Loreal Infallible Sculpt

L'Oreal Infallible Sculpt Contouring Palette Review

Hello lovelies and welcome back to my blog! The other day I had a massive beauty shopping spree in which I splurged on several products from both L'Oreal and Maybelline. For the past week or so, I have been trying the L'Oreal Infallible Sculpt Contouring palette. This is a very pleasing product to look at, and as usual, a full review, including the price, availability etc can be found below.  

 L'Oreal Infallible Sculpt Contouring palette

Description:

The L'Oreal Infallible Sculpt Contouring palette comes in 2 shades, the 01-Light and the 03-Medium/Dark. The most profound difference between those 2 shades are the undertones of the contouring shade (the light being a cool toned contour, while the Medium/Dark having  a warm toned contour). This contouring palette (as shown in the picture) comes with a highlighting shade and a contouring shade. It also comes with an instructions sheet that can be quite helpful for those that are new into contouring and highlighting. The L'Oreal Infallible Sculpt Contouring palette has a creamy formula that almost feels powdery when blended out. This contouring palette claims that it is super blendable and leaves your skin with a flawless matte finish.  Each palette contains 10g of product in it. The packaging is also nice as it is housed in an iPod sized palette. The palette includes a mirror too.

What I like about this contouring palette:

Both the highlight and contour shades are very smooth to apply. They are so creamy and blend like a dream. This means that you can easily achieve a natural contour and highlight. At the same time, you can easily build the shades up for a more dramatic look. It does indeed have a creamy formula that blends out to a matte powder finish. I love how pigmented yet super blendable the formula is. I am sure that this palette would be GREAT for beginners as it has useful step-by-step instructions on how to contour and highlight (the leaflet is housed inside the palette). As I mentioned earlier, the formula itself is very easy to work with regardless of using a brush, beauty sponge, or even using your fingers.

Swatches of the highlighting (left) and contouring (right) shades

What I don’t like about this contouring palette:

I don't have anything to say in this section that is related to the formula, but I think that they could have better utilized the size of the palette. For instance instead of adding the guide sheet (which took around 25% of the palette's interior), they could have either increased the size of the product, or they could have included a brush/mini sponge.

Availability:

Available in all drugstores. It can be found on amazon.com, Ulta (US), Boots & Superdrug (UK) etc. In Kuwait it is available in Boots, Centrepoint, Carrefour etc.

Price:

UK: £9.99
US: $12.99
Kuwait: 7.4 KD

Final thoughts:

I love the pigmentation, formula, blendability, and ease of use of the L'Oreal Infallible Sculpt Contouring palette. I personally would highly recommend it for beginners and to anyone that wants an easy on-the-go contouring palette.

That is it for today, thank you so much for reading, and as always, leave any questions below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog to be updated with the latest posts! 

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Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick Review

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! Today I will be reviewing the Maybelline Vivid Matte liquid lipstick. A couple of days ago, I was trying to find a new drugstore liquid lipstick, and when I was looking at the Maybelline counter, I couldn't help but notice the Vivid Matte lipstick line. They had a very wide variety of shades, but as a nude lover, I had to get my hands on the "Nude Thrill" shade. I have been wearing it every single day for the past  week so that I can give you my honest opinion on this liquid lipstick!   

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick

Description:

The Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid lipstick branches from Maybelline's popular Color Sensational line. This liquid lipstick has a creamy formula that leaves your lips with a velvety, cushion-like feel. The finish is supposed to be a creamy, velvety matte finish. It also claims that it is very pigmented. The Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid lipstick come in 20 different shades (which offers a wide range of colours! From Nudes to bold shades). Each tube contains 0.26 oz (around 8 ml of product), which is the typical amount of product you would get in a liquid lipstick. The packaging is very simple, and the product is housed in a transparent glass, so you can easily see the shade through the tube.  

What I like about this lip cream:

This lipstick is very pigmented. Each swipe gives so much colour to the lips. I don't need to dip in twice to completely coat my lips. I also love the Nude Thrill shade a LOT. It is a very flattering pinky-rosy nude that would suit many skin tones. I found that it is very comfortable to wear. It doesn't dry my lips, even if I keep it on for several hours. This lipstick smells like rose water to me (not sure if that is the intended smell) but I actually really like the smell of it, and I don't find it overpowering at all.

