Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush

Nars Penny Lane Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a nude pink. It's a very soft and delicate bridal pink with neutral undertones. If you look closely, it has a little bit of a white pearl, but it looks mostly matte on the skin. It's a great every-day blush that you can't really do wrong with. It's very subtle, yet it gives your skin a hint of color that your cheeks need to look healthy and lightly flushed. It's very similar to the effect MAC Cubic Blush would give me (one of my favorite neutrals).

Nars Cream Blushes are a cream to powder formula, and are very soft and creamy to the touch, but they blend into a seamless powder finish on the skin.

For Penny Lane in particular, I've used a few different methods - a small stippling brush, a foundation brush and my fingers. Because the color is so light, it's not a shade that you can easily overdo. So, I don't find a stippling brush to be necessary, as it doesn't apply enough color to the cheeks unless I pack it on the brush. Although I rarely like using my fingers for application of makeup, I find that the fingers give me the best control and color.

To be completely satisfied with the color, I usually apply two layers. I think this blush is best suited for light skintones, but can also work well for light-medium and medium skintones. I'm around the MAC NC35 coloring right now, and I can tell if I were any darker, it may start to show up ashy. If you're darker than the MAC NC40 coloring (medium-dark/tan), you may want to skip, otherwise you can use Penny Lane as a base for a neutral blush that suits your skin better.

Wearing Nars Casino Bronzer all over my face, with Nars Penny Lane on my cheeks and MAC Superb across the top of my cheekbones.

In this photo I'm only wearing Penny Lane on my cheeks.

I often pair this blush with a pink highlight along my cheekbones and it looks gorgeous. I feel that it almost needs that little extra pop. I've been pairing it with MAC Superb Extra Dimension Highlighter, and have been loving it! I've also been using it as a base for Nars Madly Blush, and they seem to work really well together.

The lasting power is decent, but it's not particularly long wearing. I find that it lasting power sometimes depends on the foundation I'm wearing. For instance, after 4 hours it has almost completely faded when I'm wearing Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, but it stays in tact much longer when I'm wearing Estee Lauder Double Wear.

Overall, I'm happy with Penny Lane and I know because of the light color and pigmentation, this is a blush I'll reach for often, and I'm pretty positive I'll easily be able to finish it up.

If you're on the lookout for a soft natural pink "no-blush blush" for every day, Penny Lane is a great choice. For a cheaper alternative with a similar effect, I like using L'Oreal Cherubic Magicsmooth Souffle Blush.

To read additional reviews for Penny Lane, check out Makeupalley.

The Round-Up
Pros:

• Very creamy, blends easily with the fingers
• Natural, powdery finish
• Gives the perfect amount of understated color to the cheeks

Cons:

• Lasting power could be better when worn solo - I typically need a touch-up mid-day.
• May not show up on medium-dark, tan and deep skintones.
• Because the blush is pretty sheer, I need a couple of layers on my medium skin - with daily use I can see myself finishing this blush quickly.

Price: $28, Nars (Sephora no longer carries Nars cream blush online).

E.L.F. Studio HD Blushes Review, Photos and Swatches!

E.L.F. Studio HD Blushes

E.L.F. Studio HD Blushes ($3) are velvety soft cream blushes encased in a pump dispenser. The cream is lightweight, highly pigmented and long wearing.

E.L.F. Studio HD Blush is available in (5) shades: Headliner (natural pink), Superstar (coral), Diva (bright pink), Encore (vibrant rose) and Showstopper (plum raisin).

They look reminiscent of the Make Up Forever HD Blushes ($26), because they essentially have the same packaging and are both named "HD" blushes. They do share some other similarities in that they apply the same way, are both pigmented and long wearing, but the textures are slightly different. The E.L.F. Blush is almost like a creamy cheek stain. I actually find the E.L.F. Blushes easier to work with as the product itself isn't as concentrated as the MUFE Blushes, so it's a bit easier to blend out. They also don't set as quick as the MUFE blushes, so you have a little bit of time to work with them. They have a good amount of silicone in them (although it's not the first ingredient) so if you do well with silicone-based blushes, these blushes should be no exception.

