Review: Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush

Smashbox isn't a brand that gets a whole lot of hype in the beauty world, even though they do have some great quality products. When I saw MissChievous feature these blushes in one of her new videos, I was really intrigued! They are part of the new 'Halo' line that Smashbox released recently. I ended up spotting them at a local Sephora one day and used up my last giftcards to bring two of them home with me.

They come in multiple shades, but I ended up choosing "In Bloom", which is a gorgeous pink, and "Peachy Dream" which is the perfect orange/peach shade.

Now there are two big things that need to be covered in this review. Product and Packaging.

Product:

These are really nice mineral blushes. They're matte, very pigmented (you only need the tiniest amount of product), easy to blend, buildable, and last all day long without budging. True to the name, they are long wear. Great for anyone who doesn't have time for touch-ups and likes knowing their make-up will stay in place for the entire day. These make lovely spring and summer blushes. I absolutely adore the colours: they are flattering and look quite natural. I personally find blushes with shimmer hard to wear sometimes. 

Packaging: 

Now... this is where the trouble begins. Don't get me wrong, I love how they look! They're small, cute, and have a nice sized mirror. But that's not where the actual trouble lies. The real problem is in fact the built in-grinder. I'm sorry Smashbox, but I do not get the "perfect amount" and "no mess" when using these grinders. The concept is good but it still needs a lot of work. Even when I only slightly twist the grinder, SO MUCH product comes out! It wouldn't be too much of a deal if the blush wasn't so pigmented, but that's just not the case. If you use up all the product that comes out of the grinder with one small twist, I guarantee that you will end up looking like a clown! It also creates a mess: powder flies everywhere when you swirl your brush in the compact. 

 But don't lose all hope! There is a way to make it work without using too much product and making a mess. I have two tips: save the sticker and don't use the grinder. The sticker will allow you to actually take the blush with you when you travel, otherwise you will have a big mess the next time you open the compact. And you don't need the grinder to get the blush onto your brush. One swirl around and you will find that your brush manages to pick up the perfect amount of blush through the small slots. This way, you can layer it up and not worry about having too much product on your brush. 

Conclusion: it's a great product, with a good selection of colours, but the packaging needs some serious work. I wouldn't discourage people from buying them, but I would urge them to listen to my tips on usage so as to avoid any frustration or blush-explosions :). Personally, I do still love them. They're like bad-behaved children, you love them even with their flaws ;).