The retailer Purish was having a birthday sale in July. I didn’t know anything about the Berlin based company until this year when I realized I could get some harder to find indie products on their website. Along with some Danessa Myricks products I plan to review at some point in the future, I bought items from Nabla and LH Cosmetics that I’ve been eying for a long time while in the US, but didn’t want to deal with the shipping costs. I’ll be discussing them in the order that I tried them, rather than grouping by brand. I hope you’ll find these reviews interesting and helpful!
Nabla Close-Up Blurring Blush in Satisfaction
I love Nabla’s Skin Glazing blushes and have long wished for a shade extension. So, even though these new blushes are a matte formula, I felt compelled to try at least one of them. The shade I chose can be iffy as to whether it will work for me or not. The color reminded me of Too Faced’s Cloud Blurring Blush in Velvet Crush, Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, and Sephora’s Duo Matte Blush in English Rose. It might even be similar to MAC’s Gingerly, but I would need to see it again to know for sure. In any case, some of the above work for me all the time or just in winter, so I took the chance. The only one I have with me to compare in swatches is Sephora’s English Rose. I intentionally mixed the two split pan colors together to get as close to Nabla’s Satisfaction as possible. English Rose can look completely different if I use more of the pink within the duo.
If I just use Satisfaction on my bare cheeks, it’s a little ashy looking, especially because it’s a matte formula and I have dry skin. However, when it blends into my foundation, the color warms up further and looks just as I hoped. I like vibrant poppy blushes, but sometimes I like having just a flush of pink. Sometimes, I want light pink cheeks like an anime character. It all depends on my mood! In order to get as much payoff as it looks in the photo below, I had to really pack it on my cheeks. A normal amount is very subtle.
I have no blending issues or longevity issues with this. The part I dislike is actually the smell. It smells like a mix between chalk and chemicals, though not as strongly as the MAC Bronzer issue when those launched last year. I used to smell it only when I first opened the compact and then it would dissipate in the air. I noticed a similar thing with the LH palette that’s being reviewed next. What a strange coincidence! By now though, after many months, I only get a slight whiff of the chemical smell if I put it right up to my nose.
I like the color of this blush, but I have to admit that after comparing it to the Sephora duo, I like Sephora’s more. The Nabla blush is supposed to be blurring, but I don’t find that to be the case. Sephora’s is a soft matte, which is a more flattering finish for my skin type as well. Plus, with English Rose, I can tailor the color to be similar to Satisfaction or more vibrant if I’m in the mood for more of a punch. The times I don’t feel like mixing is when I’m most likely to use this. I don’t foresee myself buying additional shades.
LH Cosmetics Reload Palette
There are elements that I really like about this palette, but I’ll start with the issues first. I love how Flow and Silence look in the pan, but if you keep blending those shades back and forth, they turn much darker. Flow becomes a dark purple and Silence turns dark grey. I even used it as an outer corner deepening/smoking shade in the fourth eye look below. It doesn’t matter whether I use primer or not, it stays the pan color when first placed and patted on (which is how I could get them to look alright in swatches), but the moment I blend, Silence turns grey. It’s not an issue of dirty brushes either. I literally tried it with a brand new brush. Considering I already have Offline to deepen eye looks, and I don’t really have much in the way of mid tone mattes since Flow and Silence don’t count, I’m unable to create the kind of looks I intended without reaching for other palettes. The eyeshadows are still pretty, but more dramatic than anticipated.
Thankfully, I have no issues with the colors of the other mattes. I was also able to use three different bases for the eyeshadows and the performance didn’t change. The shadows are pigmented and require a bit more time to blend than I’ve been used to lately, but the final result is worth the effort. At least, that’s what I thought in the beginning, but I’ve only used this palette one or two more times after my initial rounds of testing were completed.
The shimmers are on the thicker side, but I suspect it’s for adherence purposes. I don’t feel the need to apply them damp to increase intensity on the lids, nor to keep them together. I don’t have any fallout issues with these. I also like that there is a warm toned option with Reset and an option to go with the pinks with Energy. The shimmers pick up easily on a brush, spread and blend nicely, and they don’t have enough slip to them to cause creasing on me.
The color story allows one to take the color scheme in different directions: monochrome pink look, neutral, neutral plus one color, blue-green, warm or cool, etc. It’s just a shame that the variety is lessened by Silence and Flow. I would have loved to put a true olive green in the crease, have Moss on the lid, and deepen it with Offline. I’m not disappointed by the performance, only let down by the shades because this could have been a palette I reached for quite a bit due to the convenience of having colors I love all in one palette. Because I have to pair it with something else, the reality is that I use it less than I’d like.
I also need to mention that these have a bit of a chalky smell. This palette is not cheap (even though I bought it at half price) and the eyeshadows are made in Italy, so I don’t think this was cheap to produce. However, that’s what I associate with this type of smell. I only smell it when I first open the palette and the kickup flies through the air. So, it’s not a big problem, but an aspect I don’t like. Especially when I think about Huda Beauty 9-pan palettes that are a similar size, and cost 29 Euros at full price, compared to the Reload palette that’s 49 Euros at full price. The formulas are completely different, but I like quite a few of Huda’s Obsessions palettes and if both brands had a palette comprising of similar colors, I would choose Huda’s.
Nabla Cupid’s Arrow Longwear Full Colour Stylo in Arrow #12 Khaki and Arrow #13 Mauve
These weren’t on my radar until I saw Angelica Nyqvist using them more frequently in her videos during the summer. Since they were on sale and I realized the colors I wanted would compliment what I was missing from the LH Reload palette, I figured I may as well try them.
For starters, the experience is slightly different depending on whether or not an eyeshadow primer was used underneath everything or not. What is the same for both is that liquid eyeshadow goes on top of the Nabla stylos well when used as an eyeshadow base. When this product is used as an eyeliner, it holds onto the skin very well. It’s budge-resistant and water-resistant. When I first apply it, I try to keep my eyelids closed to allow it to set and try to avoid creasing. It only takes a minute to set on an un-primed eye. In one instance on a primed eye when I had to scratch around my lashes, I placed my thumb near the lid to hold it steady and got transfer on finger. Essentially, the more emollient a primer is, the longer it takes to set. In this instance, it was closer to 10 minutes.
On a primed eye, Khaki essentially looked the same, but Mauve was warmer and leaned pink (as opposed to no base where it looks cooler toned purple-mauve. I can draw the stylos on smoothly to apply them without needing primer, but if I want to blend the edges or smooth it out with a finger, it takes too much product off and I can see my skin discoloration underneath. On a primed eye, it’s easier to draw smoothly, but blending the edge also removes the primer with it and I can see bald patches left behind. So, it’s best if I draw product on, but use a lighter powder to blend out the edges.
On a non-primed eye, applying the Nabla Stylo and adding another powder eyeshadow on top doesn’t result in as much creasing, but over a primed eye it settles in my deepest eye crease. The bottom line is that I prefer to use this product as a creamy easy-to-glide-on eyeliner, and perhaps as an eyeshadow base in areas that I don’t have lines yet, such as the mobile lid. To use this as a standalone eyeshadow is too finicky for me. It’s easier to use a powder or more traditional form of cream and liquid shadows.
LH Infinity Bronzer in Forever
This purchase was made specifically because of Kackie Reviews Beauty. She took my curiosity and tripled it with her gushing about how great it is in multiple videos. With only four options available, I chose the darkest one. The shade Forever has enough depth for me, but will not work on someone with a rich skintone. It’s debatable how well it would suit someone within the deep category. My other concern was whether or not the color would be too warm of an orange, but I was compelled. The stars had aligned and now seemed like the time to get it.
It’s a bit silly, but I will admit that there was something visually drawing me in too. There was some reason I couldn’t stop wanting this product from the moment it launched. It wasn’t until I finally bought it that it clicked. The pattern in the pan is similar to the limited edition version of Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors! In my review, I talked about how I experienced regrets for over a year because Champagne Gold was discontinued, and how I immediately bought it when it popped up on the Hautelook/Nordstrom Rack website.
I don’t think I ever made that review comparing and discussing the situation between Lunar Beauty’s Moon Prism highlighter and the Makeup Revolution highlighter packaging debacle, but this crystal pattern I’m apparently obsessed with is on the outside of both compacts and I bought those back then despite never using the highlighters inside! And now, I believe I have solved the question why my inner makeup goblin couldn’t let the LH bronzer clear out of my mind. I think that experience of FOMO from the Becca days has continued, and now when I see makeup with that pattern I feel like I am missing out if I don’t get it. I’m finally aware of the psychology behind it, so I hope I’ll be better equipped to not let that be a factor in the future! As I’ve got the product now, let’s chat about it!
This bronzer feels very smooth to the touch. It isn’t as buttery as the Westman Atelier one, nor as creamy clay-like as the Glowish bronzer. The closest comparison I have is to the Kaleidos Symphony Contour Trios, which in turn feels like a lighter pressed version of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders. The LH bronzer has medium-buildable pigmentation and lasts all day.
Whether I get a smooth and diffused application or an uneven concentration depends entirely on my brushes. Because the surface of the bronzer has mounds and divots from the pan design, if the brush I choose doesn’t pick up an even layer (or I don’t swirl or sweep it around to coat it evenly), it will stick to my skin unevenly when I apply it and require me to spend a bit of time buffing. I tested a lot of new brushes with this bronzer specifically, so I was able to see that the density of the brush doesn’t matter as much as the even coating. I can use a dense brush for a strong yet blended look, or a fluffier brush to look seamless with the skin. In the photo below, I built up the bronzer so it would be more obvious on camera. It can also be built up to look smoother than I depicted, as I hadn’t learned the brush trick at the time I took the photo.
Because of how warm the color is, it’s harder to be able to tell I’m wearing bronzer, as it blends into my warm colored blushes (as seen in the right photo above).
Even when I use my best bronzer brush with this though, and even though I can get it to look smoother, it’s still doesn’t look as seamless as some of my other bronzer favorites.
This photo was taken a month later in the peak of summer, so I’m a little darker. The bronzer color matches better after having gotten some sun, and I used my best brush with it. A tiny bit of foundation, concealer, and the bronzer are all that’s on my face.
This is described as a luminous bronzer, but it doesn’t have much of a glow. I consider it slightly more radiant than a soft matte bronzer. There aren’t traditional shimmer particles that I can see, just sheen from the mica. It has even less of a sheen than some of my semi-glowy favorites.
To show the undertone compared to other orange bronzers, I have swatches of Kosas, a true luminous bronzer, and Armani’s Luminous Silk Bronzing Powder that has some shimmer particles as well as the mica-like sheen. “Forever” is the darkest option from LH, but Kosas and Armani both have a deeper option in their lines. Just something interesting to note.
I like this bronzer, particularly at the discounted price I paid. However, there are tons of bronzers I like. I estimate this would rank no higher than top 30’s or 40’s among my collection. It’s good, but didn’t quite live up to the hype for me. The sheeny finish isn’t strong enough on my face for me.
Nabla Beyond Jelly Lipstick in Ardor
Among the YouTubers I watch that review Nabla products, this particular formula has always been highly rated. So, getting it at half price was more than enough of a reason for me to buy it!
The lipstick component has a beautiful design with clear elements and black and gold touches that makes me think of timeless elegance. In the hand though, it feels like acrylic plastic, which I haven’t decided if I like or not. The fragrance used is an incredibly strong combination of fruit and florals. It’s pleasant, but also distracting. In the beginning, I didn’t like the fact that I could still smell it on my lips for hours after applying it. Thankfully, the smell goes away over time and is no longer an issue.
Its formula reminds me of the YSL Candy Glazes and Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix. It has a comfortable gel-like consistency that feels moisturizing on the lips and has sheer color that can be built up to medium coverage. Of the three lipsticks I mentioned, the one from Nabla feels the stickiest. It can last through a meal (depending on what someone eats), but it definitely needs a touchup after a second meal. When my lips are in a drier state prior to putting this on, within a few hours (even if I don’t eat) my lips will absorb some of the moisture it provides and I will have to reapply, despite still feeling the presence of the sticky layer on my lips. This has a few ingredients that my lips like, and my lips feel softer even after the lipstick has been removed, and that softness lasts until the next morning. So, this formula is hydrating and moisturizing, but I have balmy lip color products that are more nourishing. The reason I love this product though is for the color and how the jelly texture smooths out any dry or peeled looking skin on my lips. The retail price is 23 Euros, but I’ve seen it for 16-18 Euros on multiple websites for at least half a year. So, it’s a product I’d recommend to anyone who wants a less expensive option for a jelly or melty type of lipstick. In fact, of all the products I’ve reviewed in this post, this one is my favorite.
Nabla Skin Realist Tinted Balm in Shade 6 Dark
I had only seen three reviews for this product since 2021, and it was enough to make me want it, yet not enough to want to buy it without a discount. My reasons for that were the lack of reviews available and I felt very uncertain about the shade options. At the beginning of the post, I mentioned buying all these products during the Birthday Sale, but this one is from the Purish Black Friday sale when it was half off. Considering we’re in winter and I’m at my driest, now seemed like the perfect time to finally try it out!
In the photo above, I have the skin tint on in the left side of the yellow line and the Dior Powder no Powder on the right side with no foundation underneath. For me, I barely see a difference. This “tinted balm” only looks better compared to my bare face, so it doesn’t get any accolades for that. The name of the product implies that it will offer low coverage, but in the world of the Fenty Eaze Drops, Danessa Myricks Serum Foundation, and even Lisa Eldridge Skin Tint, the ones I buy usually have more coverage than I expect. This isn’t a deal-breaker though, considering it has similar coverage to the Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Glow Foundation and I made that one work. My issue is that it fails to deliver on the radiance in multiple ways.
