THE PIP BOX BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2019 UNBOXING, REVIEW

THE PIP BOX BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2019 UNBOXING, REVIEW

Vegan Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, December 09, 2019

It is their second-ever beauty advent calendar, and it contains 20 full-sized products and four travel sized products from 21 brands, and NO product repeats from the last year. That's the way to go!
Meet The Pip Box. They are a vegan, cruelty-free monthly beauty box that ship worldwide. When I heard they were doing an advent calendar, I snapped it up, and guess what? It sold out while still on pre-order! Never managed to launch!
Despite having a beauty box, they assured me that there would be just the TWO products that had appeared in the beauty box - from Jan/Feb 2019. All other products in this advent calendar, I was assured, would be spankin' new. LookFantastic - and other advent calendars guilty of a bazillion product repeats - are you listening?

Scroll down for the unboxing and review of The Pip Box cruelty-free, vegan beauty advent calendar for 2019.

affiliate

CULT BEAUTY BEST OF 2019 GOODY BAG LAUNCHES ON NOV 1 WORLDWIDE

CULT BEAUTY BEST OF 2019 GOODY BAG LAUNCHES ON NOV 1 WORLDWIDE

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Cult Beauty's Best of the Year gifts with purchase are always known for their colossal value, the number of full sizes, and the super curations, and 2019's GWP is no exception. With a total worth of £325 and 23 products, this set is yours FREE when you purchase for £180 on site.
VIP customers - those who spend more than £1,000 on the website in a calendar year - get 48-hour early access with code BESTOF19, but don't worry, it will NOT sell out; everyone will get access from November 1 without a code.
There are a whopping NINE (Cult Beauty claims there are 11, but I only count proper full sizes - not discovery retail sizes - but I've counted the bag, and don't count the voucher) full-sized products in this set, and a £15 gift voucher to boot. I can't even! The Cult Beauty Best of 2019 Goody Bag is available here - run, don't walk!

Scroll down for the full contents and spoilers of the Cult Beauty Best of 2019 Goody Bag, a gift with purchase that ships worldwide.

affiliate

YESSTYLE KOSMETOPIA K-BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2019 SPOILERS, LAUNCH NEWS

YESSTYLE KOSMETOPIA K-BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2019 SPOILERS, LAUNCH NEWS

yesstyle Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, October 09, 2019

For those interested in the YesStyle Kosmetopia Advent Calendar 2019, here's what to keep in mind:

1.  It launches on Wednesday, 9 October (not pre-order, the actual launch), at 08:00GMT or 00:00PST from here.
2. It WILL sell out.
3. It is, without a doubt, the cutest and girliest beauty advent calendar we've seen this year - ALL products inside are full-sized. Yes, 24 full sizes. You read that right.
4. Try via desktop as well as the app, on different devices - download the app if you haven't already (and login beforehand). There's no telling which will crash first.
5. Go to the website rightaway (not app), and enter your shipping and payment details already. You can delete all the deets a few hours later. That way, all you have to do is add to cart and confirm order, without wasting time entering those details while checking out. This is how I placed my order on the pre-order date (September 25) before the app crashed.
6. Use an influencer code - not necessarily mine, which, for reference, is RENU144; any other code you find on their Instagram or elsewhere will do - to get an additional discount at checkout. Or feel free not to waste time on this step! 
7. You may also want to try a discount code such as ADVENT2019 - this isn't supposed to work on the advent calendar itself, but I've heard it worked for some during the pre-order.
8. There will be at least four or five more restocks, on forthcoming Wednesdays, so if you DO miss this one, there could be another shot - but don't leave it all for the last minute!
9. GOOD LUCK! Fingers crossed for you - come and tell me the good news xoxo

Scroll down for the full spoilers and price breakdown of the YesStyle Kosmetopia K-Beauty Advent Calendar 2019.

affiliate

Summer 2019 Makeup Giveaway Results

Summer 2019 Makeup Giveaway Results

Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, September 16, 2019

The results of the Summer 2019 makeup giveaway are here, and we know who's getting the full-sized set of Revolution Beauty goodies. I've been a bit late thanks to all the advent calendar posts, plus, I went in for a root canal, the dentist injected a local anaesthetic (lidocaine), and I had an allergic reaction to it right there on his chair! Cue all the roids and antihistamine shots all over again. I'm undergoing tests to find out which local anaesthetic I'm NOT allergic to, and we'll resume root canal with that. Till then, you'll see me with a wonky tooth.
Anyway. Giveaway news. The next one is very special, and rather different from the rest. It will commence in about a week or 10 days or so, depending on when I can record the video for it without showing you too much of my wonky, crownless tooth.
This giveaways results are below. Drumroll....

