Category Archives: *Swatches & Comparisons

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer Review, Swatches, Photos

Although I’m really happy with the shimmery/glowy highlighters I own, I recently decided that I would like to add a cream, non-shimmery highligher to my stash. So, I purchased one of the lightest shades of Maybelline’s Dream Lumi Touch highlighting concealer to use a highlighter. I chose the second lightest shade, 320 Ivory, rather than the lightest shade (310 Radiance), because Ivory is more yellow and Radiance is more pink, and I tend to look better in yellow-based shades — though I’m not sure it matters for a highlighter.

I swatched it next to Clinique’s Airbrush Concealer in 04 Neutral Fair, because I wondered how similar they were. They have similar packaging and very similar consistencies. However, the shades I have are quite different; the Clinique is similar to my skintone, while the Maybelline is significantly lighter than it – which makes it a bit difficult to do a meaningful comparison.

Most of my swatch photos ended up overexposed. The first photo is more clear, but overexposed (my skin & the concealers are not actually that pale) – the second is a bit blurry, but the colors are more accurate.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer 320 Ivory, Clinique Airbrush Concealer 04 Neutral Fair
Photo is overexposed

Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer 320 Ivory, Clinique Airbrush Concealer 04 Neutral Fair

Although click-pen packaging isn’t my favorite, Maybelline’s Dream Lumi click pen is extremely functional – it only took a few clicks (maybe 30 seconds at most) to get the concealer started, and it only takes 1-2 clicks to dispense more product. I haven’t had any trouble with too little or too much product being dispensed.

Because it’s far too light for me, I can’t really evaluate it as a concealer. It does seem to brighten a bit. It has medium coverage for a concealer – more than a foundation, but far less than opaque.

As for use as a highlighter, I really like it! I tried to take before/ after photos using it as a highlighter, but it’s just too subtle to really show up; I find that’s true of most highlighters. Overall, I would definitely recommend both a too-light concealer and this particular one as a highlighter.

NYX HD Eyeshadow Primer Review, Swatches, Photos and Comparison

Eyeshadow primer is one of my absolute must-have items; in addition to extending the wear of my eyeshadow, I love how it makes my eyeshadow more vibrant! For the last year or so, I’ve been using Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but I’ve grown quite frustrated with how it separates – it often comes out of the tube with a little bit of liquid. I’ve heard good things about NYX HD Eyeshadow Primer, so the last time I was at Ulta I bought a tube to test out.

The one major downside of the NYX primer is the packaging; I feel like the tube with the doe-foot applicator is a lot less sanitary than the squeeze tube TFSI uses. However, that’s not a dealbreaker for me.

NYX HD e/s primer – unblended and blended

I really like the consistency of the NYX HD eyeshadow primer – it’s very smooth, and there’s no separation like there is with TFSI. It is creamy, weightless, and blends easily into my skin.

I wanted to see if there was a difference in the vibrancy of eyeshadow over different eyeshadow primers. Below, I’ve swatched NARS Lhasa eyeshadow over (from left to right), bare skin, TFSI, NYX HD eyeshadow primer, and Urban Decay Primer Potion (original formula; I had a sample). The below pictures were taken at night and are not very color accurate, but work for comparison purposes.

Eyeshadow primer comparison – with flash

Eyeshadow Primer comparison – without flash

As you can see, using any of the three primers really helps the eyeshadow adhere. The UD primer may have a slight edge, but it’s a very close call; all three perform very well.

Of course, I tested out the NYX primer on my eyelids as well as my arm! I’ve worn the NYX HD eyeshadow primer six or so times now, including one day where I was outside in the sun for several hours. I experienced no creasing or fading at all; my eyeshadow lasted perfectly, just like it does with TFSI. Note that I have normal to dry skin, and rarely have any problems with creasing or fading (unless I neglect to wear primer at all).

Overall, I’m really happy with the NYX primer. It performs just as well as the more expensive eyeshadow primers on me, and it’s only $7 (and frequently on sale!) at Ulta.

