You can blame Tatcha for creating an amazing putty-style primer that elf Cosmetics had to copy. They did it so good that they now offer a range of putty primers that I have reviewed. Now, we have blush, bronzer, and more! I am focusing on the elf Putty Blush line to provide a detailed review with swatches, ingredients, and more.
Details & Claims
We are starting with where to buy these cream blushes. For access to the full shade range, elf’s website is the way to go. Ulta, Target, and Amazon carry a limited number of shades.
See ON elf CosmeticsSee On UltaSee On TargetSee On Amazon
The blush is available in eight shades and retails for $6. You might find that the price varies on Amazon due to marketplace sellers. Also, you can find the shade names on the clear sticker that goes around the base of the pot. Many complain that the name is hard to find!
This blush claims to have a velvety, lightweight formula that melts into the skin. It should be highly pigmented, yet creamy for a natural glow. You should be able to build it up with a cream to semi-matte powder finish. These are great for travel.
You can apply this blush with your fingers or a brush. I personally like stipple brushes with cream products, and my trusty old small stipple brush from elf is still going strong. They do have an elf Putty Blush Brush which is also great, but at the end of the day it is a stipple brush.
Ingredients
The key ingredients are Argan Oil and Vitamin E which nourish and moisturize the skin. Below is the full ingredient list:
Phenyl Trimethicone, Silica, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polyethylene, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Red 6 Lake(Ci 15850), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Yellow Iron Oxide (Ci 77492), Black Iron Oxide (Ci 77499), Red 22 Lake (Ci 45380), Yellow 6 Lake (Ci 15985)
Swatches & Shades
The swatches are indicative of the great formula. You can see that they have a lot of pigment, but it is not full coverage so that you can build it up. The creams look soft and diffused, but they are not shiny. elf is doing a good job of providing every shade that you will ever need in only eight colors!
Below is the full list of shade names.
- Bahamas
- Bali
- Bora Bora
- Caribbean
- Fiji
- Maldives
- Tahiti
- Turks and Caicos
Bahamas
Bali
Bora Bora
Caribbean
Fiji
Maldives
Tahiti
Turks and Caicos
Review
These remind me so much of their putty eye primer line, which I have also reviewed, and I say this in a good way. For starters, these blushes do meet their claims. I find the formula to be lightweight, velvety, and smooth enough to melt into the skin. The term “putty” might be off-putting, but when you boil it down, these are cream makeup products.
While these cream blushes look vibrant in the pot, you should not be afraid. This formulation is perfectly buildable so that you have control, yet there is enough pigmentation that the blush shows up.
These will last all day. I find that they do dry down onto the skin and feel more like powder with that semi-matte finish. I always use a stipple brush to apply them with no problem, but your fingers or even a sponge will work.
As with any cream, I recommend not layering these over powder. That is always a disaster waiting to happen in terms of lifting up coverage underneath, or patchiness. However, makeup wearers of any skill level can use these and should not feel intimidated at all. Cream products scare me and are my least used type of makeup, and here I am telling you that these are great.
I give these five out of five stars because this is an exceptional cream blush formula for the drugstore, at a price that cannot be beat.
Rating: ★★★★★
Shop The Blushes
The putty formula is done so well that it is hard to mess these up. You can use any tool that you want (even your fingers) and get a lovely application that lasts all day. No fading here! Are you a user of cream blush? Until next time, continue to let your true beauty shine.
