I think that they rarely suit a wide variety of skin tones, so I wish when brands did one, they’d consider at least releasing two, if not three, varieties. Â Whether they split it up by skin tone (light, medium, dark) or by undertone (cool and warm), it would go a long way. Most blush palettes feel like a variety of pinks and corals that run warmer.
— Christine
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I am very boring/predictable when it comes to blush, so palettes are usually not for me as most of them contain shades that I’d never or almost never use. I definitely prefer singles.
They’re so big and bulky! I had one once, and I never thought to grab it. I couldn’t bring it anywhere. I ended up giving it away.
I don’t mind when eyeshadow palettes have a blush or two thrown in, but solely blush palettes just aren’t for me.
Until we develop a more adventurous attitude towards blush (Blue lips; blue cheeks, anyone? LOL), I think most of us want blush tones that work with our natural skintone especially since the trend is towards lighter, more transparent foundations. I have yet to see a blush palette where all the shades work for me. There are usually one or two that I’d never use. Consequently, blush palettes, as they currently exist, are a no-go.
Pre-made blush palette are convenient for traveling and giving you a variety of shades all in one place. But most of the time, there’s always a shade or two that doesn’t compliment my skin tone. For this reason, I prefer to purchase individual blush pans and create my own custom palette.
While I can definitely understand the convenience factor with having a blush palette, I would much rather put my own together from a brand or brands I love, in shades that I know I’ll actually use. Too many pre-made palettes have at least 1, but usually more, shade (s) that are too light for my complexion.
I love the concept of blush palettes for travel because I like to have multiple options and I like not having to remember to choose a bronzer, at least 2 blush choices, and a highlighter. In fact, I am currently traveling and while I decided to bring a blush palette with me instead of my usual choice of an all in one eyeshadow/bronzer/blush palette. I chose the Smashbox Crush on Blush palette. As much as I love blush palettes, though, my biggest gripe is that they tend to be for women with fair to light skin. I have a medium skintone and sometimes the bronzer simply will not show up on my skin. I have the Nars Guy Bourdain blush palette and sadly, while the blushes and highlight are lovely, the bronzer is not pigmented enough/too light for me. Usually, I am fine with the actual blush shades, as warm tones are very flattering on me (exception: Hourglass Ambient Blush palette runs a bit too light for me).
I don’t see them as worth the money because I am very particular about what shades I like to use and, more often than not, there will more shades in the palette that I’ll end up not using.
I have yet to find a cool-toned blush palette. I would love something with lavenders, pinks & pinky-peaches, but every blush palette I’ve seen leans neutral-to-warm.
I am so with you on this one!!! I love lavender blushes oh my goodness.
Totally agree. Where are the cool palettes????
I’m not interested on blushes in palettes (neither highlighter palettes), cause most of time, there are only 1 colour that I like and it’s usually the coral/warm pink one. I just can’t resist to really good quality single coral/warm pink blushes.
Chanel’s Affinité cream, TF’s Flush powder (my HG), By Terry’s Frozen Petal cream, Dior’s cheek & lip glow (I use it only as blush) and recently the Guerlain’s palette (4 powder blushes) are my favourites.
Looking at them, I just realised that I’m much more interested in trying different textures of similar colours than to collect different colours, lol.
So the only blush palette that made me splurge exceptionally is the Guerlain holiday 2015 eye and cheek palette. For once, 3/4 of blushes fit my preferences in term of colour, (and the cold pink blush in it is the smallest one, maybe it can be used lightly as a highlighter ?) Love love the colour combination in this palette.
It seems to me that the shades in a blush palettes are either “something for everyone” which means only one or two shades work for each person or the shades are all for a medium skinned Caucasian, which is a narrow market. I’m very fair-skinned and usually only one shade in a palette works for me. If it contains bronzer, it’s always too dark for me.
I’d like to see a blush palette that comes in light, medium or dark and then has variety—a fun sheer bright pink, something soft and shimmery, a plum tone, a peach/coral, a rose shade, etc.
I’m actually in the process of putting together a diy blush palette, so I’m searching for various colors/tones/finishes for my fair skin.
