Natasha Denona Blushes: Swatches and Review

Natasha Denona is a new indie-brand getting a fair amount of hype; they're probably better known for eye shadows (which I will review in the near future) but I was equally fascinated by the gorgeous blush duos.

Available on both natashadenona.com and beautylish.com at US$38 (both have free shipping over a certain purchase), there are 19 duos available.

What you want to take note of if you're buying more than one is that many of the shades (e.g. the soft blending shade on the left) are repeated across the palettes. But the primary factor for deciding which duo you get should still be the main blush shade on the right.

Natasha loves a glow - think pearlescent, radiant, NARS Orgasm-esque glow all over the cheeks, not just a little highlight on the top of the cheekbones. Which is beautiful - but also prone to emphasizing large pores and uneven skin texture if you're not careful. While there are a number of matte blush shades, they are always accompanied by a shimmery blending shade. As far as I can tell, the ones with a pastel pink on the left, called Renee's Pastel Pink, are the only ones with a matte blender.

I ordered 5 in various tones to try out, and the duos are named below. (They all follow the names of the shades on the right.)

Natasha Denona blush duos from left: 02 Light Antique Rose, 14 Golden Coral, and 15 Sheer Nude

Natasha Denona blush duos from left: 09 Matte Peachy Nude, and 13 Golden Caribbean Coral

The formula is ultra fine-grained and smooth and reminds me a little of Charlotte Tilbury blushes, but one difference is there is a lot of powder "kicked up" whenever you tap your brush in this product. You will see tons of loose blush powder all around the pan. It's not a big deal unless you are wearing black and get some powder on yourself, because the softness and the talc content is what allows the product to glide on and not bunch up or streak on the skin.

I applied this several times directly on un-powdered skin, and often the moisture from foundations will cause blushes to grab and look patchy, but not in the case of Natasha Denona blushes.

Pigmentation level looks strong, but they do go on a little softer than you'd expect, and you can build up if you need, so you get a good measure of control which is nice. As for lasting power, it's not as good as Tarte blushes, but it's decent - comparable to what I get with Chanel or Dior.

I have to say I really like the glow though. My favorite duo is the Golden Coral duo, which reminds me of a softer, more glowy combination of NARS' Hot Sand and Deep Throat blushes. The texture is very translucent and flattering, and the glowing sheen somehow sculpts the cheeks and adds dimension even without a contouring or bronzing powder. It's not flat-out metallic; in fact I'd say the glow is a bit more diffused than you get with blushes like Orgasm, but there is still no way I can pull this off on days I have any bumps or spots on my cheeks, because the sheen will still highlight them.

Natasha Denona blush duo 14 Golden Coral

Like Charlotte Tilbury's Cheek to Chic blushes, there is a specific technique to using the Natasha Denona blush duos. The recommended application is to brush the main blush shade over the cheeks first, then use the softer shade on the left to blend out the edges around the main color.

However, I also like:

• applying each of the shades on their own as a single shade (even the soft peachy-beige blending shade Toutou surprised me by looking fine as a very soft blush; if you have NC25 or lighter skin you can use most of the blender shades as blush)
• mixing both shades together for a softer medium shade to apply all over
• applying the blending shade over the cheeks and overlapping the cheekbones first, then going over with the deeper shade on the lower half of the area to add color and shape (see below)

All in all, I think they're actually surprisingly good value considering you get two shades and 14g per compact (a typical MAC blush has 6g of product and is not much cheaper if you're in Singapore). Plus, the whole presentation is lovely, with those sturdy, layered pink and white cases.

If you're a blush addict, love a good glow over your cheeks, and don't mind some powderiness on your pan (it doesn't go on powdery and chalky on the skin) these are a must-try.

Now I just wish the brand would come up with a 28 shade blush palette, considering their large lip and eye palettes are so popular. This way we can get a big mix of various shades without having to buy so many repeats in duos.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Cushion Compact, Nude Finish Illuminating Powder and Malibu Nudes Collection

Bobbi Brown's launching the new Skin Foundation Cushion Compact SPF50 PA+++ first on 24th March (Takashimaya), then everywhere else on 1 April 2016. 

Available at SGD$21 for the case and $54 for the refill and puff, this is an Asia-exclusive launch, so the bad news is it will not be available in the Western markets. (The good news is there may be something similar coming out for the other markets at a later time, but I don't have any more information on that at this time!)

