Marlena Stell
@marlenastell
1.6MSUBSCRIBERS
82PRODUCT REVIEWS
GrailPeople organizes this creator's product reviews by quote, screenshot, and source video.
Products They Love
“I feel like it's a fair price point, but the packaging is super fun and unique…”
“Do you see how thin and lightweight and breathable that is?…”
“I like pairing this with the Anisa Pinnacle Foundation Brush because it's a little bit thicker viscosity and I like the way that this buffs it into the skin…”
“This is Holy Ghost Status…”
“This is a holy grail drugstore option for me…”
Browse All Their Reviews
Variant: Nude Kiss
- “Same type of texture as the bronzer”4:13–4:15
- “It has a nice sheen to it”4:17–4:17
- “When you put it on the skin, do you see how it has that beautiful glow to it?”4:17–4:19
- “It blends easily”4:21–4:23
- “Perfect amount of pigmentation”4:21–4:24
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Peach Perfect
- “This is holy grail status for me”8:04–8:04
- “Beats any high-end blush that I've used”8:06–8:06
- “I really love this peach color one”8:08–8:08
- “It's the right amount of pigmentation”8:10–8:10
- “It blends beautifully”8:12–8:12
- “It doesn't pull up my foundation underneath”8:12–8:14
- “It is hands down the best liquid blush of all time in my opinion”8:15–8:18
- “The one I always reach for”
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Daydream
- “I think it's a very underhyped but very well-deserving blush”0:52–0:54
- “I love these because they are a soft pigmentation”0:54–0:56
- “They just blend beautifully”0:58–0:58
- “They look very soft and ethereal”1:00–1:00
- “I reach for these all the time”0:50–0:50
- “I use them very frequently, almost if not every day”1:53–1:54
- “These blushes hands down phenomenal”
- “If you want something that gives you a very soft glow, you don't like a high impact shine, you don't want to have to worry about blending it out, you want something that's just very effortless, these are amazing”2:08–2:14
- “It's just beautiful. Very effortless to apply”2:23–2:25
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
- “I have had this for almost 2 years now. I've used it every day. Do you see how it's not even dented with the logo? That tells you how little bit of a product you need to get the results that you want”9:45–9:47
- “The formula of this to me is so unique because it's a hybrid of almost a cream and a powder”10:05–10:11
- “It is the most dense, creamy, smooth powder I've ever tried in my life. There is not a single blush on the market that has this exact texture”10:13–10:19
- “I don't feel that they are ripping you off at all at a $50 price point. Even though that is high, the quality that goes into this does match the price that they're charging”10:28–10:31
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
Variant: Hey Honey
- “I love this one so much because the formula blends really well and the undertones are perfect”3:46–3:48
- “This is the only cream bronzer at the drugstore that is actually a cool to neutral undertone”3:50–3:54
- “It's not too orange. It doesn't look like Oompa Loompa face”3:59–3:59
- “It blends like a dream”4:01–4:01
- “If you have not tried this cream bronzer, you've got to get it. It's amazing”4:03–4:04
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Medium
- “This is the best bronzer I feel like at the drugstore because it's not too orange”1:47–1:52
- “It's not too gray. It's very soft”1:52–1:54
- “It blends beautifully”1:56–1:56
- “They have a great selection of colors”1:56–1:56
- “It's kind of a satin to matte finish”1:58–1:58
- “If you want something with a little bit of sheen, you may not like this one”2:00–2:01
- “If you're looking for just a great matte bronzer that blends really easily, this is the one”2:02–2:04
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “I will admit this is a pretty thick concealer”2:54–2:56
- “If you are over 40 like me, this may not work for you, but I've fallen in love with this”2:58–3:00
- “If I want concealer that is super pigmented, is it going to last all day and it sticks”3:02–3:06
- “A little bit goes a long way”3:06–3:08
- “Be careful with this one because it can get drying, but I'm still going to throw this in the cart”3:10–3:11
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “If these performed really well, they would be one of the hottest concealers on the market”0:23–0:24
- “When a makeup product stains the skin, you all, I had to scrub my skin when using it”0:45–0:50
- “The pigmentation is there, but as soon as you start to blend it, it almost disappears”1:14–1:16
- “It doesn't stay on the skin really well and the texture of it feels a little bit thick, so it sits on top of the skin versus melting into it”1:18–1:21
- “It just feels like a very cheap formula to me”1:25–1:25
- “It separates, it disappears as soon as you start blending it, it stains the skin”1:38–1:40
- “Even though it's inexpensive and the packaging is good, at the end of the day it matters on how it holds up”1:58–2:02
- “I'm going to fail this product”1:56–1:58
