theBalm INSTAIN Blush

This is only my second product from theBalm and my first of their blushes. I love their packaging. It's not only beautiful but thoughtful and practical. Both my Balm Jovi Rockstar palette and my Instain blush come in slim packaging with magnet closure to keep the paper-based cases securely closed. And just to make it even better for travel or carrying in your purse, they put both products in an outer sleeve to further ensure that your makeup doesn't end up all over your purse or luggage. I give them a star for the packaging alone because it rocks! As for the product, I ordered the Instain blush in Peach, which comes in a beautiful little package with a drawing of a beautiful lady on the front holding a compact. Inside, there is a small mirror (more bonus points!) and the blush itself. This blush does not come with a brush or puff. The blush surface is bigger than some (like Nyx blushes) but not remarkably large (about 1" X 2.5"). I like the surface size of the blush for swiping my blush brush across. This blush is highly pigmented, so you will get not only great staying power on your face but the blush should last a long time as you don't need much to get some color on your face. This peach is intense--nothing wimpy about it. It is a deep peach, not pale, and it has a matte finish. I find it to be a good neutral ground when I want to wear something other than pinks and reds. It's got a nice, soft finish. For those who are fragrance sensitive like myself, there is very very little fragrance to this product. Just a bare whisper of a talc-type scent. I never noticed the fragrance until I held it right up to my nose and what fragrance there is I find pleasant and not at all bothersome. Recommended!

I love this blush since I got it in a sample pack last year. It has the impact and staying power of stain with the convenience and blendability of a powder. Since it's a powder stain, it can go on quite dark, if you're not prepared (my sample was about an inch square, so when i got the full size, I had some pretty dark apples when I tried it.) A little blend on the back of my hand before application and it is better than any other blush I've tried. It blends really well, and stays on all day. The peachy color complements my skin very well. The blush pot is held in with a magnet, so don't get too rough with it or it will come out. The packaging is compact and cute. It comes with a sleeve to slide the box into when travelling for additional security. The case is paperboard with a mirror and magnetized closure, but it's not as strong as a snap lid, so hang onto the sleeve. Because the pigment is so strong, I anticipate this lasting an extremely long time. I still have half the sample, and I've used it pretty consistently since I got it. It doesnt' take much, which to me increases the value.

Before finding this blush I had been using blushes from NARS and Tarte, but when they ran out I wanted to try something a little more affordable. This blush is just as good or better than the more expensive ones that I have tried. What I really like about this blush is that you can control the intensity. You can put it on very light or you can build it up to a more dramatic look. I have been using it for about 3 months and it looks like it's barley been used at all. I can tell this will last a long time. I had a hard time choosing a color online, but I went with the mauve because I tend to go with more natural looking colors. I am fair skinned and blonde and the mauve color works very well on me. I was slightly worried that it would be too purple, but it's really not. It works well with my brown and pink eyeshadows as well as nude lipsticks. I've tried the tinted moisturizer and eyeshadows from the Balm and I recommend those as well!

I have medium olive skin that pales a little in winter and tans dark in the summer due to an Italian/African American background. I've always avoided blushes in general because they always made me look like I just ran a mile. This matte finish mauve blush is perfect for my skin tone, and I wear it to work all the time. It has such high pigmentation that one sweep over the powder per cheek is all I need to give me some color and a very natural-looking glow. You definitely need a light hand to apply this or you will get clown cheeks. I did also notice that without primer or finishing spray it wears off despite the claim of staining. Yet with either or both of those, it lasts hours and always looks better over time. I've owned mine for 7 months already and I can barely notice any missing; this blush will last forever with a light hand. I cannot see living without this blush, as I find it extremely difficult to find matte blushes without any kind of shimmer or glitter. Just ordered the plum, so excited to see this shade in person!

Toile is a gorgeous, bright pinky coral shade that is very pigmented but easy to sheer out on the cheeks. Unfortunately I do not get the wear out of this that some other reviewers do. I've yet to find a blush that wears for more than a couple of hours on me though, and I suspect this has to do with my very oily skin. That said it does wear longer than most other blushes on my skin. The packaging of this is cute but makes me nervous because it is so lightweight and the product inside is heavy. Also, the pan on my blush was not even glued in so the first time I opened it it popped out and fell on the floor (luckily it did not break).

love the color, it would look great on any skin type/color. compliments my medium skin tone with yellow undertone. it does get chalky in the pan but not when you apply it. a little goes a long way so remember to keep a light hand when applying because the color transfer is really visible and once you have it on your cheeks, it's a little hard to smooth out since it stains your cheek easily. again, a little goes a long way so try to just tap it once on the pan and then apply. it does have a lasting power, although for me who have oily skin, it would be gone by the end of the day. so i would suggest that if you're going to wear this blush, wear a long-lasting foundation also. this is especially for oily skin types. would highly recommend it.

Love the color. Looks great on warm skin tone. Nice strawberry pink color with hint of coral. However, I have to say that the blush I received was horrible in that the color pan inside the box fell right out of the packaging. I also ordered color argyle and it had the same issue and had to return both! Update-- instain blushes aren't that great in terms of blendability. I own other blushes by the balm ie cabana boy and hot mama. They are waaaay easier to blend into your skin.

This is really fantastic blush! It's highly pigmented, creamy, and long wearing with no fall out. Just a little dab on the brush is all you need. I love the adorable packaging and the fact it's so compact and small. But don't be fooled, there is a lot of product in that pan! I have pretty fair skin and this gives that rosy, just worked out flush without the work. I apply this product on the apple of my cheek and use theBalm's INSTAIN in Pinstripe as the contour along the cheekbone. It is much more wearable on a daily basis. I can't recommend this more!