The Balm products review

I admit I have been spending quite a lot of money lately. One of the brands that really caught my eye was The Balm, which is available throughout USA in most drugstores and in larger EU online stores, but guess what – you can also get most of the products in Slovenia through Licila.si. So I picked up three products, all of them for my face – Sexy Mama Anti-shine translucent powder, Bahama Mama bronzer, shadow & contour powder and Mary-Lou Manizer.

The first thing I can say is that the packaging of all three products is unlike anything I've ever seen before. Both Sexy Mama and Bahama Mama are in nice cardboard packages which I was quite anxious about, but it turns out they are very sturdy. There is a magnet in the lid, but I’m still not convinced it could take a lot of travel. But they will probably spend their lifetime in my bathroom so it's OK by me. The Mary-Lou Manizer comes in a plastic compact with a nice big mirror and it closes up really well, so I wouldn't worry about its lifespan. 

First up, let's talk about the product I have wanted to get for quite some time and also mentioned it in my Highlighters and illuminators post – the Mary-Lou Manizer. First let's just sit back for a moment and admire how beautiful it looks (don't mind the speck on the mirror though – it didn't really show up in real life but looks kind of horrible in the photo). 

When I first swatched it I was afraid it was going to be a bit too shimmery but in fact it's easy to put on (either tap it with your fingers along your cheekbone or use a brush) and even easier to blend in to the point where it's more or less invisible except for the slight illumination. 

This is definitely not a highlighter and can't be used all over the face (well, it can, but I wouldn't do that if I were you). I must say that I've gotten used to the liquid highlighters so much that it's quite different to use a powder – the Mary-Lou Manizer is so pigmented that you barely have to touch the brush to the pan to get enough for one side of the face. This means that this product will be with me for a long, long time. 

Next, let's take a look at the Bahama Mama bronzer. As said, the packaging is cardboard and I'm not too crazy about the orange color around the mirror to be quite honest. 

This definitely is a product which will be more appropriate for summer season because it's darker than any other bronzer I own and so pigmented it's not exactly simple to get it right. It did take me quite a few tries to get it perfect – in the end I opted for a smaller, less dense brush and it came out looking ok, whereas before I only looked like I was rolling in the mud. I don't think I could get away with using this as an everyday bronzer because my skin is quite fair, but it's a perfect contour as far as I'm concerned. 

Last but not least, let's discuss the Sexy Mama Anti-shine translucent powder. For some reason, I thought this would also act as a loose powder and not be just a setting powder, but whatever. 

Again, the packaging is super cute and it's a product I would gladly bring along with me during the day to touch up whatever party is happening on my face. But guess what – I don't have to. I've had a few very stressful days and although I was running around like crazy this powder kept me looking like a sexy mama all day (well – except I don't really think of myself as sexy, and I'm not a mama, but still). So not a shiny spot in sight, which basically means the product does what it promises to do and that's good enough for me. At least I'll be able to reach for my e.l.f. HD powder less and consequently maintain my bathroom in better order, but that's a case for another day and time. 

You can get all of the products mentioned at Licila.si at very reasonable prices which are not much different as in the States. I would definitely recommend Sexy Mama and Mary-Lou Manizer to everyone, but if you're looking for a light everyday bronzer, perhaps Bahama Mama isn't the one for you. 

Have you tried any of these products or other ones from The Balm? Are there any you'd recommend to me?

Until next time, stay beautiful, stay awesome.