Sleek Blush by 3 Palette Review (Pumpkin)

I am sure you all know about my love for Sleek Makeup products. I particularly love their eyeshadows and blushes because they are super pigmented and work so well for a variety of skin tones. The Sleek Blush by 3 palettes were launched a few years ago but I have no idea why I never picked it up. I think it’s mainly because I was not really a blush girl (all that has changed now). I have now built a little collection of blushes which are all mainly from the drugstore. I may splurge on one or two  high end brushes at some point particularly NARS and MAC.. Anyway, this post is all centred around this beautiful blush palette by Sleek- The Sleek Blush by 3 Palette in Pumpkin 363.

Packaging

I won’t waste too much time describing the packaging as I have done so several times. It comes in a matte black casing which is the same size as the Sleek Face Form. I just like that some products are the same size because it means I can store them together. I love these blush palettes because they are very handy for travelling. It has been my go-to blush palette at home and when I travel. It also comes with a nice sizeable mirror which means you can store this in your makeup bag for makeup on the go. I just love products that provide a nice mirror in fact, I prefer it to any dodgy makeup brush.

Contents

The first impression I had of this palette was “what an amazing selection of bright and vivid colours”. I know the colours/shades may seem scary on first impression but they are really beautiful when you use them well. You just need a light hand for application and you are good to go.  In this palette, you get three blushes- P-Pie (Pumpkin Pie), Squash and Lantern. Each blush contains a little over 6g of product which brings the palette to a total of 20g.

Lantern- I absolutely love this shade because it is like a nice mix of the other two blushes in the palette. It is a gorgeous light red/coral shade with a nice luminous glow. I really like how different this looks on various people and I think it would also be perfect for Autumn

Squash- I would describe Squash as a mid-neutral pink shade which I particularly like. I find it a little difficult to find a nice pink blush that suits my skin tone because most pink blushes I find are cool tones. This one is a mid-neutral tone which makes it suitable for a variety of skin tones.
Pumpkin Pie- it is a bright orange shade with a semi-matte finish. It is really such a vivid colour and stands out from the palette and I think the name really befits it. I feel it would look gorgeous on any skin tone and it looks really flattering on my darker skin tone (it reminds me of Sleek’s limited edition blush in Aruba)

This palette is definitely the perfect palette for Spring and Summer because the shades are so colourful.  I find that it is difficult to track some of these palettes down in the drug store but I think Superdrug has improved their stock. When I popped in-store, I think they had the complete set of these Blush by 3 Palettes- Pumpkin, Lace, Sugar, California, Flame, Pink Spirit and Pink Spirit. The only ones that stood out to me were Sugar, Lace and Pumpkin. I may go back and pick up the rest when there is an offer.

Pigmentation/Texture

Oh my goodness!! I have always known that Sleek Blushes are pigmented as I own a few of them but this is one is super pigmented. It applies so easily and really well that you always have to use a light hand. I can’t even decide which shade is my favourite are because I love them all. I find myself gravitating towards Lantern and Pumpkin Pie because they look most flattering on me.  They feel so buttery to touch and there are minimal fallouts which I am super impressed with. Lantern and Squash have some slight glitter in them but it translates to the skin as a luminous glow.

How I use/Application

I normally use my Sephora Pro Airbrush #55 for all my blushes but it is not the best for this palette. It picks up too much product and I don’t want to end up looking like a made up clown. I prefer to use my Real Techniques Blush Brush because it picks up the right amount of blush which is subtle. I also love to use my Nanshy Blush Brush because it also does an amazing job and its fluffy bristles help blend the blushes really well. You really need to have a light hand with these blushes because a little goes a long way

Longevity

I always use a primer underneath my makeup and set my entire face with a setting powder and I feel it helps increase the longevity of my makeup. I find that the blushes in the Pumpkin Palette last for almost 6 hours. It starts to fade a little after a while but I still catch hints of it when I get home. It all depends on how you apply it. I don’t have a problem with its longevity at all and I am so pleased with this palette. I reckon it would last even longer if I go in with a heavy hand but it’s not my style at all.

