KIKO Cosmetics | Recent Purchases & Review

Hello Everybody!

So as you can tell by the title, I thought it would be nice to share with you what I brought from KIKO Cosmetics, the last time I went make-up shopping. I did pick up a few new items as their WANDERLUST collection had not long been released and it looked fab!

 So, first things first, is this gorgeous face/ powder brush which is super fluffy and feels so soft against the skin. I do occasionally have dry patches on my face as I have quite sensitive skin, so i needed something which wouldn't be too harsh against my skin. The coral pink is a beautiful colour, making it a unique brush to add to your collection. It is definitely a product I would recommend. I do however believe it is a limited edition product, from the ARTIST collection, so I am not 100% how long you will be able to get your hands on this for!

 I like to use this brush for bronzer as I find that it applies it well, as a little goes a long way. It blends products out lovely and its size is great for a less chiseled and more sun touched look.

I was literally so so excited to try this product when I brought it. I was after a big bronzer which I could just lightly run a large brush over rather than a small one which I would have to use a blusher brush or a contour brush for. It's called 'Desert Dunes' and it looks like this:

I cannot get over how gorgeous this bronzer is! It is one of the more expensive products from KIKO as it is from their new summer collection. However the for the size and the fact that it smells like chocolate! *resists a nibble* It is a bronzer which definitely caught my eye. As for the product itself, you really only need a little as it's pigmentation is really good. Too much of this however, starts to look a tad orange, hence why I only use a little, to literally add a bit of colour to my face. 

On a more disheartened note, I also brought this, it is the 'Sunshine' powder foundation in the shade 203. After my amazing experience with the bronzer I had high hopes for this, but it didn't live up to my expectations. 

Firstly, it is far too dark for me! after sampling on my hand it looked alright, and after blending and concealer I figured it would be worth the try as I haven't used a powder foundation before. Application isn't great either, it is really pigmented but it takes to my face in patches, causing a rather uneven and again patchy finish. Rather than waste it though, I have taken to using it as a matt bronzer, using it below my cheekbones.

Another item I brought from the ARTIST collection was this face serum. Admittedly I'm not really a serum user, in fact I dont think I had ever used one prior to this! I had no real idea on what they did or why or when I was to start using one.

 So when I spotted this I was intrigued. I'm not big on asking for help at beauty counters, I would rather drift around myself and figure out what my skin likes/dislikes. Its called 'Blooming Glow' and is a face serum which contains vitamins which help boost your skins complexion. Yes, the pretty pearled beads did sway me to buy it! but I was more drawn to it due to its appearance. Because I find that the word serum, is more typically associated with anti-aging products which admittedly frighten me a little bit... (I'm only 20!)

I decided to use the serum before I put on my moisturiser in the morning and occasionally on its own at night. I absolutely love this product! It really refreshes the skin, I feel more awake - sometimes lattes dont cut it!- and it makes my skin super soft, which makes putting my foundation on less of a chore!

This gorgeous nude lip liner is in the shade 700. Again, I had never owned a lip liner until this one, so KIKO have transformed me! I was however, looking for one. The colour is so pigmented and doesn't wash me out unlike other variations of nude, it has a creamy consistency and goes beautifully with my Rimmel Kate nude lipstick in 45.

Final purchase from KIKO came in the form of a mascara, which promised to lengthen and curl lashes. Its packaging gave off a MAC vibe which I liked. I do love a good packaging! but I would rather be wowed by the product itself!

I am a huge lover of Roller Lash by Benefit but I do think that it isn't a mascara I can continuously buy because of the price. So whilst in KIKO I searched for a similar sounding product and came across this. Although it is much cheaper it is a brilliant mascara. It lengthens, curls and really makes my eyes stand out, however I feel like its drying out much more quickly than I had anticipated! I am so excited to try more variations in mascara because they are fab for the price! 

Have you got any KIKO cosmetics? Have you tried any of the ones I have? Let me know if there are any great products I am missing out on! 

Loves 

Sam xo

Benefit Collection

Hello my lovelies, today i thought it'd be nice to review one of my favourite make-up brands seen as though i am doing my absolute best to keep on top of my blog posts for you lovely lot! 

I do have more than one Benefit product here as these are the products most recently given to me and i like to have more than one product sometimes, so it gives you guys a chance to spot something you may want to buy yourself :)

First up is 'the PORE fessional' primer, it has a smooth and creamy consistency, and has a little tint to it which helps even out your skin tone and of course cover up your pores before applying your foundation. I have to say, its hard for me to find good primer and i mean good... most of them cake on my skin and just sort of patch on my face if you understand what i mean by that! its because my face is neither dry, nor oily, nor normal its a bit of all three really so its hard to find a perfect match. 

