Cargo Blush--Tonga

Cargo Tonga is the last of my blushes from Cargo.  It is also one of my favorites.  It is a lovely dusty rosy-pink color.  It is matte and has a lovely creamy texture.  This is the perfect everyday blush for the pale ladies.  It is subtle and just gives a gentle flush.  Here is how it looks in the pan:

I'm not sure if it varies by batches, but this blush has the softest texture.  It really just feels like silk on the skin.  Here's another look at all my Cargo blushes:

If you have a chance to test these, I think you'll be impressed and Cargo has some unique colors and there is something for everyone.  Here are the swatches that I've done.  Tonga is the last one on the far right.

Thanks for reading my blog, I really appreciate it!  Starting tomorrow I'll be working through my Chanel stash alphabetically.  Have a great week! <3

Cargo Blush--Key Largo

Today's offering from Cargo is Key Largo.  It is a lovely, bu unique color and rather hard to describe.  I'd say it's a coral-rose red.  Here's how it looks in the pan:

I really love the bright color!  It's even brighter IRL than it is on my monitor.  Hopefully you get a clue to the real beauty of this blush.  On my skin, I'd call it a bright pink-coral and I think it would work for almost anyone.  However us pale girls will want to apply it with a very light hand so we don't look slapped/sunburned.  Here are the swatches--Key Largo is the darkest/brightest one in the middle:

The texture is heavenly, just like the rest of the Cargo blushes.  I see no shimmer in this one--it looks totally matte.  I love this blush for the brightness and uniqueness of it.  It really is a beauty.  Here's the group shot:

I'll be back tomorrow with Mendocino.  Thanks for reading! TTYL

Bobbi Brown Powder Blush--Poppy

Hey!  Sorry that I was missing for a few weeks!  Anyway, up next from my Bobbi Brown collections is Poppy.  BB's Poppy is a deep red blush.  I would call it a warm dark brick color.  This shade is a little bit hard for me to wear, but I think it looks amazing on warmer and darker skintones.  Here it is in the pan (it's on the bottom left of the pic).

and here is the swatch (it is second from the right)

The texture is very smooth and pigmented, as with all the Bobbi Brown powder blushes that I've tried.  The non-shimmer versions (which Poppy is) are smoother than the Shimmer Powders, but that is true for all brands, in my experience.  Up next is my last Bobbi Brown blush--Washed Rose.

Thanks for your patience!!

Bobbi Brown Powder Blush--Pale Pink

Pale Pink is my favorite of all the Bobbi Brown blushes.  Why?  Because I like pink!  =)

Seriously, if you look at my blush collection, it is pretty obvious that I'm partial to pink blush.  I've never counted, but I'm sure they outnumber all other shades by a fair bit.

Anyway, Bobbi Brown's Pale Pink powder blush was one of my first blogs, in the Seven Days of Bright Pink Blush, if you care to read it again.  I'm sure my opinion hasn't changed much. 

The name Pale Pink for this blush is really amusing, because it isn't the least bit pale.  It's very bright and vivid. Here's a picture (it's on the upper left):

Pale Pink is a lovely face-brightening vivid pink.  It's cool-toned and has a matte finish.  The texture is very nice--smooth, silky, and pigmented.  It's easy to sheer out into a gorgeous (not so) pale pink color on the cheek.  It should work for most cool or neutral tone complexions.  You can see the swatch below, the 5th from the left.

Tomorrow is a much softer pink--Pink Sugar. Have a great day!

Bobbi Brown Powder Blush--Nectar

Some colors are really hard for me to describe and Nectar powder blush from Bobbi Brown is one of those colors for me.  Is it rose?  Apricot?  Pink?  I just don't know, but I think it is a combination of all those colors.  To me, it is a muted Rosy-Apricot (that's the Bobbi Brown version of Apricot).  It is on the lower right of the picture below.

It has a tad bit of brownish-terracotta in it as well, but I think a lot of roses are like that.  It is a lovely color--nicely pigmented and flattering for most people.  It is also matte and the texture of the powder is smooth and silky.

  Below are the swatches for the BB blushes that I have.  Nectar is the fourth from the left.

Next up is one of my faves--Pale Pink.  Thanks for reading and have a wonderful blush-filled week!

Bobbi Brown Powder Blush--Desert Rose

The next of my Bobbi Brown Powder Blushes is Desert Rose.  I did a posting about Desert Rose in my Seven Days of Roses series, if you want to take a look at it.  Desert Rose is a lovely brownish-mauve rose shade that works really well as a neutral (not overwhelming) blush to pair with smoky eyes.  It is pictured in the lower left of this picture:

It is kind of unassuming in the pan, but looks really pretty on.  It is matte and the powder is very soft and silky smooth. In the swatch below (3rd from the left), it looks more brown than it is in person.  

