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Thursday, September 3, 2015

Review: Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush Blushes in Pinking of You and Pop of Peach

I struggled with calling this post a "review," only because you know I usually give the products I review here on the blog at least a full two weeks of testing before I make my verdict. However, I know a lot of you were curious about these new blushes from Maybelline, and I wanted to share my thoughts with you as quickly as possible. So this is more like a "first impressions" post, however I'm going to give you as much detail as I would in one of my "real" reviews, so that's why I'm calling it a review. Whew! OK, so let's get to it.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush Blushes
020 Pinking of You and 030 Pop of Peach
(retail: $4.99 each, 0.16 oz.)

I found both shades in this new blush line at Target on 8/31, and I've been wearing them around the clock (one on each cheek!) for the past three days. I've tried them on bare skin and over three different foundations (long-wear liquid foundation, BB cream, and regular liquid foundation) and I believe I have a good idea of how I feel about these since I've been paying very close attention to how they apply, feel, and wear over the past 72 hours (plus, it's been hot here in San Diego, so I can even offer you my take on wearing them in warm weather, which is always a challenge for cream blushes, right?).

Keep reading for my review...


Made in Canada

These blushes have a quirky feel to them, package-wise. The tops are reminiscent of toothpaste tubes, although they're made of hard plastic (you can't squeeze them or roll them down like a toothpaste tube). The lids are clear plastic and are reminiscent of the lids on Baby Lips lip balms, only wider. The lids attach with a screw-top locking mechanism.


When I first saw these in real life, I was a little shocked by how small they are. For size comparison (in the photo above), I have placed them next to a Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear nail polish. Since 99% of you probably own an Xtreme Wear polish, go ahead and grab one really quick and just look at the glass bottle (not the lid). That's the total height of one of these blushes. Small, right? Very cute though, and easy to keep in a purse or makeup bag.




When you unscrew the lids, you'll see that these are very much like a tinted lip balm in both look and feel. They really do remind me of eos lip balms. Especially since there is no way to twist up the tube to reveal more product. Once you wear these down to the packaging, you'll have to scoop the rest out with your finger, a small spatula, etc. It's impossible for me to tell you just how much product is lurking inside the applicator, but it has to be enough to anchor the product and keep it from sliding out of the tube during application. 

020 Pinking of You

Pinking of You is a light, warm-toned pink with very subtle shimmer.

030 Pop of Peach

030 Pop of Peach is a warm-toned peachy coral with no discernible shimmer.

SWATCHES:

Two swipes per shade

The swatches above were photographed after I lightly swiped both blushes twice on the back of my hand. As you can see, these do not have big color pay-off, but keep in mind that the description on the packaging reads: "sheer blush" and "subtle hint of color."  In real life, Pinking of You has some very subtle shimmer to it, but both blushes have a sheen due to their creamy/oily texture, so the shimmer in Pinking of You kind of gets lost in the sheen. I really can't see much difference, in terms of finish, between the two shades. 

Blended

Pinking of You completely disappears on me after blending (both on my hand and on my cheeks). Pop of Peach delivers a very subtle, sheer wash of color on my NC20 skintone that is still fairly visible after blending.

As I mentioned at the start, I have been wearing these blushes in various combinations for the past three days, and I have not once been able to get Pinking of You to show up on my NC20 skintone after blending. Pop of Peach is visible on my skin after I build for more intensity, but one or two swipes just doesn't cut it for me, since these blushes become VERY sheer after blending. You may see them on the first swipe and think, "Wow, nice pigmentation!" but once you start blending, it's a completely different story.

Speaking of blending, the consistency of these blushes is actually quite similar to Baby Lips lip balms. They go on creamy, to the point of feeling a bit oily (most likely due to the castor oil and Vitamin E in this formula), and I have noticed that during the blending process, it's easy to remove your foundation (if you're applying this over foundation). For me, these blushes almost act like a cleansing oil in terms of how they sort of wipe away my foundation when I'm blending, leaving slight bald spots behind.

Since the consistency is creamy to the point of feeling oily, you can imagine that these didn't fair too well for me in warm weather. I have very oily skin to begin with, and I'm afraid that the texture of these blushes doesn't cut it for me. If I touch my cheeks several hours after application, I can specifically feel where I placed these blushes, without even looking in a mirror. I can feel the oily residue, and it never quite goes away. For me, these blushes just sit on the skin, without ever sinking in or becoming one with the skin. And trust me, I've blended the heck out of these blushes--they still leave an oily residue behind. But do keep in mind that my skin is oily to begin with--you could have a much different outcome if your skin is dry/normal/combo.

