Kosas Velvet Melon High Intensity Color & Light Palette Review & Swatches
Velvet Melon (High Intensity)
Kosas Velvet Melon (High Intensity) Color and Light Palette ($34.00 for 0.32 oz.) is the “double the pigment” version that offers a deeper coral blush with a peachy highlighter. Both shades were deeper and more pigmented than the sheerer version of the duo. I didn’t have any issues applying either shade over bare skin or over foundation, though the blush was definitely deeper and pigmented enough that a lighter hand might be the way to go until you’ve figured out how much you need/want in an application.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Formula Overview
$34.00/0.32 oz. - $106.25 Per Ounce
Each shade in the range has two levels of color intensity; each shade has a "High Intensity" version, which offers "double the pigment" compared to the regular shade (which has less intense, more "buildable" coverage). The formula is supposed to offer "easy-to-apply, blendable" blush that is paired with a "complementary" highlighter with.
In my experience, the High Intensity version offered greater pigmentation but also offered a more saturated take on the color scheme; it felt more like making a certain color combination work for both lighter and deeper complexions rather than just doubling up on the pigment. The regular shades were semi-sheer to medium coverage and were buildable. The High Intensity shades were definitely higher coverage and typically ran semi-opaque to opaque.
The consistency was creamy with moderate slip and felt like a traditional cream brush (wet to the touch, emollient, and thin). They applied well to bare skin as well as over foundation for the most part, though a few shades could have been more foolproof to work with over base products. The more shimmery shades (like highlighters) felt slightly more emollient compared to more cream-finish shades (like blushes).
As they're a creamier product, they sheer out and blend quite well during application, so one often needs to pat on a second layer to amp up the coverage (rather than applying more heavily) if higher coverage is desired (less necessary with High Intensity shades).
The formula dried down for the most part but didn't look totally flat or matte. As a result, they didn't slide around too easily during wear on my skin. Most shades started to show signs of fading after seven to eight hours of wear, which is average most cheek colors for me.
Browse all of our Kosas Color and Light Palette swatches.
Ingredients
Velvet Melon (High Intensity)
PPermanent. $34.00.
Velvet Melon (High Intensity) (Blush)
Velvet Melon (High Intensity) (Blush) is a brighter, medium-dark coral with moderate, warm undertones and a natural sheen. It seemed to have very fine pearl throughout that gave it a more natural finish without making it a true, shimmer finish. It had opaque color coverage in a single layer, and it was the type of pigmentation went a long way.
What I found was that the creamier formula made it more prone to sheering out when applied, so I had to be careful to apply less or else it felt like I had to really diffuse and spread it out for an even blend (which gave me blush in a greater area than I wanted). It was a bit easier to work with by patting onto the apples of cheeks, diffusing gently, and then tapping more product on if necessary. Thankfully, the product was quite blendable! It stayed on well for eight and a half hours before showing signs of fading.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- NARS Torrid (P, $30.00) is less shimmery, darker, less glossy (95% similar).
- Rare Beauty Worth (LE, $23.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Rare Beauty Joy (P, $23.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ILIA Dreamer (P, $34.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop 25/8 (P, $8.00) is darker, cooler, glossier (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Warm (Winter 2016) Blush (LE, $60.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Dior Coral Flight (462) (LE, $48.00) is less shimmery, cooler, less glossy (85% similar).
- NARS Make You Mine (LE, $30.00) is lighter, cooler, less glossy (85% similar).
- Pretty Vulgar Sweet Revenge (P, $26.00) is less shimmery, lighter, less glossy (85% similar).
- Phytosurgence Singe (P, $17.07) is less shimmery, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
-
Each shade in the range has two levels of color intensity; each shade has a "High Intensity" version, which offers "double the pigment" compared to the regular shade (which has less intense, more "buildable" coverage). The formula is supposed to offer "easy-to-apply, blendable" blush that is paired with a "complementary" highlighter with.
In my experience, the High Intensity version offered greater pigmentation but also offered a more saturated take on the color scheme; it felt more like making a certain color combination work for both lighter and deeper complexions rather than just doubling up on the pigment. The regular shades were semi-sheer to medium coverage and were buildable. The High Intensity shades were definitely higher coverage and typically ran semi-opaque to opaque.
