Shopping My Makeup Stash August 2015

September 3, 2015 - Vicki 3 Comments

Shopping My Stash August 2015

Shopping My Makeup Stash August 2015 –

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer £17.50

In truth this is never burried too deep in my collection but I have been getting a few blemishes during August (stress of moving house) and Benefit Boiing is such a good concealer for covering up angry blemishes or even the dark scars that get left behind. I swear by this concealer, it is heavy duty but not cakey and it covers the offending spot ALL day long.

bareMinerals Mineral Veil – Translucent* £21.00

I have had this since March and have only recently discovered how good of a powder it is. I haven’t tried that many mineral makeup brands and the fact that you’re dealing with loose powder can be a faff but this has a great open & closing cap that you don’t get any fall out & that panic of it ending up either all over the bottom of your makeup bag or on the floor aren’t justified. Its so clean and easy to use, the powder itself is one of the most lightweight powders I have ever used, it is so finely milled and feels soft and smooth on the skin. I have been using it as a setting powder and July & August were great months to put it to the test, my makeup looked fab all day even during the crazy heat wave (which is now a distant memory).

What I love about this powder is it keeps oil at bay and stops my makeup deteriorating too quickly throughout the day. It helps make my skin look silky smooth and doesn’t dull down my makeup instead it helps it look more radiant and fresh. I know that bareMinerals does a version of this with SPF25 in which I would love to try.

NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in New Lover £19.00

This lip crayon feels so comfortable on my lips, its glossy formula feels very hydrating. This is a dinky deluxe sample sized NARS Lip Pencil and its so cute. The colour is a deep rose pink with a slight hint of gold running through, its beautiful and it looks really flattering on the lips. I tend to gravitate towards lip pencils and find them easy to apply. I’m pleased to have rediscovered this and think I’m going to keep it in my handbag to use as my transition from day to night lip colour. I think it makes a pretty going out lip colour because of the gold shimmer. Now I need to go out more so I can get more wear out of it.

Rimmel Wonder’full Mascara £7.99

Its taken me months to open this new mascara, I am such a mascara hoarder and I have quite a few unopened tubes waiting to be tested. This was a new release from Rimmel either at the end of 2014 or beginning of 2015 and it caused quite a buzz as its key ingredient is Argan Oil. For me the formula of this mascara is too thin, it feels a little watery and I needed at least 3 coats to make my lashes look good and it wasn’t good at holding a curl. If you’re looking for a mascara that isn’t going to be overly dramatic but will make your lashes look defined and fluttery then this will be right up your street. The brush is quite big and very flexible and has plastic bristles which I don’t mind, and it was easier than I thought to use.

I’ve been using this more on low key makeup days, as it lasts well throughout the day and doesn’t make my lashes feel crispy (must be the argan oil keeping them feeling quite natural). I did like that this mascara doesn’t clump or have any crispy fall out, so thats a plus. Oh & the packaging is super cute – it comes in a shiny copper / bronze tube and looks very luxurious and stylish. I will use it all up but would’t repurchase, I prefer the Rimmel Accelerator Endless Mascara

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Gorgeous Berries £8.99

How beautiful is this blush – I love baked blushers and this beautiful Creme Puff one from Max Factor has to be the best I’ve tried. There are six Creme Puff Blushers to pick from & It took me quite a while to decide, In the end I went for Gorgeous Berries which is just beautiful, and it adds such a pretty warm rosy glow to your cheeks. I have read a few reviews comparing these blushes to the Hourglass Ambient Light Blushers which is exciting as I don’t think I could spend that kind of money on a blush.

The shade I have gives your cheeks a really pretty wash of colour along with a sheen like glow, making it a two in one product. I love using highlighters & this blush gives you such a pretty glow so its not OTT. I am impressed with the pigmentation and just how pretty this looks on my skin. I want to pop back & get a couple more shades.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

KIKO Purchases from Amsterdam

July 29, 2015July 30, 2015 - Vicki 8 Comments

I have wanted to try some products from KIKO for so long, if you didn’t already know, KIKO is an Italian makeup brand & although there are a a few KIKO shops in the UK they’re quite hard for me to get to. So I was very excited to stumble across a small (but cute) KIKO shop in Amsterdam Centraal Train Station and even more exciting was the 50% sale. I didn’t buy much because many of the shades I wanted had sold out & If I’m honest with myself I really don’t need any more makeup, that being said I couldn’t leave empty handed.

