Fenty Beauty Butta Brownie Liquid Killawatt Review & Swatches
Butta Brownie
Fenty Beauty Butta Brownie Liquid Killawatt Fluid Freestyle Highlighter ($28.00 for 0.5 oz.) is a deep, reddish-brown base with lighter, golden copper pearl that gave it a soft, pearl-like sheen. This shade had much finer pearl throughout with no larger sparkles that were visible when I looked when I wore this (other shades in the formula had more pronounced sparkles, particularly once applied and sheered out).
The consistency was fluid, smooth, and spreadable with a thinner, somewhat gel-like feel, but it was very quick to dry down so even working one cheek at a time, I wasn’t satisfied with the application as it wasn’t as blended out as I wanted. Trying to work with the formula once it has set resulted in patchiness, which was only exacerbated if applied on top of a foundation. It had semi-sheer, buildable color coverage with a barely-there sheen; I felt like it gave more color than glow, as it did set fully. It wore well for eight hours before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Becca Chocolate Geode (P, $38.00) is more shimmery, more pigmented (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Bronze Glow (P, $48.00) is lighter, more pigmented (90% similar).
- ILIA Showdown (P, $34.00) is more pigmented (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Ignite (P, $20.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Aruba (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker, more pigmented (90% similar).
- Salt New York Gold (P, $16.00) is more shimmery, lighter, more pigmented (85% similar).
- Clionadh Credne (P, $12.50) is more shimmery, more pigmented (85% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Honey Hawtie (P, $28.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Wayne Goss Golden Glow (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Nova (P, $39.00) is more shimmery, darker, more pigmented (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$28.00/0.5 oz. - $56.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "buildable" with a "smooth, superfine fluid" that is "transfer-resistant" and "high-shine." The liquid highlighters come in a squeeze-tube, which dispensed a highly fluid, thin product that spread fairly well across my skin but was very quick to dry down.
The speed in which the formula set on my skin was too fast, as it did not give me enough working time to really diffuse and blend out the product, even working one area at a time. I was able to work faster with fingertips than a brush as the product seemed to dry a bit before I could even get the brush on my face!
As a result, the application was not always as even as I wanted it to be, especially with shades that had larger sparkle particles in them (like Sidechick), so they appeared more glittery with less of an even pearlescent sheen in the background. They were sheer to semi-sheer in coverage, and the fluid consistency made it the kind of formula that was hard to over-apply as it wanted to be spread out and diffused.
The brand used the word "superfine," which made me think of the size of the shimmer/sparkle, and it really depended on the shade as a couple were definitely on the fine side by others were less so. They wore between seven and eight hours before having light migration/fading.
Browse all of our Fenty Beauty Liquid Killawatt Fluid Freestyle Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Aqua/Water/Eau, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Mica, Butylene Glycol, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Propanediol, Phytic Acid, Glycerin, Tin Oxide, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate. May Contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77499), 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.
How strange that this one looks more like a glowing blush instead of a deep bronze highlighter for richer skintones! Then again, perhaps it does when used more heavily on the tops of cheekbones…hmm. Fenty, you have me feeling confused.
What I thought.