In the Limelight: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat - Product Review

If you have read my blog from way back when I first started, you'd know that I love blushes. They're just so irresistibly pretty whether just looking at them or having them swatched on your arm. It's the one makeup that made me realize that colours may look similar on the pan but come off differently. So whenever I see a new blush on Instagram, I find myself admiring and checking swatches but I always ask myself if I really want or need it so I don't easily buy them. It took me a while to jump into the Hourglass Ambient Lighting bandwagon because I thought that being baked, they'd be similar to MAC Mineralize line up of products. And that it's just hype - you know how the beauty community can be if you're a beauty enthusiast. Suffice it to say, I bit the bullet and got myself one and that is the Diffused Heat shade. Here's my review.

What I like:

• The packaging is very chic and classy as it gives the impression that it is heavy and sturdy. Point of comparison again for me is the packing of the Burberry Light Glow Blushes which is heavy and really sturdy. But I have once dropped this Hourglass blush and if only you could see my face at that moment, you would've gotten a good laugh. But the blush is still in one piece. Though it's probably because the floor where it landed is made of wood.
• The shade is a very nice warm pink with a hint of coral though it was described as poppy by the brand.
• Unscented! My nose is somewhat used to scented products now but it's a breath of fresh air to have a product that gives my olfactory nerves a rest.
• The blush is very smooth and a tad buttery - but still falls short when compared to the texture of Burberry blushes (I guess you can tell I love the texture of that blush!).
• It is highly pigmented though the depth of its colour can be altered by swiping to Ambient Lighting Powder that's mixed in the blush. It can get more or less intense. It would also be hard to get the very same colour - comparing yours to a friend's - as each pan differs in the quantity of the blush pigment and the powder swirled altogether.
• I don't really see the "glow" per se once applied on my cheeks but it somehow gives a luminous effect. Is that the glow people are raving about? :D
• Staying power is good. It lasts quite long on me and I only see fading on the 4th hour mark - which is pretty impressive taking into consideration the Manila weather and my skin type.
• Even though there are shimmer particles on the pan, it does not translate as shimmery on the cheeks. After hitting the big 3-0, my preference has changed from loving shimmer blushes to satin or matte blushes.
• No allergic reactions not break outs for me.

What I don't like:

• The price. I find its price range on the same level as most high end blushes from Chanel, Dior, Burberry, and perhaps Guerlain.I got mine for Php 2,000 which is very reasonable compared to other sellers' price of 2.5k as the only way you can get your hands on this guy here in Manila is though pre-orders unless you but it personally from abroad which leads me to the second thing I don't like.
• The brand's not locally available. If only we had Sephora here in the Philippines. A girl can dream, right?
• The compact is a fingerprint magnet. I once pressed my thumb hard on the compact and I was able to lift it using sticky tape. ;D

In-between:

In as much as I am awed by how gorgeous this blush is, I do not find anything spectacular about it. Other blushes can be as pigmented, smooth, buttery, and give a luminous flush for a lower price tag. 

Who might and might not like it?

Those who love baked blushes and won't mind paying quite a bit for a beautiful blush with swirls of light gold. If you are on a budget, you might find yourself searching for dupes instead. 

Will I buy again?

I would just because I don't have any powder blush like it in my stash and I like its longevity on my combination-oily skin. But it's not something I would consider a must-have. I can live without this blush as it is dupe-able but I choose not to. :D

Have you tried Hourglass blushes?

Happy Tuesday, super awesome peeps. :)

Cheers,

Follow me on Instagram: greenappletini

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Guest Post: My Current 5 Favorite Blushes by Anamika of WiseShe.com

Hello from India!

I am Anamika and I love how blushes sculpt and enlighten the complexion They add glow to the face and makes me look alive.I  keep hoarding lot of blushes and have wide variety of shade.

