Sleek Precious Metals Highlighting Palette

Hi Sweeties,

After the horrifically upsetting task of discarding old makeup, I decided to treat myself to a few new items to rebuild my collection.


This time I picked up the Precious Metals highlighting palette from Sleek MakeUP @ Superdrug, priced at £9.99

totally getting better at this photo taking thing >.> <.<

This is the pretty swish palette! It looks so lovely and classy appearance wise, and comes with 3 cream highlighters, 1 powder, mirror and an applicator brush (which as usual, I don't/won't use)


The creams leave a lovely dewy glow on your skin, and the choice of shades are perfect for mixing and matching to different areas of your face! The powder (antique bronze) gives a lovely shimmer for adding some contouring/depth too.  

Ok so, I just went for a natural look, and hoping that once again pictures will show just how nice a highlight you get from this.

 

I used a combination of Renaissance Gold & Royal Gold for my highlights on cheekbones, browbones, cupids bow & chin.
I used a little of the Antique Bronze to add some shimmer to my foundation base contour.
For the inner corners of my eyes, I went for the Platinum shade, which is the lightest and coolest toned of the 4, as it added such a great pop to brighten up my eyes.


I really do like the dewy, radiant glow that comes from using the palette, though it is a bit of a luxury product for me (Rarely do I spend £10+ on individual products, but I totally couldn't resist!)

 For the rest of the look, I used black liquid liner from Makeup Revolution (£3 if I remember rightly) 

I also used the Astor Eyepencil that I picked up from Poundland in my last post for this - as you can see it's just lovely, and stays on perfectly without setting with powder. 

For my lips, I picked up this nude lipstick called "The One" by Makeup Revolution, for a whole £1!
This stuff, much like the last lippies I got from them, last really really well! Eating, drinking, excessive yapping - stays on perfect! Definitely one to add to your budget buys list!

So what do you think? Have any of you tried this palette? Let me know below! 

Love,
          Kasumi x

Sleek Contour Palette

Hi Sweeties!

This is my second post of the week!

My local Superdrug just recently had a massive overhaul, and have added a LOT of new makeup to their store, that normally I'd have to go elsewhere to find! I'm so happy about this since it's not far from work so I can pick things up when ~I pop out to buy lunch! ^_^

I figured that it's about time I tried out a contour palette, and so picked up one from Sleek (which I'll be talking about today) and another from Make Up Revolution to compare it with next time! 

#

This is what the palette for Light skin looks like!
On the left is the darker contouring powder, and on the right is the highlighter powder. It also comes with a nice mirror, though I really felt like it was missing a brush to complete the palette. At £6.49 however, you can't expect to get a decent brush anyway, so it's not a big loss at all.

The powders have quite a creamy texture, and the contour powder is pretty strongly pigmented, which means you don't need to use a lot of it. Bonus for long lasting!
The highlighter is quite natural compared to what I'm used to, due to it's peachy flesh tone, but it leaves you with a lovely natural glow. 

Here are a couple of obligatory selfies using this palette!
For this look, I used the contour palette as eyeshadow too, to maintain a lighter feel.
For under my eyes I lightly blended some of the Brown Play101 pencil by Etude House that I got earlier this year, and finished with black liquid liner and lashings of mascara.

For the lips, I gave my brown play 101 pencil a good clean and used it as a lipliner, then blended it together with the reddy/plum toned Reckless lipstick from Makeup Revolution, that I'll talk about in a different post, all about lipsticks that I picked up lately!

I'm really loving a dark lip right now, and think that it's going to be perfect for Autumn looks!

So, what do you think?

I'm quite feeling the Sleek palette - decent price and does the job pretty well!

As usual, let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Love,
          Kasumi x

L'oreal: Miss Manga vs. Miss Manga Punky (Review)

Hi Sweethearts,

I ventured into Superdrug recently to find myself a new mascara after my Eye inflammation - I wasn't going to take any chances on mascara.

Finally I decided to bite the bullet and try the L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara...but was then confronted with about 4 different types!

What I bought:

So, I ended up buying both the Original Miss Manga & The Punky version, to pitt them against each other to see which I prefer, and if they are as interesting as they look.  (and it was 2 for £12 - usually £8.99 each, although superdrug has now reduced punky to £4.99)

The Wands:

Miss Manga:

Ok, so this is the wand for the original Miss Manga Mascara!

It is slightly more tapered than the mascara wands I'm used to, and shapewise it reminds me a little of a bud shape - much like some lip glosses.
 It's also quite bendy/flexible due to the indent (is that the right term?) on the stem of the wand - not that I think it makes much of a difference - although I tried to use this mascara whilst in the car, and the flexi bit made it harder to apply on the move!
Although, that being said,  makeup on the move isn't the easiest of tasks to begin with. >.<

Miss Manga Punky:

This is a totally different kind of wand from the original!

