Review: Maybelline Master Glaze by Facestudio Blush Sticks in Pink Fever and Coral Sheen

Purchased by Me

As many of you know, I was ridiculously excited when Maybelline released all of their new blushes late last year. I was desperate to get my hands on some, and I want to thank reader Jen who gave me a tip back in December that these were spotted at a local Rite Aid here in San Diego. Because of her tip, I was able to get everything I wanted and I've been testing these products ever since!

I'm sure that you've all spotted the new Maybelline blushes (both the sticks and powder blushes) in your area by now, but in case you haven't tried them yet, here are my thoughts! I'll also be reviewing the powder blushes soon, so check back for that post.

Maybelline Master Glaze by Facestudio Blush Sticks in Pink Fever and Coral Sheen

(retail: around $8 each, 0.24 oz)

These blush sticks are available in six shades, which you can view here.

There are safety stickers on these blushes, and you can tell pretty easily when the seal has been broken. On the left is a seal in-tact and on the right is a broken seal. Someone would have to really gently peel the sticker (not easy to do) and then smoothly seal it back up if they were trying to conceal that they opened it. 

Pink Fever

Coral Sheen

One swipe of each blush

As you can see, these blushes have a sheen to them. This sheen translates to the cheeks as just that--a soft sheen. There are no chunky glitter pieces in these blushes.

Blended

Blended, you can see the sheen a bit better on the back on my hand. Again, no glitter.

Coral Sheen 

First of all, I apologize for the dry patches on my skin--I've been dealing with some irregular dryness (I have very oily skin) due to the weird weather we've been having in San Diego, but it's actually a good thing because now you can see that this blush doesn't cling to dry patches! In the photo on the left, I applied two swipes of Coral Sheen to my cheek (over foundation and setting powder) and blended. As you can see, the pigmentation on my NC20 skintone is great, even after blending with my fingers. In the photo on the right, I went back, after this blush had set, and blended it out a bit more with my fingers. If you look closely, you can tell that the pigmentation is a bit softer after blending for a second time.

Texture and consistency: I absolutely love the texture of these blushes. They are not thick or heavy--they have a very light consistency that is extremely easy to blend. They're not greasy yet they're not dry--once you start blending, they almost feel like they go from a cream to a soft, fine powder. But they're not powdery, if that makes sense.

Application: Extremely easy using just your fingers. All I have to do is swipe once or twice on each cheek, blend with my fingers for a second or two and I'm done. Seriously, this is a ridiculously easy blush to apply, and I haven't felt the need to bust out my stippling brush or anything like that--my fingers do just fine. Also, I haven't had an issue with applying this blush OVER powder (I know that's a concern for a lot of you and it is for me as well). It doesn't ball up or become patchy when you apply over powder, which is awesome.

Pigmentation: On my NC20 skin, I don't need more than two quick swipes per cheek to get extremely good pigmentation from both of the shades in this post (I obviously can't speak to the other shades in this range, because I don't own them). If you have fair skin, I would think you'd need just ONE swipe and you might even need to be careful with how hard you press, or you could end up with too much pigmentation. For deeper skintones, I would imagine that three (or maybe four) quick swipes would give you all of the pigmentation you need.

Staying power: I have worn these blushes with all different types of foundations (cream, liquid, long-wear, powder, BB creams and CC creams) and I can tell you that they last the longest when used with foundations that aren't overly-emollient. If you have dry skin and you use a creamy foundation, you might only get 3-4 hours of wear. But when I use my long-wear foundation and oil-control setting powder, these blushes last a full eight hours (although I can't speak to how they'll wear in the summertime, since I've been testing them in the winter). Also, I find that they work very well if you apply face primer before your foundation. I haven't noticed a big difference in applying them under or over setting powder, but my personal preference is to apply them OVER my setting powder, because setting powder does dull down the color a bit.

Fragrance: I detect no fragrance to this blush.

FINAL VERDICT: I'm a longtime fan of several Maybelline products, but blushes have never been their strong suit (in my humble opinion). But these Master Glaze Blush Sticks have taken Maybelline blushes to a whole other level for me. I simply adore them due to the ease of use, texture, pigmentation and staying power. Also, both of the shades I purchased are totally wearable once blended--no need to feel intimated by the colors in the tube. My one complaint is that the sticks are small for the price-point, but if you're a Nouvette, you know that all you have to do is wait for a good sale at the drugstore (and perhaps a coupon to go with it) and you'll never have to pay full-price. I say try one--you might be very pleased with how easy they are to use and how nice they look on your cheeks.

Do you own any Maybelline Master Glaze Bush Sticks? I would love to know how they've been working for you! Please check back soon for my review of the Maybelline Master Hi-Light Powder Blushes!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.