A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I’ve only been in to a Kiko store a couple of times but when I do, I tend to do some serious damage in an effort to make-up for the fact I can’t ever just “pop in”. Truthfully, I haven’t been hugely blown away by the things I’ve bought, with the exception of a couple of matte eyeshadows, they’ve mostly been neither here nor there in terms of eliciting any major makeup-excitement.

Having said that, I am rather fond of this softly muted sage green. I’m not actually sure if it’s still available to buy… huge apologies if it isn’t. It should be, it’s lovely.

#349 (I hate numbers for names!) is a soft green in a greyed out base, it’s perfect for year-round wear and always looks beautiful when topped off with glittery tips… you can imagine how lovely gold-flakies look applied to the tips, no?

The formula is ok. It’s not completely smooth and as time’s passed, my bottle has thickened slightly. The above shows three coats but two would probably cover it if you were careful during application.

KIKO Cosmetics can be found online at kikocosmetics.co.uk

My poor, poor face.  I’m in the middle of a snot fest and I’m now understanding why I was brought up on a diet of haliborange.  Throughout the year I’m not a terribly sickly person (I was as a kid) which is just aswell because I’m the biggest wimp you could meet (probably).  I even have a ‘cold’ voice – you know that weak-sounding, more-than-slightly whiney tone that resonates through the nose more than the throat?  My poor family.  Anyway, this week’s cold has been particularly frustrating because of how beautiful it’s been outside!  The whole family have had it and thus we’ve been mostly quarantined indoors through the weekend.  I decided to make a break for it yesterday and thus needed a face of makeup to disguise my ravaged skin.  It’s so dry and dull, combined with the snot-induced nose flakes and hormonal jaw-line mega zits?  Not pretty.

I massaged my freshly-washed skin with a combination of Liz Earle SuperSkin Concentrate* and Alpha H All For Eve Age Delay Facial Oil* in an attempt to revive some life.  Kinda like a cardiac massage for the face before giving my driest spots (flakey bits) at light cover of Lucas Paw Paw Ointment (this stuff is great for disguising nose flakes).  I went with the spring-like weather and injected some colour onto my face with a bright streak of blue under my lower lashline.  This is my favourite way to wear the shade and I do it quite a lot in the Summer.  Anyway, enough talk.  Here’s my Springtime in the Sahara FOTD:

I think I could have done with a touch of highlighter but I’m otherwise looking fairly perky considering I felt like DEATH.  Like my Tammy Faye Baker eyelashes?  Tough – I do!  I never put that much on my lower lashes normally but now I’m gonna (until I get bored of it).

I’m wearing:

Skinfood Gingko Green BB Cream
Priori Perfecting Mineral Foundation (lightly buffed where I needed more coverage)*
Maybelline Pure Cover Mineral Concealer

KIKO Automatic Waterproof Eyeliner
Laura Mercier Luster Eye Colour in Marina under the lower lashline
Benefit They’re Real Mascara*
Illamasqua Eye Brow Cake in Gaze (I found it, I found it!)

Benefit Hervana Blush* (I did promise you a FOTD with this beauty)
Boots No7 Vital Brights Lipstick in Blooming Pink*

.

What do you think?  Bit too early in the year to pull out these shades?  Hope you’re well and less snotty than me!  At least the pancakes (bacon and maple syrup!) cheered me up!

* press samples

Today’s red lip is courtesy of Italian brand KIKO – I picked shade #222 Dark Red up a few weeks back and gave it a first outing the other day. I have to say, it’s not going to make it to my top twenty. Colour-wise, I love it but the texture is uncomfortable to wear, it feels cheap and it smells cheap. Just aswell it is cheap I guess?

I know that people laugh at paying good money for lipstick… essentially wax in a stick but wearing this has reinforced my appreciation for creamier, better-quality formulas. Having said that, I do still like the shade a lot… I’m just not sure whether I’ll be reaching for it too often.

KIKO Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in #222 is priced at £5.90 (currently £3.00) and available from their store in Westfield Stratford or online.

A few weeks ago, I headed to the KIKO store in Westfield Stratford and picked up a few things that I couldn’t resist.

I haven’t had time to form any real opinions on the products that I purchased yet but I thought I’d share my purchases and a few swatches.

Nail polishes!  Most of these were in the sale section, reduced down to around £1.50 a-piece but I couldn’t resist the white (with a funky skinny brush for tips), and the cornflower blue – both of which were full price at £3.90 each.

I know, not the most exciting of shades but when I’m trying out a new brand, I like to buy the things that I know I can compare with simillar products from other brands.  I wear these shades daily and know what I expect from them with a certain degree of clarity.  Plus, they’re gorgeous right?

‘Cos I don’t have enough red lipsticks.  Obviously.

I’m a sucker for a liquid eyeliner… especially in pen form like this.  I think this one was in the reduced section and on initial inspection, it looks good!

Some swatches of all of the above – see how pigmented that black liner is?!

Have you bought any KIKO bits and pieces yet?  What do you think so far?