Another look of the Tinted Balm. In this photo, I’m not wearing a highlighter, but I do have on a satin blush.
The Skin Realist isn’t matte, but it doesn’t give me nearly enough glow, even though I leave it unpowdered. This contains hyaluronic acid, which essentially does nothing for me in this region of Germany that isn’t that humid. The only time I get this to look to the glow level I want is if I fully prep my skin beforehand and use a ton of this balm. Then, it looks closer to a natural finish foundation, but it still takes six hours before my skin starts producing oil and looking luminous. Unfortunately, by that point it also starts to look like “end of the night” makeup, even on days when I’ve done nothing strenuous. If I actually do laborious housework or go for a long enough walk to start sweating, it makes everything on my face start to fade and break apart. This really isn’t a longwear product. When I try to counter this by using a setting spray, I lose the benefits of prepping my skin and the most I can get is a soft matte look again. I feel this product requires too much effort for a skin tint (and especially one that touts being a makeup-skincare hybrid product).
On the Nabla side in the picture above, I used at least double the amount of product as the Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Serum Foundation side. Danessa’s product looks more skin-like while still offering more coverage (which is easier to see by looking at both sides of my mouth). Considering I actually have more hyperpigmentation on the “DM” side, Nabla’s should look better, but to me it does not.
I was relieved to discover that this had low transfer despite the “balm” name. It fully dried down on my skin. However, this product just isn’t suited to my preferences in a complexion product. I have several low coverage foundations and skin tints that give me a prettier finish on the skin, fully set, and have better lasting power. I wouldn’t call this bad; it just couldn’t compete with what I already own.
I didn’t have the most success with these newest additions to my collection from Nabla, but I continue to recommend the brand’s Skin Glazing line, lip products, and their face brushes are pretty nice despite being synthetic.
I’ve always been a fan of Fenty’s original Gloss Bomb formula, but I had so many and could never get through finishing any of them. I eventually decluttered them because of how old they were and planned to repurchase a single one to keep in my collection. When I thought about the glossy products that I preferred from several other brands because of the level of nourishment they brought to my lips, I decided not to make that purchase. However, when Fenty released the Gloss Bomb Oil and High-Shine Gloss Stix, I had to see for myself how the newbies measured up to the standard.
Starting with the Gloss Bomb Oil, it does feel exactly like a cosmetic chemist took a Gloss Bomb and mixed in some oil to make it slightly less thick, less sticky, and more emollient. The downside is that this change also made it harder to adhere to my lips, so it absolutely cannot last through a meal and comes off very easily when drinking. They succeeded in making this feel more hydrating than the regular Gloss Bomb, but because it’s not long lasting and I often forget to reapply lip products, I’m without that moisture for longer and then end up with dry lips anyway.
As a makeup product, Coppa Cookie is a bit nostalgic because I remember as a kid borrowing a metallic copper/warm brown lipstick color like this from my sister and loving it. Admittedly, this kind of finish isn’t my style anymore. It’s only coppery-pink when built up to the max, and the color isn’t opaque even then and has a bit of trouble looking evenly spread the same way the Fenty Gloss Bomb Cream formula was like on my lips (but not quite as bad as that). To get the kind of color in the first picture in the trio above, is an amount I would not want to wear regularly because it’s uncomfortably heavy with too much product on the lips anyway. In a normal amount I want to wear, my natural lip color absolutely peeks through underneath and looks like the kind of pigmentation level of a normal Gloss Bomb.
I might have still been tempted to buy a non-metallic shade of this in the future if not for the Gloss Bomb Stix, which is my new favorite!
To me, Fenty finally topped their original Gloss Bombs! For starters, this isn’t quite as sticky and is slightly less thick, yet it adheres just as well! I wouldn’t call it a lightweight product, but it’s tolerable because of how moisturizing it feels with a bit of extra hydration. The color is very even and the product looks smoothing on my lips. I was curious why this one felt the most comfortable and compared the three ingredient lists. All of them have the shea butter my lips like, but this one has sunflower seed oil too, which my lips love! My lips remain soft all day and are in better condition the next day. Ami Cole’s Lip Oil/Gloss Treatment is still more effective as lip care, but I’m still very happy with this formula, especially considering the makeup aspect.
As a lip color product, I love this Spice Cold shade! I bought it because it looked like a pink-brown. In the bullet, I can see it has a little purple tone to it, but on my lips it still ends up pink brown with the tiniest hint of mauve. The brand has a lot more shades with stronger purple tones available for those who actually want that kind of color. I like the tones of the lippies like Fenty Glow and Sorta Selfi$h, but I wanted a gloss stick dark enough that I could wear it without needing a lip liner. The nude shades being so light is the only thing keeping me from buying more, but I expect to see the brand eventually expand the range.
I have to add that this product reminds me a lot of the YSL Candy Glaze. Fenty’s is more pigmented and YSL’s is slightly shinier, but the gel-like feel and moisture level is so similar! Fenty’s is the tiniest bit more hydrating for me and I like the packaging and the scent (though it’s starting to fade a few months in), but YSL’s smells even yummier and the packaging is more luxurious. YSL’s price is easier to absorb when on sale for just a few bucks more than Fenty’s full retail price, but Fenty is at least more affordable (by comparison) all year round. They both have totally different ingredients, but to me, this is a good alternative for someone who doesn’t care about packaging and would like a similar-enough product for less money.
Another product I’ve found that is similar to Fenty’s is the Nabla Beyond Jelly Sheer Lipstick. It has a similar texture, but Nabla’s is even stickier and a little sheerer!
That’s everything for today! I hope to see you next week!
I have previously used Gucci’s foundations, bronzers, blushes, and face powder. Today is the continuation of my exploration of the brand, having added their eyeshadows and powder highlighter to my collection. Prior to these new additions, the standout products for me have been the bronzers and blushes, so I was curious to see if the others could live up to their hype!
I was never attracted to the color stories, layout, pan shape, and packaging for Gucci’s eyeshadow quads in their permanent range, so I was shocked by how drawn I was to this holiday release. I like the red elements on the outer packaging and was enchanted by the Fiery Coral and Royal Bronze shades specifically. The retailer Douglas dropped the price for these by 20% within days of launching, so I was sold!
Pink Glow and Fiery Coral are both considered toppers, but only Pink Glow has a translucent base with iridescent pink shimmer. Fiery Coral has a subtle coral base color with gold shimmer. I can see this when I pack the eyeshadow onto my lid with my finger (4th eye look), but it’s especially visible when I apply it with a damp brush (2nd eye look). Pink Glow is absolutely not a unique color, but it’s useful to have as an inner corner highlighting shade and to pair with Soft Burgundy.
Soft Burgundy is a satin-matte, with a soft creamy texture that looks very smooth around the eyes and pairs well with the pinky-orange coral tones of Fiery Coral. Because Fiery Coral comprises heavily of gold shimmer, it can look very similar to Royal Bronze when Royal Bronze isn’t applied damp. However, I love the pairing the two together anyway, since Fiery Coral gives Royal Bronze a boost of extra sparkle.
These eyeshadows are all thin, but buildable to an extent. Pink Glow is a true topper, so I can’t get an opaque look out of it. Soft Burgundy is dark enough to provide contrast for the other colors, but I don’t consider it a depth creating shade on my complexion. These are some elements that prevent me from being fully in love with this quad, but I still like it a lot.
One of the aspects that can be challenging to use this quad is picking up color. The eyeshadows are firmly pressed into the compact and I get too impatient to build up color with a brush, so I often use my finger for everything, except the inner corner that requires more precision. I also prefer to increase the intensity and opacity by spraying my brush. Going in for second and third dips with the same brush has caused the surface to look a bit off-putting over time, as seen in the photo below.
This pricepoint puts it on par with Guerlain and YSL quads, but in my opinion those brands have a better eyeshadow quality than Gucci. What Gucci has going for it is this color story that is quite bold within the luxury beauty sphere. I applaud them for taking a risk with something so colorful and not leaning on neutrals. This is the most festive launch I’ve seen from a luxury brand this year, and I’m glad to have it, even if I don’t end up getting the most use out of it.
Gucci Glow Highlighter in 03 Warm Gold
It seemed like nearly everyone I watch on YouTube fell in love with this highlighter. I was fully planning to skip getting it because I’d already purchased two other high end highlighters, but Douglas’ 20% off got me again!
My friend and blogger Nikki shared photos with me of the Gucci highlighters, and those are what helped me initially decide not to get them. I even commented that on her page! The discount and all the hype made me forget my reservations about the visible particles, but I wish I remembered because that’s what is keeping me from liking this highlighter. YouTube influencers were hyping up the uncommon gel texture, but being different doesn’t make it automatically better (plus Natasha Denona’s Hy-Gen highlighter is even more unique feeling). It’s beautiful with a wet looking shine, but I don’t like that I can see the individual shimmers. When I watched TrillxLauren‘s video on YouTube, she mentioned with repeated use the highlighter texture looked more like how she tried it in store and had hoped it would perform more to her liking. I too had hope. I hated it the first time I used it, but once I wore off the top layer, I liked it a little more. From then on, I made sure to pick up product from the same spot every time I tried it. The result was it always looking pretty in photos, but I was so torn about how it looked in person.
I’ve tried different brushes and application techniques, but the bottom line is I just can’t get over seeing all the shimmer particles. Perhaps if I had a darker color it would blend more into my skin and then I would love it. This isn’t unheard of since I had a similar experience disliking Gucci’s Bronzer until I got the lighter shade. In this instance, I think Warm Bronze would be too dark and there isn’t anything else more suitable in-between (Opal Pink would look too icy for me). So, unfortunately this was a purchase I should have skipped.
As a further example of what I mean, below is a comparison between Gucci on the left and Gxve Beauty on the right. The one on the right still has a visible glow and I can see shimmer still, but they’re much smaller. As pretty as Gucci’s looks in the picture, the texture is amplified when I view it from my own mirror. Gxve Beauty doesn’t have a unique formula, but it’s beautiful and it works. The retail price is $30 and I bought it during a half off sale. So, compared to Gucci’s $59 retail price, I regret giving into my impulses.
At least the quad was a win!
In the photo on the left above, I’m wearing the Gucci bronzer, blush (Warm Berry), eyeshadows, and highlighter. I forgot to use the powder and left behind the foundations. I wanted the new blush in 11 Intense Ruby (it’s called Watermelon in Europe) because of the color and beautiful limited edition packaging, but it bothered me that for some reason Gucci’s blushes cost way more in Germany than in the US. The rest of the makeup is closer to being the same price. Another reason I was hesitant to buy it for a higher price is that it looks like a slightly lighter version of Intense Plum that I decluttered. There’s still a chance that I might like Intense Ruby better, so I ordered it during the Sephora sale from the US site and it’s with my family there. When I eventually go back and try it, if I like it enough, I’ll bring it home with me!
Lastly, I will note that using my r.e.m. beauty Highlighter Topper (which I have called my “fixer highlighter” in the past) does help improve the look of the Gucci highlighter, but I’m not interested anymore in trying to make this work when I have so many others I can use by themselves to achieve the kind of glow I want.
That’s everything! Thank you for checking out this week’s post!
The YSL Rouge Volupté have been raved about for over a decade. I’ve always been a basic gloss kind of gal, so I couldn’t justify the $45 to try them out. When the Candy Glazes (Loveshine Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick) launched in 2023, there was a resurgence of interest for myself and other beauty lovers, but the price continued to hold me back. It wasn’t until I realized the brand’s website had these frequently on sale between $22-30 that I really started to pay attention. By then, they also had the High-Shine Caring Lipsticks (Lip Oil Stick) and Candy Glow Tinted Butter Balms (aka Sheer-Shine Colour & Care Lip Balms aka Candy Glow Lip Balms). All of them had “Loveshine” in the names and were used interchangeably on social media. The names themselves vary by country. I had no idea what the difference was between “candy glow” and “candy glaze” and which colors of components went with which formula. With such similarities, I was deeply confused and had to spend a lot of time researching. Today, I’m going to share my thoughts on the formulas and all the relevant information I can find. If anyone else was just as confused as me, I hope this post will help.
YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-In-Stick Lipstick in 122 Burnt Zellige
To start with, this is the first YSL lip product I ever purchased. I was so happy when I bought this because it was on sale and has stunning packaging that I was able to personalize for only $5 extra. Seeing my name engraved on the lipstick makes it feel so much more special. I have another one (87 Rose Afrique) that was delivered to the US just before I left, so I haven’t seen that shade yet in person.
The main benefit to purchasing from the YSL-US website is the ability to engrave any lipstick from among their permanent ranges. On the YSL-DE site, I’ve been unable to find any engraving options and haven’t seen the same kind of discounts. Instead, all their retail partners frequently have sales on these lip products within the 25 Euro range. There are of course less shade options. Anyway, I purchased this warm red-brown color.
This lives up to the description of being an oil-in-stick. It’s not as shiny as a lip gloss, but it feels slightly more substantial than a pure form of lip oil. The color spreads nicely across the lips. It takes about two layers to get high-medium pigmentation. Going over the lips more than three times increases the frequency in which the product will spread to the outer edges of my lips and start to feel like too much was applied. I don’t know if it’s just this color, but it has a light staining effect. I can get through a light meal where the emollient layer is gone, but slight color is left behind. However, this can’t last through a second meal without needing to be reapplied. This isn’t a long-wear type of product, but while it’s on my lips they feel nicely moisturized and fairly hydrated considering I have a lot of problems with lip care products that have an opposite effect if colorants are used. I definitely like this formula, but I don’t think these would be worth the full price if not for the brand name and luxury packaging. At the discounted price I paid though, I’m quite happy.
