Smokey Eyes & Nude Lips: Clarins Odyssey Eyes & Burberry Nude Cashmere

Finding the right nude lipstick is a bit like trying to find the perfect red (or the perfect jeans!) - an absolute minefield.  I remember when there was so little choice it was exasperating… now it’s gone to the opposite extreme, which is fabulous, but sometimes difficult to know where to start! 

 

I was on the hunt for a quiet, yet not invisible, nude lip to wear with a smokey eye - and Burberry Nude Cashmere No26 fitted the bill perfectly.  The texture is smooth and creamy with a delicate sheen… it feels very comfortable on my lips and wears evenly with pretty good lasting power.  And I just LOVE how the embossed bullet slots into its lid with a satisfying magnetic clink!

Nude Cashmere is the first Burberry lipstick I’ve tried - and has left me wanting for more.  The brand’s natural shade range is amazing right across the board; the beautiful new eyeshadow palettes are next on my wishlist.

 

Nude Cashmere swatched with single and double pass - and on the lips.  This is the coolest (literally), beige-toned nude lipstick I’ve tried… I think it’s slightly cooler in real life than it appears on my lips here.  I do normally go for something a little warmer, so this is as light as I go - and I can only carry it off when combined with a flawless base and strong eye.

 

The Smokey Eye

 

A while ago I created a natural look with Clarins Odyssey Palette (here) and said I’d be back with a stronger, evening eye look, incorporating the gorgeous gold shade, so here it is…

          

The pics above illustrate how well this palette can transform a look from day to evening, with the addition of the gold shadow and a little definition with the darkest brown. 

I used Too Faced Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Perfect Espresso along my upper lashline - a gorgeously creamy liner which stays soft long enough to smudge it out, then stays put.  I went over this with the darkest brown, smoked it out towards the corners and blended a little into the crease. I then pressed on the gold using a dampened pointed applicator from the palette, pressing and rolling it onto the lid, focusing on the centre of the lid for an almost gold leaf effect.

I used Mac Power Surge on my waterline, the Odyssey mid brown eyeshadow on lower lashline and a little of the palest shade on my browbone.

 

Smokey Eyes & Nude Lips

So here is the final smokey eyed, nude lip look.  When I started this it was sunny with blue skies… but typically, the sky turned almost black minutes later.  Not an intentionally moody shot - I did have smiley ones but this one just caught the colours best given the low light! 

What do you think of this look? And what’s your holy grail nude lip? (I’m still looking for a slightly deeper mid brown toned everyday nude)

Check out the full range of Burberry lipsticks here… I really do think they have the perfect shade for everyone!

Clarins Odyssey Eye Quartet Mineral Palette

I knew I wanted Clarins Odyssey palette as soon as I caught my first glimpse of it.  If this was my only eyeshadow all Autumn/Winter/Fall I’d be quite content.  Obviously I try a lot of different products for review on this blog, but in pre blogging days, I was very much a believer in pared down makeup; I only ever had a small amount - one item each of things I loved, which I happily used daily.  If you live outside the Makeup Mayhem zone, to which beauty bloggers become accustomed (and no, of course it’s not all bad! ;) ), then I suggest you pick up one of these limited edition palettes when they launch next month.

It comes encased in a heavy gold, beautifully embossed case and iconic red velvet pouch.  Let’s have a closer look inside…

Pretty, isn’t it?  I just stared at it for ages when I first received it.  It’s not particularly out there, but in my view, is perfect in its simplicity and would suit every eye colour.  I love that a slightly larger amount is provided of the two main colours, leaving the darkest brown for shading and the beautiful gold for highlighting.

Swatches

Colours

The texture of the gold is unlike any eyeshadow I’ve tried before.  It falls somewhere between a powder, cream and gel. That’s helpful, huh? It’s not solid, but slightly soft and squidgy - and I find it works best if I lift a bit of it and smooth it onto my skin. It can be applied as a fine spray of sparkle or intensified for full on glamour as in this swatch, where it almost appears like gold leaf.

The lightest shade is a creamy champagne nude tone, with a slight luminous sheen that catches the light really nicely and opens up the eye.  The mid brown, which looks like a standard taupe in the palette has warm nutty, bronze tones on the skin.  The darkest brown is a gorgeously pigmented 100% matte bitter chocolate.

All have great, buildable colour payoff, zero fallout and are velvety smooth to apply.  They are long lasting on me, with minimal creasing (which is good on someone who barely has to blink for an eyeshadow to crease!).  I’ve also tried them with my new favourite primer, Lime crime Eyeshadow Helper {link}, which makes the colours stay immaculately true and smooth by the end of the day.

Here I smeared a little of the gold over the other colours I’d swatched, to illustrate how it can be used to give them a metallic effect.  Odyssey is designed to be worn dry for a more natural look, or wet to intensify, but there are lots of ways you can play around with these basic shades to create your own preferred look.

Autumn Walk Eyes

 

We’d just got back from a big walk in the park, where I found the first proper Autumn leaves I’ve stumbled across this year.   Here I applied the lightest shade on my lid, mid brown in the crease and the darkest brown to define the upper and lower lashline.  It’s a very soft, natural look that I’ve really enjoyed wearing - enough to add definition and dress the eyes for a daytime look that isn’t overdone.

My other makeup is the new Liz Earle Signature Foundation, Liz Earle bronzer to contour, Lily Lolo Beach Babe blush {review} (appropriate for an Autumn look, huh?) and Dior lipstick in Wild {post here}.

The palette comes with a handy little card, with guidance on where to apply each shade.  I’ll be back soon with a more full on evening look, featuring that gorgeous gold!

Clarins Odyssey Eye Quartet Mineral Palette will be available in October 2012 priced at £30.  As it is limited edition, I wouldn’t hang about!

Do these kind of colours appeal to you?  Nic x