Monday, May 18, 2015

Fruity Accent

With the recent release of 8 new shades of Clinique Cheek Pops (Heather Pop and Fig Pop are calling my name), my attention refocused on the original lineup. I'd previously overlooked the four existing shades as being too generic, but countless raves about the impeccable and unique formula encouraged me to have another look. Peach Pop seemed to be the most popular shade and the one I'd get the most wear out of, so it seemed to be the natural choice. These retail for $40 in Australia, but I purchased mine duty-free from Narita Airport for around $25.











l-r: NARS Deep Throat, Clinique Peach Pop, Hourglass Diffused Heat, theBalm FratBoy

I suspected I'd have a not insignificant number of similar blushes to Peach Pop, and sure enough I pulled out three near dupes. NARS Deep Throat does have more golden shimmer that's detectable on the skin. I don't reach for theBalm FratBoy very often, mainly because I'm not a huge fan of the overly powdery texture and I find it leaves much to be desired when it comes to wear time. It's also extremely pigmented and red-based, which leaves me running scared as I preferably want to avoid patchy, inflamed cheeks. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat is the closest to Peach Pop colour-wise, though it has the addition of subtle pale yellow shimmer. It's softer and more powdery in texture than the Clinique, but similarly blends seamlessly into the skin and injects a healthy glow to the complexion.



Texture-wise, these Clinique Cheek Pops avoid any suggestion of powderiness and have zero fall out. I have heard them being described as somewhere between a powder and a cream, with a slight bounciness to them. They definitely have no wetness and aren't emollient like a cream blush, but they're not hard or dry in any way (unlike NARS blushes or Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes). They're dense to the touch but have a slight creaminess to them. You could definitely apply and blend the product with the fingers if no brush was around. Pigmentation is buildable and not as strong as you might think given how bright and colourful the blush looks in the pan. On the cheeks, there's no chalkiness or patchiness, and the product doesn't sit on top of the skin, but rather, sinks in and melds with your skin for a natural-looking, healthy flush. Lasting power is fairly good (it stays on for about three-quarters of the day) but not remarkable. I still find my Benefit, Hourglass and NARS blushes to wear longer.

Bonus points for the adorable, compact packaging that manages to make thick plastic encasing look refined and classy rather than cheap and nasty. The flower imprint is a cute touch that gives these blushes an instant visual signature. At $21 USD, these are also more affordably priced than comparable brands. I may or may not be mentally scheduling to add a couple more to my blush stash next time I'm in the States…

34 comments:

  1. Yaaaaaay, love this blush and shade! Good to know about the dupes haha, especially Diffused Heat. Making a mental note not to purchase that particular shade... I just love how these are a powder, and yet look absolutely seamless on the skin! I love your eye makeup in the photo as well! :)

    Tasha // shiwashiful.

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    1. Thanks Tasha! Yeah, you can definitely skip Diffused Heat if you already have Peach Pop - I find the two very similar especially when worn. I like the look of the newest Ambient Lighting Blush by Hourglass - Incandescent Electra!

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  2. This looks super pretty on you Lena! I have Ginger pop from the initial release and its a more "mature" version of Peach Pop I think.. more brown and muted. I love that one and yeah I have been ogling Heather Pop as well! I actually have all the three dupes that yo've mentioned, Deep Throat, Frat Boy and Diffused Heat so I am probably going to skip this one.

    TheConscienceFund

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    1. Lol, probably a good idea since the shades are so similar! But if you are into the corals like me, then it doesn't hurt to have another one ;)

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  3. Oh these sounds sooo damn good! It reminds me of marc jacobs blushes, they just blend into the skin like a cream and don't have any trace of powder. I too LOVE the look of heather, fig and also ginger pop! Love those warm neutral type of shades! I can't wait to pick one up soon! Oh and I just want to let you know that I just did the Addicted to Blush tag! Thanks so much for tagging me earlier! :)

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    1. Yayyy I read it and enjoyed it! Thanks for doing it finally and sharing with us your blush picks and collection :)

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  4. I'm not normally one for quite peachy blushes, more of a pink girl, but this is beautiful!
    The Beauty Bloss

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  5. I have the Plum pop from last year's collection and I love it so much. I also wanted to get Peach Pop but they are not sold in my country so I'll have to wait :/

    Sue | zuzanahumajova.com

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  6. Such a pretty blush and the colour is gorgeous! I love peach shades :)
    x
    http://www.liveshoptravel.com/culottes-and-peplum-top/

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  7. I've heard really great things about the Clinique 'Pop' line especially the blushes. I especially love the look of this shade.... It drives me crazy the price difference though! That's why I've never purchased in Australia :/

    Sarah | More Than Adored

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    1. Yeah, price hikes in Australia are the norm but still so disappointing. If only all brands would follow Illamasqua's footsteps and price more competitively and fairly :(

