Bare Blush

After Orgasm, the prospect of more NARS blushes beckoned. I guess you could say I caught the blush bug, and the idea of building a mini NARS collection was suddenly very enticing, despite the high price. A part of me regretted not purchasing more NARS when I was in the US, as out of all the blushes I bought there (Benefit, Illamasqua, Tarte, Revlon), I ended up preferring NARS the most. I didn't want to buy more NARS blushes online (though I contemplated ASOS, Kiss and Makeup or StrawberryNet), so I summoned a friend to buy on my behalf on a recent trip to Hong Kong. The first shade on my list was the much hyped Douceur.

Caution: Do not eat.

l-r: NARS Douceur, Illamasqua Zygomatic, Tarte Exposed

There's not much I can say about Douceur except looovvveeee. New favourite blush, or bronzer hybrid, or whatever it is. Illamasqua Zygomatic is darker, a touch more rosy. Tarte Exposed is about the same lightness, but on me has more of a reddish tone. Douceur doesn't look like a colour I'd ever reach for in the pan, but somehow on the skin it transforms into a really natural, soft, sculpting and warming shade. It's not brown enough and doesn't have any orange in it like a conventional bronzer, but it's not exactly a shade that you'd concentrate on the apples of your cheeks only to lift the complexion. I've been using this in an attempt to add some depth and structure to my plump face, patting the blush down my non-existent cheekbones with a Real Techniques Multi-Task Brush or Ecotools blush brush. It's not super pigmented, but I actually prefer that it's relatively sheer as it makes it easier and more foolproof to apply.

Douceur fills the hole in my blush collection for a more brown-toned, slightly pink nude that adds definition, warmth and a subtle glow to the face, though admittedly Zygomatic is similar enough that you probably don't need both. I'd still pair Douceur with a pink or peach blush on the apples of my cheeks if I wanted more colour, but for days when I want to keep the face mostly neutral, it's perfect on its own.