Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Beg

Hi Everyone,

Ok, back to our regular programming after the last (fairly heavy) post. I want to thank everyone who took the time to read and respond to it; as I said in the comments there, I really appreciate getting some different opinions to consider, since these are all issues I'm actively mulling over.

In the meantime, I'd like to show you Beg, one of my absolute favorite blushes. You may have noticed me mention it in a couple of recent looks, like my Bette Davis inspired LOTD, and my party look. I think it's such a flattering shade; on Sephora's website, it's described as "muted warm rose", which, after their description of Growl as eggplant, leads me to believe that whoever is doing the color descriptions for Illamasqua on Sephora's site is partially color-blind. That being said, they're not *totally* off; I'd describe Beg as terracotta,  leaning strongly towards orange, but it's got enough red/rosey pink in it to not look completely out of place with cooler red lipsticks or cooler brown eyeshadows. It's a really versatile peach/orange shade, which is surprising, since it looks rather bold in the pan. Like all of the Illamasqua blushes I've had the pleasure to work with, it is very pigmented but easily worn sheer if used with a light hand. It blends beautifully, and stays put as long as any other powder blush does on me; I tend to wear powder blushes over cream blushes if I want a longer-lasting flush. This shade also works really well as a subtle contour, which is kind of how I wore it in the looks I linked to above; I had a lighter shade over the entire cheek, with Beg used on the lower part of the cheekbone to intensify the color without looking like a clown. The shade is matte, but definitely not chalky; the finish is really versatile, and customizable. I can add a pop of shimmer with a highlighter if I want, or leave my cheeks matte for a natural glow. These will set you back $24 USD, and contain .14 ounces of product. I can't imagine going through one of these blushes very quickly, considering how little is really required to get a noticeable flush.

Here's the compact; black plastic with a clear window, no mirror. The color looks pinker in this picture than in real life.

Forgive the black smudge of the Illamasqua symbol, I could not get it off... 

The bottom of the compact; I hate that the shade names rub off of all their products! 

This is a much truer representation of the color:

Illamasqua Blush in "Beg" 

Swatches: Darker on top, blended out on the bottom:

Swatch of Illamasqua Blush in Beg

And here I am wearing it, heavier on the bottom of the cheek, blended out more on the top:

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Beg

So there you have it! This is one of my favorite blushes; it's easy to wear, and always makes my makeup look more polished and pulled together; perfect for days when I'm in a hurry or not really feeling whatever it is I've done with my eye makeup. Have you guys tried Illamasqua blushes? They're definitely a favorite of mine... A few more in my collection, and (dare I say it?)  they might pass NARS as my favorite blush formula!