The Blush Tag

Blush is without a doubt one of my favourite makeup items. I love buying new blushes to add to my collection and throughout have discovered some real gems. I have seen this tag floating around blogs for a long while now and I thought I would give my input into some of my favourite and not so favourite blush picks!

1. What blush color suits you the most?

I am definitely a lover of nude-rosy mauve toned shades (you will soon grasp that!). I love the subtle look but warmth that they add and also the structural effect that many of those shades tend to offer. I find bolder shades can look a little too much on my pale complexion.

2. Pressed, cream or loose blush?

I am definitely all for pressed! I am not the biggest cream fan and I haven’t actually tried any loose powder blushes but that seems a little messy!

3. Favourite shimmery blush?

Most of my blushes are shimmery so this is a difficult one! The hourglass blushes are beautiful though! They are not overly shimmery or intense but offer more of a soft highlight effect on the cheeks. Totally gorgeous! My favourites are Diffused Heat and Mood Exposure.

4. Favourite matte blush?

As I said most of my blushes are shimmery so I don’t have many matte options to choose from however I recently got my hands on two shades from Tarte. The shade Exposed is totally beautiful and flattering on my skin. The mauve-plum shade adds the perfect amount of colour as well as adding a sculpted effect to the cheeks.

5. Favourite cream blush?

I am not the biggest fan of cream formulas however the Illamasqua blushes never fail to disappoint and I am truly obsessed with their cream blush in the shade Zygomatic. I picked this up at a bargain price but I absolutely love it, again a pretty soft nude shade that is uber flattering. The formula is perfect however and doesn’t feel slippy or greasy on the skin.

6. Favourite drugstore blush?

I tend to go for higher end options particularly for blush as the drugstore never really interests me in terms of blush however there is one blush I love. The Max Factor Creme Puff Blushes has to be the best drugstore blush range around. They are beautiful and the marble-y highlighting effect makes them great dupes of the Hourglass options. The shade Lavish Mauve is super beautiful and a great dupe for Hourglass Mood Exposure.

7. Favourite high end blush?

Such a tricky one since this basically equates to what is my favourite blush! I probably have to go with the Hourglass blushes as they feel like such a good investment however I love the Nars blushes particularly Sin!

8. Favourite bright blush?

Since I opt more for nude shades I don’t really have a lot of bold bright shades. Not necessarily a bright shade but Mac Breezy is much bolder in comparison to my other offerings and I totally adore it. The berry shade is perfect for the colder months for adding a perfect pop of colour!

9. Biggest blush disappointment/regret?

Sadly after having my heart on the Mac Ripe Peach Ombre Blush I was a little disappointed. FYI I spoke about it in detail here. The ombre design is so gorgeous but sadly the pigmentation was a real let down! It is so sheer but still workable, just not as I would have hoped for!

10. Best blush packaging?

The hourglass ones are super gorgeous but the monochromatic Nars design will always steal my heart!

11. What’s on your blush wish list?

Definitely one of the Charlotte Tilbury blushes, I actually nearly bought one recently but after already splurging on a few other blushes I held back but it is definitely still on my radar! I would also like to explore the Nars and Mac range more, any recommendations?

12. Number 1 Holy Grail Blush?

I would probably say Hourglass Mood Exposure (not surprising eh!), the shimmery finish and the flattering mauve tone is just perfect! I only have a miniature in my Hourglass palette but I can so see myself picking up the full size! Also shoutout to Nars Orgasm which is just a perfect all round blush too!

 

What is your favourite blush?

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Diffused Heat

It’s times like this that I wish emojis were part of physical keyboards because this has the heart eyed emoji written all over it. After dreaming of owning this beauty for so long I finally checked it off my wishlist. The beauty in conversation here is of course the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat. It is safe to say this is the most beautiful blush I have ever owned.

At £28 a pop, its a pretty pricey option although being as pretty as it is you can understand the higher price tag. Rather than just being a standard blush, the Hourglass options offer something a little different. The blushes take on a hybrid of highlighting powder and the blush pigment to create something glowy and radiant to erase that flat look that many blushes deliver. The powder is super lightweight and finely milled so it feels super soft and silky when applying.

The blushes come in a number of different shades but I went for probably the most vibrant shade in Diffused heat. Diffused Heat is a beautiful poppy coral shade with swirls of a yellow based highlighting powder which also happens to be Diffused Light from their Lighting Powder range (which I also need!). Once applied on the cheeks, it creates a beautiful light buildable flush of colour that is long wearing and keeps the base looking fresh and glowy. Perfect for Summer!

I think I’ll be adding some of more onto my wishlist and now I just need a super good brush to go with it… any suggestions?

Are you a fan of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes? 

