Beauty Care: Pat McGrath Desert Orchid Divine Blush Review & Swatches

Desert Orchid

Pat McGrath Desert Orchid Divine Blush Pat McGrath Desert Orchid Divine Blush ($38.00 for 0.34 oz.) is a muted, medium brown with a hint of rosiness and warmer, peachy-gold pearl throughout. It had nearly opaque color coverage in a single layer, which was its “con” as it wasn’t a buildable formula; I had to use a very light hand and be consciously careful of how much I was picking up to achieve sheer or buildable coverage.

The consistency was incredibly smooth to the touch, almost silky, despite having a bit of give and powderiness (in the pan). It applied evenly to bare skin, diffused as I was applying, and blended out well. The finish was subtle and luminous, so there was no fear of it emphasizing my skin’s natural texture. The color showed signs of fading after nine hours of wear.

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

Top Dupes

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View Swatches

Formula Overview

$38.00/0.34 oz. - $111.76 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be "featherlight, long-wearing" that "build effortlessly from sheer to subversive." The blushes are available in two finishes--demi-matte and satin pearl--and range from more muted to more vivid in color. The biggest "downfall" of the formula was that it was rather pigmented than buildable, so one could use a lighter hand to get more buildable coverage, but I found I had to use a light to moderate hand to ensure I didn't over-apply each shade.

The consistency was smooth, silky, and lightly creamy to the touch; it was a touch powdery in the pan but had more slip than most powder blushes on the market, but it was definitely a powder-based formula. The product applied well to bare skin as well as over foundation, as it diffused well along the edges without picking up base products.

The satin pearl finish was luminous but not overtly shimmery, so it did not emphasize my skin's natural texture. They wore around nine hours on me before fading visibly.

Browse all of our Pat McGrath Divine Blush swatches.

Ingredients

Talc, Mica, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Dimethiconol Stearate, Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Caprylyl Glycol, Diisostearyl Malate, Hexylene Glycol, Magnesium Myristate, Tin Oxide, Phenoxyethanol. (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140).

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.