I have a love-hate relationship with blush. I love the effect it gives other people, but it's hard for me to find a color that is both flattering and unassuming on me. My strong olive undertones make it so that many colors clash against my skin, while my square-shaped face makes it a little tricky for me to apply it naturally. I wish I could wear blush all the time, but sometimes I find that it's just not worth the effort.
However, my favorite blush that I've found so far is Chanel Joues Contraste in 65 Espiègle. It came out with the Les Perles de Chanel collection this past spring, but it is a permanent color. It's a gorgeous peachy blush with pink undertones that is shot through with tiny golden shimmers. It's pretty sheer, so it'll be difficult to overdo this. In the swatch picture below, I swiped three times, but I don't think it looks harsh:
I went through my collection to find comparable colors, and I decided the two most like it are NARS Orgasm and Benefit Coralista.
I will upload a comparison picture when the lighting is better.
Orgasm is warmer with more shimmers, while Coralista is pinker with a sheen finish. Of the three, I prefer Espiègle. I was a little disappointed with the overhyped Orgasm (too sparkly and pigmented), but Espiègle is what I wanted Orgasm to be. When I put Orgasm on top of Coralista, the color was very similar to Espiègle but more pigmented.
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| swatched heavily - blended out |
I will upload a comparison picture when the lighting is better.
Orgasm is warmer with more shimmers, while Coralista is pinker with a sheen finish. Of the three, I prefer Espiègle. I was a little disappointed with the overhyped Orgasm (too sparkly and pigmented), but Espiègle is what I wanted Orgasm to be. When I put Orgasm on top of Coralista, the color was very similar to Espiègle but more pigmented.
One thing to note is that I own the European version of this blush. It differs from the American version in that is a baked formula. I remember when I went to an American Chanel counter a while ago, I thought the color looked more orange, but I didn't have my own blush with me so I can't be for certain. Furthermore, the lighting there could have affected the way I perceived the color.
It has a rosy floral scent which I like, but maybe it's not the best for those who are sensitive to scents. I also want to comment on the packaging. Despite the label and price, I do think the packaging is a bit cheap--both in look and feel. It feels pretty flimsy, especially if you shake it a little bit.
I bought my blush at Printemps in France for __.
