Monday, December 6, 2010

Edward Bess Blush Imperiale in Desert Blossom

The new Edward Bess Blush Imperiale in Desert Blossom ($48) is a gorgeous pink - and a chameleon too! My photo of the Desert Blossom compact at left makes the blush appear very light and blue-pink, nothing like it appears to my eye in the compact. If you like gentle pink shades on your cheeks, a true blush of color that's unbelievably natural, you are going to adore Desert Blossom.

This is one of those shades you have to try - or see swatched (unless, like me, you are an Edward Bess devotee and will order any shade that Susan and Jennifer at Bergdorf Goodman decide will work for you)! When Desert Blossom arrived and I gave it a first look, it appeared to be a brown-toned pink. Loved it then, love it now! It's interesting to me that brown-toned pink is not how it translates on my skin - or in photos. On my skin, it's a cool pink - not too cool - but definitely not a warm shade. The mysteries of photography!

Blush Imperiale has a light, ultra-fine texture and gives cheeks a pretty glow. It's very sheer, allowing you total control over how much color you apply, and it blends smoothly and easily. Edward Bess describes the finish as a radiant matte. That sounds like a contradiction, but it's not. Blush Imperiale is radiant, like it's lit from within, but there are no sparkles in it. This powder blush is unique and sophisticated, both in its formula and its effects. The finish stays color-true all day. Like most Edward Bess makeup, Blush Imperiale is luxury defined.

Here's that orchid in my office again! Applied to my arm with the little brush that comes in the compact, the blush is sheer and pretty. I wanted to show you the shade next to the bright purple-pink orchid so that you could see that the blush isn't too blue. It warms my skin, leaving behind a pink blush that's absolutely perfect.

There's another swatch of it at left. Does the shade look the same? Hard to tell - the lighting wasn't great, but I think it illustrates my point about Desert Blossom being a chameleon. In the swatch at left, it appears to be cooler than it does when it's shown side by side with the vivid orchid. On my cheeks? It's yet another shade!

On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being very cool and 10 being very warm, I would rate Desert Blossom on my skin as a 4. From my perspective, that means it is going to be gorgeous on a lot of you! I suspect it will warm cool skins and add a touch of cool charm to warm skins. Sheer genius!

As I mentioned in my feature on the new Ultra Slick Lipsticks, you can join me as an Edward Bess regular - even if you don't have a local source. If you want to order from Bergdorf Goodman, just give Susan or Jennifer a call at (212) 872-8826. They provide professional and friendly assistance, and they will keep you informed when new items are about to arrive. They have helped me select Edward Bess shades that are perfect for me, and I'm sure they can do the same for you. Now, Edward Bess devotees in Los Angeles and Houston can see and purchase the line at Neiman Marcus. I'll say it again: That makes me insanely jealous!

You can also see the complete line at Edward Bess online and visit with Edward Bess at Facebook. See if the magic of Edward's elegant makeup lures you.

Photos by BTiB

6 comments:

MarciaF said...

Now that's beautiful and something I could wear. Thanks for the chameleon shots.

Charlestongirl said...

Oh yes, Marcia! You are going to love this chameleon.

Eileen said...

I first saw Desert Blossom on-line when EB invited a bunch of beauty bloggers and make-up mavens to an event to celebrate Zuneta's launch of his incredible line. I must admit, I wasn't impressed with many blogger's pictures of Desert Blossom. It looked like a dark, brownish red, brick color. I thought to myself that such an ugly color couldn't possibly have been created by EB! And I was right. When I actually saw it at Neiman's, I knew that as soon as it became available, I'd be adding it to my ever growing collection of EB blush.

Your description of the chameleon like character of this blush is right on target, Charlestongirl. Although we are both fair, we have completely different undertones and yet Desert Blossom flatters both of us. How does that man do it? "Universal" must be his middle name!

Those of you who are very fair might be concerned about the intensity of Moroccan Rose or Desert Blossom in the pan, but don't be. I recommend using a fan brush instead of a conventional blusher brush. As much as I love my Chanel #7, it simply deposited too much color even though I had tapped off the excess pigment. But, when I switched to a Smashbox fan brush, I got a delicate bloom of color which could be easily built up for evening wear. Don't let the depth of color in the pan deter you from trying one of the most natural blushes on the market.

Charlestongirl said...

Thank you, Eileen. I'm glad I'm not the only one who noted the huge differences between appearance in the compact and appearance on the skin. I kept checking to make sure I wasn't going blind!

I use a regular blush brush with it, but I'll admit I'm pretty good at picking up only as much product as I need. :)

Anonymous said...

Your description makes me want this.


Ammie

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Ammie, you won't regret ordering it! I adore it.