Burberry Light Glow blush in Peony

This Light Glow blush in Peony is my first foray into Burberry Beauty and I have to say, I'm happily impressed.  I've always really liked Burberry - my love for trench coats and outerwear in general started with going to the Burberry store with my mom as a young girl.

The first thing I noticed about this product was actually the box's textured packaging.  The faux-canvas feel of the cardboard is quite pleasant to hold in the hand (too bad it's not getting any more use from me) and a nice change from the typical glossy, fingerprint magnet boxes of other brands (Chanel, Dior, etc.).  Does anyone else dislike it when they're buying something obviously unused and unopened, but still has tons of muddy fingerprints on the box?  It's really not a big deal, haha, but it made me enjoy Burberry's packaging from the get-go.

The actual packaging of the blush is amazingly luxe.  It's sturdy, solid, and feels expensive.  No flimsy plastic here!  The metallic, reflective top of the blush has the classic Burberry check pattern across it.  The closed lid is held in place with a strong magnet, giving the packaging a very streamlined and elegant feel.

I have to say that I'm more than just a sucker for good packaging, haha.  I can't help but notice the details in these sort of things and I enjoy seeing the beauty behind the design of anything, whether it's cosmetics, furniture, art, graphics, clothing, decor - you get my drift.  Burberry Beauty definitely does it well.

Now, onto the actual product itself!  Peony is a perfect neutral pink on my light/light-medium skin.  For me, the level of pigmentation hits a sweet spot.  I like my blushes bright and vibrant - but with super pigmented blushes, I have to be very careful not to over-apply and I need to make sure it's blended well.  Peony is pigmented enough that I don't need to work too hard for it to show up on my skin, but not so much that I have to apply it so gingerly and delicately.  

It is definitely on the matte side, but with a very slight satin finish.  The color and texture of the blush help perk up my complexion and give me a healthier look.  My sister asked me today at lunch if I was doing anything different with my makeup.  I asked her why, and she replied, "Your skin looks so smooth and glowy!"  I'm pretty sure this blush contributed at least a little to that, haha.

I was also impressed with this blush's longevity.  Peony lasts well on my oily skin and holds up to multiple blotting sessions.  It does have fragrance to it, but it doesn't bother me too much.  I find the scent of Chanel Joues Contraste blushes to be much more overt and noticeable.  Overall, I see myself reaching for Peony quite frequently in the near future.

Swatch (lightly applied):

Price: $42
Rating: 10/10

Chanel Ombres Matelassées in Charming (Holiday 2013)

I'm planning on travelling a bit this holiday season, and realized that I don't own a travel-friendly, basic, neutral palette. It gave me a perfect excuse to pick up this lovely Chanel Ombres Matelassées eyeshadow palette in Charming.  Now, I usually don't go for Chanel eyeshadows because the quality usually isn't up to par with it's high price tag.  But after reading raving reviews from other people and swatching it in store, I decided to just go for it.

Packaging is standard Chanel.  I like this palette for travelling because it's protective, not too bulky, and light.   The large mirror is also handy.

When it comes to eyeshadow, I'm a neturals girl all the way.  I enjoy seeing bright and more adventurous colors on other people (and dabbling in them myself from time to time!), but when I'm sleepily applying my makeup at 6:00 AM in the morning, I tend to just stick to what I know works on me.

This palette comes with 5 colors that I can create almost any eye look with.  The pans are unlabeled, so I'll describe them from left to right:

• A shimmery, light pinky-beige highlight.  This one is very close to my skin tone and is nearly invisible in my swatch picture.  The shimmer is lovely, though!  Useful for the inner 1/3 of my eye and in the inner corners.
• A matte, neutral/slightly warm brown.  Perfect for adding natural depth to the crease.
• A sparkly, coppery brown.  Contains a fair amount of gold shimmer.  My personal fave!  I'll be using this as an all-over lid color.
• A matte darker brown.  I imagine this one might lean a little warm on other skin tones, but it looks very neutral on my skin.  This would be good for darkening the outer 1/3 of the eye.
• A matte, dark purpley grey.  This one is interesting - not quite purple, not quite grey/taupe.  I love lining my eyes with this.

Overall, I find the pigmentation and lasting power to be quite good.  Not mindblowingly, Earth-shatteringly amazing, but definitely above average and perfect for everyday use.  The things I like most about this palette are its perfect combination of colors, travel-friendly packaging, and solid quality.  Plus, who doesn't like a little luxury in the things they reach for the most?

Swatches:

Price: $80
Rating: 9/10

Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick in Liaison

Today I have a review of one of my favorite lipsticks, Chanel Rouge Coco in Liaison.  I was talking with my aunt and mentioned how much I love this shade - and she promptly sent me three more tubes of it in the mail, haha!  She's amazing.

Liason is a perfect MLBB pink shade on my lips.  It's a lovely neutral pink - not too bright, not too nude.  I usually blend it out with my fingertips for a natural, slightly sheer effect.

Liaison has a satin finish and is decently hydrating on my (very) dry lips.  The formula is among my favorites.  Overall, it makes my lips look very healthy.  It's not the most long-lasting lipstick out there, but I personally prefer more moisture over longevity any day.

The packaging, of course, is beautiful and timeless.  I adore Chanel products.

Swatch:

Price: $34
Overall rating: 9.5/10

Welcome to Makeup Maison!

I've contemplated having my own little beauty blog for a while now - and today, I finally take the plunge.  My love for makeup translates into also loving reading about products, seeing pictures, going over reviews, and swatches.  I always consult blogs/review sites before buying anything, just to see what other people have to say.  So, I thought I'd contribute my humble opinions as well.  :)