Product Review- Benefit Bella Bamba Blush

Benefit Bella Bamaba Blush Review


From the Brand:
Amplify cheekbones and create the illusion of sculpted features with this 3D watermelon blush. Laced with shimmering gold undertones, bella bamba takes eye-popping pretty to the third dimension...you'll never use traditional blush again!

Retails for:  $28.00


Where to Buy:  Sephora.com and stores, Ulta.com and stores, Benefitcosmetics.com and Benefit counters at select department stores


My Thoughts:  Can you believe this is the very first blush I’ve ever used from Benefit?  It feels like I’ve tried every single other product they make except their blushes, and I only got this one because it was included in a set.  I’m very very glad that it was though, as I’m praying I find a few Sephora gift cards in my stocking this year so I can rush out and buy a few more colors!  This stuff is the bee’s knees I tell ya!

I think they nailed it with the color personally.  This is the perfect combination of a flushed pink and a warm coral all in one.  It’s richly pigmented with just a touch of shimmer, so a little goes a long way.  Seriously, I just tap my brush in once and apply.  That’s all you need.  It’s bright enough that I think it’d be gorgeous on even deeper skintones, but it’s soft enough that it’s not harsh at all on my fair skin.  I’ve worn this most of the month of November and so far in December, too.  If I’d done a favorites post for November like I’d planned (and yet again, life has gotten in the way of this blogging hobby of mine) this blush would totally have been first pick.

Benefit’s got the most adorable packaging, and their blushes are no different.  I love that it comes in such a cute box!  Very different from any other blushes on the market, and that alone sets it apart from its competitors.  I think the brush that comes with it is a complete waste, but that’s how I feel on every single brush that comes with blushes.  Maybe it’s to cut down on buying another brush, but in my opinion if you’re forking over the cash for a blush from Benefit, you’re probably going to have a wardrobe of makeup brushes, too. 

Final Verdict:  Replacing Nars Orgasm  as my new perfect peachy pink!

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Product Review- e.l.f. Contouring Blush and Bronzer Duo

e.l.f. Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder Review


From the Brand:
Create a healthy and natural glow all year long with the Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder. The Blush highlights the cheeks to add a flush of color, while the Bronzer accents and contours cheekbones for beautiful definition. This convenient compact has just what you need to achieve a gorgeous glow anytime, anywhere.

Retails for:  $3.00


Where to Buy:  eyeslipsface.com


My Thoughts:  For only $3, this is a really good buy.  One side is a beautiful bronzer with a very subtle shimmer, and on the other side is a soft peach.  The bronzer is richly pigmented and worth the purchase on its own.  I love it for contouring all fair to medium skin tones.  People with a deeper shade of tan and darker, might not find enough color for them to use as a contouring product.  I don't find it to be orangey at all, which is perfect.  Although, the fact that it does have shimmer in it does eliminate it for my first choice in contouring products.  But during the summer when I don't mind a bit of shimmer, it's a great option to bring on my vacations.

I wish the blush was as pigmented and slightly more flattering on myself.  I'm not as big a fan of the peachy hue.  I personally prefer more pinky tones.  This does have a soft golden shimmer through it that gives a subtle glow to the skin, and those with fair skins should be pretty happy with the overall effect.  People with more tan skin and darker definitely will find it too chalky and light for them.


Final Verdict:  If it's the right shades for your skintone, it's a fantastic way to pare down your makeup bag for travel or touchups!

 

**Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  As with all my articles, the opinions expressed herein are fully my own.  For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Product Review- Pixi Beauty Blush

Pixi Beauty Blush Review


From the Brand:
Super-silky, youth-enhancing powder blush infused with skin-loving ingredients.

What it is formulated to do:
With added cheekbone-sculpting and moisture-trapping ingredients, this cashmere-silky treatment powder works to nourish skin while providing lush colour. We also infused it with rosehip extract for a vitamin boost and honeysuckle flower extract for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Mineral pigments provide soft, sheer shades and a long-lasting and natural-looking finish. Talc free. Paraben free. Fragrance free.

Beneficial ingredients and what they do:

• Honeysuckle flower extract provides anti-inflammatory properties
• Rosehip extract hydrates skin
• Jojoba oil softens and conditions skin
• Vitamin E protects and nourishes skin

Retails for:  $16.00


Where to Buy:  Pixi Beauty.com, Select Target stores


My Thoughts:  These blushes are pretty good, but not exactly the high quality I'd expect for something that costs $16.  I'd expect to pay a little closer to $10 for these.  Perhaps it's all in the skin loving ingredients rather than in the pigmentation and longevity in the blush itself.  If you like natural ingredients and the convenience of finding them in stores, you might be the perfect consumer for Pixi Beauty.

