Such a move into uncharted waters by a brand famed for its sumptuous skincare was bound to be headline grabbing. What got me particularly fired up about Eve Lom’s Complexion range (news story) was the product formulas – cosmetics infused with active anti-ageing ingredients.
My go-to for skincare makeup for more than a year now has been By Terry. I simply adore her Hyaluronic Hydra Powder, Hyaluronic Hydra Primer and Touch-expert Advanced (By Terry’s founder Terry De Gunzburg was the brains behind the best-selling YSL Touche Eclat).
But as a big fan of Eve Lom’s skincare range too (including of course her classic cleansing balm), I was keen to try out the makeup range and compare it with my current trusted favourite. Which one would I prefer?
I recently scraped together enough pennies (ahem, pounds) to top-up on my By Terry (running low on the primer) and splash out on some of the Eve Lom (particularly the translucent powder), so that I could compare them and do a ‘vs’ post. Space NK also very kindly gave me some samples of other products in the ranges, enabling me to do a broader comparison. Let battle commence...
Eve Lom vs By Terry (Round 1) – The Powders
By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder – Price £42 for 10g
Key features:
- ultra-fine colourless powder- micronised skin plumping hyaluronic acid spheres (micronised molecules are important as they can penetrate the skin’s surface)
- silica microspheres (sebum absorbent, wrinkle filling for a soft focus effect)
Pros:
This ultra-fine powder has a luxuriously silky texture and gives a lovely soft matte finish. The microspheres scatter light so fine lines and wrinkles do indeed become blurred out – hey, it’s an optical illusion but that’s fine by me! I love the fact that this powder is white as it blends to the exact colour of my base foundation. I simply love it!Cons:
I really dislike the loose powder-type pot. This is such a fine powder that clouds of it puff out of the pot as you dip in your brush. It’s pricey stuff so you don’t want to be loosing any of it. A re-think on the packaging would be a welcome upgrade.
Eve Lom Sheer Radiance Translucent Powder - £42 for 3.5g
Key features:
- BerryFlux Vita (raspberry cell oil-soluble extract) stimulates skin’s natural hyaluronic acid to moisturise and lock in hydration- rich in antioxidants to strengthen skin barrier and help preserve collagen and elastin
- light diffusing micro-fine rose shaped particles
Pros
This powder has a velvety texture that glides on the skin beautifully. It also diffuses the light for a soft focus effect, blurring out my fine lines. Again absorbent without clogging (some powders I find clump on greasy spots – not a good look!). I also looove the dispenser here. You pull off the top, push down the clear plastic covering protecting the brush and shake once. The brush gets filled with a precise single application of powder. Marvellous. The dainty cylindrical applicator is also the perfect size and shape for popping in your make-up bag and whipping out for a quick top-up.Cons
This loose powder is indeed micro-fine and featherweight, but it isn't quite as light as the By Terry. I feel a bit uncomfortable mentioning this as a negative as you might prefer this texture. It’s a personal thing, as is wishing this didn’t have any pigment in it. It comes in the one shade - Dawn. Yes it’s translucent but it does give a very slight colour. Also, it’s worth noting that you get nearly 3 times the quantity of powder from By Terry for the same price – 10g as against Eve Lom’s 3.5g (both £42) - but you do get the Eve Lom brush included. Having said all of that I do so love this luxurious Eve Lom powder.Last thoughts
It is so difficult to choose a winner between these two in this round. Both are amazing powders and what I dislike about one is addressed by the other. The only way forward for me is to buy both: use my By Terry at home as a setting powder for my day and night makeup, and use the Eve Lom while on-the-go when a ‘must powder my nose’ top-up is required - and for holidays of course.You can purchase the By Terry powder here and the Eve Lom here.
