Did you feel a sense of déjà vu when you read this post title? If you’ve been following my posts for a couple of months or longer, it’s not your imagination. In September, I reviewed Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Acid Tinted Moisturizer. That product immediately became popular with makeup lovers when it was released in 2019. The one complaint I heard from some influencers was that it doesn’t provide enough coverage. While the tinted moisturizer was only meant to provide lightweight coverage, Colourpop listened to what customers wanted and launched Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation in July of this year.

The Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Acid Tinted Moisturizer and Hydrating Foundation have very similar formulas, but the foundation delivers on the request for more coverage. While the tinted moisturizer provides lightweight coverage that is mainly meant to even skin tone, the foundation provides medium buildable coverage. I think of Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation as the big sister of Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Acid Tinted Moisturizer.

Since I’ve also reviewed Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Acid Tinted Moisturizer and have thoroughly tested both products, I will compare characteristics of each throughout this product review. If you haven’t already read my review of Colourpop’s tinted moisturizer, you might want to read it before continuing with this product review.

Product claims directly from Colourpop.com

This skin-perfecting, medium-buildable coverage foundation creates a healthy, skin-like finish. Get coverage and hydration with the same good-for-you ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, for your healthiest looking skin ever.

Other product details

• Price: $16.00
• Net weight: 1 oz.
• Made in the USA
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan
• 42 shades ranging from very fair to very deep
• Natural finish
• Oil-free
• Fragrance-free
• Ideal for all skin types
• Special ingredients:
  • “Hydrafresh Complex” is formulated with fruit extracts to enhance the look of skin by instantly hydrating and diminishing the look of fine lines while delivering hydration over time
  • Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that attracts 1,000x its weight in water
  • Coconut water moisturizes and nourishes the skin
• Where to buy: Colourpop.com and Ulta.com (Ulta currently only offers 29 shades)
  • Colourpop.com ships internationally, but doesn’t ship to Iraq, Turkey, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cuba, Iran, Vietnam, Tajikistan, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Uzbekistan, Guatemala, North Korea, the Crimean region of Ukraine, Sudan, or Syria. Due to government regulations, there is also a temporary hold on shipments to several countries. You can find the list of those countries here.
  • Ulta.com ships to the entire U.S. and U.S. territories, but does not ship internationally.
• Overall rating: 9/10
  • Inclusivity: 10/10
  • Packaging/ease of application: 10/10
  • Hydration: 8/10
  • Staying power: 8/10
  • Price: 9/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Inclusivity

Colourpop thoughtfully planned the shade range for the Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation. The shade range for this product is very inclusive. There are 42 shades spanning six skin tone categories. There are seven unique shades within each of these categories:

• Fair
• Light
• Medium
• Medium Dark
• Dark
• Deep Dark

I don’t think it’s possible to have a perfect shade for every single person, but I think they got pretty close with this shade range. I’m glad Colourpop decided to offer so many shades in this foundation since it is medium coverage and therefore a proper shade match is very important. For contrast, the tinted foundation only comes in 24 shades, but that is still good because the coverage of that product is so lightweight and therefore shades are flexible. 

For reference in photos coming up, I wear Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Acid Tinted Moisturizer in the shade Fair 4N and Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation in Fair 30N.

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Packaging/ease of application

This foundation is packaged in a very nice frosted pump that looks like glass. It’s actually plastic, but that’s fine with me as far as functionality goes. It works great and makes it very easy to dispense the proper amount. I dispense about half of a pump most of the time, but use up to one pump depending on how much coverage I need on any given day. I dispense it onto my e.l.f. Artist Mixing Palette and pick up the product with a sponge or foundation brush. 

I prefer to apply it with a foundation brush because I think you get better coverage when applying with a brush vs. sponge. I usually use my favorite foundation brush, the e.l.f. Angled Buffing Brush. 

This foundation blends easily into the skin regardless of which type of tool is used. It’s also easy to build up to the level of coverage that you want. In the photos below, I compare the coverage of the Colourpop tinted moisturizer vs. the hydrating foundation (both products were freshly applied). The tinted moisturizer doesn’t really build up beyond light coverage no matter how much product is used, but you can see that the foundation builds to a solid medium coverage. It could provide fuller coverage as needed. In both of these photos, I applied the products with a brush on the right side of my face (left side in photos) and a sponge on the left side (right side in photos). With both products, I get better coverage when using a brush.

