I specifically bought the newer MAC powder blushes and one of the Strobe Beam Liquid Blushes because I wanted to see how the current MAC blush lineup works on olive skin. Are the pinks actually pink? Are the “plummy” shades actually plum? Do the deeper, more interesting colors stay nuanced, or do they turn into the same warm peachy-orange situation I’m always trying to avoid?
I also already owned five Glow Play blushes from years ago that I’m reviewing in this post because I wanted to put everything in one place. These aren’t the reason I’m doing this post, but they ended up being useful because they showed me how much my blush preferences have changed. I also have a couple of the new MAC bronzers, but I’m saving those for a bigger olive undertone bronzer deep dive. Let me know if you want that post sooner rather than later!
In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) for all the products.
Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush in Desert Rose, Velvet Teddy, Antique Velvet, and Film Noir Buff – The newer Skinfinish Colourstruck blushes are buildable, blendable, matte powder blushes. They’re super hard to swatch, but they do work really well on the face. Compared with the older MAC matte blush formula, these pick up more easily, blend better, and look smoother on the skin. I still reach for cream, liquid, or bouncy hybrid formulas much more often, but these are solid for a traditional matte blush formula.
Desert Rose is a very pretty light pink. It’s easy, brightening, and it doesn’t turn aggressively orange on me. I have other bright pinks where I prefer the formula, but I still grab this as a finishing touch when my face needs a little more life.
Velvet Teddy is described as a deep-toned beige, but on me this is pink. Where’s the beige? It’s slightly deeper and more grounded than Desert Rose, with a little more warmth. It can go orangey on me, but not enough to be Cheeto dust, and it’s still really pretty when I’m going for a pink look, especially in the summer.
I bought Antique Velvet because Kackie bought it, and I wanted to see what it would do. On me, this is less soft purple veil like in the online swatches and more weird bronze with the slightest hint of plum. As a one-and-done eyeshadow, it’s actually really pretty. As a blush, it’s interesting but not one I’d recommend if you’re a skin twin unless you’ve really been looking for this kind of shade.
Film Noir Buff is the shade I’ve used the most, and if I were only keeping one matte blush from this collection, it would be this one. It’s a deep plummy purple-brown, and alone it can actually look a little too cool, grey, and deep on me, which almost never happens. As a blush mixer, this is a keep forever shade. I have so many blushes that looked like they were going to be muted, beige, plum, nude, or purple, and then turned orange on my face. Film Noir Buff pulls them back toward something more beigey, brown, a little purple, and way more wearable.
The one that made me the most excited about Film Noir Buff is NARS Infatuated. It looks like it should be a deep plummy purple and is described as a “deep plumberry”, and on me it’s just orange. I keep trying to make it work so I keep it around, and it’s always still orange. BUT! When I layer Film Noir Buff with it, I finally get the beigey rosy brown blush I’ve always wanted. I’ve mixed Film Noir Buff with so many blushes at this point, and it’s really so perfect for that.
Matte Powder Blush in Blunt – I didn’t realize until writing this that the old MAC matte powder blushes are discontinued, so Blunt is mostly here as a comparison point. It’s a muted rosy tan/brown that gives me an easy everyday blush look that’s not orange. That said, the formula isn’t amazing relative to what we have now. Compared with the newer Skinfinish Colourstruck blushes, Blunt looks and feels drier, flatter, and less blurring. I’m still keeping it because I love the color, and I’ve used it as an eyeshadow all the time. If anyone has a good Blunt replacement, especially in a bouncy, cushiony, cream to powder texture, please let me know!
Strobe Beam Liquid Blush in Plummy Bare – I picked up one of the Strobe Beam Liquid Blushes because I’d heard so many good things about the formula, and Plummy Bare seemed like the safest shade for me. I wear plum, berry, blackberry, and purple blush all the time. But Plummy Bare isn’t really that. In the comparison swatch, it’s the first shade, and next to my actual berry/plum blushes, you can see how red it is. It’s a super pretty cool toned deep red, almost like a muted wine shade (it’s described as a deep cherry wine, and I think I expected more cherry). If that’s what you want, it’s beautiful. I just expected something more plum, blackberry, or bright berry.
I do really like the formula. It’s pigmented, a little glowy, and easy to blend. Because this shade is deeper and more intense, I put a little on the back of my hand first, pick it up with a brush, and then tap it onto the cheeks instead of dotting it straight onto my face. It blends nicely, but a little goes a long way.
Glow Play Blush in Grand, So Natural, True Harmony, Blush Please, and Totally Synced – I already owned all five of these blushes, and most of them are at least four years old, if not older (so keep in mind that they are probably somewhat expired). When I first bought them, I loved them. At the time, this bouncy, cushiony blush texture felt much less common, and the formula was so much easier and more forgiving than a traditional matte powder blush. But now this kind of formula is everywhere, and my shade preferences are completely different. Pulling these back out made me realize that most of the shades I own are way warmer than I want.
Grand is a pretty pink, but on me it can go corally orange really fast. There are so many cool toned pinks out now that don’t lean coral that I never reach for this one anymore even though it’s definitely one of my most used from over the years.
So Natural is coral on me in a “why does that look so weird on my skin” kind of way. If you’re looking for a super easy to wear coral, this is pretty, but it’s definitely not what I’m going for anymore.
True Harmony is a really pretty rosy brown in some lighting, but it can also go orange on me. I like the idea of this shade more than I like wearing it now, and I always put it on expecting it to work and then it’s just a little too warm.
Blush Please is another pink that also has that coral-orange shift I’m trying to avoid. It’s less corally than Grand, which actually makes it less useful because at least Grand is something I specifically use for bright, summery, pinky warm looks, whereas Blush Please is just…fine. I will say if you’re not olive, this is such a perfect everyday pink blush. I’ve used it on my friends for their wedding makeup, and it’s been great every time.
Totally Synced is the only one of these I’m considering keeping. It’s a cool toned lavender lilac, and I still use it all the time to brighten up a look or add a little pop of color. This kind of shade used to feel hard to find, and even though now I own a bunch of blushes in this general color family, I don’t think I can let Totally Synced go.
As always, all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
I’ve been testing a lot of lip products because I’m always looking for shades that are interesting, a little grungy, and not secretly orange. A shade can be described as cool nude, mauve, taupe, plum, brown, berry, or purple, and then somehow it turns into a warm peachy/orange on my face. So I keep buying blue glosses, purple adjusters, cool browns, blackberry lipsticks, and anything that looks like it might help me get the lip color I wanted in the first place.
It turns out MAC has actual blue, purple, blackened, grungy, makeup artisty colors, which I love. But they also have easy everyday shades that actually stay the color they’re supposed to be on me. Cool pinks that don’t turn coral. Mauves that don’t turn peach. Browns that don’t go orange. Glosses that add shine without warming everything up too much. *I did also grab some really cool and interesting lip products from Yesstyle that y’all recommended so more reviews coming soon.
In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) for all the products.
Here are all the bullet lipsticks together just so you can see the formulas and colors all together in both lightings.
Lustreglass Sheer-Shine Lipstick in Alone Time, Signature Move, and Succumb to Plum – This is my favorite MAC lip formula and the one I reach for the most overall. It’s balmy and glossy, but it still gives enough color that it feels like a real lipstick. It’s easy to throw on, it makes my lips look better, and it wears surprisingly well for something this comfortable. I also recently compared Alone Time to the Clé de Peau Cocoa Dahlia lipstick, and they were shockingly close. So if you want that sheer, balmy, shiny, expensive feeling lipstick effect, I would absolutely look at MAC Lustreglass before spending $70 on Clé de Peau.
Alone Time is the best mauvey brown I’ve found. It stays mauve on me instead of turning orange, even in different lighting, and it has that grungy tan mauve quality I’m always looking for. This is one of the MAC lip products I reach for the most. Signature Move is similar to Alone Time, but a little more brown and a little warmer. It has more red in it, and it can lean slightly more orange by comparison, though it’s still very wearable. I like it, but if I were only choosing one, I’d choose Alone Time. Succumb to Plum a deep, saturated cool plum that actually stays cool toned. It’s the boldest of the Lustreglass shades I have, but the formula keeps it glossy and soft enough to wear all the time. This is the one I reach for when I want something darker, more blackberry, and more interesting without going all the way to black lipstick.
The M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin formula feels like the most traditional lipstick formula of all of these. It’s full coverage, very pigmented, and comfortable, with a little bit of shine so it doesn’t look flat. It’s not as balmy or glossy as Lustreglass, but it gives much more opacity. Caviar is in the M·A·Cximal Silky Matte formula, so it’s flatter and more matte than Pink Peppermint and Tilted Denim. In the swatches, you can see the satin shades have a little bit of shine, while Caviar is much more matte.
