Make Up For Ever HD Blush:  Truth or Dare, Walk of Shame, Quickie

Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush ($25.00 for 0.33 oz.) is an incredibly lightweight, cream blush. The HD Blush really surprised me, because I wasn’t quite sure whether this was going to be as amazing as the buzz over it already was. (Buzz makes me skeptical, I can’t help it!)

Much anticipated, it is now available through Sephora. The blushes are reasonably priced, and I imagine one jar will last you quite awhile as you hardly need any for enough color on your cheeks. These are pigmented if you want them to be, so go easy on the amount you use if you want subtle color. They also dry down quickly, so work fast to blend the color out so it looks natural and luminous. I used my 188 brush to apply it to my cheeks, and I found it worked just right to apply and blend out the color. (I used #6 Quickie very lightly in this look!)

When I wore these to test (I worn #6 Quickie on one cheek, #4 Walk of Shame on the other!), they lasted a solid eight hours without fading or budging. I think these are going to be perfect for summer, particularly for those in more sticky and humid climates.  What is particularly nice is there is a huge shade range of fourteen different shades.

• #3 Truth or Dare is a vibrant fuchsia pink. Even when used lightly, it still packs plenty of color. It has a satin-y finish–slight sheen but not shimmer.
• #4 Walk of Shame is a pretty bubblegum pink that can be applied very sheerly or built up for a more intense pink. On me, I find this color a little too light/pale — it’s not a go-to shade for my medium, warm-toned skin, but it can work.
• #6 Quickie is a coral-orange with a satiny feel. It can be sheered out nicely if you want just a light coral flush or used more generously (and still, by “more generously” I mean, use just the tiniest bit more) for a deeper flush.

I can’t speak to the packaging, as the samples I received were in sample jars, but the packaging looks similar to other pump-jar packaging (but I imagine it might be smaller/shorter). The only thing I would be a little wary about is whether the pump pushes out too much, because you really need a tiny bit. Not even a pea-size amount!

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! :)

• Product: 29/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 3/5

Recommendation:  If you are a cream blush fiend, I think you’ll like the newest ones from Make Up For Ever!

Availability: Sephora

See swatches!

Make Up For Ever #3 Truth or Dare HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #4 Walk of Shame HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #6 Quickie HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #4 Walk of Shame HD Blush

Laura Mercier Polished Collection:  Radiant Creme Colour — Cream Highlighter

Laura Mercier Polished Radiant Creme Colour ($35.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a gorgeous cream highlighter that goes on champagne-pink. Even though it looks like there are three separate shades, it’s hard to just get one, and so I’d say it’s really designed to be used swirled together. I really love the way all of the shades come together and create something that’s subtle and incredibly illuminating. It’s soft, lightweight, and it wears well. I didn’t find it faded or migrated during the eight hour test I put it to!

I wore it a few days ago in this look, and it really does make cheekbones pop! I applied the cream highlighter by tapping a stippling brush and lightly swirling and blending out towards my temples.   I will caution you if you’re going to be photographed a ton–go lightly and be sure to dust and set with a translucent powder.  It’s a beautiful sheen, but in flash photography, it can come off a little oily if you don’t use it subtly.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! :)

• Product: 28/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation:  If you love creamy highlighters, Laura Mercier’s new, limited edition version is fun for spring!

Availability: Blue Mercury

See swatches!

Swirled together, but heavier on the pink / Swirled together

Bobbi Brown Color Strips:  Bonfire Palette

Bobbi Brown Bonfire Palette ($60.00) is an eye, cheek, and lip palette from Bobbi Brown’s Color Strips Collection, which [again] includes three palette variations. Bonfire is more my style than the other two variations.  By the by, Aquamarine is the third variation, which I won’t be reviewing at this time!  It does, however, have the same Pot Rouges as Orchid Sparkle, which I reviewed earlier, so it’s like… half reviewed :)

Pot Rouge

• Tawny is a brownish-red–it’s not a brick red, and it certainly doesn’t scream “RED!” but it’s in there. Creamy, opaque, and smooth.
• Fresh Melon is a brightened coral-peach with a creamy and opaque look. This can be worn as a very subtle blush or lip.
• Calypso Coral is a bold, tropical orange-coral with the same creaminess of the other shades of Pot Rouge. This is definitely a more fearless coral, though, because it is fairly bright. You can pat less on to get a less intense look, though, which is nice.