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
- “It feels a little bit thicker like a foundation but it's not heavy at all”8:35–8:38
- “It does feel amazing on the skin”8:39–8:42
- “It has a nice dewy finish. It's very radiant”8:44–8:44
- “It's oil-free. It's great for sensitive skin”8:46–8:47
- “It just perfects the complexion but it's not heavy at all”8:49–8:51
- “My only complaint with this product is that they don't have deep enough shades”8:59–9:01
- “If you have fair to caramel skin, you'll find a shade that works for you”9:01–9:04
- “I wish they would have a deeper selection for the deep skin tone”9:05–9:08
- “As far as the formula itself, it is a high-performing formula”9:13–9:15
- “It is so beautiful you all. I really did not think I was going to like this as much”9:36–9:36
- “It actually looks like skin. It gives the most beautiful glow”9:44–9:46
- “If you like a glowy foundation, I think this would be best for anyone with dry to combination skin”9:48–9:51
- “If you have oily skin, you may not like the shine”9:53–9:55
- “It has hyaluronic acid in it and vitamin E. I think that's why I like it so much because it just feels great on the skin”9:58–10:02
- Source: Cosmetic formulator ranks the 6 best skin tints - Mar 23, 2026
- “It's not heavy, it's not greasy, looks like skin”6:39–6:41
- “It applies very much like a skin tint”6:45–6:49
- “Do you see how it's just lightly evening out my skin tone? Has a nice kind of natural dewy finish to the skin”6:50–6:54
- “Would say light to buildable pigmentation”6:56–6:59
- “Do you see how it just evens everything out? It's just great for every day”7:05–7:08
- “This is my go-to for when I'm running errands and I don't have time to really work something into the skin”7:08–7:12
- “I just want to look natural and just even out my skin tone a little bit”7:13–7:16
- Source: Cosmetic formulator ranks the 6 best skin tints - Mar 23, 2026
Variant: SPF 50
- “I'd love to see them have a few more shades, but I feel like for it being a new-ish brand and not being out there as much as some of these big conglomerates, 13 isn't bad”4:28–4:32
- “$44 I feel like is a great price point for what you get”4:39–4:41
- “The formula of this is very hydrating”5:07–5:07
- “It is such a beautiful feels almost like a moisturizer to me, and that's why I love this formula so much”5:11–5:14
- “But it gives a nice satin finish”5:17–5:18
- “You see how beautiful that smoothed out my hands? I feel like this type of formula is incredible”5:19–5:21
- “It also has an SPF of 50 in there, so it's great for SPF protection plus smoothing out the skin”5:23–5:26
- “It gives a flawless finish, doesn't oxidize”5:29–5:29
- Source: Cosmetic formulator ranks the 6 best skin tints - Mar 23, 2026
- “I feel like it's a fair price point, but the packaging is super fun and unique”0:36–0:38
- “I love that it's kind of this smooth oval-shaped packaging”0:39–0:42
- “I love that it has the dropper, so it's easy to place on the hand”0:45–0:48
- “Packaging for me from a formulator standpoint is amazing”0:49–0:51
- “I think they did a great job pairing the formula with the packaging”0:51–0:55
- “Comes in 24 different shades, so I feel like they have a great shade range”0:55–0:59
- “The tones, in my opinion, are very wearable. They're not too orange, they're not too pink”0:59–1:03
- “They did a great job formulating for them to actually look like human skin colors”1:03–1:07
- “It's a very lightweight. It gives a buildable coverage. It feels easy on the skin”1:13–1:18
- “Out of all the things that I've tried from the Kylie Cosmetics brand, this hands down is number one for me”1:20–1:21
- “It glides really well. It feels a lightweight, so it's not heavy, but it gives it medium coverage”1:39–1:45
- “Doesn't settle into fine lines, doesn't get cakey, doesn't oxidize”1:51–1:55
- “This is probably, honestly, you guys, my favorite skin tint on the market”1:55–1:59
- “I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this one”1:59–2:02
- “It just looks natural and has a beautiful sheen to it”2:06–2:07
- Source: Cosmetic formulator ranks the 6 best skin tints - Mar 23, 2026
- “The uniqueness about this formula is it has skin care properties”2:43–2:45
- “It blends effortlessly in the skin while having skin care actives to improve your complexion over time”2:56–3:01
- “These drops feel like a serum. It's a very lightweight kind of tint and it has a very dewy finish”3:07–3:13
- “If you have dry skin, you're looking for a skin tint that is very flexible, has great skin care properties in there, it is a great formula”3:15–3:19
- “But it's up to you if you feel like it's worth a hundred ten dollar price tag”3:26–3:27
- “They're so lightweight, you all, but it gives a beautiful coverage”3:37–3:40
- “If you like a tint that is just great coverage, very glowy looking and natural, but still gives you that flawless looking skin, it really is such a beautiful formula”3:42–3:45
- “It has a nice sheen to it, great pigmentation, blends in flawlessly”3:58–4:00
- “This gives you the most beautiful just even complexion”4:02–4:06