Whilst still tapered, this time, instead of the more common bristles, we've got short, hard plastic spikes that allow for a lot of product to go on at once.
 I usually very much dislike this sort of applicator, as I find it makes lashes clump together a lot...but this is exactly what Miss Manga Punky is supposed to do, so in that token it's fit for purpose!

Application: 

My eyes without mascara....and a very silly face, the theme of this post >.<

Here's a silly pic of my face without mascara! My lashes aren't super long, somewhere about average length I reckon, though not the darkest of things....seeing might be an issue. They tend to be a lot lighter at the tips, which makes them look shorter than they actually are.  -_-
 I do feel like my bottom lashes are more visible in real life than my top ones, so it's going to be interesting to see what I look like with these on!

Miss Manga:

This was quite a thick consistency product, but it applied alright - it wasn't too wet and dried pretty quickly!
It gave me a good length, and it added some extra volume, and it pretty much does as the promo shows.
The packaging says 'MEGA VOLUME' however, I don't really think it's terribly 'Mega' on the volume side if I'm honest. 

Miss Manga Punky:

Another quite thick product, but wow it is wet at the same time! I suppose this is to get your lashes to clump together, which it kind of did...and it took  longer to dry due to this! 
 According to the promo images, this mascara is supposed to give you a punky, super clumped together, spikey look - but you're not going to get that look from just applying it! 

Well, I didn't anyway...

 In order for my lashes to make spikes, I had to use some tweezers to press them together...so I find that misleading.

Both Products:
What I noticed with both products, as a side note, is that they have an unpleasant smell to them ...yes, I smelt them. Yes I did. 

I don't really think that there's a huge difference between my lashes if I'm totally honest, I did expect it to be a lot more dramatic.

Taking them off:

This is where it gets a bit interesting.

Miss Manga:

Ok, so this came off nice and easy, I really can't complain.

Miss Manga Punky:
Ugh. This took a while to come off! Because it dries hard and clumpy thanks to so much product going on your lashes, it takes a good bit to remove it - it will come off as a normal mascara, but also little clumps may stay stuck to your lashes, or it will come off in clumps too.
 It's wasn't fun to remove, so I wouldn't recommend you trying to wear this on a daily basis.

When water hits: 

Unfortunately the first time I tried these both, I'd just had word of a close family bereavement and so I was pretty teary.

On that note, HOLY HELL! I've never had mascaras that ran down my face, blackened pillows/bedding etc as much or as quickly as these products!

For the Miss Manga Punky that requires much effort to remove, it doesn't half spill down your face at the first sign of tears!

 I know they're not  'waterproof' mascaraa, but I didn't think they would react that easily! If I got caught out in the rain, I'd look like a complete wet weekend.

Which one would I choose to wear again?

Am I Punky or Angelic? (please excuse the hair)

For definite, the original Miss Manga wins hands down on this. 

I'm happy to keep on using the Miss Manga until it runs out, but I'll definitely be going back to my usual Maybelline Colossal, as I much prefer it and it's also a couple of quid cheaper!

I'd like to say that I'm disappointed by the Punky version, but I was apprehensive about it to begin with, so I just proved myself right unfortunately.  I'll use it as an alternative to bottom false lashes to use it up, which works fine, but wouldn't like to recommend it to anyone.

What do you guys think? Have you used either or these before? Do you like them? 
As usual, let me know in the comments below!

Love,
          Kasumi x

Review: Makeup Revolution Highlighter Golden Lights

Hi Sweethearts,

Sorry for the lack of activity here as of late! I've had a random bout of Iritis that left me with poor vision and unable to wear makeup for a week, and also some family issues have meant that I haven't been as active as I'd like to be.

I hit up my local Superdrug branch to pick up some new makeup whilst in passing - having realised that I ran out of concealer and needed a new mascara, I thought I'd see what I could snap up!
I will be reviewing and comparing items over the next few posts, so please keep checking back for these!

I've been in the market for a new shimmery highlighter powder ever since I managed to lose my last one. >.<
 When I spied this little beauty in the Makeup Revolution section I couldn't resist giving it a go!

This is the Vivid Baked Highlighter from Makeup Revolution in the shade 'Golden Lights'.

I tend to have a preference for a powder or baked highlighter, as opposed to a liquid for some reason, though I think that tends to be because I really like to notice I'm wearing it, and want don't want to risk it moving my foundation like I found with the last liquid I used.

Packaging:

The packaging is sleek and simple, and I really like the swirly pattern of it - it sort of reminds me of those Guylian seashell chocolates!

