I love products that do double-duty – tinted sunscreen, exfoliating moisturizers and the like. When I saw that M2U NYC’s makeup doubled as skincare, I had to give it a go.
Pros
- Blush is well-pigmented and looks great.
- Lipstick is moist and attractive.
Cons
- Blush feels "tight" when it dries.
- Lipstick shimmer is outdated and color does not match description.
- Eye Crayon barely works.
First, the Hydrating Liquid Blush
So, we have a mixed bag here. On one hand, the blush looks really, really good on. It’s inexpensive and well-pigmented, so I’d say I’d buy it … BUT.
Specifications
- Shade: Cotton Candy.
- Size: 4 ml.
- "Clean": Vegan, Paraben Free, Cruelty Free.
- Skincare Benefits: Vitamin E, Rosehip oil.
- Cost: $12.
M2U NYC Red Hydrating Liquid Blush
This is not skincare. Adding vitamin E, which is in eeeeverything, does not make it a skincare hero. Rosehip oil? Unnecessary. Plus, it feels slightly “tight” on my skin as it dries. Doesn’t feel hydrating at all.
There’s not a whole lot to it aside from the pigment. It doesn’t have any blurring properties or luminosity, so on my skin it looks relatively flat. I’d have to combine it with other products. I will likely use this until I run out, but I won’t be rushing to get more. At $12, I know I can get a better liquid blush for less with brands such as E.L.F.
Now, On to the Lipstick
Bait and switch. The “Born with Shine” lipstick is listed as a “soft blush,” but upon application it is a pale peach. Now, in the lipstick world, “shine” is meant to imply glossy — this is full-on SPARKLY. I can see the flecks in the lipstick. This is shimmery and not shiny.
Specifications
- Shade: Born With Shine.
- Size: 4 ml.
- "Clean": Vegan, Cruelty-free, Paraben-free.
- Skincare Benefits: None listed.
- Cost: $10.
Current trends DO NOT point to shimmer or frost, so I’d say this is actually a relatively outdated lipstick. But again, it kind of looks good. Like, I got a number of compliments, despite my own misgivings. Another mixed bag.
I’m a soft-summer, so pinks look better on my cool skintone than peaches, but still, it’s nice. The most important factor, here, is that it doesn’t look like what it’s marketed as, and that’s a big no-no for me.
I will not be buying again, but I will likely use it here and there for a little peach in an otherwise pink lipstick selection.
Saving the Worst for Last…the Eye Crayon
Why on Earth do they make products in Electric Blue for eyes? Why? It hasn’t been relevant in over 25+ years, and it’s best relegated to the makeup section of Spirit Halloween, but I digress.
Specifications
- Shade: Electric Blue.
- Size: 3 g.
- "Clean": Cruelty-free, Paraben-Free, Vegan.
- Skincare Benefits: Jojoba oil, Vitamin E.
- Cost: $8.
There is nothing positive to say about this one. I swiped it on, and it left almost no pigment on my eyelids, which is good I guess, since wearing bright blue eyeliner isn’t my thing, but there was just nothing to this product.
I went to a more well-lit spot to see if I was just missing something, and I saw a slight smudge of glitter. Bleh. I swiped again, harder, and it left a bit of a trace.
This is just cheap formulation, plain and simple. And, again, adding Vitamin E or even Jojoba oil is not enough to call your makeup skincare. Look at Haus Labs, Lady Gaga’s line — she can get away with calling her makeup skincare because it has ACTUAL active ingredients such as , triclone, arnica and over a dozen patented ingredients such as BioFerment Complex and others.
Can you see ELECTRIC BLUE eye makeup on my lids? No? Neither can I.
So, all in all, I’d say these are slightly-below-average makeup products that I wouldn’t buy again. Yes, two of the three look good enough to wear, but in no way would I say it’s makeup “with skincare” and as far as the price goes, I think it’s a little more expensive than pharmacy. On an unrelated side note, seeing an egregious misuse of an apostrophe on the company’s landing page made the English teacher in me weep.
