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New Spring Beauty Launches | Haul & Review


Spring is barely kicking off but we're already awash with exciting new beauty releases! I have a really good mix in this month's new in beauty post, so let's jump right in...

Affordable


Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipglosses in Spun Sugar, Papa Don't Peach, Pinkcredible, Down & Dainty & The Berry Thing* | £9 each | I'm just not a fan of lip glosses; let's get that out there. This is one of those lip-plumping formulas but to be honest I'm not really into it and don't like the sensation. These are also quite sticky in formulation. Most of the shades here are pinky tones that to me lack pigmentation, however I think the berry shade is pretty. 




Rimmel Brow Shake Filling Powder in Blonde, Medium Brown, Dark Brown & Black* | £5.99 | I think this may be one of those products you have to get the hang of and perhaps I've not quite grasped it yet! Essentially there's a little pot of powder product that comes with a narrow foam applicator that you dip into it. It's quite a pigmented powder though, so I'd recommend applying this lightly and using a spooly to brush out out for a natural look. However for me I do think the shade range lets this product down a bit - the brown colours are very rich, with a reddish undertone, which I just don't think looks natural on most people. I suppose you can mix and match but that just seems like a lot of effort! It does have decent longevity but overall I think there are better affordable brow products in the market.





Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder in Day Glow | £12.99 | This has a really lovely formula; it's not at all glittery or gritty, it just has a very natural finish. It actually reminds me a bit of the Balm's Mary Lou Manizer crossed with Laura Mercier's Matte Radiance. I chose the shade Day Glow blindly, having not seen or heard much about these but it turns out this is the perfect warm light gold shade with a gorgeous luminous finish on the skin.



Mid-Range

The Body Shop Vegan Brushes: Contouring, Fan, Buffing & Double-Ended Eyeshadow* | £10-14 each & The Body Shop Silicone Brush Cleaner* | £5 | The Body Shop have released a whole selection of new synthetic vegan makeup brushes for a variety of uses. The contouring brush is perfect to use with cream products (it does also work for powders, however the effect isn't *quite* as natural). It blends my contour out smoothly and evenly, plus the slanted bristles mean it's effortless to use. The fan brush is very soft with incredibly lightweight bristles. I like to use this with highlighter to get a very natural look. I've often found with synthetic fan brushes that the bristles are too individually thick and end up 'windscreen-wiper-ing' the product on and giving a stripy finish, however this doesn't at all. 



A highlight of the collection for me is definitely the buffing brush, which is small and has very tightly-packed bristles. It's perfect for full-coverage foundations to get a completely flawless and even finish because it really pushes the product into the skin. Finally, in terms of the actual brushes themselves, I have a double-ended eyeshadow brush. One end has a larger, domed, fluffy brush and the other is a small, slanted liner brush. The fluffy end is great for applying a colour all across the lid and the slanted end is nice for a soft, smoky liner look. They've also released a little brush cleaner with two different textures that you can just use on your finger to ensure you're getting right in there and removing all the makeup. It's very similar to the ones you can get on eBay, however for the sake of convenience, I do still think it's a great option. It makes brush cleaning both quicker and more effective (I use it to massage in the Dr Bronner Liquid Soap).


Burt's Bees Lipstick Collection* | £9.99 each | I think I have almost the entire collection here, or at least the majority of it! These are such wearable lipsticks for someone like me; they're moisturising (as in, you don't need to use a lip balm if you're wearing one of these) and give a sheer but definitely noticeable wash of colour. You can grab these and go, apply them without a mirror or just keep one in your bag that will go with any makeup look 'just in case'. They're not the most long-wearing formula but they don't fade messily or unevenly and the sheer finish means that even the darker shades don't transfer excessively. They contain all the goodness of the famous lip balms and of course the ingredients are 100% natural. I also feel like these are at a really accessible price-point; they're priced similarly to the higher end of the drugstore (like Revlon, L'Oreal or Bourjois), however feel much more premium. I really like the packaging too; the honeycomb effect is a cute little nod towards the brand's origins and I like how in the gaps it shows you the colour of the lipstick inside (this is actually very accurate to how they look in the bullet too).



