Melt Cosmetics Ultraviolet Blushlight (Trio) Review & Swatches
Ultraviolet
Melt Cosmetics Ultraviolet Blushlight (Trio) ($22.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a jumbo-sized blush compact that contains a pan that’s been split into three distinctive shades. The brand says that it can be used “on face and around eyes as desired” (I wonder if “around” is code for “not for the immediate eye area,” though). As a blush formula, the heavy, denser, and thicker consistency made it difficult to pick up product, left them often looking thick and textured on my cheeks, and ranged from “make it stop” to “don’t apply in a rush” levels of difficulty.
They were pigmented, but they were extremely difficult to apply and blend out on my cheeks, which made me think that they’d be more workable as eyeshadows. The sparkling purple was a total failure across the board, while I had better success with the other two shades, but I’d never want to use these again–far too much effort and not enough reward.
Each shade is physically large enough for a small blush brush or a tapered highlighter to fit easily into them, so the shades were usable as individual hues.
Ingredients
Look Using this Product
Ultraviolet
LELimited Edition. $22.00.
Ultraviolet #1
Ultraviolet #1 is a light-medium purple with subtle, cool undertones and a heavy, frosted finish. It had a denser, thick consistency that felt more emollient but was really hard to apply evenly to bare skin (or over primer for that matter) whether as an eyeshadow or as a cheek color. I had a hard time discerning whether it was worse on my eyes or on my cheeks–it was patchy, uneven, and emphasized all texture on my cheeks, while on my lids, it emphasized texture, creased within four hours, and looked like a patchy mess that couldn’t be resolved with furious blending and flat brushes or even being used wet. It lasted longer as a cheek color with seven and a half hour wear, but it performed worse over foundation (ate my foundation around the six-hour mark).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Sydney Grace Wish (P, $8.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Flash (DC, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Danessa Myricks Rebirth (P, $18.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Mythical (P, $6.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Kaleidos Glowing Iris (Radiate) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Unleashed (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Royal Calyx (P, $4.99) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Druggie (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
- ColourPop Nouveau (Fade Into Hue) (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- Viseart Coy #8 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$22.00/0.13 oz. - $169.23 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be buildable and can be worn alone or layered with other blushes. I'd consider it a more pigmented blush formula; a few shades are soft and yielding enough to be used with a lighter hand or less-dense brush for sheerer, more buildable application, but most shades were semi-opaque to opaque in one layer. The texture ranged from smooth, lightly creamy to soft and slightly powdery (though finely-milled and silky to the touch!). They blended out fairly well, though a few shades could have been more blendable, and most shades lasted between seven and eight hours on me.
Browse all of our Melt Cosmetics Blushlight swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Lauroyl Lysine, Zinc Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Dimethicone, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Phenoxyethanol, Tin Oxide. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Iron Oxide Ci 77491, Manganese Violet Ci 77742, Red 27 Lake Ci 45410, Iron Blue Cl 77510.
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.
Look Using this Product
Ultraviolet #1
LELimited Edition. $22.00.
Ultraviolet #2
Ultraviolet #2 is a bright, medium fuchsia pink with cool, blue undertones and flecks of larger lavender and violet glitter. It had opaque pigmentation in a single layer, though the powder was incredibly dense and firm, so I had to really jab and push my brush against the surface to get enough product onto my brush to begin with. In a way, this made it a bit easier to apply as a cheek color as it didn’t load up on my brush so I could apply and blend it out, then build up color.
I found that the thicker texture tended to emphasize my skin texture and made the product clump up in some places. It wore well for nine hours as a cheek color, though the glitter traveled over time. As an eyeshadow, there was some fallout within two hours of wear but lasted for a solid seven hours overall, but the color went on evenly and blended out without too much effort.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Viseart Boheme Dream #7 (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Huda Beauty Amethyst #9 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Fame Game (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Neon Pink #9 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Jump Turn (LE, $8.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop 2 Cute (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Ivy League (P, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Viseart Interstellar (GPV2 #25) (P, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Christmas Town (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Solstice with the Mostest (P, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$22.00/0.13 oz. - $169.23 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be buildable and can be worn alone or layered with other blushes. I'd consider it a more pigmented blush formula; a few shades are soft and yielding enough to be used with a lighter hand or less-dense brush for sheerer, more buildable application, but most shades were semi-opaque to opaque in one layer. The texture ranged from smooth, lightly creamy to soft and slightly powdery (though finely-milled and silky to the touch!). They blended out fairly well, though a few shades could have been more blendable, and most shades lasted between seven and eight hours on me.
