April 30, 2010

Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush Review and Swatches

With foundation, concealer, and powder breaking its way into the high def world it was only a matter of time that blush caught up. As for me, I’m waiting for eyeshadow to become high def, now that’ll be something to see right?

Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush is the newest addition to their high def line of makeup. If you’re going to buy blush might as well tack on some geeky HD with it right? It’ll make you extra flawless if its in high def I guess.

Jump!

What is it?

Make Up For Ever HD Blush combines mattifying and reflecting powders to create a softer focus effect and finish for a radiant blushing complexion. The ultra-fine texture blends easily and leaves behind a healthy, long lasting glow!

The Good….

Well, no denying it, it’s an incredible blush and well worth your $25 bucks.

What is it that makes it incredible is a great question to ask. For me it’s simply the fact that it wears so long while looking natural on my skin. The formula is a creamy blush that blends fairly easily and creates a soft glow on cheeks. I actually love how well the formula performs for me as I’m VERY heavy handed with blush but this manages to create a very soft glow that I can’t mess up. Honestly, I apply a dot or two with my finger tips and blend outward, no brush required.

It deserves to be mentioned I am not a cream or liquid blush lover (unless you count cheek stain which I adore) as I find it wears away to quickly. Make Up For Ever HD Blush wears incredibly long and stays on until I take it off. Any makeup that wears long is automatically inducted into my awesome hall of fame. With Summer around the corner I imagine many of us can embrace something that feels virtually weightless, wears long, and looks flattering, this takes care of all three.

Like most Make Up For Ever products it comes in a variety of shades suitable for many different skin tones. Personally this is a plus as the product has incredible pigmentation so its going to work for quite a list of different tones and skin colors.

The blush comes housed in a small 0.33 pump package. Simply depress to release the blush and go to work applying. As I mentioned above I use my fingertips to blend but you can use a brush if you want. A little goes a very long way so a mere drop will do the trick!

I purchased four shades which were First Kiss (bright apricot), Truth or Dare (hot pink), Caught in the Act (bright raspberry), and PDA (pinky nude). As you can see from the swatches the shades are REALLY loud however they do apply very subtly and can be blended out for a more natural finish or, of course, if you want a more vibrant look you can build the color up. This is particularly great if you have darker skin.

The color that surprised me the most was PDA which looked incredibly boring but turned into a rather nice shade of peachy pink on my skin.

The Bad….

And now the bad, so bad in fact it makes me wish I hadn’t purchased four shades. The pump! Oh god, it’s a nightmare and difficult to ignore sadly but the pump is a disaster. 0.33 oz isn’t a whole lot of product but you can easily use the blush a full year and still have tons left over for several more years however the pump makes that impossible. Even when depressing the pump gently you’ll end up with a large gob of product which is enough to apply blush onto 20 people and still have left over. Basically you’ll have to toss the blush out and just use a tiny dab as no way are you using ALL that was released from the bottle less you’re going for the clown look. After several weeks of owning and working with the blushes, I still haven’t gotten down the best way to pump out so I end up with a tiny amount. So much waste! 🙁

Who Might Love It?

  • Anyone wanting an extremely long wearing blush!
  • Anyone who loves cream blushes in general!
  • MUFE fans!
  • Anyone who likes a soft focused blush.

Who Might Not Love It?

  • Anyone who’s easily irritated by poor packaging!

Final Thoughts….

Overall, the blushes are pretty amazing and well worth the $25. However, the packaging really needs a major adjustment so much so that I probably won’t indulge in further colors because at this point I’m wasting more product than I’m comfortable with. Great blush, great formula, beautiful wearing but packaging needs a whole hell of alot of work.

Anyone try?

How did you feel about the packaging?

The formula?

Share it!

Or Submit Your Own Review!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • LINDARRAGNAR

    oh those swatches look so nice too bad about the pump :[

    I would buy these except for now I’m good with my mac daft pink which is absolutly perfect (pink with gold and white veining) <3

  • Anna

    Not the most hygienic but if you have a huge glob of product leftover, i wonder if you could store in a small jar or something and use again in the future. Hope it wouldn’t dry out, also.

