theBalm just added a new family member to their line and his name is Will Powder. This brand is known for its cute retro-style packaging and they create character profiles for many of their iconic products such as Mary Lou-manizer, the Matt(e) Palette series, and Even Steven foundation.
Will Powder is the most recent launch from the brand, in the form of a four shade blush palette. I think the Balm’s blushes are some of the best items in their line so I was excited to see them release new ones.
- theBalm Will Powder Overview
- theBalm Will Powder Review
- Cruelty-Free and Vegan Status
- Where to Buy theBalm Will Powder
- Final Thoughts
theBalm Will Powder Overview
The Balm Will Powder Blush Quad is a face palette comprising three blushes and one highlighter. The palette retails for $25 and contains 0.35 oz of product. The pans are smaller than a standard blush from the Balm but big enough to easily fit a blush brush.
Like most of theBalm’s powder products, the packaging is a slim cardboard palette with a depiction of a very dapper looking Will on the cover. It’s pretty small for a four pan palette and I can fit it in the palm of my hand. There are holes on the back of the palette so you can pop the blushes out if needed.
TheBalm seems to be making an effort to become more eco-friendly because they’re touting this as “clean beauty and green packaging”. A result is that there’s no magnetic closure to seal the palette shut. Instead, you’ve got a flimsy cardboard tab that you’re supposed to tuck in and pull out to open and shut the palette.
I’m really not fond of the closure and I can see the paper tab getting bent and torn pretty easily so I wish they would have left the magnetic closure.
theBalm Will Powder Review
Formula
Of the three blushes included, two a shimmer finish and only one is a matte. The highlighter has more of a metallic finish compared to the shimmer blushes.
The matte blush called stamina is not completely consistent with the other matte blushes from theBalm’s line (Down Boy, Frat Boy, Balm Beach, and Balm Springs. It’s got a thinner formula that’s not the creamiest, but it is easy to build up without over-applying. I find theBalm’s classic matte blushes to be a bit smoother than stamina, however, it doesn’t seem to affect the application.
The shimmer blushes are labeled dedication and perseverance and they don’t perform as well as the matte blush. They’ve got a drier texture that’s almost crumbly and they don’t apply evenly when swatched. On the cheeks they looked ok but they’re not the smoothest blushes in my collection.
In terms of finish, they definitely aren’t as shimmery as the Balm’s Balmfire duo blushes. Those are more chunky and the shimmer is very obvious. The Will Powder shimmer blushes are less sparkley and the shimmer is more sublte.
The highlighter is labeled worth the wait and it has the smoothest texture of all the powders. It feels dense and creamy when swatched and the metallic sheen is seamless. You won’t pick out bits of sparkle or glitter but it still catches the light beautifully.
Color Story
The shimmer shades in the palette are on the lighter side. Dedication is a cool bubblegum pink with tiny silver particles. Perserverance is a neutral peach with gold shimmer. It kind of reminds me of Hot Mama but it’s less metallic.
The matte shade called stamina is a medium neutral rose that leans on the cooler side. It’s sort of remniscint of Nars Dolce Vita but with a slightly pinker undertone. I compared it to the Balm’s Cabana Boy and they’re actually very close in shade but Cabana Boy is even pinker and slightly brighter than stamina.
Worth the wait is actually a gorgeous tone of highlighter. It’s a silvery pink but I feel like its slightly warmer than most pink highlighters, this one has a hint of peach to the shade. I think it would work well on medium to deep skin tones. For the very fair it could possibly function as a blush and on the deepest skin it may be a bit ashy.
Swatches
Bottom Row: perseverance, worth the wait
Cruelty-Free and Vegan Status
theBalm states that both they and their suppliers don’t test their products or ingredients on animals. They also don’t ask others to test on their behalf and their products are not sold in mainland China or other countries where animal testing is required by law.
I didn’t find Will Powder listed among theBalm’s vegan products and Carmine is included as an ingredient that the palette may contain.
Will Powder is paraben and talc free.
Where to Buy theBalm Will Powder
- theBalm – International shipping available.
- Lovely Skin – Free shipping. International shipping available.
- Brigette’s Boutique – Free shipping on orders over $50. International shipping available.
- HH Beauty Bar – Free shipping on orders over $35. International shipping available.
Final Thoughts
Compared to other blushes from theBalm this one was just ok for me. The colors are nice but the texture of the blushes wasn’t my favorite. The high point was definitely the highlighter, it’s pretty unique and I’ll probably get lots of use out of it.
If you want to sample the best of theBalm’s cheek products I’d steer you toward the In the Balm of Your Hand palettes which consists of permanent blushes from their line.
Pros
- Compact packaging
- Range of shades and finishes
- Unique highlighter shade
- Buildable formula
Cons
- Texture of the shimmer blushes was a bit crumbly
- Flimsy closure on packaging
- May be to light for deep skin tones
Thanks for reading, feel free to leave a comment below.
Bye now,
1 comment
This review is extremely helpful and you just saved me $25! I’m not a fan of shimmery/sparkly blushes, I prefer matte or satin, and I’m very fair so the highlight will be too dark. It’s hard to find unbiased reviews that are also detailed and yours ticked all the boxes. Thank you!