Showing posts with label Kylie Cosmetics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kylie Cosmetics. Show all posts
1/06/2017
Beauty Loves of 2016
Last year truth be told I fell out of love a bit with beauty blogging. For many reasons. Rather than take things to a sour level, I want to share with you my favourite beauty products of 2016. This is by no means a comprehensive list but these are all ones that sprang to mind when I was thinking about this post. In fact I am sure I will have left some off unintentionally. These products though are the best of the best and the ones I found myself in many cases repurchasing and using time and time again.
The Primer: Hangover Primer x Too Faced is still my all-time favourite face primer. Given how moisturising it feels, you'd think my combination skin would hate it but it surprisingly doesn't. It keeps my base makeup in place for so much longer and adds just the slightest hint of glow. It feels incredibly nourishing too rather than silicone-esque or greasy. Wins all 'round. I repurchased a tube of this at Mecca Maxima in Melbourne but I am so stoked it's stocked on Mecca NZ's site now too.
The Lip Duo: Koko K x Kylie Cosmetics and MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipgloss, limited edition, Kylie's lip kits certainly hit the big time this year and out of the liquid lipsticks I tried in 2016, they remain firm favourites. Koko K, inspired by Khloe Kardashian is my favourite. Paired with this beautiful, iridescent pink lipglass from MAC you have the perfect duo. The gloss adds shine and slightly tones down the matte feel of the liquid lipstick. Admittedly this duo is not windy weather friendly but for the rest of the time, it's a winner.
The Palette of Dreams: Tartelette in Bloom's palette was used on high rotation all year. In fact, out of all my powder eyeshadows, these ones are my favourite. Pigmented, vibrant and so versatile. I love the three shimmer shades inside but the mattes are all fantastic too.
The Bold Lip: Miranda May x Charlotte Tilbury mightn't be as bold to more daring makeup fans but for me, it's the shade I feel most comfortable wearing on a day to day basis. Yes it is vibrant but it is not as in your face as some of the more electric hues out there and when I want to go a touch more incognito, it's this I reach for.
The Neutral Necessity: Doe x MAC Cosmetics is part of MAC's new Liptensity lineup. It is certainly not an essential colour but I find myself using it a lot. It's one of those effortless colours and formulas that you know will last a reasonable amount of time before needing to reapply.
The Lash Enhancer: Grandiose Mascara* x Lancome has been my favourite mascara. I think I prefer the original to the newer incarnations but if there is one thing Lancome does well, it's their mascaras. Best paired with a lash curler but it's equally as curling on its own. This mascara doesn't flake or smudge like crazy which is a huge bonus in Summer+in general really. I really want to try some more of Lancome's mascaras this year so if you have any recommendations because I know they have a few, let me know.
The Base Essentials: Smashbox Primer Water* and Honey Trap Lip Balm x Lush are godsends. In fact, Lush's lip balms and scrubs are both fantastic. Anyway, Smashbox Primer Water might be luxe but my bottle is still going strong. Compared to other mists this feels a lot finer and less like it's settling on to the surface of your skin. It may be a placebo effect but I feel like it really does make makeup last a lot longer. Honey Trap lip balm is by no means an essential but I always like to prep my lips whenever I am doing makeup. It helps that it smells of vanilla and honey but as far as a lip balm goes it is pretty darn fab.
The Complexion Staple: Ambient Lighting Bronzer x Hourglass, in the shade Luminous Bronze Light has been my favourite face powder this year. It's warm but not intensely so, meaning it can be used year-round. It warms my paler skin up without looking orange and adding the slightest hint of glow, without veering into disco-ball territory. It's a bit on the pricey side of things but it's worth the money. For a cheaper alternative, I also liked the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer for something a bit friendlier on the wallet. It's just a bit on the sheerer side of things for my liking.
The Concealer: Age Rewind x Maybelline is my absolute favourite for the under-eye area. My only qualm is that it isn't sold in NZ. It's a godsend for concealing dark circles on the eyes without creasing or looking too thick. I went through a couple of these in 2016 and made sure to repurchase another as backup when I was in Australia.
The Extras: Coco Mademoiselle x Chanel, Rejuvenate Intensive Body Balm x Aesop and Beautyblender Last but not least we have these three gems. They don't quite fit into their own categories but are all equally worth mentioning. In short, Mademoiselle was easily my most-used fragrance in 2016. If I wasn't such a fan of various fragrances, it'd be quite possibly the only one I ever use. The intensive body balm from Aesop has been such a saviour for my dry, cracked hands and elbows. It helps that it smells divine, citrusy and vanilla blended in perfect harmony. The Beautyblender might just masquerade as an overpriced sponge, thus fooling us all who are susceptible to it. As far as beauty sponges go though, this really is the best. Light, bouncy and a godsend for quick makeup application. I'd be lost without it, and have been frequently. Given my inability to not lose my sponges at least once or twice a month.
-What beauty products did you love in 2016?
*PR Sample
9/05/2016
The Lipstick Diaries
I've just realised that we have a Monday-Friday lipstick wardrobe here which makes the post title all the more apt. The obsession with the youngest Jenner's cosmetics continues and there's even one or two luxe lip offerings in the mix as well. Whether you're after a statement red or a gentle introduction to the liquid lipstick world, all bases, or pouts, are covered...
