A glimpse at the lips: Burberry’s Lip Velvet in Fuchsia Pink No. 309

Burberry Lip Velvet in Fuchsia Pink No. 309

Burberry's Lip Velvet in Pink Amber was a tiny taste -- wearable, pretty, safe and should suit most skin tones. Fuchsia Pink ups the ante and begs for lippie lovers to throw caution to the wind.

For a moment I thought I misspelled "Fuchsia"

Swatch of Pink Fuchsia No. 309

At first glance, Pink Fuchsia looks like just another red lipstick, but don't let this baby fool you. This hidden gem needs to be tried on and thoughtfully considered -- for instance, which dress would you pair Pink Fuchsia with? Or, are you brave enough to wear such a bright shade to work?

I did and was asked, "which shade are you wearing?" Pink Fuchsia also has a super power, the power to make your pearly whites appear brighter; so throw those Crest White Strips away and hand your loved one(s) a pair of sunglasses.

Wearing Burberry Pink Fuchsia No. 309 on my lips

Still not sold? To help set things straight, I lined up several similar shades from my own stash in order to properly compare and contrast.

The lineup: Rouge d'Armani 400 (left), Pink Fuchsia (centre) and NARS' Flamenco (right)

Rouge d'Armani 400 is a true red with blue undertones, NARS' Mexican Rose was a wildcard I thought could pass (it doesn't) and NARS' Flamenco is perhaps a sheer version of Rouge d'Armani 400.

Have I convinced you yet?

Close up of Pink Fuchsia No. 309

Initially, Pink Fuchsia appears to have a glossy finish, but within an hour the glossiness will dry down to a matte finish. Wear time is optimal -- Pink Fuchsia stuck around all day and I ended up removing the remnants close to 10 hours after application.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Burberry’s Lip Velvet in Pink Fuchsia No. 309:

• $30.00 USD / $50.00 AUS

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags – let your lips do the talking about this perfect conversation starter.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• I purchased Gold Pearl No. 26, it's sheer, subdued and perfect for the office. Review to follow!

A glimpse at the lips: Burberry's Lip Velvet in Pink Amber No. 306

Hook. Line. Sinker. What started as a sample quickly turned into a full blown purchase. Burberry's Lip Velvet in Pink Amber is a coral pink (red leaning) with specks of gold. Once applied you're left with a matte finish that lasts for a good four to five hours.

Application is a cinch, I could probably put this on with my eyes closed; there's no tugging or pulling and colour saturation is almost immediate. Lip Velvet feels light on the lips, it's so light you almost forget you're wearing it -- a second skin.

The wild rose Burberry uses in this particular formula hydrates your lips and imparts the scent of roses as well. The last part is something I'm not necessarily a fan of, but it disappears after a few moments of wear. Gotta take the good with the bad and I'd rather have moisturised lips.

Wearing Pink Amber on my lips

Twelve colours round out this matte collection, however, I noticed Military Red isn't available for purchase on Burberry's Australian site -- I'll have to check my local Burberry counter to see if this is the case as well. Another funny (peculiar) thing I noticed as well is the price point is cheaper on their online store; the Lip Velvet retails for $35.00 AUS online, yet I paid $50.00 AUS at David Jones' Melbourne CBD Burberry store. An absolute mystery to me!

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Burberry's Lip Velvet in Pink Amber No. 306:

• $30.00 USD / $50.00 AUS - but is it really? Enquiring minds want to know!

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags – A slam dunk.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Burberry's S/S 2013 makeup collection looks good enough to eat! Can you also throw in one of those glossy magenta trench coats too?

Which Lip Velvet hue is calling your name?

Eyes to mesmerise: Burberry's Complete Eye Palette in Dark Spice No. 5

Silky soft, buttery, seductive - Burberry's Dark Spice makes everything nice and it's especially easy on the eyes. On the wallet, not so much -- but that's besides the point ;)

The Complete Eye Palette Collection is comprised of six palettes and I went with the palette that made me the most uncomfortable (in a good way). Typically I reach for purples or sandy neutrals, but the juxtaposition of marigold and matte charcoal black had me at hello; the golden brown and chocolatey burnt sienna shades aren't so bad either.

So, what makes this Complete Eye Palette so special? It comes with three bite-size brushes nestled in a black velvet pouch imprinted with the iconic Burberry plaid pattern. Truth be told, the small brushes weren't the selling point -- the opportunity to try new colours with an impeccable formula is what works for me.

The colours are laid within the pan in such a way which proposes its intended use and potential.

Matte Charcoal Black - the smallest of the four, but a little goes a long way. Use it to line and create added depth at the outer corners of your eyes.

Marigold - the second smallest. This canary can carry a tune; it works well on its own and also as a great base for the chocolatey burnt sienna hue. I used this colour to highlight the inner corners of my eyes too.

Golden Brown with a microscopic specks of gold - the smoke starter; lay this colour down third and then blend the black shade in last for a smoky look.

Chocolatey Burnt Sienna - it's a foxy chameleon; blend over Marigold in order to bring out its orange undertones. Or, go for a dark brown look by taking Marigold out of the equation.

Swatches

For the look above I used MAC's Shroom as an all over colour; Trench will also do if you have that in your compilation of colours.

Want to shave off a little time in the morning? I skipped lining my upper lash line thanks to the intensity of Dark Spice.

Oh and word to the wise before departing the counter with your wares. Check the contents of the box to make sure it's what you wanted; the exterior label read Dark Spice, but the compact inside was Mocha. It's nothing the ol' switcheroo can't fix.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Burberry's Complete Eye Palette in Dark Spice no. 5:

• $85.00 AUS / $59.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 10 out of 10 bags — Love this palette <3

Likelihood to purchase:

• Mocha no. 2 and Pale Nude no. 3 are nipping at my heels!

Burberry's The Orchard in Suede Stripes

What's blackcurrant and plum with golden hardware? That would be Burberry's Orchard bag.

On me, the Orchard bag is pretty hefty, but Blake Lively makes it look ten times better on the set of Gossip Girl. I might not reach Amazonian heights, but I can rock it just as well.