The Ban Is Over: Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in Rosewood

I'm sorry that blog posts have been rather thin on the ground recently. I'm still trying to get everybody back to full health and I've also got hooked on watching the first series of The Killing (the Danish original). I haven't forgotten about makeup completely though. Whilst placing an order for some curtains and bedding from John Lewis, the beauty section started calling to me and I found this Burberry eyeshadow in my basket. My eyeshadow no-buy is now officially over!!

I haven't had opportunity to play with it yet (thank you very much, conjunctivitis) but I think I'm going to like it. I've made this judgment based on the fact that I buy this colour so frequently. I've pictured it alongside MAC Style Snob, Rouge Bunny Rouge Solstice Halycon, Kjaer Weis Wisdom and Elizabeth Arden Smoke, so you can see exactly what I mean. From the pan, I suspect the finish will be similar to Solstice Halcyon. I'll do comparison swatches too when the lighting is more sympathetic.

I hope to do a face of the day post soon with Rosewood applied in the next couple of days. I also have the promised review of Zelens skincare and swatches of the L'Oreal Miss Candy collection coming very soon.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Umber Firefinch

I was very kindly offered Rouge Bunny Rouge Umber Firefinch by someone who found the colour wasn't working for them. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to get around my eyeshadow ban again and duly arranged a little product swap. I had been really intrigued by this shade when I first read about the new colours but I found it the hardest to judge based on the online images and description.

Now that I have seen Umber Firefinch in person, I would say that the image is accurate but the description isn't quite fitting. Rouge Bunny Rouge describe it as 'iridescent dark umber chocolate'. The use of the word iridescent threw me as I was expecting something more shimmery based on my experience of the other RBR iridescent eyeshadows. Instead, I would say this has satin finish. In fact, I find the finish is similar to Solstice Halcyon in that it has very fine iridescent flecks which stop it from being a flat matte. 

Chocolate is another misnomer in my opinion. Chocolate conjures a warm brown for me but Umber Firefinch is a cool, ash toned brown. I'm not the only one to be confused by the description as the person that I swapped with was anticipating a warmer brown and found this turned grey on her warm toned skin. I hesitated over this colour because it sounded too warm but in fact, it is a perfect colour for me.

Here is Umber Firefinch compared to a few other Rouge Bunny Rouge colours for reference. Hopefully you can see from my pictures that it is lighter than Blackpepper Jay but still in the same colour family. I also hope you can see that it doesn't have the same shimmery finish as Bohemian Waxwing, which I believe is also one of the iridescent shades.

When I initially pulled out eyeshadows for comparison, I forgot to include Bejewelled Skylark, another of the RBR browns. Bejewelled Skylark contains much more red than Umber Firefinch. It also has a very different multi-tonal iridescent finish. The other eyeshadow included in the swatches below is Kjaer Weiss Wisdom.

The Eyeshadow Keeper Refills cost £16 and are available from Zuneta. I'm pleased to see that all the colours are back in stock, as well as both sizes of Eyeshadow Keeper palettes.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Part II: Unforgettable Oriole, Bohemian Waxwing and Olive Violeteare

My apologies in advance for this being such a picture heavy post. I had a request for a comparison of Bohemian Waxwing and Solstice Halcyon, so I thought it might be useful to do the same for Olive Violeteare and Unforgettable Oriole too.

Unforgettable Oriole

Unforgettable Oriole is a pale creamy gold with iridescent finish. It's a lovely highlighter shade and I like it best for use on the inner third of the eye or just the inner corner. It's perfect for brightening the eye.

Bohemian Waxwing

Rouge Bunny Rouge describe Bohemian Waxwing as an iridescent champagne bronze. It's actually a bit of hard colour to describe but I think bronze might be a bit misleading as this certainly isn't as brown as you might anticipate for a bronze. It's more taupe than bronze and the iridescent finish makes it very pretty. It is a very welcome addition to my neutrals collection.