I keep trying blushes from drugstore to high end and have favorite in all of them. I am listing down few of my favorite blushes which I got recently.Hope you like them J

1. NARS Taj Mahal Blush

This is by far my favourite nars blush.It’s a beautiful scorched orange gold bronzy shade which adds lot of warmth and brightness. I like to wear it during fall especially during the night.We Indians celeberate lot of festivals where there is lot of glam and glitter and whenever I wear Nars Taj people ask me what’s on my cheeks.Only thing which needs to be taken care of is that one should use it with a light hand otherwise you will end up looking like a clown.

2. Milani Baked Blush in Corallina

I love Corallina because of the beautiful coral glow it gives me It has a slight shimmer in it but it will never looks too much If you are not a shimmery blush person then you need to try this out you will end up trying few more shimmery blushes for yourself.

3. MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Star Wonder

It is a plumy pink color with hints of gold shimmer. It isn’t glittery like other mineral makeup that MAC offers, which is why I like it so much. Wearing each of the three shades separately also gives your cheeks a different flush of color

5. Wet n Wild Pearlescent Pink

Blush reminded me of Nars Orgasm. It’s a rosy pink blush with a bit of coral into it and very fine golden shimmer. Shimmer in the blush is very very fine and will not make you look like a disco ball unlike many drugstore blushes around.I used  MAC 188 Small duo fibre face brush  or Coastal Scents Classic Blush Brush to apply it .As glitter in this blush is not overpowering it looks very flattering .Also, this blush will be best for warm skin tone girls.

5. L'Oreal Color Lift Blush Pink Lift Rose

Blush as per its name gives natural glow to the skin and kind of “lift “up as claimed. I especially like to wear it at night because when the lights falls on it it makes one look like a glowing bulb – in a good way of course. By the way this too looks like a good dupe of Nars orgasm ..I have lost the count of  the products which looks like Nars Orgasm.Also, along with this its a good dupe of MAC Star Wonder Mineralize Skinfinish.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Anamika is a makeup and beauty blogger who loves smokey eyes and blushes. When free she likes to surf around, listen to music and read some suspense thrillers. J

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In the Limelight: MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty Product Review

Most of my blushes have matte or satin finishes and I only have a handful of shimmery blushes. As I get older, I prefer non-shimmery ones because they tend to look more natural. But certain shimmery blushes have such gorgeous finishes like the MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty. After using it for a few months now, here's my review.

MAC describes their Mineralize Blushes as...

Baked minerals refined into a powder formula to provide exceptionally sheer and lightweight application. Colour builds lightly, layer after layer, without heavy coverage. Veils and enhances the cheekbones with a luminous, pearlized shimmer.

What I like:

• MAC describes it as light yellow pink with gold pearl. Dainty in my eyes is a gorgeous warm pink shade with hints of peach and coral that is made even more lovely by the find, iridescent gold shimmers. It may be too shimmery on the pan and on swatches but if applied sparingly, the shimmers will just give your cheeks a nice glow and sheen. I personally use non-synthetic brushes or the MAC 187 when I apply this. I noticed that using my Ecotools blush brush makes the shimmers look more prominent whereas using those brushes I mentioned earlier makes the color pop.
• It isn't the silkiest and most finely milled and velvety blush I have owned but the texture is still smooth and not chunky.
• Unscented. My two most used powder blushes together with this one is Burberry Light Glow Blush in Peony and Chanel Joues Contraste in Narcisse, both of which have floral scents to them. So my nose loves the fact that this blush is unscented.
• A little goes a long way. This is pigmented so apply sparingly using a light hand. Just lightly dust it on your cheeks and continuously blend.
• No skin irritation nor allergic reactions for me from using it.
• Staying power is good, stays for more 5-6 hours on my combination-oily skin.
• Locally available at MAC counters for Php 1,500.00 (feel free to update me if the price has increased).

What I don't like:

• It oxidizes on me as most products do. But it doesn't end up looking awful even though it has oxidized. 
• Can emphasize the pores especially for those with large ones.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Will I buy again? The shade is pretty dupe-able so I'm on the fence if I should repurchase. But I'm sure it will take years to finish so I have a lot of time in my hands to decide if I'll buy again or not.

