Am I Blushing Or Is It Benefit Dandelion?

Continuing my love of all things Benefit, I wanted to share my soft gentle "am I blushing or am I wearing blush" fave, Benefit Dandelion. This is a no-fail super soft and sheer pink powder blush that is basically your cheek colour at 14 years old in a box. When I first got it home I thought it was too soft, too pink and not me. It was relegated to the back of the drawer for a while. I had seen an editorial featuring models with the softest of pink cheeks and thought I could recreate the look with Dandelion- and I was right. It is a soft finely milled powder compact in the now-iconic Benefit box. I love the box as it makes organizing a make up drawer much easier than round compacts that roll and slide all over the place.

heavily swatched as it was hard to photograph the tone...

About the the colour. This blush works best either right on the apples of your cheeks (smile to find those) or on top of your cheek bones- you know, where you would naturally blush. I can't say enough about the Perfect Shade of Pink in Dandelion. Benefit's website says there is shimmer in this- it has never shown up on my skin and I just can't see it. But perhaps that is what it gives it that pretty lit from within feel. Not sure how well this would work on darker complexions. I am fair- medium and get darker with a tan and it still shows up on me- just imparts a healthy blushing glow. Keeping in mind I like my make up natural and soft. If I really want a more dramatic blush shade I dot on and blend a few drops of Benetint first.

As with many powder blushes I find a primer underneath helps extend the life of this one, but it is an ethereal colour so don't expect 8 hours. As it is a powder and I also use my MAC Blot or Studio Fix I use a spritz of rosewater after applying my make up to avoid a grandmotherly powdered look. Dandelion is simply too pretty and I find the prettiest softest make up can tend to be fleeting. The same goes for pretty and ethereal perfumes but that is another post....

Sweet Pastel Candy Campaign, Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2012

So this Spring is all about pastels and soft soft soft powder puff candy colours and Benefit Dandelion is just the perfect soft fluffy cotton candy pink. If you don't have Dandelion, get thee to the Benefit counter, stat!



Cotton Candy Photo credit: Death By Cotton Candy, 2006, Daniela Edburg