Olivia and Beauty

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Olivia and Beauty
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Hi, dolls!
For a while now, I have been building up my fragrance collection and I decided to introduce Fragrance Reviews on my blog, so I can review them for you. I decided to focus my last post of 2019 on the Kayali fragrance because it's something I really wanted to get for Xmas. If you're interested to learn more about the Kayali Elixir fragrance, let's get right into the review!

Read my other Kayali reviews:
Kayali Elixir | 11 Review
Kayali Vanilla | 28 Review
Kayali Citrus | 08 Review
Kayali Musk | 12 Review
Kayali Deja Vu | 57 Review
Kayali Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper | 25 Review
Kayali Utopia Vanilla Coco |  21 Review
Kayali Invite Only Amber | 23 Review
Kayali Eden Juicy Apple | 01 Review
Kayali Lovefest Burning Cherry | 48 Review
Kayali Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli | 64 Review
Kayali Yum Pistachio Gelato | 33 Review

This post may contain affiliate links meaning that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. However, my reviews/opinions on products are always 100% honest and I'll only recommend items that I love!


Kayali - Elixir 11
50ml £67/$88
100ml £84/$123

Kayali means my imagination in Arabic and it was created by both Huda and Mona Kattan, who in fact is known as the Perfume Princess. I honestly think that if we're going to trust anyone when it comes to fragrance, it should be Mona. If you follow her on social media, you must know how big her perfume collection is and also, her perfume knowledge. I knew Kayali would be amazing from the start and it definitely didn't disappoint. Kayali's tagline is every layer of me and it actually focuses on layering fragrances to create your own, personal scent. 

Top Notes: Red Apple, Rose Petals
Middle Notes: May Rose, Jasmine Sambac
Base Notes: Patchouli, Amber, Vanilla

Elixir is described as an ultra-addictive scent, which opens with sweet notes of Red Apple and Rose Petal Essence, before revealing a floral heart of Rose Centifolia and uplifting touches of Jasmine Sambac. Adding depth to the romantic fragrance, warm woody notes of Indonesian Patchouli and velvety Amber are enveloped by accents of Vanilla, leaving behind a long-lasting trail. The number next to the perfume name, in this case the number 11 signifies the number of modifications that it took to get the scent right.

The opening gives me a burst of red apple and rose petals and just as it's labelled it is a floral fruity fragrance. In my opinion, this is definitely a heavy fragrance, which comes with no surprise as Huda Beauty/Kayali is a Dubai based company and fragrance is a big part of Arab culture. The scent is heavy in a sense that you don't need loads of it to smell it - it is an Eau de Parfum after all. Eau de Parfum has the highest concentration of fragrance - generally having a fragrance concentration of between 15% and 20%. On average, eau de Parfum should last from four to five hours, if not more. This differs from Eau de Toilette which has a fragrance concentration of between 5% and 15%. Eau de Toilette is definitely one of the most popular types of fragrance and it is definitely cheaper than eau de Parfum (in case some of you were wondering why Kayali's price is high) but it will normally only last for two to three hours.


I also have to talk about the bottle of this perfume - it looks so elegant and classy. I love how beautiful the packaging looks and the diamond cap makes it even more unique. On many occasions you get an expensive fragrance in simple packaging but with Kayali you not only get a high quality of fragrance but also a stunning packaging that makes it even more exciting to have. I appreciate the fact that it's possible to get the Kayali testers before actually making a purchase, although not every shop will have them, because that makes it easier for you to find your perfect scent. 


Final Thoughts
I really think Mona and Huda did an amazing job with the launch of their Kayali fragrance brand. I already love and have so much respect for Huda Beauty and the quality that their products always have but when it comes to Kayali, I think the same love and passion that Huda has towards beauty, Mona has towards fragrance, which makes me want to support their brands even more. Personally, as I said, Elixir was the first one I fell in love with when checking the four out in the stores, however after receiving my Vanilla tester I love that one too. It was my parents who picked Elixir out of the two for me and I am not complaining because I love the smell just as much as I love the Vanilla. 

I would love to know if you have tried the Kayali fragrance and if so, comment down below which scent out of the 4 is your favourite. As mentioned, I would love to get Vanilla next, but I truly like all 4 and it would be hard to say in which order I like them - I think all 4 can be used for different occasions or mixed together for the perfect combo. I hope you guys enjoyed my first ever fragrance review! I am definitely looking forward to do one at least once a month for 2020. 

