Ariana Grande Has Finally Launched R.E.M. Beauty—Here's What's Worth Buying

Aside from being excited to try absolutely everything in Chapter 1 (who isn't?), I have to admit the liquid eye shadows were what I was really, really excited to try, and as to be expected, they did NOT disappoint. Eye shadow is one of my two desert-island beauty products, as an eye shadow has the ability to say and do so much from enhancing your eye colour to accentuating your eye shape. R.E.M. Beauty's Lustrous Liquid Eyeshadows are incredibly long-lasting and really pack a punch with the powerful pigment. For the past three days, I've been trying out the shade UFO, which is a metallic warm taupe colour and does an amazing job at complementing my melanin-rich skin.
The liquid shadow is super creamy, and when I tell you that a little really goes a long way, I mean it. R.E.M. Beauty has been super generous with the size of the eye shadow applicator, and as someone with quite a large eye area to play around with, I only needed a few seconds to paint my eyes with the glistening shimmer. I then opted to use a flat eye shadow brush just to blend it down well with my base colour. However, it couldn't be easier to use all over the lid and without an eye shadow brush. Another thing I was really impressed with was the fact I experienced no fallout from the shimmer, which is something I've had troubles with in the past. Overall, the liquid eye shadow beyond exceeded my expectations, and with 11 shades to choose from, you'll be spoilt for choice!

Eyeliner and I have had a bit of a bumpy ride throughout the years, but the past year and a half have been smooth sailing. I tend to stick to colourful eyeliner shades most of the time, but I am such a sucker for a black eyeliner marker to help me create the perfect feline flick, and I was able to easily do so with this. When I think about some of Grande's most well-known beauty looks, I think they pretty much all feature a signature winged liner. As someone with a far-from-steady hand, I still can't believe how easy it is to get the perfect precision with the liner, whether you're after a signature look or something more graphic. Plus, there's no having to worry about smudging or topping up throughout the day, as the liner is waterproof, smudge-proof and doesn't budge for anything. I recently wore it from 8 a.m. right through to midnight (no pun intended), and it honestly looked like it had been freshly applied when it came to taking it off after hours.

This is the only product feature that I haven't actually yet tried. I haven't quite mastered the art of applying a good falsie, but when I do, these glamorously long and wispy lashes will be the first pair that I try. Again, lashes are such a key staple in iconic looks from Grande, and I can't wait to give them a go. 

My love for liquid eye shadow knows no limits, and just like with the lustrous liquid eye shadow, I'm completely in love with the matte liquid eye shadow. It applies effortlessly to the lid, and what I really like is that it looks amazing on its own and also as a base colour before applying a shimmer. I love how compact it is as well, which makes it easy to take with you on short trips and throughout the day, even though, like I mentioned with the shade UFO, the lasting power means you don't have to worry about topping up throughout the day. 

What's better than having one eye shadow shade? Having six with a mix of mattes and shimmers. Grande did not come to play with this palette, and it shows! The Midnight Shadows eye shadow palette comes in three different palettes, including Midnight Snack, which is full of stunning purples and intergalactic-inspired shades; Principessa, which has lots of warm and vibrant tones from metallic vibrant red to metallic warm copper; and the shade I've been testing for the past few days, Babydoll. The shades range from a matte cinnamon-brown down to a warm sandstone, which I feel like is another signature from Grande. It's not just the silky and highly blendable shades that I'm obsessed with but the packaging too, as it fits well with the continuous space theme. When looking over promo pictures, I found it quite hard to tell what the quality of the packaging would be like, and I'm pleased to report that it's super sturdy and has a really unique element to it.

Last but by no means least is the Highlight Topper that feels super weightless on the skin and is perfect for adding an ultimate pop of colour to the cheeks, eyes and body. I tried the shade Miss Neptune, which is a beautiful lavender shimmer shade and really embodies the space theme well. It sold out on the website not long after launch, so I think it's one everyone will be really intrigued to try. What I love is that you can use it as a normal highlighter or, as recommended by R.E.M. Beauty, over your favourite cream or liquid highlight (which hopefully means there will be more highlighter formulas in future chapters). The highlighter blended effortlessly onto my cheeks to create a long-lasting and out-of-this-world glow. The only thing I would say to anyone else applying unique shades that aren't like your everyday bronzer and gold highlighter shades is don't be afraid to really build the colour up. During my first application, I realised that the highlighter is super buildable, and the bold colour is nothing to be afraid of.
Next up, winter makeup looks that have me totally inspired.