What eyeshadow primer are you currently using?

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Bronzer Comparisons, Swatches, Photos

It’s been a while since I did a Project Swatch post, but I have a couple coming up! Today, I have swatches of all my bronzers for you. I rarely wear bronzers, but when cleaning out my makeup, I rediscovered my ELF Blush / Bronzing duo and my NYC Sunny Bronzer, and since I am recently smitten with my Burberry Sheer Summer Glow compact (which works as a bronzer or a highlighter), I decided to re-swatch them. And, I decided that I like them both!

The swatches:

The bronzer half of the ELF Blush and Bronzer duo is quite nice (although I find the blush half too powdery to use). It has a nice level of pigmentation and is quite smooth. Although it has some shimmer, it’s at a reasonable, wearable level. This is a great choice for the price.

The Burberry Sheer Summer Glow compact, previously reviewed, is fantastic – though expensive. It is not matte, but has more of a glowing, illuminating finish than something I would call a shimmer. In the picture, I swatched just the left side of the compact (the two darker squares); that’s how I use it as a bronzer. It’s very adjustable as to the shade, which is nice.

Third, the NYC Sunny compact is surprisingly high quality for something so inexpensive. It is a matte bronzer, and a nice color. It is not as silky I would like, which is perhaps not surprising for the price, but it is definitely an acceptable texture. The packaging, however, is quite annoying – very cheap and flimsy.

I use all three of these as bronzers – on my face to create a summery bronzy look – I never use any of these to contour. I prefer a contour product with more grey in it, to create a more realistic shadow. Here, I’ve swatched MAC Sculpting powder in Sculpt next to the three bronzer so you can see the difference in using a dedicated contouring product instead of a bronzer for contouring.

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MAC Rebel Lipstick Review, Swatches, Photos

Since MAC is about to release the Lips & Tips / Fashion Sets Collection – it’s already available online – I thought this would be a great time to review one of my favorite MAC lipsticks, Rebel, which is included in the collection (though it’s a permanent part of the MAC line). Although I just bought my own Rebel lipstick, I’ve worn it a few times before because one of my best friends owns it.

Rebel is a Satin, which means that it has full coverage, some sheen, and no shimmer or sparkle. I don’t own enough MAC lipsticks to have a favorite finish overall, but I love the finish of Rebel – it’s moisturizing but not slippery. My favorite thing about Rebel, however, is it’s longevity – it lasts, and lasts, and lasts. Both my friend and I have worn it for 8 hours or so. I noticed when I swatched it that it stains the skin significantly, and this is probably why it lasts so well; it’s acting as a lip stain once the product starts to wear off.

Rebel is described as a mid-toned plum on the MAC website, and I have trouble describing it – it definitely has some purple tones, but it’s not so purple that it’s difficult to wear. It’s a cool, deep berry/purple, perhaps. I find it very flattering on me, and it’s also very flattering on my friend, who is a pale redhead with pink undertones!

The color is similar to NARS Damned, though they aren’t exact dupes, and of course the finish and packaging are quite different – though both are quite long lasting. This picture is less color accurate than the swatch photo.

NARS Damned, MAC Rebel

Another close dupe for MAC Rebel – and a drugstore dupe at that! – is Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy 908C MegaLast Lip Color, which I have reviewed in full here. Note that Sugar Plum Fairy is matte, while Rebel is a satin finish.

WnW Sugar Plum Fairy; MAC Rebel

Overall, I really love Rebel and I’m so glad I finally picked up my own! It’s been on my wishlist for quite a long time, and I’m sure I’ll get a lot of use out of it.

YSL 13 Rose Tempura Glossy Stain Review, Swatches, Photos

Ever since they first came out a little while ago, I’ve been intrigued by the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture – Vernis a Levres Glossy Stains, which are a combination lipgloss and lip stain. Today, I have a review and swatches of 13 Rose Tempura for you – which, as it turns out, is an exact dupe of NARS Velvet Gloss Pencil in Mexican Rose.

