I love glowy beauty products. Whether it’s a dewy serum, sparkly duochrome eyeshadow, or luminous complexion product, I’m here for it all.

The recently launched Perricone MD No Makeup Radiant Glow Balm promises to deliver radiance and a sheer wash of colour to the complexion. I’ve tried lots of products from Perricone MD’s No Makeup line, including blushes, bronzers, mascaras, primers, and lip oils. They’re fantastic for creating effortless and natural makeup looks. I had high hopes for the new Glow Balm, as it looked and sounded amazing.

In this review, I share my thoughts on the Perricone MD Glow Balm, including the formula, how long-wearing it is, the shade range, and how easy it is to work with.

Get 20% off Perricone MD products with PMDM20. Shop today!

*This post contains some affiliate links. This means, at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page*

About the Perricone MD Glow Balm

The Perricone MD No Makeup Radiant Glow Balm is a multi-use complexion balm that delivers a sheer wash of colour with a dewy, luminous finish. It comes in 3 shades – Pearl, Cool Rose and Bronze – each adding a soft tint that brightens the skin while still looking natural. It’s fragrance-free, vegan, and cruelty-free.

The formula blends skincare with makeup, featuring vitamin C ester to help brighten and smooth skin, niacinamide to even out skin tone and reduce dullness, and shea butter to nourish skin. With regular use, it’s designed to visibly improve dullness and discolouration over time.

It’s easy to apply. Warm the surface of the balm with your fingertip on first use and tap it onto the cheeks, high points of the face, or anywhere you want extra glow. It works well on bare skin, over makeup, or under makeup, and the shades can be mixed for a customised finish.

The balm normally costs £35 for 35g. Use PMDM20 for 20% off, making the Perricone MD Glow Balm just £28! Shop here.

Perricone MD Radiant Glow Balm swatches

I’ve swatched all 3 shades of the Perricone MD Glow Balm so you can see the depth of colour, differences in colours, radiance, and shimmer. These swatches were done on my bare arm.

Pearl is described as having natural sheer luminosity with opal shimmer. Cool Rose is described as a cool sheen of pink with silver shimmer. Bronze is described as a natural, sheer bronze tint with golden shimmer. See the swatches below.

There isn’t much variation in each shade, as they impart a subtle and soft tint. Pearl is the most shimmery of the 3. The shimmer particles look natural and aren’t big chunks of glitter. Instead, they capture the light beautifully.

Makeup look using the balm highlighter

I created a makeup look using the Perricone MD Glow Balm. I applied Pearl on top of my skincare, but before any makeup products, to add some luminosity to my base. Then I mixed the shades Cool Rose and Bronze and applied them on top of my blush as a tinted highlighter. Here’s how the look turned out:

I’m really pleased with this look. I stuck to autumnal tones and used a blonzer so that the balm could be tapped on top.

In the section below, I delve into more detail as to how easy the balms were to work with, how well they wore throughout the day, and whether they’re must-have products in your makeup collection.

Get 20% off Perricone MD products with PMDM20. Shop today!

Honest Perricone MD Glow Balm review

I’m thoroughly impressed with the Perricone MD Glow Balm.

Firstly, I like the packaging. The balms feel sturdy and luxurious, and the pots mean the accompanying Perricone MD Makeup Brush fits into them perfectly.

I like the texture of the balms. They’re quite solid and not greasy. Instead, when you tap your brush or fingers into the balms and apply them to your face, they don’t slip around.

The formula is hydrating, smoothing, and applies effortlessly. On my skin, the balms feel creamy and non-sticky. Even on the oily areas of my face, the Perricone MD balm is comfortable. They glide over the skin with a moisturising finish.

I swirled the Perricone MD Makeup Brush into the balms and tapped them onto my skin. Initially, I was concerned that this method might lift the blush and foundation underneath, but it didn’t. My complexion products stayed put.

Having said that, even with multiple layers, you can’t build much colour payoff. These balms are very sheer. To say that these balms provide a wash of colour is a stretch. You wouldn’t be able to wear any of these shades alone in place of a blush or bronzer. Instead, I’d view these balms as purely highlighters, glow boosters, or blush/bronzer toppers.

All 3 shades are pretty, but as the tint is so subtle, you don’t need the entire collection. Pearl is my favourite shade, as it’s the most light reflective, so it looks glowier on the skin. It’s also the most versatile colour.

As a highlighter, I’m obsessed. They’re shimmery, without looking chunky, as the particles are tiny. This means they’ve got a gorgeous reflective quality. The luminosity is soft, healthy, and so pretty.

Most impressively, the Perricone MD Glow Balm is pretty long-wearing. After 10 hours, my skin had become a bit greasier, but I didn’t look like a sweaty mess. A little translucent powder would fix any excess shine. On my cheeks, the highlighter was still glowy and hadn’t budged.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Overall, I love these glow balms. They’re easy to apply and give skin a healthy glow. The Perricone MD No Makeup Radiant Glow Balm is a better version of the Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm IMO. It’s less greasy, provides soft light-reflecting shimmer, and is more long-wearing.

If you love radiant balm highlighters that aren’t greasy, the Perricone MD Glow Balm is excellent.

Get 20% off Perricone MD products with PMDM20. Shop today!

The post Perricone MD Radiant Glow Balm review + 20% off appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

TikTok influences the majority of makeup purchases these days. From the cherry cola lips trend and clean girl makeup aesthetic to trying popular brands like The Beauty Crop and JUNOCO, TikTok is a great place to find innovative, affordable, and high-quality makeup products. The platform features loads of creative beauty videos that inspire me to add yet another product to my collection.

The Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick went viral on TikTok. This glossy blush was praised for its dewy finish, easy blendability, pigmentation, and diverse shade range. And the lilac shade – Glassy Lilac – was a particular standout from the line, with people drawn to the vibrant and gorgeous lavender tone.

In this honest review, I share my thoughts on the Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Lilac and discuss whether it lives up to the hype.

*This post contains some affiliate links. This means, at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page*

About the Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick

The Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick is a versatile cream-to-balm blush available in 12 shades, from vibrant tangerine and deep berry to brownish red and dusty pink. It works on both cheeks and lips, adding a soft, dewy finish that’s easy to blend and buildable.

The formula claims to be long-wearing, easy to use, and non-sticky. It’s non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, talc-free, cruelty-free, and vegan, so it’s suitable for a wide range of skin types. The stick format makes it travel-friendly and quick to apply, whether you’re doing a full face or a minimal routine.

Formulated with over 70% skincare actives, it’s made to hydrate, calm visible redness, and help keep skin feeling smooth.

Goji fruit extract helps defend the skin from environmental damage, squalane hydrates, apricot kernel oil smooths and nourishes skin, shea butter deeply moisturises skin, tocopheryl acetate (a form of vitamin E) provides antioxidant benefits, liquorice root extract soothes skin, and green tea extract soothes and improves the appearance of sun-damaged skin.

The blush retails for £30 for 5g.

Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick Glassy Lilac swatch

Here’s what the Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Lilac swatch looks like on the back of my hand. This was done on my bare hand, without any primer.

I’d describe Glassy Lilac as a bright, cool-toned pink with lavender undertones. This blush is a pretty intersection between pink and purple, but it’s not the colour that springs to mind when I think of lilac.

Lilac blush makeup look

No makeup review would be complete without a makeup look! 

