I recently bought a couple of items from the Makeup Geek website with a friend. I ordered a NYX Butter Gloss and a Makeup Geek Loose pigment. I’m really happy with these two products so I thought I’d take this opportunity to show you my recent purchases as well as share my overall shopping experience and explain what it was like ordering from the UK.
Makeup Geek is a website created by popular Beauty YouTuber and ‘makeup educator’, Marlena. She’s created a line of makeup products that I’ve seen a lot of people raving about over the years. The eyeshadows in particular are very popular and I’m thrilled that I finally got the chance to put in an order and try something out from makeup Geek!
I picked up this Makeup Geek Loose Pigment in the shade Insomnia which is a dupe for Mac’s Blue Brown Loose Pigment.
Makeup Geek Insomnia Loose Pigment // 1.4g // $6.99
– This dark chocolate colored pigment has sparkling blue/teal reflects and the duochrome effect simply means the color changes as you blend. It will appear as multiple colors, although you are using just one pigment. Its velvet-like texture makes it easily applicable, gliding on with ease. Use alone or with a wet brush to create a variety of different looks.
Cruelty Free
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| Makeup Geek Insomnia Loose Pigment 1.4g |
I also ordered a NYX Butter Lip Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie as I was struggling to find NYX products in the UK. I have since discovered that quite a lot of Next stores sell NYX so I actually picked up 7 more Butter Glosses for only £2 each in my Boxing Day Sale Haul! If I’d have known that before ordering this, I might not have ordered this… but oh well, it’s a lovely shade anyway…
NYX Vanilla Cream Pie Butter Lip Gloss // 8ml // $5.99
– This Mauve shade is a Buttery lip gloss with a sweet scent that provides sheer to medium coverage with a non-sticky feeling. Can be used alone or over lipstick. Great for moisturised lips, a pop of colour and pearly shine.
Cruelty Free
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| NYX Vanilla Cream Pie Butter Lip Gloss 8ml |
The UK Shopping Experience
I ordered with a friend and we got 5 products (3 x Eyeshadow Pans, 1 x Loose Pigment & 1 x Butter Lip Gloss). Our order came to around $30 (about £20) and postage was $18 (about £12). Then we had to pay another $18 (about £12) in Customs Charges just to receive out package!
Shipping was quick (within two weeks) and relatively inexpensive and delivery was via Royal Mail, requiring a signature on delivery. However, the unexpected Customs Charges really stung! As it turns out, any package sent to the UK with a value of £15 or more is subject to customs charges, so, please bear that in mind before ordering.
I’m really happy with my purchases from Makeup Geek but in all honesty, I probably won’t order anything from them again as I find the customs charges / import duty too costly. Of course, this isn’t Makeup Geek’s fault, it’s just how international packages are currently charged here in the UK. My impression is that customs charges are a lot more expensive here than elsewhere in the world.
Anyway, just thought I’d share my personal experience with you guys…
I also made a video too 🙂
Have you tried anything from Makeup Geek before? Do you watch Marlena’s (a.k.a Makeup Geek’s) videos on YouTube?
Why do no Next stores near me have the NYX stand? Annoying!
Sarah 🙂
Saloca in Wonderland
The Butter Glosses look gorgeous. I've been using their Taupe blush to contour but think I've had a reaction so had to stop 🙁 xx
http://katieannetc.blogspot.co.uk
It's so bad with the customs! I am always a bit wary of ordering online for this very reason. Some sellers will mark it as a gift and then, I believe, the threshold is higher. I also can't wait to try the new MUG foiled eyeshadows, apparently they're great!
x Julia | Wing me a dream
Custom charges in Denmark is crazy as well. I bought a Memebox last month and it was about $30 something but I was charged about £26 to even get it because of customs and there was a special Little fee that I had to pay the post office. A fee they charge for doing the Work of sending out a customs bill that fee was £16… I do love the NYX butter glosses, they are amazing.
Loevens makeup rambles
Custom charges are terrible in England! I got something from America a few years ago, think it was costal scents, but they charged me custom charges! It's silly because they don't tell you! To not get custom charges the product has to be sent as a gift which is what another company did for me once.
taylormayed.blogspot.co.uk
I have heard so much about makeup geek, there shadows look amazing!
Eilidh from Velvet-Winter
The postage charges are a joke, I won't shop on US sites anymore! xx
Gemma | missmakeupmagpie.com ♡
Oh no – what a fiasco! I think it definitely varies but it's stuff like this that puts me off ordering from the US! I think Amazon is ok as it calculates everything before you pay xx
Magpie Jasmine || Palette Giveaway: Urban Decay, Nars, Charlotte Tilbury, Too Faced
I know! I wish the entire NYX range was as easy (and cheap) to find in the UK as it is in the US! I adore everything I've tried from them so far and I want to try so much more! xx
The butter glosses are a beautiful product, so creamy and lovely!
I also bought Taupe to contour with and it's such a shame you've had a reaction to it. Hopefully, you can find lots of other nice bronzers that don't create any negative effects. xx
The the MUG foiled eyeshadows look incredible! I would love to try them but I've been a bit put off ordering from overseas for a while due to the customs charges! xx
Wow, that sounds like a much more expensive customs situation in Denmark! I think all of the extra charges really make ordering from overseas a little off putting which is a shame as there are so many nice products that I would love to try that aren't available in my home country. The NYX butter glosses are awesome!! xx
I also think it's really silly that customs charges aren't made clear at the time of purchasing as it can come as quite a nasty surprise to find out you have to pay even more money just to receive your own package! Coastal Scents is another brand I'd love to try from overseas but the customs charges put me off!! xx
Makeup Geek eyeshadows do look awesome! So many people say they're as good as MAC eyeshadows too which can't be a bad thing…! xx
I've also been put off ordering from overseas again for a while because of the customs charges! xx
Oh thanks for telling me about Amazon, that's really useful to know. I hate unexpected 'extra' charges!! xx
Lovely post.
the-renaissance-of-inner-fashion.blogspot.co.uk