The shades are a nice mix and I do think there's something in here for everyone; they aren't all nudes either. There are reds, berries, browns and pinks. My personal favourite shades are the beige-brown nude of Suede Splash and the pinky-mauve Doused Rose. However the darker shades are also a more wearable take on berry tones.

Burt's Bees Gloss Lip Crayons* | £9.99 each | Unlike some other gloss sticks I've tried, these aren't at all sticky; in fact they have more of a balm-like texture with the nourishment you'd expect from a Burt's Bees lip product. They're a sheer formula but the darker shades are actually really quite pigmented, which I like. Whilst the lighter shades inevitably don't last as long, I think the wear-time is pretty good for this sort of product and again; these are very quick and easy to apply. My favourites are the muted red-berry Tahitian Sun and the warm brown nude of Santorini Sunrise (side note: these shade names really make me want a holiday...)





Pixi It's Eye Time Palette* | £28 | This eyeshadow palette has the most gorgeous selection of shades! It's also very well-balanced in that you have matte crease colours, lid shades, highlights and smoky/liner colours in here. I use every single colour and most of them are fairly warm-toned. There are a mixture of finishes: 4 are full-on shimmers, there are 2 with a more satin sheen, 1 that's glittery and 5 mattes. The quality is very consistent; they have beautiful colour payoff, a smooth texture and are very easy to work with. I wouldn't say I was blown away with the longevity; some of the shades definitely blur together by the end of a long day, however it's far from being deal-breaker-level. My favourite shades are Snowflake, Bubbly, Honey Bear, Tu Tu and Getaway. The price is quite up there for Pixi, however I do think that these eyeshadows have my favourite formula of any others I've tried from them and the overall colour theme covers off a lot of bases whilst still feeling cohesive as a whole.



Pixi Strobe & Sculpt Palette* | £24 | I'm seriously impressed with this palette already! The shimmer highlighters are pigmented but have a natural finish on the skin. The formula is very smooth and easy to blend out, plus I love all of the shades; there's a matte banana setting powder, a shimmering gold tone and also this warm peachy shimmer. It's definitely a highlighter so isn't so opaque it comes out like a blusher (though it could be on fair skin) but I personally like it as a 'blusher topper' on the cheek bones. The contour shades are very smooth as well and work on my skin tone, with one of the two matte shades being more natural and the other more dramatic, but both having cool undertones to create a convincing shadow effect. They go on very smoothly and don't have a patchy fade on my skin. There's a warmer bronzer shade with a sheen that's not that dramatic on my skin tone but is nice enough for everyday wear. Although in the pan it looks like it contains lots of shimmer, that really doesn't translate to the skin.


Pixi Strobe & Sculpt Brush* | £16 | I've never tried Pixi brushes before but honestly can't rave about this one enough. The synthetic bristles are super-soft and always pick up the right amount of product. One end is a pointed tapered contouring brush for precise application and the other is a domed powder brush. You can use that end for bronzer, blusher, to blend out a contour to something more natural or even just as a face powder brush. I love how smoothly and evenly both ends apply product.



Zoeva Matte Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette* | £28.50 | This obviously isn't my usual bag, however it's one of the few high-quality, sub-£40 matte colour eyeshadow palettes I've come across. There's a range of orange, red, blue and purple shades, which by and large are creamy and opaque. There are one or two shades (especially the bottom row) which come off a bit patchy, however some of the colours, like the turquoise, are ones that I'd use as a liner anyway as opposed to all over the lid. Personally, I don't see myself reaching for this loads but I'll keep it around to use the odd shade every now and then, however if you've been after something like this then you really can't go wrong with Zoeva.




