Today's review is of three Lit Cosmetics glitters and the Clearly Liquid Glitter Base that I purchased from Beautylish. Beautylish had a promotion where they gave some of their users $10.00 in shop credit and I was able to splurge a bit and get three glitters and a free Lit Kit.
I did want to take some time to talk about cosmetic grade glitters and their sale in the US. You'll notice that some brands often sell similar colored glitter and that's because many companies will use the same manufacturer. What separates Lit Cosmetics from other sellers is the fact that they offer more than just one size and texture for each glitter color they sell. For example, the glitter Peacock comes in several sizes: Size 2 and Size 3 and the Size 2 comes in two textures- solid and metallic. This allows more options for customers who want either a finer or larger glitter size and texture and is different from sellers that only offer one option.
I did try to purchase colors that I thought I wouldn't be able to readily find dupes for. I purchased Cayman (after seeing it used by Lauren/Queen of Blending in a specific FOTD of hers), Oprah (because I wanted to try to find a more neutral glitter), and Twisted Sister (because I just like lilac/purple). All the glitters I purchased are S2 (.004 x .004 cut, a standard cosmetic-grade size) and the solid texture.
Where to purchase: Lit Cosmetics and Beautylish. There's also a list of retail stores on Lit Cosmetics' website. Although Beautylish doesn't sell the whole catelog, I'd still prefer purchasing through them or at any of the trade shows Lit Cosmetics attends. Lit Cosmetics' website leaves a lot to be desired because the autoplaying music is annoying and it's an all-Flash website which means I can only view the site from a computer. The shipping from Canada to the US is about $10.00 whereas Beautylish only charges $5.00 (it's free if your order is $35.00 or more). If you are more interested in the full catelog, the Lit Cosmetics website is your only option.
Price:
Lit Cosmetics' Website: Glitter: $12.95 Canadian dollars for 4 grams, Clearly Liquid Glitter Base (30ml size)- $22.95 Canadian Dollars
Beautylish's Website: Glitter: $13.00 US dollars for 4 grams. Clearly Liquid Glitter Base: 4mL for $10.00, 30mL for $23.00, Water Resistant Glitter Base: 4mL for $12.00, 30mL for $25.00
Do they test on animals? They do not test on animals.
Packaging: The glitters are packaged in plastic cubes with silver accents and a twist off top. There's a sifter but no seal. I like the packaging because the cube containers are easy to stack and store and the lid mechanism doesn't have screw top threads so glitter won't get caught there meaning no uncomfortable glitter grinding against the threads (like nails on a chalkboard for me!). A negative is there's no information on how much product it contains on the packaging, I could only find the information through listings on Beautylish.
The Clearly Liquid Glitter Base is packaged in a glass bottle with a twist off cap. I actually quite like the glass bottle, there's a nice amount of heft to it. The nozzle is quite large, meant for dipping your brush in but since I don't want to contaminate the liquid, I usually pour a little out for use. I got a free Lit Kit with my purchase which had the Glitter Base, a brush for application, and Spark-L Duster (the pink mesh wrapped cotton for brushing away the glitter) in plastic takeout style box. I will say that the Clearly Liquid Glitter Base was really stuck to the Lit Kit box with four glue dots (like the ones that stick gift cards to paper). I do understand that they're packaged that way since the glitter base is in a glass bottle but dang it was stuck strong.
(Stuck super tight!)
My Thoughts
The glitters sparkle beautifully and when used with the Clearly Liquid Glitter Base, applying glitter is easy peasy. When applying glitter across a large area like my eyelid, I found the Lit Cosmetics round brush to be too thick to spread the glitter properly; I preferred using my MAC 242 (a flat paddle brush). When I want to apply glitter on top of my liner, the Lit Cosmetics round brush or any small pointed liner brush worked fine.
The Clearly Liquid Glitter Base has a consistency similar to water but it's got a special formula that makes applying glitter so easy. I put a drop or two on the back of my hand, dip my brush into it, dip the brush into the glitter, then onto my eyes. The Clearly Liquid Glitter Base really helps cut down on how much fallout I get onto my cheeks and the Spark-L Duster helps brush any glitter that does fall away. There is a slight scent to the Glitter Base but it's not strong enough that I detect it once on my eyes.
The best way to apply is to gently pat and spread instead of brushing it on. Brushing it on doesn't get quite as even a coat as patting and spreading it will. The glitter base makes it easy to apply the glitter and helps it adhere for hours, I had maybe a speck or two of glitter fallout over the several hours that I tested it. I did notice several more flecks of glitter transferring onto my eyelid so I'd suggest wearing primer if you're particularly oily. Removal was also easy as long as you use a saturated cotton pad (I liked using a dual-phase makeup remover).
Swatches
Each glitter was applied on bare skin using a flat paddle brush (the MAC 242) using the Clearly Liquid Glitter Base. This was photographed with no flash in natural daylight.
Cayman is a beautiful turquoise, Oprah is a copper, and Twisted Sistah is a lilac. I'm really happy with the color combination I got; I could easily pick any two out of three and they'd work well together no matter which two I picked. Oprah is a more neutral glitter so it's a color you can wear with a little more subtlety than Cayman or Twisted Sistah.
My Final Thoughts
The colors are beautiful and the liquid base is a godsend for glitters. There are other options for applying glitter like using Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy, eyelash glue, etc but if you want to apply the glitters like an eyeshadow with minimal fallout, the liquid base is your way to go. I will admit that the glitters are an investment at $13 each but keep in mind that you use very little at a time; you'll run out of your liquid base quicker than the glitter. Even if you don't end up getting the glitters, I'd still recommend investing in the liquid glitter base to make it easier to apply your glitters like eyeshadows. What's nice is that if you order from Beautylish and get three glitters, you can get a Lit Kit each time with free shipping. I tried the liquid base with other brands of glitter and it worked just as well!
I've had the pleasure of meeting with the owners of Lit Cosmetics at a few trade shows and they're really really nice! I feel good supporting them when I see that the owners put their heart and soul into their company. I really can't wait to see them at another trade show.
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Do you own anything by Lit Cosmetics? Are you a glitter fan at all?
