Edit| Highlighters for Pale and Fair Skin

At my lightest, I only reach NC20 even with constant reapplication of sunscreen and avoidance of the sun. However, I still enjoy a high contrast sheen of white on the tops of the cheekbones when I'm light or tan. For very fair to light skinned people, I hope this post is somewhat informative in terms of swatches. 

I recently hauled three new highlighters and they're all very white. If I'm not careful they look ashy and stark on the skin. However, they all look great with a very precise brush applied to the tear ducts of the eyes, tops of the cheekbones, and cupid's bow. Rather than blending into my skin they stick out like a beacon in space. 

Canmake Milky White highlighter (around $5 online) and Canmake Glow Fleur Highlighter in Planet Light (around $15 online) are both Asian drugstore items that can be considered highlighters or all over finishing powders if you're brave (and tan like me.) There's no obvious flecks of glitter. On the other hand, my new Physician's Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls in Translucent (~$14) leans a bit more pink and pearlescent. 

I've compared with Becca SSP in Moonstone, which isn't the lightest (Opal would be closer to this highlighter family) but it only works when I've lost my tan.

This is indoor lighting. One pass. No primer. 

This is outdoor and direct natural lighting. 

And the flash photograph that reveals the amount of luminosity in each powder. 

The one with the most offensive texture (on the chalky dry side) is the cheapest Canmake option, but I'm willing to bet my first born son that it makes a lovely highlighter or setting powder for very very fair folks. The PF Pearls are ultra flattering, though for the faint of heart you may want to avoid areas with large pores. I'm pleasantly surprised by the (lack of) intensity of the Canmake Planet Light when used all over the face. 

xo Be

Collection| Pinky Peach Blushes

Y'know how sometimes you try to find a dupe for a discontinued color and suddenly end up with a million variations of the darn thing, but they are all just a tad off to be an exact replacement?

*silent rage*

Blush used to be at the bottom of my list, next to bland essentials such as eyeliner (if it's black it will do) and concealer (thick enough for the zit and I'm golden.) I had a CoverGirl blush that I treasured for ages because my best friend in high school said it was the exact match of the lovely flush I get by tilting my head down and letting blood rush to my head.

We tested this like a bunch of rabid AIDS monkeys in store.

 Flash forward a few years, I discovered a blush from an unknown Sephora palette that was exactly the color of peaches and cream, with just a hint of pink that made it wearable rather than clownish. Enter the never-ending search for the dupe. This in itself is awkward and a first sign of obsessive compulsive disorder, because I haven't even used up the pan.

Most of these blushes apply very sheer on me and impart a slight glow rather than full on color. This is my natural "just ran a mile, threw up in a ditch, pulled five muscle groups not attached to the legs, and walked two cool down laps" barely-there flush color, because I probably slithered and crawled the entire way. For most days that I don't want to bother with a statement cheek, which is most of all days, I usually will throw on one of these blushers.

See that tiny little pan in the middle? That's the blush I'm trying to dupe. 

From bottom to top: Flower Beauty Win Some/Rouge Some in Peach Blossom, "" in Forget-me-not, Illamasqua Lover, TheBalm Frat Boy, L'Oreal True Match blush in Precious Peach, MAC Prolongwear blush in Stay By Me, Physician's Formula Multi-Colored Blush in Blushing Peach, Sephora unknown. 

 From left to right: Flower Beauty Win Some/Rouge Some in Peach Blossom, "" in Forget-me-not, Illamasqua Lover, TheBalm Frat Boy. 

From left to right: L'Oreal True Match blush in Precious Peach, MAC Prolongwear blush in Stay By Me, Physician's Formula Multi-Colored Blush in Blushing Peach, Sephora unknown.

My arm is about an NC30-NC35 at the moment, so the paler shades are shy and need to be built up. Also, the first three on the left are the only ones with staying power after attack of the tissue. 

As you can see, Illamasqua Lover is the one blush that is the true orange in the lot, even though the color in pan looks very similar if not a tad more peachy than its friends. Flower Beauty's Peach Blossom is also significantly more pink than the rest of the lot. These are what I call "impulse buys", but they are really pretty nonetheless. 

From all of these blushes, MAC's Stay By Me or L'oreal Precious Peach seems to be the closest dupe for Sephora's, but it is well nigh impossible to show up on my NC30 skin. Perhaps at NC20 I will achieve a true peaches and cream complexion. As for now, they will have to sit on strike. 

I really enjoy all of these and find that on my dry skin, lasting power is not a huge concern. I usually get about five hours of wear from any blush (except Tarte's which last about 5 years.) If you're around NC or NW15-NC25, I'm sure these blush colors will work exceptionally well. Even these pale beauties can look ashy on me at the moment. Which is why I'm currently working with TheBalm Frat Boy and Illamasqua Lover for better pigmentation. Anyone above NC40 will just have to find blushers that are much more mauve, berry, or highly pigmented to flatter your complexion. 

Bee tee dubs, I think Sephora's blush is actually called Pink Flush 07 and it's currently on sale for 5 bucks, but I refuse to buy and have it be another dupe rather than the real thing. And the worst part is, I have MAC's Immortal Flower, Warm Soul, and Happy Together coming in the mail. They are pinky peach. 

That's all for today. Happy Hump Day!

Be