Clinique Cola Pop Cheek Pop Blush Review, Photos, Swatches
Cola Pop
Clinique Cola Pop Cheek Pop Blush ($25.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a rich, medium-dark reddish-berry with subtle warm undertones paired with a luminous finish. This is such a beautifully intense shade that is so forgiving and blendable that it is going to be a real versatile product, regardless of whether you’re very fair or much deeper in color.
I think the subtle warmth of it helps it straddle the fence for warmer and cooler skin tones, too. It had very rich, true-to-pan color payoff, but it’s the smooth, velvety texture that makes it easy to work with. The color blends easily over the skin for smooth, even, and glowing rosy red cheeks. It has that same luminous sheen that gives the skin a healthy glow without emphasizing pores or having really obvious shimmer or frost. This particular shade wore longer than a lot of the other Cheek Pops at nine and a half hours. I’m so glad Clinique has added this really rich, deep hue to their line-up (which has trended towards softer shades).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Chanel Rouge (LE, $45.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Keep It Casual (LE, $22.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC Hidden Treasure (LE, $24.00) is lighter, more muted, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Vengeful (Right) (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC A Little Lusty (LE, $24.00) is more muted (90% similar).
- NARS Soulshine #3 (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Becca Nightingale (P, $32.00) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Milani Red Vino (P, $8.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Kevyn Aucoin Neolita (P, $37.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Taos (P, $30.00) is lighter, more muted, warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$21.00/0.12 oz. - $175.00 Per Ounce
The formula is described as “vibrant yet natural-looking cheek colour that looks virtually powderless.” The texture was smooth, soft, and dense, so it was never powdery in the pan or on the skin. The blush had good color payoff that was easily sheered out (or you could apply less, as the denser texture makes that easy to control).
It’s the kind of texture that almost blends itself as soon as you start applying and working it onto the skin. The finish became more luminous as I blended the powder onto the skin, but it was never shiny or overly shimmery, so it always looked smooth on my skin and did not emphasize pores or my skin’s texture. Most shades lasted between eight and nine hours on me.
Browse all of our Clinique Cheek Pop Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer , Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate , Glycerin , Dicalcium Phosphate , Squalane , Ptfe , Dimethicone , Lauroyl Lysine , Ethylhexylglycerin , Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) , Polysorbate 80 , Caprylyl Glycol , 1,2-Hexanediol , Zinc Stearate , Silica , Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate , [+/- Mica , Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850) , Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891) , Manganese Violet (Ci 77742) , Red 36 Lake (Ci 12085) , Iron Oxides (Ci 77499) , Ultramarines (Ci 77007) , Red 6 (Ci 15850) , Yellow 6 Lake (Ci 15985) , Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090) , Orange 5 (Ci 45370) , Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163) , Carmine (Ci 75470) , Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360) , Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140) , Iron Oxides (Ci 77491) , Iron Oxides (Ci 77492)]
This is gorgeous, unlike any other shade I own, and – most importantly – will show up on my skin! I’m excited about this’un.
It will be SOOO gorgoeus on you!
I feel so happy when a product gets such a great review! I have Kevyn’s Neolita, so this shade is a pass. I’m so glad they’ve added more shades to such a well-liked blush.
Me too! I hope they’ll do other deep shades.
This is the first Cheek Pop color that has really caught my eye! I’m definitely going to seek this out to add to my collection as I don’t have anything quite like it. So beautiful!
YAYY!
I expected it to be much more brown, for a blush that’s supposed to be like cola.
Oh, that’s too bad that it didn’t come out how you wanted!
Me too, just a bit more but its still a beautiful color.
That’s it, Christine. You wore me down. I’m buying a bunch of these. How do you think this compares to Nars Dolce Vita? Looking at your cheek that’s kinda what DV looks like on me.
I think Dolce Vita is lighter and runs pinker – it looks pinker on me than this does, if that helps!
Ok thanks! I’ll buy this for my mom, she’s tan. Then I’ll sample it 🙂
Would this do well on fair skin with yellow undertone?
Love this but I feel it may be too dark.
I think the formula is extremely forgiving! I don’t usually personally LIKE really dark and intense blushes for myself, because they’re more work than I want to put in, but this was so easy to apply.
