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Surprising Makeup Hits and Misses ft Rare Beauty, Glossier, Dior, and More

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I visited the US in April and was reunited with the rest of my makeup collection, along with all the things I shipped there during 2024. Those products consisted of Japanese brushes that I didn’t want to pay extra customs fees for, reward point and gift card redemptions only applicable to US sites, products only sold within the US, etc. I had older makeup I still wanted to bring back to Germany, but I needed to decide which of the newer ones were worth coming along too. That’s how the idea for this post began! However, some of the makeup I brought back will be discussed in other posts, and I added some of my newer makeup purchases to this review instead.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Worth

It was difficult to photograph this color accurately because it looks darker in the pan than it actually is. I own the liquid version of Worth, and have reviewed it before, but I left it in the US. Since the liquid is sheer, I wasn’t surprised that I also needed to pack on a lot of this cream-to-powder version to get it to show up on camera.

I’ve been into subtle and/or nude blushes lately, so I expected to love this. I tried pairing it with so many different things expecting that perhaps my foundation shade mattered or that the undertone was clashing, that the color of my eyeshadow looks could be throwing it off, etc. I just wasn’t enjoying wearing it. The answer I settled on as to why that was the case is that it’s matte. I knew it would be from the name, but I’ve used shimmer-free creamy and bouncy type of blushes before that still had a natural emollient gleam to them from just being a cream product. Examples of this are the MAC Glow Play Blushes and Armani Neo Nude Color Melting Balms. Even within the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush line that comes in dewy or matte finishes, the matte one still has some life to it. So, I wasn’t expecting this blush to have zero shine, especially from a product that has Synthetic Fluorphlogopite as the first ingredient.

The longevity is fine. The blush blends into and becomes one with the skin. For the best results, I use my densest synthetic brushes with it.

I borrowed the photo above from my Charlotte Tilbury x Genshin Impact post where I reviewed the Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray. By the time I started using that spray, I already knew that my issue with the Rare Beauty Blush was the fact that it’s matte. However, I was still taken aback when I saw with my own eyes how much of a difference some extra shine truly makes. I love how this blush looks when I use Charlotte’s spray over it. So this product changed from a miss to a hit for me!

Eadem Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm in Fig Sauce

I mentioned in my Project Pan that there are only 5 brands I’m purchasing from in the lip category this year. One exception was this balm because I would have bought it ages ago if it was sold in Europe. I could only find one website that would ship it to me, but then I would have had to pay at least double the price.
The tradeoff for having to wait a long time to get it from USA’s Sephora was that I could buy it on sale and with a gift card.

I have to talk about the metal applicator because it feels amazing applying this lip balm! I don’t like when products have a cooling ingredient that makes my lips feel cold for 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the brand. Instead, I only get that wonderfully cold sensation during the application process and then I can go about my day. This really adds to the experience, so much so that I’ve even put other products on my lips and then used this applicator to spread it out! Perhaps one day I’ll buy some empty tubes off the websites I’ve found by typing, “metal applicator cosmetic tube” into Google and transfer some other glosses into them.

This is a very nourishing product and lives up to its reputation as a lip treatment. It fills the lines and smooths over the lips. It’s thick, but not goopy in a gel or oil way. It has more of a creamy-waxy feel. It adheres fairly well to the lips, which helps it to last longer before needing to be touched up or reapplied. I still consider this a little sticky, but it’s not to Ami Cole levels. It has decent color payoff, enough for me to understand someone wanting to buy multiple shades, but I wouldn’t want to buy more than one extra.

The results I get are similar to Ami Cole glosses, which is to say my lips feel softer and more hydrated the next day, but this does not completely remove all of my chapped skin. I can always spot a few areas on my lips that are still chapped the next day.
So, this hasn’t claimed a spot in my top five, but I still like it a lot.

Gxve Beauty Eye See in Color in Rich Girl

This was the only quad from the brand that I found appealing, but my immediate issue is that I don’t get enough depth from the darkest brown in this palette. While it theoretically shouldn’t be a problem to grab a dark eyeshadow from any other brand, I know I will subconsciously not reach for this palette since it is technically incomplete for me.

The completed look is pretty, but I couldn’t bring myself to choose this to pack in my suitcase over my many other options.

