Addicted to Blush Tag (#blushfiend)

I recently decided that there was a distinct lack of blush love on here considering my status as a #blushfiend, and so when I saw the gorgeous Kat from Kitsch Snitch had created a blush tag I was all up on it! Blush is definitely my favourite thing in the beauty world and I had a blast rifling through my rather large blush drawers to pull product for this tag. These answers will definitely change for me as time goes on - sometimes the life of a #blushfiend is fickle, ya know?

What colour blush suits you the most?
I think peach tones suit my skin tone the most, despite it not being my favourite blush shade to wear (neutral wins that, with ease!) I find I receive more compliments when I wear peach tones and it seems to photograph relatively well also.

- peach tones suit me best -
Clinique Cheek Pop 'Peach Pop*'
 Chanel Joues Contraste ' 76 Frivole'
Chanel Joues Contraste '55 In Love'

Pressed/cream/loose blush?
The majority of my blush collection is definitely pressed powder blushes - I find them the easiest to work with, and it takes a really good cream formula for me to want to try it out! I recently bought the new MUFE HD Blush and I've heard it's a great cream formula, so I'm looking forward to testing that out.

YSL Crème de Blush '6 Rouge Passion'
Topshop Cream Blush 'Head Over Heels'
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush 'Exposed'
Illamasqua Powder Blusher 'Naked Rose'
 

Favourite shimmery blush?
I tend to favour Satin finishes in general, but sometimes a nice fine glitter or shimmer doesn't go astray and I like the glow it adds to my face on 'good skin' days. My most recent favourite is MAC's Warm Soul blush which I picked up on my honeymoon, but more glittery favourites are Chanel Pink Explosion (like a satin finish with fine glitter mixed in) and the MAC Mineralize Blush in Hand-Finish. I think the MAC Mineralize blush range is the best way to dip your toe into shimmery blushes if you are unsure of them!


MAC Mineralize Blush 'Hand-Finish'
Chanel Joues Contraste 'Pink Explosion'
MAC Mineralize Blush 'Warm Soul'

Favourite matte blush?
I actually had trouble finding a good range of matte blushes in my collection - most were satin finishes when I looked at them properly! The best matte blushes that come to mind are from Illamasqua - the pigmentation is insane and the colours are usually pretty awesome, so even though I don't wear them very often I'd have to say they are my favourite matte offering!


Illamasqua Powder Blusher 'Naked Rose'
Illamasqua Powder Blusher Duo in 'Lover/Hussy'

Favourite cream blush? 
As I mentioned, cream blushes have to be pretty darn awesome to catch my eye and these two releases certainly are! The YSL Crème de Blush range is an old favourite and the Powdery Rose shade is everything, but the brand new Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Sticks have impressed me and I really wasn't expecting them to!

YSL Crème de Blush '2 Powdery Rose'
YSL Crème de Blush '6 Rouge Passion'
Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick 'Just-Pinched Pink*'
Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick in 'Pink Fever*'

Favourite drugstore blush?
It's not until you complete a tag like this that you notice trends in your makeup drawers - it seems I have a weakness for high end blushes! These BYS Blush Trios are definitely the best quality 'drugstore' blush I've tried - the pigmentation is stellar, the lasting power is akin to a Myer branded blush and the shades are exciting and varied! The are affordably priced at around $5-6 and they are worth so much more in my eyes. Gorgeous!

BYS Blush Trio in:
On The Brightside
Coral Me In
Endless Summer
Heart Skipped a Beat

Favourite high end blush?
Easiest question in this tag by far - my beloved Chanel Joues Contraste collection took a while to kick off it must be said, but once the ball began rolling it took over my blush love! I used to read posts like this by Pink Sith and swoon over the idea of owning one, but never understood just how amazing they were until Mister bought me one for Christmas a few years ago. My collection has grown fast since then and shows no signs of stopping, Chanel JC's make me so happy!

Chanel Joues Contraste Blushes in:
80 Jersey
76 Frivole
55 In Love
64 Pink Explosion

Favourite bright blush?

I'm not afraid of a good whack of colour in a blush, so I had quite a few to rifle through for this question. I ended up choosing the bright shades that get my heart racing as they haven't been something I reach for too often lately (I'm all about the neutral cheek right now!) The most wearable bright shade is definitely my Chanel JC 'Pink Explosion' which was my first Chanel blush, and I love the way it brightens up my whole complexion when I apply it with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush. Actually, that is how I apply all of my bright blush shades!



