Kiko Cosmetics: Haul and Review

Hi Pretties!

I have been anxiously awaiting to share Kiko Cosmetics with you for quite some time now! I have refrained from keeping some Kiko products out of my Friday Five a few times because I knew I wanted to wait until I did a post on Kiko for you girls in the USA!

Like I said on my Instagram post, Kiko is an Italian makeup line that has stores located all throughout Europe. While I was living in Italy last year, I discovered it while shopping at the mall with my husband. He actually asked me one of the first times we went shopping if I wanted to stop in and look at the makeup ... and I turned it down! I was just so set on what I liked from Sephora, Ulta, MAC, the drugstore etc that this "Kiko brand" probably wouldn't compare. I was so wrong!

One day, while doing some Christmas shopping, I was like "Alright, I'll go in and see what it is all about". Kiko is super cute and their store has this purple uplighting which just creates a really fun vibe. Every single one of their products is sitting out for you to test and swatch. And even though you can probably see and understand what everything is, it is also so helpful that everything is labeled in English at Kiko. I started swatching and playing with the products and I was so impressed! Kiko has amazing products that are super cheap! Several of their products are under 5 Euros and the majority of it is under 10 Euros! I was ashamed for turning it down and purchased several products that day!

Since being back in Europe, going to Kiko has been one of the things I have been looking forward to after being away from it for 5 months! I ended up picking up some new products and some products I have already tried out previously and wanted to share them with you!

The one downside about Kiko is that everything is labeled as a number. So that makes it kind of boring! I wish they would take the extra step to name the products because they have super cute packaging and pairing them with unique names would be so much more memorable and easy to share with others! You can go on the website and look up the products and their numbers and it gives a name for the product. So I wish they would label them in the store as that! Just because I like you all, I will look up the names for the products that I got :)

Here is what I got from Kiko recently:

Lip Pencils:
#309 Precision Lip Pencil - Crimson Red €2.90
#310 Precision Lip Pencil - Coral Pink €2.90
#503 Automatic Precision Lip Pencil - Hot Pink €3.90

     The first thing on my list was to get a few new lip pencils. I have never really been into lining my lips and only own a few lip pencils. But recently, I have been really into them and trying to define my lips more! I got two regular pencils (that you have to sharpen) and one automatic. For the automatic one, I got #503. It definitely is not hot pink as it is named, but more of a dusty rose. I like that it is creamier than the normal pencils but it is also very fragile and has already broken off a couple of times on me. I will probably stick with the regular pencils from now on. #309 Crimson Red is actually more on the berry side so I thought that would be perfect for fall/winter. And #310 Coral Pink is a pink shade that I thought would be universal for any nude lip. 

Kiko Lip Pencils

Bottom: #503
Middle: #310
Top: #309

Nail Polish:
#239 Nail Laquer - Vermilion Red €3.90
#318 Nail Laquer- Light Mauve €3.90
3-in-1 Shine €4.90

     The next thing I needed was nail polish. When it came down to it while packing, I just didn't have any type of room to be worrying about bringing nail polish out to France with me. I know nail polish isn't going to make a huge difference when it comes to adding weight to luggage, but it is already an art trying to get everything you need to live the next six or seven months of your life to fit into a couple of suticases! Plus, I had already tried nail polish from Kiko and planned on getting some from there when I got here. What's great about Kiko is they let you swatch the nail polish! They provide clear masking tape and you just put a piece on your hand and you swatch the polish. GENIUS!! Of course every girl needs a classic red polish so I grabbed #239 Vermilion Red. I also grabbed #318 Light Mauve because it looked perfect for fall. It is a cool-toned, purple-mauve and I am loving it! Then I grabbed the 3-in-1 Shine because it is a fast drying, base coat and top coat all in one.

Kiko Nail Polishes
Left to Right: #239, #318, 3-in-1 Shine

Purifying Mask: 
     I tried this mask last year and I liked it so much that I decided to grab it again. It is a remineralizing purifying mask that claims to "mattify the skin and minimize skin flaws". I do agree completely that it mattifies the skin and that is why I like it so much. I use it on days where I feel like my skin may be getting a little oily and this helps tremendously. I am not sure that I agree that it helps with skin flaws (I assume they mean acne) as I have never actually used it to treat acne. But regardless if it does not treat acne, at €5.90 I am happy with just using it as a mask to mattify my skin.