Cost//Link

The Sleek Blush by 3 Palette retails for £9.99 and I think it is such an unbeatable price given the quality. I love everything about this blush starting from the packaging down to the products. They are usually offers in Boots and Superdrug where you can get them for cheaper via their 3 for 2 offers or Buy one get half price offers. You can also purchase them directly from the Sleek website here (UK) and here (USA).

Overall Thoughts

I definitely look forward to trying other Sleek Blush by 3 Palettes. I have my eyes on Sugar and Lace and I may be picking them up soon. I have nothing bad to say about this palette and I am so pleased with the choice of shades in this palette. I am well and truly impressed. Have you tried any Sleek by 3 Blush Palettes?...xx
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Current Contour Makeup Products

I am no Makeup Artist or expert by any stretch of imagination but I love makeup and I am willing to learn more techniques every chance I have. I think I may have stumbled upon contouring and highlighting about a few years ago and I was intrigued. I watched countless YouTube videos to see how contouring and highlighting can change how a person looks. I have always admired how many girls on YouTube effortlessly create chiselled faces with a few products and flawless blending techniques. The truth is contouring and highlighting sometimes look best on print (magazines), in photos and in videos/films as opposed to real life. It's all about the angles and tricking the eyes but in real life, you sometimes can tell. Some people have perfected contouring and highlighting so well that they look flawless in real life (baby steps!!). Anyway, I started off with just contouring my cheekbone and nose using powder products only; in fact till date, I have only ever used Sleek Makeup Contour Kit and the Face Form to contour. Today’s  post is about what products I use to contour; I have christened them my Contour Combo Duo because they are all I use at the moment to contour my face. I won’t talk about highlighting today. That’s another topic for another day although I am aware they go hand in hand.

Sleek Contour Kit in Medium//Link 
I think this has to be the perfect kit for contouring especially for beginners. Sleek Makeup have another palette hybrid that combines a contour, highlighter and blush (the Face Form) which I have reviewed here. I can say hand on my heart I use the contour side everyday and you can see from the pictures how well loved it is. I decided to go back to an old favourite which is the Sleek Contour Kit. It comes in various shades: light, medium and dark and there is something for everyone. I have the medium and I think it is absolutely amazing on my complexion. I think I prefer the Sleek Contour Kit to the Face Form because it is more portable. Both the Contour Kit and Face Form essentially contain the same products except for the blush which the Face Form has. Anyway, I use the contour side to give some definition to my face. I usually start out with my cheek bones (from my ears) and then do a "3" shape around my temples and jaw line. I usually just concentrate most times on my cheekbones and I love to use the Real Techniques Contour Brush and recently, the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Contour Brush which I love. When I have a full face of foundation and I am going all out, I contour my nose which I think is even easier to do than my cheek bones but I don't do it often. I use a smaller brush for this and I start from near where my eyebrows begin all the way to the sides of my nose for a slimmer shape. I think I may do a tutorial soon (fingers crossed).The Sleek Contour Kit is very well pigmented and I always start with very light strokes and I blend in before building it up. It's just perfect. If you don't know what product to start contouring with I highly recommend this. 

Black Opal True Colour Foundation Stick in Suede Mocha// Link

I've noticed that quite a few YouTube Beauty Gurus have been using stick foundations to contour  (I think I may have noticed a few years ago) and it gives a more natural finish. However, I never even considered buying one because I was satisfied with the Sleek Contour Kit. Then, NARS launched their NARS Multiples which I lusted after for a while but gave up my fantasy because it was way too pricey at £30. I could not justify buying a product so expensive when I was not even sure how it would look on me or how I could effectively use it. This all changed when I watched the beautiful Jennifer from Jennifer Olae Makeup talk about the Black Opal True Colour Foundation Stick in Suede Mocha. She had used it several times in tutorials on her YouTube Channel so the haunt for this product began. I am not new to Black Opal foundation sticks at all because my Mum uses them frequently when she is not using her Fashion Fair Foundation.  It is a little difficult to get Black Opal here in the UK but if you check Afro Hair and Beauty Salons and some Asian ones, you would find them. I got mine in my local Hair and Beauty Salon where I buy all things hair and it was only £6.99. I finally found it on Amazon but it was £10.49 which is a little crazy; it makes me want to buy a few back ups from my Hair and Beauty Supply Store.



