brand focus: thebalm!

Hey guys!

I posted a picture on my Instagram a couple of weeks ago after I managed to get my hands on some more TheBalm products, and asked if you would like to see a more in-depth review of the brand. I love using their products - they have such a fantastic range of great quality cosmetics, and I even have a wishlist to hopefully be fulfilled in the near future.

However, I really wanted to do a post on them because I honestly feel like TheBalm is relatively unknown here in Australia. Maybe this is because people don't know where to buy them (I certainly didn't until earlier this year) and think they are only available in the US - I can't say for sure. But there is no doubt in my mind that TheBalm is a brand that you need to introduce into your makeup collection.

TheBalm has a wide range of products available, and not it's not all cosmetics! Their line also includes skincare and hair care, and it's all paraben and cruelty free. Their philosophy is "Beauty in five minutes", and caters to a wide range of beauty lovers - from those who love more neutral easy to achieve looks and those who love daring, bold colours.

Of course, I don't own one of every single product from their line to show you guys - actually my collection is relatively small compared to some. But everything I own is absolutely gorgeous in it's own right, so highly pigmented and easy to use. So without further adieu, grab your cuppa' and settle in!

The first two products I have to show you are perhaps my favourite and most used of my TheBalm collection. Everyone knows TheBalm for their Loumanizer collection - namely Mary Lou (honey champagne highlighter), Betty Lou (bronze bronzer/highlighter) and Cindy Lou (pink toned highlighter). Of course, Mary Lou (right) is used by EVERYONE - and for good reason. It is THE most gorgeous highlight I own, so highly pigmented that I only need to dip my brush lightly once into the pan in order to achieve a beautiful glow on my cheekbones and the center of my face.

On the left we have Cindy Lou - another gorgeous and highly pigmented highlight shade. Although, this is meant to be a highlighter, I do actually prefer to use this as a highlighting blush. In darker skin tones, this would be actually gorgeous as a stand alone highlight. As you can see in the picture, its a peachy pink shade, with a hint of shimmer. Its so beautiful as a blush, because it just has this glowing sheen - sort of like the Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso, but better!

And of course, who could go past any of TheBalm blushes - even choosing these three colours were incredibly difficult because they are all so beautiful. From left to right, I own The Instain Blush in Swiss Dot (a matte coral shade), FratBoy Blush (a light pink shade) and another Instain Blush in Pinstripe (a deep plum purple shade).

The Instain Blushes are incredible - if you couldn't tell from their name, they act as a staining powder! These are hugely pigmented, and even when swatching them, it's a mission to get it off my hands. Both Swiss Dot and Pinstripe are gorgeous shades, are super easy to blend and as I said, are amazingly long wearing. The middle blush, FratBoy, is another better known TheBalm product and its so easy to wear. The shade is spot on for everyday wear, and its so fine milled and easy to apply.

Another product is the What's Your Type Mascara in Tall Dark And Handsome (they also have another in the What's Your Type Mascara line called Body Builder). I love this mascara to really separate my lashes and lengthen them - the brush pretty much ensures that I have zero clumping. I haven't used this to too much, due to the fact that I have way too many mascaras open as it is, but the few times I have used it, I have been seriously impressed with how it applies.

And now for the last product I own - the BalmJovi Rockstar Face Palette! This comes with twelve eyeshadows, a highlight shade, a blush shade and two lip colours. And possibly one of the standout things about this palette for me is the shade - all the names are play on words of popular rock bands and song names! If you couldn't tell from the palettes name..

Below I have swatches of all of the shadows and lip colours in the palette - really they speak for themselves! All beautiful shades with fantastic pigmentation, and are so beautifully creamy and glide on like butter! This palette does lean more neutral (hey, I know what I like!), but it does include some shades that are a little out of the ordinary to give it some variety.

From left to right: Metal-Ica, Adaglo, Blink 1982, Iron Maid-In, Allegro & The Stroke

From left to right: Lead Zeppelin, Moderato, rem, Alice Copper, Presto & Third Eye Blinded

From left to right: Solid Gold (highlighter), Don't You Want Me? (blush), Milly & Vanilly (lip/cheek tints)

So you can definitely see how fantastic TheBalm products are! They are all just so easy to wear, so easy to blend and are simply some of the best quality products I own. Considering the price tag, you really get more bang for your buck than other brands you would be spending the money on. Another great thing about them is that they are really neither drugstore or high end cosmetic products - they are sold in some higher end stores, but the products themselves are really affordable.. Even in Australia!

You can find TheBalm products at David Jones stores and on their online store. You can also find them on their website, and online boutiques such as Skincare Cosmetics!

Thanks so much for reading! I'd love to hear your favourite products from TheBalm - let me know down below!

Until next time...

xxxx

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*some products featured in this were gifted for consideration, but all opinions are honest and my own :)