High-End Blushes | 2016 Editor's Favorites
I really tried to narrow it down to a top 10, but I found it incredibly difficult to cut my favorites list past 14, so I had to go with 16 🙂 There were just too many great blushes to choose from this year!
What were your favorites?
NARS Impudique Blush ($30.00 for 0.16 oz.) is a bold, bright, medium-dark raspberry pink with subtle, warm undertones and warmer, gold pearl....
NARS Impudique Blush ($30.00 for 0.16 oz.) is a bold, bright, medium-dark raspberry pink with subtle, warm undertones and warmer, gold pearl....
Black Honey Pop is a medium-dark pink with moderate, warm undertones and a natural sheen. It had opaque color payoff in a single layer, which applied...
Black Honey Pop is a medium-dark pink with moderate, warm undertones and a natural sheen. It had opaque color payoff in a single layer, which applied...
Marc Jacobs Beauty Night Fever & Hot Stuff (508) Air Blush ($42.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with...
Marc Jacobs Beauty Night Fever & Hot Stuff (508) Air Blush ($42.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with...
Marc Jacobs Beauty Lines & Last Night (502) Air Blush ($42.00 for 0.28 oz.) is soft, medium coral with warm,...
Marc Jacobs Beauty Lines & Last Night (502) Air Blush ($42.00 for 0.28 oz.) is soft, medium coral with warm,...
Surratt Beauty Flamme Artistique Blush ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a bright, medium-dark orange with warm, red undertones and a gold, frosted shimmer....
Surratt Beauty Flamme Artistique Blush ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a bright, medium-dark orange with warm, red undertones and a gold, frosted shimmer....
Chanel Sunkiss Ribbon Harmonie de Blush ($70.00 for 0.38 oz.) is a soft, medium pink-coral with fine golden sheen. Hourglass Incandescent Electra (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar). Laura Mercier Peach (P, $30.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Stellar Beauty Flare (P, $25.00) is more shimmery (95% similar). ColourPop On the Horizon (LE, $12.00) is cooler (95% similar). MAC I'll Hold My Breath #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar). NARS Day Dream (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery (90% similar). Make Up For Ever B302 (P, $23.00) is lighter (90% similar). Charlotte Tilbury Seductive Beauty (Cheek Pop) (LE, $40.00) is less shimmery, cooler (95% similar). Too Faced Love Hangover (P, $26.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Stardust (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Merit Beverly Hills (P, $28.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Cherry Bomb (Blush) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Patrick Ta She's Passionate (P, $32.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). ILIA Temptation (P, $32.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Smith and Cult Universal Peach (P, $24.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). Kevyn Aucoin Sunset (P, $38.00) is darker, brighter (90% similar). ColourPop My Sun and Stars (DC, $12.00) is more shimmery, brighter (90% similar). Wet 'n' Wild Pearlescent Pink (P, $2.99) is more shimmery (95% similar). NARS Orgasm (P, $30.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). NARS Bumpy Ride (P, $30.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.
Chanel Sunkiss Ribbon Harmonie de Blush ($70.00 for 0.38 oz.) is a soft, medium pink-coral with fine golden sheen. Hourglass Incandescent Electra (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar). Laura Mercier Peach (P, $30.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Stellar Beauty Flare (P, $25.00) is more shimmery (95% similar). ColourPop On the Horizon (LE, $12.00) is cooler (95% similar). MAC I'll Hold My Breath #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar). NARS Day Dream (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery (90% similar). Make Up For Ever B302 (P, $23.00) is lighter (90% similar). Charlotte Tilbury Seductive Beauty (Cheek Pop) (LE, $40.00) is less shimmery, cooler (95% similar). Too Faced Love Hangover (P, $26.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Stardust (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Merit Beverly Hills (P, $28.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Cherry Bomb (Blush) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Patrick Ta She's Passionate (P, $32.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). ILIA Temptation (P, $32.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Smith and Cult Universal Peach (P, $24.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). Kevyn Aucoin Sunset (P, $38.00) is darker, brighter (90% similar). ColourPop My Sun and Stars (DC, $12.00) is more shimmery, brighter (90% similar). Wet 'n' Wild Pearlescent Pink (P, $2.99) is more shimmery (95% similar). NARS Orgasm (P, $30.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). NARS Bumpy Ride (P, $30.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.
Surratt Beauty La Rosée du Soir Artistique Blush ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is muted, medium brown with hints of...
Surratt Beauty La Rosée du Soir Artistique Blush ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is muted, medium brown with hints of...
Surratt Beauty De Cherubique Artistique Blush ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium, rosy pink with warm undertones and a frosted shimmer-sheen finish....
Surratt Beauty De Cherubique Artistique Blush ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium, rosy pink with warm undertones and a frosted shimmer-sheen finish....
Chanel Evening Beige (340) Joues Contraste Blush ($45.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark copper with warm, rusty red undertones and a dusting of...
Chanel Evening Beige (340) Joues Contraste Blush ($45.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark copper with warm, rusty red undertones and a dusting of...
MAC Taraji Glow Mineralize Skinfinish Natural ($33.00 for 0.35 oz.) is described as a "reddish brown." It's a rich, medium-dark reddish copper with...
MAC Taraji Glow Mineralize Skinfinish Natural ($33.00 for 0.35 oz.) is described as a "reddish brown." It's a rich, medium-dark reddish copper with...
Marc Jacobs Beauty Flesh & Fantasy (506) Air Blush ($42.00 for 0.28 oz.) is muted, medium peach with hints of...
Marc Jacobs Beauty Flesh & Fantasy (506) Air Blush ($42.00 for 0.28 oz.) is muted, medium peach with hints of...
