If you could only use one brand for cheek colors, which would it be?
Tom Ford Beauty!
— Christine
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MAC or Tom Ford!
Urban Decay
Or Too Faced, hard to choose!
That’s tougher than picking one brand for eye makeup. It would be a toss up between Clinique, MAC, BareMinerals and NARS!
Hands down, Nars! !They have the best formula and color selection for me.
Christine I still haven’t tried Tom Ford blushes. But soon come! I know you love his blushes!
When you say cheek i’m thinking blush, bronzer/contour and highlight.
Soo… Hourglass or Chanel. Can’t decide, sry…
But if I MUST… Chanel, just because Hourglass doesn’t have a matte powder bronzer/blush that i have tried.
Wait, this includes bronzer? There is just no substitute for Chanel. Belive me, I try and find one since it’s $$$ but I can’t so far.
Definitely Armani. I have a bunch of highend blushes that are great but every time I wear Armani’s and touch up during the day, I always notice how good the blush is looking. I need more of their blushes!
My favorite blush ever is UD, and I cannot imagine life without Rapture. BUT; UD doesn’t have a wide range of contouring and highlighting products. Which really stinks! So I would have to go with MAC or Nars instead.
That’s a very hard choice…probably Becca would win but Tarte is a very close second.
Probably MAC simply because of their variety of finishes and broad color range. I’m most in love with Hourglass blushes but if it was one brand the rest of my life, gotta have a few mattes and baked blushes in there!
Clinique! I destashed my other blushes. All I ever need are cheek pops.
I love those Cheek Pop blushes too!
Urban Decay.
Ditto, Christine! Terra alone is worth it, IMO.
I think it would have to be NARS. I absolutely love the Hourglass and Tarte blushes, but Hourglass would mean only blushes with a sheen or highlight, and most Tarte blushes are really matte. NARS has a variety of finishes and a good shade range, are generally quality formulas, finely milled, and well pigmented. So that would have to be it for me.
Nars, Nars,Nars and then Nars! Lol, their blushes are so multidimensional and give such a beautiful natural glow. I never reach for anything else anymore☺️
I thought NARS too. For Orgasm alone. Nothing I have tried beats the glow I get from that one . It is the only blush I have hit major pan on!
For me, it would be for Douceur alone.. However, since it has been DC’d, I’m on the prowl for something to replace it… I would use that one for the rest of my life.
They say Tarte Exposed or MAC Blushbaby are dupes?
Exposed is far pinker & darker on me, and Blushbaby is closer in color, but both lack the dimension of Douceur. I have both though, LOL! In fact, pretty much my entire blush stash falls into that range. Also, i’m fair enough that I can use it as a subtle contour, especially when I wear a cooler foundation. Prior to Douceur, I pretty much skipped blush altogether for over 20 years, only playing around with those that came in a palette/set.
I think the new Unfiltered II palette has a very similar color to Douceur…at least it looks it to me. I have the palette but not Douceur so I can’t compare. But check it out!
I’m using my Sephora Loyalty coupon as soon as Unfiltered II is back in stock. Can’t wait!
Moi aussi! Hope they restock before then….
Colourpop!
Or maybe Benefit. A lot of their blushes work well for me, though I will forever hate their bulky cardboard packaging.
I know that’s their thing, but you’d think enough people would’ve complained over the years that they would have changed it by now.
I had a Dandelion blush years ago & I found the box way too confining!!
It’s a bit of a tough call for me. I think Illamasqua just eeks out over Marc Jacobs.
Benefit! Although I’m still eager to try a Clinique color pop!
You should! Pretty and flattering colors. Sheer yet buildable finish. Love them but I would have hard time choosing between Clinique or NARS!
I really love my hourglass blushes!
Impossible. My favs for blush, highlighter, contour and bronzer are from 4 different lines!
NARS…have a gazillion, but only because I haven’t gotten Ravish or Savage yet! Though the color range on NARS suits me better. The rest of TF doesn’t appeal, with pinks/corals being their stellar offerings. I might even get the N spring pinks, though they’d last me five lifetimes. Are those 2 staying online only? I could talk myself out of the pink one, if I swatched it! Also, NARS is far less expensive.
Aromaleigh
Laura Geller, just because its Pink Grapefruit baked blush is the best on me for last several months.
Still looking for an answer to that one. I have so many different kinds of blush, and like many of them. If I had to pick, I guess it would be Nars? I have not ventured into Tom Ford territory, nor have I tried Chanel in decades. I have no experience with Tarte or Too Faced. I look forward to reading the opinions here. May be doing some investigating. 🙂
Girl, I must have seen you, shopping! No recent Chanels, a ton of NARS, but I do have 3 tartes and must have some old tf beyond papa. Used to cruise bloomie’s and barneys in CH all the time!
Clinique!