Kiko Makeup Haul

They had so many cute Summer releases but I didn’t need any more bronzers or bright eyeliners so I opted for a Facial SPF50 Solid Sunscreen Stick, this KIKO one I thought was not only cute being in pink packaging but it is a solid stick so easy for travel and carrying with you on the go so you can reapply it throughout the day. I’ve only used it twice but its easy to apply, and it feels OK on the skin. Not greasy or slippy, it doesn’t leave a white cast and makeup sits well on top. I swipe it on my face straight from the stick and then I blend it out with my fingers to make sure I get good coverage all over my face. It is SPF50 UVA & UVB Protection so my skin is in good hands. This was half price at 4 Euro. Bargain!

Kiko Summer Haul

I bought 2 of their Long Lasting Wet & Dry Use Eyeshadows, I wanted a few more but they had a limited shade selection by the time I got there. These look very much like the NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadows but a fraction of the price. I bought the shades 207 – which looks more green in the pan but once swatched it looks more brown with a grey undertone. 205 is my favourite of the two and in the pan it looks like a plum but swatched it looks like a deep brown with a slight rusty copper finish. I love these and the colours are so pigmented both wet & dry. The colour lasts so much longer if you apply it wet and its so intense. I wish they had more shades left but sadly they seemed to be popular & I found these by chance amongst the face wipes. Score!

The packaging of these is also very NARS. They are in robust sleek black packaging and do come with a mirror which is cute and handy. Its sturdy and feels quite luxurious too.

KIKO Eyeshadow Swatches KIKO Longlasting Eyeshadows

They also had a great selection of makeup wipes but I saw these KIKO Summer Wipes and thought they looked and sounded unusual. They are for cleansing and refreshing your skin after you have been in the sea, they have salt water dissolving ingredients. I have never seen anything like them before & I now need to swim in the sea so I can test them out. You get 20 wipes in a pack and they are come in a foil pack with a really great plastic seal so your wipes won’t dry out. These were half price at 5 Euro.

KIKO Summer Wipes

So thats my modest KIKO haul, let me know if you have tried any of my purchases or better still if you have any KIKO product recomendations for me. Its a really affordable brand but they don’t seem to compromise on quality which I really like. I’m excited to use my purchases a little more and also try some of your recomendations.

If you’d like to know where your nearest KIKO store is in the UK just click through to the – KIKO Store Locator

Shopping My Stash July 2015

July 7, 2015February 27, 2018 - Vicki 9 Comments

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer*

I’m so pleased to have rediscovered this especially as the weather is so hot and my makeup just slides right off my face without a primer. This one is really lightweight and leaves your skin feeling and looking smooth, my foundation always applies really well over the top and it helps keep everything looking even and in place all day long. I also find it quite hydrating and makes my skin look fresh throughout the day.

MeMeMe Dew Pot – Silk Dusk

I really like cream shadows and despite the annoying packaging on this (it’s so hard to even get your finger in to get the product out) I just love the colour and finish of this Dew Pot, it’s like a dusky lilac shade with a slightly metallic finish. Once blended on to the lid it’s not so metallic but it catches the light and looks so pretty. The formula is creamy and it has serious staying power.

B. Longer Mascara*

This hasn’t been in my stash that long but I have far too many mascaras on the go right now that I keep overlooking this one despite it being a really nice everyday mascara. B. is a brand which is exclusive to Superdrug and they have a really nice selection of makeup and skincare. This mascara is a tubing mascara and that means it uses flexible polymers that wrap right around each individual lash to make your lashes look fluttery and long. Click to read my full review – B. Longer Mascara review

Essence Gel Eyeliner

These gel liners from Essence are amazing, I have raved about them on my blog before. They’re creamy, pigmented and waterproof, so they have very good staying power. I normally reach for the black one but have rediscovered the brown one and like how it looks softer and more natural. Great for a daytime look. So affordable too, you have to try them for yourself. Essence is sold in selected Superdrugs & in Wilko stores.

