fair skin beauty – Chanelle Hayley

I’m having a real moment with blush lately. Sometimes I go through phases where I don’t wear blush a lot but recently I have been appreciating the lovely, natural flush it gives my cheeks and how it pulls a look together. I believe blush is one of those products you don’t need to own a lot of different shades of if you’ve found a couple that really suit your skin tone. I know what works for me and what I personally like. I tend to go for mauve tones and blushes that have a bit of shimmer and can be built up. If you’ve followed my blog for a while you may have heard me mention these products but I thought this would be a great way to collectively talk through my favourite blushes and if you have fair-light skin like me these will also work well for you.

Starting from the blush I’ve owned longest and working through to the newest:

1. Dainty Doll – Billion Dollar Babies

Firstly, look at that pan! This is the only cream blush in my collection but it is my most used blush hands down! Billion Dollar Babies is a neutral pink-brown nude. It may look plain in the pan but once it is on the face it adds the most natural flush of colour whilst making the skin look dewy. This blush is the most versatile I own and it really does go with every makeup look! I don’t tend to wear bronzer or contour when I wear this blush as I find it layers better on top of foundation this way and stops my makeup looking heavy. I keep this blush in my everyday makeup bag on top of my dresser which contains products I reach for often.

2. Dainty Doll – You Are My Sunshine

You Are My Sunshine is a dupe for NARS Orgasm and I purchased this blush a couple of years after I started blogging. I don’t know how I first heard about Orgasm but I remember thinking it was such a beautiful shade and the fact it suits many different skin tones is a bonus. I found this blush brand new on eBay for $8 (NZD) and this easily comes in as a close second to Billion Dollar Babies for being my most used. This blush is also my personal favourite in my collection and I love the healthy effect the peachy golden shimmer gives the skin. A little goes a long way with this blush and if I’m feeling under the weather or want my makeup to pop this is the blush I’ll choose. It pairs well with my fuchsia lipsticks and a light shimmery shadow on the lids.

3. NARS Mini Orgasm Blush/Highlight Duo

I picked up this NARS duo in 2018 as I was curious to see how my dupe for Orgasm compared to the real thing. Taking pictures for this post was actually the first time I had swatched both blushes side by side. They are equally as beautiful and look similar on the skin but Orgasm is more pink and easier to diffuse whereas You Are My Sunshine is more peachy and shimmery and needs to be applied with a lighter hand. I bought the NARS duo as it has a blush and highlighter meaning it’s convenient for travel and takes up less space. Despite the fact the blush is mini it will still last a long time. Orgasm is a classic shade and if you haven’t tried it I highly encourage you to give it a go, it may look intimidating in the pan but it is a surprisingly versatile shade.

4. MAC Mineralize Blush – Warm Soul

I forgot I owned this blush for a little while because my Dainty Doll blushes are so good at covering all bases that I didn’t find myself for reaching this one as often. A couple of weeks ago I used it for the first time in ages and fell in love all over again. Warm Soul has a baked mineral formula meaning it layers well whilst still looking soft and gives a pearl-like shimmer. This blush pairs really well with a pink highlight or if you prefer something simple and subtle, Warm Soul can be worn on it’s own and applied a little higher up to double as a blush and highlighter. The microshimmers will catch the light and make the cheeks look more sculpted.

5. Max Factor Creme Puff Blushes – 10 Nude Mauve and 20 Lavish Mauve

I purchased both of these in February so they are still relatively new to me. I have used each shade a handful of times so far and I’m happy with how they perform. This range of blushes is supposedly similar to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes so if you’re looking to try a cheaper alternative, these are a good option. Nude Mauve has a muted pink/brown tone whilst Lavish Mauve is brighter and more pink. The marbled effect in the pan is gorgeous and these blushes also contain microshimmers similar to Warm Soul so they can double as blushes and highlighters. If you have a deeper skin tone these particular shades would make pretty highlighters but if you’re fair like me they are perfect blushes.

Swatches: