Wet 'n' Wild Royal Calyx MegaGlo Highlighting Powder Review, Photos, Swatches
Royal Calyx
Wet ‘n’ Wild Royal Calyx MegaGlo Highlighting Powder ($4.99 for 0.19 oz.) is a light-medium lavender with cool undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. There were larger sparkles within this shade compared to others within the range, and there was some emphasis of my skin’s natural texture when applied at semi-opaque coverage or greater.
The formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented” with a “silky smooth” texture that is “easy-to-blend.” It had a slightly drier, looser texture compared to the other shades in the line-up, which might have been due to the larger sparkles in it. It had semi-opaque pigmentation, which was buildable to mostly opaque coverage with two to three layers. For me, the color applied decently but took more effort to diffuse and blend out on the cheeks, though it was achievable without using every trick in the book. The highlighter lasted for just over eight hours on my cheeks before turning patchy.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Sleek MakeUP Hemisphere (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Poor Unfortunate Souls (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Rocket Science (P, $8.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Guerlain Holographic (Right) (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Big Tough Girl (LE, $8.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Coloured Raine Lavender Dreams (P, $25.00) is less shimmery, more muted, warmer (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier Obsession (LE, $45.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever 5 Frozen Purple (P, $21.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Arctic Glow (LE, ) is lighter (85% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Ultraviolet #1 (LE, $22.00) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$4.99/0.19 oz. - $26.26 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented” with a “silky smooth” texture that is “easy-to-blend.” The shades ranged from semi-opaque to opaque typically with smooth, denser textures that weren't stiff or difficult to work with. A couple of shades seemed a touch drier in the pan but did not appear dry on my skin usually. They blended out nicely and lasted around eight hours on average.
Browse all of our Wet 'n' Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder swatches.
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Dimethicone, Boron Nitride, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Nylon-12, Ethyl Macadamiate, Polysorbate 20, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tin Oxide, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Water/Eau, Silica, o-Cymen-5-ol, Polyacrylamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lauroyl Lysine, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopherol, [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): Titanium Dioxide/CI 77891, Mica, Iron Oxides/CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Carmine/CI 75470, Ferric Ferrocyanide/CI 77510].
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.
Royal Calyx
PPermanent. $4.99.
This is pretty on the cheeks! Wish it didn’t have the larger sparkles, but it is really nice.
It does look nice on!
Gorgeous!! I initially want to get the new Sephora highlighters but these are so much more wallet-friendly!
These are a great budget-friendly alternative!
This color and formula reminds me of the LE purple higlighter they released earlier this year, called Lilac Away ( purple with white heart in middle) The formula wasn’t the greatest ( applies better on face than it swatches), but price was right, it was a more unique color ( a cool blue-ish lavender purple, not the usual warm pinky purples we see), and it also had larger shimmer/glitter particles. I think the LE one was a bit cooler and bluer, but still kind of similar, so will skip, but glad there’s a permanent option for those that missed the LE one
Thank you for the comparison, Katherine!
This is definitely a costume shade in my eye. Love it but nothing natural about it. 😉
Haha! 🙂
This is really pretty; it’s going on my wish list.
Let us know if you try it!
I would so love to use this one as a lid shade! This is how a purple ought to be done, for real! For cheeks; I could certainly see this one looking marvelous on either super dark or super pale skintones. BEAUTIFUL! ?
It would be a gorgeous eyeshadow color!
Glad to see these types of shades at the drugstore!
I bet this would look beautiful on darker skin tones! It does have a great sheen, just a little too pigmented for lighter skin tones!