Know Thyself

"Know Thyself" is a bit of a hefty title for a post about a blush, but it's incredibly fitting. Basically, I've noticed I have a tendency to unintentionally purchase color dupes of makeup items- nail polishes, lip sticks/glosses, and blushes seem to be the worst offenders. On the one hand, it's great because it means that I know what I like colorwise and keep choosing the same color because I instinctively know it will suit me.

On the other hand, it's terrible because I wind up with a ton of money invested in products that all look the same on me! I'm a near-daily makeup wearer, but I cannot use up makeup fast enough to justify that sort of behavior (and I'm certainly not interested in wasting money on yet another product that I don't need because I already have 5 identical options). So with this self-realization firmly in mind whenever I find myself browsing makeup, I try to be really strict about what I pick up and only purchase items that are genuinely different to what I already have.

This blush by Chantecaille in the color Bliss was something that I've been pondering for a while. Not having the option of seeing it person, I finally decided to take a chance and just order it. Obviously, ordering makeup sight-unseen is risky because you never know how the color on your screen will translate to the color of the item in real life; luckily, many makeup retailers have fantastic return policies in case what you've purchased just doesn't work out for you. (If this weren't the case, I'm sure much less makeup would get sold through e-commerce, so don't feel too badly for them!)

I received it a couple days ago and thought it was beautiful in the pan. Of course the lovely iridescent overspray on the embossed butterfly was gone after the first swipe with my brush, but I was prepared for that. The blush applied like a dream- finely milled powder that didn't emphasize skin texture imperfections and just the right amount of pigmentation. The color Bliss is quite a natural rosy color; I'd say it's a neutral pink, demure and dusky rather than bold and bright. I quite liked it! The compact itself was cute too, although for some reason I didn't expect it to be plastic. I thought for sure it would be metal. On the other hand, it's really cool that the compact is refillable and refills are "only" $30.

Besides the Chantecaille blush, these are the other products I used for this day's makeup look:

• Base: CoverFX Illuminating Primer- got this in my last Sephora Play Box and I love it! It gives a glowy base but it's not too shiny and wore well for me throughout the day. I don't know if it would be as good for really hot/humid summertime but for the chilly/rain spring weather we've been having right now, I really like it. 
• Foundation: Sephora Matte Perfection Powder Foundation in Neutral Linen- another Play Box item that I've been using and rather liking. I don't know if it's my favorite pressed powder foundation, but I don't have a favorite pressed powder foundation so the fact that I keep using this one speaks for itself. I can't wait to see how the matte finish holds up to summertime temperatures!
• Concealer: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla- I think I first tried out this concealer last year. I purchased the travel size first and used it all up! I liked both the color and the staying power so I repurchased the full size! I still like it now, but I have to be careful not to use too much because it creases on the undereye for me (although this is not a diss, as every concealer seems to crease in my undereye no matter what I do) 
• Eyeshadow: Too Faced White Peach Palette and Smashbox Covershot Golden Hour Duo- the Peach Palette is my well known favorite, and the little Smashbox duo was from a Play Box! Interestingly, the shades in it are actually part of a larger palette offering. They're kind of rosy-peachy colors and I've found they pair well with both the original Peach Palette as well as the White Peach. Lovely eyeshadows all around, creamy and easy to blend.
• Mascara: DiorShow Iconic Overcurl Mascara-  again, another mini size! In all honestly I'm not sure if I got this from a Sephora Play Box or as a free sample from a Sephora order, but it definitely came from Sephora one way or another. I think I've tried most of Dior's mascara offerings and I love them all. The Overcurl doesn't give me a bigger curl than usual but I do like the length and separation of the lashes it creates. 
• Highlight: treStique Cream Stick Highlighter- this cream highlighter also came in a Play Box and for the longest time I didn't even open it or swatch it because I wasn't into using cream cheek products. A couple weeks ago I decided to finally try it out and of course, I loved it! It can give a very bold highlight, but you can easily blend it out to be more sheer and subtle. Very pretty and I'm loving using it on my cheekbones and browbones, as well as just a little on the nosebridge. This might be a product I'll repurchase when my mini runs out!
• Highlight and Contour: Kevyn Aucoin Contour Duo on the Go- picked up this duo while waiting in the Sephora checkout line and I'm so glad I did! The Sculpting Contour Powder and Celestial Highlighting Powder are both really nice products and look very natural but pretty. A little seems to go a long way for me, so I think I'm getting great value for money. 

These products all really deserve a post of their own because they're all amazing, but I just wanted to show what else I wore when I tried on the Chantecaille blush. Also, I noticed only 3 of the items were purchased directly: the Too Faced palette, the Kevyn Aucoin duo, and the Nars concealer. Everything else in this photo I got in a Sephora Play Box. Obviously the Play Boxes are purchased too of course, but I think it's kind of cool to see that it's possible to do a full face with mostly Play Box items, especially if you've been subscribed for a few months. It speaks to the wide range of items that Sephora sends out, which is much appreciated by me (especially when it comes to things like mascara!)

Now back to the topic at hand. I thought this blush was gorgeous and I was all set to formally welcome it to my makeup bag, when my Chanel blush in the color Innocence caught my eye. All of a sudden I wanted to compare the two because both are in the dusty rose family. They looked different in the pan, and different swatched on my arm, but when I put Chanel Innocence on one cheek and Chantecaille Bliss on the other, they turned out to look identical!

Bliss on top, Innocence on the bottom.

I tried to take a face photo but it literally looked like I was wearing the same product on both cheeks rather than two different blushes. I wonder if the reason for this is that although Innocence appears darker both in the pan and swatched, it's actually less pigmented than Bliss, so it sheers out until it looks just like Bliss. In any case, once I figured out that to keep the Chantecaille blush would mean having two identical colors, its fate was sealed and it had to be returned. There's no point in hoarding makeup, which has an expiration date! (Although on that note, my Chanel blush is a limited edition  color from 2014 and it's still going strong without a decrease in performance or any other issues. Properly stored and cared for, powder makeup can last longer than people might think it would!)

Lastly, I just want to quickly show the makeup samples I got with my blush order. I'm very excited to try the Charlotte Tillbury Wonder Glow, which I believe is like an illuminating perfecting primer? The La Mer cream I'm debating whether I should use myself or self-sacrificingly give to my mom! The Jo Malone perfume isn't quite up my alley as I find the scent of English Oak and Hazelnut to be rather musky and masculine. I prefer Peony and Blush Suede or Basil and Neroli. :)

**This post is not sponsored in any way. The Sephora links are provided for informational purposes only and do not earn me a commission. **