CULT BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2019 SPOILERS, CONTENTS, WORTH BREAKDOWN

CULT BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2019 SPOILERS, CONTENTS, WORTH BREAKDOWN

Holiday 2019 Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, September 05, 2019

Deep breath! And again. One more. Phew.
It's the MOST exciting news ever - CULT BEAUTY ARE HAVING THEIR FIRST-EVER BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR!
Gosh. I can't keep still for the excitement!
So this one has far more products than all the rest. That is because the 25th drawer has a whole TEN PRODUCTS in there, including a £25 gift card. The calendar costs £195, and, believe me, the full-sized products inside are ALONE indeed worth more than that, as you will see below. The net worth of the calendar is claimed to be more than £680.
The packaging is very pretty and girly, rather unlike the other Christmassy reds, greens, navy blues, deep purples, golds, silvers, and whites. This one is a Summery pink-orange-purpley-blue combination on the outside, and opens up to an aquamarine set of drawers inside. And the contents are different as well - NO Eve Lom Cleanser, Omorovicza Mist, NARS Orgasm mini, and so on!
Teaser before you scroll down - THERE ARE THIRTY-FIVE PRODUCTS IN THIS ADVENT CALENDAR (and I've made a bazillion spelling mistakes in this post because my fingers are trembling). 

Scroll down for the spoilers, contents, and cost breakdown of the CULT BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2019.

affiliate

Space NK The Experts Edit Autumn 2019 Gift With Purchase Available Worldwide

Space NK The Experts Edit Autumn 2019 Gift With Purchase Available Worldwide

SpaceNK Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, September 03, 2019

Space NK's Autumn 2019 gift with purchase is here, and it is titled the Expert Edit - it contains products chosen by long-serving Space NK employees. There are 27 products in here, with a net worth of £285. The gift is yours with purchase of products of £175 and above from Space NK, and ships worldwide.
This GWP does NOT include so many repeats, including the Eve Lom cleansing balm, the Nars Orgasm blush, the Omorovicza mist, and so on. Yes, there are a couple of repeats from previous goody bags - the REN Instant Firming Beauty Shot is the main one here - and there are no full-sized products at all. But then this is something that's free, a little extra, with purchase, so if you're hauling anyway, or even getting an early start on your Christmas shopping (December is just three months away, people!), this is a nice incentive, and I prefer doing my shopping when there's a GWP around. I also like the inclusion of some relatively recent launches.

Here are full spoilers and contents of Space NK The Expert Edit goodie bag, an Autumn 2019 gift with purchase that ships worldwide.

affiliate

Cult Beauty The USA Goody Bag For Autumn 2019 Now Available Worldwide

Cult Beauty The USA Goody Bag For Autumn 2019 Now Available Worldwide

Shopping Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, August 28, 2019

With the end of Summer come all the gifts with purchase, and leading the charge is Cult Beauty, with a 23-piece offering of beauty goodies originating in the USA. The Autumn goody bag is yours free with purchase of products worth £140 from Cult Beauty, and includes a £15 gift card. The contents inside are worth more than £220, and the goodies ship worldwide.
Eight products are makeup, and there are five mask products - I would call this the Mask Goody Bag! You also have some very recent launches on Cult Beauty, and the fabulous Glow Recipe.
To be honest, this curation is something that I find unexpected - I was expecting other products, other brands in here - Omorovicza, Huda Beauty, and so on. This is one set of very new brands, for a gift with purchase.

Here are the full contents and spoilers of the Cult Beauty The USA Goody Bag For Autumn 2019, a gift with purchase now available worldwide.

affiliate

Fortnum & Mason Beauty Advent Calendar AVAILABLE ON PRE-ORDER NOW: Spoilers, Contents

Fortnum & Mason Beauty Advent Calendar AVAILABLE ON PRE-ORDER NOW: Spoilers, Contents

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, August 26, 2019

They've started coming in. The first to hit that checkout button is Fortnum & Mason. Last year, they did their first beauty advent calendar, which yours truly foolishly did NOT buy, and then Mum offered to sponsor it (she HATES buying Christmas presents for anyone, because apparently people ought to choose their own gifts, and send her the bill), by which time it had sold out.
This year, I promised myself I would make no such mistake, and it is indeed my first 2019 beauty advent calendar - though it will probably be the last one to arrive.
Details first. £195. Net worth of more than £750. 25 products inside, of which 13 are full-sized. Pre-order is open now, from here. Shipping commences only from October 25. Boo! How on EARTH are people expected to wait that long? I swear I'll have worn out half my teeth by then.
Fortnum & Mason ship to most countries around the world. HOWEVER. Some exclusions apply, depending on where you live, so given that this advent calendar contains perfumes and a candle, it may not ship out where you live, so do check that out first.

