Review: L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Blush in Soft Berry

Purchased by Me

So I mentioned that I purchased one of the brand new Visible Lift Blur Blushes (and also one of the concealers) when I spotted this display at Bed Bath & Beyond two weeks ago. There is also a foundation in this collection which you can see in that display--I haven't purchased that one yet!

I've been wearing this blush for two weeks straight and it's been pretty warm here in San Diego while I've been testing this, so.I think I have a very good idea of how this product performs for me. AND (spoiler alert) I think this might be a nice drugstore alternative to a very expensive higher-end blush. Keep reading for all the details.

 L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Blush in Soft Berry

(retail: $10.49 at Bed Bath & Beyond, 0.6 oz)

There were three different shades of blush in the display. I purchased the deepest, brightest shade of the three. The other shades are Soft Peach and Soft Pink.

Looking at the ingredients above, you can see that the first and second ingredients, cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone crosspolymer, are also two of the main ingredients that you will find in MANY popular silicone-based face primers (Benefit, Smashbox, Too Faced, Hard Candy, etc. etc.). In fact, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a silicone-based face primer that does not include these two ingredients. 

Given that there aren't many ingredients in this product to begin with, and that the two main ingredients are commonly found in face primers, I think it's safe to say that this blush is like a face primer...but packed with color. I'll go into more detail about that in a moment.

There is a safety-seal on both the blush and concealer (I'll be reviewing the concealer soon).

Soft Berry

When you squeeze this product out of the tube, you don't get a traditional gel or cream--what comes out is sort of like a gel glob (see pic above). In fact, when you squeeze out a little glob, it doesn't stick to your finger--it rolls right off your finger and onto the ground. For the first few times I used this product, I forgot about that and watched as the little glob rolled right off my finger and onto my lap (I was sitting at my vanity). So you have to be careful when you squeeze this from the tube.

If you're familiar with Giorgio Armani Blushing Fabric Second Skin Blushes (retail: $39), this L'Oreal blush seems to have a very similar consistency. Not surprising though, since L'Oreal owns Giorgio Armani and we've also seen a Maybelline version of the Armani Maestro foundation (L'Oreal also owns Maybelline). If you look at Rouge Deluxe's review of some Armani Blushing Fabric Second Skin Blushes, you can see that Armani #9 looks quite similar to L'Oreal Soft Berry. 

Soft Berry, semi-blended

I'm going off reviews I've read for the Armani Blushing Fabric Blushes here (I do not actually own one myself), but I think that one of the differences between the two is that the Armani blushes may have a slightly wetter, creamier formula. You can see this in one of the shades that Blushing Noir reviewed here. But if you look at another review by Rouge Deluxe, you can see that some of shades in her review look very similar to this L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Blush. So perhaps you might find that some shades are more similar than others.

Soft Berry, fully blended

Looking at my blended-out swatch above, you can see that there is some very nice pigmentation to this blush. I used two "globs" here, but you really only need ONE small glob per cheek. Seriously, any more than that would be overkill. If you're very fair, you probably only need half a glob (my measurements are so scientific, aren't they?)

Another thing I hope you can see in my pic above is how this blush has a very silicone-primer-ish finish. The moment you start blending, you'll notice that it has the exact same feel and look as a silicone-based primer (except with color!). It's very cushiony and it immediately diminishes the look of bumps, pores, wrinkles, etc. on your skin. I wish I could have captured the effect on my cheeks (believe me, I tried) but this blush makes my cheeks look very smooth and airbrushed. 

Blending is a snap with this product. It's so easy to apply and blend using just your fingers, and the more you blend, the more you can control the pigmentation. If you prefer more color, just stop blending. If you like a more subtle look, keep on blending and you'll get there. It's totally adjustable because it doesn't really "set". It's more like a powder blush in that regard--it doesn't set like a liquid cheek tint does. You can keep playing with it until you're happy, and I really love that. Another thing I love is that there is no fragrance to this product. No rose scent (which L'Oreal is known for), which is nice. 

Before I forget, let me talk about staying power. I've tried this blush on top of foundation (but underneath setting powder) and I've also tried it on top of both foundation and setting powder. I MUCH prefer to wear it on top of both my foundation and my setting powder. I get the best staying power that way (between 7-8 hours, even in warm weather) but I barely get four hours of wear when I wear it sandwiched between my foundation and my setting powder. I do wear face primer in the summertime (underneath my foundation and setting powder) so if you don't wear primer, your results may vary (I haven't tried this blush without wearing face primer). And for those who are curious, this product does not in any way disrupt my foundation or powder--it glides on effortlessly, even over powder. 

FINAL VERDICT: If the idea of a pigmented blush that goes on like a silicone-based face primer (think Benefit The POREfessional, Smashbox Photo Finish, etc.) sounds appealing to you, then you are going to LOVE this blush. It gives the same smooth, airbrushed quality to the skin as many popular face primers, only with a beautiful, easily-controllable flush of color. I love that it never really "sets", so you can blend and blend until you're happy, but it also has very nice staying power (when I wear it over my foundation and my setting powder). I normally don't have the best results with silicone-based face primers, but this blush is different because it's not there to keep my foundation in place and control shine--it's there to deliver a pop of color to my cheeks. And it does that beautifully, with almost no effort at all. I'm not 100% sure that this is a complete dupe for Armani Blushing Fabric Second Skin Blushes, but it sure does appear to be one (if you didn't click the links above to compare, definitely do!). For about $10.50, this is a more economical way to try this style of blush without committing to the real thing (which retails for $39). I definitely think it's worth a look, unless the ingredients in silicone-based primers tend to break you out. This product did not cause any breakouts for me, but I don't normally have those issues with silicone-based primers.

Have you spotted the new L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Blushes in your area yet? Think you'll give them a try? Please check back soon for my review of the concealer in this new line!

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