According to some sources, the Loveshine High-Shine Caring Lipsticks are just new packaging for the Rouge Voluptés, but according to YSL’s own website, it’s called an “upgraded” formula. I notice a difference and will discuss that in the next section. I cannot find any Rouge Voluptés on their DE website (and they’re only available in select colors at retailers), but they are still being sold readily within the US. So, I don’t know for certain if the Rouge Voluptés are officially discontinued or how long it will take before they are gone for good.
I can keep my engraved cap long after the lipstick expires and put it on a newer YSL lipstick, but it would look a bit strange pairing a silver base and gold cap!
YSL LoveshineHigh-Shine Caring Lipstick in Limited Edition 209 Pink Desire, 122 Caramel Swirl, and 202 Peachy Glow
I already reviewed the glittery version of Pink Desire in my 2024 YSL Holiday post, so I will focus on the others. I have to say though that I noticed the limited edition Pink Desire feels balmier. The feeling of the limited edition version is the whole reason I wanted a more of these in wearable shades. I didn’t want to buy YSL’s Loveshine Balm because I heard of that one’s lack of pigmentation and the PH adjusting properties that I’m not interested in (though I will most likely try the formula next year in the limited edition ombre pastel pink and blue packaging that has been sneak peeked for at least four months). *
*Edit: I did buy it! Review for the Loveshine Balm is HERE.
Between Pink Desire and Caramel Swirl, the ingredients of the two shades are nearly identical, but the 5th and 6th ingredients swapped positions and the lower middle section has a few more in a different order. So, perhaps those minuscule changes still had an impact. The feeling of the limited edition version of Pink Desire would make it absolutely worth buying more (in different color options) if I could guarantee I’d get that same kind of texture/finish. Caramel Swirl feels more slippery. Peachy Glow feels like a true middle-ground because it’s balmier than Caramel Swirl, but feels oilier than the limited edition Pink Desire. I cannot account for why that is, considering the only ingredient differences I see between Caramel Swirl and Peachy Glow are the ones that effect the color. “Collector” Pink Desire is more different than Caramel Swirl and Peachy Glow are to each other, so I will go out on a limb and guess that if someone buys a Loveshine without shimmer specks it’s going to feel like the rest of the permanent range.
I will refer to this formula from now on as simply “Loveshine” because that seems to be what most people shorten the name to instead of High-Shine Caring Lipsticks or Lip Oil Sticks. Based on the permanent shades, Loveshines are moisturizing, but not equally as hydrating. It’s occlusive, forming a barrier keeping moisture on the surface, but I don’t feel like it conditions my lips over time as well as some colorful lippies I own from other brands. For example, I like Lisa Eldridge Lucents more for the color choices and way they feel on the lips. I also prefer the Lisa Eldridge Baume Embraces because they’re more lightweight, yet have a stronger grip on the surface of my lips. With the Loveshines, I get this needy sensation to keep rubbing my lips together. I can feel it and am aware of it all day, unlike the Rouge Volupté. The color sinks a bit into chapped spots, but since I spend so much time rubbing my lips, it smooths the color back out. The smell is lovely (candy-fruity) and I’m still pleased with this as a moisturizing product and adding color to the lips. As the day goes on, after the emollient layer eventually wears off and colorant is still lingering, that’s when my lips start to turn dry and look drier than when my day started. That might be a me thing and my problems with some pigments/dyes. However, this doesn’t happen with the Rouge Volupté and I own the same color for one of them!
When I bought Caramel Swirl, I thought the number for it sounded familiar, but I made the mistake of only checking for a duplicate name. Because my first one was called Burnt Zellige, I thought they would be different. Technically, if I really stare hard at the color on my lips and in swatches, Burnt Zellige has the tiniest bit more red in the red-brown with Caramel Swirl being slightly more pink-red-brown, but I highly doubt anyone would notice if I put one on one half of my lips and put the other on the other half. The tiniest difference in color is as small as what can occur between different batches of the same lipstick. I can see it, but I asked my husband and he could not. What type of lighting I’m under also plays a factor. So, I will acknowledge they’re the same shades in different formulas.
In essence, the differences I can detect between this Rouge Volupté and the same shade of Loveshine is that the Rouge Volupté is more pigmented (took 2 swipes in the photo above versus 3 swipes of the Loveshine), oilier and more hydrating, but that oil keeps it from lingering on the lips as well as the Loveshines. I also get a staining effect with the Rouge Volupté, but not with the Loveshine.
I have to address another part that is tricky regarding these lipsticks. The color in the tube isn’t necessarily the color one will end up with on the lips. Also, I’m not sure why 202 was named Peachy Glow when it’s not a peachy color. It looks like a nude pink on me and I’ve seen it look medium-dark cool mauve on other people. Neither of those shades match the pinky brown that it looks like in the tube. I feel catfished by a lipstick! Thankfully, it’s still pretty, though a bit pale on me. I don’t recommend purchasing these based on the tube color, but judging off swatches is a risk too!
I think this is a nice product and most people that love the Voluptés will love the Loveshines. I have such picky lips that if I wanted to use it as a “caring” treatment type of product, this wouldn’t be worth the price (unlike on other people with less lip sensitivities who would have zero issues with this). However, as a makeup product and just wanting to have something comfortable enough to wear in a pretty color and with packaging that feels luxurious and indulgent, this succeeds in that.
YSL Loveshine Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick in 14 Scenic Brown and 15 Showcasing Nude
Figuring out the differences between these lipsticks was confusing enough, but I also realized some shades exist in multiple formulas! There is a 14 Scenic Brown in this Candy Glaze, as well as a 207 Scenic Brown of the Loveshine Lip Oil Stick (High-Shine Caring Lipstick). So, if someone requests a YSL lippie in Scenic Brown for Christmas, a birthday, or some other event…be sure to find out which formula they prefer!
The Candy Glaze feels more like a gloss than a lipstick, so now I understand why it’s considered to have a jelly texture. It feels both moisturizing and decently hydrating. To me, this is like a thinner version of Fenty’s Gloss Bombs and I would even go as far as to say Fenty might have duped this with their Gloss Bomb Stix. Another similar product are the Nabla Beyond Jelly Sheer Lipsticks. The downside to both Fenty and Nabla’s lines is that there aren’t additional shades from them that I would want to buy over the single ones I currently own. I’d be interested in shade extensions for both.
This feels stickier and therefore has more grip on the lips than the Loveshine, but that’s not a bad thing. Among all glosses on the market, this is on the lower medium spectrum of stickiness. I can sometimes forget I’m wearing it because it doesn’t move around as much on the lips, but I’d still consider it medium-weight instead of lightweight. Multiple layers can build up a tiny bit more opacity, but I don’t recommend swiping too much on as it can then become heavier, thicker, stickier, and gather too much in the lip corners. This has a click mechanism for getting product up and back down. It’s meant to discourage anyone from rolling up the Candy Glaze in this soft formula too high and damaging it.
After doing swatches, I noticed Scenic Brown had a slight staining effect on the skin, but Showcasing Nude didn’t. I assume this is due to the colorant used and the darker shades in this formula will do it, but not all of them. It’s just interesting because I heard the Candy Glazes were supposed to have the most color payoff, but both of my shades look way sheerer than was represented in the many photos I saw online from the brand and beauty influencers. At the same time, if I build up the color specifically on the dark pigmented spots on my lips, it gets covered fairly well. So, I guess I don’t need it to be a more pigmented formula.
I’ve mentioned the difficulties being able to tell what the shades actually look like in person. There is yet another element of trouble, which is distinguishing between similarities among all the formulas. On me, Showcasing Nude and Peachy Glow look pretty similar. Showcasing Nude is paler, so I prefer the look of Peachy Glow on myself even though I prefer the Candy Glaze formula. With the numbering system being different, I haven’t been able to figure out an easy way to compare shades across formulas.
In playing around with different lip products in my collection, I found out that if I take a little bit of my Rabanne Lovebalm in Bloody Kiss and lightly press it onto my lips to get some of that deep color, then apply Showcasing Nude on top, the lip look becomes a wearable cool-leaning medium pink. It’s such a pretty combination!
My Candy Glazes have a scent, but it’s not as strong as the Loveshines or Rouge Volupté. I get the barest whiff of sweetness, but they don’t have as distinct of a fruity candy-like smell as the others. I bought them in October, so it can’t be due to being too old.
Of all the YSL lip products I tried, I like the Candy Glaze formula the most. However, I can’t ignore how much this reminds me of the Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix and those are 23 Euros ($25 USD) at full price versus a maximum discounted price of 26-29 Euros for the Candy Glaze.
Based on everything I’ve tried, I understand the hype for YSL Lip Products and do feel that it’s warranted. However, I recommend waiting for a sale. Perhaps 10 years ago these were more unique, but other brands are catching up and matching formulas. I’m thrilled that I’ve been able to find colored lip products that look beautiful and are also capable of nourishing my lips. However, I do have more options than just YSL. There is admittedly something about the packaging that is alluring enough to make me want to buy more. So, no judgements to anyone who buys these at full price (my limited edition one was full price). We’re still getting a quality product and I can’t say that I wouldn’t buy more in the future. One of the biggest deterrents though is that I don’t shop for makeup in person and even when I try to make sure I’m not getting the same colors within the same formula, it ends up nearly matching the color of another formula of YSL lippie. These are too expensive for me to want to keep getting duplicates!
That’s all for today! Consider clicking follow if you’d like to be emailed whenever a new post is out!
Richer Rose is in MAC’s Sheertone Powder Blush formula, which is great. The shade is like a softer slightly muted version of MAC’s Frankly Scarlet, so I love the color. It still builds up pigment quickly for a “sheertone” blush, so I recommend using a non dense buffing brush or any shape that’s airy.
Glutton for Gold is in the brand’s Extra Dimension Skinfinish Highlighter formula. This particular shade is a duochrome gold to pink, though it just looks pink on my skin tone. It’s a smooth formula, but the shimmer particles are reflective enough and large enough to look borderline glittery on my cheeks. I like it best when used sparingly and really worked into my skin, because then it’s more wearable for me (and especially acceptable for the holidays).
These two colors pair very well together. In terms of performance, it’s the same great quality one can expect from MAC. There are no blending or longevity issues. It all comes down to color and intensity preferences.
In the last two years, I’ve been observing the timeline of what’s available from MAC by region (Asia and Australia vs Europe vs North American markets), available online vs in-store, which things to go their US and EU retailers, and what ends up at the CCO/CCS. It’s not unheard of for MAC to have specific products that are only sold to one sector, and that seems to be the case with these Golden Hour Glow Face Palettes. At the time that I’m writing this, the only colorway available in Germany is Medium. In Australia, I see that they have Medium and Deep (with Deep containing the Maraschino Ruby blush and Crushed Copper highlighter). This packaging is a more decorative version of the Sculpt & Glow duos and Pro Set & Blur Pressed Powder Duo MAC only offers online to their Asian and Australian markets thus far.
I haven’t seen a light version of a Golden Hour Glow Face Palette, but I would not be surprised if one gets found some way somewhere in the future.
I am very happy that I got this product at a 28% discount via a promo code. I’m not saying that it isn’t worth full-price, but since MAC always has 30-50% sales at some point and the holiday items rarely sell out before Christmas, I recommend waiting for some kind of deal for those wanting to purchase this.
For anyone curious, this is very likely to be my only MAC holiday purchase this year. I could be tempted into getting the MAC Skinfinish Metallic Cream Blush in Coveted Coral if I ever find it for under 25 Euros.
Natasha Denona Hy-Gen Skincare Infused Glow Beautifier in 03 Dark
I had no intentions to buy this because of the price and me being on a highlighter low-buy, but I kept hearing so many beauty creators continually talk about loving this highlighter and it having a unique texture. When it was on sale at Sephora’s DE website over a month ago, I could no longer resist.
I’m going to get the worst part out of the way; I hate how this smells! I was shocked to see that parfum was listed in the ingredients, because that means it was actually intended to smell like a mix of shea butter, baby oil, and something else I can’t quite determine. It’s objectively not repulsive, but the fact that it instantly brings to mind the ORS Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion is something I don’t like. It makes it feel wrong to put this product on my face!
Trying to pick up this product on a brush isn’t difficult, but I don’t like how it applies. With a natural hair brush, the particles get spread out on my cheeks and has that scattered sparkles look that I don’t like. If I apply it with my fingers the particles are packed together and then form one smooth looking surface. However, I then have the issue of trying to blend out the edges to avoid having a stripe, which becomes more sparkly on the perimeter from having been dispersed/thinned back out. Because it’s not a traditional powder formula and acts like a liquid highlighter, it takes some force to blend out the finger application because it doesn’t actually sink into the skin the way a cream would. The best method of application I could find was using the Sonia G Jumbo Worker brush. It’s a mix of synthetic and natural hair, is dense to pack on the product, but around the edges is slightly looser and partly fanned out to help diffuse. A fully synthetic option that’s nearly as well performing as the Sonia G brush with this particular product is the Fenty 120 Highlight Brush because of the spot product gets packed onto and the shape of the brush hugging the contours of the cheek. It’s perhaps less successful in other spots to highlight on the face.
