Benefit 'Majorette' Booster Blush

Benefit 'Majorette' | £23.50* | Link

I have such a love/hate relationship with cream blushes.  Whether it's their tendency to go patchy on me (thanks, combination skin!), the slightly higher risk of sporting that ever so dashing 'clown cheek' or simply because I can never quite find one with the perfect consistency for my skin, I often make a beeline straight for the powder of a morning.  However, just recently, I've upped my game in the blush stakes. Benefit's 'Majorette' is the latest cream blush to cause quite the stir in the blogging world and for good reason too - a cream to powder finish which promises an instant pick-me-up effect for your skin as well as acting as the perfect base for your powder blush in order to lock in that colour for longer and up the amp on the pigmentation. I must admit I was sold instantly on the gorgeous peachy shade. I wear warmer pinks and corals all year round just because I find they work amazingly well at brightening up dull, winter skin - when it comes to blush, I never save the peaches and corals just for the summer! I've been using Majorette the past few weeks and it's become quite the staple in my daily routine. I have to be honest, I wasn't really expecting it to be - my past record with cream blushes didn't give me the highest of hopes and I've never been much of a fan of cream to powders, but there's something about Majorette that really does do it for me...

To apply, I use my Real Techniques Stippling Brush and apply on top of my foundation before I dust on my setting powder (I use a light, swirling motion as opposed to stippling it on). I find this works much better than applying it with your fingers as it achieves a more flawless, seamless finish and the Stippling Brush picks up just the right amount of product.  Majorette is pigmented, but not so much so that it's difficult to work with - it's very much the perfect amount of pigment for a cream blush. It's worth mentioning that I've also applied this blush over the top of my powder and it works equally as well due to the cream to powder finish - it's really easy to use and virtually fool proof. What I love about it is that it doesn't disturb my foundation underneath - a problem I tend to find with other cream blushes. It doesn't go patchy and it doesn't seem to stick to my dry areas either - it looks really smooth, feels weightless (not sticky in the slightest!) and lasts incredibly well. I always struggle to get my blush to stay put all day long but I've been using this on some serious shopping trips just recently and also whilst I've been dashing about to interviews/internships and its staying power has to be one of its main selling points for me - it's impressive. My blush has usually evaporated in to thin air after a few hours but this really does last all day long. Not only does it last amazingly well but the texture meshes so well with the skin and it's so easy to blend.

Majorette is actually marketed as a 'booster blush' - something that I thought was a bit of a gimmick but it really does amplify any further product you apply on top.  To be honest, most cream blushes would probably do this too - any further colour you apply is going to look stronger on top of another product after all but Majorette is the perfect shade and has just the right level of pigmentation for this purpose.  Due to it's staying power, it also locks in any further colour you apply and acts almost like a 'blush primer' - if that even exists?! (It does now...)  I've taken to applying Majorette, dusting my Mac MSF powder over the top to set my base and then sweeping on Benefit's 'Rocketeur' or Nars 'Deep Throat' blush over the top - the warm pink tones of these powder blushes work so well with Majorette's delicate coral/peach shade.

Not only this, but Majorette also won me over with it's beautiful fragrance - the 'peach and pomegranate' scent really is divine and it smells so fresh and fruity (I have sensitive skin and the fragrance doesn't cause any problems). The packaging is also really neat - a pretty, scalloped compact containing a mirror and magnetic closing mechanism - it feels sturdy and the domed shape of the blush complete with ornate design is the perfect finishing touch to what I think is a winner of a product.  Pat on the back to you, Benefit.  I think this is the first cream blush that's ever made it to 'daily staple' status in my makeup collection...

Have you tried Benefit's Majorette? Did you enjoy it as much as me?!