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“OHMYGOD are you ready for this?” So sayeth Smashbox’s main man Daniel Chavez as I settled myself onto the couch beside him. “Em, yes I am,” I say, not even remotely alarmed (I’ve encountered his ebullient ways a time or two before), “I’m even sitting down and everything.”
I’m nothing if not a smartarse.
“Blush. Is. O.U.T!” declares Daniel.
OUT! How can this be? Did I not do a big gushy post all about Benefit Coralista earlier in the week? Oh, I just can’t keep up with all these trends. And on the face of it, this one sounds pretty stupid. But he explains: “take a peach blusher - not bronzer, bronzer is O.U.T - and apply it below the apples of the cheeks. What you’re looking for here is to contour and give shape to the face, not a pop of colour.” The perfect shade for this is the one in the Reign collection, (or above) which Lynnie blogged about the other week.
Right so, I was getting the point of this now and itching to grab the blush out of his hands and have a go, but politeness reigned and I kept my snatching claws to myself. Besides, he’d said something quite interesting as he was explaining that Blush Was O.U.T, and I wanted to know more.
“So Daniel,” says I, “did you say bronzer is O.U, eh I mean, out?” “Yes!,” he exclaimed. “Smashbox says bronzer is O.U.T for the autumn and Christmas period.” Wow, he seemed so certain of the timeframe. Could it be that mna na hEireann will down tools and adopt the natural look? I’m sceptical but if you’re feeling pale and interesting then the brand have a really lovely little product as part of the Christmas collection, Baked Fusion Softlights in Stardust, €30, top left.
It’s like a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish, but not marbled and less robot-y, if you get me. So if MSF terrifies you, then this could be a goer because the fact that it’s baked means the powder is fine and sheer and doesn’t deliver the same slightly metallic finish the MAC product can.
Swirl a powder brush around in a circular movement, employ your tapping/flicking/blowing method of choice and use this as a setting powder all over liquid foundation for a very subtle shimmer. Of course you could layer it up on the top of cheekbones and temples for even more illumination if you wanted, but I’m using it to set my base and it’s very nice. If you really require to it multitask, you could pick out individual shades and use them as shadow too - so it’s versatile.
Psst: do you want to know when you can lash the blusher on again with impunity?
“Daniel,” says I, “seeings as you’re so sure it’s O.U.T right now, that means you must know when blusher is coming back in?”
“Yes!,” he said, laughing, “I can exclusively reveal that blush will be BACK on January 2nd 2010.”
There you have it, as spoken from the trend-setting horses mouth.
P.S: I may have exaggerated the dialogue above, but only slightly. Tee hee.
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I just bought Benefitis Dandelion last night!!!! Oh no….
Orlando - I wouldn’t worry too much about it BUT! dandelion would be perfect for trying this contouring malarkey with actually.
i’m lost… no blusher, just shimmer??
and i just bought new blusher too.. at least i was half right and phased out my bronzer?!
i’m not impressed ladies, not impressed! lol
Not even if the Taliban called to my house will I be handing over my bronzer or blusher.. Im Irish for feck sake..I spent my youth pale and interesting.
Sadhbh - not even if the Taliban called to my house!!!
Ah how do you do it? Another classic
Blusher and bronzer cannot be O.U.T - fusion softlights I.S. a blush/bronzer - it’s my fave, I use it all the time
Ha, I love it! Must have a go at the contouring malarkey, but don’t think I’ll be giving up my beloved blush! I never bronze though, so I’m half on-trend
If i contour my cheeck bones they will look like they stick out a mile. Im sticking with my dab of blush and bit of bronze when i dont fell like being pale and interesting!!!
aphrodite- how do you rate the fusion softlights v other brands (say guerlain one?) im nearly at the end of my fusion softlights and i do like it but was thinking of trying the guerlain one next…
I thought the NYC cheapy one was good too though!
is it just me as well but does one colour seem to go the most and leave a hole in just the1 bit even though I swirl a big kabuki over the whole lot in (what I thought was) an even way?!!!
Wantsies!
I want to give this contouring / highlighting a lash! But I don’t think I could give up my Benefit Hoola or my blush
Love the contouring, really defines. However, a little bit of blush will always be essential for the cheekies!! Maybe I’ll try it more subtly or peachy…
Aphrodite. Wish my husband agreed with you. he can often be heard saying ” Sadhbh, we are going out with normal people, none of your random nonsence”
Have just added a bit more blusher now in protest.
Oh I just got the smashbox peach blusher a few weeks ago so I must be ahead of the game. Love the look of the softlights though…
No way I’m going to ditch my beloved blush and bronzer. Without those I look like an extra in “Night of the Living Death” !!
I bought MAC The Perfect Cheek blush a couple of weeks ago, and it’s a great nude-pink for pale girls like myself. Ofcourse it has to be LE again, damn you MAC !!
I never used blushers or bronzers, I thought I was just being lazy but I like the “interesting” discription…
I think maybe he’s not saying ‘Don’t use your blusher’ he’s just saying use it in a different place?
As in under your cheekbones rather than down the apples of our cheeks like we’ve always been taught…
Interested but it would take a lot to part me from my love of patting a bit of colour onto the apples of my cheeks.
Or giving up my bronzer - nooooo!