Huda Beauty - Is It Worth It?

I've been wanting to write about Huda Beauty for quite some time now. Since I first discovered the brand, the family, the empire, I've been a loyal fan and consumer. If you know anything about the beauty community, you know about Huda Beauty. Huda and her family have created a brand that caters to every person and every trend, providing exceptional quality. I think this initial write up answers the question in my title, but read further for more in-depth reviews on each of her products, (so far!).

Huda Beauty Samantha Lashes

Huda Beauty Harmony Lashes

It would be wrong not to start with the product that whisked the brand off its feet, lashes! For the longest time Huda Beauty consisted of beautiful false lashes before venturing into other beauty products. I picked up my first ever pair from Dubai of all places! It's actually the pair of Samantha lashes you see in the picture above. It's the one pair of lashes I will never use, purely because it holds a lot of great memories and reminders for me. Memories of a life-changing trip to Dubai, and a reminder that anything is possible. Work hard, and you can achieve everything you've ever dreamed of. 

Despite not using this particular pair, I can confirm that the Huda Beauty lashes are crafted to perfection and look absolutely beautiful. There's so many styles catered for everybody, so have a browse and find your perfect lash!

Huda Beauty Lip Contour in Icon

Huda Beauty Lip Contour in Trendsetter

Shades L to R - Icon & Trendsetter

The first make-up product to launch was the lip contours aka lip liners. Whilst the beauty community isn't short of lip liners, there's something about Hudas innovation that made these so desirable for myself and others. They glide on super soft and really shape and prep  the lips for your lipstick. Any fine lines on my lips are diffused when I use this as an all over lip colour, I do love topping it with a liquid matte though! I want to pick up a few more of these as they're staples in my collection.

Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipsticks

Shades L to R - Venus, Muse, Medusa, Spice Girl, Flirt and Trophy Wife

The Huda Beauty liquid mattes were highly anticipated by many, including myself! After seeing sneak peeks on the Kattan family Snapchats, I'd already clocked all of the shades I was going to be purchasing. Obviously, I picked up all of the nudes suitable for my taste and still find these to be my go-to for a liquid matte. The formula is ultra thin and lightweight meaning it doesn't dry out my lips or look 'cakey'. They also smell like a tropical coconut holiday which I absolutely adore! If I could bottle that scent and use it as a perfume I 100% would. There's even more shades in the range now, and I've definitely eyed a few up!! If you were to ask me what my favourite liquid lipstick formula was, Huda's win every time.

Huda Beauty Textured Shadows Palette Rose Gold Edition

Shades L to R - Bossy,  Rose Gold, Angelic, Flamingo, Henna & Moon Dust

I don't know how she does it, but as soon as Huda announces a new product, I've already mentally wired her the money for the product. That's what happened when the 3D Textured Rose Gold palette was released. I knew it would be pricey, but I was adamant it would be mine. £56 later, I dived into my dream palette head first. It's full to the brim with rich warm tones, plums, pinks and of course the innovative textured shadow formula. The textured shadows definitely should be applied with your finger as they're not your typical glitter shadow! They look like foil on the eyelids, it's incredible! There are a couple of regular metallic shadows too which I opt for when I don't want to fuss around too much with my make-up that day. I've swatched a few of my favourite shades, including a textured shadow!

Huda Beauty 3D Highlight Palette in Golden Sands

Shades L to R - Fiji, Seychelles, Tahiti & Zanzibar

Another twist on a cult product! The '3D Highlighter'. You'd wonder what could be done next in the beauty community, and the Huda Beauty team is always one step ahead! The idea of this palette is to create a 3D-like appearance using a variety of highlighter tones. I picked up the Golden Sands edition as they're the shades I generally reach for most, but there's also a palette called Pink Sands that I still want to add to my collection! The melted strobe is a rich buttery cream highlighter made with real pearls and shea butter. This can be used alone, but I love topping it with the powder highlighters. There is in detail instructions on how to create the 3D effect, but I like using these to my individual taste! I'm completely eyeing up the new Summer Solstice palette with that stunning purple! 

