This blush was my gateway to Westman Atelier.
THE BACKSTORY: I’ve been following the career of celebrity makeup artist Gucci Westman for a very long time now. I’ve always been fascinated with how she does her base, her clients always look like they have stunning skin. Anyway, after wanting to try out products from her brand for ages, I finally relented when I saw she came out with a mini-sized version of her popular Baby Cheeks blush sticks.
THE PRODUCT: I quite like the packaging of this blush. Even though it’s plastic, it feels very hefty and luxurious. It’s also retractable, which I like and appreciate. I also think the size of this is a smart move because cream blushes tend to have a shorter shelf-life so having a smaller amount makes sense.
Right off the bat, I noticed how this was a little stiffer than other cream blushes. Once you warm it up, it is quite emollient and smooth. I usually warm it up on the back of my hand and then transfer it to my cheek using my clean fingers.
I suppose a synthetic blending brush would also work very well, but I just typically use my fingers with it.
It’s also very pigmented and opaque so using a smaller amount on your cheeks and then seeing if you like its opacity or not will help you decide if you need to build up more layers. It adheres to the face and layers well. One layer is more seamless and looks fresher and more natural, to me. Building upon it gives it an obvious blushed-up look but it honestly is quite forgiving in the sense that it doesn’t look like clown makeup. It just looks like you’re having a rough time in the sun and I know a lot of people are into that look these days. Blush blindness as they call it nowadays, no?
It lasts for around an hour or two at best, on its own and under a controlled climate. It lasts for a fair bit of time, unless you’re sweating your pants off, which is something I’m now acclimated to. I would always recommend setting a cream blush with a translucent powder of some kind. If you want to take it up or notch, maybe getting a powder blush in a similar tone will help brighten up the colour, even more.
Swatch of Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in ‘Petal’.
Swatch of Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in ‘Petal’ (blended).
SWATCHES AND SHADES AVAILABLE: There are 9 shades in the regular line-up while the minis have 2 shades for retail.
- ‘Petal’ – a dusty rose nude.
PRICE: $26 USD for the mini, $48 USD for the full-size (approx. 2179 INR and 4023 INR respectively)
QUANTITY: 2.5 grams (mini), 6 grams (full)
AVAILABILITY: Westman Atelier, Sephora, Cult etc.
♥ OVERALL: It’s a good cream blush but it’s not a must-have. There’s more affordable alternatives that honestly perform just as well or even better.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in ‘Petal’.
$26
Pros
- Buildable formula, layers well.
- Easy to use. Beginner-friendly.
- Decent longevity.
- Creamy, pigmented.
- Shades available are daily-wear friendly and will also suit lots of different skintones.
Cons
- Availability is an issue.
- EXPENSIVE.
