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theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette
theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette

theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette ($28.00 for 0.33 oz.) is a slim, travel-friendly palette featuring three of theBalm’s famous highlighters. I’ve loved all three over the years, and to have them in a palette like this is awesome! The quality is exactly the same as the full-sized versions I have: rich, smooth, and buttery textured combined with great color payoff and luminous finishes. The full-sized versions retail for $24.00 and contain 0.30 oz. of product (or $80.00/oz.), so this palette contains $26.40 worth of product. You pay a tiny bit more to try three, but you get three for about the cost of one single shade, and the sizes provided will last quite awhile and are still large enough to get most blush brushes into them.

Mary-Lou Manizer is described as a “honey-hued.” It’s a light-medium, golden champagne with warm undertones and a soft, pearly sheen that gives the skin a luminous glow. The texture is soft, smooth, and blendable on the skin, and the shimmer toes the right side of the line where it doesn’t emphasize pores, but it is a noticeable highlighter. The color wore well for eight and a half hours on me. Huda Beauty Seychelles (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (95% similar). ColourPop A Smile and a Song (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar). Dior Glowing Nude (002) (LE, $58.00) is darker (90% similar). LORAC Twilight (P, $23.00) is cooler (95% similar). Fenty Beauty Mean Money (PiP, $36.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Melt Cosmetics Stargazer (P, $39.00) is lighter (95% similar). Viseart Ablaze (Highlight) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Solar Exposure (Highlighter) (LE, $60.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Huda Beauty Capri (LE, ) is darker (95% similar). Urban Decay Angel (DC, $26.00) is darker (95% similar). Hourglass Champagne Flash (P, $42.00) is cooler (95% similar). IT Cosmetics Hello Light (P, $24.00) is lower quality (95% similar). Tarte Champagne (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar). MAC Born to Dazzle (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). ColourPop Strobe Globe (P, $7.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Chanel Plisse Lumiere de Chanel (LE, $80.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Glow (Original) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar). ColourPop Fine Line (PiP, $12.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). NARS Frenzy (Left) (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar). Cover FX Celestial (LE, ) is less shimmery, cooler (95% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Cindy-Lou Manizer is described as a “peachy pink.” It’s a subdued, light-medium peach with a hint of pink in its undertone and pink shimmer. Of the three, this has the least shimmery finish, though it still produces a soft glow on the skin. It’s one of those products where the sheen becomes more pronounced as the product is blended and worked into the skin. It had good color payoff with a soft, blendable consistency. The texture is less dense (a little thinner) compared to the other two shades. This shade lasted for eight hours on me. MAC Adored (LE, $34.00) is warmer (95% similar). bareMinerals The Magic Moment (LE, $26.00) is darker (95% similar). MAC Rose Gold FX (LE, $31.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). MAC Nuanced (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). MAC Lust (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar). MAC Talk of the Town (LE, $29.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (95% similar). Laura Mercier Rosé (LE, $42.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar). MAC Sunny Surprise (LE, $22.00) is lighter (85% similar). MAC Coupe d'Chic (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar). Guerlain Perles d'Etoiles (LE, $60.00) is warmer (85% similar). Benefit Rockateur (P, $29.00) is less shimmery, darker (80% similar). MAC Luna Luster (LE, $34.00) is lighter, cooler (80% similar). Chanel Metal Peach (LE, $80.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (80% similar). ColourPop Swipe Right (LE, $12.00) is less shimmery, lighter (80% similar). bareMinerals The Many Splendors #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (80% similar). The Estee Edit Gleam (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Betty-Lou Manizer is described as a “sun-kissed glow.” It’s a medium-dark brown with warm undertones and a golden, frosted sheen. It is intensely pigmented with a lush, buttery, dense texture that applies beautifully and blends out with ease. It has a strong sheen, but it doesn’t emphasize pores. The color wore well for almost nine hours on me. Anastasia Bronzed (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar). Cover FX Candlelight (P, $42.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Jolie (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Tarte Carat (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Guerlain Terra India (LE, $53.00) is less shimmery (90% similar). MAC Cloudy Copper (LE, $31.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar). By Terry Light & Tan Vibes #1 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar). Urban Decay Sesso (Bronzer) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar). Becca Topaz (DC, $38.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Tropic Like It's Hot (PiP, ) is less shimmery, cooler (85% similar). Too Faced Sun Bunny #1 (PiP, ) is lighter (85% similar). MAC Gold Deposit (P, $34.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar). Laura Geller Sunswept (P, $28.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (85% similar). MAC Desert Roadtrip (LE, $21.00) is lighter (85% similar). ColourPop Candyman (P, $10.00) is darker (85% similar). Too Faced Sun Bunny (Right) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar). ColourPop Santos (LE, $8.00) is lighter, cooler (85% similar). Makeup Revolution Rock on World (P, $6.00) is less shimmery, cooler (85% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Mary-Lou Manizer

PiPPermanent in Palette. $24.00.
A
A
10
Product
10
Pigmentation
10
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
98%
Total

See more photos & swatches!

theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette
theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette

theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette
theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette

theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette
theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette

theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette
theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette

theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette
theBalm The Manizer Sisters Luminizing Palette

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Luminizer
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Luminizer

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Luminizer
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Luminizer