Eyeshadow

• Bone is a softened white-beige with a matte finish. Kind of a classic shade–easier for me to wear with my warmer skin tone than whites.
• Cafe Cream (Sparkle) is a shimmered medium coffee brown with an almost taupe-gray tone to it. It looks almost wet when used, and the fall out isn’t too bad.
• Bonfire is a rich copper with a metallic finish. Think MAC Amber Lights with a smoother finish. This is the “bright” shade in the palette, while the other shades are designed to coordinate with this one.
• Cognac is an intense shade of coppered chocolate brown with an almost burgundy sheen. This shade is truly lovely–I fell completely in love at first swatch. It’s one of those shades that I could see myself buying the palette for.
• Caviar is a dark black-brown with a matte finish. I like this more with the Bonfire palette than the Orchid palette, but I also wish they varied it, so there wouldn’t be any repeats between the three palettes!

It has the same sleek packaging as Orchid, so my thoughts remain the same on that: well-done, practical, and keeps everything as clean as can be in a palette.

I think these eyeshadows work better together than the ones chosen for the Orchid palette as well. I can definitely see many different combinations with these five shades. I also like the shades swatched smoother and more pigmented–there was only one iffy shade (Cafe Cream), but it was still decent and not so troublesome (unlike Orchid Sparkle).

I know that I’m personally more drawn to Bonfire (hey, I like me some warm shades!), so I’m definitely going to try to do a look with this palette later this week or next!

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! :)

• Product: 28/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: If you’ve wanted to try Pot Rouges, this is one way to try three at once… and get some eyeshadows as a bonus!

Availability: BobbiBrown.com, Nordstrom

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Too Fabulous: Mineralize Blush Duo Reviews, Photos, Swatches

On March 4th, Too Fabulous will launch launches in-stores, but you can expect it to pop-up online on either Monday (the 1st) or Tuesday (the 2nd) as well. Included in the collection are six shades of Mineralize Blush Duos ($23.00), nine shades of Cremesheen Glasses ($18.00), and six shades of Lip Pencils ($13.00). I’m missing one mineralize blush (Two Virtues) and one Cremesheen Glass (Loud & Lovely), as well as all of the lip pencils–I will have the missing pieces reviewed on the launch date once I get to the store and purchase them, so please be patient! Update (3/4/10):  Everything is now reviewed and all that!  :)

The Mineralize Blush Duos are soft, smooth, and have kind of a “dirty” look to them, overall. I’m not a big mineralize blush fan because they have a tendency to break me out, so I rarely wear them. I also find that they fade faster than a typical powder blush, so they’ve just never been worth the breakout-potential! Rhapsody in Two is the only one I really liked, as the others just felt too “dirty” for my personal preference. I’d say Bi-Tone might be my second favorite, if you made me pick one!

Mineralize Blush Duos ($23.00)

• Bi-Tone is contains a pinky plum and a coppery gold. Together, they create a muted, coppery coral-red with golden shimmer.
• Buddy Up is a mix of muted plum and brightened pink. When swirled, they create a muted reddened plum shade that goes on fairly sheerly and doesn’t have too much glitter.
• Chic Couple is a duo of peachy-copper and neutral brown with gold-green shimmer. The two mix to form a very bronzy brown with orange undertones and gold shimmer.
• Rhapsody in Two is a mix of light yellow-pink and light peach-orange with a frost finish. The two create a a lightened, played down pink champagne, almost. I think may end up being a favorite for many, though I see it being used primarily as a highlighter. This is the only one that really caught my attention.
• Sun & Moon is predominantly beige-y brown with pink-brown chunks within it. Together, they swirl to form a peachy copper brown with pink and gold shimmer. When used lightly, it can look very soft and pretty, but intensified, and I think it may feel too orange.
• Two Virtues is a mixture of a cool-tone, blue-based frosty medium pink with violet-purple pieces.  Together, they make a light medium pink with silver shimmer.  The violet doesn’t really come through that much.  It can be layered on more heavily for a pinker look, but it’s fairly sheer.

