theBalm Blushes

A week or 2 ago, theBalm had a 50% off flash sale on their website (I believe it was in honor of someone's dog's birthday). Whatever the occasion, I knew I couldn't pass up the chance to score some products at bargain prices.

Even thought the eyeshadow palette was tempting, I knew I wanted the blushes and settled on 3: Hot Mama, Cabana Boy and Frat Boy. Although they market these as combo blushes/shadows, I would never wear the shades as an eyeshadow.

First up is Cabana Boy, a "pink dusty rose". I would say that's fairly accurate, as the shade is quite rose/plum. It also has a lovely sheen to it and very, very tiny sparkles that warm the shade up.

Next we have Hot Mama, a "pinky-peach". Really to the point descriptions, aren't they? Make no mistake, this is a pinky peach, but I feel like there is a lot more going on with this one! It's quite frosty and applies with an intense golden sheen. Now that I'm inspecting the swatch, it's almost more sheen/shimmer than colour! Hot Mama is really nice for summer, when you want a glow as opposed to bright cheeks.

Lastly, Frat Boy, "peachy apricot". I would call this a very true, matte coral with tiny sparkles. Of all three, this blush is the most pigmented and requires a lighter hand. I like to think that this is what MAC's famed Hipness blush looks like, mainly because I missed out on it. I think I'll get a lot of use out of this in the winter, when I want a natural flushed look.

(R-L: Cabana Boy, Hot Mama, Frat Boy)

All 3 of these blushes apply super smooth and blend like dreams. They're also huge: 0.25-0.3oz of product in each compact. I don't see myself using one up anytime soon. The only downside is the cardboard packaging. It makes a quality product look SO cheap! Plus, it's hard to travel with. NARS rubber packaging may attract fingerprints, but it absorbs impact when dropped. Cardboard is not going to help. I guess I'll just have to be extra careful with these babies.

Overall, I'm really happy with my purchase! Do you own any of these blushes? What do you think of them?