My Favourite Low End Highlighters

2 November 2016

Tomi Kay Does Beauty Drugstore Low end highlighters


I have to apologise, big time! I have not updated my blog for such a long time and I promise I have a good reason. So basically, I am the most disorganised person ever and the biggest procrastinator yet.

Ok ok that's not exactly the reason but it kind of is. I was offered new job in Manchester over a month ago. YAAAAAYYYYY!!!!! It is such amazing news, I am super pumped. I spent most of my days looking for available properties within my budget and in a decent distance to work. I spent my nights thanking God for my new job and praying that I don't move to the crime central of Manchester. And my weekends were filled with me jumping on trains, viewing properties, walking around Manchester in awe and decluttering my apartment. After all the disappointing house viewings and stress of moving to the new city, I am ectastic to be in Manchester and I'm loving the j-o-b.

So into the blog post I go, I am a big big fan of highlighting. I absolutely love a healthy glow. My makeup look is not complete without my cheek bones, brow bone, bridge of nose, cupid's bow and chin glowing. I appreciate a good highlighter more during the Autumn and Winter months, there's just a way the colder temperature makes my makeup super matte and almost a little dull. I have decided to share with you my favourite low-end highlighters.

Tomi Kay Does Beauty Drugstore Low end highlighters Technic Kiko 208
Left to Right: Technic Get Gorgeous Bronzing Highlighter, Kiko Water Eyeshadow 208

Kiko Water Eyeshadow 208

Safe to say that this eyeshadow is a cult favourite. It has been termed as the dupe for the MAC Whisper of Guilt. I was not lucky enough to get my paws on the MAC Limited Edition Extra Dimension. I have to say this is an amazing highlight, funny enough, I have never used it as an eyeshadow. This eyeshadow is such a stunning light gold colour. I am sure it would be absolutely beautiful on the eyelids. Basically, you are getting an eyeshadow and a highlighter for the lovely price of £8.80. If you are like me and you always walk into Kiko when there is a sale (they are always on one sale or the other), you could get this eyeshadow for half the price.

Technic Get Gorgeous Bronzing Highlighter

This is the cheapest highlighter I own and that has not reduced the quality of this highlighter. The only thing that points to cheap with this highlighter is the flimsy packaging which I forgive. I mean it is a £2 highlighter. This gold toned highlighter is very easy to apply and has a beautiful pigmentation, so a little goes a long way. It has a beautiful texture and is easy to blend. It comes off on the skin as a beautiful gold shimmer.


Tomi Kay Does Beauty Drugstore Low end highlighters Makeup Revolution Rock on world
Left to Right: Makeup Revolution Rock on World, Makeup Revolution Ready To Go 

Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Bronzer Rock On World

This is a staple highlighter for me and a major fave. It is actually a baked bronzer but on my NW50 skin tone, it is a perfect highlighter. Rock On World is a dark copper with metallic sheen. The pigmentation on this baked bronzer is super intense. It is also long wearing. The best of everything is that it only comes to £4. If you are lucky enough to waltz into Superdrug on one of their 3 products for the price of 2, you could get this baked bronzer for free.


Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Bronzer Ready To Go

When I saw this Baked Bronzer, I was surprised because I can't see it as a bronzer on any skin tone. I was sure it would make a nice highlighter on me and I am not disappointed. The pigmentation, as is the case with the other Makeup Revolution items I own, is everything. It has a beautiful shimmer. It blends very easily so you don't need to panic if you are little heavy handed. Due to the pigmentation of this Baked Bronzer, you can use this to create a full on look or you can use it the way I usually do, for a subtle natural glow.

Tomi Kay Does Beauty Drugstore Low end highlighters Sleek Solstice
Top to Bottom: Sleek Solstice Palette, NYX Liquid Illuminator

NYX Liquid Illuminator Pure Gold

This is a liquid highlighter which is very different from my regular powder highlighters. This liquid gold is amazing under foundation for an effortless all over sun kissed glow.
This highlighter is not only perfect on the face but also to create a glow on your decolletage. Next time you are wearing an off shoulder outfit, rub some of the NYX  on your skin and see how many compliments you'll get. It applies and blends very easily

Sleek Highlighting Palette Solstice

This palette comes with four unique highlighters for the amazing price of £9.99. The highlighters are very pigmented with great longevity. I won't go into detail, you can read my full review here.


What are some of your favourite low end highlighters?

Sleek Solstice Highlighting Palette Review

26 September 2016

If you read beauty blogs or if you are on Instagram, then you have probably seen the Sleek Solistice Highlighting Palette. I had been seeing this palette on blogs but I still wasn't sure how it would be on a woman with my skin tone. I decided to get it when Boots was doing a 2 for £12 sale on Sleek products, I feel like all my blog posts have this line. What can I say? I LOVE a good sale. With only £6 to lose, I decided to take a step of faith and purchase this palette.



