With vampy lip season upon us, the time is now to whip out those neutral blushes that go with everything. I tend to wear these types of colors all year round, just because I don’t really like to stray from neutral territory with any of my makeup. Most of my blushes with the exception of maybe two or three fall into the neutral category, so I thought I’d take you through my favorites.
The most talked about one and the one you probably all expected when you read the title is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed. It’s just a perfect mauve-y brown-y pink shade, and since it’s matte it just never clashes with anything. It’s perfect for adding a subtle definition to the cheeks and keeping you from looking washed out when wearing a dark lip. I like to wear this one a little farther back on my cheekbones rather than the apples of my cheeks for a sculpted effect.
Sticking with the mauve theme for now, I’ve also got the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure. This is also a perfect color for the fall, and having that Ambient Lighting Powder marbled in gives the skin a beautiful, lit-from-within glow. I’m lucky in that my sister traded her Ambient Blush Palette with me for one of my other blush palettes, and this shade has been my most-worn out of the three.
I’ve also got a more affordable dupe for the Hourglass offering - the Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Nude Mauve. I’m sorry to my US readers, because I’m pretty sure this stuff is non-existent here. I got this in a beauty swap with the lovely Amy. It’s almost identical to Hourglass Mood Exposure, but it’s just a little less finely-milled and the shimmer is a little more noticeable. But for the price difference, it’s a perfect alternative.
My last mauve-y blush is much less brown than these other offerings and more pink. As soon as I saw the Milani Rose Powder Blush in Romantic Rose, I knew I needed it. It’s the perfect bridge between a neutral mauve and a brightening pink, and it just adds a lovely flush to the cheeks. For the amount I’ve used it, I’m surprised the rose pattern is still intact.
Now that the mauves are out of the way, my blush collection is absolutely overflowing with neutral pink shades - these were my go-tos in the summer to add a soft flush of color. The Stila Convertible Color in Lillium has been a more than welcome addition to my collection since I got it in April. It’s got the creamiest formula and is probably my favorite cream blush I’ve tried. Lillium is the perfect nude pink shade, and the creamy formula just gives the skin the healthiest-looking dewy sheen.
My last two are very similar in both color and texture. The Stila Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush in Rosewater is the newer addition of the two. This is very similar in color to Lillium, but the liquid formula makes it unique in my collection. This blends out beautifully on the skin and again, gives a lovely dewy sheen that doesn’t look greasy. I’ve raved about the Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Cherub a few times on the blog, and I’m still loving it. This one has a bit of shimmer suspended in the liquid, so definitely one if you’re looking for a bit more of a glow. Like I said, the color is very similar to Rosewater, but I’d say it’s a tad more peachy. I always say the name of this shade is perfect, because it just gives a healthy flush to the cheeks, like a little cherub in a Renaissance painting.
As you can see, I probably don’t need another blush for quite awhile. But I’ll ask anyway, what are your favorite neutral blushes?