Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Crushed Mineral Blush (Rouge)

I've spent the last month or so testing the Mineral Basics Kit from Younglood Cosmetics. I'm not yet ready to write a comprehensive review of the foundation, since it requires more practice, adjustment and wearing it in hotter weather (thoroughly testing a new foundation takes nearly as much time as a new skin care product/routine because of the many variables involved in making one's face look semi-decent). But the big and pleasant surprise of the kit has been the Crushed Mineral Blush.

As far as my notes and memory can tell, I've never tried a blush in a loose powder form. Generally I prefer the fool-proof textures of a cream or pressed powder.But just like any product that is loose in a jar, this blush has superior blendability. Once you get the feel of exactly how much of it you need to use, the result is very pretty. Rouge is a medium warm pink with a touch of reddish brown. While the pigment looks very dark, it's actually a natural color that blends with my skin tone- I use a lot less than what I swatched on my wrist, of course.

I already tried and loved Youngblood's regular pressed blush, so I'm not surprised with the quality of the Crushed Mineral product. I don't see a difference when I used over other mineral face products or my regular liquid and creams. I don't have a preferred brush for this yet, but when I'm mixing the blush on a flat surface outside it's smallish lid, I find that I get great results with a fan brush (this application is more like a bronzer).

Since this is basically a pigment, it can also be used on the lips. I haven't tried it yet, but tomorrow I'll have my hands on the much coveted Magic Glaze from Le Metier de Beaute, and I fully plan to experiment mixing some with this Youngblood blush.

My one and only issue with the Crushed Mineral blush is the same as with most products in this format- loose powders are messy, no matter how careful you are. I need to carefully wipe the surface of my makeup cabinets before the cats get into stuff and leave mineral paw prints all over the house. Gracie was helping me take photos. As you can see, she managed to get some of the blush on herself in no time.

Youngblood Cosmetics Crushed Mineral Blush ($20) is available from Henri Bendel and online at ybskin.com. I got it as part of the Basic kit from the company's PR.

All photos by me. Gracie was not harmed, though she wasn't too thrilled when I had to clean her up.