As the blush is cool-toned and very vibrant, I opted for a neutral-cool makeup look that incorporated soft eyeshadow and a nude pink lip to allow the blush to be the focal point. Here’s how the makeup look turned out using the Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Lilac.

I’m really happy with how this makeup look turned out! The blush complemented the rest of the makeup look really well and added a bright pop of colour to my makeup without looking clownish.

Below, I delve into my honest review of the Haus Labs blush, including how pigmented, buildable, long-wearing, and easy the formula was to use.

Honest Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick review

I’m so obsessed with the Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick. It has quickly become one of my fave blushes, and I’m dying to get more of the shades now.

Firstly, the packaging looks luxurious. Although it doesn’t feel weighty, the sleek silver mirror design with the shade ring around the centre gives an expensive vibe. The lid easily comes off and clicks back on.

The texture of this blush stick is what stands out to me. It’s ultra-moisturising, smooth, creamy, and glides onto the skin seamlessly. On both the swatch and my cheeks, you can tell this innovative blush is packed with skincare ingredients, as it feels hydrating, soothing, and soft on application.

As the formula is so creamy, I expected the blush to break down, become oily, and fade after about 3 hours. To my surprise, this blush is very long-lasting. After a good 12 hours, the blush hadn’t budged, faded, or become greasy at all. It even outperforms a lot of the matte blushes in my collection in terms of longevity!

As for ease of use, this blush is a dream to work with. It’s super pigmented and vibrant, but because it blends so effortlessly, you can easily sheer out the colour intensity to something more wearable. Even when you blend the blush, it retains its gorgeous glassy finish. The blush is also super buildable.

I was a bit hesitant as to whether a lilac blush would suit me. However, as this colour sits somewhere between pink and lavender, it’s more wearable and versatile than I expected. It adds a beautiful pop of lilac-pink that looks fresh, fun, and you,thful but not OTT.

Do I even need to say anything about the finish? I’m in love with it. It makes my skin look so healthy and radiant, but never greasy. I’ve not tried a hydrating, dewy blush that’s as nice as this. It truly feels innovative and different to other blushes on the market.

Rating: 5 stars

Yes, this blush is absolutely worth the hype. If you love glossy, smooth, and pigmented blushes that blend effortlessly and give a glass skin finish, you won’t find better than the Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick!

The post I finally tried this viral lilac blush | Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick review appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

By Beauty Bay has just released the new Desert Haze Palette, a vegan and cruelty-free eyeshadow palette inspired by glowing horizons and sun-soaked sands.

By Beauty Bay is known for its affordable yet high-quality eyeshadow formulas. The brand is particularly renowned for its dazzling, richly pigmented shimmers. I’ve previously tried the By Beauty Bay Bright Matte 42 Colour Palette and Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette and was impressed with the quality of the shadows.

After seeing the beautiful shades in the By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette and at an irresistible price of £16, I had buy it.

In this review, I share my honest thoughts on the new By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette, along with swatches, a makeup look, and whether it’s worth checking out.

*This post contains some affiliate links. This means, at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page*

About the By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette

The By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette costs £16 for 20 shades.

It contains a mix of warm, neutral, and cool shades, with a diverse range of wearable and vivid colours. This palette features 10 shimmers and 10 matte eyeshadows, each with varying textures and intensities.

From an icy white shimmer, copper and green duochrome, and neutral plum matte, to a matte butter yellow, matte khaki, and fun coral shimmer, each shade promises to be pigmented, blendable, buildable, and long-lasting.

By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette swatches

Swatches should never be used as your ultimate decision as to whether to purchase a product or not, as eyeshadows can perform better on the lids, and makeup is very much down to the individual’s preference. However, swatches can help you see how pigmented a particular product is and what the formula is like.

To give you an indication of the colours, pigmentation, and textures, I swatched the 20 By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette shades on my bare arm, without primer, below:

How pretty are the shades? While this palette is largely dominated by yellow, orange, and gold tones, there are also pops of blues, greens, browns, neutrals, and purples. The shimmers swatched particularly well. They’re so vivid and sparkly. Some of the matte shades felt chalky but still had good pigmentation.

By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette makeup look

No makeup review would be complete without a makeup look! 

I was particularly drawn to the gorgeous butter yellow matte shade called Yucca, so I knew I had to incorporate this trending colour into my look. The deep aubergine matte Scorpion and khaki matte Agave colours also jumped out at me. Plus, the champagne shimmer Hazy looked great for brightening my inner corners. I used the shade Fennec, a neutral brown matte, to blend the edges of the eyeshadow for a softer look.

Here’s my By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette makeup look using these shades.

I like how this makeup look turned out. While I love all 5 shades, I sort of regret using the khaki shade on the outer corner and crease. I think this makeup look would be nicer without it.

Below, I’m going to share my honest review of the By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette, including how pigmented, buildable, long-wearing, and easy the shadows were to work with.

Honest By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette review

The By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette is a nice palette and inspires me to get creative with eyeshadow looks, but there are some inconsistencies with the formula and quality of the shades.

Firstly, the packaging is good but nothing special. But the fact that it’s lightweight and comes with a handy big mirror inside the palette makes it ideal for travelling with.

The eyeshadow pans are big and clearly labelled, which makes working with the shadows straightforward.

The main reason I love this eyeshadow palette is the colour story. I think this palette has the perfect balance of fun, colourful shades and wearable neutrals and browns. While this palette is more warm-leaning, there are some cool and neutral tones, so it’s pretty versatile. Plus, both the mattes and shimmers vary in depth, intensity, tones, and colourfulness, so it’s a palette you can get creative with.

As for the quality of the eyeshadows, the formula varies depending on the shade. When I swatched the shimmers, they’re all buttery, have excellent colour payoff, and deliver gorgeous sparkle. Even for the shimmers that are designed to be more wearable, they capture the light beautifully. The shifting green-copper duochrome called Mirage looks particularly insane, so I can’t wait to play around with that.

However, the mattes vary in quality. Some of the eyeshadows felt smooth and soft, notably Sirocco, Fennec, and Canyon. But some of the eyeshadows felt chalky and swatched patchily, particularly Yucca and Prickly Pear.

Overall, the pigmentation throughout the eyeshadow is great. Some shades, like Sirocco, Yucca, Agave, and Scorched, take a bit of layering to get good colour payoff, but it’s still easy to get your desired intensity with the eyeshadows. Other shades, like Oasis, Heat, Desert Rose, Scorpion, Mirage, and Afterglow, are insanely pigmented.

I found working with the shades pretty easy. They’re buildable, and the intensity of some of the softer shades can be built up in layers with little effort.

Blending Agave was a little tricky. It blended a bit patchily. Once you’ve put the shade on your eyes, it’s quite hard to manipulate the eyeshadow to move it where you want to, so apply with caution. Yucca was better to work with than I expected. It feels a bit chalky, but it doesn’t feel dry or look chalky once applied. I also got more intense colour payoff than I expected for such a soft tone.

Scorpion and Hazy were vivid, effortless to work with, and layered seamlessly.

As for the longevity, Yucca unfortunately faded and creased. After 8 hours, the majority of the colour had worn off and faded. Agave also wore off quite a bit. Hazy and Scorpion stayed put brilliantly and maintained their intensity throughout the entire day.

Overall, I like this eyeshadow palette. Some of the shades require a bit more effort to blend and build, and not all of the shades are long-wearing, but I still think this is excellent value for money.

