NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush ($16.50 for 0.25 oz. ) is medium-dark coral-red with a soft, satiny shimmer-sheen. The color initially reminded me of Chanel Rouge, which is certainly redder and more intense–with a light hand, they’re comparable. It also reminded me of the original MAC Posey and MAC Mighty Aphrodite. Benefit Bella Bamba is pinker.

What I’ve loved most about NYX’s line of HD blushes is their soft, super finely-milled powders; they’re silky, blendable, and fairly buildable. It’s a formula that makes it difficult to overdo it on; you have to be deliberate about greater intensity if that’s the color you desire, but it’s not difficult to achieve a more pigmented cheek. The downside to these blushes is the wear time, which is around six hours, at which point I start noticing it fade.

For an in-depth commentary on the packaging, please see my original review.

The Glossover

	Apricot B-
	Surprisingly, despite its shortcomings, there is something about this product I like. It's a product I would reach for, but I recognize that it's below-average wear is a major issue. The packaging is less functional than it seems, and it's likely you're paying part of the higher price tag for that.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 8/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 7/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX Apricot HD Blush

NYX English Rose HD Grinding Blush

NYX English Rose HD Grinding Blush ($16.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a pretty-in-pink shade of cotton candy pink, which leans a little blue, and applies sheerly. It can be built to about medium intensity, but it’s not overly pigmented or intense. It is, overall, a lighter shade, and it has a subtle sheen that’s neither frosty or too reflective (so it does not emphasize pores). It is similar to MAC Briar Rose but a touch pinker. It is a little lighter than Illamasqua Chased. I imagine it is similar to MAC Well-Dressed as well.

My favorite part about the HD Grinding Blushes is how smooth and soft they are, without being powdery–they are finely milled and don’t poof! a puff of dust when you go to use them. The softness lends itself to effortless application, because it blends out easily and never looks overdone–but you have to trade-off color payoff for that. I only get around six hours of good wear with this product–by the seventh hour, it’s hardly visible any more.

Please consider reading my original review of NYX HD Grinding Blush for more, in-depth commentary on the packaging.

The Glossover

	English Rose B
	Surprisingly, despite its shortcomings, there is something about this product I like. It's a product I would reach for, but I recognize that it's below-average wear is a major issue. The packaging is less functional than it seems, and it's likely you're paying part of the higher price tag for that.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 8/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 7/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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NYX English Rose HD Grinding Blush

NYX English Rose HD Grinding Blush

NYX English Rose HD Grinding Blush

NYX English Rose HD Grinding Blush

NYX English Rose HD Grinding Blush

NYX English Rose HD Grinding Blush

NYX Menage a Trois HD Grinding Blush

NYX Menage a Trois HD Grinding Blush ($16.50 for 0.25 oz.) is one of eight shades of blush from NYX’s HD Studio line. According to NYX, by grinding a blush powder each use, you’ll avoid “oil trappings on powders, contamination, and cracking.” The blush formula itself is supposed to reflect light from the skin while giving pores a smaller and smoother look. Menage a Trois is a soft tangerine-peach with spun gold shimmer-sheen. It’s really a gorgeous shade and one that will work exceptionally well on warmer skin tones.

Next to the blush, you might recognize an elephant–the price tag. NYX is known as a brand with affordable options but still a wide variety and higher quality products than many other more affordable brands (overall). It’s obvious the HD Studio range is at a higher price point, but I think it might be outpricing the comfort zone of some of their customers. Their Powder Blushes are $6, Cream Bushes are $6.50, and Mosaic Powders are $8. The HD Grinding Blush is double the price of their more expensive blush. I’m not worried that NYX is going to change directions and move to mid-tier, but it’s an interesting move.

my thoughts on the formula: The texture of the HD Grinding Blushes is very smooth–definitely finely milled. The colors themselves are a lot less intimidating when applied than they look initially–I did not find that you could quite get the level of intensity as see in the shavings themselves, but you can get close. The softness of the blush powder makes it easy to apply, blend out, and difficult to overdo. On me, it wears around six hours before there is some fading (over liquid foundation, set with loose powder).

Though I haven’t personally tested Smashbox’s Halo powders, the grinding mechanism of NYX’s HD Grinding Blushes reminded me of them. I’m not sure if Smashbox has put out Halo blushes, but they do have the twist ‘n’ shave mechanism for their Perfecting Powders, Perfecting Bronzers, and Color Correcting Powder. It’s neither a pro nor con but more for your reference.

I’m not keen on the grinding packaging, actually.  It’s cool, but any excess powder left inside inevitably seems to get everywhere else.  I had twisted and ground each blush for photos and carried them to my bathroom and left little blush shavings in my wake.  When I opened the blushes, the loose shavings had collected on the outer rim, where the cap screws on, and easily escaped to the freedom of my carpet, sink, and swatching pants!  (And that is exactly why one wears swatching pants…)  The only mitigating factor is that usually you do not twist too much excess, so there is an end in sight, unlike perhaps an entire jar of loose blush.

The Glossover

	Menage a Trois B+
	I’m not particularly surprised that I’m most drawn to this shade–after all, if it’s gold, peach, or coral, I’m already there. The whole grinding concept is more of a novelty for me, and the packaging could use some tweaks so that any excess shavings stay within the jar, rather than settle around the rim (outside of the recessed opening). It could wear a touch longer; most blushes last all day (eight to ten hours) on me.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 7.5/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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NYX Menage a Trois HD Grinding Blush

NYX Menage a Trois HD Grinding Blush

NYX Menage a Trois HD Grinding Blush

NYX Menage a Trois HD Grinding Blush

NYX Menage a Trois HD Grinding Blush