Best of 2017

I haven't been inspired to do a yearly favourites in a couple of years, but felt motivated to put together something this year. Maybe because it dawned on me I've now been blogging for 6 years (craaaayyy, even with the significant drop in posts from 2016), maybe after reducing my exposure to a relentless reel of influencers' monthly favourites, hearing about what people have been enjoying and reaching for is genuinely interesting again, maybe because at the end of the day, I still just really like makeup, skin care, candles, fragrances, the whole shebang. I had a look through my blog posts, Instagram, and stuff lying around at home, and picked up the following 11 products as my standouts of 2017.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Abu Dhabi
Might as well say it. This is my favourite lip colour. The shade is perfection to me for a natural, beautifying, effortless pout. I even bought a backup because when you've found the one, you don't ever want to be without.

Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in Seduction
A close second to Abu Dhabi, Seduction is a touch pinker and darker. Very similar texture, application and feel on the lips, which is to say it's soft, velvety, and gives the polish and relative longevity of a matte without sucking all the moisture from the lips. Full review here.

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Bronzer
Haven't stopped using this since it came into my life. I went from skipping/total disinterest in bronzer for at least half a year (only using blush or a bronzer/blush hybrid like NARS Madly or Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Nude Mauve) to using this with my Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt brush daily. It's so smooth, virtually blends itself, the shade isn't too dark so it's tricky to work with but pigmented enough that definition is easy to achieve. The colour is just the right mix of warmth for that summery, healthy glow and shadow for a believable contour.

Clinique Cheek Pop in Nude Pop
Just the perfect, everyday, neutral peachy-nude blush. The cheek equivalent of NYX Abu Dhabi. Goes with everything, instantly lifts a dull, tired complexion and makes you look fresh and alive. Creamy, non-powdery, satin texture that looks lit-from-within. Works a treat with the Morphe E4 patted up and down the cheekbones and onto the apples of the cheeks.

Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color in Night
This is one of those somewhat boring, unsexy products that I use all the time and haven't encountered a better version of. A fat, jet black, matte crayon like this is a great tool for monolids since it can draw a thick line quickly. I first do a winged liner with a fine, felt tip/brush eyeliner like Maybelline HyperSharp Wing Liquid Liner, then use this when I want to thicken and even out the shape my eyeliner from the inner corner to the beginning of the wing, giving the appearance of more rounded, larger eyes. The staying power is absolutely phenomenal. On the couple of times I've been naughty and slept in my makeup, pretty much everything is gone the morning after but this.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner in My Two Cents
I've been eyeing Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise in Bette for forever, but why would I spend $44 (not even including shipping) on it when I have My Two Cents? This is the perfect shimmering goldy-bronze on light-to-medium skin tones. On days I wear contacts, this is my go-to cream shadow paired with Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadow Stick in Bad Girl Bronze. I even picked this My Two Cents/Bad Girl Bronze combo for my eye makeup to an interstate wedding. Never fails.

l-r: NYX Abu Dhabi, Revlon Seduction, Clinique Nude Pop, Benefit My Two Cents, Physicians Formula Bronzer, Nudestix Night

Laura Mercier Fall in Love Illuminator Collection
I've been meaning to do a review of this for ages, but since it was limited edition from late last year, I felt there was kind of no point. I thank my lucky stars every time I use this that I took the plunge and purchased it, because usually I shy away from expensive items. This houses 4 of their highlighters in the shades Indiscretion (rose gold), Addiction (more conventional yellow gold), Devotion (an icy purplish shade) and Seduction (bronze). I usually go for Indiscretion or Devotion, as Addiction is a bit boring to me (still beautiful though) and Seduction is way too dark for a highlighter (great for eyeshadow/workable as shimmery bronzer). They are a drier, more gelée type formula (what I recall/imagine ABH So Hollywood to be like), and don't emphasise skin texture or pores. They don't go on extremely blinding at first instance, so can be built up to desired intensity. Best of all, I really do like that there's a bit of glitter in the mix. I just think it makes the shades that touch more interesting and eye-catching.

