Illamasqua: Hussy Blush
Illamasqua Hussy Powder Blush
($23.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a matte, bright coral-pink. It’s smooth, intensely pigmented, and blends easily. It can be applied more subtly by using a stippling brush like MAC’s 187, or you can always tone it down if you’ve over-applied with a light dusting of powder.
It wears well and won’t fade on you throughout the day, and the color is not so cool to be unwearable for warmer skin tones, but it is also more pink than coral, making it easy to wear for cool skin tones, too. Sephora describes the shade as “petal pink,” which isn’t inaccurate, but I just keep seeing a bit of coral in it, too. The best part about this blush is the intensity of the pigmentation, because you definitely don’t have to worry about it not showing up on your skin tone! I’d compare the pigmentation to that of NARS’ blushes.
I’m a bit disappointed in the value of these blushes, though. They’re more expensive than NARS blushes, and nearly double the cost (per ounce) of MAC blushes. They’re priced just under (again, per ounce) Stila and Smashbox blushes. I do think they could have given us a little more product for the $23 price tag!
- Product: 9/10
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 9/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: Have trouble finding blushes that show up on you? Illamasqua’s are richly pigmented making them good choices for those who like to put the spotlight on cheeks!
Availability: Sephora
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Dolce & Gabbana Provocative Blush
Get Sexy with Dolce & Gabbana’s Provocative Blush
Dolce & Gabbana Provocative Blush ($44.00 for .17 oz.) is a smooth, matte baby doll pink blusher. It runs just a little cool, but overall, it’s suitable for both cool and warm-toned complexions.
It actually reminds me a lot of one of my all-time favorite blushes, MAC Don’t Be Shy Blush, which was limited edition, so I’m happy to have found an awesome alternative. This one is actually smoother and silkier in its texture, and the color is quite pigmented (though it is not overly pigmented–I know, some may find there’s no such thing, but I like a good medium when it comes to blush pigmentation).
When it comes the packaging, while there’s heft and it looks gold and shiny, it does show fingerprints, which is a pet peeve of mine. I really do like the color, and while I’m sure I’ll never get through an entire pan, the amount you get for the price tag is actually less than some of the other high-end brands like Chanel, Dior, Guerlain, etc. I do consider this more of a splurge/indulgence, but I am pleased with the product’s quality overall (which cushions the blow to the wallet!).
D&G’s makeup line includes four other blush shades: Nude, Peach, Rose, and Warm. According to their website, Pat McGrath recommends, “For day, brush a soft rose or peach colour high on the cheekbones in a circular motion using a large powder brush. For evening, contour the face with a blush that is slightly darker than natural skin colour. Brush the contour along the cheekbones, temples, and chin for a subtly sculpted effect.”
- Product: 9/10
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 8/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: If you have the dough and are in need for a light pink blush, you can’t go wrong with Dolce & Gabbana’s Provocative!
Availability: Saks
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Tarte Natural Cheek Stain in Green Siren
Naturally Beautiful Cheeks: Green Siren by Tarte
Tarte Green Siren Natural Cheek Stain
($30.00) is a semi-sheer peachy-bronze with golden shimmer and a slight frosty sheen. Tarte really knows how to do an effortless cheek, because their cheek stains are always above the bar. Their latest shade, Green Siren, in the Natural Beauty Cheek Stain product line, for fall, is gorgeous. It is particularly flattering on those with neutral or warm tones, though it the shade isn’t overly warm, so it is still pretty and suitable for cooler skin tones.
When applied, cheeks look naturally glowy and look luminous without being too frosty or glittery. The product feels smooth and creamy and applies easily to cheeks without leaving behind any harsh lines. It can be easily blended out with a stippling brush like the 188. My only issue with the product was the packaging/applicator, because when you push the gel blush up, and then apply it directly from the tube, the blush gets pushed back into the tube. It was a bit annoying, and I think it’s something that could be fixed.
- Product: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: This is a great shade to transition from summer to fall as we start to countdown the days of summer. It’s natural and beautiful, and it is hard to over-do.
Availability: Sephora.com, tartecosmetics.com
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Notable Blush
MAC Makeup Art Cosmetics Collection: Blushes
Two very contrasting shades of blush are available with the MAC Makeup Art Cosmetics Collection:The Perfect Cheek and Notable.
Blush ($18.00)
- The Perfect Cheek is a powder blush with a matte finish that goes on a dusty, pale pink. While it was visible on my skin tone, I found it hard to detect, and the inside of my forearm is probably around NC20 range, which leads me to worry about visibility on deeper skin tones. On some deeper skin tones, this may appear ashy as well.
