Hello! I love trying Korean beauty products in general since they are effective and fun at the same time. I have not really tried too many lip products from the K beauty world and was pleasantly surprised with the Holika Holika Velvet lip pencil.
The packaging is real cute (as most Korean makeup is) with the polka dots reflecting the color of the actual product. The pencil is twist up (yay!) and for being less than 5 $ that’s impressive. I picked this up a while ago from the K beauty site called Cosmetic Love. Ulta has now started carrying this online which is awesome!
Holika Holika Holi Pop Velvet Lip pencil
I picked this up in the shade CR04 as per the sticker on the side. It is a nice coral color perfect for summer time in particular. Ulta is offering 6 shades in total.
Shade CR04
This immediately reminded me of the NARS Velvet matte lip pencil. The formula is not the same for sure but quite close. I found the NARS Velvet lip pencil to be a bit more moisturizing. However, I think this is still pretty good especially considering the price difference. Holika Holika also wins an extra gold star for being a twist up pencil 🙂 The application is quite smooth and I found it to last very well too. When it does wear off, it wears off in a uniform fashion leaving behind a faint tint which is okay.
Swatch of the Holika Holika Holi Pop velvet lip pencil in CR04
Overall, this a is a fun product and I really like the shade. Now that they are available at Ulta albeit at a slightly higher price than online K beauty stores, I might pick up a few more shades.
Have you tried the Holika Holika Holi Pop Velvet lip pencils?
Hello! I always like to check out the Kiko Milano website every now and then to see what their latest limited edition releases are. I think they do a good job with the packaging for many of their limited releases. The Sicilian Notes range is no exception. The 2 eyeshadow palettes in this range immediately caught my attention! The layout of the shadows is gorgeous and the outer packaging looked super elegant too!
Sicilian Notes Maxi Eyeshadow Palette
The outer box is so pretty too with the lemons! The palette is made in Italy. They had 2 versions of this palette and I decided to go with the more neutral of the two called the Valley of the Temples. I picked this palette up during a trip to their NY store but recently I saw that this is available at Ulta too.
Kiko Milano Sicilian Notes Valley of the Temples eyeshadow palette
Now you know why I fell for this one! The layout is super gorgeous! There are 10 shades total, out of which 5 are matte, 1 is almost matte but with small micro glitters and the rest are shimmers. These shadows are very soft in intensity. I really like the mattes in this palette, they are easy to blend and pigmented. The shimmers are okay except for the gold shade which was a big disappointment. I found it a bit sheer and the fallout is insane. I had so much glitter under my eyes the day I wore that shade even though I always use a primer.
Swatches of the Sicilian Notes Valley of the Temples eyeshadow palette
The shades are swatched with a brush clock wise (from the wrist up) starting with the matte pinky beige shade. The gold shade is not very intense in the swatch either. Another issue I have with this palette is the hard pan that instantly formed upon contact with my brush. It happened with almost all the shades but is most obvious with the darker matte shades.
Overall it is a decent palette which can give you good everyday looks. I am not a fan of the hard pan that has formed from touching it with a clean brush. For 25$ I am not sure if I would pick up the other variation that they have. I would wait for an offer to grab this one!
Have you tried this palette or any of the other products in the Sicilian Notes range?
How often do you buy makeup and then forget to open it or just sit and admire it but never use it? I am guilty of the second misdemeanor, and this blush from Gosh Cosmetics was one of my victims. I picked this up when I went on holiday to Europe many moons ago, and it just sat there in my drawer and I always picked it up and admired it but never got around to using it. Thankfully that changed! The last 6 months I have used this quite often and I absolutely love it!
Gosh Cosmetics Blush in Pink Pie
Excuse the scruffy lid in the picture. The security label left a pretty sticky mess on the lid which just refuses to come off. Gosh cosmetics, is a Denmark based cosmetics brand and I think they are available in Canada but not the US to the best of my knowledge. I have heard good things about the brand so decided to try their blush out when I saw their products in Europe. I must have paid around 10 Euros or something for this blush, which isn’t too bad.