l-r: Indiscretion, Addiction, Devotion, Seduction

Tarte Tartelette in Bloom
At the beginning of the year, I was debating between Tartelette in Bloom and Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance. The latter was sold out, so deciding which to buy came down to the one that wasn't out of stock. I ended up buying Modern Renaissance at the tail end of the year thinking I *needed* it, and now I can definitively say I prefer Tartelette in Bloom. Why? Simply, the colours. In the mornings when I'm doing my makeup for work, I don't really gravitate toward bright/dark pinks, reds and vibrant oranges. The rest of Modern Renaissance is also cool-toned (read: muddy and dull on my lids). But almost every shade in Tartelette in Bloom is flattering, office-friendly and foolproof. It's a complete palette with smooth, pigmented shadows that are a breeze to blend. Full review here.

Too Faced Hangover Primer
A fairly recent find given I only bought this in September, but I think I've finally found the primer for me. I don't think it does much in terms of oil control or improving longevity of your base, but it does create a more moisturised, plump, soothed canvas for your foundation to go on. On good skin days, coupled with this primer, my skin looks positively glowing and baby smooth. The coconut scent is delish, it's a pleasure to use and feels like a treat on the skin.

Crabtree & Evelyn Spiced Earl Grey Hand Therapy
Truly one of my favourite discoveries of 2017. The travel size lives in my makeup bag. I loved the tester so much in the shop I also bought the 100ml, but gifted that my mother. I'll have to resort to eBay to replenish my stock since this was sadly limited edition from last Christmas. I wish they would bottle the scent in a perfume. The smell is exactly as the name suggests. I didn't think earl grey in a hand cream could be done this right, but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Gucci Bloom EDP
My current scent obsession. I can't even remember the last time I purchased a 100ml bottle of perfume (from a department store at that, not even Priceline/Chemist Warehouse/online), but it's a testament to how much I lurrrvee it. I also have the body lotion and rollerball, so I can live out my dreams and douse myself in the stuff. It's a somewhat old fashioned white floral that's been reimagined in a modern way. I like that it's not too dry or green on my skin, with a certain sweetness and creaminess that's been missing in other white florals I own (Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia, Kai perfume oil). The dreamy ad campaign with Dakota Johnson, the millennial pink bottle, I'm a sucker for it all.

Pretty as a Flower

Compared with previous years, I didn't buy all that much makeup in 2016. However, I couldn't let the year pass without purchasing at least one of the seemingly universally heralded two best eyeshadow palettes of last year: Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette or the Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Palette. I was kind of leaning towards the more ~editorial~ ABH, the one with the artistic cred, but during Sephora's last 20% off sale, it was sold out. So I satisfied myself with the more conventional, less exciting but more "practical" Tarte offering instead.

l-r: Charmer, Jetsetter, Rocker, Smokeshow, Flower Child, Smarty Pants, Firecracker, Activist, Funny Girl, Sweetheart, Rebel, Leader

l-r: Charmer, Jetsetter, Rocker, Smokeshow

l-r: (Smokeshow), Flower Child, Smarty Pants, Firecracker, Activist, (Funny Girl)

l-r: Funny Girl, Sweetheart, Rebel, Leader

This is one pretty palette, both inside and out. I think I prefer the packaging of the Tarte to ABH. It's nicely thought out and executed, decently sleek and compact, the squareish shape is fairly original in a world of mostly rectangular eyeshadow palettes, and it comes with a huge, good quality mirror.

The colour selection is nothing earth-shattering or out of the box, but still a well-considered edit of neutral mattes with differing undertones and depth, plus a sprinkle of metallic and shimmer shades. I really appreciate the way that the palette is laid out, with each individual row basically acting like its own quad (centered around a colour family), and each column grouping together similar depths of shades, ranging from lightest to darkest.

One criticism I have heard about this palette is that the deepest shades (Smokeshow, Activist and Leader) are all a bit samey once applied to the lids. Smokeshow and Activist I would probably agree, since the former is just a greyer version of the browner latter, but I think Leader is sufficiently reddish to act as a point of difference.

In terms of the shadow quality, the lighter to medium mattes pass the test. They're nicely pigmented, soft but not crumbly or powdery, and blend easily. However the deeper mattes can get a little patchy and don't have the most intense colour payoff I've come across (the LORAC Pro Palette still takes that title by a loooong shot). The quality is certainly not awful nor disappointing, but didn't absolutely blow me away either. It'd say it's above average, which you'd expect from a palette of this price. Honestly though, some of the mattes in my 28-pan Morphe Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette perform just as well.

