Makeup Revolution VIVID Blush Lacquer

Hello, m'ladies! I spotted Makeup Revolution few months back on Instagram and then stalked few UK bloggers when the brand piqued my interest as being an up and coming budget-friendly option. Also, I'd noticed that many Makeup Revolution products were being tagged as the perfect dupes for certain high-end beauty brands. 

I'm going to digress a little, so please bear with me. My blogger antenna goes haywire whenever I see or hear the word DUPE! Okay, so for those may not know what Dupe means in beauty blogging, it is an item which is considered to be a 'duplicate' of a higher priced item in terms of shade and/or performance. A dupe is usually lesser in price and NOT a fake/counterfeit. Now, many bloggers disagree on what could be a good or bad dupe. Some say that a product has to be 100% the same in color, finish, longevity, etc. for it be considered a 'perfect dupe', while others think 80-95% similarities work too. See for yourself where you lie on the spectrum and don't worry if your pocket doesn't allow the splurge on expensive brands... there is hope. :-)

Coming back, MAKEUP REVOLUTION. When I became obsessed to try their products, I inquired about the delivery & payment options through the official website and it was sad sad day for me to find out that the only mode of payment was PAYPAL (not available in Pakistan). Then, one glorious night, Just4Girls.PK announced they would be exclusively launching Makeup Revolution in Pakistan. Ah, the pure bliss followed by the utter chaos of WHICH products to buy on PBBC group :-P Makeup Revolution Pakistan did cause a stir with their amazing prices and the glowing reviews all over the web. Let's see what yours truly experienced with the Makeup Revolution VIVID Blush Lacquer:

Makeup Revolution VIVID Blush Lacquer retails for PKR 600 at Reforma.PK and Daraz.PK for now. It claims to deliver a long-lasting pop of color on your cheeks with an easily blendable creamy-liquid formula. The available shades in VIVID Blush Lacquer are: Bloom, Heat, O'Boy, Desire, Rush, and Heart.

The Lacquer blush has an air-tight pump dispenser bottle. It is sturdy, but does not have pump-locking bit (where you simply move the pump in a direction for it to not be pressed). That is not a deal breaker for me, but I would keep the cap on securely while traveling with a blush to keep it secure & nice. The size of the packaging would be roughly the width of your palm (#DesiSizeReferences) and it comes in clear plastic seal packaging on the outside. Being without nails makes it harder to get the plastic wrapping off, but God has gifted me with pretty sharp teeth. (TMI, bro?) :-B Nonetheless, I do appreciate that the seal is a nice way of ensuring your product is indeed new and does not have unwanted scratches. 

Moving on to the formula, when I first started dispensing each Lacquer blush, I had to pump more than a few times for the product to be dispensed out. The formula of the lacquer varied a little across each shade, but each of it was a creamy liquid with not-too-runny consistency. I'd be on the lookout if that changes during horrible Summer months here in Pakistan. A word of advice, pump it carefully. You may not be able to entirely control the amount that dispenses out, but the blush is so pigmented that you only need a little bit for your face. If you're not careful, you might experience product wastage. I have a habit of dispensing product on the back of my hand - just unde the thumb. That usually culminates into me wandering off for casual, official or formal events with stained back of my hand :-/ I'm sure that can't be just me, right? In terms of blendability of this blush, amazing! You can blend it with your fingers, sponge, or brushes. So far, I have tried applying these with RT Blush Brush, RT Expert Face Brush, BeautyBlender Dupe, Stipling Brush...and, of course, fingers. For me, all of these worked alright. RT Blush Brush was shaped in a way that I found it harder to soften it and it appeared a tad streaky for my liking. The RT Expert Face Brush gives you more grip with denser bristles that help you control the blending. The dupe of Beauty Blender sponge wasn't too good because sometimes it may rub/scratch your foundation/primer underneath (in case you need heavy blending) and it soaks a little product up as well. Since I like the sponge for my foundation, I wouldn't want to spoil that. Stipling Brush and the fingers were my best bets! For a natural and careful blended application, I would dispense the product on the back of my hand and use the brush lightly to apply and blend the product on my cheeks. I prefer it when I am wearing foundation, but on the bare face I use my fingers. Again, I have overdone it initially, but then I learnt to manage the amount of the product to my desired intensity. Don't end up looking like a baboon, please. 

