Addicted to Blush Tag

Thank you Emma for tagging me and Kat for creating the tag! While I don't consider myself a fully fledged #blushfiend, I still have more blushes than most people. I think my main issue with blush is I don't find subtle variations show up on my skin. I tend to group blushes into large, sweeping colour families (pink, orange/peach, deeper berry/plum, red, tawny/hybrid bronzer shades and pinky nude), and if I have one or two per category, I feel I'm pretty much done. I certainly don't share that perspective when it comes to lipstick or eyeshadow, hence my compulsion to continue buying despite an existing overabundance. The other thing about blush is application is so hard to get right. My technique is still a constant work in progress. I also find blush requires a truly flawless canvas to look good, and notwithstanding the fact that everything looks a bit worse for wear at the end of the day, most times I don't put in the effort to really perfect my skin other than slapping on my foundation.

1. What colour blush suits you the most?
Definitely peachy pinks or corals. Basically something that's mainly orange with a bit of pink/red in it. I can't wear berry shades at all, most pinks look terrible on me (especially cool pinks ... horrid), and pinky nudes, as much as I want to love them, have generally been underwhelming (I'm looking at you Tarte Exposed and Illamasqua Naked Rose).

2. Pressed/cream/loose blush?
Pressed. I never wear loose blush (don't have any, not interested), and while creams have their strengths and serve their purpose, they're just that extra bit fiddly compared with pressed powder blushes.

3. Favourite shimmery blush?
Benefit Sugarbomb. I put it in my 2013 Favourites and it's still one of my all-time favourite blushes. Probably top 3. It looks like it might be too light judging from the pan, but it builds up to a fairly pigmented sherbet orange with a luminous golden pearl. Special mention goes to Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat. More coral than Sugarbomb and less intensely shimmery, it has a beautifully soft texture, good lasting power and really perks up the complexion.

Benefit Sugarbomb

4. Favourite matte blush?
Easy. NARS Douceur. I can't believe NARS discontinued it. NARS, what were you thinking?! This is a rare pinky nude blush that works for me. I use it with my Ecotools Blush Brush in a tapping motion up and down my cheekbones to sculpt my face. It's not so brown that it belongs in serious contouring territory, but it's not overly red/pink so that the placement looks slightly strange. The overall effect is subtle and sophisticated. I should really reach for this one more.

NARS Douceur

5. Favourite cream blush?
Another obvious choice. Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera. I love this cream blush. It is one of very few pinks that I can pull off, it applies in a non-patchy manner and has a beautiful dewy finish that instantly adds life and freshness to the face. It goes on easily with the fingers, but for best results I like using the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, working the product from the temples downwards onto the cheek.

Stila Gerbera

6. Favourite drugstore blush?
This was a recent rediscovery. Rimmel 3 in 1 Powder Blush in Autumn Catwalk. I mainly use a combination of the first two shades and steer clear of the third (not that there's anything wrong with it, but I prefer the look of the first two pinks combined). While lasting power could be improved, I just love the warm, sweetly youthful shade of pink this blush creates. The shimmer in the middle section is not frosted or whitish but actually pink-based with diamond sparkles, which I find very rare in a drugstore blush.

Rimmel Autumn Catwalk (l-r: first two shades combined, third shade by itself)

7. Favourite high end blush?
I took this question to mean favourite line/brand of high end blushes, as opposed to favourite specific high end blush. I'd have to say NARS. I've built up a little collection that I cherish. While there have been 1-2 semi-duds (more on that later), overall, they make my favourite blushes. Flattering shades, extremely pigmented, unparalleled lasting power and excellent quality in general. Runner up would be Benefit. You already know my love for Sugarbomb, but Hervana is a perfect everyday blush and Dallas is beautiful in the cooler months.

