I like medium, buildable coverage, so anything that is ultra sheer won’t work for me. I will totally wear a pigmented blush, but I’ll cop to not reaching for super pigmented blushes as often since it’s easier to use something with less coverage. As far as texture goes, anything chalky, dusty, or really glittery is a no for me!
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Blendability and stiff blush. Sheer can be built up and super pigmented can be toned down but if it is too difficult to pick any product up, then no just no! Also if it fades quickly.
I’d agree with medium coverage. Since I’m so fair, anything too pigmented isn’t worth the trouble. As far as texture goes, I like shimmer, but no sparkle or glitter, and nothing chalky for matte blushes. Also a HUGE pet peeve is when blushes are difficult to blend out.
I don’t like anything that doesn’t blend out nicely, thereby leaving an off looking patchiness. Nor ones that make my cheeks look like chalky, powdered sugar donuts! Because there are good matte blushes, nobody ought to suffer that fate!
And I’m not a fan of scent, either.
Patchiness and difficulty blending. I just can’t be bothered to blend my blush for hours!
My cheeks eat blush, so anything that fades too quickly is a no-no. And anything that emphasizes pores.
For me longevity is key! It can be sheer, it can be pigmented, I don’t care. As long as it stays until the end of the day.
The few blushes I’ve gotten rid of this year, some are even extremely hyped up and well received products, all were baked (yes I’ve decluttered Clinique cheek pop, Milani luminoso and mac warm soul) .
I think the deal breaker was that the blushes were hard to pick up color for my usage, despite their swatches being very pigmented and pretty. Honestly I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.
Additionally, I really couldn’t stand too much tiny shimmer. I find many high end blushes (those above €35 IMO so Clinique and Nars don’t count) with shine to give a much better and natural sheen/glow, think Chanel, Dior, Burberry, Hourglass, Marc by Marc Jacobs etc.
Another dealbreaker for me is impossibility to blend. I like pigmented blush, as I have medium skin tone and a lot of things don’t show up, but can’t stand it when you can’t blend that thing.
Blush for me has to be buildable so I can use it very lightly because I hate to have obvious blush. I’m very pale so a subtle blush is muh more preferable. I also won’t use any blushes that are shimmery or sparkly at all because I loke my highlight to add glow, not my blush. I feel too much like a glitter ball if everything on my face is shimmery! They have to be matte and subtle otherwisr I probably won’t use them.
Anything stiff, powdery, dusty, either too much or too little pigmentation. Also, too much shimmer / glitter (the abhorred NARS Orgasm! unpopular opinion I know) is a no-no for me.
Any shimmer. I am shiny enough without adding a shimmery blush. Even when I see something I really like, I neverrrr buy if shimmer is involved.
I can’t stand glitter in blushes.
Anything that contains glitter is a no no because of my pores. Same for shimmer. Sheen is fine. Matte is perfect.
Glitter. I don’t like glittery blushes. Anything brown-toned is a no-go for me as well. Brown or tan blushes don’t suit me at all.
I like my blushes matte — no shimmer, no glitter . I will use a highlighter sparsely over my blush, but only along the high points of my face.
I prefer sheerer blushes. My dry skin eats creme blushes so I have mostly powder blushes. (Except for 3 Nars’ Multiples I just remembered!)
Blushes that are chalky, sparkly, glittery, streaky, and emphasize my pores & fine lines are OUT.
I prefer blushes that last at least 6 hrs too.
I need formulas that are easily blended and don’t oxidize! And I’m really not a big fan of totally matte blushes – I prefer at least a satin finish; shimmery is perfectly fine for me but it has to be fine shimmer/ no glitter!
anything that is poorly formulated and turns out patchy on my skin regardless of the type of base used would be chucked immediately. just no point trying with those.
I don’t like very sheer blushes that are hard to pick up. i prefer a pigmented one that i can sheer it out if i would like to. Also hard to blend blushes are a big no for me.