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The Spring Blush Edit

If there is one thing I am loving at the moment, its a bit of blush. Just a touch of pink on the cheeks is enough to add a little life and energy to a rather dull complexion. With Spring here (or not considering the weather lately) I’ve been stashing away my darker berry blushes in favour of light pinks and corals and I am loving it. In fact I am getting pretty blush obsessed recently and I could totally do some damage in the beauty aisles searching for some newbies for my collection… *hides bank card* Anyway here are some of my picks for Spring.

MAC Ripe Peach – Its pretty damn dreamy, am I right!? Now if you seen my full review on this one here, you may recall I was slightly disappointed with the formula of this pretty blush. The pigmentation isn’t great and it does take a bit of building to get any colour pay off but for this time of year the subtle peachy tones just add a little warmth to the complexion. It has a slight shimmer to it but not too much, this is a blush I can see myself reaching for during summer for just a little boost of colour.

Rimmel Stay Blushed Sunkissed Cherry – A cheap and cheerful choice from Rimmel. I love this liquid blush. When I say liquid, its more of a creamier thicker consistency but not too thick. The great thing about this blush is you only need the tiniest amount and it creates such a beautiful flush of pink on the cheeks. Due to the liquid/cream formula it also appears super natural on the cheeks, perfect for Spring.

Nars Orgasm – Lets try get over the weird name. I have spoken about this one briefly here. Its a classic. When I bought this I wore it religiously and then as Winter approached I turned to darker shades but now its back out. Its a beautiful shimmery pink without being overly shimmery. The pigmentation and quality of this blush is fantastic and I really am lusting over a couple more from Nars. Again you only need a light-handed sweep of this to achieve a pretty and natural flush of colour.

Benefit Majorette – Of course if I had the chance I would mention this one again and again. This really does have Spring written all over it. A beautiful coral peach shade and in a great workable cream formula. You can use this as a blush booster (under another blush) or by itself (which is the option I do). Alone it creates such a beautiful pop of colour on the cheeks. I love it, you can see my full review here.

What blushes are you reaching for this Spring? 

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The Spring Edit 2015

Looking out the window just now, it’s safe to say Winter is far behind us. Enter Spring, warm(er) weather, cherry blossom, excuses for ice cream and lighter nights. When it comes to beauty, its all about the light glowy radiant look with gleaming highlighters, fresh radiant bases and coral cheeks. In other words here is the bulky spring edit for 2015.

Starting with the base, I have a newbie in my hands! If you read my blog regularly you may recall me lusting after the Nars Sheer Glow foundation for far too long well as you can see now I have finally picked it up! While BB/CC creams and tinted moisturisers are all the rage for spring for the fresh light coverage look, my skin needs a little more cover. This foundation has pretty darn good coverage but still offers a radiant look perfect for spring. To add that extra light and glowy feel, a swipe of the iconic YSL Touche Eclat under the eyes is great for brighting any dark circles.

Onto the cheeks. I couldn’t resist mentioning this one again, Benefit Majorette Blush. This cream-to-powder coral blush is the perfect boost of colour for the cheeks in Spring. For a bronzed look, a sweep of Nars Laguna round the face and in the hollows of the cheeks for a subtle contour. To top it off, a light sweep of the irresistible Nars Copacabana illuminator on the cheekbones to achieve that extra glow.

For eyes, I have been loving rosy and lilac shades on my lids. Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Pink Gold (swatch here) is the perfect soft pink and has such a beautiful creamy formula. In addition, L’oreal Colour Riche Mono Eyeshadow 601 is such a pretty shimmery blue-toned lilac shade. To finish, Benefit Bad Gal Lash gives the most prettiest natural fluttery lashes.

For the lips, my first ever MAC lipstick is back out to play. MAC Shy Girl is such a gorgeous nude peach shade which looks even prettier with a coat of clear gloss on top for a natural soft look. To finish, Chanel Tenderly (which I reviewed here) on the nails for that perfect spring look or a pastel shade from my Nails Spring Edit will do the job!

How have you changed your beauty routine for Spring? 

 

 

The Perfect Spring Blush: Benefit Majorette

You may recall me lusting after this beautiful Benefit blusher for the last while and as you can see I finally made the purchase. Benefit Majorette really is the perfect blush for Spring with a gorgeous coral colour and a cream to powder formula.

Like other Benefit products the packaging really is amazing. Different to the usual cardboard powder blushes Benefit are known for, this one comes in plastic packaging shaped like a drum used in a marching band which is hella cute. The formula is incredibly creamy and creates such a pretty flush of colour on the skin.

The concept behind this blush is actually meant to be a blush booster so is intended to be worn under other blushers to help boost the pigment of another on top. Although I have actually been wearing this one alone and its so pretty. It creates such a soft glowy look perfect for the warmer seasons. The blush also has such an incredible scent of what seems like peaches and watermelon to make the experience that little bit more dreamy!

This soft creamy blush is the perfect peach-y coral shade that I will forever be reaching for.

