Smith & Cult Cool Plum Flash Flush Cream Blush Review & Swatches
Cool Plum
Smith and Cult Cool Plum Flash Flush Cream Blush ($24.00 for 0.09 oz.) is a medium-dark plum with subtle, cool undertones and a matte finish. It had opaque pigmentation when applied with fingertips, but the application with fingertips was horrendous–streaky, patchy, uneven, and imprecise (because the product did not actually adhere to my skin, it just moved around in clumps).
I was only able to apply it using a stippling brush, which gave me a sheer to semi-sheer application, but it wasn’t buildable due to the clumpy nature of the product. The texture felt a bit clay like–drier, more velvety, but lacked the creaminess initially to help it go on well and blend out easily. This shade stayed on well for seven and a half hours on me before fading visibly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Chanel Rosewood (350) (P, $45.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Take Me Home (Bottom) (LE, $24.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Ironic (LE, $29.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Disclosure (P, $60.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Wicked (P, $60.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Buxom Ibiza (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, darker, brighter (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Pink (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Mistress (LE, $7.00) is brighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Coloured Raine My Day One (Blush) (LE, ) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- NARS Exposed (LE, $30.00) is lighter (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$24.00/0.09 oz. - $266.67 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "lightweight, cream-to-powder blush" that is "pore-smoothing" with a "barely-there feel." The texture has a thicker, more clay-like feel to it, where there's creaminess to it, but there was also a drier, more velvety/powdery feel present as well. It was a tricky formula to work with, as it was dry and prone to crumbling/flaking off my skin when I tried to use it with my fingertips (which is what the brand says to use with the product). I had the best luck working with a stippling brush, but the drier texture made it more difficult to pick up product with a brush. I did not like how they applied on my skin; they were uneven and sometimes caught on any dryness or flakiness.
They seemed semi-opaque to opaque in coverage initially, but I struggled to get that to translate on my cheeks as the product didn't build up well with a brush. If I applied with fingertips, though, the application was uneven, product seemed to sink into my pores, and looked nightmarish. They pick up and move foundation a lot, and when applied on top of powder, the product goes on unevenly and tends to clump up. The only good thing about this formula was it lasted six to seven hours on average for me.
Browse all of our Smith and Cult Flash Flush Cream Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polyethylene, Mica, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Talc, Dimethicone, Jojoba Esters, Octyldodecanol, Silica, Nylon-12, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethiconol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane. May Contain: CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 75470 (Carmine), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake).
These blushes look so pretty in your photos, Christine; the colours look lovely. What a shame they aren’t as good as they look. F – that’s not too encouraging at all!
Isn’t that kind of heartbreaking, when the swatches look nice but the product fails?
So sorry you wasted money and time on these. It makes one wary of S&C product in general.
I have 8 of their nail polishes and I love them. Hands down (pun intended) my favorite polish brand. But two years ago, I shelled out $40 for one of their now-discontinued eye shadow palettes. It was horrible. A ton of fallout, terrible consistency, and even with the UD eyelid base, the wear was awful.
I’m sorry you have to go through testing these. They sound like a reason to appreciate ColourPop SS blushes even more.
I don’t know why, but I love reading your ‘F’ reviews. It’s like watching a train wreck. I just can’t look away. Plus, I feel like these companies have to work really hard to get to the ‘F’ level. I wonder how many quality control points this garbage had to pass in order to make it to market. Don’t the people who try to sell this stuff use it first?
It’s like in school, too, like you really have to do almost nothing to truly fail, because you obviously get points for partial credit or getting one thing right (say pigmentation or longevity), LOL.
Exactly! It’s like they spelled their name wrong on the answer sheet. I mean even Spicoli ended up passing Mr. Hand’s class 🙂
Are you certain it’s not being affected negatively by Arizona’s horrible summer heat in transit?
No, I ordered them spring, actually. I also overnight or second day most packages (so they go air, which is cooler transit), in general.
I may or may not have cackled and said “let the show begin”. My sense of theatricality seems to have been magnified of late.
A bright plum blush that feels like clay and leaves clumps of sludge in its wake….what could possibly go wrong here? 🤷♀️
Dang I was wondering about this brand’s makeup. Seems like they aren’t fairing too well so far. Aren’t they primarily a nail polish company? Never mind just read that their founder started Hard Candy. I love Hard Candy makeup.So what went wrong here?