I ditto Christine’s comment and will add a caveat: Brushes can make or break blushes — even the best of them! For those of you who NEED to wear blush to look like a member of the human race (and you know who you are), using the right brush to apply a particular blush is essential. My collection includes blush brushes from squirrel to goat to synthetic and some in combinations thereof. I have fans to blenders, round to flat, dense to wispy. All told, I have more blush brushes than all my other face brushes combined. So, if I can’t get a blush to work like a dream with my collection of brushes, it’s a deal breaker. No blush is better than the brush used to apply it.
I agree with this 100%. Blush brushes in my collection outnumber any other. I usually use a couple of different ones to get the result I’m after.
Do you have a favorite or two you could share? I don’t, but I’m willing to keep trying.
Sure, I’d be happy to:
– Creams: Goss #1 (goat) and #10 (goat/synthetic) — stippling mostly
– Fans: MUFE (synthetic); and Goss 15 (goat, I think), great for even intensely pigmented blushes
– Pinched: Chikuhodo Cheek/Highlight (squirrel) — for relatively soft-packed blushes; Goss #11 (goat) — for medium-packed blushes
– Wispy: Goss #14 (goat) — same as #11, multi-tasker, beautiful brush
– Chikuhodo (white goat, LE) — perfect for hard-packed blushes (like Nars dual intensity, etc); look for white goat Xmas Chikuhodo sets, they’re great and usually nicely priced
– Blenders: MUFE #122 (synthetic), won’t move anything except the blush, awesome brush; Aucoin Soft Buff (natural, and sooo soft), multi-tasker blender
Tip: Don’t buy any natural hair that is dyed. It won’t be as soft. As a general rule, white goat picks up more product than darker goat hair, even less with squirrel, and even less with synthetic.
If you have more questions, just ask. I hope I didn’t mess up any of the info above. It took me awhile to acquire my collection as they are so expensive, but so worth it in the long run.
Anne! Thank you! That’s fantastic. I will explore each one. The new Goss squirrel one I got picks up nothing. I use it for… not much. Way too soft. I love your guidance on what to use for what blush surface. That’s gold! Thanks again.
You’re welcome. I’m no expert; I just did some reading. As for the new squirrel Airbrush by Goss, I may yet pick that one up. My guess is that it would be perfect for applying a softer packed or more pigmented highlighter on the cheek bone with a lot of precision. It might be also great for applying a pearlescent sheer blush over a matte one, or a stronger, more intense pop of color on the apple center over the lighter shade a la Tilbury style. Each brush seems to have its own story. Lol.
I agree, thank you, Anne. I have more blush brushes than any other type. Brushes really make a difference. Thank you for explaining it well.
Patchiness. If it doesn’t blend, forget it! I’ll give in 2 tries. After that, it gets returned or given away.
Not much, really lol. I like to build up sheer blushes but I also like to diffuse super pigmented ones. My dealbreaker is basically if its just the wrong color for me. Or if it looks dry on me, which some can if they are very soft or powdery.
Glitter, not being able to blend the blush out, and not getting enough color payoff.
I shouldn’t have to go back into the blush several times in order to pick up any pigment on my brush.
Well, obviously I guess, the color has to look flattering on me. Nothing chalky, patchy, or really glittery, or that emphasizes my wrinkles (so most flat mattes are out, too). Big deal: if it can’t be applied lightly or won’t blend out. I have rosacea and like to wear bright lipsticks, so usually go lightly on blush. A HG blush for me is one in an intense, cool berry/purple/red that can still be applied lightly/blended well. If something goes on more intensely than it looks like it would and can’t be blended out and I’d have to start my makeup over again, that’s the worst. I have to be able to modulate the intensity of the color.
Yesterday I wore the Surratt Beauty Artistique Blush in Rougeur, and it went on pretty bright even though I applied it with a smallish, very soft fan brush. I nearly panicked, but with some highlighter over the top and some contour overlapping the bottom and a lot of buffing out with an Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder, everything worked out really well; I could still wear the Givenchy Heroic Pink lipstick I had my heart set on, instead of having to switch to something like Tom Ford Stavros.
I like, builadable, and easy to blend and buff out!!