Sleek is known for their black matte packaging so the packaging of this palette really sets it apart from its peers. The Sleek Makeup Solstice Highlighting Palette comes in a shiny, warm gold metallic compact complete with a mirror and a magnetic closure.

The palette comes with instructions on how to use the different shades. I've never been one to follow instruction so I've never used the palette the way Sleek suggests. It also comes with a small stiff brush so I advise that you get a nice brush to apply this product, I suggest the Real Techniques Setting brush (you can check out my mini review here)



The palette is so beautiful on the outside but the inside contains the real beauty. The actual highlighters look good enough to eat. I did not use this palette for like two weeks because of fear of making it imperfect.

The palette comes with two baked powders, one luxurious cream formula and one silky shimmer powder. All of them have a very creamy formula.

Top - Left to Right - Ecliptic, Hemisphere
Bottom - Left to Right - Subsolar, Equinox

I am going to attempt to do my very best to describe the colours but they are so unique that I am not even sure how to articulate the exact description.

Ecliptic  is a bronzy gold cream highlighter. Sleek advises that you use it to highlight the brow bone but I have used this on my cheeks, chin and bridge of the nose.

Hemisphere is a lilac baked powder. I was afraid of this shade, I mean it's lilac. It is very unlike anything I've ever used. But the pigmentation is so intense and it just looks stunning. Sleek recommends using it on the cheek bones.

Subsolar is a yellow silky shimmer powder. It creates a gorgeous golden shimmer. Sleek advises using it on the bridge of the nose.

Equinox is the other baked powder and it is a peachy shimmery powder. Sleek recommends using it on to highlight the cupid's bow.






From the swatches, you can see how pigmented the highlighters in this palette are. They are very smooth, creamy and blendable. They don't appear patchy on the skin and they are very long wearing.






I have used every shade in this palette and I can find no fault. Four highlighters for even the full retail price of £10 is a steal as far as I'm concerned.

However, if you hurry, you can still get 2 items from the Sleek stand Boots for £12.


Do you have any of the Sleek Highlighting Palettes? What do you think about them?

Sleek MakeUP Cream Contour Kit

20 September 2016


Tomi Kay Does Beauty Sleek Makeup Cream Contour Kit

I love Sleek products, I am a huge fan of their eyeshadow palettes, blushes, highlighters and lipsticks. Sleek's original powder contour kit gained so much popularity on the beauty scenes but it just wasn't dark enough for me so I never bought it. When I came across their Cream Contour Kit, I was excited to try it out. Superdrug was doing a buy 2 for £10 sale on all Sleek products, since this product retails for £10.99, that was an offer I could not refuse.

The Cream Contour Kit is housed in a beautiful matte black plastic case. On the inside, there is a big mirror on one side and the cream contours are on the side. The packaging looks really good, only thing is it can be a little difficult to open.

Tomi Kay Does Beauty Sleek Makeup Cream Contour Kit

This cream contour kit comes in three different shades - light, medium and dark. I bought this Contour kit in shade Dark. Each contour kit comes with six different shades - two highlight and four contour.

Tomi Kay Does Beauty Sleek Makeup Cream Contour Kit

Sleek includes a guide on how to use the Cream Contour Kit, which is wonderful for beginners or someone who is overwhelmed by all the different shades in the kit.


Tomi Kay Does Beauty Sleek Makeup Cream Contour Kit


The concealers looked great and I had extremely high hopes for them. They have a smooth consistency and are quite creamy so blending was pretty easy.

The fact that there are six shades means you can mix colours to get your desired contour or highlight. Also, if you are a makeup artist, the variety of colours mean you can use it on different clients.

The Sleek Cream Contour kit fell short of my expectations. I was disappointed by how sheer the concealers were. The pigmentation is poor and only creates a very light coverage, as far as I am concerned.

The lighter shades were especially thin. What I noticed was that after blending my under eye area, the darkness would still come through. So I have to say this is one Sleek product I am disappointed in.
The shades in this Dark kit disappointed me. The contour colours don't go dark enough, no matter how much you layer it, the contour is not visible.

The Sleek Cream Contour kit has a creamy and light texture but it is not for someone who is looking for a nice coverage. Boots has them on a 2 for £12 offer if you are interested.

Do you own this palette? Tell me what you think.

NYX Liquid Suede Amethyst Review

12 September 2016

Tomi Kay Does Beauty NYX Liquid Suede Amethyst Review


I was introduced to the NYX lip products through their Soft Matte Lip Creams. Yikes, that was a disappointment but I tend to be very forgiving, so when I went to the NYX counter I still looked at their lip products. The NYX Liquid Suede in Amethyst struck me and after swatching it, I decided to give the NYX lip line another chance. I am so glad I did because I really love the Liquid Suede in Amethyst.