BYS Blush Trio 'On the Brightside'
essence Beauty Beats Blush 'Groupie at Heart'
Chanel Joues Contraste 'Pink Explosion'

Biggest blush disappointment/regret?
I've spend years trying to understand the Nars blush phenomenon (perhaps I just haven't tried the right shade?) and the hype surrounding the Bourjois Blush Pots, like this one in Rose D'Or. I had to scrape away a thick layer to get my swatch to show up (and it was gorgeous once I did, for sure!) but so much effort for a blush that keeps hardening up is not worth my time. The worst blush I've ever purchased is definitely the essence Bloom Me Up Blush Stick '01 Chaising Lacy' - not only is the name spelt strangely which irks me, the texture is terrible and pills on my skin no matter what I try, with hardly any pigment to speak of. I just had to swatch you to explain it well - it looks like an arm rash, am I right?

Bourjois Blush '34 Rose D'Or'
essence Bloom me Up Blush Stick '01 Chaising Lacy'

Bourjois swatch, essence swatch

Best blush packaging?
I can appreciate many different blush packaging, but I'm not sure whether or not I have a favourite in this regard...I love how clean and clear Illamasqua pans are but hate breaking my nails opening them, I love my Chanel JC's (which I keep in their boxes) but it's hard to quickly distinguish the blush shade, and other brands have their pro's and con's as well. As long as it is relatively pretty and keeps the product safe, I'm usually a happy camper!

What's on your blush wish list?
I am looking at trying some of the Colourpop Blush line, and also really want to hunt down the MAC Pro Longwear blush 'Make You Mine' which I neglected to buy in America and now really regret it. I always wait with baited breath for a new Chanel blush release and the upcoming Crescendo looks pretty interesting...the new Bobbi Brown Blush Trio's also look utterly delectable to me!

Number 1 holy grail blush?
I have to stay true and choose my wedding day blush for this question - my beloved Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush 'Exposed'! I also snuck in my other HG blush because I'm a rebel like that...the stunning Chanel JC 'Jersey'!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush 'Exposed'



Tarte Exposed, Chanel Jersey

 

I would love to see everyone I follow complete this blush tag, it's so refreshing to think about your collection as a whole and it's made me pull out old favourites from my drawers to play with! That being said, I would especially love to tag Vita, Norlin, Ling, Sleep and Water, Tracy, Monika and Liz! Feel free to leave any blush recommendations in the comments, too - I would love to know what your favourite blush is, and which is the worst you've ever tried!

-Emma x

Peppermint Chip // Stash Shopping Makeup Look

Sometimes a classic colour combination is something not to be messed with, and often when I land on a winning combination I am immediately hooked! I was inspired by the thought of a mint chip cookie for this look, and it has been my go-to on and off for a while now.

 

A quick rifle through the unloved sections of my stash brought out some real winners, with the Chanel Illusion D’Ombre cream eyeshadow in Epatant being the star of the scene. I’ve been using it on and off for weeks now, and love that it isn’t too green by itself those scared of colour, take note! A light pop of BYS metallic green over the top of it can really kick the ‘mint’ effect up a notch though, and then you throw a bit of chocolate goodness through the crease and it's done - good enough to eat! 

A smudge of essence Hot Chocolate really ties the theme together for me, and I brought out my Clinique High Lengths mascara* out to really stretch my lashes out. The funny rubber brush takes a while to get used to (I may not even be there yet) but I sure love the length it gives, so I’m not going to complain!

Chanel Epatant, Burberry Copper, BYS palette, Clinique High Lengths*, Clinique Strawberry Fudge, essence Hot Chocolate

I was having a pretty good skin day when I took these photos, but props must also be given to the cheek stars that I think did a nice job of warming up my face against the relatively cool toned eye look that was the star of the show. Clinique Superbalanced Bronzer* is my top pick for a bronzer, you’ll often see my spruiking it to anyone if the topic of faux sun is mentioned in passing. In fact, I was raving about it to my lecture buddy at University earlier this week! I topped it off with my snapped but still beautiful Burberry Lip Mist in Copper (best GWP ever, I’d say!) and the peppermint chip makeup look was complete!