Also, a little update for what's coming in 2020! 
There will be a new blog post every WEDNESDAY & SUNDAY and if you don't want to miss out make sure to sign up for email subscription to get email notification of new blog posts - you can find it on the side of my blog or by clicking HERE.

Once again thank you everyone for the constant support, we're ending 2019 with 500 followers and 10K views a month which is just crazy! I am also so thankful to Coloured Raine for putting me on their PR list - my first ever PR! I can't wait to see what 2020 brings for my blog and I wish you all a Happy New Year! Stay safe everyone! ♥

Love, Olivia xo
Hi, dolls!

Today I'm leaving a fun quiz for you to take and find out which beauty product that was launched in 2019 is missing in your collection. Make sure to share your results in the comments down below. 
I also want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! This has to be my favourite holiday and time of the year and I hope everyone is spending this time with their loved ones. I should be back with a new blog post just before New Years. Enjoy the Holidays! xx


Make sure to follow my blog if you haven't already by simply clicking HERE. 
Love, Olivia xo

Hi, dolls!

One of my early Xmas presents from my secret Santa was the Korean Skincare Bible book. I really wanted this book because what a better way to learn more about Korean beauty secrets than from a book that is fully dedicated to the subject. In today's post, I wanted to share some of the K-beauty secrets that I have learnt from reading this skincare guide and I hope you all find it as interesting as I found the whole book itself. If you're interested in finding out more or in actually getting the book yourself, the book is available to purchase on Amazon for only £7/$9. You can use the link below (by clicking on the icon) to make your purchase - but just to make everyone aware, it is an affiliate link which means I will get a small commission when people buy through my link. 


K-Beauty is a term which refers to Korean skincare, which is widely known and used across the world. Korean beauty focuses more on pigment-free, hydrated skin rather than make-up. It is all about having a good skincare routine and sticking to it in order to achieve  good results. It has become more popular now as more people (myself included) turn to either no-makeup looks or just no make-up at all. There are many days I just don't feel like putting on any make-up, especially if I'm not going out or doing anything special. I love to let my skin breathe and not constantly wear make-up. Don't get me wrong, I still love anything beauty related and when I go out, I love to put make-up on and create all types of fun looks, but when I stay home or barely have anything to do, I love to go make-up free and let my skin breathe. I have noticed how my skin has improved since I stopped putting make-up on every day and over the past months, I really started caring more about my skincare routine. For this reason, I wanted to learn more about K-beauty but instead of reading information online, I decided to go the old fashion way and actually take time to read a book about it. I feel like this way I will learn more and it was also the cutest gift I have received so far for this year Christmas. I picked out some information that I will be sharing with you guys today, however I truly recommend checking this book out if you're wanting to learn more about K-Beauty. It's truly the ultimate Korean skincare Bible. 


The book has 11 chapters and I have picked out 5 tips/information that I think is the most important to learn from reading the book. However, like I already mentioned, I truly recommend reading this book or any other about K-beauty because it contains so much more information than I can share here with you guys and I am sure that any beauty/skincare lover will enjoy reading about it. If you want to find out more, keep on reading!



1. Knowing your skin is the first step to finding a routine that's right for you

Skin can be classified into three types: oily, dry and combination. Practically, no one's skin is normal. 90% of people who think have 'normal' skin most likely have combination skin. 
How to discover your skin type?

- Wash your face as you would normally do.
- Don't apply any product on your face and wait for about an hour.
- After an hour, look in the mirror. If your complexion is shiny and appears greasy, you most likely have oily skin. If your complexion is only greasy in the T-zone, you have combination skin. If your skin feels right and there is no greasiness - you have dry skin. Voila! 



2. The skin around the eyes is up to five times more delicate than the skin on the rest of the body, so it requires greater attention

Eye cream should be applied gently with light touches with the fingertips, preferably the ring finger - it should not be rubbed or massaged forcefully. Remember - the prevention of wrinkles starts with an eye cream!


3. Know which ingredients will suit your skin

Oily skin - Centella calms irritated skin, reduces acne scarring and eliminates excess sebum.

