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.

Unlimited Stylelo

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
 ♥

H&M Haul: Beauty Edition

About 6 months ago the beloved H&M launched their first 500+ beauty and skin care range.
Consisting of all of your makeup bag essentials such a lippy, eyeliner, eyeshadows, brushes and the makeup bag itself! We saw the skin and hair care lines launch with beautiful minimalist packaging headlining products such as, dry shampoos and texture sprays. Alongside this an array of body lotions and potions to meet your every need. Last but certainly not least they introduced an extensive nail polish collection, with a wall of nail varnishes I could only dream about- colour coordinated perfection.

So, with the above in mind I would be crazy not to snap up a few pieces!
So far I've got 3 Colour Essence eye pencils , 1 perfume, (since photographing the products) 6 nail varnishes, 1 blush and an Iphone case...which I am well aware is completely off topic but loooook- it's so pretty and it's made with real pressed flowers!!!

Colour Essence Eye Pencils:

I've got 3 lovely colours, Raw Umber (brown), Come in Third (copper) and Wildlife (earthy green). 

These eyeliners are highly pigmented and have a shimmer through them. These can be used as eyeliner, a wash of colour over the lid or even swiped through the wet line. Their consistency is super creamy and butter-like but they set quickly so you've got to be fast with your application- especially if you're wanting to blend them out. I've loved using them in the wet line and smudged out to a soft focus through the lower lash line to add a flash of colour and depth to my eye look.

Nail Varnishes:

I bloomin' love H&M nail varnishes! Since taking these snaps as I said my collection had grown (this is the trouble with working in the city and having the ease to walk to any shop on my lunch break, its great but my purse sometimes tells me off for it). I have Olive Twist, the colour I am wearing in the above pictures, Beach Bunny, Copper Penny and Glitter.
So I got the glitter just before christmas and I pretty much wore it for the whole of December and January! It's a holographic glitter so even though its main colouring is gold the holographic pigments in it give it a disco ball/pearlescent effect and I had so many compliments when wearing! The copper is a metallic polish which means it applies with ease, 1 coat will totally surfice and it dries so much quicker, so if you need a quick lunch break fix up this style of polish should be your pick. The final colour Beach Babe is a beautiful pinky-coral colour it's spring summer all over which is why I brought it a few weeks ago to wear to a wedding this weekend.

Mandarin Gold Eau De Toilette- Limited Edition:
Okay, so I'm not going to go into great depth with this perfume as when I bought it I didn't realise I was buying a limited edition product and I always get frustrated when bloggers rave over limited editions products because if they're as good as they say they are they're not going to be sitting on the shelves for long! This is a lovely scent and I can honestly say it's different to anything I've ever smelt previously. Its very rich so you literally only need a light spritz. Fortunately, they do have lots of other lovely scents and they are the perfect handbag size a great price thats easy on your purse!

Powder Blush- Golden Peach:

These blushes pack a punch! They are pretty pigmented so you really don't need to load your brush with much to get the desired effect. This particular colour has gold flecks through it so it is basically a 2 in 1 as it acts as a highlight as well. I really like the packaging of this product, not necessarily the quality of the packaging as none of this makeup is pricey so I wouldn't expect anything to blow me away. However I  love the geometric shape of the packaging and the detail of the gold edging just adds a little bit of something to the overall look. These blushes come in a range of 16 colours so there is something for every skintone, next on my wish list is the colours Rosy Brown or Apricot as I think they'll add the perfect more bronzy tone to a summer makeup look. 

That brings me to the end of my haul and so far so good H&M, round of applause!

*Clapping hands emoji*

Have you got anything from H&M beauty I'm yet to try?

Any recommendations or keep clears?

Let me know in the comments below or catch up with me on Instagram.

That's all for now beauties,

Thanks for reading!

Mucho love,

Liv

♥

5 Lipsticks to take you into Spring

5 Lipsticks to take you into Spring 

Spring had 100% sprung in this last week and boy am I please about it! Less layers, lighter evening and new lipstick loves!
Here's a breakdown of 5 lipsticks to take you into Spring and get you ready for summer:

1) Estee Lauder, pure color in Fuchsia Fever , This lipstick is b-e-a-utiful, so wearable and even though I would say it is only semi long lasting and certainly requires maintenance throughout the day, especially re-touching after meals. It still ticks the boxes for a slightly deeper bright spring look! They're a highly pigmented lipstick, which give a medium to full buildable coverage and give a saturated colour application. They are formulated with Vitamins C & E, Shea Butter and Apricot Kernel for to rich hydration. 

2) NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo, NYX has been taking the lip world by storm these last few months. They created this range of soft matte lip creams, they have a velvet finish with a creamy and extremely lightweight finish. They're also scented which was an unexpected surprise! They're so so pigmented and this colour is a bright yet deep pinky-brown that would pretty much work with every skin tone in my opinion.