Have you tried MAC Dainty? What's your favorite MAC blush?

Have a wonderful Friday, everyone!

Cheers,

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Back from Hiatus Post: Blushes - Cremes, Gels, Tints Mini Reviews and Swatches

Hi everyone! It has been a while since I last updated my blog. I had a lot of personal issues to deal with during my hiatus - I quit my office job, underwent therapy for my back, my mom had a stroke and had to take care of her until she made quite a recovery, and I'm back to doing freelance jobs online. Before I digress, allow me to get back on track. I decided there is no better way to make a back from hiatus post than to make it about my favorite makeup - blushes. Recently, I found myself gravitating towards creme blushes as they last longer on my skin now than powder blushes do. On my instagram account, I posted a picture of these blushes and now, I'd like to do swatches and mini reviews of all these. So if you'd like to see swatches and find out what I think of each product, then read on.

Let's start with the creme blushes in pans and a pot.

Top: Le Blush Creme de Chanel in Affinite; Laura Mercier Creme Cheek
Colour in Oleander; Becca Creme Blush in Hyacinth
Bottom: Diorblush Cheek Creme in Bikini

Swatches:

L-R: Affinite, Bikini, Hyacinth, Oleander

Mini Review:

1. Le Blush Creme de Chanel in Affinite - This is a gorgeous watermelon pink with a hint of red and coral creme blush. Its texture is quite different from all the creme blushes I have tried that I can't quite put my finger on how to exactly describe it. It's has a dry texture but not as airy as mousse blushes and dries to a powder finish. It lasts for hours on my combination-oily skin while giving a nice flush on my cheeks. It looks scary bright in the pan and it really is pigmented so you should use a very light hand in application. I prefer using my fingers in blending this as it's not as creamy and emolient as creme blushes normally are.
2. Diorblush Cheek Creme in Bikini - Now here's another pretty watermelon pink blush with very fine shimmers that I can barely make out once on the cheeks. It feels like play doh, only a tad softer. It blends well with the skin and gives a nice pop of colour that can surely brighten one's complexion. This, together with Affinite, are my current favourites.
3. Becca Creme Blush in Hyacinth - This was my HG creme blush before I crossed paths with Affinite and Bikini. Unlike the first two, this one is very creamy and emolient and blends so good on the skin making you look like you are naturally flushing. It is reddish pink in colour which can mimic one's color when blushing (although it still depends on your skin tone). This also has good staying power despite the formula and despite my skin type. 
4. Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Colour in Oleander - Unlike the first three, this doesn't have a tinge of brightness in it. It is a nice warm pale pink which can look very nice on those with light skin tones. This is perfect for those who just wants some nice light pink on their cheeks. I find this quite a bit dry and a little bit hard to work with but the end result is still nice. Staying power is also pretty good.  

Now on to the gels and tints.

MeMeMe Poppy Tint; Benefit ChaCha Tint; Giorgio Armani Blushing
Fabric 1 Shimmering Peach; Becca Beach Tint in Guava;
Kose Visee Mineral Liquid Cheeks Baby Finish PK800

Swatches:

L-R: Blushing Fabric 1, PK800, Guava, ChaCha Tint, Poppy Tint

Mini Review:

