I had a spontaneous trip to Kiko in Palmanova last Saturday. It was actually the first time I was there for more than a few seconds and I relished every moment of it. Actually Rebel Romantic collection initially sort of passed me by. I almost subconsciously dismiss all limited editions for a few reasons: what if I like it and I can't repurchase it and also as a blogger it sucks to talk about limited editions because they are only current for a short time and you need to hurry with reviews (kinda late with this one as well, sorry). First Sara teased me with this collection, but it wasn't enough yet to make me properly ready-to-buy-now interested. It was actually Ana who really nudged me in a proper direction and I finally started checking the products in their online shop more seriously. I actually had it in my cart for a few times, but I was always short of 50 € that would entitle me to 2 € of shipping costs instead of 8.90 € (they're crazy!). I happened to end up in Nova Gorica for some very trivial thing and it's only 20 or so minutes from there to Palmanova. I didn't expect to see a lot of Rebel Romantic products, but I was shocked to see the entire collection fully stocked, same goes for Midnight Siren. And that was last Saturday, so there is still hope you'll find most of the products there. I'm glad to see not every brand is so intensely exclusive with their limited editions (looking at you Essence and Catrice).
The whole collection is stunning. The main feature is the expensive-looking rose gold packaging and it's actually really well made for a budget brand. Even the cardboard packaging is beautiful, especially the one of the mirror. I just love that shade of pastel peachy-pink.
Intensely Lavish Lipsticks
There were six shades available and I took two, 01 Lusty Peony and 04 Mild Sangria. I heard nothing but praise about these and they so deserve it. These are some of the best, if not the actual best lipsticks I've tried so far and you've seen my lipstick collection a few months ago. The formula is outstanding. They are incredibly creamy, apply like a dream and feel so comfortable on the lips. They have a creamy finish, though they do settle a bit later to a more matte finish. The staying power is nice as well for a creamy lipstick and Lusty Peony actually survived a meal, which I didn't expect given the creamy nature of the texture. These have no scent which I think will be another plus for a lot of people. The only little thing is that these are already so creamy that it's hard to apply them precisely. I regret not buying the matching lip liners.
The packaging of these is unreal. The tubes are made from metal and have a magnetic closing system, not the mention that they are in a modern rose gold shade. These lipsticks could easily pass as 30 €+ products, but they only cost 7 €. This just begs the question what exactly are we paying for at high-end lipsticks? If you get one product from this collection, get the lipstick.
01 Lusty Peony
01 Lusty Peony is a medium powder pink shade with brown tones on me. It's a very 90's inspired shade and it's simple to wear, but makes an impact. I've been wearing tons since I got it and I really like this shade on me. I hear it's close to Soar lip liner, but I suspect it's lighter. It's a shade lighter than Essence's Lovely Frappuccino, which is said to be a close enough dupe for Soar. I assume it looks nude pink on medium skin tones, but you should ask Ana that, she's much tanner than me.
By the way I took pictures of these three times because once the weather was all wrong and the second I ran out of light, the third I wore black for the first time with a new camera and it was a mistake. I'm not totally happy with the colour accuracy, but at least the first one is dead on and I fixed the others well enough.
04 Mild Sangria
04 Mild Sangria a dirty rose-red shade. It's like a less intense version of a proper red, but it also has that bit of a pink hue to it. It's quite an interesting shade and one I have no dupes for, nor any similar colours. I am glad that I stepped out of my box and got two shades that I have nothing similar in my collection.
These cost 6.90 € and are so worth it. They should make them permanent, the gorgeous packaging included.
Rebel Bouncy Blush
03 Treasure Rose
Four shades of blushes were made for this collection. I initially considered taking a peachy shade 01, but I thought that Bourjois' Nude Velvet is too similar and I wanted to get something I don't have yet. Treasure Rose is a rose-retro red mix that translates into a pink-red flush on the cheeks. It's a dark and pigmented shade, so very appropriate for medium skin tones.
The texture is described as bouncy and you might remember Maybelline has a similarly named range of blushes. I never tried those, so I can't compared them, but this one reminds me of another formula - E.l.f.'s Studio Cream Blush. It's a very dry texture and it reminds me of play-doh. It lacks some more creaminess in my opinion, especially since this is such a dark shade, so it would blend a bit easier, but you can still blend it in well, better if you use a more dewy foundation. The finish on the cheeks is matte.
The packaging is plastic, again in a rose gold shade and it contains a mirror. The blushes cost 9.90 €.
Rebel Romantic Mirror
Apart from the lipsticks this is my absolute favourite item from RR collection. It's so gorgeous and it even comes with a pouch, so the rose gold metal coat won't get scratched off to fast. It has two mirrors, a classic one and a magnifying one, but even the shiny outer layer works as a mirror. So happy I have this.
The mirror cost 4.90 €, which is a total bargain considering the quality you get.
I'm completely besotted with this collection. I actually have the pictures on it as my screensaver. The packaging is gorgeous, the formula of the lipsticks is amazing (I love the Lusty Peony shade), truly this LE beats many high-end brands. The blush isn't the best to work with, that would be my only little complaint, but it's very pigmented and lasts well on the cheeks. The mirror is stunning as well and it's already got its place in my bag. A part of the collection is still available online, but I think you might have a better chance if you visit one of the shops. It is though almost two months since it was launched.
Did you get anything from this collection?
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