It's nearly summer yet I'm still stuck on this spring release from Sonia Kashuk. The Knock Out Beauty Collection has a wonderful message behind it. Some brands are capitalizing on different social movements and jumping on the bandwagon while turning a profit. Some view that as problematic but I'm all for beauty with a cause.
After seeing photos all over Instagram, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase three items: the Knock Out Beauty Skin Glow in Golden Gloves, Knock Out Beauty Eye Liner in Split Decisions and Knock Out Beauty Nail Colour in Roll with the Punches.
First of all, look at the packaging! The doodles and handwritten details definitely gives it a street edge that appeals to my child-like sensibilities. The compact feels sturdy and is well-made. The mirror is good quality and has "You Are Beautiful" imprinted onto the glass. It's the little touches that make it a standout on my vanity. My only complaint is that the clasp is not magnetic. I have to put my nail under it to open the compact and that is the number one reason for chipped nails. I haven't brought it around much but I'm hoping that the pretty design on the top won't fade.
Looking inside the compact at the actual product makes me swoon. As a kid, my dad and I loved watching Rocky Balboa and this reminds me of him. The embossing is gorgeous and I'm glad it's quite prominent; it won't wear away with just one or two uses.
Onto the actual product performance! At first, I was a bit disappointed. The texture of the powder is very dense and compacted. My Real Techniques Contour Brush (I prefer it for highlighter) had a difficult time picking up the product and I couldn't see the product once I applied it on my face. Once I switched to an e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush, I had a much easier time picking up the product but I still needed two layers to see something on my face. Good news is that it doesn't have any powdery dust and the embossing is intact even after multiple brushing.
Blending is so-so. Since I can't detect the powder unless I apply heavily, I have to blend more than usual. But as I blend, it seems to disappear into nothing. The peachy bronze shade is too dark to be used as a highlighter on my light, yellow-toned skin but for the sake of testing it, I applied it as such. Going forward, I'll probably be using it as a bronzer on more natural days. Staying power is abysmal. At the end of the day (8+ hours), I couldn't see anything on my skin.
Here's a close-up swatch of it on my finger. I did have to press on the powder firmer than usual to pick up the product. For something that's called "Skin Glow", I don't see much shine or shimmer.
Here it is swatched amongst similar products in my collection. I didn't go through everything I have to find possible dupes but these were the ones I thought of off the top of my head. As you can see, the Makeup Revolution Glow Radiant Light in Glow is the closest in terms of color. It's just slightly more golden but on the skin, both are indistinguishable. The texture on Glow is a bit softer yet rougher so I can pick up product much easier.
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| Woah, extreme close-up of my skin...you can't even see Golden Gloves... |
Moving onto my favorite part of this collection: the Eyeliner in Split Decisions. I have a thing for blue eyeliners and have been coveting UD 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Chaos since it was first released. But that one is $20usd while this one is $8.99usd. It's currently 25% on Target's website, which means this beauty can be yours for about $6.74usd (plus tax and shipping) !
Again, the packaging is impeccable. Normally, I prefer these kind of pencils but I'm gutted that it isn't a twist-up. I just want the packaging to stay forever. But more importantly, how does it perform?
I'm glad to report that it is one of the smoothest I've ever tried. It just glides on the lids without harsh tugging. Pigmentation is excellent. Staying power is the best of most pencils I've tried. The vibrancy you see in the photo above is what I ended up with by the end of the day! I got a bit of lifting when I curled my lashes but after patching that up, I didn't get any fading or transfer. Not sure if it's because it's a black pencil but I find that liners with the black casing are so pigmented and long lasting compared to wooden or anything else. Miss Fame mentioned that in one of her videos and I'm starting to notice the same thing.
For the swatches below, I did one pass on the left and a heavier swatch on the right. As you can see, it matches the Lancome and outperforms it. I don't know if it's just my pencil but Cote D'Azur is crumbly and dry. I can't seem to get a smooth and even line like before, even after sharpening the pencil. In times like this, the affordable version beat the expensive version.
Unfortunately, Split Decisions is limited edition so I found a dupe: Rimmel Magnif'eyes Double-ended Eyeshadow and Liner in Dark Side of Blue. The only thing is that with use, the kohl's tip will broaden and make it difficult to apply a precise line without bringing in additional brushes. Either way, it's not something that bothers me and I would gladly put up with it.
A downside to Rimmel is that it isn't a cruelty-free option so once I use up both Split Decision and Dark Side of Blue, I don't have a replacement that's affordable. Here's to hoping that something will come in to replace that hole!
Lastly, we have the Nail Colour in Roll with the Punches. The collection contained 2 colors: a coral red and a cobalt blue. Cobalt blue is my power color so I like to collect anything in this color. It's a cream finish so no shimmers. For the longest time, I couldn't recommend my favorite polish because it was limited edtion. Now, I've come across another one and lo and behold, it's limited edition -_-. But since it's still available, I'd run to Target and grab it now!
Performance is great. I use my regular base and top coat, sandwiching two coats of this in between. This isn't a fresh swatch but taken a few days afterward. With my cheaper polishes, I'd already see chipping but aside from a few scratches, it's pretty much the same. I'll definitely be rocking it a lot this summer!
And that's all I have for this first impressions! I've stayed away from makeup for so long that I almost forgot how to write, haha. I hope this was as informative and helpful as my previous stuff.
If I had to recommend one item, I'd say go with the liner. I applied it quite boldly here but I also like using it with black eyeliner for a more subdued look. There's no way to make cobalt blue subtle so it's definitely perfect for going out or festival looks.
What is your power color and do you feel compelled to collect everything in that shade?
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