Black Opal offers a wide range of shades for this foundation stick but I got one of the darkest shades- Suede Mocha because it appears as a lovely contour against my complexion. I find that using a foundation stick or cream contour gives a more natural contour which looks more flattering than a powder contour. I like how easy it is to blend in texture my foundation/concealer. With this method, you need to ensure you blend really well (it is the absolute key for many makeup techniques). I find that I am getting better with practise although the Black Opal Foundation Stick is ever so easy to work with. I am absolutely in love with it and I think I may actually get a shade closer to my skin tone so I can use it as a concealer. I just apply it really lightly (it is very pigmented) on my cheekbones starting from my ears. I use it directly from the tube and I think it is best that way and gives me the best finish. It applies like a dream and it is really soft. It does not drag against my skin and it also feels light on application and afterwards. It blends really well once I buff it in with a brush and I cannot think of anything I hate about it.

How I use both of them

Before now, I used one or the other but I recently started using both of them and I think it looks much better and longer lasting. I start out with the Black Opal True Colour Foundation and swipe lightly on the areas I wish to contour (cheek bones, jawline, temples, etc). Then, I do some blending in with my brushes so it does not look crazy. Then, I lightly sweep my contour brush across the Sleek Contour Kit to further define my cheek bones and to also set the Black Opal contour. They both go so well like if they were made for each other which is why I christened them my Contouring Combo Duo. I love the results and I will post a picture of how it looks soon. (I forgot to take a nice picture)

Cost

I am currently pleased with my routine although I am open to try new products. These two products go so well and I particularly love that they were so inexpensive. Both of them cost less than £15 which is really incredible. I know they will last me a long while. The Sleek Contour Kit retails for £6.49 and you can get it the drug store. I have noticed it is quite difficult to find these babies in-store in Boots and Superdrug and I have no idea what they are playing at. You can find it online though; thank goodness for that. As mentioned, Black Opal True Colour Foundation Sticks are not sold in the drug store here in the UK but you can find them in Afro Hair and Beauty Salons and online on Amazon. It retails for £6.99. If you live in Nigeria, you can buy directly from Kuddy Cosmetics who are one of the distributors in Nigeria so you can be rest assured it is a genuine product. I believe it retails from N1300.

Overall Thoughts

If you can’t afford the NARS Multiple, I suggest trying out the Black Opal True Colour Foundation Sticks as I am guessing they are very similar. I have not tried the NARS version but they look really similar from what I have seen in pictures and videos.  If you also can’t afford the Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick (review here), I also recommend trying one of these babies out for a quarter of the price. As for the Sleek Contour Kit, I believe they are one of the best drug store contour kits here in the UK (I know it's the Cover Girl Bronzer in the US). I have not tried anything else that comes close to its perfection. That’s pretty much my lovely duo. What are your favourite Contour products?
*Affiliate links may have been used above, Read my Full Disclaimer here.

Sleek Makeup Review (Brand Focus)

I recently looked through my makeup collection and realised I have quite a few amazing pieces from Sleek Makeup. I also have a few which I am not very fond of but majority of them are beautiful. Sleek Makeup is definitely one of the best drug store makeup brands who keep improving their formulas year after year. Their eyeshadows are definitely one of the best I have tried as they are heavily pigmented and they have such a wide range. I thought it would be nice to focus on this amazing brand. First off, I really like the sleek packaging (pun intended) as they are very sturdy and they come with very good quality mirrors for use on the go. Their matte black casing is very impressive, compact and a dream to travel with. Above all, there are very affordable and I know many people have at least one of their products in their stash because they have such amazing quality!!