The consistency was creamy with moderate slip and felt like a traditional cream brush (wet to the touch, emollient, and thin). They applied well to bare skin as well as over foundation for the most part, though a few shades could have been more foolproof to work with over base products. The more shimmery shades (like highlighters) felt slightly more emollient compared to more cream-finish shades (like blushes).
As they're a creamier product, they sheer out and blend quite well during application, so one often needs to pat on a second layer to amp up the coverage (rather than applying more heavily) if higher coverage is desired (less necessary with High Intensity shades).
The formula dried down for the most part but didn't look totally flat or matte. As a result, they didn't slide around too easily during wear on my skin. Most shades started to show signs of fading after seven to eight hours of wear, which is average most cheek colors for me.
Browse all of our Kosas Cream Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Microcrystalline Wax, C10-18 Triglycerides, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax; Caprylyl Glycol, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sujnflower) Extract, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, [+/ -: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Yellow 5 (CI 19140)]
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.
Velvet Melon (High Intensity) (Blush)
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Velvet Melon (High Intensity) (Highlighter)
Velvet Melon (High Intensity) (Highlighter) is a light-medium, peachy orange with warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It had a noticeable glow but didn’t appear metallic, and the shimmer was finer so it didn’t emphasize my skin’s natural texture.
It had good color coverage in a single layer that sheered out slightly when applied to bare skin, but it built up to full coverage with a second layer. The texture felt thin, creamy with moderate slip, and it stayed cream-like when it came into contact with my skin but dried down after 30 seconds or so. The product applied evenly to bare skin and blended out well, and I didn’t find it prone to lifting up base products. It wore well for eight hours before fading visibly on my skin.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Milani Dayglow (P, $10.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Chanel Warm Gold (20) (P, $58.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Nudegasm (Super Glow) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Highly Waisted (P, $10.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- MAC Highlighter (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Morphe Spark (P, $14.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Jouer Citrine (PiP, $24.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Kill (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Chanel Rosy Gold (30) (P, $58.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Fire (LE, $10.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
Each shade in the range has two levels of color intensity; each shade has a "High Intensity" version, which offers "double the pigment" compared to the regular shade (which has less intense, more "buildable" coverage). The formula is supposed to offer "easy-to-apply, blendable" blush that is paired with a "complementary" highlighter with.
In my experience, the High Intensity version offered greater pigmentation but also offered a more saturated take on the color scheme; it felt more like making a certain color combination work for both lighter and deeper complexions rather than just doubling up on the pigment. The regular shades were semi-sheer to medium coverage and were buildable. The High Intensity shades were definitely higher coverage and typically ran semi-opaque to opaque.
The consistency was creamy with moderate slip and felt like a traditional cream brush (wet to the touch, emollient, and thin). They applied well to bare skin as well as over foundation for the most part, though a few shades could have been more foolproof to work with over base products. The more shimmery shades (like highlighters) felt slightly more emollient compared to more cream-finish shades (like blushes).
As they're a creamier product, they sheer out and blend quite well during application, so one often needs to pat on a second layer to amp up the coverage (rather than applying more heavily) if higher coverage is desired (less necessary with High Intensity shades).
The formula dried down for the most part but didn't look totally flat or matte. As a result, they didn't slide around too easily during wear on my skin. Most shades started to show signs of fading after seven to eight hours of wear, which is average most cheek colors for me.
Browse all of our Kosas Cream Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Microcrystalline Wax, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, C10-18 Triglycerides, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax; Caprylyl Glycol, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, [+/ -: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850)]
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.
Oh my gosh, I love this duo of shades a lot! Too bad I have dupes. I’m going to have to try setting my Flower Melon with Nars Bowery to see if that will give Melon better staying power on me, since my cheeks seem to “eat” the Flower cream blushes. Also going to use my old CP Highly Waisted highlighter in conjunction with it to see how I like that combo.
This is a lovely duo. I don’t generally buy or wear anything this shade but I do like this and would be tempted to try it out if there wasn’t an embargo on swatching in stores or if it was available to swatch in any store! It looks very pretty on you, Christine.
I absolutely love this!
I think you would need a really light hand in applying the first shade of the blush, the colour is so intense. I have a feeling that the intense shades are a little too intense. The highlighter shade is gorgeous.