Well, they are (and I was) wrong. Using a high coverage base to hide all areas of redness results in a flat, uninteresting complexion. What's more, us pale girls start to look like we've just seen a ghost: pasty, sickly, exhausted. While on some areas of the face such as nose, chin or between the brows redness is certainly uncalled for, rosy cheeks are a must in avoiding the dead look.
However, if you're super pale like me, saturated blush shades require an extremely light hand and still can sometimes be too much. With this in mind, I've decided to show you some neutral options perfect for everyday wear to office or school.
These blushes are (clockwise from the top): No7 Natural Blush in 'Soft Damson', Stila Convertible Color Dual Lip and Cheek Cream in 'Lillium' and Stila Cheek Color in 'Hint'.
In the skin swatches you can see that Stila 'Lillium' is a very neutral pink with a touch of brown, Stila 'Hint' is more like a brownish peach with a bit of pink, while No7 'Soft Damson' is simply a pure neutral pink leaning neither too cool or too warm. All of these blushers are matte or slightly satin finish. I think all three would work on pale skin no matter the undertone (FYI, mine is pink). In terms of texture and pigmentation, the cream formula of 'Lillium' is surprisingly pigmented, smooth and easily blendable; 'Hint' is very soft, quite sheer and a bit powdery (my least favorite formula of the bunch) while 'Soft Damson' is beautifully soft, smooth and pigmented.
Cheek swatches:
No7 Natural Blush in 'Soft Damson' - somewhat less vibrant than the color my cheeks turn in the cold, but very close.
Stila Convertible Color in 'Lillium': doesn't it look fresh and lovely?
Stila Cheek Color in 'Hint': a hint of natural tan that would compliment well the more dramatic, colorful looks. It requires a couple layers to show up well on the skin, but the advantage of this is that it lasts the whole day without fading.What is your favorite blush for just a hint of color?
I love blush even though my cheeks are often red, I can even conceal them just to put on blush on top :)))
ReplyDeleteFor soft colors I love Mac Bite of An Apple, Nars Deep Throat, Mac Warm Soul. Illamasqua Katie and Lover are gorgeous too.
But then I also wear ultra bright colors like Nars Exhibit A or Taj Mahal as long as I apply with a light hand.
Thanks for the recommendations, lovely! I've been lusting for Deep Throat for ages... I love bright blushes too, might do another post about them as well :) x
ReplyDeleteI love MACs Warm Soul, Springsheen and Dainty. By the way, I'm a natural pale skin and red cheek "sufferer", too. ^_-
ReplyDeleteJust last week I bought MAC Pink Cult (Jeanious LE) and instantly fell in love. Now I use this blush everyday.
I'm naturally tan and I never had problems with blushes but this post is perfect for my sister, she's super fair!
ReplyDeleteI like Hint on you, it's the perfect subtle healthy glow!:D
***** Marie *****
allthingsmarie.com
these make me think of pennylane creme blush by NARS. for me, it is just a very slight hint of color (almost so slight that i was sure it didn't show up at first!). I'm now going to take a closer look at the No7 blushers..
ReplyDeleteOhh I love the No 7 blush on you! I picked it up because it appealed to me when I was passing their stand and I'm so glad you like it! It gives you such a lovely natural flush - it's not the most pigmented blush I've found but it's definitely meant to be that way - a sheer wash. You look lovely! x
ReplyDeleteGreat picks! I actually like creme blushes a lot because they can be sheered out. That Stila one is quite lovely!
ReplyDeletethis is lovely. i love this post. ive had my eye on lillium, it looks so perfect on you. i wonder if it is similar to mac lillicent...
ReplyDelete