The Deeper Hues Thread (Swatches, Color Matching, etc.)

[ElleElleG]

*new group located here: Deeper Shades

Have a deeper hue and want to know how a product might look on your skin tone?  This is the place for you!

Several ladies expressed interest in having a BIC group dedicated to WOC.  Such a group would serve as a central reference point for swatches, color matching and the like, which can often be difficult to find.  While I have no idea whether such a group will ever be created I figured it would be nice to at least have a thread.

It should go without saying, but  **Ladies (and gents) of all hues are more than welcome **

💋💋💋

[Ashletta216]

Birchbox x refinery29 unbothered kits for 16 dollars each and Clinique even better foundation for 12 dollars. Only the darker shades are available for the Clinique. But the kits are a steal!

[Ashletta216]

Sorry, this is at Birchbox(dot)com. Not sure if this is only for subscribers or not.

[HazelEyedQueen]

Hey Beauties, there's another BO/WO/SB that I've come across and love. My faves, so far, are their brow pomade and lashes. I have theireyeshadow and would compare them to Morphe when it comes to pigmentation and buildup. A couple of shades miss for me but it isn't a turn off for a smaller company at this juncture. The pomade stays where ever you put it. All day. I fell asleep and awoke with brows. And the lashes are the easiest to apply that I've ever tried. They are light and complimentary instead of weighted and overwhelming. I've put in more orders just tomake sure I have their product on hand. I can't go without those lashes. Lol. And right now, they're having a sale: everything is priced at $5. Update: Her highlighter is amazing!! She's stepping away from makeup and hearing in a different direction. I'll keep you all updated.

[HazelEyedQueen]

😥😓😭😭😭😭 There are, truly, times I hate being right. Just visited the Sephora Korea and left super disappointed. It was made worse by the fact that I missed the last train and had to get a taxi for ₩120,000. ($103.03). I wouldn't have been as upset if they'd have just saved me the trip when I asked or not advertised as if they'd have it. Specifically, they used models of color and Fenty and didn't even have it available. I'm ticked. Addendum: There are several things about Sephora Korea that are bummers but I would have ignored them for access. • Your points from other Sephoras do not transfer regardless of where you earned them (in store or online). • Buying something here or online via Sephora KR also doesn't transfer stateside. • Your "status" does not transfer; I.e, Rouge. • Customer service is NOT the same. The customer service we, normally, call is not linked to the customer service here in Korea. • This app and it's benefits are completely separate from the Korean app. Having an account via this app does not, automatically, give you access on the other. • There are no forums to discuss ANYTHING aside from leaving reviews. Long story short, I don't think I'll be purchasing from this Sephora.

[WinglessOne]

@HazelEyedQueen Wow... I wondered about points and BI status transferring between Korea and US. I’m sure there are international trade reasons for the division but ugh, how frustrating! I’m so sorry (and frustrated!) about your entire experience. 

The very limited shade range is unsurprising but still obnoxious. I realize brick and mortar retailers typically stock only items that work within their specific market areas—catering to their majority customer base(s)—because accommodations for a handful of other customers aren’t profitable for them. And I know about Koreans’ obsession with porcelain skin. But you’d think South Korea would be slightly more accommodating for ex pats by now. South Asian and Latina friends of mine have complained about the lack of face makeup in Korea that works for them. I wish customer service would’ve told you about this store’s shade range limits, which of course would’ve saved you the trip and cab fare. 😡 

Also: hey Sephora, why bother showing any models in store merch graphics with skin darker than cafe au lait (which is probably still too dark 🙄), in a market you d*mn well know doesn’t cater to brown skinned people? It’s especially ironic considering that Fenty’s kinda known for inclusivity. Double U Tee Eff. 

[HazelEyedQueen]

Exactly that. All of that. 

[KNC24]

@HazelEyedQueen that’s awful. It would probably be easier to have a friend from the states ship you stuff.

[danielledanielle]

Not a surprise, but still a huge disappointment.  Sorry you had such a disheartening experience.

[HazelEyedQueen]

I just wish they'd have been straight and said they wouldn't have a diverse shade range. I'd have still been pissed but I wouldn't have wasted money.

[makeitup305]

@HazelEyedQueen I'm sorry, that must have been such a disappointing and frustrating venture. Nevermind expensive for no payoff. I've driven far (40-60 min) to try a product to find a product in store only to find out they didn't have it. I can't imagine how much more disheartening it must be to not find anything at all that would suit you. 

[HazelEyedQueen]

I, truly, just wish I had a platform and the ability to address it so that others didn't experience this. I messaged their IG. I know they've read my messages but they aren't going to respond. It is what it is. I spent my money online, through the Sephora in the U.S. I saved 20% and picked up things I know work.

