Risky Beauty is a Korean brand that positions itself away from the typical minimalist aesthetic very common in K-Beauty and instead boasts grungy maximalism. The marketing and packaging alone allow it to occupy a different space in the market, but the formulas and shades especially push it that much further.
Today’s post is especially exciting because it is the first blog collaboration and is with my dear friend Rebecca from LiftBakeLove (or you may similarly know her from her Substack, Your Green Friend Reviews Beauty. For reference, she has a light to light-medium skin depth with a beautiful warm olive undertone, and she is very olive, so we both sit on an extreme end of a spectrum. There seems to be an interesting cross-over that occurs between muted and olive skin tones in a way where shades can read quite similarly but others are wildly different, and we love analyzing the Color Math™ of it all – especially when we have the pleasure of doing so with unusual shades and unique brands! So when we realized we had both purchased the new Blur-Rush Sticks separately, she reached out and asked if I’d like to do a joint post together as a sort of color study. Make sure to go check out her post for thoughts and swatches! If you enjoy this type of thing, definitely let us know, as it was a genuine pleasure!
This is definitely a longer post, but almost all of the current product types offered by Risky are included – so strap in!
Be Bold Lip Gloss
Let’s start with the glosses, as they were the first thing I ever tried from the brand! The unique shades first drew me in, but the formula + shade combination is what has me repurchasing them over and over as time goes on.
These are such a solid gloss. They’re really smooth and plush feeling upon application, and you can easily achieve a glassy shine – the reflection actually caused photographing them a little difficult! That same plush feeling gives a smoothing effect to my lips as well. My lips are naturally a little fuller; however, with some lines starting to creep in, I can say that the formula doesn’t fill in wrinkles necessarily but does kind of float over them so that they’re not accentuated.
I included a few photos below to show the built-up and mostly worn-off colors of the shades I have, as well as a couple of orientations in case one is easier to see similar shades together. The hand photo shows how the gloss sits over wrinkles (which are of course deeper in my palms than my lips!).
You certainly do not need every shade, but I can also say I have no regrets about purchasing the ones I have, especially since some I’ve never seen elsewhere. It’s hard to pick true favorites, but the ones I reach for the most are Naked, Sicko, Guilty, and Numb Numb.
They also last pretty well for a gloss despite not necessarily having that specific grippy sensation that some formulas do. The shine and color will dissipate over time, but while some glosses remove moisture – either by actively drying my lips or by not replenishing them from moisture loss during the day – my lips actually still feel moisturized when the product has left.
Regarding the packaging, mine are all in the original component, which I believe has a pretty standard fill volume. However, Risky has recently upgraded the size to deliver ~40% more, making these an even better value, and emphasized that there is no formula change.
The other aspect is the doe foot. I actually really like the shape and size, as I find that they offer a good balance between spreading the formula with the wider portion but also giving the precision of the pointed applicator. This is also getting upgraded with the component change to be a little wider, though it looks to still be a similar shape. Lastly, the cap both looks cool and serves a function as it helps to grip the top a little better, which can sometimes be an issue with a slippery, smooth cap.
One word of warning: The glosses do have that sweet mint fragrance (very similar to the Dior Addict Lip Maximizer), but I don’t find that it lingers or that I taste it. There’s the slightest cooling sensation at first presumably due to the menthol, though this also goas away very quickly and is not nearly as strong as many other formulas I’ve tried with this aspect – you might even miss it if you don’t know it’s there depending on your sensitivity to that sensation or ingredient.
Pigment Eyeshadow Palettes
Next up are the Pigment Eyeshadow Palettes, which are not a new product but took me a while to actually pick up. I must say though that I’ve really enjoyed them, especially for the tones. If you are muted, you’ll want to see these.
In terms of the formula, the mattes are very finely milled, which is a quality I’ve honestly come to expect from K-Beauty shadows, though these actually even feel a bit velvety (but not creamy). Where these differ though is their pigmentation level. While the pigment would still would be considered less than that of your typical Western brand, it is higher than other Korean brands, which makes sense when considering that Risky advertises a higher impact look. However, they are also quite buildable, so it’s a nicely flexible formula. There is also a matte formula containing those surface level shimmers that mostly leave the brush when tapping or blending but that give that much more blendability. However, it’s only within two shades across all three palettes – the blue in “Dusty Blue” and the warm gray in “Shatter” – which can notoriously be more difficult shades in general.
Similarly, the shimmers are fairly pigmented and have a couple of different formulas. Some shades are more of a traditional metallic, while the others are a denser shimmer with bigger particles mixed in to give that dimensional, high shine effect.
The final type of formula within the palettes I’ve tried is one that’s more like a topper for that wet look/glistening effect. This one inherently applies more sparsely but has the same pigment level in my opinion as most Western brands and is really beautiful. This one and the standard mattes are my favorite.
I definitely recommend using an eyeshadow primer with a bit of grip for these formulas. The mattes can “fluff” a bit more because they are such a fine powder, so this helps to stick them down more and increase longevity. The shimmers, both the metallic + metallic-adjacent ones and the wet-look ones, benefit from these primers as well since they can give a bit of fallout on initial application (though I don’t find that they fall more throughout the day).
