August 20, 2010

Jill Stuart Blush Blossom Dual Cheek Color Review and Swatches

Jill Stuart is a luxury brand of cosmetics that started out life exclusively in Japan and more recently spread across Asia. The bad news is the product I’m about to review for you is not available within the US, I got it from Japan, however the good news is some of the Jill Stuart Cosmetic Collection is sold in the Jill Stuart Soho store (details) if you get a craving for the brand after reading this post.

Those of you who have never heard of the brand can rewind back to 3 or 4 years ago when I first started Musings and read my Introduction to Japanese Brands to higher your education a little bit and check out my Jill Stuart Spotlight from my really strange MuseTV days.

Ahh the evolution of Jill Stuart blush. She started out loose, became a solid, and now she’s loose again! The new Jill Stuart Blush Blossom Dual Cheek Color is a compact form of Jill Stuart Loose Blush. It’s chic, it’s gorgeous, and it’s brand new for the Jill Stuart Fall Collection 2010.

Let’s take a look!

Jump!


A fancy compact featuring a blush and a highlighter in a loose format.


Long time readers will remember what a big fan I am of the Jill Stuart Loose Blushes and how I am not so much of a fan of the Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compacts. The brand started off their blush life with a loose powder blush format. These blushes were housed in a cute vintage style jar and became a fond favorite of mine. A few years later they introduced their first pressed powder blush format which sported some incredible packaging but turned into my least favorite formula. Flash forward present day and the new Jill Stuart Blush Blossom Dual Cheek Color sports a loose powder texture of the original blushes and the great packaging of the solid blushes. I took some photos of the old blushes versus the new so you can see the changes that have taken place with the product.


(Various Jill Stuart Blushes)


(Jill Stuart Mixed Blush Compact and Brush)


(Jill Stuart Loose Powder Blush)

These come in a sweet little pink box and house not only the blush compact but also a swivel up brush. Although they look heavy and very fancy they are actually very lightweight and a little flimsy. The lightness of the compact may shock those new to the brand as I imagine looking at the photos you might be thinking it has some substantial weight behind it but it does not and in some ways is a tad cheapened because of the flimsy feel however hardcore fans like myself really do not mind in the least particularly if you put alot of value on packaging.

The compact is stunning. It has a mirror design that remains virtually smudge-proof thankfully. Flip it open to reveal a full size mirror and a plastic over lay that protects the blush. The compact features a full color blush as well as a lighter shade which acts as a highlighter. The blush lays loose in the well of the compact with a net webbing over it. You can press gently on it with your brush to release the product, no shaking is required. Both the highlighter and the blush sport a slightly chalky formula but still blend smoothly and pretty on cheeks leaving behind very natural color. Although pigmented and bright within the compact, I think they apply very subtly and sheer. I’m one for overdoing my blush and I’m quite heavy handed, these are extra nice because they apply so subtly that I can’t over do it. The white protector can be used to tap off excess blush in the compact which is handy when you want to slowly build up color.

The powder sports a true rose scent. This is new for the brand as my other blushes do not have any fragrance. I absolutely love this! I love the smell of rose and this really gives the product a certain old world vintage feel.

As mentioned above it does include a brush as well. The brush is similar to the one included with the Mix Blushes but is not attached to the compact thankfully. The Mix Blush compacts feature a brush with a detachable chain. It’s a little irritating packaging wise so it was a relief they included a blush sans the chain.

There are a total of five colors released, one of which is an LE shade. I hauled three of the five shades and quite happy I did so since they apply so beautifully.

Shades I got were Seductive Rose (bright fuchsia rose shade/paler shimmering pink highlighter), Poetic Daisy (bright orange-y coral and lighter pale peach highlighter), Lady Amaryllis (bright rose and pale pink highlighter). Poetic Daisy is the limited edition shade in the release.

Some of the colors are dupe-able from many of the shades that have already been released in the loose blush range and mixed blush range but I still love owning the compact format.


I don’t love the brush and prefer using my own blush brush for application. It’s a bit too dense for me and I prefer a more fluffier brush for application. I also don’t like the hanging initial chain which just makes things pretty but serves no function, kinda irks me having it hang off the brush like that. The brush is also a little wriggly when swiveled up so it makes application a little messy.

I can totally do without the highlighter. It’s a very subtle shimmer if you’re wondering but I do find it slightly pointless because I’m not so great picking out the perfect locations to illuminate correctly on my face. I simply combine the two shades together and apply.

The palette is a beautiful piece but not really travel friendly. It’s sturdy enough however it’s not something you want to toss in your makeup bag or purse and have jiggle around and get ruined.

  • Anyone who loves classy, beautiful pieces of makeup!
  • Jill Stuart Cosmetic fans!
  • Anyone who wants a subtle pop of beautiful color on cheeks!

  • Anyone unwilling to make purchases online or track down the best prices for cosmetics (online shops and E-bay jack up prices and sometimes items are difficult to find for purchase online! So unless you’re flying to Japan or somewhere in Asia tonight, this may prove a little difficult to locate online and definitely can’t be purchased within US shops).
  • Those sensitive to fragrance in their blush products (this has a strong rose scent).


Makeup lovers will simply adore these. The blush isn’t only beautiful but very functional for a pretty, barely there flush. It can be easily built up for more punch as well. The packaging speaks for itself but I loved the product inside as well. Absolutely a gorgeous blush!