Dry skin - Hyaluronic Acid as dry skin is always desperate for hydration. Squalene, a fatty acid that the skin produces naturally, is another ingredient that works miracles against dry skin.


Combination skin - Use ingredients for dry skin on your cheeks & other dry areas on your face, and ingredients for oily skin in T-zone.


Mature skin - Use bee and snake venom to stimulate the skin to produce its own collagen.


Sensitive skin - Calendula, Aloe Vera and Camomile are three very delicate vegetable ingredients which are known for their soothing properties.




4. Remember to care for your neck!

Apply the same cream on your neck that you use on your face. Neck skin loses elasticity, firmness and hydration over the years, so it is very important to look after it as well. 



5. Do not skip cleansing! 

It is the fundamental step in the Korean skincare routine. Using a cleansing oil is the first step in the Korean skincare routine as it eliminates impurities, such as sebum and make-up and leaves the skin as clear as fresh, white sheet.

To be honest, there are so many tips and information that I have learnt from reading this book about K-Beauty that it is so hard to only pick 5 to share with you guys. I would really suggest doing your own research about it and especially read a book about it if you're interested to find out more. I'm really excited to get more into K-Beauty and now with all this information I am able to order myself some Korean beauty products to test out and review for you guys in the new year. 

Let me know down below what you think about Korean skincare/K-beauty! Like I mentioned above, you don't have to buy this exact book or use my affiliate link to do so, but I honestly recommend picking up a book about it or a really long and detailed article to get as much detail as possible. Hope you all enjoyed this post and see you in the next one! xo


Make sure to follow my blog if you haven't already by simply clicking HERE. 

Love, Olivia xo
Hi, dolls!

I am so excited to share with you the items I got from my first ever 12 day beauty advent calendar. Last year, I didn't find any beauty advent calendars that caught my eye but this year when Revolution introduced their Vending Machine to their website around October/November I knew I had to get it! It looks so cute and I love the packaging idea so much. If you're interested and want to know what I found inside, keep on reading! Also, I won't be swatching anything today or fully reviewing the products as I didn't have time to test them properly and some I will be giving away as they do not suit my skin tone, but there will definitely be a post soon where I will review the products, so stay tuned for that.


The Vending Machine retails for £50/$70 but it is currently on offer for £25/$35. It is available on Revolution's site and you can purchase it by clicking HERE.


Day 1 - Mini Dark Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

I love the dark but also gold/pink shimmer shadows in this palette, I think they are perfect for winter and the Holidays. I will definitely be using this and will do a full review on this palette very soon. I also have to mention that this palette smells like cocoa which makes it even nicer to have in my collection.


Day 2 - Coconut Lip Gloss

In my previous blog post on Kylie Cosmetics, I mentioned that currently I am into lip glosses, so this was a nice surprise to get in this advent calendar. I love that this lip gloss smells like coconut and I will definitely be trying their gloss formula.


Day 3 - Loose Baking Powder

Last year I have received a similar loose baking powder in a different Revolution gift set that I wasn't a big fan of but I am ready to give this one a try and also review it for you guys. I love baking my face and I have been recently testing other baking powders from Revolution, so I will definitely do a blog post comparing them all.


Day 4 - Salted Caramel Lip Gloss

Although its name suggests that it is a Salted Caramel lip gloss, it smells more like chocolate custard to me, which in fact I love. The smell is so yummy, you almost want to eat it. The colour looks a bit too dark for me but I will still give it a go mainly because of the smell lol and I hope it won't look too dark on my lips.


Day 5 - Marshmallow Blending Sponge

Isn't this the cutest blending sponge you have ever seen??? I love the idea of it being a marshmallow and I almost don't want to use it because it looks so cute on my vanity lol. It's also so soft, so quality wise I am sure it will do an amazing job.


Day 6 - Mini White Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

White Chocolate has to my favourite chocolate out there and when I saw it I immediately had to smell it. You guessed it - it smells just like white chocolate, I love it! I also love the colours in the palette, it was the only product that I had to try out straight after opening and I really liked the formula. I will definitely do a more detailed review of these palettes/lip glosses after I test it for a little bit longer.