Rating: 4 stars

If you also love this colour story, the By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette is worth checking out. However, it doesn’t perform as well as some of the pricier palettes in my eyeshadow collection. I also don’t think the quality of the shades lives up to the Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette.

Overall, I’m happy with this eyeshadow palette. I can’t wait to try the beautiful royal blue shade, Oasis, and rich rose gold shade, Desert Rose.

The post Is this £16 eyeshadow palette worth it? By Beauty Bay Desert Haze Palette review appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

High-quality makeup brushes make a massive difference to your makeup application. They help ensure products apply evenly, do not drag across your skin, and blend seamlessly. Excellent makeup brushes are also long-lasting and durable, so paying more upfront leads to long-term savings.

With this in mind, I review the recently launched Glow & Restore vegan makeup brush set. The G&R Full Make-Up Brush Collection is Glow & Restore’s full makeup brush, beauty sponge, and powder puff collection.

Are Glow & Restore’s new vegan makeup brushes worth investing in, or are there better alternatives? This honest review tells you everything you need to know, including the brushes’ fluffiness, ease of application, and collection aesthetics.

About Glow & Restore’s vegan makeup brush set

The G&R Full Make-Up Brush Collection costs £80 and includes 9 different tools. The set features 7 makeup brushes, 1 powder puff, and 1 beauty sponge.

Each product is vegan and promises to be super-soft and luxurious. The brushes, sponge, and powder puff claim to not drag across your skin nor irritate it, instead leaving you with radiant and airbrushed skin.

Glow & Restore brushes use bio-responsive bristles infused with Dermabrush Technology, designed to sync with your skin’s natural elasticity, ensuring a smooth, effortless blend every time. The result? A more even finish, less product waste, and a brush that works as hard as your skincare to give a natural radiant glow, according to the brand.

The technology behind the blend includes SkinSync Fibres, which are advanced micro-fibre gradient bristles designed to move with your skin, reducing irritation and micro-damage. Precision Gradient Bristles are tapered and density-optimised for seamless buffing, sculpting, and blending. While the brushes, sponge, and powder puff are engineered to enhance the performance of both foundation and skincare-infused formulas for maximum glow.

The G&R Full Make-Up Brush Collection includes:

• GR11 Foundation Brush
• GR22 Mini Buffer Brush
• GR21 Angled Brush
• GR13 Curved Concealer Brush
• G&R Beauty Sponge
• GR19 Blush Powder Brush
• GR05 Large Powder Brush
• GR24 Small Powder Brush
• G&R Powder Puff

The set is colour-coded to indicate what type of product they’re designed to work with. The lighter pink tools are designed to work with cream makeup products, while the coffee caramel tools are designed to work with powder makeup products.

Brush collection review

Below, I share my thoughts on each tool in the vegan makeup brush set, before sharing my thoughts on the overall collection.

GR11 Foundation Brush 

The GR11 Foundation Brush is wonderfully dense and fluffy. The fibres are incredibly soft, which makes sweeping foundation over my skin a breeze. Instead of applying foundation streakily or patchily, this brush provides medium coverage and a seamless blend. I found that gentle circular buffing motions gave the best application.

GR13 Curved Concealer Brush

The GR13 Curved Concealer Brush is a tightly packed and fairly small brush with soft bristles. This brush is particularly good at concealing underneath your eyes, as the curved shape lends itself well to fitting under your bottom lashes. Personally, I prefer a slightly larger and fluffier concealer brush. As this isn’t as fluffy as my usual concealer brush, it took longer to buff the product into my skin. However, the application was smooth and still easy.

G&R Powder Puff

The G&R Powder Puff is very soft and slightly flatter than other powder puffs I’ve used. Actually, I found this flatter shape helpful when patting loose powder underneath my eyes to set them using the tip of the powder puff, as the thickness didn’t get in the way. This puff did a great job of setting the oily areas of my face and my concealer. The loose powder didn’t look blotchy or patchy and instead gave my skin a smooth finish.

GR19 Blush Powder Brush 

The GR19 Blush Powder Brush is supposed to be used for powder blushes. I actually used this to apply powder bronzer. The bristles are fairly soft, although they’re not as soft as the Glow & Restore concealer and foundation brushes. This is a fairly fluffy brush.

On reflection, I think a more tightly packed brush may have worked better for powder bronzer application. My bronzer applied a bit patchily, and it took a fair bit of work to build up my desired level of bronzer. I think a denser, rounder brush would’ve applied the bronzer more easily and with more coverage. This brush would be best with a very pigmented powder blush, but I still prefer other blush brushes in my makeup collection.

GR21 Angled Brush

The GR21 Angled Brush is supposed to work with cream products. I think this is a particularly nice cream blush brush, as the angled shape lends itself well to dispersing product across your cheeks. I’ve used this brush with both powder and cream blushes, and it works beautifully. The bristles are very soft, and the brush is fairly dense but still fluffy, which means the product applies smoothly with great coverage. Blush also blends effortlessly with this brush. It’s very versatile.

GR05 Large Powder Brush 

The GR05 Large Powder Brush is a large, fluffy brush with incredibly soft bristles. Out of all the brushes in the Glow & Restore vegan brush set, this one has the softest bristles. I use this to apply setting powder, and it works gorgeously. As the brush is so fluffy, the powder doesn’t set into fine lines, congeal with any base makeup, or look too heavy. Instead, the result is airbrushed, smooth, and poreless skin. This is now my fave large powder brush!

G&R Beauty Sponge 

The G&R Beauty Sponge is a soft, medium-sized beauty blender that sits on an angle to allow you to get into tighter spaces on your face. This sponge expands with water but still retains a soft, bouncy texture. I’ve used softer sponges that apply base products faster, smoother, and more evenly compared to this one. However, the shape of this sponge is particularly useful for smoothing over any harsh or messy lines and getting underneath your eyes. It’s a good sponge that provides medium coverage.

GR24 Small Powder Brush

The GR24 Small Powder Brush is perfect for applying powder highlighter or setting powder underneath your eyes. It’s a small, fluffy brush with very soft bristles. I used this to apply a powder highlighter over my cheekbones, and it provided a lovely finish. Instead of a thick strip of blocky highlighter on my cheeks, it provided a more diffused, soft glow. As the brush isn’t dense, you can also blend the edges of the highlighter into your skin for a more natural, scattered effect. I really like this brush.

GR22 Mini Buffer Brush

The GR22 Mini Buffer Brush is the perfect size and density to apply cream bronzer or contour. The bristles are soft, and the brush sits somewhere in the middle of being fluffy and dense. For this reason, if you want a more sculpted, angled look, you could pack the product onto your skin with little effort. But if you want a softer all-over bronzed look, you can easily blend and buff the product into your skin for a more natural finish.

Is the Glow & Restore’s vegan makeup brush set worth it?

Overall, I think The G&R Full Make-Up Brush Collection is totally worth £80.

All of the tools in this vegan makeup brush set are ultra-soft, non-irritating, and feel very high-quality. None of the brushes dragged across my skin, and I think the bristle density across the entire collection was spot on. This feels like a well-thought-out brush collection that’s versatile, makes makeup application seamless, and comes with a great range of shapes and sizes.

I also think the look of the Glow & Restore makeup tools is lovely. The soft blush pinks and coffee caramel tones with gold lettering look chic, sophisticated, and modern.

Rating: 4.5

I still prefer some of the other brushes in my makeup collection, but I will certainly use these tools time and time again. I also think £80 for 9 high-quality tools is very reasonable!