The 4 quadrants
The packaging is quite sturdy and perfect for travel. The first quadrant is the lilac shade which is matte followed by the lovely warm pink shade which is also a matte. The next shade is the orange/coral shade which has some gold shimmer bits in it and the last quadrant is a matte rosy brown shade. Each quadrant is big enough to fit a standard size blush brush so you can use these shades individually. However, I love to use this all swirled together. It looks very healthy on the skin. It gives the perfect sheen on the cheeks without highlighting pores and it lasts all day. I love the natural flush it gives my cheeks.
Swatches of the quadrants: 1. Matte liliac shade, 2. Matte Pink shade, 3. Orange/coral shade with glitter, 4. Matte rosy brown shade
Overall, I am very impressed with the blush. I would love to try more products from the brand. Have you tried Gosh Cosmetics products? What are your favorites from the brand?
Hello! These days I find myself drawn to the makeup aisles at T.J Maxx. They seem to have a lot more makeup from well known brands these days. I have found everything from Becca, Estee Lauder, Kevin Aucoin to K beauty stuff there. I recently found the PUR Cosmetics midnight masquerade palette at T.J Maxx and decided to give it a whirl since I have not tried anything from the brand till now.
PUR Midnight Masquerade palette
The palette comes with 4 face products on one side and 6 eyeshadows and a tiny strip mirror on the other side. Overall it is quite compact and I like the layout. This palette smells like delicious buttercream frosting by the way! It is quite mild but it makes me hungry every time I open it.
The face products
The face products consist of 2 blushes, a bronzer and a highlighter. I like the lace patterns on these although they will eventually fade away with use. I feel these work best if you have a deeper skin tone. On my medium skintone I can just about carry off these products. I have to use a fluffy blush brush and be extremely careful since these are quite pigmented. The bronzer is shimmery and I might mostly use this as eyeshadow since its too bronzy on my skin. The highlighter gives a really nice subtle glow to the cheeks and I love it. It is almost my skintone so it meshes well to give a natural glow.
Brush Swatches of the face products
The set of eyeshadows on the other side of the palette are equally impressive. They are very pigmented and I love all the shades included. My favorite is the shade Mash Off which is a lovely green gold.
The eyeshadows
The swatches below are with a brush and a single swipe. Quite impressive I think!
Brush swatches of the eyeshadows
Overall, I really like this palette. The palette is made in China which I didn’t actually expect and noticed only after purchase. However, so far I do not have any skin reactions or issues with the palette so all is good in that department. The price tag I got this for at T.J Maxx makes this an amazing steal since the products perform so well. If you do find it at your local T.J Maxx give it a shot especially if the colors appeal to you!
Hello! It’s been a while since I last set foot into blogging territory and social media in general! After a nice long break I am back to talk about one of my favorite recent purchases. I absolutely love the Too Faced Tickled Peach palette. I took it with me on vacation and it was a powerhouse palette 🙂
Too Faced Tickled Peach Mini Palette
As with everything in the Too Faced Peach collection, this palette also has that heavenly scent. I actually found it quite over powering the first time I opened the palette but the intensity has considerably subsided with time. The color scheme in this palette is totally up my alley. I am always drawn to plummy warm toned palettes and this one has the perfect shades!
The shades are gorgeous!!
As you can see, it is a pretty well rounded palette. It has the nice matte brown transition shade, a deeper matte brown for your outer V and a nice matte brow bone shade. The metallic/ shimmer shades are all gorgeous. This perfect mix of shades makes it an awesome travel palette. There are so many variations you can come up with this palette so you won’t get bored if you take this along with you on vacation! The sleekness and the nice big mirror is a bonus.
Now, the best part! Each and every shade in this palette performs beautifully. The shadows are smooth and silky and last all day. This palette is totally worth the 26$ price tag! The swatches below are without a primer and using a brush. Look at all those beautiful shades 😀
Swatches of the Too Faced Tickled Peach Palette
Overall, this is a lovely palette to have in your makeup collection especially if you are drawn these kind of shades. I just wish Too Faced would tone down the scent of stuff in their peach line..although it smells nice after a point it can be a bit over powering!
Last week, I had posted an interview with the mother daughter duo behind the brand 42 Dubonnet. If you did not get a chance to read it,you can catch up HERE. The brand brings you the mystery and allure from the 1920’s in the form of petite makeup products which you can easily slip into your purse 🙂 The packaging is inspired by the art deco style from the 1920’s and look stunning. It is no wonder they have won a couple of awards for their unique packaging!!