Day 7 - Mini Ruby Chocolate Blusher Palette

Although I appreciate there being a blusher palette, this one is definitely not for my skin tone. For this reason, I decided to give it away for someone who will have more use of it. Keep an eye for a giveaway coming soon, as some of these products will be a part of it. It is a stunning palette though!


Day 8 - Face Kabuki Brush

I love how small and soft this brush is. Definitely going to enjoy using it on my face. 


Day 9 - Mini Pink Lemonade Setting Spray

I don't like having favourites but this is definitely it. I am obsessed with how amazing this smells - of pink lemonade as you probably guessed it. I can't wait to use it and see if it works just as good as other Revolution's setting sprays. A big note to Revolution - please release this as an item to buy on its own, I think everyone would love it!!


Day 10 - 3 Mini Eye Brushes

I am so happy they included some kind of eye brushes with this many eye products. They are small but very cute looking and travel friendly. Personally, I have the best experience with Revolution brushes and I can't wait to try these on.


Day 11 - Milk Chocolate Lip Gloss

I love the fact that they have included 3 lip glosses into this with three different shades, in a way for different skin tones. I think this lip gloss would be too dark for me to wear, as I usually don't wear browns on my lips, so it will definitely be another item I would like to give away to someone who will find more use out of it than me. Loving the smell though, they really made these items look and perform so good and their scents on top make it a dream to have!


Day 12 - Mini Chocolate Marble Bronzer Palette

I think I will have to be careful with this bronzer on my pale skin but I am really tempted to keep it and use it because of the highlighter shade next to it. I love how nice it looks and actually my favourite highlighter formulas come from I heart Revolution, so I can't wait to test this one and see if it replaces my all time favourite.


Final Thoughts
I am so happy that I got a beauty advent calendar this year and I am honestly so happy with these products. I don't feel at all that I have wasted money because 10 products out of 12 I am definitely going to keep and use. I can't wait to test these and do a review of the eyeshadows, baking powder, lip glosses and setting spray for you guys. Seeing that we still have around 2 weeks to go before Xmas, I would definitely recommend everyone to get this, especially if you're still looking for a fun, beauty advent calendar. I feel like Revolution never disappoints me with their products, and the only reason I will be giving some of these products away is simply because the colours won't suit my skin tone well, which isn't the worst thing ever. 

I hope you have enjoyed this post! Make sure to let me know down in the comments below which of the 12 products you like the most and also, let me know if you got any beauty advent calendars yourself this year! I already can't wait to get one next year, hopefully one for full 24 days instead of 12.

Make sure to follow my blog if you haven't already by simply clicking HERE. 

Love, Olivia xo
Hi, dolls!

For today's post, I wanted to test and review all the types of lipsticks that you can buy from Kylie Cosmetics. I haven't reviewed any lip products in a while, so I thought this would be a fun blog post to create. If you're unsure which Kylie Cosmetics lip product to go for, I hope my review helps you to pick out the one that will suit you the most. There will be also a giveaway at the end of this review, so make sure to check it out. Let's get right into it! 


Currently, there are 10 types of lip products that you can purchase from Kylie Cosmetics. These are: matte liquid lipsticks, velvet liquid lipsticks, creme liquid lipsticks, glosses, high glosses, lip liners, creme lipsticks, matte lipsticks, metallic lipsticks and lip blushes. This review will not include lip blushes and metallic lipsticks because these were sold out when I was making my purchase. Lip blushes are currently back in stock, however the metallic lipsticks are gone from the website and I think you can only purchase them as a lip kit and not a single.

PS. Products in the pictures below are my current Kylie Cosmetics lip products that are in my collection. However, I did have some more back in the day but either gave these away or had to declutter due to expiration day. You can read more about my previous Kylie Cosmetics collection from 2017 HERE.

Matte Liquid Lipsticks


This was the first formula introduced by Kylie when she first started her business. I remember that the website was actually called Kylie Lip Kit or something along these lines and it only later became Kylie Cosmetics. All the matte liquid lipsticks are described as extremely long wearing lipstick that contains moisturising ingredients for a comfortable, emollient and silky feel that does not dry out your lips. Although this formula seems to be the most known and liked from Kylie Cosmetics, I actually like it the least. I hate how drying my lips feel after I apply these lipsticks on and I am not the biggest fan of this formula. I know other brands that do matte liquid lipsticks make their products feel more comfortable to wear on the lips, at least for me, so this type of lipstick from Kylie Cosmetics is a hard pass for me. I know that many people love it, so if it works for you that's good to hear but for me it did not work the best. 

