MAC Vibe Tribe Call of The Canyon Quad

Review and Swatches

 Seeing the promotional editorials for MAC's summer 2016 collection, Vibe Tribe, really inspired me as I loved the colours and culture it represented and despite the cultural appropriation issues and bad press, I was itching to shop the full collection. Upon release I was a little disappointed with the collection and only ended up purchasing the Call of the Canyon eye shadow quad (I did really like the look of the bronzers, but I have far too many already and have no room for more!).

The palette is neutral in tone apart from the mandarin shade and they are really blendable and the colour is easily buildable. I will say, however that the pigmentation isn't fantastic on the gold shade (Fools Gold - Frost), but it does create a really pretty finish on the eye.

(Left to right: Call of the Canyon, Fool's Gold, Thunderbolt, Summer Sun)

(Top to bottom: Summer Sun, Thunderbolt, Fool's Gold, Call of the Canyon)

 

Shade breakdown:

 

Call of the Canyon (Veluxe Pearl): Off-white, pearly shimmer with no glitter. Beautifully highlights the inner corners, brow bone and cupids bow, but starts to fade after around 2 hours even when used over a base.

 

Fool's Gold (Frost): Shimmery, sandy gold. Perfect amount of pigmentation for a subtle, almost sun kissed, golden sheen to the eye. No problems with creasing or fading throughout the day.

 

Thunderbolt (Lustre): Charcoal grey with gold shimmer. Good pigmentation for a lustre finish, no fading or creasing and is great for giving summer-y smoky look to the eye.

 

Summer Sun (Frost): Coral mandarin with a golden sheen (like an orange-based version of Nars Orgasm blush). Good pigmentation, no problems with fading or creasing and looks great used on its own as a wash of colour all over the eye as part of a bronzed look.

 

 

Overall I like this quad. It's not perfect and is probably a little expensive for what it actually provides, but I would still have purchased it knowing what I do from trying it out.

I have better highlight shades in my collection than the palettes namesake 'Call of the Canyon', but at the same time I don't have anything that is similar and I do still quite like it even though the longevity is disappointing. This palette will definitely be getting a lot of use over the summer.

 

 

-EF

 

Kylie Lip Kit Review - Candy K

Never in a million years did I think I would get my hands on the hugely hyped and ferociously coveted Lip Kit by Kylie until my amazing boyfriend surprised me with it as a 'well done' gift for completing my final year of University.

I have the shade Candy K which I assumed was a lucky guess on my boyfriends part only to find out that he spent hours watching YouTube videos to find the best shade for me (I know, he's so cute!).

So here are the swatches, they show up on camera as slightly darker and in reality Candy K is slightly rosier, but on the whole this is a good representation.

I have to say I went in sceptical as I just assumed that it was probably a very average product but having Kylie's name on it encouraged the hype. I was so happy to be proved wrong and I can safely say this is the best liquid lipstick I have ever tried.

The lip liner has a thick, creamy consistency that glides on with high pigmentation and a stay-all-day formulation, it's perfect for those who love to slightly overdraw their lips. It's comparable to MAC lip liners although I do slightly prefer the consistency of the Kylie one.

The liquid lipstick itself is amazing. It goes on smoothly and evenly, however I will recommend that you work quickly as it dries down in seconds and as with any liquid lipstick you can't layer it... once it's on, it's on! The formula is much more watery and fluid than other liquid lipsticks I have tried, but this isn't an issue if you have a steady hand when applying. When dry, it is completely matte and feels like satin to the touch.

The staying power of this product is what really surprised me the most. The first time I tried it out I applied it at around 8am and lasted through eating a greasy bacon sarnie, lunch and multiple cups of tea before I finally took it off at 4:30pm with only minimal damage around the corners and inner portion of my lips - bulletproof. I didn't find it at all uncomfortable to wear until around the 8 hour mark which is when I took it off.

Overall I love this product and would recommend it to anyone, I will definitely be buying more!

-EF

 

Makeup Revolution #LIPHUG Lipstick Review + Dupes

 

The #LIPHUG (available here)is described as being "high shine", "long lasting", creating "smooth and sculpted lips".

 

High shine is not exactly how I would describe them, but they do give a very moisturised look to the lips and are by no means matte (although I have worn them matte by dusting a little loose powder over the top).

They are really nicely pigmented allowing you to create the sculpted effect easily without a lip liner, making even the bright colours quick and easy to apply.

The formula is really moisturising and comfortable to wear exactly like the product is 'hugging' your lips as its slightly cringe worthy name suggests, giving a smooth finish and not highlighting dry areas - they smell softly of vanilla too which is a little added bonus.

As far as longevity goes the #LIPHUG gives around 4 hours of wear and fades evenly throughout the day, I was really impressed by how well they lasted through eating too.

(Left to right: When you came to me, Save me from yourself, Love can set you free, Present has no living, Lets raise the bar)

 

Its no surprise to find that this product could be a dupe for the Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick, so I did some research and found some similar shades. The UD Revolution Lipsticks are slightly more long lasting than the Makeup Revolution counterpart, but to say there's a £13 price difference (#LIPHUG: £2.50, UD Revolution: £15.50) to me it's a no-brainer.

 

Here are the shade descriptions and their UD dupes:

 

When you came to me: pale nude rose. UD Revolution dupe: Naked

Save me from yourself: peachy nude. UD Revolution dupe: Naked 2

Love can set you free: dusty pink/mauve. UD Revolution dupe: Strip

Present has no living: bright fuchsia. Slightly less pigmented than UD Revolution: Anarchy

Lets raise the bar: orange coral. No dupe

-EF

Lush Colour Supplement Review & Application

A few months ago I was on the hunt for a new foundation with medium coverage and a natural, healthy finish and when I saw the Colour Supplement in Lush - available here - I thought I'd give it a go.

Lush describe this product as "subtly enhancing the colour of your skin" and that by adding moisturiser it would turn into a tinted moisturiser. They also claim that the product is "protecting and nurturing" which is what initially persuaded me to try it out.



(Lush Colour Supplement: Light Pink)

I found the texture to be thick, comparable to MAC Studio Sculpt, and even though I have a slight yellow undertone to my skin, the light pink shade was the best match. It's much less emollient than your standard foundation too, meaning that it can difficult to blend.

Initially I tried to apply it with a Real Techniques expert face brush which left my skin looking patchy and dehydrated (both on its own and mixed with moisturiser), so back in the draw it went for a few weeks.
Due mainly to my not wanting to waste the money I spent on this foundation (£9.95), I dug it out and began to persevere with a few different methods of application.

Flat foundation brush: streaky and patchy (both with and without moisturiser).
Real Techniques buffing brush: the product dragged and became patchy (both with and without moisturiser).
Beauty Blender: Surprisingly proved the most stubborn to blend as it work so wonderfully with literally every other product I have (without moisturiser).

Just as I was beginning to loose hope the penny dropped. The only other foundation I could compare it to was MAC Studio Sculpt with which I can only get a truly flawless finish using a duo fibre brush (I used the MAC 188) and kind of flicking the product onto the skin in a sort of dusting motion (honestly the best way I can describe it). At the same time I should say this isn't a dupe for the Studio Sculpt as it lacks the gel-like texture and doesn't quite give the same level of coverage.

So I tried it with the 188 and I swear I heard angels singing - I'd finally found how to get the best out of the Lush Colour Supplement!!



(Finish when applied with MAC 188)

I know this may sound silly to some, but I really did struggle to find the best way of applying this foundation and I'm glad I persevered as this is now one of my favourite bases for a natural but flawless coverage.

-EF