Best Of Lists | Beauty and Fashion Tech

Best Affordable Makeup Series: Best Drugstore Blush

Readers often ask about the best drugstore makeup or affordable cosmetics, and a previous syndicated post on the best drugstore mascara has been rather popular here on the site. So,welcome to the first installment of series on drugstore makeup. Today, I take a look at some of the best drugstore blush items. Plus, I will tell you a few I thought were duds. Over the coming weeks I will write more on the best affordable makeup in other categories.

When it comes to finding the best drugstore blush, there area few key considerations. The best powder blush will have good pigment concentration for lasting color, be finely milled for good blending, and have a pleasing shade. The best cream blush will also have good pigment and will be soft and creamy. Where drugstore makeup brands often fail is in using little pigment and more fillers. When that happens, the product might look quite lovely in the package, but won’t actually wear well when applied. It will either be too light, wear off too fast, or both. Also, don’t get fooled by the name “mineral blush.” Some mineral makeup products are wonderful because they pack in mineral pigments with few fillers, but others will dilute the blend with fillers to the point that the product is not very well pigmented. Most mineral makeup items will also contain bismuth, which is an irritant for some people. That is true both at the drugstore and premium levels of cosmetics.

Below are a few drugstore blushes that do particularly well in terms of pigment and long wear. Although I have provided some affiliate links to the products, you should also be able to find them in drugstores or big box stores.

Best Powder Drugstore Blush

There is no need to spend extra for a good cheek color. Several companies make highly pigmented blush that rivals, or is even better than, many higher end and luxury cosmetics brands. I particularly like Milani Mineral Blush, despite that it includes bismuth as an ingredient.

Milani Mineral Blush is the best pigmented drugstore blush that I have found. It is also talc free—something rare for a drugstore blush. However, a word of warning, instead of being cut with talc, it uses bismuth, which some people are sensitive too. It is very well pigmented and comes in a variety of lovely shades. At just under $6, you can’t beat Milani for value. Milani’s Mineral Blush is honestly better than a number of high end items that I have tried. If you are a Nars Orgasm fan, look in stores for the shade Luminous (which I linked to). It is essentially the same as Nars Orgasm with perhaps slightly more shimmer, but much more affordable. By the way, also check out Milani eye shadows, they too are highly pigmented and are top on my list of best drugstore eye shadows.

Jane Blushing Cheeks is very affordable at $3.69 and has decent pigment, wears well, and comes in some nice shades. Jane also has a Nars Orgasm clone. Look for the shade Blushing Earth, which is almost a dead ringer for it. Jane cosmetics are pretty good all around, but their blush is my favorite item from them. For more see my previous review: Jane Cosmetics Blush.

Revlon ColorStay Cheek Color Mineral Blush is at the higher price range for a drugstore cheek color. At around $13, it comes in cheaper than higher end lines, but frankly, I recommend Milani and Jane before it because of their incredible prices. regardless, Revlon Mineral Blush is a darn nice blush. Although not talc free like Milani, it is still high in pigment and it blends and wears very nicely.

Best Cream Drugstore Blush

I have not fared as well at finding a quality affordable cream blush. Many seem to lack pigment or simply don’t wear as long as some of my favorite department store brands (Estee Lauder and Nars are a couple of favorites). I do, however, particularly recommend Maybelline Dream Mousse, which I prefer over many of the higher end brands. The entire Maybelline Dream Mousse line is rather nice. My other recommendations from Revlon and Sally Hansen Natural Beauty also fare pretty well

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush is one of my all time favorites. Dream Mousse has a light texture (hence the mousse name) that makes it blend incredibly well. It is also seriously packed with pigment. If you want a good cream color, this it the way to go. At around $6 it is also an incredible value. For yet another Nars Orgasm look, check out the shade Peach Satin.

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Blush (link is to previous review) has a good texture and decent pigment. It also comes in some particularly pretty shades. I like the Sally Hansen line as a whole and their powder version is also pretty good.

