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. 

Milani Sweet Rose Minerals Blush Review!

Milani Sweet Rose Minerals Blush

I recently picked up three of the four Milani Minerals Blushes once they were marked clearance (75% off) at CVS. (View the post here, with swatches) Well, a couple of weeks ago, I walked into another CVS and noticed they still had several of the clearance products without clearance tags. So, I scanned them, and sure enough they were 75% off. I grabbed a couple of powders, a bronzer and the only blush I didn't purchase prior; Sweet Rose.

Sweet Rose is a dusty plummy-pink with rosy undertones. It's a very natural, every-day kind of color that won't clash with most of your makeup looks. I initially skipped purchasing this blush at first because I figured the purple tone would make me look ashy. But, I was very wrong. You don't see much red in the pan, but once the color hits my cheeks, it mimics the rosy hue my cheeks would turn after a jog.

All of the shades in this range are pretty pigmented, especially Mai-Tai and Sunset Beach, and I expected the same from Sweet Rose, but it's actually a little less pigmented with one tap of the brush. It doesn't lack in pigmentation overall - it does pack a good amount of color, and is very buildable. It's just not one of those blushes you have to be nervous about over-doing.

It's my favorite blush from the range, as I easily favor shades that can be worn the most often.

Milani puts emphasis that this blush is talc-free and non-irritating. So for those sensitive to talc, this may be a range to look into. (For the full ingredient list, scroll down to the end of the review.)

Milani Sweet Rose Minerals Blush

READ MORE!

I'm not too crazy about the packaging - it's a little bulky and I notice with many Milani products, the words printed on the plastic lid fade/chip off shortly after using the product on a regular basis. It does have a mirror, which is wonderful for touch-ups. There is also a brush, which I don't find useful at all. It's too scratchy and doesn't yield even application. Most brushes included in drugstore products don't work well anyway, so I wouldn't hold it against this product.

Here's a quick swatch of the color across my fingers.

And, here's what a light dusting of Sweet Rose looks like on my cheeks. I notice that when I wear this blush without foundation, the color is a little redder/rosier.

I thought it may compare to MAC Blushbaby Powder Blush, but upon closer inspection, Blushbaby is much warmer and ruddy, whereas Sweet Rose is pinker.

I've looked over several reviews for this blush, and it appears to work well for most skintones from light to dark.

I believe Milani is discontinuing this line of blushes, so it may become hard to find with time, but if you do come across this blush on Clearance, and are looking for a natural, rosy blush, this is a pretty good one. I only paid about $2 for this blush, and I'd say it's totally worth it.

Ingredients: Mica, Kaolin, Squakane, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Stearate, Silica, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Potassium Sorbate, Lauroyl Lysine, Tourmaline, Malachite Extract. +/- MAY CONTAIN: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI 77289), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Blue 1 Lake (CI42090).

Price: Around $2 on Clearance at CVS, but can be found at various online retailers, such as Cherryculture for about $6.

L'Oreal Cherubic Magicsmooth Souffle Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

L'Oreal Magicsmooth Souffle Blush in Cherubic

At the start of 2011, L'Oreal launched their Magicsmooth Souffle Makeup, a whipped, airy mousse foundation promising to create a poreless, and flawless finish. It took a year for L'Oreal to add a few blushes to the line, launching the L'Oreal Magicsmooth Souffle Blush at the start of this year. 

There are four (4) shades in total: Celestial (pale pink), Cherubic (warm rose), Angelic (warm peach-pink) and Plume (dusty plum).

All of the shades are very subtle and won't deliver intense color. If you like very light, neutral shades to add just a hint of color to your cheeks, you may enjoy the color selection.

From the swatches I've seen on other blogs, I took the strongest liking to Cherubic - a natural, dusty rose.

Like the foundation, this blush has the same mousse texture that is suppose to glide on the skin with ease, and diffuse into an ultra-soft, natural finish.

I tried using a stippling brush like I do with most of my cream blushes, and it worked fine, but my favorite brush to use is the Real Techniques Blush Brush. It's a tapered, domed synthetic brush with ultra soft bristles. Just a tiny tap of the product on the tip of the brush, and I'll swirl it into my cheeks for a little bit of color.

