For me personally, I’m not hugely into matte finishes – I like a little bit of shimmer/shine as I also find that those are more blendable and easier to use. I also tend to prefer more buildable coverage or more mid-tone depths. I’d say: stiff/dry textures, overly pigmented + deep in hue, hard to blend.
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This is an easy one for me. No matte, and nothing that is weak on pigment and/or described as sheer. I’ve come to realize that I don’t like the way matte blushes look on me and never reach for them. And I want blush or highlighter to actually show up! If something is overly pigmented, I just use a light hand.
For blush, it definitely has to be sheer. I want nothing to do with very pigmented blushes haha!
I’d also consider highlight to be a cheek product… Pretty much my only requirement is that it’s not a crazy color or just glitter. I’m not picky.
When it’s so powdery and pigmented it’s hard to apply lightly and hard to blend.
I have mature skin and high cheekbones and feel best with subtle sheer muted neutrals with a slight shimmer. Anything with obvious blush colour, too saturted, or matte looks, to my eye, very awkward and contrived.
Glitter!! I’ll use all the glitter in the world on my eyes but on my cheeks it makes me feel like a Spice Girl. I don’t like flat matte either, I prefer a satin or glowy finish on my cheeks.
More color than finish, not a pink coral/warm pink person. Prefer redder tints to more gold-like, also. Do not go as far as glitter or frost, but high shimmer can be ok. Satin/Matte are fine, too. As to HL, like the offbeat colors better. Don’t care about a natural or flattering look, bec I consider all m/u theatre, rather than enhancement, and I like the unexpected, as long as the product is not too bright.
Deal-breakers for me would be:
1.) Anything too light to show up on my NC37-40 skintone, also those that look ashy on me.
2.) Hard to blend out shades that go patchy.
3.) Those that just look plain ridiculous on me; aka neon pink or barbie pink. (and yet, I look great in UD’s Bittersweet?)
4.) I can wear and enjoy a matte blush. But there’s a world of difference between a natural matte finish vs. a powdered donut finish! Please, no powdered donut blush need apply!
5.) Anything that fades into nothingness inside of 6 hours or less.
The only thing I’ve worn all summer is Burberry matte cream blush in Hydrangea. I think it’s because it plays so well with my summertime sunscreen. I don’t want any powder or shimmer until fall.
I am not much of a matte cheek color type person although when I started wearing makeup there wasn’t such a thing as a shimmer blush. They were all matte. So, now I prefer some sheen or shimmer but nothing overtly glittery. In fact, glitter is a real deal breaker for me. As far as mattes go, if I like the color it doesn’t necessarily rule it out it just means I have to add a topper or a shimmery base. I would prefer a slightly less pigmented shade but again, if very pigmented I swirl the color off on my wrist and then go to the cheek. As I have matured I have switched the location of my blush and have moved it up a bit and have brought it a little further onto the apples of my cheeks. I like the placement better as it accentuates my cheek bones and allows the contour (when I wear it) to have a better line of demarcation.
My favorite blushes are the Ciate Glow to Illuminating blushes, the MAC extra dimension skin finishes and HE brands, Marc Jacobs, Chanel and Becca.
I’m ok with matte or a little bit of shimmer or a satin finish, but glitter is a big no for me on the cheeks (it’s fine on the lids for a night out). I’m not trying to look like I did in middle school while I’m at work. Also, I’m pretty fair skinned, so if it’s on the higher-pigmented end, it’s probably also a no – it’s too easy to over-apply and look like a clown.
Having oily skin it MUST be 100% matte. Thats my only requirement. Glitter, shine, dewiness, and sheen are an oily girl’s worst nemisis.
blushes that hype themselves or are hyped as being very pigmented are usually avoided. i have a couple of Sleek blushes that are beautiful but even with a Suqqu cheek brush, would pick up so much powder! too much work.
A little shimmer is fine. I am starting to develop fine lines so I have to be careful that they are not highlighted. It has to have some pigment, I can apply it with a light hand and blend it out. I purchased the Natasha Denona blush palette and it has cream and powder blushes and I am loving it.
No glitter and not too pigmented because I have a hard time maintaining a light land.
First of all it has to be a soft peachy shade, preferably a mosaic of similar shades, but not essential anymore. I do like a slightly shimmery or satin glow as I prefer a more matte foundation these days.
A matte blush would not be for me.
Exact what you said Christine. I prefer buildable blushes being myself pale/cool toned instead of adding a big punch at once and looking like a clown and a bit of soft glow at my age never hurts. I really like Milani baked blushes or that kind with a slight sheen.
I really, really don’t care for shimmers and shines. Give me a matte, or demi matte, satin matte. If there is shimmer it has to be so very subtle as to be almost undetectable. Clearly, since I don’t like shimmers, I just can’t with highlighters. Some look good in photos, less often in video, but in real life. No, just, no.
Anything that is too greasy or has poor staying power on my oily skin. Anything that oxidizes bright pink or orange on my skin. Anything too bright or dark for my skin tone. Brown blushes don’t work on me unless I’m using something taupe for contour. Anything that’s really hard to blend.
My biggest pet peeve w blush is patchiness so none of that! I prefernsomw sort of glow or shmer as well. And somthing that lasts !
I’ll try anything but when the blush either doesn’t show up at all or looks like a highlighter, I probably won’t use it again. Also, if it’s hard to apply or disappears right away when blended, like a lot of creams tend to, it’s a no for me.
For me deal breakers for considering new cheek products is when there is a bunch of fallout, a unnecessary amount of chunky glitter, the product is very over priced and lack of pigmentation all in one product. If it is a blush I’m purchasing at Family Dollar or Dollar Tree, I’m not expecting much but if a blush is well over $30 and it has all of those disappointing factors, then it’s a total pass/fail for me!