Fenty Beauty Unicorn Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick Review, Photos, Swatches
Unicorn
Fenty Beauty Unicorn Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick ($25.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a muted, medium lavender with subtle, cool undertones and a pearly sheen. It had semi-sheer coverage that was buildable to semi-opaque coverage. Applied to my skin, it seemed to go on a bit lighter overall with how it reflected light.
The texture was thin, definitely cream-to-powder where it felt more powder-like as soon as I started to apply it to the skin. It had just a bit of slip but needed to be warmed up for best application or else it did not apply as evenly or lifted up base products (if applied on top of them). The product definitely was most foolproof to use over bare skin, but it was workable over base with fingertips or a stippling brush, though it was harder to get even, pigmented coverage with a brush. This shade lasted for eight hours on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Fenty Beauty 7daywknd (PiP, $36.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Give Me Glow Fantasy Fairy (P, $17.25) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Still Loading (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Coloured Raine Lavender Dreams (P, $25.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Black Tie (LE, $8.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Kevyn Aucoin Ibiza (Right) (PiP, $44.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Ultraviolet #1 (LE, $22.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Give Me Glow Welcome to My Dollhouse (P, $17.25) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop Rocket Science (P, $10.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop Hippo (P, $10.00) is lighter (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$25.00/0.25 oz. - $100.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be long-wearing with a “light-as-air,” “blendable” texture that “lives to be layered." They twist-up and are medium-sized with a domed edge. I found that applying to my fingertips worked better than direct application, as it enabled me greater control over coverage level as well as placement, and if you tend to apply over foundation, then this will help keep the Match Stix cleaner, too.
The texture was thin, and it did seem to go from a “cream” in the tube to a more powder-like product once on the skin. They were fairly blendable with a few being more sparkly with less visible base color, which may not be for everyone, and others had a more pearl-like sheen that didn’t emphasize my skin’s natural texture. Most shades applied and blended out without lifting up foundation or pulling into pores (over bare skin), but the ones that did tended to have larger particles in them. They lasted between six and eight hours on me.
A problem I had throughout just swatching each shade on my cheeks for photos was that whatever was exposed was a bit dry, more powdery to the touch, and I felt like I had to really warm the product up and/or swipe it back and forth on the back of my hand to refresh the texture. This is not uncommon with drier, cream-based formulas, but it's still a downside and an area that could be improved upon. Some shades were very pigmented, others were medium and buildable, and a couple were sheerer.
Browse all of our Fenty Beauty Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick swatches.
Ingredients
MICA, ETHYLHEXYL ISONONANOATE, OCTYLDODECANOL, POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE, SUCROSE ACETATE ISOBUTYRATE, C20-40 ALCOHOLS, TRIBEHENIN, PARAFFIN, POLYETHYLENE, VP/EICOSENE COPOLYMER, VP/HEXADECENE COPOLYMER, DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, CERA MICROCRISTALLINA/MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX/CIRE MICROCRISTALLINE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, PHENOXYETHANOL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, TOCOPHEROL, ISOSTEARYL ALCOHOL, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, MALIC ACID, CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, SILICA, TIN OXIDE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007), BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
I really like the colour of this!!
My skin is looking okay bare these days but I’m not sure how this would look on my rosacea days, which is like 4 days a week…
I don’t need this since I have Kevyn Aucoin Ibiza (which is pretty awesome), but if the brand had made this color in powder formula instead and put it in a duo with Confetti, I would have been all over it anyway! Love purple-y highlights, HATE cream formulas!
Also hate cream formulas…this one looks cute but cream is a turn off.
cream VERY rarely work with other face products other than cream foundations. I think those two together would have been brilliant. 😉
An interesting shade that would work with some complexions, but just an average rating.
Really a beautiful shade of lavender! Not something that I believe would look quite right on my cheeks, but if it does dry down completely, I’d use it as an eyeshadow!
I like the idea of a purple cream highlighter, but not sure this will be the one for me.
Agree that it’s pretty, but I just can see what I’d use this for except a fantasy look for a special occasion. Does it give some peps over lipstick perhaps?
Looks awesome with clear gloss 🙂
That’s very pretty on you!