As I write this there is a glimmer of sunset sunshine resting on the horizon and, being the ever-optimist, I am doing a little sundance and hoping that the never-ending winter may finally be coming to an end (well, a gal can always dream…)
So, as we start to look towards longer (and hopefully warmer) days ahead, I have been revamping my makeup bag with the help of my lovely beauty godmother LOLA by Perses.
LOLA by Perses first came into my radar when I was checking out their website (www.lolamakeup.com) and the pretty NARS-esque packaging caught my eye. A UK-based brand, the cruelty-free beauty line is the brainchild of a creative team of talented British make-up artists who created it with the aim of producing quality makeup at reasonable prices. So when they kindly sent me a few items to try I was more than a little bit excited!
So, without further ado, here are some of the Lola products I have been trying out this month;
LOLA PERFECT SKIN – ILLUMINATING BASE
The Lola primer comes in a small tube – only 15ml - but don’t let the size put you off, as you only need a small amount to cover your entire face. I added a pea sized amount to the back of my hand and the first thing I noticed was the gorgeous velvety texture. It applies easily to the skin and instantly reduces the appearance of any large pores and fine lines – meaning it automatically gets a thumbs up from me!
It also managed to keep my makeup in place all day (even through umpteen meetings and with the heating blasting in the office, which is no mean feat!)- and it left my skin with a gorgeous subtle glow.
You can also use it as a highlighter making it the perfect multi-purpose product in one tube!
LOLA MATTE LONG LASTING LIQUID FOUNDATION
The LOLA foundation was presented in a lovely frosted glass bottle and when I picked it up I was also pleasantly surprised by the weight – this definitely has the feel of a lovely luxury product so I was very surprised to see that it comes in at under £20!
The built in pump dispenses the correct amount of foundation so you aren’t left with lots of unneeded product, making it one of my favourites to date!
First up, the foundation has a lovely creamy texture and blended into my skin well using a beauty blender sponge. The soft-focus effect visibly reduces imperfections, fine lines and pores giving you an instant ‘gram ready complexion in minutes!
It also has oil-absorbing properties which helps minimise shine – perfect if you suffer from combination or oily skin.
I am extremely impressed by the foundation and it definitely competes with some of my favourites, and I don’t say that lightly! With the buildable coverage I was able to achieve medium coverage without losing the lovely natural finish which I love and it also feels super lightweight so you almost feel like you aren’t wearing makeup at all!
HIGHLIGHTING CONCEALER PEN
After applying my foundation I added this under my eyes to hide any dark circles (that may have appeared following the non-stop business of FASHIONWEEK where sleep was 4 hours pre night max…) and was instantly impressed. This liquid concealer was extremely light and blended flawlessly. Pearl-coated pigments left my skin glowing and the cream melted into my skin effortlessly. It is also perfect for quick touch-ups throughout the day.
LOLA LONG LASTING INTENSE COLOUR LIP GLOSS
I am a big fan of lip gloss – especially in the summer, so I couldn’t wait to try these. I tried colours rose pink, pink shimmer and rose.
All of the glosses were highly pigmented and had long lasting water-shine; they also didn’t feel sticky on the lips, which I liked. All of these colours are tones I would normally wear and came up as soft feminine shades (The rose pink gloss had a gorgeous salmon pink hue, whilst the pink shimmer was a lovely peach tone – perfect for your holidays and lastly the rose was a subtle nude tone with high shine - great for everyday wear).
The glosses also contain hydrating Hyaluronic Acid which works in combination with an active vitamin complex to help condition lips and give a plumped appearance.
VERDICT
I am super impressed with the LOLA products and they definitely compete with some of my favourite products – albeit at half the price tag! The creators of the brand had an aim to make it easier for women everywhere to apply makeup effortlessly - and with hundreds of products, shades and options, I think it is fair to say they have succeeded.
So, if you haven’t already tried these products I would add them to your wish list pronto! They are available via their website and have also recently landed in Menary’s stores across Northern Ireland too, which is handy for my local readers. Enjoy!