My favourite new blush for summer - NARS Liquid Blush

When these new liquid blushers from NARS hit my desk I wanted to start playing around with them right away and yet as someone who recently converted from powder blush to cream blush, I was initially hesitant on how well a liquid blush would apply.

Would it have the same control as cream or powder? Would it look streaky on my cheeks? Would it drip down my face? How would I apply it?

I was overwhelming myself with too many questions so instead of overthinking, I sat down in front of the mirror to start using the product and you know what, application is way easier than I thought. 

NARS LIQUID BLUSH: Luster, Torrid, Orgasm, Dolce Vita

Before getting into best practices on how to apply liquid blush, let's just look at the colour range. NARS released four flattering shades that should be suitable for an array of skin tones, LUSTER (sheer golden apricot), TORRID (warm coral with golden shimmer), the cult favourite ORGASM (sheer, warm pink with golden shimmer), and DOLCE VITA (matte dusty rose, the deepest shades in the collection). 

How To Apply NARS Liquid Blush

One pump is all you need. 

Dispense the blush onto the back of your hand. They should be clean btw. Applying makeup with dirty hands is yucky and can lead to pimples. No one wants pimples. 

Dab your middle finger in the blush and dot it onto your cheek.

Using the same finger, tap the blush into the skin using the flat of your finger. Tapping the blush into the skin will give you a beautiful natural glow. 

Repeat the process on the other cheek.

Next up, do your concealer for that glow-from-within look. If you want more info about this technique, make sure to read my 5 Minute Makeup Tutorial and why this step works well with liquid and cream blush.

If you're like me and want bright, happy, healthy cheeks, you'll want to pat more blush onto your cheeks. The key is to build up liquid blush and work in layers to get that beautiful flushed look.

Normally I'll follow the dab & tap technique about three times or until I'm happy with the way my blush looks. 

To set my makeup I apply a very thin veil of loose powder on my skin using a fluffy blush. The formula on NARS Liquid Blush sets beautifully even without powder so skip this step if you have normal or dry skin. I have combination skin that can look oily in the summer so a little touch of powder is a must for me. 

NARS Liquid Blush Review

To say that I love NARS' new liquid blush formula is an understatement and I've been using them almost every day for almost a month now.

What's great about these is that they layer beautifully with powder blush and cream formulas as well so if I want a more bronzed or flushed look, I just layer another product over top for more oomph. That's what makes them so great, the versatility and the wearability. 

Based on my past experience with liquid blush they're difficult to work and fade and look patchy on my skin as the day wears on. 

NARS nailed it with this formula - it's buildable, blendable, long-lasting and easy to work with. The blush contains Monoi and Tamanu oils, known for extra moisture.

The blush looks beautiful and natural on the skin and wears well into the day even when it's hot and sweaty. 

I have combination skin that's oily prone in the summer and this blush stays put on my skin. Best of all it wears well and looks better as the day goes on because it melts into the skin to give that glow-from-within look.

Normal skin, dry skin, and combination skin will love this formula.

For those with oily skin, it would be ideal to set the liquid blush with powder over top to prevent it from slipping off the skin and fading. A translucent powder should do the trick along with a quick touch up of powder blush as a final step. Finally, depending on how oily your skin is, you may also want to use a mattifying primer to lock the liquid blush into place.

I find this formula looks best when applied with fingers and layered in stages as I explained above. I applied it using a brush a few times and I found the brush to remove product from my skin and blend it away so again, fingers are best. 

Otherwise, I say five stars NARS! It's such a beautiful blush and I have been loving all of the colours equally. To pick a favourite shade for my olive skin would be like picking a favourite child, er, cat in my case. 

Photography by Nathalie Martin. 

DISCLAIMER: NARS Liquid Blush was provided by NARS. 
All opinions are my own and completely honest.