Archived Post
Sneak Peek: Makeup Geek Blushes Photos & Swatches (2016)
Makeup Geek Desires Blush
A few days ago, Makeup Geek Blush ($10.00 for 0.15 oz.) launched with an updated formula and in 20 shades, which expands on the previous shade range (about half of the previously existing shades are MIA from the new range). I’ll have full reviews as I work through testing them, but the photos and swatches are already available for you to peruse. One thing worth noting is that several of the shades carried over from the prior formula aren’t quite the same in color–some looked more different in the pan than swatched, but some did look different swatched (might not be as apparent when applied, diffused, and worn with semi-sheer/semi-opaque coverage, of course).
Here are my notes:
- Spell Bound is less satiny, darker (Blind Date is more similar to previous Spell Bound)
- Romance is lighter and goes on pinker
- Rendezvous is deeper and richer
- Secret Admirer has a stronger purple tone in the pan and to a lesser degree on
- Summer Fling is deeper and more red-toned but less saturated
- Infatuation is deeper, more red-toned, less orange
- Bliss is lighter, more peach than coral now
- I felt like Promise Ring was very similar to First Love (now discontinued).
A lot of pretty shades! If I had to pick only one it would be Love Letter.
Christine, I just gotta say your site is the BEST. I check it on the regular and trust your opinions and reviews. Even when I’m not planning to buy a particular product, I love to read your reviews and check your swatches. I just wanted to let you know how valuable I find this as a resource and how impressed I am, always, with your professionalism and courtesy, your organization and thoroughness. Keep up the great work, lady!
Thank you so much, Alycia! 🙂
I always come to your site when shopping online as you do the very BEST swatches! Thank you so much for what you do! XOXO
Agreed! I always check it out too, I have even told some people on IG to check it out because the swatches and dupes are such a great resource!!
I like how they put what general skin tone the blush will suit on the website. Cuts down on user error. Still think ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it,’ and am somewhat suspicious of Nick’s reply to my opinion. (Ago). Actually, I would love to ‘reformulate’ my opinion of MUG, which has gone steadily downhill. They have the capacity to rule the online market, but I stand behind my ‘rush to market’ though. Thanks for commenting on the 5 I already have: the differences. (your first 5). I’ve got a Z with these and some older Shu blushes, that covers all looks, basically. Hope MUG does a summer sale. Eyes on at least 4-5, but, of course, it depends on what YOU say. It’s truly amazing that we have a site we can totally trust.
What was their response? MUG had some pretty awful and unprofessional replies to their sparkle/pigment thing release too -_-
I don’t exactly recall. It was earlier on Temptalia, prob under C’s sneak peek of these blushes. Something about never cutting costs and how the new mattes were more expensive, etc. it was not rude at all. Personally, despite the response, still skeptical.
I find this odd. Why a reformulation rather than just an expansion. I didn’t know some of the shades were getting the axe. I had been planning to place an order for Romance, Smitten and Honeymoon during the summer. The “new” Romance doesn’t look as interesting, so I guess I can cross that order off my list!
Hmm, looks like a mixed bag. The pigmentation and quality varies greatly by shade, some look really nice, others look kind of dry. But it’s a wide range of colors, think there’s something here for everyone. I’m usually not a big fan of matte blushes, but I’m eyeing Secret Admirer and especially Love Letter, since it’s unique to my collection
Secret Admirer did not show up on me at all in the winter. It’s how I decided I’m still cool, though less so. Didn’t you get the Chris Chang CCB? It layers well over that, and shows up more when i get summer color. Contrast, I guess. Like love letter, too. Covet looks better than desire. Prob will fall for some.
Great minds think alike! Yes, I got the MAC Chris Chang cream base in Sock- It- Xiqu (love!), and was thinking of layering Secret Admirer over it. Hope the new formula reviews well.
Some of these look…pretty bad. And I didn’t realize they were getting rid of some of the best shades? Idk, my opinion of MUG hasn’t been great lately and this doesn’t help. It doesn’t seem like she cares about quality at all anymore.
Summer Fling stands out for me! But they all look lovely.
It was my top last summer, and the new one does not look all that different. The shade descriptions are though. SF 1: soft burnt orange. SF 2: deep papaya. That copy difference is another check in the mistrust column, if indeed they are pretty close. The descriptions convey radically different things. I know it’s just marketing copy and I’m being picky…and maybe petty. One thing about SF: there was no coral in it, and I think of you as a coral person.
Hmmm, some of these look OK and some just look terrible. Love Letter was nice in finish.
These look gorgeous. And creamy!
Phew! Rather glad I dodged these en masse. I do see a few that are interesting, but also a fair number of disappointing swatches in shades I would otherwise be attracted to. Looks like a mixed bag which is consistent with MUG inconsistency of late. I think Puppy Love is a definitely possibility for me. But trouble is putting a pin on an order for one item. I rarely do that. Might be a blush I grab down the line when something else tweaks my interest.
From what I remember, mug had a summer sale on whole store (Aug?) and they had restocked appropriately. (Not counting on either happening again….) Just now that the quality is iffy, it would mean a lot more swatch/dupe list research. But, there have been some good releases amidst the duds, for shadows. Just lyin’ here avoiding housework, lovin’ my puppy. How can I not get it?
Housework makes me angry. My dogs know this. They steer clear.
Dogs are causal and yet the best excuse for avoiding.. Right now I have four on top of me, the weather turned windy and cold.. I’m not complaining 😀 Digger, my LHDachs is between me and my notebook computer..like a long keyboard wrist guard. LOL.
Other than Love Letter and Secret Admirer, nothing here is appealing to me at first glance. Many of these look horridly splotchy or lacking enough pigment. I feel that Marlena ought to have left the original shades ALONE! And just ADDED several new shades to her lineup. This brand is getting to be a major disappointment lately.
For MUG’s sake, I hope most me of these perform well. I have 8 of the original formula so I’d say I’m good on the blush front for now!
These look like a real mixed bag. I was baffled that they would change the formula, and now I’m even more baffled that they’d change the colors of so many popular shades. Secret Admirer was a really good purple blush before, and seemed very popular. I like the new color, but it seems to me it should have been given a new name.
Looking forward to your reviews as you test the new shades and formula.
You are saving me so much money today! I had thought of getting blind date, cherish, and love letter. I already own bliss and spellbound from before. No I’m only considering getting Cherish, but I have MAC tenderling and it looks very similar so I may not even do that.
I have a few of the old formula blushes. Secret Admirer is such a unique shade. I noticed though that it already has that patchy/rough/dry look in the pan… and I’ve seriously only used it a few times! It doesn’t seem to affect the application really but it was something I really noticed. I’m guessing the new formula is smoother and silkier?
I love some of the colors. I hope these are buildable and don’t blend away into oblivion! I also hope they don’t look dry or patchy on the skin.
Such quality inconsistencies between colors. I don’t know if I realized this before today. That said. I would pass as well.
Sad that I didn’t haul some previous shades. Oh well…
Thank you Christine!! I was waiting for this post! 🙂 Looking forward to your full reviews. Really appreciate your quick sneak peeks. Some of the shades seem underwhelming in swatches.
Heart Throb and Love Letter look gorgeous.
Do these fit the mac blush palette?
I’m not sure, I don’t have any of MAC’s new blush palettes at the moment.
Do the blushes pop out of the pain if I buy the blush with the compact? I love the compact design and wonder if I can pop in the old MUG blushes in them instead
I don’t think they do!