Pink Peppermint is described as a dusty lavender, but on me it reads more like a cool pink with a little purple in it. I use this all the time to transition lipsticks that are too yellow, too orange, or too dark. It’s my quick fix shade when I don’t want to do a whole mixing experiment, because it makes almost everything look better.
Tilted Denim is blue, but it has some lavender/periwinkle tones in it, so it works really well as a cooling adjuster. When I have a lipstick where I like the general tone but it pulls too orange, especially with reds, I can tap on a little Tilted Denim and mix it in. It’s not an everyday lipstick shade on its own for me, but as an adjuster it’s so incredibly useful.
Caviar is a black with some green/blue/olive in it, and I use it when something is too bright or needs more depth. A tiny amount tapped in can make a lipstick look cooler, moodier, and more like the deep blackberry, purple, blackened lip colors I’m always trying to find. I also like wearing it lightly with gloss over top because it gives that sheer blackened lip effect without needing a separate lipstick.
M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Smoked Purple and Mehr and Powder Kiss Hazy Matte Lipstick in Good For You – These are the matte lipsticks I wear as actual lipsticks. MAC has a lot of matte lipstick formulas, and these three feel very different. As I mentioned with Caviar, the M·A·Cximal Silky Matte formula is matte, full coverage, and almost drying. For some reason, Mehr formula feels creamier and more traditional satin lipstick that just dries down a little matte than Smoked Purple and Caviar, maybe because it’s a mini. Either way, I’m not sure I agree with their description that these are “creamy” but they are a comfortable matte. The Powder Kiss Hazy Matte formula gives a very soft, blurred, diffused effect that’s really trending right now without being too drying.
Smoked Purple is a gorgeous deep cool purple that actually stays purple on me with no orange at all. If I want a true dramatic deep purple lip, this is the one. Mehr is a classic for a reason. It’s a really easy cool toned pink with a bit of blue in it, and it actually stays cool on me. Good For You is a cool toned brown that stays brown instead of turning orange, which makes it basically the perfect 90s brown lipstick for me.
Powder Kiss Lip + Cheek Mousse in It’s Personal, Velvet Teddy, and Rekindled – This is one of my favorite soft focus, blurring matte liquid formulas. It works well on lips and cheeks for a super quick and easy monochromatic look. It has such a pretty diffused finish without feeling dry or reminding me of a flat liquid lipstick. It’s much softer and easier to wear than the liquid lipsticks of yesteryear.
It’s Personal really surprised me. Everyone said it was the perfect light beigey pink nude, and even though it’s described as cool, I assumed it would somehow still turn orange on me. But it actually stays a really pretty light beigey pink. In very warm light, it can go more beigey brown, but it never turns into that bright neon orange Cheeto dust I hate. Especially if you’re a fair olive and want an easy nude in this formula, this is the one I’d absolutely recommend.
Velvet Teddy is a super easy to throw on cool toned pink. It’s simple, flattering, and very wearable, especially if you like having a dependable muted pink around. It doesn’t go orange, it doesn’t feel too warm, and it’s just pretty.
Rekindled is a dark purple brown, and it definitely brings more drama. It’s grungy, moody, and really pretty, especially if you like deeper lip colors or have more contrast. I wouldn’t call it the easiest everyday shade (you can see in the swatches I had a little trouble getting it to blend cleanly), but if you want a purple brown that’s grungy and still pretty, this is great. Just be a little careful applying – I’d recommend putting some on the back of your hand and then using a brush.
Lipglass Cushion High-Pigment Lip Oil in Yum Yum and Dressed To Dazzle – This formula is so, so good. It has solid pigment payoff without being too much for a gloss, it’s high shine, and even though it’s described as a lip oil, it feels more like a cushiony liquid lip balm. It’s comfortable, moisturizing, and glossy without being sticky. Both shades I have also have these pretty iridescent sparkles running through them, but they’re still smooth instead of obvious gritty glitter. I’ve used both of these a ton already even when I was trying to test other things (oops!). I’m honestly about to buy Pulse and Mauvement as I’m looking at the listing for these so let me know if you want me to report back!
Yum Yum is a classic cool toned pink with a purpley blue sparkle, and it’s so easy to wear. I like it on its own, but I also use it to top off lipsticks that are a little off, especially if I want to cool them down slightly or brighten them up without changing them too much. It’s pretty, fun, and one of those glosses I can throw on without thinking. Dressed To Dazzle is described as a taupe lilac with iridescent pearls, but on me it reads more like a rosy brown than a lilac. That said, it’s beautiful and extremely wearable. If I want an easy beige-y glossy lip, this is the one I reach for all the time.
Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Violet Beta and Nova – These are the other glossy balm type products I have from MAC, and I mostly bought them because they come in fun colors that actually stay that color. Instead of using a clear balm or clear gloss for moisture and shine, I like being able to add a little purple or blue to tone down lip colors that pull too yellow, too orange, or too warm. As a very green olive person, it’s one of the things that I’m always looking for more of.
Violet Beta actually looks purple. I can wear it alone because I like cool toned lips, but it’s also useful layered over lipsticks that need a little cooling down. It adds shine and moisture while also making other colors more wearable for me. Nova really does show up blue and doesn’t turn pink or do anything weird – it’s just blue. Like Violet Beta, I can wear it alone, but I mostly like having it as a glossy blue adjuster instead of reaching for a clear balm. It’s great when something is too yellow or orange and I want to shift it cooler without doing a full lipstick mixing situation.
The main thing to know is that these are definitely tingly and plumping. That sensation doesn’t bother me personally, but I would skip these if you hate plumping glosses or if your lips are dry and sensitive.
Next to those, Whirl is much pinker. If you collect grungy brown, rusty beige, cool contour, or purple lip liners and you want something that reads more like a true pink, Whirl is your girl. I tend to prefer cooler browns because they actually add shape to my lips, so this one wasn’t quite what I wanted. I thought it would be deeper and more contoury because it’s described as a “dirty rose”, but on me, it’s just pink.
The formula is fine and very much in line with a classic lip pencil. If MAC lip liners are on sale and you already know you want a shade, I don’t think it’s bad. But personally, the Merit lip liner formula is still my favorite because it’s easier to use, blends out nicely, sets, and doesn’t get as dry as some traditional liners. If I lost Whirl, I wouldn’t replace it, but if I lost my Merit lip liners, I absolutely would.
What fun lip products should I check out? As always, all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
Summer makeup is all about looking like you spent more time on your face than you actually did. When it’s this hot outside (90s F here), I’m trying to use as few products as possible. Since I know myself and that I’m still going to use some kind of tinted sunscreen/skin tin and/or concealer, a brow product, and mascara, I need everything else to be super minimal. I want one product that can do almost everything else: cheeks, forehead, and lips too.
That’s where cream blonzers make so much sense to me, and I’ve been super into them lately. I want a single cream product that adds color, warmth, shape, and a slightly more alive look without making me think too hard. The problem, as always, is that a lot of bronzy blush products go very orange on me. My olive skin turns “warm and sun-kissed” into “why does it look like I put Cheeto dust all over my face” very quickly. I pulled together four cream blonzers I’ve been using for my minimal, too-hot-for-anything-else summer face. I don’t know why I haven’t seen more people talk about this category, because this is exactly what I want from summer makeup.
In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) for all the products.
Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick in Coco – This is the one I would tell the green friends to look at first. Coco is annoying to describe because it’s not just brown, pink, purple, or tan. It’s kind of all of those things at once. It has this rosy purple-brown tone that works as a contour, but it has enough of the rosy/warm shift of color that I can blend it higher into the blush/bronzer area and not feel like I’m wearing a gray stripe on my face.
On me, this is the perfect olive skin version of the cream blonzer idea. It gives me some sculpting because it is cooler and more muted, but it still gives a faded, sun-kissed, slightly reddish warmth without turning orange. The formula is also beautiful. It blends easily, sits down well, and looks smooth on the skin. It also lasts very well. The only thing that keeps this from being my ultimate go to is that this is the least dewy and least comfy on the lips (it’s not supposed to be because it’s not a lip and cheek product, but I’m team use products how you want unless they come with warning).
Lisa Eldridge Velatura Balm Dewy Lip and Cheek Stick in Cinnamon Bun – This is the one I reach for the most. The color is not quite as perfect for me as Coco, but it goes on so easily, and no effort is the name of the game when it’s hot out and you’re trying to do 5 minute makeup in your car.
Cinnamon Bun is sheerer than Coco, as well as warmer, redder, and glossier. It is less sculpting and more “I went outside and got a little flushed.” It gives me a glossy red-brown wash of color that makes it look like I actually slept and drank water (I didn’t), and it works really well on both lips and cheeks. I can put it on without overthinking placement, blend it with my fingers, and end up looking better in about 20 seconds. I really do love this formula (I have 4 shades and might just grab the 5th one for an in-depth review at this point). It’s also absolutely the best of these as a lip product.
