Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Luminous Cheek Colour

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Luminous Cheek Colour ($44) is a mid-tone cool pink (bubblegum pink) powder blush with a matte finish. Although it has cool undertones, I don't find it to be overly cool, and would be suitable for warm and cool skin tones. Obviously I have very warm, medium skin, and it works well on me without leaning purple or appearing ashy.

I've also worn this blush after my faux tan has faded, and on light skin, it gives a natural flush to the cheeks. It's a bit reminiscent of the pink hue the cheeks would turn on fair skin after a light jog. While running errands yesterday, I had to stop a couple of times in the mirror and admire how pretty it is!

The texture is smooth and very finely milled, so there shouldn't be any problems with blending.

The pigmentation is good - just where you'd want a bright blush like this to be, so you won't end up over-doing it. It's always best to lightly tap the blush with your brush and apply it to your cheeks, and go back for more if necessary, rather than going full-force at once.

I'm always drawn to anything pink in makeup and coincidentally, anything gold. Although this shade isn't incredibly unique - there are SO many shades out there that are similar, but I couldn't resist a little D&G!

The blush is housed in a rounded-square pale gold metal compact (although it's only metal on the outside, plastic on the inside) complete with a large mirror and brush. It's completely functional - slim and not too heavy for travel. The only problem is that because it's so reflective, it holds fingerprints easily. It does come with a velvet sleeve if you're particular about keeping your compact clean. The brush included is very soft and works okay, but it's a little too small for my cheeks, and I'd probably won't make much use of it. It actually works well as a highlighter brush to apply a highlight precisely to the top of the cheekbones, as the brush is small and flat.

Here are a few comparisons to other cool pink blushes-

From left to right: Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Blush, Bobbi Brown Pale Pink Blush, Nars Angelika Blush, Illamasqua Promise Cream Blush, Kevyn Aucoin Hot Pink Liquifuschia, MAC Subtle Breeze Mineralize Blush (LE) and MAC Dame Blush.

Close-ups in the same order as above-

Dolce and Gabbana Powder blush contains 5g/0.17 oz of product for $44. It's not the best value in terms of the amount of product you get for the price when compared to it's competitors; Chanel Blush contains 0.21 oz/$43, Christian Dior contains 0.26/$42, Nars contains 0.16 oz/$28 and Bobbi Brown contains 0.13 oz/$25. The list goes on, but the majority of the brands contain more bang for your buck. So ultimately, it all depends on your personal preferred brand.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Beautiful compact that reflects the price, and brand-name. It's functional and slim for travel. 
• Very soft, finely milled texture that makes blending easy.
• Although the finish is matte, it doesn't look ashy or dull on my skin.
• Gorgeous shade for pink lovers - not overly cool, works on warm or cool skin.
• Good color pay-off - it's pigmented, but not overly pigmented (won't leave you looking like a clown)

Cons:

• The color isn't very unique - there really isn't any need to spend $44 on this blush as there are far many other choices for similar shades at a lower cost (although I don't own any exact duplicates)
• The packaging holds fingerprints and gets scratched easily - though can be avoided by storing it in the velvet pouch included.
• It's not the best value, though it doesn't particularly bother me because I'll most likely never finish this blush anyway (I have far too many blushes to finish any of them for that matter)

Price: $44, Saks.