Zoeva Cream Contour Spectrum* | £22.50 | I honestly wasn't bowled over with the powder Contour Spectrum palette from Zoeva, however this is much more of a hit for me! Although there's definitely a very light contour shade in here, there's still enough in this palette for my skin tone and hopefully they bring out something for light skin and another for deep skin. There's a pearly iridescent light champagne cream highlighter, as well as a matte banana tone and a lighter cream matte with a banana undertone. All in all I'd say there are two shades in here I don't think I'll be using (the lightest contour and the lighter banana colour). However the contour tones have a nice, natural cool undertone without being too ashy. The formulas overall have that perfect amount of slip; not thin or greasy but they still blend out beautifully. The pigmentation is perfect, giving a natural look but still providing the definition I want. I was also impressed with the longevity, as cream products often wear off my skin or go patchy by around lunch time but this doesn't. Overall it gets the thumbs up.



Zoeva Spectrum Strobe Palettes in Spring, Summer & Winter* | £19.50 each | The formula of these highlighting palettes reminds me a lot of the Anastasia Glow Kits, so if you're looking for a dupe: I think we've found one! They're overall very smooth and have a subtle sheen; as opposed to really opaque pigmentation, the colours have more of a shift-effect. This means that even the unicorn-esque shades of the Winter palette (which aren't my bag, personally!) are a lot more wearable than they look in the pan. There's no glitter in the good shades and they give the skin such a natural, dewy highlight. I also love the concept of having palettes themed around the kind of glow you want for different seasons, though I do struggle to think of a skin tone that would suit all three of these (and what about poor Autumn?!) I actually find the quality varies quite a lot across the palettes but we'll get into that...






Spring's shades are a little out there for me (they all look white in the pan but there's pink, purple, blue and yellow duo-chrome in them) but will be perfect for pale skin - if you often struggle to find something that actually looks like a highlight on your skin as opposed to a stripe of dark gold then these could be perfect. This could actually be a really great alternative to Kat Von D's Alchemist palette too. Winter is one of the few more affordable palettes I've seen that has these sorts of 'ice cream' pink-purple, green, yellow-gold and blue shades. It's pretty much the perfect colour dupe for Anastasia's sold-out Moonchild and Sweets palettes. However I didn't rate the quality of this one - I found all four shades to be very glittery, grainy and chunky, which was disappointing. Summer is obviously my favourite, as the gold, bronze and champagne shades are perfect for my skin tone (they'll will also work nicely up to around NC50ish) and for creating a sun kissed glow. There's a light iridescent yellow-gold, a warm peach (which is slightly more chunky and glittery than the other shades), a champagne-bronze and a deeper gold-bronze.



Lord & Berry Timeless Kissproof Lipsticks in First Lady, Pop Pink & Brave Red* | £15 each | These actually apply a little more like a lip cream than a very fluid liquid lipstick, though the pink and brown shades aren't as opaque as the red, and they're very comfortable on the lips. They don't cling to dry patches but last really well on my lips. I need to touch up around lunch time after eating but overall their wear-time is pretty impressive. Although they look like they have a very slight sheen in the tube, in reality it doesn't translate to the lips. The fuchsia pink and cherry red aren't really my bag but I do like this cool-but-not-too-cool brown.


High-End



Urban Decay Urban Defence SP30 Complexion Primer | £23 | I really wasn't sure what to expect from the new Urban Decay primers because one or two of them had had some mixed reviews, however I really enjoyed this! One of the issues I find with wearing SPF on a day-to-day basis is that they often peel off when I apply makeup or a primer, no matter how long I give it to sink in! However this has a really nice smoothing effect, heaping to reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines, whilst giving my skin a shine-free satin (but not 'matte') finish. Best of all: it doesn't peel away or negatively affect the application of my base. 