Another fabulous offering from Jill Stuart.

I got these for retail from Japan which was 5200 yen or so each about $48 USD (not sure of the current conversion of yen to USD today so just doing it off the top of my head).� I’ve seen them on E-bay and online shops with anywhere from $10 to $20 tacked on the price. Are they worth that much? It depends. If you love beautiful makeup, yes, they are worth it.

Check shops like www.adambeauty.com and www.imomoko.com or E-bay seller AlphaBeautyUK for the best deals (I am not affiliated with ANY of these sellers or shops) for Jill Stuart cosmetics. Also makeup forums are a great place to meet friends from abroad to trade and swap with!

(Cheeks: Poetic Daisy)

Very Muse Approved for purchase (if you can find them)!

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‘.

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Comments

  • Eve

    I was sold at the packaging and the rose scent! Unfortunately it’s not so friendly price tag and availability make me cry. 🙁

  • Emilie

    I love love love Jill Stuart’s packaging and the color looks great on you! I’ve always wondered how their brushes were like since they are a bit pricey. I’d be afraid to use it though because even the brush is beautiful xD

    • the Muse

      haha emilie I always feel like that when I bust out my jill stuart stuff 😀 too nice to use!

  • Cynthia

    Thanks for the thorough review! I had been eyeing these from the early promo shots that were posted on some of the Asian based blogs… I do love JS, but I agree it can be hit or miss, and the cost is rather high. That being said, Seductive Rose looks delectable… and I love a rose scent too! Have you tried Rose de Rose from by Terry? It’s a fantastic liquid blush, with the most amazing scent… very pricey, and I had to order from Barneys, but it is definitely worth it!

    • the Muse

      hi cynthia my pleasure. love by terry ;-D I got into it after purchasing a balm! i freaking love anything rose scented!

  • Mandy

    They look so pretty! Out of my price range, but I’m going to save up for it :] Wonder if the Soho store is updated with the collections…

  • chibicheeks

    Wow, those are absoultely GORGEOUS! Maybe one day when I’m rich and famous, I’ll have some of my own 🙂

  • Kristina

    Oh my goodness these are pretty! It’s a good thing (for my bank account) that these aren’t readily available!

  • sureyya

    I love jill stuart!! so beautifully packaged…i’m still hesitant whether or not to take the plunge and go on a JS spree!! it looks awesome on you!!

  • iheartkoreanbeauty

    Tt’s so cool, never knew Jill Stuart started in Japan!! The things you learn online 🙂

  • makeup morsels

    I just got my first JS eye palette the other day, and I was so surprised at how light it was! Looking at pictures, I thought the packaging was very heavy metal and glass, but I still think it looks gorgeous nonetheless. You picked some gorgeous blush colors.

    • the Muse

      makeup morsels kinda weird isn’t it? I was shocked when I got my very first palette too! But as you said gorgeous anyway 😀

  • theSL

    This is a very interesting point of view. Your blog is refreshing, but I wish one could find more content, though. I am looking forward to reading more from you. Keep up the good work. thanks.

  • Beautiful Canvas

    Very nice and unique packaging. How did you get it directly from Japan, I am curious? 🙂 You flew over there? I am jealous! 🙂

    • the Muse

      Hi Beautiful Canvas.

      Nope, a friend that lives in Japan got it for me 🙂

  • Hing

    Hello Muse!

    Hello Muse!

    My name’s Hing and I’m from Thailand 😉 I’m such a big fan of your blog and have been following it since March 🙂 I have to tell you, Musingsofamuse brightens up my life!!!

    I’m looking forward to seeing more of your beauty newbies!

    Luv always 😉

    (sorry for my pretty bad English!)

    • the Muse

      hello hing! how are you? Good to meet you and thank you for following me 🙂 It makes me happy that Musings brings you a smile daily :D!!!!!!! Much love to you and hugs! Your English is fine xoxo!

  • ashura

    Thanks for the swatches! I have been eyeing on these ever since I heard about it in July! I m thinking of getting 03 lady amaryllis because it looks like a reddish blusher… Am I right? When I heard that they are doing away with the old packaging, I quickly got one blusher powder in 02 pink passion. Absolutely love it! So I assume I will love these too!

  • elle

    Hi, I really love everything about it but I just have to ask, what is the staying process like? how many hours does it stays on the face?

    • the Muse

      it really depends on your skin elle. On my dry skin I can get 5-6 hours wear

      • elle

        really? I wanted to ask you another thing also, how much product does each blush contain. Do you think it’ll last a pretty long time if used it everyday?

        Thank you so much for taking your time and replying.I really appreciate it!!!

        • the Muse

          I’m not sure how much is inside of it elle, I don’t have the compact handy at the moment as I am at my office, not home. It should last as long as any other blush you own/have with daily use 🙂 my pleasure!

  • Silvia

    For the girlies who like rose scent I discovered this rose oil (same as baby oil but with a soft rose scent) at Target. From the brand name La Bella I like it lots after a shower or shaving. They also have a small square rose oil which is so nice! I was recommended rose hip oil for my boob after a small growth was removed luckily no cancer is supposed to help with the slight pain, also after our fun mammograms. Doc. who performed my surgery recommended it was a female.