So, I feel like I’ve achieved the
impossible: I got my little mits on some Kylie Lip Kits. *Cue hallelujah music and light* Hey, I
know I’m late to the party, but being on this side of the Atlantic and getting
three kits in all the colours I wanted (miraculous!)
it's a big deal to me. So while I’m sure you’ve read all about the wondrous Kylie
Jenner creations, I’m going to do my own little review.
First up, let’s talk about the whole purchasing process. A few weeks back I saw Kylie tweet that international delivery would only cost $5. This for me was a big selling point as the usual international delivery cost of the kits is around $15, so if I can save a tenner on shipping and buy another lip kit instead, I’m aaaall over it. The lip kits themselves retail at $29 (around £24ish) that compared to buying a MAC liner and lipstick is pretty good in terms of value. So, I went for it and bought three kits in Dolce K, Candy K and Mary Jo.
The website said it would take up to five working days to process, but mine got shipped in three- so far so good. One stumbling block that I didn’t even consider that I thought was worth mentioning, was the customs fee. I’m not sure whether this affects those within the US but here in the UK (and international) I got slapped with a pretty hefty customs fee- £21 in total. Ouch. I’ve read lots of reviews online and some have been hit with a customs fee and some haven’t. Maybe it’s a case of luck and I’m an unlucky one, but considering I spent $92 on lip kits (around £75) having that extra £21 on top really made me question whether I should have bought them at all. There was no way I was going spend more money returning them and not getting the customs fee back so I thought right, just hope these babies are as good as they've been made out and worry about my bank statement when it comes to it. It did make my eyes wince a little bit, not gonna lie, but hey a girl needs her lipsticks, right?
First up, let’s talk about the whole purchasing process. A few weeks back I saw Kylie tweet that international delivery would only cost $5. This for me was a big selling point as the usual international delivery cost of the kits is around $15, so if I can save a tenner on shipping and buy another lip kit instead, I’m aaaall over it. The lip kits themselves retail at $29 (around £24ish) that compared to buying a MAC liner and lipstick is pretty good in terms of value. So, I went for it and bought three kits in Dolce K, Candy K and Mary Jo.
The website said it would take up to five working days to process, but mine got shipped in three- so far so good. One stumbling block that I didn’t even consider that I thought was worth mentioning, was the customs fee. I’m not sure whether this affects those within the US but here in the UK (and international) I got slapped with a pretty hefty customs fee- £21 in total. Ouch. I’ve read lots of reviews online and some have been hit with a customs fee and some haven’t. Maybe it’s a case of luck and I’m an unlucky one, but considering I spent $92 on lip kits (around £75) having that extra £21 on top really made me question whether I should have bought them at all. There was no way I was going spend more money returning them and not getting the customs fee back so I thought right, just hope these babies are as good as they've been made out and worry about my bank statement when it comes to it. It did make my eyes wince a little bit, not gonna lie, but hey a girl needs her lipsticks, right?
Onto the kits… The shades are great,
but we all know that by now. The range that Miss Jenner has released has a wide
variety and that even on different skin tones, they still look super
flattering. From the original core range that was released earlier in the year
to her limited edition shades like Pumpkin and Moon for Autumn plus the
glosses, you can’t deny there isn’t something for everyone. I won't even start on the buzz of her eye palettes...
But I am a matte lipstick fan through and through so I picked up three matte lip kits as previously mentioned: Candy K (a rosey-beige), Dolce K (a grey-taupe) and Mary Jo (a pink tinted vivid red.) Liquid lipsticks are notoriously drying: they can flake, the lines crack and they can make your lips look dry and brittle. That being said, I prefer liquid lipsticks merely because of their coverage and durability- I’ll happily put on liquid lipstick once knowing it will last all night rather than having to constantly top up a regular lipstick and run the risk of putting on too much and it getting all over my teeth. Some may call it lazy, but I’d call it finding the ultimate long lasting lip colour....?!
