[CCC] Current Curated Collection: Highlight + Shade

Call me late, but I've only recently started figuring out how to highlight and shade my face.  This isn't to say that I'm particularly good at it, but I've found that highlighting really brings out the face in an emphasized 3-dimensional way and shading really helps to slim down the face(I don't quite use it for a defined contour).  I've collected my favorites in this field to do a comparison and review!  These are quality products that I really believe are a worthwhile investment and I'm also including tips on how to score these products at a lower price below!

L-R: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, RMS Beauty Buriti Bronzer, W3ll People Bio Brightener

L-R: W3ll People Bio Brightener, RMS Beauty Buriti Bronzer, RMS Beauty Living Luminizer

Highlights:

W3LL PEOPLE BIO BRIGHTENER STICK
Consistency: This is a smooth cream that glides along my cheekbones like a dream.  I tend to just swipe the top of the stick with my clean fingertips and proceed to dab along my cheeks and nose bridge.  It has some shimmer as well as a pinkish-beige undertone. This blends with ease and I love that it is a cream that does not have a sticky or tacky consistency.

Ingredients:
Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Cera Alba (Bees- wax), Silica, Mica (CI 77019), Olea europaea (Olive Oil)*, Castor Isostearate Beeswax Succinate **, Camellia Oleifera (Camellia) Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Mica (CI 77019), Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil (and) Aloe Barbadenis (Aloe) Extract, Essential Oil blend, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Lysine, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea)*, Roman An- themis Nobilis (Chamomile)* [+/-: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742)]

Experience: The bottom of the stick says "moonstone glow" and I honestly could not describe it any other way.  The Bio Brightener Stick really imparts a nice bright glow to wherever I decide to apply it and sits comfortably on the skin for the 10 hours that I usually wear it. I also really love to use the Bio Brightener Stick underneath my under-eye concealer to really brighten that area.  This trick works so well because of the amazingly light texture of the Bio Brightener that never aggravates my sensitive skin.  It feels light on my skin and is a very natural highlight.

RMS BEAUTY LIVING LUMINIZER
Consistency: This is the HG highlight in many a beauty blogger's bags.  I can definitely see the hype as this gives the most beautiful glow from within look.  It is quite tacky in texture and has shimmers with a yellow undertone.  My only issue with the Living Luminizer is the tacky consistency as it oftentimes feels heavy on the areas that I've applied it.  This is not an entirely huge issue though, considering I don't apply it on large areas of my face.  This spreads very well and truly gives an almost wet appearance when it is blended out on the face.  This does contain Coconut Oil as one of its first ingredients(as does the Buriti Bronzer) so do be cautious if you're skin is sensitive to it!

Ingredients:

*Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, *Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, *Cera Alba (Beeswax), Tocopherol (non-GMO), *Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, and may contain [+/- Titanium Dioxide CI77891, Mica CI 77019]

* CERTIFIED ORGANIC

Experience/Comparison: The Living Luminizer sample was kindly sent to me by Nic and I've faithfully used it on various occasions since then.  This wears very nicely through my 10 hour day and really does give the most amazing glow in a way that is different from the Bio Brightener. I love to use the LL as well as the Bio Brightener stick for different occasions.  The Bio Brightener is a great everyday highlight that I love to wear to shine more light on my face while the Living Luminizer is one that I like to use for special occasions or days when I feel that I haven't had enough sleep.  The reason for this is because the Living Luminizer gives a nice healthy glow while the Bio Brightener is better at brightening the particular area.

L: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer w/ RMS Beauty Buriti Bronzer applied lightly underneath Jaw, Nose & Cheeks(I tried)
R: W3ll People Bio Brightener w/ RMS Beauty Buriti Bronzer applied lightly underneath Jaw, Nose & Cheeks

Shade:

RMS BEAUTY BURITI BRONZER
Consistency: Although the ingredients of the Buriti Bronzer is quite similar to that of the Living Luminizer, I find that it does not have the same tacky texture.  It is quite creamy which lends itself to the ease of use that this bronzer has.  The bronze-gold color can be quite intimidating out of the pot from a first time bronzer user, but fear not, this thing spreads like butter and blends in very naturally into the skin.  It gives a nice, barely there darkening effect to whichever area it is applied.  I have heard some users say that it has a reddish undertone but I find that the red tones don't quite show up on me.  It just applies as a true bronze-brown on my skin tone.

Ingredients:

*Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil,*Cera Alba (Beeswax), *Simmondsia Chinesis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, *Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, *Buriti (Mauritia Flexuosa) Oil, Tocopherol(non-GMO), *Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, and may contain: [+/- Titanium Dioxide CI 77891, Iron Oxides CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499,  Mica CI 77019

* CERTIFIED ORGANIC

Experience:  First of all, I am quite fair in comparison to most skin tones so I always assumed that bronzers and I would never get along.  This is absolutely not the case and I've happily gotten along with the Buriti Bronzer much to my surprise!  I like to apply this on my jawline to slim down the lower half of my face and along the sides of my nose to define it further.  This blends in extremely well to just add a bit of shade in those areas.  The Buriti Bronzer lasts well without any touchups throughout my 10 hour day and I haven't had any issues of this fading.  I have also tried adding this just a bit underneath my cheekbones but haven't found the correct technique yet to really blend it in without creating a noticeable difference in color on the sides of my cheeks.  This is why I haven't exactly started "contouring" with the Buriti Bronzer yet.

Deals:

I found that I did not have to pay for any of these items as much as I would have if I had not found some great deals.  First off, J.Crew often has huge sales on their Beauty Section on RMS products.  I was able to purchase the Buriti Bronzer for $11 with a coupon code and free shipping!

Currently, the Buriti Bronzer is still on sale HERE!

The Bio Brightener Stick is sold out on the W3ll People website but Target currently carries the W3ll People line with free shipping over $25!

In fact, the entire line is currently on sale HERE!

Don't let these deals go to waste!  Let me know if you have any personal favorites for your highlight and shade routine, I'd love to hear it!

Happy Labor Day, y'all!

Big Love,

Vanessa