Once upon a time, cream blushers were touted as skin-like pops of creamy cheek colour. Except, actually, they never really popped. Which is why I rarely recommended them – particularly for darker skin tones. There’s a fallacy that anyone who wants cream blusher will happily sacrifice pigment for the creamy texture. Newsflash: everyone wants both. Thankfully, they have upped their game. Cream blushers can now deliver both subtle and tangible pops of colour, blend into skin like serum, rarely need reapplying and are perfect for summer.
1. Rose Inc Blush Divine Radiant Lip & Cheek Colour in Hydrangea £23, roseinc.com
2. Fenty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Crush on Cupid £21, boots.com
3. Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double-Take Creme and Powder Blush Duo in She’s Vibrant £30, cultbeauty.co.uk
4. NARS The Multiple in Orgasm £30, narscosmetics.co.uk
5. Tower 28 BeachPlease Luminous Tinted Balm in Golden Hour £18, cultbeauty.co.uk
I can’t do without… If this fine spray didn’t exist, we’d have to invent it
Considering how many beauty products are launched annually – I’m sure it runs into thousands – really innovative products that authentically fill a gap are rare beasts. Hence, this setting spray by Kate Somerville, despite coming out in 2019, still stands out as one of the most genius launches. Some people are still not wearing SPF regularly (come on, get with the programme!), but those who do are mostly doing it all wrong (sorry!) We’ve lulled ourselves into the false security that the SPF applied in the morning will work around the clock. Sadly it doesn’t and it won’t. For SPF to be truly effective, it needs continuous application. And if you’re wearing a face full of makeup, that becomes impossible. Which is where Kate Somerville’s Uncomplicated comes in. As I write, we are in the middle of a heatwave. This is a nightmare for makeup wearers and, if unprotected, not great for skin either. This spray solves all that. It includes hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate your skin, it protects skin from burning and ageing before its time, it works on all skin tones and, drumroll, it stops your makeup from falling apart in the heat. And because it comes in spray form, you can apply it as many times as you need. As I said, genius. Most of today’s beauty products have no reason to exist (there, I said it). This SPF setting spray absolutely does. Kate Somerville Uncomplicated Setting Spray SPF 50, £36, katesomerville.co.uk
On my radar… Three of the best essences for the hot weather
Petal power Rose and mineral-rich, this lightweight but intense lotion keeps skin hydrated for 24 hours and is easily one of the best I’ve used. Worth every penny. Dior Prestige La Lotion Essence De Rose, £72, dior.com
Boosting blend Don’t be fooled by the water-like texture, this fermented blend of rice, algae and green tea will boost your skin’s ability to retain moisture. Tatcha The Essence Skincare Boosting Treatment, £95, tatcha.co.uk
Leading light This is acknowledged as a classic for good reason. Not only does it make skin incredibly luminous, it protects it from the pollution causing premature ageing. Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Essence, £64, fresh.com
Follow Funmi on Twitter @FunmiFetto