That all said, the biggest downside for this one is wear time. It doesn’t last as long as the other three on me, but for quick summer makeup, that’s not a huge issue, and it just looks so pretty.
Haus Labs Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Cinnamon – This was the first product that made me fall in love with the whole cream blonzer category, so I still have a soft spot for it. Glassy Cinnamon is the warmest one here and the closest to orange in the swatch, but blended out it turns into a really pretty terracotta brown. On my skin, it gives more warm bronzy blush than anything close to contour, so I like it best when I want the look to very sun-kissed.
The formula is great. It blends easily, lasts pretty well, sits down nicely, and works well over other products. I have three of these and use them all the time. I’m just more hesitant to recommend this specific shade to green friends because it has the highest chance of pulling orange of everything in this post.
Versed Everything Balm Complexion Color in Canyon – This is the most affordable by far and also the one I’d get if you want your look to lean more blushy than bronzy. Canyon is the closest to a regular blush because it has so much more pink in it, but it still gives that soft sun-touched effect. It’s not as sculpting as Coco or as rusty as Cinnamon Bun, but it’s the least likely of these to go orange. It also really makes my skin look so pretty in a very effortless way. The formula blends seamlessly, sets down much better than I expected from this kind of balm format, and works well on the cheeks and the lips.
Because it’s so much pinker, I like this the least on my forehead compared to the others, but none of these are perfect. I’m hoping this helped you pick one if you were in the market because you definitely don’t need all four of these! But I would love more muted red/rosy browns, red-browns, purple-browns, and not-orange bronzy blushes personally if y’all have any recommendations for ones you love!
As always, some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
I very rarely buy this much from one brand all at once. Usually, I build up to a brand review over time. I’ll buy one thing, use it for months, buy another thing, keep testing, and then eventually write the review once I feel like I have enough real experience to give y’all a “real person wearing this in real life all day” review. That is one of the things I really care about here. I never want to swatch something once and call it a review. I want to know what happens when I do my makeup in the car, when I put something on at 5 a.m. and need it to last until 11 p.m., when I’m chasing my toddler, when I’m trying to get ready quickly, when I’m doing a long workout, and all the other normal life things that make makeup behave very differently than it does in a perfect first impression scenario.
All to say, I know these products just launched, and I would normally take way more time with them. But so many of you wanted to know what was worth buying, which shades were olive-friendly, which formulas were good, and whether the relaunch was worth the wait, so here we are. I bought everything myself, and I did buy more than I normally would because of the questions I got on Substack (thank you for all the questions and feedback!).
One note on the packaging before we get into the products: across the board, the packaging is very fun. These feel like little art pieces, and if I had a smaller collection or displayed my makeup, I would probably love having them out. As someone with a lot of makeup and not enough storage, they feel super bulky. They’re harder to store because they’re all interesting shapes and not flat, compact products, which also doesn’t make them easy travel products. They’re also much lighter than I expected. I’m not mad about that because heavy luxury packaging is not always the easiest to use, especially if you have any dexterity issues. But I was expecting the blushes and lipsticks to feel weightier in the hand and less drugstore-weight.
And with all of that, here is my review of a bunch of the new Marc Jacobs products, starting with the products I’m super excited to keep using, then moving into the ones I can take or leave, and ending with the one that honestly makes me mad.
In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) for all the products.
Legally Bronze Talc-Free Blurring Powder Bronzer in 10 Light and 20 Light Medium – The bronzer in Light Medium is easily my favorite thing I bought from the Marc Jacobs Beauty relaunch, no question. I originally bought Light because I figured Fair would be too fair for me, and then I was chatting with people on Substack and someone mentioned that Light Medium was the perfect bronzer color, so obviously I had to know and bought that one too. They were right.
The formula is really great. It’s buildable, blurring, and easy to throw on. It’s not so sheer that I have to work forever to see it, but it’s not so pigmented that I’m scared of it, and it blends out easily without looking patchy. Light is honestly pretty orange on me. It’s not horrible, and it doesn’t look terrible once it’s blended out because the formula is so good, but it’s not the bronzer color I was hoping for.
Light Medium though – I am not exaggerating when I say I have considered getting rid of almost every other powder bronzer I own because this is what I always wanted bronzer to look like on me. It has this rosy brown tan thing going on, but in certain light there’s also a slightly green, olive-friendly undertone that makes it look like it was made for my skin. It gives me warmth without turning orange even a little bit. I swatched it next to some of my other favorite bronzers (shown here next to the Gucci 01 classic for reference), and hopefully you can see how special it is. Most bronzers on me either go too orange or too pink or otherwise don’t look like bronzer is supposed to look on my skin. they look closer to blush. Light Medium actually looks like bronzer on me.
I’ve worn Light Medium every day since I got it, and this is the product from the relaunch I would buy again immediately. If you have similar undertones to me but you’re paler, I’d look at Fair before Light. If you’re a light-medium olive who struggles with bronzers turning orange, Light Medium is really, really special.
Born Star Cream-to-Powder Long-Wear Eyeshadow in Serving – This is the next product I loved, and mostly because of the formula. It goes on super easily with a finger or a brush, doesn’t need a ton of building, and stayed on me all day without creasing, even without primer. It’s such a great one-and-done eyeshadow because it gives enough impact to look like I did something special without a ton of effort.
The shade isn’t what I expected based on the swatches online, but it’s still really pretty. Serving ends up being an everyday warm brown on me, but not too warm. I’m a little disappointed it isn’t pinker, but the good news is that it doesn’t go copper or Cheeto dust on me. It also has a little bit of a mauve undertone, which makes it work really well with the berry, mauve, and rosy blushes I tend to wear. It has a bit of a blue reflect but it’s not super strong.
If you want something similar but a little cooler and more pink, I’d look at the Half Magic Single Eyeshadow in Blushing Lizard. Blushing Lizard is also sparklier, much less expensive, and has a stronger reflect. Serving is smoother and more everyday to me, while Blushing Lizard gives you more obvious sparkle and dimension. I’m very happy I bought this, and I would buy more shades because the formula is great. I just don’t think there are many other colors I actually need, especially with the eyeshadows I already own. I’ve also heard a lot of the other neutral shades run warmer than this, and Serving is already pretty warm on me.
Money Shot Multi-Use Illuminating Gel Highlighter – This is lower in the ranking not because I don’t love it, but because I really wouldn’t tell everyone to run out and buy it. The formula is awesome. Even though it’s a gel, it actually sets down and stays all day. I was worried it would stay tacky or move around, but it wears way better than I expected. It works exceptionally well tapped over another eyeshadow as a topper.
I wouldn’t use it all over the eye on its own. When I put it directly on my lid without primer or another shadow underneath, it looked a little patchy and pooled in some places. It just wasn’t as smooth as I wanted it to be. Over something else, though, it’s perfect. The color/effect is exactly why I love it. I love a super sparkly eyeshadow so much, and this is right up there with my favorites. It’s very sparkly, cool-toned, and has this blue-purple-green reflect that is basically the sparkle of my dreams. In person, the blue comes through much more than it does in photos. The blue reflect helps cut anything too peachy or warm, and it gives that bright, shiny sparkle I’m always hoping for.
I did also use it as a face highlighter, and I think it’s really fun if you’re a person who likes a very sparkly cheek and has an occasion for that. I’m not into that kind of look, so for me, this is really an eyeshadow topper. I’m really happy I got this, but I completely understand that a blue sparkly gel highlight situation is not for everyone.
Joystick Buildable Cream Blush Stick in Last Word and Self Centered– I can really take or leave these. The formula is really pretty, balmy, sheer, and easy-to-build up. The finish looks nice when I first put it on. The problem is that my face eats these so fast. On me, they last maybe an hour, even if I set them with a powder blush, which is disappointing.
I’m still happy I picked up Last Word. It’s a cool purple that actually stays purple on me, which is weirdly hard to find for green friends. A lot of purple blushes end up looking pink once they’re on my face, but this actually adds purple, so it works really well when I want to cool down a blush look or dial back some yellow without using a purple powder. Sometimes I just really don’t want to add more powder and want to bump up the dewiness of a look instead, and this is perfect for that.
Self Centered is fine, butit’s warmer than I expected and not as mauve as I wanted. On me, it’s more of a terracotta/bricky learning mauve, which is pretty, but also very much something I already own in formulas I like much more. I also think the formula Last Word is smoother and easier to work with, while Self Centered looks a little patchier on me. I’m keeping Last Word because the color is really useful for me, but I’d skip Self Centered unless that warmer bricky shade is really missing from your collection.
