Why I'm Such A Blusher Snob

I always like to keep my beauty stash an even mix between high-end and high street as to be frank, I cannot afford to own everything from luxury brands nor do I think it's necessary for some products. But one thing I always buy from the high-end of the price spectrum is blush. And I have no problems admitting that I'm a total blusher snob and here are some of my all time favourites that will never leave my collection.

WHY SPEND MORE?

For me when it comes to shopping high end for blushers it's always been because not only are the formulations so much nicer but the shade range is always so much better and there is so much more choice available. There are some nice blushers on the high street but I find they are pretty generic in terms of colour. And it's not until the past few years that they've branched out in terms of formulation either and it's still very much a powder affair. As well as a better shade range and nicer formulations to work with it's also the way that the products are packaged. We all know it's what inside is important in the grand scheme of things but I like my beauty products to have nice packaging, I cannot deny it. I like something that is sturdy and substantial so if I do happen to drop the product it might not smash into smithereens. Of course, sturdy packaging is very important but also a mirror is a big plus. I know adding in things like a mirror does push the price up even more but for me, it's always worth it. As well as things like a nicer formulation and better packaging I also find that the wear time of high-end blushers, for the most part, is superior to cheaper options too.

FAVOURITE BRANDS

STILA CONVERTIBLE COLOURS*: Other cream blushers have come into my life over the years and I have liked them but nothing has ever stuck like the Stila Convertible Colours. They are marketed as a lip and cheek product but I really only use them on the cheeks. If you're nervous about cream products or find them intimidating then I'd highly recommend these. They're so beautiful in terms of formulation, so soft, creamy and highly pigmented that they just glide onto the skin and leave a beautiful sheen. For a cream product, it has superb wear time but that can be improved by using a translucent powder over the top but that does, of course, mean you lose that glow a little. My favourite shades from the range are Peony and Lilium, Peony is more of a dusky rose whilst Lilium is more of a pink.

TARTE AMAZONIAN CLAY BLUSH: When it comes to a good powder blush that has a huge shade range I don't think you can beat the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushers. They are a little more difficult to get hold of in the UK but some shades are available on QVC.

They are a powder but they're incredibly soft and never drag down the complexion or make them look lacklustre. And they're an incredibly long lasting powder, they boast a 12 hour time which I can completely attest to whenever I've had my makeup on all day [a rarity nowadays] they are always clinging onto dear life at the end of the day. My favourite shade is Exposed, a light dirty pink with brown undertones so it not only adds a flush of colour but it also sculpts the cheek too so if bronzer isn't your thing then a blush in this shade could be.

NARS POWDER BLUSH: This is the product that really sparked my love for high-end blushers and the only one in my collection from the brand as I've never found a shade that I adore just as much as Douceur [sadly discontinued now]. It's very much like Tarte Exposed in terms of shade but the Nars formulation is a little different. It's not quite as buttery to work with but it's so incredibly pigmented that you barely need any on the brush to achieve a smooth even finish on the cheek. Of course, the lasting power is absolutely superb and even though it's a completely matte blush it never looks dry on the cheek and doesn't sit in any pores either.

HOURGLASS AMBIENT LIGHTING BLUSH: When these blushers were first released I was really on the fence about them. They are the most expensive blusher that I own and you can get a Maxfactor counterpart that is pretty much identical. But there is just something so decadent about these blushers from their formulation to the shade range to the way they are housed. I have the shade Mood Exposure which is the most beautiful mauve shade which is marbleized with almost a highlighter running through. So when applied to the skin it not only deposits a pretty pop of colour but it also adds a slight highlight too. The formulation is lovely to work with even though you do have to be wary of the pigmentation as it's way too easy to go overboard. And in terms of wear time, at first I didn't think it was all that great but once I switched to a denser brush that was a complete changer and now I don't have an issue with them staying around all day still giving that beautiful glow that they did when first applied. They are pricey and there is a huge amount of hype around them, so I'd buy the Maxfactor first because they are so similar in terms of finish just to see if it's something you will really use and then spend the extra pennies for sure.