Pony effect make up arti-stick Review, swatches, demo

I think at this point, you guys already know I love me some Pony effect products (click here to see all my other reviews).  It seems like that girl doesn’t sleep since she comes out with new products as frequently as how many times we blink in a day.  This past fall, she came out with these cream sticks that contains cream contours, cream highlighters.  They do have cream foundations but those weren’t brought over to the Memebox US site therefore, I don’t have them to review.  I have tried Memebox’s I’m meme cream blush and absolutely loved them so I was hoping the ones from Pony effect would be just as good, if not better.  These are called “arti-sticks” because you are suppose to be able to use this on your eyes, lips and face but honestly, I have only been using these on my face.  Let’s get started with the review whoo! (⊙ꇴ⊙)  This is gonna be a long one so grab a snack. 

Full name of product:
Pony effect make up arti-stick

Limited edition/ Permanent?:
Permanent

Description of product:
“The trick to slaying your makeup game is Pony Effect’s Arti-Sticks. Creamy, blendable, and so versatile, the sticks can cover as a foundation, contour, highlight, brighten, shade, and add a pop of color to your face. They glide on seamlessly with a non-sticky powdery finish that you can blend with a brush, sponge, or your fingers. With the Arti-Sticks in your beauty arsenal, your face is a clean canvas, you’re the artist, and the possible masterpieces are limitless!”

Price:
30,000 won or $24 USD

Amount of product:
10 g/ 0.35 oz.

Duration before expiration:
1.5 years

Country of Manufacture:
Made in Korea
Manufactured by Memebox Inc.

Animal testing?:
All of Pony effect products are animal cruelty free.

Where to buy:
Memebox US

Shades available:Ingredients:
Before Sunrise: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triethylhexanoin, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica (CI 77019), Ceresin, Silica, Dimethicone, Ozokerite, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Diglyceryl Sebacate/Isopalmitate, Diisostearyl Malate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sorbitan Isostearate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Polyethylene, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Fragrance(Parfum), Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate , Tin Oxide (CI 77861), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Carmine (CI 75470), Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

Dreamlike: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Triethylhexanoin, Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ceresin, Silica, Dimethicone, Ozokerite, Diglyceryl Sebacate/Isopalmitate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sorbitan Isostearate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Polyethylene, Diisostearyl Malate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Fragrance (Parfum), Carmine (CI 75470), Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

Confidence: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Silica, Diisostearyl Malate, Diglyceryl Sebacate/Isopalmitate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ceresin, Ozokerite, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Mica (CI 77019), Alumina, Polyethylene, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Microcrystalline Wax, Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Fragrance(Parfum), Triethoxycaprylylsilane , Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

Fortune: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Silica, Diisostearyl Malate, Diglyceryl Sebacate/Isopalmitate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ceresin, Ozokerite, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Mica (CI 77019), Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Alumina, Polyethylene, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Microcrystalline Wax, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Fragrance (Parfum), Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

Touch Me: Silica, Diisostearyl Malate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Diglyceryl Sebacate/Isopalmitate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononanoate, Triethylhexanoin, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Ceresin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ozokerite, Alumina, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Microcrystalline Wax, Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Polyethylene, Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Red 6 (CI 15850), Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Fragrance (Parfum), Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

One and only: Silica, Diisostearyl Malate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Mica (CI 77019), Diglyceryl Sebacate/Isopalmitate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononanoate, Triethylhexanoin, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Ceresin, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Dicalcium Phosphate, Ozokerite, Alumina, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Microcrystalline Wax, Polyethylene, Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Red 7 (CI 15850:1), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Fragrance (Parfum), Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

My everything: Diisostearyl Malate, Silica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Mica (CI 77019), Diglyceryl Sebacate/Isopalmitate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ceresin, Triethylhexanoin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ozokerite, Alumina, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Microcrystalline Wax, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Polyethylene, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 (CI 15850:1), Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Fragrance (Parfum), Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

How to use:
You can use them either on the face as blusher, highlighters and contours or you can use them as lip colours or even on your eyes.  I wouldn’t suggest using them on the eye lids since they will be your creasing nightmare.

