BeautyBay Haul

I’ve enjoyed BeautyBay for quite a few years now. It’s great for those luxury beauty brands that you as readily available from your local retailers with an added bonus of free delivery.

I’m almost out of my ALL time fave, holy grail skincare product, Alpha H Liquid Gold. I've been using this little 'facial in a bottle' for years. Fantastic for any uneven skin tone or scarring, blemishes or signs of ageing. This stuff is strong sh*t and I only use it twice a week tops. I personally use it as an intensive overnight treatment, by sweeping a small amount on a cotton pad across freshly cleansed skin and just leaving it solo to do it's work (no moisturisers, serums etc after application). 

The next morning my skin looks clearer, more radiant and plumped. I always use it before an occasion/big event or if my skin is looking tired and dull. It contains liquorice extract to purify and boost vibrancy, the glycolic acid is great for anti-ageing and silk proteins tighten and firm the skin. It stings a little when you first apply it (too harsh to use on the daily) and I can't help but find that incredibly satisfying.

Obviously, one couldn’t resist adding a couple other gems into the basket…

I’ve been loving the Makeup Geek eyeshadows this year and had to try the new contour pan’s to add to my Z-Palette. I got the shade ‘BreakUp’ and it’s the perfect cool toned shade for me. It’s buttery soft and super pigmented, just like the eyeshadows. For the £7.95 price tag, it’s up there with the £35 Kevyn Aucoin Sclupting Powder. I also picked up the Full SpectrumEyeliner from Makeup Geek in black, again incredible opaque colour pay off and super soft on the delicate eye area. Really impressed.

I keep hearing all the YouTube gurus talk about Morphe brushes. I’ve been reaching for my Zoeva brushes of recent but fancied giving these a go (ps.on the subject of Zoeva, I NEED to get my mits on the Cocoa Blend palette!). So far I’m really enjoying them! The quality looks and feels like my higher end brushes, but these won’t break the bank. I picked up the M335 Chubby Blending Buffer brush for concealer (works a treat under the eyes), the M528 Pointed Contour brush for cheekbone contour and the M438 Pointed Contour brush (thinner than the M528, amazing for delicately setting under eyes with powder). I’l be interested to see if they wash up well, so far I haven’t experienced any shedding.

They also threw in a sample of the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser which I have been wanting to give a go. I’m currently using a Detol soap bar (it’s antibacterial and it works!) but I’ve heard great things about the original Beauty Blender cleanser.

http://www.beautybay.com

Kiko Haul

What I love about a trip to Kiko, is that feeling of leaving with a bag of goodies without the guilt that I’ve possibly bankrupt myself. The general layout of the store, the colours, the range of product - It’s always an enjoyable experience that I seem to leave covered in glittery swatches. Unfortunately, my nearest Kiko is about an hour away, but last week we popped to Lakeside and I picked up a few new bits to add to the collection.

I picked up two of the High Pigment Wet And Dry Eyeshadows in 17 (gold) and 03 (neutral), one of highly raved about Water Eyeshadows in 208, another Precision Eyebrow Pencil in 04 and a Full Coverage Concealer in 02.

Kiko’s packaging has a sturdy, black matte finish - very similar to Nars, but a fraction of the price with that same high quality look and feel. I’ve always enjoyed Kiko eyeshadows, but never tried any of the ‘Use wet or dry’ lines. The basic idea being that you can use them dry for a more subtle finish or wet for a more vibrant, intense colour pay off. I was ideally after a new gold eyeshadow and decided to try one from each range to compare.

I went in store with the intention to pick up this Water Eyeshadow anyway, in the shade 208. I’ve read it’s a cracking dupe for MAC’s sell out ‘Wisper Of Gilt’ that I never got the chance to get my paws on. The design itself is just beaaaautiful to look at, almost too pretty to start dipping into! Even dry, these eyeshadows are rich, silky and VERY highly pigmented. With 26 shades available and at £8.90 a pan, I’m seriously impressed. I can't wait to give this a go, not just for a warm smokey eye look but also as a highlight.

I also wanted to try the other wet and dry line available, so I picked up a more subtle gold shade (far left - 17) and also a shade close to my own skin tone (far right - 03). I seem to get through these quite quickly as a base for any neutral smokey eye. Not as fancy to look at as the water shadows but equally blendable and silky smooth at just £6.90 a pop.

Top – High Pigment Wet And Dry Eyeshadow (17). Bottom – Water Eyeshadow (208). These are both swatched dry! That 208 though... Jheezz.

I picked up another Precision Eyebrow Pencil in 04, I have got through a few of these now. Nothing ground breaking but I like how thin the pencil is, making it really easy to create natural and fine, hair like strokes. I also added another concealer to my ever growing collection...

As the name states, this bad boy is full coverage! I would not advise using this ANYWHERE near the eyes and just keep this one for any pesky breakouts, redness or scarring. I always recommend applying heavy duty product like this very sparingly with a warm finger, using a light dabbing motion. You can create a really natural but full cover finish this way. The consistency is surprisingly creamy and would probably even suit a dry skin. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not calling for a breakout right now but I’m looking forward to giving this a go. Available in 8 shades and is priced at £7.50.

What are your favourite Kiko products that I should try next?