- Notable is a powder blush with a matte finish that looks like a muted brick-rose. It’s quite pigmented, and it has a very soft, smooth texture. It isn’t the least bit chalky, despite having a matte finish. This is the shade much more suitable to deeper skin tones.
- Product: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Packaging: 8/10
Recommendation: I’m not head-over-heels in love with either shade myself, but I have heard others rave about both–depending on their skin tone. I do feel that The Perfect Cheek may be too pale for some complexions that it won’t show up or it’ll show up ashy. I think Notable will work well for all skin tones.
Availability: MACCosmetics.com
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The Perfect Cheek
Sneak Peek: MAC Makeup Art Cosmetics Collection — The Perfect Cheek, Violet Trance, Colour Matters, Obviously Orange
Also designed by Richard Phillips, two blushes (The Perfect Cheek and Notable) appear from MAC Makeup Art Cosmetics Collection. While on the other hand, illustrator Maira Kalman’s Makeup Art Cosmetics Collection includes six colorful shades of eyeshadow complemented by five shades of technakohl liners.
Powder Blush ($18.00)
- The Perfect Cheek is a powder blush with a matte finish that goes on a dusty, pale pink. While it was visible on my skin tone, I found it hard to detect, and the inside of my forearm is probably around NC20 range, which leads me to worry about visibility on deeper skin tones. On some deeper skin tones, this may appear ashy as well.
- Product: 7/10
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 8/10
- Packaging: 8/10
Eyeshadow ($14.50)
- Violet Trance eyeshadow is a matte dark blue-based violet purple. This originally released two or three years ago, so avid collectors may already have this in their stash. As lovely as it appears in the pot, it’s not the easiest matte to work with. I’d have to vote Make Up For Ever #92 if you’re looking for a deep, intense purple, just because this one doesn’t have a dream texture. It’s so-so, a bit chalky and thus drags a bit, and pigmentation is decent but not intense.
- Product: 6/10
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 6/10
- Packaging: 8/10
- Overall: 6/10
Technakohl ($14.50)
- Colour Matters techankohl is a satiny chartreuse shade. It looks nearly the same as True Chartreuse pigment does, just in technakohl liner. Since I’m lazy at heart, I am pleased to see it in technakohl form (even though, if you’re on a budget, you could use the pigment form to create your own liner).
- Obviously Orange technakohl is a pop of medium-bright orange. It’s not neon orange, and it’s not rusty or coppery either. Compared to Colour Mattes, this one has a much more noticeable shimmer/frost to it–kind of a golden shimmer.
- Product: 9/10
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 9/10
- Packaging: 9/10
- Overall: 9/10
Recommendation: I’d skip the blush if you have medium or darker skin unless you can try it in-person and decide for yourself. Violet Trance eyeshadow doesn’t impress me much, and I’d rather opt for a better quality shadow from another brand. I love technakohls, though, so I was quite pleased with the creaminess, opacity, and look of the two new technakohls I’ve tried so far.
Availability: MACCosmetics.com (August 20th), MAC stores
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shu uemura’s Primitribe Collection is a good mix of neutrals and color. I absolutely adored the Painting Liner, which was creamy, incredibly pigmented, and easy to work with. The Primal Color Sticks were interesting, but without testing them at-home, I can’t tell you if they actually last at all. Unfortunately, the U.S. launch of Primitribe doesn’t include everything — we won’t be seeing Spinel, the pink painting liner as far as I can tell.
Primitribe Color Stick
- Rich Earth is a warm-toned, chocolate brown with golden shimmer.
- Night Maroon is a satiny burgundy-wine with more of a creamy finish than a shimmer finish.
- Blazed Gold is a warm-toned, yellow gold with lighter gold shimmer.
- Misty Grove is an olive green with a creamy texture and light shimmer.
Primitribe Mix Blush
- Echo is a blush duo of a pink-toned brown and a dark gold with gold shimmer.
- Rhythm contains a large section of rosy pink and a smaller section of muted, warmed-up light medium brown with gold shimmer.
- Soul is a combination of a satin-y medium-toned orange and a warm, medium dark chocolate brown with pale gold shimmer.
Painting Liner
- Turquoise is a bright pop of creamy, blue-based turquoise with silver micro glitter.
- Citrine is an insanely bright, creamy yellow with a slight sheen.
Rouge Unlimited
- BG 942 is a creamy, mostly opaque peachy-orange.
- WN 296 is a dark, vampy burgundy-red with a glossy finish.
Nail Enamel
- P 980 is a pale, pastel peachy-cream with a frosty finish.
- WN 296 is a bright, fuchsia-red with pink pearl.
Available: August 2009; currently available in-store at Nordstrom and online at NeimanMarcus.com.
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