Urban Decay TMI Afterglow 8-Hour Blush ($26.00 for 0.23 oz.) is described as a "berry." It's a muted, medium-dark plum with neutral-to-cool...
Urban Decay TMI Afterglow 8-Hour Blush ($26.00 for 0.23 oz.) is described as a "berry." It's a muted, medium-dark plum with neutral-to-cool...
Chanel Reflex (82) Joues Contraste Blush ($45.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium-dark coral-orange with warm undertones and gold shimmer. ...
Chanel Reflex (82) Joues Contraste Blush ($45.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium-dark coral-orange with warm undertones and gold shimmer. ...
MAC Highlight the Truth Mineralize Skinfinish ($33.00 for 0.35 oz.) is described as a "soft bronze coral with golden shimmer." It's a medium, peachy...
MAC Highlight the Truth Mineralize Skinfinish ($33.00 for 0.35 oz.) is described as a "soft bronze coral with golden shimmer." It's a medium, peachy...
Surratt Beauty Barbe a Papa Artistique Blush ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a light-medium pink with cool, blue undertones and a sparkling, frosted finish....
Surratt Beauty Barbe a Papa Artistique Blush ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a light-medium pink with cool, blue undertones and a sparkling, frosted finish....
Becca Dahlia Shimmering Skin Perfector Blush ($34.00 for 0.20 oz.) is a medium-dark, reddish plum with warm...
Becca Dahlia Shimmering Skin Perfector Blush ($34.00 for 0.20 oz.) is a medium-dark, reddish plum with warm...
For me — Laura Geller Pink Grapefruit baked blush takes the prize, for great pigmentation, perfect color, longevity over the hours. This year, I’ve picked up Clinique Pink Honey Pop but found it runs a little light and takes effort to get enough out of the pan onto the brush; Surratt Beauty La Vie en Rose is nice but not the perfect color on me.
I’m so sad that La Vie En Rose did not work out to be the right color for you! 🙁
Some of this reads like my wish list! Great to have another easy access to things I need to reread the review. Still kind of cranky pants about to getting taraji, esp now that it hit your tops list. Will be rechecking Black Honey Pop, Fever& Hot Stuff, and TMI. There really were a lot of grand cheeks this year.
NOT, not to, getting Taraji. They did refund me….
So sad that you won’t be getting your Taraji powder 🙁
i love the too faced love hangover blush. very pigmented and blends nicely into the skin.
It has a great finish!
#8 looks like it might be the answer to my duping Armani’s #2 powder blush. Not the sheer one but the original. I need a dupe because it’s the perfect blush for me 🙁
Aww 🙁
Your top 3 are ALL on my wishlist! Now, I need to get at least one. Probably either Black Honey or Impudique first off.
Still waiting for MAC to reissue Taraji Glow in the proper packaging. ?
Out of ones I’ve bought or received, I love MAC Spring Flock and my Sephora Rouge sample size of Nars Goulue!
Spring Flock is so fun! Very spring/summer.
Do you think we actually will get a Taraji? I got a refund, and gave away the wrongly packaged highlighter.
KJH, I think so. They did say in that apology email that they would need several months to make more and to be sure there wouldn’t be any slip ups next time. I’m trying to remain hopeful, I suppose. After all, they did right that mess they made out of Selena!
On the blush hunt so will be checking these out. I should have picked MJ’s Lines and Last Night because Kinks & Kisses is my #1 disappointment of 2016. Gave it to my son’s GF, and she doesn’t like it much either. Sigh. I missed the boat on that one.
Why didn’t you like Kink & Kisses?
Hi Christine!
I didn’t like anything much about it. I didn’t like the texture, the payoff, I didn’t like how it built up, I didn’t like the wear. Maybe a bad batch? Maybe just incompatible with my skin? Maybe my expectations were off? I’m not sure, really, but I was let down overall.
Aww, darn! 🙁
These are all really great blushes and it good to see so many brands putting out high quality ones.
Isn’t it? There were a lot of great things to choose from this year!
I fell in love with NARS and Clinique blushes this year!!! I really adore them!
I love the Cheek Pops!
My fave HE was Nars Goulue! So glad I got it as a VIB Rouge perk, as I would’ve never bought it on my own (too scary looking in the the pan), but it’s so gorgeous, long-lasting, and flattering.
And you’ll probably never need another, lol! Even in sample size, I bet the pan will last a long time!
I picked up the UD Gwen Stefani palette and it flipped a switch. I’ve started regularly wearing blush. I love Hush and OC from that palette, picked up the Rapture and Score singles when they were half off at Ulta and I am happy with all of them! I tend to use a fairly light hand with blush still, so I don’t need a huge assortment of shades because there isn’t much nuance in what I wear. I can’t remember if the palette launched this year or late last, and the permanent singles weren’t new, but were new to me!
Oooh, I love that the palette turned you onto blush! 🙂
So many gorgeous blushes here. I don’t think I bought any high end blush singles this year. (I got my fixes from the Tarte Color Wheel and UD x Gwen Stefani blush palettes.)
Great blush palettes you picked up!
Great info but only two of these are cool colors. It must be hard for you to test the cooler ones since you look so good in the warm shades.
I don’t really think about whether something is flattering on me – I am too busy paying attention to things like how it is wearing, how it applies, etc., so it does not matter to me if it’s a product I like, a product that looks good on me, or whatever.
I do, however, pick my favorites for these posts – as in the products I would reach for again and again 🙂 These are my personal favorites, not just good products, but the ones I personally love.
I haven’t been able to put down Highlight the Truth and Taraji Glow since I got them. Love them both!