I've been wearing it on the days where I don't want my cheek color to overpower my eye makeup (if I'm wearing a lot on my eyes) and on days where I've gone bronzer happy and still need a little color on my cheeks without looking like I'm wearing too much makeup.

L'Oreal Magicsmooth Souffle Blush in Cherubic

I'll admit, I was a little nervous to try this product because the only reviews that I read for this product weren't all that positive. (The Gloss Goss called it a "product fail" and Makeup and Beauty Blog rated the blushes a C+, saying that you'll need almost perfect skin to pull them off.)

Many of the reviews complained about a shimmer, but I didn't find shimmer present in Cherubic. Upon close inspection you may find a tiny sparkle or two, but nothing at all noticeable (which makes me wonder why it's there in the first place).

I didn't care at all that this blush might possibly be too sheer, because I actually like products that you can actually go a little hand-heavy without worrying about looking like a clown. Not to mention you're able to finish the product up faster (which I see as a good thing! I feel accomplished when I finish a product!) I tend to use those products more and shy away from products where you have to use the lightest touch and you'll never end up finishing (like many of my Nars blushes).

To my surprise, it's not at all as sheer as I expected. It actually has pretty good pigmentation and is very buildable with an additional layer. I'm assuming they'd work the best on lighter skintones, as on Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog (Medium-tan, MAC NC42), Celestial and Angelic looked non-existent on her cheeks. 

With my Real Techniques Blush Brush, it blends so well across my cheeks and doesn't leave a harsh edge. Just a very natural color, with a very natural finish.

MAC Blushbaby and Cubic are a couple of my go-to blush colors, and I think I prefer this blush over both of them. It's a little more natural than Blushbaby and a little more pigmented than Cubic. It also warms up to my skintone better than the other two.

Lastly, it seemed to last well on my cheeks throughout the day. Of course the color is completely gone by bed-time, but it's still present mid-day, which is always a good thing.

L'Oreal Magicsmooth Souffle Blush in Cherubic

Here is the blush blended with my fingers on the back of my hand.

I'm guessing these blushes would work best on those with normal skin. They may possibly have too much slip to them for those with very oily skin and can possibly accentuate dryness for those with dry skin. If you enjoy mousse products in general, and are a fan of Maybelline Dream Matte Blushes, these may be worth a try. I think Cherubic is probably the best shade of the four. 

They are a little expensive, at around $13 each, but if you catch a good sale, it'd be worth a try!

On a side note: I really like the packaging. It's actually what drew me into wanting it in the first place. Isn't that funny? 

Have you tried any of these blushes? What'd ya think?

Physician's Formula Natural pH Matchmaker Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Physician's Formula pH Matchmaker Natural Blush

Physician's Formula came out with a bunch of new products for the new year, including a whole new line called "pH Matchmaker". What is basically is, is makeup that adapts to the pH - or body chemistry of your skin. Once the makeup is applied, within one minute it will adapt to your skin. As far as I know, there are a couple of blushes, bronzers and lip glosses in the line.

Have you heard of MAC Matchmaster Foundation or Smashbox O-Gloss? Pretty much the same concept. It's basically a product that will work with your individual skin - and may or may not look the same on you as it does on your friend. It's kind of like your own "custom" match. For more information and before & after photos, check out the Physician's Formula site (here).

I wasn't too interested in trying out another bronzer or lipgloss, but I was very interested in trying out the blush. There are two shades of blush in total: Natural and Rose. Rose was actually sold out at my CVS, so I picked up Natural. 

Natural is a vibrant, warm watermelon pink with a satin finish.

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT DETAILS: 

-1st Ever Blush with pH Power Complex transforms into your perfectly personalized hue.
-Fluorescein Based Dye-senses the pH level of your skin & adjusts within 60 seconds to create your perfect blushing glow.
-Photochronic Powders-light adjusting pigments adapt to your environment so color looks the same indoors & outside.

