Budget Friendly Blusher Sticks: MUA Blush Perfection Cream Colour Duo Review

I'm a huge fan of budget makeup and trying to find affordable yet high-quality alternatives to popular products, meaning I'm familiar with brands like MUA. I recently spotted their new Blush Perfection Cream Colour Duos across Superdrug and was instantly drawn in by these cream stick blushers. With blusher being one of my favourite makeup products to use and having loved theirs in the past, I knew that I wanted to try out this new release. After putting them to the test, it's now time to report back with all of my thoughts in the form of a review, so keep reading if you want to know more.

As always with brands like MUA, the packaging is simplistic and consists of a combination of black and transparent plastic. Some people may deem this as too basic, but its main aim is to ensure that the products stay affordable and so I'm fine with it. It also allows you to get a preview of the product, which is a nice addition although probably won't be as appreciated when it becomes dirty and worn. The product's graphics are clear and it's easy to see the name of the product and the shades, and I think they have an almost quirky vibe that really appeals to me.

The blusher sticks have a twist-up applicator, much like that of a lip balm, and you can evidently see that quite a lot of product is contained. I also like this feature as it means you can use the side of the applicator as well as the top, and it's incredibly easy to control and manipulate. The back of the packaging claims that this product is a 'soft and blendable complimentary duo cream blusher', so we'll definitely be seeing to what extent it lives up to this claim.

The Blush Perfection Cream Colour Duos are available in five different shade pairings, providing a variety of colours from dark to light that will suit all skin tones. I decided to purchase three of them so that I could gain an accurate representation of how the product performs, and I chose those that would provide many different looks and suit various colourings.

Escapade contains a gorgeous peach toned baby pink shade, alongside a striking berry shade. Although these two don't look like a compatible pairing at a first glance, their soft colouring and warm undertones make it a cohesive duo. This is definitely a must-have product to take you through the seasons, and I'm certain that the berry colour will look lovely on darker skin tones.

Riot contains a medium-toned orange and a deeper, pink-toned orange that is verging on a coral. These wouldn't be shades that I'd naturally gravitate towards for my skin tone, but I have to say that they're lovely and especially suited to the summer months. This is another combination that'd look nice on a variety of skin tones, adding a radiant flush of colour to the cheeks ideal for this time of year.

Frolic contains two gorgeous pink shades, one being a soft, muted dusky rose and the other being a vibrant, blue-toned Barbie pink. Both of these look gorgeous either applied subtly or with more intense pigment, and it's definitely the one that I'd reach for most often. Despite the pinks being quite bold, they're still incredibly wearable and feminine shades.

These products can be worn alone or applied together depending on the look you desire, and I think it's really nice to play around with the different colour combinations.

The Blush Perfection Cream Colour Duos are incredibly pigmented, so much more than I expected, and it feels almost like you're swatching a lipstick it's that intense. You can see from the swatches above that they aren't shy of any colour, and their opaque finish is still in an even layer and isn't streaky or patchy at all. Another positive is that they're all very blendable, despite being thick in consistency, and their creamy texture allows them to be easily manipulated across the skin.

Cream products are sometimes hit and miss with longevity - some people find that they simply slip off the skin and don't stick around, whereas others ensure that they stay in place. The MUA Blush Perfection Cream Colour Duo Sticks really don't budge once applied, and provide a flush of colour to the cheeks for the entire day. They start to fade slightly throughout the day in a subtle way, but they're definitely long lasting and you'll be impressed by how well they last.

An alternative application of these products is as lipsticks, and I definitely think this would work equally as well. Their creamy texture applies nicely to the lips, being pigmented like you'd expect from a lip colour without feeling too drying or incredibly matte. Applying them on the lips also ensures that your blusher and lipstick complement each other, making it great for your handbag or travelling as you only need the one item for two steps of your makeup routine. This was an unexpected discovery but the 2-in-1 feature makes these blushers a perfect multi-use product.

Overall, I love the Blush Perfection Cream Colour Duos and MUA has definitely created a product that's worth trying. At only £3 each, they're incredibly affordable and it's great value for money, especially when you consider the insane pigmentation and durability of the blushers. I'd highly recommend trying out these products, and hopefully you'll love them as much as I do!

Thank you very much for reading this blog post and I hope that you enjoyed it. I'd love to know your thoughts on these blushers down in the comments if you've tried them, and if you haven't then why not let me know what your favourite budget friendly makeup products are? I'll see you again next Sunday with a new blog, so make sure you come back then!

Love from Daisy x