Matte Liquid Lipsticks currently in my collection are: Koko K, Mary Jo K and Candy K.

Below you can find a picture of all the matte lipsticks from Kylie that I owned at one point but either gave these away or had to throw away due to the expiry date:


Velvet Liquid Lipsticks


The Velvet liquid lipsticks are described as high intensity pigment for a full coverage lip. They are long wearing, ultra pigmented containing moisturising ingredients that glide on for a creamy matte look that does not dry down. I would say that these feel way more comfortable to wear on the lips than the mattes, as of course they do not dry down but there is still something about Kylie's liquid lipsticks that I just don't like them. If you are wondering what a velvet formula is like, I would say it's a satin liquid lipstick. So, if you're into satin liquid lipsticks more than matte, you will really enjoy the velvet formula.

Velvet Liquid Lipsticks currently in my collection are: Charm



Creme Liquid Lipsticks


This formula was introduced to us in a collab with Kim Kardashian West, before Kim released KKW Beauty. I remember everyone - including myself - going crazy and wanting to try this formula. Although these lipsticks were introduced by Kim as her perfect nudes, I actually was a bit annoyed to find them be very light on my skin and not very much nude looking. On my skin tone, they looked more pink/orange. The formula also wasn't one that I was a big fan of, as it took many layers of the lipstick to actually get a nice coverage on the lip to show its full pigment. I still have the collab in my collection but I never reach for it because I didn't enjoy this formula as much as I thought I would when ordering.


  
Lip Liners



Kylie's lip liners are described as ultra-long wearing with a creamy texture that glides across the lips for a very easy and comfortable application. I bought many Kylie Lip kits that included the lip liners and now they are also available to purchase separately. I do however think that these lip liners are a bit overpriced, but I do like how they perform on the lips. However, what I dislike the most about these is that once you need to sharpen them, they start to either break down or they start falling out from the inside which can get messy and very annoying. It's all fun until you need to sharpen one and then it just becomes a nightmare to deal with. I think if they were to figure out how to keep it inside better after you sharpen it, these would be more enjoyable to both have and use. It's almost as if the pencil is too wide, so when you sharpen it the product just comes out of it. I never dealt with this problem with other pencils, and I would love to find out if that is something you have also dealt with when it comes to Kylie's lip liners.

Matte & Creme Lipsticks


The Kylie Cosmetics Matte Lipstick is a smooth and creamy formula that provides full coverage for an ultra-pigmented lip. The hydrating matte lipstick glides onto the lips for a comfortable matte finish. Although it is a normal lipstick which I prefer way better over any liquid lipstick, I still find the matte formula to be way too dry for my lips. I think it's just the matte formula overall from Kylie that I just don't find comfortable to wear on my lips, and I might be the only one who feels this way, but I prefer when my lipsticks feel comfortable and moisturising rather than really dry and uncomfortable.

The Kylie Cosmetics Crème Lipstick is a smooth and creamy formula that provides full coverage for an ultra-pigmented lip. The hydrating crème lipstick is available in a range of beautiful, wearable shades and gives a creamy satin finish that gently glides onto the lips. I love the creme formula in these lipsticks, although I didn't like it in the liquid lipsticks. They feel so hydrating and so creamy on the lips and I could wear them all the time. I am obsessed with my creme lipstick from the Kris Jenner collab called 'Give me a Kiss' and its middle finger packaging!

Creme Lipsticks currently in my collection are: Give me a Kiss & Mont Blanc
Matte Lipstick currently in my collection is Nova



Glosses

I remember when Kylie first introduced her 3 glosses to us via a music-video campaign that I really loved and I think I still have the song from it stuck in my head lol. Kylie's glosses are described as ultra-pigmented that glide on the lips smoothly and evenly leaving behind a luminous and voluminous effect. Its ingredients provide hydration and moisturise the lips while natural lip enhancers provide volume. I think when it comes to glosses, you just have to be a gloss person to enjoy it. With Kylie's glosses, they are pigmented so you don't necessarily get a clear gloss, but rather a gloss with full pigment on. They did come out with some glitter glosses which had more sparkle than pigment in them, however Kylie's glosses are mostly very pigmented and feel very heavy on the lips. Not heavy to the point that you don't feel comfortable wearing them, but comparing to Kylie's high gloss, you can definitely feel the gloss while you wear it on the lips and I definitely find it feeling heavier on my lips than the high glosses and although at first I loved Kylie's glosses, now I prefer the high glosses. 

