You might think sparkle powders are just too much of a Studio 54 memory! (That was an old reference for you old folks.) After all, you aren't Liza Minelli hanging out with the uber-chic Halston. You are just the everyday make-up addict trying to shine in everyday life. Nothing wrong with that. What could be wrong is when you buy a shitty brand and find it was just a waste of money. You won't have to think that way with either Ben Nye and Make Up For Ever.
Now to the too little version by Make Up For Ever. This is MUFE Diamond Powder and it retails for $25. As shown in the introduction, it is quite small. But small is not always bad.
From the start, Ben Nye and MUFE look to be similar except for the size. You might wonder why one is so big and the other is so small. It has to do with the ingredients and the effect. Ben Nye contains titanium dioxide. This gives the product a bit of opacity but not to the point of coverage. With MUFE, it is just sparkle and sheerness.
Ben Nye also contains more because there is one downfall to the product: flying glitter!!! Once I opened the product, the weight of the sparkles are so light, they end up everywhere. If you open this product, make sure your camera or any electronic equipment is in a zippered case! I had sparkles where I didn't want sparkles. I left sparkling footprints like some unicorn!
MUFE has density and the glitter will not float away. However, since sparkle is sparkle and the object of application is to apply it near the vicinity of its purpose, like the eyes and face. Two important products when applying sparkle powder are a silicone applicator or for large areas a silicone sponge, and a sealant spray like Blue Marble. Another great product would be the Skin Illustrator Glaze in clear which I used in the above swatches.
It is hard to see the difference against bare skin but against a black base is noticeable. In the pictures below I used Suva Beauty Hydra Cream Base in Dark Humor (black). This base is perfect since it has a slight stickiness to it; the sparkles just stick.
You can see how Ben Nye has more of a silver-white base to it whereas MUFE allows the black to come through. Since MUFE has no opaque base, the amount used may not be the amount you think is enough. Very little is used because it is all sparkle and the reason why it is housed in such a small container. The downside for the small amount is less experimentation. This is where Ben Nye becomes fun.
As mentioned there is a big amount of product in Ben Nye and often this means it can be mixed with other products to create something new or a different effect. I mixed it with Suva Beauty Hydra Chrome eyeliner in Rose Gold. This is a water-activated eyeliner.
The difference is mostly in texture. The color is slightly lighter and a bit more opaque. The reason why I would want to change the texture, is to use the eyeliner like an eyeshadow. I noticed when I used the eyeliner on its own, the powder eyeshadows would slip off because of the smoothness of the product. Mixing Ben Nye allows for some "traction".
Sparkle isn't only for glitzy glamour lights, but to convey a certain mood for a character. A good example of this is from American Horror Story Hotel. Remember Sally, the drug addict? She always had that dark sadness to her. She always looked like she was crying or ready to cry. Notice the placement of the sparkles.
Okay, so which one is the best? It all depends on what you want and the amount of money you are willing to spend. Make Up For Ever comes in a small pot and retails for $25. But so little is used and if you are just someone who wants sparkle once in a while, this one is an excellent one. You know how it is, you either go to Costco and buy that big block of cheese and eat just 1/8th of it and throw the rest away or you just go to a grocery store and buy the amount you will eat which really ends up more economical!
Ben Nye gives you a huge amount for $14. You can watch the glitter fly away and drive the cats crazy! You can also experiment with the product. Did I mention it makes a great addition to a boring hair gel or hair pomade? You can also mix it with pigments.
Whichever you choose, as the Templar Knight said to Indian Jones in The Last Crusade, "Choose wisely." (Unless you have money to burn!) A little sparkle never hurts!
Both products can be found at Frends Beauty. Tell them Olivia from The Unknown Beauty Blog sent you.