Sleek Eyeshadow Palettes (£7.99)
I am pretty sure this was my very first eyeshadow palette and I remember rushing out to buy this after watching a YouTube video by BeautyByJJ a whiiiiiile ago. I was absolutely intrigued to see how pigmented these eyeshadows were and there was a wide range to choose from. The colours just spoke to me and I was initially at a loss on what to pick. I eventually settled for two palettes: The Sunset 568 and the Monaco 657. The Sunset 568 is a mineral based eyeshadow palettes and it is truly a perfect name for the palette as the colours just remind me of sunset and summer. It is made up of rich warm shades of reds, burgundy, orange and even yellow. They may sound like really bright and unwearable colours (if you love neutrals) but they are so easy to work with. They have some slight shimmer in them but they are not too glittery and  work well during the day and night. The Monaco 657 palette is more of a cooler toned palette with more wearable colours especially if you are pale skinned. It has a mix of matte shades and slightly shimmer shades which makes it a more versatile palette. I am really impressed with the matte shades in this palette because they are very pigmented compared to some other palettes which have chalky and pale matte shades. It may look like these palettes have not been well loved but they have absolutely served me well and they were my only palettes for ages. They cost £7.99 each and I think they are worth every single penny and more.




Sleek Blush (£4.49) (singles)
After I fell in love with the Sleek Eyeshadow Palettes, I decided to try their blushes also after hearing so many good things about them. They looked so cute and compact and I knew they would be perfect in my collection. I was (and still am) very weary about blushes because I really like subtle and understated blushes. The first one I purchased was the Sleek Sahara Blush and this is actually my second compact as I completely went through the first one. That's how amazing it was! Sleek Sahara Blush is a terracotta peachy shade which I believe would suit many skin tones especially if you have darker skin. On my skin it looks really subtle and I love it for everyday use. It even doubles as a crease eyeshadow which is lovely. The next blush is Life's a Peach which is a perfect light peachy shade that looks amazing on the pan. Sadly, it does not show up really well on my skin although I feel it would be perfect if you have paler skin. I actually still like it and wear it when I can. The final blush in my stash is Rose Gold which is just so beautiful and perfect for infusing some subtle glow back to the skin. I think this is such a pretty shade (Rose Gold with slight shimmer as the name implies) and would suit anyone. It is well pigmented but does not apply crazily on the face. It can be used as a blush or a highlighter. I love it!!

Sleek Brow Kit (£8.49) and Sleek Eyebrow Stylist (£5.99)
Sleek Brow Kit is one of the best dupes I have found for many high end brow kits including the Benefit version. I love how dark it is and its staying power is incredible. It comes with a powder section and a waxy section and both sections can be used at the same time. These days I only use the powder and it matches my brows really well. The waxy section is a little tricky for me to pull off as I prefer to use my brow pencil for an outline and the powder or wax to fill in. It comes in three shades I believe and I have this in Dark 818. The Sleek Eyebrow Stylist is one I never got along with. Anyway, I have tried my best to work with it but it is not for me. I like that it has a nice spoolie and the pencil can be rolled up and down but that's all I like about it. It is made from wax but I don't really like its pigmentation and the way it applies. Sadly, it's a miss for me.



Sleek Face Form (£9.99) and Sleek Corrector and Concealer Palette (£7.99)
I absolutely love these two nifty palettes and they have been featured here and here on the blog so I won't go into too much detail. The Sleek Face Form is definitely one of my favourite and most used products from the brand. I have already hit pan on the Contour section because I absolutely love it. I use the highlighter sparingly and the blush when I want a smooth and glowing blush (sun kissed glow). I cannot be without this palette and I am considering just purchasing the smaller Contour Kit. The Sleek Corrector and Concealer Palette is another which I have hit pan on the concealer section which was so good. I use all the sections fairly well apart from the peachy concealer although it still gets some love. I really like the powder for setting my under eye and both of the palettes are great products.


Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Peaches and Cream (£4.99)
I was drawn to this lipstick by its cute packaging but unfortunately it has not worked well for me. It may be down to me choosing a shade that does nothing for my complexion. It's a pale peachy shade which is quite pigmented to be honest. It just does not suit my lips and you would think I would know this already. I have worked with it using a liner and it was actually okay but it's not one of my lipsticks I reach for often. I think it's best suited for Spring. The formula and texture is actually good and I may try another colour although I recently browsed through the Sleek Counter in Superdrug and Boots and I didn't find anything inspiring.