Unfortunately, this product just isn’t for me. I love the feel of it, the shade options, and how it can look wet on the skin, but the cons don’t outweigh the pros for me. The functions of this highlighter is more easily accomplished for me by Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Foundation Tint. The CT product is a bit too light for me right now (and I’m not going to buy a darker one), and Charlotte’s is nowhere near as shimmery, but that’s why it’s better suited to my preferences and what I wanted to achieve with this kind of wet looking highlighter.
Spraying my face first before applying the Natasha Denona highlighter also helps it to look smoother, but when I’ve seen this highlighter under different lights I saw that it can appear ultra sparkly, so I really don’t like that. I found this out when I saw myself in the mirror before leaving home, versus what my highlighter looked like in the bathroom of my in-laws. I don’t know what kind of bulbs they have, but I’d rather not look like that again.
Below is a photo using some elements of everything I reviewed today. The highlighter on the cheeks is the Natasha Denona one.
If this kind of highlighter is to someone’s taste, I feel jealous of that person because I really wanted this to work. I paid for it, so of course I hoped to love it (and I can’t return it in the EU). The packaging feels so luxe to me. It looks like it could be a mini porcelain soap dish the way it has the indent at the top and feels weirdly cold on the outside. I also like the rose gold around the rim. The compact has the right amount of plastic to feel like I’m holding something substantial without it actually being heavy. In the future, I’m likely to either depot it (and put a pan of something else inside) or sell it.
Dior Forever Rouge Blush Contour & Glow in 200 Diorama
For several years, I’ve been using either deep bronzers (for brontouring) or the Hindash Beautopsy Palette for contouring purposes. Today, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the first actual contour I’ve purchased in so long (and the highlighter that comes with it).
Dior released many blush and highlighter duos this year, but I decided to go for this product instead because there’s a bigger void for it in my collection. The texture reminded me of the Dior Powder No Powder, so I had high hopes for it being a smoothing and blurring contour. I was surprised to find that this is a little too dark and pigmented for me. I can’t use a wispy brush because it needs to be strong enough to pick up the product on the bristles, but at the same time a dense brush packs on a lot of product. A brush too wide is hard to blend out and can make my blush look muddy when some of it goes on top. A brush too thin concentrates the product even more to create a stripe. It can look patchy if not evenly applied and blended out. It’s hard to fix once it’s overapplied because the pigment is so intense. So, the Patrick Ta contour brush has been the best option I’ve found thus far. This product is finicky primarily because of the color.
The highlighter is quite pretty and fairly smooth. It reminds me of Bobbi Brown’s Copper Glow, without the random larger shimmer specks. I have highlighters with shimmer more refined than this, but this is still very nice. I’m happy with it and with my purchase overall. Don’t be surprised if you hear I’ve gone back to contouring with the Beautopsy Palette though!
I also feel compelled to add that I wish Dior would make deeper highlighter options. I don’t follow the brand super closely, but I follow them enough to feel confident in saying this is the darkest* powder highlighter they’ve ever made and it’s right on the cusp of being too light for me post-summer. *Based on online photos, the highlighter in the 757 Wild Dior duo looks to be the exact same depth and just be slightly more pink in tone.
Every time they release a highlighter, I’m drawn to it, but they’re always too light in the way they reflect. Without there being much base color, yes, the highlighters can stretch across many more skin tones. However, the reflect looking pearly white on me isn’t flattering, even if there’s a warmer base or one that’s deep enough for me. That’s why I was too afraid to buy either of the holiday highlighters this year, despite it looking pretty on someone darker than me (who doesn’t mind an icy highlighter). I would love an option that I don’t just wear in the winter-spring time when I’m lighter. Something comfortably dark enough.
I took a long break from the Natasha Denona brand (since December 2022), but after purchasing the Yucca palette for half off, I wanted to continue my series of ranking all the eyeshadows from the brands whose palettes I own the most of in my collection. I’ve covered Pat Mcgrath Palettes, Huda Beauty Palettes, Oden’s Eye Palettes, and Viseart Palettes so far. Just like with Viseart, I’ve rearranged most of the palettes with removable eyeshadow pans. However, I’m familiar enough with them to be able to remember what they were like and rank them as they were originally intended.
Ranking List of All the Natasha Denona Palettes I Ever Owned:
Before we get into the rankings, I wanted to show the eyeshadow singles I got as gift-with-purchase freebies I got from Sephora. I wish they weren’t glued down so I could put them in a custom magnetic palette to save some space when I moved. Because I couldn’t without using my Z-Potter, I left them behind.
I didn’t own any of these shades already because they all come from palettes I was uninterested in buying.
Mini Gold Palette
This is very much my type of color story! The beige shade doesn’t show very well on my skin tone, but I still use it along the brow bone. This palette is cohesive and the look I created in the photo above is my default combination for daytime. For night-time, I use a lot more of the deep brown. For so few shades in this small palette, I don’t feel limited by the available choices. They all still perform beautifully, even though this is five years old. The mattes blend well, Dark Sepia and Antheia are very smooth, and D’or pumps up the intensity from satin to sparkly when added to the look. I don’t need to apply any of them with a damp brush. The Natasha Denona formula has gone through its changes over the years, and the ones used in this palette is my favorite performing type from the brand. I also love that it’s small because it makes me feel like I could actually use this up one day. It doesn’t take up much space and is easy to travel with, which I have done several times. Other than making Lodge slightly lighter, the fact that I wouldn’t want to change this palette is why it’s number one!
Metropolis Palette
The first picture has all the Metropolis shades, just not in the right order. The second picture is how I keep this palette with Metropolis and Bronze palette colors.
Other than Mini Gold, this is my next favorite color story from the brand. I have so many options, but I do end up with my favorite go-to looks as well. Although I replaced six of the shadows with ones from the Bronze palette, all that really did was give myself deeper orange and red shades. I essentially turned the Metropolis palette into something better suited for my skin tone.
This was the palette that ND seemed to have perfected the cream-to-powder shadows and my love for them really took off. They’re a few months short of five years old and still haven’t fully dried out. My lighter green and a brown shade require me to use my finger to get them out of the pan since they don’t pick up as well on most of my brushes, and one of the blues is nearly dry, but I still love this formula. I love the way it blends and looks on the eyes. It has a satin effect from sheen and not shimmer. The mattes and shimmers are perfect performers for my style. They’re pigmented, but still blendable. They’re smooth and nearly buttery feeling. They layer well on each other. The shimmers are impactful. They last all day. I don’t have creasing issues. To me, this is Natasha Denona’s best performing palette. The fact that I replaced some shades, and it doesn’t have something like Dark Sepia and Antheia (two of my all-time favorite colors from the brand), are the only reasons this ranks number 2. Realistically, it’s tied for the top spot.
Glam Face Palette
Even though this isn’t strictly an eyeshadow palette, I had to include this in the rankings because I really enjoy these eyeshadows. The only reason I left this behind in the US, which I regret, is the fact that the pans are glued in so I couldn’t have the eyeshadows without the blush and highlighter. I don’t mind the blush, but I hate that highlighter, and I kept forgetting to use this because I didn’t keep this palette with the rest of my eyeshadows. If the eyeshadows were in their own separate palette, it would probably look as used as Mini Gold considering how much more often I’m reaching for neutral eyeshadows.
The formula of these is good, but different from Metropolis and Mini Gold. There are no cream to powders. The shimmers are intense, but slightly less smooth with larger size shimmer particles. They’ve got more slip, so I get a little bit of creasing, but not too much. The mattes are pigmented, but a little less easy to blend. They don’t require a lot of effort, just more than their best performing ones. The end result though is gorgeous, which is why I still consider this a favorite.
Gold Palette
The shades I kept with me from the Gold palette are Dijon, Varis, Log, Lime Chrome, and Brass. I liked more colors from the Gold palette, but I had similar enough yellows, golds, and browns from other ND palettes that they felt less necessary to bring along. Lime Chrome is another of my absolute favorite shades from Natasha Denona, Log was used on my wedding day, plus Dijon and Varis are shadows I use at least once a month. So, it’s not surprising that I hold the Gold palette in high regard. The brand’s new Golden Palette is meant to replace this one and has 9 repeat shades, yet only Varis and Log out of the ones I saved are in there. I clearly didn’t mind going without the blues, but Lime Chrome was the single most important shade for me in that palette and it’s not in the new one. So, even if I hadn’t pumped the brakes on buying new things from the brand, I would have skipped getting it (even though it’s admittedly pretty to look at).
I believe Python, the deep blue, was the brand’s first creamy-matte or cream to powder eyeshadow. It still needed some work, as I felt it remained too wet. It didn’t blend as easily or smoothly either. The ones from Metropolis were such a step up.
The Gold Palette colors were a bit repetitive, but condensing it down to favorites made it worth having in my collection.
Bronze Palette
I was using this palette quite a bit, until I decided to swap around six shadows into the Metropolis palette. I feel like my changes still improved upon the Bronze palette, but it could have benefited from being condensed down. Unlike purples and greens which I could own plenty of in a single palette and be content with the various nuances, the subtleties of bronze and oranges and everything in-between couldn’t hold my attention. This palette is so visually appealing that I couldn’t bear to leave it behind, but I don’t love it enough to actually use it as often as I should.
The mattes are less creamy/buttery and more along the lines of smooth, soft, and powdery. I like the cream to powder, though the slight purplish color of it is an interesting choice. The shimmers are impactful, smooth, and opaque though, just how I like them. So, the quality overall isn’t perfect, but quite good.
My Dream Palette
Shortly after I bought this palette, I went on my brand strike. So, I didn’t have the chance to review it. Considering I took 8 of the 15 shades with me, one could assume I really love this palette. However, I mostly just wanted to be able to continue testing the palette with shades I might actually reach for when doing my makeup.
What drew me to this palette in the first place were the additional cream to powders, the purple heavy color story, Vision as a multichrome, and Invention as the stunning fiery orange. I like having smoky options like Blackest Black and Familia, although I left Familia behind since I was taking Log. Some of the colors I abandoned were because even though they looked different in the pan, they looked too similar to each other on my skin. The mattes performed similarly to Bronze’s mattes (so good, but not the ultimate from ND), and the shimmers were either the same or in some cases even more sparkly. Vision is pretty, but doesn’t has as strong of a color shift as I’m used to from indie brands. Blackest Black takes a bit more effort to avoid overapplying or not sticking to the skin well enough and looking patchy. Invention also didn’t look the way on my eyes that I envisioned. This doesn’t count against it, but I have to point out that the misspelling of spontaneous as Spontaneuos is a bit comical.
The pros for this palette put it slightly ahead of Bronze, put the cons count slightly more against this palette as well. The overall performance is most important, and because of slightly more technical flaws, this palette got nudged out of the top five.
Love Palette
The palette has a cohesive color story, but I took my top favorite shades with me, and unfortunately that combination doesn’t look nice together all in one look. The cream to powder in this one is on the drier side now, which is interesting since it’s one of the second to last ND palettes I bought. It’s always been on the sheerer side, but getting product out is tougher now. The mattes feel similar to the ones from the Bronze palette. The shimmers are beautiful as always. Based on the amount of eyeshadows I saved and how much I liked the Love palette as a whole, I couldn’t put this palette any lower. However, I have a lot of pink and purple palettes I prefer over this one (from other brands). Some of those were custom palettes I made myself using individual eyeshadow singles from other brands. So, I couldn’t put this higher either. Considering how pink and red heavy this palette is, it’s shocking enough that I decided to place it above Natasha’s other purple palettes. Purples are among my favorite eyeshadow colors, but the quality differences were too big to overlook.
My disinterest in most pink palettes is the reason I am not planning to buy the Roxa palette. I would love to try the new matte formula in that one, but there are too many light shades and pinks for my taste. The palette would have to go on sale for nearly 50% off for it to be worth it for me to purchase (beyond financial reasons is the lack of space in my home and not wanting to be wasteful).
Yucca Palette
My first thought when I saw this palette was that the color story was pretty, but I didn’t need it since I still owned the Colored Raine Safari palette (which is honestly even prettier). I also said if I ever was to buy it, it should not be at full price since I was unsure how much this could bring to the table over Metropolis, which I assert has a better color story and formula, over this one.
At some point the mattes from Natasha Denona strayed further away from the creamy ones I loved, to a silky drier one. It’s similar to the mattes in the Bronze, Love, and My Dream palettes except these don’t spread as easily. If we look back at my past posts, ND’s eyeshadows used to go on and on in a long pigmented opaque swatch. These mattes are still pigmented, but when I was trying to swatch them, they kept having gaps of no color. I had to swipe at least three times for all of them to get a complete line to show across my arm from left to right. Willow still looks terrible. The swatches don’t look that great in general even though I built them up a lot more than usual. Of course, swatches don’t tell the whole story, and it’s more important how the performance is on the eyes. Honestly, they blended fine, but it was far from effortless. They’re not bad, but something is just off in comparison to the quality from the brand I’m used to.
There are two cream-powder mattes in here. For some reason, Fushi is thicker in texture and Calathea has more slip. I prefer Fushi because it’s much easier to get the product onto my brush and smoothed onto my eyes. Calathea required more packing and effort. It’s also a different color on my skin than I expected by looking at it in the pan. I wanted a deeper and less muted shade, but I admittedly already have that in the Metropolis palette. So, I understand the brand wanting to offer something different.
