e.l.f. Studio Collection Blush, Candid Coral

We all know I'm a huge sucker for drugstore dupes, especially since my measly summer intern paycheck will not be sustaining any big buck purchases at Sephora or any place of the like. Good news for me, the internet is a wondrous place where people will share so many awesome finds and good deals that it's never too hard to find an acceptable, affordable alternative for something I'm interested in trying! That is the case for one of my most-used blushes at the moment, which is e.l.f.'s Studio Collection Blush in Candid Coral. I have always lusted over NARS blushes but have never justified spending $29 on a sheet of colored powder when I own so many awesome blushes already! I was somehow introduced to the NARS blush in Luster and immediately wanted to find something of the same sort because it's a gorgeous peachy nude that I didn't have in my collection. That's when I found that a lot of people referenced the e.l.f. Candid Coral blush as a similar product and I was off to Target to hunt it down. e.l.f. products for the most part are pretty impressive for their extremely discounted price tags (think $1 for regular and $3 for studio collection products... whaaat!), but some products can be a hit or miss. Though I've loved most of the products I've tried by them, I was a bit wary about blushes and shadows since their performance is based heavily on pigmentation.

Candid Coral is a beautiful peachy color that I must say is on the sheerer side of the spectrum (compared to my Wet n Wild Color Icon Blush, this thing is a dud) but that flaw, you could call it, actually works well with of the natural nature of this color. The swatches on my arm are pretty heavily applied (right - heavy swatch, left - slightly blended), but when putting this blush on my face with a brush I layer it up a few times to achieve the desired color payoff. Candid Coral leaves a really light finish which is perfect for those minimal makeup days to bring some color to my cheeks to revive them from that dimensionless just-foundation look (yuck!). The color is super pretty in the pan and translates into a slightly shimmery light peachy glow on the face. I sometimes even lightly apply this as a highlight and use a little more pigmented blush to add that flush of pinkier tones if I'm looking to make myself look rosy and sun-kissed. It's a great blush to throw on before running out the door because you can't really overdo it. Not to mention the packaging looks very similar to NARS blush packaging, so I feel like I'm applying a glamorous high-end product in the morning when I actually scored this little sucker for only $3.

e.l.f. products are available internationally online and offer really great discounts, package deals, freebie sets with minimum purchase, and weekly deals and coupon codes, as well as free shipping over $35 (and you can get a TON of new products for $35), though they sometimes reduce that minimum to $10 or offer free shipping on any order sitewide. It's a bit harder to hunt down in stores because I've found that they only have displays in select Target stores, but there are plenty of reviews and swatches online if you're interested in seeing what a color looks like before making a purchase. I really love their 32 Neutrals Palette, "Coffee" eyeliner, Studio Cream Eyeliner, and powder brush if you're looking for a few more products to try! What are some of your favorite e.l.f. products that you've tried (that you would recommend I try too!), and what are you interested in checking out?