Mary-Lou Manizer: A Review

Hey everyone! <3 So today's blogpost is going to be a review of a new addition to my makeup family ...the gorgeous Mary-Lou Manizer!

First things first, let me just have my moment of rave about the beautiful packaging. People who know theBalm as a company i'm sure will agree that they have the most amazingly packaged products. The vibe is all pin-up and vintagy that makes you want to start collecting them like a hoarder. Mary-Lou is a gorgeous blonde diva, that poses oh-so-innocently for her mugshot. Oh yes, that girl's arrested for the felony of creating illegally beautiful highlights on the skin.

OFFENSE: highlighter, shimmer, eyeshadow

CHARGE: too pretty, too popular

ANTONYM: womanizer (i lol'ed at this one, she's a manizer, like a man can be a womanizer, get it? :D :P )

But what is it?

Well, i'm going to insert the official description of the product here:

Pretty self-explanatory huh? Mary-Lou is a highlighter but can also be used as an eyeshadow or an all-over powder if you're feeling that glowy look (i'm not). The only thing that i will have to disagree is the "honey-hue" description... It doesn't look very honey colored to me, but more like a pale gold/champagne (you'll be able to tell for yourself in the swatches below).

Now, let me just put this out there really quick: i have a love-hate relationship with highlighters. I never owned one, because being an oily-skin gal, i was always wary of too much shimmer on my face because as we all know, shimmer tends to accentuate pores, emphasise on oiliness and any fine lines appear more visible. These alone, were enough to make me want to stay away from highlighters of all sorts. But then you stumble upon some gorgeous photos of girls wearing highlighter and you're like "oh maannn, that's SO pretty!". My two besties are all about the dewy finish on their skin, and me being me, i always prevented them from buying a highlighter, for all the reasons mentioned above. Especially my cousin, kept annoying me with her longing for a highlighter that eventually she brainwashed me to get one. So when i sat down to do my highlighter research, i was overwhelmed by the amount of finishes and textures and companies... SO so many, so why choose Mary-Lou??

As mentioned, i have oily skin, so having that in mind, i stayed away from cream or liquid forms that may add to any oiliness i already have. Moreover, i wanted a subtle highlight that wouldn't be too obvious with any chunks of glitter in it (like some others that shall not be named). I wanted sth very blendable, not too cool-toned and not too warm-toned either. Of high-quality of course but that it wouldn't break the bank (yeah, i 'm talking to you outrageously expensive Dior Amber Diamonds!). All of my expectations were met when i tried Mary-Lou! <3

Pics Please!

<3

The product contains 0.3 oz/8.5 gr which is a really good amount (i dont see myself finishing this in the next 3 years, lol). Furthermore, it is SO pigmented that you only need the tiniest amount on your brush! A little goes a long long way, trust me! Besides, the goal here is to create a beautiful sheen and fake that fresh-faced look, rather than go out looking like a disco ball.

Compared to my hand.

OMG *.* Btw, this is not honey-hued, is it?

Heavy swatch and blended out.

See how PIGMENTED it is? I just lightly touched it once! No joke!

Blended out.

As you can tell, it's not glittery AT ALL. Just shiny and pretty! :3 The fact that it's so pigmented makes me even more happy because it can be used as an all-over eyeshadow or to highlight the inner corner (already tried that ...sooo pretty!) The texture is also divine, very finely milled and it almost feels creamy (!!) to the touch. Have i mentioned that i got several compliments when i wore it? :>

Applied only to two heart fingers. As you can tell, it is there but not REALLY REALY there, you know? (lol, this doesnt make sense!). I mean it's not too obvious, the difference is barely noticeable, yet you can tell that my first two fingers are more dewy and illuminated.

Final Verdict:

Who will like this?

• Those who want a pretty glow on their cheekbones, but nothing too obvious and shimmery. (A good alternative for those of you who are more into a Kim Kardashian glow is the popular MAC MSF in Soft & Gentle. This is commonly used for TV and photoshoots -or so i'm told.)
• Those who want a multi-use product. I loved Mary-Lou as an eyeshadow, so if the time comes that i'll be over dewy cheekbones (which is rather possible to happen soon if you ask me, :P ) i can still use it for other purposes and be happy with the money that i spent.
• Pretty much everyone who's looking for a good subtle highlighter. :)

Who might not like this?

• People with very dry skin. This is a powder, so any dry patches you might have might be more visible after using this.
• The price point is an issue for some people, but i wouldn't call it "too expensive". For what it gives me, it's worth every penny. Yes you can find cheaper alternatives that may also get the job done, but truthfully i wouldn't change this for anything else. Obviously, it depends on your wants, needs and budget of course.
• Girls with tan to deep skintones. I've heard that it may look ashy on darker skin, but then again i've seen girls with dark skin use it and swear by it, so i guess to each their own.

Any more info you want to give?

• The lasting power is great. I find that many products don't last well on me, but this lasted a good 8-9 hours and i didn't notice any fading.
• It retails for 24 dollars.
• It contains a large mirror, so when you end up finishing it (like never, but anyways) you can keep it in your handbag.
• The packaging is sturdy and feels metallic. I debated on this, if it's metallic-looking plastic or actual mettal but no luck yet, lol. Does anybody know? Doesn't seem like it'll break easily (always a plus with clumsy people like me).
• Product is made in USA.
• They are paraben-free and talc-free.
• I apply it with the Real Techniques contour/highlight brush. It is perfectly sized for that purpose and it grabs just enough product to do your whole cheekbone by taping it in once. :)

Sooo, that was it dolls! Do tell me if you are into highlighting, what product do you use? Are you happy with it? What's your all-time favorite one? I don't think i'll ever change my Mary-Lou, i am just so in love with her! She's in jail as we speak, but rumour has it that her sister, Betty-Lou is still at large!

Take a look at her WANTED picture! Have you seen her around? Lock your doors people, the Bronzing Bandit is aiming at stealing your hearts! 

This is a bronzer version of a highlighter. It is more gold looking, if your goal is to create a luminous sun-kissed glow. Can also be used as an eyeshadow or an all-over powder. I think this will be great for summer to fake that slighlty tanned glowy
look!

Talk to you all soon, stay gorgeous ..and dewy! xxx