I do really love the bronze shade Firecracker, of course. The definite standout of the palette and a large reason why I bought it. Undeniably pretty on the lid with superior pigmentation and texture. Funny Girl is more of a shimmery champagne topper as it has a kind of spongy, drier texture, so sometimes I like dabbing a bit of it to the centre of my lids with my finger to add some sparkle and light. Overall, the palette is predominately warm-toned except for the distinctly cooler-toned first row of shades. I almost wish the mid-tone brown Jetsetter was even cooler than it is, say a light, slightly dove grey taupe, but then I remember I can't pull off cool eyeshadows and content myself with its current form.

Overall, I've been enjoying Tartelette in Bloom and don't regret adding it to my collection, but if you have myriad neutral palettes already (and if you're reading this, I imagine you do), you definitely don't *need* it. It's kind of similar to Urban Decay Naked3 (though Naked3 is more exuberant in the rosey/mauvey/coppery shades still), Maybelline The Nudes, even L'Oréal Color Riche La Palette Nude in Beige. Having said that, you can more or less pick any combination of shades in Tartelette in Bloom and come up with something you can wear for most occasions. It's a very complete palette that's beautifully packaged and produces looks that, for lack of a better word, are simply pretty. What more really, do you need?

Current Makeup Menu

I've been super lazy with my makeup lately. I've also decided to stop doing regimented monthly favourites posts and instead do ad hoc posts of the products I've been reaching for whenever an update might be of interest. Most mornings during the past couple of weeks, I've adhered to a fairly pared down routine (from my previous standards at least). A lot of it is motivated by the desire to stay in bed for as long as possible, which naturally cuts into the time I have to get ready.

After washing and moisturising my face (I've been loving a sample of the hydrating but not oily Innisfree Perfect 9 Repair Lotion), I start with the eyes. While usually one of the most enjoyable aspects of makeup for me, I've ditched all my powder eyeshadows or need for brushes in favour of one product only: KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow. I alternate between two shades, Rosy Brown (for a more cool-toned, mauvey taupe option) and Golden Brown (more neutral bronze). Touted as a dupe for By Terry Ombre Blackstar Cream Eyeshadow, these are quite simply the best shadow stick I've come across. The quality is superb for the price. They're strongly pigmented, very metallic but not gritty or patchy, long lasting, easy to apply and blend, and most importantly, flattering on the eyes. So quick, fuss-free and reliable. I just whack some onto the lid and blend out the edges with my finger. I also run the stick along the lower lash line. It takes about 30 seconds per eye and the eyeshadow is done.

l-r: KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in Rosy Brown (05), Golden Brown (06)

Next is eyeliner. I've been trying out the affordable Essence Eyeliner Pen Waterproof which I used my $5 birthday voucher from Priceline towards. It's only so-so. The colour is pleasantly black, but it's the shape of the tip that doesn't work for me. It doesn't give me enough control when extending the line and drawing the flick. It's more of a hard felt tip rather than a flexible but firm thin brush like my superior Japan-made Creer Beaute La Rose de Versailles liquid eyeliner, which I'd use all the time except that it's running out. The Essence also dries in a way that if you go over the dried eyeliner, it'll flake off.

After eyeliner, I follow with whatever mascara I have available. The two I've been reaching for are in their final stages and nothing to write home about. I'm more or less waiting for them to be finished entirely before cracking open one of the many brand new mascaras I have waiting in the wings.

Next comes skin. Some days if I'm interested in an injection of extra glow, I'll apply a small amount of MAC Strobe Cream all over like I would a luminising primer. I'm having something of a lovefest with Strobe Cream at the moment and think it's incredibly underrated despite its cult product status. The colour is beautiful, the texture is great, it's so multifunctional and compared with other liquid highlighting products like Chanel Le Blanc de Chanel Sheer Illuminating Base or Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid, it's not that expensive. I find applying Strobe Cream to my bare face before foundation results in a more natural, subtle effect than if I mixed it into my foundation. I am slightly paranoid that smoothing it over my nose and forehead has a tendency to break me out, but it seems fine over the cheeks.