[sephoraaddict918]

Not surprising, but I'm sure it was still disappointing to see in person. After that expensive trip, I hope you were at least able to find something cool and interesting there @HazelEyedQueen. 

[HazelEyedQueen]

I wasn't. It was difficult to find the store and that took up the majority of my time. I used to go to Seoul often but the more I realize I'm not included, the less I spend my money. Mind you, they just had a Seoul Africa fashion show/expo that same night. What they see as "urban wear" is everywhere. So much of our culture is worn here (I use worn intentionally and it's not just clothes) but they're terrified of being considered dark. And "dark" here is, seriously, a light tan on alabaster skin. I'd have expected it if it wasn't Sephora, they didn't market to POC in their Sephora Korea ads, and Sephora wasn't supposed to be inclusive. I expect it from small Korean shops. Not Sephora.

[WinglessOne]

I’ve had past issues with Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes not showing up on my skin. This year’s Lunar New Year shade was the first Hourglass blush that’s ever worked on me. So I took a chance on the new HOURGLASS - Ambient Lighting Blush Palette - Ghost and, surprisingly, all 4 shades work well in some way. 

Hourglass Ghost blush quad: finger swatches buffed out with an eye blender brush.

Unfortunately my photo doesn’t show the “strobe” effect of Lucid Glow (my favorite of the 4 shades) or Brilliant Nude. But I thought I’d share my swatches anyway, in case someone else wonders about these and can’t swatch a tester in person. 

While I’m at it, here are my swatches of VISEART - Blush Palette - Orange/ Violet: 

Viseart Orange Violet Blush Palette: finger swatches buffed out with an eye blender brush.

The first orange shade is barely visible on me; I’ll probably use it to blend with other shadows. These are all matte blushes and they feel buttery soft, kinda like the matte eyeshadows in Viseart’s 12-pan palettes. 

[Mrsmakeuplover1]

Thank you for the tag @WinglessOne! 🤗I actually snagged it at Nordstrom last week. I had a gift card that was burning a hole in my pocket so it was perfect timing!

[Mrsmakeuplover1]

Thanks for the swatches. I was thinking about getting the Hourglass palette. I have the ambient face powder and I love the glow it gives. I hate I missed out on the edit palette from last year but I heard it’s coming back 🤞🏽

[WinglessOne]

@Mrsmakeuplover1  In case you missed this year’s Hourglass Ghost Unlocked palette (which seems to be a re-release of last year’s Unlocked palette in this year’s Ghost casing) at Sephora and Hourglass direct: Beautylish still has it in stock as of 5 minutes ago. 😉 

[sephoraaddict918]

Thanks for the swatches @WinglessOne! I thought the Viseart blushes would have more punch based on how they look in the pan. The Hourglass looks more like highlighters than blushes. 

[WinglessOne]

@sephoraaddict918  You can get a bolder punch of color from most of those Viseart blushes if you don’t diffuse them as much as I did in my swatches. But I’m surprised numbers 1 and 5 aren’t nearly as vibrant on my skin as I expected. I mean I figured number 1 would be super light on me, but good grief, I almost can’t see it! 😄 

Hourglass swatches are hard to convey via still photos. I’ll have to share photos of me wearing Lucid Glow on my face in different kinds of light (daylight vs. my stupidly warm bathroom lighting vs. fluorescent lighting) to better show it off. Brilliant Nude is definitely a highlighter shade on my skin tone. I think it’ll work great in my hollow tear troughs, to bounce some light off those shadows without looking too much like highlighter. 

Generally speaking, though, I doubt Hourglass’s Ambient Lighting blushes are meant to give bold color on any skin tone. They’re supposed to behave like the Ambient Lighting powders while providing a soft flush. Most of their previous blush shades were so subtle on me, they were invisible. (I have the same problem with NARS Orgasm.) But I’m very pleased with the 4 shades in the Ghost quad, especially since I can easily layer or ombré them. Folks looking for boldly pigmented blush shades will be disappointed in this quad, though. 

[HazelEyedQueen]

Update on Fenty wear... I'm not fond of the new foundation; however, I think it's for dry skin. The shades are more accurately described this go 'round and I was able to use the same shade as I would before. It wasn't heavy (persay) or tight. It felt more like a moisturizer than a foundation. On my skin, it felt greasy but I do believe it is true to it's "hydrating" claim. It did not transfer more than the original. The oiliness did not show in my pictures. I did end up taking it back. I LOVE the pencil though. It was so easy to use and stayed put. I used it with my ABH pomade.

[ElleElleG]

Good to know it lives up to the hydrating claims @HazelEyedQueen , I can easily pass since I don't have dry skin.