Since I reviewed Jill Stuart‘s Mix Blush Compact in 01 Baby Blush, I have been going back to it quite frequently and it has gradually become one of my favorite blushers. In spring 2013, Jill Stuart not only released a new blusher, Layer Blush Compact, but also brought out Mix Blush Compact N (a revamped version of the original). There were ten blushers in the collection altogether, which was great for a blusher enthusiast like me. I was keen to try Layer Blush Compact, and I decided to go for 01 Baby Berry.
Each Layer Blush Compact (¥4500) includes a blusher palette with four shades and a retractable blusher brush (which can be attached to the palette). 01 Baby Berry is one of the cooler variations. It includes (from the lightest to the darkest) an off-white pink (with a pearly finish), a light cool pink (with pink-toned shimmer and iridescence), a medium cool pink (with a glowy sheen) and a fuchsia pink (with a subtly shimmery finish).
The main difference between Layer Blush Compact and Mix Blush Compact (I haven’t tried Mix Blush Compact N) is the finish. When all four shades are mixed together, Mix Blush Compact has a glowy finish with a hint of shimmer and Layer Blush Compact has a more shimmery finish. In terms of the range of finishes within a palette, Layer Blush Compact is more versatile than Mix Blush Compact.
The main shade in 01 Baby Berry is the moderately-pigmented fuchsia pink, which is the only shade that imparts a noticeable color on the cheeks. The other three shades are fairly sheer. I suspect this to be the case with the other variations. (If you are planning to purchase Layer Blush Compact on-line, the bottom-right shade is probably the shade you need to be looking at more than the other three.)
Even though the medium pink on the top-right is quite sheer, it has a lovely sheen and it gives the cheeks a subtle and realistic glow. For me, the light pink on the bottom-left is a little too shimmery and I usually skip it. The off-white pink is a good highlighting shade. It is not too white-ish or too shimmery.
These are my recommended steps to using these four shades:
Step 1: Use the medium pink as a base on the entire cheek areas. You can even try going over the areas where you usually apply blushers.
Step 2: Use the fuchsia pink as the main blusher shade. Build up the color slowly to achieve a natural look.
Step 3: Place the light pink on top of the cheek bones. (Do this light-handedly, and skip this step if you don’t like too much shimmer on your cheeks.)
Step 4: Place the off-white pink below the outer corners of the eyes and just above the top of the cheek bones.
If you are short of time, try mixing the medium pink and the fuchsia pink. The mixture of the two should give you a nice color and glow.
The case looks pretty and princessy, which is of course what we expect from Jill Stuart. It doesn’t look very different from the case of Mix Blush Compact.
The hair of the brush is dense and the bristle-heads are soft, but the hair is a little too stiff for my liking.
Liquid and cream blushers are quite popular in Japan at the moment. Jill Stuart doesn’t carry them as regular items, but Layer Blush Compact seems to be what the brand offers partly in response to the popular glowy-sheen look. As someone that doesn’t usually go for non-powder blushers, I am enjoying experimenting with Layer Blush Compact.
Related posts:
Jill Stuart Holiday 2014 Makeup Collection
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