First Impressions | H&M Beauty

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Swedish fashion giant H&M, have completely revamped their make up range and we're not just talking packaging-wise, they have come up with a bigger-and-better-than-before range of products.

Sadly, we still don't have an H&M store in Malta so I had to wait for my trip to Barcelona last month to get my hands on some of their products. I tried to get more products on my trip to Sicily last week but the store I went to didn't carry the new range of beauty products so I have to wait yet again till December for our visit to Munich. 

Although I can shop online, the reason why I'm resisting is because I want to experience the products first hand as for example, when I swatched one of the eyeshadow palettes in Barcelona, I didn't like the texture and pigmentation. However, I did settle on four items which I really wanted to try and I wanted to share my first impressions of with you here.

I picked up a Pure Radiance Powder Blusher, a Cream Lip Colour and two nail polishes so far. First off, a word about the packaging. I'm in love with the way the products look but not so much with the way they feel. At a glance, the black/white and gold packaging really gives the illusion of expensive makeup but when you take the products into your hands, you can immediately feel the packaging is made out of cheap, light-weight plastic. Then again, this is a sort of drugstore brand we are talking about so I can't really complain; and they do look nice at the end of the day!

Pure Radiance Powder Blusher in Golden Peach

H&M has two types of blushers in their beauty range, cream (white and gold packaging) and powder (black and gold packaging). I got one of the powder blushes simply because I tend to favour powder formulas more and the shade I chose complements my skin tone perfectly. I wouldn't describe Golden Peach as a true peachy shade as in my eyes, it leans more towards a rosy pink with gold reflects. I like that this lasts all day and for €7.99 (5g of product), this performs really well. I like the hexagonal shape of the compact but it doesn't come with a mirror. The shade name can be found on the bottom of the compact and on the side of the outer box which I think is a nice touch.

Cream Lip Colour in Kombucha

Next is a lipstick which I must say delivers more in terms of packaging as it does feel heavier and sturdier than the blush. As for performance and pigmentation, I should say that both products are on par with each other. However, you do need to carry the lipstick with you as after 4+ hours, it would have faded in the centre of your lips and you would need to re-apply. I would describe Kombucha as a rosy shade with warm undertones that's perfect for summer as it is a little on the bright side. Again you have the name of the shade on the bottom of the lipstick and side of the box it comes it. The price is €9.99 for 3.5g of product.

Here I am wearing H&M Pure Radiance Powder Blush in Golden Peach and H&M Cream Lip Colour in Kombucha

Nail polishes in Cashmere and Carnival

Lastly, I couldn't not pick up some nail polishes but I restrained myself to just two and settled on Cashmere and Carnival. I have already worn Cashmere and it lasted for a week before I could see some tip wear which I think is exceptional for a €4.99 nail polish. Cashmere is a beautiful taupe with fine gold shimmer running through, making it a universally flattering shade. On the other hand, Carnival lives up to it's name - it's a mix of diamond shaped glitter and micro-glitter in turquoise, bronze and purple floating in a clear base. I haven't worn it yet but I look forward to matching it with summer outfits!

Overall, I think that the new H&M beauty line has very good potential and prices are very affordable. I really look forward to expanding my collection, so do leave your recommended products from the line in the comments section :)