If You Want Airbrushed Selfies Without the Filters, This Blurring Balm Is a Must
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@ANIYAHMORINIA , @KAITLYN_MCLINTOCKWelcome to Internet Famous, a monthly series in which we ask our Instagram followers to vote on a viral beauty product that's taken social media by storm. Then the beauty team will take the winning pick for a spin and share their reviews—pictures included.
As much as I'd like to master the art of the no-makeup makeup look, I'm either completely bare-faced or wearing a full face of makeup. Once I put on a base product, I can't resist the urge to conceal, highlight, set, and bank way too many selfies into my camera roll. If you happen to see me out in public on a good makeup day, you can 100% guarantee there are a couple of selfies in my "recents" folder. There's absolutely no shame in my game, and I found a product that took my selfies to the next level without filters, editing, or a lengthened routine. Let's just say the TikTok algorithm worked overtime by putting Danessa Myricks Beauty's Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder ($36) on my feed, and my fellow editors are also singing its praises.
There are so many factors that go into choosing a foundation, skin tint, or any other base products, but the key things I look for are texture, coverage, wear over time, and shade range. This balm-to-powder formula checked every single box, and I was impressed beyond belief. The blurring effects are no joke. Dark spots? Gone. Fine lines? Blurred. Discoloration? Disappeared. How is all of that possible in a weightless, medium-coverage formula? I'd like to ask (and thank) Danessa Myricks myself. This product can be used to prime, highlight, contour, set, and add coverage, but no matter how you choose to use it, just know that the results will be flawless. I know this all sounds way too good to be true, but I have the WWW beauty team's testimonies and before-and-after photos as proof for you below.
Erin Jahns, Beauty Director
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@erin_jahnsErin is wearing shade 3.
"I had no clue what to expect before trying this product. I heard plenty of rave reviews, but I almost always want full coverage with my base products, and I rarely opt for formulas that promise a matte finish. (How can a product that looks so, so creamy end up feeling and looking more like a powder?) While you won't get a lot of coverage with this product, it's about as good as it can get when it comes to a natural-looking skin tint. Before I tested this balm, I only kept one other skin tint in my arsenal, but this one is so perfect that I think it's elbowed its way into my starting lineup. It truly does blur anything and everything you might want to camouflage on your face—for me, it's dark circles and some sun-inflicted discoloration—and it blends and buffs into your skin like butter while somehow feeling completely weightless. I won't reach for it on days when I'm wearing a full face, but it does give me a hit of no-makeup makeup magic if I want something lighter while still looking completely natural. Out of curiosity, I also tried it as a primer—I applied Kosas's new BB cream on top of it—and it gave me the absolute best finish and result I think I've ever had with my base products. Truly airbrushed! Last thing: I always appreciate when a base product is noncomedogenic and won't send my sensitive, acne-prone skin into a tizzy. To make sure, I always run new products I try through this checker, and happily, this one gets the green light and contains zero pore-clogging ingredients."
Emma Hughes, Social Media Editor
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@emm.hughEmma is wearing shade 3.
"Okay, this product completely exceeded my expectations. If you don't typically wear complexion products that offer a ton of coverage, I hear you. But this balm is perfect for those occasions when you want to be photo-ready but still feel like your skin looks like skin. This formula is so balmy and hydrating, yet it keeps me looking matte in all the right places. I can confirm I will be wearing this to dinner with my friends tomorrow night and as a bridesmaid at my cousin's wedding in May."
Kaitlyn McLintock, Associate Beauty Editor
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@KAITLYN_MCLINTOCKKaitlyn is wearing shade 2.
"I was hesitant to try this because I haven't had the best experience with foundations that have a balm texture in the past. They tend to look thick and cakey on my skin and settle into fine lines and texture. I could tell this one was different when I scooped out a pea-sized amount and put it on the back of my hand. It felt smooth and silky—almost like a silicone-based primer. When I applied it to my skin, it blended easily and dried down to a budge-proof finish. My only word of caution is to choose a shade that matches your skin tone perfectly since it provides ample coverage. The one I chose was a shade or two lighter than my skin tone, and I had to compensate with lots of bronzer."
Aniyah Morinia, Editor
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Aniyah is wearing shade 9.
I am not being hyperbolic when I say my jaw was agape the entire time I was applying this balm. I initially swiped some product on with my fingers, and I was wildly impressed by the shade match. To even everything out, I used a beauty blender, and that's when I saw the blurring effects instantly set in. Although this intends to leave a matte finish, it's not a finish that feels or looks cakey (my biggest fear when putting on base products). I still had a healthy glow and a natural, smooth finish that I've truly only ever achieved with a filter. I'm currently breaking out, so I knew that I'd be able to put this product to the test and see how buildable the coverage truly is. I don't know if you can tell by the pictures above, but my dark circles did a disappearing act along with my acne scars. I couldn't be happier with this product.
Caitie Schlisserman, Group Executive Director, Branded Content and Beauty
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Caitie is wearing shade 3.
"I tried to go into testing this with zero expectations because I'm almost always disappointed with viral products. But this, my friends, is definitely worth the hype. I don't know how a lightweight product like this has such blurring powers, but I'm not questioning it. It's a real-life filter for your skin. It can cover dark circles, discoloration—anything. The best part is it doesn't feel like you're wearing anything at all, which means something coming from me since I hate feeling like I'm wearing makeup."
Emma Walsh, Associate Beauty Editor
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@EMMA.WALSHEmma is wearing the shade Universal.
"I've heard rave reviews of Danessa Myricks Beauty, so when this intriguing balm-to-powder came across my desk, I had to test it right away. I normally forgo setting powder in my daily routine as my skin is on the drier side and I like to maintain my glow as much as possible. But upon application, I realized this one is very different. I was impressed that it didn't give my skin a dry, powdery look but rather a blurred, airbrushed effect. It even helped my makeup stay in place during a sweaty dance cardio workout! This is the kind of product you want to reach for when it's hot and humid and you want your makeup to stay put. IMO, it's a new staple everyone needs to have on hand."
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