- “If you had oily skin, you may not like this as much as some of the others because it really does give a shine”
- “If you are a dry skin girly like me, you will love it because it gives so much glow and hydration to the skin”4:17–4:19
- Source: Cosmetic formulator ranks the 6 best skin tints - Mar 23, 2026
- “Do you see how thin and lightweight and breathable that is?”7:54–7:55
- “This is my favorite favorite foundation the drugstore of all time”7:57–8:01
- “Number one status for me because look how that blended in”8:01–8:03
- “It doesn't even look like I'm wearing anything”8:05–8:06
- “It has a nice satin to dewy finish”8:06–8:09
- “It's a breathable, it's lightweight, doesn't feel like a foundation, it applies like a skin tint, blends beautifully”8:11–8:12
- “I could go on and on about this formula. You just have to trust me, go get it, try it”8:16–8:17
- Source: Cosmetic formulator ranks the 6 best skin tints - Mar 23, 2026
- “This is Holy Ghost Status”2:15–2:15
- “It just gives such a beautiful finish to the skin”2:20–2:22
- “It's not cakey, it's not thick, it doesn't settle into my pores”2:23–2:25
- “It's a beautiful formula”2:23–2:25
- “I really like applying this with a sponge versus a brush”2:35–2:37
- “With a sponge, it is flawless”2:39–2:39
- “The finish of this one is dewy, but it's not greasy or shiny at all”
- “Just gives a very natural looking luminosity”2:54–2:56
- “I never find it dries out my skin at all”3:26–3:26
- “It's very great for sensitive, dry skin”3:28–3:30
- Source: 7 Foundations for Dry Skin That Actually Work - Nov 26, 2025
- “I really like this one as a great drugstore option because it's super affordable”0:45–0:49
- “It doesn't get cakey”0:50–0:53
- “It doesn't feel heavy at all”0:53–0:53
- “It works amazing for dry skin because it has a dewy finish”0:54–0:56
- “I've applied it both ways and gotten beautiful results either way”1:09–1:12
- “It just gives a beautiful glow”1:17–1:19
- “It's very versatile”
- Source: 7 Foundations for Dry Skin That Actually Work - Nov 26, 2025
Variant: Creamy Natural
- “If you have dry skin, you are going to hate this foundation”4:43–4:47
- “This is only for oily skin girlies”4:49–4:49
- “Even if you're combination, I would say maybe hold off on it”4:51–4:53
- “She is thick. She's very pigmented and she is dry”4:57–4:59
- “For my oily skin girlies, this is great”5:02–5:02
- “Everyone else, I'm just going to tell you, you're not going to like it”5:04–5:05
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Classic Ivory
- “If you need a great matte foundation that's not thick or cakey, blends like a dream, they have a ton of different colors, throw that in your basket”9:43–9:47
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: C Cool Light Medium
- “This is a holy grail status”
- “It's been around forever”
- “This is a great drugstore foundation because it comes in a ton of different colors, so everyone can find a shade”1:05–1:05
- “It's a beautiful satin finish”1:08–1:08
- “It lays down on the skin. It doesn't oxidize. It doesn't get cakey”1:10–1:12
- “It's just a great workhorse of a foundation for all skin types”1:12–1:16
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “It doesn't come with a pump. I had to buy this separately and put it on”2:31–2:33
- “I personally do not like this one better”2:54–2:54
- “It's a demi matte versus a super matte. It's not as long wearing for me and it's not as pigmented”3:13–3:16
- “This new formula for me, it's not bad. It's just not the iconic formula to be called the Double Wear”3:30–3:30
- “It's not as drying as the old formula. So if you have dry to combination skin, you might like this one better”
- “For combination to oily skin girls, you're going to like the old formula better”3:46–3:52
- “Giving it a C+. It's still a fail”4:12–4:12
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
- “This packaging is incredible”11:46–11:49
- “It comes across as semi-matte. So, it doesn't dry down super flat. It's not cakey”12:18–12:20
- “It looks very natural like skin”12:23–12:23
- “It over time, it didn't oxidize on me. It didn't separate. It didn't get greasy”12:41–12:45
- “It's lasted for at least 10 plus hours on me and looked beautiful on my skin. It didn't settle into fine lines”12:45–12:50
- “This performs like a higher price point foundation”12:57–12:59
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
- “This is my she has my heart”
- “I have like five bottles in this drawers back here”10:09–10:13
- “This foundation I love for full glam days because it gives me excellent coverage”10:15–10:19
- “It's very dewy”10:19–10:21
- “It just blends like a dream”10:19–10:21
- “This has been holy grail for me for many, many years”10:23–10:23
- “I will say with their shade range, they do run really warm”10:27–10:29
- “They do turn very yellow”10:32–10:32
- “If you have very cool undertones, you may not like it”10:34–10:35
- “I love the formula so much”10:42–10:43
- “A little bit for me goes a long way”10:55–10:55
- “It just gives me natural looking skin, but lots of coverage”10:59–11:01