If the eyeshadow formula was superb, I would have considered taking this with me anyway. My issue is that the shimmers are a bit lackluster. There is still beauty in a lower impact shimmer if the intended eye look is supposed to be sophisticated or demure. I think the quality is fairly good, though it could have benefited from being a bit creamier. The mattes were fine. My brush picked up a lot of product, but with how soft they look on my eyes, I think someone would be surprised to know how much I tried to build up these eyeshadows. They are drier shadows that appear to be finely milled, but something about the formula just doesn’t feel modern.

This palette is long-lasting on me. It doesn’t take long to get a blended look. However, this isn’t for me. I do appreciate that the holder of the pans is easy to remove, so I could technically keep the compact or turn it into an empty magnetic palette if I inserted a magnetic sticker sheet. I could also technically add metal sticker pans to the bottom of the eyeshadow holder to pop it into a larger empty magnetic palette. Removeable packaging is always interesting to me.

In any case, this quad wasn’t a flop, but it also wasn’t good enough to keep around.

As a random side note, the Gxve Beauty website used to sell merch as well. I ordered one of the Signature Hoodies during a 50% off sale (just like I did with the palette). It has fleece lining on the inside, so I’m excited to wear it come winter. The website says products are now exclusively at Sephora and things are so frequently for 50% off that I really don’t know how the brand will continue to stay afloat.

I don’t know where these are being sold now. If they are discontinued, I’m glad I was able to snag one as a piece of makeup history.

Glossier Cloud Paint Bronzer in Coast

I liked the Glossier Solar Paints, but wished to have a version without shimmer. The Cloud Paint formula is one of my favorites for cream blushes, so to have a matte Cloud Paint in a bronze color seemed like it would be an instant win.

I picked Coast because it is the second darkest option and has a golden tone, which I wanted. The darkest color, Drift, looked like it would be too red for me despite being labeled by the brand as a deep neutral bronze. Coast is just too subtle for my skin tone right now. While I was in Florida, I didn’t do a good job of reapplying sunscreen. My skin had a slightly redder tone and was darker, so the bronzer really isn’t visible in photos as it was already so subtle in person. I have a photo below, but I apologize for the lighting being very off. I couldn’t get a clearer picture during the trip and my skin looks even redder in the photo than it was in real life (plus I was wearing the Beekman 1802 skin tint that’s red).

I don’t mind having a subtle bronzer, but my biggest issue wasn’t the color. I felt it just didn’t blend seamlessly enough into my skin. While it’s true that I didn’t bring my holy grail synthetic bronzer/contour brush with me, I came to realize that the watercolor kind of finish that’s beautiful and natural in a blush isn’t what I want in a bronzer. So, I left this behind. What a shame!

Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara vs Too Faced Ribbon Wrapped Lash Tubing Mascara

Back in 2014, during my short lived time making YouTube videos (all listed as private now), I kicked off my Mascara Showdown Series with a battle between Tarte’s Lights Camera Lashes and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascaras.

I determined that Tarte was the winner because of the length, but the mascara I actually repurchased the most was from Too Faced. I don’t know if it’s because I ended up preferring the balance between length and volume or if I was just able to get the Too Faced mascara on sale more frequently. I eventually stopped buying the one from Too Faced because I started to get clumping and flaking issues that I never had before. I don’t know if the formula changed or there was a switch in manufacturers, but I moved on from that mascara.

The KVD Full Sleeve Long + Defined Tubing mascara made me interested in tubing mascaras again. I had a deluxe sample of the one from Tarte, so when Too Faced released theirs I thought why not…let’s do another showdown between these brands over a decade later!