So agree! It’s always the same colors: peach, bright pink, orange-brown, and maybe a slightly darker fuchsia.
Where are the taupes!? Where are the plums!? Where are the in-between colors, that straddle the line between brown, pink, and berry!?
I agree with Christine and other commenters that blush palettes simply never get used. I think Benefit’s blush sets have a good thing going – they’re packaged more like samplers, and their formulas are sheer enough to lend themselves to universal-ish wear.
The recent Tarte palette confounded me, honestly. So many hard-to-wear shades in too-big pans. It’s ostensibly a good value, but you’re paying for a lot of product you end up not wanting.
I don’t have a strong opinion either way… Blush is a product I’m *extremely* picky about, and as with any base product, I prefer it to look natural. Most blush palettes run warm, with more “fashionable” shades, which look hideous on me, so I rarely bother to even look at them. I have a hard enough time finding singles that I like! The way I see it, I’m saving money to put towards something I actually like, and I’ve yet to find a reason to own a wide range of blush shades. I’ve also concluded many, many years ago, not every product, from every brand, will suit everyone, so I’m rarely disappointed.
I definitely get the convenience factor with having ones cheek products in a palette. However, without fail, there seems to be at least one shade, but usually more, that are too light for my medium-olive complexion. That being the case, I would much rather put my own cheek palette together using shades I really love and would always use! Planning on making a MAC cheek diy very soon, of course depottint Burnt Pepper!
I really like blush palettes, especially when they include a good mix of finishes and undertones. I tend to wear the same shade of blush all the time, and palettes have given me the opportunity to try colors out of my comfort zone and realize some could actually work for me.
I guess I’m in the minority, as I have mostly raves: I buy and wear mostly singles, but I love a good blush palette. I’m lucky that with my coloring, I can pull off the kinds of shades that make their way into palettes.
I find palettes really handy for traveling, as I can have several shades at my disposal without packing all singles. Singles take up more room and break more easily. My favorite is the Tarte Pin-Up Girl palette. It has a neutral (Breathless), a pink (Whimsy), a warm berry (Irreplaceable), a cooler plummier berry (Embraced), and a coral (Bashful). That are my basic blush staples in one package, and the padded packaging is perfect.
Flat palettes are easier to stack and store than singles. Palettes can be a good way to try out different shades from a brand without spending as much. Sometimes I get a shade I wouldn’t have bought in the single version, and ended up loving it. I never wore bright bubble gum pink blush, for example, till I got one in palette and tried it just for kicks.
My rants: I agree with Christine that blush is not a one-size-fits-all item. It would be nice if pre-made blush palettes (and contour, bronzing, and highlight palettes) came in light, medium and dark options. Blush palettes tend to play it safe, with intensity and colors. I’ve never seen a blush palette that’s perfect for the fairest of the fair: I have to use a fluffy brush and a very light touch with all but a couple blushes I own. I know darker skin tones are usually left out as well. If you don’t like the shades or end up hating the formula, it can be a large chunk of cash lost if you can’t return the palette.
I’m with you, I mostly love them. I love the NARS one from a few years back, and you can’t beat the versatility for travel. I lucked out that all the colors were really good for my skin, other than Orgasm which wasn’t the same quality as the single.
But you and Christine are absolutely right–these palettes should seriously not be so exclusive. I just tried the Stila convertible color palette and one great thing about it is that I think everyone can find a color that works for them in there. I mean, it’s also not perfect across the board for anyone either but that’s the tradeoff.
Rant – lots of colours you can’t use, difficult to get your brush into some of them, waste of money.
I prefer a single blush mosaic of a few colours in my range to suit.
Like a lot of premade eyeshadow palettes, they usually have a mix of shades I like and don’t like, and usually it’s more on the “don’t like” side, which, if you have say, 5 blushes, and I only like 2 of them, it’s not worth it. I do have 2 blush palettes: the Hourglass one from last year, and the Tarte Pin Up Girl one. They both have a mix of cool and warm toned blushes, and they were unusually on point with shades I like. But aside from them I’ve passed on every other one.