Kiko Purifying Mask

Lip gloss:
#126 Super Gloss - Baby Pink €4.90

     I had never purchased a lip gloss from Kiko so I wanted to try one out. I have been wanting to get more of a sheer gloss with a little bit of sparkle to add on top of different lipsticks. This gloss is exactly what I have been wanting! Super sheer and just a TINY bit of shimmer. It looks great with a lot of nude lipsticks and I even like wearing it alone! I think that the formula is great - a tad bit sticky but just only a little bit! I am going to have to purchase more! (I did not include a swatch since it is so sheer and does not show up well on camera)

Kiko Super Gloss #126

Lipstick:
#512 Luscious Cream Lipstick  - Plum €5.00

     I already own several lipsticks from Kiko so I really didn't even need to grab anymore. But hey, it has been a while since I had shopped at Kiko so I decided one was ok to grab one :) They have several different formulas: Creamy, Matte, Sheer, Metallic, Glossy. I decided to grab a Cream lipstick since it is the formula that I like most. I grabbed #512 Plum because it is that perfect plumy-vampy color. Plus, I thought it would go perfect with the #309 lip liner that I got!

Kiko Luscious Cream Lipstick

Kiko Luscious Cream Lipstick #512

Kiko Luscious Cream Lipstick #512

Unfortunately, I do not think Kiko products are available to order online through the US yet. But I do know they have had locations in the New York and Miami areas open this past year. If you are ever near one, I highly recommend checking Kiko out! I don't know if the products will be a little more expensive in the US, but if they are, it will still be decently priced! I am hoping more will start opening throughout the US because I would love for it to be available to me when we are back in the US permanently! And if you are ever in Europe, keep your eyes out for one and definitely stop in!

I hope you enjoyed learning about new products if you have never heard of Kiko before! 

Have a great day!

xoxo Kayla

Friday Five: 11/7/14

Happy Friday! Typing out "11" for November felt crazy! I can't believe it is November! Where does the time go?!

Here are my favorites for this first week in November!

1. Pore Minimizing Primer by Smashbox
     I got this as a sample with a Sephora order a while back and I have been really loving it! It is hard for me to find a primer that I truly love. And I never use Smashbox products. So I have been pleasantly surprised by this one. It is oil-free, oil-absorbing, minimizes pores, claims to last for 8 hours, mattifies the skin and sweat/humidity resistant. I would have to agree all of those claims are true. I love how it mattifies the skin and minimizes the appearance of my pores. Also, I have been wearing this primer on nights my husband has games and it really does resist against any humidity caused by being around thousands of people. It also lasts all night long. Since I have been liking it so much, I really want to purchase a full size. But it is $39! I think that is outrageous for 1oz of primer! I know primers last forever since you only use a little bit at time, but I just think that's a steep price tag! I am going to take advantage of the 20% off sale Sephora is having in the States to have some new makeup goodies sent out in a care package, so maybe I will splurge and get the primer with the discount. We will see!

Pore Minimizing Primer by Smashbox

2. Sweetheart Flush Blush in Candy Glow by Too Faced
     I had this as a favorite this past summer and I have been loving it again this week! First of all, the packaging is just way too cute. That might be the main reason I splurged on this blush! I love unique and pretty packaging :) But the product is definitely amazing as well! I love Candy Glow because it is such a pretty color. It gives you the most natural looking flush of color to the cheeks and it really does have a glow to it. I have very few blushes with sparkles in my collection because I personally don't like sparkly blushes. But with this one, I don't mind it at all! The sparkles are so subtle and really do give an extra "UMPH!" I think every girl should splurge on one of these Too Faced Sweetheart blushes :)

Sweetheart Flush Blush in Candy Glow by Too Faced

3. Infallible Eye Shadow in Iced Latte by L'Oreal
This is another favorite I have previously mentioned. I have been using it a lot this week (and even last week). It looks so pretty on the lid and just brings so much light to the eyes. It really opens your eyes up as well as bringing such a pretty shimmer to your eye look. Since it is a champagne color, you can pretty much use this with any other eyeshadows you want and it is going to go together great! I love that with this product you can use it wet or dry. By getting your brush wet, it gives it a little more of a metallic look! I really need to get more of these Infallible Eye Shadows in my life! They are so beautiful and affordable!

Infallible Eye Shadow in Iced Latte by L'Oreal

4. Lipstick in Dark Wine by Wet n Wild
     I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone (nude lips) and go for a bolder lip. I have been loving Dark Wine by Wet N Wild. I posted a picture on Insta with Dark Wine mixed with Wet N Wild's Cherry Bomb and have gotten so many compliments on it! Honestly, Dark Wine and Cherry Bomb are SO similar in color that you really don't need both of them (will show swatches below). I just lined my lips with Cherry Bomb and then filled them in with Dark Wine and the colors just blended in together. The reason I like Dark Wine better is because it is a creamier formula. Cherry Bomb can get very drying on the lips so I have just been sticking with Dark Wine! I think both of these lipsticks are only like 99 cents in the States! Maybe $1.99? Either way, super affordable and as you can see, HIGHLY pigmented!

