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Sunday 1 April 2018

Currently Obsessed: Cream Blush for Spring

Hi, everyone- happy long weekend! I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter and Passover, for those who celebrate. Easter has always seemed to signify an unofficial start to Spring, which has left me reflecting on what kind of makeup has been inspiring me with the change of season. As I mentioned in my last post, I have not been buying too much makeup lately, but there has been a definite trend recently towards some mild hoarding of cream blushes, particularly those from niche, indie, green beauty brands. There are some beautiful options out there! I thought I'd use this current obsession to review and swatch the cream blushes in my rotation. Maybe you'll find a new favourite! 


Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Abundance, Above and Beyond, and Blossoming
Kjaer Weis Cream Blushes are by far the priciest in my stash (at $76 CAD each, including a sturdy refillable compact; though I've always snagged mine on sale), but I have a few in my collection because they're truly great. They're 95% organic and have a sweet almond oil base (among other lovely oils like rosehip and jojoba), but have a slightly drier texture that my combo skin loves. They leave a beautiful dewy finish but are not at all greasy and do not leave a wet or tacky finish to the skin. And they really do wear all day, which says a lot both for cream blushes and for natural, oil-based products in general. 

Abundance is a unique cool-toned mauve pink that works incredibly well both as a contour and blush on my fair skin. You can see it in action, here


Above and Beyond is a total "me" shade- a bold warm, pinky coral that is so perfect for Spring and Summer. It's the most vivid hue in the range and I'm happy to have it. 


Blossoming is the most universally flattering of the three that I own. It's a fresh, slightly warm peachy pink that can be worn for a super subtle flush or built up for a rosier effect. 


Kosas Cosmetics Colour and Light: Creme in Velvet Melon
Kosas is such a cool up and coming brand that gives green beauty such a modern touch. I got to test out their Colour and Light (blush and highlighter) duos ($45 CAD) recently at Holt Renfrew's Clean Beauty Event and was super impressed with the subtle but buildable shade selections and beautiful textures of the products. 

They offer three powder and three cream options and I went for the fresh and dewy Velvet Melon, which includes a warm, whitened peach blush (very '60s) and a lovely champagne highlighter. The texture is quite wet and slippery, which does interfere somewhat with wear time. On the flipside, it makes application a breeze and I can see me reaching for this often during maternity leave when I want to add some life to my complexion, pronto! 
You can see it in action, here


Rituel de Fille Inner Light Creme Pigment in Delirium
Rituel de Fille is one of my favourite green beauty makeup brands because their range offers colours that are truly unique and a little subversive- think blackened purples and deep greens. Even their more conventional shades have a bit of an edge. Plus, the textures of their cream highlighters and blushes are incredible- they're creamy enough to blend easily but dry down to an almost-powdery finish that wears really well and doesn't feel sticky.

I recently picked up their cream blush in Delirium ($38 CAD), a bold, warm tomato orange with subtle pink undertones that make it totally wearable. A thin layer gives a healthy apricot flush and a bolder application gives the best 70s, Studio 54, sunburnt effect- which is so super cool in my books. 
You can see it in action, here



Lilah B. Divine Duo Lip and Cheek in B. Daring
Lilah B. was first brought to my attention several months ago when the goddess that is Lisa Eldridge mentioned the brand in one of her videos. I'd been eyeballing the range since then, but they had never been available in-store in Canada until Holt Renfrew launched them in their new Clean Beauty section. I was pumped! I went for a makeover during Holts' Clean Beauty Event (with the lovely and talented Sheri Stroh), where she used Lilah B.'s Divine Duo lip and cheek colour and I was instantly hooked! The shade range is beautifully bold but the shades are super buildable. And the texture! It's a totally non-sticky almost powdery finish and yet they blend like a dream. Can't ask for much more! The price tag is real ($56 CAD), but the quality is tops and the packaging is beautiful. 


I was lucky to get a sampler with a few shades in the store's gift with purchase during the event (I love them all), but I also purchased the shade B. Daring, a bold orange coral. I promise that it can be used lightly for a soft effect (it's beautiful on the lips too) but of course I love that it can also be built up for a more dramatic hue. 

You can see it in action, here


Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam
This is probably the most mainstream brand of the bunch, as everyone and their grandma has been into Glossier the past year or two. I was lucky enough to visit the Glossier Showroom in NYC last summertime where I got to play around with the whole range in person. It was lots of fun!

The Cloud Paints ($22 USD) had been on my radar and I ended up choosing Beam, a cheery coral peach. It blends like a dream and adds instant life and brightness to my complexion. The wear time is fab too! 
You can see it in action, here



And here are swatches of each:

Under artificial lighting

In sunlight


As someone with oilier skin (at least historically; pregnancy has left my complexion a bit drier), I avoided cream blush like the plague for years. I'm so glad that's not the case anymore! When you find the best formulas and the right application tools (I use the Real Techniques Stippling Brush with all of them), cream blushes can be such a snap to use and really create such a beautiful, natural, dewy finish. And no better time than Springtime to get fresh and dewy! 

What are your favourite cream blushes? Did I tempt you with any here?

Thanks so much for stopping by! xo


14 comments:

  1. I tend to have a hit and miss relationship with cream blushes - I love their versatility but it takes me ages to actually finish them and I hate having to clean them! I'd probably say the Stila Convertible Colours are my faves <3

    Stephanie | thefantasia.com

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    1. Yeah, they definitely can be higher maintenance in some ways! I love the Stila CCs too! I think that was the first cream blush formula that I really liked :)

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  2. I have been DYING to pick up a Lilah Blush! I am waiting until after the VIB sale to see I can squeeze it in ;-)

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    1. They're so good! And they sell Lilah B at Sephora! They don't have the full shade range, but most of them. You could get one during the sale :)

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  3. I love the Glossier Cloud Paint I have :) I'll have to check out Beam next!

    Jasmine xx

    Jasmine Talks Beauty

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    1. The formula is great! And Beam is so worth checking out- especially for Spring and Summer! :)

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  4. Lilah was brought to my attention by Queen Lisa too! Good to know you enjoy the blush, might pick up one for myself!

    Shireen⎜Reflection of Sanity

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    1. Leave it to Lisa to tempt us! The Lilah blushes are pricey, but the formula really is amazing! :)

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  5. First of all, congratulations on the baby girl! How exciting! :D

    I am not crazy about my Glossier pick (I got the pink color) but that's probably the shade isn't that unique and I prefer powder blushes in general. "Above and beyond" is so gorgeous, though!

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    1. Thanks so much, Lena! If you love bright corals, Above and Beyond is a wonderful blush to splurge on :)

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  6. I love these beautiful corals & oranges. They are right up my alley. Thank you for swatching them as well.
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

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    1. My pleasure! Corals and oranges are so perfect for this time of year. Thanks, Kim!

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  7. I haven't used a cream blush in ages, but I had a few from NYX and MAC that I liked but just never reach for. I think it's because I was opting for finger application and I really hate using my fingers for any makeup. Maybe I'll pull some of mine back out and try a different way to apply them and put them to use! Love that Blossoming shade!

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    1. I'm always happy to rediscover cream blushes because there's times where I avoid them too. The Real Techniques Stippling Brush really is perfect for them!

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All of your lovely comments make my day! Thanks for taking the time to share your musings, ideas, and opinions. Feel free to leave a link to your blog- I'd be happy to check it out :)