Be warned that they are extremely pigmented. It took me a few tries at first because every time I tried, I applied too much product (which didn't seem like a lot at all). You literally only need a tiny dot for both cheeks. It's a little tricky - you have to be careful not to dispense too much product. I like applying a tiny dot of product on a clean surface, or the back of my hand (sometimes I sanitize the lid of one of my compacts and pump the product directly on the lid) and smooth it out with my fingers and then take a stippling brush and lightly tap the ends of the bristles into the product and then go cheek to cheek applying the blush in circular, buffing motions until blended. Some cream blushes are touchy and can only be stippled on, but these blushes don't deem to disrupt my foundation or make my cheeks look blotchy. I've also applied a dot on each cheek and used a stippling brush to blend with equally good results.

The finish on the skin is very natural, soft and matte.

Swatches from left to right: Headliner, Superstar, Diva, Encore and Showstopper. (please excuse my goosebumps... it was freezing today!)

These blushes also double as lip stains - I don't necessarily find them drying, but they are pretty dry, so applying a lip balm prior is a good idea. I love the way Showstopper looks on my lips. I've been wanting to purchase a berry lip shade for the Fall and I've had my eyes on MAC Rebel Lipstick, but I'm going to hold off for now. (I'll post a photo later)

I've tested them all on my cheeks, and I love them all. I've worn Headliner and Diva for a full day, and both colors held up all day. Impressive! I found Showstopper to be the most difficult shade to get to work on my cheeks because it's so pigmented and deep. I'm still going to play around with it though.

Swatches from left to right: Headliner, Superstar, Diva, Encore and Showstopper.

If you're planning on placing an order with E.L.F. any time soon, these blushes are a must-try! For the price, you really can't beat them! I'm crossing my fingers that they will release additional shades.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Very pigmented color
• Easy to work with
• Very soft and pretty on the cheeks
• Long-lasting
• Lightweight and sanitary packaging
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• Almost too pigmented? You have to be very careful not to apply too much.
• The pump can dispense too much product if you aren't careful.
• There aren't any "natural" shades other than Headliner.

Price: $3 each, E.L.F. Currently 50% off all Studio products with code: ECD2.

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blushes Review, Photos and Swatches!

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blushes ($12.99) are a small range of cream blushes that were released with Revlon's Summer 2012 Collection. They are now part of Revlon PhotoReady's permanent range, so if you've been curious to try them, don't worry, they aren't going anywhere (for now at least).

There are (3) colors to choose from: Flushed (cool pink), Coral Reef (vibrant coral) and Pinched (natural peach).

If cream blushes scare the wits out of you (because some formulas can be tricky to work with), the Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blushes are a good place to start. It's silicone-based (the first ingredient in the blush is dimethicone), so the very smooth texture allows the product to glide easily across the skin. 

The cream is firm  - somewhat like the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge, but they aren't tacky, and they aren't as sticky/greasy as a lip balm. They offer sheer pigmentation with one layer, but are buildable. I find that Coral Reef builds much better than Flushed. Even after several layers Flushed remains quite sheer.

I don't tend to use my fingers much for application of cream blush, but you can literally use anything without messing up. I still prefer using a brush, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a duo-fiber, because of the texture, you can use any blush brush.

They are cased in small, plastic containers with a glossy black screw-top lid, very reminiscent of the older style Bobbi Brown Pot Rouges. They are compact and lightweight, so you can toss them in your bag without weighing down your bag or taking up too much space.

Revlon Coral Reef on my cheeks

Swatches of Flushed and Coral Reef

Of the two, I like Coral Reef a bit better. It's very reminiscent of MAC Optimistic Orange Cremeblend Blush, so if you missed on it, Coral Reef is a good dupe.

The lasting power is pretty decent. I have very balanced skin - never dry or oily, and this blush gets me through most of the day. For oily skin types I can see it fading fairly quick.

The Round-Up
Pros:

• Non-sticky, tacky or greasy
• Easy to work with 
• Natural finish
• Sheer color that is buildable

Cons:

• I'd love to see additional shades! Perhaps some more natural shades?
• When worn without foundation, the color has a tendency to sit in my pores (much like how silicone primer/powders like to sit in the pores) which isn't very noticeable unless you look closely
• Lasting power could be better

Price: $12.99 at your local drugstore. Prices may vary based on location. 

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a deep rose. Deep Rose shades are probably the most flattering shades of blush for my warm, medium skin (with yellow undertones). Constantinople (say that five times fast...) looks just like just that in the pan - a deep, neutral rose.

