AW 2017 Releases from Mii Cosmetics

August 29, 2017February 13, 2018 - Vicki 5 Comments

Mii Cosmetics are a brand that I have never heard of before so I was excited to try out their new AW 2017 Supernova Collection which is launching in September. This new collection doesn’t instantly scream A/W to me but I guess that is the beauty of makeup, anything goes and collections don’t have to be restricted by certain colours or what we expect from a season.

This collection for me is easy to wear makeup that has a subtle edge. The lip products are matte which is great for getting that long wear lip look and the eyeliner is my ideal shade. The liquid liner is perfect for adding a touch of glitter to your eye look and dare I say it, for the party season (Christmas isn’t too far away).

Mii Power Matte Lip Créme

These are available in 4 wearable shades which can take you from day to night. They have a matte formula packed with sweet almond and jojoba oils to help keep lips soft. They apply like a cream but dry down matte, once on the lip they look vibrant and have fantastic staying power. If you’re not a fan of how matte finishes can feel on the lips then these might not be for you as they are quite dry, but you do get a lip colour that is long wearing.

These have the nicest, sweetest scent and the doe foot applicator makes it easy to outline the lips with the edge then use the flat side to fill them in.

Eternity

This is a gorgeous everyday peachy nude shade. It does apply a little patchy but if you wait for the first coat to dry and apply a second it evens out the coverage. I have also used a lip liner under this shade too and that can help it apply more smoothly and more evenly. I really like this shade and have been keeping it in my car for any occasion, it’s a colour that makes it look like I’ve made more of an effort than I have.

Sensuous

This is a vibrant fuchsia pink and it is seriously bright. It is the type of shade that brightens up any makeup look and makes you look instantly awake. I would say this was more of a Summer shade but it is always nice to have a pretty pink in your collection no matter what season it is. This applies so well and doesn’t bleed at all.

Imperial

Perfect Christmas party red! Yep, that is what I thought as soon as I applied this, it’s a stunning bold red that makes your makeup look pop. Christmas is the perfect excuse to work that red lip and this Mii one is just beautiful, it applies the best out of the four shades I have tried and I would use a lip liner just so you can get that really sharp defined edge and fill your lips in without making a mess.

Supreme

Berries/plum shades are my favourite to wear in the colder months and I think they’re the shades that suit me best. Supreme is the perfect Winterberry, vampy shade but it takes a little patience to get the finish right, make sure you let the first coat dry before applying a second otherwise it just moves about and the finish is a little off.

Eternity 01 // Sensuous 03 // Imperial 02 // Supreme 04

Mii Show Stopping – Eyeliner

I love jumbo pen eyeliners and this new release from Mii is exactly that, it has a junky nib with a very precise tip so you can get both a thick, chunky line as well as a neat precise flick. This is an intense black shade but I did find it a little watery, however, it was still quite a bold black. It isn’t the best liner I have used but I liked how easy and smooth it applies and it is long wearing. If you have the time to apply two layers you will get your liner to be very bold and black.

Mii Glitter Glam Liner

I used to be obsessed with this kind of liner back in the late 90’s and I’m quite excited to have this in my collection. It is a mix of iridescent green, red, blue and silver micro flecks of glitter in a clear base, you can build this up to be quite intense or wear just one coat for a more subtle pop of glitter. I like to add this to my black liner so it looks bolder. This would have been fab for festival makeup looks, but I’m going to rock it anyway.

Let me know if you have tried anything from Mii Cosmetics and give me your recommendations.

Mii Supernova Collection is available from September at www.miicosmetics.com

This post contains PR Samples

New Giorgio Armani Beauty Lip Magnets

October 17, 2016March 1, 2018 - Vicki 2 Comments

These are the new Lip Magnets* from Giorgio Armani Beauty and boy are they pigmented! I have four out of the 18 shades available and I am so pleased with the colours I have. These new liquid lip colours are inspired by two of Giorgio Armani Beauty’s most iconic products – the Maestro Fusion Makeup and the Lip Maestro Velvet Lip Colour They have combined incredible colour intensity with an ultra-thin formula and they’ve created a range of rich, pigmented and ultra long-wearing matte lip colours. I am seriously impressed.

As with all Armani Beauty products these feel luxurious and are packaged in the with the iconic red lids with the Giorgio Armani Beauty logo in gold, I like that you can see the shades through the glass packaging, it makes picking a colour that much easier. The applicator has been developed by Armani exclusively for the Lip Magnets and they are calling it the Calligraphic Applicator. It gives you great control and precision to apply just the perfect amount of colour.

These liquid lip colours apply with ease and feel incredibly comfortable on the lips, the weightless formulation which is a combination of water, oils and pigments means that it fuses to your lips giving you that highly concentrated colour. The water gradually evaporates allowing the oils to deliver a rich, intense colour that is also 4 times thinner than a liquid lip colour.

Once these are on the lips the colour remains intense for hours and they just do not budge or transfer. I was shocked when I looked in the mirror after drinking & eating & my lip colour was still very much in place. I like that they apply quite fluid but dry down to be beautifully matte.

The Lip Magnets are available in 18 beautiful shades, everything from pretty pinks to softer nudes and of course a classic vibrant red. I have 4 shades and they’re a good cross-section of shades

Second Skin – This is a very pretty nude pink and this has become my everyday colour. It’s so easy to wear and looks fresh on the lips.

Front Row – This is deeper plum shade but it’s not too dark on the lips, this initially applied a little patchy but nothing a second coat didn’t fix. Its a great option for Autumn

Maharajah – This is one very bright, intense pink and it’s beautiful. The colour is bold with one swipe and looks so vivid and bright on the lips

Hollywood – This is a pretty orange toned red and it looks so vibrant and classic on the lips

Matte lipstick stains are nothing new and almost all brands have released their version but these Armani Lip Magnets feel different on the lips, more natural, less drying and like I said they have serious longevity. I know they’re at the top end of anyone’s budget but if you like to wear a matte lip and are looking to invest in one that is great quality, luxurious and won’t need reapplying for hours.