Tom Ford hands down…but you absolutely need a great brush for them!
Probably Becca. I’m so glad this is only theoretical… I love my giant blush and highlight collection lol!
NARS – to me they are more consistent in quality for blush than any other brand, plus I love the variety they have.
NARS
TOM FORD blushes and Terra bronzer, hands down are the best with Chanel coming in a very close second. Now if I can just get the highlighter from the 2016 cool toned holiday eye & cheek palette by itself, I would be set.
TheBalm! Balm Desert bronzing blush, Hot Mama blush, Manizer highlighters are lovely!
I agree! Their instain and normal blush lines are bomb too. And Bahama Mama bronzer as contour! I’m covered for cheeks for the rest of ma” life.
Instains, yes, esp when it was ~4 for 1 on hautelook. My favorite score ever.
Aromaleigh! No contest.
I’ve thought about this and I’m torn. I would have to pick Nars only because of the color range and longevity of the blushes on my skin, but Tom Ford would be tied with Chanel. I love Savage and Wicked and nothing could make me get rid of Malice….
I’m sure if I’d tried Tom Ford, that brand would be on my list but Tommy is just too far a drive for me to bother (I am terrified of driving on the big highway toward Toronto!). So for me, it’s a toss-up among MAC (they do make some wonderful blushes), Urban Decay and Too Faced.
I’m an hour north of Toronto, and MAN. do I hate driving on the highways to Toronto LOL I totally agree with you!!
I’m an hour west and I think TF is available at Oakville Place and Square One but I won’t drive that stretch of the QEW and getting off/dealing with the on/off/ramps and getting into the correct lane to access the malls is all just too much for my nerves! People (some people – far too many, it seems) would rather risk an accident than let you into the lane you need to get into.
Blackbird cosmetics!
Since I can’t afford Tom Ford and should probably stay away, I’d say Mac or Becca.
Me too! Tom Ford addict here!
That’s a tough one, I’m really not loyal to a brand for cheek products. I want to say MAC or Nars because they have such great variety, but I also love cream blushes and haven’t tried theirs. So I’d have to go with Bobbi Brown. Although the cheek brand I’ve used the most this year is Lancôme, but only their cream formulas.
ColourPop!
If I had to choose just one for contour, blush, and highlight, I’d have to go with Lunatick Cosmetics Labs. I have the large cheek palette, and absolutely love it-even most of the blush shades (although I can make them all *work”). The only thing lacking is a strong highlight shade, but I can work around that. That said, if NARS brought Douceur back, I NARS would be tops.
Hands down Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Antigua. Perfect blush color for me. Also Blushing Rose in the cream pot. I don’t even look at other blushes now those two are so perfect on me. I have NARS Orgasim and a few from It Cosmetics and wear ithem occasionally but Bobbi’s are my HG.
TheBalm is my favourite, not talked about enough in my opinion!
I just found out I missed their big sale. Was it Cyber Monday? It really is only once a year, huh? 🙁
There is no one brand that I can pick only one brand for everything, because of my pale skin. I have to have options that aren’t too dark for everything.
If I had to pick one brand for each: Blushes — Tarte, because they last really well on my oily skin, have a good shade range, and they make my favorite nude blush, Exposed. Highlighters — Looxi Beauty because of the range of funky colors that work on pale skin, reasonable prices, and I can buy pans only. Bronzer — Too Faced. Milk Chocolate Soleil is the best bronzer for very fair skin that I’ve ever tried, and it’s the only one I use. Contour — Sephora. Tranquil is the perfect gray-toned taupe for pale skin.
Tranquil is perfection! Love it! No other color even close except Chanel Notorious (LE). I like Tranquil better because it’s matte.
probably becca. i use their mineral blush nearly daily. i love the subtle glow and the blendability. i have more nars shades, but i don’t use them as often as becca.
and i still like using my old loose powders by lily lolo and meow, which have the best glow and colors. i am only a bit too lazy, pressed powders are easyer to handle.
If I had to chose only one, it would have to be NARS for the quality, shade, and finish selections, and it encompasses blush, highlighter, and contour/bronze shades suitable for my fair, cool pink NW15 skintone. Some favorites are Gaiety (brightening pink that’s hard to overdo) & Orgasm blush, Zen for contour/bronzing, and Copacabana for highlighting.
I find myself reaching for Illamasqua the most, and between the powder and cream formulations, there are a range of shades in all categories that suit my skintone, and I find them to be very long wearing, especially the cream blushes. Some of my favorites are HG status: Laid (cream) & Thrust (it’s powder counterpart) & Naked Rose (the perfect nude, and impossible to overdo). Lies is my favorite pinky cream highlighter, Zygomatic can be used as a light contour, and Promise is a nice, light pink cream blush.
theBalm also has some excellent blushes. Down Boy is one of my favorite pinks. Argyle is a nice, light neutral leaning warm pink, and Cabana Boy is a nice plum, though I prefer UD Rapture.