The shimmers are the best aspects of this palette, aside from Fushi. They give impact. They have sparkle to them. They don’t fade. They have minimal fallout and don’t require being applied dampened. However, I noticed that these are sheerer than I’m also used to. I can see my skin underneath, which makes them not look the same way as I envisioned. For example, Plantasia looks like an orange-reddish-bronze in the pan, but I see more golden-yellow on my lids. In order to get a warmer tone, I have to fake it by putting an orange matte underneath so that color is what shows instead of the brown of my skin. The same goes for Makia that I expected to be antique gold-olive, but looks more lemon-lime. For more green, I have to put a green shadow underneath. Those two were the shadows I was most excited to have, besides the cream-powder ones, so I was admittedly a bit disappointed.
A surprise favorite ended up being Camu Camu for its near neon brightness. On the flip side, one of the biggest disappointments was Flax because it just isn’t deep enough to give me the depth level I require for my skin tone.
Despite this palette consisting of colors I typically enjoy, this ranked much lower because it’s as I feared. It doesn’t give me much different than I could get from Metropolis, plus the formula is less to my liking. It’s further away from my preference, which doesn’t make it necessarily a bad palette. Or at least, it wouldn’t be considered that bad if the blending time wasn’t longer.
I expect to continue using Ixia (it’s a wonderful orange), Fushi, Makia, Citrine, Camu Camu, Plantasia, and perhaps even Calathea. That’s slightly less than half of the palette, so the 24 Euros I paid via Selfridges is still alright with me.
Lila Palette
From this point and onward, I don’t have any of the palettes with me.
I thought for certain that this was going to be my most beloved palette. The shades on my skin didn’t look how I expected them to though, which is ultimately when I had the idea to swap some colors around. That unfortunately didn’t cause me to use this palette any more often because the matte quality was not as great back then. The older ND formula had some that blended quite well, some that were slow builders, and some that were straight up duds. They were rougher in texture too. The shimmers were more like satins because they weren’t as reflective as I prefer. I think this was more of a makeup artist driven formula than consumer-friendly one where shadows were easier to blend with color stories that were more intuitive for putting together.
This palette holds a place in my heart for nostalgic reasons and appealing to my purple lover side, but it wasn’t the brand’s best by far.
28 Purple Blue Palette
This palette is also nostalgic because I got it in one of Beautylish’s Lucky Bags. The euphoric feeling I got from taking the chance on spending a lot of money and “winning big” on such an expensive palette was quite the rush. The reality is that I’m really not a fan of blues, so this palette was half wasted on me. Influencers really hyped up this palette when the brand first came to Sephora US, and it was very good at the time, but not $200+ good. The mattes had that stiffer formula I mentioned in the Lila section. They were pigmented and required some effort to blend, though they were still fairly good. The shimmers were crazy pigmented, but didn’t have the sparkle intensity I love. It wasn’t bad, just not to my preference. I basically turned this into the “discard” palette of all the larger pan Natasha Denona eyeshadows I would never use (mainly cool tones, blues, and unneeded browns). By the time I decided I should probably sell it or give it away, the shadow quality just wasn’t good enough. So, I only kept it for nostalgia reasons.
Mini Lila Palette
I got this in August 2018. It’s definitely one of the weakest performing ND palettes of all time compared to the rest of the brand’s eyeshadows. However, it was still a decent performing palette compared to everything on the market. Even when I felt like I outgrew the palette, I couldn’t fathom giving it up because of that Blue Dahlia shade, which was such an uncommon color at the time. I have to give this brand credit for having specific colors that stand out to the point that I know them by name. Even among my favorites out of my entire eyeshadow collection, I have some palettes I love for the quality and color combinations available. Some of my favorites I still reach for a Clionadh shadow to add something special on top. However, Natasha Denona’s brand does have some special shades within their palettes.
For quality reasons and the one direction this palette can take me, it’s nearly at the bottom of this ranking.
04 Five Pan Palette
This was my first ever Natasha Denona palette, back in February 2016. I don’t know how many people even remember when she used to put her large sized eyeshadows in these 5-pan palettes for nearly $50. This was so similar to Viseart’s Minx palette, but Viseart did it better which is why I ended up selling mine on Mercari. I basically just wanted to try the formula and see what the hype was about. The only matte shade in here was an absolute dud. In fact, it was supposed to be a satin like the others, but mine had not a single bit of shimmer in there and trying to get it on a brush and get it to not look patchy was too great a task. The other colors performed the way all her older shimmers did, which was nice, but not my cup of tea. I think the brand made a much smarter choice when they switched to minis. People could talk about crushed pearls and diamond powder all they wanted, but if the customer isn’t over the moon about the end result, the price tag still won’t be worth it.
So, that is every palette I owned from Natasha Denona ranked! The way it currently is today, I consider this brand a maker of one of my favorite formulas for both mattes (older formula and cream powder ones) and shimmers, which is not something I can say often about the brands I use. Metropolis and Mini Gold would for sure in the top 20 eyeshadow palettes in my collection (if a list were to exist) out of the several hundred I’ve owned.
Welcome, lovers of Japanese makeup brushes! If this is your first time visiting, I’d like you to know that I have a page with every Fude post linked, as well as a description of the topics discussed in those posts and a list of which brushes are in which posts. I recently changed the format to make it easier to type and find specific brushes. If this is not your first time here, welcome back!
Regarding my measurements, “hair width” is measured from the widest part, regardless of the overall brush shape. I don’t measure thickness. Anything with an asterisk indicates that I had to measure that one myself as those numbers were not listed on the website. All figures listed in inches are converted estimates.
With costs of materials ever increasing and supply of certain hair types being harder to acquire, brush prices also increase. So, the prices I’ve listed might not reflect what is current, though I will do my best to keep them updated.
*DISCLOSURE: Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. Affiliate links allow me to get a commission if purchases are made directly using my link. Whether you click to shop through them or not, I appreciate you visiting and I hope you find the information I’ve provided to be helpful!
BISYODO
Bisyodo B-F-05 Perfect Fit Brush
Full Length: 168mm / 6.6 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *56mm / 2.2 in
Bristle Type: Fox and Saikoho Goat
Handle: African Rose Wood (Bubinga)
Ferrule: 24KG Plated Brass
In my Fude Part 7 post, I talked about my number one favorite powder bronzer brush being tied between the Sonia G Jumbo Bronzer and something else. This brush is that “something else.”
The mix of fox and saikoho goat hair makes it feel ultra soft, plush on the skin, and it has a bit of bounce/spring to it. Product gets picked up along the longest hairs in the center while the rest of the hair acts to simultaneously buff product while it’s being applied. The same things I love about Sonia’s brush holds true to this one: the large surface area covers the face in bronzer quickly, but also semi-precisely due to the shape. It tucks into hollows well and glides smoothly around the perimeter. This brush feels firmer and denser than Sonia’s, which is why it’s fantastic when I want to use a bronzer that’s on the sheerer side and don’t want to spend as much time building it up. It still applies in a slightly dispersed way so that I don’t get any harsh lines. By the same token, if my bronzer is highly pigmented, I switch to the Sonia brush instead. Most of the time I want a diffused natural looking bronze to my face. In the uncommon times when I want a more chiseled look, I can sharpen the edge with concealer or use a different bronzer/contour brush entirely. So, even though this Bisyodo brush is very similar to Sonia’s, it can’t replace it. I have need for both in my collection.
Sonia G’s brush is beautiful and I like the blue lacquer. For my preferences, the Bisyodo brush is even more beautiful with the color of the bristles, the gold ferrule, and the beautiful lacquer covered wood. Plus, as soft as the Jumbo Bronzer brush is, the Perfect Fit brush is without a doubt softer. The brushes were the same price until Bisyodo raised theirs a few weeks ago. Sonia has mentioned price increases for her line coming soon, so they might become closer in price again sometime in the future. Having this Bisyodo brush is why I’m content to skip getting the Sonia G Niji Pro. I highly recommend trying this one! If I lost this brush, I would replace it without hesitation. My wish is that Bisyodo will one day make a fully round and dense blush brush using this same hair combination. If they did, I would buy it too!
I bought my brush for 14091 YEN, but it’s 18500 YEN now, and available HERE.
Bisyodo B-FD-01 Foundation Brush
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 28mm / 1.1 in
Hair Width: 38mm / 1.5 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho Goat
Handle: African Rose Wood (Bubinga)
Ferrule: 24KG Plated Brass
This brush is super soft and very dense. It’s a Fu-Pa style brush intended for foundation use, but shapes like these can be nice with contour or brontour too. For foundation, it soaks a lot of product, but the smooth even blend on the face is very nice. I never use up foundation entirely before it goes bad, so I don’t mind wasted product. However, the bristles start to gunk up at least twice as fast as other natural hair foundation brushes, which isn’t good because of needing to wash it more frequently. The brush is more prone to losing hair or snapping tips when it’s too coated in product. So, longevity long term may be an issue with continued liquid and cream use. I didn’t start using this brush until early 2024, so I’m not in a position to say how it will fare after a year or two, but so far so good for me. I try not to use this brush with liquids more than five times between washes. The photo below shows the brush after a single use.
I mentioned contour or using bronzer-as-contour as possible uses because the shape lends itself to that kind of task, but the density of the brush is going to give a more concentrated application. Someone that likes a diffused and airbrushed look would be better off using a brush with a bit more splay and airiness. This brush doesn’t have much bend or movement, which is why it’s so effective for foundation. I’ve used this brush with blush a couple of times, and while it applies the product well, it requires more buffing than I want to bother with when I could have just switched to a less dense brush. Even though it’s not my main foundation brush, I still like it and am glad I added it to my arsenal.
I paid 11,000 YEN for this brush, it’s currently 14300 YEN and available HERE.
Bisyodo G-P-01 Powder Brush
Full Length: 180mm / 7.1 in
Hair Length: 48mm / 1.89 in
Hair Width: *30mm (prewash) / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
Handle: Ebony
Ferrule: 24k gold-plated
This brush is super airy. It’s intuitively better for powder, but can also be used with blush and bronzer. It’s best used for loose or lightly pressed products because these hairs are even more delicate and soft among gray squirrels, so it doesn’t have the best pickup. The long hairs give an interesting feel on the skin between the pressure and movement, especially when trying to apply blush. It’s definitely not intended as a workhorse type of brush. I can buff very lightly with it, but it’s more for building up of light washes of color and producing an airbrush affect rather than creating a full on pigmented look. I would say this is ideal for natural and simplistic makeup lovers. Those with sensitive skin and/or dry skin that want the minimum amount of powder needed for their face will very likely love this brush too.
This is part of Bisyodo’s Grand Series, which I think can be considered the crème de la crème of their lines the way the Homare Series was supposed to be for Chikuhodo or the Vermillion series is for Hakuhodo. Taking into account what Bisyodo considers is the use of premium quality gray squirrel, the weighty ebony handle, and the ferrule plating, the price is a little more justified than I originally gave credit for prior to holding it in my hands. I’ve come to realize that I consider a lacquer handle more luxurious than matte ebony (though I like Eihodo’s ebony handle brush), so I still prefer the handles of Bisyodo’s Long Series. However, it all comes down to tastes and I’m sure there are plenty of people who love the aesthetic of the Grand Series.
I reviewed these together with Wayne’s Non-Fude brushes HERE. I decided to keep the photos for the Fundamentals in this post anyway, for those expecting natural hair brushes to only be within this Fude Collection Series.
In the post that’s linked, I also mentioned that I have a hunch that WG brushes have a new producer. The batch of hairs in his relaunch feel softer than the older goat hair brushes. A certain OEM has bumped up their prices so dramatically and are mixing most of their goat brushes with synthetic fibers, so I’m not sure how likely it would be for the WG line to have these brushes at these prices if they we made by who I assume they were made by. Regardless, whoever makes them are doing a good job (mostly).
Wayne Goss F2
Full Length: *165mm / 6.5 in
Hair Length: 30mm / 1.18 in
Hair Width: *22mm / 0.86 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho
TLDR: Super soft. Common Shape. Sheds like crazy, just like the previous #13 Brush.
Wayne Goss F3
Full Length: *172mm / 6.77 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho
TLDR: Even softer than previous Wayne Goss goat brushes. Good for building up products. Airy, yet precise.
I would love to be able to review the whole set, but I don’t have access to the other two brushes anymore.
I find this combination of hair extremely visually appealing , and thought the set was well priced, so I bought it from Fude Japan. The blush brush is similar to the J5545 that I reviewed in Fude Collection Part 6. The main difference is that the pink handle version is a bit fuller with a more defined angle. This makes it even better suited for fitting in the hollows and angles of the face for bronzing and contouring, so long as it’s not a hard pressed product.
This brush is somewhere between light and medium denseness. I can pick up a decent amount of product by pressing the whole angled side into the makeup pan and sliding it, but it’s not intended for heavy makeup applications. I mostly use this to sweep on blush and apply the angled section precisely where I want more concentrated color, then pounce what’s left on the brush around the edges for a diffused look that doesn’t require much more blending than that. There’s enough goat in this mix to allow minor buffing only, but buffing doesn’t seem necessary to me when I’m able to get the results I want super easily just by using the patting/pressing technique.
KOYUDO
Koyudo Yoshiki Silver fox Cheek Brush Y-SFC
Full Length: 163mm / 6.41 in
Hair Length: 38mm / 1.5 in
Hair Width: *28mm / 1.1 in
Bristle Type: Silver Fox
What a beauty! I always wanted one of the silver handle Yoshiki brushes, and fox is my favorite hair type, so this was a bucket list purchase. It’s also described on CDJapan’s website as having a 3D shape, and I mentioned in Fude 7 that Koyudo’s 3D brushes always entice me.
