The Best of Cream Blushes

 (L-R, Tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy, Smashbox Cream Blush in Captivate, Topshop Cream Blush in Morning Dew, Max Factor Creamy Touch Miracle Blush, Chanel Creme Blush in Revelation, Estée Lauder Pure Colour Cheek Rush in Pink Patent, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon, Chanel Creme Blush in Intonation)

I never used to be a cream blush fan at all, but I think I was looking in all the wrong places. With a couple of notable exceptions I do believe that the best cream blushes are found on high end counters. 

I was sick of using cream blushes that either took off my foundation or had disappeared from my face after an hour. However, once I discovered the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon, that all changed. This is what I'd describe as a true cream blush, it applies as a cream and whilst it does 'set' into the skin, it stays looking creamy and natural. It's got perfect pigmentation, not so heavy that it's easy to go overboard, but enough to not have to use too much. The wear time of this is fantastic too, it really stays put for most of the day, I do however find if I'm heading out in the evening that I like to top this up. This can also be used on the lips, it's a little dry but over lip balm it's fine. The colour is gorgeous, kind of a dirty peach shade. This is definitely the product that kick started my cream blush love affair.

After that was the Topshop Cream Blush in Morning Dew, a cream to powder formulation in a perky pink shade. Because it has a more powder finish it does tend to last longer than your average cream blush, although it doesn't have the best lasting power of all the blushes here. This is definitely a favourite of mine for summer months, because the shade is quite bold. You can sheer it out if you buff it in loads, but for the most part this is quite a bright cheek colour. These retail for a mere £7, so a good budget option!

From here things went from bad to worse for my budget, as I fell in love with the Chanel Creme Blush in Revelation. I was working in Boots at the time on the YSL counter which was directly opposite the Chanel counter, you see the problem here? I think I held out two weeks, swatching them on every shift, until I caved and picked one up. These almost have a moussey texture to them, and they really set into the skin and last all day easily. This shade is a dusky pink kind of shade, but I also ended up picking up the shade Intonation from the spring collection, a gorgeous bright coral.

Then came my dalliance with the Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink. This, like the Bobbi Brown offering, has a real 'traditional' cream blush formula, it stays looking slightly sheeny throughout the day, but really just looks so natural on your skin. The colour is really pretty, it's a good natural everyday pink, and the product is so easy to work with, you can even apply it with your fingers. The packaging is pretty cheap and crappy but it's small and compact which is always good (it makes me feel like I have less makeup than I actually do). 

Back in January I picked up a Smashbox set in the sale and inside was the Smashbox Cream Blush in Captivate. This is the darkest of all the blushes here, it's a warm pink shade with reddy undertones, but once you blend it in it looks really natural. Out of all the blushes here this is the only one I tend to reach for in the Winter months because it's not as bright a shade. The formula's great and it lasts really well on the skin.

A recent addition is the Tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy, which kind of reminds me of a giant stick deodorant. This is almost a 'watercolour' blush, it's quite sheer, which makes it super natural looking on the skin, it just leaves a coral sheen to the cheeks. Because it's got a bit of a stain quality so it sticks around really well throughout the day. Perfect for low-maintenance makeup days.

And the newest addition to the blush roundup is the Estée Lauder Pure Colour Cheek Rush in Pink Patent, one of the strangest products I've ever used. It's a liquid blush dispensed from a pump which is strange to start. I've found the best way to apply this is to dispense a little onto my hand and apply it with either my fingers or a stippling brush. This is the most natural looking blush I've ever used, it just looks so natural. And the best thing is that once this is on, it's going nowhere.

Coming into Summer I always reach for cream blushes more, and I would wholeheartedly recommend every single blush mentioned here!

What are your favourite cream blushes?

Top Five High End Blushes

Continuing with the Top Five series slowly but surely, today I thought I'd share with you my favourites from the pricier end of the blush spectrum. Blush is one section of my collection that isn't all that big, I know what I like and I stick with it, and generally I only wear these ones. You'll see that they are all fairly similar, nothing too wild!

 Sugarbomb has been my go to blush for about a year now, it's just so easy to wear and it goes with every makeup look. The colours swirl together to create a lightly shimmery deep coral, that leans towards the pink side of things. A little of this on the apples of the cheeks really brightens the complexion, and gives a super natural flush to the cheeks. The wear time is great as with all Benefit Blushes, and it smells amazing too. 

