As a beauty editor with rosacea, without a doubt the product I'm most intimidated by is blush. It wasn't until a few years ago that I really started embracing the product in my routine. Since then I've loved experimenting with different types of blush—from liquid blush to powder blush and highlighting blushers—and I've been keen to get my hands on any new formulas that come in.
So, when the new Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush landed on my desk, I couldn't wait to try it out. Since trying it, however, many weeks ago, it's stayed in my make-up bag, replacing all of my other cream blushers. And it's not just me who is obsessed—almost every make-up lover and beauty editor I know is equally as obsessed. In fact, Marie Claire's Executive Beauty Editor, Shannon Lawlor, named it one of her favourite new beauty products of last month. These are all the reasons it has proved a game-changing addition to my make-up bag—and why it might be for yours, too.
The formula
The formula is liquid and serum-like without being overly runny. It's far more pigmented than you might expect from a liquid. It's not so pigmented, though, that it's intimidating, which I find the case with many liquid blushers at the moment. The texture feels super lightweight on the skin and can blend into the skin well before drying down, staying put throughout the day
Most of all, it's the texture that won me over. As someone with rosacea, I like as little blending as possible. Due to the placement of blush, I don't want to have to rub my skin over my cheeks creating irritation (and subsequently a flush) where I don't want it. I need a formula that needs the lightest touch to blend—and this delivers just that.
For
- Brilliant for rosacea
- Clever packaging
Against
- It's expensive
- Some people might prefer an ultra-pigmented powder
It's particularly great if you also struggle with dry skin. The formula contains hyaluronic acid to help retain moisture in the skin. I found it to be super comfortable and dewy (sometimes replacing my need for highlighter).
It comes in seven shades—Whim (a bright pink), Scene (a soft warm pink), Vision (a true rose), Moment (a warm peach beige), Future (a warm coral), Imagine (a rich terracotta) and Craft (a deep berry), with my personal favourite being Scene.
The packaging
Of course, the packaging deserves a shout out. It's some of the smartest blush packaging I've come across because of how little product is wasted. It has a screw top opening to a nozzle top, on the other end is a soft push dispenser to release as much or as little blush as you want.
With other liquid formulas I have, I always end up dispensing too much onto my hand that eventually gets sent down the sink when I wash my hands. With this, I can easily dab a little bit onto the back of my hand before applying and going in with more as and when I need it. And not only is the packaging smart, it's also very cute, which always helps.
The results
Unreal Blush hasn't left my bag since it was introduced, which as someone who tests products for a living, is no mean feat. I place a few drops on the back of my hand and then use a fluffy brush to lightly swipe over the high points of my cheeks. With its stunning selection of shades, clever packaging, lightweight formula and easy application, it's such a winner for me. It's that gorgeous flush of colour I look for in a blush and is, hands down, my favourite summer product this year.
