My Current Cheek Rotation ft. Hourglass, Too Faced, MAC + more

Over the last few months I tried to push myself out of my Chanel Joues Contraste blush rut (my love for that product is strong, you guys!) in an effort to rotate through my large blush collection. These are the products I've primarily reached for through that time and I have to say that I've been enjoying it - but that I'll always return to Chanel for a good blush rush.

Blushes and palettes are two of my favourite things, so it makes sense that I adore the idea of a blush palette! My current favourite and most used palette is the Too Faced Love Flush Blush wardrobe and I've worn each colour at least once over the last little while. The other blush palette is the Hourglass Ambient Light Blush Palette which I took up to Queensland for our week away, and I'm happy to say that while there I used all of these shades at least once as well. I really like the glowy effect that the Hourglass cheek powders give to the skin and I think those who like a natural but luminous finish would really appreciate these. It kind of takes the need for highlighter away which I like during the day, but I amp up the glow for any special occasion or night out with TheBalm's Mary Lou Manizer, which deserves all of the hype it receives from the beauty community.

Something different that I've been popping on my face lately has been bronzer - I go through stages with wearing bronzer and the lead up to our 'beach holiday' (which ended up being a bit chilly if I'm honest!) I was wearing The Body Shop Honeycomb bronzer every day in excitement for a week away. I love how light and easy to apply this product is, I use it to sculpt my cheeks (which I really need right now, pregnancy puff is real!) as well as give overall warmth to my pale complexion. Two other blushes that have been getting some love are neutrals (surprise, surprise!) Benefit Dallas boxed blush is super pigmented and though I always try to use a light hand with it I always end up buffing it afterwards to tone down the colour. It's a gorgeous though and that perfect bronzer/blush combination shade that I adore. A more pink-toned neutral is MAC Poised which is a staple of mine, it's just an easy colour to throw on if you don't want to put much thought into pairing shades or matching a certain makeup look. 

What cheek products are you currently loving?

Emma x

The 6 Best Bronzers for Fair Skin

Summer has arrived in Melbourne! I'm currently slumming it with Charlie in front of the air-con with all of the blinds drawn, and thought that it was the perfect time to bust out some of my bronzers. Does summer get you in the mood for bronzing it up, too?!

So as a self-proclaimed blush junkie, bronzer isn't a consistent part of my makeup routine if I'm honest. However, around this time of year both of my sisters head on summer holidays and come back looking uber brown, and since I am crazy-pale at the best of times, sitting next to them can make me look like a ghost if I'm not careful. I need a touch of bronzer to warm up my complexion since actual tanning is a no-no for me, and these are what I'm working with!

The easiest powder for me to wear is probably the Clarins Accent Face Powder thanks to the sheer formula, pale shade and dash of peppy pink to bring it into blush territory. Next up for the pale and sheer reasons would be The Body Shop Honeycomb bronzer, which it a tie for my very favourite bronzer altogether. Not only is it cute and compact, it blends like a dream and can be used as a contour thanks to the matte formula.

Now for an opinion that many won't agree with...let's talk about Nars Laguna. I see people rave about this all the time on blogs and YouTube, and am happy to say I got this adorable little travel size for free back when Mecca Maxima first opened the doors in Melbourne Central. As you can see, I've used it enough to hit pan on it, but if I have to be totally honest I'm just not a huge fan of this! It doesn't blend as nicely as most other bronzers I own, the colour isn't anything spectacular and as we all know, Nars rubber packaging gets super filthy in a flash! This is something I wouldn't personally purchase, but others seem to love it so take that with a grain of salt.

Another hyped up bronzer that I'm testing out is the beautiful Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel which is one of the only cream bronzers in my stash. I am yet to try this under my foundation as Estee/EssieButton recommends, but so far it seems easy to blend and the colour is pretty lovely for my skin tone. Plus c'mon, it is Chanel for crying out loud - stunning!

The most shimmery of the bronzers I own (and the most affordable at $11.95!) is definitely the Face of Australia Pressed Bronzer*, which I use sparingly on the top of my cheekbones for a subtle bronze glow. I don't see this as being the same as any of my other bronzer-type products, and use it more as a bronzed up highlighter than anything else. The top nod for my favourite bronzer (tied with The Body Shop number...) is the beautiful Clinique Superbalanced Bronzer* (the grinder version) which is the best for me in terms of colour, blendability and finish. I do see how frustrating the large packaging would be to travel with, but ultimately the other factors more than make up for that and my love for this bronzer holds strong.

And now for the swatch!

 

What are some of your favourite bronzers?
Are they a daily staple in your routine, or do you only bust them out occasionally too?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration, which doesn't affect the bronzed up love. Honesty, always.