1. Giorgio Armani Blushing Fabric 1 Shimmering Peach - This is my second Blushing Fabric, the first one being shade 2. I have to say that I am more impressed with this shade than the first one. This gorgeous pink-peach-red shade is absolutely lovely with all the shimmers. It also has a great staying power and with its siliconey texture, it goes on smoothly on the cheeks. This is also pretty pigmented so do not forget to use a light hand in applying this.
2. Kose Visee Mineral Liquid Cheeks Baby Finish PK-800 - Now this looks neon pink and almost fluorescent when swatched but it turns to a nice warm bright pink shade on the cheeks. It is very pigmented and I can truly say that a little goes a long way with this blush. Staying power isn't as fab as other cremes and liquids but I suppose this will stay much longer for those with dry-normal skin.
3. Becca Beach Tint in Guava - Becca. I have grown a certain fondness for this brand and it all began with this lip & cheek tint. It is a very pretty light coral pink shade that looks nice on both cheeks and lips. This little tube that contains only 7mL of product is pigmented and a little goes a long way. I love the fruity scent it has too. Although the staying power kinda disappoints me, I still like using it especially on hot and humid days.
4. Benefit Cha Cha Tint - Coral lovers will like this. Its texture is similar to Posie Tint and not as watery as Benetint so it will give you extra seconds to blend, blend, blend, before it actually stains. I don't like this much on my cheeks because it turns red-orange on me but on the lips, I like it a lot. It is bright and perfect for summer.
5. MeMeMe Poppy Tint -  This is very much similar to Benefit Posie Tint only this one is more watery. I like it but not as much as I like the my other non-powder blushes. I don't normally reach for this although staying power is decent.

So that is all. I hope you like this post and if you have favorites or suggestions, please leave a comment.

Have a wonderful day, super awesome peeps!

Cheers,

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In the Limelight: Tarte Amazonian 12-hour Clay Blush in Dollface

My first Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush experience was okay with the shade Blissful. While it wasn't a blissful ending for me and that blush, that didn't stopme from trying another shade from the Amazonian Clay Blush line and got myself Dollface. I have been using this since last year and I decided it's time to finally review it.

What I like:

• The shade is a cool light pink that turns warm on me after a while. Please do note, though, that I am acidic and almost everything oxidizes on me. It is pretty and brightens the face.
• Surprisingly, it stays longer than Blissful considering that that shade is more pigmented than this one. It stays for about half a day before it fades then eventually disappear.
• It has not caused any allergic reaction nor any break outs on my skin.
• I got the deluxe size with 3.4g of product but since a little goes a long way, I can just imagine not being able to use it up in 2 years. What more if its the full-sized one?
• Unscented. 
• Animal cruelty-free.
• Brand is not locally available in department stores but can be purchased through online resellers for around Php 1000-1400.00 depending on the seller,
• Has a shelf life of 12 months as indicated on the label but as for powder products, it can last for up to 3 years if used very carefully keeping it sanitized all the time.
• Since it is the smaller version, compact is a bit smaller but still cute and will easily fit even in small purses of pockets.

What I don't like:

• No mirror. Becca cosmetics have compacts that are as small as this one yet they were able to put mirrors. This is just minor and I can live with it.
• Compared to Blissful, the texture of this one isn't as smooth and silky but still blends on the skin especially when a brush with not so soft bristles are used. Still works with a regular blush brush though.
• Still oxidizes but at least it turns out nicely.
• Still no 12 hours on the skin.
• Not locally available in department stores.

Overall rating: 4/5

Will I buy again? I would if I don't happen to have any favorites but sadly, I have faves. So I might skip on repurchasing but it's not the blush; it's me. :-D

Have you tried this blush? How do you find it?

Cheers,

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In the Limelight: Becca Cosmetics Creme Blush in Hyacinth Product Review

I have always been a powder blush user and creme blushes aren't really my thing although I have owned a few in the past. None really amazed me but that wasn't until I got my hands on Hyacinth Creme Blush by Becca Cosmetics. It was one of the products I picked up from my Apothica sponsorship. Anyway, I have been using it since January of this year and here is my review on the said product.

What I like:

• The shade, Hyacinth, is a gorgeous red-pink shade with just a very tiny hint of coral in it. It  does not contain shimmers and gives a natural flush.
• The texture is very creamy, glides like butter, and blends like a dream on the skin.
• Unscented.
• The compact is really nice and sleek and fits small purses given its small size. It is smaller than the compacts of their powders and powder blushes.
• Pigmented and a little goes a long way. 
• Its texture initially made me think that this won't last more than half an hour on me but it proves otherwise as this lasts for about half a day on my combination-oily skin type plus the Manila heat and humidity. So staying power is more than decent for a creme blush.
• It has not caused any irritation or allergic reaction on my skin.
• Locally available at Adora in Greenbelt though I can't be certain of the price.

