Dupes or Not? Rock and Republic Kinky Vs Evil Shades Backtalk

Finding dupes in my stash always produces mixed feelings in me. Sometimes, it makes me happy, (Yes! That limited edition shadow has a permanent dupe!), sometimes it makes me sad, (What, did I just spend double the amount of money for two of the same product), and sometimes it just makes me incredulous (What?! You mean that expensive overpriced thing has a cheap dupe!?). In today's case, I'm feeling incredulous. And you'll see why.

Just take a look at these two blushes. They look pretty much the same in the packaging, don't they? Looks like they might just be dupes. And this is why I'm incredulous - the blush on the left is the cheap and cheery Evil Shades blush in Backtalk, while on the right is the ridiculously overpriced Rock and Republic blush in Kinky.



I know what you're thinking - wait, you mean that cheap indie Evil Shades brand has a dupe of that expensive Rock and Republic blush? Sure does look like it, doesn't it? When I saw these two side-by-side in my stash, I almost wanted to kick myself for having shelled out the money for Rock and Republic Kinky. I mean, sure, I did get it when it was on sale, but still... I felt vaguely cheated.

I consoled myself by saying, well at least there's some difference - Kinky is entirely matte, while Backtalk has some fine gold shimmer through the blush. So they're different enough to own both. I swear the fine gold shimmer in Backtalk is there, my camera is just having problems picking up the shimmer. I promise I didn't invent it to make them seem different and make myself feel better!



Anyway, the only sure way to know if something is a dupe or not, is to swatch both products side by side. So I did, and here we are:


L - R: Evil Shades Backtalk, Rock and Republic Kinky

Here you can see that they are close - very, very close - but they aren't absolute dupes. For one, as I've previously mentioned, Backtalk has non-obvious fine gold shimmer throughout the shade, while Kinky is matte. Also, Backtalk is a hair more neutral in undertone, probably due to the gold shimmer warming up the colour, while Kinky is a bit more blue-based, and thus cool-toned. But these differences are pretty minute, and I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference between them if they were worn sheerly on the cheek, except perhaps for the shimmer.

So, which one should you get, if you decide you don't want two almost-dupes in your collection? Well, I guess it would depend on your brand and price preference. Some people love Rock and Republic blushes, while some people love good prices, and that may be enough to sway a purchasing decision. But if you prefer a blush that's a bit more shimmery, then Backtalk is a better choice. Also, I feel like Backtalk's more neutral undertone would suit it better to a wider range of skintones, so if you aren't cool-toned, Backtalk would probably look better on you. They aren't perfect dupes, but I'd say you probably only need either of the blushes. (Although as a blush fiend, I still insist on keeping both!)

Rock and Republic Spank vs Stila Bud Blush: Dupes or Not?

While plumbing the depths of my makeup stash, I noticed that two of my blushes looked eerily familiar. One was a blush I've raved about before, Rock and Republic's Spank, and the other was Stila's Bud blush, which I had and liked at one point in time, but forgot I had over the years. Oops.

Both appear identical in the pan, and to be sure, they are from the same colour family - both are muted, everyday, go-with-everything neutral pinks.



L-R: Rock and Republic Spank, Stila Bud

I was curious to see if they were actually dupes or not, so I swatched them side by side. I think they're pretty close, although they're not absolute dupes. But they are close, though, so very close.



L-R: Stila Bud, Rock and Republic Spank

They're pretty much the same, but Spank is a little bit brighter than Bud, and also perhaps a little bit more cool-toned. But they are both muted neutral light pinks, so the similarity is pretty slight. I guess when you actually wear the colours on your cheeks, they're not going to look too different.

Quality-wise, both were good, although the Rock and Republic was more pigmented than the Stila, and also had a smoother texture. I'm not saying the Stila isn't good though, because it is, but Rock and Republic is better.

So which should you get, if you can only get one? Well, given that both colours are relatively close, I'm going to frame this as a quality vs price thing. Rock and Republic has the better quality, but Stila has the cheaper price. Both are good though, so at the end of the day, your choice could end up being decided by your budget.

Rock and Republic Seduce, MAC Flirt and Tease, First Light Cosmetics Sundowner: Dupes or Not?

Since First Light Cosmetics is currently having a 20% off promotion for OFAF (Of Faces and Fingers) readers, I thought some comparison swatches would be in order. The last time I featured First Light's blushes, I mentioned that there were some very similar colours for a higher price, and that Sundowner could potentially be a dupe for some of those.




Here's what I dug up from my makeup stash for comparison - the much vaunted and raved about Rock and Republic Seduce, the one-with-the-fangirls MAC Flirt and Tease, and First Light Cosmetics Sundowner. All three of these were powder blushes, and they were in the same colour family. All three are plummy blushes with a hint of brown - a bit overwhelming to look at in the pan, perhaps, but lovely if applied with some caution on the skin. And yes, I do think fair girls can wear these colours too! (I'm NC20, and these happen to be some of my favourite shades.)