Never mind you answered in your post.
Happy to help!
I really really want this! I’ve been looking for this brownish-red FOR EVER. I have a Milani that is only ok…. I think the dupes are a little too pink.
However, Sephora won’t let me buy it because I’m not a VIB Rouge member, and it’s not at Nordstroms or Amazon or Bloomindales, as far as I can find.
I can’t believe Sephora is going to screw me on this… 🙁
Hopefully they’ll open it up to everyone soon 🙂
Thanks for getting these Cheek Pop reviews up so quickly. We can always count on you. I was on the fence about this color but now I know that I’ll have to add it to my collection. My Sephora shipment arrived yesterday with Fig, Heather, Melon, and Nude. This is beautiful and so are you!!
My pleasure, Jennifer! You’ll have to let me know which ones turn out to be your favorites 🙂
This is the only shade which impressed me in press release and A plus
mannnnnnnn
I need this right awayyyyy
what a fantastic shade it is on you 🙂
Thank you, Rashmi! This will be gorgeous on you.
A plus and your recommendation ….
I’m coming cola pop 🙂
I knew I was going to need this lol. It’s so beautiful and the formula sounds perfect. Looks like I’ll be adding this to my list for the Sephora sale lol
I know this is going to be perfect for you, Fancie!
Right, Fancie, girl! I assume it’s permanent, once it opens up. It’s on my S sale list, too. Why spring for it Rouge, when you can get it cheaper later? The S girls are getting sick of my shake down cruises, but I’m whittling the list. An SA said the sale will start April 12 for Rouge + so on…. can’t confirm she’s right, though. And this fits in with the COTY/Marsala theme. NICE! It’ll look FAB on you. Make sure you post it!
I need this color ! I don’t have anything like this
Woohoo!!
From the name Cola and the looks of it in the pan, I thought it would be more brown, but it’s a red. I think this is great for darker skintones
Maybe more like Dr. Pepper? LOL! I’m not very familiar with soda, lol!
As beautiful asn this one is, I’m on the fence… I was hoping/expecting it to be more brown. However, because it isn’t as pink as some similar shades, this may not produce the dreaded sunburned look this type of shade tends to give me. All in all, I think it’s worth a look when it finally arrives at counters!
Keep us posted, Amy! 🙂
OH, very pretty. I don’t have anything like it.
I love how blendable it is!
All these shades are great!! I bought the first four when they came out, but now I need to go buy all the new shades too. My poor wallet.
My wallet concurs!
Oooh, pretty! It’s quite an original shade, I like it. It might look good in the crease, too.
It is lovely!
I’m so in love.
Yay! 😀
Well that is just beautiful. I will try to resist picking this up till the F&F in November.
/CLINGS TO WALLET/
You can do it!!
What a gorgeous color but its a skip since i have MUFE’s 510. I reallllllly wanna try this formula but i already have dupes for most of ’em. Anxiously waiting reviews for heather and fig 🙂
oh, Christine, do you know what color the micro shimmer is for this blush? gold? silver? a combination?
It looks gold to me!
Awwww!
They are like crack!! I got 3 (fig, pink and berry) and they were just as beautiful as you said they were, then my niece came over and had ginger in her purse, which I promptjy went and ordered after swatching and added rosy to the bag as well!! I have never lusted after a blush before…until now!! Curse you Clinique, I even want this one and I already have a lot of red in my skin and so stay away from red toned blushes…my wallet is not happy but my makeup collection is thrilled!!
Haha! So glad that you’re loving your blushes, Julie! I love how your niece also had one 😉
Makeup addiction is genetic in our family evidently!
This is a gorgeous shade, not sure if I could make it work on my skintone but it looks great on you.
I bet you could!
I didn’t think I would like this looking at it in the pan, but it looks gorgeous on you and swatched, it looks so pretty. Considering that I really like the dupes, I think I will have to get this one. What a surprise!
Oooh, nice. I hope you like it, Mariella!
I’m so glad Clinique decided to expand the range! Now the hardest part is narrowing down which ones I want most 🙁 This colour is so so unique though!
It’s going to be tough!
yes yes yes! Will be getting this!!