3) Mac Lipstick in Vegas Volt, this is an oldie and a goodie! Vegas Volt is a beautiful bright pop of coral orange. Its the amplified creme lipstick so it's not a totally matte, it looks to have a matte finish but doesn't have the longevity of a matte finish so again it requires definite retouching. It's a classic colour and can be applied to create a flush of sheer colour or can be built up for a fully pigmented pop coral lip. (I have to mention since writing this post I've found a drugstore dupe for this lip in the form of the bourjois edition velvets in the colour Honey Mood 16)

4) NYC Butter Gloss in Merengue. So when NYX named these lip butters they couldn't have got it more right!! On the lips these feel so indulgent, they leave a sheer to medium coverage and quite literally melt on your lips! This is quite a light maybe even a slightly barbie pink, but I like to wear it as a very sheer wash of colour. The Butter Gloss range has 12 shades and they're all beautiful.

5) Bourjois Rouge Velvet Edition in Peach Club...so if you're a regular reader here you'll already know I'm a huge fan of the rouge velvet edition lipsticks. They are so in budget at £8.99 and they are so long lasting, this colour is a bright peach, it's highly pigmented and only needs minimal maintenance. It seems they're constantly extending there colour range too, they've got a huge selection of bold pinks, reds and deep plums. Alongside a various combinations of nudes for most skin tones and as shown here a few coraly pops of peachy beachy loveliness!

Swatches from top to bottom, Vegas Volt, Fuchsia Fever, Peach Club, San Paulo & Merengue. 

The rings I am wearing in the above snap were sent to me by the lovely Smashglam team, simple gold collection of rings some midi some normal. They're not the highest of quality but they aren't hugely pricey so you get what you pay for but for statement jewellery which is fashion forward they are the perfect pick. Check out Smashglam on insta here. They do a mixture of accessories including handbags, necklaces and earrings of which I have a few and you'll catch me wearing them on insta here. 

I couldn't not add a little snap of Blu, she was chilling out while I was taking these pictures and she just looked so cuteee!

Have you got any recommendations for the perfect spring lip?

Let me know in the comments or on insta I'm always on the lookout for buys?!

That's all for now beauties,

Thanks for reading!

Mucho Love,

Liv

♥

Mac: Burgundy Times Nine

Mac Burgundy Times Nine

How yummy is this eyeshadow pallet? For months now I've not been able to get enough of these burgundy, copper and brown nude tones whether that be on my eyes or lips. There is no two ways about it, this pallet is a firm favourite in my collection and it's here to stay or until I hit pan.

I can't help but admit that I've caught the Kylie Jenner bug and I will not apoligse for passing it on. 

This pallet is the perfect addition to my collection and I don't quite have anything like it. Of course I have lots of lovely nude pallets with a burgundy or mauve option but this is more of a semi-nude pallet. 

Image from Mac online (ps. there new website layout is heavenly)

You can create countless combinations of beautiful looks with this palette but the difference is, there is something more unique about the shades on offer. Whether you use Star Violet to add a pop of colour, or a dash of honey lust on the inner corners as highlight. This pallet will ensure you achieve something special to every look you create.

I created this look using Antiqued across most of my lid and blended into my lower lash line, I used Honey Lust to highlight the inner corners and lined my upper lash line using embark then pulled it all together with a swipe of brown pencil liner in the wetline and lashings of mascara. 

Simple, daytime smokey and eye-catching.

Have you used this pallet? I'd love to see the looks you create with it, tag me in your comments so I can find you on Instagram or twitter. 

Can you recommend any other pallets i'm missing out on? 

I'd love to hear your recommendations!

That's all for now beauties, 

Thanks for reading! 

Mucho Love,

Liv

♥

Spring: Outfit of the Day

Sunday March 20th marked the first day of spring.

Unfortunately it wasn't so spring like here in Norwich, nevertheless Mr J and I had already been out on what was a more spring-like day prior.
We took the opportunity to go for a little stroll down to the Plantation Gardens in Norwich to soak up some rays. While we were there it seemed only fair to take a few snaps for the first spring outfit of the day.

Jacket-  H&M

Trainers - Adidas Gazelle's

Shirt - Asos

Make up:

Eyeshadow - Urban Decay Naked 1
Lip: Mac Fastplay 
Brows: Soap and Glory Brow Archery 
Bronzer: Bourjois Delice De Poudre

Blush: H&M 

Powder: Mac Mineralise

Lashes: Maybelline Colossal Waterproof 

Hat - Asos

Bag - Asos (a long time ago & the don't sell it anymore- Sorry!)

Scarf - Asos

All rings are from little jewellery stalls in Norwich or Camden. 

 Watch - Michael Kors 

I'm crossing my fingers for the return of some lovely sunshine! 

I hope the sun is shining for you this spring, hopefully this is the first of many lovely days out & many outfits of the day.

I've got to thank my lovely Mr J for taking these snaps & having the patience of a saint!

Don't forget to follow me on instagram for daily ootd's, motd's & lots of kitten and food related posts!

