I Found a Powder Blush That Blends Like a Cream
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I’m a bigblushfan — a makeup look isn’t complete for me without it. For the past ten years I’ve stuck to cream formulas, which are easy to apply and buildable. I’ve waxed poetic about the Merit Flush Balm, which creates a pretty wash of color on the cheeks, and I recently opined aboutGlossier Cloud Paintstill being an excellent option. Powder blush, on the other hand, has always intimidated me. It’s more pigmented and less flexible — where you apply it is where it stays, especially when applied on top of a cream base. It also requires a certain degree of brush skills, which I didn’t have until very recently.
Recently, I received a package from Violette_FR in the mail with the brand’s latest launch — the Plume Blush. It’s marketed as having the “melt of a cream and the airiness of a powder,” which was intriguing to me. I hadn’t tried anything from the brand yet, but I was curious about it, as I’ve seen its products pop up on stylish beauty enthusiasts, particularly its lip products. TheBisou Balm, for example, was recently recommended by my fellow Strategist writer Kitty Guo (it was her top pick for a not-too-red lipstick). I was heading to an event and decided at the last minute to try it out.
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I swiped on the shade En Feu, a bright red, using my Ami Colé (RIP) foundation brush. I tapped it on my hand first to get off any excess color, then applied it to the apples of my cheeks and my temples. It was brighter than I was used to — my Merit blush is more subdued, regardless of how much I apply, but with a little added blending, it quickly diffused into a softer wash of color. I checked my face out from all angles and applied whatever was left on the brush to the bridge of my nose to create a sunburned look. Then came the real test: direct sunlight. I opened up my selfie camera once outside and was pleasantly surprised that everything looked nicely blended and soft. Previous attempts at powder blush have resulted in a patchy application job and me wiping it all off.
To make sure it wasn’t a fluke, I wore it a second time, and it yielded the same results. I was thrilled. It doesn’t behave exactly like a cream as it claims, but it is easy to blend. I wouldn’t use my fingers, which I can absolutely do with a cream formula, but a good, dense brush will do the trick. I like that it doesn’t highlight any texture in my skin; if anything, it almost floats over any small bumps. The color is also great. I love a good red blush, and this one manages to be pigmented without veering into costume territory. It’s the perfect flushed shade and shows up nicely on my brown skin tone. I think it would look good on most everyone, though, given that it’s easy to diffuse and blend.
Now, I reach for it whenever I do my makeup and have settled on it as my summer shade. It makes me look like I just got back from a beach or I crushed up raspberries and applied them to my cheeks. I can’t say I’ll totally make the switch from powder to cream, but if you’ve been thinking about trying a powder and think it’s too complicated, this is a good place to start.
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