Yay!
So excited! Pansy and Cola should be arriving early this week for me. I’m loving Clinique’s increased color exploration. Very exciting blush shade for anyone!
Woohoo! Can’t wait for yours to arrive, Celia!
This is a gem and I own nothing similar.love it! I had to order it i know I am on low buy. But $21 for such a gorgeous blush. Smart buy In my reasoning.
$21 is really reasonable!
OMG, that’s gorgeous. It is the color of cherry cola, only prettier. 🙂
😀
I have been eyeing their “pop” blushes but none of their colors really caught my eye….until this one! It’s so unique and absolutely beautiful!! As soon as it opens up to the “public” (aka non VIB rouge), it will be in my cart and added to my collection! 🙂
Fingers crossed they open it up soon!
Pretty! But not so unique once on the cheeks. But blushes never are. Wish it was as special as it swatches!
The finish makes it pretty special ;P
It looks so fab! Love it.
Glad to hear it, Jonnah!
Oh, heck yeah, I’m getting this! This shade is perfection for all us medium-toned ladies and deeper, first off, it’ll really look natural on us, and for those with deeper tones, it will show up very nicely.
Yes!! Exactly.
Annnd tomorrow is lift-off time, the VIB sale, YAY! I will be on the hunt for this pot of perfection……duh-duh, duh-duh
Hmmm, stunning colour, but maybe not the best colour for my skintone, but YAY for darker ladies! 😀
I honestly think all skin colors can wear this one, though it is definitely going to be very lovely on deeper skin tones!
I love this shade, it looks so natural!
Glad ya liked it, Chloe!
Oh, I really, really want this! It’s gorgeous!
It’s stunning!
I actually purchased this the day you mentioned they were available on Sephora and I’m so happy I got this one…So beautiful and the formula is amazing… I want to get ginger poo but I’m worried about how it would look on my NW50/55 skin….
I think Ginger Pop should work on darker skin, but since that one has been out for awhile, you may be able to find someone closer to your coloring that’s swatched it!
There is not one I don’t like. I wish I could just buy them all 🙂
It’s so hard to choose!
m in love with the look of this blush – it’s so unique! And now you’ve given it an A+ so I want it even more 😉 I’m fair, though; NW20 – do you think I can pull this one off, Christine?
Yes!
Wow it looked so brown in the pan but so nice swatched. I already have Chanel Rouge so I will be skipping this, but I look forward to your reviews of the other new shades 😀
🙂
Stopped by my local counter again. This time I asked the workers if they knew when they’d be getting the new colors. At first they told me I was wrong, there were no new colors. When I told them Sephora had them they told me they were Sephora exclusive. When I told them two colors were Sephora exclusive, they told me to check back in June. Apparently in May the counter associates have training on new products and they won’t have anything new until after that. REALLY CLINIQUE!
I wonder why there is such a huge delay… they launched them on their OWN website in March!
Yes, please! Can’t wait to pick this one up. And maybe 4 or 5 other colors…
Woohoo! 🙂
What brush do you use to apply this blush? I use the Chanel blush brush, but I was wondering what you use/like.
I use whatever I’m testing/have on hand – there’s no go-to brush for me on this one, because I’ve never had a brush not work with it, lol! I don’t remember what I used here (I use a different blush brush for each shade when I am swatching, and I went through eight blushes when I did this one, sorry!) specifically. You can find my favorites here: http://www.temptalia.com/must-have-makeup-brushes-for-blush-foundation-contouring-highlighting-and-powder
Holy Moly that IS intense. Am I the only person who thinks it looks a bit like Black Honey in the pan?
Ooohhh! I still don’t have that product, haha.
Any suggestions from anyone about a dupe for this but in a lipstick? TIA!!
I’d start here! 🙂 http://www.temptalia.com/swatch-gallery?type=12690&color=Burgundy,Red&undertone=Warm&availability=Permanent&lips=1
tyvm!!
Stunning! I completely didn’t think this would work for me, however I was already eyeing off the MAC 184 fan brush, which I’m thinking would be perfect for using with this blush…!
There ya go! 🙂
I love this colour but it is way to pigmented for my skin tone I think. I honestly think that it would look absolutely beautiful on people with darker skin tones though
xx
It will!
