Café, java, cuppa, cup of Joe; however you word it, coffee is always good. I’m a basic girl who loves all things coffee which is why I was intrigued when Marc Jacobs Beauty first teased their Spring 2020 collection, Café Marc Jacobs. The collection includes the Extra Shot Caffeine Concealer and Foundation, O!mega x Three Face Palettes, and three new Matte Gel Eye Crayons. I picked up two of the complexion products to review.

Disclaimer: Marc Jacobs Beauty is a cruelty-free company. Marc Jacobs Fragrance is NOT a cruelty-free company. They are owned by two separate companies. It should also be noted that Marc Jacobs Beauty is owned by Kendo (a CF company) which is owned by LVMH (a non-cruelty free company).

Extra Shot Caffeine Concealer and Foundation

Details

• $39 USD
• Available in 30 Shades
• 16 mL, Net Weight 0.54 Fl. Oz.
• Vegan
• Available for purchase at MarcJacobsBeauty.com and Sephora

Description

“Conceal and perfect. Caffeine infused. Creamy full coverage. Exhaustion is over—or at least the look of it. Wake up your skin with this creamy, caffeine-infused concealer and foundation. Longwear and crease-resistant, Extra Shot serves up natural-looking full coverage to instantly conceal dark circles, blemishes and redness. And because time is the ultimate luxury, Extra Shot works double time. Use it as a concealer or blend it out as a buildable foundation for a visibly smoother, more even complexion. Now comes the extra shot—infused with caffeine, oat extract and five forms of coconut, the hydrating, vegan formula blends seamlessly for skin that looks brighter, revived and re-energized. With an oversized applicator for quick, all-over coverage, Extra Shot is your go-to multitasker for a refreshed, flawless look. For all skin types.“

Review

I got the shade Light 140 (Light with Warm-Neutral Undertones) which was a minor mistake because it’s a bit too light for my skin tone. I should have gone with Light 150 (Light Neutral), but I was able to remedy this with powder and bronzer products.

The packaging comes in a luxe frosted bottle. The doe foot is a bit small for full face application. I would have liked for it to be larger as I had to dip into the bottle twice in order to dot product across my face. The consistency is thick and creamy, but blends out beautifully with a brush or sponge, especially underneath the eye as concealer.

The product feels weightless on the skin. Products lay on top of it really well, too. I found my skin looking very even, smooth, and revived within the first few hours of wear. I didn’t have to powder and touch up throughout the day as much as I usually have to with other foundations. Towards the end of wear (over 8 hours), I did notice small areas on my forehead and smile lines looked a bit dry (though they didn’t feel dry). This odd experience interests me because coconut-based products tend to make things look oily on me and this did the opposite.

I think it’s a convenient product to use all over the face, especially when in a hurry. I just prefer it more as a concealer than a full-face foundation. I am really impressed with how smooth it looks on the skin and how easy it is to blend out. I really do like it. That being said, $39 is a lofty price for a concealer. So you may want to skip this one if you’re on a budget. I do find that there’s a dupe of this with Pür’s 4-in-1 Love Your Selfie Foundation & Concealer which has a large doe foot for applying all over the face (it has a pump too!).

O!mega x Three Powder Blush-Bronze-Highlight Palette

Details

• $49 USD
• Available in 2 Shades
• Blush Net Weight: 7.5g/0.26 Oz./Bronzer Net Weight 9.8g/0.35 Oz./Highlighter Net Weight 7.2g/0.25 Oz.
• Not Vegan (Highlighter contains carmine)
• Available for purchase at MarcJacobsBeauty.com and Sephora

Description

“Seamless Glow. All-in-One Radiance. Perfect Blend. Heat up your look with this craveable face palette featuring three ultra-blendable shades of blush, bronzer and highlighter. Start with the satin-sheen blush for the perfect rosy flush. Then, build a sun-kissed glow with cult-favorite bronzer shades Tan-tastic! and Tantalize. Finish with a softly shimmering highlight to accent your best features. Like a decadent coconut latte, these perfect-blend shades have a delicate coconut scent and are enrobed in covetable packaging inspired by swirls of cream and coffee.“

Review

I got the lighter shade in 200 Tan-Tastic Glo! First off, I love the compact. The pan sizes are wide enough to fit my brushes in, so my initial concern about the products getting mixed together were reduced immediately. The bronzer blends really well and feels velvety smooth on the skin. It is a little too light for my taste, but it is buildable. The blush is my favorite part of the palette. The light peachy shade is very flattering and applies seamlessly. It’s not overly pigmented and builds nicely. It’s very difficult to make this blush look bad. Lastly, the highlighter is nice, as well. It’s a universal light champagne-gold that will suit fair-to-medium skin tones.

All three powders are very natural looking and work well together. I also have to mention that it has a coconut smell. It’s not overpowering, but I have to admit it kind of triggered memories of my mother slathering Coppertone all over me at the beach when I was a kid. I am a little disappointed that it doesn’t smell like coffee, but I understand the coconut oils were part of the skin care aspect of this line. My skin has not had any negative reactions to using this product. All in all, I’m pleased with the way this palette performs. I can see myself continuing use of this into the Spring and Summer, especially for work looks.

Aside from the lack of depth with the bronzer, the other downside is the price. You pay for the designer name and luxurious packaging. It’s certainly a fun experience, but I think you could easily dupe each powder product in this palette with separate Milani items at the drugstore.

So is it worth it? I think it’s up to personal preference. I enjoy the experience of using such a fancy compact and think it looks pretty on my vanity. I am getting use out of it. I just don’t think it’s worth the price. I would suggest waiting to get this during the next Sephora sale.

Photos and article by Amy Petrucci. Originally posted on February 27, 2021.