Anyway, enough with my gushing about plummy blushes. On with the swatches:



L-R: Rock and Republic Seduce, First Light Cosmetics Sundowner, MAC Flirt & Tease

Now, first off the bat, you'll notice that these are very similar. Very, very similar. They aren't 100% dupes for each other, but I guess once worn it's a little difficult to tell the difference. But there are some small differences.

The first small difference is that Sundowner is a lot more shimmery than either Seduce or Flirt and Tease. It doesn't have huge glitter bits, but it's more light-reflective than either the Rock and Republic or the MAC colour.

The second tiny difference is Sundowner is more plummy and rose in colour, while both Rock and Republic's Seduce and MAC's Flirt and Tease are more brown. But as you can see in the photo, the difference isn't very great.

The last difference is that of pigmentation. Rock and Republic had the best pigmentation, while MAC was the least pigmented. Now before I get lynched by all the MAC fangirls for even daring to suggest that MAC can be less pigmented than another brand, let me offer an olive branch by saying that Flirt and Tease is a Sheertone colour, anyway, so it isn't meant to be super-duper pigmented. It isn't sheer by any means, though, and you can definitely build it up to the level of kabuki clown cheeks, but it is a little sheerer than Seduce and Sundowner.

So, are all three blushes dupes for each other? Colour-wise, I think the Rock and Republic and the MAC blushes are more similar to each other than the First Light Cosmetics version. So if you want the closer dupe of Seduce, then Flirt and Tease is the one to get, even if it's a tad sheerer. But they're all similar enough that I can't tell you which one to pick definitively - it's going to depend on your brand preference (high or low end?), budget (cheap or expensive?), and other preferences in terms of form (loose powder blush or pressed powder blush?), pigmentation (more pigmented, or less?), and colour (more red, or more brown?).

Rock and Republic Spank Blush: Review, Swatch and FOTD

Rock and Republic has been making huge waves in makeup fandom. Although they're very steeply priced (and I say this with no exaggeration), people have been clamouring left and right for their makeup items, because they are of undeniably good quality. It also helps that they go on sale at Hautelook and Editor's Closet every now and then in the USA (Ahem - there are invite links in the "Like Shopping? Join Me!" sidebar to both online stores if you need them). But whatever the reason, be it hype, product quality, or discounts, you can't deny people have been raving about them.



That said - I'm pretty sure packaging plays a part. The blushes themselves come in a huge pan, and the mirror-like casing is substantial and has the R&R logo elaborately decorating the cover. And to top it off, the entire huge compact comes in a big black paper box - yes each blush has its own paper box container. It looks really luxe, but it takes up a lot of space, and not to mention, the environmentally-conscious will bemoan all the trees that had to die for fanciful packaging. But otherwise, ostentatious presentation aside, the packaging is alright - the flip-top lid is sensible, it's got a good-sized mirror inside the lid, and the blush pan is big enough for your brush to comfortably make swipes across the product.

Spank is one of the more celebrated colours from Rock and Republic's blush line, because it's a universal, flattering pink. Honestly, it's pretty subtle, and if you're a NARS blush kind of girl, Spank might look pretty disappointing at a first glance, because it just looks like your everyday subtle pink blush. I mean, it's a neutral light pink. Sure it's a universal colour, but it does sound a little boring...



Upon swatching, you realize why this thing has been getting all the raves - its smooth texture and awesome pigmentation take the cake. Of course, neutral light pinks along the lines of Rock and Republic's Spank are a dime a dozen, but where Spank outdoes the most of them is in quality. One of the pitfalls of light-coloured blushes is that often, companies formulate them in such a way that they are chalky and unpigmented. So if you're looking for a light-coloured blush, finding one that is of decent pigmentation and quality can be a challenge. But Rock and Republic has made sure that Spank didn't fall into that trap. It's smooth, silky and finely-milled, and very nicely pigmented indeed.



Wear time on this blush was also good, and it pretty much lasted the whole day. I really liked this blush a lot, and while it's not a particularly exciting colour, I think it's a good basic. It's also one of those no-brainer colours that goes with everything - perfect for those days when you don't know what colour to wear.

Here's an FOTD (Face of the Day) with Spank. I urge you not to look at the pimple. Repeat, do not look at the pimple. Aww shucks. I knew you'd look anyway...



I guess the idea of paying Rock and Republic prices for a blush so basic might make some girls gag, but I suppose if you are looking for quality basics to spend on, Spank is a really good option. It has everything I look for in a blush - soft texture, good pigmentation, and great lasting power - so if you do end up buying it, you won't regret it. But of course, if you already have a colour like that and are happy with it, then perhaps Spank would be a nice addition to your makeup stash, but not one that is strictly necessary. My advice, if you are located in the USA, would be to wait til it goes on sale at Hautelook and Editor's Closet to make your purchase (Ahem again - don't forget the invite links in my sidebar :P ). Spank is a great blush, so if you can get your hands on it for a decent price, I think it's worth it.