A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I’m a little bit excited to be showing you these today.  I love Urban Decay, I love Blushes and I love cream blushes most of all…

They come packaged in Urban Decay’s signature purple acrylic emblazoned with a silver serpent… for sizing, they’re a hint smaller than a MAC blush… identical to a TopShop cream blush if you have one to compare.  Each pot contains 4g of product which is about standard when compared to Illamasqua, TopShop, Stila… but less than the generous 6g that MAC provides with their blushcremes.

I have two shades that I was sent to show you today:

Quickie is a vibrant, bubblegum pink that leans to the cool side.  Greedy is a plum/grape shade that is also ideal for cooler skin tones.

The first thing I noticed about these cheek tints are the vibrancy.  Both look rather intimidating in the pan, particularly Greedy which is an almost blackened grape shade.

The texture is interesting, there is a huge amount of slip and neither have that creme-to-powder feeling that you often get with cream blushes.

Quickie is shown on the left, Greedy on the right.

The best way that I can describe these is as having Illamasqua’s slip… but with Tarte’s gel-like consistency.  Another comparison would be to NARS Limited Edition multiple sticks they came out with this summer… especially in terms of the sheer, glowy finish these provide.

All in all, it’s a winning combination in terms of blending.  I would happily state that these are the easiest-to-apply cream blushes (sorry, cheek tints) that I’ve used.  They move around on the skin beautifully and don’t muddy or fade during blending.  The obvious downside to this is that they take a while to ‘set’ and until they have, they will transfer onto clothing etc if you’re not careful.

These can also be used on the lips… the texture lends itself to this well.  Feeling more like a balm when you apply, I didn’t experience any dragging or particular dryness though it’s still worth making sure that your lips are well exfoliated beforehand.  Again though, because of the extra slip… I didn’t find them particularly long-lasting when worn this way.

Out of the two shades I was sent, Quickie is punchier and more pigmented.. the above swatch shows two swipes of the shade.  Greedy is sheerer and the above swatch shows a good 4 swipes to achieve that pigmentation.  Not really a bad thing to be honest considering how intense the shade is… it would be easy to go overboard were it more pigmented I feel.

I thought it might be useful to see Greedy applied… out of the two, it’s my favourite but one that I would have probably overlooked simply because of how it appears in the pan.

Greedy gives one of those natural winter flushes of colour to my skin and also looks lovely worn on the lips (shown above).  I wanted to make sure the colour would show on camera so I’ve applied more heavily than I would normally.

I’d recommend these Urban Decay Afterglow Cheek Tints to anyone but particularly if you struggle with getting blush to look natural.  You have to work quite hard to overdo these (though I’m sure that some of us will still manage!)

I’d also say that these would be particularly suited to those of us with older or drier skin, if you’re quite oily… you may fare better with a cream-to-powder formula for increased longevity.  Alternatively, you could always powder over the top of these to ensure a good ‘set’ that will last you throughout the day.

I’m a sucker for cream blush.  Complete and utter sucker.  I love the dewy finish they tend to give and feel more confident in my application and blending than I do with powders.

Which led me to this little purchase…

Blushed Rose #3 is described as a brown pink… it’s definitely a little more brown than pink to my eye.  I think I’d describe it as a pink brown. I know, I know… I’m totally splitting hairs but that description just seems to fit better!

Not very pink is it?

I’ll be honest… I was really dubious about how this would work.  Multi-tasking products are up against it at the best of times.  They promise a lot and often deliver very little , I wasn’t sure how a lip product could successfully double as a cheek product and vice versa.

Still not very pink.

Well… my verdict on Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks?  It’s… ok.

It doesn’t rock my world and it’s not the innovation I was looking for.

I find it a little drying on my lips and a touch too sticky on my cheeks.  Not horrendously so (in either case) but it’s not faultless.  I also feel that once blended, it’s a touch too sheer as a blush.

At £16.50 I do feel that it’s fairly good value… but it’s just not for me.

Have any products disappointed you recently?

When I went to London a few weeks ago, I was on a mission.  I wanted to buy something that I couldn’t get from any of my local stores and I wanted it to be something from a brand that I wasn’t hugely familliar with.

