I recently received a question from reader Fiona who asked…
Hi, I have hunted out this old post because I have a burning question and I thought you might be able to recommend something?
I use Dandelion, I am SO pale it’s great for me – natural, hard to overdo. However I don’t want the gold shimmer everyday. Is there another blusher that’s a similar colour / shade but matte-r, no shimmer? And if said blusher came in a creme (particularly stick) format I’d be even happier!
Any thoughts/recommendations welcome!
Off the top of my head, I’d say something like No7 Blush Tint in Blossom, though it might be a hint darker… I’m wearing it in this post. For something a little more luxe, you could try Rouge Bunny Rouge’s Vermeer.
Cosmetics a la Carte also do some wonderful cream blush sticks, it’s definitely worth checking out the website for those.
I also asked on Twitter and got some brilliant recommendations:
“Jane Iredale in Clarity” (@lovelyislovely1)
“Maybelline ones, the mousse. Cannot recall the name” (@mucrazyinsanity)
“I think too faced used to do one called pretty in pink. it was a pale matte cream if I remember rightly, it’s a duo blush though so the shimmery half will be useless” (@GlitteryAllsort)
“the MUFE ones aren’t shimmery” (@eyeheartit)
“Nars Penny Lane?” (@chelseagirl2)
“Illamasqua all the way.. Zip into Beak Street store and you’ll fall In love… You’ll thank me after :-)))) x” (@ZoeWMUA)
“make up forever cream blush thats light pink. Stila has cream blushes” (@BeautyNYC)
“NARS Penny Lane came to mind, but that may be slightly on the dark side?? x” (@TheBeautySpark)
“To be honest I’d find a lipstick in that shade I wanted and use it as cream blush” (@vickinurse)
“penny lane nars, mac posie, sleek do a nice one x” (@gailnoble)
“NARS Penny Lane?” (@reductionista)
Thanks for chipping in everyone and I hope that helps Fiona? If anyone else has a suggestion, please share the wisdom!
MAC So sweet, so easy?
I don’t know that one!
What about Posietint? I wouldn’t know since I’m not pale, but it looks delicate from other peoples reviews
Posietint is quite bright on me, more like a little pop of colour x
What about mixing the Posie in with a bit of moisturizer or primer to dilute it a bit before applying? I’m all about the multi-use products!
Kevyn Aucoin Pravella is a beautiful cool baby pink cream blush.
Just stop with the KA enabling, I know what you’re doing! *wags finger*
Hard to get hold of but Inglot have a wicked range of cream blushes with a couple of gorgeous pale pinks – can’t remember the numbers off the top of my head but they’re a bargain and look really lovely on the skin.
I have one Inglot cream blush and I can’t even remember where I got it, think it was from a blog sale – it does have a lovely finish but the pot is really annoying and small!
Inglot do sell online now to the UK. It is however much much cheaper to pick them up in Poland if you’re ever around that way.
what about Illamasqua Promise or Sob?
I was just about to suggest Promise! It’s one of my go-to cream blushes, and I am v pale.
both a bit bright to classify as natural? Or is that just my inability to apply them without the WOAH clown effect?
Ohmygoodness, I got a whole post! I am beaming in my kitchen here. Thanks SO much for all your suggestions Charlotte, and everyone else – I shall spend a few delightfully obsessed hours looking them up online, googling for reviews and then having a look next time I’m anywhere near Real Shops. Thanks again! 😀
You’re really welcome Fiona! You had me a little bit stumped ‘cos I only ever think of Dandelion being touted as the perfect pale girl’s colour. It doesn’t even show up on me!
Dainty Doll 002 My Girl – I won it in a Glamour comp and I love it. It looks quite glittery (silvery rather than gold) in the pan but it’s never showed up that way on my skin. It’s easy to apply being so light, and I am really pale and was terrified of blushes for years, even now I only own four.
You need more blush 😉
I think posietint might be too pink? I like the other suggestions bu maybe Bobbi brown pot rouge might work too? I saw powdery pink in a Lisa Eldridge video and it’s definitely light and matte – I bought it and love it! I think pale pink might be a lighter shade?
Oooh, I forgot Bobbi Brown, they do stick blushes too don’t they? hmmm
Thanks for all the added suggestions too! I have never tried anything from Bobbi Brown, because the name always suggested to me that it was for tanned, glossy Californians with, you know, brown eyes…not pale freckly blue-eyed Celts. But I think I might be wrong about that.
Barbara Daly Cream Blush in English Rose. Blends out really well to look subtle.
Plus its less than £5 🙂
Omg, can’t believe I forgot that one! I loe the texture, but don’t like limited shade range.
How about Tarte Cheek Stain in Dollface? It’s a lighter pink, which should look good on pale skin. And to either make the cream blush stand out, or last longer, Benefit’s Thrrrob powder blush could be brushed on top. (Thrrrob is a very light pink powder blush, which I use because I’m pretty pale, too.)
I’m pale and freckly as well, and I ADORE Stila convertible color in ‘Petunia’ – a staple ‘must have’ in my make up bag!
You MUST try Cargo blusher in Catalina – it’s a stunning cool pink that looks amazing on everyone. I’m NC35/40 so layer it on, but it still looks good. You could apply just a dab and it’d look wonderful, I’m sure.