Clinique Holiday 2020 Cheek Pop Trio Review & Swatches

Christine — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Holiday 2020

($29.50 for 0.36 oz.) is a new, limited edition trio that includes two blushes (both from the permanent line) and one highlighter (previously released as a limited edition shade). All three shades performed consistently with the previously releases I’ve tested. Clinique’s formula is more of a gel-powder hybrid, so they have a denser, almost firm feel to them, but the powder goes on seamlessly, blends with ease, and looks “melted” against the skin; it just requires a denser brush (or a heavier hand) to pick up product initially.

I know last holiday season, there ended up being two trios available, so here’s hoping for another–though I’d really love to see Clinique extend the Cheek Pop shade range to get deeper and more saturated shades (like Cola Pop but in other hues!), especially as a second trio. As a note, the packaging is the same as previous trios released, which I find to be a little flimsy relative to most palettes out there, though I’ve heard from readers in the last year that they have had theirs hold up okay!

Ingredients

Holiday 2020

LELimited Edition. $29.50.

Rec'd

9.5

Product

Pigmentation

9.5

Texture

9.5

Longevity

Application

94%

Total

Pink Honey Pop

Pink Honey Pop is a light-medium pink with strong, warm undertones and a natural finish. It didn’t look overtly shimmery, but it had enough glow that it seemed a step above semi-matte. The texture was smooth, dense, and velvety, though it needed to be used with a moderately-dense brush (or hand) to pick up product evenly, which is a characteristic of this type of formula. On the flipside, there was no powderiness, and the powder buffed beautifully out on my skin and looked very much like skin. It had good color coverage that was buildable to full coverage. This shade lasted well for eight and a half hours before fading a bit.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Makeup Geek Spell Bound (DC, $9.99) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
MAC Fun Ending (LE, $24.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Chantecaille Bliss (LE, $44.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Physicians Formula Natural (P, $12.99) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
Laura Mercier Rose (P, $30.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Burberry My Burberry Blush (P, $68.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Urban Decay Overexposed (-, ) is darker (90% similar).
NARS Liberation (Left) (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Dose of Colors Statemint (LE, $22.00) is brighter (90% similar).
Tarte Prize (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).

View Swatches

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 Phoshate, Squalane, Ptfe, Dimethicone, Lauroyl Lysine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Polysorbate 80, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Zinc Stearate, Silica, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydro-Cinnamate, [+/- 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)].

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Look Using this Product

A Pink & Coral Look with ColourPop It's a Princess Thing

Read How-To

View all Photos

Read How-To

View all Photos

Pink Honey Pop

PPermanent. $21.00.

9.5

Product

Pigmentation

9.5

Texture

Longevity

Application

93%

Total

Black Honey Pop

Black Honey Pop is a medium-dark pink with moderate, warm undertones and a natural sheen. It had opaque color payoff in a single layer, which applied evenly to bare skin and blended out with little effort. The consistency was smooth to the touch, dense and firm without being stiff, and picked up well with a moderately-dense brush (I used Sonia G. Face Two). It wore well for nine hours before fading visibly.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Flesh Beauty Pulse (P, $26.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
NARS Out There (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
MAC Sweet Samba (LE, $29.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Make Up For Ever #310 HD Blush (DC, $26.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Viseart Enamored (Blush) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, more muted (90% similar).
Becca Nightingale (P, $32.00) is darker, brighter (85% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Soleil d'Ambre (Blush) (LE, $60.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Rare Beauty Encourage (P, $23.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Bobbi Brown Sand Pink (DC, $30.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
Merit Mood (P, $28.00) is less shimmery, brighter, warmer (90% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$21.00/0.12 oz. - $175.00 Per Ounce

Browse all of our Clinique Cheek Pop Blush swatches.

Ingredients

Look Using this Product

A Pink & Coral Look with ColourPop It's a Princess Thing

Read How-To

View all Photos

Read How-To

View all Photos

Black Honey Pop

PPermanent. $21.00.

A+

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

9.5

Longevity

Application

99%

Total

Gold Celebration Pop

Celebration Pop is a bright, pop of light-medium gold with moderate, warm yellow undertones and a smooth, metallic sheen. It had rich color coverage and felt a bit more yielding and softer compared to the blushes in the palette, which made it easier to use with a lighter hand for more buildable coverage (what the brand claimed). The highlighter applied evenly to my skin and diffused well without emphasizing my skin’s natural texture. It stayed on nicely for nine hours before fading visibly.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Tom Ford Beauty Incandescent (Top) (PiP, $75.00) is lighter (95% similar).
ColourPop Strobe Globe (P, $7.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Glow (Original) (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Highlighting Glow (LE, ) is cooler (95% similar).
MAC Lunar Lights (LE, $42.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
rms beauty Grande Dame (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
Bobbi Brown Golden Hour (LE, $50.00) is warmer (95% similar).
Natasha Denona Glam Light (Star Glow) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, more muted (95% similar).
ColourPop Mistress of All Evil (LE, $10.00) is warmer (95% similar).
Melt Cosmetics Stargazer (P, $39.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).