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Luminizer
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Luminizer

theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer Luminizer
theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer Luminizer

theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer Luminizer
theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer Luminizer

theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer Luminizer
theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer Luminizer

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer Bronzer/Shadow
theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer Bronzer/Shadow

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer Bronzer/Shadow
theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer Bronzer/Shadow

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer Bronzer/Shadow
theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer Bronzer/Shadow

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Parure Gold
  • Urban Decay Naked Loose Setting Powder
  • Anastasia Peach Nectar Illuminator
On eyes:
  • Sephora Welcome to My Loft Eyeliner
On lips:
  • Charlotte Tilbury Amazing Grace Matte Revolution Lipstick

70 Comments

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Nicole Avatar

This is so adorable! I wish they would have put this out sooner. I have Mary and Cindy-Lou. But, not Betty-Lou. I really love Betty-Lou now that I see it on you. I love it as a blush. I’m thinking about getting this. It would be great to have for travel, like you said, and for convenience. Plus, the packaging is just to darn cute and the Balm is on check with prices.

Nicole Avatar

I have a narrow Hakuhodo one. I ordered this earlier. But, then I just noticed the comments about the powders being too soft for travel. Making me wonder if since I have the other two, maybe I would be better off getting Betty-Lou in a full size because I was thinking it would be good for travel. Ugh..Jumping the gun for a cute package maybe wasn’t the better way to go.

Bella Avatar

ooh, great idea! 🙂 now I really want this! 😀 I’m probably too pale for the bronzer to work as bronzer, but I love bronze eye shadows! then this would be an awesome kit of highlighter, blush and eye shadow!

Ginny Avatar

Adorable! I own Mary and Cindy, and Betty is probably too dark for me. So… I don’t need this. I actually would be scared to travel with it because the formulas are so soft and may be too breakable, what do you think? It would make a good gift, though.

Nicole Avatar

I’m glad you don’t think it’s too soft for travelling. This would be one I would tend to go for unless I was traveling for something formal. They are really pretty and if they happen to (knock on wood) get lost or broken,replacing is not too stressful.

Nicole Avatar

That makes sense. Its really cute too! Lol. They have already shipped it- very quick. I’m always worried about my highlighters shattering when I take makeup anywhere. This is variety, not expensive if it should be damaged/ lost, great quality,and cute packaging. So, it solves that problem for me. So, I’m happy about that.

Katherine T. Avatar

I was eyeing this but I swatched in store–Mary Lou was a great, but the other 2 ran too warm or dark. So I got the Becca Afterglow Palette instead, which also had my fave Moonstone. Then a week later, Haute Look had Mary-Lou on sale for $12, so I grabbed it. So, I don’t need any highlighters for a while!

MissJae1908 Avatar

This is an amazing set for someone who doesn’t own any of their highlighters. Great Christmas gift! I of course already own all three separately. #HighlighterJunkie

*Side note* I would love to see a rose gold shade added to their collection.

Cat Avatar

Ugh. I just ordered the Mary-Lou Manizer a few days and now I’m wondering if it’s going to be too gold/yellow for me. Maybe I’ll just gift it to my youngest daughter who’s skin tone is close to yours, Christine. At least I know it would look great on her!

Note to self: “No more bandwagon jumping in the future!”

Karen Avatar

Oh no, I bought this earlier this week and was thinking about returning it because I’m a Becca addict. I might have to reconsider if they are really that amazing

kjh Avatar

This is a no-brainer for those of us who never did spring for any of them…despite doing 4 balm blushes on Hautelook for 50%. Smaller sizes are great for those of us that don’t highlight so often. The Becca is intriguing, too. Nice to have some good solid product….and they’re permanent? Betty looks a lot redder than Becca Topaz on my computer. Piiiiisah!

Kat Avatar

I’ve been wanting Mary-Lou for ages, and I love a glow-y blush (which I would use Cindy-Lou for), and once you go for two you might as well go for all three! Even if I didn’t end up loving Betty-Lou as a bronzer, I adore those kinds of shades as eyeshadows so I think this palette would be a great investment for me.

Jane Avatar

I’m passing on this because I already have all three and they will probably last me until I die, but I do love Cindy-Lou. It’s a perfect subtle blush. And Betty is a nice bronzer.

Maggie Avatar

This is such a fantastic idea and even better that it gets an A rating. I’m glad this is permanent, I can wait until closer to Xmas to haul as a gift for a highlighter loving friend. Added this to my wishlist. (By the way, Christine, is there a way to delete items from the wishlist?)

Tarryn B Avatar

I thought this little palette was a great way of trying all 3 products before committing to a full size. I had always wanted to try Mary Lou, but since we can’t buy these at a physical store in my country (only available online), I was a little reluctant to blind-buy just in case it sucked. So when this popped up, I thought EXCELLENT! Obviously I bought it and oh yes, Mary Lou is just what I hoped it would be and Betty makes an excellent eyeshadow.

Helene Avatar

I have, and love Mary Lou, and I didn’t see much use out of Cindy and Betty, but having read the comments here, I really would love to get my hands on this set.
Cindy as a blush was something I have given a thought, using Betty as an eyeshadow is such a good idea!
Thank you to Jenny and Rachel for mentioning this in the comments!

Sharon M Avatar

I’m super pale, so would probably use only Mary-Lou out of the set — maybe I should just purchase the full size of that, rather than this palette.

All of the shades look great on you, Christine!

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