Since I really like most of Philosophy's skin care products, I recently started trying their cosmetic line. I tried Philosophy The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas and it just didn't work for me because my skin is dry and I like a dewy finish.

However, I couldn't resist trying Philosophy The Supernatural Airbrush Blush in pink. It seemed so fresh and so natural. They also make the same formula in Bronze.

I never had such a problem using any cosmetic as I did with this one. When I finally did figure it all out, I realized it was just too natural looking for my skin.

About this Blush

Philosophy says the following about this new blush:

overly dramatic makeup is out and soft, natural makeup is in. philosophy's new supernatural airbrushed blushes give your cheeks sheer, natural looking color in an easy to use buffing application system. available in two universally flattering shades of pink and bronze, philosophy has made beautiful cheek color virtually fool-proof.

You need this product if:

* you like soft natural looking makeup
* you want a cheek color that is easy to apply
* you prefer brushless application systems

The Packaging

This blush comes boxed and is a scant .12 ounce. It has a transparent bottom with a big black top and a little round mirror on the on the very top of the cap.

To open, you just pull off the black cap and you will see a sponge sitting atop the black plastic housing that is on top of the loose pink blush underneath.

With the cap on, this blush is about an inch and a half tall and, with the cap off, it's about an inch and a quarter tall. The tub is about an inch and a quarter around. Pretty small but not hard to handle - until you try to apply it.

My Experience

I take full blame or not reading the teeeeeeny line that said to turn the housing clockwise and tap on the container to dispense the blush onto the sponge. Apparently this is the same system as the Supernatural Canvas Foundation but the one I tried was a sample so it didn't have the cutesy sponged top.

I thought the top came off and I would dip the sponge into the blush. So, I turned the housing and turned it and turned it. I pulled on it, I tried to pry it loose with my teeth, I simply couldn't get the thing off.

I suppose that is a good thing considering is isn't made to come off! After a while, I peered at the tiny print on the box and saw the line about turning and tapping. D'OH!

And so I did. But nothing came out on the sponge. I tapped and tapped and tapped. Nothing.

I was about to give up when I decided to give the jar a few hard shakes to see if that would get the process started. Alas, I saw just a hint of pink on the sponge. Success. I kept shaking but only a very light pink hue appeared on the sponge.

OK, I figured, I'll try it. When I swiped the sponge over my cheek, I saw nothing. No flush, no blush, no color.

I went back to shaking and tapping. Only the barest amount of pink showed up on the sponge. Finally, I pulled the sponge off its housing and saw tan cardboard-like strips, finely shredded, between the sponge and the holes where the blush comes out. That was there apparently to meter the blush and make sure not too much was dispensed.

I pulled about half the stuff out and replaced the sponge. And at last, I shook the jar and got some pink blush on the sponge. Whew, that was a hassle.

Finally, I was ready to apply the blush. I tapped and swiped the sponge across my cheek. Hmm. I still didn't see any blush. I have medium skin on the lightest end of the spectrum and this blush, in the container, looks like a medium shade of pretty pink. By all accounts, the shade should have been perfect with my skin because pinks compliment my coloring.

I tapped and shook more and applied again. Honestly, I saw only the tiniest bit of color on my cheek. I only did one side for comparison and I saw perhaps one quarter shade difference between the two sides. Certainly I didn't look blushed, flushed, or even natural. I looked barefaced.

I have since tried this blush several times. I tried it over gel or cream blush, alone with no foundation at all, and I even took the sponge off and poured some powder in my hand and applied it with a brush.

The color is simply too subtle to do a thing for me. Trust me when I say I am a very pale person. I don't have the natural rosy hued cheeks some women do. So any blush is more than my natural blush. But this one simply doesn't have enough pigment to give me a natural flush of color.

While it is silky (When I poured it in my palm, I could feel the texture), has no scent, and caused no breakouts or irritation, it simply didn't DO anything.

I may have kept it and used it as an all over light dusting of pale setting powder but the tiny tub was twenty-five bucks!

I gave up and called Philosophy and ordered the Supernatural Fingerpaints in Cool in its place. That is a palette of three shades of creamy pink colors to use on cheeks, lips, and eyes. It looks more pigmented and more versatile than this blush is.

Seriously, unless you are pale as a ghost, you will barely see a hint of flush on your cheeks no matter how much you apply. Natural indeed. It is like you have no blush on at all - because you really don't!

I liked the application system and the fact that the blush stayed out of contact with fingers and air thus reducing bacteria. No brush is needed and it is portable. But, none of that matters if it doesn't give me the glow I need.

Ingredients

Talc, Nylon 12, Triethylhexanoin, Zinc Stearate, Lauroyl Lysine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, May Contain: Mica (ci 77019), Titanium Dioxide (ci 77891), Iron Oxides (ci 77491, 77492 77499), Yellow 5 Lake (ci 19140), Carmine (ci 75470), Ultramarines (ci 77007), Manganese Violet (ci 77742)

Buying Info

This blush can be purchased on Philosophy.com (and they have a 90 day return policy thankfully) or at a number of beauty websites including drugstore.com. It is also available offline anywhere Philosophy products are sold. If you do buy it offline, try it first! You may find that it doesn't do enough for you to plunk down $25.00 for a tiny amount of powder or you may love the very natural almost not there veil of …uh …nothingness you get with this blush.

Conclusion

I like subtle blush these days and am stepping away from the deep blushes I used to use to try to make myself look less pale. I blush deep pink when I am excited or embarrassed (or both!) and that is the color I try to recreate with my cosmetic blushes. This one is a good idea (once you figure out that you can't take the top off and dip the sponge in the blush) and I wanted to love it. I wanted a natural, glowy, pretty flush of just pinched color. I got, well, nothing. I think if it were $10.00 or $12.00, I would use it after my make up was applied to set it and perhaps give me a tiny bit of sheer color. However, as a blush - even with gel or cream blush under it - it failed miserably for me.

Very pale or light skinned women may find the subtle pink shade very natural looking. I always considered myself quite pale and have used pink blushes that looked lighter than the blush in the little container. Maybe it's the talc, maybe it's the dispenser, maybe it's simply the lack of pigment, but this blush is on its way back to Philosophy. I will let you know if the Fingerpaints work better for me.

I give this 2 stars and am not recommending it although it has some features that some women may like. But it certainly was a dud for me and an expensive one at that!

Recommended: No