Urban Decay Quick Fix Hydra-Charged Priming Spray | £10 (travel size) | This isn't a product I'd use in place of a smoothing primer, however if my skin is a bit tired or lacklustre, it's a quick and easy final step before makeup to boost its hydration levels. I suppose it is priming in a way because your base will always look better on softer, plumper and more hydrated skin. It can also be used over makeup if things are looking a bit dry and caky to refresh the appearance of your skin. It's not a must-have but it is nice!



Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer (Ginger) | £23 | This is a very late addition to this post, however I still wanted to mention my thoughts on it so far. This is a potted concealer, which I don't usually go for, however I really fancied a change. I got this in the same shade as my Radiant Creamy Concealer and find the colour to be the same, in case anyone was wondering. It has an almost mousse-like texture with a medium-full coverage. Although it's 'matte' it isn't thick, heavy or drying. You can use it under the eyes but I personally like it best to hide blemishes. So far, so good!



Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette | £59 | Wow. Just wow! How gorgeous is this palette? I've wanted an Hourglass palette for ages but every single one they've released so far I've already owned at least one shade from as a single, so I was really pleased when they released an offering with 3 (ok, 2) entirely new shades. I love the Hourglass blusher formula and am pleased to say that the palette hasn't compromised on the quality of the single shades. The blushes so far have mixed the original Ambient Lighting powders with a colour, however these take the Strobe collection instead as a base. These are just as pigmented and gorgeous as the singles I have, with a stunningly luminous look on the cheeks. They're more of a flush of colour than anything else but have an incredibly smooth texture and last very well on my skin. Incandescent Electra is a vibrant peach tone that debuted in the original blush palette and was subsequently released as a single. Brilliant Nude is a stunning, almost bronzed nude tone and Euphoric Fusion is a plum shade. These shades work well for my skin tone but I do think that if you're deeper than NC40, you might struggle with one or two of these tones looking slightly ashy.




Have you tried any of these products? Let me know your thoughts in the comments or which are on your wish list!


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Disclosure - products marked * were sent to me for consideration however all opinions remain my own. 

Read more posts from this series here!
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36 comments

  1. What a lovely round up! I love the Zoeva seasonal strobing palettes and that Hourglass palette looks like a dream! So pretty!

    Sophie x | SophiesMakeup

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    1. Seasonal highlighting palettes are such a great concept, aren't they? :) xx

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  2. This is the best round up of new launches I've read. Thank you! The Pixi eyeshadow palette looks beautiful, I love the shade Tu Tu. And I've definitely got my eye on the Zoeva strobe palettes xx

    Rhi | www.rinkydinkyrhi.com

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  3. The only product to jump out at me is the Hourglass palette, which I already own. There are some "nice" products here but nothing that really makes me drool - good for the bank balance! xx

    Beautylymin

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  4. I am so excited about the Matte Spectrum palette from Zoeva, but also have my eye on the Milani highlight and that gorgeous Hourglass palette. Stunning photos, the Pixi eyeshadow palette looks stunning as well, I just want to buy it all. Thanks for sharing, great haul xxx

    ALittleKiran | Bloglovin

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  5. I have to say I'm intrigued by the brow powders - mainly because the reddish undertone sounds perfect for my slightly odd colouring!

    NINEGRANDSTUDENT: A Lifestyle Blog

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    1. Haha might be one to give a go in that case! xx

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  6. Love the look of the milani highlight, perfect for the warmer weather :)

    Lotte | www.lottebeautybox.blogspot.co.uk

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  7. I have never used Zoeva or Pixi products, but I really want to give them a try! Great post Jasmine ^_^

    Laila from Townhouse Palette

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  8. Love the new spring release. The Milani highlighter is catching my attention. I have Hourglass surreal palette and really want the new blush palette but i can't justify spending 59 pounds on one more palette..lol

    Ash | www.mstantrum.com

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    Replies
    1. I luckily got it as a joint Valentine's/Anniversary gift! xx

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  9. The Milani highlighter sounds and looks beautiful! I was intrigued by the Zoeva highlighters but if you say they're a bit chunky then I will pass on those pastel shades. x

    Mummy's Beauty Corner

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  10. The rimmel eyebrow products look great I was thinking of trying them. I also like to Zoeva products. I have nominated you for the 'one lovely blog award' on my blog, if you would like to check it out the link is below!