Physician's Formula pH Matchmaker Natural Blush 

Physician's Formula pH Matchmaker Blush

Physician's Formula pH Matchmaker Blush

One thing that's flippin' amazing about this blush, as well as all of the pH Matchmaker products, is they all are equipped with LED lights! I can't even begin to tell you how handy it is having a lighted compact mirror for touch ups at night. Especially for those who don't have a vanity mirror in their car.

I'm not sure if you can spot it in the photo, but there is a tiny switch above the light on the right-hand side. You simply slide it up to turn the light off, and slide it down to turn it back off before closing the compact.

It's the classic style of Physician's Formula packaging - the blush pan lifts up, revealing a small compartment that houses a flat brush.

With most (okay, all) of the other PF products I own, the blushes are scratchy and useless. This brush is actually a step up from those brushes. It's still slightly scratchy, but completely usable and 100X better than the brushes included with their bronzers, happy boosters, etc.

So, the actual performance of the product. Although it does sound a little gimmicky - I'm a huge fan of this particular blush. I don't really notice any changes of the blush a minute after it's been applied - on my skin at least, it's pretty true to what to you see in the pan.

It's a lovely, flattering shade that brightens up my face. It's actually a perfect spring/summer shade!

What I have to say most impressed me about this blush is the wear time. It is said to last for 14 hours, and although I can't say I've worn it for 14 hours, after 8 hours, my blush is still as vibrant as it looked when it was first applied. That's pretty difficult to say about any blush. I wouldn't doubt for a moment that it wouldn't last a few hours more. A definite A+ for wear time!

Want to score this blush for $10 less? CVS is currently (till the 3rd?) having a sale on Physician's Formula products. If you purchase $10 of PF products, you'll receive $7 extra-cash at checkout. Also, at my CVS, there was $3 OFF coupons stuck to most of the PF pH products that you can use at check-out. The blush was $12.99, minus the $3 coupon, making the blush $9.99. With using your CVS card, $7 extra-cash will print out, making this blush $3!

What'd you think? Pretty cool product, huh? Have you tried anything from this line?

75% OFF Select Milani Cosmetics at your local CVS!

As a beauty blogger, I pretty much have a weekly routine of checking out my local drugstore makeup aisles, taking note of all of the new sales and product displays. My drugstore of "choice" is CVS Pharmacy, as most of the time, I fine a little gem in the rough, ticketed to a price too good to pass up.

Sometimes there aren't any good sales going on, but I always make sure to quickly scan each brand section, looking for a little neon orange sticker. That wonderful little sticker means that the item is a whopping 75% off. 

So you can imagine my excitement last night when several items on the Milani Cosmetics Display had orange labels on them! In my opinion, Milani is an awesome brand. You don't hear too much about the brand because they don't do much advertising, are hard-to-find, a little pricey, and they rarely ever go on sale! 

Not everything is on clearance, but there is a good number of bronzers, blushes, nail polishes, nail art pens, eye liners, lipsticks, etc, that are all a part of the amazing deal. 

*Note, if you go to your local CVS and don't see labels on the Milani cosmetics, make sure to take some (select) items to the price-checker, as they should scan the clearance price.

Onto the goodies I purchased!

Milani Minerals Blush is a talc-free pressed mineral powder blush. It's lightweight, pigmented and has a smooth finish. It's available in 4 shades: Sunset Beach, Mai-Tai, Luminous and Sweet Rose. I purchased 3 of the four shades, and have yet to test them out on my face, but I'm excited to try them! I've known for a while that Luminous is a dupe for Nars' popular Orgasm Blush. They do appear quite similar.

Heavy Swatches of the three shades:

Milani Minerals Compact Makeup is a talc-free, pressed mineral powder with a sheer to medium coverage that builds wonderfully. Granted, I've only tested it twice so far, it seems to be a very nice powder. It also has pretty good reviews! It's available in 8 shades, and I picked the shade Nude Buff, which I believe is the lightest shade.

Milani Body Bronzer is a cream bronzer that adds a bronze shimmer and glow to your body. I find it a little heavy, but mixed with a lotion, it gives a nice golden sheen to the skin.