Product packaging:
Packaging for these come in a eye catching, rose gold squared tube with the signature thunderbolt logo on the top of the lid.  The lid is magnetic so it will seat back in place by itself when you close slide it back in.  The one thing I don’t like about the magnetic feature is if you want to put these all together if you have multiple of these, some of the magnetics repel so they won’t line up properly.  The twist up works seamlessly and the stick itself is nice and secure and won’t fall out.

The only shade indicator is on the sticker on the bottom which is something that does kind of bother me since I’m always playing the guessing game when I do want to use it and need a specific shade.  I wish they changed the little black band into the shade that is inside.  That would have been helpful.  Another thing I have to nit pick about is the shape of the cream inside.  Unlike I’m meme’s cream sticks, the ones from Pony effect doesn’t have that slightly chopped off sides making the cream stick more even.  Pony’s seemed to have been just poured into the tube since there is a slight concave dip which makes it hard to get an even application.  But that will form overtime so it’s not a deal breaker but I wish they did pay attention to that minor detail.  I mean even making the whole top round would have been helpful too.

Color/ Pigmentation:
I wasn’t surprised to find out that these were super pigmented since I already saw pictures of these on the interwebs.  Of course, I was extra impressed when I got them in my hands and played with them since they were super creamy and and true to colour with just one swipe.
One & only: Dark red rose shade (creamy finish, no shimmers)
Out of the three blusher shades, this shade is definitely the darkest shade (thank you captain obvious).  If you don’t use this with a light hand, you’ll look like Pikachu so beware.  Either use this below your base make up or use a sponge and dab it on.  I wouldn’t suggest you dabbing it directly onto your cheeks since you will risk it looking splotchy.

Touch me: Bright orange popsicle shade (creamy finish, no shimmers)

I personally am but a huge orange fan unless it is a super muted, creamy looking orange but this orange I can bare with if I use a very light hand.  This is a very vibrant orange popsicle type of shade and would give the appearance a very youthful and bubbly look.

My everything: Light strawberry pink shade (creamy finish, no shimmers)

Out of the three blushers, this shade is definitely my most favourite shade.  It is one of those no brainer shades and it’s your classic pink shade that would work with almost any look.  This will give you that innocent and pure look without looking too pastey of a pink.  Blended out, it gives the cheek this realistic blushing glow.  So pretty!

Before Sunrise: Beige champagne highlighter shade (super fine shimmery finish)

I was so scared about the highlighters not preforming since K-beauty is known to be on the sheer side and highlighters don’t really work great if they are sheer.  To my surprise, these highlighters not only aren’t sheer, after it is blended into the skin, it gives this gorgeous dewy and life like glow!!  Just like the Becca highlighters that we all love so much, this is pretty much a dupe in terms of what it does for the skin.  I’m obsessed!!  This shade “before sunrise” gives a slightly more bronzey, champagne look compared to Dreamlike which I will get into down below.

Dreamlike: Light white gold highlighter shade (super fine shimmery finish)

Compared to “before sunrise”, “Dreamlike” is a more white-ish type of highlighter and would look great on those with lighter skintones.  Blended out onto the skin, this gives a gorgeous life like highlight effect without being over the top.  It contains super fine shimmers along with a little bit of bigger golden shimmers which catch the light when you turn your face side to side.  I’d say if you are debating on wether to get Dreamlike or Sunrise, get dreamlike if you are either darker then Mac NC30 or like a more bronzer highlighter and Dreamlike if you are lighter then NC25.  Honestly there is no rule, as long as you feel comfortable and confident going out the door.  Blended out, they both work well on my Mac NC20-25 skin tone.

Confidence: Light milk chocolate shade with no shimmers

I’ve always loved Pony’s contour products so I knew these would definitely not disappoint me.  Both the contour sticks doesn’t have a strong gray undertone but rather a slight warmth to it.  Luckily, it still matches my yellow undertone and doesn’t look dirty on my skin.  “Confidence” is the lighter shade of the two and gives me skin a super light warmth to my skin while “Fortune” deepens up my bone structure.  Both together work well in giving me a sculpted but very natural look.
Fortune: Deep olive brown shade with no shimmers

Unfortunately if you are darker then Mac NC/NW 30+, I don’t thin these two contour shades are dark enough for your liking since blended out, these already look really natural on my skin so it might not even show up on darker skin tones.
All swatched, they all preform pretty much the same.  Pigmented and blendable.

