This post has been updated as of September 2024 due to packaging updates (the original review published in October 2021). My main issue with this product before was the packaging and ease of using the product because of the packaging. Updated packaging means and updated review!
I was thrilled when I heard from Urgo Beauty to test out and review one of their newer products the Urgo Tints. This is exactly the kind of product I love…a cream blush (which is excellent for my dry skin and seems to stay better when I am out sweating) AND it’s supposed to be multi-use (which I’m always a little dubious about from past experiences). Typically if it works well as a blush, it slides off the lips and is way too creamy for the eyes. If it works on the lips, it dries down too quickly and gets blotchy on the cheeks and doesn’t blend well for eyes. If it works well on eyes…it’s probably an eye product and not a multi-use product (ha!). Well Urgo Beauty has done something quite extraordinary here. Not only is it a unique and interesting product, but it’s made by an equestrian for fellow equestrians, so even better!
These multi-use balm tints are thick in the container, but very slick and thin feeling on the skin (more like a slightly creamy stain). The dry down is quick, but long enough that you can blend out the color and not worry about blotchy cheeks or eyes. I find that you can easily scare yourself thinking you put too much on because these are quite pigmented, but they blend out so well you can actually blend them away if you’re concerned about over-application. If you make a mistake, just blend the product out with a brush, fingers or sponge and it will basically disappear…which I love. You can make these VERY subtle washes of color…or you can get more umph out of them with a layering application. I did find that if you put too much on at once, it tended to get messy and it was hard to blend the color out and keep it where you want it. This product wants to spread, so start with a little bit and layer up as the product dries down.
On the cheeks I tap a few small dots in the area I want it and then either blend with my fingers in patting motions. I also had really good luck using a stiffer large brush to blend this out.
On the eyes I always use my fingers. I take one dot on each lid and then press and tap the color until it’s blended up into my crease. Then I let it set for a minute and take another tap on the lid or outer corner and tap blend that in to deepen that area. Sometimes if I have blended too much, I’ll take a third dot and do the same thing. If you try do do it all at once, you’ll end up with a big mess with too much product moving around and without the depth you’re looking for.
For lips, I need to exfoliate mine first before applying (I find on my aging lips, some of the colors emphasize lines a bit and collect around dry spots, so exfoliation helps). I swipe it on with or without a liner and kinda blur it out. I will add a second layer of a couple of the colors. I’ve also had luck layering it under and over other lipsticks to change the tone just a tad to suit the rest of my look. They do dry down and the shimmer layer wears off, but the base color leaves a stain for quite some time (several hours even with eating/drinking), which is a big positive for me.
And unadvertised…but it worked for me…I used Middleburg as a bronzer. I tap this around my hairline, temples, jaw and put a little contour line on my cheeks and blend away with a stiff brush and it makes a very pretty, subtle bronzer for my skin tone (which is fair to light with pink undertones). The purple/red base to it helps it look natural on me as a blush vs. most bronzers that have an orange/yellow base. This is actually one of my favorite ways to use this product. I like it as much as an ungodly expensive designer cream bronzer (which I will not name to remove that temptation from your mind) that was my go to favorite before. Now I may not use this in the winter as my skin will get lighter and being very sunkissed will look out of place, but for summer and fall…I love this!
Thoughts on the individual colors:
Each of the colors has a subtle shimmer which IMO helps them work better on different areas of the face. Don’t let that shimmer scare you, it doesn’t make you shiny, glittery or enhance any texture (or at least it hasn’t for me…except on the lips which I outlined above…and will talk about below).
Middleburg is a brown with a reddish purple base. This is a color I didn’t think I’d actually use…but is my favorite! Funny how that works. It is excellent for an eye shadow (I use it as a transition shade/base shade and put some shimmer shadow on top for more flair) and bronzer and nice as a blush and lipstick as well. It’s probably my favorite of the three on the lips too, at least this time of year.
Pandemic Pink is a pink mauve with a bit of a purply blue shift to it (don’t let that scare you, it’s very subtle). This shade surprised me with the subtle shift as I expected a straight color. It’s super pretty and a really lovely blush (probably my favorite blush…maybe). I love this as an eyeshadow too and putting it under similarly shifty shadows is REALLY pretty. It’s a nice lip color as well, but I find I like it better once the shimmer has worn off as the shimmer shift on the lips looks a little harsh at first for me. I will usually put a gloss over this one.
Palm Beach is a peachy color with a little more shimmer than the other two maybe…or maybe because the shimmer is lighter in color it’s more noticeable. This caused some problems for me. As a blush this is beautiful and I think over the winter and in the spring this will be my favorite when my skin is slightly less sun exposed, but I still really like it now as well. I love this as a light eye color as well. It’s pretty subtle, but quite pretty. Good for a no makeup makeup day. I did have a little issue with this one on the lips. The shimmer really gunks up on any dry spots and lines and emphasizes them. I find this works best over another color to add more peach to it. It’s pretty but very subtle on the lips once the shimmer wears off. I do think this color on the lips probably works better on a younger person than I am (I’m 37 as of this writing for the record).
Longevity is about normal for a cream blush or lip product. I find that the longevity for sure depends on the preparation. If you put on naked skin, there’s going to be more fading quickly than if you have on a primer and bit of foundation. Ditto for eye primer. If you put too much on your eyes without letting it dry down properly between, it can crease after a couple of hours on me (if you’re super oily it would probably do it even faster), but if i prep and then set it with a translucent powder or another shimmery shadow I don’t have that issue.
I think the quality is great for the product (as you can see through my explanation of everything above), and the new tube with wand is MUCH more my speed. I find it way easier to use for all applications and easier to not get to much product out. Previously, I’d said I’d never take these to a horse show, but now with the new packaging they’re much more on the go friendly now! Whoohoo!
I do not think this product is the absolute easiest to work with, but they’re not bad either. I played around with these for several days before I got the hang of using them and how they work best…and that’s probably going to change depending on skin type. They’re not hard to use, being easy to blend out and easy to layer and forgiving if you make a mistake and use too much.
I think the price/value is great for how much product you are getting and how far the product goes, so that’s a plus. I have pretty sensitive and easily irritable skin and these don’t dry me out, irritate me or cause breakouts, so that’s a huge plus for a product that I can put anywhere. They are all vegan, cruelty free as well and formulated for sensitive skin.
I think these would be a really fun gift for your girlfriends that like a little makeup or for someone that’s looking for an easy, “few products as possible” put together look. I DID repurchase the new tube version long after the other ones had been binned because they expired, so obviously they are re-purchasable!