Glosses currently in my collection are: Literally, So Cute, Koko K, Candy K and Naughty

Below you can find a picture of all the glosses from Kylie that I owned at one point but either gave these away or had to throw away due to the expiry date:





High Glosses

For those of you wondering what is the difference between Kylie's normal gloss and high-gloss, now that I tried both of the formulas I can answer that question for you. Firstly, high glosses are smaller than the normal glosses and they come in different finishes. Like previously mentioned, the main glosses had full pigment to them and only a few were glitter glosses. Whereas, high glosses come in different finishes such as pigmented high gloss, shimmer high gloss and sheer high gloss. They don't feel as heavy on the lips as the normal glosses do and for me, they felt more moisturising for my lips to wear. They don't last too long on the lips, especially if you eat and drink but it's a gloss, so you can't really expect it to stay on for a long time. I prefer Kylie's high gloss over her normal glosses because it feels more comfortable to wear, and the shade I went for - Lost Angel - has the most beautiful gold shimmer to it and I just love how it makes the lips look. I would recommend anyone that wants to try out Kylie's gloss to go for the high gloss instead of the normal gloss as you will probably find these more comfortable to wear on the lips.

High Gloss currently in my collection is Lost Angel



Final Thoughts

I thought the best way to summarise my thoughts on all the Kylie Cosmetics lipstick formulas I have tried is to put them in order that I like them. It's hard for me to say which ones I recommend to you the most because when it comes to lipsticks, it has to be your personal preference when picking a formula that will work for you the best. However, if you would like to know what my thoughts are on the formulas, I have put them in order below.

Firstly, my ultimate favourite has to be the High Gloss. It was the latest formula that I have tried from Kylie as it is one of the newest ones, but I love it the most. I love glosses, and this one especially feels so good on the lips, and the shade I went for just has the most beautiful shimmer added to it. I love it. Secondly, I love the lipsticks, especially the creme formula as it is very hydrating for the lips and they are very pigmented. I don't really find the matte lipsticks comfortable to wear, but I do love the shade Nova, and I still put it on from time to time, but I do find the creme formula to suit me more. Next, I would say I like the glosses, although they feel heavier on the lips than the high glosses, I like the fact that they are super pigmented and have a colour pigment added to them.
From the liquid lipsticks, I like the Velvet formula the most as it's not drying and you almost don't feel it when wearing on the lips. Now, I'm not too sure which one I like the least as I personally dislike Kylie's matte liquid lipsticks but the creme liquid lipsticks to me were even more annoying to deal with.This is because firstly, the shades did not look nude on my skin tone at all, and second, it was really hard to get the pigment to show on the lips with one application. When it comes to Kylie's matte liquid lipsticks, I don't think they are bad - they just don't work for me. I think the formula is something people should try for themselves and decide whether or not they like it, as it's the most popular product that is being sold by Kylie Cosmetics.

I hope that you have enjoyed this post on all the different Kylie Cosmetics lips formulas. Please let me down in the comments which one you like the most or which one you're looking forward to try next. As promised, I have decided to do a little giveaway for you guys, where the winner will receive one single Kylie Cosmetics lip product of their choice. 


 Kylie

To enter:
1. Follow my blog (you can do so by clicking HERE)
2. Comment under my latest two blog posts
3. Make sure you leave your email address in the comments below here, 
as the winner will be contacted via email. 

Good luck! 
The winner will be picked on 15/12 and hopefully their lip product will arrive just before XMAS! 


Love, Olivia xo
 Hi, dolls!

I cannot believe that I am writing this post for you guys! When Huda announced that her first ever pop-up shop will be opening in London (where I live) I was so excited! I barely get any opportunities like this one to go and visit pop-ups, meet & greets or other super fun beauty related events because most of the times they are hosted in America or overseas, for example Kylie pop-up shops, Jeffree meet & greets in Morphe stores or Mario's Masterclasses. Now you can understand why I was so excited to go there, especially because I knew Huda was staying in London for the first week of the pop-up shop opening. Get ready for loads of pictures of the pop-up and I will also share with you guys what I purchased and also, what I received! 



