Mocha Queen
Coloured Raine Mocha Queen Bronzer ($16.00 for 0.3 oz.) is a deep, chocolate brown with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. It appeared more red-toned in the pan, but it seemed to have a hint of yellow to my eye when applied and blended out. It was incredibly pigmented where a little went a long way, so you’ll want to use a lighter hand when working with this product and build up, as that made it easier to work with overall.
The texture felt softer and smoother to the touch, though slightly drier as a powder–kind of like super matte, in a way–that was best applied by gently patting it into the general area one wanted (but not sweeping or buffing it on), then going in with a clean brush to buff the product into an even layer. It wasn’t the most difficult shade to apply, but it wasn’t the easiest either–more work than most powders are for me (whether blush, bronzer, or contour).
It had a tendency to stick heavily wherever initially applied and didn’t want to spread or diffuse from there, which resulted in a patchier look. The formula is only workable when applied over set foundation/ultra matte skin as any natural oils or slip on the skin yielded patchy results that I just could not blend out. It showed signs of fading after eight hours of wear.
FURTHER READING:
Formula Overview
for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
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Formula Overview
$16.00/0.3 oz. – $53.33 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a matte bronzer, though the brand also touted it as multi-use, so the powders could also be used to brighten, set makeup, contour, or as an eyeshadow, depending on your skin tone with respect to a given shade. The formula is supposed to be “buttery smooth” and give a “smoothing and pore blurring” effect.
It felt smooth enough to the touch, but it also felt slightly drier, which I’ve found is a type of texture that is often harder for me to blend out. This was true with some of the shades–to varying degrees–and it was easiest to apply it over totally matte skin/foundation, e.g. over set foundation, which made it more forgiving for blending. It actually reminded me a lot of the texture AND experience I had with Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer.
At its worst, the product would adhere unevenly wherever I first applied it but then not want to diffuse or blend out. I had the best luck blending out the shades more consistently by gently tapping on product where I wanted the most coverage (but not diffusing, blending, or sweeping!) and using a clean, buffer brush to blend more vigorously. The formula is most suitable for someone who always applies their bronzer over matte or set foundation and has no desire to use it over bare skin/luminous foundation.
They were very pigmented to the point where a little went a long way, so using a lighter hand would be a good way to start using this formula and then adjusting as desired. When everything blended out, it looked matte and smooth, though almost flat-matte on my normal-to-dry skin. They lasted between seven and eight hours before fading visibly.
Browse all of our Coloured Raine Bronzer swatches.
Ingredients
Talc, Zinc Stearate, Nylon 12, Mica (CI 77019), Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lauroyl Lysine May Contain +/- Iron Oxides (CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77492), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), FD&C Yellow No 5 Aluminum Lake (CI 19140), Ultramarines (CI 77007)
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer)
at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable
to the product you’re purchasing, or the brand or retailer’s website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.