Texture/ Finish:
Texture wise, they are creamy without being greasy and blendable without rubbing away.  These cream sticks has the perfect formulation while being super pigmented. Blended into the skin, these set into a comfortable satin finish.  It isn’t too dewy where it gives the skin a glow but it isn’t matte and drying, it’s somewhere in between that.  Depending on which shade/category you are using, they have two finishes.  The contour and blushers all do not have any type of shimmer or sheen to them so you can achieve a natural look where people would question if “you woke up like this” *cue Beyonce*.  The highlighters contain super fine shimmers with a hint of bigger shimmers.  Blended into the skin as you can see in the picture, the give the skin a slight brightening effect as well as a nice subtle glow.  You’ll see it better in the demo down below.

Lasting power:
I personally didn’t have a problem with the lasting power. On my dry skin, on top of my base make up which is usually a satin or dewy finish that I never set with powder, these cream sticks lasted more then 8+ hours.  Keep in mind, I don’t sweat much nor do I produce oil on my face and I live in a chilly climate.

Fragrance?:
These have a super subtle soapy floral scent but it is so subtle that I pretty much can’t smell it.  Smell-o-scale: 2/10 in terms of the strength of the fragrance.

Okay onto the demo!  Here is my face with my base makeup done already.  I’m using the Etude House double lasting foundation and Pony effect’s cover up pro concealer which I’m also reviewing so stay tuned for that!

Let’s start off with the contouring!  Again, always keep in mind what type of face shape you have, study your bone structure and go from there.  Don’t go contour happy and sculpt away half your forehead if you don’t have a giant five finger forehead like me.

Since I have a diamond shaped face, I like to sculpt a bit on the side of my forehead and also bring in my hair line so it gives the illusion that my forehead isn’t so big.  For my jaw, I also sculpt away some of the side, define my cheekbone and also define my jaw area so it doesn’t look as wide.
Before (left) and after (right) 
Blended out with just confidence (lighter shade), you can see there is already some definition.  You can stop here but why stop here when we have another shade that is darker keke.

Before…

And here is both the contour shades used on my face.  Definitely a little bit more defined.

Front view.  If you guys are wondering why the contour is so “light”, I do real life make up and not Instagram make up. Instagram make up is a lot more drag queen style.  I do like that look in terms of it’s artistry but I’m reviewing product for real life wear and not photo taking so I hope you understand that.

Next up is the blusher.  I am using “my everything” and I’m applying it by dabbing it on to an air puff and patting it onto my cheeks.  I currently really like applying my blusher higher on the cheeks, like that drunk flush type of look.  It’s pretty much where you’d usually place highlighter, that’s where to apply my blusher.

I hope you can see a difference LOL.  I also applied highlighter in the shade “dreamlike” on the tops of my cheeks, bridge of my nose, center of my forehead and also on the center of my chin.  Something new I tried this time around, I actually applied it the highlighter on the inside of my cheeks, close to where my nose is.  I personally love the dewy look but since my skin is dry, the dewiness doesn’t last.  This way, I get the everlasting glow keke.  Fake it till you make it :P.

And viola!  Everything is complete :).

Pro:
-creamy, blendable, pigmented
-long lasting
-easy to use
-multipurpose

Con:
-wish the packaging had a shade indicator

Repurchase?:
Yes!  I absolutely love all the shades and would purchase these myself if I ever run out.

Stars given out of 5:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall thoughts:
I absolutely love these cream sticks, like all of the shades!  This is pretty rare for me to like every single colour but I personally can find use for every single shade.  I think the cherry on top that secured my thoughts on these is the highlighter shades.  Highlighters in the K-beauty world seem to be lacking and finally, I have found highlighters that are super comparable to Becca highlighters which give the skin that wet glow look.  Overall I love these sticks and would highly recommend these if you have been eyeing them for a while.  Holy grail status for me and is something I will continue using.

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