I also definitely agree that they are made for pasty white people such as myself, and they should branch out and make them for more skintones and undertones.
I prefer single blushes because I hate having blush dupes!
You mean, like 5 Orgasms? What blew me away about the five is how dissimilar the 5 are! Esp. In the pan. Mine came out of mixed palettes. I got Guy B Splendor in the Grass, bec. of no Orgasm.
Single blushes for me – no palettes.
Love: value for dollar
Hate: same old same old blush colours (peach, pink, coral, …) I’m not a fan, I think they look too dollish and girlish one me.
I like Sleek’s take on a blush palette where they group similar tones in a palette done in a variety of finishes and intensities.
Totally agree about the Blush x 3s. They’re wonderful, and I think they’re better at having shades for most skin tones.
I really love Sleek’s Blush by 3 for this reason – you can decide the color family that you want to explore (pinks, red/browns, oranges, etc) and you get a range of finishes and intensity within that family. Although now that I think about it, most of their options are warm, too… I guess I’m lucky I lean that way!
I haven’t splurged on a blush palette yet because there really aren’t too many out there (pre-made) for me. The shades are usually too light, too small, or too darn powdery to be practical for me. If I really want one I’ll have to make it myself.
I’m neutral enough to wear warm for contrast, and cool. But palettes tend to play it safe with the warm pinks & corals, which aren’t my faves. Did a DYI w/ MUG, fave being summer fling; it’s 2 cools, 2 warms, and Spellbound, which Marlena calls neutral, but I see as warm. But I like puce, purple, orange, taupe, cranberry rather than warm pink & pink coral. I think I’m getting Despair & I have Splendor in the Grass, but doubt that I have any others. Creating some Zs-ful, though.
I seem to be in the minority but I LURVE blush palettes! My most recent finds are the City Color Glow Pro 6 colour palettes – the matte one is great, even if a couple of the nude shades look similar in the pan, they look fantastic on and it has a good balance of cool and warm shades. Reasonably pigmented too! And the shimmer palette has a lovely little gold flecked lilac shade that is just gorgeous. Plus, they’re super cheap!
For those of you wanting to build their own blush palettes from a good selection of shades, including some killer grapes and plums, check out La Femme pans. I have 30 of these babies and I adore them! Bordeaux, Grape, Mulberry and Mauve Sparkle are favourites- I don’t have Purple Passion (yet) but it looks amazing 🙂
i like blushes but i don’t really like those blush palettes bc usually not all the shades suit me and what would be the point of getting it if i cannot make full use of it and sometimes they’re pricey so yeah (that holiday tarte palette looks pretty though!) if you’re a pro it would be really nice to have one.
p.s. i was talking about the pre made blush palettes bc now if it’s a palette that you pick what shades you want it actually would be nice to have all your blushes on a say, z palette, a downside could be sometimes you need compactness and a big blush palette might come to be very bulky and not useful for the task.
either way i think they’re not for me. i appreciate them but from afar.
-I love the value of blush palettes, and the travel friendly packing most of them offer- it makes it easy to justify traveling with 4/54 shades of blush. The cost is a great selling point also- I just got the Nars x Steven Klein palette, and it was a great value IMO.
– I don’t love that all the colors aren’t universal. The Tarte Bling It On palette is a great deal, but I could only use 3/5 of the colors, and I already owned one of them. All of the shades in the Nars x Steven Klein palette actually worked for me, but that is really rare.
I have enough singles blushes for a lifetime and even that, I wouldn’t finish all of them. So I’m not interested in palettes. I only purchase a blush if I really fall in love with it.
Bought one blush pallette and regreted it. Nars 2014 holiday blush pallette wasn’t great and made me decide to never buy another blush pallette.
Best blushers ever are The Balm Instain collection and Mac of course.
Yeah, Balm. They should put out threesomes like the Manizer Sisters….one warm, one cool. I like Pinstripe especially. But Houndstooth and Toile are also nice. Love Cabana Boy. I just had a good idea that they might actually consider, if the highlighter trio does well. But, so many people have singles already.