The post Is this new vegan makeup brush set worth it? Honest Glow & Restore review appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

Jones Road is one of those brands that splits opinions.

On the one hand, its hero products, the Miracle Balm and What the Foundation, are seen as hydrating must-haves for people with dry or mature skin. These products are praised for being skin-like, easy to work with, and giving skin a healthy appearance.

On the other hand, these same hero products are often dubbed as ones to avoid for people with oily skin. These products are criticised for leaving oily skin looking greasy and slippery within hours.

I’ve previously tried some Jones Road products. While What the Foundation wasn’t a good fit for my oily skin – it, unfortunately, did leave me looking like a sweaty mess by the end of the day – I got on well with the Miracle Balm if I used it sparingly. But I loved the brand’s vibe overall and appreciated how easy the products were to work.

Today, I’m reviewing 4 products from Jones Road: the Miracle Balm (new shade), Gel Liner, The Best Pencil, and Mini Hippie Stick. After putting them to the test, I share my honest thoughts on each product, how well they wear, if they’re effortless to apply, and whether they’re worth adding to your basket.

*This post contains some affiliate links. This means, at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page*

Products in this review

I’m reviewing the following 4 Jones Road products:

1. Gel Liner
2. Miracle Balm
3. The Best Pencil
4. Mini Hippie Stick

I share my honest thoughts, swatches, and ratings for each product below before moving on to my overall review of the brand, including two makeup looks.

1. Jones Road Gel Liner

£24 for 3g

I got the Jones Road Gel Liner in the shade Navy, which is described as a midnight blue. The Gel Liner is a new Jones Road product launch. This creamy eyeliner is supposed to be transfer- and water-resistant. Jones Road says each shade is pigmented, glides on effortlessly, and stays put all day.

Review

I’d been after a deep blue eyeliner for a while, so this is the perfect addition to my makeup collection. And I’ve been blown away with the Jones Road Gel Liner.

Firstly, Navy is a stunning shade. It’s deep, rich, saturated in colour, and adds drama without being as bold as black. It’s a wearable yet versatile shade, as you could apply it in place of black for a slightly softer look and a subtle pop of colour, or you could do a graphic eyeliner look as a statement. I’ve got brown eyes, and blue is known to make brown eyes pop, so this is also a great shade for me.

I’m obsessed with the formula. It’s creamy and doesn’t drag across the eyelids or feel dry. However, it still has some firmness, which means the application doesn’t get messy or swipe away into nothingness. Applying the eyeliner is seamless.

The Gel Liner enables me to get precise and clean lines. I made a couple of mistakes when drawing a wing, but because the consistency is smooth, I could remove the errors with a cotton bud without removing the rest of the eyeliner or having to scrub really hard.

The liner is completely budge-proof and lasts all day. The liner dries down after a few minutes, which means you’ve got time to blend, build, smudge, and smoke as desired. Once dried down, this liner won’t transfer or smudge. After 6-8 hours of wear, my eyeliner looked like it had been freshly applied, with no fading or flaking.

Rating: 5 stars

This creamy eyeliner is excellent and totally lives up to its claims.

2. Jones Road Miracle Balm

£36 for 50g

I got the Jones Road Miracle Balm in the shade Sunkissed, which is described as a deep reddish bronze tint that is sheer to buildable for light to dark skin tones. The Miracle Balm is essentially a balmy highlighter that delivers soft-focus moisture to the face. It can be worn by itself or on top of makeup for instant dewiness.

There’s a wide range of shades for all skin tones, including clear with opal pearl, cool rosy pink, peachy coral with gold shimmer, deep plum bronze, and warm bronze with multidimensional shimmer.

Review

I’m really into blonzers at the minute, which are products with a reddish brown tone that sit somewhere in between a blush and a bronzer. The Miracle Balm in the shade Sunkissed sounded like the perfect option.

I love balmy highlighters and the glossiness they give skin. They feel like a makeup-skincare hybrid, which I enjoy. You have to break the seal on the Miracle Balm (I did this by using my nail to disturb the surface), but, once you’ve done that, you get a smooth and balmy texture.

This is a bit stickier than other balm highlighters I’ve tried, but it’s not uncomfortable on the skin. A tackier texture doesn’t bother me too much with makeup products anyway.

As for longevity, as you’d expect, the Miracle Balm isn’t long-wearing, particularly on my oily skin. After a few hours, my skin starts becoming greasier. However, if I concentrate the product on my cheekbones and don’t apply too much, then it doesn’t end up becoming too oily.

Despite loving the formula, I’m disappointed with the shade Sunkissed. I thought it’d be more pigmented, and I just can’t get the colour payoff that’s shown in the product pictures on the Jones Road website. While I like the actual colour, it’s very sheer.

I initially applied the balm by itself on my cheeks (on top of my foundation and concealer). To get any sort of colour payoff, I had to apply a lot of product. Rather than giving me a lovely sunkissed tint, my cheeks looked way too greasy. The balm also ended up looking patchy as if I blended too much it would end up disappearing.

The next time I tried the balm, I used it as a blush/bronzer topper. This worked way better, as it added a subtle sunkissed glow to my cheeks without looking overly glossy. But I still longed for more pigmentation.

Rating: 3 stars

I wanted to love this Miracle Balm shade, but it left me feeling underwhelmed.

3. Jones Road The Best Pencil

£22 for 1.14g

I got the Jones Road The Best Pencil in the shade Violet, which is described as a deep aubergine. This eyeliner glides on seamlessly for clean, precise lines. It can be worn by itself or on top of eyeshadow. The pencil can be blended, smoked out, or applied as a sharp line. Each shade is supposed to be pigmented.

Review

I love a good pencil eyeliner and have been enjoying exploring deep and rich colours that aren’t black recently. Shades like rich brown, smoky grey, or intense navy can add a lot of depth and a pop of colour to eye makeup looks.

Violet seemed like a great pick for me, as it’s still quite dark, but it’s nowhere near as intense as a black pencil eyeliner. In person, this shade was a bit lighter and more cool-toned than what I was expecting. It has a grey undertone, which I immediately thought would be great for smoking out for a sophisticated grungy makeup look. It offers medium intensity. I’d have preferred more pigmentation, as I like my eyeliners to be rich in colour.

The pencil is quite firm, which means it sharpens well without breaking. This means you can keep sharpening the pencil to a pointy tip for precise application, which is useful.

However, as the eyeliner isn’t rich in colour, a creamier consistency would’ve been better. I found it tugged on my eyelids when I applied it, especially as I had to keep drawing multiple layers to get my desired colour payoff.

But, I loved how well this eyeliner smoked out. It blended easily for an effortless smoky eye. This is the sort of eyeliner I’d use for a smudged-out effect rather than for a sharp wing, as the consistency lends itself well to being manipulated with a brush.

This eyeliner wears pretty well, but it fades after about 4 hours and begins to break down on oily parts of the eyelids.

Rating: 4 stars

I like this pencil eyeliner, but it’s not my fave formula.

4. Jones Road Mini Hippie Stick

£12 for 6g

The Jones Road Mini Hippie Stick is a buttery balm that’s designed to add instant moisture to anywhere that’s dry, like your forehead, the ends of your hair, cuticles, heels, or lips. The balm melts into the skin and acts as a barrier to the elements when you’re out and about.

Review

I think the Mini Hippie Stick is fab.

This is essentially a rich balm moisturiser that’s perfect for giving your skin a quick and effective nourishment boost. The formula is quite rich, so a little bit of product goes a long way. This would be ideal for someone with dry skin who’s looking for some quick TLC while on the go.

