If I wear the Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 will you lend me some Sugar? I am your neighbour!

When I received the new Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 blush palette in Sugar I had what is known as a “OMG What am I going to do with this?!” moment. I flapped around for a bit, opened the palette, stared at the deep pigmented berry and orange and bronze and shut it again. It was all too much to take in.

But one morning, I had a bit of time so I thought I’d try it out. The Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 palette is a palette of 3 blush shades that complement each other, even if they don’t quite seem to. Each palette consists of 3 colours in matte and shimmery textures designed to take you from day to night with a simple technique of layering. The palette shown here is Sugar. I must tell you however, that if you plan to purchase these blush trios, please do not base your impressions on the Sleek makeup website. They are grossly off and totally unrepresentative of the colours in real life, as I will show you below.

The packaging is … sleek. The product comes housed in Sleek Makeup’s compact plastic packaging that actually feels quite sturdy.

I did not take a picture of the palette size, but it is about the length of my palm and sits in it quite comfortably. Instead of including a crummy brush that most of us will toss anyway, Sleek Makeup has opted to make the blush pans flush against the sides of the palette. What this means is that you get a TON of product in this slim compact case. I didn’t quite measure off hand, but each blush pan is about the size of a NARS blush pan and again, I didn’t compare it but the colours in the Sugar palette were quite reminiscent of NARS blushes that I own(ed).

The Sleek Blush by 3 palette in Sugar has a matte berry shade (Turbinado), a shimmer bronzed rose shade (Muscovado) and a matte orange shade (Demerara). In pan, it looks incredibly pigmented and very daunting. However, having had experience with NARS blushes prior to this, I picked up my softest blush brush (Lunasol Cheek Brush) and just touched the brush to the colour for best effect and interestingly, it applies a lot sheerer than I expected. Speaking of Nars blushes, the colours in the Sugar palette remind me of Mounia (a matte version), Outlaw/Lovejoy and Gina respectively.

Swatched with fingers, I will say that the matte colours are a bit blah.

Sleek Blush by 3 Sugar swatches L-R: Turbinado, Muscovado, Demerara

The middle shimmer shade (Muscovado) is the most pigmented. It was swatched just once. The 2 matte shade on either side were layered with 2 layers at least. The texture of the matte colours are hard and fingers do not pick up the colour very well. But then, you don’t apply powder blush with your fingers do you? You use a brush! 😉 And if you use a good brush that picks up colour well, you do end up with quite a pretty colour on skin.

I merely touched my blush brush to each of the 3 colours from the berry to the bronzed rose to the orange, then dab it on a piece of tissue, then apply to the skin. I don’t know what MAC foundation shade I am, but this might give you an idea of the foundation shades I use – I am usually on the lightest end of the colour spectrum, and Sugar wasn’t too scary! *whew*

The shimmer bronzed rose shade adds a bit of dimension to the skin due to the shimmer. On separate occasions, I’ve used just the berry mixed with the orange and it gives a lovely matte flush too. I must say that I was quite surprised at how wearable it really is.

In a nutshell

Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 is a palette of 3 blush shades in one. Each palette has matte and shimmer shades and each colour can be worn on its own or layered to create different colours, dimensions and depth. Sugar is warm berry-orange palette that looks incredibly pigmented in the pan but which is actually quite sheer on the skin. I would recommend the use of a stippling brush (if you prefer that) or a soft blush brush (my preference) to apply and blend the colour on skin. I am on the fair end of the foundation spectrum but Sugar gives me a lovely rosy flush to the skin when I blend the colours out. The representation of colours on the website are quite inaccurate so I’d recommend doing a search for the pictures of the actual product for better representation.

Pros: Colour is very pigmented but can be applied sheerly if you use a light hand or a good brush, Slim and compact packaging houses 3 good sized blush pans, Affordable

Cons: Unavailable locally but available online, Matte shades feel a bit hard and apply sheer, Colour representation on the website is off

Because I can, here’s another picture to show how the Sleek Blush by 3 in Sugar looks on me from slightly further away

I upped the ante a bit to make sure the colour is seen on camera but I toned it back down before I went out, so I didn’t scare the masses 🙂 Its a pretty palette and I think them good value for money. Not a must have, but an inexpensive pick me up.

And remember how I said not to be fooled by the swatches on the Sleek Makeup website? Look at the 5  Blush by 3 palettes available.

Did you see Sugar? Does it look anything like the picture of the actual palette above?! So you know what? It gives me hope that the rest of the palettes do not look as scary as how I expect them to after seeing their representations on the website 🙂

Does any of the Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 palettes catch your eye? How would you have worn Sugar? I’m actually eyeing Lace and maybe Flame. Perhaps I should hit up any friends headed to the UK for a favour – erm… hint hint! 😀

Paris B

Sleek Makeup Blush By 3 blush palettes come in 5 colours – Lace, Pink Sprint, Sugar, Flame and Pumpkin Price: US$15.99/ £9.99 Availability: www.sleekmakeup.com and Superdrug stores in the UK International shipping: Yes ($13.50 flat rate although a test order showed it currently at $7.50)