Beauty Care: ColourPop Rum Runner Blush Stix Review & Swatches

Rum Runner

ColourPop Rum Runner Blush Stix ($8.00 for 0.33 oz.) is a medium coral with moderate, warm undertones balanced between pink and more orange paired with a dewy sheen. It had semi-sheer, buildable pigmentation with a smooth, balmy consistency that had moderate slip and applied best with a fingertip or a stippling brush.

The formula worked well on bare skin as well as layered over base products and blended out well (though I didn’t do a great job in the initial swatch photo but confirmed when I actually tested that it was my fault!). This shade stayed on well for eight hours before fading a bit.

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

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Salt New York Coral (P, $16.00) is warmer (95% similar).
Kaja Bossy (03) (P, ) is lighter (95% similar).
Patrick Ta Do We Know Her (Crème) (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
ILIA All of Me (P, $34.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Salt New York Spice (P, $16.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Megeve (Blush) (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Exotic Flora (Bottom) (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, less glossy (90% similar).
Chanel Fleurs de Printemps (Blush) (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
ColourPop Rumours (P, $7.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
ILIA Cheek to Cheek (P, $34.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$8.00/0.33 oz. - $24.24 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to "blend effortlessly" with a "natural, skin-like finish" that can be layered or applied on bare skin. The brand recommends applying directly from the tube for heavier coverage and using a brush to pick up product for less coverage, though the coverage "easily builds colour to your heart's desire." They dry down to a semi-set finish--lightly dewy, definitely "natural, skin-like" in appearance, but not overly tacky or really wet-looking. I haven't found that they migrate or move around much, so the formula is still longer-wearing at seven to nine hours with minimal movement. They have applied well and worn well over foundation thus far, too. They are not transfer-proof but are transfer-resistant; they won't smear around with an inadvertent touch but aren't fully locked down.

The pigmentation varied a bit from shade to shade, but most shades were semi-opaque to fully opaque when applied directly from the tube in one "swipe" motion, though I think mimicking this on cheeks isn't quite as easily done as compared to my arm. I preferred picking up product on my fingertip, patting on the apple of my cheek and diffusing upward and outward, then using a clean fingertip to diffuse and soften the edges as needed. I appreciated that even the deeper hues didn't seem to "sink" into my pores and were as easy to apply and blend out as very light, more my-skin-but-better (literally, my skin!) hues. I would describe the formula was buildable from semi-sheer to medium with semi-opaque coverage possible, but there's enough slip in the formula that it starts to sheer out noticeably even when applied more heavily.

The consistency was lightly emollient, lightweight, and thin with good spreadability and movement; it didn't lift up base products but still worked well over bare skin. I didn't experience it lifting up or creating patchiness over time on top of foundation, even when I set the foundation initially, but I would recommend (same as I would for most cream-based cheek formulas!) to pair with a less-matte foundation for optimal results (the dewy finish plays well with a more skin-like base).

Oh, the caps have the names of the products, but the rest of the tube doesn't, so if you have more than one open, take care in getting the right lid back on!

Browse all of our ColourPop Blush Stix swatches.

Ingredients

Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate, Caprylyl Methicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Paraffin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Ceresin, Hydrated Silica, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Synthetic Beeswax, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Lauryl Laurate, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Microcrystalline Wax, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Water, Hexylene Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Alumina, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Aluminum Powder (CI 77000),Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Blue 1 (CI 42090), Bronze Powder (CI 77400), Carmine (CI 75470), Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI 77289), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Mica (CI 77019), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 27 (CI 45410), Red 27 Lake (CI 45410), Red 28 (CI 45410), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Yellow 10 Lake (CI 47005).

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.