I prefer shimmery blushes, I have no issues with texture or large pores. (Weird for an oily skinned gal, i know!) so they work well/okay for me. So fully matte blushes are a deal breaker for me!!
glitter, unblendable, streaky application even after blending.
Frosty or shimmery finishes. I prefer matte blushes, satin is fine too. But I abhor shimmer or glitter in blushes, especially during the daytime. So that’s my deal breaker!
1) Heavy floral or perfume fragrances. 2) Too dark or bright. 3) Bad quality: Oxidizes, poor pigmentation, chalky texture, stiff formula, hard to blend, wears off quickly. 4) Chunky glitter (shimmer is fine). 5) Heavily pigmented but doesn’t sheer out very well. 6) Poor value for the money or too expensive.
Agree that I like something with medium pigmentation and buildable. I love something with a bit of ‘glow’ but no glitter. I also don’t want anything that emphasizes my pores (I didn’t think I had pore issues but this did happen with a couple of blushes)
It doesn’t matter to me. As long as it’s cheap, long lasting and easy to blend, I’m good.
I have very fair dry skin and I prefer matte/sheen blushes with buildable coverage. In winter, I prefer cream blushes (I use the 100% Pure brand in “Blush”, a shade not too pinky, not too peachy).
Pink or reddish shades
Chalky, glittery or dusty
Cream, stick or liquid
Too sheer
i agree with what you said, Christine!
Dryness making it difficult to apply as one Elf Pink blush I just got rid of. Too stiff dry although I like the pink color. I love my stipple blush brushes they are soft and apply if so lightly. I have dense blus blushes whuch I’m not using as much since I’ve switched to the stipple kind and is so very cheap from WetnWild. I find both Milani baked blushes and all from WetnWild Coloricon to be great. I don’t like browns on me but some from WetnWikd apply like a natural tan ever so soft! I have to be careful since I’m a ghost to apply and blend everything lightly but actually like a medium blush the too light dies not perform on me. The new Cover Girl ones medium and darker are very soft and pretty also. NARS and Bésame adore those two brands.
Chalky, glittery, sheer and not buildable, disappearing only after being worn for a couple hours, doesn’t match the look that I chose.
I like sheer, somewhat buildable color, I almost always use a cream blush. I don’t care for anything too shimmery or glittery, but I like a dewy appearance. Powder blushes are hard to work with; either chalky, streaky or splotchy. The only powder blush I use now and then is Milani Luminoso. It out performs any other powder blush I have ever tried and the color is natural, lovely and goes with anything.
Oh, I forgot to mention, I always apply my cream blush with a brush whether it’s from a compact or blush stick.
I have a lot of freckles, so I actually prefer my blushes to be sheer. Medium to heavy pigmented blushes look really muddy on my face, no matter what the color, unless I’m really careful about using the right brush and right technique to sheer them out. It’s easier to start with something sheer but buildable.
I have a couple that are so pigmented that I use a fan brush and just lightly brush the surface, then dip the fan brush tips in a little jar of transluscent (sp?) powder before applying, lightly at first and then blending out in little circles – they are a slight pain but I love the colors
Actual dealbreaker territory is anything glittery cuz you will go nuts trying to get rid of the glitter and keep the color – no bueno! and also not good is really powdery that falls everywhere and looks powdery on the little hairs, you can spray face and press with beauty blender but if the pigmentation isn’t there and you don’t love the color on you, why bother?
Same here a chalky, patchy and overly shimmery blushes are a no go for me. I sometimes am so drawn to the very pigmented blushes yet stop my self , I struggle with a heavy hand no matter how light ” I think” I’m being even with such a blush as well dressed!! So, with fair skin it’s a total PITA!!! I watch Erika who has fair skin from style chronicles on YouTube she wears blushes like Mac stubborn and film noir with the use of the Mac 137 ( extra large 217 brush) and pulls it off.. I’m thinking of purchasing a 137 so I too, can wear the blushes that I’m drawn to which are always the much darker and beyond pigmented blushes. Recently a Mac mua convinced me to buy Mac desert rose omg …..don’t even get me started!!