Burberry Beauty Nail Polish in Rose Pink No. 400 | Burberry English Rose Spring/Summer 2014 Makeup Collection

Rose Pink No.400 ($21; shop.nordstrom.com) is a soft, muted pink that was released as part of Burberry's Spring/Summer 2014 English Rose Makeup Collection. Rose Pink has a gorgeous creme finish and the formula was just as nice as the other shade I tried from this collection - Pale Grape.

The consistency, although slightly thick, evens out beautifully in two coats. You could definitely get away with one coat, but I prefer two - its completely opaque and brings out the true color of the polish, just like it looks in the bottle.  Rose Pink is slightly more glossy than Pale Grape and also a very flattering color for any skintone. Its not too bright a pink and doesn't look very pastel as well. Overall, while not the most unique color, it definitely is nice to have and is a shade I'll reach out to quite often. If you love pinks, Rose Pink is a beautiful shade to add to your collection!

What are your thoughts on Burberry's Nail Polish in Rose Pink?

Burberry Beauty Nail Polish in Pale Grape No. 410 | Burberry English Rose Spring/Summer 2014 Makeup Collection

Burberry's new English Rose Makeup Collection for Spring/Summer features some amazing nail polishes and eye quads. Pale Grape ($21; shop.nordstrom.com) is a gorgeous,dark purple with hints of grey. Although not the prefect color for spring or summer, Pale Grape is still something I'd wear all year long.

The formula of this polish was extremely nice - smooth, opaque and fast drying. I applied two coats this time around, but you can easily get away with one. Burberry's nail polish brushes aren't very consistent though - Pale Grape had a really nice brush compared to the stiff one Ash Rose had. The color is definitely more fall, imo, but also very chic and sophisticated for anytime. Like all Burberry nail polishes, the bottle design is a bit odd once the cap is lifted off, but its small enough that I get a good grip while applying, especially for my smaller nails. My only qualm with Pale Grape is that it isn't as glossy as I'd like a creme polish to be. I finished it off with Dior's Gel Top Coat for a bit of shine. Overall, its a beautiful color and an amazing formula too. Definitely one of my must-haves from the English Rose Makeup Collection.

Have you checked out any of the new products from the Burberry English Rose Makeup Collection yet?

ZOYA Nail Polish in Brigitte | ZOYA Naturel Spring 2014 Collection

Brigitte, is one of the mid tone neutrals, as part of Zoya's Naturel Collection for Spring! Its a mauve rose with a gorgeous creme finish and has the perfect formula for a creme polish. *Press Sample

Brigitte is a shade you just can't go wrong with! Its soft, feminine and a great shade of pink for someone who doesn't prefer cool toned or bright pinks. Zoya's creme formulas apply like a dream and although I've used two coats below, you could get away with just one! You won't need a top coat either - the finish is very glossy. I have absolutely no complaints about this polish and think its a must have color from Zoya's beautiful Naturel Collection. If you do find neutrals boring, try topping this off with a silver or gold flecked top coat to jazz it up a little. Neutrals are always the best choice to be used as a base for fancy polish toppers!

Price : $9 each. 

Zoya Nail Polishes are 5-free (Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, DBP and Camphor).

What are your thoughts on ZOYA Nail Polish in Brigitte? 

Josie Maran Argan Love Your Lips Hydrating Lipstick in Spirited Red

Josie Maran Argan Love Your Lips Hydrating Lipsticks ($22; sephora.com) combine the moisturizing formula of a lip balm, pigment of a lipstick and the shine of a gloss. The lipstick core is surrounded by a transparent veil of moisture that helps with hydration. *Press Sample

Although a balmy lipstick, I feel like the color does get a bit patchy when applying it straight from the tube. But then, using a lip brush to get the color from the core of the lipstick, beats the purpose. So, I apply it straight from the tube and then even things out using my fingers or a lip brush. Spirited Red is quite pigmented - its perfectly described as a cherry red. I like the color better when its sheered out, but if you prefer a pop of color, Spirited Red is just the perfect red for that. The finish is quite glossy and wears down to a light stain after about 2-3 hours. I din't find the formula particularly drying, but neither was it super moisturizing. Overall, its a nice lipstick that works with a little bit of work here and there to even things out. The color range seems really good too! These are also formulated without Parabens, Sulfates and Pthalates.

Josie Maran Spirited Red - only a sheer wash.

Have you tried any of the Josie Maran Argan Love Your Lips Argan Hydrating Lipstick? 

Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush Review, Photos

The Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush ($36) is a dense, blush brush with a round brush head, made with fine goat hair. Its a great brush for sheer blushes and bronzers. The dense brush head also makes it the perfect brush to buff and blend excess color.