Next are my two beautiful mascaras which are titled 'BAD gal lash' and 'Roller Lash'. Personally i prefer using these two products together, BAD gal gives the dark definition with its wide and thick bristled wand and Roller Lash adds the curl and extra length with its skinny separated bristled wand, they are wonder mascaras! As you can tell by the picture i only have the miniatures but i prefer them as i can wiggle their little wands in between each and every lash. Roller Lash also has a gorgeous rose gold lid... oh my. 

High Beam is a beautiful silky smooth liquid that shimmers and shines just like a pearl effect nail varnish but for your face! its tinted pink and is just lovely, i love it what more can i say? apply it to your light contour spots for a subtle pink dewy glow. It comes in a cute lil pot with a screw on lid with a mini brush attached to it, so no more tapping the bottom of your bottle lightly, carefully, trying to encourage the right amount of liquid out. Its all done for you! its 'Beamiful' (see what i did there, oh yes.. i'm good)

So now we are left with Boi-ing in shade 02 accompanied with Eye Bright. Those of you familiar with Benefit products know that Boi-ing is a concealer particularly good as concealing dark under eye circles.. however, as much as i hate to say this, it just doesn't like my skin type at all... i'm pale and most of the time have dry skin which means it just sits there on my face, its quite difficult for me to blend it in and it is a tad too dark for me! Eye Bright does lighten it up a bit and this as a stand alone product is wonderful! it definitely  does what it says on the tin, well, box... :) 

Let me know what you thought of today's post guys and feel free to message or comment with any questions or queries! 

Loves x

Ecotools Retractable Foundation Brush

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I know its been far too long since i wrote my last post (sorry, sorry, sorry) its not very often i get to pick up new beauty products to try out!

I am really looking forward to experimenting this year with new make-up brands, new colours, new tools, more diverse products and using my favourite brands more. So... todays post is a bit of a new start, i thought this new product i had purchased seemed fitting. It is new to me but not new to the market and its the 'ecotools retractable foundation brush'.

i have never brought from this brand before as personally i think it is a little over priced BUT i did buy this product as a special offer item (£2.50!?!? i know...AMAZING supposed to be £9.99) and so i figured if it was a product i loved i wouldnt mind purchasing more of their products.

Its been so long ive almost forgotten how to type...
first impressions of the brand are good, its economically friendly and animal cruelty free which are always good in my books. It has this cute little bag which is green in which you can take your retractable foundation brush on your travels.

The brush itself is super soft and i quote "shaped like your fingertip to apply foundation with precision" i love this... its chunky and yet travel size, delicate yet durable and it comes with a lid thats bottom-of-handbag-fluff-proof perfect!

its application is easy and streak-free even as a small sized brush and its bristles dont detach themseleves and try to become part of your face. Its a beautiful shade of bronze and i am very happy with my BARGIN FIND if you would like to know more be sure to comment/like or message me on Twitter/Facebook,
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Benefit 'Powderflage'

Today's review is of Benefits powderflage, for anyone wondering it is quite the challenge photographing this tiny weeny pot with an iPod camera so i did use the benefit website image of this product which i will post a link to at the end of this review! 

I know most people wont even consider this because it is a powder concealer. Yep, that's right powder power! for the people who know me well enough to see me without makeup (feel incredibly special right now) then you'll know i am rather insecure about my under eye dark circles... I've tried various concealers and correctors and i just don't notice that big a difference. I don't have mass amounts of money so i do try and stick to brands i can find in shops such as boots, I am comfortably using No17 heavy duty under eye concealer at the moment but again i still feel they stand out. 

I had this little pot of pink powdery-ness given to me as a gift a little while back and at first i hated it!, it made my eyes dry, it made them shimmery and i refused to put it on my face. But, after learning new tips about makeup and how to apply it, i noticed a massive difference in the effect of powderflage when it was put on top of my heavy duty under eye concealer. it lifted my eyes when i had a moisturised background to work on, which made all the difference. 

The slightly pink shimmery powder reflects light making your under eye dark circles appear lighter and less visible but, ensure you use a moisturising base so that it doesn't dry your eye area out. 

at £19.50 it isn't cheap for the amount that you get, but its the only thing which has made me feel thoroughly comfortable about my under eye dark circles and i will definitely purchase it when i run out of my current  pot, because although it is petite, you only need the smallest amount on the brush to blend in to make your eyes instantly brighter!

                    https://www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk/product/view/parentsku/POWDERIB139                                                 

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