Dark Wine by Wet N Wild

Top: Dark Wine
Bottom: Cherry Bomb

Picture I was referring to from Instagram!

5. Boo-Boo Cover-Up Concealer (in Medium)
     I am about to rave on this product here! If you have acne scars, you need this in your life! I received a full sized tube of this in my Ipsy bag several months ago and it is something I can't live without now! (and I just found out it is $20! awesome product to receive from Ipsy!) Boo-Boo Cover-Up is a Canada-based company and they have made an incredible product. This product completely covers up all my post-acne scarring. It is thicker than a normal concealer, but it blends out so amazingly that you wouldn't even think that it could have been so thick! What is even more amazing about it is that it has natural ingredients in it to help heal your skin - Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, Chamomile, Green Tea and Tea Tree Oil. I honestly don't know why I haven't mentioned this product before! I am always so amazed at how much it evens out my skintone when I cover up my acne scars. It really does hide everything! I just love this stuff! If you are looking to cover up any imperfections on your face, check out this product! I am probably about half way through my tube so it really does last a long time.

Boo-Boo Cover-Up Concealer

Have a fantastic weekend, loves!

xoxo Kayla
     


Find the products I mentioned here:

Pore Minimizing Primer by Smashbox

Sweetheart Flush Blush in Candy Glow by Too Faced

Infallible Eye Shadow in Iced Latte by L'Oreal

Lipstick in Dark Wine by Wet n Wild

Boo-Boo Cover-Up Concealer

Products that didn't work for me: October 2014

Hello, Ladies! Hope your week is going fabulous! 

I had some disappointing product fails this past month. I was really excited to try a couple of them, had heard great things about them and I ended up not liking them at all. They were a little bit of a let down, but now I know and can try out other things!

Under Eye Concealer and Highlighter by e.l.f.
     I am not too upset about being let down by this product. It was only $3. It was something that I grabbed when I was trying out e.l.f. products and it was the only thing that didn't work for me. I grabbed this product because I wanted to see what the highlighting cream of this duo was all about. It does give a slight sheen, but it is more sparkly than anything. When you blend out the product, all you see are these tiny sparkles. And it was something I did not care for at all. It might be more appropriate for a young teenager. The concealer is a decent shade as far as being something light and bright for highlighting, but it is not a good quality concealer in my opinion. It sets cakey and does not look good. If you are looking for some great e.l.f. products, click here to see what I love from e.l.f.

Under Eye Concealer and Highligher by e.l.f.

Miracle Complexion Sponge by Real Techniques
     I was really disappointed by this little guy! I have heard some many great things about it being a great alternative for the Beauty Blender. I would have to disagree. I tried out the Miracle Complexion Sponge because I thought that if it really does work as good as the Beauty Blender, I would way rather pay the $5-6 for it vs. $20 for the Beauty Blender. First, I hate the texture of it! That might sound a little weird, but it just feels so cheap and grainy compared to the Beauty Blender. Second, I have heard that the flattened edge of it is really great for the under eye area. I did not see anything special about it and think the tapered end if the Beauty Blender works much better. Third, I like how with the Beauty Blender, it evenly distributes foundation/concealer and soaks up any excess product. It really helps to create a flawless look. I don't think the Real Techniques sponge does as good of a job as the Beauty Blender. I know that a lot of girls like this sponge and it works for them and that is great! I just prefer the Beauty Blender and the Real Techniques sponge was not for me! 

Miracle Complexion Sponge by Real Techniques

All About Eyes Rich by Clinque
     This is the second month in a row that an eye cream has not worked for me. I just can't catch a break! Last month wasn't so bad because it was something that I received for free. But I actually purchased this eye cream from Clinique. And we all know eye creams are not cheap! I decided to buy All About Eyes Rich because it is one of the top-rated eye creams on Sephora's website. It is very hydrating and I like that about it.... But that's about all I really like about it! It claims what any other eye cream does - diminish undereye circles, shadows, puffiness and fine lines. I have been using this eye cream for about 7-8 weeks now and I haven't noticed any changes in my eyes. I really don't have terrible dark circles or puffiness and only have a couple fine lines, but I want to prevent aging as much as I can! And with this product, I don't feel like it is helping me any. If any of you have any recommendations on an eye cream you love, please let me know! 

All About Eyes Rich by Clinique

Well, those were all the products that didn't work for me this past month. I hope it gives you some information to go off of if you were thinking about purchasing any of these products! 

Have a great Wednesday!

xoxo Kayla