- a super-sheer, shimmery ivory,
- a metallic-finish (think MAC’s Frost eyeshadows) taupey brown,
- a warm, satin-matte orangey-brown with fuchsia (yes, fuchsia!) sparkles interspersed, and
- a rich chocolate brown with gold and pink shimmer.
Based on the name alone, I had expected Burberry Body to be a “fresh” sort of skin scent. You know the type – those light, breezy perfumes, perhaps a little aquatic and perhaps a little salty. Usually with a side of something boring: rose, perhaps, or aldehydes, or super-sweet vanilla.
Instead, the first thing I think of when I smell Burberry Body is… shea?
The product: Burberry Body (eau de parfum, 85ml)
Burberry Body doesn’t smell like any of the florientals or fruity-florals on the market right now, and it’s leaps and bounds away from your typical “date perfume.” It’s clean, and a little floral if you really stick your nose into it, but it’s also sweet and soft. There’s a disconnected creaminess about it, almost as if there are two separate ideas in the bottle, intertwined: a smooth caramel paired with a slightly jarring, almost chemical peach accord.
It’s a far stretch from the line’s other fragrance offerings, and I’d almost go so far as to say that it appeals to an entirely different section of their market – it’s more in line with their cosmetics line than their rampantly popular perfumes, as evidenced in everything from the campaign to the packaging. The coherency is still there, though; I think Burberry fanatics will definitely be able to find something to love in Body, as well.
But it’s different. It smells like the bodycare interpretation of “skin,” but the scent (despite being extremely light and close to the skin) wears forever – I can still smell it on my skin the morning after applying it.
The one reserve I have is that the packaging – it’s really, really tall. The 85ml bottle stands around 21cm/8.5″, significantly taller than any other perfume bottle in my collection. It’s very solid (and would make a great bludgeoning stick), but I feel compelled to store it on its side: I can just see myself knocking it over and breaking it! (Photos after the cut to show size.)
The EdP also comes in 60ml and 35ml versions, which look much more proportional, but it’s something to think about! (The body milk, body oil, and 85ml EdP Intense versions feature the same awkwardly-tall packaging; the 60ml EdP Intense, again, looks more normal.)
What they say about it…
An effortlessly sensual, feminine fragrance with an eclectic combination of refined ingredients.
Top notes of fresh green absinthe, illuminating peach and delicate freesia; floral heart notes of natural rose absolute, iris and warm sandalwood; base notes of woody cashmeran, creamy vanilla, amber and musk.
The bottom line
Okay, so Burberry Body isn’t the most original scent, but it’s still really, really lovely. I’d very much recommend it as a warm, comforting interpretation of an “un-perfume” perfume, in the strain of D&G Light Blue or Dior Addict 2. (Similarly: the Clean, Fresh or Philosophy lines).
Burberry Body has amazing tenacity for such a close-to-the-skin scent, and it transforms beautifully over an hour. (If you’re giving it a try, make sure to give it at least that long to dry down!) It may not be revolutionary, but it’s still a really lovely “body” scent! I’ve worn it for the past three days straight, which if you know me, says quite a bit – I quite rarely find scents that I’ll wear for more than one day in a row.
It’s a keeper ;) If you want something that smells like the campaign looks, give this one a try.
More photos »
Here’s the second of four giveaways! I’ll notify the winner of the first one in a bit (as I write this, the giveaway still has about two hours to go), but in the meantime – you can start entering this one :)
This giveaway includes five tubes of Marcelle Rouge Vitality, one of my favourite lipstick formulas. The shades are: 115 Java, 120 Golden Bronze, 125 Creme Caramel, 180 Rosewood, and 205 Praline, all shimmery shades in the nude spectrum. It’s a really lovely, scent-free, slip-free, paraben-free formula – well worth trying out, even if you don’t win the giveaway!
I’m not sure if these shades have been discontinued or not, but they’re not listed on the new online shop, so I’m assuming that they are. (Save for Praline, which is included because I somehow ended up with two tubes!)
Ingredients & more photos »
In beauty…
In fragrance:
So, I guess I like, went and got really ill and returned to school and started Remicade and blah blah blah, which sort of led to our posting schedule getting shot to hell. (Remember the good old days, when I used to post, like, fifty times in a month?) (… yeah, I don’t remember them too well, either. Everything’s kind of a blur.)