Lip swatch of the Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid lipstick in the shade "Nude Thrill" 

What I don’t like about this lip cream:

Unfortunately this section will be slightly long! First, let me start about the name of this lipstick line. This liquid lipstick is by no means "Matte", so I am not sure how it was marketed as one. It has a cream formula and it never completely dries down. It will look like you've got a creamy lipstick on your lips (kinda similar to the finish of the new KyliexKKW crème lipstick line). Second, I have noticed that when I leave it on for 2+ hours, it will start to crumble a lot, which will look very unflattering on the lips. Third, it wears off so quickly, so if you eat or drink it will easily come off (just like a regular gloss etc). So the expected lasting power of a "matte" lipstick is not there (but then again, they did not claim that it has a great lasting power).

Availability:

Available in all drugstores. It can be found on amazon.com, Maybelline.com (US), Ulta (US), Boots & Superdrug (UK) etc. In Kuwait it is available in Boots and Centrepoint.

Price:

UK: £6.99
US: $7.99
Kuwait: 3.7 KD

Final thoughts:

I love the pigmentation and colour selection of the Maybelline Vivid Matte liquid lipstick line, but I do not think that it is worth the price. It easily comes off, crumbles after a few hours, and is not a "matte" liquid lipstick. If you like a comfortable and affordable liquid lipstick (and you don't mind reapplying every now and then) then you might actually like this. I personally would not recommend it just because at the price point, there are better drugstore options when it comes to liquid lipsticks that you can go for.

That is it for today, thank you so much for reading, and as always, leave any questions below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog to be updated with the latest posts! 

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Best Lip Balm EVER!

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! Today's post will be on the BEST lip balm that I have ever tried. I have severely chapped and dry lips (regardless of the season/weather), so I am constantly in the hunt to find the best lip cream in the market. I am excited to share this product with you guys as I have tried SO many different lip products, from Vaseline, EOS, Simple etc. They all managed to moisturize my lips for like an hour or two and then they always went back to their original state. So, the best lip product is......Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream! Below you can find more information about the formula, price, availibility etc. 

Description:

The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is a multi-purpose cream that is not only confined to repairing or protecting the lips. This cream was designed to soothe sun-burned skin, rehydrate chapped lips, and heal rough elbows/knees etc . It can also be used to keep your arms and legs shiny. This product was created in 1930 and was a hit ever since! The "8 Hour Cream" line has expanded from the original Skin Protectant to a full collection of products ranging from lip sticks, to facial oils, and body moisturizers (however this review is specifically about the skin protectant). The packaging is simple, it comes in a white tube that can be squeezed to release the product. You get 50ml of product. As shown in the picture below, this cream has a thick, gel-like consistency.  

What I like about this lip cream:

This product is a serious life saver. I absolutely love everything about this cream. I like to use it on my lips only, as it isn't particularly cheap, and for its price, I'd like to utilise it all for my lips. Apart from intensively moisturizing my lips, I love the lasting power of this cream. As I mentioned earlier, all of the other lip balms that I have tried would keep my lips moisturized for an hour or two tops. However, the Elizabeth Arden Skin Protectant keeps my lips hydrated for more than its 8 hour claim! I normally apply it twice a day, and I have honestly found a tremendous difference in the state of my lips.

What I don’t like about this lip cream:

The smell of this lip cream is the only thing that I don't like about it. I am not good at describing what it smells like, but it is a strange smell. However, I got used to it by now, so it does not really bother me anymore. 

Availability:

I'd assume it is widely available worldwide. It can be found on amazon.com, elizabetharden.com, boots (UK) etc. In Kuwait it is only available in limited stores including Faces.

Price:

UK: £27
US: $22
Kuwait: 13.25 KD

Final thoughts:

I am absolutely in love with this cream! It has definitely changed my life in terms of the condition of my lips. I would totally recommend it for anyone that suffers from dry and chapped lips :)  

That is all for today, thank you so much for reading, and as always, leave any questions below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog to be updated with the latest posts! 

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My Beauty and Skincare Travel Essentials

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! It has been such a long time since I last wrote a blog post, but I have been very busy with work and all. I will be getting back in track so make sure to subscribe to my blog to get notified whenever I post. I will be travelling in a few days, so I thought that writing a blog post on my beauty and skincare travel essentials would be ideal. I love knowing what people take with them when they travel so thought why not do one my own! I am travelling for one week only, so I like to cut down on the products that I take with me, and make sure to only carry the essentials. So, I'll first start with skincare and then move on to beauty and perfumes.



