Its not very often I get sent items to review and often I decline. Often due to time constraints but also because quite frankly if I am not mildly intrigued by the product why would I waste my time reviewing it. That said, when it comes to the famous make up by Kat Von D, I was desperate to know if indeed it lived up to all the hype.
When the lady behind Rose’s Beauty Store contacted me to perhaps look at reviewing the products, I jumped at the chance. One thing I often found with celebrity products, is that they dont always live up to hype. I was more than expecting this from this line.
Literally the next day (now that is VERY good customer service) a well packaged and pretty package arrived.
Inside was a Kat Von D Chrysalis Eyeshadow Palette (£46.99) and Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Love Lipstick – Bachelorette (£24.99)
Instantly what is blinking well awesome is the packaging. Given that the cosmetic industry spend so much money on packaging it is good to see that Kat’s products are true to her own identity and yet not over designed so isolating.
The weight of the palette is something I really like. Often when buying palettes I feel a little let down with how much bang for my buck I am getting. Costing just shy of £50 can be off putting for some, but given the quality of the construction, the weight and aesthetics already my buck was happy.
Now lets hit up those colour choices in this palette.
The shades in this palette are:
- Lifelike (matte cream)
- Lunar Lights (pearl gray)
- Lucid (sparkle rose)
- Hybris Moments (matte deep purple)
- Mezzanine (sparkle violet)
- Transition (pearl mauve)
- Glasswing (matte caramel)
- Melancholia (pearl silver)
- Black Milk (matte gray)
- Graphic Nature (pearl charcoal)
- Entombed (pearl blue)
- Tornay (matte navy)
Often there is one shade or sometimes two you kinda ignore and dont ever use. Well let me sit ya down and tell you, you will use ALL these babies. Kat has done an outstanding job choosing colours that really compliment each other and you really can mix and match them. I even love the names. No cheesy names here. The names are almost as cool as the good lady herself. I even like the mirror: A nice size.
Being an Illamasqua/MAC makeup wearer for stage, I thought I would pull a few tests on this makeup. Saturday night saw me fire breathing and performing burlesque at a show. Would the make up last?!
Fire breathing makeup was a heavy smoky eye (Tornay, Black Milk and Lunar Lights for those interested). The burlesque act was a more dreamy concoction of Hybris Moments, Glasswing and Mezzanine.
Fire breathing is hot work. Chemicals, heat and you can often walk away looking a lot like The Crow than the hot fire siren you hope to. Then along came Kat von D with this palette of miracle shadows. NOTHING BUDGED! In fact my own eyeliner ran but nothing from Kat. I had lots of compliments on the make up.
Two high energy burlesque performances and that make up was still as perfect as the moment it went on.
Talking of putting it on, perfect to do so. I used my MAC blending brush (I forget the number) and it wasnt clumpy or crumbled. Good level of pigment like you would expect from the high end makeup.
The next test was a day at work for me. As well as being a burlesque performer, I am also a photographer. This means I tend to have a camera wacked up to my face all day long and constantly drinking coffee.
The lipstick is in a pretty tube (worth noting that despite my best efforts, the design didnt come off either so good printing). One single application of it packed enough punch I decided against a second coat. Its dries matt and is damn bright. I am in love officially with it. Would it last though?
My day was pretty heavy. Four back to back shoots. I think I drank about 5 hot drinks and even ate. I didnt have to reapply until late afternoon and only then because the middle part of my lip was slightly faded. I am astounded how good it was. I mean it. It has the ultimate in staying power.
The eyeshadow hadnt budged much either and considering I pressed a camera up to my eye constantly to photograph, that is very impressive. Compared to the often panda eyes I get from intensive shooting days, I was happy with a bit of smudge.
The only downside to these products? I have a new obsession. Seems for once, this celebrity product lived up to expectations and put a lot of my current make-up kit to shame.
Here is an extra benefit for all of you! Go the Rose’s Beauty Store and use discount code A77 for a 10% discount.