For my oily skin, I apply this sparingly to areas that could do with a quick hydration boost. For example, I apply this to my cheeks before going outside for a walk when harsh winds are blowing, as it helps protect my skin. I also love the instant glow this gives my skin. But it’s certainly not a must-have for oily skin.

If you’re sensitive to fragrance or dislike perfume in skincare, this is one to avoid. It has a strong minty – and slightly citrusy – scent and contains ingredients like orange peel oil, spearmint leaf oil, and linalool. Personally, fragranced skincare doesn’t bother me, so I quite like the refreshing scent.

Rating: 4 stars

This is a handy, versatile, and convenient moisturiser.

Jones Road makeup looks

To truly review and test the Jones Road products, I did a couple of makeup looks.

In the first makeup look (pictures below), I’m wearing the Miracle Balm in the shade Sunkissed and the Gel Liner in the shade Navy.

For this makeup look, I applied the Miracle Balm on top of a blonzer to get the glossy effect without looking overly oily or patchy. I love how this look turned out! The navy eyeliner adds a pop of colour but still looks understated.

In the second makeup look (pictures below), I’m wearing The Best Pencil in the shade Violet.

This look is quite different for me and has more of a grungy edge, but I’m happy with how it turned out! I applied the pencil eyeliner all over my lid and smudged this out for a quick smoky eye. Then, I concentrated a black pencil eyeliner on my upper and lower lashlines and buffed these out for added intensity and depth.

Overall Jones Road review

I think Jones Road, overall, is a good brand.

While this brand isn’t the cheapest and sits in the mid-price range, I feel this is reflected in how easy the products are to use and the sophisticated shades available. The colours for each product feel well thought out and intentional, and there are no two similar shades. Each shade has a purpose. All of the products are convenient, versatile, and effortless to apply.

While not all of the products I tried were long-wearing, the Gel Liner blew me away. The longevity, beautiful creamy formula, and gorgeous deep navy shade make for beautiful results. It’s become one of my fave eyeliners of all time, and it’s unique in my collection.

When Jones Road gets it right, the products are fantastic and well worth the investment. This is a brand that’s perfect for people with dry skin and who want a fuss-free application with a minimalist vibe.

The post Honest Jones Road review: Miracle Balm, Gel Liner, The Best Pencil, & Mini Hippie Stick appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

Although I sometimes love spending over an hour getting creative with makeup, sometimes I just want to do a simple makeup look in 20 minutes. So does Sculpted Aimee really enable you to achieve an effortless and glowy makeup look? I share my honest review of the quality, ease of use, and overall experience with Sculpted by Aimee.

*This post contains some affiliate links. This means, at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page*

Products in this review

I’m reviewing the following 5 Sculpted by Aimee products:

1. HydraTint
2. Brighten Up Concealer
3. Complexion Duo Brush
4. Bare Basics Palette
5. LashLift

I share my honest thoughts, swatches, and ratings for each product below before moving on to my overall review of the brand, including a makeup look.

1. Sculpted by Aimee HydraTint

£20 for 9ml

I got the HydraTint in the shade 4.0, which is described as light with neutral undertones. This product is a moisturising tinted serum that provides sheer coverage and SPF20. It’s supposed to be the perfect intersection between makeup and skincare, marrying together the nourishing benefits of a skincare product with the complexion-perfecting – yet still natural-looking – benefits of a makeup product.

This swatch was done on my bare hand, without primer or skincare underneath.

Review

As you can tell from the swatch, this product is quite dark for my skin tone. It’s also too yellow. Although this is described as a light shade, I actually think this swatch is more of a light-medium shade.

However, this skin tint is very forgiving, thanks to its sheer and buildable coverage. It helps to even out the complexion, but it still looks skin-like, with a satin finish, and some imperfections/blemishes peek through. To this end, I can make the tint work for my skin tone. It’s still a bit too dark for me, but it’s fine once I’ve buffed it into my skin.

I like the consistency. It’s quite thick, but it blends effortlessly and quickly into the skin. It’s hydrating, doesn’t pill, and doesn’t cling to dry patches or texture.

I’ve got oily skin, and the texture is a bit too oily for my preference. But it surprisingly was long-wearing without going greasy or breaking down throughout the day. It lasted for a good 8 hours with very little fading throughout the day.

Rating: 4 stars

I like how easy this skin tint is to work with.

2. Sculpted by Aimee Brighten Up Concealer

£15 for 5ml

I got the Sculpted by Aimee Brighten Up Concealer in the shade Beige, which is for fair/light skin with a rosy undertone. This concealer is supposed to blur and brighten the under-eye area with a soft-focus finish. It claims to be hydrating, glowy, and ideal for concealing dark circles or signs of tiredness.

This swatch was done on my bare hand, without primer or skincare underneath.

Review

I think I picked a great shade. It’s a little lighter and cooler than my complexion for a brilliant brightening effect. The concealer does a fantastic job of making me look more wide-awake and fresh-faced, which is ideal for someone who has difficulty getting consistent sleep.

I agree that the concealer is hydrating. It has a creamy and smooth consistency. Unlike a lot of concealers that can become dry and cakey, this is very comfortable to wear. However, this nourishing texture does lead to more creasing, which means you have to set your under-eye area well.

I also wish this concealer provided more coverage. My preference is a full-coverage concealer so that a tiny dot can go a long way to easily cover up dark circles, spots, redness, and blemishes. This is a medium-coverage concealer. I had to apply more product than usual to get the same effect as some other concealers in my collection, which I think led to more creasing.

Rating: 4 stars

I love how hydrating and comfortable this is to apply and wear, but I wish it offered more coverage and creased less.

3. Sculpted by Aimee Complexion Duo Brush

£17

The Sculpted by Aimee Complexion Duo Brush features 100% synthetic bristles. This dual-ended complexion brush aims to work with skin tints, foundations, primers, and concealers. The larger, denser side is designed for all-over coverage, while the smaller, denser side is designed for more precise application.

Review

I used the Complexion Duo Brush to apply the HydraTint and the Brighten Up Concealer. The bristles are soft and fluffy, so they don’t drag across your skin and feel wonderfully smooth. This is definitely a high-quality makeup brush.

I prefer a denser brush to apply my foundation, skin tint, or concealer, though. The larger brush made applying the skin tint really easy, as it buffed the product into my skin quickly. However, a denser brush would mean less product would go further and provide more coverage and control, which is my preference.

I found that the smaller brush buffed the concealer into my skin too quickly and almost blended the product into nothingness. I get on better with denser bristles to precisely control how much product I want to buff into my skin. Again, this means your product can go further too, as you can really pack it on.

Rating: 3.5 stars

A lovely brush duo, especially if you have a light touch with your base application; I just prefer denser brushes.

4. Sculpted by Aimee Bare Basics Palette

£34 for 22g

I got the Sculpted by Aimee Bare Basics Palette in the shade Nude 01. This is designed to be a perfect face and eye palette to create a nude makeup look while you’re on the go. It’s versatile, convenient, and meant to be filled with beautifully buildable textures for the face and eyes. This palette contains 3 eyeshadows, a highlighter, a bronzer, a setting powder, and a blush.

These swatches were done on my bare hand, without primer or skincare underneath.

Review

I’m not a multi-use makeup palette lover. I’m always under the impression that face and eye palettes are not of the same quality as if you just buy the products individually. However, I ended up liking this Bare Basics Palette more than I expected.