First up the lip liner: these beauties glide on so easily and smoothly it makes me so excited. There is nothing worse than finding the perfect lip liner colour and finding it so stiff and unpigmented that it’s basically unusable. The Kylie lip liners are so easy to apply which helps to create the ‘perfectly lined lip’ with ease and they’re that pigmented that you could get away without using the lip liner on top. The liner causes minimal drag and the general durability of the lip liner on it’s own is really good.
Onto the liquid lipstick. Considering my first thoughts were that it appeared quite thin in the tube, the liquid lipstick itself is extremely pigmented- you could easily do your lips with one stroke. The liquid lipstick itself is really easy to apply with the applicator and the scent has a slight vanilla note- but it doesn’t have that sickly sweet or chemically scent that liquid lipsticks commonly have. It also disappears when dried so you don’t get that taste or smell lingering around your nose all day. Once dried down to matte it’s comfortable and flexible- you can actually feel like you can move your lips without it cracking or smudging unlike other liquid lipsticks. The big thing for me is the durability of the formula. This product is easily the best I’ve ever used- kiss, drink, eat or whatever- nothing is moving the colour once applied and dried and touch ups will be absolutely minimal. This hands down beats my previous favourite Kat Von D lipstick and beauty bloggers weren’t lying when they said this was the on the market. This beats all other brands’ liquid lipstick offering hands down.
Overall I’m really pleased with my new kits- admittedly the hefty fee I had to pay on top of the product themselves did taint the experience slightly, but I can’t deny that Kylie’s lip kits are worth the hype. Maybe this is a new item you can add to the Christmas list…! (As if it's not on there already...)
But I am a matte lipstick fan through and through so I picked up three matte lip kits as previously mentioned: Candy K (a rosey-beige), Dolce K (a grey-taupe) and Mary Jo (a pink tinted vivid red.) Liquid lipsticks are notoriously drying: they can flake, the lines crack and they can make your lips look dry and brittle. That being said, I prefer liquid lipsticks merely because of their coverage and durability- I’ll happily put on liquid lipstick once knowing it will last all night rather than having to constantly top up a regular lipstick and run the risk of putting on too much and it getting all over my teeth. Some may call it lazy, but I’d call it finding the ultimate long lasting lip colour....?!
First up the lip liner: these beauties glide on so easily and smoothly it makes me so excited. There is nothing worse than finding the perfect lip liner colour and finding it so stiff and unpigmented that it’s basically unusable. The Kylie lip liners are so easy to apply which helps to create the ‘perfectly lined lip’ with ease and they’re that pigmented that you could get away without using the lip liner on top. The liner causes minimal drag and the general durability of the lip liner on it’s own is really good.
Onto the liquid lipstick. Considering my first thoughts were that it appeared quite thin in the tube, the liquid lipstick itself is extremely pigmented- you could easily do your lips with one stroke. The liquid lipstick itself is really easy to apply with the applicator and the scent has a slight vanilla note- but it doesn’t have that sickly sweet or chemically scent that liquid lipsticks commonly have. It also disappears when dried so you don’t get that taste or smell lingering around your nose all day. Once dried down to matte it’s comfortable and flexible- you can actually feel like you can move your lips without it cracking or smudging unlike other liquid lipsticks. The big thing for me is the durability of the formula. This product is easily the best I’ve ever used- kiss, drink, eat or whatever- nothing is moving the colour once applied and dried and touch ups will be absolutely minimal. This hands down beats my previous favourite Kat Von D lipstick and beauty bloggers weren’t lying when they said this was the on the market. This beats all other brands’ liquid lipstick offering hands down.
Overall I’m really pleased with my new kits- admittedly the hefty fee I had to pay on top of the product themselves did taint the experience slightly, but I can’t deny that Kylie’s lip kits are worth the hype. Maybe this is a new item you can add to the Christmas list…! (As if it's not on there already...)
Have
you tried the Kylie Lip Kits? What did you think of them and what’s your
favourite shade?