I never curl my lashes, so sometimes the mascaras look better or worse depending on how my eyelashes are naturally shaped that day. I’ve used the Tarte mascara five times and I can say that even if it had amazing results, what puts me off from it is how long it takes to dry. If I try to layer up even more product, then it takes even longer. I can touch my lashes thirty minutes later and it still doesn’t feel fully set. This is a big problem when I’m trying to photograph multiple eye looks in a day and in the process of removing my eyeshadow with a Makeup Eraser cloth and Bioderma, my eyelashes clump together, the color smears, and the stickiness makes it difficult to remove the rest. Part of the benefits of tubing mascara is the ease in which one can remove it with warm water. I can remove them with micellar water as well, so I’m not surprised that some of the Tarte mascara comes off. The annoying part is the weird middle ground where some of it comes off and smudges while the rest still clings on with a tight grip. It makes it so that I am forced to fully remove it every time when I want to do a new eye look, whereas with other tubing mascaras and even regular mascaras, it’ll come partly off and I can easily reapply more mascara because they didn’t turn my lashes spidery and hard. This is a makeup reviewer problem, but having to wait so long for it to fully dry is an issue overall. One time I made the mistake of applying this mascara not far enough in advance of watching a heartfelt scene in a show. The side with the Tarta mascara was a mess and got in my eyes. The side with Too Faced did not.

I didn’t like the Too Faced Ribbon mascara when I first tried it, but every time after that (at least 15 times so far), I have enjoyed it. Just like the showdown from many years ago, I found that Tarte’s mascara was better at lengthening, whereas Too Faced’s mascara was better with building volume while still giving nice length. It can start to clump if I build this up a lot, so I have to be careful about finding the balance between satisfaction and knowing when to stop.

I like the one from Too Faced, but I think I still prefer my tubing mascara from KVD. It gives better length than Tarte and if I’m patient enough I can build up the volume to similar results as Too Faced, though it can also start to form clumps if I take things too far.

The Tarte mascara is a miss. The Too Faced mascara is a hit.

Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush in 077 Candy

I reviewed the cream blush stick version of Candy already, and updated the original post, but this still feels like a good place to talk about the powder blush since it’s a miss for me.

This new powder formula is definitely an improvement on the original formulation and first reformulation, in terms of being more pigmented and less hard-pressed. I also think this square packaging is cuter and easier to use with larger cheek brushes. The reason it’s a miss for me is purely due to the color. I loved the addition of shimmer in the Bronzed Glow shade from version 2 of these blushes, but the base color of Candy being so light means that it unfortunately does the same thing as Nars Orgasm on me. I can see the pink shade at one angle, but when it hits the light, the gold reflect is nearly all I can see. So, it appears as if I tried to use a highlighter as blush! This kind of shimmer is not that refined either, which makes it unsuitable for my preference as even a blushlighter or blush topper.

The saving grace for me is that I can add the Candy blush stick on top to help the shimmer become one with the skin, plus boost the appearance of the pink color.

I’m happy using the Candy shade of Glow Stick on its own, but going forward, I will never wear the powder version of Candy by itself. Based on my continued enjoyment of the previous powder blush reformulation, and acknowledgement that the new one has improvements, I still recommend the powder blush. I just can’t recommend Candy or Toffee to anyone close to my skin tone because of that highlighter effect. Bronzed Glow still gives me hope that Dior can nail a shimmery blush in this new formula in the future if the base color is darker.

That’s everything I have for this week. Thank you for visiting and reading!

-Lili ❤

Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Stick Blush Review

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I was very eager to get this post out, so I’ve only used the Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Stick in 077 Candy six times so far. This hasn’t gone through my usual amount of testing rounds, but I feel that I have a good handle on how this blush performs.

I must admit the chances are high that I will eventually buy something else from the collection of new powder blushes, cream blush sticks, and lip butters. Whether that happens or not, I still intend to update this post if there is anything noteworthy I’ve forgotten to mention or that I’ve discovered after using this product for a longer period of time.*

*JUNE 14, 2025 UPDATE: I bought the powder blush version of this shade as well. The review is at the end of this post.

The swatches are slightly washed out, but this was photographed in natural light from the window.

The Reformulation History

Before we get into this, I just wanted to point out that the original Backstage Rosy Glow Blushes were Pink and Coral. In 2023, the brand dropped “Backstage” from the name and relaunched Pink and Coral, along with the new shades Rosewood, Cherry, Berry and Mahogany. In 2024, they expanded the Rosy Glow range by adding Bronzed Glow, Pink Lilac, and Poppy Coral. Bronzed Glow was the first blush to have visible shimmer particles and it was much easier to pick up product onto a brush.
The “Backstage” name was added back to the Rosy Glow Blush line in 2025, after a second reformulation and new packaging. I don’t know if this means Dior was going to drop the Backstage line, then decided against it. From what I hear, this line is much more popular with the younger generation on TikTok, so that could account for the reconsideration.