Firstly, can we appreciate how beautiful the pop-up looks from the outside? I don't think I heard of any pop-ups being this visually beautiful from the outside, its usually on the inside that people focus on with their artistic themes. Also, as you can see, the queue to get inside wasn't that long at all, there were maybe 10 people waiting to get inside. However, this is what I found a bit confusing. When Huda announced the pop-up, she advised people to book slots to be able to get inside the pop-up, so that people don't have to queue up for hours and in the end not be able to go in. That's exactly what I did, I booked my slot for Monday (2nd December). But when I arrived there, the people who were in the queue had no idea about the booking slots and asked me how I got it and if they needed it to get inside. The security guy saw that I got my booking confirmation and let me in before everyone else, although there was only 10 people waiting before me to get in. So, I guess in a way having a booked slot paid off, however now it got me thinking that I could have went on the first day of the pop-up without a booked slot and simply waited in the queue, which would allow me to meet Huda as she was there. I didn't even think about this because when I got my booking confirmation, it also said that they don't recommend coming in without a booked slot as it doesn't guarantee you will be able to go in. I am still happy though that I was able to go and see this pop-up in person, although I seem to have an amazing bad luck as Huda visited the pop-up today and I went there yesterday, so if only I went a day after, I would have met her. :<




As I walked in, I received a hand band with Huda's logo which was the cutest, but they asked for it when I was leaving and I totally forgot to take a picture of it back there as I thought we get to keep it lol. The first thing you see when you walk through the door is a wall with all of her eye products - palettes, lashes and melted shadows. 


Having the lashes presented like this makes it so much easier to decide which ones to go for and it just looks so pleasing for the eyes. 


As you turn around, there is this big silver lips wall which has all of her lipsticks on the other side. I love how it matches the Mercury Retrograde theme and the uniform of the employees. The shop itself was not the biggest but because there were not that many people inside it didn't feel crowded at all. I was still able to take pictures without having people covering the areas I wanted to get on picture.


Next wall included all the free gifts you receive if you spend a certain amount of money. For example, for all purchases over £65/$85 you receive a free make-up bag with a lip kit inside it. (Second row) 
For all purchases over £125/$160 you receive a backpack with Winter Solstice highlighter palette. (First row)


The other side of the shop is where all the face products were placed, as well as the lip products, which I have actually not taken a picture of. The employees used that little area to do people's make-up or help them find matches, so it was difficult to take a picture without having people in my shot and also very awkward to be taking pictures of other customers. It seemed as if that part of the shop was more popular as there were so many people looking at the foundations, concealers, tantour and setting spray rather than at the palettes section.




This section was the one I wanted to see the most because it was the exclusive merch Huda has created especially for the pop-up. It included furry slides (£20/$26), water bottle with a crystal inside (£25/$32), notebooks (£8/$10), rhinestone hair clips (£10/$13), English-themed lip tin (£29/$37), Glow Getter kit including Resting Boss Face setting spray, Pink Sands highlighter palette & sponge applicator (£65/$85) as well as Amethyst Eyes kit including Amethyst Obsessions palette, matte & melted shadows in Wednesday & Fro-Yo, life liner and Samantha #07 classic lashes. (£65/$85)


Of course this couldn't be it and Huda also included the special edition of the Mercury Retrograde eyeshadow palette (£75/$97) as a part of her merch which I think was such an amazing idea. It looked so beautiful and made the palette stand out even more. I swatched some of the shades and I have to say it reminded me so much of her other big palette's quality, which you already know I love, as I got both Desert Dusk and the Rose Gold Remastered palettes in my collection. I decided not to buy this palette because it's actually one of the things on my Xmas wishlist and it's kind of a tradition now that each year my parents buy me Huda's big palette for Xmas, so let's just say I hope they carry on and this is what I get this year.  


The pop-up was definitely made in the Mercury Retrograde theme as we can see from how it looks from the outside and Huda looks so beautiful in the photos that were placed on the walls. She's honestly so stunning! There was one room inside the pop-up that you could go in and take pictures but I decided not to bother as I hate taking pictures of myself and the queue to go in was so long, so I just peaked inside to see how cute it looked. 