Staying power hasn't been great for me considering the issues I outlined above. What little color these deliver on my skin is pretty much gone after 3-4 hours, but the oily residue stays behind for an additional 2-3 hours (at least on my oily skin). In terms of application, these are super easy to apply (swipe a few times on each cheek and blend with your finger) and they blend quite easily given the creamy/oily consistency. 

The scent of these blushes isn't quite like a Baby Lips lip balm, but I find it very pleasant. It's a subtle fragrance and, to my nose, it's sort of a clean, watermelon-ish cherry scent. I actually really like the way these smell, but then again I'm a sucker for fruity fragrances. 

FINAL VERDICT: I am clearly not the target demographic for these blushes (and probably not the Baby Lips line in general since the entire line seems to be geared toward younger consumers). That said, I think you have to really be OK with a very, very subtle wash of color to appreciate these blushes. I think these would be nice for young people who are just starting to wear makeup, because you literally cannot overdo it when it comes to pigmentation (even if you tried). I also think these would work best on those with dry, normal, or combo skin. If your skin is oily like mine, I don't feel confident in saying that they'll work for you. The Maybelline Baby Lips line is known for its subtle color, so it does not surprise me in the slightest that these blushes are subtle as well. Was I hoping for more color? Sure. Am I disappointed that the color is so subtle on me? Not really. I should have known better, given the subtle pigmentation of Baby Lips products. And let's not forget that "subtle hint of color" is printed right on the packaging.

Since I've only been testing these for a short while, I will most certainly update this post if my opinion of these blushes changes over time. But for now, that's my final verdict!

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush Blushes are available now at Target (in-store and online) and should be popping up at additional retailers (drugstores, etc.) soon.

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

  1. Ah yes, the "Look Mommy, I'm wearing makeup!" demographic. So they can learn to apply makeup without worrying about looking like a clown. At least, that's the only reason I can think of for companies putting out such sheer products that they basically are non-existent. These remind me a LOT of the Revlon Baby Sticks that had come out (At least those could be used as a regular lip balm.)

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    1. I believe this kind of product is an attempt to introduce the Asian, or more precisely, Korean makeup trend. I was just talking to someone about this today: Here in the US we are used to render makeup very noticeable on our faces. In other countries they use makeup to enhance natural features, textures and colors in subtlety. Basically what we call here "no-makeup" makeup ;)

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  2. Thanks for saving me some cash! These are definitely not meant for me.

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    1. Yep same here. There is not one thing I like about them. I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't around long, especially with so many better options!

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  3. I'll stick with Maybelline Master Glaze.

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  4. The very first time you blogged about these G. I thought of Tarte Cheek Stains. I find them way too sheer and I think I would with these too. So it is not tempting me to buy at all. I noticed in your photo of Pinking of You that there is a crack around the edge where it goes into the container. This makes me think that unless you are very careful it will break off. I think you are right in your assessment that it is perfect for tweens and teens just getting into makeup!!!

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  5. This would be better if it could serve as both lip and cheek tint. This really looks like it would be good for pre-teens only, or it might give a hint of sheen, I guess. I don't really like the packaging, either. It looks like it got warped at the factory.

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  6. Yeah, had a feeling these would be a fail. I didn't like the packaging and the fact that once the tip wears down you'd have to dig the product out, like you said G. Thanks for your honest opinion. These are a pass for me. You are correct in saying these will be great for teenagers just starting with makeup.

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  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. Wendy, I am SO sorry I accidentally removed your comment!! I thought I was in "approve" mode but I was actually in "remove content" mode and when I thought I was clicking to approve your comment, I actually deleted it! If you wouldn't mind leaving your comment again, I would be so grateful! Again, I'm so sorry!

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  8. This is the second review I've read that isn't good. Yes. I think these would be great for a young woman/girl just starting out with make-up. I did kind of hope though that they'd be a nice pigmented cream. Oh well. Thanks for the thorough first impressions. :)

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  9. Disappointed and relieved at the same time lol. I'm on a no buy so this really helped me to not obsess 😊

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  10. This is a very helpful review, G.! I have super oily skin, too, so I won't be picking any of these up.

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