NARS Love Blush ($29.00 for 0.16 oz.) is described as a “tea rose.” It’s a rosy pink with neutral-to-warm undertones and a mostly matte finish. Tarte Crave (LE) is pinker, brighter. NARS Day Dream (LE, $29.00) is more shimmery, warmer. Too Faced Melt Into Spring (LE) is brighter. theBalm Frat Boy (P, $21.00) is darker. Illamasqua Naked Rose is lighter, less warm-toned. See comparison swatches.

It applied better than it swatched–it ended up being more buildable as I was applying it to cheeks, than it would seem in the pan. It had moderate pigmentation; it’s not intense like Exhibit A, but it wasn’t difficult to get true-to-pan color. The texture is finely-milled, soft but firm–so it’s not powdery like some matte blushes can be. I’ve always found that mattes often are either really soft, but then a little powdery, or soft but firm, where they often apply better than they initially swatch. Against my warmer skin tone, it looked warmer and less pink than it did in the pan, so I would expect on cooler, more pink-toned complexions, the blush would look truer to how it appears in the pan. I wish it was slightly softer and more pigmented. When I wore it yesterday, it lasted for seven and a half hours on me.

NARS Love Blush

NARS Love Blush

NARS Love Blush

NARS Love Blush

NARS Love Blush

NARS Love Blush