Beautyholics Anonymous » Blush

Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator in Angel Flame Ignited My Love For Illuminators

Tine — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:30:50 +0000

I’ll just come out and say it. For years, I’ve never liked using makeup illuminators or highlighters. Bad beauty blogger, right? Blame it on lack of education on my part. I didn’t know how to apply them properly, and when I do try a lot of them out, they gave me shiny skin I don’t like. I already have a very oily T-zone to begin with, and that’s the last thing I need, a disco-ball face.

I’ve had a number of makeovers done at makeup counters, and most of them who used illuminators on my skin just didn’t give me the results I wanted. And since I was such a doofus in using them myself, I steer clear of them. This was until a few months ago, when I received a tube of the Mineral Therapy Illuminator by Face of Australia in the MBBE goodie bag. The one I was given was in Angel Flame.

First thoughts? Aww man. I can’t use this! So it was left in my beauty cupboard until about a few weeks ago that I saw a video by Zoe Foster on how to use illuminators. I tried out her method (to be honest, it’s not a new method. But somehow, the simple video and steps worked for me) with the illuminator. I’ll use her favourite word – what an absolute dingus I was not to use this sooner!

The illuminator is a very light-weight, sheer cream of gold shimmer and peachy-pink undertones. I don’t use it as a blush on its own as I find it too shimmery for that purpose alone. My favourite combination is Illamasqua’s cream blush in Dixie, and then pat a tiny amount of the Angel Flame on the high points of my cheeks, all the way to the temples.

The result? Gorgeous glowy cheeks that don’t scream disco-ball, but look like the picture of good health. It’s a perfect summer look when it’s too hot and I can’t be arsed with bucketloads of makeup on. All I’d have is BB cream, cream blush, the Angel Flame, a light dusting of Guerlain’s Meteorites (another gem I only just discovered), lipgloss, and I’m good to go.

Makeup used: Maybelline BB Mousse, Illamasqua cream blush in Dixie, Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator in Angel Flame, Guerlain Meteorites Perles Teint Rose and Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Mango Diamonds

I can’t believe I’m saying this now, for it’s not something I would have said up to a few weeks ago, but I love, love, love having an illuminator on my skin now

Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator comes in 4 shades – Angel Mist, Angel Blush, Angel Flame and Angel Glow. It retails at AU$14.95 a pop. For such a big tube of 50ml, this is cheaper than hot chips. I can’t wait to get my hands on the Angel Mist

Are you a fan of illuminators and/or highlighters, or have you not tried one? If you are, what’s your favourite and what else would you recommend to an illuminator n00b like me?

Stila Custom Color Blush in Self-Adjusting Coral

Tine — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Given my love for blush, I cannot believe that this is only my second Stila one. Stila is pretty popular for their blushes, especially their Colour Convertibles. Another one that I have not tried. Tsk tsk.

My favourite shade of blush is coral. Pinks are often too cool for my warm skin tone, which is why I like sticking to corals. I squealed with delight when I saw this.

To be honest, I don’t really understand what the blush meant by self-adjusting. It states that the one-shade-fits-all blush will react to each individuals’ pH to create the perfect, personalised shade every time. How does a shade adjust itself to my skin? This blush packs quite a punch in pigment, and could very well be too strong for those who have very fair skin. Oh don’t mind me. The skeptic’s talking again

Other than that, it’s a beautifully pigmented coral blush with just the right amount of shimmer. A light hand would suffice in picking up the colour for the cheeks. This was the only blush I brought with me to the ABBW, and I reckoned it worked well

Face: Face of Australia Tinted Moisturiser SPF30+, MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation
Cheeks: Stila Custom Color Blush in Self-Adjusting Coral, Face of Australia Blusher in Outback Nutmeg (contour)
Lips: Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color in True Coral

Stila Custom Color Blushes retail at AU$48 each and are available at Mecca Cosmetica.

Note: This product was provided for consideration. Given that it is totally my colour and given my love for blush, I would have easily and gladly forked over my money for this beauty.

