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What are your weaknesses when it comes to blushes?

At least medium coverage, if not mostly opaque coverage, with a cream-powder like feel and a pearl to metallic finish! And if they make it in coral… 😉

— Christine

36 Comments

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Pearl Avatar

Not really ever seeing a need or what all the fuss is about until recently, I went from not ever buying any to buying whole collections/releases. I am rotating through them, but many of the shades are so similar that I realize now I could have gotten away with much, much less. I think it was a combination of not knowing how to use it and thinking that I needed to have an arsenal when I did learn how, and also that used to be the area where my collection was ‘light’ and I was trying to fill in holes. So as far as a weakness goes, at this point, I think it’s “oh, that’s pretty!” or brand. I like Tom Ford, MAC and Chanel blushes, though I only own 1 Chanel blush. I would love to start collecting Chanel blushes but I don’t have a need and I’d feel overwhelmed at having so much go unused.

RIght now, I love the MAC Extra Dimension blushes – they have the pigmentation and longevity I want. I like how you can sheer them out or build them up. Whatever you call that finish between subtle sheen and luminosity, they have it and I love it.

Raeanne Madison Avatar

Anything and everything. Besides lip products, blushes are my favorite product to play around with. I really love anything with a natural sheen or highlighting effect, in the colors nude/brown, copper, berry, or purple.

Ginny Avatar

Clinique Cheek Pops lol. Or something with a thinner feel and a satin finish with a skin-like sheen. Anything too dense or powdery tends to look too “there” on my cheeks. The Cheek Pops are basically perfect, but I also like MAC Sheertones and the mattes from Sleek.

xamyx Avatar

None, really… Blush is probably the one product which I scrutinize every purchase. I’m *extremely* picky about base/complexion products, and I prefer my blush to actually be a color I would naturally “blush”. I also always use highlighter, so I don’t really care for shimmery blush.

AB Avatar

First and foremost — the right color; my new project is to find the perfect one in terms of color; so far, all I have are ‘almosts’. Then, in order: powder (not cream); more satin/matte than shimmery; pigmentation and staying power; portability/hardiness for travel.

Celia Avatar

An easily blendable formula that I can wear as sheer or intense as I please. But also interesting colors more than anything else. Lavenders, lilacs, extremely hot blue-pinks (NARS Coeur Battant is still my favorite), bright reds, plummy berries, rosey mauves, etc. I also like longevity for blush as unless it’s a stick I’m not likely to reapply throughout the day.

Raeanne Avatar

Nancy, I SWEAR you’re my sister in another dimension. We have very similar skin tones/undertones (it’s not every day you see someone with olive undertones) and consequently we love many of the same products. UD Rapture is a fave of mine as well. I always creep on your comments but never reply. So HI 🙂

Mariella Avatar

Finishes with a sheen to them – MAC’s Sheertone Shimmer used to be my favourite finish but it now has company from the Extra Dimension and some of the Mineralize blush finishes, also from MAC. Colour-wise, a true pink (Dior Rosy Glow Awakening Blush) or something rose toned (MAC Sweet Sentiment) or plum (MAC Plum Foolery, for example) – so the cool toned shades rather than peach or coral.

Deborah S. Avatar

Sheer to medium coverage but buildable. I prefer to build my blush slowly rather than trying to correct too much pigment. Having said that, if the blush is more pigmented and I know this then I buff a little off on my wrist before applying. I prefer blushes that have a satin finish or a little shimmer but no glitter and no beaming to the heavens. Of course, we all want our blushes to blend out nicely and not appear as if they are sitting on our skin but rather give us that flushed from within look. I prefer berries, plums, pinks and a couple of more neutral leaning blushes to wear with red lips.

Kat Avatar

I just really adore blush! My ideal blush is medium opacity and easily blendable, but it both builds up and sheers out easily, which can be quite hard to find. I love satin to subtly luminous finishes, and shades anywhere from nudes to pinks to peaches, and even reds on occasion. The only blushes I won’t wear are purples, and that’s just because I find that they’ve got a lot of contrast with my neutral-olive skintone. I do prefer powders over creams because they won’t lift my base, but I can work with a super-blendable cream on occasion.

Denise Avatar

I am super fussy with my blush. Perhaps its because I don’t like it to look fake. Like a soft,natural looking blush. I love Chanel blush, sometimes Hourglass. Yves Saint Laurent had a dual blush that is nice. Tom Ford has grown on me too.Oh yes and Charlotte Tilbury is on top of my list.

