YSL Bronze Gold Couture Highlighter Review & Swatches
Bronze Gold
YSL Bronze Gold Couture Highlighter ($42.00 for 0.11 oz.) is a light-medium copper with warm, red undertones and a golden, metallic sheen. It had medium, buildable pigmentation (three layers for nearly opaque coverage) with a stiffer, firmer consistency that was harder to pick up with my brush. It blended out fairly readily when applied dry, but when I applied it with a wet brush, it was more challenging to blend out as the product adhered strongly wherever it was initially applied. I was able to buff out the edges for a luminous finish that did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture in the end, but it was a surprise that I had to work at blending out the color at all. It wore well for eight hours on me before fading slightly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Fenty Beauty Champagne Heist (P, $25.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Persona Del Mar (P, $24.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Flare (P, $18.00) is less shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Huda Beauty Tahiti (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- NARS Galet (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Milani Glowing (P, $10.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Parasol (LE, $10.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Desire Fire (LE, $44.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Milani Rose Gold (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC My Mimi (LE, $45.50) is darker (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$42.00/0.11 oz. - $381.82 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "ultra-fine" with a "high-shine" finish that has "effortless, mistake-proof application" and "buildable intensity." It can also be used wet to "boost shimmer intensity." I tried two of three shades, and those two had varying degrees of pigmentation but were more semi-sheer to medium but buildable, both in terms of color as well as the intensity of the finish/shine. The consistency was more firmly pressed in the pan, which resulted in a stiffer texture that wasn't as blendable as it could have been and required a heavier hand just to pick up product in the first place. It was particularly noticeable when I tried to apply and blend out the color wet--it was more pigmented but it adhered very strongly to wherever it was initially applied and blending out the edges was difficult. I was able to blend out both shades on my skin, but it took more effort than anticipated. They lasted eight hours on me before fading a bit.
Browse all of our YSL Couture Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
This looks so lovely, just enough red in it to work as a blush also.
While that shade looks lovely applied, it also sounds like far too much trouble to get it to apply as nicely as it looks. A big nope from me. Besides, I have CP Dew Drop, which always looks fab!
What a shame this is a fizz – it looked so pretty. But YSL is going the way of Guerlain, Lancome etc. Expensive, but poor quality products.
I really had higher hopes!