Revlon Cream Blush blends nicely and lasts pretty well. It is not as highly pigmented as some higher end brands that I have tried, but then again, I prefer my cream blush to be on the sheer side anyway. It builds fairly well for extra color and usually lasts all day. Revlon also leaves out the shimmer, which I appreciate. For more see my previous review: Revlon Cream Blush

A Few Duds

Just as there are some good drugstore makeup bargains, there are some items that just don’t cut it. A few that I didn’t care for were Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Blush (the one with loose powder and built in brush) which, although easy to use, took the word “sheer” to a whole new level by being barely visible on the face and wearing off quickly. Almay and Physician’s Formula blushes have also not fared as well with me for the same reason—there simply is not enough pigment.

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Weekend Reading: Best of 2009 Lists

Here are a selection of best of 2009 lists from other beauty bloggers:

Palacinka Beauty Blog: The Top 50 Beauty Products of 2009

Girl Gloss’s Best Lip Products of 2009

The Beauty Couch’s Best of 2009

Beauty411’s Favorite Beauty Products of 2009

Fresco Phyrra: My Best of 2009 List

The Makeup Blogger: Best Products of 2009

Beautiful Makeup Search: 2009 Best in Beauty

Here on Beauty and Fashion Tech:

Beauty and Fashon Tech’s Best of 2009

Beauty and Fashion Tech’s Best Beauty Products of the Decade

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Best Beauty Products of the Decade

OK, so I haven’t been blogging all decade, but I have been using products that long and have reviewed items that were favorites from before I began blogging. So, here are my top products of the decade that I have written about. It was hard to narrow the list down! All links are to my original review either here or on Girl Gloss. These are in no particular order. I love them all!

(1) The Ped Egg: Absolutely the best way to remove calluses from your feet. It is easy, painless, clean, and cheap! For those who commented about wishing that it had a handle, it now is available with one.

(2) DHC Velvet Skin Coat: A wonderful silicone makeup primer that fills fine lines and wrinkles quite well and leave skin smooth.

(3) Cat Cosmetics Lip Liner: The best neutral lip liner ever, hands down!

(4) MAC Cosmetics Dazzle Glass: Shimmery, high shine gloss that lives up to the name.

(5) Creme de la Mer: This cult classic is the best moisturizer for dry skin. Use it for anti-aging, or for deep and gentle moisture.

(6) DHC Deep Cleansing Oil: DHC oil virgin oil based cleanser cuts through makeup, dissolves the gunk in your pores, and leave skin feeling moisturized, all without causing acne.

(7) YSL Rouge Volupté Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick: Simply the best lipstick for long wear, great feel, and bold highly pigmented color. I also equally love Dior’s lipstick, but have failed to actually write much on it!

(8) Kevyn Aucoin Lipstick in Enchantaberry: A great cranberry red lipstick that will look good on a large number of skin shades.

(9) MAC Cosmetics Lustre Twins: MAC managed to come out with one of the few long wearing products that I like. Lustre Twins work and are more comfortable to wear than many other long wearing products, although they still can get that dry, cakey thing going if you don’t reapply the gloss.

(10) Nars The Multiple Multi-Purpose Stick: Use it as blush, highlighter, or on the lips. Available in several great shades, including the ever popular orgasm.

(11) ColorScience Powder Sunscreen: Gotta love a way to put on sunscreen over makeup.

(12) Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector: This tube gloss is conditioning and feels terrific. It is my all time favorite tube conditioning gloss.

(13) M.A.C. Paint Pots: I adore MAC’s paint pots. This eyeshadow goes on like a cream, but dries to a silky finish that lasts and lasts without creasing.

(14) Revlon Makeup Eraser Pen: A great fix for makeup errors. I have put mine to good use erasing mascara and eyline smudges and mistakes.

(15) PCA Skin PHaze 13 Melasma Treatment: This is the best over the counter melasma and hyperpigmentation treatment that I have used to date. I love the hydroquinone version, but there is one without that ingredient available as well.

(16) Marc Jacobs Cucumber Splash: A light, crisp, fresh scent that is perfect for everyday wear. I love this fragrance!

(17) Kate Somerville Exfolikate: A combo of physical and enzyme exfoliation that is hands down the best exfoliator that I have ever used.

(18) Schwarzkoph Bonacure Moisture Kick Spray Conditioner: Incredible for heat protection and extra conditioning. I have gone through many bottles of this since reviewing it.

(19) The Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Line. Read Part One here, and Part Two here. Sally Hansen put together an affordable line full of wonderful items, including an incredible foundation. I think it is the best overall drugstore line out there.

(20) Nars Dolce Vita Lip Pencil: This lip crayon is creamy smooth and comes in a beautiful, universally flattering shade.