Heart On Long-Lasting Soft Shine Lipstick in Eat It Up – This one is so frustrating. The formula is beautiful. It feels balmy and nourishing, swipes on easily, and looks smooth on the lips. It is comfortable and wearable in every way I want this kind of lipstick to be. And the color is perfect.
I swatched Eat It Up against MAC Alone Time, Victoria Beckham Pose, Ravie Zinnia, Ravie Dahlia, Merit Bespoke, Merit Archival, Merit 1990, Merit Slip, Bite Beauty Pepper, Bite Beauty Chai, Givenchy 16 Nude Boisé, Lisa Eldridge Toasted, Westman Atelier Soda, Westman Atelier Onyx, Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Blush Balm Lip Tint in 90s Kiss, YSL Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick in 15 Showcasing Nude, MAC Pink Peppermint, MAC Signature Move, MAC Velvet Teddy, MAC It’s Personal, and Queen of Musia Becky Sharp, and nothing was quite the same.
Eat It Up is the shade all along the arm vertically
On my olive skin, it reads like a muted, desaturated, grungy mauve that doesn’t go anywhere near orange. It is so good. So why am I so mad? I will never get over how this lipstick tastes. The fragrance is there, but it’s not horrible. At first I thought I could handle it. But the longer I had it on, the more I felt like it just wasn’t worth it. The taste lingered in a way that was really not okay. I was still updating friends hours later after taking it off because my mouth had a terrible aftertaste. I truly can’t remember even noticing the way a lipstick tasted this much ever before.
I also have it on good authority that there are other people who could not handle the taste either (hi fellow support group members!!). If you can handle it, I’m so jealous, and please enjoy the fantastic shades. I’m still glad I got to compare it because the shade really is harder to dupe than I expected, but I still don’t think I’d recommend it unless you are truly not bothered by this specific lip product taste. I’m going to keep hunting for a dupe.
What products should I test next? As always, all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored. I bought everything in this post myself.
I’m about to do a bunch of big roundups so I’m taking a little break and just sharing the makeup I’ve been throwing on every day because I’ve had a lot of very early meetings and a toddler who really doesn’t want to leave on time. These products help me look more awake pulled together fast without having to think too hard or worry that something will look off or unblended.
In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) for all the products.
IT Cosmetics Do It All Sheer Tint Face Balm in 120 – I’ve been reaching for this a lot lately because it’s just so easy to throw on, and my skin looks really nice when I wear it. When I don’t have time to work with a more traditional foundation + concealer situation, this gives super pretty sheer, skin-like coverage like a tinted moisturizer but even easier to work with. It blends really quickly and easily and doesn’t need to be powdered. Shade 120 works well enough on me for fast makeup since it’s not too orange or pink that I need to fix it. This is exactly the kind of base product I want when I need to look pulled together without spending a lot of time on my face.
Glossier Cloud Paint Gel Cream Bronzer in Swept – I honestly forgot I had this, and pulling it back out reminded me why I liked it so much. Swept is such a good quick summer bronzer shade for me because it adds warmth and bronze without going too orange or being too gray or contour-y. It’s actually quite rosy on me. The gel formula blends out quickly, looks natural, and doesn’t take much effort at all, which is exactly what I want when I’m trying to pull together a look quickly.
Victoria Beckham Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick in Pecan – This is one of my favorite one and done eye products. I can swipe it on, blend it out quickly with my fingers, and it actually stays all day exactly where I put it. Pecan is a really good brown that stays brown on me, with a tiny hint of green that works really well with my olive undertone. It has warmth, but not in a Cheeto way, and I can wear it alone or tap a shimmer on top if I want it to look like I did more.
Merit Flush Balm in Postmodern – Postmodern is described as a pink brown but on me, it’s an easy red cheek shade that makes it looks like I did way more with my makeup than I actually did. It’s a bright enough red that it’s a “cheek look” and still actually works with my olive undertone instead of fighting it. It also has enough blue and pink in it that it stays fresh and natural instead of turning orange or tomato-y. I love the Flush Balm formula because it’s so easy to swipe on and blend, and it gives a hydrated cheek look without getting overly dewy. I also love that this works well as a lip product, and I can get a really put together look in about 10 seconds.
Merit Signature Lip Liner in Bauhaus – I already have this liner in Brownstone, and it’s one of my favorite lip liners, so I knew already that I loved this formula. I’m so excited to have another color in the range. Bauhaus is a deep cool plum, and I truly can’t imagine it going orange on anyone. It’s purple, but in a lip contouring way that I can blur it out and make my lips look fuller and more defined without it looking harsh. It works especially well with Postmodern because it adds a layer of cooler depth and keeps the red cheek/red lip look from feeling one dimension. Unsurprisingly, Merit also knows these go super well together and you can get them in the Cool Plums trio that also comes with the Shade Slick in Tabby.
Caliray Lipguard SPF 31 Hydrating Gloss Balm in Big Sur – This is the SPF lip product I’ve been keeping in my pocket now that it’s sunnier out and using as my finishing step (especially because my office has a giant window). Big Sur is such a pretty rosy brown-pink with a little warmth that doesn’t go Cheeto orange. Because it’s sheer and glossy, it just adds a light rosy tint. It feels moisturizing, lasts pretty well for a glossy balm, and isn’t overwhelmingly sticky. It doesn’t taste amazing but it’s way better than every other SPF lip product I’ve tried so far.
*For those of you who saw the Substack note I posted with this actual look and want to know what mascara I was wearing, I can share soon but it’s pretty great.
What products should I test next? As always, some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
A lot of affordable makeup is pretty fantastic, and I don’t spend enough time talking about it. So for May, I’m dedicating the entire month to posts about products under $20. I actually have more under $20 Yesstyle post planned that might land in June – let me know if you still want to see it in May or you’re ready for other things!
There are so many Asian beauty lip products I love that this could easily become several posts. I’ve tried a ridiculous number of tints, stains, glosses, balms, lipsticks, and blurred matte lip products at this point, but I made myself narrow this down to the under $20 lip products from YesStyle I actually reach for all the time and would repurchase first. Almost all of these are stains because they’re just so good, but I did include one everyday glossy balm. If I’m missing one of your favorites, tell me in the comments so I can try it next!
In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) for all the products.
JOOCYEE Long-Lasting Glossy Rouge in Diamond Sea and Naked Tea – This formula is such an easy, moisturizing, nourishing balm that I can apply without thinking. My lips always look and feel so much better when I use these. I was honestly pleasantly surprised how much I love this formula. Diamond Sea is the shade I reach for constantly. It’s a perfect everyday cool-toned mauvey pink that has a little sparkle without being chunky or grainy. Naked Tea is warmer than I wanted it to be. I thought it would be more neutral, but on me it pulls a little orange. It’s still wearable, especially if I use one of my lip mixers underneath, but it’s not the shade I’d tell you to buy first. If I were picking one, I’d get Diamond Sea.
Judydoll Ice Watery Lip Gloss-Gen 2 in 06, 11, and 18 – I love this formula so much. It’s glossy and moisturizing when it goes on and feels so nice for hours. This is actually the product I chose to put on after retesting a bunch of these because it’s really just so good. It also leaves a real stain behind that actually lasts. The stain also matches the color of the gloss and doesn’t turn orange or pink or another color I’m not expecting.
11 is the easiest everyday shade for me. It’s that perfect “my lips but better” cool-toned, slightly mauve lip that I can throw on without thinking (I’m sure you’re seeing a pattern). 18 is the brown I’d recommend first if you want an actual brown that doesn’t turn orange. It has a little bit of yellow in it in a way that works really well with my undertones, but it still stays brown instead of going Cheeto. 06 is annoyingly warm. In the listing, it looked like a perfect terracotta red, which is exactly the kind of warm shade I actually can get away with sometimes. On me, this goes pumpkin orange.
rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint in 39 Odd Grape, plus minis in 10 Avocado, 12 Odd Mulberry, and 13 Black Berry – I’ve used rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tints on and off for years, so this is a formula I already knew I loved. It’s glossy, comfortable, easy to wear, and it leaves enough of a stain behind that it doesn’t feel pointless once the shine wears off. Like the Judydoll glosses, these stain the color you hope for (mauve, green, purple, and black respectively) instead of turning bright pink or orange for no reason. I’ve tested these on my lips, hands, and arms just to make super sure, and they all stain true to tone, which makes them especially useful for mixing.