    Lauren x Huggled

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  11. I've heard so many varying reviews of Pixi's eyeshadow palette - I'm really glad to see you enjoyed it. The colours are really beautiful.

    Deanna | www.luxandvitae.com

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  12. Sooooooo many goodies - the zoeva colour palette looks amazing!

    Lucy | Forever September

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  13. Oh my the Pixi palettes are absolutely gorgeous! I'm in love. I want both of them haha, but I might actually go and swatch the face palette at least to see if the contour shades would work for me. From your swatches it seems like it would work just great for my skin. The Burt's Bees lipsticks sound like a great new release as well!

    Julia x
    Last post: My London Favourites | http://juliaspeaksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/london-my-favourite-spots.html

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    1. It's one of the few contour palettes I use every shade from! xx

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  14. That hourglass palette *heart eye emoji* I just want it so bad! So beautiful I love it, but they are always so expensive, makes me cry lol. The Zoeva bright palette is lovely, and I love the look of the new Burts Bees lipsticks, they are so beautifully packaged!

    Erin || MakeErinOver

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  15. I've asked for the Pixi its eye time and the NARS concealer for mothers day haha, fingers crossed i get them! I'm intrigued by the Zoeva highlight spectrum palettes. I may have to order one. I love the sound of the Pixi contour palette as well. I've hit pan on my Kat Von d one so I'm looking to try a new one :) xx

    LPage Beauty

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  16. I love the look of the Burts Bees lipsticks! Glad to see some swatches too, will definitely have to get one I think as I love the lip balm so much! The Pixi eye palette looks gorgeous too!

    Danielle's Beauty Blog

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  17. The Hourglass palettes have never really caught my interest, but that blush palette is gorgeous! Love this sort of post :)

    Beauty From Katie

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    1. Their blushers are definitely the highlight of their product range in my opinion! xx

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  18. Every time Hourglass come out with a palette, I'm always conflicted if I should get it. The blush trio is so gorgeous though!


    Advaita | Blush Canvas

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  19. Awesome post jasmine!

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  20. I really want to try the new Rimmel brow product, I have been seeing them all over!

    Danielle xx
    http://www.fashionbeautyblog.co.uk/

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  21. I have been definitely eyeing off the new Nars concealer! I am a fan of the tube, so I feel like I should give this one a go.

    X Tash / Becomingtashh.com

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  22. So pretty! That hourglass palette is gorgeous!

    www.upyourvlog.com

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  23. Most of these are on my wish list! I just bought the Zoeva Matte palette not that long ago and I love it-I'm not sure I'd get much use from Matte Spectrum! The highlights look lovely though!

    Beekeyper - latest - The red lip edit

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  24. That milani strobing powder, hourglass blush palette and rimmel brow products look so awesome. I really need to make a big ass milani order.

    www.themakeupaficionado.com

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    1. I really need to try more of their products xx

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  25. I really want to get my hands on that Milani powder & the Pixi palette. They look so pretty!

    Nicole | The Glam Surge

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  26. I love spring strobe and day glow! thank you for sharing! http://whimsicalwolfblog.com/

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  27. Thank you for your comments! I hope some of these new launches got you excited :) xx

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  28. What a lovely post, I love how you split up the different price points! Some great products for spring here xx
    www.killinitbeauty.wordpress.com

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  29. Winter strobe reminds me so much of a cream eye shadow palette I had when I was about 12 - haha and I kind of love how nostalgic it's making me!! I might have to get it just for that reason lol

    She Likes to Shop

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