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2009 Top Posts on Beauty and Fashion Tech

Below were the 12 most popular non-holiday and non-limited edition related posts on Beauty and Fashion Tech at the end of 2009. This takes into account posts over the entire length of the blog, so it includes some pre-2009 posts. It is sort of interesting to compare them to the end of 2008 list. A few items held their popularity through 2009, while some other older items broke onto the list.

(1) Review: New Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Cosmetics Inspired by Carmindy

(2) Review of Lumene Skin Care Products: Firming Creams, Cleansing Wipes, Vitamin C Cream, and Lip Treatment Lotion

(3) M.A.C Painterly Paint Pots

(4) Product Review: DHC Skin Care: Part I

(5) Essence of Beauty Brushes

(6) Etude House BB Magic Cream SPF 30 and Foundation Review

(7) Review: Everyday Minerals Mineral Makeup

(8) Two Foundation Primers: DHC Velvet Skin Coat and Smashbox Photo Finish

(9) Review: DHC Sunsceens, White for Melasma, Q10 for Aging, and Dual Defense for Moisture

(10) Colorescience Sunscreen: Full Spectum Protection in a Powder Form

(11) The Blue Nail Trend: Getting it Cheap with Wet-n-Wild!

(12) Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Foundation, Concealer, and Powder

Popularity: 1% [?]

Best Beauty Products of 2009

Below are my 15 favorite beauty products of 2009. These come from reviews I did during the year, so while many were also released in 2009, some are older products that I simply tried for the first time during the year. The products are in no particular order. You might also be interested in my Best of 2008 and Best of 2007 lists. All links are to my original reviews.

(1) Kate Somerville Exfolikate: A combo of physical and enzyme exfoliation that is hands down the best exfoliator that I have ever used.

(2) Etude House BB Cream SPF 30: A great basic blemish balm with SPF protection. Wear it as a makeup base for great coverage.

(3) Bobbi Brown Nude Eye Palette: A wonderful collection of neutral eye shadows from Bobbi Brown cosmetics.

(4) Amazing Cosmetics Mineral Makeup: Amazing Cosmetics makes one of the few available pressed mineral foundations that does not contain bismuth. It gives good coverage and comes in an attractive case.

(5) By Lauren Luke, My Smoky Classics Makeup Palette: Lauren Luke’s makeup palettes have great shades of well pigmented makeup. If you want a great makeup kit any of the By Lauren Luke items are a good choice.

(6) Arbonne Mascara: Arbonne makes a great dual ended mascara. One side gives great length and the other seals in the product and helps with definition. It gives a nice look, great length and it even curls.

(7) MAC Cosmetics Black Baby Goth Girl Nail Polish: A lovely deep purple nail polish with sparkles that looks black in some light, but sows its hint of purple at times as well. This was limited edition, so I don’t know if it can still be found.

(8) Tria Beauty in home Laser Hair Removal: The Trial Beauty home laser hair removal device makes laser hair removal easy and affordable (as compared to the cost of salon treatments).

(9) Purely Cosmetics Mineral Foundation: Purely Cosmetics makes a great selection of bismuth free mineral makeup and cosmetics. The selection is fantastic and there are plenty of available shades.

(10) Marc Jacobs Cucumber Splash: A light, crisp, fresh scent that is perfect for everyday wear. I love this fragrance!

(11) Per-fekt Skin Perfection Gel: A wonderful makeup primer that comes in various shades and that includes anti-aging ingredients.

(12) Exuviance Matte Perfection: Another very nice makeup primer that is specially formulated for oily skin. It does a great job at keeping makeup smooth and matte.

(13) Derma Doctor Poetry in Lotion: This is a great 1% retinol lotion, which is the highest concentration allowed over the counter. I found it to be less irritating than other retinol lotions.

(14) MAC Cosmetics Hello Kitty Collection: This limited edition Hello Kitty Makeup collection was a must have for all Hello Kitty fans. You may still be able to find some items on eBay. There are rumors of a second MAC Hello Kitty Collection in the works for 2010, but I have no idea how much truth there is to that.

(15) M Lab anti-aging treatments and skin care: M lab makes a wonderful line of skin care products. All are packed full of top active ingredients, and I loved every single item that I tried. They are rather expensive, but worth it.

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