Other Beauty Advent Calendar 2019 news:

• LookFantastic Beauty Advent Calendar 2019
• Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar 2019
• 40+ Beauty Advent Calendar Spoilers 2019

The Fortnum & Mason Beauty Advent Calendar 2019 is available for pre-order now from here. 

affiliate

ALL THE BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDARS FOR 2019: FULL SPOILERS AND CONTENTS

ALL THE BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDARS FOR 2019: FULL SPOILERS AND CONTENTS

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, August 22, 2019

An Advent Calendar is a calendar - sometimes in the form of a box - that has a countdown during Advent, right up to Christmas, often with a Nativity scene, a poem, or a little surprise, behind each date.
A Beauty Advent Calendar, obviously, is a curation of beauty products arranged behind closed windows, doors, or boxes, in a "calendar" format, as a countdown to Christmas Day.
Here, I'm showing you more than 40 of the best beauty advent calendars to look forward to for Christmas 2019. There are spoilers for some of the beauty advent calendars mentioned here.
Before we get going, one more thing - the vast majority of these do ship worldwide. There COULD be some exceptions depending on the brands included, and if there are perfumes or nail polishes or other HAZMAT inside. I will specify if I know about this for sure. Again, individual country exceptions could apply even if I'm told that they ship worldwide.
Lastly, more spoilers continue to come in, and I will update them as and when they are released. Bookmark this page, check back from September first week, and you’re all set! Off we go.

Scroll down for full spoilers and contents of ALL THE BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDARS FOR CHRISTMAS 2019, and to find out which ones to buy.

affiliate

LookFantastic Beauty Advent Calendar 2019 FULL SPOILERS AND CONTENTS

LookFantastic Beauty Advent Calendar 2019 FULL SPOILERS AND CONTENTS

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, August 15, 2019

It is Advent Calendar season again - my favourite time of the year, and when you'll see my dour expression replaced by excitement and animation.
Over the coming weekend, I will have full spoilers and contents of more than 40 beauty advent calendars up for you, both here as well as on my YouTube channel. But because this one is always a sell-out, and because it was my own first-ever beauty advent calendar (I haven't missed one in four whole years), I thought I'd tell you about the LookFantastic Beauty Advent Calendar for 2019 rightaway.
Like last year (see here), the price is £79. Like last year, there are 25 products. However, the worth of the contents inside is £420! It was only 300 last year.
Unlike last year, the packaging is a gorgeous navy blue and gold. Stop it and tell us what's inside, you say? Coming right up.

Scroll down for the FULL SPOILERS AND CONTENTS of the LOOKFANTASTIC BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2019.

affiliate

ROSE SECRET BOX: KOREAN MYSTERY BEAUTY BOX UNBOXING

ROSE SECRET BOX: KOREAN MYSTERY BEAUTY BOX UNBOXING

Unboxing Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, July 25, 2019

I've got over men alright, but there's one thing I haven't ever got over - the Memebox. Remember it, anyone? Korean beauty box that shipped worldwide? Best beauty box EVER? Came JAM-PACKED with beauty products, all full-sized, and in myriad themes and variants, from Superfood, Wine and Cheese, and Chocolate, to weird ingredients, colour- and scent-themed boxes, and regular monthly boxes. New here, and don't believe a WORD I say? Go here rightaway to check out ALL my Memebox unboxings. I bought more than 50 (60?) of the things in a span of about a year and a half.
The problem is that Memebox RUINED all other beauty boxes for me. I am no longer satisfied with half-baked samples. Don't give me random scrubs. Or pencil liners. Or old shite that won't sell, and you want to shill. Or anything that's not thoughtfully curated, but is haphazardly thrown in a box.
Rose Rose Shop, a Korean beauty retailer who ships worldwide, used to do sampler boxes. But the samples were small, and you also got things like fashion earrings, which I did not want. I did buy the one sampler - see here for my unboxing. Then, they stopped those.
Recently, RRS has been doing Mystery Boxes! This is their second season of doing these - I missed out on the first box. They promise at LEAST seven full-sized products, WITHOUT counting sheet masks. That was a deal-clencher for me. For $35, including FREE worldwide shipping, that's just about $5 per product! Plus, you also get samples and other things.
I ordered mine immediately, and was pleased to find that I got EIGHT full-sized products, including three makeup. In addition to those, I also got a bunch of samples, and four sheet masks. To know exactly what I received, go straight down!

