Rediscovering theBalm makeup

When highlighters first became popular, the one that almost everyone owned and loved (myself included) was from theBalm: Mary-Lou Manizer. The beautifully soft texture and very reasonable price, given the quality, made it a huge hit! Recently, theBalm released a liquid version of their iconic highlighter: Mary-Dew Manizer, and I was kindly sent it so I want to share my thoughts on this and some other products from the brand today.

Due to the fact that I have dry skin, I find that liquid highlighters work really well on my skin and Mary-Dew Manizer is one of my favourites. It has a doe-foot applicator, which can be applied directly to the cheekbones or for a more subtle glow, applied to the hand and then dabbed in with a beauty blender. It can also be used on the eyes or cupid's bow - basically, anywhere you wish to highlight. It blends into the skin really easily to add some glow, without any glitter, and is really long-lasting. The light champagne colour is really flattering on light to medium skin tones and Bonnie-Dew Manizer is perfect for deeper skin tones. 

Hot Mama is a beautiful blush that I find pairs very well with either of the highlighters. It's peachy-pink (my favourite blush shade), with a fine shimmer running through it - think of it as a more subtle version of Nars Orgasm! The formula can feel a little stiff in the pan but it applies smoothly and evenly and lasts a good 8/9 hours on the cheeks. Bahama Mama is very similar to Benefit Hoola - ideal for both contouring and bronzing and I also like to use it on my eyes. I love the packaging of the powder products - the slim cardboard is ideal for travelling and on the go top ups as it contains a mirror and the retro illustrations are pretty distinctive.

A product that has really blown me away is Schwing Liquid Eye Liner. It ticks every box for me - it has a very precise applicator so I can achieve a minimal line or build up to a full on cat flick, it is really opaque black, it dries very quickly and it doesn't smudge or flake! My husband said that it's like looking at me years ago when we first met because I was never without my signature flick back then. This is a product that I will definitely be repurchasing.

I've said before on the blog that I'm not the biggest fan of liquid lipsticks, purely because they are usually very drying on the lips (there are a few exceptions - Huda and Kat Von D), so I was wary about trying Meet Matt(e) Hughes, but I need not have worried. These intensely pigmented liquid lispticks (available in 18 shades) are very lightweight on the lips and they don't exaggerate any lines but most importantly, they aren't drying! I was kindly sent three shades: Affectionate (dusky mauve), Romantic (raspberry pink ) and Doting ( deep coral). They have an unusual scent/flavour as it's a combination of vanilla and mint, but they work well together. They are also very long-lasting on the lips so they would be ideal for big nights out and long days in the office.

In terms of eyeshadows, I already owned the Nude Tude palette and I loved the formula, so I was delighted to get the opportunity to try some more of their palettes. Nude Beach is the 3rd volume in the 'Nude' series with a variety of warm toned shadows that can create a number of both day and night looks. It has the same slim cardboard packaging as the cheek powder products, which is sturdy and inside the lid is a larger mirror. The palette contains a combination of mattes, satin and shimmer shadows and the texture is seriously impressive - soft but without a lot of fallout, easy to apply and blend. I have to say that the pigmentation and texture is up where with high end brands but without the high price tag to match - £32 or €36 for 12 shadows is good value, when compared with Urban Decay or Too Faced palettes.

I love the variety of shadows in the Meet Matt(e) Shmaker palette. There are 6 duos with a matte and shimmer in each duo - the shades range from nude/beige/gold to burgundy/khaki and black with teal. This is the ideal holiday palette because there are so many looks that can be created. Again, the quality and texture of the shadows is excellent and the packaging in slim cardboard with a large mirror. At £27.50 or €29.50, this palette would be an ideal gift for anyone who doesn't have many shadows in their collection due to the variety of shades!

Overall, I am delighted to have rediscovered theBalm - I like the quirky packaging and the standard of the products is excellent. The liquid highlighters should be in everyone's makeup bag and if you've always wanted a liquid lipstick but have dry lips, then you need to try the liquid lipsticks!

I'd love to hear what your favourite product from theBalm is? Have you tried any of these?

Thanks for reading! 

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All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. This post is not sponsored, however some of these products were kindly sent to me. Opinion is always my own.