The shades in this palette are lovely. I’d use every single one. They’re great staple nudes that are wearable and will work for any occasion. As you get a lot of different products in 1 palette, this is perfect when travelling to save space and for convenience.

There are 2 different formulas in this palette: cream and powder. The shimmery eyeshadow and the highlighter are cream, while the rest of the pans are powders. They vary in terms of quality, pigmentation, fallout, and ease of use:

• The shimmery cream eyeshadow doesn’t pack much of a punch. The shimmer is subtle, and I found it took a lot of layering to get it to really show up. This shadow applies better with your fingertips too.
• The 2 matte powder eyeshadows are pigmented, smooth, and quite buttery. There’s a fair bit of fallout, but it’s nothing crazy. I found that the medium matte brown shade blended and layered easily without going patchy. The darker matte brown shade was a bit patchier and chalkier.
• The powder setting powder was OK. I don’t think it impacted the longevity of my makeup.
• The powder bronzer is creamy, has little fallout, and buffs easily into the skin. The colour doesn’t lean orange and gives my skin a nice sunkissed glow.
• The powder blush is a gorgeous baby pink shade that’s pigmented, buttery, and applies smoothly onto the skin. This is the highest-quality pan in this palette and is easy to work with.
• The cream highlighter applies best with fingertips. This doesn’t provide a blinding highlight, but if you tap it into your skin, it provides a lovely glow. I find the formula incredibly easy to work with, and the formula simply melts into your skin.

Rating: 4 stars

This is a convenient, multi-purpose palette that I’ll be taking with me when I’m on the go and want a quick and easy makeup solution.

5. Sculpted by Aimee LashLift

£20 for 9ml

I got both shades of the Sculpted by Aimee LashLift: Ultra-Black and Rich Brown. This mascara is designed to make lashes look longer, more lifted, and voluminous. The formula is supposed to be lightweight, nourishing, and non-clumping.

Review

I’ve only tried the Rich Brown shade so far, and I absolutely love it.

This mascara instantly and quickly added length, lift, and volume to my lashes. It feels weightless, isn’t dry whatsoever, and separates my lashes. There’s no clumpiness, smudging, or budging either, which makes for a foolproof and fantastic mascara.

The Rich Brown shade is divine. It’s still quite deep, but as it’s not as dark as black mascara, it’s more daytime-friendly and wearable.

Rating: 5 stars

I’m obsessed with this mascara. It gives me everything I want!

Sculpted by Aimee makeup look

To truly test the Sculpted by Aimee makeup products, I applied all of the products in this review. In the photos below, I’m wearing LashLift in the shade Rich Brown. Here’s how the look turned out:

I’m happy with how this makeup look turned out. The products were easy to work with, which made creating this simple makeup look quick and trouble-free.

Overall Sculpted by Aimee review

Overall, I think Sculpted by Aimee is a great makeup brand that’s worth checking out. The prices are reasonable, sitting at the mid-price point range, and I think the quality is overall good.

This is what I’d call a great basics brand. The formulas are easy to work with and designed to make makeup application quick and easy. If you’re limited on time or just want to create a straightforward makeup look speedily, Sculpted by Aimee is a fantastic option. This brand doesn’t inspire me to get creative in the way that some other brands do, but I appreciate the need for solid makeup products that simply work.

I particularly love the mascara. It’s definitely one of the best mascaras I’ve tried, so I’ll be using that regularly.

The post I tried a female-founded and cruelty-free makeup brand | Sculpted by Aimee review appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

The Dior Forever Glow Maximizer has been making waves on TikTok and Instagram. This liquid highlighter offers a luminous glow with ultra-fine pearly pigments for a smooth finish.

But at £36, this highlighter is quite expensive. Is the viral Dior Forever Glow Maximizer worth the hype, or do more affordable drugstore highlighters provide the same effect? I share my honest thoughts, swatches, and a makeup look using the highlighter in this review.

* This post contains some affiliate links. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page *

About the Dior Forever Glow Maximizer

The Dior Forever Glow Maximizer is a liquid highlighter that claims to enhance the complexion with an instant and long-lasting glow. It’s formulated with ultra-fine luminous pearly pigments for a healthy lit-from-within radiance. It promises seamless blending. The large doe foot applicator deposits the right amount of product for intuitive application.

There are 7 shades available. Ranging from a pearly white and nude shimmer to a warm bronze and glowy peach, this multi-use product can be worn as a highlighter, blush, bronzer, or even an eyeshadow. It can be worn alone or as a luminous topper over makeup.

It costs £36 for 11ml.

Dior Forever Glow Maximizer Rosy swatch

I did a swatch on the back of my hand (below) to capture the shade and glow of the Dior Forever Glow Maximizer highlighter. This swatch was done on my bare hand, without primer. I own the shade Rosy, which is a mid-toned warm pink.

The shade is stunning! This is a blush and highlighter in one, as it offers the pretty pink tone of a blush with the shimmering radiance of a highlighter. I love versatile makeup products like these, as they’re super convenient to apply. The swatch was very smooth too.

Dior Forever Glow Maximizer makeup look

No makeup review would be complete without a makeup look! Here’s what the Dior Forever Glow Maximizer in Rosy looks like on my face. For this makeup look, I applied the highlighter liberally on my cheeks like I would a liquid blush.

This highlighter blush is so pretty. I love the warm rosy tone because it’s super flattering and would work with most makeup looks.

Dior Forever Glow Maximizer review

Overall, I really like the Dior Forever Glow Maximizer.

I love the sleek packaging. It looks expensive and gives boujee vibes. Plus, it’s weighty and feels sturdy, so the bottle won’t smash easily. I’m also obsessed with the large doe foot applicator, as it distributes a good amount of product to the desired area, which equates to easy coverage.

The shade Rosy is right up my street. The warm mid-toned pink works perfectly as a blush on my complexion. It’s flattering, and I love that it provides pearly luminosity without being glittery.

As the pearl particles are tiny, it provides a beautiful smoothing effect, so it doesn’t emphasise any skin texture or dry patches as much as many other blushes and highlighters. This equates to a natural and healthy glow.

However, the liquid highlighter is a bit too easy to blend. You can easily blend the product away to nothingness if you’re not careful. I’ve done this several times, which resulted in me having to reapply the blush so it was actually visible. So go in with a light hand when blending and apply a little at a time so you can keep control over the application. I find that this product applies the best when blended out with your fingertips.

The Dior Forever Glow Maximizer is fairly pigmented without being OTT. But if you apply too much product, it’s effortless to blend for a more natural finish. Also, the product layers seamlessly, so there’s no worry about the product pilling or going patchy if you want to add more shine.

It lasts fairly well throughout the day but isn’t the most long-lasting. After 8 hours of wear, it fades quite significantly but is still visible. It doesn’t fade unevenly, though, so it still looks flattering.

Rating: 4 stars

I think the Dior Forever Glow Maximizer is worth the hype. The shade range is stunning, the luminosity is healthy and natural, and it blends seamlessly into the skin.

It’s not my fave liquid highlighter/blush, though. I prefer the new Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick in Mermaid Glow. I also wouldn’t describe this as a must-try product, but if you purchase it, you won’t be disappointed!

The post Is the viral Dior Forever Glow Maximizer worth the hype? Honest review appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love glitter. I’m really captivated by sparkly makeup products and think that a touch of shimmer can really elevate any look, whether it’s on the eyes, lips, cheeks, or body.