Even though the colors are different, I consider it in the same class as Lancome Miel Glace.  Both are wonderful for subtle, professional, everyday looks.  

Thanks for reading and next up is another gorgeous matte blush from Bobbi Brown--Nectar.

Bobbi Brown Blush--Apricot

Apricot blush from Bobbi Brown is a little different than many of the other Apricot blushes around, but the differences make me love it more.  When some people think of Apricot, they think more yellow/orange, but Bobbi Brown's version looks more like a lovely pinky-coral color to me.  It really is lovely on the face and helps brighten the complexion.  Here is a picture of the first batch of blushes:

Apricot is in the upper left of that picture and you can see how pretty it is.  In the swatches below, you can see how it compares to the other Bobbi Brown blushes that I have.

   Apricot is on the far left.

Bobbi Brown powder blushes are very richly pigmented and ultra smooth and silky going on.  The matte blushes (like Apricot) are very soft and not the least bit chalky or gritty.  I love the way they pop in and out of the new compacts so the palettes are easy to customize for my needs.  Tomorrow, is a shimmer blush, Bahama Brown.

Week 6, Day 7. Rose Blush--Laura Mercier Rose Bloom

Awww, I'm kind of sad that rose week is ending!  It was fun to see the different colors that makeup companies consider to be rose.  For day seven, I have Rose Bloom from Laura Mercier.  Laura Mercier is on of my favorite brands overall and the blushes do not disappoint.

LM Rose Bloom is a darker warmish, slightly brown rose shade.  It has more reddish-brown than the other colors this week and is fairly similar to Chanel Rose Petale.  I would almost call Rose Bloom a Reddish-Nude blush.  It would probably work best on medium warm skin tones, but should show up on everyone.

 The texture and pigmentation is excellent for the Laura Mercier blushes and I love that the blush will pop out for use in the LM palettes.  It is matte and glides on easily for a natural glow.

I hope you've enjoyed rose week, I did!  I'll be back in a few days with the first of my alphabet series.  Seven blushes that start with A.  Haha, I take it as a sign that I have too many blushes.  Have a great week!

Week 6, Day 5. Rose Blush--Shu Uemura M Rose 19

Shu M Rose 19 is the brightest and the pinkest blush in this week of roses.  Of course, that is enough to make it my favorite.  If you know me at all, you know that I love pink and can't resist blushes that color.  This Shu blush is just lovely, it's a clear pinky-rose.

It doesn't have any brown or peach in it like the other blushes I swatched this week.  It seems to most closely match the definition of the color rose, which is supposed to be a mixture of pink and red.  M 19 is a neutral pink with a bit of red added.  It gives a lovely rosy glow on the face.

Shu M Rose 19 is matte, but the glow-on blushes from Shu Uemura have a special glow that makes them unique.  They glide on smooth and are very nicely pigmented.  I've never detected a scent with any of my Shu blushes.  I also love the palette system flexibility as with Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier and Stila.

If you haven't tried Shu blushes, give them a shot.  I know the packaging doesn't appeal to some people, but the product makes it well worth the $23ish.  The glow-ons from Shu Uemura are among the favorites of my collection.  Tomorrow is Chanel Tea Rose JC, which takes a different approach to the color rose.  

Week 6, Day 2. Rose Blush--Bobbi Brown Desert Rose

Bobbi Brown Desert Rose takes this weeks theme of roses in another direction.  Instead of a reddish-pink, Desert Rose is a mauve-brown pink color.  It looks very cool in the pan, but there is some warmth that comes through, making it more neutral.

 

The first thing I noticed with I swatched it was how smooth the powder was.  It's very finely milled and nicely pigmented.  Desert Rose glides onto the skin like a dream, it's really lovely! The color on my very pale/cool skin is a brownish mauve and when it is blended in it looks like a very natural nude color. 

It's also totally matte, which makes it perfect for work, or when you just need a simpler cheek color.  I love the Bobbi Brown palette system, it makes it easy to pick a blush for the day and even pop one out to carry in my purse for touch ups or take on vacation.

 

Tomorrow's rose blush is from Laura Mercier--Rose Petal, totally different from the first two roses.  It's fun to see how different companies interpret the color rose.

Week 3, Day 7. Peach Blush--Chantecaille Wind

For Day 7 of the magical week that has been Seven Days of Peach Blush, I will look at Chantecaille Wind.  Like I've said before, Chantecaille makes lovely blushes (and eyeshadow, foundation, etc.).  They're silky smooth, long lasting.  Wind is no exception--it is decently pigmented and matte, yet sheer and glowy at the same time.

I don't know how they can formulate the blushes to do that.  It really is a special blush.  When I use Wind, my cheeks look like they've just been slightly kissed by the sun and wind, it gives me the most natural healthy glow.  The color is a rosy, nudey, peachy color.  Very easy to wear for everyone but the darkest skin.

