Melt Cosmetics Gamma Ray Blushlight (Trio) Review & Swatches
Gamma Ray
Melt Cosmetics Gamma Ray Blushlight (Trio) ($22.00 for 0.28 oz.) is one of those products that is supposed to work well on eyes and cheeks, but it doesn’t work well on either. The texture was too heavy, silicone-heavy, and firmly-pressed in the pan, so what product came off the pan was clumpy and thick, which resulted in emphasizing texture on my skin, whether lids or cheeks.
It also made the product harder to diffuse and spread across the skin, which is why it was so spectacularly patchy on my cheeks. You could not wear this over foundation at all; it only looked decent in photos because it’s applied over bare skin, but so much blending and manipulating has to be done that it would lift up all of your base products if it was done over foundation.
Ingredients
Gamma Ray
LELimited Edition. $22.00.
Gamma Ray #1
Gamma Ray #1 is a pale, pink-peach with a golden shimmer and sparkle to it. It didn’t seem so bad when initially swatched; a little heavier, thicker, and almost overly emollient, but applied to my skin, it was chunky. It didn’t diffuse or blend well as the powder moved and clumped up on itself and left behind bald patches and areas that were thickened with product–it was an ugly sight to behold!
I tried to apply it to my eye area with a fingertip as well as a wet brush but could not get decent results. When applied to my cheeks, it emphasized my skin texture, separated into small, patchy bits, and it was horrendous over foundation (only usable, if you stand five feet away from everyone else at all times, over bare skin). It had semi-opaque pigmentation that stayed on decently for six hours on eyes and seven hours on my cheeks.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Sephora Seashell (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- LORAC Dream Girl #10 (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Glitz (DC, $21.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Lancome Rose Satin (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- NARS Aeryn Sun (DC, $25.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Manipulative (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Smashbox Opal Rose (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Chanel Tisse d'Automne #2 (P, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy (DC, $19.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Natasha Denona Golden Beige (52M) (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, darker (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
Zinc Stearate, Mica, Silica, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Phenoxyethanol, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylyl Silane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Carmine Ci 75470, Yellow 6 Lake Ci 15985, Iron Oxide Ci 77491
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.
Gamma Ray #1
LELimited Edition. $22.00.
Gamma Ray #2
Gamma Ray #2 is a light, tangerine orange with strong, warm yellow undertones and flecks of gold sparkle and fine pearl that shifted from peach to pink. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that built up poorly, as the texture was thick, chunky, and powdery. It sat poorly on my skin, whether that was on my eye or on my cheeks; it diffused terribly and looked patchy, almost clump, so it added texture and emphasized skin texture/lid texture. It wore well for six hours on eyes and seven hours on my cheeks before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Clionadh Cookie (LE, $6.25) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop One by One (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Starshine (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Flipper (P, $6.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC Gingerluxe #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Warm Wash #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS St-Paul-de-Vence (Left) (DC, $25.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Alexandra (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Trouble (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Morning Light (LE, $9.00) is darker, cooler (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
Zinc Stearate, Mica, Silica, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Phenoxyethanol, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylyl Silane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Carmine Ci 75470, Yellow 6 Lake Ci 15985, Iron Oxide Ci 77491
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.
Gamma Ray #2
LELimited Edition. $22.00.
Gamma Ray #3
Gamma Ray #3 is a bright, fiery coral with warm, red undertones and a copper sheen. It was intensely pigmented with a very dense, firm texture that was heavy and thick in all the wrong ways. You’d think it would apply decently as an eyeshadow, but it was so difficult to pick up with an eye brush and adhered in a thin, very muted layer of product that did not blend out or spread well over my lid. As a cheek product, it clung to my skin and was loathe to spread out, and so I ended up with the shimmer spreading out more readily than the base color, which resulted in a patchy, uneven application of color. The color lasted well for seven hours on my cheek and five hours on my lid.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Shy Guy (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Ace Beaute Orchid (DC, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Vertigo (P, $5.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Do Your Thing (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop Blitzen (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop Rumours (P, $7.00) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Daiquiri Dip (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, cooler (85% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Go Getter (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop Motel (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Glaminatrix Tropical (P, $8.04) is cooler (80% 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
Zinc Stearate, Mica, Silica, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Phenoxyethanol, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylyl Silane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Carmine Ci 75470, Yellow 6 Lake Ci 15985, Iron Oxide Ci 77491
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.