l-r: NARS Orgasm, NARS Deep Throat

8. Favourite bright blush?
This was easy to answer because there aren't many contenders to begin with. I'd have to go with e.l.f. Studio Blush in Pink Passion. While it looks frightening (or glorious, depending on your blush proclivities) in the pan, it's almost tame when blended out on the cheeks. You do need a light hand and something like the SUQQU Cheek Brush to diffuse the intense pigmentation, but once properly blended, it gives an earthy rosiness to the cheeks that looks surprisingly natural.

e.l.f. Pink Passion

9. Biggest blush disappointment/regret?
I didn't get along with the Becca Beach Tints at all, which was extremely disappointing given they seem to enjoy a good reputation. Fig barely showed up on my skin (making it effectively useless), and while Watermelon didn't have the same problem, I disliked how it looked on me. Not a fan of reddish berry shades with my skin tone, especially since every bit of redness in my face gets highlighted. Watermelon fared much better on the lips, though it's nearly the same colour as Revlon Soft Rose, so why bother.

While I said NARS made my favourite high end blush, there have been a couple of disappointments. I never managed to make Sin work for me, despite repeated attempts. When swatched, it's the most unique, captivating, berry-purple with gold shimmer, but on my face, it either looks like a disturbing bruise or a sheered out, complexion-draining, ruddy mess. Enchanted seems like a peachy cream blush, but it's a straight up glittery highlighter. There's barely any pigment, but rather, CHUNKS and flakes of glitter. Don't get me wrong, the glitter in this is stunning in action, but it's the least inconspicuous highlighter you could find. I love glitter as much as the next person, but unfortunately daily office life doesn't call for it.

NARS Sin

NARS Enchanted

10. Best blush packaging?
Surprisingly, there wasn't one blush that really stood out for me. I picked Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in the end. I like the sturdy feel, gold exterior and square shape, plus the inside is gorgeous.

11. What's on your blush wish list?
Quite a few blushes! Perhaps doing this tag has reignited my blush spark. Top of my wishlist are the newish Bobbi Brown Brightening Bricks. I have my eye on Pink or Tawny. I'm sure I'll love Benefit Rockateur and feel that it's only a matter of time before I cave and buy it. Apparently I need NARS Madly. I've been eyeing Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush in Earthy as well, though it's closer to a bronzer. Chanel Joue Contraste Blush in Jersey looks like a blush staple I NEED (I trust both Emma and Temptalia). The Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic blushes and Clinique Cheek Pops are also mightily tempting.

12. Number 1 holy grail blush?
This one was hard, but I think I'll have to go with NARS Luster. It's a foolproof option that complements my skin tone and does it all. If I'm running out of time in the mornings and can't be bothered with separate contouring, highlighting and blush, I'll whack on a bit of Luster and be done. It's sculpting, injects warmth and colour, and imparts a soft, golden glow.

NARS Luster

And those are my responses. I now tag Cherie, Michelle, Jennifer, Tiffany, Kelly, Shari, Pam, Sharlynn (the blush queen!), Amanda, Diana, Coco, Tasha, Sheri, Evelyn, Karen, Jennie, Amy, Emma and Tram. Think I may have gone just a touch overboard with the tagging there. But basically, anyone who feels like joining in!

June Favourites

I did a lot more cooking/eating and obsessing over clothing (unusual for me) than indulging in makeup in June, which probably accounts for the lack of posts during the month. Having the house to myself as my parents were overseas also meant exploring my more domestic side, sometimes to laughable results, sometimes in ways that were pleasantly surprising. I can now pan fry a salmon fillet skillfully enough that I wouldn't want to order it at a restaurant. On the other hand, I still can't bake anything successfully the first time. The oven is a temperamental beast.

Chloé Love, Chloé
I don't think I could have anticipated just how much I love this fragrance. It's not like anything from the fruity or floral family that I traditionally gravitate toward. It's distinctly powdery and soapy, but sophisticated, feminine, warm and enveloping. It wears extremely well in colder weather. In the summer, it might be a tad overpowering mixed with heat and humidity. The lasting power is incredible which is always a big plus.