SAX Cosmetics Complexion Blusher in Rosy Glow

Tine — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve been reviewing a couple of lippies from SAX Cosmetics for the past few weeks, and now it’s time to move on to something else. I’ve had nothing but praise for the lip products, but how does their Complexion Blusher fare? Do read on to find out.

Description:
SAX finely micronised, long-wearing blusher provides a natural luminescence and blends effortlessly onto your cheeks. The formula is rich in vitamins to moisturise and condition your skin. Paraben Free.

I had the opportunity to try out the blush in Rosy Glow. It’s a cool pink shade that I believe suits lighter skin tones. For something that looks as though it’s packed with pigment on the product, it’s actually very sheer. In fact, the swatch you see is actually after 5-6 hard swipes of product on my skin.

It does look pretty on the skin, I’ll give you that. If you’re into building up the colour on your cheeks bit by bit, this is the blush for you. I guess I’ve been so used to highly-pigmented blush that packs a punch of colour on the first swipe that this took me some time to get used to, especially since I don’t like powdering my cheeks so much. There’s also a lot of fallout of powder when you swipe the blush with your makeup brush, which creates a mess on the palette (then again, there’s always that thing I use to clean fallout with, so I’m good ).

One thing I will say though, the brush that comes with the blush is good. Unlike most drugstore brand makeup brushes and applicators that come with the products, most of which are completely useless, this one’s actually soft on the skin. In fact, I can boldly say that I have chucked a couple of brushes that came with Chanel blushes (the Jouse Contraste brushes are terrible), but I would gladly keep the one with the SAX blush.

I didn’t photograph myself with the blush on, because it’s so sheer, it wouldn’t show in the pictures. I tend to use this more as a highlighter, especially over my matte or cream blushes.

SAX Cosmetics Complexion Blushers comes in 2 shades: Rosy Glow and Coy. Each blush retails at AU$16.95 and is available at selected pharmacies (click for stockists).

A Beautiful Cream Blush That Is Illamasqua’s Dixie

Tine — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t normally use cream blushes because most of the ones I’ve tried are sticky and do not blend well. When I read on Twitter that a few beauty bloggers were raving about Illamasqua’s cream blushes, all I could think was “meh”. Still, I was curious as to what it was that they were loving about Illamasqua cream blushes, so I decided to check it out. I had a play with some of the cream blushes at the Illamasqua counter at Chadstone, and ended up getting one in Dixie.

Apologies for the unsightly spots. I’ve been a-stippling

Dixie is a warm pink, and I think it’s really pretty on the cheeks. What I love about the blush is that it isn’t sticky or give me greasy-looking cheeks. It produces a beautiful, natural flush on the cheeks, which I love. Instead of using my fingers, I like to use a stippling brush to apply the cream blush (I use Sigma’s F50). The results are flawless only-achieved-in-winter rosy cheeks. I heart!

The downside to the Illamasqua’s cream blush is that it doesn’t stay on very long. In fact, it would only stay on my cheeks for a maximum of two hours before the colour would start to fade. I thought perhaps my cheeks isn’t dry enough for the blush to hold on to. However, LeGeeque, who has dry skin, experienced the same thing with her blush in Seduce.

A way to keep the cream blush on longer would be to sweep a light dusting of loose powder on the cheeks after application. This way, the blush would stay on for many more hours.

So, do I like it? Hell yes I do! If you’re unsure about cream blushes and would like to try one out, I highly recommend the ones by Illamasqua. The colours may look really bright and over-the-top at first sight, but with a light hand, you can easily build up the colour on the cheeks. I’m positive you would love it too!

I can’t wait to try out the others. I have my eye on Seduce

Do check out Lilpil’s review on the blush. She has also included the swatches for Rude and Seduce.

Face of Australia’s Blusher in Outback Primrose Takes Me Back To My Early Twenties

Tine — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I started out late wearing makeup. We weren’t allowed any smidgeon of makeup in school, and the most I wore in college was tinted lipbalm and a unibrow. It was only when I started working in my early twenties that I started experimenting with blush. I remembered my first blush; it was something by Estee Lauder, a simple pink blush which was a gift-with-purchase. It was the only blush I’ve ever hit pan with and repurchased, simply because I didn’t know what else to buy.

