27 Oct 2013

Kiko dark heroine collection swatches

I feel terrible for not sharing this gorgeous collection with you sooner - it's something that I was having a great play around with before the madness of getting ready to go on holiday totally took over...

Kiko's dark Heroine collection covers all of the colours you'd expect for Autumn - I'm absolutely in love with the colour impact eyeshadow palette in lounge warm tones - it's a beaut. The mix of colours takes me right from comfort zone to something a little more adventurous. The bronzer is almost too pretty to use too, and I've used the duo face brush for blush and contouring almost non-stop since I got it - it's beautifully soft and has just the right density that I like.

On the right hand side are the colours from what I'd say is more of the 'safe zone' of this palette, and on the far left, a couple of colours to vamp it all up a little. The second colour on the left reminds me of Mac's cranberry, which I've always been to nervous to try, but I've seen some beauty bloggers make it look absolutely stunning. Now I have this palette it would be rude not to give a cranberry coloured eye a try! The shades are all very nicely pigmented and easy to blend. The palette comes in four different colourways, but this one's my favourite.

Also on the right here is the twinkle eye pencil in the shade inspiring golden brown. I always buy black liners, so it's nice to be adding something a little different to my collection with this brown shade. As I have warm brunette colouring a brown liner gives a much softer and pulled together look on me, whereas black is more of a stand-out statement liner colour. I like the subtle glitter which adds a little something extra.

Here I've swatched the loud night bronzer in silky mat tan all swirled together - it's mainly a fairly neutral, suits everyone tan shade that's accented with a shimmery highlight and a flash of pinky coral, so you can swirl your brush around the different areas to get the colour that suits you. On me I like this more as a blush than a bronzer and I like my bronzers a bit darker. This also comes in another more muted shade.

The velvet blush stick which comes in six shades is a super easy to use chubby little stick of colour which you can draw directly onto the cheeks or, as I prefer, you can apply it with your fingers. It applies just how it looks in the bullet with a full-on punch of colour - I can't be dealing with barely there or see-through blush!

The latex like lipstick comes in six of Autumn-ready shades - this one in pulpy plum is a super vampy plum or wine colour. It's a bit deep for me to wear together with the eyeshadow palette (although I am a bit of a wimp) but I'd certainly wear it as a statement lip with the rest of my makeup played down. The name 'latex-like' made me think this might feel a bit horrible or plasticky on the lips, but the texture is totally normal and long-wearing.

Finally the slightly odd one out of the colours I've been playing with is this laser nail lacquer in sensual candy which is a subtly sheeny baby pink. I love the colour, but it's a bit of a surprise in a collection which is mostly deep and mysterious! This wore really well on my nails for a good few days without chipping.

The dark heroine collection is massive and contains loads more than I've shown - see the full collection here. Or, if you're London based, you can now check out the products in person as Kiko is launching a flagship store on Regent Street on 23 November!