- Source: 7 Foundations for Dry Skin That Actually Work - Nov 26, 2025
- “They are absolutely grossly overcharging based off of the ingredient deck”4:17–4:20
- “People saying it oxidizes, faulty cap and pump”
- “I am just never impressed with the brand because when I look at their ingredient decks versus what they're charging, they never match up. You are paying for the name”4:56–5:00
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
- “As a product formulator, I really like this one because it's lightweight, it doesn't peel under the makeup, it gives me a nice glowy look to the skin”4:40–4:42
- “It doesn't oxidize, it doesn't affect my foundation that I put on top”4:48–4:51
- “My skin today looks absolutely beautiful and I think it's because of this”4:51–4:54
- “Shade range though, here's where there is a problem. They have a light color and then they have a medium to deep color, but it's not dark enough”4:54–4:57
- “I think it wears beautifully, it doesn't separate under the foundation, and the SPF it provides is incredible”5:08–5:10
- “It's mineral base, so it's great for sensitive skin”5:15–5:16
- “I think it's a great product. I think it's worth getting”5:19–5:23
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
Variant: Light
- “I've been talking about this for years”8:58–8:59
- “If you need a beautiful glowy skin, you can use this under foundation on top”9:02–9:03
- “You can mix it in with your foundation”9:04–9:06
- “This is holy grail status for me to give me that kind of glow from within”9:06–9:10
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “A lot of people aren't talking about this”10:52–10:53
- “If you need a great mattifying primer, this is super cheap”10:54–10:56
- “I've had my one at home for years and I have to buy backups of it because I use it all the time”10:56–11:01
- “It's my go-to primer when I want to just mattify the center of my face”11:03–11:05
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Light Translucent
- “If you have not tried this yet, get it. It's a phenomenal powder”3:14–3:19
- “I love the pink one. I have the light translucent one, which is really good”3:19–3:23
- “The texture of this is very lightweight”3:23–3:25
- “It blends into the skin beautifully”3:27–3:27
- “It really does blur the skin”3:28–3:29
- “It has a very slight sheen to it so it actually looks like skin”3:30–3:31
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “It's not cakey. It's not thick”
- “Do you see how it's blurring the skin? It's smoothing it out. It's not cakey. It doesn't look thick at all”13:09–13:12
- “This is holy grail status for me. I will always have this in my collection”13:14–13:19
- “It is the best, hands down, powder I've ever used in my life. It is worth the hype. Absolutely”13:22–13:25
- “It never looks cakey. Perfect amount of pigmentation to where it blends beautifully into the skin”13:30–13:32
- “The formula and the packaging is definitely they are not ripping you off on”13:44–13:46
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
Variant: Nude Lavalliere
- “I love the packaging on these. They're very high-end”2:32–2:34
- “They did everything great from the formula to the packaging”2:37–2:39
- “I feel like it's worth the money just because of the quality that you get in every aspect”2:41–2:42
- “I love these so much because of how soft the texture is”3:19–3:21
- “It's just so soft, so easy to blend”
- “It gives a very blurred effect because that formula is so buttery”4:14–4:15
- “A little bit goes a long way, so it'll last you a long time even though she's pricey”4:18–4:21
- “a matte finish, but it doesn't come across flat at all”4:00–4:02
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
Variant: Peaches
- “They are just they're staples. They're workhorses”20:25–20:28
- “The formula is great. It has stood the test of time”20:29–20:31
- “They just are amazing blushes”20:31–20:31
- “Their formulas are top tier”20:52–20:54
- “They just are phenomenal”21:00–21:00
- “They don't fade. They don't budge. They just sit beautifully on the skin and they're really easy to blend out”21:02–21:02
- “They're richly pigmented”22:10–22:10
- “They blend really beautiful”22:12–22:15
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
Variant: Glassy Hibiscus
- “These are beautiful”
- “They are my favorite one to tap on top of a powder blush to give me that really glossy type of cheek”18:32–18:36
- “They're stunning”
- “It gives me more dimensional cheek, but most importantly, what I love about this is the shine, and it doesn't pick up my foundation underneath”19:55–19:57
- “It just gives the most beautiful glassy cheek”20:02–20:05
- “If you have dry to combination skin, I really think you would love this one”20:09–20:10
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
Variant: Call Me Coral
- “Probably my favorite blush in my entire collection”15:38–15:41
- “It feels like a cream, but it's a powder. That's how emollient they are”15:56–16:03
- “They blend beautifully”16:11–16:14
- “They have a slight sheen to them”16:15–16:16