The statement making red: Tom Ford beauty has recently arrived in New Zealand and I was lucky enough to be given one of their lipsticks for my birthday (shout out to you M). Everything about this lipstick screams luxury, from the sleek black and gold packaging, to the TF embossed lipstick bullet. The colour though is the real winner. I have the shade Wild Ginger, which has a MAC Lady Danger vibe to it. It's vibrant with those orange undertones but because it's a creamier formula, it's a touch less dramatic. This is such a flattering colour and it's easy to see why it's such a fan favourite.
The low-maintenance (ish) red: I've tried and tested a few different liquid lipsticks from various brands and price points but Kylie Jenner's are still my favourite. Mary Jo K is described as a "true blue red". These are the kind of reds to wear if your skintone errs on the paler side of things. Think the red lipstick Angelina Jolie wears as Maleficent. I pair this with MAC's Redd lip pencil for a bit of extra longevity but honestly these are pretty long-lasting on their own.
The gateway liquid lipstick: While the new YSL Lip Vinyls* aren't liquid lipsticks in the traditional sense of the word, I had to include them here. They're the product to go for if you want to ease into the idea of a liquid lipstick but aren't quite ready for the commitment. They have the longevity of a liquid lipstick combined with the staying power of a stain. The key difference is that they're a fraction glossier. I have the shades Rose Happening and Nude Pulse. Despite their names, they're both vibrant shades with amazing colour payoff. I love how comfortable they are to wear too. Being more on the glossier side of things they do need a touch up every now and again but because they act as a stain you can get away with not doing it too often.
The experimental metallic lip aka the one to scare everybody with at Halloween: Scare might be entirely the wrong word here, I wouldn't call this colour frightening. Maybe in broad daylight it would attract a bit of unwanted attention but it's surprisingly not too difficult to wear. I'm talking about King K of course, one of Kylie's metallic liquid lipsticks. King K is described as a soft metallic gold, it definitely pulls lighter on the lips than it does in the bullet. In saying that I've seen this worn on people with deeper skintones and it seems to suit them as well. Maybe it's one of those chameleon-esque lip products that looks different on everyone. I'll be honest, given how pale I am currently this isn't the most flattering colour on me right now and I haven't had the confidence to wear it out of the house yet. Somehow though I still really like it. I just need to find the best way to wear it. If you have any suggestions, leave them below.
-What lip products are you using and liking at the moment?
*PR Sample
6/29/2016
June Favourites
It's the end of another month which means it's time to round up the things; beauty, books and the rest that I have liked during June. There's a bit less beauty in here, mainly because I've been sticking to products I use on the regular but there are some newfound loves among this bunch. There's also a couple of reads and a film I will be obsessed with for some time yet...
Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter-After listening to Dawn over on Emma's podcast I had to track down every single thing she'd written. I started with this semi-biographical novel about two teenaged girls in nineties Britain and loved it. This book was so captivating, hilarious, heartwarming and even a bit sad. I cried, I really did. If you liked the book Submarine, I think you'd enjoy this one.
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette, limited edition-I've raved about this palette already this month so I'll spare you an elaborate explanation. It's like a one stop makeup shop and I love it for that. I took this away traveling with me and it was so convenient not having to carry around individual blushers, eyeshadows etc. I really like these colours too. They're perfect for that effortless, Alexa Chung-style makeup look I love.
Koko K x Kylie Cosmetics-Matte lipsticks have been my go-to all month, perhaps longer. Kylie's liquid lipsticks are by far one of my favourite formulas though. Non-drying, easy to apply and pretty darn long lasting. I love this colour too. It's the perfect 'my lips, but better' colour. I just wish they weren't so tricky to get hold of.
Russh Issue 70-It's been a while since I grabbed an issue of Russh. After seeing it in one of Chloe's videos I was reminded how much I used to love it. Issue #70, aka the Models Inc. issue celebrates models. Russh is the magazine to embrace and support models, both new and old it seems like a perfect pairing. As well as their usual stunning editorials, there's some brilliant articles in the mix. Also, how stunning is that cover? Swoon.
Me Before You-It would've been such a letdown for me if this film hadn't delivered. Me Before You is one of my all-time favourite books so I would've cried doubly hard if it hadn't done Jojo Moyes' book justice. Thankfully she wrote the screenplay so there wasn't much to worry about. The book translated beautifully to the screen. Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin in the leading roles of Lou and Will were amazing. Not gonna lie I also kinda wanted most of Lou's outfits #goals. It's so, so good. I'm definitely going to be watching it again before it finishes at the cinema.
Becca Ever Matte Poreless Priming Perfector-This was a free sample with a Cult Beauty/Sephora NZ order, I can't remember which and honestly I was dismissive of it. I believe my exact thoughts were 'it will be silicone-feeling and yuck'. Quite the contrary. This primer definitely feels smoothing but not matte if that makes sense. If your skin's on the drier side, this won't be hydrating enough for you but if you have combination skin you'll like this one. I am quite tempted to grab the full sized one of this at some point.