The NYX Liquid Suede comes in a sturdy plastic barrel tube with a flat doe foot applicator. The applicator has a long tip which I don't mind, but I have fuller lips so that could be a factor. For me. the elongated applicator makes it easier for me to apply the lipstick.




Tomi Kay Does Beauty NYX Liquid Suede Amethyst Review Swatch


Amethyst is a bright blue tone purple. It is just as NYX describes 'a plush and vibrant colour'. It is extremely pigmented and gives a good colour pay off with just one application. I never apply just one coat of lipstick, so I think it takes 2 to 3 coats for me to perfectly satisfied, but that is my preference and not because of the Liquid Suede. I find that it applies streak free. I recommed using a lip liner with this.


The Liquid Suede is a lightweight formula and although it dries matte, it is very non drying. It looks matte but feels velvety. It does take a while long time to dry so just be patient. This lipstick has a very creamy texture which makes it easy to apply, it glides on easily on the lips making for an enjoyable application and it is very comfortable on the lips. I find that the Liquid Suede is very moisturising and does not dry out the lips as the day goes on, which is a major turn off for me with liquid lipsticks. It does not stain the lips and it wipes off easily which is both a positive and a negative depending on how you look at it.


This Liquid Suede is quite long wearing. I wore it to for 6 hours and it did very well. It did not flake or crack on me. It is waterproof but I just hate that it is not transfer free which has to be a major con of this lippie. 


Tomi Kay Does Beauty NYX Liquid Suede Amethyst Review
I am wearing NYX Liquid Suede in Amethyst with Kiko Lip Pencil 512


As you can see, it is a very flattering colour on me, if I may say so myself.



Tomi Kay Does Beauty NYX Liquid Suede Amethyst Review
I added a white pencil in the middle to give an ombre effect.

Bottom line, the NYX Liquid Suede is very budget friendly and they have an amazing colour range. I recommend this to all lipstick lovers. Amethyst is an amazing purple colour, I have seen it on a variety skin tones and it looks good.




Do you own any of the NYX Liquid Suede? What colours and what do you think about them?


Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review

7 September 2016


Tomi Kay Does Beauty Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review


I went into Superdrug one day for something totally unrelated and I spotted the Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave tester. As soon as I met this palette, I just knew I had to have it. It was love at first sight, so you can imagine my disappointment when I found out it was out of stock. I trolled the Superdrug stores in my area almost everyday with no luck. The retail assistant had to advise me to get it online, but I really hate buying makeup online. Guess I'm not a fan of all the waiting and hoping against hope that the palette doesn't come with 3 damaged eyeshadows. The fact that it was not in stock for months only made me want it more, talk about wanting what you can't have. I'm sure you can imagine the immense joy I felt when I saw that the little Superdrug in the city had this palette.


Tomi Kay Does Beauty Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review


OK let's talk about the palette, Makeup Revolution makes a number of eyeshadow palettes but Fortune Favours the Brave was the first one I bought and I was not disappointed.
The eyeshadows come housed in this stunning matte gold packaging. Its like nothing I've seen before. Plus their palette comes with a  full sized mirror and a double ended applicator brush and not the flimsy sponges that are in staple in eyeshadow palettes. I'm not saying the brush is particularly amazing but A for effort.



Tomi Kay Does Beauty Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review


I love the range of colours and the fact that one can achieve a variety of looks that with this palette.
The palette contains a mix of matte shadows, glimmers and some sheen ones. The palette has four baked eyshadows which I really really love. The baked eyeshadows and the darker colours are more pigmented than the lighter ones. I always use a primer with my eyeshadows to ensure the best colour payoff.

Tomi Kay Does Beauty Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review


30 eyeshadows for £9.99. I have to say that's a steal plus Superdrug is almost always doing one sale or the other.

Tomi Kay Does Beauty Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review Swatch
FIRST ROW

This is my first set of swatches, I struggled to get some decent pictures so I apologise for that. I'm learning.


Tomi Kay Does Beauty Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review Swatch
SECOND ROW

I have not used a primer with these swatches.


Tomi Kay Does Beauty Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review Swatch
THIRD ROW

And you can see that some colours barely show up on my skin so make sure to use a primer to achieve the best colour pay off.



Tomi Kay Does Beauty Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Review Swatch
FOURTH ROW
You can also see that there is a variety of colours and finishes.


Although not every shade is perfect, it is a beautiful and practical palette. There are a wide variety of shades to choose from. One thing I particularly love is that one can create various eye looks with just this palette. You can make neutral looks, full on glam and smokey eye looks.



Do you have this palette? Or any other Makeup revolution one? 

Let me know what you think.



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