I love that Pixi products are available at Target, where I can usually find a tester to try the product out first before purchasing.  Granted, this means that because it's a tester at Target it's usually so destroyed it's almost not worth trying, but I can also return it if it's just not a good fit for me.  Target's pretty good like that.

I'm not sure where I got this blush from to be honest.  I've had it in my blush box for the longest time and only every so often take it out to use it.  The color I have is called Purest Peach, and it's a soft peach color just as the name implies.  The texture of the blush is very velvety and soft, and it is a nice color if peach is your thing.  {I'm not much of a peach girl, so I'm pretty sure this made its way to me in some monthly subscription box over the years.}  It's also slightly shimmery, so if you prefer a matte flush of color you might want to skip it.

Besides the color not being one I wear much, despite the soft texture of the blush it doesn't have a lot of pigmentation and comes out very sheer.  You really have to build it up to get a noticeable color, and then it can start to look a bit chalky.  It's definitely suited to someone with fairer skin who really only needs a touch of color.  Since it is so sheer it also doesn't last very long and needs to be touched up.

I do have to comment on how adorable the packaging is though.  I'm a total sucker for fairies, and the light green packaging on all their products is very distinctive.  You can tell a Pixi Beauty product right away.  The plastic is a tad on the cheap side, but it's lightweight so it won't weigh down your makeup bag.


Final Verdict:  Overall, it is more of a drugstore quality blush worthy of a drugstore quality price tag instead of $16.  If you can find a tester to try out first and get a color that looks good on you, it might be better suited to your skin than mine. I'd just pair it over a cream blush first if you're expecting bolder color that lasts.

 

**Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  As with all my articles, the opinions expressed herein are fully my own.  For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Product Review- e.l.f. HD Blush

e.l.f. Studio HD Blush Review


From the Brand:  Rich and creamy HD Blush naturally sculpts and highlights the cheekbones for a soft-focus effect that is great for everyday use. The Vitamin E enriched formula conditions and hydrates the skin for a healthy, radiant glow. Velvety soft, lightweight and highly pigmented color creates a long-lasting result for all day wear.

Retails for:  $3.00


Where to Buy:  eyeslipsface.com


My Thoughts:  This stuff is so super pigmented, you need to apply it quickly and correctly or else you're at risk of looking seriously clown-like.  I chose this bright hot pink shade (Diva) for two reasons: 1- I needed something bright for my kit since everything else I have is pretty sheer or natural looking on average, and 2- I'm in addicted to hot pink in an I-need-a-12-step-program kind of way.  I figured the color in the tube couldn't possibly be as bright and pigmented in person for a product that only costs a mere $3.

Boy oh boy was I mistaken!  I used it for the first time at a photoshoot for a photographer on a client with skin on the slightly lighter side of tan.  I applied it with a sponge, intending to work it into the foundation and build up what I thought would be sheer layers to give a nice flushed look to the skin.  Instead, I had to back track and layer more foundation over the top along with some powder to damped down the color saturation enough so that she didn't look like she was having a hot flash.  It took way more work than I intended it to, and I still wasn't 100% happy with the results.

All that being said, I was really impressed with just how pigmented and true to color this product is.  It looks exactly on the skin as it does in the bottle.  This can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your skill level when working with a cream blush product.  I'd say this is much more suited for people with an advanced blending technique.  If you're looking for something more natural looking, I'd go with the color Headliner, which is a softer pink.  {Bonus:  During the month of October, e.l.f is donating 100% of the profits from the sale of that shade to Breast Cancer Research!  So if you're thinking of buying this blush, make sure you do it now!- Join us in the fight against breast cancer! In October, when you shop HD Blush in Headliner from EyesLipsFace.com, 100% of proceeds will be donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation. Shop now!}

It's taken some experimentation, but I've figured out a relatively easy way to apply this super pigmented cream blush in a way that blends easily. First, you'll need a round shaped makeup sponge, like the bottom of an egg-shaped blending sponge.  Make sure the sponge is nice and damp.  I use the one that I've applied my foundation with, so there's a trace of the foundation itself still on the sponge.  (Just make sure you wash your sponge after applying the blush so you don't end up with a hot pink face the next time you go to apply your foundation!)  Otherwise, you'll want to apply a pea size amount of foundation to the back of your hand and use that to put a very thin layer over the surface of your sponge.  Next, apply a dot of the e.l.f. HD blush no bigger than a grain of rice to the back of your hand and use a fingertip or cotton swab to spread it out in a large circle about the width of your sponge surface.  This will help you from getting a concentrated dot on the sponge that will require extra blending once on the face.  Dab your sponge into the cream blush quickly once to pick up some product, and starting at the apples of the cheek bounce the sponge in a line back towards your temples, careful to overlap only minimally.  Quickly switch to the side of the pointed end and dab that in circles along the edges and over the surface of the area you applied the blush to blend it and pick up excess product.