Hakuhodo's 210 brush has the right weight and although super dense at first, it gets better with use - the bristles splay just a tad after washing, but it feels just as soft. I love to use this with sheer blushes that struggle to show up on my skin with a regular blush brush. That said, I won't recommend it with any of the more pigmented blushes - it can end up looking a little patchy, especially on dry skin. On the plus side, its a fantastic brush to buff out excess color as the end result is a more soft looking airbrushed finish. The 210 Blush Brush is compared a lot to the MAC 109, which I've not tried myself, but going by the description, it does seem like a similar brush. I've washed it quite a few times and haven't had any issues with shedding (which is apparently an issue with this brush, for the first couple of washes). Overall, while not a must-have, its really nice to have and perfect for sheer blushes, bronzers and even blends out cream blushes beautifully!

Hakuhodo Brushes can be bought online at hakuhodousa.com

What are your thoughts on the Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush?

Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit The Healthy Body Butter

Lavanila's The Healthy Body Butter in Vanilla Grapefruit  ($19; sephora.com) is a rich, moisturizing body moisturizer formulated with pure shea and cocoa butters. They are also free of parabens, sulfates and phthalates. *Press Sample

I've tried Lavanila's Vanilla Grapefruit fragrance spray and think this is a great one to layer underneath for some long lasting vanilla goodness. The scent is a much lighter version of the EDP, but manages to last a good while even when not layered. The product itself is quite thick and not the most easiest to work with. I did have to massage a bit to get it to completely sink in. On the plus side, it doesn't leave any sort of an oily/greasy residue behind and keeps my dry skin moisturized well until the end of the day. Overall, if you are looking for a body butter with a great scent, a good ingredients list and don't mind the not so fast absorbing aspect of it, Lavanila's Vanilla Grapefruit Body Butter is definitely worth checking out!

Have you tried any of Lavanila's Body Butters?

Yes To Naturally Smooth Lip Balms

Yes To Naturally Smooth Lip Balms ($2.99; target.com) come in three amazing variants - Blueberry, Grapefruit and Pomegranate (SPF 15) . The formula is 99% natural, paraben, pthalates and petroleum-free and contain extracts of cocoa butter, aloe and coconut oil! * Press Samples



I love the small, sleek packaging of these lip balms. They're super slim, twist up easily and fit just about anywhere. So far, I've only tried Grapefruit - it is zesty, very fresh and has a super smooth, slick texture. Its great on its own, quite glossy, but also works well under lipsticks - just blot the excess off before applying lipstick if the slip bothers you. I love this during the day - its a light texture, but great for keeping dry lips moisturized without the waxy feel. I do have to reapply after a few hours though, but Grapefruit smells delicious, so I don't have a problem with that. If you do have extremely dry lips, I don't think its a miraculous cure for those, but definitely good enough to keep lips from drying out further and great to maintain them hydrated.

Have you tried any of the Yes To Naturally Smooth Lip Balms?

Burberry Beauty Nail Polish in Ash Rose No.103

Ash Rose, is one of the lighter, more neutral shades from Burberry Beauty's Nail Polish line ($21; shop.nordstrom.com). Its a pale rose with hints of grey. The color is very similar to one my all time favorite neutrals, nails inc.'s Porchester Square.

The formula and consistency were alright - I had no problems with the polish itself and the dry time was super fast. First coat was a bit sheer, but second coat evened things out a bit. I would recommend a good, glossy top coat though, since the finish lacks a bit of shine after it dries completely. While I do like the bottle design and packaging quite a bit, the brush wasn't my favorite - it was a bit stiff and din't help with smooth brush strokes. I'm hoping it gets better with use. As for the color, Ash Rose is a nice neutral, quite murky, but very chic and sophisticated. Its definitely not a must-have - if you have Porchester Square, you probably won't need Ash Rose, since they are very similar, but not dupes. Porchester Square is more opaque, but I prefer Burberry's formula, overall. If you do like such neutrals though,  Ash Rose is worth looking into!

L'Oréal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara in Blackest Black

L'Oreal's newest addition to their mascara family is the L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara ($7.99; target.com), that claims to lengthen, stretch and volumize lashes while maintaining them soft and fluttery. The "Butterfly Brush" helps with getting to the tiniest lashes on the outer corners to create a fanned out lash effect. *Press Sample

I tried out Blackest Black, which is more of a soft black, great for a natural look. The brush is quite unique - its slightly more wide on the ends that help with the outer corners, and the thinner side helps lift and lengthen lashes. I do find that the effect is very natural, with no crunchiness even after two coats. Its also more of a lengthening mascara than a volumizing one. The best part is how beautifully it separates my tiny lashes. I always use a lash curler before mascara, and this one holds a curl for an average amount of time. If you have decent lashes and need a very natural mascara to enhance that, the Voluminous Butterfly is worth looking into. But if your lashes are short and stubby like mine, and you are looking for something more volumizing, you may be disappointed. I would recommend combining it with a volumizing mascara, since I quite like the separating effect this one has. Although not waterproof, I haven't had any problems with smudging or smearing and I find it super easy to wash off with just a basic cleanser.

Have you tried the L'Oreal L'Oréal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara?