Estee Lauder Pink Patent Pure Color Cheek Rush Review, Photos, Swatches!

Estee Lauder Cello Shots Pure Color Cheek Rush

The new Spring 2013 Estee Lauder Cello Shots Pure Color Collection is all about playful and bright colors delivered in sheer, lightweight formulas that will keep the skin fresh and glowing all day.  Tom Pecheux, the Creative Makeup Director at Estee Lauder says, "This season, I’ve been working a lot with what I call “acqua color”. It’s a gentle, watery look with just a touch of bright, vibrant color."

Estee Lauder Cello Shots Pure Color Cheek Rush ($28) is a water-based transparent gel that provides the cheeks with a vibrant, yet very sheer stain. It's super lightweight, easy to blend and gives such a natural, fresh and dewy look to the skin.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Cheek Rush is available in (4) shades: Hot Fuse, Pink Patent, X-Pose Rose and Techno Jam.

I have the shade Pink Patent, which is a lovely soft pink that warms up beautifully to my skin. I think it's a shade that's best suited for fair, light and medium skin tones and would adapt well to either cool or warm undertones.

The consistency is exactly what it sounds like - a water-based gel. It's kind of hard to explain because it's not runny, nor is it thick. It's light and airy, but not moussey. I'm not sure I've used any other product like it. It's cooling to the touch and disappears into the skin once blended without any greasy residue.

Application: You can absolutely use your fingers and tap the product into your cheeks, but because it can temporarily stain the fingertips, I like using a small stippling brush such as the MAC 130 or 188 Brush. Since the formula is so sheer and easy to work with, just about any brush would do (I'd stick with a synthetic brush though).

Here are a couple of photos where I was wearing Pink Patent on my cheeks - this is 7 hours after it was applied! I wasn't wearing any other cheek products but a bronzer all over my face and you can see that my cheeks look fresh and glowing.

Nars Sin Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Sin Blush

Nars Sin Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a berry tone with gold shimmer. Sin is actually one of the top 3 best selling Nars blushes, but it's never a color that really appealed to me in the compact. In the pan it appears to be a dusty mauve-plum with fine golden shimmer. I always assumed it would look dull or dirty on my cheeks, but I guess it's a best seller for a reason, so I decided to give it a try.

Once the color hits my cheeks, the color seems to come alive, and it changes from the boring and dull color in the pan, to a soft rosy-berry color on my cheeks. It does definitely pick up some of the warmness from my skin, but I love that the color doesn't completely change once it hits my face. Because of my prominent warm tones in my skin, blushes usually morph into a warm peachy shade, but Sin doesn't seem to do that. The color is soft and muted, yet completely sophisticated. It's subtle enough for every day, and for intense eye looks. The shimmer in Sin is very refined, and doesn't make the cheeks look shimmery - just a soft glow.

The blush itself is pigmented, and all I need is a touch of the brush. To avoid looking bruised, I always make sure to powder my cheeks after my foundation and apply the blush very lightly on top so it applies smoothly with a seamless finish. I like using a brush that isn't dense, so it won't apply too much color in one spot. (I've been using the Sigma Large Angled Contour Brush and it works great!)

Sin is exactly what I've been looking for. A blush that is soft enough for every day - something soft and neutral that won't wash out my complexion, and something different than the average pink neutral or nude blush.

I'm particularly excited that this blush is perfect for the Fall, and pairs really nicely with my warm eyeshadow colors and plummy pink lipsticks.

Nars Sin Blush on my cheeks

Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush

Nars Penny Lane Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a nude pink. It's a very soft and delicate bridal pink with neutral undertones. If you look closely, it has a little bit of a white pearl, but it looks mostly matte on the skin. It's a great every-day blush that you can't really do wrong with. It's very subtle, yet it gives your skin a hint of color that your cheeks need to look healthy and lightly flushed. It's very similar to the effect MAC Cubic Blush would give me (one of my favorite neutrals).

Nars Cream Blushes are a cream to powder formula, and are very soft and creamy to the touch, but they blend into a seamless powder finish on the skin.

For Penny Lane in particular, I've used a few different methods - a small stippling brush, a foundation brush and my fingers. Because the color is so light, it's not a shade that you can easily overdo. So, I don't find a stippling brush to be necessary, as it doesn't apply enough color to the cheeks unless I pack it on the brush. Although I rarely like using my fingers for application of makeup, I find that the fingers give me the best control and color.

To be completely satisfied with the color, I usually apply two layers. I think this blush is best suited for light skintones, but can also work well for light-medium and medium skintones. I'm around the MAC NC35 coloring right now, and I can tell if I were any darker, it may start to show up ashy. If you're darker than the MAC NC40 coloring (medium-dark/tan), you may want to skip, otherwise you can use Penny Lane as a base for a neutral blush that suits your skin better.

Wearing Nars Casino Bronzer all over my face, with Nars Penny Lane on my cheeks and MAC Superb across the top of my cheekbones.

Chanel Pink Explosion Joues Contraste Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Chanel Pink Explosion Joues Contraste Blush

Chanel Pink Explosion Joues Contraste Blush ($43) is a medium-toned cool pink with fine shimmer. It's not overly cool, so thankfully it works really well on my warm skin. It provides that dolly pink cheek that pairs well with neutral and cool eyeshadows (purples, taupe, etc).

Mine is the Euro (original 2010) version, which is a baked powder as opposed to the version you'd get from the Chanel counters in the US, which is the standard pressed-powder version. There are slight differences - in general, the baked version isn't as pigmented with one swipe and isn't as soft. I prefer the US version. (You can view a comparison on Cafe Makeup.)

If you know me by now, I find any form of pink color cosmetics hard to resist and I love, love, love Joues Contraste Blushes. Pink Explosion has been on my wishlist for a while now, so when I spotted it in a blog sale, I jumped on it! (Hi Risa!) Anyways, who wouldn't love a product named Pink Explosion?

The pigmentation is good - it's light, but buildable and what you'd want from a blush that's so pink. I'm actually less inclined to use some of my really pigmented blushes (Nars for instance) because I tend to use too heavy of a hand. With my Joues Contraste Blushes, I never go overboard - but if I do, the color blends so well into my skin that it never looks unnatural.

Swatched heavily on the left and lightly on the right.

E.L.F. Studio HD Blushes Review, Photos and Swatches!

E.L.F. Studio HD Blushes

E.L.F. Studio HD Blushes ($3) are velvety soft cream blushes encased in a pump dispenser. The cream is lightweight, highly pigmented and long wearing.

E.L.F. Studio HD Blush is available in (5) shades: Headliner (natural pink), Superstar (coral), Diva (bright pink), Encore (vibrant rose) and Showstopper (plum raisin).

They look reminiscent of the Make Up Forever HD Blushes ($26), because they essentially have the same packaging and are both named "HD" blushes. They do share some other similarities in that they apply the same way, are both pigmented and long wearing, but the textures are slightly different. The E.L.F. Blush is almost like a creamy cheek stain. I actually find the E.L.F. Blushes easier to work with as the product itself isn't as concentrated as the MUFE Blushes, so it's a bit easier to blend out. They also don't set as quick as the MUFE blushes, so you have a little bit of time to work with them. They have a good amount of silicone in them (although it's not the first ingredient) so if you do well with silicone-based blushes, these blushes should be no exception.

Be warned that they are extremely pigmented. It took me a few tries at first because every time I tried, I applied too much product (which didn't seem like a lot at all). You literally only need a tiny dot for both cheeks. It's a little tricky - you have to be careful not to dispense too much product. I like applying a tiny dot of product on a clean surface, or the back of my hand (sometimes I sanitize the lid of one of my compacts and pump the product directly on the lid) and smooth it out with my fingers and then take a stippling brush and lightly tap the ends of the bristles into the product and then go cheek to cheek applying the blush in circular, buffing motions until blended. Some cream blushes are touchy and can only be stippled on, but these blushes don't deem to disrupt my foundation or make my cheeks look blotchy. I've also applied a dot on each cheek and used a stippling brush to blend with equally good results.