Hydration

Colourpop makes some bold claims about the hydrating properties of this product. I’m mainly referring to the “Hydrafresh Complex” that they reference. I have no idea if those fruit extracts actually do anything to hydrate the skin, but I am always skeptical when companies make up terms like they did here.

I do believe in the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and coconut water, however. These ingredients are known for hydrating the skin. Hyaluronic acid is actually a humectant, meaning that it pulls moisture from the air into the skin. It is capable of holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water! This is a common ingredient, but a great one to find in skincare and makeup, nonetheless. 

Now that I’ve established that the ingredients in this foundation are legitimately hydrating, how does it feel on the skin? It definitely feels hydrating when I blend it into my skin. However, once it sets, I no longer feel that added hydration. It feels very similar to the tinted moisturizer. I must say that my skin never looks dry or patchy when I wear either product. Since I don’t have dry skin, I am satisfied with the level of hydration this foundation provides. Those with dry skin may want something that is slightly more hydrating.

Staying power

Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation is a product I can count on to look good all day long. It certainly has its limits, but for the average person that needs their makeup to stay intact for 8-10 hours, this foundation has you covered (pun intended). 

If you’re 20 years old, this foundation will probably look flawless on your skin all day long. I’m 32 with combination skin and have some fine lines on my forehead, between my eyebrows, under my eyes, and smile lines. This foundation does settle into those lines slightly throughout the day, but setting powder minimizes that considerably. I always set this foundation with powder to get the best wear time possible.

I did a wear test with this foundation just like I did for the Colourpop tinted moisturizer. I took a photo when all my makeup was freshly applied at 10 a.m., later at 2:00 p.m. and lastly at 6:00 p.m. This was an average day for me working from home with minimal time outdoors and no sweating on my face. I also didn’t need to wear a mask today, but I can tell you that this foundation holds up reasonably well under a mask if you use setting powder on your whole face.

At 2:00, I did notice some settling into my fine lines, but it was very minimal. I don’t think anyone else would’ve even noticed. The foundation still looked great at that time. From 2:00 to 6:00, there was very little change. The foundation did start breaking down on my chin, but that seems to happen no matter what foundation I’m wearing. Overall, this foundation still looked great after eight hours of wear, and beyond. 

If someone saw me after eight hours of wearing this foundation, they probably wouldn’t be able to tell I’d been wearing it all day unless they looked closely. This is an excellent foundation for reliable coverage!

Price

Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation is $16.00, compared to $14.00 for the tinted moisturizer. I think it’s fair that the foundation is slightly more expensive because the packaging is a little nicer and it’s a higher coverage product. Like the tinted moisturizer, I think the foundation is priced on the higher end of the “drugstore” price range, but it is still fairly priced. This foundation performs much better than some other affordable ones I’ve used in the past. I’m willing to pay a little bit more for a higher quality product.

Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation seems to have it all: inclusive shade range, quality packaging, easy to apply, hydrating, long wear time, and an affordable price. 

This foundation does not disappoint and I think it will be a staple makeup product for many people. Most foundations will only work for certain skin types, but I think Colourpop is correct that this one is ideal for all skin types. Nice job, Colourpop!

Have you tried any Colourpop foundations or the tinted moisturizer? Please let me know in the comments!

Lauren

Well folks, it’s been almost four months since my husband and I created IntegriBeauty. In that time, I’ve written several brand spotlights and product reviews. I’m happy to be writing my 50th blog post today! Since this is a milestone, I wanted to make sure this post would be a special one.

Today I’m sharing with you a review of one of my favorite eyeshadow palettes, the Juvia’s Place Nubian 3 Coral. At first glance, this eyeshadow palette looks like a peachy neutral palette, and there are plenty of those available from various brands. However, this is not your average neutral eyeshadow palette! The shades in here are unlike anything else I own and the color story is very unique, combining matte and shimmer cool, neutral, and warm shades. I never would’ve thought to put shades like these together, but they complement each other extremely well!

Juvia’s Place launched in 2015 and I’ve heard nothing but good things about their products. Despite that, I don’t think Juvia’s Place gets enough love from the beauty community. Juvia’s Place products are inspired by African beauty traditions. According to JuviasPlace.com, Africa is the birthplace of beauty, where the cat eye, pigmented dyes, and eyeliner originated. Juvia’s Place formulas are designed to be full coverage and highly pigmented. More importantly, inclusivity is a priority for Juvia’s Place and the company celebrates diversity.

Product details directly from JuviasPlace.com

Meet The Nubian 3 Coral, an ultra-flattering and seriously fierce array of peachy neutrals and muted hues that transform every eye look. This eyeshadow palette is the highly-wearable, all-day dose of understated yet high pigment color that you’ve been dreaming of, and features an exciting range of show-stopping shades–like creamy coral, shimmering chrome, and velvety auburn. 

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Other product details

• Price: $20.00
• Net weight: 0.63 oz.
• Made in China
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan
• Shelf life: 24 months
• 12 shades (Juvia’s Place didn’t name these shades or provide shade descriptions, but they do have the shades numbered on JuviasPlace.com. I will describe them in my own words, starting with the top left shade)
  • #1: Silver shimmer
  • #2: Matte charcoal gray
  • #3: Charcoal gray shimmer
  • #4: Peachy shimmer with red undertone
  • #5: Red shimmer with peach reflects
  • #6: Matte brown with red undertone
  • #7: Brown shimmer
  • #8: Matte brown/peach/red (this shade is difficult to identify)
  • #9: Matte pinky coral
  • #10: Matte taupe
  • #11: Light orangey coral shimmer
  • #12: Matte orangey coral
• Where to buy: JuviasPlace.com or Amazon.com
  • JuviasPlace.com ships internationally.
  • Amazon ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
• Overall rating: 9.4/10
  • Inclusivity: 10/10
  • Texture: 8/10
  • Pigmentation: 9/10
  • Staying power: 10/10
  • Price: 10/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Inclusivity

Juvia’s Place is known for bold, often very bright eyeshadow palettes. Many of them are probably intimidating to people that don’t wear colorful eyeshadow. The Nubian 3 Coral is much more approachable. The shades in this palette are perfect for everyday wear, whether you’ll be going to work, family dinners, or running errands.That’s not to say this palette is boring, however. The shades are gorgeous!

I enjoy using colorful eyeshadows sometimes, but very bright bold colors like what you find in many of Juvia’s Place palettes can be difficult to work with on fair skin like mine. Those bold shades look beautiful on deeper skin tones, but they aren’t ideal for lighter skin tones. I think the shades in the Nubian 3 Coral palette would look great on any skin tone. Some of the shades might work slightly better on deeper skin tones and vice versa, but I believe this palette would be appropriate for anyone that enjoys wearing these colors.

In the photos below, I created three eye looks with this palette to give a general idea of how the shades look on fair skin. The main color categories in this palette are corals, browns, and grays, so I did one look featuring each of those sections of the palette. I think all three of these eye looks looked much better in person, but it’s difficult to capture colors and blending accurately in photos.

Texture

I’m so happy that Juvia’s Place made half of these shades mattes and the other half shimmers. That even split makes it really easy to create full eye looks without bringing in shades from other palettes. 

I enjoy all of the shades in this palette, but the shimmers are definitely better quality than the mattes. The shimmers are smooth and easy to blend. They aren’t all perfect, though. The brown shimmer shade can be quite difficult to work with because of fallout. The most recent time I used that shade, I used my finger to apply it to my eyelid hoping that would minimize fallout, but I still ended up with a good amount on my cheeks. I experience very little fallout with the other shades. I’m so glad, because fallout is my biggest pet peeve with eyeshadow!

I like most of the mattes in this palette too, but some of them are patchy and difficult to build up (matte pinky coral and matte taupe, I’m looking at you). I’ve learned that matte shades can be difficult to get right. I think that Juvia’s Place did a good job with them overall.

