In no particular order…
Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Malice ($45)
Malice, with her barely-there golden shimmer, is my idea of a purrfect peachy pink blush. If glittery golden wild child NARS Orgasm were sent to finishing school for a year, she’d come back wearing pearls instead of a leather jacket and call herself Chanel Malice.
MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Delphic ($27.50)
Delphic bronzer was in last year’s limited edition Alluring Aquatic collection, and I will cry a raging river of black mascara-streaked tears when I finish it.
I feel like it makes me look like I just spent an afternoon soaking up the sun with friends. Ahh…
MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul ($27)
I mean, really, how many times can I gush about this golden beige blush!?
Apparently, at least one more. 🙂
It’s just so effortlessly awesome.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Radiant Light ($45)
Otherwise known as “the summer glow powder,” this warm, radiant golden bronze catches the light oh, so subtly.
When I see myself in the mirror first thing in the morning and think, “Gah!” I reach for Radiant Light, and let it do its highlighter thang.
Great for everyone, but extra-amazing for mature makeup mavens.
Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Pink Explosion ($45)
Another blockbuster blush from the House o’ Chanel, this one a medium-toned matte pink powder blush with magical micro-glitter and a soft satin finish. I love it because it amazingly goes with almost every single pink lipstick and gloss in my makeup collection.
How about you, babe? What are five of your favorite face/cheek products of all time, and why do you love them?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Happy hump day!
Oof… This is gonna be tough…
1. MAC Prolongwear Concealer in NC30.
I’ve tried others, but I always always come back to this one. It covers well, doesn’t cake up, and it wears well. I love using it under the eyes or mixing a pump with a bb cream or a tinted moisturizer to bump up the coverage.
2. MAC In Extra Dimension Bronzer in Delphic.
I’m right there with you on this one. It’s actually my favorite contour color, and whenever I wear it, people always ask what I’m wearing on my cheeks. It’s so soft and easy to blend… Please, MAC, bring it back!
3. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Punjab.
Idk where they got this “sheer” business. This foundation covers almost all my dark spots and blemishes! It also wears well and looks natural. Win!
4. MAC In Extra Dimension Blush in Seduced At Sea.
This baby goes with EVERYTHING. I went through a three month phase where I wore nothing else on my cheeks. I love it so much!
5. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Sandstone.
I blame Bobbi for getting me on board with sparkle, sparkle, SPARKLE on my cheeks. After using that shimmer brick for a month straight, I put on Lightscapade and let out a disappointed, “Oh.”
HUMP DAAAAAY.
Not sure I can come up with 5. Let’s try:
1. Armani Powder Blush in #2. It’s their older formula so I don’t know if the shade is the same. It’s very close to that new Chanel LE blush with the flowers on it.
2. NARS Orgasm. It’s surprisingly flattering on me and long lasting.
3. Becca SSP in Pearl. It’s not a strict cheek product but it’s one of the best liquid highlighters.
4. Becca Beach Tint in Gapefruit. I use it as a base for other blushed or by itself.
5. Clinique Cheek Pop blushes. They just have such a nice finish and they aren’t as expensive as other high end blushes.
BONUS
6. Chanel Joues Contraste! I don’t own any yet but I will hopefully be able to haul a few this year.
7. Hourglass Ambient Blush Palette. Another hopeful spring purchase!
8. Guerlain Bronzers! They seem to know how to nail bronzers for fair skin! Another hopeful purchase!
1. Tarte’s Exposed blush for its versatility and finish!
2. Chanel Poudre Signee highliter(LE) for being the best powder highlighter I’ve tried!
3. Chanel’s Destiny cream blush for being the cream blush + bronzer hybrid and stunning on the cheeks!
4. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Powder Pink effortless pretty and natural
5. Nars Deep Throat blush peachy pink perfection!!
Missy, I am laying the whole blame for my recent purchase of Warm Soul at your feet! Just so you know!!
I think that my most used blush is actually the blush 103 by kiko that is said to be a dupe for Orgasm. It is very flattering and goes with almost anything
Tarte Amazonian clay blush – exposed
Tarte Amazonian clay blush – tipsy
Benefit – hervana
benefit – coralista
tarte – park ave princess matte bronzer
wow, that was tough. I wish it was a top 10 list!