I was waiting for this review because I was a bit awe struck by the promo image of this blush. It looked incredibly unique. I have to confess I am disappointed and was hoping the blush swatched closer to pan colour, more cola, less red. I can see this would look really beautiful on many skintones, but I still wish it ran more towards Dr. Pepper (that comparison made me laugh..)
Aww, maybe next time!
This is so unlike Clinique’s typical offerings, which makes it all the more buy-able!
Agreed!
This is the one I’ve been wanting to see swatches and reviews for! Thanks.
Yayy!
I have to have this shade
It will be gorg on you!
I wonder how this compares to MAC Raizin or NYX Mocha?
I wish I had those to compare for you!
If you’ve already stated this I’m sorry, but are these cream or powder?
Powder!
I expected this to be bit more brown but its a gorgeous color nonetheless and I will be picking it up soon 🙂
So glad you’ll be trying it, Diana!
Gorgeous! How does this compare to Surratt Rougeur and which would you recommend for very fair skin with dark hair? Thanks for all of your posts and swatches!
Rougeur is a lot more cool-toned! Either one will work for fair skin/dark hair, but it’s really going to come down to which undertone you prefer!
When these were initially released I purchased all 4 shades cause they were just so darn cute and I have a thing for blushes… well makeup as a whole. Anyways… now we have a whole boat load of shades to choose from but this particular COLOR is so beautiful and dare I say unique? I simply love it, love what you’ve had to say in your review of it… and could it be better named?
It’s a really lovely shade! I think the color + finish makes it more unique!
I am looking for a neautral blush…you know something that goes with every look…cause I am lazy like that…also because I really want to pick one up… I hold on to my temptation with the last four…but looks like I have to pick atleast one now 🙂
Will Cola be good enough 🙂
Cola could work well 🙂
Thaaaaaank you 🙂 Have a good weekend….
Now available for ALL to purchase on Sephora.com
Yay!
At the risk of sounding like a cheapskate, are there any drugstore dupes for this gorgeous blush? If not, I may have to cave. Thanks!
All of the dupes I can think of are listed above!
Oh wow I need this shade! I have peach pop and plum pop and love them both! I have bobbi brown blush in berry, which might be similar, but this is so pretty! You look gorgeous!
Thank you, Suzi!
This is really sick and wrong, the makeup equivalent of hitting rock bottom but I have out of state family I love visiting and I’m hiding in the bathroom long enough to say ermagerhd!!! I love this shade but thought it was impossible for my pale yet ruddy complexion. My cousin knows I love makeup and she just picked this up with zero clue it was new or special. She just wanted to show me her new blush. She let me try it and oooooh despite all evidence to the contrary you were right, it DOES work on pasty pale folk!!! Christine, you are an undisputed beauty Jedi!!! HA! A beauty Jedi you are. Uh ok..time to leave the bathroom…this has gotten very weird lol
LOL! That’s so awesome that your cousin grabbed it! It was like the fates were conspiring to prove it to you just how lovely it could be on your skin tone 🙂 Thank you for sharing – it is always great to hear when something works for someone!
I’d like to thank you for being responsible for finding me this blush – I am ghostly pale (especially after a long dark winter) and applied with the lightest touch, it is simply outstanding. It changed my whole look at a time when I was feeling rather sickly.
My mother promptly stole it too, forcing me to buy another one, so she thanks you too!
I love that you got such a rich, deep shade, Lisa 😀
Christine, how does Cola Pop compare to MUFE’s M846 (Morello Cherry)? I’m thinking of getting one or the other depending on the color intensity and brightness (i plan on doubling it as an eyeshadow).
As a heads up, Morello Cherry isn’t eye safe, though Cola Pop probably isn’t but as it is specifically marketed as a blush, it doesn’t specify.
Morello Cherry is matte, so it is going to appear darker, especially blended out. It is lighter as well in general color.
Thanks a bunch!
Yeah, i know that both are supposed to be blushes… but luckily for me, I can use reds around my eyes. I’ve been using ME744 Poppy as a both eye and cheek color. I think I’ll go with Cola and hope that it looks half as gorgeous on me as it does on you.