If you told me months ago that I’d be preaching the gospel of a $58 blush, I would have called you insane. Unfortunately, the Valentino Eye2Cheek Blush and Eye Shadow has changed my mind, and now I would simply die for this very expensive makeup product.
While I love a budget moment, there is something to be said for unboxing a luxury product—especially when it’s as close as you’re going to get to the brand. Right off the bat, the Valentino Eye2Cheek Blush and Eye Shadow feels special. The compact feels like a grown-up Polly Pocket, and features a mirror actually big enough to see what you’re doing in. The little brush that slides right into the compact, amplifying the doll-like aspect, is also surprisingly useful. (Sadly, unlike the powder and lipstick compact, the blush does not include a chain to wear it as a ridiculously tiny purse. Now that’s camp.)
That said, it could be the nicest packaging in the world, but if the product sucks, it’s not worth a cent. Fortunately, the blush itself is just as gorgeous as the packaging. Though the range skews pretty bold, the powder goes on quite sheer, and can be built up from a flush of color to a full-on lewk—as was the case in the shoot for our Glamour Beauty Awards, wherein the blush took the title of best luxury blush.
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The texture is where this blush truly shines. It’s a smooth, silky powder with tons of slip, so it’s easy to buff right on the skin with no skipping or blotchiness. Its cream-to-powder texture almost melts right into the skin, and no matter how much you apply, it doesn’t get cakey or emphasize texture, a must for me since I have both acne and textured scars.
I was slightly terrified of the shimmer in the pan—though I like my blush with a little sheen, this looked like straight-up glitter—it diffuses into the prettiest finish once it’s actually on your face. The result is luminous and cherubic, and the shimmer is subtle and pretty, with decent staying power underneath masks (and, once again, doesn’t draw any extra attention to texture issues). This finish translates beautifully to eye shadow as well, though I’m not obsessed with the shade I have (very rose) on the eyes.
Bella Cacciatore
Sure, it’s expensive. But feeling like a Polly Pocket with cheeks of an angel? To me, that’s priceless.