Now here is my sob story - because of my yellow undertones, this color morphs into a coppery bronze/terracotta shade (This is my polite way of saying orange). I own so many similar shades, so it was a bit of a disappointment that the color didn't stay true. On my cheeks, its pretty similar to MAC Gingerly Blush or even Becca Peach Beach Tint. Nars Lovejoy is also a deep rose shade, but it's much more of a true rose on my cheeks, whereas I don't get rose at all from Constantinople.

So, if you typically have a problem with colors going orange on you (this happens with a huge percentage of my blushes - just about any pink turns into a coral-pink on my cheeks) than, it will most likely happen with this blush. If you have a cool skin tone, I can see this blush showing up truer to pan.

Now that I got that out of the way, the actual performance of this blush is fantastic. It's super creamy and super pigmented - I found it to be creamier than Lokoum (the only other Nars Cream Blush I own). Because it's pigmented and creamy, it can pick up a lot of product, even with a duo-fiber brush. So, I typically like to dab my middle and ring finger on the surface and dab it on my cheeks, and then use a duo-fiber brush to blend.

I'd say the color lasts a good 5-6 hours on me before it's almost gone. Dusting a light powder over top extends the wear by a bit.

This blush didn't really win me over - Don't get me wrong, it's pretty, but it's not at all what I hoped it would be. I have way more than enough blushes that look almost the same on my cheeks. Nevertheless, I do really like the formula of Nars Blushes, so this won't be my last Nars Cream Blush!

And like I said, those with cooler skin tones would probably benefit better from this blush. I could see it giving perfectly flushed cheeks to the right skin tone.

What do you think of Nars Cream Blush? Have any favorites?

The Round-Up
Pros:

• Creamy
• Very pigmented
• Easy to work with - I like using my fingers to apply the right amount of product to my cheeks and blending with a brush.

Cons:

• Turns orange on my cheeks - no rose tones what-so-ever

Price: $28, Nars.

MAC Florida Cremeblend Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Florida Cremeblend Blush

MAC Florida Cremeblend Blush ($20) is a bright, cool pink cream blush. Florida was originally released back in the beginning of 2010 with the MAC in Lillyland Collection and was re-released earlier this year in the MAC Shop MAC, Cook MAC Collection. I'm always game for anything that's hot pink, so when I saw this blush in a recent blog sale, I couldn't resist. It's a limited edition shade, so sadly it's no longer available.

With a sheer layer, it gives my cheeks a natural cool, dolly pink hue that looks soft and fresh. The color can be built very easily (as it's very pigmented) to a more vibrant pink if you like your blush to be prominent. I absolutely love this blush, and I know it's going to be one of my frequently used products.

In general, I like applying cream blush with a small duo-fiber stippling brush (I use a MAC 131 Brush, although many like to use a 188 Brush). You can use your fingers, but in my experience, a brush disturbs my foundation less. I sometimes like using my fingers and with no pressure at all, sweep my fingertips across the edges to diffuse the edges.

MAC Florida swatched on the back of my hand.

As always, cream blushes work great as a base for powder blush, so if notice that your power blush tends to disappear after a few hours, applying a very light layer of a similar colored cream blush on the cheeks and dusting a light coat of powder blush over top will give you much longer lasting cheek color. You can also layer a pink or peach highlight over top for fresh, glowing cheeks.

With a color like Florida, any pink - cool or warm would work well together.

I also love the way this color looks dabbed on my lips! It gives them a nice natural, vibrant pink stain. 

Comparisons from left to right: MAC Florida Cremeblend Blush, MAC Dollymix Blush, D&G Provocative Blush and Bobbi Brown Pale Pink Blush.

If you love pink cheeks, and you can get your hands on this blush through a blog sale, swap, discount site or outlet store, I'd highly recommend it! It has nothing but positive reviews on Makeupalley (view here).

*Fun fact: This blush was new prior to the photos, but literally after the first photo I took, the blush slipped out of my hands in slow motion (well, not really. It happened pretty quick, actually), falling face forward into the dirt Every molecule of dirt stuck to the surface, so I ended up scraping the heck out of the surface, which is why it's looking like it has seen better days.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Pigmented - builds easily without looking patchy
• Easy to blend - a stippling brush is my preferred application for a natural flush
• Despite the brightness of the color in the pan, it looks very natural on the cheeks
• Works great as a base for powder blush
• Wears well throughout the day
• Looks great on the lips as well

Cons:

• None, this is quite possibly my favorite cool pink blush!