Anyhow. Let’s fix this neglecting thing, yeah? :) Here’s what I’ve been up to.
A tangent about… hair
For starters, I went and put a bunch of black lowlights into my hair. Which is exciting! (Be excited, dammit, it’s exciting.) I mean, you’d assume that my hair would already be pretty black to begin with (what with the being Asian thing and all), but it’s actually quite light – light enough that my natural colour is now functioning as highlights.
(Just how light, exactly? Check out my hair in this post – that’s how light.)
I wasn’t sure about it at first, but now I’m certain: I love it. I love it a ridiculous, ridiculous amount. I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner!
A tangent about… closets
And then there was a closet redo. I forgot to take “before” photos, because I’m ridiculous and forgetful, but here’s a quick photo of the “after.” I’ve long been a fan of built-in shelving (it just feels so roomy!) but – well, let’s just say that I’m inordinately pleased with this as well.
(Yes, before you ask, I’m a bit of a clothing minimalist. This is in part due to the fact that I feel uncomfortable about extraneous items, but honestly? It has more to do with the fact that I absolutely abhor shopping.)
A tangent VERY RELEVANT SEGMENT about pretty shoes
One of the things I found while cleaning out my closet was my favourite pair of heels: my “goal shoes,” if you will. One of these days, I’m going to be well enough that I can wear them again, without having to worry about MTP swelling or spinal support or ankle joints.
This is the plan.
It’s going to be fantastic.
And, lastly, late at night:
Hope you’ve all been well!! xxx
The product: Caudalie Beauty Elixir
I’ve long been a believer in the fact that “charged waters” and “facial mists” are, more or less, just marketing garble. I mean – the Evian spray is, literally, just water in an aerosol bottle; MAC Fix+ is reputedly not a lot more than water, cucumber extract, and glycerine (though I’ll admit that I do intend to try it eventually); and have you smelled some of the herbal sprays? Good lord!
I have to say, though: Caudalie might just have me questioning my own beliefs.
The Caudalie site says to apply their Beauty Elixer both “before your moisturizer and at any time of day,” as well as “between your foundation and powder to perfectly set makeup.” They say it’s simply an “anti-dullness complexion treatment,” made for all skin lacking radiance.
I don’t know if it’s really “treating” my complexion, and I don’t think my skin’s gotten any more radient since I started using it, but it certainly gives the impression of radiance.
And I mean, that has to count for something, right?
My favourite part about Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir is that it contains a few drops of peppermint oil, so it’s significantly more refreshing than just splashing water on your face. I do have to be extremely careful to keep it away from my super-sensitive eyes, but I’d say it’s worth it!
I didn’t start using this until the tail end of summer, but it would have been perfect for hot summer days. I’m actually really enjoying it right now, too, though – it’s a nice “moisture burst” that helps combat the dry prairie air, whether or not I’ve already applied my moisturizer and makeup.
The ingredients:
Aqua, alcohol, citrus aurantium amara flower water, parfum, rosmarinus officinalis leaf oil, potassium alum, glycerin, mentha piperita oil, commiphora myrrha extract, styrax benzoin resin extract, melissa officinalis leaf oil, rosa damascena flower oil, vitis vinifera fruit extract, tocopherol, citral, citronellol, farnesol, geraniol, limonene, linalool.
The verdict?
Okay, so the Beauty Elixir isn’t all that necessary, and it’s far from life-changing. If you like the scent, though (some people find it a little too… organic-smelling, if you will) and you’re on the market for a new facial spray, give this one a go.
I’d recommend it for normal to dry skin types – it does give a great glow to my parched skin, but I’m not sure how well it would work with oilier complexions. But it’s paraben- and silicone-free, and surprisingly, it doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin at all, so I’ll be keeping it around!
P.S.
If you already have this and you’re not quite sure how to use it, here are a few tips:
I’m bad with celebrations.
No, seriously, I’m actually just extremely bad at them. Holidays and get-togethers, I can do, but I try to get out of celebrating my birthday every year, and god, things like blogging anniversaries? I don’t even know where to start.
(Mainly, I think I’ll just stand around and flail.)
Instead of telling you all how thankful I am that I’ve been able to stick around for four years and do something that I thoroughly enjoy, I’m just going to announce a giveaway.
And another giveaway.
And another giveaway.
And… another giveaway?
Yes, really. Because, well, what better way to celebrate your fourth blogiversary than to do four colour-coded giveaways? :D
The rules
Each giveaway will run for one week, and I’ll email the winner once the giveaway closes. We’ll be running them through Rafflecopter, and you’ll have 48 hours to get back to me before the prize gets passed along to the next person. The four giveaways will be open to everyone, regardless of age, habitation, or favourite brand. (However, if you’re under the age of majority in your country/state/province, you’ll need parental consent!)
Also, the giveaways will be run in terms of colour.
It’s going to be epic.
xoxo,
Rae
I thought it might be nice to start off our month of giveaways with the summeriest one – after all, doing this one later in the year would probably just be cruel and unusual punishment.
This giveaway includes two Clarins products (their Instant Smooth mousse tanner and Mosaïque bronzer), one Lancaster sunscreen (SPF 30 Ultra Soothing Lotion, for face and body), and one lovely Ellis Faas pen (in E303, a silicone-y bronzer). They’re all products that I would have loved to feature, but either didn’t have time to cover, or couldn’t try (because of the silicones). I hope they find a good home with a lucky reader, instead!
I’m also quite excited to try out Rafflecopter, a new giveaway widget thingy. Let’s just hope it works :P
More photos »
Of all the products in Clinique’s The New Black collection, this is the one I was looking forward to the least. So, of course, (in true Rae fashion,) it’s the one I fell in love with.
And oh, what a complicated love it is.
The product: Clinique Black Honey Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad
I know that we normally do section-breakdown reviews, but this one needs a little bit more of a ramble. I hope you’ll excuse the lack of structure!
First things first, I want to say that the Black Honey concept translates beautifully into an eyeshadow quad. Like the lipstick, this quad is best suited to light or medium complexions, really excels at flattering warm skintones, and offers a translucent wash of colour. However, I’m using terms like “best” and “excels” with a very specific intent: it really is phenomenal for them, but it can do so much more!
Personally, I find that the Black Honey Almost Lipstick doesn’t sit quite right with my complexion – I’m too pale and too cool-toned for it. This quad, however, is a different story entirely. The shades are warm, but they’re just the right kind of warm, and unlike the lipstick and blush, this quad isn’t at all difficult for me to pull off. If you ask me, this quad is the most universal product of the collection, and I think it’ll suit the broadest range of complexions.
This is my first Clinique quad (I know, that fact is blowing me away, too), and one thing in particular that stuck out to me is the fact that it’s clear-backed. Which, for the record, is brilliant. Clinique presses its eyeshadows into coordinating plastic pans, and it makes it incredibly easy to identify the quad in an instant.
Like the shadows, not all of the plastic pans have the same finish to them: only two of the four, really, are shimmery. I’ve mentioned before how much I love palettes with mixed finishes, and this is no exception! Often, I find that the more you mix your finishes, the more depth you get out of the palette (and the more versatility it tends to have).
This palette contains:
Clinique Black Honey Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad swatches
Clinique Black Honey Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad swatches, at an angle
The verdict? (aka “the big however“)
Despite everything I love about this… I’m going to have to recommend that you pass on it.
Yes, I just said “pass on it.”
The thing is, this palette features three unexpectedly lovely eyeshadows, but it also has one that’s extremely disappointing. Not even just sub-par, but flat out extremely disappointing. I mean, I get why companies insist on putting highlighters in every single palette, but if it’s so sheer it won’t even show up on an NC15, why bother? Sometimes I’ll excuse the sheerness if the highlighter has a really gorgeous duochrome, or a sheen, or even just really pretty shimmer, but this is just – well, it’s just some barely-there sparkles.
So: if you love the look of the Black Honey palette, and you’re willing to accept the fact that the ivory’s more or less a nonentity, then go for it. The other three shades definitely do not disappoint! But, in terms of a cost-to-product ratio, just know that this one’s really only delivering on 75% of its promises.
—
P.S. The dark brown’s a little on the dry side, so be prepared to put a little extra elbow grease into using it. If you’re in a hurry, it still looks good used normally, but if you have the time – take an extra minute to “press and smudge” the colour on before blending. The results are very much worth the effort!