Burberry Haul - Foundation, Blush, Lipstick

Bubbles is back on the blog! Owing to the nature of Bubbles' work, Bubbles can only devote weekends to lengthy posts. Posts on weekdays by Bubbles, if any, will be short ones, perhaps about her hauls (or about a specific product).

Anyway, Bubbles just can't get enough of BURBERRY makeup! Bubbles went a-haulin' this Monday, and got the Burberry items she'd always been eyeing. Burberry is having an even more fantastic promotion now, where $160 of items gets you a FREE POWDER FOUNDATION (which normally retails at $80). Previously, it was a free mini-lipstick with a $150 purchase. Bubbles could not believe her good fortune - she held off buying her Burberry items the previous time because they didn't have the power foundation in her shade... they still don't, but Bubbles figures that Trench 03 works just as well after swatching it on her face... and the fact that it's FREE certainly plays a part in Bubbles' adaptability. Heh heh heh.

Boxed Burberry goodness

 

From left to right, we have (1) Burberry Sheer Compact Foundation in Trench 03 (FREE!), (2) Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush in No. 9 Coral Pink, ($61) (3) Burberry Sheer Foundation (Luminous Fluid Foundation) in Trench 04 ($77), (4) Burberry Lip Mist in No. 210 Pink Heather ($43) and (5) a free mini Burberry Lip Cover in No. 4 Rosewood. 

 

 

Unboxed Burberry goodness

 

Bubbles' Burberry Oxblood nail polish (far left) has come out to join the rest of the clan. Retailing at $30, it is a lovely deep blood red (quite vampy!). For alpacas on a budget, The Balm's "Firehouse Red" nail polish retailing at $11.90 at SaSa is the perfect match for Oxblood. This alpaca can't tell the difference... you won't be able to tell the difference too!! In fact, Bubbles advises all alpacas out there to take a good look at Sa Sa promotions this Christmas - Bubbles got her The Balm polish FREE because The Balm blushers were 20% off with a free nail polish thrown in with every blusher purchase. Huzzah! Alpacas love "free". 

  

 

Bailey posing with the FREE Burberry compact foundation. The casing is magnetized, and it opens to reveal the foundation with a sponge underneath. The shiny casing is a magnet for fingerprints though. It comes with a velvet Burberry pouch to keep the fingerprints at bay.

Bubbles' blusher in No. 9 Coral Pink - the Tangs counter is currently out of the lighter pink shades. Bubbles was disappointed, but the SA recommended that Bubbles try this shade instead. According to the SA, Coral Pink is longer-lasting than Blossom (a lighter coral pink), and when she used this shade, it could last the day without reapplication. Bubbles, who had her heart set on Blossom, decided to give Coral Pink a try. It's currently the brightest blusher she owns, but it looks so beautiful in the pan. Bubbles will have to apply this with a lighter hand, or Bubbles will look like she has just been slapped.

 

Ah, the Sheer Luminous Fluid Foundation in Trench 04, which is a work of art in itself. See the pretty packaging... how can an alpaca resist?! Bubbles' love for Burberry cosmetics blossomed after the SA gave her a sample of the fluid foundation when she purchased the Oxblood nail polish. The foundation has a wonderful, glowy finish, with excellent coverage, yet Bubbles does not look like she has any foundation on. Initially, Bubbles was hesitant to purchase the full-size because this foundation (on its own) has zero oil-controlling properties, so she'd look greasy just an hour after wearing the foundation. However, the finish was very nice, and it could last a 10-hour day, so Bubbles was wiling to give it a chance (no, many chances). Once Bubbles started wearing her Cle de Peau primer underneath this foundation, she could not reach for her credit card fast enough.

 

Even-numbered shades are yellow-toned, and odd-numbered shades are pink-toned. Bubbles recommends that alpacas pick the lighter shade if they fall in-between shades. Alpacas can then warm up the lighter shade using a loose powder that is darker, or by using a loose powder that has many colours (e.g. the Givenchy Prisme Libre one that has 1/4 pink, 1/4 purple and 2/4 beige powders), preferably with some pink in it to add warmth to the face. Bubbles doesn't know enough about bronzers to say if they'll be effective, but why not give them a try as well?