Pigmentation

If you want a highly-pigmented eyeshadow palette, look no further than Juvia’s Place! Nubian 3 Coral is the only Juvia’s Place palette I’ve used so far, but I’ve seen swatches of others and they all seem to be extremely pigmented. This one is no different! When you visit JuviasPlace.com, you’ll see at the top of the homepage “The World’s Most Pigmented Shades” so they are very serious about creating pigmented products.

I am very pleased with the pigmentation of all the shades in this palette, with the one exception being the matte taupe shade. It is still useful, but it takes a lot of effort to build up. That may partly be because it is so close to my skin tone. 

Staying power

This eyeshadow does. not. budge. It does not fade, crease (with eyeshadow primer), or smudge at all throughout the day and still looks flawless at the end of the day. I have a small mirror in my shower for verifying that my face is completely clean of makeup after washing, and I’ve noticed that this eyeshadow seems to be at least somewhat waterproof. I kid you not, it doesn’t move until I use cleansing balm or baby shampoo to remove it. If you need an eyeshadow to hang on all day and look good until it’s time to take it off, this one is a reliable option!

Price

Juvia’s Place Nubian 3 Coral eyeshadow palette is $20.00, which is very reasonable from an affordable brand, which Juvia’s Place is. I hesitate to call it “drugstore” since it is a little more expensive than most drugstore brands, but I digress. I think $20.00 is an excellent price for the quality and versatility of this palette. This palette is tough to beat in general, and also on price!

Packaging

I chose not to include packaging in my rating of this product because the packaging of this product is similar to a lot of eyeshadow palettes and I thought the other rating categories were higher priority. I still want to make a quick note about it in case anyone is curious. This palette comes in heavy cardboard packaging with a magnetic closure, and it’s fairly compact. It would travel very well because the cardboard is sturdy and the palette is small and thin enough to fit easily in most makeup bags.

I think eyeshadow is so much fun and I really enjoyed reviewing this palette. I have more appreciation for this palette now than ever and I’ve owned it for over a year! The colors are truly beautiful and so flattering.

Juvia’s Place Nubian 3 Coral eyeshadow palette encourages creativity with its color story, and it is very easy to use. I think this is an excellent palette for anyone, from someone just developing an interest in makeup, to a seasoned makeup artist. 

Have you tried any of the Juvia’s Place eyeshadow palettes? If not, now might be the time! Please let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried Juvia’s Place eyeshadow or any of their other products. 

Thank you so much for reading this blog post! I look forward to bringing you 50 more, and beyond. 🙂

Lauren

My favorite type of brow product to create perfectly shaped eyebrows is brow pomade. Last month, I reviewed e.l.f. Lock on Liner and Brow Cream. It’s an amazing product, and easy to use, but not the quickest thing to apply. When I don’t want to spend very much time on my eyebrows, I reach for a tinted brow gel instead.

Similar to brow pomade, I use tinted brow gel as a 3-in-1 product to fill in, define, and hold my brow hairs in place. That’s really the only similarity between the two products. I don’t believe any tinted brow gel is capable of perfecting eyebrows like a pomade can, but they are effective for providing some color, shape, and hold. That’s enough for me to feel a little more put together and ready to face the world. The tinted brow gel I’ve been using is also from e.l.f. It’s a relatively new product called Wow Brow. 

Brow gels can be used alone or paired with brow powder or a brow pencil. That combination provides more color and definition. I haven’t been using any brow powders or brow pencils, so I use e.l.f. Wow Brow on its own.

Product claims directly from ElfCosmetics.com

Get full, voluminous-looking brows with this buildable, fiber-infused brow gel. This wax-gel hybrid formula adheres to brow hairs and brushes them into place while depositing hair-like fibers for fuller-looking brows that WOW!

