initial pink

I like translating French names on cosmetics, especially from French brands like Chanel. My dear friend (and undoubtably my closest makeup-friend) gave this beautiful blush to me on my birthday with a gloss and lip scrub. She certainly knows what I like! I saw a review of it on Temptalia, and for weeks afterward, every time I looked at a picture she posted and I noticed her skin looked particularly good or her blush was really cute, it was ALWAYS this blush. No other blush has thrown me into such a fit. I'm so grateful to have it.

It is Literally The Best Thing Ever. It's the perfect pink. It smells heavenly. It just looks radiant.

Chanel Joues Contraste blush in Rose Initiale

It's mostly matte, but with the subtlest satin sheen, mostly evident in the pan and applied to the cheek. The texture is so finely-milled, so smooth, that I may never need another blush again. This is, hands-down, my favorite blush formula, if all the Joues Contraste (contrast cheeks. I've never really understood that one, because it sounds like it should be a blush duo, but okay) blushes are like this. If you apply with a heavier hand than you meant to, it blends out like a dream in two seconds, from doll cheeks to fairy princess pink. I like to put it on with a blush brush and then feather it out with a larger powder blush, since the shape of the blush (a cute little dome) can lead to the pigment building up in the center of your blush brush and it looks pretty concentrated when you put that up to your face. Softer brushes, super soft bunny-fluff brushes make this look absolutely perfect.

ALSO UNRELATED this blush smells really good. You know how some people like to talk about how the Too Faced products with cocoa powder smell good? This smells better. To be perfectly honest I spend half the time the compact is open apply

Chanel Rose Initiale applied on the right side (of the PHOTO!!!! if you want to get real it's on the left side of my face)

See where I've applied it to my arm? It's a super pretty fairy pink blush.

Tip: Pink blushes like this go with everything because they mimic a natural blush so well. A different shade might be better for you, but a sparkle-free, shamelessly pink blush will always look good.