My Top 5 | Blushes

I'm a blush girl, I love how a different blush can completely change up your look. It can be subtle and compliment your makeup or it can be bold and give the makeup a new dimension. I decided to share with you my favourite five blushes that I wear a lot. Apart from one limited edition blush, all the others are still available. Four of them are matte and one is shimmer.

1. Sleek Squash
Sleek Squash is the bright pink blush in the Sleek Blush by 3 Palette in Pumpkin which I reviewed here. It's a bright pink matte powder blush. As you can see by the swatch, this is the brightest blush and it is possibly the brightest powder blush I own. I love wearing this in summer as it gives a lovely pop of colour on the cheeks. You can layer this for an intense look, or only use a bit and blend it into the skin for a more subtle look. I love that I can achieve two different looks with this blush depending on how I apply it.  This is slightly harder to work with than the other blushes (which are all high end) but the pigmentation is one of the best, and it lasts for ages too.

2. Illamasqua Katie
I already reviewed this blush here, I love this blush and would say it is possibly the favourite blush I own. I can already feel a bit dent in it, and am worried I will run out soon :(. It's a pale pink which really compliments my pale skin and adds a very subtle glow to my cheeks. I'd say it has the best formula of the bunch, it is incredible soft and very easy to apply and blend into the cheeks. It isn't powdery at all and lasts all day.

3. Nars Oasis
I've already reviewed this blush in more detail here. This is the only shimmer blush pictured. I actually prefer how shimmery blushes look, but as I often wear shimmery eyeshadows, it would be a bit overkill to wear shimmer on the cheeks. This is the darkest blush out of the five, it is described as a 'sparkling pink champagne'. It leans more brown than pink on my skin as I'm fair. This is less subtle on my skin as it is quite a bit darker, but it blends it well and I love wearing this on a night out. As with all Nars blushes, the pigmentation is great and the wear time is superb.

4. MAC Immortal Flower
This is the only limited edition blush of the collection. I didn't want to include it as it was limited edition, but as I wear this one so much, I figured it'd be silly not to include it. This is a peachy-orangey shade. It is a pale shade, and if you have tanned skin you won't be able to wear this. In fact, without lots of layering I would only recommend this to people with light-light medium skin. I love the way this blush compliments my bronzer and gives me more colour in summer. The formula is really nice and easy to blend into the skin.

5. Stila Convertible Colour in Gerbera
I already reviewed this here. Although I have dry skin, I tend to prefer powder blushes than cream blushes as I find they last longer. However, this blush is the exception. It stays on my skin for ages and blends into it seamlessly. As it's a cream formula it's not powdery or cakey at all. It is also very easy to apply and you can apply with your fingers or a brush. I love the colour of this, it's noticeable without being too in-your-face.

Those are my top five blushes in my collection that I wear regularly. Are any of these your favourite blushes too? What your top 5 blushes? Let me know in the comments!

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Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera | Review and Swatch

I don't tend to be much of a cream blush person, I much prefer my powder blushes. However, I have always heard so much about the Stila Convertible Colors and decided to try them out. I have the colour in Gerbera, and its quickly become a staple in my makeup bag.

The Claim:

 'Stila's ingenious lipstick and blush-in-one proves to be irresistible. This versatile favourite brightens cheeks and lips with creamy, translucent colour. Tap onto cheeks and press onto lips. The sheer tint adds an inherent glow to the cheeks while lips bloom with fresh, radiant colour. Our two-in-one compact holds the key to easy, monochromatic makeup. A must-have in every Stila girl's kit. '

Shade:
The shade I have is Gerbera, which is a light peachy-pink. It's a gorgeous colour which I think would suit any skintone. I find it looks natural on me, and is great when I've got quite heavy makeup on my eyes, so that my cheeks don't look overdone or take away from my eye makeup. You can apply this lightly to have a very subtle effect, or layer it to create a more intense blush. Stila Convertible Colors currently come in 9 shades. Stila also offer two trio sets, which contain 3 of the Convertible Colors.