Scroll down for the contents, review, and unboxing of the Rose Secret Box Season 2, a Korean mystery beauty box that ships worldwide.

Nothing to disclose

GUCCI Rouge a Levres Satin LIPSTICKS 2019 Review, Swatches: PART I BOLDS

GUCCI Rouge a Levres Satin LIPSTICKS 2019 Review, Swatches: PART I BOLDS

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, July 19, 2019

Remember Gucci Beauty? They launched back in 2014, with Pat McGrath as one of the creative directors, but the range faded into oblivion in 2016.
They've relaunched now, with a spankin' range of 58 lipsticks in three finishes, for Summer 2019! The range is inspired by Old Hollywood and art and antiques - a passion of current creative director Alessandro Michele (shared by yours truly). This shows in the naming of the lipsticks, as well as the packaging.
Since I've been having a rough time lately, with allergy issues for myself and health issues for my family as well, I decided to treat myself to some of these (as well as a couple of other luxury lipsticks - see here for another recent lipstick haul - I tell you, there is NOTHING like a luxe lippie to cheer you up). Unfortunately, the more muted shades were out of stock when I placed my order, so I picked some of the bolder and brighter shades. I held off on the review, hoping the subtler shades would be back in stock soon. I then lost patience, and went ahead with the review, only to find that all the shades were back in stock! I have some dusty roses on their way to me - I will be adding the swatches of those to this very same post, so do bookmark it and check back in a couple of weeks' time!
For now, I have some of the bolder, fuchsia shades to show you, though I'll definitely tell you what shade numbers contain what colour families, and how to choose the shade you want.

UPDATE: I HAVE RECEIVED MORE NEUTRAL COLOURS - SWATCHES ADDED BELOW. 

Scroll down for my review and swatches of the Gucci Rouge a Levres Satin Lipsticks for Summer 2019.

affiliate

Estee Lauder Pure Color DESIRE ROUGE EXCESS LIPSTICKS Review, Swatches

Estee Lauder Pure Color DESIRE ROUGE EXCESS LIPSTICKS Review, Swatches

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, July 18, 2019

For me, the biggest problem with the Estee Lauder Pure Color Desire Rouge Excess Lipsticks is that name. WHY Pure Color? Why not start a whole new range instead of adding length - and confusing - to a handle?
I'll explain.
First, we had the Estee Lauder Pure Color lipsticks. Then came the Pure Color ENVY Sculpting lipsticks (reviewed here) - regular first, followed by a matte range. Then, we had the Pure Color LOVE Lipsticks (reviewed here). Liquid lipsticks followed (all reviewed here) - Pure Color Love Liquid lip colours, and Pure Color PAINT-ON Liquid Lipsticks. ARGH! Stop already! Can't they remove the "Pure Color" suffix at least now? Why is it on every darn lipstick launch ever? Surely Estee Lauder Desire Rouge Excess is enough without tacking on Pure Color in there?
Enough ranting about the name. Let's talk about the lipsticks themselves. These come in stunning packaging, possibly the best we've seen from Estee Lauder. Very heavy metal. All gold. Satisfying click. Incidentally, these are the lipsticks that are supposed to have the highest percentage of pigment in any Estee Lauder lipstick so far.

Scroll down for the review, swatches, and demo of the Estee Lauder Pure Color Desire Rouge Excess Lipsticks.

affiliate

ABH x Alyssa Edwards Eyeshadow Palette Review, Swatches: On Deep Set Eyes, Tan Skin

ABH x Alyssa Edwards Eyeshadow Palette Review, Swatches: On Deep Set Eyes, Tan Skin

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, July 11, 2019

After Modern Renaissance - reviewed here - no Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadow palette wowed me enough to make me buy it. Not Subculture, not Prism, not Soft Glam, not Norvina, nor Riviera.
Until the Alyssa Edwards palette.
Let me confess - I wasn't familiar with RuPaul's Drag Race until recently. And, when I first heard about this collab, I expected the shades to be even brighter than Riviera. This was, after all, a Summer palette. I expected neons. Electric hues.
But when I saw the colours, I was pleasantly surprised. Apart from a bright yellow, the rest weren't scary at all! Okay, there is a PURE white in there, but I can live with it (or even ignore it). The rest? Wearable. Fun to play with. Easy to subdue.
I call it my favourite non-drugstore palette of 2019 SO FAR. Why? You'll find out.