Bourjois 123 Perfect foundation, Laura Mercier foundation primer, Clinique Superbalanced Bronzer*, L'Oreal The Muse's Blush

What do you think of wearing chocolate and mint together? Keep it in the ice cream cone or go for it?

BYS Blush Trio - 4 Blush Palettes to Drive You Wild!

 

When I saw these gorgeous BYS blush trios for $4.50 at my local discount store, I knew I had to take them all home with me. The RRP price is $6.50, and I would still happily pay that per palette, no problems. I love the idea of having three blush shades in one handy palette, and I love that the packaging is clear on top so that you can see which palette you are picking up at a glance.

 

The packaging, while feeling a little cheap, is still really sturdy and has the positive feature of being really slim so it sits in my blush drawer with ease. I have a stack of the BYS blush singles which I also like, but I really think they’ve stepped it up with such bright shades this time around! All you need is the Real Techniques Stippling Brush for these to all be wearable, and just remember that a light hand works wonders with blushes like this and you’ll be fine. I have been wearing primarily these for well over a month now, and am showing no signs of stopping!

My obsession with bright pink cheeks has meant that On The Brightside has really won my heart over. I would say that I wear all 3 shades from this one pretty regularly, including the matte coral pink and the shimmery paler pink as well. For dolly pink lovers (Chanel Pink Explosion, MAC Dollymix, etc.) this is a bargain.

 Endless Summer is the next shade in this line up, a beautiful trio of burnt coral oranges that looks great on pale skin and darker skin alike. This might be best suited to lovers for shades like Nars Orgasm, or other coral toned shades like MAC Springsheen.

 

I would have to say that my very favourite palette from the 4 available is Coral Me In, and it is all because of that shimmery centre shade. I fell head over heels for this pretty shade, and the shimmer is so beautiful when buffed into the skin with my stippling brush that I just can’t get over it. Signs of blush obsession, anyone? It really makes me look 'glowy' rather than shimmery, and we all love that!

The fourth and final palette to choose from is probably my least favourite, though I think it would be the most wearable for the masses if my guess is correct. Heart Skipped A Beat is a trio of paler pink shades, one with a nice plummy tone, one a candy floss sort of tone and a mid tone in the centre. I think they are still really pretty and have been wearing them quite a bit as well, but we have to pick favourites in this beauty bloggin’ biz, ya know?

 

All of that being said, I would highly recommend that you grab a palette or two if you happen to track them down. They are being released as we speak, with lots of shelves already full of the bright trios. While you aren’t getting Burberry quality silkiness in the formula (or the luxe packaging) these are much better than their price tag suggests, and I have had no problems with them being too chalky or powdery since I apply them with the best brush - Cough buy the RT stippling brush cough.

 

Which palette would you grab for first?

Do you prefer shimmery blushes to matte or satin finishes?

 

 

*I purchased all of these with my own money. Honesty,always.

 

Dirty Snow

 

 

It has been well documented that I have a weakness for glitter polishes, and as I mentioned in my BYSpolish post one of my very favourite bottles is Cold as Ice from the ultra-affordable brand. The beautiful mix of silvery fine shimmers is so addictive for me, and I adore it when thrown over a cement grey like Wet Cement from Sally Hansen.

 

 

Sadly my Seche Vite is super gluggy and in need of resuscitation, but I think I will end up switching to a Sally Hansen topcoat and just deal with it later on. What top coat do you use?

 

*All bottles purchased by me. Honesty, always.

The Autumn Look : Chocolate Eyes with a Red Lip

Following on from the autumn edit I presented yesterday, here is the seasonal look I created with those products. I feel like rich reds and warm colours like that are perfect for autumn, and while I usually do a green and orange look for autumn, this year I wanted to do something different, and do my usual ‘fall’ look later on.

 

For this look I chose the ‘crease’ shade from the Wet & Wild ‘Knock on Wood’ palette and placed it all over the lid, with Arbonne’s Cabernet* through the crease. These colours seem that they were made for one another and I adore the look that these shadows create. The Wet & Wild crease shade is a deep shimmery chocolate that is just stunning on the lid, unfortunately the brand is not available in Australia (surprise surprise!) but eBay will help you out if you are interested in trying out some Wet & Wild cosmetics.

