Flowerchild, You’ll Look Like a Fly Damsel in the

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The more time I spend with the Becca Halcyon Days collection, the more I fall in love. It’s fast becoming one of my favorite summer releases so far and OOH! — do you hear that? It sings sonnets — no, more like an epic volumes! — to my peach/coral/pink/gold-lovin’ heart.

If your skin turns a toasty brown over summer, or you’re just fond of the way you look in warm pinks, peaches and corals, don’t be surprised if you catch yourself making grabby motions in the air the first time you see the Halcyon Days Mineral Blushes ($32 each) up close, or when you open the sturdy compacts, with, what is that on the outside? A rubberized texture? How cool is that!? It keeps them from slipping out of my grubby little hands.

Flowerchild (a golden peachy pink) and Damselfly (a golden coral) deliver serious, hard-to-ignore pigmentation. One swirl around the pan from my powder blush brush grabs just enough color for one cheek — no layering necessary, unless I want a brighter look.

And talk about flawless application! The powder grains are so tiny that they even make grains of sand seem huge. They might even be finer than the powders at T. LeClerc, an uber-luxury line that some consider one of the best in the beauty biz.

The finely milled powder might be the reason why it spreads like sunlight with nary a streak. And blending? Forget about it. I barely have to flick a wrist to smooth out the edges, which are hardly even there.

The resulting luminous, flushed cheek look is pure Becca all the way — fresh-faced, beachy, feminine, effortless and true to the line.

I’m thinking it would also make a fantastic starter blush for beginners, too, because of how easy it is to use and how natural it looks. If you’re curious about blush but worried about looking like a circus clown, I think either of these would be a great place to start.

Damselfly

Flowerchild

Swatches of Damselfly (left) and Flowerchild (right)


Damselfly on cheeks

Flowerchild on cheeks

Don’t hurt me, Edward Scissorpaws!

Mad props to Becca for including some excellent ingredients, too (shoot, she better, since she charges an arm and a leg!). The blush comes infused with anti-oxidants (Vitamin A, E and C) and a natural mineral complex with mica (hence the name, Mineral Blush), but doesn’t contain parabens, oils, talc or fillers.

Ingredients: Mica, Squalane, Zinc Stearate, Lauroyl Lysine, Silica, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate Retinyl Palmitate, Terpineol, Water (Aqua), p-Anisic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Levulinic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Carmine (CI 75470). May contain: Iron Oxides (Cl 774 91, Cl 774 92, Cl 774 99), Titanium Dioxide (Cl 77891) , Red 30 Lake (Cl7 3360), Red 7 Lake (Cl 15850:1), Yellow 5 Lake (Cl 19140:1)

Rarely do I make room for a blush in my everyday rotation as quickly as I did for these. It usually takes me a few months to clear a spot in my heart next to tried-and-true favorites like MAC Blushbaby, but both of these shades are going right in — do not pass go, just have a seat there next to Blushbaby, thank you very much.

PRICE: $32
AVAILABILITY: At Becca counters and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+ (in spite of the price)

Another reason to love the juniors section…

Less expensive versions of designer dresses! — like this $48 Lush Ruffled Strapless Dress from the Nordie’s juniors section online. It bears a striking resemblance to the $194 Amanda Uprichard Joan Dress I’ve been coveting for weeks!

Lush Ruffled Dress (left) and Amanda Uprichard Joan Dress (right)

Sure, the Lush one’s made out of polyester instead of silk, but that’s a helluva savings, am I right? I’m beginning to feel better about dressing like a teenager, LOL!

Which reminds me — have you found any good dupes lately, either fashion, makeup or otherwise? Clothes, bags, jewelry, furniture, polish, makeup? I’m always hungry for bargains, so please share any recent finds in the comments.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen