30 Lips in 30 Days - KIKO Intensely Lavish Lipstick

I'll say this from the off - if you're looking for an absolute bargain of a lip product, you need look no further than the KIKO Intensely Lavish Lipstick range. These are unbelievable, especially for the price (£6-£7). These lipsticks are packaged in a weighty, rose gold effect lipstick tube with a magnetic close and they look and feel like a high-end product.

I have the shade "05" which is a mid-tone pink-y berry shade and if I did have one complaint about this lipstick is would be that the colours are just numbered rather than named but it's a small detail. The formula is a creamy satin finish that's comfortable and the product stays for a long time and doesn't leave you with any weird lip-liner looks. All round a great product and I'm already looking into getting more shades from the range.

The Friday Review: KIKO Lash Growth Mascara

I've had this one in the working for a while but the packaging said it takes 30 days of consecutive use to work and with it being a lash growth product I thought it would be more fair to follow the directions for use. I've recently gotten quite into using KIKO products and I'm super excited to hear that they're opening a location in Manchester soon (although I will soon be penniless I can imagine), and this really intrigued me.

The packing for the product is nice, it's quite a standard size for a mascara and the metallic finish on the tube is a nice touch. You get 8ml of product and it's around £8 a tube which is a good price for mascara, considering brands like MaxFactor and L'Oreal are charging £10+ for mascaras these days.

Since it's supposed to be worn as a regular mascara I figured I'd mention how it wears. The effect on the lashes is very natural so if you're someone who likes big fluttery lashes this might be a disappointment but I used this as a base coat and often went in with a more dramatic formula on top and this gave me the look I liked whilst still being able to use the lash growth. It didn't flake or smudge on me either.

In terms of it's effectiveness as a lash growth serum, I'm not sure. I tried to take before and after photos but it's actually really hard to photograph your own lashes and I'm not at the point where I have a cameraman to help me with the blog so I don't have anything to compare but my ashes do seem to look a tiny bit longer. It's definitely not a dramatic growth and if you have short lashes to begin with (like me) you might not see much of a difference but I feel like my mascaras are sitting on my lashes better these days.

All in all, it might be a bit of a gimmicky product and I'm not sure the amount of growth I've got from the mascara made it worth the 30 days of extra effort applying my makeup. If you're really struggling with short lashes though it might be worth picking up, I suppose mascaras always work differently on different people.

My Nail Polish Collection

Whilst I've been updating my beauty storage (comment if you'd like to hear more about that?) I've been doing a lot of decluttering and I figured since I had all my nail polishes out, I might as well do a post giving you a round up of what I have.

So Firstly, Blues. I love the colour of Tanya Burr Cosmetics Nail Polish in the shade "Duvet Day" but it's just a nightmare to apply. For me it's thick but somehow still quite sheer and I haven't managed to apply this and make it look nice on the nails.

The next three are all shades that I mainly wear on my toes, KIKO Nail Lacquer "336", Misa Nail Lacquer "On The Edge" and Inglot Nail Enamel "942" are all lovely mid-tone bright blues and I love a bright blue on the toes, however I rarely wear any of these on the fingers.

Tanya Burr Cosmetics Nail Polish "New York Night" is a nice vampy purple that I'll be cracking out now that autumn is on it's way, her darker shades seem to be a much nicer texture than the lighter shades and this one looks almost black on the nails. I also think that No7's Speed Dry Nail Colour "Violetta 44" would be a nice autumn nail pick, it's slightly lighter and brighter than "New York Night", but it's still quite autumnal.

I like Topshop Nails in "Parma Violet" and this pink O.P.I Nail Lacquer which unfortunately doesn't have a shade name and was limited edition for spring. They're both nice pastels and while they take a bit of work to apply, you can get a nice finish from both.

My Favourite nail polish of all time for my fingers is the Maxfactor Nailfinity in "Disco Pink", I've very nearly finished this bottle and I'm currently on the hunt for a new bottle as it's just an amazing bright shade for summer that I just love. KIKO Nil Lacquer in "361" is also  nice bright pink but for me it doesn't compare to the Maxfactor, I think it would work for a beach-y holiday worn on both fingers and toes but so far it's not been a shade I've reached for a whole lot.