Scroll down for the review, swatches, and demo of the Anastasia Beverly Hills x Alyssa Edwards eyeshadow palette, and multiple looks on deep-set eyes.

affiliate

How To CONTOUR With Huda TANTOUR, On Oily, Textured, Tan Skin

How To CONTOUR With Huda TANTOUR, On Oily, Textured, Tan Skin

Tutorials Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, July 08, 2019

When Huda Beauty's Tantour Contour and Bronzer Cream launched, I barely gave it a second thought. First of all, I wasn't huge on contouring. Finicky business that, particularly when you're in a hurry. Who has the time to blend all that stuff seamlessly? Secondly, I have MAD texture - pitted acne scars - to which everything from blush and bronzer to highlighter tend to draw attention. Thirdly, ugh - a cream product, in a jar, no less! Ain't no one got the time for cream products. Not on my oily skin! Finally, the colours - NO WAY was something that looked like that coming within a mile of me.
Then, I watched this video review and demo, by Shahleena, one of the (few) Beauty YouTubers I watch and trust. And then, I knew I wanted to try it.
FIRST use in, I was hooked. These days, it is my one-stop cheek product. I skive off on everything else - blush and highlighter - but not this one. It even helps thin down my fat cheeks and double chin (thanks to steroids - more on that another time). But I'm getting way ahead of myself.

Scroll down for a review, swatches, and tutorial of Huda Beauty's Tantour Contour And Bronzer Cream, which makes contouring a breeze even on OILY, textured skin.

affiliate

Summer 2019 Full-Sized Revolution Beauty Makeup Giveaway Open Worldwide

Summer 2019 Full-Sized Revolution Beauty Makeup Giveaway Open Worldwide

Summer Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, June 22, 2019

As promised, here's my Summer 2019 makeup giveaway, and this one is the biggest so far this year, because there are two whole eyeshadow palettes! This one is the entire contents of the Revolution Beauty - formerly Makeup Revolution - Spring Gift Bag.
You probably know that I have a few medical and family issues going on at the moment, with my Dad and Gramps both scheduled for surgeries, in addition to my being accidentally exposed to wheat ALL the darn time and landing in the ER, and now I have Cushing Syndrome and bad acne as a result of all the steroids (which you will see further below). So this giveaway will run a little longer than usual - until August 31 - in order to give me time to tide over all the crises.

Scroll down to enter the Summer 2019 Full-Sized Revolution Beauty Makeup Giveaway. 

Spring 2019 Makeup Giveaway RESULTS

Spring 2019 Makeup Giveaway RESULTS

Giveaway Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, June 20, 2019

So I'm about 10 days behind with the results of the Spring Makeup Giveaway... for starters, my Dad had a medical emergency - sudden onset of hernia - and is due for surgery on the 27th. He's already recovering from an odontoid fracture in the brain, so they cannot give him general anaesthesia. Then, my Gramps - whose knee replacement surgery has been postponed to July - decided to scare everyone further when he ruptured a blood vessel inside his eye, which was caused by high blood pressure. The bleeding has been stopped, and the offending blood vessel repaired. As if all this wasn't enough, I ended up in the ER with swallowing difficulty, a swollen neck, and bad itching - severe allergic reaction - on Tuesday, which necessitated more steroid and epinephrine shots. I've gained 5kg, and look a proper sight now. Actually, DON'T watch any of my recent YouTube videos, my quadruple-chin and acne will scare you out of ten years' growth.
There's only one way I can make it up to you lot for the delay - have a TWO-PALETTE giveaway next, which should commence over this weekend, so do stay tuned for that.
But before that, the results of the Spring Giveaway. Drumroll...

Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Face Palette On Textured Medium-Tan Skin

Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Face Palette On Textured Medium-Tan Skin

Summer Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, June 09, 2019

The Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Face Palettes come in two variants - Lightgasm, for light to medium skins, and Lovegasm, for medium to dark skins. This post has the review and swatches of the Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm palette in Lovegasm, and a tutorial of the palette used on textured, tan skin.
The Glowgasm palettes cost £60 each, and contain four shades - a "bronzer", a highlighter, a "multi-glow", and a "pop blush". The packaging is gorgeous, the whole thing feels and looks luxurious and heavy, and the pattern is very pretty.
Therein end the raves, for me at least. There are some real issues with this one. No, really - don't believe me? I have a proper demo of this thing right ahead.