Zoeva 225 and 227 Brushes-It's taken me a while to get on the Zoeva bandwagon but if their eye brushes are any indication, this is one brand that should be on your radar. Firstly, they're beautiful. The rose-gold hardware feels chic rather than tacky. They're also super lightweight which I love-who wants a brush that feels clunky? These brushes are such good quality, they're comparable to MAC brushes and are so much cheaper. I highly recommend these if you're in the market for some new eye brushes.
-What have you been loving throughout June?
5/04/2016
Kylie Cosmetics: Tips, Tricks & The Products
An alternative name for this post could've easily been the lip products that break the Internet. I'm sure you're all familiar with Kylie Jenner and her now notoriously sought-after range of lip products, from the lip kits to the liquid metals. Ever since she launched them near the end of 2015 there's been a lot of love and enthusiasm for her products, for many reasons. It took me a while to succumb to the hype-the original three colours really didn't appeal to me. It was when she started adding more wearable neutrals to the range that I began to get interested. The hype is justified but I will let the rest of my post do the talking.
6 things you need to know:
*I have not been charged at customs for buying a lip kit. This may be because I only have ordered one at a time but as far as I know, friends who have ordered more than one have not had to pay fees. I can't speak for everywhere else overseas but just be mindful. It seems like the UK vloggers all seem to have to pay customs on them.
*If you don't want to pay for Kylie's app to keep up with the restock dates and product launches; Instagram is your best friend. The official Kylie Cosmetics handle post plenty of updates as well of course as Kylie. Her snapchat is handy for restock information too. Just stalk Kylie in a sane way.
*Another handy place for restock information including the times for different destinations around the world is this blog. This is where I checked for the times and I just converted it to New Zealand time as Australia was the closest. I think, depending on daylight savings, we are usually 2 hours ahead of Australia so just go by that if you are unsure or google the time in different cities.
*Be patient x400. #1 The website tends to go nuts when the restock happens, hit refresh like crazy. Although now I think you can just wait in a virtual queue and not have to refresh like a maniac until you get to the payment window. Have the colours you want ready in your mind so you can get them as fast as possible, without panicking. If they sell out, there's always next time. #2 Your confirmation email may not arrive fast. Mine took a couple of days (I think) but it will come. #3 Shipping times seem to vary. My kit below took just under a week (including the weekend) to arrive so I was very impressed.
*Buy from the official source! Scalpers exist and will usually try to resell them at a much higher, more extreme value. That's not always the case but I've seen people trying to sell single kits for $100 in various currencies. Crazy given they sell for $29 US, excluding shipping. This ties in with the patience thing but seriously, unless people are only selling them for a slight markup, it's not worth the extravagant pricing.
*Kylie's products are all cruelty free and almost all vegan. This is awesome! Apparently they are made in the same factory as Colourpop. I've heard the formula of her liquid lipsticks vs theirs is not the same but if you don't want to wait, you could always order some of theirs. If you type any of the colours+dupes/alternatives into Google there's a lot of handy swatch charts around too.
Now on to the kits...
First up we have Koko K, the most notoriously difficult shade to get. This is the lip kit that seems to sell out the fastest every single time they restock and I can see why. I actually bought this off Trade Me which I wouldn't normally advocate, however it was only a little bit dearer than buying direct from Kylie Cosmetics so I took the plunge. Of the two I own, this one is my favourite. It's a light, pinky-nude. Think your lips, but better. Sharpen the pitchforks all you naysayers who loathe that term. One thing to note is that these seem to apply darker to your lips than they appear in the tube. Maybe it's because I'm considerably paler than Kylie but that is something to be mindful of. Anyway, I love this colour. It's so stunning. If I remember to before this post goes up I'll post a selfie so y'all can see it in action.
Next we have Posie K, the kit I bought direct from Kylie's site. I also really love this colour. Lily Pebbles described it perfectly when she said it's similar to Syrup from MAC, just a touch darker and matte obviously. Here's a photo of me wearing it. As you can see it applies quite dark but it's still wearable enough to not feel intimidating. Posie K seems to be the kind of shade that would suit a wide variety of skintones as it does pull darker than some of Kylie's other nudes, with the exception of True Brown K. It's another beautiful colour though and I am glad I went for this originally.
As for the wear of these, they are honestly the most comfortable liquid lipsticks to wear. Not that I've tried absolutely everything and anything but of the ones I have tried, these are easily the most comfortable feeling on the lips. They dry down really fast and don't seem to flake off or wear away in a gross/obvious way. To remove them I just use this which I use with all my eye and lip makeup. As it is bi-phase it breaks down everything so easily. Price-wise, one of these kits with international shipping (14.95 US) will set you back less than a MAC lipstick and liner would which I think is pretty reasonable. Btw, when I reference MAC and pricing I'm meaning in New Zealand, where you can buy a lipstick+liner for just under $80 here. I'm seriously impressed by these. Kylie is on to a good thing here!
What do you think of Kylie's lip kits? If you have any more questions leave them below! I have tried to cover everything here but I'm sure I will have missed something out.
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