    • the Muse

      I doubt it anna I think it’ll go dry. I did this with my UDPP and the formula just was never the same 🙁

      • Marina

        Oh gosh, tell me about it! I did it with my UDPP too and it turned into this thick paste after a while…it made my shadows apply unevenly…and it dried out my eyes.
        But these look gorgeous…it’s just too bad about the pump. I love PDA–since I’m obsessed with peachy pinks at the mo.

        • the Muse

          yup same here marina it turned gross and drying 🙁 which is why I’m scared of pumping these into a container! PDA is a great 1!

  • Stephanie

    Wow–those look really awesome. I was about to run out and buy the nude shade but then I read about the pump. I think I’ll hold off now–wasting all that product would really annoy me.

  • Sue

    Sounds great.
    Maybe you can try pump a little in a seperate container store the leftover in that container for the next uses.

  • Larie

    I just bought one today! The pump is annoying but I’ve been using a different bronzer that pumps out for a while, so I’ve got that skill down 🙂 They were smaller than I expected, but it’s so pigmented, I feel like $25 isn’t a bad price. I think I bought first kiss too (the Sephora girl just handed it to me after she tried it on me, so I don’t even know…yeah, I’m just aware like that).

    • the Muse

      hey larie I have fresh concealer in the same annoying pump and I learned the best way to use that but I’m still having a damn hard time with this 😀 I feel the same. One bottle can literally last years b/c of the pigmentation! 😀 first kiss is a lovely shade 😀

  • Su

    I am totally interested in first kiss and truth or dare…
    but it is so hard to find MUFE in UK T.T

  • nar

    I depress a tiny pump into a clear container with a screw top. It stays good for a little over a week that way. Maybe longer, but I’ve always used it up by then.

    • the Muse

      hey nar. does it change the formula at all? I depotted by UDPP into a clear container and the formula changed a fair bit, felt more drier and wasn’t as easy to blend.

  • DM

    Great timing—I just went to Sephora today and played with the HD blushes and the Hourglass Illume creme bronzer. I tried #14 Star Struck (peachy pink) and it looks natural on my fair kinda olive skin. The MUA made a sample for me so I’ll see if it dries up in the pot. I have seen lots of complaints on that pump!

  • Andrea

    I love these blushes! I still haven’t got a chance to buy one because I’m really trying to save right now. My friend bought one though and I’ve tested it on her and at the store. As long as you’re really gentle when you press down on the pump, you can control the amount that comes out and generally are able to get the right amount. Hopefully you can get it to work for you!

    • the Muse

      so far not so good andrea but def keeping trying as I adore the formula!

  • Erica B.

    So I tried these out in sephora the other day and made a HUGE mess. That pump is crazy. It gave me way too much product and I barely touched it. The color was very pretty, but I dont know if I am grown up enough to use that pump…LOL!!

    • the Muse

      me either erica LOL obviously I’m still a messy kid LMAO

  • Angela

    The first half of your post totally sold me on it, but it looks like I will have to wait until they figure out the packaging first. I’m hesitant to spend the money for a $20something blush, especially if the packaging is wasteful. I was also thinking about putting the excess in an empty jar or pot but if it’s going to dry out like you predict then it’s a shame 🙁

    • the Muse

      hey angela head in store and play around with it a little bit before you indulge. get a feel for the packaging 😀

  • hailee

    i love the second one on you!
    oo im so happy with MUFE lately, i need to get these and the paint pots!
    ive been using the foundation from MUFE for a while, and the pump was friggen annoying. But i just ran out and bought another container yesterday, and the pum was changed! you can control how much comes out! Hopefully the new pump goes to these soon!!

  • gio

    The pink one is so pretty! It’s too bad about the pump though 🙁

  • krisprimps

    I got a sample of Nip Slip from Sephora before I purchased it (I ended up getting Quickie too). The SA put four pumps in one of the standard Sephora flip-top sample containers, and a month later, it’s still the same formula/consistency. Just make sure the container is air-tight, and don’t decant too much product at once! Also makes it super easy to take with me while traveling (and bonus, the TSA doesn’t seem to think that it’s liquid, yay!)

  • Lynsey James March

    I love these shades, with my skin it is hard to find something that fits. I will give these a try and write about them later, but I am also very annoyed by poor packaging!