A
x
Denim Jacket: Levis | Denim Shorts: Levis | Crop top: Puma | Body harness: (similar) Missguided
Boots: Doc Martens | Sunglasses: Quay Australia | Bag: Mulberry | Necklaces: Vintage
Brighton you served me well once again on my
latest adventure. Last month myself and the Bobbi Brown queen Molly headed to
Boundary Festival on the outskirts of Brighton. The new festival for 2017
labels itself as ‘taking the best of Brighton’s creative
energy, lust for life and generosity of spirit, Boundary Brighton is a festival
with four stages of music, a vintage fair, delicious local food and other
unexpected treats, all nestled between the crest of the Downs and the City with
the sea below.’
Yes its not Glastonbury in terms of
scale- I actually preferred it being a
bit smaller- but I can tell you we had a bloody good time two stepping the
day and night away sipping cider in the crisp coast air and enjoying some
amazing music for good measure. With acts including Bondax, Jackmaster, Groove
Armada, Seth Troxler, Jaguar Skills and Tottla T & Serocee it was a
definitely a day well spent with my fave gal pal. We even managed to get
ourselves VIP thanks to the gal that is Shannon Saunders (if you haven’t heard her before, I strongly recommend you do!) to enjoy Craig David and the lovely Wilkinson backstage.
Hearing his new song ‘Sweet Lies’ with Karen Harding (major girl crush alert, btw) sipping on vodka cranberries dancing away
backstage with Shan and Mol was the perfect end to another awesome weekend in Brighton. And yes, the
hangover the next day was so worth it.
In terms of outfits it was pretty cold
so I had to hit up the tights to ensure I kept warm but I think it worked well
with my die hard Doc Martens, black body harness, cropped Puma crop top and black
buckle belt from ASOS. And hey, if you’re doing denim shorts it’s always gotta
be the oversized denim on top. (#doubledenim4lyf) Molly looked stunning, as always, teaming her Zara jumpsuit with
Nike Air Max, black bomber, brown suede tassel bag and Dior-esque sunglasses. We
found out the next day we walked an equivalent of 11 miles dancing throughout
the day and night, and if that isn’t a sign of a good time I don’t know what is…
Did
you go to Boundary festival this year? What’s been the best festival of the
year so far?
A
x
The
nights are getting darker, we’ve grabbed our hardcore favourite wooly scarf for
the first time this year and the winter boots have started to become a staple
on the way to work. It’s official: winter is coming (I can only say this in a John Snow accent!?) And while we all
despair about the rubbish weather and moan about not being able to go out in
crop tops and culottes, there is one amazing thing about October: A NEW SEASON.
Oh
yes, Autumn/Winter 2017 is well underway and its looking pretty damn good.
Admittedly, when I saw the runways back in February I wasn’t massively
inspired, however the thing that made me change my mind was the versatility of
the trends that will pollute our lives completely over the upcoming months.
Velvets, moody blooms, embellishment, over the knee boots don’t exactly scream
innovation, however the spectrum of pieces littered across the high street make
this season the most wearable. Throw on a mish mash of everything or go top to
toe of the same- the rules are anything goes.
I’ve
put together the big trends that you need to be aware of, so we can all release our
inner Carrie Bradshaw throughout the Autumn/Winter season. So, let’s go…
The Velvet Revolution
So,
let’s start with the big one: Velvet. As the
key fabric to note this season, Velvet was littered across the runways for A/W’16
but not just in the dark, romantic, gothic evening-only clothes we’re used to.
It arrived in a bold, shocking array of colours, crushed, top-to-toe,
embellished and worn for both day and night attire. From trouser suits, dresses
to thigh high boots, if there is one trend you go for this season ensure its
velvet. The rules are anything goes- bonus points if you team it with metallic
accessories (double with oversized
earrings) and remember to never wear it in the rain. (You can thank me for this later.)
Granny's Attic
It’s
time to utilise those magpie tendencies we usually hide away out into full force
this season. Clash eras and ages all at once and throw on your nana’s bold and
brash costume jewellery for good measure. It’s about owning an heirloom piece
that you could have got from a vintage store and that despite it being older,
it’s more exciting. Iris Apfel is the ultimate spirit animal of this trend:
clash your florals, wear lime green with lilac and burnt orange and bring it together
with a gold belt and bright red glasses. The whole idea of this trend is to be cluttered
so while those minimalist lovers amongst us may want to stay clear, release your
inner eccentric loud, proud and without fear.
Embellished Art
If there was ever going to be a season that we wanted to be adorned in head-to-toe jewels it was always going to be Autumn/Winter. Although having sequins in the 'party season' isn't exactly ground breaking, designers hailed a return to opulence with an array of fabrics, embellishments, garnishes and adornments. From tinsel toppings at Fendi to embroidered lace at Alexander McQueen more is more when it comes to party season attire this fall. Shimmering sequins translate into the perfect party dress but rich jewelled toned brocades can easily be translated into plush, sumptuous daywear. Scared to take the plunge? Invest in some beautiful brocade mules or a rich embellished bag that will give you the luxurious frosting you're craving.
Animal Lover
From pussycat prints through to kitty
jewellery and across the body bags, designers have delved into the world of
felines. What are the spots? Leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or some other cat
altogether? Who cares. Whatever print you pick Givenchy to Dolce and Gabana are
splattering their favourite animal print into single looks. The easiest animal
print to wear? Undoubtedly leopard (faux
furs coats are still as big as always in the winter months) but mashing it
up with a mix of other clashing prints or trying them in bright, lighter hues
like Calvin Klein, there is definitely something to get your claws into.
Military Force
Take
some inspiration from the queen that is Beyoncé: ‘Come on ladies now let’s get
into formation.’ March Autumn’s military mood forward with oversized button
details, utility pockets, khaki tones and red piping. Tommy Hilfiger and Dolce and Gabana focused on
the military jacket as a key wardrobe ingredient, but it was worn over satin
silky negligees and belted waists. Alternatively, a key piece to invest in woud be the
ultimate sailor pants. Don’t be pigeon holed into thinking it’s just the military
green and navy blue styles that will be dominating: Mrs Prada also ensured
there’s elements of ladylike pieces in-between that we can all salute to. (What a genius!?) Military Popeye hats
with corset belts and chokers give the latest take on nautical trend that we’ve all tried
in years. Don’t want to go head-to-toe commander? Pick up accessories glided in
gold hardware, lace up and studs for a nod to the most copied, and wearable, trend from the
runway.
Gothic Romance
A
gothic romance is a fashion love affair that will never die. An enchanted fairy
tale takes a dramatic and punked up turn with distinct influences from Tim
Burton’s Beetlejuice. Its dark mood
has a gothic theme with a rich, lavish colour palette with ladylike elegance in
embroidered flowers, feathers and holographic butterflies. The metallics,
digitally cut lace and Matrix-style mesh make this mythical theme modern but this
trend can be taken one of two ways. Make it feminine with over the top lace ruffle
details, mesh overlays and encrusted embellished accessories or give it a
distinct punk edge with thick black eyeliner, leather over the knee boots and heavy
gothic jewellery. Dare to be strange and cut through the shadows in a new dark
romance.
Other key influences
to note:
Unashamedly
80’s: Yep, I wouldn’t lie to you guys. I’m talking satin ruching, gold
jewellery, spiked stilettos, fishnets, latex and asymmetric cuts. Find your
inner Pretty Woman (prostitute option
debateable) and wear that skin-tight dress loud and proud. Draw the line at neon eyeshadows and a perm though, some things belong back in the Wham! era....
Oversized
earrings: In this case, the bigger the better. Jumbo ear pieces were littered
all over the catwalk from ornate jewelled detailing to blown up Balenciaga.
Bustier
babe: Underwear as outerwear isn’t something we aren’t already aware of, but
this time wearing your bustier over a dress
has never looked so chic. Clinch everything together like Prada who layered
hers over multiple layers or coats or like Queen V Beckham who wore it casually
with midi skirts and flat shoes. Elongated waists are the dream.
Shearling:
Because winter isn’t winter without fashions favourite wooly fabric.
So
as a little round up, I hope there is something that is of some interest to you.
I feel as though there is a little bit of something for everyone this season, whether
you’re rock chic and you invest in some studded Burberry boots or
gothic leather details or you let out your inner geek and let the granny
layering rule supreme. Anything goes, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
What
trend have you got your eye on this season?
A
x
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