Price: $20, MAC. Florida is a Limited Edition shade and is not currently available on the MAC website. It's available on AllCosmeticsWholesale for $40, but I don't know if I'd pay that much.

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush ($26) is a matte, neutral mid-tone pink. Because it has a good balance of cool and warm tones, #5 is a flattering pink on most skin tones. It has a little bit of vibrancy to the color, but it's also not too "barbie doll". It warms up quite nicely on my warm, medium skin tone.

If you aren't familiar with Make Up For Ever HD Blushes; they are a lightweight, yet dense cream that is dispensed in a pump tube. The formula is intensely pigmented, and a little goes a long way.

My favorite application method is using a duo-fiber stippling brush. I usually pump a small amount of product on a clean surface (I sometimes use the lid of one of my freshly sanitized mirrored compacts) and dip the brush in the product with light tapping motions to evenly coat the ends of the bristles. Then, stipple it on my cheeks, and blend upward until blended. You kind of have to work with it quickly, as it does dry pretty fast.

The formula might take a little getting use to at first, but after using it a few times, it should be a breeze.

#5 Nip Slip

I'm indifferent when it comes to the packaging. I like it, but I don't love it. It's a nice idea overall to place a cream blush in a dispensable container because the problem with cream blushes is that they aren't very sanitary (bacteria needs moisture to grow), sometimes you might use your fingers, sometimes you might use a brush, and almost always the surface of your cream brushes somehow has attracted lint, fibers, dust, etc. Also, many times the surface will dry out. The packaging for the MUFE HD Blushes eliminates all of that and keeps the product inside clean and fresh.

The only problem is that convenience-wise, the standard cream blush compact packaging works better.

Overall though, I am a fan of these blushes, and will continue to try additional shades. Despite them sometimes being a pain to use, it can be overlooked because of the beautiful color selection, bold pigmentation and long lasting power.

Comparison swatches from left to right: MUFE HD #5 Nip Slip, MAC Fleur Power, MAC Dollymix, Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Natural, Physician's Formula Matchmaker Blush in Natural.

Although it doesn't look like it by the swatches, but on the cheeks, I can't tell the difference between MUFE HD #5, MAC Fleur Power and Physician's Formula Matchmaker Blush in the shade Natural. Nip Slip turns into a warm pink once it hits my cheeks (all pinks do because of the yellow tones in my skin), which kind of bums me out, but it's still a color I really love.

I've also reviewed #10 Skinny Dipping in the past, so if you're interested, check out that review as well!

Have you tried the HD blushes? Are you a fan?

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Very pigmented color  — a small amount goes a long way.
• Will work well on a wide variety of skin tones for a natural, flushed pink.
• Dries quickly without leaving the cheeks feeling tacky.
• Long-lasting; better lasting power than many.
• Nice, lightweight packaging for travel, sanitary and keeps product fresh.

Cons:

• Can sometimes be difficult to work with, mostly because the actual formula isn't very wet, and it dries quickly.
• You have to be very careful and dispense the product with a very light hand as it can dispense too much product.
• A bit expensive, yet it should last a long time with daily use. 

Price: $26, Sephora.

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush ($26) is a matte, neutral mid-tone pink. Because it has a good balance of cool and warm tones, #5 is a flattering pink on most skin tones. It has a little bit of vibrancy to the color, but it's also not too "barbie doll". It warms up quite nicely on my warm, medium skin tone.

If you aren't familiar with Make Up For Ever HD Blushes; they are a lightweight, yet dense cream that is dispensed in a pump tube. The formula is intensely pigmented, and a little goes a long way.

My favorite application method is using a duo-fiber stippling brush. I usually pump a small amount of product on a clean surface (I sometimes use the lid of one of my freshly sanitized mirrored compacts) and dip the brush in the product with light tapping motions to evenly coat the ends of the bristles. Then, stipple it on my cheeks, and blend upward until blended. You kind of have to work with it quickly, as it does dry pretty fast.

The formula might take a little getting use to at first, but after using it a few times, it should be a breeze.

#5 Nip Slip

I'm indifferent when it comes to the packaging. I like it, but I don't love it. It's a nice idea overall to place a cream blush in a dispensable container because the problem with cream blushes is that they aren't very sanitary (bacteria needs moisture to grow), sometimes you might use your fingers, sometimes you might use a brush, and almost always the surface of your cream brushes somehow has attracted lint, fibers, dust, etc. Also, many times the surface will dry out. The packaging for the MUFE HD Blushes eliminates all of that and keeps the product inside clean and fresh.

