citrine
REFY Citrine Cream Rouge ($20.00 for 0.05 oz.) is a vibrant tangerine orange with rich, warm yellow undertones and a natural matte finish. The texture was smooth, moderately emollient and light with some initial stickiness, but the formula dried quickly to a matte finish once applied and blended onto my skin.
It appeared quite pigmented when swatched as a single layer, but in practice it tended to bleed out quite slightly, which was more in line with marketing, so application gave medium, buildable opacity. The product applied to bare skin fairly evenly, but it took more effort to really spread the edges than I would have expected from a cream-based formula. It was easiest to work with a brush, which seemed better at spreading without lifting the color, especially over the primer. It lasted six and a half hours before it eased off a bit.
- Lethal Cosmetics Tendril (P, $15.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Lunar Has It (DC, $10.00) is lighter, more subdued (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Sonrisa (LE, $22.00) is darker, less shiny (90% similar).
- Viseart Orange #1 (PiP, ) is lighter, less glossy (90% similar).
- NARS Intensely (LE, $30.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- Give Me Glow Hey Honey (P, $14.00) is lighter, cooler (80% similar).
- MAC Sunny Side (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, lighter (80% similar).
Based on our duping algorithm, these are likely very similar shades.
formula overview
$20.00/0.05oz. – $400.00 per ounce
The formula is said to be “buildable” and have a “subtle dewy” finish. It had more of a “natural matte” finish that didn’t look completely flat/dry when the formula set, but it wasn’t dewy at all. The consistency was smooth, light and thin with quite a bit of glide and felt like a traditional cream blush with a bit of stickiness.
I preferred applying it with a fluffy, synthetic brush for the most even application possible, especially over base products, as this made the product less likely to move around my foundation. When I attempted to dab it on with my fingertip, I tended to have the product slide around or have some bumps showing through (as a note: my cheeks have some natural bumps that can show through more with pure coverage products).
The coverage initially appeared to be more pigmented, but the formula was definitely built to be translucent and buildable, so the end result was a more semi-transparent, buildable coverage that matched the launch. The formula stayed good for six to seven hours before fading on me.
Also, the size of the cream blush is extremely small and not at all the average cream blush size from countless brands. It felt like a sample size! I don’t think the price reflects the quantity received, so it really didn’t feel in line with the rest of the brand’s offerings.
Browse all of our REFY Cream Blush Swatches.
Ingredients
Octyldodecanol, Silica, Synthetic Beeswax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Phenoxyethanol May Contain: CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 15985 ( Yellow 6 Lake), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 15850 (Red 6), CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available from the brand (or retailer) at the time of publication. Please always check the product packaging, if available, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you are purchasing or the brand or retailer’s website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
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