Huda Beauty Lip Strobe in Enchanting

Huda Beauty Lip Strobe in Shameless

Shades L to R - Enchanting & Shameless

The latest product released by Huda Beauty is the lip strobes! I'm so glad that these launched at a time where I've totally got into glossy lips. The shade range is gorgeous, full of shimmering unusual glosses. I say unusual as there's so many different micro glitters in them and shifts of different colour. I picked up two that caught my eye the most, but there's so many more that I want! Enchanting is a light gloss with a pink shift rippling through which looks stunning in the light. Shameless is slightly red-based, with gold and pink glitters. I love dabbing these over nude lipsticks for a different effect. Oh, I should mention that they're non-sticky! Praise the Lord!

I'm so excited to see what's next for the brand. I know that they're bringing foundation out which I can't wait to buy!! If you wanted to try Huda Beauty products, you need to go for it. A brand you can 100% trust in quality. I'd also suggest keeping up with the family too, they're so beautiful inside and out and inspire me every day!

Beauty Trends - Glossy Lips

A few months ago, I started a series on my blog called 'Beauty Trends', where as the title states, I talk about a current beauty trend, and share some products related to it! Trends in make-up are something that's ever-changing, so I created this series as a way to share my thoughts on them.

Today, I wanted to discuss 'glossy lips'. You're probably thinking, 'How is this a trend? They've been around forever?'. True! But we can all agree they're fast emerging from all beauty brands, both high-end and drugstore, and matte lips are beginning to take a back-seat. (Our dry lips are jumping for joy!). Never in a million years did I think I'd be a 'gloss gal' since the mere thought of a lip gloss makes my hair stick to my face. With that being said, I'm incredibly picky when it comes to which ones I'm prepared to leave the house wearing, so I thought I'd share a variety of ones that have made my collection. (Ps, I'm kind of into my nudes!).

Bare Minerals Gen Nude Buttercream Lip Gloss in Flirt

Jouer High Pigment Lip Gloss in Fifth Ave

Kylie Cosmetics Gloss in Like

I thought I'd start by sharing my favourite high-end glosses. I have a lot more from the Kylie Cosmetics range, but 'Like' is such a 'me' shade, a classic brown nude! Besides the shades, another huge similarity with these glosses is that they're all super pigmented. The Jouer gloss in particular is almost like a super shiny lipstick, it's divine. I'm not a huge fan of a sheer slick of gloss on my complexion as it seems to wash me out, so opting for glosses with a strong pigment are the perfect way for me to dip into the trend, without compromising on my overall look!

Bare Minerals do a huge range of non-sticky nude glosses to suit all skin-tones and tastes. I picked up 'Flirt' as it leans towards the mauve-y tones that I'm totally obsessed with.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Honey Lacquer in Honey Nude

Max Factor Colour Elixir Honey Lacquer in Chocolate Nectar

Maybelline Colour Sensational Vivid Hot Lacquer Liquid Lipstick in Unreal

3INA Lip Gloss in 112 Nude

Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lip in Finders Keepers

Here is a drugstrore/affordable selection of my favourite lip glosses! Again, super similar shades, but I just can't run the risk of a bold glossy lip, it's mayhem. 

I found that I steered clear of the drugstore when it came to my quest for the perfect gloss, and it's probably because of all of those childhood experiences, y'know, Barry M candy flavoured glosses, Bourjois 3D glosses in sparkling reds.. don't get me wrong, they were the business back in the day, but totally not my vibe now.. anyway, I digress! To my pleasant surprise, I picked up some REAL gems in the drugstore, some I even wear more than the high-end ones. The Maybelline Vivid Hot Lacquers are not something you want to sleep on, run and check them out, they're seriously a handbag staple of mine!

Huda Beauty Lip Strobe in Enchanting

Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lip in Super Cute

Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lip in Nonsense

Huda Beauty Lip Strobe in Shameless

Finally, I wanted to go on to glittery lips! I love to pair a liquid matte with a glittery gloss, it transforms any lipstick into a show-stopping disco ball, and who doesn't want that?

I don't have a huge amount of these in my collection, but I wanted to share some that are worth checking out!

Huda Beauty lip strobes are new on the scene, and they are stunning. I've never seen glosses that have such dimension and colour shift. There's a huge colour range in this buttery smooth formula, from glistening golds and holographics, to glitterball pinks and enchanting purples. I picked up these two first, but I'm already itching to pick up my next lip strobe!