When I saw Face of Australia’s blusher in Outback Primrose, it took me back to that tiny, unassuming Estee Lauder compact.

As with most of Face of Australia products, the packaging is simple. Outback Primrose is a pretty pink blush that is actually smooth and pigmented. Even the swatch photo doesn’t show it, this baby packs quite a punch. A couple of gentle swipes of the powder, onto the cheeks, and I’m done. It’s a basic in any lady’s makeup kit.

A light hand is needed when swiping the brush on the powder because you can end up looking like a doll if you’re not careful (unless you want to. I’ll leave that decision to you )

Another winner from Face of Australia. This really is a brand that could.

Face of Australia’s blushers retail at AU$9.45 and is available at Priceline, Kmart and Target stores nationwide.

Do I Look Like A Hussy In Illamasqua’s Powder Blusher?

Tine — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 01:13:12 +0000

Description:

Illuminate, radiate, make your face come alive with the colour and drama of Illamasqua Powder Blusher. Colour-intense and highly pigmented, use it to shade, brighten, enhance and define the shape of your face. Be bold, be daring, be the centre of attention.

Illamasqua powder blushes have a matte finish and are highly pigmented. They remind me very much of NARS blushes. So if you like your NARS, chances are you’ll like Illamasqua’s blushes too (they’re *ahem* cheaper too). One swipe of the powder, and you get lots of colour. If you prefer building your blush layer by layer, then you either need a very light hand with this, or choose something less colour-pop-y.

Hussy is bright candy pink. Not something I would normally go for, but when on the cheeks, it just looks amazing.

Face: MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC30
Cheeks: Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Hussy
Lips: Benefit Full-Finish Lipstick in Saucy

I took this picture outdoors, and I think I was too light-handed with the blush, because it sadly doesn’t show much in the photo. Oooops. But trust me, the colour is quite strong.

You’ll notice that I used matched a pink-based blush with an orange-based lipstick. Makeup suicide? I don’t think so. I don’t believe in rules that cool colours should just stick to each other (and so on with warm colours). I tried both on together, and it just worked.

Illamasqua Powder Blushes retail at AU$38 a pop. If you bring in any old makeup you have (unwanted, broken, etc), as part of the Amnesty program (ending Jan 30), you get 25% off. Awesomeness.

Blush Haulage

Tine — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:57:03 +0000

I love my blush, and it pained me to not buy any for quite a while. The drought must have really gotten to me, because in the span of two weeks, I ended up with three new blushers. Okay, to be fair, I did buy the Benefit Bella Bamba mid December 2010, but it only just arrived today (hello Australia Post, anybody home? *knock knock*).

Benefit Bella Bamba, Chanel Joues Contraste in #55 In Love, and Illamasqua Powder Blush in Hussy. The Bamba because I fell in love with just the freakin’ pictures on Karen’s Makeup and Beauty Blog, Chanel’s In Love after seeing it on several beauty blogs (got it on Strawberrynet. So much cheaper!) and Illamasqua’s Hussy because Nadia tempted me too much with it.

I’ve tried all three, and they’re all instant loves. Proper pictures and review coming right up!

Erm, is it too much that I’m actually also expecting Givenchy’s Prism blush AND Guerlain’s Serie Noir blush when I’m back in Malaysia? *blink blink*

SIMOS: My Blush Collection

Tine — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:56:12 +0000

Sigh, how I missed buying makeup. I’ve finally developed lemmings for new and gorgeous makeup once again, but somehow I just can’t seem to part my cash with it. I keep telling myself it’s a good thing in times of a recession, but that’s not stopping me from visiting and lingering at cosmetic counters. Maybe I should just get ‘em and be done and over with

Anyway, for today, after tidying my dresser, I’ve decided to take some pictures and show you my humble blush collection. It’s in no way even close to hail-the-Blush-Queen Paris B, or the Blush Princess, Syen, but it’s certainly enough to last me for a very long time.

