Becca Mineral Blush in Sweet Pea (Autumn 2011 Lost Weekend Collection)

After this elaborate title to tell you what this post is about, I kind of forgot to mention that it is a review with swatches. Well, I hope this first sentence made that clear ;D

I am a huge sucker for natural-looking blushes. If you think that puts me into a danger zone, than you are partly right, because I have a huge collection of natural looking blush-colours. On the other hand, there are so many colours around with obvious glitter specks (cough NARS orgasm) that sets me on a slighter safer ground for sure.

And, I kind of realise that I have a lot of colours so I rarely buy any blush these days. Also, thanks to the gorgeous girls on other blogs posting elaborate reviews/pictures/comparisions that makes me wanna say "ok, I have such a (similar) colour in my collection too, so I don't need this one".

I have a weak spot for Becca. Because when it comes to natural colours and well-made textures this Australian brand seldom dissapoints.

In their latest collection called "the lost weekend" I expected the colours to be even more natural than usual, as Becca refers to the naturalness of the 'Australian Rite of passage'.

Wow, looking at the models and their perfectly tawny made-up skin I had the right idea about the 'Lost Weekend'. The model on the right actually looks like she has some mixed Asian heritage, but these days almost everyone is from mixed heritage. At least they both have enviously beautiful skin and features...Lucky gene-pole!

Before seeing this collection I was looking for a sort of neutral brown blush with a hint of rosiness in it to look convincingly natural. Brown on my skin alones simply looks flat. I have been having a close eye to Autumns fashion collections, and the 60s seem to be coming back. Only, when reading makeup instructions with 60s-faces they always say 'NO BLUSH'. Ehm, sorry but foundation with no blush means a one-dimensional face to me! I need some blush to make it more-dimensional! So I've been looking for the most natural kind there is.

Sweet Pea is described as a Rosy plum nude. So is that true?

In the pan Sweet Pea looks like a soft nude brown with a hint of red and rose. Still, it is mostly a nude colour:

Close Up:

With flash you can see the specks quite clear. Don't worry too much about this: Becca is often quite subtle about the spects and they only function to make your skin look more glowy and alive, and not a semi-disco ball.

On my tiny stippling brush:

The first picture is the blush applied UNBLENDED:

It is already quite subtle against my skintone. I cannot see so much rosiness into it. I would qualify it more as a nude/brown with reddish undertones. The specks translate themselves into a lovely glow.

This picture is deliberately not sharp to see how the colour looks from a distance...it is still unblended:

As I said before, it looks like a reddish brown from that perspective.


How does it look when blended?

When blended, and Becca blush are so perfect for blending as they become so subtle! It becomes a barely noticable glow and a slightly deepening of my skintone that makes it look fresh and natural.

I think it makes it perfect for the purpose I bought it in the first place: for creating dimension/glow/a hint of colour in that oftenly stark 1960s look. After all the interpretation of a previous era should stay an interpretation and let the real models go for the theatresque looks, right?

Becca's lastablity is really good. The blush stays put on foundation for the whole day.

Even without foundation it stays put for at least 5 a 6 hours.

The Becca mineral blush doesn't come cheap for $32.00 or 25 euros.

I bought mine during a promotion on Zuneta, which actually was more about the Lost Weekend Palette I will review soon (buy the palette and get an illuminator for free, but that promotion is gone now).  Zuneta offers excellent service and all the time I've ordered from them they delivered within 4 or 5 days from the UK to the Netherlands. But you can buy them from the Becca site as well or other sites too.