Recently, I've been sticking to one pump of Dior Diorskin Nude BB Creme in Fair (02) mixed with a drop of Tarte Maracuja Oil applied with my Zoeva Silk Finish brush for my base. I don't know if the texture of my Dior is a bit off, but I don't really like it. It feels slightly moussey and thicker in consistency than most liquid foundations I'm used to. Coverage is definitely on the light side, which wouldn't be too much of a problem if my skin was in good shape, but lately I've had some dryness, redness and break outs which call for concealer after the foundation is applied. Otherwise, you can see most of the underlying blemished and uneven skin peeking through. Even with the drop of oil mixed in and thoroughly buffed in with my brush, the BB Creme doesn't meld or sink completely into my skin. I do notice, especially if I examine my skin closely in the mirror, parts that still sit on top of the skin, especially around the nose. The finish isn't as brightening or dewy as I'd like, though it's not exactly matte. It's just a bit flat, albeit "natural" (though the colour is a little too pink-toned for me). Additionally, as the day goes on, the foundation starts to break up on my skin, especially visible on the cheeks. It's not as effectively skin-perfecting, illuminating or easy to work with than the much cheaper Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector Combination to Oily Skin. However, I'm persevering with the Dior because it was pricey and if I don't force myself to use it, it'll never be touched.

Last we have another favourite aspect of makeup for me apart from the eyes — blush. The two I've been loving lately have been Benefit Rockateur and Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Nude Mauve. The Benefit is a brightening, shimmery pinky peach that's more girly, summery and warming, whereas the plummy brown, satin-finish Nude Mauve is more cool-toned, sculpting and polished. Nude Mauve is a versatile hybrid bronzer and blush that I can just whack on without being concerned about placement or overdoing it, since the colour payoff is on the subdued side. It has a softer baked texture and blends without any issues. I'm still loving my Wayne Goss Brush #14 for blush, though I've also been reaching for my angled Zoeva Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush.

l-r: Benefit Rockateur, Max Factor Nude Mauve

Depending on time constraints and whether I feel like it, I'll highlight and/or powder after blush. I did go through a phase of preferring certain colour-shifting eyeshadows (Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadow in Thunderstruck, Makeup Geek Duochrome Eyeshadow in I'm Peachless) to dedicated powder highlighters for my cheek highlight, but I've found the texture of them usually isn't as forgiving on the skin. They're not as easily blended and can emphasise pores and sit on the skin in an obvious manner. I've been mostly using Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop (can't beat the colour and the BAM! HIGHLIGHT effect) or Dior Diorskin Poudre Shimmer in Amber Diamond (probably the most refined highlighter I have, along with Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow), applied with a Burberry No.09 Socket Line Brush. Powder has been Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in N°20 which I actually really like, except I suspect that might have more to do with the fact it's Chanel than anything else.

As a final step, I'll put on some lip balm. I do this for an odd purpose — it's not to hydrate my lips, but rather, to get rid of any foundation on my lips. I'll remove the lip balm with a tissue which removes any foundation. I've been rediscovering the cult product Lucas' Papaw Ointment. My tube is God knows how old, but it still works perfectly. The shine it gives the lips is super pretty and it's an excellent multipurpose ointment that soothes, protects and moisturises.

Porcelain Doll Pink

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes are oft-raved about but somewhat difficult to acquire outside of the States, so when I spotted Dollface on a local blog sale, I couldn't resist the opportunity to add another Tarte blush to my stash. I already have the neutral Exposed and was eyeing more coral offerings like Tipsy or Blissful to potentially purchase next, but took a chance on the pink Dollface, swayed by good reviews I'd read on various blogs and MakeupAlley.

l-r: e.l.f. Pink Passion, NARS Angelika, Laura Mercier Rose Desire, Tarte Dollface

Tarte Dollface is a light-to-medium, slightly cool pink that imparts a rosy flush. There is a slight sheen to the finish but it applies and appears mainly matte. e.l.f. Studio Blush in Pink Passion is brighter, lighter and more blue-toned. NARS Blush in Angelika is more red with silver sparkles. Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Rose Desire (from the Lingerie Eye & Cheek Palette) is extremely similar, I would say a near dupe, maybe just a touch more fuchsia and fractionally lighter.

