Burberry Eye Colour in 'Pale Barley'

Welp. It happened. I managed to get my hands on another makeup product I really have no business having. Burberry is a luxury brand of makeup with beautiful products with outrageous prices. I've been eyeing some of their products for a while and I was gifted one of the cult favorites from the brand: Burberry's 'Pale Barley' eyeshadow.

The shadow comes housed in this gorgeous linen colored box with old-fashioned type.

A velvet pouch with the infamous Burberry plaid houses the eyeshadow. When your products come in velvet pouches... you know you've reached luxury level. Its all completely unnecessary but so dang necessary all at once.

The shadow is in a super soft gunmetal square container. The container has some serious weight to it and has the Burberry plaid screened onto the top of the container.  'Burberry' is also screened onto the side the container opens.  The container opens and shuts via magnets so the compact is very sleek and smooth in appearance.

The container opens up to reveal the shadow inside. The Burberry plaid is stamped into the shadow and a full mirror (of very nice quality!) is included on the inside. A sponge tip applicator is included (meh) and 0.09oz of product is housed inside (larger than your average eyeshadow: Nars is 0.07oz, MAC is 0.04oz).

The color 'Pale Barley' is a golden taupe color that is the true goldilocks of neutrals. It is a cool leaning brown color with gold shimmer throughout making it a little bit almond colored, yet a little bit gray. This color almost looks a bit boring, and, to be honest, it kind of is...but, somehow in the best way possible. 

The majesty of this color resides in the fact that it is so effortlessly gorgeous on the lid. Its pigmentation is the perfect amount of color and shimmer while also being smooth to apply and blend. This silky shadow is a wet or dry formula, and though I have yet to test out this color wet, I am completely satisfied with its performance dry.

Above I'm wearing Urban Decay's 'Combust' in the crease and 'Pale Barley' all over the lid. That is IT for this really pretty and simple look. I'm a sucker for looks like these since in my profession, there is no need for smokey eyes or crazy colors during the week days. I want simple colors that will look pretty and professional and are easy to do quickly.

I have nothing bad to say about this eyeshadow other than the price. It is $29 for this bad boy. Granted, the packaging is superb and I can't say enough about the quality of the product, but that is A LOT for just one shadow. If you're thinking of trying this product out, I would say go for it if you have the money to spend. If you are like I was and lusting after this for months and months, maybe ask for it for a birthday or holiday so it can be something really special. I do think its worth it!

Check this eyeshadow out at Sephora HERE!

xxSJ

Clinique Cheek Pop 'Melon Pop'

The more I delve into Clinique, the more I want to keep delving! The most recent product I've tried from their extensive line is the Clinique Cheek Pop in the color 'Melon'. 

This super cute blush comes packaged in clear acrylic packaging. This means no mirror for application, but I don't miss it! The clear container means I can see the gorgeous blush inside.

The container opens up to reveal a blush in the shape of a daisy....what is this wizardry??? I chose the color 'Melon' as I am typically drawn towards peachy pink colors and this one fits the bill perfectly. I find this blush to be on the sheer side which I prefer. I like that I can build the color up until its to my liking rather than put too much on from the get go and have to blend until my arm falls off. 

I used to think of Clinique as a makeup brand intended for more 'mature' audiences (cough cough **my mom** cough cough) but I think with cute additions to their line such as this blush, they are trying to attract a younger demographic these days. I am interested in trying out more of their products given some of the awesome skin care benefits this line has to offer as well as huge selection of products. 

These cheek pops are $22 for 0.12oz of adorable product. You can find them HERE! or wherever Clinique is sold.

xxSJ

Sample Round-Up! Clinique, Dr Brandt, Dry Bar, Urban Decay, and Cane + Austin!

Dry Bar Sake Bomb Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner
Price for full size: $9 for 1.7 oz
Sample Value: $2.43 for 0.46 oz foil packet
This foil packet was enough for one full use of the shampoo and conditioner. I loved this stuff A LOT! It smelled very rich and earthy, almost peppery, and reminded me of a hair salon. It left my hair feeling refreshed, full, and clean. The smell stayed on my hair for 2 full days. I would splurge on this if I felt like getting really nice shampoo or conditioner.

Cane+Austin Miracle Pad +
Price for full size: $88 for 60 pads
Sample Value: $1.47 for 1 pad
This wipe claims to be a facial treatment to even skin tone, reduce fine lines, wrinkles, pores, and age spots. It really just felt like I was wiping a cool wipe on my skin with out any of the 'tingling' the product claims may happen. The wipe also had a bit of a sour, offputting smell. I'm not interested in trying this product further.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
Price for full size: $14 for 1 oz
Sample Value: $7 for 0.5 oz spray bottle
I don't really believe in Setting Sprays as of yet....this product claims to make your makeup last all day without breaking down or looking cakey. Maybe I don't have an issue with my makeup wearing away which is why I don't see a difference when using a setting spray, but I really don't see any sort of effect when using this product.

Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream
Price for full size: $26.50 for 0.5 oz
Sample Value: $5.30 for .1 oz tube
This eye cream was pretty hyped up during its recent release and I have to say... I don't really like it all that much. I apply it to under my eye in the morning and don't feel much of a difference after I do. It also leaves my undereye skin feeling slightly tacky which I don't like so much. I'm passing on this product in the future.

