Behold NARS Exhibit A, a vivid red blush with burnt sienna tones. The first time I saw this in person was a few years ago now and it was a total coup de foudre. Instant affinity. It’s scary in the pan but is to be applied in sheer layers with a light hand, to which task the NARS yachiyo brush (still loving it) is well suited. NARS is known for their uniformly beautiful blushes*. Excellent pigmentation, fine, high quality powders. I cannot imagine that I will ever use it all, so fractional is the amount needed. This is the blush that, for me, follows (more or less) the prescription to wear a color that matches the color you naturally blush. Goes wonderfully with red lipsticks, too.
*Their eyeshadows (and their eye primer) and certain of their lipsticks are supposed to be good, too, though I confess they do not tempt me, velvet matte lip pencils aside.
I am wearing this blush in the previous post and think it does look fairly realistic, especially as I am outside in the snow.
It does look like I’m wearing blush (though maybe it wouldn’t if I weren’t wearing lipstick…) but I don’t mind that effect (the conspicuously made-up effect) in moderate doses, or even in immodest doses, if the context is right. The existence and use of makeup is no secret.