YSL touche eclat blur perfector first impression review

For the first time, the Korean beauty market and the Western market has come together to bring the “blur” trend to the beauty world.  This is really surprisingly to me since Korean beauty usually is ahead with their innovations, while the western market is couple years behind.  So when YSL came out with their own version of a blur product, I had to try it out!  Again I’m not going to lie and sit here saying I bought this product solely for the balm, its mostly about the packaging (′ʘ⌄ʘ‵).   I told myself, even if I end up not liking the actual primer, I could always finish it and then use this compact for the mirror or even press a highlighter into it and reuse the packaging hehe.  I mean, it’s all pink and gold!!! How can you not like this…. Just me?  Okay ●︿●.  Let’s just get onto the first impression then.

Full name of product:
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Perfector

Limited edition?/ Permanent?:
Permanent

Description:
“This portable perfector is Yves Saint Laurent’s first ever blur perfector encased within a compact. It transforms from a balm to a powder upon application to soften the skin’s imperfections—creating a transparent yet subtle, rosy-glow effect. Use it alone as an allover complexion perfector, to set makeup, or as a mattifying touch up to sweep away shine and hide imperfections. Featuring one universal shade that complements all skin types, it instantly minimizes the look of pores so that skin feels smoother and the complexion appears more even.

This product is noncomedogenic and ideal for all skin tones and skin types.”

Price:
$55 USD

Amount of product:
0.33 oz/ 9.35 g
9.35 g/ $55= $0.17 per gram

Duration before expiration:
12 months (1 year)

Where to buy:
Any YSL counters in department stores
YSL beauty online 
Sephora

Shade available:
Only one shade available

Ingredients:
Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Isononyl, Isononanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Vinyl, Dimethicone/ Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, C30-45 Alkyldimethylsilyl Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Caprylyl Glycol, Calcium Aluminum Borosilcate, Paraffin, Synthetic Flurorphlogopite, silica, Magnesium silcate, tin oxide [+/- may contain: Mica CI 77891/ Titanium dioxide, CI 77491/ Iron Oxide, CI 75470/ Carmine] (F.I.L C165606/4)

Product packaging:

YSL’s blur perfector comes in a beautiful metal looking gold packaging (which is actually just plastic) with an enamel, light baby pink compact with YSL’s logo on the front.  I was actually surprised this packaging was not metal since it looked a lot heavier in pictures.  I guess I was just too used to their volupte lipsticks in that heavy, luxe tube so I thought this would be the same thing.  Good thing it isn’t metal or else it would way our bags and purses down by a pound and a half.

The back of the box has instructions on how to use this product and which areas you should apply the balm to get the best effect.

Inside you get a velvet black sleeve with the YSL logo on it, the compact and a fuzzy puff.The compact fits nicely into the velvet pouch and you can also slip in the puff on its own little pocket.  Not sure how I like the puff being outside the compact, it would just make the pouch dirty and the puff unsanitary since all the dirt inside your bag could cling onto.  Gross.  And you can’t fit the puff into the compact because there is no space for it and if you just put it onto of the balm, the compact can’t close. Who the hell designed this -_-.

The back of the compact has a nice, clear sticker with the full name, amount of product, 1 year expiration date and the address of where the product was distributed. There are also ventilation holes on the bottom for some odd reason.  You can’t even put your puff inside the compact, so I don’t get why there are holes there. Hmm…

Inside is the rosy, pink balm itself and a good sized mirror which you can see your whole face with.  Whoo!

Color/ pigmentation/ texture:Although this product is marketed as a “rosy-glow effect”, I do not find this to be true.  Upon application to the skin, this product just looks translucent with no color.  The balm itself looks rosy in the pan with very fine golden shimmers, but I find none of the shimmer to appear on my face.  Texture wise, this reminds me a lot of the other silicone based primers out there like Benefit’s Dr. Feel good or L’oreal studio secrets magic perfecting base. There is a difference I have noticed with the YSL’s primer.  In the pan, it seems to be just a regular balm but once applied, it quickly turns into cream to powder and sets nicely on the skin.  I’d definitely recommend this balm to any ladies out there with oily skin types.  I have dry skin so I was skeptical using this product on myself since it would easily turn from “okay moisturized skin” to Sahara desert status.

Not that you really can see anything anyways but here is a swatch of the product.  On the skin after being applied, the skin is visible mattified while still being able to make the skin look soft and to the touch, the skin is definitely feels smoother.  Again, still no rosiness that I can see though.

Here’s my bare face with minimal eye make up and filled in eye brows.

My skin concerns are:
-dark circles from staying up late and not getting quality sleep
-redness around the cheeks, nose and chin from hormones
-never ending reproduction of blackheads

What I usually look for in base makeup products:
-hydration for my dry skin
-formula does not cling to my dry patches of skin
-light-medium coverage
-coverage for my redness
-if it covers my dark circles, that would be a bonus but not really a criteria

Let’s begin with the application~

This is the recommended way to use this product.
“Option 1 Replacing foundation: Apply with soft sweeping motions from the center of the face outward using the included YSL applicator.  If necessary, tap additional texture on visible pores or shiny areas (T zone, nose).”