Odd Grape is the one I bought to actually wear all the time, and I do. It’s a muted, dusty, rosy pink, which is basically the exact color I’m always trying to find in both lip products and blush. I also picked up the minis in Avocado, Black Berry, and Odd Mulberry, mostly to use as mixers. Avocado tones down lip products that are too red or that aren’t showing up well because my natural lip pigment is too red. Black Berry deepens products that are too pale or too chalky. Odd Mulberry helps when something is too orange but I don’t want to fully neutralize it with blue, so the purple tones down the yellow while leaving some of the red. The minis are $8 each, and you can usually find them on sale, which makes them worth it to me for mixing.
ETUDE Fixing Tint in 14 Rose Lilac and 15 Woody Pink – This is my favorite formula in the blurred matte lipstick/lip tint category that I’ve tried so far. I’ve tested a ridiculous number of soft matte, lip blush, blurred lip products at this point, and these are the ones I keep coming back to. You can tap on a little for a soft hint of color or build it up more, and either way it stays comfortable, looks smooth, and never gets dry or crusty. Woody Pink is a dusty rosy neutral that works really well with the mauvey beige looks I wear all the time. Rose Lilac is deeper and moodier, more of a jammy berry-plum, and it pairs especially well with berry-toned blush. Woody Pink fades into a really pretty light pink stain, while Rose Lilac leaves more of a berry tint. And the stain lasts like all the other tints/stains in this post.
fwee Rose Obsession Stay-Fit Lip Tint in MC03 Dusty Rose – I talked about a couple of fwee lip products in my last post about under $20 Ulta and Sephora products, but you can’t get this one at Ulta. As far as I can tell, this is one of the fwee products you have to get somewhere like YesStyle, and I’m glad I did because it’s a great formula. Even though the ETUDE is still my favorite, this is a close runner up. This is blurring and matte, but not too matte. It still has a little bit of a satin finish, so it doesn’t give me that flat, dry, powdery lip look. It feels comfortable and moisturizing, and although it’s not as nourishing as some of these other products, it doesn’t dry out my already dry lips or make them look worse. Dusty Rose is a great everyday mauve on me, although I like the tones of the Etude more. The Etude stains also last way longer (like they were still on my arm the next day longer), so if you’re looking for something that doesn’t stain as strongly, the Fwee is a great choice.
What lip products should I test next? As always, some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
A lot of affordable makeup is pretty fantastic, and I don’t spend enough time talking about it. So for May, I’m dedicating the entire month to posts about products under $20. I’ve tested a lot of $10–$20 beauty products from Sephora and Ulta, so I’m doing this as a tier list of the 22 I products I thought would be the most useful to review. I have four categories. Can’t live without means I would actually miss it if it disappeared from my routine and would rebuy it right away if I lost it/ran out. Routine staples means I use it all the time and would absolutely recommend it, even if it is not the first thing I’d replace. Good, but not essential means it works, but I either own things I like more or just don’t reach for it enough. And skip these means I wouldn’t buy it again, and I’m not sure you should buy it either. I decided not to include products that are only under $20 just by nature of them being mini sizes because that felt like cheating. Please leave a comment if I missed one of your $10-$20 Sephulta favorites!
In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) for all the products.
Can’t live without
about-face Beach Freak Bronzer Stick in Beach Goth – I’ve talked about this one before, but months later, it is still the under $20 product I would put at the very top of the tier list. The texture is sheer and gel-like, almost like the Makeup By Mario Skin Enhancer, so it blends fast and seamlessly. Beach Goth is also a fantastic color that actually bronzes without turning orange on my olive skin. I use this more than my more expensive bronzer sticks, and it’s also my go to for travel/care makeup because it’s just so easy to work with.
L.A. Girl On Cloud 9 Bouncy Blush & Bronzer in Misty Mauve – I’m sneaking this into the under $20 post even though it’s technically under $10, because I bought it too late for my under $10 Ulta post, and I’ve been using it every day. This is one of those blurring cream-to-powder formulas that feels the same as Rare Beauty, Sarah Creal, Moira Beauty, etc. As always, this is my favorite kind of formula for cheek products because it’s so easy to use, blends fast, and blurs without looking too dry. That all said, the bronzer is the reason I really need to tell y’all about this. Misty Mauve’s bronzer is the first affordable powder bronzer I’ve found that doesn’t go too orange on me or really very orange at all. I can see myself keeping this long term and traveling with it, which hasn’t happened with the other affordable bronzers I’ve tried. The blush side is also a pretty pinky peach and works well with the bronzer, but for my own preferences I would have rather had more mauve or purple blush. For a quick face though, this duo is great, and especially for $8, I’d totally get this just for the bronzer half.
Morphe Cheek Thrills Multi-Finish Face Trio in Honeymoon Suite – This is something I keep reaching for more than I expected. It has, as Morphe describes it, a satin cream, luminous balm, and velvet powder. Basically a cream blush, a sparkly balm blush, and a powder blush that has a satin finish, although you can also use the products for other things like eyeshadow. The formula is super easy to work with, especially when I’m trying to throw something together fast, and never gets patchy or skippy. Honeymoon Suite is a cool toned mauve color story that looks really at home on my olive skin, and I use this all the time when I don’t know what will look right since this always does.
fwee Mellow Dual Blush in MV01 No More Cupid and RS01 Rosy Talk– This is the other under $20 blush that surprised me the most. The larger pan is a softer base shade, and the smaller pan is a brighter point blush that adds depth and dimension. Together, they give me a super pretty ombré blush effect that blends smoothly into bronzer, concealer, and highlighter. I’ve been using these constantly, enough that I actually bought a second one even though I obviously don’t need any more blush. No More Cupid is the one I got first. It’s a soft mauve that gives me an easy, blurred, almost beige blush look. Rosy Talk is the one I bought next knowing it would warm up on me. It’s described more like a rosy pink/rose shade, but on my olive skin, I knew it would become more sunkissed and bronzy, which I’m loving for the warmer weather. Having both No More Cupid and Rosy Talk gives me a lot of flexibility, and the formula is easy, blendable, and softly blurring in the way I expect from fwee.
Milani Make It Last Dewy Setting Spray – This already won my setting spray showdown, and I still love it. It’s still the setting spray I use to finish my makeup every day (until I run out of it, and then I’m going to work through my giant setting spray stash). The finish is hydrated and glowy, but it still helps my makeup last all day. In my testing, my blush and bronzer held up better with this than with some much more expensive sprays, which is exactly why it ended up becoming a permanent part of my routine. The sprayer/packaging doesn’t feel luxurious, but for the price and the performance, I can live with it.
NYX Professional Makeup Lip IV Hydrating Gloss Stain in Petal Pourin, Grape Gushin, Hydra Honey, and Mocha Me Wet – I have dozens of lip products, and because I buy so much K-beauty, J-beauty, and C-beauty, my lip stain standards are very high. I was shocked by how much I liked these. The formula feels hydrating, looks glossy and fresh when you first put it on, and then the stain actually lasts a very long time. These are especially good when I know I’m putting makeup on in the morning (read: 6am) and not touching it again (until I wash my makeup off hopefully around 10pm). Petal Pourin is a pretty neutral pink that does not go orange on me. Grape Gushin is the dark berry shade I wanted from this formula, and I love a dark berry with my high contrast and olive skin. Hydra Honey and Mocha Me Wet are my bronzy rosy-brown shades: Hydra Honey is lighter, Mocha Me Wet is deeper, and neither turns into Cheeto orange. I wear them all the time, and the price still shocks me.
SEPHORA COLLECTION Blur It Loose Setting Powder in 01 Brightening Pink and 04 Brightening Lilac – I am currently testing 25 different powders because I want powders that work for dry skin but still set, blur, and do all the things you want a good powder to do. As part of this project, I’m testing a bunch of pink, purple, blue, and green powders. The formula of the Sephora Collection powder really reminds me of some of the more expensive powders I’m testing. It’s smoothing and blurring, but not immediately dry-looking.Brightening Lilac is the one I use when blush pulls too orange or yellow, and I want to tone it down without losing the blushiness. Blue powder can neutralize orange into beige, but lilac helps pull out the rosy pink/lavender tones instead. Brightening Pink is the one I use under my eyes. It brightens without being too dark, too contrasty, or too pigmented. These are not can’t-live-without only because I have this giant pile of powders next to me, and there are a few I reach for more. If I wasn’t testing 25 powders at once, I would use these constantly.
Morphe ChromaPlus 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette in Outer Spice – I have been so pleasantly surprised by this palette. I own a lot of eyeshadow palettes, and this is still one I keep reaching for because the formula is so easy to use and blend with a finger or brush and has very little fallout. For my undertones, I don’t really use it to make one full palette look because the color story doesn’t totally come together that way for me. I do use several of the shades as one and done shadows all the time.