What I don't like:

• This could be pretty pricey here in Manila. The Beach Tints cost around Php 1850 so I can just imagine how pricier this could probably be. (But given the quality, I'm willing to purchase this here.)

Overall rating: 4.75/5 less .25 for the price.

Will I buy again? I think this is my HG (Holy Grail) creme blush so yes! As I stated above, I am willing to pay the local price and purchase it here.

Have you tried creme blushes by Becca Cosmetics?

Have a wonderful week ahead, everyone! :-)

Cheers,

DISCLAIMER Product was purchased using my Apothica sponsorship fund but does not, in any way, affect my opinion on the said product.

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In the Limelight: CHANEL Joues Contraste in Narcisse 44 Product Review

"Narcisse" in French is Narcissus (Greek mythology) - the handsome young man who fell in love with his own reflection and was turned to a flower. 

Well, I don't think I'd turn to a flower for falling in love with this blush the first time I swatched this and applied this on my cheeks. Tonight I will be reviewing one of my favorite blushes at the moment and has been for a few months now which is Chanel Joues Contraste in 44 Narcisse.

What I like:

• The compact, as usual, is sleek and elegant which has been the trademark of Chanel for decades now. 
• The shade, Narcisse is a very pretty delicate candy pink shade that gives a nice subtle glow and sheen on the skin. I have read reviews about it not showing up on those with medium-dark skin tones but it is enough to show up on me and I am a MAC NC25. I just need to swirl my brush on the pan twice and it picks up enough color for my cheeks. I used to call JCs "kaskas blushes" because I have to swirl the brush a lot of times with my previous one just to pick up color but this shade proves otherwise.
• It comes with a nice velvet pouch which keeps the fingerprint-and-dirt-magnet compact from accumulating a lot of dirt. 
• It has a faint rose scent which, I think, my sense of smell is accustomed to since this isn't my first JC (see Tea Rose review here).
• It doesn't mimic the natural color my cheeks have when I blush but this one brightens my face and this started my love affair with pink shades.
• It stays on my skin for at least 4 hours which isn't bad considering the skin type I have.
• No allergic reactions from it, no break outs either.
• Has a shelf life of 18 months (which I honestly think is longer than that period).
• 4g of products lasts a verrrrrry long time and I mean it. You'll barely make a dent even if you've been using it for months, I dare you.
• Locally available at Chanel Counters and Duty Free (where you can get it cheaper).

What I don't like:

• The compact, while sleek and classy is such a dirt and fingerprint magnet. I have to wipe it clean every time I use this because a dirty compact isn't a pretty sight.
• Expensive for Php 2350 at Rustan's but I guess all the things I like about it makes it worth every single cent.

Overall rating: A whopping 5/5! I can forgive the compact being a dirt and fingerprint magnet because of the shade and how it works for me as a blush.

Will I buy again? No doubt about it! :)

Up-close

Swatch

Compared with Burberry Light Glow Blush in Peony.
They look a bit similar but Peony is warmer.

Have you tried Chanel blushes? What's your favorite shade?

Have a great week ahead, super awesome peeps! :)

Cheers,

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In the Limelight: Vincent Longo Lip & Cheek Gel Stain in Liquid Kiss Product Review

How's Monday, guys? Start of another workweek and perhaps a stressful one but let's welcome it with a smile instead. Anyway, I will do my best to keep this blog updated as often as I can. I don't want to make a blogging schedule as that would make me feel like this is a chore and might add more to the burn out I am experiencing at the moment. So in my attempt to keep this updated, I am reviewing another non-powder blush which is a lip & cheek tint. I am not the type who likes using tints as I never got the hang of applying it on my cheeks and when used on the lips, they just disappear or settle on my lip lines which I'm telling you isn't a pretty sight. Okay, I won't prolong the agony and make reading this entry a pain with my blabbing so here's the review for the Vincent Longo Lip & Cheek Gel Stain in Liquid Kiss which is one of the products I got from Apothica.

