Product Review: Barry M Fine Glitter Dust in #23 Black Purple

Name: Fine Glitter Dust in #23 Black Purple
Brand: Barry M
Price: £4.50

From Barry M’s website:
22 brilliant shades of loose pearl colour that have been cleverly blended with ultra fine, diamond like glitter flecks to dazzle. Ideal to experiment with for the wilder, more adventurous make-up fans.Try on the cheeks, lips and body to create a stunning glitzy look!!

What I liked:
– can be used on cheeks, lips and body
– some (but not all) shades are always suitable for the eye area
– glitter is very finely milled
– sparkling effect on the eyes
– very pigmented and intense shades
– small pot contains a lot of product
– the price

What I didn’t like:
– application can be messy
– not longlasting without a primer
– the packaging is the same as the Dazzle Dusts so it’s easy to get confused between the two products

If you are a fan of glitter, you need to check out Barry M Fine Glitter Dusts. These cute little pots are available in 22 shades so you’re bound to find one you like. The one I have is Black Purple and I find the name to very appropriate because, even though the powder looks like a deep purple in the pot, it turns black with some purple glitter on the eyes. I was a bit disappointed that it looked differently from what I expected but overall, the shade is still very pretty and when applied, it reminds me of a night starry sky.

On the Barry M website, it says you can use this on the lips, cheeks and body, but considering how dark Black Purple is I didn’t think it was appropriate to use on those body parts, so I use it on my eyes instead. Keep in mind, though, that not all the Fine Glitter Dusts are suitable to be worn around the eye area. If you plan to purchase a shade to use on your eyes, make sure you check the bottom of the pot to see if you can use it this way.

(1 layer, no primer. Unfortunately the light was very bad when I took this pix so it doesn’t really do the shade any justice at all).

I have to admit I’m not a big fan of glitter. I hate using eyeshadows that have big chunks of glitter in them so I was hesitant to try this, but I was very pleased to discover that, just like the name suggests, the glitters are very fine and give a beautiful sparkling and dazzling effect that is perfect for night outs on the town or even during the day if you are the daring type.

I was also surprised about the texture. Despite the powder being very glittery, it is actually very soft to the touch. And the color payoff is really good. The shade is intense and vibrant but buildable, even if you don’t use a primer. However, I really recommend wearing a primer with this even if you have dry lids and usually don’t need it. That’s because this is a pigment, and like all pigments, application can be messy and you can end with glitter all over your face.

If you use a primer, instead, you give the powder something to better adhere to so you’ll reduce fallout. Also, use a brush with dense bristles to pat it on, not blend or sweep it but pat it on: this will minimize fallout too. In addition, I found the staying power quite poor without a primer. The first time I wore it (and thank goodness I was just testing it at home), the shade smudged on me and ended up underneath my eyes and I looked like someone had just punched me. A primer will fix that and make it stay put for hours so you won’t need to retouch it.

Just like the Dazzle Dusts, the Fine Glitter Dusts come in small circular pots that are easy to carry around and store. And despite the small size, the pot actually contains a lot product which will probably last you a lifetime. The only problem I have with the packaging is that, being identical to that of the Dazzle Dusts, it’s very easy to get confused between the two.

I actually bought a pot of Fine Glitter Dust ages go (which I’ve since given away) thinking it was a Dazzle Dust, so be careful when purchasing or you may end up with the wrong product. Mind you, both are of excellent quality so you’ll probably end up enjoying the product anyway, but still it’s better not going home with something different from you wanted to purchase, isn’t it?

Summary
Overall, I love Barry M Fine Glitter Dusts. The shades are pigmented, intense and can be used almost anywhere on your face and body for a glitzy and sparkling effect. The powder is soft to the touch and the glitter fine, but like with all pigments fall out can occur when you apply them. In addition, they need to be retouched often if used without a primer.

Rating: 4/5

Tagged as: barry m, eyeshadow