- “They don't fade. They don't crease. They don't do anything. They just sit beautifully and they look the same at the end of the day as they do the beginning”
- “It's worth every penny. Please trust me”16:50–16:50
- “I have used this for a year every single time I apply my makeup almost. And look, it's not even dented”16:36–16:43
- “If I had to pick my number one blush of all time, it would be this one”18:01–18:03
- “It just truly is a very blendable formula with the perfect amount of pigmentation”18:14–18:17
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
Variant: Confident Pink
- “These are phenomenal. Such a good blush”13:27–13:27
- “Hands down, one of the best drugstore blushes I've ever tried”14:45–14:48
- “They are so soft, so finely milled. Whoever formulated these did such a great job. They feel like high-end blushes even though they are drugstore”14:35–14:41
- “These suckers do not move. They are very pigmented, last a long time”14:30–14:32
- “I got 10 hours”
- “If you have deep skin and you're looking for a great drugstore blush, I would start here. It's phenomenal”14:50–14:52
- “They are very, very pigmented”14:53–14:54
- “These blend beautifully”15:25–15:25
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
Variant: Peach
- “I love these so much because the formula is so soft”11:17–11:20
- “The pigmentation is beautiful. They blend effortlessly”11:23–11:25
- “The colors are perfect. They aren't too orange. They're not too bright pink. They're just a very wearable color”11:25–11:29
- “I love everything about these”11:30–11:33
- “It's just the right amount of pigmentation. It's not too flat or too dry”
- “It's just a beautiful formula”
- “I don't know why more people are not talking about these. It is one of my favorite formulas”11:01–11:03
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
Variant: Bright Coral
- “They're very beautiful”8:24–8:24
- “The formula is absolutely beautiful”9:00–9:00
- “When you feel it, it is so silky. It is very smooth, very finely milled”9:15–9:21
- “Probably one of the softest blushes I've ever tried”9:28–9:29
- “It's not too flat or cakey”
- “It has just the tiniest, tiniest little bit of sheen to it”10:03–10:05
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
Variant: Sweet Seduction
- “It's a really great quality and the price is amazing”6:21–6:23
- “It's beautiful”
- “It doesn't get thick or cakey”7:07–7:08
- “The powder is very soft. And that's why I like it so much is because it's finely milled. It's very buttery. It's soft. It blends into the skin beautifully”7:09–7:11
- “It just blends so beautifully”
- “So pretty and so affordable. $8 for this”8:09–8:11
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
- “This one I love for everyone”7:35–7:35
- “It gives a beautiful satin kind of natural finish to the skin”7:37–7:41
- “It's not too heavy”7:41–7:43
- “It's not too greasy, but it's not too dry”7:43–7:46
- “It's just a very good middle-of-the-road foundation”7:46–7:47
- “I think that's why this is so well loved by many”7:47–7:49
- Source: 7 Foundations for Dry Skin That Actually Work - Nov 26, 2025
- “So hydrating. It saves my lips every winter”9:35–9:39
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
Variant: Gummy Bear
- “Everyone loves a lifter gloss”10:10–10:12
- “It's holy grail status”10:20–10:20
- “It's not a tacky lip gloss. It's very comfortable to wear on the lips”10:23–10:25
- “It's my go-to gloss for everyday”10:23–10:25
- “I just love this one so much”10:27–10:29
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Berry Jolie
- “Such a great formula”0:19–0:19
- “It's such a comfortable lip oil”0:21–0:21
- “Very hydrating”
- “It doesn't feel greasy”0:27–0:27
- “It even smells kind of minty”0:29–0:29
- “If you want a great lip oil, this is hands down one to get”0:33–0:33
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Praline
- “You all know I love these so much”11:48–11:50
- “If you want a highly pigmented gloss that isn't sticky or tacky at all”11:52–11:57
- “I have been using these for years”11:57–12:00
- “My favorite color that I have right here is spiked toffee”12:02–12:02
- “You honestly can't go wrong with any of these”12:06–12:06
- “They're super inexpensive”12:08–12:08
- “I have them all over the house in my purse. They are everywhere. They're phenomenal”12:10–12:11
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Honey Talks
- “It's such a great formula”9:13–9:16
- “I love especially this color money mauve”9:18–9:18
- “Anytime I wear this color, you all ask me what I'm wearing”9:20–9:20
- “It's the perfect kind of muted '90s type mauvey color”9:22–9:25
- “I love the big doe foot wand”9:28–9:28
- “It's comfortable. It hydrates the lips”9:31–9:31
- “It's just hands down one of my favorite lip oil formulas”9:33–9:34
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “The formula is unlike any lip product I've ever tried”15:22–15:24
- “It looks and applies like a lip gloss, but it doesn't feel like one. It is not tacky”15:27–15:32