Paddywax Gardenia & Tuberose Jar Candle
I can't even tell you how good this candle smells. If you enjoy gardenia scents that lean a little on the green side, you need this candle in your life. The scent fills the entire room and the wax burns forever. I debated for months whether to buy this after first stumbling upon it at a gift shop last December, but I'm so glad I ended up purchasing it. One of my absolute favourite candle discoveries.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette
I told myself repeatedly I didn't need this. That I had enough eyeshadows. That I probably already had all the colours in the palette already. When it first came out, I was disinterested and determined not to fall for the hype. But we all know how the story ends — with me forking out $68.95 at Kit Cosmetics one weekend. But you know what? I don't regret it. Yes, some of the colours have annoying fallout (Gilded Ganache, Black Forest Truffle), they're not uniformly smooth and pigmented, I'd rarely wear some of the shades (Strawberry Bon Bon, Candied Violet) and I probably don't need two massive highlighting pans, but overall, this palette has impressed and delighted me. My newest favourite eyeshadow combination is Crème Brûlée (such a standout, slightly dirty yellow gold) and Hazelnut, though I appreciate the inclusion of versatile matte shades for less shimmery options.

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in Rose Éclat
While rounding up my top autumn/winter blushes, I rediscovered this little gem from Bourjois. I'd previously overlooked it in favour of other shades of the round pot blushes like Rose D'Or and Rose Coup de Foudre, but I've been reaching for Rose Éclat in the mornings to add some much needed life to my pastier-than-usual complexion. This one has just the right amount of warmth and rosiness without bordering on being too red/ruddy or fuchsia/cool-toned.

e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush
Most of my other well-loved blush brushes like the Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Blush Brush or Real Techniques Multi Task Brush are round and fluffy, but this one provides a useful point of difference. With its significantly smaller size and flatter shape, it's excellent at placing your blush exactly where you want it, avoiding spreading colour over too large a surface and overdoing the intensity. Although it's quite flat, it still blends well and diffuses pigmented blushes with ease. At $8, you won't be breaking the bank.

A Brush with e.l.f.

With Kmart beginning to stock e.l.f., the affordable US cosmetics brand recently became widely available in Australia. While everything was predictably more expensive than in the States, the sad reality is the price point for the range remains inexpensive by local standards. I wasn't interested in any of the makeup (trying to honour my New Year's beauty resolution of buying less, despite early slip ups), but I wanted to give their brushes a go. I've always heard good feedback about their brush line, especially being so budget-friendly. The Essential line of brushes are $3 a piece here (compared with $1 in the States), while the brushes in the Studio line are $8 (compared with $3 in the States). Despite the triple markup, I purchased the Essential Eyeshadow Brush, Essential Blending Eye Brush and Studio Blush Brush to try.

l-r: e.l.f. Essential Eyeshadow Brush, e.l.f. Essential Blending Eye Brush, e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush

l-r: Sportsgirl dual-ended brush, Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush, e.l.f. Eyeshadow Brush

l-r: Ecotools Smudge Brush, e.l.f. Blending Eye Brush, Ecotools Blending Brush

The two eyeshadow brushes I picked out seem to be the most popular and well-received of e.l.f.'s Essential range, so my expectations were fairly high despite how affordable they were. Before anything, I gave them a good wash with Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge and not a single hair shed which was a positive start. After they'd dried and I'd used them for the first time, I was pleased at how soft the bristles were without being floppy and hard to control.

The Essential Eyeshadow Brush seems designed for the basic job of packing on a single colour all over the eyelid. It picked up a good amount of shadow, especially with the lighter shade I used, without resulting in too much fallout. The only issue I had was the length of the bristles which I found a bit too short. Occasionally I'd feel the cold, hard ferrule on my lid rather than the actual brush hair.