I come back to the Essie Nail Lacquer in "Bahama Mama" every year once it starts cooling down. It's a great burgundy and just can probably get away with just one coat if you were in a rush, I'd always go for two just to make sure though. A very similar shade is No7's Speed Dry Nail Colour in the shade "Queenie 60". It's that same tone of burgundy as "Bahama Mama", but instead of a creamy gloss finish, the No7 has a hint of golden shimmer running through it which gives it a more metallic finish on the nails.

I don't wear an awful lot of red on my nails (so naturally I have 3). I bought Tanya Burr Cosmetics Nail Polish in "Riding Hood" online and was expecting it be a bit darker than it actually turned out to be, It's actually quite similar to the Procco Nail Apparel in "7294 V.I.P Creme" which is my go to polish if I'm doing red. I also have a mini O.P.I Nail Lacquer which again was from a limited collection but it's not my favourite anyway.

I have three orangey/coral shades and I don't like any of them. Ted Baker Orange, LOLA Barcelona Nail Polish in "Rambla" and Wah London Nails in "384" are all amazing colour but I'm starting to think there's just something about orange-y shades that makes them horrible to apply. I'm holding onto them incase I discover a way to make them work because the colours are really something.

I love warm grey nil polish for autumn/winter and I have two. Maxfactor Nailfinity in "Boji" which was a limited edition one that I wear every now and again but my favourite is Essie Nail Lacquer in "Chinchilly". I think Essie polishes are generally a nice formula and "Chinchilly" is a great goes-with-everything shade.

I've already mentioned Butter London's 3 Free Nail Lacquer in "Knackered" on here and it's really something. It takes about 3/4 coats to get it to a nice opacity but it's worth the little bit of effort. It's a really unique colour, a green/pink dual chrome colour that give's that almost oil slick finish to the nails and it looks great with an all black outfit and my Whistles Small Clutch in "Oil Slick".

I'm a sucker for a good glitter topcoat and I have three. The NYC Long Wearing Nail Enamel in "105 Starry Silver Glitter" was the first one I picked up and it's like a slightly multi-coloured version of Topshop Nails in "Ice Crush" which is my favourite glitter top coat. I also have the O.P.I Nail Lacquer in "Silver Shatter" which is one of those crackle-finish nail polishes but this is a metallic shimmery silver one.

A couple of metallic nail polishes that I like are the No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in "Night Silver 92" and Topshop Nails "Crystal Clouds" and I like both of these year long. The No7 is a little bit more autumn/winter but I love it and the Topshop is a polish I'd happily wear year round.

And finally, a topcoat and a nail care product. I rarely use a topcoat but when I do I use the O.P.I Rapidry Top Coat, it's nice and shiny and helps your polish last longer. Normally I just go in with the Orly Colour Care Nail Strong which is a shiny clear nail polish that can be used alone or under/over other polishes and helps strengthen your nails. I have problems with flaking on my nails and I find that this helps a lot.

A Thing For Eyeshadow Sticks

I've loved eyeshadow sticks since the days of MAC Shade Sticks and while my original cream shadow stick is long gone it's nice to see that the format is coming back and other brands are releasing their own take on this convenient, multi-purpose product. In this post I'm going to have a look at some of the highs and lows of what's on the market at the moment.

So lets just get the most disappointing pick out of the way shall we? I'd heard lots of great things about New Look's recent beauty launch and some of the face products I've tried have been lovely, but their Pure Colour Eyeshadow Sticks didn't hit the mark for me. The colour is so sheer that I can't imagine anyone would be satisfied with the colour pay-off enough to leave it as it is and i just needs to be topped with a powder shadow. With that in mind it's been really ard to test the actual lasting power of the product, because really it doesn't manage to last through the blending process, never mind the day.