The finish on the skin is very natural, soft and matte.

Swatches from left to right: Headliner, Superstar, Diva, Encore and Showstopper. (please excuse my goosebumps... it was freezing today!)

Guest Post: Nars Mata Hari Blush Review!

NARS Mata Hari Powder Blush ($28) can be found at Sephora. After being obsessed with NARS ultra-pigmented products I’ve begun slowly-but-surly expanding my NARS blush collection. On a recent trip to Sephora in hopes to pick out a more fall/winter friendly blush (everyone changes blush with seasons right? Ha) I ended up picking Mata Hari. I was un-sure that I'd like Mata Hari after swatching it two different times when I went into Sephora, but after using this blush it is a wonderful addition to my collection. I usually lean towards peachy-pink blushes but this beautiful cool, matte, rosy pink color is a lot of fun!

Despite how bold this color looks in the pan, its not nearly as vibrant when applied. This blush is by far my most pigmented blush I own. The picture above is only using one swipe with my Sigma F40 brush. Because it’s so pigmented a light hand and blending applies Mata Hari sheer and subtle. If your looking for a more intense look of course add a little more to intensify your look. Usually I find myself grabbing this blush when I use a matte foundation, I can count on Mata Hari staying on all day. Mata Hari is very matte (meaning without any simmer or sheen) so if you want to brighten up your cheeks, or have a glowy face you'll need to use a highlighter.

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blushes Review, Photos and Swatches!

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blushes ($12.99) are a small range of cream blushes that were released with Revlon's Summer 2012 Collection. They are now part of Revlon PhotoReady's permanent range, so if you've been curious to try them, don't worry, they aren't going anywhere (for now at least).

There are (3) colors to choose from: Flushed (cool pink), Coral Reef (vibrant coral) and Pinched (natural peach).

If cream blushes scare the wits out of you (because some formulas can be tricky to work with), the Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blushes are a good place to start. It's silicone-based (the first ingredient in the blush is dimethicone), so the very smooth texture allows the product to glide easily across the skin. 

The cream is firm  - somewhat like the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge, but they aren't tacky, and they aren't as sticky/greasy as a lip balm. They offer sheer pigmentation with one layer, but are buildable. I find that Coral Reef builds much better than Flushed. Even after several layers Flushed remains quite sheer.

I don't tend to use my fingers much for application of cream blush, but you can literally use anything without messing up. I still prefer using a brush, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a duo-fiber, because of the texture, you can use any blush brush.

They are cased in small, plastic containers with a glossy black screw-top lid, very reminiscent of the older style Bobbi Brown Pot Rouges. They are compact and lightweight, so you can toss them in your bag without weighing down your bag or taking up too much space.

Revlon Coral Reef on my cheeks

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a deep rose. Deep Rose shades are probably the most flattering shades of blush for my warm, medium skin (with yellow undertones). Constantinople (say that five times fast...) looks just like just that in the pan - a deep, neutral rose.

Now here is my sob story - because of my yellow undertones, this color morphs into a coppery bronze/terracotta shade (This is my polite way of saying orange). I own so many similar shades, so it was a bit of a disappointment that the color didn't stay true. On my cheeks, its pretty similar to MAC Gingerly Blush or even Becca Peach Beach Tint. Nars Lovejoy is also a deep rose shade, but it's much more of a true rose on my cheeks, whereas I don't get rose at all from Constantinople.

So, if you typically have a problem with colors going orange on you (this happens with a huge percentage of my blushes - just about any pink turns into a coral-pink on my cheeks) than, it will most likely happen with this blush. If you have a cool skin tone, I can see this blush showing up truer to pan.

Now that I got that out of the way, the actual performance of this blush is fantastic. It's super creamy and super pigmented - I found it to be creamier than Lokoum (the only other Nars Cream Blush I own). Because it's pigmented and creamy, it can pick up a lot of product, even with a duo-fiber brush. So, I typically like to dab my middle and ring finger on the surface and dab it on my cheeks, and then use a duo-fiber brush to blend.