If I were to pinpoint my least favourite from the lot, it will definitely be the Sleek Eyebrow Stylist and the Sleek True Colour Lipstick, They have not worked well for me and I do not reach for them as frequently as the others. That's it folks and I hope you have enjoyed this brand focus. If you have tried any of these products, let me know your experience below...Have a fab weekend!!

Sleek Face Form Palette Review (Medium)

I recently reviewed the Sleek Corrector and Concealer Palette which seemed to go down well with you and I promised to review the Face Form Palette which I think I may have purchased almost at the same time as the Corrector and Concealer Palette because I think some offers were up at the time. Sleek Face Form Palette is not entirely new to me per say because I had previously tried the Sleek Contour Kit which I totally love but the Sleek Face Form comes with an additional blush which enticed me to pick it up.





Packaging
As expected from Sleek Packaging, the Face Form comes in a sturdy matte black case which houses the Contour, Highlighter and Blush. I have to say it is a much bigger packaging than the Sleek Corrector and Concealer Palette which means you get more product which is an added value for your buck. My shade is Medium 374 and I am not sure but they may be a Dark but I have not really seen that shade in store or maybe it is always sold out. Who knows?







How I use it
I have already featured this in my May Favourites Blog Post and it has remained one of my favourite products from month to month. The Contour section is perfect for my skin tone and it is very pigmented which means a light hand and effective blending is essential. I use my Real Techniques Contour Brush which is part of the Core Collection and it does the job wonderfully well. Sometimes, I go back in with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to blend it in a little more. I use the contour for the side of my face to give it some definition which it may have lost after I have applied foundation and it just makes a massive difference although I am not an expert in the contouring malarkey. The Highlighter section is also a nice shade which is not too glittery which I find in some highlighters which makes it rather unsuitable to wear especially if you have darker skin tone. The Sleek Highlighter gives a more subtle highlight which illuminates the high points of my cheek bone. To be fair, I don't really like using this everyday but when I do, it is just amazing especially for the summer. I find that the best brush for this is the Real Techniques Setting Brush which is one of my favourite RT brushes because I have got so much use from it. Last but not least is the Blush section which drew me to this palette. I love bright blushes for occasions but for everyday use, I love really toned down blushes which are subtle but gives that added glow to the face and cheeks. I have very high cheek bones which are quite chubby so blushes are very noticeable on my face so I try to keep it really calm over there. This Blush is bronzey deep brown shade which is very flattering and perfect for summer. It can also double as a bronzer but as expected from Sleek, it is very pigmented so a light hand is very much needed. I use the Real Techniques Blush Brush for this and it is perfect because it distributes this pigmented blush really lightly so you don't have to worry about blending too much.

Price
I think this may be one of their best selling products because it is always sold out in most Boots and Superdrug stores I pop into. Maybe I am unlucky, who knows? Anyway, when I finally laid eyes on it, I grabbed it for £9.99 which is not an amount that will break the bank and I have had so much use from it that I am seriously considering purchasing a backup even though it is not showing any signs of depleting. I think there are offers on Sleek Cosmetics in Boots, Superdrug and the Sleek Website.  so this is a good time to purchase this as usual.





Cons
To be fair, I can't really think of any at the top of my head because I have just really been enjoying it. I guess maybe Sleek should introduce a few more shades because I can imagine that some ladies may not find any shade that is best suited for them. I believe they have Fair, Light, Medium and I think Dark and some people may fall outside of these categories. But to be fair, Sleek Palettes usually suit a wide range of skin tones and complexions.

Personal Thoughts
As mentioned earlier, this has been a firm favourite from month to month and I absolutely love it. I have not even tried any other contour kit from any other brand because I feel Sleek Contour and Face Form Palette packs the punch and it is very affordable. They are definitely one of the best drug store contour kits available (yes, that is a really wide claim but I am sure you would agree with me). See you in my next post...x