Gorgeous Cosmetics 'Soft Grape' Shimmer Dust Review + Swatches + Makeup Look

Gorgeous Cosmetics Shimmer Dust in Soft Grape

Gorgeous Cosmetics Shimmer Dust ($25/3g) is described as luxurious loose powder pigment, which dusts lightly over eyes, face and body.  Highly pigmented and super silky soft.  Simply alter your application technique to create a gorgeous soft sheen, an intense colour effect or anything in between.

Available in (18) colors: Antique Gold, Antique Pink, Aqua, Burnt Copper, Forest, Gold, Luminesence, Minty, Ms Vegas, Mysterious, Plum, Purple Berry, Sand, Seriously Violet, Silver Suede, Soft Grape, Starlet, Suede.

Soft Grape is a soft purple with pink undertones. It's a great color for those who are scared to work with purples on the lids. Layer it over other purples or mix with browns, blacks or greens for a nice pop of color!

These highly pigmented loose pigments blend smoothly and are easy to build intensity when layering them. To build a saturated color on the lid they can be used with a wet brush, I like to use MAC Fix+ on my brush to make the pigment color pop even more. Used over an eye primer, this pigment has a  lasting power of around 7 hours. Use a very light dusting with these shimmers on the body as well for a very pretty glow.

Soft Grape Swatch (1 layer)

Layered Swatch (2 layers)

 

Wet Swatch (1 layer)

PACKAGING
Gorgeous Cosmetics Shimmer Dusts come in a round matte black plastic container with a see-through twist cap. The shimmer itself is covered by a sifter which allows you to control the amount of product you need. At 3g (11 oz) of product it might seem a bit small for the

price but remember, when working with pigments a little goes a long way. Pigments come in small amounts no matter the brand. The shimmer dusts come with less product for a few bucks more than the MAC pigments ($21/0.15oz).

"Gorgeous Cosmetics is an prestige cosmetic brand, founded in Melbourne, Australia in 1999. From face primers to contour powders and lipsticks they offer a variety of cosmetics. The brand is a one stop shop in creating a full flawless look from start to finish. Enriched with anti-aging and healing ingredients such as Chamomile, Aloe Vera and Vitamins A & E, the Gorgeous Cosmetics range embodies quality to create a complete Pro makeup collection." Gorgeouscosmetics.com

Overall Thoughts
These finely milled shimmers are beautiful pigmented products to work with. They are so simple to use and apply to the eyes. Amp up a simple eye look with a shimmer dust. Applying them wet builds the intensity of your look. The packaging, quality and lasting power of them are well worth the price. I can't wait to get my hands on more colors!

Gorgeous Cosmetics 'Soft Grape' Shimmer Dust on center of lid

Gorgeous Cosmetics 'Soft Grape' Shimmer Dust on center of lid

Availability: Nordstrom / Gorgeous Cosmetics
Price: $25
 
Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration by the manufacturer. This does not affect any opinions featured in this post as they are my own honest experiences with the product.   

theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer

theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer ($24) is described as an all-in-one essential, smart shadow, beautiful blush and subtle highlighter that is tucked inside a go-anywhere compact. The light-reflecting peachy pink hue adds a splash of color to your cheeks and a hint of shimmer to your lids, while illuminating your finest features.

This beautiful soft sheen pressed powder can be used as a highlighter, blush or shadow on the lid. If you're familiar with theBalm products you know that they are very pigmented and have a silky buttery texture. This is the same for this multi-use beauty product. Use a light tap of your brush when applying the Cindy-Lou Manizer; its high pigment goes on smoothly so you don't need to use much of it.

Packaging
As with all of theBalm line, the packaging of this compact has a unique whimsical theme that is carried throughout their powder products. The inside holds a nice sized mirror which comes in handy for those of us that like to use compact mirrors.

With .30oz of product it is a fairly decent size compact powder that will last you for quite some time. Remember, a little goes a very long way with their products so use it sparingly. I have yet to hit pan on my previously reviewed Mary-Lou Manizer and have had it for more than year now; I use it on a regular daily basis.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer is similar to the Cindy-Lou but just in another shade. The Cindy-lou Manizer is a soft pink powder with peach undertones whereas the Mary-Lou Manizer is a champagne-colored powder.

Swatches

At first, the swatch applies heavily but when sheered out using a brush it gives a more subtle shine to the skin and does not appear as powdery as the intial swatch done with my finger.

Wearing Cindy-Lou Manizer on cheeks

Overall Thoughts
Although it is a beautiful powder I don't think it will be replacing my Holy Grail highlighter, Mary-Lou Manizer. Since I have more of a medium skin tone I plan to use it more as an eyeshadow and blush. I do think that it will work great as a highlighter on lighter or darker skin tones. On my skin though, it gives a subtle sheen on the cheeks but I tend to go for more dramatic highlighters on my cheekbones. Be mindful when working with high sheen powders like these. If you have drier areas on your face make sure you avoid putting them on those areas being that they tend to emphasize them more. All in all this gorgeous powder is going to be a nice little addition to my collection and I recommend it to anyone looking for a pink-toned highlighter.

Availability:Nordstrom / theBalm 
Pricing: $24

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration by the manufacturer. This does not affect any opinions as they are my own honest experiences with the product.