Glam Beauty Board Box Fall 2012!

I'm super excited to be a part of the Glam Beauty Board this fall, and have a wonderful opportunity to try some really amazing products that I can't wait to share with all of you. Some of which I was already familiar with, and some of which are completely new to me. I've been loyally testing out these products all month, and amidst all of the great products, I happily discovered some favorites!

I will be going more in depth about these products in future reviews, but in this post I've included brief summaries of each product (swatches at the end).

Lately I've been enjoying this bright pink gem in a little holographic box called Benefit Bella Bamba ($28). It's a vivid warm, watermelon pink with with fine golden shimmer. It looks a lot like the cult-favorite Nars Orgasm Blush, but it's pinker (less peach) in tone. It's a lovely shade that I can see both cool and skin tones enjoying all year round. The consistency is silky smooth and it's very pigmented. Included with the blush is a soft, flat brush that actually works really well. It's a bit fluffier than my brush from Benefit Hoola and applies the product evenly.

Don't you love 2-in-1 products? The Lorac Tantalizer Highlighter & Matte Bronzer Duo ($32) is a warm matte bronzer and champagne-pink highligher all in one convenient compact. I've been on the lookout for my perfect matte bronzer that isn't too cool toned (they have a tendency to look dirty/ashy on my skin) or too orange (have enough of those). The bronzer in here is a perfect golden bronze and is easily my current top pick for a matte bronzer. It works great as a contour, as well as all over the face for added warmth. The illuminator is sheer (no shimmer-bombs here) and incredibly soft. I like applying it across the highest points of my cheeks for added dimension and glow. It reminds me a bit of MAC Hush Cream Colour Base in powder form.

For a quick statement lip, try Mark Make it Rich Lip Color Crayon in the shade Peony ($11). It's a vivid, shimmery fuchsia - and because precision is a cinch with this crayon, lip liner isn't necessary! It's long-lasting on my lips, and even after most of it is gone, it leaves a pretty pink stain behind.

MAC Florida Cremeblend Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Florida Cremeblend Blush

MAC Florida Cremeblend Blush ($20) is a bright, cool pink cream blush. Florida was originally released back in the beginning of 2010 with the MAC in Lillyland Collection and was re-released earlier this year in the MAC Shop MAC, Cook MAC Collection. I'm always game for anything that's hot pink, so when I saw this blush in a recent blog sale, I couldn't resist. It's a limited edition shade, so sadly it's no longer available.

With a sheer layer, it gives my cheeks a natural cool, dolly pink hue that looks soft and fresh. The color can be built very easily (as it's very pigmented) to a more vibrant pink if you like your blush to be prominent. I absolutely love this blush, and I know it's going to be one of my frequently used products.

In general, I like applying cream blush with a small duo-fiber stippling brush (I use a MAC 131 Brush, although many like to use a 188 Brush). You can use your fingers, but in my experience, a brush disturbs my foundation less. I sometimes like using my fingers and with no pressure at all, sweep my fingertips across the edges to diffuse the edges.

MAC Florida swatched on the back of my hand.

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush ($26) is a matte, neutral mid-tone pink. Because it has a good balance of cool and warm tones, #5 is a flattering pink on most skin tones. It has a little bit of vibrancy to the color, but it's also not too "barbie doll". It warms up quite nicely on my warm, medium skin tone.

If you aren't familiar with Make Up For Ever HD Blushes; they are a lightweight, yet dense cream that is dispensed in a pump tube. The formula is intensely pigmented, and a little goes a long way.

My favorite application method is using a duo-fiber stippling brush. I usually pump a small amount of product on a clean surface (I sometimes use the lid of one of my freshly sanitized mirrored compacts) and dip the brush in the product with light tapping motions to evenly coat the ends of the bristles. Then, stipple it on my cheeks, and blend upward until blended. You kind of have to work with it quickly, as it does dry pretty fast.