- “It glides like a lip oil, but it's very lightweight, hydrating”15:36–15:38
- “It feels very smooth and almost like you're applying a skincare-like product on the lips”15:41–15:45
- “The gloss, the shine will start to fade slowly over time, but what's left behind is a stain”16:06–16:09
- “I do think it is worth the $42 price tag. Mainly because it is a luxury product”16:30–16:33
- “This is our valedictorian, class. This is the hero out of this month's products”16:44–16:47
- “If you get anything new this month, I definitely would say get these lip and oil tints”16:47–16:50
- “I just ordered more colors today because I love this so much”16:56–16:57
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
- “It's a comfortable formula”
- “It's actually infused with skincare properties. It's very hydrating”10:42–10:44
- “It glides smoothly, doesn't settle into fine lines”10:44–10:46
- “It's a nice satin formula, so it's not too matte, it's not drying. Absolutely amazing, especially if you are more mature skin, you will love these”10:48–10:50
- “It lasts. It doesn't feather, it doesn't bleed, it doesn't slip around, it doesn't dry out the lips”11:11–11:15
- “It fades very evenly over time”11:16–11:17
- “This is probably going to be my holy grail lipstick from the drugstore. It might have dethroned my L'Oreal Rouge ones”11:27–11:30
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
Variant: 06 Naughty Pink
- “The formula is very comfortable. It glides on the lips really well”7:03–7:07
- “If you need a good matte formula that doesn't settle into fine lines, I do actually like the formula”7:07–7:11
- “It's very creamy. It's hydrating. It doesn't settle into fine lines”7:25–7:27
- “This one is fantastic in that it's not drying at all”7:31–7:33
- “It lasts on me. It doesn't fade. It doesn't bleed outside the lines”7:57–7:59
- “The price point is a little steep, but again, it is YSL”8:38–8:41
- “I really do love this and enjoy it”8:37–8:39
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
Variant: Sassy Mauve
- “They do really well on their lipsticks”7:21–7:23
- “It's a beautiful formula. It's very creamy”7:25–7:25
- “It comes in a ton of different colors”7:26–7:27
- “Whenever I talk about drugstore lipsticks, you all choose this one as your favorite”7:28–7:29
- “The one color that I do really like is the 811 laidback lilac”7:31–7:34
- “If you're going to get something from Revlon, get the lipsticks”7:41–7:41
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Montmartre
- “L'Oreal makes, in my opinion, the best lipsticks”2:10–2:12
- “The formula glides really well”2:18–2:18
- “The only complaint people have that I've seen is that it has a fragrance to it. For me, it doesn't bother me at all”2:20–2:22
- “My favorite color is 129 Mam Mart. It's the perfect your lip color, but better”2:25–2:29
- “If you get any one color from this entire collection, get number 129 Mart”2:31–2:33
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “If you want kind of a hybrid between a balm and a lipstick, this one is great because has a nice shine to it”2:37–2:42
- “It just feels like a really great lip balm”2:44–2:46
- “If you want something for everyday on the go, just throw this in your purse”2:48–2:50
- “This formula is fantastic”2:50–2:52
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: 44
- “These are such a unique formula in that it's like a lipstick and a lip gloss in one. It gives you that really, really beautiful shine”11:52–11:57
- “The color saturation is perfect. It's not too much to where it looks fake”12:01–12:03
- “The packaging, too. They spent top dollar on the packaging with the customized logo in here”12:04–12:08
- “If you want just one lipstick that is going to be your go-to you're going to use every day, like you guys know I love color 44. If you get one, get that color. It's a beautiful baby pink”12:28–12:33
- “I say it's worth the $45”
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
Variant: Dark Brown
- “This is what I use to comb into my brows”12:15–12:18
- “It's just a great kind of staple brow glue”12:20–12:20
- “It's nothing fancy, but for the price point, it just works”12:23–12:23
- “It keeps my brows into place”12:25–12:25
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Dark Brunette
- “I just bought this one recently and I'm really liking this”1:20–1:22
- “I like these so much because they're a little bit dry, but you want so you can get really precise strokes”1:26–1:29
- “The colors are not too orange”1:31–1:32
- “I hate that most drugstore brands have brow pencils that are super orange and they look really fake. This does not”1:32–1:37
- “The undertones are absolutely perfect”1:39–1:41
- “Formula is great and you can't beat that price point compared to a lot of high-end brands”1:42–1:44
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
Variant: Espresso
- “If you want something to fill in your brows, if you have very sparse brows like me and you need something to just kind of fill in and create some hair strokes, this is my favorite brow pen from the drugstore”12:31–12:33