I asked on Twitter and received a suggestion for the Shiseido Accentuating Color Sticks…. cream blushes?  I was all over it.  Like an embarrassing rash.

I’m a sucker for cream blushes, particularly when they’re in stick form like this… the only problem that lay ahead of me now was shade selection.

Three shades had caught my eye and I was truly torn.

Peach Flush, Rosy Flush and Champagne Flush.

Peach Flush looked quite… well… peachy to my eye and I’m always a little fearful of anything warm-toned but I know that when I get the shade right…. peach can really brighten up my complexion and play down the redness in my cheeks.

Rosy Flush was the one I was drawn to naturally… but my only caveat was that it was really quite bright… almost dolly pink rather than a true rose colour.  Less natural looking, but lovely for the Winter nonetheless.

Lastly, Champagne Flush… one of those beautiful shimmering highlighter shades that give that “lit from within” look.  Just a hint of pink pearl…. very lovely, but did I want another highlighter?

I went with Rosy Flush.  I handed over my card, paid my monies and went on my way not entirely sure I’d made the right decision.  Infact, I got as far as the Clinique counter and changed my mind.

Sheepishly, I went back and asked if I could change for a different shade and the counter staff couldn’t have been more accommodating… even going so far as to not treat me like a nuisance… I KNOW!  In SELFRIDGES?  Ah. Mazing.

Wanna know which one I got?

Peach Flush!  Aren’t I brave?

And I love it…

I’m so pleased I changed my mind and went for the less safe option.  The Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick is a sheer cream to powder formula that doesn’t look at all greasyand I find it easier to blend than the NARS multiples (which although I love, I find a bit… tough going?).

Peach Flush really does give me a naturally warm flush and wears beautifully under NARS Orgasm and Deep Throat for a slightly bolder look.  It has a very subtle shimmer that isn’t too apparent once on the cheeks.

I take a little colour from the stick onto my finger tips and apply that way…. although tempting, I wouldn’t recommend applying straight from the tube.  Stripe-o-rama.

The only downside to the Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick is in it’s lasting power… I get about 4 hours wear from it before it disappears.  If I need it to last all day, then I wear it underneath a complementing powder blush.

Of course, now that I’ve bought Peach Flush… I’m desperate to get my hands on Rosy and Champagne too.

Shiseido Accentuating Color Sticks are available from counters nationwide priced at £26 each.

I couldn’t resist picking up the Paul & Joe Creamy Cheek Powder in 01 – Marionette last week in the ASOS sale… it was down from £18 to £11 – steal!

This post is a bit picture heavy… simply because it’s so pretty and I got my new camera and I couldn’t stop snapping.

Read the rest of this entry »

One of my purchases from last week includes an addition to my steadily growing Illamasqua Cream Blush family!

Illasmasqua Cream Blusher in Laid is a beautiful pink that leans toward the berry family… cool toned… almost raspberry-ish.

I love the Illamasqua Cream Blush formula…. it’s all melty, thin and beautifully blendable.  It never clumps or drags on application and despite being heavily pigmented, it’s forgiving in clumsy hands like mine.

I have VexInTheCity to thank for this purchase… I’m such a sheep.  She bought one and I didn’t want to be left out.   You’re not supposed to covet thy neighbours blushes are you?  Or something like that….

On the left is 2 swipes and on the right shows the blush blended.  What other Illamasqua Cream Blushers do you guys recommend?  I already have Sob and Rude…

Oh.. one last thing!  These blushes last SO well on me considering their cream formula… easily 6-8 hours before showing signs of fading.  Though I will say that this is on normal/combo skin.

Illamasqua Cream Blush in Laid is priced at £16 and available from counters nationwide or online.

I was gonna incorporate the Clarins Instant Blush I was sent into a feature on ‘colour-changing’ cosmetics… but then I tried it and decided that it deserved a post on it’s own.  It’s pretty close to blush heaven.