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Other product details

• Price: $4.00
• Net weight: 0.12 oz.
• Made in China
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan
• Shelf life: 3 months
• Five shades:
  • Taupe
  • Brunette
  • Neutral Brown
  • Deep Brown
  • Black
• Where to buy: ElfCosmetics.com
  • Ships to USA and Canada only
• Overall rating: 9.4/10
  • Inclusivity: 9/10
  • Packaging/ease of application: 8/10
  • Volume: 10/10
  • Staying power: 10/10
  • Price: 10/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Inclusivity

It’s really surprising to me that e.l.f. makes this brow gel in five shades, because their Lock on Liner and Brow Cream is much more pigmented and only comes in four shades. I’m not complaining, though! I’m glad they decided to make the shade range for Wow Brow a little bit bigger by adding a black shade. 

I think these five shades will work for most people. I use the Taupe shade and I think it would work for most people that have light-colored eyebrows (very light brown, blonde, or gray). Unfortunately, there still isn’t an auburn shade. Auburn-haired people are definitely the minority, so it’s possible that e.l.f. thought they wouldn’t sell enough of that shade if they were to make it. I’m not defending the decision, but I think that’s probably what happened. 

Packaging/ease of application

E.l.f. Wow Brow is packaged in a tiny plastic tube with a small wand that looks similar to a mascara wand but much smaller. This type of wand works just as well on eyebrows as it does for eyelashes. It evenly distributes the product through the brow hairs to look very natural. Since I use this brow gel to fill in my brows, I use more product than a lot of people probably do if they’re only using it to hold their eyebrow hairs in place. That means I have to dip the wand back into the tube once or twice per eyebrow. That’s not a complaint, but I wanted to mention it for others that might want to use this product the same way that I do.

My one complaint about the packaging is the size of the brush on the wand. It would be easier to be precise in application if the brush was slightly smaller. It’s not unreasonably large, but it would be an improvement if e.l.f. decided to make it a bit smaller. That would leave more room in the tube for additional product, too!

Volume

This brow gel is not just a simple gel meant for hold. It also contains hair-like fibers that add volume to eyebrows. I always see a huge difference in the texture of my eyebrows after I’ve applied this product. Those fibers make my eyebrows look much more full than they ever do on their own, and without looking overly bushy! 

You can see in the side-by-side comparison below that this brow gel vastly improves the appearance of my eyebrows. 🙂

Staying power

Once I apply this brow gel in my eyebrows, they are set all day long. The color never fades and my brow hairs do not move. My eyebrows really have a mind of their own sometimes, but this product has what it takes to get them under control!

This product stays in place so well that I actually have to scrub my eyebrows a little bit to get it to come off with face wash at the end of the day. Not harsh scrubbing, but more than what you’d need to do if you just used a brow powder or brow pencil. I recently started using a cleansing balm and that has made this product much easier to remove!

Price

Since this product has a short shelf life of only three months, I’m very glad that it’s so reasonably priced at only $4.00. Honestly I think you could continue using it longer than three months, but it is a pretty small amount of product so it will get used up quickly if you’re using it daily or even most days. 

When comparing the price of this product to other tinted brow gels in the drugstore price range, this one is on the lower end. The only one I found that beats it on price is Essence Make Me Brow at $2.99. That one is also a good tinted brow gel, but it has more of a wet formula. If you’ve tried that and thought it was too wet and maybe a little difficult to work with, I recommend giving e.l.f. Wow Brow a chance. 🙂

E.l.f. Wow Brow gel is an excellent product for efficiently filling in, defining, and holding brow hairs in place. I don’t like my eyebrows, so I also don’t like trying to make them look good, and this product makes it so much easier.

If you’ve been on the hunt for a product that can save you some time on your eyebrows, I’d definitely recommend checking out this brow gel from e.l.f. It’s only $4.00, so definitely worth a shot!

What are your favorite products to use in your eyebrows? Let me know in the comments below!

Lauren

Lip gloss isn’t something that I wear every day, but I think it’s always nice to have because lip gloss is a handy multitasking product. It can be worn alone on a “no makeup day” for hydration or even with a full face of makeup; high shine hydrating lip gloss adds pizzazz to any look. If you really want to amp up your look, you can also use lip gloss as a topper over lip liner or other lip color products. I enjoy using it both ways!

I don’t feel the need to keep many lip glosses in my makeup collection because I prefer sheer or light-colored glosses and to me, most of them look similar once applied, whether worn alone or as a topper. A line of lip glosses that I really enjoy are the Milani Keep it Full Nourishing Lip Plumpers. 

