Naturally Flushed: Cream Blush

Cream blushes are an increasingly common step in my makeup routine; I think they can take the "clown" fear out of wearing blush for a lot of people out there. Cream blushes are definitely more user-friendly than their powder counterparts, mostly because the creamy nature of the product allows it to seamlessly blend into skin. The flush appears more natural and from within as opposed to a powder, which can sit heavily on top of skin if it isn't blended well. My preferred way of using a cream blush is to apply it with this brush from Sephora as an anchor for a powder cheek colour, leading to a dimensional and long-lasting look. Here are some formulas that are in my current rotation. 

Clarins Multi-Blush Cream Compact

This formula is a new offering from Clarins this season and it's a goodie. I am a sucker for this "Rosewood" shade, but colours aside, there's a bunch of waxes in this formula (rose, mimosa, sunflower, jojoba) to ensure easy blending and proper hydration, as well as vitamin E, which is always great for skin. Super blendable and hard to overdo thanks to the satin finish with no shimmer whatsoever, which makes this rather user-friendly for all ages.

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush

A fantastic drugstore cream blush if I ever saw one! I have only been playing with this one for a couple weeks, but it gives a great satin finish with a very faint hint of shimmer, making it a fun option to play with if you're just getting into the cream blush scene. "Pinched" is a gorgeous peachy shade to transition into spring with (if this winter ever dies).

MaxFactor Miracle Touch Creamy Blusher

I'm a bit of a jerk to include this, but anyone who is in the UK can possibly benefit from my appreciation and recommendation of this creamy little pot of awesomeness. Dear friend Danielle (of SRSLY fame) was in London in fall 2012, and I asked her to be a dolly and grab me a couple of these, and she DID and they're GREAT! I hate that P&G totally has used the same packaging for CoverGirl items, but that the contents are SOOOOO different. Here's to hoping and praying that this cream blush makes its way to the Canadian market under the CoverGirl banner since MaxFactor is no longer a thing here, because these are phenomenal. Subtle shimmer to bounce enough light off the face, but nothing gaudy or overwhelming. A treat to use, and probably my most reached-for product of the post ("Soft Copper" is one of my favourite things).

Kevyn Aucoin Beauty Creamy Glow

Probably the creamiest of the bunch and most pigmented, this formula by Kevyn Aucoin offers up flexibility, since it can be sheered out or built up for a bigger splash of colour. The colour range is all quite wearable with one really bright pop of colour (pictured above, "Liquifuschia"). If you've ever messed around with Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancers, then you'll know emollient is an understatement for potted products from the brand, and this stuff is no exception. A dab'll do ya.


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