 77499 (Iron Oxide), Mica

Considering its strong points and the price, I really like Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, but I would love, love, LOVE it to pieces if Sonia tweaked the ingredients and expanded the number of shades.
PRICE: $12.99
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Target stores and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

I can see the finish line!

Can you believe it’s almost Friday? How the heck did that happen, wow!?
So how’s your Thursday coming along? Whatcha been up to today?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Flowerchild, You’ll Look Like a Fly Damsel in the New Becca Halcyon Days Mineral Blush

The more time I spend with the Becca Halcyon Days collection, the more I fall in love. It’s fast becoming one of my favorite summer releases so far and OOH! — do you hear that? It sings sonnets — no, more like an epic volumes! — to my peach/coral/pink/gold-lovin’ heart.
If your skin turns a toasty brown over summer, or you’re just fond of the way you look in warm pinks, peaches and corals, don’t be surprised if you catch yourself making grabby motions in the air the first time you see the Halcyon Days Mineral Blushes ($32 each) up close, or when you open the sturdy compacts, with, what is that on the outside? A rubberized texture? How cool is that!? It keeps them from slipping out of my grubby little hands.
Flowerchild (a golden peachy pink) and Damselfly (a golden coral) deliver serious, hard-to-ignore pigmentation. One swirl around the pan from my powder blush brush grabs just enough color for one cheek — no layering necessary, unless I want a brighter look.
And talk about flawless application! The powder grains are so tiny that they even make grains of sand seem huge. They might even be finer than the powders at T. LeClerc, an uber-luxury line that some consider one of the best in the beauty biz.

The finely milled powder might be the reason why it spreads like sunlight with nary a streak. And blending? Forget about it. I barely have to flick a wrist to smooth out the edges, which are hardly even there.
The resulting luminous, flushed cheek look is pure Becca all the way — fresh-faced, beachy, feminine, effortless and true to the line.
I’m thinking it would also make a fantastic starter blush for beginners, too, because of how easy it is to use and how natural it looks. If you’re curious about blush but worried about looking like a circus clown, I think either of these would be a great place to start.

Damselfly

Flowerchild

Swatches of Damselfly (left) and Flowerchild (right)


Damselfly on cheeks

Flowerchild on cheeks

Don’t hurt me, Edward Scissorpaws!


Mad props to Becca for including some excellent ingredients, too (shoot, she better, since she charges an arm and a leg!). The blush comes infused with anti-oxidants (Vitamin A, E and C) and a natural mineral complex with mica (hence the name, Mineral Blush), but doesn’t contain parabens, oils, talc or fillers.

Ingredients: Mica, Squalane, Zinc Stearate, Lauroyl Lysine, Silica, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate Retinyl Palmitate, Terpineol, Water (Aqua), p-Anisic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Levulinic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Carmine (CI 75470). May contain: Iron Oxides (Cl 774 91, Cl 774 92, Cl 774 99), Titanium Dioxide (Cl 77891) , Red 30 Lake (Cl7 3360), Red 7 Lake (Cl 15850:1), Yellow 5 Lake (Cl 19140:1)

Rarely do I make room for a blush in my everyday rotation as quickly as I did for these. It usually takes me a few months to clear a spot in my heart next to tried-and-true favorites like MAC Blushbaby, but both of these shades are going right in — do not pass go, just have a seat there next to Blushbaby, thank you very much.
PRICE: $32
AVAILABILITY: At Becca counters and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+ (in spite of the price)

Another reason to love the juniors section…

Less expensive versions of designer dresses! — like this $48 Lush Ruffled Strapless Dress from the Nordie’s juniors section online. It bears a striking resemblance to the $194 Amanda Uprichard Joan Dress I’ve been coveting for weeks!

Lush Ruffled Dress (left) and Amanda Uprichard Joan Dress (right)
Sure, the Lush one’s made out of polyester instead of silk, but that’s a helluva savings, am I right? I’m beginning to feel better about dressing like a teenager, LOL!
Which reminds me — have you found any good dupes lately, either fashion, makeup or otherwise? Clothes, bags, jewelry, furniture, polish, makeup? I’m always hungry for bargains, so please share any recent finds in the comments.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

AFTER DRK

Local Vogue is a series of meetings with emerging local fashion talents. These are people who decided to take a leap of faith, live the dream and start their own label. They design, create and show us that when you really want something, nothing is impossible. Previous Local Vogues can be found here.
Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she will conquer the world. When Sabrina opened the door of her Amsterdam apartment in 5-inch Yves Saint Laurent heels, I knew she and I would get along well. Not only did she look ravishing, she also immediately gave me the impression that she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to work hard to get it.

Sabrina’s blog AfterDRK has managed to blossom during an era where every girl in the world seems to have a blog and is now one of Holland’s most popular websites. If you ask me, her success isn’t just based on her impeccable minimalistic style, but also on her surprising character. Unlike many other young women, Sabrina is confident yet vulnerable and stays truly grounded despite her success.