The other two I swatched are no longer on sale, so I won't tease you with them too much, but a classic clear gloss laced with flecks of glitter is a total must in my collection these days. I'm constantly being mesmerised by insta-girls with multi-dimensional lips, and if chucking a slick of glitter gloss into my make-up routine is going to make me look half as good, I'll definitely be doing it!

I hope you enjoyed this post, and you found a gloss or two to add to your make-up bags! Leave me any suggestions of glosses you guys like below so I can check them out too! <3

Sephora Shopping In Paris

I've just got back from a beautiful weekend in Paris with my boyfriend, and of course, it was incredible in every way, with the most beautiful buildings, and even better pizza, but me being me, I had to take a trip to Sephora! Us beauty-obsessed British guys and gals have a huge Sephora shaped hole in our hearts, and I feel like I've returned to the mother-ship everytime I visit one! Have a look at what I picked up on this trip!

Marc Jacobs Air Blush in Lines and Last Night

This was my splurge item, the item I almost left the store without but quickly made a mad dash back to the counter to grab it! I didn't realise it, but I'm actually a bit of a blusher collector. I can't resist a peachy glow on the apples of my cheeks, and this has been so highly spoken about that I wanted it in my collection! It looks so beautiful, and if like me, you love a peachy blush, I'd say it's worth the dollar bills!

Sephora Collection Bronzing Powder in Bali

This isn't something I intended on purchasing as I'm not really looking for a new bronzer, but the colour was gorgeous, and the price was right! I kept swatching it and it was so soft and buttery, and upon application on my face, it blended out beautifully. I've actually not stopped using this since I purchased it, and I even use it in the crease of my eye for a warm bronzed everyday eye look!

Sephora Orchid Sheek Mask

Sephora Avocado Sheet Mask

A classic Sephora purchase, whether you're a regular shopper there, or just visiting, you just have to pick up a sheet mask or two! I'm not convinced they're life-changing, but they're definitely fun! At just under 4 euros, they don't break the bank either. I decided to pick up two new ones, the orchid mask and the avocado mask! I haven't tried these yet, but if they do blow my mind, then I'll pop up a review!

(From L to R - Dusty Rose, Ashton & Coral Sunset)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks in Ashton and Dusty Rose

Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Coral Sunset

Probably the most exciting purchases! I'll start with the Sephora cream lip stain. I picked another one up last month in Rome, and I fell in love with the formula, so I knew I wanted to expand my collection asap. I picked up the shade 'Coral Sunset', which is a beautiful burnt orange, my favourite! I probably should delve into the brighter oranges now we're nearing Summer, but I can't help loving this autumnal hue! The Sephora make-up range is pretty well priced in general, so I didn't think twice about picking another one of these up, and I'm sure it'll become tradition to keep adding them to my collection!

Now, the babies. I see ABH liquid lipsticks to be the first on the market, correct me if I'm wrong, but they're the first ones I ever saw a few years back! Because of this, I've always dreamt of owning my own, but they're so ridiculously hard to get a hold of in the UK for some reason?! I didn't even know they had an ABH counter in the Paris Sephora, so I made a bee-line for it when I spotted it! It took me no time at all to pick up the highly coveted shades, 'Ashton', a warm brown, and the self explanatory 'Dusty Rose'. The formula of these is actually lovely, and I'm definitely going to need a few more!

Huda Beauty Harmony Lashes

Huda Beauty Samantha Lashes

I am a huge Huda Beauty fan, even huge is an understatement. Of both the family, and the brand, I'm inspired by them daily, their work ethic, the love they have for eachother, and everything they've achieved together, it's beautiful. Despite not being big on spending a lot of money on my lashes, I will always support Huda and her brand, so I picked up my favourite pairs! I bought my first pair of Huda Beauty lashes a few years ago in Dubai, and they remain untouched as they're almost like a little souvenir for me! Obviously I'm going to use these ones, I'm particularly excited about the Harmony lashes!! 

I hope you've enjoyed this haul-style post! I love reading these myself, and I wanted to share my purchases! You may see one or two things crop up in a favourites post! Have any of you been to a Sephora? And are you as crazy as me in there?! To be fair, this was pretty well restrained. Let's just say, let me loose on those US brands and me and my bank will have a problem! Haha!