What have you been up to this spring?
Are you updating your spring wardrobe?

That's all for now beauties, 

Thanks for reading!

Mucho Love

Liv

♥

My Fav 5 Nude Lipsticks

January has been the month of the nude lip for me!!

I've really been loving a natural smokey golden eye and brownie-pinky nude lip so and I've come to realise I have 5 strong winners that are constantly in my handbag and never far from my lips!

These range from the likes high street Bourjois to luxury brands like Estee lauder.

1

First up on my fav's list is has been a big name in my makeup collection for at least a year and it's this Bourjois, Rouge Velvet Edition in Nude-ist, it's a lovely deep pinky nude, one of the deepest of the five but it is a very matte lip lacquer, which has real staying power. Dependent on the overall makeup look I would chose this lippy for a night out or a dinner date, purely for the ease of wear and lack of maintenance. It's a beaut, to be honest I love most of the colours from this range but this and the hot pepper shade are the two I've worn so much I've had to re-purchase which isn't a blow on the purse strings either being priced under £10 Barg! 

2

Next up on the list is this Estee Lauder dream, I got this for Christmas from Mr J. It is from the Makeup Artist Collection which is part of a perfume promotion which is currently an ongoing promotion, when you buy a specific perfume for £54 you can get £290 worth of makeup including this dreamy lip.
Also available in individually for £22 this Pure Colour Creme lipstick in Rose Tea is a very popular seller, you can see from the picture of me wearing it below it is definitely a brown toned nude. Personally I wouldn't say the name describes it well as on my lips I don't see much of a rosey pigment coming through but I can definitely see the tea aspect, cool, brownie nudes are a must have in my makeup bag and this was a welcome edition that is here to stay. 

3

This naughty Mac number is also a Christmas treat but from my ever so lovely sister. I saw Lily Pebbles wearing Mac Fast Play in her youtube video's and recommended it, so couldn't not put it on the wish list. This is reallllly similar to the Estee Lauder lip but I would say it's more pigmented and has a deeper brown untone through it. 

This the the amplified lipstick so it isn't matte but also isn't a creme or a balm, it has the coverage of a matte lipstick but unfortunately not the staying power. However on the pro side it doesn't leave your lips dry or flakey which if it was part of the matte range probably would. Finally it's bang on trend with the Kylie Jenner lip craze this is a perfect colour to add to any collection and luckily it's not constantly sold out like Velvet Teddy or Mare as Kylie hasn't said she wears it...Yet!

So get down to your nearest Mac counter and snap it up, i'm sure it won't be long until it's tagged her next insta upload.

4

On a cold day you want a nice nude lip but don't want your lips to chap in the bitter winter air this moisturising lip butter will be your makeup saviour! 

These Revlon Lip Butters are feel so luxurious and totally affordable!

This is the shade Sugar Plum, it 100% lives up to its name, it is a very plummy not sure that's a word? toned nude. I'm not sure if Revlon designed it to be a nude but as it is such a sheer coverage a few swipes creates a lovely nude. The plum pigment can be built up to create a more intense look but personally I love it as a more subtle nude and if you look back at previous posts you'll know I've been loving this range for a while. However if this shade is too 'plummy' for you then i'd also recommend the shade pink truffle it is less plum more brownie pink.

5

Last but not least is this baby beauty from Tarte in Punch, this is a mini from a lip set I also got for Christmas from a clued up beauty bestie of mine. To put this one on my list is very naughty as it is a Christmas Edition however it's nearly Identical to their full sized version called Mauve Rose.

This lipstick is the closest to my natural lip colour, it's a 'your lips but better' kinda colour. Not too pink, not too brown just naked lip colour.

I love that this is a mini, mainly because it's so freaking cute but partly because it's so easy to apply. Again this is a similar finish to the Mac lip, its not matte or a creamy consistency but a lightweight barely there feel that doesn't make your lips dry out but it doesn't provide them with a moisturising protective layer like the Revlon butters do. Nevertheless I would say it's a happy medium, it doesn't cause any lip problems like cracking but doesn't prevent them either, no complaints from me and I love the final look it gives!!

I'd love to know you're reccommendations on nude lips, I'm always expanding my collection lightening my purse.

Thats all for now beauties, 

Thank you for reading!

Much Love,

Liv
♥

***Makeup Details:My eye makeup in the above shots I used Urban Decay Naked Smog all over the lid and a copper colour from Make up Academy Iconic eyes palette blended out under the lower lash line. Rimmel brown eyeliner in the wet line and tight lined, Soap and Glory Brow Archery in Brownie Points and Estee Lauder extreme sumptuous mascara.
As a base I used L'Oreal True Match foundation in N2, Collection lasting perfection concealer in 1, Rimmel Wake me up concealer in Ivory and set with Bourjois healthy balance powder in the lighter shade.

On my cheeks used, Bourjois chocolate bronzer in 52, H&M Pure blush in golden peach and Make up Academy undress your skin as a highlight. 

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.

♥