They also included this little background with the latest campaign theme near the tills, so people could take pictures in, which I found to be so cute. However, a bit awkward to be posing in front of all the employees lol! 


Just opposite the tills was the Kayali wall. I have to be honest and say that I didn't think in the beginning that I would like these perfumes as much as I do now. They all honestly smell so good and I am having the worst struggle in picking which one I want to put on my Xmas wish list. At first I thought Elixir was my favourite, but now Vanilla is starting to become my number one. I think I have to ask for the set that includes all four of them because I can't pick my favourite. Overall, I think both Mona and Huda created one of the best perfume lines out there and you can really tell that there is a true passion behind these perfumes. 


Before I end this review and show you what I purchased, I had to also show you guys the smallest and cutest baskets that we were able to put our shopping in. Literally so cute lol!


Now, let's get to the best part. Firstly, let me show you guys what came inside the bag for free, which I totally did not expect! I was actually going to ask the lady at the till if I can buy the Hudamoji stickers but she informed me that all these came free with each purchase.


I received Hudamoji stickers, patch stickers, sample of the Huda Beauty primer and Kayali Vanilla perfume, which like I said above is becoming my favourite. Also, notice the tissue paper in the background. Yes, it also came in the bag and it's so gorgeous. I might use it now as a background for pictures of products that I will be reviewing. Definitely keeping it!


Lastly, my Huda Beauty haul! 
Let me say that when I went to the pop-up it wasn't really with the intention to buy anything except the exclusive merch items because I think I have everything from Huda I wanted and the items I want to add to my collection are all in my wish list which my parents are probably going to get me for Xmas. So, I ended up re-purchasing the two items that I love to use which are the Olivia eyelashes (you can read my review of them HERE) and the Desert Dusk palette which was on sale for £30! (you can read my review of the palette HERE) I decided to repurchase the Desert Dusk palette because I received mine 2 years ago for Xmas and I really love the colours inside. It's actually the first palette ever I decided to repurchase because its the one I reach out for the most from my high-end palettes and I was in a need of a new, fresh one. 

From the merch items, I decided to go for the hair clips because I didn't really need a notebook, slides or water bottle. The makeup sets were tempting to buy but all included products I wouldn't necessary use or need in my collection, so I just decided to go with these. Also, because I was paying for the eyeshadow palette with my credit card and the rest with my other card, the purchase didn't qualify for the free make-up bag with the lip kit inside, which kind of sucks but I would still have to spend another £5/£10 to get it a free lip kit and to be honest I didn't want to spend any more money knowing that I will receive Huda's products for Xmas. So, I'm not that upset for not getting it, but if I did, it would probably be a fun giveaway to host for you guys. 

If you want to find out more and read reviews of Huda's beauty products that I have previously reviewed on my blog you can find them by clicking the links below:

- Brand Review including Easy Bake, Rose Gold Remastered Palette, Desert Dusk & Melted Shadows 
- Palette Reviews: Desert Dusk / Rose Gold Remastered
- Lash Collab Reviews: Olivia / Jacqueline
- Melted Shadows Review
- Mini Obsession Palettes Review: Neon / Nude
- Demi Mattes Review

 Huda

The pop-up is still opened until the end of the month, so maybe I'll get to go there or ask my parents to get my Xmas stuff from there, so they qualify for the free products lol. Let me know if you enjoyed this post, I know many of you wanted to know and see how the pop-up looked like in the inside, so I hope I included as much info as I possibly could, same with pictures. I'm so happy I went but I'm sad I didn't get to see or meet Huda. Maybe next time I'll be more lucky. Huda Beauty is definitely my favourite brand at the moment, I find her products to never disappoint and always have the highest quality. You can really see that Huda loves what she does and doesn't just create products for money, she does it truly out of her passion. I respect and totally support that.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below as always. Fingers crossed my blog & I get noticed by Huda one day xo

Make sure to follow my blog if you haven't already by simply clicking HERE. 

Love, Olivia xo
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ABOUT ME

Hi, dolls! I am a 25 year old beauty blogger and content creator from London. I hope you enjoy my reviews as much as I enjoy creating them! x

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