Kevyn Aucoin Bloody Gorgeous set review

If you’ve not tried Kevyn Aucoin makeup before, I’m going to urge you to change that. ASAP. It’s a bit of a cult brand in the beauty world, and was started in 2001 by internationally renowned makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin. Sadly Kevyn passed away just a year after the brand launched, but the team behind it have stayed true to his vision and it focuses on beautiful formulas in classic, wearable shades. You won’t find dozens of trend-led colours here, but what you will get is high-end products that you’ll be able to use daily, no matter where or what you’re doing.

The Bloody Gorgeous set* is a new collection of key products, all in the iconic shade ‘Bloodroses’. Bloodroses was developed by Kevyn, who had been looking for the ultimate red shade that could be worn by any skin tone and be universally flattering. The outcome was a deep berry red, reminiscent of the blood rose – hence the shade name.

Within the gift set, there are six products, all in the Bloodroses tone. While the thought of wearing a red eye shadow comes close to the top of my ‘scary makeup’ list, it’s surprisingly wearable when applied lightly, with just a couple of coats of mascara on the eyes to add some definition.

The Bloodroses Expert Lip Colour has won my heart and will be the shade I’ll be wearing right the way through winter. It seems to look slightly different on everyone, but even pale skin tones can get away with it without looking ghost like. The formula is rich and creamy, making it easy to wear all day, while the satin finish gives a good semi-matte effect.

There’s a matching lip gloss included within the Bloody Gorgeous set, which can be worn alone or dabbed over the top of the lipstick for a gentle sheen. It’s a little sheer if worn alone, so may be a good option if you’re looking for a less in-your-face finish for day time.

My second favourite from the collection has to be the Creamy Glow Duo, which includes a cream blusher and highlighter. Again, I had a bit of a panic when I saw the blusher shade initially, but it actually applies quite sheerly, and allows you to build up a lovely depth of colour for that ‘cold outside’ flush. The highlighter also works perfectly to contrast against all of the red – it helps to keep skin looking fresh without being overly shimmery.

I’m not a massive fan of the Volumising Mascara included within the kit, purely as I’m a fussy so-and-so when it comes to mascara and like lots of length added as well as volume. If you’re naturally blessed with long lashes, then this will be perfect for adding tons of volume, minus clumps, but for me (who has short-medium length lashes) I need a bit more oomph!

The contents of this kit are worth £140 if bought individually, however the kit itself costs £100, making it a bit of a bargain. If you’re a little scared of the shade and want to ease yourself in gently, I’d recommend buying the Bloodroses expert lip colour as a starting point and working up from there!

It’s a limited edition kit that goes on sale in early January and like all Kevyn Aucoin products, is exclusive to Space NK in the UK.

What do you think of the Bloody Gorgeous set? Is Bloodroses a shade you can see yourself wearing?

*PR sample