I had a very similar issue with the NYC City Proof 24hr Waterproof Eyeshadow. I couldn't really test the lasting power or the waterproof claims of this products because it's so sheer that for me it's an eyeshadow base rather than an actual eyeshadow. This product also has the disadvantage of having the worst packaging for an eyeshadow stick, the lid isn't secure at all and will 100% fall off if you tried to travel with it.

The No7 Stay Perfect Shade And Define eyeshadow sticks are a little better. A decent colour selection and the colours show up nicely on the eye but these one's struggle with wear time. If you're out for a couple of hours this might be an option for you but it does crease even when set with a powder shadow after a relatively short amount of time.

Things are starting to look up with the Bourjois ColourBand Eyeshadow & Liner. These are actualy really nice, creamy to apply, nice pigmentation and wears well on the lids. The only problem I have with these is the shade selection is quite small. They do have classic black, brown and champagne colours as well as a few wearable brights but the colours are generally a bit shimmery and they could do with expanding the range a bit more to include some more unique colours.

A comparable product to the Bourjois is the Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleons. These are great eyeshadow sticks that are pigmented, easy to apply and last well on the eyes. The thing that sets the Colour Chameleons apart for me is the shades, I have the shade "Golden Quarts for Hazel Eyes Day" and it's so unusual. I'd pitch the shade as a rusty gold with green-ish undertones and it has flecks of golden glitter and it was just love at first swatch. They also have an amazing green and a gorgeous smokey purple that I may have to pick up in the future. At £19 each they're a treat but hey aren't too crazy for what they are.

If you're looking to really treat yourself and are looking for an eyeshadow stick, you don't have to look any further than the By Terry Ombre Blackstars. They've been mentioned on the blog before and whilst they are unbelievably pricey for an eyeshadow pencil, they are also really nice. The shade selection for these is so on point, there doesn't seem to be a single colour that doesn't look pretty and they're so unique that I can just about justify spending the money on them.

However my top eyeshadow pencil pick is the KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadows. They're pigmented, long-lasting, easy to apply AND they're £6.90 a piece. So you can pick up 4 of these for the same price as just one of the By Terry and they're so comparable. Last month in my "Highstreet VS Highend" post (clicky link here) I mentioned KIKO's "05" being a pretty perfect dupe for By Terry's "Misty Rock" and with 31 shades in the collection, I can imagine they'll be something for everyone.

The Skint-tember Finale - Highstreet VS Highend (Drugstore Dupes/Alternatives)

We couldn't end Skint-tember without looking for some high-street alternatives to higher end products and I've had a good rummage through my collection over the last few days to pick out some that I think are great.

I'll get this one out of the way because I have already mentioned it this month but I thought I'd touch back on it in case you missed my original post: if you still have took the plunge and picked up the Urban Decay Naked Palette and the price is putting you off, you might want to give the Revolution Redemption Iconic 1 Palette a go. The original post include side-by-side swatches so you can see how close they come and it's a steal at just £4 compared to the Urban Decay's £36.

My First ever MAC Lipstick was their "Lady Danger" which is a great matte orangey red. The dupe I've found for it is the Maybelline Colour Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in the shade "Fab Orange". While I would say that the Maybelline is a teeny bit darker and slightly less orange-y toned than Lady Danger, on the lips you wouldn't be able to tell that it's two different lipsticks. Additionally, I find the pencil application method of the Mabelline makes it easier to get a smooth lip line without having to use a lip line.

I love Estée Lauder Colour Envy Lipsticks and the shade "Tumultuous Pink" is a particularly nice, bright pink shade. In the picture I'm wearing "Tumultuous Pink" on the bottom lip and on the top lip I'm wearing NYC Expert Last Lip Colour in "404 - Air Kiss" and, again, they're practically identical. If we're being picky the Estée Lauder is a tiny bit more blue in undertone and obviously has a better wear time but the NYC is much more of an affordable option at a mere £1.99.

I've been a fan of the Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliners for years and last year I picked up the Christmas set that included the shade "Faint", it's a lovely light brown that offers a subtle definition that I really like on the lower lash line especially. Side by side against the Rimmel Scandleyes Eyeliner in "004 Taupe", you can hardly tell a difference. "Faint" is a tiny bit warmer than the Rimmel option but the lasting power is very comparable and the Rimmel is just as creamy to apply.

