First Impressions, Second Thoughts

Hey guys! Recently I've added a few new makeup products into my collection and I though I would tell you my first impressions today. I was going to do a Snapchat first impressions but I asked on Twitter and the majority wanted to see a blogpost so that's exactly what I'm going to do! I'm going to chat about what I thought of these products when I used them for the first time. 

Nyx Highlight & Contour Pro Palette* 

Because I was using this palette for the first time I wanted to get as much use out of it as possible. I started off by using the banana shade which is a bit dark for my skin tone but I mixed it with the lighter powder beside it is and I loved using it to set under the eyes. The powders were really soft, finely milled and had a lovely brightening affect on the skin.
For contour I went in with the lightest shade which is very similar to my beloved Nyx blush in 'Taupe' that I use all the time to contour. The only difference was that the powder in the palette was slightly more pigmented. I didn't use the other contour shades as there were obviously too dark for me, but they are all very pigmented although the cool toned shade that I used was the least pigmented.
All the powders are matte apart from one highlight that is shimmery. I didn't get much pay off when I used a fan brush, but when I used a rounded brush it built up really nicely. The highlight is a gorgeous neutral white and it created a gorgeous glow. Overall the powders were really soft and pigmented, they lasted really well on my face and they made for really great eyeshadows as well. I would highly recommend checking this palette if you're in the market for a contour palette or even just swatch it the next time you pass a Nyx contour. 

Barry M Dazzle Dust - Bronze 

I was so excited when I saw this in Boots in Dublin because I haven't seen these in the Boots in Cork. I've recently gotten into glitter and pigments and there certainly aren't a lot on offer on the more affordable side of things. So when I saw this I had to pick it up and try it. On first impressions it definitely didn't look the same colour on the lid that it did in the pot, it was more gold on the eye. I applied it with a flat brush and it applied really well, I didn't need any sort of glue or anything and it wasn't messy to apply. It lasted well, didn't have any fall out while I was wearing it and was extremely pigmented and metallic looking. If you're into a shimmery/glittery eye look then you'd definitely like the Dazzle Dusts from Barry M. 

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner - Brown 

My current liquid liner is drying out so I said I'd pick this gel liner up because I heard good things about the black one. This is a nice dark brown that isn't almost black which I hate when brown liners are basically black. The applicator it came with wasn't too bad but I prefer using an angled brush.
When I applied it I didn't get the cleanest wing but that could have been because I put it over a pigment, or else it's because it was the first time I used a gel liner so practice will make perfect. 

The liner was really pigmented and easy to use, the only thing is that the longer it wore it faded quite a bit. So next time I'm using it I'll add an extra layer to make it slightly darker so it doesn't get lighter during the day. I can't wait to use it again and get a little better at applying it. 

Nyx Double Stacked Mascara* 

I was quite sceptical about these products to be honest before I tried it. This fibre mascara is supposedly going to add loads of drama and volume to your lashes. I've heard about these two layer mascaras before but this was the first time I ever tried one. So you have to apply the black mascara first, then the white fibres and seal everything in with the black mascara again.
I first thought that the black mascara was very wet and too much product came out on the mascara wand so it did clump really easily. Then onto the white fibres, so when I took the wand out of the tube the fibres went everywhere and I thought it was legit just cotton wool on a stick. They were easy to apply onto the lashes, even though they did get everywhere in the process.
At this stage I wasn't really a fan but when I reapplied the black mascara I was impressed. It did take another layer of the fibres but it makes every single lash look good even though it did nothing for the curling of my lashes. I don't think it did much for volume but it definitely did loads for length and it lasted really well, no smudging and doesn't crumble off. I still need to test it out and try it more but I did like it for a dramatic lash look without having to apply false individual lashes. I'll have to play around with it more and get back to ye on Snapchat but for now I like it but I'm not sure if I'd repurchase it. 

Rimmel The Only One Matte Lipstick - Salute 

I think everyone and their mother owns a Rimmel lipstick and we all know that classic Rimmel lipstick smell. This one has a really strong scent to it but once applied you don't notice it anymore. I did find it quite hard to apply because it has a circular bullet so I couldn't get a crisp line around my lips but I'm sure wearing a lip liner underneath would sort that out or even using a brush to apply it. The colour itself is a lovely pinky nude, very similar to Mac's 'Mehr' lipstick but a little bit pinker.
It is definitely a comfortable matte lipstick and isn't too drying. I did have dinner while wearing this and although it didn't last it did leave a stain and it wore off nicely so I didn't have weird patches of colour left on my lips. Definitely would recommend this lipstick if you're in the market for an easy matte lipstick that is comfortable to wear. I would suggest using a lip liner underneath to get a nice shape and make it last longer. 

So all around some really fab products that I can't wait to use some more. I'll definitely be featuring these products over on my Snapchat (username: ailbhe_woods) in my next 'Get ready with me' so you can see them in action. I hope you enjoyed hearing my first impressions, have you tired any new makeup products recently? 

Ailbhe x

*Products marked with an asterisk have been sent to me by a PR company. This isn't a sponsored post and as always, all opinions are my own.