the power of a pretty essence blush // limited edition blushes

For a blush fiend like me, the lure of a limited edition blush is often too hard to resist. When the price of a blush is on par with a large skinny flat white from Michel’s Patisserie, any strength I might have had against the purchase is completely dissolved.

essence are constantly coming out with strong limited edition collections, with most blushes sitting around the $5 mark in each release. Wonderful for those on a budget or who are only just getting into blush, the pans are generally decent quality and the designs really unique and pleasing to look at. They aren’t overly pigmented, which should suit those with a fear of clown cheeks, and makes it a lot easier to work with for blush beginners.

The essence Marble Mania blush in Swirlpool is my favourite blush release from the brand thus far, and though it now looks a bit tired thanks to the build-up atop the powder, the performance is still going strong and it gives a great berry toned glow to the cheek. My least used essence blushes would have to be the lip & cheek crème’s from the Ready for Boarding collection, in 01 Sending You Kisses and 02 Beauty on Tour. Though I love the small pan packaging and aesthetic of this collection, I consistently reach for my YSL Crème de Blush pots over this, and we all know that YSL is too big a brand to compete with (especially in cream blush stakes, where they really dominate!)

In terms of pure pan P0rn, the Home Sweet Home collection saw the prettiest pan releases for essence. Inspired by a knitted jumper design, 01 Knits for Chicks and 02 Wool-D You Cuddle Me? Are just stunning to look at, and the pigmentation is quite decent as well.  The Cherry Blossom Girl collection and the Asian Sensation blush is a very pretty one, but lacks the punchy pigmentation I tend to prefer in a blush pan.

What features do you look for in a blush?

Luxe or affordable?

Plain or patterned?

Do you struggle to stick to one blush shade, or do you use the same colour every day?

 

*I purchased all of this myself. Beauty blogger blush problems!

Pretty Heart Blushes

The much lauded day of romance that is synonymous with hearts and flowers has passed us once more, and yet still love remains in all facets of life. Rather than sharing these beautiful product images on February 14^th, I chose to withhold them and celebrate love in an everyday setting- today is just a regular day, and here they are! I am a strong advocate for pretty cosmetics, and blush is just about the prettiest a product there is. Patterned blushes are among my favourites within my blush drawer (yes, I need a whole drawer just for them!) and these sweet choices make me swoon with ease.

Physician’s Formula are known for their interesting powder designs, and this Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Rose ($21.95 AUD) is no exception. Comprised of various shades of pink ranging  from baby pink to neutral and plum toned pink, the overall shade is best described as a hot pink shade. The formula leaves a great glowy look to the cheek, thanks to the multi-reflective pearls within the powder itself. Though I can’t vouch for the plant extracts that are there to produce endorphins to promote a feeling of happiness, I definitely break out into a smile every time I see this pan of hearts so I guess it works anyway.

The Stila Make me Blush powder is yet another stunner that was sadly limited edition from a few years back. The great news is that Stila are definitely on the pretty blush bandwagon, and each year release a new heart designed blush around this romantic time of year. The 2013 offering (a 4 square pale pink pan, check 'emmabovary' on Instagram for an image) is better suited to fair complexions, whereas Make me Blush is perhaps a tad darker than necessary. A light hand is vital for a nice application on Snow White cheeks like mine.  Much more red-toned when compared to the PF Rose, the fine golden overspray imparts a warm shimmer to the cheeks before revealing coral hearts underneath, and the true colour of the blush is definitely coral overall. I use a stippling brush when I wear this, and prefer the shade that sits under the hearts rather than the initial shade with the overspray included. The great thing about the Stila limited editions is that they retail for around $25 AUD, making them much more affordable than the majority of blushes us Aussie’s have at our disposal, pretty or otherwise.

Are you one of those people who love pretty blush pans but don’t actually use them, or are you like me and snap a million pictures before throwing it onto your chipmunk cheeks? What do you think of the over the top heart craze?

*Both of these were purchased by me. Honesty, always.