Dusty Blue
The “Dusty Blue” colorway is the one that first called to me and the one that I’ve reached for most often over the last couple of months especially. The light, muted, neutral-leaning-cool tones are ideal for giving my very fair, muted, neutral skin some dimension without ever going too dark. This makes it perfect for everyday work looks, while still having a shade for deepening/lining and a shade for a (still muted) pop of color.
Note: The first shade in the palette is both light and applies lightly, but I promsie the swatch is there!
Soft Smoky
The “Soft Smoky” colorway is the one that I’ve reached for second most often and is quite aptly named. You can certainly get some more depth out of this one, and because of the formulas, you have a lot of control over how smoky you want to go. Most times when I want something a little more but still work appropriate, “soft smoky” is exactly what I aim for – it gives me the contrast I need against my skin, hair, and eye color to be impactful but not so deep that I feel the need to have a full glam moment.
This one leans a touch warmer than Dusty Blue but not overly so – another reason why it works so well, as many smoky palettes or shade selections are quite committed to their undertone and saturation level. The only thing that would make it perfect is if there was a true brightening shade in it for me, but to be very frank, I never expect that given how fair-skinned I am. For that reason, I always have a single on hand anyways, and the mid-tone shade here does give seamless blending.
Also, if you’re someone who drools at a neutral brown with a cool reflect? (If so, absolutely raising my hand with you!) That second shade in the top row is absolutely dreamy and is the formula with bigger reflects for more shine.
Shatter
The final palette I’ve picked up is the “Shatter” colorway, which is your quintessential monochrome gray color scheme. The aspect I appreciate most about this palette is that you get a range of depths and tones without it being only charcoal and black, so it’s again quite easy to build a cohesive, seamlessly blended look.
I also love that there is a range of finishes, spanning mattes, metallics, and wet-look finishes, so you can choose how soft or intense you go with it.
Blur-Rush Stick
Last but certainly not least is Risky’s latest release, the Blur-Rush Stick. This is a stunning cream blush formula. It’s like the brand took a peek inside of my brain for my favorite qualities in this type of product and combined them all in the easiest delivery system. Genuinely, they’re like the perfect balance of emollience, pigment, and tones while also giving some impressive lasting power.
The formula has a little bit of slip and therefore doesn’t need to be warmed up to transfer color, but it also isn’t glossy or sticky as some can be. For reference, these are similar in texture to the cream blushes from Trixie Cosmetics or Persona Cosmetics. This allows you to transfer enough color at a time so that you’re blending the product (vs. what’s underneath such as foundation) but without ever encountering an overwhelming amount of pigment. The pigmentation level does vary a little by shade with the more intense colors packing a bit more punch initially, but with all shades still remaining very accessible in my opinion. They’re also nicely buildable, so you can always add more if you have a deeper skin tone or want more impact.
Maybe my favorite thing about the formula is the finish. It’s such a beautiful, healthy-looking, natural effect. Slightly satiny but really adapting to whatever is underneath them so that your whole complexion looks like the same canvas. Blush is often the first thing to disappear during the day (even on my dry skin), but I can confidently say that these have lasted the full work day + some every time I’ve worn them.
And of course, as with the rest of the line, the colors are what primarily drew me in to begin with. Mauvement and Tinut are undoubtedly my favorites – the chroma/vibrance and temperatures are a couple of the most “at home” colors I’ve ever found in blush. EVER. Heartish and Coril are great for giving me a bit more liveliness without going too saturated. Zesty is a great juicy, almost electric coral for the summer. Cota is a really nice terracotta shade that can be used as a blonzer on my complexion since it has more red than a lot of similarly-described tones tend to.
Most shades in the line are matte, while Coril and Zesty have a slight shimmer. However, the particles are so fine that you’d have to look quite hard to see them vs. your eyes just registering the little bit of additional shine. And honestly, if anyone is that close in my face while living my daily life, we probably have bigger issues.
I’ve already ordered the new R.E.D shade as well because I just trust that they’ve done it right.
International Ordering
As with my prior Risky Beauty orders, I purchased directly from the website. The prices are usually in line with retailers but often lower at launch due to bundle deals. However, I got hit with a hefty duties bill for this shipment that had me considering turning away the package. I had never encountered this before, but it has quickly swayed me to never order through this method again, at least unless the situation changes in the US.
The good news is that many of Risky’s launches have been making their way now relatively quickly to YesStyle, who always has discounts running and for which you can get free shipping with no additional duties, so I’d recommend that route.
Final Thoughts
Risky Beauty is one of my favorite discoveries in the K-Beauty space, and I always keep an eye out for their launches. I just really enjoy their point of view, and the way they envision products from formula through packaging aligns with my style. They do have a higher price point compared to many K-Beauty brands, but which are still lower than nearly every high-end option in the US.
My general response to anyone who has asked about Risky Beauty is that if you see a shade that calls to you, you will likely enjoy the formula. I think they have found a harmony between market needs/desires with formulas and pushing the boundaries with color, positioning themselves as having nuanced but crowd-friendly offerings.
If you made it to the end, thank you so much for reading – I hope this was helpful! I’d love to know what you want to see next.
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