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