Sorry for cheating, but:
1) Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure (the single) and Luminous Flush (ditto, though I have and love the palette too).
2) Chanel Jouer Contraste in Innocence
3) Nars blushes Madly and Oasis (don’t make me choose)
4) Nars Laguna Bronzer
5) Kevyn Aucoin the Sculpting Powder in Medium and Celestial Powder Candlelight.
I have an Hourglass Ambient highlighting blush… I can’t remember which shade. I use it as a highlighter mostly, because the shade I chose is too light to even show up as a blush (and I have pale skin!). I do love it though.
I love the Milani baked blushes- they create a soft glow, and they have shades for us pale gals! I’m not sure I have 5 favorite blushes, really >_>
Five favorite face and cheek products?
IT Cosmetics CC Cream SPF 50 — a fantastic base with all-mineral SPF that gives me a wonderful glow.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light as a finishing powder that enhances rather than diminishing that glow.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye as a concealer for under eyes and elsewhere. It really conceals and it really lasts.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Radiant Light — only for me, it’s an effortless, no-fail, gentle, radiant bronzer.
My favorite blush changes. Contenders are Make Up For Ever HD blush in 210, a matte, slightly cool-toned, light pink; the Hourglass Ambient Lighting blush palette, although all three lean a bit warm on me; and IT Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Flush in Radiant in Rose and Magical in Mauve, two cool-toned blushes aren’t Barbie- or bubblegum-pink and that blend beautifully even though they’re intense.
This is a toughie lol
1. MAC Magnetic Appeal Skinfinish – Easily one of the best EDSF MAC has released! The color is perfect for my complexion and it gives a natural lit from within kinda glow
2. MAC Pleasure Model Blush – This is probably my all time favorite blush ever. Oy goes with everything and it looks super natural on me
3. NARS Rotonde Blush – Another blush that goes with just about anything. It’s great all year round but I love wearing it in the summer
4. MAC Definitely Defined Skinfinish – I love how this one has 2 shades in one so I can customize the color and glow that I want
5. The last one is a tie between my Sleek Contour Kit and Covergirl Queen Bronzer. Both give a nice contour for my complexion while looking natural
Hi Fancie,
Oh, you’re the second person in a week to rave about that bronzer! Kwmechelle (she comments here…say hi to her sometime, she’s really nice) was just talking about it last week. I have a trip to Ulta planned soon and it’s on my wish list, woo hoo. 🙂
i was wondering if anyone out there has used SO SUSAN’s UNIVERSAL BLUSH. i just got it and think that it is pretty great. comes from the UK, but i got it with free shipping.
I got it in a beauty box (Glossybox, I think). I was very impressed with it, too.
Hi Karen! I have a rather small collection of face products but there are many that I love within it!
1. Mac soft and gentle
2. L’oreal true match blushes (I’m on my third…)
3. Tarte 12 hour blush in Exposed (my go-to blush that matches with everything)
4. Josie Maran color stick in Love
5. Laura Mercier foundation primer in Radiance
Hi Ashley,
Sounds like you have a lovely collection. I loooove Soft and Gentle too. Sometimes I use it in the inner corners for that extra something-something.
Oh — and I see you have a Josie Maran product as your #4. How are you liking the Rose Gold eyeshadow?
P.S. Hope you, the boyfriend and your pup had a lovely holiday season!
Hi Karen,
Thank you for the recommendation/review! I’ve been using it a lot, it’s a nice easy product that looks really pretty, and I’m all about those easy one or two-step eye looks! I do really want more of them now, good call to pick them up during the VIB sale.
Thank you, we had a great holiday! I got sick right after Christmas and was unable to run the Jan 1st 5k I had planned, so was bummed about that. 🙁 Seeing as I’m still not over it though, it was probably a wise decision to skip that one.
Hope your week is going swimmingly!
1. BareMinerals allover face color in Rose Radiance: It’s very natural looking and never fails to make my pale face look healthy and glowing. I get compliments whenever I wear it. For years, it was the only blush/face color I wore.
2. Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer: It’s perfect for fair skin. Not too dark, not too sparkly, not too orange. And it smells amazing!
3. Tarte blushes. I love how they look, feel and wear. Exposed, Buff and Mirage go with everything.
4. Too Faced Candlelight. My everyday highlighter. It’s so soft and naturally luminous.
5. Sleek blushes. Inexpensive, amazing pigmentation, awesome color selection. My favorites include Rose Gold, Life’s a Peach, Pomegranite and Blush by 3 in Pink Sprint.
I agree with you on Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil! I just pulled it out again in the past week and can’t figure out why I ever stopped using it — just got seduced away by new products for a while, I guess — but it really is great, not too dark, not too orange/yellow, always looks right if you’re between fair and light 🙂
Will pass on that one, too. I couldn’t come up with five favorites. But I have enjoyed MACs Ripe Peach for almost two years now, so I guess that comes close.
LOL, you don’t have to do five! Even one is cool. 🙂 I remember that blush — super pretty!
The problem is, I just can’t commit.
It took me 8 and a half months of pregnancy to get convinced to say “I do” to Mr. Loca 😉
I’m the same way with lipsticks. 🙂
El Hub and I dated for years before we got engaged… I was unsure for a long time, but then I literally woke up one morning and realized that yeah, this was gonna happen and it was going to be GREAT. lol
Wow, really? That’s quite a story! It took me over a year to make up my mind about moving to the US! And right after I moved I thought I made the worst decision ever.
So how did you meet your husband in the first place, Agata? And what made you move?
I was married before: Dated for eight years, living together for seven years, engaged for 1,5 years, married for four months…
I vowed never to marry again, but changed my mind and got married looking like an elephant 😉
I know it’s supposed to be All-Time Favourite, but my mommy really, really likes Proenza Schouler for MAC – Blush Ombre in Ocean City.
xo, Sookie
I don’t think I can come up with 5 items but..
1. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush. It goes with everything and I could wear it every day.
2. Mac Powder Blush in Taupe- the best contouring shade ever, it’s perfect for my skin tone.
3. Hourglass Incandescent Light from the trio powder palette, it’s my favorite highlighting shade. I am scared I will hit the pan soon and that’s the shade exclusive to this palette.
I think these three are the ones that I really couldn’t live without.
I’m still relatively new to using cheek products, so these are kind of faves/ what I own – lol
MAC Peony Petal – Just a beautiful pink blush. Reminds me of peonies in Chinese artwork that look so delicate and graceful.
NARS Deep Throat blush – I use this mostly for special occasions.
Tarte Exposed blush – Used as an all-around kind of blush: special occasions and every day casual, depending on the look, basically whenever I need something to show but not be showy.
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil – The smell, of course! And how it wears on my skin 😉
*waves* Hi Fancy! I’m subscribed to your blog as well & I couldn’t agree with you more about that Cover Girl Bronzer. I wear it EVERY DAY. Lol! I’m a warm-toned NC50 with yellow undertones. The CG bronzer has red undertones. I don’t know how it works but it complements brown skin well. I’m still building my blush stash, so I’ll list the ones that I rotate the most (aside from my CG bronzer):
NARS Taj Mahal- really, how did I live without this blush?!
MAC Raisin- my first blush ever. Basically, my gateway blush that led me to all others.
NARS Exhibit A- This. Blush! It’s totally loud & the color is true to pan. Worn correctly, this baby speaks for itself.
MAC Desert Rose- Such a soft pink that I thought would be too light for me. But it’s so pretty against my chocolate skin. I wear it when I want a flush of color without looking like I tried at all.
NYX Cinnamon- This is said to be a dupe for Taj Mahal but they’re actually quite different, IMO. It’s a matte orange that warms my skin with no shine/glitter. It’s totally matte & I lurves it.
P.S. I’m loving these makeup “quizzes” and taking notes
I love cheek products! I will go with MAC, Makeup Geek, and Benefit blushes. Right now the bronzer I’m loving is one by Makeup Forever.
1. Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder, for its soft focus satin finish
2. Chanel Rose Initilale, a very versatile rosey shade that works well with just about everything
3. Nars Laguna Bronzer, for its golden sheen
4. MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC42, as it covers every single blemish/ spot
Warm Soul is so stunning on you! I’m getting it asap!
I loved the way you described Malice.. It is indeed a gorgeous shade!
You have a beautiful collection.. I am lusting for Ambient blushes as well 😉
My Favorites are : Maybelline Cheeky Glow Creamy Cinnamon, Physician Formula Happy Glow Booster Rose and NYX Desert Rose blush! 🙂
hmm, it’s tough picking only five, but I’ll give it s go!
1. Becca’s Damselfly
2. Clinique’s Peach Pop
3. Illamasqua’s Naked Rose
4. Le Metier de Beaute’s Radiance
5. Mac’s Buff
Definitely sensing a theme with these colours.
Btw, thank you for the shout out. I only just noticed it now. I swear my stomach did a somersault!
Awesome picks, Karen!
In my top five are definitely my new Couleur Caramel Rose Lumiere Blush Powder, Smashbox’s Warm Glow blush, BE Creative’s Sunrise Bronzer, Sisley’s L’Orchidee Rose Highlighter Blush and – believe it or not – MAC’s Pedro Lourenco Color Powder Blush (I crushed it and use it as a loose powder blush)
My skin is dry as hell, so I do a lot of creams. I love Tarte cheek stain in Exposed, very natural. I also have Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance in peach glow. Sparkly and glowy. Another frequent favorite is the LE Tarts cheek stain in Fantasy. For powder blush, I love Maybelline Master HiLight in nude. So long wearing! I love highlighters, and my most used us the MAC Paint Pot in bare study. Not its intended use, but perfect.
You could hear me squee when I scrolled to Malice, couldn’t you? I love it with the heat of 1000x suns. Oh, and the last couple of times I wore my Hourglass ambients, they didn’t break me out. Maybe because my winter skin is drier? Whatever the reason, I was happy! 🙂
I just LOVE peachy-orange tone and that Malice is calling for me !!
Here’s my selection :
1. The INGLOT blush in 68, light, blend so well,
2. The MAC blush in breezy, for once i had to change my addiction for peachy tone, and i love it.
3. The IMAN after glow : a very usefull three set for travelling,
4. The ESTEE LAUDER Bronze Godess sea star bronzing blush,perfect summer set.
5. The CHANEL cream blush in Presage : love love love !!! Creamy so perfect for my dry skin.
1. MAC Extra Dimension blush in Seduced at Sea — I NEEDS ME ANOTHER ONEEEE.
2. Loreal True Match in w6 – I’m J Lo’s color! YAY. Drugstore foundation that doesn’t break me out and looks natural!
3. Becca blush in Flowerchild – that gold shimmer just makes me look healthy and luminous!
4. Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer – I find that I like this more than my laguna bronzer because its not too orangey and smells like chocolate!
5. Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay powder – actually keeps me matte
—
What do you think about Chanel Rose Bronze as my first Chanel blush??
Hi Karen!
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your blog. You are beautiful and funny and I love that your makeup looks are wearable. Some girls out therected do fierce makeup, but Idk how anyone goes out in the real world all caked up and made up that way!
Anyhow my top 5 are:
1. NARS Orgasm/Laguna Duo – I first bought the big O many years ago from Sephora. The poor sales girl just wasn’t used to brown girls buying that shade and tried to persuade me not to buy it. I ignored her and I wear it almost. Every. Day.
2. NARS Madly – this initially was introduced in a spring set (I think) and I love it when I’m wearing nude lips and smokey eyes.
3. E.L.F. blush in Pink Passion. I love that it’s a matte bright Barbie pink. Goes great with my pink lippies, although I’m dying to try the pink Chanel you mention in your post And NARS Desire.
4. I used to love Smash box Artificial Light in Smashing Glow and then they stopped making it. I have tried Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. Not bad. Looking forward to trying NARS The Multiple in Copacabana also.
5. I also love the NARS Sin/Casino Duo. I wear the berry blush when I wear darker lippies.