Black Radiance True Complexion Blushing Bronze Palette Review
Finding a contour palette when you’re a black woman is hard. Finding one that’s under $20 is even harder. That’s why I loudly rejoiced when Black Radiance dropped the new True Complexion Blushing Bronze Palette earlier this year. It comes in 2 shades: Light to Medium and Dark to Deep. I thought to myself:
“Yesss! Okay! Somebody finally gets it!”
Does Black Radiance Get It?
Almost. But not quite. Black Radiance came kinda close though. Somewhat. I appreciate Black Radiance for creating The True Complexion Blushing Bronze Palette in Dark to Deep. I just wish it was a bit darker. The contour shade works for my skin tone rather nicely. However, I’m not that dark. Which means beauties deeper than me won’t be able to enjoy this palette. And that’s kinda bogus, Black Radiance. Chocolate girls like to contour too!
The Colors
The True Complexion Blushing Bronze Palette in Dark to Deep isn’t for the faint of heart! Well, except for the contour. The Contour is a warm chocolate brown matte that’s more on the subtle side compared to the poppin’ blush and highlighter. The Blush is a vibrant hot pink with small flecks of pink and golden glitter. The Highlighter is a sparkling peachy gold with lots of golden and bronze shimmer. They both show up extremely well on my skin tone. The Blush and Highlighter also works quite well on deeper skin tones. So it’s clear that Black Radiance tried. They just missed the mark with the contour shade.
Texture & Pigmentation
The Black Radiance True Complexion Blushing Bronze Palette is only $8. So the formula isn’t going to be perfect. Is it workable? Yes. I can certainly make this baby work for $8! Naturally, it’s not nearly as smooth or pigmented as a higher end contour palette. This will work to your advantage if you’re going for a more natural look. Or you may not like it at all if you like a sharp, chiseled look.
The Contour is the sheerest of the 3 powders but it’s also one of the smoothest. It has a very soft texture that’s incredibly creamy for a drugstore powder. Making it rather easy to build and blend. The Blush is where things get sticky. The Blush has a very dense, dry texture which makes it quite difficult to pick up pigment. I’ve tried several different brushes including ones with natural hair and synthetic bristles. Yet I still struggled to pick up an even amount of pigment. Which resulted in a patchy, uneven application if I didn’t blend carefully. The dry, stiff texture also made it difficult for any of the shimmer to translate onto the skin too. Leaving you with a patchy matte Blush.
The Highlighter is definitely the best part of True Complexion Blushing Bronze Palette! The Highlighter has a silky, smooth texture similar to the Contour. So it goes on smoothly and blends out nicely without much effort. It’s also the most pigmented of the 3. Which may be a little scary if you’re looking for a super subtle, natural highlight. You’ll have to tap very lightly if you want to keep it more natural. Want a more dramatic glow? Then you’ll feel right at home going to town into the Highlighter and making those cheeks glow like no tomorrow!
Wear & Longevity
Does the True Complexion Blushing Bronze Palette truly hold up? Kinda. The Contour is a bit sheer and the Blush is a bit patchy but they’ll still manage to get you through the day. I found that the Contour held it’s own for around 8 hours on my dry skin before I noticed some fading. The Blush hangs on by a thread though. Although it’s vibrant, the Blush starts to lose it’s luster after about 6 hours or so. Again, the Highlight reigns supreme still twinkling bright after 8 hours with little signs of fading.
Is the Blushing Bronze Palette worth it?
Yes and no. I’ve been around the block a few times so I know how to make the Blushing Bronze Palette work for me with optimal results. However, a makeup beginner or someone with little patience won’t have such good luck. I think the Black Radiance True Complexion Blushing Bronze Palette is a pretty decent option if you’re new to highlighting or contouring. Or a beauty on a budget. Otherwise, I’d say don’t waste your time and save up your coins for something better, sis!
