Since I discovered KIKO some years ago, I started using their products with the same awe a child has on Christmas day. At first it was only the nail polishes, but then my nail polish interest in general plummeted (I have like 100 of many different brands that I want to give away or just toss). Then it was the eye makeup, which is stellar. And then.. of course, my faves: lipsticks of all sorts!
LIPSTICK
For years now, lipstick collecting is my obsession. But I do tend to have some lipsticks that I never ever use, which is a shame. This, however, has never happened with my KIKO lipsticks because they are creamy (even if some are matte) and pretty long lasting (unless you go for a creamy sheeny one, of course). The picture above just shows 7 of dozens I have, so if you are interested in swatches, please let me know in the comments :)!
My favourite ones are the Lavish Lipsticks (the three lippies pictured on the right) and I have the whole range of those but they were limited edition, which is why I had to buy a couple of backups.
The new Gossamer Emotion (two on the left) are creamy, have a huge range and stay on, plus are not limited edition (and that embossing is suuuper cute)... However I'd definitely recommend swatching in person as some shades have microglitter (which doesn't show up A LOT but you can tell it's not matte) and others are just normal mattes, and sadly the website swatches are not specific about which is which.
Above pictured are some sheeny creamy lippies that are also the bomb and I use very frequently (as you can see from the wear on the packaging of the pink one!) Definitely comfortable and you can find either sheer ones (sometimes you just need a little colour) and others (like the middle one) start shiny and then turn matte <3.
Quite honestly, even if I have MAC and NARS lipsticks, I usually go for KIKO ones (or L'Óreal but we'll talk about those on another post!) because I love the formulation and colour range that much.
NAIL POLISHES
KIKO nail polishes have great opacity and range, plus are good quality and pretty cheap. Just recently I checked their nail polishes again and they just came out with a new version of their nail polishes, with a new and cuter packaging (pictured above), plus an even better formula. They are a bit pricier than before (4,90€ a pop) but they have loads of discounts on nail polishes pretty frequently.
EYESHADOW
I have honestly never used a single powder eyeshadow from them (although I have swatched them in-store and are super buttery!) because for me their most stellar products are the eyeshadow sticks. If you have a limited budget to spend, go for THESE! <3 They have an amazing range of colours (04, 05 and 39 are my faves) and some are matte while others are shimmery. Once they're on, they literally won't budge or crease at all. I also have a couple of limited edition ones, like the golden in white packaging pictured above, which are the bbbbomb.
EYELINER + EYEBROWS
Eyeliner-wise, I only own three from KIKO: one liquid that has a flat paddle applicator and two pencil ones. Honestly, the pencil ones aren't amazing, I find they are not as soft as I like them but I actually haven't given them much of a chance since I usually don't use pencil eyeliner. The liquid eyeliner on the other hand is pretty good, I'm not sure if my favourite of all my eyeliners just yet, but pretty high up, although limited edition so I'm pondering getting a backup just in case. I'm sorry I didn't picture any eyeliner, I just got a bunch of stuff and forgot about these...
In terms of eyebrows, I have to say that I almost never do anything to mine. I have a Maybelline brow pencil that has a spoolie on the other side and that was about it before I got my KIKO eyebrow sculpt. I still won't do my eyebrows every day since mine are pretty dark and not too patchy (but they do need some perfecting) but whenever I do, I use the Eyebrow Sculpt over any other product. It looks like a similar concept (IMO) to the Hourglass Brow Sculpting pencil + Anastasia Brow Wiz but I haven't tried these so I can't really say much in terms of pigmentation, etc. but the KIKO Eyebrow Sculpt has enough pigmentation for my eyebrows (I need just *enough* since I use black for mine, it would be too much!)
MASCARA + LIPGLOSS
Why the hell did I pair these together, you might say. Honestly, I'm not sure. They are both products that I really like and use, but they're not products I'd choose over other brands.
The lipgloss is really nice (not gloopy, not watery) and minty, plus it sheers out (which is something I need with lipgloss, I hate pigmented ones on myself!) which is why I have like four different shades. It looks really good on its own, but I do feel like if I don't put some balm underneath before applying my lips will look flaky when the gloss is gone.
The mascara is volumizing and very black but I feel like it's too dry for me, or at least the one I got was very dry from the moment I bought it. This one is the only KIKO mascara I own and it's Kathleen Lights' favourite according to her Youtube videos, and while I get why she might like it (it does build volume), I can't say that this is my favourite mascara of all times (or even top 5).
FOUNDATION + CONCEALER + POWDER
This is my first KIKO *liquid* foundation and since cushion foundations are all the rage right now, I decided to try it out (mostly because I couldn't get my hands on the L'Oreal one just yet in Spain and I'm not buying foundations online ever). This is actually a CC cream which I prefer, but the lightest warm shade available is this one (Warm Beige 15) and it's still a tad darker for my skin (although that happens to me with almost all foundations). However, I really like it and use it every morning for work so I can't say it's my favourite (my Bourjois Healthy Mix is still top 1) but I got it recently and is way more useful to take on the go than foundation + brush/beautyblender.
I also use a powder to set my makeup and I love having compacts with their own applicators so that I don't need to bring any more stuff in my bag. It mattifies and doesn't look cakey, and the colour match is on point, so it's the only powder I ever use.
In terms of concealer, I have to admit that I have never tried one from KIKO (although I hear great things of the Soft Focus one) and my most favourite high street one is from Bourjois CC Concealer (shade #21, always).
What do you think of KIKO? Have you tried it and what did(n't) you like? (+ would you like swatches of anything mentioned above?)
MARIA
