I’m always excited to see brands doing their part to make the world a better place. Radiant Cosmetics is one of those brands.  Their mission is to help bring awareness to issues surrounding human trafficking by raising funds through cosmetics in order to provide resources for organizations on the forefront of change, as well as for the victims themselves. The brand donates at least 20% of all profit to fund these initiatives; you can read more about the founder’s story here.

I was able to sample a few of their items- some lipsticks, eyeshadows and eyeliners; here are my thoughts!

Radiant Cosmetics

Eyeshadows

The Radiant Cosmetics Eyeshadows ($14 USD) come in 24 different shades, varying in texture (some are frost and some are matte).  The packaging resembles a single MAC eyeshadow pot with a plastic container and clear lid.  The formula is quite impressive and pigmented- they blend smoothly and have a vibrant finish.

I recommend using them on top of a sticky base or primer to really help them stick, because they almost have a dusty texture (it’s hard to describe… very similar to the texture of the Sigma Eyeshadows) that needs to be packed well. I actually prefer to use my fingers to apply this texture of eyeshadow, and it leaves a gorgeous finish.  They do have a bit of fall-out, but it’s not too bad.

Radiant Cosmetics Eyeshadows

The shades I tried out are:

• Confection: a light peachy-coral shade.  It reminds me a bit of MAC Paradisco, but I find this one has better pigmentation. Looks great paired with purple in the crease or just with black eyeliner!
• Goldilocks: This shade was the most chunky in terms of texture, and the most difficult to work with. On the bright side, it does have great pigmentation which isn’t always easy to find in a gold eyeshadow!
• Gypsy: A deep, brownish cranberry shade.  This one is probably my favorite out of them all, because I found it to be the least “dusty” and really had awesome pigmentation.  It looks fantastic in the crease paired with a whole bunch of shades, or all over the lid for a smokey, evening look.

RATING: B+

Radiant Cosmetics Eyeshadows in (left to right) Confection, Gyspy & Goldilocks

Radiant Cosmetics Eyeshadows in (left to right) Confection, Goldilocks & Gypsy

Lipsticks

The Radiant Cosmetics Lipsticks ($18 USD) come in 13 different shades, in both moisturizing and matte formulas.  These lipsticks are by far my favorite items that I’ve tried. The quality is incredible- super pigmented, comfortable wear and juicy shine! They remind me a lot of the new Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural lipsticks and Sephora Rouge Shine lipsticks.

The only thing I don’t like, is the scent (well, lack-thereof). The lipsticks smell plastic-y, and I feel like they would be so much better with a hint of scent (not a lot, and not too sweet… but just something to mask the makeup-y smell).  Other than that, they are incredible! The formula isn’t super long-wearing, but they are really comfortable on the lips.

Radiant Cosmetics Lipsticks

Radiant Cosmetics Lipsticks in (left to right) Reef, Peony & Park Avenue

The shades I’ve been wearing lately are:

• Reef: My absolute favorite shade out of the bunch- a coral pink. Super pigmented, high-gloss finish.. totally appropriate for the summer season.
• Peony: A soft neutral pink, my second-favorite! Again, fantastic pigmentation and super comfortable on the lips.
• Park Avenue: A deep raspberry red- it looks a lot more scary in the tube then it comes off, but it’s still perfect for a classic look. Use a lip pencil with this one- it’s so pigmented, it shows uneven lines prominently.

RATING: A

Radiant Cosmetics Lipsticks in (left to right) Reef, Peony & Park Avenue

Radiant Cosmetics Lipstick in Reef

Radiant Cosmetics Lipstick in Reef

Radiant Cosmetics Lipstick in Peony

Radiant Cosmetics Lipstick in Peony

Radiant Cosmetics Lipstick in Park Avenue

Radiant Cosmetics Lipstick in Park Avenue

Radiant Cosmetics Lipsticks in (left to right) Reef, Park Avenue & Peony

Gel Eyeliners

The Indelible Gel Eyeliners ($20 USD) come in six different shades.  They are super creamy, which makes them glide on like silk… but unfortunately contributes to my main gripe with them- they are so creamy that the gel doesn’t leave much pigmentation on the skin.  I’ve found that if I let the liner dry, then go over it again, that helps… but there are more inexpensive liners that perform better than these… so unfortunately I wasn’t too impressed.

Radiant Cosmetics Gel Eyeliners

Radiant Cosmetics Gel Eyeliners in Tanzanite (left) and Ivy League (Right)

Because they go on a little more sheer, I actually prefer to use these as cream eyeshadows! They dry quickly and don’t crease, so that’s how I’ll be using them.  The shades I’ve tried out are:

• Tanzanite: a deep sparkly purple; this one has the best pigmentation out of the two I tried… but still didn’t give me the opacity I look for in an eyeliner
• Ivy League: an olive green with gold shimmer; I love this color- just wish it was more pigmented! I’ll be using it as a cream shadow instead.

RATING: B-

Radiant Cosmetics Gel Eyeliners in Tanzanite (left) and Ivy League (Right)

Radiant Cosmetics Gel Eyeliners in Tanzanite (left) and Ivy League (Right)

Summary

• Price: $14 USD for 2g (Eyeshadows), $18 USD for 4g (Lipsticks) and $20 USD for 3.5g (Gel Eyeliners)
• Availability: Radiant Cosmetics
• Overall: I love that the company is doing their part to help make the world a better place, by donating 20% of proceeds to help fight human trafficking. The eyeshadows have great pigmentation, but the texture is a bit chalky. The lipsticks are my favorite, with incredible pigmentation and they feel so comfortable (I just wish they had a nice scent to them). The gel eyeliners missed the mark for me due to the lack of pigmentation- but work fine as cream eyeshadows.
• Rating: B+ (For the collection as a whole, individual products rated above)