42 Dubonnet packaging 🙂
I am a sucker for packaging and it is a double win in my book when the products perform well too! 42 Dubonnet very kindly sent me 4 of their products to try and I really loved using them. I got a chance to try their Fringe Mascara, Sultry eye gel liner, Lip gloss in the shade La La Lola and the kissable lipstick in Dubonnet.
Let’s start with their eye products. I absolutely loved their mascara! If you are looking for nice fluttery lashes then this one is for you 🙂 The mascara comes with a natural bristle brush and I did not notice any clumping or spidery -ness. I usually go over my lashes 3 times and sometimes even 4 and there was no clumping even then. So yay! It stays put all day- no smudging, no flaking. It holds a curl and my lashes look thick and fluttery, in other words this mascara is perfect!
42 Dubonnet Sultry eyes gel liner and Fringe mascara
I am not a pot gel liner person (always liked felt/brush pens ) so this was the first time in years I am trying a pot gel liner. Guess what..I really like it! It is a nice jet black color and stays put all day. Again like the mascara, there was no smudging at the end of the day and the black was as intense as it was when freshly applied, even after 8 hours of wear.
The lip products were both love at first sight for me or rather love at first wear! The kissable lipstick in the shade Dubonnet is a beautiful warm red and the formula is incredibly smooth and creamy although it is matte. It feels light weight on the lips and is very pigmented. Overall, I love the shade, the texture and it does not dry my lips so I might pick up some of the other shades they offer 🙂
42 Dubonnet Irresistible Kissable Lipstick in Dubonnet and the lip gloss in La La Lola
The lip gloss in La La Lola ( love the name) is a beautiful deep purple shade with fine golden shimmers. This looks stunning on the lips on its own and feels very comfy. I did not find it to be too sticky and actually enjoyed pairing it with the lipstick ..it gave the lipstick a different depth of color! Unlike most lip glosses, this one comes with a brush instead of the doe foot applicator. I feel like you get a better controlled application with the brush.
Swatches of the lipgloss La La Lola (top) and the lipstick in Dubonnet (bottom)
I love that the products are all made in the USA and cruelty free. Overall, the brand has some beautiful high quality products and if you would like to see what else they offer do check their website. My favorite out of these 4 products would be the mascara and the lipstick 🙂 I am looking forward to the new lipstick shades they plan to release soon and would love to try their eyeshadows too 🙂
Have you tried 42 Dubonnet products? If so, what are your favorites?
Hope you’ll are having a great week!
Until next time,ciao!!
*PR Sample. Opinions expressed here are my own. (no affiliate links)
Sabreen Cosmetics is a cruelty free and vegan brand started by three sisters to honor their aunt who lost her battle with cancer. Read more about their brand story in the interview I posted a few days back! Today I’d like to share with you 2 shades from their liquid matte enhancer lipstick line.
Sabreen Cosmetics Liquid Matte Enhancers in Najiyyah (top) and Laila (bottom)
I love the packaging of these! The black box with flowers and gold detailing is a nice touch 🙂 The actual tube also looks pretty with the pink and gold top.
They offer 12 shades on their website, all of them look intense, pigmentation wise and they are some unique colors. The 2 shades they kindly sent me are Najiyyah and Laila. Both these shades are totally out of my usual comfort zone but it was so much fun testing these out! The shade Najiyyah is a dark red brown which looks awesome for a night out and is my favorite out of the two. Laila is bright neon pink on my lips and I think I might wear this on its own in the summer! I also enjoyed mixing the 2 shades.
Laila and Najiyyah swatched
From the swatches above you can see they mean business when it comes to pigmentation! On the lips, a single swipe is all you need for rich color. They dry down to a perfect matte budge proof layer within a minute after application.
I have dry lips and these don’t flake off or make my lips look like a dried prune 😀 I use a lip balm prior to using any lip product and this does not alter the formula of these guys. I am also impressed with the longevity of the matte enhancers. They stayed on quite well even after a meal..no weird flaking or bleeding.
Overall, these are quite comfortable to use and the pigmentation is amazing! Check out their website to see their other shade offerings!
Until next time,ciao!!
*PR Sample. Opinions expressed here are my own. (no affiliate links)