Make sure you've got a layer of cream or liquid foundation on first so that the cream will work down into something to help sheer it out and give it staying power.  Cream blushes like this don't work very well over powder foundations.  You can top it off with some translucent powder or a powder matching your skin tone to help sheer it out a bit more if neccessary.

Another method I've found that works nicely is also to apply the e.l.f. HD blush to the cheek area first with the e.l.f. Studio Small Stipple Brush (again using the same technique of spreading a thin circle on the back of your hand first so that there's no clumps of product on the fine hairs of the brush) and really working it into moisturized skin in circular motions starting at the apples of the cheeks and blending back towards the temples.  Follow with a tinted moisturizer or sheer-medium coverage foundation for the appearance of skin that glows from within.  You can top with a quick swipe of powder blush if the color has been covered up too much, but this stuff is so pigmented that it usually shows right through perfectly.

The consistency of the cream blush is almost like a liquid lipstick, and Diva has a soft shimmer to it when you look closely but no actual glitter or iridescence.  It dries to a nice demi matte finish that looks very natural and doesn't feel greasy or drying on the skin.  While it's so insanely pigmented, it's not a stain and won't leave behind telltale splotches on the skin.  It's easily removed with the e.l.f. Studio Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths. It's more easily removed from the face and the back of the hand though. I do notice just a faint discoloration to the tips of my fingers for a few hours until it fades.


Final Verdict:  Super super super pigmented and a little on the tricky side to use, but once you've mastered a technique that works for you, this is an amazing blush for just $3!

 

**Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  As with all my articles, the opinions expressed herein are fully my own.  For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Product Review- Stila Convertible Color

Recently I've gotten more into using cream blushes.  Don't know why I never really used them before, but I figured it was time to break away from my normal routine and start using products I'd never used before.  One of my big purchases at IBS NYC two weeks ago was some of the Stila Convertible Colors.  I got five of them, and man it was hard to choose just those five!  I really wanted to take them all home with me.  They are so beautiful, and I love how the colors match the case.  (Just like my all time favorite blushes by Tarte!  Read my review of those here or watch my video review here.)

What really drew me to the Stila ones was that they can be used on the cheeks as well as the lips!  Having versatility in a product is a major draw for me.  I wore the color Lillium on my lips and cheeks all day the other day, and it was so beautiful!  I loved how natural the color was.  On my cheeks it looks a little more peachy and slightly darker, and on my lips it was a bit more baby pink.  But it coordinated perfectly and really kept my whole look pulled together.  I tossed it in my purse to touch up my lips with at dinner, and it was nice to just use my ring finger to pat it into my lips.

To apply, I used the flat fat bottom of my blender sponge after my foundation to apply the color to my cheekbones.  It kept the color sheer as I built it up.  With this method, I was also able to apply to my hairline and a little on my nose and chin without having to worry about it streaking or looking too flushed.

The color lasted really nicely throughout the day on my cheeks.  Since I drink constantly throughout the day, I have to reapply color frequently unless it's one of the all day lipcolors (which Stila makes amazing ones!  You can read my review of theirs here or watch the video on them here, too.  I got some more colors in NYC that I'll be swatching and doing an updated review on soon.)

In order: Top Row- Poppy, Fuchsia, Rose. Bottom Row- Lillium, Peony

I bought: Lillium (perfect blend of peachy pink, very neutral color, GREAT for fair skins!) Poppy (beautiful reddish color that looks amazing on the lips, GREAT for darker skin tones but can be used sparingly for fair skins) Fuchsia (bright pink color, looks amazing on tanned skins for popping the apples but still suitable for lighter or darker skin tones as well, BEAUTIFUL on the lips) Rose (lovely deep berry mauve color, looks great on all skin tones, cooler based tone) Peony (fair neutral nude color with just a touch of pink, GREAT for fair skins, gives the perfect amount of color for a super natural touch of color to cheeks and lips).

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products.  All the opinions expressed in this article are my own.  These items were purchased with my own money.

Tarte Makeup Haul

I'm totally loving just about everything that I've gotten from TarteCosmetics.com lately, and my recent haul purchases are no exception.  I placed an order online a few weeks ago for some more of their lovely blushes, since all I had was Blushing Bride and a limited edition travel size in Adventurous.

While I was surfing around the site, I found a really cool new product called a brow mousse.  I'd never heard of it before, but you pretty much apply it just as you would a powder.  It looks more like a gel liner than a brow product, and it's super pigmented.  So if you're going to use it be sure to go easy.  I barely touched the brush into the product, and it gave me great coverage.  It comes with a dual ended brush that has the angled applicator brush side and a spoolie for combing the color through the eyebrows and shaping the hairs into place.  Overall, I really really like this product!

