Phytosurgence Cosmic Cinders Spectral Shine Radiance Balm ($ 26.01 for 0.25 oz.) Is a medium-dark copper with moderate, warm undertones and a soft sheen. It had a more opaque color cover that adhered evenly to bare skin and was easy to blend. I found it worked on a smoother / dewy base (like La Mer The Soft Fluid) too, but looked a bit cakey on a matte foundation (like Fenty Pro Filt’r).
The product felt denser and stiffer in the pan, and the creaminess was more noticeable when you waved a fingertip harder into the pan. The brand recommended using a brush over your fingertips as the latter could stiffen the product over time, and I agree; a brush was very foolproof and made sure the product didn’t get too compact over time. However, to work over a matte foundation I felt like I needed the warmth of my fingertip over a brush, but a brush was my preferred method to work on bare skin or over a dewier base.
It provided a barely noticeable sheen, which was as intended, and thereby never accentuating the natural texture of my skin. The product appeared to become even more seamless after about an hour of wear, even over a matte primer. It lasted a good eight hours before noticeably fading.
CONTINUE READING: Formula overview for details on general performance and properties (such as fragrance).
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Formula overview
$ 26.01 / 0.25 oz. – $ 104.04 per ounce
It is said to be a “cream-to-powder formula” that “can be applied and treated like a pressed powder product”. It is designed to create a “soft veil of luminosity” rather than a “glow from space”.
The brand recommends using a brush to apply, but fingertips can also be used. They say to avoid squeezing as it can cause the product to become hard and stiff over time. I liked using a thicker, flatter blush or highlighter brush to pick up the product with this formula and buff it onto my skin.
It’s an interesting texture as it actually “feels dry” as described by the brand. It felt more powdery than creamy, and usually cream-to-powder feels more creamy that dries to a powdery finish. Instead, they simply had more lubricity than a conventional powder (and therefore no powderiness).
They worked best on hydrated skin or a less matte foundation, as I found it didn’t go as seamlessly over a medium coverage matte foundation – it looked drier and more powdery, though it softened and looked a little better afterwards Wear hours. They looked particularly seamless on bare skin and on lighter opaque, dewy foundations (like a tinted moisturizer or something with a lighter finish), bright but not overtly shimmering.
The effect is really nice for those who prefer a moisturizing / dewy base, whether it’s bare skin or something else. There is a “veil” of sheen that provides a subtle reflective quality that doesn’t accentuate the skin’s texture and actually diffuses across the skin due to the more transparent base. They wore well for seven to eight hours before something faded.
Browse all of our Phytosurgence Spectral Shine Radiance Balm samples.
ingredients
Isododecane, meadowfoam oil, hydrogenated polyisobutene, isododecane (and) acrylate / dimethicone copolymer, stearic acid, carnauba wax, boron nitride, silica dimethyl silylate, phenoxyethanol (and) capyrlyl glycol. May contain: titanium dioxide (CI 77891), mica (CI 77019), iron oxide (CI 77491, 77499, 77891).
Disclaimer: The ingredient lists are available from the brand (or retailer) at the time of publication. Please always check the product packaging, if any, the applicable ingredient list for the product you purchased, or the brand or retailer website for the most up-to-date list of ingredients.