I love blush. I started wearing them when I was 23, when I started working. Unfortunately, I was completely hopeless in choosing the right colour and always end up getting something so sheer, that it looked like powder on my face, without the flush. It was only when I bought my first NARS blush, Exhibition A, that I began experimenting with colour. That was also when the collection started to grow steadily.

You’ll notice that most of the blush I have are in peach/coral tones. I have warm-toned skin, so pinks don’t look all that good on me. Pink-peaches are fine.

Scott Barnes Chic Palette in Posh (the very first expensive blush I bought from Strawberrynet. First saw this on Paris B’s blog, before she moved to My Women Stuff)
Estee Lauder Signature Silky Powder Blush in Pink Kiss
MAC Grand Duo Mineralize Blush in Intenso (gives a lovely sun-kissed glow, with just the right amount of shimmer on the cheeks. Can be messy when swirling my stippling brush gently on it though)
Silkygirl blusher in Dune Rose (good shade of coral, but a tad too powdery for my liking)
Smashbox Soft Lights Tint
Nichido True Colors blush in Sunkissed
Daiso Multi Cheek (a bargain at only RM5, this was introduced by Connie. Good colour payoff. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it)
Smashbox O-Glow (a traveling must. I bring it with me when on the plane. Don’t have to worry about any accidental spillage)
Stila blush in … I don’t know what. It was a gift from Bee.
Majolica Majorca blush in OR322 (can be a tad orange if applied heavy-handedly. Other than that, it’s a pretty colour)

Jane Blushing Cheeks in Blushing Glow
Benefit Dandelion and Georgia
Bourjois Blush in Rose D’or (I think I might have bought an old one; this is pretty hard and I really had to scrape at it to get the powder on my brush. But once we get past that, the colour’s pretty)
Milani Shimmer Stripes in Miami Glow
Jane Blushing Cheeks Cheek Shapers in Paradise
Elianto Black Label blush in Pastel Pink
Muji blush (got this from Muji in Japan. Didn’t realise it was very shimmery when I bought this. I look like a disco ball with this on)

NARS blushes (highly pigmented stuff. Love ‘em!)
Flirt Peek-A-Blush Sheer Powder Cheek Color in Dapple Apple (got it when Target was phasing all Flirt items at 50% off. Good colour payoff. Stupid me almost broke the case because I thought you had to lift the cover, not slide and then lift).
Chanel Blush Dup Tweed Effect in Tweed Rose (most expensive blush I own. Beautiful though).

Stuff I forgot to take pictures of:
Benefit Posietint
Benefit Benetint
Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour

Now that I’ve shown you my blush collection, it has ignited an unbelievable craving for at least one more. Hmm … something by Dior, perhaps?

Hang on, I’ll be right back!

Review: MAC Grand Duo Mineralize Blush in Intenso

Tine — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:17:43 +0000

Just when I thought I was boycotting MAC, I ended up getting another item from them. Come on, perseverance, what happened to you?

Anyway, I was browsing the MAC website, and stumbled upon the Grand Duos. Of all the shades they have, the Intenso caught my eye. When I saw it in person, I was impressed at how beautiful the colors were.

Image: MAC Cosmetics
Shade description: Pink gold mélange / Terracotta rose

The texture’s not as hard as I would expect a baked blush would be. A sweep of the brush on the blush gave me a very natural coral hue with subtle gold shimmer. It suited my warm skin perfectly.

One snag though – there is quite a bit of fallout of the powder when lifted with the brush though; it tends to mess the case with excess powder. I had to clean the case every time I use the blush.

Powder fallout on the case every time I use the brush on the blush

Other than that, I have to say that I’m very pleased with the blush. Love, love, LOVE the colour

The Grand Duo Mineralize Blush range is recommended to be used with the MAC 188 (small duo fibre face brush). I wasn’t at all keen on spending AU$70 on a tiny face brush, so I bought a larger dupe of the brush instead.

This is a Manicare Artiste Professional stippling brush, which I got from Priceline for AU17.95. So far, I’ve been very impressed with the line (I’ll do a separate post on this soon), and this brush certainly did not disappoint. It’s very soft, and when used with the Grand Duo, gave me a flawless finish of blush on my cheeks.