There are 15 shades of Milani Keep it Full Nourishing Lip Plumpers currently available and ten of those have shimmer. The shade I have is Nude Shimmer which is a “bronzed shimmery nude.” I like shimmer in lip gloss because I think it helps to hide the lines on my lips. 

Before I get into the product review, I’d like to address the name of this product. Milani calls it a “lip plumper,” but I don’t believe it actually has a plumping quality like some lip products that literally cause lips to swell. While I don’t think it physically plumps my lips, I do think the shimmer and shine can make lips look larger. I have thin lips, so I’ll take all the help I can get!

Product claims directly from MilaniCosmetics.com

These sheer shades slay! When you want intense hydration and big lip maximization — keep it full. Thanks to the lip maximizing applicator, this plumper applies smoothly, with a slight cooling sensation for maximum lip plumping effects. Our top-rated lip plumper gloss has a sheer, lightweight, non-sticky, creamy formula that hydrates and volumizes lips. Formulated with a blend of shiny polymers, lip-loving oils and Hyaluronic Acid, this ultra-nourishing formula delivers the perfect amount of color and shine while leaving lips looking and feeling naturally enhanced. No wonder it’s America’s #1 lip plumper (Milani calculation based on data reported by Nielsen US xAOC data for 52-week period ending 7/11/2020)!

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Other product details

• Price: $8.99
• Net weight: 0.13 oz. 
• Made in USA
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan (except for shades Nude Shimmer and Prismatic Peach)
• Shelf life: 18 months
• Contains sodium hyaluronate (the sodium form of hyaluronic acid, a humectant)
• 15 shade options available on MilaniCosmetics.com
• Where to buy: MilaniCosmetics.com or Amazon.com (Please note that there are only 13 shades currently available on Amazon.)
  • MilaniCosmetics.com ships internationally, but they currently don’t ship to Mexico, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain, Iraq, or Turkey.
  • Amazon ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
• Overall rating: 9.2/10
  • Shade range: 9/10
  • Packaging/ease of application: 10/10
  • Hydration: 10/10
  • Team player: 8/10
  • Price: 9/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Shade range

Before I get into my thoughts on the Milani Keep it Full Nourishing Lip Plumper shade range, I’ll provide all of the shade names and descriptions on MilaniCosmetics.com:

• 01 Champagne Nude with shimmer (looks like a light pink nude in photos)
• 02 Nude Shimmer Bronzed shimmery nude
• 03 Prismatic Peach Shimmery peach with pink reflects
• 04 Luminoso Shimmery peach with gold reflects
• 05 Blush Warm pink (no shimmer)
• 06 Bare Pink Light pink (no shimmer)
• 07 Almost Natural Pale cool toned pink (no shimmer)
• 08 Soft Rose Mauve pink
• 10 Golden Dust Shimmery nude with gold reflects
• 11 Tropical Shine Shimmery coral
• 12 Sparkling Pink Pink with pink shimmer reflects
• 13 Rosewood Rosy brown
• 14 Pink Quartz Warm pink with shimmer
• 15 Natural Luster Shimmery nude bronze (this description sounds the same as Nude Shimmer, but Natural Luster looks like more of a pinky nude in photos)
• 16 Rosy Bronze Shimmery bronze with warm undertones

*You might notice that there is no number “9” listed; it looks like that shade was either discontinued or it is currently sold out because there is an “X” in that shade’s place on MilaniCosmetics.com. There is no shade name or description provided.

The shades listed above are all of the standard shades available year-round, but there are currently two other “Holiday Edition” shades available. I’m not sure how long these will be stocked, but they look very pretty if you’re interested in picking them up sometime soon!:

• Candy Pop Strawberry pink (this shade looks shimmery to me in photos)
• Snowflake Clear with silver shimmer

Milani did a good job of providing a wide selection of color options in this shade range. I think they should add a clear gloss because a lot of people prefer to use clear lip glosses for layering over other products. 

