The other day I felt it was time to get some bronzer and highlighters now that the weather is starting to get better. I live in a small town and all the lovely brand names are not available here, so I decided to go ahead and buy something more affordable. I am obsessed with MAC and their Mineralized Skin Finishes (MSFs) and I have a few from when I was in the States. Unfortunately, here in Egypt MAC is not sold. So I went around town looking for some dupes... and I did! While we do not have MAC, the "terracotta powders" are quite popular here and they have all kinds of products from blush, bronzers and highlighters, to eyeshadows. I found a brand from Turkey called Gabrini. For those of you who know Turkish cosmetics, it is a cheaper version of Golden Rose. I thought cheaper meant bad quality, but I was wrong! I found two lovely highlight powders and two bronzers (a.k.a. blushers). Here are the pics:
Three of the products are Gabrini, and the one on the bottom right is Flower Orkide. I believe it is also a Turkish brand but the powder itself is made in Italy (as it says on the back). Here are more pics.....
This powder truly is comparable to MAC's MSF powders. It is incredibly soft, very blendable, and almost creamy in texture. It has a high sheen to it and no sparkles or glitters. You can even say it is a little metallic. It is a great all over bronzer or even as an eyeshadow. The powder itself is not chalky but very smooth and has no scent.
And now on to the Gabrini powders.....
As you can see, the three powders have a sheen to them as well. The powders #1 and #2 are great for highlighting for fair-medium skin, and the blush-on #102 is great for medium to medium-dark skin. I always change my mind about what color highlighter I want, so these three are great when I want to change it up but I dont want anything drastic. They wear well in the day, but with a light dusting of course. They wear easily throughout the day and stay put. The Gabrini powders do not have glitter or shimmer either, which is what I was looking for. They are perfect for evening as well, and you can have a heavier hand when applying it at night. These "terracottas" are smooth, easy to apply with a brush or fingers if in a rush. The only thing that may be of concern to those who have sensitive skin is that these powders have a, well, "powdery" scent. Like baby powder. It is not overpowering and the smell goes away after applying.
Overall, I am pretty pleased with both Gabrini and Flower Orkide. The only downside to Gabrini is that the packaging is very cheap and as you see from the pictures, the pan falls out of the compact. I will just get some super glue and make sure they don't fall out again.
Prices: Gabrini, 45 L.E. each, Flower Orkide, 75 L.E.
So, have you tried any Gabrini or Orkide products? Do you like them/hate them?
