Favourite Blushes for Summer - powder, cream, gel, liquid.

I thought I'd follow up my nail polish and lipstick post with one for Summer blush. In my opinion, blush completes any makeup look and Summer can be a good time to break out some brighter cheek colours in different finishes and textures. Some foundation/concealer or powder, mascara and blush is generally my go to Summer look and blush really brightens up the face when you're going (next to) nakey faced. I wanted to include different colours of blush from a few different price points and wanted to add powder, cream, gel and liquid formulas that I like to cater for a variety of skin types. Although I do wear some pink in the Summer (and it looks great on pretty much anyone!) I LOVE to wear coral/orange/peach because I typically don't reach for them in the Winter. I think these colours look great in the Summer on a tan skin, but I have found some peach and coral shades that will work on even the fairest of milk bottles! Hope you enjoy :)

I tried to include blushes from all different price points but honestly find it hard to get a really great blush in the drugstore. Sleek, however, do some of the best blushes I've ever used and they're only around 6 euro. They have some great matte blushes and also some with shimmer. They are so densely pigmented and a little goes a long way with these. I like their range of peach and coral shades for summer, (particularly because its very rare to find such shades in the drugstore) but they also do some great pinks (Flamingo, Pixie Pink). Life's a Peach is one that I have been gravitating towards a lot lately because although it looks crazy in the pan, it works very well on pale skin tones when using a light hand.

Sleek also offer Blush by 3 palettes which are great for makeup artists, travelling, or if you simply wish to try out a few of their blushes in a similar colour range. Lace is my favourite of the palettes, again because it has some beautiful coral, orange and red shades. The middle colour is a very Nars Orgasm-esque blush but with a lot more shimmer and orange to it - making it look amazing on tanned skin. They have 5 or 6 Blush by 3 palettes in their range now with pinks, bronze and red blush shades. They also have 2 new additions which include a cream blush in each that I've been eager to try! Overall, Sleek do excellent blushes in some great colours but use a very light hand when applying - these things are no joke.

Life's a Peach.

Sleek Blush by 3 Palette - Lace

MAC do some of my favourite blushes and it was hard to only include one (permanent) blush. Pinch O' Peach is a colour that I hear very little about and can't understand why! The texture is beautiful, matte, soft and not chalky at all. The colour isn't overly peach - in fact, it has very little peach in it at all! This is definitely more of a pink blush but is pink without being too sickly. I love this on fair and medium skin tones and is one of my most used blush. This blush really brightens up and lifts the face, especially when you have minimal makeup on. It adds colour to the face without looking like its too much and lasts pretty much all day. A really universally flattering blush and is a pink with a difference!

MAC Pinch O'Peach

Sure where would a blush favourites post be without a bitta Nars?! I won't get too into the first shade because it's been done 223456543234567654 times before... but with good reason! Orgasm is a peachy-pink with gold shimmer. Yep. I have turned into that 'peachy pinky goldy shimmery' girl when talking about this shade. I use this all the time and in a similar vein to Pinch O'Peach, it has the right amount of pink in it mixed with the gold shimmer that makes it a very flattering coral shade. It suits everyone, and I mean everyone! The shimmer isn't too overwhelming and creates that glowy effect to the skin. It also looks great with minimal makeup and really lifts the face.

I mentioned Cactus Flower before and think that Nars do some great cream blushes. They're very long wearing and dry to a finish that is just shy of a powder. I like these because they suit both oily and dryer skin types - they don't leave a sticky greasy film on the cheeks! Cactus Flower is a beautiful poppy red/pink shot through with gold glitter. I love cream blushes in the summer because they glide over tinted moisturizers and foundations but also blend well into a completely bare face in a way powders just don't! This is a great shade for summer aaaand one that was apparently used on Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer. (I definitely didn't buy it straight away just because of that... I did... I definitely did).

                                Nars Orgasm                                  

Nars Cactus Flower

I don't see many people talking about the Urban Decay cheek tints but I have no idea why - they're brilliant! They're a gel/cream blush and have a very thin, jelly like consistency. They really do glide on the cheeks and I find that unlike most cream blushes, I can even apply this over powder. These products were new when I was doing work experience at Urban Decay and I remember using these on every client that came to the counter. They are super pigmented but have a sort of see-through/jelly like effect which makes it very natural and just, pretty looking! These come in a whole host of shades but Quickie is my favourite of the pinks. This colour also looks great on the lips with some lip balm/gloss over it. Urban Decay also do Naked Flushed palettes with a blusher, bronzer and highlight in a couple of different shades if a powder blush is more your thing!

Urban Decay Quickie

Benefit boxed blushes are one of my favourite products from them but my god their packaging makes it so hard to photograph their products! Bella Bamba is another orgasm-esque blush because it has that pink/peach with shimmer. The base colour is very similar to orgasm but with more of a cool toned pink and the shimmer is silver so this may suit paler, cooler skin tones a bit more. This is just another 'pretty' summer colour with great colour pay-off. And I won't lie, I also like it because it smells like watermelon sweets DO NOT JUDGE ME OKAY.

Benefit Bella Bamba

Last, but certainly not least, is Cha Cha Tint. Benefit have 4 (I'm pretty sure it's 4!) tints in their range now and Cha Cha is by far my favourite. It's a veryyy pigmented mango coloured stain that can be used on the lips and cheeks. The packaging resembles a nail polish and it's not really one to travel with but this is a liquid type blush that gives the same see through/jelly look to the cheeks (like Quickie!). This is the most long wearing blush I think I own - it really does stain (duh) the cheeks and is a beautiful colour for summer. Although its pigmented, you can definitely sheer this stuff out and the jelly like finish means it would also suit very fair skin. This looks incredibly light on the skin and would suit both oily and dry skin. I LOVE to use this on my cheeks, lips and across the lids with some brown in the crease when I (very rarely) have a tan.

Benefit Cha Cha Tint

L-R: Sleek Blush by 3 - Lace, Life's a Peach.

L-R: Cactus Flower, Orgasm, Pinch O'Peach.

L-R: Quickie, Cha Cha Tint, Bella Bamba.