Review: Illuminare Ulimate All Day Blush in Portofino Porcelaine

Illuminare blushes are unique in their color scheme. Instead of having to guess which shade suits you best, they match each shade to a shade of foundation, and that shade is "the most natural" for you. But that shouldn't stop you buying any colour you want!

I received my sample in Portofino Porcelaine, and although I'm a Florentine Fair I found that this dusky pink did indeed look very healthy and natural on me. I love how natural it looks as it allows me to layer another blush over if I want to. Plus it makes the powder blush last longer!

Application
This isn't the easiest of blushes to apply, especially over the Ultimate Finish Foundation. As both formulas are thick and matte, I found I couldn't spread the blush without mussing up the foundation. So I myself carefully patting it onto the apples of my cheek and blending outwards. This worked very well, and it blended in and looked natural.

The blush is very pigmented and has a matte finish, so a little goes a very long way. My tiny sample is probably going to last me for a month if I used it daily! (Unless, of course I make a mistake one morning and squirt out too much). If you have dry skin or want a dewier look, the Perfect Color Blush formulation might suit you better.

If I'm going for a nude/natural or sporty look, I leave the blush as is. But if I want to alter the colour slightly to match my lippie, or for a little extra something, I dust a shimmering bronzer over, or powder blush and this works wonderfully.

Wear
This product definitely lasts all day. After a long hot summer day I was delighted to note that my cheeks were still glowy. The blush hadn't budged, faded, smeared, or streaked one bit. Plus, it helps any powder blush I dust over last longer too.

Situations in which this blush would be amazing are the gym, beach, or sporty events. Anything where you want your blush to look completely natural and to last and last.

Verdict
When I run out I'm certainly getting a full-sized one. At $18, it's much cheaper than Posietint, and the fresh-faced pink is very similar. All in all, I LOVE this blush and find myself putting it on everyday now.