So it's no secret by now how much I love KIKO products (hint hint previous post); great quality, awesome packaging and amazing affordability, what's not to love? So their new Valentine's Day collection was going to be a must for me anyhow.
But KIKO have done things a bit differently this year and on this special day of "love" they want you to celebrate your bestfriend-ship, thus the Best Friends Forever Collection was born! So now all the #singlepringles out there don't have to feel left out anymore, and can celebrate the day with makeup and chocolate!...Let's be honest, those heart shaped chocolates aren't going to eat themselves :P Plus, who can resist a heart shaped lipstick?...No one I tell you! Or you're just allergic to cute...in which case "Bless You!" Hands you a tissue. :D
I've only picked up four lipsticks from the "BFF" Collection. Since I wasn't particularly impressed by the lip pencil from their Rebel Romantic Collection, which I found very drying, I was already hesitant. But when I saw that the lip pencils from the "BFF" Collection were twist up (my favourite packaging) I had high hopes! Until I went in store (a newly opened Chaussée d'Ixelles store here in Brussels, by the by) and all the ones I tried to swatch snapped before even making a mark. Now, on hindsight they were all being displayed with their caps off so that might be the contributing factor to their epic fail/dryness! Might have to go back at a later date and see if I can get a swatch out of them (not buying without testing I'm afraid).
Also, the nail polish selection didn't intrigue me that much either. If you aren't a massive nail polish collector/hoarder like me, then you might not already own any of the three colours on offer but "sadly" I do. Grabs hands; forms support circle...repeat after me..."Thou shalt not buy repeat colours...unless thou really hates the formula"...resist the temptation ladies, we can follow this Golden Rule together! Okay, enough blabbing - time for swatches:
KIKO Endless Love Lipstick - 01 Candy Red
This is a gorgeous bright orange-y red, it has a lot of "peps" as the French might say (pronounced like the beginning of "pepper") i.e. a lot of oomph! This is definitely a classic one for a Valentine's collection, I mean any red is, really. But I would describe this as a fun, bright and "happy red" not a "Scorsese-red" (name that quote for extra brownie points in the comment section).
KIKO Endless Love Lipstick - 02 Dinky Magenta
Despite its name (which appears on the box not on the lipstick tube, for some reason?! KIKO really needs to sort the naming discrepancy out) this is a classic blue-toned red (not showing enough pink to qualify it as magenta, I think). I would say this is the most sophisticated red from the Collection, and I can definitely see this one being worn for fancy dining. Best friends can have posh dinners too! :P
KIKO Endless Love Lipstick - 04 Romance Cyclamen
Here is where we end up with the most fun/young colour of the bunch. This is a deep fuchsia colour (fuchsia = blue-toned pink, magenta = red-toned pink) with a slight iridescence of blue/purple (you can see it on the bottom lip of the bottom picture). Love it!
KIKO Endless Love Lipstick - 06 Passion Plum
This is what I would describe as a Coca-Cola colour, or Black Honey from Clinique. Clinique has a Cheek Pop (a blusher) in 07 Cola Pop, which was a Sephora exclusive but is now widely available in the US and hopefully soon in the UK (crossing fingers), and which would go perfectly with this lipstick. In trend with the whole 90s throwback, which we're still having, this is the perfect warm toned brown lipstick. It does have a touch of gold micro-glitter which feels ever so slightly gravelly when smudging your lips together, but otherwise undetectable, and gives the lipstick a beautiful slight golden sheen (we're not in the land of "frosts" people, it's all good). P.S. This lipstick would look amazing on darker skin tones!
DESCRIPTION
At last I can talk about the cuteness of the packaging! KIKO definitely hits it out of the ballpark every time when it comes to packaging. It's a silver tube that has an indented heart in the lid in the exact colour of the lipstick inside. Plus, much like a Louboutin shoe, the inside of the cap is also the lipstick colour, a beautiful touch! But unlike its sister Collection it's not a magnetic seal but a strong click (no risk of it coming loose in your handbag).
The lipsticks are described on the KIKO website as having a formula "enriched with bixa orellana seed extract" which makes it glide on with "vivid colour payoff." I have to say I couldn't agree more with that description, it's so buttery smooth and hydrating that it definitely doesn't need prepped lips for a fantastic and pigmented end result. "Dermatologically tested and Paraben free" it does however have a strong vanilla scent to it, exactly like a Mac lipstick, so if that's not your thing, avoid! But I personally love this formula...and the packaging is just so cute!
APPLICATION
Although the heart shapes are cute, it doesn't lend for super easy application. I found picking one of the rounded edges from the heart shape as your "pointy" bit (from the classic lipstick shape) makes for the easiest application. If you use both rounded edges as your "pointy" bit the lipstick ends up being way too wide and applying in places it shouldn't be. If you had one of the pencils from the Collection to do the fine lining with, and then filled in the rest straight from the lipstick bullet, then the heart shape would not be such an issue. But if you only own the lipsticks then either use "my" rounded edge technique or eventually just get a lip brush for a quicker and more precise application. I mean they're all "reds" after all and we all know that that requires a bit more patience to apply than the slapdash nudes that rarely require a mirror.
WEAR
Exactly the same consistency as their sister Collection (i.e. hydrating and not mattes), these lipsticks wear beautifully for up to 3-4 hours before needing reapplication. They wear off evenly too, leaving a lovely stained quality to your lips.
REMOVAL
Babywipe/makeup wipe will work somewhat, but you will be left with tinted/stained lips. I needed Lancôme's Bi-facil for complete removal (not that I minded the staining that much)
CONCLUSION
Gorgeous, cutely packaged lipsticks. The shape although adorable makes precise application a bit more tricky, but practice makes perfect! And for such a great formula I would say it's definitely worth the slight hassle. The colour choices were a bit limited as they where all variations of red but from a Valentine's collection even if it's for BFFs, I can't say I was expecting any differently.
So there you have it. Which is your favourite colour?
Have you got your Valentine or Galentine makeup look already planned out? If so what will you be wearing?
What's your best BFF memory, since that's what this Collection is all about?
Also, what's your favourite chocolate? If you haven't already guessed by my blog name (previously known as LilacChocolate) I'm somewhat of a chocoholic, plus I grew up/live in Belgium so I have super easy access to some of the best chocolate out there (I definitely see diabetes in my future). Mine are Guylian chocolates which I sadly can't eat anymore...cause gluten! And Hotel Chocolat for the sheer variety of their flavours (plus gluten is always indicated and rarely added).
Happy Valentine's day, or should I rename it as Chocolate Eating day! Yum!
P.S. I would just like to point out the three hours of my life (that I'm never getting back) spent cutting out those heart shaped confetti...you're welcome! #commitment
xxxemma