My travel essentials!

A) Skincare

• The most important product has to be my sun block! Not only does the Bioderma Aquafluid have a SPF 50+, but it is also perfect for sensitive skin. So it is great for providing full protection all day long. A few years ago, I never used to wear sun block at all! Now it is the most important part of my skin care routine. 

• As for a moisturiser, I usually take my Simple Light moisturiser, but this time I will be taking the Bioderma Light Moisurising Gel. As the name suggests, this has a gel-like formula that glides on so easily, while lightly moisturising the skin. It is very light and can also work great as a makeup primer (for those that wear foundation)! I have a sample size of this product, so it is the ideal travelling size.

• The Simple Facial Cleansing wipes are a must have whenever I'm travelling. These are very practical and are much easier than getting a makeup remover and some cotton pads. They easily remove makeup and are very compact in size. 

• Last but not least, I like taking a lip balm just because I have very dry lips! And with constant wear of liquid lipsticks, a lip balm is a total necessity! I currently like the Vaseline Petroleum Jelly lip balm (tints and moisturises your lips). 



My travel skincare essentials

B) Makeup

1. Face:

 * NYX Wonder stick- this has a great cool toned contour shade that mimics a shadow. It is perfect for contouring while giving a natural overall look. I don't use the highlight shade as it is very chalky and can really emphasize texture on the face.

* Rimmel Match perfection concealer- I love this concealer. It has a light to medium coverage and it is also very brightening. I like using this concealer wherever I want to highlight.

* MAC Desert Rose blush- a beautiful muted matte pink blush that is great for all year round.

* NYX liquid illuminator (sunbeam)- a great and affordable highlighter. I like to apply it on top of my cheeks.

2. Eyes:

* NYX single eyeshadows- I will specifically be taking 4 single eye shadows in the shades: Milan, Transylvania, Stockholm, and Prague. I don't normally wear eye shadow on daily basis, but when I do, I like to apply a shimmery shade on my entire eyelid, with a matte brown eyeshadow on the crease. These single eye shadows are travel friendly and well pigmented.



NYX single eyeshadows : Milan, Transylvania, Stockholm, and Prague

* Rimmel Exaggerate liquid eyeliner - my favourite drugstore eyeliner! Lasts all day for me and is very easy to apply.

* Max factor 2000 Calorie mascara-this is a good mascara, but it is not my all time favourite. For a list of my favourite mascaras, you can find them here.

3. Brows:

I don't usually fill in my brows on a daily basis, but I love using a brow gel for tinting my brows (giving them a fuller look) and making sure they stay in place. I love the Rimmel brow gel! I ran out of this product a few days ago, so I will be taking the MUA brow gel instead. I do find the applicator of the MUA brow gel slightly stiff in comparison to the Rimmel one. So, I don't really recommend this product, but it will do the job for a few days.

4. Lips:

* Huda Beauty liquid lipstick in the shade Bombshell- this is a stunning liquid lipstick. I love everything from the formula to the colour. It is a perfect everyday pinky nude. A full review can be found here.

* NYX soft matte lip cream in the shade London- this is a great and affordable browny nude lip cream that lasts well. A full review can be found here.

C) Perfume:

I am currently in love with the YSL Mon Paris perfume! And luckily, I have a travel size of it, so it fits easily in my handbag. This has a sweet scent to it, but it isn't over powering! The lasting power is also great. 

So this is it for my beauty and skincare travel essentials! Thank you so much for reading. Please leave any questions down below. Until next time xx 

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Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick

Happy New Year everybody, hope this year will be filled with love, good health and success! Today’s post will be on one of the most hyped liquid lipsticks in the market, and these are the Huda Beauty liquid matte lipsticks. These lipsticks were launched in July 2016, and ever since the launch, everyone was talking about them. The reviews were highly positive and as a beauty lover, I knew I had to give them a try. I have the shades Bombshell (which is a perfect pinky nude), Medusa (which is a dusty mauve), and Heartbreaker (a stunning pinky red). 

These are the Mini Liquid Matte Lipsticks. They are available in both the mini and the full version. 