Products from The Autumn Edit post

 

 

A tiny flick of Australis The Curve Ink* and generous coats of Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara finished off the eye, while some Benefit Dallas on the cheeks helped bring warmth to my face. I used BYS matte lipstick in Celebrity Status* really vamp up the look, but I think this would look great with a nude beige lip, with something like Clinique’s Whole Lotta Honey chubby stick.

 

Does this look feel autumnal to you? I don’t know about you all, but I tend to embrace each season as a reason to branch out in my makeup looks, and this deep chocolate eye and red lip is definitely something different for me.

I'd love if you could hop over to Blog Lovin' and follow me there, as we all know Google Reader is closing shortly and I'd hate to lose any of my beloved followers. If you have a blog you'd like me to check out, please pop the link in the comments for me to see!

 

*Products provided for review, and the chubby stick I mentioned was something I won in a competition. BYS matte lipsticks are available from Fashion Addict. Honesty, always.

The Blush Files : 7 Days of Blush (evidence from a blush fiend)

My obsession with blush has been well documented (just take a look inside my overspilling blush drawer to see!) and those who have gone shopping with me in the past have adamantly labelled me a blush fiend. Some people have a penchant for beautiful lip products (see Norlin and her wonderful #lippyaday challenge!) while others have a skincare stash to rival their local Kit Cosmetics. My soft spot is definitely for those pretty pans of colour that warm up my face, and I find them the most fun aspect of makeup application. I challenged myself a while back to wear a different blush pan each day for a week, to get used to rotating what I wear and to get Tarte Exposed out of my clawing hands for once! Here are the spoils of my challenge, which was a success!

 

As well as my rosy neutrals, I threw a few brighter pinks into the mix for the week to give my cheeks a good pop of colour. Chanel’s Pink Explosion was naturally involved, and I love the shade stippled on with my Samantha Chapman for Real Techniques Stippling Brush. Truth be told, I absolutely love using that brush for the majority of my blushes, whether cream, powder, pigmented or not. BYS Pink Velvet was another pink that got a turn, I adore the BYS blush formula and even the packaging is sturdy (especially when compared to their lipstick casings) Illamasqua’s Naked Rose is one of my favourite blushes, and the matte dusty pink looks great against pale skin like mine.

 

Milani Berry Amore is a shade that took me a while to get used to, but the gold veining really works when used with a light hand. I did cheat slightly during the challenge, as I used my staple blush on one of the days where I was running out of the door to work. Tarte Exposed is a neutral rosy blush that is too beautiful for words, Chris bought it via eBay for me as a Christmas gift and I fall more in love with it every day. See, blush fiend!

 I also tried out my Korres Pink Zeas May blush for the first time, and really like the wearable pink shade. The final choice for my 7 day challenge was a mix of two Bourjois shades, I first applied Rose D’Or before topping my cheekbones and the apples with Lune D’Or, just to play around with it and see if I could change the shades up a bit.

 

So, has my status of a blush fiend been upheld, or do I need to do more to convince you, dear readers? Which blush shade would you nab from this loot given the chance?

 

*All of these blush pans were bought by me, or given as gifts from my fiancé. He knows the way to my heart is through my chipmunk cheeks ;P Honesty,always. 

Raindrop Nail Art // Bright Purple and Turquoise

 

I was obviously feeling creative the morning I topped my nails with this little raindrop-esque number. I am the first to admit that nail art is not my strong suit, and though I had a dig around in the nail stash my ebay nail dotting tools remain AWOL. I used a humble toothpick to play around with the turquoise BYS Blue N283 atop the stunning Ulta3 Spring Break.

 

 

Ideally this would’ve been a dotty manicure, but when I saw the finished product raindrops came to mind, and I thought it quite ironic considering how toasty it is down in Australia at the moment. I’ve been thinking about how amazing it would be to visit my family in Scotland and experience snow for the first time in my life. I think the next time I’ll be close to managing that will be my honeymoon, but sadly I doubt it will be snowing then. Raining, probably!

 

 

You can buy BYS polishes from Fashion Addict here!

I am sliding right into a purple phase right now, so Spring Break is right on target and will be getting much love in the Bovary residence. What else do you think I should do with it?

 

*The BYS polish was borrowed from my MIL and the Ulta3 shade was purchased by me. Honesty, always.