The Essential Blending Eye Brush was excellent at concentrating a deeper colour on the outer-V of the eye and blending into the crease. It fits really snugly into the crease (or disappears into the skin fold, if you have monolids) and deposits colour accurately. The smaller, rounded shape allows for better control and placement compared with something much larger and fluffier, like the Ecotools Blending Brush from the Bamboo 5 Piece Brush Set. Together, the Eyeshadow Brush and the Blending Eye Brush make eyeshadow application a simple, approachable 2-step process that even eyeshadow novices can master.

l-r: Real Techniques Setting Brush, Real Techniques Contour Brush, e.l.f. Blush Brush, Ecotools Blush Brush

Out of the Studio line, I was tempted by the gigantic Kabuki Face Brush but in the end, I had to go with the Blush Brush. Mainly, I was intrigued by the shape of it, which is significantly smaller than what I'm accustomed to in a blush brush. It actually reminded me of the SUQQU "Kitten Paw" Cheek Brush beloved by Lisa Eldridge, though that could be more because both are all black than anything else. Notwithstanding other major quality/materials/craftsmanship/price differences, the SUQQU appears more fluffy and rounded, whereas this e.l.f. one is mainly flat.

Of course, I had to try the brush with e.l.f.'s own Studio Blushes. I whipped out my oft-neglected Pink Passion, a colour I've struggled with and been frequently intimidated by as it's so bright and pigmented. Using the Studio Blush Brush, with its flat edge and smaller shape, gave me far greater control as to placement and opacity. I could concentrate the colour exactly where I wanted it on the cheek and build up the pigmentation slowly with each layer. I think the Studio Blush Brush has the potential to make more accessible any strongly pigmented blush that more traditional blush brushes would overdo. I don't have anything similar in shape, so it's a welcome addition to my brush collection.

Stop My Stash

I haven't done one of these posts on the blog yet, but the idea is immensely appealing. It's so easy to keep using the same few products or get fixated on the newest, shiniest thing, while neglecting a whole heap of makeup purchased a while ago that's just sitting there taking up space. There's nothing particularly wrong with these unloved items — they've just been consistently overlooked for options I favour more. Unearthing them has reminded me I really should inject some variety in my product selection.

Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow in Coffee Bean (02)
Seriously good palette. It contains some of the best "drugstore" mattes I've encountered. Sophisticated, really wearable and versatile shades. You could use the same four colours for a whole range of looks to take you from day to night, from subtle contouring to the dramatic and smoky. I used the second colour on my lid here with the Essence Hidden in Sakura Garden false eyelashes.

Models Prefer Eyeshadow in Famous
I rarely stray from neutrals, but the blue in this quad used to be on relatively high rotation when I first started to wear eyeshadow regularly. I also like the third colour, a complex and gorgeous pinkish/purplish brown. I don't touch the first two shades, but this palette overall has amazing pigmentation. The shadows have a unique spongy texture that can be a little crumbly, but give off vibrant colour payoff with a metallic finish.

L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Bronzed Goddess (024) and Metallic Lilac (037)
I have eight of these Infallible eyeshadows but barely use them most of the time. Sahara Treasure was a colour I desperately searched for, but once I tracked it down and tried it on, I found that it really didn't flatter me, even though I loved the colour on its own. I do use Bronzed Taupe and Endless Chocolat more often than the rest, but don't see myself reaching for Hourglass Beige or Flashback Silver pretty much ever. Burning Black is too dark for anything but smoky, nighttime looks. That leaves Bronzed Goddess and Metallic Lilac.

