Beauty Care: Melt Cosmetics Sandy Cheeks Cream Blushlight Review & Swatches

Sandy Cheeks

Melt Cosmetics Sandy Cheeks Cream Blushlight Melt Cosmetics Sandy Cheeks Cream Blushlight ($22.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium brown with strong, warm orange undertones and a natural finish. It was intensely pigmented where a little went a long way, though the formula was blendable and spreadable, so it was fairly easy to correct or sheer out if one applied too much. I would recommend using less than you think you need and building up–as it built up nicely–if you don’t need or want full coverage from the get-go.

The consistency was smooth, creamy, and moderately emollient without being overly slippery, so it worked well with fingertips and brushes over bare skin and over foundation as it did not create patchiness or lift up base products. The formula dried down to a more transfer-resistant finish that retained some sheen but did not look dewy. The color applied evenly and blended out without much effort. It lasted well for eight and a half hours before fading visibly.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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NARS Me First (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery, brighter (90% similar).
Becca Songbird (P, $32.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
ColourPop Outta Sight (LE, $8.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Merit Terracotta (P, $28.00) is lighter (90% similar).
ColourPop Good Luck Charm (LE, $8.00) is darker (90% similar).
MAC Pleasure Model (LE, $31.00) is darker (90% similar).
ColourPop Hooked (P, $8.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
MAC Perfect Bronze (Right) (LE, $29.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
NARS Angel Pride II (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Too Faced Sugared Peach (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).

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Formula Overview

$22.00/0.14 oz. - $157.14 Per Ounce

The product is primarily marketed as a cream blush, but the brand also stated that they can be applied to lips as well with some shades working as cream eyeshadow for a monochromatic look. There was nothing about coverage that I could find, though the brand's swatches--both live and in promotional images--were opaque.

The formula was lightweight, moderately emollient, and slightly gel-like, which helped it spread better over bare skin and over base products. Most shades were not prone to lifting up base products and worked well with both fingertips and brushes for application.

As the formula was more pigmented with most shades ranging from semi-opaque to fully opaque, I found brushes were particularly good at getting a sheerer, more diffused application, especially around the edges. If you want a sheerer effect, I'd recommend using less product and building up more as they were more pigmented than most cream-based blushes.

They dried down to a more transfer-resistant finish, so they did not remain emollient, which helped them last longer on my skin. They could still be blended out once dry, and if I rubbed with a fingertip, product would transfer, but the color didn't lift away if I had to brush a stray eyelash or hair from my face (as examples). They still had a natural sheen on my skin, less than dewy but definitely not matte either!

On average, they lasted eight hours on me with a couple of shades lasting a touch longer. I found the shimmer-less shades to last slightly longer in comparison to the shimmery shades, which were more emollient in the pan as well.

Browse all of our Melt Cosmetics Cream Blushlight swatches.

Ingredients

ISOAMYL LAURATE, ISONONYL ISONONANOATE, POLYGLYCERYL-2 TRIISOSTEARATE, POLYETHYLENE, TALC, OCTYLDODECANOL, SILICA, BEHENYL DIMETHICONE, TRIBEHENIN, DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, PARFUM / FRAGRANCE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, BHT, BENZYL BENZOATE. MAY CONTAIN: TITANIUM DIOXIDE CI 77891, IRON OXIDES CI 77491, IRON OXIDES CI 77492, IRON OXIDES CI 77499.

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.