The Orgasm Dupe

I know there's probably a lot of posts out there similar to this but after looking at my blush collection a few days ago, I realised they all looked the same! There's obviously a certain colour I gravitate towards and I also prefer shimmer. But I never chose any of these blushes with Nars Orgasm in mind. This is probably why I wasn't so impressed with it when I finally did buy it. I even went onto the Temptalia dupe list to check out what else is similar. I kept seeing Luminous by Milani popping up, and this just happens to be the only Milani blush I own! I've also heard that Rose Gold by Sleek is supposed to be a good dupe too which I was going to buy a few months back but it was out of stock, it would probably be a waste of money for me to buy it now. Although it's a great alternative if you don't want to splash out the money for Nars which, I wouldn't recommend for this colour simply because there are SO many around. 

So the dupe's that I've found in my own collection are:

Milani Luminous blush

This blush is very similar to Orgasm but the finish is quite different, where as Orgasm has a pink blush with gold shimmer particles the gold in luminous is much more subtle and has no particles, the two colours blend together. It's much less glittery and the colour has more orange undertones.

Benefit Bella Bamba

I love Bella Bamba because it is such a pigmented colour and has such a soft texture which I love. The shimmer particles in this are a little more subtle than that of orgasm and while it has a slight golden glow it's not as obvious. It seems pinker in colour too.

Philosophy Healthy/Happy duo 

While this colour may look similar in the pan it's much different when swatched, I would say this is more of a burnt orange shade. This doesn't have shimmer particles in it, it's much more of a sheer subtle sheen, more similar to milani luminous than orgasm

 Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Glisten

I would say this colour is just a tad darker pink than orgasm, the finish is very similar with less gold. Again with the shimmer particles, although they can be seen up close they are much less obvious.

Too Faced Who's Your Poppy? blush which I got in a duo with last year's holiday collection

This is the most similar from all the blushes, looks exactly the same when swatched. The same pink tone and the same finish with the right amount of gold shimmer. Although this has the same texture as Bella Bamba the finish overall is the best dupe for Orgasm.

L-R Orgasm, Luminous, Bella Bamba, Philosophy, Glisten, Who's your poppy?

I really think I need to be a bit more adventurous when picking blush shades from now now on! Any Recommendations? Do you have any good dupes for higher end products?
 

Betty-lou Manizer

I wear bronzer on a daily basis, mainly to contour my face with. The betty-lou manizer from the balm has become my new go to bronzer. I think this would be the perfect bronzer for the summer, it blends really well with my skin without looking cakey or muddy on my face. When swatched this bronzer comes off very shimmery and a deep gold colour but when applied it blends out to give a subtle tanned look to the face. I love to pair this bronzer with Benefit's Bella Bamba to give a sun-kissed glow to the face. This is a highly pigmented bronzer so I only use a minimal amount on my blush brush and then build it up from there. I like to apply this as a contour shade and then blend it out very sheer over my cheeks and up over my temples. I was very surprised with this bronzer and am so glad I purchased it!

Do you have a favourite bronzer?

The Pretty Committee

I'm always on the look out for sales/bargains on cosmetics, especially the high end products as sometime's it can get pricey. I managed to find this benefit set at Sephora and as Benefit cosmetics rarely go on sale I decided to get it. As far as I know this set isn't available in the UK or from the Benefit official website so I'm assuming it's a Sephora exclusive. It's a shame we don't have a Sephora in the UK anymore because it's still has stores around Europe. I hope they consider at least shipping to the UK. 

This set retails for $38 and it's value is $86 so there's quite a big saving. The set includes Stay Don't Stray Primer, Bella Bamba boxed powder, Eye Bright, and High Beam travel size. 

Three of the items in this set I was planning on buying anyway and the High Beam I already have so I think I might give this away to my sister because I have too much high beam already.

The Bella Bamba blush does have a sweet smell to it, I've heard it's supposed to be water melon which I kind of get. As always with Benefit boxed powders, there is some novelty which I like because it helps you remember the brand. This blush does have some shimmer to it so if you are more of a matte person you may not like this. The blush has a good colour payoff but I would recommend starting out with a small amount of product because a little can go a long way with this and if you want to you can then build it up. It's easier to add than take away. I've been wearing this blush almost every day. I think this would be the perfect colour to have with a tan in the summer. Retails for £23.50/$28

 

The stay don't stray primer can be used for both concealer and eyeshadows, although I have never heard of priming specifically for concealer. Anyone done it? does it work? I'd like to try it for concealer but not sure if it would be too much, I already prime my face with one or two primers then add concealer and foundation. I like the packaging on this with the exception of the pump, it's hard to control how much product comes out and even when pressing slowly it still gives too much. I would say one slow pump is enough to do both eyelids and perhaps under eye concealer. I like that this product covers veins and discolouration which gives you an even base to work on. Retails for £19.50/$26

The eye bright stick is a milky pink nude colour with a creamy consistency, it also blends easily if you are looking for a less harsh line. I've been looking for a white eyeliner for a while as I've heard so many people say it really helps brighten the eye. I usually line my waterline with black so to have something a bit lighter is a nice change. Something I also like about this is that it's not a pure white so it won't give such a harsh look. It can be used to highlight the waterline/inner eye and the brow bone. Retails for £14/$20

High Beam is probably a highlighter you've heard a lot about, I've already got the full size and travel size versions of this so am no stranger to it. This is a liquid highlighter for the cheeks that is a milky pink colour with a tad of shimmer. I usually like to dot 3 times on the upper cheek and then lightly blend them in so it gives a natural look. Retails for £18.50/26 full size.

The back of the box also has a kind of how to manual, I know most are pretty straight forward but it could help with better application and is a great idea for anyone who is new to makeup or the brand.

Have you tried any of these products? Are you a fan of Benefit cosmetics? Would you recommend any of these products?