Olive Violeteare

I was a little nervous about whether Olive Violeteare would work for me but I'm pleased to report that it's a thumbs up. It's a smoky olive green with no brown tones. I've used it all over the lid, in the crease, as a liner, and I find it looks good however I use it. It pairs very well with Unforgettable Oriole.

The pigmentation of all three colours is good but not as intense as Abyssinian Catbird, for example. All of the swatches are several passes of colour over the skin. Unforgettable Oriole and Bohemian Waxwing have a similar refined iridescent finish and are very smooth to apply. Unforgettable Oriole is a little more sheer than Bohemian Waxwing. Olive Violeteare has a satin finish and isn't quite as smooth as the other two shades.

Here we can see Olive Violeteare compared to Edward Bess eyeshadow in Dusk. Dusk is more grungy brown that Violeteare and it has a more complex finish. I think Violeteare looks more 'clean' in comparison.

Colourwise, I suppose that Solstice Halcyon and Bohemian Waxwing are quite similar but I think the biggest difference is in the finish. Waxwing's iridescent champagne glow makes it look lighter than Solstice Halcyon. Solstice Halcyon also has a mauve undertone which Bohemian Waxwing does not. I wondered whether Caress of Mink Loose Glitter pigment might be similar to Bohemian Waxwing but I think Caress of Mink looks a lot more brown when compared to the other two colours.

I struggled to find any singles in my collection that were similar to Unforgettable Oriole. In the end, the closest I could find was the highlighter shade from the Dior Smoky Nude palette (#571), which incidentally is my favourite powder highlight, it has the most amazing creamy smooth texture. The Dior is more cream coloured and opaque when compared to Unforgettable Oriole.

And lastly here's a group shot, just because.  Do let me know if you have any other colours you would like me to compare to these Rouge Bunny Rouge colours, I am always happy to oblige.

The Rouge Bunny Rouge Eye Shadow Keepers and refill pans are available from Zuneta. I believe all of the colours are back in stock now but both palettes are currently out of stock.

New Rouge Bunny Rouge Eyeshadow Keepers

Sometimes my eyeshadow and nail polish purchasing ban seems like a good thing, other times it can feel like a terrible mistake. Sharing this news whilst simultaneously not being able to purchase any of it, is probably one of the lowest points. With that little pity party out of the way, let's enjoy some pictures of the new loveliness from Rouge Bunny Rouge.

Behold the Eyeshadow Keepers. These customisable palettes will be available in two and three pan versions and there will be a choice of nine eyeshadow refill pans to fit them: six new colours and three current bestsellers. I believe more eyeshadows will be available as refills in the near future.

Although I can't be 100% certain, this looks like it will be a magnetised system so you might be able depot singles you already own and add a magnet to slot them in. That's if you can bear to deface the pretty pots of course, it sounds a lot like cosmetic vandalism to me (gives Everyday Beauty a side long look)! EDIT: The pans for the palette will actually be slightly smaller than the single pots (I knew I should have checked the weights) so you won't be able to depot.

On to the new eyeshadow colours...

Trumpeter Koel - Dark lead-grey with lilac-blue iridescence

Umber Firefinch - Iridescent dark umber chocolate

Bohemian Waxwing - Iridescent bronzed champagne

Golden Rhea - Iridescent pale gold

Lilac Reef Curassow - Pale lilac with iridescent effect

Olive Violeteare - Smoky olive with satin finish

The new colours that really grab me are Olive Violeteare and Bohemian Waxwing. I'm sure that Trumpeter Koel would look great as a liner too.

The three current eyeshadow that will be available in pan form are: Abyssinian Catbird, Solstice Halcyon and Unforgettable Oriole. I already own Abyssinian Catbird and Solstice Halcyon which allowed me to check the accuracy of the promotional images. They look pretty spot on to me so I feel confident that the new colours will look as shown above.