The YSL Glossy Stains are packaged in a luxe black and gold tube with a uniquely shaped doe-foot applicator that works very well for application. I really like the packaging – it is both functional and elegant.

The gloss/stain has a nice texture – it’s nonsticky and only a little bit slippery, which I think is nice. I don’t like thick or slippery lipglosses, and in fact I rarely wear lipgloss at all – but I find this product very comfortable to wear. It is possible to apply a thin coat – which is how I like to wear it – and with a thin coat it’s not very glossy, though it does have a sheen.

YSL 13 Rose Tempura

The color is a mid-toned bright pink, and it does stain the skin. Above, I’ve wiped off the glossy color with a makeup wipe. If I scrub, I can remove all the color with some effort.

Although the packaging is completely different, this product is an exact dupe of NARS Mexican Rose Velvet Gloss Pencil. Not only are they the exact same color, but both apply glossy, but then fade to a long lasting stain.

NARS; YSL

Here are lip swatches of both – sorry but I’ve switched the order from the swatches above!

YSL Glossy Stain 13 on left; NARS Mexican Rose on right

Even if you love this color – and it’s a lovely color – you definitely do not need both of these products! Since the packaging is so different, it’s really up to personal preference; the YSL is better if you prefer a liquid you apply with a doe-foot, and the NARS is better if you would prefer a pencil (though keep in mind that you will lose product when you sharpen). The YSL is $32, and the NARS is $24.

Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain 13 Rose Tempura and NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil Mexican Roseare both available at Sephora stores and online.

If this color appeals to you, which of these would you pick?

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The Best Matte Black Eyeshadow – Comparison, Swatches

I’m a little bit obsessed with finding the best matte black eyeshadow, and today I have comparison swatches of six different matte black eyeshadows for you!

Three of the six are in palettes:

Urban Decay Blackout, from the 15th Anniversary Palette
The matte black from the Sleek Original Palette
The matte black from the Wet n Wild Greed Palette (discontinued)

Three of the six are individual shadows:

Wet n Wild Panther
Sugarpill Bulletproof
Makeup Geek Corrupt – note that this is a matte base with some sparkle, but appears mostly matte, so I included it.

In the order listed above, here are swatches (one swipe only), without primer

Matte black eyeshadow comparison swatches

UD Blackout; Sleek Original; WnW Greed; WnW Panther; Sugarpill Bulletproof; MUG Corrupt

As you can see, all apply quite well, but MUG Corrupt is by far the most pigmented with only one swipe and no primer.

Next, I did one-swipe swatches over Too Faced Shadow Insurance – but this looked virtually identical to the above photo, so it wasn’t useful. So, I did multiple swipes over TFSI; this shows how deep a black it is possible to achieve with each shadow.

As you can see, the blacks vary significantly in intensity. Here are my thoughts on each shade:

UD Blackout; Sleek Original; WnW Greed; WnW Panther; Sugarpill Bulletproof; MUG Corrupt

Urban Decay Blackout: Smooth, medium pigmentation. Good quality, but not excellent. Available as a single for $18, and not worth that price.

Sleek Original: Very hard, medium to poor pigmentation. It’s a great palette, but don’t buy it for the black!

Wet n Wild Greed palette: Very soft, excellent pigmentation. Discontinued, but still available on and Ebay – I love this palette and I would highly recommend picking it up!

Wet n Wild Panther single: Very soft, medium pigmentation. Good quality, and definitely worth buying for $2. Available on drugstore.com & in drugstores.

Sugarpill Bulletproof – Soft, but poor pigmentation – I had high expectations for this one and was disappointed. Not recommended. If you buy it, shipping is less expensive from the Makeup Geek store than the Sugarpill store.

Makeup Geek Corrupt – Very soft and smooth, excellent pigmentation. Note that it has some sparkle. Only $6 in pan form, $8 in compact form – buy online at the Makeupgeek store.

I haven’t tested all of these out yet on my eyes for wear time, but once I get the chance to do that, I’ll do another post with all of that information!

What’s your favorite matte black eyeshadow?

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