Then there are BareMinerals, Benefit, Clinique, GloMinerals, MAC… OMG…stop me now!
Burberry. With the beautiful blushes, lovely lipsticks and soft glowing primer, Burberry cosmetics is winning this year!
MAC
NARS! Deep Throat and Sin are my current favs. And I’ve been wearing Orgasm for 16 years!
Natio Sunkissed palette – it’s a peachy mosaic of shades that I love.
Nars
NARS all the way!
I would use Gucci blushes.
Three way tie:
NARS
Clinique
It Cosmetics (finally learned how to use the Vitality Cheek Flush stain and love it!)
Laura Geller
QUO or Clinique!!
My all time favourite bronzer/highlight/blush pallets are from QUO!!
And of course I’m obsessed with the cheek pops!!! I only own two but am planning to get more!!
I love the UD Gwen Stefani limited ed blush palette this year!:)
Nars!
Without question it would be NARS, although Becca would be a close second. I am in love with every Becca blush I have tried-Flowerchild, Songbird, Camellia, Foxglove, Tigerlily, Snapdragon, Gypsy, Damselfly…and I just grabbed the Blushed with Light Palette for $17!
I have two favs. I honestly could not choose between them! MAC & Becca. A close second would be MUG.
I love Tom Ford and Hourglass, but Surratt blushes have officially won my heart!!!
MAC or NARS
Tarte.
Nars! Now if only they would bring back their cream formula too, I would never use any other brand!
Tom Ford!!!
Nars Super Orgasm. This was the,first blush,that actually did not make me look like a 10 year old playing,with Mommy’s,makeup. I may die if they discontinue it. It is an amazing color!! And as a red head it was very hard to find a good color for my fair skin. Thank you Nars!!
I never tried any NARS blushes. Maybe I should, especially now that Ulta will have it & that is the only beauty store even remotely close to me. So many women here have said how much they like it.
I used to be a totally obsessed bareMinerals fan so I have enough blush, AOFC & Faux Tan Matte to last a lifetime. I recently got a kit that had highlighter loose in a jar. That could take years to use up for as little I wear. I used to be able to go thru my blush drawer & find what I needed as far as shade, warmth, glow etc but I let my college age daughter “shop my stash” I think I have a little less variety than I used to!!
That’s rough! Um, if I had the money probably Chanel or TF. NARS or Tarte or Clinique if I’m paying. Though I just did get hourglass stuff for the first time for blush.
YES TOM FORD 😀
MAC
Nars!
Yikes! If I had to use only one brand for contour, blush, and highlight, it would be Make Up For Ever, especially for their Artist Shadow/Blushes and HD blushes (I don’t really use bronzer on myself.)
It would be hard for me to choose my favorite brand for blushes. Hourglass has my favorite formula, but not my favorite colors — all but one lean warm. I’m really loving my new Surratt Beauty blushes, but I also love the ones I have by Urban Decay, Clinique, MAC, the Bite Beauty Multistix…
If we’re talking all cheek products, my answer is ColourPop, easy! Aphrodisiac is a half-decent contour color on me and the light shades of their bronzers look promising. I probably would stop breathing if they discontinued Cruel Intentions blush and a handful of others I’ve been eyeing. Almost all of their highlights appeal to me. They work for me!
I do love Tarte blushes, but my all time favorite has to be Wet n Wild.
Tarte was my answer too but Wet & Wild came into my head as well! The only reason I didn’t pick that was because the selection is too small for me. Maybe it’d just that the local stores don’t get much product but I’d like to see some new formulations of blush from them too.
You know who else does great drugstore blush? Milani.
The rose blushes and baked blush are fantastic. The shimmer baked blushes give me just enough highlight for my taste (and my large pores!)
It’s a tie between NARS and MAC
I’m torn between indie brand So Susan and tried and true Nars.
I see people are including bronzer, highlighter, and contour. I answered for blush alone. Since highlighter showed up on another question, I’ll assume my Trifle Sweet Strobe is not what we want here. I don’t use contour. And there is no substitute for Chanel Bronzer.
Oh gosh. Urban Decay or Coloupop?
I agree with you, Christine; Tom Ford. But that price point is certainly not for everyone! I’d say Gucci and Burberry would be tied for second, and budget-friendly would probably be Clinique Cheek Pops 🙂
Tarte!
Nars. I only have one blush by them, but I am consistently reaching for it over everything else I own!
If I had to pick one it would be Nars, since many of their blushes are my absolute favorite, plus Olympia is the perfect contour color for very fair skin. I do love blushes and highlighters by Urban Decay, Tarte, and Hourglass….but Nars still wins overall!