theBalm Hot Mama Shadow/Blush Review, Photos, Swatches
Hot Mama
theBalm Hot Mama Shadow/Blush ($20.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a medium, pink-coral with warm undertones and a golden shimmer. It had good pigmentation–just shy of opaque–that was buildable to full coverage in two layers. The finish was spectacular as it was luminous and smooth–glowing but never emphasizing.
The formula is supposed to be a “beautiful blush and subtle highlighter” in one. It’s been an old favorite for many readers, and I’m not certain I ever formally reviewed it, so I wanted to get that rectified once I noticed I had one in my to-review bin! The consistency was soft, smooth, and just a smidgen dusty, but it blended almost effortlessly. It was the type of blush that applied and looked blended before you even finished applying it, so the formula was forgiving and esay to use. The color lasted for nearly nine hours on me before fading slightly.
Top Dupes
- Too Faced Peachy Keen (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Estee Lauder Wild Sunset (P, $34.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Smith and Cult Universal Peach (P, $24.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Vibrant Coral & Golden (PiP, $38.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Springsheen (P, $24.00) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Genesis (P, $39.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Guerlain Blush G (LE, $65.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Glisten (P, $29.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Lovegasm Pop Blush (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- NYX Intuition (P, $6.50) is cooler (90% similar).
I have this in the very old but super-wonderful original Balmbini palette. I rarely use it – kinda the reasoning behind your questions about knowing what colours of blushes, etc. work for us – it’s just not a colour I am drawn to (not in clothing, home decor, makeup) – but, oddly enough, I did wear it a few weeks back just on a whim and I really should wear it more. It is so interesting to me to see just how well it stacks up against much pricier dupes like Tom Ford and Estee Lauder! Sort of sums up how I feel about that question the other day regarding the pricing of high end cosmetics (as in “the Emperor has no clothes”!)
The texture and finish are prettier than I remembered! It’s funny how that works :). Pretty crazy how Hot Mama has been out for YEARS and is still a phenomenal formula relative to newer ones.
Always knew it was great…the OG…but went for Cabana Boy in this formula…plus 3 Instains, from Hautelook, at the price of one msrp. Prob best score ever. Balm does great blush/highlighter. Was always surprised they went from S to U to Kohl’s, w/o a drop in quality. Also got the sisters at the Rack. Just to let people know, if you are willing to wait, you never have to pay full price on a Balm product. This is perfect for coral fans, and I’ve seen it look great on darker skintones.
The formula sounds very appealing, I’ll have to check it out!
TheBalm has some amazing powder products!
I remember liking this blush in store but never ended up dropping the money on it as it’s $32CAD. It’s cool that it dupes so many shades. *_*
Definitely pricey in CAD and certainly well-duped from a variety of price points nowadays!
I’m afraid of shimmery blushes because I have a lot of texture on my cheeks, but I’m tempted to give this a try!
I think this one is shimmery but very smooth on! 🙂
This is one of my favourite blushes! I hit pan on it 😀
WOW! 😀
I already have MAC Sweet Visions, but does this come in any other colors? The formula sounds great! And I love love your look!! The lipsticks go so well with the shadow/blush!
They have a few blushes! https://thebalm.com/collections/cheeks
I have loved this for a long, loooooooog time – I use it as an eyeshadow too 🙂
It’s a winner!
I like that it’s labeled as both!
I have this one, and I think it’s wonderful.
Awesome! 😀
What a winner! Pretty much the same shade as the Tom Ford Love Lust and at about half the price. Love that shade. I think this will be my next blush purchase.
Yes, definitely similar!
After my using NYC Pinched for literally YEARS, one could say that this is definitely my kind of blush shade! And now with Pinched likely DC’d, this is a gorgeous substitute that thankfully isn’t crazy expensive, plus has a “Temptalia Recommends” and an A+!
It’s a goodie 😀
I’ve got three blushes from The Balm (Cabana Boy, Balm Desert, and Down Boy), and they are hands down my favorites of my massive blush collection. And they are the best for traveling, as the packaging is slim and light. I’ll have to pick this one up during the next sale!
theBalm does beautiful blush! I wish they had more shades.
I’ve heard of this one being a semi-dupe for NARS Orgasm, which is my favorite blush. With an A+ rating, I might have to give this one a try.
Orgasm runs a little pinker to me (less warmth in its pink, too), but they have a similar effect on!
Like you, Christine, I’m also MAC NC20 and EL Desert Beige, so I’ll definitely go check it out. Thanks!
This is one of may favorite blushes. It’s also great as an eye shadow.
It’s a beauty!
I always love products from The Balm, but I always forget about them as a brand! I have three of their blushes, that I absolutely love, but they always get pushed back in my drawer! I need to give this one a shot!
Christine, you look gorgeous! I rarely see you give a product the rating of an A+, so I’m going to purchase this blush. Thank you so much for all you do.
I love this blush!! Amazing texture, color, and shimmer without being over the top. I haven’t worn it in a while, but I should since it’s perfect for summer (and great all year round too). I had the Orgasm powder blush but it’s a little too dark for fair skin (although oddly enough the Multiple version looks much better on me) so I find this to be a great alternative. I also have Coralista, which is lovely, but I prefer the sheen and packaging of Hot Mama. I have loved theBalm for almost 15 years. They have really great shadows and blushes in general and I always felt they were very underrated as a brand, so I’m happy you showed them some love ❤️