Review: Burberry Lip Cover Soft Satin Lipstick No 28 Devon Sunset

Burberry 'Lip Cover' Soft Satin in Devon Sunset ($30 for 0.13 oz) is a creamy pink peach that has equal pink and peach. When first applied, it leans toward peach and slightly chalky then gradually changes to a meadium peachy pink on my lips. I LOVE IT! I don't have any lip color like this. It goes on opaque with 2 layers but you can get away with just one.

The texture is creamy, light weight and moisturizing. My lips are extra dry so lip balm is always a must. Without the lip balm, Devon Sunset peels a bit after 3 hours. The lip balm extends the moisturizing of Devon Sunset all day (about 8 hours). Devon Sunset wears well for 6 hours, although color changes (but which lipsticks don't) as it sinks into your lips. After hour 6, it's up to you to touch up or not. I prefer not because I love the transformed color.

Devon Sunset is housed in a metal square case that I think really gorgeous and elegant. Burberry check is on the case and the lipstick itself. It's kind of special. Usually you see a brand name or a brand logo or cute design (like Paul and Joe) on the lipstick. I think the check brings something different to the look but if you're a fan of the brand, I guess it won't be a surprise (like it's to me :D).

Swatched under direct sunlight

On my lips after one-hour wear. You can see now it's a peachy pink and still moisturizing. I did use a lip balm underneath. But my lips can chap even so with other lipsticks. 

Makeup breakdown listed here

I think almost every prestigious cosmetic brand execute their lipsticks extremely well. It's easy (for me) to find a good moisturizing long wearing lipstick on the market. Is Burberry lip cover really special compared to other luxury brands like Chanel, Guerlain, Dior or Lancome, Bobbi Brown, Nars? I don't think so, except for the Burberry signature check mark embroidered on the lipstick. I love Devon Sunset simple for the color and its unique turn-out on my lips. And I will repurchase it for that reason. Everything else, the texture, wearing, moisturizing, packaging and price range, lands at the same level as other high-end brands.

Is it a must-have? For me yes. As I mentioned earlier, I don't have any lip color like this and know no dupe for it. Is it really a must-have for everyone? Quality-wise, no. It's an excellent lipstick but you can find the same quality from other luxury brands too. However, if you love lipsticks or love Burberry or love to try out the brand, Devon Sunset and lip cover in generally should secure a spot in your stash.

Have you try Burberry Lip Cover? What other good color would you recommend? I also have Rosewood but I'm not as excited about it. 

Review: Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow No 21 Midnight Brown

Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow No 21 Midnight Brown ($29 for 0.088 oz) belongs to the Spring 2012 collection and is added to the permanent line. Having quite a few browns in possession, I half-doubted that Midnight Brown would offer me any excitement. But I trusted the brand's sophisticated style and hey, no risk no fun. I'm so glad I did because Midnight Brown turned out to be yet another unique wearable brown.

Midnight Brown is a shimmery medium chocolate brown that has all the element right. It leans more warm but stays neutral enough to compliment all skintones. It might look like a deep color in the pan, but it's actually quite a soft color. Still, you can build it up for intensity as desired.

The texture is super finely milled and butter smooth. It glides on easily without any fall-outs. The shimmer fused in Midnight Brown accentuates the color, giving the eyelids a soft sheen. However, I wish it had more a satin finish. Just a personal preference. I feel that way it'd look more chic and unique than the regular shimmery browns.

Midnight Brown wears well for 10 hours on top of a standard primer. I love to pair it with Burberry Rosewood and Pale Barley (like here), and virtually any other shades that I want a bit of sheen and warmth balance (e.g.,Edward Bess Mirage and Storm). Midnight Brown is also a great overall lid color by itself.

Below are some comparisons to Burberry Midnight Brown

Brown is a classic color but can be very boring and outdated sometimes. This makes any creation of a new brown more and more challenging. Burberry brings us a brown that's universal enough for all personalities to love and yet unique enough to intrigue brown-lovers. Bravo Burberry!

Bottom line. Another outstanding product by Burberry. Phenomenal color and quality. Great by itself or to create dimension the eyes. Natural or intense looks, Midnight Brown got you covered. A must-have!