Bronzed Goddess is passable as an all-over lid colour, but it leans very greenish gold on me, to the extent that I can't really detect any brown/bronze as its name would suggest. Metallic Lilac is a little too cool and silvery for my yellow skin tone, but fares better applied just to the lower lash line. I have such a love/hate relationship with the L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadows. They're undoubtedly excellent quality in terms of texture, pigmentation, vibrancy and staying power, but I frequently struggle to make them work for me.

l-r: Third and fourth colour from Models Prefer Famous, L'Oréal Bronze Goddress, L'Oréal Metallic Lilac

l-r: e.l.f. Pink Passion, Essence Prima Ballerina Blush Soufflé 

e.l.f. Blush in Pink Passion
This is so shockingly bright that I find myself deterred from using it. I've always preferred my blushes to not be super pigmented (in contrast to my eyeshadows) because of the extra difficulty in applying a strong colour lightly, and the fear of overdoing it. Pink Passion is surprisingly wearable (dare I say, even natural?) once that mental hurdle is overcome. Works best with the Real Techniques Blush Brush, as the tapered end and fluffiness allow for greater precision and blending.

Essence Blush Soufflé in Prima Ballerina
I forget how nice this is. It's very light and has a whipped texture which is airy and silky. It almost instantly dries on the skin once applied to a powder finish. It gives an angelic, soft pink flush to the cheeks, and while pale in colour, can be built up in intensity. My only gripe is that its staying power leaves much to be desired, but the small pot is convenient to keep in the handbag for touchups once it's faded.

BeautyJoint Haul

My BeautyJoint order finally arrived! I'd only recently heard of the site, but I managed to hold off making an order until Cherie thoughtfully notified me that the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette was back in stock. The instant I heard, I scrambled to add it to my cart, along with a few other items I'd already lined up. Delivery took 10 working days and all the contents were in pristine condition. The packaging certainly insured against breakage, with everything tightly bound by multiple layers of bubble wrap and industrial sticky tape.

I bought two nail polishes, China Glaze Luxe and Lush and Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. Here, I'm wearing two coats of Luxe and Lush over Essence Grand-Plié in Black with a top coat of Seche Vite. The effect reminds me of a granite coffee table or a flurry of koi swimming in a pond. I thought that Luxe and Lush would be very similar to China Glaze Snow Globe, but I find Luxe and Lush (at least against a black base) to be predominately gold, orange and green, whereas Snow Globe has a wider colour spectrum and is more reminiscent of opal flecks.

Ever since I saw e.l.f. Studio Blush in Pink Passion featured in Tanya Burr's $20 Makeup Challenge video, it's been on my "to buy" list. Pink Passion is an ultra bright, blue-based candy pink. Less is definitely more with this one, you only need the smallest amount as it's relatively easy to go overboard and look clownish. Notwithstanding the unpleasant, faint chemical smell (a problem I have with BYS blushes as well, which I guess are sort of like the Australian equivalent to e.l.f.), the pigmentation is excellent and the powder is quite soft, not chalky or difficult to blend.

The star of the show would have to be the Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Collection in Comfort Zone (738). Some products can be hyped and disappoint, but when a particular palette is consistently well-loved, there usually has to be good reason. The pigmentation of these eyeshadows is amazing. When I first swatched them, I was thoroughly impressed at how lightly I had dipped my finger in each eyeshadow to get such vibrant colour payoff. They're soft, but not powdery, and easy to blend. My only criticism is the smell. It has this unmistakable, sweet but metallic chemical smell that I can't really describe, but it's extremely off-putting. A couple of the darker colours also lose some vibrancy and are much closer to black when applied to the lid compared to how they look in the pan. Having said that, I adore the second browbone colour, the first crease colour and the second definer colour (the emerald/bronze duochrome is so pronounced and sublime).

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio in Silent Treatment (335) was another eyeshadow must-have. Forget the browbone and crease colour, this palette is about one thing only: the eyelid colour. It is simply gorgeous. It's what I wanted Maybelline Silken Taupe and various shades in the Too Faced Naked Eye palette to be. It's a purplish light taupe with an almost lavender/silvery shimmer that can be built up in intensity so it looks more brown with an almost pinkish tinge. Perfect as an all-over lid colour, this purple-leaning shade is a welcome change from the usual taupe/bronze eyeshadows that dominate my daily routine.