From 24-30 March 2016, you can purchase 2 refills + case for $108 at Takashimaya.

Skin Foundation Cushion Compact is meant to:

• recharge and rejuvenate - it contains lychee and caffeine, which I am excited about because that can help tone and perk up skin, and also help with puffiness. There is also Pink Silk Tree Extract to calm and soothe skin irritations.
• protect - moisturizers protect the skin barrier and retain moisture, while high SPF protects skin from sun exposure
• create a glowing, flawless finish - the formula is lightweight and gives a glow, but also promises to control oil and brighten the skin without smearing, fading or caking

That certainly sets up very high expectations - moisturizing plus oil-control would be a tough order to fulfill for most formulas. To be honest, I'd just be happy with any cushion that actually sets and does not smear or fade easily. I also really like the idea of a caffeine-containing foundation formula. (The reason they come packed like espresso pods!) Caffeine is what makes Clarins' Shaping Facial Lift work at de-puffing and tightening facial contours, and this makes a great perk-up in the morning if you're slightly puffy.

Another interesting thing is the cushion itself is NOT soaked with foundation. The cream to liquid formula is under the sponge itself, and is "dispensed" in small doses only when you press down each time. It isn't exposed to air so much right from the start.

The coverage is light-medium - it does even out the skin tone a bit, but I find it doesn't build up a whole lot with the puff. I find it easier to use a finger to dab and pat on more coverage where I need. It does brighten and cover circles and sallowness - I have darkness around my chin, eyes and cheeks and this evens everything out while looking quite radiant and natural.

The best part is probably the fact that it does set.
It takes a few minutes, and having some powder will help, but it does eventually set on the skin and become less shiny. It also surprisingly managed to make my pores look less obvious. The finish is more dewy than YSL Le Cushion Encre de Peau, somewhat similar to what you'd get with LANEIGE's Pore Control cushion.

It did stay relatively fresh for me through a day's wear - it didn't fade, smear or get shiny quickly; then again I have rather dry areas and only a slightly oily T-zone. I can say it's fine for combination skins, but I am not able to say based on personal experience if it can stay intact on the very oily. This also didn't noticeably oxidize for me, so that was a good thing.

One thing I did notice is it can sometimes crease under the eyes for me. That's not really a fault of the product because most non-matte foundations tend to do this anyway. If that is a concern for you, you should probably avoid creamy products there.

Another item which has just launched, which I do want to highlight as well - is the new Nude Finish Illuminating Powder.  There are 6 shades available in Singapore (Porcelain is shown here), each priced at SG$83, and each contains a blend of 6 different skin-tone powders with a  beautiful variation of of finishes and undertones. It can be used as an illuminating face powder for all over, or you can pick a lighter or darker shade to highlight or bronze up your face.

I personally feel there is a bit of a sheen and sparkle which makes it not quite so suitable for use as a contour powder. But for highlighting and bronzing it is beautiful. I swept Porcelain around my brow bone and cheekbones below. It's ultra-subtle, soft-focus highlighting, for times when you don't want an obvious dewy or pearly shimmer. Highly recommend checking this powder out.

Then of course, there are the Spring Malibu Nudes collection, which launches 27 March at all Robinsons department stores and island-wide from 7 April. This collection features three blush duos, 6 Art Sticks, and the key piece, the 5-shade Nude on Nude eyeshadow palette ($89). 

Shades from left: Nude (new), Cement, Wheat, Espresso, Malted (new)

The textures of the shadows in this all-matte palette are super smooth - although I kinda wish there was one paler shade and one more slightly deeper transition shade, rather than 3 soft medium tones which are interchangeable for each other and not all that far apart.

I did the super simple warm look below using:

• Nude - all over lids up to socket line
• Wheat - soft cool-toned beige right in center of lid
• Espresso - in outer corners
• Ink Liner in black - along roots of lashes
• Gel Liner in Caviar Ink - right above the black liquid liner, extended out into a wing
• Eye Opening Mascara in black - on lashes

On the cheeks I used theTawny/Peony blush duo ($70; which is also an Asia exclusive, but you can pick any warm pink blush and bronzer), and on the lips I applied the ever-popular Brown Berry Art Stick ($38), which is surprisingly not as deep and rosy as I had initially expected, considering the name.

This isn't the whole collection of course - there are a lot of stronger lip colors, which are beautiful, but Brown Berry is a great every-day warmer-than-nude shade and this lasts for hours and hours.