  Product: 

The highlighter wasn't hard to get onto the brush (some baked products can be a bit hard to get going) and has a really strong pigment/shimmer, so a little will go a long long way with this! (seriously, you only need a tiny bit, it goes on preeeeetty strong if you're not careful!) 

I applied this just with my finger to show it on my hand quickly, and this is how it turned out - so it's safe to say that you need to be quite careful when using it!

This shade has a lovely pale gold/creamy tone with an amazing pearly sheen to it - it's absolutely gorgeous when it catches the light and definitely brightens up your face.
 It also blends really easily, which is a massive plus!

I'm a little bit in love with this - it gives your skin a beautiful, summery glow that lasts all day!

Price:

This comes in at...wait for it.... £3 from Superdrug, which is great value for money, given the quality and amount of product you get - it's a pretty large size!

Overall Verdict:

I really like this product for the summer time, as it makes me feel a bit like I'm on holiday/at the beach - good value for money, and something that I will most likely buy again!

This comes in 2 other shades, a pink and a peach, all of which you can get here: http://www.superdrug.com/Makeup-Revolution/Makeup-Revolution-Highlighter-Golden-Lights/p/978758

In this pic I've applied it lightly in all the usual places, and also under the inner corners of my eyes - which is the part that the camera is picking up the best.

That's all for this time - if you have any questions or comments, you know what to do!

Love,
          Kasumi x

Don't break the bank! Purse friendly products - mini haul!

Hi Sweethearts!

Following on from my review on the w7 In the Nude palette, I thought I'd share a mini makeup haul that I treated myself to - all super budget friendly, so Ladies (and Gents) that means you won't have to worry about spending all your wages on products!

I'm going to use stock photos here for the most part, as my photo taking skills are questionable at best...so let's start!

Firstly, as I'm in Scotland, I decided to take a little trip to my local Watt Brothers store.
For those of you unfamiliar to Watt Brothers - it's a chain of stores up here that offer great products at amazing discounted prices, from makeup, to homeware, clothing etc.

Their makeup section offers products for a range of brands eg. budget brands such a w7, technic etc all the way up to YSL, CK etc.

For this mini haul, I focused on the already budget friendly brands, though with an extra discounted
price!




First up: w7 Light Diffusing Concealer! 

Watt Brothers price: £2.99
w7 Website price: £4.95 This is essentially the budget version of YSL Touche Eclat concealer, but without the £25 price tag. (though Watt Brothers has it in stock for around £20)

A handy twist pen design, for easy application. (though I put this on the back on my hand then apply with a brush)
 This is a light, smooth concealer that reflects light to illuminate your face, and banishes dark under eye areas.

I tested this out last week for the first time, after previously trying the YSL version a while back - but there's no way I could justify the price tag.
I suffer from pretty dark under eye circles, and found that the w7, budget version to be just as good for making those circles disappear!
 For me, I'd also use this as a light highlighter, as it has a lovely dewy effect and isn't as thick & heavy as the concealer I usually wear.
 It's absolutely perfect for day to day wear as well, as it doesn't weigh you down.
With a pocket friendly price of £2.99, I've definitely been converted.

Next up: w7 Super Brows pencil

Watt Brothers price: £0.99
You can find this online for £1.99- £2.99 roughly. 

I'd been searching for a new brow pencil to match my 2015 brown haired look, and came across this on my mini haul trip.

This comes in a couple of shades, and is a soft eyebrow pencil at one side, with a handy brow brush at the other.

What I found with this, on first application, is that it is a soft pencil, and goes on pretty strong. However, you only need a small amount of this, as the super handy brush will blend the pencil along your brows, whilst keeping them in shape.
 It may take a little bit to get used to, but I'm pretty happy with this, especially given that it cost me just shy of £1.
 It lasts pretty well, and I didn't find any smudging or melting during the course of the day, but then again I don't tend to wear anything apart from my fringe near my brows and don't tend to rub. If you find that you could rub it with hats, or are subject to a lot of heat, then you can easily a thin layer of eyeshadow over the top to give it some extra hold.

 As you only need a little bit at a time, it's great value for money since it's also a pretty long pencil!
My only disappointment, is that it doesn't come in many shades, so it's more suited to brunettes/dark haired beauties. (unless of course you're into rocking light/bright hair and dark brows!)
 

Technic Fruity Lip Gloss

Watt Brothers price: £1.99
Online price: I found it on lovethymakeup.com for £1.49, though you have a £2.50 delivery charge, so will have to leave it until you've got a list on things you'd like to make it worth your while ordering from here.