Scroll down for the review, swatches, and demo of the Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Face Palette on textured medium-tan skin.

affiliate

Revolution x Carmi Make Magic Palette Review, Swatches, Duochrome Makeup Tutorial

Revolution x Carmi Make Magic Palette Review, Swatches, Duochrome Makeup Tutorial

Videos Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, June 04, 2019

Are you ready for this? Duochrome eyeshadows! Magical blending! Easy-to-do EOTDs with depth and dimension!
Meet the Revolution x Carmi Make Magic Eyeshadow Palette, launched by Revolution Beauty in collaboration with beauty YouTuber Carmi MUA. This is Makeup Revolution's second collab with Carmi.
The Carmi Make Magic Palette is very different from the Tammi Tropical Carnival Palette, that I reviewed here - that was a lot bolder, more summery - this one isn't seasonal, you can use it at any time. 
The palette costs just £10, and contains 20 eyeshadows, of which six are a bit larger, and include duochromes, foils, metallics, glitters, and shimmers. The rest are matte or pearly/shimmery, no glitters. The colour scheme includes something for everyone. There are perfectly work-friendly neutrals, including the ideal base shades for those who are tan/warm/medium/olive hued. There are pops of colour that will see you through Summer. There are rich, smoky shades. There are ice-queen pales. Best of all, there are warm and cool eyeshadows in here. In short, I think this is one of the most universal palettes I've seen in a long while.

Scroll down for my review and swatches of the Revolution x Carmi Make Magic Palette, and a duochrome eye makeup tutorial.

affiliate

Cult Beauty Summer 2019 Goody Bag Available Worldwide

Cult Beauty Summer 2019 Goody Bag Available Worldwide

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Cult Beauty's Summer 2019 gift with purchase is right on the dot, in the last week of May, as expected. This one is worth more than £300, and contains 20 products, of which FIVE are full-sized, including a full-sized EYESHADOW PALETTE! I can't even!
I find, of late, that Cult Beauty GWPs contain more full-sized products than the Space NK ones, and they also contain more makeup. However, this edition also contains some nutritional supplements and fake tan.
The Cult Beauty Summer 2019 Goody Bag is available here worldwide, when you buy for £150 on the Cult Beauty website. The GWP goes live from 29 May.

Scroll down for the contents of the Cult Beauty Summer 2019 Goody Bag, a gift with purchase that is available worldwide.

affiliate

By Terry Lip-Expert Matte Liquid Lipsticks Review, Swatches, Demo

By Terry Lip-Expert Matte Liquid Lipsticks Review, Swatches, Demo

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, May 20, 2019

Cremes may come and glosses may go, but my heart shall continue to flip at the sight of a long-wearing matte liquid lipstick. Hopefully, the trend isn't over yet - there are brands that are continuing to launch liquid lippies, By Terry having come out with a set of 15 shades for Spring 2019, called the Lip-Expert Liquid Lipsticks.
These come in shine and matte finishes. No prizes for guessing which I picked. 
The packaging is very different from other liquid lipsticks we've seen; this one is futuristic, and, for the want of a better term, very cool. Doe foot applicator. I picked up three shades, and returned one - shade 3 happens to be a bubblegum pink rather than the dusty rose they've advertised, but shade 2 is perfect for everyday wear, while shade 4 is a deeper colour that I'm embracing in my quest to get out of my comfort zone. But you'll see all of that in a minute.

Scroll down for the review and swatches of the By Terry Lip-Expert Matte Liquid Lipsticks.

affiliate

Benefit Cheekleaders Face Palette Review, Swatches, Demo

Benefit Cheekleaders Face Palette Review, Swatches, Demo

Reviews Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, May 14, 2019

The Benefit Blush Bar was among my Christmas goodies for 2018 - I love the comprehensive face palette; there's everything my cheeks need in one handy, travel-friendly box.
So, when the Benefit Cheekleaders palettes were launched for Spring 2019, I felt I didn't need them - two palettes were launched; the Pink Squad, and the Bronze Squad.
But. But. But. Benefit also launched two deeper versions of their iconic Hoola Bronzer - Hoola Caramel, and Hoola Toasted. Plus, there were two highlighters - Tickle, and Cookie. The last two were exclusive to the Cheekleaders palettes, and I was intrigued.
I found that both Cheekleaders palettes - and their mini versions, with three products each - contained FIVE FULL-SIZED box of powders, including ONE of the new highlighters. The Bronze version also had the new Hoola Caramel. So I treated myself to the Cheekleaders Bronze Squad palette, and to a single box of Hoola Toasted.

