Sephora Favorites "In The Glow" Blush, Bronzer & Illuminizer Sampler

Today, I am very excited to show you a new Sephora Favorite set that I purchased yesterday.  This is the Sephora Favorite "In The Glow" Blush, Bronzer & Luminizer Sampler.  It is available in some stores, and it looks like it will be in stock online in the next few weeks.  It retails for $45 for 9 deluxe samples.

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I love blush.  It's my weakness, so I had to buy this set.  It's a great way to try out high-end products without paying the price for a full-size product.  Plus, the small packaging really is adorable.

This sampler includes 3 blushes, 3 bronzers and 3 highlighters. 

Let's take a look at the blush.

Tarte Natural Cheek Stain in Flush - 0.17 oz - It looks really dark and scary, but the swatch shows that it is definitely wearable.  I think it looks almost like a gel, and it smells like gummy bears.  I can't wait to try this.

Stila Convertible Color in Peony - 0.07 oz - I love cream blush.  The color is beautiful, and it's very smooth.  I can't wait to compare this to my NYX cream blushes.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Spendor - 0.11oz - I love Tarte blush, and I love these smaller sized Tarte blushes.  If you haven't seen it yet, you should check out my post on the Tarte Fantastic Foursome 4 Piece Set that is also available at Sephora right now.  This blush does have glitter, but the color is really pretty.

 Here are swatches of the three blushes.

Tarte Natural Cheek Stain in Flush, Stila Convertible Color in Peony, Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Spendor

Here are the three bronzers.

NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna - 0.08 oz - This is probably one of the most well-known bronzers.  I have never owned it before, and I think it may be too dark for me during the winter.  It does have shimmer in it, and it has a mirror.

Too Faced Chocolate Matte Bronzing Powder - 0.08 oz - This has been on my wish list for a long time.  If I had stopped to smell this bronzer in the store, I would have bought it a long time ago.  It smells like hot chocolate and it's AMAZING.  Maybe a bit dark for my pale skin, but I love the smell.   

Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden Mosaic - 0.14 oz - This is really nice packaging for a sample size.  This is a bronzer, but it would also make a pretty highlight on someone with darker skin.  I was also told that this works great as eyeshadow. 

 And the swatches...

NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna, Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder, Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden Mosaic

Last but not least, here are the highlighters.

Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Lumanizing Powder in Spotlight - 0.106 oz - This is soft and GORGEOUS.  I can't wait to compare this to my Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter from theBalm. 

bareMinerals All Over Face Color in Pure Radiance - 0.02oz - I had this before when I wore bareMinerals foundation.  This has a lot of fine glitter in it.  I prefer pressed powders, but this is a nice summer highlighter. 

Benefit High Beam - 0.13 oz - I am surprised I haven't owned this, because it seems like this comes in every kit that Benefit or Sephora sells.  This is supposed to be comparable to the Boots No. 7 High Lights Illuminating Lotion. 

Here are the swatches.

Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Luminizing Powder in Spotlight, bareMinerals All Over Face Color in Pure Radiance, Benefit High Beam

 Overall, I'm very happy with the set, and I can't wait to try all of the products!

e.l.f. Studio Bronzer in Golden Bronze

I picked up the e.l.f. Studio Bronzer in Golden Bronze because I heard it is a dupe for Dior Amber Diamond Shimmer Star highlighter.  Dior Amber Diamond is $44 at Sephora! I opted for the e.l.f. dupe, because it was only $3 at Target.

According to the e.l.f. website, this bronzer is "an illuminating shimmer that is subtle and radiant. Ideal for summer or year-round."

I really like e.l.f. products. I think the studio line is great, especially considering it's only $3. I love the packaging.  I think it's compact, sleek and really nice.  I also like that it has a nice sized mirror.  I also like that it doesn't come with a brush.  I hate when products include a cheap, worthless brush that wastes space. 
 

  Here is a close up of the individual colors.  They can be worn individually or swirled together.

The first swatch has all four colors blended together.  Then clockwise from the bronzy color in the top left, I have swatched the four colors individually.

On my skin, I would say it's more of a bronzer than a highlighter.  It has a gorgeous glow, but I would need a lot of self tanner to be able to pull this off as a true highlight.  I could probably use one of the lighter shades to highlight.  I will probably use this as a blush.  .