For glosses with full-coverage color, Milani has another line called Amore Shine Liquid Lip Color (“liquid lip color” would usually imply that the product is a liquid lipstick, but that is not the case here). There are currently 11 shades available in that line, ranging from medium to deep tones.

Packaging/ease of application

This product is packaged like a typical lip gloss. It comes in a plastic tube with a doe foot applicator. I like that type of applicator for lip gloss because it picks up enough product that you don’t have to double-dip to get enough product. The lip gloss itself is smooth and glides over the lips effortlessly!

Hydration

A lot of lip products that are considered “makeup” instead of “lip care” are not very hydrating, and some are actually dehydrating. This lip gloss provides a lot of hydration. Since it is a lip gloss, it isn’t very long wearing, but the hydration it provides stays behind long after the shine has worn away. Depending on how much I’m drinking or eating while wearing this product, I’d say the hydration sticks around for 3-6 hours. I think that’s really good for a lip gloss!

Team player

I usually wear this lip gloss by itself, but I will occasionally layer it over a lip liner, tinted lip balm, or lipstick. It layers very well over lip liner or other thin lip products like tinted lip balm, but I don’t like it as well over lipsticks. If I want to wear it over lipstick, I have to remember to blot first. That’s because this lip gloss has a pretty thick texture. It’s too heavy to wear over a lipstick unless there is only a very thin layer of lipstick applied. 

In this side-by-side comparison, in the photo on the right, I layered my Milani Keep it Full Nourishing Lip Plumper in the shade Nude Shimmer over a Colourpop tinted lip balm (Just a Tint Lip Crayon).

I’d also like to mention here that this is a sticky lip gloss. Milani claims that this product is lightweight and non-sticky, but I have to disagree. I don’t notice it if I’m careful not to apply very much, but if I accidentally use too much it does that “stringy” thing that some sticky lip glosses do. I wouldn’t tell anyone not to buy it for this reason because it’s more of a “user error” than anything else. Use sparingly and you shouldn’t have any problems. 🙂

Price

Milani Keep it Full Nourishing Lip Plumper is $8.99 which is on the higher side for drugstore lip glosses. There are some lip glosses available for prices as low as $2.99. However, I think this Milani lip gloss is superior to most other drugstore lip glosses, especially the glosses that include shimmer. A lot of affordable shimmery lip glosses feel chunky, whereas these feel smooth (which is obviously much more comfortable). The Milani Keep it Full Nourishing Lip Plumpers are also a bit larger than many similar products, so they are a good value per ounce.

Milani Keep it Full Nourishing Lip Plumpers are excellent quality. There are so many shades I’d like to try! These lip glosses are easy, versatile, and comfortable…everything I look for in a lip gloss!

If you’re looking for a lip product to give you a little extra shine and hydration, these Milani lip glosses won’t disappoint. They are the best-selling lip plumpers in America for good reason!

Have you ever tried Milani lip products? I have only tried their lip glosses, but Milani is known for creating high quality lip products so I’d like to hear about your favorites! Please comment below. 🙂

Lauren

I used to be so intimidated by bronzers; I didn’t think any of them would work on my fair skin. When I first became interested in makeup, I really didn’t even understand the purpose of bronzer. After watching a lot of makeup tutorials on YouTube and seeing people of many different skin tones using bronzer to add a sunny glow to their skin or to contour, I decided to take the plunge and try bronzer for myself. I got the very popular Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in the original Bronzer shade. I fell in love with it almost instantly and repurchased it after I ran out of my first compact. I thought that would always be my go-to bronzer until I found out that Physicians Formula is no longer cruelty-free (they started selling in mainland China).

I spent a lot of time looking for a cruelty-free alternative for the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer. I had to be very picky since a lot of bronzers are too dark for fair skin. I’m a big fan of Milani’s blushes and I had heard some of the YouTubers I follow recommend the Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder. After looking at the shade options, I thought the lightest shade (Sun Light) might work well for me. I’m so glad I gave it a chance, because I actually like it better than my old Butter Bronzer that I’m still trying to work through.