“Option 2 Finishing or re-touching: After completing the make up routine, tao the texture, without sweeping on visible pores or shiny areas. Retouch as needed throughout the day.”

I’m trying option 1 here to see if the balm just alone would do much.  Using the puff itself is okay and definitely better then using your fingers to sweep it over but I would try and use this with my beloved air puffs from my Bb cushions. The results with just the balm. As I would have thought, this product by itself on my bare skin didn’t do much but slightly mattify my skin. This would work great for those that have oily skin and want to walk around with their bare face but need a little something something to combat the slick, this is a good product for that.  However if I want to wear make up, I go big or go home.  So let’s apply a full face of make up.

I applied some of my A’pieu Air fit BB cushion all over my face for a little bit of a coverage, some of my Bobbi Brown corrector in light bisque to counteract the blue and redness under my eyes, Benefit Hoola bronzer, Hourglass ambient blush in Luminous Flush and Becca shimmering skin perfector pressed highlighter in moonstone.

Smell:
No scent detected.

Lasting power:
 Don’t really find this primer to be anything special if used as a base for my foundation or alone on bare skin. The day after I tried it on top of my make up since you could use it to set it and I must say, it works a lot better that way for me.  I usually don’t like to set my foundation/ BB creams after I have applied it since I do have dry skin and setting it with powder would defeat the purpose.  Only then did the YSL blur perfector pop into mind and I was like “hmm, why don’t I try using this on top to try and set it?’  I did it and was so impressed!  The areas I focus on is just my cheeks, around the top part of my nose bridge since I wear glasses and make up usually bunches up there and rub off.  For the whole day (10 hours or so) I had this on and nothing budged!!!  My skin stayed mattified, smooth, it was an awesome day for me. \ \ \٩(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و/ / /

Drugstore dupe?:Not too long after I got the YSL blur perfector, I came across this Revlon Photo ready primer + anti shine that doesn’t seem like a new product since I’m researching across the web and there are reviews dating back to November 2014, so it must just be me who has never paid any attention to Revlon.  This product seems to do the same thing as it is also a balm that can prime and get rid of shine.  Unlike the YSL one which would obviously be more expensive, the Revlon one is priced at $13.99 USD which isn’t a bad price point for those who are on a budget.

Revlon’s description of their product:
“This multi use balm can be worn alone, under or over makeup to prime and smooth skin and to eliminate shine. It erases the look of pores and imperfections for a perfected look.”

Although both products claim to do the same thing, I do notice the YSL has a slight advantage compared to the Revlon one.  YSL’s texture and application, the balm instantly turns into a cream to powder formula, while Revlon’s balm takes a bit more blending for it to fully set into cream to powder status. Because Revlon’s primer takes a little more blending, if you were to use it on top of your make up to set it, it would definitely move around your base make up and either rub off your foundation or make it bunch up.  If you were to use it just as a primer, they both preform the same.

Revlon’s also comes with a puff but this puff is your traditional, latex sponge and oddly enough, it has a really toxic smell to it.  I would not recommend using this sponge.  For this comparison, I used the sponge to see if it works well with Revlon’s balm. DANG it smells really really bad.  UGH ● ﹏☉.  Revlon’s compact does not come with a mirror but there is a place to put your sponge in it.

Side by side on the face, YSL’s primer seems to give a bit more of a glow I must say!  Not that big of a difference for one to pay an extra $41, but the difference is there.

My under eye wrinkles are getting worse and worse! OMG. LOL  someone please recommend your favourite, most hydrating eye cream in the comments, my wrinkles are crying.

So is the Revlon primer a dupe for the YSL?  Yes and no.  If you are looking for a silicone based primer that applies cream to powder finish and primes your face so your foundation can apply smoother and last longer, then yes.  If you were to use the Revlon primer on top of your make up to set it and get rid of some of the shine then no, because Revlon’s primer requires a bit more blending for it to set and it would not be a guarantee that your make up is not going to move around when you go and blot your face.  I’d say the Revlon one is a very close dupe, about 80% there but YSL’s is slightly easier to use and can use on top of your full face of make up to get rid of shine or set your make up without using any powder products.
Pros:
-YSL primer can work for any skin type whether you are dry or oily
-smoothes out the skin and lets skin looking soft and mattified
-can be used underneath or over make up to blot away shine

Cons:
-not anything special if used underneath make up as a primer; definitely can find other cheaper alternatives
-doesn’t do anything on bare skin even though it claims to “blurs” out imperfections and has magical powers *sarcasm*
-quite expensive for little 

Repurchase:
Maybe

Stars given out of 5:
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall:
Although I’m slightly on the fence about this product, I do like the fact that I can now set my make up without powder and still have it look moisturized, slightly dewy and not powdery like it used to be.  For the price point of $55, I would finish this product and then see if there is anything else on the Korean or western market that could do the same thing.  I refuse to believe this is the only product that can do such magic on top of my make up.  Overall I’m happy with my purchase but would be hesitate to buy it again for the fact that it isn’t that special to be quite frank.

What do you think about this product?  Would you buy one for yourself?  Which method would you use it if you were to get one?  Let me know in the comments down below.  I love hearing from you guys.
～(^з^)-♡ 

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