One of the easiest ways to sass up your look for spring is with blush!  I love minimal makeup looks with pops of color on your cheeks to keep your beauty look fresh.

New collection Très Cheek from MAC is très chic, indeed.  It features six shades from subtle to bold to suit most skin tones.

I personally love hues that are more vibrant so that they pop, especially if you wear little other makeup.  This season, try a few of my favorites from the collection (from left):

• Modern Mandarin, a red-orange.  Yes, it looks bright but just a little bit will do.  In case you haven’t heard, tangerine is a hot color for 2012 and this shade of MAC Powder Blush completely delivers.
• Lovecloud is a bright mid-tone pink.  At first glance it looks like a safe play, but once you apply it on your cheeks you’ll see that it’s got a pop of personality that will brighten up your face.
• Peony Petal, a bright blue pink is Lovecloud’s cousin and she sure is spunky!  This hue will also last you for years as you just need a touch of it to make an impact.

Apply these shades of MAC Powder Blush ($20 US each) with a stippling brush to build color in layers so you don’t go from 0-60 and end up looking like a clown.  ;)

Do you have a favorite blush hue for the season?  Are you daring enough to try something like Modern Mandarin?

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This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.

Whenever I see a bronzer, I automatically think of its potential as a contouring powder. Obviously shimmery colors or ones that are too dark never make the cut. If I want to fake supermodel cheekbones, they have to look at least somewhat natural!

The latest in my lineup of cheek products is the Lorac TANtalizer Highlighter & Matte Bronzer Duo ($32 US), which features a bronzer I initially thought looked much too dark.

But surprise, it delivers significantly sheered out color that blends seamlessly into varying medium skin tones. The pink-toned champagne highlighter goes perfectly with the bronzer in creating a sun-kissed complexion. I simply sweep along the tops of wherever I applied the bronzer.

Too large to fit in my hand, the compact is satisfyingly HUGE with a nice mirror. I can easily imagine this working as a body bronzer/highlighter as well because of its large size. However it’s not very handy for fitting in a normal-sized makeup bag, it’s more of a fit for a beach bag!

The bronzer looks kind of orange in my swatch, but I actually had to build up a few layers to achieve the color you see here. Same for the highlighter, which is subtler than the almost metallic ones we usually see for Summer.

I’m pretty pale right now, so I’ve been using a large fluffy brush and a careful, light hand to apply the bronzer. As for the highlighter, a stippling brush does the trick without messing up the bronzer underneath.

Are you wearing bronzer yet? What kinds do you have a preference for?

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This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.

When I was first starting out with makeup, I remember becoming excited over super exclusive, limited edition products or preview sales. Nowadays there seems to be so much that they kind of blur together.

That being said, the Tarte Miracle of Maracuja Skin Smart Collection ($59.96 US) stands apart from the crowd. Sold today Friday March 16 only for this price, this $200 value set at QVC and qvc.com features the eight full sized products below and will increase in price to $72.50 after today!

-Maracuja Waterproof Creaseless Concealer ($24 US) delivers a luminous finish in five shades.

-Lights, Cameras, Lashes! Mascara ($19 US) is meant to curl, lengthen, and thicken while keeping lashes supple.

-Beauty & the Box Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Quad in Envoke the Smoke ($22 US) is a QVC exclusive with smoky purple, black, and soft pink hues.

-Airbrush Finish Bamboo Blush Brush ($28 US) is also a QVC exclusive that goes perfectly with the blush below for a soft, natural finish.

-Airbrush Maracuja Blush in Amused ($25 US) is infused with Tarte’s signature Maracuja and is meant to apply a shimmery poppy color like a second skin.

-Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss in Peaceful ($21 US) is a peachy nude gloss in the cutest packaging and a QVC exclusive shade.

-Cashmere Waterproof Gliding Liner in Black ($18 US) promises creamy, pigmented color that will last without fading.

-Pure Maracuja Oil ($46 US) is another trendy beauty oil that is perfect for the face as a moisturizing skin booster.

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It’s not often that a piece of makeup looks exactly like its name. Well the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Pink Frosting ($7.99 US) happens to be an exception to the rule. Does this color not remind you of deliciously pink cupcake frosting?

As I write this it seems I am in desperate need of some sugar. Not to fear, this blush provides the sweetest, candy-like flush ever in the coolest form I’ve ever seen. Not a cream or powder, but something in between.

Initially, the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush may look like a normal blush in the pan. But you’ll see that the surface is domed. That’s because the product has a spongy play dough type texture that “bounces” back to a light touch. Be careful not to press too hard though to prevent indenting the product or even shifting it right off the pan!

Something I’ve never really liked about cream blushes is the ick factor associated with dipping my fingers into the product. I have to admit though, that’s the best part with this blush. I’m fascinated each time I touch it, like the L’Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Eyeshadows I reviewed here.

Pink Frosting is a lovely naturally flushed pink with rosy tones. Although it looks bright and heavily pigmented on the hand, the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush tends to sheer out significantly on the cheeks. This is disappointing news to those with dark skin as they will only be able to achieve pops of color with the deeper hues in the line.

That said, these blushes do look and wear beautifully. The spongy texture feels like a cream until you blend it in, at which point it starts feeling clingier like a powder. Think cream to powder foundations. Although I see do fading by the end of the day, for the most part, these blushes stay intact.

What have you scooped up from Maybelline’s Spring 2012 line? Tell me what you think of spongy, bouncy cream-powder hybrids!

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It’s that middle season where swimwear is slowly just starting to hit the racks. And so comes images of warm, bronzed makeup and beach hair. While these looks are more typical of Summer collections, the Lorac Unzipped Collection makes it their own for Spring 2012.

A refreshing break from the cool pastels of many Spring beauty products, Lorac’s Unzipped Collection will easily carry you over to Summer. Check out some of our picks!

Lorac Unzipped Shimmer & Matte Eye Shadow Palette ($40 US): Create flattering neutral eye looks with the help of these ten rich eyeshadows and the included mini Behind the Scenes Eye Primer. This set is exclusive to Sephora and promises to be a popular item in any makeup stash.

Lorac Lips with Benefits Lip Gloss ($18 US): As good for your lips as they are pretty, these glosses are meant to hydrate and nourish lips with Acai Berry, Pomegranate Extract, and Vitamin E and C. The Crème Brule fragrance and the high shine finish in a variety of colors invite reapplication.

Lorac Tantalizer Highlighter & Matte Bronzer Duo ($32 US): This huge compact takes the guesswork out and makes touch-ups wherever easy. The convenience of a dark contouring shade and shimmery highlight hue guarantees cheekbones that pop! Apply sheerly or layer for more intensity to vary your look.

Lorac Unzipped: The Nude Collection ($34 US): This Ulta exclusive set shows you how to get the look Lorac created for Spring, complete with products for the eyes, cheeks, and lips. Color wise, the bronzy eye quad, peachy gloss, and plum blush would look especially fabulous on ladies with warm undertones.

Which Spring collections have you bought from so far? Are you more into Spring or Summer hues?

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