I came across the Half Magic Glitterpuck on TikTok and was instantly sold. The beautiful champagne and peach glitter looked so ethereal and reflective on the eyelids. Being the makeup obsessive that I am, I purchased it immediately.

In this review, I share why I’ve fallen in love with the Half Magic Glitterpuck, with my honest experience of using the glitter, swatches, and a makeup look.

* This post contains some affiliate links. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page *

About the Half Magic Glitterpuck eyeshadow

The Half Magic Glitterpuck is a versatile and sparkly glitter that can be used on the eyes, lips, and face. It delivers high-impact shine with a gorgeous peachy rose gold tone. The water-infused formula glides on like a gel and stays put like a power.

It can be packed on the lids intensely for insane sparkle or buffed into the skin for a diffused and scattered light effect. Glitterpuck can be worn alone or on top of other makeup products for multidimensional sparkle. The glitter comes with a sponge that is recommended for use on the body. Using your fingertips is advised on the lids.

This glitter retails for £24 for 8.5g. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free.

Half Magic Glitterpuck swatch

I did 2 swatches on the back of my hand (below) to capture the beautiful multi-reflective shimmer of Glitterpuck: 1 done with a swipe of my fingertip and the other diffused across the back of my hand. These swatches were done on my bare hand, without primer.

How pretty is the glitter? With 1 swipe, it delivers an intense pinky-gold sparkle. It’s very reflective and captures the light beautifully. And on the diffused side, you can see scattered shimmer particles of gold and pink for a more subtle sparkle.

Half Magic Glitterpuck makeup look

No makeup review would be complete without a makeup look! Here’s what the Glitterpuck looks like on my eyelids. For this makeup look, I applied the glitter to my lids with my fingertips and then diffused it all over for a scattered glitter effect.

I used a warm pinky-brown matte eyeshadow as the base shade on the lids. This really allows the glitter to pop and gives a beautiful peachy-gold shimmer. I love how the glitter looks, and it’s so easy to apply.

Honest Half Magic Glitterpuck review

I love everything about the Half Magic Glitterpuck. It’s quickly become one of my fave glittery eyeshadows.

I’m really into the beautiful pink/gold sparkles. In some lighting, the glitter almost looks peachy. Because this glitter has a transparent base, it can work alone on a bare lid or as an eyeshadow topper to add a pop of shimmer to any look. It has a warm undertone and looks particularly gorgeous when layered over neutral brown or pink matte shades.

The formula itself is lovely. As it’s not a loose glitter, there’s no fallout, which means it’s not messy at all. Instead, the pressed texture glides over the lids smoothly, without any abrasiveness or dragging across the lids. Although this is a gel-based glitter, it actually looks like a powder when applied to the face or body. It’s very comfortable and lightweight too. In fact, once it’s applied, I can’t tell I’m wearing it!

And it stays put all day without any transfer. I hate it when glitter moves throughout the day, as it just ends up being messy. Nobody desires unwanted glitter just scattered around their face! This puts me off using loose glitters, as they typically have a lot of fallout.

Overall, I adore the ethereal fairy-like sparkle this brings to any makeup look. I particularly like using this for a scattered glitter effect across the lids, as it’s wearable in a simple glam way. Obsessed.

Rating: 5 stars

The post This has to be one of the prettiest glitters ever | Half Magic Glitterpuck review appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

As part of its spring 2024 makeup collection, Chanel has just launched a new shade of the Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick in Mermaid Glow.

I saw this highlighter on TikTok and instantly fell in love. The highlighter appeared to have a gorgeous pearlescent finish with differently coloured shimmer particles for a multi-reflective glow. It was giving mermaid core, and I needed to know what it would look like on my own skin IRL.

In this review, I share whether the new Chanel Baume Essentiel in Mermaid Glow met my expectations, how it looks on the skin, and whether it’s worth £36.

* This post contains some affiliate links. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page *

About the Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick

The Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick is a moisturising highlighting balm that promises to offer subtle radiance. The formula melts onto the skin and is very reflective. It can be used on the eyes, lips, and face for an understated, elegant, and natural look.

There are 5 shades in the range:

1. Transparent – clear, balmy highlighter
2. Sculpting – light champagne gold
3. Golden Light – a deep bronze
4. Dragée – warm mid-toned pink with golden shimmer
5. Mermaid Glow – light pink, gold, and lilac shimmer

Chanel Baume Essentiel Mermaid Glow swatch

I did a swatch on the back of my hand (below) to capture the beautiful multi-reflective shimmer of the Chanel Mermaid Glow highlighter. This swatch was done on my bare hand, without primer.

The finish is gorgeous. It has a multi-coloured pearlescent finish that’s not glittery or chunky. Instead, it imparts reflective multi-dimensional shine on a transparent balm base. It’s so pretty!

Chanel Baume Essentiel Mermaid Glow makeup look

No makeup review would be complete without a makeup look! Here’s what the Chanel Baume Essentiel Mermaid Glow looks like on my face. For this makeup look, I applied the highlighter liberally on my cheekbones.

I love this highlighter! It gives a natural pearly glow that looks super reflective in the light. Below, I share my honest review of the product, as well as how well this glossy highlighting balm wore throughout the day.

Honest Chanel Baume Essentiel Mermaid Glow review

I love the Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick in Mermaid Glow.

Of course, the packaging is stunning. It’s giving luxury vibes with the sleek black packaging, iconic Chanel logo, and slim design.

I love the consistency of this balm. It’s hydrating, smoothing, and melts effortlessly into the skin. There’s some very slight stickiness, as expected with a glossy formula, but it feels lightweight and non-greasy on the skin. It doesn’t emphasise skin texture as much as a typical powder highlighter would either.

While I really enjoy the texture of the highlighter, the appearance of this highlighter on the skin is what stands out. If you love a glass skin look, you’ll also fall in love with this highlighting balm.

The transparent base is glossy, shiny, and almost makes the skin look wet. It features tiny shimmer particles of lilac, pink, and gold that give a mermaid/fairy aesthetic. It gives the most gorgeous pearlescent dewy glow that reflects beautifully under the light.

The highlighter also wears surprisingly well. After 8 hours of wear, it still looks glossy and reflective. It fades a little bit but is still visible on the cheeks.

I appreciate that £36 is expensive. Especially for just 8g of product. However, a little bit goes a long way, and the formula is hardly sticky at all compared to other balm highlighters I’ve tried. It’s comfortable, moisturising, and doesn’t make my oily skin feel or look greasy.

Is the new Chanel highlighter worth it?

Yes! Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo is still my fave balmy highlighter. The formula is shinier than Chanel and layers better. However, I’m obsessed with the shade and pearly finish of the Chanel Mermaid Glow highlighter. It’s wearable and always looks amazing.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Is this an absolute must-have? No. But if you love glossy balm highlighters and a multi-dimensional glow, the Chanel one is totally worth it. Even if it is £36.

The post Is the new Chanel Baume Essentiel Mermaid Glow worth £36? appeared first on A Woman's Confidence.

Flower Knows is a makeup brand that has been on my radar for ages. These products go viral on social media because the packaging is insanely beautiful. When Flower Knows launched the stunning Little Angel collection at the beginning of 2024, I decided to purchase some products from the Chinese beauty (C-beauty) brand.

I’d seen so many videos of Flower Know’s intricate packaging but few reviewing the quality of the makeup products. I’d heard that C-beauty brands make the best glittery eyeshadows, so I was most excited to try them. But I was also curious as to how well the other products would perform.