Description:

The Huda Beauty liquid matte lipstick claims that it gives an intense matte colour payoff that is both transfer-proof and has an amazing staying power. It also claims that it has a very lightweight formula that glides on easily and intensities to give a matte colour when dry. It is also said that these liquid lipsticks are very comfortable to wear and that they help maintain the lips' hydration. As I mentioned earlier, these lipsticks were launched in July 2016 and come in 16 different shades. These liquid lipsticks are housed in a pretty frosted glass tube making it slightly stand out, in terms of packaging, from other liquid lipsticks in the market. You can use the corresponding lip contour (full review here) from Huda Beauty to line your lips before applying the liquid matte lipstick, or you can simply fill your lips using the liquid lipstick alone. This product is Cruelty-free. The size of this liquid lipstick is 5ml/0.17 oz per piece (for the full size version). These liquid lipsticks also come in a mini version and the size of these are 1.9ml/0.064oz.

What I like about this liquid lipstick:

These liquid lipsticks definitely stand out in terms of comfort from many of the leading liquid lipstick brands from both the high-end and drugstore market. They have a very water-like formula that glides on very easily. All of the shades that I own dry into an opaque colour. They are highly pigmented and one dip in the tube is more than enough to coat my entire lips. So as I mentioned, these are very comfortable and don't dry your lips, which I totally have never experienced with previous liquid lipsticks. They also smell like coconuts and vanilla which I am obsessed with! The smell will definitely become undetectable once it dries down, so it is not an issue for those that aren't fond of the smell. Some of these liquid lipsticks don't transfer (such as Bombshell and Medusa), but I have found that Heartbreaker does slightly transfer. These lipsticks also layer perfectly well, so reapplication isn't messy at all. 

Lip Swatches:

Below are some lip swatches. Keep in mind that the shades can vary depending on your skin tone.

Bombshell  (pinky nude colour). This is my favourite go-to lip colour.

Medusa ( a dusty mauve). I'm not a big fan of this shade, cause it kinda washes me out.  

Heartbreaker (pinky red). I absolutely LOVE this colour! It is beautiful and very flattering. It will look more pink/more red depending on your skin tone. 

What I don’t like about this liquid liptick:

The only thing I'd say is that since they are non drying, this means that the lasting power won't be similar to for e.g. the Kat Von D Everlasting liquid lipstick (this lipstick is extremely long-wearing 8 hrs+). The Huda Beauty liquid lipsticks can stay for approx. 5 hours on if you don't eat or drink a lot. Reapplication will be necessary after a meal as they tend to fade a little bit in the center.These liquid lipsticks leave a tacky feeling after application, which I don't personally mind, but I know that it is something that many people dislike. Also, since the tube is made from frosted glass, it might slightly misrepresent the true colour of the lipstick, so it is advisable to swatch before purchasing.    

Availability:

Available worldwide, as you can order any of the lipuid lipsticks from her website: shophudabeauty.com (a full review on the ordering process, shipping etc can be found here). Also available in Sephora stores in the US,Kuwait, UAE etc. Her products are available in store in Harrods UK, and on cultbeauty.co.uk. 

Price:

Kuwait: 7.750 KD in Sephora (that is the price that I remember seeing in store)
US: 20$ (this is the price in Sephora and on her website)
UK: £18 (found on cultbeauty.co.uk) 

Final thoughts:

These are my current favourite liquid lipsticks in the market. They are very comfortable, non drying, look and smell great!  These liquid lipsticks are available in 16 shades! My favourite everyday shade is Bombshell.The main downside would be the lasting power (approx. 5 hours), but these do layer very well so you can easily reapply in the areas needed.  

That is all for today's post, as always, leave any questions below. If there are specific products that you want me review then also leave them below.  Thank you so much for reading and until next time xx 

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NYX Advent Calendar

A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the limited-edition NYX Wanderlust Advent Calendar. For the first time ever, I actually managed to win this calendar by participating in an Instagram competition on their official page. So, when I first got the calendar, I noticed how pretty creative the packaging was. I love how it looks like a makeup box. The Nyx Wanderlust advent calendar is filled with 24 beauty treats for the holiday season.

Description: 

This advent calendar contains 12 of the Nyx soft matte lip products and 12 single eyeshadows. The eyeshadows are all full sized which is always brilliant, as most advent calendars contain sample sized products. Whereas, the lip creams are test size which are slightly bigger than sample size. The eyeshadows are 1.4 grams each, and the lip creams are 4.7 ml each. 

What I like about this advent calendar?