The most luxurious of my picks has to be the Chanel Creme Blush in Revelation. I've been banging on about this since I got it but I just love it that much. I'm not big on cream blushes, I generally find them fiddly to apply and the lasting power tends to lack, but this I just adore. The colour is my perfect blush colour, it gives me a true 'just been out in the cold' or 'awww don't make me blush' pop of colour. It's really easy to apply too, I just pat this onto the apples of my cheeks and blend with my Real Techniques Expert Face brush. With a good primer underneath, this lasts all day. 

I didn't want to include a limited edition blush in this but I couldn't help myself. This is MAC's Ripe for Love from the Temperature Rising Collection at the beginning of the year. It's similar to MAC Peaches, but a little darker, I tend to skip bronzer when I go for this. This is gorgeous with a bronzey smokey eye and a coral or nude lip. It's a dark peach with no shimmer, but it still adds a fair bit of dimension to the skin. Looks beautiful with Benefit Sunbeam over the top, or the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder in Radiant Light.

 Another Benefit blush, because I just love them, Hervana is more of a pinky, almost lilac blush, a bit more wintery than all these corals I seem to have included. Like I said, I love the formulation of Benefit blushes, they're really pigmented and last so well on the skin. I also have Coralista which I love (obviously, it's another coral).

Well I couldn't not include a Nars blush could I? Infact, I could have included every Nars blush, but I was restrained (ha!). I'm so glad that Orgasm was in this palette, since I lost my beloved Orgasm Blush a while back. This has been one of my favourites for a few years now, it's the perfect coral, with a hint of golden shimmer. Love love love.

Have you tried any of these blushes? What are your favourite high end blushes? Are there anymore Top Fives you'd like to see?

 

NARS X Guy Bourdin One Night Stand Palette

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Miracle Touch

I was sceptical about the Max Factor Miracle Touch blushes (not least because of the crappy packaging and dodgy shade range) but this is actually quite nice, a cream blush that doesn't turn into a powder, isn't sticky but is quite nice. This is the best of the shades, Soft Pink, and it gives a natural flush to the cheeks. 

Yes the packaging is awful, and I definitely wouldn't carry this in my handbag (which is a shame since the wear time of this isn't great) since I'm sure it would just crumble, but it's nice popped on the apples of the cheeks, paired with a smokey eye.

And for the price you can't grumble! £5.99, if you can find this shade, it's quite hard to get a hold of!

Have you tried this blush? What did you think?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win an Urban Decay Lipstick here!

Good Karma, Hervana

A moment of weakness whilst perusing Boots at Waterloo late at night, led to the acquisition of a blush I've been coveting for quite some time.  I think my Benefit Sugarbomb blush might just be my most worn blusher ever, nicely pigmented but natural looking, long lasting formula, gorgeous smell, and extremely flattering. A couple of months ago, I added a miniature of Coralista to my collection and it's been very loved too. Hervana has been on my hitlist for a few months now, the pretty mix of colours in the box was probably the main draw (that and the heavenly packaging)!

Benefit blushers are a pricey investment at £23.50, but I've been reaching for Sugarbomb at least four or five times a week for the last six months and I've barely made a dent in it, so it's an investment I'm happy to make.

Like all Benefit blushes, it comes with a little blush. This one is different to the one that came with Sugarbomb, it's angled, which makes it better for blush application, and the bristles feel softer too. Not sure if Benefit have changed the brushes or if each blush just has a different one. I'm probably more likely to use this one than the other one, particularly when travelling, but for the most part I do generally reach for my Real Techniques blush brush.

In terms of colour, when it's all swirled together it creates a beautiful, purple toned pale pink on the cheeks, that looks like a very natural flush. The beauty of this blush though is that you can use the brush to pick up specific segments, to create slightly different colours every time. There's a pink champagne colour, a peach, a dusky pink and a purple in there, and they all look great on the cheeks alone or mixed.

I really love Benefit blushers and I'm so glad I picked this up! Have you tried any Benefit blushers and have any recommendations? What are your favourite high end blushes?

Sleek Candy Sweet Cheeks Blush By 3

 I've had my eye on this bad boy since it was announced, I am a massive fan of Sleek products, particularly their blushes, and since I seem to have turned into a, well, a girl recently, who seems to like pink, this blush palette nearly had me squealing. A bright pink cream blush, Cupcake, a lilac pink powder, Dolly Mix, and A shimmery bright pink powder, Candyfloss, I can guarantee this little trio is going to get tons of use. 

As always with Sleek blushes, all three are super pigmented, soft and gorgeous. I believe this is Sleek's first forray into the world of cream blushers, but they haven't let me down. Unlike it's Bourjois or Topshop competitors, this isn't a cream to powder formula, but it's not like it's Stila rival which remains tacky on the cheeks. It's really pigmented, the tiniest touch of a stippling brush is probably too much, and it blends seamlessly into the cheeks. 

