The Balm Cosmetics is having one of their amazing sitewide 50% off sales tomorrow, 2/27 starting at 10 am Pacific (that's 1 pm Eastern, 12 pm Central, and 11 am Mountain) and running for 24 hours only.
I always take advantage of the sale every time they offer it because I'm obsessed with their blushes, highlighters, and eyeshadow palettes and I've started quite the collection. I think they are one of the most underrated makeup brands out there, so if you're looking to score some high-quality makeup at closer to drugstore prices, you'll want to grab some things tomorrow!
To help with any shade decisions you might have, I went ahead and swatched my entire collection for you guys, so let's get started!
Powder Blush (on sale from $10-$11 each):
The Balm's powder blushes are the most reached-for in my collection, hands down. I own everything except for the Bahama Mama bronzer and some of the Instain Blushes.
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| The Balm Powder Blushes |
How 'Bout Them Apples? Lip & Cheek Cream Palette (will be on sale for $16):
I love using the How 'Bout Them Apples palette as cream blushes because they're incredibly long-wearing (they last all day) and they're very silky and blendable. I'm not a fan of using them on my lips, as I find them a bit too drying for that but on my cheeks they're amazing. I layer them under powder blushes to get even longer wear time. They all go on matte except for Crisp, which has just a little bit of shimmer.
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| How 'Bout Them Apples? |
The Manizer Sisters Palette (will be $14 on sale):
Mary Lou Manizer was around well before the highlighter craze started but it's still one of my favorite highlighters of all time because it's so finely milled and is the perfect champagne shade. It gives the most perfect glow to your skin without glitter or looking overly shimmery. Cindy Lou and Betty Lou are too deep for me to use as highlighters but they make amazing eyeshadows and blush toppers. They are also sold separately if you don't want all three (and will be $12 each during the sale), but I love the convenience of having them all in one palette.
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| The Manizer Sisters Palette |
Meet Matt(e) Nude & Meet Matt(e) Trimony (will be $21 each on sale):
If you're into matte eyeshadows, you're going to LOVE these! The Balm makes one of my favorite matte eyeshadow formulas, as it's triple milled, highly-pigmented, blendable, and true to the color in the pan. Meet Matt(e) Nude on the left is more of a cool-toned palette, while Meet Matt(e) Trimony on the right has mostly warmer shades with a few cooler shades mixed in. I was planning on picking up the new Meet Matt(e) Ador palette which was just released last week but the reviews on the website are negative so I might hold off until I can swatch it in-store at Kohls.
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| Meet Matt(e) Nude (left) and Meet Matt(e) Trimony (right). |
Nude Dude & Nude 'Tude Palettes (will be $18 each on sale):
If you're into nude or everyday shades, the Nude Dude & Nude 'Tude Palettes are amazing, and again, so underrated! They have great pigmentation and blend beautifully on the eyes.
Nude Dude has cooler-toned shades that are great daytime/work appropriate colors in both shimmer and matte shades.
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| Nude Dude |
Nude 'Tude is filled with deeper, smokier nudes that are great for nighttime/evening looks.
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| Nude 'Tude |
The Balm Appetit Palette (will be $19.75 on sale):
The Balm Appetit palette wasn't one of my favorites from The Balm, but I wanted to include swatches anyway in case you were thinking of picking it up. The formula is great overall (the two blue/gray shades on the bottom are a little streaky without primer) but for me, the shade selection is just ok. There are a couple that I absolutely love but that's not enough to make me want to reach for this palette every day.
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| The Balm Appetit |
Highlite 'N Con Tour Highlight & Contour Palette (will be $18 on sale):
Overall, I really like this palette...it has just about everything you would need to highlight and contour your face. It has both shimmery and matte highlighting powders (including a matte yellow for under the eyes), two different contour shades, a bronzer (which I think is a bit too orange) and a blush. All of the shades are very soft, pigmented, and easy to blend.
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| Highlite 'N Con Tour |
Also, I just recently used up my tube of the Mad Lash Mascara (will be $9 on sale), and in my opinion, it's the best one they carry! It gives my lashes tons of length and volume and doesn't smudge underneath my eyes. I also love their Batter Up Cream Eyeshadow Sticks (will be $8.50 each)...they're long-lasting and I love wearing them alone or layered under powder as a primer.
I completely forgot to swatch them, so I'll do it in the morning (check back here before the sale if you'd like to see my swatches).
So those are my recommendations from The Balm! Will you be shopping the sale tomorrow? What's on your list?
This is sooo incredibly helpful, thank you a ton for all your hard work! I have seen other bloggers recs for this sale but none with this many (or any) swatches and helpful info. You really are the best! XOXO
ReplyDeleteAmazing swatches, thank you! I will be getting the Down Boy, Frat Boy, and Hot Mama blushes AND the Nude Dude palette. I already have Mary Lou Manizer and I agree it is one of the best highlights out there!
ReplyDeleteYou ROCK! Definitely getting that Manizer palette and some of the blushes!
ReplyDeleteI was definitely not in the market for blushes as I think I have enough. But after reading and seeing your swatches, I went ahead and bought down boy and instain in lace (it looks really nice on pale skin!). I hope I can update this post when I get the products.
ReplyDeleteGet the other InStains! I'm pale too - they work and look incredible if you use them lightly.
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