Good thing is - the blushes dry into a semi-matte finish. It's not overly dewy or a flat matte formula. I noticed how it appeared semi-matte in cooler temperatures (indoor, AC) and turned slightly dewy when I sweat or the cheeks became somewhat oily due to humidity. It transferred on my tissue when I touched/blotted my face, but that didn't seem any different looking in the mirror. Staining, may be? That I have yet to figure out. Oh, and longevity! Don't we all want to apply blush once a day and look like a happy cheerub for the next 20 or so hours? I don't know what is the average longevity of the MUFE or ELF blushes in similar formula, but this one stayed intact for 4+ hours in its full glory. After that as well, it doesn't completely vanish, but becomes somewhat subtle.

If you have dry skin or large pores, I would recommend caution. My suggestion is that you use a primer/pore-minimizer or this may settle into the gaping pores (if worn without anything underneath). For dry-skinned beauties, moisturize well because they may cling to any dry patch on your cheek once it sets.

Too much blabbering, let's skip it to the swatches, my friends:

BLOOM swatched as a rosy-coral shade on me. It's extremely pigmented and blends to give a neutral-rosy flush on the cheeks. 

From the outer packaging, all colors seem REALLY similar. That's what my DH noticed when I showed him what we've got. If you have them long enough, you do get to notice slight differences for certain shades. HEART is what broke my heart completely. I tried dispensing this more than usual, but no blush came out. Yes, yes. I have tried the 5 Stages of Product Opening (Desi Version) - Using it as instructed, Slapping it, Beating it on a surface, Twisting/Using Teeth, and the last - Calling Mom. Nothing worked. So, faulty dispenser - Boo! No swatch here :(

HEART and HEAT - such similar shade names in the same product line. I'm no authority on the subject, but this seems like a bullet they could have avoided :-/ Why not, though? I'd like to know, Makeup Revolution. The swatch seems similar to BLOOM, but it has more neutral-brown undertones in real. It applies to be more natural and less obvious. Pigmentation and longevity get a thumbs-up!

DESIRE is a rosy-pink blush which was not as pigmented as the rest. Oddly enough, I do like this for routine wear when I can build up the coverage and I don't have to worry too much about blending the blush thoroughly. Lasting power is similar to the others, less staining though.

RUSH swatched as a cool-toned pink which gives the natural pink blush look that I love. It is insanely pigmented and so long lasting. One of my favorites. #IHaveAType :-) Using hashtags on a blog is crazy. ehm. I shall be more careful.

O'BOY is almost lavender-pink color which does not look so scary as in the swatch. The daylight was running out, so I fired up the flash. The color is best-suited for cool-toned or fairer beauties, but I am neither and it still looked nice. It is one of the most pigmented ones of the bunch, so I had to go on the blending spree. It can be your pick-me-up pink, for sure! 

The pigmentation of these lacquers can be "used" to fashion them as your lip colors as well. They're opaque (for the most part) and moisturizing (to an extent), so why not? I'm happy I got them before winters when matte blush tends to be too matte on me. I'd be trying these bad-boys and update you if anything changes. 

Thumbs up for long-lasting and pigmented formula, thumbs down for the packaging flaws and somewhat limited shade range - no clear orange-peach or plum shades. 

Makeup Revolution VIVID Lacquer Blush (PKR 600) range is available at Reforma.PK and Daraz.PK. Stay updated with the upcoming Makeup Revolution collections in Pakistan through their Facebook.

Check out my Facebook and Instagram for quicker updates! I'd love to have your comments, as always <3 

Cheers,

Bia

Disclaimer: This post may contain PR samples given for review. The opinions expressed are unbiased & honest depending upon my experience.