 

 

 

On to MORE FREEBIES! Bubbles missed the Burberry event on 6 December because it was full when she called to reserve herself a seat (alpacas here are so quick!). However, the SA gave Bubbles' the event's door gift anyway. Yay, favourite SA (she introduced Bubbles to the wonderful world of Burberry nail polishes with names PETA would not approve of, and Bubbles has always been coming back to her because she gives honest opinions about how products look on Bubbles, lets Bubbles try stuff to her heart's content, and is full of helpful tips on how to use the products. Never once has Bubbles felt she was pushy).

 

The Burberry goodie bag contains a (1) Burberry pouch (nylon? and patent leather), (2) a Burberry sample scent vial for Burberry Body, (3) a mini-lipstick in No. 4 Rosewood and (4) 4 Lip Cover samples with a small brush, and 2 foundation samples (Trench No. 5).



 

Bubbles now has a sizeable collection of lipstick samples. 3 from Burberry, 1 from Chanel, and 1 from Shiseido. However, she can't bear to use them! Are samples meant to be used, or merely looked at? This has puzzled generations of alpacas.

 

The current stash should last Bubbles a while, until the Burberry bee buzzes in Bubbles' bonnet again. 

 

Chronicling Cle de Peau

Bubbles went a-shoppin and she discovered Cle de Peau by accident. Bubbles had only read a review of their cleanser on thebeautylookbook, and thought it might be worth checking out since she had some time before her dinner appointment. However, she saw a primer specifically targeted for pores in their display. The beauty advisor let Bubbles try the primer, liquid foundation, concealer and loose transparent powder. Bubbles left for her dinner with a glowing face and could not stop checking out her reflection in every mirror she passed by.

The staying power of the 4 products is not bad... 2 hours after application, Bubbles only had to blot once, and a sheet of blotting paper was all she needed (normal amount is 3). 6 hours after application, the makeup was still going strong. This alpaca doesn't know what exactly goes into the makeup, but if she discovered fox urine was a key ingredient she'd still use it! It's the sort of foundation that looks better and better as this alpaca wears it, even though those oils on her mien come out to par-tayy.

So Bubbles caved in and bought the lot a few days later. Cle de Peau in Singapore does not give samples of their foundation or primers to try at home for a few days (not even making one on the spot with a jar). Given the cost of the liquid foundation ($200) and primer ($105), it would be important for all alpacas out there to have the chance to test it out for a few days to ensure there are no allergies or massive pore-clogging before sinking in that moolah. Alas.

Bubbles deliberated for a while at the counter and eventually decided that between ALL OR NOTHING, she would TAKE ALL THE PRODUCTS (note to alpacas out there: don't try this unless you are confident your face doesn't react to anything, or that you just love the product so much you'll take your chances). The same beauty advisor was very helpful, as Bubbles requested for a tutorial on how to apply those 4 products herself. Bubbles is full of tips now, which she will share in her next post (or in a few posts' time).

Moving on to the best part - THE HAUL

Bubbles bought a total of 5 products. (1) Base de teint (fraiche) - primer for pore concerns ($105), (2) Refining fluid foundation ($200), (3) Concealer ($116), (4) Translucent Loose powder ($180) and (5)  Wintry flower kit (3 eyeshadows, 1 mascara, 1 lipstick and 2 blushers) ($260). The rest are freebies!!!

Products (1) - (4) for the face

Bubbles is excited. The loose powder makes a great hat. 

The beautiful wintry flowry set. Oh, the opulence!

Bailey lookin' into the mirror. I am a handsome alpaca, yes I am. The purple colors look wonderful on the eyes.

We love free stuff, yes we do! 

Foundation Follow-Up & Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Bright Fit Review

Winnie the Pooh should not have to walk through the Hundred-Acre-Wood. Bubbles has made some minor adjustments to his scenic route.

In other words, Bubbles has accumulated FarTooMany foundation/BB cream samples and she MUST use them up before buying her next full-sized product. Bubbles' chief grouse is that each individual packet takes SO LONG to finish (and more keep popping up with her many purchases - at this point, Bubbles would like to add that Cuddles has done her proud, because Cuddles has contributed two CC creams to the collection without buying anything... or even walking into the shop. Cuddles had extended her paw and grabbed an Etude House brochure with a CC Silky and a CC Glow taped onto it. In typical Bubbles fashion, Bubbles demanded to know why Cuddles did not take 10 more. Cuddles says that some alpacas have no sense of shame).

The Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream (Bright Fit) sample can last for 3 days, even if you pile on the BB cream each time. Two pea-sized amounts will cover this alpaca's entire mien.

Initial impressions
(1) Pore power: This BB cream doesn't settle into pores like badgers settling into a den for winter. It blurs large pores a little, but you can still see them if you look closely.
(2) Oiliness overview: It doesn't do much on the oil control front, so loose powder is necessary.
(3) Colour cautions: It has yellow-ish undertones, so it's perfect for this Asian alpaca.
(4) Staying strength: It may have the potential to last the day, but after 5 hours, Bubbles has to blot the oil on her face, and the paper towel takes off some of the cream as well, so Bubbles will never  know.
(5) Price petrification: Not petrifying at all. This alpaca will check and see if its $25.90 or $32.90 tomorrow. The CC cream was $25.90, but contained less product.
(6) Mirror Madness: It could have been the lighting of the Tangs beauty hall, but Bubbles caught a glimpse of herself at the Benefit counter mirror and would have bought a tube of this BB cream there and then. This BB cream worn under the Ettusais BB Mineral Powder gives the effect of soft, radiant and flawless skin.

 (1) is a glob of the Precious Mineral BB cream. (2) is just spreading it out (3) is properly blended. Bubbles has such a shy human. 

One pack of BB cream down, only 2 more Bright Fit samples to go! Bubbles is going to try the Sulwhasoo foundation sample tomorrow. Bubbles has high hopes for this one, given how she cakes her face in Sulwhasoo product day and night!

Frolics with Foundation

Bubbles has a thick skin. Someday she will make a great fur coat. She never fails to ask for samples at every beauty counter she visits. As a result she has amassed a rather large collection of foundation samples. Pity she has only one face, however fat it is.

There are 9 foundation/BB/CC/bases here. Bubbles is delighted. Nine is not too many for this alpaca. 

From left to right, on Bubbles: (1) Ettusais BB Mineral White SPF 45, (2) Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Bright Fit, (3) Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Cotton Fit, (4) Shu Uemura Face Architect foundation, (5) Shu Uemura BB Perfector, (6) Shiseido Sheer and Perfect Foundation, (7) Shiseido Maquillage Perfect Multi Base BB, (8) Etude House CC Cream Silky, and (9) Etude House CC Cream Glow. 

Bubbles has tried 2 of the 9 face products thus far - #7 Shiseido Maquillage Perfect Multi Base BB, and #8 Etude House CC Cream Silky. She has resolved NOT to buy any more foundations/BB creams, etc. until she finishes the lot, no matter what the next product at the beauty counter promises ("zero pores and a free gingerbread house!!!"). However, Bubbles can never resist a good discount, so we'll see if she is seduced by the "20% Off" or the "Gift With Purchase Of Minimum Sum $x". But that means MORE samples, huzzah!!

#8 Etude House CC Cream Silky.... what can Bubbles say other than she LOVES this and would totally buy a tube now if she wasn't (1) lumbered with sooooo many other samples to try, (2) waiting for another crazy sale at Etude House (40% off last month!!!) and (3) waiting for more Things-To-Purchase at Etude House so she can get the nice gifts when you spend $90 (Bubbles only likes the $90 gift-with-purchase) if there is no sale. The Silky CC cream applies like a dream and has long staying power. Bubbles puts it on at 6 am, and it is still there at at 6 pm. While it does get a bit splodgy by 2 pm because Bubbles has sweat glands and walks out for lunch in the sun, splodgy is nothing which some powder can't fix. 

When squeezed from the tube, the cream is white with little coloured spheres in it. The spheres are color capsules in the cream which break when you smooth out the cream on your face, thus adding a beige color to your face. It gives a your-skin-but-better look, and Bubbles acquires a pinky glow (as in pinky Radiant (a well-rested alpaca), not pinky Sunburnt (a well-roasted alpaca)), with no grey or white cast. It is okay for tanner complexions (Bubbles is too tan for the Etude House Any Cushion, alas) because the cream is not very pigmented, so the color won't show up strongly on your face, but just brightens. Bubbles finishes it off with the Shiseido Sheer Mattifying Compact powder. More on this tomorrow, Bubbles is suddenly very sleepy...