Scroll down for the review, swatches, and demo of the Benefit Cheekleaders Bronze Squad Face Palette, and for a comparison with the Benefit Blush Bar.

affiliate

Makeup Revolution Haul + Free Beauty Mystery Bags Contents

Makeup Revolution Haul + Free Beauty Mystery Bags Contents

Summer Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, May 12, 2019

Recently, I hauled from Revolution Beauty - formerly Makeup Revolution - and received two free Mystery Bags, which are full of full-sized makeup. The Mystery Bags are a regular offer from Revolution every couple of months or so, and are free with purchase of products worth £30 across the site. They're supposed to contain makeup worth at least £28-£30. I made my haul in two different orders, so I got two free goodie bags.
I'm going to show you what I hauled, as well as what I got free, and whether the contents of both the Mystery Bags are the same.

UPDATE: MYSTERY BAGS ARE BACK RIGHT UP, FROM JULY 23, FROM HERE. They will be VERY different from the contents of the bags you'll see further below in this post, BUT all the bags in one "season" will be the same, so don't buy more than one (unless you WANT two LOL). 

Scroll down to see my Makeup Revolution haul, and the contents of TWO Revolution Beauty FREE Mystery Bags.

affiliate

Space NK x Coach Summer 2019 Destination Beauty Edit Contents: Available Worldwide

Space NK x Coach Summer 2019 Destination Beauty Edit Contents: Available Worldwide

SpaceNK Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, May 07, 2019

Long time, no GWP! Space NK are kicking off the flurry of Summer 2019 goody bags with an amazing selection - this is the Destination Beauty Edit, containing a curation to keep you beautiful through this Summer, no matter where you are. This GWP is in collaboration with Coach, and features a neat wristlet purse from the brand, in addition to 27 beauty products. The whole thing is worth more than £400, and is yours if you buy for £185 on Space NK here, and check out with code BEAUTYGIFT. They ship worldwide, and this GWP is available internationally as well - hurry, as stocks are limited.

Scroll down for the contents of the Space NK x Coach Summer 2019 Destination Beauty Edit GWP.

affiliate

Spring 2019 Makeup Giveaway Open Worldwide

Spring 2019 Makeup Giveaway Open Worldwide

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, April 07, 2019

I've had a rather hectic week with allergy issues - third time in the ER in 2019, and we're barely in the fourth month, so things aren't going as planned for me. Hopefully things will begin to look up from next week - it's my birthday on the 14th!
On a brighter note, as promised, here's my Spring 2019 makeup giveaway, open worldwide. This is more of a Spring-Summer giveaway, and contains eight makeup products and a bag.
Please scroll down for the entry form.

January-March 2019 Makeup Giveaway Results

January-March 2019 Makeup Giveaway Results

Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, April 07, 2019

Apologies for the delay in publishing the results of the first giveaway of 2019; I ended up in the ER with swollen eyelids and ears, urticaria, and breathing and swallowing difficulty, after eating some Cadbury's which contained wheat crispies - who knew CHOCOLATE contained wheat???? I thought they were rice crispies. Anyway, steroids and antihistamines (and a moon-face) later, I finally got around to verifying the entries.
The next giveaway will start later tonight, so do stay tuned for that... it is my Spring Makeup Giveaway, and the prizes are some very exciting goodies.
Before that, scroll down for the winner's name!
ETA: I've had to repick the winner several times so far already, because no one has responded yet to collect their prizes in more than three months!

B-Glowing Springtime Bounty Beauty Bundle GWP Available Worldwide Now

B-Glowing Springtime Bounty Beauty Bundle GWP Available Worldwide Now

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, March 13, 2019

B-Glowing's Springtime Bounty Beauty Bundle 2019 is a MAMMOTH gift with purchase that is available worldwide, including full-sized Bioderma, a full-size Wander Beauty palette, and lots more.
For those in the new, B-Glowing is a US-based beauty retailer who ships worldwide. They carry IT Cosmetics, By Terry, Artis, and a bunch of other top brands. They do regular GWPs, but this one is easily their best till date.
It's certainly raining GWPs right now. Space NK's Spring Beauty Edit - see deets here - is also now available worldwide. 
This gift with purchase is available FREE upon purchase of products worth $200 from B-Glowing here; no need of any code. They ship worldwide.

Scroll down for the contents of the B-Glowing Springtime Bounty Beauty Bundle 2019.

affiliate

Space NK Spring Beauty Edit GWP Available Worldwide From 13 March!

Space NK Spring Beauty Edit GWP Available Worldwide From 13 March!

