I couldn't help placing an order on MUA's website upon the release of all their lovely new products last week. I was so determinedthat I interrupted my Sunday viewing of Downton Abbey to ensure I got some new bits and bobs before it all sold out- I know, dedication! I ordered the Artiste Collection palette, two Intense Kisses lipglosses, Pro-Brow Ultimate Eyebrow Kit, two Blush Perfection cream blushers, Shimmer Kisses Blusher, and I received a free Immaculate Collection eyeshadow palette as a bonus. Below are some pictures and brief comments on each product (longer reviews to follow!)
The Artiste Collection £6
The good: I love the two blushers, bronzer and highlighter on the bottom row. I use a slight dusting of the peachy-pink blush followed by a pop of the brighter pink, before dusting the highlighter along my cheekbones and browbone. The packaging is attractive and I this would make a great stocking filler come Christmas time!
The not so good: I haven't tested out the eyeshadows properly yet so I can't really comment, although I'm not too sure I'll make much use of the blue shades- that's simply personal preference though. The nude colours look very pretty, so I'm sure I'll be using those regularly. The brush is the usual MUA palette brush, it does an OK job but I prefer to use a different set of brushes. It's handy for on the go application though!
Pro-Brow Ultimate Eyebrow Kit £3.50
The good: I'm a sucker for a good eyebrow palette, having become converted to shaping and shading my brows at the start of the year. Polished eyebrows instantly make me feel 'ready' in the mornings, so I was excited to try this out. A bargain! The range of powders, from very light to dark brown, is excellent and they're easy to blend and mix if desired. The 'fixing gel' is also easy to use and helps give a neat finish. The mini tweezers are so handy, especially for after you've shaded and want to tidy up any stray hairs. They're nice and sharp making for an easy grip. The packaging feels quite sturdy and looks sleek. I've found the powder/gel combo lasts pretty much all day with no need for touch-ups.
The not so good: The double ended brush isn't great. I usually use a Benefit brow kit which has a great little brush, similar in shape but much smaller. The brush in the Pro-Brow kit is waaaay too big for my eyebrows! You can't really tell in the photo but the angled head on each end is very wide, making it difficult to shape the inner corners of my brows. I like to give a good straight edge rather than rounded, and this brush is a little tricky to maneuver. The bristles look and feel very synthetic and kind of plastic-y, but it does sell for a bargain price so I'm assuming that's why the brush isn't very good quality. I have a slight issue with the the fixing gel, which reminds me of Vaseline and gives quite a shiny finish if not used sparingly. I prefer a wax, like in the Benefit kit, although the gel does the job- just try not to be too heavy handed! Overall I'd say the powders are great and the gel is OK, but the brush is disappointing.
Shimmer Kisses Blusher (Pink Shimmer Kiss) £3
The good: I'm obsessed with MUA's mosaic blusher and so I had high hopes for the new Shimmer Kisses blusher. The four pink shades are a good variety, and it's easy enough to target one shade in particular if you need to. I use the lightest shade on the bottom left to highlight. The pigmentation is VERY strong, something I wasn't quite expecting- I know now to be light handed when applying! The blusher blends easily and compliments my pale skin tone.
The not so good: Shimmer Kisses smells remarkably similar to the squeezy paint I used to use in Art class in secondary school. While it isn't an overpowering smell, and isn't something I notice once applied, I definitely do notice it when opening the blusher case. Maybe this is just me, perhaps I have a heightened sense of smell or something, but it is a little strange..! But, due to the texture/application/bargain price it's something I'm happy to live with. Overall I prefer the Mosaic blush and will continue to use that until it runs out, but this makes for a nice change every so often.
Shimmer Kisses High Intensity Gloss £2
The good: I chose these based on the online swatches: on the left is Quick Kiss, on the right Smooch. They smell delicious, kind of vanilla-y which is nice. The packaging is cute, small enough to fit in a clutch bag on a night out, and they close very securely. I love Quick Kiss, a strong hot pink colour with a hint of shimmer. The gloss glides on easily.
The not so good: While the gloss does glide on easily, it's perhaps a little watery and not as 'secure' as I would like. I prefer glosses to be fairly thick so as to ease my fear of the colour migrating away from my mouth as the night goes on! I'm not so keen on Smooch, although that's my own fault really as I based my decision on online swatches. It's quite an orange shimmery colour and not really a shade I'd usually wear.
Blush Perfection cream blushers £2
The good: On the left we have Bittersweet, on the right Blossom. Bittersweet is a light pink shade whereas Blossom is more of a nude brown. I had super high hopes for these as I love cream blusher and have been collecting cream blushers for a while! The colours seem very wearable and natural. You get a fair amount of product in each, again making it great value for money.
The not so good: These blushers are definitely of the shinier variety of cream blush, rather than the creamy matte variety. I'm not sure how I feel about this as I haven't worn them properly yet, but having swatched them on the back of my hand I'm concerned by how sheer the colour seems to be. The texture is quite slippery, like a gloss, and doesn't seem very pigmented. However, as I'm yet to wear them I'll reserve judgement... I'll keep you updated!
Immaculate Collection eyeshadow palette £8 (free on promotion)
The good: A collection of 24 eyeshadows, this palette has some gorgeous colours which I'm looking forward to using. My favourites are the neutral and brown shimmers, navy blues, silvers and greys, and the forest green shade third on the bottom row. I'm so into forest green right now and love love LOVE the shimmer in that shade. I'm trying to convince myself to use more colour instead of relying on browns so hopefully this will encourage me to do so!
The not so good: The applicator isn't brilliant but as I've got a set of make-up brushes which I use with all other eyeshadow products I'm not too bothered. The quality of MUA shadows is always great (I use the Heaven and Earth and Undressed palettes regularly), very easy to blend and very long lasting. And as this was a freebie it makes it that bit more special! Thanks MUA :)
I'll be testing out each product properly over the next few weeks, so look out for detailed reviews in the future.
