MAC Optimistic Orange Cremeblend Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Optimistic Orange Cremeblend Blush

MAC Optimistic Orange Cremeblend Blush ($20) is a re-promote in MAC's newest Cook M.A.C Collection (online now, and hits stores on the 9th in North America) from their previous Lillyland 2010 Collection. 

Optimistic Orange is a vibrant tangerine orange. It's actually a fairly cool toned orange, that lacks a strong yellow tone. On the cheeks it has a reddish-pink tint to it, so it looks more like a coral-orange, rather than just plain orange. When worn in a sheer layer, it's a lovely peach shade. 

A little goes a very long way with this blush, as it's very pigmented. My favorite way of applying this blush is with a duo-fiber brush, such as the MAC #131. I lightly dip the tips of the bristles in the product, then lightly dab the brush on a piece of paper (or the back of my hand) and then lightly dab it on my cheeks, and blend in  small circular motions. The reason I dab it off before applying it directly to my cheeks is to prevent applying too much color at once. If I've applied too much, I'll go back over the area with a kabuki brush and a little finishing powder to lighten it up.

If you aren't familiar with MAC Cremeblend blushes, they are very different than their older formula Blushcremes. They aren't sticky or oily and they have a rather matte finish opposed to a dewy finish. They don't leave your skin feeling tacky or heavy. They're light on the skin, comfortable, and easy to work with. I definitely recommend using a brush for application though, rather than your fingers. In my experience, it works so much better.

The lasting power is also very good. I still have color on my cheeks after 8 hours (I have very normal skin - this can differ for those with a different skin type).

Optimistic Orange is lovely when worn solo, but I also like layering a golden-yellow highlight over top to give the illusion of a warmer yellow-orange. To do this, I usually use a couple of my old favorites - Chanel Gold Fever Highlighter (very similar to Chanel Or Joues Contraste from their recent Byzance Collection), MAC New Vegas Mineralize Skinfinish or even Nars Albatross. To give it a more coral-pink appearance, a pink highlight or a light layer of a pink blush looks beautiful layered over top. This helps prolong the wear of the blush as well.

Swatches:

Here is what it looks like on my cheeks. Right now I don't have any self tanner on, so I'm very fair (around MAC NC15-20) and I'm not wearing any other cheek products. On my current skintone, it's a soft, pinked peach. When I'm tan (around MAC NC30-40) it's a more vibrant coral.

(Eek! You can see all of my sunspots through my foundation.. haha)

**All I have on my eyes is Maybelline Bold Gold Color Tattoo Eyeshadow, and I lined my eyes with Physician's Formula Eye Booster Eyeliner in Deep Brown.

I have seen this blush on a variety of skintones, and it looks flattering on every skin color! I had to include this photo I came across. I love the pink tones that come out when worn on deeper skintones.

If you already own a few peach colored blushes (MAC Peaches, Illamasqua Lover, Nars Gina, etc), this probably isn't a must-have for you. But if you're in the market for a peach blush and you're a fan of cream formulas, this may be a good one to look into!