A good cheek look can round up any make up look you create. Where I dabble around mostly with colors on my eyes and lips, I like to keep my cheeks quite simple. Generally, I know what I like and stick to favorites that I keep using for weeks if not months on end. Mostly I prefer a soft glowy bronze look with a hint of sculpting along the cheek bones. A noticeable, yet wearable highlight that is nicely blended together with a coral, rosy or more vibrant blush color. Today I’m sharing with you the cheek products that I cannot live without or: if my house was burgled and someone took all my make up, which products would I miss the most?
Favorite cheek products
I decided to truly limit my choices. I went with just one highlight, one bronzer and one contour. For blush I chose several options, as I feel they all do something distinctly different on the cheek. There are two winter time and two summer time blushes that go with almost every look you may want to create. You can click the product name underneath each picture for full reviews.
Bronzer
Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder Radiant Light
My go to bronzer would be Hourglass’ Radiant Light. Technically this is not a bronzer: it’s a face powder aimed at darker skin tones. On my pale face however, this works beautifully as a glowy all over bronzer. I prefer this in the summer time, but I have to say that I can wear this year round without too many problems. It gives a gorgeous glowy finish and I just dust this all over my face with a large stipple brush, focusing mainly on the outer third of my face and my forehead.
Contour
Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil bronzer
For contour I am personally not the biggest of fans of true contour powders. Most of them are too grey toned, which just make me look funny. Rather than sculpted, I feel it makes me look dead. So I prefer to use a bronzer instead. The Too Faced Chocolate Soleil range is perfect for this as it is completely matte and you can tailor it to your skin tone. I got the lightest available shade as I think this tone is very flattering on. I use the ELF small stipple brush with this and it creates a beautiful soft sculpted look.
Highlight
The first highlighter I ever bought that I thought looked nice on me was The Balm’s Mary-Lou Manizer. This champagne gold shade is simply flattering on so many different complexions that I feel this is a very universally flattering product. It leaves a lovely golden sheen that is non-sparkly and just makes for a beautiful lit-from-within look. Another reason why I love this is because it is customizable: you can apply more or less to suit your highlighter needs. With a very light hand this will look great with any make up look.
Blush
Rival de Loop Young Mono Rouge 01 Pink Grapefruit
This intimidating looking blush is the only drugstore product in this blog post. It is not only affordable, but also seriously bright. This blush can work year round. In the summer time it mimics that sunkissed look that looks great combined with a glowy bronzer. In the winter time it makes your cheeks look like you just took a long walk through the snow. It certainly makes for a very fresh faced look and works best with more understated looks that need a bit more oomph.
MAC Extra Dimension blush At Dusk (Magnetic Nude LE)
You can tell a blush is well-loved if the pattern has started to wear off. Many people will not think a blush like this to be essential as it is very sheer and soft. But I love a dusty rose blusher, especially in the winter time. When I am at my palest, most blush colors can look like too much and easily make a look appear overdone. With a more subtle blush shade you can wear all the bold looks you want, but it will always finish off the look with a soft rosy cheek that just works.
If you say cult favorite blush, then Benefit Coralista is probably one that springs to mind. And for good reason. This has been one of my favorite blushes for years and I’m surprised I have yet to hit pan on this. In the picture you can see my original Coralista blush which I still have. The link is for the review of the 2015 LE cheek set, which featured the same blush. Unfortunately it shattered when I depotted the palette into less bulky packaging. Luckily for me, I still have this one and I will continue to use it. I especially love this in the summer time.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting blush Diffused Heat
Finally, there’s Diffused Heat. Another Hourglass product that I’ve been loving since the day I bought it. This muted red shade has a hint of luminosity to it, which makes this a very flattering shade on the cheek. Like Rival de Loop’s Pink Grapefruit, this is one of those blushes that work year round. I like using this blush especially with more evening looks. As this blush highlights any glowiness already one your cheeks, this makes for the perfect combination with a heavier smokey eye and a bold red lip.
What cheek products would you miss the most if all of your makeup suddenly disappeared?
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