Blushes, blushes, and blushes - Kanebo Kate, Maybelline FIT ME, and Shu Uemura

Since Memorial Day weekend when we journeyed down to New York City for some family errands, I came back with some allergies all over my face... and this redness and itchiness continued for an entire week that I have to put all skincare to a halt...

My theory is, NYC is too dirty for my delicate skin... or perhaps some little "animal" crawled all over my face that caused allergic reactions on me.

Oh well, moving on to the topic of this post, blushes. I have acquired some blushes in my last few hauls, and I would like to compare them here.

When it comes to blushes, I prefer warm toned/orange colored blush over sweet pink color because orange color is more flattering for my darker skin tone.

1. Kanebo KATE blush in OR-1

 

This blush retails for 1300yen but I believe my friend was able to get it for 20% or 30% off from her local drugstore "Segami"

On the left side is the lighter blush color for a natural healthy glow or highlighting, and on the right side is the deeper, more pigmented blush color for more contrast:

An interesting thing to note about the case design is the front case cover is slightly curved to accommodate the cylindrical blush brush:

As indicated on the packaging, the brush itself is 100% horse hair. I am actually quite impressed by the quality of the supplied brush, because usually the brushes that came with the blush are not that soft and and usable:

With one swipe on my fingertips, I already picked up the pigment from this blush. I am sold!

Swatches on the back of my arm, I like both the texture and the color this blush delivers. I am loving this blush by KATE!

2. Maybelline ANGEL FIT Brighten Up Blush in Velvet Apricot

Maybelline Angel Fit is exclusive to Asia. I have always think the Maybelline FIT line found in the US is a cousin of Asia's Angel Fit because they have somewhat similar packaging. But anyhow I got this from my recent haul from Hong Kong. The reason I got this is because I have seen Kathi from Lotus Palace raved about this blush she got from her sasa haul and since this is quite inexpensive (maybe $6?) I may as well give it a try.

When I opened the plastic wrapping the actual blush casing itself becomes less attractive in its flimsy plastic packaging... (at this point I thought KATE is a lot sexier!)

Ingredient list at the back. Note that this does contains TALC:

Actual blush itself. The brush applicator is a total failure, with the bristles so tough and hard, I don't think I can ever use this to apply blush on to my cheeks. It's tens of thousands of miles away from the fantastic brush from KATE blush:

Swatch on the back of my arm. Not the most super pigmented blush and if you are looking for a sheer blush color, this is the one for you.

3. Shu Uemura Glow On Blush in Antique Orange

I got this blush sometime ago from the outlet and this is not my first Shu Uemura blush. I believe it's some kind of a limited edition and I think it's not for sale anymore. Owning Shu Uemura blushes before, I know they deliver pigment and quality.

This blush contains some fine gold colored micro-glitters that will be nice for a girl's night out.

As promised, this blush is super pigmented. With just one swatch, the colors shows up very well. You need to be very careful with your brush not to pick up too much blush powder or you will end up looking like a monkey's butt:

Verdict.

Comparing the 3 blushes side by side. At a glance, Shu Uemura's blush is the most pigmented. I have to circle out where I applied my blushes because the other 2 doesn't show too well in the picture.

Zooming in more into the swatches. I hope you can still see traces of Maybelline and KATE blushes here.

Overall Maybelline is way too sheer and I like KATE better because of its silky texture and buildable coverage. Shu Uemura is definitely pigmented but caution is needed when applying because less is more :)