I'm not a massive fan of lilac shades, but Dolly Mix is just delectable. It's pink toned, so it's nothing too scary, but it is a nice colour to dip your toe into the purple shade pool. As for Candyfloss, it's the shade that's been missing from my blush collection. It's kind of like the Aqua Collection's Mirrored Pink, but a little darker and a little less shimmery. It can be lightly dusted onto the cheeks for a subtle pink glow, or applied with a heavier hand for a pretty summer look. 

These blush by three sets are great, since they are three full size
blushes that are normally £5 each. They're also great to slip in your
your suitcase if you're going on holiday, since they're super small and
compact, but there's a good mix of cream and powder colours.

This palette is pretty hard to come by, since it's limited edition, but Superdrug gets it's deliverys generally on a Tuesday, so that's when to look!

Coral My World

 I am all about taking miniatures on holiday. Throughout the year I tend to collect samples like nobody's business, and I relish trips away and holidays to test out new products. Plus sample sizes are great for taking on planes! I've been saving these minis for my upcoming holiday for the last few weeks!

In the queue at Boots the other day I noticed this mini kit from Benefit. I've seen the one before that has a mini Porefessional in, but I've never seen this one before. It contains a mini Coralista and a mini Sunbeam, both of which I have wanted to try for ages but are pretty pricey, full size they're £23.50 and £19.50 respectively, which is pretty pricey. This mini set, however, was £9.50, which I think is pretty reasonable!

Coralista is a gorgeous coral-pink blush. As with all Benefit blushes, it's super buttery, applies like a dream and smells amazing. It gives a super natural tropical flush, which couldn't be more perfect for summer!

Sunbeam is a gorgeous natural gold liquid highlighter, it's perfect for summer, it's such a natural looking highlighter. Previously I've picked up High Beam, which I prefer for the winter, and I've always steered clear of Sunbeam since I didn't think it was suit me! I was wrong! It's a totally gorgeous colour, that blends easy and works great against NARS Laguna.

I have a feeling I'm now going to end up buying the full size of both of these when they run out!

The Sunday Five Product Face

Ahhh Sundays. They might just be my favourite day of the week. To me, Sundays are a day of pure indulgence. Luckily for me, my Uni timetable means that I don't have classes on a Monday of Tuesday, meaning that I can do absolutely nothing on a Sunday, leaving all work til the beginning of the week. 

The perfect Sunday to me means a long lie in, followed by tea in bed, and numerous episodes of Man Vs. Food/Don't Tell The Bride/The Big Bang Theory/2 Broke Girls, or anything else that screams self-indulgent trash. Ideally, this would be followed up by a stroll through Hyde Park, or a market, picking up fresh fruit and something for dinner. A few hours cooking in the kitchen, then an evening snuggled up watching Pixar movies, eating something with beef in it, and hopefully a cupcake, whilst popping on a face mask and painting my nails. Bliss.

When it comes to Sundays, I like to embrace the idea of lazy, insert five product face here. The idea of spending hours priming, highlighting, contouring and blending makes my skin reel, so it goes as follows.

A light base goes on the face, ideally this would be some kind of tinted moisturiser or BB cream, but my milk bottle complexion doesn't match any of them out there, so this is where MUA's Undress Me foundation comes in. This is like the lightest foundation ever, barely there coverage that just evens out the skin tone, without looking like you're wearing anything. Pair this with a cream blush, I'm loving the pretty pink of this Topshop blush, in Morning Dew, which gives a gorgeous 'pinch-me-pink' english rose glow. For eyes, a little smudge of cream eyeshadow in the corner does the job, and I love the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze. A little smudge of that in the corner of the eyes is perfect. Match that with a flash of natural but full mascara, such as the L'Oreal Telescopic Lash. Finish off with a pretty pink lipstick, this weeks pick is Viva Glam Gaga.

Right, I'm off to cook a homemade version of a Wagamama dish, and watch the Lorax, enjoy your Sunday!

Ripe For Love

 Due to my somewhat erratic, and definitely unnecessary spending habits, I'm on something of a spending ban, although this one's triggered by a lack of funds rather than a desire to develop self restraint. Because of that, I didn't even bother looking at the new MAC collections that hit us in the last week, knowing it would just be torture. But whilst showing a visiting friend round Harrods, I couldn't help but stop and have a little look. Whilst a lot of the collection was already sold out, the bits that were sold out weren't anything that particularly tickled my fancy. What did catch my eye however, was this blush, from the Temperature Rising collection, and after watching me gaze at it lustfully, the aforementioned friend decided to pick it up for me, as a little treat. What a sweetie.