L- Abyssinian Catbird R - Solstice Halcyon

L- Abyssinian Catbird R - Solstice Halcyon

Direct sunlight

Shade

As excited as I am by the new colours, if I was able to make a purchase, Unforgettable Oriole would definitely be on my list. It's rare that I buy light shimmery colours but I like the RBR formula very much and I feel this is something lacking in my collection.

Unforgettable Oriole

When they do roll out more of the eyeshadows in pan form, I hope that they include some of the matte eyeshadows. I think that would be perfect for making a really versatile custom palette. Of course, when and if that happens we'll all be demanding bigger Eyeshadow Keepers!

The Eyeshadow Keepers will cost £12 for the duo and £15 for the trio. The eyeshadow pans will cost £16. All of these items will be available from Zuneta from tomorrow. Are you plotting a purchase?

Something Old, Something New and a Re-Purchase

I bought a couple of bits from MAC yesterday. Namely the Studio Sculpt foundation that I was keen to try after the MAC trends workshop. I bought it in NC20, it does look quite dark in the arm swatch but I'm hopeful that it doesn't look that way on my face. First impressions are that it smells a little strange (it reminds of emulsion which is a little freaky for a foundation), I also feel like I will need to use something more hydrating to prime my face before applying the Studio Sculpt as my skin feels a little tight after application. I'll be keeping on a eye on longeivity and any colour change during the day.

The other item I bought was MAC Teddy Eye Kohl. This was a re-purchase as I've owned Teddy before. I gifted my old one to a friend when she took a liking to it. It's a bronzy-brown colour and compliments my eye colour well. I have a feeling it is quite similar to Rouge Bunny Rouge Lola and I will do a side by side comparison at soon. Teddy is quite a soft pencil and can be smudged easily. It also works well as an eyeshadow base and Oxford Jasmine used this particular colour as the basis for a smoky eye during my makeover last year.

The 'old' item that I'm wearing today is Rouge Bunny Rouge Solstice Halcyon. I used Londonmakeupgirl's technique of applying the eyeshadow over Teddy Eye kohl to soften the line and I really like the effect. I think you can see that Solstice Halcyon is a well loved item from the fact that it is in pieces. I like the subtle shimmer finish of this eyeshadow and I think it makes it easier to wear than either a straight matte or more frosty taupe. I've sneaked in another 'old' item here too. I've been reaching for RBR Murmurings lipstick a lot of late. It's such a great colour for the time of year and it feels really good on my wind chapped lips.

I'd love to hear about your new, old and re-purchased items if you fancy sharing.

My Rouge Bunny Rouge Collection

I took all of these pictures last week whilst we were enjoying some very late summer sun in the UK. I anticipate the number of good days for photography will start to dwindle very soon so I thought it made sense to take advantage of the sunshine. I don't often do brand collection posts, I'm not sure if they're helpful or not but Rouge Bunny Rouge is such a photogenic line, I think it lends itself well to this type of feature.

I wanted to share this first picture just to show you what a shocking box hoarder I am. I'm especially bad with RBR as the order packaging is pretty too. I love their attention to detail.

I was actually a little surprised by how much I had once I gathered it all together. My collection has grown steadily over the last 18 months or so. I have purchased the majority of my RBR from Zuneta but there are a couple of items that I bought from a sale site last year as well as a few pieces that were received for review.

The items shown above are (the links are to previous review posts including swatches):

Face
Original Skin Blush in Delicata
Tinted Moisturiser in Adansonia

Brushes
Crease brush 011
Large shader 003
Face Contour 012

Pencils
Lacquer Liner
Delilah Kohl
Lola Long-lasting Eye pencil
Eyes Wide Open Brightening Liner Duo

Eye
Long-lasting cream eyeshadow in Atlas Swallowtail
Fire Drops in Wishing For Wings (I completely forgot to photograph this!)
Eyeshadow in Delicate Hummingbird
Eyeshadow in Solstice Halcyon
Eyeshadow in Gracious Arasari
Eyeshadow in Bejewelled Skylark
Eyeshadow in Abyssinian Catbird
Eyeshadow in Blackpepper Jay