The new line of cream blush sticks and second round of reformulated powder blushes comprise of the shades Pink, Pink Lilac, Rosewood, Cherry, Berry, Toffee, and Candy. So, there is currently no Coral, Poppy Coral, Mahogany, or Bronzed Glow.

As I mentioned, Bronze Glow already had visible shimmer and was easier to work with than the others, so I would not have repurchased it just to get the cute square packaging even if it was an option. However, it’s tempting to pick up the new Rosewood. I can’t justify getting it though because my old one is only hard-pressed and still doesn’t have hard-pan on it. I have plenty of brushes that can pick up product decently enough.

If I were to buy one of the powder blushes, it would be Candy, Cherry, or Berry. The older version of Berry looked way deeper than is my preference, but the new Berry’s tone looks prettier to me.

The Performance

Candy has turned out to be a very interesting shade for me to wear! The base color is bubblegum pink, but the golden shimmer makes the blush shade appear warmer. In addition, the ph-adjusting pigment turns the blush a little darker on my cheeks, which prevents it from looking ashy on my skintone while also helping it to actually show up. Without it, I don’t think I would have been able to pull off a color as light as this and in a formula that blends out to be as sheer.
Of the available colors, this is the closest thing to a coral shade that they have.

This isn’t a stiff blush stick. The product glides easily so that I can draw a line of product directly onto my skin without disturbing my makeup underneath. It’s also easy to blend in, leaving no harsh edges and it doesn’t require warming the product up on the back of the hand or via the fingertips to make it easier to spread. So far, my favorite way to apply this has been using angled synthetic brushes and the Singe Beauty F03.

I watched a lot of videos to try and figure out which shades I wanted, and in the process I heard every reviewer talk about this cream being a bit sticky or dewy. This was not the case for me within the first four days. So, I assumed either mine is drier than everyone else’s or my dry skin type plays a part in how this blush sets down on my face. After putting on the blush and touching my cheeks, the most I saw and felt on my fingers was the same amount of moisture as I would get from a full face of skincare and nothing else.

It wasn’t until a different testing session when I applied and blended out this blush with my fingers that I was left with dewy cheeks. My theory now is that because I usually draw or place dots onto my cheeks and then use my brush to blend it out, the wetter elements of the blush get picked up and hold onto the fibers of my brush, so that it’s mostly just the color that is left behind. The little dew that remains gets pushed deeper into my dry skin, so I’m left with hydrated and moisturized feeling cheeks that still don’t require powder to set it! This might not be the same scenario someone with oily skin will experience. Dior does specifically state this contains cherry oil and is intended to be dewy.

I wonder if the minimal amount I use also plays a part. Because this is not a bold color, I can see the temptation to build up a lot of swipes on the cheeks right away. However, I’ve learned from using Rosewood to just give those Red Lakes time to do their thing and darken. So, I tend to not add that much product and I’m still given enough color for the blush to be seen in person (though not as prominently in photos).

My favorite way to use this, other than by itself, is to apply it on top of a matte blush for added opacity and that pretty golden glow. I think it looks better when the cream stick is on top of powder, instead of underneath it.

The worst wear time I’ve had so far was when I used my most moisturizing milky toner as part of my skincare routine, wore my dewiest and most transfer-prone skin tint that provided light-medium coverage, and I did not set my face with powder. The blush faded to the point of having noticeably less color within two hours and I could see my skin underneath. However, there was enough blush to look like I had used a cheek stain. By the end of the night, it was still present and there was still a little glow.

The best wear time I’ve had, without relying on powder, also involved a hydrating milky toner and my glowiest foundation with high coverage. In this scenario, I don’t see fading until five hours in, but I have plenty of color remaining. My longest wear test under these conditions was 12 hours and the blush was still there.

I know firsthand that setting the blush with translucent face powder extends the wear, and it definitely won’t be a problem if paired with another powder blush. It’s also possible that the darker blush stick shades with more of the ph-adjusting pigment could be longer lasting.

