Rant or Rave?

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheek

One of the biggest trends on the A/W 12 runways was weather-whipped hair, skin and cheeks. Think long walk in the country on a cold day. One of the easiest ways to work the look is an outdoorsy flush blush.

The look should be vibrant and healthy so a cream blush works better than a matte powder.

£18.00 from Selfridges

The colour here is Rose

They Say: Our best-selling, multi-tasking cream colour just got even better. It's now in a mirrored flip-top compact for on-the-spot application. Blend it on the apples of your cheeks for a just-pinched look. Blot it on your lips for a soft, stained finish. For drier skins, be sure to moisturize skin first

Rose: Looks red in the pan but is in fact a a very warm pink shade. It's a very natural shade that would work well on a variety on skintones. 

I Say: Although this product claims to be dual purpose I find it a little too drying on the lips. I think multi-functional products are always better at one thing, you know what they say about stretching yourself too thin!

What in lacks as a lip colour it more than makes up for as a blusher. The product is very easy to apply and the colour is extremely buildable. It is very sheer so you can control the depth of colour. I like to apply with my fingers but the Real Techniques Stippling brush works equally well. To achieve that desired country ruddiness only apply the product to the apples of your cheeks and just below the cheek bones.

The finish isn't shiny or greasy but dewy and natural. It is great for achieving a really healthy natural looking glow, and especially good for adding a dose of radiance to lack luster winter skin. 

Have you tried any cream blushers before, what do you think of them?

Flushed and Blushed

Step 3

People change their clothes as the seasons change so why not their makeup? Whilst I like summery pinks and corals for Summer come Autumn I prefer a darker, berry shade.

The one I have found myself reaching for the most this season is Nars Dolce Vita.

They describe it as a 'matte dusty rose'. I'd say it contains more red than pink, it's more of a dark berry colour. It's red but not garishly so, it's pink but not girly girl so, there's a lot of depth to the colour. It a very versatile blush with a flick of the brush it imparts a 'just returned from a long walk in the country' barely-there rosy blush, but it can also be built up to a more dramatic plummy rosy red hue. 

The colour is very true to pan, which isn't the case with all products. The payoff is very rich and a little goes a long way, like most Nars blushes it is very pigmented and therefore quite effortless to apply. It has a subtle sheen that's not shimmery, if you like shimmer Outlaw is quite similar in shade just with more glitter, but also isn't too matte or flat. It gives a very natural flush to the cheeks, like you've just been indulging in some exercise *cough cough*. Whilst for those prone to redness in their skin this may not be the perfect fit I think it will suit most other skin tones really well. 

I apply blush by smiling into the mirror like a crazy person and buffing the powder into the apples of my cheeks. If I am feeling more adventurous I will use a light colour on this area, and a darker blush to contour (in place of bronzer).

This fool proof, user friendly blush lasts about eight hours.

You can pick one up from Space NK for £21