The Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara & Lip Power Gift Set Review + Swatches

Monday 18 March 2024

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 I have yet to try a Giorgio Armani beauty product that has been anything other than superior, so when I saw the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara & Lip Power Gift Set on offer back in the January sales, I had to get it to try it out.

The Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara & Lip Power Gift Set was on sale for £25.50 and it is still available at the time of writing this post. The Lip Power Lipstick that you get with it is pretty much a sample size, but if you were to buy the Mascara on its own, it would cost you £33.00, so it is firstly cheaper to get the set, and the handbag-friendly lipstick is a nice little addition. The Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara is only available in Black as far as I can tell, and it comes in a sleek, glossy black tube, with an applicator that is full of tiny little bristles to coat each and every lash.

The formula of the Mascara is not wet, but nor is it dry, I would say it is definitely somewhere in the middle, so it is not a messy Mascara to use. Colour wise, it isn't super dark black, so if you are fairer skinned or fair haired, this will work really well for you. I personally find the formula to feel very lightweight on the lashes, comfortable to wear, and easy to build. So if you are wanting a more natural lash look, this will be great for that, but if you are wanting to add more definition, you can absolutely go ahead and layer this formula.

Giorgio Armani state that this Mascara adds volume, length and definition, but for me, I found it to give me quite a natural finish to my lashes. Different products work differently for different people, and so for reference, I have quite fair, fine, shorter, straight lashes and so not all mascaras work well for me. If you have naturally full, long lashes, then this will be great for adding definition as I did find it clump-free, and once applied, it dries down well, without drying out the lashes and didn't budge all day long.

I will quickly mention the Giorgio Armani Lip Power Lipstick, as I do have a full-sized version in a different shade and it is one of my most go-to lipsticks. This is in the shade 400, a stunning blue-toned bright red, think Taylor Swift for inspiration, and the formula on these lipsticks is delightful. Lightweight, comfortable to wear, and very long-lasting. One of the smoothest lipstick formulas I have come across. I definitely want to add to my collection.


You can find the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara & Lip Power Gift Set online at Boots here, and the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara online at Sephora UK here.


All the Loves,
Kathryn x

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The Benefit Rosy Twilight PomPom Blush & Sugarplum Twinkle Highlighter Duo Review + Swatches

Friday 15 March 2024

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This is the Benefit Rosy Twilight Blush & Highlighter Duo, and I have quite a few of these little Benefit cheek product palettes as they are superb for travelling with, as they are really quite tiny but with a good amount of product. I have had a lot of use out of the Blush & Bronzer duos, so recently saw this version and decided to pick it up.

I could only find the Rosy Twilight Duo available direct from Benefit Cosmetics, so I am guessing it is a limited edition drop, but I hadn't seen it talked about online until I saw it whilst browsing the Benefit website. Anyway, these sweet little palettes retail for £22.00 and you get a total of g of product. As I have mentioned in previous posts lately, I like to try and get the smaller version of something, as these days for a lot of us, it is impossible to get through full sized makeup products, especially if, like me, trying new makeup products is your hobby. There is a little mirror on the inside of the lid, so great for on the go, and in this particular palette, you receive the Benefit PomPom Blush on one side and the Benefit Sugarplum Twinkle Highlight on the other.

PomPom is described as a pomegranate rose shade, and Sugarplum Twinkle is described as a lilac highlighter. I did notice that the Sugarplum Twinkle formula felt very dry, but it does add a nice glow to the skin, but it is definitely not typical of Benefit's cheek product's formula and isn't a blingy highlight, but some people will prefer a more natural highlight. I did have PomPom in a full sized blush, but I did pass it on to a friend when I was having a declutter, just because I had to be cut-throat and get rid of a lot of bulkier products, but I am glad to have it in this mini compact as it is a lovely shade that works well year-round. I really wanted to love this duo, as I love the other variations, but the highlighter formula really lets it down, and even the PomPom Blush doesn't work as well as the original PomPom Blush in it's stand alone box.

I have been a Benefit fan since I was 17 years old - I remember going down to Harrods in London with my Aunty and Nanna and had my first makeup experience at the Benefit counter, and I often feel they have always been ahead of their time, and their products haven't always been understood and appreciated, but then a few or more years later, other brands are going viral for producing something Benefit did before them. This Duo didn't hit the mark unfortunately, but I would 100% recommend the Bronzer & Blush versions of these palettes, I have had so much wear out of them and continue to reach for them all the time because they are effortless, they perform well and it is quick and easy to reach for a product I can use as a bronzer, blush and even eyeshadow at once.


You can find the Benefit Rosy Twilight Blush & Highlighter Duo online at Benefit here.


All the Loves,
Kathryn x

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The Max Factor Face Finity Universal Primer Review

Wednesday 13 March 2024

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I haven't seen many new releases from Max Factor over the past few years, and so it was a brand that fell off of my radar, not intentionally, because they have created some amazing products over the years, and are one of the original drugstore makeup brands, but just because I didn't see much about them in store or online. I live in a small town, where there's no Superdrug anymore, and Boots only carries No7 and a couple of other brands, but they rarely have stock of different shades. My nearest stores with decent sized makeup stands and higher end brands are an hour away from where I live, so a two hour round trip, but I did recently go out of town to Sainsbury's (yes, look at me living the dream), and there were a few larger cosmetics stands and I spotted this Max Factor Face Finity Universal Primer, which is something I have never seen before, not necessarily because it is new, as I am not sure if it is, but probably just because I don't have frequent access to the brand. So I popped it in my trolley to try out, as I love trying anything like this, that claims to be pore minimising and mattifying.

When looking online, I could only find it available at Superdrug, Boots and a couple of home shopping websites like Very and Simply Be. The Primer comes in a squeezy black and gold tube, and you get 30ml of product for £10.99, which is very reasonable these days. A lot of pore minimising primers tend to be quite silicone heavy, with a thick texture, but this formula is quite hydrating and creamy, but with a small amount of silicone in it. I cannot tell that it has a fragrance to it, which is good for those with sensitive skin types.

The Primer is a vegan formula that is enriched with Antioxidants and Vitamin E that protects the skin and it does feel hydrating on the skin, and not at all drying, which can be the case with some mattifying primers. It dries down quickly and gives a slight airbrushed appearance to the skin. We all have pores, we will always have pores, there is nothing we can do about that, but if a Primer, like this one does, is able to fill them in a little, it will allow your foundation to look smoother, rather than it settling into pores. It is a lightweight formula that feels very comfortable on the skin, and the silky cream to powder texture keeps the skin mattified to prevent oiliness coming through and ruining your foundation, without causing any dryness.

I find that my foundations apply well over it, and the Primer helps to give my complex a smooth, healthy finish. You only need a small amount per application and as with any primer, I would recommend waiting a few minutes to allow the product to settle in to the skin before going in with foundation. I think this is a really great budget-friendly option for those that suffer with enlarged pores or oiliness on the skin.


You can find the Max Factor Face Finity Universal Primer online at Boots here.


All the Loves,
Kathryn x


P.S. Today I turn 40 years old! Happy Birthday to Me! Maybe I should be looking into wrinkle-reducing primers now... 

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