If you’re able to get to a counter then I urge you to pop down and swatch these, I think you will fall in love with the formula and the colour selection too.

Giorgio Armani Lip Magnets* are out now exclusively at Selfridges £27 each and launch Nationwide from 26th October

* PR Sample

Shopping My Stash May 2016

May 12, 2016 - Vicki 3 Comments

Shopping My Stash May 2016

Cover FX CC Cream SPF30

This gives my skin a beautiful dewy radiant finish and It wears well on my skin throughout the day. It feels lightweight and is easy to blend, I have the shade N Light which is a perfect match for me. This is quite a thick cream which takes a little buffing to get a nice even coverage but it is worth the effort. It gives a nice natural light to medium coverage and it gives a lovely healthy glow to the skin. It has Broad Spectrum SPF30 in to its ideal for Summer.

Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Bountiful Beige

I think this will be a really nice brightening cream shadow for the warmer month. Just a simple champagne colour with a gorgeous shimmer finish (not glittery). Its so easy to apply & I like to wear it on its on all over the lid. I am so pleased I have rediscovered it.

Sleek Corrector and Concealer Trio SPF15

Last time I used these I thought they were a little hard to blend but I like the colour selection & really want to give them another go. You get a peachy correcting shade, a concealer shade & a yellow toned powder. This is pretty good for travel & I am going on a road trip at the end May so this will be perfect to take with me. I am hoping now I have discovered my beauty blender that these are easier to blend using that.

Shopping My Makeup Stash May 2106

MaxFactor Berry Lipstick*

This is one of four reds that make up the Max Factor’s Marilyn Monroe Collection & this is my absolute favourite of them all. Its more of a berry red than a true red & I think thats why I like it so much, I love berry shades on me and think they compliment my completion. I am pretty excited that I have rediscovered this as I am heading up to Manchester for a few nights out and this is the perfect lippie for a an evening out.

BarryM Blusher

WOW I’d forgotten just how bright and pink this is. I am trying very hard to fall back in love with blusher and use the few I own. As the weather is getting a little warmer I thought it would be a great time to wear this, if you use a light hand you can get more of a toned done pink and it actually looks pretty. This isn’t the most long wearing blush but to be honest I very rarely have my makeup on for longer than 5 – 6 hours.

Max Factor Marilyn Monroe Lipsticks

January 26, 2016August 8, 2017 - Vicki 4 Comments

If you’re looking for a pretty red lipstick then Max Factor have released some beautiful options in their Marilyn Monroe Collection*. I am smitten with 3 Marilyn Berry but they’re all stunning. Max Factor were behind the iconic Marilyn red lip with their Ruby Red and Max Factor have added 3 new reds to their Marilyn Collection so every woman can find her one true red.

Using undertones of orange, blue and purple, each shade works in harmony with individual skin tones of warm, cool and dark, to give a pop of bold colour. Which shade would you pick?

1 Marilyn Ruby Red

Inspired by Marilyn. The original shade loved by Marilyn, this iconic colour is a bold, true red inspired by her career-defining red lip. This is a gorgeous vibrant red and I think a truly glamorous red. I find it hard to pull off such a bold lip but this is a show stopper of a red and If I had glitzy party to attend this is the shade I would opt for.

2 Marilyn Sunset Red

Sunset red is a beautiful burnt orange/red shade, which will pop in warm or olive toned skin tones. I think this will be a gorgeous lipstick for the warmer months its not too fiery and is a very wearable orange toned red.

3 Marilyn Berry

This red will suit pale skin tones or cool skin tones. It has blue undertones which complement cooler complexions. This is my favourite of the four colours and I do tend to wear a lot of berry shades so this is well within my comfort zone. Its a beautiful and has a rich deep pink tone which looks a little more berry on the lips. I think this is the easiest of the four to wear, the most safe shade I guess. I think its gorgeous and I have worn it a lot these past few weeks.

4 Marilyn Cabernet

A rich, deep red with purple undertones, this is perfect for darker skin tones. Think luxurious full bodied red wines. Gosh this is a bold stunning really deep red and is quite a statement on the lips. The colour is very glamorous and sophisticated I haven’t worn this one out of the house yet but I am building up to it.

The formula is silky smooth and just effortlessly glides on the lips. All the shades are vibrant and pigmented not to mention comfortable on the lips. They wear well but if you want your lipstick to look polished and give you that perfect pout then I would say use a lip liner – it will also ensure the colour doesn’t bleed throughout the day.

You can really build up the colour on these to be very bold or if you want a red thats a little more subtle for daytime then just apply a small amount and blend it out with your finger. Thats what I have been doing.

These lipsticks are enriched with nourishing grapeseed oil and avocado butter which will help keep your lips feeling soft and stop them drying out.

L-R Ruby Red / Sunset Red / Berry / Cabernet

The packaging of this new collection is bold and really pretty its bright red and gold and stands out in my collection. I like that you can see the colour at the bottom of the bullet so its easy to grab the shade you want. I wouldn’t of considered myself a red lipstick kind of girl but I do like that Max Factor have created a collecton that will suit everyone – very clever and If I had to pick my perfect red from the four it would 100% be Number 3 Marilyn Berry, although come the Summer I think I will be switching it up to Sunset Red.

Have you tried any of the new Marilyn Monroe Collection or have you already found your perfect red?

Max Factor Marilyn Monroe Collection available online & in store at Boots for £7.99

*PR Sample

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AW 2017 Releases from Mii Cosmetics