Make Up For Ever HD Cream Blush

My freebies: #335 (Fawn) and #410 (Coral)

Yesterday morning, I was up at the highly unnatural time of 6 am in order to catch the gold-medal hockey game. But while I didn’t feel 100%, my face at least looked bright and alert thanks to Make Up For Ever’s new  HD Cream Blush.

I received my new blush for free at MUFE-sponsored event on Saturday morning. Inside the party room of an east-end condo building, I learned about this new product; had a makeup artist select the right shade for me and show me how to apply it; ate some free food and drank some David’s Tea. At the end, I received a gift bag that in addition to my blush shade also contained a MUFE Artisan blush brush (#150), a coupon for a free David’s Tea and a second blush, this one in a coral shade that MUFE says in universally flattering.

So what makes this new blush so special? According to MUFE, it’s all about the ingredients: silicone oils, dry oils and waxes “offer infinite blendability in a long-last formula” while “silica powders and synthetic mica allow for a smooth, comfortable texture, while delivery a satin, soft-focus finish” and “clear mother-of-pearl and pigments give natural colour with a luminous finish for a radiant, healthy glow.”

That’s a mouth-full but it’s also completely accurate. This blush goes on and blends as beautifully as it looks. It really is a creamy and yes, “comfortable” product that works nicely either over or under your finishing powder. And like all MUFE products, this one lasts and lasts. That blush I put on at 6 am? It’s still going strong.

But not too strong; instead, this blush gives me the “extremely natural flush of colour” that MUFE promises.

That colour is #335 (Fawn); a browny shade that I never would have picked out for myself. But as soon as the makeup artist put it on me, I was a fan. It wasn’t too bright or too loud but still added colour. It also added definition thanks to the technique that the makeup artist showed me to use: Start just below the outer tip of my eyebrow and apply over my cheeks in a figure-eight pattern.

The blush is available in 16 shades, and I think most people should be able to find a colour that works on their skin.

Just a few of the colour options

The price might be another matter. Retailing at Sephora for $31, this is not a cheap product. However, because it has high colour pickup and is accurately pigmented, you don’t need a ton of product to get the results you want. This means that one pan of blush should last you months and months.

Would I buy this product: Yes! And no, I’m just saying that because I got this product for free; it really is a great blush (yes, I think even better than my current blush favourite, theBalm’s Instain blush.

Should you buy this product: Are you a regular blush wearer? If so, then yes, you’ll want to pick up one of these new MUFE blushes.

Benefit Benetint

A couple weeks ago I reviewed Stila’s Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Cream. My verdict on that two-in-one product is that it’s an excellent blush but, for me, a poor lip product as the colour just didn’t work on my face. But while that item didn’t quite work out for me, I decided to give another two-in-one lip/blush product a shot: Benefit’s Benetint, which I received in my January 2014 Topbox.

This is a rather odd-looking product. While most lip/blush products are creams or gels, this one is a liquid and a very thin, watery liquid at that. It’s also got quite the story behind it. According to Benefit, this “rose-tinted stain” was originally created for an exotic dancer back in the 1970s.

But since then, this product “has soared to cult fave status” and is now “loved by celebs, makeup artists and gals around the world,” says Benefit. And why do they love it? Because this “is kiss-proof, see-through color for lips and cheeks that lasts for hours. Naturally sheer and sexy on all complexions...it’s innocent yet provocative.”

Stila Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Cream

Any beauty product addict knows that many items can do double-duty. Using lipstick as blush is one of the better-known tricks and it’s this one that Stila’s used to create its Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Cream.

According to the write-up that accompanied my free sample (thanks Sephora!) of this product, “Stila’s multi-tasking convertible color is creamy, sheer tint that adds an inherent glow to the cheeks, while lips bloom with fresh, radiant color.” This “winner of numerous beauty awards” also contains vitamin E, is supposedly non-greasy and somehow provides color that is both “rich” and “translucent.”

theBalm Instain Blush

Swiss Dot

I am not a blush girl. I think it’s because most blushes just look so artificial on my pasty-practically-transparent skin. So I was very happy to discover that theBalm’s Instain blush in Swiss Dot actually looks good on me.

Available in six shades, this “long-wearing, staining powder blush is a fashion must have,” or at least that’s that theBalm claims and I’m actually incline to agree. This blush does indeed last the workday and for me, Swiss Dot provides a natural-looking stain of colour that just works.

While Swiss Dot is on the coral side, other colours are pinker or darker. theBalm says that these colours are “perfect for all seasons and skin tones” and while I’m sure that’s not 100% true, if you’ve ever had issues finding the right shade of blush, Instain is a great place to start.

Pinstripe

This is a pressed blush, which makes it bag-and-travel friendly. Application is easy though to get a sheer look, it should be done with a light hand since this is a fairly pigmented product.

I also really like the packaging. While my blush is actually a deluxe sample that I received in one of my Topboxes, I have seen the full-sized version.  The cute, cardboard packaging in actual quite durable and features a built-in mirror and a magnetic closure.

This blush retails for around $22 and can be found at NailPolishCanada.com, among other retailers.

Would I buy it: Yes! While my sample will likely last me months (a little goes a long way), I will pick up a full-sized version once it’s gone.

Should you buy it: Yes! This a fantastic, user-friendly blush that even people who don’t like blush will love.