I was a devout fan of powder blushers still a year or two ago, as they seemed easier to blend and layer. I don\u2019t think I\u2019d come across particularly good cream blushers at the time, nor was I really looking. When translucency became an in thing, matt cheeks from the blusher I was using alongside glowy skin didn\u2019t constitute a great look. The blusher also became harder to blend in \u2013 a powdery, pigmented product simply doesn\u2019t blend in nicely into dewy skin. So, I decided to be open-minded and give cream blushers a go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As it happens, powder blushers are now hibernating at the bottom of my makeup box, while several cream blushers in different shades that I use according to my mood get a regular outing. Sometimes I\u2019m after a brownish shade (often to accompany red lipstick<\/em>), at other times if in a daring mood I\u2019ll grab a red, juicy blush stick (wearing hardly any other makeup).\u00a0<\/em>But I\u2019ve noticed that there\u2019s one particular shade in my makeup bag that never ever feels\u00a0wrong<\/em> and I definitely use more than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Old fave:\u00a0<\/strong>Rihanna\u2019s label\u00a0Fenty Beauty Match Stix -multi stick in shade\u00a0Yacht Lyfe<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Natural alternative: <\/strong>Ilia Multi Stick in shade I Put a Spell on You<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Why I love the original: <\/strong>Had I tested this blush stick by Fenty Beauty earlier on, I wonder if would have ever even bothered with a powder version. I like almost everything about it \u2013 well, love<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, the label appeals to someone who likes Rihanna, and the packaging is super handy and sturdy. You can even attach it together with other Fenty Beauty multi sticks with the inbuilt magnet. I only have two and they are the same: my recently opened one, and my old one that\u2019s nearly finished but I still keep with me until every last drop is used up. In other words, I\u2019m already on my second round, which is a very rare occurrence for me when it comes to colour cosmetics!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The container is nice and handy, but of course what\u2019s inside counts \u2013 and when it comes to blusher it\u2019s mostly about the colour. The pearly peach-pink shade flatters my skin tone, although I\u2019m sure more natural-looking shades would be on offer. The colour might come close to when you blush naturally, but then there\u2019s the pearly effect. The shade feels simply perfect for me, adding that je ne sais quoi<\/em>to an otherwise minimalist makeup look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\u00a0Yacht Lyfe<\/em> shade of the Fenty Beauty multi stick is almost exactly the same as cult blusher of all time\u00a0Orgasm<\/em>by NARS, but I\u2019d choose the former for its texture. I\u2019ve never come across such an easy-to-use blusher. It glides onto cheeks without breaking off or caking, and blends in perfectly with fingertips without any skill, precision or effort required. I find the stick comes with the perfect amount of pigment, and the strength of the shade can be layered and controlled when applying. It\u00a0feels<\/em>powdery on the cheeks but doesn\u2019t\u00a0look\u00a0<\/em>powdered. The result doesn\u2019t feel greasy or like it will slip out of place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, the laws of the jungle apply also to this product: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. The stick makes you see why people have wanted to stuff cosmetics with all that plastic and silicone in the first place. In this case, they\u2019ve been used to ensure the blush is super smooth to apply. On the downside, you wind up coating cheeks with a myriad of ingredients that may as well be used to insulate a bathroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strange how the human mind works: although I know full well<\/em>why I should choose something else, I\u2019ve gone and bought the same stick the second time round \u2013 just three months ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How does the natural option compare:\u00a0<\/strong>It\u2019s hard to compare, as a natural product simply doesn\u2019t and cannot behave like a plastic one, which just has to be accepted. But considering the Ilia stick\u00a0isn\u2019t<\/em> plastic, it\u2019s incredibly easy to apply and use \u2013 in fact easier\u00a0<\/strong>than many plastic sticks I\u2019ve tried! I could imagine blending in the Fenty blush even without a mirror. I couldn\u2019t imagine doing the same with the Ilia blush, but do manage to blend it in nicely in front of a mirror using only my fingertips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t have it all, but what you can expect from a blush is the perfect shade. The Ilia blush comes close to the Fenty Beauty blush in its pigment content. You can also apply the Ilia blush exactly as strongly as you want \u2013 believe me there are products that give no say. Fenty Beauty calls its shade glimmering peach pink<\/em>and Ilia defines its shade as peachy tangerine<\/em>. It\u2019s true that the Ilia stick seems to have a hint of orange and Fenty leans towards pink. They are not identical colour twins, but I wanted to examine them side by side anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This online shopper got lucky; although I didn\u2019t snap up the exact colour match to my old fave, it turned out to be an everyday blusher<\/em>that\u2019s even more flattering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The slightly warmer shade looks more natural, and the toned-down pearliness can be a good thing \u2013 it\u2019s good to re-examine old habits now and then. There\u2019s still room for some glimmer in my life, but in the daily grind and combined with a highlighter (yep, every day), you don\u2019t need quite so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Verdict: <\/strong>Yes, the Ilia stick is a keeper. It has all the potential to become an all-time favourite. Packaging is stylish and functional. In fact, I bet a few wouldn\u2019t realize this was a natural product if they didn\u2019t know. It all goes to prove that a totally fabulous blush stick can be achieved with natural ingredients. The ease of use, application and texture beat Chanel\u2019s versions \u2013 hands-down.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The fresh and luminous I Put a Spell onYou<\/em>shade will no doubt be flattering on many, but if it doesn\u2019t fit your palette, there are six other shades in the range<\/a>. (Compared to many other labels, Ilia offers a fantastic choice of different foundation shades: the serum foundation comes in as many as 18 different shades<\/a>. Fabulous!)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n ***<\/p>\n\n\n\n Updating the makeup bag with natural cosmetics \u2013 what\u2019s it all about? In the following months, Inke\u2019s Beauty Corner will be looking to swap her go-to products in the makeup bag with natural products \u2013 they have to be just as good but hopefully better. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Updates so far:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 skin tints that even out the skin tone and give light coverage <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 cream blush stick in a certain shade<\/em>of coral pink<\/p>\n\n\n\n Upcoming tests:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 non-caking loose powder that sets makeup without killing glow <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 pigment concealer that comes in a jar<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 serum foundation rich in pigment<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013fairly natural but super fabulous cream highlighter<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 volumising, tinted brow gel<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 a good mascara with a lash-separating, natural finish <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 cream eyeshadow applied with fingertips that intensifies the gaze<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013perfect, fiery red lipstick with a matt texture that\u2019s not dry<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Translated by Rebecca Watson<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Inken purkkinurkan meikkipussinp\u00e4ivitysprojektissa vanha lemppariposkipuna kohtaa uuden luonnonkosmetiikkahaastajansa. Miten Ilian monitoimipuikko p\u00e4rj\u00e4\u00e4 kriittisess\u00e4 vertailussa?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":21300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[750],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inkes-beauty-corner"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/katjakokko.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/fenty_ilia_6.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nTESTING BLUSH STICKS: <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/katjakokko.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/fenty_ilia_7.jpg\")
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nSo far, updating my makeup bag with natural products has been a blast: the two first products I\u2019ll be swapping proved even better than what I was using. I wonder how things will continue?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n