Have you tried the Benefit Majorette Blush? 

 

 

MAC Isabel and Ruben Toledo Blush Ombre Ripe Peach

I don’t quite think any beauty product deserves the heart-eyed emoji more than this one does…(okay with the exception of the Hourglass blushers). When I first heard this blush was being released under the Toledo collection for MAC, I was sold. You may be familiar with this specific Ripe Peach ombre blush which is actually a re-release as it was launched for another collection for MAC back in 2010 (I think). I have to say I was pretty lucky after I actually seen the older version on Pinterest and got rather excited about it before realising it was limited edition and of course then discontinued, so to then hear a couple of months later it was part of a new collection I knew it had to be mine!

The MAC Toledo collection hit online and in stores in the UK just this month and me being me went in to MAC the first day it hit the shelves. It was a pricey one however at £25 *ouch* but to be honest I was too excited at the time to care (I can’t be the only one). There is no denying how beautiful it looks in the packaging but I am not sure that the beauty of it really lives up to expectations. The colour pay off isn’t great if I’m honest, you really need to build it up for any good pigmentation and it does feel like your using so much of the product. There is also pieces of shimmer running through it so if you aren’t a fan of shimmery blushes this is one to avoid. It isn’t overly shimmery though and it does create a nice subtle glow to the cheeks which is perfect for Summer but it does take quite a bit of time to really gain a good colour pay off.

I wouldn’t say I regret this purchase, I mean look how pretty it is! The formula isn’t great but it does build up to create a nice glow but not exactly worth £25 if I’m honest. MAC do much better blushes!

Have you tried this blush? Do you own anything from the Toledo collection?

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Urban Decay Flushed Palette: Streak

If you seen my 2015 wishlist you may recall seeing this gem and as you can see it has successfully made its way to my collection! I was lusting over this palette for a long while and just looking at it I’m sure you can see why.

I picked up the Streak palette which appears to be the lightest of the bunch so perfect for my ever so pale complexion. The packaging is just so beautiful and like my other Urban Decay goodies I kept the actual box because they make such pretty boxes… is that a weird thing to say!? The palette itself reminds me of the Naked Basics palettes even though I don’t own any it appears similar with the compact sized hard casing and the magnetic closure which I imagine it also has.

The palette features a light bronzer, a champagne toned highlighter and a peachy blush. At first I was a little weary of the bronzer, it didn’t seem to work on my complexion well but after another try I fell in love. Its great for creating a subtle contour and for giving a soft bronzed summer glow. The highlighter is were this palette shines. This highlighter is full of pigmented shimmery goodness. It creates the most beautiful dewy look. Last but not least, a perfect summery coral peachy shaded blush! Urban Decay if you are listening: Single blushes please! Overall I have really took to this palette and its so beautiful for the warmer months for creating that glowy and dewy look. I will definitely be turning to this come summer.

Is the Flushed palette on your wishlist or do you already own it? 

The Perfect A/W Blush

Having adopted quite the bright pink on my cheeks lately, I thought it was time to change it up a bit and make it more “autumnal/wintery feeling”. I was looking for a more plum/purple toned blush and I came to the perfect one. After looking at some reviews online (beauty blogger norm, right?) I went and picked up the Mac Sheertone Shimmer Blush in the shade ‘Breezy’. Its safe to say it was love at first sight ❤

As suggested through its name, it does hold a little shimmer to it but nothing too scary. Also, as a sheertone blush it is a sheer light plum tone so don’t worry if you are put off by the bold colour. It is build-able though so this blush is just perfect for a little for during the day and a more heavier look for going out without looking like you’ve got a cold!

What is your fave a/w blusher?

The ‘Dream Duo’

They are two of the most raved about products in the beauty world and the stand out products of the Nars brand. Without even looking at the images its pretty easy to know what I’m talking about: Nars Orgasm blush and Nars Laguna bronzer. Every major beauty blogger/vlogger cherishes and worships these two powder compacts like its their own children and I can understand why.

‘Orgasm’ Blush – Starting with the unusually named blush, this product is quite a bright and very build-able pink blush. It looks quite daunting in the packaging however it has a lovely glow and soft finish once applied. A little goes a long way with this blush and its perfect with my Real Techniques Contour blush to give my cheeks a lovely finish. Its a tad pricey at £22.50 but its investment that is worth it.

‘Laguna’ Bronzer – And finally the second half of the duo is the Laguna bronzer which is simply perfect. One of the major problems with bronzers is the shading, they can sometimes appear orange or muddy and no one wants that but Laguna is just right. It creates a soft look on the skin which isn’t too harsh and is great for contouring. I am mixing my use of brushes with this product but mostly I have been using the Real Techniques Blush brush. Again this is still pretty deep in pricing at £27 but if you haven’t tried this I think its worth a try 🙂