The Liquid Lip We All Need

Huda Beauty Liquid Mattes

Yes, a very popular topic amongst the beauty community, but as long as brands keep throwing out new, incredible variations on this trend, it's not going to leave our mouths! (Or lips, more precisely). 

Today I want to talk to you about the Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipsticks, simply because in my opinion, they've totally set a new standard for a liquid lip. I've been using so many different brands of liquid lipsticks, but never have I found one that's truly faultless. Don't get me wrong, I love my Kylie Lip Kits, Jeffree Star Liquid Lipsticks & plenty others, but these standout. 

I first discovered Huda Beauty, or the Kattan family in general some time last year, (I know, where was I?!), and I've totally fallen in love with not only the brand, but the family too. Seriously, when does the show 'Keeping up with the Kattans' begin?!

I went to Dubai last September, and I picked up my first pair of Huda Beauty lashes, (which by the way I refuse to use as they're very sentimental to me!). I should probably purchase a couple of pairs that'll dare to use.. 

When Huda announced the Lip Contours, I was so excited to get my hands on a couple which I was lucky enough to receive for my birthday! I was immediately on the Cult Beauty website, and purchased three of the new liquid mattes.

Huda Beauty Liquid Mattes

Based on online swatches, I selected three shades, and waited eagerly for them to arrive. I'd heard a lot of things about the formula, most notably that it 'goes on like water', and 'feels like nothing' on the lips, sounds like a dream to me! 

Huda Beauty Liquid Mattes

I went for 'Spice Girl', a true 90's brown, and one of my go-to shades. 'Trophy Wife', quite an unusual purchase for me, but a customer in work was wearing it and it looked gorgeous! It's a slightly bright pink shade, but super wearable. 'Muse', my most worn! This is one of those shades, y'know, the Instagram shade. Mauve, brown, nude, pink.. hard to describe, but another go-to!

From L to R - Muse, Trophy Wife & Spice Girl

Huda Beauty Liquid Mattes

I can happily confirm, it's true what they say, these literally feel like nothing on the lips. I don't notice them break down in colour throughout the day, and I certainly don't experience any dryness. Possibly one of my favourite things about this product is the scent. It smells like holiday, sunscreen, coconut, you know the scent. 

I'm 100% picking up a bunch more shades when I decide which ones I'm after! (Oh, and when I'm not looking under vending machines for spare change). 

Have any of you tried the Huda Beauty Liquid Matte? 

Update: Where Have I Been & New Blog!

Plants - New Look 

Well it's been quite some time since I've shown my face around here! I thought I'd create a little update post, (for those who are interested), rather than shooting out new beauty posts without warning.  I haven't posted on any of my social channels for around a month, the longest I've ever gone since the beginning of the world wide web! This certainly wasn't a planned 'hiatus', but I can truthfully say it's over and I'm back! 
For quite some time I've wanted to 're-brand' myself. Let's be honest, a blog that near enough writes solely about beauty shouldn't be called 'fashion by nicole'. I wanted the name to be perfect, and I guess this really is 'my beauty space'! However I would like to delve into other topics too, throw a little bit of lifestyle in the mix, I'm sure you won't mind. I also changed my Instagram name to 'nicolecourchee', simple enough! If you're not already following, please go ahead! Also, please excuse the basic layout of my blog, my lovely boyfriend will be helping me out with all of the things I definitely couldn't do by myself!

Huda Beauty Liquid Mattes - Cult Beauty
As you may know, I'd been working on a beauty counter for seven months, and it rapidly became apparent that it wasn't the right brand for me. This led to me feeling consistently uninspired and I lacked so much motivation in many aspects of my life. It dragged away my creativity and eagerness to succeed, something I've always been very proud of about myself. I'm an incredibly hard worker, and whenI get the chance to sink my teeth into something, nothing will stop me. I'm now working for another brand which I'm so excited about, just one day with the company and I can feel the positive energy, it fills me with the energy to push the boundaries!
My head is swimming with ideas for blog posts, and I've been collecting so many new things and trying out lots of new products, plenty of reviews to come! I'm excited to embark on my new journey, and share my passion of beauty, (and various other topics), with you all!

Christian Louboutin Lipstick - Selfridges