SpaceNK Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Space NK's Spring Beauty Edit for 2019 launched a little later this year - usually they have theirs in late February; this time's gift with purchase comes by the end of the first week of March. They accidentally launched a little too early, owing to some glitch, on the 6th of March, and then the offer was taken down within about half an hour - by which time some people ended up buying it! Space NK then confirmed on Instagram that the GWP would launch about a week later, and everyone would get theirs at around the same time.
This is a free gift of 27 products that you get when you purchase products on their website for £175. It comes with a makeup mat, a Diptyque candle, the new Omorovicza Vitamin C, and more. But all that in a minute. Get yours here - use code BEAUTY19 at checkout.

Scroll down for the contents of the Space NK Spring Beauty Edit 2019.

affiliate

Cult Beauty Founders' Goody Bag GWP Now Available Worldwide

Cult Beauty Founders' Goody Bag GWP Now Available Worldwide

Skin care Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, February 24, 2019

The first big gift with purchase of 2019 is here, and it is from Cult Beauty. The set is a 23-piece collection of products from "industry leaders worldwide", and comes with a £15 gift card (right in time for my birthday, haha).
The whole thing is worth more than £350, and is yours free with purchase of products worth £175. VIPs (customers who have spent £500+ in a calendar year on the website) get early access with code FOUNDERS19. All customers get access from Monday, 25 February, without any code, upon adding products worth £175 in your cart.
The products included cover makeup - there's a Shiseido lipstick in there, people - skincare, hair care, and bath and body, and there's a variety of new brands, not the usual suspects.
I'll tell you what's inside the goody bag, and what I'm buying!

Scroll down for the contents of the Cult Beauty Founders' Goody Bag GWP for Spring 2019.

affiliate

Beauty Expert, LookFantastic Exclusive Beauty Box Collections Feb '19

Beauty Expert, LookFantastic Exclusive Beauty Box Collections Feb '19

Vegan Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, February 07, 2019

In February 2019, two exclusive beauty boxes are launching. These are not monthly subscriptions, but one-off seasonal curations that contain only full-sized products, and are worth a lot more than the asking price.
The first is the Beauty Expert Collection - The Vegan Edition, with fully #veganbeauty products.
The second one is LookFantastic's Rose Collection for Valentine's Day, where all products are rose-themed.
The Beauty Expert Vegan Collection costs £80 and is worth £180+, while the LookFantastic Valentine's Day box costs £60 and is worth more than £150. Both ship worldwide.

Scroll down for more information, spoilers, and contents of Beauty Expert and LookFantastic Beauty Collections for February 2019.

 affiliate

First Makeup Giveaway Of 2019 Open Worldwide

First Makeup Giveaway Of 2019 Open Worldwide

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, January 29, 2019

As promised earlier, here's the very first giveaway of 2019. A bit late, given that my blogiversary went by without a whimper. As I said, the year hasn't had the best of starts for me, with a massive health scare for my Dad (multiple clots in brain, odontoid fracture, and peripheral neuropathy). We're hoping and praying that things resolve soon, so please do bear with me.
As though that wasn't enough, I ended up with wheat exposure, and landed in the ER for the first time since August. Cue hydrocort and antihistamine shots, and now there's acne to boot, as a result of the former. Ah well.
Anyway. Giveaway. Prizes first. ONE winner gets everything in the photograph below.

Scroll down to enter my First Makeup Giveaway Of 2019.

Holiday 2018 Giveaway Results+ Giveaway Announcements

Holiday 2018 Giveaway Results+ Giveaway Announcements

Giveaway Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, January 14, 2019

The first thing to do is apologise to you for being AWOL on this blog. Without going into a sob-story, or airing my laundry here, 2019 hasn't had the greatest of starts for me. And, just when I thought life was beginning to look up in the second week, my Dad ends up diagnosed with multiple brain clots, peripheral neuropathy, and an odontoid fracture. Hopefully, things will improve as the year progresses.
Which is why I was not only AWOL, but also late with these results.
Now, before I tell you the results, here's the plan for the next couple of giveaways. I have a fabulous, fun beauty-themed 2019 year planner that I got as a GWP from The Face Shop (no, it's BIG, not small) - I got two as I had two skincare hauls - to give away first. That giveaway goes live within a couple of hours of this post, but will end in two weeks, because you want your 2019 planner sooner rather than later. Trust me, it is a seriously fun planner and a must-have for every beauty junkie!
There will obviously be a makeup giveaway for my blogiversary, but it starts in the last week of January (depending on my schedule) - so do stay tuned for that. Hint: Hello Kitty is involved!
Right. Now that I've whetted your appetites, let's get on with the results of the Holiday 2019 giveaway.
Drumroll.....