During the most recent holiday weekend I finally caved and purchased some more items from Danessa Myricks Beauty. I've had an eye on them ever since picking up those pieces from last year's Makeup Show, but her brand has so many options it's intimidating, which is why I'm so thankful for the melanated YouTubers who have been reviewing it lately, lol. This time around I actually picked up some complexion products in addition to color, and while I don't have firm opinions yet, I'm always of the opinion that more pictures and more swatches are good for the reviewing community as a whole. I hate Googling for what feels like hours and never finding a real life swatch outside of a product page (which are usually photoshopped in weird ways ANYway).

First up are three of the Vision Flushes, which the website describes as "a highly pigmented, smoothing, multipurpose liquid color product with a satin/semi matte finish that can be used on the eyes, lips, and cheeks. " After ultimately deciding that last year's purchase, the Illuminating Veil in Attraction, was too dark to work as a good highlighter for my skin tone, I went with two blushes and one highlight in this new-to-me formula.

And that's pretty much it! About as exciting as any of my first impressions are, but like I said - I'm super motivated when I can't find what I'm looking for on the internet, so here's hoping some of this eventually helps out a person in the near or distant future (if we still have a distant future in the United States, hehe... he... he....).

I want you to know that it took everything in me to stop this post from having so many pictures in it that it became obnoxious. I'm always very conscious of what I wish I was able to find online when I'm doing my pre-purchase research, but in the end I decided we didn't need up close and personal glamour shots of each crème tint pro individually LOL (but also DM if you want one/some, cause I may have taken them anyway...).

Salt New York popped up on my radar last year, almost entirely due to Kackie Reviews Beauty (review video linked here), who was in the middle of her "Clean Beauty 2019" push. And since I admit to being just as susceptible to marketing as anyone else,  I watched along while she tried out a bunch of different products at varying price points.

I decided after her video that I really wanted to try the brand, but what I couldn't find were enough reviews to really inform my purchase. Brand founder Kiki G (Katelyn Galloway) is a working makeup artist, and while the products were created out of her own desire for a more well-rounded and inclusive offering from cream products, when it comes to makeup I depend on "real people" to make a decision. Online swatches and models are all well and good - I'm not saying the website doesn't do it's best - but I just couldn't get a feel for how it would work for me. Plus, everything was back-ordered even before the pandemic hit.

But we're all here right? Clearly I threw caution to the wind and bought some stuff, or this post would be spectacularly useless. In the end I just decided that even if I hated everything, at 50% off the bundle I was at least supporting a woman owned, made in the US brand and that's never a bad way to spend some (very reasonable) dollars.


And speaking of dollars, here's how the Crème Tint Pro stacks up against some of my other cream blushes:

Really the only other product you're maybe getting a better deal on is the Kosas blush/highlighter duo, and that's if you're ok with the pre-made palettes. I picked up two of their high intensity duos and while I love the blushes, the highlighters in both are a bit deep for me so their usability is arguable. The Kjaer Weis formula is one of my favorites ever, but $32 for JUST the refill is steep - you're really looking at investing $40 or $56 if you don't already have a case to put it in. I'm not so over the edge that it doesn't occur to me how expensive that is - if you're better than I am at moderation maybe it doesn't hurt so much, but I am aware. But I digress.

Keeping in mind my collection and what I like/tend towards using most often, I picked up 2 highlighters, a blush, and a bronzer. While I would typically not open everything due to what I currently have in rotation, each product has a 24 month shelf life so I figured it wouldn't be too bad. All four products are housed in the Palette Mini, a sturdy faux leather case with gold colored zipper, which firmly holds each product via magnets.


The Crème Tint Pro pans are "organized" (quotes because obviously they're just recommendations, buy what you want) into undertones and skin depth. Kiki G's video does a great job of describing how each pan varies as warm or cool, and what depth of skin tone (light, medium, deep) it is intended to suit. I kept that in mind for blushes and bronzer (I freakishly don't have a coral blush) but when it comes to highlighter I just couldn't make up my mind. Over the course of a normal year the depth of my skin tone can actually vary a lot, and after having been burned by the Kosas duos I picked up both Beige and Warm Tan and have NO regrets. I can tailor the highlight to my skin and mood on any given day which is excellent :D.

And there's more! You can head over to my Instagram right now for an IGTV dedicated to these products (don't hate me for the lack of editing, one step at a time, lol).