Cinnamon Twist is the shade I use the most. It’s a glittery bright pink that’s super shiny but not overly glittery. Sweet Talker is more of a metallic warm pink, and I love it alone or layered under Cinnamon Twist, even though it has a little bit of the orange edge I often get with my olive undertones. Dash of Cocoa is probably the most fun shade in the palette. It’s a matte neutral brown with sparkles (I know they’re hard to see in the swatches). It gives a blurred but sparkly effect that’s so pretty all over the lid but still works as an outer corner shade. Sugar & Spice is a very light lilac matte that I mostly use for blending. The other two I use less – Ginger Snapped is a pretty but orange matte that I only use for a specific summery bronzy look, and Gold Flavor is a warm gold that isn’t my favorite, but the pink flecks it has makes it more wearable for me.
The reason this is not in the top tier is that I really tend to only use four of the six shades. I don’t usually recommend buying a six-pan palette if only four shades work, but it’s affordable, I’m never going to hit pan anyway, and I’m really happy I bought it.
SACHEU Lip Glaze Elixir in Chai Macaron and Tanghulu Candy – I absolutely love this formula. It’s lightweight, not sticky, moisturizing, and makes my lips look hydrated without being a super glossy lip. Chai Macaron looks warmer in the swatch than it does on my lips. On me, it’s a perfect everyday “my lips but better” neutral brown that I can throw on without thinking. Tanghulu Candy is a sparkly, glittery gloss that I like putting on top of other lip products, or wearing when I just need my lips to look better quickly. It’s a more visible multicolored glitter than a subtle shimmer, so if you want something super refined and elegant, I probably wouldn’t get this one. These are routine staples because I use them all the time and would absolutely buy them again. They just didn’t blow me away the way the NYX Lip IV stains did, and there are a lot of great affordable glosses.
NYX Professional Makeup Lingerie Lip Liner Stain in Up To No Good – This is a really nice lip liner stain. On me, it creates the kind of defined lip line I can wear under other lip products, or even just with clear gloss, and it still looks pretty natural. I like that I can draw it on exactly where I want it, blur it a little, and then it really does stain and last all day. This makes me particularly happy because I’m really terrible with the peel-off lip liner stains. I totally get why people like those, but I’m so bad at using them and always end up with something super patchy and just not quite right. Up To No Good is a fantastic cool toned brown that doesn’t go orange and works with almost every lip product I use. This stain in routine staples because when I want a lip liner that is really going to last all day, this is the one I grab, but I still prefer classic lip liners for every day.
Laka Fruity Glam Tint in Ash Nut, 123 and 130 – I originally bought Ash Nut because it looked like it was going to be such a cool, interesting, and nuanced shade, and then I tried it on, and it just turned orange. Not even orange in the warm, bronzy, summer shade way that sometimes I’m going for. Orange in the really annoying “why did you do this to me?” way. If you are olive and looking for that cool, nuanced brown we are all always trying to find, I would not recommend Ash Nut. The reason this is still in routine staples is that I honestly really liked the formula. It feels hydrating and nourishing, it’s easy to use, the stain lasts, and I love how it wears down. So I went to YesStyle, found the Laka minis, and tried a few more shades. I absolutely love shades 123 and 130, which are beautiful berry shades that look fantastic on me. I love them enough that I might actually finish them.
Good, but not essential
Experiment Softwear Lip Treatment in Void and Clear – I really love Experiment skincare, and I do like the Softwear Lip Treatment. I really wanted to try Void for the color, and I can confirm it’s a perfect cool-toned brown that does not go orange on me. It’s actually a little blackened brown plum, and I absolutely love this color, especially since something like this is so hard to find. It wears well and feels nourishing, just like the clear one, which I also have and really like. The reason these are in this section is that I only have one mouth and way, way too many lip balms. I personally like EADEM, Ole Henriksen, and a few newer K-beauty balms more, so I just don’t reach for Softwear as much. I would still absolutely recommend this if you want a nourishing cool brown balm under $20.
Unleashia Sunset Dazzle Gloss Balm in No. 5 Amalfi – This is another one where I really like the formula, but the shade is the reason it really stands out. Amalfi is an actual deep rosy brown that does not go Cheeto orange on me. A warm rosy brown can go wrong on my olive skin so quickly, and this one stays so pretty and wearable. The formula is really good, the packaging is great, and if you’ve been hunting for this kind of shade but don’t want to spend around $25 on a lip balm, I think this is a great option. It’s not an amazing breakthrough formula, but I’m happy I bought it and I would buy it again.
fwee Smoothie Tinted Lip Balm in GC03 Plum Mocha Glowy and BC03 Acai Blueberry Blur – I like these, but I don’t reach for them as much as I expected to. Plum Mocha Glowy is a sheer brownie-berry with a little purple, which sounds like exactly my kind of shade, and it’s really pretty. I just forget about it because the formula is so just okay. Acai Blueberry Blur is the one I’d recommend if you really want to try one of the fwee balms. I expected Blueberry Blur to be more purple, but on me it’s more of a pinky red, and it might actually be one of the better red (one me) lip products I own. The blurring formula is nice, it has more pigment than I expected, and it leaves a little bit of a stain. Even though I really like the blurring balm, and there’s nothing wrong with the glowy balm, these stay in good-not-essential because they are definitely not a run, don’t walk, type of product in the sea of lip products.
SEPHORA COLLECTION Cloud Blurred Matte Lipstick in 01 Cloud Whisperer and 04 Blown Kiss – If you want to try the blurred matte lipstick trend without spending almost $30 on something like the Merit Lip Blush, these are a really good option. The formula is blurring, sheer without being too sheer, and builds up nicely. 01 Cloud Whisperer is the shade I like most. It’s an actual pinky mauve, and in a vacuum, it would absolutely be my everyday blurred matte lip product. 04 Blown Kiss is more of a bricky red that I think will be so pretty in summer. There is nothing wrong with these, and I really like them and would recommend them. But I have so many options for blurred lip products (especially Asian beauty ones), and they honestly don’t come to mind as products I really want to reach for constantly.
about-face Shadow Fix Eye Primer, Smokestick in Stoke The Flames, and Fractal Glitter Eye Paints in Fracture and Smolder– I love about-face, but the eye products I’ve tried have been hit or miss. The one I’d skip is the Shadow Fix Eye Primer. It’s fine, but it didn’t replace my more expensive eyeshadow primers, it’s not that much cheaper at $15, and honestly, I’d rather use concealer at that point depending on what I’m doing. I don’t think it’s bad, but unless it’s super on sale and you’re already building a cart, I don’t think this is the about-face product I’d tell you to try.
The Smokestick in Stoke The Flames is the opposite problem. The formula is great, but the shade is totally wrong on me. I wanted something bricky, terracotta-y, and brown, but on me this is way too warm, which is why I test these things so you don’t have to. I would absolutely try another shade, because the stick side is easy to use and blurring, and I like the concept of having the powder shadow on the other end. The powder shadow is also blurring and super easy tow work with. On my eyes, this shows up closer to the second set of swatches below.
The Fractal Glitter Eye Paints I have mixed feelings about. I love the colors. Fracture is a perfect brown that doesn’t go too orange on me, and Smolder is a really pretty warm pink. But the wear depends a lot on your eyelids and your day. If you have dry eyelids and you’re mostly sitting at a desk, I think these are lovely. If you have oily eyelids, live somewhere humid, or need your makeup to survive a long sweaty day, I wouldn’t recommend them. My oily-eyelid friend tested these and they didn’t last well even after a couple hours, and I had the same issue when I wore them on a hot, active day. I still think about-face makes the best affordable liquid eyeshadows I’ve tried, and the Matte Fluid Eye Paints are really fantastic. I’m just starting to think shimmery liquid eyeshadow might be a category where I’d rather splurge.
Skip these
SACHEU Eyeshadow STAY-N in 02 Espress Yo Self and 04 Shu-ggah – Speaking of affordable liquid shadows, I tried two of these: 02 Espress Yo Self, which is the matte formula, and 04 Shu-ggah, which is the metallic/shimmery formula. Espress Yo Self is patchy when you first apply it, and when I start blending it out, it gets even worse. It feels a little too watery, dries down unevenly, and just does not look good on the eyes. Shu-ggah is even more frustrating because the color is pretty, but the formula is so liquidy, patchy, and streaky. If I try to add more after putting it down, it lifts up on itself. Maybe I got bad batches, but I wouldn’t recommend these.
Maybelline Shadow Drip Eye Tint Liquid Eye Shadow in Amethyst Drip – This one makes me mad because it is so pretty. It has a cool-toned brown base with reflective pink, blue, and lots of purple glitter. It’s shiny and sparkly and exactly the kind of shade I love. It doesn’t last at all. It creases and disappears quickly, even on me, and I have drier eyelids where most things stay pretty well. You can see it already started to basically disintegrate on my arm while I was swatching. I could maybe see using it as a fun topper, but even then, I don’t think it’s worth it. You could get a similar effect from a cream shadow or powder shadow with way fewer issues.