As you can see from the swatches, it is browner than Reflex and the brownest of all the peaches this week.  If you haven't tried them, Chantecaille blushes have no scent and wear well.  All the ones I've tried are easy to apply and never look overdone.

That finishes up Seven Days of Peach Blush, I hope you enjoyed it.  Starting on the 10th, I'll be doing Seven days of Shimmery Blush.  Since I love shimmer, that should be a lot of fun.  Tell me your favorite shimmery blush, so I can include it!

Week 3, Day 6. Peach Blush--Shu Uemura M Peach 44

Another Shu blush today.  Yay!  Really, did I mention how nice Shu Uemura blushes are?  They are really something special.  These are some of the best quality blushes I have/use and are very reasonably priced (relatively speaking, of course!).  They are smooth, decently pigmented, long lasting, silky soft, and they go on evenly to be the perfect blush for everyone.

Today's blush is Shu M Peach 44, which is a matte blush that goes on the lightest of all the week's offerings.  It is a matte yellowish/brown peach shade that is pretty subtle.  I think it has the least pink and red.  It should work great for warmer toned-skin.  The smooth way it glides onto skin would be lovely for a natural look.

Tomorrow, the last day of the seven days of Peach, will be Chantecaille Wind.  It's a pretty one and it's Chantecaille.  Yay!

Week 1, Day 5. Bright Pink Blush--Nars Desire

Today's blush is Nars Desire.  Another matte blush, it is a gorgeous cool pink, similar to Bobbi Brown's Pale Pink of yesterday.  One difference is that this is somewhat more pigmented.  I love the color of Desire, but I think the formula is not as smooth as R&R.  Here is how it looks in the pan.

It's beautiful, right?  I really do like it, but I have to say that Nars aren't my favorite blushes for a couple of reasons.  First is the packaging, it gets dirty and over time, the rubber breaks down and has a tendency to get sticky (ick!).  Another reason is that while they're more pigmented than most blushes, they lack the smoothness of R&R and the glowiness of Chanel Joues Contraste blushes.  I used to have almost all the Nars, but only 5 or 6 remain in my collection.  Here are the swatches again.  Nars Desire is #5.  It is slightly warmer than Pale Pink, but not quite as much as Angelika.

Nars Desire really is a pretty blush, that is wearable by anyone.  Just make sure to apply lightly at first, then add more as needed.  It's easier to add more than take some off!  =)  Tomorrow will be the 6th day of Bright Pink Blush Week.  Come back then and I'll talk about one of my faves, Shu Uemura P Wine 24. In the meantime I'd love to hear your thoughts on Nars blushes and if you agree (or not) with me.

Week 1, Day 4. Bright Pink Blush--Bobbi Brown Pale Pink

Today's blush, for day 4 of Bright Pink Blush Week is Bobbi Brown Pale Pink.  Wait, What?  Why is it called Pale Pink, when clearly it is one of the brightest pink blushes (at least, in the pan) that I own.  But for those of you who are a little timid when it comes to vivid blushes, this is a bright pink that you can wear.  It is matte, and more sheer than the ultra pigmented R&R blushes and when applied, just gives a soft Pale Pink flush, hence the name.

As you can see it is vivid in the pan, but looks like a lovely pale pink on. I had to swatch BB Pale Pink (#4) more heavily than the others to get it to show.  It is definitely a wearable, pale pink blush.  It is also falls between Nars Angelika (#2) and Rock & Republic Kinky (#1) in the coolness range.  Angelika is a bit warmer and Kinky is cooler than Pale Pink.

    

Bobbi Brown Pale Pink is one of the prettiest pinks I've seen.  Because it isn't as strong as some of the other blushes this week, it should work for a majority of skin tones. Let me know why your favorite bright pink blushes are and I'll be back tomorrow with Nars Desire.  Yay for Blush!!

Week 1, Day 1. Bright Pink Blush--Rock & Republic Kinky

I'm going to start off with a bang. One of my very favorite blushes of all time. R & R makes awesome blushes. They are silky smooth, pigmented, generously sized, and all around perfection. As you can see from the swatch, Kinky (#1 on the left) is a matte bright blue-based pink.

Here it is in the pan a beautiful, almost fluorescent pink. Don't let that scare you away, it looks amazing on the skin.

When I first saw it, the color was so vivid and bright, I wasn't sure if I could pull it off. After using it, I was sold on the idea of bright blush. It just takes a tiny bit to get a beautiful, almost natural flush. Using a skunk brush helps with application and getting just a tiny amount onto the cheeks. R&R Kinky is really special because even though it is matte, it really gives a gorgeous glow. Are you brave enough to give it a go?? If so, you can buy it at the Rock & Republic website or occasionally on discount sites like Hautelook, Gilt, etc. Up tomorrow--Nars Angelika.