Try-Something-New-Tuesday: Match Your Lipgloss to Your Blush

Tue, 24 July 2012 4:02PM

Over the years, I could probably count the number of times on one hand that I’ve loved the look of a celebrity wearing matching makeup hues. I mean, you only have to think back to Blake Lively at the Spike TV Scream Awards back in 2010. Remember the orange eyeshadow and liner, blush and lips, coordinated with orange leather accents on her dress? Granted it was just before Halloween, but somehow I don’t think it was intentional for her to look like she’d just kissed a pumpkin.

One instance, however, where matchy-makeup worked would have to be Modern Family‘s Sofia Vergara at the 2011 Emmy awards. She has that smoldering Latino vibe going on, so naturally any bright pops of colour contrast beautifully with her olive skin.

In a word, it’s all very, well, coral. But it works. Not only does the colour palette set off the shimmering gold and emerald accents in her earrings, but the hint of coral blush swirled on her cheekbones works back perfectly to her punchy coral lip.

And I’d also give a gold star to Marion Cotillard who, at last week’s premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in New York, wore the same bright azure-blue nail polish on all 20 nails, contrary to popular Primpette opinion that you shouldn’t coordinate your hands and feet.

and for the toes …

I think it’s fair to say that when it comes to matching your makeup, it has to be judged on a case-by-case basis. So for our try-something-new-Tuesday, you’re in for a treat when you see Benefit Cosmetics’ new babies.

Meet the new Ultra Plush Lip Glosses, $29 each, from Myer (available from this Sunday). These six shades of plush glosses are the identical twins to the beloved Benefit blush shades, like CORALista and sugarbomb. With a soft and silky, almost balm-like formula, they provide just enough shimmer and colour to pick up and complement the pigment in your blush. They’re sweet-smelling without being overpowering. As for mileage, they last around two hours before the colour begins to wear off. In saying that, even though the pigment had faded somewhat, my lips were left with a smooth, moisturised feel for hours afterwards.

dandelion
What they say: a soft, pearly pink
What we say: It’s pretty, pink and ultra femme, leaving a slightly pearlescent finish infused with subtle glitter particles. Match your petal-pink lip with the soft dandelion blush, which has an almost mauve-like tone with shimmering golden undertones.

sugarbomb
What they say: a shimmering pinky nude
What we say: I have to say I’m not really partial to a glitter-filled gloss, so when I first caught sight of sugarbomb, I was a little skeptical. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the plush gloss applied as a soft nude with a subtle kick of peachy-pink, with just the right amount of sparkle. As far as the sugarbomb blush goes, I’m a longtime fan, so pairing the two is my makeup duo du jour.

dallas
What they say: a dusty rose
What we say: Pretend it’s summer all-year round with a slick of this sunset-inspired dallas gloss, a creamy rose shade which packs more pigment than its sheer sisters. On the blush front dallas provides a shimmering dusty plum-like shade, so they’re the perfect duo for providing an all-over glow.

bella bamba
What they say: a sheer bright watermelon
What we say: For those who love a bright pop of watermelon on your person, bella bamba is the perfect choice – sans those pesky black seeds, of course. The blush is a deeper shade of pink with subtle golden flecks, but the lipgloss leaves more of a transparent, subtle tinge of watermelon without the shimmer. Quick tip: I applied two coats of this one to up the pigment factor.

hoola
What they say: a shimmering golden nude
What we say: My loyalty tends to lie with Nars Bronzer in Laguna because not only is it my ideal shade of bronze, it has this gorgeous, yet subtle gold shimmer. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised by the hoola bronzer, as it gave me the same warm, golden tinge and is also ideal for contouring. While I rarely opt for a nude lip (my lips are naturally quite pigmented, so unless I add a little concealer first, a barely-there lip is pointless), the hoola gloss was great for a little extra sparkle for everyday wear. It would also pare back beautifully to a smoky eye.

CORALista
What they say: a sheer coral
What we say: CORALista is a gorgeous pink-based shade of coral blush, and the lipgloss follows suit. Although it appears highly pigmented in the tube, once applied to my lips it settled to a sheer wash of coral colour, leaving a shiny, yet not glossy finish. Add a sweep of the blush to your cheekbones for a fresh and pretty finish.

So Primpettes, do you wear matching lipstick and blush?

Do you have a favourite Benefit blush shade?

Are you tempted by these new glosses?

Hayley x

Posted by: Hayley Bennett

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Tags: bella bamba, benefit, benefit blush, benefit bronzer, benefit ultra plush gloss, coralista, hoola, lipgloss, makeup, sugarbomb