- “I just consistently go back to it”12:41–12:41
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “The packaging is extremely innovative and that it rolls up”5:48–5:50
- “I think the formula is fantastic. It's dry enough to create really strong lines”6:07–6:09
- “It lasts a long time on me. The pigment is buildable”6:11–6:13
- “If you have oily skin, it will tend to wear off a little bit”6:25–6:28
- “I do think it's worth it for the quality you're getting, the unique packaging, the innovation, and the color range”6:40–6:44
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
Variant: Drift
- “It's a beautiful creamy formula”13:16–13:16
- “If you love the Victoria Beckham eyeliners where it's super creamy, but you want the longevity to be longer, these for me perform even better”13:35–13:37
- “They're super creamy, but as soon as they set, they last for hours”13:47–13:52
- “From a formulator standpoint, it's really hard to get a creamy eyeliner that glides and blends out that smoothly, but has the longevity”14:16–14:18
- “It's competing with high-end, but not giving high-end price”14:33–14:35
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
- “It is a unique formula in how it glides. And they really do blend beautifully”10:52–10:57
- “It has the most soft, creamy formula”11:06–11:07
- “It's not going to be one of those super longwearing last 16 hours type of formula, but it's very creamy and it blends very effortlessly with one glide”11:18–11:22
- “Do I think they're worth the price based on how good the formula is? Absolutely”11:29–11:30
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
Variant: I Am Courageous
- “I feel like a lot of people aren't talking about those”11:08–11:10
- “I really like this kind of taupey shimmery one”11:11–11:13
- “It's very creamy, blends super well”11:15–11:15
- “If you need just an eye shadow on the go and you don't have time to do powders, this is a great cream option”11:18–11:19
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “The craftsmanship of this, the quality, the genius packaging with this, it is incredible. It's worth every penny”8:25–8:31
- “First off has high pigmentation, a high pigment load is what we call it, that is expensive. The pearls in this is expensive”8:49–8:53
- “The packaging, she customized this completely. There's nothing on the market that matches this”8:59–9:01
- “Plus it stacks. I mean this is genius”9:11–9:15
- “If I were to spend any money on any palette on the market right now that was a high dollar one, it would be the Danessa Myricks Beauty one because the formula is fantastic. Packaging topnotch”9:20–9:25
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
- “I've worn it maybe twice. $95 for four eyeshadows. I don't have to tell you all that is absolutely insane”7:23–7:26
- “These are the most boring ass colors. They aren't even that pigmented”7:36–7:40
- “They blend beautifully. I will give them that. Like the formula itself is nice and it blends very softly, but they're not overly saturated in color”7:41–7:43
- “There's nothing very special or unique at them to validate a $95 for four eyeshadows”7:51–7:53
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
- “The one I'm really liking right now is the Falsies Surreal one”10:38–10:40
- “It's great for thickening”10:42–10:44
- “It doesn't make my lashes look clumpy”10:44–10:46
- “The formula lasts all day”
- “It's a great one”
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “It doesn't strip the skin. It's very gentle”0:45–0:47
- “It's super affordable when you compare to how long it's going to last you versus some other ones that may be inexpensive”0:47–0:51
- “A little bit goes a long way”0:43–0:43
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “My dermatologist, I swear last time I went to see him, he had recommended Medicube”8:32–8:35
- “These brightening pads have vitamin C in there”8:45–8:48
- “My pigmentation has dramatically gone down since I started using these”9:05–9:08
- “I swear these pads work. They're so good and they're so affordable”9:11–9:15
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “I really like this for eye cream and that you're able to really massage it under the eyes to help get that circulation moving”8:59–9:01
- “It's cooling. It's very comfortable under the eyes”9:06–9:07
- “From a formulation standpoint, it has retinol, peptides, vitamin C, and it's actually well stabilized”9:11–9:13
- “It glides really easily. It absorbs in the skin”9:27–9:28
- “I did start noticing that my eyes were smoother, they felt more hydrated”9:36–9:38
- “I feel like it performs as good if not better than ones that are much more expensive than that”9:46–9:50
- Source: I tested every new makeup release this month - here's what failed - May 28, 2026
- “If you have really irritated, dry, flaky, inflamed skin, put this balm on at night, go to sleep, you'll wake up in the morning, your skin is smooth like a baby's butt”9:41–9:47
- “I'm telling you, it works”
