Add to Cart is a reader interest series that breaks down products and launches in beauty and skincare from your wish list. Has something caught your eye and preoccupied your desires? What products are you curious to learn more about? Let us know what's living on your wish list in the comments - each month, we'll select, buy, and review one product to see if it lives up to the hype!
Welcome to another round of Add to Cart! This month we will be our second visit with Jones Road Beauty. Last month I tried out the WTFoundation and thanks to encouragement from Lisa B in the comments, I decided to snag some of the Miracle Balm for this month's product.
The Product We Chose: Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm in "Dusty Rose" - $38
My Subscription Addiction paid for this product. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
I literally tortured myself over the color choices for this balm. All of them look super vivid in their pots which was a little concerning, but all of the swatches online made the formula appear super sheer.
The Formula and Shades
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I almost just bought the tint-less "Au Natural" but thought that was too "safe" for this review. I ended up selecting the fan-favorite "Dusty Rose" which I thought would have a nice amount of color and radiance without being boring. It arrived and looks exactly like I imagined, a true dusty rose. You have to "break the seal" of the Miracles Balms before really experiencing them. This means you just force your finger underneath the surface until it breaks, which allows you to actually scoop up some of the product. The texture feels like a hard balm but it warms up quickly when combined with the warmth of your fingers, creating a shimmering sheer wash of color. I have seen it applied with buffing style brushes but I found that dabbing it onto my cheeks and any areas of my face I like to highlight worked just fine.
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The Performance
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I think the biggest question for me was exactly what this product was for. Is it blush? Some sort of subtle highlight? Moisturizer? And the answer is YES for all three. Depending on the shade you choose you can get a bold pink, natural and shimmering bronze, or just keep it sheer and simple. "Dusty Rose" is buildable but might disappoint anyone looking for more vibrant payoff. The real magic here is that pearly highlight that illuminates my cheeks and the bridge of my nose quite beautifully while making my skin look like there is nothing on it at all. You can also use this on eyelids and lips, though this shade didn't show up at all on my smile. I found the ginger-scented formula lasted on my face all day (seriously, it doesn't budge but never fully dries).
My Takeaway
Much like What the Foundation, this product is going to be very hit or miss depending on how you like to wear your makeup and how oily or dry you are. Miracle Balm is total and complete makeup minimalism and I can't reiterate that enough. This is the sort of product that you apply for the first time, wonder if it is actually doing anything, but then you have multiple people tell you how amazing your skin looks. I wore this to the salon with my What the Foundation and had multiple compliments, including someone literally telling me I looked "10 years younger". Since I am in my mid-30s, this feels pretty good. The bottom line is that both of these products together don't look or feel like they are doing much at first and they certainly don't make for dramatic review photographs. But they have the power to create dewy, healthy-looking skin. And I have been reaching for them every morning since I opened them.
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Should You Buy Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm?
This product mirrors my checklist from last month's foundation review. This is for you IF:
- You have drier skin
- You want minimal coverage
- You want a clean formula
- You don't mind experimenting with fingertip application
In my opinion, the one real downside to Jones Road is that it isn't found in stores, meaning shade selection can feel intimidating and uncertain. Hopefully, as this brand gains traction, that becomes less of an issue. For now, if you find yourself stuck on the right shade for you, just remember that this formula is insanely sheer. Most of these shades will work for nearly anyone!
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What's Next?
Here are a few products that I keep hearing about:
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What new launch has you wondering if it is worth an Add to Cart? Let me know in the comments below!
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