Is Flower Knows simply pretty packaging, or are the makeup products high-quality? I share my honest thoughts, swatches, and a makeup look in this review.

Products in this review

I’m reviewing the following 3 Flower Knows products:

1. Little Angel 9-Color Eyeshadow Palette
2. Little Angel Embossed Highlighter
3. Swan Ballet Liquid Eyeshadow

I share my honest thoughts, swatches, and ratings for each product below before moving on to my overall review of Flower Knows makeup, including a makeup look.

1. Flower Knows Little Angel 9-Color Eyeshadow Palette

£35.63 for 10.5g

I’ve got the Flower Knows Little Angel 9-Color Eyeshadow Palette in shade 02 Weeping Angel. This palette claims to feature pigmented eyeshadows that are easy to apply, long-lasting, and versatile. 02 Weeping Angel features a rich sapphire, dazzling gold and silvers, pastel pinks and purples, and matte brown and greys.

Swatches

To give an indication of the shades, texture, and pigmentation of this eyeshadow palette, I did these swatches on my arm without primer.

I was a little disappointed with the matte swatches. They were a bit patchy, took a while to build up this level of colour payoff, and felt a bit chalky. However, I was super impressed by the shimmer swatches and couldn’t wait to use them.

Review

Despite not loving the matte swatches, I actually really like the Flower Knows Little Angel 9-Color Eyeshadow Palette.

Firstly, the packaging is mesmerising. I love the gothic design, angelic artwork, gold, blue, and black colour scheme, and intricate details. Even down to the embossing on each eyeshadow, this palette is beautiful in every single way.

The main thing that drew me to this palette is the unique colour scheme. I love the mix of blues, pinks, purples, brown, grey, gold, and silver. The palette has a good mix of warm and cool tones. It looks regal and stands out from the sea of neutral, pink, warm, and smoky eyeshadow palettes on the market. Even though it’s not the most wearable of colour stories, I can see myself using this palette quite a lot.

When it came to using the eyeshadows on my eyes, the mattes performed much better. They start with quite light pigmentation, particularly the pastel shades, but they can be built up to medium intensity. They feel soft and smooth on the eyelids. All the matte shadows blend easily too.

C-beauty brands are typically not as pigmented as Western makeup, as the style of makeup differs. The matte shades are a bit chalky and powdery with some fallout. Sometimes, the deeper matte shades could go a bit patchy. However, this was easy to fix by applying a bit more eyeshadow and then blending.

I’m not convinced the matte pastels would show up on deeper complexions, or I think they could look a bit ashy, as they took a fair bit of building up on my light complexion.

But the shimmery eyeshadows are the star of the show.

The sapphire shade is more of a subtle shimmer, while the silver and gold are more glittery and dazzling. All 3 are rich, reflect the light beautifully, and offer intense sparkle. The silver shimmer is especially vibrant. I’m obsessed with the shimmers in this palette. I think these would show up on all complexions.

The eyeshadows are all long-wearing too with minimal creasing or fading.

Rating: 4 stars

I love the gorgeous colour story and ethereal shimmers. The mattes aren’t my fave formula, but they’re still workable.

2. Flower Knows Little Angel Embossed Highlighter

£23.75 for 8g

I’ve got the Flower Knows Little Angel Embossed Highlighter in the shade L02 Paradise Lost, which is a dewy rose gold. This highlighter is supposed to feel feather-light, have minimal fallout, offer a pearly shimmer, and feel velvety on the skin.

Swatch

To give an indication of the shade, texture, and pigmentation of this highlighter, I did a swatch on my hand without primer.

I fell in love with the swatch. It was silky, soft, light, and pearly, without emphasising texture. I also loved the flattering rose gold colour and couldn’t wait to use it on my face.

Review

Okay, so I love the Flower Knows Little Angel Embossed Highlighter.

Again, I love the elegant and angelic packaging. The embossing on the highlighter itself is unlike anything I’ve seen before. It’s so delicate and intricate. I almost didn’t want to try the highlighter for fear of ruining the design!

Typically, I gravitate towards champagne-toned highlighters. I sometimes find that pink highlighters look unflattering on my skin tone. But this rose gold shade isn’t too pink, and it looks gorgeous on the skin! I think this shade would look great on all skin tones.

This powder is incredibly lightweight. It’s silky, velvety, and very comfortable on the skin. As it’s so finely milled, it doesn’t emphasise skin texture, look chalky, produce fallout, or leave a strip of glitter on the skin. Instead, it delivers a smooth pearly shimmer (not unflattering chunky glitter) that looks seamless on the skin.

If I do a light layer, the highlighter is subtle. But it can be built up, without any patchiness or chunkiness, to more intense shimmer.

Rating: 5 stars

I can’t fault this highlighter. It looks stunning both inside the packaging and on the skin. I’m obsessed.

3. Flower Knows Swan Ballet Liquid Eyeshadow

£14.25 for 4g

I’ve got 2 shades of the Flower Knows Swan Ballet Liquid Eyeshadow – 01 Diamond Star, which is a clear base with different shades of chunky glitter particles, and 05 Cracking Crystal, which is a pink shade with big glitter chunks. These liquid glitter eyeshadows are meant to be ultra-reflective, long-lasting, and colour-shifting for a dazzling effect.

Swatches

To give an indication of the shades, texture, and pigmentation of these liquid glitters, I did these swatches on my hand without primer.

I knew from the swatches that I’d love these liquid glitters, as they’re so sparkly.

Review

I’m in love with the Flower Knows Swan Ballet Liquid Eyeshadow. It’s the perfect product to add glam to any makeup look.

While the packaging isn’t as sublime as the highlighter or eyeshadow palette, these liquid glitters are still cute. They have a very slim brush tip, which allows for precise application of the glitter.

These glitters are very easy to apply. I’ve used liquid glitters previously that transfer easily from being too wet, don’t have a good tip for precise application, and simply aren’t that reflective. These Flower Knows ones are effortless to apply, don’t budge once applied, and deliver an intense glimmer. They dry down quickly too, so there’s no concern around smudging the glitter.

Both shades are gorgeous and elevate any makeup look. As the glitter is chunky, it dances in the light in a very special way.

Rating: 5 stars

I’m simply obsessed.

Flower Knows makeup look

To show you what these makeup products look like on my face, I used the eyeshadow palette, highlighter, and liquid glitter in 01 Diamond Star. On my eyes, I used the palette all over my eyes, the liquid glitter on the lower inner corner of my eyes, and the highlighter on my nose and cheekbones.

Here’s how my makeup look turned out:

I’m so happy with how this makeup! I’d never usually do my makeup like this, but I followed this Flower Knows eyeshadow tutorial below and love the results.

The gold and silver glitters and rich sapphire are effective and striking. This eye look was pretty easy to do, so I’ll definitely recreate it at some point. I love the shades, textures, and finishes of all the Flower Knows products.

Overall Flower Knows review

I believe Flower Knows is 100% worth it. Not only is the packaging alluring, but the makeup products are high-quality and deliver beautiful results. This C-beauty brand sits at a mid-range price point, so while it’s not the cheapest makeup brand, it’s not ridiculous either.

I’m really impressed with the products I’ve tried and will make a future purchase. Next on my radar are the blushes, primer, and shiny lipsticks.

Have you tried Flower Knows makeup yet? What do you think of the products in this review? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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