Application:
The Application of this is lovely. It is very very creamy and very easy to apply and blend into the skin. You don't need much of the blush to get the look you desire either. You can also use this on the lips, however it can be quite drying so if you have dry lips it's a big no-no.The formula is quite thick, especially compared to some cream blush formulas so it is harder to apply subtly. I find I can apply this with either fingers or a brush, however a brush tends to work better because it is a thicker formula.

Lasting Powder:
Out of all the cream blushes I've tried, this lasts the best on me. I get 7+ hours wear out of this, with it still being noticeable.

Packaging:
I love the packaging of the Convertible Colours. They are very compact, including a mirror. They also shut securely so they are ideal for taking in your handbag. The packaging is also very pretty with the floral design on the front. I also like the fact each packaging is similar to the colour of the blush, so you instantly know what type of colour each blush is without having to open them up, ideal if you have quite a few of them.

Availability and Pricing:
The Stila Convertible colours are priced at £16 each, and you can buy them from Stila UK.

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Favourites | July

1. Toni & Guy Sea Salt Texturising Spray
I have fallen in love with this product. If I had to pick one product out of all of these that was my favourite, it would be this. I have been using this almost everyday on my hair. It gives it volume and texture, and that sort of beach-swept look. I love the fact that this means I don't need to use any heat on me hair. 1. It's way too hot in this heat without adding more heat, and 2. I use too much heat on my hair as it is. I also love how this makes my hair smell like the sea, some will hate this smell but I love it.

2. Sleek Blush by 3 Palette in Pumpkin 
I love this palette and already did a review of it here.  I love Sleek, they're my favourite highstreet brand and find the quality of their products is always incredible for the price. I love blushes, and in the summer I like to be a bit more daring with my blush as the rest of my makeup is kept more simple for summer. I like to go for the bright pinks and oranges that I steer clear of in the winter time. This palette has a bright pink and a bright orange, perfect for summer. These have been my go-to blushes this month for those bright summer cheeks. I recently bought the new Sleek Blush by 3 in Sweet Cheeks but haven't had chance to use all of the colours yet.

3. Illamasqua Matt Primer
I don't tend to really use primer but since my Urban Decay Setting Spray ran out I've been looking for other ways to make my makeup last longer. I've had this product for a while but never used it as I always reached for my setting spray which made my makeup last all day anyway. I've been using this recently and love it, it helps keep my makeup on and gives me a matte look which is great for the summer. It gives a really nice finish to the skin and it is easy to apply makeup over it.

4. Stila Lovely in London Palette
I got this a year ago but have been rediscovering it again. It has five eyeshadows in it and a covertible colour. I love Stila Covertible Colours and this colour is a lovely peachy shade which looks lovely in summer. I also love the eyeshadows, four of them are matte so great for creating softer summer looks. The packaging is gorgeous too and so easy to carry around with me.

5. Sleek Ink Pot in Dominatrix
I did a post comparing this eyeliner to two others that I own here. I really love this gel eyeliner, in my opinion it is just as good as the MAC Fluidline. I'm not going to lie, the Bobbi Brown offering still wins as the best gel eyeliner I've ever used, but considering there is about a £14 price difference, this gel eyeliner is a great cheaper alternative. It's a very true black colour and easy to apply and I've been using this all month.

6. Illamasqua Nail Polish in Radium
I love this colour. It's the kind that some people love and others will find is ugly. It's a light green with a very subtle shimmer going through it. I love how bright it is and is the perfect summer colour for me. I love Illamasqua nail polishes, they are the best quality I've tried, they just stay on and on.

7. Revlon 24hours ColourStay Foundation
I used to have this in it's old formulation, but I really love it's new formulation. Firstly the colour is really good for pale skin, (see here) and I love the high coverage. I always prefer a full coverage base, even when my skin is good. I'm really happy I decided to give this another try and it has become my new favourite foundation, since I got it I haven't used any other foundation. I'd say it's better than quite a few high-end foundations I've tried.

So that's it for my July favourites, let me know in the comments what you've been loving this month!

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