It had such potential!!!!! It’s super pretty to look at and even the swatches don’t look terrible but ugh.
I just bought Genesis but I haven’t tried it yet, fingers crossed it performs better than this!
Genesis is totally different (and better)! https://www.temptalia.com/melt-cosmetics-genesis-digital-dust-highlight-review-swatches/
Whew! (wipes forehead in relief!)
I’m going to try it tomorrow over the Nevermore blush and see how that goes.
🙂 😉 😀
Such pretty corals! Such a shame about the awful formula.
I didn’t have as much problem spreading this one as the other one, but my skin is oily. The major issue I had was picking up so much of it with a brush. I’m kind of at a loss what to do with both of these.
Did they not do testing? Quality control? Did someone just go “screw it they look cool so people will buy anyways”? So disappointing.
If there’s such a thing as an F-, this deserves it! Ye gads, it’s that baaaad. And yet I thought for sure it would do better than the other purple trio, I sure was wrong.
Looks like an epic miss on the cheek palettes from Melt. They are pretty to look at though!
That’s too bad! The colors were so eye-catching.
I like those kinds of blushes, that have a few shades (perhaps not as bright as the orangey shade), but this one is an epic fail.
So pretty
Why so bad 🙁
Aww. I was expecting this would perform better than its counterpart, if only for the lack of pesky purples. Oh well.
Thanks for the review, Christine!
Too bad about the formula, the color is so pretty when they are swirled together. Any ideas on dupes for the three shades combined? The dupe list only seems to have them listed separately.
Funny how you say this is silicone-heavy. It’s their first cheek product with silicones in the formulation (yeah, I have to pay attention to that stuff). Sounds like it wasn’t a good first-go at it.
Sephora must groan when this happens. Lots of people will buy this on their website and lots of unhappy people will return it. A hassle for everyone involved: All because Melt released it in the first place. I’m not familiar with this line, but I wonder if all the companies are under enormous pressure to manufacture and release as fast as possible — regardless of questionable quality. Maybe there’s enough profit in it not to care about the percentage that may be returned. It all seems like a gigantic waste of money and time to me.
I probably would have been one of the people buying and then returning at least one of these shadows, if it weren’t for this blog. I rarely buy anything anymore without waiting for the review here.
Seems reasonable that, despite the waste, there’s probably a decent enough margin that they don’t care about returns. And who knows why people buy stuff. I have some MAC blushes and shadows that I only bought because they looked so pretty and I’ve yet to even swatch them. I didn’t care about performance ?♀️
You look like you want to LOL in these pics!
You almost made me snort laugh my morning coffee… yeegads..
Ha ha, I just realised some of your titles say “gammy” ray instead of gamma – where I’m from gammy means “not quite right” or a “bit painful” so it’s appropriate either way, LOL.
Let it stand 😉 😀
Oh, I’m so sorry!! Fixing now.
Eh, no need to apologise – I thought it was really funny! And somewhat appropriate, sigh… I wanted so badly to like this one…
🙂
I’m so glad I didn’t impulsively buy this!
Wow, sounds awful! I find the two shimmers in Melt’s Gemini palette to be chunky and hard to spread evenly on the lid (when I swatch them on my arm there are literal chunks of pigment over a sheer base, looks so nasty). Thankfully the palette is mostly matte so I still enjoy it, but I wonder if this trio has a similar formula to those shimmers.