Three "My Cheeks But Better" dusty rose blushes that fit every budget
Loving a blush feels a lot like being in a long-term relationship. People don’t tend to swap around blush shades as often as they would lipstick or eyeshadow. For as long as it jives well enough with your collection of lippies, then you can keep wearing the same blush shade again and again! In that sense, a blush is like an investment piece in your makeup wardrobe. And while we love ourselves a popping pink or a plush peach, a dusty rose shade spells refined flush and versatility across various skin tones and lipsticks. Dare we call it the MCBB (My Cheeks But Better) blush?
If you're looking for a cheek color with a "blooming" effect or one that you easily reach for every day for any look, a dusty rose blush is a staple you should add to your kit. Here are three picks for drugstore, midrange, and high-end budgets to get the blush ball rolling!
Pink Sugar Sweet Cheeks HD Cheek Color in Florence (P299 at SM Beauty)
The most affordable of the three blushes is also the the most pigmented right off the bat! The shade Florence falls into the medium-to-dark category in its intensity with what looks like a hint of plum. From the pan, there is a lot of gold shimmer that makes it look playful, but don’t be fooled: the matte finish and deep color are all business. When worn, the gold shimmer is sparse and can only be seen from a very close distance and only on the edges.
The powder is finely milled but applies a little tricky. On my NC15 skin, the application is more about dispersing pigment rather than building it up; I make sure to use a fluffy brush for this and only pick up a small amount. At the 4-hour mark when it fades about 40%, the patchiness does even itself out.
Happy Skin Get Cheeky With Me All-Day Hydrating Blush in Blushing Bride (P899 at Happy Skin)
Aptly named, Blushing Bride is every bit the sweetheart when it comes to presentation as well as color. The octagonal compact is reminiscent of a dainty jewelry box, and included inside is a decent-sized mirror and a thin albeit soft and effective blush brush. TBH, I was surprised that the pan looked so tiny in the middle of the chunky compact, but I did appreciate how it has everything for touching up.
Out of the three, this has the finest texture and the lightest pigmentation, but it is also the fool-proof one that can be used even with a heavy hand. Coverage is buildable (and hard to overdo), while finish is matte. The shade is a teensy bit closer to pink but still has all the maturity of dusty rose. The color diffuses nicely with no patchiness, and develops a natural worn look on fair skin after fading about 20% at the 6.5-hour mark. Pretty impressive longevity!
Bobbi Brown Blush in Sand Pink (P1,400 at Rustan's The Beauty Source)
The luxury option’s quality and coloring happens to fall smack in between the drugstore and mid-range picks! Surprised? Me too. Sand Pink is that happy medium dusty rose with a bit of reddish brown to boot. The texture is a little more dry and takes more effort to transfer the pigment to brush.
The finish is matte and the coverage is buildable, though I have to warn you to use a light hand during application as there is a tendency for the color to come in streaks. I’ve noticed the 20% fade in color at the 5-hour mark.
Swatches, from left: Pink Sugar, Happy Skin, and Bobbi Brown
So which one should you get? Happy Skin has the finest texture and longest wear, plus it comes with a tiny brush that allows easy application wherever you go. For incredible pigmentation, Pink Sugar has the most intense impact at first swipe, so it will probably take a good long while for you to hit pan! Bobbi Brown offers the most flexible pick for pigmentation and buildable coverage.
Do you have a dusty rose blush in your stash? Which one of these are you most likely to go for?