  • shontay

    Ladies, you absolutely CANNOT press the pump. You have to tap it. If you press you will get a big wasteful glob. If you tap it, the tiniest amount will seap onto your hand. It is best this way to build it up rather than waste it.

    I love these blushes and I am not a fan of non powder blushes at all. my fave ones are First Kiss and Caught in the Act.

    • the Muse

      shontay unfortunately even with a small tap I’m still getting a gob 😛 I’m trying to get a knack of it though 😀

  • Tango

    It looks so pretty, but maybe I’ll stay away from them… I have a thing about applying blush with my fingers, I hate the stain it leaves on my fingers, even after I wash my hands.

    • the Muse

      ah yea tango that irritates me too particularly when it gets on my shirt or my jacket

  • Christy

    Hey Muse,

    For the pump I heard that you can press lightly to get a bit out! But it takes practice! Just gently press down and a small amount will come out!

    • the Muse

      yup christy been trying but still seeing the same crummy results 😛

  • Charmaine

    Hey Iz!
    thank you for always saving me/us money and pain! lol
    First Kiss & Truth Or Dare look like two New York Color LE blush sticks I just bought [I love ’em!], and since I’m heading over to the mall tomorrow I’m glad I now know exactly what I want to look at when I get to Sephora [instead of being utterly confused and overwhelmed as I usually am when I go in, lmao!]. Sux about the pump problems, but then again it’ll keep me from lemming too hard, lol!
    I have MUFE HiDef powder, and to tell you the truth I haven’t noticed any difference between it and WnW [or other DS brand]. I guess you would have to be on high def tv or something for it to matter then, eh? lololol
    *hugs*

  • Gia

    I like the new website Muse!! Although coming on the site after a while scared me, I thought the site maybe left or got taken down!

    I want these! They didn’t have Truth or Dare at Sephora and none of the other colors looked appealing to me. And I still want to play with the colors in person!

  • jojoba (My Makeup Reviews)

    that packaging sounds horrid!!! i can’t use cream blushes so i never thought of trying out any of these even though i am such a MUFE fan. i really appreciate your review. thanks a lot!

  • estee

    hey muse 🙂
    try pressing the pump with the weakest finger, like your ring finger or pinky, with the least pressure possible. so only a little product comes out 🙂 i find that this method works sometimes, so u might wanna give it a try!

    awesome blog by the way! love reading ur posts 😀

    • the Muse

      thanks for the tip estee will give it a whirl!

      Ow cheers thanks *hugs*

  • Connie

    I need to see them before I buy them! It’s so hard to judge the color on screen but PDA looks about right for me!

  • kelly

    I have 3 of these and really like them. I have issues with the pump also – but have found that if you push it down the smallest amount with the most careful of fingers, I can get out a tiny dot of color, and not a blob. But it did take some experimenting to figure it out. I use my fingers or/and a flat brush. I love this!

    • the Muse

      hey kelly really having a dickens of a time getting it right 😛 but def LOVE 😀 just wish the pump was a little more user friendly!

  • Nia

    I so not wanted to read your review on those blushes, I did not want you to like them. the swatches and reviews so far were fab, but atm I hold myself to the generous dispensing pump.
    But I might give them a try later.

    See how that selective thing works 😉

    • the Muse

      nia def TRY them in store if you can. They are great but it’s best to try the pump in store rather than dish the cash and proceed to practice at home with expensive product, do it in store 😀

  • Claire

    I absolutely hate how blush dissapears off my skin after what seems like seconds, and I was curious about these because I heard they were really long lasting. But twenty five bucks is a lot for a blush, but seeing your review they seem SO worth it. I think I’ll try these at Sephora and pick one up.

    • the Muse

      claire I think you’ll love ’em they wear really long ;D and blend dreamy!

  • sarah

    i actually purchased this a while back during the F&F sale at sephora in first kiss and it went back the same day. i wasn’t able to blend this well on my cheeks which were dry at the time. now that i have a brush for cream blushes i may have to try this again

  • Melissa

    I would always read your reviews on a certain product then purchase it! Lovee you! <3

  • Lina kim

    oh my god~~~ it looks so lovely! I want this >.< thanks so much for the review, now I want it even more <3 hehe… Love your review too btw 🙂