The Clunkster

rihanna

Fenty Beauty's Match Stix Contour Skin Sticks

Beauty, Beauty Review, Cruelty-FreeKristenComment

A couple months back, I went on a journey to find some new contour products. I’d been using Too Faced’s Cocoa Contour Palette for years now, and there’s nothing wrong with it, but I was getting tired of using the powder. I had seen so many videos on Instagram of people using liquid or cream formulas for their contour. It looked so much easier than powder, and I figured it was time for a change. 

Since I fell head over heels in love with Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Foundation, I figured Fenty would be a good place to start. Most of the videos I had seen used Fenty, and I trusted them. I was between the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer, Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer, and Match Stix Contour Skin Sticks.

The Match Stix seemed like the “just right” amongst all of them, but my next hurdle was that I had no clue which shades I needed. Going off the Instagram videos I had seen, I knew I had to go a couple shades down and up, but I didn’t know how by how much. I bought these during the height of the pandemic, so I wasn’t able to go to Sephora and swatch the actual shades. Thankfully, Fenty had a Match Stix Trio available on their website. I could have purchased the trio with shades I picked, but because I was so confused, I decided to go with the Light 100 pack. It seemed to be the best match for my skin tone.

Though these shades work for me, they could be a lot better. Linen, the light shade, is basically my exact skin color, so it doesn’t make a good concealer. Amber, the dark shade, is a bit too dark for me. And Starstruck, the highlighter, just doesn’t complement my face. 

Aside from the shades, I wasn’t super thrilled about the formula. From what I had seen on Instagram, it should have been as simple as swiping the sticks on the desired areas of my face and blending with a makeup sponge. I thought it would be a little softer and easier to blend, but I had a really tough time. I had to pull the sponge across my face to really make a difference.

Next, I tried a buffer brush, which made things a little easier. I was still disappointed with the look of the harsh lines. I knew that it would look a little sharper, which I wanted, but not so sharp it looked like I didn’t know how to blend. But the more I use the sticks, the more easily manipulated the formula is. I’ve seen some people rub it on the back of their hand before they use it, which I also tried, but I didn’t see much of a difference. 

I’m really on the fence about these. They get the job done, but not in the way I want. I purchased Fenty’s Match Stix because I thought they were high quality and convenient. I wouldn’t say they’re low quality, but definitely not what I expected from Fenty

But it’s also important for me to point out my own naivete with watching those videos. Obviously, makeup artists put a ton of time and work into the looks they share on social media, and that includes editing. There’s a lot missing from those fifteen seconds you see on your phone. Just because it took them two seconds to get a snatched face with contour sticks doesn’t mean it was actually that easy. 

So unfortunately, I’m not sure if I’m leaving you with a recommendation, dear reader. All I can say is, don’t believe everything you see on Instagram, and if you’re buying a shade-specific product, just go to the store in person.

Fenty Beauty's Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation

Beauty, Beauty Review, Cruelty-FreeKristenComment

What’s up gang? I hope everyone’s doing well. I’m currently being yelled at by a horde of angry Jeffree Star fans because I don’t like his new makeup palette. Isn’t life grand? So here I am writing a review about a product I really love because I like to replace the negativity in my life with positivity. Rihanna is the best medicine.

Yup, it’s a Fenty review, babes! Sometime last year, I wandered into Sephora looking for a new foundation when I spotted the Fenty fixture. I messed around with the shades a bit and finally found it: my perfect shade. I was honestly amazed at how well it matched my wrist and had to buy it immediately.

According to Fenty’s website, my shade, 110, is “for very fair skin with cool pink undertones,” which is probably the best way to describe my skin. I know the Fenty 40 is kind of old news by now, but I’ll never stop talking about it. They really did that! Accurate shades for every inch of the skin spectrum. It’s legendary. 

Aside from the shade itself, I really love the formula. I’m not a full-coverage fan because those formulas tend to cover up my freckles too much and make me look unnatural. I can use just a bit of Pro Filt’r and get the exact amount of coverage that I want. And like I said before, since the shade matches my face so perfectly, I always get that barely-there look.

My only complaint about this foundation is that it’s not very buildable. If I use a bit too much, it tends to get very cakey and makes my skin look super dry. It’s definitely something to watch out for, but won’t deter me from purchasing this again at all. 

I just bought some Fenty Matchstix during the Sephora Spring Sale, so I’ll let you guys know how that works out for me! I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.