Tag: cosmetics

Initio Mystic Experience Perfume Review

Initio Mystic Experience Perfume ReviewInitio Mystic Experience Perfume Review
Initio Mystic Experience Perfume Review

Initio Mystic Experience Eau de Parfum opens with sweet, mixed red fruits that became more like bitter, black coffee mixed with equally dark powdered cocoa, though there was a musky quality (possibly with a hint of amber initially) that made it less photorealistic than that description might sound. The addition of sandalwood as the amber and musk intensified led to a more animalic, somewhat fruity (but less red in quality) scent that dried down to a soft, slightly spiced and sweet, musky, woody blur.

Mystic Experience Notes

It is described as a “combination of musk and coffee.” The notes are listed as “coffee, musk, vanilla, and patchouli” by the brand, but retailers also listed sandalwood, amber, and oakmoss.

What does Mystic Experience Smell Like?

It was marked by sweet, red fruits in its first 30 seconds, which were slowly steeped in black coffee with a

Read more

Give Me Glow Ocean Water, Break the Ice, Dark Secrets, Ice Princess, Rich Chocolate Eyeshadows Reviews & Swatches

FURTHER READING:
Formula Overview
for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

  • BH Cosmetics Club Tropicana #25 (LE, ) is cooler (95% similar).
  • ColourPop Glitch (LE, $4.50) is cooler (95% similar).
  • JD Glow Blue Avenue (P, $7.50) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
  • Glaminatrix Icicle (P, $8.04) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
  • ColourPop Peeps Blue (LE, $6.00) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
  • Sydney Grace Juggler (P, $6.25) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
  • Sydney Grace Hydra (P, $6.25) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
  • BH Cosmetics Foil Eyes #25 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
  • Lethal Cosmetics Ascension (P, $6.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
  • Huda Beauty Sapphire #9 (LE, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).

Formula Overview

$7.00/0.105 oz. – $66.67 Per Ounce

The brand offers matte and foiled finish eyeshadows, though the descriptions are largely the same: “highly pigmented,” “blendable,” and “finely milled.”

Read more

Lethal Cosmetics Galactic Goo, Signal, Input, Decibel Side FX Gel Liners Reviews & Swatches

Galactic Goo

Lethal Cosmetics Galactic Goo Side FX Gel Liner ($15.50 for 0.17 oz.) is a medium-dark emerald green with subtle, cool undertones and a pearly sheen. It had more glide and creaminess, but it was also thinner, compared to most shades in the range.

  • Nearly opaque pigmentation
  • Smooth, moderately creamy texture
  • Applied evenly with a brush
  • Long-wearing (10 hours without fading)

FURTHER READING:
Formula Overview
for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

These are likely to be very similar shades based on our duping algorithm.

Formula Overview

$15.50/0.17 oz. – $91.18 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be “smudge- and water-proof” with “uncompromising intensity” that “does not budge.” They have a very fluid, gel-like consistency that glides readily over skin with both finer, more angled liner brushes, fine-tipped brushes, and flat, synthetic brushes (more for applying as a cream eyeshadow or

Read more

Bobbi Brown Soft Berry & Bahama Brown Lux Lipsticks Reviews & Swatches

Bobbi Brown Soft Berry Luxe Lipstick

Soft Berry

Bobbi Brown Soft Berry Luxe Lipstick ($40.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a light-medium, pinky-plum with moderate, warm undertones and a satin sheen.

  • Opaque pigmentation
  • Lightly creamy, lightweight, stayed in place
  • Applied evenly and smoothly
  • Long-wearing (5 hours), hydrating

Top Dupes

View All Dupes
These are the dupes the editor has pulled but not yet rated and officially entered.
  • ColourPop C’mon Sis (LE, $10.00).
  • Charlotte Tilbury Show Girl (P, $34.00).
  • Tarte Mani (LE, $20.00).
  • MAC Finally Free (LE, $19.00).
  • Tarte Island Life (P, $21.00).
  • Cle de Peau China Doll (P, $65.00).
  • Dior Terrific Matte (745) (P, $35.00).
  • YSL Prime Beige (90) (P, $38.00).
  • Revlon Rum Raisin (008) (P, $9.99).
  • NARS Dolce Vita (P, $26.00).

Ingredients

Diisostearyl Malate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Polyethylene, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Microcrystalline WaxCera MicrocristallinaCire Microcristalline, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tribehenin, Hydrogenated Castor Oil,

Read more

Best Products of the Week

Comments that do not adhere to our
comment policy may be
removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to
participate respectfully.

Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an
off-topic question, or need technical support, please
contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments’ section and be more efficient: double-check the post above
for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn’t
answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but
will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when
a review will be posted as we can’t commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don’t want to set
expectations and then disappoint readers

Read more

Highlighters (Over $15) | 2022 Editor’s Favorites

In 2022, I reviewed just over 70 different high-end highlighters, so there was a nice variety of products to become enamored with over the year, and while highlighting as a trend may have slowed down, it hasn’t gone away. Rare Beauty Positive Light Highlighters just came out in December, but they were just stunning applied. I also fell in love with Haus Labs Bio Radiant Highlighters, though they were quite pricey!

Temptalia’s Favorite Highlighters (Over $15) | 2022

If you’re unfamiliar with how I like to do my year-end favorites, here’s the low down: I pull from the products I reviewed in 2022, regardless of whether they were new, limited edition, or an established range I’ve only just gotten around to reviewing. These are personal favorites, so they may or may not be the highest rated products reviewed during the year (though they will tend to be better rated, naturally!).

Read more

Multichrome Eyeshadows | 2022 Editor’s Favorites

Multichromes really capture the magic of the holiday season to me. They twinkle, they sparkle, they shift, and they are so multidimensional. They work beautifully as an accent of eyeliner or as a one-and-done look, especially lighter and more mid-tone shades, but even black-based Multichromes can work as an all-over-lid shade and blended with one’s favorite transition shade for an intense, unique smoky eye.

Clionadh expanded their Stained Glass Collection in August of this past year, which meant 54 new, glorious hues to delight and play with. I loved the new Earth Vibrant and Pearlescent finish. Terra Moons also consistently released new Multichromes throughout the year with the latest winter launch swatched but not yet reviewed (so expect to see some of those next year, haha!).

Temptalia’s Favorite Multichrome Eyeshadows | 2022

If you’re unfamiliar with how I like to do my year-end favorites, here’s the low down: I pull

Read more

ColourPop Sage the Day Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches

Sage the Day

ColourPop Sage the Day 9-Pan Pressed Powder Palette ($14.00 for 0.32 oz.) is supposed to be a sage-inspired color story, though I’d just say it’s green-leaning rather than a particularly literal-translation of sage as a hue. It was grounded by warmer browns. The matte shades were pigmented, smooth, and blendable, while the shimmers were mostly opaque in coverage but a couple were a bit more loosely-pressed in feel.

Ingredients

Lit Vibes

Lit Vibes is a very pale, peachy-gold base with green-to-gold shifting duochrome shimmer.

  • Opaque pigmentation
  • Smooth, moderately emollient consistency without being too dense
  • Picked up readily with dry brush, blended out well
  • Long-wearing (8 hours before fading visibly)

FURTHER READING:
Formula Overview
for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

These are the dupes the editor has pulled but not yet rated and officially entered.

  • Urban Decay Shifty (LE, $19.00).
Read more

MAC Whitney’s Nippy Eye-conic Palette Review & Swatches

Whitney’s Nippy Eye-Conic

MAC Nippy Eye-Conic Eyeshadow x 8 Palette ($45.00 for 0.49 oz.) is a new, limited edition neutral palette with a pop of plum but otherwise a mix of both cooler and warmer-toned neutrals across brown/gray/black. The mattes were very blendable (except the black) and easy to use, while one shimmer was so-so and the other was lovely to work with.

Ingredients

Nippy Sand

Nippy Sand Dust is a light-medium, peachy yellow with strong, warm undertones and a matte finish.

  • Opaque pigmentation
  • Soft, finely-milled consistency, lightly powdery
  • Blendable, easy to work with
  • Long-wearing (eight hours on average for this formula)

FURTHER READING:
Formula Overview
for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

These are the dupes the editor has pulled but not yet rated and officially entered.

  • ColourPop Bronco (LE, $8.00).
  • Tom Ford Beauty Velours Khaki #1 (LE, ).
  • MAC Soft Ochre
Read more

ColourPop Feminine Charm & First Kiss Matte Shadow Stix Reviews & Swatches

FURTHER READING:
Formula Overview
for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

These are the dupes the editor has pulled but not yet rated and officially entered.

  • Lethal Cosmetics Unity (P, $6.00).
  • Pat McGrath Paranormal (LE, $25.00).
  • ColourPop Dead Man’s Toe (LE, $4.50).
  • Dior Pink Corolle #5 (PiP, ).
  • ColourPop The Sagittarius (P, $4.50).
  • ColourPop Damsel (LE, $4.50).
  • ColourPop Stuck On You (LE, $4.50).
  • Huda Beauty Love Bite (PiP, ).
  • Too Faced Figgy Pudding (LE, $16.00).
  • Natasha Denona Electra (115CM) (PiP, ).

Formula Overview

$6.00/0.019 oz. – $315.79 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be “ultra pigmented” in “one swipe” while being “long wearing” and “water-resistant.” There are two finishes: matte and metallic, and the initial release included two shades from each finish, so the overview is based on those four shades, which is not a ton of shades to go off of!

One of the four

Read more