The only problem is that convenience-wise, the standard cream blush compact packaging works better.

Overall though, I am a fan of these blushes, and will continue to try additional shades. Despite them sometimes being a pain to use, it can be overlooked because of the beautiful color selection, bold pigmentation and long lasting power.

Comparison swatches from left to right: MUFE HD #5 Nip Slip, MAC Fleur Power, MAC Dollymix, Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Natural, Physician's Formula Matchmaker Blush in Natural.

Although it doesn't look like it by the swatches, but on the cheeks, I can't tell the difference between MUFE HD #5, MAC Fleur Power and Physician's Formula Matchmaker Blush in the shade Natural. Nip Slip turns into a warm pink once it hits my cheeks (all pinks do because of the yellow tones in my skin), which kind of bums me out, but it's still a color I really love.

I've also reviewed #10 Skinny Dipping in the past, so if you're interested, check out that review as well!

Have you tried the HD blushes? Are you a fan?

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Very pigmented color  � a small amount goes a long way.
• Will work well on a wide variety of skin tones for a natural, flushed pink.
• Dries quickly without leaving the cheeks feeling tacky.
• Long-lasting; better lasting power than many.
• Nice, lightweight packaging for travel, sanitary and keeps product fresh.

Cons:

• Can sometimes be difficult to work with, mostly because the actual formula isn't very wet, and it dries quickly.
• You have to be very careful and dispense the product with a very light hand as it can dispense too much product.
• A bit expensive, yet it should last a long time with daily use. 

Price: $26, Sephora.

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush ($28) is described as a warm, rose coral with shimmer. Depending on your skintone, it may show up differently  —  on my skin, the color shows up as a warm, copper-coral. Somewhat similar to MAC Gingerly or Coppertone. Although it looks raspberry toned in the pan, it doesn't read the same on my cheeks, which could be due to the warm yellow tones in my skin.

Nars Cream blush has a soft, velvety texture and blends to a powdery finish. I'm happy to finally say that I own a cream blush from Nars, considering I've loved their powder blushes for a long time and own several shades. For those who find cream blush intimidating, Nars is a nice place to start as the formula isn't thick, sticky/tacky, or greasy. It's very easy to work with and the color can be built up easily. The fingers can be used, but with a shade as pigmented as Lokoum, I find that a stippling brush works best. MAC #131 brush is my favorite brush for most cream blushes, but it's sadly only a limited edition brush. Any duo-fiber brush should work just as well.

Considering this shade in particular contains shimmer, I was hoping for it to make my cheeks somewhat dewy/glowy (like Becca Frangipani Cream Blush  —  my fav!) but I didn't really get enough of the glow I wanted. This may not bother many, as most of us try to avoid anything remotely shimmery.

Swatches from left to right: Nars Lokoum Cream Blush, MAC Pleasureful Blushcreme (discontinued), MAC Gingerly Blush and Nars Lokoum Cream Blush blended. 

Although I thought Lokoum looked similar to many of my blushes, when I swatched them, I didn't get any exact matches. MAC Pleasureful is similar, but deeper and less coral. Gingerly is more orange brown, less red. It probably strikes the most resemblance to MAC Margin Blush (not pictured), but less shimmery/frosty.

Overall, I like the formula of the blush, but I'm not 100% sold on Lokoum. I originally thought it was going to be more raspberry toned (which is a very flattering color on me) but it's a standard red-coral, which flatters my medium skintone as well, but it's nothing that I find very unique. It does lightly sparkle on my cheeks, but I was expecting more of a dewy-glow, which is something I expect with a cream blush. It's still a nice product overall, and I would try other shades. I've had my eyes on Penny Lane for ages. If you don't own a shade like this, it may be something you'd really enjoy.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Gives the cheeks a natural, sun-kissed look. 
• Pigmented formula.
• Satin texture that is easy to blend.
• Wears well throughout the day without feeling sticky, tacky or greasy. 
• Layers well with powder blushes.

Cons:

• Doesn't leave my cheeks looking dewy and fresh like most cream blushes - it has a powder finish. (this can be a pro or con based on your preference)
• The lasting power isn't bad, but it has mostly faded by the end of the day.

Price: $28, Nars.