From left to right: Gracious Arasari, Solstice Halcyon, Delicate Hummingbird, Abyssinian Catbird, Bejewelled Skylark and Blackpepper Jay

Lip Products
Lipgloss in Coy
Lipgloss in Secret Places of Love
Decadent Duo in Flamenco Duende
Sheer Lipstick in Murmurings
Lipstick in Irreverence

Rouge Bunny Rouge is in my top three favourite cosmetic brands. I know some people are put off by the fact that it's mostly an online only line. Of all of my purchases, I would say that I have only made a single error and even then the quality was excellent, it was simply a colour that didn't suit me. Although it's hard to pick a single most favourite item, if I'm ever asked for recommendation, I will usually suggest trying their eyeshadows first. Personally, I find I reach for Coy lipgloss a lot. I'm not really a gloss girl but the colour and shimmer is perfect. Delicate Hummingbird is my favourite of my eyeshadows. I also use both the Lacquer Liner and Eyes Wide Open highlighter pencil on a regular basis.

I still have a number of RBR items on my wishlist. I'd like another of the powder blushers and reading Marcia of Beauty Info Zone's review of the Blush Wands renewed my interest in these beauties. The Seas of Illumination highlighters and blusher brush tap away at my brain but both are definitely splurge items so I'm waiting for a special occasion to treat myself.

Have you tried RBR? Do you have a personal favourite item from the brand?

The Big Taupe Comparison

I mentioned a little while ago the idea of buying a few high street eyeshadows to compare to my growing collection of high end taupes. After a positive response, I took a trip to Boots and Superdrug to find some suitable candidates and came home with Max Factor Burnt Bark (£4.99), Bourjois Brun Nylon (£6.49) and No.7 eyeshadow in Mink (£8).

I wore each of the eyeshadows for at least a day to get an idea of the wear, texture and finish. Unfortunately, as soon as I swatched the No.7 eyeshadow in Mink , I realised I had picked up the wrong shade. I'm not sure whether the testers had been mixed up or whether it just looked darker in store but Mink is more oyster coloured than I was expecting. It's a pretty enough colour but I struggled to get it show on the lid and it is very shimmery. I much prefer the No.7 shade Wheatsheaf for a lighter neutral.

I have been considering purchasing Bourjois Ombre Stretch in Brun Nylon for such a long time. I think I have discounted it previously as it is similar to other colours that I own but as that was the whole point of this exercise, it went in the basket! This is a nice colour and lasts well. It's pigmented and applies well but if I have one gripe it's that the pan shape makes it more fiddly to load colour on a brush.

The Max Factor eyeshadow in Burnt Bark has been the real surprise find of this experiment. It's a lovely colour, it has a really buttery almost creamy texture, lasts well and isn't over the top shimmery. It's also a complete bargain at under a fiver! I have worn this eyeshadow a few times now and think it stands up well to the other more expensive eyeshadows I compared it to. It's certainly on a par with both Shu Uemura ME850 and MAC Style Snob.

1. MAC Satin Taupe
2. Le Metier de Beaute Pencil in Champagne
3. MAC Style Snob
4. Shu Uemura ME850 eyeshadow
5. Max Factor Burnt Bark
6. Kjaer Weis Wisdom
7. RBR Solstice Halcyon
8. Bourjois Brun Nylon
9. No.7 Mink
10. Bobbi Brown Taupe
11. Chanel Ombre d'Eau Splash

As well as the pan photographs, I've also included swatches of all of my taupe colours. I added the Le Metier pencil in Champagne (#2) and Chanel Ombre d'Eau in Splash (#11) for completeness. I also included Bobbi Brown Taupe eyeshadow which, despite the name, I consider as more of a cement colour. All of the swatch pictures can be clicked to enlarge for a better view.

Direct Sunlight

Direct Sunlight

I haven't included shade descriptions as I thought this might be too much as well as all of the swatch pictures but please feel free to ask for more detail. I'm also happy to take requests for any extra side by side swatches.