This Pantone product seems to be lying...

I'll be the first to admit that blush is one item that I don't get too hot and bothered about.  Sure, I love a good blush:  NARS Orgasm and Benefit Coralista are absolute favorites.  However, I don't stockpile blushes the way I do shadows and lipsticks/glosses.

So imagine my own surprise when I positively freaked over the Sephora Pantone Universe Color of the Year Blush Duo ($18 for 0.38 oz ).  I ignored the fact that the blushes seemed a bit too powdery because I was so enamored with the packaging.  A magnetic lid that slides right off?  Nifty!  (I am the biggest sucker for interesting packaging!) 

L - Desert Flower; R - Coral

 L - Desert Flower; R - Coral

 Desert Flower

 Coral

While the packaging is pretty neat, but it does make this duo travel-unfriendly.  Even though the magnets are strong, the lid could slide off too easily in your makeup bag and leave a huuuuge mess.

Regardless, check out these swatches:

Swatched heavily, then blended

L - Desert Flower; R - Coral

 Desert Flower (swatched heavily)

Coral (swatched heavily)

Sephora describes Desert Flower as "light orange matte," which I can definitely see.  However, they describe Coral as "Color of the Year with gold shimmer."  Maybe it's just me, but I would have preferred a truer orange similar to Benefit Cha Cha Tint or NARS Taj Mahal.  Plus.I wasn't aware that "Coral" was the color of the year.I thought it was Tangerine
Tango!

So, is this something you need?  No way.  The blushes are way too powdery and kick up powder everywhere at the slightest touch.  Coral emphasizes pores and looks too glittery on my cheeks.  Desert Flower just doesn't look right on my skin:  not good, not bad, but just meh.  These are pretty in the pan and I do reach for them occasionally, but I'd rather have some more interesting shades.

How about you?  Did you nab it?  Do you love it?  Hate it?  What's your go-to blush?

XOXO


-K


P.S.
Feel free to email me at orangelipstickblog@gmail.com or tweet me at OrangeLipstickK


All items were purchased by Orange Lipstick for personal use and review purposes.  

First post, y'all!

What better first post for a blog named Orange Lipstick than one that explores Sephora's Tangerine Tango lipgloss and lipstick offerings?  This $14 pack of four lipglosses is part of 2012's Pantone Color of the Year.

Now, I'd like to mention that I was on the orange trend waaaaay before it ever even became a trend.  It all started with an orange purse that kind of became my trademark in 2006.  Then, I got an orange car…to match my purse.  (Kidding.  Sort of.)  It all went downhill after that with orange clothes, shoes, purses, scarves, passport covers, wallets, jewelry, etc.

*ahem*

So where was I?  Oh, yes.  So, I have to say that when orange became a huge trend it was both exhilarating and sad.  I was excited that everyone was finally catching up with my beloved color and sad that it would eventually go "out of trend."  (Not like that would stop me from rocking it forevs.)

Nevertheless, I couldn't resist picking up the set of four lipglosses and one lipstick.  Without further ado, here they are:

 Left to Right

Tangerine Tango Opal

Tangerine Tango Vivid

Tangerine Tango Glaze

Tangerine Tango Luminous

 

Left to Right

Opal, Vivid, Glaze, Luminous

 Left to Right

Opal, Vivid, Glaze, Luminous

 Left to Right

Opal, Vivid, Glaze, Luminous

 Opal

 Opal

 Vivid

 Vivid

 Glaze

 Glaze

 Luminous

 Luminous

Detail to show the spatula-type applicator

You can imagine that my favorite of the group is Vivid.  The color is a great "traffic cone" orange that just looks amazing.  Be careful, though - this one loves to migrate to teeth.  Be sure to blot after applying!

Of course my least favorite is Glaze.  I understand what they were going for - not everyone can pull off a ridiculously orange lip.  I think the idea was to have something to pair nicely with the lipstick.

Opal and Luminous look similar when swatched, but as you can see Luminous looks much more opaque on the lips.  

The lipstick is named Tangerine Tango Cream and goes for $13.  As fantastic as it looks in the bullet, it isn't opaque on the lips.  I like to pair it with Opal.  Pairing it with Vivid is just overkill and honestly the lipstick gets lost in Vivid.

My only complaint is the lipstick is a bit slippy and there is a strange and unknown grit to it.  I have no idea where that comes from but I don't like it.

How do you feel about Sephora's Pantone Color of the Year collection?  Loving it?  Did you haul any of it?  I have to admit the brush roll called my name but I resisted.

XOXO

-K

P.S.
Feel free to email me at orangelipstickblog@gmail.com or tweet me at OrangeLipstickK

All items were purchased by Orange Lipstick for personal use and review purposes.