I know I've talked ad nauseum about how much I love their Amazonian Clay 12 hr blushes, but the three new colors I got are quickly becoming my go to colors.  I'd heard amazing things about Exposed all over YouTube and the beauty blogging world, so that was definitely on my list.  It's perfect for when I'm doing a monochromatic bronzy look.  Or when I don't really want a lot of "color" so to speak, so not pink or peach, but just a something so that my skin doesn't look naked.  Hope that makes sense to you! haha.  Frisky is a gorgeous slightly warm reddish pink with some subtle golden shimmer, and Amused is a nice candy pink that's not chalky at all.  Frisky is definitely my go-to color these days, as it looks fabulous with my red hair!

What do you think of the Tarte brand?  Any products you love and would recommend?

Product Review- Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights

I've been using the Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights for a few years now, and I really love them.  I have both options in my kit, although I find that I use the Baked Stardust much more often than the Baked Starburst (pictured below).  They are very versatile products, because you can get a different color blend by rotating the compact so that you are blending three of the triangles of color at a time.  You can customize the color to your skintone, whether it's more fair or more tan.  I use these to highlight the skin, as they have a soft satiny shimmer to them and aren't frosty or glittery.

I had to take a photo with my iPad of the lighter one since I couldn't get an image for you online anywhere.  Sorry it's a bit crappy.  But you get an idea of the lighter tones it includes.

Baked Stardust:  This is the one I use most often since I deal primarily with lighter skinned clients.  Not sure why that is, but it just seems to be the people sitting in my chair aren't big sun worshipers or darker ethnicities.  But the colors on this compact are white, champagne, and pink tones, then a lighter bronze and a darker bronze if I do have a darker client.

Baked Starburst:  This one is best for those with darker skintones.  It's a variety of bronzey shades that really highlight and glow up the skin.  It's also great for a bronzing powder for lighter tones, too.
  
Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products.  All the opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Product Review- Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 hr Blush

 

Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush


From the company:

A long-wearing, supremely soft blush infused with Amazonian clay harvested from the banks of the Amazon River and naturally baked by the sun.

Product Performance: This 12-hour blush universally benefits all skin types for a fade-free, flawless finish in shades ranging from soft to vivid and matte to shimmer to suit a wide variety of skin tones.
Powered By: Amazonian clay minimizes oil in and around pores to balance skin and keep product in place while also hydrating the skin naturally to restore moisture, reducing the appearance of dry, flaky skin.

And now for my $.02:

Let me start off by saying, nobody from Tarte paid me or asked me to do this review.  I bought their Amazonian Clay 12 hr Blush in Blushing Bride last fall all on my own, with my own dollars.  I bought another kit from them that had a travel size of a color called Adventurous (which I will cry when I run out of b/c they don't sell it on it's own!).

Copyright Tarte Cosmetics.  This is a screenshot from their website of the Blushing Bride Color.

That disclaimer out of the way... I LOVE THIS BLUSH!  I really love the Adventurous color a lot better than the Blushing Bride color, but it's still a really great product and can be totally wearable even on my super pale skin.  When I want a more mauve/wine based color for a bit more drama, or I'm wearing cooler tones for my outfit and makeup but don't want to reach for a really Barbie-pink color, the Blushing Bride looks great.  I love how it has some soft golden shimmer to it.  However, Adventurous is way more my speed- the perfect blend of peachy pink with a non-glittery glow.

Click to shop

The 12 Hour Claim:

I find that this product goes on beautifully and really holds up to it's claim of 12 hours of wear.  It actually lasts longer than that on me, as I am often putting on my makeup in the wee hours of the morning for weddings and hitting the hay after midnight.  Can't say I'm totally stunning at that witching hour, but it's definitely better than 12 hours.  I do wear a high quality foundation (most times over a high quality makeup primer like Makeup Forever HD Primer), so I'm sure that helps with staying power vs applied over cheap foundation or just a powder.  No matter how good a product is, you have to give it something to grip to!

Copyright Makeup Forever from the Sephora website.

My favorite thing about these blushes, other than the fact that they wear so well, is that the case color matches the product color. Ingenious!  I don't know why more cosmetic manufacturers don't do this!  It's really such an amazingly simple idea, yet it makes it so nice for when I'm looking for exactly the color I want.

Watch my YouTube review video for more about why these blushes rock!  Looking to add some Tarte products to your makeup bag?  SHOP HERE and don't forget to sign up for their Pretty Perks program to earn great rewards for shopping online and FREE SHIPPING on orders of $40 or more!