Browse all of our Melt Cosmetics Blushlight swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Lauroyl Lysine, Zinc Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Dimethicone, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Phenoxyethanol, Tin Oxide. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Iron Oxide Ci 77491, Manganese Violet Ci 77742, Red 27 Lake Ci 45410, Iron Blue Cl 77510.
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.
Look Using this Product
Ultraviolet #2
LELimited Edition. $22.00.
Ultraviolet #3
Ultraviolet #3 is a medium-dark plum with warmer undertones and a cooler, violet sheen. It had a smoother texture to the touch, but it was quite dense, firm, and stiff to work with, so it had to really be pushed and jabbed into to pick up product. It was difficult to apply the product on my eye as the thinner (yet stiff/firm) texture tended to move around rather than build up or blend out. As a cheek color, it worked similarly, which resulted in an uneven application with areas of heavy color that emphasized my skin texture. It stayed on well for seven hours as an eyeshadow and eight hours as a cheek color.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Paradiso (P, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Bad Habit Red Giant (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Ladies Dancing (P, $6.25) is more shimmery, brighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Finch (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Dominique Cosmetics G*psy (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Clionadh Exotic (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Pandemonium (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop Blackberry Bliss (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Viseart Cotton Candy (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop Wild Thoughts (LE, $5.00) is brighter (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$22.00/0.13 oz. - $169.23 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be buildable and can be worn alone or layered with other blushes. I'd consider it a more pigmented blush formula; a few shades are soft and yielding enough to be used with a lighter hand or less-dense brush for sheerer, more buildable application, but most shades were semi-opaque to opaque in one layer. The texture ranged from smooth, lightly creamy to soft and slightly powdery (though finely-milled and silky to the touch!). They blended out fairly well, though a few shades could have been more blendable, and most shades lasted between seven and eight hours on me.
Browse all of our Melt Cosmetics Blushlight swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Lauroyl Lysine, Zinc Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Dimethicone, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Phenoxyethanol, Tin Oxide. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Iron Oxide Ci 77491, Manganese Violet Ci 77742, Red 27 Lake Ci 45410, Iron Blue Cl 77510.
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 only tried this one once, but the only way I could make it sort of work was with a small stippling brush and only tapping the longest hairs into the middle to pick up some pigment. It wouldn’t spread out much either. I wasn’t sure if it was my lack of skill or the blush itself. Now I know.
I don’t know what they did to the texture, but it is just… hard to use. Sorry it didn’t work well for you either! 🙁
This odd trio gets a big ol’ “H3ll to the NO!” from me. These don’t even look worth the infinite amount of trouble I’m sure these must’ve given you.
Glad I didn’t buy this before the review! Big letdown since it looks so pretty in the pan. Too bad it was so difficult to use.
Oh no, I had high hopes for this one! I’d never use it as a blush (it’s probably a beautiful color for darker skin tones, but I’d look like I’d just been punched in the face), but I’m always on the hunt for bright, shimmery pink and purple eyeshadows.
Me no likey 🙁
Bad purple makes me sad.
Well that’s a big disappointment. These shades would also be beautiful as eyeshadows.
Going off topic here, but your earrings look lovely! Too bad about the quality of the blush because it looks so pretty in the pan. It’s a hard pass!
I was excited for this. I’m glad I waited for the review and didn’t waste my money.
Yea, I thought this whole collection looked like you.
Oh man, I was SO HOPING this would be good! The previews on Instagram were so pretty. Poo.
This is one of those shades that I wouldn’t be able to wear regardless of how it reviewed but I am sad for those who would have rocked it. There are too many great formula’s out there now and people don’t need to settle for something that is just miserable to work with in order to get the shade they want.
Such color story, so pretty
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