The Balm Cindy-Lou Manizer Review and Swatches

Cindy-Lou Manizer ($24) is an all-in-one blush, eyeshadow and highlighter that was a total surprise purchase for me. A few months ago, one of my readers asked me if I had ever tried a highlighter from The Balm called Mary Lou-Manizer. She described it as a honey-gold colored powder that had a major cult following. I had never heard of it or come across it before, especially since my local Sephora stopped carrying The Balm.  

Then I went to my local Kohls and saw that they had recently started stocking some more upscale cosmetic lines including The Balm, and after trying the tester, I decided I had to splurge. The woman who rang me up said, "wow, that's a lot of money for a piece of makeup!" I told her I hoped it would be worth it!

When I got home, I realized that I had picked up Cindy-Lou Manizer instead of Mary-Lou Manizer. Someone must have put the box back in the wrong spot. Still, when I opened it and saw the beautiful rose-gold color, I decided to keep it.

The packaging on these Lou-Manizers is so cute! Cindy-Lou is known as a Con-tour artist and her rap sheet, mug shot, and fingerprints are on the box.

The product itself comes in a round pan with a mirror, and the size is very generous and should last quite a while.

The photo below shows the compact, but the lighting is making the product look more pink than it actually is. The close up and swatches below are accurate but I kept this next photo just so you could see what the compact looks like.

This close up shows the true color of Cindy-Lou- Manizer. The Balm describes it as a peachy pink, and I would also call it rose gold- it's such a gorgeous shade!

This powder is so super soft and pigmented, you don't have to rub it with your finger or swirl a brush around- all you have to do is tap it lightly into the powder.  Below, all I did was press my finger into it lightly and this is how much came up. So this will last such a long time, it really makes it worth the price.

Here it is on my skin- the swatch is heavier than how I would normally apply it, but I wanted it to show up on camera. This can be used as a subtle blush, but my favorite way to apply it is to take a fluffy powder brush and brush a 3 on each side of my face. I'll explain- start at the outer corner of your forehead, and sweep the brush in an arc around to the temple and down to the cheekbone, then another arc around to the chin. So it's in the shape of a 3 on the side of your face. Repeat on the other side. This way, it gives you a glow in all the right spots without brushing it all over which would be too much.

Overall, I am in love with Cindy-Lou Manizer! It gives my face a perfect candlelit glow without being sparkly or obnoxious. The peachy pink warms my fair complexion without being too dark like a bronzer. I still really want to try Mary-Lou, but I better wait until it's in the budget. For now, I'm calling Cindy-Lou Splurgeworthy.
You can find Cindy-Lou Manizer at The Balm, or at your local Kohls and Kohls.com.