I am not affiliated with KKW Beauty. All products were purchased on my own accord, and all opinions are my own.
At the beginning of this year I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t buy makeup unless I absolutely needed it. I did this because, a) it’s smart and helps me save money, and b) I wanted to avoid getting so many makeup products that I didn’t use half of them. So when my birthday in September rolled around, I was excited to take the opportunity to ask for gift cards and some makeup goodies that I’d been eyeing! One of the gift cards my boyfriend gifted me was for KKW Beauty, and I enjoyed that one recently, which inspired me to break down and review my latest haul from KKW Beauty. I purchased an array of makeup products for both face and lips, and I’ve used a scoring system of 1-5 stars to rate each product. Let’s quickly break down what each star means:
1 STAR – DO NOT LIKE, WOULD NOT RECOMMEND
2 STARS – NOT IMPRESSED, MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE WILL LIKE IT
3 STARS – ALRIGHT/NOT TOO BAD, NOT TOO GREAT/COULD BE BETTER/ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
4 STARS – GOOD QUALITY, I’D RECOMMEND TO A FRIEND
5 STARS – AMAZING, A MUST-TRY/HAVE
Now that we’ve broken that down, let’s get into the review, shall we? Here are my honest, unfiltered thoughts on my latest KKW Beauty haul.
FACE:
Powder contour & highlight palette in medium
RATING: 5/5 ☆
PRICE POINT: $44, 4 X 0.26 OZ ( 4 X 7.5 G)
FAST FACTS:
- Pressed powder quad
- Two matte contour shades
- Two shimmer highlight shades
MY THOUGHTS:
I’d wanted this palette for SO long that saying I was beyond thrilled when I finally got it would be an understatement. For the longest time I’d been dying for a big face palette, one that was versatile, had a mirror, and I’d be able to carry with me anywhere.
This is a phenomenal quad palette. The formula for both the contour and highlight shades is amazing; it’s so buttery and blends like a dream. I love the fact that it’s so easy to blend, and that the formula is also buildable. I absolutely love the size and the fact that it comes with a giant mirror. I love layering the powder contour on top of my cream contour for a more defined look, and the highlight shades by themselves are stunning.
Classic shimmers blush palette
RATING: 4/5 ☆
PRICE POINT: $38, 3 X 0.26 OZ
SHADE FACTS + DETAILS:
- Shade 1 – Shimmering Peach Nectar
- Shade 2 – Shimmering Peachy Pink
- Shade 3 – Shimmering Warm Rose
- Incorporates pearls to illuminate
- Creamy powder glides on for a silky, even finish
MY THOUGHTS:
As far as Shade 1 (shimmering peach nectar) is concerned, I found that it was the second most pigmented color out of the palette, though it is still on the sheer side. I really like how peachy the color is, and I feel like the gold reflects in this particular shade mesh nicely with the peach color. Shade 2 (shimmering peachy pink) was the first color I tried out of the entire palette, mainly because I’m still holding on to my color from the summer months, and whenever I’m tan is the only time I can wear pinks without getting washed out. The first thing I noticed was that the color gave me a really nice, natural flush to my cheeks because of the fact that the formula is more sheer. The pink shade is more subtle, as opposed to overwhelming. Lastly, Shade 3 (shimmering warm rose) was definitely the most pigmented color out of all three. This one was also the least sheer, and I found that I didn’t need to build the color up on my cheeks. I think this color will be perfect for the late fall months (think Thanksgiving) and even around the holidays.
Overall I’m pretty happy with this palette. I love the fact that it’s another big palette with versatile blush shades for any time of the year, along with the fact that it has a big mirror. All of the blush shades give a very natural-looking flush to the cheeks. The colors are more sheer and shimmery than I’d initially anticipated, but the formula is definitely buildable so you can layer for more color. Shades 1 and 2 definitely need more buildup than Shade 3. The reason I gave this four out of five stars is because I thought the formula would be more pigmented, and also because it was a lot more shimmery than I thought it’d be.
Lips:
nude lip liners in 1.5 & 2
RATING: 5/5 ☆
PRICE POINT: $12, 0.04 OZ (1.25 G)
SHADE FACTS + DETAILS:
- Nude 1.5 – Mid-Tone Warm Nude
- Nude 2 – Medium Warm Nude
- Formula is creamy and luxurious
- Smooth glide upon application
- Can be sharpened
MY THOUGHTS:
These nude lip liners aren’t the first in my collection from KKW Beauty. I love the formula of KKW’s nude lip liners, they’re creamy AF. They’re so easy to apply and blend out because of how easily they go on. My favorite out of these two colors is currently Nude 2. I love how it’s a darker warm-toned nude and how it outlines the lips. I really like Nude 1.5 a lot as well; I think this shade will be perfect for the wintertime when I’m not as tan.
Matte smoke lip liner in 90’s icon
RATING: 5/5 ☆
PRICE POINT: $12, 0.12 OZ (3.5 G)
SHADE FACTS + DETAILS:
- 90’s Icon – Medium Warm Beige
- Long-wearing lip liner
- Glides on smoothly
- Intense, pigmented line in just one stroke
- Can be sharpened
MY THOUGHTS:
I own a beige matte lipstick from KKW Beauty and absolutely adore the color, so I was super excited to get a lip liner in a warm beige shade. Like the nude lip liners this one is so creamy and, true to its word, glides on smoothly. It definitely has staying power, and I’m really happy that I made this purchase.
P.p.s gloss
RATING: 5/5 ☆
PRICE POINT: $20
SHADE FACTS + DETAILS:
- Shade: Crystal Clear
- Ultra high-shine formula, glass-like finish
- Non-tacky
- Infused with nourishing ingredients:
- Passion Fruit Oil – provides rich, vital nutrients, antioxidants, and fatty acids
- Squalene – helps hydrate, soften, and smooth dry lips
- Vitamin E – provides extra moisture and nourishment to lips
MY THOUGHTS:
I’ll admit it, I’m a huge fan of clear gloss; something about the way clear glosses look makes me so happy. Clear glosses are great because they’re so versatile; they can be layered over lipstick, worn with lip liner, or worn alone. I think the packaging for this gloss is adorable, but besides that, I am obsessed with the formula! It’s not sticky whatsoever, and after it dries there’s little to no color transfer. Much like the description says, the gloss has a glass-like finish–which I love–and also feels extremely nourishing on the lips.