 

What I like:

• The packaging is very simple. It's in a slim, black smoked glass tube that doesn't take a lot of space in one's makeup bag. 
• The shade Liquid Kiss is a nice reddish tint with a hint of brown, almost close to being brick red. It looks natural on the cheeks. 
• It does not have an awful taste like one of the tints I own with the brand name I'd rather with hold. 
• Tint lasts for hours. I road tested it and it lasted for at least 5 hours on my cheeks but less on my lips.
• Pigmentation is good.
• Didn't dry out my lips.
• I did not get any allergic reaction from it (I usually experience such within the day).
• I think it is fairly priced at $22.30 for 7.5mL of product at Apothica and sadly, Sephora no longer carries this product.

What I don't like:

• It looks unnaturally dark on my lips even when applied very sparingly which isn't the tint's fault. My preference. 
• It settles on the dry patches or spots on my cheeks no matter how much I moisturize that area and blend it as fast as I can.
• It oxidizes. I think almost everything oxidizes on me. Bah!
• Not locally available.

Overall rating: 4/5 I still gave it a 4 because it is more than decent as a lip & cheek tint. I'm just probably not meant to use tints because I just can't seem to apply it right. This just doesn't work for me. A lot of girls like it though.

Will I buy again? Probably not. I prefer the likes of Benefit Posietint and Becca Beach Tints due to the consistency of the product.

Other: The tube isn't full at all even when it's new so don't be surprised and panic that the product might have leaked the moment you get your hands on this product. Also, when I removed the swatch from my arm, I noticed it left a dark stain that's somewhat close to being black or gray. I wonder why it looked like that.

Have you tried Vincent Longo products? What would you recommend?

Have a great Tuesday tomorrow, super awesome peeps! :)

Cheers,

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In the Limelight: Majolica Majorca Creme de Cheek in PK 312 Shell Pink Cream Product Review

How's your Sunday, everyone? Mine's a pretty lazy one as I had to rest the whole day (and yesterday too) due to fever and to somehow make this day productive, I decided to post a review of one of my non-powder blushes and that is the Majolica Majorca Creme de Cheek in PK 312 Shell Pink Cream. So without any further delays or ramblings, here is my review of the said product.

 

What I like:

• The shade PK 312 or Shell Pink Cream is a really pretty medium pink with just a very tiny hint of peach. I do not think it is that close to being shell pink which is a tad more lighter but nevertheless still a pretty shade.
• Though it is housed in a nail polish bottle very reminiscent of polishes from the Korean brand Etude House, I think it's still somewhat practical as its size, being small that it is, can easily fit even in small purses. The good thing, though, is that it doesn't leak.
• Texture is nice. From kinda watery that dries to a very creamy velvety finish that I find easy to blend.
• Does not have any distracting scent at all.
• I can truly say that with this blush, a little goes a long way. I only need a dot on my finger and rub it with another then apply on both cheeks. One small dot is enough for both cheeks.
• Pigmented and lasts more than 4 hours on my combination-oily skin.
• I did not experience any irritation or allergic reaction from this product.
• Reasonably priced at Php 495 for 5.4mL of goodness.
• Locally available at all Majolica Majorca counters.

What I don't like:

• If I don't use this for a couple of days and left it sitting on my train case, I notice that there is a transparent liquid that separates and floats atop the pigment. I have to shake it to make sure that they mix together. Not sure why that happens but at least the shaking doesn't need to be as rigorous as it has to be with Becca Beach Tint.
• Oxidizes and turns reddish quite a bit on me after a while.
• It sits on dry patches on my cheeks. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Will I buy again? I probably would if only it does not oxidize on me.

Have you tried this blush from Majolica Majorca? How do you find it?

Have a wonderful week ahead, super awesome peeps! :)

Cheers,

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