Come sale season, certain old faithful beauty buys will reliably have a deal going (as will wild card products, destined for discounting from day dot) But then other, highly desirable items take you by surprise with not-unsubstantial savings - and those are the deals worth paying attention to.
NARS Afterglow Liquid Blush is one such sale anomaly. Not only is this, in my opinion, one of the very best blushers created by a brand specifically known for making best-in-class cheek products but it's routinely sold out in many shades, so really doesn't need the help of a discount to shift.
It's also a personal favourite of mine for a variety of reasons, which we'll get to. So if you have been scouting around for a worth-buying-at-any-time beauty product that just so happens to be on a Black Friday Beauty deal, here's why this one is a great bet.
Why NARS Afterglow Liquid is my favourite daily blush
If you're wondering why I'm equal parts surprised and thrilled to see this particular product with a generous discount, I'll start by stating that, since trying it two months ago, I have not used any other blusher. I apply this every single makeup-wearing day - and it's not as if I'm short of options.
The main things that set this apart are firstly, finish, and secondly, texture. On that first point - the older I've grown, the more drawn I've become to liquid over powder makeup. I want something that looks juicy and sheeny rather than dry or claggy. With that comes a niche (highly niche) catch-22 situation as the more loose, liquidy and flattering the texture, the flatter - and therefore less flattering - the actual colour tends to be.
Put simply - powders are better placed to include various pigments (including reflective ones) milled together and combined but also sort-of not combined, to create a nice multi-tonal shade. Even the best cream blush usually appears far more one-dimensional, colour-wise, but not Afterglow. I have never experienced a liquid blush that dances on the skin like this - some shades more than others, such as Orgasm, Secret Lover and Orgasm Rush - but they all give a lovely spectrum to some degree and have the prettiest dewy finish.
Onto my second point - this has a true liquid texture. None of your 'cream that starts all blendably soft then sets down more powdery than powder itself.' Afterglow is like liquid lipstick in feel but doesn't instantly stain as they do. In fact it gives lots of playtime - you can apply, move it around a bit, do a mirror check and add more if you want. You've got a good few minutes of grace and it layers beautifully. It also doesn't settle into pores or lines - au contraire, it actively plumps the skin with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E.
I won't pretend it lasts all day from a morning application - no liquid blush (or liquid anything) will do that. But NARS, ever the practical, makeup-artist-powered brand acknowledges that you might want to reapply with a portable lightweight tube, built-in applicator and reflective lid that's usable as a mirror in a pinch. I love thoughtfully-created makeup packaging that's rooted in reality like this.
Any other business? I would perhaps finish with the general point that blush has risen to the top of my beauty hierarchy faster than a nepo-baby in Hollywood. My 30s are circling the drain and my once desert island beauty products designed to make my features more prominent (mascara and lip gloss) have been completely usurped by things that make my skin look lively (concealer and blusher). Funny how things change.