Here it is swatched next to two other highlighters that I had previously compared here.  You can see it's much darker and more bronze.

e.l.f. Golden Bronze, Hard Candy Tiki, The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

Boots No. 7 High Lights Illuminating Lotion

Thanks to Emily from Beauty Broadcast, I recently discovered this amazing dupe for Benefit High Beam!

This is the Boots No. 7 High Lights Illuminating Lotion.  It can be found at Target for $12.99 for 30 ml/1 fl. oz.  Although I don't have Benefit High Beam to do a full comparison (it is $26 for .45oz!), High Lights is supposed to be a great dupe.

High Lights has a pump, which makes it very easy to apply.  However, it's easy to pump out too much product if you plan to apply it as a highlight instead of applying it all over your face or mixing it with foundation. 

I think this was designed to be more of a full face illuminator, than a highlight.  It comes with a lot of product.  I think it would last nearly forever if you only use a little bit every day. 


It has a pink tint, like Benefit's High Beam.  I like that it can be mixed with your foundation to brighten your entire face.  There are some days when I feel like my skin looks dull, but this illuminating lotion brightens my face right up.

I also like to put this on before I put on a powder highlight.  I think it helps my powder highlight to stay in place all day. 

 As you begin to sheer it out, it has a gorgeous pearly sheen to it.

 When it is fully sheered out, it give your skin a nice, healthy glow.

Since I love to compare products, here it is next to two other highlighters that I recently blogged about.

From left to right, I have swatched the Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tiki, The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer, and Boots No 7 High Lights Illuminating Lotion.  As you can see, High Lights is more of a pinky highlight, while the others are more bronze and honey colored.

Battle of the Highlighters: Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tiki vs. The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

Today is going to be the start of something I would like to do regularly on my blog.  I am going to compare one product in my collection to another.

Today is the Battle of the Highlighters comparing the Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tiki and The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer.

To be honest, I wasn't really into highlighters until recently.  Now I'm addicted.  If my blush doesn't have a nice sheen to it, I feel like I need a highlight so my skin doesn't look dull.  I know it's a personal preference, but right now I feel like I need my highlighters!

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tiki

Packaging: Tiki comes in a plastic compact, while Mary-Lou Manizer is in a solid, metal compact with a mirror.  Plus, how can Hard Candy compete with The Balm's adorable packaging?!  I do like that Hard Candy has a clear lid, so you can see the color without opening the product.  It's very helpful if you have multiple Hard Candy items. 

Size: The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer comes with 0.3 oz of product.  Hard Candy's Tiki has 0.44 oz of product.  Since one is baked and the other isn't, I think it's difficult to compare the weight of the product.  I would say they both have a good amount of product, especially considering I never use a lot of highlighter at once.

Product:  Here is what the products look like side by side.  As you can see, the Mary-Lou Manizer is a regular powder highlight.  Tiki is a baked highlight, so it has more of a domed shape.  Mary-Lou Manizer is a smoother, creamier powder, while Tiki feels like a dryer, baked powder.  They are just very different, but both apply smoothly and easily.

Mary-Lou Manizer, Tiki

Color:  Mary-Lou Manizer is slightly more cream/honey colored while Tiki has a bit more of a bronzy finish (it is marketed as a bronzer after all).

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer, Hard Candy in Tiki

These swatches are heavier than I would apply on my face, so there is a more noticeable difference between the two.  When applied as a highlight, they definitely give the same effect.  They both give a gorgeous glow, which must be why people say Tiki is a great dupe for Mary-Lou Manizer.

Availability:  I wanted to throw this category in, because I don't consider either product to be readily available.  You can purchase The Balm products on their website.  Occasionally they are featured on HauteLook.  If you are lucky, you might find one of The Balm Kits at Marshalls.

Hardy Candy is only available at Walmart.

Cost:  The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer retails for $24 on The Balm's website!  I was able to pick it up in one of The Balm Kits at Marshalls for $9.99.  Click here  to see my original post about the Mary-Lou Manizer.  I have also seen it on HauteLook for $12, plus $6 for shipping.  

Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tiki is currently $7.06 on Walmart's website.  I think the Hard Candy bronzers are $9 in a Walmart store.


Overall: To be honest, I haven't really used Hard Candy's Tiki since I bought it.  I have been loving the Mary-Lou Manizer as a highlight, so I really haven't had the need to use Tiki.  However, since I got it out to take these pictures, I have been really enjoying Tiki!  I have worn it for the last few days!  It really is a cheaper, good alternative to Mary-Lou Manizer.