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| Ben Nye Creme Cheek Rouge |
Where to start? I've been using these for years and they are just amazing. Very rarely do I stumble on something this good that I use this much, that I rave about this much, that I recommend this much.
Ben Nye products were originally formulated for theatre, making them (as you can imagine) highly highly pigmented and long lasting. These are not just good but unbelievably excellent value. I don't want to say "cheap" because this cheapens it, and a "cheap n nasty" product it most certainly ain't.
They blend like a dream. They build it you want, they sheer if you want. They can be applied with fingers, a damp sponge, a dual fibre/stipple brush...
They can be worn
- over or under your foundation (under your foundation gives a bare hint of colour)
- on their own (over your foundation)
- under a powder blusher, acting as a colour "primer" to enhance the colour of the powder blusher
- on your lips as a lip stain
Every time I'm asked to recommend a cream colour product, these are my go-to recommendations. These are the ones I use in shoots. I use them on brides. I use them myself. These are the ones we play with in class.
They come in eleven shades, and I have the following:
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| L -> R top row: CR1 Red, CR8 Blush Coral, CR5 Dark Tech, CR3 Sandy Rose, CR35 Natural (middle) L -> R bottom row: CR4 Raspberry, CR2 Dusty Rose, CR0 Carnation Pink, CR38 Dusty Mauve |
And, swatched...
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| L -> R top row: CR1 Red, CR8 Blush Coral, CR5 Dark Tech, CR3 Sandy Rose, CR35 Natural (middle) L -> R bottom row: CR4 Raspberry, CR2 Dusty Rose, CR0 Carnation Pink, CR38 Dusty Mauve |
I don't have CR7 Coral or CR9 Red Rocks (simply because when I was purchasing these were out of stock).
My favourites? CR4 Raspberry (for a brighter blush), CR35 Natural (for contouring), CR38 Dusty Mauve (for a natural flush).
I have a silly amount of blushes, both cream and powder. MAC, NARS, Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Laura Mercier, Shu Uemura, YSL, Estée Lauder, Lancôme, Benefit, Urban Decay, Stila... at the high end. Bourjois, Maybelline, Rimmel, Max Factor at the drug-store end. None of them beat Ben Nye for pigmentation, coverage, lastability, blendability, buildability, price (around a fiver). And what about size? Some comparisons...
- Ben Nye Creme Rouge: 7g
- MAC Cremeblend Blush: 5.6g
- Stila Convertible Color: 4.25g
- Urban Decay Afterglow Glide-on Cheek Tint: 4g
- Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge: 3.68g
- MAC Cream Colour Base: 3.2g
- Laura Mercier Crème Cheek Colour: 2.34g
Incidentally, this one actually works on your lips. I've found that the Stila Convertible Color & Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge, while great, dry out lips after a while.
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| L -> R: CR10 Carnation Pink swatched, sheered-out |
The simplest way to apply any cream blush? Swirl your middle finger into the product, then rub your two middle fingers together. Use these fingers to apply the product, a bit at a time, on either side of your face, and use your (clean) index or ring fingers to blend up and out. No tools necessary if you don't want. Otherwise, as they are so pigmented, I recommend a dual fibre brush or a damp sponge.
Works for all skin tones (caution when using creamy products on very oily skin tones applies here, as with all cream products). Works for all ages. Works for all budgets. Highly highly highly recommended.
I purchase from Screenface and the always fabulous Love Makeup, but do a google search and you'll find a few places that stock them...