Showing posts with label 2016. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2016. Show all posts

Thursday, 14 April 2016

Kiko Haul // First Impressions

 

Kiko is a brand I've always been fond of, it's a high street yet non-high street brand for us here in the UK as it is predominantly an online. However some cities are lucky enough to have some independent stores, my nearest being the beautiful city of Cambridge. 

I may given into my weakness and splurged (I use that word loosely as the products were so affordable) on a few new purchases. 


These pictures were taken and products tried on the same day they flew through the letterbox so I thought I'd give you my honest first impressions! 

I purchased 6 items whilst on my spree, as luckily for me Kiko had a buy 3 get 3 free promotion (try saying that 5 times) and I'd had my eye on a few products for a while... so I thought it would have been rude not to?! 

Soft Focus Concealer : Shade 01 Light




At first glance I really like this packaging, I think the mirrored effect gives the product a high brow feel, unfortunately I this didn't reflect in the product itself. 
The colour of this shade has a predominantly yellow undertone and I don't have the world's fairest skin and this shade isn't light on me at all. Moreover, I found the consistency of the formula to be thin and watery. I'm not sure if that's what they were going for when the called it soft focus, as in, no focus? I wasn't expecting a full coverage creamy concealer when I purchased this product. However, as it also features in there illuminators category, I was expecting something that would blur any imperfections and brighten the chosen area. Personally I don't feel this concealer does either of those things, let alone conceal anything. 

Rebel Bouncy Blush - Shade: Velvety Peach


This blusher is a difficult one to try and describe, don't get me wrong I totally love it. It is marketed as 'lightweight powder' yet I would describe it a creamy texture, it is really buttery to touch and literally melts onto the skin. I found applying it can work well with both fingers or a brush and as it says on the tin, the technique of bouncing the brush lightly onto the cheek using circular motions gives a seamless look. Finally it is a matte blush which isn't something I'd normally opt for but I am so glad I did. The matte finish of this gives me the option of the final outcome of the look at want to achieve and also lets me play around more with different highlighters without mixing two tones of shimmer. 

Finally can we give Kiko a round of applause for this divine packaging! Rose gold, you cannot go wrong with Rose Gold, we all know that!

Metallic Eyeshadow - Shade: Dynamic Taupe


I'm torn with this product, my first impressions were, that isn't taupe? Granted it is certainly metallic but it's not taupe. I would class this as silver. Nevertheless, I do like the colour, it's not what I thought I was buying but thankfully it's a yes from me. This is a dense product packed with colour yet it has an extremely supple texture that glides on effortlessly and due to its density has the perfect level of pigmentation for a everyday look with an extra bit of pizzaz.


These lipsticks are my favourite of the whole haul and I have every intention of getting more colours to add to my collection. Unlimited Stylo lipsticks are marketed simply as long lasting lipsticks and Kiko couldn't have been more accurate. 

However, when I first opened the product and started to apply them I was completely thrown off course. They have a soft creamy consistency and feel like a they are going to be a nourishing creme lipstick...oh how wrong that impression was. After a few minutes (or less) on the lips this product turns into a non transferable, semi matte lipstick. Kiko claim these last for up to 8 hours, but who doesn't reapply there lipstick over an 8 hour period? I just wouldn't expect that kind of longevity from any product to be frank. I would say the finish somewhere in between a Mac matte lipstick and a Bourjois rouge velvet lip lacquer. Additionally, the colour payoff is impeccable for a product of this budget, to achieve both looks below I hand on heart only applied 1 layer of product and they produced two full coverage lip looks. 

I purchased the shades:

Shade: 02 Pearly Vintage Rose


Shade: 13 Cocoa  


And I already love both, The pearly vintage rose isn't pearly at all...thankfully matte pearly lips would be weird right? but is a lovely vintage peach tone which could easily be worn day or night. Plus I think it would work easily with any skin tone as it is a very true peach and would adapt well to lighter of darker skin. 