Seventeen Stay Time Concealer

If I’m honest this has almost had its day, I will use it in July then bin it. It’s a very good concealer for blemishes and redness. It has good staying power & I will buy another one at the end of the month.

Essence Quattro Eyeshadow

This was in my Top Essence Buys a while ago & its such a handy quad to have, the shades are neutral and easy to wear. No fuss makeup which is right up my street. I will get a lot of use out of this in July. I tend not to wear too much makeup day to day but often it’s nice to do a simple eye look so I will be using this.

MUA Sweet Sheen Lip Balms*

I have 5 of these and they’re all pretty so I try & rotate them to use a different one each month. July’s shade is Cherry Bomb. These are hydrating on the lips and also give you a really nice wash of colour. Click here to see my Sweet Sheen Review with swatches. This will be great in my handbag over the next month, I like a lightweight lip product when its warm & you can apply these without needing a mirror!

Illamasqua Blush in Tremble

What a pretty colour this is & just gorgeous to give the cheeks a pinch of colour in the summer. It’s a pretty sweet pink shade and has no glitter/shimmer at all which I like, especially for wearing during the day. The pigmentation is so good, a light hand is needed for sure.

L’Oreal Super Blendable True Match Powder in Rose Beige

I haven’t used this too much but it seems to be a nice finely milled powder & its good for sweeping over the areas prone to getting oily throughout the day. It also makes the skin look smoother and gives a hint of colour. I will let you know how I get on with it at the end of the month

PUR Minerals Bare It All Contour / Highlighter Duo

I have been using my Soap & Glory Solar Powder to death so its about time I switched it up & used something else. This is a great duo & although the colour pay off isn’t as good as the S&G one thats not always a bad thing. This gives more of a subtle finish so looking forward to using that more this month.

See my previous Shopping My Stash post

L’Oreal La Palette Nude

June 24, 2015March 2, 2025 - Vicki 6 Comments

I am a sucker for a palette & especially a nude palette – I purchased the L’Oréal La Palette Nude Rose first last year & although at first I thought it was a little pricey, after a few uses I realised the eyeshadows are fantastic quality, and you get 10 shadows in each palette. I love the selection of colours in the Rose palette, they range from a light cream to more rosy shades & a gorgeous deep plum.

Then I purchased the newer L’Oréal La Palette Nude Beige earlier this year & they have both been welcome additions to my makeup stash. I hope L’Oréal release more of these, I would like to see an all Matte option, I think that would be perfect.

It’s a versatile palette and you can get create a lot of different looks with the shades, I am not normally one to reach for plums or pink tones, but this palette has changed my mind. As you can see from the swatches the shadows are pigmented and apart from the first light cream colour the rest are buttery and blend like a dream. You get 6 shimmers and 4 matte colours, so a good mix for a high street palette.

The packaging is identical on both palettes and feels luxurious, it’s black & gold, which adds to its sleek look. Although the packaging is plastic, it’s not flimsy or cheep looking but feels robust & shuts tight so It won’t open in your makeup bag. The palette is compact and great for travel, there is also a good size mirror too which is always handy.

Although I really like the Rose palette, when I heard that L’Oréal were releasing a Nude version, I was so excited & I wasn’t to be disappointed. The colours are beautiful and ideal for creating a warm neutral smokey eye, and although I probably have identical shades in all my other neutral palettes, I really like the formula and pigmentation of these L’Oréal ones. Much like the Rose palette, you get 10 shadows, 4 of which are matte & 6 are more shimmery. It’s good that both palettes have very different colours in, so they’re well worth investing in both.

As you can see from the swatches, the colour is bold and very wearable, even the deep grey is easy to blend and isn’t chalky. I love that you get a good mix of neutral colours from taupe, gold to more copper and a lovely deep grey.

I have to say It’s a neutral palette that has been getting a lot of use, I have travelled with it a few times, and it’s been all I needed, I didn’t take any other eye shadows. As I said, these palettes are so slim and perfect for travel.

L’Oréal La Palette Nude in Beige & Rose are £14.99

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