I'm usually quite apprehensive with lip glosses, and tend to try out a good few, as I've found a couple of cheaper brands that can be pretty sticky.

However, this one definitely isn't sticky at all. This is a lovely sparkly gloss, that comes in a variety of shades and has a brush pen applicator. (Once again, I tend to put this on the back of my hand, then apply with a lip brush) 

This gloss goes on quite nicely, and doesn't smell or taste bad (I'm guilty of licking my lip/hanging my tongue out when I'm concentrating >.<) and gives a nice, girly, plumped up look without being "in your face".  

I like to use glosses over a nude lip, for a subtle, glossy, almost English rose effect, or over the top of a matt coloured lipstick to give it some extra oomph!

Royal False Nails:

Watt brothers price: £2.99
Online price is about the same if you are willing to look around.

This is a bit of a wildcard, in terms of buying the exact same set from Watt Brothers.

I find that they tend to stock a variety of different Royal false nails, and only tend to have a few of each. Every time I pop in, there are always different styles in, so trying to track down the same set twice may require some online hunting!

I use Royal nails quite a lot, and they usually come in some really cute and interesting designs. I had the Mirrorball versions last year, which I really liked too.

They come in a good array of sizes within the pack, which is handy since I have pretty dainty hands and nails. The nail glue that comes with it is also pretty hard wearing, even for someone like me that's quite active.

I picked up these particular ones, as I think they'd be a great base for Hime Gyaru style nails, due to the lovely pink colour and little 3D flower design. When I get round to wearing them, I'll be adding some cute crystals and other nail attachments (can't think of the proper term for this) to create a really standout set of nails.

Here's a couple of photographs of other products that I found in my local Watt Brothers and tend to purchase a lot from them:  To see the images bigger, right click and select "open link in new tab/window) 

The Technic lashes are also pretty good, they're not too thick on the lash band, and have a good curl so they don't sit flat on your eyes.

 I usually swear by Maybelline Colossal Mascara (I've been trying out other brands lately but always go back to Maybelline) usually in other stores they retail at about £8, or there abouts, but Watt Brothers sell them for £4.99, which is a great bargain! I love the length, curl and deep black of Maybellines' Colossal Mascara, and I don't find that it clumps at all which is a major plus.

On the right, you can see the pretty good range of brushes that they stock, though I only took a snapshot of the Royal ones, as these are the ones I buy the most of - look at those prices! Really good bargain for some good quality brushes that do last!


After I left Watt Brothers, I remembered that I was running out of my staple powder and liquid liner. Off to Superdrug I went!

2True Liquid Liner:

Superdrug Price: £1.99 or 3 products for £5

This is my go-to liquid liner! I'm not a massive fan of gel liners, or more brush like liners, as I don't feel I can get as sharp a line as I'd like to with them. (That's personal taste, mind you. Gel liners I find to be more hygienic when you're applying makeup to others instead of just yourself. )
I absolutely adore this liner! It goes on a rich black, dries in no time at all, and lasts the whole day through! The applicator is sturdy and has a good thin tip to allow for fine lines and flicks, which is my daily liner look. Having used a few liquid liners before I discovered 2True, I find that the applicator stays sharp/maintains it's tip for longer than the others I've tried, usually for the length of time it takes me to get through the liner.  (previously I tried Collection 2000 & w7 liners, but was never a big fan of either of them for various reasons.) 

2True Matt Pressed Powder:

Superdrug Price: £1.99 or 3 products for £5

This is another staple in my makeup kit. This powder is great value for money, comes in the paler shades that I tend to like, and is pretty good wearing for me, despite being under studio lights and having  really oily skin in places such as my nose/forehead.
2True White Eyeliner Pencil

Superdrug price: £1.99 or 3 for £5

Once again, 2True at Superdrug tends to more often that not have a 3 product for £5 deal, across a good range of different products so you can get a good combination of products for a budget friendly price.

This is the first time I've used the White liner from 2True, as I've usually bought the slightly cheaper version from MUA at £1.
 In saying that, I've always liked the Black liner pencil that 2True has, and the white didn't disappoint me!
Although slightly more expensive that the MUA version (which is also pretty good for the price), it goes on a lot easier and stronger in colour, which means just a simple quick glide on and you're ready to go! A liner that I do tend to use a lot of for adding extra definition under my brows, and for making my eyes look a little bigger.

Useful Links:
 www.superdrug.com
http://www.w7cosmetics.co.uk

That was my mini budget friendly product haul!
I really hope is helpful to a lot of you, especially to those who ask and are curious to know which products I buy, and where from! ^_^

Please let me know your thoughts, or any questions in the comments below, and please remember to subscribe to keep up to date with my posts!

Love,

Kasumi x