Review & Comparison of Gerard Cosmetics Marilyn; Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop and Laura Geller Gilded Honey
Gerard Cosmetics Star Powder: Marilyn
I was quite excited about this product after seeing many swatches and all the hype across social media. When GC had 45% off site wide plus free worldwide shipping I thought this would be a great opportunity to purchase Marilyn. I wanted to try out Lucy too but luckily I didn't waste my money on it.... Yepp this obviously shows my dislike for the product and here's why.
It is very chunky, emphasises pores and doesn't really have much of a glow/glisten rather instead it has a metallic flat tone to it. It's not super pigmented either and has a very chalky cheap feel to it.
Swatched below is doesn't really show up but on the skin with fix + it does look better and is quite reminiscent of Mac vanilla pigment without the white glow look just s true gold. The packaging itself is pretty although made from cheap plastic. But what I love most about it is the plastic protector that covers the highlighter from the mirror. It's hands down become my go to mirror for close ups during makeup application and touch ups when I'm out. If anything it's worth it for that!
If you don't have many pores and want a true gold highlight. Then with a densely packed brush with fix + on it still would give a pretty gold toned highlight.
5/10
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter: Jaclyn Hill x Champagne Pop
This was the highlighter I was most excited about. It is limited edition but not as limited edition as I thought it was going to be. I wish I waited a while to order it because I really wanted to purchase 'kvd - bow & arrow' but didn't wait for its re-release and jumped online as soon as champagne pop was live on sephora... And a sephora haul is pretty pricey including tax and shipping. I won't be surprised if this eventually becomes permanent.
Anyways onto the highlighter itself, it is the priciest one out of the three retailing at $38. Although it is described as a peach tone highlighter you'll see swatched on my skin some pink tones rather then a straight up peach. However on my face once applied it looks more gold then anything. My hand swathes are quite terrible as it never looks the same at all on my skin.
Before I purchased champagne pop I was about to purchase opal to try out the raved about becca skin perfecters... I do really like them, emphasis on 'really like' and not love. I don't know if it's the formula or the shade or just because I was underwhelmed after the immense hype these get. Don't get me wrong it is beautiful and pigmented and gives a strong sheen highlight and the texture is quite smooth too but I was just expecting more from it and for it to be unique. I wanted to love the shade more and it to show up more peachy on my skin but it didn't. It did emphasise my pores a bit too and I still find the intensity on par with my 'the balm - Mary lounanizer' if anything that one probably gives me more of an intense highlight and is a lot for affordable.
8/10
Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator: Gilded Honey
Out of the three highlighters this was one I almost passed on, well I actually did. I seen swatches and though 'nehh too gold' not needed and won't flatter my skintone. But then when I seen it next to whisper of guilt and heatwave I wanted it badly, but it was sold out. Recently I found it on beauty bay and didn't think twice before ordering it which included free shipping.
To begin with let's start on the packaging which I find quite disappointing for such a high end product. It comes in a little plastic container with less product then a typical Illuminator. It's more the size of a blusher... But boy does the product make up for it. It is the most beautiful highlight ever. The texture is gorgeous and best of all it kind of disguises your pores, I'm guessing that's because of the baked formula. The shade is more of a gold with a very slight peach tinge but shows up more gold iridescent toned once applied, it gives of a metal sheen esp when fix + is used with it. It's so intense and flawless looking. It's what I expected the Becca highlighter to be.
I definitely want to try the other shade out and would recommend it to everyone. It's hands down my favourite highlight and I'm so obsessed with it. I'll be doing a future post just based on this illuminator and full face make up pictures showing how much it glows. Only knocked off half a point because of the packaging.
9.5/10
Below you can see the difference in packaging. Gerard Cosmetics is quite sleek and pretty although the material of the packaging is plastic. The Becca one is quite sophisticated with a sturdy packaging and as you can see the Laura Geller one is much smaller with a clear plastic packaging,
Here they are side by side
From Left to Right: Marilyn, Champagne Pop, Gilded Honey
The picture of my hand swatches aren't necessarily true to form as they all appear different on my face. But you can see how Marilyn is more of a true robust gold with a flatter texture and Gilded Honey is more intense in pigment.