The hair feels super silky like premium silver fox. I really like salt-and-pepper brushes (mix of grey squirrel and high grade goat hair), but this brush feels even better than those! This gives a soft application of bronzer and blush, and serves to help one build up the color if desired or keep it looking sheer. The brush head puffs a little more after being washed, and feels even nicer as it bends in and around the curves of the face while it diffuses product. The tips fit nicely into highlighter pans and can apply a beautiful thin layer with no harsh edges.
When a brush is this expensive, I expect it to be large so that I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. This has a long handle, but the head is medium sized for a cheek brush. However, this size is perfect to handle my face features, so it’s for the best that it isn’t bigger.
This brush costs 21000 YEN and was available HERE. I imagine part of that cost takes into account that it comes in a shredded paper-filled paulownia box that is lightweight yet beautiful. Plus, the handle is stunning!
Koyudo Blush Brush round flat Black
Full Length: 132mm / 5.2 in
Hair Length: 38mm / 1.5 in
Hair Width: *33mm / 1.3 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel and Goat
I included a photo of this next to the Koyudo Blush Brush [No Logo] because I expected them to be similarly sized and was disappointed that they were not. They were listed at the same price, had similar looking ferrules and handles without a logo, and have the same hair type. I thought this would be the same brush with a different head shape, but I should have paid attention to the size dimensions. That’s my own mistake.
This reminds me of the Hakuhodo G110A Blush Brush, reviewed higher up, because it has the same hair type and similar shape, but it’s larger and fuller. Plus, this brush feels like it has a greater ratio of gray squirrel compared to goat. At the very least, it’s bundled in a way that the squirrel hair is longer/higher than the goat, which accounts for it feeling softer.
Just like the Hakuhodo brush, it’s easier to use with products that aren’t that hard pressed. I has light-medium denseness and picks up an average amount of product along the angles towards the tips. I mostly use this to sweep on blush, but one could use it with bronzer as well. The reason I don’t is just because I have my bronzer favorites already. This one does the job perfectly fine though. Besides the hair composition, this brush gives a somewhat gentle application because of the length of the hairs and shape of the head in the way that it bends when pressure is applied.
This brush costs 13300 YEN and was available HERE.
Koyudo Pine Squirrel Eyeshadow Brush 17mm Black and Red
Full Length: 142mm / 5.6 in
Hair Length: 17mm / 0.67 in
Hair Width: *15mm / 0.6 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel
Koyudo may change the hair type or handles, but they often sell this shape of brush head (and the 11mm version). I can’t blame them for wanting to keep this style around because it’s a nice classic brush. I consider this in-between a medium and large sized packing brush. I can cover my eye space with one eyeshadow quickly and easily. It picks up the right amount of powder and gently deposits it, whether it’s a matte or shimmer. It bends well into corners and, when turned on its side, can be used for more detailed work. I use it most to lay down shades and crease work with eyeshadows that don’t need much blending.
If you’re a fan of brushes in this shape, size, and hair type, you’ll like this brush.
Full price for these brushes is 4000 YEN. The red handle version is available HERE and the black version is HERE.
Koyudo Pine Squirrel Eyeshadow Brush 11mm Black
Full Length: 135mm / 5.3 in
Hair Length: 11mm / 0.43 in
Hair Width: *9mm / 0.35 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel
This is a small sized packing brush that I use in smaller corners of my eyes and for more detailed work. It picks up the right amount of mattes and shimmer eyeshadows, though I tend to not use this brush with shimmers if it’s in a formula that requires I wear a glitter primer with it or to dampen my brush. This also makes a fantastic liner brush.
The handle looks solid black in photos, but it actually has dark green sparkles too! It’s so beautiful!
The photo below shows the size difference between the 11mm and 17mm brushes from Koyudo.
I paid 3500 YEN for this brush and it’s available HERE.
TANSEIDO
Tanseido Bamboo Series AQ17TAKE Small Cheek Brush
Full Length: 205mm / 8.07 in
Hair Length: 35mm / 1.38 in
Hair Width: *27mm / 1.06 in
Bristle Type: Red Squirrel
This is my first ever Tanseido brush. The length is huge!
The main appeal for me looking into the brand, besides positive reviews, is that they offer more red squirrel brushes than any other Japanese Fude maker, as far as I am aware. Whenever other companies produce a red squirrel brush, they increase the special factor by adding maki-e handles or some other touches that make them even more costly. I wanted a brush that would have enough enough hair to feel and experience what red squirrel is like, considering it’s supposed to be one of the rarest squirrel types to procure, but would also not break the bank. I also wanted a different handle than the classic Tanseido red or blue. Then, Fude Beauty released this brush, a different handle version of Tanseido’s YAQ17! On their website, there are two different options to choose from, but I didn’t notice the drop down menu above the wishlist and cart buttons. So, I ended up with Style: Japaneses Bamboo by default. The spotted version is called Shina-take and would have been the version I picked if I’d seen that’s where the option to choose was.
This brush can be used to diffuse highly pigmented products to targeted areas. It’s extremely soft, delicate, and not for the heavy-handed (though I put myself in that category). It’s ideal for someone that doesn’t want heavy makeup. This means that the only realistic use I have for it is for highlighting. Brushes of this size and shape are commonly used to set specific areas with powder. I personally wouldn’t want to set my wet concealers with it, so I have only tried using this brush this way twice. Not every brush needs to be a jack-of-all-trades, and so I am content to use this to get a thin layer of highlighter on my face. A whisper of product! I think anyone that prefers a sheer application of highlighter will really like this brush.
The closest size comparison I have for this brush is to the Wayne Goss Air Brush.
In terms of construction, the handle is super lightweight! I wasn’t expecting it to feel like a hollow jumbo pencil. I didn’t like this fact initially, but I realized that being surprised by its lightness every time I picked it up was a reminder that I needed to handle the brush with care. I was using it more carefully and gently than my other brushes. Since the hair is delicate, this is a good thing. My hope is that by the time I stop being surprised, I will continue to use it gently automatically.
As a side note, I just wanted to say that there are a few red squirrels I see regularly in the yard. Their fur is so beautiful to look at! Is it strange to say that seeing them makes me wish to have another, thicker, red squirrel brush? Maybe that’s weird.
MURAGISHI SANGYO
MS-3 Mai Sakura Liquid Foundation Brush
Full Length: 150mm / 5.9 in
Hair Length: 25mm / 0.98 in
Hair Width: *26mm / 1.02 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat
I wouldn’t recommend buying this brush with the intent to apply foundation all over the face. I think it was made for people that only want to apply foundation to areas that it’s needed most. The ones who use the technique of starting at the center of the face and working outwards. This brush would also work well for someone who likes to use concealer as foundation, and only cover specific spots. The downside to using it with liquid foundation is that a lot of product gets trapped between the hair, so it will need to be washed more frequently. I also recommend washing it in advance before using it for the first time. It had a major shedding problem, as seen in the photo below, until after the first wash. It still loses more hair, when I use it with liquids or creams, than when I use this very dense cute brush with powder products.
I don’t prefer using this with cream products, because I don’t think it smooths products well enough. However, it’s lovely with liquid blush. I also like it with powder bronzers because it applies product precisely and in just the right amount I want, but it’s not always airy enough for my desired powder blush application. With most of my blushes, it’s fine, but I would definitely not use it with my very pigmented ones. Essentially, the thinner the product, the better the results will be with this brush.
I bought it for 3900 YEN, it’s 4100 YEN now, and it’s available HERE.
CHIKUHODO
Chikuhodo x BoBo Cheek Brush
Post-wash photos above.
Full Length: *160mm / 6.3 in
Hair Length: *41mm / 1.61 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Grey Squirrel and Saikoho Goat Mix
This was my first ever purchase from the Fude BoBo (BoBo Do) website! I was a bit hesitant at first, seeing as how it was a website I hadn’t heard of before, but the ordering experience was very similar to Fude Japan. It came with a small free extra. The way that Toshiya is the face of Fude Japan, so is BoBo (aka baiyutang11 on Instagram). Just like Toshiya has a collaboration brush line, BoBo has also created brushes with various brushmakers alongside running a retail website. Considering she’s started working with influencers, like Alicia Archer, I foresee the site growing even more in popularity as time goes on. Personally, I’m more interested in the site for the exclusive brushes rather than buying the other brushes I can get elsewhere.
I don’t know if this particular brush will return, but I believe the Chikuhodo/BoBo Nebulae Collection CH-1 brush has a nearly identical brush head. The handles in the Nebulae collection remind me of Sonia G brush handles (which is mentioned on the website that she is an inspiration for the brand owner in trying to learn more about brushes and travel to Kumano personally to meet with the artisans there). The similarity is why I’m happier to have the gorgeous Moon and Rabbit handle instead. Between the holographic moon, shimmering particles on the deep blue background for the gold and silver bunnies, pale gold ferrule, and beautiful salt and pepper color brush head, I am in love!
The performance is extremely similar to the Koyudo Yoshiki Silver brush mentioned here today. This brush just has a longer slant and wider splay. It puffs out a bit more after being washed, which increases the airiness. This gives a sheer application of bronzer and blush, which is why I use it mostly for blush since I prefer a brush to pick up a bit more product with bronzer than this is capable of doing at one time. This is certainly not a brush for heavy-makeup wearers. I can turn the brush onto the tips and pick up highlighter with it to get a lovely sheer wash along the high points of my face. It works well with up to medium-firm pressed products. I wouldn’t bother trying to use it with hard pressed makeup.
I admittedly struggle between wanting to use this brush, because it’s so pretty and I enjoy the feel of pouncing it on my face, but also not wanting to damage or ruin it in any way. So, sometimes it gets put in rotation, but not for long periods of time.
I did buy one more exclusive brush, but it will discussed in Fude 9 because it was delivered to the US. I haven’t seen it in person yet!
EIHODO
On my Fude Collection index page, I wrote that I have a question about Eihodo handles. That’s in the Eihodo No.142 section, for those specifically wanting to read about that.
Eihodo Cheek Brush + Cap
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 37mm / 1.46 in
Hair Width: *27mm / 1.06 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
This brush was 7200 Yen at Fude Beauty and came with a SWS-2 brush cap to be stored in. As far as I am aware, CDJapan hasn’t released this brush (as of the time I’m working on this post). The most similar one I could find on the website is the Eihodo No. 170 Outlet Blush Brush with the same listed specifications and both the shape of the head and handle look quite similar. It’s listed at 7500 but was sold at the reduced price of 4125. The most similar one I can think of to compare is a brush I bought far more recently, the Eihodo No.399 Blush Brush. The main difference is the handle being round and matte black instead of pointed and shiny red. The outlet brush is also slightly bigger because it has some sokoho goat used to fill it in. It’s not a pure gray squirrel brush, even though it still feels very soft. On my face, I can feel the tiniest bit more friction, but that’s it. I wouldn’t classify it as rougher, but I also don’t have sensitive skin.
This brush feels extra silky, even for gray squirrel. The middle section is semi-dense, but the tips splay quite a bit wider around the edges while the center has less movement while being swirled on the face, giving it an airy quality. This brush is good for diffusing highly pigmented products for a softer look. It can be for used for blush, targeted powdering, and bronzing. Since round brushes in this size are my preference for blush, I only use it for that.
The brush cap is fine. I keep this brush stored in it, but I have another one from Eihodo. These are better at not squishing the bristles of non-symmetrical shaped brush heads than a standard brush guard. However, I don’t use guards or caps all that often, so I stopped buying them.
There isn’t much else to say about this brush. It isn’t a unique shape. It performs exactly as one would expect of a gray squirrel blush brush. Considering the prices of brushes these days, I’m surprised it wasn’t above 8000 YEN!
Ever since my Blendiful ripped towards the beginning of the year, I have been mainly using this brush for foundation (alongside other foundation brushes that needed to be tested or my Smashbox Full Coverage Foundation brush). I still used it throughout 2023, but I’ve had it in rotation consistently in 2024. My foundation goes on so smoothly with this brush! I get an occasional loose hair, but even less frequently than other large fully round brushes that I own. I’d also like to note that this is the only fully natural hair brush I’ve ever loved using with foundation. Some I have liked, but none enough to use regularly, other than this one. I should note that this has dyed bristles and brands don’t recommend using dyed goat hair with creams and liquids. However, I continue to do so with no issues that I can see. For anyone wanting to use white undyed hair, that version can be found HERE.
I am so impressed that this is a Sokoho brush because there’s no scratchiness on the skin. It is an absolute joy to buff or glide it across my face. Purely because of its large surface area, I don’t use it for bronzing or blush application. It is fantastic at picking up stiff pressed powders and depositing a nice even layer, regardless of it being a powder foundation, setting or finishing powder. The Chikuhodo FO-2 is a holy grail brush that I use with another holy grail product, the Dior Powder No-Powder. This would be an easy replacement brush if the FO-2 needed washing, especially since this puff brush is bigger and covers my face even more quickly. However, since I’m always using it with foundation, it needs washing more frequently than the Chikuhodo brush. So, it’s always occupied. I’m tempted to make a switch though!
*In the last two months I did make the switch and I’m just as happy!
I paid 9000 YEN for it, it’s 10000 YEN now, and it’s available HERE.
This is essentially the same brush I just reviewed above. The differences are the handle designs and dyed versus undyed goat hair. The only relevant new information to provide is that the white hair is silkier feeling because it hasn’t been put through the dye process. I am keeping this for collector purposes and will continue to use the black hair version, though perhaps I should consider using the black one with finishing powder and reserve this one for foundation.
This brush is currently 10000 YEN and it’s available HERE.