A blogger's reward

Blogging is something that I genuinely love to do. My blog is where I share what I love, learn about makeup and meet like-minded people. It never requires me any "trying" to post on my blog. I just grab the inspiration and run away with it. With that being said, any beauty blogger would know how much time (and money) and effort we put in our blogs. I simply feels rewarding when my readers and fellow bloggers appreciate my sharing. 

I have received two Liebster nominations from Tina at 2 Petite and Becca of The Beauty Sample.  Earlier this year, Edward Bess's official facebook fan page shared 3 of my blogs. They means a lot to me!

While typing this post, I'm in such a good mood and filled with positive energy that I urge to ramble. I will continue with some beauty goodies soon, I promise :D.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my blog! I hope you have fun here. Please feel free to leave me your blog/webpage links, I'd love to visit yours too.

xx Joanne

My quest for the inner peace. Ep 2 - Belly fat and peace

Happy Sunday everyone! I just finished my daily yoga routine, feeling energized yet so relaxed that I got inspired to share with you my journey for a better health. 

When starting this post series, I was three weeks into Dahn Yoga training. I expected to feel absolutely calm and peaceful in few months. These mini-documentary posts would hold me in place one day at a time to find the inner peace. Little did I know that I'd find it in week five. I am peace, literally. I didn't feel any anger, resentment, frustration or sadness, nothing but peace. It roots deeply inside a body and soul that I own and have the ability to manifest. So technically, I can end the series here. But it ain't that easy to keep the peace positioned inside my mind. If I didn't have to work, I'd just spend time on meditation. But I do. We human beings in this busy world never stop receiving stress and toxics as the results of our daily life. We then have to release stress out of our body and mind. My vision now is to go deeper into all the troubles that brought me to yoga in the first place, and focus on the positive aspect of my life and some initial improvements I made through the training. 

Here they are.

I lost 2 pounds after one week and have remained the same weight until now - three month mark. And guess where? My belly. I've tried countless fitness regimes that targeted the core and abs like pilates. They helped my muscles but did nothing to my belly. This first response encouraged me to keep on going. 

My mind and my physical body have more connection. I become more aware of my physical healthy status, which really motivates me to follow the training. As a control freak as I am, the idea of self-healing is appealing to me. I now have faith in myself that I can master my emotions, strength and weaknesses under any circumstances. I become calmer and more stable. It's much harder to get me annoyed or angry these days. I am happy about this. 

I do believe that Dahn Yoga is the training I need. It's not only a physical training program but also a spiritual and mental support with methods and tools. And trust me. I'm a scientist. It takes a heck lot to convince me a health training program can enhance my spiritual life, which in turns will improve my physical conditions. My husband noticed the changes first hand. He's been telling me that I no longer get on his nerves :D. Yoga works for me. The more I believe, the faster and deeper I recover from stress.

This post has more ramblings than usual. I just have to share. Until next time, I wish you all health and happiness. 

xx Joanne


Where the mind goes; the energy follows; the blood flows and the matter occurs.

Look: Go Berry Chic with Edward Bess

Have you ever dressed up your face and stayed home? I have, many times, shamelessly! It did take my husband some time to immune with my fun outfits or wild makeup test run when he got home. As awkward as it sounds, those makeup trials really help a big deal when I'm in hurry. I can just pull out whatever look I have tried before without thinking. Anyway, in one of those days, I wore Edward Bess Berry Chic palette to create a understated flirty look and to test out L'Oreal Full Definition mascara.

I created this look using everything in the palette except for the plummy lipgloss. The highlighter has dries out a bit yet still produces seamless glow for my cheeks. Other products included Bobbi Brown gel liner in Espresso, Burberry Taupe Brown eyeshadow for the brows, Clarin Ever Matte Foundation and Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder.

Edward Bess Berry Chic palette was released last fall together with Back to Basics.  You can find them now on Sephora.com (and selected Sephora stores), EdwardBess.com, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman (in store and online). They are retailed at $75.

Do you think this hair style enhance the "innocent" look? I thought so :D

A close-up to show you the winged eyeliner and the L'Oreal mascara that is supposed to give me length, volume and lash separation. How do you rate this mascara?

I hope everybody is having a great week!

xoxo

Joanne