An additional note is that this product contains fragrance. It smells like a combination of vanilla, candy, and mint. It’s like a milder version of the Dior Addict lippies. I don’t really enjoy there being menthol and peppermint oil, as it makes me instinctively want to keep it away from my eyes. It doesn’t burn, but I associate the smell with Vicks Vaporub.

The Packaging

I’d just like to throw out there that the packaging is genius! I love that I can stick the handle down into the blush cap for it to be held securely while I twist it and then apply the product! I can even set it down on the table without fear of it tipping over.

For those who have purchased multiple glow sticks, it’s nice that every blush has a corresponding cap color to make it easier to determine what shade it is without having to read the label on the bottom. The silver handle with the Oblique print is a very classy design touch as well.

Comparisons

This photograph was taken under artificial light, but it better represents how the colors will look on my face.

Although they look very different in the swatches, YSL’s Restless Rose looks quite similar to Dior’s Candy when applied to my cheeks. The difference is that Restless Rose’s glow comes from the reflect of the shimmer, and Candy has a wetter looking sheen.

I can’t think of a better analogy other than to say Dior’s Rosewood (in the older formula) and Candy look close enough to be sisters. Rosewood doesn’t have visible shimmer particles, but it has a soft sheen and they are both pinks. The shade differences are easier to see when they’re built up, but if I’m aiming to get a sheer amount of color from both of them, it would be difficult for someone to be able to tell they weren’t the same (other than the shine levels). This is why I’m trying my best to resist buying more.

Ordering Process

Before we close out this post, I just wanted to talk about the very different experiences I’ve had between ordering from the US and Germany.
I’ve seen plenty of influencers saying, “Always buy directly from Dior for the luxury experience and perks.” However, only select regions have the Dior Beauty Loyalty Program.
Within Europe, it’s just France, the United Kingdom, and Spain even though my orders to Germany are shipped from France anyway. I can choose the Couture gift packaging, get two free samples, and on the rare occasion one can choose an additional deluxe size mini sample if the purchase is over 100 Euros, but that’s it.*

*Technically, this time the box was a little different, as it had the Dior Dioriviera/Toile de Jouy print on the inside (I think leftovers from Mother’s Day). Usually the carboard box is plain, but I turned this one inside out so I could repurpose it!

When I ordered from the US, I was part of the reward program. Besides the various gifts at different tiers, there are always different free gift with purchase codes floating around that include bigger things than just perfume samples. I’ve seen others get charms/ornaments, pouches/makeup bags, etc.


According to Dior Deutschland, the blush sticks and lip butters are exclusive to their website. This is why I bought mine at full price. Since there’s not much incentive for me to buy anything else directly from Dior, my plan is to wait for the powders to come to retailers in Germany so that I can accrue points from those reward programs and most likely get 20% off as well. As of this very morning, all three product types are available at Douglas. So, the “exclusive” element was only for a short time.

Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush in 077 Candy

It didn’t take long for me to do exactly as I said. I bought this at 20% off from Douglas and I’m updating this post with my review of the powder blush!

The aspects that Dior improved with this new powder blush formula over both previous versions is that this is more pigmented and less hard-pressed, though it’s still dry to the touch. I also think the square packaging is cuter and I can use larger cheek brushes with it. The downside for me is with this particular shade. It unfortunately does the same thing as Nars Orgasm where I can see the pink color at one angle, but the gold reflect is nearly all I can see once light hits it. Then it appears as if I tried to use a highlighter as blush! This kind of shimmer is not that refined either, which makes it unsuitable for my preference as even a blushlighter or blush topper.

The saving grace for me is that I can apply the Candy blush stick on top to help the shimmer become one with the skin, plus increase the amount of pink color that can be seen.

I’m happy using the Candy shade of Glow Stick on its own, but going forward, I will never wear the powder version of Candy by itself. Based on my continued enjoyment of the previous powder blush reformulation, and acknowledgement that the new one has improvements, I still recommend the powder blush. I just can’t recommend Candy or Toffee to anyone close to my skin tone because of that highlighter effect. Bronzed Glow still gives me hope that Dior can nail a shimmery blush in this new formula in the future if the base color is darker.

And that’s everything for today! Thank you for reading.

-Lili ❤