Even though there are two distinct shades on the blush, I do not use them separately. One light sweep of the brush in a circular motion picks up both sides of the powder to give me very subtle shimmer. The slight shimmer gives a hint of highlight on the cheeks, which is good on a dull-skin day. The staying power of the blush is also good; hours with this on, and it’ll still be there. The mineralized blush can also be used as a bronzer and a highlighter, depending on the shades you’re using.

Excuse the rest of the face; I had no other makeup on.

MAC’s Grand Duo Mineralize Blushes are AU$50 a pop. Not cheap, if you ask me. The price is definitely in the range of higher end brands like Dior and Chanel, and MAC is only mid-range. I agree with Syen, boo to MAC for charging so much. Okay, after this, I’m back to boycotting MAC.

*fingers crossed behind my back*

What I like about it: Beautiful subtle shimmer and pop of colour on the cheeks.

What I do not like about it: Expensive, excessive powder fallout when used.

Review: Smashbox O-Glow

Tine — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:08:33 +0000

I first tried the O-Glow when my bridesmaid, Chin, brought it back with her to Malaysia. She’s a big fan of Smashbox, and recommended this blush to me. As it wasn’t available in Malaysia, or, until quite recently, Melbourne, I jumped at the chance of getting this in the US. This came as a part of the Best of Smashbox Beauty Kit.

The O-Glow is a gel blush. Just in case you’re wondering

Description:

An intuitive cheek colour with Goji Berry C-Complex(TM).
Experience instant chemistry as you watch your complexion go from so-so to oh-so-glowing! This intuitive cheek color reacts with your personal skin chemistry to transform from a silky clear gel into the shade you blush naturally.
O-GLOW is packed with our exclusive Goji Berry-C Complex™, ginkgo biloba, pomegranate seed for antioxidant protection, and revitalizing marine botanicals for added healthy-skin benefits.

Ingredients:
Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isononyl Isononanoate, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Punica Granatum, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Polysilicone-11, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Plankton Extract, Red 27 (CI 45410)

When the gel is squeezed out of the tube, it’s clear. But when you spread it on your skin with your fingers, the gel reacts with the heat from the fingers, oxidizes with the air, and turns it into a lovely shade of pink. Ah the joy of science in makeup :p

Is it just me, or are most of Smashbox’s products full of silicone? The texture of this gel is exactly like the one of the Photo Finish Foundation Primer. Very silicone-y, if that’s even an actual word.

It’s easily spreadable on the cheeks. It’s quite sheer, which makes the colour very buildable. In comparison with Benefit’s Posietint, the Posietint is a tad darker and gives better colour pay-off. This might not be good news though, because if you’re not careful with the Posietint, it could give you bright pink cheeks. With the O-Glow, you get a sheer pink flush, which I think is more natural to your natural blush. Just add more and spread it on the apples of the cheeks for a brighter glow.

The staying power is not as long as the Posietint (the latter could last all day and night even if you swipe at it hard), but it does last for at least half a day. This can be worn underneath or over face powder.

Just like the liquid blushes, this one stains too, so be careful when using them. Also, when you’re not using the blush, keep it tightly capped, or else the air will oxidize the gel and turn it pink. Plus the texture will turn rubbery.

I really like this gel blush because it gives me a very natural flush. Plus it’s portable too. It can be easily slipped into my makeup bag or my purse for that matter.

Smashbox O-Glow is available at Sephora at USD26 for 15ml, which, quite frankly, is quite pricey compared to the Benetint or Posietint. Even though the latter is sold at only 12.5ml at USD28, you’d end up using the O-Glow more as it’s quite sheer. This is also available here in Melbourne, at Zuza, and Perfume Connection at Docklands Harbour Town. I can’t recall the exact price of the blush, but I reckon it’s around AUD50-60. I’ll check it out when I’m in the city and update this post when I find out the correct price.

What I like about it: Gives a very natural glow to the cheeks, and lasts quite long.

What I do not like about it: Silicone-y texture which I’m still not very used to.