See more photos & swatches…

MAC Mineralize Blush Duo: (Clockwise) Sun & Moon, Rhapsody in Two, Buddy Up, Bi-Tone, Chic Couple

MAC Bi-Tone Mineralize Blush Duo

MAC Bi-Tone Mineralize Blush Duo (Lightly / Heavily)

MAC Buddy Up Mineralize Blush Duo

MAC Chic Couple Mineralize Blush Duo

MAC Buddy Up Mineralize Blush Duo (Lightly / Heavily)

MAC Chic Couple Mineralize Blush Duo (Lightly / Heavily)

MAC Rhapsody in Two Mineralize Blush Duo

MAC Rhapsody in Two Mineralize Blush Duo (Lightly / Heavily)

MAC Sun & Moon Mineralize Blush Duo

MAC Sun & Moon Mineralize Blush Duo (Lightly / Heavily)

MAC Two Virtues Mineralize Blush

MAC Two Virtues Mineralize Blush (Heavily / Lightly )

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Bobbi Brown Color Strips:  Orchid Palette

Bobbi Brown Orchid Palette ($60.00) is an eye, cheek, and lip palette from Bobbi Brown’s Color Strips Collection, which includes three palette variations. I’m typically wary of any palette that has lip wells in them, but I was excited, for these aren’t just the typical lip color, these are Pot Rouges, which are designed for cheeks and lips.

Pot Rouge

• Powder Pink is a creamy rosy pink that can be layered for an opaque look on lips or sheered out for an everyday blusher on cheeks.
• Pale Pink is a cool-toned blue-based pink that feels creamy and goes on fairly opaque.
• Sand Pink is a creamy coral-beige shade. I don’t see a lot of pink in this, but it’s a muted, played-down coral that will work well on warm skin tones in particular.

Eyeshadow

• White is a matte white. It’s a muted white, so it’s not a bright, totally unwearable white.
• Dusty Plum (Metallic) is a mauvey-plum with a shimmery finish. It has that “metallic” feel, like it’s almost wet you swatch it.
• Orchid Sparkle is a sheer, sparkly lilac–very light, very sheer, and prone to fall out.
• Mulberry is a richly pigmented royal purple with a matte finish. Like a lot of mattes, it applies better when you use a brush than anything else. I don’t have a shade quite like this.
• Caviar is a dark black-brown with a matte finish.

Oddly enough, my favorite part about this palette are the Pot Rouges. After trying Cabo Coral last month, I was curious about the other shades of Pot Rouge, and this is a good way to try out three new shades. All three were very creamy and pigmented, and they’re wearable on both cheeks and lips, so they do double-duty.

The eyeshadows didn’t get me too excited–I really liked Mulberry, though–I’m not sold on these five together. I can see a few combos, but usually I see a lot of combos in Bobbi Brown’s palettes and that wasn’t the case here. Orchid Sparkle is a throwaway shade for me, just because I know it’s a pain in the butt to use and it’s incredibly sheer; to make it work, try wearing it over a dark, metallic base. Dusty Plum Metallic would be my other shade favorite, because it’s smooth, pigmented, and versatile.

I like Bobbi Brown’s palette packaging, because the palette itself is sleek, but it’s practical, too.  The cheek/lip shades are separated from the eyeshadows quite well, and each palette also has a clear lid that flips up to further protect the shades from dirt and dust.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! :)

• Product: 26/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: If you’ve wanted to try Pot Rouges, this is one way to try three at once… and get some eyeshadows as a bonus!

Availability: BobbiBrown.com, Nordstrom

See more photos & swatches!