The Blush Edit: Fabulous New Pinks
If I had to pick just one makeup item to keep for life, it would be blush. Blush is one of the most multi-use, versatile, generally beautifying, least demanding things in the history of makeup – and what a history it has! It has been used to decorate, celebrate, protest, symbolize, and even denigrate and has been used in some form or another, for some purpose or another, for centuries. They can double as lip colors, eye colors, and even as contour products! While I can wax poetic over the history of blush for hours, this post is about something much more current – new cream and liquid blushes I’ve discovered over the past few months and have been loving. This curation includes six new blushes and the shades I bought are mostly variations on pink (though they come in multiple shades in case you’re not into pink). They can be applied with fingers, or a brush, or a sponge. They are easy to swipe on, easy to blend, and easy to reapply – all stellar options for both blush lovers and hesitant admirers alike.
From L to R: Ciate Dewy Blush in Pomegranate, Iconic London blush in Power Pink, Flower Beauty Blush bomb in Bubbly, Beauty Pie Blushes in Universal Pink and Bare Blush, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Lucky
From L to R Clockwise: Ciate Dewy Blush in Pomegranate, Iconic London blush in Power Pink, Flower Beauty Blush bomb in Bubbly, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Lucky Beauty Pie Blushes in Universal Pink and Bare Blush
Iconic London Sheer Blush in Power Pink
Thrilled to find that Iconic London had finally made its way to Sephora USA, I jumped on this blush as soon as it came into stock. This is a sheer, lightweight gel-cream formula that is almost emollient upon touch. It’s pigmented, but blends out into a translucent veil of color and somehow has a cooling effect on the cheeks. The finish is fresh and dewy but in a sticking-around kind of way – that is to say that I am not worried that I’ll accidentally touch my cheek and my blush will slide off. In fact, these have incredible staying power for such a luminous finish – a unique formula. I like applying this blush with my fingers. Power Pink is a bright peachy-pink and wakes up my whole face.
Ciate Dewy Blush in Pomegranate
These blushes remind me a little of the Josie Maran Lip and Cheek Creamy Oils from a few years ago. The texture is very emollient and balmy and these spread smoothly on skin. However, this is not a thick balm – these blushes are lightweight and feel like a slightly tacky gel-balm that is quite luxurious to the touch. The finish is similar to Iconic London’s blushes but glossier. These lasted for some time on me though not as long as other less balmy blushes and would probably need some reapplication through the day. However, during cold, dry winter months, these are like a silk cocoon for my cheeks. Pomegranate is a dark berry-pink but sheers out significantly and ends up looking more like a creamy berry stain.
Flower Beauty Blush Bomb in Bubbly
I have a thing for extremely pale, cool toned pink blushes and I am always on the lookout for the next best thing. This wonderful little tube has one of the most perfect shades of pale pink blush that I have ever seen – and frankly the reason why I bought it. The pink is a particular, chalky, bubblegum pink that has the potential to look a little grey on darker skin tones but somehow works on me – even though I’m not very pale at all. The texture is a bit like a pink paste that spreads like a dewy blush and sheers out very quickly (and a little too much). However, the finish is a nice middle ground between a dewy and matte blush. I do have to put on a few layers if I want to see the actual pink in the tube on my cheeks and pat it on (instead of rubbing/blending) so as not to sheer it out into nothingness. But for a drugstore buy, hard to find better value for money!
Beauty Pie Super Cheek Blush in Universal Pink and Bare Blush
Beauty Pie rarely disappoints, and these blushes are no exception. Soft and creamy, these are demi-mattes with just the hint of a sheen. They blend out easily, and one of the few cream blushes that I actually prefer to use with a brush. Their only caveat is that they don’t last as long as I would have liked and a reapplication may be in order during the day. Universal Pink is a rose-pink shade which just a sliver of peach that would probably look really great on most skin tones. Bare Blush is a cool-toned, slightly mauve-y light pink that looks like a more natural flush on my face. Neither of these blushes scream -they are not bright, in-your-face pigments that you need to handle with care. In fact, they are probably the easiest to use amongst all the blushes covered in this post. If you’re a Beauty Pie member, I wouldn’t sit on these given that they keep selling out!
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Lucky
Rare Beauty has clearly taken the world of makeup by storm and this blush formula is no exception. The only true ‘liquid’ blush amongst the blushes in this post, this is a lightweight liquid that comes out conveniently through a large, doe-foot, spongy applicator – a far cry from liquid blushes of yesteryear that went higgledy-piggledy in the palm of your hand. Deeply pigmented, these are not for the faint of heart. A far cry from the sheer formulas I’ve talked about so far, these are opaque blushes and so you need just the tiniest bit –if used correctly, they blend out perfectly. This color, Lucky, a fuschia pink, is probably the polar opposite of the Beauty Pie blushes –loud, bright, and electric. Don’t be scared to play around with these – the finish is a beautiful matte with a lot of vibrance – and they last and last and last, so great under masks!
Swatches
In nnatural light, facing a window: From L to R : Ciate Dewy Blush in Pomegranate, Iconic London blush in Power Pink, Flower Beauty Blush bomb in Bubbly, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Lucky, Beauty Pie Blushes in Bare Blush, Universal Pink
In indoor light, under a lamp: From L to R : Ciate Dewy Blush in Pomegranate, Iconic London blush in Power Pink, Flower Beauty Blush bomb in Bubbly, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Lucky, Beauty Pie Blushes in Bare Blush, Universal Pink
This is it – my roundup of a few blushes I’ve been testing and loving over the past few months. There are so many more new blushes in the market these days that it takes a while to pick the ones that really hit the nail - so watch this space – there’s more to come!