Product claims directly from MilaniCosmetics.com

Light up your life and keep your glow game strong. Our silky matte bronzer will give you a hot girl summer glow, no matter the season. Available in four flatteringly bold shades of bronze, our silky matte bronzing powder is perfect for color and contour. The silky, lightweight texture blends seamlessly into skin without streaking, while hydrating Argan Oil offers anti-aging benefits and extends wear time.

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Other product details

• Price: $9.99
• Net weight: 0.34 oz.
• Made in Italy
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan
• Shelf life: 12 months
• Four shade options
  • Sun Light
  • Sun Kissed
  • Sun Tan
  • Sun Drenched
• Where to buy: MilaniCosmetics.com or Amazon.com
  • MilaniCosmetics.com ships internationally, but they currently don’t ship to Mexico, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain, Iraq, or Turkey.
  • Amazon ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
• Overall rating: 9.4/10
  • Inclusivity: 7/10
  • Ease of application: 10/10
  • Pigmentation: 10/10
  • Staying power: 10/10
  • Price: 10/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Inclusivity

Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder is available in four shades. That’s not bad for a drugstore brand since some competitors only offer one bronzer shade, and many offer two or three. I’ll put Milani’s descriptions of the four shades below:

• Sun Light is a light neutral brown
• Sun Kissed is a medium cool brown
• Sun Tan is a medium warm brown
• Sun Drenched is a deep tan with red undertone

At first glance, these shades might look sufficient. However, when looking at swatches of all the shades, the two medium shades aren’t that much darker than the light shade. That would be fine if there were a few more shades after the light and medium options, but there is only one more. Sun Drenched is definitely the darkest of the bunch, but to me it looks like it would be too light for a lot of people with deep skin tones. Also, it would’ve been nice if they offered a deep shade with a neutral or cool undertone.

I’m glad that Milani offers more bronzer shades than some competitors, but I think they really need to add a few more. This is a popular product and I’m sure they could reach a larger audience if they would expand the shade range. 

I’m grateful that the Sun Light shade works so well for me. The color of that shade is warm enough to be used to warm up my complexion, while also cool enough to be used for contouring my cheekbones on the rare occasions that I want to contour.

Ease of application

This bronzer has a very soft smooth formula. It is so easy to blend into the skin and never looks streaky. Like I mentioned in the previous section, this bronzer can also be used for both warming up the complexion and contouring. It’s nice that this product can be used for both steps so that a separate contour powder isn’t needed.

I did a side-by-side comparison this morning of my makeup before and after applying Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder to show the Sun Light color and how natural it looks on me. I wanted to include this in the “ease of application” category because I’m not careful when I apply my bronzer, but it’s so easy to apply you can’t even tell. It always looks good!

Pigmentation

One thing that helps with this product’s ease of application, is its pigmentation. I don’t have experience with many bronzers, so I will use Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer for comparison. That bronzer is not very pigmented, so quite a lot of product needs to be used, even on my fair skin. Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder has more pigmentation so less product is needed to achieve the perfect natural glow. While it is more pigmented than the Butter Bronzer, the Milani bronzer is not so pigmented that it’s intimidating in any way. I think it strikes the perfect balance as far as the level of pigmentation goes.

Staying power

I usually wear my makeup for about twelve hours, sometimes longer. At the end of the day, this bronzer looks exactly the same as when it’s freshly applied! That still holds true if I’ve been rained on, taken a nap, etc. It wears so well and I’m always impressed when I see that it hasn’t faded. According to Milani, the argan oil used in this formula is what makes it have such a good wear-time. Thanks argan oil! 🙂

Price

Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder is $9.99. I looked at bronzers from several other drugstore brands, and this price seems to be about the middle of the road. There are some that are around $5.00, and others that are $15+. My previous favorite, Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer, is $15.99 and I think that’s too expensive for a drugstore bronzer (though that brand usually is on the pricier side so that price doesn’t come as a surprise). I think that $9.99 for this Milani bronzer is very fair, especially considering that a little goes a long way.

I am so happy with the Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder, it will probably be quite some time before you see another bronzer review from me. This formula and shade are perfect!

If there is a shade available that would work for your skin tone, I highly recommend it!

What is your favorite cruelty-free bronzer? While I don’t feel the need to buy any others at this time, I’m always curious to learn what else is out there. 

Lauren