Review: Revolution Blush Queen Palette with arm swatches - Cruelty Free Cosmetics

Ever bought makeup online and when its arrived been like... What did I just buy? This palette was one of those purchases and I initially didn't love it and wasn't going to review it as I didn't want to seem negative. I now feel like we passed that point after the Natural Collection eyeshadow and 7th Heaven Argan Mask reviews. As times gone by I've given this palette more of a shot and don't hate it as much so I thought I'd dive down that rabbit hole.

So I bought this because on the Revolution website it looks like a palette of little planets for your cheeks (link here so you can see for yourself). It's very, very cute and I was excited to have it in my collection because I loved outer-space as a kid.

It's a little used not and the planet look only seems to stand up on the blush's where the accent colour is stronger. Also packing from Revolution comes in two forms, nice or cheap. This falls into the cheap camp, the nicer ones have sturdier plastic and a large mirror in the lid. The only thing that the cheaper packaging has to its advantage is that you can see through it and tell exactly whats in it, making it much easier to find what you're looking for. It just feels so plasticky.

Top Row.

Bottom Row.

All the blushes are sparkly, and some of them are very similar. So even though you're getting 13 grams of product for £6, its not over 8 pans, more like 5 (or maybe six if you really build it up). Also its not so much a blush palette as a blush topper or highlight palette. The only shades that could conceivably be used as blushes are the send and fourth ones on the bottom. 

I think that might have been part of my instant dislike for it. As its called Blush Queen I was, understandably, expecting for it to be filled with blush. Seven out of eight of them are very soft  and easy to use, and all of them blend well. That scary looking bright pink actually sheers out really nicely and gives you a gorgeous, flushed glow.

Would I recommend this as a blush palette? No. Would I recommend it as a cheek and highlight palette? Maybe. There's not a lot of blush options, and everything is baked and sparkly. If that's what you're into then go for it though. 

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com 

Too Faced Love at First Kiss Delux Mini Review with Swatches - Cruelty Free Deluxe Mini Blush and Lipstick

A while ago (maybe early October) I placed a large order from Debenhams Beauty. In amongst the Kat Von D and Urban Decay, I picked up this lil guy. Too Faced aren't a brand that I'm super familiar with and all I had from them was a couple of mini bronzers I picked up in the States. 

I'd heard good things about the blushes and was interested in trying them, however at £25 they seemed excessively expensive for a product I've never given a huge amount of thought to. I tend to focus on my eyes or lips and use the same NYX HD blush day in, day out (in the colour Amber). I've never heard anyone talk about the lipsticks but I thought they'd be worth a try too. 

This is the box and its kinda cutesy and tacky but not too much. Recently Too Faced relaunched the Sweet Peach palette and that was wayyyyyyy to much. OK the gold lips aren't to my taste but I don't hate it and can see where they were going,  It fits with them.

These mini's are the ittiest bittiest things ever. The lipstick is the same length as my super stubby lil' thumb. I actually think they're really really cute, and I'm not the most  girly of people. It reminds me of the makeup I would have gotten with my dollies as a child, but on a very classy level. From watching older reviews of Too Faced on Youtube it seems to be this kind of that people used to really love about them, classy, cute but with kind of a risque, burlesque twist. Its also something that seems to have been lost recently with the constant re-releasing of "limited edition" palettes and marketing that seems to be aimed at younger and younger children. 

This was one review I managed to loose all the images of in the great laptop crap out of earlier this year. I had to retake them and that's why both products look a little used. 

So I guess I should talk about what you actually get in the pack. You get a mini of the Love Flush Blush in Love Hangover and a mini La Creme Colour Drench Lipstick in Naked Dolly.  You get 2 grams of blush and 1.5 grams of Lipstick, so not a huge amount but more than enough for you to work out if you like the product. 

I've got to say I really like the blush. I swatched it pretty heavily in the photo so you got a good idea of the colour but it blends out to a very nice shear wash of colour. It also seems to last all day, which is always a bonus.

The lipstick on the other hand, I don't love. It's nothing to do with the formula, which seems really nice and moisturising. Its just the colour. Super, skin tone based nudes just aren't my thing. I would be really interested in trying some darker shades in this formula and seeing if I like them more.

Overall I think this little set is great and would be an ideal stocking stuffer for anyone interested in makeup or that just likes cute mini objects. 

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

Collection #BlushAndGlow Mini Palette Review and Swatches - Cruelty Free Cosmetics

So at the start of last month I went up to my parents, and only realised once I was there I had forgotten any blush or highlighter. This wouldn't normally be a big deal, I don't always wear makeup (especially when I'm at home), and if I was in the city I could nip out and buy more. However I had arranged to meet friends when I arrived back in Glasgow  in a couple of days, so I kind of needed some blush. My options were look incredibly pale, the two tiny makeup stands in the local chemist (neither of which were cruelty free, so therefore not an option), or attempt to find something in Inverness. 

I chose Inverness, however that nearly didn't pay off at all. Maybe it's because I'm so used to Glasgow but I expected more from it. Between the large Boots and Superdrug in the town centre, this was all I could find. I was really hoping for a NYX stand, as I like their solo blushes. Failing that something from MUA or Makeup Revolution as theirs are OK to.

This is the Collection (previous Collection 2000) #BlushAndGlow palette. It cost £4.99 and you get 18g of product, split between four pans. A contour, a highlight and two blush shades. It was the closest thing I could find to what I actually wanted (for less than Urban Decay prices). It looks like great value on paper, however once I got it back to my parents and tried it, my first thoughts were just cheap, cheap, cheap.

The main packaging is cardboard, with a plastic panel, and in times gone by I would have been OK with this. I've been spoiled by the likes of MUA and Makeup Revolution that manage to keep costs low, but still package things up nicely. This just feels wrong. It does have a magnetic closure on it, which I have fun snapping, but that's just because I'm easily amused.

So I did the swatches and photographed them in two different lights. These powders are incredibly stiff, chunky and apply patchily to the skin. Just check the swatches on the far right or far left for this. Also the highlighter really draws attention to any skin texture. 

They also don't apply well with brushes. There's no subtlety, you have to go all in as the powder is so stiff. So if you're pale, with a lot of skin texture and don't like looking like you're at clown academy, I would not recommend this. 

TLDR: Cheap, poor quality packaging. Stiff, chunky powder that doesn't apply well. Not good.

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com