Milani Color Perfect Lipstick are creamy, pigmented and opaque coverage lipsticks in a variety of finishes. The formula is great, but I wish there was a better variety of colors to choose from! Some shades have large, gritty glitter, while some have a lustrous, cream finish. There weren't many shades that interested me, but I chose Mandarina, a bright orange, reminiscent of MAC Neon Orange & Morange Lipsticks. Berry Rich is a bright, cool-toned raspberry shade with rosy undertones.

Swatches:

Milani Nail Lacquer is available in a wide variety of shades. Although the shade selection is very limited at select CVS stores, they do have a pretty good selection of trendy shades. I only picked up two colors for the upcoming Spring & Summer, Pink Pop and La Vie En Rose.

Would you believe I only paid $13 for all of this!? The total was actually about $20 after taxes, but I had a couple CVS coupons & extra cash from my previous trip at CVS. The 75% sale gave me a total savings of $51.15 (before tax)!!! Totally awesome.

Definitely check your local CVS for this great deal!

The Natural Pink Blushes in my Current Rotation!

Aside from foundation, blush is my most favored item of makeup. Blush instantly adds liveliness to the face, while sculpting the cheeks. I love all shades of blush, from peach, orange, pink and red. In the summer time, you can bet I'm sporting bronzer and warm-toned red and coral blushes, but in the winter, I usually wear colors that are much more natural.

For the past couple of months I've for the most part skipped out on self tanning and bronzer, and gone the natural-pink route for my cheeks. I've found myself picking up the same shades over and over again (thus calling it a rotation).

CONTINUE READING FOR MY PICKS + ADDITIONAL PHOTOS & SWATCHES!

MAC BLUSHBABY

Described on the MAC website as a beige-pink (sheertone), Blushbaby is a sheer, natural warm pink that mimics the rosy hue your cheeks naturally turn. It works on a wide variety of skintones, thus becoming one of MAC's most popular blushes. It's one of my no-brainer blushes that goes well with any eye makeup and lip color.

MAC CUBIC

Desdcribed on the MAC website as a soft, muted pink (satin), Cubic is a super-sheer natural pink that leans slightly warm-neutral. This blush could be Blushbaby's younger sister, as they are very similar. I find that Cubic is much less intense (not to say Blushbaby is intense, but it does pack a little more color). If you want a no-blush blush, or a shade that will go with everything, including a smokey eye or just a soft, sophisticated blush, you may want to give Cubic a try.

MAC MAGICALLY COOL LIQUID POWDER IN HONEY ROSE

Described as a sheer, rosy-beige with multi-dimensional shimmer on the MAC website, Honey Rose is just that. I like to think of Honey Rose more of a highlight than a blush, but it does add a little color to the cheeks. On my natural days when I want my complexion to look extra healthy and glowy, I stipple some Honey Rose on my apples. It adds a nice glow, and a very natural wash of warm, pink that's definitely there, but very soft and almost undetectable.

PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA HAPPY BOOSTER IN NATURAL

Natural is the pinkest blush out of the bunch, but because of it's warm tone, it looks very natural on my cheeks - as opposed to a bright, barbie or cotton candy pink. I love, love, love this blush and wear it on most days where I want a blush that is natural, but still packs a little extra punch. My favorite drugstore blush, for sure.

CHANEL JOUES CONTRASTE IN ROSE BRONZE

Rose Bronze is a gorgeous neutral-pink with a hint of warmth and pink shimmer. Applied heavily the color is much more of a vibrant rosy pink, but when worn lightly, it looks extremely natural. This is another favorite.. I don't believe it could look bad on anyone.

NARS MADLY
Described as a warm, soft-focus seashell pink on the NARS website, Madly is a bronzed, warm pink. It's one of those blushes where you don't need an additional bronzer, and instantly sculpts the face when applied along the cheeks. I love wearing this blush on days where I want a little bronzer and a hint of natural blush - Madly infuses the two together.

What blushes are in your current rotation?