When I was building my first ever MAC quad, I made the mistake of picking up a shade without swatching it first and got suckered in by how lovely it looked in the pan. MAC's "Gleam" is an amazing glittery peachy-pink shade but it's a nightmare to apply, it's bitty in texture, the glitter falls down constantly, and by the end of a day wearing it you have no eyeshadow left on and glitter all over your face no matter what you're using for a base. So while It does actually cost a tiny bit more to pick up the L'Oreal La Palette Nude Blush, you're getting more colours for your money and the 5th shade from the left is a dead-on match for "Gleam" but it's nice and creamy to apply and doesn't fall down at all.

And finally, the dupe that I'm most excited by. When I first heard about the By Terry Ombré Blackstar in "Misty Rock" I had to have it, it was so unique and the formula was nice too, but the £28 price tag made my eyes water a little bit. I justified it because the colour was so unique and I've used it a tonne, but then I picked up the KIKO Long Lasting Stick in the shade "05" and it's identical in colour and the formula is creamy and long-lasting. I will continue to use and love "Misty Rock" but when it's time to repurchase, I think I'll be picking up another from KIKO.

KIKO Do Face Masks

I've been dying to get my hands on some KIKO products ever since I watched Lily Pebbles tutorial where she used one of their eyeshadow sticks (conveniently placed link: here). So a few weeks ago I made an order and while I haven't managed to form an opinion on everything I picked up just yet (watch this space) I picked up a few bits from their skincare range and I thought I'd let you know what I thought.

While the packing is a little bit basic I do think they look quite nice for a budget mask and personally, I like it when budget brands don't get too fancy with their packaging - for me it says that the company have spent money trying to make the formula of the product as good as they can make it rather than spending money trying to tart up a product to the extent that they have to sacrifice the quality of the product. I also like that the colour of the packaging relates to the colour of the product, so if you get the mask in the green bottle, the mask itself will be green etc.

I thought I'd found a fail-safe product in their Hydrating Mask, I've tried lots of different hydrating masks before and while I don't love them all, I find that generally even the not so great ones get on with my skin quite well, but this surprised me. Firstly, it's quite a thick, creamy formula, a lot heavier than hydrating masks I've tried in the past and it has a tingle to it that I really wasn't expecting. The mask also has a light floral scent to it that is pleasant, but for me it does seem to be artificial and I actually found it to irritate my eyes quite a bit which has never happened to me before. It sets on the face after about 10 minutes of wear and then you remove with a damp wash cloth. For me it just wasn't hydrating enough and I think there are much better hydrating masks out there.

I was quite intrigued about the Peeling Mask, firstly because I haven't used many of them in the past but secondly because it has a AHA warning and my skin loves a good acid exfoliating product. Again it applies like a thick cream and set down like a clay mask before removal. The scent on this mask is a non-offensive florally scent that didn't cause any irritation on my skin or my eyes. This one also has a slight tingle to it but I didn't mind it because I expected that from an AHA-based mask and it left my skin feeling smooth, soft and nicely hydrated.

And finally I picked up the Purifying Mask. This one seemed like a really good pick as, again, it has an AHA warning on the box. For an AHA based product it didn't have much of a tingle but it did leave my skin feeling silky soft and, as it contains glycerin, it wasn't as drying on my skin as some other purifying masks I've used in the past (I'd still want to go in with a serum, oil or moisturiser over the top though). As well as the AHA's it also has a slightly grainy texture to it, soft of like little grains of sand suspended in a creamy formula which can feel a bit odd to apply. The only thing I wasn't massively keen on with this mask was the scent, it's quite a herbal scent that, for me, kills the luxury/relation feeling of a pamper routine just a little bit.

All in all? A mixed bag, I'll definitely use up the Purifying Mask and I really enjoy using the Peeling Mask so that might end up being a repurchase in the future. The only one that I really didn't get on with was the Hydrating Mask.