This time last year I could have counted how many blushes I owned on one hand. Blush had always been the step in my make up routine that I had never given much thought to, in fact I often left it out of my make up look completely as it never excited me too much. That has all changed now as I have experimented with brighter colours and I think that in the Autumn and Winter seasons, bright blushes add that subtle pop of colour to your face that is much needed in the duller weather.
At the top of my list this season are Dior's Diorskin Rosy Glow in the only shade it comes in; 'petal', Clinique's Cheek Pop in the shade 'Plum pop' and NYX's Powder blush in 'Summer Peach'. All three are much brighter shades of pink than I would have dared to try until now but I am completely in love with what they bring to a make up look.
The Diorskin Rosy Glow is described to be a 'healthy glow booster blush' which is just what I want out of a blush in the winter. The blush comes in only one shade but reacts with the unique moisture that each person has in their skin to give a different finish for everyone. This means that the finish is very natural and simply looks like your cheeks are rosy from the colder weather. This blush lasts all day and the finish is perfect. When it comes to brighter blushes, it's easy to over do it but by applying a small amount of this to your cheeks, you are left with a natural finish that lasts all day.
The Clinique Cheek Pops give an effortless, natural looking pop of colour to the cheeks and what I especially love about this blush is the fact that it looks pretty much powder-less. Another reason for me leaving blush out of my routine was due to the fact that after using powder and bronzer, I really didn't want to add any more layers of powder to my skin - anyone with dry skin will understand this especially. You can build this blush up to give as much colour pay off as you fancy. Personally I tend to vary the colour each time I use it. Some days I will go for a subtle finish but if I am going out for the evening, I tend to use a more heavy hand.
I have always loved the NYX blushes and it was actually the shade 'Pinched' that I used consistently for about a year. It was this shade 'Summer Peach' which made me brand out into brighter shades. I bought it on a whim and instantly loved it, leading me to experiment with new colours and making them a staple in my make up bag. This shade has a slight shimmer to it so I tend to reach for this for more special occasions and nights out. I also wore it a lot on holiday to add to the highlighted look that I was going for. I would actually say that the NYX blushes are the most highly pigmented out of all the blushes I have ever tried so for the purse-friendly price you really can't go wrong and I think everyone should own at least one NYX blush.
I think blush is a great way to brighten up your skin tone in the colder seasons! What are your favourite bright-shaded blushes? I would love to know so that I can build on my collection!
Have a lovely week,
Hayley xx