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  8. How are they so inexpensive in America?? I believe they are around 19£ in the UK!! I would love to try them out :)

    Love, Charline | Charline Has a Blog

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    1. Wow that is quite a big difference! I guess Americans have it lucky when it comes to a large chunk of their makeup pricing :)

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  9. I haven't picked up any of the Pop blushes yet but I've read so many good reviews. I'd have to go for another shade though as I already have Diffused Heat which seems quite similar but double the price :/

    beauty visions

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  10. This looks beautiful. Does these have any shimmer by any chance ? Are they out in Australia.
    Really want to add one to my collection ..Love your swatch comparison as always :)

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    1. They're not so much shimmery in terms of visible shimmer/glitter, but they have an inbuilt pearl to them which gives a radiant finish. They're $40 each and available at Clinique counters :)

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  11. LOVE the shade of this blush, how pretty!
    xprincessjas | ♥

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  12. Peach Pop looks very nice on you! and very natural as well ^^
    I have Berry Pop from the line, but I have to say I am not a fan.. I find the texture very similar with NARS blushes which mean they don't work well for me :/ I find them very difficult to blend and look patchy on my cheeks.. But a lot of people love NARS blushes as well as these cheek pops from Clinique, so I guess I am a rare case xD

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    1. Awwww really? :p I guess it always comes down to individual preference and performance! Sorry to hear Berry Pop was a disappointment (and even sorrier to hear you're not a fan of NARS blushes, lol!).

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  13. This looks gorgeous, I've been meaning to pick up a couple of shades for a while now, but after hearing and seeing Heather Pop I'm just smitten. Definitely nothing to do with the fact that it's my name at all!

    Heather, porcelainbeautyx

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  14. Giggled at "a not insignificant number" - love your writing! ;D
    I had one of these but gave it away. Now I'm looking at unique shades like "Cola Pop", but not because I think I'd use a lot of use out of it. I think they are great options especially in the (U.S.) price range, but I've noticed the surface gets harder and stained over time. Have you noticed this as well?

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    1. Ditto Lena on everything -- also had one and got rid of it (I think it was Ginger Pop) and now I'm eyeballing Cola Pop (what a dumb name). The texture is really bizarre but I really want one just to stare at the flower pattern anyway. I think Peach Pop is the prettiest on your skin tone out of the swatches in the lineup!

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    2. Haha I always like to downplay :p Thank you for the nice words about my writing :)

      I do like the look of the lavender shade in the new colour range - not because I'd get any wear out of it (or that it would look good on me), but simply because it's quite unique for a brand like Clinique to come out with a shade like that. The US pricing is also really competitive compared with comparable brands.

      I only have had my blush for maybe a month so I can't comment on the surface yet. I have noticed that there's already some greyish stain developing over the top which doesn't bode well for the future...

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    3. Liz, I think I read your review of Peach Pop while writing this entry, lol? You said you liked it but weren't enamoured of it. I'm glad I bought this one simply to try a very popular product out - especially when it has an important point of distinction (here, the texture). Plus ... flower imprint! And fanks you :>

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  15. I have ginger and cola pop. I had ginger pop from last year but for some reason, I didn't like it at first and was contemplating on giving that away. Now that it has been discovered, it has been one of the most worn blushes. I use it so many times and yet the flower imprint is still intact.

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    1. I do believe that the flower imprint is meant to be quite deeply embedded into the product and it's not just a surface thing. Who knows, might be all the way through. I suspect it is!

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  16. These look stunning, I love the colour!
    Maddy, xo // UNSTITCHEDD

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  17. Peach Pop is definitely on my wish list! I currently have Ginger which I love. I don't think the new shades have hit the UK yet :( xx

    Magpie Jasmine

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  18. The two shades I have, berry and ginger pop, look really unflattering on me and it's frustrating because I want to love them like everyone else! Sadly, they are getting added to the eventual blog sale pile >.<
    This colour really suites you and looks glowing and lovely!

    xx

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    1. Aww, that sucks when we have such high hopes for a product but are let down by the shades and how they look when worn. Maybe there is a shade in the newer line up for you :)

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  19. Such a pretty colour and the flower design is ridiculously adorable <3

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  20. Wow, those are great dupes by the way x

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  21. I actually bought this blush last spring (same shade) and I remember thinking it was 'meh', so it pretty much sat unused until this year. DISAPPOINTED IN PAST VANESSA, BECAUSE I FAILED TO SEE HOW GREAT THIS BLUSH IS. I just find the way it melds to the skin so nice, and I'm totally on board with this whole 'non-powdery' thing (a reason why I'm a big fan of Tarte too, even if they are harder than my blush boner). I totally got heart palpitations when I found out they were releasing new shades, but I can't get them because Clinique isn't cruelty-free. What a cruel joke.

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