Using single base makeup products, on the exact part of the face where they are needed without having to layer, has always appealed to me. I don’t like the feel of foundation on my fingers in the morning. In fact, the sensation of it - and how it seeps into every indent and pore - makes me cringe. At the same time, I’m not a particular fan of the beauty blender. So a complexion palette, with creams that can be applied with a brush and then blended, has been on my wish list for practically forever. Enter… the brand new Beauty Bay Make Face complexion palette.
This double sided book palette comprises creams for brightening, camouflaging and contouring. It also includes bronzers, blush and highlighters, not to mention a white finishing powder. Multi-use, the creams can be used on the lips and eyes as well. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Being one of those women who can’t resist a Facebook reel that depicts contouring, I’ve always fancied drawing on those lines with different depths of pigment to give my face the shape and shading I crave. This palette appeared to be offering me this while, at the same time, reducing the number of layers of makeup on my face. No heaviness, just a light touch of flawlessness.
Before I discuss my experience with the palette, let’s take a look at the purported benefits of all-in-one complexion products.
Why a complexion palette?
Face palettes are hyped up as the ultimate time-saving and space-saving makeup companions. They are designed to condense a variety of complexion products into one convenient package. Of course, how they perform will depend on the formulas but, generally, they exist to allow you to create a flawless look with minimal effort. Whether you're a seasoned makeup artist or a beauty beginner, a face palette can be a game-changer in your routine.
While Beauty Bay’s complexion palette is designed to do it all, you will find face palettes for specific tasks. Contouring and sculpting palettes are just one example. They typically include bronzer, highlighter and sometimes blush to define and enhance your facial features. They come in a range of shades to suit different skin tones.
Another example is the blush and bronze palette. This is designed for adding a pop of colour and warmth to primarily just your cheeks.
Next up is the highlight and glow palette and this product can help you create a radiant, dewy complexion. Expect highlighters in a choice finish (shimmery or pearlescent) to catch light and accentuate your cheekbones, brow bones and cupid's bow.
Then there is the correct and conceal palette. If you have specific concerns, such as redness, uneven skin tone or dark circles, these palettes offer colour-correcting shades to neutralise imperfections and concealers to even out your complexion.
I like the idea of an all-in-one face palette for convenience. Having multiple products in one palette makes it easy to take makeup anywhere and dispense with the need for multiple products. Other reasons to embrace a multi-use face palette include colour co-ordination and, of course, value for money. Think of all the products you won’t have to buy just because you purchased a single palette. Then there is the freedom to switch down the amount of makeup you apply to your face.
Beauty Bay Make Face complexion palette
This palette appealed to me because I’m tired of wearing heavy makeup day-in, day-out. I craved something lighter and low effort, especially for work. I get up at 5am every day and, in all honesty, there are times when I (almost) can’t be faffed with a 30-minute routine.
Priced at £18, the palette includes 12 complexion products. Of those, 11 are creams and one is a powder. It is available in a choice of shades to complement different skin tones. As ever, this Beauty Bay offering is vegan and cruelty free.
I ordered my palette in the Fair to Medium shade range on Tuesday and it arrived on Thursday, which is typical for Beauty Bay’s very fast delivery.
I’d liken the size of the palette to A5. It measures: 17cm in length, 13cm in width and is 2.5cm in depth.
So, not too big and not too small; ideal for travel and makeup on the go. The pan sizes are generous and clear protectors are neatly printed to explain what each pan is for, i.e. camouflaging.
The packaging for this product is very good. In fact, quite stunning.
How did this complexion product perform?
I always test products before heading off to work. This is because I don’t just want to gauge how they look on my skin, I want to know how long they last (with setting spray).
My first impression of the creams was not good. I swatched them on my fingers and thought they were a tad sheer. The depth of colour just wasn’t there.
Having said that, they applied quite easily with a brush and were effortless to blend, melting into my skin. (I succumbed to a beauty blender for this task.) I used the brightening cream under my eyes, followed by a dab of concealer here and there and then used the other products to create a full base. I was impressed with the contour shade and bronzer but the blush blended to nothing. I ended up reaching for a PLouise product to add a hint of a flush to my face.
The finishing powder was used under my eyes, on the bridge of my nose and the chin. I tried both highlighters and found them to be subtle but effective.
What surprised me was the overall finish. These creams created a flawless face that actually looked like my own skin. You couldn’t tell that I was wearing makeup. The finish was very slightly dewy, making it bang on trend. So, for a complexion product, this delivers one hundred per cent.
At the time of writing this review, there has been no customer feedback on the palette’s product page. I’m interested to know what other purchasers think, because I am in two minds. I am not sure if it is really good or the creams just too sheer.
It could be that I’m conditioned into that heavy makeup phase and can’t easily adapt to something that is this much lighter.
On the performance front, the palette gets 10 out of 10. My look stayed in place all day - and, for five hours of that time, I was operating a commercial dishwasher that finishes every full cycle with a mega blast of steam!
Before concluding this review, I’m going to use the palette again - to see if I can achieve a slightly heavier result.
Here I am before the second test, wearing no makeup.
During this test, I only used products in the palette plus mascara. I used the creams on the face, lips and eyes.
As you can see, the difference is quite subtle.
I’m 60 next year and, for me, the products in the palette left me feeling a bit ‘naked’, if you know what I mean. (I am sure that is the point of it, to be fair to Beauty Bay.) It could be that I need to experiment more with the concealers. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the palette becoming a favourite for those in their 30s and 40s.
Face palettes are the new must-have for any makeup kit. With their convenience, versatility and value, they offer a simple way to achieve a flawless and beautiful complexion.
I don’t regret purchasing the Beauty Bay Make Face complexion palette. I can see myself reaching for it a lot over the summer months when heavy makeup will be a complete no-no for me. I rate it four out of five overall and 4.5 out of five as a multi-use product.
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