Today I tried one of the most budget-friendly strobe cream in the market, the Maybelline Master Strobing Cream. If you follow the world of beauty products like me, then you must be aware of strobe creams. These cream highlighters are all the rage now, especially for people who want that natural glow. If you are someone who is not into blinding highlighters, then strobe cream will give you the subtle lit from within glow. It’s an incredible product if you are a natural makeup lover. Maybelline produces some of the most amazing and favorite cult highlighters, and I was looking forward to seeing if Maybelline Master Strobing Cream lives up to the expectations.
My skin
For reference, I have a fair to medium skin tone with yellow undertones. I have oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin, so I would immediately know if the product is working or need to be ditched.
Cost and shelf life of Maybelline Master Strobing Cream- Nude Glow
The Master Strobing Cream did cost me Rs 665 for 20ml/0.67 FL.OZ of product. The shelf life is for 36 months.
Company Claims
The Master Strobing Cream adds radiance and dimension to the face for the ultimate glow. Discover the illuminating strobe effect in a micro-pearl liquid formula. Strobe to add brightness and to create the look of skin that appears radiant as if lit from within. Four ways to glow: wear alone, mix with primer, mix with foundation, or spotlight high points of the face.
Step 1. Apply to desired areas of the face.
Step 2. Blend with fingertips.
Packaging of Maybelline Master Strobing Cream- Nude Glow
The product comes in a standard cardboard box with all the details regarding the ingredients, manufacturing, and expiry date. The product is encased in a plastic tube. It has a screw cap with a nozzle. The product can be easily squeezed out of the tube, just like with a toothpaste tube. The product dispensed doesn’t come out in an uncontrolled manner. Only a small amount of product comes out at a time; hence there is minimum product wastage. The packaging is very travel friendly and easy to use. It is also mess-free and spill-proof.
Texture and Fragrance of Maybelline Master Strobing Cream- Nude Glow
The product has light acetone or plastic kind of smell. The smell is very faint and immediately vanishes. You won’t even notice it unless you sniff it. The fragrance isn’t unpleasant or heavy at all, and people with a sensitive nose will not find any issues regarding the smell, which is barely there in the first place.
The texture is very smooth and creamy, as the name suggests. It dries down on the skin a bit after application yet doesn’t give a powdery look. It’s a cream product but doesn’t provide a substantial feel like its very lightweight. The product doesn’t give a sticky feel either nor an overly oil slick look. The product is buildable, but on the first application, it might appear patchy. The product doesn’t have any chunky glitter particles in it, so it won’t make your face look unnecessarily sparkly. It just has the right amount of shimmer and shine that will give you an iridescent look. On my skin tone, it almost gives a wet look when applied to the high points of the face.
Shade range of Maybelline Master Strobing Cream- Nude Glow
The Maybelline Strobing cream comes in three shades- Iridescent, Nude Glow, and Gold. You can choose the shade depending on your skin tone. Maybelline has smartly created three shades that can easily suit almost all fair, medium, and dark skin tones. The Iridescent shade will suit fair skin tones, the Nude glow will suit medium skin tones, and the gold will suit deep skin tones. I got the Nude Glow shade that matched my medium skin tone with yellow undertone very well. It didn’t look ashy or artificial on the skin as it almost melts into your natural skin texture.
Application of Maybelline Master Strobing Cream- Nude Glow
There are many ways you can use the strobe cream as it’s a cream product. It can be mixed with a foundation, moisturizer, or BB cream to give you the luminous and dewy effect. As I have oily skin, I use a mattifying moisturizer and foundation. When I mixed it with the foundation, I didn’t see any marked changes. The foundation sheered out a bit, but the glow was almost negligible. I tried using it first on my face and then apply the foundation on the top. I didn’t see any changes at all.
If you are using a full coverage foundation, then it’s just a wasteful act to use strobe cream underneath. If you are going to apply highlighter on top later anyways, then there is no point in using strobe cream underneath the foundation, in my opinion. The pigment in the foundation will hide the effects of strobe cream underneath. With BB cream, I could see some luminosity as if using an overdose of moisturizer or face oil. Nothing dramatic, but my face looked healthy and plump. With moisturizer, the effects were more prominent as it lights up the whole face.
I must admit that after the foundation hack failed for me, I went a bit overboard with the strobe cream with my moisturizer. So go easy with it when using on the bare face with moisturizer. My face was shining like a disco ball at the end of the day. I would suggest instead of using a generous amount all over the skin, try using it on the high points of the face where the light will naturally hit.
Longevity of Maybelline Master Strobing Cream- Nude Glow
The product can be used with a brush, but I find blending with fingers makes it last longer. Just tap on the surface, and the product stays and gives maximum impact rather than swirling it with a brush. Beauty sponge will soak up the product, and the effect of micro- pearls will diminish. On my oily skin, it remained for a good 6-7 hours without any touch-ups. It faded eventually but naturally, not in patches. However, I have noticed that the product can move around and make you look a bit oily at the end of the day. But it just because I have oily skin, so many products break down quickly on my skin after a few hours. I think people with dry skin will not have this issue at all. Cream products are more suitable for dry skin people.
Pros of Maybelline Master Strobing Cream- Nude Glow
- The packaging is sturdy and travel friendly
- The highlighter is subtle and gives a natural glowing appearance
- Suits all types of skin tones
- Lightweight and non- sticky texture
- It can be mixed with other complexion products for a radiant look
- Good staying power
Cons of Maybelline Master Strobing Cream- Nude Glow
- It doesn’t give the blinding highlight look
- It has to be topped with powder highlighters for a prominent highlight effect.
Final thoughts
The product will give you a subtle glow that is noticeable but not comparable to powder highlighters. You can top the product with a powder highlighter, which will increase its longevity. Your powder highlighter will pop even more if you layer it on top of a cream higher. The best part about this even after using it multiple times it didn’t break me out. Hence, I would highly recommend this product for all skin types, but for dry skin beauties, a cream highlighter is a must in your beauty arsenal.
You may also like to read my review on Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara.
