Melt Cosmetics Gold Ore Digital Dust Highlight Review, Photos, Swatches
Gold Ore
Melt Cosmetics Gold Ore Digital Dust Highlight ($39.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a medium gold with warm, orange undertones and a sparkling finish. There were larger sparkles/micro-glittrers in the powder, so while it had a shinier, metallic finish, there were noticeable sparkles that sat on the skin, too. The texture was smooth to the touch but dense and firmer, so there was no excess product kicked up but a moderately dense or moderate-to-heavy hand was needed to pickup product. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation that applied evenly to bare skin and blended out well. The powder emphasized my skin’s texture just slightly when worn at semi-opaque or higher coverage. It wore well for eight hours on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Wet 'n' Wild Golden Flower Crown (P, $4.99) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Bigger and Better (LE, $12.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Dose of Colors Gold is the New Black (P, $28.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop On the Loose (PiP, $12.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Ciate Celestial (P, $32.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Goddess Glow (P, $5.99) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Boomin' (LE, $7.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Oh, Darling! (P, $42.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Gold Bullion (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Persona Zuma (P, $24.00) is lighter (95% similar).
Formula Overview
$39.00/0.28 oz. - $139.29 Per Ounce
The brand doesn't have a great description of the highlighter formula generally, just descriptions of each shade. The lightest shade--Stargazer--is described as "buildable" but the other two are silent with respect to pigmentation, and the lightest shade was quite pigmented. Since there was no general description, I'm holding the formula to the average powder highlighter's claims--pigmented, long-wearing, and blendable, except Stargazer, which I would expect to have "buildable" pigmentation. The formula has a denser, firmer texture, but it never felt stiff nor was it difficult to blend out on the skin. The coverage was semi-opaque and buildable with a high-shine to metallic finish. All three lasted eight hours on me.
Browse all of our Melt Cosmetics Digital Dust Highlight swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexlgycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-DI-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Xanthan Gum, Tin Oxide, Silica, Dicalcium Phosphate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492)
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.
Super pretty, and rather natural looking, shade! What I found to be very interesting was how many WnW dupes there are, and those are far less expensive and actually look higher quality. If I see it while I’m out and about, I may just buy that Goddess Glow!
I noticed you didn’t comment on any micro glitter in the other shades; is this the only one that has it?
It was the only one that I could see any in, yes.
This is actually too dark for me to wear as a highlight without a fake tan, but it was the first of the Melt highlight’s that I purchased. Love it to pieces, chunkier shimmer and all.
Christine, love your lipstick…and the highlighter isn’t bad either ?
This is my favorite highlight that I own! It doesn’t look glittery on me and I get compliments on my skin every time I wear it!