I wish I could be more excited about Dollface, but I find my enthusiasm significantly dampened by the fact I have three other blushes in my collection that are nearly identical (Pink Passion, once on the cheeks, gives pretty much the same effect as Dollface, despite looking sufficiently different in the swatch). More problematic is the fact I find pink blushes generally harder to wear for my skin tone than peaches and softer corals. I always feel that they demand an absolutely flawless base to look good, otherwise the colour can emphasise any redness in the face and appear a bit patchy and not perfectly blended. Unintentionally overdoing it can result in a ruddy look suggestive of skin in distress rather than a sweet, "doll-like" flush.

I'm also not convinced by the "12 hour" wear claims. Maybe I'm just using it too lightly, but I don't find Dollface to last significantly longer than the majority of blushes I own. After 4-5 hours it's faded and by the end of the day (around the 10 hour mark), I can't detect much left on my cheeks. The texture of Tarte blushes is on the dry, hard side as opposed to more powdery and soft like Illamasqua or theBalm, though the pigment of Dollface is looser and much easier to pick up on my brush than Exposed, the surface of which has seemingly sealed, though that might just be the one I have.

A definite plus to the two Tarte blushes I've tried is once applied, they impart a kind of lit-from-within radiance to the complexion, which is generated free of any shimmer or dewiness. The shades are mainly matte but they remain brightening rather than dull and flat. The blushes also meld very naturally with the skin, as if the colour is coming from underneath, as opposed to sitting on top.

May Favourites

May was yet another largely uninspired month makeup-wise, which isn't to say I haven't been as cosmetics obsessed as ever (especially in the lipstick and eyeshadow department). But in terms of my daily routine, it was more or less the same old. Except for a wine lip stain and pastel glitter polish, I haven't discovered anything this past month that I'm really excited to start using on a regular basis. Most of my favourites are well-loved products or those I've had for a while but needed some time to fully appreciate.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush
I did a whole post on vampy berry shades, but didn't include what might be my favourite of them all. Crush long eluded me because until recently, Revlon decided to exclude it, along with Rendezvous, from the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain range in Australia. Thankfully, they released the two of them as "new shades" (snort), and at the earliest opportunity I snapped both up. (Now if only Maybelline would follow suit with Brazen Berry from the ColorSensational Vivids line.) Crush is the perfect wine lip — not too red, not too brown, not too light or dark. The only thing I'm not crazy about is that it tends to wear unevenly, fading from the centre of the lip faster than the outer edge, which can look like you've put on lip liner but nothing else. I prefer using this over a lip balm, alternating between applying and blotting a couple of layers first so the stain really sinks into the lip, and reapplying as needed.

Australis 10 Hour Waterproof Eye Pencil in Bombastic Bronze
This has quickly become my go-to bronze pencil eyeliner that I use every day to define my lower lash line. I think it's better than the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Bronze which I was trialing previously but wasn't entirely satisfied with. It doesn't quite top my absolute favourite, Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Busy Signal (which seriously doesn't budge), but a pencil is a much quicker and easier option compared with a cream shadow, and I'm all for any kind of time/effort saving. It ticks all the boxes: gorgeous metallic pigment, glides on without ever tugging at the skin or feeling waxy, and even if it doesn't entirely live up to its name in lasting power, it comes pretty darn close.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Black
I've been using this for a few months but only recently became fully converted. At first, I was a little on the fence, wondering if I should revert to my trusty ol' Bourjois Liner Feutre. I wasn't used to the finer, more precise tip on the Stila with which you can draw a much thinner line, and the first few times I tried it over my bare eyelid, it was surprisingly streaky. I've found this works much better over some kind of product, be it a power or cream eyeshadow or primer. It's seriously black and although it's quite liquid, it dries very fast. The staying power is excellent but it's also not an absolute nightmare to get off. The tip of mine has frayed slightly, but I haven't found it to affect the application. After using it solidly for some time, I've managed to get the flick needed for my upper lash line down pat.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed
One of the greatest pleasures of having more blush than 10 average women combined is the ability to select the one that suits your fancy any given morning. But even with all the options available to me (or perhaps it's precisely because of the sheer variety of choice?), I tend to just draw a blank. That's when Exposed comes mightily in handy. It's the perfect blush to reach for when you don't know what to pick. It'll go with anything and it won't look bad. It's more rosy than the polished nude of NARS Douceur, not as plummy and tan as Benefit Dallas, but not your run-of-the-mill "peachy pink" either. It's sitting somewhere in the middle of all that, in an ideal neutral territory. Given I had to literally fly to the States to acquire this, I feel like I really should appreciate it more. More in depth review here.

Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
An ancient favourite of mine and I product I will continually repurchase without hesitation. Yes, Batiste also make a perfectly decent dry shampoo, but I just like the Klorane better. I've reached a pitifully new low of laziness when it comes to hair "care" (the extent of which is shampooing my hair at night every 3 days, skipping conditioner, and spritzing dry shampoo on the morning of the third day). This product serves a very important function in my life, which is to minimise any effort I have to make regarding my hair. It does its best to keep greasiness at bay while I do my best to stretch out the time in between washes.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 and 53
I just did a whole post on this foundation so I won't go into too much detail here. I moved on from Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow which I was using in April back to Healthy Mix Serum. I was combining 52 with Rimmel Wake Me Up in Soft Beige, but ditched that as well, and began just mixing 52 and 53 to form my shade. I almost wish I had dry skin rather than normal/combination just so I could wear this all the time.

Face of Australia Heart of Glass
Already raved about here (with nail swatch to boot), this is one of the most exciting nail polish discoveries I've made in recent memory. The moment I put this on my nails, I knew that I had to scout a backup bottle before the limited edition collection disappeared from the stores altogether. Pleasingly affordable at $4.95, this polish is worth three times that. The formula seriously impressed me for such a light base and the glitter is delicate and not garish or overdone.

l-r: Tarte Exposed, Revlon Crush, Australis Bombastic Bronze, Stila Eye Liner, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

Daily Exposure

The very first time I stepped inside a Sephora during my trip to New York in September, I managed to restrict myself to three things. (I would step inside Sephora a few more times before departing the US, but at least I attempted to be selective initially.) NARS Sheer Glow. Benefit Go TropiCORAL Lip & Cheek Kit, an impulse buy. And Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed. I'd ardently lusted after Exposed for months, but with the unavailability of Tarte in Australia and not wanting to resort to eBay, it was out of my reach. The moment that I finally saw it with my eyes, I couldn't grab it from the shelf fast enough.

l-r: Tarte Exposed, Illamasqua Naked Rose, Benefit Dallas

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

I'm not sure if this is true of all Tarte blushes, but I could barely get any pigment on my finger when I tried to swatch Exposed. Either the surface has hardened on the one I have, or they're all like that. In contrast, the one Illamasqua powder blush I have (Naked Rose) is ultra smooth, very finely milled and packed with pigment. I was surprised to find the Tarte was noticeably drier in texture. I almost just want to get a cotton bud and scratch the surface all over, just to see if that makes a difference in releasing pigment and making it softer.

Having said that, Exposed fares better when applied with a brush. I don't get the same issues in needing to swipe several times just to get a decent arm swatch. The soft, neutral pink colour pulls slightly red on me, but overall I like the brightening, natural flush that it gives. The pigmentation isn't overly strong, which I prefer, as I find very pigmented blushes tend to look ruddy and obvious on my cheeks. Exposed is one of those reliable, everyday shades that you can reach for in the mornings without thought. It's a tad easier to wear than NARS Douceur because it's less brown, though it's a little too red to be used primarily to sculpt the face.

Does it wear for 12 hours? Not that I've experienced. If I use this in the morning, I don't really see much of it left on my cheeks at the end of the day, though I do try to apply blush relatively sparingly so I can understand if it's faded after several hours. In terms of lasting power, I think NARS performs the best of the blushes I've tried. I marginally prefer Douceur to Exposed, but the two are similar enough to someone not obsessed with makeup that one or the other will do. But really, if you love blush, you probably already have both.