 I love how they have included some of their best-selling shades from their lip creams such as Stockholm, Cannes, Morocco etc. I have a full review on the Nyx soft matte lip creams here, so feel free to check it out! I love the eyeshadows included! They have a good selection of both matte and shimmery shades that can easily be used to create endless makeup looks. Most of the eyeshadow shades are very pigmented and blend  very easily. Each eyeshadow comes with a magnetic cover that can be in handy when traveling, or when you just want to carry one or two shades in your handbag. 

What I don't like about this advent calendar?

I wish that they have included more nude shades in their soft matte lip creams in this calendar. There is a good variety of colours, however, I won't be wearing around 7 shades of the 12 lip creams included. Specially for the price (details below), I feel like they could have added slightly more wearable colours. Despite getting 4.7 ml of product in each lip cream, I felt that it was so difficult to get product out of the tube! Not sure why, it could be due to the applicator, but I felt that after 3 applications, getting product out of the tube was quite challenging. I also think that it would have been more enjoyable if they have included a wider variety of makeup products, and not just lip creams and eyeshadows. 

Availability:

US: nyxcosmetics.com also available in several drugstores

UK: Boots

Price:

US: 50$

UK: £60

Final thoughts:

This advent calendar was quite enjoyable to open. I was excited to see what I'd get, specially for the lip creams since I'm obsessed with matte lips. I think this advent calendar would be great for anyone that wants to try Nyx products for the first time (as you do get a good selection of products). I loved the colour selection and pigmentation of the single eyeshadows. I do think however that the price tag was slightly hefty in comparison to other advent calendars in the market. 

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know if you have any questions. Until next time xx   

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NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! Today ill be reviewing one of the most popular lip creams in the market, and these are the NYX soft matte lip creams! I have heard so many good things about them and I knew that I'll have to give them a try! I love matte lips and I have pretty much tried many liquid lipsticks/lip creams from both the drugstore and the high-end market. So by now, I have a solid opinion on the general features that I look for in matte lip creams and liquid lipsticks.   

Description:

The NYX soft matte lip creams come in 34 different shades, ranging from stunning nudes to bold, striking colours. The formula of these are very different from liquid lipsticks. They have a velvety, creamy texture that is also lightweight. These claim to be durable and smooth on the lips. Despite the creamy formula, they claim to dry completely matte. The packaging of these lip creams isn't see through, so the shade that the tube displays doesn't exactly correspond to the true colour of the lip cream. So to see the exact colour, just make sure to swatch any shade before buying. Each lip cream contains 8 ml of product, which is pretty good compared to the little price tag that you pay (prices and availability can be found below). 

Swatches: 

Below is a swatch of all the 12 shades that I own. 

Shades shown from left to right: Milan, Prague, Morocco, Addis Ababa, Seoul, Manila, Stockholm, Cannes, Rome, Monte Carlo, Copenhagen, Transylvania

What I like about these lip creams:

I love the formula of these lip creams. They are indeed lightweight and creamy. They dry completely matte, however, they need slightly longer to dry (1-2 mins) in comparison to liquid lipsticks. They also have a sweet smell to them, like marshmallows/cakes, but nothing too overpowering. The lasting power is also good, they can stay well on for 3-4 hours. Of course with eating, you will have to reapply, specially if you're eating greasy food. I love nude lips and these have a pretty good variety of different nudes. My favourite shade has to be Stockholm, which is a perfect everyday nude! There are also several great vampy, dark lip colours that are perfect for autumn and winter (e.g. Copenhagen, Transylvania).

What I don’t like about these lip creams:

These lip creams are pretty pigmented, but they definitely need two layers to look completely opaque. I do apply two thin layers for it to fully cover my lips. They are not drying, but they do tend to settle into the lines/cracks of my lips. So as I always mention with lip creams/liquid lipsticks, exfoliate and apply a lip balm before hand (if you have dry/chapped lips) to get the best application ever. 

Availability:

UK: can be found in Boots

US: can be bought online from nyxcosmetics.com or you can simply buy it in several drugstores 

Kuwait: available in Centrepoint 

Price:

UK: £5.50 (Boots) 

US: 6$  

Kuwait: 3.250 KD (Centrepoint)

Final thoughts:

I think these lip creams are great for anyone that is looking for beautiful, affordable, and comfortable matte lip creams. I am impressed with the extremely wide variety of shades that you get with these, so there is definitely something for everyone. The lasting power is also good, and for the price point, you really can't go wrong. 

That is all for today's post, as always, leave any questions below. If there are specific products that you want me review then also leave them below. Thank you so much for reading and until next time xx 

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