The formula might take a little getting use to at first, but after using it a few times, it should be a breeze.

#5 Nip Slip

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush ($28) is described as a warm, rose coral with shimmer. Depending on your skintone, it may show up differently  —  on my skin, the color shows up as a warm, copper-coral. Somewhat similar to MAC Gingerly or Coppertone. Although it looks raspberry toned in the pan, it doesn't read the same on my cheeks, which could be due to the warm yellow tones in my skin.

Nars Cream blush has a soft, velvety texture and blends to a powdery finish. I'm happy to finally say that I own a cream blush from Nars, considering I've loved their powder blushes for a long time and own several shades. For those who find cream blush intimidating, Nars is a nice place to start as the formula isn't thick, sticky/tacky, or greasy. It's very easy to work with and the color can be built up easily. The fingers can be used, but with a shade as pigmented as Lokoum, I find that a stippling brush works best. MAC #131 brush is my favorite brush for most cream blushes, but it's sadly only a limited edition brush. Any duo-fiber brush should work just as well.

Considering this shade in particular contains shimmer, I was hoping for it to make my cheeks somewhat dewy/glowy (like Becca Frangipani Cream Blush  —  my fav!) but I didn't really get enough of the glow I wanted. This may not bother many, as most of us try to avoid anything remotely shimmery.

Lancome Rose Fresque Blush Review, Photos & Swatches!

Lancome Rose Fresque Blush Subtil

Lancome Rose Fresque Blush ($30) is described on the Lancome website as a dusty, rosey pink. It has a bit of a plummy tone to it, yet it's pretty neutral overall. It doesn't get very ruddy on the cheeks, so it will work well for cooler skin tones, and it doesn't pull too purple, so it will equally flatter warm skin. *Please bear in mind that the blush featured in this post is a sample size, so it is much smaller and doesn't include a brush.

One helpful way of picking out a good neutral for your coloring is by having a look at your natural lip color. Our lip color differs from skin tone to skin tone - look for tones of red, purple and pink. My natural lip color is a light-medium, rosy pink with a hint of red. A similar shade would flatter my cheeks. Always remember that "nude" or "neutral" differs with every shade of skin.  

The consistency is very soft, and it's not overly pigmented, so it provides a soft wash of color to the cheeks. I like using a soft, fluffy blush brush such as the Real Techniques Blush Brush, and lightly tap and swirl the color on my cheeks.

It has a soft, natural matte finish that doesn't look dull or powdery.

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Luminous Cheek Colour

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Luminous Cheek Colour ($44) is a mid-tone cool pink (bubblegum pink) powder blush with a matte finish. Although it has cool undertones, I don't find it to be overly cool, and would be suitable for warm and cool skin tones. Obviously I have very warm, medium skin, and it works well on me without leaning purple or appearing ashy.

I've also worn this blush after my faux tan has faded, and on light skin, it gives a natural flush to the cheeks. It's a bit reminiscent of the pink hue the cheeks would turn on fair skin after a light jog. While running errands yesterday, I had to stop a couple of times in the mirror and admire how pretty it is!

The texture is smooth and very finely milled, so there shouldn't be any problems with blending.

The pigmentation is good - just where you'd want a bright blush like this to be, so you won't end up over-doing it. It's always best to lightly tap the blush with your brush and apply it to your cheeks, and go back for more if necessary, rather than going full-force at once.

MAC Star Wonder Mineralize Skin Finish Review!

MAC Star Wonder Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Star Wonder Mineralize Skinfinish ($29) is a new limited edition baked highlighter, released in the Heavenly Creatures Collection that launched in-stores July 5th.

If you typically aren't favorable of shimmery face products, you might want to steer clear of MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes, as they are frosty and sometimes shimmery. The amount of shimmer differs with each shade. I can't help but drool over Mineralize Skinfinishes each time MAC launches new shades.. they're just so pretty to look at! And although I'm not too crazy about too much shimmer, I love highlighter, and I always use a bit in my daily routine!