Eihodo No.49 Blush Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 148mm / 5.8 in
Hair Length: 38mm / 1.5 in
Hair Width: *28mm / 1.1 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel and Sokoho Goat
I find it super interesting how similar the Eihodo 49 looks compared to the Houkodou Nagi Series N-F1. The handles and ferrule are practically identical, minus the symbol. I wonder if the handles are made by a different company other than Eihodo/Chikuhodo or Houkodou? I never really thought about who makes Fude handles before, and just assumed all the OEMs make their own. In any case, the hair is the same mix too (though I think my Eihodo one has slightly more goat, but I can’t tell a difference on my cheeks). Anyway, I’m thrilled to basically have an accidental backup of the N-F1!
Now that I’m more used to how soft Eihodo’s sokoho feels, I can tell this brush has a mix of hairs, but they did an amazing job blending them together so that one could almost forget it doesn’t solely contain gray squirrel hair. This brush is slightly less soft than that one due to the suspected increase in the Sokoho part of the mixture, but it feels like full squirrel hair to the touch. It looks nice and full for a medium-sized blush brush and has a substantial amount of hair, but it’s bundled in a way that it doesn’t seem very dense. It has about medium firmness with a wispy feel at the tips. I like to swirl and buff it on the cheek in a circular motion. Just like many other cheek brushes, it can be used for other purposes, but I prefer to stick to blush.
How fortuitous! I found myself another brush that’s similar to the Houkodou N-F1! Good thing I enjoy it so much!
The way this differs from the other two is that it has gray squirrel hair exclusively. It’s smaller than the others in a way that I consider would be the equivalent of just removing the sokoho hair from the other two. The handle the makers chose is also significantly shorter. The hair type makes it feel like the airiest of all three and also the least dense, though it’s not a floppy brush by any means. It performs similarly to the others and has the same usages, though I’m even more inclined to only use it with blush due to the size and light application.
This had the reduced cost of 3850 YEN and was available HERE. I hope it’ll one day return in stock because that was quite the deal regarding the price!
Eihodo No.82 Powder Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 160mm / 6.3 in
Hair Length: 45mm / 1.77 in
Hair Width: *36mm / 1.41 in
Bristle Type: Goat
I’m not sure if it’s just the shape of this brush that makes it feel a little less soft than Sokoho from Eihodo usually feels. It’s not prickly. The hairs just feel a little drier and less smooth.
Picking up product from the tips doesn’t coat the brush as evenly as I like. I lay it along the length into powder compacts to pick up product from the wider side. This works for sweeping on a nice application of blush and face powder. I can’t lay the brush the same way when applying bronzer, so I have to use the tips, and never like the finished outcome.
For these reasons, I can’t recommend this one. However, if someone is curious to try it anyway, it cost me 2200 YEN and was available HERE.
Eihodo No.88 Blush/Powder Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *34mm / 1.33 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat
This brush looks quite different after being washed. I thought it had the tiniest slant of an angle, but it does not. It’s like a chubby fan shaped brush from the front, but is rounded enough at the top to be swirled around.
It can be used with blush, bronzer, and contour. It has a lot of hair in the bundle, but the way it’s puffed out leads to gentler applications than I’d expect from a sokoho hair brush. The lower half of the head has average firmness, but from the middle where it begins to taper up, it’s airier. It doesn’t pick up as much product as I expected either.
I have other brushes similar to this in my collection that are made from a higher grade of goat hair, so I’m less likely to keep using this one when I have those to choose from. I admittedly bought this for the handle anyway. It looked so intriguing!
This is made with a soft hair type, but it’s bundled so firmly that it can still feel stiff when used in sensitive spots like the inner corner and lower lash line. There is not much bristle movement, except around the very tips in the upper third of the brush head. This allows one to steadily line the eyes, but get a light amount of pigment or pass over the spot a few times for a medium application. This doesn’t pick up a lot of product, even if the brush is swirled several times in the pan in the attempt to coat it. So, it’s better suited for someone who likes soft eye looks. With mattes and loosely packed shimmers, the look can be built up to a certain extent. However, trying to build up a thicker shimmer is time consuming.
This brush can be used for soft liner and highlighting spots around the eyes.
I’ll include a comparison photo between this brush (post wash) and the next one.
Eihodo No.141 Shadow Liner Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 180mm / 7.1 in
Hair Length: 7mm / 0.27 in
Hair Width: *4mm / 0.16 in
Bristle Type: Weasel
I only need a few angled eye brushes in my collection, and I misplaced the one I brought with me, so I decided to get this brush. Since it was technically a purchase I shouldn’t have had to make, I didn’t want to spend much for it. I was considering getting the Chikuhodo GSN-11 that this resembles a lot: the gold colored ferrule crimped the same way, similar size overall brush dimensions, weasel hair, pearly white pointed tip handle.
Despite this hair type, it doesn’t feel pokey when lining the eyes. It gives decent color payoff with eyeshadows and feels semi-firm, but not too stiff, around the inner corners, lower lash line, under the brow arch, nor the brows when used to fill them in. I’ve used this with powders, cream, and liquid products, and it does a good job. It’s great for precision detail eye work, cleaning up the outer corner of the eye with concealer, and spot concealing on the face. I haven’t tried it with lip products, but it theoretically should make for a good lip brush pencil as well. I consider this a solid purchase!
This brush I bought before the Chikuhodo x BoBo brush, but I didn’t start using them until around the same time. That’s when I realized they were practically the same brush! This is the kind of thing that confuses me because Chikuhodo lists on their website (or at least used to) that they produce brushes for Eihodo, and Eihodo is listed under label/distributor for this brush. Since this is an “outlet” brush that’s supposed to have some sort of technical flaw, I’ve always been confused as to how or why these are listed for Eihodo instead of Chikuhodo outlet. Perhaps it’s to avoid possible brand devaluation.
I am also unaware of a line/series from Chikuhodo or Eihodo that has this type of brush head beyond the BoBo collab. It makes me wonder if this outlet brush came about while trying to produce the collab version. In any case, I consider this a backup!
Pre-wash comparisons are seen above.
Everything I said about the Chikuhodo x Bobo brush holds true here. It gives a sheer application of blush, bronzer, contour, and highlighter. It’s an airy brush that’s not dense. Pouncing or swiping styles of application is more intuitive for the shaping of this brush. I decided to leave it in the US so I can keep using it there whenever I visit. I kept the collaboration brush with me instead.
I bought this because the shape reminded me of my holy grail Bisyodo brush. I had no idea this would become another of my favorite brushes in my collection! It is perfect to use with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit palettes because of the size, softness, and amount of product that gets picked up on the brush. It’s small enough for strategic placement, but the widest portion gives a slight airiness to the application when moved in circular motions or swiped back and forth. It is easy to use in any direction.
It’s uncommon to have such long handles on brushes, but I really like this. It feels substantial in the hand, but not too heavy on the wrist. I have enjoyed it equally with bronzer, contour, blush, and highlighter. I usually have a preference for usage with multi-purpose brushes, but the outcomes are all so good that I like this in every way! I’ve taken this brush traveling, along with a microfiber cloth, and only felt the need to bring extra eye brushes and a face powder brush, since this one could do so much. I think it’s also extremely well priced. I highly recommend giving this a try, particularly if you have small face product pans and struggle to put a brush in it.
This is supposed to be an Eihodo outlet brush, but I was very confused when I saw an extremely similar brush on the Fude Bobo (Bobo Do) website that even had the number 11 printed on it, but is from “Number Eight produced by H.” The handles remind me of Hakuhodo G series brushes, but why would this be called an Eihodo brush? This has remained a mystery since my purchase of it in September 2023.
In any case, it cost 4400 YEN and I purchased mine from CDJapan.
Eihodo No.161 Highlighting Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 145mm / 5.7 in
Hair Length: 30mm / 1.18 in
Hair Width: *19mm / 0.75 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat
This brush looked like (and had similar specifications to) the Chikuhodo Passion Series PS-3, including having a similar ferrule color. They’re listed for the same retail price too, which felt like I could save 45% on the brush by getting this outlet one. I also think the grain on the wood is stunning, so I wasn’t about to pass it up! I have no idea what type it is, but in the photo below, it’s next to two granadillo handles (Chikuhodo ZEN series and Kazan Homare series).
This brush can be used for powdering under the eyes, nose contour, and technically as a huge eyeshadow brush. The Sokoho hair is soft enough to not feel prickly around sensitive areas like around the eyes, but due to its large shape I prefer to use it as a highlighter brush only. A small amount gets picked up with just one swipe into a highlighter pan, so I can get a sheer even application if desired or build up the concentration.
Honestly though, I just wanted this brush for the handle and ferrule. It makes me happy to look at it and have it. It’s perfectly functional, but I already have my highlighter brush favorites.
At the time, I paid 1760 YEN for this brush that is now listed as 3200 YEN, and it was available HERE.
Eihodo No.165 Blush Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 150mm / 5.9 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel and Horse
What appealed to me about this brush is that it looked so similar to another outlet brush, the Eihodo Makie Blush Brush Kozakura listed at the reduced price HERE of 4400. They are nearly the same length, but the makie brush was made of all pine squirrel and that keeps it looking puffier post-wash. I was also intrigued by this brush because of the unique shade of slate-blue ferrule I’ve never seen before, plus the pointed handle.
This brush is softer than if it had horse hair alone, with the advantage of having more blending strength than if this was made solely with pine squirrel hair. That being said, this is by no means a buff brush. It’s got a nice range of movement, and applies a medium amount of product to the face. I would still consider it a brush for someone who wants to build up makeup, but there’s not enough buffing power if the powders are overapplied and need to be blended out. I treat this as the sweeping brush that it is.
I like this with blush the most. It’s okay with bronzer and can be used with highlighter if applied via the tips. This brush has a ton of competition as a blush brush, so I don’t know if I’ll use this brush that much. I’m still glad to have it though.
After washing this brush, it gets puffier, but goes flatter with a wider splay when pressure is applied. It performs sufficiently for foundation, but I don’t like that the application is uneven where the outer parts of the brush are less dense and would normally diffuse while the center part gives a strong application. That’s why I like flat top brushes in the first place in order to get mostly the same coverage across the whole surface area. I feel the same way when using face powder because even though diffusing is good, I don’t want a combination of sheer and light layers that I would have to spend more time buffing parts out.
This works the best with bronzer, though the splay makes it apply product to a wide area, so it’s less precise. Using it with blush does an adequate job as well. This isn’t my favorite brush, in part because I prefer the Eihodo puff shape. I also like it less than the Sonia G Smooth Buffer and Chikuhodo FO-2, although those are way more expensive.
In fact, I don’t think I have an inexpensive flat top in my collection, so that might be a good alternative option for someone, plus the ferrule and handle look beautiful and this is an Eihodo brush, who have some of the softest Sokoho around.
I left the 177 behind because I knew I was going to get a super similar looking brush in the 226. However, it’s possible they are slightly different because I remember liking the 177 a lot more. Then again, I wasn’t using the puff brush at such a steadfast frequency, so it’s possible my enjoyment for the puff brush made me like this one a little less. It’s still a decent brush though, just not over-the-top stellar.
There is the 177 and the 226 that I bought, plus the 212 option for 2520 YEN. For the same price, there is also the 104 that looks to have a similar head as the others, but is listed at 27mm hair length instead of 25mm.
That’s everything!
If this is your first time visiting my blog, thank you for reading! If you’re one of the awesome people that visit regularly, thank you for your patience with how long it took to get this post completed. I am finally nearing the point of completing all pending brush reviews and finally having shown my entire Fude Collection! It might take until the middle of 2025 to complete, due to me rescheduling my return visit to the US. As I mentioned at the beginning, I also reformatted the Fude list so it’s easier for everyone to use CTRL + f keys on the computer to type and search for specific brushes.
In my previous review of YSL Quads, I mentioned I’m willing to pay full price for these if they’re going to be color stories I love, though I always recommend trying to get a deal if possible. For this holiday order, I paid full price, but the brand offered a gift with purchase option where customers could choose one of twelve different bags/pouches, choose one of two travel size fragrances, and the mini shower gel came with it. I also had the option to choose two out of six samples, which comes with every order directly from YSL’s website. I only like their Black Opium line, so I gave the larger freebies to my husband.
At the time I started writing the first draft of this review, one month after the initial launch, the official website was the only place that sold the palette in Germany. I was not patient enough to wait for a potential monetary deal and the 10% off welcome discount code did not apply to new items.
YSL Couture Mini Clutch in 024 Golden Lace
I think these colors are gorgeous! They aren’t unique, as I’m sure I could find dupes in my collection (perhaps from Natasha Denona’s Gold or Bronze palettes). The shades are extremely close to YSL’s own Over Doré quad. Fedaro_Beauty on Instagram has fantastic comparisons between both palettes. She was kind enough to allow me to share her example photos here, but her post has additional photos, including eye looks and the lipstick for those interested in seeing more.
To see her YouTube short of these two items in high quality video format, click HERE. I recommend subscribing to the Fedaro Beauty YouTube channel as well as following on Instagram. She has very insightful and in-depth reviews that have helped me be a better informed consumer and make smarter purchasing decisions. It was actually due to reviews from Fedaro Beauty that I realized Over Doré’s darkest shade didn’t look like it would be deep enough for my liking, and why I skipped buying that quad. Now, I am especially happy that I decided not to buy it because Golden Lace is slightly better suited for my preferences, making it the better purchase for me.