Dr. Brandt Pump Up the Volume 3-D Filler Mask
Price for full size: $95 for 1.7 oz
Sample Value: $0.56 for 0.1 oz foil packet
This mask I feel was more of a moisturizer. It was a thick cream that I slathered all over my screen (enough in the packet for 2 treatments!) and it felt immediately rejuvenating and hydrating to my parched skin.  This mask soaks into your skin and leaves it feeling ultra soft. I would definitely want to try this mask out again but I don't think I'm going to be splurging on a full size product any time soon.

Total sample value this week: $16.46

I enjoyed the variety of samples I tried out this week! The hits were the Dry Bar shampoo and conditioner and the Dr Brandt face mask. I definitely will keep my eyes peeled for future opportunities to try these products out.

xxSJ

Sephora Favorites: Draw the Line Eyeliner Sampler Kit

Sephora often releases these 'Sephora Favorites' kits and I thought this one would be worth a try. It is the 'Draw the Line' eyeliner sample kit complete with some great brands and well known eyeliners I already know and love. I thought this kit would be a great way to try some other products out with out fully committing to them!

The kit contains 3 full size eyeliners from Tarte, Stila, and Smashbox. There are 3 sample size liners from Urband Decay, Sephora brand, and Kat Von D.
Included in the kit are:
- 0.007 oz Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in 'Trooper' (deluxe sample)
- 0.028 oz Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear in 'Black Lace' (deluxe sample)- 0.01 oz Smashbox Cosmetics Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner in 'Sumatra' (FULL SIZE)- 0.01 oz Stila Cosmetics Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in 'Stingray' (FULL SIZE)- 0.034 oz Tarte lights, camera lashes precision longwear eyeliner in 'Black' (FULL SIZE)- 0.03 oz Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in 'Vice' (deluxe sample)

One thing I really like about this kit is the varied types of eyeliners included. There are 2 liquid pen eyeliners (Kat Von D and Tarte), 2 smudge stick formulas (Stila and Smashbox), and 2 classic pencil liners (Sephora and Urban Decay).

I wish the color selection in this kit was more varied. I appreciate the bright purple and that there was a brown thrown in, but I think a deep navy or forest green would have added a lot to this kit in place of an additional black liner.

The Good:
-I love the Kat Von D pen liner in 'Trooper.' The brush tip gives a very nice and precise wing and I find it really easy to use.
-I really enjoy the Smashbox Always Sharp kohl liner in 'Sumatra.' I find the color flattering and this eyeliner is always sharp meaning its easy to use and apply.
-I like the Stila smudgestick for lining my waterlines as it is very pigmented and doesn't look too harsh since it smudges out a bit. I have to be careful around my outer corner as the color can travel a bit.
-I love Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliners so I will definitely be getting some use out of 'Vice,' though I tend to reach for my eggplant, deeper purples over brighter ones.

The not so good:
-I was not a fan of the Tarte pen eyeliner. I loved it at first because of its ultra sharp tip and the way the pen feels in my hand, however I felt the product dried up very fast!
-The Sephora brand eyeliner was not very pigmented and so I haven't been reaching for it over my other eyeliners.


I really recommend trying kits like this out if you're interested in a brand inside! This kit was $30 for SO MUCH EYELINER. Fall Out Boy couldn't even go through this much eyeliner.

Give these Sephora kits a shot if you're on a budget and want some different brands and products to add to your stash!

xx, SJ

Smashbox Try It Kit: Best Sellers

Smashbox is a brand that I think is a bit understated. With its practical, non-flashy packaging and makeup designed to be professional level, I'm not sure who exactly the target demographic is. I love the brand's photo op eyeshadow trios a ton and so was so excited to get my hands on the Smashbox Try It kit filled with the brand's bestsellers in miniature travel sizes:

The kit comes with a photo finish foundation primer, a full exposure mascara, a 24 hour photo finish foundation primer, and a photo op eyeshadow trio. 

The eyeshadow trio is in the color 'Filter,' which is the most neutral of Smashbox's trio selection.  It comes with 3 matte shadows in an ivory, a soft brown, and a deep brown. The packaging on this little trio is pretty neat with a swing out disc, but these shadows are REALLY TINY.

Here is the mini trio compared with one of Smashbox's full sized trios for size comparison. Despite the tiny size, the pan size is large enough to dip a brush into easily and the colors are enough for a complete eye look. 

L to R: Vanilla, Sable, Sumatra

Smashbox's eyeshadows are buttery smooth and blend easily to create seamless eye looks.  I really enjoyed the eyeshadow primer under the shadows and felt it was just as good as UD Primer Potion or Too Faced Shadow Insurance. It has some slip to it which was the only thing I noticed as setting the Smashbox primer apart from other brands, but I didn't feel like it effected the way my shadows applied.

Using only eyeshados from the 'Filter' Trio

The mascara is concerning only because it isn't waterproof and my eyes get VERY watery through out the day leading to raccoon eyes up the wazoo. I've tried the foundation primer before and I do like it enough to use up the tube, however it doesn't change the way my foundation applies enough to warrant buying a full size tube of the product.

I like this product as a way to try out some hot items from a popular and, in my opinion, underrated makeup brand. It also was a way to get my hands on a travel size eyeshadow trio for a decent price. This kit costs $18 for $36 worth of product and is quite the steal in my opinion! 

Take a look at this product on Ulta's website Here!

I've reviewed some Smashbox products before!

My review of the photo op trio in 'Cover Shoot'

My review of the photo op trio in 'Headshot'

My review of the photo op trio in 'Multi-Flash'

xxSJ