L’Oréal Hyaluron Tint Lip Stain Serum in 217 Smoky Mauve – This goes on really pretty at first, but then it turns orange, and the stain it leaves behind is also orange. Not a softened berry stain, not a pretty mauve stain, just orange. The formula also isn’t special enough for me to hunt down another shade. It’s a bit more drying than I wanted, and there are so many good affordable lip stains out there now that I don’t feel like I need to force this one.
SEPHORA COLLECTION Cheek & Lip Long-Lasting Gel Tint in 03 Berry Burst – This was sticky, drying, patchy, and looked terrible. I tried it on both lips and cheeks, and I could not get it to work well either way. There are so many better options for this kind of cheek-and-lip tint that I don’t think this one is worth fighting with. If you love this one, please let me know because maybe I got a bad batch, and I’d happily test it again if that’s the case.
What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog and some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
Thank you to my friend for suggesting looking into the brand Moira! It’s now been on my list for a while because the prices are great and the product range is huge. But I wanted to know if the products were actually good. I tested bronzers, blushes, eyeshadows, and lip products to see what’s worth picking up and what’s not. I also have really liked buying Moira products from HB Beauty Bar because they seem to always be having a good sale on already affordable products, and I can grab things from other brands at the same time (not sponsored, I just really like shopping there for certain brands). In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) based on your feedback for all the products.
Moira Stay Golden Cream Bronzer & Contour in 250N – This doesn’t turn orange at all, which already puts it ahead of a lot of cream bronzers for me. I definitely would not use it as contour, but as a bronzer, it’s really great. It reminds me of the “contour” shades from other brands that I end up using as bronzer because they’re neutral enough to work on olive skin. The formula is smooth, blurring, and easy to blend, but it sets super quickly, so I’d work in small sections. Once it sets, it really stays put and stays all down. Because of that, it can get a little patchy if you don’t move fast enough when you’re blending. I’m especially excited to use this in the summer when my skin eats and then sweats off cream products because it’ll stick around all day.
Moira Signature Bronzer in 001 Sunkissed Honey – This is very much a sunkissed bronzer as the name suggests, and on me, that means it turns very orange. I’ve actually ended up using it a bunch even though the color isn’t great because I just really like the way it applies. The formula is honestly great. It’s super smooth, easy to blend, and easy to build up. Compared to the cream bronzer, though, you can really see how much warmer this is. The glitter overspray also isn’t my favorite but not a big deal. Of all the affordable powder bronzers, this one is my favorite, but I think I’m going to be trying for warmer contour powders from now on.
Moira Loveheat Cream Blush in 014 I Desire You – This has a very similar formula to the cream bronzer. It’s easy to pick up, easy to blend, and not too pigmented, but not too sheer. The shade is exactly the kind of bright spring pink I like. It’s cool-toned, a little purple-lilac, and it brightens my whole face without turning warm or peachy. Like the bronzer, it dries down quickly and sets. If you want a dewy cream blush, this is not that, but if you want something that looks nice on the skin and lasts, it’s a really good option. It’s basically the Tower 28 cream blushes if they set down to a matte satin finish instead of staying dewy.
Moira Love Blur Blush in 003 Amore, 008 Sweet Whisper, 012 So Divine, and 006 Blush Kiss – I really like this formula. It’s another cream to powder, soft-focus blurring blush that if you’ve been reading, you know I’m obsessed with (and I don’t use that word lightly). Like all the best cream to powder blurring blushes, these feel super smooth, blend easily, blur the skin, and don’t look heavy or textured. They’re listed as all matte shades, but I swear most of these are slightly shimmery, which I actually really love. There’s no visible glitter but it just makes my skin look really nice.
That all said, the colors are more hit or miss than the formula. 003 Amore is a pale peachy pink with a little shimmer. Based on the swatches and online images, I thought this was going to be a cool toned baby pink, but it’s definitely peachy. 008 Sweet Whisper was an even bigger disappointment because I thought it would be a mauvey red-brown terracotta, but on me it’s just orange. 012 So Divine is a perfect cool purple that turns a little pink on me and looks super at home on my skin. This is also the only one of these four that’s truly matte. 006 Blush Kiss is one I’ve used way more than I expected. It’s a bright warm pink that actually works really well and wakes up my face. I’ve loved So Divine in the cooler months and have really started using Blush Kiss more as it gets warmer.
The product images of these shades for reference
Moira Chroma Light Shadow in 002 Tempting, 005 Sugar Crush, and 013 Renegade – These are the standout product from Moira for me. If I had to pick one “run, don’t walk” product from everything I tried, it would be these. They apply well with a finger or a brush, they’re smooth, they layer easily, and they last all day on me. They’re sparkly without being chunky glitter, and I don’t get fallout. 002 Tempting is my perfect spring pinky shade that I can wear alone or as a topper to add more pink to an eye look, which I do often. 005 Sugar Crush is my everyday warm brown sparkly shade that reminds me of Urban Decay Space Cowboy and Coulourpop Ritz (yes, it’s a little orange learning, and I have a post coming up on why orange and warmth on purpose is okay even as an olive). 013 Renegade is a fun purple-pink-burgundy shifty shade that reminds me of some of the Half Magic singles I love. I’m really so happy with these, and I use them more than my much more expensive eyeshadows. Let me know if you’re interested in other shades because I will absolutely grab more to test.
Moira Supernova Glitz Shadow in 003 Starbloom – I’m a little torn on this one. From farther away, this looked surprisingly similar to Clionadh Forge. Up close, though, it looked way patchier, drier, and less smooth. It’s also way less pigmented and took a lot more building up. In the swatches, it’s 3 swatches of the Moira and one of the Clionadh. I asked my husband to choose between them on the eyes, and he immediately said that the Clionadh shadow looked way better without knowing which was which. It’s still not awful, but since it’s not actually that much less expensive than Clionadh shadows (some of their multichromes are almost $18 but some are under $10), I’d rather invest there. If you’re already placing a Moira order and want to try an accessible multichrome, these are really fun. But I also have it on good authority that Wet n Wild’s new Chameleon Chrome Collection is pretty fantastic, and the powder singles are $6.99.
Moira Angel Satin Lipstick in 003 Soft Wing – I was so excited about this shade because I love the idea of an affordable cool-toned mauve lipstick. If I sheer it out, the color is actually really pretty but the formula is just not one I can work with. It settles into lip lines, makes my lips look drier than they are, and feels super uncomfortably waxy. After about a minute of having this on, my lips felt awful. Of all the products I tried, this is the only one that I’d not recommend even trying with an order.
Moira Velvet Air Lip Tint in 005 Mauve Moment – This is the Moira lip formula I’d actually recommend. After trying the Angel Satin Lipstick, this felt immediately better. It’s smoothing, super comfortable, and made my lips look so much better even though it’s matte. It has that soft blurred tint finish, but it doesn’t grab every line or make my lips feel awful. I also really like the shade. It’s a wearable bricky terracotta on me that works pretty well, though I do wish it was an actual mauve color.
As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog and some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
A lot of affordable makeup is pretty fantastic, and I don’t spend enough time talking about it. So for May, I’m dedicating the entire month to posts about products under $20. I originally planned to do one big YesStyle blush roundup, but there were way too many good affordable blushes to fit into one post. So after starting with the powder blushes, I’m back with the cream, cushion, and liquid blushes as promised. I did order a few more blushes based on your recommendations so far, so there will be another YesStyle under $20 blush follow-up later. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.
Swatches are in the same order from left to right as the order of blushes are reviewed in the post. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) based on your feedback – thank you!
Joocyee Glazed Multi-Purpose Stick in G402 Wheat Nude – This is one of my favorite blushes from this whole YesStyle haul. G402 is a rosy brown that actually stays rosy-brown on me instead of turning orange, and it’s one of those colors that immediately looks at home on my skin. The formula is creamy, easy to blend, and makes my skin look hydrated without looking greasy. I also like it as a lip product, so it’s very easy for a soft monochromatic look. My only complaint is the packaging, which is chunkier than I want it to be, especially because this is exactly the kind of product I’d otherwise travel with all the time. *Out of stock at YesStyle, but I did find it in stock at Stylevana.
Gege Bear Air Cushion Blusher in 303 – This might be the most perfect blush color I’ve ever found. It’s my ideal everyday beige-mauve, and it looks so good every time I put it on. I do have to build it up a little, but I don’t mind that because the cushion format makes it so easy and hard to overdo. I use this all the time, especially paired with the NAMING powder blush from my last post. I’ve used the included puff, brushes, and fingers to apply it and never have any issues. The packaging is cute, but it does feel a little like a kid’s toy. If luxury packaging matters to you, this may annoy you, but at this price (under $5), I don’t care, and I would absolutely repurchase it.