I don’t generally associate Clarins with innovation (sorry Clarins!), but it’s one of those brands that sits over there in that ‘safe’ category of cosmetics.  Maybe it’s the counter staff… in their red & white ensembles, makes me think of Butlins or something.  Either way… the Clarins counter is generally one I don’t spend too long browsing.

The new Clarins Instant Blush is a cream/gel formula that promises to adjust itself to your skintone upon application.  I’m not sure about all these colour changing products… In theory I love the idea!  But I dislike gimmicks with no substance.

I’m feeling particularly sore about these type of products since I swatched the new Bourjois Rose Exclusif onto a piece of paper the day before yesterday and watched it change into the exact same shade it develops on my lips… I’ve gone all skeptical.  That stuff is supposed to give you a unique shade dependant on personal PH levels blah blah blah.  Apparently, I’m as unique as a sheet of A4.  Great.

But back to this (somebody slap me if I go off on a tangent again)…

In fairness, the Clarins Instant Blush doesn’t claim anything about unique shades and PH levels… I think the premise is that it’s just gonna deepen and build intensity when it comes into contact with your skin.

I adore the texture of this product.  It’s a gel/cream… quite thin and vaseline-esque.  It has a lot of slip which makes for easy blending… but being so thin, it’s controllable.  I still have the whole Aunt Sally issue with blush going on, so for me…  the more control the better.

How beautiful is that pink?  Seriously?  The blurb on the website advises that the single shade is suitable for all complexions… it’s totally buildable and the intensity will deepen depending on the number of layers you apply.  On me, it’s quite a cool-toned pink… will it be a slightly different hued pink on olive tones? *shrugs* If you swatch of buy, I’d be really interested to know!

The blush contains some small sparkle… too fine to be glittery and too sparse to be shimmery.  I’m not really sure if the sparkle does much other than look pretty in the pot.

I apply this with my fingers, dotting over the apple of my cheeks and blending backward towards my temples.  The colour builds as soon as you apply, so there’s no guessing games as to what shade you’re gonna achieve ten minutes later.

My one caveat is that it remains quite tacky to the touch for a short while.  It does eventually set… but it’s not immediate.  Having said that, I’ve powdered over it whilst it’s still tacky with no clumping or issues from doing so.  Staying power on my normal/combo skin is great – I didn’t feel the need to reapply on my cheeks until the evening when I was going out.

In the above picture, I’ve also slicked a small amount onto my lips.  I adore this as a lip tint because of the texture.  It’s so thin that it really feels as though my lips are bare.  I hate gloopy lips.  My lips needed another coat by lunchtime to bring the colour back.

All in all, it’s a wonderful multi-tasker in a pretty, pretty pink hue.

Clarins Instant Blush is priced at £16.50 and available on counter or online at Clarins website.

Illamasqua Sob is one of my favourite blushes… the creme texture is a delight and practically blends itself.  The colour is a cool, frivolous candy pink and once on, it doesn’t budge.  Not even in this heat!

Too hot for much makeup…

Face
Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation in Fairly Light
Illamasqua Cream Blush in Sob

Eyes
MUFE Aqua Eyes Pencil in Black
Bourjois 1001 Cils Mascara in Black

Lips
Guerlain Kiss Kiss Maxi Shine in Lychee Shine

Another mini splurge from last week!  I know you’ve seen these 100 times now, sorry!

I only bought two things from the range though, aren’t I good?

I was tempted by the chunky lip pencils and the LE eyeshadow trio too (gold,blue,red one)… but I resisted!

At £6 each, I think these blushes are brilliant value for money and there are some lovely shades available.

Flush is a warm pink… I would say Guava, but I keep going on about Guava shades… *whispers* Guava.

Butterscotch is a natural neutral shade… it’s warm without being orange… lovely!

This is heavily swatched and unblended.

My favourite thing about these blushes is the finish… they’re cream to powder and they blend soooooooo smoothly.  I’m crap at blending and I can blend these with my eyes closed.  They’re completely forgiving to makeup incompetence.

I really hope that Topshop bring out some more shades in the blushers… is there a cool-toned pink in the range? I don’t remember seeing one and I want one!

If you don’t have a Topshop that stocks the range nearby, you can purchase online. Prices start from £4.