I have to say right off the bat that I rarely use the brush applicators that come with powder products because they are generally not that great. I don't like these brushes because they feel too scratchy and they're not big enough to apply the product the way I would like to. I do like the fact that both powders have plastic guards over the pans though, which prevents any mess.
I love the fact that Hoola is matte, which means it's perfect for contouring as well as all over bronzing. There are no orange tones in this bronzer, I found that it went on smoothly and without any streaks. Your best best is to apply it lightly and build it up slowly so don't try and pile too much onto your brush at once. Alot of people have complained that it sometimes goes on streaky or patchy when they have dry skin but I don't think there is a bronzer out there that wouldn't stick to dry skin. It's unavoidable really and your best bet in that case is to gently exfoliate and ensure your skin is well hydrated before applying any makeup. Also ensure that your moisturiser and foundation don't leave a tacky/sticky feeling on your skin as this will result in streaky bronzer too. I really like this bronzer for everyday use, mainly because there aren't any shimmer particles so it looks super natural on the skin.
I have been looking for the perfect peachy blush for summer and I think this is it! It's the perfect mix of pink and peach. I generally don't favour blushes with any kind of shimmer as they can sometimes make your cheeks look overly shiny. However, this Benefit Coralista blush has more of a sheen than a shimmer and it makes your face come alive. It looks amazing against a tan by adding a freshness to the face and it goes on very smoothly. I only needed a tiny bit to give the right amount of colour so I think the product will last for a long time. I also noticed that this blush really brought out my blue eye colour so that's a huge bonus! I think this blush would suit just about any skintone. I know in the past people have said that it's what Nars Orgasm blush should have been and I totally agree with that. I've always thought that Nars Orgasm was over-hyped and I really didn't like the glitter particles that were very visible on the skin once applied.
Benefit Gilded pencil is definitely a multi-use product because it can be used as an eyeshadow base, lightly as a brow highlight, on the inner corners of the eyes and you can also apply it to the back of the hand and then pat it on the cheekbones for a golden highlight on your cheekbones. You can also pat it over any lipsticks and blend to create a nice golden sheen on your lips. For these reasons, it would be great for travelling. I think this would look great on tanned skin (as with most things!). The pencil is soft so it doesn't drag on your skin, it applies smoothly and lasts all day. It's highly pigmented so you really don't need alot of it and it looks amazing when you line your lashline and waterline with it for a golden bronzey look. The gold reflects in this and the 'tangerine' gold colour suggests to me that it would look better on medium to dark skintones.I would have to say that my favourite out of all of these has to be the Coralista blush because it's such a perfect colour.
Have you tried any of these products? What is your perfect colour of blush for summer?