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “I don't see anything in this ingredient deck personally that I feel like is a very high dollar ingredient”2:38–2:40
- “If I'm going to spend $260 on a moisturizer, even though it is a pretty good jar, I am going to get Elmus Pro Collagen Marine Cream”2:46–2:50
- “I would spend it on something else and definitely not moisturizer, especially with how many amazing options there are right now at a much affordable price”3:04–3:08
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
- “Niacinamide is amazing for brightening the skin, helping with pigmentation, also clearing out your pores”4:37–4:39
- “It helps prevent acne and calm down breakouts”4:41–4:44
- “It really helps with balancing out my tone and keeping my pores open and not clogged and causing me to break out”5:02–5:06
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “I don't do my makeup hardly at all anymore without using this”2:13–2:14
- “It plumps up the skin. It gives a beautiful glow”2:22–2:22
- “It's not tacky. It's not heavy. It's not greasy”2:24–2:26
- “It just gives you the most gorgeous plumped up juicy looking skin”2:26–2:30
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “It adds a lot of moisture and it smooths out dry texture”2:56–2:59
- “Super hydrating, lightweight, doesn't feel greasy, it absorbs into the skin really well, and super affordable for how large of a bottle that you get”3:11–3:15
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “I have gone through so many bottles of this”10:07–10:11
- “I love it underneath my foundations because it adds that glow, luminosity, protects my skin”10:23–10:28
- “It doesn't break me out and it's super affordable”10:31–10:31
- “It's hands down my favorite SPF”10:33–10:33
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “It is so affordable”
- “I use it for everything for on my face for pigmentation”7:31–7:33
- “I use it on my back to get rid of back acne”
- “I put it on a cotton pad and I rub it in my armpits before I put my deodorant on. When I tell you the difference it makes, I don't sweat at all”7:48–7:51
- “This is like the most multi-purpose thing in my entire skincare collection and it's $7”8:11–8:14
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “I like pairing this with the Anisa Pinnacle Foundation Brush because it's a little bit thicker viscosity and I like the way that this buffs it into the skin”9:15–9:19
- Source: Cosmetic formulator ranks the 6 best skin tints - Mar 23, 2026
- “I'm going to use a more dense buffing brush because it's such a thin formula. This is the BK Beauty 115 brush”3:29–3:30
- Source: Cosmetic formulator ranks the 6 best skin tints - Mar 23, 2026
- “I'm using the BK Beauty 109 brush”1:58–2:00
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
- “That includes my holy grail favorite”6:14–6:16
- “It also has the angled concealer brush, which you guys know I love”6:17–6:19
- “It's not stiff, it's not scratchy, it's very, very soft”6:42–6:42
- “So many uses for that”6:52–6:52
- Source: 7 Foundations for Dry Skin That Actually Work - Nov 26, 2025
- “Is this not the cutest set ever, you guys?”5:24–5:27
- “I actually traveled with this recently and kept my makeup in it”5:29–5:31
- “This puffy travel set is $40 and it comes with a case and three travel brushes”5:31–5:35
- “The bristles are super, super soft”5:53–5:53
- “For travel, you guys, I put so much stuff in here, and it's super squishy and soft”6:44–6:46
- Source: Drugstore products that beat high-end, according to a formulator - Jan 25, 2026
- “I think maybe on the high-end at most $30. So, if they're paying $30 to make this set and charging $340, that is overcharging”1:35–1:41
- “It has three star ratings, which on Sephora to see a three star, that's really, really low”1:48–1:50
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
- “That also is worth the price, too”13:01–13:04
- “This is worth it”
- Source: 5 most overpriced Sephora products and what to buy instead - Feb 3, 2026
- “Has completely changed the game in my pigmentation and my skin texture”5:15–5:17
- “It doesn't hurt at all”
- “I have this amazing glow for many, many days after I use this”6:03–6:07
- “I definitely think this has been a key player in why my pigmentation has calmed down so much because I'm very consistent in using this”6:07–6:12
- “It saves me effort having to go out and have it done. I can do it at the comfort of my home”6:50–6:51
- Source: Budget-friendly skincare alternatives to expensive products - Nov 24, 2025
- “Use the Rephr 19 brush here to apply it”12:28–12:28
- Source: Top 10 blushes I would buy again after testing 204 - Jul 31, 2025
About
I'm Marlena Stell - cosmetic formulator, founder of Makeup Geek Cosmetics, and creator of Marsté. I built a multi-million dollar brand from scratch, and now I'm here to teach you everything the beauty industry doesn't want you to know. _________________________________________________________ MY FRAGRANCE BRAND: https://www.houseofmarste.com MAKEUP GEEK ACADEMY: https://www.makeupgeekacademy.com BUSINESS INQUIRIES: caleb@smallscreenmarketing.com