When I asked Sabrina what her ultimate dream was, she told me that she has always wanted to start her own jewellery line. She then proudly showed me her two most precious jewellery pieces: a gorgeous gold ring and a traditional Indonesian bracelet that was a gift from her mother in law. She also told me that the ring was a gift to herself for her graduation, which made me smile even more.
I guess the moral of this story is to never be afraid to work hard or reward yourself with something you have always wanted. Sabrina has shown me that the woman of today can have her cake and eat it, stay grounded and look amazing in the process. Enjoy the video interview and the pictures to get to know Sabrina more!
On a side note: Sabrina told me that most girls and women want to know what colour lipstick she always wears, so ladies, here it comes: it’s Chanel #170 called Gipsy Scarlet. You’re welcome!

MAKE UP // SPRING BEAUTY

Photo Courtesy of Lippe Taylor

Spring is finally here and it’s time to break out those short skirts and dresses! Before you do, though, you have to make sure your legs are smooth and ready to be shown off. Luckily, Schick and Skintimate have got you covered! Later this month, Schick Quattro for Women will launch the “Shower Your Senses” mobile tour to introduce the new Quattro for Women Disposables handle scented with the Skintimate Signature Scent Raspberry Rain. The tour will visit fifteen cities across America, and beauty guru and YouTube star Elle Fowler will host the kick-off event at The Grove in Los Angeles where she’ll share her top beauty tips and secrets. Can’t make it to the event? No sweat! We spoke with Elle and got the scoop on her must-have beauty products for spring. Check out our interview below!

What are your beauty must-haves for spring? 

I'm loving Frederic Fekkai Coiff Oceanique Tousled Wave Spray. It smells delicious and works really well to create nice beachy waves. I've also been loving the natural, glowy makeup look for spring, and this calls for a great copper-gold eyeshadow, like MAC Amber Lights. Another staple in my beauty bag is a glowy cheek highlighter, like NARS Copacabana Multiple. And, of course, I need to have super-smooth legs this time of year so I love my Schick Quattro for Women Disposable Razor with its scented handle and Skintimate Raspberry Rain Shave Gel.

Who do you look to for beauty and fashion inspiration?
I absolutely adore Blake Lively's style. She always looks stunning! I also think Kim Kardashian always has perfect-looking skin, and I'm always striving for that natural and glowy face.

Describe your typical beauty routine for a night out.
When going out at night, I always bump up my normal everyday makeup routine: I add a little bit more blush, a brighter lip color (I just wear gloss during the day), and then concentrate on really bumping up my eyes. A great trick I learned is to take a bit of Vaseline and rub it on your lashes to take off your mascara so you can start fresh for the night without messing up your whole look! Fresh lashes always boost my overall look; I curl them, add two layers of mascara, and then sometimes add a few false lashes onto the outer corners.

What is your favorite part about being in the YouTube community?
I love having a voice to share thoughts on what I love: beauty and fashion. I love being able to communicate with a large group of people who share the same passion as me!

Do you have any beauty advice specifically for teen girls?
I would say, really concentrate on natural beauty. Pick your favorite feature and play it up! Mine are my eyes, so I keep everything else natural and then go darker on my eyes. My biggest advice is to keep the skin natural and fresh!

Practices

Beauty
Beauty is Our Make Up. Our creative reputation grew out of our work in beauty, and marketing to women has become second nature to us. We know how to build beauty brands and more importantly why women buy (or don’t buy) the products that make them look and feel good.
Health/Wellness
Our Health Expertise is Scientifically Proven to Generate Results. At Lippe Taylor, good health means your business and communications campaigns are in the caring hands of our medical experts. Our prescription for results includes daily contact with key media, established relationships with leading medical professionals, a solid understanding of regulatory issues and the ability to distill and communicate clinical data to key stakeholders.

Fashion
Our Fashion Statements Speak Results. At Lippe Taylor we produce nothing “off the rack”. All our programming is customized to your brand’s unique style. From trend reports to staging runway shows to showroom appointments and in-store events – everything we do speaks style and results.
Home/Lifestyle
Lippe Taylor Loves Home Work. A staggering 91% of home purchase decisions are made by women. If you do the math, lifestyle brands that are not talking directly with women will be left out in the cold. That’s where we can help with some of the heavy lifting…from furnishings, cleaning supplies, kitchen tools, nutrition, beverages, automotive and even pet care. We know the head of the household, how to reach her, and how to make her feel at home with your brand.

MAKE UP // Calling All NARSissists!

To celebrate the release of the new book Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself by Nars founder and creative director, François Nars, the cosmetic brand is launching makeupyourmind.com, a virtual global gallery to showcase your personal interpretation of beauty. You’ll be able to re-create a look from the book, upload an image of your makeup creation, and then vote for your favorite entries. You may even win one of thirteen prizes, including a trip to New York City to join Nars backstage during New York Fashion Week!

HOW IT WORKS: Select one of the twelve looks on the website and follow the on-screen step-by-step instructions (taken directly from the book) to achieve it at home. Post a picture of your handiwork to the website and then vote for the entry that you feel is the best personal interpretation of the original look. The contest will run from May 6, 2011-August 31, 2011. Official rules for the game can be found at makeupyourmind.com.

THE PRIZE: The person with the most votes by September 1, 2011, will win the grand prize: a trip for two to New York City to join Nars backstage at fashion week in February 2012 (this includes two round-trip airfare tickets, hotel accommodations for two nights, backstage access to select Nars shows, a makeup consultation at the Nars flagship boutique, and a gift certificate to a trendy NYC restaurant for each night!). Ten runners-up will receive a secondary prize: a gift set created exclusively for the launch of Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself.

What are you waiting for? Go check it out!