With Golden Lace, the darkest color adds depth, but I have to build it up so much that I sometimes get it higher above my crease than I want, and using a smaller brush takes too much time. One of the biggest selling points for me is that I can create pretty looks very quickly with YSL quads because they are so easy to blend. Building up Shade 4 and not having a lighter shade to help blend out the edges is only a problem for review purposes. In everyday life, I just use a lighter matte from the other quads or use this shade in the crease and deepen the outer corner with the black color from Over Noir. It’s not so bad dipping into other quads if it only takes half the usual blending time as eyeshadows from other brands would require.
Above is a demonstration of a more dramatic look built up to the max. The shimmers were applied damp to intensify the shine. Below is an example of a toned down look with shimmers applied by finger and a dry brush. I also blended out the edge with Shade 2 from Over Brun.
I don’t notice any quality differences between this limited edition palette and the permanent line, which is a relief since many brands unfortunately use cheaper formulations for their holiday launches. I get no creasing or fading issues. There isn’t much fallout, particularly if I apply them wet. I’ve tested the quad on three different primers/bases and had no performance problems. The eyeshadows blend well, though I did mention needing to build up the darkest shade a lot and having to wet the shimmers to get the level of opacity and depth I want for my skin tone. This is unlikely to be a problem for those with lighter skin.
Although the colors in Golden Lace don’t scream holidays to me, the packaging and beautiful winter flower imprint on the shades fulfill that vibe. I’m quite happy to have purchased this! I have to add that Over Brun is still my favorite of the bunch!
One other thing to add is that I was curious to see if Shade 3 could be used as a highlighter. In the swatches, it blends in so well with my skin tone. I can confirm that the color makes for a great highlighter and although the shimmer particles are a bit more apparent than what I usually go for, I’d feel comfortable enough to wear it for festive occasions. There are actual highlighters I’ve removed from my collection for being way more sparkly than this eyeshadow looks on my cheeks. I don’t think anyone would be able to tell, just by looking at me, that it was an eyeshadow I was using and not a traditional highlighter. I was inspired to use Shade 3 from Over Brun as well and that works too, although Over Brun’s shadow is a little more reflective.
YSL Loveshine Lipstick Collector in Shade 209 Pink Desire
The swatch for this is further above in the eyeshadow section. In that picture, the magenta or pinky-purple sparkles are easier to see than I was able to capture in lip swatches. This version of Pink Desire is too vibrant for my taste and not the best suited for my warm undertone, but it’s such a fun color that I would just use it on particular occasions.
I’ve tried pairing it with a lip liner and it while it helps a little, I don’t see a significant difference. It’s still bold. As for the Loveshine formula, which is a first for me as I only had YSL Volupté lippies prior to this, I do like it. It feels comfortable and moisturizing on the lips, gives good color payoff, and has a yummy fruity-candy scent. I have not gone an entire day wearing this shade though. I apologize, but I can’t do a full day wear test with this one. I don’t have the confidence to rock it in normal everyday situations where everyone is able to see me. I ordered another Loveshine from the permanent range and intend to give that a proper test before updating this post 3-4 weeks from now.*
*NOVEMBER 7th 2024 UPDATE: As promised, I just want to update about the fact that this particular formula of Loveshine with shimmer differs from the feel of the other Loveshine High-Shine Caring Lipsticks. This one was balmier, but the normal range is more emollient. It feels moisturizing and nice, but by the end of the day, I still suffer a bit of dryness. I will be releasing a dedicated YSL lippie post in the future, so I will go more in-depth there. In summation though, “I have such picky lips that if I wanted to use it as a caring lip treatment type of product, this wouldn’t be worth the price (unlike on other people with less lip sensitivities who would have zero issues with this). However, as a makeup product and just wanting to have something comfortable enough to wear in a pretty color and with packaging that feels luxurious and indulgent, this succeeds in that.”
Below are more photos with the eyeshadow quad used on my eyes and Pink Desire on my lips (the photo with liner is on the right). Even after taking these pictures, I removed the lipstick and put a different shade on instead to finish out the rest of my day. This color isn’t for me, but I’ve seen it look beautiful on other people. There are two additional lip colors available in the limited edition tubes, but I believe they might be too light for my taste.
That’s everything I have to share! Thank you for reading and I hope this has been helpful!
This is a review I felt compelled to make, but I did not look forward to it. I’m always rooting for and hoping for Fenty’s continued success, but of everything I’ve tried, their only standout products that can compete with my favorites from other brands are the Liquid Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint and Gloss Bombs. There are a few things I disliked (all previous foundations, cream gloss bombs, and their eyeshadows), but everything else has just been okay. The only other makeup I used to really enjoy and recommend were the brand’s cream blushes, but I stopped liking them a year ago when other brands’ formulas were just so much better suited to my wants.
Fenty Cheeks Suede Powder Blushes in Sundress Szn and Lolly Poppy
I’d been waiting years for a proper powder blush from Fenty, and I went through a range of opinions since using them. I heard so many ladies with tan skin and darker saying all the shades were ashy except Daiquiri Dip. So, I was excited just to have mine show up on my skin. Then, I realized that the mica particles hitting the light was making them look ashy on me. My excitement dropped.
I know the brand listed Sundress Szn as being suitable for fair and light skin, but the pigment level and tone (as it appeared in marketing images) is what I wanted. It looked like a pink-brown or nude-brown. Most of Fenty’s colors are near to being primary and I was excited to have a more skin-natural shade. I thought I could just mix it with Lolly Poppy to deepen the color, but that doesn’t help. And in person, Sundress Szn just looks light pink.
Lolly Poppy is quite vibrant and not a color I want to wear on its own. I decided to try putting on a brown blush and adding Lolly Poppy just to the apples of my cheek. That combination turned out beautifully! I tried doing that with Sundress Szn and thought it worked, but when I realized how it looked outdoors versus indoors, I changed my mind about it. Sundress Szn just doesn’t look as flattering on my skin tone purely because of the sheen. As for Lolly Poppy, it’s more of an “I can make it work” situation when combining it with other products and using the barest amount. If I build it up, I realized it still gives me a similar problem as Sundress Szn where the reflect looks too white against my warm undertone. What a shame!
In terms of blendability, it’s a little above average. It does look soft and not drying on the skin. It does look more like suede than being powdery. After the third use, a weird film looks like it starts to form on the surface, but not necessarily hard pan. It might just be the reflection of the sheen. Still, I recommend trying to avoid swatching it too often as I think oils touching the powder could be a problem over time. The photo shows its current state having been worn at least ten times for Lolly Poppy and six for Sundress Szn. Every time Lolly Poppy starts to look the way of Sundress Szn, the next use smooths it back out. Very strange!
Two of my favorite blush colors exist from Fenty (favorites in shade not formula) which are Rose Latte and Strawberry Drip, but the brand chose not to make them in powder form. Even if they expand this range, I would not buy more in this formula. I would love to hope that Fenty would listen to customer feedback and reformulate, but they never admit to faults, flaws, or flops. They keep it on the shelves and just release a new version. So, I will have to wait and hear if Fenty comes out with a line of “Silk Powder Blushes” for example instead of Suede, and hope those will be better. Theoretically, these should still work fine for someone with medium and lighter skin, but I can’t recommend them.
The final thing of note is that these have claims of being waterproof. I have not tested that on my face, but I can say the color lasts all day on my cheeks. That isn’t especially impressive since nearly every powder blush I wear has no longevity issues. The most I did was put it on the back of my hand and then ran water over it to see if the color would bleed and wash away. It passed that test, so perhaps if they’re really waterproof, that will be important to a specific group of people.
If you’re still here after that glum but necessary report, I thank you for reading. I am still in the testing phase of Fenty’s two newest lip products, but I will say I’ve been enjoying the brand’s new Gloss Balm Stix. I will do an official post in the future, though it’s unlikely to be posted any earlier than six weeks from now.
The title of today’s post refers to me reviewing a product from Givenchy, Guerlain, and Gucci! They’re three G-named luxury beauty brands with products I tend to like when I try them. Rather than reviewing them separately, I decided to combine them into a single post.
Let’s begin!
Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Glow Foundation in W385
The Givenchy Prisme Libre concealers are in my top five favorites, so my interest in the glow version of the foundation began from there. When I saw this shade available for half price, I jumped at the chance to try it!
I’m sure it seems strange that I chose a foundation shade that’s lighter than the concealers I use, but my face color comprises of multiple shades: mainly the lightest sections (cheek area, chin, parts of my nose, and center of my forehead), medium section (forehead and perimeter of my face), and the darkest parts (dark under eye circles, dark spots, scars, and hyperpigmentation). Most of my foundations are either a middle ground shade between the lightest and medium colors on my face, or matching the medium color alone. Because of my severely dark under eyes, using a concealer that’s around my skintone depth (instead of brightening) looks best. It’s a long way to say that N390 is close enough to my skin tone depth, so I figured W385 might work. It’s not the best match for me, but it’s hard to be able to tell since the coverage is so sheer.
This foundation is supposed to be “buildable,” but it only goes as high as medium coverage with 4 full pumps for the whole face. It’s typical for me to use 1 or 2 pumps of any foundation at most. I used 1 full pump for one half of my face in the photo below, yet got hardly any coverage. Because I don’t enjoy the feeling of having too many layers of product on my face, I wouldn’t surpass three pumps. After a point, adding more doesn’t increase the coverage and it hinders the foundation’s ability to dry down on the skin. Using more drops also increases the ease of transfer.
Other than the foundation on one side, both sides have a little concealer around the eyes and mouth.
The Givenchy Prisme Libre foundation sets without needing powder, as long as I’m not heavy on the emollient skincare and stick to using no more than 2 pumps of foundation. Powdering, to me, would defeat the purpose of having a luminous foundation.
This has about the same amount of glow as the Chanel No. 1 Foundation in the beginning, but by midday and onward, the Chanel foundation gives more glow.
The dispenser part of my bottle top arrived broken. It spins around 360 degrees. If I don’t remember to hold it steady when pressing down the pump, it’ll spray everywhere. I don’t have the best memory, so I’ve made that mistake three times already since June. Since I bought this at such a high discount, I didn’t bother contacting customer service.
The darker and warmer color is the Armani foundation, but the squirts all around is the Givenchy foundation when I planned to wear them mixed them together.
As a side note, the Douglas retail website is wild! I’ve never seen prices fluctuate so much on a website before! When I checked again, some shades of this foundation dropped to 16 Euros, whereas other shades (including mine) went back up in price!
I find more use for this product as a mixer to sheer out foundations that are on the thicker side while getting a little more natural finish and coverage. For example, the Armani Luminous Silk foundation is one that never reaches luminous level and I can get a natural finish at best. The Givenchy product mixed with it improves it on every front. So, even though I don’t like this as a standalone product, it’s still useful for me.
*I’d just like to add that all photos were taken early in Summer, so I’m darker now. Definitely too dark to wear this foundation alone now.
Guerlain Terracotta Blush in 03 Deep Nude
I admittedly don’t feel like I can fully appreciate this because I bought it at the same time as the Chanel trio, and they’re basically the same color. It’s not as “nude” of a shade as I thought either. It’s basically just dark pink and I wish it had more brown. Color aside, I also wish it wasn’t so matte. I would have loved for there to be a sheen in this. This is why I didn’t get more shades, even though they were at least 33% off on websites I came across (I bought mine from Parfümerie Pieper).
I’ve had no issues with longevity. I can’t speak for the whole line, but this particular shade is pigmented. I try not to load up too much product on my brush. It’s better to build it up because it’s hard to try and buff it away. If I apply too much, I have to tone it down with a finishing powder or foundation. In a sheer amount, it looks pretty. The powder quality is nice, but not worth full price to me. What I paid is more in line, in my opinion, with what it should have been at the start.
As for the packaging, I think I remember reading some complaints about Guerlain’s Terracotta compacts looking boring and people wanting the blush components to be different, but I like it. I’m more concerned with the formula. I think the quality is decent, but I fail to see anything special about it that would make it stand out from other brands. For a similar price, the Armani Luminous Silk Glow Blushes, which are also matte, are ones I like better.
Gucci Poudre De Beauté Matte Compact Powder (refill) in 10
This is a very smooth finely milled powder. Although I opted to buy the refill so that I could keep the cost low, the intended component is just as luxe as the bronzer packaging and in a pretty shade of pink. Between the formula and compact, I can understand the price tag. For anyone wanting to do what I did and house it in an empty magnetic palette, just know that the pan itself isn’t magnetic. I had to add a metal sticker to the bottom. The sticker I purchased from Amazon and the powder I bought from Selfridges.
The shade I bought is perfect for me. It doesn’t darken when put on top of wet skin. I can see how this is dry skin friendly, but it’s a bit too weak. It tones down shine, but can’t hold at bay an actual dewy product. Also, despite what the product description says on the website, I don’t notice any blurring.
If you don’t like perfume in makeup, just know that every product I reviewed today has it listed in the ingredients. I don’t find the smell of any of them to be alluring, but none are bad either.
This is what the 3 G’s look like when used all together on my face! I tried to use as many “G” branded products as possible to fit the theme! The Gucci powder was all over the face, but the Givenchy powder was under the eyes.
I’d like to take this time to correct my feelings towards the Gucci Bronzer. In my ranking post, I put it in the category of “nice but not a standout formula, in a shade that wasn’t perfect for me.” It’s amazing how a different undertone can really change things! I got my hands on Shade 4 and liked it so much better! It’s still not in my top 10 formulas, but it’s better than I initially felt. With Shade 4, I can get it to blend into my skin better and have it look more natural. I can finally see that it’s smoother than I originally gave it credit for, especially considering how I was still able to make Shade 5 work despite being so off.
Anyway, that’s all for today! Thank you for reading!
Lili's Beauty Blog 