A few years ago i wrote a post practically begging for a Kiko store to come to Bristol. Now we have two stores and i have to admit i haven't shopped in either. There was something about it being unattainable and a brand that only a few people were familiar with that i loved. The reason i originally liked Kiko was their low prices and surprisingly good quality. As my taste for high end make up slowly grew, Kiko fell into the forgettable brand category. However this all changed when i watched Sophdoesnails video on the Kiko Mini Divas range. If there is one thing that can get me buying make up, it is a miniature. They are so pleasing to the eye and they seem more usable. After i watched Soph's video i really wanted to check out the range.
This need to see the Mini Divas range was reinforced by the thousands of pictures that came up on my Instagram feed featuring these products. I thought the packaging looked very sleek and i loved the use of gold, as it's a colour that is often associated with a diva. Just think of the MAC packaging for the Mariah Carey collection. However when i think of a Diva i think bold, glamorous and statement. Some of the shades in this range do fit this description but at the same time i think it is a very general range. The collection covers all of your basic necessities but i'm not sure being a Diva is about being basic. Don't get me wrong i love all of the shades in this collection but i'm not sure diva was the right name for it. Kiko have taken a more editorial route with this collection, with only a few simple products making up the range. The whole collection is basically a good set of travel minis so if you are yet to go on your holidays, this collection could be worth looking at and save you some luggage space.
The whole collection was created with the designer, Benedetta Bruzziches. As Kiko turns 20 this year, i know, who knew the brand was that old? They have collaborated with 7 emerging designers to create 7 capsule collections. This is the 4th. I have to admit i have no idea what the three prior to this were but they obviously didn't interest me. For a bit more background, Kiko have teamed up with Vogue Italia so you can be forgiven if you have never heard of the designers before. Benedetta Bruzziches is the creator of an accessories brand of the same name; which is why a purse is part of this Kiko collection. I had a look at some of her bag designs and they are stunning. I particularly like the design of the Smiling Moon in a Starry Sky Clutch. It is very glam and a spectacular bag design, it is very striking. In a way i guess this was what the Mini Diva collection was meant to be as the collection was inspired by the glamour of the 1950's 'A sophisticated and magnetic look.' Yes some of the eye shadows are striking and the bolder shades of lipstick definitely are. However the two items i bought are quite everyday and sway more towards the side of sophistication.
I picked out two items which i loved the look of. I got one of the Baked Eye Shadows in 01 Balanced Champagne and a lipstick in 01 Practical Rose. At first i wasn't too sure about the eye shadows when i swatched them purely because they seemed really chunky but once they are blended out they are highly pigmented, smooth with a lot of shimmer. Due to this texture it lends itself to being a highlight as it might be a bit much over the lid. The other 3 shades were beautiful but all of them are very similar to shadows i already own. I've never had a baked eye shadow before as i always heard the pigmentation could be a bit sketchy but this one is lovely. I just apply this to my inner corner and a small portion of my eye lid to brighten up any eye look and it works amazingly well. I pick some of the shadow up on my Morphe R43 Brush and it packs on the colour. The size of this mini compact is perfect; it isn't so big that you won't get through it but it isn't so small you could use it up in a month. Baked shadows are less powdery so in my mind this should last longer than a traditional eye shadow. I am so pleased i searched for it as it had sold out in my local store. If you like the look of this one it seems to be quite a popular shade so i would head out to your local store.
Now on to the lipstick, firstly how could you not want one when you see how small this is. It looks like it was made for a doll. The formula of this lipstick is described as a demi matte so it has good pigmentation but it isn't as drying as a full on matte lipstick. When you apply it to the lips it can look quite powdery so it is definitely more matte than the description would suggest. The lipstick is quite creamy but it does separate a little bit if you rub your lips together which isn't an amazing look. As it isn't a full matte and doesn't set, it doesn't have a very good wear time but that's fine as long as it is a nude like this. The colour isn't really rose either it is more of a Barbie pink which isn't a colour i really wear anymore. Unfortunately this means that this lipstick isn't going to be something i gravitate towards very often. In terms of packaging this lipstick is only 1g but they have made it long and thin so it is going to be quite easy to snap off if you aren't careful. This is usually the case with sample or mini lipsticks just because of the pressure used to apply the lipstick pushes it and snaps it out of the base which is a design flaw and i am surprised no one has considered it before. I guess they would rather it looked bigger than it actually being functional.
Overall this is a lovely collection which i really enjoy the look of and i am pleased that I have purchased these two items even though the lipstick might not work out for me. My general disappointment with the range is the price. I've worked retail and anyone knows that buying a larger product is always more cost effective but these are joke. Both the eye shadow and the lipstick were £4.95 each which in the grand scheme of things isn't expensive but when you compare it to other Kiko products it places these at some of their more expensive products. I get that these are limited edition but £5 for a mini eye shadow seems a bit much when a standard eye shadow costs £2.50 for 1.8g of product compared to the 0.5g of the Mini Diva eye shadow. When you consider this it does feel overpriced. However i do have to say i am never disappointed by the quality of Kiko products whenever i buy them and even though i think this range is over priced its still cheaper than your average drugstore brand. I know there has been a lot of moaning throughout this post but generally i do really like this collection, i think the execution is beautiful and the products work well. One thing i will be looking out for is the next 3 capsule collections in hopes that they will be as stunning as this collection.
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