Getting Rosy

Small confession: I suck at applying blush. I have a friend who does it so perfectly, I honestly thought for the longest time she was naturally blessed with a permanent, rosy flush to the apples of her cheeks. It made her look so cherubic and youthful. In contrast, I haven't figured out the technique that seems to work for me. Probably in large part because my face is generally quite flat and my cheeks moon-like. There's a lot of surface area in which to go wrong. I try to keep it simple, smiling maniacally in front of the mirror and focusing the colour on the part of the cheek that juts out, but it either looks obvious, or overblended. I've now resorted to going back with my foundation brush and using whatever remnant product is left to both contain and soften the edges of the blush I've applied.

When it comes to colours, I tend to stick with inoffensive pinks or peaches, usually with a touch of shimmer. Better leave the more experienced to figure out how to rock mulberry or fiery red. In comparison to my eyeshadow, lipstick and nail polish hoard, the number of blushes I have is at a sane, even modest, level. These six that I reach for the most comprise 80% of my whole collection.

l-r: Rose D'Or, Prima Ballerina, Petal, Screen Siren, Mineral Rose, Flirtatious Pink

Bourjois Blush in Rose D'Or (34) Probably my favourite and most used. Soft medium pink with peach tones and gold shimmer. It's sheer enough so you don't need to worry about taking extra caution to not overdo it, and pigmented enough so it actually shows up when applied. The blush pot is cute and portable and I don't mind the strong powdery scent. If I find that the top layer is hardening, I just scratch a little off with my nail and it's as good as new.

Essence Blush Soufflé in Prima Ballerina Reviewed already in an earlier post, my only gripe is that on its own, the lasting power is only about a couple of hours. For the price though, this one is worth tracking down. The air-whipped texture is unlike anything I own and a breeze to work with, and the colour is very soft and sheer, perfect for a subtle, fuss-free and quick dab of colour to the cheeks.

Australis Paparazzi Perfect High Definition Blush in Screen Siren Though the blush is marbled, it essentially applies as a peachy pink matte. This is a high quality product for the price, the powder is smooth and soft with excellent pigmentation and staying power. You get a tonne of product (9g) which I'll probably never finish, housed in a medium-sized compact with a mirror.

Revlon ColorStay Mineral Blush in Petal (020) Again, a peachy pink with subtle gold shimmer, except with some light tan tones. A common complaint seems to be that it takes several layers to build up the colour. It is quite sheer in pigmentation, which on the positive side, makes it more natural-looking. Texture is slightly chalky. I picked this up for $4.90 at Priceline, so I don't feel any particularly negative feelings about it. If I bought it anywhere near full price, I'd most likely feel differently.

Savvy by DB Baked Mineral Blush in Mineral Rose A cheapie from Priceline that I bought when I was first beginning to experiment more with makeup beyond eyeliner and a tiny bit of foundation every day (if I could be bothered). Needless to say, it all went deeply downhill from there. This is a decently pigmented, slightly shimmery (but not with visible particles), coral-leaning blush (strange, since Mineral Rose suggests something more pink). Not my favourite shade, but wearable enough, and can be quite pretty for the summer or in combination with bronzer.

Australis Crème Colour in Flirtatious Pink I've dedicated a whole post to it, and since then, there's been no dip in my appreciation for this multipurpose cream product. If I'm headed off to dinner or drinks after work on a Friday, I make sure to toss this in my bag for a quick and easy touch up. It effectively injects some life and colour to the face in a matter of seconds. Best of all, it's a lot harder to screw up something in a cream consistency that you literally just rub onto your cheeks with your fingers where you want colour. For someone a bit blush-challenged like me, that's a big plus.