I realize this is a bit of a random post, or random for the times at least, but I really wanted to share for two reasons:

1) Chantecaille is a brand I've been intrigued by for a while, and
2) I want to support and encourage the work that Creators like Kinkysweat, aka Alicia, are doing.

Back on June 5th she used one of her Friday Night Lives to do a Q&A with Angela Barthel, a Team Lead from Chantecaille. Both Black women, the conversation flowed between the two of them about their experiences in the industry and also incorporated questions from viewers - and they weren't all softballs. I wouldn't say that all of Angela's answers were 100% to my liking, but I have to give props where props are due, and she stuck it out even while sometimes visibly uncomfortable. Black and other people of color (BIPOC) want to spend money on luxury makeup, and are no longer satisfied with waiting for the next round to find a color that's appropriate for them. We no longer want to be after thoughts. So yes, I benefit from this purchase because I wanted these products and the exclusive GWP was/is nice, but I also wanted to communicate to Kinkysweat and Chantecaille that people are watching. We will put our money where our mouths are, but excuses about formula to explain a lack of diversity in your shade range? That's not gonna cut it long term.

But you're probably here for the products huh? ON TO TOO MANY PICTURES!


First up are the two things I paid for, the Perfect Blur Finishing Powder and the Radiance Cheek and Highlight Duo. I've been chatting with a couple friends lately about the fact that I consider myself a try-er. I want to (for the most part) get use of the things I buy, I'm not super into the idea of collecting for the sake of having it, but I love trying things in case something new could be better, and these seem to be good products to try. Neither have any overt fragrance, but are super soft with the gelée texture that you'll see in some Tom Ford bronzers. Since is this just a first impressions I can't say too much about either, but the blur powder upon application does seem to set without mattifying, which I like but may be too little for the summer heat. It also doesn't leave any sort of white cast, which is great. The highlighter in the duo is AMAZING, and the blush is nice but I applied it with a pointed, natural haired brush and I'm not sure that was the best choice.


And swatches!


Next up is the Gift With Purchase (GWP) that Angela Barthel secured for viewers with a $150 purchase (down from what would usually be $300, so I am thankful cause without being able to see things in person I am much less likely to spend that kind of cash). It came in a super cute little green makeup bag, which hey, if I'm ever allowed to travel again I would 100% use.


As you can see the kit came with 3 super sized samples of skincare, and one full size lip product. If I was being *super* picky (which I can be) I'd be a bit disgruntled that some of the skincare products were switched out - the Bio Lifting Cream for the Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask (which I got way back when in the SpaceNK Advent Calendar and love for winter), and the Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser for the Nano Gold Energizing Eye Serum  (I've tried samples of this cleanser before and it's fine? Just not mind blowing). BUT, the Stress Repair Concentrate is already an eye related product, and at this price point trying one of them is fine. But on to the fun product - the lipstick!


I fell in love with the glossy swatch Angela did on the live and it lives up to that hype in person. It applies like a lip balm but gives this beautiful glossy affect that if I wasn't wearing a mask every time I leave the house, I would be even more excited about.

I promise to do a full face for y'all in the future, but so far so good and I don't really have any regrets about anything. It's funny though, because the only thing I've been making any headway into finishing is skincare, but makeup is still the thing I can fall head first into buying so easily. If you have a question about anything in particular, make sure to leave a comment or send me a DM or on Insta and I'll answer what I can!



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Really, I blame Instagram for this. When MAC released this collection in the UK they invited almost everyone I follow to this ridiculous celestial themed dinner and so when I was in Nordstrom (for a RETURN) I felt compelled to wander by the counter. And then I got sucked in cause apparently I'm getting into the whole glitter thing more as I get older and these Spellbinder Shadows are lovely. Lovelier than how they swatch even, which I guess isn't totally surprising.


"Stairs to the Stars" is a deep burgundy shadow with gold glitter. All my playing with it so far has been using my fingers, though seeing it demonstrated on the MAC website makes me think that a wet brush would also work well. It's actually inspired me to go find new/more tutorials on smokey eyes because I want to really let this shine on the lid and I fall back so much on neutrals to blow out the crease when I think this will play against reds/oranges better.

I didn't trust myself to play too much with the other colors - I have a sizeable powder eyeshadow/pigment collection already and I've proven that like highlighters this will be a problematic category for me -  but I love the formula. Super smooth and practically no fallout, which considering how much glitter is in the final result is impressive.