Give me face peels, magnetic lashes, injections down the bridge of my nose — but there is nothing, beauty-wise, that scares me more than blush does. I have a lose-lose relationship with it: “lose” because I can’t find a shade that matches my tan skin with yellow undertones, and “lose” again because when I do, I have absolutely no idea what to do with it. Countless YouTube tutorials and an army of Allure editors hadn't been able to help or convince me otherwise — and then these little black compacts landed on my desk.
At first glance, BareMinerals Ready Blush is pretty run-of-the-mill. The matte black compact opens to reveal a mirror, a brush with natural hair fibers, and the powdery, pressed color. I chose the shades The Aphrodisiac (a warm pink with gold flecks) and The Confession (a matte pink with a hint of peach) to experiment with because when I swatched them on my golden skin, the color and finish looked surprisingly natural.
I used the enclosed brush to dust the powder onto my cheeks. The formula is very sheer but buildable (perfect for mess-ups), and the brush isn’t flimsy, making application foolproof. There is a little bit of fallout during application, but it actually helps the finished look appear softer and more like a natural flush than a streak of color across your cheeks. After a few minutes with the compact and a little help from our in-house blush expert, senior beauty editor Jessica Chia, I had glow-y, “more youthful-looking" cheeks, according my coworker who sits behind me.
When you’re learning how to put on blush, this one may be the ideal way to start because the formula is extremely beginner-friendly. It looks great on the apples of your cheeks if you’re going for that fresh-from-a-run-type of flush. You can also start the color at the hollows of your cheeks and extend it back to the hairline for a more sculpted look. The magic number is eight with this powder blush — as it comes in eight shades and lasts for up to eight hours.
So. Am I blush convert? Yes, absolutely. Will I expand my makeup collection to include more of it? Possibly, but let me enjoy The Aphrodisiac in my comfort zone just a little while longer.