Star Wonder is described as a plummy pink with multi-dimensional pearl. It's made up of a few different shades - there's a warm pink, plum and pale gold. When combined, a shimmery plummy pink with a golden shimmer is created. 

Mineralize Skinfinishes have the typical smooth and soft texture of baked powders, and blend really well with minimal effort. Some shades are dark enough to be used as a blush, while some are light and frosty, and work best solely as a highlighter. Star Wonder could be used for either purpose, but is dark enough to use as a blush. Because it's shimmery, only a touch is needed for a natural glow. When buffed out, the shimmer isn't as noticeable, but it's still there, providing a glowing sheen to the cheeks. While it looks nice applied either way, I like wearing it across the top of my cheekbones as a highlight, paired with a pink blush.

I usually use a duo-fiber fan brush, but any duo-fiber brush would work well at laying down minimal product at once.

MAC Supernova Mineralize Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Mac Supernova Mineralize Blush 

MAC Supernova Mineralize Blush ($23.50) is a new, limited edition baked blush released in the Heavenly Creatures Collection that launched in stores yesterday (July 5th).

The "Mineralize" products by MAC are either hated or loved, and I love them. What I love specifically about the Mineralize Blushes, is that they are very soft and blend easier than standard, pressed powder blushes.

Typically, those who prefer matte finish cheek products steer clear of Mineralize cheek products because of the pearly (sometimes shimmery - but not glittery) finish.

Supernova is described on the MAC website as a magenta and burnished gold melange. That pretty much says it - it's a magenta base, intertwined with a swirl of gold-bronze. The magenta is quite cool, but when the swirl of gold and magenta is combined, it creates a slightly reddened pink tone to the magenta.

The blush itself is very pigmented, and because Supernova is a fairly deep shade, you have to apply it with a light hand, or you can quickly go overboard with it. A duo fibre brush (such as the E.L.F Stipple Brush or MAC 187/188 Brush) will work best for laying down the least color. If you're using a standard blush brush, you only need to tap the product once, and dust the brush on a tissue prior to application to ensure a light application.

MAC Crew Highlight Powder Review, Photos & Swatches!

MAC Crew Highlight Powder

MAC Crew Highlight Powder ($29) is a highlighting powder/blush that is made of three shades - a soft peach, pale purple and soft, warm (yellow toned) pink. The light beige surrounding color is just an overspray that will erase with several uses. This product launched in MAC's latest Hey, Sailor! Collection and is only around for a limited time. 

I originally didn't find this powder too appealing - that is, until I swatched it in the MAC store. It might look a little ordinary in the compact, but once the colors unite together, a gorgeous, luminous warm pink with a soft, glowy sheen is created. 

After swatching several different blushes in my collection, the closest match I could find is Chanel Blush Horizon Soft Glow Blush (which also just so happens to be a limited edition product from this past Spring), nothing else I own came as close. Both products combine warm pink, peach and purple, and when mixed together, create a similar result. The color of Chanel is slightly darker, a touch more vibrant and contains more iridescence. I love the Chanel blush so much, so it's exciting to find a close dupe.

Stila Gerbera Convertible Color Review!

Stila Gerbera Convertible Color

Stila Convertible Color ($25) is an award winning lipstick and blush all-in-one. Although it can be used as a lipstick, it's best used as a blush. The pigmented cream adds instant color and fresh radiance to the cheeks that will last for hours.

It's available in nine (9) shades: Gerbera, Gladiola, Lillium, Petunia, Peony, Camellia, Rose, Fuschia and Poppy. Although Lillium (dusty pale pink) is a popular choice, Gerbera looked like my perfect color.

Gerbera is a light, warm peachy-pink. Once applied, the color really comes alive and has a sense of vibrancy on the cheeks. On my skin, the color doesn't pull orange, so for those looking for a peach with rather pink tones as opposed to orange, this might be for you. It'd also work as a great base for a warm pink, peach or coral powder blush. On my lips, it actually looks similar to YSL Tender Peach Rouge Volupte Lipstick (but slightly lighter - one of my favorites!)