Merit Beverly Hills Flush Balm Creme BlushMerit Beverly Hills Flush Balm Creme Blush ($ 28.00 for 0.31 oz.) Is a soft pink coral with subtle, warm undertones and a shiny finish. It had a very emollient consistency that was thin (not bad) and had a lot of slippage, although it was applied fairly well to bare skin and layered over the foundation. I expected it to “eat” my foundation a bit, but it didn’t lift or stain, although it was pliable and didn’t dry out.
It had a pure cover, which, if desired, could be built up into a semi-transparent to medium cover, which was as described. The finish was glossy and while it showed good wear – it didn’t slip noticeably and just seemed to fade over time – it was shorter after six hours.
MORE READING: Formula overview for details on general performance and properties (such as fragrance).
- Chanel Sunkiss Ribbon (LE, $ 70.00) is shimmery and warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Cat’s Eye (LE, $ 12.00) is more shimmery and darker (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Winter 2018 (Blush) (LE, $ 60.00) is shimmery, darker, and warmer (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Petal Poppin ‘(P, $ 20.00) is shimmery, darker, and cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Interstellar (LE, $ 8.00) is darker and cooler (90% similar).
- Salt New York Peach (P, $ 16.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ILIA Temptation (P, $ 32.00) is darker and warmer (85% similar).
- ColourPop 25/8 (P, $ 8.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Clinique Peach Pop (02) (P, $ 21.00) is shimmery, darker, and warmer (85% similar).
- Rare Beauty Nearly Neutral (P, $ 21.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Formula overview
$ 28.00 / 0.31 oz. – – $ 90.32 per ounce
The formula is said to result in a “transparent veil of color” with a “light, mild finish” that is “long-lasting”. It’s one of the most emollient textures I’ve come across in shades of cream these days! It looks like a solid, dome-shaped balm, but as soon as I touched it the texture had a high slip, making it feel almost oily. They provided the “transparent color veil” with a transparent to semi-transparent cover, which led to a more watercolor effect on the skin.
I was surprised – but in a good way – that it applied well over the foundation and didn’t tend to raise my base products as often. Very smooth textures, in my experience, can interact more clearly when placed on top of other things. It also worked well over bare skin and didn’t “sink into” pores like some cream blushes did for me.
It didn’t dry out and remained mobile hours later, so the shorter wearing time (six to seven hours) was no surprise. The product was not sticky to the touch, but consistently pliable. I have more “normal” skin on my actual cheek area where I tested this formula (I’m drier near and on my nose).
Browse all of our Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush swatches.
ingredients
Octyldodecanol, hydrogenated polyisobutene, hydrogenated poly (C6-14-olefin), polyethylene, silicon dioxide, diisostearyl malate, synthetic fluorophlogopite, synthetic wax, sorbitan isostearate, Cera Microcristallina (microcrystalline wax, Cire microcrystalline), BHT, CI 77891 (titanium dioxide), CI 77492. 77891 (titanium dioxide) / 77499 (iron oxides), CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are available from the brand (or dealer) at the time of publication. Please always check the product packaging, if any, on the ingredients list for the product you are purchasing or the brand or retailer’s website for the most up-to-date ingredients list.