Mary Avatar

Blush was one of those products that I didn’t really spend too much on , low drug store to mid range throw in a few Channels or YSL’s as long as I liked the color .
Until…… I decided I didn’t want drying talc in my blushes , believe me that really narrows the field , now I know I’m late to the party but just recently I decided to try Hourglass Electra incandescent Strobe blush and it really blew me away …lasts all day, gives a soft glow , blends like a dream and on me it says it’s a cool peach but reads once it warms to my skin like a coral.?

Wednesday Avatar

I have quite a stash, blush was a long time obsession but I am far less blush driven than I used to be. For the past couple of years, it has become more important for me to wear shades which do not look like visible colour. I want the blush to shape my cheeks, not look like discs of colour. Gosh struggling here because I don’t mean natural or nude either. . My face has become more gaunt as I have aged and consequently I wear softer/muted colours high on cheekbone to emphasize bone structure rather than look like a flush. Does that make any sense?

I like sheer to medium blushes spanning satin to the more shimmery blush/highlight hybrids. I like layering the hybrids on top of traditional blushes. Soft plums, rose, lavender, muted pinks.. anything subtle yet nuanced.

Brenda C Avatar

Wwendy, I know exactly what you mean about your face becoming more gaunt. Mine used to be rounder. Now as I am aging I am losing the roundness and my cheeks are starting to hollow out so applying my blush has changed to emphasizing my bone structure as well.

I like a medium lavender, pinkish, to rose blushes in a satin finish. I do put a touch of highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones.

Jeannie Avatar

I really love blush. I love blushes that are pigmented and easy to buff or blend. I love blushes that don’t fade. I love colorful blushes that brighten my face and make me feel happy. I love when someone says that blush is beautiful ;D.

I like the intense red orange of Nars Exhibit A and UD Bang applied with a light hand. Love Exhibit A so beautiful and prettier than Bang in my opinion. I like to use a fluffy Real Techniques Blush Brush as it allows for a gentle light application and buffs beautifully.

The plummy/berry shades of Mac Love Thing, Tarte Blushing Bride, Tarte Flush-the older version, and UD Rapture are favorites of mine.
I love pinks like UD Urban Decay Quiver, Chanel Emotion, Tarte Natural Beauty, and UD Crush.

I love Hourglass Iridescent Flash and Mood Exposure. I also like Tarte Exposed which I consider my one and only nude/neutral blush.

I am constantly on the search for the Burgundyish/Plummy blush of my high school years which was made by Helena Rubenstein.

I don’t purchase coral blushes as I feel they make me look to washed out or something. I honestly don’t find them brightening and/or appealing to my eye in the pan.

Tracey E. Avatar

I have a blush weekend for Tom Ford and Chanel blushes, and generally for shades or finishes that are new or materially different to what I own. I do like interesting packaging and designs but they have to be backed by a solid product. Past weaknesses have included Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson Colour of Youth blush (highlighter, and cream bronze and glow), Chanel Harmony releases, and Tom Ford original formula blushes.

Silvia Avatar

Besides loving almost every lipstick shade and consistency (favorite being martes actually cause they last like nothing else I have tried) my real best friend and badly most needed beauty item is blush! This past two years I bought plenty. I like them light and be able to build the color instead of packing a punch with the first touch of a brush. I used to love pinks then ventured out into berries, mauves. Coral, peaches. Still will always love pink! Reds I like but they come on too overpowering. Love to blend a pink with a coral or peach and get a beautiful perfect shade. Loving mixing the light lilacs and lavenders as a light highliter on top of cheeks. So pretty! Past years I also build up my eyeshadows collection. 🙂

Veronica_1017 Avatar

My all time favorite beauty product; I’m an olive medium skin tone and Iike all colors and formulas…I have oily skin and even like cream blushes. Cream blush I recently discovered was revlon photoready in coral reef. Depending on my mood I’ll go matte or luminous/satin but overall I like longevity. Some brands I really enjoy r nars (lovejoy, taos, sin, dolce vita, torrid), the balm (houndstooth, cabana boy) Becca (dahlia, blushed copper) and mac (gentle, peaches, melba, devil, full fushia, blushbaby, gingerly)…I know I’m leaving many favorites off. I just love blush guys?

Diana Avatar

Yes! Love Mood Exposure! I’m older (50) and it works for me. Also Bobbi Brown Antigua Illuminating Bronzer is a dusty pink I use as blush.

Bonnie Avatar

I don’t really have a weakness for blush, but I do have preferences. I really need a blush that shows up, that blends the edges easily without losing the color. Generally the deeper the better, but I’ve had some great pale blushes too. They just need to have pigment.

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