Having had a massive make-up clear out recently, my heavy-handedness with the chucking-out left me with no red lipsticks. So, as a little graduation present to myself, I indulged in a shiny, luxurious MAC lipstick...which left me incredibly underwhelmed (you can read the full post here). Feeling a tad spontaneous on my lunch-break one day, I ventured into Churchill Square and stumbled into the newly opened KIKO store. After trying a couple of shades, I left the store with this gorgeous trio, and you know what? The colours, packaging and quality all surpass the infamous bloggers' favourite, MAC.
As soon as I found myself by the lipsticks, I was immediately drawn to their Mat Satin range. I mean, just look at that packaging- I think it speaks for itself! The range of colours is fantastic and all scream opulence; from the Hollywood reds to the classic nudes, all encased in an extravagant bullet which is accessed by pushing down on the top of the outer casing. It is something you would be proud to show off everywhere and would sit beautifully on any dressing table; as soon as I returned to work, I couldn't wait to show all my colleagues! The actual lipstick is extremely pigmented and is so comfortable to wear (I have the classic red shade, 607). I usually struggle with mattes, finding they awkwardly crumble and dry out my lips, but this (clue's in the name) has a gorgeous satin texture which seems to gently nourish whilst coating your lips with a hug of elegant colour.
To finish the red-lipped look off, I bought the Smart Lip Pencil in Classic Red just out of necessity for £1.20....BARGAIN! Much like its bullet counterpart, the colour is astounding, the pencil is soft enough to not feel scratchy and blend easily but hard enough to create a sharp, solid line to prevent that colour bleeding. What's more, there are a whopping 16 colours to choose from, so you can really get that perfect colour match. Did I mention it was only £1.20?....
The last thing I picked up on a whim was this Glassy Lipgloss which was down to £3.90 in the sale, but doesn't appear to be online anymore. While this doesn't have the same WOW-factor as the Mat Satin lipstick, it's a truly wonderful everyday lipgloss that doesn't have that awful sticky texture (if anything, it's a bit on the thin side). I absolutely love the applicator on this; the flat shape makes the gloss so easy to apply. This was a great little bargain, and something I'm going to get a lot of wear out of- especially as I turn to more natural make-up throughout the summer.
KIKO have some really fantastic products to offer; you do need to have a little search around as there are some which fall a little flat, but when you find a gem, it really is a gem. There are oodles of magnificent products in the 70% off sale at the moment...something you don't really find with many make-up brands. My colleague has been buying KIKO make-up for many years now and absolutely swears by it, so it's fab to see such a well-known and renowned brand make it to Brighton. I still can't get over how stunning the Mat Satin lipstick is, and it only costs £6.90! I'm off to spend some more money in the aforementioned sale.... MAC who?!
What are your favourite bits and pieces from KIKO? Have you tried any of their lip products?
I haven't loved any of their lip products when I've gone to look. Mainly because of all the glossy things I suppose. But I might be into this one! I loooove a lot of their stuff though. I found a dupe for my fave foundation (MAC Studio Fix Powder stuff) but for half price so thaaaaank you Kiko Gods!
ReplyDeleteAisling | aisybee.
Their mattes are definitely worth checking out! I haven't looked at their foundation yet...that'll be my next task! Xx
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