TFIT Fluffy Velvet Cushion Blush in B01 Charming Berry – This one did not work for me at all. I don’t know if mine arrived dried out or if the formula is just this low pigment, but I cannot get it to show up on my face at all. I can get a little pigment if I really press into it for a finger swatch, but on my cheeks, it basically disappears. It also doesn’t pick up well with the puff, a brush, or my fingers, so it feels harder than it needs to be. If you are very fair and want an extremely pale cushion blush, maybe this is for you, but there’s so many amazing blushes out there. If you have this and love it, please comment and let me know if mine is just a bad batch! *This is actually over $20 when it’s not on sale, but I had to include it because it was my only product that didn’t end up working for me.
TFIT cushion vs Gege Bear – you can see the Gege is an actual cushion product
Bbi@ Ready to Wear Downy Cheek in Downy Taro – I love this formula so much that I already have another shade in my cart. Downy Taro is a brighter cool-toned pink that actually stays cool on me, and it brightens up my face so well. The formula is so easy to work with and makes my skin look dewy and hydrated. It’s also tiny and compact, so it’s one of the easiest blushes here to travel with. I especially like tapping it over a look that has gotten a little too powdery because it brings the skin texture back in a really pretty way.
A’pieu Juicy-Pang Jelly Blusher in PK01 and BE02 – PK01 is definitely the shade I should’ve gone with. It’s a neutral rose with a little warmth, but it doesn’t go orange on me. It has a slightly red-leaning quality in a good way, and it feels like a perfect, easy summer blush color on me. BE02 is a tangerine-orange shade, and it absolutely reads orange on my skin. It was recommended as an orange that an olive can actually wear, and I don’t totally regret having it because it does work for a fun, intentionally orange look since it isn’t super Cheeto bright once it’s blended out. This is one of the only blushes I own that I can use for that kind of look. The formula is easy to blend, blurring, and definitely more of a cream-powder hybrid than a dewy cream blush, which is one of my favorite blush formulas. The packaging is small and travel-friendly too.
Before we get into the liquid blushes, I’m not usually a liquid blush person. Before trying these, the only liquid blush I consistently used was the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flushes. Otherwise, I almost always reach for a cream, cushion, or cream-powder blush. These really surprised me. They’re easy to blend, easy to layer, and I’ve been using them a lot either as a first blush layer or on their own when I want something quick and fresh. Swatches are in the same order from left to right as the order of blushes are reviewed in the post. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) based on your feedback – thank you!
Peripera Syrupy Tok Cheek in 03 Friendship Mauve – This is the liquid blush I use the most. Friendship Mauve is mauve in theory, but on my face, it turns into a soft, springy pink that brightens up my face. The formula blends out beautifully and stays dewy without being sticky. I also love that I can build it up without it getting patchy, so if I want more color, I can just tap on another layer, and it still looks good. My only complaint is the packaging. It has one of those little buttons at the bottom that you have to press, which can be frustrating if you have any kind of mobility issues.
House of Hur Moist Ampoule Blusher in Rose Brown and Berry Purple – I have two shades of this because I liked the first one enough to buy another. Rose Brown is a rosy brown that doesn’t go bright orange on me, though it’s definitely a little warm. Berry Purple is a brown-berry color that looks very at home on my skin. These are more of a watercolor wash than the Peripera, so I don’t always wear them alone, but they’re really pretty when I want something soft and skin-like. The formula blends out well and makes my skin look nice without looking like I’m wearing blush. This is much more of a watercolor, could never put on too much, kind of formula.
nuse Mousse Care Cheek in 05 Crema Mauve – This is such a pretty cool-toned pink. Compared to the Peripera, it’s lighter and brighter, but it still works really well on my olive skin and doesn’t go orange. The formula is more opaque than the House of Hur, so instead of giving that watercolor wash, it looks more like I put on a cream blush. But then it dries down and really stays. Once it sets, it’s pretty matte and blurred, but it still looks really pretty. I like this one so much that I actually already bought two more nuse blushes to test, one in this formula and one in a different nuse liquid formula that one of you swatched that I just had to try.
What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
A lot of affordable makeup is pretty fantastic, and I don’t spend enough time talking about it. So for May, I’m dedicating the entire month to posts about products under $20. I specifically picked 13 YesStyle blushes that looked like they had a real chance of being olive-friendly and were all under $20 to test. I originally planned to put all of them into one big affordable YesStyle blush roundup, but once I started writing, it became very clear that 13 blush reviews in one post was too much. So I’m going to do the powder blushes today, and then this weekend or early next week, I’ll post the liquid, cream, and cushion blushes. I promise there will still be all the other affordable May posts so we’ll just have an extra post. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.
Swatches are in the same order from left to right as the order of blushes are reviewed in the post. I tried two different lighting conditions, and the second photo is truer to the actual colors of the blushes, but I think you can see the formula better in the first. Feedback always welcome!
dasique Blending Mood Cheek in 05 Violet Knit – These are the powder blushes I reach for the most out of these 6. The formula is so smooth and blurring and has what I’d call a skin-finish matte texture. It’s very soft and blurred, but not flat or dry. There’s a pale lilac I use more as a blush topper, a warmer pink that gives a pretty almost peachy pop (although if you’re less green, it’ll probably be just pink), a cooler purple that actually stays purple on me instead of turning pink, and a bright cool pink that is my my perfect everyday brightening blush. My camera kept pulling the warmer pink so much more peach/orange than it looks in real life, but the difference between the warmer pink and cooler purple is much clearer in person. I can use one shade, mix them, or shift the tone depending on the rest of my makeup, and it’s the rare blush quad where I actually use every shade.
NAMING Fluffy Powder Blush in Taro – I’ve talked about this one before in my beige makeup for olive skin post, and it still holds up as one of my favorite beige blushes of all time. The formula is also excellent. It’s smooth, easy to blend, and very hard to mess up. Compared to the dasique quad, this has a little more of a satin finish, but you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference unless you were really looking for it. This is the kind of shade I can wear when I don’t want my blush to compete with the rest of my makeup, but I still want my face to look finished. If I had to pick one single powder blush from this group of 6 to keep, it would probably be this one because the color is so perfect.
Unleashia Dough Dough Waffle Blush in No. 3 Jammy Grape – This is not the blush I’d pick if you want something matte, because it is definitely shimmery. There are no obvious flecks or chunky sparkle on my face, but it’s definitely more of a blushlighter. It’s smooth, glowy, and sheeny in a way that makes my skin look really nice but it’s not matte or blurred. Jammy Grape is a brighter pinky-purple shade, and it gives me more of that spring/summer pop of color. It’s also the most pigmented of this group of blushes here, so I don’t have to build it as much to get it to show up. Even with the extra pigment and sheen, I still find it easy to use because the formula is so smooth and blends out without getting patchy. This is the one I reach for when I want my blush to be brighter, glowier, and more noticeable.
rom&nd Better Than Cheek in C02 Blueberry Chip and N02 Vine Nude– I have both C02 and N02, and you don’t need both unless you’re looking for pale blushes with slightly different undertones (I know at least one of you is, and if you’re reading this, then yes, you specifically do need both). They’re also really hard to see in the swatches with my current skin depth, but I promise they’re very pretty in person. The formula is really nice but texturally, these are a little less smooth and blurring than the dasique and NAMING blushes. They still have that soft, airy, pale powder blush look, but if your main goal is “as blurred and smoothing as possible,” these would not be my first choice. If you are very fair and your biggest issue is blushes looking too pigmented too fast, these are perfect. The tones are so pretty and soft and really easy to build up slowly. I also really like them for blending out another blush or giving that Dior Rosy Glow style blush topper effect. When I first got these, I used them both all the time, especially in winter as a very pale blush.
Judydoll HOT Pretty Blush Powder in 68– This is a really pretty pale cool pink, and it also gives me that Dior Rosy Glow type of effect that’s bright and fresh. The Judydoll formula and the rom&nd formula are almost exactly the same, and I would happily reach for any of them for this type of color. As we’ve moved into spring and warmer weather, I’ve definitely been reaching for this one more than the rom&nd. It works as a topper, but I can also wear it by itself when I want a fun lilac-y pink cheek that still looks like it belongs on my face. Warmer pinks work well on me because I’m a warm olive and I personally like that almost-peachy (not cheeto) look in the warmer months, but if you want to stay in that cool pink/lilac/purple blush family, this is the one I’d pick. *I can’t find this shade on YesStyle right now but it is on Stylevana for about $5.
What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
Makeup and Skincare Reviews 