Anecdotes aside, I've been looking at MAC's Peaches blush for a while, umming and ahhing over whether to buy it or not, and this is kind of a Peaches on steriods blush, with the bonus of being a limited edition. It's not quite as orangey, if I was naming it I would have called it 'Dirty Peaches' since that's exactly what it reminds me of. It's a bit darker, a bit more natural looking.

I love the packaging of this collection, very simple, just like standard MAC packaging but a gorgeous burnt bronze colour (the inside of the box is a deep royal purple which if I had my way, I would make everything in my life that colour).

It's a Satin finish, so expect a buttery, soft consistency (the other blush from this collection is a Frost finish, and rather scary looking might I add). As with all MAC products, the pigmentation and quality is excellent. I just love the colour, it gives me a real natural glow.

 Have you been tempted by anything in MAC's new collection?

The Spring Summer Edit: The Cream Blush Edition

When it comes to summer blushes, I tend to favour a cream product, especially when I'm wearing a dewier foundation. I'm not actually a massive fan of them, and there is only a few that I really like, since I'm quite a fuss pot.

Without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite cream blush is the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge's, particularly this shade, Fresh Melon. It's a gorgeous corally flush, and it also works great on the lips. As you can see, I like to use my Real Techniques Stippling brush to add a little colour with this, and it works a treat. I did a full review of this here.

A new cream blush I'm getting to grips with is one of Topshops, the shade Morning Dew. This is a little too pigmented for my liking, making it quite hard to apply, but when you get it right, it's a very pretty pink.

Lastly, is a blush I like to use to add a little more dimension, or colour to my face, or for a more natural look. This Dainty Doll blush was a £1.99 fragrance direct find, and I use this on my no-makeup, makeup days.

Do you guys like cream blushes?

Rose Gold Love

By now, it should be no surprise to any of you that I am a massive fan of Sleek blushes. With the quality I would expect from a high end brand, a gorgeous colour range, and the less-than-a-fiver price tag, it's no wonder I have built up quite a collection. However, since this blush love affair began, there has been one blush that has sadly, eluded my grasp, the Rose Gold. Considered the closest dupe for the Legendary NARS Orgasm Blush (insert pause for sniggering) the beautiful peachy toned pigment has been on my hit list for a while now. And as with all good dupes, it's been sold out everywhere all the time.

I don't know if you've noticed in the past few weeks since I've been back in Bournemouth, but I've ignited a love affair with the Bournemouth Superdrug store so strong, that any London offering only pales by comparison. The flame was burning bright but when I found a Rose Gold lurking in the 'Life's a Peach" (more on that one later) section, I could have sought out the manager and kissed him. And what's even better, I had enough Beauty Points, so it was free!

Now enough dramatics and on to the product itself. I feel like I needn't say anything about the formula by now, you know the drill, it's super pigmented, buttery soft and long lasting. It's the colour that I'm interested in. Unlike a lot of cheaper blushes, the gold shimmer is not just stamped on the top of the pan, it runs all the way through the product, serving only to highlight the beautiful coral colour. It's quite hard to photograph on the face, so you shall have to cope with some hand swatches, it looks very different depending on how the light hits it? This is definitely a summer blush, it's a lot more shimmery than my usual go tos, but with a little sun on my face, this will be perfect.

All in all, despite the fact I adore NARS products, this dupe is for me, and it's love.

What do you think of Sleek blushes?

Make Me Blush

Look Beauty Make Me Blush, in Sculpt

Can we just take a moment to talk about how
lovely the packaging of this product is! The compact is magnetic, with a
generous sized mirror, but how cute is it!

Anyway, Look Beauty is pretty new to me,
there aren’t many a Superdrug that stock it, but with a hefty selection in the
Bournemouth store, and little else to do on a miserable Wednesday afternoon, I
ended up having a good old nosy at their products, and left with this little gem.

Colour wise, it sort of reminds me of MAC’s
Warm Soul, it’s very natural looking on the cheeks, it’s almost halfway between
a blush and a bronzer. It’s really pigmented, although it does smell quite
talcy, so it’s possible that the formula is just really good. It’s super
buttery to touch, very soft and quite crumbly, you do get a fair bit of fall
out in the pan, but there is a lot of product in there, so it’s swings and
roundabouts.

I really like the look of this blush on my
cheeks, and the formula, so much so that I headed out to buy another this week,
since these blushes are currently half price, four pounds, in Superdrug, but
couldn’t find a colour that I really liked!

Have you tried any of the Look Beauty
products?