The second of the two isn't actually what I was expecting, online it seemed less cool toned and more of a brown toned nude. Nevertheless now I have it I'm really glad as I don't have another colour like it in my current collection. It's a cool tones brown with hues of bluey/purple running through it because of this I think it would suit fair to mid-tone skin as I really think it complements my own.

Have you tried anything you couldn't live without from Kiko?
Have you seen there new summer limited edition launch? How beautiful is it?!

Let me know thoughts and comments in the box below or catch up with me over on Instagram.

Thats all for now beauties,
Thanks for reading.

Mucho Love
Liv
 



Sunday, 24 January 2016

Easy like a Sunday morning...








Easy like a Sunday morning...

This sunday I spent chilling out and giving the house a little spruce up while Mr J rustled up a scrummy sunday dinner, bloody mary beef - a Jamie O recipe. As my fingers tap it's slowly cooking away and smells like absolute heaven! Slow cooked beef with mash potato and kale. The beef is slow cooked for 5 hours in a vodka and tomato sauce and my god it's good. Check my insta later as i'm sure i'll snap it for you guys.

Today I have the house a lovely clean... as per every weekend and lit some candles in our room and did my face slowly. I took my time enjoying applying it as it is my favourite thing to do while watching youtube video's. I've recently become totally addicted to the Sacconejolys youtube channel so the fact the upload daily is a W I N !

Today I want for a matte eyeshadow look and a subtle nude lip, really wearable everyday look. I created this look using the Urban Decay Naked pallet using Naked as a base lid colour and Buck blended through the crease line blended out. On my lips i'm using a Revlon lip butter in pink truffle, Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme mascara, Bourjois bronzer, Soap & Glory brow archery and H&M blusher in golden peach.

#OOTD - I'm wearing a ASOS button up aline skirt with a turtle neck ribbed fitted top from newlook and the world's comfiest and warm tights from Primark because it's still bloomin cold out!






How was do you spend your Sundays?

Side note:I've also entered the a competition hosted by Rimmel #londonlookuk and if you like my makeup look I would really appreciate it if you could follow the link and click on the crown, it's a fantastic competition, let me know if you've entered and i'll be sure to put a vote your way.
http://uk.rimmellondon.com/entry/68428


That's all from me for now as dinner's nearly ready and i'm about to jump for j o y!

Thanks for reading
Mucho Love
Liv.



Saturday, 9 January 2016

Welcome 2016...


W E L C O M E  2 0 1 6 ! ! ! 



Happy New Year to you all!


2015 gave me lots of ups, downs, opportunities, trials, tests and great memories and I already know 2016 is going to be a big one. 

I already know 2016 has a tone of scarey moments and tests in store for me and my family, but with that in mind I've decided 2016 is going to be the time for me to make my own luck and start doing things for me, I am going to put the time into this blog, I am going to start my youtube channel and I am going to invest in my relationships. My friends, family and Mr J are my priority and I am going to strive to make them happy to entail make myself happy with them. 

I also intend to carry on with my balanced lifestyle when it comes to food and exercise, this is in no way 'new year, new me' because I've got a few of those T-shirts from previous January's and they have a tendency to shrink - if you catch my drift.
 The tail end of 2015 brought me yoga at home through Yoga with Adriene and her 30 days of Yoga, I absolutely love it. I can really notice if I haven't practised it for a few days, so my routine is to do a video before work 3-5 days a week (preferably 5 but it's not alwayssss doable...AKA me sleepy). It is a fantastic way to start the day, it takes away any stresses lingering from the previous day and also releases endorphins which in turn make you feel happy. Oh and the obvious plus, it's exercise which makes you toned, flexible and helps relieve muscle tension. WOOP!  

My Goal for this year is happiness & hard work paying off!

I hope you're all with me in the challenge to kick 2015's ass and make 2016 a beautiful year, no matter what it throws at us. Insert bicep & lady with sassy arm up emoji's.

What are you're goals for 2016?
How're you going to make this a year you're proud of?
Let me know of any other Yoga channels you can recommend?
Let me know in the comments.

That's all for now beauties. 


Mucho Love,

Liv