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Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating) Review, Photos, Swatches

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Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)
Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating)

Blossom

Cover FX Blossom Custom Enhancer Drops ($42.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is a light-medium rose gold with warm, coppery undertones and a pearly sheen. The shimmer seemed slightly finer than the original shades launched in the formula, though when applied more heavily, it yielded a more metallic sheen on the skin–it just didn’t emphasize pores at all.

The Custom Enhancer Drops formula is supposed to a “buildable highlight” that can be used alone (“even on top of powder”) or mixed in with base products (like foundation, primer, or moisturizer). For a more extensive overview of how I’ve used the formula in different ways, check out my original reviews here. The formula tends to be buildable but plenty pigmented, and I find that so much of how it applies and whether it looks intense or subdued is in the application (more so than the average product).

The consistency was lightweight, thin without being watery (though thinner than past shades), and spread well across the skin without disturbing base products (as well as worked just fine over my bare skin or mixed with base products). The pigmentation varied from semi-sheer to opaque, depending on application method and how much product one used. I didn’t feel like I had to apply a ton to use it as a standalone highlighter nor did I have to be really careful about how much I mixed in with a base product. As a cheek highlighter, it wore well for almost nine hours on me.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Formula Overview

$42.00/0.5 oz. - $84.00 Per Ounce

Custom Enhancer Drops are a liquid formula that can add a “highlighting, strobing, or bronzing effect” to your favorite liquid products or used alone on top of (or underneath) your other products (including powder); two of the six shades are bronzing and four are more shimmery/metallic for highlighting. It is a buildable coverage product, so that you can use as many or as few drops as desired for the effect (and it will depend on how you use it; mixing with a moisturizer for all-over may require less product than spot application on cheeks after other makeup is applied!).

These are similar to formulas like Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer (runs a bit sheerer overall, less buildable), Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (Liquid) (much sheerer), and NARS Illuminators (sheerer, usually contains larger shimmer/glitter particles). The major difference is the intensity of the pearl and buildability in coverage (easier to get to full coverage but still easy to retain sheer coverage).

What’s neat about these is that they are versatile as you want them to be; they really do perform well mixed with various liquid and cream products (moisturizer, foundation, tinted moisturizer, primer) while also working under and over makeup, and they really are buildable from sheer to opaque coverage. Initially, the formula might seem incredibly pigmented, but the thin, liquid consistency makes it very easy to sheer out.

They are actually sheerer than they seem upon initial swatching or application, as the consistency naturally creates a sheerer layer as soon as you work it across the skin. That being said, unless you’re mixing with a base product, one drop is likely overkill for spot application. These have a strong sheen but very fine shimmer, so it produces more of a pearly, glowing effect on the skin–lightly dewy with moderate shine and some noticeable shimmer.

They dry down within 10-15 seconds of blending out the product and feel like a powder but with better hold (I get almost no transfer, and it doesn’t noticeably lift or move), so the sheen you see is from a damp or wet product, it’s the reflective quality of the pearl. You can, however, build these up to opaque coverage, and at that level, some of the shimmery shades can emphasize the texture of the skin.

The formula also wore well on me, ranging from eight to ten hours with minimal signs of fading. I’d expect that this formula will work for someone who likes moderate highlighters with luminous, shiny, pearly finishes or likes all-over warmth (in the case of the bronzing shades) with a satin-to-matte finish.

Alone: I’ve patted them over bare skin, liquid foundation, and liquid foundation with setting powder on top. For best results, I like to tap my brush against the applicator (not even using the droplet applicator to get a drop out) and then stipple the product onto the skin. I tend to apply both my bronzers and highlighters more along the cheek areas, so I would stipple a few times along my cheeks or cheekbones and then lightly buff in small circles. It worked equally well just dabbing my fingertips against my skin and using the side of my fingertip to sweep and blend the product out. I was particularly impressed by how well it applied over powder, as the sheerer, smooth texture didn’t disrupt base products and move foundation or turn the area patchy. When testing for wear, I used its longevity on bare skin as my major measure for the rating, but I did wear the shades mixed in and layered with a multitude of products to ensure that the formula wasn’t prone to shortening the wear of other products.

Mixed with Primer: I tried it with both water and silicone-based primers, and I had no preference for one over the other with respect to these drops. I used one to two drops for all-over luminosity; I preferred one drop myself, as it gave me a dewier finish that wasn’t over-the-top for my preference. If you wear a lighter-coverage base on top of primer, mixing with primer could work for all-over glow/warmth, but if you wear light-medium or heavier coverage, I would suggest mixing with your foundation or applying on top of your foundation as it gets lost under heavier coverage.

Mixed with Foundation: I tried it with tinted moisturizer, sheer coverage foundation, medium coverage foundation, and full coverage foundation. In general, heavier coverage foundations are a bit thicker than the ultra sheer formulas. I found one to drops was sufficient with tinted to medium coverage formulas, while full coverage was less receptive–it made the foundation dewier but wasn’t as luminous as with lighter coverage foundations. If I wore full coverage foundation, I preferred this patted on top at the end, rather than mixed.

Mixed with Moisturizer: Like primer, this method works well when you skip foundation or wear lighter coverage foundation. I can imagine this combination working well for those with flatter or more matte skin naturally, as it gives noticeable luminosity and dewiness. While I didn’t personally like the level of sheen it gave my face when mixed with moisturizer, I loved it for body–particularly on shoulders and decolletage. It is also gorgeous on legs. I really liked mixing one of the highlighting shades with a bronzing shade for a little color, warmth, and sheen on legs.

Browse all of our Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops (Illuminating) swatches.

Ingredients

Dimethicone, Synthetic Wax, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Silica,Polybutene, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Trimethylsiloxysilicate/DimethiconolCrosspolymer, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Silica Silylate, PentaerythritylTetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate. May Contain:Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).

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.

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Lingerie de Peau Foundation
  • Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder
  • Tom Ford Paradise Lust Sheer Blush Duo
  • Anastasia 143 Highlighter
On eyes:
  • Anastasia x Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit
  • Anastasia Blazing Eyeshadow
  • Anastasia Sateen Eyeshadow
  • Urban Decay Scorch Eyeliner
  • Marc Jacobs Beauty Earthquake Eyeliner
On lips:
  • Estee Lauder Naked Truth Hi-Lustre Pure Color Envy Lipstick
  • Bite Beauty Champagne Pearl Crème Lip Gloss

26 Comments

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Comments on this post are closed.
Zoe Avatar

I am really liking this shade. I have textured skin so I am going to try out liquids as opposed to powders (I’ve noticed that the texture in my skin is exaggerated with powders). If anyone has other recommends please share!

Katherine T. Avatar

wow, this is really pretty! Looks like the perfect mix of rose, gold, and bronze. I really wish they would come out with a mini kit with variety of shades

Celia Avatar

Looooove Blossom. It’s so great as a blusher or blushtopper. Plus it makes Halo, which has a slightly rougher texture vs the others I have and isn’t as opaque, much more wearable with more of a holo effect.

kjh Avatar

How lovely. Despite having a few cover fx products, I haven’t gone with any of these. Been doing mix-ins to tweak TM, bb, foundation since before the highlighter frenzy started. Wasn’t that 1593? It seems it. This clearly would do well as either. Pretty is barely in my vocabulary, but this epitomizes pretty. Think it’s a pretty universal light rose gold that would flatter most skintones. Predict a winner here!

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